In John 14:9 Jesus says, “Anyone who has seen Me has seen the Father.”
Should a man see only popularity, he becomes a mirror, reflecting whatever needs to be reflected to gain acceptance. Should a man see only power, he becomes a wolf—prowling, hunting, stalking elusive game. There’s always another world to conquer or another person to control. Should a man see only pleasure, he becomes a carnival thrill-seeker, alive only in bright lights and titillating entertainment. Driven by passion, willing to sell his soul. Seekers of popularity, power, and pleasure. The end result is the same: painful un-fulfillment. Only in seeking his Maker does a man truly become a man. For in seeing his Creator man catches a glimpse of what he was intended to be. It is in seeing Jesus that man sees his Source! MATTHEW 28:18–19 And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore…
When God created man, He gave man authority to have dominion over everything on earth. (Genesis 1:26) But when man sinned, he gave this authority to Satan. And when man’s authority was transferred to Satan, Satan brought in diseases, poverty, strife, bitterness, pain, loss and death. He messed up everything on earth for man. “Pastor Prince, why didn’t God just grab the devil by the neck and throw him out of the garden?” God did not do that because He is a judicial God. It was a man who gave away his authority to Satan. So it had to be a man who would legally take it back. And God has done this through a Man. His name is Jesus! By His death on the cross, Jesus righteously restored all that man had lost. That is why, just before He went back to heaven, He said, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore…” Those words tell us that He has transferred His authority to us. The same authority that He had over the storm, evil spirits, sicknesses, diseases and even death is now ours to use. So when there are reports of a flu epidemic and of young children falling sick in the media, know that you have dominion over the epidemic. Declare, “By the authority given to me in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, this flu virus will not come near my children. I plead the blood of Jesus over them.” If you have been told that your family has a history of heart disease, take dominion and declare, “By the authority given to me in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, I destroy every form, manifestation and hereditary cause of this disease. By His blood, my family has been redeemed from this and every other curse.” My friend, the authority which has been restored to us is not just the authority on earth which man had before the fall, but Jesus’ unquestionable and complete authority in heaven and on earth! “God’s gifts and his call are irrevocable.”(Romans 11:29, NIV)
No matter where you’ve been, no matter what you’ve done, realize today that your destiny supersedes your mistakes. When God designed the plan for your life, it wasn’t dependent on you being perfect, never making a mistake or never taking a wrong turn. No, God knew we would all make mistakes. He knows how to get you back on track no matter where you are in life. Just like there are many routes on a map, God has a plan to help you reach your destination. He has detours, shortcuts and bypasses. He has already calculated the entire route for your life. Today, if you’re feeling like you’ve blown it, if you feel like you are too old, too far gone or too far off track, know that nothing you’ve done, no mistake that you’ve made — or ever will make — is a surprise to God. He’s already got it figured out. He’s arranged a comeback for every setback! He has grace for every weakness. He has mercy for every failure. His gifts are irrevocable, so rise up in faith and receive the good things He has in store for you! Father, thank You for the gifts and talents You’ve given me. Thank You for keeping me on track and ordering my steps. Keep me close to You always as I set my love on You in Jesus’ name. Amen. JOHN 14:7 “If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; and from now on you know Him and have seen Him.”
Someone once told me that just because you ask God for something, it does not mean that He will give it to you. Quoting 1 John 5:14–15, he said that we first have to ask according to His will before He hears and gives us what we ask of Him. Of course, we do not ask for things that are against God’s will or Word. But what is normally implied in the earlier statement is that we don’t always know what God’s will for us is—“what will be, will be”. But didn’t Jesus say, “He who has seen Me has seen the Father”? (John 14:9) This means that if you want to know what the Father’s will, mind, heart or attitude toward you and your family is, just look at Jesus in the Gospel stories. So if your child is sick, is it God’s will to heal him? Well, look at Jesus and see how He ministered to children who were sick—the Syro-Phoenician’s daughter who was demon-possessed (Mark 7:24–30), Jairus’ daughter who was dead (Mark 5:22–24, 35–43), and the widow of Nain’s only son who had died and was about to be buried. (Luke 7:12–15) Jesus cast out the demon. He raised the dead. He healed them all! Beloved, don’t say, “We can never know God’s will. Sometimes He heals, sometimes He doesn’t. He may bless us, but He may also take away our blessings.” The Jesus of the Bible never made anyone sick. He never made anyone poor. He made the little become much with 12 baskets full of leftovers. (Matthew 14:20) He gave a net-breaking, boat-sinking load of fish to fishermen. (Luke 5:6–7) My friend, the Jesus of the Bible loves to heal, deliver, prosper and save people. This Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever. (Hebrews 13:8) And He says to you today, “If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; and from now on you know Him and have seen Him.” So you can know God’s will for you. You can see what He will do for you when you know the Jesus of the Bible and what He did. “And walk in love, [esteeming and delighting in one another] as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us...”(Ephesians 5:2, AMP)
We don’t often hear the world esteem very much in our culture, but the Bible tells us to esteem and delight in one another. One definition of esteem is to hold in high regard. That means we are to honor and value one another and hold them in high regard, even if you don’t always agree with them. Sometimes people think, “That person doesn’t act honorably, so why should I honor them?” But the truth is, we are to honor and esteem people because they are valuable in the eyes of God. If you had a very costly and valuable piece of jewelry, you wouldn’t just wear it to the gym or leave it on the kitchen sink. No, you would treat it carefully. You would put it in a safe place and protect it. It’s the same way with people. When we see others as valuable the way God sees them, we treat them carefully. We speak respectfully. We look for the good in others and honor them for who God made them to be. This holiday season, choose to esteem and delight in one another. Sow good seeds into your relationships and see a harvest of blessing in every area of your life! Heavenly Father, today I choose love. I choose to honor the people around me. Help me to see value in others. Help my actions and words to esteem and delight in them so that I can be an example of Your love and light in Jesus’ name. Amen "...for he was a faithful man and feared God more than many." Nehemiah 7:2
As you think of the future, what do you plan to leave behind? Stocks and bonds? Property? Investment-quality art? As important as planning for the future is, there is one fact that so many fail to recognize. You're creating a legacy that will live beyond your death. Your character will continue to speak for good or evil after your life on earth has ended. "Unquestionable character" is one of the greatest gifts we can leave behind. So many, by concentrating on amassing financial wealth, fail to help build honesty, responsibility, compassion, or love for God and their fellow man, into the life of their kids. Character begins with your example--your life. It's more caught than taught, but teaching is important too. You can't leave your heirs a greater gift than this. Wouldn't you like to know that your life will be remembered for more than money? What a legacy we leave our kids when they reflect on our lives and say, "My Mom and Dad are the finest people I've ever known." “You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.”(Psalm 16:11, NIV)
God promises that joy is found in His presence. If you’ve accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior, then His presence lives inside of you. That means you can have joy 24 hours a day, 7 days a week! Joy manifests when you focus your heart on the Father and praise Him for who He is and what He’s done in your life. The Bible says that He inhabits the praises of His people. When you begin to praise and thank Him, you are in His presence. You have access to His full joy. Today, know that no matter what’s going on around you, God wants you to experience His supernatural joy and peace at all times. That’s why He sent His Son, Jesus, into the world, so He could live inside of you. Don’t waste another minute feeling burdened or condemned. Let the joy of the Lord be your strength and move forward in the victory He’s prepared for you! Father, thank You for an endless supply of joy. Today I choose to cast my cares on You and praise You because You are worthy. Let joy flow through me as I honor You in all I say and do in Jesus’ name. Amen. Hear this powerful passage from Paul’s letter to the Galatians. “For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.” (Galations 3:27). We have “put on” Christ. When God looks at us He doesn’t see us; He sees Christ. We wear Him. We’re hidden in Him; covered by Him.
Presumptuous, you say? Sacrilegious? It would be if it were my idea. But it isn’t, it’s His. We’re presumptuous not when we marvel at His grace, but when we reject it. And we’re sacrilegious not when we claim His forgiveness, but when we allow the haunting sins of yesterday to convince us God forgives but He doesn’t forget. Do yourself a favor. Take the Roman nails of Calvary and board up the door. Believe in His loving forgetfulness, in His graciously terrible memory. Julie Coleman skryf: "Ek was op pad na 'n skrywerskonferensie in Philadelphia toe ek agterkom ek moet stop vir brandstof. Gewoonweg stop ek nie sommer op enige plek nie, maar ek het begin desperaat raak. Ek het myself voorberei om enige oomblik langs die pad in die bloedige son te gaan staan. Ek het nog 'n ent gery en by 'n klein dorpie gekom – vier huise en 'n petrolstasie! Ek sou onder ander omstandighede my neus opgetrek het, maar op daardie oomblik was dit die beste ding wat ek nog ooit gesien het!" Toe Dawid vir sy vyande gevlug het, het hy gebid: "Ek strek my hande uit in gebed na U toe, ek is voor U soos 'n uitgedorde land. Wys my die pad wat ek moet loop..." (Ps 143:6–8 NV). Sou sy gebed dieselfde gewees het as hy in luuksheid, omring deur slawe, was? Die feit dat hy nie geweet het waar sy volgende ete vandaan sou kom nie en dat hy elke aand buite geslaap het, het sy perspektief verander. Wanneer dit goed gaan, raak ons selfonderhoudend en vergeet ons van God. Geestelik gesproke raak ons brandstof min. Wie se skuld is dit as ons motor se tenk leegloop? Die petrolstasie het nie geskuif nie! Jy kies om verby te ry sonder om te stop! God het gesê: "Ek sal volop water gee op die dorsland..." (Jes 44:3 NV). Tel vandag jou Bybel op en maak jou geloofstenk vol!
Sielekos: Est 1-4; Joh 20:19-31; Ps 105:8-22; Pred 7:1-4 “Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy — meditate on these things.”(Philippians 4:8, NKJV)
It’s interesting that our mind will naturally gravitate toward the negative. A study showed how positive and negative memories are handled by different parts of the brain. A negative memory takes up more space. There’s more to process. Because of this, we will remember the negative more than the positive. For example, a person will remember losing $50 more than they will remember gaining $50. Knowing this, we have to be proactive with our thoughts. When the negative memories come back to the movie screen of our mind, many people pull up a chair, get some popcorn and watch them all over again. No, the point is that’s not the only channel. There’s another movie playing on a channel that’s filled with your accomplishments and victories. Instead of staying on that negative channel, you’ve got to switch over to your victory channel. You’re not going to move forward into the new things God has in store if you’re always replaying the negative things that have happened to you. Instead, learn to change the channel. Meditate on victory and move forward in the victory and blessing God has in store for you! Father, today I choose to set my focus on what You’ve done in my life. I choose to change the channel in my mind from defeat to victory. I set my thoughts on Your love and thank You for Your blessing in every area of my life in Jesus’ name! Amen. |
Ana & Andre Schoonbee God uses us to motivate and encourage the body. Authors
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