The heavens keep telling the wonders of God, and the skies declare what He has done. Each day informs the following day; and each night announces the next.
They do not speak a word, and there is never the sound of a voice. Yet their message reaches all the earth, and it travels around the world .. PSALMS 19 : 1 - 4 WHEN LAST DID YOU ACTUALLY TAKE THE TIME TO ADMIRE AND APPRECIATE ALL OF GOD'S CREATION ? .. Are you aware that God speaks to you through nature ? .. That's Right .. God has the ability to speak to all His children through His magnificent handy-work. Even those people that find themselves living outside of the will of God can recognize right from wrong .. and .. they too have a reality of someone or something higher than themselves, inspired through the very aspects of " nature " that surround us everywhere we go. In the above Word, you are told that nature is the continuous witness and testifier of God's power and His Heavenly plan. The message that God shares with you through the Word in Psalms is that .. HE IS !! HE IS .. This is a vital revelation because you are told in God's Word, that in order for you to have an intimate relationship with God, you must first believe and accept that HE IS .. Hebrews 11 : 6 Believe and Accept God ? .. Absolutely, and yes you can because God's Word also tells you that God has given every person a measure of faith to believe in Him .. Romans 12 : 3 Did you know that when you open your Bible, the very first words you will read are also your very first lesson in faith .. " In the beginning God .. .. " Now while many of us do accept and acknowledge God, we seem to be a little lost on the process of exactly how to relate to Him on a day to day, personal level .. It is for this reason that through His grace, God will try His utmost best to reach down to you every minute of everyday, and He does this by surrounding you with constant reminders of Himself. Little clues of Himself that shout out clearly to you .. " I AM HERE, you do not have to live in fear, you do not have to worry, I AM HERE " God so desperately wants to be involved in every aspect of your life !! Ponder for a moment on the fact that He has taken the time to keep all your tears in a bottle and that He has counted every hair on your head, then surely, surely He cares about everything else concerning you, your life, your peace, and your happiness. Jesus Himself asks you to consider the lilies of the field .. Matthew 6 : 28 .. and the birds of the air .. Luke 12 : 24 Would you meditate on those two Scripture's for a moment .. If God is able to beautify the fields the way He does, and He is able to take care of the birds that live amongst you and fly above you, then how much more is He able to do for you ? .. and God WILL because Jesus has told you that you are worth more to God than the birds are .. So the next time you find yourself in a position where you feel the pressures of life beginning to take their toll on you .. ESCAPE .. escape outdoors for a little while. Go for a walk and open your eye's to see the miracles in God's creations .. the trees .. the flowers .. the rivers and streams .. the birds .. the fish .. Appreciate everything that God has made and thank Him whole-heartedly for the simple fact that HE IS. Life can get very complicated sometimes, but you get determined to purposefully enjoy each simple, yet powerful thing that God has created .. they are the clues He leaves to remind you that you are never, never alone and that HE IS !! THE HAPPIEST PERSON ON EARTH IS HE WHO LEARNS FROM NATURE THE LESSONS OF WORSHIP Selfvertroue (1)
Moet nooit deurmekaar raak met bevoegdheid en selfvertroue nie. Die een is gebaseer op jou vaardighede en die ander een kom van die wete van wie jy in Christus is: "... dat [jy] in Hom is." (1 Joh 2:5 NV). 'n Skrywer sê: "Die eerste ding wat ek oor selfvertroue geleer het, is dat ek dit nie gehad het nie... Ek het 'n dun lagie arrogansie bo-oor 'n kern van vrees gehad. Al die jare van wêreldse sukses het my doodbang vir mislukking gemaak. Wêreldse sukses vereis dat jy risiko's neem buite die gemaksones van vorige prestasies. Geestelike sukses vereis dat jy vergeet van die uitkomste en God toelaat om namens jou te werk... die valse selfvertroue wat ek gehad het, was gebaseer op my eie vermoëns... As jy egter skielik 'n knop in jou bors voel, of jou man sê hy het jou nooit liefgehad nie, of jy word afgedank, of jou kind is ernstig siek, sal geen taktiek of vaardigheid wat jy aangeleer het jou help nie... Die Bybel sê: '... jy [moet] jouself nugter... beoordeel volgens die geestelike toerusting wat God aan jou toebedeel het...' (Rom 12:3 NV). As jy jou selfvertroue van die Here af kry, kan omstandighede jou nie laat wankel nie." Jy sal bekwaamheid, vrede, tevredenheid en standvastigheid uitstraal. "Ons het genadegawes wat van mekaar verskil volgens die genade wat God aan elkeen van ons gegee het." (Rom. 12:6 NV). As jy jou gawe gebruik om God te vereer, doen jy wat Hy van jou verwag. Sielekos: 2 Tim 1-4; Luk 22:54-62; Ps 19; Spr 24:19-22 Selfvertroue (2) Dis onmoontlik om selfversekerd te wees as jy vir jouself sê dat jy niks gaan bereik nie. 'n Pastoor het in 'n preek gesê: "Nadat Adam en Eva van die verbode vrugte geëet het, het hulle weggekruip. God het na hulle toe gekom en gesê: 'Waar is julle?' Hulle het geantwoord: 'Ons kruip weg want ons is kaal.' Ek hou van die manier waarop God geantwoord het: 'Wie het vir julle gesê dat julle sonder klere is?' Met ander woorde: 'Wie het julle gesê dat daar iets fout is met julle?' God het dadelik geweet dat die vyand met hulle gepraat het. God sê vandag vir jou: 'Wie sê vir jou dat jy nie aantreklik genoeg is om 'n suksesvolle verhouding te hê nie? Of talentvol genoeg is om te floreer in jou beroep nie? Of dat jou huwelik nie gaan hou nie?' Dis alles die vyand se leuens. '[God] weerhou die goeie nie van dié wat reg lewe nie.' (Ps 84:12 NV). Jy hét potensiaal, en dit verander nie net omdat jy dit nie glo nie. 'As God eenmaal aan mense sy genadegawes geskenk ... het, trek Hy dit nooit weer terug nie.' (Rom 11:29 NV). Die Here sal nooit die potensiaal terugvat wat Hy vir jou gegee het nie. Hy sal ook nie sê: 'Jy het te veel kere al misluk en foute gemaak. Gee terug My gawes.' Nee... Sy roeping vir jou lewe sal met jou wees tot jy die aarde verlaat, maar dis ons keuse om dit te gebruik." "Staan die duiwel teë en hy sal van julle af wegvlug." (Jak 4:7 NV). Sielekos: Sag 1-4; Luk 22:63-71; Ps 3; Spr 24:23-25 Sometimes, it’s easy to get wrapped up in taking care of the people around us. You may find that you’re always giving, taking care of the children, working overtime at the office, or helping that friend who is struggling. And that’s all good. But if you’re not careful, you can end up feeling rundown. That’s why you have to take time every day to get filled back up. Your first priority should be taking care of yourself and making time to get into the presence of Jesus.
Throughout scripture, we see that in God’s presence there is fullness of joy, fullness of peace, and fullness of victory. In His presence, you’re refreshed and restored. That’s why it’s so important to take time every day to read your Bible and meditate on His promises. We have to be diligent to have that quiet time with Him. Today, take time to get alone with God and just say, “God, I love You today. Thank You for my life, for my family, for the opportunities You’ve given me. Lord, I know every good thing comes from You.” When you live like that, with your heart connected to His, you’ll be refreshed, restored, reenergized and filled up for the journey of life! Isaiah 40:29
He (God) gives power to the faint and weary, and to him who has no might He increases strength. - God wants to give strength and power to His people. - God helps us by causing our strength to multiply. - The weak, faint and weary are eligible for His strength. - He gives power to the tired and the worn out and strength to the weak! OUR PRAYER FOR YOU: We pray right now for all those reading this prayer. Lord, we pray that You will come and strengthen and aid them, because they need Your empowering strength, especially as they approach the end of the year. Amen. The Lord make His face to shine upon and enlighten you and be gracious to you.
The Lord lift up His countenance upon you and give you peace. NUMBERS 6 : 25 - 26 The meaning of the word .. " COUNTENANCE " ... Face or Expression . Appearance, especially the features and expression of the face. In the above Scripture from Numbers, God HAS made a declaration to you .. His Child .. He HAS vowed to make His face shine upon you and to bless you with His compassion. God also said that He WILL lift up His countenance upon you, giving you His peace. GOD'S OWN FACE AND COUNTENANCE SHINING UPON YOU .. WHAT A PRICELESS TREASURE !! Your countenance is simply your appearance .. the way you look. Now knowing that you have the honor of carrying God's glow in your appearance, you need to ask yourself the question .. Does my countenance truly reflect the greatness of the God I serve ? .. When people look at you, don't you want them to see that there is something unique about you, something that is different from what they see in everyone else. Because you are not able to read the minds of others or physically see into their hearts, it all comes down to appearance .. The glow on your face that will show others that you have something awesome and wonderful in your life !! So perhaps it is time for you to start paying a little bit more attention, because your appearance and the way you carry yourself as a child of God's is of vital importance. The look you have on your face, the tone of your voice and your general attitude and behavior towards others will either reflect God's glow or it will disgrace it !! Preferably you want to reflect the true greatness of God .. SO HOW EXACTLY DO YOU ACHIEVE THIS ? .. God's Word tells you about Jesus' countenance or appearance and how it was " transfigured " or changed when He was sharing in a spiritual and emotional relationship with God on the mountain .. Matthew 17 : 2 And that right there is the answer to your question .. In order for your appearance to be changed you need to spend time fellow-shipping with and worshiping God .. Just like Jesus did !! You will always look and feel better when you truly worship God !! Worshiping your Awesome God is a guaranteed way to bring a smile to your face .. It is absolutely impossible to have a frown on your face when you are praising, worshiping and giving thanks to your Father. When you spend regular time fellow-shipping with God, your appearance will carry His presence !! You will always look strong, joyful and at peace .. instead of .. looking stressed, frustrated and worn out. TIME .. TIME .. TIME !! YOU NEED TO DEDICATE MORE OF YOUR TIME TO GOD .. Offer Him your prayers, your praise, your worship and your eternal thanksgiving for His countless blessings and in doing this the joy of the Lord will be glowing on your face, and in the attitude with which you conduct you life as His humble servant. GOD LIVES IN EACH OF US AND WE GLOW WHEN HE STIRS US Have you ever had a friend say sorry to you over and over, even after you’ve already forgiven them? It’s insulting. In repeatedly apologizing, they’re saying, “I’m not sure if you’ve really forgiven me; I still feel guilty.” In essence, they’re doubting your word.
Imagine how much more insulting it is to God! Psalm 103:12 says, “He has removed our sins as far from us as the east is from the west.” Just think how far the east is from the west. It’s basically infinity—the two can never meet. So, imagine for a moment, you and your sins bound together. Then God comes and separates the two of you, sending your sin traveling to the west and you to the east. But maybe you haven’t truly let go of your guilt. Look what Jesus did: “Some people brought to Him a paralyzed man on a mat. Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralyzed man, ‘Be encouraged, My child! Your sins are forgiven.’ But some of the teachers of religious law said to themselves, ‘That’s blasphemy! Does He think He’s God?’ Jesus knew what they were thinking, so He asked them, ‘Why do you have such evil thoughts in your hearts? Is it easier to say ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or ‘Stand up and walk’? So I will prove to you that the Son of Man has the authority on earth to forgive sins.’ Then Jesus turned to the paralyzed man and said, ‘Stand up, pick up your mat, and go home!’ And the man jumped up and went home!” (Matthew 9:2-7). Now, say the newly-healed man went home with his mat and laid on it, continuing to live like he was still paralyzed. That’s what you might be doing with your sins! Jesus has said to you, “My child, be encouraged! Your sins are forgiven! Now get up and experience life in freedom!” But you can’t fully believe it, so you lay back down on your mat of paralysis and depression, missing out on what God has for you. I have been like that. But God is making this verse real to me: “So if the Son sets you free, you are truly free” (John 8:36). And He wants to make it real for you. Ask Him right now to help you truly know that your sins are forgiven. Ask Him to help you take up your mat and walk in the fulfilling life He has for you. There is so much He has planned for you to do! Today is the day for you to take up your mat and walk. Do you need direction in your life? Ask yourself, “Am I acknowledging God in all my ways?” In other words, is He first place in your life? All throughout the day, we should be acknowledging God, asking for His help, seeking His wisdom, obeying His commands and thanking Him for His goodness.
In the morning, we should wake up and say, “Father, thank You for another beautiful day. I commit this day, my plans and my future into Your hands.” When you start the day like this, you are acknowledging God. He promises to crown your day with success. When you are driving on the freeway say, “Father, thank You for keeping me safe.” At the office say, “Lord, help me to be focused and productive today.” At home, “Father, bless my children.” Before you go to bed, “Lord, thank You for a good night’s rest.” When you’re acknowledging Him in all your ways, He promises to direct your paths. He promises to lead and guide you into paths of peace, joy and everlasting life! ~ Joel Osteen "If you don't know where you are going, you will wind up somewhere else" - Yogi Berra.
Do you have a "purpose-driven marriage?" Read on for some interesting thoughts on the subject, written by Dr Fred Lowery, from his book, "Covenant Marriage": "Here's an important principle every married person and every person thinking about marriage--should know: A good marriage doesn't happen by accident. In fact, to survive amidst all the pressures, pains and pitfalls of life in the twenty-first century, a marriage today must be more proactive and more intentional than ever before. It must be PURPOSE DRIVEN. "What does it mean to have a purpose-driven marriage? It means that you and your spouse have a basic understanding of the kind of marriage you are trying to build and what it will take to make it happen. It means that you are willing to work together toward that common goal. But most couples I talk to in premarital counseling haven't got a clue what the purpose of their marriage is. "When I say to the typical prospective groom, 'What is the purpose and goal of your marriage?' he shifts his feet around and finally says, 'I don't know. I just love her' (which is a hormonally driven expression for, 'I want s-x without guilt'). "When I ask the typical bride-to-be the same question, she rolls her eyes, giggles, and utters a few words in fairy-tale language about finally finding her 'Knight in shining armor.' (That's female speak for, 'I'm being rescued from my home by one who will wow me for the rest of my life.') "In a magazine article titled, 'Marriage: What's the Point?' author Susan Dixon admits that she stood at an altar in a beautiful white gown and said, 'I do' without having the slightest idea of what she was getting herself into. 'It took nearly twenty-five years and a divorce before I began to understand something I should have known before that ceremony ever took place,' she writes. 'In the quarter century that has passed since I naively repeated my wedding vows, I've become more and more aware that relationships die for lack of purpose. If there is no valid, defined, and acknowledged purpose for our relationship, chances are we'll have trouble keeping it alive.' "Do you know what is the purpose of marriage? What is the purpose of YOUR marriage? Do you have a well-defined purpose? Do you know where your relationship is headed? Do you know where you want your marriage is headed? Do you know where you want your marriage to be 5, 10, or 30 years from now? "Do you have common hopes and dreams for the future? This is an important question because, as Neil Clark Warren writes in "The Triumphant Marriage," without a shared dream a marriage relationship 'will eventually die.' According to Warren, dreams inspire hope & thereby 'stimulates the brain and mobilize the action center. Hope stimulates planning. Planning produces behavior designed to move you forward.' The end result is positive progress in a marriage relationship. "If you can answer 'yes' to these three essential questions, Warren asserts, you have a healthy dream and will serve your marriage well: - "Is a dream equally inclusive of both you and your [future] spouse and your life together? - "Is the dream broad enough? - "Are both of you strongly committed to the dream you have for your life together? WHAT ABOUT YOUR VALUES AND BELIEFS? - "Do you and your [future] spouse share the same values? - "Do you have similar religious beliefs? - "What is really important to each of you? "These are critical questions. Even secular counselors acknowledge the importance of shared beliefs & values in building a successful marriage. If you're not sure what you value, ask yourself: - "What do I really want to be? - "What do I really want to do? - "What do I really want to have? "Get your [future] spouse to answer the same questions, & then discuss your responses together. What values and beliefs do your answers reflect? What are you expecting out of marriage? What are the expectations of your mate? Ecstatic bliss? A romantic paradise? Do you both want children, & if so, how many? Do you expect to make enough money to build a dream house? "How realistic are your expectations & what happens when they're not met? What happens when your relationship gets boring? When it gets bumpy or bitter? What price are you willing to pay to have a great marriage that goes the distance? Are you both willing to make the relationship an absolute priority? Are you willing to be there for your spouse even through the bad times? "Is your marriage self-centered or God-centered? Is your 1st thought, 'What will make me happy?' Or is it, 'What will make my Lord happy & ultimately strengthen my relationship with my spouse? Do you approach your marriage as a contract or a covenant? The Bible clearly reveals that covenant oneness with your mate --oneness that is spiritual, emotional and physical --is God's ultimate goal and purpose for marriage. Two become one. If you approach marriage as a covenant, you already have this built- in purpose. Your relationship with your spouse (next to our relationship with God) is the most important thing in your life. "If you approach marriage as a contract, however, you're likely to emphasize rules and regulations over relationship. Many self-help books on the market offer practical rules for living with a spouse and promise that if you'll just follow those rules, you'll have a happy marriage. The problem is, when you emphasize following rules over building relationship, you only breed resentment and rebellion in your mate. Rules without relationship equal disaster in a marriage." …………………………. Is your marriage purpose-driven --one that honors God and doesn't pattern itself by the world's standards? As Dr. Lowrey also said: "Clearly we can no longer pattern our marriages after the people around us--if we ever could. Not only does the world not know how to divorce-proof its marriages, it is well on the way to making broken relationships the norm!" If you consider yourselves "Christians" it's important to study the Scriptures, & live your marriage as God created it to be: A sacred, permanent, covenant commitment. Line your marriage up with God's original plan and work His plan. That will involve being willing to die to our own agendas, putting our marriages and our spouse' interests above our own self-interest. Nothing less will do. Cindy and Steve Wright Many challenges we face in life are simply distractions from the enemy to keep us from pursuing our destiny. Maybe someone in the office isn't as friendly to you as you'd like. Maybe you have a neighbor who always parks in front of your house and blocks your mailbox. Those things may be frustrating, but they have little significance when you look at the big picture of eternity. You can't allow the little things to cause strife in your life.
In scripture, just before David fought the giant Goliath, his brother Iliab tried to confront him. But David knew that arguing with Iliab wasn't even worth his time and strength. He knew his real battle was with Goliath, and he didn't want to be distracted. He simply "turned away" from Iliab and kept his focus on what he was called to do. Let's follow the example of David and keep our eyes on what's most important in life. Instead of being led away by frustrations, let's focus on the big picture. Know when to turn away from strife and receive the mark of honor the Lord has for you! |
Ana & Andre Schoonbee God uses us to motivate and encourage the body. Authors
All
Archives
June 2015
|