2020-10-25
Hebreërs 11:25 NLV
Tweedens moet jy verantwoordelikheid vir jou lewe neem. ‘Omdat Moses geglo het, het hy as volwasse man geweier om as die seun van Farao se dogter bekend te staan. Hy het die swaarkry saam met God se volk verkies bo die kortstondige genieting van die sonde’ (verse 24-25 NLV). Eerstens, het Moses geweier om enigiemand behalwe homself te wees. Tweedens, het hy gekies om God se pad te stap.
Die beginsel hier is dat jy altyd ‘n negatiewe met ‘n positiewe kan vervang. Jy hou nie net op om iets te doen nie – jy begin iets anders doen. Die Christelike lewe is nie ‘n saak van negatiewe reëls en regulasies nie. Dis ‘n saak van verhoudings – met God, met ander mense en met jouself.
Let op dat Moses sy besluit gemaak het toe hy ‘n ‘volwasse man’ was. Dis ‘n teken van volwassenheid wanneer jy persoonlike verantwoordelikheid begin aanvaar. Toe Moses ‘n baba was, was dit in die haak om die besluit oor wie hy was, uit te stel. Toe hy egter ‘n volwassene word, moes hy ‘n keuse maak, verantwoordelikheid vir sy eie lewe neem en vorentoe beweeg.
Dis altyd maklik om ander mense te blameer: ‘Ek sou God se pad stap as my kêrel of vriendin, ma of pa, man of vrou, dit ook sou doen.’ Of: ‘Ek sou vandag ‘n beter mens gewees het as ek beter ouers gehad het.’ Jy kan nie al die omstandighede in jou lewe kies nie, maar jy kan kies of die omstandighede jou ‘n bitter of ‘n beter persoon maak. Op die ou einde is jy die enigste een wat jou lewe kan ruïneer! Die duiwel kan nie, omdat hy nie genoeg mag het nie – en God sal nie, want Hy is lief vir jou. Kies dus om God se pad te stap!
Sielskos: Matt 6:5-15; Jak 5:13-18; 1 Tess 5:16-18
2020-10-24
Hebreërs 11:24 NLV
Moses se lewe openbaar vier kwessies wat jy moet hanteer sodat jy sukses in die lewe kan behaal.
Eerstens: Jy moet weet wie jy is. ‘Omdat Moses geglo het, het hy as volwasse man geweier om as die seun van Farao se dogter bekend te staan.’ Moses is as ‘n Hebreër gebore, maar is as ‘n Egiptenaar deur die farao se dogter grootgemaak. Selfs al was hy besig om opgelei te word om tweede in bevel in Farao se koninkryk te wees, het Moses geweet dat God hom geroep het om sy mense te bevry en hulle uit Egipte te lei. Dus moes hy ‘n keuse maak. Moses het elke gemak waarvoor hy kon wens in die paleis gehad en hy kon daar gebly het. Wat sou jy gedoen het? Moses het die regte besluit gemaak, maar dit het beteken dat hy die volgende tagtig jaar van sy lewe in die woestyn sou moes deurbring.
Almal van ons moet vrede met ons identiteit maak. Ons het almal ‘n diepe behoefte en begeerte om te aanvaar wie ons is. Om iemand te probeer wees wat ons nie is nie, is ‘n vinnige manier om ‘n maagseer te kry, omdat dit ons onder so baie druk plaas.
Moses het hierdie spanning herken en besluit om op te hou om voor te gee. Dis bevrydend wanneer ons ophou om iemand te probeer wees wat ons nie is nie en God se plan vir ons lewe begin aanvaar. Hoe sou ons Moses vandag onthou het as hy besluit het om in die paleis te bly? Dalk as ‘n Egiptiese mummie in een of ander museum – of dalk glad nie. Hy het egter die moeilike besluit geneem, wat in die lig van die ewigheid die regte besluit was. Leer by hom!
Sielskos: Hab 1-3; Joh 6:25-34; Ps 98; Spr 24:15-18
Hebrews 11:24 NIV
The life of Moses can teach us many things about what it means to live a life that’s successful in God’s eyes. Over the next few days, we’ll be taking a look at some of them.
First: you must know who you are. ‘Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter.’ Moses was born a Hebrew, but he was raised as an Egyptian by Pharaoh’s daughter. Even though he was being trained and prepared to be second-in-command in Pharaoh’s kingdom, Moses knew God had called him to free his people and lead them out of Egypt.
Moses had every comfort he could wish for in the palace, and he could have stayed there, but he knew that working for Pharaoh wasn’t who he was meant to be. Moses made the right choice to follow God’s purpose for him, but it also meant spending the next eighty years of his life in the desert.
Every one of us must come to grips with our identity. We all have a deep need and desire to accept who we are. Accepting our God-given identity isn’t always easy, but trying to be who we’re not is stressful and puts us under immense pressure. Moses recognised this, and decided to stop pretending.
Choosing to accept God’s plan for our life frees us from the burden of pretending, and releases us into the unique identity and purpose God’s given us.
If Moses had stayed in Pharaoh’s court, we might only remember him as an Egyptian mummy in a museum, or maybe not at all. But he made the right decision, and from an eternal perspective, it was the best one.
Hab 1-3; John 6:25-34; Ps 98; Prov 24:15-18
Hebrews 11:24 NIV
The life of Moses reveals four issues you must come to grips with in order to succeed in life.
First: You must know who you are. “Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter.” Moses was born a Hebrew, but he was raised as an Egyptian by Pharaoh’s daughter. Even though he was being groomed to be second-in-command in Pharaoh’s kingdom, Moses knew God had called him to free his people and lead them out of Egypt. So, he had to make a choice: “What am I going to do with my life? I’m not who these people think I am.” Moses had every comfort he could wish for in the palace, and he could have stayed there.What would you have done? Moses made the right decision, but it meant spending the next eighty years of his life in the desert.
Every one of us must come to grips with our identity. We all have a deep need and desire to accept who we are. Trying to be who we’re not is a quick way to get an ulcer, because it puts us under so much pressure. Moses recognized this tension, and decided to quit pretending. It’s liberating when we stop trying to be somebody we’re not, and accept God’s plan for our life.
How would we remember Moses today if he had stayed in Pharaoh’s court? Maybe as an Egyptian mummy in some museum – or maybe not at all. But he made the hard decision, and in the light of eternity it was the best one. Learn from him!
Soul food: Hab 1-3; John 6:25-34; Ps 98; Prov 24:15-18
2020-10-23
Matthew 7:2 NIV
Jesus said, ‘Do not judge…For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you’ (vv. 1-2 NIV). We can easily fall into the habit of judging others, even though Jesus forbids it. Sometimes we might do it because we’re trying to be honest and point out someone else’s flaw or sin so that they can work on improving. There’s definitely a place for that, and the Bible does tell us to confront sins (take a look at James 5:19-20. But we have to do it in the right way, from a place of love, and with God’s help. If we become judgemental, we’re not only hurting someone, we’re also going against what God’s Word commands.
We also have to consider that the other person could already have repented, confessed their sin, and received God’s forgiveness. They might already be working through an issue with Him. If God’s already forgiven them and is helping them, there’s no need for us to keep bringing it up. We might also start to judge people because we feel insecure about ourselves in some way, so we look for others’ faults to make ourselves feel better.
But Jesus said, ‘Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?’ (Matthew 7:3 NIV). Jesus also said, ‘They are blessed who show mercy to others, for God will show mercy to them’ (Matthew 5:7 NCV). God shows us grace and mercy despite our faults, so we should extend the same grace and mercy to others too.
Nahum 1-3; John 6:1-24; Ps 85; Prov 24:11-14
