DIE AREND (Deel 1).
Deuteronomium 32:11-12 sê vir ons: "Soos 'n arend wat sy kleintjies uit die nes uitskop, oor hulle fladder en hulle vang op sy vlerke wat hy oopsprei, soos 'n arend wat sy kuikens op sy vlerke dra, so het die Here, net Hy alleen, Sy volk gelei; daar was nie 'n ander god by Hom nie." Die arend is 'n voël wat sy nes bou hoog in die rotse en kranse van berge en weg van mense af. Hierdie voël sal nie bly waar daar baie mense is nie. Die arend se nes word nie gebou in bome soos baie ander voëls nie en die nes het ook nie dieselfde vorm nie. Die arend se nes bestaan uit 'n laag takke of stokke wat plat op die rotse lê en bedek met hooi of strooi, vere en pels van voëls en diere wat gevang is. Die HAT beskryf die arend soos volg: Roofvoel van die familie Falconidae, met kort, breë stert, sterk krom snawel en lang vlerke. Kenmerkende eienskappe van die arend kan gelees word in die Bybel en slegs 'n klein aantal hiervan sal nou gelys word: - Hierdie voëls vlieg baie vinnig soos gesien kan word in Deuteronomium 28:49 en Job 9:26. - Die arend kan tot sewentig jaar oud word en verveer elke lente om dan soos 'n jong voël te lyk – Psalm 103:5. - Die oog van die arend is baie skerp. Die oog het 'n binneste ooglid wat baie dun is en oor die oog getrek kan word soos 'n gordyn indien daar te veel skerp lig is. Met hierdie metode van die oog beskerm kan die arend in die son kyk. Hierdie voël kan baie verder as die mens sien. Wanneer die arend hoog in die lug vlieg dat dit lyk soos 'n spikkel, word klein diertjies op die grond opgemerk en vlieg die arend met 'n duikslag af om hierdie klein diertjies te vang met sy kragtige kloue – Job 39:29-32. Deuteronomium 3211-12 beskryf pragtig God se sorg oor Sy kinders van Israel wat Hy uit die wildernis gelei het en dit is vandag nog net so van toepassing soos in Moses se tyd en beskryf dit ook God se goedheid en guns vir Sy kinders. Dit is 'n seën en maak 'n mens gelukkig om te weet dat die Arend oor Sy kleintjies wag hou en hulle versorg en hulle nuwe krag gee dag vir dag – Jesaja 40:31. GEBED: Dankie, Here, dat U die Kragbron is wat my lewe elke dag herlaai want, daarsonder sal ek nie klaarkom nie. Amen. DIE AREND (Deel 2). Hiermee sal gepoog word om aan te dui wat die Bybel ons alles leer rondom die arend. Die lys is geensins volledig nie en kan derhalwe aangevul word. - Die arend is 'n voël wat prooi vang – Job 9:26 en Matteus 24:28. - Miga 1:16 noem dat die arend as aasvoël 'n kaalkop het. - Dit word beskou as onrein, verbode of 'n gruwel – Levitikus 11:13 en Deuterenomium 14:12. - Daar is verskillende soorte arende – Levitikus 11:13 en 11:18. - Word ook genoem die arende van die hemele – Klaagliedere 4:19. - Word beskryf as 'n voël met baie skerp sig – Job 39:32. - Word beskryf as baie vinnig – 2 Samuel 1:23. - Dit vlieg hoog die lug in – Spreuke 23:5. - Daniël 4:33 verwys na die sterkte van die arend se vere. - Esegiël 17:3 en 17:7 verwys na die groot vlerke van die arend. - Spreuke 30:19 noem dat dit onbegryplik is hoe 'n arend in die lug bly. - Esegiël 17:3-4 vertel hoe die arend hom verlustig aan die seders. - Job 39:30-31 vertel dat die arend hoog in die kranse sy nes het. - Die arend voer die kuikens met bloed – Job 39:33. - Wysheid en diens van God se predikers – Esegiël 1:10 en Openbaring 4:7. - Beskryf groot en sterk konings – Esegiël 17: en Hosea 8:1. - Skenk jeugdige krag – Psalm 103:5. - God gee nuwe krag en mense word nie moeg nie – Jesaja 40:31. - Om ons te leer van God se sorg oor Sy kerk – Eksodus 19:4 en Deuterenomium 32:11. - Vlerke van beskerming oor die kerk – Openbaring 12:14. - Spreuke 23:5 meld dat rykdom kortstondig is. - Vyandige nasies en weermagte wat vinnig beweeg – Deuterenomium 28:49, Jeremia 4:13, Jeremia 48:40 en Klaagliedere 4:19. - Die valse sekuriteit van die goddelose mense – Jeremia 49:16 en Obadja 1:4. - Job 9:26 beskryf hoe die mens se dae vinnig verby skiet. - Beskryf die standaard van die Romeinse weermag in Jesus se dae – Matteus 24:15 en 24:28. GEBED: Dankie, Here, dat U U ontferm oor U kerk wat Jesus hier op aarde kom stig het. Dankie vir U liefde wat ek sonder verdienste ontvang. Amen. DIE AREND (Deel 3). (Colin Lamont) Job 39:31 vertel ons: "Hy woon op die rotse, hy bly daar, op die spits en die kranse. Alhoewel baie van ons al foto's gesien het van 'n groot nes van die arend hoog op rotse of in kranse en af en toe ook hoog in die takke van groot bome, het slegs enkeles van ons die binnekant van die nes al besigtig. Wanneer die moeder arend haar nes bou begin sy deur gebruik te maak van dorings, stukke takke, skerp klippe en 'n aantal ander items wat glad nie geskik lyk vir die projek nie. Die moeder-arend lê dan die nes uit met wol, vere en pels van diere wat sy gevang het en dit maak die nes sag en gemaklik vir die eiers wat gelê word. Teen die tyd dat die groeiende kuikens vliegstadium bereik, wil hulle nie die nes verlaat nie omrede hulle gemaklik is met die omgewing en ook die vry maaltye wat die moeder-arend besorg. Dit gebeur dan dat die moeder-arend die nes met haar sterk kloue en snawel begin opbreek. Die pels en vere word opgelig om die skerp klippe en takke te ontbloot. Dit veroorsaak dat die jong arende baie ongemak in die nes moet verduur. Uiteindelik sal die jong arende nie meer die ongerief verduur nie en ook ander invloede veroorsaak dat hulle die nes verlaat om aan te beweeg na meer volwasse stadia. (Today in the Word, June 11, 1989) Ons Here God maak ons geskik deur die Heilige Gees omdat ons bereid is om vir Hom te werk. Wanneer ons gereed is word ons uit ons nes gedring om Sy Woord aan ander te verkondig net soos die moeder-arend haar jongelinge dring om die nes te verlaat. Die tydperk van opleiding wat die Heilige Gees bied verskil van mens tot mens. Een persoon gaan baie gouer volwasse raak in die Heilige Gees as die volgende persoon. Ons besef ook dat die opleiding en bekwaamheid wat die Heilige Gees bied eers eindig wanneer Jesus ons kom haal om by Hom in die hemel te wees. Ons hemelse Vader wil nie godsdiens hê nie. Hy verlang 'n persoonlike en intieme verhouding met elk van Sy kinders. Johannes 3:30 sê dat Hy meer moet word en ons minder. Dit is lekker om die Here te dien. Soos in elke werk is dit nie altyd maanskyn en rose nie, maar ons weet waarnatoe ons werk met God aan ons kant. GEBED: Dankie, Here, dat U as die Groot Arend ons as die klein arende onder U vlerk beskerm en geskik maak om U werk op aarde te verrig. Sonder U kan ons dit nie doen nie. Amen.
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"Grumble, grumble…if I ever… I'll never… did you hear what he/she said or did? I'll never forgive… I'll never speak… They will never get invited to my….." You've probably met folks with a bad case of the "Grumbles". It seems that no matter what happens they are never happy and sometimes they seem to take delight in making others unhappy. There has to be an answer for this… doesn't there?
Is it possible to change your attitude, I mean really change it? I've had some folks with fairly nasty dispositions tell me, "That's just the way I am and I can't change it." Is that true? A reader of my writings, "Reg," shared Job 9:27 with me, where Job says: "I changed my expression and smiled" (NIV) How can this be true? I believe it's because no matter what happens God is still in control, and if I can remember that, I CAN change my expression and smile! Granted I never said it would be an easy thing to do, but I believe it is possible. You remember the old saying, "Garbage in, garbage out". In other words, what you put into your life, your heart, will most likely be the same sort of thing that comes out of your life and heart. It affects relationships to friends; it affects families; it affects our relationship to God. David voices a conscious decision in Psalms 118:24 "This is the day the LORD has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it." The question for each of us, to consider is, "What are you putting into your life and heart? I don't know about you, but I really want to have a good attitude. I really want to have good relationships with my friends, family and my God. Because of that, I try really hard to put only the best stuff into my life. I control what television programs I watch, I control what movies I go to, I control what books I read, I control the type of music to which I listen, I control who I associate with. You see, each of us is in control of our lives; it's just that sometimes we hand control of it over to others. Those who program our television, movies, music, etc. really don't care about you, your attitude or your soul. They won't watch out for you, you have to take charge of your own life and decide whether or not you will rejoice in the day or not. Whether you will change you’re attitude and smile or not. You see, I know what kind of person I want to be and what kind of life I want to live. I'm not always successful, but I'm more successful than if I had never tried. How about it, are you willing to begin to fight the "good" fight that changes your life and relationships? Why not join me in the fight? Russ Lawson “Fools will believe anything, but the wise think about what they do.” Proverbs 14:15
For 40-plus years I’ve been following this map called the Bible. I have found it to be true. It always takes me where it says it’s going to take me. I don’t always feel comfortable there. I don’t always like it there. But it always takes me where it says it’s going to take me. We know what’s true through consideration. Truth is knowable. You can observe it. You can test it. You can consider the evidence. But most people never slow down long enough for consideration. Most people just drift through life. They never think about where they’re headed or what they’re going to do once they get there. The Bible tells us over and over to “ponder the path of your feet.” In other words, think through your life. Don’t just drift through life. Spend some time in consideration and observation. Are you on a true path? If you don’t know, check it out. Make time to do it today. The Bible says in Proverbs 14:15, “Fools will believe anything, but the wise think about what they do” (NCV). That means consideration! Wise people think about what they do. John 3:33 says, “Anyone who examines this evidence will come to stake his life on this: that God himself is the truth” (MSG). If you have serious questions about the Bible and God, it’s OK to check things out. It’s OK to be skeptical. There’s nothing wrong with that! In fact, that’s kind of smart, in my opinion. The dumb thing is to sit on the fence and do nothing about it when you have questions as important as “Does God exist?” and “Is Jesus who he said he was or not?” Check it out. Examine the evidence. You’ll find that you can stake your life on God’s truth. Matteus 27:51 NLV
Een dag van die jaar, op Versoeningsdag, kon die priester agter die swaar gordyn in die tabernakel ingaan in die Allerhoogste in waar God se teenwoordigheid was. Hy kon daar ingaan omdat die bloed van 'n offerlam die genadetroon, waaronder die Verbondsark gerus het, bedek het. God het dit so gereël. Wat was in die Ark? Die Tien Gebooie - wat ons almal gebreek het. Die enigste manier waarop God na die bewys van Sy mense se skuld kon kyk, was deur die bloed van die lam. Kom ons spring nou na die kruis. Jesus het "... die laaste asem uitgeblaas. Op daardie oomblik het die swaar gordyn in die tempel in twee geskeur van bo tot onder." Alles het daardie dag beter geword! Ten spyte van jou mislukkings kan jy nou in God se teenwoordigheid kom met die wete dat jou sonde deur die bloed van Jesus bedek is, en jy kan met vertroue vra vir dit wat jy nodig het. "Kom ons gaan dan met volle vrymoedigheid na die troon van ons genadige God. Hy sal aan ons Sy ontferming en genade bewys sodat ons op die regte tyd gehelp sal word." (Heb 4:16 NLV). God se aanvaarding is gewaarborg as jy hom benader deur te sê: "Ek kom in die Naam van Jesus en op grond van Sy bloed wat Hy vir my gestort het." Dit werk soos 'n kredietstelsel. "Jy is in Christus", sodat jy 'n perfekte krediettelling het! Selfs as jy onwaardig en onverdienstelik voel, as jy in geloof vra, sal God dit vir jou gee "... op grond van wat Christus gedoen het." (Ef 4:32 NLV). Sielekos: Eks 33-35; Joh 4:27-38; Ps 32; Spr 27:1-3 God’s purpose from all eternity is to prepare a family to indwell the kingdom of God. “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future.” (Jeremiah 29:11).
God’s plotting for our good. In all the setbacks, He is ordaining the best for our future. Every event of our day is designed to draw us toward our God and our destiny. When people junk you in the pit, God can use it for good. When family members sell you out, God will recycle the pain. Falsely accused? Utterly abandoned? You may stumble but you will not fall. You will get through this! Not because you are strong, but because God is. Not because you are big, but because God is. Not because you’re good, but because God is. He has a place prepared for you! “But I know that when I come to you, I shall come in the fullness of the blessing of the gospel of Christ.”(Romans 15:29, NKJV)
God wants you to live in the fullness of His blessing. His blessing is His supernatural empowerment. It is His favor. We’ve all seen a measure of His blessing, but there is a whole new level He wants to take you to. God has promises and opportunities in store for you that you haven’t even thought of yet. What you’ve seen in the past is only a fraction of what God wants to do in your future. Understand that God likes to outdo Himself. He wants to open doors for you and bring out talents and abilities that you didn’t even know you had. Remember, the God we serve is a God of abundance. He is the God of more than enough. Not only does He want to meet your needs, He wants to give you enough to bless other people. That’s living in the fullness of the blessing! Today, don’t settle where you are. Your destiny is not determined by the economy, your past, or what anyone else thinks or says; your destiny is determined by Almighty God. He wants you to tap into a greater measure of His blessing and live in the fullness He has in store for you! Father, I come before You today with an open and humble heart, ready to receive all You have for me. Teach me to live a life that is pleasing to You so that I can be an example of Your love in the world around me in Jesus’ name. Amen. “Blessed is that man who makes the LORD his trust...” (Psalm 40:4, NKJV)
Did you know that trusting in the Lord is a decision we make just like we choose anything else in life? You chose what you are wearing today, you probably chose what you would have for breakfast, and you can choose to trust God every day, too! When you choose to trust God, there is peace that settles in your heart. There is joy because you know the outcome, and there is blessing in store for you because your hope is sure. No matter what you are facing in life today, trust that Almighty God will come through for you. Trust that His Word is always true. In Psalm 32, David calls God his “hiding place.” In other words, when you place your trust in God, you can find refuge in Him. You are actually hidden from the enemy when you choose to trust. Always remember, when circumstances seem overwhelming, don’t look at what’s happening around you; look to God. He is the author and finisher of your faith. Choose to trust that He is the one who is ordering your steps. Find security in knowing that He is making your crooked places straight and your rough places smooth. Trust in Him and live in the blessing and everlasting life He has prepared for you! Father in heaven, today I choose to put my trust in You. I know You are a good and faithful God, and I trust that You have my best interest at heart. Help me stay focused on Your goodness today in Jesus’ name. Amen. — Joel & Victoria Osteen Then they said to one another, "Look, this dreamer is coming! Come therefore, let us now kill him and cast him into some pit; and we shall say, 'Some wild beast has devoured him.' We shall see what will become of his dreams!" (Genesis 37:19,20).
The devil is forever trying to put an end to the dreams that come from God. And he will use any means available to succeed in his assaults against dreamers. Family, friends, and foes alike may be unwittingly employed by the Dark Prince to keep the light of a godly dream from exposing his deceptions. What better way to discredit a dream than by destroying the dreamer? Thus, Joseph's brothers become co-conspirators in a diabolic plot to thwart the purposes of God in Joseph's life. Little did they know that they were playing right into the very hand of the Lord Himself. For the decisions made in that desperate moment by these deceitful brothers set in motion a chain of events which ultimately brought these very men to bow in the presence of Joseph — just as he had dreamed! Don't give up on your dreams, my friend, even if it looks like all is lost — for God will bring them to pass just as He promised. Though it may take longer than you expected, and lead you through things you never anticipated — let the dream do its work, and it will bring you to the place where you see with your eyes what your dared to believe in your heart. Endurance produces character, and character produces hope. (Romans 5:4) In Stephen Covey's book, THE SEVEN HABITS OF HIGHLY EFFECTIVE PEOPLE, he notes that just as junk food and lack of exercise can ruin an athlete's condition, those things that are obscene, crude and pornographic can breed an inner darkness. He quotes the words of Dag Hammarskjold, "You cannot play with the animal in you without becoming wholly animal, play with falsehood without forfeiting your right to truth, play with cruelty without losing your sensitivity of mind. He who wants to keep his garden tidy doesn't reserve a plot for weeds." It's sort of like something that happened when they were renovating the Queen Mary. This gracious old vessel was the largest ship to cross the oceans when it was launched in 1936. Through four decades and a World War this ocean liner served its owners well. Then it was retired to Long Beach, California where it is anchored as a floating hotel and museum. During its conversion to its present status, its three massive smoke-stacks were taken off to be scraped down and repainted. But on the dock these massive pieces of steel crumbled. Actually that is not quite true. There was nothing left to crumble. Nothing was left of the 3/4 inch steel plate from which the stacks had been formed. All that remained were more than thirty coats of paint that had been applied over the years. The steel had rusted away. That can happen to our character, unless we allow Christ to be alive in our hearts every day. |
Ana & Andre Schoonbee God uses us to motivate and encourage the body. Authors
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