HEIN'S JOURNAL - 2013 COLLECTION by Hein Jonker

Hein's Journal 2013 Collection

Greetings From Hein Jonker, a servant of GOD and of the Lord JESUS CHRIST, to his people from far and wide. Greetings. Dear friend, I pray you’ll find this journal a blessing to read, and I hope that some of these devotions will help you cope in good times and bad times. I pray these messages will cause you to draw near the one and only source of life, hope and peace, and that is JESUS CHRIST my King, Lord and Saviour. This journal is GOD’s authority in my life as I walked with him in his perfect Word during 2013. It contains a collection of my Bible Study Notes as GOD spoke to me through his Holy Word by the promting and conviction of the Holy Spirit. May I encourage you to read, pray and meditate on GOD’s Word (the Bible), but more importantly, do what it says. If you don’t have a Bible, let me know and I’ll send you one at no cost to you. Feel free to share this journal with friends, fellow Christians and more so with people who have not yet come to know JESUS as their personal Lord and Saviour. Yours in CHRIST JESUS

Join Hein’s Journal on Facebook for a daily message from GOD’s Word for 2014. Facebook Group www.facebook.com/groups/hein.journal/

Download the 2012 Journal

Email heinjonker@gmail.com 2

Index Page 4

The Glory of GOD Fighting GOD GOD’s Grace

Page 5

Living Faith A Sensitive Ministry A Disciplined Life CHRIST’s Return

Page 6

Ready to Die? A Renewed Mind Example of Humility GOD’s Plan for You

Page 7 Victory over Sin Are you Lost? Will JESUS Return? Our Weakness, His Power

Page 14

The Spirit of Lies Up in Smoke Thank you JESUS Heart to Worship

Page 15

Don’t back Down, Never Stop Pray for Peace Religion or CHRIST Healed by JESUS Peace Anyone?

Page 16

Greater than You Satan Controls it Respect them All Life’s Not Fair Halfhearted Service

Page 8

Page 17 The Devil in Others A Wise Fool Prideful Lust Your Response Needed Lean on Me Complete in CHRIST Happiness and A Gift from GOD Holiness Old Bread

Page 9

Changed Life Why Trust GOD Crucified with CHRIST Let it Shine

Page 10

Sex and GOD Joy in CHRIST An Evil Thought Joy of Fogiveness

Page 11

Monitor your Faith Joy of Salvation Be Holy Focused Prayer

Page 12

Why do you Give? No Pain, No Gain Under the Influence Image or Example Human Dignity

Page 13

Accusing GOD Get rid of Sharks World View Rock of Salvation

Page 18

Teach them Now The Sluggard in Us Good Advice True Success Easy Way Out

Page 19 Tunnel Vision Committed to the Lord I want to Die I’m too Tired Page 20 Wait for It Stuck in Prison Doing what is Right Page 21

Living a Lie A Cold Fever Consuming Fire Expert Judge

Page 22 Hopeless is Dead Spiritual Suicide Rich Man, Poor Man

Page 23 I can’t but We can Not Approved The Break-Up Page 24

You Coward Need Rest Angry Birds Your “Tyre” Pressure

Page 25 The Teacher in You I want More Burned Field Page 26

It Hurts GOD Listens In Training Why me Lord?

Page 27 Why Should I wait? Acting Like Children Visit to the Dentist Page 28 In the Wilderness

Word of Thanks Lord, thank you for walking me through your perfect Word this year. May your Word be a blessing to those and may you be glorified through it all. I thank you Father for your grace and wisdom, for your hand of protection and guidance over me as I shared your Word in this little Journal. Father, please give me your direction and purpose for the year ahead so I may serve you and your people more effectively in CHIRST JESUS, my Lord and Saviour - my King! And all GOD’s people say: Amen!

THE GLORY OF GOD When was the last time you went outside, early one morning and experienced a sunrise? Sitting here on a farm near Clocolan, right on the Lesotho border with a cool breeze in the air, spending time in GOD’s Word, reading and meditating on Psalm 19 – the sun slowly rising displaying the magnificent glory of GOD. The sunrays shooting to the other ends of the sky, colouring the clouds with magnificence. Golden edges forming on the clouds as the sun breaks through, then a dark cloud moved up covering the sun preventing it from casting its heat on the earth; on me. Ah but soon the sun claims victory over this dark cloud now breaking up as the sun smashes it and yet again revealing its glory and power over the earth; over me. I noticed though, that when the dark cloud blocked the sun, it also blocked the heat of the sun from getting to me, I felt cold and separated. But when the sun broke through again, I felt warm and alive again. Experiencing all of this I could not help but think of the dark cloud as sin, and the sun as the Son of GOD, JESUS CHRIST and the effect of both in our lives. Is there a dark cloud in your life which blocks the “heat of the sun” from getting to you? Is there sin in your life that prevents you from feeling warm and alive? You too can experience the power and glory of GOD if only you’d let it all in – asking him to smash the “dark cloud” that blocks the blessings and purpose he has in store for your life. Ask GOD today to break through those barriers, revealing his perfect son JESUS CHRIST to you; the holy, perfect and life-giving light of this world and our lives. Accept him with an open heart and be filled with his everlasting warmth and love. May GOD’s glory shine on you today! FIGHTING GOD To some the mere thought of fighting GOD is something unheard of, but to some it is a way of life. Have you ever started a fight in pure arrogance or pride, knowing or just not sure that you’ll win? We do that every day, and yes believers too. What arrogant fools we are thinking that we could actually win the fight against GOD. In James 4 we are told what causes fighting amongst people, but in the same way we fight against GOD – just by our disobedience we pick a fight with GOD, just by resisting GOD we pick a fight with him. Some might say, “I don’t believe in GOD so this doesn’t apply to me.” Boy oh boy, you ignorant fool, are you so blind that you can’t see the result of your decision to pick

a fight you’ll lose in the end? Throughout the Bible (GOD’s Word, the truth), we see people disobeying GOD (fighting him), which then results in punishment and death (lost the fight). But GOD gives us a way out of the boxing ring; he is holding up the ropes so you can get out. Note that in order to get out, you will have to bend down before stepping through the ropes. Yes, bend down, submit to GOD and decide not to fight him in the first place. Save yourself endless pain and disappointment, if you feel the urge to fight rising in you, surrender your will to GOD before even thinking of throwing the first punch. GOD knows you; he knows what’s going on in our minds and hearts. Ask him to forgive you and give you his power and strength to “fight the good fight of faith” instead. He is faithful, he is the perfect coach, and will train you to stand against the blows you might get as his fighter; his champion. Stand in his corner, fighting for him, and not against him. GOD’s GRACE In Ephesians 1:4 Paul highlights the fact that salvation depends totally on GOD. Grace is GOD’s voluntary and loving favour given to those he saves. We can’t earn salvation, nor do we deserve it. No religious, intellectual, or moral effort can gain it, because it comes only from GOD’s mercy and love. We did not influence GOD’s decision to save us; he saved us according to his plan. Thus there is no way to take credit for our salvation or to allow room for pride. Without GOD’s grace, no person can be saved. To receive I, we must acknowledge that we cannot save ourselves, that only GOD can save us, and that our only way to receive this loving favour is through faith in CHRIST. It is hard to understand how GOD could accept us. But because of CHRIST, we are “holy and blameless in his sight”. GOD chose us, and when we belong to him through JESUS CHRIST, GOD looks at us as if we had never sinned. All we can do is express our thanks for his wonderful love by living to please him each day.

sense of victory you get from these talks, tapes and books. Not too many tackle self-discipline. Self-discipline requires an honest look at your strengths and weaknesses, with emphasis on the latter. It means building the will to say no when a powerful appetite inside you screams yes. For example, when you have self-discipline, you can say no to friends or situations that will lead you away from CHRIST. You can say no to casual sex, saving intimacy for marriage, and say no to laziness in favour of “can do” and “will do.” Self-discipline is a long, steady course in learning attitudes that do not come naturally, and channeling natural appetites toward GOD’s purposes. In 1 Corinthians 10:24-27 Paul gives us clear guidelines for running the race of life, what to aim for and how to get there. Where are your weak points? Pray with a friend for GOD’s help to redirect your weakness into his strength.

LIVING FAITH In 1 Corinthians 4:16 Paul told the Corinthian people (church) to imitate him. Why him? He was able to make this statement because he walked close to GOD, spent time in GOD’s Word and in prayer, and was aware of GOD’s presence in his life at all times. Paul’s life could be an example to us as Christians; to imitate those aspects of his beliefs and conduct that were modeling CHRIST’s way of living. Some people talk a lot about faith, but that’s all it is – just talk. They may know all the right words to say, but their lives don’t reflect GOD’s power. Paul says that the kingdom of GOD is to be lived, not just discussed. There is a big difference between knowing the right words and living them out. Don’t be content to have the right answers about CHRIST. Like Paul, let your life show that GOD’s power is really working in you. By faith and living proof, make CHRIST your way of life, example, goal and sufficiency.

CHRIST’S RETURN Months of planning go into a wedding, the birth of a baby, a career change, a motorcycle rally, or the purchase of a house. Do you place the same importance on preparing for CHRIST’s return, the most important event in your life? Its results will last for eternity. You dare not postpone your preparations because you do not know when his return will take place. They way to prepare is to study GOD’s Word and live by its instructions each day. Mark 13 tells us how to live while we wait for CHRIST’s return. We are not to be misled by confusing claims or speculations of what will happen. We should not be afraid to tell people about CHRIST, despite what they might say or do to us. We must stand firm by faith and not be surprised by persecutions. We must be morally alert, obedient to the commands for living found in GOD’s Word. How shortsighted people are who spend their time studying this temporary world and chasing after its possessions, while neglecting the Bible and its eternal truths! Be cautious, be bold in your total commitment to have your heart and life ready for CHRIST’s return.

A SENSITIVE MINISTRY I’m sure at some stage of your life you took part in an athletic event, a race or marathon. I know, I have and I hated it! Why run if you can ride a motorcycle or drive a car? The whole concept of running is painful, takes too long and at times completely senseless. Just think, as you near the end of a long race, your legs ache, your throat burns, and your whole body cries out for you to stop. This is when friends and fans are most valuable. Their encouragement and cheering helps you push through the pain to the finish line. In the same way, Christians are to encourage one another. A word of encouragement offered at the right moment can be the difference between finishing well and collapsing along he way. The key to ministry is sensitivity: sensing the condition of each person and offering the appropriate remedy for each situation. You can’t effectively help until you know the problem. You can’t apply the medicine until you know where the wound is. Look around you. Be sensitive to others’ need for encouragement, and offer supportive words or actions. A DISCIPLINED LIFE Whatever happened to self-discipline? Winning a race or achieving anything worthwhile in life demands strict training, it takes self-discipline to keep at it until you get 1st Prize, until you get that qualification or degree and reach the goal. Many books and speakers guide wandering souls to self-fulfillment, self-satisfaction, and selfawareness. Yes, the typical false and short-lived

of your thinking.

READY TO DIE? Wow, what a question. Have you ever seriously thought about it? The answer should be an easy “Yes”, but some would respond, “No, are you crazy!” To those who don’t believe in GOD, life on earth is all there is, and so it is natural for them to strive for this world’s values: money, popularity, power, pleasure and prestige. I’m sure you can think of a few more to add to the list. For those who do believe in GOD, however, to live should mean to develop eternal values and to tell others about CHRIST, who alone could help others see life from an eternal perspective. Our whole purpose in life must be to speak out boldly for CHRIST and live to become more like him. For this reason we could confidently agree with Paul in Philippians 1:21, “For to me, to live is CHRIST and to die is gain.” Dying would be better than living, because in death we would be removed from worldly troubles, and we would see CHRIST face-to-face. Don’t get me wrong, all in GOD’s time, not ours. If you are not ready to die, then you are not ready to live. Make certain of your eternal destiny; then you will be free to serve, devoting your life to what really counts, without fear of death. A RENEWED MIND Reading Ephesians 4:17-24, I can’t help but accept an amazing teaching on the way people think and live. Living “in the futility of their thinking” refers to the natural tendency of people to think their way away from GOD. Intellectual pride, rationalizations, and excuses all keep people from GOD. Don’t be surprised if people can’t grasp the gospel. The gospel will seem foolish to those who forsake faith and rely on their own understanding. We are to “live as children of light” (Ephesians 5:8), and leave behind the old life of sin, because we are followers of CHRIST. Our old way of life and thinking, before we believed in CHRIST, is completely in the past. We should throw it away like and old pair of underpants. This is both a once-for-all decision when we decide to accept CHRIST’s gift of salvation and also a daily conscious commitment. We are not to be driven by ignorance and pride. We must put on the new self, head in the new direction, and have the new way of thinking only the Holy Spirit gives. This change or renewal of your mind takes time, but it comes as you trust GOD to change you. If we keep listening to GOD through Bible study and prayer, we will be changing all the time. The choice is yours; either accept CHRIST, or reject him through the futility

EXAMPLE OF HUMILITY Many people, even Christians, live only to make a good impression on others or to please themselves. In Philippians 2:1-5 Paul stresses spiritual unity, asking us to love one another and to be on in spirit and purpose. When we work together, caring for the problems of others as if they are our problems, we demonstrate CHRIST’s example of putting others first, and we experience unity. Before GOD, we are sinners, saved only by GOD’s grace, but we are saved and therefore have great worth in GOD’s kingdom. We are to lay aside selfishness and treat others with respect and common courtesy. Considering others’ interests as more important than our own links us with CHRIST, who was a true example of humility. Selfish ambition can ruin GOD’s people, but genuine humility can build them. Don’t be so concerned about making a good impression or meeting your own needs that you end up damaging relationships in GOD’s family. GOD’s PLAN FOR YOU At age 44 who would’ve thought that I would start with pastoral studies for full-time ministry. Certainly not me! It was never my plan, as you can see, I had other things in mind. School, army, work, own businesses, cult, more work, motorcycles, another business, and so on. Was GOD in these plans? In some maybe, in some not. But GOD had a plan right from the start. You see, it is good to have goals, but goals can disappoint us if we leave GOD out of them. There is no point in making plans as though GOD doesn’t exist because the future is in his hands. The beginning of good planning is to ask: “What would I like to be doing ten years from now? A year from now? Tomorrow? How will I react if GOD steps in and rearranges my plans?” We can plan ahead, but we shouldn’t hold on to these plans too tight. After all these years GOD stepped in and rearranged my plans again, but now I’m ready. Life is too short no matter how many years we live. Don’t be deceived into thinking that you have lots of remaining time to live for CHRIST, to enjoy your loved ones, or to do what you know you should. Live for GOD today! Then, no matter when your life ends, you will have fulfilled GOD’s plan for you.

will save yourself and your family much grief.

VICTORY OVER SIN See yourself riding a motorcycle approaching a sequence of obstacles, and after hitting one sure enough you’d try and avoid hitting the rest. It is the same with sin. There is a difference between committing a sin (hitting the first obstacle) and continuing to sin (hitting the rest of the obstacles). Clearly there is something wrong here; a lack of conviction. You think? A believer who commits a sin can repent, confess it, and find forgiveness. A person who continues to sin, by contrast, is not sorry for what he or she is doing. Thus this person never confesses and never receives forgiveness. Such a person is in opposition to GOD, no matter what religious claims he or she makes. 1 John 3:1-9 talks about people who make a practice of sinning and look for ways to justify it. Yes, just like a motorcycle rider who keeps on hitting those obstacles, and then blames it on road works, his motorcycle or other road users. Three steps are necessary to find victory over sin: 1) seek the power of the Holy Spirit and GOD’s Word; 2) stay away from tempting situations; and 3) seek the help of the body of CHRIST, a fellow believer or Church, and be open to their willingness to hold you accountable and to pray for you. All believers sill sin, but they are and should be working to gain victory over sin. True believers do not make a practice of sinning because GOD’s new life has been born into them when the Holy Spirit lives in us and gives us JESUS’ new life. To miss those obstacles we must think and act differently – take action! ARE YOU LOST? In Luke 15 JESUS tells the stories of the lost sheep, the lost coin, and the lost son. The sheep was lost because it foolishly wandered away; the coin was lost through no fault of its own; and the son left out of selfishness. Good news is, they were all found. GOD’s great love reaches out and finds sinners no matter why or how they got lost. Many people who are rebellious and immature, wants to live as they please, and they have to hit rock bottom before they will come to their senses. It often takes great sorrow and tragedy to cause people to look to the only One who can help them. Are you trying to live life your own way, selfishly pushing aside any responsibility or commitment that drives you further away from your Creator? Just like the father of the lost son, GOD will search for us and give us opportunity to respond, but he will not force us to come to him. GOD waits patiently for us to come to our senses. Stop and look before you hit bottom. You

WILL JESUS RETURN? I’m sure you’ve thought about this during the early stages of your Christian walk, and maybe even today. When will he return? Why doesn’t he return now? Why is he taking so long? What is he waiting for? There must be a reason for asking these questions, but Peter warns us in 2 Peter 3:3,4 that people will “in the last days” (the time we are living in right now), say “JESUS is never coming back” just to justify their favourite sins and keep at it. GOD may seem slow to those who face persecution every day, but he is not. GOD is not on our timetable (2 Peter 3:8), he is patient and waiting for more sinners to repent and turn to him. We must not sit and wait for CHRIST to return, becoming lazy and complacent, but we should live realizing that time is short and we have work to do. Be ready to meet CHRIST any time, even today, live in eager expectation of his coming. Draw near to JESUS through Bible study and prayer, and the truth about his return will be revealed to you. What would you like to be doing when CHRIST returns? That is how you should be living each day. OUR WEAKNESS, HIS POWER In 2 Corinthians 12:1-10, we see Paul praying to GOD to heal him from an illness that Paul feels is hindering his ministry. Three times Paul prayed for healing and did not receive it. He received, however, things far greater because he received greater grace from GOD, a stronger character, humility, and more compassion towards others. Maybe you are in the same boat as Paul, sitting with some sort of ailment or illness, you prayed or have been doing so for a long time and still he doesn’t heal you. GOD, according to his sovereign plan, doesn’t heal some believers of their physical ailments. We don’t know why some are spared and others aren’t. GOD chooses according to his divine purposes. Our task is to pray, to believe, and to trust. Holy living and courageous faith do not ensure instant physical healing. We must recognize that nothing separates us from his love, and that our spiritual condition is far more important than our physical condition. When we are weak, not only does it help develop Christian character, it also deepens our worship, because by admitting our weakness, we confirm GOD’s strength.

superiority rather than as a means to spiritual unity. Unknowingly, in some cases, they cause unbelievers or new believers to get a wrong impression and become confused instead of encouraged or edified by it. Spiritual gifts are beneficial only when they are properly used to help everyone in the church. We should not exercise them only to make ourselves feel good. The exercise of the gift demands some guidelines so that the purpose of the gift, which is to help the body of CHRIST, is not lost. Those who speak in tongues should follow the guidelines; those who do not speak in tongues should not seek the gift as a sign of salvation or of special closeness with GOD, for it is neither. The Holy Spirit decides which gifts each believer should have. We are responsible to use and sharpen our gifts, but we can take no credit for what GOD has freely given us. Spiritual gifts, and yes speaking in tongues, are not self-serving but serve the whole body of CHRIST; each gift becomes practically useless when used without love. Make sure your gifts are encouraging and edifying to others rather than yourself.

YOUR RESPONSE NEEDED Non-Christians cannot understand GOD, and they cannot grasp the concept that GOD’s Spirit lives in believers. Don’t expect all people to approve of or understand your decision to follow CHRIST. It all seems so silly to them. Just as a stone-deaf person cannot appreciate fine music, the person who rejects GOD cannot understand GOD’s beautiful message. With the communication lines down, they won’t be able to hear what GOD is saying to them. GOD’s plan, therefore, is still hidden to unbelievers because they either refuse to accept it, choose to ignore it, or simply haven’t heard about it. All who reject GOD’s message are foolish, no matter how wise the world thinks they are. We as believers must not remain silent by using other’s difficulty in understanding as an excuse. We are still one of GOD’s communication channels, alert to opportunities. Another person’s question may be evidence that GOD’s Spirit is drawing him or her to a point of decision. How would you respond today if someone asked you about your faith? COMPLETE IN CHRIST CHRIST came to offer his body on the cross for us as a sacrifice that is completely acceptable to GOD. We have been made perfect, yet we are “being made holy.” Through his death and resurrection, CHRIST once for all, made his believers perfect in GOD’s sight. Adding anything to his sacrifice or taking anything from it denies its validity. Any system teaching that you can gain salvation through good deeds is rejecting the significance of CHRIST’s death. Beware of anyone who tells you that CHRIST’s sacrifice still leaves you incomplete or that something else is needed to make you acceptable to GOD. When we believe in CHRIST, he makes us completely right with GOD. Our loving relationship leads us to follow him in willing obedience and service. He is pleased with our service, but we cannot be saved by our good deeds. Don’t be surprised, ashamed, or shocked that we still need to grow. GOD is not finished with us. We need to apply Scripture to all areas of our lives, by accepting the discipline and guidance CHRIST provides, and by giving him control of our desires and goals. A GIFT FROM GOD The gift of speaking in a tongue is a concern in many a church today because the use of the gift can cause disorder in worship. Speaking in tongues is a gift of the Holy Spirit, but some believers are using it as a sign of spiritual

OLD BREAD I ran into Woolies the other day (last minute), for milk and a loaf of bread. Some loaves were fresh, and some were old and hard. “Useless and tasteless, there’s no way I’m taking that home with me!” were my thoughts, so I grabbed the fresh loaf. A hardened heart is as useless as a hardened loaf of bread. Nothing can restore it and make it fresh and useful. Psalm 95 warns against hardening our hearts by continuing to resist GOD’s will. Some people are so convinced that GOD cannot deliver them from their suffering and persecution that they simply lose their faith in him. People with hardened hearts are so stubbornly set in their ways that they cannot turn to GOD. This does not happen suddenly or all at once; it is the result of a series of choices to disregard GOD’s will. Those who resist GOD long enough, GOD will toss aside like hardened bread, useless and worthless. If we persist in our unbelief, GOD will eventually leave us alone in our sin. To prevent having and unbelieving heart, stay in fellowship with other believers, talk daily about your mutual faith, be aware of the deceitfulness of sin, it attracts but also destroys, and encourage each other with love and concern. GOD is “shopping for bread”; will he take you home with him or will he leave you to rot on the shelf? 8

worst or best circumstances. I’m going to! How about you?

CHANGED LIFE Just by watching television, paging through a magazine or looking at billboards around us we are flooded with claims of “Miraculous!” “Revolutionary!” “Greatest Ever!”. The messages leap out at us; the products assure us that they are new, improved, fantastic, and capable of changing our lives. For a special price, we can have “cleaner clothes”, “whiter teeth”, “glamorous hair”, and “tastier food.” Cars, bikes, perfume, diet drinks, and mouthwash are guaranteed to bring happiness, friends, and the good life. And just before and election, no one can match the politicians’ promises. But talk is cheap, and too often we soon realize that the boasts were hollow, quite far from the truth. “JESUS is the answer!” … “Believe in GOD!” … “Follow me to church!” in the same way Christians also make great claims but are often guilty of contradicting these claims with their actions. Professing to trust GOD and to be his people, they cling tightly to the world and its values. Possessing all the answers, they contradict the gospel with their lives. It is not enough to talk the Christian faith, James 2:14 states, “What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such a faith save him?” The proof of the reality of our faith is a changed life. Genuine faith will inevitably produce good deeds. James 2:18 says, “…you have faith; I have deeds. Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do.” Today, become a doer of the Word. WHY TRUST GOD Suffering helps us be like CHRIST, yet people will do anything to avoid pain and hardship. Everywhere the Bible teaches that we should trust GOD; in good times and bad, during sunny skies and thunderstorms, when we have a pocket full of change and a pocket full of dirt. Right now I have a pocket full of dirt. Why should I trust GOD? Why should you? How does trust work? Trust overcomes fear. Genuine trust in GOD says, “Whatever mess I’m in, my heavenly Father will lead me.” Trust overcomes depression. No matter how overwhelming the situation or how low it makes you feel, GOD can draw you back to the light. Trust overcomes hate. When careless or cruel people hurt you, sometimes irreparably, you can hate forever or you can trust GOD, but you can’t do both. GOD is there to stabilize even the worst situation; always with a promise, always with hope. Commit your life to him for safekeeping. Rely on him when you face your

CRUCIFIED WITH CHRIST Paul tells us in Galatians 2:11-21 that our old sinful selves have been crucified with CHRIST. How can this be? GOD looks at us as if we had died with CHRIST. Because our past sins died with him, we are no longer condemned. In our relationship with CHRIST we have become one with him, and his experiences are ours. Our Christian life began when, in unity with him, we died to our old life. In our daily life, we must regularly crucify sinful desires that keep us from following CHRIST. This too is a kind of dying with him as stated in Luke 9:23-25. But the focus of Christianity is not dying, but living. Because we have been raised with him. We have been reconciled with GOD and are free to grow into CHRIST’s likeness. In our daily living, we have CHRIST’s resurrection power as we continue to fight sin. We are no longer alone, for CHRIST lives in us, he is our power for living and our hope fort he future. You are dead to sin, but alive in CHRIST, celebrate this in your life today! LET IT SHINE What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you have a difficult task or day ahead of you? Feel like complaining or taking your frustration out on the first person you see? Why are complaining and arguing so harmful? If all that people know about you as a Christian is that you constantly argue, complain, and gossip, they get a false impression of CHRIST and the gospel. Paul tells us in Philippians 2:14-16 that belief in CHRIST should unite those who trust in him. If we are always complaining and arguing, we lack the unifying power of JESUS CHRIST. Stop arguing with other Christians or complaining about people and difficult conditions, and instead let the world see CHRIST. Our lives should be morally pure, reflecting patience and peacefulness, so that by being transformed we can become effective witnesses to the power of GOD’s Word. Are you shining brightly or do complaining and arguing cloud your life? Don’t let circumstances snuff out your light. Shine out for GOD shine until JESUS returns!

SEX AND GOD You live in a house, rented or owned, and you look after the place. You won’t just go out and smash a window or kick down a door would you? So what makes our bodies so different? Why do we do things that would damage this “building”? We are free to be all we can be, but we are not free from GOD. Sexual sin is a temptation that is always before us. In movies and on television, sex outside marriage and same gender sex is treated as a normal, even a desirable part of life, while marriage is often shown as confining and joyless. GOD created sex to be a beautiful and essential part of marriage, but sexual sin always hurts someone. It hurts GOD because it shows that we prefer following our own desires instead of the leading of the Holy Spirit. It hurts others because it violates the commitment so necessary to a relationship. It often brings disease to our bodies. It deeply affects our personalities, which respond in anguish when we harm ourselves physically and spiritually. 1 Corinthians 6:18-20 tells us what to do. Run from it!! GOD wants to protect us from hurting others, and ourselves and so he offers to fill us, our loneliness our desires, with himself. Your body belongs to GOD; serve him with it!

Paul’s heart and seek to know CHRIST more and more. Rejoice and rededicate yourself to finding joy in CHRIST.

JOY IN CHRIST The word happiness makes you think of unwrapping gifts on Christmas morning, strolling hand in hand with the one you love, being surprised on your birthday, cracking with laughter at a comedian, or a holiday at an exotic location. Everyone wants to be happy; we make it our lifelong ambition to chase after this ideal: spending money, collecting things, and searching for new experiences. But if happiness was based on our circumstances, what happens when the toys rust, loved ones die, health levels drop, money is stolen, and the party is over? Often happiness goes out the back door and despair walks in the front. In contrast to happiness stands joy. Deeper and stronger, joy is the quiet, confident assurance of GOD’s love and work in our lives, that he will be there no matter what! Happiness depends on happenings, but joy depends on CHRIST. Paul gives us this positive message in Philippians 4:4, “Rejoice in the Lord always, I will say it again: Rejoice!” Whatever your circumstances, learn to be content, finding real joy as we focus all of our attention and energy on knowing CHRIST and obeying him. Our desire to know CHRIST should be just like Paul expressed it in Philippians 3:8-10. May we share

JOY OF FORGIVENESS Do you feel guilty about something you’ve done? Are you guilty or ignoring the fact that you are? What can we do to get rid of guilt? We too can experience the joy of forgiveness just like Kind David who was guilty of terrible sins like adultery, murder, and lying. We need to quit denying our guilt and recognize that we have sinned, admit our guilt to GOD and ask for his forgiveness, let go of our guilt and believe that GOD has forgiven us. This can be difficult when sin has taken root and grown over many years, when it is very serious, or when it involves others. We need to remember that JESUS is willing and able to forgive every sin; all you need to do is ask. JESUS paid an enormous price on the cross, and it is arrogant to think that any of our sins are too great for him to cover. Even though our faith is weak, our conscience is sensitive, and our memory haunts us, GOD’s Word declares that sins confessed are sins forgiven (1 John 1:9). Now that you are forgiven you might worry that your faith is strong enough or that you have enough faith. Don’t miss the point! It is JESUS CHRIST who saves us, not our feelings or actions. JESUS offers us salvation as a gift because he loves us, not because we have earned it through our powerful faith. What then

AN EVIL THOUGHT People who live for GOD often wonder why they still have temptations. Does GOD tempt you? James 1:13-15 tells us a different story. GOD tests people, but he does not tempt us by trying to seduce us into sin. GOD allows Satan, just like he did with Job, to tempt us, in order to refine our faith and to help us grow in our dependence on CHRIST. Temptation comes from evil desires inside us, not from GOD. It begins with an evil thought and becomes sin when we allow it to become an action. Like a fire that starts with a little flame; first the match burns then a tree, and before you can help it the whole forest is engulfed and later destroyed by this raging inferno – so sin grows more destructive the more we let it have its way. We can resist the temptation to sin by turning to GOD for strength and choosing to obey his Word. The best way to stop a fire is to not even light the match. The best time to stop a temptation is before it is too strong or moving too fast to control. Snuff that flame before it turns into a raging and destructive inferno!

BE HOLY This is easier said than done! After we commit our lives to CHRIST, we usually still feel the urge to go back to our old ways. Peter tells us in 1 Peter 1:15,16 to be like our heavenly Father; holy in everything we do. Holiness means being totally devoted or dedicated to GOD, set aside for his special use and set apart from sin and its influence. We are to be set apart and different, not blending in with the crowd, but not being different just for the sake of being different. What make us different are GOD’s qualities in our lives. Our focus and priorities must be his. All this is in direct contrast to our old ways. We cannot become holy or escape sin on our own. GOD gives us his Son and his Spirit to free us and help us obey so we can overcome sin by his power. Don’t use the excuse that you can’t help slipping into sin. Call on GOD’s power to free you from Satan’s strongholds in your life.

is the role of faith? Faith is believing and trusting in JESUS CHRIST, and reaching out to accept his wonderful gift of salvation. But sadly, many still choose to reject this gift to continue “enjoying” their sin. MONITOR YOUR FAITH Who is weak in faith and who is strong? We are all weak in some areas and strong in others. Our faith is strong in an area if we can survive contact with sinners without falling into their patterns. It is weak in an area if we must avoid certain activities, people, or places in order to protect our spiritual life. It is important to take stock in order to find out our strengths and weaknesses. Whenever in doubt, we should ask, “Can I do that without sinning? Can I influence others for good, rather than being influenced by them?” Romans 14:23 tells us that “Everything that does not come from faith is sin”; meaning that to go against a conviction will leave a person with a guilty or uneasy conscience. In areas of strength, we should not fear being robbed by the world, rather we should go and serve GOD. In areas of weakness, we need to be cautious. If we have a strong faith but keep it to ourselves, we are not doing CHRIST’s work in the world. If we have a weak faith but expose it, we are being extremely foolish. When GOD shows us that something is wrong for us, we should avoid it.

FOCUSED PRAYER How’s your prayer life? Where do you pray? How do you pray? In Matthew 6:5-13, JESUS teaches about prayer and refers to people, especially to religious leaders, who wanted to be seen as “holy”, and public prayer was one way to get attention. Sadly, today, this is still practised and many believers fail to learn how to pray. The truth is that JESUS sees through these self-righteous acts, and teaches that the essence of prayer is not public style but private communication with GOD. There is a time and place for public prayer, but to pray only where others will notice you indicates that your real audience is not GOD. The matter is not where you pray but how you pray. JESUS draws our attention to the motives behind our actions. JESUS prayed both privately (Matt 14:23) and publicly (Matt 14:18, 19). The point really isn’t a choice between public or private prayer but between heartfelt and hypocritical prayer. When asked to pray, focus on addressing GOD, not on how you’re coming across to others. But when you feel like praying, it’s best to do it privately.

JOY OF SALVATION Do you wake up in the morning and feel as if something is missing? You feel happy and even content but not yet complete. Don’t you think perhaps sin has driven a wedge between you and GOD, making him seem distant? David felt this way when he sinned with Bathsheba. All sin hurts us and others, but ultimately it offends GOD because sin in any form is a rebellion against GOD’s way of living. In David’s prayer (Psalm 51:12) he cried with a broken spirit and a broken heart, “Restore to me the joy of your salvation”. GOD wants us to be close to him and to experience his full and complete life. But sin that remains un-confessed makes such intimacy impossible. Confess your sin to GOD. You may still have to face some earthly consequences, as David did, but GOD will give back the joy of your relationship with him. Like David we must ask GOD to cleanse us from within, clearing our hearts and spirits for new thoughts and desires. Ask GOD to create a pure heart and spirit in you! 11

joy, thankfulness to GOD, and encouragement to others. Instead of nagging and complaining, which our culture has raised to an art form these days, we are to focus on the goodness of GOD and his mercies toward us. How do people around you experience your words and attitude? Being filled with the Holy Spirit produces lasting joy, therefore submit yourself daily to his leading and draw constantly on his power.

WHY DO YOU GIVE? Have you ever thought about it? What motivates you to give to others? JESUS teaches in Matthew 6:1-4 that our motives for giving to GOD and others must be pure. It is easy to give with mixed motives, to do something for someone if it will benefit us in return. It is also easier to do what’s right when we gain recognition and praise. To be sure our motives are not selfish, we should do our good deeds quietly or in secret, with no thought of reward. JESUS says we should check our motives in three areas: generosity, prayer, and fasting. These acts should not be self-centred, but GOD-centred, done not to make us look good but to make GOD look good. The reward GOD promises is not material, and it is never given to those who are looking for one. Doing something only for ourselves is not a loving sacrifice. With your next good deed, ask, “Would I still do this if no one would ever know I did it?”

IMAGE OR EXAMPLE People today are interested in creating an image of themselves instead of being a good example to others. In 1 Timothy 1:15, Paul shows us that we should not hesitate to share our past, because he knew his failures would allow others to have hope. Are you willing to share your past just so someone might find salvation? At times we hesitate to share our past struggles or failures with others because we are afraid it will hurt our image. Paul demonstrated that lowering our guard could be an important step in sharing the gospel. People will not believe the gospel is important if they can’t see that it is crucial in your life. How has CHRIST shown patience with you? Did he stay with you when you doubted and rebelled? Did he remain faithful when you ignored his prior offer or offers to accept him? Did he love you when you disregarded his Word and his church? Remember that his patience is unlimited for those who love him. Don’t be afraid to let others know what CHRIST has done for you. Let CHRIST JESUS be the image in you, and you live to be the example of a changed life in him.

NO PAIN, NO GAIN I don’t know about you, but pain and suffering can sometimes get me down. Why do we have to go through it? As we face troubles and hardship, it’s easy to focus on the pain rather than our ultimate goal. What goal could there possibly be in suffering? Just like athletes running the comrades for instance, concentrate on the finish line and ignore their temporary discomfort, we too must focus on the reward for our faith and the joy that lasts forever. Our troubles should not destroy our faith or make us angry with GOD. We should realize that there is a purpose in our suffering: 1) they remind us of CHRIST’s suffering for us; 2) they keep us from pride; 3) they make us look beyond this short life; 4) they prove our faith to others; 5) and they give GOD the opportunity to demonstrate his power. No matter what happens to us in this life, we as believers have the assurance of eternal life, when all suffering will end and all sorrow will flee away (Isaiah 35:10). See your troubles as opportunities to let GOD, and not to reject him! UNDER THE INFLUENCE I’ve been there and done that in my old life; the effects of alcohol are obvious, but what happens when we are under the influence of the Holy Spirit? Getting drunk with alcohol is associated with the old way of life and its selfish desires. In CHRIST, we have a better joy, higher and longer lasting, to cure our depression or tension. In Ephesians 5:18,19 Paul tells us that whatever we do or say should be filled with an attitude of

HUMAN DIGNITY I’m sure most of you have never been in a position where you lost everything, or worse – where everything you had were taken from you and sold off. I know someone who suffered terrible public humiliation and even died for me! It is a great insult to human dignity for a person to be robbed of everything, even clothing, left naked and destitute. JESUS the Messiah suffered this humiliating experience on the cross just for me – for you! Most of us will never know the shame and suffering of being penniless and virtually naked in a public place, as many of the Jews experienced during the Nazi holocaust, or even the shame of being homeless on the streets of our cities today. But then most of us would feel equally exposed and naked when some sin, secret or not-so-secret is exposed. You know what; JESUS knows exactly what you are going through, and he is the only one who can and will

WORLD VIEW Just by watching TV News, reading the Newspaper, and listening to Radio News we are showered and at times flooded with news of an evil and corrupt world. What has this world come to? How do you see the world? Do you see it for what it is or do you see it for what it could be? It is a fact that some people see good all around them, while others see nothing but evil. What is the difference? Our minds and hearts are like filters through which we perceive goodness or evil. Those who have CHRIST in control of their lives learn to see goodness and purity even in this evil world. But corrupt and unbelieving people find evil in everything because their evil minds and hearts affect even the good they see and hear. Whatever you choose to fill your mind with will affect the way you think and act. Turn your thoughts to GOD and his Word, and you will discover more and more goodness, even in this evil world. A mind filled with good has little room for what is evil (Philippians 4:8). Ask GOD to help you focus your mind on what is good and pure. It takes practice but it can be done (Philippians 4:13).

pick you up from this humiliating experience in your life! At this point of your suffering, cry out like David did in Psalm 22:19, “But you, O LORD, be not far off; O my Strength, come quickly to help me.” ACCUSING GOD Spending time in the book of Job is a wakeup call of note. It is so easy and we are so quick to accuse GOD of our suffering. People view suffering as, 1) They believe in GOD only when they are prospering and not suffering, 2) Suffering is GOD’s judgment for sin, 3) Suffering is GOD’s way to teach, discipline and refine us, 4) Suffering causes us to trust GOD for who he is, not what he does. How do you accuse GOD? Do you demand answers when things don’t go your way, you lose a job, someone close to you is ill or dies, finances are tight, you fail, or unexpected changes take place? The next time you are tempted to complain to GOD, consider how much he loves you. Consider the suffering Job had to endure, then recognise and submit to GOD’s power and sovereignty. Only then will you hear what GOD is really saying to you. Give GOD a chance to reveal his greater purpose for you, but remember it may unfold over time and not at the moment you desire.

ROCK OF SALVATION In Romans 10:32-33 Paul refers to the Jews who did not believe in CHRIST because he didn’t meet their expectations for the Messiah. Their unbelief was a stumbling stone then, and is true of many people today. People today are presented with the gospel, over and over again, and yet they choose to look at it and stumble over this Rock of salvation. They stumble over CHRIST because salvation by faith doesn’t make sense to them. They would rather try to earn their way to GOD, or else they expect GOD simply to overlook their sins. Others stumble over CHRIST because his values are the opposite of worldly values. He asks for humility, and many are unwilling to humble themselves before him. He requires obedience, and many refuse to put their lives at his disposal. Have you stumbled over this rock and still chose to ignore it, or have you chosen to build your life on it?

GET RID OF SHARKS How good are you in obeying warning signs, rules and traffic signs? In life, keeping the rules, laws, and customs of Christianity cannot save us. Even if we could keep our actions pure, we would still be doomed to die because our hearts and minds are prideful and rebellious. Now, where there is no law there is no sin, because people cannot know that their actions are sinful unless a law forbids those actions. Sin is real and dangerous. Imagine a sunny day at the beach, you hit the surf for a swim, but then you notice a sign on the pier: “No swimming. Sharks in water!” Your day is ruined. Is it the sign’s fault? Are you angry with the people who put it up? The law is like the sign. It is essential, and we are grateful for it, but it doesn’t get rid of the sharks. Good News! When we come to JESUS we are flooded with relief and gratitude. Will we keep the rules any better? Most likely, but we will be motivated by love and gratitude; not merely submitting to a set of rules, but willingly and lovingly seeking to do GOD’s will.

as my sin contributed to JESUS’s crucifixion, but it doesn’t end there. The unbelievable part of it all is that he endured it all for me – CHRIST died for me! Why would he do such a thing? Why would JESUS die (be killed) for a sinner like me? Here’s the exciting part – because he loved me long before I loved him! How awesome is that! Even more exciting is that CHRIST conquered death and today he is alive in heaven and in me. How can I say this? I chose to and accepted JESUS CHRIST as my personal Lord and Saviour, and trust him with my life. By the grace of GOD, through CHRIST JESUS, I am saved. The good news is; you can be too! This week I celebrate him who saved me, his death and his resurrection and not some man made tradition of a bunny and eggs that had nothing to do with what my King did for me. Thank you JESUS for setting me free! Thank you for the cross!

THE SPIRIT OF LIES It is easy to be consumed by pagan believes and what false teachers make you believe these days. The Easter Bunny, Tooth Fairy, and Santa are but a few, well here is news for you; THEY DON’T EXIST! Do you see them mentioned in the Bible, GOD’s Word the truth? NO! So why on earth do we indulge in the spirit of falsehood? In 1 John 4:6, John tells us that “We are from GOD, and whoever knows GOD listens to us; but whoever is not from GOD does not listen to us. This is how we recognize the Spirit of truth and the spirit of falsehood.” False teachers are popular with the world because they tell and teach people what the want to hear or learn. John warns that Christians who faithfully teach GOD’s Word will not win any popularity contests in the world. People don’t want to hear their sins or beliefs denounced; they don’t want to listen to calls to change their behaviour. A false teacher will be well received by non-Christians. Make sure you are influenced by the Spirit of truth in what you celebrate and how.

HEART TO WORSHIP Worship, what a powerful word, or a useless one if not applied correctly. In our busy lives, it is easy to rush into our one-hour-a week worship service without preparing ourselves for worship beforehand. We think and worry about the week’s problems, we pray about whatever comes to mind, during worship we are still engaged in a quick chat, we look around at people and become distracted, and we do not even know what we are singing. You see GOD alone is worthy of being worshiped. What is your attitude toward worship? Do you willingly and joyfully “enter his gates” and come into GOD’s presence, or are you just going through the motions, going to church for the social afterwards at the coffee table? I challenge you, and myself, to spend time reading Psalms 120-135 in preparation of our hearts and minds for worshiping GOD. Just as we prepare to meet a business associate or invited guests, we should carefully prepare to meet our King in worship. Unless our hearts are ready, worship is meaningless. The way we worship GOD is our response to who JESUS is. Let us prepare our hearts and come before him with a spirit of joy and thankfulness; GOD will be delighted to receive you.

UP IN SMOKE Pressures, demands, expectations, and tasks pour in from all sides and attack our schedules with a vengeance. Do this! Be there! Call them! Everyone seems to want something from us – family, friends, employer, school, church, and clubs. Soon we have little left to give as we run out of energy and time. We find ourselves rushing through life, attending to the necessary, the immediate, and the urgent. The important is all too often left in the smoke of our burning tyres. Our problem is not the volume of demands or lack of time management, but values. Haggai 1 tells us what GOD told the people in Jerusalem, who prioritised their lives in the same way we do today. What happened to them is happening to us today; if we put GOD first, he will provide for our deepest needs. If we put him in any other place, all our efforts will be useless. Jobs, homes, vacations, and leisure activities may capture the No. 1 spot on our list of importance than GOD. What is most important to you? Where is GOD on your list of priorities? THANK YOU JESUS I cannot describe the feeling I have inside of me today. I am both sad and excited. I guess you could call it “restrained anxiety”. This week, more than 2000 years ago, someone I dearly love was brutally tortured and killed and I had a part in it. Yes, our sin killed JESUS. I feel sad and guilty,

Believers must put aside sinful desires, but doing so is the by-product of our new life in CHRIST, not the reason for our new life. Our salvation does not depend on our own discipline and rule keeping, but on the power of CHRIST’s death and resurrection. Following a long list of religious rules requires strong self-discipline and can make a person moral, but religious rules cannot change a person’s heart. Only the Holy Spirit can do that. I choose CHRIST before religion!

DON’T BACK DOWN, NEVER STOP You will agree with me that discouragement and fear are two of the greatest obstacles to completing GOD’s work. Discouragement and fear is the result of intimidation; it eats away at your motivation and paralyses us so we don’t act at all. We need to recognise these common barriers and repeat after the elders in Ezra 5:11, “We are the servants of the GOD of heaven and earth…” Sure it is not always easy to speak up for our faith in an unbelieving world, but we must. The only way to deal with pressure and intimidation is to recognise that we are workers for GOD. Our commitment is to him first, people second. When we contemplate the reactions and criticisms of hostile people, we can become paralysed with fear. If we try to offend no one or to please everyone, we won’t be effective. GOD is our leader, and his rewards are most important. So don’t be intimidated, let others know by your words and actions whom you really serve.

HEALED BY JESUS For the last two days I’ve been sitting with terrible back pain and can barely move. Major discomfort and sleepless nights hamper my everyday tasks as I battle to walk, sit or lie down. In this painful situation I crave healing, and taking medication just doesn’t seem to work. This reminds me of the women in Luke 8:43-48 who desperately pushed through the crowd, determined by faith, just to reach out and touch JESUS’s robe to be healed from her disease of 12 years. As soon as she touched his robe she was healed. What a difference there is between the crowds that is curious about JESUS and the few who reach out and touch him! Today, many people are vaguely familiar with JESUS, but nothing in their lives is changed or improved by this passing Healer. It is only faith that releases GOD’s healing power. Are you just curious about GOD, or do you push through the crowd, reaching out to him in faith knowing that his mercy will bring healing to your body, soul, and spirit?

PRAY FOR PEACE In our fallen world it is often deemed acceptable by some religions and countries, to tear people down, kill them, blast them to pieces, fly into buildings, intimidate them, eliminate them, all done with total disregard to humanity and the devastating consequences it has – all done in revenge! Where in the universe did you hear from GOD to go and do this to his people, his creations? Oh I’m sorry, your god is not my GOD; my GOD is a God of love and peace and not a satanic god of hate and destruction. In GOD’s kingdom, revenge is unacceptable behaviour; no matter how justified you might think your actions are. Too often we see peace as merely the absence of conflict, but an effective peacemaker actively pursues peace. Real peacemakers build good relationships, knowing that peace is a byproduct of commitment. Rise above getting back at those who hurt you, and instead of reacting in anger to these people, however difficult it may be, pray for them – pray for peace! RELIGION OR CHRIST Legalism or man-made religion attracts many people today. The truth is that we cannot reach up to GOD by following a set of rules, by observing rituals, or by practicing religion. Not all rules are bad, but no keeping of laws or rules will earn salvation. The Good News is that GOD reaches down to people, and asks for our response. Man-made religions focus on human effort; Christianity focuses on CHRIST’s work.

PEACE ANYONE? I’ve faced many dark and hopeless circumstances in my life, and at times it feels as if I’m smack in the middle of it all again. But today, and for the last 10 years of my life, I’ve experienced the end result of the Holy Spirit’s work in my life as he established a deep and lasting peace within me; this peace is confident assurance in any circumstance. With CHRIST’s peace I have no need to fear the present or the future. Sin, fear, uncertainty, doubt, and numerous other evil forces are at war within us. The peace of GOD wants to move into our hearts and live to restrain these hostile forces, offering comfort in place of conflict. JESUS says in John 14:27, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” He will give us that peace if we are willing to accept it from him. If your life is full of stress, allow the Holy Spirit to fill you with CHRIST’s peace. I need that peace

Without bookkeepers, secretaries, trainers, and administrators, those with the public ministry would be unable to do their jobs. Are you on the front lines? Don’t forget those who are backing you up. Are you in the support group? Realise that your position, although it may be less glamorous or exciting, is vital to the work of the entire group. Treat everyone with the same respect and dignity no matter how insignificant they may seem; you never know how GOD will use them to help you or haunt you, depending upon your response to them.

every day, and so do you! GREATER THAN YOU To be productive for GOD, we must obey his teachings, resist temptation, actively serve and help others, and share our faith. John the Baptist was one such person. Let’s put ourselves in John’s shoes. Your work is going well, people are taking notice, and everything is growing. But you know that the purpose of your work is to prepare the people for JESUS. Then JESUS arrives, and he’s coming to test your integrity. Will you be able to turn your followers over to him? John passed the test by publicly baptising JESUS, and soon after said “He must become great, I must become less” (John 3:30). Can we, like John, put our egos and profitable work aside in order to point others to JESUS? Are we willing to lose some of our status so that everyone will benefit? Don’t just say YES, think about it, pray about it and allow the Holy Spirit to move your lips saying, “JESUS must become great, I must become less”.

LIFE’S NOT FAIR Yes I’m sure every single one of us can make a claim to this phrase, but it is the truth. Ecclesiastes 9:11 states, “the race is not to the swift or the battle to the strong, nor does food come to the wise or wealth to the brilliant or favour to the learned; but time and chance happen to them all.” There are many cases where the strongest don’t win, the wise go hungry, and the clever are not rewarded. The world is vast, and sin has twisted life making it what GOD did not intend. It is time we keep our perspective. Don’t let the inequities of life keep you from earnest, dedicated work. Colossians 3:23 states, “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men.” Maybe now, before using this phrase again, we can align efforts to serve GOD first before serving others or ourselves.

SATAN CONTROLS IT In Deuteronomy 18:9-13 we read how people sacrificed children and took part in occult practices, and even today Christians are curious about the occult – fascinated by horoscopes, fortune-telling, witchcraft, and unusual cults. The truth is, Satan is behind it all, and we, as Christians need to wake up! Often people’s interest comes from a desire to know and control the future. But Satan is no less dangerous today than he was in Moses’ time. GOD’s Word, the Bible, tells us all we need to know about what is going to happen and how we should live our lives. The information Satan offers is most certainly distorted and completely false. With the trustworthy guidance of the Holy Spirit through the Bible and the church, we don’t need to turn to occult sources for false and distorted information. We need to replace these evil practices with the worship of the one true GOD. Stop it or fall asleep in Satan’s arms! RESPECT THEM ALL In almost any organisation we have people serving in all areas, as a team, to achieve one goal. In 1 Samuel 30:24,25 David made a law that those who stayed with the supplies were to be treated equally with those who fought on the front lines. In church and other organisations, we need to treat those who provide support services equally with those on the front lines.

HALFHEARTED SERVICE So often our efforts to know and obey GOD can best be described as “half-hearted”, but Matthew 22:37 tells us to love him “with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind”. So why then is it too much of an effort to serve our Master? As an instructor people have to obey my instructions as I train, shape and mould the finer points of their skills to ride a motorcycle effectively. In life each one of us have to choose a master and submit ourselves under him. Without JESUS, we would have no choice – we would have to submit ourselves to sin, and the result would be guilt, suffering, and separation from GOD. Thanks to JESUS we can now choose GOD as our Master. Following him, we can enjoy new life and learn how to work for him. Are you still serving your first master, sin? Or are you training wholeheartedly under a new life-giving Master?

GOD’s strength can we overcome them. Pride appeals to the empty mind; sexual enticement calls to the empty heart. By looking to GOD, we can fill our minds with his wisdom and our hearts with his love. Don’t be fooled; remember what GOD says about who you are and what you were meant to be. Daily, ask him for strength and discernment to resist these temptations, and be drawn into the arms of a loving Father and not into the arms of a destructive prostitute.

THE DEVIL IN OTHERS In Matthew 4:6 the devil used Psalm 91:11, 12 to try and convince JESUS to sin! Yes he used Scripture and sometimes he will use friends and family to present attractive and convincing reasons why you should try something you know is wrong. They may even find Bible verses that seem to support their viewpoint. Study the Bible carefully, especially the deeper context of specific verses, so that you understand GOD’s principles for living and what he wants for your life. Only if you really understand what the whole Bible says will you be able to recognise errors of interpretation when people take verses out of context and twist them to say what they want them to say. Trust the Holy Spirit to reveal the truth of GOD’s perfect Word, and not in people because people can be manipulated by the devil; the Holy Spirit cannot!

LEAN ON ME Leaning means that you put your whole weight on something or someone, resting on and trusting in that person or thing. When we have an important decision to make, we sometimes feel that we can’t trust anyone – not even GOD. But GOD knows best of what we need than even we do! We must trust him completely in every choice we make. We should not forget our GODgiven ability to think, but at the same time we should not trust in our own ideas or decisions. We must not be wise in our own eyes. We should always be willing to listen to and be corrected by GOD’s Word. Bring your decisions to GOD in prayer; use the Bible as your guide and then follow GOD’s leading by the Holy Spirit. As we start this new day, let us remember to “Trust in the Lord with all our heart and lean not on our own understanding; in all our ways acknowledge him, and he will make our paths straight.” (Proverbs 3:5, 6)

A WISE FOOL Starting a study on Proverbs, one can quickly see the pattern in which King Solomon guides us with his GOD-given wisdom, warning us to be wise men and women and not live as fools with a character deficiency such as rebellion, laziness, or anger. I need to highlight again, that sin is enticing because it offers a quick route to prosperity and makes us feel like one of the crowd. But when we go along with others and refuse to listen to the truth, our own appetites become our masters, and we’ll do anything to satisfy them. Sin, in its attractive form, is deadly. We must learn to make choices, not based on looking good or short-term pleasure, but based on the long-term results. Sometimes this means steering clear of people who want to entice us into activities that we know are wrong. We can’t be friendly with sin and expect our lives to remain unaffected. There is no such thing as a wise fool; the choice is yours as you foolishly reject GOD or wisely accept him. PRIDEFUL LUST Talking to the men, a severe warning I give you today – get GOD or get lost! If you’ve ever been seduced by a women, or allowed yourself to be seduced by one you’ll know that she is nothing but a prostitute; needless to say what you have become. According to Proverbs 2:16-19, two of the most difficult sins to resist are pride and sexual immorality. Both are seductive. Pride says, “I deserve it”; sexual desire says, “I need it.” Combine these two and you are staring death in the face. Solomon says that, only by relying on

HAPPINESS AND HOLINESS Throughout the whole Bible we read about people who disobeyed GOD and were punished, and of people who obeyed GOD and were rewarded for their obedience. You think we would learn something from this book – a world best seller! It is a fact that there are rewards for trusting and obeying GOD, but there are also punishments for those who distrust and disobey him. What GOD is actually saying through this combination of rewards and punishments is that the only way to be really happy is to be really holy. Happiness and holiness belong together and the lack of holiness brings unhappiness. Most people get it the wrong way round. GOD’s will for us is that we be holy in this world and happy in the next, but many want to be happy in this world and holy later. GOD is willing to let things happen to us which may be painful, but which will make us more holy as a result. Our character tends to make more progress in the tough times than the good. Be holy now, obey GOD now; there might

that will tell us only what we want to hear, but such advice is not helpful. Instead we should look for sources that will speak the truth, even when it hurts. Now here is a little good advice, and the source is GOD’s Word, the Truth. This might hurt a little! Those who do not believe in GOD usually fear death, and with good reason. On the other hand, believers desire eternal life and GOD’s salvation, and their hopes will be rewarded. The choice is yours; you can either have your fears or your desires come true, by making a choice to reject GOD and living your own way, or by choosing to accept GOD and following him. Choose wisely and decide if this was what you wanted to hear.

not be a later. TEACH THEM NOW One of the greatest responsibilities to us as parents is to encourage our children to become wise. We need to teach them to start while they are still young, just like King David did with his son Solomon. Encourage them to start now, and not wait until they turn 40, as most people at this age still lack wisdom. Even friends can make them fall, it is difficult for today’s youth to accept the fact that friends might be tempting them to do wrong. Young people who want to be accepted would never want to confront a friend for having wrong motives. Many of them can’t even see how their friends’ actions could lead to trouble. While we teach them to be accepting of others, we need to teach them to guard their hearts no matter how difficult it might be. We need to teach them to proceed with caution whenever they feel heavily influenced by their friends and others; and to not let friends cause them to fall into sin. Give them life through GOD’s perfect Word and teach them Proverbs 4:23, “Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life”.

TRUE SUCCESS I’m sure you’ll agree that established means to be successful. Proverbs 12:3 tells us, “No one can be established through wickedness, but the root of the righteous shall not be moved.” Well, real success comes only to those who do what is right. Their efforts stand the test of time. Then, what kind of success does wickedness bring? We all know people who cheated to pass the course or to get a larger tax refund – is this success? And what about the person who ignores his family commitments and mistreats his workers but gets ahead in business? These so called successes are only temporary. They are bought at the expense of their character; they are insincere and grow more and more dishonest. In the long run, evil behaviour does not lead to success, but leads to even more evil. Real success maintains personal integrity. If you are not a success by GOD’s standards, you have not achieved true success.

THE SLUGGARD IN US Oh how we all savour those last moments of sleep, just before sunrise, as we resist the beginning of another workday. But Proverbs 6:6-11 warns against giving in to the temptation of laziness, of sleeping instead of working. This does not mean we should never rest; GOD gave us a weekly rest day but we must not rest when we should be working. Take the ant for example; it utilizes its energy and resources wisely, always working when it should to the benefit of the colony. If laziness turns us from our responsibilities, poverty may soon prevent us from the legitimate rest we should enjoy. It is clear that diligence or being willing to work hard, and do one’s best at any job given to you is a vital part of wise living. We work hard, not to become rich, famous, or admired, but to serve GOD with our very best during our lives. This morning, wake up to a new day, a GOD given day and give him your best all day long! GOOD ADVICE The book of Proverbs is filled with guidelines, warnings and truths that could be applied to our lives – or not. Your choice! The fact is that a lot of poor advice is worth less than a little good advice. It is easy to get opinions from sources

EASY WAY OUT We all have to deal with people on a daily basis, and at times we just want to be left alone because these very same people hurt us, annoy us, and at times we get to a point where we want to avoid them at all costs. The only way to keep your life free of people problems is to keep it free of other people. But if your life is free of people, it is useless; and if you live only for yourself, your life loses its meaning. Sure people fight to be first in line, and road rage is as common as rice in Japan, but the common bond of GOD’s people should be goodwill. Those with goodwill think the best of others and assume the others have good motives and intend to do what is right. No, I’m not saying you should have a blind attitude, but instead of avoiding people, we should serve them, share our faith, and work for justice.

while working as if everything depended on us. Think of your day ahead and ask yourself “Have I truly committed it to the LORD?”

Avoiding people is easy, but serving them takes dedication and sacrifice. When someone crosses you today, and you feel your blood pressure rising, ask yourself, “How can I show goodwill to this person?” Let your attitude towards other people be a reflection of your love of CHRIST today!

I WANT TO DIE Shocked you didn’t I? But to be honest there were times I felt like this; felt like I just wanted to die, to be left alone, depressed beyond restoration as if GOD left my hand – left me! Times like when my dad passed away in 1983, when my grandfather passed away in 1985, when I was retrenched and lost everything I owned in 1993, when my father in-law passed away in 1997, and in 2011 when I had to leave an organisation because I was let down by people I trusted and having given them 7 years of my life. I felt like an outcast, like I just can’t go on anymore! Today, looking back, I can say with freedom and joy in my heart that GOD never left me! He saved me, restored me and strengthened my character through all of this; he gave me his Word to stand on, he gave me Philippians 4:13, “I can do all things through CHRIST who strengthens me.” He promised me that he gave his only Son, CHRIST JESUS, to die for me because he loved me that much. Today I look at GOD’s blessings in my life, and hold onto his provision, mercy and love. Today I acknowledge that he has always been there with me and for me, giving me a beautiful wife, two beautiful children, a mother and brother, a wonderful extended family and friends, but most of all he gave me JESUS! I have asked GOD for forgiveness, for every time I wished to die, it was a result of the failure of my faith in him. GOD has a plan for me and for you! If you feel or felt like this at times, like you just want to die, look at GOD for strength and ask him to restore unto you the riches and power that is his to give. Rather than seeking to escape from suffering through death, we must depend on GOD and find rest in him, for his purpose and glory. Call on him today!

TUNNEL VISION Every one of us has to plan his or her life carefully or face the result of poor planning. A vision is required before planning can commence, but there are those with tunnel vision, people who are locked into one way of thinking. They are likely to miss the right road because they have closed their minds to any new options. We need the help of those who can enlarge our vision and broaden our perspective. You need to look for the advice of those who know you and have a wealth of experience. Proverbs 15:22 tells us that “Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed.” Build a network of advisers. Then be open to new ideas and be willing to weigh their suggestions carefully. Your plans will be stronger and more likely to succeed but it doesn’t stop there. Planning extends from thoughts into actions and words, and it is equally important to watch or plan what we are going to say or do. Question is, do you carefully plan, or do you just exert your thoughts, words and actions without concern for their impact? Make GOD part of your vision and trust him to send the right people to help you with your plans. COMMITTED TO THE LORD We all go about our day-to-day business; committed to succeed and even obsessed, whether truthful or lacking conviction and ethics we push forward to come out on top. Some of us forget that commitment should be to the LORD first, and he will reward us with his purposeful success. Now there are different ways to fail to commit whatever we do to the LORD. Some people commit their work only superficially. They say they are doing it for the LORD, but in the end they are going at it for themselves. Others give GOD temporary control of their plans, only to take control back the moment things stop going the way they expect. Still others commit a task fully to the LORD without any effort from themselves, and then they wonder why they don’t succeed. Proverbs 16:3 states, “Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and your plans will succeed.” We must maintain a delicate balance: trusting GOD as if everything depended on him,

I’M TOO TIRED Oh how slack I’ve been these last few days, allowing myself to sleep in, just too tired to get up – yes just too tired to spend time with GOD. Too cold, dark and early to “go up the mountain” and meet with GOD to receive his strength and purpose, before I start my day. Holy Spirit, thank you for waking me up this morning with renewed strength and hope to take up my cross and follow him who gives love and life everlasting. It is true, and you might feel the same way, even the strongest of us get tired at times, but

my heart, in the same situation and doing what Paul did, ministering and encouraging wardens and fellow cellmates. We may not be in prison, but we still have plenty of opportunities to be discouraged – times of uncertainty, financial problems, family issues, church conflict, or loss of income. How we act in these situations will reflect what we believe. Don’t let your actions be another person’s excuse for rejecting GOD. Like Paul, look for ways to demonstrate your faith even in bad situations; whether or not the situation improves, your faith in CHRIST will grow stronger. Let us break out and reach out to those still stuck in prison.

GOD’s power and strength never runs out. He is never too tired or too busy to help and listen. His almighty strength is our source of strength. Isaiah 40:29-31 tells us that men (and women) get tired, stumble and fall but if we hope in the LORD he will renew our strength; we will get up to follow him and not grow tired. When you feel your life crushing down on you and you cannot take another step, remember that you can call upon GOD to renew your strength. Right now, stand up and walk with renewed hope in the LORD, glorifying him with every step you take! WAIT FOR IT A challenging phrase indeed, and certainly something I need to practise more often. You can’t eat food until it’s prepared and ready to enjoy; even sushi has to be prepared. Urgency and anxiety run rampant in our lives running after material things or desires such as: I want a new car now. I want that job now. I want to end my marriage now. I want to end my life now. I want GOD to answer me now. I want, I want, I want! But what does GOD want?” Waiting for GOD is not easy. Often it seems that he isn’t listening to our prayers or doesn’t understand the urgency of our situation. That kind of thinking suggests that GOD is not in control or is not fair. Truth is, GOD is worth waiting for. Lamentations 3:24-26 encourages us to hope in and wait for the LORD because often GOD uses waiting to refresh, renew, and teach us. Even David waited for GOD and look what he received in Psalm 40:1-4. We need to make good use of our waiting times by learning what GOD may be trying to teach us. Just like David, let us wait for GOD because blessings cannot be received unless we go through the trial of waiting. Make earnest prayer and fasting part of your waiting period, study GOD’s Word and wait for his perfect answer at his perfect time. It will come, just wait for it. STUCK IN PRISON I don’t even want to comprehend what it must be like to be in prison; locked up and alone, some forgotten and rejected. Some of us might not be locked up in a cell, but are locked up in circumstance; bitter and given up on life and GOD. It’s time to break out and escape! For one, Paul was locked up in jail, not as a criminal but for living and teaching CHRIST JESUS. Locked up, Paul turned a bad situation into a good one; he reached out to the Roman soldiers and encouraged Christians who were afraid of persecution. I know of someone very dear to

DOING WHAT IS RIGHT How many of us can truly say, “I always do what is right”? I think there is more truth in “we know what is right but we don’t do it”. Yes, peer or social pressure can make you do things you know is wrong, it changes you – it kills you from the inside. When the risks are high, it is difficult to stand up for what is right, and it is easy to see our opponents as problems to be solved rather than as people we should respect and love. In Luke 23, Pilot couldn’t find JESUS guilty of any wrongdoing “… he has done nothing to deserve death.” (v. 25) In the end he wanted to protect his own image, and please the people and not hurt his career. Are we the same? Do we compromise when it comes to doing the right thing? Do we buckle under pressure like Pilot, and the people who killed JESUS? Yes we are! We are just like Pilot when we know what is right, but decide not to do it. When you have a difficult decision to make, don’t submit to peer pressure. Realise beforehand that the right decision could have unpleasant consequences: social rejection, public mockery and possible loss of your career. Trust in GOD, draw on the power of CHRIST and resolve to stand up for what is right no matter what other people pressure you to do.

Matthew 16:25, “For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it.” If we try and protect ourselves from pain and discomfort by not sharing the Gospel of CHRIST JESUS, we begin to die spiritually and emotionally. When we give our lives in service to CHRIST, we discover the real purpose of living. If you are gripped in a spiritual cold fever, ask GOD to heal you from the inside out, and become a renewed and effective servant to the one who saved you. Go out and share your faith with at least one person today!

LIVING A LIE Have you ever asked GOD for direction, guidance or wisdom then got an answer but couldn’t help wondering if this is not Satan up to his usual mind games again? He is very good at that; lying to you, conning you in thinking it’s from GOD because it feels right, just to find out days, weeks or years down the line that it was just you, yes all you and your own arrogant or selfish will wanting it more than anything in the world and it failed. Where did it go wrong? You might even start blaming GOD! The blame is on us! Did I really wait patiently and prayerfully on GOD’s response before acting out a lie? Did I spend time in His perfect Word, searching for answers, meditating and fasting? Did I listen to hear from the Holy Spirit to guide me in my thinking and actions, or did I ignore him and succumbed to my anxiety to succeed? Did I study the life of CHRIST JESUS and his disciples to find living proof of how they submitted to GOD the Father, trusting him, obeying him? Did we ignore the advice or caution from a wise friend? Did we flat out act out the lie we thought to be the truth, or did we trust GOD all the way and lived out his purpose, his truth, his will? If you are facing this right now; the need for guidance, wisdom and direction then read Proverbs 1:23-28 before you take another step. We must be willing to listen, refusing to let pride stand in our way. If we feel we have no need of GOD’s direction, then disaster will follow and your new friend Satan will destroy you. Stop living a lie, act now and live the truth that is in GOD! A COLD FEVER Feeling sick can bring your life to a halt; it can affect the whole body and even occupy the mind. I woke up at mid-night shaking like a leaf, burning up from the inside but cold to the touch and my back gripped with muscle spasms. Lying in bed after having taken some medication and hot chocolate, GOD told me that we could at times experience a spiritual cold fever – warm and burning on the inside but cold on the outside. We could have CHRIST in our hearts, but be ineffective for the Kingdom of CHRIST. Why keep CHRIST to yourself, when he has done so much for you? Are you scared what others might think, don’t know how to share your faith, or are you just too busy with your own thing trying to find the right medication for your condition in all the wrong places? All the help you need for a purpose driven life is in GOD’s Word and the example of CHRIST JESUS our Saviour. JESUS warns us in

CONSUMING FIRE I am sure you have seen flames or fires and what they can do? A flame can either result in something positive when contained such as a braai fire or a candle in the dark, but then it can be destructive like a roaring inferno blasting through valuable property and resulting in loss of life. There are fires we can get close to like a campfire for warmth and then there are fires that we wouldn’t dare getting close to, not even with protective gear. This is the same with GOD, there is no ways that we as humans can contain GOD, or even think of controlling him. We cannot force or manipulate him to do anything for us through our prayers. The good news is that GOD is compassionate, he saved us from sin, and he will save us from death. You see, a forest fire might burn everything to the ground, black and dead, but then GOD sends his life-giving rain so the forest may grow again into a haven for living, making everything new. Hebrews 12:29 states, “GOD is a consuming fire”; allow him to come into your life and destroy the things that keeps you from growing in CHRIST, so that only the good will remain. GOD doesn’t want to destroy you, but the sin in your life instead. Ask him today to light the fire, and make your life new again!

EXPERT JUDGE All of us, yes every single one of us, are experts in judging others in some way or the other. At times we are quick to tell others what to do, but miss the main idea of GOD’s instructions to help and love others. JESUS made it clear in Matthew 5:19 that obeying GOD’s law is more important than explaining it. It’s much easier to study GOD’s Word and tell others to obey it than to put it into practise. We should be very careful when looking at the sin in others; there is a very fine line between good intention and judging others. JESUS again highlights the importance of compassion and forgiveness in John 8:7-11.

good.” Why be foolish and ignore the evidence that GOD exists? Why be wicked and refuse to live by GOD’s truths? We become atheists in practise when we reject JESUS CHRIST and rely more on ourselves than on GOD. If we keep on rejecting GOD, and the truth that is JESUS, we take life in our own hands and commit a suicide of both body and soul. 1 Corinthians 2:14 says, “The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of GOD, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.” How far do you want to stretch your selfish desire to commit suicide? Do you want to wait for another near death experience or another motorcycle accident before turning to GOD? Time and life does not belong to you; it is in GOD’s hands!

When others are caught in sin, are you quick to judge? When we do it is as if we have never sinned. It is GOD’s place to judge, never ours. We need to obey GOD first and show forgiveness and compassion just like he did when he saved us. The next time you see someone in sin, reach out to him with a JESUS heart, help him deal with the sin and if you can’t, keep your mouth and thoughts to yourself. Talking is easy, listening takes discipline – teaching is easy, application takes prayerful commitment. How are you doing at obeying GOD yourself? Can you really throw the first stone? HOPELESS IS DEAD In today’s life you either have hope or you have hopelessness; you can’t have both. In today’s life you either have CHRIST or you have Satan; you can’t have both. It really comes down to which one of the two you are keeping alive in you: CHRIST or Satan. You might think that your life is hopeless, you had a dreadful past and you are still living the remnants of it right now and don’t see any hope for the future. We have all done things for which we are ashamed, and we live in the tension of what we have been and what we want to be. Place your hope in CHRIST, let go of past guilt and live for what GOD will help us become. Don’t dwell on your past or what Satan wants you to become. Instead, grow in the knowledge of GOD by concentrating on your relationship with him now. Realise that you are forgiven for your past, and then move on to a life of faith and obedience. Live your future in hope and a fuller and more meaningful life because of him who saved you. Hope is CHRIST; hopeless is Satan! Who do you want to live for? SPIRITUAL SUICIDE Suicide is a very serious word; it takes some serious thought and consideration before acting it out and actually committing suicide. It is a deliberate and selfish decision to make and end of one’s life without considering the people you’ll leave behind, but more importantly what GOD thinks about such an act. At this point GOD has very little or nothing to do with a decision like this; it is clearly a rejection of GOD’s purpose for your life. When we reject GOD we commit suicide, we choose death in hell over life in heaven. Sorry, what did you say? “There’s no GOD!” The most read and sold book of all time, yes the Bible and GOD’s Word, says in Psalm 14:1, “The fool says in his heart, ‘There is no God.’ They are corrupt, their deeds are vile; there is no one who does

RICH MAN, POOR MAN No I’m not going to discuss the old TV Series, but today, like every other day I’m acknowledging that I am poor. Yes it is true; I don’t have a huge bank account, I owe people money and people owe me money, I am nothing but a little piece of dirt blown around by life’s gusting winds. I am nothing, I have nothing – I am poor! Now here’s the flip side of the coin. In GOD’s eyes I am loved, I am lifted up, I am important, I am his child and through his big love for me allowed his Son to die for me. By accepting this precious gift I am rich beyond my wildest dreams – I am free! Every day we should strive to empty our personal “bank account”, making ourselves less so GOD can become more, and work towards true and eternal wealth. The Bible says in James 1: 10,11, “But the rich personʼs pride should be in his humiliation, because he will pass away like a wildflower in the meadow. For the sun rises with its heat and dries up the meadow; the petal of the flower falls off and its beauty is lost forever. So also the rich person in the midst of his pursuits will wither away.” Wealth, power, and status mean nothing to GOD, so why do we chase it and run after those who have it? Do material possessions give you goals and are they the only reason for living? Why chase after something that can be lost in an instant? What you have in your heart, not your bank account, matters to GOD and will last forever. As for my family and me, we choose to be poor so we can be rich, rich in CHRIST!

pray constantly that GOD will point out our sins, so that he can heal them. Unfortunately, we are more likely to be amazed at GOD’s patience with others than humbled at his patience with us. Seek GOD’s approval for your life in his perfect Word (the Bible), through the life of CHRIST and through prayer, knowing that no one will escape the final encounter with the Creator. Seek GOD’s approval in everything and patiently wait for his answer!

I CAN’T BUT WE CAN Stop right there! Before you run off and think that you do this, and you do that, or you have done this and you have done that. It is time we get a wake-up call regarding the source of our abilities and decisions: good or evil our abilities or achievements are inspired by someone other than ourselves. The truth is that in all we do, there is a team at work, you and someone else. In business you work as a team to achieve success and make money, at home you work as a team with your family for unity, in ministry you work as a team to be effective for the Kingdom of GOD. Life is about good and evil, obedience and disobedience, about GOD and Satan; you either team up with CHRIST or you team up with the other guy. For some, making that choice to follow CHRIST might not be easy, and following him might be even more difficult; but we can! Yes, you and the only one who can give you strength and the courage to make that choice. Philippians 4:13 tells us, “I can do all things through CHRIST who strengthens me.” Then it boils down to trust, yes trusting someone other than yourself, someone with more wisdom, love and care for you than the other guy or you; yip, your Creator! With CHRIST all things are possible, from saving a wretch like me to a future in his arms. By yourself you can’t, you tried, I tried; in Satan you will be destroyed, you will fail but in a Saviour like JESUS we can live forever! NOT APPROVED Have you ever heard the phrase, “It’s easier to say you’re sorry than to ask for permission”? If only this was true. Many of us live by this not knowing that they can save themselves a lot of pain, time and resources. Shall I rephrase it a little in stating, “It’s easier to sin than to ask GOD for his approval”? Now this is true for most of us, but it doesn’t have to be. When GOD is patient with our sins, it doesn’t mean he approves of them. When you pray and ask GOD for something, and he takes his time in answering, it doesn’t mean he has approved your request. Let me remind you, GOD is kind and loves us more than anything else in this world; he is holding back his judgment, giving us time to turn away from our sin and turn to him instead. It is easy to think that because GOD is loving and kind, he will approve if your actions. Has he? Who did you get your answer from? It is time we evaluate our conduct, and expose our lives to GOD, allowing him to show us through his Holy Spirit where we need to change. Not so easy hey? As Christians we must

THE BREAK-UP I’m sure most of us were in relationships in the past, and then broke up for some reason or the other. How did it feel to break up? Not pleasant, it hurts; I never want to go through that again. Have you asked yourself why it didn’t work out? Was it because of too little love, no trust or simply because you lost interest? The truth is that any relationship starts with love, and it ends without love. Breaking up is easy; making it work is the tough part. It is easy to strike up a friendship, but a relationship takes hard work and you guessed it … Love! Why are you in a relationship? Is it to get something out, or to put something in? Did you know that GOD wants a relationship with you? What are you afraid of? In Genesis 3:8-9 we read how Adam and Eve hid from GOD when they realised they have sinned. We are the same, acting as if GOD doesn’t know what we’re doing, and then we choose the easy way out and run or hide from him. We choose to break up our relationship with him. We are afraid to work at this relationship because we feel we can’t live up to GOD’s standards. The good news is, GOD’s Son, JESUS CHRIST, opens the way for us to come to GOD and renew our fellowship with him. GOD longs to be with us and without a doubt offers us his unconditional love. In love GOD wants in; why do you want out? Don’t be afraid, don’t hide, but be encouraged to share your life with him.

rest in the place that CHRIST is preparing for you and me. Today, renew your effort to work hard for GOD. May Psalm 95:7,8 touch your heart when stating, “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts.” You can find rest in CHRIST JESUS; he is the rest you need. Delight in the thought and ask him for it.

YOU COWARD Have you ever tried making an argument of truth against the majority, and were met with resistance or flat-out rejection? Fact is that truth cannot be measured by numbers but often stands against majority belief. Truth cannot change because the character of GOD cannot change; GOD is truth, what he says is the final word and at times we must stand alone on the side of truth. We read about Caleb in Numbers 13 and 14, and GOD’s reward in Numbers 14:24, “But my servant Caleb, because he has a different spirit and has followed me wholeheartedly, I will bring into the land into which he went, and his descendants shall inherit it.” Caleb was known, not really as a man of great faith but more as a man of faith in a great GOD. We, on the other hand, choose to agree with the majority and take their distorted word as the truth. What cowards we are! We often base our decisions on what everyone else is doing – we are nothing but cowards. Our search for right or wrong usually starts with questions like “What do the experts say?” or “What do my friends say?” but we avoid the one question we should be asking, “What does GOD say?” Don’t you get it, studying the Bible provides as with a road map for our lives, and draws us into a personal relationship with GOD, to live as free men and women and not as cowards or slaves to the corrupt majority. The same GOD, who gave Caleb the boldness to stand, is the same GOD who offers us the gift of eternal life through his Son, JESUS. That’s truth worth believing! That’s truth worth standing for! No more cowardice; STAND! NEED REST Isn’t it strange that most of us work much harder the week before a holiday than we normally would? Tying up loose ends, rushing to meetings and putting extra pressure on employees to get things done just so we can relax while on vacation. Students usually have their exams just before a term break, so they put extra effort into getting good results. We all put extra effort into finishing our work in order to have a stress-free rest. As healthy Christians we should love the work GOD has given us, doing it with passion and delight, putting all our strength and care into it. But we all need rest after a hard day’s work; I know I do. But don’t you just love GOD’s promise of heaven’s rest even more and are you looking forward to GOD’s rest with great joy? To be honest; I can’t wait! I know that my rest will not end with death, but will become an eternal

ANGRY BIRDS How many of you have seen or played the game “Angry Birds”? It just doesn’t make sense to me. In their anger they want to destroy something but end up being destroyed themselves. Then it dawned on me; our temper can achieve the very same goal – destruction! A quick temper can be like an “angry bird” slung through the air and wherever it falls, destroys everything in its path. We need to realize that anger divides people; it pushes us into rushed decisions that only cause bitterness and guilt. On the other hand, temper in itself is not wrong. Anger can be a real reaction to injustice for the cause. Question is, are you reacting to an evil situation that you are going to set right, or are you responding selfishly to a personal insult? Why don’t you put those “angry birds” of yours in a cage and teach them restraint instead of giving them the freedom to destroy and divide. Proverbs 14:29 states, “A patient man has great understanding, but a quick-tempered man displays folly.” Proverbs 15:1 also says, “A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.” Pray that GOD will help you control your quick temper, and channel your feelings into effective action and humility, honouring him with every word spoken and action taken.

YOUR “TYRE” PRESSURE When last have you checked your “tyre” pressure? How much pressure can your “tyre” take or do you just allow Satan to pump it up to exploding point? I for one, sometimes allow Satan to just pump it up instead of allowing GOD to regulate it. Life is full of pressure and stress, the question is: What are you like under pressure? The truth is that we can’t really know the depth of our character until we see how we react under pressure. It is easy to be kind to others when everything is going well, but can we still be kind when life’s pressures turns to stress due to work, financial situations or unfair treatment from others? James 1:2-4 states that GOD wants to make us mature and complete, not to keep us from all pain. Instead of complaining about our pressures, we should trust GOD to regulate

deeper relationship with GOD. I want to follow CHRIST. I want to read the Bible and pray more. I want to obey GOD. I want to sin no more. Oh I know these are too difficult hey? We can be just like the Israelites in the desert, wanting more food, not just manna but meat too. In Numbers 11 we read about their dissatisfaction and how they paid the price as a result of their attitude of complaining. But before we judge them, it is important to think what occupies our attention most of the time. Are we grateful for what GOD has given us, or are we always thinking about what we would like to have? We should not allow our frustrated desires to cause us to forget GOD’s gifts of life, food, health, work, family, and friends. When we ask GOD for something, he may grant our request, but if we approach him with a sinful attitude, getting what we want may cost us more than what we had. Thank GOD for what you have right now, be grateful, change your attitude and trust GOD with what he wants for you.

them, and see them as opportunities for growth. Thank GOD for promising to be with you in rough times. Ask him to help you solve your problems or to give you the strength to endure them. Then be patient, GOD will not leave you alone with your problems, he will stay close and help you grow in perseverance and faith. Remember, your “tyre” is only effective when regulated – too soft and it will affect your steering, too hard and it will pop and leave you stranded! THE TEACHER IN YOU I love teaching and telling people what to do; in my business there’s a lot of it but oh there’s a difference. You see, teaching someone something could have a positive or negative impact on that person’s life, it requires the willingness of both the teacher and the student, and has a lasting effect. Telling someone what to do can take many forms but never have the same effect as teaching. I believe among us are great teachers, but JESUS is the ultimate and divine teacher and we can certainly learn from him! No matter how intelligent and well educated you are, you must come to JESUS with an open mind and heart so he can teach you the truth about GOD. Timothy and John were great teachers but they learned from the best; they willingly submitted to the greatest Teacher of all time. You see, JESUS taught with the perfect attitude, not telling them what to do, but teaching them with kindness and gentleness, patiently explaining the truth about GOD. Good teaching never promotes fighting or foolish arguments. Whether you are teaching Sunday school, leading a Bible study, or preaching in church, remember to listen to people’s questions and treat them with respect. With this ‘JESUS’ teaching attitude, even those who oppose you will be more than willing to hear what you have to say and perhaps turn to JESUS for the truth. I WANT MORE There are times in my life where I feel unhappy or dissatisfied with what I have; I want more or rather something else. I want another job. I want another place to stay. I want another car. I want another bike. I want more money. These are just a small number of thoughts that infect our minds every day. Are these thoughts working for you? Do you get what you want without any side effects? Dissatisfaction comes when our attention moves from what we have to what we don’t have. Why not turn the table around and make commitments along these lines: I want a

BURNED FIELD On a trip to Ladysmith a few years ago, I rode through our beautiful countryside and admired GOD’s creation, reminiscing on his favour upon our lives. Beautiful green fields with flowers, trees and grass as far as the eye can see. I experienced peace and harmony, this is where I want to be, and I felt at home here. Then disaster struck; around the next bend all of that was gone! I rode past a field that was burned to the ground; all black, everything destroyed, lifeless, deserted. The spiritual state of our lives, as GOD revealed it to me, is like this ‘burned down field’, all black, depressing, no life, dead and nothing to offer. For this ‘field’ to become whole again, offering life and growth, joy, purpose and hope to its inhabitants, life-giving rain is required. This rain, in its spiritual form, is GOD’s power through the Holy Spirit. Only when the “field” is whole again, in other words, when we are in line with GOD’s will and purpose for us will we grow. GOD cannot use us if we are not healthy or mature (green) in his Spirit. For something to grow, it is at times required to die first; we need to die to sin, sin needs to be destroyed in our lives, then by GOD’s grace we will grow to the “fields” GOD intended for us to be. “But if CHRIST is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness. If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised CHRIST JESUS from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.” – Romans 8:10-11

you have been set apart by GOD and that he loves you. He hears and answers, although his answers may not be what you expect. It is important that we look at our problems in the light of GOD’s power instead of looking at GOD in the shadow of our problems.

IT HURTS For days now I’ve been wrestling with the idea of selling my business, or just giving up and moving onto something completely new. Have you ever felt this way, or am I on a different planet? Being strong in your faith is not easy, no one said it would be; it takes hard and dedicated work, hours of Bible study and prayer. Life hurts, each and every one of us face different giants each day and at times we just want to give up, throw in the towel and run away. Some have done this with terrible consequences, not waiting on GOD and just taking things in their own hands, committing suicide and taking family members with them. Now in my thoughts, alone in the office, GOD pointed me to Acts 8:4 and said, “Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went”. No matter their persecution, they kept on doing what they were called to do – spreading the gospel of CHRIST. You see, sometimes we have to become uncomfortable before we’ll move. We may not want to experience it, but discomfort may be best for us because GOD may be working through our hurts. When you are tempted to complain about uncomfortable or painful circumstances, STOP and ask if GOD might be preparing you for a special task – something great! As for me, I have to keep on doing what GOD has called me to, living his purpose for my life. What about you? GOD LISTENS All of us have problems that we have to deal with, and I’m sure you’ve prayed to GOD in the past or recently and you are still waiting for GOD to answer your prayer. Right? You might even feel that GOD has left you, as his child you feel your Father has abandoned you. Wrong! King David was in this position where his only son, Absalom and 10,000 soldiers surrounded him, wanting to kill him and remove him from the throne GOD has put him on. In Psalm 4:3 says “Know that the LORD has set apart the godly for himself; the LORD will hear when I call to him.” You see, the godly are those who are faithful and devoted to GOD. David knew that GOD would hear him when he called and would answer him. We too can be confident that GOD listens to our prayers and answers when we call him. Sometimes we think that GOD will not hear us because we have fallen short of his high standards for holy living. But if we trusted CHRIST for salvation, GOD has forgiven us, and he will listen to us. When you feel as though your prayers are bouncing off the ceiling, remember that as a believer in CHRIST

IN TRAINING Studying the lives of Joseph, Timothy, and JESUS’s disciples creates an excitement in me for the future. All these men, submitting their lives to GOD, were “trained” or prepared by GOD for his service. Joseph was a slave, then became a prisoner before GOD placed him in a position to serve his people. Timothy was trained by Paul, he endured hardship and persecution, just to serve and tell people about CHRIST. The disciples had to give up everything before their training could start, preparation for a future in serving GOD and his people. All of them learned the importance of serving GOD and others. Your situation might be the same; your life might be that of a slave right now, or you are a prisoner of your own circumstances. Whatever the situation, know this: JESUS is your teacher he hasn’t left you and never will. No matter how undesirable your situation may seem, consider it part your training program for serving GOD. JESUS is the best teacher alive, let us be his best students or disciples while we are still alive. Don’t quit the class!

WHY ME LORD? Oh I’m sure you asked GOD this question many a time when you felt lacking or inferior compared to other people, their abilities or their possessions. I know I did, more than once, and that’s low-balling it. What we should be doing is compare ourselves to GOD’s greatness, and looking at creation, we can’t help but feel small by comparison. David says in Psalm 8:3,4 “When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you care for him?” This is a healthy way to get back to reality, but GOD does not want us to dwell on our smallness, but teaches us that humility means proper respect for GOD, not self-depreciation. In Matthew 10:29-31 JESUS says that we are more valuable than sparrows and that GOD has numbered the hair on our heads. Am I this important to GOD? Oh yes! But more important than anything in this world, we are so valuable that GOD sent his only Son to die for you and I. How awesome is that! Because GOD places such value on you,

ACTING LIKE CHILDREN Have you ever observed how children act, and how similar some of us can be when it comes to our faith in CHRIST?In prayer do we ask GOD to take care of us and our loved ones, to bless us financially and protect us, for a painless life and an ease-filled passing into an even better place or do we ask GOD to strip us from our self-imposed boundaries and limitations stretching us to take on even more responsibility than we ever thought was possible? Don’t you think GOD knows you better than anyone else including yourself? JESUS taught accountability and participation in life. When he said ‘Follow me, and I will make you fishers of human souls,’ he was talking about expanded life and thinking, not as a child looking for its next mouthful, but as an adult seeking to shape the world. We are living beneath our Divine Privilege and with that privilege comes responsibility. JESUS came not to reinforce our comfort zones, but to set our old small-minded ways on fire.1 Corinthians 13:11 says “When I was a child, I spoke like a child, thought like a child, and reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up my childish ways.” How will you act today, and tomorrow and the next day? Pray with me: Dear Lord, help me become a Christian who keeps you company rather than one who requires a pacifier and a diaper. Amen

there is no reason why you should ever fear personal pressures or difficult times. These will never shake GOD’s love or remove his Spirit from within you. No, this doesn’t mean GOD will take away all your troubles, but the real test of value is how well you hold up under the pressures of everyday life. Those who stand up for CHRIST in spite of their troubles truly have lasting value. Stand up, look at GOD’s creation, realise how important you are to him and know that GOD has never left you and surely never will. WHY SHOULD I WAIT? I for one must admit that waiting is not my forte. At times I feel it is a complete waste of time, while something could’ve been done already. I don’t like waiting in line, and I also find it very hard to wait for something big especially when I don’t know when it’s actually going to happen. How do you handle the waiting thing? A few years ago GOD showed me the example of Noah in Genesis 8: 6-16 where he had to wait a long time before they could set foot on dry land again. After having spent a year in the ark, he couldn’t get out until GOD told him to. Tip 1: When it’s hard to wait, trust GOD to give you patience during the difficult times when you must wait. Tip 2: Is it worth waiting? For sure it is. GOD shows us in Genesis 30: 20-29 that Jacob worked for Laban for 7 years to be given Rachel as his wife. Laban deceived Jacob, and had to work another 7 years before he eventually was given the wife he so dearly loved. Would you have waited, or worked that long for your wife’s hand in marriage? Ah, be honest! In this GOD shows us that the most important goals and desires are worth working and waiting for. Media (TV and Movies) shows us that people only have to wait about an hour to solve a problem or get what they want. Real life is real! Patience is hardest when we need it the most, but it is the key to achieving our goals and GOD’s purpose for our lives. Tip 3: So what should you do while waiting? In Acts 1:15-26 GOD again showed me that the disciples always spent time praying, seeking guidance and getting organised while waiting on GOD to appoint the right men for the job. Waiting for GOD to work does not mean sitting around doing nothing. We must do what we can while we can, just like Noah building the ark, and let GOD deal with the details. But be careful not to run ahead of GOD!

VISIT TO THE DENTIST Oh I know how you feel, just the thought of going to the dentist leaves me with a funny taste in my mouth, and makes me want to run away. I know, I know, it is something most of us have to endure because we need him to plug a hole or fix a broken tooth. Yes these holes, or aptly called tooth decay, are the result of poor dental care on our part and by putting all sorts of stuff in our mouths that are not good for our teeth. So in the end we are suckers for punishment, we do these things just to cause ourselves pain and discomfort. Are we just human? Sure, careless too! Where am I going with this? In the Old Testament times in the Bible, King Solomon was the wisest man on earth; he had power, riches and everything anyone could ever want. Yet, in the end he lost it all and his magnificent temple was destroyed. Why? 2 Chronicles 7:22 tells us “Because they have forsaken the LORD, the GOD of their fathers, who brought them out of Egypt, and have embraced other gods, worshipping and serving them – that is why he brought all this disaster on them.” You see friends, we get tooth decay because we putt all sorts of stuff in

our mouths; we get spiritual decay because we replace GOD’s place in our lives with all sorts of other stuff. Even today symbols of power, prosperity, and sexuality are idols that pull us into their traps; and when we allow any desire to rival GOD’s rightful place in our lives, we have taken the first step toward moral and spiritual decay. It is time we visit the ultimate Dentist and ask GOD to fix the holes of spiritual decay with JESUS. Sure there might be some pain, and GOD might have to pull (or remove) a bad tooth but in the end you’ll be left with a mouth (or life) filled with good healthy teeth. Go on, make an appointment and visit GOD today! IN THE WILDERNESS When the Israelites were lead out of Egypt by Moses, they entered the wilderness and only 40 years later, were lead into the Promised Land by Joshua. You see we can decide to obey GOD but still be enslaved by the wilderness of our circumstances. It is only when we completely accept his Son, CHRIST JESUS and acknowledge him as Lord and King of our lives that we are truly free. Acts 4:12 tells us “And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among people by which we must be saved.” We need to stop being slaves to lies and grasp the truth that is CHRIST and become saved to his promise of life; not the life that Satan promises. A journey that could’ve taken 4 days took 40 years because of disobedience to GOD’s promise and will. Stop messing with GOD’s plans! As Christians we should know that we are not just saved from something, we are also saved to something. It is certainly possible to get out of Egypt but still be in the wilderness – to stop living the lifestyle of a nonbeliever but not enjoy the glory of the Christian life. Take hold of GOD’s promise, put your hope in CHRIST and be set free!

FINAL BLESSING Now to the one who is able to keep you from falling, and to cause you to stand, rejoicing, without blemish before his glorious presence, to the only GOD our Savior through JESUS CHRIST our Lord, be glory, majesty, power, and authority, before all time, and now, and for all eternity. Amen (Jude 1:24-25)

Notes

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” - Jeremiah 29:11 -