2022-03-24
2 Korintiërs 9:11 NLV
Die Bybel sê: ‘…God het die blymoedige gewer lief. En God is in staat om aan julle elke gawe in oorvloed te gee sodat julle in elke opsig altyd van alles genoeg kan hê én ook nog oorvloedig kan wees in elke goeie werk… In elke opsig sal julle ryk gemaak word om ook by elke geleentheid vrygewig te kan wees…’ (verse 8-9, 11 NLV).
Sommige mense weier om te gee omdat hulle gierig is, maar in die meeste gevalle is dit nie so nie. Die waarheid is dat ons bang is dat indien ons nie na ons eie belange omsien nie, mag daar dalk glad nie na hulle omgesien word nie. Hierdie tipe denkwyse maak egter nie sin nie. Dis soos die boer wat bang is om sy volgende oes te plant, omdat hy bang is om sy sade te laat gaan.
God sê dat die eerste tiende van ons inkomste aan Hom behoort (sien Maleagi 3:10). Is dit omdat Hy arm is en dit nodig het? Nee! Hy wil hê dat jy in sy koninkryk moet saai sodat: 1) Sy werk en sy wil hier op aarde gedoen kan word, en 2) jy ‘n oes sal hê wanneer jy dit nodig het. Jesus het gesê: ‘…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). Jy sal ‘In elke opsig… ryk gemaak word…’ wanneer jy ‘n kanaal vir God se koninkryk word. Wanneer jy jou finansies vanuit ‘n Bybelse perspektief beskou, moet jy nie bevrees wees dat jy te veel weggee nie, maar dat jy te min saai!
Sielskos: Job 21-23; Luk 19:28-40; Ps 55:12-23; Spr 8:19-21
Isaiah 30:21 NIV
Ever felt something inside you urging you to do a certain thing, but instead you allowed your head to overrule the voice in your spirit? That inner voice is our spiritual intuition, the part of us God speaks to. The Bible says, ‘Your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it.”‘ John the apostle put it this way: ‘You have an anointing from the Holy One, and you know all things’ (1 John 2:20 NKJV). We need to learn to trust that ‘anointing’ because it will tell us what we need to do, when we need to act, what direction we need to take, and what changes we need to make.
Often we don’t act on our spiritual intuition because we feel like we need to think it through, to analyse whether it’s really the right thing to do. Thinking about it is definitely wise, as is checking whether it lines up with what the Bible says.
But the trouble comes when we procrastinate and never act on it, until we become paralysed and afraid to do anything. We have to learn to recognise and trust our spiritual intuition. It’s our connection to the greatest source of wisdom in the universe – God’s wisdom. Our spiritual intuition can be summed up by these words in the Bible: ‘For it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfil his good purpose’ (Philippians 2:13 NIVUK).
So the next time our spiritual intuition tells us something and it lines up with Scripture, let’s do our best to act on it.
Job 21-23; Luke 19:28-40; Ps 55:12-23; Pro 8:19-21
2022-03-23
Filippense 1:6 NLV
Paulus skryf: ‘Ek is oortuig dat God die goeie werk wat Hy in julle begin het, sal voortsit totdat Hy dit voltooi…’ (vers 6 NLV). Jy sal opmerk dat Jesus gereeld tyd uit sy besige skedule geneem het om te bid. Hy sê ook vir ons hoekom Hy dit gedoen het: ‘…die Seun kan niks uit sy eie doen nie. Hy doen slegs wat Hy die Vader sien doen. Wat die Vader ook al doen, dit doen die Seun net so. Die Vader het die Seun lief en wys Hom alles wat Hy self doen…’ (Johannes 5:19-20 NLV).
Onder die gewig van ons sonde, het Hy aan die kruis uitgeroep: ‘…My God, my God, waarom het U my verlaat?’ (Matteus 27:46 NLV). Sy woorde leer ons drie belangrike dinge: 1) Ons kan God se plan volg en steeds by tye oorweldig en alleen voel. 2) Wanneer God nie antwoord nie, moet ons oefen om op die beloftes wat Hy in sy Woord vir ons gee, te staan. 3) Die pyn wat ons voel, sal uiteindelik in die vreugde wat aan die ander kant daarvan wag, verander.
Hou dus by God se plan; solank as wat jy dit doen, is daar niks wat die Vyand kan doen om jou te vernietig nie. Die Bybel sê: ‘Maar geen wapen wat teen jou gemik word, sal iets teen jou kan uitrig nie… Dit is die erflating van die dienaars van die Here…’ (Jesaja 54:17 NLV). Wanneer jy voel of jy nie verder kan gaan nie, doen wat Jesus gedoen het en bid: ‘…Vader, in u hande gee Ek my gees oor!..’ (Lukas 23:46 NLV). Met ander woorde, gee dit alles aan God oor. Vertrou Hom om te doen wat jy nie kan nie en jou deur dit alles tot oorwinning te bring.
Sielskos: Job 18-20; Luk 19:11-27; Ps 55:1-11; Spr 8:17-18
Philippians 1:6 CEV
Paul wrote, ‘God is the one who began this good work in you, and I am certain… he won’t stop before it is complete’ (v.6 CEV). Jesus regularly took time out of His busy schedule to pray. In fact, He sometimes prayed all night. And He tells us why: ‘The Son can do nothing by himself. He does only what he sees the Father doing. Whatever the Father does, the Son also does. For the Father loves the Son and shows him everything he is doing’ (John 5:19-20 NLT).
Under the weight of our sins, He cried from the cross, ‘My God, why have you forsaken me?’ (Matthew 27:46 NIV). And His words teach us three important things: 1) We can be following God’s plan and still feel overwhelmed and alone at times. 2) When God doesn’t answer, we should stand on the promises He gave us in His Word. 3) The pain we’re feeling will eventually give way to the joy that awaits us on the other side of it.
So stick with God’s plan; as long as we do that, there’s nothing the enemy can do to destroy us. The Bible says, ‘No weapon turned against you will succeed… These benefits are enjoyed by the servants of the LORD’ (Isaiah 54:17 NLT). When you feel like you’ve reached your limit, do what Jesus did and pray, ‘Father, into your hands I commit my spirit’ (Luke 23:46 NIV). In other words, turn it all over to God. Trust Him to do what you can’t do and to bring you through in victory.
Job 18-20; Luke 19:11-27; Ps 55:1-11; Pro 8:17-18
Philippians 1:6 CEV
Paul writes, “God is the one who began this good work in you, and I am certain… he won’t stop before it is complete” (v. 6 CEV). You will notice that Jesus regularly took time out of His busy schedule to pray. In fact, He sometimes prayed all night. And He tells us why: “The Son can do nothing by himself. He does only what he sees the Father doing. Whatever the Father does, the Son also does. For the Father loves the Son and shows him everything he is doing” (John 5:19-20 NLT).
Under the weight of our sins, He cried from the cross, “My God, why have you forsaken me?” (Mt 27:46 NIV). And His words teach us three important things: (1) We can be following God’s plan and still feel overwhelmed and alone at times. (2) When God doesn’t answer, we must practice standing on the promises He gave us in His Word. (3) The pain we’re feeling will eventually give way to the joy that awaits us on the other side of it.
So stick with God’s plan; as long as you do that, there is nothing the Enemy can do to destroy you. The Bible says, “No weapon turned against you will succeed…. These benefits are enjoyed by the servants of the Lord” (Isaiah 54:17 NLT). When you feel like you have reached the end of your rope, do what Jesus did and pray, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit” (Luke 23:46 NIV). In other words, turn it all over to God. Trust Him to do what you can’t do and to bring you through in victory.
Soul food: Job 18-20; Luke 19:11-27; Ps 55:1-11; Pro 8:17-18
