Wow the weekend is over again and we are entering a new week. We can face it two ways: “oh no!” or “Oh yes!” the choice you make will determine the outcome.
“Behold, the nations are as a drop in a bucket, and are counted as the small dust on the scales.” (Isaiah 40:15) We pride ourselves that we have come a long way…and we have. As magnificent as mankind’s civilizations of the past were, think of the astonishing technologies of the modern world. But none of our accomplishments can begin to compare to the eternal, omniscient (all-knowing) God who created the vast universe, started every swirling galaxy turning and said to every distant, giant stars, “Be!” The Bible pegs us accurately; our greatest nations are dust specks, and we are like microbes living on them. But among all this we still are important being in God’s sight because the Bible teaches us that God created the universe for us to enjoy and live in. “You are blessed of the Lord which made heaven and earth. The heavens even the heavens, are the Lord’s, but the earth has He given to the children of men.” (Psalm 115:15,16) Prayer: Heavenly Father I stand in awe before your creation today and I praise your Name for you are mindful of us and desire to bless us every day therefore I give you thanks in Jesus’ Name…amen Jesus is the perfect representation of God
“He is the image of the invisible God.” (Colossians 1:15) The Bible tells us that God has great love for us, but He knew we were all basically doomed to a Christ-less eternity through the fall of Adam and Eve. So we need to be shown how great His love was for us. God send His Son, His only Son to earth to demonstrate what godly love was like. Jesus was the prefect representation of God and He emphasized with us and put up with everything we endure: hunger, thirst, weariness and temptation; “For we have not a high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.” (Hebrew 4:15) By living among us, by caring for us…then giving His life…Jesus showed that God indeed loved us. Prayer: Heavenly Father I thank You that you showed me Your love through Your Son Jesus Christ…amen “Whatever your hand finds good to do, do it with all your might…” (Ecclesiastes 9:10)
An humorous illustration gives an example of the wrong attitude toward work: Manager: “I’m sorry I can’t hire you, but there isn’t enough work to keep you busy.” Applicant: “You’d be surprised how little it takes.” This is clearly an exaggeration in order to prove a point, but some people truly have this mentality toward work; they don’t take pride in the performance of their responsibilities. According to the Bible, however, this is backward thinking; everyone, great and small should do their best, working with energy and integrity unto their real Master, God. (Col 3:23). It is difficult not to get caught up in the pursuit for power and position. After all in the eyes of the world these are highly prized and sought after treasures. But when we lock eyes with Jesus and turn a deaf ear to the praises of men, the only thing that truly matters is doing everything with an attitude of pleasing and honouring Him. It is from God that the gift of work comes, so it is to Him that our efforts should be aimed. Prayer: Heavenly Father help me do my work according to Your standards, and in accordance with Your statutes. Father my aim in my work is to please You, in Jesus’ Name…amen “There is neither Jew not Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male or female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” (Galatians 3:28)
In every heart there lurks a splinter of prejudice, causing bus to view with discomfort or disdain someone different in some way from us. Jesus, being without sin did not fall into that trap. When He met a Samaritan woman by Jacob’s well in Sychar, He effortlessly crossed every barrier that might have separated them. He crossed the racial barrier, for the Jew of that day despised the Samaritans. Jesus crossed the gender barrier, for men of that era did not initiate dialogue with unknown women. He passed the social divide because the two of them were from different lifestyle. He was a man; she was a woman He was a rabbi; she was uneducated He was a Jew; she was a Samaritan He was moral; she was immoral But Jesus loves every one and takes no notice of race, language, gender or social status. Being Christians mean that we prayerfully and continually purge our hearts every trace of bias, partiality, pre-conceived opinions or prejudice. There is a bit of that in every human heart…but none in Christ’s heart! So let His heart set the tone for our own. Jesus’ life is a fact of history
“We did not follow cunningly devised fables when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eye-witnesses.” (2 Peter 1:16) The Four Gospels tell the facts of Jesus’ birth, life, death and resurrection. They are not made-up fables like the insane adventures of the Greek gods. No, the powerful miracles the apostles describe actually happened! Peter, John and Matthew were eye-witnesses to all this. In addition, tens of thousands of people from one end of Israel to the other had met Jesus and seen His miracles. As Paul pointed out, “This thing was not done on a corner” (Acts 26:26). My dear friends, make no mistake: the Four Gospels are accurate historical reports. Many people are making huge efforts trying to dismiss the Bible and telling people that miracles are things of the past. But we have the Bible that declares “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever.” (Hebrews 13:8) I believe that when we realize that the Bible is the Truth and very real, we will stop trying to change what It says. If you look at the USA, they have removed God from parliament, schools and social life; are we in ZA going to follow suit or are we already there? The moment God is moved out of anything, we are heading for failure for sure… Prayer: Father, make us aware of your presence, forgive us for letting you out of our lives when it suits our wrongdoings in Jesus’ Name…amen “He makes the sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and the unjust.” (Matthew 5:45)
In Matthew 5:45, Jesus spoke of God’s fairness and graciousness. Every morning the sun gives another day’s life to all humanity, whether evil or good. Refreshing showers fall on the lawns of committed Christians and of their pagans neighbors. While some blessings are reserved only for the children of God, others are common to the entire world. In the same way burdens are borne by believers, such as persecutions and trials or sorrow for lost souls. Being a Christian does not immune us from trials. Sorrow is universal; but God turns it into good and His Spirit gives us strength to overcome as well as comfort and healing for the heart. Trust Him today and rejoice in His mercies whether it sunny or raining. Prayer: Heavenly Father thank You for being there for me in dark times and good times; on mountain tops or in valleys. May I never forget your presence with me whatever the situation; in Jesus’ Name…amen “Go home to your friends, and tell them what great things the Lord has done for you.” (Mark 5:19)
Many Christian are well-equipped, well-trained, and well-financed. No generation like ours has ever had more tools, more plans, more programs or been more affluent. But are we really attacking the enemy and advancing for the cause? Are we going to church just to be seen and respected? Are we proclaiming to be Christians, yet our words, actions and attitudes shows something else? Are we winning others to Christ? Are we witnessing for Him? Christianity is a lifestyle not a religious suit that we put on to impress others. God has placed us where we are in order to reach those around us, telling them what He has done in our lives. My advice today is: LET HIM LIVE THROUGH YOU Prayer: Heavenly Father help me be the person you have called me to be. Help me let You live through me in Jesus’ Name…amen. “He also presented himself alive after his suffering by many infallible proofs.” (Acts 1:3)
When Jesus appeared to His disciples after rising from the dead, they recognized Him, but thought they were seeing a ghost. So Jesus offered His disciples proof that it was really Him; He ate their food and told them, “Touch me!” That convinced them and for the next forty days before He ascended to heaven, Jesus appeared to over five hundred people and offered many and infallible proofs that He had indeed been resurrected from the dead. He wanted us to know that fact beyond any doubt. Prayer: Heavenly Father I come to You first in the beginning of a new week to ask for Your divine protection for me and all those around me. Give us all wisdom, insight and godly understanding to tackle every task with pride and honesty in Jesus’ Name…amen “And this is love: that we walk in obedience to His commands.” (2 John 1:6)
Bible teacher Donald Grey Barnhouse told the story of a young son of a missionary couple in Zaire who was playing in the yard when suddenly he heard his father’s voice ring out, “Philip, obey me instantly! Drop to your stomach!” the boy did so immediately. “Now crawl to me as fast as you can!” the boy obeyed. “Now stand up and run to me!” Philip ran into his father’s arms. When the young boy looked back at the tree he had been playing near, he saw a large deadly snake hanging from one of the branches. His instant obedience had saved his life. You can almost feel the intensity of this father’s love as he asks his son for complete trust and obedience in order to avoid impending danger. It’s no different with God; He sees what we cannot; and when our life is headed for peril, He cries out to us with the intense love of a father trying to save his child’s life. So when you hear God’s voice commanding you to obey, remember it is the loving, caring voice of your heavenly Father who only wants the very best for you. Believe Him and obey! Prayer: “Heavenly Father, thank You for the love that You have for me. Thank You for showing me Your great love on the Cross of Calvary. My heart cry back to You, “Abba Father”. Amen When we are young Christians, life is uncomplicated. We find it difficult to understand why older Christians cannot give simple and straightforward answers to questions. Yet, as we progress on the spiritual path, as we see and experience the pain, suffering and injustice of the world, we are confronted with situations where answers do not come readily.
This is when Christians ask questions, need answers, start having doubts and feel they have lost their faith. What I am about to say to you this morning has come through years of experience and studies. There are times in our spiritual walk when God does not make sense in the strange ways He works with us. Ways that are not always accepted by us, because we do not expect, nor understand them. What I can tell you with assurance of faith is: keep following Christ and have complete faith in Him. Yes, it means that you will sometime have to just close your eyes, bite hard on your teeth and hold on. The Bible says: “But he who stands firm to the end will be saved…” (Matt 24:13) Our lives as Christians is one of change and confusion, of great uncertainty where we find all principles under close scrutiny, our values put through the mill and merging into greyness. In these turbulent times we need to remember that “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow” (Heb 13:8). Keep reading the Bible, study the Word of God, keep them in your heart because they are what will keep you afloat when the storms of life hit. Wait for God to bring the best out of you, forget what you do not understand for now and get back to it later when you are ready. |
Ana & Andre Schoonbee God uses us to motivate and encourage the body. Authors
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