If things were simple, word would have gotten around

 

Dit is nie so maklik nie, maar…

Dit is nie so maklik soos wat jy dink nie. Of so eenvoudig nie. Gereeld hoor mens sulke uitdrukkings. Hulle wat sulke dinge sê is heeltemal reg. As dit so maklik of so eenvoudig was, dan was dit! Dan het almal dit reggekry. Tereg het die Franse filosoof Jacques Derrida gesê: “If things were simple, word would have gotten around.” Niks wat die moeite werd is kom maklik nie. ’n Goed geleefde lewe gaan daaroor dat ons moeilike dinge baasraak, ook op geloofsterrein. Van laasgenoemde gepraat - as dit maklik was om Jesus te volg, dan het almal dit gedoen. Dan het almal hulle kruise opgeneem en Hom gevolg soos wat Hy in Markus 8 vir ons sê. Tog is dit daardie klein groepie wat bereid is om hulleself te verloën en Hom al die pad te volg wat sin en betekenis in hulle lewens vind. Geloof vra ’n berg om elke dag te klim, maar ter wille van die vreugde en die vryheid wat sulke bergklimmers vind in die Here, is dit oor en oor die moeite werd. Dit is om die hemele oop te sien bokant hulle koppe. Dit is om nuwe lewe te voel bruis.  ~ deur Stephan Joubert

You mind your business

Believe that God can...instead of whether it's His will

To believe that God can...is your business
Whether God want's to...that's totally His business...

You do what you can.

Fighting the good fight

This very beautiful painting of Ilse Klein reminds me of a vision I received from the Lord of my mom.
Shortly after my mom died I bombarded the Lord with questions about my mom, all I wanted to know was 'is she ok'. I knew she suffered from depression even though she tried to hide it from us and it was of utmost importance to me that she had a purpose, that she is doing 'something'. She has had such a hard life, gone through things no one could imagine, and finally died of leukemia without us even knowing it. I needed her to be happy for a change - it was all I ever wanted for her. And then one night I had a vision... I saw my mom riding on a horse - of all things, with Jesus and they were fighting off the enemies! She was focused and had a purpose! I never needed to ask God anything about her again, I had peace knowing she was in 'good hands'. What a beautiful God we serve.

You went through hell

Jesus, I finally see
The cross, the nails, You went through hell
Just to get to me
Oh Lord, King of kings
To think You wore a crown of thorns
Just to get to me

I leave it all at the cross
Here I will lay my guilt and shame
I leave it all at the cross

~ Iron Bell Music

Fear, go away!

The Corona pandemic has created a social and broadcast media pandemic. Videos are spread and fear mongering is the order of the day. I want to remind you what our instructions are. To think of things above and not on earth. To think of things that are true, good and lovely. To fill our minds with the Truth (Jesus) and allow it to be renewed by the transforming work of the Holy Spirit and the word. We discard lies and untruths we previously believed for heavenly principles and truths.

So in this time consider everything that you look at and participate in. There is a spirit of fear, that is working hand in hand with the spirit of death and infirmity, through the work of this virus.  There is another evil friend that has hopped on fear's back and that is torment. Watch what you think, what you eat mentally, what you talk about. If you find yourself being tormented in your thoughts, go to worship, go to the word, go to any thought that is lovely, good and righteous and meditate on that rather. The principle of sowing and reaping works in our thoughts, so we must guard them now more than ever.

Scripture:
Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. Col 3:2
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honourable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. Phil 4:8

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. Rom 12:2

For as he thinks in his heart, so is he. Prov 23:7

Prayer:

Father I submit my thoughts to You. Forgive me for partnering with the spirit of fear and torment in any way. I take authority over fear and torment and command them to leave me now in Jesus name. I turn my focus on You and Your promises for me. I thank You that You never change. I thank you that You are my Dad and I can shelter under Your wing. I claim the mind of Christ and welcome His presence. Prince of Peace please release Your peace to me. Amen
~Sunflower Seeds~

Have courage, my soul

We have every reason to remain hopeful and optimistic. Because He lives! We will emerge from this crisis, and hopefully along the way, take stock of our lives. This is truly a time to reflect on what we spend our time on and what we value as important. 

I am constantly made aware of the 5 virgins that were not so wise. May we all be as wise as the 5 who had extra oil - so that when the Bridegroom come, we are ready to meet Him.

The God of Hope

The Bible tells us there is a time and a season for everything. 

The strongest Christian will face life and death, health and sickness, abundance and lack. Things will not always go well. Job experienced that God sometimes allows seemingly bad things to happen (Job 2:10). There is no sense living in denial. The Bible commands the barren to sing, when there appears to be no reason to do so (Isaiah 54:1), when the natural tendency is to give up. Even “righteous people” go through testing times of great intensity. We feel it is hard to worship when things go south. But worship is not about us; it is about God. It is not geared to sanctifying our traditions and expectations but emphasizing Him. By nature we are all self-centred and proud. We find it hard to express gratitude. We tend to think only of ourselves when things are going well. Christians are not immune from the highs and lows of relationships and personal feelings about circumstances. It is in looking back that we can evaluate the totality of what has gone before and see the hand of God upholding and His Spirit sustaining us. As Jesus reminded us, God is a God of the living, of the “now”.

The average person in the street depends on favourable events and circumstances for their happiness. We as Christians, on the other hand, know that not every day is an emotional high but our lives are underpinned by God who is greater than whatever life dishes up.

God is able to do more than we can ask or think. He says, “If you call on Me I will answer you.” Friends care, but they are limited. There are many things they simply cannot do to help, even if they are available and willing to do so. On the other hand, God will not allow us to be removed. Nothing can take us out of His hand. He has promised us rest. We can trust Him with our all, as a lifestyle choice. We know that He makes everything that happens in our circumstances work for good and He is able to keep us from falling.

Problems are a part of life, but God does not abandon us because we get into messes. He does not destroy His servants. Even when we feel He is squeezing us, to produce change, we can still affirm that we trust Him with our lives. When faced with unusual or trying circumstances, Biblical faith says, This has a purpose (Job 23:10). Too many people directly or indirectly blame God for allowing events to occur. It is easy to be glued to our setbacks, but this is not God’s way. The Bible repeatedly calls Him the God of hope. He is faithful when Christians suffer persecution, when a friend dies at the hands of an assailant, when abuse occurs, when financial problems appear overwhelming, when a sickness is not healed, when a friend is killed in a car accident, when Christians perish in a tsunami? It is assuring to know He has a purpose. Life is not a tiny blip of nothingness in the universe. Life IS God. His purpose is always to build something that will last for eternity.

God is so very real

In my frame of reference, the most remarkable, most powerful, but most simple truth, is that God is real and that He is faithful to His children.

Vertroue

As jy die Here se hand nie sien nie, vertrou Sy hart.

Kyk, 'n beroering!

LEES: Esegiël 37:7: "En sodra ek geprofeteer het, was daar 'n geruis, en kyk - 'n beroering!"

Jy sien, maak nie saak wat die omstandighede is nie, wanneer God in 'n saak inkom, is daar 'n beroering. Wanneer God ingryp in 'n siektetoestand, dan verander dit. Wanneer God ingryp in finansies, dan verander dit. Al lyk jou situasie vandag heeltemal onmoontlik, al voel jy jy sien nie meer kans nie, weet dit: as God in jou saak ingryp, kom daar 'n beroering. Daar moet 'n verandering plaasvind. Niks kan standhou voor die krag van God nie. Geen siekte, geen omstandigheid, geen probleem kan bly staan in die teenwoordigheid van God in Jesus Christus nie. 

Ons het nodig om te besef dat ons God onvoorwaardelik moet vertrou. Sou 'n mens hierdie hele gedeelte lees sou jy onder die besef kom van die hopeloosheid van hierdie situasie en die profeet sê: toe ek geprofeteer het kyk 'n beroering. So wil ek vandag vir jou sê: vertrou God en daar sal 'n beroering in jou situasie kom.

GEBED: Here, laat ons net op U vertrou en, omdat ons op U vertrou, bring 'n beroering, in Jesus Naam. Amen.

Check jou volg afstand

As jou woorde nie sagter is en jou dade meer liefdevol omdat jy agter Jesus as Heer aanstap nie, dan is jou volg-afstand te groot.

Loop naby genoeg aan die Man van Nasaret dat sy stof gedurig op jou eie voete spat.

Loop naby genoeg aan die Here sodat Sy liefde vir God en mense afgee op jou.

Dan verander jy al hoe meer in die regte Rigting.

Dan volg jy Jesus tot daar tussen al Sy gunsteling mense wat vandag hemelse brood en water benodig.

a Wilderness Experience

This very long season is really stretching me... in more than one way.  I feel almost 'post-mortem-ish'.  If there is ever such a word!
It feels as if I just cannot get past this roller-coaster-emotional-ride I am on!

I know that emotion and faith has nothing do with one another. It's a faith thing and that I should keep my focus on that.

But I am really struggling through all of this. The mountain is just toooo high this time; maybe my aging hormones plays a role, or another exam on its way, or my all-time-weight-battle, my summer clothes that doesn't fit anymore and the mere thought of going on another diet.... ughhh,! 

So between all of my emotions I thought exercise would do me good; so I went surfing ..  of course I took the easy route = Internet Surfing! But it was time well spent! The ever loyal and my best Friend, the Holy Spirit led me to a site on Wilderness and thought to share this with the world!

While I was reading this I remembered that some of the people in the Bible's elite list; Jesus, Moses, David, Abraham, Elijah and Paul (etc.) experienced the very same.

Maybe this will help you to understand why you feel like you are going through a wilderness experience:

maybe... so that you would decide in your deepest being to place God in exclusive control of your life,
so that you would decide on the deepest level of your life to trust God, no matter what you are facing,
so that you would understand the reason for your life,
so that God could equip you for greater service and usefulness.

[originally posted in 2011]

Berg-Op

Hoeveel keer kom ons nie te staan voor ‘n berg in ons lewe nie. ‘n Berg so hoog en op die oog-af, so on-klimbaar dat ons nie eers probeer om dit te klim nie.
Ek het al te veel kere in my lewe tou op gegooi. Die berg was so ‘n ‘in-my-face’ realiteit dat ek net nie kans gesien het nie.

Was jy al daar, waar jy die berg bekýk, assesseer, bedink, beplan, selfs ver ente langs die berg probeer stap en dan besluit die journey gaan te lank neem. Dit gaan te moeilik wees dat jy nie eens probeer nie. Jy gaan liewer kamp opslaan by die berg. Miskien dan gaan jy kans sien om eerder ‘n ompad te vat.. óm hom te loop.

Vir soveel ‘waisted’ jare, het ek gekamp langs die berg aan die voet-en-ent. Ek het myself al so gerieflik ingerig dat ek gedink het dis toe nie so erg aan die voet-en-ent nie. Ek het nou nie ‘n fantastiese uitsig nie, maar vir eers kan dié doen.

Tot daar weer ‘n storm om my los bars, dan beskou ek weer die berg, probeer moed bymekaar skraap en myself motiveer om maar wel te klim.

Net sodra ek weer wil tou opgooi, dan hoor ek ‘n stem wat sê ”… Kom, klim tot bo…”

Tot die dag wat ek my tentpenne uitgetrek het. Dit was seer. Ek moes soveel dinge agter laat. Dinge wat vir my belangrik en geliefd was. Wat my geselskap was vir baie jare. Waaraan ek so geklou het, wat my comfort-zone geraak het. Maar ek het besef ek dra te swaar. As ek die journey na vryheid, na nuwe hoogtes, na ‘n beter uitsig wou hê mos ek mense en dinge agter los. My soeke na vrede, en oplossings, na vryheid het só oorweldigend dringender geraak as dit waaraan ek vasgeklou het.

Ek moes. Iets het my gejaag. Geroep. Na beter, na hoër. Na meer., na Vryheid. Hoop. Desperaatheid.

Soos wat ek tree vir tree gegee het en gesukkel het, het die Here my elke keer ‘n stukkie gereedskap, ‘n stukkie, waarheid aangegee wat my vashou plek gegee het. Daar was tye wat ek net teen die hange van die berg gaan sit het. Gehuil het. Ek was net te moeg om aan te gaan. Lewensmoeg.

Die berg was net te hoog. Ek was bang ek sou val. Ek wou net lê en huil oor my moegheid. My omstandighede. My sukkel. My eensaamheid. Soms was dit my huwelik. Ander kere was ek bekommerd oor my kinders. By tye het ek getwyfel in my vermoë om my kinders groot te maak. Soms was die gevolge van verkeerde besluite so oorweldigend dat ek nie geweet het hoe nou nie.

Dan het Jesus langs my kom sit. Met ‘n slukke water ... en rustig vertel hoe trots Hy op my is. Dat ek begin klim het. Dat, al was ek bang, ek Hom vertrou het om my te help. Dan stel Hy my oor en oor gerus, Hy sal die hele pad saam my klim. My wys waar ek moet trap, waar ek moet vashou - soms deur Sy woord, soms deur Sy stem... en soms stuur Hy 'n mens met 'n bemoedigende drukkie of woord.

En elke keer wanneer ek ongemaklik en bang raak, dan hoor ek Hom weer sê..” Kom, klim tot bo…”

Ek wou nie. Ek was so onfiks. Dis moeilik Here. Hoor U my nie!!! Ek wil nie meer klim nie.

..” Kom klim nog bietje hoër, tot bo…”

Na baie trane is ek bo !!!

What a view Here !

Die Here was só verskriklik opgewonde oor my journey ! As ek net vroeër geweet het Hy sou so reageer sou ek eerder harder probeer het. Vinniger probeer klim het.

Die Here kon skaars wag dat ek my asem moes kry om my Sý view te wys. Van bo af.

Here, als is so duideliker hier bo. Crystal Clear. Niks lyk vir my onoorwinbaar nie. Ek sien tot vér – selfs die sonsopkoms sien ek met ander oë.

Ek verstaan nou hoekom Moses so graag vir U op die berg gaan kuier het. Want om U glorie te aanskou is a breath-taking view.

Dankie vir die uitnodiging om vir U te gaan kuier. Keer op Keer.

Wat ‘n journey Here.

[voorheen gepost, 'n dekade gelede, 2010]

Work ethic

Talent is a gift, but your attitude, work ethic and character are things you have to develop yourself.

a Plea for healing

“There is more in the balm to heal than there is in guilt to wound; for there is more in grace to save than there is in sin to destroy.”

Jeremiah 8 records God’s warning to Judah of what Babylon would do to them. Upon hearing the news, Jeremiah cries, "Is there no balm in Gilead?" (v. 22).

His question is a poetic search for hope—a plea for healing. The saving power of Jesus.

We have this surety, and a steadfast hope, according to scripture that Jesus wants to heal us emotionally, physically and spiritually. If you call unto Him be sure that He hears.

Return your rest, my soul!

 "'Return to your rest, my soul, for the LORD has been good to you.'"

Fear & anxiety has a strange way of creeping into our hearts and lives, but we need to remind ourselves about how God has undertaken in the past.

Faithfulness is part of His character and He continues to be faithful.

So return to your rest, find your peace and security in Him once more.

Lord, when I think about how You have helped and been good to me, I can only rejoice and be confident in You. I will rest in You and I will trust in You. Amen.

 ~Psalm 116:7

The way I roll

'I will conduct the affairs of my house with a blameless (perfect) heart.'

~ Psalm 101:2b

Jesus, please help me to live in a way that reflects Your beautiful nature to others, especially within my private life where my loved ones see the real me.