2024-09-12
2 Corinthians 2:12 NKJV
A noted author states: “People who study entrepreneurs say they excel in something called ‘opportunity alertness.’ They look at the same circumstances as everyone else, but they ‘notice, without search, opportunities that have hitherto been overlooked.’ They are ‘alert, waiting, continually receptive to something that may turn up.'”
Paul was such a person. “I came to Troas to preach Christ’s gospel, and a door was opened to me by the Lord” (v. 12 NKJV). He practiced “divine opportunity alertness.” And you can too. For Paul, walking through the doors God opened often led to hardship. But they also led to great achievement.
Open doors don’t come with a meticulous set of instructions about precisely what you should do and exactly what will occur as a result. To discover what’s on the other side of the open door, you have to go through it. Will you experience fear? Any time you attempt the untried, unknown, and undone, you will experience fear. That’s when you need to remind yourself that whatever awaits you on the other side of that door, God will be there.
Here are two things you need to keep in mind: First, sometimes an open door doesn’t signify going to someplace new; it means recognizing a new and previously undetected opportunity in an old place. Second, open doors never exist solely for the advantage of the people offered them. They are an opportunity to bless others (See Genesis 12:1-3). An open door never exists for your benefit alone. Has God opened a door for you? If He has, don’t hesitate or vacillate; walk through it.
Soul food: Col 3-4; Philemon; Luke 21:1-11; Ps 78:9-16
2024-09-11
Filippense 4:8-9 NLV
Een skrywer sê: ‘Die navorser Sheena Iyengar het gevind dat die gemiddelde persoon daagliks omtrent sewentig bewustelike besluite maak. Dis 25,550 besluite ‘n jaar. Oor sewentig jaar is dit 1,788,500 besluite. Albert Camus het gesê: ‘Die lewe is ‘n som van al jou besluite.’ As jy al daardie 1,788,500 besluite bymekaar sit, is dit wie jy is. Victor Frankl was ‘n briljante dokter wat deur die Nazis in ‘n konsentrasiekamp opgesluit is. Hulle het sy lewensbestaan weggevat, sy besittings gekonfiskeer, sy waardigheid gespot en sy familie doodgemaak. Hulle het hom in ‘n sel waaruit hy nie kon ontsnap nie, opgesluit. Hy het egter ‘n deur gevind waarvan sy wagte nie geweet het nie: ‘Alles kan van ‘n mens weggevat word behalwe een ding: die laaste van die menslike vryhede – om jou houding asook jou eie pad in enige gegewe omstandigheid te kies.’
Hy het gevind dat wanneer sy omstandighede elke buitedeur vir hom toemaak, dit aan hom die deure wat baie meer saakmaak openbaar – die deure waardeur ‘n siel vrees kan verlaat en moed kan binnelaat, haat kan verlaat en vergifnis kan binnelaat, onkunde kan verlaat en kennis kan opdoen. Hy het ontdek dat sy wagte inderwaarheid baie meer vasgevang was – deur wreedheid, onkunde en dwase gehoorsaamheid aan barbaarsheid – as wat hy deur mure en doringdraad gevange gehou is. Sommige mense besef dit en word vry; sommige mense besef dit nooit en bring hul lewens as gevangenes deur.’
Die verskil is die deur wat jy kies en die houding wat jy kies. Dis hoekom Paulus skryf: ‘…beplan alles wat waar, eerbaar, skoon, suiwer, lieflik en lofwaardig is…’ (vers 8 NLV). Kies vandag die regte houding!
Sielskos: Kol 1-2; Luk 20:41-47; Ps 78:1-8; Spr 23:19-21
Philippians 4:8-9 KJV
One author writes: “Columbia researcher Sheena Iyengar has found that the average person makes about seventy conscious decisions every day. That’s 25,550 decisions a year. Over seventy years, that’s 1,788,500 decisions. Albert Camus said, ‘Life is a sum of all your choices.’ You put all those 1,788,500 choices together, that’s who you are. Victor Frankl was a brilliant doctor whom the Nazis imprisoned in a concentration camp. They took away his livelihood, confiscated his possessions, mocked his dignity, and killed his family. They locked him in a cell with no way out… But he found a door that his guards did not know about: ‘Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms – to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way.’
He found that when his circumstances had closed every outer door to him, they revealed to him the doors that matter far more – the doors through which a soul can leave fear and enter into courage, leave hatred and enter into forgiveness, leave ignorance and enter into learning. He discovered that his guards were actually far more imprisoned – by cruelty and ignorance and foolish obedience to barbarism – than he was imprisoned by walls and barbed wire. Some people learn this and become free; some never see it and live their lives as prisoners.”
The difference is in the door you choose or the attitude you choose. That’s why Paul writes: “Whatsoever things are true… honest… just… pure… lovely… of good report… think on these things” (v. 8). Today, choose the right attitude!
Soul food: Col 1-2; Luke 20:41-47; Ps 78:1-8; Prov 23:19-21
2024-09-10
Psalm 1:1 NLV
Toe Moses vir farao beveel het om God se mense vry te laat, het farao vir hom drie kompromieë aangebied. Eerstens het hy aangebied om hulle te laat gaan, mits hulle nie te ver weg sal trek nie. Tweedens het hy aangebied om hulle te laat gaan, mits hulle hul kinders in Egipte agterlaat. Derdens het hy aangebied om hulle te laat gaan, mits hulle hul sakebelange in Egipte agterlaat. Moses het vir al drie nee gesê.
Satan sal dieselfde vir jou aanbied. Plaas egter afstand tussen jouself en die wêreld. Weier om jou kinders aan die wêreld af te staan. Weier om volgens die wêreld se selfgesentreerde en dikwels onetiese sakepraktyke te leef. Jy is geroep om die mense rondom jou lief te hê en hulle te bedien, maar nie om soos hulle te word nie. Een van die grootste gawes wat God ons gegee het, is vrye wil. Jy kan kies! As jy God se seëninge wil geniet, moet jy leefstylkeuses wat in lyn met sy wil en die waardes van sy Woord is, maak. Jy moenie keuses maak wat die beginsels van die wêreldsisteme rondom jou weerspieël nie. Die pad na sukses in die lewe is om op Bybelse beginsels te staan.
Hier is twee Skrifgedeeltes waarop jy moet mediteer en in gedagte moet hou: ‘Dit is die Here se seën wat rykdom bring. Hy gee nie hartseer daarmee saam nie’ (Spreuke 10:22 NLV). ‘Nee, maak die koningsheerskappy van God en dit wat voor Hom reg is, julle heel eerste prioriteit; dan sal God vir julle al hierdie ander dinge as ‘n bonus byvoeg’ (Matteus 6:33 NLV). Bid vandag: ‘Here, ek wil nie volgens die wêreld se standaarde leef nie. Ek wil U eerste in my lewe stel, omdat ek weet dat u weë altyd die beste is.’
Sielskos: Jos 22-24; Luk 20:27-40; Ps 27; Spr 23:16-18
Psalm 1:1 NIV
When Moses commanded Pharaoh to set God’s people free, Pharaoh offered him three compromises. First, he offered to let them go if they didn’t go too far away. Second, he offered to let them go provided they left their children in Egypt. Third, he offered to let them go provided they left their business interests in Egypt. In each case, Moses said no. And Satan will make you those same offers.
Put distance between yourself and the world. Refuse to let it have your children. Refuse to live by the world’s self-centered and often unethical business practices. You are called to love and minister to those around you but not to become like them. One of the great gifts that God has given us is the gift of free will. You can choose! If you want to enjoy God’s blessings, you need to make lifestyle choices that line up with His will and are consistent with the values of His Word, not choices reflecting the constantly eroding values of the world systems around you. The way to succeed in life is to stand on Bible principles.
Here are two Scriptures you need to meditate on and keep in mind: “The blessing of the Lord makes one rich, and He adds no sorrow” (Proverbs 10:22 NKJV). “Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you” (Matthew 6:33 KJV). Today pray, “Lord, I don’t want to live by the world’s standards. I put you first in my life because I know your ways are always best.”
Soul food: Josh 22-24; Luke 20:27-40; Ps 27; Prov 23:16-18
