2023-12-11
Psalm 148:8 NAS
The winds were contrary when Moses led the Israelites out of Egypt, they were contrary on their way to the promised land, and they were contrary when they got there. There is no such thing as a storm-free voyage: “Through… hardships and tribulations we… enter the kingdom” (Acts 14:22 AMPC).
When you have to fight to stay afloat day after day, it’s easy to get discouraged. Paul said, “When neither sun nor stars appeared for many days… all hope… we would be saved was… given up” (Acts 27:20 NKJV). Maybe you’re weary and discouraged because of what you’re battling. You’re ready to call it quits – and humanly speaking, nobody would blame you.
But before you give up, ask yourself this: What if God is the One engineering this storm to get you where you need to go? What if He is the One who “spoke and raised a stormy wind” (Psalm 107:25 NAS), so you would have to keep your eyes on Him? What if He is the One who “hurled a great wind on the sea” (Jonah 1:4 NAS), to see if you would keep the faith when you can’t see the far shore?
A psalmist tells us God uses “fire… hail, snow… clouds [and] stormy wind” to fulfill His word. In Exodus 10, He “directed an east wind on the land all… day… and… night; and… it… brought the locusts… [He] shifted the wind to a very strong west wind, which picked up the locusts and drove them into the Red Sea” (vv. 13, 19 NAS). One author adds, “When the Lord fought for Israel… stormy winds brought about their deliverance… And one day, by God’s great mercy, we too shall stand upon the sea of glass and see how stormy winds brought about our deliverance.”
Soul food: Josh 16:1-19:23; John 15:18-27; Ps 148:7-14; Prov 29:16-21
Psalm 148:8 NLV
Die winde was teen Moses toe hy die Israeliete uit Egipte gelei het, dit was teen hulle op pad na die Beloofde Land en dit was teen hulle toe hulle daar aankom. Daar is nie so iets soos ‘n reis sonder storms nie: ‘…Ons moet eers deur baie verdrukking gaan voordat ons voluit aan die koningsheerskappy van God kan deel hê…’ (Handelinge 14:22 NLV).
Wanneer jy dag na dag moet veg om kop bo water te hou, is dit maklik om moedeloos te raak. Paulus het gesê: ‘Baie dae lank het die son en die sterre nie eers deurgekom nie… Uiteindelik is alle hoop laat vaar dat ons gered sou word’ (Handelinge 27:20 NLV). Voor jy egter tou opgooi, vra jouself die volgende af: Wat as God die Een is wat die storm gestuur het om jou te kry waarheen jy moet gaan? Wat as Hy die Een is wat: ‘…praat, en die winde steek op, en die golwe word al hoër’ (Psalm 107:25 NLV), sodat jy jou oë op Hom moet hou? Wat as Hy die een is wat: ‘…’n sterk wind oor die see laat opkom…’ (Jona 1:4 NLV), om te kyk of jy jou geloof behou wanneer jy nie land kan sien nie?
In Eksodus 10 het Hy: ‘…die hele dag en ook deur die nag ‘n oostewind laat waai… die wind [het] die sprinkane begin aanbring… Hy het ‘n sterk wind uit die weste laat waai wat die sprinkane in die Rietsee ingewaai het…’ (verse 13, 19 NLV). Een skrywer voeg by: ‘Toe die Here vir Israel geveg het, het stormwinde hulle verlossing teweeggebring. Eendag, deur God se groot genade, sal ons ook op die see van glas staan en sien hoe stormwinde ons verlossing teweegbring.’
Sielskos: Jos 16:1-19:23; Joh 15:18-27; Ps 148:7-14; Spr 29:16-21
2023-12-10
Acts 27:10 RSV
Paul told everyone on board the ship bound for Rome, “The voyage will be with injury and much loss, not only of the cargo and the ship, but… our lives” (v. 10 RSV). One author writes: “Paul didn’t talk about a little skirmish… a little loss… This voyage would be beset with disasters, with much loss, even to their lives… To Paul this journey meant eventual martyrdom. However, Paul would not die until his mission was completed, until he would strike a fatal blow at the heart of the Roman Empire, its political genius, military supremacy… pride and pomp.
When Paul walked into Rome with the Gospel, hell shook and all heaven rejoiced. We are all beneficiaries because that little battle-scarred man with a chain around his ankle started to convert many in Rome [and gave] us the books of Ephesians, Colossians, Philippians and Philemon while he was the prisoner of Jesus Christ… [These phrases] from Acts 27 bring this journey more to life: The winds were contrary… we sailed slowly… passing with difficulty… sailing was now dangerous… tempestuous winds arose… we secured the skiff with difficulty… we used cables to undergird the ship… exceedingly tempest tossed… we threw the ship’s tackle overboard… neither sun nor stars appeared for many days… all hope that we would get saved was given up… the stern was broken up.”
The destination is within reach – but not without “much loss.” Thank God that’s not the end of the story. The centurion, “wishing to save Paul… commanded those who could swim to throw themselves overboard… and make for the shore… the rest on… pieces of the vessel… escaped safely to land.” (Acts 27:43-44 AMPC). When you keep your eyes on Jesus, you will make it in spite of the storm. Guaranteed!
Soul food: 2 Sam 6:11-23; Luke 18:18-30
Handelinge 27:10 NLV
Paulus het vir almal aan boord die skip op pad na Rome gesê: ‘Manne, ek sien dat ons vaart gevaarlik gaan wees en dat daar nie net groot skade aan die vrag en skip gaan kom nie, maar ook aan ons lewens’ (vers 10 NLV).
Een skrywer sê: ‘Paulus het nie hier van ‘n klein skermutseling of ‘n bietjie verlies gepraat nie. Hierdie reis sou met rampe geteister word, met baie verlies, selfs aan hulle lewens. Vir Paulus het hierdie reis uiteindelike martelaarskap beteken. Paulus sou egter nie sterf voordat sy sending voltooi is nie, totdat hy ‘n noodlottige slag aan die Romeinse Ryk se hart, politieke genialiteit, militêre oppergesag en trots en praal, sou toedien nie.
Toe Paulus met die evangelie in Rome ingestap het, het die hel gesidder en die hemele hulle verbly. Ons het almal ons lewens aan daardie man te danke wat met ‘n ketting om sy enkel Rome begin bekeer het en vir ons die boeke van Efesiërs, Kolossense, Filippense en Filemon terwyl hy die gevangene vir Jesus Christus was, gegee het. Gelukkig vir ons was die bootrit na Rome nie die einde van die verhaal nie!
‘Maar die Romeinse offisier wou Paulus red… Hy het die mense wat kon swem, beveel om eerste oorboord te spring en die land te probeer haal. Die ander moes dan volg, sommige deur aan planke en ander deur aan wrakstukke vas te klou. Op hierdie manier het dit gebeur dat almal veilig aan land gekom het’ (verse 43-44 NLV).
Wanneer jy jou oë op Jesus hou, sal jy ten spyte van die storm regkom. Dis gewaarborg!
Sielskos: 2 Sam 6:11-23; Luk 18:18-30
2023-12-09
Acts 27:4 KJV
When you set out to do anything for God, the Enemy will make sure you encounter “contrary winds.” In fact, if you’re not sailing against the wind, chances are you’re headed in the wrong direction! The Bible says Jesus was “tempted of the devil” (Matthew 4:1 KJV). Satan never let up, including the night before Jesus was crucified when “Satan entered into Judas… one of the twelve” (Luke 22:3 NLT).
Reimar Schultze says, “Wherever you go today, Satan will… try to get you at some street corner, at the office, or in the field. He will make you fall if you leave home without your spiritual armor on; if you leave your belt of truth… in the closet, your breastplate of righteousness… by the door, your gospel shoes under your bed, or if you leave your shield of faith, the sword of the Spirit and the helmet of salvation behind you… If you say at daybreak, ‘I will pray whenever I get a chance today,’ you just gave away your victory. Before long the wrong words will come out of your mouth, you will look at forbidden fruits and display an improper attitude. The most foolish thing [you] can do is to leave home unarmed and spiritually naked. A fool says, ‘I have no time to pray,’ but later… he finds all kinds of time to attempt to repair the damage prayerlessness… produced…. Following Jesus is not a walk in the park… Every good thing in the kingdom… from Adam on has come to us through men and women who stuck it out when the going got tough. The biblical history of the church ends with [these victorious words]… ‘and so we came to Rome'” (Acts 28:14 NLT).
Soul food: Josh 14-15; John 15:5-17; Ps 148:1-6; Prov 29:11-15
