“God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.” (Psalm 46:1, NIV) God is always with you. That means He is present at all times, continually, perpetually, throughout all time. In your day of trouble, He promises to be a help to you. How is He your help? “Help” means something different to each person. That’s because “help” is specific to your need. If you need money to pay your bills, a chocolate cake isn’t going to be much help! But we serve a God who is very specific. And because He is always with you, He always knows exactly what you need and is always ready to provide it! Today, are you facing trouble or adversity? Know that God is with you. Look to Him for help. Trust that He has the answer, and that He is working things out in your favor. As you continue to believe Him and follow His direction, He will lead you in the way that you should go. He will comfort you, revive you, restore you and bless you! He will be your ever-present help because He is forever faithful to His Word! Father God, thank You for being my ever-present help. I trust today that You are with me, that You are comforting me and restoring my soul. I lift my eyes to You this day. Help me to follow Your commands and honor You as You direct my steps in Jesus’ name. Amen. — Joel & Victoria Osteen Toe die Ou-Testamentiese tabernakel gebou moes word, het God vir Moses gesê: "Sorg dat jy alles maak presies volgens die planne wat Ek vir jou... gewys het." (Eksodus 25:40 NLV). Of jy nou bou aan 'n verhouding, 'n loopbaan, 'n besigheid of 'n bediening, dit sal altyd sekere elemente vereis. Die eerste is opoffering - die bou van die tabernakel begin met hierdie woorde: "Sê vir die Israeliete hulle moet elkeen vir My 'n offergawe bring. Julle moet die offergawes aanvaar soos dit vir My aangebied word..." (Eksodus 25:2 NV). Hoekom sal 'n God wat Sy strate met goud kan plavei 'n offer van jou vra? Omdat jy net aan iets jou volle aandag sal gee, op sal pas, dit prioritiseer en beskerm as jy 'n persoonlike belegging daarin het. Pastoor vra die Here vir die plan en dan vra jy die mense vir die geld; nie andersom nie. Leer jou mense om volgens hierdie beginsel te leef: "Gee tot dit seermaak, gee tot dit ophou seermaak, gee tot dit goed voel." Paulus het die volgende geskryf oor die vrygewigheid van die Christene in Masedonië: "Al is hulle ook hewig getoets deur swaarkry, het hulle uitermate blymoedig gebly, en hulle groot armoede het uitgeloop op oorvloedige vrygewigheid. Ek getuig dat hulle... selfs bo hulle vermoë gewillig was. Met groot aandrang het hulle ons gesmeek om te mag deelneem... Dit was nie soos ons dit verwag het nie; eers het hulle hulleself aan die Here gegee, en toe aan ons sodat hulle kon optree volgens die wil van God." (2 Korintiërs 8:2-5 NLV). Is jy gewillig om op te offer?
Sielskos: Dan 3-4; Matt 8:18-27; Ps 84; Spr. 2:16-19 CALLER ID Isn't it amazing how God works in our lives! On a Saturday night several weeks’ ago, this pastor was working late, and decided to call his wife before he left for home.
It was about 10:00 PM, but his wife didn't answer the phone. The pastor let it ring many times. He thought it was odd that she didn't answer, but decided to wrap up a few things and try again in a few minutes. When he tried again she answered right away. He asked her why she hadn't answered before, and she said that it hadn't rung at their house. They brushed it off as a fluke and went on their merry ways. The following Monday, the pastor received a call at the church office, which was the phone that he'd used that Saturday night. The man that he spoke with wanted to know why he'd called on Saturday night. The pastor couldn't figure out what the man was talking about. Then the man said, "It rang and rang, but I didn't answer." The pastor remembered the mishap and apologized for disturbing him, explaining that he'd intended to call his wife. The man said, "That's OK. Let me tell you my story. You see, I was planning to commit suicide on Saturday night, but before I did, I prayed, 'God if you're there, and you don't want me to do this, give me a sign now.' At that point my phone started to ring. I looked at the caller ID, and! it said, 'Almighty God'. I was afraid to answer!" The reason why it showed on the man's caller ID that the call came from "Almighty God" is because the church that the pastor attends is called Almighty God Tabernacle!! Q: Why do men's clothes have buttons on the right while women's clothes have buttons on the left?
A: When buttons were invented, they were very expensive and worn primarily by the rich. Since most people are right-handed, it is easier to push buttons on the right through holes on the left. Because wealthy women were dressed by maids, dressmakers put the buttons on the maid's right! And that's where women's buttons have remained since. Q: Why do ships and aircraft use 'mayday' as their call for help? A: This comes from the French word m'aidez -meaning 'help me' -- and is pronounced, approximately, 'mayday.' Q: Why are zero scores in tennis & squash called 'love'? A: In France, where tennis became popular, round zero on the scoreboard looked like an egg and was called " l 'oeuf," which is French for 'egg.' When tennis was introduced in the US, Americans (mis)pronounced it ' love. ' as in Squash as well ! Q. Why do X's at the end of a letter signify kisses? A: In the Middle Ages, when many people were unable to read or write, documents were often signed using an X. Kissing the X represented an oath to fulfil obligations specified in the document. The X and the kiss eventually became synonymous. Q: Why is shifting responsibility to someone else called 'passing the buck'? A: In card games, it was once customary to pass an item, called a buck, from player to player to indicate whose turn it was to deal. If a player did not wish to assume the responsibility of dealing, he would 'pass the buck' to the next player. Q: Why do people clink their glasses before drinking a toast? A: It used to be common for someone to try to kill an enemy by offering him a poisoned drink. To prove to a guest that a drink was safe, it became customary for a guest to pour a small amount of his drink into the glass of the host. Both men would drink it simultaneously. When a guest trusted his host, he would only touch or clink the host's glass with his own. Q: Why are people in the public eye said to be 'in the limelight'? A: Invented in 1825, limelight was used in lighthouses and theatres by burning a cylinder of lime which produced a brilliant light. In the theatre, a performer 'in the limelight' was the centre of attention. Q: Why is someone who is feeling great 'on cloud nine'? A: Types of clouds are numbered according to the altitudes they attain, with nine being the highest cloud. If someone is said to be on cloud nine, that person is floating well above worldly cares. Q: In golf, where did the term 'Caddie' come from? A. When Mary Queen of Scots went to France as a young girl, Louis, King of France, learned that she loved the Scots game 'golf.' So he had the first course outside of Scotland built for her enjoyment. To make sure she was properly chaperoned (and guarded) while she played, Louis hired cadets from a military school to accompany her. Mary liked this a lot and when she returned to Scotland (not a very good idea in the long run), she took the practice with her. In French, the word cadet is pronounced 'ca-day' and the Scots changed it into 'caddie. Q: Why are many coin banks shaped like pigs? A: Long ago, dishes and cookware in Europe were made of a dense orange clay called 'pygg'. When people saved coins in jars made of this clay, the jars became known as 'pygg anks.' When an English potter misunderstood the word, he made a container that resembled a pig. And it caught on. Daar was ’n boer wat mielies gekweek het. Elke jaar het hy sy mielies ingeskryf by die landbou skou en soos klokslag wen hy die blou roset vir die beste mielies in die distrik.
Een jaar het die joernalis van die plaaslike dagblad ’n onderhoud met hom gevoer en iets baie interessants geleer rondom die boer se manier van mielie verbouing. Die verslaggewer het te wete gekom dat die boer sy aanplantings saad deel met sy bure. “Hoe kan jy dit bekostig om jou mielie saad te deel met jou bure terwyl hulle ook elke jaar inskryf vir die beste mielie kompetisie?” vra die verslaggewer aan die boer. “Maar meneer,” sê die boer “het jy nie geweet? Die wind tel stuifmeel op van die ryp wordende mielie koppe en waai dit van saailand na saailand. Indien my bure minderwaardige gehalte mielies verbou sal kruisbestuiwing stadig maar seker die kwaliteit van my mielies nadelig beïnvloed. Indien ek goeie mielies wil hê moet ek my bure help sodat hulle ook goeie mielies verbou.” Die boer was terdeë bewus van die mens se interafhanklikheid van mekaar. Sy mielies kan nie verbeter tensy sy bure se mielies nie ook verbeter nie So is dit ook gesteld met ons lewens. Die wat in vrede wil lewe moet ook hul bure help om in vrede te lewe. Die wat gelukkig wil wees moet ook ander om hulle help om geluk te vind aangesien die welstand van elke een verbind is aan die welstand van almal. Dit is moontlik om weg te gee en steeds ryker te word! Dit is ook moontlik om te styf vas te hou en alles te verloor. Ja, die vrygewige man sal ryk wees! Deurdat hy aan ander water gee, les hy ook sy eie dors. Spreuke 11:24-25 Daar is een wat ruim uitdeel en nog meer kry, en een wat terughou meer as wat reg is, maar tot sy gebrek. Die siel wat seën, word versadig; en hy wat laaf, word self ook gelaaf. My gebed vir elkeen , i s voorspoed, gesondheid, vrede, vreugde en genade. Mag Jesus elkeen ryklik seen en Sy beskermende Hand oor elkeen hou. How I Can Seek the Lord – 7 ways How can I seek the Lord? If
you're like me, you might think "seeking the Lord" simply means to "pray longer, pray louder and probably fast". While Scripture does mention prayer and fasting with the right attitude, it also includes other, possibly surprising ways. 7 Ways to Seek the Lord 1. Call upon God and pray to him Jeremiah 29:12-14a (New International Version) Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you," declares the LORD, "and will bring you back from captivity. 2. Serve God with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind 1 Chronicles 28:9 (New International Version) "And you, my son Solomon, acknowledge the God of your father, and serve him with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind, for the LORD searches every heart and understands every motive behind the thoughts. If you seek him, he will be found by you; but if you forsake him, he will reject you forever. 3. Cast your cares upon the Lord Psalm 55:22 (New International Version) Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous fall. 4. Keep your tongue from evil, Turn from evil, Do good, Seek peace and pursue it Psalm 34:12-16 (New International Version) Whoever of you loves life and desires to see many good days, keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking lies. Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it. The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their cry; the face of the LORD is against those who do evil, to cut off the memory of them from the earth. 5. Forsake evil ways and thoughts Isaiah 55:6-7 (New Living Translation) Seek the Lord while you can find him.Call on him now while he is near. Let the wicked change their ways and banish the very thought of doing wrong. Let them turn to the Lord that he may have mercy on them. Yes, turn to our God, for he will forgive generously. 6. Have clean hands, Pure heart, Don't lift your soul to idols,Don't swear by what is false Psalm 24:4-6 (New International Version) He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to an idol or swear by what is false. He will receive blessing from the LORD and vindication from God his Savior. Such is the generation of those who seek him, who seek your face, O God of Jacob. 7. Doing what's right and live humbly Zephaniah 2:3 (New Living Translation) Seek the Lord, all who are humble, and follow his commands. Seek to do what is right and to live humbly. Perhaps even yet the Lord will protect you— protect you from his anger on that day of destruction He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them. Hebrews 7 : 25 The verse says that Jesus always lives to make intercession for us. Once, I used to think that this meant that Jesus is seated at the Father’s right hand today, praying all the time for us, waiting and hoping that the Father will do something for us. But that is not true. Look at what Jesus prayed when He stood before Lazarus’ tomb. He declared, “Father, I thank You that You have heard Me.” (John 11:41) He prayed these words even before Lazarus came forth from his tomb alive. Jesus knew that what He said would come to pass because the Father always hears Him. (John 11:42) So what does “Jesus always lives to make intercession for us” mean? Because Jesus is our High Priest (Hebrews 4:14), we get a picture of what happens when we pray when we understand what the high priest in the Old Testament did with the burnt offering of a bird. (Leviticus 1:14–17) The birds brought to the high priest are a picture of our prayers “flying” to the Lord Jesus because we pray to the Father in Jesus’ name. Now, just as the high priest removes the bird’s feathers after killing it, Jesus removes all that is superfluous and unclean from our prayers, such as unbelief and self-centeredness. Then, just as the high priest offers the bird as a burnt sacrifice, a sweet aroma to the Lord, Jesus our High Priest adds His perfection, beauty, excellence and fragrance, which the Father so delights in, to our prayers. That is how He presents our prayers to the Father. That is how He lives to make intercession for you. My friend, you don’t have to run to a church leader to get him to pray “more powerfully” for you. You can pray yourself. Then, take advantage of Jesus’ intercession for you and say, “Lord Jesus, I don’t know what else to say… please intercede for me.” And when Jesus gives His personal touch to your prayer, you can be sure that it will be answered! Just think right now on how many have changed in 2013… and I am telling you now
that there will be even more changes in 2014. Nothing in the world around us ever remains the same. The weather is been affected, the money currency’s value is changing every second passing by, relationships are affected some for better and some for worst. You may have change your house, your car, your work, and even made new friends and lost old ones. Friends, family members and known persons have died. Some people have migrated to other countries, some have returned…the list goes on and on. But there is one fact that is sure: God will never change, He is the same today, yesterday and tomorrow (Hebrews 13:8). He Himself said: “I am God I change not.” (Malachi 3:6) I want to bring your attention to the most important verse in the entire Bible: Psalm 118:8 Why is this verse important? That very verse is the center of the Bible. There are 954 chapters before Psalm 118 and 954 chapters after Psalm 118. The shortest chapter in the Bible is Psalm 117 and the longest chapter is Psalm 119. When you add 954 to 954 it gives you 1188; Psalm 118:8 amazing isn’t it? So I think we should take good notice of what Psalm 118:8 says because God deemed it important to place it right in the very center of His Word. “It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man.” Take time to do what Mary did in Luke 10 – to sit at Jesus’ feet and listen to His Word. Prepare your heart – worship Him; praise Him for who He is; express thanksgiving for what He has done. Ask God to show you anything that could hinder your fellowship and communion with Him. Confess any sin He brings to mind. Ask God to quiet your heart, to open your ears, and to speak to you through His word. Ask His Holy Spirit to be your Teacher. Commit yourself to obey whatever He shows you. Taken from: Seek Him by Nancy Leigh DeMoss and Tim Grissom).
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