I want to address your fears today; What is fear?
Oxford Dictionary definition: “a distressing emotion aroused by real or imaginary threat.” What does fear do? When the evening news reports economic collapse, crime and natural disasters, it can ignite anxiety. You may think, “Am I next on the list?” ….fear invades Maybe you’ve experienced loss, thought failure was inevitable, or felt frozen and unable to take the next step in your life…fear paralyzes Fear is the devil’s tool used to destroy our hope in the future. It saps our energy and robs us of joy in living. BUT!!!! The Bible says in 2 Timothy 1:7: “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love, and of a sound mind.” God in His Word wants to reassure us; over 360 times in the Bible it is written, “fear not.” EXPECT GREAT THINGS This resurrection life that you have received from God is not a timid, grave-tending life. It’s an adventure, greeting God in the morning in a child-like manner saying, “Good morning Dad.” God touches our spirits and confirms who we really are, and what the relationship is: Father and children. And we know that we are going to receive an unbelievable inheritance! Prayer: “Heavenly Father, today I greet You as your child by saying, “Good morning Dad! How are You? Dad, I ask for your advice for the day ahead for the things that I am going to face, for the people I am going to meet. Help me represent You to the best of my ability; I pray in Jesus’ Name Your Son…amen!
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Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.”(Matthew 7:24, NIV)
When we have rock-solid faith, we won’t be moved by what’s happening around us. We have peace in our hearts and minds because our hope is in God. We have an attitude that says: “I’m not moved by this medical report. I respect and honor people that are trying to help me, but I know God can do what medical science cannot do. God made my body.” “I’m not moved by the economy, the stock market, my job situation. I know God supplies all of my needs. He promised He would prosper me even in a recession.” “I’m not moved by how my children are acting. I’m not stressed out because they’re off course, making poor choices. I know it’s only a matter of time. As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” Friend, that’s unshakeable faith. That’s building your house on a rock-solid foundation. When the storms of life come, you won’t be moved. How do you stay rock solid? By meditating on the Word of God and following His commands. It’s that simple. Instead of making your circumstances the focus, you make God the focus and stand strong and secure in Him! Today, make spending time with God your number one priority and learn to stay rock solid in Him! Father, thank You for Your Word which is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. I choose to hide Your Word in my heart. I choose to meditate on Your promises. I know that You are faithful to Your Word and thank You for rock-solid faith as I keep my heart and mind focused on MATTHEW 8:3 Then Jesus put out His hand and touched him, saying, “I am willing; be cleansed.” Immediately his leprosy was cleansed.
Most of us are familiar with the healing of the leper in Matthew 8. It is a beautiful account of God’s willingness to touch and heal the sick, no matter how unclean they may be. Whenever we doubt God’s willingness to heal us, we should listen to the words of Jesus again: “I am willing; be cleansed.” He is the same yesterday, today and forever! Since the Bible is clear about God’s willingness to heal, why do we still have problems with our health? Why do we still experience symptoms in our bodies? I believe that the answer is found in what Jesus told the leper to do next. He told him to go and show himself to the priest. (Matthew 8:4) This was the law then for lepers who were healed. (Leviticus 14:2–3) And he was to hear the priest pronounce the word “clean” over him. (Leviticus 14:7) You see, as believers, when we received Jesus, His blood cleansed us from sin as well as sickness. (Isaiah 53:4–5) But we keep hearing people pronounce sin, sickness, poverty and death over us. We keep hearing people tell us that we are unclean, undeserving, poor, weak, and that it is only natural that we grow old and sickly, and die. God is waiting for a priesthood that will rise up and pronounce His people clean! “But Pastor Prince, where can I find such priests?” Who are the priests today? You and I! In fact, we have more authority to pronounce good things than the Levitical priests of the Old Testament. They were just priests. But we are king-priests by the blood of Jesus! (Revelation 1:5–6) Where the word of the king is, there is power. (Ecclesiastes 8:4) And by the word of a priest, every controversy and every assault shall be settled. (Deuteronomy 21:5) Beloved, God has cleansed you, so pronounce yourself clean! Right now, put your hand on your heart and pronounce good things over yourself. Say, “I pronounce myself clean, righteous, healed, whole and abundantly supplied by the blood of Jesus!” By your word as a king-priest, every assault against you shall be settled! “Jesus said to her: ‘I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?” (John 11:25,26)
Many Christians seek more profound answers, a more profound understanding of Christianity, and how to be a Christian in a world that does not understand the essence of being a Christian (sometimes even Christians follow their own concepts of what one should be one). How do I live a Christian life in a world where humans themselves are the focal point, where the self has become “god”? In a world where we are taught to do our own thing and the ethic of the cross, self-denial and self-sacrifice are strange and unwelcomed concepts. In a world where it is not “proper” or “correct” to proclaim that Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life. Some seek answers, a deeper relationship with God, a more powerful spiritual life after wandering from one church to the next, from one spiritual technique to the next, from one experience to the other without finding lasting fruit and peace. Jesus Christ is the answer. He has no question. He knows the answers; He gives the answers. He is the Father’s answer to the sin and distress of the world. Jesus was different and still is today than everybody else. He came to show us a different road to follow. Prayer: Heavenly Father, help me to walk in Jesus’ shoes. Lead me in the way You have drawn up for us in Jesus’ Name…amen PSALM 65:11 You crown the year with Your goodness, and Your paths drip with abundance.
The economic experts may have painted a gloomy picture for the year, but as far as God is concerned, He has crowned the year with His goodness and abundance! God’s supply and provision are never affected by world events, so good times or bad times, expect every month, every week and every day of this year to be surrounded by His goodness. Expect His abundance to meet your every need! “But Pastor Prince, I’ve not done much good in the past year, so how can I be confident that God will provide for me this year?” My friend, God doesn’t bless you because of what you have done. He blesses you because of what Jesus has done. At the cross, Jesus bore all your sins and was punished to the full for every one of them, so that you can have His righteousness as a gift and be blessed with every one of God’s blessings. (Ephesians 1:3) Now, look at the word “abundance” in Psalm 65:11. It is the Hebrew word deshen, which means “fatness”. The idea here is abundant provision, blessings and even fertility. (So if you have been believing God for a child for many years, believe that this is the year you will conceive!) Now, the word deshen has another meaning—“ashes”. Ash is the final form of something that has been burnt. For example, the animal sacrifices to God in the Old Testament were burnt on the altar until they became ashes. (Leviticus 4:12) So ashes here speak of the finished work of Jesus at the cross that has put away your sins. My friend, because of Jesus’ finished work you can confidently believe and declare that the year is crowned with goodness and that God’s paths drip with His provision, blessings and good success for you every step of the way. If the devil tells you that God won’t bless you because of your sins, just tell him, “Ashes!” and point him tothe cross of Jesus! Beloved, you are blessed not because of your good works, good looks, qualifications or industry experience, but because of Jesus’ finished work. He alone has qualified you to receive God’s goodness and abundance every day for the rest of your life! There has never been anybody like Jesus Christ. He stands at the center of the history of mankind; there is no way you can ignore Him once you have heard about Him. There are those who hate Him, others love Him, yet other philosophize about Him. Many try to avoid Him, some like to be associated with Him while others will leave no stone unturned in their attempt to destroy His kingdom. There is one thing, however, that cannot be done…you cannot ignore Jesus Christ, He is incomparable.
Whatever people might say about Him, He is unequalled, always has been and always will be. One man like Jesus is sufficient for all eternity. What He did, who He is, what He said is enough to satisfy all of humanity forever. Yes, He is sufficient for every living person on this planet, irrespective of race, colour, creed, language or nationality. He walked where we walk daily, contended with the same questions we contend with daily, was subjected to temptation just as we are. He knows sickness, persecution, rejection, pain, loneliness, misunderstanding, humiliation, the praise of mankind as well as the corruption of humankind, the attacks of Satan. He lived this life so He could teach us HOW to live…this man is Jesus Christ, the Son of the Living God our Heavenly Father. “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever.” (Hebrews 13:8) Prayer: Heavenly Father, I thank You for the sacrifice of Your Son Jesus Christ. Thank You that he took my place on the cross so that I could live…amen The 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi are fast approaching. The athletes are excited. The world is excited.
In the 1968 Olympic Games in Mexico, John Stephen Ahkwari of Tanzania was excited. He was about to run the marathon with runners from around the world. The starter’s pistol fired and the race began. A little over 2 hours later, the first runner crossed the finish line. Other runners finished the race shortly afterwards, but John was not among them. Over an hour after the winner had crossed the finish line, with only a few spectators remaining in the stands, John Stephen Ahkwari finally entered the stadium. Bandaged and bloody, John finally crossed the finish line. Bud Greenspan, the renown sports reporter, asked John why he didn't just quit. He answered, "My country did not send me 5000 miles to Mexico City to start the race. They sent me here to finish." John Stephen Akhwari did not receive a prize or a medal, but he did endure. He didn't just start the race, he finished it. God did not call us just to start the Christian race, he called us to finish it! "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith." (2 Tim 4:7) "But this one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 3:13-14) "It is more blessed to give than receive." Acts 20:35
In the book, Days of Grace, Arthur Ashe shares his philosophy about money. He says, "From what we get, we can make a living; what we give, however, makes a life." What a great perspective on money. The focus is on giving rather than on getting, and that makes all the difference. As long as our focus is on getting all we can, canning all we get, and sitting on that can, we're slaves to our money. Our happiness depends on how much we have. On the other hand, when we view money as a tool for accomplishing good, it becomes our servant. That attitude frees us to use money as God intended--to provide for our needs, but also to do good for others. Jesus addresses the bottom line: "You cannot serve God and money." Are you the master of your money, or is your money your master? The choice is yours. Toe Nebukadneser die Jode gevange geneem het, het hy sy personeelhoof gevra om die slimstes en bestes uit te soek en na sy paleis te bring. Hy wou die volgende eienskappe hê: "...intelligent, goed ingelig en vinnig van begrip, geskik om in die koning se paleis diens te doen." Daniël het die geleentheid aangegryp. Ja, God het hom gehelp, maar hy moes ook daarvoor werk! Die hoof- uitvoerende beampte van een van die wêreld se grootste maatskappye het dit só gestel: "Die enigste manier waarop jy gaan uitstaan, is om hierdie eenvoudige beginsel te verstaan: As jou baas jou 'n vraag vra, 'n projek aan jou toeken of jou stuur om data in te samel, weet hy reeds wat is die antwoord wat hy wil hê. Hy wil hê jy moet bevestig wat hy reeds glo waar is. Die meeste mense doen net dit. Jy moet verstaan dat die vraag net die begin is. Om beter te wees, moet jy dieper dink en nie net die vraag antwoord nie, maar meer as dit doen. Dit beteken dat jy hom drie of vier idees moet gee wat hy waarskynlik nie oorweeg het nie. Jou doelwit moet wees om waarde tot die idee toe te voeg deur verwagtings te oortref. As jy verstaan dat die vraag net die begin is, sal jy vinnig uitstyg bo die groep, aangesien 99% van werknemers in die groep bly omdat hulle nie dink nie. As jy dit verstaan, sal jy meer kritiese vrae gegee word om te antwoord, en met verloop van tyd sal jy die een wees wat die vrae aan ander gaan vra."
Sielekos: Eks 16–18; Joh 2:1-11; Ps 23; Spr 26:10-12 Spreuke 22:29 NV
Die joernalis William Zinsser se eerste aanstelling was by The New York Herald Tribune. Tradisioneel begin leerlingverslaggewers om doodsberigte te skryf, maar Zinsser was gefrustreerd hiermee. "Ek kan ondersoekende verslaggewing doen wat Pulitzerpryse kan wen en hier sit en skryf ek doodsberigte," het hy gedink. Hy het sy redakteur gevra: "Wanneer gaan ek opdragte vir ordentlike stories begin kry?" Sy knorrige ou redakteur het geantwoord: "Niks wat jy skryf, gaan ooit so noukeurig gelees word as dit wat jy nou skryf nie. As jy 'n naam verkeerd spel of die datum verkeerd het, gaan jy 'n familie seermaak. Maar as jy iemand se ouma of ma tot haar reg laat kom, vereer jy 'n lewe, en die familie sal vir ewig dankbaar wees. Hulle sal jou woorde laat lamineer." "Ek het belowe om die ekstra oproepe te maak," vertel Zinsser. "Ek sou ekstra vrae vra; ek sou ook die tweede myl saamloop." Dit kom uit die Bergrede uit - skryf doodsberigte vir ander soos wat jy sou wou hê ander doodsberigte oor jou moet skryf. Zinsser het uiteindelik ander skryfwerk gedoen, en het ook 'n boek geskryf oor skryfwerk, waarvan meer as 'n miljoen eksemplare verkoop het. Dit sou egter nie gebeur het as hy homself nie daarop toegelê het om uitstekende doodsberigte te skryf nie. Die punt is: as jy nie die Gees kan ervaar in die werk wat jy vandag doen nie, sal jy die Gees glad nie vandag ervaar nie (want Hy is alomteenwoordig). Sielekos: Eks 22-24; Joh 3:1-21; Ps 89:1-14; Spr 26:17-19 |
Ana & Andre Schoonbee God uses us to motivate and encourage the body. Authors
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