2026-02-21
1 Corinthians 10:31 NIV
When it comes to your calling, observe these two things: (1) God doesn’t call the qualified; He qualifies the called. God will call you to do something you’re not smart enough to pull off. A God-ordained dream will always be beyond your ability and resources. Why? So, you have to rely on God every single day! David said: “Unless the Lord builds the house, the builders labour in vain” (Psalm 127:1 NIV). Jesus said: “If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing” (John 15:5 NIV). Paul said, “Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God” (2 Corinthians 3:5 NIV).
(2) Instead of being critical, be creative. Often criticism is just a copout for those who are too lazy to solve the problem they are complaining about. Instead of criticizing movies or music, produce a film or an album that is better than whatever it is you’re complaining about. The most constructive criticism is called creativity. We should be more known for what we’re for than what we’re against. Anybody can point out problems. We’re called to solve them by writing better books, starting better schools, and drafting better legislation. And we are anointed to do it!
“But the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and you do not need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things… and just as it has taught you, you will abide in Him” (1 John 2:27 NKJV).
Soul food: 1 Ki 3-5; Luke 11:1-13; Ps 36; Prov 5:21-23
2026-02-20
Joshua 5:9 NLT
God got Israel out of Egypt in one day, but it took forty years to get the shame of Egypt out of Israel. It happened at a place called Gilgal, 381 miles northeast of Egypt. The Israelites thought like slaves and acted like slaves. After all, it’s tough to break the cycle after four hundred years of slavery. Technically, the Israelites were set free at the exodus. But it wasn’t until they reached Gilgal that they finally left the past in the past. “Then the Lord said to Joshua, ‘Today I have rolled away the shame of your slavery in Egypt.”
For some of us, it takes years to bring closure to our feelings of condemnation and get the past out of the present. The good news is, God can still roll away the shame of your past. “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1 NKJV). Note the word “now.” Full forgiveness is our present-tense reality. Right here. Right now.
If you are in Christ, you’re no longer defined by what you’ve done wrong; you’re defined by what Christ has done right on your behalf. You are a new creation, but sometimes it takes time for your new nature to become second nature. Jesus came to put the past in its place – in the past. You need to leave it there. How do you do that? By seeing yourself as God sees you – righteous (see 2 Corinthians 5:21). Instead of seeing yourself as clothed in shame, begin to see yourself as God sees you: clothed in the righteousness of Christ.
Soul food: 1 Ki 1-2; Luke 10:38-42; Ps 33:13-22; Prov 5:15-20
Josua 5:9 NLV
God het Israel in een dag uit Egipte bevry, maar dit het veertig jaar geneem om die skande van Egipte uit Israel te kry. Dit het by ‘n plek genaamd Gilgal gebeur, 381 myl noordoos van Egipte. Die Israeliete het soos slawe gedink en soos slawe opgetree. Dit is immers moeilik om die siklus na vierhonderd jaar van slawerny te verbreek. Tegnies gesproke is die Israeliete tydens die uittog uit Egipte bevry. Dit was egter eers toe hulle Gilgal bereik het, wat hulle die verlede agtergelaat het en waarlik vry geword het. “Die Here het vir Josua gesê: ‘Ek het julle vandag bevry van die vernedering van Egipte…'”
Vir sommige van ons neem dit jare om afsluiting van ons gevoelens van veroordeling te kry en die verlede agter te laat. Die goeie nuus is dat God jou vry van die skande van jou verlede kan maak. ‘Vir hulle wat aan Christus Jesus verbind is, is die oordeel nou heeltemal weggeneem’ (Romeine 8:1 NLV). Let die woord ‘nou’ op. Volle vergifnis is tans binne ons bereik. Hier en nou.
As jy in Christus is, word jy nie meer deur dit wat jy verkeerd gedoen het gedefinieer nie; jy word deur dit wat Christus namens jou reg gedoen het, gedefinieer. Jy is ‘n nuwe skepping, maar soms neem dit tyd vir jou nuwe natuur om tweede natuur te word. Jesus het gekom om die verlede op sy plek te sit – in die verlede. Jy moet dit daar los. Hoe doen jy dit? Deur jouself te sien soos God jou sien – geregverdig (sien 2 Korintiërs 5:21). In plaas daarvan om jouself met skande te beklee, begin om jouself te sien soos God jou sien: beklee met die geregtigheid van Christus.
Sielskos: 1 Kon 1-2; Luk 10:38-42; Ps 33:13-22; Spr 5:15-20
2026-02-19
1 Corinthians 6:19 NKJV
Set aside the question of to what extent you are capable of experiencing God’s presence in your current spiritual condition. Set aside your past failures and your future worries. If you are a redeemed child of God, His Holy Spirit lives within you. Jesus said, “‘He who believes in Me… out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’ But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive” (John 7:38-39 NKJV).
The Holy Spirit within you is flowing all the time, welling up within you, quenching your unsatisfied desires, and overflowing to refresh those around you. His intention and desire are to work through you all the time, in every place. Remember that God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit are one. So when we speak of God working in your life, Jesus being in your heart, or your body being the temple of the Holy Spirit, it’s the same thing.
Author John Ortberg tells of a friend whose five-year-old daughter said, “I know Jesus lives in my heart, because when I put my hand on it, I can feel Him walking around in there.” Some people seem to have that kind of inner radar for detecting the presence of God. Just as certain musicians have perfect pitch, they have an ear for discerning God’s voice. Telling them how to look for God would be like telling a fish how to look for water – where else would they live? Bottom line – just as God’s presence lives in you, you can consciously live in God’s presence every moment.
Soul food: Heb 11:17-13:25; Luke 10:25-37; Ps 33:1-12; Prov 5:7-14
1 Korintiërs 6:19 NLV
Hou op om jouself te bekommer oor watter mate jy in staat is om God se teenwoordigheid in jou huidige geestelike toestand te ervaar. Sit jou vorige mislukkings en jou toekomstige bekommernisse opsy. As jy ‘n verloste kind van God is, woon sy Heilige Gees in jou. Jesus het gesê: ‘Die een wat in My glo – soos die Skrif sê: ‘Riviere lewende water sal uit sy binneste vloei.’ Dit het Jesus gesê oor die Gees wat die mense wat in Hom glo, sou ontvang…’ (Johannes 7:38-39 NLV).
Die Heilige Gees vloei heeltyd binne-in jou, wel in jou op, vervul jou onbevredigde begeertes en loop oor om diegene rondom jou te verkwik. Sy bedoeling en begeerte is om heeltyd, op elke plek, deur jou te werk. Onthou dat God, Jesus en die Heilige Gees een is. Wanneer ons dus van God wat in jou lewe werk, Jesus wat in jou hart is, of jou liggaam wat die tempel van die Heilige Gees is praat, praat ons van al drie gelyktydig.
John Ortberg vertel van ‘n vriend wat se vyfjarige dogter gesê het: ‘Ek weet Jesus woon in my hart, want wanneer ek my hand daarop sit, kan ek voel hoe Hy daar rondloop.’ Sommige mense lyk asof hulle ‘n innerlike radar het om God se teenwoordigheid op te spoor. Net soos sekere musikante perfekte gehoor het, so het hulle ‘n oor om God se stem te onderskei. Net soos God se teenwoordigheid in jou woon, kan jy bewustelik elke oomblik in God se teenwoordigheid leef.
Sielskos: Heb 11:17-13:25; Luk 10:25-37; Ps 33:1-12; Spr 5:7-14
