2022-08-12
Proverbs 21:20 NKJV
God’s Word says you’re to do two things with your money. (1) Sow some. The Bible says, “Whoever sows generously will also reap generously” (2 Corinthians 9:6 NIV). You say, “But things are a bit tight for me right now.” Don’t withhold because you are afraid of not having enough. Give God a seed to work with, and He will make sure you have a harvest when you need it. His ability to provide is not limited by the world’s economy. Do what Isaac did: “There was a famine in the land… Then Isaac sowed… and reaped in the same year a hundredfold; and the Lord blessed him” (Genesis 26:1, 12 NKJV). Who blessed Isaac financially? The Lord! When God tells you to give, do it in faith, confident that at the right time, in the right way, and in exactly the right places, you will receive. You say, “I’ve never tried that.” Just one time before you die, try it!
(2) Save some. “There is… treasure… in the dwelling of the wise. But a foolish man squanders it” (Proverbs 21:20 NKJV). Learn to live within your means. Remind yourself that you can live happily without most of the stuff advertised on television. Before you make a purchase, stop and pray. Just because the bank approves the loan doesn’t mean God approves the expenditure. Joseph instructed Pharaoh: “Gather all the food of those good years that are coming… Then that food shall be as a reserve for… seven years of famine” (Genesis 41:35-36 NKJV). Live by the “Joseph principle,” and save. And one more thought: If you keep squandering money recklessly, why would God answer your prayer and give you more money to squander?
Soul food: Deut 28-29; Mark 4:26-41; Ps 119:33-40; Prov 17:16
2022-08-11
Eksodus 2:25 NLV
‘…Die Israeliete het egter nog steeds gebuk gegaan onder slawewerk. Hulle het om hulp geroep… God het gehoor hoe hulle roep. Hy het onthou dat Hy ‘n verbond met Abraham, Isak en Jakob gesluit het en gesien wat met die Israeliete gebeur. Hy was bekommerd oor hulle’ (verse 23-25 NLV). Net toe die Israeliete gedink het dat die lewe nie moeiliker kan raak nie, het die farao hulle strooi weggeneem en hulle beveel om dieselde kwota bakstene elke dag te lewer. Dis toe dat hulle hul breekpunt bereik het! Is dit waar jy vandag is? Indien dit die geval is, is daar drie dinge wat jy moet weet:
1) Dit help soms om jou gevoelens te deel. Veral wanneer jy dit op die regte tyd, op die regte manier en met die regte mense deel. Dit kan terapeuties en genesend wees. Dikwels kan die hulp wat jy nodig het egter nie in mense gevind word nie, dus:
2) Daar kom ‘n tyd wat jy na God om hulp moet roep. God het gesien hoe die Israeliete sukkel om deur nog ‘n dag te kom. Aangesien hulle egter met almal behalwe Hom daaroor gepraat het, het niks verander nie. Het jy al daaroor gebid? Gebed moet jou eerste opsie, nie jou laaste uitweg wees nie. Dawid het gesê: ‘In my nood het ek tot die Here gebid. Die Here het my geantwoord en my bevry’ (Psalm 118:5 NLV).
3) God verbreek nooit sy beloftes nie. ‘…Hy het onthou dat Hy ‘n verbond met Abraham, Isak en Jakob gesluit het en gesien wat met die Israeliete gebeur. Hy was bekommerd oor hulle.’ God werk volgens sy plan, nie joune nie. Hy het ‘n bepaalde skedule waarvolgens Hy jou gebede beantwoord en jou red, hou dus aan bid en glo Hom.
Sielskos: Deut 25-27; Mark 4:13-25; Ps 119:25-32; Spr 17:11-15
Exodus 2:25 NLT
“The Israelites continued to groan under their burden of slavery. They cried out for help, and their cry rose up to God. God heard their groaning, and he remembered his covenant promise to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. He looked down on the people of Israel and knew it was time to act” (vv. 23-25 NLT). Just when the Israelites thought life couldn’t get worse, Pharaoh withdrew their straw and ordered them to produce the same daily quota of bricks. That’s when they reached their breaking point!
Is that where you are today? If so, here are three things you need to know: (1) Sometimes it helps to share your feelings. Especially when you do it at the right time, in the right way, to the right people. It can be therapeutic and healing. But often the help you need cannot be found in people, so…
(2) There comes a time when you must cry out to God. God saw them struggling to get through another day. But since they talked to everybody but Him, nothing changed. Question: Have you prayed about it? Prayer must be your first option, not your last resort. David said, “I called on the Lord in distress; The Lord answered me and set me in a broad place” (Psalm 118:5-6 NKJV). David’s prayers got him out of a tight spot and into God’s spot.
(3) God will always keep His promise. “He remembered His covenant promise… and knew it was time to act.” God works according to His plan, not ours. He has a set schedule for answering your prayer and delivering you, so keep praying and believing Him.
Soul food: Deut 25-27; Mark 4:13-25; Ps 119:25-32; Prov 17:11-15
2022-08-10
Jakobus 1:25 NLV
Jou lewe moet nie deur jou impulse, jou gedagtes of die opinies van diegene rondom jou regeer word nie, maar deur die Woord van God. Die Bybel is nie God se poging om vir jou interessante insigte of goeie raad aan te bied wat jy kan oorweeg nie; dis sy vaste opinie. Jesus het gesê: ‘Elkeen wat na my woorde luister en daarvolgens handel, is soos ‘n verstandige persoon wie se huis op soliede rots gebou is’ (Matteus 7:24 NLV). Die bouer se fondasie het die lewe se storms weerstaan. Jesus gaan voort: ‘Maar elkeen wat na my woorde luister en dit nie doen nie, sal wees soos ‘n dwaas wie se huis op sand gebou is. Wanneer daar ‘n stortbui val, en die vloedwater afkom, en die stormwinde waai, sal daardie huis heeltemal inmekaar stort’ (verse 26-27 NLV). Jesus het nie die tweede man veroordeel omdat hy ‘n onvoldoende struktuur gebou het of versuim het om sy woorde te hoor, te verstaan en te glo nie, maar omdat hy nie daarvolgens opgetree het nie.
Jakobus skryf: ‘Julle moet mense word wat dóén wat die woord sê… As jy… dóén wat die wet sê en jy vergeet nie wat jy gehoor het nie, dan kan jy God se seën verwag op dit wat jy doen’ (Jakobus 1:22, 25 NLV). As jy dink dat wanneer jy God se woord lees, ken en selfs glo, jy jou verpligting daaroor nagekom het, is jy verkeerd. Jy moet dit nie net glo nie, maar ook daarvolgens optree. Toe Moses God se Woord vir die Israeliete voorgelees het, het hulle gesê: ‘…Ons sal alles doen wat die Here gesê het! Ons sal daarna luister!’ (Eksodus 24:7 NLV). Dit moet ook jou lewensreël wees.
Sielskos: Deut 22-24; Mark 4:1-12; Ps 119:17-24; Spr 17:7-10
James 1:25 CEV
Your life must be governed by the Word of God, not your impulses, or your thoughts, or the opinions of those around you. The Bible is not God’s attempt to offer you interesting insights or good advice for your consideration; it’s His fixed opinion. Jesus said, “Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock” (Matthew 7:24 NKJV). This builder’s foundation withstood life’s storms. On the other hand, Jesus said, “Everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them” is foolish and the storms of life will sweep them away (See vv. 26-27 NKJV).
Now, Jesus didn’t condemn the second man for building an inadequate structure or failing to hear, understand, and believe His words, but for failing to act on them. James writes, “Obey God’s message! Don’t fool yourselves by just listening to it… God will bless you in everything you do, if you listen and obey, and don’t just hear and forget” (James 1:22, 25 CEV).
If you think reading, knowing, and even believing God’s Word fulfills your obligation to it, you are mistaken. Because it’s God’s Word, His instructions must be obeyed. That requires not just believing it but behaving according to it. James didn’t say you would be blessed because of what you believe, but because of what you “do.” When Moses read God’s Word to the Israelites, they said, “All that the Lord has said we will do, and be obedient” (Exodus 24:7 NKJV). And that must be your rule for living, too.
Soul food: Deut 22-24; Mark 4:1-12; Ps 119:17-24; Prov 17:7-10
