2019-12-21
Genesis 2:15 NLV
God het die Tuin van Eden geskep, Adam daarin geplaas en hom beveel om dit ‘te bewerk en te versorg.’ God het gesê: ‘…Wees vrugbaar [en] vermeerder…’ (Genesis 1:22 NLV). Met ander woorde: ‘Wees suksesvol.’ Let egter op, daar is ‘n definitiewe volgorde: Eerstens: God berei ‘n plek vir jou voor. Tweedens: Hy plaas jou in die plek. Derdens: Hy sê vir jou om dit ‘te bewerk en te versorg.’ Vierdens: Hy sê: ‘Ek wil hê dat jy sukses moet behaal.’ Dit word die ‘wet van plekaanwysing’ genoem. Jy sal net in die plek waar jy hoort, terwyl jy doen wat God jou geroep het en toegerus het om te doen, floreer. Dit sal ook nie maklik en vinnig wees nie; jy sal daaraan moet werk. Die wet van plekaanwysing word dwarsdeur die Skrif duidelik gemaak. Na sy lewensveranderende ontmoeting met God, lees ons: “Jakob het die plek Pniël genoem, want hy het gesê: ‘Ek het God persoonlik gesien. Tog is my lewe gespaar'” (Genesis 32:30 NLV). Dis waar God sy naam van Jakob, wat bedrieër beteken, na Israel, wat ‘prins van God’ beteken, verander het. God het met die profeet Elia in die middel van ‘n hongersnood gepraat en gesê: ‘…Gaan bly in die dorp Sarfat naby die stad Sidon. Daar woon ‘n weduwee. Ek het aan haar opdrag gegee om vir jou te sorg’ (1 Konings 17:9 NLV). Eden was die plek van vrugbaarheid. Pniël was die plek van radikale verandering. Sarfat was die plek van goddelike voorsiening. Is jy in die plek waar God wil hê jy moet wees? As jy nie seker is nie, praat vandag met Hom. ‘…Ek is die Here jou God wat jou leer wat reg is. Ek lei jou op die pad waarop jy moet loop’ (Jesaja 48:17 NLV).
Sielskos: 1 Kor 1-3; Matt 1:6b-11; Ps 113; Spr 31:14-17
Genesis 2:15 NIV
God created the Garden of Eden, placed Adam in it, and told him to “work it.” God said, “Be fruitful and multiply” (Genesis 1:22 NIV). In other words, “Be successful.” But notice, there’s a definite sequence. First: God prepares a place for you. Second: He puts you in it. Third: He tells you to “work it.” Fourth: He says, “I want you to succeed.” This is called “the law of location.” You only flourish in the place where you belong, doing what God has called and equipped you to do. And you’ll have to work at it, so don’t expect it to be quick and easy. The law of location is evident throughout the Scriptures. After his life-changing encounter with God, we read, “Jacob called the place Peniel, saying, ‘It is because I saw God face to face, and yet my life was spared'” (Genesis 32:30 NIV). That’s when God changed his name from Jacob, which means “deceiver,” to Israel, which means “a prince with God.” God spoke to the prophet Elijah in the middle of a famine and said, “Go at once to Zarephath…I have directed a widow there to supply you with food” (1 Kings 17:9 NIV). Eden was the place of fruitfulness. Penial was the place of radical change. Zarephath was the place of divine supply. Question: Are you in the place God wants you to be? If you’re not sure, talk to Him today. “I am the Lord your God, who teaches you to profit, who leads you by the way you should go” (Isaiah 48:17 NKJV).
Soul food: 1 Cor 1-3; Matt 1:6b-11; Ps 113; Prov 31:14-17
2019-12-20
Genesis 12:2 NIV
God promised to bless Abraham and make his name “great” for one reason – so he would be a blessing to others. Jesus taught His disciples to be distributors of blessing and first responders to those in need. That’s why He often involved them in the miracle process; He was training them. In feeding the five thousand, the miracle of multiplication took place after the bread and fish left the disciples’ hands. Jesus was the source, they were the distributors (See Matthew 14:13-21). And God is calling you to be a distributor too. Sometimes we don’t recognize our blessing because it’s in seed form, so we conclude we don’t have what it takes. Not so. Jesus said: “This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground. Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how. All by itself the soil produces grain – first the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head. As soon as the grain is ripe, he puts the sickle to it, because the harvest has come” (Mark 4:26-29 NIV). Note the words: “The seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how.” Instead of saying, “How could God possibly use me?” become aware and alert to people’s needs. You have something God can use, and when He blesses it, you’ll be amazed at your potential. The miracle of the loaves and fishes began when someone said, “These people need to be fed.” That’s when the disciples discovered Jesus could use what they had, even though it seemed inadequate.
Soul food: Mal 1-4; Matt 1:1-6a; Ps 128; Prov 31:10-13
Genesis 12:2 NLV
God het beloof om Abraham te seën en sy naam vir een rede geëerd te maak – sodat hy vir ander mense ‘n seëning kon wees. Jesus het vir sy dissipels geleer om verspreiders van seën te wees en eerste op mense in nood te reageer. Dis hoekom Hy hulle by die wonderwerk proses betrek het; Hy was besig om hulle op te lei. Toe daar vir die skare van vyfduisend kos gegee is, het die wonderwerk van vermeerdering plaasgevind nadat die brood en vis die dissipels se hande verlaat het. Jesus was die bron, hulle was die verspreiders (sien Matteus 14:13-21). Soms herken ons nie ons seëninge nie omdat dit nog in saadvorm is, dus neem ons aan dat ons nie gereed is om verspreiders te wees nie. Dis egter nie so nie. Jesus het gesê: ‘…God se koningsheerskappy is soos ‘n boer wat saad op sy land saai. Dan gaan hy voort met sy ander daaglikse aktiwiteite. Intussen ontkiem en groei die saad – hoe, weet hy self nie mooi nie. Die grond produseer die graan vanself: eers kom die eerste blaartjie uit, dan vorm die aar en uiteindelik sit die volgroeide koringkorrel in die aar. En sodra die koring ryp is, steek die boer die sekel in, want die oestyd is daar’ (Markus 4:26-29 NLV). Let die woorde op: ‘Intussen ontkiem en groei die saad – hoe, weet hy self nie mooi nie.’ In plaas daarvan om te sê: ‘Hoe kan God my moontlik gebruik?’ begin om bewus te raak van mense se behoeftes. Jy het iets wat God kan gebruik en wanneer Hy dit seën, sal jy verstom oor jou potensiaal staan. Die wonderwerk van die brood en vissies het begin toe iemand gesê het: ‘Hierdie mense moet kos kry.’ Dis toe dat die dissipels ontdek het dat Jesus dit wat hulle gehad het kon gebruik, selfs al het dit onvoldoende gelyk.
Sielskos: Mal 1-4; Matt 1:1-6a; Ps 128; Spr 31:10-13
2019-12-19
1 Corinthians 16:9 NIV
Nothing becomes truly great until it overcomes something that looks insurmountable. Paul writes, “I will stay on at Ephesus until Pentecost, because a great door for effective work has opened to me, and there are many who oppose me” (vv. 8-9 NIV). Great doors of opportunity always come with great challenges, and each challenge calls for greater faith and tenacity. Think about it: If outstanding success came easily, everyone would have it. And if everyone had it, it wouldn’t be outstanding success. How does a caterpillar become a butterfly? By overcoming the cocoon. And the cocoon is so essential to the process that the caterpillar actually creates it. Wouldn’t it be easier just to stay in the warmth and comfort of the cocoon? On days when the caterpillar struggles to get out of it, he probably thinks so! But deep down, he knows the price of freedom. Flight and discovery require struggle, development, and breakthrough. There is no other way! Why did Jesus send His disciples into a life-threatening storm? To teach them to trust Him in all of life’s situations. Soon He’d be leaving them, and He was using every experience to prepare them for their future. So what are you struggling to overcome right now? Instead of complaining and asking God to take it away, see it for what it is – preparation. Remember, your level of preparation indicates the level of blessing that awaits you on the other side of it. So if God is opening doors of opportunity for you, be prepared for challenges, because you can’t have one without the other.
Soul food: Zech 12-14; John 21:15-25; Ps 47; Prov 31:6-9
