2022-01-31
Isaiah 6:9 NKJV
When you’re involved in God’s work, it’s easy to get out of balance and end up enjoying the work of the Lord more than the Lord of the work. First, Jesus called His disciples to Him; then, He sent them out from Him. The power you need to succeed in your God-given assignment comes from the time you spend with the Lord, not people.
One day Jesus took three of His disciples to the top of the Mount of Transfiguration. “His face shone like the sun…there appeared before them Moses and Elijah, talking with Jesus” (Matthew 17:2-3 NIV). Peter was elated by the experience: “Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you wish, I will put up three shelters” (v. 4 NIV). Peter wanted to stay, but God spoke from heaven and said, “This is My beloved Son….Listen to Him!” (Matthew 17:5). Afterward, Jesus took His disciples back down the mountain and they began to minister to needy people.
It’s good to have periodic “mountaintop experiences” with God, but you can’t stay there. There is work to be done at the foot of the mountain, and we have been called to do it. There must be a balance between taking in and giving out. One day a year, the high priest entered the holiest of holies and had the privilege of seeing God’s glory. What an honor! But the rest of the year was spent outside, ministering to the people. After an encounter with God during which the building shook, Isaiah cried, “I am undone” (Isaiah 6:5 NKJV). Then God touched his mouth and said, “Go, and tell this people” (v. 9 NKJV). Are you getting the idea?
Soul food: Rom 7:1-9:16; Luke 7:1-10; Ps 107:17-22; Pro 3:21-24
Isaiah 6:9 NCV
When we’re involved in God’s calling, there’s a balance we need to maintain between the times we experience alone with Him, and actually going out and doing what He’s tasked us with. The power we need to succeed in our God-given assignments comes from the time we spend with God, not with people. But we can’t fulfil our assignments if we don’t take action.
First, Jesus called His disciples to Him; then, He sent them out from Him. One day He took three of His disciples to the top of the Mount of Transfiguration. ‘His face shone like the sun…there appeared before them Moses and Elijah, talking with Jesus’ (Matthew 17:2-3 NIV). Peter was elated by the experience: ‘Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you wish, I will put up three shelters’ (v.4 NIV). Peter wanted to stay, but God spoke from heaven and said, ‘This is My beloved Son…Listen to Him!’ (Matthew 17:5 AMP). Afterwards, Jesus took His disciples back down the mountain and they began to minister to people in need.
It’s good to have occasional ‘mountaintop experiences’ with God, but we can’t stay there. There’s lots of work to be done at the foot of the mountain, and we’ve been called to do it. There must be a balance between taking in and giving out. One day a year, the high priest entered the holiest of holies and had the privilege of seeing God’s glory. It was such an honour! But the rest of the year was spent outside, ministering to the people.
It’s important to spend time alone with God, drawing on His strength and being refreshed. But there comes a time when He says to us, ‘Go out and do the work I’ve given you.’ So let’s be open to both experiences!
Rom 7:1-9:16; Luke 7:1-10; Ps 107:17-22; Pro 3:21-24
Jesaja 6:9 NLV
Wanneer jy by God se werk betrokke is, is dit maklik om uit balans te raak en die werk van die Here meer as die Here van die werk te geniet. Die krag wat jy nodig het om sukses in jou Godgegewe opdrag te behaal, kom van die tyd wat jy met die Here bestee, nie van mense af nie.
Een dag het Jesus drie van sy dissipels na die bopunt van ‘n hoë berg geneem. ‘…Sy gesig het begin straal soos die son… En, wonderlik, toe verskyn Moses en Elia voor hulle en voer gesprek met Jesus’ (Matteus 17:2-3 NLV). Petrus was verheug deur die ervaring: ‘Here dis wonderlik om hier te wees! As U wil, sal ek hier drie skuilings oprig…’ (vers 4 NLV). Petrus wou daar bly, maar God het uit die hemel gepraat en gesê: ‘…Hý is my geliefde Seun… Doen wat Hy vir julle sê’ (vers 5 NLV). Daarna het Jesus sy dissipels van die berg af gelei en het hulle behoeftige mense begin bedien.
Dis goed om van tyd tot tyd ‘bergtop ervarings’ met God te hê, maar jy kan nie daar bly nie. Daar is werk wat aan die voet van die berg gedoen moet word. Daar moet ‘n balans wees tussen dit wat jy inneem en dit wat jy uitdeel.
Een dag ‘n jaar, het die hoëpriester die Allerheiligste binne gegaan en die voorreg gehad om God se heerlikheid te sien. Wat ‘n eer! Die res van die jaar het hy egter buite deurgebring en die mense bedien. Na ‘n ontmoeting met God waartydens die gebou geskud het, het Jesaja uitgeroep: ‘…Dit is verby met my!…’ (Jesaja 6:5 DB). Toe het God sy mond aangeraak en gesê: ‘…Gaan sê vir hierdie volk…’ (vers 9 DB). Kry jy die idee?
Sielskos: Rom 7:1-9:16; Luk 7:1-10; Ps 107:17-22; Spr 3:21-24
2022-01-30
Genesis 28:16 NCV
We’ve probably all heard people say, ‘God told me,’ and then it turned out not to happen. The problem is that the more times people get it wrong, the more we become doubting and cynical. God speaks through people, and our fear of someone getting it wrong, or even being deliberately misleading, can mean we miss out on some very vital, and very real, input from God.
One night, God appeared to Jacob in a dream, saying: ‘”I am with you and will protect you everywhere you go and will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.” Then Jacob woke from his sleep and said, “Surely the LORD is in this place, but I did not know it.” He was afraid and said, “This place frightens me! It is surely the house of God and the gate of heaven”‘ (v.15-17 NCV).
If we want to hear from God, we must 1) desire it above everything else, 2) slow down, give God space to speak, and take time to understand what He’s saying to us, and 3) believe that God will actually speak to us. If we don’t believe, we’ll be reliant on our own thinking and judgment, and open to the influence of others who share our opinions.
Seven times in chapters 2 and 3 of the book of Revelation, God said, ‘Anyone with ears to hear must listen to the Spirit and understand what he is saying to the churches’ (NLT). So how can we be certain that what we’re hearing is actually from God? The answer is that it will always agree with His Word, and our spirits will say, ‘Amen!’ when we hear it.
Exo 16:1-35; John 6:30-40
Genesis 28:16 NLV
Ons het almal al mense hoor sê: ‘Die Here het so vir my gesê,’ en dan is dit op die ou einde nie so nie. Gevolglik raak ons vol twyfel en sinies. Wat ‘n verlies! God praat deur mense en jou vrees dat iemand dit verkeerd het, kan jou van lewensbelangrike insette beroof – in sommige gevalle, die presiese insette wat jy nodig het.
Een nag het God in ‘n droom aan Jakob verskyn en gesê: “‘Ek sal by jou wees en jou beskerm waar jy ook al gaan. Op die regte tyd sal Ek jou weer veilig terugbring na hierdie land toe. Ek sal jou nie verlaat nie, maar doen wat Ek beloof het.’ Toe Jakob wakker word, sê hy: ‘Sowaar! Die Here is op hierdie plek, en ek het dit nie geweet nie!’ Hy het bang geword en gesê: ‘Hoe skrikwekkend is hierdie plek! Dis niks anders nie as die woning van God, die poort na die hemel!'” (verse 15-17 NLV).
Om van God te hoor, moet jy: 1) dit bo alles anders begeer, 2) geestelike geraas elimineer en die tyd neem om te verstaan wat Hy vir jou sê, en 3) glo dat God werklik met jou sal praat. As jy nie glo nie, sal jy aan die genade van jou eie denke oorgelaat word – of deur ander mense wat net soos jy dink, beïnvloed word.
Sewe keer in die tweede en derde hoofstukke van die boek Openbaring, sê God: ‘Elkeen wat gewillig is om te luister, moet hoor wat die Gees sê.’ Hoe weet jy dat dit wat jy hoor werklik van God af kom? Omdat dit altyd met dit wat in sy Woord staan, sal ooreenkom; en jou gees sal sê: ‘Amen!’
Sielskos: Eks 16:1-35; Joh 6:30-40
