2017-07-21
Romans 8:28 NKJV
God said, “I have found David…a man after My own heart, who will do all My will” (Acts 13:22 NKJV). When God says that about someone, you’d be wise to observe that person’s life. David started out as a shepherd and ended up as king. The chances of that happening were zero. Shepherds were so low on the social totem pole they couldn’t testify in a court of law because their word wasn’t considered reliable. Yet David ended up writing the most widely read psalms of all time. Understand this: When you invite God into your life, He cancels the liabilities of your past and rewrites your future. But you must choose what God has chosen for you! There’s an interesting contrast between Paul and David. Paul lived his chapters of disobedience before he met Christ, then went on to live an exemplary life. David became king at thirty, and during his forty years in leadership experienced devastating failure, including adultery and murder. There are two important lessons here: (1) Don’t rush to judgement. It’s not over until God says it’s over! David’s story is a warning to the transgressor, a rebuke to the self-righteous, a verification of God’s justice that won’t allow you to escape your consequences, and a testimony to His love that will never let go of you. (2) God can bring good out of what seems like a bad situation. He can take every experience you’ve been through and make it work for good – either your own good or the good of others. Bottom line: He can make “all things work together for good.”
Soul food: Nah 1-3; Mat 27:1-10; Ps 65; Prov 19:5-8
Romeine 8:28 NLV
God het gesê, ‘…Ek het Dawid… gekry; hy is ‘n man na my hart…’ (Handelinge 13:22 NLV). Wanneer God dit van iemand sê, sal jy wys wees om na daardie persoon se lewe te kyk. Dawid het sy loopbaan as herder begin en as ‘n koning geëindig. Die kanse dat dit so sou gebeur, is nul. Herders was so laag op die sosiale leer dat hulle nie in die hof kon getuig nie, omdat hulle woord as onbetroubaar beskou is. Tog het Dawid die wydgeleeste psalms van alle tye geskryf. Verstaan mooi: Wanneer jy God in jou lewe in nooi, kanselleer Hy die skuld van jou verlede en herskryf Hy jou toekoms. Jy moet egter kies wat God vir jou gekies het! Daar is ‘n interessante kontras tussen Paulus en Dawid. Paulus het sy hoofstukke van ongehoorsaamheid gelewe voordat hy Christus ontmoet het en daarna het hy ‘n voorbeeldige lewe gelei. Dawid het teen dertig koning geword en gedurende sy veertig jaar as leier, het hy verwoestende mislukking ervaar, insluitende owerspel en moord. Daar is twee belangrike lesse hieruit te leer: 1) Moenie te vinnig oordeel nie. Dis nie verby totdat God sê dis verby nie! Dawid se verhaal is ‘n waarskuwing vir die oortreder, ‘n bewys dat God se wet jou nie sal toelaat om weg te kom van jou nagevolge nie en ‘n testament dat sy liefde jou nooit sal laat gaan nie. 2) God kan die goeie uit ‘n slegte situasie bring. Hy kan elke ervaring waardeur jy al is neem en dit vir die goeie laat saamwerk – vir jouself of ten goede van ander. Hy kan ‘…alles ten goede laat saamwerk vir hulle wat Hom liefhet…’
Sielskos: Nah 1-3; Mat 27:1-10; Ps 65; Spr 19:5-8
2017-07-20
Ecclesiastes 9:10 TM
Solomon writes: “Seize life!…Each day is God’s gift…Whatever turns up, grab it and do it…heartily! This is your last and only chance at it” (vv. 7-10 TM). Professor Howard Hendricks writes: “Recently I lost one of my best friends, a woman eighty-six years young. She was the most exciting lay-teacher I’ve ever been exposed to. The last time I saw her on planet earth was at one of those ‘Christian parties’ where we all sit on eggshells and try to look pious. In she walked, looked at me and said, ‘Well, Hendricks, I haven’t seen you for a long time. Tell me, what are the five best books you’ve read in the last year?’ (That’ll change the group dynamic in a hurry.) Her philosophy was, ‘Let’s not bore each other…let’s get into a discussion. And if we can’t find anything to discuss, then let’s get into an argument.’ She was eighty-three years old on her last trip to the Holy Land. She went with a group of NFL football players. And one of my most vivid memories is seeing her out in front yelling back to them, ‘Come on, men, get with it!’ Recently she died in her sleep at her daughter’s home. Her daughter told me that just before she died she’d written out her goals for the next ten years!” So whether you are nineteen or ninety-nine, the word for you today is: “Whatever turns up, grab it and do it…heartily.” In other words: Put your heart and soul into it.
Soul food: 2 Pet 1-3; Mat 26:57-75; Ps 14; Prov 19:1-4
Prediker 9:10 NLV
Salomo skryf: ‘…eet jou brood met blydskap. Drink jou wyn met ‘n hart vol vreugde… Doen met toewyding alles wat jou hand vind om te doen…’ (verse 7-10 NLV). Professor Howard Hendricks skryf: Ek het onlangs een van my beste vriende verloor, ‘n dame van ses-en-tagtig jaar jonk. Sy was die opwindendste leermeester wat ek nog ooit teëgekom het. Die laaste keer wat ek haar gesien het, was by een van daardie ‘Christelike’ partytjies waar ons almal op eierdoppe loop en probeer vroom lyk. Sy het ingestap, na my gekyk en gesê, ‘Hendricks, ek het jou lanklaas gesien. Vertel my, wat is die vyf beste boeke wat jy die afgelope jaar gelees het?’ Haar filosofie was, ‘Kom ons verveel mekaar nie. Kom ons bespreek iets. As ons niks het om te bespreek nie, kom ons begin dan ‘n argument.’ Sy was drie-en-tagtig jaar oud met haar laaste besoek aan die Heilige Land. Sy het saam met ‘n klomp NFL voetbalspelers gegaan. Een van my helderste herinnering is aan haar wat vooruit loop en terug vir hulle skree, ‘Kom aan manne, tel julle voete op!’ Sy is onlangs in haar slaap in haar dogter se huis oorlede. Haar dogter het my vertel dat sy kort voor haar dood haar doelwitte vir die volgende tien jaar neergeskryf het!’ Of jy nou negentien of nege-en-negentig is, die woord vir jou vandag is: ‘Doen met toewyding alles wat jou hand vind om te doen…’ Met ander woorde: Sit jou hart en siel daarin.
Sielskos: 2 Pet 1-3; Mat 26:57-75; Ps 14; Spr 19:1-4
2017-07-19
Psalm 103:2 NLT
He sat on the park bench so depressed-looking that a policeman tried to console him. “Something the matter?” “Yeah,” he replied. “A few months ago my grandfather left me $500,000 and some oil wells.” The policeman responded, “That doesn’t sound like something to be upset over.” “Yeah, but you haven’t heard the whole story. Last month my uncle left me $1,000,000.” The policeman shook his head. “I don’t get it. Why are you so unhappy?” He replied, “So far this month, nobody’s left me anything.” Seriously, he’s part of a group of people who are unhappy no matter what they have. The Psalmist shows us how to overcome an ungrateful attitude by cultivating a spirit of thanksgiving. “Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits.” Thinking and thanking go hand-in-hand. Memory is a catalyst for worship. An old hymn declares, “Count your blessings, name them one by one…see what God has done.” The Psalmist encourages us to do three things: First, think about what God has given us – His forgiveness, healing, protection, redemption, love, and compassion (See vv. 1-5). Second, think about what God has not given us – the punishment our sins deserve (See vv. 8-12). Third, think about what God is yet going to give us. “From everlasting to everlasting the Lord’s love is with those who fear him” (v. 17 NIV). God accepts you when you trust in Christ’s performance, not your own. So each morning look in the mirror and say, “Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits.”
Soul food: 2 Sam 22:31-24:25; Mat 26:47-56; Ps 146 Prov 18:23-24
