September 2020
01/09/2020
Malachi 2 v 10 - 17 Sinful behaviour condemned
“Do we not all have one father? Has not one God created us? Why do we [then] deal treacherously each against his brother so as to profane the covenant of our fathers?” (vers 10)
When I look at how people treat each other these days, whether they are (so-called) believers or not, I stand amazed at their inability to see their wrong doing.
They simply believe their behaviour or reaction is justified, regardless of the harm it might have caused and then carry on as if nothing has happened after an incident or argument and expect you to do the same…
When you try to point out their wrongdoing and hypocrisy, they are totally… and I mean TOTALLY oblivious to their sinful behaviour, thinking God approves, because He does not strike them down with fire or lighting immediately or allow something terrible to happen to them and I don’t say this irresponsibly.
Their actions are far removed from that which is morally acceptable and it almost seems that they expect God to delight in their behaviour, because they continue to worship Him, even though they have not repented, or so it seems.
We can so easily be blinded, justifying our actions and as a result sweep our sins under the carpet. The God of justice is not blind towards our sins and we will not go unpunished. If God no longer regards your “offering” and does not seem to accept it “with favour from your hand” (vers 13), ask yourself if you are in the faith.
God is not mocked and should not be tested. He seems slow to anger, yet He is never late in dealing with unrepentant sin. Therefore “take heed [pay attention] to your spirit, that you do not deal treacherously.” (vers 16)
Scripture quotations taken from the NASB, Life Application Study Bible, unless stated otherwise. Copyright by “The Lockman Foundation“
02/09/2020
Prayer for today Walk with Christ
Beloved brothers and sisters in Christ. Please join me in prayer and ask that the Lord reveals His perfect will for our lives as we prepare to start a new 5 day reading plan tomorrow. Allow the Spirit to show us what it truly means to abide in Christ and live according to His commandments.
Scriptures for Day 1 [3 September]
John 15 v 1 – 17
2 Timothy 3 v 10 – 17
Scriptures for Day 2 [4 September]
1 John 2 v 24 – 3 v 10
1 John 3 v 23 – 24
1 John 4 v 7 – 21
Scriptures for Day 3 [5 September]
Psalms 91 v 1 – 16
Luke 8 v 4 – 8
Luke 8 v 11 – 15
Scriptures for Day 4 [6 September]
Romans 5 v 1 – 5
James 1 v 2 – 8
2 Peter 1 v 3 – 11
Scriptures for Day 5 [7 September]
John 8 v 30 – 47
Psalms 119 v 1 – 8
Let’s place our hope and trust in the Lord Jesus, for we have nothing to fear and no reason to doubt. He is our Messiah and Redeemer.
Looking forward to continue spending time in the Word, with our Creator, knowing we will not be disappointed when we follow after His perfect commandments.
08/09/2020
Deuteronomy 32 v 4 - 6, 9 The rebellious people
“See now that I, I Am He, and there is no god besides Me; it is I who put to death and give life. I have wounded and it is I who heal, and there is no one who can deliver from My hand.” (Vers 39)
This passage comes at a time where Moses had finished writing the law and the Israelites have once again abandoned the Lord and sought after other gods.
He compares the “foolish and unwise” people, who are perverse and crooked to God, who is righteous, upright, faithful and just. In the preceding chapter he addresses them and mentions their rebellion while he was alive, and how much more they will rebel when he is no longer with them.
Moses didn’t prophesy this, but simply pointed out the fallen nature of man and how we have a tendency to be unfaithful. He told the people that they should take to heart the words of the law that he had written and make it part of their conduct.
This is where we lack understanding of what it truly means to live according to God’s word and His instructions (vers 28 – 29). Even though we are under grace and set free from the bondage of the law, that cannot save us, nor redeem us, we are required to live according to Christ’s higher spiritual law.
We should love God with all our heart, if we choose to and our neighbour as ourselves, should we wish to do so, for the whole law hang on these two commandments and this is how Jesus fulfilled the law. He restored the path to the Father, so that we might once again be able to fellowship with Him, without the need of an earthly priest to atone for our sins through blood sacrifice.
Let’s not provoke the Lord to anger, by seeking after other gods and idols. He is God, and surely if He is God and our Creator, He has the right to be jealous, although not the human kind, for we are self-centered, but rather of the Godly kind, for we are of God and as His children He wants what is best for us and able to provide, if only we would allow Him to.
Seek the Lord in everything you do. Consult Him about the simplest matter and above all, put Him first and the rest will be taken care of. Seek His kingdom and the rest will be added unto you.
Scripture quotations taken from the NASB, Life Application Study Bible, unless stated otherwise. Copyright by “The Lockman Foundation“
09/09/2020
2 Tim 3 v 16 - 17 Building blocks of our faith
If I understand it correctly, the ingredients (Molecules) for the building blocks (Nucleotides) of DNA, which forms the instruction manual for your body’s cells to develop and function correctly, are essential to ensure that each cell interprets the instructions correctly…
“DNA is a molecule made up of four chemical bases: adenine (A), cytosine (C), guanine (G), and thymine (T). For the two strands of DNA to zip together, A pairs with T, and C pairs with G. Each pair comprises a rung in the spiral DNA ladder. The order of these building blocks in a DNA molecule determines the genetic sequence. These sequences make genes—the instructions for making specific proteins—and other genetic elements.”
https://www.nih.gov/news-events/nih-research-matters/doubling-building-blocks-dna
Are you able to read the above paragraph once, close your eyes and then repeat it word for word? I tried and failed miserably (at first)! What could be the reason for this? Could it be that I didn’t study it diligently enough or simply rushed through it because it didn’t really interest me?
The same principle applies when it comes to the word of God. When studied daily and diligently, we start to memorize scriptures and are able to quickly recall certain events and characters. The more we read and follow the instructions in the bible for our daily conduct, the more we should want to read and the more we want to read, the more we will look forward to the next time.
How does this tie in with the analogy of the DNA, you may ask?
In my opinion, the ingredients for the building blocks of our faith, is found in the following passage;
“All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching the truth, rebuking error, correcting faults, and giving instruction for right living, so that the person who serves God may be fully qualified and equipped to do every kind of good deed.” (2 Tim 3 v 16) [GNT]
In order for our spirit to interpret the instructions correctly, we need to be grounded in the word. We should ask God to lift the veil and reveal the deeper meaning of the Scriptures to us. This will ensure that we understand His truth and know what He expects of us in our daily walk with Him.
My prayer is this. May the Lord’s Spirit clear up any misunderstanding you may have about certain issues related to the Scriptures. Allow Him to teach you and guide you into ALL truth.
Scripture quotations taken from the NASB, Life Application Study Bible, unless stated otherwise. Copyright by “The Lockman Foundation“
10/09/2020
Job 19 v 1 - 12, 25 The walls are closing in
“He has walled up my way so that I cannot pass, and He has put darkness on my paths.” (vers 8)
Job felt insulted by what his “friend” had said, comparing him to a wicked person and responds by saying that if he has committed any wrongful deed, the onus is on him and if Bildad can prove his wrong doing, then God has a case against him.
It seemed to Job that the walls were closing in on him, while the light was also starting to dim, with no way for him to escape. How often do you feel tormented by a friend or loved one, who “vaunt” themselves against you, almost boastfully pointing out your apparent error, while you know in your heart, you have not done anything wrong?
This seems to be a common occurrence as people are quick to speak out against others, not having all the detail regarding their situation. Do not be dismayed if you are a “victim” of scrutiny as long as you are in right standing with the Lord, knowing that although everybody seems to (mis)judge and persecute you, God will vindicate you.
Stand on the Rock of your salvation, for He will deliver you from those who turn against you for no good reason. Those that are quick to judge are not without sin, for we all fall short of the glory of God. Each one should work out their salvation in fear and trembling and remove the log from their own eye before judging others, or they will discover the wrath of God.
Stand tall and have confidence in the fact that your Redeemer lives and will take account of everyone, whether in this life or the next. Every knee will bow and every tongue shall confess Jesus to be Lord.
Scripture quotations taken from the NASB, Life Application Study Bible, unless stated otherwise. Copyright by “The Lockman Foundation“
11/09/2020
Jeremiah 18 v 1 - 6 The Potter's hand
“Can I not, O house of Israel, deal with you as this potter does..?” (vers 6)
You have heard and probably sang this many times, that “He is the potter and we are the clay“, but do we actually mean it? Do we allow God to mold us into vessels for His greater purpose?
If God has created us in His image and to His liking – because He is God – then surely it is not too much to ask of us to trust His hand with the potting wheel, just like the potter would “create” a piece and then mold it into a work of art that pleases him.
It’s true that God has a special relationship with Israel, due to the covenant that He made with them, but that does not mean we should not allow Him to form us according to “the good pleasure of His will”, knowing that He does not make mistakes.
On the other hand, we tend to warp things when we take matters into our own hands, instead of allowing the Lord to teach us the lessons we should learn from each situation. Ultimately God is in control of His creation and even though He is not a puppeteer, pulling strings the whole time, things usually work out for good, when we allow Him to guide and instruct us in our daily walk with Him.
Do not think that you may not practice your free will, but I would rather use my free will to ask the Lord to show me the way than choose to follow my own mind down the path of destruction, because of pride getting in the way.
There is nothing wrong with acknowledging that we are mere vessels, as His followers, functioning according to His will, should we decide to submit, although we are under no obligation to surrender, but then we should also not expect His blessing and blame Him when things go wrong.
My prayer is that the Lord will form us into something that pleases Him, smoothing out the rough edges, while filling up the cracks that have occurred. Once God is able to work in your life, you will see the fruit of His love, kindness and patience. It all depends on your willingness to submit to His perfect will.
Scripture quotations taken from the NASB, Life Application Study Bible, unless stated otherwise. Copyright by “The Lockman Foundation“
12/09/2020
Latest article Who is Jesus, really?
There are so many, seemingly contradicting and even controversial views of who the person of Jesus (really) is, that we thought it is time to set the record straight.
In order to be systematic, we will address this topic at the hand of these 10 points of which the last article can be found on the website:
- The person and nature of Jesus
- God incarnate
- Jesus, both man and God
- Prophecies pertaining to Jesus
- Jesus the Messiah
- Jesus the suffering servant
- Jesus of Nazareth
- Jesus, the good Shepherd
- The Angel of the Lord
- The reign of Melchizedek
- Jesus, the Lion and the Lamb
We will strive to remain as objective as possible to ensure that we give a balanced view when weighing up the evidence and comparing sources.
Not only those found in the scriptures, but also from secular writers, although the Scriptures should ultimately take precedence over any other writing, especially when referring to the deity of Christ – fully Man, yet fully God – as is the case with any other religion when referring to their prophets or gods in their writings.
13/09/2020
Your call to holiness Reading Plan
After the previous reading plan on how to “abide in Christ” as well as completing the article on the person and character of Jesus, I would like to start with another reading plan tomorrow, regarding our “call to holiness”.
Looking at what it means to live a holy life and the expectation from God if we call ourselves children of the Most High. Are we “convenience Christians” or do we take up our cross on a daily basis in our walk with Christ?
Do we strive to live according to the law of Christ or do we follow our own will and only approach Him in times of trouble or need. Living a holy life, means to be set apart for the work of God, living righteously, as one who has been justified through the death of our Lord, Jesus.
Scriptures for “Your call to Holiness”
Day 1 [14 September 2020]
1 Thessalonians 4 v 1 – 8
1 Thessalonians 5 v 23 – 24
Romans 12 v 1 – 2
Day 2 [15 September 2020]
Romans 6 v 1 – 23
1 Peter 1 v 13 – 16
Day 3 [16 September 2020]
Psalms 15 v 1 – 5
2 Timothy 2 v 14 – 26
Hebrews 2 v 9 – 18
Day 4 [17 September 2020]
Colossians 1 v 9 – 13
Galatians 5 v 16 – 26
Psalms 101 v 1 – 8
Day 5 [September 2020]
Philippians 1 v 3 – 11
Psalms 119 v 73 – 80
Psalms 119 v 105 – 112
Join me in prayer today as we prepare for this reading plan. Let us approach the throne of God in reverence and ask Him to cleanse us from all unrighteousness so that we may stand blameless before Him.
Scripture quotations taken from the NASB, Life Application Study Bible, unless stated otherwise. Copyright by “The Lockman Foundation“
19/09/2020
Thought for the day Reading through the bible
In order to give the devotionals more structure, I would like to start reading through the entire bible on Monday, from four separate passages each day.
Please join me on this adventure to better understand God’s written testimony to us and experience the harmony of the Old (Previous) and the New Testament and how they compliment each other.
Every now and then we can take a break should the need arise for a specific reading plan. This depends on how we are led by the Holy Spirit. Please feel free to make suggestions about topics that interest you or if you have a specific need for clarity on a certain issue.
The more I read the scriptures, the more I confirm the biblical truth. How would any sane person, give up their life for a belief in something, if they had any doubt. It just doesn’t make sense.
Let’s go before the Lord and ask that He will open our hearts and minds to the meaning and understanding of His written word, for “the words of the LORD are pure words, like silver refined in a furnace on the ground, purified seven times.” (Ps 12 v 6) [ESV]
Scripture quotations taken from the NASB, Life Application Study Bible, unless stated otherwise. Copyright by “The Lockman Foundation“
21/09/2020
Mat 1 v 1-17; Acts 1 v 1-11; Ps 1 v 1-2 v 12; Gen 1 v 1-2 v 25 Let there be "life"
God gave us life when He created us and it must have been an amazing experience to have such an intimate relationship with one’s Creator as Adam (and Eve) did.
Then man fell and it would take many years for God’s plan of redemption to be fulfilled, with the coming of our Messiah, in order to restore the life that was given to us in the beginning.
He is the way, the truth, and the life and no one, not a single person, can come to the Father and experience His saving grace, except through Jesus. He was crucified, raised from the dead and ascended to the Father from where He will return as it was prophesied.
We are called to serve and worship the Lord, meditate on His word, day and night, and keep His commandments. Only then will we have a fruitful life, filled with joy, complete in every way.
Let us start today and fix our eyes on Jesus. Put your hope, trust and faith in Him. He will give you everlasting life when we transition from this life to the next.
Scripture quotations taken from the NASB, Life Application Study Bible, unless stated otherwise. Copyright by “The Lockman Foundation“
22/09/2020
Mat 1 v 18-25; Acts 1 v 12-26; Ps 2 v 1-12; Gen 3 v 1 - 4 v 26 Cursed is the ground
Jesus was born into a world of sin for one purpose. He came to rescue us from our fallen nature due to the rebellion of the very people He created in His image.
This didn’t mean that He would turn the world back into paradise again, for this wouldn’t necessarily change people’s hearts. There was a price to pay for the disobedience and God made it very clear that from that point onwards we were to earn our living through toil and suffering.
The earth became a battle ground for kings, fighting over territory, taking the lives of many people. God didn’t accept Cain’s offering that came from the ground and it was on the ground where Judas’ blood was spilled.
We have the opportunity to prepare our fields for harvest if we sow seeds of righteousness. Our soil can become fruitful for the Lord again, if we worship Him in obedience. May He bless the work of your hands abundantly.
Scripture quotations taken from the NASB, Life Application Study Bible, unless stated otherwise. Copyright by “The Lockman Foundation“
23/09/2020
Mat 2 v 1-12; Acts 2 v 1-21; Ps 3 v 1-8; Gen 5 v 1 - 8 v 22 Salvation belongs to the Lord
Herod feared this child who would reign one day, thinking He would take his throne and wanted to kill Him. Those, filled with the Holy Spirit, who spoke in tongues were mocked by the bystanders.
David fled from his son, Absalom, crying out to the Lord and Noah had to depart from the creation with his family, for God would destroy His good work, because of the evil acts committed by mankind.
Sounds to me like the bible is accurate when it says, “the heart is deceitful and desperately wicked above all things” [paraphrase]. There seems to be a mysterious connection between the heart, soul and spirit and whatever comes from the heart (Mat 15 v 9), manifests in the mind prior to execution.
It is written that God searches our hearts. Only He knows our deepest, darkest secrets and pain and it is only God that can heal us and deliver us from our evil behaviour for all have sinned and fall short of His glory.
For this reason, a Saviour was born, offering us the opportunity to re-unite with the Lord, and although we remain in the fallen flesh, our hearts and minds have been renewed as believers in Christ. Salvation is the Lord’s. Only He can save us from our fallen state.
Thank the Lord for the freedom to choose Him and accept His gift of salvation. May He open your heart and mind to the understanding of His written word, so that you will be changed into a new creation, receiving the spirit of life!
Scripture quotations taken from the NASB, Life Application Study Bible, unless stated otherwise. Copyright by “The Lockman Foundation“
25/09/2020
Mat 2 v 13-23; Acts 2 v 22-47; Ps 4 v 1-8; Gen 9 v 1 - 11 v 32 Be saved from this perverse generation
Everything that God has made for His glory the world has perverted. Look at what has been “achieved” by this generation alone and how the rainbow has been used to represent something the Lord has not intended, and I am afraid it will get much worse in the next couple of years, where we will have to bend the knee and embrace this movement or else…
We are in this world, but not from it and instructed to love others, although we shouldn’t be occupied with the pleasures of this world, but instead live a holy life, for Christ is Holy and if we are to be of one mind, in accordance with His will, we also ought to be holy.
God made a promise that He will never again flood the earth with water as He did in Noah’s time and gave us the rainbow as a reminder. In this day and age we live in, it is so easy to lose hope because of the relentless onslaught on the gospel of Jesus Christ. Do not be dismayed. We can rest assured that God is faithful.
He has set us apart and we should devote ourselves to His teachings, praying continually. We should also have communion, reminding ourselves of the price He paid to deliver us from the bondage of sin. We should pray for this generation, that many may come to the knowledge of the truth, for the harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few.
Only the God of the bible can save us out of this world, when Jesus returns. Do not be caught off guard, for He will come unexpectedly. Fill your lamps with oil while you still can. May the Lord keep you safe during these uncertain times. Fix your eyes on Him and allow His Spirit to guide you on the way you should go.
Scripture quotations taken from the NASB, Life Application Study Bible, unless stated otherwise. Copyright by “The Lockman Foundation“
27/09/2020
Mat 3 v 1-12; Acts 3 v 1-26; Ps 5 v 1-12; Gen 12 v 1 - 14 v 24 Empowered by the Holy Spirit
It seems like John and the others had a special gift, besides having their faith in common, they were also empowered by the Holy Spirit.
John, who lived in and ate of the field, preached repentance and baptized with water, while proclaiming and preparing the way for Jesus, who would pour out His Spirit on those who would continue His work.
Peter healed the lame beggar and then explained how the same Jesus who they (the people) crucified, granted him this healing power, but more so on the basis of faith in His name, the man was healed.
David believed in the power of prayer. He knew that his prayers never fell on deaf ears, regardless of his circumstances. He trusted God to be faithful and relied on His word, knowing God was just and righteous.
Abram left everything behind, as God instructed Him to do and started his journey to Egypt, not knowing what to expect, but boldly setting out in obedience.
Do not quench the Holy Spirit and allow Him to manifest in your life. The Holy Spirit is our mediator and should lead us in prayer, guiding us in our fellowship with God and others. He Should be our teacher in all things. Only then will we be able to live a spirit filled life.
Scripture quotations taken from the NASB, Life Application Study Bible, unless stated otherwise. Copyright by “The Lockman Foundation“
29/09/2020
Mat 3 v 13-17; Acts 4 v 1-22; Ps 6 v 1-10; Gen 15 v 1 - 17 v 27 Jesus, the resurrected Christ
The apostles preached the resurrected Christ, who allowed himself to be baptized by a man, in order “to fulfill all righteousness” and in Him we have been circumcised, through putting away our sinful nature, with the circumcision [of our hearts], performed by Christ and not by human hands.
Through baptism, we have been buried with him, in which we were also raised with him through our faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead. (Col 2 v 12) [paraphrase]
We too, will not taste death, should we hold fast to our faith in Jesus and complete this race in order to be united with Him, should we pass on to the next life or when He returns. Therefore, you should pray continuously that God will rescue your soul and dry up every tear, for Jesus has overcome death and there is no need for us to be dismayed.
Abraham and his descendants have endured much for us to experience the saving grace of the Messiah. Think about it. God could have descended in any form at any time and yet He chose to come in the form of a man, when He did. The only man to be called Jesus Christ, because He is the anointed One.
Thanks be to the living God who rescued us from imminent death and seperation from Him. Let us make a conscious decision to live for Him, knowing that we have been saved, we are being saved and we will be saved from this world, whether individually as believers or collectively as his church, of whom Christ is the head.
Scripture quotations taken from the NASB, Life Application Study Bible, unless stated otherwise. Copyright by “The Lockman Foundation“
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