2022-02-22
2 Timoteus 4:7 NLV
Seneca die Jonger het gesê: ‘Sukses gebeur wanneer voorbereiding, geleentheid ontmoet.’ Soos jy in die Skrif van die mense wat God gebruik het om groot dinge te bereik, lees, sal jy agterkom dat hulle baie tyd bestee het om vir ‘n relatiewe kort opdrag voor te berei. Die ego in elkeen van ons smag na twee dinge – die kollig en ‘n lang lewe! Vir God maak net een ding egter saak: om sy wil te doen. Wanneer jy soos Paulus kan sê: ‘Ek het die wedloop voltooi,’ het jy suksesvol gelewe.
Vir wie gebruik God dus? Diegene wat voorbereid is! Of jy nou na besigheid, kuns, opvoeding, politiek, die mediese veld of die bediening geroep word, bly hierdie beginsel onveranderd: Die wat voorbereid is, ontvang geleenthede. Disraeli het gesê: ‘Een geheim tot sukses in die lewe is vir ‘n man om gereed te wees wanneer sy tyd kom.’ Dis ook nie genoeg om net eenvoudig voorbereid te word nie, jy moet voorbereid bly. Salomo skryf: ‘Hou vas aan die reëls wat ek jou leer. Moet dit nie laat los nie. Bly daarby, want dit verryk jou lewe’ (Spreuke 4:13 NLV).
Kennis in die meeste velde verdubbel ongeveer elke vyf jaar en tensy jy aanhou groei, sal jy met verouderde vaardighede opeindig wat nie by die uitdagings van die wêreld waarin jy leef, aanpas nie. Wanneer jy glo dat more se sukses van vandag se voorbereiding afhang, sal jy vandag anders sien. Koningin Elizabeth I het na bewering die koninklike geneeshere die helfte van haar boedel aangebied indien hulle haar lewe kon verleng. Hulle kon natuurlik nie. Ons lewens is kort, dis hoekom die Bybel sê: ‘Leer ons ons dae so gebruik dat ons wysheid bekom’ (Psalm 90:12 AFR83).
Sielskos: Jes 58-62; Luk 11:1-13; Ps 36; Spr 5:21-23
2022-02-21
Hebrews 11:5 NCV
When we’ve experienced rejection, it can show itself in a need to isolate and withdraw or in a drive to constantly ‘prove ourselves’ (or to prove others wrong). The Bible says Enoch ‘was a man who truly pleased God’, and he did it ‘by faith’ (v.5 NCV). God sees us differently from the way our parents or peers do. Other people’s acceptance is often based on our performance, whereas God’s acceptance is based on our position.
Paul writes, ‘God made him who had no sin to be sin for us…that in him we might become the righteousness of God’ (2 Corinthians 5:21 NIV). God sees us wrapped in the righteousness of Christ; and that means we’re always acceptable to and accepted by Him. That doesn’t mean we don’t need to work hard; it means working for the right reasons. Instead of striving for God’s approval, we serve Him out of gratitude.
Once we know that our identity and worth aren’t tied to the value of our possessions, the homes we live in, how much we’ll earn, or the people we mix with, it changes our motivation. Instead of being concerned about the neighbourhood we live in, we become concerned about our neighbours. Instead of focusing on how much money we make, our focus becomes how much we can do to help God’s kingdom. Instead of worrying whether we’ll ever have a fantastic job, our goal is to do every task, big or small, with excellence and integrity. In other words, we’re doing it for the right reasons.
Isa 53-57; Luke 10:38-42; Ps 33:13-22; Pro 5:15-20
Hebrews 11:5 NKJV
When you grow up with rejection, it can manifest itself in a need to isolate and withdraw or in a drive to constantly “prove yourself.” One man said it like this: “I can still hear my father yelling, telling me I’d never be any good, never amount to anything. The more he yelled, the more determined I became to prove him wrong.” Are the wrong voices speaking to you? If they are – read on!
The Bible says Enoch “had this testimony, that he pleased God.” How? “By faith” (v. 5 NKJV). God sees you differently than your parents or peers do. Their acceptance is often based on your performance, whereas God’s acceptance is based on your position. Paul writes, “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us…that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Corinthians 5:21 NIV). God sees us wrapped in the righteousness of Christ; therefore, we’re always acceptable.
That doesn’t mean you don’t work hard; it means working for the right reasons. Instead of striving for God’s approval, you serve Him out of gratitude. Once you know that your identity and worth aren’t tied to the car you drive, the home you live in, how much you earn, or the people you mix with, it changes your motivation. Instead of being concerned about the neighborhood you live in, you become concerned about your neighbors. Instead of focusing on how much money you make, your focus becomes financing God’s kingdom. Instead of worrying about your job title, your goal becomes performing with excellence and integrity. In other words, instead of just working hard, you’re doing it for the right reasons.
Soul food: Isa 53-57; Luke 10:38-42; Ps 33:13-22; Pro 5:15-20
Hebreërs 11:5 NLV
Wanneer jy met verwerping grootword, kan dit in ‘n behoefte om te isoleer en onttrek, of in ‘n dryfkrag om jouself heeltyd te bewys, manifesteer. Een man het dit so gestel: ‘Ek kan steeds my pa hoor skree dat ek nooit goed genoeg sal wees of nooit enigiets sal bereik nie. Hoe meer hy geskree het, hoe meer vasbeslote het ek geword om hom verkeerd te bewys.’
Praat die verkeerde stemme met jou? Indien dit die geval is – lees verder! Die Bybel sê dat daar van Henog getuig is dat hy God se goedkeuring weggedra het. Hoekom? ‘Omdat hy geglo het.’ God sien jou op ‘n ander manier as wat jou ouers of portuurgroep doen. Hulle aanvaarding word dikwels op jou optrede gebaseer, terwyl God se aanvaarding op jou posisie gebaseer word.
Paulus skryf: ‘God het Hom wat nie sonde geken het nie, sonde gemaak ter wille van ons sodat ons, op grond van ons eenheid met Christus, deur God vrygespreek kan word’ (2 Korintiërs 5:21 NLV). God sien ons waar ons in die geregtigheid van Christus omvou is; dus is ons altyd aanvaarbaar.
Sodra jy besef dat jou identiteit en waarde nie aan die kar wat jy bestuur, die huis waarin jy bly en hoeveel jy verdien, gekoppel is nie, verander dit jou beweegredes. In plaas daarvan om besorg te wees oor in watter buurt jy woon, raak jy oor jou bure besorg. In plaas daarvan om te fokus op hoeveel geld jy verdien, word jou fokus om God se koninkryk te finansier. In plaas daarvan om oor jou titel by die werk besorg te wees, word jou doelwit om met uitnemendheid en integriteit op te tree. Met ander woorde, in plaas daarvan om net hard te werk, begin jy dit vir die regte redes doen.
Sielskos: Jes 53-57; Luk 10:38-42; Ps 33:13-22; Spr 5:15-20
2022-02-20
Ephesians 6:6 KJV
Even for a very productive person, that sounds like a full-time effort. The word ‘servant’ can have negative implications, but that’s not the intention in this Scripture. Knowing how pressures and people distract us from our God-given purpose, Paul used the strongest possible language, doulos, to remind us that we’re supposed to be absolutely committed to the will of our loving God.
Jesus loved people so much that one day He would die to redeem them, but that didn’t stop Him from saying no when He needed to. Pleasing and appeasing people to win their approval is never a good idea because it puts someone other than God in the driver’s seat of our lives.
Instead of letting Himself be side-tracked, Jesus: 1) refused to let other people’s idea of what was important keep Him from His mission; 2) recognised that doing God’s will was more important than trying to meet everybody else’s expectations; and 3) made prayer and uninterrupted time with His Father a top priority. It wasn’t always easy for Him, and it won’t be easy for us either.
Early in His ministry when word spread about His miracles, a ‘whole town gathered…and Jesus healed many’ (Mark 1:33-34 NIV). The next morning another crowd was waiting on His doorstep. And Jesus’ response this time can surprise us. ‘While it was still dark, Jesus…left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed. Simon and his companions went to look for him, and when they found him, they exclaimed: “Everyone is looking for you!” Jesus replied, “Let us go somewhere else…so I can preach there also. That is why I have come”‘ (v.35-38 NIV). Jesus was a servant to God’s will, and we must be too.
Ps 23; John 10:7-18
