2020-07-10
Mark 10:48 NCV
Imagine being blind all your life, then one day miraculously receiving your sight. And the first face you see is the face of Jesus. That’s what happened to Bartimaeus. Jesus was passing by the spot where he sat begging every day. Recognising this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, he cried out for help. This would probably have caused quite a scene. In fact, ‘many people warned the blind man to be quiet, but he shouted even more.’ ‘Jesus stopped’ (v.49 NCV) when Bartimaeus shouted. We don’t have to shout to get God’s attention; He’s always ready to listen to us. But sometimes we need to cry out to God with everything we have. We can confidently approach God with our troubles. The Bible says: ‘Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need’ (Hebrews 4:16 NCV). We’re told that Bartimaeus ‘jumped up, left his coat there, and went to Jesus’ (Mark 10:50 NCV). Why did he leave his coat? One reason could be that a long robe could have tripped him up. But another reason is that his clothes showed that he was a beggar. To get to Jesus, we must be willing to throw aside everything that stands in our way. Things like the shame and failure of our past, our lack and our limitations, and the labels other people have put on us. When Jesus restores us and makes us whole, we won’t have to wear those things anymore. We’re set free to live for Him and His kingdom. There’s no problem too big or too small to cry out to God about. So let’s cry out to Him and be prepared for our chains to break.
Jer 41-44; Luke 6:27-36; Ps 109:1-15; Prov 15:22
2020-07-09
Psalm 27:14 KJV
God gave His people an interesting command: “Three times a year all your men are to appear before the Sovereign Lord, the God of Israel. I will drive out nations before you and enlarge your territory, and no one will covet your land when you go up three times each year to appear before the Lord” (Exodus 34:23-24 NIV). Imagine that! Three times a year they were to stop working and spend time with the Lord worshiping Him, seeking His guidance, and getting direction for the future. Can you imagine what would happen if you did that? Note the words “I will enlarge your territory.” Instead of losing – you’ll gain, and instead of going backward – you’ll go forward. Note also the words “I will drive out the nations before you.” While you worship God and wait on Him, He will fight your battles. And the difference between you and God is that you risk losing, but He’s never lost a battle. Note also the words “No one will covet your land.” You don’t have to worry about the competition getting ahead of you. God used this three-times-a-year pilgrimage to teach His people this principle: “If you wait on Me in worship, I will work on your behalf.” His Word says, “Those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint” (Isaiah 40:31 NKJV). So here are your choices: Keep stressing out, or draw the strength and strategy you need from God by spending time with Him.
Soul food: Jer 36:27-40:16; Luke 6:17-26; Ps 79; Prov 15:18-21
Psalm 27:14 NIV
God gave His people an interesting command: ‘Three times a year all your men are to appear before the Sovereign Lord, the God of Israel. I will drive out nations before you and enlarge your territory, and no one will covet your land when you go up three times each year to appear before the Lord’ (Exodus 34:23-24 NIV). Three times a year they were to stop working and spend time with God, worshipping Him, seeking His guidance, and getting direction for the future. Imagine what our lives would be like if we took the time to do that. In today’s society, we can think that success and value comes from being busy and constantly working. But God wants us to take time out to wait on Him. This might seem costly to us, but in that verse, God says ‘I will enlarge your territory.’ Instead of losing, we’ll gain. God told the people that no one would take their land while they were away seeking Him. When we seek God, we don’t lose out. When we retreat, we actually advance. God also told His people that He would ‘drive out the nations’ that lay before them. While we worship God and wait on Him, He’ll fight our battles. And God’s never lost a battle. In the Psalms, we’re instructed to ‘Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart.’ And in Exodus it says: ‘The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still’ (14:14 NIV). When we’re facing a battle and we’re feeling overwhelmed, we need to be still before God and trust Him to fight for us. We need to stop striving and trying to fix everything on our own, and instead spend time seeking God and His wisdom.
Jer 36:27-40:16; Luke 6:17-26; Ps 79; Prov 15:18-21
Psalm 27:14 NLV
God het vir sy mense ‘n interessante bevel gegee: ‘Drie keer elke jaar moet al die mans voor die oppermagtige Here, die God van Israel, kom aanbid. Niemand sal julle aanval of julle land probeer afneem terwyl julle van die huis af weg is om die Here te gaan aanbid nie. Ek sal die nasies voor jou uit verdryf. Ek sal jou grond al meer maak’ (Eksodus 34:23-24 NLV). Dink net daaraan! Drie keer ‘n jaar het hulle ophou werk en tyd saam met die Here spandeer en Hom gelofprys, sy leiding gesoek en aanwysings vir die toekoms gekry. Kan jy jou indink wat sou gebeur as jy dit sou doen? Let op die woorde: ‘Ek sal jou grond meer maak’. In plaas van om te verloor, sal jy kry en in plaas daarvan om agteruit te beweeg, sal jy vorentoe beweeg. Let op ook die woorde: ‘Ek sal die nasies voor jou uit verdryf.’ Terwyl jy God lofprys en op Hom wag, sal Hy jou gevegte veg. Die verskil tussen jou en God is dat jy die risiko neem om die geveg te verloor, terwyl Hy nooit verloor nie. ‘Niemand sal julle aanval of julle land probeer afneem… nie.’ Jy hoef nie bekommerd te wees dat die kompetisie jou sal verbysteek nie. God het hierdie tye gebruik om sy mense die volgende beginsel te leer: ‘As jy in lofprysing op My wag, sal Ek namens jou werk.’ Sy Woord sê: ‘Maar dié wat hulle hoop op die Here stel, sal hulle krag terugkry. Hulle vlieg soos arende. Hulle sal hardloop en nie moeg word nie. Hulle sal loop en nooit vermoeid word nie’ (Jesaja 40:31 NLV). Hier is dus jou keuses: Hou aan stres, of ontvang die krag en strategie wat jy nodig het by God deur tyd saam met Hom te spandeer.
Sielskos: Jer 36:27-40:16; Luk 6:17-26; Ps 79; Spr 15:18-21
2020-07-08
Psalm 37:7 NLV
Wanneer jy in ‘n dokter se wagkamer is, is daar dinge wat jy nie moet doen nie – soos om die ander pasiënte te probeer behandel, of om hulle toe te laat om jou te behandel. Of om die ontvangsdame vir ‘n stetoskoop of ‘n bloeddrukmeter te vra. Dit word ‘n wagkamer genoem omdat jy veronderstel is om te wag. Ons hou egter nie daarvan om te wag nie. Ons sny deur die verkeer op soek na ‘n vinniger baan. Ons trommel ons vingers op die toonbank terwyl die ketel vir ons koffie kook. Ons hou nie daarvan om vir enigiets te wag nie, insluitend vir God. Die woord ‘wag’ kom weer en weer in die Skrif te voorskyn wanneer daar oor ons verhouding met God gepraat word. Ons verstaan nie dat terwyl ons wag, is God besig om te werk nie. Jesus het gesê: ‘…My Vader werk tot nou toe…’ (Johannes 5:17 NLV). Die plakkaat in God se wagkamer lees: ‘Wees stil en weet Ek is God!..’ (Psalm 46:11 NLV). Jy kan stil wees omdat Hy aktief is en jy kan rus omdat Hy besig is. Om te wag is, Skriftuurlik gesproke, om nie die ergste aan te neem nie, om nie te bekommer of te knies nie, om nie eise te maak of beheer te neem nie. Om te wag is nie onaktiwiteit nie. Om te wag is die volgehoue inspanning om deur gebed en geloof op God gefokus te bly. Om te wag is om stil in die Here te wees en geduldig op Hom te wag. God is die Groot Geneesheer. Jy is in sy wagkamer. Hy weet beter as jy wat met jou skort en Hy het ‘n voorskrif om dit reg te stel. Vertrou dus op Hom en wag.
Sielskos: Jer 33:1-36:26; Luk 6:1-16; Ps 137; Spr 15:15-17
