Meditate … “Yvette, you will meditate on it [the Word] day and night.”

by Yvette van Niekerk

Good morning, Today I want to speak to you about meditation. It’s something that has been weighing heavy on my heart these past few months. What is meditation? Meditation is when you read something – the Word of God. Then you start to take it into your heart in a very personal way. Now after taking it into your heart, apply it to your daily life. Apply God’s Word in my life, I am reading the Word and when it comes to the scripture about blessing and prosperity. I say “Amen, Hallelujah! I take that Word from God. He says that He will meet all my needs, according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. Read Philippians 4 verse 19. I am expecting Him to do that in my life. For a long time, I have been reading God’s Word, the Bible like any other book. But the last couple of days I have thought about it and decided to see what I can learn. I also am thinking it's Words from God, speaking to me each day. What is God saying to me? I am starting to realise that God is speaking to me. When someone speaks to me I look at them, listen to what they are saying and respond to whatever is being said. Going forward I am reading the Word of God, [The Bible] to hear what the Lord is saying to me. I am trying to digest the Word and apply it in my own life. When it comes to God’s Word I want to take it so that it moves from my head to my heart. I want to become a new creation, revived in the Word, I want God’s Word to wash my soul clean. In Joshua 1 verse 8 I see “I meditate on God’s Word day and night. I observe to do it and I have success!” Prayer from Psalm 119: 73 – 80 Yodh Good morning Father God, according to Psalms 119 verses 73 to 80 I want to pray the Word and ask that Your Holy Spirit will work in my life today. “Lord Your hands made me and formed me; please give me the understanding to learn your commands. Lord May those who fear you rejoice when they see me, for I [Yvette] have put my hope in your word. I know, O LORD, that your laws are righteous, and in faithfulness, you have afflicted me. May your unfailing love be my comfort, according to your promise to your servant. Please Lord, let your compassion come to me [Yvette] that I may live, for your law is my delight. May the arrogant be put to shame for wronging me without cause, but I [Yvette] will meditate on your precepts. May those who fear you turn to me, those who understand your statutes. May my [Yvette] heart be blameless towards your decrees, that I may not be put to shame.” Thank You, Father God, I pray this in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ my saviour. Amen

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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Do you need strength to face today?

by Yvette van Niekerk

I read D.L. Moody said, "When a man has no strength if he leans on God, he becomes powerful."

The Lord is trustworthy, and when we are facing insurmountable issues and problems, we should not turn to men, but lean on God, He is powerful. What does it mean to trust in God? He has a position of security, and we can trust Him because He reveals Himself as reliable. If you will take a moment with me and read Psalm 91 out loud, you will see the Lord God is a symbol of protection from attack. The best description I can give you is of an old Castle with the walls that surround it, people living behind these fortified walls of protection. It would have to be a smart and robust army that penetrates these sturdy walls, how we should view God, His robust, sturdy and will put His arms around us His children. Putting our trust in the Lord is the way we should go. He has never failed us, why now?

Psalm 91 MSG

"You who sit down in the High God's presence, spend the night in Shaddai's shadow, Say this: "God, you're my refuge.  I trust in you, and I'm safe!"

That's right - he rescues you from hidden traps, shields you from deadly hazards. His massive outstretched arms protect you - under them, you're perfectly safe; his arms fend off all harm. Fear nothing - not wild wolves in the night, not flying arrows in the day. Not disease that prowls through the darkness, not disaster that erupts at high noon. Even though others succumb all around, drop like flies right and left, no harm will also graze you. You'll stand untouched, watch it all from a distance, watch the wicked turn into corpses. Yes, because God's your refuge, the High God your very own home, evil can't get close to you, harm can't get through the door. He ordered his angels to guard you wherever you go. If you stumble, they'll catch you; their job is to keep you from falling. You'll walk unharmed among lions and snakes, and kick young lions and serpents from the path."

Prayer

High God, please Abba Father, help me today, I cannot get through this day without your hand over my life, I run to You Lord, You are my strong tower. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

 

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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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If you don't change your thinking, you won't change your life.

by Yvette van Niekerk

Negative thoughts were part of my life for a very long time. I also suffered from condemnation, and life seemed uphill all the time. So when it comes to renewing of my mind, I feel strongly about the Holy Spirit, who is my guide and is always there for me. I don't feel abandoned and lost anymore. I am washing my soul with the Word of God, by reading a chapter or two a day in my bible, which I feel is cleansing my mind.

I have decided to follow Jesus, and I put my trust in Him. I believe God is renewing my mind through His Word.

Philippians 4 verse 8 GNT "In conclusion, my friends, fill your minds with those things that are good, and that deserve praise: things that are true, noble, right, pure, lovely, and honourable."

I stopped breaking myself down, I know I am imperfect, and I have problems, but I do believe God is working on me each day, I am a work in progress.

I challenge you today, to write scripture down, and put it next to your bed. When you wake up in the morning, take the page, read the words and meditate on it. Let the Word of God fill your mind, become renewed in Jesus Christ.

Prayer

Lord according to Philippians 4 verse 8 to 9 I want to fill my mind and meditate on your Word, I want to focus on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious - the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse. Put into practice what You Lord are teaching me, what I hear and see and realize. I believe Your Word that You Lord, who makes everything work together, will work me into Your most excellent harmonies. In Jesus Christs Name, Amen.

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The Cherubim protected the Tree of Life.

by Yvette van Niekerk

https://za.pinterest.com/pin/191403052887042696/

 

Genesis 3: 23 - 24 AMP "therefore the Lord God sent Adam away from the Garden of Eden, to till and cultivate the ground from which he was taken. So God drove the man out; and at the east of the Garden of Eden He [permanently] stationed the cherubim and the sword with the flashing blade which turned around and around [in every direction] to protect and guard the way (entrance, access) to the tree of life."

The Cherubim are referenced several times in my Nave's Topical Bible. Are they the same as the seraphim? No, Ezekiel had a vision, and this is what we read he saw. Ezekiel 10 verse 21 AMP "Each one had four faces, and each one had four wings, and beneath their wings was the form of human hands." These angels had four faces and four wings, and the seraphim six wings, and both creatures have hands. 

According to Ezekiel, there was a stormy wind from the north, with a great cloud with fire flashing continually from it. A very bright light all around it and within it to the core, something like glowing metal amid the fire. Inside of this cloud, there were four living beings. They looked like humans, and each one of them had four faces and four wings. Their legs were straight, and the soles of their feet were like a calf's hoof, and they sparkled and gleamed like shiny bronze. Under their wings on their four sides, they had hands like humans. Their wings touched one another, their faces did not turn when they moved, and each went straight forward. This was what their faces looked like: each one had the face of a man facing to the front, and each had the face of a lion on the right side, and the face of an ox on the left side and all four also had the face of an eagle at the back of their heads. Their wings were stretched out upward; two of each one was touching another, the wings of the beings on either side of it, or the remaining two wings of each being were covering their bodies. They each went straight forward; wherever the spirit was about to go, they would go without turning as they. Among the living beings, there was something that looked like burning coals of fire, like torches moving back and forth among the living beings. The fire was bright, and lightning was flashing from the fire. And the living creatures rushed back and forth like the flash of lightning.

He was looking at the angel's faces. We can also see something of the Lord Jesus. The face of a man speaks of His humanity; the face of the lion speaks of His authority and the face of the ox speaks of His sacrifice on the cross and the face of the eagle speaks of His deity. Now I believe that these angels were on a mission, where the Holy Spirit leads they went.

Another feature of these angels was they were as fast as lightning. We read from verse 13 and 14, among these living beings, there was something that looked like burning coals of fire, like torches moving back and forth among the living beings. The fire was bright, and lightning was flashing from the fire. And the living creatures rushed back and forth like flashes of lightning. We see they were attached one to the other and still moved very fast, and they look like they are red-hot burning fire.

Then we see in verse 15 and 16, and the four creatures have a wheel on the ground beside each one of them. The wheels were identical, sparkling like a diamond in the sun. Wheels within wheels, like a gyroscope. 

We see the wheels as describe from verse 17 to 21, "They went in any one of the four directions they faced, but straight, not veering off. The rims were immense, circled with eyes. When the living creatures went, the wheels went; when the living creatures lifted off, the wheels lifted off. Wherever the spirit went, they went, the wheels sticking right with them, for the spirit of the living creature was in the wheels. When the creatures went, the wheels went; the creatures stopped, the wheels stopped; when the creatures lifted off, the wheels lifted off, because the spirit of the living creature was in the wheels." Again we cannot imagine what God has created, it sound so awesome. It far beyond what I could even comprehend my imagination is lacking when it comes to even imagining God's remarkable creatures.

In the following verses, 22 – 24, we read "over the heads of the living creatures was something like a dome, shimmering like a sky full of cut glass, vaulted over their heads. Under the dome one set of wings was extended towards the other, with another set of wings covering their bodies. When they moved I heard their wings – it was like the roar of a great waterfall, like the voice of The Strong God, like the noise of a battlefield. When they stopped, they folded their wings." As I focus and meditate on this scripture its clear, I cannot imagine God's angels looking like something filled with eyes and wheels.

Then Ezekiel describes the noise that these angels made, I think there must have been a multitude to create the noise. He said that it sounded like rushing water of Victoria falls perhaps. I believe Ezekiel experience an incredible vision, seeing all these angels carrying the glory of the Almighty forward as they moved. God is above them – bring glory and praises to the Lord God Almighty. Reading from verses 25 – 28 "And then, as they stood with folded wings, there was a voice from above the dome over their heads. Above the dome, there was something that looked like a throne, sky-blue like a sapphire, with a humanlike figure towering above the throne. From what I could see, from the waist up he looked like burnished bronze and from the waist down like a blazing fire. Brightness everywhere! The way a rainbow springs out of the sky on a rainy day – that's what it was. It turned out to be the Glory of GOD! When I saw all this, I fell to my knees, my face to the ground. Then I heard a voice."

Glory to God Almighty, this is so awesome, God we love you!

Yvette van Niekerk

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