2020-09-07
Philippians 4:8 CEV
It’s reported that in 1949 Captain Edward Murphy, an engineer working on a project for the United States Air Force, became angry because of a wrongly wired transducer. Scolding the technician responsible, Murphy said, “If there’s any way to do it wrong, he’ll find it!” Over time such thinking became known as Murphy’s Law. Basically it states, “Nothing is as easy as it looks. Everything takes longer than you expect, and if anything can go wrong, it will – at the worst possible moment.” How negative! Who would enjoy life if they lived it according to that philosophy? Because they always expected the worst – they’d get it! God’s law disagrees completely with Murphy’s Law. The world may expect Murphy’s Law to operate in their lives, but as a redeemed child of God, you need to resist that kind of thinking and embrace God’s law. In essence, here’s what it says: “If anything can go right, it will. Nothing is as difficult as it looks. Everything is more rewarding than it appears, and if anything good can happen to anybody, it’ll happen to me.” Think how much more you could you enjoy life if your thoughts agreed with God’s law, and not Murphy’s. The fact is, God has a great life for you – one He wants you to enjoy to the fullest. So instead of blowing everything out of proportion and contradicting God’s Word, stand on this promise: “We know…all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28 NKJV). That’s what it means to live by God’s law – not Murphy’s!
Soul food: Eze 16:53-19:14; Luke 20:20-26; Ps 27; Prov 20:5-6
Filippense 4:8 ABA
Daar word vertel dat kaptein Edward Murphy, ‘n ingenieur wat in 1949 aan ‘n projek vir die Amerikaanse lugmag gewerk het, kwaad geword het oor ‘n oordraer wat verkeerd gekoppel was. Hy het met die tegnikus wat daarvoor verantwoordelik was geraas en gesê: ‘As daar ‘n manier is om iets verkeerd te doen, sal hy daardie manier vind!’ Sulke denke het oor tyd as Murphy se wet begin bekend staan. Die wet sê basies: ‘Niks is so maklik soos dit lyk nie. Alles neem langer as wat jy verwag en as iets verkeerd kan gaan, sal dit – op die slegste moontlike oomblik.’ Hoe negatief is sulke denke nie! Wie sou die lewe kon geniet as hulle volgens hierdie filosofie leef? Omdat hulle altyd die ergste verwag – sal hulle dit kry! God se wet verskil heeltemal van Murphy se wet. Die wêreld mag dalk verwag dat Murphy se wet hulle lewens sal beheer, maar as verloste kind van God moet jy sulke denkwyses teenstaan en God se wet omhels. God se wet sê in wese: ‘As iets reg kan gaan, sal dit. Niks is so moeilik soos dit lyk nie. Alles is meer lonend as wat dit voorkom en as iets goeds vir enigiemand kan gebeur, sal dit vir my gebeur.’ God het ‘n wonderlike lewe vir jou beplan – een wat Hy wil hê jy ten volle moet geniet. In plaas daarvan om dus alles uit proporsie uit te blaas en God se Woord te weerspreek, staan eerder op hierdie belofte: ‘En ons weet dat God alles ten goede laat saamwerk vir hulle wat Hom liefhet, hulle wat geroep is volgens sy doel vir hulle lewe’ (Romeine 8:28 NLV). Dis wat dit beteken om volgens God se wet – en nie Murphy s’n nie! – te lewe.
Sielskos: Eseg 16:53-19:14; Luk 20:20-26; Ps 27; Spr 20:5-6
2020-09-06
Proverbs 13:20 NCV
Being a good friend, and investing in the friendship, doesn’t necessarily mean that the friendship will never be challenging or that you will always agree on everything. Sometimes we can see our friends going down the wrong path, at other times they may even try and make us go down those paths too. Being a good friend doesn’t mean we have to support our friends in every decision they make. When that decision is harmful to them, or to us, we can speak up and tell them, in a sensitive way, that they need to reconsider what they’re choosing to do. We need to be brave enough to stand up for what we believe in. We shouldn’t follow the path they choose just because we want to keep the peace in the friendship or because we’re worried that the friendship may fall apart if we don’t. People-pleasing and peer pressure are things that aren’t helpful in building good friendships. If we’re strong in our faith and our identity, we’ll be able to be truthful, honest and constructive in our friendships. Being close friends with someone gives us the opportunity to speak God’s truth and wisdom into their lives, and they can do the same for us. The Bible says: ‘As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another’ (Proverbs 27:17 NIV). So not only do we need to be open to standing up for what’s right, we also need to be prepared to accept those times when our friends need to tell us what’s right too. When we’ve got wise, godly friends, we’ll become wiser ourselves. ‘Spend time with the wise and you will become wise, but the friends of fools will suffer.’
Matt 16:13-23; Matt 26:69-75; John 21:15-19
Spreuke 1:7 NLV
Drie Hebreeuse woorde word gebruik om die woord ‘dwaas’ in Spreuke te definieer. 1) ‘Kesil.’ Dit verwys na ‘n hardkoppige persoon wat dink dat hy of sy het nie raad nodig nie. 2) ‘Ewil.’ Hierdie woord verwys na ‘n dikvellige persoon wat weier om na advies te luister. 3) ‘Nabal.’ Dit verwys na iemand wat sy of haar gebrek aan wysheid deur ‘n dwase leefstyl demonstreer. Die dwaas is dus ‘n hardkoppige, dikvellige mens wat die skool van wysheid druip. Hulle mag dalk intellektueel briljant en finansieel suksesvol wees en sosiaal bewonder word, maar hulle is moreel en geestelik bankrot. Salomo waarsku: ‘…Die dwase vernietig hulleself weens ‘n gebrek aan gesonde verstand’ (Spreuke 10:21 NLV). Net soos ‘n liggaam weens ‘n gebrek aan suurstof sal sterf, so sal ‘n man of vrou uiteindelik en vir ewig weens ‘n gebrek aan wysheid sterf. Salomo som dit vir ons so op: ‘Vermy ‘n dwase mens. By hom sal jy niks kan leer nie’ (Spreuke 14:7 NLV). Die boodskap is duidelik: Net ‘n dwaas hang saam met dwase uit! Wanneer jy dus ‘n vriendskap vorm, is hier ‘n paar vrae wat beantwoord moet word: Bring die ander persoon die beste of die slegste in jou na vore? Het hulle ‘n positiewe of ‘n negatiewe houding? Wat is die tipe vriende waarmee hulle omgaan? Is hulle by dinge betrokke wat jou waardes oortree? Oefen hulle selfbeheersing uit en beheer hulle hul humeur? Bring hulle jou nader aan God, of dryf hulle jou verder van Hom af weg?
Sielskos: Matt 16:13-23; Matt 26:69-75; Joh 21:15-19
Proverbs 1:7 NKJV
Three Hebrew words are used to define the word “fool” in Proverbs. (1) “Kesil.” This refers to a hard-headed person who thinks he or she needs no advice. (2) “Ewil.” This word has a root meaning of “growing thick of fluids.” It refers to a thick-headed person who refuses to listen to counsel. (3) “Nabal.” This refers to an empty-headed person who demonstrates his or her lack of wisdom through a foolish lifestyle. So the fool is an empty-headed, thick-headed, hard-headed person who gets a failing grade when it comes to the school of wisdom. They may be intellectually brilliant, financially successful, and socially admired, but they’re morally and spiritually bankrupt. Solomon warns, “Fools die for lack of wisdom” (Proverbs 10:21 NKJV). Just as a body will die from lack of oxygen, a man or woman will ultimately and eternally die from a lack of wisdom. Then Solomon bottom-lines it: “Go from the presence of a foolish man, when you do not perceive in him the lips of knowledge” (Proverbs 14:7 NKJV). The message is clear: Only a fool hangs around with fools! So when you’re forming a friendship, here are some questions to which you need answers: Does the other person bring out the best or the worst in you? Do they have a positive or a negative attitude? What other kinds of friends do they keep? Are they involved in things that violate your values? Do they exercise restraint and control their temper? Do they draw you closer to God or drive you farther from Him?
Soul food: Matt 16:13-23; Matt 26:69-75; John 21:15-19
