2022-07-04
Matthew 17:20 NKJV
Paul writes, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for” (Hebrews 11:1 NKJV). Observe the words “now faith.” Thank God for the faith of our fathers, but to move the mountain that stands in your way, you need “now faith.” Jesus said, “If you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move… and it will move'” (Matthew 17:20 NKJV). Your grandmother’s faith may have moved her mountain, but it’s going to take your own faith to move “this mountain.” We all have mountains in our lives, and God is willing to move them. So what’s the problem?
Doubt! Other people’s opinions! Failure to understand God’s Word! Even though Jesus gave His disciples power to heal the sick, they were rendered helpless by a demon-possessed boy. “Why could we not cast the spirit out of him?” they asked. (See Matthew 17:19.) Notice what Jesus told them:
(1) Be willing to start small. A tiny “mustard seed” can grow into something much bigger. So start where you are and believe God for ordinary, everyday things, and when He honors your faith, thank Him and build on it.
(2) Watch what you say. “If you have faith… you will say to this mountain, ‘Move… and it will move.'” Your words release the life-giving force of God’s Word. So line up what comes out of your mouth with what’s written in Scripture.
(3) Be willing to do what’s needed. Some mountains need a little extra prayer, or in the case of this demon-possessed boy, the power that comes through fasting. The bottom line is this: When you do what God’s Word says, you will see mountains moved in your life.
Soul food: Jer 18-21; Matt 23:13-22; Ps 98; Prov 14:34
2022-07-03
Isaiah 28:16 NKJV
Every time you get in a hurry mode, you send a “state of emergency” signal to your body. And it responds by releasing the stress hormones adrenaline and cortisol that prepare you to deal with danger. The body cannot distinguish between physical danger, or the danger of losing your job, or any other form of stress and pressure. It only knows that action has to be taken and that it must energize you to deal with it. Now, this is a good thing if you’re indeed physically threatened.
But to live with your body constantly on high alert is like fighting a fifteen-round nonstop boxing match. Sooner or later, you pay the price in the form of heart disease, ulcers, forgetfulness, and a multitude of other conditions.
What’s the cure? A-B-C: Awareness, Belief, Change. Become aware of your continual high-gear mode and what part you play each time you hurry. Ask yourself, “How could I have prevented this?” Believe that the Holy Spirit will give you victory if you ask Him and begin to change your behaviour. Change – consciously slow down. Talk slower, move slower. “Haste makes waste.” Haste causes duplication of work, accidents, and other things that result in wasted time.
Question: Are you speed-reading today’s devotion? If so, this is the word for you today: Try taking twice as long to read and meditate on what you’re reading, and ask God, “What are you saying to me? What changes do you want to bring about in my life? In what ways do you want me to improve?” God is not in a hurry, so slow down and get in sync with Him.
Soul food: Exo 20:1-17; Matt 5:1-12
Jesaja 28:16 AFR53
Elke keer wat jy haastig raak, stuur jy ‘n ‘noodtoestand’ sein na jou liggaam toe. Jou liggaam reageer dan deur die streshormone adrenalien en kortisol vry te stel, wat jou voorberei om gevaar te hanteer. Die liggaam kan nie tussen fisiese gevaar, of die gevaar om jou werk te verloor, of enige ander vorm van stres en druk onderskei nie. Dit weet net dat aksie geneem moet word en dat jy energie nodig het om dit te hanteer.
Dis ‘n goeie ding wanneer jy inderdaad in fisiese gevaar verkeer. Om egter voortdurend met jou liggaam op ‘n hoë gereedheidsgrondslag te leef, is soos om vyftien ononderbroke rondtes in die bokskryt te veg. Kort voor lank sal jy die prys in die vorm van hartsiektes, maagsere, vergeetagtigheid en ‘n menigte ander toestande, betaal.
Wat is dus die oplossing? Bewustheid, geloof en verandering. Raak bewus van jou aanhoudende neiging om in hoë rat te beweeg en vra jouself af wat jy kon gedoen het om te keer dat jy haastig moet beweeg. Glo dat die Heilige Gees jou ‘n oorwinning sal gee as jy Hom vra om jou gedrag te verander. Verander self – probeer bewustelik stadiger beweeg. Praat stadiger, beweeg stadiger.
Hoe meer haas, hoe minder spoed. Haas veroorsaak duplisering van werk, ongelukke en ander dinge wat tydmors tot gevolg het. Is jy besig om vandag se dagstukkie te spoedlees? Indien dit die geval is, is die woord vir jou vandag: Probeer om twee keer so lank te neem om hierdie dagstukkie te lees en daaroor te mediteer en vra vir God: ‘Wat wil U vir my sê? Watter veranderinge wil U in my lewe teweeg bring? Op watter maniere wil U hê moet ek verbeter?’ God is nie haastig nie, begin dus stadiger en in pas met Hom beweeg.
Sielskos: Eks 20:1-17; Matt 5:1-12
2022-07-02
Jesaja 52:12 NLV
Het jy al ooit van ‘haassiekte’ gehoor? Diegene wat daaraan ly, zoem tydens spitsverkeer in en uit bane, probeer om eerste van die vliegtuig af te wees, al moet hulle vir ewig vir hulle bagasie wag, toet vir jou as jy nie soos ‘n resiesperd wegtrek wanneer die verkeerslig groen word nie, tik met hul vingers teen iets wanneer hulle moet wag en druk die hysbakknoppie herhaaldelik om dit vinniger te laat beweeg.
Hulle herinner ons aan suikerbekkies, wat in Engels ‘hummingbirds’ genoem word. Hierdie klein voëltjies kan vorentoe vlieg en dan in die lug hang en nêrens heen gaan nie. Hulle klein vlerkies kan tot vyf-en-sewentig keer per sekonde beweeg! Die probleem is egter dat hul gemiddelde lewensduur net drie jaar is, in teenstelling met ‘n arend wat dertig jaar kan leef. Wat is die verskil? Die arend het geleer om sy energie te bewaar deur op die Godgegewe windstrome te ry.
Die boodskap hier is eenvoudig: Wanneer jy krag uit die inwonende Heilige Gees put, hou jy langer en vlieg jy hoër as wat jy ooit kan droom. Een pastoor sê dat hy ‘n ‘stresverspreidende masjien’ was toe hy jonger was, en dat almal rondom hom dit kon aanvoel. Een dag het een van sy kinders vir hom gesê: ‘Pappa, ek sal probeer gou maak terwyl ek jou my storie vertel.’ Hy het geantwoord: ‘Jy hoef nie gou te maak nie, jy kan maar stadig praat.’ Na ‘n lang stilte sê sy kind toe: ‘Maar dan moet jy stadig luister!’
Om die besluit te neem om teen ‘n stadiger pas te beweeg, sal definitief die kwaliteit van jou lewe en jou verhoudings verbeter.
Sielskos: Jer 14-17; Matt 23:1-12; Ps 95; Spr 14:29-33
Isaiah 52:12 NLT
Have you heard of “hurry sickness”? Those who have it zoom in and out of lanes in congested traffic; try to be the first off the plane, even though they must wait forever at baggage claim; honk at you if you don’t take off like a racehorse when the traffic light turns green; tap their fingers against anything they can find when they have to wait; punch the elevator button repeatedly to attempt to move it faster.
They remind us of hummingbirds. These tiny birds can fly forward, then hover in mid-air going nowhere. Their tiny wings can move up to seventy-five times each second! The trouble is, their average life span is only three years compared to an eagle that lives thirty years. What’s the difference? The eagle has learned to conserve its energy by riding the God-given wind currents.
The message here is simple: When you draw on the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit, you last longer and go higher than you ever dreamed. One pastor said he was a “stress-distributing machine” when he was younger, and everybody around him felt it. One day one of his kids said to him, “Daddy, I’ll try to hurry up and tell you this.” He replied, “It’s okay, honey, you can speak slowly.” After a long pause, he had an “aha” moment when his child said, “Then – listen – slowly!”
Deciding to move at a slower pace will definitely improve the quality of your life and your relationships.
Soul food: Jer 14-17; Matt 23:1-12; Ps 95; Prov 14:29-33
