Day 12: Remember, He sees you - 16 November 2018

By Benescke Janse van Rensburg

A few weeks ago, I visited a petrol station near our house around 18:00 that evening. The cheerfulness of the petrol attendant, Lee-Ann, caught my attention. In our chat, I discovered that she had been working from 06:00 that morning and still had to work until 22:00 that night. She confessed that it sometimes got hectic, but that she chooses to constantly remind herself to be grateful for her job as she was now able to buy food for her children. She was just back from maternity leave.

Being a mother myself, her story touched me. I could not stop thinking about Lee-Ann after I left. Something had to be done to help this mother. A few days later I, from Radio Tygerberg 104FM’s side, along with Warren Manuel, manager of Dis-Chem Willowbridge, who came on board on behalf of the Dis-Chem Foundation, and Charlene Mekel of Spar Western Cape's Community Projects, were on our way to the petrol station to surprise Lee-Ann with good news.

Spar Western Cape decided to bless Lee-Ann with gift vouchers of R6 000 and the Dis-Chem Foundation gave her vouchers to the value of R12 000! What makes the story impressive, is that after the announcement of the good news (which had everyone in tears - watch video at the link below), Lee-Ann shared with us that she had nothing in the house to eat that morning. There was also only two nappies for the baby. She used her last money to get to work. "All I could do was to trust God," she said. At that stage, Lee-Ann already, on a regular basis, woke up in the early hours of the morning to spend time with God, begging Him to change her situation. "I trusted God for a breakthrough, but He totally surpassed all my expectations. I'm extremely grateful. "

In 2 Chronicles 16:9 we read: “The eyes of the Lord search the whole earth in order to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to Him.” Also in Matthew 6:18 we read: “Then your Father who sees in secret will reward you." And in Job 34:21 we read: “For God’s eyes are upon the ways of a man, and He sees all his steps.”

Did God see Lee-Ann working until 22:00 at night, just to set her alarm for 03:00 to spend time with Him? Did He hear her praises? W\Yes, without a doubt. I was merely an instrument in God’s hands to demonstrate His goodness to a woman with a heart filled with faith. He wants to do it for all of us. Let's be sensitive when He leads us to help someone in need and let's keep our eyes upon Him in our difficult seasons while praising Him for who He is – not just for what He can give us. God bless.

Father God, thank you for Your ability to do miracles. Help me to keep my eyes open in order to be an instrument in Your hands to demonstrate Your goodness to others. And also, strengthening me while I am waiting for a breakthrough to not lose hope. I ask this in the Name of Jesus Christ. Amen

  • See announcement video and photo at www.benescke.co.za or visit the Stories van Hoop Facebook page.
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Day 11: Remember, nothing is impossible for Him - 15 November 2018

By Benescke Janse van Rensburg

It was a difficult time for the inhabitants of Samaria. They were stuck inside the city. No one dared move in or out as the Syrian army surrounded them - ready to conquer and kill anyone they see. Inside the city the food started to perish. People had to sell their most precious possessions to stay alive.

Even the king was desperate. He stormed into Elisha, the prophet of God’s house, saying, “It's all God's fault! Why does He not help us?” Elisha answered, “Tomorrow there will be food in Samaria.” The officer next to the king immediately said it was ridiculous. It sounded impossible. Elisha, however, remained calm when he replied, "Whether it is or not - it will happen. But you will not live to see it!”

Outside the city gates, four lepers were on the verge of dying. In total desperation, they decided to walk up to the Syrian camp, begging for food as they argued that they would anyway die sitting there. Shocked, they discovered that nobody was at the camp. There were tied horses and donkeys, and the tents were left intact. They immediately started to eat and drink until they were full. They then realized that they had to share this news with the city’s people.

With the king heard the news, he immediately sent out scouts to ensure that it is not only a Syrians strategy to get the inhabitants of Samaria out of town in order to attack. The scouts discovered that God had the Syrians hear a large army attacking them in the night. In fear, they fled. The city people were delighted and they rushed out of the city to get food. The doubting officer of the king fell at the city gate and he died from people running over him. He never tasted the food – as Elisa predicted.

What area in your life needs a breakthrough, but as the situation for the Samarian residents seems impossible? Healing of your marriage? Your finances? Perhaps it is your desire to find a spouse? To become pregnant? Maybe it is to see that loved one (for whom you have prayed for a long time) to come to salvation? Perhaps it is for total healing from your illness? Or to own your own home or business?

It is in desperate, impossible situations that we experience God's supernatural power at best. He can restore an impossible situation in one day. In Matthew 19:26, Jesus reminds us, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

God is Almighty. The question is: Are we keeping our eyes on Him and our hearts filled with faith in His ability to restore, or have we become like the doubting officer who died before seeing a promise coming into fulfillment? God bless.

Father God, thank you for being Almighty and in control of every situation in my life. Please help me to keep my eyes on You and not allow doubt to fill my heart. I ask this in the Name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

• Read story above from 2 Kings 7

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Dag 12: Onthou, Hy sien jou - 16 November 2018

Deur Benescke Janse van Rensburg

’n Paar weke gelede het ek iets hartroerend beleef. Dit was rondom 18:00 die Saterdagaand. Ek het vinnig by die petrolstasie gestop om petrol in te gooi. Die blymoedigheid van die petroljoggie, Lee-Ann het my dadelik opgeval. In ons gesprek het ek besef dat sy reeds ’n werkskof van 12 ure agter die rug gehad het met 4 ure om te gaan. 16 ure op een dag! Op die vraag of sy dan nie moeg raak nie, het sy geantwoord dat sy dankbaar is vir haar werk. Sodra sy mismoedig raak, praat sy hard met haarself om positief te bly omdat sy ten minste nou geld gehad het om kos vir haar kinders te koop. Sy was ook pas terug van kraamverlof.

As ma het die storie my hart geruk. Ek kon nie ophou dink aan Lee-Ann nadat ek daar gery het nie. Iets moes gedoen word om hierdie ma te help. Ek het met ’n paar mense gepraat en ’n paar dae later was ek, namens Radio Tygerberg 104FM, saam met Warren Manuel, bestuurder van Dis-Chem Willowbridge, wat namens die Dis-Chem Stigting aan boord gekom het en Charlene Mekel, van Spar Wes-Kaap se Gemeenskapprojekte, op pad na die petrolstasie om vir Leë-Ann met goeie nuus te gaan verras.

Spar Wes-Kaap het besluit om Leë-Ann met geskenkbewyse van R6 000 te verras en die Dis-Chem Stigting het vir Lee-Ann geskenkbewyse ter waarde van R12 000 gegee! Wat die storie indrukwekkend maak, is dat sy na afloop van die aankondiging van die goeie nuus (wat almal in trane gehad het – kyk skakel na video onderaan), vertel het dat sy daardie oggend niks in die huis gehad het om te eet nie. Daar was ook net twee doeke vir die baba oor. Met die laaste geld in haar besit, het sy werk toe vertrek. “Al wat ek kon doen, was om op God te vertrou,” vertel Lee-Ann, wat in daardie stadium al dae lank in die nag opgestaan het om te bid dat God haar situasie verander. “Ek het God vir ’n deurbraak vertrou, maar Hy het gekom en my totaal uitgeboul. Ek is oneindig dankbaar.”

In 2 Kronieke 16:9 lees ons: “Die Here het sy oë oral op die aarde sodat Hy dié kan help wat met hulle hele hart op Hom vertrou.”  Ook in Mattheus 6:18 staan geskryf: “Jou Vader wat sien wat verborge is, sal jou beloon.” En in Job 34:21 lees ons: “God sien alles wat 'n mens doen, Hy sien elke tree wat 'n mens gee.”

Het God die aande gesien waar Lee-Ann tot 22:00 gewerk het, net om weer 03:00 op te staan om Hom te loof en te prys? Verseker. Ek was bloot ’n instrument in sy hand om sy goedheid aan ’n vrou met ’n hart vol geloof in Hom te demonstreer. God kan dieselfde vir ons elkeen doen. Kom ons wees sensitief wanneer Hy ons lei om iemand in nood te help. En kom ons kies om soos Lee-Ann aan te hou om Hom in die moeilike tye in ons lewens te prys – nie vir wat Hy vir ons kan gee nie, maar vir wie Hy is. Hy kyk vandag ook oor die hele aarde sodat Hy dié kan help wat met hulle hele hart op Hom vertrou! Sterkte.

Vader God, baie dankie dat U van my weet en dat U vir my ’n deurbraak in my situasie kan bring. Help my om op U te bly vertrou. En help my ook om my oë oop te hou waarin ek vir U ’n instrument kan wees om U liefde aan iemand in nood te demonstreer. Ek vra dit in die Naam van Jesus Christus. Amen.

  • Sien foto en video van die aankondiging by die petrolstasie by www.benescke.co.za of op die Stories van Hoop Facebook bladsy.
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Dag 11: Onthou, niks is vir Hom onmoontlik nie - 15 November 2018

Deur Benescke Janse van Rensburg

Dit was ’n moeilike tyd vir die inwoners van Samaria. Niemand kon in of uit die stad beweeg nie omdat die Siriese weermag die stad omsingel het – gereed om aan te val en die stad in te neem. Binne die stad het die kos begin klaar raak. Mense het hul kosbaarste besittings begin verkoop om aan die lewe te bly.

Selfs die koning was desperaat. Hy het by Elisa, die profeet van God, se huis ingebars met die woorde: “Dit is alles God se skuld! Hoekom help Hy ons nie?” Elisa het geantwoord: “Daar sal môre kos in Samaria wees.” Die offisier langs die koning het dadelik gesê dat dit belaglik is. Dit het totaal onmoontlik geklink. Elisa het egter kalm gebly toe hy antwoord: “Of dit nou is of nie – dit gáán gebeur, maar jy gaan nie lewe om dit te sien nie!”

Buite die stadshekke het vier melaatse mans gesit. Vir hulle was hierdie hongersnood selfs nog erger. In totale desperaatheid het hulle na die Siriese kamp gestap om vir kos te bedel omdat hul geargumenteer het dat hulle in elk geval sou sterf deur net daar by die hekke te wag. Geskok het hulle ontdek dat daar by dié kamp niemand is nie. Daar was net vasgemaakte perde en donkies, en die tente is net daar gelos. Hulle het dadelik begin eet en drink totdat hul versadig was. Hierna het hulle die nuus ook met die stadsmense gaan deel.  

Met die aanhoor van die nuus het die koning dadelik verkenners uitgestuur om te gaan verseker dat dit nie net ’n strategie van die Siriërs is om die inwoners van Samaria uit die stad te kry nie. Die verkenners het ontdek dat God die Siriërs in die nag laat oorlogswaens en perde hoor het. Hulle was oortuig dat dit ’n ander groot weermag was wat hulle aanval. In hul skok het hulle alles net so gelos en gevlug. Die stadsmense was verheug en ’n stormloop uit die stad het begin om kos in die hande te kry. Die ongelowige offisier van die koning is in die stormloop by die stadspoorte deur die mense omgestamp en doodgetrap. Hy het nooit die kos geproe nie – net soos Elisa voorspel het.

Watter area in jou lewe voel so droog en hulpeloos soos die Samaria-inwoners se situasie? Wat voel onmoontlik om te herstel of te verander? Jou huwelik? Jou finansies? Om ’n huweliksmaat te vind? Om swanger te word? Dat ’n geliefde (vir wie jy al lank bid) tot bekering kan kom? Totale genesing van jou siekte? Om jou eie huis of besigheid te besit?

Dit is in die desperate, onmoontlike situasies dat ons God se bonatuurlike krag die beste beleef. Hy kan in ’n dag ’n onmoontlike situasie moontlik maak. In Matteus 19:26 herinner Jesus ons immers: “Vir mense is dit onmoontlik, maar vir God is alles moontlik.”

God is Almagtig. Die vraag is: Gaan ons staan op sy beloftes en ons oë op Hom hou of gaan ons soos die ongelowige offisier uitmis wanneer daardie belofte ’n werklikheid word? Sterkte.

Vader God, baie dankie dat U almagtig is. Help my asseblief om my oë op U te hou en nie toe te laat dat twyfel my geleentheid om ’n deurbraak te beleef misloop nie. Ek vra dit in die Naam van Jesus Christus. Amen.

  • Gedeelte hierbo is ’n oorvertelling van 2 Konings 7.
  • Terugvoer: Deel gerus jou getuienis of terugvoer rondom die reeks by This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. of word deel van die Stories van Hoop-gemeenskap op Facebook. Jou bydrae is vir ons belangrik.

 

 

 

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