2026-09-23
Joshua 8:1 NKJV
After suffering a humiliating defeat, God gave Joshua a second chance at victory: “Arise, go up to Ai. See, I have given into your hand the king of Ai, his people, his city, and his land.” The king of Ai, still strutting with pride from victory number one, set out for victory number two. He marched toward Joshua, leaving the town unprotected. Joshua’s elite squad charged in and set fire to it. And Joshua reversed his course, catching the army of Ai in the middle. The victory was complete.
Contrast this attack with the first one. In the first attack, Joshua consulted spies; in the second, he listened to God. In the first, he stayed home. In the second, he led the way. The point? God gave Joshua a new plan – “Try again, my way.” And when he followed God’s strategy, victory happened. It always does! Perhaps, like Joshua, you too have suffered a humiliating defeat. If so, here are two things you need to know:
(1) Don’t give up on God, for He won’t give up on you. “Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the Lord, and He will have mercy on him; and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon” (Isaiah 55:7 NKJV).
(2) God will give you another chance. Jonah ran from the call of God, but God wasn’t through with him. “Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah the second time, saying, ‘Arise, go to Nineveh'” (Jonah 3:1-2 NKJV). He did.
What God did for Joshua and Jonah, He will do for you if you turn to Him.
Soul food: 1 Cor 4-6; Mark 14:66-72; Ps 34:11-22; Pro 24:30-31
2026-09-22
Genesis 2:15 NLV
Toe God Adam gemaak het, het Hy hom eerstens aan die werk gesit. Dit is omdat werk ons ‘n gevoel van doel, betekenis en waardigheid gee. ‘Die Here God het die mens in die Tuin van Eden aangestel om dit te bewerk en te versorg.’ Adam was dus ‘n tuinier. Of jy nou kontant in ‘n bank tel, op Wall Street verhandel, burgers in ‘n strandstalletjie braai, spesialiteit-disse in ‘n vyfster-restaurant maak, hout in die bos kap of brandhout kloof en aflewer, ‘n span afrig, by ‘n gemeente as pastoor optree, topverkoperboeke publiseer, koerante in die vroeë oggendure aflewer, in ‘n televisieprogram speel, ‘n groot stuk grond bewerk, grasperke sny en afrond, rekenaars verkoop, ‘n vragmotor vol masjinerie bestuur, huise bou, swembaddens skoonmaak, sake voor ‘n regter argumenteer, of familiegeskille as ‘n berader besleg, doen altyd ‘n goeie werk.
‘n Wyse man het eenkeer gesê: ‘Elke werk is ‘n selfportret van die persoon wat dit doen. Onderteken jou werk met uitnemendheid.’ Daniël het dit gedoen en die boonste sport in Babilon bereik. ‘Hierdie Daniël het deur sy buitengewone bekwaamheid so uitgeblink bo die ander ministers en die goewerneurs-generaal dat die koning van plan was om hom oor die hele koninkryk aan te stel’ (Daniël 6:4 AFR83).
Daar is geen geringe werkies nie, net mense wat dit as gering beskou en in die uitvoering daarvan gering word. Die Bybel sê: ‘Luiaards begeer baie dinge, maar hulle kry dit nie. Mense wat hard werk, het meer as wat hulle kan begeer’ (Spreuke 13:4 NLV). Doen dus altyd jou werk goed.
Sielskos: 1 Kor 1-3; Mark 14:53-65; Ps 34:1-10; Spr 24:28-29
Genesis 2:15 NCV
The first thing God did when He made Adam was put him to work. That’s because work gives us a sense of purpose, meaning, and dignity. “God put the man in the garden… to… work it.” So Adam was a gardener. But whether you count cash in a bank, trade futures on Wall Street, flip burgers in a beach-side stand, whip up pasta specials at a five-star restaurant, fell giant timber in the forest or split and deliver firewood, coach a team, pastor a congregation, publish best-selling books, deliver newspapers in the early morning hours, star in your own television show, farm a large acreage, mow and edge neighbourhood lawns, go out on the road as a salesman for computers, drive a truck loaded with machinery, build homes, clean swimming pools, argue cases before a judge, or settle family disputes as a counselor, always do a good job.
A wise man once said: “Every job is a self-portrait of the person who does it. Autograph your work with excellence.” The biblical character Daniel did that. And like cream, he rose to the top in Babylon. “Daniel was preferred above the presidents and princes, because an excellent spirit was in him” (Daniel 6:3 KJV).
There are no small jobs, only people who perceive them as small and become small in doing them. The Bible says: “Lazy people want much but get little, but those who work hard will prosper” (Proverbs 13:4 NLT). So always do a good job.
Soul food: 1 Cor 1-3; Mark 14:53-65; Ps 34:1-10; Pro 24:28-29
2026-09-21
1 Samuel 17:45 NLV
Goliat het bo Dawid uitgetroon. Dawid het egter na Goliat deur die oë van sy almagtige God wat hoog sit, laag sien en alles oorwin, gekyk. ‘…Jy kom na my toe met ‘n swaard en ‘n spies en ‘n kromswaard, maar ek kom na jou toe in die Naam van die Almagtige, die God van die magte van Israel wat jy beledig het.’ Intimidasie is een van Satan se gunstelingwapens. Hy sal jou gedagtes gee wat jou in ‘n toestand van vrees laat.
Eendag het die spotprentkarakter Charlie Brown by die skool middagete geëet toe hy aan sy vriend Linus bieg dat hy nie goed genoeg voel om ‘n sekere jong dame te nader nie: ‘Ek kan nie met daardie klein rooikopmeisie praat nie, want sy is iets en ek is niks. As ek iets was en sy niks was nie, kon ek met haar praat, of as sy iets was en ek iets was, dan kon ek met haar praat. Of as sy niks was en ek niks was nie, dan kon ek ook met haar praat. Maar sy is iets en ek is niks, so ek kan nie met haar praat nie.’ Linus het geantwoord: ‘Vir niks, Charlie Brown, is jy werklik nogal iets besonders!’ Charlie Brown het toegelaat dat die rooikop se skoonheid hom intimideer en na die kantlyn toe dwing.
As sy verloste kind, dink God dat jy werklik iets besonders is. Dawid het gesê: ‘Het die Here jou gered? Sê dit dan, jy wat Hy verlos het van die vyand’ (Psalm 107:2 NLV). Omdat Dawid se woorde met God se Woord en sy plan ooreengestem het, is Goliat in sy spore gestuit. Staan dus vandag voor jou ‘reus’ en kondig aan: ‘Ek sal jou verslaan in die Naam van die Here die Almagtige!’
Sielskos: Sag 12-14; Mark 14:43-52; Ps 39; Spr 24:26-27
1 Samuel 17:45 NIV
Goliath towered over David. But David looked at Goliath through the eyes of his omnipotent God who sits high, looks low, and conquers all. “You come against me with sword and spear… but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.” Intimidation is one of Satan’s favourite weapons. He will get you to think yourself into a state of fearfulness.
One day, cartoon character Charlie Brown was having lunch at school when he confided to his friend Linus that he didn’t feel good enough to approach a certain young lady: “I can’t talk to that little red-haired girl because she’s something and I’m nothing. If I were something and she were nothing, I could talk to her, or if she were something and I were something, then I could talk to her. Or if she were nothing and I were nothing, then I also could talk to her. But she’s something and I’m nothing so I can’t talk to her.” Linus responded: “For a nothing, Charlie Brown, you’re really something!” Charlie Brown had allowed the redhead’s beauty to intimidate him and force him to the sidelines.
As His redeemed child, God thinks you’re really something. David said, “Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom He has redeemed from the hand of the enemy” (Psalm 107:2 NKJV). And because David’s words lined up with God’s Word and His plan, Goliath was stopped. So whatever “giant” you’re facing today, stand up to him and announce, “You are coming down in the name of the Lord!”
Soul food: Zech 12-14; Mark 14:43-52; Ps 39; Pro 24:26-27
