"May the best day of your past Be the worst day of your future." My Dad always wished me this Irish Blessing and I want it to matter today and every other day in my life.
Tuesday, 13 December 2022
Meditate … “Yvette, you will meditate on it [the Word] day and night.”
Monday, 12 December 2022
Moments
Granddaugthers daily prayer
Sunday, 11 December 2022
Keeping a humble heart.
Wednesday, 19 August 2020
Dealing with rejection
by Yvette van Niekerk
Isaiah
43: 4 "You are precious and honoured in my sight."
Reading this passage, make me feel accepted and loved. I do not have to
continue down the road of feeling left out or not valuable. John 1 verse 11
describes how Jesus Christ was rejected: "He came to His own,
and His own did not receive Him." What did Jesus do? Did He
sit down and cry and feel sorry for himself? No, he didn't worry about their
attitudes he moved on to where people gladly accepted Him. He said to the
disciples: "whoever
will not receive you nor hear your words when you depart from that house or
city, shake off the dust from your feet." Matthew 10 verse 14.
Constant and repeated rejection tends to validate our fear that we are
inadequate. Especially when the opinions of our loved one, people we place
value on effects our thinking. Ironically, our fear of rejection ultimately
results in us being rejected because people feed off our emotions. The funny
thing is, when people perceive that you have low self-esteem, and you have low
regard for who you are, they zone in on it, and deal with you accordingly. My
daughter tells me that we teach people how to value us, by how much we value
ourselves. How does it work? You need to set the boundary and express a
preference. Set limitations on how others interact with you. If you do not do that, people tend to think
you have none and their behaviour towards you is based on that.
Even when Jesus was rejected He never responded in that way and didn't
tolerate continued rejection, He didn't stay there He moved on. Jesus went
where He was celebrated not rejected. He recognized their behaviour and shook
it off. He went where people were interested in receiving Him in person, who
wanted to know His purpose and His power. Jesus has God's full acceptance,
therefore, He didn't fear our rejection. We have God's full acceptance too.
"Yvette, you are precious and honoured in my sight, and ... I love
you."
My first reaction to dealing with rejection today, to realize that
God's opinion of me is He loves me.
Prayer
Father God, thank you, for today's word, "I am precious and
honoured in Your sight." Lord, Jesus Christ thank you, that You accept me
just the way that I am, I feel valued and I can carry on. Amen
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Thursday, 6 August 2020
#self-centered me
by Yvette van Niekerk
Matthew 23: 11 - 12 MSG "Do you want to stand out? Then step down.
Be a servant. If you puff yourself up, you'll get the wind knocked out of you.
But if you're content to simply be yourself, your life will count for
plenty."
As a mother, wife and grandmother I think that I have no choice in the
matter of serving my family. To tell you the truth serving others does not come
naturally to me. Why? I feel that I am a self-centered kind of person. I like
things to go my way. I do feel ashamed about my self-centered ways and I am
really working hard not to be so self-centered at time.
I wonder whether you struggle with being #self-centered? If you ask me,
I believe we are selfish by nature. Looking at the two little kids I am looking
after, I can tell you, the oldest is very #self-centered.
When reading my Bible, it is clear according to the Lord Jesus, life
isnt all about me, and still everyting in this world revolves around
"me" telling the "me" I need this and that.
The minute I get consumed by my own desires, my own needs and
everything all about me, I forget about the Lord.
The Lord Jesus said: "Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny
themselves and take up their cross and follow me." Matthew 16 verse 24.
Think about this the Lord wants it to be His way. When I think of food I should
be focusing on what the Lord Jesus said: "My food ... is to be the will of
him who sent me and to finish his work." John 4 verse 34. I wish I was
that kind of person who would think that "my food is to be a servant of
God. I want to please Him. My food is to complete the work the Lord God sent me
to do. I want to do the will of my Father and to finish His work." I am
praying for this kind of divine direction in my own life, letting the
self-centered person behind.
What's the message here? I believe we are to serve others, not try and
get everything out of everyone. Fill others with what we have and turn to God
to help us fulfil His purpose in our lives.
Prayer
O Lord, Father God, today help me to become the servant You need me to
be. I am so self-centered and not concerned about others needs. I need divine
direction in my own life, show me the way forward. Teach me to be a godly
person, help me to listen and understand. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
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Monday, 20 July 2020
Is your heart on fire for God? #heartonfire
by Yvette van Niekerk
2
Timothy 1: 5-7 MSG
"That
precious memory triggers another: your honest faith - and what a rich faith it
is, handed down from your grandmother Lois to your mother Eunice, and now to
you! And the special gift of ministry you received when I laid hands on you and
prayed - keep that ablaze! God doesn't want us to be shy with his gifts, but
bold and loving and sensible."
When
I see fire, I am automatically interested and stare at it, the flames licking
and flickering up and down. When we have a braai (barbeque) most of us like to
gather around the fire and chat, it nice and warm and very inviting. Fire keeps
us warm and illuminates our interactions, it is the focal point, that brings us
together.
Thinking
of fire as a metaphor, it reminds of passion, burning and consuming desire,
which is unquenchable. And fire can also be associated with our faith, burning
and consuming desire to learn more of Gods word. I pray my heart and yours
catches fire. The Holy Spirit coming in blazing and cleansing our hearts, souls
and minds. I am asking God for purpose, passion and a promise in my life, the
Holy Spirit to move and shake me.
Looking
to God to His Kingdom and His coming. I want to have a deep conviction, almost
simple assumption. The only way, I can experience the power, in my life through
the Holy Spirit, and my ministry will go deeper in practising prayer in my
life.
Prayer
Father,
I want to come into Your presence with a joyful song of praise. I am asking You
to ignite a passion in my spreading the gospel that is underscored by a sense
of prophetic immediacy and urgency. I am praying for a powerful but natural
merging of evangelism and compassion, of help and of hope and sharing the Word,
Your Gospel with the kind assistance of a good friend. In Jesus Christs Name,
Amen.
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Friday, 17 July 2020
Condemnation - why do we allow it?
by Yvette van Niekerk
Romans 8: 1 - 2
MSG "With the arrival of Jesus, the Messiah, that fateful dilemma is
resolved. Those who enter into Christ's being-here-for-us no longer have to
live under a continuous, low-lying black cloud. A new power is in operation.
The Spirit of life in Christ, like a strong wind, has magnificently cleared the
air, freeing you from a fated lifetime of brutal tyranny at the hands of sin
and death."
I struggled to
comprehend God does not remember my sins. It seemed impossible for my finite
mind to see and understand.
It blows my mind
to think, God who is an omnipotent, omniscient and omnipresent, being doesn't
remember my sins. He is the all-powerful, all-knowing, all-present God, who can
rightly know, every single detail of every sin, that I committed. God's
declaration, "For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their
sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more." Hebrew 8 verse 12.
I want to encourage you, if you feel you cannot approach God, because of your
sin, you are able because He is waiting for you. By simply believing, God's Word that through
the provision of Jesus' sacrifice; God has indeed remembered my sins no more.
The impact of
Jesus' sacrifice means I can start living without a cloud of shame, guilt,
condemnation and any judgement over my life. I will stand bold and righteous in
Christ today, I expect to receive Jesus Christ' best!
Prayer
Abba, Father,
forgive me for holding onto past sins, I am standing firmly, boldly and
righteously, in Jesus Christ today. Lord, I expect to receive, Jesus Christ's
best in my life right now. I expect Your Supernatural favour in my life, I am
Your child, You have called me by my name. Amen
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Thursday, 28 May 2020
Fasting do you see any blessings?
by Yvette van Niekerk
Matthew 5 verse 4
"Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted."
Something that
comes to mind every time I fast, that it's challenging in the beginning. As
time goes by, it becomes easier. I was thinking of what hunger causes me to
miss? I feel that when I am hungry, I get a little irritated, but it goes away
after a while, especially when I get busy and meditate on God’s word. And I
believe when food is a source of comfort, it really can be a challenge to get
through the day. I have realized that I love my food these days. I miss eating
pizza's, and I miss eating eggs and bacon, that is something I love. I also
miss my sweeties but not that much I wouldn't say I am craving anything
specifically right now.
So is there any
blessings that I feel grateful for today? In fasting, I am focusing on other
things, not to think about the food that I might eat. I make supper for my
family, and they can eat whatever it doesn't worry me.
I do find I have
other challenges that I am dealing with. I am a little tender and get
emotional, but it seems to pass as well.
Things I am
grateful is my husband and all my children and grandchildren: my mom and oom
Frik and my brother and his family and my sister and her family.
Prayer
Lord God, the
Father, thank You for the Lord Jesus Christ who died on the cross for my sins.
I am grateful to spend this time in Your presence. Thank You, Lord, for sending
me a comforter, the Holy Spirit, I feel refreshed and look forward to an
awesome day. I love You, Lord, I am drawing closer to You and asking that You
will reveal Your will for my life. In the name of Jesus Christ. amen
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Friday, 22 May 2020
Are waiting for something expectantly?
by Yvette van Niekerk
Sometimes we pray and would like to get the breakthrough immediately,
and it's something you desperately want. How can it take so long for the Lord
to respond? If only the Lord can give this to me now, I would be a champion.
Then there's that problem that seems to linger it won't go away. I've
been driving myself insane but no way, it stays there. Finally, I don't have a
choice I have to live with it, and it's not going away. I have to accept it as
part of my life and carry on.
I realise God hears all my prayers, and some answered prayers take time
because I may have to learn from the circumstance. I know God is working things
out for me; it's like I am too impatient to wait.
My daughter always tells me "and suddenly" things will change,
you won't even expect it.
So are you waiting for a prayer expectantly? A yes, but you need to be
patient. I sometimes give up, it seems too hard, and there is no direction or
answer. Then other times, I get the courage to wait and see what happens. I am
expecting something useful from this waiting. I have hope in my heart, and I
look forward to the supernatural answer. Focus on today's scripture in Matthew
7, verse 7 to 11, MSG "Don't bargain with God. Be direct. Ask for what you
need. This isn't a cat-and-mouse, hide-and-seek game we're in. If your child
asks for bread, do you trick him with sawdust? If he asks for fish, do you
scare him with a live snake on his plate? As bad as you are, you wouldn't think
of such a thing. You're at least decent to your own children. So don't you
think God who conceived you in love will be even better?"
Prayer
Father God, I am waiting expectantly for You to help me going forward.
My hope is in You Lord, You are my Counsellor, You are my Lord of lords, You
are my Salvation, and I believe in Jesus Christ, thank You, Lord, Amen.
Yvette van Niekerk
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Wednesday, 13 May 2020
Are you or your partner emotionally unhealthy?
by Yvette van Niekerk
80% of the married couple are separating or divorces because of emotional unhealth in their marriage. I think it's because we all have pasts and are both bringing some baggage into a new relationship.
Some sound advice found in the Bible that we may follow when seeking a life partner.
I must tell you that I agree with this one in Proverbs. I used to be married to a furious man. It turns out I have adopted his anger and can lash out in seconds. Of course, I am working on my attitude and my temper, but yes, I agree with this Proverbs.
Number One: Don't marry someone who nurses an uncontrolled temper. Proverbs 22 verse 24 (NIV) says, "Do not make friends with a hot-tempered person; do not associate with one easily angered." I know I struggle with deep insecurities, and I suffer from low self-worth.
Number Two: Don't marry someone who is struggling with an addiction. Proverbs 23 verse 20 (TEV) says "Don't associate with people who drink too much wine or stuff themselves with food." You will see it mentions liquor or food, but I believe drugs and other substances are on the list too.
Number Three: You won't be happy if you marry someone bitter. They hide it well, but it comes to the surface now and then. Stop being resentful leave it behind and move on with your life. Reading Hebrews 12 verse 14 - 15 AMP "Continually pursue peace with everyone, and the sanctification without which no one will [ever] see the Lord. See to it that no one falls short of God's grace; that no root of resentment springs up and causes trouble, and by it, many defiled."
Number Four: Steer clear of someone selfish. We see Proverbs 28 verse 25 TLB says "greed causes fighting; trusting God leads to prosperity." So greed is being selfish, which is a number one problem in many relationships because I'm more important than you.
Number Five: Greed is a problem and causes many fights: Probers 15 verse 27 TLB "Dishonest money brings grief to all the family, but hating bribes bring happiness." You will be stuck with someone who needs this and needs that, making debt and you will continuously be paying off something.
Number One person to get married to is "Kind and Generous person." Proverbs 11: 24 - 25 TLB says "It is possible to give away and become richer! It is also possible to hold on too tightly and lose everything. Yes, the liberal man shall be rich! By watering others, he waters himself."
The best person to get married to should be someone who doesn't tell lies but tells you the truth. Proverbs 20 verse 7 TLB says "It is a wonderful heritage to have an honest father."
I am mostly interested in people who tell me the truth. I feel very offended when people lie to me. I think they believe I am an idiot. It makes me angry, and I lose my faith in them there and then.
Prayer
Saturday, 2 May 2020
How to win a personal battle?
Wednesday, 29 April 2020
How does prayer change your life?
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