2025-02-27
Daniel 11:32 NKJV
The Bible says, “The people who know their God shall be strong, and carry out great exploits.” This Scripture is not a license to be arrogant and insensitive to the feelings of others, or to have an overinflated opinion of yourself. It means that when you understand God’s Word, God’s ways, and God’s will, you will be confident in who you are and in what God has called you to do.
Question: When was the last time you attempted to do something for the first time? You say, “I am afraid of failing.” Everybody falls; the winners are those who keep getting back up again. Evidently some folks in the New Testament church thought Timothy was too young to be in leadership, so Paul encourages him to be bold in his calling: “I thank God… when I call to remembrance the genuine faith that is in you, which dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am persuaded is in you also. Therefore I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord… but share with me in the sufferings for the gospel according to the power of God” (2 Timothy 1:3, 5-8 NKJV).
God has not promised that you won’t experience hardship in doing what He has called you to do, but He has promised that you will succeed. So, the word for you today is – be biblical; be bold!
Soul food: Exo 16-18; Luke 12:35-48; Ps 66:13-20; Prov 6:23-25
2025-02-26
Romans 12:6 NLT
A fascinating study was done on divergent thinking – which is thinking outside the box. The results? Ninety-eight percent of children between three and five years old scored in the genius category for divergent thinking. Between eight and ten, that number dropped to 32 percent. By the time they became teenagers, it dropped down to 10 percent. And of those over twenty-five, only 2 percent scored in the genius category for divergent thinking. That means the older you get, the greater your tendency will become to resist change. It also means you may fail to discover your God-given assignment in life and develop the skills necessary to fulfill it.
The Bible says, “Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function… God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well” (Romans 12:4, 6 NLT). God’s plan for your life involves finding out what makes you different and discovering those things you do well.
Too many individuals in too many churches look and act too much alike. Pastors can create this. Peer pressure can create this. If anyplace should celebrate diversity, it’s the church. There never has been, and there never will be, a person like you. And that isn’t a tribute to you; it’s a tribute to the God who created and redeemed you to fulfill His purposes. And that calls for discovering who you are, and who you’re not. Think about it: Wouldn’t you rather be disliked for who you are than liked for who you’re not? So, discover what makes you special.
Soul food: Exo 13-15; Luke 12:22-34; Ps 66:1-12; Prov 6:20-22
Romeine 12:6 NLV
‘n Fassinerende studie is oor uiteenlopende denke – mense wat buite die boks dink – gedoen. Die resultate? Agt-en-negentig persent van kinders tussen die ouderdom van drie en vyf jaar oud het in die genie kategorie van uiteenlopende denke geval. Tussen agt en tien het daardie getal tot 32 persent geval. Teen die tyd wat hulle tieners word, val daardie getal tot 10 persent. Net twee persent van diegene oor die ouderdom van 25 jaar het in die genie kategorie vir uiteenlopende denke geval. Dit beteken hoe ouer mens word, hoe groter word jou geneigdheid om verandering teen te staan. Dit beteken ook dat jy dalk nie jou Godgegewe opdrag mag ontdek of die vaardighede ontwikkel om dit te vervul nie.
Die Bybel sê: ‘Ons besit elkeen een liggaam wat uit baie ledemate bestaan en wat elkeen sy eie spesiale funksie het… Ons het gawes wat van mekaar verskil volgens die genade wat God aan elkeen van ons gegee het…’ (Romeine 12:4, 6 NLV). God se plan vir jou lewe sluit in dat jy uitvind wat jou anders maak en dat jy die dinge wat jy goed doen, moet ontdek.
Te veel individue in te veel kerke lyk en tree dieselfde op. As daar egter een plek is wat diversiteit moet vier, is dit die kerk. Daar was nog nooit en daar sal ook nooit weer ‘n persoon soos jy wees nie. Dit beteken dat jy moet uitvind wie jy is, en wie jy nie is nie. Dink daaroor: Sal jy nie eerder geminag word vir wie jy is as wat mense van jou hou vir wie jy nie is nie? Indien dit die geval is, moet jy ontdek wat jou spesiaal maak.
Sielskos: Eks 13-15; Luk 12:22-34; Ps 66:1-12; Spr 6:20-22
2025-02-25
Handelinge 10:4 AFR20
God het vir Kornelius gesê: ‘…Jou gebede en jou liefdadigheid het tot ‘n gedenkoffer voor [My] opgestyg.’ Gedenkoffers word gewoonlik deur mense wat gesterf en weg is, gegee. Wat ‘n wonderlike belofte is dit nie. Selfs nadat jy hemel toe gegaan het, word die gebede wat jy vir jou geliefdes gebid het ‘n gedenkoffer voor God, wat sy aandag trek en Hom tot aksie laat oorgaan. Moet dus nie ophou bid nie.
Sint Augustine word as een van die invloedrykste figure in die geskiedenis van die Christendom beskou, maar sy lewe het nie goed begin nie. Die jong Aurelius Augustinus het vir drie dekades in totale onsedelikheid geleef. Vir elk van daardie dekades het sy moeder, Monica, vir hom gebid. Sy het die hemel met gebede oor hom gebombardeer. Monica het lank genoeg gelewe om te sien hoe haar seun ‘n kragtige man van God word. Jy mag dalk nie lank genoeg lewe om te sien hoe jou geliefde na Christus draai nie, maar weet dat God sê: ‘Jou gebede en jou liefdadigheid het tot ‘n gedenkoffer voor [My] opgestyg.’
Ons praat hier van die nadoodse krag van gebed. Johannes het ‘n blik daarvan gekry toe hy die hemel besoek het: “‘n Ander engel het nadergekom en by die altaar gaan staan. Hy het ‘n goue wierookbak vasgehou. Baie reukwerk is aan hom gegee om dit te meng met die gebede van almal wat aan God toegewy is, en om dit op die goue altaar wat voor die troon staan, te offer. Die rookwolk van die reukwerk wat deur die engel geoffer is, het gemeng met die gebede van hulle wat aan God toegewy is, en het opgestyg voor God” (Openbaring 8:3-4 NLV). Die woord vir jou vandag is dus – hou aan bid en God sal jou gebede beantwoord.
Sielskos: Eks 10-12; Luk 12:13-21; Ps 61; Spr 6:16-19
Acts 10:4 NET
God told Cornelius, “Your prayers… have gone up as a memorial before [Me].” Memorials are usually built for people who are dead and gone. What a great promise this is. Even after you have gone to heaven, the prayers you pray on behalf of your loved ones become a memorial before God, getting His attention and moving Him to action. So, don’t stop praying.
Saint Augustine is considered to be one of the most influential figures in the history of Christianity, but he didn’t start out well. Young Aurelius Augustinus lived for three decades in utter immorality. And for each of those decades, his mother, Monica, prayed for him, following him to Carthage, to Rome, and on to Milan, weeping, pleading, and assaulting heaven in prayer on his behalf. Monica lived to see her son become a mighty man of God. You may or may not live to see your loved one turn to Christ, but know this: God says, “Your prayers… have gone up as a memorial before [Me].”
We’re talking about the posthumous power of prayer. John the Revelator caught a glimpse of it when he visited heaven and described what he saw in these words: “Then another angel, having a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. He was given much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all the saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne. And the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, ascended before God from the angel’s hand” (Revelation 8:3-4 NKJV). So, the word for you today is – keep praying, and God will answer your prayers.
Soul food: Exo 10-12; Luke 12:13-21; Ps 61; Prov 6:16-19
