Life as we know it

It is the end of January and time has flown past! Truly, this has been one of the hardest, most challenging starts to the year that I have ever had. It started with a bang, especially at work, and then all the other areas of life that I also have to give time to. Not that I am complaining, I like being busy. At the beginning of this year I, as most people do, made some resolutions. Every year I also buy an organising diary and plan things for the year and assist me to keep to stick to my resolutions. By this time, still in January, I evaluate how things are going. Not bad thus far, not bad. The question is not always the on the physical things: work, exercise (don't we all make those!), leisure, etc, but more regarding our spiritual life. How do I measure up on adjustments I wanted to make in this regard? Do I wake up earlier, do I spend a lot of time daily, do I read, write and meditate on His word daily, as much as possible? Even if I do all of the above, is it sincere, fro

We all ask questions every day. I ask questions of my wife, my family, my clients, my colleagues, and of God. Yes, you heard right, of God.   Is it correct of me to ask questions to, and further, of God?   Who knows? I don’t. All I do know is that I am not angry at God. I am not blaming God if things go wrong for me. I love Him more and more every day, no matter what happens. You see, it does not depend on how my situation turns out, it is all about my relationship with Him. Relationship with my wife, my family, my clients, my colleagues, etc. Whether I ask questions, or give answers, or opinions, the trust we share in our relationship is what counts.   Whatever happens, remember: “In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly.” —Job 1:22   Ask questions to grow, but do not blame PS: If you want, buy the February 2013 "Lig" magazine, there is an article of my story on page 64.  

Proverbs 3:1 says that there is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven. How many times in life have we said that? I can recall plenty of times that I have said to others that something will happen in good time. Or even just mention that one should 'give it time'. In certain respects, I guess, there is nothing wrong with that... Now, ask yourself, if you spend your whole life working hard to gather an inheritance for your kids, or proper retirement money, is that time well spent? Yes. And no, if you spent that time at the expense of your family, your kids and relationships. The fact that we have to be clever with work etc is a given, but we need to be smart in balancing life and real life. Luke 12:13 and onwards Jesus tells us about the rich fool. He worked hard for a while, but stopped as soon as he was rich. From then on he wanted to party only. But that night life will be demanded from him, what will he have then? Don't be stup

We all had times in our life when we did not do things according to God's plan. In general terms, we call this sin. The word sin actually means to miss the mark. By missing the mark, we are not pleasing God, we don't enhance our christian reputation. Especially during our youth, we used to quote 1 Thessalonians 5:21 to aid us in times of weakness... Test all things. Hold on to the good. Yes, I agree, the verse is in the Bible. Unfortunately I've got a pet had in people using it. Miss-using it! So, let us have a closer look. Take it in context. If we read some of the verses before it, all of it is encouragement. Uplifting. Don't pay back wrong for wrong. Be joyful always. Pray continually. Always give thanks. Avoid all evil. Don't put out the spirits fire.  All of the above are positives. All of it gives hope. Nothing is mentioned about sin. We must do it all: Test it all. Nowhere in the Bible is sin condoned. Not in 1 Thes 5:21 either. The aim is not to

In accounting we have two options when displaying the value of our assets. They are the same as in basic life, either at cost, or at market value. Cost is obviously the amount you pay for a specific asset on the day of purchasing it. It does not change as that is the cost of your asset. Market value (to all my very highly qualified accounting friends: I am deliberately using this term as I want to keep it simple) is the current value of an asset. It could either be higher or lower than the original cost. For instance, buildings generally increase in value, while motor vehicles depreciate as they get older. You might ask why we do not disclose all assets at market value as it seems to be a better reflection of what the assets are worth? I do agree, but unfortunately it is not always that easy to determine the current market value. Buildings and motor vehicles are easy, but what about furniture, computers and more technical equipment. We were also bought, but not with money.

Hebrews 11:6 NIV84 And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. If you read this verse it is clear that we need to have faith. The question then becomes: What is faith? According to the dictionary faith is a noun 1. confidence or trust in a person or thing: faith in another's ability.  2. belief that is not based on proof: He had faith that the hypothesis would be substantiated by fact.  3. belief in God or in the doctrines or teachings of religion: the firm faith of the Pilgrims. 4. belief in anything, as a code of ethics, standards of merit, etc.: to be of the same faith with someone concerning honesty. 5. a system of religious belief: the Christian faith; the Jewish faith.  6. the obligation of loyalty or fidelity to a person, promise, engagement, etc.: Failure to appear would be breaking faith.  7. the observance of this obligation; fidelity to

During this time of the year everyone change their habits. We think for a while about things we want to change from the previous year, but also things we want to achieve during the current year. Some are big decisions, some small adjustments. Either way, they all add up in the greater scheme of where we want to be later on in life. I would hope that somewhere on everyones list there is a space for our faith as well... Whether it is to do more bible study, to go to church more often, to have an honest relationship, or to recommit to Him, they all count.  It is already 3 January, time does not stand still at all. These plans have to go be actioned at some stage. While we are at it, God also has plans for us. See what He says in His word: Jeremiah 29:11 in the amplified version: For I know the thoughts and plans that I have for you, says the Lord, thoughts  and  plans for welfare and  peace and not for evil, to give you hope in your final outcome. Jeremiah 29:11 in the N

The number 13 is considered an unlucky number in some countries. Charles Stewart Parnell had an irrational fear of the number thirteen. The end of the Mayan calendar's 13th Baktun was superstitiously feared as a harbinger of the apocalyptic 2012 phenomenon. Fear of the number 13 has a specifically recognized phobia, Triskaidekaphobia, a word which was coined in 1911. The superstitious sufferers of triskaidekaphobia try to avoid bad luck by keeping away from anything numbered or labelled thirteen. As a result, companies and manufacturers use another way of numbering or labeling to avoid the number, with hotels and tall buildings being conspicuous examples (Thirteenth floor). It's also considered to be unlucky to have thirteen guests at a table.Friday the 13th has been considered the unluckiest day of the month.   There are a number of theories behind the cause of the association between thirteen and bad luck, but none of them have been accepted as likely.