2017-07-29
John 4:14 NKJV
The line from an old hit song goes, “Looking for love in all the wrong places.” That was true of a woman Jesus met at a well in Samaria. Here’s her story: (1) She tried religion but it didn’t satisfy her. She told Jesus, “Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, and you Jews say that in Jerusalem is the place where one ought to worship” (v. 20 NKJV). So she had religious head knowledge but it didn’t satisfy the longings of her heart. Has that been your experience too? (2) She tried human relationships and they failed her. Jesus told her, “You have had five husbands, and the one whom you now have is not your husband” (v. 18 NKJV). Has that happened to you too? The relationship you need most – is with Jesus. (3) She tried Jesus and He satisfied her soul. When Jesus told her, “Whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst,” she replied, “Sir, give me this water, that I may not thirst” (vv. 14-15 NKJV). Religion without a personal relationship with God will leave you unsatisfied and unfulfilled. It’s like drinking saltwater – the more you drink, the thirstier you get. Religion devoid of a relationship with Christ is like a pacifier that a baby works hard to suck on, but from which no real nutrition flows. Perhaps you’ve been disappointed by Christians and hurt by the church. If so, the word for you today is: Don’t give up religion until you’ve tried Jesus, for only He can satisfy your soul.
Soul food: Ezra 6-8; Mat 28:11-20; Ps 78:17-31; Prov 19:27-29
2017-07-28
Jeremiah 1:5 NKJV
God told Jeremiah, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you…sanctified you [set you apart]…I ordained you a prophet to the nations.” Observe: (1) God knew you. The word knew means “to have intimate knowledge of.” When your delicate fingers were just a web, before your heartbeat registered on the monitor or the doctor could predict your gender, God knew all about you. “You…scheduled each day of my life before I began to breathe” (Psalm 139:16 TLB). God knew what you were born to be, and provided everything you’d need to fulfil your life’s purpose. (2) God sanctified you [set you apart]. He fixed it so you wouldn’t fit in, and designed you so you couldn’t rest any place He didn’t want you to be. He intended you to wander and feel lost until you found Him. That’s why you’re uncomfortable in certain places and around certain people. It doesn’t matter how hard you try, you won’t fit in because God has set you apart for Himself. (3) God ordained you. Men may ordain, but only God can foreordain. Stop worrying about who does or doesn’t recognize your gifts. John Mason says, “Each person has been custom-made by God the Creator. Each of us has a unique and personal call on our lives…to be our own selves and not copies of other people.” God told Jeremiah, “Go wherever I send you and say whatever I tell you. And don’t be afraid of the people, for I will be with you” (Jeremiah 1:7-8 NLT). So the word for you today is: You’ve been called by God.
Soul food: Ezra 3-5; Mat 28:1-10; Ps 78:9-16; Prov 19:24-26
Jeremia 1:5 NLV
God het vir Jeremia gesê, ‘Ek ken jou nog voordat jy gevorm is in die skoot van jou moeder. Voor jou geboorte al het Ek jou gekies en aangestel om namens My te praat met die nasies van die wêreld.’ Let op: 1) God ken jou. Hy het intieme kennis van jou. Toe jou delikate vingers nog net enkele selle was, nog voordat jou hartklop op die monitor geregistreer het of die dokter jou geslag kon bepaal, het God reeds alles van jou geken. ‘U het my gesien voor ek gebore is… elke dag is bepaal voordat een van hulle daar was’ (Psalm 139:16 NLV). God weet wat jy gebore is om te wees en het alles voorsien wat jy nodig het om jou lewensdoel te bereik. 2) God het jou gekies. Hy het jou so ontwerp dat jy op geen plek waar Hy jou nie wil hê, sal rus vind nie. Hy het bepaal dat jy verlore sou ronddwaal totdat jy Hom gevind het. Dit is hoekom jy in sekere situasies en rondom sekere mense ongemaklik voel. Dit maak nie saak hoe hard jy probeer nie, jy sal nie inpas nie, omdat God jou eenkant vir Homself geplaas het. 3) God het jou aangestel. Hou op om jouself te bekommer wie jou gawes erken en wie nie. John Mason sê, ‘Elke persoon is uniek deur God geskape. Elkeen van ons het ‘n persoonlike roeping op ons lewens – om onsself te wees en nie kopieë van ander mense nie.’ God het vir Jeremia gesê, ‘…Gaan na die mense waarheen Ek jou stuur en gee my boodskap vir hulle. Jy moet ook nie bang wees vir hulle nie. Ek sal by jou wees en jou beskerm!’ (Jeremia 1:7-8 NLV). Die woord vir jou vandag is: Jy is deur God geroep.
Sielskos: Esra 3-5; Mat 28:1-10; Ps 78:9-16; Spr 19:24-26
2017-07-27
Jesaja 54:2 NLV
Die begeerte om te verander is die sleutel tot groei in enige area van die lewe. Die meeste van ons begeer verbetering, maar staan terselftertyd verandering teë. Jy kan egter nie die een sonder die ander een hê nie! Verandering is net moontlik as jy dit genoeg begeer. Soos Fred Smith, die stigter van Federal Express opmerk: ‘Jy is hoe jy is, omdat dit is hoe jy wil wees. As jy regtig anders wou wees, sou jy op die oomblik besig wees om te verander.’ Verandering is nooit maklik nie. Dit neem baie tyd, baie energie en deursettingsvermoë – en natuurlik, begeerte. Die begeerte om te verander moet egter oorgeskakel word na die besluit om te verander. Jy moet daardie besluit elke dag maak. Daar word vertel dat Earl Waever, die bestuurder van die Baltimore Orioles se bofbalspan, ongelukkig was met die skeidsregter se besluit en vir hom geskree het, ‘Gaan jy begin om beter besluite te maak, of is dit dit?’ As jy wil verander, moet jy jouself ‘n soortgelyke vraag afvra. Gaan jy aanhou werk en probeer verbeter, of is dit so goed soos dit gaan wees? Die Bybel stel dit so: ‘Maak jou woning groter. Span jou tent wyer, en moenie huiwer nie. Maak die tentlyne langer en slaan die penne dieper in.’ Al hierdie aksies het toewyding en deursettingsvermoë nodig. Dit is wat nodig is om jou lewe te verander. Die goeie nuus is dat jy dit met God se hulp kan doen – en jy kan vandag daarmee begin.
Sielskos: Esra 1-2; Mat 27:57-66; Ps 78:1-8; Spr 19:21-23
Isaiah 54:2 NKJV
The desire to change is the key to growth in any area of life. Most of us desire improvement, yet at the same time we resist change. But you can’t have one without the other! Change is possible only if you want it badly enough. As Fred Smith, the founder of Federal Express, observed: “You are the way you are, because that’s the way you want to be. If you really wanted to be any different, you’d be in the process of changing right now.” Change is never easy. It takes lots of time, tremendous amounts of energy, perseverance, and – of course – desire. But the desire to change must translate into a decision to change. And you must make that decision day after day. It’s said that Earl Weaver, manager of the Baltimore Orioles baseball team, was unhappy with a decision by the umpire so he charged out of the dugout and yelled at him, “Are you gonna get any better, or is this it?” If you want to change, you must ask yourself a similar question. Are you going to keep working and trying to get better, or is this as good as it gets? The Bible puts it like this: “Enlarge the place of your tent; and let them stretch out the curtains of your dwellings; do not spare; lengthen your cords, and strengthen your stakes.” Pay close attention to the words enlarge, stretch, lengthen, and strengthen. What do they have in common? They all require commitment and persistence. That’s what it takes to change your life. And the good news is that with God’s help, you can do it – starting today.
Soul food: Ezra 1-2; Mat 27:57-66; Ps 78:1-8; Prov 19:21-23
