2024-05-04
Philippians 1:6 NIV
Many of us have a God-sized dream within us, but we’re so afraid of failing we never even try. We can’t imagine how it could possibly happen. So, we don’t act on it. Here is a challenge: Don’t worry about the outcome. That isn’t your responsibility. “Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” You simply need to act on it.
It doesn’t have to be something big; in fact, it will probably be something small. Everything that’s big starts small. But if you do little things like they are big things, God will bless them and use them. A. W. Tozer said, “A low view of God is the cause of a hundred lesser evils. A high view of God is the solution to ten thousand temporal problems.”
Note how Paul prayed for the believers at Ephesus: “To make you intelligent and discerning in knowing him personally, your eyes focused and clear, so that you can see exactly what it is he is calling you to do, grasp the immensity of this glorious way of life he has for his followers, oh, the utter extravagance of his work in us who trust him – endless energy, boundless strength!” (Ephesians 1:18-19 MSG).
We can’t imagine what God is capable of. This means we can’t imagine what we’re capable of if we give God control of our lives. His power initiates a chain reaction. And with His energy working within us, we can accomplish all He has called us to do.
Soul food: Deut 5-7; Mark 6:14-29; Ps 37:1-7; Prov 11:24-26
2024-05-03
Proverbs 12:22 NLT
Are you in a situation where lying seems to be the only viable solution? Unless you want to create a problem between God and yourself – don’t do it! “The Lord detests lying lips, but he delights in those who tell the truth.” When you lie, you hurt God, others, and yourself. “Dishonesty destroys treacherous people” (Proverbs 11:3 NLT). Lying always comes with consequences because of the following:
(1) God hears you. When you decide to pray, the last thing you will want to discuss with God is the first thing He will want to discuss with you; namely, your dishonesty!
(2) It robs you of your confidence before God. The Bible says, “If we don’t feel guilty, we can come to God with bold confidence. And we will receive from him whatever we ask because we obey him and do the things that please him” (1 John 3:21-22 NLT).
(3) You risk being exposed. Remember, “Truthful words stand the test of time, but lies are soon exposed” (Proverbs 12:19 NLT). When people discover you have lied, they lose respect for you, their trust level plummets, and a reputation that has taken years for you to build suffers a blow you may not recover from.
Paul writes: “Since you have heard about Jesus and… learned the truth that comes from him, throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. Put on your new nature, created to be like God – truly righteous and holy. So stop telling lies. Let us tell our neighbours the truth, for we are all parts of the same body” (Ephesians 4:21-25 NLT).
Soul food: Deut 3-4; Mark 6:7-13; Ps 2; Prov 11:22-23
Spreuke 12:22 NLV
Is jy in ‘n situasie waar dit lyk asof om te lieg die enigste oplossing is? Tensy jy ‘n probleem tussen jouself en God wil skep – moet dit nie doen nie! ‘Die Here verafsku mense wat hulle woord breek. Hy hou van mense wat by hulle woord staan.’ Wanneer jy ‘n leuen vertel, maak jy God, jouself en ander mense seer. ‘…Die valsheid van onbetroubare mense bring hulle ondergang’ (Spreuke 11:3 NLV). Leuens het altyd die volgende gevolge:
1) God hoor jou. Wanneer jy besluit om te bid, is die laaste ding wat jy wil bespreek die eerste ding wat Hy met jou wil bespreek; naamlik, jou oneerlikheid!
2) Dit steel jou selfvertroue voor God. Die Bybel sê: ‘Geliefdes, as ons gewete ons nie veroordeel nie, het ons vrymoedigheid om na God toe te gaan. Wat ons ook al bid, kry ons van Hom omdat ons sy opdragte gehoorsaam en dié dinge in sy teenwoordigheid doen wat Hom bly maak’ (1 Johannes 3:21-22 NLV).
3) Jy loop die risiko om uitgevang te word. Onthou: ‘Die waarheid hou vir altyd; die leuen kom gou aan die lig’ (Spreuke 12:19 NLV). Wanneer mense agterkom dat jy gelieg het, verloor hulle respek vir jou, hulle vertroue in jou word geskend en jou reputasie waaraan jy al jare bou, kry ‘n knou waarvan dit moontlik nie kan herstel nie.
Paulus skryf: ‘Julle het tog van Hom gehoor… Julle het tog die waarheid oor julle verhouding met Jesus geleer, naamlik dat julle, wat julle vroeëre leefstyl betref, die ou, sondige mens soos vuil klere moet uittrek… Ja, trek die nuwe mens soos skoon klere aan, die mens wat na God se beeld geskape is… Gevolglik moet julle ophou leuens vertel en die waarheid teenoor mekaar praat…’ (Efesiërs 4:21-25 NLV).
Sielskos: Deut 3-4; Mark 6:7-13; Ps 2; Spr 11:22-23
2024-05-02
Leviticus 23:22 NKJV
Under Old Testament law, God commanded Jewish farmers: “When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not wholly reap the corners of your field…You shall leave them for the poor and for the stranger” (v. 22 NKJV). Ruth was working in an obscure corner of a field owned by a wealthy man named Boaz, who is a beautiful type of Jesus Christ our Redeemer. When Boaz saw Ruth, he called her out of the corner and into the midst of the harvest field. And he instructed the reapers to drop handfuls of wheat in her path so that she wouldn’t have to work for it (See Ruth 2:16).
There is a lesson here. One moment of God’s favour can change your life. And He can do it through someone He has already prepared, someone you haven’t even met yet. Ruth didn’t know it, but because Boaz was related to her mother-in-law Naomi, that positioned him to be her “kinsman-redeemer” (See Ruth 3:1-9), who was someone qualified to wipe out her debt, and care for her, and meet her needs.
Jesus said, “Your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly” (Matthew 6:4 NKJV). Be assured, God has not overlooked you. Others may not notice your faithfulness, but He does, and He will reward you for it. “God is not unjust to forget your work and labour of love which you have shown toward His name, in that you have ministered to the saints, and do minister” (Hebrews 6:10 NKJV). One of these days God is going to say to you, “Come out of that corner!”
Soul food: Deut 1-2; Mark 6:1-6; Ps 35; Prov 11:19-21
Levitikus 23:22 NLV
Onder die wet in die Ou Testament, het God die Joodse boere beveel: ‘Wannneer julle julle lande oes, moenie die graan aan die kante van die lande ook oes nie… Los dit vir die armes en die vreemdelinge wat tussen julle woon…’ (vers 22 NLV). Rut het aan die kant van ‘n stuk landery wat deur ‘n ryk man genaamd Boas besit is, gewerk. Toe Boas vir Rut sien, het hy haar van die kantlyn af geroep na die middel van sy landerye toe. Hy het ook sy werkers beveel om are met opset op die grond te laat val sodat sy dit maklik sou kon optel (sien Rut 2:16).
Daar is ‘n les hieruit te leer. Een oomblik van God se guns kan jou lewe verander. Hy kan dit doen deur iemand wat Hy alreeds daarvoor voorberei het, iemand wat jy nog nie eers ontmoet het nie. Rut het dit nie geweet nie, maar omdat Boas aan haar skoonma Naomi verwant was, het dit hom as haar losser – iemand wat haar skuld sou kon delg, vir haar sorg en aan haar behoeftes kon voldoen – geposisioneer (sien Rut 3:1-9).
Jesus het gesê: ‘So sal jou hulpbetoon geheim bly, en jou Vader wat alle geheime ken, sal jou beloon’ (Matteus 6:4 NLV). Wees verseker, God het jou nie misgekyk nie. Ander mense mag dalk nie jou getrouheid raaksien nie, maar Hy doen en Hy sal jou daarvoor beloon. ‘God is nie onregverdig nie. Hy sal nie vergeet hoe hard julle vir Hom gewerk het nie; hoe julle julle liefde vir Hom betuig het deurdat julle julle mede-Christene gedien het en dit nog steeds doen nie’ (Hebreërs 6:10 NLV). Een van die dae gaan God vir jou sê: ‘Kom van die kantlyn af!’
Sielskos: Deut 1-2; Mark 6:1-6; Ps 35; Spr 11:19-21
