2024-12-16
Ecclesiastes 11:4 NKJV
There is a time to be cautious and a time to throw caution to the wind. And it takes discernment to know the difference. If you’re waiting for perfect conditions before seizing an opportunity, you will be hesitating until you die. The Bible says, “He who observes the wind will not sow, and he who regards the clouds will not reap.” More often than not, the only thing between you and the fulfillment of your dream is an excuse: “I’m too busy… I don’t have enough money… I’m unqualified… I’m not ready yet… I have lots of problems.”
News flash: No one is ever ready. Immediately before Christ’s first miracle, he shows a hint of hesitation: “My time has not yet come” (John 2:4 NLT). But Jesus had a mother who loved Him enough to persuade Him.
In his book Jump In!, Mark Burnett writes about his path to TV-producer prominence. Burnett created hit shows like Survivor and The Apprentice. He writes: “Nothing will ever be… perfect, and nothing can be totally planned. The best you can hope for is to be about half certain of your plan and know that you and the team you’ve assembled are willing to work hard enough to overcome the inevitable problems as they arrive.” Note the words “the best you can hope for is to be about half certain.” That’s a pretty good paraphrase of Ecclesiastes 11.
So, don’t “observe the wind,” and don’t “regard the clouds.” After you have prayed and prepared, it’s time to trust God and take action.
Soul food: Est 5-10; John 21:1-25; Ps 18:1-29; Prov 26:24-27
2024-12-15
Colossians 4:12 NKJV
Here is what Paul said about Epaphras, a disciple so obscure you probably don’t recognize his name: “Epaphras… is… always labouring fervently for you in prayers, that you may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God… he has a great zeal for you” (vv. 12-13 NKJV). James writes, “Pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much” (James 5:16 NKJV). To be fervent is to be passionate!
Bishop Joseph Hall, a seventeenth-century Anglican minister, was once imprisoned in the Tower of London for his faith. He lived his final years on a farm in the country writing devotional classics. Here is what he remarked about prayer: “An arrow, if it be drawn up but a little way, goes not far; but if it be pulled up to the head, flies swiftly and pierces deep. Prayer, if it be only dribbled forth from careless lips, falls at our feet. It is the strength of [discharge] and strong desire that sends it to heaven, and makes it pierce the clouds. It is not the arithmetic of our prayers, how many they are; nor the rhetoric of our prayers, how eloquent they be; nor the geometry of our prayers, how long they be; nor the music of our prayers, how sweet our voice may be; nor the method of our prayers, how orderly they may be; nor the divinity of our prayers, how good the doctrine may be – which God cares for. Fervency of spirit is that which availeth much.”
The Lord answers the prayers of those who pray passionately. So, get serious about prayer and give yourself fully to it!
Soul food: Heb 11:1-6; Matt 21:18-22; Matt 8:5-13; Mark 6:1-6
Kolossense 4:12 NLV
Hier is wat Paulus oor Epafras, ‘n dissipel wat so onbekend is dat jy heel waarskynlik nie sy naam herken nie, gesê het: ‘Epafras… bid altyd ernstig vir julle dat julle as volwasse gelowiges met volle oortuiging in alles die wil van God sal bly doen. Ek kan regtig daarvan getuig dat hy hom baie oor julle bekommer…’ (verse 12-13 NLV). Jakobus skryf: ‘Daarom moet julle julle sondes teenoor mekaar bely en vir mekaar bid sodat julle gesond kan word. Die gebed van iemand wie se saak met die Here reg is, het ‘n kragtige werking’ (Jakobus 5:16 NLV).
Biskop Joseph Hall, ‘n sewentiende-eeuse Anglikaanse priester, is in die Toring van London as gevolg van sy geloof opgesluit. Hy het sy laaste jare op ‘n plaas in die platteland deurgebring deur dagstukkies te skryf. Hier is wat hy oor gebed opgemerk het: ‘An arrow, if it be drawn up but a little way, goes not far; but if it be pulled up to the head, flies swiftly and pierces deep. Prayer, if it be only dribbled forth from careless lips, falls at our feet. It is the strength of [discharge] and strong desire that sends it to heaven, and makes it pierce the clouds. It is not the arithmetic of our prayers, how many they are; nor the rhetoric of our prayers, how eloquent they be; nor the geometry of our prayers, how long they be; nor the music of our prayers, how sweet our voice may be; nor the method of our prayers, how orderly they may be; nor the divinity of our prayers, how good the doctrine may be – which God cares for. Fervency of spirit is that which availeth much.’
Die Here antwoord die gebede van diegene wat met passie bid. Raak dus ernstig oor gebed en gee jouself ten volle daaraan oor!
Sielskos: Heb 11:1-6; Matt 21:18-22; Matt 8:5-13; Mark 6:1-6
2024-12-14
2 Samuel 6:21 NIV
True worship calls for being less self-conscious and self-absorbed and more God-conscious and God-absorbed. After watching him dance before the Lord, David’s wife gave him an earful: “How the king of Israel has distinguished himself today, going around half-naked in full view of the slave girls of his servants as any vulgar fellow would!” (v. 20 NIV). To which David replied, “It was before the Lord, who chose me… he appointed me ruler over the Lord’s people Israel – I will celebrate before the Lord. I will become… undignified… humiliated in my own eyes” (vv. 21-22 NIV).
David provides us with a picture of pure worship. Worship is undressing. It’s taking off the things in which we find our identity and security outside our relationship with Christ. It’s a reminder that our own righteousness is like filthy rags in the sight of God. Worship is not about what we can do for God but what God has done for us. He has loved us, saved us, and clothed us in the righteousness of Christ. It’s the truth that inspired hymnist Charles Wesley to write, “O for a thousand tongues to sing my great Redeemer’s praise.”
The Bible says we can praise God in nine different ways: speaking, shouting, singing, clapping our hands, playing musical instruments, raising our hands before the Lord, kneeling, lying prostrate in His presence, and dancing before Him. David said, “I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth” (Psalm 34:1 NKJV). And he tells us why. “I sought the Lord, and He heard me, and delivered me from all my fears” (v. 4 NKJV). So, the word for you today is – worship with abandon.
Soul food: Est 1-4; John 20:19-31; Ps 105:8-22; Ecc 7:1-4
2 Samuel 6:21 NLV
Ware lofprysing verg om minder selfbewus en meer Godbewus te wees. Nadat sy gekyk het hoe hy voor die Here dans, het Dawid se vrou hom goed uitgetrap: ‘…Hoe eerbiedwaardig het die koning van Israel vandag opgetree! Hy het homself voor die slavinne ontbloot soos ‘n skaamtelose mens sou doen!’ (vers 20 NLV). Dawid het haar geantwoord: ‘…Ja, ek het gedans voor die Here… Hy het my aangewys as heerser oor Israel, die volk van die Here. En ek sal myself nog meer verneder: Ek sal myself volgens jou siening nog geringer ag en steeds geëer word deur die slavinne van wie jy praat!’ (verse 21-22 NLV).
Dawid het ons van ‘n illustrasie van ware lofprysing voorsien. Lofprysing is om die dinge waarin ons ons identiteit en sekuriteit buite ons verhouding met Christus vind, uit te trek. Dit is die wete dat ons eie geregtigheid soos vuil lappe in God se oë is. Aanbidding gaan nie oor wat ons vir God kan doen nie, maar oor wat God vir ons gedoen het. Hy het ons liefgehad, ons gered en ons met die geregtigheid van Christus geklee.
Die Bybel sê dat ons God op nege verskillende maniere kan aanbid: deur te praat, uit te roep, te sing, ons hande te klap, musikale instrumente te speel, ons hande voor die Here op te lig, te kniel, op die grond in sy teenwoordigheid te lê en deur voor Hom te dans. Dawid het gesê: ‘Ek sal te alle tye die Here loof. Sy lof sal altyd op my lippe wees… Ek het tot die Here gebid en Hy het my geantwoord. Hy het my bevry van alles waarvoor ek bang is’ (Psalm 34:2; 5 NLV). Die woord vir jou vandag is dus – loof God met volle oorgawe.
Sielskos: Est 1-4; Joh 20:19-31; Ps 105:8-22; Pred 7:1-4
