There are a few phrases and verses in the Bible that might get lost in the shallow understanding of familiarity. It is too easy to say the Our Father from memory and hastily ramble through the lines of Psalm 23 entirely missing the fullness of meaning. The Bible is not social media or the morning paper. The truth that sets…
Author: Ansophie Joubert
Writer and speaker in women's ministry.
237. Feet of faith
Let us linger a bit longer in the words of Habakkuk – words of gold for all times and ages. Habakkuk moves his thought-horizons from threatening political upheaval to a heavenly perspective with eternal applications. The effect of his “new” thinking is a joyful praise-song and an inspired spirit that stirs faith and builds trust in God for…
236. Wisdom that laughs
She is clothed with strength and dignity, and she laughs without fear of the future. (Proverbs 31:25, NLT) I don’t think it is easy to laugh about the future. It might rather take a big effort not to cry about the future. The world is evil… and violent… and uncertain… and dirty. The list of wrongs could be very long,…
235. The Future – again
It is not very often during a year that we contemplate the piece of future ahead of us like around New Year every year. It is only natural. It is valuable to meditate on the year past. We meditate with God in mind, not emptying our thoughts like eastern meditation encourages. Christian meditation urges “fulness of thought” – full of…
234. It’s your Feast – a Christmas dance
Whatever you may think of the world with all the social and political turmoil, Christmas is a few days away. As every year we hear the songs, see the colours and decorations and live the challenges. It is one of the lovely Feasts on the Christian-calendar, with Easter (that I would like to call Passover), Pentecost and Thanksgiving. If…
233. Strategy for the Feast
It is the last days of November, and December with all the glitter and glam of Christmas is upon us. Our thoughts are filled with parties, events, family, friends, food and drink. We might even think of a few days away. All these things require planning, shopping and preparation. We will again, like every year, make the most of our…
232. We’ve got what it takes
I hear many people talking about the Second Coming. That is good. We are looking forward to another dimension of life where we van exchange this dispensation with something that might feel more real. However, we do not know when or how it will come. At the moment death is our only link with life after death. Despite surprising numbers…
231. Body language of the soul
There are professionals who specialize in “reading” attitudes and feelings by carefully observing facial expressions and postures. They interpret it as a demonstration of a person’s inner being and unspoken thoughts – a window to the soul. Just a slight upturned eyebrow, eyes squinted deliberately, hands clasped or wrung or a foot tapping or tensely upturned would…
230. Pray for the impossible
Don’t give up. Our God specializes in things thought impossible. Sing the song of Moses: “Who is like You, O Lord, among the gods? Who is like You, glorious in holiness, Fearful in praises, doing wonders? (Exodus 15) The immeasurable privilege to enter the throne room of the Most High God of the universe, by the Blood of Jesus, is unequaled on the list of human privileges that…
229. The pain-path becomes a praise-path
It could easily be misunderstood – praise and worship. Why on earth should a person praise the Lord? Does our sovereign, almighty, all-knowing, self-sufficient God need continuous praise and admiration? Of course not! He does not need any earthly words to execute his Will and Work. His Word put creation in place. How would the admiration of a mere mortal ever…
Pebbles of Perpetuity 