2025-09-02
Hebrews 11:27 NIV
V. Raymond Edman said, “To be torn… by external forces, and still… preserve one’s inward integrity, is to know the discipline that endures.” So when you’re faced with opposition, do you automatically throw in the towel, or like Moses, do you persevere?
Chuck Swindoll characterizes Moses as a man “who hung tough, who refused to give in or give up, who decided that no amount of odds against him would cause him to surrender… He possessed the disciplines of durability. He endured the contempt of Pharaoh… the stubbornness of the Hebrews who grumbled, blamed, complained, and rebelled… the criticism of Miriam and Aaron, his own sister and brother. When ten of the twelve spies came back with their nay-sayings, Moses stood fast. When Korah and Dathan and Abiram led a conspiracy against him, Moses remained ‘resolute.’
‘When you have fought to a standstill… stand your ground’ (Ephesians 6:13 PHPS)… when the wicked appear to be winning… in times of crisis… when no one will know if you compromised… when big people act contemptibly small… when people demand authority they don’t deserve. Stand firm… keep your head… stay true… endure! You may be getting shaky… [or] begun to listen too closely to your critics. Maybe you’ve started giving in… in little areas… because you’re tired. Moses endured – even in his eighties. How? By focusing… on ‘Him who is invisible.’ He fixed his heart and soul on the One who, alone, judges righteously. He continually reminded himself that his sole purpose was to please, obey, and glorify Him and to gain His approval at all cost.”
Whatever you’re facing, stand strong and don’t give up!
Soul food: Eze 27:25-30:26; Matt 23:1-12; Ps 112; Pro 20:1-4
2025-09-01
1 Peter 4:8 NLT
You don’t have to be alone to be lonely. Some of us are married to emotionally unavailable spouses. Some of us put up with verbal and emotional abuse because we prefer anybody’s company to our own. Some of the loneliest people you will meet are in crowded bars at “happy” hour. They mingle, but they don’t connect. What is the answer?
(1) Get involved in a cause greater than self-interest. After the Prodigal Son had spent his last penny partying with so-called friends, they forsook him, and he ended up alone in a hog pen. On the other hand, when the disciples were persecuted for their faith, the Bible says that “being let go, they went to their own company” (Acts 4:23 KJV). They had friends who shared their faith and their vision, who knew how to pray with them, strengthen them, and stand by them. And God has people like that who are waiting to become part of your life; you will find some of them in your local church.
(2) Practice being accepting of others. When you love and accept people as they are, they’re drawn to you. “Most important of all, continue to show deep love for each other, for love covers a multitude of sins” (1 Peter 4:8 NLT).
(3) Reach out. Begin nurturing your relationships by connecting more often with the people you know and value. Don’t get sucked into the Facebook/email/text-message-only communication vacuum. The founder of Wired Magazine says that his favourite form of communication is face-to-face, his second is by phone, and his third is via internet. Take a leaf out of his book.
Soul food: Eze 24:1-27:24; Matt 22:34-46; Ps 20; Pro 19:24-29
1 Petrus 4:8 NLV
Jy hoef nie alleen te wees om eensaam te wees nie. Sommige van ons is met emosioneel afwesige eggenote getroud. Sommige van ons verduur verbale en emosionele mishandeling omdat ons iemand se geselskap bo ons eie verkies. Van die eensaamste mense wat daar is, sal jy in stampvol kroeë ontmoet. Hulle mag dalk geselskap opsoek, maar daar is geen verbintenis met ander mense nie. Wat is die antwoord?
1) Raak betrokke by ‘n saak wat groter as jou selfbelang is. Nadat die Verlore Seun sy laaste geld op partytjies saam met sy sogenaamde vriende spandeer het, het hulle hom agtergelaat en hy het alleen in ‘n varkhok opgeëindig. In teenstelling daarmee, toe die dissipels as gevolg van hulle geloof vervolg is, het hulle: ‘Toe hulle losgelaat is… dadelik die ander gelowiges opgesoek…’ (Handelinge 4:23 NLV). Hulle het vriende gehad wat hulle geloof en visie gedeel het, wat geweet het hoe om saam met hulle te bid, hulle te versterk en by hulle te staan. God het sulke mense wat regstaan om deel van jou lewe te word; jy sal sommige van hulle in jou plaaslike kerk vind.
2) Oefen om ander mense te aanvaar. Wanneer jy mense net soos hulle is aanvaar en liefhet, word hulle na jou toe aangetrek. ‘Die belangrikste van alles is dat julle mekaar onselfsugtig moet liefhê… Sulke liefde maak baie sondes toe’ (1 Petrus 4:8 NLV).
3) Reik uit. Begin om jou verhoudings te koester deur meer gereeld met die mense wat jy ken en waardeer, te skakel. Moenie in die Facebook/e-pos/teksboodskap-kommunikasievakuum ingesuig word nie. Die stigter van Wired Magazine sê dat sy gunsteling vorm van kommunikasie van aangesig tot aangesig is, sy tweede per telefoon en sy derde via die internet is. Volg sy voorbeeld.
Sielskos: Eseg 24:1-27:24; Matt 22:34-46; Ps 20; Spr 19:24-29
2025-08-31
2 Timoteus 2:2 NLV
‘n Leierskapskundige wat ‘n peiling gedoen het om uit te vind hoe mense leiers geword het, skryf: ‘Ek het mense gevra of hulle leiers geword het omdat (a) hulle ‘n leierskapsposisie gegee is; (b) daar ‘n krisis in die organisasie was; of (c) hulle gementor is. Meer as 80 persent het aangedui dat hulle leiers is omdat iemand hulle in leierskap gementor en deur die proses gelei het. As leiers is ons gewoonlik nie onseker oor die leierskapontwikkelingsproses of opleiding wat ons gee nie. Ons voel egter onseker wanneeer ons dit oorweeg om die leiers wat ons oplei, te laat gaan om self te begin lei.
Dis soortgelyk aan hoe ouers oor hul kinders voel. My kinders is al groot en het hul eie gesinne, maar toe hulle tieners was, was die moeilikste ding vir my en my vrou om hulle die vryheid te gee om hul eie pad te baan en hul eie besluite te neem. Dit is skrikwekkend, maar as jy hulle nie toelaat om hul vlerke te sprei nie, sal hulle nooit leer vlieg nie.
Soos ek ouer word, is my hooffunksie as spanleier om my span met leierskapseienskappe toe te rus en hindernisse uit hul pad te verwyder. Wanneer ek dit doen, word die kans al hoe groter dat hulle tot hul volle potensiaal sal ontwikkel.’
Jesus het vir sy dissipels gesê: ‘Dit is nie julle wat My uitgekies het nie, maar Ek wat julle uitgekies het om julle in staat te stel om te gaan vrugte dra, vrugte wat sal hou…’ (Johannes 15:16 NLV). As jy blywende vrugte en resultate wil hê, moet jy die tyd neem om leiers te ontwikkel.
Sielskos: Jona 1:10-2:10; Matt 12:38-42
2 Timothy 2:2 NIV
A leadership expert who conducted a poll to find out how people came to be leaders writes: “I asked if they became leaders because (a) they were given a position; (b) there was a crisis in the organization; or (c) they had been mentored. More than 80 percent indicated that they were leaders because someone had mentored them in leadership – had taken them through the process… As leaders, if we feel any uncertainty or insecurity about the leadership development process, it is usually not related to the training we give. The uncertainty we feel comes when we contemplate releasing our leaders to lead.
It is not dissimilar to what parents feel with their kids. My children are grown and have families of their own, but when they were teenagers, the hardest thing for my wife and me was releasing them to go their own way and make their own decisions. It is scary, but if you don’t let them try out their wings, they will never learn to fly.
As I have grown older, I have come to think of myself as a lid lifter. That is my main function as a team leader. If I can lift the leadership lids for the members of my team, then I am doing my job. The more barriers I remove for my people, the more likely they are to rise up to their potential.”
Jesus told His disciples, “You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain” (John 15:16 NKJV). If you want lasting fruit and enduring results – take the time to develop leaders.
Soul food: Jonah 1:10-2:10; Matt 12:38-42
