2020-07-05
Deuteronomy 8:2 NIV
When we find ourselves facing challenges and tough times, we can end up asking God, ‘Why?’. We wonder what we’ve done to bring about these difficulties, and we can wonder why God isn’t taking the struggles away. But the truth is, we don’t go through tough times because we’re being punished, we go through them because suffering is in the world. Until Jesus comes again, we’re all going to have to go through times of trouble. The Bible says we shouldn’t be surprised that we’re facing struggles. ‘Do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you’ (1 Peter 4:12 NIV). Instead of asking, ‘Why?’ we need to ask God, ‘What do You want me to learn from this experience?’ And instead of asking God to improve our circumstances, we need to ask Him to use our circumstances to improve us. Tough times are great opportunities for us to learn more about ourselves, and more about God. They show us how much we trust God, and how much we rely on our own strength. Moses instructed the Israelites to ‘Remember how the LORD your God led you all the way in the wilderness…to humble and test you.’ We might not enjoy time in the wilderness, but God can use that time to shape us and grow us. He doesn’t delight in our suffering, but He delights in our development. Paul wrote: ‘God began doing a good work in you, and I am sure he will continue it until it is finished’ (Philippians 1:6 NCV). Every challenge we face, large or small, is equipping us for the future God has in mind for us.
Jas 5:16-18; 1 Kings 18; 2 Kings 2:1-12
2020-07-04
Hosea 14:5 NLV
Halftyd in die wedstryd is vir rus en assessering. Dis ‘n tyd om te hergroepeer – om te evalueer hoe dinge gaan en watter aanpassings die res van die wedstryd gemaak moet word. Dikwels mag dit teen halftyd lyk of ‘n span verloor, maar teen die einde van die wedstryd het hulle die telling omgeswaai en gewen. Totdat die finale fluitjie blaas, is die wedstryd nog nie gewen nie. Dieselfde is waar van die lewe. As jy nog hier is, is die wedstryd van die lewe nog nie vir jou verby nie. Jou horlosie tik steeds. Jy het nog ‘n lewe om te leef. Nie net dit nie, maar die eerste helfte bepaal nie die wedstryd se uitkoms nie. Miskien het jy foute gemaak en teleurstellings en mislukkings ervaar. Miskien het die lewe jou ‘n taai klap hier en daar gegee. Jy is egter nog hier – en solank as wat jy is, het die fluitjie nog nie geblaas nie en is dit nie te laat vir God om jou reguit na die plan wat Hy vir jou het, te neem nie. Jy sien, God kyk na jou toekoms terwyl die Vyand jou op jou verlede gefokus wil hou. God sê: ‘Jy kan, ten spyte van wat gedoen is!’ Die Vyand sê egter: ‘Jy kan nie, as gevolg van wat jy gedoen het.’ God sal jou nooit volgens jou verlede definieer nie, terwyl die Vyand dit teen jou sal gebruik om jou te probeer beheer en te beperk. Hy wil jou aan jou verlede vasgeketting hou. God, aan die ander kant, wil hê dat jy uit jou verlede sal leer en nie daarin sal leef nie.
Sielskos: Jer 25-27; Luk 5:1-11; Ps 102:18-28; Spr 15:4-7
Micah 7:8 NLT
Some sporting events have ‘half-time’. This is a time to step back and rest, evaluate how things have been going and decide what adjustments need to be made for the rest of the game. It can refresh those who were losing in the first half. If we’re in a place where we feel we’ve fallen, we need to take some time to rest and figure out how we can make adjustments in our lives. Maybe we’ve made mistakes, experienced disappointments and failures. Maybe life has thrown tough situations our way. But we’re still here. There’s hope because God’s able to restore and redeem everything in our lives. It’s not too late for us to follow God’s plan for our lives. God looks at our future while the enemy tries to keep us focused on our past. God will never define us by our past, whereas the enemy will try to control and confine us by using it against us. With God’s help, we can rise up from the place we’re in, and live out our future with God. He says: ‘Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?’ (Isaiah 43:18-19 NIV). When Israel was in a state of desolation and despair, the prophet Micah spoke: ‘Though I have fallen, I will rise. Though I sit in darkness, the LORD will be my light.’ While these words were spoken about the nation, they can also encourage us. There will be times when we’ll fall and feel like we’re in darkness, but we’ll rise again and experience God’s light in our lives. The enemy wants to keep us chained to our past. God wants to restore us and help us step into our future with Him.
Jer 25-27; Luke 5:1-11; Ps 102:18-28; Prov 15:4-7
Hosea 14:4 NKJV
Halftime in the game is for rest and assessment. It’s a time to regroup – to evaluate how things have been going and decide what adjustments need to be made for the rest of the game. Often a team may look like they’re losing at halftime, but by the time the game ends they’ve turned things around and won. Until the final whistle sounds, the game is still up for grabs. And the same is true in life. If you’re still here, the game of life isn’t over for you. Your clock is still ticking. You have a life yet to live. Not only that, but the first half doesn’t have to determine the outcome of the game. Maybe you’ve made mistakes, experienced disappointments and failures. Maybe life has dealt you a harsh blow here or there. But you are still here – and as long as you are, the whistle hasn’t blown and it’s not too late for God to take you straight to the plan He has for you. You see, God looks at your future while the Enemy tries to keep you focused on your past. God says, “You can, in spite of what’s been done!” But the Enemy says, “You can’t, because of what you’ve done.” God will never define you by your past, whereas the Enemy will try to control and confine you by using it against you. Whether the good, the bad, or the ugly dominated your first half, Satan’s goal is to keep you chained there. God, on the other hand, wants you to learn from your past – not live in it.
Soul food: Jer 25-27; Luke 5:1-11; Ps 102:18-28; Prov 15:4-7
2020-07-03
1 Timoteus 4:12 NLV
Teen die tyd wat hy agtien was, was Timoteus ‘n apostel. Dit kom voor asof mense in die kerk gedink het dat sy bevordering tot leierskap op so ‘n vroeë ouderdom, nie ‘n goeie ding was nie. Paulus het egter van hulle verskil. Hy het vir Timoteus gesê: ‘Gee instruksies oor hierdie dinge en onderrig die mense daarvolgens. Moenie dat enigiemand minder van jou dink omdat jy jonk is nie. Wees ‘n voorbeeld vir alle gelowiges deur wat jy leer, in die manier waarop jy lewe, in jou liefde, jou geloof en jou integriteit… konsentreer daarop om die Skrif aan die gemeente voor te lees, die gelowiges te bemoedig en om hulle te onderrig. Moenie die geestelike gawe verwaarloos wat jy ontvang het… nie… Werp jouself in jou werksaamhede sodat almal jou vordering kan sien’ (verse 11-15 NLV). Wie sê jy is te jonk is om ‘n impak te maak? Nie God nie. Ook nie die geskiedenis nie. Victor Hugo het sy eerste tragedie geskryf toe hy vyftien jaar oud was. Rafael het sy meesterstukke geskilder voor hy op die ouderdom van sewe-en-dertig oorlede is. Tennyson het sy eerste bundel gedigte op agtien geskryf. Romulus het Rome op twintig gestig. Calvyn het op een-en-twintig by die Reformasie aangesluit en sy beroemde Instellings teen sewe-en-twintig geskryf. Joan of Arc is op negentien op die brandstapel verbrand. Alexander die Grote het die wêreld teen die tyd wat hy drie-en-twintig was, verower. Isaac Newton was vier-en-twintig toe hy die wet van swaartekrag bekendgestel het. Glo in jouself, want God glo in jou. Ontwikkel jou gawes en vra vir God om hulle te seën. Gryp elke geleentheid met oorgawe aan en jy sal die wêreld ‘n beter plek maak.
Sielskos: Jer 22-24; Luk 4:31-44; Ps 102:12-17; Spr 15:3
