2019-10-16
Spreuke 13:4 NLV
Charlie ‘Tremendous’ Jones vertel die verhaal van ‘n man wat gedroom het dat hy ‘n miljoen dollar geërf het. In die droom het hy probeer stort, maar die stort wou nie werk nie. Hy het probeer skeer, maar sy elektriese skeermes wou nie skeer nie. Hy het probeer ontbyt maak, maar die ketel wou nie kook nie en die broodrooster wou nie rooster nie. Hy het uitgegaan om die koerant te kry, maar die koerant was nie daar nie. Hy het na die bushalte gegaan om ‘n bus werk toe te haal, maar die bus het nie opgedaag nie. Uiteindelik het hy vir iemand gevra: ‘Wat gaan hier aan?’ Die persoon het geantwoord: ‘O, het jy nie gehoor nie? Almal het ‘n miljoen dollar geërf en niemand werk meer nie.’ Skielik het die man wakker geskrik, besef dat dit net ‘n droom was en gesê: ‘Dank God!’ Toe het hy heerlik gestort en geskeer, ‘n wonderlike koppie koffie gedrink en ‘n smaaklike stukkie roosterbrood geëet, terwyl hy die interessante koerant gelees het. Uiteindelik het hy ‘n gerieflike bus na sy wonderlike werk gehaal! Dank God vandag vir die werk wat Hy vir jou gegee het en doen jou bes daarin. Jou posisie en salaristjek sou heel moontlik ‘n droom wat waar geword het vir sommige van jou voorsate gewees het. Jy mag dalk nie vir ‘die bediening’ geroepe wees nie, maar as jou werk jou van die voorreg voorsien om ‘n oplossing vir iemand se probleem te wees en aan jou die waardigheid bied om ‘n verskil in die lewe te maak, wees dankbaar. Dink hoe jou lewe daarsonder sou wees. ‘Luiaards begeer baie dinge, maar hulle kry dit nie. Mense wat hard werk, het meer as wat hulle kan begeer.’
Sielskos: Nahum 1-3; Joh 4:39-54; Ps 41; Spr 24:5-6
Proverbs 13:4 NLT
Charlie “Tremendous” Jones tells the story of a man who dreamed he’d inherited a million dollars. In the dream he tried to take a shower, but the shower wouldn’t work. He tried to shave, but his shaver wouldn’t shave. He tried to make breakfast, but the coffee wouldn’t perk and the toaster wouldn’t toast. He went to get a newspaper, but the newspaper box was empty. He went to catch the bus to work, but the bus didn’t come. Finally, after waiting an hour, he asked somebody, “What’s going on here?” They replied, “Haven’t you heard? Everybody has inherited a million dollars and nobody’s working anymore.” Suddenly the man woke up, discovered that it was all a dream, and said, “Thank God!” So he went and had a tremendous shower, a tremendous shave, a tremendous cup of coffee, and a tremendous piece of toast while he was reading a tremendous newspaper. Finally he caught a tremendous bus to a tremendous job! Thank God today for the job He has given you, and put your very best into it. Your position and paycheck would most likely have been a dream-come-true for some of your ancestors. You may not be called to “the ministry” per se, but if your job affords you the privilege of being a solution to somebody’s problem and offers you the dignity of making a difference in life, be grateful. Imagine what your life would be like without it! “Lazy people want much but get little, but those who work hard will prosper.”
Soul food: Nahum 1-3; John 4:39-54; Ps 41; Prov 24:5-6
2019-10-15
Efesiërs 4:15 NLV
Voor jy iemand oor ‘n kwessie konfronteer, stop eers en ondersoek jou beweegredes. Is jou doel om hulle te help, of te verneder? Jesus het mense opgehef en herstel en jy moet dieselfde doen. Vra jouself af, sou jy dinge anders benader het as jy nie so persoonlik betrokke was nie? Konfronteer jy hierdie persoon om jouself beter te laat lyk? Om iemand anders te verneder om jouself op te hef, is die laagste vorm van ego-bevrediging. Die digter Kahlil Gibran het gesê: ‘Om te verkleineer, moet jy klein wees.’ Moenie dit doen nie! Dis ‘n teken van onsekerheid. Onthou jy Nehemia se reaksie op diegene wat hom wou ontmoedig om Jerusalem se mure te herbou? ‘…Ek is met ‘n groot taak besig, ek kan nie nou daarmee ophou en julle ontmoet nie’ (Nehemia 6:3 NLV). Moenie toelaat dat jou kritici jou spoed breek nie. Moenie meer klem op die opinies van ‘n kritikus as op die aanmoedigings van ‘n vriend plaas nie. Voor jy iemand anders se lewe onder die mikroskoop plaas, moet jy eers stop en jou eie lewe ondersoek. Stoei jy met dieselfde kwessie, of een wat net so erg is? Het jy sukses behaal in dieselfde area waar jy iemand anders van mislukking beskuldig? Met ander woorde, het jy die reg om aangehoor te word, verdien? Paulus skryf: ‘Nee, terwyl ons mekaar liefhet, sal ons by die waarheid bly en so in alle opsigte groei om soos Christus te wees…’ Kan dit wees dat die situasie waarin jy jou tans bevind, ‘n geleentheid is om jou eie volwassenheid aan te meet en om dit ‘n geestelike groei ervaring te maak?
Sielskos: 2 Pet 1-3; Joh 4:27-38; Ps 87; Spr 24:1-4
Ephesians 4:15 NIV
Before you confront someone over an issue, stop and examine your motives. Is your goal to help or humiliate them? Jesus was in the business of lifting and restoring people, and you should be in that business too. Ask yourself, would you approach things differently if you weren’t so personally involved? Are you confronting this person to make yourself look better? Cutting someone else down in order to lift yourself up is the lowest form of ego gratification. Poet Kahlil Gibran said, “To belittle, you have to be little.” Don’t do it! It’s a sign of insecurity. Remember Nehemiah’s response to those who tried to discourage him from rebuilding Jerusalem’s walls? “I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down: why should the work cease, whilst I leave it, and come down to you?” (Nehemiah 6:3). Don’t allow your critics to break your stride. Don’t give more credence to the sentiments of a critic than you would to the encouragement of a friend. Before you put somebody else’s life under the microscope, stop and examine your own. Are you grappling with the same issue, or one just as bad? Have you succeeded where you’re accusing somebody else of failing? In other words, have you earned the right to be heard? Paul writes, “Speaking the truth in love we will grow…in every respect.” Could it be that the situation you’re dealing with right now is an opportunity to measure your own maturity and make it a spiritual growth experience?
Soul food: 2 Pet 1-3; John 4:27-38; Ps 87; Prov 24:1-4
2019-10-14
Psalm 30:5 NIV
It’s hard when you work all day then come home to an empty house and sleep with your arms wrapped around a pillow, wishing you had someone to hold. No amount of makeup can hide that kind of loneliness. It’s the pain of having so much to share and nobody to share it with. But God knows your plight, and He cares. It’s why He made Eve for Adam, found Boaz for Ruth, and Rebekah for Isaac. It’s why His Word deals with real-life issues like sexual frustration, loneliness, failure, and lack of self-worth. Natural voids and thirsts exist within all of us, and how we fill them determines our ability to survive and find happiness. If you’re struggling on your own to face the challenges of life, you need to know that you’re not alone! “The God of all comfort” is with you (2 Corinthians 1:3). No one understands like Jesus. His family rejected Him, His disciples forsook Him, and the world crucified Him. That’s why the Bible says He’s “touched with the feeling of our infirmities” and was “in all points tempted as we are” (Hebrews 4:15 NKJV). He knows when you feel like nothing you do is ever good enough. He knows that as well as being a parent, you’re a person. He knows, He understands, and He invites you to come to Him. The season you’re in right now won’t last forever. A new one is coming, with new energy, new relationships, new experiences, and new joy. Until then remember: “Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.” Your joy will return!
Soul food: Lev 23:33-44; John 7:1-40; Zech 14:16-21; Heb 11:8-16
