2021-12-15
Ephesians 1:11 NKJV
God can make the wrong decisions of the people around you to work in your Favour. So instead of looking for someone to blame, try to see the hand of God at work in your situation. Joseph discovered three things: (1) When God wants you in a palace, nobody can keep you in a prison. (2) Your future isn’t in the hands of others; it’s in the hands of God. (3) Your God-given assignment in life doesn’t call for the cooperation or approval of everyone, but it does require the cooperation of one person – you.
Joseph’s brothers made a wrong decision by resenting him. Potiphar’s wife made a wrong decision by falsely accusing him. And the butler made a wrong decision by turning his back on him. But God did the right thing by him! He arranged every step Joseph took, all the way to the throne. After years apart, Joseph stood face-to-face with those who had treated him so badly, and said, “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good” (Genesis 50:20 NIV).
Try to understand this: The purposes of God will eventually overcome the plans of men. No one can prevent God from using you, blessing you, and giving you success, except you. So keep your heart and your attitude right! Paul writes, “Long before we first heard of Christ…he had his eye on us, had designs on us for glorious living, part of the overall purpose he is working out in everything and everyone” (Ephesians 1:11-12 MSG). So look for the hand of God in “all things.”
Soul food: Micah 5-7; John 19:30-42; Ps 105:23-36; Prov 30:15-19
2021-12-14
Hebrews 2:1 KJV
Your highest priority should always be your relationship with God and fulfilling His will for your life. Don’t let that priority “slip.” There is a sobering illustration of this in the Old Testament. A soldier was given custody of an important prisoner. He was told, “If by any means he is missing, your life shall be for his life, or else you shall pay a talent of silver” (1 Kings 20:39 NKJV). In spite of the warning, he allowed his prisoner to escape. How did it happen? Through carelessness and busyness. “‘While your servant was busy here and there, he was gone.’ Then the king of Israel said to him, ‘So shall your judgment be; you yourself have decided it'” (v. 40 NKJV).
Keeping your spiritual priorities in place is your responsibility and no one else’s. If you don’t do it, you will pay a high price. “But I pray each morning,” you say. That’s good, but do you take time to listen to God and get direction before you rush into your day? Some of us have deleted from our Bibles and our thoughts those Scriptures that command us to “wait on God.”
There is a work going on in your life right now. You may not be fully aware of it, but without it you will never be qualified to handle what God has in mind for you. The Bible says, “Jesus often withdrew…and prayed” (Luke 5:16 NIV). Spending time with God is the price you pay for hearing from Him and doing His will. Spiritually speaking, there is no shortcut to any place that’s worth going.
Soul food: Micah 1-4; John 19:17-30; Ps 105:16-22; Prov 30:10-14
Hebreërs 2:1 NLV
Jou hoogste prioriteit moet altyd jou verhouding met God en die vervulling van sy wil vir jou lewe wees. Moenie toelaat dat hierdie prioriteit ‘gly’ nie. Daar is ‘n ontnugterende illustrasie hiervan in die Ou Testament. ‘n Soldaat moes toesig oor ‘n belangrike gevangene hou. Daar is vir hom gesê: ‘…Pas hierdie man op. As hy om enige rede ontsnap, sal jy doodgemaak word of jy moet ‘n boete van 30 kilogram silwer betaal’ (1 Konings 20:39 NLV). Ten spyte van hierdie waarskuwing, het hy toegelaat dat sy gevangene ontsnap. Hoe het dit gebeur? Deur agtelosigheid en omdat hy met ander dinge besig was. “‘Maar terwyl ek met iets anders besig was, het die gevangene weggekom!’ ‘Nou dan is dit jou fout,’ antwoord die koning van Israel. ‘Jy het die oordeel oor jouself gebring'” (vers 40 NLV).
Dis jou verantwoordelikheid om jou geestelike prioriteite in plek te hou. As jy dit nie doen nie, sal jy ‘n hoë prys betaal. ‘Maar ek bid elke oggend,’ sê jy. Dis goed, maar neem jy die tyd om na God te luister en leiding te ontvang voor jy jaag om jou dag te begin? Daar is tans werk in jou lewe aan die gang. Jy mag dalk nie heeltemal daarvan bewus wees nie, maar daarsonder sal jy nooit gereed wees om dit wat God vir jou in gedagte het, te hanteer nie. Die Bybel sê: ‘Maar Jesus het Hom gereeld in ‘n verlate plek afgesonder om te bid’ (Lukas 5:16 NLV). Om tyd met God te bestee, is die prys wat jy moet betaal om Hom te hoor en sy wil te doen. Geestelik gesproke, is daar geen kortpaaie om by enige plek wat dit werd is om heen te gaan, uit te kom nie.
Sielskos: Miga 1-4; Joh 19:17-30; Ps 105:16-22; Spr 30:10-14
Hebrews 2:1 NCV
Our highest priority should always be our relationship with God and fulfilling His will for our lives. We shouldn’t ever let that priority slip. There’s a serious illustration of this in the Old Testament. A soldier was given custody of an important prisoner. He was told, ‘Guard this man if for any reason he gets away, you will either die or pay a fine of seventy-five pounds of silver!’ (1 Kings 20:39 NLT). In spite of the warning, he allowed his prisoner to escape. How did it happen? Through carelessness and busyness. ‘”While I was busy doing something else, the prisoner disappeared!.” “Well, it’s your own fault,” the king replied. “You have brought the judgment on yourself”‘ (v.40 NLT).
Keeping our spiritual priorities in place is our own responsibility and no one else’s. If we don’t do it, we’ll end up paying a high price. Beginning our day with prayer is a great way to start putting God first – but there’s more to it than just that. We also need to take time to listen to Him and get His direction and wisdom before we rush into the day. We need to keep in mind all the Scriptures that tell us to ‘wait on God’. He’s working in our lives right now. We might not be fully aware of it, but without His input, we’ll never be equipped to handle what God has in mind for us. The Bible says, ‘Jesus often withdrew…and prayed’ (Luke 5:16 NIV).
Spending time with God is the price we must pay for hearing from Him and doing His will. There are no shortcuts in building our relationship with God.
Micah 1-4; John 19:17-30; Ps 105:16-22; Prov 30:10-14
2021-12-13
Efesiërs 4:25 DB
Baie mense het niemand wat lief genoeg vir hulle is om vir hulle die waarheid te vertel nie. Dis omdat dit makliker is om niks te sê wanneer iemand anders droogmaak nie. Dis egter nie die liefdevolle ding om te doen nie! Die Bybel sê: ‘Eerlike antwoorde is soos ‘n soen op die mond’ (Spreuke 24:26 NLV). Gewoonlik weet ons wat ons behoort te sê, maar vrees weerhou ons daarvan om dit te sê. As jy egter weet dat die remme van ‘n motor nie behoorlik werk nie, sou jy ‘n geliefde toelaat om die motor te bestuur? Nie? Wel, Paulus skryf soortgelyk aan ons: ‘…wanneer iemand iets doen wat verkeerd is, moet julle wat deur die Gees gelei word, daardie persoon nederig reghelp…’ (Galasiërs 6:1 NLV). Dis wat ‘geestelike’ mense doen!
Wanneer ‘n kwessie te voorskyn kom wat spanning mag veroorsaak, word dit dikwels oorgesien om die vrede te hou. Ons wil nie ‘n ophef maak nie, dus word dit nooit opgelos nie. Paulus spreek hierdie tipe situasies as volg aan: ‘Moenie vir mekaar lieg nie. Wees eerlik met mekaar, want ons speel mos almal saam in dieselfde span van God’ (Efesiërs 4:25 DB).
Laat ons egter duidelik wees. Openhartigheid is nie ‘n goedkeuring om onbeskof te wees of net wat jy wil, te sê nie. Onnadenke woorde kan mense seermaak. ‘Moet nooit onbeskof met ‘n ouer man praat nie, maar benader hom met respek asof hy jou eie pa is. Praat met die jonger mans soos wat jy met jou eie broers sou praat. Behandel die ouer vroue soos jou ma, en behandel die jonger vroue met eerbied soos jou eie susters’ (1 Timoteus 5:1-2 NLV). Wanneer ‘n moeilike kwessie opduik, beteken omgee dat jy op ‘n eerlike en liefdevolle manier daarby betrokke raak.
Sielskos: Neh 11-13; Joh 19:1-16; Ps 105:8-15; Spr 30:5-9
