2026-08-31
Galatians 6:9 NIV
Some of the world’s most successful people were told by so-called experts that they didn’t have what it took to be a success in the professions they had chosen. In 1927, Lucille Ball was told by an instructor at the John Murray Anderson Drama School, “Try any other profession. Any other.” Universal Pictures dismissed both Clint Eastwood and Burt Reynolds, claiming that Reynolds had no talent and Eastwood talked too slowly. Malcolm Forbes, the late editor-in-chief of Forbes magazine, failed to become part of the staff of his school newspaper when he was an undergraduate at Princeton University.
Decca Recording Company executives responded negatively to the audition of four young musicians, saying, “We don’t like their sound. Groups with guitars are on the way out.” So the Beatles took their sound elsewhere. For seven years, a young inventor named Chester Carlson took his idea to twenty corporations, all of which turned him down. The Haloid Company finally purchased the rights to his electronic paper-copying process. And Haloid became Xerox.
Don’t be discouraged if you are not finding the acceptance and success you desire right now. Your story is still being written! The Bible says, “… do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises” (Hebrews 6:12 NKJV). Faith and patience are the two qualities that will bring you success. This is why the apostle Paul wrote: “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”
Soul food: Josh 14-15; Mark 10:1-12; Ps 103:1-12; Pro 22:27-29
2026-08-30
1 Samuel 17:26 NLV
Veertien geslagte voordat Dawid teen Goliat geveg het, het God vir Abraham gesê: ‘Ek sal dié seën wat jou seën en dié wat jou vervloek, sal Ek vervloek…’ (Genesis 12:3 NLV). Later het God hierdie verbond na Abraham se nageslag uitgebrei en ‘n sleutelbepaling bygevoeg: ‘Julle moet aan die voorhuid besny word. Dit is ‘n teken dat julle my verbond nakom’ (Genesis 17:11 NLV).
Blykbaar het niemand in Saul se leër, insluitend Saul self, onthou dat hulle ‘n verbond met God het nie. Dit het Dawid genoop om te vra: ‘Wie is hierdie onbesnede Filistyn dat hy die leër van die lewendige God so beledig?’ Dawid het met ander woorde gevra: ‘Hoe kan hierdie man, wat geen verbond met God het nie, selfs daaraan dink dat hy ons sal kan oorwin?’
Glo jy dat God deur sy verbond diegene wat in ‘n egte verhouding met Hom is, sal seën, beskerm en voorspoedig maak? As jy aanhou om van die reuse in jou lewe weg te vlug, sal jy nooit die krag van God gemanifesteer sien nie. Het jy geweet dat jy ‘n erfgenaam van dieselfde verbond van seën wat God aan Abraham gegee het, is? ‘Verder, omdat julle aan Christus behoort, ís julle die nageslag van Abraham en dus erfgename van die belofte!’ (Galasiërs 3:29 NLV).
Dawid het op ‘n verbond van beskerming wat veertien geslagte oud was en vandag nog steeds geldig is, staatgemaak. Die verhaal van Dawid en Goliat is verteenwoordigend van die vele gevegte wat ons gereeld in die gesig staar: goed oor kwaad en geloof oor vrees. Wat ook al die situasie is, ons kan rus op God se Woord: ‘Want hierdie blye boodskap van ‘n plek van rus wat God vir ons gereedgemaak het, het ons ook ontvang…’ (Hebreërs 4:2 NLV).
Sielskos: Rig 6:24; Joh 14:27; 1 Pet 3:8
1 Samuel 17:26 NKJV
Fourteen generations before David fought Goliath, God told Abraham, “I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse” (Genesis 12:3 NIV). Later, God extended this covenant to Abraham’s descendants and inserted a key provision: “You are to undergo circumcision, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and you” (Genesis 17:11 NIV).
Apparently, no one in Saul’s army, including Saul himself, remembered they had a covenant with God, which led David to ask, “Who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?” David was asking, “How could this man, who has no covenant with God, even think about conquering us?”
How strong is your faith in God’s covenant to bless, protect, and prosper those who are in right standing with Him? If you continue to run from the giants in your life, you will never see the power of God manifested. When you believe God’s promises, you won’t tolerate any giant in your life. Did you know that you’re an heir to the same covenant of blessing that God gave Abraham? “If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise” (Galatians 3:29 NIV).
David rested on a covenant of protection that was fourteen generations old and is still good today. The story of David and Goliath is representative of the many battles we face on a regular basis: good over evil, God’s power over man’s strength, and faith over fear. Whatever the situation, we can rest on God’s Word: “We who have believed enter that rest, just as God has said” (Hebrews 4:3 NIV).
Soul food: Judg 6:24; John 14:27; 1 Pet 3:8
2026-08-29
Hebrews 9:24 NKJV
Growing up, many of us had no clue what our parents did forty hours a week. We might have known where they worked, but we weren’t altogether sure what they did. In much the same way, most of us don’t really know what Jesus does all day. And our lack of holy confidence stems from that very fact. So what does Jesus do all day, every day? He’s pleading your case, pleading your cause. All you have to do is plead the blood.
That phrase has fallen out of circulation in some circles. In part because of its misapplication. Let’s see if we can revive it. Pleading the blood is not some superstition. And it’s not an abracadabra; it’s an awareness of your authority in Christ. It’s an understanding that your forgiveness has already been paid for in blood money. It’s coming to terms with the fact that we overcome Satan by the blood of the lamb (See Revelation 12:11). Christ is in your corner, which means you have the full backing of the King and His kingdom. His full blessing – His full authority!
Satan would like to make you doubt that. Remember what he said to Eve in the Garden of Eden: “Has God indeed said… ?” (Genesis 3:1 NKJV). Translation? “God is holding out on you!” If Satan can get you to distrust God’s goodness, he wins, and you lose. Is it possible that because you’re holding out on God, you think God is holding out on you? Go all in with God! If you don’t hold out on Him, He surely won’t hold out on you.
Soul food: Josh 11-13; Mark 9:38-50; Ps 84; Pro 22:24-26
Hebreërs 9:24 NLV
Baie van ons het kleintyd geen idee gehad waarmee ons ouers veertig uur van die week besig was nie. Ons het dalk geweet waar hulle werk, maar ons was nie heeltemal seker wat hulle doen nie. Net so weet die meeste van ons nie regtig wat Jesus heeldag doen nie. Ons gebrek aan heilige vertroue spruit juis uit hierdie feit uit. Wat doen Jesus dan heeldag, elke dag? Hy is besig om jou saak te bepleit. Al wat jy hoef te doen is om die bloed oor jou te pleit.
Hierdie frase het in sommige kringe in onbruik verval, deels as gevolg van die verkeerde toepassing daarvan. Kom ons kyk of ons dit kan laat herleef. Om die bloed oor jou te pleit is nie ‘n bygeloof nie. Dit is nie iets ongeoorloofs nie; dit is ‘n bewustheid van jou gesag in Christus. Dit is om te begryp dat jou vergifnis reeds met bloedgeld betaal is. Dit is om vrede met die feit dat ons Satan deur die bloed van die lam oorwin het, te maak (sien Openbaring 12:11). Christus is in jou hoek, wat beteken dat jy die volle steun van die Koning en sy koninkryk het. Sy volle seën – sy volle gesag!
Satan wil jou graag daaraan laat twyfel. Onthou jy wat hy vir Eva in die Tuin van Eden gevra het: ‘…Het God regtig gesê…?’ (Genesis 3:1 NLV). As Satan jou sover kan kry om God se goedheid te wantrou, wen hy en jy verloor. Is dit moontlik dat omdat jy terughou wanneer dit by God kom, Hy jou nie dalk ook terughou nie? Lewe voluit met God! As jy Hom nie terughou nie, sal Hy jou vir seker nie terughou nie.
Sielskos: Josua 11-13; Mark 9:38-50; Ps 84; Spr 22:24-26
