2020-02-18
2 Chronicles 20:12 NIV
If we want to win our battles, we need to make sure we have a humble attitude. So we need to admit our own inadequacy. It might seem a little strange to be focused on our weaknesses when we’re facing a battle, but if we don’t think we need God’s help then He can’t help us. He doesn’t force anything on us, but responds when we come humbly to Him. King Jehoshaphat said, ‘We have no power to face this vast army that is attacking us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you.’ Often our eyes are on everything and everyone – except God, the One who can solve our problems. We need to keep our eyes on God if we want to win our battles. God says it’s ‘not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit’ (Zechariah 4:6 NIV). We can’t live the Christian life in our own strength because we designed to need God’s strength. We need the power that comes from letting God’s Spirit live through us. Jesus said, ‘You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you’ (Acts 1:8 NKJV). Jesus often spoke of the Holy Spirit as ‘the Helper’, so when we don’t know what to do, we need to stand on His promise: ‘The Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name…will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you’ (John 14:26 NKJV). We need to acknowledge that we need help; we can’t do everything on our own. If we fight in our own strength, we’ll lose. But when we rely on the power of God’s Spirit that’s within us, we’ll win.
Rom 12-14; Matt 15:1-14; Ps 5; Prov 5:1-2
2020-02-17
2 Chronicles 20:12 NIV
With God’s help, King Jehoshaphat overcame not just one army, but three! And his victory teaches us how we can win life’s battles. First, identify the enemy. Many of us have no clue who the real enemy is. We think it’s the person who is interested in taking our job, our spouse, or our money. But many times the enemy is our own attitude! It’s not so much what’s happening that gets us down, it’s our response to the situation. Before you can win on a personal level, you must identify the enemy. Note how Jehoshaphat reacted when he heard “a vast army” was coming against him. He was “alarmed” (vv. 2-3 NIV). It’s a fairly typical human response. We see a big problem, panic, and become fearful about what’s going to happen to us. And in truth, fear isn’t all bad unless we deal with it in the wrong way. We can use it to motivate us to conquer the problem and drive us closer to God. It’s when we get discouraged, give up, get angry, and start asking, “Why me, Lord?” that fear defeats us. If you’re in a situation that’s filling you with fear and anxiety today, remember – God doesn’t respond to need; He responds to faith. So stake your faith on His unshakeable Word and stand on His promise: “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand” (Isaiah 41:10 NKJV). Unshakeable trust in God’s Word is what brings His help.
Soul food: Rom 9:17-11:36; Matt 14:22-36; Ps 149; Prov 4:25-27
2 Chronicles 20:12 NIV
With God’s help, King Jehoshaphat overcame not just one army, but three. And his victory teaches us how we can win life’s battles too. Firstly we need to identify the enemy. It can be quite challenging to work out what or who the real enemy we’re facing is. Sometimes it’s other people coming against us, sometimes it’s spiritual attack, but many times the real enemy is actually our own attitude. It’s not so much what’s happening that gets us down, it’s our response to the situation. When Jehoshaphat heard ‘a vast army’ was coming against him, he was ‘alarmed’ (vv.2-3 NIV). It’s a fairly typical human response. We see a big problem, panic, and become fearful about what’s going to happen to us. Fear isn’t always a bad things, unless we deal with it in the wrong way. We can use it to motivate us to conquer the problem and drive us closer to God. It’s when we get discouraged, give up, get angry, and start asking, ‘Why me, God?’ that fear defeats us. If we’re facing a situation that’s filling us with fear and anxiety, we need to remember that God responds to faith. Let’s have faith in His unshakeable Word and stand on His promise: ‘So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand’ (Isaiah 41:10 NIV). He will never leave us to face our battles alone. He can help us identify our enemies, when our vision has become clouded by fear and uncertainty. And when we have unshakeable trust in God’s Word, we have the strength to deal with the battle we’re facing.
Rom 9:17-11:36; Matt 14:22-36; Ps 149; Prov 4:25-27
2 Kronieke 20:12 NLV
Met God se hulp, het koning Josafat nie net een leërmag oorwin nie, maar drie! Sy oorwinning leer ons hoe ons die lewe se gevegte kan wen. Eerstens, identifiseer die vyand. Baie van ons het nie die vaagste benul wie die ware vyand is nie. Ons dink dis die persoon wat ons werk, ons eggenoot of ons geld wil wegneem. Baie keer is die vyand egter ons eie houding! Dis nie soseer dit wat gebeur wat ons onderkry nie, maar ons reaksie op die situasie. Voor jy op ‘n persoonlike vlak kan wen, moet jy eers die vyand identifiseer. Let op hoe Josafat gereageer het toe hy gehoor het dat ‘n groot leërmag teen hom opgetrek het. Hy was ‘baie ontsteld’ (verse 2-3 NLV). Dis ‘n tipiese menslike reaksie. Ons sien ‘n groot probleem en raak paniekerig en vreesbevange oor wat met ons gaan gebeur. Vrees is inderwaarheid nie net sleg nie, tensy ons dit op die verkeerde manier hanteer. Ons kan dit gebruik om ons te motiveer om die probleem te oorwin en ons nader aan God te bring. Dis wanneer ons moedeloos raak, tou opgooi, kwaad word en begin vra: ‘Hoekom ek, Here?’ wat vrees ons verslaan. As jy vandag in ‘n situasie is wat jou met vrees en angs vul, onthou – God reageer nie op behoefte nie; Hy reageer op geloof. Plaas dus vandag jou geloof in sy onwrikbare Woord en staan op sy belofte: ‘Moenie bang wees nie, want Ek is by jou. Moenie ontsteld word nie, want Ek is jou God. Ek maak jou sterk en wil jou help. Ek hou jou vas met my reddende regterhand’ (Jesaja 41:10 NLV). Onwrikbare vertroue in God se Woord is wat sy hulp meebring.
Sielskos: Rom 9:17-11:36; Matt 14:22-36; Ps 149; Spr 4:25-27
2020-02-16
Psalm 29:11 NLV
Hoekom word laatmiddag wanneer jy huis toe ry en wanneer niks beweeg nie ‘spitstyd’ genoem? Die ware spitstyd begin wanneer ons by die huis kom. Vroegaand is ‘n tyd wanneer almal honger en humeure kort is. Twee werkende ouers kom gewoonlik geïrriteerd en moeg by die huis aan, maar hulle kinders is onsimpatiek en het onmiddellike aandag nodig. Dis ‘n resep vir konflik. Daar is egter dinge wat jy kan doen om hierdie spitstydbom te ontlont. Eerstens, bel jou kinders voor jy jou werk in die middag verlaat. Dit kan jou ‘n voorsprong gee om enige moeilikhede wat dalk by die huis aan die broei is, te hanteer. Tweedens, wend ‘n doelbewuste poging aan om gedurende die pendeltyd huiswaarts, jouself van die verantwoordelikhede van die werk en die sorge van die dag los te maak. Derdens, is dit wys om soveel as moontlik van die aandete in die oggend of die vorige aand voor te berei, sodat aandete nie te veel tyd neem nie. Prutpot maaltye wat al heeldag prut, of etes wat direk van die yskas in die oond kan gaan, sal druk op ‘n tyd wanneer die stres die grootste is, verlig. Hoe gouer almal kan eet en hulle bloedsuiker kan verhoog, hoe beter. Spandeer dan tyd saam met die kinders voor huiswerk- en badtyd begin. Julle kan dalk met die hond gaan stap of in die tuin met ‘n bal speel. Sit uiteindelik die kinders in die bed en neem ‘n paar oomblikke van stilte vir julleself. Daar is nie ‘n maklike manier om vyf aande ‘n week deur spitstyd te kom nie, maar met ‘n bietjie beplanning kan dit minder stresvol wees. Onthou ook hierdie belofte wanneer jy in spitstyd oorweldig word: ‘Die Here gee krag aan sy volk. Die Here seën sy volk met vrede.’
Sielskos: Jes 40:9-11; Jes 42:1-4; Ps 18:31-35
