2018-01-21
Jeremia 15:1 DB
Die vyfde verskil: Gebed. Die Bybel noem net twee geleenthede waar Simson gebid het: eerstens, toe hy gedink het hy is besig om van dors dood te gaan (Rigters 15:18); tweedens, in die laaste oomblikke van sy lewe nadat hy alles verloor het en in die tronk opgeëindig het (sien Rigters 16:28). Hy was soos die klein seuntjie aan wie gevra is, ‘Sê jy elke aand jou gebedjie op?’ Hy het geantwoord, ‘Nee, partykeer het ek niks nodig nie.’ Aan die ander kant sê die Bybel, ‘Toe roep Samuel die Here aan en die Here het donderweer en reën gestuur. Almal was verskrik voor die Here en vir Samuel’ (1 Samuel 12:18 NLV). Een van die grootste eerbewyse wat aan enigiemand in die Skrif bewys is, is toe God rakende Samuel se gebedslewe gesê het: ‘Die Here het vir my gesê: ‘Selfs al het Moses en Samuel voor My gestaan om hierdie mense se saak te stel, sou Ek hulle nie jammer gekry het nie’…’ Dis hoeveel ‘invloed’ Samuel by God gehad het! Die Bybel praat ook baie oor Jesus se gebedslewe. Soms het Hy regdeur die nag gebid, ander kere was Hy voor sonsopkoms al besig om te bid. Dit was sy geheim tot sy effektiewe bediening. Hy het gereelde beleggings in gebed gemaak sodat Hy gereelde onttrekkings van krag kon maak wanneer Hy dit nodig gehad het. Jy sal ook opmerk dat Hy selde vir enigiemand gebid het wat Hy genees het. Hoekom? Omdat Hy reeds tyd in gebed daaroor spandeer het. Dit is die geheim tot ‘n oorwinnende Christelike lewe.
Sielskos: Eks 20:7; Jes 29:22-24; Matt 6:9; Fil 2:5-11
Jeremiah 15:1 NKJV
Difference five: Prayer. The Bible records only two occasions when Samson prayed: first, when he thought he was dying of thirst and needed water (Judges 15:18); second, in the last moments of his life when he’d lost everything and ended up in prison (See Judges 16:28). He was like the little boy who was asked, “Do you say your prayers every night?” He replied, “No; sometimes I don’t need anything.” On the other hand the Bible says, “Samuel called to the Lord, and the Lord sent thunder and rain that day; and all the people greatly feared the Lord and Samuel” (1 Samuel 12:18 NKJV). One of the greatest tributes given to anyone in Scripture was spoken by God concerning Samuel’s prayer life: “Then the Lord said to me, ‘Even if Moses and Samuel stood before Me, My mind would not be favorable toward this people.'” Such is the “clout” Samuel had with God! The Bible also has much to say about the prayer life of Jesus. Sometimes He prayed all through the night; other times He was up praying before dawn. It was the secret of His effectiveness in ministry. He made regular deposits in prayer so He could make regular withdrawals of power when He needed it. And you’ll notice that He seldom prayed for anyone He healed. Why? Because He’d already spent time in prayer. Old-timers in church used to refer to this as “staying prayed up.” And it’s the secret of victorious Christian living.
Soul food: Exo 20:7; Isa 29:22-24; Matt 6:9; Phil 2:5-11
2018-01-20
1 Samuel 7:12 NLV
Die vierde verskil: Toerekenbaarheid. Simson het ‘n onafhanklike houding gehad en het geweier om deur enigiemand toerekenbaar gehou te word. Sy wisselvallige pogings om Israel te bevry het daartoe gelei dat die Filistyne God se mense meer belas het. Samuel, aan die ander kant, het in konsensus met ander mense gewerk. Toe hy gebid het en God vir Israel ‘n wonderlike oorwinning oor hul vyande gegee het, het hy geweier om krediet daarvoor te aanvaar. “Samuel neem toe ‘n groot klip en sit dit regop tussen Mispa en Sen. Hy noem die plek Eben-haeser… want hy het gesê: ‘Tot hiertoe het die Here ons gehelp.'” Simson was op homself gefokus, terwyl Samuel op ander mense gefokus was. Die Psalmdigter het gesê, ‘Hoe goed, hoe mooi is dit as broers eensgesind saamwoon!.. Want daar gee die Here sy seën…’ (Psalm 133:1, 3 NLV). Die geheim daarvan om in God se seën te wandel is om nie alleen op te tree nie, maar om saam met ander mense te werk. Dis hoe die kerk in die Nuwe Testament dit gedoen het. ‘Die Raad het hulle nog verder gedreig. Uiteindelike het hulle hulle egter laat gaan… Toe hulle losgelaat is, het Petrus en Johannes dadelik die ander gelowiges opgesoek…’ (Handelinge 4:21, 23 NLV). Die apostels het verhoudings in plek gehad met mense wat geweet het hoe om hulle raad te gee en te lei, te versterk en te bemoedig, te bid en God se Woord met hulle te deel. Jy het ook sulke verhoudings nodig! Jy kan dit ook nie bekostig om te wag tot jy in die moeilikheid kom voor jy hierdie verhoudings vestig nie. Doen dit nou, in die goeie tye, en hulle sal in die slegte tye daar wees vir jou.
Sielskos: Dan 5-7; Matt 8:28-34; Ps 89:1-14; Spr 2:20
1 Samuel 7:12 NKJV
Difference four: Accountability. Samson had an independent attitude and refused to be accountable to anyone else. He was a “lone ranger” who refused to work with others. And his erratic attempts at deliverance caused the Philistines to tax God’s people more and make their burdens heavier. Samuel, on the other hand, worked in consensus with others. When he prayed and God gave Israel a spectacular victory over their enemies, he refused to take any of the credit. “Then Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpeh and Shen, and called its name Ebenezer, saying, ‘Thus far has the Lord helped us.'” Samson was “me” focused, but Samuel was “us” focused. The Psalmist said, “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity…for there the Lord commanded the blessing” (Psalm 133:1, 3 NKJV). The secret of walking in God’s blessing is not to operate alone, but cooperate with others. That’s how the New Testament church did it. “When they had further threatened them, they let them go…And being let go, they went to their own companions” (Acts 4:21, 23 NKJV). When the apostles came under attack, “they went to their own companions.” They had relationships in place with those who knew how to advise and guide them, strengthen and encourage them, pray and share God’s Word with them. You need such relationships too! And you can’t afford to wait until trouble comes before you establish them. Do it now, in the good times, and they’ll be there for you in the bad times.
Soul food: Dan 5-7; Matt 8:28-34; Ps 89:1-14; Prov 2:20
2018-01-19
1 Samuel 12:12 NKJV
Difference three: Motives. Samson repeatedly dishonored the Lord by his actions and his lifestyle. That’s because he had no regard for God’s honor. What a contrast Samuel was! When Israel wanted a king in order to be like all the surrounding nations, it broke his heart. He said to the people, “The Lord your God was your king.” Honoring God was his highest priority. And there’s a lesson here for us, especially those in ministry. Every time someone steps behind a pulpit, they must check their ego and ask themselves the motive question: “Is my aim to make God look good, or myself look good?” And it’s a hard question to answer. The Bible says, “For the Lord is the God of knowledge; and by Him actions are weighed” (1 Samuel 2:3 NKJV). The truth is that without the power of God’s indwelling Spirit, none of us have what it takes to do the job, and we must never forget that. The tragedy of Samson’s end is described in these two Scriptures: “He awoke from his sleep, and said, ‘I will go out as before, at other times, and shake myself free!’ But he did not know that the Lord had departed from him” (Judges 16:20 NKJV). “So it happened, when their hearts were merry, that they said, ‘Call for Samson, that he may perform for us.’ So they called for Samson from the prison, and he performed for them” (v. 25 NKJV). Note the word perform. Without God’s grace and power we are all, at best, just performers. So stay humble, and seek only to exalt the Lord.
Soul food: Dan 3-4; Matt 8:18-27; Ps 84; Prov 2:16-19v
