2024-08-29
Proverbs 24:32 NKJV
King Solomon is considered one of the wisest men who ever lived. He wrote three books in the Bible and is quoted regularly. And he was a lifetime learner and seeker of truth. “When I saw it, I considered it well; I looked on it and received instruction.” Note the words “I considered it well.” That should be your fixed attitude in life.
God’s plan for you is to keep learning, changing, growing, and maturing until you draw your last breath. And that means always being open-minded. Consider the Pharisees. They were 100 percent committed to their belief system. They were also the best-educated people in society. Yet they resisted Jesus and the truth He shared at every turn. Why? For three very common reasons: (1) Pride: “If what Jesus says is right, that makes us wrong.” (2) Security: “If we accept what He is teaching, what will happen to our reputation and our income?” (3) Tradition: “We have believed and done things this way for generations.”
Can you see where we’re going with this line of thought? And can you see how it may apply to your life? One pastor said, “It’s good to be saved and sanctified, as long as you are not saved, sanctified, and stuck!” Spiritual growth requires two things: a hunger for truth, and the humility to acknowledge that you still have more to learn. Those are two qualities that God always honors: “The humble He guides in justice, and the humble He teaches His way” (Psalm 25:9 NKJV). So always be open-minded.
Soul food: 2 Chr 32-34; Luke 18:1-17; Ps 119:145-160; Prov 22:14-16
2024-08-28
1 Corinthians 1:27 NKJV
Answer: Because the only kind of people God has to work with are weak people! Moses’ relationship with God is described in these remarkable words: “The Lord spoke to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend” (Exodus 33:11 NKJV). So, was Moses perfect? Far from it. He spent the first forty years of his life as a prince in Pharaoh’s palace, and the next forty years as a shepherd living in the wilderness. The Bible speaks about the strains in his marriage and his times of stress and despair.
In The Ten Commandments movie, Moses is played by actor Charlton Heston, who was tall, handsome, and articulate. But Moses was actually a weak, bashful stammerer who couldn’t put two words together without verbally tripping over himself, much less speak in the courts of the most feared dictator on earth. The Bible refers to the Israelites as a “congregation” which made Moses a pastor. And no pastor had more trouble with a congregation than he did.
You say, “Why bring up Moses’ shortcomings?” To encourage you! To let you know that your flaws don’t disqualify you and your limitations don’t limit what God can do through you. Paul writes: “For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty… that no flesh should glory in His presence” (1 Corinthians 1:26-27, 29 NKJV).
Soul food: 2 Chr 29-31; Luke 17:20-37; Ps 119:137-144; Prov 22:11-13
1 Korintiërs 1:27 NLV
Antwoord: Omdat alle mense swak is! Moses se verhouding met God word in hierdie merkwaardige woorde beskryf: ‘Binne-in die tent het die Here met Moses gepraat soos vriende wat gesels en mekaar in die oë kyk…’ (Eksodus 33:11 NLV). Was Moses dan perfek? Nie naastenby nie. Hy het die eerste veertig jaar van sy lewe as ‘n prins in farao se paleis en die volgende veertig jaar as veewagter in die woestyn, deurgebring. Die Bybel vertel ons van die spanning in sy huwelik en sy tye van stres en wanhoop. Moses was ‘n skaam stamelaar wat nie twee woorde bymekaar kon sit sonder om verbaal te struikel nie. Die Bybel verwys na die Israeliete as ‘n ‘gemeente,’ wat Moses dan ‘n pastoor maak. Geen pastoor het al meer moeilikheid met ‘n gemeente gehad as Moses nie.
Jy vra: ‘Hoekom word daar op Moses se tekortkominge gefokus?’ Om jou te bemoedig! Om jou te laat weet dat jou swakpunte jou nie diskwalifiseer nie en jou terkortkomings nie dit wat God deur jou kan doen, beperk nie. Paulus skryf: ‘…dink maar net terug aan hoe julle eie situasie destyds was toe God julle geroep het. Gemeet aan menslike standaarde was daar maar min intellektueles onder julle, nie baie magtiges nie, nie baie uit vooraanstaande families nie. Nietemin het God doelbewus dit wat vir die wêreld na dommigheid gelyk het, uitgekies om die slim mense skaam te maak en dit wat vir die wêreld na totale swakheid gelyk het, het Hy uitgekies om die magtige skaam te laat kry… Gevolglik het niemand enige grond om sy bors voor God uit te stoot nie’ (1 Korintiërs 26-27, 29 NLV).
Sielskos: 2 Kro 29-31; Luk 17:20-37; Ps 119:137-144; Spr 22:11-13
2024-08-27
Psalm 91:1 NKJV
During World War II, Britain built air-raid shelters. Often there were several on the same street. A pastor tells of standing in one when bombs were falling all around. Turning to a man beside him, he asked, “How come this shelter is always crowded, and the others are empty?” He replied, “Pastor, we all know that you’re a man of God. And if He is going to save anybody, He will probably save you. That’s why we are in this shelter.”
Reflecting on it later, the pastor said, “Many of those people didn’t attend church, and the name of Jesus was a swear word in their vocabulary. They wanted His protection, but not His lordship.” Refuse to live that way! Commit your life to God and enjoy His protective care twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, fifty-two weeks a year, for your entire life.
“He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, ‘He is my refuge and my fortress; my God, in Him I will trust.’ Surely He shall deliver you…He shall cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you shall take refuge…You shall not be afraid of the terror by night, nor of the arrow that flies by day, nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness, nor of the destruction that lays waste at noonday. A thousand may fall at your side, and ten thousand at your right hand; but it shall not come near you” (Psalm 91:1-7 NKJV).
Soul food: 2 Chr 25-28; Luke 17:11-19; Ps 119:129-136; Prov 22:8-10
Psalm 91:1 NLV
Tydens die Tweede Wêreldoorlog het Brittanje skuilings teen lugaanvalle gebou. Daar was dikwels verskeie sulke skuilings in een straat. ‘n Pastoor vertel hoe hy in so ‘n skuiling gestaan het terwyl die bomme om hulle geval het. Hy het na die man langs hom gedraai en gevra: ‘Hoekom is hierdie skuiling altyd so oorvol, terwyl die ander amper leeg is?’ Die man het geantwoord: ‘Pastoor, ons almal weet dat jy ‘n man van God is. As God enigiemand gaan red, gaan dit heel waarskynlik vir jou wees. Dis hoekom ons in hierdie skuiling is.’
Toe hy later daaroor nadink, het die pastoor gesê: ‘Baie van hierdie mense het nie kerk bygewoon nie en die naam van Jesus was in hul woordeskat ‘n vloekwoord. Hulle wou sy beskerming hê, maar nie sy heerskappy nie.’ Weier om so te lewe! Wy jou lewe aan God toe en geniet vier-en-twintig uur, sewe dae ‘n week, twee-en-vyftig weke ‘n jaar, vir jou hele lewe, sy beskerming.
‘Hy wat woon in die skuilplek van die Allerhoogste, sal rus in die skadu van die Almagtige. Ek sal vir die Here sê: ‘U is my toevlug en my vesting, my God op wie ek vertrou.’ Verseker sal Hy jou red… Hy sal jou oordek met sy vere, en onder sy vlerke sal jy skuil… Jy sal nie bang wees vir die skrik van die nag, of die gevare van die dag; vir die plaag wat in die donker bekruip, of die ramp wat teen die middag verwoes nie. Al sou duisend langs jou val, of tienduisend om jou sterf, naby jou sal dit nie kom nie’ (Psalm 91:1-7 NLV).
Sielskos: 2 Kro 25-28; Luk 17:11-19; Ps 119:129-136; Spr 22:8-10
