2022-01-30
Genesis 28:16 NKJV
We have all heard people say, “The Lord told me,” and it turned out not to be so. As a result, we have become doubting and cynical. What a loss! God speaks through people, and your fear of someone “getting it wrong” can rob you of vital input – in some cases, the very input you need.
One night, God appeared to Jacob in a dream, saying: “‘I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and…bring you back to this land; for I will not leave you until I have done what I have spoken to you.’ Then Jacob awoke…and said, ‘Surely the Lord is in this place, and I did not know it.’ And he was afraid and said, ‘How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven'” (vv.15-17 NKJV).
In order to hear from God, you must (1) desire it above all else, (2) eliminate mental clutter, slow down, and take time to understand what He is saying to you, and (3) believe that God will actually speak to you. If you don’t believe, you will be left to the mercy of your own best thinking – or be influenced by others who think just like you.
Seven times in chapters two and three of The Book of Revelation, God said, “He that hath an ear [a spiritually developed one], let him hear what the Spirit says.” The question is this: How can you know what you’re hearing is actually from God? Because it will always agree with His Word, and your spirit will say, “Amen!”
Soul food: Exo 16:1-35; John 6:30-40
2022-01-29
2 Corinthians 5:16 NCV
Paul wrote, ‘From this time on we do not think of anyone as the world does. In the past we thought of Christ as the world thinks, but we no longer think of him in that way. If anyone belongs to Christ, there is a new creation. The old things have gone; everything is made new!’ (v.16-17 NCV).
Here’s something important that we need to keep in mind: When we’re trying to help believers who are struggling or battling with addiction or a physical problem, we should speak life to their regenerated spirit. We need to speak to the part of them that’s capable of rising up in faith and responding to God’s Word: ‘Faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ’ (Romans 10:17 NIV). Faith comes by hearing what God thinks, says, and can do. Until God has been heard, the last word hasn’t been spoken.
God instructed Ezekiel to stand in a valley full of dead bones and say, ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says to these bones: I will make breath enter you, and you will come to life’ (Ezekiel 37:5 NIV). And it happened! Ezekiel said, ‘As I was prophesying, there was a noise, a rattling sound, and the bones came together’ (v.7 NIV). Faith doesn’t deny reality or ignore what’s happening, but it does refuse to be intimidated, limited, or ruled by the circumstances we can see. ‘Spirit can be known only by spirit’ (1 Corinthians 2:14 MSG), so when someone is a redeemed child of God, we shouldn’t speak to their human mind. Instead, we should let God guide us in speaking His words of life and hope to their spirit.
Rom 3:21-6:23; Luke 6:37-49; Ps 107:10-16; Pro 3:19-20
2 Corinthians 5:16 NKJV
Paul writes, “From now on, we regard no one according to the flesh…anyone…in Christ…is a new creation; old things have passed away…all things have become new” (vv. 16-17 NKJV). Here is an important spiritual principle. When you’re trying to help a believer who is battling adversity, addiction, or physical affliction, speak life to their regenerated spirit. Speak to the part of them that’s capable of rising up in faith and responding to God’s Word: “Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Romans 10:17 KJV). How does faith come? By hearing what God thinks, says, and can do. Until God has been heard, the last word hasn’t been spoken.
God instructed Ezekiel to stand in a valley full of dead bones and say, “This is what the Sovereign Lord says to these bones: I will make breath enter you, and you will come to life” (Ezekiel 37:5 NIV). And guess what? It happened! Ezekiel said, “As I was prophesying, there was a noise, a rattling sound, and the bones came together” (v. 7 NIV).
Now let’s be clear; you can’t hold on to a loved one when God in His sovereign wisdom decides it’s time to take them home to heaven, which Paul describes as “far better” (Philippians 1:23). But until that happens, speak God’s Word to their regenerated spirit. Faith doesn’t deny the reality of the circumstances, but it refuses to be intimidated, limited, or ruled by them. “Spirit can be known only by spirit” (1 Corinthians 2:14 MSG), so when someone is a redeemed child of God, don’t speak to their human intellect – speak life to their spirit.
Soul food: Rom 3:21-6:23; Luke 6:37-49; Ps 107:10-16; Pro 3:19-20
2 Korintiërs 5:16 NLV
Paulus skryf: ‘Van nou af beoordeel ons niemand meer volgens ‘n menslike maatstaf nie… iemand wat één is met Christus, is ‘n nuwe skepping. Die ou dinge is verby, kyk, die nuwe is hier!’ (verse 16-17 NLV).
Hier is ‘n belangrike geestelike beginsel ter sprake. Wanneer jy probeer om ‘n gelowige te help wat teen teëspoed, verslawing of liggaamlike lyding stry, moet jy lewe tot hulle wedergebore gees spreek. Spreek tot die deel van hulle wat in staat is om in geloof op te staan en op God se Woord te reageer: ‘Die geloof volg uit die aanhoor van die boodskap. En die aanhoor van die boodskap volg uit die prediking van die Goeie Nuus wat handel oor Christus’ (Romeine 10:17 NLV).
Waaruit kom geloof? Deur te hoor wat God dink, sê en kan doen. God het vir Esegiël opdrag gegee om in ‘n vallei vol droë bene te staan en te sê: “So sê die oppermagtige Here: ‘Kyk, Ek gaan in julle blaas en julle weer lewend maak!'” (Esegiël 37:5 NLV). Raai wat? Dit het gebeur! Esegiël het gesê: ‘…Skielik was daar ‘n gedreun terwyl ek praat. Die bene van elke liggaam het bymekaargekom’ (vers 7 NLV). Kom ons wees duidelik; jy kan nie aan ‘n geliefde vashou wanneer God in sy soewereine wysheid besluit dat dit tyd is om hulle hemel toe te neem nie, wat Paulus as ‘…verreweg die beste’ (Filippense 1:23 NLV), beskryf.
Totdat dit egter gebeur, spreek God se Woord tot hul wedergebore gees. Geloof ontken nie die realiteit van die omstandighede nie, maar dit weier om daardeur geïntimideer, beperk of oorheers te word. Wanneer iemand dus ‘n verloste kind van God is, moenie tot hulle menslike intellek spreek nie – spreek lewe tot hul gees.
Sielskos: Rom 3:21-6:23; Luk 6:37-49; Ps 107:10-16; Spr 3:19-20
2022-01-28
Job 16:5 NLV
Selfs wanneer ‘n operasie suksesvol is, kan die pasiënt letsels oorhou wat pyn en ongemak veroorsaak. Dis dieselfde in die lewe. Sommige mense rondom jou dra ‘n masker van sukses, maar binne-in hulle dra hulle wonde waaroor hulle nie in staat is om te praat nie. Die komediant Jonathan Winters het in ‘n onderhoud gesê dat sy lewe deur die wrede dinge wat sy ouers vir hom as kind gesê het, verwond is. ‘Ek is nie ‘n tjankbalie nie, maar ek onthou dinge tot die fynste detail – daar is baie pyn daar.’ Sy pa het vir hom gesê: ‘Jy is die domste kind wat ek ken.’
Toe hy by die vloot aangesluit het en gedurende die Tweede Wêreldoorlog na die Suid-Stille Oseaan reis, het hy geen ondersteuning van sy ma gekry nie. Toe hy tuiskom, het hy ontdek dat sy al sy spesiale, persoonlike besittings wat hy in die solder gestoor het, weggegee het. Hy was ontsteld, maar haar reaksie was: ‘Hoe moes ons weet jy gaan dit oorleef?’ Winters het aangegaan om een van die wêreld se voorste komediante te word, maar die emosionele littekens het agtergebly.
Verstaan die volgende – jou woorde kan wonde of genesing meebring. Dit kan iemand inspireer of hulle sin van mislukking en waardeloosheid versterk. Job, wat meer verlies gely het as wat die meeste van ons ooit sal weet, het gesê: ‘Ek sou eerder iets sê wat julle kon help. Ek sou probeer om julle hartseer te verlig’ (vers 5 NLV). Hoe kan jy iemand wat seer het help? Deur jou opinie te lug? Nee, deur vir hulle die enigste opinie wat saak maak te gee – God s’n! Dis wat God te sê het: ‘…Ek het jou lief met ‘n liefde wat nooit ophou nie. Ek trek jou met troue liefde na My toe’ (Jeremia 31:3 NLV).
Sielskos: Rom 1:32-3:20; Luk 6:27-36; Ps 107:1-9; Spr 3:13-18
