2025-05-26
John 5:39 NLT
To be used by God, you must know two things:
(1) Who God is. A little girl in Sunday school was asked by her teacher what she was drawing. She replied, “A picture of God.” The teacher said, “But nobody has ever seen Him.” Confidently she replied, “They will when I’m finished!” Please understand this: The only God some people around you will ever see is the one they see in you each day. And to know God, you must spend time with Him. Not leftover time, but quality time, daily time, prioritized time!
(2) Who you are. When God called Moses to deliver Israel from Egypt, he asked God two things:
(a) “If I go to the people of Israel and tell them, ‘The God of your ancestors has sent me to you,’ they will ask me, ‘What is his name?’ Then what should I tell them?” (Exodus 3:13 NLT). “God replied to Moses… ‘Say this to the people of Israel: I am has sent me to you'” (v.14 NLT). In order to know who you are, you must first know who God is – then you will have credibility.
(b) “What if they won’t believe me or listen to me?” (Exodus 4:1 NLT). “Then the Lord asked him, ‘What is that in your hand?’ ‘A shepherd’s staff,’ Moses replied. ‘Throw it down on the ground,’ the Lord told him. So Moses threw down the staff, and it turned into a snake!… ‘Perform this sign,’ the Lord told him. ‘Then they will believe'” (vv. 2-3, 5 NLT).
Moses already had what he needed! And so do you. Bottom line: To be used of God, you must know who He is and who you are.
Soul food: 1 Ki 21-22; Mark 10:1-12; Ps 82; Prov 12:18-19
2025-05-25
1 Korintiërs 13:7 NLV
‘n Onbekende skrywer het hierdie aangrypende woorde geskryf: ‘Hul troufoto het hulle van die rak af gespot, hierdie twee wie se gedagtes mekaar nie meer aangeraak het nie. Hulle het met so ‘n swaar versperring tussen hulle begin leef dat nie ‘n ensiklopedie van woorde of ‘n artillerie van aanraking dit kon afbreek nie. Iewers, tussen die oudste kind se eerste tand en die jongste dogter se gradeplegtigheid, het hulle mekaar verloor.
Deur die jare het elkeen stadig daardie deurmekaar bol tou genaamd, self, ontrafel, en terwyl hulle aan hardnekkige knope geruk het, het elkeen sy soektog vir die ander verberg. Soms het sy snags gehuil en die fluisterende donkerte gesmeek om vir haar te sê wie sy is. Hy het langs haar gelê en snork soos ‘n beer wat hiberneer, onbewus van haar winter. Sy het ‘n kursus oor moderne kuns geneem, probeer om haarself in kleure wat op ‘n doek gespat is te vind en by die ander vroue oor mans wat onsensitief is, gekla. Hy het in ‘n graf genaamd ‘Die Kantoor’ geklim, sy gedagtes in ‘n kleed van syfers op papiere toegedraai en homself in kliënte begrawe.
Stadig het die muur tussen hulle verrys, gebou deur die sement van onverskilligheid. Op ‘n dag, terwyl hulle na mekaar uitreik, het hulle ‘n versperring gevind wat hulle nie kon binnedring nie. Hulle het teruggedeins van die klip se koue en elkeen het van die vreemdeling aan die ander kant teruggetrek.
Wanneer liefde sterf, is dit nie in ‘n oomblik van woedende baklei of wanneer vurige lywe hul hitte verloor nie. Dit lê hygend, uitgeput, vasgeval aan die onderkant van ‘n muur waaroor dit nie kon kom nie.’ Die woord is dus vandag vir jou: moenie toelaat dat ‘n muur tussen julle gebou word nie.
Sielskos: Eks 20:15; Eks 22:1-4; Spr 6:30-31; Luk 19:1-10
1 Corinthians 13:7 NLT
An unknown author wrote these poignant words: “Their wedding picture mocked them from the table, these two whose minds no longer touched each other. They lived with such a heavy barricade between them that neither battering ram of words nor artilleries of touch could break it down. Somewhere, between the oldest child’s first tooth and the youngest daughter’s graduation, they lost each other.
Throughout the years each slowly unravelled that tangled ball of string called self, and as they tugged at stubborn knots, each hid his searching from the other. Sometimes she cried at night and begged the whispering darkness to tell her who she was. He lay beside her, snoring like a hibernating bear, unaware of her winter… She took a course on modern art, trying to find herself in colours splashed upon a canvas, complaining to the other women about men who are insensitive. He climbed into a tomb called ‘The Office,’ wrapped his mind in a shroud of paper figures, and buried himself in customers.
Slowly, the wall between them rose, cemented by the mortar of indifference. One day, reaching out to each other, they found a barrier they could not penetrate, and recoiling from the coldness of the stone, each retreated from the stranger on the other side.
For when love dies, it is not in a moment of angry battle, not when fiery bodies lose their heat. It lies panting, exhausted, expiring at the bottom of a wall it could not scale.” So, the word for you today is – don’t let a wall build up between you.
Soul food: Exo 20:15; Exo 22:1-4; Prov 6:30-31; Luke 19:1-10
2025-05-24
Openbaring 4:10 NLV
Wanneer ons mense wat ons belangrik ag probeer beïndruk, word ons trofeeversamelaars. Ons dink: ‘Ek is belangriker omdat ek hierdie bekende mens ken.’ Allerhande objekte kan trofeë word: ons universiteitsgrade, die huis waarin ons bly, ons voorkoms, ons klere, komplimente en bevorderings. Daar is selfs webtuistes waar jy vir jouself ‘n trofeëvrou kan gaan uitsoek – ‘n vrou wie se skoonheid ‘n huldeblyk aan haar man se rykdom en invloed is.
‘n Trofee is enigiets wat jy besit wat ander mense laat ‘Wow!’ sê. Om egter vir trofeë te leef laat jou leeg, ongelukkig en moeg voel. Trofeë bring ‘n oomblik van geluk mee wat verslawend kan wees, maar die gevoel van geluk verdwyn altyd. Dit is opmerklik dat in die hemel, wanneer beelde soos krone gebruik word, mense dit voor die Here se voete sit in plaas daarvan om dit te dra. Wanneer jy die triomf, bewondering en eer weggee, bring dit vir jou vreugde. Wanneer jy dit egter versamel, word hulle dof, vervaag en word ‘n las.
Dis hoekom die Bybel sê: “val die 24 ouderlinge in aanbidding voor Hom wat vir altyd op die troon sit, neer. Hulle aanbid Hom wat vir altyd lewe en sit hulle krone voor die troon neer en sê: ‘U is waardig, Here ons God, om die hemelse heerlikheid en die eer en die mag te ontvang omdat U alle dinge geskape het; deur u wil is alles wat bestaan, geskape'” (verse 10-11 NLV).
Enigiets goeds wat jy het, enigiets goed wat jy is en enigiets goed wat jy in die toekoms sal ontvang, kom alles van God af. Maak dus seker om vir God al die heerlikheid te gee.
Sielskos: 1 Kon 18:16-20:43; Mark 9:38-50; Ps 113; Spr 12:15-17
Revelation 4:10 NKJV
When we try to impress the people, we consider to be important, we become trophy collectors. “I’m more important because I know this famous person” is how our thinking goes. And all kinds of objects can become trophies: our grades in school, the houses we live in, people we have impressed, our looks, clothing brands, compliments, and promotions. There are even websites you can visit to look for a trophy wife – a woman whose beauty is a tribute to her husband’s wealth and influence.
A trophy is anything you own that causes other people to look at you and say, “Wow!” But living for trophies leaves you empty, unhappy, and tired. They bring a momentary happiness that can be addictive, but the enjoyment always dwindles. It’s notable that in heaven, when images like crowns are used, instead of wearing them, people are casting them at the Lord’s feet. When you give the triumph, admiration, and honour away, they bring you joy. When you collect them, they dull, fade, and become a burden.
That’s why the Bible says: “The twenty-four elders fall down before Him who sits on the throne and worship Him who lives forever…and cast their crowns before the throne, saying: ‘You are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power; for You created all things, and by Your will they exist and were created'” (vv. 10-11 NKJV).
Anything good you have, anything good you are, and anything good you will receive in the future all come from God. So, be sure to give God all the glory.
Soul food: 1 Ki 18:16-20:43; Mark 9:38-50; Ps 113; Prov 12:15-17
