2017-08-24
Matthew 7:25 NIV
Jesus said, “Everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock… The winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock” (vv. 24-25 NIV). When the storms of life come – and they will – it’s too late to lay a solid foundation. That’s when you discover what kind of foundation your life is built on, so don’t short-change yourself by using shoddy materials or taking shortcuts. Be willing to acknowledge your weaknesses and work on them. Some of the strongest people you know needed help overcoming weaknesses at one time. The pastor of a megachurch recalls his early days, when he prayed that God would increase the size of his ministry. He writes: “After days of silence the Lord answered by saying, ‘You’re concerned with building the ministry but I’m concerned with building the man. Woe to the man whose ministry becomes bigger than he is!’ Since then I’ve concerned myself more with praying for the minister than the ministry. I’m still amazed at who I’m becoming as I put my life daily into His hands. He’s changing me – and He’s not finished yet. There’s so much more that needs to be done. Every day I see more immaturity in me. But what a sharp contrast I am to what I was… and I trust God more than ever.” So work on your relationship with God. Build the truths of His Word into your life’s foundation, and when the storms come you’ll be able to stand.
Soul food: 2 Chr 25-28; Mark 7:14-23; Ps 119:137-144; Prov 22:11-13
2017-08-23
Psalm 73:2 NLV
As jy Asaf, wat sommige van die Psalms geskryf het, ontmoet, sou jy heel waarskynlik gedink het dat hy nie probleme van ‘n dag oud gehad het nie. Jy sou egter verkeerd gewees het: ‘Maar my voet het byna gestruikel. Ek het my vastrapplek byna verloor.’ Aan die einde van die psalm doen hy egter ‘n ommeswaai en skryf, ‘My liggaam en my hart kan kwyn, maar God is my blywende krag en my erfdeel vir altyd’ (vers 26 NLV). Ten spyte van sy probleme, het hy gekies om woorde van bemoediging te spreek. Wanneer jy die geleentheid het om iemand te bemoedig, doen dit. Jy weet nooit waardeur ‘n persoon gaan nie – of hulle nou in ‘n pondok of ‘n paleis woon. Hier is ‘n belangrike beginsel om in gedagte te hou: Mense neig om te word wat die belangrikste mense in hulle lewens van hulle dink! Dink dus die beste, glo die beste en spreek die beste tot hulle. Jy sê, ‘Maar hulle moet ophou om dieselfde simpel foute te maak!’ Verandering gebeur in sentimeters, nie kilometers nie. Selfs wanneer dit eenvoudig lyk, is dit selde maklik. Die enigste manier om ou gewoontes te verbreek, is om nuwe gewoontes te vorm, wat tyd en oefening neem – en sommer baie daarvan. Jy kan nie net een keer vir iemand iets sê en verwag dat hulle dit onmiddellik gaan snap nie; hulle moet dit oor en oor hoor voordat hulle die aanpassing kan maak. Hoe jy dit vir hulle sê kan ook bepaal of hulle vries, of bo die struikelblok uitstyg. Wees aanhoudend. Moet nooit opgee om hulle te probeer help om te verbeter nie. Erken elke stap van vordering wat hulle maak. Die manier om blywende resultate te kry, is deur geduld, liefde en aanmoediging.
Sielskos: 2 Kron 22-24; Mark 7:1-13; Ps 119:129-136; Spr 22:8-10
Psalm 73:2 TLB
If you’d met Asaph, who wrote some of the psalms, you’d probably have thought he hadn’t a care in the world. But you’d have been wrong: “I came so close to the edge of the cliff! My feet were slipping and I was almost gone.” Then at the end of the psalm he does a one-eighty, and writes, “My health may fail, and my spirit grow weak, but God remains the strength of my heart; he is mine forever” (v. 26 NLT). Despite his problems, he chose to speak words of courage. When you have an opportunity to encourage someone, do it. You never know what a person is going through – that’s true whether they live in a mansion or a mud hut. Here’s an important principle to keep in mind: People tend to become what the most important people in their lives think of them! So think the best, believe the best, and express the best toward them. You say, “But they need to stop making the same stupid mistakes!” Change happens by inches, not miles. Even when it seems simple, it’s rarely easy. The only way we can break old habits is to form new ones, and that takes time and practice – lots of it. You can’t tell people something once and expect them to get it; they need to hear it over and over before they can make the adjustment. And how you tell them can determine whether they freeze in fear or soar above the obstacles. Be persistent. Never give up trying to help them improve. Acknowledge every step of progress they make. The way to get lasting results is through patience, love, and encouragement.
Soul food: 2 Chr 22-24; Mark 7:1-13; Ps 119:129-136; Prov 22:8-10
2017-08-22
Acts 20:24 NLT
To miss out on your assignment in life is to miss out on why God put you on earth. You’re gifted and called by God, and you need to take it seriously. The question is not what are you running from, but what are you moving toward? To succeed you must know God’s will and concentrate on fulfilling it. Having a powerful “why” will provide you with the necessary “how.” Purpose, not money and talent, is your greatest asset. To help you discover your life’s assignment, answer these questions: (1) What’s your temperament and what’s your talent? Psychologist and motivational speaker Charles Garfield said, “Peak performers are people who are committed to a compelling mission. It is very clear that they care deeply about what they do, and their efforts, energies, and enthusiasms are traceable back to that particular mission.” (2) Why do you do what you do? There’s a big difference between doing something because you believe God’s called you to do it, and doing what your parents, friends, or ego wants you to do. (3) What do you not do well? Knowing what you’re called to do often starts with discovering what you’re not called to do. When you can accept your limitations, you’re on the road to understanding your life’s assignment. When you pretend to be something you’re not, you live with a chronic sense of inadequacy and set yourself up for frustration. Don’t do that. Be open to the truth about yourself. Discover your God-given assignment, then give yourself to it.
Soul food: 2 Chr 19-21; Mark 6:45-56; Ps 119:121-128; Prov 22: 4-7
Handelinge 20:24 NLV
Om jou lewenstaak mis te loop, is om dit waarvoor God jou op aarde geplaas het, mis te loop. Jy het gawes en is deur God geroep, maar jy moet dit ernstig opneem. Die vraag is nie waarvan jy af weghardloop nie, maar waarheen jy op pad is. Om sukses te behaal, moet jy God se wil ken en daarop konsentreer om dit te vervul. Jy sal die nodige ‘hoe’ ontvang wanneer jy die kragtige ‘hoekom’ verstaan. ‘n Doelwit, nie geld of talent nie, is jou grootste bate. Om jou te help om jou lewenstaak te ontdek, antwoord die volgende vrae: 1) Wat is jou temperament en wat is jou talente? Die sielkundige en motiveringspreker Charles Garfield het gesê, ‘Suksesvolle mense is die mense wat aan ‘n dwingende missie toegewyd is. Dit is baie duidelik dat hulle baie omgee vir dit wat hulle doen en hulle aksies, energie en entoesiasme kan direk teruggelei word tot daardie spesifieke missie.’ 2) Hoekom doen jy wat jy doen? Daar is ‘n groot verskil tussen om iets te doen wat jy glo God jou geroep het om te doen en dit wat jou ouers, vriende of ego wil hê jy moet doen. 3) Wat doen jy nie goed nie? Om te weet waarvoor jy geroep is, begin dikwels wanneer jy ontdek waarvoor jy nie geroep is nie. Wanneer jy jou beperkinge kan aanvaar, is jy op die pad om jou lewenstaak te verstaan. Wanneer jy voorgee dat jy iets is wat jy nie is nie, lewe jy met ‘n kroniese sin van onvoldoendheid en stel jy jouself oop vir frustrasie. Moenie dit doen nie. Wees ontvanklik vir die waarheid oor jouself. Ontdek jou Godgegewe taak en gee dan jouself ten volle daarvoor.
Sielskos: 2 Kron 19-21; Mark 6:45-56; Ps 119:121-128; Spr 22: 4-7
