Does God love me?

A few years ago, when I was really going through some tough times, I wondered if God really loved me.

I knew the Bible said He loved me and I heard many sermons on God’s love for His children; in fact, I think I even preached a sermon on the love of God!

There is however a big difference between knowing something and really experiencing it. At that stage I only had head knowledge about the love of God. To make matters worse, because of circumstances I did not feel worthy enough to be loved by Him!

It wasn’t until I read 2 Corinthians 4:7a(NIV) that I started to experience God’s love for me:

 ⁷ But we have this treasure in jars of clay…

I could identify with the “jars of clay” part; I knew I was just a broken vessel. But it totally blew my mind that there was a treasure inside of me and this treasure was actually God Himself! He, the Creator of heaven and earth, Almighty, all-knowing, was living inside of me!

This was the beginning of experiencing something of His love for me – knowing that He lives inside of me. But still there was some doubt about Him loving me…

One day, I took some guts to ask Him myself (you can actually do that). “Lord, how can I really know that you love me?”

The answer was simple, but it was enough to let me experience His love: “How can I not love you Anina, I live inside of you and I AM Love!”

We have this treasure of Love living inside of us… how can we not be loved?

Shalom!

Anina

What if I ask wrong?

Yesterday we saw that if you live and remain in Him and His Word, you will be able to ask according to His will, and it will be done for you!

But what happens if we ask something that is not His will? Will He be angry, will He reject our prayers or just withdraw His presence from us?

My daughter is seven years old and I love her to pieces! She’s my only child, so you can just imagine… she usually gets what she wants. But off course there are limits! Whenever she asks for something that is not beneficial or good for her, or it is just the wrong timing – there is just one thing I do… I say no! I am not angry; I do not reject her or send her away, I just say no!

Job 33:14 in the Message says:

 God always answers, one way or another…

Many a times we are confused when we ask God something and we don’t get what we’ve asked for. But, just like children, we don’t always know the best and we sometimes ask things that might not be beneficial for us.

God is however not angry at our requests. You are your heavenly Father’s child. You are allowed, as a child, to ask Him anything. This does not mean He will say yes to each and every request. Unfortunately the answer sometimes might be no!

No matter what you pray, God will always answer you. The New Living Translation says God speaks again and again, people just don’t recognize it. Verse 15 to 19 says He speaks through dreams and visions. He whispers in your ears, He warns and will sometimes even speak to you through sickness.

Whatever you have asked Him – He will answer you, one way or another. Just know that if you ask wrong and it’s not according to His will, the answer from your loving Father, will just be a no!

Ultimately He knows best!

Shalom!

Anina

Ask whatever you will…

Yesterday evening Kobus had a very interesting sermon – to be filled up with the Word of God.

One of the Scriptures he used is one of those that I have always wandered about:

John 15:7b(AMP)

…ask whatever you will, and it shall be done for you.

If the Bible says, we can ask whatever we will, and it shall be done, why is it that we sometimes ask some things, and it is not done…?

The problem with this Scripture, like many others, is that it is read out of context. The beginning of this Scripture it vital to the understanding:

John 15:7(AMP)

⁷If you live in Me [abide vitally united to Me] and My words remain in you and continue to live in your hearts, ask whatever you will, and it shall be done for you.

You have to live in Him and His Words need to live in your heart!

You might say: “Well, I am in Him and I read His Word! Now I can ask whatever I want to!”

The way you will know that you are in Him and His Words live in your heart, is that your prayers will be in alignment with His will. You will not ask anything that is not His will, because you will pray according to His Word! You will pray out of your heart, and your heart will be full of the Word of God!

How do you live in Him? By asking Him to dwell inside of you through His Spirit!

How does His Words remain and continue to live in you? By reading the Word of God daily and allowing the Word into your heart!

Live and remain in Him and His Word! Then you will be able to ask according to His will, and it will be done for you!

Shalom!

Anina

He walks with me...

What a better way to end-off this week than with a song about His footprints, Him walking with you...                            


                                   

Shalom!
Anina

Different kind of footprints

Today I want to look at footprints from a different angle. Footprints are made in the sand, but as soon the waves comes over it, it withers. Soon the footprint will fade and nobody will ever know there was a footprint.

There are however some kind of footprints that are not so easily faded!

Flavia Weedn said: “Some people come into our lives and leave footprints on our hearts and we are never ever the same.”

The words people will speak to you will leave marks on your hearts. These marks will change you!

Eleanor Roosevelt said: “Many people will walk in and out of your life. But only true friends will leave footprints in your heart.”

I want to say; only true friends will leave pleasant footprints! Unfortunately there are also people that come barging into our lives with big boots, almost trampling on our hearts. Leaving footprints that hurt our hearts!

Proverbs 18:21(AMP) says

²¹Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and they who indulge in it shall eat the fruit of it [for death or life].

Every word you speak leaves footprints in people’s hearts. These footprints make marks of death or life in a person’s heart.

Every condemning word you speak brakes down, destroys and hurts a person. Every uplifting word however will leave a mark that will leave the person with love and acceptance!

What kind of footprints are you leaving in people’s hearts? Remember, these prints will stay in a person’s heart! No way of taking back a reckless word. Think before you speak and know every word will leave a footprint!

Be a true friend that leaves pleasant footprints on a person’s heart!

Shalom!

Anina

The point man

Yesterday’s “Footprints in the Sand” made me think about something I recently read:

Austin Mansfield tells the story of when he was being taught how to clear a minefield. His instructor told him to step precisely in the footprint left by the person in front of him. The concept was simple: since the person in front of him stepped on a spot that didn’t set off a landmine, the only spot guaranteed to be safe was the ground under that footprint. Stepping anywhere else meant risking death.

The person at the front of the patrol is called the “point man.” His job is to make sure he clears any mines or booby traps before moving forward. Everyone else’s job is to walk where he walks and step where he steps.

The Bible says in Colossians 2:6(NLT):

 ⁶ And now, just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to follow him.

When you accept Jesus as you Savior, you also accept to follow Him. It means to follow in His footsteps, living as He lived and changing your ways to His ways. Then you are letting Jesus be the point man in your life.

John 8:12(NLT) says:

 ¹² Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.”

When Jesus is your point man, He is the One who walks in front of you. He will not only clear the obstacles or traps in your path, but He will also shine a light on your path, so that you can follow in His footsteps!

Continue to follow your point man, Christ Jesus, and you will be on the path that leads to life!

Shalom!

Anina

A little book that speaks

Do you believe that God can use anyone to speak through?

Yesterday I told you about the lady that has very little in life, but she was so thankful about her new job and small wooden home, that she gave us a little inspirational book, to show God her gratitude!

The little book is about the well-known “Footprints”:

Although these words are familiar to us, God used it to speak to us, God said to us through this little book: “I AM carrying you My children!”

Even if you are in fulltime ministry, you sometimes need to hear words like these! It is just so much more special if the message comes in a special way!

God can use anything or anyone to get a message to you. In our case, a woman who seemingly has nothing was the messenger from God. Although she gave a little book, God changed it in a message!

Are you missing a message from God through a seemingly unimportant person or gift?

Or maybe you need to give a “little book” that will give a message to someone else!

God is alive and well. He speaks to His children – you just need to listen to the hidden messages that He brings through people and things you don’t expect it from!

Shalom!

Anina

A thank you that touched the heart!

To work among people that are poor is not always easy, but we have learned that the rewards you receive make it all the worthwhile. This past Sunday was one of those days that makes it worthwhile!

We have been praying for one of our ladies that did not have a job and sometimes even stayed on street. Sunday she came to us and testified that she got a job and a “Wendy” (a small wooden house, +/- 3 meter by 4 meter). She was extremely excited about her new “home”!

She wanted to thank us for our prayers and support and from her pocket she took out a small little book… A lady that owns almost nothing gave us one of her little inspirational books! She wanted to give something to show her gratitude towards God!

My heart was touched deeply and it made me think about the ten lepers in Luke 17 that cried with one voice to Jesus to heal them. Jesus heard them and responded with a simple command, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” On their way to show themselves to the priests, they were healed! People that once were required by law to always keep their distance, and if they would come near clean people, they were required to shout out “Unclean! Unclean!”

I can just imagine the joy and excitement of these 10 men. One however, a Samaritan stopped and returned to Jesus, falling to his knees, thanking Him for his healing!

Jesus had two reactions to the Samaritan at his feet. The first was that He wondered where the other 9 were. “Weren’t there 10 of you?” he asked. “Where are the others?” “Weren’t they made clean too?” It was as if Jesus expected all of them to return to say thank you!

Sometimes we take the blessings like a house to live in, for granted and we only appreciate it more when we don’t have it anymore. We have so much to be thankful about!

When last did you say thank you? Sometimes you need to stop and turn around to give a word of thanks like the leper. Sometimes you need to give something, even if you only have a little, to show your gratitude!

Tomorrow I’ll tell you what the little book is all about!

Shalom!

Anina

Touching life story...

Because we have been focusing on the Bible, here is a touching story to end off a wonderful week:

A young man was getting ready to graduate college. For many months he had admired a beautiful sports car in a dealer's showroom, and knowing his father could well afford it, he told him that was all he wanted.

 

 As Graduation Day approached, the young man awaited signs that his father had purchased the car. Finally, on the morning  of his graduation his father called him into his private  study. His father told him how proud he was to have such a fine son, and  told him how much he loved him. He handed his son a beautiful wrapped gift box.

 

Curious, but somewhat disappointed the young man opened the box and found a lovely, leather-bound Bible. Angrily, he raised his voice at his father and said, "With all your money you give  me  a Bible?" and stormed out of the house, leaving the holy book.

Many years passed and the young man was very successful in business. He had a beautiful home and wonderful family, but realized his father was very old, and thought perhaps he should go to him. He had not seen him since that graduation day. Before he could make arrangements, he received a telegram telling him his father had passed away, and willed all of his possessions to his son. He needed to come home immediately and take care of things. When he arrived at  his father's house, sudden sadness and regret filled his heart.

He began to search his father's important papers and saw the still new Bible, just as he had left it years ago. With tears, he opened the Bible and began to turn the pages. As he read those words, a car key dropped from an envelope taped behind the Bible.
It  had a tag with the dealer's name, the same dealer who had the sports  car he had desired. On the tag was the date of his graduation, and the words...PAID IN FULL.

How many times do we miss God's blessings because they are not packaged as we expected?

Untill Monday!
Shalom!
Anina

Behind the Word

John Stott said “… for behind every word that anybody utters, stands a person who speaks it. It is the speaker himself (his character, knowledge and position) who determines how people regard his words.”

If I am an activist for peace, but my life does not reflect peace, my words no matter how dynamic, will have absolutely no authority.

Behind every word written in the Bible there is a Person standing behind it, backing the authenticity and authority of it! The authority of the Bible is backed by the Person of Jesus Christ!

John 1:14(AMP)

¹⁴And the Word (Christ) became flesh (human, incarnate) and tabernacled (fixed His tent of flesh, lived awhile) among us; and we [actually] saw His glory (His honor, His majesty), such glory as an only begotten son receives from his father, full of grace (favor, loving-kindness) and truth.

His character is full of grace, truth and loving-kindness. His position is that of glory, honor and majesty! There is not a more credible witness to stand behind the Word of God!

You can believe every part of the Bible because of who He is. When you read the Scriptures and you realize it is not only mere words, but God Himself speaking to you, then it will touch your heart and change your life!

Shalom!

Anina

Bible freedom

The Bible is God’s revelation of His heart to His children. There is not a book in the world that is more inspiring, uplifting and full of truth than this Book!

Since the beginning of this year, we have been motivating the people of our congregation to really get into the Word of God! Reading through the Bible in one year, studying and meditating on Scripture!

We however realized that there is a difference between reading the Bible under law and reading the Bible under grace!

What exactly do I mean by this? Some people started to read the Bible because they felt they had to, thus operating under the law. Thinking they must read the Bible to please God, feeling guilty if they missed one day of Bible reading. It became an obligation that brought condemnation.

Whereas under grace, Bible reading is something you do because you want to read His Word. Not because you want to please Him, but because you want to know this wonderful God better. It gives you a feeling of liberation and the result is life and joy!

Galatians 5:1(AMP) says:

 ¹IN [this] freedom Christ has made us free [and completely liberated us]; stand fast then, and do not be hampered and held ensnared and submit again to a yoke of slavery [which you have once put off].

Stand fast in your freedom. Let the study of God’s Word bring you freedom. Read it because you want to read it. I promise the more you read it, the more you will want to read it!

Shalom!

Anina

Beautiful feet

Yesterday we saw that you need to put peace on your feet to fully walk in your inheritance as a son or daughter in God’s Kingdom.

If you have the protection of these shoes of peace on your feet, you will even walk in rough places, but His peace will protect you! This peace will give you an experience of God’s goodness and His protection! Thus preparing you not only to walk in this peace, but to also testify of His goodness and protection!

Ephesians 6:15(GW) 

Put on your shoes so that you are ready to spread the Good News that gives peace.

These shoes prepare you to spread the Good News. You will never be able to be an effective spreader of the Good News if you do not first experience it yourself! You can never testify of how the devil is defeated if you have not experienced how God has crushed him under your feet!

I am sure that when the prodigal son returned, he could not keep quiet about his father that restored him!  

You see, if you truly experience His grace and received your inheritance, it will be impossible to keep quiet about His love and goodness.

For so long I was bare feet in the spirit and had a slave mentality. I was with the Father, but did not take-up my full inheritance! My testimony was weak and ineffective, I confessed with my mouth that He is my Father, but I felt defeated, walking the road without peace, feeling the smallest attack from the enemy! My feet were bruised and sore!

Today I want to testify about His goodness and my testimony is backed by my feet. Even if I walk through a storm, I can still testify of His peace and protection. This makes me effective and prepared to spread the Good News! One who walks with beautiful feet!

Romans 10:15b(Darby) 

…How beautiful the feet of them that announces glad tidings of peace, of them that announce glad tidings of good things!

Shalom!

Anina

Barefoot Christian

Romans 16:20(NIV)

 ²⁰ The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet…

Satan is defeated, but he still roams like a roaring lion, trying to deceive and destroy us. The Word however says that God will crush him under our feet.

Are you crushing satan under your feet? Be careful not to do it with bare feet!

Sunday we reflected again on the prodigal son. We focused on the sandals that the father gave him. It is interesting to note that in those days slaves did not wear shoes. God showed us that in our congregation there is still allot of Christians with bare feet! People who still have a slave mentality and has not yet put on their spiritual shoes of sonship!

Shoes are there to protect and keep warm. A slave and a son that will walk the same road will have different experiences. The son will walk upon thorns and stones, but will not feel the pain. A slave on the other hand will feel every thorn and sharp stone, this will make him complain and question the pain and ultimately question God’s goodness!

Never attempt to crush the devil under your feet without your spiritual shoes! Decide today to put on the shoes that come from your Father:

Ephesians 6:15(NLT)

¹⁵ For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared.

It is God’s peace on your feet that will destroy the devil! Get His peace on your feet and satan will be crushed in your life!

Shalom!

Anina

Story of GREAT LOVE

Can't believe it’s Friday again!

Friday is off course story time. I try to share the stories that really touched my life. Today I want to share one of my favorite video clips. The probability that you've seen it is good. But look at it again and know that if you and God do it together, you can achieve your dream !

Shalom untill Monday!

Anina

Who are you?

Do you know who you are?

For a long time I struggled to figure out who I am. I searched in all the wrong places. Most of the time looking outside myself for the answer. Just to realize that the answer was already inside me!

The Message describes it so beautiful:

Ephesians 1:11(MSG)

 ¹¹It's in Christ that we find out who we are and what we are living for…

When you realize who Jesus is inside of you, your true identity is established  and you can fulfill your Godly purpose. It is shown in Matthew 16 through Peter:

Matthew 16:13-17(AMP)

¹³Now when Jesus went into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, Who do people say that the Son of Man is?

    ¹⁴And they answered, Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.

    ¹⁵He said to them, But who do you [yourselves] say that I am?

    ¹⁶Simon Peter replied, You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.

    ¹⁷Then Jesus answered him, Blessed (happy, fortunate, and to be envied) are you, Simon Bar-Jonah. For flesh and blood [men] have not revealed this to you, but My Father Who is in heaven.

After Peter had the revelation of whom Jesus was, Jesus made an amazing revelation to Peter:

Matthew 16:18-19(NIV)

¹⁸ And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. ¹⁹ I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”

Start today by acknowledging Him as the Christ, the Son of the living God. Then know Him through a personal relationship and He will reveal to you who you are and what you are living for!

Shalom!

Anina

Salem Danville Pretoria

How I know God is real

This morning at our prayer and care group, the following question was asked: “Why do you believe what you believe?”

What would your answer be? If you believe that God is the Creator of heaven and earth and that Jesus Christ is His Son, why do you believe this?

Many people believe out of tradition. Others believe because they are afraid to go to hell. Most people are however unable to answer why they actually believe in God.

While we were discussing this, one of the ladies stood up and said: “I believe, because a few months ago I used alcohol from morning till night, I was depressed and angry! But one Sunday at the church, I decided to invite God back into my life. Since then everything changed, neither my husband nor myself are using any alcohol and we are free!”

There are many reasons why I believe in God, but the realness of God is the most tangible for me in the way He changes people. People down and out, touched by His grace, transformed from nobodies, to somebodies in Jesus. Victims that testify of victories! Misery changed into a Message!

People cannot change in this way by themselves. Only God, through His touch, can radically change people. This makes our God a real God!

If you need some change, open your heart to the real God, He will truly change you!

Shalom!

Anina

The two horse rule

Have you ever heard someone say together is better?

I can definitely say that of my husband and me, we complement each other and together we are definitely better.

The same is true of waffles and syrup; together it tastes so much better!

We need people in our lives. We are better together and we can do more if we embrace the people that God placed within our lives.

Ecclesiastes 4:9 in the Amplified Bible says:

⁹Two are better than one, because they have a good [more satisfying] reward for their labor;

This concept of two is better than one can be illustrated by the two-horse rule. If one horse can pull 700 pounds and another horse can pull 800 pounds, how much weight will they pull yoked together? The logical answer might be 1500 pounds. But the answer may surprise you. The two-horse team will pull their own weight plus the weight of their interaction. Therefore, yoked together; the horses can pull 3000 pounds!

When we work together, the reward will always be much more satisfying! But it is not only in the reward of your work, the Bible says it is better for you to have a partner in difficult times:

Ecclesiastes 4:10(NIV)
¹⁰ If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up.

But the most significant lies in verse 12:

Ecclesiastes 4:12(NIV)
¹² Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.

The third strand of any strong relationship lies in a connection with our Father, a relationship like this will not be quickly broken!

Shalom!

Anina

Spiritual victory

This Sunday we had the most amazing services! The Him Team blessed us with worship out of heaven.

While we were worshipping, I looked at the precious people of our congregation. Despite their circumstances, their hands were in the air, giving it all to their King. Most of them are without work and live with just the bare necessities.

At that moment I was reminded of Jehoshaphat and his singing men:

2 Chronicles 20:21-22(NIV)

²¹ After consulting the people, Jehoshaphat appointed men to sing to the LORD and to praise him for the splendor of his holiness as they went out at the head of the army, saying:

   “Give thanks to the LORD,
   for his love endures forever.”

 ²² As they began to sing and praise, the LORD set ambushes against the men of Ammon and Moab and Mount Seir who were invading Judah, and they were defeated.

If we could see into the spirit when we worship, I think we will worship more! Through our praise, the Lord set up an ambush against our enemies!

Thank you Johan, Corli and your whole team, for leading us into spiritual victory!

Shalom!

Anina

The power of compassion

Friday is story time. Today's inspirational story is most probably one of my favorite! Maybe there is someone in your life that needs some compassion...
 
Jean Thompson stood in front of her fifth grade class on the very first day of school in the fall and told the children a lie.  Like most teachers, she looked at her pupils and said that she loved them all the same, that she would treat them all alike.  And that was impossible because there in front of her, slumped in his seat on the third row, was a little boy named Teddy Stoddard.
 
 Mrs. Thompson had watched Teddy the year before and noticed he didn't  play well with the other children, that his clothes were unkempt and that he constantly needed a bath.  And Teddy was unpleasant.  It got to the point during the first few months that she would actually take delight in marking his papers with a broad red pen, making bold X's and then marking the F at the top of the paper biggest of all.
 
Because Teddy was a sullen little boy, no one else seemed to enjoy him, either.  At the school where Mrs. Thompson taught, she was required to review each child's records and put Teddy's off until last.  When she opened his file, she was in for a surprise.
 
His first grade teacher wrote, "Teddy is a bright, inquisitive child with a ready laugh.  He does his work neatly and has good manners...he is a joy to be around."
 
His second grade teacher wrote, "Teddy is an excellent student well-liked by his classmates, but he is troubled because his mother has a terminal illness and life at home must be a struggle."
 
His third grade teacher wrote, "Teddy continues to work hard but his mother's death has been hard on him.  He tries to do his best but his father doesn't show much interest and his home life will soon affect him if some steps aren't taken."
 
Teddy's fourth grade teacher wrote, "Teddy is withdrawn and doesn't show much interest in school.  He doesn't have many friends and sometimes sleeps in class.  He is tardy and could become a problem."
 
By now Mrs. Thompson realized the problem but Christmas was coming fast.  It was all she could do, with the school play and all, until the day before the holidays began and she was suddenly forced to focus on Teddy Stoddard.
 
Her children brought her presents, all in beautiful ribbon and bright paper, except for Teddy's, which was clumsily wrapped in the heavy, brown paper of a scissored grocery bag. Mrs. Thompson took pains to open it in the middle of the other presents.  Some of the children started to laugh when she found a rhinestone bracelet  with some of the stones missing, and a bottle that was one quarter full of cologne.  She stifled the children's laughter when she exclaimed how pretty the bracelet was, putting it on, and dabbing some of the perfume behind the other wrist.
 
Teddy Stoddard stayed behind just long enough to say, "Mrs. Thompson, today you smelled just like my mom used to." 
 
After the children left she cried for at least an hour. On that very day, she quit teaching reading, and writing, and speaking.  Instead, she began to teach children.
 
Jean Thompson paid particular attention to the one they all called "Teddy."  As she worked with him, his mind seemed to come alive. The more she encouraged him, the faster he responded.  On days there would be an important test, Mrs. Thompson would remember that cologne.

By the end of the year he had become one of the smartest children in the class and...Well, he had also become the "pet" of the teacher who had once vowed to love all of her children exactly the same.

A year later she found a note under her door, from Teddy, telling her that of all the teachers he'd had in elementary school, she was his favorite.
 
Six years went by before she got another note from Teddy.  He then wrote that he had finished high school, third in his class, and she was still his favorite teacher of all time.
 
Four years after that, she got another letter, saying that while things had been tough at times, he'd stayed in school, had stuck with it, and would graduate from college with the highest of honors.  He assured Mrs. Thompson she was still his favorite teacher.
 
Then four more years passed and yet another letter came. This time he explained that after he got his bachelor's degree, he decided to go a little further.  The letter explained that she was still his favorite teacher but that now his name was a little longer.  The letter was signed:
Theodore F. Stoddard, M.D.
 
The story doesn't end there.  You see, there was yet another letter that spring.  Teddy said he'd met this girl and was to be married.  He explained that his father had died a couple of years ago and he was wondering...well, if Mrs. Thompson might agree to sit in the pew usually reserved for the mother of the groom.  And guess what, she wore that bracelet, the one with several rhinestones missing.  And I bet on that special day, Jean Thompson smelled just like... well, just like the way Teddy remembered his mother smelling on their last Christmas together.

May God keep you and bless you!
See you on Monday again!

Shalom!
Anina