Vocalize the Scriptures

2026-09-10
Proverbs 18:21 NIV

Something powerful happens when we vocalize God’s Word. “The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.” Sometimes you have to say it like you believe it! Jesus literally spoke to the wind and the waves, right? He rebuked storms. He rebuked demons. He rebuked fevers. He even told us to tell mountains to move! (See Mark 11:23.)

When you verbalize faith, you give it power. There are some things you should not say. When Jeremiah used his age as an excuse to say no to God’s call, the Lord rebuked him: “Say not, I am a child” (Jeremiah 1:7 KJV). In other words, don’t disqualify yourself if God has called you! Instead, speak life-giving, faith-filled, grace-laced words.

Mark Batterson says: “There are some things I refuse to say because it gives them power. I call it my ‘Say Not’ list. What words need to go on your ‘Say Not’ list? I’m not just talking about four-letter words. Jesus said we’d give account for every idle word. The word idle means unemployed. An idle word is a useless, worthless word – a word that doesn’t accomplish anything.”

Jesus also said in Matthew 12:34 (TLV), “For from the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks,” so our words are x-rays of what’s on the inside. That’s where the battle is won or lost. If we want our words to reflect His Word, that’s where we’ve got to drop anchor. And when we do, the mind of Christ becomes our mindset too.”

Soul food: Neh 11-13; Mark 12:28-44; Ps 78:17-31; Pro 23:26-28

Keep marching and believing

2026-09-09
Joshua 6:16 NKJV

Jericho represented the greatest stronghold in Canaan, and it had to be conquered before Israel could move in and possess the land. So God told them to march around its walls once a day for six days and seven times on the seventh day. On the seventh day, “Joshua said to the people: ‘Shout, for the Lord has given you the city!'”

Is there a stronghold in your life? Are you discouraged, thinking you’ve been battling for a long time with no sign of victory? It may have seemed that way to the Hebrews too. Notice that God told Joshua the walls would fall down on the seventh day, but Joshua didn’t tell the people. They just had to keep walking. And the Lord doesn’t tell us everything either! Through the pen of Paul, He urges us to “be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord” (1 Corinthians 15:58 NKJV).

So keep walking, keep praying, and keep believing. For all you know, this may be the day when the walls of your Jericho come down. You may be only steps away from a moment like this: “And it happened when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, and the people shouted with a great shout, that the wall fell down flat. Then… they took the city” (Joshua 6:20 NKJV).

The very walls that kept them out became stepping stones to victory. So keep marching and believing. Defeat your strongholds with the spiritual weapons of worship: Scripture and prayer. It’s just a matter of time before your Jericho comes down.

Soul food: Neh 8-10; Mark 12:13-27; Ps 78:9-16; Pro 23:22-25

Hou aan marsjeer en glo


Josua 6:16 NLV

Jerigo was die grootste vesting in Kanaän en moes verower word voordat Israel die land kon intrek en besit. Daarom het God vir hulle gesê om ses dae lank een keer per dag om die mure te marsjeer, en op die sewende dag sewe keer. Op die sewende dag het Josua vir die volk gesê: ‘…Gee die kreet! Die Here gee die stad vir julle!’

Is daar ‘n vesting in jou lewe? Is jy mismoedig en voel dat jy al lank sonder enige teken van oorwinning veg? Dit het dalk ook so vir die Israeliete gelyk. Let op dat God vir Josua gesê het dat die mure op die sewende dag sou ineenstort, maar Josua het dit nie vir die mense gesê nie. Hulle moes net aanhou marsjeer. Die Here vertel ons ook nie alles nie! Deur die pen van Paulus spoor Hy ons aan: ‘…staan baie vas, onbeweeglik. Gee altyd julle allerbeste vir die Here se werk, want julle weet voor die Here is alles wat julle doen die moeite werd’ (1 Korintiërs 15:58 NLV).

Hou dus aan marsjeer, hou aan bid en hou aan glo. Vandag mag dalk die dag wees wanneer die mure van jou Jerigo ineenstort. Jy is dalk net ‘n paar treë weg van ‘n oomblik soos hierdie: ‘Toe die volk hoor dat die ramshorings die teken gee, het hulle die aanvalskreet uitgeskreeu. Die mure het inmekaar gestort. Almal het oorgeklouter, reguit die stad in. Hulle het die stad ingeneem’ (Josua 6:20 NLV).

Die einste mure wat hulle uitgehou het, het die trappe na oorwinning geword. Hou dus aan marsjeer en glo. Verslaan jou vestings met die geestelike wapens van aanbidding, Skrif en gebed. Dis net ‘n kwessie van tyd voordat jou Jerigo val.

Sielskos: Neh 8-10; Mark 12:13-27; Ps 78:9-16; Spr 23:22-25

One life at a time

2026-09-08
Matthew 10:42 NLT

Les Goldberg’s friends thought he was crazy when he cashed in his personal investments to buy a home to lease for the homeless. A retired engineer, Les felt it was the only decision he could make. He spends a minimum of one hour each day with his homeless friends and has helped renovate several properties on their behalf. In all his efforts, Goldberg never regarded the homeless as irresponsible or unreliable; he only saw them as people. Hurting people! He figured the house he purchased could be used as both a temporary shelter and a drop-in center – a place where homeless people might pick up mail, make phone calls, follow up job leads, and receive donated commodities.

Four homeless men live at the house, paying minimal rent to offset expenses. House rules are strict: no alcohol, no drugs, no loitering. Goldberg has never been rich. For twenty years he ran his own business, making about $25,000 a year designing and installing fire sprinklers. He simply was a man who saw an unmet need and found a way to help meet it.

Mother Teresa said: “We cannot all do great things, but we can all do small things with great love.” Jesus put it this way: “If you give even a cup of cold water to one of the least of my followers, you will surely be rewarded.”

As you go through this day, keep your heart open and ask God to make you a solution to someone else’s problem. When you do, “You will surely be rewarded.”

Soul food: Neh 5-7; Mark 12:1-12; Ps 78:1-8; Pro 23:19-21

Een lewe op ‘n slag


Matteus 10:42 NLV

Les Goldberg se vriende het gedink hy was mal toe hy ‘n huis koop om aan haweloses te verhuur. As ‘n afgetrede ingenieur het Les gevoel dat dit die enigste besluit is wat hy kon neem. Hy het elke dag minstens een uur saam met sy hawelose vriende bestee en gehelp om verskeie eiendomme namens hulle op te knap. Goldberg het nooit die haweloses as onverantwoordelik of onbetroubaar beskou nie; hy het hulle slegs as mense gesien. Mense wat seer het! Hy het beplan dat die huis wat hy gekoop het, as beide ‘n tydelike skuiling en ‘n inloopsentrum gebruik kon word – ‘n plek waar haweloses hulle pos kon ontvang, telefoonoproepe kon maak, werksaanbiedinge kon opvolg en donasies kon ontvang.

Vier hawelose mans het in die huis gewoon en minimale huur betaal om uitgawes te dek. Huisreëls was streng: geen alkohol, geen dwelms, geen rondlê nie. Goldberg was nooit ryk nie. Vir twintig jaar het hy sy eie besigheid bedryf en ongeveer $25 000 per jaar verdien deur brandsproeiers te ontwerp en te installeer. Hy was eenvoudig ‘n man wat ‘n onvervulde behoefte gesien het en ‘n manier gevind het om dit te help vervul.

Moeder Teresa het gesê: ‘Ons kan nie almal groot dinge doen nie, maar ons kan almal klein dingetjies met groot liefde doen.’ Jesus het dit so gestel: ‘Selfs as jy ‘n beker koue water aan een van my geringste dissipels sou gee bloot omdat hy ‘n dissipel is, verseker Ek jou dat jy jou beloning nie sal misloop nie.’

Terwyl jy deur hierdie dag gaan, hou jou hart oop en vra God om jou ‘n oplossing vir iemand anders se probleem te gee. Wanneer jy dit doen, sal jy jou beloning vir seker nie misloop nie.

Sielskos: Neh 5-7; Mark 12:1-12; Ps 78:1-8; Spr 23:19-21