Faith Journal

Keeping of our Faith journal involves a spirit filled journey embedded in faith, trust and hope. We’ll share prayers, thoughts, visions and dreams as we feel led by the Holy Spirit.

27/04/2022

Thought for the day
Freedom day celebrations in South Africa

The cost of freedom

“So Jesus was saying to the Jews who had believed Him, “If you abide in My word [continually obeying My teachings and living in accordance with them, then] you are truly My disciples. ³² And you will know the truth [regarding salvation], and the truth will set you free [from the penalty of sin].” (John 8 v 31-32) [AMP]

While celebrating freedom day (in South Africa), we should not forget the price Jesus has paid to set us free from the penalty of sin, under which we all stand guilty, for we all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Rom 3 v 23).

The true cost of freedom

Freedom always comes at a cost, and in many cases the cost can simply not be afforded. We were so indebted due to our rebellion and disobedience that we would never be able to fellowship with God the way Adam and Eve did, way back in the beginning.

Unless God intervened the way He did, by taking on human form, and accepting the condemnation of the people, I wouldn’t be able to sit here and write this journal. Fully man, yet fully God, Jesus brought a message and taught a truth, unlike any other. His teachings, revolutionary at that time, taught us that everyone could be free, whether bondservant or master, teacher or student…

Knowing the truth regarding this freedom was atainable by all people who were willing to obey the Lord’s teachings and prepared to follow Him, whether literally during His 3 1/2 year tenour, or through obedience to His teachings in the midst of our hectic lifestyle of the 21st century.

Absolute freedom

The true cost of freedom is not something that can always be measured. Consider how Jesus was punished for proclaiming to be the Son of God, offering forgiveness of sins, to those who accepted His saving grace. Was it only the number of lashes that He received from the Roman guard, being traded for Barabas, or perhaps even the 30 pieces of silver Judas received for giving up Jesus?

Regardless how we look at it, Jesus offered His life willingly, so “that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.” (John 3 v 15) [KJV]
He (Jesus) was still free to choose and even asked the Father, that if it were possible, He would let the cup pass from Him. (Mat 26 v 39) [paraphrase]

True freedom can only be found in the notion that a personal God, stepped in, knowing that we couldn’t reconcile with Him, through our own devices, due to our fallen condition and paid a price that all the money this world can print, couldn’t afford.

Through this selfless act, we can be free from the bondage of sin and all we need to do is accept His atoning death and resurrection. Are you willing to be set free from your past today? Come to the cross for “for God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (John 3 v 16) [NKJ].

Scripture quotations taken from the NASB, Life Application Study Bible, unless stated otherwise. Copyright by “The Lockman Foundation”

27/03/2021

Thought for the day


The crux of the cross

“Then Jesus called the crowd to Him along with His disciples, and He told them, “If anyone wants to come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me.” (Mark 8 v 34) [BSB]

What is the significance of the cross to you?

I recently had the privilege to attend a short representation of the Jewish pass over meal and was amazed at how every little detail pointed to Jesus, whom the Jewish nation does not acknowledge as the Messiah, who has already come.

The presenter, a Messianic Jew, who came to faith a few years ago, would almost start crying when merely mentioning the Name of Jesus. This humbled me as a believer who was raised in a “Christian” environment, both at home and in the church, believing I was a Christian, without having to take up my cross and follow Jesus.

This I only realized after coming to faith myself in 2003, although it has taken a long time to understand what it truly means to deny myself (and my flesh), in order that Jesus, through His Spirit might live in me.

“I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” (Gal 2 v 20) [ESV]

We are bound to this flesh until the day we breathe our last breath. There will always be temptations and the enemy will continue to entice us. The questions is, will we allow him to succeed?

The moment you come to the knowledge of the truth and on your path of sanctification realize what it actually means to pick up your cross and die with Christ, by denying yourself, we get a glimpse of the sacrifice He made when He gave His life as a substitute for ours.

Even then we will not fully comprehend and every time we sin, we crucify Him over and over, again and again. Think about it. He died once, for all and the sacrifice we have to make, can never begin to match the price that He paid on that cross.

Our flesh should be a temple of the living God and we are to honour Him through living according to His principles. Think about it and let it sink in for a moment. God gave part of Himself and descended to earth, in the form of His Son, who in turn, saved us from eternal death, separated from our Creator, in order that our relationship with Him, as it was intended from the beginning, may be restored.

My prayer is that, starting today, we will live a Christ-filled life, by loving Him and seeking His will, through obedience. Let us take up our cross and follow our Saviour, for our reward awaits us. Amen

Scripture quotations taken from the NASB, Life Application Study Bible, unless stated otherwise. Copyright by “The Lockman Foundation“

21/03/2021

Thought for the day
A higher standard

“Because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death.” (Rom 8 v 2) [NIV]

If you also feel that the world has set an unrealistically high standard for Christians to adhere to, then raise your hand! It’s as if they have set the bar for how Christians should behave and we dare not fail in any department and we shouldn’t, right?

Well, it seems that Christ has actually established a higher Spiritual law through fulfilling the law of Moses, so take note brothers, that now if you even look at a woman with lust, you have committed adultery and if you hate someone you have committed murder, while coveting another’s possessions is as good as stealing them.

Now why would Jesus raise the expectation, knowing we wouldn’t be able to adhere to these standards?

God says “Be holy, for I AM HOLY” (1 Pet 1 v 16). The only way to live up to God’s standard, is to accept the fact that we cannot keep any laws in our fallen state and then turn to the One and Only Messiah, repenting from our sinful nature, which has brought dissension, separation and distance between us and our Creator.

The Lord says “that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption” (1 Cor 15 v 50) [NKJ]. God’s righteousness is displayed through Jesus, who lived a perfect, sinless life in the flesh and even allowed His flesh to be crucified. He also instructs us to die to self and our sinful desires, in order to be acceptable in God’s sight.

Knowing that we couldn’t keep the law, Jesus came as a Mediator between us and God to restore our relationship with the Father. Knowing that we also cannot keep His higher, Spiritual law, He has given us the Holy Spirit as compass, who speaks to our conscience, empowering us to discern between right and wrong.

Having acknowledged our sin, repenting from our wrongdoing and accepting Jesus’ death as the only means of salvation, we receive God’s undeserved mercy – His grace – which allows us to become part of the body of Christ to confirm what Paul said, “…because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, so that, as it is written, Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord‘” (1 Cor 1 v 30 – 31).

Our faith in Jesus and what He has done on the cross, becomes our righteousness and that is the only way that we can stand in the presence of God, in the Holy of Holies.

Scripture quotations taken from the NASB, Life Application Study Bible, unless stated otherwise. Copyright by “The Lockman Foundation“

13/03/2021

Thought for today
God's mercy, our saving grace

Lamentations 3 v 19 – 66
“The Lord’s lovingkindnesses indeed never cease, for His compassions never fail.” (vers 22)

Scriptures teach us that God is just, perfect and righteous. His lovingkindness endures forever. He is timeless, space less and immaterial – a being far beyond our comprehension – and seemingly out of our reach. Yet, He has made Himself known to us and showed compassion towards us, when He became a man and bore our transgressions.

How can we say that God is not present in our times of need, when He has revealed Himself to us through His Son? Jesus, walked among men, was tempted and persecuted and eventually killed for the sake of mankind. He even suffered for those who sentenced Him to die the most brutal death. His undeserved mercy became our saving grace.

“For if He causes grief, then He will have compassion, according to His abundant lovingkindness” (vers 32)

God is not the author of evil, although He will allow certain situations and our current circumstances to mould us into a being that is willing to serve. Does this mean He takes away our free will in order to force us to serve Him? Not at all!!! He makes all things work together for good for those who love Him (Rom 8 v 28) and therefore He will allow us to suffer, in order that we may seek Him to fulfill our purpose.

We live in a fallen world that is destined to perish and we have the choice to either choose God and His ways or perish with the world. Again, He leaves it to us and we can decide between the one or the other. It is ultimately our choice and He will never force us, because God is love, and love by definition implies that one has a choice. Love is kind, love is patient and love endures all things (1 Cor 13 v 4 – 8).

“Let us examine and probe our ways and let us return to the Lord” (vers 40)

As believers we are instructed to test ourselves to see whether we are in the faith (2 Cor 13 v 5). Are you standing with one foot in the world and one in the faith? Are you struggling to fight the lusts of the flesh and continually give in to its desires? Is your conscience convicting you and yet you still give in to sin? It is good that you are convicted, but for how long until your conscience is branded (seared) and you are no longer able to withstand temptation…

Christ died a terrible death, once for all and every time that we sin, we crucify Him again and again and again. How do we then return to the Lord and walk away from our sinful nature that is causing us to drift further and further away from God and what He has intended for us? Yes, His lovingkindness is abundant and never ends, His compassion(s) never fail, but this does not exempt us while living in sin.

We are saved by grace, which came at a price far to high for us to bear and comprehend. Our faith in the death and resurrection of Jesus is based on the “assurance of what we hope for and the certainty of what we do not see.” (Heb 11 v 1) [BSB]. Do not allow that which is seen for a short while to destroy the promise of an eternity with Him, who might seem to be unseen, but is revealed to us through His Word.

Scripture quotations taken from the NASB, Life Application Study Bible, unless stated otherwise. Copyright by “The Lockman Foundation“

06/03/2021

Thought for the day
The heart of worship

“For You do not delight in sacrifice, otherwise I would give it; You are not pleased with burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; A broken and contrite heart, O God, You will not despise.” (Ps 51 v 16-17)

How do you worship? We are instructed to worship in SPIRIT and in TRUTH, while sacrifices and burnt offerings will not help us to gain God’s favour.

He longs for us to fellowship with Him and the only way to approach Him is with a broken spirit and a contrite (repentant) heart, i.e. in humility, remorseful and with absolute dependence on Him for forgiveness.

True worship does not only involve songs of praise, but a lifestyle dedicated to serving the Lord and living according to His principles. Loving Him above all things, seeking His kingdom first and foremost and loving others as ourselves.

If you think that you are the only one struggling with doing the above, do not feel alone, for we all fall short and it is only through the grace of God, while running the race with our eyes fixed on Jesus that we can do what is right in God’s sight.

God is pleased with us when our hearts long for fellowship with Him. Do you have an affection in your heart for the Lord? Do you make time for Him or do you simply live on instant prayers and single verses?

Start this day with God in mind and turn to Him before stepping out into this world, which will only drag you down, if you do not walk in the Spirit.

May the Lord bless you and keep you and may His favour be upon you!

Scripture quotations taken from the NASB, Life Application Study Bible, unless stated otherwise. Copyright by “The Lockman Foundation“

23/02/2021

Thought for the day
Wages of sin

“Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another.” (Rom 1 v 24) [NIV]

Could it be that a loving God reaches a point where He gives you your heart’s desire, even if it is to your own detriment?

Even “born again, bible believing Christians” tend to forget that God made certain rules for a reason. We too, fall short of what He has intended for us from the beginning and can so easily end up in a dark and lonely place, separated from Him, if we continue down the destructive path of immorality.

Do not be deceived in thinking that God’s grace, which covers a multitude of sins, will exempt us from His wrath, while we continue to live immoral lives and for this reason we need to be brutally honest with ourselves, testing ourselves daily to see if we are in the faith…

Can we honestly say that our minds have been renewed and that our hearts long after the Lord. Do you have an affection for the Lord Jesus in your heart? Do you desire to spend time in His presence? Are you seeking His will in everything?

The only way for us to overcome the lusts of the flesh is to die to self EVERY DAY! Whatever we do behind closed doors that is not done in faith is sin. Those things we do not want others to know about, those things that keep us from fellowship with God, because of the shame…

Consider this. If we label our sins for what they are and place them in the same category as those crimes one would never commit, such as murder and theft, for example, then we will start to take ownership and become serious about our relationship with the Lord.

Continuing in sin is already like kindling the fire, but when we are no longer convicted of our wrongdoing, we have probably already reached a point of no return and according to Hebrews 6 we are at risk of falling away from our faith. Yes, this is possible, unless God intervenes miraculously, just like He did with David.

Take some time today and meditate on God’s Word. Ask Him to show you the areas in your life that need attention. Plead with Him to cleanse you from all unrighteousness. Do not compromise on anything that causes you to sin.

Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you! (James 4 v 7) [paraphrase]

Scripture quotations taken from the NASB, Life Application Study Bible, unless stated otherwise. Copyright by “The Lockman Foundation“

11/02/2021

Thought for the day
Faith that can move mountains

“Truly I say to you, if you have faith and do NOT doubt, you will not only do what was done to this fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, ‘be taken up and cast into the sea’, it will happen.  And all things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.” (Mat 21 v 21-22)

How many times have we seen the disciples stand in awe after Jesus had performed a miracle?  Why was it so difficult for them to believe and do we believe Jesus’ words more today than they did while walking alongside Him?

It seems there are two conditions for us to meet in order to experience the power of God;

• Firstly, we should have faith, without doubting

Doesn’t having faith automatically remove all doubt?  It is clear from this passage that both faith and the absence of doubt is required to experience God at work.  

There is ample evidence in the Scriptures in the Old and New Testament where people trusted the Lord without any doubt.  Abraham was instructed to sacrifice his only son and even if we question God’s motives it is irrelevant, because Abraham obeyed and God provided a substitute.

Noah was instructed to build a boat and as the only righteous man he listen and obeyed and through his obedience his whole family was saved.  Almost all of the disciples were killed for their faith without doubting their salvation and eventual resurrection.  Just look at Stephen who saw His redemption draw near.  Hebrews 11 is full of examples of men and woman living by faith.

• Then we should believe that we will receive the things asked in prayer.

It is also written that we do not receive, because we do not ask and when we ask it is for our own pleasure and fleshly desires, while Jesus said that everything we ask in His Name we shall receive.  

Off course we should define “everything” before simply assuming this entails EVERYTHING this world has to offer.  The bible should be read in context, just like any other book or else one will be very disappointed and then blame everyone involved, from the writers to the translators as well as the interpreters and even God Himself when your requests are not fulfilled.

It is difficult for many believers to simply trust in the Lord for their next meal, yet we think that we can pray for luxuries in the name of God…  

Throughout the bible’s history it is evident that those who sacrificed everything and committed themselves to the kingdom of God, didn’t live in luxury….  wait a minute.  What about the kings and even Abraham and Job, to name a few?  Solomon was very wealthy.  His wealth was equal to 666 talents and he built the temple with the resources God gave him.

This is true, yet he prayed and asked God for wisdom, instead of wealth and God, seeing his motives and the intentions of his heart, granted him wisdom and blessed Solomon in abundance (1 Kings 3 v 1 -15).  

Our measure of faith should be practiced daily.  

Trust God in the small things and He will prepare you for greater things that are yet to come.  There are many promises that will come to pass in the next life and this should be our focus.  Live for eternity, for that is where God’s treasure lies and the fullness of His glory will be displayed to those who remain faithful.

Scripture quotations taken from the NASB, Life Application Study Bible, unless stated otherwise. Copyright by “The Lockman Foundation“

01/02/2021

Thought for today


Fallible man and the infallible God

“…for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God…” (Rom 3 v 23)

How great is our sin… our transgressions… our iniquity? How can we even begin to comprehend the glory and majesty of our God?

We all fall short and miss the mark every day and cannot rely on our own intellect and strength to get us through a mere 24 hours. It is only through the grace of God that we are able to stand.

From a young age the fallen nature of man is revealed when a 2 year old shakes her head very confidently after her dad asks her if she was the one who broke the plate and she denies her involvement without blinking an eye.

If this sounds familiar, you are not alone. This is more than enough proof that man is fallen and not inherently good as some may belief. After the fall of man in the garden, their fellowship with God was broken and their “nakedness” revealed.

The whole dynamic between man and God changed in an instant. From a point where the Lord walked with them to a point where they were removed from the garden. God does not tolerate sin and neither should we.

Even though we are bound to this earthly body, we are called to walk in the Spirit in order not to give into the lusts of the flesh, which just shows us we are not strong enough to rely on our own abilities. Only God is infallible and able to rescue us from our own destruction.

His plan of salvation that was put into motion would take thousands of years to be fulfilled in the form of Jesus’ death and resurrection and He is the only way to come into the Father’s presence again.

We thank the Lord for His work on the cross. He has overcome sin and death and therefore we are able to walk in faith, knowing that through sacrificing our desires of the flesh, we may also overcome.

I thank the Lord for His saving grace and lovingkindness!

Scripture quotations taken from the NASB, Life Application Study Bible, unless stated otherwise. Copyright by “The Lockman Foundation“

24/01/2021

Thought for the day
What is your perception of truth?

Please follow this link to the article: What is your perception of truth? – Elevating Truth

“What is truth?”, Pilate asked… (John 18 v 38)

The Lord has put it on my heart to write an article about truth and it feels like He is urging me to take the time and write about this much debated topic and I will do so soon…

How do you perceive truth?

Some believe truth is relative, while others firmly believe it is absolute. Pilate asked Jesus, what was probably one of the most important (if not the most important) questions anyone could ask the Creator and Saviour of the world.

We have all read that Jesus is the way, the truth and the life, but can we fully comprehend this truth or do we simply choose to believe, because it seems like the right thing to do and with so many unanswered questions, we prefer not to dig too deep as to prevent us from questioning our own beliefs.

My plea today is that we will take the time and evaluate our take on truth, especially Jesus’ claim and the truth regarding the scriptures and our interpretation thereof. Ask the Lord to reveal His truth to you and remove the veil, that is causing our spiritual blindness, through His Spirit.

My prayer is that we will be honest with God if we struggle with certain aspects of the truth. Be real with the Lord, for He knows the intentions of your heart. May He reveal Himself in ways you have never experienced before.

Let us put aside our our own interpretations for a while and allow the Spirit to teach us. You might just be pleasantly surprized or absolutely shocked! More often than not it is pride that prevents us from seeing what God wants to show us, causing us to miss out on the treasures of His word.

May today be a revelation to you while you experience the grace and the love of the Living God, knowing that He is who He says He is. Let’s pray as a body that the Spirit will guide us into ALL truth.

Scripture quotations taken from the NASB, Life Application Study Bible, unless stated otherwise. Copyright by “The Lockman Foundation“

16/01/2021

Prayer for today
Signs of the times

Dear beloved,
My prayer for today is this…

Heavenly Father
As we see the end times draw near, ever so quickly, and the return of our Messiah becoming more of a reality by the day, I ask that you grant us the grace to continue in this race.

The signs of the times are evident and the very things of which you have spoken are taking place today, yet you warned us not to be deceived. Without the guidance of Your Spirit we are at the mercy of the world and therefore I pray that you minister to us through Your Spirit.

Teach us how to serve you faithfully. Show us the way in which we should go so that we walk in faith, following after you. Let Your Word be a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path that we may not wander off in the darkness, but walk in the light, for that is where truth and righteousness abide.

Give us understanding and the required discernment to judge righteously and to test every spirit to see if it is from You. Let us remain sober in spirit through studying Your Word. Holy Spirit, intercede for us, for we do not always no how to pray.

Guide us into all truth according to Your perfect and timeless Word. Give us hope and let us not be ashamed for the gospel, leading to salvation. Even though a time may come that we will suffer for our belief in our Saviour, Jesus Christ, we can be sure of our inheritance, should we finish this race.

We declare Your majesty and Your sovereignty. King of kings and Lord of lords. Holy, perfect and just are you, O Lord. You deserve all the power, honour and glory, forever and ever. AMEN

31/12/2020

New year's message
WHAT IS YOUR VISION FOR 2021?

Without sounding like a broken record, we have all seen the impact and ripple effect of the past year’s events and how it has forced people to look differently at their existence in this fragile world.

We can no longer simply rely on our work place to look after us until the day we retire as that might not even happen as expected. You and I have to look at other alternatives in order to ensure financial stability and independence, and unfortunately not everyone is multi-skilled.

In an ever changing world – sometimes for the worse – believers are faced with many challenges and it’s not always that clear cut when it comes to making the right decisions, or is it? Should it not just be a matter of trusting in the Lord, regardless of your situation, or does faith not always come into play when making “worldly” decisions?

I don’t believe in separating ones faith from reality. We are required to practice our faith whether we are at the office, in public or the privacy of our own homes. The question begging, is this;

How has the past year affected your faith?

Have you grown more dependent (than ever before) on the Lord for provision, or are you still caught up in the rat race, aka survival of the fittest?

Is your vision for the new year one of material wealth and entails striving after the next promotion, longing after the brand new car or dreaming about a bigger house? Are you focused on getting your retirement plan in order?

Don’t think that I am against financial growth in this life and planning for your retirement, but that should not be our focus. If we live according to the Scriptures, we should first seek the kingdom of God, knowing the rest will be looked after.

We don’t practice a superficial belief. Our faith is real and we serve a living God. We should love Him wholeheartedly, for He loved us first. Our love for Him should extend to the people around us, loved ones and neighbours alike. We cannot claim to love God and then treat others with contempt and disrespect.

Even if you might think that Christians shouldn’t engage in new year’s resolutions, it is still worth your while to be still for a few moments and take the time to make some notes that you will realistically be able to action.

This is my vision for the new year…
I will make God my priority and strive to spend more quality time with Him and through prayer and fellowship with Him and other believers, mature in my faith and build sound relationships with those who share my vision.

I will humble myself before the Living God and be willing to learn the lessons in this life, required to graduate and transition to an eternity with Him, knowing that He makes everything work together for good for those who love Him.

I will treat others the same way I expect to be treated, regardless of their world view and wait on the Lord to share the good news of His saving grace, for His timing is perfect.

May 2021 be a year of change.
If your situation seems hopeless. Do NOT be dismayed. Look up and call on the Name of the Lord. He will not disappoint if you put your hope and trust in Him, allowing His perfect will to manifest in your life.

If you seem to be going along reasonably comfortable… Do not take your foot of the pedal. Continue to work hard and more than ever before, focus on the Lord. Make Him your first love (again). Do not put your trust in the material as it can so easily wither away.

To God all the honour and glory. Forever and ever. AMEN.

02/11/2020

Thought for today
Fear the Lord and do what is right

How can we fear the Lord and do what is right in His sight? A good start would be to acknowledge Him as King of kings and Lord of lords, God of all creation, of water, earth and sky…

Pause for a moment and consider the works of His hands. Through intelligent design, the universe and every living creature came into existence. The evidence is overwhelming, unless you choose not to believe that we were created in the image of the only One, true God.

Those who fear the Lord and do His will, are welcomed into His courts. He longs for fellowship with us, but is not dependent on us to commit our lives to Him, although he wants everyone to come to the knowledge of the truth and does not wish for anyone to perish.

To serve the Lord in humility and with reverence brings true peace and fulfillment, knowing that we are set free from the bondage of sin, for we are all enslaved to this world before coming to faith in Jesus. Don’t give up and lose hope during your trials and tribulations. Don’t allow your flesh to dictate, while your soul longs for Egypt.

The Lord has called us to come out of this world. The time has come to return to the Lord. If you are wandering, fix your eyes on Christ. Take up your cross and follow Him. In doing so, you will receive an everlasting reward. An eternity with the One who made you and saved you.

16/10/2020

Food for thought
Thanksgiving and praise

Today I would simply like to give thanks to the Lord for His loving kindness, His patience with us and above all, His forgiveness and grace.

I thank the Lord for His word of truth, a light unto our path and a lamp unto our feet and the power of prayer, knowing that He will grant us anything we ask in His Name, such as wisdom and discernment.

All the glory and honour to our Creator and Sustainer, Saviour and Redeemer, Jesus Christ, who bore our sins and was afflicted for our transgressions. He has risen and for this reason we have hope, looking forward to His promised return.

I thank the Lord, our God, for His provision, knowing He will give us what we need and even spoil us if He deems it His will and this is why I pray that He will give us just enough so that we do not have to steal and not too much that we forget about Him.

He is the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. The God who delivered His people from the hands of their enemies. He sustained them in the wilderness, providing shade, through a cloud by day and heat through fire by night.

May God the Father, we call Yahweh, and His Son Jesus, Yeshua be your refuge. Place your hope and your trust in Him. Allow His Spirit to lead the way and guide you according to the scriptures. May His truth be in your heart and on your lips every moment of every day.

01/10/2020

Prayer for today
Times and Epochs

There is so much happening in the world at the moment and while it seems that everything is spinning out of control, we should take heed that God’s plan is unfolding in front of our eyes.

We can rest assured, knowing the Scriptures are true and God is faithful to His word. He cannot contradict Himself as many would say and the proof is in the bible, if we will only read.

My Prayer for today is that you will kneel before the living God in humility, allowing Him to reveal the treasures of His written word through the Holy Spirit, removing the veil that is causing you not to see His truth.

Even though we cannot know the future, God has revealed so much already about the “times and epochs“, we can be sure that the events will pan out just as it has been prophesied by the men of old.

The more I read the word, the more it makes sense. Seek God in the Scriptures and He will make known to you the treasures of Heaven and that which awaits us, should we press on and complete the race.

We might even be alive, when all the things Daniel and John wrote about, takes place. May you hold fast to your faith in the Living God and our Saviour, Jesus Christ. Be sure of this – He will return as a conquering King to judge the nations who have rejected Him.

When the day of the Lord is upon the earth, we can look up and witness our redemption. Amen

Scripture quotations taken from the NASB, Life Application Study Bible, unless stated otherwise. Copyright by “The Lockman Foundation“

22/08/2020

Thought for today
Pride comes before the fall

The reason for today’s thought relates to christians who seem to spend all their time, trying to expose those who do not seem to keep to biblical truth and at first glance this seems like the noble thing to do.

I have been spending quite a bit of time in the Word lately and the more I read the more I see a perfectly just and righteous God, who loved us so much that He would take on human form to teach us what it means to truly love God and others.

He made no exceptions and excluded no one when He died the most terrible death, in order that we may live, should we confess our sins and accept His death as penance. There are basic doctrines believers should adhere to, which are non-negotiable, and then there are secondary issues that doesn’t seem to relate to salvation, yet proclaiming christians would crucify you for not adhering to certain aspects of the law or disagreeing on their take of the “elect”, the rapture, etc.

Each day before posting a devotional I pray and ask the Lord to dictate what I should write, so that nothing comes from my own intellect. Not that I am claiming to be intelligent, but you understand where I am going with this… I firmly believe the Holy Spirit should guide your thoughts and press on your heart what you should publish when you have any form of ministry.

Off course this should be coherent with the Scriptures, but when the focus shifts to one’s knowledge and understanding of what you perceive to be truth you are treading on dangerous grounds. Just look at how the Lord Jesus, enabled the disciples to preach and also heal people and they were fishermen, who even struggled to fully grasp Jesus’ ministry.

I have heard and seen people say that they do not see the love of many who proclaim to have the truth, whether it be church leaders or the run of the mill individual, and their response would simply be “if you love people you will give them the truth” and I agree, but how do you perceive truth and what is your definition of love?

The point I am trying to make is this. There are many things in the bible we as christians will disagree on and you might be absolutely convinced that you have stumbled upon the truth. All I am asking is that you consider the other person’s opinion and respect their point of view if it seems they adhere to the basic doctrines of the Word, instead of throwing out the baby with the bath water.

It might be the issue of christians who shouldn’t eat pork or the keeping of the law as a child of God. It could even be your view of the timing of the rapture, which some believe is a false doctrine. You may not believe in the events of Revelation or the manner in which these events will play out or you consider infant baptism as the only biblical baptism.

The list goes on and on and on… It’s a pity that we allow the secondary “doctrines” some seem to build their faith around, cause believers to break fellowship. I am not referring to beliefs that are outright heresies, but it seems that pride can blur your view sometimes, and we already see in part, through a glass darkly.

I pray that you will leave room for someone else’s opinion on some of the above matters and rather join hands as children of God, who seek His heart and perfect will for His “Ecclesia”. He will show you and correct you if required, should you allow the Holy Spirit to be your teacher, leading you into ALL truth.

17/08/2020

Prayer for today
Thank you for our free will

We had a discussion over the weekend regarding one’s free will and this is something not many people seem to (want to) talk about. I believe we were created with a free will, which was “taken away” due to the fall, when man was disobedient.

People were reliant on prophets and judges for guidance and even asked for a king, because they sought someone to lead them to the truth, which wasn’t always the case, because they didn’t listen to the word of the Lord, spoken through these men of God. Free will was restored at the cross and we were once again given the choice to serve and obey God.

This is my prayer:
I thank you Heavenly Father for restoring our free will, so that we can choose to obey you and love you as a child would choose to love their biological father. You loved us first and therefore created us in your image. You continued to love us by sacrificing part of yourself in the form of our Redeemer.

You are a sovereign God, who can do as you please, yet you granted us the choice to accept your grace, when Jesus paid the ultimate price for our freedom from the bondage of sin. You could have forced us to love you, but because of your nature, have given us the choice.

I come to you as a child would come to their earthly father and bring those before you who are still bound to the lusts of the flesh, in bondage to sin, with no way out, unless they choose life. Thank you that every single person you created, can come to you for forgiveness and you will not deny them.

May your love abound in us more and more so that we will also love others and treat them with compassion, kindness and gentleness. Thank you Lord, for the gift of grace we receive when we decide to turn away from our sinful nature. When we pick up our cross and follow you, we also die to self and our fleshly desires.

May those who choose to serve you Jesus, be strengthened in their walk with you, so that they will no longer long after the pleasures of the world and the desires of the flesh. Thank you for the hope we have in you when we put our trust in you. I know my Redeemer lives and we will never be disappointed when we choose to live for YOU. AMEN

13/08/2020

Prayer for today
We serve a living God

One thing I have learnt from the last couple of weeks, reading through the book of Psalms (although not done yet), is that we are dependent on the Lord in every regard and I feel an urge to pray this morning for those who have not yet come to the knowledge of this truth, which points to the living God who designed and created a fine tuned universe and earth for us to live on.

This is my prayer:
Thank you Lord that we can know you personally, as a living God, who sustains His creation. An intelligent designer, who put in motion time and space. You designed everything to function exactly the way it should in order for us to survive. You made us in your image and your character is revealed in those who love You wholeheartedly.

You loved us so much that you gave up a part of yourself to become a man without losing your sovereignty so that through your Son, who came to reveal your heart to us, we could be redeemed. The price you paid, the cost of giving Yourself over to men to be punished and killed can never be measured in worldly terms and for that sacrifice I thank you with my whole being and offer my life as a living sacrifice, knowing that because you live I shall live also.

The times we live in, are uncertain for many, filled with concerns, worries about what tomorrow may bring. You give us the assurance that should we submit to Your perfect will, You will grant us the grace to persevere. You will provide in our needs and never leave us to face our trials and tribulations alone. Through the guidance of Your Spirit, You will teach us how to live according to your Word.

Thank you that we can find rest in You amidst the turmoil in our hearts. Thank you for your undeserved mercy every day and above all, I thank you for the opportunity to know You and make You known. AMEN

13/07/2020

Word of encouragement for today
Our hope is in the Lord

May you be comforted by the fact that we serve a living God and that we can defend our faith, knowing that Jesus lived as a man, died on the cross and rose again victoriously.

This is the hope we have; we worship a personal God. One who was willing to give up part of Himself to identify with us so that we could become one with Him, yet He was blameless and without sin.

He gave us new life through offering up His own. He gave us a reason to live, not for ourselves but for Him and others. Just as He lived and died for the sake of others.

May God’s love abound in us more and more as He becomes more so that we may become less. Although, not (worth)less, for He is our righteousness and in Him we find our identity, purpose and true meaning.

Step out into the world today, knowing that you are a child of God. Be bold in your faith and humble in your walk with Christ. Allow God to manage every aspect of your life, decision making and relationships with others.

He knows best, because He is God, our Father, our Comforter and our Saviour.

01/06/2020

Thought for today
The Old and the New...  The Previous and the Future Perfect!

Have you heard this quote before? “The Old Testament is the New Testament concealed and the New Testament is the Old Testament revealed.”

I have said many times before, you cannot comprehend grace, if you do understand the law. You cannot grasp God’s undeserved mercy, if you do not see the law for what it is – a pointer to the ultimate sacrifice Jesus would become.

The law also pointed out our sins and showed that no one is good, no one can please God and that He does not require sacrifice, other than us, dying to self. The only way we can bring God the glory He deserves is through faith in Jesus, when becoming a new creation.

Living a life of worship, loving Him above all else and our neighbour as ourselves. Seeking Him with our whole being. Longing after fellowship with Him and doing His perfect will. Jesus gave us life through His blood sacrifice, for else, we would have certainly perished.

The Lord deserves to be glorified. He is the Creator, Sustainer, and bought us with His blood and set us free from the bondage of sin, that we may live a life in His presence, filled with the power of the Holy Spirit.