2022-04-29
Philippians 2:4 NKJV
Unselfishness does three things for you: (1) It improves the quality of your life. It gives you an appreciation for life and a comprehension of its higher values. Seeing people in need and giving to meet those needs sets a lot of things into perspective. One leader writes: “There is no life as empty as the self-centered life. There is no life as centered as the self-empty life.” If you want to enhance your world, focus your attention on assisting others.
(2) It makes you part of something greater than yourself. In the mid-1980s, Merck & Company, the global pharmaceutical corporation, developed a medication to cure river blindness, a disease that infects and causes blindness in millions of people, mainly in developing countries. While it was a good product, potential customers couldn’t afford it. So, what did Merck do? It produced the drug anyway and announced that it would give it free to anyone who needed it. As a result, they gave away more than 250 million tablets. George W. Merck says, “We try never to forget that medicine is for the people. It’s not for the profits. The profits follow, and if we have remembered that, they have never failed to appear.” The lesson to learn? Simple. Instead of attempting to be great, be part of something greater than yourself.
(3) It creates a legacy. Jack Balousek, former president of True North Communications, said, “Learn, earn, return – these are the three phases of life.” When you think unselfishly and invest in others, you gain the opportunity to create a legacy that will outlive you. And that should be your goal.
Soul food: Dan 11-12; Matt 4:1-11; Ps 144:9-15; Pro 10:22-23
2022-04-28
1 John 5:14 NLT
A leader wrote these words: “My dad was a busy man… to get him at work you had to go through a switchboard unless you knew his private number. He gave it to a few business partners, but all of his kids had it… We knew, no matter how busy he was, we could call anytime on his direct line. I’ve the same thing… my kids know my number… they can call me anytime for anything. And you know what? No voices sound sweeter to me than my kids’ voices. When one of them says, ‘Hi, Dad,’ it doesn’t matter what I’m juggling… they’re an absolute priority… Now multiply that out exponentially – and listen to me. Nothing sounds sweeter to God than your voice saying, ‘Hello, Father.’ There’s nothing going on in the cosmos that would keep Him from directing His full attention to your conversation or your request.”
That means when God is your Father, you can call home anytime. He is never more than a prayer away! Jesus said: “Ask, and God will give to you… If your children ask for bread, which of you would give them a stone? Or if your children ask for a fish, would you give them a snake? Even though you are bad, you know how to give good gifts to your children. How much more your heavenly Father will give good things to those who ask him!” (Matthew 7:7, 9-11 NCV). You can talk to God without begging and groveling, “confident that he hears… whenever we ask for anything that pleases him. And… he will give us what we ask for” (1 John 5:14-15 NLT).
So, whatever is robbing you of your confidence in prayer, deal with it today.
Soul food: Dan 8-10; Matt 3:1-17; Ps 144:1-8; Pro 10:19-21
1 Johannes 5:14 NLV
‘n Leier het hierdie woorde geskryf: ‘My pa was ‘n besige man. Om hom by die werk op te spoor moes jy deur die skakelbord gaan, tensy jy sy private nommer geken het. Hy het dit net vir ‘n paar besigheidsvennote gegee, maar al sy kinders het die nommer geken. Maak nie saak hoe besig hy was nie, ons kon hom enige tyd op sy direkte lyn bel. My kinders ken ook my nommer en hulle weet dat hulle my enige tyd oor enigiets kan bel. Daar is geen stem wat soeter as my kinders se stemme klink nie. Wanneer een van hulle sê: ‘Hallo, Pappa,’ maak dit nie saak waarmee ek besig is nie. Hulle is my absolute prioriteit. Maal dit nou eksponensieel. Niks klink soeter vir God as jou stem wat sê: ‘Hallo, Vader,’ nie. Daar is niks wat tans in die kosmos aan die gang is wat Hom daarvan sal weerhou om sy volle aandag aan jou gesprek of versoek te gee nie.’
Dit beteken dat wanneer God jou Vader is, kan jy Hom enige tyd bel. Hy is net ‘n gebed weg! Jesus het gesê: ‘Hou aan met vra, en God sal vir julle gee… Julle as ouers sal tog nie vir julle kinders as hulle brood vra, klippe gee nie… As sondige mense soos julle dan goed weet om goeie dinge aan julle kinders te gee, hoeveel te meer sal julle hemelse Vader goeie dinge gee aan hulle wat dit van Hom vra!’ (Matteus 7:7, 9-11 NLV).
‘Dit is die vrymoedigheid wat ons voor God het, dat wat ons ook al volgens sy wil vra, Hy na ons luister. As ons dan met die wete leef dat Hy na ons luister… weet ons ook dat Hy die versoek wat ons gevra het, sal toestaan’ (1 Johannes 5:14-15 NLV). Glo vandag in jou gebede.
Sielskos: Dan 8-10; Matt 3:1-17; Ps 144:1-8; Spr 10:19-21
1 John 5:14 NLT
A leader wrote these words: ‘My dad was a busy man… to get him at work you had to go through a switchboard unless you knew his private number. He gave it to a few business partners, but all of his kids had it… We knew, no matter how busy he was, we could call anytime on his direct line. I’ve the same thing… my kids know my number… they can call me anytime for anything. And you know what? No voices sound sweeter to me than my kids’ voices. When one of them says, “Hi, Dad,” it doesn’t matter what I’m juggling… they’re an absolute priority… Now multiply that out exponentially – and listen to me. Nothing sounds sweeter to God than your voice saying, “Hello, Father.” There’s nothing going on in the cosmos that would keep Him from directing His full attention to your conversation or your request.’
That means when God is your Father, you can call Him anytime. He’s never more than a prayer away. Jesus said: ‘Ask, and God will give to you… If your children ask for bread, which of you would give them a stone? Or if your children ask for a fish, would you give them a snake? Even though you are bad, you know how to give good gifts to your children. How much more your heavenly Father will give good things to those who ask him!’ (Matthew 7:7, 9-11 NCV).
We can talk to God without having to beg or resort to flattery because we’re ‘confident that he hears us whenever we ask for anything that pleases him. And… he will give us what we ask for’ (1 John 5:14-15 NLT). So pray confidently, knowing that your loving heavenly Father hears and treasures every word.
Dan 8-10; Matt 3:1-17; Ps 144:1-8; Pro 10:19-21
2022-04-27
Spreuke 11:3 NLV
Jesus het gesê: ‘…jy moet jou naaste liefhê soos jouself’ (Matteus 19:19 NLV). Om jouself te kan liefhê, moet jy egter eers jouself kan respekteer. Selfrespek word op persoonlike integriteit gebaseer.
Die skrywer Ted Engstrom vertel die volgende verhaal in sy boek getiteld Integrity: ‘Vir afrigter Cleveland Stroud en die Bulldogs van die Rockdale County Hoërskool (Conyers, Georgia), was dit hul beste kampioenskapseisoen: een-en-twintig oorwinnings en vyf verliese op pad na die Georgia Boys-basketbaltoernooi verlede Maart. Nou staan die nuwe trofeekas buite die hoërskool se gimnasium egter leeg. Vroeër hierdie maand het die Georgia Hoërskool Assosiasie die kampioenskap van Rockdale County ontneem nadat skoolamptenare gesê het dat ‘n speler wat akademies nie in aanmerking gekom het om deel van die span te wees nie, vyf en veertig sekondes in die eerste van die skool se vyf na-seisoen wedstryde, gespeel het. ‘Ons het nie geweet dat hy nie in aanmerking kom nie; ons het dit eers ‘n paar weke gelede uitgevind,’ het afrigter Stroud gesê. ‘Sommige mense het gesê ons moes net daaroor geswyg het, dat dit net vyf-en-veertig sekondes was en dat die speler nie ‘n impakspeler was nie. Maar mens moet doen wat eerlik en reg is en wat die reëls sê. Ek het vir my span gesê dat mense die tellings van basketbalwedstryde vergeet; hulle vergeet egter nooit waarvan jy gemaak is nie.’
Elke eerlike of oneerlike woord en daad voeg of by jou karakter by, of neem daarvan weg. Dis wat die Bybel bedoel met die volgende: ‘Die opregtheid van eerlike mense wys vir hulle die koers. Die valsheid van onbetroubare mense bring hulle ondergang.’ Strewe vandag na integriteit in al jou aksies.
Sielskos: Dan 5-7; Matt 2:13-23; Ps 7:10-17; Spr 10:17-18
