En as ek sê: Ek sal aan Hom nie dink nie en in sy Naam nie meer spreek nie, dan word dit in my hart soos ’n brandende vuur, opgesluit in my gebeente. En ek het my moeg gemaak om uit te hou, maar kon nie. Jer. 20:9
'n Gebed vir vandag Vader, U waarheid is soos 'n vuur, opgesluit in my gebeente. Help my om U plan te sien vir my. Help my om sterk te staan en te vertrou. Help my om met vrymoedigheid alles te omhels wat U het in stoor vir my, in Jesus se Naam. Amen. Psalm 97:11
'Light shines on the godly, and joy on those whose hearts are right.' - When we endeavour to live right, we will walk in His blessing. - His light can shine on our lives. - When our hearts are right, we can enjoy the joy He has for us. - So arise out of darkness and into His marvellous light. PRAYER: Lord, help me to be able to live my life in such a way that it is pleasing to You. May I know what it means to walk in Your light and may I know that the joy that comes from You is my daily strength. Amen. A man's spirit sustains him in sickness, but a crushed spirit who can bear? Proverbs 18:14. Heavenly Father, You know that my courage quickly falters. Help me to remain courageous in the midst of suffering, so that I may also comfort others because I believe in You. Amen.
John 14:6 (NKJV) Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.
Jesus is life. Over the centuries, many different variations of the truth have sprung up, each with their own little twist on "the real thing". Some of these twists added things to Jesus, while others took things away. Either way, they diluted the purity of who Jesus is. Jesus is not a philosophy. He is not a garment that you try on for a while and then cast off when you get tired of it. If you follow Christ you are not Christian, you are a Christian. I know that might not seem to make sense at first, or it might seem like a trite difference between the two statements, but let me explain. Being Christian implies something that you are by default, having no choice in the matter, such as your race, your gender or your nationality. You can't choose where you're born, what color your skin is or what ethnicity you are. Being a Christian is different. You are a follower of Christ by choice. You chose to follow Him. You chose to accept His offer of salvation and apply it to your life. You choose on a daily basis to live for Him.See the difference? So know in your heart that if you are a follower of Christ, you are a Christian. You are choosing to "wear" Christ daily, to clothe yourself with Him and His sacrifice and make Him your life. He is not our way of life. He is not our theology. He is not our religion.He is life! My King !
He's The Key to Knowledge He's The Wellspring of Wisdom He's The Doorway of Deliverance He's The Pathway to Peace He's The Roadway of Righteousness He's The Highway of Holiness He's The Gateway to Glory DO YOU KNOW HIM ? His LIFE is Matchless His GOODNESS is Limitless His MERCY is Everlasting His LOVE Never Changes His WORD is Enough His GRACE is Sufficient His REIGN is Righteous His YOKE is Easy And His BURDEN is Light I WISH I COULD DESCRIBE HIM TO YOU ? He's Indescribable He's Incomprehensible He's Invincible He's Irresistible You Can't Get Him Out of your Mind You Can't Get Him Off of your Hands You Can't Outlive Him You Can't Live Without Him The Pharisees Couldn't Stand Him But They Found Out They Couldn't Stop Him Pilate Couldn't Find Any Fault in Him Herod Couldn't Kill Him Death Couldn't Handle Him And The Grave Couldn't Hold Him THAT'S MY KING ! JESUS CHRIST Psalm 23:2
'He makes me lie down in green pastures, He leads me beside quiet waters.' - 'Green pastures' speak of something fresh and something new. - Don't just expect more of the old this year. - Believe God for something new and make a fresh start this year. - Give it your best shot and trust Him for good things. PRAYER: Lord, I am trusting for a new season and for something new and fresh in my life. Lead me and cause the new things You have for me to become a reality. Amen. "How do you account for your remarkable accomplishment in life?"
Queen Victoria of England asked Helen Keller. "How do you explain the fact that even though you were both blind and deaf, you were able to accomplish so much?" Ms. Keller's answer is a tribute to her dedicated teacher. "If it had not been for Anne Sullivan, the name of Helen Keller would have remained unknown." According to speaker Zig Ziglar, "Little Annie" Sullivan, as she was called when she was young, was no stranger to hardship. She was almost sightless herself (due to a childhood fever) and was, at one time, diagnosed as hopelessly "insane" by her by caregivers. She was locked in the basement of a mental institution outside of Boston. On occasion, Little Annie would violently attack anyone who came near. Most of the time she generally ignored everyone in her presence. An elderly nurse believed there was hope, however, and she made it her mission to show love to the child. Every day she visited Little Annie. For the most part, the child did not acknowledge the nurse's presence, but she still continued to visit. The kindly woman left cookies for her and spoke words of love and encouragement. She believed Little Annie could recover, if only she were shown love. Eventually, doctors noticed a change in the girl. Where they once witnessed anger and hostility, they now noted an emerging gentleness and love. They moved her upstairs where she continued to improve. Then the day finally came when this seemingly "hopeless" child was released. Anne Sullivan grew into a young woman with a desire to help others as she, herself, was helped by the kindly nurse. It was she who saw the great potential in Helen Keller. She loved her, disciplined her, played with her, pushed her and worked with her until the flickering candle that was her life became a beacon of light to the world. Anne Sullivan worked wonders in Helen's life; but it was a loving nurse who first believed in Little Annie and lovingly transformed an uncommunicative child into a compassionate teacher. "If it had not been for Anne Sullivan, the name of Helen Keller would have remained unknown." But if it had not been for a kind and dedicated nurse, the name of Anne Sullivan would have remained unknown. And so it goes. Just how far back does the chain of redemption extend? And how for forward will it lead? Those you have sought to reach, whether they be in your family or elsewhere, are part of a chain of love that can extend through the generations. Your influence on their lives, whether or not you see results, is immeasurable. Your legacy of dedicated kindness and caring can transform lost and hopeless lives for years to come. You can never overestimate the power of your love. It is a fire that, once lit, may burn forever. "Let your speech always be with grace, as though seasoned with salt, so that you will know how you should respond to each person." Colossians 4:6
Scripture gives some wonderful advice for witnessing more effectively: "Season your speech with salt." How is that? If somebody sprinkles salt on food and makes it taste good, you appreciate it. But if somebody hands you a spoon of salt and says, "Take this all at once," it's a little hard to swallow. In fact, you can't even digest it! Well, think how the non-Christian feels when all you do is talk about God and church and Jesus. You never talk about baseball. You never talk about the office. You never talk about politics. You never talk about the struggles in the neighborhood. You never talk about your family. You never talk about the everyday concerns that a non-believer has. On the other hand, if you talk about all of these things and occasionally sprinkle in a little word about the Lord when there's the right opportunity, or an insight you learned from a sermon, or a Bible verse they might not know, then they may think; well, where did that wisdom come from? Their curiosity is aroused, and longer, deeper conversations may follow. Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice! Philippians 4:4
Go with me back in history a couple of thousand years. Let's go to Rome … to a rather drab little room, surrounded by high walls… Inside we see a man seated on the floor. He's an older fellow, shoulders stooped and balding. Chains are on his hands and feet… It is the apostle Paul… The apostle who was bound only by the will of God is now in chains—stuck in a dingy house—attached to a Roman officer… He is writing a letter. No doubt it is a complaint letter to God. No doubt it is a list of grievances… He has every reason to be bitter and complain. But he doesn't. Instead, he writes a letter that two thousand years later is still known as the treatise on joy—Philippians… Why don't you spend some time with it? The Inspirational Study Bible (Max Lucado) We think ANY reason and every day it's possible to celebrate love (in a pure way) is a great idea! Sadly, we don't focus on marital love enough --we often let life slide in between us and forget to laugh together and romance each other (as we did before we got married).
I've heard it said, "Marriage has robbed a lot of couples of their romance." Sadly, it's true! But it doesn't have to be --because each day can usher in a new beginning, when you work together to do so. We challenge you TODAY to look for ways to make your spouse smile and feel better loved by you. And remember, whenever you give a gift, "Real giving is when we give to our spouses what's important to them, whether we understand it, like it, or not" (Michele Weiner-Davis). Below are a few ideas you could use for loving our spouse. They're ones that Sheldon Walker gave in an article written a few years back published in The Globe and Mail This suggestion is for men to create/design a "coupon book that you can print off and staple together. These coupons may be cashed in on demand from your partner." Of course the same idea could work for wives also --with ideas, which would please your husband. (If you need some help, we have a whole topic on our web site devoted to Romantic Ideas --both for men and women.) But here are Sheldon's suggestions for a coupon book you can put together: -- One half-hour of active listening about any topic the bearer chooses, with a full guarantee that no advice will be offered. -- One half-hour discussion about the state of our [marital] union. -- One half-hour massage of any body part the bearer chooses. -- One lingering non sexual hug. -- One bath with pre-lit candles surrounding the tub [and no interruptions]. -- One evening out alone with no home responsibilities. -- One DVD or Blue Ray rental evening of a romantic movie of your choice. -- One half-hour talk where the bearer can give you feedback (gently, not with criticism, otherwise the coupon is invalid). -- One evening out with the bearer having total control over the choice & nature of the activity. -- One gourmet meal prepared or ordered in by you. -- One instance where you will answer the question, "What are you thinking about right now?" -- One instance where you will openly answer the question, "What are you feeling right now?" Answers may not only consist of 'one-word' emotions such as sadness, joy, anger, fear, depression, angst. -- One stroll or walk holding hands or arm-in-arm. -- One trip in the car where you will slow down when asked. -- One evening at home with music and slow dancing. ............................................................. In closing, we'd like to share something with you sent to us by a friend from Zimbabwe. It's based on 1 Corinthians 13:4-7, which reads: "Love is patient, love is kind. Love does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, and always perseveres." May this be the prayer of your heart: "Dear Lord, "Because love is patient: Help me to be slow to judge, but quick to listen; hesitant to criticize, but eager to encourage, remembering your endless patience with me. "Because love is kind: Help my words to be gentle and my actions to be thoughtful. Remind me to smile and say, 'Please' and 'Thank You' because those little things still mean so much. "Because love does not envy or boast, and it is not proud: Help me to have a heart that is humble and sees the good in others. May I celebrate and appreciate all that I have and all that I am, as well as doing the same for those around me. "Because love is not rude or self-seeking: Help me to speak words that are easy on the ear and on the heart. When I'm tempted to get wrapped up in my own little world, remind me there's a great big world out there full of needs and hurts. "Because love is not easily angered and keeps no records of wrongs: Help me to forgive others as you have forgiven me. When I want to hold on to a grudge, gently help me release it so I can reach out with a hand of love instead. "Because love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth: Help me to stand up for what is right and good. May I defend the defenseless, and help the helpless. Show me how I can make a difference. "Because love always protects and always trusts: Help me to be a refuge to those around me When the world outside is harsh and cold, may my heart be a place of acceptance and warmth. "Finally, because love always perseveres: Help my heart continually to beat with love for You and for my spouse. Amen." .............................................................. We hope you'll continually pray for each other, keep romancing each other, and never stop showing your love and care, not only on Valentine's Day, but throughout the whole year. And may your love for the Lord compel you so you reveal and reflect the Love of Christ every day in little and small ways within your marriage. |
Ana & Andre Schoonbee God uses us to motivate and encourage the body. Authors
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