How can I clear the slate?

by Yvette van Niekerk

Ezekiel 18: 31 MSG “Clean house. No more rebellions, please. Get a new heart! Get a new spirit! Why would you choose to die, Israel?” When we are unable to confess our wrongs and sins, our countenance changes. We have darkness over our faces, and it may seem we are sad. Then we experience condemnation. We fail to repent and ask for forgiveness of my sin, our countenance changes. Psalm 34: 5 MSG “They looked to Him and were radiant; their faces will never blush in shame or confusion.” Confession is good for my soul. I need to repent of things I may have said or done. I do not want to build a wall between myself and God. I am honest when I confess anything I did and I receive God's forgiveness. I want a direct line to God and I can only achieve it by confessing my sins. Repentance: means "turning away and deciding not to do it again." I am saying "Yes, I did this, I am sorry and won't do this again." Ezekiel 20: 43 "Then you will look back at all your sins and loathe yourselves because of the evil you have done." Yes, it's true I struggle with self-loathing when I know I have been doing something wrong. I cannot move past it and it makes me feel miserable and I am frustrated. My self-esteem is down the drain, condemnation trails behind me. Life looks bleak and miserable. I seem to be going down the road of destruction in my life and only when I confess my sins, there is a relief. I realize that I cannot do this on my own, I have and always ask the Holy Spirit to reveal anything I should be confessing. God is faithful and He does show me my iniquities, giving me a chance to confess and repent. The experience is my heart feels lighter, freedom and joy come to me. God knows the secrets of my heart Psalm 44 verses 21. Prayer Father, Lord as King David prayed, "Wash me from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me away from Your presence, and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of Your salvation." Psalm 51. Please show me anything I am hiding and help me to see it and confess it to you, so that I may repent and receive Your forgiveness. Psalm 31 says "blessed is he whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered." Please help me to always confess my sinfulness so that I am able to say "see if there are any wicked ways in me, and lead me in the way everlasting." Please forgive me, in the name of Jesus Christ. Father God today I want to be obedient and accept the gift that You have given me. I am trading my tired and worn-out life for a new one today with Jesus Christ. Today I surrender all my faulty plans for Your perfect plan. Lord, please help me to abide in you so that you can abide in me. Father today I am embracing the new life available to me. I don’t know how things will work but I beg You hear my call. I accept the Lord Jesus Christ to renew my life today. Amen

Here are Some ideas on how to study God's Word.

by Yvette van Niekerk

1. Make an appointment with the Lord God. Decide which time of day suits you best and set this time aside to read God's Word. In the beginning, you might only do this twice a week, and as time goes by, you will pick up the pace. I need to spend time with God in the evenings and the morning is hectic on my side.
2. Decide where in your home you are going to spend time with the Lord. I have picked out my bedroom, and it works for me. Everyone in the house is watching TV, and I have time alone.
3. So what do I need? Well, of course, you need your Bible, a good Bible dictionary or concordance and then pen and paper. Then you are equipped and ready to start the process. It's a learning curve, and this might be not easy in the beginning, but it picks up, and then you are on your way.
4. Confession. In this time, I confess whatever has been on my heart and worrying me lately. Now, I feel open and ready to speak to God and learn what He wants me to know.

Proverbs 4: 20 - 22 MSG

"Dear friend, listen well to my words; tune your ears to my voice. Keep my message in plain view at all times. Concentrate! Learn it by heart! Those who discover these words live, really live; body and soul, they're bursting with health."

I'm not a guru on this matter, and I am still learning, but these are things I like to do, and this helps me stay focused and in contact with the Lord God.

Prayer

Lord today I want to pray to help me set the time aside for You. I want to purposefully spend time Your Word today, help me meditate and focus on You Lord. In Jesus Name Amen

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Gethsemane (Crushed Olives).

By Yvette van Niekerk – from Daily Devotional Ebenezer

June 18

Matthew 26: 36 (AMP) 

36 "Then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane, and He told His disciples, Sit down here while I go over yonder and pray."

The word "Gethsemane" means crushed olives. What is the result of crushed olives? It forms oil that heals and nourishes and can illuminate. There were really trying times in my life as a young woman and the tears would spill over my face constantly. I would be crying for help and praying for an answer which seemed to never come. I found that the people in my own life couldn't comprehend or understand the pain I was facing, and they could only look at me without any help.

I found that in my most crushing time I could only wait on the Lord God, no one could help me. I felt the full weight of God's will in my life. When you are in your Gethsemane, don't give up, keep on praying and wait on the Lord God. It isn't possible for others to help you; only God can. 

Prayer

Lord, as our daddies and fathers on earth normally face difficult circumstances, let them embrace You so that the "oil" they produce will be a blessing in our lives. Amen

Yvette van Niekerk

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