2019-04-06
Philippians 3:14 NIV
When Paul said ‘I press on toward the goal’, he knew that he still had a way to go. His eyes were fixed on Jesus and the prize of eternal life, and no matter what was being thrown at him, he was determined to keep moving closer to the goal. We need to have the same ‘press on’ spirit too. Pressing on means starting or continuing something, even when problems are arising. Jesus never promised that life would be easy. And even when our goals are great things like knowing Him more or becoming more like Him, we’re not promised an easy ride. Trials and struggles can come at us from all directions. And if we’re not prepared for them, we can find ourselves losing sight of our goal and wanting to give up. But the Bible says: ‘Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him’ (James 1:12 NIV). Perseverance, or pressing on, is vital if we’re going to make it through and live for God. So how can we help ourselves to press on? We need to be practicing spiritual disciplines – they’re things like reading our Bibles, praying, listening to teaching, and spending time in silence – so that we’re strong and resilient when tough situations come our way. We’re reminded to ‘Exercise daily in God…Workouts in the gymnasium are useful, but a disciplined life in God is far more so, making you fit both today and forever’ (1 Timothy 4:7-8 MSG). And a life like that will help us press on towards our goal, no matter what.
Lev 21:1-23:25; Luke 21-25-28; Ps 50:1-15; Prov 10:3
Filippense 3:14 DB
Een dag het die Hooggeregshofregter Oliver Wendell Holmes sy treinkaartjie verloor. Soos hy daarna gesoek het, het die kondukteur gesê: ‘Toemaar, u Edele, pos dit net vir ons. Ons almal ken en vertrou U.’ Holmes het geantwoord: ‘Ek is nie so bekommerd oor die verlore kaartjie nie – ek wil net weet waarheen ek op pad is!’ Doelwitte laat jou weet waarheen jy in jou lewe op pad is. Vyftig persent van die mense rondom jou het geen idee waarheen hulle op pad is nie. Veertig persent sal in enige rigting gaan waarin hulle gelei word. Die oorblywende tien persent weet waarheen hulle graag sal wil gaan – maar minder as die helfte van hulle is bereid om die prys te betaal om daar te kom. Die visie van die opstanding en ‘n kerk wat eendag die wêreld sou verander is wat Jesus in staat gestel het om die skande van die kruis te verduur (sien Hebreërs 12:2). Moses het die gemak van die farao se paleis prysgegee omdat hy ‘n visie van die Beloofde Land gehad het (sien Hebreërs 11:24-27). Die winkeleienaar J.C. Penney het gesê: ‘Gee my ‘n winkelklerk met ‘n visie en ek sal jou iemand gee wat geskiedenis sal maak. Aan die ander kant, gee my iemand sonder ‘n doelwit en ek sal vir jou ‘n winkelklerk gee.’ Die waarheid is dat terwyl jy aan jou doelwitte werk, werk jou doelwitte aan jou. Die beloning wat jy ontvang wanneer jy hulle behaal, is nie naastenby so belangrik as dit wat jy word terwyl jy hulle nastreef nie. Het jy doelwitte? Is hulle duidelik genoeg om neer te skryf, kort genoeg om in ‘n paragraaf te pas, sterk genoeg om jou te laat volhard en waardevol genoeg om jou die prys te laat betaal? Dan sal jy lewe om hulle te vervul.
Sielskos: Lev 21:1-23:25; Luk 21-25-28; Ps 50:1-15; Spr 10:3
Philippians 3:13-14 TM
One day Supreme Court Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes lost his train ticket. As he searched for it, obviously irritated, the conductor said, “It’s okay, Your Honor; just mail it in. We all know you and trust you.” Holmes replied, “I’m not concerned about finding my ticket – I just want to know where I’m going!” Having goals lets you know where you’re going in life. Fifty percent of the people around you have no idea where they’re going. Another 40 percent will go in any direction they’re led. The remaining 10 percent know where they’d like to go – but fewer than half of them are prepared to pay the price to get there. What enabled Jesus to endure the shame of the cross was His vision of the resurrection and a church that would one day change the world (Hebrews 12:2). Moses relinquished the comforts of Pharaoh’s palace because he envisioned the Promised Land (Hebrews 11:24-27). Store owner J. C. Penney said, “Give me a stock clerk with a goal, and I’ll give you someone who’ll make history. On the other hand, give me someone without a goal, and I’ll give you a stock clerk.” The truth is, while you are working on your goals, your goals are working on you. And the reward you get for reaching them isn’t nearly as important as what you become in pursuit of them. So, do you have goals? Are they clear enough to write down, short enough to fit into a paragraph, strong enough to help you persevere, and valuable enough to make you pay the price? If so, you’ll live to see them fulfilled.
Soul food: Lev 21:1-23:25; Luke 21-25-28; Ps 50:1-15; Prov 10:3
2019-04-05
1 Korintiërs 3:11 NLV
‘n Kind sonder waardes is aan almal anders se waardes uitgelewer. Paulus skryf: ‘Ons is Gód se werkspan… Want niemand kan ‘n ander fondament lê as die een wat alreeds gelê is nie – Jesus Christus’ (vers 9, 11 NLV). Wanneer die volwasse rolmodelle in jou kinders se lewe hulle in die steek laat, stuur hulle na Jesus toe. Vertel vir hulle hoe Hy dinge hanteer het en wat Hy oor die probleme waar voor hulle in die lewe te staan sal kom, te sê het. Jesus het gesê: ‘…Hiervoor is ek gebore…’ (Johannes 18:37 NLV). Laat jou kinders weet dat hulle vir ‘n spesiale doel gebore is en dat God dit aan hulle sal openbaar soos hulle saam met Hom stap. Groepsdruk sou minder effektief gewees het as ons kinders geleer is om aan hulle eie waardes vas te hou en hulle eie opinies te respekteer. Moet egter nie net jou kinders leer nie, vra ook hulle opinies – en respekteer hulle. Die huis is waar kinders leer om uit te druk hoe hulle voel en as jy die regte fondament gelê het, het jy niks om oor bekommerd te wees nie. Jy moet hulle eenvoudig lei om die regte opinies te vorm. As jy dit nie doen nie, sal hulle nie leer om vir hulleself te dink of die lewe met selfvertroue aan te pak nie. Moses het vir die Israeliete gesê: ‘Jy moet jouself heelhartig verbind aan die gebooie wat ek vandag vir jou gee. Herhaal hierdie woorde oor en oor vir julle kinders. Praat daaroor by die huis en wanneer julle op pad is, wanneer julle lê en wanneer julle opstaan’ (Deuteronomium 6:6-7 NLV). Daar het jy dit, Ma en Pa – die werk is joune! Begin dus daarmee en God sal jou en jou familie seën.
Sielskos: Lev 18-20; Luk 21:12-24; Ps 25:16-22; Spr 10:2
1 Corinthians 3:11 NIV
A child without values is at the mercy of everybody else’s values. Paul writes, “We are co-workers in God’s service…no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ” (vv. 9, 11 NIV). When the adult role models in your children’s lives let them down, point them to Jesus. Tell them how He handled things, and what He has to say about the problems they will face in life. Jesus said, “For this cause I was born” (John 18:37 NKJV). Let your children know they were born for a special purpose, and as they walk with God He’ll reveal it to them. Anything less, regardless of how rich or famous it makes them, doesn’t satisfy. Peer pressure would be less effective if our children were taught to hold on to their own values and respect their own opinions. Having others exercise too much influence over them is downright dangerous! And don’t just teach your kids, solicit their opinions – and respect them. Home is where children learn to practice expressing how they feel, and if you’ve laid the right foundation you have nothing to worry about. You simply need to guide them in forming the right opinions. If you don’t, they won’t learn to think for themselves or face life with confidence. Moses told the Israelites: “Think constantly about these commandments…teach them to your children…talk about them when you are at home…out for a walk…at bedtime and the first thing in the morning” (Deuteronomy 6:6-7 TLB). There you have it, Mom and Dad – the job is yours! So get on with it and God will bless you and your family.
Soul food: Lev 18-20; Luke 21:12-24; Ps 25:16-22; Prov 10:2
