2025-05-06
Romeine 16:2 NLV
Wanneer dit by die lewe se groot presteerders kom, is die apostel Paulus in sy eie liga. Hy neem egter ‘n hele hoofstuk in die Bybel, Romeine 16, om die mense wat hom gehelp het om sukses in sy roeping te behaal, te erken. Die titel van die hoofstuk kon: ‘Ek kon dit nie sonder jou gedoen het nie!’ gewees het. Paulus begin die hoofstuk deur van Febe te vertel: ‘…Ek beveel haar sterk by julle aan… Sy is ‘n staatmaker wat al baie gelowiges ondersteun het – ook vir my’ (verse 1-2 NLV).
President Lyndon Johnson het gesê: ‘Daar is geen probleem wat ons nie saam kan oplos nie en baie min wat ons self kan oplos.’ Toe God vir Adam geskep het, het Hy gesê: ‘…Dit is nie goed dat die mens alleen is nie. Ek sal vir hom ‘n metgesel maak…’ (Genesis 2:18 NLV). Hy het toe vir Eva geskep. Van die begin af leer God ons dat baie min dinge van belang al ooit deur iemand wat alleen optree, bereik is. Kyk onder die oppervlak en jy sal vind dat die meeste prestasies in werklikheid spanpogings was.
Daniel Boone het metgeselle van die Transylvania Company tot sy beskikking gehad terwyl hy die Wildernispad uitgelê het. Wyatt Earp se twee broers en Doc Holliday het hom bygestaan. Charles Lindbergh het die finansiering van nege sakemanne van St. Louis en die kundigheid van die Ryan Aeronautical Company, wat sy vliegtuig gebou het, gehad. Selfs Albert Einstein het erken: ‘Ek besef baie keer per dag hoeveel my eie uiterlike en innerlike lewe op die arbeid van my medemens, beide lewende en dooies, gebou is en hoe ernstig ek myself moet inspan om soveel in ruil daarvoor te gee as wat ek ontvang het.’
Die geheim tot sukses kan in hierdie drie woorde opgesom word: verbintenis… toewyding… kommunikasie.
Sielskos: Num 32:25-33:56; Mark 5:11-20; Ps 44:17-26; Spr 11:12-13
Romans 16:2 NLT
When it comes to life’s great achievers, the apostle Paul is in a league of his own. But he takes one entire chapter of the Bible, Romans 16, to acknowledge all the people who helped him to succeed in his calling. The chapter could be captioned “I couldn’t have done it without you!” He starts by talking about Phoebe, “who is worthy of honour… for she has been helpful to many… especially… me” (vv. 1-2 NLT).
President Lyndon Johnson said, “There are no problems we cannot solve together, and very few that we can solve by ourselves.” When God created Adam, He said, “It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper” (Genesis 2:18 NKJV). And He created Eve. From the beginning of time, God teaches us that very little of significance is ever accomplished by an individual acting alone. Look below the surface, and you will invariably find that all the single-handed feats are really team efforts.
Daniel Boone had at his disposal companions from the Transylvania Company while blazing the Wilderness Road. Wyatt Earp’s two brothers and Doc Holliday assisted him. Charles Lindbergh had the finances of nine businessmen from St. Louis and the expertise of Ryan Aeronautical Company, which built his plane. Even Albert Einstein acknowledged: “Many times a day I realize how much my own outer and inner life is built upon the labours of my fellow men, both living and dead, and how earnestly I must exert myself in order to give in return as much as I have received.”
The secret to success in any endeavour can be summed up in these three words: connect… commit… communicate.
Soul food: Num 32:25-33:56; Mark 5:11-20; Ps 44:17-26; Prov 11:12-13
2025-05-05
Johannes 21:15 NLV
Reimar Schultze sê: ‘Hoe pligsgetrouer ons is, hoe meer gaan ons bed toe met die gevoel dat ons nie honderd persent gegee het nie. Baie mense trap in die strik om hulself van die Here se vreugde en sy vrede wat alle verstand te bowe gaan, te beroof. Ons is almal vertroud met die getuienisse van sommige van die grootste manne van God. Baie van hulle het gedink dat hulle nie vir die taak opgewasse was nie.’
Moses het heeltemal onwaardig en nie in staat om Israel uit Egipte te bevry nie, gevoel. Hoe dikwels het God jou nie al geroep nie en dan het jy dieselfde as Moses gesê nie: ‘Maar wie is ek dan…?… Hoe kan U dit van my verwag…?’ (Eksodus 3:11 NLV). Dink jy dat jy meer as die Een wat jou geroep het weet? Elia was so depressief dat hy uitgeroep het: ‘…Ek het nou genoeg gehad, Here… Neem nou maar my lewe…’ (1 Konings 19:4 NLV). Job het sy geboortedag vervloek, maar tog het die Bybel hom as volg beskryf: ‘Hy het onberispelik geleef, ‘n man met integriteit. Hy het God gedien en nie die verkeerde gedoen nie’ (Job 1:1 NLV).
Pastoor Schultze gaan voort: ‘Ons sal altyd in die versoeking kom om ons waarde vir God aan ons prestasies te probeer meet. Ek weier egter wanneer ek gaan slaap, om deur ‘n soort kontrolelys oor hoe ek die dag gedoen het, te gaan. Ek sal eerder vir myself die vraag wat Jesus vir Petrus gevra het vra: ‘Het jy My met jou hele hart, siel, verstand en krag lief?’ Dit is die enigste toets wat ek aan die einde van elke dag wil slaag.’ Dis die toets wat die meeste tel!
Sielskos: Num 30:1-32:24; Mark 5:1-10; Ps 44:9-16; Spr 11:10-11
John 21:15 NIV
Reimar Schultze says: “The more conscientious we are, the more we… go to bed with some sense that we missed the elusive 100 percent again… Many precious saints fall for this trap… robbing themselves of the joy of the Lord and the peace… that passes all understanding… We all are familiar with the testimonies of some of the greatest men of God. Many of them, like us…found themselves in the gutters of self-incrimination.”
Moses felt completely unworthy and unable to free Israel from Egypt. Yet how often has God called you to do something and you said the same thing: “Who am I, that I should go?” (Exodus 3:11 KJV). Do you think you know more than the One who called you? David tells us throughout the Psalms that God is omnipotent and omnipresent; that He never takes his eyes off us. Then David contradicts himself by declaring, “I am a worm and not a man” (Psalm 22:6 NIV), and “I am forgotten as though I were dead” (Psalm 31:12 NIV). Elijah was so depressed that he cried, “Enough… Lord, take away my life” (1 Kings 19:4 KJV). Job cursed the day he was born, yet the Bible calls him a “blameless and upright” man who reverenced God (Job 1:1 NIV).
Pastor Schultze continues: “Measuring our worth to God by our performance will continue to threaten us until the end of time… I absolutely refuse to go to bed going through some kind of checklist on how I did… I would rather ask myself the question Jesus asked Peter…do you love Me with all your heart, soul, mind and strength? Again, that is the only test I want to give myself at the end of the day.” It’s the one that counts most!
Soul food: Num 30:1-32:24; Mark 5:1-10; Ps 44:9-16; Prov 11:10-11
2025-05-04
Ecclesiastes 3:1, 6 MSG
Persistence, determination, commitment, and recognizing the “right time…to hold on” are all commendable qualities, whether it’s setting aside time to pray and read every day, eating dinner with your family, finding a better job, or losing weight, etc. But it’s equally important to recognize the “right time… to let go” of self-generated urgency and things that are stopping you from living “life in all its fullness” (John 10:10 NCV). The Bible tells us to “lay aside every weight” (Hebrews 12:1 NKJV).
Not sure how to start? One teacher offers this suggestion: “Go to the hardware store and buy a flat patio stone that fits into your briefcase or purse. Then take a marker and write on the stone all the fears and prerequisites that are stopping you from enjoying life. Carry it with you wherever you go… eating, working, watching TV, showering, sleeping. Feel how heavy it is? It’s hard to get anything done when your muscles are working overtime carrying all that extra weight. At the end of the second day (if you last that long!), sit down with your stone, review the list, and make a conscious decision to let go of the worries and burdens that are sapping your energy. Then go outside and set the rock down beside your front door. See how much lighter you feel? How much easier it is to get things done? Before you leave home every day, take a second to look at your stone… then turn around and deliberately walk away.”
That’s what it means to “give your burdens to the Lord, and he will take care of you” (Psalm 55:22 NLT).
Soul food: Exo 20:12; Eph 6:1-3; Matt 15:1-9; John 19:25-27
