2021-11-27
Deuteronomium 31:7 NLV
Wanneer God vir jou ‘n onvoorwaardelike belofte gee, is al wat jy moet doen om daarop te wag. Wanneer Hy egter ‘n voorwaardelike belofte maak, moet jy jou deel in die vervulling daarvan doen. Soms vereis dit dat jy die inisiatief moet neem.
Vir Israel het dit beteken dat hulle bereid moes wees om teenkanting te trotseer en die ander nasies uit die Beloofde Land te verdryf, sodat dit aan hulle kon behoort. “Toe het Moses vir Josua geroep. In die teenwoordigheid van die hele Israel het hy vir Josua gesê: ‘Wees sterk en hou moed! Jy sal hierdie volk die land inlei, die land wat die Here aan hulle voorvaders beloof het. Moenie bang of mismoedig wees nie, want die Here is die Een wat voor jou uitgaan. Hy sal by jou wees. Hy sal jou nie in die steek laat nie en jou nie verlaat nie'” (verse 7-8 NLV). In wese het God gesê: ‘Wanneer jy die inisiatief neem, sal Ek namens jou optree.’
Hy sê vandag dieselfde ding vir jou. Hier is wat dit beteken om die inisiatief te neem: 1) Jy weet wat jy wil hê. Die humoris en pianis Oscar Levant het een keer geskerts: ‘Sodra ek tot ‘n besluit gekom het, is ek baie besluiteloos.’ Ons glimlag, maar dis hartseer genoeg die manier waarop baie van ons optree. Die feit bly staan dat jy nie tegelyktydig besluiteloos en effektief kan wees nie.
2) Jy is gewillig om risiko’s te neem. Die verskil tussen ‘n gelowige en ‘n ongelowige is dit: as gelowige, het God belowe om voor jou uit te gaan en die omstandighede in jou guns te reël. ‘Maar ek is bang!’ sê jy. Geloof in God elimineer nie vrees nie – dit oorkom dit. Neem dus die inisiatief.
Sielskos: Jos 1-4; Joh 14:1-14; Ps 118:10-18; Spr 28:1-4
Deuteronomy 31:7 NKJV
When God gives you an unconditional promise, all you need to do is wait for it. But when He makes a conditional promise, you have a part to play in its fulfillment. Sometimes that calls for taking the initiative. For Israel, it meant being willing to face opposition and drive the occupying nations from the promised land so it could be theirs. “Then Moses called Joshua and said to him in the sight of all Israel, ‘Be strong and of good courage, for you must go with this people to the land which the Lord has sworn to their fathers to give them, and you shall cause them to inherit it. And the Lord, He is the One who goes before you. He will be with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you; do not fear nor be dismayed'” (vv. 7-8 NKJV). In essence, God was saying, “When you take the initiative, I will act on your behalf.” And He’s saying the same thing to you today.
Here is what it means to take the initiative: (1) Knowing what you want. Humorist and pianist Oscar Levant once quipped, “Once I make up my mind, I’m full of indecision.” We smile, but sadly that’s the way many of us operate. The fact is, you can’t be indecisive and be effective at the same time.
(2) Being willing to take risks. The difference between a believer and a nonbeliever is this: as a believer, God has promised to go before you and arrange the circumstances in your Favour. “But I’m afraid!” you say. Faith in God doesn’t eliminate fear – it overcomes it. So take the initiative.
Soul food: Jos 1-4; John 14:1-14; Ps 118:10-18; Prov 28:1-4
2021-11-26
1 Timothy 5:22 NLT
Before David became the king of Israel, he spent years tending a flock of sheep in the wilderness. That’s not an impressive start. But that’s where he built his relationship with God and honed his skills as a strategist and warrior. If you want to succeed, here is an immutable principle you must understand: God will let you practice in a place where your weaknesses can be worked on, your gifts developed, and where your mistakes won’t affect too many others.
One Bible teacher tells of a pilot friend who received word from the control tower saying, “You’re cleared for five thousand feet.” When he got there, he was told to hold for further instructions. Then came the words, “You’re cleared for ten thousand feet.” Gradually the controller took him level by level to thirty-five thousand feet where he was cleared to fly to his destination. That day, God spoke to him saying, “I wish you would trust me like that. Instead, you want to go straight to thirty-five thousand feet in one thrust!”
Try to understand this: God sees the end from the beginning, and He has already mapped out your journey. He knows that if you rise too quickly, there are dangers. You may be in the cockpit – but God is in the control tower! And today He is saying to you, “Trust me and I’ll get you safely to your destination.” God’s plan for your life can’t be rushed. When you try to rise too quickly, (1) you make costly and painful mistakes, (2) you adversely affect the lives of those who depend on you, and (3) you end up in a tug-of-war with God, which you lose!
Soul food: 3 John; Jude; John 13:31-38; Ps 118:1-9; Prov 27:23-27
Psalm 37:7 NLT
Before David became the king of Israel, he spent years looking after a flock of sheep in the wilderness. It wasn’t the most impressive start, especially for a future king. But it was where he built his relationship with God and sharpened his skills as a strategist and warrior. God will let us practise in a place where our weaknesses can be worked on, our gifts and skills can be developed, and where the mistakes we make as we’re learning won’t affect too many other people.
When a pilot is taking off, they stay in constant communication with air traffic control. They’ll be told, ‘You’re cleared for five thousand feet.’ Then they’ll be told to hold and wait for further instructions. Then, ‘You’re cleared for ten thousand feet,’ ‘You’re cleared for twenty thousand feet,’ and so on, until they’ve reached the height they need to continue their journey safely. There are two points for us to take note of here. First, the pilot never loses touch with air traffic control, and listens to their guidance. Second, they can’t just go up to maximum height straight away; the controller sees the bigger picture and clears them in stages to ensure there are no other aircraft or hazards in the way.
And we need to do the same when it comes following God’s plan. He sees the whole journey and knows that if we rise too quickly, there are dangers. When we trust Him, we’ll get to our destination safely. God’s plan can’t be rushed. Maybe you’re in a ‘wilderness’ at the moment, but it won’t last forever. ‘Be still in the presence of the Lord, and wait patiently for him to act.’
3 John; Jude; John 13:31-38; Ps 118:1-9; Prov 27:23-27
1 Timoteus 5:22 NLV
Voor Dawid Israel se koning geword het, het hy vir jare lank na skape in die woestyn omgesien. Dis nie ‘n baie indrukwekkende begin nie. Dis egter daar waar hy sy verhouding met God opgebou het en sy vaardighede as ‘n strateeg en vegter geslyp het.
As jy sukses wil behaal, moet jy hierdie onveranderlike beginsel verstaan: God sal jou op ‘n plek waar daar aan jou swakhede gewerk kan word, waar jou gawes ontwikkel kan word en waar jou foute ander mense nie te veel sal affekteer nie, laat oefen.
Een Bybelonderwyser vertel van ‘n vlieënier wat instruksies van die beheertoring ontvang het: ‘Jy kan tot vyfduisend voet styg.’ Toe hy daar kom, is daar vir hom gesê om sy hoogte te hou tot verdere instruksies. Toe kom die woorde: ‘Jy kan tot tienduisend voet styg.’ Geleidelik het die beheertoring hom tot by dertigduisend voet gebring, van waar hy reg was om tot by sy bestemming te vlieg. Daardie dag het God met hom gepraat en gesê: ‘Ek wens jy wil my ook so vertrou. Jy wil egter met een slag dadelik tot op dertigduisend voet styg!’
God sien die einde van die begin af en Hy het ook reeds jou roete uitgewerk. Hy weet dat indien jy te vinnig opstyg, daar gevare kan wees. Jy mag dalk in die kajuit wees – maar God is in die beheertoring! Vandag sê Hy vir jou: ‘Vertrou my en Ek sal jou veilig by jou bestemming uitbring.’ God se plan vir jou lewe kan nie aangejaag word nie. Wanneer jy te vinnig probeer opgang maak: 1) maak jy duur en pynlike foute, 2) beïnvloed jy die mense wat op jou staatmaak se lewens op ‘n negatiewe wyse, en 3) beland jy in ‘n toutrekkery met God, wat jy gaan verloor!
Sielskos: 3 Joh; Judas; Joh 13:31-38; Ps 118:1-9; Spr 27:23-27
