2026-01-19
Ephesians 2:8 NKJV
Jack Welch, who guided the General Electric company through some of its most profitable years, wrote a book called Winning. Compiling many of the different questions people had asked him along with his answers, he wrote a book of management principles. One question was this: “Do you think you will go to heaven when you die?” In response, Jack listed some of the mistakes he had made in business and in life, including two divorces. Then he said, “So as far as heaven, who knows? But if there are any points given out for caring for people with every fiber of your being and giving life all you’ve got every day, then I suppose that I might have a shot!”
But going to heaven is not about caring for people or giving life all your energy every day. It’s about putting your trust in Jesus Christ – and in Him alone. Maybe understanding this truth is harder for successful businesspeople than for others, due to their own drive, vision, and energy that have helped them attain success.
But when it comes to heaven, those traits don’t count. No one earns heaven; it is a gift. “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23 NKJV). Hebrews 6:4 calls it “the heavenly gift.” And the apostle Paul writes, “By grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9 NKJV).
Soul food: Dan 5-7; Luke 4:1-13; Ps 89:1-14; Prov 2:20
2026-01-18
Spreuke 10:9 NLV
Ter voorbereiding van aandete het ‘n vrou by ‘n klein slaghuis gestop om vleis vir die ete te koop. Sy het besluit om gebraaide hoender as hoofgereg te maak. Sy het die man by die toonbank vir die grootste hoender wat hy het, gevra. Hy het na die koelkamer toe geloop, die laaste hoender wat hy gehad het gegryp en dit op die toonbank se skaal geplaas. ‘Hierdie een weeg twee kilogram, mevrou.’ Die vrou het ‘n oomblik daaroor nagedink en toe gesê: ‘Ek is nie seker of dit genoeg sal wees nie. Het u nie dalk ‘n groter een nie?’
Die man het die hoender terug na die koelkamer geneem, gemaak of hy deur die ys vir nog ‘n hoender soek en toe dieselfde hoender weer uitgebring. Toe hy die hoender weer op die skaal sit, het hy skelmpies met sy vinger ‘n bietjie druk op die skaal toegepas. ‘Aha,’ het hy met ‘n glimlag gesê, ‘hierdie een weeg amper drie kilogram!’ Die vrou het gefrons, ‘n paar somme in haar kop gedoen en gesê: ‘Ek is ook nie seker of dit genoeg gaan wees nie. Ek sê jou wat – draai hulle albei vir my toe!’
Daar is geen twyfel daaroor nie – eerlikheid is die beste beleid. Dis waar van hierdie lewe, sowel as die lewe wat kom. Die Bybel sê oor hierdie lewe: ‘Die een wat opreg lewe, staan vas. Die een wat kronkelpaaie loop, kom tot ‘n val.’ Die Bybel sê ook die volgende oor die lewe wat kom: ‘Julle moet dus nie voortydig ‘n oordeel vel voordat die Here kom nie. Hý sal sy lig laat skyn op die dinge wat in die donker verborge lê, en Hý sal die motiewe van ons harte aan die lig bring…’ (1 Korintiërs 4:5 NLV).
Sielskos: Gal 5:22-23; Jes 26:3; Rom 5:1-2; 2 Kor 13:11
Proverbs 10:9 NLT
In preparation for a dinner party, a woman stopped by a small butcher shop to buy meat for the meal. She had decided to stuff and roast a chicken as the main course. When she asked the man at the counter for the largest chicken he had, he reached into the cold-storage compartment, grabbed the last chicken he had, and placed it on the scale. “This one weighs four pounds, ma’am,” he said. The woman thought for a moment and then said, “I’m not sure that will be enough. Don’t you have a bigger one?”
The attendant put the chicken back into the compartment, pretended to search through the melting ice for another bird, and then brought out the same chicken. This time when he weighed it on the scale, he discreetly applied some finger pressure to the scale. “Ah,” he said with a smile, “this one weighs six pounds.” The woman frowned, and making some mental calculations, brightened as she said, “I’m just not sure. I’ll tell you what – wrap them both up for me!”
There is no doubt about it, “honesty is the best policy.” And that is so in this life, and the life to come. Concerning this life, the Bible says, “People with integrity walk safely, but those who follow crooked paths will slip and fall.” And here is what the Bible says about the life which is to come: “Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord comes, who will both bring to light the hidden things of darkness and reveal the counsels of the hearts” (1 Corinthians 4:5 NKJV).
Soul food: Gal 5:22-23; Isa 26:3; Rom 5:1-2; 2 Cor 13:11
2026-01-17
Markus 3:25 NLV
‘Here, u Woord sê: ‘En as daar onderlinge stryd in ‘n huisgesin heers, kan daardie huisgesin dit tog nie oorleef nie!’ Satan val my familie aan en ek wend my tot U vir hulp. U Woord sê: ‘Wanneer die teëstander aanstorm soos ‘n rivier, jaag die Gees van die Here hom op loop’ (Jesaja 59:19 AFR83). Raak die harte en gedagtes van elke lid van hierdie familie aan en bring hulle nader aan U.
U het gesê: “Gelukkig is die vredemakers, want God sal vir hulle sê: ‘Julle is mý kinders'” (Matteus 5:9 NLV). Ek verbind myself daartoe om ‘n vredemaker in hierdie situasie te wees en vra U vir die wysheid om te weet wat om te sê en te doen. Bevry my familie van selfsug, trots en bitterheid. Gee ons die soort liefde wat alle sondes en swakhede bedek (sien Spreuke 10:12).
Help ons om te weet wanneer ‘n meningsverskil op die punt staan om ‘n sluis oop te maak en gee ons die genade om die saak te laat vaar voordat die rusie buite beheer raak (sien Spreuke 17:14). U Woord sê dat om ‘n geveg te vermy eerbaar is en dat net dwase rusie soek (sien Spreuke 20:3). Here, maak ‘n einde aan die twis wat verwoesting in ons familie saai. Ek neem gesag oor elke twisgierige gees.
Ek vra U om my familie te help om dinge wat vrede bring en die dinge wat ons kan gebruik om mekaar op te bou en te versterk, na te streef (sien Romeine 14:19). U Woord sê dat daar niks te moeilik is vir U nie (sien Jeremia 32:17). Dus bid en glo ek vir genesing en herstel in my familie. In Jesus se Naam. Amen.’
Sielskos: Dan 3-4; Luk 3:21-38; Ps 84; Spr 2:16-19
Mark 3:25 NLT
“Lord, your Word says, ‘A family splintered by feuding will fall apart.’ Satan is attacking my family, and I’m turning to you for help. Your Word says, ‘When the enemy comes in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord will [be my defence and] lift up a standard against him’ (Isaiah 59:19 NKJV). Touch the hearts and minds of every member of this family, and draw them closer to you.
You said, ‘Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God’ (Matthew 5:9 KJV). I commit myself to be a peacemaker in this situation, and ask you for the wisdom to know what to say and do. Deliver my family from selfishness, pride, and bitterness. Give us the sort of love that covers all sins and weaknesses (See Proverbs 10:12).
Help us to know when a disagreement is about to open a floodgate, and give us the grace to drop the matter before the clash gets out of control (See Proverbs 17:14). Your Word says that avoiding a fight is a mark of honour, and that only fools demand to quarrel (See Proverbs 20:3). Lord, put an end to the strife that is wreaking havoc in our family. I take authority over every contentious spirit.
I ask you to help my family start to pursue things that produce peace and the things we can use to edify and build one another up (See Romans 14:19). Your Word says that there is nothing too hard for you (See Jeremiah 32:17). So, I’m praying and believing for healing and restoration in my family. In Jesus’ name. Amen.”
Soul food: Dan 3-4; Luke 3:21-38; Ps 84; Prov 2:16-19
