2026-08-04
Romans 8:14 NCV
If you are a redeemed child of God, then the Holy Spirit lives within you. And He will guide you toward God’s blessings for your own life and toward opportunities to bless others. In some cases, your ability and willingness to overrule reason, tune out the well-meaning advice of others, and be led by God’s Spirit can make a world of difference for someone in need.
Admiral Sir Thomas Williams was in command of a ship that routinely crossed the Atlantic. His course brought him in sight of Ascension Island, which was uninhabited most of the time. It was barely visible on the horizon during the crossing when Sir Thomas felt a great urge to steer his vessel toward it. The closer he came to the island, the greater the urgency he felt.
When he gave the order to head for the island, his lieutenant officer respectfully pointed out that such a course change would greatly delay them. Even so, the admiral remained intent. The inner urging, which he had come to recognize as God guiding him, was very strong. As the ship neared the island, his crew spotted a white flag. “It must be a signal!” Williams concluded.
Sure enough, on the beach were sixteen men who’d been shipwrecked many days before. They were starving and had nearly given up hope. Sixteen lives were saved that day because a man had learned to listen to and obey the voice of the Holy Spirit within him. And you can too. “The true children of God are those who let God’s Spirit lead them.”
Soul food: 1 Chr 12:23-15:29; Mark 3:1-19; Ps 78:65-72; Pro 20:11-14
2026-08-03
Proverbs 31:18 NKJV
Let’s look at four liberating truths in this Scripture: (1) “She perceives that her merchandise is good.” She is not looking for validation or approval of her merchandise. When you’re insecure and don’t value what you have, others may be able to minimize it and convince you that it’s not worth much. This woman, like all of us, desires acceptance and validation, but she will not seek it or find herself debilitated if she doesn’t get it.
(2) “She perceives that her merchandise is good.” To perceive is to sense and know inwardly. She understands what she brings to the table and inwardly values it. She will not doubt the value of its worth; neither will she find it necessary to brag about the quality of her merchandise. She will not have her nose turned up in pride, but neither will she have her eyes cast down with false humility. She simply has a balanced and healthy view of her wares.
(3) “She perceives that her merchandise is good.” Here is someone who’s not intimidated by or unduly concerned about the goods of other merchants. Consequently, she doesn’t spend her energies comparing and competing.
(4) “She perceives that her merchandise is good.” She’s not stuck in the past, thinking about the good merchandise she used to have. Neither is she postponing the pursuit of her goals until her merchandise is perfect. She simply steps out in faith, having done the best she could. Her merchandise is good today; tomorrow is in God’s hands. Anxiety has no place in her life.
So the word for you today is – what you’ve got is good!
Soul food: 1 Chr 10:1-12:22; Mark 2:23-28; Ps 78:56-64; Pro 20:7-10
Spreuke 31:18 KAB
Kom ons kyk na vier bevrydende waarhede in hierdie Skrifgedeelte: 1) ‘Sy merk dat haar koopware goed is…’ Sy soek nie bevestiging of goedkeuring van haar handelsware nie. Wanneer jy onseker is oor dit wat jy het en dit nie waardeer nie, kan ander mense jou dalk oortuig dat dit nie veel werd is nie. Hierdie vrou, soos ons almal, verlang na aanvaarding en bevestiging, maar sy sal dit nie soek of haarself verwyt as sy dit nie kry nie.
2) ‘Sy merk dat haar koopware goed is…’ Sy verstaan en waardeer dit wat sy na die tafel toe bring. Sy sal nie aan die waarde daarvan twyfel nie; sy sal dit ook nie nodig vind om oor die kwaliteit van haar handelsware te spog nie. Sy sal nie haar neus in trots optrek nie en sy sal ook nie haar oë in valse nederigheid neerslaan nie. Sy het eenvoudig ‘n gebalanseerde en gesonde siening van haar ware.
3) ‘Sy merk dat haar koopware goed is…’ Hier is iemand wat nie deur die goedere van ander handelaars geïntimideer word of onnodig daaroor bekommerd is nie. Gevolglik bestee sy nie haar energie om te vergelyk en mee te ding nie.
4) ‘Sy merk dat haar koopware goed is…’ Sy haak nie vas in die verlede en dink aan die goeie goedere wat sy voorheen gehad het nie. Sy wag ook nie tot haar koopware perfek is voor sy haar doelwit begin nastreef nie. Sy tree eenvoudig in geloof op, nadat sy die beste gedoen het wat sy kon. Haar koopware is goed; môre is in God se hande. Angs het geen plek in haar lewe nie.
Die woord vir jou vandag is dus – wat jy het, is goed!
Sielskos: 1 Kro 10:1-12:22; Mark 2:23-28; Ps 78:56-64; Spr 20:7-10
2026-08-02
Exodus 33:14 NKJV
Nicholas Herman was a cook in a monastery. He worried about whether or not he was truly saved. One day while looking at a tree, he realized the truth of the Psalmist’s words – that it had to be rooted in something other and deeper than itself (see Psalm 1:1-3). That day, he decided to make his life an experiment in what he called a “habitual, silent, secret conversation of the soul with God.”
He’s known today by the new name given to him by his friends: Brother Lawrence. He remained obscure throughout his life and spent the rest of his days in the monastery kitchen. But the people around him found that rivers of living water flowed out of him that made them want to know God the way he did. “The good brother found God everywhere,” one of them wrote, “as much while he was repairing shoes as while he was praying with the community.”
After Brother Lawrence died, his friends put together a book of his letters and conversations. It is called The Practice of the Presence of God, and it is thought to be one of the most widely read books of the last four centuries. This short-order cook has outsold many popular contemporary novelists, and his book is still on best-seller lists.
Brother Lawrence said: “The most holy and necessary practice in our spiritual life is the presence of God. That means finding constant pleasure in His divine company, speaking humbly and lovingly with Him in all seasons, at every moment, without limiting the conversation in any way.”
Soul food: Pro 24:17; Matt 5:43-48; Luke 6:27-36
Eksodus 33:14 NLV
Nicholas Herman was ‘n kok in ‘n klooster. Hy was bekommerd of hy werklik gered was of nie. Eendag, terwyl hy na ‘n boom gekyk het, het hy die waarheid van die Psalmdigter se woorde besef – dat dit in iets anders en dieper as homself gewortel moes wees (sien Psalm 1:1-3). Daardie dag het hy besluit om sy lewe ‘n eksperiment te maak in wat hy ‘n ‘voortdurende stille, geheime gesprek van die siel met God,’ genoem het.
Hy is vandag onder die nuwe naam wat sy vriende hom gegee het, bekend: Broer Lawrence. Hy het sy hele lewe lank onbekend gebly en die res van sy dae in die kloosterkombuis deurgebring. Die mense rondom hom het egter gevind dat riviere van lewende water uit hom gevloei het, wat hulle laat begeer het om God ook te ken soos hy Hom geken het. ‘Die goeie broer het God oral gevind,’ het een van hulle geskryf, ‘net soveel wanneer hy gekook het, as wat hy saam met die gemeenskap gebid het.’
Nadat Broer Lawrence gesterf het, het sy vriende ‘n boek van sy briewe en gesprekke saamgestel. Dit word Die Beoefening van God se Teenwoordigheid genoem en word as een van die mees geleesde boeke van die afgelope vier eeue beskou. Hierdie kok se boek het baie gewilde kontemporêre romanskrywers oortref, en sy boek is steeds op topverkoperlyste.
Broer Lawrence het gesê: ‘Die heiligste en noodsaaklikste praktyk in ons geestelike lewe is die teenwoordigheid van God. Dit beteken om voortdurend bevrediging in sy goddelike geselskap te vind, nederig en liefdevol met Hom in alle seisoene, in elke oomblik te praat, sonder om die gesprek op enige manier te beperk.’
Sielskos: Spr 24:17; Matt 5:43-48; Luk 6:27-36
