2019-04-15
Psalm 56:4 NLV
Dawid het gesê: ‘Die dag wanneer ek bang word, sal ek net op U vertrou… In God is my vertroue; ek sal nie vrees nie. Wat kan mense aan my doen?’ (vers 4-5 NLV). Dawid behoort te weet, want God het hom in staat gestel om ‘n leeu, ‘n beer en ‘n reus te verslaan. Daar is ‘n verhaal van ‘n man wat na ‘n plaashuis op pad was en elke paar meter was daar ‘n waarskuwingsbord wat ‘Pasop vir die hond’ gelui het. Toe hy uiteindelik die plaashuis bereik, het hy ontdek dat die hond ‘n piepklein Chihuahua was. ‘Bedoel jy dat daardie klein hondjie mense afskrik?’ het hy gevra. Die boer het geglimlag en gesê: ‘Nee, maar die waarskuwingsborde doen dit!’ Vrees brul soos ‘n leeu, maar baie keer wanneer ons dit konfronteer, is dit net ‘n Chihuahua! Die waarheid is dat jy enigiets kan oorkom wanneer jy weet dat God die volgende belowe het: “Ek gryp jou regterhand vas… En Ek sê vir jou: ‘Moenie bang wees nie. Ek is daar om jou te help!'” (Jesaja 41:13 NLV). In plaas van om die ergste te vrees, begin God vir die beste te glo. Jy kan dit doen deur sy beloftes te verpersoonlik: ‘Moenie bang wees nie, want Ek is by jou. Moenie ontsteld word nie, want Ek is jou God. Ek maak jou sterk en wil jou help. Ek hou jou vas met my reddende regterhand’ (Jesaja 41:10 NLV). ‘En ons weet dat God alles ten goede laat saamwerk vir hulle wat Hom liefhet, hulle wat geroep is volgens sy doel vir hulle lewe’ (Romeine 8:28 NLV). Moenie toelaat dat vrees die oorhand kry nie. Staan eerder op die Woord van God en glo dat Hy jou deur jou omstandighede sal bring en jou sterker sal maak.
Sielskos: Dan 8-10; Luk 22:54-62; Ps 103:13-22; Spr 10:14
Psalm 56:4 AMPC
David said, “On God I lean, rely, and confidently put my trust; I will not fear. What can man, who is flesh, do to me?” And David should know, because God enabled him to defeat a lion, a bear, and a giant. The story is told about the man who approached a farmhouse and every few yards he noticed signs that read, “Beware of Dog.” When he finally reached the farmhouse, he discovered the dog was a tiny Chihuahua. “You mean to tell me that little dog keeps people away?” he asked. The farmer smiled and said, “No, but the signs do!” Fear roars like a lion, but much of the time when we confront it, it’s just a Chihuahua! The truth is, you can face anything when you know God has promised: “I the Lord thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee” (Isaiah 41:13). So instead of fearing the worst, start believing God for the best. And you do that by personalizing His promises: “[There is nothing to fear], for I am with you…I will strengthen and harden you to difficulties, yes, I will help you; I…will hold you up” (Isaiah 41:10 AMPC). “We are assured and know that [God being a partner in their labor] all things work together and are [fitting into a plan] for good to and for those who love God and are called according to [His] design and purpose” (Romans 8:28 AMPC). Don’t let fear get the upper hand. Instead of giving in to it, stand on the Word of God and believe He’s going to bring you through your circumstances and make you stronger.
Soul food: Dan 8-10; Luke 22:54-62; Ps 103:13-22; Prov 10:14
2019-04-14
Nehemiah 4:6 AMPC
In San Diego there’s a famous attraction called SeaWorld. If you go there you can see ducks on roller skates. But when you get close to them, you realize that their hearts aren’t in it! You may smile, but a lot of people are like that – just going through the motions. Don’t be one of them! If you want your life to count, find a cause greater than yourself and give your all to it! Do you recall the story of Nehemiah? He risked life and limb in order to rebuild the wall of Jerusalem. Even though faced with threats and obstacles, he finished the job in record time. How did it happen? Because “the people had a heart…to work.” An 1828 copy of Webster’s Dictionary defines “courage” as “that quality which enables us to face difficulty and danger…without fear or depression.” Then Webster adds the words of Moses as he transferred leadership of the nation to Joshua. “Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid…for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go” (See Joshua 1:9 NKJV). At age one hundred and twenty, Moses was still telling the people of Israel, “Ya gotta have heart!” Why? Because anything worth having is worth fighting for! It takes “heart” to deal with a child’s willful defiance, or face your own fears, or pick up the pieces of your life and start over. It’s easy to talk about what’s wrong, but it takes “heart” to do something about it. And where does that kind of courage come from? God! So talk to Him today.
Soul food: Ps 118:19-29; Matt 21:1-16
Nehemia 4:6 DB
Baie mense leef hulle lewens deur maar net deur die bewegings te gaan. Moenie een van hulle wees nie! As jy wil hê dat jou lewe moet tel, moet jy ‘n groter saak as jouself vind en jou alles daarvoor gee! Onthou jy die verhaal van Nehemia? Hy het sy lewe in gevaar gestel om Jerusalem se muur te herbou. Hy het voor dreigemente en struikelblokke te staan gekom, maar steeds die werk in ‘n rekordtyd voltooi. Hoe het dit gebeur? Omdat ‘…almal met hart en siel help bou het.’ ‘n 1828 kopie van die Webster woordeboek verklaar die woord ‘moed’ as die kwaliteit wat ons in staat stel om moeilikheid of gevaar sonder vrees of depressie in die gesig te staar. Dan voeg Webster die woorde van Moses by toe hy die leierskap van die volk aan Josua oorgedra het. ‘My opdrag aan jou is dat jy sterk en dapper moet wees. Moenie bang of huiwerig wees nie. Die Here jou God is saam met jou in alles wat jy doen’ (Josua 1:9 NLV). Op die ouderdom van honderd-en-twintig was Moses steeds besig om vir die mense van Israel te sê om moed te hou en hart en siel te gebruik, omdat enigiets wat die moeite werd is, die moeite werd is om voor te veg. Dit verg hart en moed om ‘n kind se opsetlike verset te hanteer, of om jou eie vrese te oorkom, of om die stukkies van jou lewe op te tel en oor te begin. Dis maklik om te praat oor wat verkeerd is, maar dit verg hart en moed om iets daaraan te doen. Waar kom hierdie tipe moed vandaan? Van God af! Praat dus vandag met Hom.
Sielskos: Ps 118:19-29; Matt 21:1-16
2019-04-13
Psalm 103:7 NIV
Let’s listen again as Moses talks to God. “If you are pleased with me, teach me your ways so I may know you and continue to find favor with you” (Exodus 33:13 NIV). Israel was in a crisis that threatened their relationship with God, but what did Moses pray for? Not, “Lord, You’ve got to resolve it for me!” Instead he prayed, “Teach me Your way so I may know You.” He wanted more than just information about God, he wanted intimacy with Him: to know His heart and mind – how He thought and felt about the situation. Why? Because knowing God and having His favor would bring all the other things he needed, including a solution to the crisis. And God gave him what he asked. “He made known his ways to Moses, his deeds to the people of Israel.” God responded to Moses’ request, saying, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest” (Exodus 33:14 NIV). In the Hebrew text “you” is singular. God promised to accompany Moses and give rest to only him. Anybody else would have accepted gladly, but not Moses! His prayer surpassed his own concerns: “If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here” (v. 15 NIV). In other words: “Lord, it’s not me I’m praying for, it’s us!” Question: Are your prayers bigger than yourself and your own needs? The Bible says, “For God so loved the world” (John 3:16). So pray that your family, your town, and a lost world will not perish but have everlasting life!
Soul food: Dan 5-7; Luke 22:47-53; Ps 103:1-12; Prov 10:13
