Wednesday 30 May 2012
Tuesday 29 May 2012
HOPE - a compelling word
"Be joyful in HOPE, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer"
~ Romans 12:1
Consider this to be a resolution for the next month:
"to be joyful, steadfast in doing good - even though u r experiencing some kind of hardship"
If you can stretch your mind, your attitude towards this, I believe you have found the secret expressed in Scriptures.
"Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing steadfastly in prayer"
~ Rom 12:12
Consider this:
Joy is a matter of personal temperament
Joy is a matter of circumstances
Joy is a ... choice
To be joyful, is a command, a duty. Even when things are rough.
~ 1 Thes 5:16, Phil 4:4
It's the same as to forgive, regardless how you feel or your circumstances = it is a command.
To be joyful in life, we must have HOPE
What is HOPE ?
HOPE is FAITH; and faith comes from the Word of God
~Rom 10:17
If you don't spend time reading the Word, your faith is weak, your HOPE is shallow and your joy is minimal. If you are not joyful, it is because you are not hopeful. Only because your mind is preoccupied with things of this life, your circumstances, maybe because of an unfaithful husbands, poverty, rejection...
~ Romans 12:1
Consider this to be a resolution for the next month:
"to be joyful, steadfast in doing good - even though u r experiencing some kind of hardship"
If you can stretch your mind, your attitude towards this, I believe you have found the secret expressed in Scriptures.
"Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing steadfastly in prayer"
~ Rom 12:12
Consider this:
Joy is a matter of personal temperament
Joy is a matter of circumstances
Joy is a ... choice
To be joyful, is a command, a duty. Even when things are rough.
~ 1 Thes 5:16, Phil 4:4
It's the same as to forgive, regardless how you feel or your circumstances = it is a command.
To be joyful in life, we must have HOPE
What is HOPE ?
HOPE is FAITH; and faith comes from the Word of God
~Rom 10:17
If you don't spend time reading the Word, your faith is weak, your HOPE is shallow and your joy is minimal. If you are not joyful, it is because you are not hopeful. Only because your mind is preoccupied with things of this life, your circumstances, maybe because of an unfaithful husbands, poverty, rejection...
Thursday 24 May 2012
Step out on the water
If You say go, we will go
If You say wait, we will wait
If You say step out on the water
And they say it can't be done
We'll fix our eyes on You and we will come
Your ways are higher than our ways
And the plans that You have laid
Are good and true
If You call us to the fire
You will not withdraw Your hand
We'll gaze into the flames and look for You
~Vinyard
If You say wait, we will wait
If You say step out on the water
And they say it can't be done
We'll fix our eyes on You and we will come
Your ways are higher than our ways
And the plans that You have laid
Are good and true
If You call us to the fire
You will not withdraw Your hand
We'll gaze into the flames and look for You
~Vinyard
Tuesday 22 May 2012
Adopted
I have a Father
who lives in the heavenlies
He adopted me as His own
and promised I will never be alone
He gave me a name
and engraved it in His Hands
so i will always be sure
of His love for me
I have a Father
who promised me a future
filled with hope and dreams
He watches over me from high above
and keeps me strong when life gets tough
He created me for His glory
and made me co-writer of
His wonderful story
I have a Father
whom people call their King
He reigns on the Throne
with glory and might
He is strong and wise
and feeds the poor
I have a Father
who is called Lilly of the Valley
Sweet Rose of Sharon
and amazing as it be
He saved a wreck like me
who lives in the heavenlies
He adopted me as His own
and promised I will never be alone
He gave me a name
and engraved it in His Hands
so i will always be sure
of His love for me
I have a Father
who promised me a future
filled with hope and dreams
He watches over me from high above
and keeps me strong when life gets tough
He created me for His glory
and made me co-writer of
His wonderful story
I have a Father
whom people call their King
He reigns on the Throne
with glory and might
He is strong and wise
and feeds the poor
I have a Father
who is called Lilly of the Valley
Sweet Rose of Sharon
and amazing as it be
He saved a wreck like me
Monday 21 May 2012
Because I was taught to dream
Before I lived on earth i was a fairy princess
I caught frogs and called them prince
and made myself a queen,
I caught frogs and called them prince
and made myself a queen,
i traveled 'round the world
i slept in castles and fell in love
because i was taught to dream
I found mayonnaise bottles and poked holes on top
to capture tinkerbell
they were just fireflies to the untrained eye
but i could always tell
I believe in fairytales and dreamers dreams like bed sheet sails
and i believe in peter pan and miracles
and anything i can to get by
and fireflies
Before i grew up i saw You on a cloud
i could bless myself in Your Name and pat You on Your wings
Before i grew up i heard You whisper so loud
"life is hard, and so is love, My child, believe in all these things"
I found mayonnaise bottles and poked holes on top
to capture tinkerbell
and they were just fireflies to the untrained eye
but i could always tell
Now I am fairy princess and married my prince
and have made myself a queen
I still travel around the world,
i slept in castles and fell in love
because i was taught to dream
I found mayonnaise bottles and poked holes on top
to capture tinkerbell
they were just fireflies to the untrained eye
but i could always tell
I believe in fairytales and dreamers dreams like bed sheet sails
and i believe in peter pan and miracles
and anything i can to get by
and fireflies
Before i grew up i saw You on a cloud
i could bless myself in Your Name and pat You on Your wings
Before i grew up i heard You whisper so loud
"life is hard, and so is love, My child, believe in all these things"
I found mayonnaise bottles and poked holes on top
to capture tinkerbell
and they were just fireflies to the untrained eye
but i could always tell
Now I am fairy princess and married my prince
and have made myself a queen
I still travel around the world,
and sleep in castles
but now only in my dreams
i believe in miracles and bless myself in Your Name
I still fell in love with
You every time I dream
because i was taught to dream
because i was taught to dream
Wednesday 16 May 2012
Apple vs Mercy
~ forgiveness and mercy:
We always think of Eve as the [bad] women who caused Adam to sin as a result of her disobedience (remember the apple she ate) and you will always hear people quoting "we have to endure so many hardships because of her" and we tend to always just reflect on the bad, the negative.
Then God showed the apple from another angle! That the apple (which represents her sin) should rather be seen as a symbol of God's forgiveness and Mercy.
Life after death..
So next time you eat an apple... baby think twice!
Thursday 10 May 2012
Wat hy wil hê, vs. wat jy wil hê
Wat hy wil hê, is
baie anders as wat jy wil hê ...
Raymond Hull het gesê:
“Alle troues is gelukkig. Dis die saamwoon na die tyd wat al die moeilikheid
veroorsaak.” En die grootste rede hiervoor? Ons verskil radikaal van mekaar!
Dis waarom dit so moeilik is om te ruik wat hy wil hê. So, hier is ʼn bietjie
hulp ...
Natuurlik koop jy nie vir jou man
naellak en sykouse nie, want net so min as wat jy ’n saag of ’n grassnyer nodig
het, wil jou man
oor klere en skoene gesels.
Wat hy wil hê, is baie anders as wat jy wil hê. Al wat jy hoef te doen, is om
’n bietjie in ’n inkopiesentrum rond te staan. Die manne kyk gereedskap
en tente, terwyl die vroue parfuum aanspuit, skoene aanpas en “oe” en “aa” oor
’n pragtige paar wighakskoene.
Op dieselfde manier verskil julle emosionele behoeftes van mekaar. Diep in haar
hart wil elke vrou hê dat haar man
haar op allerhande maniere van sy liefde vir haar moet verseker en dat sy
veilig by hom is. Mans,
daarenteen, wil die wêreld oorwin, dit ’n beter plek maak en die held wees.
hier is wat jy moet
weet van hom
Nou kom die vraag: Wat wil jou man
hê? Wat is vir hom die belangrikste dinge om sy bors breed te hou en sy hart in
jou hande?
Sien raak wat hy doen
Een van ’n man
se grootste behoeftes is om iets te doen wat buitengewoon is, wat ’n verskil
maak en wat ander mense laat opkyk en kennis neem. God het die man geskep met ’n
ingesteldheid op dinge wat hy moet dóén. Hy wil altyd ’n doel hê om te bereik
... ’n rekord om te oortref ... ’n unieke bydrae om te maak.
Hierdie behoefte is in werklikheid tweekantig. Aan die een kant het ’n man ’n ingeboude
begeerte om werk te doen wat sinvol is. Aan die ander kant het hy ’n sterk
behoefte dat ander mense moet kennis neem van wat hy doen. Dit laat hom voel
dat sy lewe sinvol is. Wanneer jy hierdie diepste behoefte van ’n man verstaan, kan jy
ook verstaan hoekom hy sekere dinge in sy huweliksverhouding soek.
Sê dit!
Daar is twee maniere waarop ’n man
wil hê dat sy vrou by sy werk betrokke moet wees. In die eerste plek moet sy
vir hom ’n huis skep waar hy kan ontspan en kan wegkom van die druk van die
werksomgewing. Sy moet hom as’t ware beskerm teen die stres van gebeure in en
om die huis, insluitend die dinge wat die kinders doen. Die tweede manier het
te make met haar houding teenoor sy werk. ’n Man wil weet wat sy vrou van sy werk en
prestasie dink. Haar reaksie op wat hy doen en hoe hy presteer, is die maatstaf
waaraan hy homself meet. Daar is immers diep binne hom die behoefte dat sy vrou
sy grootste bewonderaar moet wees.
Doen dit!
Hierdie behoefte by die man
het veral te make met ontspanningsaktiwiteite. In sy werk moet hy die stryd
alleen stry. Om sy vrou teen die spanning van sy werk te beskerm, sal hy liewer
stilbly oor die druk wat hy ondervind. Hy sal die stres alleen dra. Maar
wanneer hy ontspan, wil hy graag sy vrou aan sy sy hê. Dis juis in die saamdoen
van dinge dat die man
kameraadskap ervaar – nie, soos by ’n vrou, wanneer ’n mens gesels oor hoe jy
voel nie. Want hy is ’n doener in murg en been.
’n Man wil graag hê sy vrou moet daar langs hom wees wanneer hy sy oorwinnings
behaal. Hy wil hê sy moet dit met hom deel, al sit sy net langs die baan om
hande te klap wanneer hy wen. Hy het haar nodig om saam met hom in die ding te
wees, selfs al moet hy haar somtyds dra.
Jy is mooi, wys dit!
Vir ’n vrou is die uiterlike voorkoms van ’n man nie so belangrik nie. Dis die
mens as geheel in wie sy ’n maat vind en dis veral sy persoonlikheidseienskappe
wat haar dol maak oor hom. Daarom kan ’n vrou gelukkig wees saam met ’n
middeljarige man met ’n boepie en trots wees op haar bleskopman. ’n Man is
egter heeltemal anders. Vir hom is die voorkoms van sy vrou baie belangrik. ’n
Mooi vrou doen net iets aan ’n man se hormone en aan sy ego.
Vir ’n man is sy vrou se voorkoms iets wat ’n refleksie op hom werp omdat mense
dikwels ’n man se sukses aan die voorkoms van sy vrou meet. Wanneer sy vrou
mooi lyk, laat dit hom goed lyk. Dit laat hom goed voel omdat hy in staat was
om hierdie mooi vrou te kry en gelukkig te hou.
HET JY AL VIR JOU MAN
GESÊ WAT JY NODIG HET?
Natuurlik dink jy dat jou man op ’n magiese wyse weet wat jy nodig het.
Verkeerd! Die meeste mans is totaal en al onnosel met gedagtes lees en skimpe
vang. Soos ’n wyse man eendag gesê het: “Ons mans vang nie skimpe nie. Nie
subtiele skimpe nie, nie duidelike skimpe nie, geen skimpe nie. Help ons!” So,
suster, jy sal hom maar aan die hand moet vat en leer.
Sê vir hom dis maklik
’n Vrou se grootste behoefte is liefde en geborgenheid. Daar is ’n paar maniere
waarop ’n man hierdie veiligheid aan sy vrou kan gee, naamlik deur vir haar te
wys – en te sê – dat hy lief is vir haar en deur tyd te maak om saam met haar
te kuier.
Saamwees is belangrik
Liefde is vir ’n vrou baie belangrik. Sy wil dit gereeld hoor en soek ’n liefdevolle
atmosfeer waarin hy gereeld sê: “Dis lekker om jou hier by my te hê. Ek is lief
vir jou. En ek wil niemand anders in jou plek hê nie.” Saamkuier is vir ’n vrou
’n noodsaaklike geleentheid om liefde en veiligheid te ervaar.
Onthou, seks maak nie
alles reg nie
Mans moet besef dat liefde en seks vir vroue glad nie sinoniem nie. Liefde is
die emosionele atmosfeer waarbinne seks moet gebeur, maar dit gaan oor baie
meer. ’n Vrou het spesifiek ’n behoefte daaraan dat ’n man gereeld en op baie
maniere moet wys dat hy vir haar omgee omdat sy daaruit agterkom wat haar man
vir haar voel.
’n Vrou geniet dit wanneer haar man op ’n nie-seksuele manier aan haar
raak. Wanneer ’n man sy vrou deur die loop van die dag ’n drukkie gee of net
aan haar arm vat of hand aan hand met haar stap, sê dit vir haar: “Jy is vir my
belangrik. Ek staan saam met jou in die lewe. Ek is trots op jou.”
Wednesday 9 May 2012
Friday 4 May 2012
Thursday 3 May 2012
Disabled
A story about a father with a deaf daughter was recently
broadcasted on the radio and I followed the story with mixed emotions. He spoke fondly of his daughter and made a
few shocking (to me) statements.
He said that one of the teachers told him that in the 18
years she has taught at this specific school, that he is the second father she
has come know who can sign to his daughter.
He also quoted a shocking percentage of parents that are
able to sign / communicate to their deaf children. Apparently only 2% of the deaf community knows
Jesus or heard of him, and this is mainly due to the parent’s inability to communicate
to them.
Both the churches and community are not equipped either!
It made me realise that not only does the children need to
endure the inability to hear but also needs to endure the disability of their
parents to communicate to them. How do
they get through life where their parents don’t communicate, share, ‘talk’ …. Or
hear about Jesus?
Who is the abled and who is the disabled?
Jesus will not come if the Gospel has not been preached to
everyone… and often we only think of the
remote villages in Africa or far away islands!
But I never thought of the unbelievers in my community with
disabled children that never comes in contact with other people – what about
them, how will they hear the Gospel?
People that do not know Jesus might not suffer from a
physical disability but are spiritually disabled. And for that matter a lot of Christians
are also spiritually disabled.
Who is the abled and who is the disabled?
When I look at my own life – I realised that even though I
am a re-born Christian I have allowed the enemy in more than one way to disable
me; through fear, unbelief, pride….
Disabled = restricted, hindered, immobilised, stopped,
put out of action…
How ‘abled’ are you?
Wednesday 2 May 2012
guilt-ridden
I am so ashamed
for what I have done
How could I?
Ashamed, coz I know what I was doing.
Ashamed, coz I wanted to
Guilt-ridden, because I did!
In all this time, I knew You were watching me… hoping I would not go through with it
But I did.
I tried to hide.
But I knew You were still there
Your gaze fixed upon me.
I knew, but I still touched the fire!
I felt the warmth of it
Don’t play with fire
But I did.
How can I even call upon Your Name?
How dare I?
How can I hope to be forgiven for what I have done?
For making Your grace cheap?
How dare I?
Then I hear this song...
Dare I hope?
Is it You that opened my ear?
To no longer live in fear?
Lord I need You, oh God how I need You
Lord I confess, my one defence,
Without You I fall apart, You’re the one that guides my heart
Lord I need You, only You know how I need You!
How could I?
Ashamed, coz I know what I was doing.
Ashamed, coz I wanted to
Guilt-ridden, because I did!
In all this time, I knew You were watching me… hoping I would not go through with it
I knew
all of this, coz' I heard Your voice
Don’t…But I did.
I tried to hide.
But I knew You were still there
Your gaze fixed upon me.
I knew, but I still touched the fire!
I felt the warmth of it
Aware of the
destruction it will bring
And wanted
it even moreDon’t play with fire
But I did.
How can I even call upon Your Name?
How dare I?
How can I hope to be forgiven for what I have done?
For making Your grace cheap?
How dare I?
Then I hear this song...
Dare I hope?
Is it You that opened my ear?
To no longer live in fear?
Lord I need You, oh God how I need You
Lord I confess, my one defence,
Without You I fall apart, You’re the one that guides my heart
Lord I need You, only You know how I need You!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)