2019-06-25
Joshua 1:8 NIV
God told Joshua: “This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and…have good success” (v. 8 NKJV). God views success as simple to achieve, and equally simple for Him to measure. If we are going to succeed in things that really matter, we must follow the instructions for life found in Scripture. So here are three biblical rules for success: First, look it up. “This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth.” Or as the American Express credit card company likes to say, “Don’t leave home without it!” Success entails making the study of God’s Word a constant part of your life. This may mean a radical change for you. Ninety percent of Americans own a Bible. Fifty percent never read it, including 23 percent of all followers of Christ. And only 18 percent of those read it every day. Imagine going to a doctor when you’re sick and getting a prescription that can make you well. But you only take it once a week, or when you feel like it, or never at all. Would you blame the doctor for not getting well? Some of us do that with God: “Lord, why has this happened to me? I don’t understand it.” Would you say the medicine doesn’t work? Not if you don’t take it. “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge” (Hosea 4:6). So the word for you today is: Get into God’s Word and get it into you!
Soul food: Jer 22-24; Matt 2:1-15; Ps 59:9-17; Prov 14:23-24
Josua 1:8 NLV
God het vir Josua gesê: ‘Hou hierdie wetboek altyd by jou. Dink dag en nag daaroor na sodat jy alles kan doen wat daarin geskryf is. Jy sal dan sukses behaal op jou pad. Jy sal voorspoedig wees’ (Josua 1:8 NLV). God sien sukses as iets wat eenvoudig is om te bereik en net so eenvoudig vir Hom is om te meet. As ons sukses in die dinge wat regtig saakmaak wil behaal, moet ons die lewensinstruksies wat in die Skrif gevind kan word, volg. Hier is dus drie Bybelse reëls vir sukses. Eerstens, lees dit. ‘Hou hierdie wetboek altyd by jou.’ Om sukses te behaal moet jy die bestudering van God se Woord ‘n konstante deel van jou lewe maak. Dit mag dalk ‘n radikale verandering in jou lewe wees. Negentig persent van Amerikaners besit ‘n Bybel. Vyftig persent van hulle lees dit nie, insluitend 23 persent van al Christus se volgelinge. Net 18 persent daarvan lees dit elke dag. Verbeel jouself dat jy dokter toe gaan as jy siek is en ‘n voorskrif kry wat jou gesond kan maak. Jy gebruik die medisyne egter net een keer ‘n week, of wanneer jy lus is, of glad nie. Sal jy die dokter blameer omdat jy nie gesond word nie? Sommige van ons doen dit met God: ‘Here, hoekom het dit met my gebeur? Ek verstaan dit nie.’ Sou jy sê dat die medisyne nie werk nie? Dit sal nie werk as jy dit nie gebruik nie. ‘My volk word verwoes omdat hulle My nie ken nie…’ (Hosea 4:6 NLV). Die woord vir jou vandag is dus: Lees God se Woord en bestudeer dit!
Sielskos: Jer 22-24; Matt 2:1-15; Ps 59:9-17; Spr 14:23-24
2019-06-24
Matteus 6:5 NLV
Jesus het gesê dat die Fariseërs spesiaal voor mense gebid het om gesien te word en dat God nie daardeur geraak is nie. Die skrywer John Ortberg wys vyf dinge oor hulle uit: ‘1) Hulle gebede het ‘n vlak oefening eerder as ‘n diep aksie wat jou verhouding met God bou, geword. 2) Dit was ‘n ritueel, eerder as ‘n ware uitdrukking van ‘n liefdevolle hart. 3) Die gebede was lank en hoogdrawend, ontwerp om ander mense te beïndruk. 4) Hulle gebede was met betekenislose clichés gevul. 5) Hulle het nie gebed as ‘n geleentheid om nederige afhanklikheid aan God uit te druk, gebruik nie.’ Kan jy jou indink as jou kind met jou in dieselfde hoogdrawende taal as wat die Fariseërs gebid het, begin praat? Hoe sou dit jou laat voel het? Wanneer dit by gebed kom, het Jesus gesê: ‘Wanneer jy bid, gaan na die stilste vertrek in die huis en maak die deur agter jou toe sodat jy daar in jou alleenheid tot jou Vader kan bid. En jou Vader wat alles weet, sal jou beloon. Wanneer julle bid, moenie met woorde mors soos die ongelowiges nie. Hulle dink hulle stortvloed woorde sal maak dat hulle gebede beantwoord word. Moenie soos hulle maak nie, want julle Vader weet presies wat julle behoeftes is, selfs nog voordat julle Hom vra!’ (verse 6-8 NLV). Jy kan enige plek, enige tyd bid: in jou kar, in die badkamer, in die bed, terwyl jy oefen of by die werk. Al wat God vra is dat jy spontaan, persoonlik en eerlik is. Met ander woorde, bid uit jou hart.
Sielskos: Jer 18-21; Matt 1:1-25; Ps 59:1-8; Spr 14:21-22
Matthew 6:5 TM
Jesus said the Pharisees turned prayer into “a theatrical production,” and that God wasn’t moved by it. Author John Ortberg points out five things about them: “(1) Their prayers had become a shallow exercise rather than a deep relationship-building one. (2) They were rituals, rather than authentic expressions of a loving heart. (3) They were long and wordy, designed to impress others. (4) They were filled with meaningless clichés. (5) They became a cause for pride rather than an opportunity to express humble reliance on God.” Can you imagine your child approaching you with a whole bunch of religious “thee’s” and “thou’s”? How would it make you feel? When it comes to prayer, Jesus said: “Find a quiet, secluded place so you won’t be tempted to role-play before God. Just be there as simply and honestly as you can manage. The focus will shift from you to God, and you will begin to sense His grace. The world is full of so-called prayer warriors who are prayer-ignorant. They’re full of formulas and programs and advice, peddling techniques for getting what you want from God. Don’t fall for that nonsense. This is your Father you are dealing with, and he knows better than you what you need. With a God like this loving you, you can pray very simply” (vv. 6-8 NIV). You can pray anywhere, at any time: in your car, in the bathroom, lying in bed, while you’re exercising, or at work. All God asks is that you be spontaneous, personal, and honest. In other words, pray from your heart.
Soul food: Jer 18-21; Matt 1:1-25; Ps 59:1-8; Prov 14:21-22
2019-06-23
Deuteronomy 28:8 NKJV
Almost anybody can spot the problem, discuss the problem, and complain about the problem. But a solution-oriented person looks for ways to solve the problem. Murray Spangler was such a person. As a department store janitor, he decided that the only way to overcome the boredom of his job, which consisted of sweeping floors, was to find a more innovative way to do it. Plus, he had the added incentive of being allergic to the dust he was sweeping every day. Then a thought came to him: “Instead of sweeping up the dust, maybe there is a way to suck it up.” Where do such creative thoughts come from? God, our Creator. And since you are His offspring, He will share His ideas with you. Spangler’s questions led him to invent a crude but workable vacuum cleaner. He then sought out an old friend in the leather business to finance the manufacturing of his invention. The man’s name was H. W. Hoover. Not only did Hoover vacuum cleaners become very popular, but “hoovering” became for at least one generation synonymous with sweeping floors. Built into every obstacle is an opportunity; every question, an answer; every problem, a solution. So don’t be afraid to question methods, systems, and equipment and ask, “Is there a better way?” The world has been enriched by people who dared to ask that question. And you can be such a person, for God promises to bless “all to which you set your hand.”
Soul food: Exo 20:17; Ps 10; Jam 4:1-3
