2024-02-19
Matthew 14:19 NKJV
The Bible says that Jesus “took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, He blessed and broke and gave the loaves to the disciples; and the disciples gave to the multitudes” (v. 19 NKJV). Notice the progression in this story: The loaves were taken, blessed, broken, then given to others. That’s how God works! In order to bless others through you, He will take you, bless you, break you, and give you to others.
Paul had to be broken of pride. “I have received such wonderful revelations from God. So to keep me from becoming proud, I was given a thorn in my flesh… Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away. Each time he said, ‘My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.’ So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me… For when I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Corinthians 12:7-10 NLT). So, if you have a “thorny” person or situation in your life, God wants you to experience His grace and power through dealing with them.
Paul finally reached the place where he could thank God for his “thorn.” The Bible speaks about “the sacrifice of praise to God” (Hebrews 13:15 KJV). When you’re willing to sacrifice in order to have something, it means you value it enough to pay the price for it. Do you want to walk in God’s power? To experience His blessing? Then thank God for your “thorny situation,” and embrace the breaking process through which He is taking you today.
Soul food: Heb 9:1-11:16; Matt 14:1-12; Ps 5; Prov 5:1-2
Matteus 14:19 NLV
Die Bybel sê Jesus: ‘…neem die vyf brode en die twee visse, kyk op na die hemel en vra God om die kos te seën. Toe breek Hy die brood in stukke, gee dit aan sy dissipels en sy dissipels weer aan die skare’ (vers 19 NLV). Let die verloop van hierdie verhaal op: Eers is die brode geneem, toe geseën, toe gebreek en toe aan ander gegee. Dis hoe God werk! Om ander mense deur jou te seën, sal Hy jou neem, jou seën, jou breek en jou aan ander gee.
Paulus moes van trots gebreek word. ‘…Daarom, sodat ek nie hoogmoedig moet word nie, is aan my ‘n doring in die vlees gegee… Drie maal het ek die Here gesmeek dat dit my moet verlaat. Hy het egter vir my gesê: ‘My genade is genoeg vir jou, want my krag kom juis in swakheid tot volle verwesenliking.’ Daarom sal ek baie liewer oor my swakhede spog sodat die krag van Christus voortdurend deur my kan werk… want wanneer ek swak is, juis dán is ek sterk’ (2 Korintiërs 12:7-10 NLV).
As jy dus ‘n persoon of situasie vol ‘dorings’ in jou lewe het, wil God hê dat jy sy genade en krag sal ervaar wanneer jy dit hanteer. Paulus het uiteindelik ‘n plek bereik waar hy God vir sy ‘doring’ kon dank. Die Bybel praat van ‘n ‘…voortdurende lofoffer aan God…’ (Hebreërs 13:15 NLV). Wanneer jy gewillig is om op te offer sodat jy iets kan ontvang, beteken dit dat jy dit genoeg waardeer om die prys daarvoor te betaal.
Wil jy in God se krag stap? Sy seën ervaar? Dank dan God vir jou ‘situasie vol dorings’ en omhels die breekproses waardeur Hy jou vandag neem.
Sielskos: Heb 9:1-11:16; Matt 14:1-12; Ps 5; Spr 5:1-2
2024-02-18
Psalm 51:19 NLV
Gebrokenheid lei tot seën. Om ‘n dubbele deel van Elia se gees te ontvang, moes Elisa, wat ‘n boer was, sy jukke opkap en twee van sy osse slag. Om haar liefde vir Jesus te demonstreer, moes Maria haar kosbare olie oor Hom uitgiet. Om die Midianiete te oorwin, moes Gideon se driehonderd soldate hulle erdepotte breek, hulle fakkels laat skyn en hulself ‘n teiken maak. Die waarheid is dat God elkeen van ons in verskillende areas breek om ons te kan gebruik. Watter areas? Slegte gewoontes. Hardkoppigheid. Opgeblaaste ego’s. Bose gedagtes. Verlammende vrese. Geheime vooroordele. Misplaaste ambisies. Die lys is eindeloos. As jy na die ooste toe kyk, sal jy nie wes beweeg nie, dus sal God jou omdraai.
Soms verg dit dissipline. Dis jy, nie God nie, wat die lengte en omvang van daardie dissipline bepaal. ‘Elke vorm van tug lyk vir ons op die oomblik meer na ‘n rede vir trane as vir blydskap, maar later sal dit vir hulle wat daardeur gebrei is, die blye oes oplewer van ‘n lewe volgens die wil van God’ (Hebreërs 12:11 NLV). As jy ‘n ouer is, sal jy verstaan. Een kind sal in trane uitbars, terwyl ‘n ander kind jou sal teenstaan. God sal doen wat ook al nodig is om jou uit jou selfgenoegsaamheid te breek!
Paulus skryf: ‘Mag God self… julle volkome aan Hom toewy. Mag Hy julle heeltemal – gees, siel en liggaam – onberispelik bewaar tot wanneer ons Here Jesus Christus terugkom’ (1 Tessalonisense 5:23 NLV). Let op dat jou liggaam laaste in die transformasieproses kom. As ‘n wedergebore gees wat in ‘n onwedergebore liggaam leef, sal jy altyd teen die vlees veg. Wat is die geheim tot oorwinning? Gebrokenheid en oorgawe!
Sielskos: Eks 20:14; Spr 6:23-35; Matt 5:27-30; 1 Kor 6:9-20
Psalm 51:17 NLT
Brokenness leads to blessing. To receive a double portion of the spirit of Elijah, Elisha, who was a farmer, had to break and burn his plow. To demonstrate her love for Jesus, Mary had to break open her box of costly ointment and pour it over Him. To defeat the armies of Midian, Gideon’s three hundred soldiers had to break their pitchers, let their light shine, and make themselves a target. The truth is, God has to break each of us in different areas in order to use us. What areas? Bad habits. Stubborn wills. Inflated egos. Evil thoughts. Crippling fears. Secret prejudices. Misguided ambitions. The list is endless. If you’re facing east, you won’t go west, so God has to turn you around.
Sometimes that requires discipline. And it’s you, not God, who determines the length of that discipline and the extent of it. “No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening – it’s painful! But afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way” (Hebrews 12:11 NLT). If you’re a parent, you understand this. One child will collapse in tears, whereas another will defy you. God will do whatever it takes to break you of self-sufficiency!
Paul writes, “Now may… God… sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Thessalonians 5:23 NAS). Notice that your body comes last in order of transformation. As a regenerate spirit living in an unregenerate body, you will always be “fighting the flesh.” What’s the secret of victory? Brokenness and surrender!
Soul food: Exo 20:14; Prov 6:23-35; Matt 5:27-30; 1 Cor 6:9-20
2024-02-17
Psalm 51:17 NLT
Brokenness is the process by which God strips us of pride and self-sufficiency so that the character of Christ can shine through. Brokenness doesn’t necessarily mean experiencing some tragedy. Many people suffer tragedy without drawing closer to God. The issue in brokenness is not so much your circumstances but your response. What’s God trying to teach you?
Brokenness is when God strips you of self-sufficiency to the extent that you have no strength left to fix yourself. When He blocks every exit you try to take and you come to see that He alone is the answer, you make a life-changing discovery. What’s that? When God is all you have, God is all you need! The truth is that God’s power is reserved for those who have given up trying to do it in their own strength or accomplish it for their own ends.
Note the words “the sacrifice you desire.” Sacrifice means something has to die on an altar. So, if you want to experience a new level of God’s grace and power in your life, you must be willing to die to self-interest, ego, and independence. For a plant to rise from the soil, the seed must be broken. For a baby chick to experience life, the shell must be broken. For a thoroughbred horse to win, its will must be broken and harnessed.
After a breaking encounter with Christ on the Damascus road, Paul prayed, “Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?” (Acts 9:6 KJV). Are you in the breaking process today? Here are your options: (1) resist, (2) run, or (3) respond and say, “Yes, Lord.”
Soul food: Heb 5-8; Matt 13:47-58; Ps 149; Prov 4:25-27
