2018-11-21
Acts 16:14 NLT
Lydia wasn’t a preacher, she was a successful businesswoman won to Christ under Paul’s ministry. As a result, her home became the first church building named in Scripture where believers met. Get rid of the idea that only preachers speak for God. Out of 168 hours in each week, preachers generally get to speak to people only one hour. Who’s going to speak for God the other 167 hours? India has over a billion people, and there’s an interesting story of how the gospel first reached the Telugu region. It wasn’t through a preacher, but a civil engineer called John Clough, who offered to go to a newly established mission and help them. The missionary board had misgivings because he hadn’t been to a seminary, but they admired his zeal so they authorized the trip. During a great famine, Clough supervised the digging of the Buckingham Canal. His position enabled him to hire thousands of hungry people, which meant they could earn wages and buy food. But something even more important happened. As a result, God opened the hearts of multitudes to receive His Word for the first time and today the church is thriving in India. God says, “Only I can tell you the future before it even happens. Everything I plan will come to pass” (Isaiah 46:10 NLT). God already has a plan; what He’s looking for are workers willing to help fulfill it. And you can be one of them.
Soul food: Ecc 9-12; John 12:1-11; Ps 76; Prov 30:15-17
2018-11-20
Eksodus 18:23 NLV
Hoekom dring ons daarop aan om alles self te doen? Drie redes: 1) Ons is bang dat ander mense nie die werk so goed soos ons sal doen nie – maar hoe anders sal hulle leer? 2) Ons is bang dat hulle ons sal oorskadu. 3) Ons dink dat God van ons verwag om alles persoonlik te doen. Moses se skoonpa het vir hom gesê ‘Luister nou na goeie raad… Jy moet nog steeds namens die volk met die Here gaan praat… Vir die beslissing oor hulle verskille moet jy mans uit die volk aanstel wat as regters kan optree. Stel een man aan vir elke 1 000 mense of selfs vir elke 100 of 50 of tien mense… Stel hulle as voltydse regters oor die volk aan. Hulle kan die groter sake dan na jou verwys. Die kleiner sake kan hulle sommer self verhoor. So kan julle saam die vrag dra… As dit volgens God se wil is, kan jy die sake van nou af so hanteer. Dit sal jou werk maklik maak. Die volk sal terselfdertyd dan ook meer tevrede gestel kan word’ (Eksodus 18:19-23 NLV). Evalueer dus wat slegs jy kan doen en delegeer wat ander kan doen. As die taak te groot is vir jou, sien dit as ‘n teken dat God vir jou sê, ‘Moenie dit alleen probeer aanpak nie!’ Dit beteken nie dat jy die werk aan sommer net enigiemand kan gee nie. As jy die verkeerde persoon in ‘n werk, wat glad nie vir hulle sin maak nie, aanstel, sal dit rampspoedig wees. Jy moet: 1) die regte mense vind; 2) die regte werk vir hulle gee; 3) hulle vertrou om die regte ding te doen. As jy hierdie drie dinge doen, sal jy lank genoeg lewe om die vrugte van jou sukses te smaak.
Sielskos: Pred 5-8; Joh 11:38-57; Ps 81; Spr 30:11-14
Exodus 18:23 NIV
Why do we insist on doing everything ourselves? Three reasons: (1) We’re afraid others won’t do the job as well as we do – but how else are they going to learn? (2) We’re afraid they will outshine us. The Bible says, “In honour preferring one another” (Romans 12:10). (3) We think God expects us personally to do it all. Moses’ father-in-law told him: “Listen now to me and I will give you some advice…You must be the people’s representative before God and bring their disputes to him…But select capable men from all the people…and appoint them as officials over thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens. Have them serve as judges for the people at all times, but have them bring every difficult case to you; the simple cases they can decide themselves. That will make your load lighter, because they will share it with you. If you do this and God so commands, you will be able to stand the strain, and all these people will go home satisfied” (Exodus 18:19-23 NIV). So evaluate what only you can do, and delegate what others can do. If the job’s too big for you, take it as a sign that God is telling you, “Don’t try it alone!” That doesn’t mean dump the work on just anybody. If you pair the wrong person with a job that makes no sense to them, disaster will ensue. You must: (1) find the right person; (2) give them the right job; (3) trust them to do the right thing. Do those three things and you’ll live long enough to enjoy the fruits of your success.
Soul food: Ecc 5-8; John 11:38-57; Ps 81; Prov 30:11-14
2018-11-19
1 Samuel 17:37 NLV
Dawid het geseëvier omdat hy die krag van suksesse in die verlede verstaan het. Hy het vir koning Saul gesê, ‘Die Here wat my uit die kloue van die leeu en die beer gered het, sal my ook red van hierdie Filistyn!..’ Let op: 1) Oorwinnaars van reuse bou op suksesse in die verlede. ‘n Reeks suksesse bou jou momentum en laat jou toe om die mengsel van vertroue in God en vertroue in jouself te ontdek, wat jou onstuitbaar maak. 2 Samuel 3:1 sê, ‘Die gevegte tussen Saul se koningshuis en die ondersteuners van Dawid het lank voortgeduur. Gaandeweg het Dawid al sterker geword, terwyl Saul se koningshuis verswak het’ (NLV). Onthou dus jou oorwinnings in die verlede en vertrou dat die God wat dit voorheen gedoen het, dit weer sal doen. 2) Oorwinnaars van reuse skep hulle eie styl. Dawid kon nie Saul se wapenrusting dra nie – en jy kan nie in iemand anders se gawes optree nie. Jy het jou eie wapen, jou eie wapenrusting en jou eie styl. Jy is uniek toegerus om jou reus te verslaan. Dawid het Goliat met ‘n slingervel verslaan. Moses het die Rooi See met ‘n herderstok geskei. Paulus het siekte en demoniese onderdrukking met ‘n sakdoek oorwin. Vir Simon Petrus, is krag oor siekte deur sy skaduwee vrygestel en baie kere het Jesus eenvoudig net die woord gespreek. Vermy die drang om Saul se wapenrusting aan te trek en klee jouself in die klere wat God jou gegee het. Bly in jou gawes. Bly in jou salwing. Bly in jou taak. Hierdie wen kombinasie van bou op jou suksesse in die verlede en die skepping van jou eie styl, sal daartoe lei dat jy selfvertroue en kreatiwiteit uitstraal, twee geheime wapens van ‘n oorwinnaar van reuse.
Sielskos: Pred 1-4; Joh 11:28-37; Ps 50; Spr 30:7-10
1 Samuel 17:37 NLT
David prevailed because he understood the power of past successes. He told King Saul, “The Lord who rescued me from the…lion and the bear will rescue me from [the giant].” Observe: (1) Giant-killers build on past successes. A series of successes builds your momentum and allows you to find the mix of “God-confidence” and “self-confidence” necessary to make you unstoppable. Second Samuel 3:1 says, “Now there was a long war between the house of Saul and the house of David. But David grew stronger and stronger, and the house of Saul grew weaker and weaker” (NKJV). David understood that every time you put a win on the board, or an enemy under your feet, your confidence in God and yourself grows. So replay your past victories and trust the God who did it before to do it again. (2) Giant-killers create their own style. David couldn’t wear Saul’s armor – and you can’t operate in someone else’s gift. You have your own weapon, your own armor, and your own style. You are uniquely equipped to conquer your giant. David conquered Goliath with a slingshot. Moses parted the Red Sea with a shepherd’s staff. Paul conquered disease and demonic oppression with a handkerchief. For Simon Peter, power over sickness was released through his shadow, and many times, Jesus simply “spoke the word.” Resist the urge to “wear Saul’s armor” and quietly wear the wardrobe that God has given you. Stay in your gifting. Stay in your anointing. Stay in your assignment. This winning combination of building on past successes and creating your own style leaves you exuding confidence and creativity, two of a giant-killer’s secret weapons.
Soul food: Ecc 1-4; John 11:28-37; Ps 50; Prov 30:7-10
