2021-06-05
Isaiah 55:12 NCV
God reveals His will to us in several ways. One of them is by giving us a sense of ‘peace’ that we are doing the right thing. Paul wrote, ‘Let the peace of God rule in your hearts’ (Colossians 3:15 NKJV), and ‘God’s peace, which is so great we cannot understand it, will keep your hearts and minds In Christ Jesus’ (Philippians 4:7 NCV).
Having peace means that we’re trusting God’s guidance. We don’t need all the answers to have peace about something, and having peace doesn’t mean things are going to be easy and comfortable. When Mary was visited by an angel who told her that she was going to have a baby, she must have had some worries, as being unmarried and pregnant put her in a very difficult situation in her culture. But she simply said: ‘I am the servant of the Lord. Let this happen to me as you say!’ (Luke 1:38 NCV). She trusted God, accepted His plan, and had peace about it.
When we need peace, we should cry out to God. Before Jesus was crucified, even though He knew His part in God’s plan and why He had to die, He said, ‘If it is possible, let this cup of suffering be taken away from me’ (Matthew 26:39 NLT). But then He continued, ‘Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.’ His peace came from trusting God and doing His will. Whenever we’re faced with a difficult situation or an important decision that could have lasting effects, we need to pray, trust God for guidance, ask Him for peace, act, and trust Him for the right result.
Rev 19-22; Mark 14:27-42; Ps 129; Prov 12:27-28
Isaiah 55:12 KJV
God reveals His will in several ways. One is by giving us a sense of “peace” that we are doing the right thing. Paul writes, “Let the peace of God rule in your hearts” (Colossians 3:15 NKJV). That means you should follow “the peace rule.” Again he writes, “The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds” (Philippians 4:7 NKJV).
You don’t need all the answers to have peace about it. General Eisenhower was faced with the responsibility of making one of the most far-reaching decisions ever posed to a single man: changing the date of V-Day at the last moment. If he got it wrong, thousands of Allied soldiers could die. Talk about pressure! But he was the supreme commander and the only man who could make the decision. Looking back on it, he wrote: “I knew I did not have the required wisdom, and turned to God. I asked Him to give me wisdom. I yielded myself to Him, and He gave me clear guidance. He gave me insight to see what was right, and He endowed me with the courage to make my decision. And finally He gave me peace of mind in the knowledge that, having been guided by God to a decision, I could leave the results to Him.”
Are you feeling anxious because you are being called upon today to make a decision; one that will not only affect you but others too? The word for you today is – pray, trust God for guidance, ask Him for peace, act, and trust Him for the right result.
Soul food: Rev 19-22; Mark 14:27-42; Ps 129; Prov 12:27-28
Jesaja 55:12 NLV
God sal sy wil op verskeie maniere openbaar. Een daarvan is om vir ons ‘n sin van ‘vrede’ te gee, wanneer ons die regte ding doen. Paulus skryf: ‘Verder, laat die vrede wat Christus bewerk het, in julle lewe skeidsregter wees…’ (Kolossense 3:15 NLV). Weer skryf hy: ‘…Hierdie vrede is wonderliker as wat ‘n mens ooit kan dink. Omdat julle aan Christus behoort, sal die vrede van God julle harte en gedagtes soos ‘n veiligheidswag oppas’ (Filippense 4:7 NLV).
Jy hoef nie al die antwoorde te hê om vrede daaroor te hê nie. Generaal Eisenhower het voor die verantwoordelikheid te staan gekom om een van die grootste besluite te maak; om die datum van V-dag op die laaste oomblik te verander. As hy die verkeerde besluit gemaak het, kon duisende geallieerde soldate sterf. Hy was egter die hoogste bevelvoerder en die enigste man wat die besluit kon maak.
Toe hy daarop terugkyk, het hy geskryf: ‘Ek het geweet dat ek nie die nodige wysheid gehad het nie en na God toe gedraai. Ek het Hom gevra om vir my wysheid te gee. Ek het myself aan Hom oorgegee en Hy het vir my duidelike leiding gegee. Hy het my die insig gegee om te weet wat reg is en vir my die moed gegee om my besluit te maak. Uiteindelik het Hy vir my die vrede gegee in die wete dat, omdat God my gelei het om die besluit te maak, ek die resultaat aan Hom kon oorlaat.’
Voel jy vandag angstig omdat daar van jou verwag word om ‘n besluit te maak; een wat nie net jou nie, maar ander mense ook sal affekteer? Die woord vir jou vandag is – bid, vertrou op God vir leiding, vra Hom vir vrede, maak die besluit en vertrou Hom vir die regte resultaat.
Sielskos: Op 19-22; Mark 14:27-42; Ps 129; Spr 12:27-28
2021-06-04
1 Korintiërs 13:8 NLV
Liefde is ‘n kragtige mag en die Bybel sê dat dit nooit sal vergaan nie. Die meeste van ons het al die verhaal van Helen Keller gehoor, wat as kleuter na ‘n siekbed blind en doof gelaat is, maar ‘n impak op die wêreld met haar moed en goedhartig gemaak het. Daar is egter ‘n ‘storie agter die storie.’
Dit gaan oor ‘klein Annie,’ wat in die kelder van ‘n inrigting vir geestesversteurdes buite Boston toegesluit was – die enigste plek vir diegene wat hopeloos waansinnig was. Met tye het Annie soos ‘n dier opgetree en mense wat naby haar hok gekom het, aangeval. Ander kere, het sy daar in ‘n waas gesit.
‘n Ouerige verpleegster, wat hoop vir al God se kinders gehad het, het egter begin om haar middagete in die kelder buite klein Annie se hok, te eet. Sy het gehoop om op ‘n manier liefde aan Annie te kommunikeer. Een dag het sy haar nagereg langs Annie se hok gelos. Die volgende dag het die verpleegster gesien dat dit opgeëet was, dus het sy begin om elke Donderdag vir Annie nagereg te bring. Soos die weke verbygegaan het, het die dokters begin om ‘n verbetering in klein Annie te sien. Na verskeie maande, het hulle haar na die algemene saal geskuif. Uiteindelik het die dag aangebreek dat hierdie ‘hopelose saak’ kon huis toe keer. Teen daardie tyd was Annie al ‘n volwassene en sy het besluit om by die inrigting aan te bly en ander mense te help. Een van diegene wat Anne Sullivan – klein Annie – voor gesorg het, geleer het en gekoester het, was Helen Keller.
Omdat God vir ons lief is en nooit oor ons opgee nie, moet ons dit ook vir mekaar doen. Dis die woord vir jou vandag.
Sielskos: Op 15-18; Mark 14:12-26; Ps 124; Spr 12:26
Proverbs 29:25 NLT
People can be addicted to a lot of different things like alcohol, drugs, sex, gambling, and food. But did you know that it’s also possible to be addicted to approval? When Moses chose seventy leaders to help govern Israel, he told them, ‘Do not show partiality in judging; hear both small and great alike. Do not be afraid of anyone’ (Deuteronomy 1:17 NIV).
That’s advice that Peter should have taken: ‘Before certain men came from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles. But when they arrived, he began to draw back and separate himself from the Gentiles because he was afraid of those who belonged to the circumcision group’ (Galatians 2:12 NIV).
When our identity is wrapped up in other people’s acceptance, our sense of self-worth is always in the hands of others and we’re set up to become approval addicts. That’s not how God wants us to live. Other people’s approval or disapproval can only affect us if we allow it to carry more weight than God’s opinion of us.
Jesus was free to speak the truth in love because He didn’t feel the need to win the approval of people by saying what they wanted to hear. We can spend a lot of time worrying about what others think of us, but what we should try and focus on is pleasing God and following His will. There are times when pleasing God means we won’t be able to please people, but as Paul wrote: ‘I’m not trying to win the approval of people, but of God. If pleasing people were my goal, I would not be Christ’s servant’ (Galatians 1:10 NLT).
Rev 15-18; Mark 14:12-26; Ps 124; Prov 12:26
