2026-07-19
1 Corinthians 15:58 NKJV
Back in the days of the great western cattle ranches in America, a little burro would sometimes be harnessed to a wild horse and then turned loose onto the range. The wild horse would drag the burro for miles, throwing him around like a bag of feed. In several days, however, they would return. The little burro would be seen first, trotting back toward the ranch with his submissive steed in tow. Somewhere out in the wild, the horse would become exhausted and try to free itself of the burro. At that moment, the burro became the master of the two. The slow, patient, unimportant animal became the leader over the faster, more volatile, and more prized one.
What made the difference? Having a steadfast purpose! And what was the burro’s purpose? Going back home to the ranch! So, no matter how many times they fought, tugged on the rope, and ended up on their backs kicking and fuming, each time the burro got back on his feet, he would take a few more steps in the direction of the ranch. It was only a matter of time until the tired and exhausted horse decided to join him.
One of the great themes of Scripture is having a steadfast purpose. Samuel told the Israelites: “Do not turn aside; for then you would go after empty things which cannot profit or deliver” (1 Samuel 12:21 NKJV). Isaiah wrote: “I have set My face like a flint, and I know that I will not be ashamed” (Isaiah 50:7 NKJV). Paul wrote: “Be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord.”
Soul food: Matt 5:10; 2 Cor 4:8-10; Rom 12:14
2026-07-18
Josua 5:13 NLV
Laat in Januarie 1956 het dr Martin Luther King Jr. ‘n dreigende telefoonoproep by sy huis ontvang. Dit was nie die eerste onheilspellende boodskap wat hy ontvang het nie. Op hierdie nag, terwyl sy kinders en sy vrou geslaap het, was die gewig van die Burgerregtebeweging vir hom te swaar. Hy het besluit dat die risiko te groot is. Hy het begin om ‘n uittreestrategie neer te skryf. Om middernag het hy sy kop by die kombuistafel gebuig en begin bid: ‘Ek is bang. Die mense kyk na my vir leierskap en as ek sonder krag en moed voor hulle staan, sal hulle ook wankel. Ek het die einde van my kragte bereik. Ek het niks oor nie. Ek het by die punt gekom waar ek dit nie alleen kan trotseer nie.’
King beskryf wat volgende met hom gebeur het, as volg: ‘Ek het die teenwoordigheid van die Goddelike ervaar soos ek Hom nog nooit tevore ervaar het nie. Dit het gevoel asof ek die stil versekering van ‘n innerlike stem kon hoor wat sê: ‘Staan op vir geregtigheid, staan op vir die waarheid; en God sal vir ewig aan jou sy wees.’ Toe hy ‘n ontsaglike uitdaging in die gesig gestaar het, het dr King sy fokus verskuif en hom na God gewend.
Die Bybel sê: ‘Josua was in die omgewing van Jerigo toe hy skielik ‘n man voor hom sien staan met ‘n swaard in sy hand…’ Nadat Josua sy oë van Jerigo af opgelig het, het ‘n goddelike boodskapper voor hom met die oplossing vir sy probleem gestaan. Solank jy jou oë net op jou probleem hou, sal jy nie jou probleemoplosser sien nie. Jy moet opkyk. ‘Ek kyk op na die berge. Kom my hulp daarvandaan? Nee, my hulp kom van die Here…’ (Psalm 121:1-2 NLV).
Sielskos: 1 Tim 1-3; Matt 27:11-26; Ps 140; Spr 18:21-22
Joshua 5:13 NKJV
In late January 1956, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. received a threatening telephone call at his house. It was not the first foreboding message he’d received. But on this night, as his children and his wife lay sleeping, the weight of the Civil Rights Movement was too heavy. He decided that the risk was too great. He began to map out an exit strategy. At midnight he bowed over the kitchen table and began to pray, “I am afraid. The people are looking to me for leadership, and if I stand before them without strength and courage, they too will falter. I am at the end of my powers. I have nothing left. I’ve come to the point where I can’t face it alone.”
King described what happened next. “I experienced the presence of the Divine as I have never experienced Him before. It seemed as though I could hear the quiet assurance of an inner voice saying: ‘Stand up for righteousness, stand up for truth; and God will be at your side forever.'” When facing a daunting challenge, Dr. King shifted his focus and turned to God.
The Bible says: “When Joshua was by Jericho… he lifted his eyes… and behold, a Man stood opposite him.” After Joshua lifted his eyes from Jericho, a divine messenger stood before him with the solution to his problem. As long as your eyes are only on your problem, you won’t see your problem solver. You must look up. “I will lift up my eyes to the hills – from whence comes my help? My help comes from the Lord” (Psalm 121:1-2 NKJV).
Soul food: 1 Tim 1-3; Matt 27:11-26; Ps 140; Pro 18:21-22
2026-07-17
Josua 6:2 NLV
Jerigo se mure was enorm. Hulle het veertig voet bo die grond die stad soos ‘n wapenuitrusting omhul. Hulle was ondeurdringbaar. Josua het nie Jerigo se mure afgebreek nie – God het. God sal dit vir jou ook doen. Jou Jerigo is jou vrees, woede, bitterheid of vooroordeel. Dit is ook jou onsekerheid oor die toekoms; jou skuldgevoelens oor die verlede en jou negatiwiteit, angs en geneigdheid om te kritiseer, oor te analiseer of te kompartementaliseer. Jou Jerigo is enige omstandigheid, houding of denkwyse wat jou van vreugde, vrede of rus weerhou.
Jerigo versper jou pad, dus moet sy mure val! ‘…oor drie dae trek julle deur die Jordaan en gaan julle die land in besit neem wat die Here julle God julle as besitting gee’ (Josua 1:11 AFR83). Die werkwoord wat as ‘in besit neem’ vertaal word, beteken ‘om vorige huurders uit te dryf en in hul plek te besit.’
Satan sal egter nie sonder ‘n geveg vertrek nie. Hy sal weerstand bied. Hy sal terugstoot. Hy sal egter nie wen nie. Hoekom nie? Omdat God reeds verklaar het dat jy die oorwinnaar is. “Die Here het vir Josua gesê: ‘Ek gee jou beheer oor Jerigo, sy koning en sy soldate.'” God het nie gesê: ‘Josua, neem die stad in,’ nie. God het gesê: ‘Josua, ontvang die stad wat Ek ingeneem het.’ Dieselfde kan van jou en jou uitdaging gesê word.
Jy vra: ‘Wat staan my dus te doen?’ 1) Ontvang jou oorwinning deur geloof, net soos jy jou verlossing ontvang het. 2) Spreek oorwinning uit. Maak seker dat jou woorde met God se woorde ooreenstem. 3) Wandel in jou oorwinning, een dag op ‘n slag.
Sielskos: Nah 1-3; Matt 27:1-10; Ps 133; Spr 18:17-20
Joshua 6:2 NKJV
Here’s what you need to know about the walls of Jericho: They were immense. They wrapped around the city like a suit of armour, forty feet above the ground. They were impenetrable. Here is what you need to know about Joshua: He didn’t bring the walls down – God did. And God will do that for you too. Your Jericho is your fear, anger, bitterness, or prejudice. It’s also your insecurity about the future; your guilt about the past; and your negativity, anxiety, and proclivity to criticize, over-analyse, or compartmentalize. Your Jericho is any circumstance, attitude, or mindset that keeps you from joy, peace, or rest.
Jericho blocks your way, so its walls must fall! “Go in to possess the land which the Lord your God is giving you to possess” (Joshua 1:11 NKJV). The verb translated as “possess” means “to occupy by driving out previous tenants and possessing in their place.”
But Satan won’t leave without a fight. He will resist. He will push back. But he will not win. Why? Because God has already declared that you are the victor. “The Lord said to Joshua: ‘See! I have given Jericho into your hand.'” God did not say, “Joshua, take the city.” God said, “Joshua, receive the city I have taken.” The same can be said about you and your challenge.
You say, “If God has done it for me, what do I have to do?” (1) Receive your victory by faith, just as you received your salvation. (2) Speak victory. Be sure your words line up with God’s words. (3) Walk out your victory, one day at a time.
Soul food: Nah 1-3; Matt 27:1-10; Ps 133; Pro 18:17-20
