2020-08-05
1 Tessalonisense 5:15 NLV
Jesus het na die Heilige Gees as ‘die helper’ verwys. Soos jy jouself aan Hom onderwerp, sal Hy jou help om die moeilike mense in jou lewe op die regte manier te hanteer. Paulus skryf: ‘Ja, moenie die Heilige Gees hartseer maak nie. In die regte verhouding met die Heilige Gees lê julle waarborg dat julle God se verlossingsdag sal belewe’ (Efesiërs 4:30 NLV). Moenie die Heilige Gees aanstoot gee, of beperk, of blokkeer om in jou lewe te werk nie. Jy vra: ‘Hoe doen ek dit?’ Paulus antwoord: ‘Raak saam met alle ander slegte dinge ontslae van alle bitterheid, woede, wraak, geskel en gevloek’ (vers 31 NLV). Dis ‘n lys aaklige dinge! Paulus se punt is: Óf jy laat toe dat jou reaksies deur daardie aaklige lys beheer word, óf jy laat die inwonende Heilige Gees toe om jou reaksies te beheer. Die keuse is joune. Die Bybel sê: ‘…Moenie tot die aand toe kwaad bly, en die duiwel so ‘n houvas gee nie’ (verse 26-27 NLV). Wanneer jy in woede terugslaan, gee jy die duiwel ‘n houvas in jou lewe – ‘n vesting van waar hy jou in ander areas kan aanval. Wanneer dit gebeur, moet jy nie net die hartseer wat die moeilike persoon in jou lewe veroorsaak het hanteer nie, maar ook die bykomende hartseer omdat jy die duiwel ‘n houvas in jou lewe gegee het. Wat moet jy dus doen? Die Bybel sê: ‘Wees eerder vriendelik met mekaar. Gee vir mekaar om. Vergewe mekaar soos God julle vergewe het op grond van wat Christus gedoen het’ (vers 32 NLV). Met ander woorde, onthou die liefde, geduld en genade wat God aan jou bewys het; en reik daarmee na ander mense toe uit. Dis ‘n strategie wat nooit faal nie!
Sielskos: Deut 11-13; Luk 11:29-44; Ps 119:1-8; Spr 17:3
2020-08-04
Romeine 5:3 NLV
Hoe ouer ons word, hoe geduldiger word ons, selfs al het ons minder tyd wat vir ons voorlê. Hoekom gebeur dit? Perspektief! Ons probleme het nie verander nie, maar ons perspektief het wel. Ons het al lank genoeg gelewe dat ons kan sê: ‘Dit sal ook verbygaan,’ of ‘Sy genade is genoeg.’ In plaas daarvan om te kla, wat net die probleem vererger en ons vreugde steel, kyk ons soos Josef op die ervarings terug wat ons gedink het ons nooit sou deurmaak nie en sê: ‘Wat my betref, het God die kwaad wat julle gedoen het, omgekeer in iets wat goed is…’ (Genesis 50:20 NLV). Geduld is een van die nege vrugte van die gees wat in Galasiërs hoofstuk vyf genoem word. Dis egter ‘n vrug wat baie stadig groei en in die grond van moeilikheid en toetse floreer. Sommige van ons is soos die dame wat gebid het: ‘Here, gee my asseblief geduld. Nou dadelik!’ Jammer, maar dis nie ‘n gebed wat God kan beantwoord nie. Jakobus skryf: ‘…wanneer julle in allerhande beproewings beland, moet julle eintlik baie bly wees. Julle weet mos: Wanneer ‘n mens se geloof ‘n toets deurstaan, veroorsaak dit dat jy kan volhard. Julle moet egter enduit volhard. Dan sal julle julle lewensdoel bereik en geestelik gesond wees. Julle sal niks kortkom nie’ (Jakobus 1:2-4 NLV). Wanneer jy daaroor dink, is geduld eenvoudig om God met dinge soos ‘hoe’ en ‘hoekom’ en ‘wanneer’ te vertrou. Wanneer jy terugkyk na sommige van die dinge wat jy so graag wou gehad het, besef jy dat God die leisels vasgehou het en jou daarvan weerhou het om in ‘n groot gemors te beland. Ongeduld is een van die dominante karaktereienskappe van kinders; dis geestelike onvolwassenheid. Wees dus geduldig!
Sielskos: Deut 8-10; Luk 11:14-28; Ps 78:65-72; Spr 17:1-2
Romans 5:3 KJV
The older we get the more patient we become, even though we have less time ahead of us. Why? Perspective! Our problems haven’t changed, but our perspective has. We’ve lived long enough to say “this too shall pass,” or “His grace is sufficient.” Instead of complaining, which only makes the problem worse and robs us of joy, like Joseph we look back on experiences we thought we’d never get through and say, “You meant evil against me, but God meant it for good” (Genesis 50:20 NAS). The word for you today is – God wants you to become more patient! Patience is one of the nine fruits of the Spirit named in Galatians chapter five. But it’s a very slow-growing fruit that thrives best in the soil of troubles and trials. Some of us are like the lady who prayed, “Lord, give me patience, and I want it right now.” Sorry, that’s a prayer God can’t answer. James writes: “When troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For…when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing” (James 1:2-4 NLT). When you think about it, patience is simply trusting God with things like “how” and “why” and “when.” As you look back on some of the things you wanted so badly and would have rushed into, you realize God pulled back on the reins and kept you from getting into some major messes. Impatience is one of the dominant characteristics of children; it’s spiritual immaturity. So be patient!
Soul food: Deut 8-10; Luke 11:14-28; Ps 78:65-72; Prov 17:1-2
Romans 5:3 KJV
Patience is something that grows with us. Think about any small children you know. Their understanding of the world means that they have very little patience. If they’re expecting something, they want it now. But the older a child grows, the more they understand the reasons for waiting, and the more they build trust and patience with those around them. Our relationship with God is a lot like that. We can often have the patience of a toddler with His plans, but the more we grow in our understanding of Him, read His Word, and talk to Him in prayer, the more faith we develop to say ‘in Your timing’. We can use every waiting period, and every seemingly-unanswered prayer to build our relationship and our trust in Him. In James 1:2-4 we’re told: ‘When troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy…when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow’ (NLT). Let’s learn to identify setbacks and delays as chances to step closer to God, and to seek His wisdom and guidance. The endurance that we build could become a key part of fulfilling God’s plans, as we start to recognise God’s hand at work, hearing his prompting more clearly. The Message paraphrases Romans 5:3-4 like this: ‘We continue to shout our praise even when we’re hemmed in with troubles, because we know how troubles can develop passionate patience in us… keeping us alert for whatever God will do next’ (MSG). Looking for God in the quiet or tough times can be part of what makes us who we’re meant to be.
Deut 8-10; Luke 11:14-28; Ps 78:65-72; Prov 17:1-2
2020-08-03
Matthew 7:7 AMP
Life with God is full of waiting. Delays are part of learning to trust Him and His perfect timing. Because of this, there are so many stories of persistence throughout the Bible. Take a look at the example of Abraham and Sarah who waited right into their old age for a son. Even when God came to confirm the promise, their instruction was to wait for another year. Sarah and Abraham weren’t perfect in their waiting (take a look at Genesis 18 – 21). Sarah laughed at the idea that God would fulfil His promise because she had been waiting so long. But they did eventually come to trust God and wait for Him to move. We can be even worse at waiting than Sarah and Abraham. We skip through adverts, and we only need to ask once to immediately find the answer to any question on our phone. But there’s no skip button when it comes to perseverance. Ephesians 6:18 tells us to pray ‘at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer… keep alert with all perseverance’ (ESV). God asks us to retrain ourselves to ask more than once, and to press on with expectancy and patience for an answer. Later, in Genesis 26:18 – 31, we see the results of this same perseverance in the next generation. Isaac was trying to dig a well, and twice his fresh wells got claimed by the Philistines. Still, he persevered and dug a third time. As Isaac kept digging, he faced no conflict, claimed land that God had promised, and even saw reconciliation with his enemies. If we keep praying, and continue to dig with the faith that our work will eventually be fruitful, then we’ll see God move in unprecedented ways.
Deut 5-7; Luke 11:1-13; Ps 78:56-64; Prov 16:33
