2020-07-23
Genesis 2:8 NLV
Eers het God die tuin gemaak, toe het Hy die mens gemaak en hulle in die tuin geplaas. Dit word die ‘wet van ligging’ genoem. Jy sal sukses behaal wanneer jy is waar God wil hê jy moet wees. Het jy al ooit die pyn van ‘n onwrigte gewrig ervaar? Dis aaklig. Dis soos om ‘jou eie ding te doen’ in plaas daarvan om God se wil te doen. Jy kan die maklike pad of die moeilike pad kies; God gee vir jou daardie opsie. Jy sal egter misluk as jy die verkeerde pad kies. Jona is ‘n voorbeeld hiervan – hy het gekies om nie na Nineve te gaan en daar te gaan preek nie, omdat hy nie van die mense wat daar gebly het, gehou het nie. Die laaste ding wat hy wou doen was om hulle te help, dus het hy van sy Godgegewe opdrag in Nineve probeer weghardloop. Gevolglik het hy in ‘n storm ingehardloop, verlies en ellende vir almal aan boord van sy skip veroorsaak en uiteindelik die bodem getref voor hy opgeëindig het waar God wou hê hy moes wees. Leer by Jona. Moenie sy dwase, duur en onnodige fout herhaal nie. Wanneer jy op die regte plek kom, moenie dink dat jou taak maklik sal wees of dat jy oornag sukses sal behaal nie. Die Amerikaanse prediker en skrywer, Phillips Brooks, het gebid: ‘Here, ons vra nie vir ligter laste nie, maar vir sterker rûe.’ Toe Paulus vir verligting gebid het, het God vir hom gesê: ‘…My genade is genoeg vir jou…’ (2 Korintiërs 12:9 NLV). Wanneer jy op die regte plek is en doen wat God wil hê jy moet doen, sal jy in omstandighede wat ander mense laat verkrummel, floreer, omdat jy God se genade het om dit te hanteer.
Sielskos: Hand 14-15; Luk 9:18-27; Ps 1; Spr 16:10-15
Genesis 2:8 NIV
God placed Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. He wanted them to be there, and to thrive there. And we too will thrive when we’re where God wants us to be. Jonah decided not to go to Nineveh and preach because he didn’t like the people who lived there. Helping them was the last thing he wanted to do, so he decided to run from his God-given assignment in Nineveh. As a result he ran into a storm, caused misery and loss for everyone on board the ship, and hit rock bottom before he finally got to where God wanted him to go. Sometimes it can be challenging to work out where we’re supposed to be. But God will guide us to the right place. We just need to be open to Him leading us. God told Adam to ‘be fruitful and increase in number’ (Genesis 1:28 NIV). But that didn’t happen without Adam having to put some work in. The Bible tells us: ‘The LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it’ (Genesis 2:15 NIV). When we get to the right place, we shouldn’t expect our assignment to necessarily be easy or think we’ll become successful straight away. It might feel really tough, and that can make us doubt whether we really heard God’s call. We might feel totally unequipped to do what we’ve been called to. We might feel like we’re not the right person. But when we’re in the right place, doing what God wants, we’ll be given the grace and strength to handle it.
Acts 14-15; Luke 9:18-27; Ps 1; Prov 16:10-15
2020-07-22
Openbaring 2:7 NLV
Niks is groot as dit nie eers iets oorwin nie. Paulus skryf: ‘want hier staan nou ‘n wye deur vir my oop en daar is baie mense wat reageer. Daar is egter ook baie teenstanders’ (1 Korintiërs 16:9 NLV). Groot deure van geleentheid gaan met groot uitdagings gepaard, wat jou geloof sal strek. As uitstekende sukses maklik bekombaar was, sou almal dit bereik het. Hoe ontwikkel ‘n wurm in ‘n skoenlapper? Deur die kokon te oorwin. Sou dit makliker gewees het om in die gemak van die kokon te bly? Sommige dae is die stryd so groot, dat die wurm dit sekerlik dink. Die prys vir vryheid, die vermoë om te vlieg en te ontdek, is egter stoei, ontwikkeling en deurbraak. Daar is nie ‘n ander manier nie. Hoekom het Jesus sy dissipels in die storm op die see van Galilea uitgestuur? Om hulle te leer om Hom in elke situasie van die lewe te vertrou. Hy sou hulle binnekort verlaat het, dus het Hy moeilike situasies gebruik om hulle vir die toekoms toe te rus. Wat probeer jy vandag oorwin? In plaas daarvan om daaroor te kla, of God te vra om dit van jou weg te neem, probeer dit sien as voorbereiding vir dit waartoe Hy jou geroep het. Lees hierdie Skrifgedeeltes: ‘Gelukkig is die mens wat in beproewing volhard!..’ (Jakobus 1:12 NLV). ‘Gelukkig is dié wat vervolg word ter wille van wat voor God reg is, want hulle het deel aan sy koninkryk’ (Matteus 5:10 NLV). ‘Moenie toelaat dat die slegte julle onderkry nie, maar deur goed te doen moet julle die slegte hokslaan’ (Romeine 12:21 NLV). ‘Daarom moet julle God se gevegstoerusting aantrek. Dan, wanneer die Bose julle aanval, sal julle weerstand kan bied…’ (Efesiërs 6:11 NLV). Jy is vandag geroepe om ‘n oorwinnaar te wees.
Sielskos: Hand 12-13; Luk 9:1-17; Ps 65; Spr 16:8-9
1 John 5:4 NIV
Sometimes our problems can feel overwhelming. We might have problems coming at us from all sides, or we might have one huge issue that we’re struggling to deal with. But we don’t need to lose hope. We might feel overwhelmed and crushed by our issues, but God says that we’re ‘more than conquerors’ (Romans 8:37 NIV). When we’re going through trials and troubles, we can know that they’re making us stronger in our faith. The Bible says that we can ‘glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope’ (Romans 5:3-4 NIV). When we’re thinking about overcoming and developing into something greater, it can be useful to think about caterpillars. A caterpillar develops into a butterfly by overcoming the cocoon. It might be easier for the caterpillar to stay in the comfort of the cocoon, but the price of freedom, flight, and discovery, is struggle, development, and breakthrough. There is no other way. Jesus allowed His disciples to experience the storm on the Sea of Galilee to teach them to trust Him in every situation of life. Soon He’d be leaving them, so He used different experiences to equip them for the future. And He trains and equips us for our futures too. So when we’re trying to overcome an issue or problem we’re facing, we need to stop complaining about what we’re facing and stop repeatedly asking God to take it away. Instead we need to try and see it as preparation for the things He’s called us to do. Jesus said: ‘In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world’ (John 16:33 NIV). So let’s refuse to lose hope and instead put our trust in the One who’s already overcome.
Acts 12-13; Luke 9:1-17; Ps 65; Prov 16:8-9
Revelation 2:7 NKJV
Nothing becomes great until it overcomes something. Paul writes, “For a great…door has opened to me, and there are many adversaries” (1 Corinthians 16:9 NKJV). Great doors of opportunity come with great challenges, and those challenges will stretch your faith. If outstanding success came easy, everybody would have it. But if everybody had it, then it wouldn’t be outstanding success. How does a caterpillar develop into a butterfly? By overcoming the cocoon. Would it be easier to stay in the comfort of the cocoon? Some days the struggle is so great that the caterpillar probably thinks so. But the price of freedom, flight, and discovery, is struggle, development, and breakthrough. There is no other way. Why did Jesus send His disciples into the storm on the Sea of Galilee? To teach them to trust Him in every situation of life. Soon He’d be leaving them, so He used different experiences to equip them for the future. What are you trying to overcome today? Instead of complaining about it, or asking God to take it away, try to see it as preparation for the thing He has called you to do. Read these Scriptures. “Blessed is the man who endures temptation” (James 1:12 NKJV). “To him who overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of life.” “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:10 NKJV). “Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good” (Romans 12:21). “Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil” (Ephesians 6:11). Today you’re called to be an overcomer.
Soul food: Acts 12-13; Luke 9:1-17; Ps 65; Prov 16:8-9
