2020-03-15
Hebreërs 12:1 NLV
Tydens ‘n onlangse radio uitsending, het Dennis Rainey oor die Double Eagle II, die eerste warmlugballon wat die Atlantiese Oseaan oorgesteek het, gepraat. Die mans wat die lugballon bestuur het, is in ‘n lugstroom vasgevang, wat hulle al die pad oor die oseaan gedra het. Net toe hulle egter naby die kus van Ierland kom, het hulle in digte wolke ingevlieg en het ys op die ballon se buitenste laag begin vorm. Hulle het hoogte verloor en binne ure van ses kilometer tot drie kilometer gedaal. Hulle het alles gedoen om die ballon te red. Hulle het videokameras, kos en selfs ‘n sweefvliegtuig waarmee hulle beplan het om te land, oorboord gegooi. Op een kilometer het hulle hulle hul ligging uitgesaai en toe die radio oorboord gegooi. Uiteindelik het hulle op negehonderd meter deurgebreek in die sonlig. Die ys het in vlae afgegly en die ballon het al die pad tot by Frankryk gesweef. Die Bybel sê dat jy alles moet afstroop wat jou spoed kan vertraag, ‘…veral die sonde wat so maklik ‘n houvas op ‘n mens kry…’, om sodoende die lewenswedloop te kan hardloop en wen. Dis baie makliker om die sonde as die ander gewigte wat jy moet afstroop te identifiseer, omdat hierdie gewigte dikwels goed soos verantwoordelikhede, druk, verpligtinge en skedules insluit. Vandag moet jy stop en ‘n opname maak van dit wat jy saam met jou dra. Jy moet elke ding vierkantig in die gesig kyk en jouself afvra: ‘Het God vir my hierdie gegee om te dra, het iemand anders dit vir my gegee om te dra, of het ek self besluit om dit op te tel?’ Wat ook al vandag jou te neer druk, stroop dit af en sit dit eenkant!
Sielskos: Matt 5:4; Jes 51:1-16; Ps 30; 2 Kor 1:3-7
2020-03-14
2 Korintiërs 6:17 NLV
Stop en dink ‘n oomblik na oor al die produkte wat ons eens op ‘n tyd gedink het skadeloos is: asbes, lood, kwik ens. ‘n Generasie later is ons steeds besig om mense te behandel wat asbes geïnstalleer het en die giftige vesels ingeasem het. Met hierdie illustrasie in gedagte, wees bewus van die gifstowwe in die werkplek en moenie besmet word nie. Die Bybel sê: “Daarom: ‘Gaan van hulle af weg en hou julle eenkant, sê die Here, en moenie vat aan wat onrein is nie; dan sal Ek julle ontvang.'” God sê nie dat jy jou eenkant van jou kollegas moet hou nie. Hy sê verseker nie dat jy ‘n geestelik meerderwaardige houding moet inneem nie. Hy sê dat jy op jou hoede moet wees vir giftige houdings, giftige optredes en giftige waardes. Wat is die gifstowwe in jou werksplek? Die algemene gifstowwe is klakouse, skinderbekke, rugstekers en teisteraars. Wanneer hierdie agente oor jou pad kom, moet jy doen wat nodig is om jouself van hulle te distansieer. Net om met hulle geassosieer te word, kan gevaarlik vir jou emosionele en geestelike gesondheid wees. Wees ook op jou hoede vir die gif van werkverslawing, of dit nou die verwagting van jou baas is of self opgelê is. Wees gewillig om die ekstra myl te loop wanneer dit nodig is, maar onderhou duidelike grense tussen jou werk en jou lewe by die huis. Leer om besigheid en plesier te skei. As jy jouself nie toelaat om fisies en geestelik te herstel en vernuwe te word nie, sal jy uitbrand. Gevolglik sal Satan in staat wees om jou aan te val. Die effektiefste teengif is goeie kos. Geestelik gesproke beteken dit dat jy daagliks bid, jou Bybel lees en jou met mede-gelowiges wat jou versterk en bemoedig, omring.
Sielskos: Gen 47-49; Matt 22:34-46; Ps 26; Spr 7:26-27
2 Corinthians 6:17 NKJV
Stop and think about the products we once considered not only to be harmless, but actually beneficial: asbestos, lead, mercury, etc. A generation later we are still treating sick workers who installed asbestos and breathed in its toxic fibers. With that illustration in mind, beware of the toxins in your workplace and don’t get infected. The Bible says, “‘Come out from among them and be separate,’ says the Lord. ‘Do not touch what is unclean, and I will receive you.'” Now, God is not telling you to separate yourself from your co-workers. And He’s most certainly not telling you to adopt a spiritually superior attitude. He’s telling you to watch out for toxic attitudes, toxic behaviours, and toxic values. What are the toxins in your workplace? The obvious ones are complainers, gossipers, backbiters, and harassers. When these agents come your way, do whatever you can to distance yourself from them. Just being associated with them can be dangerous to your emotional health and spiritual health. And beware of the toxin of workaholism, whether it is the expectation from your boss or self-induced. Be willing to go the extra mile when it’s required, but maintain clear boundaries between your work life and your home life. Learn to separate business from pleasure. If you don’t allow yourself time for physical rejuvenation and spiritual restoration, you’ll burn out. As a result, Satan will be able to trip you up. The most effective antidote to toxins is good nutrition. And spiritually speaking, that calls for daily prayer, Bible reading, and fellowshipping with believers who strengthen and encourage you.
Soul food: Gen 47-49; Matt 22:34-46; Ps 26; Prov 7:26-27
Proverbs 4:23 NIV
If we drink unclean water or breathe in chemicals from the air, the toxins can cause us to become unwell. It’s the same when we’re in toxic relationships, live toxic lifestyles, or have toxic attitudes. These things can make us spiritually and emotionally unwell. In Proverbs we’re told: ‘Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.’ God knows that the emotional and spiritual health of our hearts is vital if we’re going to follow Him and live well. If we don’t guard our hearts from toxins, we can spread toxins to others too. We don’t want toxins to be flowing out from our heart to those around us. The Bible says: ‘A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of’ (Luke 6:45 NIV). So what’s the antidote to toxicity? Firstly, we need to be filling our minds and hearts with the Word of God. We need to be dwelling on the truth, not the things of the world. Secondly, we need to be thinking about good things. The Bible says: ‘Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think about such things’ (Philippians 4:8 NIV). We also need to be asking for wisdom and discernment about our relationships. We need to be investing in relationships which bring life. That doesn’t necessarily mean that we cut everybody else out of our lives, but we need to be wise and guarded about who we spend the most time with and who we let speak into our lives.
Gen 47-49; Matt 22:34-46; Ps 26; Prov 7:26-27
2020-03-13
Isaiah 54:3 NKJV
Today God may be saying to you what He said to His people Israel: “Enlarge the place of your tent, and let them stretch out the curtains of your dwellings; do not spare; lengthen your cords, and strengthen your stakes. For you shall expand to the right and to the left” (vv. 2-3 NKJV). Most people automatically stay within lines, even if those lines have been arbitrarily drawn or are terribly out of date. Remember, most limitations we face are not imposed on us by others; we place them on ourselves. Lack of creativity often falls into that category. If you want to become more creative, challenge your boundaries. One inventor said, “All human development, no matter what form it takes, must be outside the rules; otherwise, we would never have anything new.” When you want something you don’t have, you must be willing to do something you haven’t done yet. You say, “But I don’t have his education,” or “I don’t have her talent.” You don’t need someone else’s talent or education. When God made you, He deposited within you everything required to fulfill your destiny; you just need to unlock it and put it to work. “Then God said, ‘Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness’…Then God blessed them, and God said to them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over…every living thing that moves on earth'” (Genesis 1:26-28 NKJV). Note the word “likeness.” There’s a part of you that’s like God. You have divine DNA. You’re capable of being creative, so lift the limitations on yourself.
Soul food: Gen 44-46; Matt 22:23-33; Ps 24; Prov 7:24-25
