2021-10-30
Lukas 10:19 NLV
Toe hy uitgegaan het om teen Goliat te veg, het Dawid gesê: ‘…Jy kom na my toe met ‘n swaard en ‘n spies en ‘n dolk, maar ek kom na jou toe in die Naam van die Here die Almagtige… en Hy sal julle in ons mag oorgee!’ (1 Samuel 17:45,47 NLV).
Niemand in koning Saul se leër het God in die situasie ingebring nie, maar Dawid het oor niks anders gepraat nie. Hy het geglo dat die God wat hy dien, groter was as die reus waarvoor hy te staan gekom het. Glo jy dit ook? Sien jy God as groter as jou probleme? As jy in ‘n situasie is waar dit lyk of daar geen uitkomkans is nie, moet jy, in plaas van om tyd en energie te vermors om oor jou eie swakhede en tekortkominge te tob, op God se Woord staan en oor sy mag begin praat. Dawid het gesê: ‘…Die oorlog is die Here s’n…’ (vers 47 NLV). God het nog nooit ‘n geveg verloor nie!
Konfronteer dus jou reus in die Naam van die Here en verklaar: ‘Reus van skeisake, jy gaan nie my huis binnekom nie; depressie, jy sal my nie oorwin nie; alkohol, bevooroordeling, kindermishandeling, onsekerheid, wellus, jy gaan val!’ Die Bybel sê: ‘Van oos tot wes sal die Naam en die mag van die Here geëer word. Wanneer die teëstander aanstorm soos ‘n rivier, jaag die Gees van die Here hom op loop’ (Jesaja 59:19 AFR83).
Daar is drie dinge waarteen Satan nie staande kan bly nie: God se Woord, Christus se bloed en die Naam van Jesus. Wanneer jy daardie dinge gebruik, sal jy hom elke keer oorwin – soos Dawid vir Goliat laat omkap het!
Sielskos: 1 Joh 3:11-5:21; Joh 7:25-44; Ps 104:27-35; Spr 24:29
2021-10-29
Psalm 116:12 NCV
In the classic book Little Women, Mrs March tells this story to her daughters: ‘Once upon a time there were four girls who had enough to eat and drink and wear, a good many comforts and pleasures, kind friends and parents, yet they were not contented. These girls made many excellent resolutions; but they were constantly saying, “If we only had this,” or “If we could only do that.” So they asked an old woman what spell they could use to make them happy and she said, “When you feel discontented, think over your blessings and be grateful.” They decided to try her advice, and soon were surprised to see how well off they were. One discovered that money couldn’t keep shame and sorrow out of rich people’s houses; another found she was a great deal happier with her youth, health and good spirits than a certain fretful, feeble old lady who couldn’t enjoy her comforts; a third that, disagreeable as it was to help get dinner, it was harder still to have to go begging for it. So they agreed to stop complaining and enjoy the blessings they already possessed.’
God is a loving Father, but that doesn’t mean He’ll give us everything we want (or everything we think we need). He doesn’t indulge our every whim, cultivate a sense of entitlement within us, or teach us that the world owes us anything. Being His child doesn’t mean we won’t need to work for things, or that we’ll avoid discipline and sacrifice. Instead, He lets us experience the satisfaction of a job well done, and encourages us to find joy in what we do and appreciate every blessing that comes our way. ‘What can I give the LORD for all the good things he has given to me?’ The answer is: gratitude.
1 John 1:1-3:10; John 7:14-24; Ps 104:19-26; Prov 24:28
Psalm 116:12 KJV
The surest way to ruin your child’s prospects for a happy life is to indulge their every whim, teach them that the world “owes them,” cultivate in them a sense of entitlement, under no circumstances allow them to “work by the sweat of their brow” and experience the satisfaction that comes from discipline, sacrifice and a job well done.
In the classic Little Women, Mrs. March tells this story to her daughters: “Once upon a time there were four girls who had enough to eat and drink and wear, a good many comforts and pleasures, kind friends and parents, yet they were not contented. These girls made many excellent resolutions; but they were constantly saying, ‘If we only had this,’ or ‘If we could only do that.’ So they asked an old woman what spell they could use to make them happy and she said, ‘When you feel discontented, think over your blessings and be grateful.’ They decided to try her advice, and soon were surprised to see how well off they were. One discovered that money couldn’t keep shame and sorrow out of rich people’s houses; another found she was a great deal happier with her youth, health and good spirits than a certain fretful, feeble old lady who couldn’t enjoy her comforts; a third that, disagreeable as it was to help get dinner, it was harder still to have to go begging for it. So they agreed to stop complaining and enjoy the blessings they already possessed.”
The question is: “What shall I render unto the Lord for all his benefits towards me?” The answer is: Gratitude!
Soul food: 1 John 1:1-3:10; John 7:14-24; Ps 104:19-26; Prov 24:28
Psalm 116:12 NLV
Die sekerste manier om jou kind se vooruitsigte op ‘n gelukkige lewe te verwoes, is om aan elke gril en nuk van hom toe te gee, vir hom te leer dat die wêreld hom iets skuld, ‘n sin van geregtigheid by hom te kweek en hom onder geen omstandighede hard te laat werk en die bevrediging wat met dissipline, opoffering en goeie werk gepaardgaan, te laat ervaar nie.
In die klassieke boek, Little Women, vertel mev March die volgende verhaal aan haar dogters: ‘Eens op ‘n keer was daar vier meisies wat genoeg gehad het om te drink, te eet en aan te trek, baie gemak en plesier, vriendelike vriende en ouers gehad het, maar tog was hulle nie tevrede nie. Hierdie meisies het aanhoudend gesê: ‘As ons maar net dit gehad het,’ of ‘As ons maar net dat kon doen.’ Toe het hulle ‘n ou vrou gevra watter towerspreuk hulle kon gebruik wat hulle gelukkig kon maak. Sy het vir hulle gesê: ‘Wanneer jy ontevrede voel, dink aan al jou seëninge en wees dankbaar daarvoor.’ Hulle het haar raad uitprobeer en was gou verras om te sien hoe welaf hulle is.
Een meisie het ontdek dat geld nie hartseer uit ryk mense se huise kon hou nie; ‘n ander een het ontdek dat sy baie gelukkiger met haar jeugdigheid, gesondheid en opgewektheid was as ‘n sekere angstige, swak ou dame wat nie die lewe kon geniet nie; ‘n derde meisie het gevind dat, so onaangenaam soos wat dit was om aandete te moet maak, dit nog erger was om daarvoor te moet bedel. Dus het hulle besluit om op te hou kla en die seëninge wat hulle reeds in besit gehad het, te geniet.’
Die vraag is: ‘Hoe kan ek die Here vergeld vir al sy goeie dade aan my?’ Die antwoord is: Dankbaarheid!
Sielskos: 1 Joh 1:1-3:10; Joh 7:14-24; Ps 104:19-26; Spr 24:28
2021-10-28
Isaiah 30:21 CEV
Someone once said, ‘When Columbus set out, he didn’t know where he was going. When he arrived, he didn’t know where he was. And when he returned home, he didn’t know where he’d been.’ We all need help to know what direction to go; whether or not to apply for a certain job, commit to a relationship, make a large purchase, and so on. The good news is that God will direct us, and when we make a wrong turn, He’ll redirect us.
Here are three ways in which He does it: 1) Through wise counsel. Others have been in a similar situation we find ourselves in; ‘Consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith’ (Hebrews 13:7 NRSV). When we have a problem or an important decision to make, we should talk to others who have experience in that area and ask for help. It’s also helpful to find someone we trust to mentor us regularly. Solomon said, ‘The way of fools seems right to them, but the wise listen to advice’ (Proverbs 12:15 NIV).
2) Through prayer and listening for His voice. Jesus said, ‘My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me’ (John 10:27 NIV). And Isaiah wrote, ‘Whether you turn to the right or to the left, you will hear a voice saying, “This is the road! Now follow it.”‘ That’s the kind of assurance we need. So, ‘Instead of worrying, pray’ (Philippians 4:6 MSG).
3) Through Scripture. Paul said, ‘Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom’ (Colossians 3:16 NKJV). One author wrote: ‘The Bible is to God what a surgical glove is to a surgeon. He reaches through it to touch deep within you.’ But that means we must read it, personalise it, and act on it.
Ezra 9-10; John 7:1-13; Ps 104:1-18; Prov 24:26-27
