Thursday 29 April 2010

Professional Inspirations #17: Believe!

Psa 25:4-5 Make your ways known to me, O LORD, and teach me your paths. (5) Lead me in your truth and teach me because you are God, my savior. I wait all day long for you.

THE PERFECT LIFESTYLE

Mat 10:5-7 Jesus sent these twelve out with the following instructions: "Don't go among people who are not Jewish or into any Samaritan city. (6) Instead, go to the lost sheep of the nation of Israel.

Act 1:6-8 So when the apostles came together, they asked him, "Lord, is this the time when you're going to restore the kingdom to Israel?" (7) Jesus told them, "You don't need to know about times or periods that the Father has determined by his own authority. (8) But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes to you. Then you will be my witnesses to testify about me in Jerusalem, throughout Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."

Above is two instances wherein Jesus instructed his disciples to be a witness of himself;

Firstly; before his crucifixion then the "kingdom of heaven that is near" and to the "lost sheep of the nation of Israel" and

Secondly; after his resurrection then as "my witnesses to testify of me" ....to the ends of the earth...to all i.e Jews and Gentiles, and

Today it is us (Jews and Gentiles), being disciples of Jesus Christ, still commanded to be a witness, to testify of Jesus...to the ends of the world.

To believe has consequences and Jesus also made some statements to his disciples that need further attention.

Because of faith in me (Jesus)...remaining faithful;

Mat 10:16-18 "I'm sending you out like sheep among wolves. So be as cunning as snakes but as innocent as doves. (17) Watch out for people who will hand you over to the Jewish courts and whip you in their synagogues. (18) Because of me you will even be brought in front of governors and kings to testify to them and to everyone in the world.

Because we believe, because we proclaim Jesus, ...because of Me...we will and can expect to be laughed at, insulted, be persecuted, be rejected etc....However, know that Jesus also said; Mat 5:11 "Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you, lie, and say all kinds of evil things about you because of me.

Because you are committed to me (Jesus)...remaining faithful;

Mat 10:22 Everyone will hate you because you are committed to me. But the person who patiently endures to the end will be saved.

It is a fact that not all people are as exited about Jesus as we are! We can therefore expect to be attacked in anyway possible because we are committed to Him. Jesus warns us that this will happen, so remain prepared and know that by enduring we will be saved, irrespective anything that happens to us.

Because you acknowledge me (Jesus)....being loyal;

Mat 10:30-32 Every hair on your head has been counted. (31) Don't be afraid! You are worth more than many sparrows. (32) "So I will acknowledge in front of my Father in heaven that person who acknowledges me in front of others.

What a promise!!! Be filled with the Holy Spirt and never stop listening to the Holy Spirit. It's only by and throught the Holy Spirit that we have a testimony to share. It's through faith in Jesus that we are able to acknowledge Him. Do it every day! 1Co 12:3 So I want you to know that no one speaking by God's Spirit says, "Jesus is cursed." No one can say, "Jesus is Lord," except by the Holy Spirit.

Father God, in and through Jesus Christ, and by and through the Holy Sprit, keep us loyal and faithful to our only hope and foundation in life today...Jesus Christ. In your wonderful and Holy name we pray this Jesus Christ. Amen & Amen

Gal 2:16 Yet, we know that people don't receive God's approval because of their own efforts to live according to a set of standards, but only by believing in Jesus Christ. So we also believed in Jesus Christ in order to receive God's approval by faith in Christ and not because of our own efforts. People won't receive God's approval because of their own efforts to live according to a set of standards.

Friday 23 April 2010

Jesus Lewe!

Aan my seuns en hul vrouens (U Waarheid moet nog oorwin)

Daniel 4 hanteer die val van Nebukadnezar, die grootste heidense koning ( nie Joodse koning ) tot op aarde vandag. Nebukadnezar het in sy voorafgaande jare van koningskap baie met die wil en die almag van GOD te doen gekry. God het hom ( Nebukadnezar ) tot in die grond toe verneder om hom (Nebukadnezar) van GOD se almag bewus te maak. Lees gerus die hoofstuk. Dan 4:37 Nou prys ek, Nebukadnésar, en ek roem en eer die Koning van die hemel: al sy werke is waarheid en sy paaie is reg, en Hy kan verneder die wat in hulle trotsheid wandel.

Ek het vanoogend lank gebid to onse Vader deur Jesus ons Middelaar. God se Gees het my herrinner om julle spesiaal in smeking voor sy voete te le en ek wil vanoggend net weereens sy almag en liefde met jul deel .

My gebed hiermee (vir julle om kennis van te neem ) is eenvoudig die volgende; Psa 86:11 Leer my, HERE, u weg: ek sal in u waarheid wandel; verenig my hart tot die vrees van u Naam.

Spesiale sterkte, vertroue, afhanklikheid en seeninge vanaf onse Jesus Christus vir jou vir die naweek. Jul bly in my gebede.

Luister na die Gees van God

Aan Johan
('n kollega van my, voorheen van die Ou Apostoliese geloof, tans verwyder vanaf geloof )

Daniel 4 hanteer die val van Nebukadnezar, die grootste heidense koning ( nie Joodse koning ) tot op aarde vandag. Nebukadnezar het in sy voorafgaande jare van koningskap baie met die wil en die almag van GOD te doen gekry. God het hom ( Nebukadnezar ) tot in die grond toe verneder om hom (Nebukadnezar) van GOD se almag bewus te maak. Lees gerus die hoofstuk. Dan 4:37 Nou prys ek, Nebukadnésar, en ek roem en eer die Koning van die hemel: al sy werke is waarheid en sy paaie is reg, en Hy kan verneder die wat in hulle trotsheid wandel.

Ek het vanoggend lank gebid to onse Vader deur Jesus ons Middelaar. God se Gees het my van jou omstandighede herrinner en ek wil vanoggend net weereens sy almag en liefde met jou deel .

My gebed hiermee is die eenvoudig die volgende; Psa 86:11 Leer my, HERE, u weg: ek sal in u waarheid wandel; verenig my hart tot die vrees van u Naam.

Spesiale sterkte, vertroue, afhanklikheid en seeninge vanaf onse Jesus Christus vir jou vir die naweek. Jul bly in my gebede.

Professional Inspirations #16: Be a Blessing

Psa 25:4-5 Make your ways known to me, O LORD, and teach me your paths. (5) Lead me in your truth and teach me because you are God, my savior. I wait all day long for you.

PERFORM YOUR DAILY TASKS TO THE BLESSING OF OTHER

Luk 19:5-10 When Jesus came to the tree, he looked up and said, "Zacchaeus, hurry and come down! I must stay at your house today." (6) Zacchaeus came down quickly and was glad to welcome him into his home. (7) But all the people who saw this began to complain, saying, "He went to be the guest of a notorious sinner!" (8) Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, "Lord, I'll give half of my possessions to the poor. I'll pay four times as much as I owe if I have cheated anyone in any way." (9) Then Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this home, because he, too, is a descendant of Abraham. (10) For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save the lost."

Zacchaeus, as a Tax Collector worked for the Roman Empire. In the above and at the time after spending time with Jesus, he stood up, and he had a moment; a turn in heart..... He became aware he was a sinner, turned his heart and repented. His reward; He was saved and became a descendent of Abraham, he became a follower of Jesus Christ, he became a Christian.

We need that similar moment in time to be changed, to be born again by the grace of GOD, to receive the Spirit of GOD....and only then we will be able to serve GOD, to serve others..... to have a Testimony!!!....then only we will learn to be a blessing to others.

Lord Jesus, we thank you for your love , your power in us, that same power that GOD used to resurrect and take you to heaven. Thank you that this power, with the help of the Spirit of God, makes us strong in times that we are weak. Please transform us to come aware of YOU in our life, to not want our own will, not to place ourselves first. Lord Jesus, by YOUR power in us, please please be the power of our live, of salvation in us. We pray for this in the wonderful name of Jesus Christ. Amen

2Co 9:12 What you do to serve others not only provides for the needs of God's people, but also produces more and more prayers of thanksgiving to God.


Have a wonderful, blessed weekend.

Tuesday 20 April 2010

Professional Inspirations #15: Mammon

Psa 25:4-5 Make your ways known to me, O LORD, and teach me your paths. (5) Lead me in your truth and teach me because you are God, my savior. I wait all day long for you.

BE AWARE OF MAMMON

Mat 6:24 "No one can serve two masters. He will hate the first master and love the second, or he will be devoted to the first and despise the second. You cannot serve God and wealth.

The People's New Testament commentary;
Mammon originally meant trust, or confidence, and riches is the trust of worldly men.

The Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary
If God be not the object of supreme trust, something else will be, and it is more likely to be money.

God requires the whole heart, and will not share it with the world.

He who holds to the world and loves it, must despise God; he who loves God, must give up the friendship of the world.

These are harsh views and have left myself with many questions, and I can gladly admit that the LORD is giving me some sence of discernment.

Not to long ago me and my wife were window shopping, walked into Woolworth's, saw a pair of shoes on sale, nearly bought it, but decided against buying it because "I already had a pair of brown shoes that can last a while longer"
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How many a time have many, probably most of us decided against proritizing buying something because of worldly / material gain (or not)?
vs.
How many times lately have we consciously weighed up spending our money, and decided against doing it purely based on spiritual considerations?

I found the following verse...interesting is it not?

Ecc 2:26 GW God gives wisdom, knowledge, and joy to anyone who pleases him. But to the person who continues to sin, he gives the job of gathering and collecting wealth. The sinner must turn his wealth over to the person who pleases God. Even this is pointless. It's like trying to catch the wind.

Jesus came to the world to, from within GOD, and trough the spiritual gifts from GOD (1Co 12:8-10), to reach out to people and to bless them. When Jesus left, he left this work to be performed by each Christian. Through the working of the Holy Spirit all Christians are bounded into one spiritual body i.e. the Church.

We need to learn to make place for the Holy Spirit to be able to function spiritually. Therefore; Luk 9:23 He (Jesus) said to all of them, "Those who want to come with me must say no to the things they want, pick up their crosses every day, and follow me.

Then of course...

A time ( in personal spiritual growth ) should come when all of us Christians should realize that wealth and and money is not the priority of life here on earth. Mat 6:20-21 But keep on storing up treasures for yourselves in heaven, where moths and rust do not destroy and where thieves do not break in and steal. (21) For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."

This was a difficult topic for me. Do we stop working? Stop prioritizing what we do at work? Stop committing ourselves to our work?

Certainly not. I believe the question lies in in the BALANCE that we maintain in life.

We can work, but give GOD the honour,
We can achieve, and thank GOD,
We can earn money, and give GOD what He is entitled to.

Is that not prioritizing GOD first AND then working in His eternal peace?

Friday 16 April 2010

Have a BLESSED weekend

Hi all,
May you have a blessed weekend.

I pray for our Lord Jesus to bless you and your family with His grace. Blessed be your health, your work , your emotions, your personal relations and BLESSED be your relationship with GOD, with Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. I pray for this relationship to be an intimate relationship driven from your heart . I pray for this to become your HEARTS DESIRE.
AMEN


Jas 1:13-17 GW
(13) When someone is tempted, he shouldn't say that God is tempting him. God can't be tempted by evil, and God doesn't tempt anyone.
(14) Everyone is tempted by his own desires as they lure him away and trap him.
(15) Then desire becomes pregnant and gives birth to sin. When sin grows up, it gives birth to death.
(16) My dear brothers and sisters, don't be fooled.
(17) Every good present and every perfect gift comes from above, from the Father who made the sun, moon, and stars. The Father doesn't change like the shifting shadows produced by the sun and the moon.


The above verses keeps me, my mind, my needs, my will, my desires; ...aligned with the will of GOD...keeps me going..

Thursday 15 April 2010

Professional Inspirations #14: Think BIG

Psa 25:4-5 Make your ways known to me, O LORD, and teach me your paths. (5) Lead me in your truth and teach me because you are God, my savior. I wait all day long for you.

THINK BIG

Deu 10:21 He is your glory. He is your God, who did for you these spectacular and awe-inspiring deeds you saw with your own eyes.

A few years a group salesmen went to a Regional Sales Convention n Chicago.

They had assured their wives that they would be home in plenty of time for the Friday night's dinner. In their rush to board the plane - with tickets and briefcases - one of these salesmen inadvertently kicked over a table which held a display of apples. Apples flew everywhere!

Without stopping or looking back, they all managed to reach the plane in time for their nearly missed boarding. ALL BUT ONE !!! He paused, took a deep breath, got in touch with his feelings, and experienced a twinge of compassion for the girl whose apple-stand had been overturned. He told his buddies to go on without him, waved goodbye, told one of them to call his wife when they arrived at their home destination and explain his taking a later flight.

Then he returned to the terminal where the apples were scattered all over the terminal floor. He was glad he did! The 16 year old girl was totally blind! She was softly crying, tears running down her cheeks in frustration, and at the same time helplessly groping for her spilled produce as the crowd swirled about her, no one stopping and no one to care for her plight.

The salesman knelt on the floor with her, gathered up the apples, put them back on the table and helped organize her display. As he did this, he noticed that many of them had become battered and bruised. These he set aside in another basket. When he had finished, he pulled out his walled and said to the girl, "Here, please take this $40 for the damage we did. Are you okay?

"She nodded through her tears. He continued, "I hope we didn't spoil your day too much."

As the salesman started to walk away, the bewildered blind girl called out to him, "Mister..." He paused and turned to look back into those blind eyes.

She continued, "Are you Jesus?"

He stopped in mid-stride, and wondered. Then slowly he made his way to catch the later flight with that question burning and bouncing in his soul: "Are you Jesus?"

Do people mistake you for Jesus?

That's our destiny, is it not?

To be so much like Jesus that people cannot tell the difference as we live and interact with a world that is blind to His love, life and grace.

If we claim to know Him, we should live, walk and act as He would.

Knowing Him is more than simply quoting Scripture and going to church.

It's actually living the Word ---THINKING BIG---as life unfolds day to day!!

Lord Father in heaven, please make us aware and experience Your power that You used to raise Jesus from the dead. This power is available to us, to be used, to rely on, to grow by in Spirit. Thank you Lord, that we can have faith in the risen Jesus Christ, knowing thereby that we DO have eternal life. Amen

1Co15:19-20 If we have set our hopes on Christ in this life only, we deserve more pity than any other people. (20) But at this moment Christ stands risen from the dead, the first one offered in the harvest of those who have died.

Professional Inspirations #13: The claims of life, every day

Psa 25:4-5 Make your ways known to me, O LORD, and teach me your paths. (5) Lead me in your truth and teach me because you are God, my savior. I wait all day long for you.

THE CLAIMS OF LIFE TODAY, EVERY DAY

Rom 8:37 The one who loves us gives us an overwhelming victory in all these difficulties.

Fil Anderson writes in his book: Running on Empty;

"For most of my life, I have been overwhelmed by the distractions of busyness, noise and hurry. Now I know GOD did not design my life to run on empty"

Fil also imagines himself being an airplane leaving the airport. Everyone is awed at this beautiful and fast airplane. No one however actually knows that there is a serious fault with the engine and that the airplane will crash a few hours later.

Are you a person that is is looked up to, admired by all, but deep deep inside you are tired and exhausted? Just ready to collapse?

Are you gauged by your capacity to go, go, go, go.....?.

One of the qualities to grow spiritually is to seek quietness.

To seek quietness is to to seek an intimate relationship.

To have a quality relationship with your spouse, sons, daughters and friends etc. needs attention and time!

To have a quality relationship with GOD, needs attention and time!

Elijah was at one time afraid that his life might be taken and fled to save himself. He was instructed to appear before GOD on a mountain;
(1Ki 19:10) He answered, "LORD God of Armies, I have eagerly served you. The Israelites have abandoned your promises, torn down your altars, and executed your prophets. I'm the only one left, and they're trying to take my life."
(1Ki 19:11) God said, "Go out and stand in front of the LORD on the mountain." As the LORD was passing by, a fierce wind tore mountains and shattered rocks ahead of the LORD. But the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind came an earthquake. But the LORD wasn't in the earthquake.
(1Ki 19:12) After the earthquake there was a fire. But the LORD wasn't in the fire. And after the fire there was a quiet, whispering voice.
(1Ki 19:13) When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his coat, went out, and stood at the entrance of the cave. Then the voice said to him, "What are you doing here, Elijah?"


Life is compared to the wind, earthquakes and fire

They are symbols of our life today, we chase through our days program, shopping, children, travelling, work, church etc. etc. These are all symbols of wind, earthquakes and fire....but still.....

GOD patiently wait for our attention in the calmness / quietness after all the rush i.e. After the wind came an earthquake. But the LORD wasn't in the earthquake. After the earthquake there was a fire. But the LORD wasn't in the fire. And after the fire there was a quiet, whispering voice.

What to do?

Take time to spend in His presence, seek him diligently and be blessed!!!!

Psa 42:5 Why are you discouraged, my soul? Why are you so restless? Put your hope in God, because I will still praise him. He is my savior and my God.

Friday 9 April 2010

Professional Inspirations #12: Christ and our purpose

Psa 25:4-5 Make your ways known to me, O LORD, and teach me your paths. (5) Lead me in your truth and teach me because you are God, my savior. I wait all day long for you.

CHRIST AND THE PURPOSE OF YOUR LIFE

Psa 37:5 Entrust your ways to the LORD. Trust him, and he will act on your behalf.

Pro 16:1-7 GW The plans of the heart belong to humans, but an answer on the tongue comes from the LORD.
(2) A person thinks all his ways are pure, but the LORD weighs motives.
(3) Entrust your efforts to the LORD, and your plans will succeed.
(4) The LORD has made everything for his own purpose, even wicked people for the day of trouble.
(5) Everyone with a conceited heart is disgusting to the LORD. Certainly, such a person will not go unpunished.
(6) By mercy and faithfulness, peace is made with the LORD. By the fear of the LORD, evil is avoided.
(7) When a person's ways are pleasing to the LORD, he makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.


Can we really plan our own purpose in life? If the LORD made all for his own purpose, even wicked people, then we will need to realize that we must entrust our efforts to the Lord. Then indeed, as the LORD is righteous, then our plans will succeed....if it is according to His will.

Does this purpose include pain and suffering?.....By fear of the Lord, evil is avoided........all we need to do is to be faithful in trusting the Lord.

What better example than Jesus Christ?

1Pe 2:23 When he (Jesus Christ) was insulted, he did not retaliate. When he suffered, he did not threaten but made it his habit to commit the matter to the one who judges fairly.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary
Prov 16:1 The renewing grace of God alone prepares the heart for every good work. This teaches us that we are not sufficient of ourselves to think or speak any thing wise and good. 2. Ignorance, pride, and self-flattery render us partial judges respecting our own conduct. 3. Roll the burden of thy care upon God, and leave it with him, by faith and dependence on him.

Tuesday 6 April 2010

Professional inspirations #11 - Relax..

Psa 25:4-5 Make your ways known to me, O LORD, and teach me your paths. (5) Lead me in your truth and teach me because you are God, my savior. I wait all day long for you.

RELAX WHEN WORKING

Ecc 2:26 God gives wisdom, knowledge, and joy to anyone who pleases him. But to the person who continues to sin, he gives the job of gathering and collecting wealth. The sinner must turn his wealth over to the person who pleases God. Even this is pointless. It's like trying to catch the wind.

Ecclesiastes is concerned with imparting wisdom and knowledge to the people of God and teaching them to fear the Lord.

The book begins and ends with the exclamation, “Vanity of vanities! All is vanity” (Ecc 1:2; 12:8). While “vanity” is obviously a key word throughout the book, when applied to human undertakings or the pleasures and joys of earthly life, it indicates that “the present form of this world is passing away” (1 Cor 7:31) and it expresses frustration, anger, or sorrow; applied to the search for understanding of all things, therefore this book presents itself as primarily a quest to “figure out” all of life.

The joy and the frustration of work.

God gave Adam work to accomplish prior to the fall (Gen 2:15),but part of the punishment of his sin was that it would become painful toil (Gen 3:17-19). Do we not find our work to be both satisfying as well as aggravating?

The grateful enjoyment of God's good gifts.

We should not be blind to the beauty of the world God created (Ecc 3:11) or be caused to despise God's good gifts of human relationships, food, drink, and satisfying labor. These are to be received humbly and enjoyed fully as blessings from God.

The fear of God.

The fact that “all is vanity” should drive us to take refuge in GOD whose work endures forever and who is a “rock” for those who take shelter in him i.e. to GOD , nothing can be added. The absolute sovereignty of GOD and his purpose is meant to bring us to a sense of humble reverence and awe of him

1Co 7:31 Those who use the things in this world should do so but not depend on them. It is clear that this world in its present form is passing away.

Relax = slow down = let go.

So just maybe we should relax in what we do, keeping mind that we should always enjoy what we have been given to manage.