2020-05-05
Proverbs 3:24 NIV
We all know that it’s challenging to try and get through the day when we’ve had no sleep. We can become overly emotional or easily irritated. We can lack motivation for the tasks of the day, and can find it hard to concentrate. When we’re afraid, anxious, overwhelmed, or too busy, our sleep can be impacted. So what can we do about it? God wants us to rest in Him. He wants us to trust Him when we have too many thoughts in our minds. The Bible says: ‘Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding’ (Proverbs 3:5 NIV). We can hand over all our concerns to Him, and rest in the knowledge that He’s in control. The psalmist wrote, ‘Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you’ (Psalm 55:22 NIV). Every night when we’re ready to go to bed, we need to spend time handing over all our worries and burdens to God. He promises that ‘When you lie down, you will not be afraid; when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet.’ So let’s make this our prayer today: ‘Father, whatever anxieties are stopping me from resting peacefully, I cast them all on You, knowing You care for me (have a read of 1 Peter 5:7). Calm my racing thoughts and restless mind. Help me to be still and know You are my God (take a look at Psalm 46:10). I bring my needs to You, and thank You for all You have already done. Help me experience Your perfect peace which will guard my heart and my mind (have a read of Philippians 4:6-7). By faith I will lie down tonight without fear or anxiety. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.’
Num 8-10; Mark 6:30-44; Ps 37:16-24; Prov 11:4
Spreuke 3:24 NLV
Slapeloosheid is ‘n aaklige ding. Op enige gegewe tyd affekteer dit 30 tot 50 persent van die bevolking. Jy vrees slaaptyd, rol die hele nag rond en loop doodmoeg die volgende dag rond. Wanneer dit vir weke en selfs maande aanhou, kan dit jou depressief maak en jou vreugde van jou steel. Is dit wat tans met jou gebeur? Laat God jou dan help. Sy Woord sê dat Hy vir die mense wat Hy liefhet, alles gee ‘…wat hulle nodig het, ook terwyl hulle slaap’ (Psalm 127:2 ABA). Sy belofte is: ‘Jy sal kan gaan slaap sonder om bang te wees. Jy sal rustig kan bly slaap.’ Maak die volgende vandag jou gebed: ‘Vader, skyn vandag u lig op die oorsaak van my slapeloosheid. Watter angstighede my ook al weerhou van ‘n diep, genesende slaap, gee ek aan U oor soos U my beveel het, omdat U vir my omgee (sien 1 Petrus 5:7). Kalmeer my rustelose gedagtes. Help my om stil te wees en te weet dat U my God is (sien Psalm 46:11). Ek onderwerp my aan u bevel om my nie oor enigiets te bekommer nie, maar om oor alles te bid. Ek bring my behoeftes na U toe en dank U vir alles wat U alreeds gedoen het. U Woord verseker my dat indien ek dit doen, ek u vrede sal ervaar, wat wonderliker is as wat ‘n mens kan indink en dat dit my hart en gedagtes sal beskerm (sien Filippense 4:6-7). Deur geloof sal ek vanaand sonder vrees of angs my kop neerlê en mooi drome droom. Ja, ek sal in vrede gaan lê en slaap omdat U, Here, my veilig sal hou (sien Psalm 4:9). In Jesus se Naam bid ek dit, Amen.’
Sielskos: Num 8-10; Mark 6:30-44; Ps 37:16-24; Spr 11:4
2020-05-04
Psalm 16:7 NKJV
When you’re faced with a problem that overwhelms you, break it down into smaller, more manageable parts so you can focus on each of them more effectively. Don’t try to juggle the whole thing in your head; put it down in writing so you can get a clearer picture. One of those small parts may be the key that opens the door. And if you still can’t find a solution, take it to God in prayer. The psalmist said, “The Lord will perfect that which concerns me” (Psalm 138:8 NKJV). If something is of concern to you, it’s of concern to the God who loves you. Pray: “Lord, I’m giving this problem to you and I’m going to sleep.” When you do that, you can awaken in the morning with an amazingly simple solution to the overwhelming problem you had the night before. The psalmist said, “I will bless the Lord who has given me counsel; my heart also instructs me in the night seasons.” God knows what you don’t know, and prayer gives you access to His knowledge. Five loaves and two fish in a boy’s hands won’t feed five thousand people. But when he put it into Christ’s hands, it multiplied and they had twelve basketsful left over. Strategic thinking works best when God is the foundation of your strategy, when you stand on His Word and claim His promise: “Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know” (Jeremiah 33:3 NKJV). God will do it through you, as long as you remember you can’t do it without Him.
Soul food: Num 7; Mark 6:14-29; Ps 37:8-15; Prov 11:3
Ephesians 5:15-16 NLT
We all know that it’s important to have wisdom, but this wisdom isn’t worth much if we don’t put it into practice in our lives. There’s not much point in knowing the right thing to do, if we’re not going to then do it. The Bible says: ‘So be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise. Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days.’ We need to be living out the wisdom God’s given us. We need to choose to do the right things and make the right decisions. If we don’t use our wisdom, then we’re not really wise people. Jesus said: ‘Everyone who hears my words and obeys them is like a wise man who built his house on rock’ (Matthew 7:24 NCV). When we ask for God’s wisdom on a particular issue, we need to then obey what He’s telling us. Sometimes we can ask for God’s wisdom on a particular issue, hear what He has to say, and then choose to do something else. That might be because we think our plans will work better, or maybe because someone else causes us to doubt what we’ve heard from God. But if we’re truly wise, we’ll know that God’s advice is the best advice we could ever have. The psalmist wrote: ‘Wisdom begins with respect for the LORD; those who obey his orders have good understanding. He should be praised forever’ (Psalm 111:10 NCV). When we obey God, and put the wisdom He has given us into action, we’re respecting Him. So let’s make sure that we choose to obey God and live out the wisdom He’s given us.
Num 7; Mark 6:14-29; Ps 37:8-15; Prov 11:3
Psalm 16:7 NLV
Wanneer jy voor ‘n probleem te staan kom wat jou oorweldig, breek dit af in kleiner, hanteerbare dele sodat jy meer effektief op elk van hulle kan fokus. Moenie die hele probleem in jou gedagtes probeer oplos nie; skryf dit neer sodat jy ‘n helderder prentjie kan kry. Een van daardie klein dele mag dalk die sleutel wees wat die deur oopsluit. As jy steeds nie ‘n oplossing kan kry nie, neem dit in gebed na God toe. Die Psalmdigter het gesê: ‘Here, U sal u doel met my bereik, want u troue liefde Here, ken geen einde nie…’ (Psalm 138:8 NLV). As iets vir jou van belang is, is dit van belang vir die God wat lief is vir jou. Bid die volgende: ‘Here, ek gee hierdie probleem aan U oor en gaan nou slaap.’ Wanneer jy dit doen, kan jy die volgende môre wakker word met ‘n wonderlike eenvoudige oplossing tot die oorweldigende probleem wat jy die vorige aand gehad het. Die Psalmdigter het gesê: ‘Ek prys die Here wat my insig gee; ook in die nag is ek daarvan bewus.’ God weet wat jy nie weet nie en gebed gee jou toegang tot sy kennis. Vyf brode en twee vissies in ‘n seuntjie se hand kan nie vyfduisend mense voed nie. Toe hy dit egter in Christus se hande geplaas het, het dit vermenigvuldig en het daar twaalf mandjies vol oorgebly. Strategiese denke werk die beste wanneer God die fondasie van jou strategie is en wanneer jy op sy Woord staan en sy beloftes opeis: ‘Vra My, en Ek sal jou ‘n antwoord gee. Ek sal jou van ongelooflike dinge vertel. Dit is nou nog vir jou ‘n geheim, en jy weet niks daarvan nie’ (Jeremia 33:3 NLV). God sal dit deur jou doen, solank as wat jy onthou dat jy dit nie sonder Hom kan doen nie.
Sielskos: Num 7; Mark 6:14-29; Ps 37:8-15; Spr 11:3
