2026-10-14
Joshua 7:10-11 NKJV
The walls of Jericho had fallen, and Joshua was flushed with victory. Their next challenge was the town of Ai, with a population of only 20,000 people. So Joshua decided that 3,000 of his soldiers could do the job. He was wrong. ‘The men of Ai chased the Israelites from the town gate as far as the quarries, and they killed about thirty-six who were retreating…The Israelites were paralysed with fear at this turn of events, and their courage melted away’ (vv. 4-5 NLT).
What caused this? Achan, one of Joshua’s soldiers, had disobeyed God’s command and taken the spoils of Jericho and hidden them in his tent. As a result, Israel went down in a humiliating defeat, and Achan and his family were stoned to death in the valley of Achor. Joshua had a meltdown. He tore his clothing and fell on his face and prayed, ‘Oh, that we had been content, and dwelt on the other side of the Jordan!’ (v. 7 NKJV). Note what God said to him: ‘Get up! Why do you lie thus on your face? Israel has sinned.’
There’s an important lesson here: there’s a time to pray and a time to ‘get up’ and deal with the issues God’s talking to you about! Sometimes we pray hoping that God will overlook our disobedience or change His mind. But God’s goal is to change us! Why did Achan take the spoils of Jericho? Because he didn’t trust in God’s ability and willingness to provide for him. Is God dealing with you about the same thing?
Soul food: Exo 25-27; John 4:13-26; Ps 89:38-52; Pro 26:23-26
2026-10-13
Jesaja 48:17 NLV
Jy sal waarskynlik verskeie paaie op pad na jou lewensdoel volg. Toe Luciano Pavarotti ‘n seuntjie was, het sy ouma hom dikwels op haar skoot getel en gesê: ‘Jy gaan wonderlik wees – jy sal sien.’ Sy ouma het egter gedroom dat hy ‘n bankier gaan word! In plaas daarvan het hy ‘n onderwyser geword. Hy het ‘n rukkie by ‘n laerskool skoolgehou en soms by spesiale geleenthede gesing. Sy pa was die een wat hom uitgedaag het om sy stem te ontwikkel en vir hom gesê het dat hy ver aan sy potensiaal tekortskiet.
Uiteindelik, op twee-en-twintigjarige ouderdom, het Pavarotti die onderwys verlaat om versekering te begin verkoop. Hy wou ‘n stabiele werk hê waarop hy finansieel kon staatmaak, indien hy nie sukses in die musiekwêreld kon behaal nie. Die versekeringsmaatskappy het hom tyd gegee om sanglesse te neem, en soos hulle sê: ‘Die res is geskiedenis.’ In ‘n onderhoud het die operaster gesê: ‘Om sang te studeer was die keerpunt in my lewe.’ Toe het hy bygevoeg: ‘Dis ‘n fout om die veilige pad in die lewe te kies.’
Dit verg moed om ‘n posisie wat jy as veilig beskou, te verlaat en in ‘n nuwe rigting te begin beweeg, maar sonder risiko kan jy nooit jou potensiaal verwesenlik of alles waarvoor God jou geskape het, bereik nie. Die grootste risiko van alles is om geen risiko te neem nie, want die persoon wat niks waag nie, bereik niks, het niks, voel niks en word uiteindelik niks. God mag jou langs verskeie paaie op pad na jou lewensdoel lei, maar as jy jou aan sy wil onderwerp en sy leiding volg, sal jy vir seker slaag.
Sielskos: Eks 22-24; Joh 4:1-12; Ps 89:15-37; Spr 26:20-22
Isaiah 48:17 NLT
You’ll probably travel several different paths on your way to your destiny. When Luciano Pavarotti was a boy, his grandmother often put him on her lap and said, ‘You’re going to be great – you’ll see.’ But his grandmother had dreams of him becoming a banker! Instead, he became a schoolteacher. He taught primary school for a while, occasionally singing at special events. His father was the one who challenged him to develop his voice, telling him he was settling far short of his potential.
Finally, at age twenty-two, Pavarotti stopped teaching to sell insurance. He continued to look for something stable on which he could rely financially in case he could not make it in the music world. The insurance business allowed him time to take voice lessons, and, as they say, ‘The rest is history.’ In an interview, the opera star said, ‘Studying voice was the turning point of my life.’ Then he added, ‘It’s a mistake to settle for the safe path in life.’
It takes courage to leave a position you consider safe and launch out in a new direction, but without risk, you can never realise your potential or know all God created you to be. The greatest risk of all is to take no risk because the person who risks nothing accomplishes nothing, has nothing, feels nothing, and, in the end, becomes nothing. God may lead you along several different paths on your way to your destiny, but if you submit to His will and follow His guidance, you will surely succeed.
Soul food: Exo 22-24; John 4:1-12; Ps 89:15-37; Pro 26:20-22
2026-10-12
Isaiah 32:17 NIV
We are the sum total of everything we have experienced – both good and bad. We can engage in wishful thinking and imagine that our past negative behaviour had never occurred, or we can decide to accept the reality of it. How we choose to respond to the past will determine our destiny. We have all sinned, and we either responded by asking for God’s forgiveness and going forwards, or we are still stuck in guilt. Indeed, we may actually develop anxiety about possible consequences.
Many people are plagued with jealousy because of their own infidelity or prior indiscretions. They live in fear that one day they will reap what they have sown. Some have even resorted to verbal and physical abuse of their partners in order to ward off what they feel will be inevitable.
When we repent, we must believe God’s Word: ‘Their sins… I will remember no more’ (Hebrews 10:17 NIV). God doesn’t remember confessed sin, so we need to stop rehearsing it. God doesn’t want to hear about it ever again: ‘When sins have been forgiven, there is no need to offer any more sacrifices’ (Hebrews 10:18 NLT).
Once is enough. There is no need to repent continually. To do so is to offer another ‘sacrifice’. Too many people sacrifice the rest of their lives on the altar of remorse over past transgressions. Yes, you should make every effort to line up your life with the requirements of God’s Word. And when you’ve done that, then stand on this Scripture: ‘The fruit of that righteousness will be peace; its effect will be quietness and confidence forever.’
Soul food: Exo 19-21; John 3:22-36; Ps 89:1-14; Pro 26:17-19
Jesaja 32:17 AFR83
Ons is die somtotaal van alles wat ons al ervaar het – beide goed en sleg. Ons kan wens dat ons vorige negatiewe gedrag nooit plaasgevind het nie, of ons kan besluit om die werklikheid daarvan te aanvaar. Hoe ons kies om op die verlede te reageer, sal ons lot bepaal. Ons het almal gesondig en ons het óf daarop gereageer deur God se vergifnis te vra en vorentoe te beweeg, óf ons sit steeds in skuldgevoelens vasgevang. Ons kan selfs angs oor moontlike gevolge ontwikkel.
Baie mense word deur jaloesie as gevolg van hul eie ontrouheid of vorige oortredings geteister. Hulle leef in vrees dat hulle eendag sal maai wat hulle gesaai het. Sommiges sal selfs hul lewensmaats verbaal en fisies mishandel om dit wat hulle voel onvermydelik is, af te weer.
Wanneer ons berou toon, moet ons God se Woord glo: ‘…Ek sal aan hulle sondes en hulle oortredings nooit weer dink nie’ (Hebreërs 10:17 NLV). God onthou nie belyde sonde nie, daarom moet ons ophou om dit op te haal. God wil dit nooit weer hoor nie: ‘Inderdaad, waar sondevergifnis ‘n werklikheid is, is geen verdere offer vir die sonde nodig nie’ (Hebreërs 10:18 NLV).
Een keer is genoeg. Dit is nie nodig om voortdurend berou daaroor te hê nie. Wanner jy dit doen, is jy besig om ‘n ‘verdere offer’ te bring. Te veel mense offer die res van hul lewens op die altaar van berou oor vorige oortredings. Ja, jy moet alles in jou vermoë doen om jou lewe in lyn met die vereistes van God se Woord te bring. Wanneer jy dit egter gedoen het, moet jy op hierdie Skrifgedeelte staan: ‘Wie reg doen, sal vrede hê; wie volhard in regdoen, sal vir altyd rus en sekerheid geniet.’
Sielskos: Eks 19-21; Joh 3:22-36; Ps 89:1-14; Spr 26:17-19
