2022-05-13
Genesis 22:16-17 NLV
God sal jou nie vra vir dit wat jy nie het nie, maar soms sal Hy jou vir die ding vra wat jy regtig graag wil behou. Hoekom? Om te sien of daar iets is wat vir jou kosbaarder is of waarop jy meer as op Hom staatmaak.
Abraham is soos niemand anders in die geskiedenis getoets nie. Hy het egter die toets geslaag en is soos min mense in die geskiedenis geseën. Verbeel jouself God sê vir jou: ‘…Neem jou seun, jou enigste seun… wat jy so liefhet, en gaan na die land Moria. Offer hom daar as brandoffer op een van die berge wat Ek jou sal wys’ (vers 2 NLV). Kan jy jou die vrae indink wat deur jou gedagtes sal maal? G’n wonder Abraham is ‘…vriend van God…’ (Jakobus 2:23 NLV) en ‘…die geestelike voorvader…’ (Romeine 4:11 NLV), genoem nie. Toe die toets verby was, het God gesê: ‘…Omdat jy My gehoorsaam het en nie eens jou geliefde seun van My weerhou het nie, neem Ek ‘n eed dat Ek jou oorvloedig sal seën. Ek sal jou nageslag vermenigvuldig tot ‘n ontelbare menigte, soos die sterre aan die hemel… Deur jou nageslag sal al die nasies van die aarde geseën word. Dit sal alles gebeur omdat jy My gehoorsaam het’ (Genesis 22:16-18 NLV).
Hier is dus die vraag: Wat vra God van jou? Worstel jy tans daarmee? Weerhou jy dit wat Hy wil hê? Isak was die moeilikste saad wat Abraham ooit moes saai. Daardie saad het egter ‘n oes van seën geproduseer wat groter is as enigiets wat Abraham ooit kon gedroom het. Wat vra God vandag van jou? Wanneer jy ja sê vir Hom, sal jy ‘n hele nuwe vlak van seën in jou lewe ervaar. Probeer dit en kyk wat gebeur.
Sielskos: Num 22-24; Matt 9:1-13; Ps 44:17-26; Spr 11:12-13
Numbers 1:1 NIV
Would you like to be a leader one day? Whether it’s part of our job, pastoring a church, mentoring someone younger or less experienced, or taking the lead in a group project, at some point we might feel God calling us to step up to leadership. Today, let’s think about some of the qualities that make a good leader so we can pray and build on them for the future. Moses is a biblical example of a good leader.
1) He understood the importance of planning. He spent forty days praying and fasting on a mountain, refusing to leave until he understood what God wanted him to do. Then he came back and shared it with the people so they could get a glimpse of the vision.
2) He was patient. The Israelites spent a lot of their time in the desert complaining and grumbling about their situation, the food, and Moses himself. But instead of getting angry with them, Moses was patient with them, and talked to God about their complaints. (He wasn’t perfect though – after they complained about a lack of water, in frustration he called them ‘rebels’ and disobeyed God’s command to speak to the rock (see Numbers 20:2-12)
3) He turned to God for wisdom. There are many times in the Old Testament that tell of Moses taking a concern or a problem to God and turning to Him when help was needed. And God shared His wisdom with Moses and gave him solutions.
4) He was humble. We know this from Numbers 12:3: ‘Moses was very humble – more humble than anyone else on the face of the earth’ (NLT). He knew his own strength alone wasn’t enough for the calling God had for him, so he leaned on God’s strength and stayed close to Him.
Num 22-24; Matt 9:1-13; Ps 44:17-26; Pro 11:12-13
2022-05-12
2 Timothy 3:16 NIV
On a cold day, have you ever tried breathing on your hands to restore warmth and life? That’s like what happens when you meditate on God’s Word, because ‘all Scripture is God-breathed’. Imagine you were at a party where people have been blowing up balloons. With the right equipment, it would be possible for a scientist to work out which balloon was yours because your DNA (the genetic code that makes you unique) is contained in your breath. If we apply that idea to reading the Bible, it gives us a better understanding of how vital it is to our spiritual lives.
John tells us ‘the Word was God’ (John 1:1 NKJV), so whenever we take in God’s Word, we’re also taking in His attributes. That’s why the devil will try to keep us so busy that we don’t have time to read the Bible. The truth is, there are many things we struggle with that could be helped or removed completely from our lives if we developed a real hunger for God’s Word.
Job said, ‘I have not departed from the commandment of His lips; I have treasured the words of His mouth more than my necessary food’ (Job 23:12 NKJV). Jeremiah, who was so dejected that he became known as ‘the weeping prophet’, said, ‘Your words were found, and I ate them, and Your word was to me the joy and rejoicing of my heart’ (Jeremiah 15:16 NKJV). Jesus experienced every test and trial; He even faced down the devil himself, declaring ‘The Scriptures say, “People do not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God”‘ (Matthew 4:4 NLT).
Today, let’s get God’s Word into us – it’s His breath; it’s His DNA.
Num 19-21; Matt 8:18-34; Ps 44:9-16; Pro 11:10-11
2 Timoteus 3:16 NLV
Het jy al ooit gesien hoe ‘n dokter mond-tot-mond asemhaling op ‘n pasiënt doen en die pasiënt weer self begin asemhaal? Dis wat gebeur wanneer jy oor God se Woord mediteer, omdat God self lewe in die Woord geblaas het. Verbeel jouself jy is by ‘n partytjie waar mense ballonne opblaas en hulle met ‘n speld bars. ‘n Wetenskaplike sou kon uitvind watter ballon joune was, omdat jou DNA (die genetiese samestelling wat jou uniek maak), in jou asem is.
Pas nou daardie beginsel op Bybelstudie toe en jy sal verstaan hoe noodsaaklik dit vir jou geestelike lewe is. Johannes sê vir ons: ‘…die Woord was self God’ (Johannes 1:1 NLV), enige tyd wat jy dus God se Woord inneem, neem jy ook sy karaktereienskappe in. Dis hoekom die Vyand jou so besig sal probeer hou dat jy nie tyd het om jou Bybel te lees nie.
Die waarheid is dat baie van die kwessies waarmee ons sukkel, opgelos of heeltemal ge-elimineer kan word as ons ‘n honger na God se Woord ontwikkel. Jeremia, wat so moedeloos was dat hy as ‘die huilende profeet’ begin bekendstaan het, het gesê: ‘Toe U met my gepraat het, was u woorde vir my soos kos wat ek kon eet. Ek was bly, want Here, God wat oor alles regeer, U het gesê ek behoort aan U’ (Jeremia 15:16 ABA).
Jesus het elke toets en beproewing moontlik deurstaan; Hy het selfs die Versoeker weerstaan. Wat was die geheim van sy krag? Hy het gesê: ‘…’n Mens het meer as brood nodig om van te lewe. Wat jy eintlik nodig het, is om te leef van elke woord uit God se mond’ (Matteus 4:4 NLV). Neem vandag God se Woord in – dis sy DNA.
Sielskos: Num 19-21; Matt 8:18-34; Ps 44:9-16; Spr 11:10-11
2 Timothy 3:16 NIV
Have you ever watched a medical professional administer mouth-to-mouth resuscitation and the patient came back to life? That’s what happens when you meditate on God’s Word, because “all Scripture is God-breathed.”
Imagine yourself at a party where people are blowing up balloons and popping them with pins. A scientist could figure out which balloon was yours because your DNA (the genetic configuration that makes you unique) is in your breath. Now apply that principle to reading the Bible, and you will understand how vital it is to your spiritual life.
John tells us “the Word was God” (John 1:1 NKJV), so anytime you ingest God’s Word, you’re ingesting His attributes. That’s why the Enemy will try to keep you so busy that you have no time to read your Bible. The truth is, many of the issues we struggle with could be resolved or eliminated altogether if we developed a hunger for God’s Word.
Job said, “I have not departed from the commandment of His lips; I have treasured the words of His mouth more than my necessary food” (Job 23:12 NKJV). Jeremiah, who was so dejected that he became known as “the weeping prophet,” said, “Your words were found, and I ate them, and Your word was to me the joy and rejoicing of my heart” (Jeremiah 15:16 NKJV). Jesus experienced every test and trial known to man; He even went toe-to-toe with the Tempter. What was the secret of His strength? He said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God'” (Matthew 4:4 NKJV).
Today get God’s Word into you – it’s His DNA.
Soul food: Num 19-21; Matt 8:18-34; Ps 44:9-16; Pro 11:10-11
