2020-08-23
2 Corinthians 5:9 NIV
It’s impossible to please everybody, but it’s absolutely possible to please God. That should be our main focus, and the way to discover and test our calling. In Galatians 1:10, Paul writes: ‘Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God… If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ’ (NIV). Here, Paul acknowledges that pleasing God is often at odds with winning everyone else’s approval. When God is our main focus, there’s no need to stress the opinions of others. We should still seek advice from those we trust, but we always have to apply the question ‘does this please God?’ This is also very important when we’re still figuring out what God’s plan may be. If you’re unsure about what God wants you to do next, or what His calling could be, start with that same, simple question. What could you do with your time, energy, and resources that would please God? While it would be ideal to hear our calling in a booming voice, it’s much more likely to be revealed through what we’re already doing, in our talents and likes, or through exploring the Godly opportunities in the places that we find ourselves in. Whether you’re trying to discover your calling, or working to live it out, it’s important to remember Proverbs 29:25: ‘Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is kept safe’ (NIV). Whatever you’re doing, do with trust in God and a heart to please Him. Try to put aside any worries that you have about others’ opinions. God will be with you.
Job 2:7-10; Job 40:1-5; Job 42:7-17; Jas 5:10-11
2 Korintiërs 5:9 NLV
Paulus skryf: ‘Ons streef in elk geval daarna… om Hom tevrede te stel. Ons almal moet voor die regbank van Christus verskyn sodat elkeen van ons kan ontvang volgens wat ons in ons aardse liggame gedoen het, of dit goed en of dit waardeloos was’ (verse 9-10 NLV). As jou hoofdoel in die lewe is om mense tevrede te stel, sal jy teleurgesteld wees. Die oomblik wat jy hulle nie meer tevrede stel nie, is die kans goed dat hulle jou sal kritiseer of jou sal verlaat. Die punt is dat jy nie aan almal toegewys is nie! Sodra jy dus jou Godgegewe gawe ontdek, vra: ‘Here, na wie toe stuur U my?’ ‘Een nag het die Here deur ‘n visioen vir Paulus gesê: ‘Moenie bang wees nie; hou aan met preek en moenie stilbly nie, want Ék is by jou. Niemand sal ‘n hand op jou lê om iets slegs aan jou te doen nie, want in hierdie stad behoort baie mense aan My.’ Paulus het die stad vir ‘n jaar en ses maande lank sy basis gemaak en die mense onderrig in die woord van God’ (Handelinge 18:9-11 NLV). Na wie toe het God jou gestuur? So seker as wat ‘n plant net in die regte soort grond floreer, so sal jy slegs sukses in die plek waaraan God jou toegewys het, behaal. Petrus het goed gedoen deur vir die Jode te preek, terwyl Paulus skryf: ‘…Hy [het] my… geroep… Dit het gebeur sodat ek Hom aan die nie-Jode kan verkondig…’ (Galasiërs 1:15-16 NLV). Jy moet mense liefhê en na die regte mense luister. As dit egter by jou roeping kom – moet jy deur God gelei word! Gaan dus waar Hy jou stuur en vertrou dat Hy vir jou sal sorg.
Sielskos: Job 2:7-10; Job 40:1-5; Job 42:7-17; Jak 5:10-11
2020-08-22
1 Corinthians 12:5 NKJV
One of the biggest mistakes you can make in ministry is to compare yourself to someone else. In fact, it’s been said that if any two of us are identical, one of us may be unnecessary! The apostle Paul writes, “There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord.” It’s true that without help from others, you’ll never become all you can be, but God wants you to be mentored, not cloned. He has called each of us to emphasize certain truths at different times. For example, John emphasized love, Solomon emphasized wisdom, and Paul’s major emphasis was grace over law. The need determines the emphasis. If God calls you to be a pastor, it’s like being a general practitioner. If He calls you to be an evangelist or a teacher, He’s calling you to be a specialist. “For to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills” (vv. 8-11 NKJV). Not everyone will understand or appreciate your style of ministry. And that’s okay – it’s not a popularity contest. You’re called to be a servant, not a star. And a major prerequisite for ministry is “that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful” (1 Corinthians 4:2 NIV).
Soul food: Judg 12-15; Luke 16:19-31; Ps 119:121-128; Prov 18:13-20
1 Corinthians 12:5 ESV
Theodore Roosevelt said that ‘comparison is the thief of joy.’ He was absolutely right. One of the biggest mistakes is to compare ourselves to others, especially when it comes to work that God placed us to do. We can’t compare our calling to someone else’s. 1 Corinthians 12:6-11 explains that ‘there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone… For to one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills’ (ESV). God calls each of us to do different things, in different places, at different times. The need around us determines what we do and who God needs each of us to be. 1 Corinthians 12 continues: ‘For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell? But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose’ (v.12-18 ESV). We have to take hold of our own, unique place in the body of God’s Church.
Judg 12-15; Luke 16:19-31; Ps 119:121-128; Prov 18:13-20
1 Korintiërs 12:5 NLV
Een van die grootste foute wat jy in die bediening kan maak, is om jouself met iemand anders te vergelyk. Daar word gesê as twee van ons identies is, is een van ons dalk oorbodig! Die apostel Paulus skryf: ‘En daar is ‘n hele verskeidenheid bedieninge, maar ons dien dieselfde Here.’ Dis waar dat jy nie sonder hulp alles kan word wat jy kan wees nie, maar God wil hê dat jy gementor word, nie gekloon word nie. Hy het elkeen van ons geroep om sekere waarhede op verskillende tye te beklemtoon. Johannes het byvoorbeeld liefde beklemtoon, Salomo het wysheid beklemtoon en Paulus het hoofsaaklik op genade bo die wet gefokus. Die behoefte bepaal die klem. ‘Aan die een gee die Gees die bekwaamheid om goddelike wysheid te verkondig, aan ‘n ander gee Hy die gawe van spesiale kennis. Aan iemand anders gee hierdie selfde Gees ‘n heel besondere geloof, aan nog een gee Hy gawes van genesing, aan ‘n volgende een die vermoë om wonders te verrig, aan ‘n ander die gawe van profesie, aan nog een die vermoë om te onderskei tussen geeste, aan iemand anders die gawe van die praat in tale, aan nog een die bekwaamheid om die tale uit te lê. Dit is een en dieselfde Gees wat al hierdie gawes bewerk en wat aan elkeen uitdeel soos Hy dit goedvind’ (verse 8-11 NLV). Nie almal sal jou bedieningstyl verstaan of waardeer nie. Dis in orde – dis nie ‘n populariteitskompetisie nie. Jy is geroep om ‘n dienaar, nie ‘n ster nie, te wees. Een van die grootste voorwaardes vir bediening is: ‘Van bestuurders word verwag dat hulle hulleself as betroubaar sal bewys’ (1 Korintiërs 4:2 NLV).
Sielskos: Rig 12-15; Luk 16:19-31; Ps 119:121-128; Spr 18:13-20
