2020-03-05
Matthew 7:14 AMPC
If you’re at a crossroads in life today, you have two options: (1) Turn right or left. (2) Go forward or back. There’s no doubt what way God wants you to go – forward! If you have any doubts about that, read and meditate on these Scriptures: “Though your beginning was small, yet your latter end would increase abundantly” (Job 8:7 NKJV). “They go from strength to strength” (Psalm 84:7 NKJV). “The path of the just is like the shining sun, that shines ever brighter unto the perfect day” (Proverbs 4:18 NKJV). “Meditate on these things; give yourself entirely to them, that your progress may be evident to all” (1 Timothy 4:15 NKJV). God will give you the grace and strength to go forward and pursue the path ahead, but understand this: It’s not always an easy path. Jesus said: “Enter through the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and spacious and broad is the way that leads away to destruction, and many are those who are entering through it. But the gate is narrow (contracted by pressure) and the way is straitened and compressed that leads away to life, and few are those who find it” (Matthew 7:13-14 AMPC). Here Jesus was preaching His famous Sermon on the Mount, where He outlined how you’re supposed to live as a citizen of His kingdom. It’s the difference between the “many” and the “few.” The first group chooses the path of ease, but the second chooses the path of “pressure,” realizing that tough as it may be, it forms the character of Christ in us.
Soul food: Gen 28:1-30:24; Matt 20:29-34; Ps 136:1-12; Prov 6:30-31
2020-03-04
Joshua 1:11 NIV
God told Joshua, “You will cross the Jordan here to go in and take possession of the land the Lord your God is giving you.” As far as God was concerned, the promised land already belonged to His people. But when He told them to “take possession,” that meant they would have to fight for it. There were thirty-one kings living there – warlords, each with their own tribal armies. There were seven major cities to conquer, and giants to overcome. So here are the questions: (1) Do you believe God has given you the gifting, resources, and strength to fulfill your destiny? (2) Are you willing to fight for it? You won’t win in your own strength, but the good news is, you don’t have to. God said, “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you” (v. 9 NIV). Whatever God calls you to do, He will give you the ability to do, but you must work to develop that ability. Sometimes He will answer your prayer immediately and give you what you’re asking for. Other times, the onus is on you to pursue what He promised – and that calls for passion, patience, and persistence. Has it occurred to you that you may be waiting for God to bring you something, and He’s waiting for you to go and get it? He doesn’t respond to our wishes, or even to our pleading; He responds to faith-in-action! So the word for you today is – it’s yours, if you’re willing to fight for it!
Soul food: Gen 25:19-27:46; Matt 20:17-28; Ps 77; Prov 6:29
Joshua 1:11 NIV
God told Joshua, ‘You will cross the Jordan here to go in and take possession of the land the Lord your God is giving you.’ The Promised Land already belonged to God’s people. But when He told them to ‘take possession’, that meant they’d have to fight for it. There were thirty-one kings living there – each with their own tribal armies. There were seven major cities to conquer and giants to overcome. If we’re going to ‘take possession’ of what God has in store for us, we need to firstly believe God has given us the gifting, resources, and strength to fulfil our purpose. And then we need to be willing to fight for it. Just because it’s something God has for us doesn’t mean we won’t have to fight to get to it. The fight teaches us to trust in God, and helps us remember in the future how God helped us overcome things in order for us to reach our potential. We won’t win in our own strength. We need to rely on God. He says: ‘Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you’ (v.9 NIV). Also, if we’re stepping out and taking hold of God’s plans for us, we’ll often face the attack of the enemy who wants to stop us being effective for the kingdom, and wants to stop us from getting closer to God. We need to take all our struggles to God, and ask for His help. Whatever God calls us to do, He will give us the ability to do, but we must work to develop that ability. Sometimes we have to pursue what He promised us – and that means we need to have passion, patience, and persistence for the fight.
Gen 25:19-27:46; Matt 20:17-28; Ps 77; Prov 6:29
Josua 1:11 NLV
God het vir Josua gesê: ‘…oor drie dae gaan julle deur die Jordaan trek om die land wat die Here julle God vir julle gee, in ontvangs te neem.’ Wat God betref, het die Beloofde Land reeds aan sy mense behoort. Toe Hy egter vir hulle gesê het om die land ‘in ontvangs’ te neem, het dit beteken dat hulle daarvoor sou moes veg. Daar het een-en-dertig konings gebly – heersers met hulle eie leërmagte. Daar was sewe groot stede en reuse om te oorwin. Hier is dus die vraag: 1) Glo jy dat God vir jou die gawes, hulpbronne en krag gegee het om jou lewensdoel te vervul? 2) Is jy gewillig om daarvoor te baklei? Jy sal dit nie met jou eie krag wen nie, maar die goeie nuus is dat jy nie hoef nie. God het gesê: ‘My opdrag aan jou is dat jy sterk en dapper moet wees. Moenie bang of huiwerig wees nie. Die Here jou God is saam met jou in alles wat jy doen’ (vers 9 NLV). God sal vir jou die vermoë gee om dit waarvoor Hy jou geroep het te doen, maar jy moet werk om daardie vermoë te ontwikkel. Soms sal Hy jou gebed onmiddellik beantwoord en vir jou gee waarvoor jy vra. Ander kere rus die onus op jou om dit wat Hy beloof het na te jaag – en dit vereis passie, geduld en volharding. Het jy al daaraan gedink dat jy dalk op God wag om vir jou iets te bring, terwyl Hy vir jou wag om dit te gaan haal? Hy reageer nie op ons wense of selfs ons pleidooie nie; Hy reageer op geloof-in-aksie! Die woord vir jou vandag is dus: dis joune – as jy daarvoor baklei!
Sielskos: Gen 25:19-27:46; Matt 20:17-28; Ps 77; Spr 6:29
2020-03-03
1 Petrus 1:8 NLV
Sam Mason gaan in sy boek, Talking Dogs, voort: ‘Gedurende die laaste paar jaar van sy lewe het Tigger, een van ons geliefde Italiaanse windhonde, sy sig geleidelik begin verloor. Hy het katarakte ontwikkel. Dit het sy sig van hom gesteel, maar dit kon nie sy kosbare verhouding met sy eienaars steel nie. My vrou, Carol, het gereeld na Tigger as haar ‘liefie-diefie seun’ verwys. Hy sou op ons skote staan (nie sit nie!), sy pote aan weerskante van ons nekke sit en dan sy kop liefderik onder ons kenne indruk. Dit was te oulik. Blind soos hy was, was Tigger se begeerte na die geliefdes wat hy nie meer kon sien nie, ongeaffekteerd. Ten spyte van die katarakte wat ons gesigte laat vervaag het, het hy steeds daarin geslaag om ons in die gesig te kyk. Sy verminderde vermoëns mag dalk sy bewegings bemoeilik het, maar sy liefde en vertroue teenoor sy eienaars het rotsvas gebly. Almal van ons wat ons vertroue in die Here plaas het gebreke – selfs geestelike gebreke. Gebruik ons hulle as verskoning om God nie so intens na te volg as wat ons moet nie? Laat ons toe dat hierdie gebreke ons liefde vir Hom rantsoeneer? Of vind ons, met God se hulp, die krag om verby ons beperkinge te reik, om die ongebonde vreugde van sy teenwoordigheid te ervaar en die roeping wat Hy op ons lewens geplaas het te vervul? Ja, ons kan elke nou en dan in die donkerte rondtas en selfs struikel en val. Ons kan egter die Een wat ons seisoene van blindheid verstaan, vertrou. Ons kan ons harte vir sy liefde oopmaak en Hom terug liefhê – siende of nie!’
Sielskos: Gen 24:1-25:18; Matt 20:1-16; Ps 70; Spr 6:26-28
