2018-06-10
Romans 5:3-4 NLT
Michael Phelps captured the gold for his country in the Beijing 2008 Olympics and brought home a record eight best-time gold medals. But it won’t just be the number of medals we’ll remember, but his invincible spirit when things turned drastically against him in the 200 meter butterfly. As he touched the wall, winning the race, nobody knew what he’d undergone to accomplish it. As Michael pulled off his goggles and the world watched, incredulous, water poured out of them. He’d swum 200 meters almost blind, an experience swimmers dread. Counting strokes, looking desperately for any marks on the pool floor, he finally touched the finish wall, an Olympic conqueror in every sense. Phelps used his frustration to increase his stamina and determination to win. Paul says: “We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know…they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope…And this hope will not lead to disappointment” (vv. 3-5 NLT). What a catalog of amazing benefits God provides us when we face problems! Endurance: a commitment to draw on His grace and keep moving forward regardless of circumstances. Strength of character: inner fortitude based on personal integrity. Confident hope: a deep conviction that whatever it takes, ultimately we’ll make it. And to crown it all, we’re guaranteed success in our God-appointed mission because “this hope will not lead to disappointment”! When you can’t see clearly what’s coming, stretch yourself – the finish wall is just ahead!
Soul food: Matt 5:3; Luke 18:9-14; Isa 57:14-21; 2 Sam 7:18-29
Romeine 5:3-4 NLV
Michael Phelps het ‘n rekord agt goue medaljes by die 2008 Olimpiese Spele in Beijing verower. Dis egter nie net die aantal medaljes wat ons sal onthou nie, maar sy onoorwinlike gees toe dinge vir hom in die 200 meter vlinderslag drasties verkeerd geloop het. Soos hy die muur geraak het en die resies gewen het, het niemand geweet wat hy deurgemaak het om dit te bereik nie. Die wêreld het met ongeloof toegekyk hoe water uit sy swembril stroom toe Michael dit afhaal. Hy het die 200 meter amper blind geswem, ‘n ervaring wat swemmers vrees. Hy moes sy swemslae tel en desperaat vir enige tekens op die swembadvloer uitkyk, voor hy eindelik die eindpunt kon bereik – ‘n Olimpiese oorwinnaar in elke sin van die woord. Phelps het sy frustrasie gebruik om sy stamina en vasbeslotenheid om te wen, te vermeerder. Paulus sê: ‘…ons jubel selfs in ons swaarkry, want ons besef dat die swaarkry ons leer om te volhard. Op sy beurt kweek volharding betroubaarheid van karakter; en betroubaarheid van karakter versterk ons toekomsverwagting. En hierdie toekomsverwagting sal ons nie teleurstel nie…’ (verse 3-5 NLV). Wat ‘n magdom wonderbaarlike voordele wat God aan ons voorsien wanneer ons probleme in die gesig staar! Volharding: Toewyding daaraan om op sy genade staat te maak en ten spyte van omstandighede aan te hou om vorentoe te beweeg. Betroubaarheid van karakter: innerlike moed wat op persoonlike integriteit gebaseer is. Toekomsverwagting: ‘n diepe oortuiging dat ons uiteindelik daar deur sal kom, wat dit ook al van ons verg. Om dit alles te kroon, word ons sukses in ons God-gegewe missie gewaarborg want ‘…hierdie toekomsverwagting sal ons nie teleurstel nie…’! Wanneer jy nie duidelik kan sien wat voor jou lê nie, strek jouself uit – die eindpunt lê net voor jou!
Sielskos: Matt 5:3; Luk 18:9-14; Jes 57:14-21; 2 Sam 7:18-29
2018-06-09
2 Peter 3:18 NIV
Jesus told His disciples, “Since I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash each other’s feet. I have given you an example to follow” (John 13:14-15 NLT). Whose feet did He wash? Peter, who denied Him; Thomas, who doubted Him; Judas, who betrayed Him; and all the others, who would desert Him. In other words, “Give the grace you’ve been given.” You don’t endorse the deeds of your offender when you do. Jesus didn’t endorse your sins by forgiving you. Grace doesn’t tell the daughter to like the father who molested her. It doesn’t tell the oppressed to wink at injustice. The grace-defined person still sends thieves to jail and expects an ex-spouse to pay child support. Grace isn’t blind. It sees the hurt full well. But grace chooses to see God’s forgiveness even more. It refuses to let hurts poison the heart. The Bible says, “See to it that no one misses the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many” (Hebrews 12:15 NIV). Where grace is lacking, bitterness abounds. Where grace abounds, forgiveness grows. Peter writes, “Grow in the grace and the knowledge of our Lord.” Growing in Bible knowledge is a lot easier than growing in grace toward those who hurt you. The first requires a good memory; the second requires a Christlike character. So how do you “grow” in grace? By practicing it with everybody you meet, in every situation you find yourself.
Soul food: Ezek 16:53-19:14; Mark 14:53-65; Ps 1; Prov 14:29-32
2 Petrus 3:18 NLV
Jesus het vir sy dissipels gesê, ‘As Ek dan, wat julle Here en Leermeester is, julle voete gewas het, moet julle ook mekaar se voete was. Ek het vir julle ‘n voorbeeld gestel…’ (Johannes 13:14-15 NLV). Wie se voete het Hy gewas? Petrus, wat Hom verloën het; Tomas, wat aan Hom getwyfel het; Judas, wat Hom verraai het; en al die ander, wat Hom in die steek sou laat. Jy hoef nie die dade van jou oortreder goed te keur wanneer jy genade bewys nie. Jesus het nie jou sondes goedgekeur toe Hy jou vergewe het nie. Genade sê nie vir die dogter om van haar pa wat haar gemolesteer het, te hou nie. Dit sê nie vir die onderdruktes om vir onreg te knipoog nie. Die persoon wat deur genade gedefinieer word stuur steeds diewe tronk toe en verwag van sy of haar eks om onderhoud te betaal. Genade is nie blind nie. Dit sien die seerkry heeltemal duidelik raak. Genade kies egter om God se vergifnis meer as die seer raak te sien. Die Bybel sê, ‘Wees baie versigtig dat niemand van julle uitsak en God se onverdiende goedheid verspeel nie. Moenie dat daar onder julle ‘n giftige loot opskiet wat moeilikheid veroorsaak en baie ander aansteek nie’ (Hebreërs 12:15 NLV). Waar genade tekort skiet, is bitterheid volop. Waar genade volop is, groei vergifnis. Petrus skryf, ‘Sorg liewer dat julle steeds groei in die onverdiende goedheid en kennis van ons Here en Verlosser, Jesus Christus…’ Om in kennis van die Bybel te groei, is baie makliker as om in genade teenoor diegene wat jou seergemaak het, te groei. Die eerste benodig ‘n goeie geheue; die tweede benodig ‘n karakter soos Christus s’n. Hoe ‘groei’ jy dus in genade? Deur teenoor almal wat jy ontmoet, in elke situasie waarin jy jou bevind, dit te beoefen.
Sielskos: Eseg 16:53-19:14; Mark 14:53-65; Ps 1; Spr 14:29-32
2018-06-08
1 Corinthians 6:19 NIV
Physical desires: The Bible tells us to feast, eat, drink, celebrate, sing, dance, shout, and make music – all things we do with our bodies. These appetites, desires, and delights can actually become a way of remembering how good our God is. The physical is not separate from the spiritual; indeed it is God’s Spirit who makes our bodies come to life. The Bible doesn’t condemn you for wanting to be physically attractive. Now, this needs to be kept in perspective: “Like a gold ring in a pig’s snout is a beautiful woman who shows no discretion” (Proverbs 11:22 NIV). The same principle applies to men. But God did create our bodies. So can we get real? God made us with a love of beauty. Some stylists started what they called a “hairdressers’ ministry.” Perhaps that sounds strange to you. After all, the only hairstylist mentioned in the Bible was Delilah, and when Samson went to her, things didn’t go too well for him. But serving people by cutting their hair can be a good thing. People will share problems with their hairstylist that they won’t share with anybody else. So you can see how that can be a real ministry. This group gave complimentary haircuts to physically and mentally challenged folks. Then they traveled to Costa Rica to serve young women trying to escape a life of prostitution. They honored and freely served bodies that had not been freely served for a long time: bodies that had been turned into objects. What’s the point? You may need to get a new concept, a biblical concept of what is truly “spiritual.”
Soul food: Ezek 14:1-16:52; Mark 14:43-52; Ps 129; Prov 14:25-28
