2022-03-10
Johannes 11:26 NLV
By die graf van sy vriend Lasarus, het Jesus vir sy hartseer susters twee allerbelangrike dinge gesê: 1) ‘…Jou broer sal weer opstaan’ (Johannes 11:23 NLV). 2) ‘Elkeen wat lewe en in My glo, sal in alle ewigheid nooit sterf nie. Glo jy dit…?’ (vers 26 NLV).
Wat gaan jou verder as die dood tot in jou hemelse tuiste bring? ‘n Goeie karakter? Om vir liefdadigheid te gee? Om kerk toe te gaan? Nee. Alhoewel al hierdie dinge prysenswaardig is, kan jy net deur jou vertroue in Christus te plaas, die versekering van die opstanding en ewige lewe hê. Jesus het die dood en die graf vir jou oorwin.
Jy mag dalk vandag hierdie woorde met trane van verlies en hartseer lees. Miskien het jy jou maat van baie jare verloor, of jou kind in ‘n tragiese ongeluk, of ‘n geliefde aan ‘n gevreesde siekte. Jesus verstaan jou smart soos niemand anders kan nie. Hy is in voeling met ons hartseer en smart (sien Hebreërs 4:15). Of miskien voel jy of die dood naby is.
As jy nog nie jou vertroue in Christus geplaas het nie, moet jy dadelik daarvan werk maak. Moenie vir ‘n meer gepaste tyd wag nie. Doen dit vandag en jy sal gered word; dit beteken dat wanneer jy jou laaste asem uitblaas, sal jy van die dood na die hemelse lewe toe oorgaan.
Wanneer jy jou vertroue in Christus plaas, is daar geen rede om dit wat aan die anderkant van die graf lê, te vrees nie. Hy is reeds daar en Hy het vir jou ‘n plek gereedgemaak. Dis daar! Onverklaarbare, ewige vreugde sal danksy Jesus vir ewig aan jou behoort. Jy kan saam met Paulus uitroep: ‘O dood, waar is jou oorwinning? Dood, wat het van jou angel geword?’ (1 Korintiërs 15:55 NLV). Dink daaroor: Direk na die dood – is daar glorie!
Sielskos: Eks 33-35; Luk 15:1-10; Ps 112; Spr 7:6-9
2022-03-09
Jesaja 30:21 NLV
‘n Gerespekteerde skrywer was saam met haar man en vriende op die toppunt van ‘n berg, besig om te bespreek watter rigting om te stap. Een ou het gesê: ‘Dis suid!’ ‘n Ander een het geantwoord: ‘Nee, dis oos in daardie rigting.’ Elkeen het ‘n stuiwer in die armbeurs gegooi, totdat die vrou se man uiteindelik ‘n kompas na vore gebring het en gesê het: ‘Ons kan hierdie argument vinnig opklaar.’ Binne sekondes het die kompas bevestig dat hulle inderwaardheid wes moes gaan! Die enigste betroubare bron het die laaste woord gehad en niemand kon daarmee stry nie.
Gedurende die dag wedywer baie stemme vir jou aandag en sommige wat soos kundiges klink, mag heeltemal verkeerd wees. Jy moet weet na watter stem om te luister, want as jy net na jou omstandighede kyk, sal jy gedisoriënteerd word. ‘n Onverwagte telefoonoproep, ‘n sukkelende verhouding, ‘n werk wat verloor is of ‘n siek kind kan noord soos suid en oos soos wes laat lyk. Wanneer dit gebeur, is dit maklik om tot die verkeerde gevolgtrekkings te kom en op die verkeerde pad op te eindig.
Die Bybel sê: “Jy sal ‘n stem hoor sê: ‘Hier is die regte pad. Draai om en loop hierlangs.'” Daar is net een ware bron van wysheid en waarheid en Petrus het dit besef toe hy gevra het: ‘…Here, na wie toe sal ons teruggaan? U het die woorde wat ewige lewe gee’ (Johannes 6:68 NLV).
Jy hoef nie elke liewe detail vooraf te weet nie; dis nie hoe God te werk gaan nie. Dikwels wys Hy nie vir ons die groter prentjie nie, omdat dit ons sal oorweldig. Hy wil hê dat jou vertroue in sy karakter en goedheid onwrikbaar moet wees; en dat jy van sy krag afhanklik moet wees om sy plan vir jou te vervul.
Sielskos: Eks 30-32; Luk 14:25-35; Ps 106:24-48; Spr 7:3-5
Isaiah 30:21 NIV
A respected author, along with her husband and friends, were on a mountaintop discussing which direction to go. One guy said, “That’s south!” Another countered, “No, that’s east.” Everybody threw in their two-cents’ worth, until finally the woman’s husband produced a compass and said, “We can settle this real fast.” Within seconds the compass confirmed they were, in fact, facing due west! The only reliable source had the final say, and nobody was about to argue with it. In the course of a day, many voices vie for your attention, and some that sound like experts can be dead wrong.
Bottom line: You had better know which voice to listen to, because if you look only at your circumstances, you will become disoriented. An unexpected phone call, a floundering relationship, a lost job, or a sick child can make north look like south and east look like west. When that happens, it’s easy to lose your bearings, jump to conclusions, and end up on the wrong path.
The Bible says, “Whether you turn… right or… left, your ears will hear a voice… saying, ‘This is the way; walk in it.'” There is only one true source of wisdom and truth, and Peter recognized that when he asked, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life” (John 6:68 NIV).
You don’t need to know every detail in advance; that’s not how God works. Often, He doesn’t show us the big picture because we would be overwhelmed and think it was impossible. He wants to develop in you an unshakeable trust in His character and goodness; an acceptance that in order to fulfill His plan, you must depend on His strength.
Soul food: Exo 30-32; Luke 14:25-35; Ps 106:24-48; Pro 7:3-5
2 Corinthians 9:11 CEV
It would make no sense for an electric company to generate power and then hoard it, refusing to share it out. Their customers would be in the dark, and the company would close down very quickly! A similar idea applies to our money. ‘God loves people who love to give. God can bless you with everything you need, and you will always have more than enough to do all kinds of good things for others…You will be blessed in every way, and you will be able to keep on being generous’ (v.7-8, 11 CEV).
Some people refuse to give because they’re greedy, but in most instances, that’s not so. The truth is, we’re concerned that if we don’t look out for our own interests, they might not get looked out for at all. But in God’s kingdom, that kind of thinking doesn’t make sense. It’s like farmers refusing to plant their next harvest because they’re afraid to let go of their seeds. The Bible says, ‘Honour the LORD by giving him your money and the first part of all your crops’ (Proverbs 3:9 CEV).
It’s not because He needs it; it’s because He wants us to sow into His kingdom so that 1) His work and His will can be done on the earth, and 2) we’ll have a harvest when we need it. Jesus said, ‘More than anything else, put God’s work first and do what he wants. Then the other things will be yours as well’ (Matthew 6:33 CEV).
When we honour God with what we have, we’ll see Him do so much with what we have to offer, and He’ll honour our trust in Him.
Exo 30-32; Luke 14:25-35; Ps 106:24-48; Pro 7:3-5
2022-03-08
Philippians 2:13 CEV
The engine in a car is its power source, and it’s activated when you put the car in gear. Only then do you have the momentum you need to get where you need to go. One of the dangers in seeking to be filled with the Holy Spirit is that we can reduce it down to an ‘experience’, rather than ‘putting it in gear’ to achieve great things for God.
In the New Testament, when someone was filled with the Holy Spirit, things happened! People turned to Christ. Healings took place. Lives were turned around. They didn’t just celebrate in church. Celebration was everywhere. In Scripture, the first picture we have of God is of Him in His creative role. He creates us in His image, breathes life into us, then tells us, ‘Go out and become productive’ (see Genesis 1:28).
If we’re praying for someone to come along, give us all the answers, and change our circumstances, it won’t happen. We’re not helpless onlookers. What God has placed inside us will change what’s outside us – but we have to put it to work. What’s within us is greater than all the difficulties we’ve been through, the situations we’re in now, or the obstacles that lie ahead in our paths.
When everything around us is saying no and something within us is saying yes, that’s ‘God…working in you to make you willing and able to obey him’. The ‘willing’ is our part; the ‘able’ is His part. When we get those two things working in sync, we’ll see amazing change in our lives.
Exo 28-29; Luke 14:15-24; Ps 106:1-23; Pro 7:1-2
