2019-04-08
Hebrews 11:27 NIV
Perseverance was really important in Moses’ life. He had to persevere when he was facing Pharaoh, the mightiest monarch on earth. He had to persevere when dealing with the stubbornness, rebellion, and grumbling of the Israelites in the desert. He persevered when criticised by Miriam and Aaron, his own family. He persevered when given the negative report by the ten spies who came back from the Land of Promise saying, ‘The giants are too big, and we are too small’ (see Numbers 13:33). In fact, his perseverance was mentioned in the list in Hebrews 11 of those with faith. And it was this faith that helped him have perseverance through some tough times. Moses kept his eyes on God – not people. And that’s what we need to do too. Paul gives us the secret to victory in the battles of life: ‘Put on God’s full armour. Then on the day of evil you will be able to stand strong. And when you have finished the whole fight, you will still be standing’ (Ephesians 6:13 NCV). We need to stand strong. When the Israelites were afraid of the Egyptians who were chasing them, Moses gave them this advice: ‘Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the LORD will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still’ (Exodus 14:13-14 NIV). Moses’ advice of ‘standing firm’ despite what we’re facing, is advice that we need to start putting into practice. Whatever battle we’re facing, we need to focus our eyes on God, put our trust in Him, be still, and stand firm.
Lev 23:26-25:55; Luke 21:29-38; Ps 50:16-23; Prov 10:4-7
2019-04-07
Hebreërs 6:1 NLV
Paulus skryf: ‘Mag God self, dié God wat vrede bewerk, julle volkome aan Hom toewy. Mag Hy julle heeltemal – gees, siel en liggaam – onberispelik bewaar tot wanneer ons Here Jesus Christus terugkom. Hy wat julle roep, is getrou. Hy sál dit doen!’ (1 Tessalonisense 5:23-24 NLV). Groei jy in geestelike volwassenheid? Voor jy antwoord, lees hierdie woorde: ‘Volwassenheid is die vermoë om jou woede te beheer en jou verskille sonder geweld of verwyte uit te stryk. Volwassenheid is geduld; dis die gewilligheid om korttermyn plesier vir langtermyn wins prys te gee. Dis die vermoë om ten spyte van hewige teenstand of ontmoedigende terugslae te volhard. Dis die kapasiteit om onplesierigheid en frustrasie sonder om te kla of ineen te stort, te hanteer. Volwassenheid is nederigheid. Dis om groot genoeg te wees om te sê: ‘Ek was verkeerd,’ en wanneer jy reg is, nooit te sê: ‘Ek het jou mos gesê,’ nie. Volwassenheid is die vermoë om ‘n besluit te neem en dit enduit deur te voer, in plaas daarvan om eindelose moontlikhede te verken en niks aan een van hulle te doen nie. Volwassenheid beteken betroubaarheid, die hou van jou woord en om deur ‘n krisis te kom. Die onvolwassenes is verward en ongeorganiseerd. Hulle lewens is ‘n doolhof van gebroke beloftes, voormalige vriende, onvoltooide besighed en goeie intensies. Volwassenheid is die kuns om vrede te hê met dit wat jy nie kan verander nie, om die moed te hê om dit te verander wat jy kan en die wysheid om die verskil tussen die twee te ken.’ Die woord vir jou vandag is dus: Dis tyd om geestelik volwasse te word.
Sielskos: 2 Kon 5:1-27; Matt 6:19-34; Hand 5:1-11
2019-04-06
Philippians 3:14 NIV
When Paul said ‘I press on toward the goal’, he knew that he still had a way to go. His eyes were fixed on Jesus and the prize of eternal life, and no matter what was being thrown at him, he was determined to keep moving closer to the goal. We need to have the same ‘press on’ spirit too. Pressing on means starting or continuing something, even when problems are arising. Jesus never promised that life would be easy. And even when our goals are great things like knowing Him more or becoming more like Him, we’re not promised an easy ride. Trials and struggles can come at us from all directions. And if we’re not prepared for them, we can find ourselves losing sight of our goal and wanting to give up. But the Bible says: ‘Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him’ (James 1:12 NIV). Perseverance, or pressing on, is vital if we’re going to make it through and live for God. So how can we help ourselves to press on? We need to be practicing spiritual disciplines – they’re things like reading our Bibles, praying, listening to teaching, and spending time in silence – so that we’re strong and resilient when tough situations come our way. We’re reminded to ‘Exercise daily in God…Workouts in the gymnasium are useful, but a disciplined life in God is far more so, making you fit both today and forever’ (1 Timothy 4:7-8 MSG). And a life like that will help us press on towards our goal, no matter what.
Lev 21:1-23:25; Luke 21-25-28; Ps 50:1-15; Prov 10:3
Filippense 3:14 DB
Een dag het die Hooggeregshofregter Oliver Wendell Holmes sy treinkaartjie verloor. Soos hy daarna gesoek het, het die kondukteur gesê: ‘Toemaar, u Edele, pos dit net vir ons. Ons almal ken en vertrou U.’ Holmes het geantwoord: ‘Ek is nie so bekommerd oor die verlore kaartjie nie – ek wil net weet waarheen ek op pad is!’ Doelwitte laat jou weet waarheen jy in jou lewe op pad is. Vyftig persent van die mense rondom jou het geen idee waarheen hulle op pad is nie. Veertig persent sal in enige rigting gaan waarin hulle gelei word. Die oorblywende tien persent weet waarheen hulle graag sal wil gaan – maar minder as die helfte van hulle is bereid om die prys te betaal om daar te kom. Die visie van die opstanding en ‘n kerk wat eendag die wêreld sou verander is wat Jesus in staat gestel het om die skande van die kruis te verduur (sien Hebreërs 12:2). Moses het die gemak van die farao se paleis prysgegee omdat hy ‘n visie van die Beloofde Land gehad het (sien Hebreërs 11:24-27). Die winkeleienaar J.C. Penney het gesê: ‘Gee my ‘n winkelklerk met ‘n visie en ek sal jou iemand gee wat geskiedenis sal maak. Aan die ander kant, gee my iemand sonder ‘n doelwit en ek sal vir jou ‘n winkelklerk gee.’ Die waarheid is dat terwyl jy aan jou doelwitte werk, werk jou doelwitte aan jou. Die beloning wat jy ontvang wanneer jy hulle behaal, is nie naastenby so belangrik as dit wat jy word terwyl jy hulle nastreef nie. Het jy doelwitte? Is hulle duidelik genoeg om neer te skryf, kort genoeg om in ‘n paragraaf te pas, sterk genoeg om jou te laat volhard en waardevol genoeg om jou die prys te laat betaal? Dan sal jy lewe om hulle te vervul.
Sielskos: Lev 21:1-23:25; Luk 21-25-28; Ps 50:1-15; Spr 10:3
2019-04-05
1 Korintiërs 3:11 NLV
‘n Kind sonder waardes is aan almal anders se waardes uitgelewer. Paulus skryf: ‘Ons is Gód se werkspan… Want niemand kan ‘n ander fondament lê as die een wat alreeds gelê is nie – Jesus Christus’ (vers 9, 11 NLV). Wanneer die volwasse rolmodelle in jou kinders se lewe hulle in die steek laat, stuur hulle na Jesus toe. Vertel vir hulle hoe Hy dinge hanteer het en wat Hy oor die probleme waar voor hulle in die lewe te staan sal kom, te sê het. Jesus het gesê: ‘…Hiervoor is ek gebore…’ (Johannes 18:37 NLV). Laat jou kinders weet dat hulle vir ‘n spesiale doel gebore is en dat God dit aan hulle sal openbaar soos hulle saam met Hom stap. Groepsdruk sou minder effektief gewees het as ons kinders geleer is om aan hulle eie waardes vas te hou en hulle eie opinies te respekteer. Moet egter nie net jou kinders leer nie, vra ook hulle opinies – en respekteer hulle. Die huis is waar kinders leer om uit te druk hoe hulle voel en as jy die regte fondament gelê het, het jy niks om oor bekommerd te wees nie. Jy moet hulle eenvoudig lei om die regte opinies te vorm. As jy dit nie doen nie, sal hulle nie leer om vir hulleself te dink of die lewe met selfvertroue aan te pak nie. Moses het vir die Israeliete gesê: ‘Jy moet jouself heelhartig verbind aan die gebooie wat ek vandag vir jou gee. Herhaal hierdie woorde oor en oor vir julle kinders. Praat daaroor by die huis en wanneer julle op pad is, wanneer julle lê en wanneer julle opstaan’ (Deuteronomium 6:6-7 NLV). Daar het jy dit, Ma en Pa – die werk is joune! Begin dus daarmee en God sal jou en jou familie seën.
Sielskos: Lev 18-20; Luk 21:12-24; Ps 25:16-22; Spr 10:2
1 Corinthians 3:11 NCV
What are our lives founded on? God? Or something else? Paul wrote, ‘The foundation that has already been laid is Jesus Christ, and no one can lay down any other foundation.’ This verse was written in the context of division within the church. The people in Corinth were arguing about who they followed. Paul said to them: ‘You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere humans? For when one says, “I follow Paul,” and another, “I follow Apollos,” are you not mere human beings?’ (1 Corinthians 3:3-4 NIV). They weren’t acting like their foundations were in Christ. Instead, they were favoring different preachers and then falling into the trap of jealousy, rivalry, and disunity when others didn’t agree with them. We can also fall into the trap of founding our lives on other things. These might be people’s opinions, success, fame, or something else. And when we realise we’re doing that, we need to remember Paul’s words. Our foundation won’t hold in the storms of life unless it’s based on Jesus, the Rock (have a read of Matthew 7:24-27). Founding our lives on anything other than Him won’t work. In 1 Corinthians 3, Paul goes on to say, ‘If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, their work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light’ (vv.12-13 NIV). How we live our lives, and the way we’ve built on our foundations, will show on Judgment Day. It’ll be clear whose lives aren’t fully founded in Christ. So let’s make sure our foundations are in Jesus – the only true foundation.
Lev 18-20; Luke 21:12-24; Ps 25:16-22; Prov 10:2
