Are you a true friend?

Are you a true friend?

Written by Heather Hart

Blessed are you when men hate you, when they exclude you and insult you and reject your name as evil, because of the Son of Man.  -  Luke 6:22

Have you ever been left out of something just because you were a Christian or it violated your beliefs? Maybe your mom or dad told you that you couldn't go somewhere, or maybe you made the decision on your own. Either way, being left out is never fun. But you know what, while God doesn't rejoice in people hating us or leaving us out, but He does rejoice when we love Him enough to remain by His side no matter what. Think about it this way:

How would you feel if you had a friend that was only your friend when it was easy? Wouldn't you rather have a friend that stuck by you no matter what happened - through thick and thin? I sure would. But God is the same way. He doesn't want us to be fickle followers that are only Christians when it's easy. He says that we can either be true friends, or we're not really friends at all. Kind of like in real life huh?

So the next time that you are left out of something, or someone teases you about one of your beliefs, I encourage you to stand firm, and see God through.

Reflection:

Are you a fickle follower that is only a Christian when it's easy, or do you stand by God and His Word no matter what the cost?

Application Step:

The next time that you are asked to make a choice that you know goes against God's Word, chose to be a true friend, not a fickle follower. Then extend that to the rest of your relationships by choosing to stand by those in need, even when it's not easy or what you would really like to be doing (Do to others as you would have them do to you - Luke 6:31).

Prayer:

Father God, sometimes it's hard to make the decisions that I know are right. Taking the easy road is, well, easier. I don't want to be a fickle follower, Lord. I want to be true to you, no matter what the cost. Help me to do that in the future. Help me to remember that even if I get left out, or made fun of, that choosing to remain true to you is still the right decision. Thank you, Lord. In the name of your Son I pray, amen.

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Jy *is* nodig!

Jy is nodig!

Die Here het hulle nodig.  -  Matt. 21:1-3

Dit is wónderlik en bemoédigend vir ‘n persoon wie dalk swak of minderwaardig mag voel, om te weet dat die Héér ‘n eselin met haar vulletjie nodig gehad het, nê?  Jesus het selfs die éénvoudigste en swakste mens nodig, ook vir *jóú*.  Christus het verseker Christelike jongmense nodig.  Dit is tevergeefs dat ouers probeer om reg te leef en die wêreld te verbeter, as die kinders nie in hulle voetspore volg nie.  

Die samelewing het jou nodig om nuttige diens te doen, om die algemene moraal te help verhoog, om toestande te verbeter en die sinkende deel van ons land se mense, wat al moed verloor het in die hedendaagse lewe en toestande, op te hef.

Die kerk het jou nodig om godvrugtig te leef en saam te bid en te werk vir die uitbreiding van God se koninkryk hier op aarde.  Selfs jou getroue bywoning van kerk en jeugbedrywighede het die Heer nodig tot bemoediging van jou voorgangers en as ‘n voorbeeld van ander jongmense.  Die vulletjie moes saam draf om sy moeder gewillig te maak om deur die Heer gebruik te word.  So bemoedig dit ouers ook op die regte weg, as hulle kinders hulle volg soos die klein eselvulletjie in Jesus se tyd, om Hom te dien.

Gebed:  Here Jesus, dankie dat  Ú, grote Koning van hemel en aarde, só nederig was om op ‘n eseltjie te ry en my so te wys, dat U ook ‘n kind vol sonde en gebreke, soos ék, nodig het.  Vorm my soos U wil sodat ek tot seën en diens kan wees vir my geliefdes, naaste, kerk en land.  In U heilige Naam.  Amen

E-kaart:  Poppie Oosthuizen

Jesus se Dogterkind @ Facebook

♡†♡ Aan God die drie-enige, alleen die eer! ♡†♡

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Embrace the responsibilities

Embrace the responsibilities
+++++++++++++++++++

It's easy to be resentful about your responsibilities and
commitments, and to see them as burdens. It's much better to
enthusiastically embrace the positive opportunities they
offer.

Fighting against yourself, and your own obligations, is
never in your best interest. Take the high road, gracefully
accepting and fulfilling those obligations.

Every area of responsibility gives you the chance to make a
positive difference in the world. Each obligation is an
opportunity to add value to life.

Create that value, and put yourself at a significant
advantage. Embrace the responsibilities, and feel the power
that your responsible behavior brings you.

It's true that not everyone is willing to move life forward.
Yet those who actually do move life forward are the ones who
benefit most from the resulting progress.

Choose to get the most out of life by consistently giving
your best to life. Honor your commitments, meet your
obligations, and truly enjoy the goodness that you are
helping to sustain. 

Ralph Marston via Marcella Porretta

Jesus se Dogterkind @ Facebook
poppieoosthuizen @ gmail.com

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Die donkerste nag

Die donkerste nag

is dikwels die brug

na die helderste dag.

~ Jonathan Lockwood Huie

E-kaart:  Poppie Oosthuizen

Jesus se Dogterkind @ Facebook

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Trusting the ultimate problem solver

CHILDLIKE  FAITH

Trusting the ultimate problem solver

Written by Heather Hart

Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.   -  Proverbs 3:5

Have you ever observed the way that babies interact with their parents? When they are hungry, they cry and they know that their mommies or daddies will feed them. As they grow older, and learn to talk, when they are hungry they go to their parents and simply tell them. Once again, they expect that their parents will see to it that their needs are met. But it's not just when they are hungry: anytime a small child has a problem, they turn to their parents. Whether their brother stole their toy or fell and scraped their knee, they know and trust, that their parents are capable to solve any problem that they come across. However, as we grow up, things change a bit. We start to lean on our own understanding. We start to trust ourselves, and eventually, we think we know more than mom and dad (wouldn't you agree?).

Today, while I was pondering on the above information, it really stuck with me that our spiritual growth sometimes resembles the latter instead of the former. Jesus said: "I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it."(Luke 18:17). Yet we tend to spend our lives in the no-it-all phase when it comes to trusting Christ. Yes, we know He is there, we know that God is all-knowing, and we know that He is trustworthy, but we want to do it all on our own. Instead of trusting in the one we know is trustworthy, we lean on our own understanding... Sound familiar. We treat God the same way that we treat our parents, or at least I do. Instead of bringing my problems before God, and waiting for Him to tell me how to fix them, I simply keep trying on my own.

It's like trying to learn to swim without listening to your swimming instructor. The more I try to do it on my own, the more I sink. I sit their floundering, gasping for air, but I have too much pride to accept that I need help from my coach. Other times, it's like I already know how to swim, but I'm training for a race. Instead of listening to the one who can help me get better so that I can win, I trust that I am already good enough. When race day comes around, I end up in last place. Not because I wasn't capable of winning, but because instead of accepting the help I needed to get better, I trusted that I knew it all. Have you ever done that? Do you do that when your parents are trying to help you with your homework, or when you need help knowing how to handle any other problems? Whether we need help from our parents, our pastors, or our God, we have to learn not only to ask, but to accept help when it's offered... not just rely on our own knowledge and abilities. It's a hard lesson, but I think I'm learning. What about you?

Reflection:

Who is your trust in? Do you trust in yourself and lean on your own understanding, or do you put your trust and your faith in the one who made you?

Application Step:

Ask and accept help today. Whether that means praying to God for help, or just approaching your parents, stop leaning on your own understanding, and put your trust in Christ.

Prayer:

Father God, I owe you an apology. I have been trying to do things on my own; trusting in myself and my own abilities instead of in you. Please forgive me, Lord. Help me to have a childlike faith that trusts you to be my problem solver. Help me to stop being a little miss know-it-all, because that is the way that I have been acting. Lord, I need your help in this. I need your help to let go of my pride, and accept help from you, and from those that you have put in my life to help me...like my mom and dad. I ask these things in the name of your Son, Jesus Christ, today. Amen.

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Geheimsinnige gefluister ....

Geheimsinnige

gefluister ...

Dit wat geheimsinnig gefluister word,

en in die donker gesê word ...

is nooit ‘n goeie ding nie.

As iemand vir jou ‘n luidspreker gee,

sou jy alles wat jy gehoor het hardop

kon oorvertel vir die wêreld om te hoor?

‘En wat julle ook al sê of doen,

sê en doen dit alles in die Naam

van die Here Jesus en dank God

die Vader deur Hom.’

Kolossense 3:17

Vicki Fourie : God lief my

Jesus se dogterkind @ Facebook

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Jou oë is jou vensters

Jou oë is jou vensters

Daar word gesê jou oë is die vensters van jou siel.

Alles wat jy sien, neem jy in.

Een of ander tyd kom

wat jy ingesit het weer uit.

As dit gemors is, sal gemors uitkom.

As dit positief is,

sal net mooi goed uitkom.

‘Alles wat waar is,

alles wat edel is,

alles wat reg is,

alles wat rein is,

alles wat mooi is,

alles wat

prysenswaadig is –

watter deug of

lofwaardige saak

daar ook mag wees –

daarop moet julle julle gedagtes rig.’

Filippense 4:8

Vicki Fourie : God lief jou

✉  :  Jesus se Dogterkind @ Facebook ♡

♡†♡ Aan God die drie-enige, alleen die eer! ♡†♡

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