2023-07-09
Mark 9:23 NKJV
No-limits people refuse to accept things as they are because they see them as they can be. Instead of saying, “It can’t be done,” they rise up in faith and say, “All things are possible to him who believes.” No-limits people have faults and failures like everybody else. The difference is, they walk by faith to the cliff’s edge knowing that one of two things will happen when they get there. Either God will put solid rock under their feet, or He will teach them to fly. In other words, they plug into God’s unlimited power supply.
The author of the book of Hebrews describes no-limits people like this: “Who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions, quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword; whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became powerful in battle” (Hebrews 11:33-34 NIV). Notice, these people started out weak, but they became strong. How? “Through faith.” They possessed the kind of faith that disregards the odds, the obstacles, and the opposition, and declares, “I am what God says I am, I have what God says I have, and I can do what God says I can.”
The story is told of an old Scottish foreman who worked hard on the job and expected the same from his workers. One day one of them said, “Jock, don’t you know Rome wasn’t built in a day?” Smiling, Jock replied, “Aye, but I wasn’t the foreman on that job.” Today ask God to help you rise above your fears and make you a no-limits person.
Soul food: Exo 17:1-7; John 4:4-42
2023-07-08
Proverbs 4:25 NLT
To succeed at what God has called you to do, you must do these:
(1) Remove distractions. This is not easy, as most people now get hundreds of emails, texts, and tweets every day. But you must do it. How? By keeping the discipline of practicing your priorities. Don’t accomplish easy things first, or hard things first, or urgent things first. Do first things first – the activities that provide you with the highest return. That way, you keep distractions minimized.
(2) Protect yourself from distractions. One leader writes: “I need blocks of time to think without interruptions. I’ve mastered the art of making myself unavailable when necessary and going off to my ‘thinking place’ so that I can work without interruptions… however, I am always aware of the tension between my need to remain accessible to others as a leader and my need to withdraw from them to think.”
Jesus often withdrew from activities and prayed (See Luke 5:16). To know people’s needs, He spent time with people. To meet people’s needs, He spent time with God in prayer. As a result, He was always in the right place, at the right time, with the right people, doing the right things. And you must do that too! If you’re naturally withdrawn, then make sure to get out among people more often. If you’re always “on the go,” then remove yourself periodically so that you can be refreshed and refocused in order to accomplish what God has called you to do. “Look straight ahead and fix your eyes on what lies before you. Mark out a straight path for your feet; stay on the safe path. Don’t get sidetracked” (Proverbs 4:25-27 NLT).
Soul food: Jer 33:1-36:26; Matt 24:36-51; Ps 122; Prov 15:10-14
Spreuke 4:25 NLV
Om sukses te behaal in dit wat God jou geroep het om te doen, moet jy die volgende doen:
1) Verwyder afleidings. Dis nie maklik nie, omdat die meeste mense honderde eposse en boodskappe elke dag kry. Jy moet dit egter doen. Hoe? Deur jouself te dissiplineer om jou prioriteite uit te oefen. Moenie die maklikste dinge eerste, of die moeilike dinge eerste, of die dringende dinge eerste doen nie. Doen die eerste dinge eerste – die aktwiteite wat vir jou die grootste opbrengs bring. Op hierdie manier minimaliseer jy afleidings.
2) Beskerm jouself teen afleidings. Een leier skryf: ‘Ek het tye nodig om sonder onderbrekings te kan dink. Ek het die kuns vervolmaak om myself nie beskikbaar te maak nie sodat ek sonder onderbrekings kan werk. Ek is egter altyd bewus van die spanning tussen my behoefte om as leier toeganklik vir mense te wees en my behoefte om myself van hulle te onttrek om te dink.’ Jesus het Homself dikwels van aktiwiteite onttrek en gebid (sien Lukas 5:16 NLV). Gevolglik was Hy altyd op die regte plek, op die regte tyd, saam met die regte mense, besig om die regte ding te doen.
Jy moet dit ook doen! As jy van nature teruggetrokke is, maak seker dat jy meer gereeld tussen mense kom. As jy altyd aan die gang is, verwyder jouself dan van tyd tot tyd sodat jy verfris kan word en weer kan fokus om dit waarvoor God jou geroep het, te bereik. ‘Kyk reguit vorentoe; bly gefokus op wat voor jou is. Merk jou pad duidelik af, dan sal jy seker wees waarheen jy gaan. Moenie links of regs van jou koers afwyk nie. Bly weg van wat verkeerd is’ (Spreuke 4:25-27 NLV).
Sielskos: Jer 33:1-36:26; Matt 24:36-51; Ps 122; Spr 15:10-14
2023-07-07
John 15:16 NKJV
In order to fulfill God’s plan for your life, you must establish clear priorities and live by them each day. Author Edward de Bono quipped, “A conclusion is the place where you get tired of thinking.” Sadly, many people arrive at priorities based on where they ran out of steam. You definitely don’t want to do that. Nor do you want to allow others to decide your agenda or your priorities.
Many ways exist for determining priorities. First, and foremost, your plan must always line up with God’s will for you (See Hebrews 13:20-21). Jesus said, “I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain.” Observe: (1) You must know that God has chosen and appointed you to a particular area of service. (2) Your goal in life should be fruit that “remains” after you. If you use them properly, things like money and influence can aid you, but they must never be your goal or your heart’s desire.
So, how can you establish the right priorities? As you get to know yourself better, begin focusing on your strengths and the things that make best use of your God-given skills. Consider what brings you the highest return and reward. Think about what you enjoy most and do best. Those are your core gifts. Utilize the 80/20 rule. Give 80 percent of your effort to the top 20 percent of your activities. Bottom line: Jesus said you are to give your attention to the areas that bear the most fruit.
Soul food: Jer 31-32; Matt 24:26-35; Ps 110; Prov 15:8-9
Johannes 15:16 NLV
Om God se plan in jou lewe te vervul, moet jy duidelike prioriteite stel en elke dag daarvolgens lewe. Die skrywer Edward de Bono het geskerts: “‘n Gevolgtrekking is die plek waar jy moeg word om te dink.” Ongelukkig bepaal baie mense hul prioriteite op die plek waar hulle uit stoom uithardloop. Jy wil dit definitief nie so doen nie. Jy wil ook nie hê dat ander mense jou agenda en jou prioriteite vir jou moet bepaal nie.
Daar is verskillende maniere om prioriteite te bepaal. Eerstens moet jou plan altyd in lyn met God se wil vir jou lewe wees (sien Hebreërs 13:20-21). Jesus het gesê: ‘…Ek [het] julle uitgekies om julle in staat te stel om te gaan vrugte dra, vrugte wat sal hou…’ Let die volgende op: 1) Jy moet weet dat God jou vir ‘n spesifieke area van diens gekies en aangestel het. 2) Jou doel in die lewe moet vrugte wees ‘wat sal hou.’ As jy dit behoorlik gebruik, kan geld en invloed vir jou tot hulp wees, maar dit moet nooit jou doelwit of jou hart se begeerte wees nie.
Hoe kan jy dus die regte prioriteite bepaal? Soos jy jouself beter leer ken, moet jy op jou sterkpunte en die dinge wat die beste van jou Godgegewe vaardighede maak, begin fokus. Dink aan dit wat jou die hoogste opbrengs en beloning bring. Dink aan dit wat jy die meeste geniet en die beste doen. Dit is jou sleutelgawes. Gebruik die 80/20 reël. Gee 80 persent van jou inspanning aan die boonste 20 persent van jou aktiwiteite. Jesus het gesê dat jy jou aandag aan die areas wat die meeste vrugte dra, moet gee.
Sielskos: Jer 31-32; Matt 24:26-35; Ps 110; Spr 15:8-9
