2023-12-31
Jeremiah 9:24 NIV
God says: “Let not the wise boast of their wisdom or the strong boast of their strength or the rich boast of their riches, but let the one who boasts boast about this: that they have the understanding to know me” (vv. 23-24 NIV). The truth is, if you don’t know God it doesn’t matter how much money you have in your bank account, or what diplomas hang on your wall, or what position you hold in the company. Until you have a relationship with God, you haven’t really begun to live! And part of getting to know Him is learning the truth about yourself.
After witnessing the miracle-working power of Christ, Peter acknowledged, “I am a sinful man!” (Luke 5:8 NIV). When the prophet Isaiah saw the Lord sitting upon His throne, he cried, “Woe is me!” (Isaiah 6:5 NKJV). But God doesn’t tell you the truth about yourself and then leave you that way. No, like a good doctor, He tells you you’re sick so that you can get the proper treatment. And the proper treatment for sin is salvation through the blood of Jesus. You will never know God until you are related to Him through Jesus Christ.
So if you’ve never accepted Him as your Saviour, start this New Year by praying: “Lord, I repent and turn from my sin. I place my life in Your hands, trusting You as my Lord and Saviour. By faith I receive the gift of eternal life. Starting today, I ask You to lead and guide me and fulfill Your will through me. In Jesus’ name I pray: Amen.” Happy New Year!
Soul food: Phil 3:8-14; 2 Cor 5:14-21; Ps 77:11-20; Prov 9:10-12
Jeremia 9:24 NLV
God sê: ‘…Mense met insig moenie spog met hulle kennis nie. Sterk mense moenie grootpraat oor hulle krag nie. Ryk mense moenie roem in hulle rykdom nie. Laat hulle wat wil spog, dit doen omdat hulle My ken, en begryp…’ (verse 23-24 NLV). Die waarheid is dat as jy God nie ken nie, maak dit nie saak hoeveel geld in jou rekening is, watter diplomas op jou muur hang of watter posisie jy in die maatskappy beklee nie. Totdat jy ‘n verhouding met God het, het jy nog nie waarlik begin lewe nie!
‘n Deel daarvan om Hom te leer ken, is om die waarheid oor jouself te leer. Nadat hy gesien het hoe Christus ‘n wonderwerk doen, het Petrus erken: ‘…ek is ‘n te groot sondaar…’ (Lukas 5:8 NLV). Toe die profeet Jesaja die Here op sy troon gesien het, het hy uitgeroep: ‘…Ellende het my getref!…’ (Jesaja 6:5 NLV).
God vertel jou egter nie die waarheid oor jouself en los jou dan net so nie. Nee, soos ‘n goeie dokter sê Hy vir jou jy is siek, sodat jy die regte behandeling kan ontvang. Die regte behandeling vir sonde is verlossing deur die bloed van Jesus. Jy sal nooit God ken totdat jy met Hom deur Jesus Christus verbind is nie.
As jy Hom dus nog nooit as jou Redder aanvaar het nie, begin die nuwe jaar deur te bid: ‘Here, ek bely en draai weg van my sonde af. Ek plaas my lewe in u hande en vertrou U as my Here en Redder. Deur geloof ontvang ek die gawe van ewige lewe. Ek vra U om my van vandag af te lei en te rig en u wil deur my te vervul. In Jesus se Naam bid ek dit: Amen’ Voorspoed vir die nuwe jaar!
Sielskos: Fil 3:8-14; 2 Kor 5:14-21; Ps 77:11-20; Spr 9:10-12
2023-12-30
Exodus 31:2 NIV
The first person in the Bible who was said to be “filled with the Spirit of God” was Bezalel. And if his name doesn’t ring a bell, it’s because he wasn’t a prophet, priest, king, or apostle. He was a craftsman, skilled in design. He had an eye for color and a flair for management, and when it came time for building the tabernacle, he oversaw the job.
Here is what God said about him: “I have chosen Bezalel… and… filled him with the Spirit of God, with wisdom, with understanding, with knowledge and with all kinds of skills – to make artistic designs for work in gold, silver and bronze, to cut and set stones, to work in wood, and to engage in all kinds of crafts” (Exodus 31:2-5 NIV).
Imagine being Bezalel. From your youth you loved to work with your hands. You don’t know God is involved in this – but He is! He actually placed these desires within you. When you’re working, the joy you feel is actually the presence of God. You have certain strengths; you were born with them. They will always be your strengths, and you delight in them. Wonderful things happen when you discover those strengths, put them to use, and focus on improving them.
Trying to develop in an area where God hasn’t gifted you is like trying to instruct a rabbit to swim or a snail to run. When you’re in your God-given slot, working with your God-given strengths, you’re at your best. When that happens, you are blessed, and so is everybody around you. The point is, in God’s plan, Bezalel was every bit as important as Moses. So, take heart; what you do matters!
Soul food: Malachi 3-4; John 21:15-25; Ps 139:13-24; Prov 31:28-31
Eksodus 31:2 NLV
Die eerste persoon wat in die Bybel genoem word wat met die Gees van God vervul was, is Besaleël. As sy naam nie ‘n klokkie lui nie, is dit omdat hy nie ‘n profeet, priester, koning of apostel was nie. Hy was ‘n ambagsman wat vaardig in ontwerp was. Hy het ‘n oog vir kleur en ‘n aanvoeling vir bestuur gehad en toe dit tyd was om die tabernakel te bou, het hy die projek bestuur.
Hier is wat God oor hom gesê het: ‘Ek het Besaleël… gekies. My gees gee vir hom kennis en begrip en vaardigheid om verskillende dinge te kan doen. Hy kan kunstige voorwerpe uit goud, silwer en brons maak. Hy kan edelstene sny en monteer en houtsnywerk doen. Hy kan enige kunswerk maak’ (Eksodus 31:2-5 NLV).
Dink jouself in dat jy Besaleël is. Van kleins af is jy lief daarvoor om met jou hande te werk. Jy weet nie dat God daarby betrokke is nie – maar Hy is! Hy het inderwaarheid daardie begeertes binne-in jou geplaas. Wanneer jy werk, is die vreugde wat jy voel eintlik die teenwoordigheid van God. Jy het sekere sterkpunte waarmee jy gebore is. Hulle sal altyd jou sterkpunte wees en jy put plesier daaruit. Wonderlike dinge gebeur wanneer jy daardie sterkpunte ontdek, hulle begin gebruik en daarop fokus om hulle te verbeter.
Wanneer jy in jou Godgegewe plek is en met jou Godgegewe sterkpunte werk, is jy op jou beste. Wanneer dit gebeur, word jy en almal rondom jou geseën. Die punt is: in God se plan, was Besaleël net so belangrik soos Moses. Hou dus moed; dit wat jy doen, maak saak!
Sielskos: Mal 3-4; Joh 21:15-25; Ps 139:13-24; Spr 31:28-31
2023-12-29
1 Corinthians 4:2 NIV
Most adults spend about half their waking lives at work. Your work is a huge part of God’s plan for your life. He designed a specific vocation just for you in which you should find personal fulfillment, meet the needs of your family, and help to perpetuate His purposes in the earth.
The fourth commandment covers all seven days of the week, not just the Sabbath. “Six days you shall labor and do all your work… for in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth” (Exodus 20: 9,11 NIV). Sometimes you hear sermons designed to make you feel guilty about not keeping the Sabbath, but have you ever heard a sermon designed to make you feel guilty about not honouring the six-day workweek?
The point is that just as God made and loves the Sabbath, He also made and loves work. The Bible says, “The kingdom of God is in your midst” (Luke 17:21 NIV). Whether you’re a butcher, baker, or candlestick maker, you’re required to demonstrate integrity in the workplace.
It’s embarrassing when nonbelievers say, “I’ll never do business with a Christian again.” The Bible says, “O Lord… how excellent is thy name in all the earth!” (Psalm 8:1 KJV). You should strive to be “excellent” in your work. Tardiness, clock-watching, goofing off, watercooler gossip, flirting, speaking evil about your boss – these things should have no place in your life. The Bible says, “It is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful.” You should go to work praying, “Lord, today I want to do a good job and bring credit to your name.”
Soul food: Malachi 1-2; John 21:1-14; Ps 139:1-12; Prov 31:25-27
