2026-02-11
Joshua 8:30 NKJV
The Bible says, “Joshua built an altar to the Lord… in Mount Ebal… ‘an altar of whole stones over which no man has wielded an iron tool.’ And they offered on it burnt offerings to the Lord… Half of them were in front of Mount Gerizim and half of them in front of Mount Ebal… He read all the words of the law, the blessings and the cursings” (Joshua 8:30-34 NKJV).
There are two important lessons in this otherwise obscure Old Testament story. First, “an altar of whole stones over which no man has wielded an iron tool” speaks of God’s unearned and unmerited grace toward us – no human effort involved. “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9 KJV).
Second, notice where this altar was built. When Israel listened to Joshua reading the blessings and cursings recorded in the Law of Moses, half of them were in front of Mount Gerizim and the other half in front of Mount Ebal. Those in front of Mount Gerizim heard him read the blessings, and those in front of Mount Ebal heard him read the cursings. But the altar was not built on Gerizim, the mount of blessings, but on Ebal, the hill of cursing.
The message is clear: even when you “blow it,” God extends His grace to you. C. S. Lewis said, “Obedience is the key that opens every door.” So even when you fail and disobey God, you can return to the altar of grace at Mount Ebal. It’s built for people like you.
Soul food: Jonah 1-4; Luke 9:28-36; Ps 141; Prov 4:18-19
2026-02-10
Psalm 34:6 NLT
It had been twenty-five years since Fontella Bass’s rhythm and blues single “Rescue Me” hit number one on the charts. She had no career to speak of, and she was penniless, tired, and cold. The only heat in her house came from a gas stove in the kitchen. She had strayed from her faith and the church where she started singing gospel songs as a child.
As she prayed, Fontella asked God for “a sign” to confirm that He heard her. Suddenly, she heard her hit song “Rescue Me” on a television commercial! To her, it was as if “the Lord had stepped right into my world!” Fontella was unaware that American Express had been using her song in a commercial and hadn’t been able to locate her to pay royalties.
Not only did she receive back-royalties, but new opportunities also began to open for her to sing. Shortly after that, she released a new album. But the best news is that she renewed her relationship with the Lord. “For so many years I tried doing it on my own, and it didn’t work,” she said. “Then I took it out of my hands and turned it over to Him, and now everything’s happening.”
The psalmist David wrote: “In my desperation I prayed, and the Lord listened, he saved me from all my troubles… . Taste and see that the Lord is good. Oh, the joys of those who take refuge in him!” (Psalm 34:6, 8 NLT). And what God did for David and Fontella Bass, He will do for you if you’ll only turn to Him.
Soul food: Num 34-36; Luke 9:18-27; Ps 138; Prov 4:14-17
Psalm 34:7 NLV
Dit was vyf-en-twintig jaar sedert Fontella Bass se enkelsnit, ‘Rescue Me,’ nommer een op die trefferlyste gehaal het. Sy het geen loopbaan meer gehad nie, sy was bankrot, moeg en koud. Die enigste hitte in haar huis het van die gasstoof in die kombuis gekom. Sy het van haar geloof en die kerk waar sy as kind gospelliedjies begin sing het, afgedwaal.
Terwyl sy gebid het, het Fontella God gevra vir ‘n teken om te bevestig dat Hy haar gebede gehoor het. Skielik het sy haar trefferliedjie ‘Rescue Me’ op ‘n televisie-advertensie gehoor! Vir haar was dit asof ‘die Here reguit in my wêreld ingestap het!’ Fontella was onbewus daarvan dat American Express haar liedjie in ‘n advertensie begin gebruik het en haar nie kon opspoor om tantième aan haar oor te betaal nie.
Nie net het sy uiteindelik die tantième ontvang nie, maar nuwe geleenthede om te sing het ook vir haar begin oopgaan. Kort daarna het sy ‘n nuwe album vrygestel. Die beste nuus was egter dat sy haar verhouding met die Here hernu het. ‘Vir soveel jare het ek probeer om alles op my eie te doen, maar dit het nie gewerk nie,’ het sy gesê. ‘Toe het ek dit uit my hande geneem en aan Hom oorhandig, en nou gebeur alles vanself.’
Die Psalmdigter Dawid het geskryf: ‘Hierdie geringe mens het geroep, en die Here het gehoor. Hy het hom uit al sy benoudheid gered… Beproef en sien dat die Here goed is. Geseënd is die persoon wat op Hom vertrou!’ (Psalm 34:7,9 NLV). Wat God vir Dawid en Fontella Bass gedoen het, sal Hy ook vir jou doen wanneer jy na Hom toe draai.
Sielskos: Num 34-36; Luk 9:18-27; Ps 138; Spr 4:14-17
2026-02-09
Jesaja 45:10 DB
Jesaja het gesê dat God ‘…my as sy dienaar in my ma se skoot gemaak het…’ (Jesaja 49:5 NLV). God het elkeen van ons doelbewus vir sy diens gevorm. Hoe kan ons dan kla dat ons te kort, te lank, te donker, te blond, of enigiets anders wat ons nie kan verander nie, is? Die woord ‘te’ impliseer dat iets meer is as wat dit behoort te wees. Hoe kan enigiets wat God gevorm het te veel wees? Wat ons eintlik sê, is die volgende: ‘Hierdie eienskap voldoen nie aan die samelewing se voorgeskrewe standaard van skoonheid nie.’
Daarom laat ons toe dat ons unieke eienskappe ons onseker laat word en ons van ons selfvertroue beroof. Ons voel dan dat ons enigste oplossing is om die ongewenste eienskap te verander. Wat ‘n klap in God se gesig.
“Daar wag probleme vir iemand wat staan en stry met die een wat hom gemaak het. Hy is soos ‘n kleipot wat van klei gemaak is. Die klei kan mos nie vir die pottebakker sê nie: ‘Wat is jy besig om te doen? Weet jy dan nie wat om met jou hande te maak nie?’ …Die Here… sê vir hulle: Wil julle My nou voor stok kry oor my kinders? Wil julle vir My kom beduie wat Ek moet doen?” (Jesaja 45:9-11 DB).
Jy sal jou emosionele sekuriteit versterk wanneer jy met elke aspek van jouself vrede maak. Selfbewustheid en bekommernis oor jou uiterlike voorkoms sal dan verdwyn. Jy baan die pad vir jou ware innerlike skoonheid om deur te skyn. Dis tyd om liggaamlike vrede te ervaar, wetend dat jy vir jou lewensdoel ontwerp is, volgens maat vir jou opdrag gemaak is en perfek vir jou doel is.
Sielskos: Num 32:25-33:56; Luk 9:1-17; Ps 134; Spr 4:5-13
Isaiah 45:10 NLT
Isaiah said that God “formed me in my mother’s womb to be his servant” (Isaiah 49:5 NLT). God deliberately shaped each of us for His service. How then can we complain that we are too short, too tall, too dark, too fair, or too anything else that is unchangeable? The word “too” implies something is beyond what’s desirable or more than what should be. How can anything that God formed be too anything? What we’re really saying is “This feature doesn’t conform to society’s prescribed standard of beauty,” so we allow our non-conforming attributes to cause us to become insecure and rob us of our confidence. We then feel that our only solution is to change the undesirable feature. What a slap in God’s face.
“Does the clay dispute with the one who shapes it, saying, ‘Stop, you’re doing it wrong!’ Does the pot exclaim… ‘Why did you make me this way?’ This is what the Lord says… ‘Do you question what I do?… Do you give me orders about the work of my hands?'” (Isaiah 45:9-11 NLT).
You will strengthen your emotional security when you make peace with every aspect of yourself. By God’s grace and divine enablement you must truly accept – not merely resign yourself to His sovereign design. When you do so, you stop comparing yourself to others and judging yourself as either inferior or superior. Self-consciousness and fretting over your outward appearance disappear. You have now cleared the path for your real inner beauty to shine through. It’s time to experience body peace, knowing you’re designed for your destiny, tailored for your tasks, and perfect for your purpose.
Soul food: Num 32:25-33:56; Luke 9:1-17; Ps 134; Prov 4:5-13
