One rainy afternoon I was driving along one of the main streets of town, taking those extra precautions necessary when the roads are wet and slick. Suddenly, my daughter, Aspen, spoke up from her relaxed position in her seat. "Dad, I'm thinking of something." This announcement usually meant she had been pondering some fact for a while, and was now ready to expound all that her six-year-old mind had discovered. I was eager to hear. "What are you thinking?" I asked "The rain!;" she began, "is like sin, and the windshield wipers are like God wiping our sins away." After the chill bumps raced up my arms I was able to respond. "That's really good, Aspen." Then my curiosity broke in. How far would this little girl take this revelation? So I asked... "Do you notice how the rain keeps on coming? What does that tell you?" Aspen didn't hesitate one moment with her answer: "We keep on sinning, and God just keeps on forgiving us." I will always remember this whenever I turn my wipers on. In order to see the rainbow, you must first endure some rain. -Unknown Author Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Romans 12:12
Most people are subject to changing moods. In good times they are in high spirits, but if things go wrong they become depressed and lose all hope. The pattern of their behavior is dictated by their emotional condition and the particular moment. One of the character traits that differentiates the committed Christian from others is faith. Without faith it is impossible to lead a Christian life, but with faith you can triumph over all forces through the strength of the living Christ. Regardless of what your circumstances are, it is absolutely essential that you hold on to the all-encompassing and completely victorious love of Jesus Christ. Do not let go of it for one minute, place your complete trust in Him to lead you through every situation in life. Lay all your fears, worries, needs and gratitude in prayer before God and surrender yourself completely to His care and grace. Daar is 'n versekeringsmaatskappy wat homself as "die Rots" adverteer en daarop aanspraak maak dat hy die grondslag van jou finansiële sekuriteit is. Onthou jy die tyd toe ons nog hierdie advertensies geglo het? Maar nie meer nie; finansiële onsekerheid kenmerk vandag se wêreld van banke wat ondergaan, krimpende multinasionale korporasies en groeiende rye werkloses. Vir jongmense het die vreugde daarvan om graad te vang verander in die bekommernis om universiteit skuld af te betaal, en om werk in 'n kleiner wordende arbeidsmark te vind. Baie ouer mense ruil hul aftreedrome in vir 'n nuwe realiteit: "werk tot jy omkap." Waarheen gaan ons vir hulp in sulke tye? Die Bybel sê: "Rykdom hou nie vir altyd nie..." (Spreuke 27:24 NV). Wat is die antwoord? Gaan na die enigste betroubare bron van sekuriteit: God! Daar is geen finansiële krisis in Sy koninkryk nie. Israel was honger en dors, en Hy het vir hulle vars manna en water uit die rots gegee. Hy het kraaie opdrag gegee om kos vir Elia te bring, Hy het olie en meel laat vermeerder om 'n armoedige weduwee se gesin aan die lewe te hou en Hy het duisende kos gegee met vyf broodjies en twee visse. Hy vra ons: "... Is iets vir My onmoontlik?" (Jer. 32:27 NV). Nee!
1) Vertrou God om vir jou te voorsien. 2) Doen wat Hy vir jou sê om te doen. 3) Glo dat God sal sorg. "... Daar sal genoeg... wees om jou en jou gesin te voed..." (Spreuke 27: 26-27 NV). Sielekos: 1 Kron. 6:1-7:19; Luk 12:1-12; Ps 119:9-16; Spr. 20:19-21 I heard a story which illustrates how we often confuse God's timing with ours. A country newspaper had been running a series of articles on the value of church attendance.
One day, a letter to the editor was received in the newspaper office. It read, "Print this if you dare. I have been trying an experiment. I have a field of corn which I plowed on Sunday. I planted it on Sunday. I did all the cultivating on Sunday. I gathered the harvest on Sunday and hauled it to my barn on Sunday. I find that my harvest this October is just as great as any of my neighbors' who went to church on Sunday. So where was God all this time?" The editor printed the letter, but added his reply at the bottom. "Your mistake was in thinking that God always settles his accounts in October." That's often our mistake as well, isn't it - thinking that God should act when and how we want him to act, according to our timetable rather than his. The fact that our vision is limited, finite, unable to see the end from the beginning, somehow escapes our mind. So we complain; we get frustrated; we accuse God of being indifferent to us. That's when God gently reminds us that... "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, says the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts". (Isaiah 55:8-9) God's timetable is perfect. He will do exactly what is best for us - in His own time - according to his wonderful plans for us, because He loves us so much. Wait! Be patient! His clock may show a different time than our clock, but it's the right one. "At the end of life we will not be judged by how many diplomas we have received, how much money we have made, how many great things we have done.
We will be judged by 'I was hungry and you gave me to eat, I was naked and you clothed me, I was homeless and you took me in.' Hungry not only for bread - but hungry for love. Naked not only for clothing - but naked for human dignity and respect. Homeless not only for want of a room of bricks - but homeless because of rejection." - Blessed Mother Theresa of Calcutta, Indian Albanian Catholic nun and founder of the Missionaries of Charity in Kolkata Your kingdom is built on what is right and fair. Love and truth are in all you do. Psalm 89:14
The single most difficult pursuit is truth and love. That sentence is grammatically correct. I know every English teacher would like to pluralize it to read: The most difficult pursuits are those of truth and love. But that's not what I mean to say. Love is a difficult pursuit. Truth is a tough one, too. But put them together, pursue truth and love at the same time and hang on baby, you're in for the ride of your life. Love in truth. Truth in love. Never one at the expense of the other. Never the embrace of love without the torch of truth. Never the heat of truth without the warmth of love… To pursue both is our singular task. The Inspirational Study Bible (Max Lucado) Malachi 4:2
'For you who revere My name, the Sun of Righteousness will arise with healing in His wings.' - One of the great blessings God has for us is healing. - He wants to heal our physical bodies. - He wants to heal us from past hurts and things we have gone through. - His desire is that you would be whole and complete in Him. PRAYER: Lord, I receive the healing that You have in store for me. I give You every area of brokenness and ask You to completely restore me. Amen. Kyk net die dingetjie se gesigsuitdrukking - dis so half magteloos, hulpsoekend, vol vrees.
Hy besef hy is afhanklik van die genade van die hand wat hom vashou. Is dit nie eintlik hoe ons op Jesus moet vertrou nie? Ons is so afhanklik van Sy genade en 'sagtheid' in ons lewe en dit is wat ons moet uitstraal na ander mense toe. Ons dien 'n genadige God wat ons nooit sal seer maak, verlaat of weggooi nie. Geniet 'n fantastiese dag in die beskerming van Jesus se hand |
Ana & Andre Schoonbee God uses us to motivate and encourage the body. Authors
All
Archives
June 2015
|