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“The true children of God are those who let God’s Spirit lead them.” Romans 8:14 NCV

Learn to be led by God’s Spirit

If you are a redeemed child of God, then the Holy Spirit lives within you. And He will guide you toward God’s blessings for your own life and toward opportunities to bless others. In some cases, your ability and willingness to overrule reason, tune out the well-meaning advice of others, and be led by God’s Spirit can make a world of difference for someone in need. Admiral Sir Thomas Williams was in command of a ship that routinely crossed the Atlantic. His course brought him in sight of Ascension Island, which was uninhabited most of the time. It was barely visible on the horizon during the crossing when Sir Thomas felt a great urge to steer his vessel toward it. The closer he came to the island, the greater the urgency he felt. When he gave the order to head for the island, his lieutenant officer respectfully pointed out that such a course change would greatly delay them. Even so, the admiral remained intent. The inner urging, which he had come to recognize as God guiding him, was very strong. As the ship neared the island, his crew spotted a white flag. “It must be a signal!” Williams concluded. Sure enough, on the beach were sixteen men who’d been shipwrecked many days before. They were starving and had nearly given up hope. Sixteen lives were saved that day because a man had learned to listen to and obey the voice of the Holy Spirit within him. And you can too. “The true children of God are those who let God’s Spirit lead them.”

“Want almal wat hulle laat lei deur die Gees van God – hulle is God se kinders.” Romeine 8:14 NLV

Leer om deur God se Gees gelei te word

As jy ‘n verloste kind van God is, woon die Heilige Gees in jou. Hy sal jou na God se seëninge vir jou eie lewe en na geleenthede om ander te seën, lei. In sommige gevalle kan jou vermoë en bereidwilligheid om die goed bedoelde raad van ander te ignoreer en deur God se Gees gelei te word, ‘n wêreld se verskil vir iemand in nood maak. Admiraal Sir Thomas Williams was in bevel van ‘n skip wat gereeld die Atlantiese Oseaan oorgesteek het. Sy roete het hom in sig van Ascension-eiland, wat grootliks onbewoon was, gebring. Dit was op ‘n keer skaars sigbaar op die horison toe sir Thomas ‘n groot drang gevoel het om sy skip daarheen te stuur. Hoe nader hy aan die eiland gekom het, hoe groter het die dringendheid wat hy gevoel het, geword. Toe hy die bevel gee om na die eiland te vaar, het sy luitenant-offisier hom respekvol daarop gewys dat so ‘n verandering van koers hulle reis baie sou vertraag. Tog het die admiraal vasberade gebly. Die innerlike drang, wat hy as God se leiding herken het, was baie sterk. Toe die skip die eiland nader, het sy bemanning ‘n wit vlag gewaar. ‘Dit moet ‘n teken wees!’ het Williams afgelei. Inderdaad, op die strand het hulle sestien mans, wat baie dae tevore skipbreuk gely het, gekry. Hulle was honger en het amper moed opgegee. Sestien lewens is daardie dag gered omdat ‘n man na die stem van die Heilige Gees in hom geluister en dit gehoorsaam het. Jy kan dit ook doen. ‘Want almal wat hulle laat lei deur die Gees van God – hulle is God se kinders.’

“She perceives that her merchandise is good.” Proverbs 31:18 NKJV

What you have is good

Let’s look at four liberating truths in this Scripture: (1) “She perceives that her merchandise is good.” She is not looking for validation or approval of her merchandise. When you’re insecure and don’t value what you have, others may be able to minimize it and convince you that it’s not worth much. This woman, like all of us, desires acceptance and validation, but she will not seek it or find herself debilitated if she doesn’t get it. (2) “She perceives that her merchandise is good.” To perceive is to sense and know inwardly. She understands what she brings to the table and inwardly values it. She will not doubt the value of its worth; neither will she find it necessary to brag about the quality of her merchandise. She will not have her nose turned up in pride, but neither will she have her eyes cast down with false humility. She simply has a balanced and healthy view of her wares. (3) “She perceives that her merchandise is good.” Here is someone who’s not intimidated by or unduly concerned about the goods of other merchants. Consequently, she doesn’t spend her energies comparing and competing. (4) “She perceives that her merchandise is good.” She’s not stuck in the past, thinking about the good merchandise she used to have. Neither is she postponing the pursuit of her goals until her merchandise is perfect. She simply steps out in faith, having done the best she could. Her merchandise is good today; tomorrow is in God’s hands. Anxiety has no place in her life. So the word for you today is—what you’ve got is good!

“Sy merk dat haar koopware goed is…” Spreuke 31:18 KAB

Wat jy het, is goed

Kom ons kyk na vier bevrydende waarhede in hierdie Skrifgedeelte: 1) ‘Sy merk dat haar koopware goed is…’ Sy soek nie bevestiging of goedkeuring van haar handelsware nie. Wanneer jy onseker is oor dit wat jy het en dit nie waardeer nie, kan ander mense jou dalk oortuig dat dit nie veel werd is nie. Hierdie vrou, soos ons almal, verlang na aanvaarding en bevestiging, maar sy sal dit nie soek of haarself verwyt as sy dit nie kry nie. 2) ‘Sy merk dat haar koopware goed is…’ Sy verstaan en waardeer dit wat sy na die tafel toe bring. Sy sal nie aan die waarde daarvan twyfel nie; sy sal dit ook nie nodig vind om oor die kwaliteit van haar handelsware te spog nie. Sy sal nie haar neus in trots optrek nie en sy sal ook nie haar oë in valse nederigheid neerslaan nie. Sy het eenvoudig ‘n gebalanseerde en gesonde siening van haar ware. 3) ‘Sy merk dat haar koopware goed is…’ Hier is iemand wat nie deur die goedere van ander handelaars geïntimideer word of onnodig daaroor bekommerd is nie. Gevolglik bestee sy nie haar energie om te vergelyk en mee te ding nie. 4) ‘Sy merk dat haar koopware goed is…’ Sy haak nie vas in die verlede en dink aan die goeie goedere wat sy voorheen gehad het nie. Sy wag ook nie tot haar koopware perfek is voor sy haar doelwit begin nastreef nie. Sy tree eenvoudig in geloof op, nadat sy die beste gedoen het wat sy kon. Haar koopware is goed; môre is in God se hande. Angs het geen plek in haar lewe nie. Die woord vir jou vandag is dus - wat jy het, is goed!

“My Presence will go with you.” Exodus 33:14 NKJV

Experiencing God’s presence each day

Nicholas Herman was a cook in a monastery. He worried about whether or not he was truly saved. One day while looking at a tree, he realized the truth of the Psalmist’s words—that it had to be rooted in something other and deeper than itself (see Psalm 1:1-3). That day, he decided to make his life an experiment in what he called a “habitual, silent, secret conversation of the soul with God.” He’s known today by the new name given to him by his friends: Brother Lawrence. He remained obscure throughout his life and spent the rest of his days in the monastery kitchen. But the people around him found that rivers of living water flowed out of him that made them want to know God the way he did. “The good brother found God everywhere,” one of them wrote, “as much while he was repairing shoes as while he was praying with the community.” After Brother Lawrence died, his friends put together a book of his letters and conversations. It is called The Practice of the Presence of God, and it is thought to be one of the most widely read books of the last four centuries. This short-order cook has outsold many popular contemporary novelists, and his book is still on best-seller lists. Brother Lawrence said: “The most holy and necessary practice in our spiritual life is the presence of God. That means finding constant pleasure in His divine company, speaking humbly and lovingly with Him in all seasons, at every moment, without limiting the conversation in any way.”

“…Moet Ek dan self saamgaan sodat jou hart kan rus?” Eksodus 33:14 NLV

Ervaar elke dag God se teenwoordigheid

Nicholas Herman was ‘n kok in ‘n klooster. Hy was bekommerd of hy werklik gered was of nie. Eendag, terwyl hy na ‘n boom gekyk het, het hy die waarheid van die Psalmdigter se woorde besef - dat dit in iets anders en dieper as homself gewortel moes wees (sien Psalm 1:1-3). Daardie dag het hy besluit om sy lewe ‘n eksperiment te maak in wat hy ‘n ‘voortdurende stille, geheime gesprek van die siel met God,’ genoem het. Hy is vandag onder die nuwe naam wat sy vriende hom gegee het, bekend: Broer Lawrence. Hy het sy hele lewe lank onbekend gebly en die res van sy dae in die kloosterkombuis deurgebring. Die mense rondom hom het egter gevind dat riviere van lewende water uit hom gevloei het, wat hulle laat begeer het om God ook te ken soos hy Hom geken het. ‘Die goeie broer het God oral gevind,’ het een van hulle geskryf, ‘net soveel wanneer hy gekook het, as wat hy saam met die gemeenskap gebid het.’ Nadat Broer Lawrence gesterf het, het sy vriende ‘n boek van sy briewe en gesprekke saamgestel. Dit word Die Beoefening van God se Teenwoordigheid genoem en word as een van die mees geleesde boeke van die afgelope vier eeue beskou. Hierdie kok se boek het baie gewilde kontemporêre romanskrywers oortref, en sy boek is steeds op topverkoperlyste. Broer Lawrence het gesê: ‘Die heiligste en noodsaaklikste praktyk in ons geestelike lewe is die teenwoordigheid van God. Dit beteken om voortdurend bevrediging in sy goddelike geselskap te vind, nederig en liefdevol met Hom in alle seisoene, in elke oomblik te praat, sonder om die gesprek op enige manier te beperk.’

Wynand Rossouw gesels met Rene Rossouw oor die verlies wat mense ervaar wanneer hulle troeteldiere tot sterwe kom en die gevolge daarvan. Jy kan haar kontak of op die webwerf petkidz.co.za of op selnommer 061 586 3734 Good News Time

“Be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord.” James 5:7 NKJV

What, whose, why, when?

When it comes to Christ’s return, five questions arise: (1) What is the Lord’s coming? It’s the fulfillment of His promise: “In My Father’s house are many mansions…I go to prepare a place for you. And…I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also” (John 14:2-3 NKJV). (2) Whose coming is it? Christ’s! When He ascended back to heaven, an angel announced: “This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven” (Acts 1:11 NKJV). (3) Why is Jesus coming back? His first coming was as the suffering servant who died on the cross for our sins. His second coming is to usher in a time of peace on earth and an eternity in His presence. His first coming, He dwelt with us for a while. At His second coming, He will take us to dwell with Him forever. (4) Where is His coming? “The Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air” (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 NKJV). (5) When is He coming? Jesus said, “Of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only” (Matthew 24:36 NKJV). If you’re wise, you’ll live each day as if Christ could return at any moment—because He could!

“Wees dan geduldig, liewe broers en susters, totdat die Here weer hier is…” Jakobus 5:7 NLV

Wat, wie, waarom, waar, wanneer?

Wanneer ons aan Christus se wederkoms dink, ontstaan daar vyf vrae: 1) Wat behels die Here se koms? Dit is die vervulling van sy belofte: ‘In die huis van my Vader is daar sommer baie kamers… Ek gaan soontoe om vir julle plek gereed te maak. En as Ek gegaan het en vir julle plek ingerig het, kom Ek terug en sal julle na My toe neem sodat julle ook kan wees waar Ek is’ (Johannes 14:2-3 NLV). 2) Wie se koms is dit? Christus s’n! Toe Hy terug na die hemel opgevaar het, het ‘n engel aangekondig: ‘…Jesus is van julle af weggeneem die hemel in. Hy sal egter nét so terugkom soos julle Hom die hemel sien ingaan het’ (Handelinge 1:11 NLV). 3) Waarom kom Jesus terug? Sy eerste koms was as die lydende dienaar wat aan die kruis vir ons sondes gesterf het. Sy tweede koms is om ‘n tyd van vrede op aarde en ‘n ewigheid in sy teenwoordigheid in te lui. 4) Waar sal sy koms plaasvind? ‘Wat eerste gaan gebeur, is dat die Here self uit die hemel sal neerdaal en dat die dooies wat aan Christus behoort, sal opstaan. Dit sal gebeur wanneer die hoofengel ‘n bevel gee wat soos ‘n trompet van God klink. Daarna sal ons wat bly lewe het, saam met hulle op wolke die lug in weggevoer word om die Here te ontmoet en vir altyd by Hom te wees’ (1 Tessalonisense 4:16-17 NLV). 5) Wanneer kom Hy? Jesus het gesê: ‘Tog ken niemand die presiese datum en tyd wanneer hierdie dinge sal gebeur nie – ook nie die engele of selfs die Seun nie. Dit weet net die Vader’ (Matteus 24:36 NLV). As jy wys is, sal jy elke dag leef asof Christus enige oomblik kan terugkeer - want Hy kan!

: Acts 4: Prayer in the Church, Spiritual Leadership, and Dependency on God

Description

A church that is not a praying church is simply playing church. In this episode of Theology Tuesday with Rocky Stevenson Pastor of Benoni Bible Church, we examine how sound doctrine touches everyday life by turning to the early church in Acts | 4:23–31. When faced with intense hostility and threats, the apostles did not turn to political action or human strategy; instead, they gathered with one accord to lift their voices to the Sovereign Lord.

True corporate prayer begins by anchoring our minds in the absolute sovereignty of God, praying Scripture back to Him, and pleading for gospel boldness rather than mere comfort. Spiritual leadership demands spiritual dependency, which is why biblical elders and deacons must first and foremost be men of prayer. When believers humble themselves, abandon self-reliance, and pray with biblical conviction, God moves with power, filling His people with the Holy Spirit to proclaim His Word with confidence (Ephesians | 6:18).

We invite you to listen, evaluate the spiritual pulse of your own prayer life, and reflect on what it means to gather in true dependency upon the Lord.

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