Radio Pulpit

“…Hy wat mag het om deur die krag wat in ons werk, oneindig meer te doen as wat ons vra of dink om te vra.” Efesiërs 3:20 NLV

Seëninge wat jy jou nie eers kan indink nie

Pastoor Heidi Scanlon sê: ‘God het seëninge vir ons in kategorieë wat ons nie eers weet bestaan nie.’ Dit beteken dat God iets uit niks kan skep. Hy kan onverwags uit die niet verskyn en net wanneer jy Hom die nodigste het, jou iets gee waaraan jy nie eers gedink het nie. God sê: ‘My gedagtes is anders as julle s’n, en julle paaie is nie my paaie nie… 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). Jy vra: ‘As God seëninge het wat ek my nie eers kan indink nie, hoe kan ek daarvoor vra?’ Dis waar die Heilige Gees, wat in jou woon, jou help: ‘…die Gees self neem ons gebedsbehoeftes voor God op… in harmonie met God se wil vir die gelowiges…’ (Romeine 8:26-27 NLV). Omdat dit wat die Heilige Gees bid in ooreenstemming met God se wil is, word jy met wysheid wat bo jou kennis is, met krag wat bo jou krag is, en met guns wat bo jou vermoë is, geseën. Paulus het dit so gestel: ‘Hy moet geprys word - Hy wat mag het om deur die krag wat in ons werk, oneindig meer te doen as wat ons vra of dink om te vra. Die kerk wat aan Christus Jesus verbind is, moet Hom prys deur al die geslagte heen tot in alle ewigheid! Amen’ (Efesiërs 3:20-21 NLV). Jy moet egter steeds jou plig doen, want God kan nie nalatigheid seën nie. Wanneer jy egter weet dat jy jou deel getrou gedoen het en God gehoorsaam het, kan jy Hom vertrou vir seëninge waaraan jy nie eers kan dink nie.

“Be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord.” 1 Corinthians 15:58 NKJV

Be steadfast

Back in the days of the great western cattle ranches in America, a little burro would sometimes be harnessed to a wild horse and then turned loose onto the range. The wild horse would drag the burro for miles, throwing him around like a bag of feed. In several days, however, they would return. The little burro would be seen first, trotting back toward the ranch with his submissive steed in tow. Somewhere out in the wild, the horse would become exhausted and try to free itself of the burro. At that moment, the burro became the master of the two. The slow, patient, unimportant animal became the leader over the faster, more volatile, and more prized one. What made the difference? Having a steadfast purpose! And what was the burro’s purpose? Going back home to the ranch! So, no matter how many times they fought, tugged on the rope, and ended up on their backs kicking and fuming, each time the burro got back on his feet, he would take a few more steps in the direction of the ranch. It was only a matter of time until the tired and exhausted horse decided to join him. One of the great themes of Scripture is having a steadfast purpose. Samuel told the Israelites: “Do not turn aside; for then you would go after empty things which cannot profit or deliver” (1 Samuel 12:21 NKJV). Isaiah wrote: “I have set My face like a flint, and I know that I will not be ashamed” (Isaiah 50:7 NKJV). Paul wrote: “Be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord.”

“…staan baie vas, onbeweeglik. Gee altyd julle allerbeste vir die Here se werk…” 1 Korintiërs 15:58 NLV

Staan vas

In die dae toe groot beesplase volop in Amerika was, is ‘n klein esel soms aan ‘n wilde perd vasgemaak en dan op die vlaktes losgelaat. Die wilde perd sou die esel kilometers ver sleep en hom soos ‘n sak voer rondgooi. Binne ‘n paar dae sou hulle egter terugkeer. Die klein esel sou eerste opgemerk word, waar hy terug plaas toe met sy onderdanige perd draf. Iewers op die vlaktes sou die perd uitgeput raak en homself van die esel probeer losmaak. Op daardie oomblik het die esel die meester van die twee geword. Die stadige, geduldige, onbelangrike dier het die leier van die vinniger, meer wispelturige en meer gewaardeerde een geword. Wat het die verskil gemaak? Om ‘n standvastige doel te hê! Wat was die esel se doel? Om terug huis toe te gaan! Dus, maak nie saak hoeveel keer die perd baklei het, aan die tou getrek het en op sy rug beland en woedend geskop het nie, die esel het elke keer wat hy weer op sy voete gekom het, nog ‘n paar treë in die rigting van die plaas gee. Dit was net ‘n kwessie van tyd voordat die moeë en uitgeputte perd besluit om by hom in te val. Een van die groot temas van die Skrif is om ‘n standvastige doelwit te hê. Samuel het vir die Israeliete gesê: ‘Julle moenie weggaan van Hom nie, want dan gaan julle na die afgode toe wat niks beteken nie en wat nie kan help en red nie’ (1 Samuel 12:21 ABA). Jesaja het geskryf: ‘…Ek het my gesig hard soos vuurklip gemaak. Ek weet ek sal nie in die verleentheid kom nie’ (Jesaja 50:7 NLV). Paulus het geskryf: ‘…staan baie vas, onbeweeglik. Gee altyd julle allerbeste vir die Here se werk…’

“Joshua…lifted his eyes…and behold, a Man stood opposite him.” Joshua 5:13 NKJV

You will conquer your Jericho (2)

In late January 1956, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. received a threatening telephone call at his house. It was not the first foreboding message he’d received. But on this night, as his children and his wife lay sleeping, the weight of the Civil Rights Movement was too heavy. He decided that the risk was too great. He began to map out an exit strategy. At midnight he bowed over the kitchen table and began to pray, “I am afraid. The people are looking to me for leadership, and if I stand before them without strength and courage, they too will falter. I am at the end of my powers. I have nothing left. I’ve come to the point where I can’t face it alone.” King described what happened next. “I experienced the presence of the Divine as I have never experienced Him before. It seemed as though I could hear the quiet assurance of an inner voice saying: ‘Stand up for righteousness, stand up for truth; and God will be at your side forever.’” When facing a daunting challenge, Dr. King shifted his focus and turned to God. The Bible says: “When Joshua was by Jericho…he lifted his eyes…and behold, a Man stood opposite him.” After Joshua lifted his eyes from Jericho, a divine messenger stood before him with the solution to his problem. As long as your eyes are only on your problem, you won’t see your problem solver. You must look up. “I will lift up my eyes to the hills—from whence comes my help? My help comes from the Lord” (Psalm 121:1-2 NKJV).

“Josua was in die omgewing van Jerigo toe hy skielik ‘n man voor hom sien staan met ‘n swaard in sy hand…” Josua 5:13 NLV

Jy sal jou Jerigo oorwin (2)

Laat in Januarie 1956 het dr Martin Luther King Jr. ‘n dreigende telefoonoproep by sy huis ontvang. Dit was nie die eerste onheilspellende boodskap wat hy ontvang het nie. Op hierdie nag, terwyl sy kinders en sy vrou geslaap het, was die gewig van die Burgerregtebeweging vir hom te swaar. Hy het besluit dat die risiko te groot is. Hy het begin om ‘n uittreestrategie neer te skryf. Om middernag het hy sy kop by die kombuistafel gebuig en begin bid: ‘Ek is bang. Die mense kyk na my vir leierskap en as ek sonder krag en moed voor hulle staan, sal hulle ook wankel. Ek het die einde van my kragte bereik. Ek het niks oor nie. Ek het by die punt gekom waar ek dit nie alleen kan trotseer nie.’ King beskryf wat volgende met hom gebeur het, as volg: ‘Ek het die teenwoordigheid van die Goddelike ervaar soos ek Hom nog nooit tevore ervaar het nie. Dit het gevoel asof ek die stil versekering van ‘n innerlike stem kon hoor wat sê: ‘Staan op vir geregtigheid, staan op vir die waarheid; en God sal vir ewig aan jou sy wees.’ Toe hy ‘n ontsaglike uitdaging in die gesig gestaar het, het dr King sy fokus verskuif en hom na God gewend. Die Bybel sê: ‘Josua was in die omgewing van Jerigo toe hy skielik ‘n man voor hom sien staan met ‘n swaard in sy hand…’ Nadat Josua sy oë van Jerigo af opgelig het, het ‘n goddelike boodskapper voor hom met die oplossing vir sy probleem gestaan. Solank jy jou oë net op jou probleem hou, sal jy nie jou probleemoplosser sien nie. Jy moet opkyk. ‘Ek kyk op na die berge. Kom my hulp daarvandaan? Nee, my hulp kom van die Here…’ (Psalm 121:1-2 NLV).

“The Lord said to Joshua: ‘See! I have given Jericho into your hand.’” Joshua 6:2 NKJV

You will conquer your Jericho (1)

Here’s what you need to know about the walls of Jericho: They were immense. They wrapped around the city like a suit of armour, forty feet above the ground. They were impenetrable. Here is what you need to know about Joshua: He didn’t bring the walls down—God did. And God will do that for you too. Your Jericho is your fear, anger, bitterness, or prejudice. It’s also your insecurity about the future; your guilt about the past; and your negativity, anxiety, and proclivity to criticize, over-analyse, or compartmentalize. Your Jericho is any circumstance, attitude, or mindset that keeps you from joy, peace, or rest. Jericho blocks your way, so its walls must fall! “Go in to possess the land which the Lord your God is giving you to possess” (Joshua 1:11 NKJV). The verb translated as “possess” means “to occupy by driving out previous tenants and possessing in their place.” But Satan won’t leave without a fight. He will resist. He will push back. But he will not win. Why? Because God has already declared that you are the victor. “The Lord said to Joshua: ‘See! I have given Jericho into your hand.’” God did not say, “Joshua, take the city.” God said, “Joshua, receive the city I have taken.” The same can be said about you and your challenge. You say, “If God has done it for me, what do I have to do?” (1) Receive your victory by faith, just as you received your salvation. (2) Speak victory. Be sure your words line up with God’s words. (3) Walk out your victory, one day at a time.

“How sweet are Your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!” Psalm 119:103 NKJV

Acquire a taste for God’s Word

In ancient Jewish culture, formal education began at six years of age. Jewish boys enrolled in the local synagogue school called bet sefer, which means “house of the book.” By the time they graduated four years later, they had memorized the entire Torah—every jot and tittle of Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy was engraved on their cerebral cortex via memorization. There goes our excuse for not being able to remember, right? According to tradition, the rabbi would cover the students’ writing slates with honey on the first day of class. Then the rabbi would instruct his class to lick the honey off their slates while reciting Psalm 119:103: “How sweet are Your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!” (NKJV). That was the first and perhaps most important lesson in their entire education. The rabbi wanted his students to fall in love with the Word of God. He wanted them to taste and see that the Word is good (see Psalm 34:8). Jeremiah thought so: “Your words were found, and I ate them, and Your word was to me the joy and rejoicing of my heart” (Jeremiah 15:16 NKJV). David said: “The entrance of Your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple” (Psalm 119:130 NKJV). Solomon said: “For the Lord gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding” (Proverbs 2:6 NKJV). When you acquire a taste for God’s Word, the Holy Spirit, who is the author of the Word, will do two things for you. First, He will reveal it to you. Second, He will remind you of it.

“Die Here het vir Josua gesê: ‘Ek gee jou beheer oor Jerigo, sy koning en sy soldate.’” Josua 6:2 NLV

Jy sal jou Jerigo oorwin (1)

Jerigo se mure was enorm. Hulle het veertig voet bo die grond die stad soos ‘n wapenuitrusting omhul. Hulle was ondeurdringbaar. Josua het nie Jerigo se mure afgebreek nie - God het. God sal dit vir jou ook doen. Jou Jerigo is jou vrees, woede, bitterheid of vooroordeel. Dit is ook jou onsekerheid oor die toekoms; jou skuldgevoelens oor die verlede en jou negatiwiteit, angs en geneigdheid om te kritiseer, oor te analiseer of te kompartementaliseer. Jou Jerigo is enige omstandigheid, houding of denkwyse wat jou van vreugde, vrede of rus weerhou. Jerigo versper jou pad, dus moet sy mure val! ‘…oor drie dae trek julle deur die Jordaan en gaan julle die land in besit neem wat die Here julle God julle as besitting gee’ (Josua 1:11 AFR83). Die werkwoord wat as ‘in besit neem’ vertaal word, beteken ‘om vorige huurders uit te dryf en in hul plek te besit.’ Satan sal egter nie sonder ‘n geveg vertrek nie. Hy sal weerstand bied. Hy sal terugstoot. Hy sal egter nie wen nie. Hoekom nie? Omdat God reeds verklaar het dat jy die oorwinnaar is. ‘Die Here het vir Josua gesê: ‘Ek gee jou beheer oor Jerigo, sy koning en sy soldate.’’ God het nie gesê: ‘Josua, neem die stad in,’ nie. God het gesê: ‘Josua, ontvang die stad wat Ek ingeneem het.’ Dieselfde kan van jou en jou uitdaging gesê word. Jy vra: ‘Wat staan my dus te doen?’ 1) Ontvang jou oorwinning deur geloof, net soos jy jou verlossing ontvang het. 2) Spreek oorwinning uit. Maak seker dat jou woorde met God se woorde ooreenstem. 3) Wandel in jou oorwinning, een dag op ‘n slag.

“Hoe aangenaam is u woorde vir my; dis soeter as heuning in my mond.” Psalm 119:103 NLV

Ontwikkel ‘n aptyt vir God se Woord

In die antieke Joodse kultuur het formele onderwys op sesjarige ouderdom begin. Joodse seuns het by die plaaslike sinagogeskool genaamd bet sefer ingeskryf, wat ‘huis van die boek’ beteken. Teen die tyd dat hulle vier jaar later hul skoolloopbaan voltooi het, het hulle die hele Tora gememoriseer - elke punt en komma van Genesis, Eksodus, Levitikus, Numeri en Deuteronomium is deur memorisering en herhaling op hul serebrale korteks gegraveer. Daar gaan ons verskoning dat ons sukkel om dinge te onthou! Volgens tradisie sou die rabbi die studente se leie waarop hulle skryf, die eerste dag van die klas met heuning bedek. Dan sou die rabbi sy klas opdrag gee om die heuning van hul leie af te lek terwyl hulle Psalm 119:103 (NLV) voordra: ‘Hoe aangenaam is u woorde vir my; dis soeter as heuning in my mond.’ Dit was die eerste en miskien belangrikste les in hul hele opvoeding. Die rabbi wou hê sy studente moes op die Woord van God verlief raak. Hy wou hê hulle moes proe en sien dat die Woord goed is (sien Psalm 34:9). Jeremia het ook so gedink: ‘Ek het u woorde verslind toe hulle gekom het, hulle was vir my ‘n vreugde; ek was bly daaroor dat u Naam oor my uitgeroep is, Here, almagtige God’ (Jeremia 15:16 AFR83). Dawid het gesê: ‘Begrip van u woord bring lig; dit gee insig aan die eenvoudige’ (Psalm 119:130 NLV). Salomo het gesê: ‘Dit is tog die Here wat wysheid gee. Sy woorde gee kennis en insig’ (Spreuke 2:6 NLV). Wanneer jy ‘n smaak vir God se Woord ontwikkel, sal die Heilige Gees, wat die outeur van die Woord is, twee dinge vir jou doen. Eerstens sal Hy dit aan jou openbaar. Tweedens sal Hy jou daaraan herinner.

“By this you shall know that the living God is among you.” Joshua 3:10 NKJV

Rest in your redemption

As the Jordan River swelled to a mile in width, crossing it was no small task. Especially with millions of people! God said, “Go over this Jordan, you and all this people” (Joshua 1:2 NKVJ). Do you think they were scared? Would you have been? “The feet of the priests who bore the ark dipped in the edge of the water” (Joshua 3:15 NKJV). It was the smallest of steps, but with God, the smallest step of faith can activate the mightiest of miracles. As they touched the water, the flow stopped as if someone had shut off the water main. Next, we read: “All Israel crossed over on dry ground” (v. 17 NKJV). By performing this miracle, God wanted them to know: “By this you shall know that the living God is among you.” For Joshua’s people, assurance came as they stood on dry land looking back at the Jordan. For us, assurance comes as we stand on the finished work of Christ and look back at the cross. Let the cross convince you. Be settled about God’s faithfulness. The psalmist describes a person of faith this way: “He is settled in his mind that Jehovah will take care of him” (Psalm 112:7 TLB). Life has many unanswered questions, but God’s promise to save you needn’t be one of them. “He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?” (Romans 8:32 NKJV). Rest in your redemption. The past is past. Your future is bright.