2021-03-08
Matteus 21:22 NLV
Jy sê: ‘As God lief is vir my en weet wat ek nodig het, hoekom moet ek Hom dan daarvoor vra?’ Omdat gebed beteken dat jy met God praat en na God luister, wat daartoe lei dat jy ‘n verhouding met Hom bou. Jesus het gesê: ‘Nee, maak die koningsheerskappy van God en dit wat voor Hom reg is, julle heel eerste prioriteit; dan sal God vir julle al hierdie ander dinge as ‘n bonus byvoeg’ (Matteus 6:33 NLV).
Wanneer jou gebede op jou verhouding met God gebaseer is, word daar aan jou behoeftes voldoen. Wanneer jy vir God lief is en tyd met Hom deurbring, sê sy Woord: ‘…Wat geen oog gesien het; wat geen oog gehoor het; wat in niemand se hart opgekom het nie – dit het God voorberei vir hulle wat Hom liefhet’ (1 Korintiërs 2:9 NLV). God het ‘n vlak van seën vir jou in gedagte wat geen aardse oog kan sien of wat geen aardse gedagtes kan verstaan nie.
Wanneer jy bid, openbaar Hy dinge deur sy Gees aan jou. Wanneer dit gebeur, groei jou geloof en is jy in staat om dit te ontvang wat God vir jou wil voorsien. Ontwikkel dus ‘n leefstyl van gebed – deur voortdurend te bid, orals waar jy gaan, te midde van jou daaglikse roetine. ‘Gee al julle bekommernisse aan God oor, want Hy gee vir julle om’ (1 Petrus 5:7 NLV).
God gee oor elke detail van jou lewe om. Wanneer jy dus angstig oor iets raak, praat met Hom daaroor. Moet ook nie vergeet om sy Woord te lees nie. Wanneer ‘n probleem dus opduik, kan jy die volgende sê: ‘Vader, U het in u Woord gesê dat U dit vir my sal doen,’ en dan die belofte aanhaal en daarop staan.
Sielskos: Gen 44-46; Matt 21:18-32; Ps 106:24-48; Spr 7:3-5
Matthew 21:22 NCV
In Matthew 6:8 we read: ‘your Father knows what you need before you ask him’ (NIV). So if God already loves us and knows what we need, why do we have to pray and ask Him for things? It’s because prayer is so much more than just getting what we need. It’s about talking to God and listening to Him. It’s about getting His perspective and wisdom. It’s about building a relationship with Him. Jesus said, ‘Seek first God’s kingdom and what God wants. Then all your other needs will be met as well’ (Matthew 6:33 NCV).
When our prayers are based on our relationship with God, our needs are met. When we love God and spend time with Him, His Word says: ‘No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him. But it was to us that God revealed these things by his Spirit’ (1 Corinthians 2:9-10 NLT). God has a level of blessing in mind for us that we haven’t yet seen or imagined, but when we pray, He reveals things to us by His Spirit. When that happens, our faith grows and we’re able to receive what God wants us to have.
We need to develop a lifestyle of prayer – praying all the time, everywhere we go, in the middle of our daily routine. 1 Peter 5:7 says: ‘Give all your worries to him, because he cares about you’ (NCV). God cares about every detail of our lives, so when we get anxious about something, we should talk to Him about it. Nothing is too small for Him to care about, and nothing is too big for Him to handle.
Gen 44-46; Matt 21:18-32; Ps 106:24-48; Prov 7:3-5
2021-03-07
Exodus 28:3 NCV
God told Moses: ‘Make holy clothes for your brother Aaron to give him honour and beauty. Tell all the skilled craftsmen to whom I have given wisdom to make special clothes for Aaron’ (v. 2-3 NCV). Note the word ‘craftsmen’. God gives us artistic ability, and when we use it we glorify Him. Clothes ‘for honour and beauty’ call for creativity – the spiritual isn’t separated from the secular here. The Bible says, ‘Everything you do or say should be done to obey Jesus your Lord. And in all you do, give thanks to God the Father through Jesus’ (Colossians 3:17 NCV). How do we become creative?
1) By acknowledging that God made us to be creative.
2) By asking Him to reveal our unique areas of talent and creativity.
3) By valuing creative ideas. No matter what we currently do, or how well we do it, a creative idea will equip us to do it better.
Creativity is being able to see what everybody else has seen, and think what nobody else has thought, so that you can do what nobody else has done. Sometimes creative thinking lies along the lines of invention, where we break new ground. Other times it moves along the lines of innovation, which helps us to do old things in a new way. But either way, it’s looking at the world with fresh eyes so that new solutions appear.
In Genesis, we read: ‘By the seventh day God finished the work he had been doing’ (Genesis 2:2 NCV). Creativity involves work. It’s not always easy to be creative, which is one of the reasons we might try to avoid it or think we’re no good at it. But if we’re willing to work at being creative, God will use us to do great things for His kingdom and to bless others.
Joel 2:23-32; Acts 2:1-21
Eksodus 28:3 AFR53
God het vir Moses gesê: ‘En jy moet vir jou broer Aäron heilige klere maak, tot eer en tot sieraad. Jy moet ook spreek met almal wat kunsvaardig is, wat Ek met die gees van wysheid vervul het, dat hulle vir Aäron klere maak…’ (verse 2-3 AFR53). Let die woord ‘kunsvaardig’ op. God het vir ons kunssinnige vermoëns gegee en wanneer ons dit gebruik, verheerlik ons Hom. Klere ‘tot eer en tot sieraad’ verg kreatiwiteit.
Hou op om onderskeid tussen die geestelike en die sekulêre te tref! ‘Verder, doen alles – of dit nou met woorde of dade is – asof julle dit namens die Here Jesus doen…’ (Kolossense 3:17 NLV). Hoe word jy kreatief?
1) Deur te erken dat God jou gemaak het om kreatief te wees.
2) Deur Hom te vra om jou areas van talent en kreatiwiteit aan jou te openbaar.
3) Deur kreatiewe idees te waardeer. Maak nie saak wat jy tans doen, of hoe goed jy dit doen nie, ‘n kreatiewe idee sal jou in staat stel om dit beter te doen.
Kreatiwiteit is die vermoë om te sien wat almal anders gesien het, te dink wat niemand anders gedink het nie, om te kan doen wat niemand anders al gedoen het nie. Soms lê kreatiewe denke langs die lyne van uitvinding, waar jy nuwe grond breek. Ander kere beweeg dit langs die lyne van innovasie, wat jou help om ou dinge op ‘n nuwe manier te doen. In elke geval, is dit om die wêreld deur nuwe oë te sien sodat nuwe oplossings te voorskyn kom.
‘Op die sewende dag was God klaar met alles wat Hy gemaak het…’ (Genesis 2:2 NLV). Kreatiwiteit verg werk, daarom neig baie mense om dit te vermy. As jy egter gewillig is om aan jou kreatiwiteit te werk, sal God jou gebruik om groot dinge te doen.
Sielskos: Joel 2:23-32; Hand 2:1-21
Exodus 28:3 NKJV
God told Moses: ‘You shall make holy garments for Aaron your brother, for glory and for beauty. So you shall speak to all who are gifted artisans, whom I have filled with the spirit of wisdom, that they may make Aaron’s garments’ (vv. 2-3 NKJV).
Note the word ‘artisans’. God gives us artistic ability, and when we use it we glorify Him. Clothes ‘for glory and for beauty’ call for creativity. Stop separating the spiritual from the secular! ‘Whatsoever [you] do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord’ (Colossians 3:17 KJV). How do you become creative?
1) By acknowledging that God made you to be creative.
2) By asking Him to reveal your areas of talent and creativity.
3) By valuing creative ideas. No matter what you currently do, or how well you do it, a creative idea will enable you to do it better.
Creativity is being able to see what everybody else has seen, and think what nobody else has thought, so that you can do what nobody else has done. Sometimes creative thinking lies along the lines of invention, where you break new ground. Other times it moves along the lines of innovation, which helps you to do old things in a new way. But either way, it’s seeing the world through sufficiently new eyes so that new solutions appear.
‘On the seventh day God ended his work which he had made’ (Genesis 2:2 KJV). Notice that creativity involves work, which is why many people tend to avoid it. But if you’re willing to work at being creative, God will use you to do great things.
Soul food: Joel 2:23-32; Acts 2:1-21
