"The reward of humility and the fear of the Lord are riches, honor and life." Proverbs 22:4
Humility. It's the one trait that when we think we've got it, we've lost it. But humility is not a false sense of modesty. This puts off other people and insults God, our Creator, for He has given us all gifts and abilities. So what is humility? It's a realistic view of ourselves--knowing our strengths and weaknesses. It's being modest about our strengths and honest about our weaknesses. It's doing our best, but not taking ourselves too seriously. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, Ephesians 1 : 3
I remember going through a terrible time of depression when I was 18 years old. Believing that I was demon-possessed, I sought out a great man of God to have him cast the devil out of me. But when this man of God laid hands on me, he began to prophesy over me. He said, “Joe, I see you preaching to thousands and used by God to impact thousands of lives. Joe, you are called by God and the devil is attempting to stop you.” “What? I came here for deliverance! I am only interested in saving my own life, not preaching nor impacting lives,” I thought to myself then. You see, what happened was that at that moment, God allowed this man to step into the timeless zone He exists in to bring my future before me. As far as God was concerned, my future had already happened, though I was only 18 years old then. Today, I am a pastor of a church which has more than 19,000 members. Today, I am seeing what was told to me long ago. God does not see as we see. Abraham was a childless, 100-year-old man. His wife, Sarah, at 90 years old, was doubly dead in her womb. (Genesis 17:17) Yet, God saw him and talked to him as if he were already the father of many nations. My friend, God wants you to see the way He sees. Right now, you may see yourself going through a trial in your marriage, work, finances or health. But God sees a blessed marriage, success at work, supernatural increase in wealth and a healed body because He tells you that you are already blessed with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ. You see, God sees you in Christ. So when you see yourself in Christ, who is outside time, you step into the timeless zone. In that timeless zone in Christ, whatever needs and trials of yours are already removed, repaired, restored or resurrected! In that timeless zone in Christ, you are already blessed with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places! “Those who go down to the sea in ships, who do business on great waters, they see the works of the Lord, and His wonders in the deep.”(Psalm 107:23, NKJV)
Friend, you and I were created to do business in deep waters. In other words, we’re not supposed to have little dreams or little plans. We’re supposed to get out there and have big dreams. We are supposed to go out into the deep things God has for us. But understand, when you’re out there in the deep waters, you can’t touch the ground. You can’t see the shoreline, and at times, it can get a little rocky. You may not always see how things are going to work out. But, Scripture tells us that deep calls to deep. In other words, God is the one who has called you to the deep waters. He is with you, and He knows there are deep things on the inside of you. When you are in those deep waters, you are not alone. God is with you, and He’s causing those deep things inside of you to come forth. If you feel like you are out in the deep today, if you feel like you are overwhelmed, remember, you are in the right place and God is with you. You will see the Wonders of God in the deep! Father, thank You for calling me out into the deep. Today I surrender every area of my life to You. I choose to trust You knowing that You will show me Your wonders and glory in Jesus’ name. Amen.— Joel & Victoria Osteen Jesus says, “Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened” (Matthew 11:28).
I wish I could say it happens all the time; but it doesn’t. Sometimes He asks and I don’t listen. Other times He asks and I just don’t go. But sometimes I follow. I leave behind the deadlines, the schedule and walk the narrow trail up the mountain with Him. You’ve been there. You’ve turned your back on the noise and sought His voice. You’ve stepped away from the masses and followed the Master as He led you up the winding path to the summit. The roar of the marketplace is down there, the perspective of the peak is up here. He gently reminds you, “You’ll go nowhere tomorrow that I haven’t already been.” “The victory is already yours.” “My delight is one decision away—seize it!” Ah, the words on the sacred summit. A place of permanence in a world of transition. GENESIS 15:8–9 And he said, “Lord God, how shall I know that I will inherit it?” So He said to him, “Bring Me a three-year-old heifer, a three-year-old female goat, a three-year-old ram, a turtledove, and a young pigeon.” Are you discouraged because a breakthrough that you have been praying for has yet to manifest? Maybe it has been days or even weeks and you are asking, “How will I know that I will get it?” Abraham faced the same situation and asked God the same question. And God answered, “Bring Me a three-year-old heifer, a three-year-old female goat, a three-year-old ram, a turtledove, and a young pigeon.” What a strange answer! But if you read on (Genesis 15:10–21), you will realize that God took Abraham’s question very seriously, and went on to show him just how serious He was about being his provider, protector and blesser. God was so serious that He was willing to bind Himself to a covenant. What is a covenant? It is like a contract. Yet, it is more than a contract. A contract is binding only for a period of time, like five years or seven years, or until certain terms are fulfilled. But a covenant is perpetual. It is permanent. The only way out is through death. That is why marriage is a covenant, not a contract. It is permanent—“Till death do us part”. In Bible times, when you cut a covenant with someone, you bring an animal, usually a ram or goat, and kill it by cutting it in two. Next, you will face your covenant partner and walk toward each other between the two pieces of the animal, passing each other in the center. What all this means is that both parties are obligated to protect and provide for each other. Whatever belongs to you is your partner’s and whatever belongs to your partner is yours. Of course, the one who benefits is the lesser or poorer party. Today, God is in covenant with us. We are the lesser, poorer party. We have nothing to offer God. But God, the richest and most powerful being in the universe, has everything to offer us! My friend, God has bound Himself to a covenant, an iron-clad guarantee of His blessings and provision in your life, and it is all for your benefit. The breakthrough you are waiting for is guaranteed by covenant! "Whoever secretly slanders his neighbor, him [the Lord] will destroy; no one who has a haughty look and an arrogant heart will [the Lord] endure." Psalm 101:5
Do you want to live like the devil? For some of us, that's easy. For all of us, we come by it naturally. But there are two character traits that make us most like Satan. 1. Pride: C. S. Lewis said, "The utmost evil is pride. Unchastity, anger, greed, drunkenness...are mere flea bites in comparison. It was through pride that the Devil became the Devil. It is the complete anti-God state of mind." Pride is thinking more highly of ourselves than we should--feeling we are better than others. It is arrogant conceit. Pride is, most of all, feeling no need for God, considering yourself self-reliant. The person filled with this kind of pride is most like the Devil himself. 2. Malicious gossip or slander: the Greek word for this is "diabolos," also translated "the Devil." People who gossip and slander others are like the Devil. In short, he's just a big liar. Pride, malicious gossip, and lying are character traits that make us most like the Devil. I was young, and now I am old, but I have never seen good people left helpless or their children begging for food. Psalm 37:25
We worry. We worry about the IRS and the SAT and the FBI… We worry that we won't have enough money, and when we have money we worry that we won't manage it well. We worry that the world will end before the parking meter expires. We worry what the dog thinks if he sees us step out of the shower. We worry that someday we'll learn that fat-free yogurt was fattening. Honestly, now. Did God save you so you would fret? Would he teach you to walk just to watch you fall? Would he be nailed to the cross for your sins and then disregard your prayers? Come on. Is Scripture teasing us when it reads, "He has put his angels in charge of you to watch over you wherever you go"? (Psalm 91:11). I don't think so either. In the Grip of Grace (Max Lucado) Deuteronomy 1:2 declares that it only takes 11 days from Horeb to Kadesh Barnea. Yet it took the Israelites 40 years to get there. Even more the generation that entered the desert never made it out alive saved Caleb and Joshua.
The Bible explains that it was their attitude that kept them from entering into the land of milk and honey. As we know the Old testament serves as a testimony for us today. We have to learn from the people of old what not to do to miss the blessings of God. This is the beginning of 2014 and we need to consider and take stock of our lives. I believe that we need to be Kingdom minded and be mindful of God and His will for our lives. Read these verses: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ.” (Ephesians 1:30 “According to His divine power has given all things that pertain to life and godliness through the knowledge of Him that has called us to glory and virtue. Whereby are given unto us exceedingly great and precious promises; that by these you might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.” (2 Peter 1:3,4) Our attitude toward trials and temptations we face each day will determine the outcome. We can be desert minded and see failure and death; or we can be kingdom minded and come out into the blessings God has in store for us. The question today is: WHAT IS MY REACTION WHERE THINGS DON’T GO ACCORDING TO PLAN? Die kwessie van geloof is ietwat van ʼn kontroversie wat uit verskillende hoeke uit belig word en waar mense met verskillende beskouings oor geloof kom. Selfs in die Bybel word geloof op verskeie maniere uiteengesit.
Abram word uit die niet uit met geloof in die Onsienlike, die tot nog toe ʼn Onbekende God, gekonfronteer. Die gevolg? Hy pak sy goed en trek agter die stem van God aan. Vir ander is dit nie so maklik nie. Sommige beleef hoogspanning tussen geloof en ongeloof terwyl ander die gawe van ʼn kinderlike geloof oënskynlik sonder moeite ontvang. Dit lyk asof sommige ʼn oormaat geloof as gawe ontvang terwyl ander deur Paulus gemaan word “om beskeie te wees in ooreenstemming met die maat van geloof wat God aan elkeen toebedeel het.” Romeine 12:3. In 1 Korintiërs 12:9 is dit duidelik dat geloof as ʼn geestelike gawe deur die Gees aan sommige uitgedeel word: ...aan die een geloof deur dieselfde Gees, aan ʼn ander genadegawes van gesondmaking deur die één Gees. Geloof is dus nie iets wat ons hoef te doen of self te ontwikkel nie, maar wat as ʼn gawe van God kom. Om eg te glo is nie ʼn “walk in the park” nie. Nog minder is dit ʼn goed uitgewerkte resep vir ʼn gelukkige lewe. Dis nie ʼn roetekaart vol padpredikante wat vir jou die rigting en afstand na jou bestemming presies aandui nie. Dis nie ʼn leuenverklikker wat vir jou die waarheid en die leuen op swart en wit uitklaar nie. Geloof is uiteindelik ʼn dialoog tussen God en sy skepsel wat ruimte laat vir soek en om gevind te word – meer nog, ʼn swerftog en ʼn tuiskoms by die Vader. Of jy nou sukkel met geloof of nie, geloof bly die grootste gawe van God en vir dié wat twyfel, die bede: Ek glo Here; kom my ongeloof te gemoet. Gebed: Here, om te glo verg niks van ons nie, maar vra alles. Dankie God dat U die Gees gestuur het om ons op die pad van geloof te oortuig en te ondersteun Words of Promise
God has given a son to us… His name will be Wonderful Counsellor, Powerful God … Prince of Peace. Isa 9:6 Every Christmas I read this reminder that came in the mail several years ago: If our greatest need had been information, God would have sent an educator. If our greatest need had been technology, God would have sent us a scientist. If our greatest need had been money, God would have sent us an economist. But since our greatest need was forgiveness, God sent us a Savior. Christmas cards. Punctuated promises. Phrases filled with the reason we do it all anyway. He became like us, so we could become like him. Angels still sing and the star still beckons. He loves each one of us like there was only one of us to love. When God Whispers Your Name (by: Max Lucado) |
Ana & Andre Schoonbee God uses us to motivate and encourage the body. Authors
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