SHARE YOUR TESTIMONIES

Today’s Text: Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven. (Matthew 10:32)

Today’s Thoughts: If we bear witness for Christ, He will bear witness for us before God. His followers must always have a testimony to share about how great our God truly is. If they do not have a testimony, then they, quite plainly, obviously haven’t been following Him enough. You cannot follow Christ and not see His hand working. When we share what Christ has done for us, He is even more willing to intercede on our behalf before His Father. Think about it: if we are sharing testimonies that glorify Him, He has an extra reason to bless us with more testimonies. Make sense? We truly do serve an amazing God!!!

Today’s Testimony: This last weekend I went to a church camp meeting. Last year while attending the same camp meeting it poured with rain quite a lot. Our tents were rather old and were far from successful in keeping the rain out. One morning we got four litres of water out of our tent. Some of our clothes that were in our bags got soaking wet. We even had to walk to some the meetings in the rain. I was really blessed throughout the weekend with the messages presented and through the conversations that the Lord and I had, but I wasn’t a very happy and dry camper.
This year had to be different. We still had to use the same old tents, except for fixing the zips (but the problem was more than that), and I was so concerned that we were going to get rained out again. Well, there was only one thing to do – I prayed. The weather forecast for that area was rain practically all weekend. But I knew that if it was my God’s will He could intervene.
It wasn’t raining when we arrived on Thursday afternoon and we managed to set up camp without a problem. On Friday morning there was a heavy mist but still we had had no rain. Later that day the weather looked pretty unpromising and I once again started pleading with the Lord to not let it rain. Sometimes He answers our prayers in the way we want just because He loves us, but I mentioned that I would share the amazing testimony via Today’s T’s if He held the rain back. The Lord then said to me, “If you do powerful things for me – I’ll do powerful things for you.” WOW! The Lord asked me to share a better glimpse of Him with the world, and seeing I am (Today’s T’s is available to the whole world) He has extra reason to bless me. Every blessing that He bestows is going to go forth as a powerful testimony of who He is and glorify His name.
One night it rained a bit during the night when everyone was safely inside their tents. Our tents didn’t flood like they did last year. Another night it drizzled a bit, but also didn’t flood our tents. I kept hearing people say that it was going to rain. But we didn’t see any rain near in comparison to the time before. The only other times that it rained (and every time the rain only lasted a few minutes), was early one morning when we were going off to the bathroom to get up and dressed (but it wasn’t raining hard at all). And then the other time I want to share in more detail….
My family and I stayed at the camp an extra day. Most of the campers left on Monday but we stayed till Tuesday. On Monday afternoon it was threatening to rain. I was praying. Finally it did rain for a bit. But soon passed and the sky cleared. We then watched the storm from a distance – lightning and all! God is so good!!! On Monday it started spitting just before we were ready to leave. The whole weekend we stayed pretty dry. God is really so good!!! I want to continue to share His goodness for as long as I can.

Today’s Task: Share the testimonies of what the Lord has done for you with as many people as you can. Know that He can work miracles. Take every concern to Him no matter how big or small it may seem. He wants to bless you. He loves you. Meet the Lord and give the rest of the world a better glimpse of your wonderful Saviour.

Today’s Thanks: O Lord I thank You that You bless us simply because You love us. I praise You that You bless us so that we can share the testimonies and glorify Your name. Help us to entrust You with every problem. Help us to share what You have done for us. Lord may we truly be Your followers so that You can say to Your Father, “This is my child, and therefore his/her sins are covered with my righteous life.” We want to be Your children and be clear before God. Help us to live in You. I thank You for Your love. Amen.

GOD KNOWS BEFORE YOU ASK

Today’s Text: Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him. (Matthew 6:8)

Today’s Thoughts: In the verse prior to this one Jesus mentions the heathen who pray vain repetitions thinking that the Lord hears them due to how much they say, but Jesus says that God already knows what we need – prayer is something far more personal. He wants us to talk to Him about our needs, but it’s never in order to fill Him in on what’s happening in our lives – He knows that. Prayer is an expression of faith. We ask, hopefully because we believe that God will hear and grant. No matter how many words we pray, or how eloquent our prayers sound, it really makes no difference. God want us to talk to Him because we have a relationship with Him. He is a personal God. He knows our needs before we ask, and He will often step in to answer them long before we’ve even thought to ask; sometime before we’ve even encountered the problem. God is so good. He loves to bless his children.

Today’s Testimony: A while ago I mentioned about the Lord blessing me with two Afrikaans Bibles (Today’s T’s Day 61). I bought the first one before leaving for Cape Town one year.
While in Cape Town that year, one day while I was washing my hands, I was thinking how much I’d love to have an Afrikaans hymnal. My twin sister and I share a room, and my older sister was sitting in our room on the floor looking through some stuff we’d been given that had belonged to my aunt, who had passed away earlier that year. I walked out of the bathroom and as I walked into our room Toni said, “Here, this is for you.” Need I say that it was an Afrikaans hymnal?!!!
That one was a word edition. I have since been blessed with a word and music edition. My step-dad’s brother immigrated to the States, and had given us a few things. One of those things was an Afrikaans hymnal, words and music. I had my eye on it, and finally my older sister asked my mom if I could have it. I now own two Afrikaans hymnals. God is so good!!!
God knows what we need, but He also knows what we want. He knows our needs and wants long before we ask. If it is in His will to grant our petitions, He will surely grant them. God loves to make His children smile.

Today’s Task: Talk to the Lord about your needs and wants. He knows them all, but He wants you to share everything with Him. Do not pray thoughtlessly, speak as though you are speaking to your Best Friend – I hope He is your Best Friend. But I do know that He is the greatest Friend you will ever have. Take your requests to God, He will answer – He might already be answering. And then please, never ever forget to thank Him.

Today’s Thanks: O Lord I thank You that You hear each and every prayer. I thank You that You know our needs and wants before we ask. I thank You that You answer them in the way that You know best. Please help us to trust You. Please help us to come to know you personally as our Best Friend. I thank You for being the greatest Friend we could ever have. I love You Lord. Amen.

GOD WILL BE WITH YOU

Today’s Text: He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him. (Psalm 91:15)

Today’s Thoughts: If we call on the Lord when we are in trouble He will answer us. He will be with us through our trial and He will deliver us from it – whether it be in the middle of the trouble, or whether He brings us safely through it, He will deliver us in the way that He knows best. In the end we will be honoured. Those around us will see that we have something that they lack and want – a peaceful and trusting relationship with an almighty, loving God. And finally, if we cling to our Saviour and endure every trial until the end, God will give us a crown of life (James 1:12). No matter what troubles we face, we can know that if we turn to the Lord, He will be with us – our God is faithful!

Today’s Testimony: Remember when I shared about the exam for which the Lord told me exactly what to study (Today’s T’s Day 13)? I mentioned that that was my toughest exam for that semester. Today I’d like to share another testimony around that exam.
When I got to the exam room I noticed that the time on my watch was slightly different to the time on the clock in the exam room. I therefore adjusted the time on my watch.
I’ve also mentioned my alarm clock that God keeps ticking (Today’s T’s Day 10-12, 18, 19 and 49). When I got home from my exam I noticed that my alarm clock had stopped ticking. I looked at the time that it had stopped; calculated the amount of time that I had changed on my watch in the exam room; and realized that my alarm clock had stopped ticking at the same time that I started writing. The Lord said to me, “Lindy, I wasn’t with your alarm clock – I was with you.”
Yes God is omnipresent and is everywhere at the same time, but the message was so special to me. He was still present in my home with the rest of my family, but He had no reason to be keeping my alarm clock ticking. He was with me during my exam. I needed Him and He was there.

Today’s Task: Ask the Lord to be with you no matter what you face. He is waiting for your permission. He longs to be by your side through ever trial and every joy. He loves you so much. Run to the Lord. Trust Him – He will deliver you. Then please, don’t forget to thank Him.

Today’s Thanks: O Lord I thank You that You care about us. I thank You that You hear us, and that You answer. I thank You that You deliver us. Lord please help us to trust You. Help us to glorify Your name during and at the end of every trial. Pease let all those around us see Your intervention in our lives, and please help them to accept You into their lives too. Lord I thank You that You are faithful and trustworthy. I thank You that You are always with us because You love us. We love You too. Amen.

STAY STRONG

Today’s Text: Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. (Ephesians 6:10)

Today’s Thoughts: No matter what we face in life we can always receive strength from the Lord. He can intervene in all situations – there is power in His might. If the Lord is our God we can stand up and be strong in every storm. God’s strength is available to each and every one of us. We just need to make use of it.

Today’s Testimony: A friend of mine often signed his messages with “stay strong”. I never really thought all that much about it, until one day I was on my knees asking the Lord to help me to “stay strong”. I then realized that asking the Lord for strength and asking Him to help you to stay strong are two totally different things. Strength is asked for when we do not have any, or when we need more. We can only ask the Lord to help us to stay strong when we are already strong, but know that we can easily become weak again. We need to continually draw on the Lord’s strength whether it be because we lack it or because we need it to continue.
I prayed those words because I had just gone through an extremely trying experience; once again felt strong in the Lord, but knew that with what was coming my way I would need His intervention to keep me strong. These are the words to the song I wrote after realizing that becoming strong and staying strong are two totally different things.

Stay Strong

Stay strong My child
Though the storms of life be wild
The strength that I have given you
If you ask I’ll renew
So don’t let the wind bend you
For hope I will send you
But My child, stay strong
Stay strong

Lord, help me to stay strong
Though the storm may seem too long
May I lean on You always
Lord give me strength throughout my days
O don’t let the wind bend me
May Your presence attend me
O Lord help me to stay strong
To stay strong

O Lord help me to stay strong
To stay strong

Today’s Task: What trials are you facing in life? Ask the Lord to give you strength or to help you to stay strong. Draw from His strength. Our God is almighty and can give you peace and strength no matter what you face – simply ask Him for it.

Today’s Thanks: O Lord I thank You that You have made Your strength available to each and every one of us. Please help us to run to You for strength whenever we need it. I praise You that Your strength is sufficient to help us through any trial. Help us to trust in Your strength. I thank You that You are not our God from a distance, but our God right here with us – caring about us and our needs, hopes and fears. I thank You for Your everlasting love. Amen.

GOD CAN GIVE YOU YOUR HEART’S DESIRE

Today’s Text: Thou hast given him his heart's desire, and hast not withholden the request of his lips. (Psalm 21:2)

Today’s Thoughts: God can provide for all our needs, but He also loves to give us our hearts’ desires. If we ask Him for things and He knows that it is best for us or that it will not harm us, He will grant our requests. He loves to bless His children. God knows all things; He knows what is best – if our petitions don’t fall outside of His perfect will, He will most probably answer them. We’ve spoken before about the fact that this world is full of evil only because Satan is very active in it. God hates to see us suffer, but there is a war going on for our lives, and Satan is trying to deceive us into blaming God for our pain. God is good – always good and only good! He is very present when we suffer. If He wasn’t, things would be far worse. He is right there to comfort and strengthen us. God loves you and He wants to give you your heart’s desire. Believe it.

Today’s Testimony: I quoted from my favourite author, E White, a while ago (Today’s T’s Day 54). Today I’m going to share how the Lord has blessed me with many of her books. My family owns quite a few, but I wanted a few of my own.
Firstly, there was a book containing 10 of her books. I really wanted it, and it was being sold at an extremely good price, but I couldn’t really afford it. My birthday was coming up and I was hoping to get the book from my family, but decided to leave it in the Lord’s hands and not ask for one. I knew that the Lord knew whether I should get the book, or whether I needed the money more. My family did give me the book for my birthday! God is so good!!!
Then there were some more of her books that I really wanted. They were on sale, but at that stage I couldn’t spare the money. The Lord then later blessed me with all three of them and more. Some of those books I received second-hand but in good condition for free, and two I bought second-hand for an extremely good price. God is so good!!!
Then there was a nine-volume set of her books that I also really wanted. We had been given a few duplicates of the free second-hand books, and then there were some other extras that were sitting in a pile for us to give away. There were a few odd books from the nine-volume set, but I wanted the whole set – all nine volumes. Four of those books were very thick, and the Lord said to me, “Lindy, those four books are rather thick, go look at them again.” I did, and discovered that it was all nine volumes in four books. God is so good!!!
God knew that one of the desires of my heart was to own all those different books. He blessed me with the desire of my heart. He still does bless me with my heart’s desires on many occasions. God loves to bless His children!!!

Today’s Task: No matter what evil you see all around you, know that God really does care about His children. He loves us so much. He loves to bless us. He hates to see us suffer and He is there to strengthen us whenever we face trials. He longs to give you your heart’s desire – take your requests to Him. Ask Him to grant your petitions if it is in accordance with His will, and then wait for Him to answer. Never ever forget that He loves you!

Today’s Thanks: O Lord I thank You that You know the desires of our hearts. I thank You that You love to bless us with those desires simply to say, “I love you child.” I know that You love each one of us so much, and I thank You for that. Lord, we don’t deserve Your love or Your blessings, but I praise You that You joyfully give us both. I thank You for Your great love. Amen.

WISDOM AND MIGHT BELONG TO GOD

Today’s Text: Daniel answered and said, Blessed be the name of God for ever and ever: for wisdom and might are his. (Daniel 2:20)

Today’s Thoughts: Wisdom belongs to God. God knows everything. If you we have problems – He knows exactly what they are, and He knows how to solve them. If we have decisions to make – He Knows exactly what options we have, and which one is best to choose. The only problem that we have is that we often are not sure what the Lord’s wise solution is. God does speak. He speaks in so many different ways. Might belongs to God. Nothing is impossible for Him. He can intervene in all situations. We need to earnestly ask Him to guide us to do what He knows is best. What we think is best is not good enough. Wisdom belongs to God and God alone. Any wisdom that we have is His wisdom that He has given us. God knows all things. Listen for His voice.

Today’s Testimony: My older sister, Toni, bought R5 airtime for my cell-phone. I paid her for it, and then saved the loading codes on my phone so I could load the airtime when I needed it. Finally I needed it, and tried to load it, but the airtime wouldn’t load. It simply said, “Result unknown.”
I’m often told that I shouldn’t keep the airtime so long and should load it straight away, but I only buy it for emergencies, so I’d rather take the risk of losing it than to simply waste it. I knew that if I’d lost the airtime it was my own fault, but I was still sad and kept retrying to load it by using the codes directly off the till-slip. It may have only been R5, but I couldn’t afford to have wasted it. And I don’t believe in wasting money. My final option was going to be to dial the number on the slip and load the airtime by following the voice prompts, but I didn’t get that far.
When I found the till-slip and unfolded it to get the codes I needed, I sub-consciously took a mental photograph of the large words naming the cell-phone network: MTN. While I was taking my problem to the Lord and pleading for Him to intervene, I kept seeing: “MTN”… “MTN”. Finally my prayer came to an abrupt halt and I said, “I’m not MTN, I’m Cell C!!!” (I used to use MTN, and my sister had accidently bought the wrong airtime, or had been given the wrong airtime.) I then praised the Lord for speaking, in once again an extremely unusual way. The problem was easily fixed – I gave the airtime to my mom who uses MTN, and she bought me Cell C airtime.
God knew exactly what my REAL problem was, and He knew exactly how to solve it. God is wise and mighty; there is nothing that He cannot do. I’m glad that He is my God!

Today’s Task: Whenever you have a problem listen for God to speak. Trust Him – He knows what’s best. Take every concern to the Lord, He can do all things and He cares about you. Never ever underestimate the power of God. Know that He can speak in the strangest ways. Take every decision to His feet – He knows what is best to do. Then listen very carefully for His answer.

Today’s Thanks: Lord I thank You that wisdom and might belong to You. Please give us wisdom to know what to do in every situation, and strength to follow through with what You lead. Help us to listen for Your voice. Please let us hear it. Lord help us to fully trust You. I thank You that we can trust Your leading because You are totally trustworthy. I thank You that You speak. I love You Lord. Amen.

GOD CORRECTS THOSE HE LOVES

Today’s Text: My son, despise not the chastening of the LORD; neither be weary of his correction: For whom the LORD loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth. (Proverbs 3:11, 12)

Today’s Thoughts: There are a lot of things that we do that disappoint the Lord. Sometimes He will choose to discipline us in order to direct us back to His ways. He only disciplines in love. He loves us far too much to leave us to stumble on in our sinful ways. Whenever the Lord corrects us and shows us our error, we need to remember that He is doing it purely because He cares about us. We need to be willing to return to His ways. He only corrects those He loves. Next time the Lord points out an error to you, remember how much He loves you, and show Him that you love Him back by making it right.

Today’s Testimony: Let me start by reminding you that I am 100% human – I make mistakes. It’s not easy to share myself, good and bad, with the whole world, but the stories I share will bring honour and glory to His name, and therefore I share them.
In my church we have a time each week where we divide up into different discussion groups to discuss a certain Bible topic. I’ve often led out in the youth discussion. Sometimes I’d been asked beforehand; other times I had to step in at the last minute. I usually go prepared just in case.
One of those mornings that I had to stand in at the last minute I made a terrible mistake. You know how sometimes we’ve done something so many times before, that we just take it for granted that all will go well? I didn’t stop to ask the Lord to help me. I put it this way: “That day I took the discussion without the Lord.”
We went around the class and said how our weeks had been, and then to add on to my first mistake, I completely forgot to have an opening prayer before getting into the discussion.
I mentioned a certain issue simply as an example. I honestly thought that everyone had the same stand on the issue, but then everyone started debating. The debate had nothing to do with the topic we were meant to be discussing.
I was horrified. I didn’t expect that at all. I wasn’t sure what to do to calm everyone down and return to the topic. Then the Lord said, “Lindy, you didn’t pray before starting.” I then got everyone’s attention and said, “I know why we’re getting into such a debate, it’s because we didn’t have an opening prayer.” We then had a pray and were able to refocus on the correct topic.
I learnt a powerful lesson that day. I hope to never again do anything without the Lord; I definitely am far from qualified to do any task He places in my path.
The Lord corrected me and pointed me back to His ways. He did that in love and because He loves me. He never wants us to stray from His will, and He definitely doesn’t want us to stray too far. He knows that we’re safest inside of His will, and He will therefore lovingly reprimand us and bring us back. I love my Saviour.

Today’s Task: Don’t despise the Lord’s correcting. If He guides you back to right paths – please follow. Sometimes we may have to admit to our error publicly, and no one ever wants to do that, but if that’s what the Lord requires, it is so important that we do it. Please repent if there is any wrong that the Lord has brought to your mind right now. Please ask Him to show you anything else that He is not happy with. Then ask Him for the strength to make your life right in His eyes no matter what the cost. Whenever the Lord corrects you, remember that He is doing it because He loves you. He really loves you a lot – love Him back!

Today’s Thanks: O Lord I thank You that You love us so much. I thank You that You care about us enough to not leave us to wander on in sin. Please help us to hear and accept Your correction. Help us to return to Your ways and Yours alone. Help us to remember that You reprimand us because You love us. Lord, please give us the strength to live totally for You. I thank You for Your love. Please help us to love You back. Amen.