2020-12-21
James 5:16 NKJV
The Bible says: “The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain; and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months” (vv. 16-17 NKJV). There are two words in this portion of Scripture that you need to pay particular attention to:
(1) “Fervent.” This describes the intense heat you get from a blazing fire. The Amplified Bible puts it like this: “The earnest (heartfelt, continued) prayer of a righteous man makes tremendous power available [dynamic in its working].” If you’re not careful, you can fall into the trap of thinking you have to “work up” strong emotions before you pray or while you’re praying, in order for your prayers to be heard and answered. Not so! Your feelings may move you, but only your faith will move God. The Bible says, “He that cometh to God must believe…that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him” (Hebrews 11:6 KJV). Just because you felt God’s presence in a special way yesterday when you prayed, and you don’t today, doesn’t mean your prayers aren’t being heard and won’t be answered.
(2) “Righteous.” Elijah was a righteous man, but he certainly wasn’t a perfect man. Yes, his prayers were effective. But he was also given to bouts of fear and deep depression. Here’s the key: Because you are clothed in Christ’s righteousness you’re always worthy and acceptable before God, therefore you can be confident your prayers will be heard and answered (See Romans 5:17). Knowing that, you can pray effectively.
Soul food: 2 Tim 1-4; John 21:15-25; Ps 47; Prov 31:6-9
Jakobus 5:16 AFR53
Die Bybel sê: ‘…Die vurige gebed van ‘n regverdige het groot krag. Elía was ‘n mens net soos ons, en hy het ernstig gebid dat dit nie moes reën nie, en dit het op die aarde drie jaar en ses maande lank nie gereën nie’ (verse 16-17 AFR53). Daar is twee woorde in hierdie Skrifgedeelte waaraan jy spesifiek aandag moet gee:
1) ‘Vurige.’ Dit beskryf die intense hitte wat jy van ‘n brandende vuur voel. As jy nie versigtig is nie, kan jy dalk in die strik trap om te dink dat jy sterk emosies moet ‘opwerk’ voor jy bid of terwyl jy bid, sodat jou gebede gehoor en beantwoord kan word. Dis nie so nie! Jou gevoelens mag jou dalk roer, maar net jou geloof sal God roer. Die Bybel sê: ‘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’ (Hebreërs 11:6 NLV). Net omdat jy gister God se teenwoordigheid op ‘n spesiale manier aangevoel het toe jy gebid het, maar dit nie vandag voel nie, beteken nie dat jou gebede vandag nie aangehoor en beantwoord sal word nie.
2) ‘Regverdige.’ Elia was ‘n regverdige man, maar hy was verseker nie ‘n perfekte man nie. Ja, sy gebede was effektief. Hy was egter ook geneig om te vrees en het soms in ‘n diep depressie verval. Hier is die sleutel: Omdat jy in Christus se geregtigheid geklee is, is jy altyd waardig en aanvaarbaar voor God, dus kan jy vol vertroue wees dat jou gebede gehoor en beantwoord sal word (sien Romeine 5:17). Met hierdie wete, kan jy effektief bid.
Sielskos: 2 Tim 1-4; Joh 21:15-25; Ps 47; Spr 31:6-9
James 5:16 NCV
The Bible says: ‘When a believing person prays, great things happen. Elijah was a human being just like us. He prayed that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years!’ (v.16-17 NCV). There are two things in particular for us to take note of here:
1) ‘A believing person.’ When we pray, we need to believe that God will hear and answer our prayers. ‘Anyone who comes to God must believe that he is real and that he rewards those who truly want to find him’ (Hebrews 11:6 NCV).
In Matthew 6, Jesus says: ‘When you pray, don’t be like those people who don’t know God. They continue saying things that mean nothing, thinking that God will hear them because of their many words’ (v.7 NCV). The only requirement for seeing ‘great things happen’ is to believe.
We might hear other people praying almost fiercely, full of emotion and passion. There’s nothing wrong with praying that way (as long as we’re not doing it for effect), but we mustn’t fall into the trap of thinking it’s the only way God will hear and answer us. Our feelings may move us, but it’s our faith that moves God. A simple, quiet prayer coming from a heart that believes and trusts in Him will get His attention.
2) ‘Elijah was a human being just like us.’ Elijah was righteous, but that doesn’t mean he was perfect. His prayers were effective, but he still struggled at times with fear and despair. He really was ‘just like us’. So we can pray with confidence, knowing that we don’t need to be perfect for God to listen, answer, and do great things. We just need to trust and believe.
2 Tim 1-4; John 21:15-25; Ps 47; Prov 31:6-9
2020-12-20
Romeine 15:13 NLV
Die Here het vir ons ‘n sin van blydskap te midde van elke situasie waarvoor ons te staan kom, beloof. Jesus het gesê: ‘Dit het Ek vir julle gesê sodat julle my blydskap mag ervaar en julle blydskap volkome mag wees’ (Johannes 15:11 NLV). Hoe kan jy dus aan jou blydskap vashou en dit nie verloor nie?
Die apostel Paulus sê vir ons: ‘Ek bid dat dié God wat aan ons ‘n toekomsverwagting gee, deur die geloof julle lewens met blydskap en vrede sal vul. Ja, mag julle lewens tot oorlopens toe vol verwagting word deur die kragtige werking van die Heilige Gees’ (Romeine 15:13 NLV). Let die woorde ‘deur die geloof’ op. Jy mag vrae hê, maar jy moet nooit aan God se liefde en getrouheid teenoor jou twyfel nie.
Een Bybelonderwyser skryf: ‘Ek onthou ‘n aand wat ek baie ontevrede en misnoeg gevoel het. Ek het geen vrede of blydskap gehad nie en het ellendig gevoel. Ek het Romeine hoofstuk 15:13 gelees en dit was die regte woord op die regte tyd vir my. My probleem was eenvoudig: Ek het getwyfel in plaas daarvan om te glo. Ek het aan God se onvoorwaardelike liefde vir my getwyfel, ek het getwyfel dat ek sy stem kan hoor, ek het aan sy roeping vir my lewe getwyfel en ek het getwyfel of Hy met my tevrede was. Toe ek die probleem herken en terug in geloof en uit twyfel beweeg, het my vrede en blydskap onmiddellik teruggekeer. Ek het gevind dat dit deurlopend in my lewe die geval was. Wanneer my blydskap en vrede weg was, moes ek na my geloof kyk – gewoonlik was dit ook dan weg.’
Dieselfde beginsel is vandag op jou van toepassing!
Sielskos: Jona 2; Luk 11:29-32
Romans 15:13 AMPC
The Lord has promised us a sense of joy in the midst of every circumstance we face. Jesus said, “I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete” (John 15:11 NIV). So how can you hold on to your joy and not lose it?
The apostle Paul tells us, “May the God of your hope so fill you with all joy and peace in believing [through the experience of your faith] that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound and be overflowing (bubbling over) with hope” (Romans 15:13 AMPC). Notice that all-important word “believing.” It’s okay to have questions, but you must never doubt God’s love and faithfulness toward you.
One Bible teacher writes: “I remember an evening when I was feeling strongly dissatisfied and discontented. I had no peace or joy and was absolutely miserable. I read Romans chapter 15:13, and it was indeed ‘a word in season’ for me. My problem was simple: I was doubting instead of believing. I was doubting God’s unconditional love for me, doubting that I could hear from Him, doubting His call on my life, doubting that He was pleased with me. I was filled with doubt…doubt…doubt. When I saw the problem and got back into faith and out of doubt…my joy and peace returned immediately. I’ve found the same thing to be true again and again in my life. When my joy and peace seem to be gone, I check my believing – usually it is gone also.”
And the same principle applies to you today!
Soul food: Jonah 2; Luke 11:29-32
