2018-05-14
John 1:40-42 NKJV
In the early days of his ministry, Billy Graham wanted to mobilize local Christians to bring their unsaved friends and relatives to his evangelistic meetings. So the Graham team devised “Operation Andrew,” a simple plan whereby church members listed the names of their unsaved friends, began praying for them, and invited them to Billy Graham’s crusades to hear the gospel. Why the name “Operation Andrew”? Because each time we see Andrew in John’s gospel, he’s bringing someone to Christ. First he brought his brother, Peter. Then in John chapter six he brought a lad to Jesus who had five loaves and two fish. And in John chapter twelve he led a group of Greeks to Christ. And you can do the same. Years ago a new Christian, twenty-four-year-old Albert McMakin, loaded his pickup truck with friends and drove them every night to an evangelistic campaign in his city. Now, the chances are that you’ve never heard McMakin’s name before. But you’re probably familiar with one of his passengers on the truck, a young man who was converted to Christ that same week – Billy Graham. Andrew brought his brother Peter to Christ, and Peter ended up bringing multitudes to Christ. You just never know! The person you share your faith with today, or bring to church next Sunday, may be used by God to do things you never dreamed possible. And if you’ll do your part – God will do the rest.
Soul food: Deut 28-29; Mark 8:14-26; Ps 44:17-26; Prov 12:12-14
2018-05-13
Filippense 3:13 NLV
Hoe jou verlede ook al mag lyk, God het ‘n beter toekoms vir jou in gedagte. Voor jy egter jouself daarna kan uitstrek, moet jy die mense wat jou seergemaak het, vergewe, jouself vergewe en dit laat gaan. Wanneer jy dit doen, sal jy heel waarskynlik ‘n wye verskeidenheid emosies ervaar. Jy mag dalk woede ervaar en dink dat die lewe onregverdig is en dat dit nie is wat jy in gedagte gehad het nie. Jy het nooit verwag dat jy alleen vir jou lewe verantwoordelikheid moet neem nie. Jy mag dalk angstig voel, bang dat jy dit nie sal kan doen nie – en dat as jy misluk jy net jouself het om te blameer. Jy mag dalk vererg voel omdat jy nou jou lewe in ‘n nuwe lig moet oorweeg, vanuit ‘n ander perspektief. Jy mag dalk selfs hartseer voel oor die manier wat jy ander mense in die verlede blameer het, terwyl jy diep binne in jou geweet het dat jou lewe nie na wense as gevolg van jou eie keuses en besluite vorder nie. Jy mag dalk skaam voel oor die foute in jou verlede en onseker wees of jy regtig persoonlike verantwoordelikheid kan neem en vorentoe kan beweeg. Watter emosies ook al te voorskyn kom, weet net dat dit normaal is wanneer jy ‘n betekenisvolle lewensverandering maak. Erken dit wat jy voel; vra jouself af of jou gedagtes rasioneel is en of dit net ou vrese is wat met jou praat. Hou dan by jou besluit om op te hou om ander te blameer en neem verantwoordelikheid vir jou eie lewe. Die woord vir jou vandag is: ‘…vergeet dit wat agter [jou] lê, en strek [jou] uit na dit wat voorlê.’
Sielskos: Gal 5:22; Luk 19:11-26; Ps 36:5-9; Heb 10:19-23
Philippians 3:13 NKJV
Whatever your past may have been, God has a better future in mind for you. But before you can “reach” for it, you must forgive the people who’ve hurt you, forgive yourself, and let it go. When you do that, you’ll likely experience a wide range of emotions. You may feel anger, thinking life’s unfair and it wasn’t what you wanted. You always envisioned a husband or wife who’d be there to take care of you. You never expected to have to take responsibility for life on your own. You may feel fearful, afraid you won’t be able to do it – and that if you fail you’ll only have yourself to blame. You may feel annoyed that now you have to consider your life in a different light, from a different perspective. You may even feel sad over the way you’ve blamed others in the past, knowing deep down inside that your life wasn’t proceeding the way you wanted because of your own choices and decisions. You may feel ashamed of your past mistakes, unsure if you really can take personal responsibility and move forward. Whatever emotion comes up, good or bad, know that it’s normal when you’re making a significant life change. And however you feel, don’t judge yourself! Acknowledge what you’re feeling; ask yourself if your thoughts are rational or if they’re just old fears talking to you. Then stick to your commitment to stop blaming others and take responsibility for your own life. The word for you today is: “Forgetting those things which are behind…[reach] forward to those things which are ahead.”
Soul food: Gal 5:22; Luke 19:11-26; Ps 36:5-9; Heb 10:19-23
2018-05-12
Genesis 3:13 NLV
Adam het vir God gesê, ‘Eva het my dit laat doen.’ En Eva het vir God gesê, ‘Die Duiwel het my dit laat doen.’ Om verskonings te maak en ander te blameer is in ons DNA ingebou en totdat jy daarby verby kan kom, sal jy nooit vordering maak of ware geluk smaak nie. Hier is ‘n stelling waarby jy moet stop en oordink: Ek is die mens waarop ek nog die heeltyd wag – niemand anders is oppad nie! As jy gewillig is om verantwoordelikheid vir jou lewe te neem, sal jy ontdek dat dit nie saak maak wat ander mense doen nie, jy alleen is verantwoordelik vir jouself. Jy besluit hoe om te reageer. Daar is nie ‘n ridder op ‘n wit perd wat om die hoek vir jou wag nie. Jou skip is nie oppad nie. Die gety gaan nie draai nie. Wat gaan jy dus doen? Wanneer iemand anders se aksies jou seergemaak het, kan jy een van twee dinge doen: 1) Jy kan soos ‘n melaatse sit en by die hek van blaam en kla doodgaan (sien 2 Konings 7:3). 2) Jy kan met ‘n strategie vorendag kom wat jou in staat stel om te sê, ‘Ek is te waardevol om dood te gaan, te taai om te sit en wag vir iemand anders en te kreatief om jou verwaarlosing as my lot te aanvaar.’ Eers wanneer jy gewillig is om op te hou om jouself en ander te blameer en verantwoordelikheid vir jou lewe en jou situasie te aanvaar, sal God jou bemagtig om dinge te verander. Hierdie benadering sit die termostaat binne jou bereik en beheer. In plaas van om te vries of in ongemak te sweet, kan jy die temperatuur van jou lewe stel en die terme van jou toekoms verander.
Sielskos: Deut 25-27; Mark 8:1-13; Ps 44:9-16; Spr 12:10-11
Genesis 3:13 NKJV
Adam told God, “Eve made me do it.” And Eve told God, “The Devil made me do it.” Excuse-making and blame-placing are built into our DNA, and until you get beyond them you’ll never make progress or find real happiness. Here’s a statement worth stopping to think about: We are the people we’ve been waiting for – no one else is coming! If you’re willing to accept responsibility for your life, you’ll discover that no matter what other people do or don’t do, to or for you, you’re accountable to yourself. You decide how to respond. You decide to continue to move toward your dreams – or not. The truth is that Prince Charming isn’t waiting for you around the next corner. Your ship isn’t coming in. The tide isn’t about to turn. The odds are against your winning the lottery in this lifetime. So what are you going to do? When you’ve been hurt by someone else’s actions, you can do one of two things: (1) Sit like a leper, and die at the gate of blame and complaint (See 2 Kings 7:3). (2) Emerge with a strategy that enables you to say, “I’m too valuable to die, too tenacious to wait on anyone’s mercy, and too creative to accept your neglect as my destiny.” Only when you’re willing to stop blaming yourself and others, and take responsibility for your life and your situation, will God empower you to change things. This approach puts the thermostat within your reach and control. Instead of freezing to death or sweating in discomfort, you can set the temperature for your life and change the terms for your future.
Soul food: Deut 25-27; Mark 8:1-13; Ps 44:9-16; Prov 12:10-11
