2018-08-19
Luke 18:21 NKJV
The rich young ruler may rank as one of the most religious people in Scripture. He kept all the commandments. But you can do nothing wrong, and still do nothing right. By definition, righteousness is doing something right. But we’ve reduced it to doing nothing wrong. We fixate on sins of commission: Don’t do this, don’t do that – and you’re okay. But that is holiness by subtraction. It’s your sins of omission – what you would have, could have, and should have done – that break the heart of your heavenly Father. If you’re a parent, you understand this. You love it when your kids don’t do something wrong, but you love it even more when they do something right. You have been saved to serve! Paul says God “created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us” (Ephesians 2:10 NLT). God has a personal plan for your life called “His Will.” But you can’t just play defense, you have to play offense. You can’t just do nothing wrong, you have to do something right. You can’t just follow the rules, you’ve been called to follow Jesus. If you feel bad for the rich young ruler it shouldn’t be because of what Jesus asked him to give up, but because of the opportunity he passed up. Imagine saying no to a three-year internship with your Creator! What Jesus asked him to give up was nothing compared to what Jesus offered him in return. Sadly, he said no. But you can say yes, and begin living the most wonderful life possible.
Soul food: John 4:4-26; John 7:37-41; Exo 17:1-7; Isa 35:1-7
2018-08-18
Luke 18:22 NKJV
Luke records: “A certain ruler asked Him, saying, ‘Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?’ So Jesus said to him…’You know the commandments: “Do not commit adultery,” “Do not murder,” “Do not steal,” “Do not bear false witness,” “Honor your father and your mother.”‘ And he said, ‘All these things have I kept from my youth.’ So when Jesus heard these things, He said to him, ‘You still lack one thing. Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.’ But when he heard this, he became very sorrowful, for he was very rich” (vv. 18-23 NKJV). This man had two problems, and Jesus put His finger on each. First, he discovered that keeping a bunch of religious rules cannot fill the emptiness in your soul; only a relationship with Christ can do that. Second, he discovered that he didn’t just own riches, his riches owned him and kept him from following Christ. He had so much potential. He could have leveraged his resources, his network, and his energy for kingdom causes, but he wanted to keep it all for himself. And the Bible captions his life in four words: “He became very sorrowful.” Here’s the score. The rich young ruler eventually became the rich old ruler. Until the day he died he’d remember the words of Jesus: “Come, follow Me.” And Jesus makes the same offer to you. If you say no, you’ll regret it at the end of your life. If you say yes, you’ll be rewarded with joy and a level of blessing you never knew was possible.
Soul food: 2 Chr 1-4; Luke 14:15-24; Ps 119:73-80; Prov 21:14-16
Lukas 18:22 NLV
Lukas skryf: ‘Iemand uit die geledere van die geestelike leiers het aan Jesus gevra: ‘Goeie Leermeester, wat moet ek doen om die ewige lewe te beërf?’ Jesus het gereageer: ‘…Jy ken mos die gebooie: Jy mag nie egbreuk pleeg nie; jy mag nie moord pleeg nie; jy mag nie steel nie; jy mag nie vals getuienis aflê nie, en eer jou vader en jou moeder.’ Hy het geantwoord: ‘Al hierdie dinge het ek nagekom van kleins af.’ Toe Jesus dit hoor, het Hy vir die man gesê: ‘Tog is daar een ding wat by jou kortkom: Verkoop alles wat jy besit en gaan deel die opbrengs aan die armes uit, en jy sal ‘n skat in die hemel hê. Kom dan hierheen en word my dissipel.’ Toe hy dit hoor, het die man baie afgehaal gevoel, want hy was skatryk’ (verse 18-23 NLV). Hierdie man het ontdek dat ‘n klomp godsdienstige reëls nie die leegheid in jou siel kan vul nie; net ‘n verhouding met Christus kan dit doen. Tweedens het hy ontdek dat hy nie net ‘n rykdom besit het nie, maar dat sy rykdom hom besit het en hom daarvan weerhou het om Christus te volg. Hy het soveel potensiaal gehad. Hy kon sy hulpbronne, sy netwerk en sy energie vir God se koninkryk gebruik het, maar hy wou dit alles vir homself gehou het. Hierdie jong, ryk leier sou uiteindelik ‘n ou, ryk leier word. Tot die dag van sy dood sou hy Jesus se woorde onthou het: ‘…Kom… hierheen en word my dissipel…’ Jesus maak dieselfde aanbod aan jou. As jy nee sê, sal jy dit aan die einde van jou lewe berou. As jy ja sê, sal jy met vreugde en vlakke van seën wat jy nooit gedink het moontlik is nie, beloon word.
Sielskos: 2 Kro 1-4; Luk 14:15-24; Ps 119:73-80; Spr 21:14-16
2018-08-17
Numbers 23:20 NKJV
The Israelites conquered the Promised Land and took possession of it, one town and one city at a time. As they approached Moab, one of its princes named Balak hired a prophet named Balaam to pronounce a curse upon the advancing Israeli armies. Standing on a mountain overlooking the camp of Israel, Balak expected curses to come pouring out of Balaam’s mouth. But instead, came blessings. When he asked Balaam why, he replied: “I have received a command to bless; He has blessed, and I cannot reverse it. He has not observed iniquity in Jacob, nor has He seen wickedness in Israel. The Lord his God is with him” (vv. 20-21 NKJV). Was that because there was no “iniquity” or “wickedness” among the Israelites? No. Then how could God not see it? For the same reason He doesn’t see your faults and failings – because He has chosen to see you “in Christ” who is perfect, and whose atoning blood covers all your sins from the new birth to the new Jerusalem. When the Israelites set up camp each night, their tents formed the shape of a big cross; picture the tents of eight tribes running vertically, and four tribes running horizontally. Getting the picture? As a redeemed child of God, that’s how your Heavenly Father sees you. He looks at you – through the cross. And since the blood of Jesus paid for every sin you would ever commit, God sees you as “accepted” and “righteous” and “complete.” So the word for you today is: Because God sees you in Christ, you are irreversibly blessed.
Soul food: 1 Chr 26:20-29:30; Luke 14:1-14; Ps 119:65-72; Prov 21:10-13
Numeri 23:20 NLV
Die Israeliete het die Beloofde Land verower en dit een stad en dorp op ‘n slag in besit geneem. Soos hulle Moab genader het, het een van die Moabitiese prinse genaamd Balak ‘n profeet met die naam Bileam gehuur om ‘n vloek oor die naderende Israelietiese nasie uit te spreek. Hulle het op ‘n berg gestaan wat oor Israel se kamp uitgekyk het en Balak het verwag dat vloeke uit Bileam se mond sou stroom. Daar het egter net seëninge uitgekom. Toe Balak vir Bileam bevraagteken, het hy geantwoord, ‘Ek het die opdrag gekry om te seën. Hy het geseën en ek kan dit nie omdraai nie. Hy het vir Jakob nie teëspoed in gedagte nie. Hy het nie moeilikheid in die vooruitsig vir Israel nie. Die Here sy God is by hom…’ (verse 20-21 NLV). Was dit omdat daar geen ongeregtigheid of boosheid tussen die Israeliete was nie? Nee. God het egter gekies om dit nie te sien nie, net soos Hy kies om nie jou foute en mislukkings raak te sien nie. Hy kies om jou ‘in Christus’ te sien, wie perfek is en wie se versoenende bloed al jou sondes, van die nuwe geboorte tot die nuwe Jerusalem, bedek. Wanneer die Israeliete elke aand kamp opgeslaan het, het hulle tente die vorm van ‘n groot kruis aangeneem, met die tente van agt van die stamme wat vertikaal geplaas is en vier stamme se tente wat horisontaal geplaas is. Dis hoe die Hemelse Vader jou as verloste kind sien. Hy kyk na jou – deur die kruis. Omdat die bloed van Jesus reeds vir elke sonde wat jy ooit sal pleeg betaal het, sien God jou as aanvaarbaar, geregtig en volmaak. Die woord vir jou vandag is dus: Omdat God jou in Christus sien, is jy onomkeerbaar geseënd.
Sielskos: 1 Kro 26:20-29:30; Luk 14:1-14; Ps 119:65-72; Spr 21:10-13
