2021-08-25
Handelinge 13:2 NLV
Die Bybel sê: “‘n Keer toe hulle bymekaar was om die Here te dien en om te vas, het die Heilige Gees gesê: ‘Sonder Barnabas en Saulus vir My af om die werk te doen waarvoor Ek hulle geroep het.’ Na nog vas en gebed is hulle die hande opgelê en het die gemeente hulle weggestuur” (vers 2-3 NLV). Let drie dinge op:
1) Barnabas en Saulus was in die kerk toe God hulle geroep het. Die Heilige Gees praat met ons wanneer ons bymekaar kom om te bid, te lofprys en God se Woord te hoor. Een rede hoekom ons nie duidelike aanwysings vir ons lewens het nie, is omdat ons nie op die plek is waar God objektief deur sy Woord en subjektief deur sy Gees, met ons kan praat nie.
2) Hulle roeping is deur bewese leierskap bevestig. Die mense wat vir Saulus en Barnabas die hande opgelê het om hulle roeping te bevestig, was leiers wat die tyd geneem het om te bid, te vas en God se wil te soek. Sulke mense is ‘n gawe. Hulle sal jou raad gee, jou korrigeer en jou vertroos wanneer jy dit nodig het en God se wil vir jou bevestig.
3) God speel nie wegkruipertjie met sy wil vir jou lewe nie. God het Saulus en Barnabas op die naam geroep. Ja, Hy ken jou naam, waar jy woon en die omstandighede waarin jy jouself bevind. Gideon was besig om koring in ‘n parskuip te dors (om dit vir die Midianiete weg te steek) en Petrus was besig om vis te vang, toe God hulle geroep het.
Jou gebrek aan ervaring beperk God nie, omdat Hy nie gekwalifiseerdes roep nie, maar die geroeptes kwalifiseer. Wag dus op God en wanneer die tyd reg is, sal Hy jou roep.
Sielskos: Amos 1:1-5:17; Luk 17:11-19; Ps 119:137-144; Spr 18:22-24
2021-08-24
Filippense 1:10 DB
Uitnemendheid verg twee dinge: ekstra tyd en ekstra inspanning. Dit beteken dat jy meer doen as wat ander mense van jou verwag, omdat jy dit as ‘n saak van karakter en integriteit sien. Ons praat nie hier van die strewe na perfeksie nie. Dit kan jou en almal rondom jou mal maak. Perfeksionisme word in selfgesentreerdheid gebaseer. Dit soek goedkeuring en applous.
Jou doel moet wees om elke opdrag of taak te doen asof God dit self van jou verwag en jou optrede sal evalueer en beloon. Die ou gesegde: ‘Uit die oog, uit die hart,’ is nie op God van toepassing nie; Hy let op elke aktiwiteit wat jy doen. ‘Pak alles gemotiveerd aan. Werk soos vir die Here en nie soos vir mense nie. Weet dat die Here julle met ‘n erfdeel sal beloon. Die Eienaar vir wie julle werk, is Christus!’ (Kolossense 3:23-24 NLV). Dit beteken dat jy die beste moontlike werk doen, selfs wanneer die baas nie in die omtrek is nie.
Nog ‘n belangrike punt is om mense te vermy wat slegte werksgewoontes het of op jou pogings om uitnemend te wees, neersien. Wil jy regtig soos hulle wees? Bereik jy die resultate in die lewe wat jy vir jouself begeer? As God jou hemelse Vader is, dan dra jy sy naam: ‘Here, ons Here, hoe vol majesteit is u Naam oor die hele aarde!..’ (Psalm 8:2 NLV).
Bid vandag: ‘Here, gee my die begeerte om uitnemend in al my aktiwiteite te wees. Help my om met die konstante bewustheid van u evaluerende en liefdevolle oog te leef, sodat ek alles vir U en nie vir mense nie, sal doen. In Jesus se naam bid ek dit, amen.’
Sielskos: Klaag 3:40-5:22; Luk 17:1-10; Ps 119:129-136; Spr 18:21
Philippians 1:10 NKJV
Excellence needs two things: extra time and extra effort. It calls for going ‘above and beyond’ what others require of us. We should think of it as a matter of character and integrity. Now we’re not talking about striving for perfection. Perfectionism sets impossible standards and often seeks approval and applause. Our goal should be to perform every task as if God Himself had asked us to do it and will be evaluating and rewarding our work. He knows and sees every activity. ‘In all the work you are doing, work the best you can. Work as if you were doing it for the lord, not for people. Remember that you will receive your reward from the Lord, which he promised to his people. You are serving the Lord Christ (Colossians 3:23-24 NCV). That means doing the best possible job, even when no one’s around to see the effort we’re putting in.
We should also try to avoid being around people with poor work habits, or who belittle our efforts to be excellent. Even if we don’t realise it, we’re influenced by the people we spend time with, and that means we can pick up their bad habits and attitudes without really being conscious of it at the time.
Here’s a prayer to help us keep focused on excellence: ‘Father, help me to approach everything I do with a spirit of excellence. Help me to live with a constant awareness of Your evaluating and loving eye, so that I’m inspired to do everything as if You had asked me to do it. Thank You that You don’t require perfection from me, but simply ask me to do the best I possibly can. In Jesus’ name I pray, amen.’
Lam 3:40-5:22; Luke 17:1-10; Ps 119:129-136; Prov 18:21
Philippians 1:10 NKJV
Excellence requires two things: extra time and extra effort. It calls for going “above and beyond” what is required of you by others, because you consider it a matter of character and integrity. Now we’re not talking about striving for perfection. That can drive you crazy, and everybody else around you. Perfectionism is based on self-centeredness. It seeks approval and applause.
Your goal should be to perform every assignment or endeavour as if God Himself required it of you and will be evaluating and rewarding your performance. The old adage, “Out of sight, and out of mind,” does not apply to God; He is mindful of your every activity. “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ” (Colossians 3:23-24 ESV). That means doing the best possible job, even when the boss is not around.
And here’s an important thought: avoid people with poor work habits, or who pooh-pooh your efforts to be excellent. Do you really want to be like them? Are you achieving the kind of results in life that you desire for yourself? If God is your heavenly Father, then you carry His name. “O Lord our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth” (Psalm 8:1 KJV).
Today pray: “Father, give me the desire for excellence in all my endeavours. Help me to live with a constant awareness of your evaluating and loving eye, so that I may do everything as unto you and not unto man. In Jesus’ name I pray, amen.”
Soul food: Lam 3:40-5:22; Luke 17:1-10; Ps 119:129-136; Prov 18:21
2021-08-23
Daniel 5:14 NKJV
The Bible says, ‘Do you see any truly competent workers? They will serve kings rather than working for ordinary people’ (Proverbs 22:29 NLT). This proved true for Daniel. Even though he lived in captivity, he refused to settle for mediocrity. This brought him to the attention of the king of Babylon, who said, ‘I have heard of you, that the Spirit of God is in you, and that light and understanding and excellent wisdom are found in you.’ Eventually, he was promoted to the role of a supervisor over the governors in Babylon, where he ‘showed that he could do the work better than the other supervisors and governors, so the king planned to put Daniel in charge of the whole kingdom’ (Daniel 6:3 NLT).
Ultimately, Daniel knew he served God, not man, and that meant he would try his best in everything he did. Although Colossians hadn’t been written at that time, Daniel really demonstrates this verse in action: ‘Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters’ (3:23 NIV).
Aristotle said, ‘We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act but a habit.’ And when we constantly strive for excellence, we’ll often find that, little by little, our skills will grow and sharpen. Striving for excellence doesn’t necessarily mean we have to be the best at something, it just means that we try to do our best. When we think of excellence in that way, it can take a lot of the pressure off because, even if we don’t always get rewards or praise from others, it’s rewarding to know that we’ve done our best and that God is pleased with our efforts. And when we’ve done our best, we can trust God to do the rest.
Lam 1:1-3:39; Luke 16:19-31; Ps 119:121-128; Prov 18:13-20
