The Heart of a Father:
On Sunday, 25 October 2009, Aldo accidently fell from the balcony of the McPherson's house. Tinus, Aldo's dad, was seconds too late to stop him from leaning too far over the balcony railing. Miraculously, his injuries are limited and all the glory belongs to a living God who protected his life. This is a letter Tinus wrote soon after the accident:
Aldo,
The tears are rolling over the wrinkles that have appeared overnight on my face, and I feel broken.
When you were small I was your hero…how is it possible that I couldn’t catch you when you fell?
When I held you and the blood came pouring out of your mouth, I couldn’t do anything for you – only love you.
In the ambulance I could only watch as the paramedics tried to help you, and I could do nothing – only trust God.
At the hospital I had to stand aside and watch as the doctors and nurses worked with you, while you were bravely lying still without showing any pain, and I could do nothing for you – only pray.
During the night next to your bed, all I could do was sit and stare, and wonder what you were dreaming when your body shacked like that. Maybe you were dreaming the same things I saw when I closed my eyes?
You have touched so many lives with your courageous testimony and the messages are streaming in from all over.
Today I experienced a little bit of what God must have felt when He sent His own Son, tortured, to the cross so that others could have eternal life – and He could do nothing.
It feels as if I fail when I can’t spare you the pain.
But I know we will stand up again, dust off the blood, and go on; because the work we have to do is not finished yet.
I am only sorry that it is your blood.
I am proud of you, and you are my hero.
Dad
Letter in Afrikaans:
Aldo,
Die trane rol deur die plooie wat oornag op my gesig onstaan het, en ek voel stukkend.
Toe jy klein was, was ek dan jou hero, hoe kon ek jou misvang toe jy val?
Toe ek jou vas hou en die bloed by jou mond uitloop, kon ek niks doen vir jou nie - net liefhê.
In die ambulans kon ek net toekyk terwyl hulle met jou werk, en ek kon niks vir jou doen nie – net vertrou op God.
By die hospitaal moes ek eenkant staan ek kyk hoe die dokters en susters met jou werk, en jy vir ure dapper stil lê en geen pyn wys nie, weereens kon ek niks vir jou doen nie - net bid.
Gedurende die aand langs jou bed kon ek deur die nag net sit en staar, en wonder wat jy droom as jou lyfie so ruk. Miskien droom jy dieselfde dinge wat ek sien as ek my oë toemaak?
Soveel mense se lewens is al aangeraak deur jou dapper getuienis en die sms’e stroom in.
Vandag het ek ‘n klein bietjie ervaar van hoe God moes voel om Sy Seun, gemartel, kruis toe moes stuur sodat ander die ewige lewe kon ervaar en Hy kon niks doen nie.
Dit voel asof ek misluk as ek jou nie van die seer kan spaar nie.
Maar ek weet ons sal weer opstaan, die stof en bloed afskud en aangaan want die werk is nog nie klaar nie.
Dis net jammer dis jou bloed.
Ek is trots op jou en jy is my hero.
Pa
The heavenly warfare
I have just returned from a weekend camp held at Wortelgat, near Hermanus. What an incredible time spent in the presence of an Awesome God. So many people were set free from the things which kept them back from entering into the fullness of God’s presence and love for them, and many were baptized. We all saw and experienced the presence of the God of the Supernatural. We were surrounded and enveloped by The Lord’s presence on every side.
I observed and realized once again how fear keeps people from entering into the fullness of what God has for them and how it keeps them from knowing and encountering the God of the Supernatural. You see, fear will keep you from entering into what God has planned for you. Fear will tell you, ‘’you will never be able to do what God has planned for you’’, and yes it is true you won’t be able to in your own strength, but Christ in You will do it! The enemy’s only purpose is to stop you from walking with God.
‘’For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.’’ 2 Timothy 1:7
Many people ask me, ‘’Retha, how do you enter into the fullness of God?’’ There is one way by which we enter as a child of God, we enter by ‘’faith’’.
‘’By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible.’’ Hebrews 11:3
‘’But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.’’ Hebrews 11:6
Faith involves a conscious decision of your own free will, to lay down your own preconceived ideas and thoughts and to trust God above all else. That also means above your circumstances in the natural realm. You see, fear is like an open door in your life, and it paralyzes you, so that you will give up on what God has promised.
When I arrived at Wortelgat, my husband, Tinus, called to say that Aldo is very ill. I could have allowed fear and negative thoughts to keep me from carrying on, but Holy Spirit reminded me of God’s promises over Aldo and in my spirit I immediately started to speak life over him. There and then I released my family into God’s hands again, knowing that He who has promised is faithful. God is God and He is not moved by our circumstances, no, He is moved by our faith! You see, it sounds easy, but the reality of this faith walk is death to self and fighting the good fight of faith!
Holy Spirit so impresses it in my spirit the urgency and reality of our warfare. That we are waging a war NOT AGAINST FLESH AND BLOOD! Please realize the urgency of the hour we are in. In Revelations 12, we read about the war that took place in the heavens, and in Ephesians we are reminded of this war that we are in. This is the reality of our faith walk - we are in a war, where the enemy’s only purpose is to kill, steal and destroy. This fight can only be fought, not in the flesh, not with your carnal mind, but ONLY IN THE SPIRIT!
‘’For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.’’ Ephesians 6:12
The Word, the Blood of Jesus (Yeshua), The Name of Jesus, Praise and Prayer are the weapons of our warfare! We have to be clothed with the full armor of God!
‘’Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.’’ Ephesians 6:13
On my way to the airport, Tinus called to say that Aldo fell from the second storey of our house and that he was seriously injured. He should have been dead, but Praise God, He sent His angels to intervene! When I heard of what happened, I immediately started to praise God in the Spirit. You see, the enemy wants to kill, steal and destroy the purposes and plans of God over Aldo.
When I arrived at the hospital, Aldo wrote and said how the demons came after him and how they are trying to kill him and that they are many (legion), but praise God, that He sent his angels to bear him up!
‘’He will not allow your foot to be moved; He who keeps you will not slumber. Behold, He who keeps Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.’’ Psalm 121:3
In this fight, I realize the reality of this war, the reality of demonic forces assigned against us, for they recognize us in the Spirit-realm, as God’s children. They recognize us, by the light (Christ) within us. When you desire to walk with Christ on this narrow road, this road where you have died to self, and Christ now lives in you and through you, then know you are a threat to the enemy. Then enemy wants to bring fear, to stop us in any way he can to get us off this road! Do not give the enemy any foothold or open door in your life, through sin or anything that separates you from the fullness of His presence.
Aldo wrote and said, ‘’Mommy be holy and pure.’’ This is what God is calling us to. When we live and walk in this, the enemy has no authority over us.
This is the reality of a life lived in Christ.
Aldo is in ICU at the moment and needs reconstructive surgery. Please lift us up in your prayers and stand with us in faith, for that which God has promised He is faithful to complete.
Today, our house is built on a strong foundation, a house built not with human hands, the builder being The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and He who has promised is faithful.
‘’And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death.’’ Revelations 12:11
The Lord bless your spirit.
Retha