2020-06-22
Psalm 118:5 NCV
Where do you go when you’re facing a challenging situation? The psalmist turned to God. He wrote: ‘I was in trouble, so I called to the LORD.’ God’s waiting for us to turn to Him and ask for His help. He’s ready to step in and fight on our behalf. He cares about everything that’s worrying us. The Bible says: ‘Give all your worries to him, because he cares about you’ (1 Peter 5:7 NCV). Whether our problems seem big or small, He wants us to go to Him with all of them. But sometimes we can find ourselves doubting whether God really cares or listens to us because our prayers aren’t always answered in the way we think they should be. In Psalm 118, the psalmist continues by saying, ‘The LORD answered me and set me free.’ This happens for some of us, but sometimes we can find ourselves turning to God and remaining in the situation we’re in. We might never understand why God keeps us in some tough situations, but we can trust that He does hear us, and that He’s always working. He works in ways we can’t always see or understand. Sometimes God wants to teach us something in the trial. Other times He fills us with an overwhelming sense of His peace and love, which helps us to keep walking through the things we’re facing. He can also provide us with the wisdom we need to find our way through the valley. Even if there have been times when we felt God didn’t come through for us in the way we wanted Him to, we shouldn’t let those times stop us from turning to Him again. He is good, whether He removes us from the situation or brings us closer to Him through it.
2 Kings 24-25; Luke 2:1-7; Ps 144:9-15; Prov 14:5-8
Psalm 118:5 NLV
Teen die ouderdom van ses-en-twintig, het Thomas ‘n uitgewersmaatskappy begin en die Nasionale Konvensie van Gospelkore in Amerika gestig. Hy het met van die grootste sangers in die geskiedenis van gospelmusiek gewerk, insluitend Mahalia Jackson. Een aand, nadat hy vir ‘n gehoor in Saint Louis gesing het, het hy egter ‘n telegram ontvang wat gelees het: ‘Jou vrou is pas oorlede.’ Sy het tydens geboorte gesterf. Thomas het huis toe gejaag, waar sy pasgebore seun die volgende dag oorlede is. Hy het in ‘n depressie verval, mense vermy en kwaad vir God geword. ‘Ek het gevoel dat God my ‘n onreg aangedoen het. Ek wou Hom nie meer dien of gospelliedjies skryf nie.’ Toe het ‘n vriend hom na ‘n musiekskool in die buurt geneem. Daardie aand het Thomas by die klavier gaan sit en begin speel… en bid. Hy het sy hart voor die Here uitgestort; en hoe wonderlik was sy woorde nie: ‘Precious Lord, take my hand, lead me on, let me stand, I am tired, I am weak, I am worn; through the storm, through the night, lead me on to the light: Take my hand, precious Lord, lead me home.’ Thomas A. Dorsey het getuig dat die Here hom daardie aand terwyl hy voor die klavier gesit het, weer heel gemaak het. Hy het aangegaan om meer as ‘n duisend liedjies te skryf en een van die invloedrykste Christelike liedjieskrywers van alle tye geword, omdat hy na God om hulp uitgereik het. Die Psalmdigter het dit ook gedoen: ‘In my nood het ek tot die Here gebid. Die Here het my geantwoord…’ Die woord vir jou vandag is dus: Draai na God toe; Hy sal jou nie teleurstel nie.
Sielskos: 2 Kon 24-25; Luk 2:1-7; Ps 144:9-15; Spr 14:5-8
2020-06-21
1 John 5:14 NIV
Sometimes we can find ourselves praying ‘just’ prayers. We say, ‘Lord, we just ask you to protect us, or provide for us…If you’d just help us in this situation, we’d be so thankful.’ It might sound humble to pray like this, but in reality it actually demonstrates a lack of faith and confidence in approaching God. The Bible says, ‘Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need’ (Hebrews 4:16 NIV). And in 1 John it says: ‘This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us – whatever we ask – we know that we have what we asked of him’ (5:14-15 NIV). We can go to God and confidently ask for what we need. We don’t need to be afraid of asking Him for help. He always listens to us. But it’s important to remember that asking confidently won’t guarantee that we get what we want. However, when God says no, it’s not because He can’t do what we’re asking. In fact, He is ‘able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine (Ephesians 3:20 NIV). God will give us the things that will be best for us. Our earthly parents may not always be able to give us the things we need, or they may make decisions that negatively affect us. But as a redeemed child of God, we can approach our loving heavenly Father with confidence, knowing that He’ll always provide for us in the best way possible.
Acts 4:8-12; Acts 16:22-34; Matt 1:18-21
1 John 5:14 NIV
Sometimes we pray “Just” prayers. We say, “Lord, we just ask you to protect us, or provide for us…If you’d just help us in this situation, we’d be so thankful.” It’s as if we are saying, “Lord, I hate to bother You with this, but…” It sounds humble, but in reality it demonstrates a lack of faith and confidence in approaching God. Plus it’s not scriptural. The Bible says, “Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need” (Hebrews 4:16 NIV). “If our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God and receive from him anything we ask, because we keep his commands and do what pleases him” (1 John 3:21-22 NIV). “This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us – whatever we ask – we know that we have what we asked of him” (1 John 5:14-15 NIV). “Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory…forever and ever” (Ephesians 3:20-21 NKJV). “If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!” (Matthew 7:11 NIV). As a redeemed child of God, you can approach your loving heavenly Father with confidence, knowing that whatever you need, He will provide it – and much more!
Soul food: Acts 4:8-12; Acts 16:22-34; Matt 1:18-21
1 Johannes 5:14 NLV
Soms bid ons ‘Net’ gebede. Ons sê: ‘Here, ons vra net dat U ons sal beskerm, of vir ons sal voorsien… As U ons net uit hierdie situasie sal help, sal ons so dankbaar wees.’ Dis asof ons sê: ‘Here, ek wil U nie hiermee pla nie, maar…’ Dit klink nederig, maar in realiteit demonstreer dit ‘n gebrek aan geloof en vrymoedigheid om God te nader. Dis ook nie skriftuurlik nie. Die Bybel sê: ‘Kom ons gaan dan met volle vrymoedigheid na die troon van ons genadige God. Hy sal aan ons sy deernis en onverdiende goedheid bewys sodat ons op die regte tyd gehelp sal word’ (Hebreërs 4:16 NLV). ‘Geliefdes, as ons gewete ons nie veroordeel nie, het ons vrymoedigheid om na God te gaan. Wat ons ook al bid, kry ons van Hom omdat ons sy opdragte gehoorsaam en dié dinge in sy teenwoordigheid doen wat Hom bly maak’ (1 Johannes 3:21-22 NLV). ‘Dit is die vrymoedigheid wat ons voor God het, dat wat ons ook al volgens sy wil vra, Hy na ons luister. As ons dan met die wete leef dat Hy na ons luister, na wat ons ook al vra, weet ons ook dat Hy die versoek wat ons gevra het, sal toestaan’ (1 Johannes 5:14-15 NLV). ‘Hy moet geprys word – Hy wat mag het om deur die krag wat in ons werk, oneindig meer te doen as wat ons vra of dink om te vra’ (Efesiërs 3:20 NLV). As sondige mense soos julle dan goed weet om goeie dinge aan julle kinders te gee, hoeveel te meer sal julle hemelse Vader goeie dinge gee aan hulle wat dit van Hom vra!’ (Matteus 7:11 NLV). Jy kan as verloste kind van God jou liefdevolle hemelse Vader met vrymoedigheid nader, in die wete dat Hy dit wat jy nodig het – en soveel meer! – sal voorsien.
Sielskos: Hand 4:8-12; Hand 16:22-34; Matt 1:18-21
