2021-11-25
Exodus 33:21 NCV
God told Moses, ‘I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you, and I will announce my name, the LORD, so you can hear it’ (v.19 NCV). But because (as verse 20 tells us) nobody could look into God’s face directly and live, He said, ‘There is a place near me where you may stand.’ Moses had to be in the right place before he could receive the promised blessing of seeing God.
God loves to bless us, but He won’t reward sin and disobedience. If He’s told us that He wants us in a certain place, doing a certain task, we should be guided by His will. The Prodigal Son chose to leave his father’s house, a place where he had everything he needed.
There are three reasons why he made that choice: 1) He wanted his father’s blessing, but not his authority. Jesus said, ‘Why do you call me, “Lord”…and do not do what I say?’ (Luke 6:46 NIV).
2) He took his father’s blessings for granted. God warned the Israelites: ‘Be careful…you do not forget the LORD, who brought you…out of…slavery’ (Deuteronomy 6:12 NIV).
3) He didn’t know the risks waiting for him. As a result of leaving his father’s house at the wrong time, he lost everything he had.
The path that takes us away from God might begin with pleasure, but it always ends with pain. But ‘those who go to God Most High for safety will be protected by the Almighty’ (Psalm 91:1 NCV). We need to get in the right place – by God’s side. It doesn’t mean we’ll automatically receive the blessings we want or when we expect, but let’s keep in mind what a privilege and a blessing it is to be able to walk closely with our amazing God.
2 Chr 35-36; John 13:18-30; Ps 114; Prov 27:20-22
Exodus 33:21 NKJV
God told Moses, “I will make all My goodness pass before you” (v. 19 NKJV). But in order to see that promise fulfilled, Moses had to be properly positioned, so God said, “Here is a place by Me.” When you function in the place where God has assigned you, you can claim His promise: “I will make all My goodness pass before you.”
Why would the Prodigal Son leave his father’s house when everything he needed was there? Because: (1) He wanted his father’s blessing, but not his authority. Jesus said, “Why do you call me, ‘Lord’…and do not do what I say?” (Luke 6:46 NIV). Why indeed! Peter Marshall, former chaplain to the US Senate, once prayed: “Lord, help us to apply what we applaud.”
(2) He took his father’s blessings for granted. God warned the Israelites: “Be careful…you do not forget the Lord, who brought you…out of…slavery” (Deuteronomy 6:12 NIV). When they crossed the river Jordan, He told them to take twelve stones, one for each tribe, and build a memorial. Why? To remind them of who they were, who He was, and His covenant with them.
(3) He didn’t know the danger waiting for him out there. And as a result, he ended up in a pigpen. Understand this: The path that takes you away from God may begin with pleasure, but it always ends with pain. Ask those who have walked it, and they will tell you, “Don’t go there!” Live by this Scripture: “He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty” (Psalm 91:1 NKJV). Stay positioned for God’s blessing.
Soul food: 2 Chr 35-36; John 13:18-30; Ps 114; Prov 27:20-22
Eksodus 33:21 NLV
God het vir Moses gesê: ‘…Ek sal jou iets van my goedheid laat sien…’ (vers 19 NLV). Om egter hierdie belofte tot vervulling te sien kom, moes Moses reg geposisioneer wees, dus het God gesê: ‘…Kom staan… hier by My.’ Wanneer jy in die plek wat God vir jou aangewys het lewe, kan jy hierdie belofte van Hom opeis: ‘…Ek sal jou iets van my goedheid laat sien…’
Hoekom sou die Verlore Seun sy pa se huis verlaat het as alles wat hy nodig gehad het, daar was? Want: 1) Hy wou sy vader se seën gehad het, maar nie sy gesag nie. Jesus het gesê: ‘Waarom noem julle My dan ‘Here’ as julle My nie gehoorsaam nie?’ (Lukas 6:46 NLV).
Waarom inderdaad! 2) Hy het sy vader se seën as vanselfsprekend aanvaar. God het die Israeliete gewaarsku: ‘wees versigtig om nie die Here te vergeet nie. Dit is Hy wat jou van die slawerny in Egipte gered het’ (Deuteronomium 6:12 NLV). Toe hulle die Jordaanrivier oorgesteek het, het God vir hulle gesê om twaalf klippe, een vir elke stam, saam te neem en ‘n gedenkteken op te rig. Hoekom? Om hulle te herinner wie hulle was, wie Hy was en om hulle aan sy verbond met hulle te herinner.
3) Hy het nie die gevaar besef wat daar buite vir hom gewag het nie. Gevolglik het hy in ‘n varkhok opgeëindig. Die pad wat jou van God af wegneem, mag dalk plesierig begin, maar dit eindig altyd in pyn op. Lewe volgens hierdie Skrifgedeelte: ‘Hy wat woon in die skuilplek van die Allerhoogste, sal rus in die skadu van die Almagtige’ (Psalm 91:1 NLV). Posisioneer jouself om God se seën te ontvang.
Sielskos: 2 Kro 35-36; Joh 13:18-30; Ps 114; Spr 27:20-22
2021-11-24
Psalm 37:34 TLB
When God gives you a promise or a vision for your life, it’s like a seed; it needs time to take root before it can bear fruit. It’s like the birth of a baby. First the seed, then the pregnancy, then the development within the womb, and finally the day of delivery. And what does the mother do during this time? Prepare! She gets ready for the challenges and responsibilities of parenthood.
You may think you’re ready, but God knows when you’re ready. Though he had already been anointed king, David had to wait seven years until God removed Saul from the throne. And during those years he learned valuable lessons. Here is one of them: “Don’t be impatient for the Lord to act! Keep traveling steadily along his pathway and in due season he will honor you with every blessing” (v. 34 TLB).
You must learn the difference between what you can do and what God can do. Fools rush in! If you don’t want to risk delaying the fulfilment of God’s plan for your life, don’t get ahead of Him. “The vision is…for an appointed time…though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come” (Habakkuk 2:3 KJV).
Everything God does is by appointment. And an appointment is simply an event that has already been set. God has scheduled a time for bringing to pass two things in your life: His promises and your vision. And there is great peace in knowing that nothing the enemy does can pre-empt these two things. So, when you grow impatient, remind yourself, “My life can’t end without this happening. God said it, and He will do it!
Soul food: 2 Chr 32-34; John 13:1-17; Ps 95; Prov 27:17-19
Psalm 37:33 DB
Wanneer God jou ‘n visie of ‘n belofte vir jou lewe gee, is dit soos ‘n saadjie; dit het tyd nodig om wortel te skiet voordat dit vrugte kan dra. Dis soos die geboorte van ‘n baba. Eers die saad, dan die swangerskap, dan die ontwikkeling in die baarmoeder en uiteindelik die dag van geboorte. Wat doen die ma gedurende hierdie tyd? Sy berei voor! Sy maak haarself vir al die uitdagings en verantwoordelikhede van ouerskap gereed.
Jy mag dalk dink dat jy gereed is, maar God weet wanneer jy gereed is. Alhoewel hy reeds as koning gesalf was, moes Dawid sewe jaar wag totdat God vir Saul van die troon verwyder het. Gedurende daardie jare het hy waardevolle lesse geleer. Hier is een van hulle: ‘Hou die Here se hand styf vas; doen net wat Hy sê. Op die regte oomblik sal Hy jou hoog bo al jou probleme uitlig. Hy sal sorg dat reg aan jou geskied…’ (Psalm 37:33 DB).
Jy moet die verskil tussen wat jy kan doen en wat God kan doen, leer. As jy dit nie wil waag om die vervulling van God se plan vir jou lewe te vertraag nie, moet jy Hom nie vooruitloop nie. ‘…Stadig maar seker breek die tyd aan wanneer die visioen waar sal word. Wag geduldig, al voel dit of dit stadig gaan. Wees seker dit gaan gebeur, dit sal nie onnodig talm nie’ (Habakuk 2:3 NLV).
God het ‘n tyd beplan om twee dinge in jou lewe te laat geskied: sy beloftes en jou visie. Daar is groot vrede in die wete dat niks wat die vyand doen, hierdie twee dinge kan vooruitloop nie. Wanneer jy dus ongeduldig raak, onthou die volgende: ‘My lewe kan nie eindig voordat hierdie plaasgevind het nie. God het so gesê en Hy sal dit doen!’
Sielskos: 2 Kro 32-34; Joh 13:1-17; Ps 95; Spr 27:17-19
