2020-07-11
Psalm 27:13 NKJV
When you choose to see things from God’s perspective, it changes how you feel. The only thing keeping your old negative feelings in place is your thinking. “As he thinketh in his heart, so is he” (Proverbs 23:7 KJV). When you start thinking the right way, your life starts going the right way. But remember, you didn’t become negative overnight and you won’t become positive overnight. So how do you start? (1) Replace your negative thinking with thoughts that are “praiseworthy” (Philippians 4:8 NIV). Deal with destructive thoughts the way you’d deal with flies at a picnic – shoo them away. With practice and persistence you can do it. You have that choice! (2) Remember: Before you take on the future, recall God’s goodness to you in the past. Shakespeare said, “Let never day nor night unhallow’d pass, but still remember what the Lord hath done.” David said: “I would have lost heart, unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait on the Lord; be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart” (Psalm 27:13-14 NKJV). We don’t have more problems than other people, we just think about them more often. Stop and reread that last sentence! What you think produces how you feel. If you don’t believe that, try feeling angry without first having angry thoughts, or feeling sad without first having sad thoughts. To experience a feeling, you must first entertain the thought that produces it. That’s life-changing information – and it will change your life as you act on it!
Soul food: Jer 45-48; Luke 6:37-49; Ps 109:16-31; Prov 15:23-26
Psalm 27:13 NLV
Wanneer jy kies om dinge uit God se perspektief te sien, verander dit hoe jy voel. Die enigste ding wat jou ou negatiewe gevoelens in plek hou, is jou denke. Wanneer jy op die regte manier begin dink, begin jou lewe in die regte rigting beweeg. Onthou egter: jy het nie oornag negatief geword nie en jy sal ook nie oornag positief word nie. Hoe begin jy dus? 1) Vervang jou negatiewe denke met gedagtes wat ‘lofwaardig’ is (sien Filippense 4:8 NLV). Vee hulle weg soos jy miere by ‘n piekniek sou wegvee. Jy sal dit met oefening en volharding regkry. Jy het daardie keuse! 2) Onthou: Voor jy die toekoms aanpak, onthou God se goedheid aan jou in die verlede. Shakespeare het gesê: ‘Let never day nor night unhallow’d pass, but still remember what the Lord hath done.’ Dawid het gesê: ‘Tog is ek daarvan oortuig: Die Here se goedheid sal ek sien hier in die land van die lewendes. Vertrou op die Here! Wees sterk en skep moed! Ja, vertrou op die Here!’ (Psalm 27:13-14 NLV). Ons het nie meer probleme as ander mense nie, ons dink net meer dikwels aan hulle. Lees dit weer! Wat jy dink, produseer wat jy voel. As jy dit nie glo nie, probeer kwaad voel sonder om eers kwade gedagtes te dink, of probeer hartseer voel sonder om aan iets hartseer te dink. Om ‘n gevoel te ervaar, moet jy eers die gedagtes hê wat dit produseer. Dis lewensveranderende inligting – en dit sal jou lewe verander as jy daarvolgens optree!
Sielskos: Jer 45-48; Luk 6:37-49; Ps 109:16-31; Spr 15:23-26
Psalm 27:13 NKJV
When we choose to see things from God’s perspective, it changes how we feel. The thing that fuels our old negative feelings is our thinking. What we think produces how we feel. In Romans, we’re told not to ‘conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind’ (Romans 12:2 NIV). When we start thinking the right way, our life starts going the right way. But changing our thoughts is a process. Some of our thoughts, and our reactions to the thoughts, are so engrained in us that they’ve become automatic. So how do we start transforming our minds? Firstly, we need to replace our negative thinking with thoughts that are ‘praiseworthy’ (Philippians 4:8 NIV). It’s empowering to remember that we can choose our thoughts. And if some of our thoughts have become overwhelming, we can ask for help in replacing them with good things. The more we read the Bible and spend time with God, the more we’ll be able to see which of our thoughts are godly and which aren’t. The Bible encourages us to take our thoughts captive and see if they line up with God’s truth (take a look at 2 Corinthians 10:5). Secondly, we need to remember God’s goodness to us in the past. David said: ‘I would have lost heart, unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait on the Lord; be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart’ (Psalm 27:13-14 NKJV). We can choose to worry about the problems we have now, or remember the times God’s come through for us before. The more we remember how good and faithful God is, the more we’re able to see things from God’s perspective.
Jer 45-48; Luke 6:37-49; Ps 109:16-31; Prov 15:23-26
2020-07-10
Markus 10:48 NLV
Probeer jouself indink dat jy jou hele lewe lank blind is en dan een dag wonderbaarlik jou sig terugkry. Die eerste gesig wat jy sien – is Jesus s’n! Dis wat met Bartimeus gebeur het. Jesus het verby die plek waar hy elke dag gesit en bedel het, geloop. Bartimeus het dit as ‘n een-in-‘n-leeftyd geleentheid herken en uit volle bors uitgeroep. Soms doen waardige gebed nie die werk nie. Desperate situasies verg desperate pogings. Soms moet jy God uit die diepte van jou siel aanroep! Toe Bartimeus uitgeroep het, het ‘Jesus… toe gaan staan…’ (vers 49 NLV). Jou roep sal God se aandag trek. Dawid het gesê: ‘Here my God, ek het na U geroep om hulp en U het my gesond gemaak’ (Psalm 30:3 NLV). Moenie terughoudend wees nie, wees vol vrymoedigheid. ‘Kom ons gaan dan met volle vrymoedigheid na die troon van ons genadige God. Hy sal ons sy deernis en onverdiende goedheid bewys sodat ons op die regte tyd gehelp sal word’ (Hebreërs 4:16 NLV). Die Bybel sê: ‘Hy het sy jas eenkant gegooi, opgespring en na Jesus toe gekom’ (Markus 10:50 NLV). Hy het dit om twee redes gedoen: Eerstens, kon ‘n lang jas hom pootjie. Tweedens, het sy klere hom as ‘n bedelaar geïdentifiseer. Om by Jesus te kom, moet jy bereid wees om alles wat in jou pad staan, eenkant toe te gooi. Die skaamte en mislukkings van jou verlede, jou tekortkominge en jou beperkings en die etikette wat mense op jou geplaas het. Wanneer Jesus jou herstel en heelmaak, sal jy nie meer daardie ou klere hoef te dra nie. Toe Bartimeus sy sig teruggekry het, het hy besluit om Jesus te volg (sien vers 52). Jy moet dit ook doen.
Sielskos: Jer 41-44; Luk 6:27-36; Ps 109:1-15; Spr 15:22
Mark 10:48 NKJV
Try to imagine being blind all your life, then one day miraculously receiving your sight. And the first face you see – is the face of Jesus! That’s what happened to Bartimaeus. Jesus was passing by the spot where he sat begging every day. Recognizing this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, he cried out for help at the top of his lungs. Sometimes dignified prayer won’t get the job done. Desperate situations call for desperate measures. Sometimes you’ve got to cry out to God from the depths of your soul! When Bartimaeus shouted, “Jesus stood still” (v. 49 NRS). Your cry will get God’s attention. David said, “I cried unto thee, and thou hast healed me” (Psalm 30:2 KJV). Don’t be reluctant, be confident. “Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and…grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:16 NKJV). The Bible says, “Throwing his cloak aside, he jumped to his feet and came to Jesus” (Mark 10:50 NIV). He did that for two reasons: First, a long robe could have tripped him up. Second, his clothes identified him as a beggar. To get to Jesus, you must be willing to throw aside everything that stands in your way. The shame and failure of your past, your lack and your limitations, the labels other people have put on you. When Jesus restores and makes you whole, you won’t have to wear those old garments anymore. And here’s another thought: When Bartimaeus regained his sight, he decided to follow Jesus (See v. 52), and you must do that too.
Soul food: Jer 41-44; Luke 6:27-36; Ps 109:1-15; Prov 15:22
