Yvette's Whispers of Faith

by Yvette van Niekerk Mark 1: 35 ESV Jesus Preaches in Galilee "And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed." I hate making my bed, but I have learned when I get out of bed and not yet left my bedroom, I can tackle making my bed. It makes me feel accomplished. I know that sound silly, but I do. My bedroom looks tidy and neat, and I feel I can start my day. Have you ever read Brian Tracy's book "Eat that frog!"? I have, and it changed my perspective on life.  I read Mark Twain, said: "if you ever have to eat a live frog, it's best done first thing in the morning." Yuck, it must be dreadful, but it is good advice. Because you can go through the rest of your day knowing the most solid task is behind you. So, if I want God to do the super, I'll need to do the natural. That says I'll need to get started, praying first thing each morning.  So, how we start our da...

by Yvette van Niekerk "Gracious speech is like clover honey - good taste to the soul, quick energy for the body." Proverbs 16: 24 MSG "Here is a simple rule of thumb for behaviour: Ask yourself what you want people to do for you; then grab the initiative and do it for them! If you only love the lovable, do you expect a pat on the back? Run-of-the-mill sinners do that. If you only help those who help you, do you expect a medal? Garden-variety sinners do that. If you only give for what you hope to get out of it, do you think that's charity? The stingiest of pawnbrokers does that." Luke 6: 31 - 34 MSG "Love is not a feeling, its an act of your will." Do you agree with me when it comes to the meaning of Love? I believe love is all about what we are doing for each other, it involves actions. I am reminded that love costs us something. Key elements of love Love is a kind of actions. Spending quality time together. Speaking loving words. Being Thoughtful wi...

by Yvette van Niekerk Have you heard Warren Buffet's quote, "The best investment you will ever make is in yourself?" Psalm 51: 7 - 17 MSG "Soak me in your laundry, and I'll come out clean, scrub me, and I'll have a snow-white life. Tune me into foot-tapping songs, set these once-broken bones to dancing. Don't look too close for blemishes give me a clean bill of health. God, make a fresh start in me, shape a Genesis week from the chaos of my life. Don't throw me out with the trash, or fail to breathe holiness in me. Bring me back from grey exile, put a fresh wind in my sails! Give me a job teaching rebels your ways so the lost can find their way home. Commute my death sentence, God, my salvation God, and I'll sing anthems to your life-giving ways.  Unbutton my lips, dear God; I'll let loose with your praise." I was thinking of how counterintuitive and selfish this statement is, but then I realised that the Lord Jesus also first spent time ...

Isaiah 26: 4 ESV "Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord God is an everlasting rock." I have allowed trying situations this past couple of months to come my way, and it frustrated me, and I was so upset. And to top it off, I thought, "I'm believing God. I'm trusting God." When I didn't speak right, worry about everything, grumble and cry. I honestly believe through my anxiety and my panic-stricken heart, my words didn't match my actions. I realized trusting God has to be more than just words, attitudes and action. Going forward I know trusting in God is possible it's just I've been off my game, or better yet my mojo was completely off. I have allowed circumstance in my life to cloud my judgement. Of course, my emotional state has a huge part to play when it comes to how I have reacted. To say the least, I realise worry is a waste of time, and I must turn my attention to God. Prayer O Heavenly, Father, please forgive me for constantly worryin...

 by Yvette van Niekerk Romans 1: 16-17 MSG "It's news I'm most proud to proclaim, this extraordinary Message of God's powerful plan to rescue everyone who trusts him, starting with Jews and then right on to everyone else! God's way of putting people right shows up in the acts of faith, confirming what Scripture has said all along: "The person in right standing before God by trusting him really lives." Definition of break is "to separate into parts with suddenness or violence." So what I simply need is that my prayers will generate an abrupt and sudden rupture; of what is hindering me, pushing me beyond that limitation and into freedom. I believe that I need to pray persistently and consistently until I sense that something has broken in the spiritual realm, and until what I have been asking for manifests. Believing that what I am asking for in the spiritual world into my physical world. So it's all about me persevering and enduring, pres...

  by Yvette van Niekerk Colossians 3: 1 - 4 "Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory." Today, as I sit here and meditate on God's Word, I am thinking am I observing God from a distance? I know that when I believe in Jesus Christ, in faith I am ultimately holy before God. The Word of God urges all believers to live a godly, holy, set-apart life here and now. I wonder what does a godly life look like? Look to the Lord Jesus Christ, He sets an example for each one of us. The Lord Jesus habitually spent time in prayer with the Father. Do you believe a habitual prayer life can produce a godly life? I believe it can. I read that behavioural scientist study people who are married often...

  by Yvette van Niekerk Colossians 3: 23 Living Bible "Work hard and cheerfully at all you do, just as though you were working for the Lord and not merely for your masters," Looking back over my life, I believe I could have worked harder and put in more effort. I probably just used about 25 per cent of my energy and my ability. Today, as I reflect on how I worked, I feel I should have done things for the Lord and not merely for my boss. Most of the time, I didn't really like my boss, and it showed in my performance. Here I am, thinking can I still make a difference? Yes, I believe I can it is my prayer the Lord Jesus prayed: "I have brought you glory on earth by finishing the work you game me to do." John 17, verse 4. I am serious about serving God. I want Him to be pleased with my performance and my attitude and the way I carry myself. And Paul's statement is something I am thinking about day after day, "I consider my life worth nothing to me; my...