2020-09-19
Psalm 42:2 NIV
Godliness isn’t a culture, it’s an attitude of the heart. It has little to do with how a person looks or what they own. The Bible says, ‘People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart’ (1 Samuel 16:7 NIV). Godliness is internal. A truly godly person is one whose heart is sensitive to God, who takes God and His Word seriously, and who desires more of Him. Someone who can relate to David when he cried, ‘My soul thirsts for God.’ We can be rich or poor, young or old, urban or rural, follower or leader, active or quiet, married or single – none of that matters. What matters is having a longing to know God intimately, to obey Him, and walk with Him. It’s about being dedicated and devoted to God. And out of that devotion comes a godly lifestyle. The more time we spend with God, the more we’ll begin to change and become like Him. The more we’ll want to lay aside the things we know we shouldn’t be doing, and live His way instead. The Bible tells us: ‘Just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do’ (1 Peter 1:15 NIV). We become holy through our time spent with God, and by becoming self-disciplined. The Bible says: ‘Train yourself to be godly. For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things’ (1 Timothy 4:8 NIV). We need to ask ourselves, ‘Do I want to be godly?’ If the answer is ‘no’, we need to ask God to change our hearts and attitudes. And if the answer is ‘yes’, we need to ask God to help us desire Him above all else.
Eze 46-48; Luke 22:54-62; Ps 3; Prov 21:4-8
2020-09-18
Hebrews 11:6 NKJV
We usually think of faith in terms of getting answers to our prayers and receiving from God the things that He alone can provide. And that’s okay. But there’s a more important reason for building up your faith. Faith is about pleasing God! “Without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” What pleases God? Your faith! What displeases God? Your lack of faith! In the past, Christians sometimes described praying passionately as “storming the gates of heaven.” It was a sincere sentiment, but it wasn’t completely accurate. The battle isn’t between you and heaven! You have a red-carpet welcome to approach God at any time. “Let us…come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:16 NKJV). If there’s a battle, it’s between you and the forces of hell (See Ephesians 6:12-18). Why are our prayers sometimes not effective? The Bible says, “The word which they heard did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in those who heard it” (Hebrews 4:2 NKJV). Yes, God is moved by your needs, but He responds to your faith. That is why nothing is more important than building up your faith. And how do you do that? “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Romans 10:17 NKJV). It works like this: Get into God’s Word, get God’s Word into you, pray, and things will begin to change for the better in your life.
Soul food: Num 29:1-6; Rev 11:15-19; 1 Cor 15:50-58; Matt 24
1 Thessalonians 5:11 NIV
In stressed-out days it’s hard to remember that we, just as we are, with all our weakness and tired thoughts, are enough to God. When we forget that God has said that we’re enough, it’s important to have friends who will come and remind us of that. One of the wonderful things about being in the Church is that other Christians can ‘be’ Christ to us in those moments. But while it’s great to be encouraged by others, we need to be encouraging them too. The Bible tells us to ‘encourage one another and build each other up.’ Wherever there are sporting events, there’s usually a crowd of people ready to cheer the athletes on. In Hebrews 12, we’re told that living as a Christian is like running a race. ‘So let us run the race that is before us and never give up’ (v.1 NCV). Sometimes that race can feel tough. We get tired of running and obstacles get in the way. When we see people flagging, we need to be encouraging them to not give up. But Paul not only spoke to the Thessalonians about encouraging others, he also said ‘build each other up’. We need to be helping to strengthen other people’s faith; we need to be using words that will help people rather than breaking them down. The Bible says: ‘Help others with encouraging words; don’t drag them down by finding fault’ (Romans 14:19 MSG). When we’re building others up, and they’re building us up, we’ll all have more strength to ‘run the race that is before us and never give up.’
Num 29:1-6; Rev 11:15-19; 1 Cor 15:50-58; Matt 24
Hebreërs 11:6 NLV
Ons dink gewoonlik aan geloof in terme daarvan om antwoorde op ons gebede te kry en dinge van God te ontvang wat slegs Hy kan voorsien. Dis goed so. Daar is egter ‘n belangriker rede om jou geloof te versterk. Geloof gaan daaroor om God te behaag! ‘As jy nie glo nie, is dit onmoontlik om God tevrede te stel. Wie tot God wil nader, moet glo dat Hy werklik dáár is en dat Hy dié wat na Hom soek, daadwerklik beloon.’ Jou geloof behaag God, en jou gebrek aan geloof mishaag Hom! In die verlede het Christene passievolle gebede beskryf ‘om die hekke van die hemel storm te loop.’ Dit was ‘n opregte sentiment, maar dit was nie heeltemal korrek nie. Die geveg is nie tussen jou en die hemel nie! Jy word uitgenooi om God enige tyd te nader. ‘Kom ons gaan dan met volle vrymoedigheid na die troon van ons genadige God. Hy sal ons sy deernis en onverdiende goedheid bewys sodat ons op die regte tyd gehelp sal word’ (Hebreërs 4:16 NLV). As daar ‘n geveg is, is dit tussen jou en die magte van die hel (sien Efesiërs 6:12-18). Hoekom is ons gebede soms nie effektief nie? Die Bybel sê: ‘…Dit het hulle egter niks gebaat nie omdat hulle die boodskap wat hulle gehoor het, nie geglo het nie’ (Hebreërs 4:2 NLV). Ja, God word deur jou behoeftes aangeraak, maar Hy reageer op jou geloof. Dit is hoekom niks belangriker is as om jou geloof te versterknie. Hoe doen jy dit? ‘Die geloof volg uit die aanhoor van die boodskap…’ (Romeine 10:17 NLV). Dit werk so: Raak verdiep in God se Woord, laat God se Woord in jou posvat, bid en dinge sal ten goede in jou lewe begin verander.
Sielskos: Num 29:1-6; Op 11:15-19; 1 Kor 15:50-58; Matt 24
2020-09-17
Jeremiah 17:9 NLT
We all know well-intentioned people, who, when you ask them to do something, you’re not sure they will follow through. As nice as they are, they’re unreliable. Your feelings are like that; much of the time you can’t count on them because they’re not attuned to what’s best for you. They’re more interested in having their own way. For example, our feelings can get us excited about going shopping when we don’t have the money to spend. They entice us to eat cheesecake when we’re trying to avoid extra calories. They lead us to stay up late at night working or watching TV, when we know we need to get up early the next day. In short, our feelings are fickle. They change like the wind. Yet it’s amazing how much power we give them in our lives. As believers, we have something wiser and more dependable to rely on than our feelings, and that’s the Word of God. When we feel strongly about something, it’s not always easy to determine whether or not we’re in agreement with God about it. Jeremiah tells us, “The human heart is the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked. Who really knows…it? But I, the Lord, search all hearts and examine secret motives” (vv. 9-10 NLT). And He does it through His Word, which “is sharper than any two-edged sword…exposing…sifting…analyzing and judging the very thoughts and purposes of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12 AMPC). Here’s the score: If you’re truly interested in rising above your feelings, you’ll let the Word of God be the determining factor in all your decisions.
Soul food: Eze 43-45; Luke 22:39-53; Ps 19; Prov 21:3
