2020-03-20
Jesaja 26:3 NLV
Die geheim tot ‘perfekte vrede’ word in hierdie Skrifgedeelte vervat: ‘U bewaar elkeen wat op U vertrou in vrede, die mense wie se gedagtes op U gerig is.’ Dis nie jou omstandighede nie, maar die manier hoe jy daaroor dink wat jou vrede steel. Deur op jou omstandighede te fokus sal net meer angs by jou veroorsaak, omdat omstandighede konstant verander en buite jou beheer raak. God verander egter nooit nie en niks raak ooit buite sy beheer nie. Vrede en bekommernis kan nie saam in een sin gebruik word nie. Bekommernis smoor jou selfvertroue, verwurg jou perspektief en versmoor jou gees. Dit steel die vrede wat jy ontvang wanneer jy die God leer ken wat alles kan hanteer, Hom deur wie alle dinge moontlik is. Die rede hoekom ons onsself so baie bekommer, is omdat ons die teenoorgestelde optree as die gedrag wat vrede meebring. Jy mag dit dalk nie so bedoel nie, maar elke keer wat jy jouself begin bekommer, sê jy in wese: ‘Ek glo nie dat God hierdie vir my kan of wil hanteer nie. Ek is nie seker dat ek Hom in hierdie saak kan vertrou nie, dus sal ek hierdie las maar self dra en die probleem self hanteer.’ God is óf die middelpunt van jou vertroue, óf net ‘n deeltydse helper wat jy inroep wanneer jy nie dinge self kan hanteer nie. Dit laat mens dink aan die olifant en muis wat oor ‘n brug geloop het. Toe hulle aan die ander kant kom, sê die muis: ‘Sjoe, ons het regtig daardie brug laat skud!’ Wanneer jy begin om God as die hoofspeler en jouself in ‘n ondersteunende rol in jou lewe te sien, sal jy die vrede vind wat jou al so lank bly ontwyk het.
Sielskos: Job 8-10; Matt 24:15-25; Ps 116:12-19; Spr 8:10-13
2020-03-19
Jeremiah 23:16 NIV
In Jeremiah 23, we hear how angry God is about false prophets. There were prophets in Jerusalem who were saying things ‘from their own minds, not from the mouth of the LORD.’ They were saying things which they wanted to be true, rather than spreading God’s truth. In fact, they were telling the people that God wouldn’t mind if they did wrong things. ‘They keep saying to those who despise my word, “Don’t worry! The LORD says you will have peace!” And to those who stubbornly follow their own desires, they say, “No harm will come your way!”‘ (v.17 NLT). When people are speaking God’s Word into our lives, whether that’s through prophecy and words of wisdom, or through teaching at church, in books, blogs, and devotionals, we need to test what we’re hearing to see if it lines up with God’s Word. The Bible says: ‘Do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God’ (1 John 4:1 NIV). It doesn’t mean we need to become sceptical about everything we hear and read, but it does mean that we need to know the Bible well so that we can determine when people are speaking God’s truth, and when they’re simply speaking what they would like to be true. When people give us words of wisdom, we need to be asking ‘Is this from God?’ rather than just accepting whatever they say and acting on it. The Bible says: ‘Do not treat prophecies with contempt but test them all; hold on to what is good’ (1 Thessalonians 5:20-21 NIV). We also shouldn’t just be listening and reading things which make us feel better. We should be challenged by God’s Word, and let those who are sharing His truth speak into our lives.
Job 5-7; Matt 24:1-14; Ps 116:1-11; Prov 8:8-9
Jeremiah 23:16 NKJV
Eugene G. Grace, president of Bethlehem Steel Corporation from 1916 to 1945 said: “Thousands of engineers can design bridges, calculate strains and stresses, and draw up specifications for machines. But a great engineer is the man who can tell you whether the bridge or the machine should be built at all, where it should be built, and when.” Asking why before how forces you to think about your core motivations and the source of your vision. There is much talk these days about “purpose.” And that’s a good thing, because a life of purpose is more rewarding than a life of popularity or power. But your purpose must come from God. “Thus says the Lord of hosts: ‘Do not listen to the words of the prophets who prophesy to you. They make you worthless; they speak a vision of their own heart, not from the mouth of the Lord.'” When God is the source of your vision, He will resource it. That’s why the most important question you can ask is not, “What’s the best way to do this?” but, “Why am I doing it at all?” Ultimately God will make the final ruling on what you have given your life for. “Each one’s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is. If anyone’s work…endures, he will receive a reward. If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss” (1 Corinthians 3:13-15 NKJV). Poet C.T. Studd wrote: “Only one life, ’twill soon be past, only what’s done for Christ will last.”
Soul food: Job 5-7; Matt 24:1-14; Ps 116:1-11; Prov 8:8-9
Jeremia 23:16 NLV
Eugene G Grace, wat van 1916 tot 1945 die president van die Betlehem Staal Korporasie was, het gesê: ‘Duisende ingenieurs kan brûe bou, druk en stres op die bouwerk uitwerk en spesifikasies vir masjiene optrek. ‘n Goeie ingenieur is die man wat vir jou kan sê of die brug of masjien gebou moet word of nie, waar dit gebou moet word en wanneer dit gebou moet word.’ Deur hoekom te vra voor jy hoe vra, dwing jou om oor jou kernbeweegredes te dink wat die die bron van jou visioen is. Daar is baie sprake deesdae van ‘lewensdoelwitte.’ Dis ‘n goeie ding, omdat ‘n lewe met ‘n doelwit meer lonend as ‘n lewe van populariteit of mag is. Jou lewensdoel moet egter van God af kom. “Die Here die Almagtige sê: ‘Moenie luister na hierdie profete nie. Hulle boodskappe skep vals hoop by julle. Die visioene wat hulle oordra, kom nie van die Here af nie. Dit kom van hulleself af!'” Wanneer God die bron van jou visioen is, sal Hy ook die hulpbronne daarvoor verskaf. Dis hoekom die belangrikste vraag wat jy kan vra nie: ‘Wat is die beste manier om dit te doen?’ nie, maar ‘Hoekom doen ek dit enigsins?’ Uiteindelik sal God die finale oordeel gee oor dit waarvoor jy jou lewe gee. ‘Daar kom egter ‘n dag wanneer die kwaliteit van elkeen se werk aan die lig sal kom, want die vuurtoets sal dit bekend maak. Dié vuurtoets sal elkeen se werk beproef – of dit standhou. Die mense wie se bouwerk standhou, sal deur God beloon word. Maar die mense wie se bouwerk deur die vuur verteer word, sal skade ly…’ (1 Korintiërs 3:13-15 NLV). Die digter CT Studd het geskryf: ‘Only one life, ’twill soon be past, only what’s done for Christ will last.’
Sielskos: Job 5-7; Matt 24:1-14; Ps 116:1-11; Spr 8:8-9
2020-03-18
Isaiah 50:4 NIV
Isaiah writes: ‘The Sovereign Lord has given me a well-instructed tongue, to know the word that sustains the weary. He wakens me morning by morning, wakens my ear to listen like one being instructed.’ It’s never wise to say everything we’re thinking, because sometimes our thoughts can be negative, hurtful, and unhelpful. There’s a time for us to share our thoughts, and a time for us to keep quiet. The more mature we become, the more we’ll realise that sometimes the best thing is to not say anything. We need to ask God for ‘a well-instructed tongue’, just like Isaiah had. Throughout the Bible, we’re reminded of the importance of keeping our speech under control. For example, ‘Those who guard their lips preserve their lives, but those who speak rashly will come to ruin’ (Proverbs 13:3 NIV); ‘Those who guard their mouths and their tongues keep themselves from calamity’ (Proverbs 21:23 NIV), and ‘Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless’ (James 1:26 NIV). There are two occasions in particular when our tongue can get us into trouble: 1) When we’re angry. Emotional outbursts usually result in harmful comments we don’t mean and will regret later. 2) When we’re tired. Exhaustion can make us impatient and less able to keep control over our thoughts and speech. Thoughtless comments can slip out. We should always wait until our judgement is clear and we can think things through before we speak. Paul said, ‘Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone’ (Colossians 4:6 NIV). Salt flavours, preserves, cleanses, and heals. And that’s what our words should do too.
Job 1-4; Matt 23:23-39; Ps 19; Prov 8:6-7
