Now the Lord came and stood there, calling as before, "Samuel! Samuel!" And Samuel said, "Speak, for your servant is listening." (I Samuel 3:10)
What kind of attitude do we have about our work and the things we do in life? We may not like our boss or our working situation. We may not have much control over what we do. But, we do have control over our attitude. A positive attitude can make a big difference. And if we view our work and activities as a calling, then maybe someone for the first time may experience God's love and freedom in Jesus Christ through us. Our jobs can be a vocation if we can see them as an extension of God's ultimate purpose. But, if our jobs are only a means of securing wealth, or passing time, or achieving status, they will eventually be a great burden to us. If, however, we can see them as an extension of God's plan for humanity--each of us doing our part to clothe people, feed people, teach people, and do thousands of other things to help one another, then we make God's world a better place. And we can get up each morning with enthusiasm believing that we are living God's call. Phenomenal 2 letter word
I'm sure you will enjoy this. I never knew one word in the English language that can be a noun, verb, adj, adv, prep. UP This two-letter word in English has more meanings than any other two-letter word, and that word is 'UP'. It is listed in the dictionary as an [adv], [prep], [adj], [n] or [v]. It's easy to understand UP, meaning toward the sky or at the top of the list, but when we awaken in the morning, why do we wake UP? At a meeting, why does a topic come UP? Why do we speak UP, and why are the officers UP for election and why is it UP to the secretary to write UP a report? We call UP our friends, brighten UP a room, polish UP the silver, warm UP the leftovers and clean UP the kitchen. We lock UP the house and fix UP the old car. At other times, this little word has real special meaning. People stir UP trouble, line UP for tickets, work UP an appetite, and think UP excuses. To be dressed is one thing but to be dressed UP is special. And this UP is confusing: A drain must be opened UP because it is stopped UP. We open UP a store in the morning but we close it UP at night. We seem to be pretty mixed UP about UP! To be knowledgeable about the proper uses of UP, look UP the word UP in the dictionary. In a desk-sized dictionary, it takes UP almost 1/4 of the page and can add UP to about thirty definitions. If you are UP to it, you might try building UP a list of the many ways UP is used. It will take UP a lot of your time, but if you don't give UP, you may wind UP with a hundred or more. When it threatens to rain, we say it is clouding UP. When the sun comes out, we say it is clearing UP. When it rains, it soaks UP the earth. When it does not rain for awhile, things dry UP. One could go on and on, but I'll wrap it UP, for now . . . my time is UP! Don't screw UP. Send this on to everyone you look UP in your address book . . . or not . . . it's UP to you. Now I'll shut UP! Think about Jesus' example. He held on while wicked people were doing evil things to him. So do not get tired and stop trying. Heb 12:3
Heaven was not foreign to Jesus. He is the only person to live on earth after he had lived in heaven. As believers, you and I will live in heaven after time on earth, but Jesus did just the opposite. He knew heaven before he came to earth. He knew what awaited him upon his return. And knowing what awaited him in heaven enabled him to bear the shame on earth. He "accepted the shame as if it were nothing because of the joy that God put before him" (Heb 12:2 ). In his final moments, Jesus focused on the joy God put before him. He focused on the prize of heaven. By focusing on the prize, he was able not only to finish the race but to finish it strong. Just Like Jesus (Max Lucado) Die wêreld is ’n selfsugtige mengelmoes van mense. Elkeen leef vir hom- of haarself. “Me, myself, and I” is al wie saakmaak! “What’s in it for me?” — dis die vraag wat almal vra wat slagoffers is van die groot siekte van ons tyd: EK-SUGTIGHEID! Die Here se mense durf nooit ek-sugtig leef nie. Dit bots lynreg met die Evangelie. Jesus se aardse lewe was van begin tot einde gefokus op God se eer en ander mense se nood, nooit op Homself nie. Jesus het gekom om God se koninkryk aan uitgeworpenes, godsdienstige mislukkings en verlorenes bekend te maak. Daarom dat Hy bereid was om vir meer as 30 jaar lank sy hemelse glorie op te offer vir ’n nederige aardse bestaan en vir Palestina se harde klippe as kopkussings. Jesus was sonder sonde, maar God het Hom in ons plek by die kruis as die grootste sondaar denkbaar behandel sodat ons wat in Hom glo vrygespreek kan wees (2 Kor 5:17-21; Fil 2:6-11). Wat ’n lewe van selfloosheid, opoffering en omgee vir ander het Jesus nie hier geleef nie! G’n wonder nie dat Paulus in Filippense 2:5 sê dat dieselfde gesindheid van opoffering wat in Jesus was, ook in ons moet wees. Dan sal ons mekaar met respek behandel. Dan sal ons ophou ek-sugtig leef.
Psalm 107:28-29
'They cried out to the Lord in their trouble. He stilled the storm to a whisper; the waves of the sea were hushed.' - In the storms of life, God is the one who can still the storm. - He can bring calm in the storm you are facing. - Call out to Him right now, Andre. - He is the miracle working God, He can handle your storms. PRAYER: Lord, I believe by faith, that You are the only one who can calm the storms I am facing. I give You my issues and the storms in my life and I ask You to speak peace into those situations. Amen. Something that has been with me for some time now is a significant aspect of Yahuhua's ministry that many seem to have overlooked.
I have to admit I only stumbled upon it myself - so this may be of interest to those who want to know about growth in the Word. Luke 4:17 tells us that Yahushua (Jesus) read from the scroll of Isaiah 61:1. Luke 4:17-21 – New International Version The scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written: "the Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor." Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him, and he began by saying to them, "Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing. This was a wonderful moment - that few would dispute He truly was the chosen one that was sent by the Father in heaven - and I am sure I would have leaped for joy at hearing these words. Indeed, my heart does leap, even now, at the thought – He was with us in the flesh. My soul rejoices everyday at the thought He is with us in the spirit – even to this day. I have noticed something in the text that is worth giving attention to. It says: 'He rolled us the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down.' Think about this for a moment... When you are in Bible study among your fellow Brothers and Sisters, do you close the book and sit back? No, the Bibles are duly open with our attention firmly fixed on hearing the Word of God under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. What am I trying to say here? Yahushua had studied the scripture so diligently He was able to ‘close the book’ as I call it to do His ministry. Furthermore, when you look at His walk closely – we can see He didn’t seek to prove the priests were in error using scripture to make is understanding known. He chose people who had little knowledge of the scripture to hear how He had noticed the laws can be placed in the heart and that is what He taught those who were willing to listen to His words. For example - He said in Matthew 5:43-45 – New International Version You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. I find it fascinating how He must have understood this when He read and studied the scripture. It is clear He had the loving guidance of the Holy Spirit with Him as He surrendered Himself to the wisdom of the Father that allowed Him to grow in the Word of God. He was never interested in proving anything – so we need to appreciate it is un-Christ-like to argue scripture for the sake of proving a point. There are many instances when He put the priests – who did seek to use scripture to try and prove Him wrong – in their place by saying things that were no in scripture. For example: When the priests tried to trick Him with matters of finance He said: give that which belongs to Caesar to Caesar and give that which belongs to the Father to the Father. I hear you asking: where is this all leading to. Well… that’s the whole point I’m making here. Yahushua studied the scripture until He became the living embodiment of the Word of God – and we too can task ourselves to achieve the same thing. I’ve heard many people tell me: “When I read the same verse again after a short while – I get something different. It’s amazing.” This fills them with a sense of awe and wonder – and quite rightly too – because it means they are growing in the Word of God each time they come to the Lord when they take to the scripture. I can tell you: with the exception of prophecy - I rarely ever get something different when I take to the scripture – because I see how the Lord is saying the same thing from a different perspective. Increasingly, however, I can see how all of scripture is prophetic – especially Genesis. The point I’m making here is this: if you come to a point where you get the same thing from scripture – it means you are ready to ‘close the book’ and walk the walk as Yahushua did. …and may God bless your journey The excellence of our gifts and talents are all of God. They have nothing to do with us. It is given to us to glorify God and to serve His ordained purpose with our lives see Jeremiah 1: 5 as it was for Jeremiah God has a holy purpose for us. Live it dream it be it. You were no accident you have a purpose. And you have everything you need to forfil your purpose see 2 Pet 1:3
Daniel believed in the importance of prayer. Dan6:10. Even when the king issued the decree that people must only worship him or they will be fed to the lions. Daniel continued to pray as normal because his awe for God far exceeded the fear of man. Be bold in your worship God will protect you from evil. He is good all the time.
Thank the LORD because he is good. His love continues forever. Psa 106:1
Worship is when you're aware that what you've been given is far greater than what you can give. Worship is the awareness that were it not for his touch, you'd still be hobbling and hurting, bitter and broken. Worship is the half-glazed expression on the parched face of a desert pilgrim as he discovers that the oasis is not a mirage. Worship is the "thank you" that refuses to be silenced. We have tried to make a science out of worship. We can't do that. We can't do that any more than we can "sell love" or "negotiate peace." Worship is a voluntary act of gratitude offered by the saved to the Savior, by the healed to the Healer, and by the delivered to the Deliverer. In the Eye of the Storm (Max Lucado) He comforts us every time we have trouble, so when others have trouble, we can comfort them. 2Co 1:4
My child's feelings are hurt. I tell her she's special. My child is injured. I do whatever it takes to make her feel better. My child is afraid. I won't go to sleep until she is secure. I'm not a hero … I'm a parent. When a child hurts, a parent does what comes naturally. He helps… Why don't I let my Father do for me what I am more than willing to do for my own children? I'm learning… Being a father is teaching me that when I am criticized, injured, or afraid, there is a Father who is ready to comfort me. There is a Father who will hold me until I'm better, help me until I can live with the hurt, and who won't go to sleep when I'm afraid of waking up and seeing the dark. Ever. The Applause of Heaven (Max Lucado) |
Ana & Andre Schoonbee God uses us to motivate and encourage the body. Authors
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