2024-07-16
Handelinge 20:30 NLV
Paulus skryf: ‘Selfs uit julle eie geledere sal daar mense na vore kom wat, deur verdraaide dinge te verkonding, die gelowiges sal probeer verlei om hulle te volg. Daarom: Wakkerloop! Onthou dat ek vir drie jaar lank sonder ophou vir elkeen van julle die regte koers aangedui het, dag en nag, en met trane. En nou vertrou ek julle aan God toe en aan die boodskap van die onverdiende goedheid wat Hy aan mense bewys. Dié boodskap is in staat om julle op te bou en julle in die seëninge te laat deel wat Hy aan al die gelowiges as erfporsie belowe het’ (verse 30-32 NLV).
Wanneer iemand sê dat hulle ‘n ‘spesiale openbaring van God’ gekry het, maar dis nie in lyn met wat die Skrif leer nie, moenie dit glo nie! Doen wat die mense van Berea gedoen het: ‘…hulle het met groot belangstelling na Paulus se boodskap geluister. Hulle het elke dag die Skrifte ondersoek om te sien of dit is soos Paulus en Silas sê’ (Handelinge 17:11 NLV).
Geen leier, maak nie saak hoe groot hul groep volgelinge is, word van hierdie soeklig vrygeskeld nie. Goeie leiers verwelkom dit inteendeel. Het God in hierdie era van tegnologie nuwe en effektiewe strategieë om die wêreld met die evangelie te bereik? Ja, en ons moet dit aanvaar en gebruik sodat ons die finale oes kan bymekaar maak. Ons moet egter nooit kompromieë aangaan as dit by God se Woord kom nie. Soms kom die grootste bedreiging tot die waarheid van diegene vir wie ons lief is, met wie ons saam gewerk het en wat die pad byster geraak het, af. Wat is dus die antwoord? Dis eenvoudig. Vra altyd: ‘Wat sê die Bybel?’ en maak dit jou maatstaf.
Sielskos: 2 Sam 7:18-11:27; Luk 7:11-23; Ps 118:1-9; Spr 18:4-6
Acts 20:30 NKJV
Paul writes: “From among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves. Therefore watch, and remember that for three years I did not cease to warn everyone night and day with tears. So now, brethren, I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified” (vv. 30-32 NKJV).
When someone claims “special revelation from God” that doesn’t line up with what Scripture teaches, don’t buy it! Do what the Bereans did: “They received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true” (Acts 17:11 NIV). Whose teachings did the Bereans put under the searchlight of Scripture? Paul’s!
No leader, regardless of the size of their following, is beyond such scrutiny. Indeed, good leaders welcome it. “But doesn’t God still have more to say to us?” you ask. Yes, and when you take your last breath, you still won’t know everything. Does God have new and effective strategies for reaching the world with the gospel in this age of technology? Yes, and we must embrace and utilize them in order to reap the final harvest. But we must never compromise when it comes to God’s Word. “From among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things.” Sometimes the greatest threat to truth comes from those we know, love, and have worked with, who have gotten off track. So, what’s the answer? It’s simple. Always ask, “What does the Bible say?” and make that your benchmark.
Soul food: 2 Sam 7:18-11:27; Luke 7:11-23; Ps 118:1-9; Prov 18:4-6
2024-07-15
James 4:3 NIV
A pastor writes: “According to legend, King Midas loved gold so much that when Dionysus granted him a wish, Midas asked that everything he touched would turn to gold. At first, Midas was delighted with his request, but when he discovered that his touch made food inedible and his embrace made loved ones lifeless, he stumbled upon what sociologist Robert Merton called the law of unintended consequences. Like Midas, getting what we want can result in… undesirable consequences. So much for the Midas touch. Sometimes an unanswered prayer is God, in His sovereign wisdom, sparing us the pain of unintended consequences. Sometimes God allows what His power could prevent. Most of the time that causes us a great deal of temporal angst, but someday we will owe God as many thank-you’s for the prayers He did not answer as the ones He did.”
James writes, “You do not have because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures” (vv. 2-3 NIV). C. S. Lewis said, “If God had granted all the silly prayers I’ve made in my life, where would I be now?”
The pastor continues: “Many of our prayers are misguided. We pray for comfort instead of character. We pray for an easy way out instead of the strength to make it through… Many of our prayers would short-circuit God’s plans and purposes for our lives if He answered them. Maybe we should stop asking God to get us out of difficult circumstances and start asking Him what He wants us to get out of those difficult circumstances.”
Soul food: 2 Sam 3:22-7:17; Luke 7:1-10; Ps 109:16-31; Prov 18:1-3
Jakobus 4:3 NLV
‘n Pastoor skryf: ‘Volgens die legende het koning Midas goud so liefgehad dat hy gewens het dat alles wat hy aanraak in goud moes verander. Aan die begin was Midas baie in sy skik met sy wens, maar toe hy agtergekom het dat sy aanraking kos oneetbaar en sy geliefdes leweloos maak, het hy met die konsep wat die sosioloog Robert Merton die wet van onbedoelde gevolge noem, kennis gemaak. Soos Midas kan daar ongewenste gevolge ontstaan as ons alles kry wat ons wil hê. Soms is ‘n onbeantwoorde gebed God wat in sy soewereine wysheid ons van die pyn van onbedoelde gevolge spaar. Die meeste van die tyd veroorsaak dit ‘n groot mate van angs by ons, maar eendag sal ons God net soveel dank verskuldig wees vir die gebede wat Hy nie beantwoord het nie, as dié wat Hy wel beantwoord het.’
Jakobus skryf: ‘…En eintlik is die rede hoekom julle nie het wat julle wil hê nie, die feit dat julle God nie daarvoor vra nie. En selfs wanneer julle vra, kry julle dit nie omdat julle motiewe verkeerd is – julle wil goed hê net om dit self te geniet’ (verse 2-3 NLV). C.S. Lewis het gesê: ‘As God al die simpel gebede wat ek in my lewe gebid het beantwoord het, waar sou ek nou gewees het?’
Die pastoor gaan voort: ‘Baie van ons gebede is ondeurdag. Ons bid vir gemak, eerder as vir karakter. Ons bid vir ‘n maklike uitkoms, eerder as die krag om deur dit te kom. Miskien moet ons God ophou vra om ons uit moelike omstandighede te neem en Hom begin vra wat Hy wil hê ons uit die moeilike omstandighede moet leer.’
Sielskos: 2 Sam 3:22-7:17; Luk 7:1-10; Ps 109:16-31; Spr 18:1-3
2024-07-14
2 Corinthians 12:9 NKJV
First, acknowledge your inadequacy to God. Joni Eareckson Tada says, “Deny your weakness, and you will never realize God’s strength in you.” God told Paul, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Anything that makes you lean on God is a plus and not a minus.
Second, stop putting yourself down. You say, “But I lack the qualifications to do the job.” God doesn’t call the qualified, He qualifies the called. How? By filling them with His Spirit. “I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions. And also on My menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit” (Joel 2:28-29 NKJV). God isn’t limited by age, gender, race, or academic status. The only thing that limits Him is the limit you place on yourself or allow others to.
Third, don’t buy it. Advertisers spend billions of dollars to convince you that without their product you are inadequate or incomplete. Don’t believe them! Begin to say, “I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made” (Psalm 139:14 NKJV).
Fourth, view the excellence or superior performance of someone else as a source of motivation rather than intimidation.
Meanwhile, don’t lose sight of your unique giftedness. Yes, you are gifted in some area. “Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them” (Romans 12:6 NKJV). Your gift may be undiscovered, undeveloped, or unused, but it resides within you. Today unlock it and begin to use it.
Soul food: Matt 5:8; Ps 24:3-6; 2 Pet 3:3-14; 1 John 3:1-3
