2018-08-31
Markus 14:3 NLV
Onthou jy die prostituut wat vir Jesus gesalf het? ‘…Tydens die ete kom daar ‘n vrou in met ‘n albaste fles vol egte, baie duur aromatiese olie. Sy breek toe die seël van die fles en gooi die olie oor Jesus se kop uit.’ Sy het haar kosbaarste besitting vir Jesus gegee. Nie net was dit baie waardevol nie, dis was ook deel van haar aantrekkingskrag. Deur dit oop te breek was haar manier om met haar verlede te breek. Onthou jy die herlewing wat in Efese uitgebreek het? Diegene wat towery beoefen het, het hulle boekrolle in die openbaar verbrand. Die waarde van daardie boekrolle word op 50,000 dragmas geskat. ‘n Dragma was ‘n silwer muntstuk wat ‘n dag se loon werd was. Dis 138 jaar se lone! Hulle kon daardie boekrolle verkoop het en die geld in hulle sak gesteek het, maar dan sou hulle hul siele verkoop het. In plaas daarvan het hulle ‘n stelling van R43,825,783.15 gemaak. Ons probleem is dat ons wil hê dat God iets nuuts vir ons moet doen, terwyl ons dieselfde ou ding aanhou doen. Ons wil hê dat Hy ons omstandighede moet verander, sonder om ons enigsins te verander. As ons egter God vir nuwe wyn vra, het ons ook ‘n nuwe wynsak nodig. Verandering is ‘n twee-sydige muntstuk wat lees: Uit met die oue en in met die nuwe! Meeste van ons brand geestelik vas omdat ons aanhou om dieselfde ding te doen, maar ander resultate verwag. Geestelike roetine is ‘n noodsaaklike deel van geestelike groei maar wanneer die roetine roetine word, moet jy dit verander. Wat jou gekry het tot waar jy jou tans bevind, mag jou dalk nie kry tot waar God wil hê jy volgende moet gaan nie.
Sielskos: 3 Joh; Judas; Luk 18:31-43; Ps 119:169-176; Spr 22:20-23
Mark 14:3 NKJV
Do you remember the prostitute who anointed Jesus? “A woman…having an alabaster flask of very costly oil of spikenard…broke the flask and poured it on His head.” She gave her most precious possession to Jesus. Not only was it extremely valuable, it was also part of her sex appeal. Breaking it open was her way of breaking with her past. She was giving up her former life by giving that jar to Jesus. Remember the revival that broke out in Ephesus? Those who practiced sorcery burned their scrolls publicly. The value of those scrolls was estimated at 50,000 drachmas. A drachma was a silver coin worth a day’s wages. That’s 138 years of wages! They could have sold those scrolls and pocketed the money, but they would have been selling their souls. Instead they made a $3,739,972.50 statement of faith. Our problem is that we want God to do something new for us, while we keep doing the same old thing. We want Him to change our circumstances without having to change us at all. But if we’re asking God for new wine, we will need a new wineskin. Change is a two-sided coin that reads: Out with the old, and in with the new! Most of us get stuck spiritually because we keep doing the same thing and expecting different results. Spiritual routines are a crucial part of spiritual growth, but when the routine becomes routine, you need to change it. What got you to where you are, may not get you to where God wants you to go next.
Soul food: 3 John; Jude; Luke 18:31-43; Ps 119:169-176; Prov 22:20-23
2018-08-30
Hebrews 12:1-2 NKJV
Experienced runners know if they can just keep going, eventually they’ll get their “second wind.” Some refer to it as “runner’s high,” a release of adrenalin that makes you feel like you could run all day. So the word for you today is: Keep running until you get your second wind! Paul says: “Let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and…run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of…God…consider Him who endured such hostility…lest you become weary and discouraged” (vv. 1-3 NKJV). Note the word “endured.” Don’t let what’s going on around you sabotage what God’s doing within you. Generally speaking, your outlook is affected by what’s happening now. A drowning man isn’t too impressed with something good that’s going to happen tomorrow; he needs help today. Keep in mind that what you’re going through right now is temporary – so look for a turnaround. In the Old Testament God told Isaiah, “Comfort my people…Tell them they have suffered long enough and their sins are now forgiven” (Isaiah 40:1-2 GNT). Then He went on to make them this wonderful promise: “The hills will become a plain, and the rough country will be made smooth. Then the glory of the Lord will be revealed, and all people will see it. The Lord himself has promised this” (vv. 4-5 GNT). Claim that promise for yourself today – and keep running!
Soul food: 2 Chr 35-36; 2 John; Luke 18:18-30; Ps 119:161-168; Prov 22:17-19
Hebreërs 12:1-2 NLV
Ervare drawwers weet dat as hulle net aanhou hardloop, hulle uiteindelik hulle ‘tweede asem’ sal kry – ‘n vrystelling van adrenalien wat jou laat voel asof jy heeldag kan hardloop. Hou vandag aan hardloop totdat jy jou tweede asem kry! Paulus sê, ‘…kom ons stroop alles af wat ons spoed kan vertraag, veral die sonde wat so maklik ‘n houvas op ‘n mens kry. Kom ons hardloop met volharding op die baan wat voor ons uitgestrek lê, ons oë vasgenael op Jesus, die Een op wie ons geloof vanaf die wegspring tot by die eindstreep steun. Hy het ter wille van die blydskap wat daar voor vir Hom gewag het, die kruis verduur. Ja, Hy het Hom selfs deur die skande van die kruisdood nie laat afskrik nie. En nou sit Hy op die ereplek langs God se troon! Dink aan Hom wat soveel vyandigheid van sondaarmense deurstaan het. Laat dit julle inspireer om nie uit te sak en tou op te gooi nie (verse1-3 NLV). Moenie toelaat dat dit wat rondom jou aangaan, dit wat God binne-in jou doen, saboteer nie. Oor die algemeen word jou uitkyk deur dit wat tans gebeur, geaffekteer. Hou in gedagte dat dit wat jy tans deurmaak, tydelik is. In die Ou Testament het God vir Jesaja gesê, ‘…troos my volk… Sê vir hom sy hartseerdae is verby. Sy sondes is vergewe…’ (Jesaja 40:1-2 NLV). Dan gaan Hy voort om hierdie wonderlike belofte te maak: ‘Vul die valleie op! Maak elke berg en heuwel gelyk… Dan sal die heerlikheid van die Here bekend word en alle mense sal dit sien. Die Here self het so gesê’ (verse 4-5 NLV), Eis hierdie belofte vandag vir jouself op – en hou aan hardloop!
Sielskos: 2 Kro 35-36; 2 Joh; Luk 18:18-30; Ps 119:161-168; Spr 22:17-19
2018-08-29
Acts 2:38 NKJV
A sign on a church bulletin board read, “Try God Week.” The idea was simple enough: If you try Him for a week and don’t like the results, you can go back to your old life again. Peter didn’t tell the crowd on the Day of Pentecost to try God for a week. He preached, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is to you and your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call” (vv. 38-39 NKJV). A fish doesn’t try water; it needs water in order to survive. A plant doesn’t try soil; it needs soil in order to grow. Likewise, you don’t try God; you need God because there’s a void within you only He can fill. And He wants to do more than just come into your life; He wants to take over your life! “But I struggle with certain weaknesses,” you say. The truth is we’re all born with certain proclivities; some are just more obvious than others. That’s why every one of us needs to “be born again” (John 3:3). As Jesus explained to Nicodemus, although he had a natural birth he needed a spiritual birth to enter God’s kingdom. Salvation and the guarantee of heaven take place immediately; all you have to do is put your trust in Christ. But submitting to the lordship of Jesus is a project you’ll be working on from the new birth to the New Jerusalem.
Soul food: 2 Chr 32-34; Luke 18:1-17; Ps 119:145-160; Prov 22:14-16
