2024-12-19
Isaiah 42:16 NIV
Sometimes following God involves leaving a secure and lucrative career. Moses left a palace, Elisha left a farm, James and John left their fishing boats. But sometimes, following God means staying where you are and maximizing every opportunity He gives you to promote His kingdom.
When David returned from battle with the spoils, some of his soldiers didn’t want to share them with those who had remained behind. But David said, “The share of the man who stayed with the supplies is to be the same as that of him who went down to the battle. All will share alike” (1 Samuel 30:24 NIV).
What you must seek God about is, “Am I called to go or to stay?” It’s amazing how many people you meet who don’t like what they do for a living. Why do they do it? Because we all have to make a living. But what if God is calling you to do something different? It’s a risk making a change from what you’re currently doing to what you believe God wants you to do. You might not succeed. Or discover you don’t like it to the extent you expected. Or not make as much money.
But the greater risk is staying when God calls you to go. Why? Regret! Knowing you never attempted to do what God had called you to do. You say, “I have many unanswered questions, and there is much I don’t know.” Read this Scripture: “Along unfamiliar paths I will guide them; I will turn the darkness into light before them and make the rough places smooth. These… things I will do; I will not forsake them” (Isaiah 42:16 NIV).
Soul food: Job 8-10; Luke 1:19-25; Ps 57; Ecc 7:13-15
2024-12-18
Psalm 41:2 NLV
Op 18 Desember, 1933 het ‘n vreemde advertensie in ‘n koerant in Canton, Ohio verskyn. ‘Man wat depressie se angel gevoel het wil 75 ongelukkige gesinne help. ‘n Anonieme Gewer slegs bekend as ‘B. Virdot,’ wil $750 weggee om die Kersgevoel te versprei.’ Al wat die leser moes doen, was om ‘n brief waarin hulle hul benarde toestand beskryf, te pos. Die briewe het ingestroom. Binne ‘n week het die tjeks by huise regoor die area begin aankom. Die meeste was beskeie, omtrent vyf dollars, en almal was deur ‘B. Virdot’ geteken.
Gedurende die daaropvolgende jare wat die verhaal vertel is, het die identiteit van die filantroop onbekend gebly. Tot sy kleinseun in 2008, lank na sy dood, ‘n gehawende swart tas, wat stof op sy ouers se solder versamel het, oopgemaak het. Daarin het hy die briewe gedateer Desember 1933 saam met 150 bewyse van die tjeks wat gestuur is, gevind. Dit blyk toe dat B. Virdot regtig Samuel J. Stone was en dat die skuilnaam ‘n vermenging van Barbara, Virginia en Dorothy, die name van sy dogters, was.
Interessant genoeg was daar niks bevoorreg aan Sam Stone nie. Hy was vyftien toe sy gesin uit Roemenië geëmigreer en hulle in ‘n krotbuurt in Pittsburgh gevestig het. Sam se pa het sy skoene weggesteek sodat hy nie skool toe kon gaan nie, wat hom en sy ses broers en susters gedwing het om sigare op die solder te rol. Uiteindelik het Sam die huis verlaat om eers op ‘n skip en later in ‘n steenkoolmyn te werk. Teen die tyd dat die Groot Depressie getref het, het hy ‘n paar klerewinkels besit en in relatiewe gemak gewoon. Hy het nietemin ‘n hart vir ander gehad – en sy optrede het dit bewys. Kan dieselfde van jou gesê word?
Sielskos: Job 5-7; Luk 1:11-18; Ps 105:37-45; Pred 7:9-12
Psalm 41:1 NKJV
On December 18, 1933, a curious ad appeared in a Canton, Ohio newspaper: “Man Who Felt Depression’s Sting to Help 75 Unfortunate Families. Anonymous Giver Known only as ‘B. Virdot,’ posts $750 to Spread Christmas Cheer.” All the reader had to do was describe their plight in a letter and mail it care of “general delivery.” The appeals poured in. Oddly, no one knew a “B. Virdot,” and people wondered if such a person even existed. Then within a week, checks began arriving in homes all over the area. Most were modest, about five dollars, and all were signed “B. Virdot.”
Throughout the ensuing years as the story was told, the identity of the philanthropist remained unknown. Then in 2008, long after his death, his grandson opened a tattered black suitcase collecting dust in his parent’s attic. That’s when they found the letters dated December 1933, along with 150 cancelled checks. Turns out that B. Virdot was really Samuel J. Stone, and the pseudonym was a hybrid of Barbara, Virginia, and Dorothy, the names of his daughters.
Interestingly, there was nothing privileged about Sam Stone. He was fifteen when his family emigrated from Romania and settled in a Pittsburgh ghetto. Sam’s father hid his shoes so he couldn’t go to school, forcing him and his six siblings to roll cigars in the attic. Eventually, Sam left home to work on a barge and then in a coal mine. By the time the Great Depression hit he owned a small chain of clothing stores, and lived in relative comfort. Nevertheless, he had a heart for others – and his actions proved it. Can that be said about you?
Soul food: Job 5-7; Luke 1:11-18; Ps 105:37-45; Ecc 7:9-12
2024-12-17
1 Korintiërs 1:27 NLV
‘n Pastoor skryf: ‘Opname na opname het bevind dat die meeste mense se grootste vrees is om ‘n toespraak in die publiek te lewer. Dood is die tweede grootste vrees. Dit beteken dat sommige mense eerder sal sterf as om in die publiek te praat. Hoekom? Dis die vrees om dwaas te lyk. Geloof is egter die gewilligheid om dwaas te lyk. Noag het dwaas gelyk toe hy ‘n ark in die woestyn gebou het. Sara het dwaas gelyk toe sy op negentig begin babaklere koop het. Die Israeliete het dwaas gelyk toe hulle met trompette om Jerigo geloop het. Dawid het dwaas gelyk toe hy Goliat met ‘n slingervel aangeval het. Die wyse manne het dwaas gelyk toe hulle agter ‘n ster aangeloop het. Jesus het dwaas gelyk toe Hy halfnaak aan die kruis gehang het.
Dis egter die kern van geloof. Die resultate spreek vir hulself. Noag is uit die vloed gered. Sara het geboorte aan Isak gegee. Jerigo se mure het ineengestort. Dawid het Goliat verslaan. Die wyse manne het die Messias gevind. Jesus het uit die dood opgestaan. Die grootste deurbrake, wonderwerke en omdraaipunte in die Skrif kan na iemand wat bereid was om dwaas te lyk, nagespeur word. Lees die volgende Skrifgedeelte: ‘My gedagtes is anders as julle s’n, en julle paaie is nie my paaie nie,’ sê die Here. ‘Want soos die hemel hoër is as die aarde, so is wat Ek doen, hoër as wat julle doen, en my gedagtes hoër as julle gedagtes’ (Jesaja 55:8-9 NLV).
Hier is dus jou keuse: Lewe volgens aardse denke en wyses en word deur mense aanvaar, of lewe volgens hemelse denke en wyses en word deur God aanvaar. Wanneer jy dit uit hierdie perspektief sien, is jou keuse duidelik.
Sielskos: Job 1-4; Luk 1:1-10; Ps 105:23-36; Pred 7:5-8
1 Corinthians 1:27 NLT
A pastor writes: “Poll after poll has found that most people’s number one fear is speaking in public. Death ranks number two. That means some people would rather die than speak in public. Why? It’s the fear of looking foolish… But faith is the willingness to look foolish. Noah looked foolish building an ark in the desert. Sarah looked foolish buying maternity clothes at ninety. The Israelites looked foolish marching around Jericho blowing trumpets. David looked foolish attacking Goliath with a slingshot… The wise men looked foolish following yonder star. Peter looked foolish stepping out of the boat in the middle of the lake. And Jesus looked foolish hanging half naked on the cross.
But that’s the essence of faith. And the results speak for themselves. Noah was saved from the flood. Sarah gave birth to Isaac. The walls of Jericho came tumbling down. David defeated Goliath… The wise men found the Messiah. Peter walked on water. And Jesus rose from the dead… The greatest breakthroughs, miracles, and turning points in Scripture can be traced back to someone who was willing to look foolish.” Why? Read this Scripture: “‘For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,’ says the Lord. ‘For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts'” (Isaiah 55:8-9 NKJV).
So here is your choice: Live by earthly thoughts and ways and be accepted by men, or live by heavenly thoughts and ways and be accepted by God. When you see it from that perspective, your choice is clear.
Soul food: Job 1-4; Luke 1:1-10; Ps 105:23-36; Ecc 7:5-8
