2018-02-26
Philippians 4:6 CEV
One Bible teacher writes: “The pressures of our times have many of us caught in a web of the most acceptable, yet energy-draining sin in the Christian family: worry. Chances are good you woke up this morning, stepped out of bed, and before doing anything, strapped on your well-worn backpack of anxiety. You started the day not with a prayer on your mind, but loaded down by worry. What a dreadful habit! Jesus challenged His followers with the question, ‘Who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life?’ (Matthew 6:27 NAS). Worry solves nothing. It creates unrest and uneasiness, and if left unchecked it can churn our waves of anxiety into a perfect storm of emotions. Add a little imagination and creativity, and our worst fears come to life in Technicolor brilliance. The stress from worry drains our energy and preoccupies our minds, stripping us of our peace…We fret over big things and little things. Some of us have a laundry list of concerns that feed our addiction to worry. It’s a very unattractive addiction, yet we somehow manage to make a joke out of it. I’ve heard people say with a smile, ‘If I don’t have something to worry about, I get worried about not having something to worry about.’ Anxiety has become a favorite pastime we love to hate. And worse, we’re passing it on to our children. As they see the worry on our faces and hear it from our lips, we’re mentoring them in the art of anxiety.” So what’s the answer? “Don’t worry about anything, but pray about everything.”
Soul food: 1 Kings 10-11; Matt 18:1-9; Ps 40:9-17; Prov 6:6-8
2018-02-25
Psalm 56:4 NLV
Geloof is soos ‘n spier; probleme mag dit dalk strek, maar dit groei op die ou einde sterker. Dawid het hierdie waarheid verstaan. Hy is aanhoudend deur sy vyande gejag. Saul het selfs nog op die troon gesit toe Dawid as koning van Israel ingeseën is. In plaas van om geloof in God se belofte te verloor, het Dawid verklaar, ‘…Die Here het die getroues vir Hom afgesonder. Die Here sal antwoord wanneer ek tot Hom roep’ (Psalm 4:4 NLV). Toe die Filistyne hom gevange geneem het, het hy gebid, ‘My aanvallers soek my lewe sonder ophou, en baie val my aan, o Allerhoogste. Die dag wanneer ek bang word, sal ek net op U vertrou’ (Psalm 56:3-4 NLV). Toe hy in ‘n grot opgeëindig het waar hy voor Saul se jaloerse toorn gevlug het, het hy gesê, ‘…In die skaduwee van u vlerke sal ek skuil totdat die onheil verby is’ (Psalm 57:1 NLV). Gedurende die derde eeu, toe St Felix van Nola vir sy vyande gevlug het, het hy skuiling in ‘n grot gesoek. Met die loop van tyd het ‘n spinnekop sy web oor die klein opening begin spin, wat dit laat lyk het of daar al maande lank niemand daar binne was nie. As gevolg daarvan het sy vyande verby die grot geloop. Toe hy weer in die sonskyn uitklim, het Felix verklaar, ‘Waar God is, is ‘n spinnekop se web ‘n muur. Waar God nie is nie, is ‘n muur ‘n spinnekop se web.’ Soms sal jy in ‘n grot opeindig oor iets wat jy gedoen het, of as gevolg van omstandighede waaroor jy geen beheer het nie. Met God aan jou sy, kan jy egter sê, ‘Die dag wanneer ek bang word, sal ek net op U vertrou.’
Sielskos: Eks 20:15; Jos 7:1-26; Tit 2:6-10; Ef 4:28
Psalm 56:3 NKJV
Faith is like a muscle; trouble may strain it, but in the end it grows stronger. David understood this truth. He was continually hounded by his enemies. Even as he was being anointed to sit on the throne of Israel, Saul was still occupying it. But instead of losing faith in God’s promise, David declared that “the Lord has chosen everyone who is faithful to be his very own, and he answers my prayers” (Psalm 4:3 CEV). When the Philistines captured him, he prayed, “There are many who fight against me, O Most High. Whenever I am afraid, I will trust in You” (Psalm 56:2-3 NKJV). When he ended up in a cave fleeing from Saul’s jealous rage, he said, “I will hide beneath the shadow of your wings until this…is past” (Psalm 57:1 TLB). During the third century when St. Felix of Nola was running from his enemies, he took refuge in a cave. Eventually a spider began to weave a web across the small opening, sealing it off and making it look like nobody had been inside for months. Consequently his pursuers passed by. Stepping out into the sunshine, Felix declared, “Where God is, a spider’s web is a wall. And where God is not, a wall is a spider’s web.” Jesus said you’d have problems in life; people will disappoint you, and you’ll even disappoint yourself. Sometimes you’ll end up in a cave because of something you did, or because of circumstances over which you have no control. But with God on your side, you can say, “Whenever I’m afraid, I will trust in You.”
Soul food: Exo 20:15; Josh 7:1-26; Tit 2:6-10; Eph 4:28
2018-02-24
2 Kronieke 20:17 NLV
Wanneer jy God betwyfel, stel jy Hom teleur, want Hy verdien beter. Jy moet dus daarna strewe om jou geloof te versterk, want geloof eer God en God eer geloof. Hy sal geleenthede, wat as probleme vermom is, stuur wat ontwerp is om jou geloof te versterk. Toe Job sy gesondheid, sy rykdom en sy kinders verloor het, sê die Bybel het hy gesê ‘…Wat ek het, het die Here vir my gegee. Die Here het dit ook weer weggevat. Die Here moet geprys word!’ (Job 1:21 DB). Job het nie God as gevolg van sy omstandighede geprys nie, maar ten spyte daarvan. Let twee dinge op wat hy gedoen het: 1) Hy het opgekyk. Hy het God se soewereine reg om alle dinge te besluit, erken. Hy het God se liefdevolle karakter vertrou en het geglo dat Hy sal doen wat die beste vir hom is. Jy moet dit ook doen! 2) Hy het vir ‘n boodskap geluister. Hy het besef dat ‘n tyd van beproewing ook ‘n tyd van onderrig is, dus het hy verklaar: ‘Maar Hy weet waarheen ek gaan! Wanneer Hy my toets soos goud in ‘n vuur sal Hy my onskuldig verklaar’ (Job 23:10 NLV). Soos goud wat gesuiwer word, het Job vir God vertrou om die beste in hom na vore te bring. Was dit maklik? Nee. Ons wil aan die bekende vasklou en na die sekuriteit van gister toe terugkeer, selfs al weet ons dat dit nie is wat God vir ons wil hê nie. Die vrese, verrassings en teenspoed wat om die draai lê wil ons laat opgee en weghardloop. Wat moet jy eerder doen? Posisioneer jouself in geloof: ‘…Neem julle posisies in, en staan dan en kyk na die oorwinning van die Here. Hy is met julle…’ Wat jy ook al vandag deurmaak, onthou dat God met jou is.
Sielskos: 1 Kon 8-9; Matt 17:14-27; Ps 40:1-8; Spr 6:1-5
2 Chronicles 20:17 NKJV
When you doubt God you disappoint Him, because He deserves better. So you must seek to strengthen your faith, because faith honors God and God honors faith. And He will send opportunities disguised as problems designed to strengthen your faith. When Job lost his health, his wealth, and his children, the Bible says he “fell to the ground and worshiped” (Job 1:20 NKJV). Job didn’t worship God because of his circumstances, but in spite of them. Notice the two things he did: (1) He looked up. He recognized God’s sovereign right to decide all things. He trusted God’s loving character and believed He would ultimately do what was best for him. And you must do that too! (2) He listened for a word. He realized this testing time was also a teaching time, so he declared, “He knows the way that I take; when He has tested me, I shall come forth as gold” (Job 23:10 NKJV). Like gold being processed by the refiner, Job trusted God to bring out the best in him. Was it easy to do? No. We want to cling to the familiar and return to the safety of yesterday, even though we know it’s not what God wants for us. The fears, surprises, and adversity that lie around the bend make us want to cut and run. But if you do, you’ll short-circuit God’s plan for your life. What should you do instead? Position yourself in faith: “Stand still and see the [deliverance] of the Lord, who is with you.” Whatever you are going through right now, remember that God is “with you.”
Soul food: 1 Kings 8-9; Matt 17:14-27; Ps 40:1-8; Prov 6:1-5
