2018-05-09
James 3:6 NIV
On a windy day in March 1997, a father and son visited Valley Forge National Historic Park, where George Washington stationed the Revolutionary Army during the difficult winter of 1777-1778. The man and his son had something much less historic in mind: They wanted to launch a model rocket. At first they tried using electric ignition wires to light the fuse, but to no avail. So they tried lighting the fuse with a common sparkler, the kind frequently seen at annual holiday celebrations. That’s when trouble began. Sparks ignited a grass fire and the winds quickly spread the blaze, burning a field where Revolutionary War soldiers had trained, and coming within a half-mile of George Washington’s headquarters. The value of what they put at risk was incalculable. It took thirty units from twelve fire departments over an hour to bring the blaze under control. In the end some thirty acres were charred, and the man with the sparkler was charged with destruction of government property and improper use of fireworks. The Bible says, “Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body” (vv. 5-6 NIV). “Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth; keep…the door of my lips” (Psalm 141:3 NKJV). “He who would love life and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil” (1 Peter 3:10 NKJV). “The lips of the godly speak helpful words” (See Proverbs 10:21). So make sure your words help, not hurt; build up, not tear down. In other words, be careful what you say!
Soul food: Deut 18-21; Mark 7:14-23; Ps 37:32-40; Prov 12:4-6
2018-05-08
Romeine 8:33 NLV
Paulus skryf: ‘Wie sal dit waag om ons aan te kla as God ons spesiaal uitgekies het? God is immers die Een wat ons vryspreek. Wie sal ons veroordeel? Christus Jesus is tog die Een wat vir ons gesterf het, wat boonop opgestaan het, wat op die ereplek langs God sit en wat daar vir ons pleit’ (verse 33-34 NLV). Satan se aanklagte sputter en val soos ‘n ballon wat afblaas. Hoekom hoor ons hulle dan nog? Hoekom voel ons as Christene steeds skuldig? Nie alle skuldgevoelens is sleg nie. God gebruik toepaslike dosisse skuld om sonde vir ons uit te wys. Ons weet dat skuldgevoelens van God af kom wanneer dit ‘…die verantwoording, dringendheid om reg te maak, ontsag… en erns om die oortreder te straf…’ (2 Korintiërs 7:11 NLV) meebring. God se skuldgevoelens bring net genoeg spyt mee om ons te verander. Satan se skuldgevoelens bring genoeg spyt mee om ons tot slaaf te maak. Moenie dat hy sy boeie om jou sluit nie! Onthou: ‘…julle lewe is saam met [Christus] veilig by God weggesteek’ (Kolossense 3:3 NLV). Wanneer God na jou kyk, sien Hy eerste vir Jesus. In Chinees is die woord vir geregverdig ‘n kombinasie van twee karakters: die figuur van ‘n lam en ‘n persoon. Die lam is bo-op en bedek die persoon. Wanneer God na jou kyk, is dit wat Hy sien: die perfekte Lam van God wat jou bedek. Net een keer in die Skrif word melding gemaak dat Jesus iets skryf. Hy skryf in die sand om vir die aangeklaagde sondaar wat Hy pas vergewe het, te sê, ‘…Ook Ek veroordeel jou nie. Gaan maar, en moet van nou af nie meer sonde doen nie’ (sien Johannes 8:10-11). Die woord vir jou vandag is dus: Vertrou jou voorstaander, nie jou aanklaer nie!
Sielskos: Deut 14-17; Mark 7:1-13; Ps 37:25-31; Spr 12:1-3
Romans 8:33 NCV
Paul writes: “Who can accuse the people God has chosen? No one, because God is the One who makes them right. Who can say God’s people are guilty? No one, because Christ Jesus died, but he was also raised from the dead, and now he is on God’s right side, appealing to God for us” (vv. 33-34 NCV). The accusations of Satan splutter and fall like a deflated balloon. Then why, pray tell, do we still hear them? Why do we, as Christians, still feel guilt? Not all guilt is bad. God uses appropriate doses of guilt to awaken us to sin. We know guilt is God-given when it causes “indignation…alarm…longing…concern…readiness to see justice done” (2 Corinthians 7:11 NIV). God’s guilt brings enough regret to change us. Satan’s guilt, on the other hand, brings enough regret to enslave us. Don’t let him lock his shackles on you! Remember: “Your life is hid with Christ in God” (Colossians 3:3). When God looks at you, He sees Jesus first. In the Chinese language the word for righteousness is a combination of two characters: the figure of a lamb and a person. The lamb is on top, covering the person. Whenever God looks down at you, this is what He sees: the perfect Lamb of God covering you. Only once in Scripture is it recorded that Jesus wrote something. And He wrote it on the ground, saying to an accused sinner He’d just forgiven, “You are free from condemnation. Go, and sin no more” (See John 8:10-11). So the word for you today is: Trust your advocate, and not your accuser!
Soul food: Deut 14-17; Mark 7:1-13; Ps 37:25-31; Prov 12:1-3
2018-05-07
Openbaring 12:10 NLV
Die apostel Johannes het geskryf: “Toe het ek ‘n kragtige stem in die hemel hoor sê: ‘…Die aanklaer van ons medegelowiges is neergewerp, hy wat hulle dag en nag voor ons God aangekla het'” (vers 10 NLV). Satan het net een doel: ‘Die dief kom vir niks anders nie as om te steel, dood te maak en te vernietig…’ (Johannes 10:10 NLV). Hy sal jou vrede steel, jou drome vernietig en jou toekoms verwoes. Hy neem mense in diens om sy gif te smokkel. Vriende onthou jou verlede. Predikers verkonding alle skuld en geen genade nie. Sommige ouers versprei dit vier-en-twintig uur ‘n dag. Lank reeds in volwassenheid hoor jy nog hulle stemme: ‘Hoekom kan jy nie groot word nie?’ ‘Wanneer gaan jy my begin trots maak?’ Wat is die antwoord? Jesus! Hy ‘… het nou die heel belangrikste posisie in die hemel. Daarom kan Hy nou ons saak by God suksesvol verdedig’ (Romeine 8:34 DB). In die teenwoordigheid van God, in uitdaging van Satan, staan Jesus Christus in verdediging van jou op. Hy neem die rol van ‘n priester aan. ‘Wat meer is, ons het ‘n groot priester wat toesig hou oor die huis van God. Kom ons gaan dan die heiligheid binne, ja, tot voor God, met ‘n opregte hart en absolute vertroue, terwyl ons harte gesuiwer is van ‘n skuldige gewete…’ (Hebreërs 10:21-22 NLV). ‘n Skoon gewete. ‘n Skoon hart. Vry van beskuldiging – vry van veroordeling. Nie net van ons foute in die verlede nie, maar ook van ons toekomstige foute. ‘Juis daarom kan Hy ons saak by God regmaak wanneer ons deur Hom na God toe gaan. Hy sal altyd daar wees om ons saak by God te stel, want Hy leef vir altyd’ (Hebreërs 7:25 DB). Moet dus nie na jou aanklaer luister nie – vertrou jou voorstaander!
Sielskos: Deut 11-13; Mark 6:45-56; Ps 37:16-24; Spr 11:30-31
Revelation 12:10 NLT
The apostle John wrote: “I heard a loud voice shouting across the heavens…’For the accuser of our brothers and sisters has been thrown down to earth – the one who accuses them before our God day and night'” (v. 10 NLT). Satan has only one aim: “To steal, and to kill, and to destroy” (John 10:10). He’ll steal your peace, kill your dreams, and destroy your future. And he has deputized a horde of silver-tongued demons to help him. He enlists people to peddle his poison. Friends dredge up your past. Preachers proclaim all guilt and no grace. And some parents distribute it twenty-four hours a day. Long into adulthood you still hear their voices: “Why can’t you grow up?” “When are you going to make me proud?” So what’s the answer? Jesus! He’s “in the presence of God at this very moment sticking up for us” (Romans 8:34 TM). Let that sink in for a moment. In the presence of God, in defiance of Satan, Jesus Christ rises to your defense. He takes on the role of a priest. “And since we have a great priest over God’s house, let us come near to God with a sincere heart and a sure faith, because we have been made free from a guilty conscience” (Hebrews 10:21-22 NCV). A clean conscience. A clean record. A clean heart. Free from accusation – free from condemnation. Not just from our past mistakes, but from our future ones. “Since he will live forever, he will always be there to remind God that he has paid for [our] sins with his blood” (Hebrews 7:25 TLB). So don’t listen to your accuser – trust your advocate!
Soul food: Deut 11-13; Mark 6:45-56; Ps 37:16-24; Prov 11:30-31
