2019-01-06
Deuteronomy 31:6 NIV
The story’s told about a little boy who was afraid of the dark. One night his mother asked him to go out on the back porch and get the mop, but he didn’t want to go because he was afraid. She said, “Haven’t I always told you there’s nothing to be afraid of in the darkness?” He said, “Yes, Mom, but please don’t make me go out and get that mop.” She replied, “Son, don’t you know that Jesus is always with you? Don’t you know that you are never alone? Don’t you know that you have nothing to be afraid of?” He replied, “Yes, Mom.” So she said, “All right, go out and get the mop.” He opened the back door about two inches, stuck his hand out, and whimpered, “Jesus, would You please hand me that mop?” When you attempt something you’ve never done before, it’s normal to feel afraid. When you’re asked to do a job for which you feel unqualified, it’s normal to feel afraid. When you attempt something you’ve failed at previously, it’s normal to feel afraid. But it’s in doing the thing you fear to do that you grow, and your confidence in God grows. Today God is saying to you: “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.” God stays with you wherever you go. That should motivate you to go anywhere He tells you to go. The truth is that when God says go, He’s not sending you somewhere, He’s taking you somewhere.
Soul food: 2 Chr 7:12-16; Matt 6:5-15; Luke 18:1-8
Deuteronomium 31:6 NLV
Daar is ‘n verhaal van ‘n klein seuntjie wat vir die donker bang was. Een aand het sy ma hom gevra om die mop op die agterstoep te gaan haal. Sy het gesê: ‘Het ek nie nog altyd vir jou gesê dat daar niks in die donker is om voor bang te wees nie?’ Hy het gesê: ‘Ja, Mamma, maar moet my asb nie stuur om die mop te gaan haal nie.’ Sy het geantwoord: ‘Seun, weet jy nie dat Jesus altyd by jou sal wees nie? Weet jy nie dat daar niks is waarvoor jy hoef bang te wees nie?’ Hy het geantwoord: ‘Ja, Mamma.’ Dus het sy gesê: ‘Nou goed, gaan gou buitentoe en gaan haal vir my die mop.’ Hy het die agterdeur op ‘n skrefie oopgemaak, sy hand uitgesteek en gefluister: ‘Jesus, sal U asseblief vir my daardie mop aangee?’ Dis normaal om bang te voel wanneer jy probeer om iets te doen wat jy nog nooit vantevore gedoen het nie. Wanneer jy gevra word om ‘n werk te doen waarvoor jy ongekwalifiseerd voel, of wanneer jy iets aanpak waarin jy vroeër misluk het, is dit normaal om bang te voel. Dis egter wanneer jy die ding doen wat jy vrees, dat jy groei en dat jou vertroue in God groei. Vandag sê God vir jou: ‘Wees sterk en hou moed! Moenie vir hulle bang wees nie! Die Here julle God sal met julle wees. Hy sal julle nie in die steek laat nie en julle nie verlaat nie.’ God bly by jou, waar jy ook al gaan. Dit behoort jou te motiveer om enige plek te gaan waarheen Hy jou stuur. Die waarheid is dat wanneer God jou sê om te gaan, stuur Hy jou nie êrens heen nie, Hy neem jou soontoe.
Sielskos: 2 Kro 7:12-16; Matt 6:5-15; Luk 18:1-8
2019-01-05
Psalm 119:2 NLV
Die Bybel sê, ‘Jy moet die Here jou God liefhê met jou hele hart…” (Deuteronomium 6:5 NLV). ‘Vertrou op die Here met alles wat jy het…’ (Spreuke 3:5 NLV). ‘As julle heelhartig na My soek, sal julle My vind’ (Jeremia 29:13 NLV). Het jy die Here met jou hele hart lief? Vertrou jy Hom met alles wat jy het? Soek jy Hom met jou hele hart? Net die brandende effek van ‘n visie sal jou daarvan weerhou dat jy jou pad byster raak of deur die wêreldse dinge wat geen effek op die ewigheid het, ingesluk word nie. Dink aan die bed waarop geboorte gegee word; dis ontwerp om die ma in posisie te hou ten spyte van pyn en ongemak. Kan jy ‘n posisie van geloof handhaaf selfs wanneer dit jou aan pyn en druk blootstel? Aanhoudende gebed en Bybelstudie hou jou in plek wanneer jy in die versoeking kom om op te gee of buite die wil van God op te tree. God het vir Eva gesê, ‘…met pyn en lyding sal jy jou kinders in die wêreld bring. Jou begeerte sal na jou man wees…’ (Genesis 3:16 NLV). Let op, God het gesê dat Hy aan die einde van die kraamproses en pyn die verhouding tussen die vrou en man sal vernuwe deur haar begeerte te herstel. Die punt is: Daar is nie ‘n beter kuur vir pyn in die verlede soos huidige begeerte nie. Of jy dus deur jou oorwinnings uitgeput is of mismoedig oor jou nederlae is, laat God toe om jou na Hom toe terug te trek. Laat Hom toe om weer die begeerte om alles te wees wat Hy wil hê jy moet wees, aan te wakker.
Sielskos: Jes 12-16; Luk 1:39-56; Ps 10:12-18; Spr 1:17-19
Psalm 119:2 NIV
The Bible says, “Love the Lord…with all your heart” (Deuteronomy 6:5 NIV). “Trust in the Lord with all your heart” (Proverbs 3:5 NIV). “You will…find me when you seek me with all your heart” (Jeremiah 29:13 NIV). Do you love the Lord with all your heart? Are you trusting Him with all your heart? Are you seeking Him with all your heart? Only the burning effect of a vision will keep you from losing your way, or getting swallowed up by temporal things that make no difference in the light of eternity. Consider the birthing table; it’s designed to hold the mother in position in spite of pain and discomfort. The question is: Can you maintain a position of faith even when it means being exposed to pain and pressure? That’s what consistent prayer and Bible reading do; they hold you in place when you’d otherwise be tempted to give up, or step out of the will of God. Maybe you’re thinking if you don’t risk again you can’t be hurt again. But that also means you can’t be fruitful again! God told Eve, “In pain you shall bring forth children; your desire shall be for your husband” (Genesis 3:16 NKJV). Notice, at the end of the labor and pain God said He would renew the relationship between the woman and the man by restoring her desire. The point is this: There’s no cure for past pain like present desire. So whether you’re exhausted by your victories or discouraged by your defeats, allow God to draw you back to Himself. Let Him rekindle within you a desire to be all He wants you to be.
Soul food: Isa 12-16; Luke 1:39-56; Ps 10:12-18; Prov 1:17-19
2019-01-04
Genesis 45:11 NKJV
The dream God gave Joseph was not about feeling good because he was now the number two guy in Egypt, but about positioning him to feed his family and the world in time of famine. Don’t miss the point here. When God gives you a dream, it will bless you – and others. The Bible says, “God so loved the world” (John 3:16). God’s plan is not to make you an icon, but an instrument to fulfill His will. From Joseph’s family would come the Redeemer of the world, but his family was being threatened with extinction. So God put a plan in place which involved Joseph interpreting Pharaoh’s dream and being elevated to the throne so that His plan could be accomplished. And here’s another thought. Joseph’s story proves that a God-given dream will change your attitude toward others, including those who mistreat you. It will make you more gracious, loving, and forgiving. Remembering how they betrayed him, Joseph’s brothers trembled as they stood before him realizing he held their fate in his hands. But he refused to retaliate, or even utter a word about what they’d done. Listen to what he told them: “I will provide for you.” Instead of revenge, he wanted the relationship restored. He looked beyond their actions and saw God at work in all He’d been through. “You meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day” (Genesis 50:20 NKJV). How you treat others, especially when you’re in a position of strength, determines how God will treat you.
Soul food: Isa 8-11; Luke 1:26-38; Ps 10:1-11; Prov 1:10-16
