2025-03-23
Hebrews 10:2 NKJV
To become a worshiper in the fullest sense requires two things. First, an understanding that God’s love toward you is not predicated on your love toward Him. The moment you accept Christ as your Saviour, God accepts you and clothes you in the righteousness of Christ; therefore, you are always worthy to approach Him.
Second, understanding that God’s love for you is not merely a theological concept, but something that is embraced with your heart and responded to through your emotions. In the act of worship, you “let yourself go,” giving yourself without reservation and abandoning yourself to Him. “Worshipers, once purified, would have had no consciousness of sins.”
When you believe that the blood of Jesus has cleansed you from all sin – past, present, and future – you become a worshiper enraptured with His love. Sinful patterns are changed, and stubborn habits are broken when you get your eyes off yourself and focus on Christ. Paul writes, “Be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord” (Ephesians 5:18-19 NKJV). Note the words “in your heart to the Lord.”
The psalmist David writes, “Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who trusts in Him!” (Psalm 34:8 NKJV). Note the word “taste.” Picture yourself sitting down to your favourite meal, tasting each bite and savoring each flavour. The truth of God’s love for you must not just remain in your mind; it must be experienced in your heart. When that happens, you are truly worshiping God.
Soul food: Lev 27:30-33; Num 31:48-54; 1 Cor 16:1-3; 2 Cor 9:1-15
2025-03-22
Markus 16:20 NLV
Die boek Markus word op die volgende manier afgesluit: ‘Die dissipels het toe die Goeie Nuus oral gaan verkondig, en die Here het saam met hulle gewerk en hulle boodskap bevestig deur die wondertekens wat daarmee gepaardgegaan het.’ Om die wil van God te verstaan is nie ‘n presiese wetenskap nie, selfs diegene wat geestelik volwasse is kan dit verkeerd verstaan. Jy kan egter op die volgende staatmaak: God sal ‘n kombinasie van die Gees en die Skrif gebruik om jou te lei. Soos jy sy Woord en jou hart oopmaak, sal God met jou praat. Dan moet jy daarop reageer.
Die manier om geestelik momentum te kry is deur te bid en dan ‘n besluit te maak. Hoe moeiliker die besluit is, hoe meer momentum kan dit produseer. Die hoofrede hoekom die meeste van ons nie agterkom dat God beweeg nie, is omdat ons nie beweeg nie. Aan die einde van haar bediening is Moeder Teresa dikwels deur haar bewonderaars gevra hoe hulle ‘n verskil met hulle lewens, soos sy met hare gemaak het, kan maak. Sy het dikwels met slegs vier woorde gereageer: ‘Vind jou eie Kalkutta.’
Dit beteken nie dat God se wil vir jou is om ‘n sendeling in ‘n ander land te wees nie. Dit kan dit wees; maar die groter waarskynlikheid is dat God jou roep om waar jy leef en werk aksie te neem. Voor God jou vra om groter dinge te doen, sal Hy jou vra om dit wat jy reeds het te gebruik, te doen wat jy kan en te dien waar jy is. Watter klein dinge kan jy dus nou doen wat jou gereed gaan maak vir die groot dinge wat God in die toekoms vir jou in gedagte het?
Sielskos: Job 38-39; Luk 19:28-36; Ps 38:13-22; Spr 8:24-26
Mark 16:20 KJV
The book of Mark concludes this way: “They went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following.” Understanding the will of God is not a precise science, and the most spiritually mature among us can get it wrong. But this much you can count on: God will use a combination of the Spirit and Scripture to guide you. As you open His Word and open your heart, God will speak to you. Then you have to act on it.
The way to get spiritual momentum is by praying, and then making a decision. And the harder the decision, the more momentum it can produce. The main reason most of us don’t notice God moving is because we aren’t moving. If you would like to see God move, you need to make a move! Near the end of her ministry, Mother Teresa was frequently asked by her admirers how they could make a difference with their lives the way she had with hers. She often replied with only four words: “Find your own Calcutta.”
That doesn’t mean God’s will for you is to be a missionary in a foreign land. It could be; the greater likelihood is that God is calling you to take action where you live and where you work. Before God asks you to do greater things, He will ask you to use what you have, do what you can, and serve where you are. So, what little things do you need to do now that will make you ready for the big things God wants down the road?
Soul food: Job 38-39; Luke 19:28-36; Ps 38:13-22; Prov 8:24-26
2025-03-21
Jeremia 31:3 NLV
Nadat hulle vierhonderd jaar as slawe in Egipte deurgebring het, het die Israeliete met lae selfbeeld gesukkel. Dus het God vir hulle gesê: ‘Ek het jou lief met ‘n liefde wat nooit ophou nie. Ek trek jou met troue liefde na My toe. Ek sal jou weer herbou soos jy vroeër was…’ (verse 3-4 NLV). Hoe kan jy jou selfbeeld bou, of weer herbou? Op drie maniere:
Eerstens, deur in God se onverdiende, onveranderlike, onfeilbare liefde vir jou te alle tye te glo.
Tweedens, deur te dien en aan ander te gee. Wanneer jy in die verlede geviktimiseer is, is jy geneig om op jouself te fokus. Dis nie dat jy selfsugtig wil wees nie, dis wat jy voel jy moet doen sodat jy kan oorleef. Tog is die teenoorgestelde waar. Wanneer jy iemand anders help – selfs deur net ‘n klein verskil te maak – verbeter dit jou selfbeeld. Dis moeilik om slegte gevoelens oor jouself te hê wanneer jy besig is om iets goeds vir iemand anders te doen. Boonop veroorsaak waardetoevoeging tot ‘n ander se lewe dat daardie persoon jou meer waardeer. Dit skep ‘n siklus van positiewe gevoelens van een persoon na ‘n ander.
Derdens, om die regte ding te doen, selfs wanneer dit die moeilike ding is om te doen. Om getrou aan jouself en jou waardes te wees is ‘n merkwaardige selfbeeldbouer. Elke keer as jy iets doen wat jou karakter bou, word jy ‘n sterker mens – hoe moeiliker die taak is, hoe meer word jou karakter gebou. ‘n Positiewe karakter beïnvloed elke area van jou lewe, wat jou selfvertroue en positiewe gevoelens in alles wat jy doen, gee.
Sielskos: Job 35-37; Luk 19:20-27; Ps 38:1-12; Spr 8:22-23
Jeremiah 31:3 NKJV
After four hundred years of living as slaves in Egypt, the Israelites struggled with low self-esteem. So, God said to them, “I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore with lovingkindness I have drawn you. Again I will build you, and you shall be rebuilt” (vv. 3-4 NKJV). Notice the words “built” and “rebuilt.” How can you build, or rebuild, your self-esteem? In three ways:
First, by believing in God’s unearned, undeserved, unchanging, unfailing love for you at all times.
Second, by serving and giving to others. When you have been victimized in the past, you tend to focus unduly on yourself. It’s not that you want to be selfish, it’s just what you feel you must do in order to survive. Yet, the opposite is true. Helping someone – even making a small difference – lifts your self-esteem. It’s difficult to harbor bad feelings about yourself when you’re doing something good for someone else. On top of that, adding value to another’s life causes that person to value you more. It creates a cycle of positive feelings from one person to another.
Third, doing the right thing, even when it’s the hard thing. Being true to yourself and your values is a remarkable self-esteem builder. Each time you do something that builds your character, you become a stronger person – the more difficult the task, the greater the character builder. You can actually “act yourself” into feeling good about yourself, because positive character enlarges into each area of your life, providing you with confidence and positive feelings about all you do.
Soul food: Job 35-37; Luke 19:20-27; Ps 38:1-12; Prov 8:22-23
