2018-11-18
1 Samuel 17:40 NLV
In Dawid se tyd het hulle deur middel van ‘verteenwoordiging’ geveg. Een man sou die nasie as ‘n geheel beveg en die land van die soldaat wat verloor, sou onderdanig aan die land van die wenner word. Dus was die geveg tussen Dawid en Goliat inderwaarheid ‘n geveg tussen Israel en die Filistyne. Ons is bekend met Dawid se oorwinning oor die reus met geloof, ‘n klippie en ‘n slingervel. Tog sê die Skrif vir ons dat hy nie net een klip opgetel het nie, maar ‘…vyf gladde klippies…’ Hoekom? Dit was nie ‘n gebrek aan geloof nie – hy het geweet dat Goliat vier broers het. Let op: 1) Oorwinnaars van reuse besef dat hulle reus groter kwessies verteenwoordig. ‘n Reus staan nooit alleen nie, agter hom lê sy redes. Verslawing, mishandeling en woede word almal deur ander kwessies voortgedryf en ondersteun. Iewers agter die ooglopende reus is sy ondersteunende broers – pyn, skuldgevoelens, verlies en skaamte. Dawid was voorbereid met vyf klippies – een vir Goliat en een vir elk van sy vier broers. Wat lê agter jou reus? Met God se hulp kan jy beide jou reus en sy ondersteuningspan oorwin. 2) Oorwinnaars van reuse word nie deur die uitdagings oorweldig nie. Moet nooit toelaat dat jou vrese jou geloof oorweldig nie. Die Bybel sê dat ‘…God het ons nie ‘n gees van skugterheid gegee nie, maar van krag, liefde en selfbeheersing’ (2 Timoteus 1:7 NLV). Vrees sal op die mislukkings in die verlede voed, maar jy kan nie toelaat dat gister se vrees vandag se geloof oorweldig nie. Neem dus vandag jou mislukkings; maak ‘n lys daarvan op ‘n stuk papier en skryf in groot letters bo-aan die bladsy: ‘Dinge wat ek nie weer hoef te probeer nie! Ek het die les geleer.’
Sielskos: Dan 1:3-21; Dan 3:7-30; Dan 5:10-12; Dan 9:1-19
1 Samuel 17:40 NLT
In David’s day they fought “by representation.” One man would fight for the nation as a whole, and the country of the losing warrior became subservient to the country of the conquering warrior. The upside is obvious, isn’t it? Everybody didn’t have to die! So David versus Goliath was really Israel against the Philistines. It was a one-on-one contest: winner take all. We’re familiar with David’s victory over the giant with faith, a stone, and a slingshot. Yet Scripture tells us he picked up not one, but “five smooth stones.” Why? It wasn’t a lack of faith – he knew that Goliath had four brothers. Observe: (1) Giant-killers realize that their giant represents greater issues. A giant never stands alone; behind him lie his causes. Overeating, addiction, abuse, and anger are all driven and supported by other issues. Somewhere behind the obvious giant are his supportive brothers – pain, guilt, loss, and shame. David was prepared with five stones – one for Goliath and one for each of his four brothers. What lies behind your giant? With God’s help you can conquer both the giant and his support team. (2) Giant-killers are not overwhelmed by the challenges. Never allow your fears to overwhelm your faith. The Bible says that “God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind” (2 Timothy 1:7 NKJV). Fear will feed on the failures of the past, but you can’t allow yesterday’s failure to overwhelm today’s faith. So take your failings; list them on a piece of paper and boldly print at the top of the page: “Things I don’t need to try again! Lesson learned.”
Soul food: Dan 1:3-21; Dan 3:7-30; Dan 5:10-12; Dan 9:1-19
2018-11-17
Luke 16:10 NLT
Observe: (1) Giant-killers don’t start out as giant-killers! David was a meek musician, humble shepherd, and overlooked son. Faithfulness was his advantage – faithfulness in his talent, faithfulness with his father’s sheep, faithfulness to God. By becoming master over the small things, he became master over the large things. Faithfulness is a common characteristic of uncommon spiritual achievers. Matthew started as a tax collector; Peter as a fisherman; Elisha as a farmer; Jesus as a carpenter. Have you ever considered that Jesus spent more years as a carpenter than He did as a preacher? He was faithful in little things. God never called an inactive or nonproductive person. Every candidate had started something before they became a giant-killer. Giant-killers don’t start out as giant-killers…but giant-killers start! (2) Giant-killers know that the reward is always greater than the risk! Life rewards risk and action, but Satan will whisper words of fear and anxiety in your ears to minimize the reward and magnify the risk. Yet the truth remains, that “God is a Rewarder” of diligent seekers (See Hebrews 11:6). You must believe the promise is greater than the problem, the objective is greater than the objections, and God is greater than your giant. The belief that “God is greater” is the essence of a faith that persists in the face of fear. Fear is Satan’s weapon to paralyze you; faith is God’s weapon to mobilize you. So depend on God, challenge the giant, and join the ranks of God’s giant-killers.
Soul food: Rom 15-16; John 11:17-27; Ps 8; Prov 30:5-6
Lukas 16:10 NLV
Let op: 1) Oorwinnaars van reuse is nie oorwinnaars van die begin af nie! Dawid was ‘n sagmoedige musikant, ‘n nederige skaapwagter en is oor die hoof gesien. Getrouheid was sy voordeel – getrouheid in sy talent, getrouheid met sy vader se skape, getrouheid aan God. Deur ‘n meester oor die klein dinge te word, het hy ‘n meester oor die groot dinge geword. Getrouheid is ‘n algemene eienskap van ongewone geestelike presteerders. Matteus het as ‘n tollenaar begin; Petrus was ‘n visserman; Elisa was ‘n boer en Jesus was ‘n meubelmaker. Het jy al ooit daaraan gedink dat Jesus meer jare as ‘n meubelmaker as ‘n prediker spandeer het? Hy was in die klein dinge getrou. God het nog nooit ‘n onaktiewe of onproduktiewe persoon geroep nie. Elke kandidaat het met iets begin voor hulle as ‘n oorwinnaar van reuse geroep is. 2) Oorwinnaars van reuse weet dat die beloning altyd groter as die risiko is. Die lewe beloon risiko’s en aksie, maar Satan sal woorde van vrees en angs in jou oor fluister om die beloning te minimaliseer en die risiko te vergroot. Tog bly die waarheid staan dat God mense wat voortdurend soek, beloon (sien Hebreërs 11:6). Jy moet glo dat die belofte groter as die probleem is, dat die doel groter as die teenstand is en dat God groter as jou reus is. Die geloof dat God groter is, is die kern van ‘n geloof wat in die aangesig van vrees aanhou. Vrees is Satan se wapen om jou te verlam; geloof is God se wapen om jou te mobiliseer. Maak dus op God staat, daag die reus uit en word deel van God se geledere van oorwinnaars van reuse.
Sielskos: Rom 15-16; Joh 11:17-27; Ps 8; Spr 30:5-6
2018-11-16
1 Samuel 17:50 TLV
First Samuel chapter 17 is the backdrop for the story of David and Goliath. The shepherd slays the warrior. The boy conquers the giant. God gives David victory over his giant, to inspire us to confront our own giants. Giants can be tangible or intangible: the things we can’t overcome because, seduced by fear, we think we can’t. They can also be unattainable goals, unfinished projects, or unfulfilled dreams – the “loose ends” of life that keep us mired in mediocrity. A giant is anything or anybody keeping you from being or doing what God wants you to be or do. Giants can be internal or external, real or imagined, physical or emotional. A giant could be an attitude, a habit, a belief, a philosophy, or a memory. It could be a person who stands between you and God; between who you are and who God wants you to be; between where you are and where God wants you to go; between what you believe and what God wants you to believe. Giants have one goal – to stop your progress and prevent you from reaching your destiny. But giant-killers see victory in the shadow of defeat! They perceive every fight as a test where the challenge is to turn a negative into a positive. Conflict is accepted and resistance is expected. To them conflict is growth, and overcoming is the prerequisite to promotion. Giants can expose our hidden strengths, be a measuring stick for our growth, and feed our confidence in God. Giant-killers see opportunity in opposition, potential in problems, and victory in the shadow of defeat. And with God’s help you can become a giant-killer.
Soul food: Rom 12-14; John 11:1-16; Ps 105:1-15; Prov 30:1-4
