2019-03-14
Galatians 2:20 NIV
John Calvin defined surrender in these words: “To have no other will, no other wisdom, and to follow the Lord wherever He leads.” To do this, you will have to face your greatest fear: Who will drive your life? It’s pretty handy to have Jesus in the passenger seat when we require His service. “Lord, I have a health problem, and I need Your help. Something hard is going on at work, and I’d like it to be different. I’m feeling anxious, and I want You to give me peace of mind. I’m feeling sad, and I’d like a little hope. I’m facing death, and I want to make sure I’m going to heaven.” But when it comes to sliding out from behind the wheel and letting Jesus drive, we’re not so sure about that because it means we are no longer in control. For example, if He’s driving, you are not in charge of your wallet anymore. You can’t say, “I’ll give sometimes when I feel generous, but I reserve the right to keep what I want.” Now it’s Jesus’ money. When you let Jesus drive you’re no longer in charge of your ego. You no longer have the right to satisfy every self-centered ambition. Now it’s His life. You are not in charge of your mouth anymore. You don’t get to gossip, flatter, cajole, condemn, lie, curse, rage, cheat, intimidate, manipulate, exaggerate, and prevaricate anymore. Now it’s not your mouth – it’s His mouth. So here’s the question: Have you invited Jesus along for the ride, or is He driving? The word for you today is: Surrender to God.
Soul food: Job 11-14; Luke 17:11-19; Ps 11; Prov 8:4-5
2019-03-13
Mark 10:14 NIV
Can you imagine how these children felt when Jesus rebuked His own disciples for pushing them away, and said, “Come unto me”? How many destinies were changed that day because He loved these little ones and took time for them? He gave them something every child needs and deserves – self-worth and the dignity of their own thoughts and opinions. When you listen to me, it means that what I say matters. And more importantly, I matter to you. After years spent hearing words like, “Don’t bother me…Shut up!…I don’t have time,” something important in a child begins to die – creativity and confidence. Can you imagine facing life without those qualities? You say, “But I’m so busy.” That may be so, but you’re certainly not busier than Jesus, and He made time for children. Parent, are you listening? The pressure is on. Today our prisons are full of children who committed adult crimes. And, generally speaking, when we study them we find that because they never learned to express their emotions in constructive ways, they ended up exploding! As a child he took a hammer and pounded his toy to pieces; now as a man he drives his fist through walls or batters his wife. His shirt size has changed, but the messages inside his head are still the same – nobody listens, nobody understands, nobody cares. This is serious business. If you think we’re making too much out of too little – think again. Rearrange the priorities in your home. Do it right and you’ll live with wonderful memories. Do it wrong and you’ll live with regrets.
Soul food: Job 8-10; Luke 17:1-10; Ps 115; Prov 8:1-3
Markus 10:14 NLV
Kan jy dink hoe hierdie kinders gevoel het toe Jesus sy eie dissipels bestraf het omdat hulle hulle weggewys het? Hoeveel lewens is daardie dag verander omdat Hy hierdie kleintjies liefgehad en tyd vir hulle gemaak het? Hy het vir hulle iets gegee wat elke kind nodig het en verdien – selfwaarde en die waardigheid van hulle eie gedagtes en opinies. Wanneer jy na my luister, beteken dit dat dit wat ek sê, saak maak. Belangriker as dit nog, ek maak vir jou saak. Na jare se aanhoor van woorde soos, ‘Moenie my pla nie… Bly stil!… Ek het nie tyd nie,’ begin iets belangriks in ‘n kind doodgaan – kreatiwiteit en selfvertroue. Kan jy jou indink om die lewe sonder hierdie kwaliteite binne te gaan? Jy sê, ‘Maar ek is so besig.’ Dit mag dalk so wees, maar jy is verseker nie besiger as Jesus nie en Hy het tyd vir kinders gemaak. Ouer, luister jy? Vandag is ons tronke vol kinders wat volwasse misdade gepleeg het. Wanneer ons hulle bestudeer, vind ons oor die algemeen dat omdat hulle nooit geleer het om hulle emosies op ‘n konstruktiewe manier uit te druk nie, het hulle op die ou einde ontplof! As ‘n kind het hy sy hamer gevat en sy speelding in stukke geslaan; nou as ‘n man slaan hy sy vuis deur mure of slaan sy vrou. Sy hempsgrootte het verander, maar die boodskappe in sy kop is steeds dieselfde – niemand luister nie, niemand verstaan nie, niemand gee om nie. Hierdie is ernstige sake. As jy dink ons maak ‘n berg van ‘n molshoop – dink weer. Herrangskik die prioriteite in jou huis. Doen dit reg en jy sal wonderlike herinneringe hê. Doen dit verkeerd en jy sal met die spyt moet saamleef.
Sielskos: Job 8-10; Luk 17:1-10; Ps 115; Spr 8:1-3
2019-03-12
Jonah 1:12 NIV
When Jonah boarded a ship going in the opposite direction to God’s will, the crew discovered there’s a high price to pay for allowing the wrong person into your life. So what’s the point? It’s this: God hasn’t authorized you to be somebody else’s life support system. Especially if they’re running from Him, and using you to do it! With Jesus on board you’ll make it through any storm. But when you allow Jonah on board he’ll turn your life upside down, and before it’s over you’ll risk losing everything. Do you seriously think you can fix your Jonah? No. “The Lord…prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah” (v. 17). Sometimes the best thing you can do for someone is to wake them and throw them overboard. As long as you keep rescuing them, you get in God’s way. It’s pride that makes us think we can do what only God can do! Look at Jonah – while the crew was desperately throwing stuff overboard, he was sleeping! He didn’t want to be corrected, he wanted to be comfortable! Do you know someone like that? The reason they haven’t changed is because they’re not ready to! Jonah was so stubborn that he stayed in the belly of the huge fish for three days before he prayed. If that had been you, the moment you spotted “Jaws” you’d have been on your knees calling on God, right? This may be hard to hear, but sometimes the best thing you can do for your Jonah – and yourself – is to throw them overboard and let God rescue them.
Soul food: Job 5-7; Luke 16:19-31; Ps 26; Prov 7:26-27
Jona 1:12 NLV
Toe Jona op ‘n skip geklim het wat in die teenoorgestelde rigting van God se wil gevaar het, het die bemanning ontdek dat daar ‘n hoë prys te betaal is wanneer jy die verkeerde persoon in jou lewe toelaat. God het jou nie die magtiging gegee om iemand anders se lewensondersteuningstelsel te wees nie. Veral as hulle besig is om van Hom weg te hardloop en jou gebruik om dit te doen! Met Jesus aan boord kan jy dit deur enige storm maak. Wanneer jy egter vir Jona aan boord toelaat, sal hy jou lewe omkeer en jy sal die risiko loop om alles te verloor. Dink jy regtig dat jy jou ‘Jona’ kan regruk? Nee. ‘Toe stuur die Here ‘n groot vis om Jona in te sluk…’ (Jona 1:17 NLV). Soms is die beste ding wat jy vir iemand kan doen om hom oor boord te gooi. So lank as wat jy aanhou om hom te red, staan jy in God se pad. Kyk na Jona – terwyl die bemanning desperaat besig was om goed oor boord te gooi, was hy besig om te slaap! Hy wou nie reggehelp word nie, hy wou gemaklik wees! Ken jy so iemand? Die rede hoekom hulle nie verander nie, is omdat hulle nie gereed is om te verander nie! Jona was so hardkoppig dat hy drie dae in die vis se maag deurgebring het, voor hy begin bid het. As dit jy was, sou jy die oomblik wat jy die vis gesien het begin bid het, nie waar nie? Dit mag dalk moeilik wees om aan te hoor, maar soms is die beste ding wat jy vir jou ‘Jona’ – en jouself – kan doen, om hulle oor boord te gooi en God hulle te laat red.
Sielskos: Job 5-7; Luk 16:19-31; Ps 26; Spr 7:26-27
