July 2018 - The Word for Today
Die stappe na sukses
Psalm 37:23-24 ABA
Om sukses in die lewe te behaal, het jy hierdie vier dinge nodig: 1) Morele waardes. Wat is jy bereid om te doen om te kom waar jy wil wees? Jy kan nie net op enige manier daar kom nie; jy moet grense hê. Ja, ons het almal al op ‘n stadium reëls gebreek, maar dank God dat ons reëls gehad het om te breek. Ons kon onsself weer met ons morele kompas op die regte pad bring. Baie mense vandag gee nie om om op die regte pad te bly nie. 2) Metodes. ‘n Doelwit sonder ‘n plan is soos ‘n pad wat nêrens heen gaan nie. Jy moet eers die doelwit, dan die plan en dan die proses kry. As jy hierdie drie-stap formule volg, sal jy verstaan dat daar metodes is wat jy moet gebruik en by moet bly! 3) Middele. Wanneer God aan jou die visie gee, rus Hy jou ook toe. Wanneer dit nie gebeur nie, is die tyd dalk nie reg nie of het Hy iets anders vir jou in gedagte. God se voorsiening kan kom as ‘n idee wat jou skielik tref, of ‘n idee wat wortelskiet en oor ‘n tydperk groei. Sy voorsiening sluit hulp van ander mense af in, so wandel in liefde waar jy ook al gaan. 4) Bestuurskap. Jesus het gesê, ‘…Baie word verwag van hulle aan wie baie gegee is…’ (Lukas 12:48 NLV). Sommige mense maak of die proses verby is wanneer God hulle gee wat hulle wil hê. Nee, dis net die begin. Raai wie sal jou grootste uitdaging in jou bestuurskap van jou sukses wees? Jyself! Dis hoekom die Psalmdigter geskryf het, ‘Wanneer die Here tevrede is oor hoe ‘n mens lewe… dan val hy nie hard nie, want die Here hou sy hand vas.’
Sielskos: Esra 3-5; Luk 10:1-12; Ps 78:1-8; Spr 19:21-23
Psalm 37:23 NCV
We are all called to increase God’s kingdom. Whether that’s by introducing people to God, or by living in such a way that more of God’s kingdom is seen on Earth, our purpose is to follow God’s call on our lives. God uses us all for His kingdom. Maybe it’s a calling to share our faith with others, encourage those around us, glorify God in our job or something else, God has a purpose for us. Kingdom success is not like earthly success. We are often told that success means money, fame and power. But in God’s kingdom it’s the opposite. ‘The last will be first, and the first will be last’ (Matthew 20:16 NIV). Kingdom success is not about money, fame or power. It’s about becoming more like Jesus. It’s about sharing our faith, our lives and our gifts with others. It’s about unity, not competition and comparison. It’s about putting others before ourselves. It’s a cycle of receiving and giving, resting and working, praying and doing. Basically, it’s about retreating with God, then advancing with what we have been taught and what God’s asking us to do. The Bible says: ‘When people’s steps follow the Lord, God is pleased with their ways.’ When we do what God’s calling us to do, He’s pleased with us. When we’re desiring to get closer to Him, He’s pleased with us. When we are trying to become more like Him, He’s pleased with us. In God’s kingdom, it doesn’t matter whether we are popular, rich or academic. It doesn’t matter how attractive we are. What matters is our heart. Our heart for God, our heart for others and our heart for the things of the kingdom.
Ezra 3-5; Luke 10:1-12; Ps 78:1-8; Prov 19:21-23
Psalm 37:23 CEV
To succeed in life, you need these four things: (1) Morals. What are you willing to compromise to get where you’re trying to go? You can’t get there any old way you like; you must have boundaries. Yes, we’ve all broken the rules at some time or other, but thank God we had rules to break. We were able to realign ourselves because somebody had pitched a tent on where “right” is. Today folks don’t seem to know or care much about that. (2) Methods. A goal without a plan is like a road to nowhere. First the goal, then the plan, then the process. Adapting this simple three-step formula helps you understand that you won’t just leap into success. There are methods you must employ and stay with! (3) Means. When God gives you the “vision,” He also gives you the “provision.” When that doesn’t happen, either the timing is not right or what you want differs from what He has in mind for you. God’s provision can come as an idea that hits you suddenly, or a thought that takes root and grows over time. And His provision involves help from other people, so walk in love wherever you go. (4) Management. Jesus said, “To whom much is given, of him shall much be required” (Luke 12:48 AMPC). Some people act like “it’s over” when God gives it to them. No, it’s just beginning. And guess who your biggest management challenge will be? You! That’s why the Psalmist wrote, “If you do what the Lord wants, he will make certain each step you take is sure.”
Soul food: Ezra 3-5; Luke 10:1-12; Ps 78:1-8; Prov 19:21-23
1 Tessalonisense 5:17 NLV
Het jy moedeloos geword en ophou bid oor die probleem? Hou aan bid. God mag dalk nie antwoord op die manier wat jy dink Hy moet nie, of binne die tydraam wat jy verwag nie, maar wanneer jy volgens sy Woord bid, het Hy beloof om te antwoord: ‘…Hy sal die goeie nie weerhou van hulle wat doen wat reg is nie’ (Psalm 84:12 NLV). Toe die kinders van Israel die baie sterker Amalekiete die stryd aangesê het, het Moses op die koppie gebid en het die Israeliete die stryd gewen (sien Eksodus 17:8-13). Toe Abraham van die dreigende verwoesting van Sodom en Gomorra bewus geword het, het hy hom tot die Here gewend (sien Genesis 18:16-33), eerder as om na die stede toe te hardloop en die inwoners te waarsku. Toe raadgewers vir Nehemia sê dat Jerusalem ‘n ruïne is, het hy eers tot die Here gebid en sodoende ‘n fondasie van gebed gebou voor hy een steen van die projek om Jerusalem te herbou, neergelê het (sien Nehemia 1). Paulus se briewe het meer versoeke vir gebede as versoeke vir geld of troos bevat. Wat van Jesus? Hy het vroeg opgestaan om te bid (sien Markus 1:35). Hy het mense weggestuur om te gaan bid (sien Matteus 14:22-23). Hy het ‘n berg uitgeklim om te gaan bid (sien Lukas 9:28). Voordat Hy na die kruis gegaan het, het Hy heelnag gebid (sien Lukas 22:39-46). Elke woord wat Hy geuiter het en elke werk wat Hy gedoen het, was met gebed deurdrenk. As Hy nodig gehad het om so te bid, moet jy ook! Jy kan groot dinge bereik nadat jy gebid het, maar niks groots totdat jy gebid het nie. Die woord vir jou vandag is dus: Hou aan bid.
Sielskos: Esra 1-2; Luk 9:57-62; Ps 46; Spr 19:18-20
When we’ve been praying for ages and haven’t seen an answer, or it doesn’t even feel like God is listening, we can become discouraged and stop praying. But the Bible tells us to ‘never stop praying.’ God wants us to be persistent pray-ers. He may not answer in the way we think He should, or within the timeframe we think He should, but when we pray according to His Word, He’s promised to answer. All through the Bible, we see people coming before God to pray. In Exodus 17, Israel goes to battle against a vastly superior army of Amalekites. Moses climbed a hill, along with Aaron and Hur, and he prayed with his arms raised. Meanwhile, Joshua was down with the Israelite army on the battlefield. Every time Moses’ arms were raised, the Israelites were winning. Inviting God into our situations, however big or small, brings His power, wisdom and perspective. When advisors informed Nehemiah that Jerusalem was in ruins, he built a foundation of prayer under the whole project before he did any rebuilding (have a read of Nehemiah 1:4). Prayer should be our first thought, not our last resort. We should be praying at the start of the day, the end of the day, and throughout the day too. Jesus rose up early to pray, escaped the crowds of people to pray and even prayed all night before He went to the cross. Every word He spoke and everything He did was saturated in prayer. And it should be the same for us too. Our lives should be a cycle of prayer – action – prayer. Even when it gets hard, let’s be persistent pray-ers.
Ezra 1-2; Luke 9:57-62; Ps 46; Prov 19:18-20