2021-05-15
Efesiërs 1:5 NLV
God beveel ons in die Bybel om vir mekaar lief te wees. Interessant genoeg beveel Hy ons nie om van mekaar te hou nie. Dis ‘n goeie ding, omdat jy vir iemand kan lief wees, terwyl jy nie van sekere dinge van hulle hou nie.
Paulus skryf: ‘…ons is God se handewerk…’ (Efesiërs 2:10 NLV). Die woord ‘handewerk’ kom van die Griekse woord ‘poiéma’ af, waarvan ons die woord ‘poësie’ kry. Poësie is ‘n gediversifiseerde en kreatiewe kunsvorm; dit kom in baie vorme voor. Dis hoekom die Bybel sê dat God deur verskillende mense op verskillende maniere werk (sien 1 Korintiërs 12:6). Hy gebruik alle soorte mense, insluitend die mense waarvan ons dalk nie hou nie of nie saam mee wil werk nie. ‘Elkeen van ons ontvang ‘n manifestasie van die Gees om die gemeente te bevoordeel’ (1 Korintiërs 12:7 NLV), en dis ons verantwoordelikheid om dit te ontdek en dit te ontwikkel. ‘om God se mense toe te rus vir die werk wat hulle in sy diens moet doen’ (Efesiërs 4:12 NLV).
Die frase ‘toe te rus’ is ook interessant. Dit kom van ‘n mediese term in die oorspronklike Grieks af. Dokters het dit gebruik om die proses om ‘n gebreekte been te heg, te beskryf.
Stop en kyk vandag om jou. Het jy al ooit so baie gebroke harte, gebroke huise, gebroke drome en gebroke lewens gesien? God gebruik ons om mekaar te dien, vir mekaar lief te wees, mekaar te eer en mekaar se laste te dra. As jy mooi daaroor dink, is die kerk God se hospitaal vir alles wat ons makeer. Wanneer jy dit in gedagte hou, sal dit jou help om met diegene wat jy nie noodwendig van hou nie, oor die weg te kom en hulle lief te hê.
Sielskos: Heb 5-8; Mark 9:30-37; Ps 18:30-50; Spr 11:22
2021-05-14
Genesis 28:16 NLV
Jakob het sy lewe in die vinnige baan geleef, besigheidstransaksies beklink en baie geld gemaak, anders as Dawid wat rustig sy skape in die veld opgepas het. Let egter op wat elkeen van hulle oor God gesê het. “Toe Jakob wakker word, sê hy: ‘Sowaar! Die Here is op hierdie plek, en ek het dit nie geweet nie!'” Aan die ander kant, het Dawid gesê: ‘Ek prys die Here wat my insig gee, ook in die nag is ek daarvan bewus. Die Here is altyd by my. Ja, Hy is aan my regterhand, daarom sal Ek nie struikel nie. Hieroor is my hart vol vreugde. Ek besing sy lof, en rus in veiligheid’ (Psalm 16:7-9 NLV).
Sien jy die verskil? Jakob was so besig dat hy nie God se stem herken het of ‘n bewustheid van sy teenwoordigheid gekweek het nie. Dawid het egter gesê: ‘Die Here is altyd by my. Ja, Hy is aan my regterhand, daarom sal Ek nie struikel nie.’ Hierdie woorde is dalk die eenvoudigste en beste definisie van ‘n geestelike lewe. Die Bybel sê: ‘…ons is ingestel om soos Christus te dink’ (1 Korintiërs 2:16 NLV).
Jy vra: ‘Wat beteken dit vir my?’ Dit beteken dat Christus wat in jou woon, sy gedagtes deur jou kan dink. Is dit nie wonderlik nie? Wanneer jy ‘n gevoel van gerusstelling, of ‘n sin van leiding, of die oordeel van sonde voel, beteken dit dat God by jou is. Gee dus aandag en eer sy teenwoordigheid deur op Hom te reageer. Miskien het jy nog altyd gewonder wat dit beteken om ‘n pad saam met God te stap. Nou weet jy.
Sielskos: Heb 1-4; Mark 9:14-29; Ps 18:1-29; Spr 11:19-21
Genesis 28:16 NIV
Jacob lived life in the fast lane, doing business deals and making lots of money; unlike David, who was in the slow lane tending a flock of sheep in his pasture. But here’s what each of them said about God. ‘When Jacob awoke from his sleep, he thought, “Surely the LORD is in this place, and I was not aware of it.”‘ On the other hand, David said: ‘I will praise the LORD, who counsels me; even at night my heart instructs me. I keep my eyes always on the LORD. With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken. Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will rest secure’ (Psalm 16:7-9 NIV).
Notice the difference? Jacob was so busy that he failed to recognise God’s voice or cultivate an awareness of His presence. But David said, ‘I keep my eyes always on the LORD. With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken.’ Those words are the simplest and best definition of spiritual life.
The Bible says, ‘We have the mind of Christ’ (1 Corinthians 2:16 KJV). For us, that means Christ can think His thoughts through us. Whenever we have a feeling of reassurance, or a sense of guidance, or we feel the conviction of sin, it means God is present with us. We often hear people talking about ‘walking with God’, which simply means being aware of His presence and paying attention to Him. So let’s resolve to slow down, pay attention, and honour His presence by responding to Him.
Heb 1-4; Mark 9:14-29; Ps 18:1-29; Prov 11:19-21
Genesis 28:16 NIV
Jacob lived life on the fast track doing business deals and making lots of money, unlike David who was on the slow track tending a flock of sheep in his pasture. But notice what each of them said about God. “When Jacob awoke from his sleep, he thought, ‘Surely the Lord is in this place, and I was not aware of it.'” On the other hand, David said: “I will praise the Lord, who counsels me; even at night my heart instructs me. I keep my eyes always on the Lord. With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken. Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will rest secure” (Psalm 16:7-9 NIV).
Notice the difference? Jacob was so busy that he failed to recognize God’s voice or cultivate an awareness of His presence. But David said, “I keep my eyes always on the Lord. With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken.” Those words are perhaps the simplest and best definition of spiritual life. The Bible says, “We have the mind of Christ” (1 Corinthians 2:16).
You say, “What does that mean to me?” It means that the indwelling Christ can think His thoughts through you. Isn’t that wonderful? When you have a feeling of reassurance, or a sense of guidance, or you feel the conviction of sin, it means God is present with you. So pay attention and honour His presence by responding to Him. Perhaps you’ve always wondered what it means to “walk with God.” Now you know.
Soul food: Heb 1-4; Mark 9:14-29; Ps 18:1-29; Prov 11:19-21
2021-05-13
Luke 5:3 NLT
Do you want God to bless your business? Invite Him into it! Allow Him to use your business to do His business. Peter did that. He had a fishing boat, and one day he invited Jesus on board so He could use it to preach to the crowd on the shore. And it paid off! Afterward Jesus worked a miracle that caused Peter’s boat to be so full of fish it almost sank. With Jesus on board, you’ll prosper.
“Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, and hath made us kings and priests unto God” (Revelation 1:5-6). In Bible times priests worked in the church while the kings went out and did battle. And when they won, they brought back the spoils to finance the work of God. So if you’re in the business end of things, you’re a “king,” and because you’re God’s redeemed child, He will teach you how to prosper (See Isaiah 48:17 NKJV).
But there’s one condition; when He does, you must be willing to help finance His plan for reaching the world with the gospel (See Matthew 24:14). You should consider that an honour and an opportunity, because when you go into business with God, the sky is the limit! Henry Giles, a nineteenth-century preacher, said, “There is no task so low that we may not elevate it; so dull that we may not enliven it if we understand that what we are doing is service to our Lord Jesus Christ.”
So today use your business to do God’s business, and He will bless your business.
Soul food: Titus 1-3; Mark 9:1-13; Ps 150; Prov 11:16-18
