Devotion 110

Rom 8:5-6
(5) For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.
(6) For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.

Eph 5:18-20
(18) And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;
(19) Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;
(20) Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;

Col 3:16
(16) Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.

We have now learned that we have to walk in the Holy Spirit’s power and inspiration daily and this will empower us to live free from the oppression of sin and its effect. Let us take a step forward and allow the Spirit to release praise, worship and thanksgiving within us. I find that it is easier for me to hear God’s voice and to break through in prayer if I start singing to Him. I would sing in tongues and I would sing in English or Afrikaans and alternate as I go on. As I sing in tongues the Holy Spirit sings through me with words that I do not understand with my natural mind, but my spirit is made alive and becomes fruitful.

This is not a religious set of rules to be followed or to be set us a part of a scoreboard to impress God. No it is a gift that God has given us and Paul was aware of that so he exhorted the believers to do it as well. There is great power in praise, worship and thanksgiving and none of us can truly fathom what happens in the spirit realm when we do this. Paul and Silas were locked in a prison cell with their feet secured in stocks and while they were praising and worshipping God the angels came to deliver them. The power that was displayed there even shook the earth and opened prison doors.

Friends, this is not a Hollywood story I am talking about. Those were real prison doors and real stocks with real Roman soldiers guarding them. This was a physical manifestation of God’s power because His people praised, prayed and called on His Name. What are you waiting for? Stop trying to be a good Christian, accept the completed work of the Cross and start walking with the Holy Spirit and enjoy His presence. Express your love and joy by singing, worshipping and giving thanks. Sing and pray all the time as you drive, while you are waiting in lines and when you are working in the garden. Just sing and praise the Lord and you will find it becomes so easy to hear God and walk in His ways. The prison doors will open for you just as it did for Paul and Silas.

Devotion 109

Joh 14:12-14
(12) Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.
(13) And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
(14) If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.

Mat 17:20
(20) And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.

The Lord has been speaking to me lately about the position that we have in Christ and I realize that we are walking far below our created destiny. Jesus said that we will do greater works than He did while He was on earth and He went further to say that nothing will be impossible for us. If I look at our lives I still see many things that are seemingly impossible to us and I often wondered what the problem was. There can only be two answers to this question; either Jesus lied or we are not getting it. I know that Jesus never lies so we must be the problem.

We have an inferiority complex as humans because of sin and it hinders us to confidently pray and ask Jesus for something. It is as if there is this shadow in the back of our heads that accuses us and convinces us we are not worthy of receiving this request. Jesus reconciled us to the Father and there is now no more condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus (Rom 8:1). We can come boldly before the Throne of grace and make our requests known to God because we are righteous through Jesus Christ.

If we pray from a guilt perspective (law, works) then faith cannot operate as it was designed to operate from a position of righteousness. We HAVE BEEN MADE RIGHTEOUS by Jesus Christ. Accept it now. You cannot operate a Windows based computer program from Mac or Linux and in the same way you cannot try to operate in faith from the wrong platform. Jesus died to get us on the right platform, don’t despise His work by allowing guilt and condemnation to separate you from the Father. See yourself today as reconciled and one with the Father through Jesus, not by your own effort and works, but purely because of the finished work of Christ.

We have the same Holy Spirit that Jesus had and therefore we can do what Jesus did while on earth. The Word of God on our lips is just as powerful as the Word of God on Jesus’ lips. This might sound presumptuous to you, but I tell you that this is the position we have before God. We are one with the Father and one with Jesus through the Holy Spirit so let the same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead empower you to enforce the authority of Jesus over sickness, death and the curse. Show His power and might to those around you and know that nothing is impossible if you believe this.

Devotion 108

Mat 12:34-37
(34) O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.
(35) A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things.
(36) But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.
(37) For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.

Mat 17:20
(20) And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.

There are 4 ways how we shape the world around us and produce things in our lives. They are:
1. Our Vision (what we see)
2. Our Faith (what we believe as being the truth)
3. Our words (what we speak in our everyday talk)
4. Our actions (what we do)

We believe something or experience something in our hearts, we speak it and we put energy into achieving it. What we believe comes from within us, from the heart. If we believe and think the wrong things we will produce words from those evil things which we think in our hearts. We produce unbelief, sickness and negativity because that is what we have been programmed to do by this world. The more we hear these negative words around us the more they program our hearts because the scriptures say that “faith comes by hearing”. As much as faith in God’s ability comes by hearing the Word of God there is also negative faith that comes by hearing negative reports from people around us or from the media.

God wants us to produce His life in this world and in order for that to happen our hearts need to beat like His so that we can speak like Him and act like Him. The fact is that He already placed that ability in each human being and Jesus redeemed that ability 100%. All of us who are “in Christ” are also partakers of His nature according to Col 2:9-10 and we have full access to His mind and His ability. It is “inside us” and not something we should search for externally. The Spirit in us cries Abba, Father.

Now, in order for us to experience that “nature of God” in us we need to look in the mirror of His Word. We need to make the time to sit with the Father, read His Word and allow His Spirit to reveal this truth to us. As we do that we will see the reality of our redeemed state and sin (lies) will lose its grip on our lives. Our hearts will then produce living water that will flow from our lips and guide our actions. The end result of that will be love-based words, faith that moves mountains, and works of ministry done by the saints. The works of ministry should be the result of the revelation that we are reconciled to God – not because we feel sorry or under pressure by the laws of the scriptures. We are free to serve; we don’t serve to achieve freedom.

Looking into the mirror of religion (the church traditions of man) will place you in bondage under the law. Looking into the mirror of the news media will place you under the burden of fear and anger and looking into the mirror of most TV programs will place you under the burden of lust, greed and all kinds of evil. Looking into the perfect law of freedom (James 1:25) will set you free!!

SUMMARY: Look into the mirror of the Word and see that Christ reconciled you to the Father. Accept this into your being and allow the Spirit to minister that revelation to you. Let the Spirit lead you to reveal His love to your neighbors and use His faith to achieve the impossible. Let the Spirit that designed Eden turn your broken world into an Eden.

Devotion 107

Mat 10:40-42
(40) He that receiveth you receiveth me, and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me.
(41) He that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet's reward; and he that receiveth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man's reward.
(42) And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward.

1Ti 5:17-18
(17) Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour, especially they who labour in the word and doctrine.
(18) For the scripture saith, Thou shalt not muzzle the ox that treadeth out the corn. And, The labourer is worthy of his reward.

Jesus said that if we receive the prophet in the name of the prophet we will receive the prophet’s reward and that means we need to recognize the prophets (ministers) in our midst and honor them by supplying their needs. It also means that if we receive or honor the evangelist or mercy worker in the name of the evangelist or mercy worker that we will receive the same rewards as them. God will give us the same rewards that those people were going to get for their labors simply because we work with them to do what God has called them to do. This sounds to me like a good deal, doesn’t it? John can go to the bush and get stung by mozzies to tell people about Jesus and I can share in his reward simply because I partnered with him. I did not get stung but I got the rewards, wow.

Paul said in 1 Tim 5:17-18 that the elders who rule well should receive a double honorarium for their efforts in preaching the Word. There are many missionaries, preachers, relief workers and servants that are reaching out to people who do not have much to contribute to their work, or they are doing ministry work that does not generate an income, but they are working hard and laying down their own careers and ambitions to serve people. These people are doing this work based on a call from God and not based on own desires for wealth and riches. It is the privilege of those with an income to share with those who are laboring for the sake of the Gospel and if everyone is doing this then the Gospel will be preached all over the world in no time. These missionaries and preachers are some of the most amazing people you will ever meet and if you took the time to listen to their stories you will be moved to tears by their sacrifices and their love for others.

I believe that we need to start honoring the men and women who are laboring for the sake of the gospel and we should strengthen them by being generous towards them. There are so many missionaries and Pastors that I know that are incapacitated in their work because they don’t have access to finances. It was and will always be God’s plan to use His body to provide for the preaching of the gospel and when we as a church are not faithful in that then the work of the Lord suffers. We can act as the voices for those in ministry to exhort others to contribute to their needs, just like I am challenging you now.

Friend, I want to exhort you to be generous towards your Pastor, your church, the missionary you know and towards the ministries that care for the poor and needy. These people need you and you need them. Remember the opening scripture that says you will receive the same reward as you support them. Let us act as a real body and carry the food all the way through the body to every part. The arms can’t hold back all the food, it must pass to the hands and the legs must let it pass through to the feet.

Let us see the church equipped and going into all nations with the Good News of Jesus, unhindered by lack and needs. I decided years ago to play an active part in spreading the Gospel to the ends of the world and therefore I put my money where my mouth is by supporting missionaries financially and by contributing to my local church. Will you join me please and do the same?

Devotion 106

Eph 4:15-16 “But speaking the truth in love, let us grow in every way into Him, who is the head – Christ. From Him the whole body, fitted and knitted together by every supporting ligament, promotes the growth of the body for the building of itself in love by the proper working of each individual part.”

God designed us to be knitted into His family through faith in Jesus and that Jesus would be the head of this Great Family. He also designed it that each individual have a unique, important, role to play in building and caring for the body. Some people in the body are more visible than others, but each one is needed. I realize more and more that The Body of Christ is lying in pieces all over the earth as the individual members refuse to come together. Everyone does his own thing and wants his own glory.
We see it in our city as each group just does their own thing with very little cooperation and cross pollination between groups. Friends, come one now man!! Get out of your little spiritual neighborhood and start working with other to achieve the common goal of building the Body. It is time to start reaching across those church boundaries and see how our groups can work together and show the world that we are indeed one. Jesus said that the world would now we are His disciples by our love. Let the church walls disappear and let us be One Body with one Vision – to make the way for the King to come back.

Devotion 105

Isaiah 40:28-31

(28) Have you not known? Have you not heard? Yahwe is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable.

(29) He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength.

(30) Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted;

(31) but they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.

This weekend at the MMC Angus Buchan shared on Saturday morning about waiting upon the Lord and it stuck to me so much. God spoke to me that I needed to spend a whole lot more time just waiting upon Him. So this morning I took that verse, which I have held onto for almost 20 yrs, Isaiah 40:28-31, and I studied it again with new life and meaning. The following things stood out for me and I want to encourage you with what I found.

Firstly, we must remember that Yahwe (God) is everlasting and He is the creator of all. He is immeasurably great and powerful and He knows and understands all things. There is nothing greater than Him and therefore no situation we face is ever too big for Him. He does not change and He is the same yesterday, today and forever (Heb 13:8) This knowledge is so comforting and I see it as an anchor of my soul (Heb 6:19) that holds me in place and calm in times of storm and trouble in this world. I can know that God will not move when the storm hits me full force and I can hide in Him as my shelter, Psalm 18:2.

Secondly, due to the fact that God is power and He loves giving us His power we can know that He will give us strength to face all situations. We do not have to rely on our own strength. The strength that He gives is so much more complete and has more depth than the strength that we can muster up in human effort. The scripture says we must “wait upon” the Lord. The Hebrew word for “wait upon” is “Kavah”. It means to be entwined or twisted into. This is like a rope that consists of a whole load of strings being woven together. We need to be woven into God like a rope. The string on its own is weak, but if you weave it into that rope it becomes strong due to its association with the rope. The knowledge of being in God will give you wings to rise up and soar to greater heights in this life and you will not fear the storm, but soar even higher by using the winds in the storm to lift you up. So what used to be an obstacle will now become an opportunity.

I am at a place in my life where I need to hear God more clearly than ever before and I have made the decision to “kavah” with God. I want to get entwined with Him through studying the Word, praying, worship and just waiting on Him daily. What are you gonna do? Are you going to continue in fear, weakness and desperation or are you going to wait upon the Lord and hide away in Him? Find His heart and His plan today!

Devotion 104

Job 22:28

(28) And thou shalt decree a thing, and it shall be established unto thee; and light shall shine upon thy ways.

This scripture has become such revelation to me over the years as I have walked the faith road. God is waiting for us to decree a thing and then He dispatches His angels to have that thing accomplished. The problem I found is that people will declare their intention to embark on a certain course of action and as soon as trouble comes the change their talk or they start looking for escapes such as, “Oh, it maybe is not God’s will.” Listen to me today; nothing that you do that has Kingdom value will just come easily. The enemy is not going to just sit back and watch you accomplish God’s plan for your life. The bible says in John 10:10 that the thief, the devil, always comes to steal, kill and destroy and therefore he will challenge you all the way.

We need to spend time with God and find out what we should do and then we decree it with our words. Once we decree it with our words we will start experiencing the opposition. Even on this outreach we encountered many challenges and the enemy tried to stop us at every corner, but we continued going the way we planned because we knew God will support us. If we start deviating we will lose sight of the original intent and soon we will be going down a way of compromise.

Decide that you will do the right thing, declare it, put your head down and start going. Do not change the outcome by speaking words of doubt and unbelief while you are going down that route. It is so important that we walk the faith road with patience and endurance as it is the only that we will see the victory that Jesus purchased for us.

Devotion 103

Job 22:24 Then you will lay down your gold in the dust, and the gold of Ophir among the stones of the brooks. Yes the Almighty will be our gold and precious silver, for then you will have your delight in the Almighty and lift up your face to God. You will make your prayer for Him and He will hear you and you will pay your vows.

It is time for us to find our delight in God and not in earthly things. So many people we know have more commitment to gaining earthly wealth than to God. Job’s friend encouraged him to turn to God, repent and lay down his earthly wealth in order to seek God. So many times in life I have had to make that decision. I will look at someone else’s nice things and desire it and God will challenge me to pursue Him and His calling more than gold or silver. It is not always easy, as the world has a strong attraction, but it is worth it.

The world will not meet Jesus if Christians are seeking for or chasing money for their own pockets. Our wealth must work for God and not be for our own comfort only. God will only become your delight if you take on this mindset as God will not compete for your attention.

So remember:
1. See your wealth as nothing compared to God
2. Seek God’s face – delight yourself in Him
3. Pay your vows – let your money work for God

Devotion 102 - English

Job 22:22-23
(22) Receive instruction from his mouth, and lay up his words in your heart.

I am continuing from last week’s portion of scripture. Last week we heard we have to return to God and get peace. This week’s word is key to keeping that peace. The Word of God is consistent and it never changes and is an incredible source of stability and peace in one’s life. Once you have fixed your heart on the integrity and infallibility of the Word of God you will see an immediate growth in your life.

God’s Word contains God’s words and the instructions from His mouth. It is His words that we have to read, meditate upon and receive into our hearts. The Word of God is able to cut deep into our hearts and expose our hidden thoughts and intensions which is also the engine of transformation in our lives as Paul says in Rom 12:2. I have seen how often people, and myself, struggled with certain issues and tried hard to get rid of some sin or bad habit and just kept on failing. Then while studying the bible revelation breaks through your spirit on that issue and in an instant you are rid of that issue or bondage. This only happens if we read the Bible with an attitude of faith and expectation. It is no good you read the bible just as a ritual and not with a soft and tender heart.

I want to exhort you today to study the Word of God and take His Words on your lips. Obey Him and trust in His sayings. If the bible says you are healed then that settles it, there should be no question left on the issue. If the bible says your needs are met then that settles it, you can rest in the fact that Father will provide for you. People generally put more faith in other people’s words than in God’s Word. The Newspaper, You Magazine and other magazines or programs have more authority in people’s lives than the Word of God. This is a shame and should not be!

I hear people saying that we are all going to go down in South Africa due to the corruption of the government, but the Word says that the righteous will inherit the land. Are you righteous, have you received Jesus Christ and entered into relationship with Him? If you are righteous through faith in Jesus then you can stand on the Word that it will go well with you in this land and you do not have to fear anything. God will provide for you, protect you and open mighty doors for you. If you will consistently stand upon the Word of God your life will become consistently blessed and full of purpose. His Word cannot fail. Go and study the Word of God!!!!

Devotion 102 - Afrikaans

Job 22:22
(22) Neem tog uit sy mond onderrig aan, en lê sy woorde weg in jou hart.

Ek gaan voort vanaf laasweek se skriflesing. Ons het laasweek gehoor ons moet terugkeer na God en Sy vrede kry. Hierdie week se skrif is die sleutel om daardie vrede te behou. Die Woord van God is konstant en verander nooit nie en is ‘n wonderlike bron van stabiliteit en vrede in mens se lewe. As jy eers jou hart gevestig het op die integriteit en onveilbaarheid van die Woord sal jy onmiddelike groei in jou lewe sien.

Die Bybel bevat God se woorde en die instruksies van Sy mond. Dit is hierdie woorde wat ons moet lees, op mediteer en in ons harte ontvang. Die Woord van God sny diep in ons harte in en ontbloot die diepste oordenkinge en intensies en dit is ook die motor van ons transformasie soos Paulus skryf in Rom 12:2. Ek het al soveel keer gesien hoe ek, of iemand anders, sukkel met ‘n sekere sonde of gewoonte en jy probeer hard om die ding onder beheer te bring maar jy bly val. Dan terwyl jy die bybel bestudeer breek die openbaring in jou hart deur en in ‘n oogwink is daardie probleem weg en is jy vry van die bande van daardie sonde. Dit sal slegs gebeur as jy die Woord lees met geloof en ‘n verwagting dat iets gaan gebeur. Dit help nie jy lees net uit gewoonte en jou hart is nie sag teenoor die Heilige Gees nie.

Ek wil jou aanmoedig om vandag die Woord te studeer en om die Woord op jou lippe te neem. Wees gehoorsaam aan wat God sê en vertrou Sy woorde. As die Woord sê jy is genees dan is dit so, daar moet geen vraag verder oor dit wees nie. As die Woord sê jou behoeftes is vervul dan rus jy in daardie wete dat die Vader sal voorsien. Mense glo makilker ander mense se woorde as God se woorde, en dit is ons probleem. Die koerant en Huisgenoot en al die tydskrifte het meer gesag in mense se lewens as Die Bybel, sies man!

Ek hoor mense sê dat ons almal gaan sink in hierdie land van ons agv die korrupsie van die regering, maar die Woord sê dat die regverdige die land sal besit. Is jy regverdig, het jy al vir Jesus ontvang as jou verlosser en is jy in verhouding met Hom? Indien wel dan kan jy staan op die Woord van God en dit sal goed gaan met jou te midde van die krisis en jy hoef niks te vrees nie. God sal voorsien, beskerm en deure oopmaak. As jy konstant op die Woord sal staan sal jy ook konstant Sy seën ervaar in jou lewe en sal jy ‘n vervulde lewe hê. Sy Woord kan nie faal nie, so gaan en bestudeer Sy Woord vandag!

Devotion 101 - Afrikaans

Job 22:21
(21) Sluit tog vriendskap met Hom, sodat jy vrede kan hê; daardeur sal goeie dinge oor jou kom.

Die King James Vertaling sê ons moet bekend word met God en vrede hê. Die sentrale tema hier is dat om vrede te kan hê moet ons reg staan voor God en met Hom vrede hê. Dit is heeltamal moontlik om so te lewe want Jesus het ons reeds reg gestel voor die Vader deur die skuldbrief van sonde wat teen ons gestaan het aan die kruis vas te nael. Daar is geen persoon wat apart van God hoef te lewe hier op aarde of selfs na die dood nie. Ewige eenheid met God was nog altyd God se plan vir die mensdom. Ongelukkig is daar biljoene wat lewe asof hulle nie met God verenig is nie en biljoene het reeds in die toestand gesterf en brand vir ewig in die vlamme van die hel. Nie jy of enige iemand wat jy ken hoef hel toe te gaan nie, moenie!!! Keer jou hart na Jesus Christus en ontvang in geloof Sy verlossing.

My vriend, as jy nie vrede het in jou lewe nie maak dan reg met God vandag. Ek praat nie net van bekering hier nie, maar enige vorm van onrus wat jy ervaar in jou innerlike mens asook in jou omstandighede kan onder God se beheer gebring word. Baie kinders van God het nie vrede nie en moet weer by God uitkom. Ek praat uit ervaring hier want ek het ook dinge en mense wat my vrede wil steel op ‘n gereelde basis en moet elke keer my rus in Hom vind. As jy eers vrede maak met God dan sien jy sommer al die ander goed ook in ‘n ander lig. Bely jou sondes aan die Here en stem saam met Hom dat dit reeds vergewe is en ontvang daardie vergifnis diep in jou wese. Wandel dan elke oomblik in die wete dat jy die geregtigheid van God is deur Jesus Christus. Jy kan vrede hê want jy is reeds reg geplaas voor God deur Jesus se dood en opstanding.

Soek God vandag, Hy is nader aan jou as jou vel. Jy sal Hom vind want Hy het Homself nog nooit weggesteek nie. Moenie toelaat dat gevoelens van minderwaardigheid, sondigheid of skuld jou van die Vader af weg hou nie. Jesus het reeds die prys betaal. Hallelujah.

Devotion 101 - English

Job 22:21-30
(21) "Agree with God, and be at peace; thereby good will come to you.

The King James Version says “Acquaint thyself with God and be at peace.” I love this translation. The Holman’s version says “come to terms with God.”

I believe the core issue in this verse is that in order to have peace one needs to in right standing with God and be at peace with Him. This is completely possible because Jesus made us righteous by nailing the letter of sin that stood against us to the cross. There is not one person on earth that has to live separate from God. Eternal union with God has always been God’s plan for humanity. Unfortunately billions of people live as if they are separate from God on earth and billions have died separate from Him and are now eternally burning in the fire of hell. Hell is real and it is not a place you or anyone you know should be going to.

My friend, if your life is not at peace then make peace with God today. I am not only talking about getting saved, but any form of conflict in your inner man and in your personal surroundings can be brought under God’s peace. Many Christians are not at peace and should make peace with God again. I know this by experience as I have many things, and also some people, who are regularly trying to steal my peace and my joy. Once you are at peace with God you can look at all the other issues in a new light. Repent of sin in your life and accept the forgiveness of Jesus. Then walk every minute in that knowledge that you are the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus. You can be at peace because you have been placed in right standing with God by Jesus.

Seek God; He is closer than your skin. He will be found by you and has never hidden Himself from you. Don’t let feelings of inferiority, sinfulness and guilt keep you from the Father. Jesus removed all separation. Hallelujah!!!!

We have the mind of Christ

ENGLISH

1 Corinthians 2:15-16
(15) The spiritual person judges all things, but is himself to be judged by no one.
(16) "For who has understood the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?" But we have the mind of Christ.

I want to focus on the last sentence in this portion namely; “we have the mind of Christ”. This is a powerful statement that we have to grasp. In this whole section of the chapter Paul emphasizes that spiritual people have the ability to understand the workings of God, but unspiritual people don’t. Remember that God is all knowing and He is the One that designed everything that exists so if we need to know anything we should be able to get it from Him. The problem is that if you do not know how to get that information from Him you have a problem. It is not a problem though as God has made this ability to know His plans available to all people by means of the Holy Spirit that He generously gave to each believer.

You and I need to have a deep conviction of the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives and that will then give us the confidence to know that when we inquire from Him we will be able to hear Him speak. I have developed a confidence in my ability to hear God speak because I constantly look into the Word that says that I have the mind of Christ. I HAVE THE MIND OF CHRIST. I do not have to seek it, I have it. Yes, in order to understand the things of God I often have to quiet my mind and study the Word without outside interference in order to be able to hear what God is saying, but mostly I walk through life knowing that I have the mind of Christ. I am confident that I will always know what to do in every situation because Jesus is in me and I know His mind.

I want you to know that you do not need to run to other people every time you need wisdom about something. Run to the Father and know that you have His mind through the Holy Spirit. You are able to hear from Him and you are able to understand great and deep mysteries. The Spirit reveals the deep things of God to us. There is nothing that God hides from us; He hides it for us to find out. The difference between these two concepts is profound as the outcome is significantly different. I want to challenge you to meditate on this fact that you have the mind of Christ, if you are a believer in Jesus Christ. You can know God’s thoughts and have His insight into situations, wow!!


AFRIKAANS

1 Corinthians 2:15-16
(15) Maar die geestelike mens beoordeel wel alle dinge; self egter word hy deur niemand beoordeel nie.
(16) Want wie het die sin van die Here geken, dat hy Hom sou kan onderrig? Maar ons het die sin van Christus.

Ek wil hier fokus op die laaste deel can hierdie vers; “maar ons het die sin van Christus”. Hierdie is ‘n kragtige verklaring wat Paulus maak en ons moet begrip hê daarvan. In die hele hoofstuk praat Pauls oor die feait dat geestelike mense geestelike dinge kan onderskei, maar ongestelike mense kan nie. Onthou dat God alwetend is en dat Hy die Een is wat alles ontwerp het en dus as ons iets wil weet ons dit by hom sal kan uitvind. God het aan elkeen van ons die vermoë gegee om Sy wee te ken en te verstaan deur die Heilige Gees.

Ons moet ‘n diepe oortuiging hê van die teenwoordigheid van die Heilge Gees in ons lewens en dit sal vir ons dan die versekering gee dat as ons vir God iets vra dat ons sal hoor wat Hy sê. Ek het al oor die jare heen gegroei in sekerheid dat ek God kan hoor deurdat ek baie ure in die Woord spandeer het en die Woord sê dat ek die gedagtes van die Here het. EK KEN DIE GEDAGTES VAN DIE HERE. Ek hoef dit nie te probeer kry nie, ek het dit. Ja, ek moet soms my eie gedagtes stil maak sodat ek God beter kan hoor en om die Woord te bestudeer en om God te h00r praat, maar ek lewe met die wete dat ek ken God se gedagtes. Ek is seker van die feit dat ek altyd sal weet wat om te doen in elke situasie want Jesus is in my en Hy maak sy gedagtes aan my bekend.

Jy moet weet dat jy nie altyd hoef te hardloop na ander vir raad nie. Hardloop na die Vader en weet dat jy Sy gedagtes ken deur die Heilge Gees wat in jou is. Jy kan hoor wat God sê en jy kan diep geheimenisse verstaan. Die Gees openbaar sdie diep dinge ban Hgod. Daar is niks wat God van ons af wegsteek nie, Hy steek dit weg vir ons om te vind. Die verskil tussen hierdie twee gedagtes is finominaal omdat die uitkoms baie anders is. Ek wil jou uitdaag om te mediteer op hierdie skriffie dat jy die gedagtes van God het. Dit is natuurlik slegs as jy ‘n gelowige is. Jy kan die weë en gedagtes van God verstaan en insig hê in elke situasie, wow..

Soek God se aangesig

Psalms 34:10
(10) (34:11) Kaf. Die jong leeus ly armoede en het honger; maar die wat die HERE soek, het geen gebrek aan enigiets nie.

In my gebedstyd vanoggend het ek die Here hoor sê dat Hy nie kompeteer teen ander stemme in ons koppe nie. Hy wil hê ons moet na Hom toe kom, ons gedagtes stil maak en doelbewus luister na Hom. Ons moet ‘n keuse maak om Hom te hoor. “Draai jou oor na die Here”.

Soek is ‘n werkwoord – dit is ‘n aksie. Ek soek God se stem oor sekere dinge en besef dat ek verwag het God gaan my lei selfs deur die geraas rondom my. Ek het altyd gesê dat God my sal lei ongeag wat. Dit is waar as ons gaan stil word in daai tye. Ons moet God respekteer en die ander stemme stilmaak. Die wêreld, geld en familie sake sal ons harte so oorneem en dryf dan die stem van die Here uit. God kompeteer nie vir aandag nie!

Dit is krities dat ons almal gereelde tyd met die Here moet hê. Ons moet daagliks tyd maak sodat ons nie aanhou hardloop met die lewe sonder dat die Kaptein die skip seil nie. Die Kaptein sal die skip stuur as ons Hom toelaat, maar as ons Hom nie toelaat nie staan Hy by en sien hoe ons die verkeerde rigting gaan, tot ons weer stop en uitroep en Hy ons dan weer terugvat na waar ons van koers gegaan het.

Ek wil julle uitdaag om die moeite te maak om meer tyd in die teenwoordigheid van die Here te spandeer, daagliks. Ek het oor die jare geleer dat hoe meer tyd ons saam God spandeer hoe meer vryf Sy reuk aan ons af en hoe meer ken ons Sy gedagtes. As ons kan weet hoe God dink sal ons weet wat om te doen in elke situasie. So, sit die TV en die rekenaar af en sit die Woord van God aan in jou lewe. Stem jouself in met God en laat Sy uitsending jou gedagtes en hart bereik. Raak ontslae van die geraas wat die uitsending benadeel. God sal vir ons groot en wonderbaarlike dinge wys en sal ons groot gebruik as ons net vir Hom sal tyd gee.

Seek God's face

Psalms 34:10
(10) The young lions suffer want and hunger; but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing.

As I was praying this morning I heard the Lord say that He will not compete against the other voices in our heads. He wants us to come to Him, quiet our minds and deliberately listen to him. It is a choice that we have to make to hear Him. “Harken unto the Lord”

Seek is a verb – action. I am seeking God on certain issues and I realize that I had expected God to lead me even through the noise around me. I always say that God will lead me no matter what. This is true on the condition that we become quiet. We must give Him the respect and silence all other voices. The world, money and family issues will crowd our hearts and drive out the voice of the Lord. God does not compete for attention.

It is critical that all of us make regular times to hear the Lord. We should do this daily so that we do not run along in life without the Captain steering our ship. The Captain will steer the ship if we allow Him to, but if we don’t He will stand by and watch as we go the wrong way, until we cry out again and then He takes us back to where we went off course.

I want to challenge you to make the effort to spend time in the presence of God daily. I am learning this over the years that the more time we spend in His presence the more His fragrance rubs off on us and the more we get to know how He thinks. If we can know how He thinks we will know what to do in every situation. So, turn off the TV, or the computer, and turn on the Word of the Lord. Tune into God and allow His broadcast to reach your mind and your heart. Get rid of the noise that hinders the reception. God will show you great and awesome things and He will use you mightily if you will just give Him some time. AMEN..

Give generously

Exodus 36:3-7
(3) And they received from Moses all the contribution that the people of Israel had brought for doing the work on the sanctuary. They still kept bringing him freewill offerings every morning,
(4) so that all the craftsmen who were doing every sort of task on the sanctuary came, each from the task that he was doing,
(5) and said to Moses, "The people bring much more than enough for doing the work that the LORD has commanded us to do."
(6) So Moses gave command, and word was proclaimed throughout the camp, "Let no man or woman do anything more for the contribution for the sanctuary." So the people were restrained from bringing,
(7) for the material they had was sufficient to do all the work, and more.

This account of the generous giving of the Israelites touched my heart so much when I read it. The people gave so freely and so much to the work of the Lord that Moses had to command them to stop. The amazing thing is that Moses did not threaten or manipulate them to give either. He just said that those who felt it in their hearts to give should bring it, not much fanfare. I was in a meeting once while at YWAM when we took an offering like that. It took almost half a day to complete the offering and people were bringing money, guitars, shoes, rings, clothes and even a car. It was so nice to give because everyone was obeying the Lord and you knew it was right. It was so glorious and we experienced God’s presence in a tangible way that day.

The children of Israel had come out of Egypt and were travelling through the desert with the stuff they could carry on their donkeys and oxen. They did not own real estate or big established businesses at the time and were actually just about 3 million refugees. This gold and diamonds and things that they brought for the tabernacle must have been very valuable to them as it was the only form of wealth they had, other than their livestock. These things were literally their nest egg that they kept for when they entered the Promised Land. It would be their start-up capital to rebuild their lives and businesses. Still, they were willing to give this up to the Lord.

What we must remember is that these were the Israelites who just finished worshipping the golden calf and who had to be reprimanded for their idolatrous lifestyle. These Israelites, not the most committed people, were willing to give so freely to God. Remember they had no experience of the infilling of the Holy Spirit as we have and they did not know Jesus Christ yet. They were raw out of Egypt and still had a lot of Egypt in them and still they gave so generously. Man, this touched me. Today, we are born again, filled with the Spirit and we know we are going to heaven and yet we cannot raise an offering like this in a church filled with people who have real estate, cars, investments and so on. I have seen the poor giving more generously than most affluent people in the wealthier congregations.

We have a problem today. People are more committed to their own welfare than to the work of the Lord. God faced the same issue when He said that the people of Israel were building their own houses while His house was lying in ruins. I have made a decision that I will dedicate my life for the building of the House of God, which is the church. I have given not only my material goods but also my career, my dreams and my energy to build the church. Where are you at my friend? Are you a generous giver to the work of the Lord or do you have to be manipulated out of your cents? I can only exhort you to be a generous giver; it is how God likes it. He loves a cheerful giver. 2 Cor 9:7

till all has heard..
skalla

Cross the Red Sea

Exodus 14:11-16
(11) They said to Moses, "Is it because there are no graves in Egypt that you have taken us away to die in the wilderness? What have you done to us in bringing us out of Egypt?
(12) Is not this what we said to you in Egypt, 'Leave us alone that we may serve the Egyptians'? For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the wilderness."
(13) And Moses said to the people, "Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will work for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall never see again.
(14) The LORD will fight for you, and you have only to be silent."
(15) The LORD said to Moses, "Why do you cry to me? Tell the people of Israel to go forward.
(16) Lift up your staff, and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it, that the people of Israel may go through the sea on dry ground.

This account of the crossing of the Red Sea is so descriptive of our lives today. So many people answer to the call of God in their lives in a certain area and as they believe Him and start walking it out they get trapped against the Red Sea. For each one the Red Sea is different, but it represents a place of impossibility. You go in the direction God leads you and reach this place where things just does not want to work out for you, and to top it off you are being chased by Pharaoh. Pharaoh could be your creditors or other enemies that mock you for taking the steps of faith.

When you hit that wall those enemies will come charging and you will be tempted to submit and surrender to the Egyptians again. If you do you will go back to the slavery which you fled from and you will now be under more pressure as they are going to treat you even worse than before. Sometimes Pharaoh needs you so much that he will offer you a better salary or incentive to keep you working as his slave and because you hit that wall of impossibility you decide that it is better to eat the meat of the Egyptians than to starve in the desert in the face of your enemies.

No way, you need to go on my friend. Rather die in the desert fighting for freedom than submit to the Egyptians. This word could have a physical or spiritual meaning for you. For us it is the non-negotiable calling of the Lord upon our lives. Both my wife and I have been called by God to preach the gospel, Good News, to the nations. We also have businesses and sometimes when the money is slow in coming in we are tempted to just leave the ministry a bit on the back burner and rather pursue money making opportunities. The wonderful thing is that the calling upon our lives is so strong that we cannot get away from it for long and then we just experience this deep sense of urgency to return to the original call. The Egyptians will stand and accuse us, or put pressure on us to perform in a certain way and we have often been intimidated by this. We have come to a place where we are not intimidated anymore. We have decided that we will serve the Lord where He calls us. That includes the business world where we stand as ambassadors of the Kingdom of God.

Have you felt that you are not where God wants you and you wanted to get to the place of God’s will for your life and you just hit a wall? Have you returned and stopped fighting for your freedom? I believe this is the season where we have to pick up our staffs and point them at that Red Sea and walk in faith. God will open the Red Sea if you will just walk in faith. You might not know what it will hold in store for you, but you can know that God’s plans are always for you to prosper. So, as God said to Moses, “Stop crying and break up camp. Pick up and walk. Stop pitying yourself and stop worrying about Pharaoh and his soldiers. God is bigger than your enemy.”

Schalk Steyn
www.koinoniaoutreach.co.za

Prosperity is ours

Joshua 1:8 “This book of instruction must not depart from your mouth; you are to recite it day and night, so that you may carefully observe everything written in it. For then you will prosper and succeed in whatever you do.”

Prosperity was and is and always will be God’s plan for His people. Why do I say this? I have studied the scriptures for almost 20 years now concerning this issue and can only say that God needs His children to understand the purpose of prosperity and then take their rightful ownership. The purpose is not for us to just “roll in the dough” as the Americans will say, but to use those resources that we have to extend the Kingdom of God.

Many people get agitated when we speak about this topic and they say things like “the preachers just wants money”, but this erroneous view is destructive. True, there are preachers who abuse it, but there are also people who abuse cars and we don’t stop driving them. Just because some preachers abuse the topic for their benefit does not mean that the topic is wrong. We are so caught up in our selfish mindsets and forget that there is a world going to hell around us and to reach them with the gospel is going to take billions of dollars and rands.

The way we get this prosperity is to allow the Word of God to sink deep into our hearts, as God said to Joshua. We must meditate on His instructions day and night. If we read the bible as it is and meditate on it day and night we will be transformed from the inside out. We will see the effect of walking with God manifest in our lives. God will always provide for us if we believe it, He will heal if we believe it and He will do miracles if we believe it.

We get bullied by the devil to believe that we should settle for less than God’s best and then we become so caught up in survival activities that we have no time for the things of God. I have learnt to stand on the Word and it has become our way of life. We literally live from the Word as if it is bread. Even now we are facing challenges of all kinds and still we use our faith to bring God’s plan into reality. It is awesome to live by the principles of God and to see them produce fruits.

I want to challenge you today to let the Word of God change your life. To do this you need to take in the Word, read it, and meditate upon it. To meditate means to think deep on certain scriptures until you get revelation from them. The Word must be so deep that you will always respond according to the Word when faced with a challenge or situation. Take hold of the good plans that God has for you as recorded in Proverbs 29:11 and don’t be pushed around by the enemy. Stand your ground.

Schalk Steyn
devotions@koinoniaoutreach.co.za
www.koinoniaoutreach.co.za

Fight the good fight

Psalms 18:33-40
(33) He made my feet like the feet of a deer and set me secure on the heights.
(34) He trains my hands for war, so that my arms can bend a bow of bronze.
(35) You have given me the shield of your salvation, and your right hand supported me, and your gentleness made me great.
(36) You gave a wide place for my steps under me, and my feet did not slip.
(37) I pursued my enemies and overtook them, and did not turn back till they were consumed.
(38) I thrust them through, so that they were not able to rise; they fell under my feet.
(39) For you equipped me with strength for the battle; you made those who rise against me sink under me.
(40) You made my enemies turn their backs to me, and those who hated me I destroyed.

Friends we are in a battle. God has been emphasising lately the urgency of this battle and that we need to be ready to fight and make war. It is firstly a battle for the souls of people. There is a lost and dying world out there that needs the Good News of Jesus Christ and the devil is not willing to let them turn to Jesus, so he blinds their minds with deception. The good news is that the devil has been placed under our feet and that we have authority to trample on his works. This means if someone is bound by the devil we can unbind him or her.

The second major war we are in is for our destinies, or our purpose. Satan wants us to miss the mark for which Jesus created each one of us. He does this by standing in our way when we try to pursue what God laid on our hearts. He also deceives us by making us think that there are other things we need give our energy to, such as the making of money or some sport. We then go hard after those things and loose sight of what God called us for.

Ephesians 6:10 onwards clearly tells us that our battle is not against flesh and blood, but against the evil forces in the spiritual realm around us. You need to be aware that there is a spiritual realm and that there is a war, but more than that you need to know that the Name of Jesus is above every other name. In His Name you silence the enemy and command demons to flee. Don’t be afraid anymore of evil spirits or of the devil. Get into the Word of God and see who you are and what your authority is and lay hold of your victory.

Annihilate your enemies; those things inside and outside that are holding you back from a fruitful life. Don’t let any of them remain in your life to pester you. I am not speaking of people here but rather of personal hurts, bitterness, failure and also demonic forces. In order to conquer your human enemies you must love them and pray for them to be blessed. You don’t pray against them or accuse them.

So let us enter into battle with the sure knowledge that God is personally involved, we stand in His name and He will always cause us to triumph in Jesus Christ. Don’t be intimidated or fearful of life – you are more than a conqueror.

Schalk Steyn
www.koinoniaoutreach.co.za

The righteous shall flourish

Psalms 92:12-15 ESV The righteous flourish like the palm tree and grow like a cedar in Lebanon. (13) They are planted in the house of the LORD; they flourish in the courts of our God. (14) They still bear fruit in old age; they are ever full of sap and green, (15) to declare that the LORD is upright; he is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him.

This scripture is awesome and full of promise and hope. Isn’t it awesome to think of the fact that God intends for us to flourish and to thrive until we have attained a good old age. This flies in the face of popular opinion that we will all suffer in this bad world and we will get weaker as we get older. I am telling you it is God’s desire that it goes well with us, always. I have experienced this in my life for many years as we live by faith daily. Even in times of need we experience the presence and peace of God. This sense of God’s presence and love motivates us and keeps our spirits alive.

This scripture says that the righteous, those who are in Christ Jesus, thrive in the courts of the Lord. By spending time in the presence of God through reading the Word and prayer we saturate our lives with the anointing and love of the Father and this affects every part of our lives. When we do this we start thinking and acting like God and that is what we call the fruits of the Spirit.

As God transforms our thinking we loose our sickness and weakness mentality that ensnares so many of us. The devil has cheated mankind into believing that we cannot have a good life and that we are subject to the diseases and tragedies of this world and because we readily receive this nonsense we do not oppose such thinking. The Word of God says we were made whole by the stripes of Jesus and we were included in the covenant of blessing. This means that we have to declare that over our lives and stop saying things like “Oh I am getting older now so my bones and joints will get weaker”. Change your thinking! God wants you healthy and happy till you step over into heaven because He needs you to be effective on earth in expanding His kingdom.

Friends, don’t accept the lies of the devil into your heart. Study the Word, spend time in prayer, seek the Lord as a lifestyle and speak the Word of the Lord and you will experience the thriving and fruitfulness mentioned in the scripture we read. Live life to the fullest and enjoy the benefits Jesus purchased for you on the cross.

Schalk Steyn
www.koinoniaoutreach.co.za

Do not be afraid

Psa 3:5 I lay down and slept; I woke again, for the LORD sustained me. Psa 3:6 I will not be afraid of many thousands of people who have set themselves against me all around.

I want to exhort you today not to worry any further. All around we hear all the bad news of South Africa and the way it is being destroyed by corruption and crime and we all have this tendency to get sucked into that hole of fear and negativity. Stop that now!! We are the light and the salt and we should be changing all of that. The devil wants us to get bogged down in survival strategies and keep us occupied with things of self preservation while God wants us to focus on His Kingdom work and He will take care of our basic needs. Safety is one of the basic needs of the human being and God has taken up the responsibility to make sure we are safe. He has given His angels orders to protect those who are in faith. So, take up that promise God made and meditate upon those scriptures dealing with protection. If you do not know any such scriptures, email me and I will send you many. Pray them out loud and place your complete confidence in God’s faithfulness and Power. There is no security system that is foolproof and thieves can get in anywhere. The Word of God on the other hand is completely reliable and trustworthy because the Author is trustworthy. So today, focus on Jesus and study His Word. Get involved with His Kingdom strategy and leave the cares of the world behind. Become effective in your calling and see what will happen to you. You can lie down and sleep in peace and not worry about a thing ever again.

God is with us

Can you believe it is that time of the year again, gone is 2009. Enjoy this week's devotion and have a wonderful Christmas season.

Matthew 1:21-23(21) She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins."(23) "Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel" (which means, God with us).

Jesus is Immanuel, God with us. Hallelujah!!! God did not wait for us to try and reach Him by our own works, but He put on flesh and became man to reconcile us to Himself. He did it all and all we can do is give Him our all. He is among us and not distant. We can and should know Him personally, like a friend. We can just receive this salvation and then enter into a relationship with the Lord Jesus and the Father and the Holy Spirit. We do not deserve it, but Jesus earned it on our behalf. There is a big difference between religion and relationship and Jesus made the way that we did not have to be in a trap of trying to find truth, or to find the gods. He connected us in a living relationship with the Father who created all that exists. Oh the Good News of the Gospel of Jesus. That is what you and I will celebrate this Christmas time. Forget about the extras that was added by man and focus on the reality of man united with Yahwe, the Living God. May the God of Peace, who is peace, enlighten your minds that you may know the richness of Christ that is in you. May you experience the closeness of the Holy Spirit this holiday season and may you get to know God more intimately than ever before. Remember Jesus Christ is the center of Christmas.

The Great Advisor

We pray that those of you taking leave will experience the nearness of Jesus and that you will be refreshed by His Spirit. Remember not to sacrifice your principles for the sake of fun or to please friends. Enjoy this week's devotion.

Isaiah 28:29 “…..He gives wonderful advice; He gives great wisdom.” (Holman Christian Standard Bible”Proverbs 2:5-7(5) then you will understand the fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of God.(6) For the LORD gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding;(7) he stores up sound wisdom for the upright; he is a shield to those who walk in integrity,Proverbs 2:5-7(5) then you will understand the fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of God.(6) For the LORD gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding;(7) he stores up sound wisdom for the upright; he is a shield to those who walk in integrity,

As I read the Word this morning these verses just hit me again. I am constantly studying the topic of human development and have come to the understanding that God’s wisdom and knowledge is the key to our well-being. He knows best what is best for us and He knows exactly how we should do it. Solomon also said that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge and therefore we should get an understanding of the fear of the Lord. If the key to our success lies in knowledge and knowledge is found in the fear of the Lord then we should try to understand the concept of the fear of the Lord. I realize that God designed it this way so that we should come to Him as the source of knowledge and wisdom and we should dwell with Him. Colossians 2:3 says that all the treasures of wisdom and revelation are hidden in Christ. He is eager to reveal the secrets of His design plan to us and He is not stingy when it comes to giving wisdom for everyday life. The secret is that we need to know God. We need to walk in His ways and enjoy His company daily. The presence of Jesus in my life has become so real to me and therefore I can understand His ways more clearly and have wisdom and knowledge that is not from human reasoning. I can hear the voice of God in every situation and my heart is steadfast as I trust in Him. You can have the same experience. It is not only for some elect priests or Pastors to understand the word of God or to know God’s ways. You can and should come daily and receive the bread of life, the living Word of God, from the hand of the Father. As you do this you will grow in wisdom and understanding and have the fear of the Lord. You will be able to overcome all the works of the evil one and nothing will rock your world. You will be steadfast and not fear any bad news. Come now; make a decision to draw near to God and to seek Him daily. Make a decision in your heart to long for the courts of the Lord daily and to feast in His presence. Believe me; we need Him more than we need food and water or oxygen. Come on this exciting journey with me!

Choose life!

Choose Life!!

Deuteronomy 30:19-20
(19) I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Therefore choose life, that you and your offspring may live,
(20) loving the LORD your God, obeying his voice and holding fast to him, for he is your life and length of days, that you may dwell in the land that the LORD swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them."

This is probably the most important message you can hear in your life. Even the Gospel is limited in its ability to change your life if you do not choose right. Life is found in Jesus Christ alone and in living in unity with Him through the power of the Holy Spirit, but if we do not choose to follow Jesus we will not experience the life He has for us. You see, everything that we experience in this world is based upon our decision to choose life or death.

Our walk with God and the benefits of that relationship is based upon the intensity of the intake of God’s Word and upon our prayer and fellowship with Him, but if we do not choose to spend time with Him we will not grow in our relationship and we will not walk in the ways of God. As I said before, everything in life is based upon decisions. Not choosing to love or be kind or to read the bible is still decisions. Not doing anything is a decision. This may sound strange, but it is true. We have to train our minds to think of the consequences of our behaviour. We have to kick procrastination and apathy out the door and be alert in our minds as it is critical for our wellbeing. We have to take control of our thinking and decision-making faculties and choose to do the right things, all the time.

God can not do this for us; He left the decision-making in our hands. Once we decide to do the right thing the Holy Spirit empowers us to accomplish what we decided to do. Too many Christians are just like dead fish floating in the river of this world. They don’t take control and decide to walk in victory and therefore the church is powerless and weak. The church is fatalistic and just accepts whatever comes their way as being from God. So often people blame disasters and tragedy on God and say that He allowed it in His sovereignty.

Proverbs 18:21 says that “life and death are on the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat it’s fruit”. I want to challenge you today to wake up and to look at your life and to ask God where He wants you to go with your life. Then use your power to choose and make decisions about your future. Start declaring the Word of God over your life as the truth and SPEAK health, wealth and prosperity. Don’t claim to be poor and helpless if you want to be blessed. Let your decisions and your words line up with the will of God; which is “prosperity, hope, A GOOD FUTURE and life”. If you do this then 2010 will be BLESSED BEYOND MEASURE.

Have a blessed New Year and may God open your eyes to understand His love and His calling upon your life.

Put God before material things

(James 5:1) Come now, you rich, weep and howl for the miseries that are coming upon you. :2 Your riches have rotted and your garments are moth-eaten. :3 Your gold and silver have corroded, and their corrosion will be evidence against you and will eat your flesh like fire. You have laid up treasure in the last days. :4 Behold, the wages of the laborers who mowed your fields, which you kept back by fraud, are crying out against you, and the cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord of hosts. :5 You have lived on the earth in luxury and in self-indulgence. You have fattened your hearts in a day of slaughter. :6 You have condemned and murdered the righteous person. He does not resist you. :7 Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives the early and the late rains. :8 You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.

This sounds terrible, almost as if God is angry at rich people. Do not misread this scripture my friends, God loves rich and poor alike and invites all to come to His banqueting table. In fact He has promised us earthly blessings and prosperity. The problem is that the love of money, or greed, is equal to idolatry. This is an unhealthy desire to become rich in earthly wealth while compromising on heavenly principles. E.g. if you do not pay your laborers a good wage, or you withold their wages then you are cheating them and their cry is before God. If you are running to get money and sacrifice your wife and kids on the altar of material gain then you are not pleasing God. It is better to live a simple lifestyle with love in the house and no enemies than to be rich with a trail of broken lives behind you. Our world will tell us "you need a new car, cellphone, boat, motorbike,etc" and that mostly leads us to buying on credit. Now the economies of the world is showing their weakness and all of us are in debt, including us, and we are all crying for deliverance. I have come to realize that immediate gratification is not always God's way. There is value in working for something you really want and putting other things on hold. We have decided to work our way out of debt as we are nose deep in it now. In order to do that we set some things aside and delay their purchase in order to make payments to creditors. We know Jesus redeemed us from the debt and we are standing on His word that He will set us free from it, but we still have to pay it and pay it until it's done. Friends, it is time to get our lives in order and seek the Lord. Set your priorities straight, with Jesus being the chief priority. Put mammon (money god) in his place, in hell, and crown Jesus Lord of your life, including your material needs. I want to encourage you to get out of debt. God often lays it on my heart, and He has for many years, that we as Christians should not owe man anything. Let US obey Him today and get ready for His return.

If you do not know Jesus as your friend, then maybe you have not been born again. Please follow the link "How to receive Jesus" on the front page of our website and read the message there. It will assist you in receiving and applying the work of Christ in your life.

Schalk Steyn
www.steynministries.org

Rule with the Creator

It is critically important for us as humans to steward, manage or rule this planet in a way that is was designed to be stewarded. Our power hungry nature and lust for personal enrichment have caused us to extract and not manage the resources of this incredibly beautiful and awesomely created planet we live on. It is the church of Jesus that should know the difference and start influencing others to be better stewards as well. The poor and needy also needs to be trained how to farm sustainably as part of the ecological challenges we face on earth is directly related to poverty. Mass clearing of indigenous forests and cutting of trees for firewood poses a major problem for our future well-being on this planet. The governments of many of these nations could not care less and therefore the Body of Christ has the mandate to incorporate such awareness into their bible training programs and church teachings.

till later
skalla

Bible - Development Manual

The more I study development the more I realize that the only answer for global sustainable development lies in the Bible. People need to know the designer of this planet and it's inhabitants. The owner knows best as He planned the creation and designed the parameters within which it would function optimally. Some of these parameters are, love, grace, generosity, holiness, intergrity, selfless giving, kindness. If we as a human race can meet Jesus Christ and have Him transform us by the billions we will see the manifestation of God's intentions, which are "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, to give you a future and a hope."

See the right picture

Development and progress is only possible where there is vision. The picture we see of our world determines what we would become. If we do not see progress as something that is for us then we will give over to fatalistic views and become victims of a broken world. Make sure you see the right picture and help others to see the right pictures.

Be more Positive

Everywhere around us we hear bad news and negative reports. The fact is that we have so much going for us that we should be rejoicing. We have a God that loves us and has given us everything we need to live well, we have an amazing world to live in, lots of creativity, love and inteligence. Why are we using all this for the negative. People see God as bad, the world as bad, the humans as bad and all things are just bad. Come on, turn your negative energy into positive ideas of development and progress. How can you make the world better today??

Skalla

The owner's manual

As the years go by and I study human development and work in the field I realize more and more that the only factor that can bring about lasting and sustainable development is Jesus Christ. He is the creator of this place we live in and He knows each person in detail. He knows what our strengths, weaknesses, resources and abilities are. He is the Master Business Plan developer and His plans are always for mankind's blessing. I can say now, more than ever, that development without Jesus is short term and less effective.

The sun will rise again

I realize that in these times there are many people who are facing difficulties and trials. The economies of the world are in turmoil and money is showing its unstable foundation. We have to get the ideas that will truly lift us out of our situation. God knows all things and He knows best how we should live to rise above the current state of affairs. We are not bound to the economy of the world, but we should live in the economy of the Kingdom of God. His kingdom principles and ideas will set us apart from our peers. The Lord said we will be the head and not the tail, on top and not at the bottom. We will prosper even in famine as Isaac experienced when he sowed in the dry land in a famine and reaped a hundred fold harvest. Seek God for wisdom and apply His wisdom and see what He will do.

Till later,

Skalla

If it is to be, it is up to me!!

I heard a teacher use this phrase the other day and really liked it. The fact is that if anything good is going to come out of my life, my country and our world then it is up to us to make it happen. We will need to determine what it should look like and design it and build it. We cannot wait for some mystical force to make things happen and then call it destiny. The enemy of our souls, the devil, will hijack such beliefs and bring about his will and blame it on God. Take charge, walk with God and make your life count.

Till later
Skalla

Rise from the ashes

God says that as far as He is concerned all people should sit in royalty. Not some special ones only. This is evident in Ps 113 which says He raises the poor and needy from the ash heap and seats them with princes. The fact that there is so much unequal distribution of wealth is not God's plan. It is not altogether the problem of those who have the wealth either. They have applied certain principles and it worked and the fact is that money makes money and the lack of money leads to greater poverty. The redistribution of wealth by means of force and government programs is not the way to fix it. You cant steal from the rich to give to the poor. The poor will have to rise up and apply the principles, get some capital to assist and be trained to make it happen. Often the beliefs and values of the poor communities, especially rural African communities, does not allow for such an outlook. Well, the rest of the world should then not point fingers to the wealthy and say that they are causing those people to be poor. There is more to it than meets the eye. The fact is, every person on earth can enjoy God's abundance and overflow in every area of their lives. Those who will dare believe this and apply biblical truth will experience it.

Africa is rich

The sad thing about Africa and many other so-called third world areas is that they have the potential to be the richest and best places to live on earth. Unfortunately, due to a variety of reasons this is not the case. The bottom line is that Africans are not experiencing the riches and bounty they are destined for. The main reason for this is locked up in religious pre-suppositions and beliefs that have formed mindsets that are enslaving and that dictates the way in which people respond to their environment. The whole issue of personal destiny and what role we as individuals play in fulfilling this is a classic example. For many, it is a case of, "the ancestors, or god, will decide". This whole philosophy is contrary to biblical teaching and robs the individual of the awesome opportunity God has presented to each person. Each person has the same opportunity to succeed in life, it is a question of choice and action to follow that will set one apart from another. I know I am making it seem simple, but I do realize the complexities poor people face in order to rise from their circumstances. Fact is though that there are answers and solutions and they are found in the greatest human development manual ever, the Bible.

Truth above culture

Our continent is in a bad state when it comes to bribery and corruption. This is largely due to the fact that it is acceptable in many of the cultures to pay someone a gift for a favor. In Africa those with power can demands certain gifts and privileges simply because they have the power. This is contra development and will always keep the ones without power in slavery. Our people need to learn that bribery and corruption is keeping them at the feet of the corrupt power hungry and we need to rise up and uproot the elements in government who have no integrity. We should stop supporting those who abuse their power to get their personal ambitions. People of Africa, Rise and Shine... you dont need the people who abuse you.

skalla

Purpose vs Survival

As I lay in the bath last night I was wondering about the difference between people working to survive and people working to live out their gifts and callings. The second group are definitely the happiest group because money has a very short satisfaction span. When you do that which you love, and you did not delve yourself into debt, you are generally satisfied with having little. The problem comes in when the wordly attractions lure us into buying things that we cannot really afford at the time. Then we need the money to pay and the job, which we love, cannot pay for that and we have to do something we dont really want to do. We sell our birthright to fit into the picture that the consumerist, capitalist, materialist west tells us to. We prostitute ourselves to the cravings of the world. Is it so important to do what you really like doing? Yes, it is such a part of who you are that you cannot ignore the emptiness inside that is created when ignoring the desire to fulfill your creative destiny. There are times when we do other things, not what we want or are gifted to do, but it should be short term and we should plan to get to the place where we pursue that thing which defines us. We all have a thumbprint of God in our life, that one thing that sets you apart from the rest. It is manifest through abilities, passions and interests. Do not ignore these or you will be ignoring the one who created you and you will ignore your own identity. Dont let a false sence of responsibility drive you to make more money or whatever. Be yourself, find the fingerprint of God in your life.

Development = Worldview

I have seen yet again that education and money does not automatically bring development to a nation. I am working in a country where there is good educational institutions, but the development is slow. People's worldview is not always changed by their education or economic status. We as Christians need to bring the biblical worldview to our nations and that would transform our societies. Zimbabwe is the country with the highest educational level in Africa and it is in a poor state, the leaders of the nation are educated, but they cannot develop a nation because their basic assumptions of life, God and reality are flawed. Let us continue to love, inspire and exhort people and see our continent shape into the world leader it is supposed to be.

Bring the Good News

I am again reminded that we are to be the bearers of good news. Development of people is good news and it should always be good news. People who are constantly struggling to survive and who have no chance to pursue their own life calling are not enjoying the good news. The factors hindering development should be dealt with ruthlessly and therefore each of us has the opportunity to remove the stumbling blocks out of the way of those trying to rise up. Forcing integration and empowerment will not have the effect it intends to have, in fact, it will possibly cause more rebellion. Therefore we as a church should be the ones bridging the gap between the poor and the rich, the white man and the black man and all other divides that exists. Christ reconciled us to the Father and we have been given the mandate to take that reconciliation to the whole world. As people respond to God and come to Him they meet each other at the place of peace. If they refuse to be united to others then they still don't know the Father, as His love covers all and unites all. The poor can find inspiration and creative ideas with the Father and He can provide for them and raise them up.

Till later
Skalla

Destiny vs. Materialism

Today we are sitting at a crossroads as humankind. We as a human race have achieved so much through the industrial revolution and the period that followed, but today, are we richer as a people? We have sacrificed individual worth and calling for globalized business systems, we have built business empires at the expense of marriages and children's lives and we have traded community for secluded isolated lives. Is this it? Well, if this is it then I am afraid we have missed the mark. We have missed the plot! You and I, each one of us, need to come to the point where we look at who we are and decide what is more important, earning a secure salary or pursuing the calling of God upon your life. Money and riches follows destiny, but our destiny is not money and riches. They are a product of a fruitful life aligned to the design of God. Look at your life today, are you doing that thing that makes you tick? Are you excited to get up every day and go to work? A small business with lower profits, but with peace and space, is more valuable than a life chasing after riches. Solomon said that a little bread with peace is better than riches that come with trouble. Riches is God's plan, but they are secondary and only a means to an end, they are not the end. Chew on this and respond if you want.

Till later
Skalla

Politics versus Progress

I find it sad to see that the success of our fledgling democracy is balancing on a knife edge and this mainly due to political games being played at top levels of government. Party politics take precedence over the future of the people of the country. This is indeed a sad day in history. Our freedom as a nation, which was won through bloodshed and prayer, is compromised by people in power who only want to advance their own agendas. I suggest that the church arise and take a stand against such blatant disregard for human development. The fact is that the poor and less fortunate people will be the ones taking the biggest knock in it all. Our nation needs to say to the politicians, "kom by of klim uit". This means, either you change your ways or get of the way. There are people with the right motives who can do the job better. Let us keep on seeking a positive solution to our problems and keep working at making our nation "rise".

Being salt and light

This last few weeks I have again realized the intense need, pain and desperation that exists all around us. We as Christians sit with the answers to all of our world's problems, in the bible. Also we have the mind of Christ which means we can get good ideas from Him to change our world. The church should rise up and be counted. We simply cannot leave the task up to government as they are not capable of doing it.

Do they need more money

I look at the developmental challenges that our nation has and I realize that it is so hampered by political games. It is not only here in SA, but in fact a global phenomena. The government, who has the money, is controlled by politicians and not by managers or philanthropists and those who have the power would like to remain in power. The way they can remain in power is by trying to buy favor from the masses with the taxpayers money. So they promise certain things and if the people scream they have to give the people what they want or else there will be violence. People have developed a GIVE ME OR ELSE mentality in our nation and this is so dangerous. It is dangerous because it is not sustainable. People have been brainwashed to have an "entitlement" mentality. If we look at human development and the things that hinders it then entitlement is a major stumbling block to progress. We need to get the politicians to a place where they will listen to the development planners and not just keep the masses quiet. Sometimes you have to offend people in order for them to go forward in life.

Time is here

Friends, this is the time to turn to Jesus with all our hearts. He is waiting for the masses to turn to Him. He paid a high price to redeem the world. Let us do all we can to let people know this. I realize more and more how the world is so lost. People are looking everywhere for answers and the wrong answers are everywhere, just watch the TV for a day. Our nation is desperate for change. People are screaming for blood, but what they need is reconciliation, with God and with mankind. We have the answer to all the questions.

Elections

I believe we as Christians should start making serious effort to daily pray for our government. We need to pray who we should vote for at the next elections and we should pray that the wrong people get out of politics. God is interested in bringing goodness to our communities and those leaders who jeopardizes that ideal should be shown the door. So pray with me for our nation and the government.

White, black - get it out...

The constant focus of white/black etc is a disgrace to this nation. Dedicated people gave all they had to set the nation free from racism and the new government has multiplied it ten times. The people of SA would not be at all race focussed if it was not for our government. It is as if racial classification plays a more prominent role now than before. What went wrong? I would say that we should get new people into government as those who are there are not there for the people, but for themselves. Let us elect officials who care for our cities, provinces and nation. Let them understand that we are fed-up with the racism and we DEMAND that they act in a respectful way towards all people. If you go to nations like Brazil and see how many different people live and interact there you would be amazed. I had some friends from Brazil in our home over December and they said it was so disturbing to see the constant focus on the white/black issue. It is the language of the day. Let us rise up and uproot it.

Justice vs. Forgiveness

Something that I have seen in the last few years is the increase in people demanding justice from the whites. What I find disturbing is the complete inability to see that forgiveness is far more constructive than the demand for justice. Now I agree, people who have committed crimes against other people during apartheid could be placed on trial for their actions and it would have a certain level of healing effect, but I have experienced in life that when you forgive you are set free. If you don't forgive YOU become the slave. Not the one who committed the offense. I definitely don't downplay the atrocities committed during the apartheid years, it was very real and very evil, but for this nation to become a first world leader we would all need to lay down that dark past and move on. We acknowledge the blood and commitment of the freedom fighters who gave all for the cause, thank you to all of them. But I know this, if this nation can rise up en masse and forgive, we will see the most powerful transformation on all levels of society. Let us remember that One went before us and He also endured injustice and He was God. He forgave us, no strings attached, now we can forgive.

Moral Regeneration

This is a word that our government has come up with for this nation, but that has no weight if you look at the lifestyles of those using such language. Just attend any government function and look at the number of ladies (from the streets) get employment for those days, look at the corruption and the things people stand for. IT is actually more of a joke. Like the anti-smoking bill. I don't smoke, don't intend to start either, but why don't they rather outlaw corruption, prostitution murder and so on. It does not make sense. We are majoring on minors and ignoring the real majors.

till later
skalla

Celebrated and Rejected in a few minutes

People are interesting, we are all different and I am so happy. Everywhere I move I meet people who embrace me, from all different race groups, but then in the same day that you were celebrated you could meet this other guy. You see them on a mile, they are just oozing bitterness. In fact they are bitter, their experiences and their past and their social environment makes them bitter and they just go at your neck like a dog in a dogfight. They want to humiliate you just because you are white. Without finding out who you are they label you b4 knowing u. You have the choice how to respond, and the best is love,,, always love.. Many of us are offered the opportunity to go to another country and live their and you don't get the racial card played 10 times a day, but we don't want to,. we are here to make a difference in the country and the continent and we will push to make our voices heard as we have good news to share. There is HOPE for SA.

BEE

I am pro-empowerment, that is my bread and butter and my business, but I do think that a lot of what is portrayed as BEE is not worth much. I've seen too many BEE companies get contracts to do some project out in the Transkei or somewhere and then don't do the work right and the community receiving the service is not benefiting, but the company did. Those people in those villages care less if it is a white man or black man that is building the road or dam, they just want water, toilets or a road. They want to be treated with dignity. It horrifies me to see the way some of these companies have treated the community members. The fact is that we (white people) do have some skills that will benefit the country. The white guys that I work with in my field, engineers, town planners etc are all people who have compassion for the communities they are working in. They invest themselves into those communities and projects and render a high level of service. There are BEE companies who have the same values, many of them, and I grant them the blessing, but there are those who get work based on race classification and not on skill or character.

Human Value

Eish I look at people and am constantly amazed at the awesome design. We have so much going for us! What amazes me also is that we use that amazing ability and genius to enrich ourselves at the expense of others. We are busy filling the atmosphere with CO2 emissions and the list goes on. Our mandate to rule over the earth as documented in Gen 1:26 was to rule over creation and creatures like animals, fish and birds. We were not to rule over people as people should rule over their own lives. We should use our skills and abilities to speak up for that which is good. To uncover the hidden treasures in our neighbors and to invest in things that will give our neighbor a boost fwd. We can shape our own future in such a way that we take other along on our way up, not only look at my own future and ambition, but also care for someone else's future. My challenge, think who you can take upward in life with you. Maybe your employees, friend, cleaning lady, etc. By the way, if your cleaning lady still sweeps after some years you have failed in developing her. Let her start by sweeping and end up managing some part of your business or home. It is rewarding...

Being a Voice that brings change

It is important for me that we as SA'ns speak out against unjust behaviour of our leaders, but we are also warned not to be judgemental. I have seen too many times in life that when we judge others we also do the very same things. We also should not sow words that brings division, but rather speak that which will shed light on darkness and that will point in the right direction. I know we all, especially me, get caught up on the wrong side of these talks and I can get critical, but I have to resist the urge as it will not help. The only thing that bitter talk would accomplish is to make rebelious people more rebelious. We cannot swallow whatever we are fed and be told to be satisfied with what we have been dealt. We are to take authority over our nation, put people in leadership whose characters have showed that they can be there and get the others changed or out. Easy to say,,, how do we do that and remain salt and light. Think on that.

till later
skalla

Dream to rise

I have wondered why it seems like some people are just not interested in developing themselves. They are somehow just satisfied to remain in their current condition, even though they don't like it and complain about it all the time. We are all born to reach a better life and to have what it takes to be fulfilled, healthy and provided for. Having, or not having, a vision for the future is a major key to self improvement. We who do have this understanding should help others to learn to think bigger, better and forward. Help them unpack the rubbish that society has taught them and let them find that unique factor that makes them different from all other people.

till later
skalla

Political games hindrance to development

The very people who profess to want to develop the poor and needy are also one of the major hindrances to development. Politicians with their empty rhetoric on job creation and service delivery has numbed people to the prospect of self determination. They have made promises to masses in order to get votes, but it is not their mandate to provide jobs etc. This causes the condition where people just look at government for their needs and they demand it, right now. They will become the government's biggest opposer in the future because they were deceived by the politicians and the politicians should have followed the advise of their academics that said that people needs to determine their own future and must play the major role in making it happen. Okay, thats a mouthful to think about.

till later
skalla

Governments need prayer

I was just about to post a comment on a blog at our daily newspaper concerning some government issues when I realized that I was planning to criticize the government. I asked myself if that was what Jesus said we should do. I know there are many reasons to criticize and the urge is strong, but it will not help in the long run. What will help is if the church of Jesus stands up and take their divine authority and resist the sick spirit that perverts government. We should not allow this to continue, but we can only really win the battle in the Spirit. So fellow Christians, let us pray for our government to see the truth and turn from darkness.

till later

skalla

The Seed

I am always edified when i read about the seed concept. God placed the seed for all of life's goodness in our life. We each possess something, the X factor, that sets us apart from others. That factor is the fingerprint of God in each one's life. His design and invention. Once we find out we are made in His image, cut from the rock as Isaiah 51:1 says, then we can release the God given ability and authority in this earth and transform it into a garden where The King and His Kingdom rules. Then we experience the design and blessing of the Kings intentions. What is in you, who are you? Release it and see what happens! Be ready for a surprise journey!

till later
skalla

Why are people not interested in development?

I find it so strange that so many people are just aiming for survival when we were created for dominion and rulership. People are more interested in having what everyone else has and they dont take possession of the greater things, such as influence and authority. Godly authority increases in your life as you start finding out that it has always been there, since Genesis 1:26. I experienced the saddest thing the other day,. we are doing a development project in a rural part of SA and we need to train these community members in something that they will earn money for and that is critical for our project to proceed. The people were so demanding that we must give them transport money to get to the training and we must give em food etc. No excitement or self determination to add something from their side. this is a sure recipe for failure. WE ALL need to realize that our progression in life is 100% on our own shoulders, but it is as easy as recognize it and then walking it out with God, who makes ways where there seem to be no way.

till later
skalla

Strike, help, what is going on?

I am curiously watching the news to see what is going to come from the strikes in South Africa. I support the workers who are all just hoping for a better life and rewards for their hard work and efforts, and on the other side you have children who have to write exams and are scared they will not have enough time, and the intimidation and so so many things happening. So many dimensions and everybody only sees the view that affects them. This all in the light of the massive pay increases given to parliamentarians and higher level officials, it is no wonder that people are disillusioned. The only ones paying the price for this is the poor. The top government officials get enough money, the workers lose, but will hopefully gain in the end and the poor lose all the way!

I can see that SA is still in so many ways a place where everyone just wants his own wealth to increase. Freedom fighters fought for many years to be liberated from white oppression and then the new government repeats so many of the patterns of the old. Ensuring that the rich get richer and the poor get poorer and of course the higher level officials with power have to take the cream, because they can.

When will we learn that a nations is only "good" if the poor has access to a better life. We can never make someone get off his jack and work, but we don't have to make it impossible for them to get into the market either. Employment creation is not government's work, and will never be, but a healthy pro-small-person-with-little-money environment makes it easier for someone to try. I am from a middle income environment and I consider myself hard-working and creative, and I am having a battle making a business work and to earn enough to survive in a country where the cost of living rises daily. H0w does a pooooooooor person with no access to capital and that struggles for daily survival just start a business, or get work. Let us be realistic, we are still alive in SA because God is gracious and many people are praying for the country. It is not due to the government efficiency or anything else.

The answer to our Nation lies in the hearts of the people of the country. Those with access to capital and who own businesses should always look at how to increase their staff, pay them better and improve their skills and education. We are constantly helping our cleaning ladies to start businesses or the garden man to do something or our employees to go further. Yes, it costs, as we have to get new people then, but what a pleasure. Meet someone new and give them the same opportunity. Start looking beyond your own survival and own riches and you will see that there is something better than a fat belly, fancy car and expensive shoes - to give of yourself. It is the greatest discovery that you will make. Why did you risk your life to liberate the country, was it to become a parasite or to make a significant impact?

till later....

skalla

The willpower element is key to development

I went to watch my daughter at their dress rehearsal for their ballet on Friday and I noticed a key element, that was not new to me, of developing people. I have pondered about it a lot in the past and about it's value, but it was made so practical to me at this event. The ballet class has about 10 girls of different cultural groups, income groups and various shapes and sizes. My daughter has a perfectly shaped body for this activity and so she can trot and run over the wooden floor with grace and with almost no sound. There were however 2 other girls that caught my attention. The one has Down's Syndrome and the other one is quite bigger (podgy) than the other girls. Her Ballet dress is not so flattering and she looks out compared to the rest of the skinny cats. The things is though that these two girls, with the handicaps, had so much passion for the ballet. They couldn't glide across the floor or do the moves as gracefully as my daughter, but they had heart. They wanted to be there, they had fun. They wanted to do ballet because it was nice for them. I'm glad that they have such a wonderful teacher that has the patience to help and keep saying the same things and always building the girls. The unfair things is that there are also girls, with perfect bodies for the activity, that does not put the same amount of effort into their ballet. They can do the moves okay, but they are only there because mommy said so.
With human development it is the same. Some people have all the opportunities and belong to the right socio-economic group, but they have no interest in going fwd in life or to really develop themselves. They are quite happy to just survive and climb the ladder that society has determined for them. We all need to get to the place where we see the thing that will make us most complete and give us satisfaction and we must pursue that. It will take a price, sometimes a big one, but it is so important. The same with communities. We cannot arrive at a community with a brilliant economic development initiative and then the community just has to take what we wanna give em. They should buy into the idea, conceptualize it and agree that this will lead to their future advancement and realization of personal dreams. Unfortunately many people don't have the urge to develop and that hinders efforts, but i have found that with some "counsel" and encouragement, even those often get a dream.

Anyway, there is another piece of idea to chew on. It is actually a whole lot of ideas combined, but we will unpack it all with time.

till later...

skalla