2022-08-31
1 Samuel 16:10 NLT
David had seven brothers. When it came time to pick a king to replace Saul, Samuel thought any one of them would make a better king than David. But God rejected all seven. Why? Because: (1) They had the looks but not the spiritual core. God explained to Samuel, “People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart” (v. 7 NLT). David’s spiritual core was formed by years spent with God. His heart’s cry was, “As the deer pants for the water brooks, so pants my soul for You, O God” (Psalm 42:1 NKJV).
(2) They had no personal experiences with God to fall back on. The lion and the bear were big, and Goliath was bigger yet. But David wasn’t intimidated. “The Lord, who delivered me from the paw of the lion and… the bear… will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine” (1 Samuel 17:37 NKJV). There are no insignificant battles. The little ones equip you for the big ones that shape your destiny, so stand on your “God experiences.” How you respond in a crisis is determined by the experiences you have had with God.
(3) They were easily influenced by others. David’s brothers allowed the fears of those around them to erode their faith. Fear is contagious; if you listen to it long enough, you will get infected. No, you shouldn’t be isolated from the world, but you must be insulated against its negative influences. Listening to Goliath frightened David’s brothers, but it didn’t frighten David.
So who are you listening to today? Get God’s opinion and build your life upon it; allow His Word to settle every issue.
Soul food: Lam 1:1-3:39; Mark 9:14-29; Ps 119:169-176; Prov 19:9-10
1 Samuel 16:10 NLV
Dawid het sewe broers gehad. Toe die tyd aanbreek om ‘n koning te kies om Saul te vervang, het Samuel gedink dat enigeen van die sewe ‘n beter koning as Dawid sou maak. God het egter al sewe verwerp. Hoekom?
Want: 1) Hulle het die regte voorkoms gehad, maar nie die geestelike kern nie. God het vir Samuel verduidelik: ‘…Mense oordeel volgens uiterlike voorkoms, maar die Here kyk na gedagtes en bedoelings’ (vers 7 NLV). Dawid se geestelike kern is deur die jare wat Hy met God bestee het, gevorm. Sy hartsbegeerte was: ‘Soos ‘n wildsbok smag na water, so smag ek na U, o God’ (Psalm 42:2 NLV).
2) Hulle het nie persoonlike ervarings met God gehad om op terug te val nie. Die leeu en die beer was groot, maar Goliat was groter. Tog was Dawid nie geïntimideer nie. ‘Die Here wat my uit die kloue van die leeu en die beer gered het, sal my ook red van hierdie Filistyn!..’ (1 Samuel 17:37 NLV). Daar is geen onbeduidende gevegte nie. Die klein gevegte rus jou vir die groot gevegte wat jou lot bepaal, toe. Hoe jy in ‘n krisis reageer, word deur die ervarings wat jy al met God gehad het, bepaal.
3) Hulle is maklik deur ander mense beïnvloed. Dawid se broers het toegelaat dat die vrese van die mense rondom hulle, hulle geloof laat wegkwyn het. Vrees is aansteeklik; as jy lank genoeg daarna luister, sal jy geïnfekteer word. Nee, jy moet nie jouself van die wêreld afsonder nie, maar jy moet teen die negatiewe invloede daarvan geïsoleer wees. Goliat se woorde het Dawid se broers bang gemaak, maar nie vir Dawid nie. Na wie luister jy vandag? Kry God se opinie en bou jou lewe daarop; laat sy Woord toe om elke kwessie uit te klaar.
Sielskos: Klaag 1:1-3:39; Mark 9:14-29; Ps 119:169-176; Spr 19:9-10
2022-08-30
Proverbs 13:12 NKJV
You say, “Surely a man or woman can change when they meet the right partner?” No. Only God can change people – and you are not God! Plus, when you “need to be needed,” it can cause you to make disastrous relationship choices in life. Perhaps you have heard stories of people who have experienced massive change through their marriage. But the truth is, the power to change must come from within the person themselves, not from you. When you try to change your spouse, it doesn’t work, and eventually your “hope” for change makes you “sick.”
In The Message, Eugene Peterson paraphrases Solomon’s words: “Unrelenting disappointment leaves you heartsick.” When you keep longing for and envisioning something that never materialises, you get heartsick. Then you start making excuses for what’s not working in the relationship, even as it becomes obvious to those around you.
Sound relationship decisions are not based on hope. And add to this the fact that people of faith often try to spiritualise every issue. In the name of “faith,” they dumb down their instincts and ignore their senses. That’s not having faith in God! Faith in God should be just that – faith in God. We must not place our faith in fallible men and women, because they will fail us.
God gives each of us a will, but He doesn’t force us to change. Change must come from within each of us as we accept the grace that God extends to us each day. “The Lord opened [Lydia’s] heart to heed the things spoken by Paul” (Acts 16:14 NKJV). Here is a better option: Pray for them, and let God change them!
Soul food: Gal 4-6; Mark 9:1-13; Ps 119:161-168; Prov 19:3-8
Spreuke 13:12 NLV
Jy sê: “‘n Man of vrou kan sekerlik verander wanneer hulle die regte maat ontmoet?” Nee. Net God kan mense verander – en jy is nie God nie! Wanneer jy ook die behoefte het dat jou maat jou konstant nodig moet hê, kan dit veroorsaak dat jy rampspoedige verhoudingskeuses in die lewe maak. Miskien het jy al verhale gehoor van mense wat yslike veranderinge in hul huwelik ondergaan het. Die waarheid is egter dat die krag om te verander van binne daardie persoon self moet kom, nie van jou af nie. Wanneer jy probeer om jou eggenoot te verander, werk dit nie en uiteindelik sal jou hoop vir verandering in mismoedigheid verander.
Die Boodskap stel dit as volg: ‘Drome wat nie waar word nie, bring hartseer.’ Wanneer jy aanhou smag na iets wat nooit realiseer nie, raak jy hartseer. Jy begin dan verskonings maak vir dit in die verhouding wat nie werk nie, selfs al word dit duidelik vir diegene rondom jou dat daar probleme is. Gesonde verhoudingsbesluite word nie op hoop gebaseer nie. Voeg daarby die feit dat gelowiges dikwels probeer om elke saak te vergeestelik – in die naam van ‘geloof’ ignoreer hulle dan hul instinkte. Dis nie wat geloof in God beteken nie!
Geloof in God moet eenvoudig dit wees – geloof in God. Ons moenie ons geloof in feilbare mans en vrouens plaas nie, want hulle sal ons faal. God gee vir elkeen van ons ‘n wil, maar Hy forseer ons nie om te verander nie. Verandering moet van binne elkeen van ons kom, wanneer ons die genade wat God elke dag na ons toe uitreik, aanvaar. ‘…Die Here het [Lydia se] hart oopgemaak sodat sy ontvanklik was vir Paulus se boodskap’ (Handelinge 16:14 NLV). Hier is ‘n beter opsie: Bid vir hulle en laat God hulle verander!
Sielskos: Gal 4-6; Mark 9:1-13; Ps 119:161-168; Spr 19:3-8
2022-08-29
Revelation 2:4 NLT
One of Paul’s letters was to the church at Ephesus. They were spiritual, doctrinally sound, and exemplary in their love for Christ. Then Jesus says to that same church years later, “You don’t love me or each other as you did at first! Look how far you have fallen! Turn back to me and do the works you did at first” (vv. 4-5 NLT).
Has your love for God grown cold? Then you must go back to where you first met Him and seek Him again like you did before you had heard so much and seen so much; before the pressures of life had worn you down. “But I’m busy doing the Lord’s work,” you say. Beware; busyness and barrenness go hand in hand! Three times Jesus asked Peter, “Do you love Me?” Finally, Peter said, “Lord, You know all things; You know [the extent to which] I love You” (John 21:17 NKJV).
Oswald Chambers said, “Beware of anything that competes with loyalty to Jesus Christ. The greatest competitor of devotion to Jesus is service for Him.” When Peter decided to go fishing that night, he may have been making a decision to get away from everything and go back to where he first met the Lord. That’s a good move if you also seek the Lord there! When you get discouraged, you will either go back to the One who can save, keep, and satisfy, or you will go back to whatever was going on in your life before you met Him. That’s not a good move! Why? Because the Bible says Peter fished all night and caught nothing.
Soul food: Gal 1-3; Mark 8:27-38; Ps 119:145-160; Prov 19:1-2
