2024-07-29
Exodus 33:14 NKJV
When you sense God’s presence and know He is with you, you can handle whatever life brings. Try to imagine the assignment Moses had – liberating two million people from the grip of slavery: leading them through a wilderness where they were exposed to enemies and elements such as extreme heat and cold; feeding them, clothing them, settling their disputes, and keeping them moving toward their destiny. Here is what Moses prayed: “If Your Presence does not go with us, do not bring us” (v. 15 NKJV). Moses preferred to go nowhere with God than anywhere without Him. When his affair with Bathsheba was exposed, David didn’t pray, “Don’t take my crown from me, or my kingdom, or my army.” No, he knew what mattered most: “Do not take Your Holy Spirit from me” (Psalm 51:11 NKJV).
In order to grow spiritually, you must develop an increasing awareness of God’s presence in your life. How do you do that? Instead of being a rock, become a sponge. When you place a rock in the ocean, its surface gets wet but its core remains hard and dry. But when you place a sponge in the ocean, the water alters the very essence of its being.
Slow down and sense God’s presence. Begin by reading this Scripture, writing it down, repeating it over and over, and opening every pore of your soul to God’s presence: “The Lord your God is with you; his power gives you victory. The Lord will take delight in you, and in his love he will give you new life. He will sing and be joyful over you.” (Zephaniah 3:17 GNT).
Soul food: Zeph 1-3; Luke 9:46-56; Ps 42:6-11; Prov 19:15-17
2024-07-28
Hosea 4:6 NLV
Versuim om irrasionele vrese en wanopvattings af te leer, weerhou ons daarvan om te word wie God wil hê ons moet wees. Die lam man in Johannes 5 is ‘n goeie voorbeeld hiervan. Hy was al vir agt-en-dertig jaar verlam voor Jesus hom gevra het of hy gesond wil word. Die man het egter geglo dat daar net een manier was om genees te word: “…’Meneer, ek het niemand naby my om my in die waterbad te tel wanneer die water geroer word nie; en terwyl ek nog naderkom, gaan iemand anders voor my in'” (Johannes 5:7 NLV).
Hierdie man het iets aangeneem wat hom dalk agt-en-dertig jaar gekos het! Hy het gedink om genees te word, moes hy die eerste persoon wees wat in die waterbad by Betesda klim wanneer ‘n engel die water roer. Hy is in ‘n sekere sin deur daardie gedagte gevange gehou. Jesus het egter hierdie onakkurate oortuiging met een sin verwyder: “…’Tel jou slaapmatjie op en loop'” (vers 11 NLV). Jesus het hierdie man fisies en kognitief bevry.
Geloof is om die sinlose bekommernisse en verkeerde oortuigings wat ons gevange hou, af te leer. Dis wat ons doen wanneer ons die Skrif bestudeer. Ons gradeer letterlik ons denkpatrone op deur die gedagtes van Christus af te laai (sien 1 Korintiërs 2:16). Om iets af te leer is twee keer so moeilik as om dit in die eerste plek te leer. Hoekom? Want elke myl wat jy in die verkeerde rigting gaan, is inderwaarheid ‘n twee myl-fout, aangesien jy weer na die beginpunt moet terugkeer. Om ou gedagtes uit jou denke te kry, is moeiliker as om nuwe gedagtes daarin te kry. Dis egter die moeite werd. Neem dus elke dag tyd om jou gedagtes met God se Woord te vernuwe.
Sielskos: Matt 5:20; 1 Tess 2:13-3:5; 1 Kor 4:11-13; Op 6:9-11
Hosea 4:6 NKJV
Failing to unlearn irrational fears and misconceptions keeps us from becoming who God wants us to be. The invalid man in John 5 is a great example of this. He had been crippled for thirty-eight years when Jesus asked if he would like to get well. However, the man believed there was only one way to be healed: “I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; but while I am coming, another steps down before me” (John 5:7 NKJV).
This man assumed something that may have cost him thirty-eight years! He thought, that in order to be healed, he had to be the first person into the pool of Bethesda when an angel stirred the water. In a sense, he was imprisoned by that thought. But Jesus uninstalled that inaccurate belief with one sentence: “Take up your bed and walk” (v. 11 NKJV). Jesus set this man free physically, and He set him free cognitively.
Faith is unlearning the senseless worries and misguided beliefs that keep us captive. And that’s what we do while we study Scripture. We literally upgrade our minds by a download of the mind of Christ (See 1 Corinthians 2:16). Unlearning something is twice as hard as learning it. Why? Because every mile you go in the wrong direction is really a two-mile error as you have to double back to get to where you need to be. Getting old thoughts out of your mind is harder than getting new thoughts into it. But it’s worth it. So, take time each day to renew your mind with God’s Word.
Soul food: Matt 5:20; 1 Thes 2:13-3:5; 1 Cor 4:11-13; Rev 6:9-11
2024-07-27
Josua 1:14 ABA
Om waardig te wees om gevolg te word, het jy meer as talent en ‘n titel nodig. Die wese van leierskap lê daarin om twee dinge te doen:
1) Eerste te gaan! ‘…maar almal van julle wat oorlog kan maak, moet voor die ander Israeliete oor die Jordaan-rivier gaan…’ Dit beteken dat wanneer God jou roep om te lei, jy in geloof moet uittree en eerste moet gaan. Dit verg dat jy in jouself en jou missie moet glo. God het vir Josua gesê: ‘My opdrag aan jou is dat jy sterk en dapper moet wees. Moenie bang of huiwerig wees nie. Die Here jou God is saam met jou in alles wat jy doen’ (vers 9 NLV). Jy het nie al die antwoorde vooraf nodig nie. Jou selfvertroue spruit uit die wete dat God by jou – en voor jou – is.
2) Ander saam met jou neem. ‘…nadat julle hulle gehelp het om die land wat die Here julle God vir hulle gee, in te neem…’ (vers 15 DB). Baie mense wat ander help, doen dit net omdat hulle verplig word, of tydens ‘n krisis genoodsaak word. Wanneer jy egter ‘n dienskneg se hart het, inisieer jy die bediening en spoor mense aan om saam met jou te dien. Jy sien die nood raak, gryp die geleentheid aan en dien met die wete dat God jou sal beloon. Daarom dien jy met blydskap (sien Psalm 100:2).
Hier is dus die ooreenkoms: Jy kwalifiseer slegs om die voorregte van leierskap te geniet wanneer jy bereid is om eerste te gaan en ander saam met jou te neem. Dis egter nie die einde van die storie nie. God het gesê: ‘…. dan mag julle terugkom na julle eie grond wat… die Here, vir julle oos van die Jordaan-rivier gegee het’ (Josua 1:15 ABA).
Sielskos: 1 Tim 4-6; Luk 9:37-45; Ps 42:1-5; Spr 19:12-14
Joshua 1:14 NIV
To be worthy of a following, you need more than talent and a title. The essence of leadership lies in doing two things.
(1) Going first! “Cross over ahead of your fellow Israelites.” That means if God has called you to lead, you must step out in faith and go first. That requires believing in yourself and your mission. Accomplishment requires more than just working hard; it requires believing the right thing. God told Joshua, “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go” (v. 9 NIV). You don’t need all the answers upfront. Your confidence comes from knowing that God is with you – and ahead of you.
(2) Taking others with you. “Leading your brothers, helping them” (v. 14 MSG). And in case you’re wondering, “How long do I have to keep investing in this person?” the answer is until “they also… take possession of the land that God… is giving them” (v.15 MSG). Many people will serve when they’re compelled to, and some will serve in a crisis. But when you have a servant’s heart, you initiate service to others. You see the need, seize the opportunity, and serve knowing God will reward you. Therefore you serve with gladness (See Psalm 100:2).
So here is the deal: You only qualify to enjoy the privileges of leadership when you’re willing to go first and then take others with you. But that’s not the end of the story. God said, “After that, you may go back and occupy your own land, which… the Lord gave you” (Joshua 1:15 NIV).
Soul food: 1 Tim 4-6; Luke 9:37-45; Ps 42:1-5; Prov 19:12-14
