2017-12-16
Hebrews 10:36 NIV
Try to imagine what life on the ark must have been like for Noah. He probably didn’t get much sleep. He was feeding, cleaning, and caring for thousands of animals around the clock. And it must have smelled to high heaven. Did you know that African elephants produce eighty pounds of waste per day? It was smelly and messy. And that’s a pretty accurate picture of what obedience sometimes looks like. It’s hard work, and it gets harder. The blessings of God can complicate your life. But unlike sin, they bring a level of joy and fulfilment you have never known (See Proverbs 10:22). No matter what vision God has given you, it will take longer and be harder than you ever imagined. Noah offers a little reality check, doesn’t he? If a decade sounds like a long time to patiently pursue a God-ordained passion, try twelve decades! It’s amazing what God can do if you just keep hammering away year after year! We tend to overestimate what we can accomplish in a year, but we underestimate what God can accomplish in a decade. The key is to be a planner and a plodder. Planners see into the future and cast a vision; plodders put one foot in front of the other and keep going one day at a time. Success is not just about getting where God wants you to go, it’s about who you become in the process. It’s crossing the finish line the way the apostle Paul did: “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful” (2 Timothy 4:7 NLT). So, do what God has told you.
Soul food: Job 1-4; John 21:1-25; Ps 57; Ecc 7:13-15
Hebreërs 10:36 NLV
Probeer jou indink hoe die lewe op die ark vir Noag moes wees. Hy het heel moontlik nie genoeg slaap ingekry nie. Hy moes dag in en dag uit duisende diere kos gee, skoonmaak en versorg. Dit moes vreeslik sleg geruik het. Het jy geweet dat olifante tot ses-en-dertig kilogram afval per dag kan produseer? Dit was ‘n stink gemors. Dit is ‘n redelike akkurate prentjie van hoe gehoorsaamheid soms lyk. Dis harde werk, wat moeiliker word. God se seëninge kan jou lewe kompliseer. Anders as sonde, bring dit egter ‘n ongekende sin van vreugde en vervulling mee (sien Spreuke 10:22). Maak nie saak watter visie God vir jou gegee het nie, dit sal langer vat en moeiliker wees as wat jy jou kan indink. Noag laat ons bietjie tot ons sinne kom, nie waar nie? As jy dink ‘n dekade is lank om ‘n Godgegewe passie na te streef, probeer twaalf dekades! Dis wonderbaarlik wat God kan doen as ons net jaar na jaar daaraan werk. Ons neig om dit wat ons in ‘n jaar kan doen te oorskat, maar ons onderskat wat God in ‘n dekade kan bereik. Die sleutel is om beplanning te doen en ‘n ploeteraar te wees. Beplanners sien die toekoms in en het ‘n visie, terwyl ploeteraars een voet voor die ander sit en dag na dag aanhou. Sukses gaan nie net daaroor om te kom waar God jou wil hê nie, dit gaan oor wie jy in die proses word. Dit is om die wenstreep oor te steek soos die apostel Paulus dit gedoen het: ‘Ek het die goeie stryd gestry, ek het die wedloop voltooi, en ek het gelowig gebly’ (2 Timoteus 4:7 NLV). Doen dus wat God vir jou gesê het om te doen.
Sielskos: Job 1-4; Joh 21:1-25; Ps 57; Pred 7:13-15
2017-12-15
1 Corinthians 1:27 NIV
As long as you need man’s approval, God is limited in what He can do through you. Faith is the willingness to look foolish. That’s why faith and humility go hand in hand. Noah looked foolish building an ark in the desert. Sarah looked foolish buying maternity clothes at ninety. Moses looked foolish asking Pharaoh to let his slaves go. The Israelite army looked foolish marching round Jericho blowing trumpets. David looked foolish attacking Goliath with a slingshot. The wise men looked foolish following a star. Peter looked foolish stepping out of the boat in the middle of a storm. And Jesus looked foolhardy hanging half naked on the cross. But the results speak for themselves, don’t they? Noah stayed afloat during the flood. Sarah gave birth to Isaac. Moses delivered Israel out of Egypt. The walls of Jericho came tumbling down. David defeated Goliath. The wise men found the Messiah. Peter walked on water. And Jesus rose from the dead. There comes a moment when you must quit hedging your bets, quit playing it safe and doing what you’ve always done. You need to build the ark, or at least plant some trees or saw some planks! Faith is acting as if God has already answered our prayers, and acting as if God has answered means acting on our prayers even if, as in the case of Noah, it takes 120 years. Jesus said, “Whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours” (Mark 11:24 NIV). What has God told you to do? Start doing it!
Soul food: Est 5-10; John 20:1-31; Ps 105:37-45; Ecc 7:9-12
1 Korintiërs 1:27 NLV
So lank as wat jy mense se goedkeuring nodig het, word God beperk in dit wat Hy deur jou kan doen. Geloof is die gewilligheid om simpel te lyk. Dit is hoekom geloof hand aan hand met nederigheid gaan. Noag het simpel gelyk deur ‘n boot in die woestyn te bou. Sara het simpel gelyk toe sy op die ouderdom van negentig swangerskapklere gekoop het. Moses het simpel gelyk toe hy die farao gevra het om sy slawe te laat gaan. Die Israelitiese weermag het simpel gelyk waar hulle om Jerigo marsjeer en trompette blaas. Dawid het simpel gelyk waar hy Goliat met ‘n kettie aangeval het. Die wyse manne het simpel gelyk toe hulle ‘n ster gevolg het. Petrus het simpel gelyk toe hy in die middel van ‘n storm uit die boot geklim het. Jesus het weerloos gelyk waar hy halfnaak aan die kruis gehang het. Die resultate spreek egter vir hulself. Noag het die vloed oorleef. Sara het aan Isak geboorte gegee. Moses het die Israeliete uit Egipte gelei. Die mure van Jerigo het ineengestort. Dawid het Goliat verslaan. Die wyse manne het die Messias gevind. Petrus het op die water geloop. Jesus het uit die dood opgestaan. Daar kom ‘n tyd wat jy moet ophou om in die veiligheid van die bekende te bly. Jy moet die ark bou, of ten minste ‘n paar bome plant of planke saag! Geloof is om op te tree asof God alreeds ons gebede beantwoord het, selfs wanneer, soos in Noag se geval, dit 120 jaar neem. Jesus het gesê, ‘Daarom verklaar Ek vir julle, alles wat julle in die gebed vra, sal julle ontvang, mits julle God daarmee vertrou’ (Markus 11:24 NLV). Wat het God vir jou gesê om te doen? Begin dit doen!
Sielskos: Est 5-10; Joh 20:1-31; Ps 105:37-45; Pred 7:9-12
2017-12-14
Genesis 6:8 NIV
You ask, “What is the favour of God?” It’s God doing for you what you cannot do for yourself. It opens doors of opportunity. It turns opposition into support. It can help you land a promotion, make the list, or seal the deal. The Bible says, “Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and men” (Luke 2:52 NIV). Note, just as you can grow in wisdom and stature, you can also grow in favour with God and men. So instead of being content with the level of favour you enjoy, ask God for an increase. You ask, “How do I find favour?” Obedience! It begins by surrendering your life to Christ. “No good thing does He withhold from those who walk uprightly” (Psalm 84:11 NAS). And God’s favour is not limited to the spiritual realm; it extends to the material realm as well. In Noah’s life, it translated into ingenious inventions. He didn’t just build the first boat and pioneer the shipbuilding industry, he also held a wide variety of patents. According to Jewish tradition, Noah invented the plow, the scythe, the hoe, and a number of other implements used for cultivating the ground. The favour of God translated into good ideas. It doesn’t matter what you do, God wants to help you do it. He wants to favour your business plan, your manuscript, your lesson plan, your legal brief, your sales pitch, etc. But you’ve got to position yourself for that favour by acting in obedience. If God knows He’ll get the glory, He will bless you beyond your ability and beyond your resources.
Soul food: Est 1-4; John 19:18-42; Ps 105:23-36; Ecc 7:5-8
