Did you know - John Newton - Amazing Grace

by Yvette van Niekerk

2 Samuel 22: 20 "He brought me out into a spacious place; he rescued me because he delighted in me."

John Newton (1725 - 1801) was an atheist, bully and blasphemer. I believe that John was wild and very angry when he was young. He was forced to serve as a sailor in the Royal Navy for a period. During this period he broke the rules so boldly that he was publicly flogged for desertion. His crewmates hated and feared him, and he even became a slave trader.

When Newton was twenty-three, his ship came into a severe storm off the coast of Donegal, and it almost sank. During this storm, Newton called out to God as the ship filled with water, and on the day, 10 March 1748, God rescued him. His life changed for the better. He started praying and reading the Bible. He joined up with William Wilberforce in a campaign to abolish the slave trade and was the leader in this campaign.

William Wilberforce, in the campaign, to abolish the slave trade, and became a leading light in that campaign.

Newton is the author of the hymn "Amazing Grace" "Amazing grace! How sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me! I once was lost, but now I'm found, Was blind, but now I see."

Prayer

Lord Jesus, I want to pray that You Lord will rescue me, save me and set me free, deliver me from danger or any attack or harm. You, Lord Jes, bring me into a spacious place. Thank You, Lord. Amen

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How can I get along with other better today?

by Yvette van Niekerk

Good morning, let's find a peaceful place and quiet our spirits before the Lord.

Ephesians 4 verse 2 MSG "In light of all this, here's what I want you to do. While I'm locked up here, a prisoner for the Master, I want you to get out there and walk - better yet, run! - on the road, God called you to travel. I don't want any of your sitting around on your hands. I don't want anyone strolling off, down some path that goes nowhere. And mark that you do this with humility and discipline - not in fits and starts, but steadily, pouring yourselves out for each other in acts of love, alert at noticing differences and quick at mending fences."

It struck me that I am very stubborn, and I am not making allowances for people. I want things done in a specific way at my pace, not theirs. It causes so much trouble there cannot be peace with the people around me when I'm in a no negotiation phase. I am not learning to put love before others and not see them through my own eyes. Look, I have to say sorry. I'm working hard at changes my attitude.

Here's thought, what can I do to better get along with my family? I could listen to them.

Prayer Lord, God, please teach me to get along with others in love and humility. Please guide and teach me to be loving and compassionate. Help me to practices forgiveness, let me be a living testimony of Your grace today in my life.  Amen

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I believe we are entering a season of growth and elevation!

by Yvette van Niekerk

The past couple of months it felt like everything has been against me, I don't know how you may have thought during the COVID 19 lockdown but this what I felt. I see the enemy has been working against me, I experienced it, and I am sick of his attacks. He is always trying to delay and deter me from reaching my potential.

I have decided to trust in the Lord; the only way forward is through prayer and meditation in God's Word. I am standing on my Faith, this is trusting in God, and His word.

I am going to focus on God, drawing from His word and taking in as much as I can, trusting in Him.

Hebrews 13 verse 5 to 6 [God Himself has said, He will not in any way fail me nor give me up nor leave me without support. [He will] not, [He will] not, [He will] not in any degree leave me helpless nor forsake nor let [me] down (relax His hold on me)! [Assuredly not!] So I take comfort and am encouraged and confidently and boldly say, The Lord is my Helper; I will not be seized with alarm [I will not fear or dread or be terrified]. What can man do to me?

Prayer

Father God, I am trusting in You to open new doors of opportunity in my life and the lives of my family. Lord, the Father, help me to use my gift of discernment and guide me going forward. You Lord know what I need, and I am holding on to You in Jesus Christ name. Amen

 

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Do you spend enough time with God each day?

by Yvette van Niekerk

According to the Apostle Paul "let God transform you" or "be transformed." The secret in Pauls prayer is to allow God's Holy Spirit to renew our minds. The only way we can change is through meditation and focusing on God and spending precious time in the presence of our Lord and Savior.  Paul is saying that if I am willing to spend time with God and striving to behave like the Lord Jesus, the Holy Spirit will renew my mind, and my thinking will change. When I seek God, my outcome changes, I will be blessed.

How can I renew my mind, and what will happen?

Thinking about where I spend my time, am I honestly spending quality time in God's Word? To be honest no, I believe I have fallen in this regard. I have been filling my days with non-important things.

The sad part is I listen to the Word of God and get distracted, and I am trying to stay focused, but I am not fully involved. What is wrong with me? I have decided that I should stop everything that takes away my time and focus on the Word firstly. Getaway from everything and turn back to God.

I do have too many ups and downs, and I fear I am becoming more involved in the World. I want to know the will of God for me but to find it out I have to renew my mind to hear His voice.

I realize through prayer and focus on God, and my spiritual gifts will come to light and grow in ways that are perfect and pleasing to God. He is transforming my mind and heart, and He has given me spiritual gifts.

Meditate on Romans 12 verse 1 to 2 MSG "So here's what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life - your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life - and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don't become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You'll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you."

Prayer

Father God, I confess that I have become so busy with all kinds of things, distracted and not spending enough time with You. Please, Father, forgive me, I want to draw closer to You, in Jesus Christ's name, Amen.

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The Beginning and the End?

by Yvette van Niekerk

Something to ponder, God is the Beginning and The end, and I can only see things from my perspective, I don't have a clue as to what I can do with or without God. I so many times wish I knew how things are going to work out, but I need to wait and see.  The reality of the matter is that God knows all, and I don't have a cooking clue.

This year turned out so strangely, the whole world turned on its head. Life changed in a blink of an eye, and people all over the world was in lockdown. They were staying home, not going to work for months. You might feel you are at the bottom of the pit and you can't see the daylight. God has a plan to pull you out of this pit, you may be facing a promotion, and it also could be a calling into ministry.

Psalm 2 verse 12 "I am blessed (happy, fortunate, and to be envied) because I seek refuge and put my trust in the Lord."

Prayer 

Father God, I am trusting in You, God whose word I praise, in God I trust, I will not be afraid. What can mortal man do to me? In Jesus Name, I pray, amen.

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56 not Old.

by Yvette van Niekerk

 

Agreed the first half of this year 2020 has been hectic, I believe we all have been through enough. COVID 19 has changed history. 

 

I have been going through a lot this past couple of weeks, I have been struggling with my identity and thinking that I must be ancient. My hair is greying, and I cannot control it, it's going at such a rate I wonder I should be grey by the end of this year if I do not find a hairdresser.

 

Mark 12:29-31 (ESV)

29 Jesus answered, "The most important is, 'Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 30 And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.' 31 The second is this: 'You shall love your neighbour as yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than these."

 

This past couple of years have been engaging on my side, accepting myself for who I am isn't as easy as it sounds. What I lost sight of is that everybody ages no matter what, and life is a circle. I need to accept that I am aging and I do want to age gracefully not becoming an old age. It struck me the "root" of my problem these days is fighting my age. I can't believe how fast time flies and I still think I am young, but I've aged. I am embracing my age, 56 isn't that old, I am still young and healthy, and I can do many things.

 

I want to bear good fruits as the Bible says, if I keep on complaining, it might turn out to be rotten fruit, which isn't my plan. Something I want to get rid of in my garden is rejection, lack of love and acceptance. I want my relationships to prosper and "good fruit" to come forward. I am examining my heart and life, and I want to be kind, loving and a genuinely lovely person. 

 

Prayer

 

Lord God, Father You know me as You have called me by my name. I belong to You. Lord, please remove the root of bitterness, selfishness, rejection and a lack of love and acceptance from my life and heart. Please forgive me if I have been selfish and acted selfishly. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

 

Yvette van Niekerk

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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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Let God carry your burdens.

by Yvette van Niekerk

Psalm 55: 22 MSG "Pile your troubles on GOD's shoulders - he'll carry your load, he'll help you out. He'll never let good people topple into ruin. But you, God, will throw the others into a muddy bog; Cut the lifespan of assassins and traitors in half. And I trust in you."

During this time of the coronavirus, I must tell you I had thought this is a total hoax, it seems like everything is so sort of cover-up. Anyway, it doesn't help I start believing all kinds of conspiracy theories, that's not true. So this thing has been weighing me down for some time. I am sick when I have to go into a shop and buy some stuff, and the masks make me feel nauseous.

I think the best way forward is to bring this problem to the Lord, and I don't think I can handle this on my own. I believe God understands me and give me the strength to carry on. God is here for you and me. So let us bring our burned to the Lord. I believe God finds great pleasure in assisting each one of us, and He cares for all of us. So let us cast our burdens onto the Lord.

Prayer

Abba Father, Lord Jesus thank You for Your supernatural grace and strength which carries me through today. Lord, I am casting all my burdens onto You, I want to come into Your rest and peace for my life. In Jesus name Amen.

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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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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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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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