2025-04-03
Deuteronomy 16:17 NKJV
When it comes to giving, here are two important truths the Bible teaches us about money:
(1) God does not expect us all to give the same amount. “Every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the Lord your God which He has given you” (v. 17 NKJV). Paul writes, “For if the willingness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what one does not have” (2 Corinthians 8:12 NIV).
(2) God will ask you to make sacrifices to fulfill His kingdom purposes in the earth. In order to reverse the judgment of God that had come upon the people, King David was instructed to “go up, erect an altar to the Lord on the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite” (2 Samuel 24:18 NKJV). When Araunah saw David coming, he offered him the land free of charge. But David said: “‘No, but I will surely buy it from you for a price; nor will I offer burnt offerings to the Lord my God with that which costs me nothing.’ So David bought the threshing floor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver. And David built there an altar to the Lord, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings. So the Lord heeded the prayers for the land, and the plague was withdrawn from Israel” (vv. 24-25 NKJV).
God does not ask us to give equally, He asks us to sacrifice equally. And here is the good news: On the other side of every sacrifice God asks you to make for Him, there awaits you His blessings and His rewards.
Soul food: Lev 15-17; Luke 21:8-11; Ps 25:8-15; Prov 10:1
2025-04-02
Job 1:21 NLV
Job het die volgende oor sy groot rykdom gesê: ‘…Naak het ek uit my ma se skoot gekom, en naak sal ek weer van alles gestroop wees die dag wanneer ek doodgaan…’ Job het verstaan dat ons almal met leë hande die lewe binnekom en met leë hande die lewe verlaat. Die enigste ding wat ons saam met ons kan neem, is dit wat ons vooruit gestuur het.
Jesus sê die volgende daaroor: ‘Moenie vir julle hier op aarde skatte bymekaarmaak waar motte en roes dit wegvreet en diewe inbreek en roof nie. Maak vir julle skatte in die hemel bymekaar waar geen mot en roes dit sal kan bykom nie, en waar diewe nooit sal kan inbreek en roof nie. Onthou, waar jou skat is, daar sal jou hart ook wees’ (Matteus 6:19-21 NLV).
Jesus se gehoor sou rykdom en skatte as klere, kos en geld gesien het. Ryk mense het die beste klere gedra, maar motte kon gate daarin vreet. Ryk mense het die beste kos geëet, maar rotte en wurms kon dit opvreet. Ryk mense het silwer en goud besit, maar aangesien daar geen banke was nie, het hulle hul geld in hulle huise bewaar. Die huise was egter van klei gebou en diewe kon gemaklik deur die muur breek en dit steel. Dus het Jesus gesê: ‘Moenie jou skat bêre waar dit beskadig, verrot of gesteel kan word nie.’
‘n Pastoor skryf: ‘Jesus wil nie jou geld hê nie. Dis reeds syne. Jesus wil jou hart hê. Aangesien jou hart egter altyd jou geld volg, wil Hy hê dat jy jou geld, jou rykdom en jou besittings aan Hom moet oorgee.’ Wanneer jy dit doen, belê jy in die ewigheid.
Sielskos: Lev 13:38-14:57; Luk 21:1-7; Ps 25:1-7; Spr 9:17-18
Job 1:21 NKJV
Here is what Job said about his great wealth: “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return there.” Job understood that we all enter life with our hands empty, and we all exit life with our hands empty. The only thing we can take with us when we go is what we have sent ahead.
Jesus talks about this: “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:19-21 NKJV).
When Jesus referred to treasure, His audience would have understood that He was referring to clothing, food, or money. Rich people wore the best clothes, but moths could tear holes in them. Rich people ate the best food, but rats and worms could consume it. Rich people owned silver and gold, but since there were no banks, they stored their money in their houses. But because houses were made of clay, thieves could conveniently reach through the wall and rob it. What Jesus was saying was “Don’t put your treasure where it can be damaged, decayed, or done away with.”
A pastor writes: “Jesus doesn’t want your money. It’s already his. Jesus wants your heart. But since your heart always follows your money, he wants you to surrender your money, your wealth, your stuff to him.” When you do that, you’re investing in eternity instead of time.
Soul food: Lev 13:38-14:57; Luke 21:1-7; Ps 25:1-7; Prov 9:17-18
2025-04-01
Deuteronomium 8:18 NLV
Nadat hulle vierhonderd jaar as slawe geleef het, was die Israeliete op die punt om die Beloofde Land in te neem. God was egter besorg – dieselfde besorgdheid wat Hy oor elkeen van ons het. Wanneer jy min het, besef jy hoe afhanklik jy van God is. Wanneer jy egter baie het, is mens geneig om God, die bron van elke seëning, te vergeet.
Let op wat Dawid gesê het toe God se mense oorvloedig gegee het om die tempel te bou: ‘…Alles wat ons het, kom van U af, en ons gee vir U net dit wat U reeds vir ons gegee het!… selfs hierdie boumateriaal wat ons ingesamel het om ‘n tempel te bou om u heilige Naam te eer, kom van U af. Dit behoort alles aan U!’ (1 Kronieke 29:14, 16 NLV). Die gebed wat Dawid daardie dag gebid het, het ‘n blywende indruk op sy seun Salomo gemaak, wat later geskryf het: ‘En as God aan mense rykdom en besittings gee, en die vermoë om dit te geniet, is dit ook ‘n geskenk uit sy hand’ (Prediker 5:18 NLV).
Jy sê: ‘Ek het hard gewerk om bo in my beroep uit te kom,’ of ‘Ek het hard gewerk om hierdie besigheid op te bou.’ Wie het vir jou die krag daarvoor gegee? Wie het vir jou die talente gegee? As jy dink dat jy dit alles self behaal het, lees die volgende Skrifgedeelte, skryf dit neer en dra dit met jou saam: “Nou sê die Here, jou Redder, die Heilige van Israel: ‘Ek is die Here jou God wat jou leer wat vir jou reg is. Ek lei jou op die pad waarop jy moet loop'” (Jesaja 48:17 NLV).
Sielskos: Lev 11:1-13:37; Luk 20:41-47; Ps 32; Spr 9:10-16
Deuteronomy 8:18 NKJV
After four hundred years of living like slaves, the Israelites were about to take possession of the promised land. And God had a concern. What was it? The same concern He has about each of us. When you have little, you realize how dependent you are on God. But when you have much, your tendency is to forget God, the source of every blessing.
Note what David said when God’s people gave generously to build the temple: “All things come from You, and of Your own we have given You… God, all this abundance that we have prepared to build You a house… is all Your own” (1 Chronicles 29:14, 16 NKJV). The prayer David prayed that day left a lasting impression on his son Solomon, who later wrote: “As for every man to whom God has given riches and wealth, and given him power to eat of it, to receive his heritage and rejoice in his labour – this is the gift of God” (Ecclesiastes 5:19 NKJV).
You say, “I worked hard to get to the top in my career” or “I worked hard to build this business.” Who gave you the strength? Who gave you the talent? Who gave you the strategy, the connections, and the resources to do it? If you think it was you, read this Scripture, write it down, and carry it with you: “Thus says the Lord, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: ‘I am the Lord your God, who teaches you to profit, who leads you by the way you should go'” (Isaiah 48:17 NKJV).
Soul food: Lev 11:1-13:37; Luke 20:41-47; Ps 32; Prov 9:10-16
