2021-03-16
Genesis 3:10 NKJV
We tend to think that successful people are exempt from fear. Nothing could be further from the truth. Every generation in history has experienced fear. The first person God created was Adam, and the first recorded words Adam spoke were these: “I heard Your voice in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; and I hid myself.”
Fear is genetic; it’s part of human nature. Studies confirm that our seven greatest areas of fear are these: (1) finances, (2) health, (3) career concerns, (4) parenting struggles, (5) family relationships, (6) accomplishing personal goals, and (7) death. Are you fearful and anxious in any of those areas?
Fear can be a destructive force in your life. One of the old English words for fear means “sudden attack.” It’s akin to an old German word for fear that means “ambush or snare.” That’s what fear does; it attacks us and takes us captive.
So what’s the answer? Faith in God! Fear weakens, but faith strengthens. Fear imprisons, but faith liberates. Fear paralyzes, but faith empowers. Fear disheartens, but faith encourages. Fear sickens, but faith heals. It’s been said that the words “fear not” are recorded in Scripture 366 different times. If that’s so, God has given us a “fear not” for every day of the year – and one for leap year! And here’s one of them: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; you are Mine” (Isaiah 43:1 NKJV).
Today God is with you and He promises to strengthen and guide you in every situation you face.
Soul food: Job 11-14; Matt 23:13-22; Ps 11; Prov 8:4-5
Genesis 3:10 NLV
Ons dink dat suksesvolle mense van vrees gevrywaar is. Niks kan egter verder van die waarheid af wees nie. Elke generasie in die geskiedenis het vrees ervaar. Die eerste mens wat God geskep het, was Adam en die eerste aangetekende woorde van Adam is as volg: ‘…Ek het U hoor aankom en kruip nou weg. Ek was bang omdat ek sonder klere is.’
Vrees is geneties; dis deel van die menslike natuur. Studies bevestig dat ons sewe grootste areas van vrees die volgende is: 1) finansies, 2) gesondheid, 3) kommer oor ons loopbane, 4) ouerskap, 5) familieverhoudings, 6) die bereiking van persoonlike doelwitte, en 7) die dood. Is jy in enige van hierdie areas angstig of vol vrees? Vrees kan ‘n vernietigende krag in jou lewe wees.
Een van die ou Engelse woorde vir vrees beteken ‘skielike aanval.’ Dit stem ooreen met ‘n ou Duitse woord vir vrees wat ‘hinderlaag of lokval’ beteken. Dis wat vrees doen; dit val ons aan en hou ons gevange.
Wat is dus die antwoord? Geloof in God! Vrees verswak, maar geloof versterk. Vrees neem gevange, maar geloof maak vry. Vrees verlam, maar geloof bemagtig. Vrees stel teleur, maar geloof bemoedig. Vrees maak siek, maar geloof genees. Daar word gesê dat die woorde ‘moenie bang wees nie,’ 366 verskillende kere in die Skrif aangeteken is. As dit die geval is, het God vir ons ‘n ‘moenie bang wees nie’ vir elke dag van die jaar gegee – en een vir ‘n skrikkeljaar! Hier is een van die Skrifgedeeltes: ‘…Moenie bang wees nie, want Ek het jou verlos. Ek het jou by jou naam geroep, jy is Myne’ (Jesaja 43:1 NLV).
Vandag is God by jou en Hy belowe om jou in elke situasie waar voor jy te staan kom, te versterk en te lei.
Sielskos: Job 11-14; Matt 23:13-22; Ps 11; Spr 8:4-5
Psalm 118:6 NKJV
Finances. Worrying about money is something that most of us will do at some point in our lives. We might be afraid that we don’t have enough of it, that we won’t have enough to pay the bills or meet our basic needs, or we might live in fear of an unexpected expense coming along that we won’t be able to handle. We may also live with the fear that what we do have could be taken away from us, our credit cards could be stolen, or our source of income could disappear.
The first thing we need to remember when dealing with money is that it’s not ours, but God’s. 1 Chronicles 29 says: ‘Riches and honour come from you. You rule everything…Everything comes from you’ (NCV). We might think that He’s only interested in spiritual things, but if money ultimately belongs to Him, we can be certain that He’ll want to help us work through any financial worries we have. That doesn’t necessarily mean He’ll suddenly give us plenty of money, but He will give us wisdom in how to best use what we have.
We also need to remember what Jesus said in Matthew 6:26-34. In these verses, Jesus assures us that just as God provides for every bird and flower, He’ll provide for us, His beloved children. Psalm 118:6 says: ‘The LORD is on my side; I will not fear’ (NKJV). Whether we’ve made bad decisions and mismanaged our finances, or whether something external has created fear where our money’s concerned, God’s still with us, He’s still for us, and He’s still fighting on our side. We just need to turn to Him, trust Him, and follow His guidance.
Job 11-14; Matt 23:13-22; Ps 11; Prov 8:4-5
2021-03-15
Psalm 118:6 NKJV
During the Great Depression unemployment hit 25 percent of the American population. Savings accounts were wiped out by bank failures, farmers lost their land to foreclosures, and people were having trouble just feeding their families.
During this dark time Franklin Delano Roosevelt addressed the nation in these words: “Let me assert my firm belief that the only thing we have to fear is fear itself – nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance.”
What most people didn’t realize is that the president himself had experienced some dark hours during which fear paralyzed him. Roosevelt was born a child of privilege and educated in Europe, at Harvard, and at Columbia Law School. But at age thirty-nine, he was stricken with a case of polio that left him severely disabled. During his recovery he developed an extreme fear of fire. He worried he wouldn’t be able to escape because of his disability.
But in time he overcame his fear, regained the use of his hands, and even learned to walk again with the aid of braces. He reentered the political arena – fearlessly campaigning to become the governor of New York, which he did in 1929. He then went on to become one of America’s greatest presidents and guided the nation to victory in World War II. In his memoirs Roosevelt recalls how when he turned to God for help, courage, and guidance, he received them.
Are you afraid today? If you are, stand on this promise: “The Lord is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me?”
Soul food: Job 8-10; Matt 23:1-12; Ps 115; Prov 8:1-3
Psalm 118:6 NLV
Gedurende die Groot Depressie het werkloosheid 25 persent van die Amerikaanse bevolking getref. Spaarrekeninge is deur banke wat ineengestort het uitgewis, boere se land is teruggeneem en mense het gesukkel om hulle families te voed. Gedurende hierdie donker tye het Franklin Delano Roosevelt die nasie met die volgende woorde toegespreek: ‘Laat ek my ferme geloof uitspreek dat die enigste ding wat ons het om te vrees, vrees self is – naamlose, onredelike, ongegronde vrees wat die nodige pogings om voort te bou, verlam.’
Wat die meeste mense nie besef nie is dat die president self tye waartydens vrees hom verlam het, ervaar het. Roosevelt is as bevoorregte kind gebore en het in Europa, by Harvard en by Columbia se regskool, studeer. Op die ouderdom van nege-en-dertig het hy egter polio opgedoen wat hom erg gestrem gelaat het. Gedurende sy siekbed het hy ‘n uiterste vrees vir vuur ontwikkel. Hy was bekommerd dat hy as gevolg van sy gebrek nie in staat sou wees om te ontsnap nie. Met verloop van tyd het hy egter sy vrees oorkom, die gebruik van sy hande herwin en selfs geleer om met stutte te loop. Hy het weer die politieke arena betree – en vreesloos ‘n veldtog geloods om goewerneur van New York te word, wat hy in 1929 reggekry het. Hy het voortgegaan om een van Amerika se grootste presidente te word en het die land na oorwinning in die Tweede Wêreldoorlog gelei. In sy memoires het Roosevelt geskryf hoe hy na God vir hulp, moed en leiding gedraai het en hoe hy dit ontvang het.
Is jy vandag bang? Indien jy is, staan op hierdie belofte: ‘Die Here is by my, ek sal nie bang wees nie. Wat kan ‘n mens aan my doen?’
Sielskos: Job 8-10; Matt 23:1-12; Ps 115; Spr 8:1-3
