bryce vankooten « The High Countries
May 13, 2009 Posted by Bryce VanKooten |
Entertainment, Film Reviews, Movies	| american idol, bryce vankooten, chris pine, j.j. abrams, lady gaga, Lost, LOST Season 5, lost season 5 spoilers, lost season finale, star trek | December 2017 - The Word for Today
Wees eerlik: Hoeveel van verlede jaar se nuwejaarsvoorneme het jy nagekom? Daar word gesê dat uitstel die dief van tyd is. Ons hou aan om onsself te belowe dat ons beter sal doen. Voornemens vind egter net plaas as jy vasberade is. Hier is vier voornemens wat jy vasbeslote moet wees om in hierdie nuwe jaar na te kom: 1) Neem tyd vir dit wat regtig saak maak. Staan vroeër op om jou Bybel te lees en te bid voor jy die nuwe dag binnegaan. Maak meer tyd vir jou familie. Begin oefen en eet reg. Sorg beter vir jou liggaam; dis God se tempel (sien 1 Korintiërs 6:19). 2) Pak een ding op ‘n slag aan. Om te veel dinge op een slag te probeer doen, verdun jou fokus en maak dit moeiliker om dinge klaar te maak. Wanneer jy te veel dinge begin, maak jy te min klaar. Begin dus waar jy is en bou op jou suksesse deur een ding op ‘n slag te bemeester en te handhaaf. 3) Begin klein. Moenie die hele toebroodjie in een hap probeer insluk nie, neem babatreetjies. Praat in terme van wat jy gaan doen in plaas van wat jy nie gaan doen nie. Byvoorbeeld, in plaas van om te sê, ‘Ek gaan nie so krities wees nie,’ probeer om te sê, ‘Vandag gaan ek iets goeds in almal wat ek ontmoet, probeer sien’ (sien Filippense 4:8). 4) Skryf jou vordering of gebrek daaraan neer. Jy kan nie beheer wat jy nie kan meet nie. Deur die waarheid voor jou te sien, kan jy weet hoe ver jy al gekom het en waaraan jy nog moet werk. Die Bybel sê, ‘…Werp jouself in jou werksaamhede sodat almal jou vordering kan sien’ (1 Timoteus 4:15 NLV).
Sielskos: Job 40-42; Luk 3:21-38; Ps 119:97-104; Spr 9:10-12
Did you make any New Year resolutions last year? Be honest – how many did you manage to keep? When we’ve not been able to keep all of them, we can get upset with ourselves and feel like we’re failures. But it’s difficult to make a lot of changes suddenly, all on one day, and expect them to stick. New Year feels like a fresh start – it’s a great time to introduce changes. If we do decide to make resolutions, let’s see ourselves as works in progress, improving steadily throughout the year. After all, they’re ‘New Year resolutions’, not ‘January resolutions’, or two-week resolutions’. So if you’re thinking of making any resolutions this year, here are a few things to bear in mind: 1) Most importantly, make time to ask God about your resolutions. Ask Him what changes He wants you to make in your life. Put Him at the centre of all your decisions. 2) Tackle one thing at a time. When we try to take on too much too quickly, we can lose focus and struggle to stick with our resolutions. 3) Start small. Take small, achievable steps towards your goal. Think about what you will do instead of what you won’t do. So instead of thinking something like ‘I’m not going to be so critical of others’, think ‘Today I’m going to look for something good in everyone I meet’ (take a look at Philippians 4:8). 4) Regularly self-check your progress. Look back and see how far you’ve come. The Bible says, ‘Throw yourself into your tasks so…everyone will see your progress’ (1 Timothy 4:15 NLT). If you haven’t got as far as you’d hoped, don’t worry; instead ask God to give you a fresh enthusiasm for your goals.
Job 40-42; Luk 3:21-38; Ps 119:97-104; Prov 9:10-12
Be honest: How many of last year’s resolutions did you keep? They say, “Procrastination is the thief of time.” We keep promising ourselves we’ll do better. But “resolutions” only happen when you’re “resolute.” That means having a mind that’s made up. So here are four resolutions you need to make up your mind to keep this year: (1) Take time for what really matters. Get up earlier in order to read your Bible and pray before entering the day. Make more time for your family. Start exercising and eating right. Take better care of your body; it’s God’s temple (See 1 Corinthians 6:19). (2) Tackle one thing at a time. Taking on too many things at once dilutes your focus and makes it harder to stick with things. When you start too much, you finish too little. So start where you are and build on your successes by mastering and maintaining one thing at a time. (3) Start small. Don’t try to swallow the whole enchilada in one bite; baby steps are the name of the game. Talk in terms of what you will do instead of what you won’t. For example, instead of saying, “I’m not going to be so critical,” try saying, “Today I’m going to look for something good in everyone I meet” (See Philippians 4:8). (4) Record your progress or lack of it. You can’t manage what you can’t measure. By facing the truth you’ll see how far you’ve come, and what you still need to work on. The Bible says, “Throw yourself into your tasks so…everyone will see your progress” (1 Timothy 4:15 NLT).
Soul food: Job 40-42; Luk 3:21-38; Ps 119:97-104; Prov 9:10-12
Acts 16:10 TLB
The Bible says, “Next Paul and Silas travelled through the area of Phrygia and Galatia, because the Holy Spirit had prevented them from preaching the word in the province of Asia at that time. Then coming to the borders of Mysia, they headed north for the province of Bithynia, but again the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them to go there. So instead, they went on through Mysia to the seaport of Troas. That night Paul had a vision: A man from Macedonia in northern Greece was standing there, pleading with him, ‘Come over to Macedonia and help us!’ So we decided to leave for Macedonia at once, having concluded that God was calling us to preach the Good News there” (vv. 6-10 NLT). God has an “open-door policy.” When He opens a door, you’re supposed to walk through it. Note, however, that when God kept Paul from going into Asia, he didn’t hang around asking, “Why, Lord?” He kept moving. For Paul, trying something and having it not work out was no big deal. He believed that his gift to God was his willing heart and his mobility, and God’s gift to him was that He’d always guide him to where he needed to be. What God prevents is as much divine guidance as what He permits. Every door that didn’t open, every opportunity you didn’t get, and every call that didn’t come were as much God’s leadings as those that did. So knowing you can’t stay where you are right now may be the starting point for God’s leadings in your life. And such leadings often begin with a stirring and restlessness in your soul.
Soul food: Job 38-39; Luk 3:11-20; Ps 27; Ecc 12:13-14
Die oop-deur beleid
Handelinge 16:10 NLV
Die Bybel sê: ‘Hulle het daarna deur die streke van Frigië en Galasië gereis omdat hulle deur die Heilige Gees verhinder is om die woord op daardie stadium in die provinsie Asië te verkondig. Toe hulle naby Misië kom, het hulle Bitinië toe probeer gaan, maar die Gees van Jesus het hulle nie toegelaat nie. Hulle het toe deur Misië gereis na Troas toe. Daar het Paulus in die nag ‘n visioen gehad. Hy het ‘n Masedoniese man gesien wat hom staan en smeek: ‘Kom oor na Masedonië toe en help ons.’ Nadat Paulus die visioen gesien het, het ons onmiddellik Masedonië toe vertrek omdat ons tot die oortuiging gekom het dat God ons geroep het om die evangelie daar te verkondig’ (verse 6-10 NLV). God het ‘n ‘oop-deur beleid.’ Wanneer Hy ‘n deur oopmaak, is jy veronderstel om daardeur te loop. Let egter op dat toe God Paulus daarvan weerhou het om in Asië in te gaan, het hy nie rondgehang en gevra, ‘Hoekom, Here?’ nie. Hy het aanhou beweeg. Vir Paulus was dit niks snaaks om iets te probeer en dan werk dit nie uit nie. Hy het geglo dat sy gawe aan God sy gewillige hart is; en God se gawe aan hom was dat Hy hom altyd sou lei waarheen hy moes gaan. Dit wat God voorkom is net soveel goddelike leiding as dit wat Hy toelaat. Elke deur wat nie oopgaan nie, elke geleentheid wat jy nie kry nie en elke oproep wat nie deurkom nie is net soveel God se leiding as die wat doen. Die wete dat jy nie kan bly waar jy nou is nie mag dalk die beginpunt van God se leiding in jou lewe wees. Hierdie leiding begin dikwels met ‘n roering en ‘n rusteloosheid in jou siel.
Sielskos: Job 38-39; Luk 3:11-20; Ps 27; Pred 12:13-14