2021-04-22
Jona 2:10 NLV
Sommige mense bevraagteken die verhaal van Jona wat deur die groot vis ingesluk is en geleef het om daarvan te vertel. Hier is twee redes hoekom jy dit moet glo: Eerstens, omdat Jesus dit geglo het. ‘Net soos Jona vir drie dae en nagte in die maag van ‘n groot vis was, so sal Ek, die Seun van die Mens, vir drie dae en nagte in die binneste van die aarde wees’ (Matteus 12:40 NLV).
Daar is ook ‘n tweede rede hoekom jy die verhaal kan glo. In 1891 het twee vissersbote ‘n massiewe potvis naby die Falklands Eilande teëgekom. Die eerste boot het die vis met harpoene geskiet, terwyl die ander boot omgevaar het om dieselfde van die ander kant af te doen. Die potvis se stert het egter hulle boot getref en dit omgegooi. Daar was twee mans in die boot. Een het verdrink en die ander een is nie gevind nie. Twee dae later het ‘n paar ander bote dieselfde potvis teëgekom en hom doodgemaak. Hulle het die vis na die strand toe gebring en hom oopgesny en raai wat het hulle daar gekry? Die tweede man. Hy was bewusteloos, maar steeds lewendig en na versorging het hy sy lewe hervat.
Dr Tony Evans merk op: ‘Die wonderwerk is nie dat ‘n vis ‘n man ingesluk het nie, omdat dit al vantevore gebeur het. Die wonderwerk is dat die vis op die Here ag geslaan het.’
Jy vra: ‘Wat het dit met my te doen?’ Eenvoudig die volgende: Wanneer jy na God vir hulp draai en Hy met jou praat, begin daar bonatuurlike dinge namens jou gebeur. Jesus het gesê: ‘Daarom verklaar Ek vir julle, alles wat julle in die gebed vra, sal julle ontvang, mits julle God daarmee vertrou’ (Markus 11:24 NLV).
Sielskos: Jak 1-2; Mark 3:20-35; Ps 7:1-9; Spr 10:16
Deuteronomy 29:29 NIV
There are so many things about life, and about God, that we may not understand. When things are unclear, it can be worthwhile focusing on something certain. One thing that we can be sure of, as people who love and respect God, is this: God is good, always. Romans 8:28 tells us: ‘We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him’ (NIV), and Psalm 103:17 says that His ‘love for those who respect him continues forever’ (NCV).
With all of that in mind, we do have to acknowledge that there are still things that may not make sense to us. God doesn’t always give us the full picture immediately, for our own good. Deuteronomy 29:29 reads: ‘The secret things belong to the LORD…but the things revealed belong to us’ (NIV). God reveals what we need to know, and what’s good for us. Sometimes, He doesn’t reveal something to us for reasons that become clear later on. Other times, we’re not ever sure why something hasn’t been revealed. In those times, it’s important to remember our earlier truth. God is good, always. There is always a good reason for what He reveals, and what He doesn’t.
The context is bigger than we are. His plan is bigger than we are. Sometimes, we have no way to see the ways that things tie in here on earth. But we can guarantee that whatever God is doing, He’s doing it all for your very best.
Jam 1-2; Mark 3:20-35; Ps 7:1-9; Prov 10:16
2021-04-21
2 Corinthians 5:10 KJV
John 3:16 tells us the ‘Good News’ of Christianity in a clear, simple way: ‘For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life’ (ESV). We know that Jesus gave His life to repair our relationship with God, so that we can live with Him forever. No matter what we do, our relationship with God covers us and gives us that ‘eternal life’. But that doesn’t mean that we should do whatever we can get away with and assume that God will fix it.
In 2 Corinthians 5:9-10, Paul writes that ‘our goal is to please him. For we must all stand before Christ to be judged. We will each receive whatever we deserve for the good or evil we have done in this earthly body’ (NLT). So we know that what we do does matter.
How, then, does that sit alongside Jesus saving us unconditionally? The Bible says, ‘No one can lay any foundation other than the one we already have – Jesus Christ’ (1 Corinthians 3:11 NLT). This reminds us that it really does come back to Jesus. Nothing can change the foundational truth that He has saved our relationship with God. Verses 12 to 15 go on to explain: ‘Anyone who builds on that foundation may use a variety of materials – gold, silver, jewels, wood, hay, or straw. But on the judgment day, fire will reveal what kind of work each builder has done. The fire will show if a person’s work has any value. If the work survives, that builder will receive a reward. But if the work is burned up, the builder will suffer great loss. The builder will be saved, but like someone barely escaping through a wall of flames’ (NLT).
God’s forgiveness is the foundation that won’t change, but He does care what we build on top of it.
Dan 11-12; Mark 3:7-19; Ps 16; Prov 10:15
2 Corinthians 5:10 KJV
Paul writes: “We make it our aim…to be well pleasing to Him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad” (vv. 9-10 NKJV). If you are wise, you will live each day with this truth uppermost in your mind. You’ll have a “preparation perspective!”
Think about it this way: You don’t just wake up one morning and say, “I’ve decided to be a lawyer, or a doctor, or an accountant, etc.”; no, you make that decision many years earlier, and then you work toward it. Now let’s be clear. As a Christian, you’re not working to earn your salvation, but to earn your reward in heaven. Salvation is the foundation you build on, and the Bible says, “No one can lay any foundation other than the one we already have – Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 3:11 NLT).
Then Paul goes on to say: “Anyone who builds on that foundation may use a variety of materials – gold, silver, jewels, wood, hay, or straw. But on the judgment day, fire will reveal what kind of work each builder has done. The fire will show if a person’s work has any value. If the work survives, that builder will receive a reward. But if the work is burned up, the builder will suffer great loss. The builder will be saved, but like someone barely escaping through a wall of flames” (vv. 12-15 NLT).
When you stand before Christ, you have two options – rewards or regrets. So get a “preparation perspective.”
Soul food: Dan 11-12; Mark 3:7-19; Ps 16; Prov 10:15
2 Korintiërs 5:10 NLV
Paulus skryf: ‘Ons streef in elk geval daarna… om Hom tevrede te stel. Ons almal moet voor die regbank van Christus verskyn sodat elkeen van ons kan ontvang volgens wat ons in ons aardse liggame gedoen het, of dit goed en of dit sleg was’ (verse 9-10 NLV). As jy wys is, sal jy elke dag met hierdie waarheid op die voorgrond van jou gedagtes lewe. Jy sal ‘n ‘voorbereidingsperspektief’ hê!
Dink so daaroor: Jy het nie net een oggend wakker geword en gesê: ‘Ek het besluit om ‘n prokureur, of ‘n dokter, of ‘n boekhouer, te wees,’ nie; nee, jy het daardie besluit jare vantevore geneem en toe na daardie doelwit toe gewerk.
Kom ons wees duidelik: As ‘n Christen, werk jy nie om jou verlossing te verdien nie, maar om jou beloning in die hemel te verdien. Verlossing is die fondament waarop jy bou en die Bybel sê: ‘Want niemand kan ‘n ander fondament lê as die een wat alreeds gelê is nie – Jesus Christus’ (1 Korintiërs 3:11 NLV). Dan gaan Paulus voort deur te sê: ‘As enigiemand op daardie fondament bou, kan hy goud gebruik of silwer of edelstene of hout of hooi of stoppels. Daar kom egter ‘n dag wanneer die kwaliteit van elkeen se werk aan die lig sal kom, want die vuurtoets sal dit bekendmaak. Dié vuurtoets sal elkeen se werk beproef – of dit standhou. Die mense wie se bouwerk standhou, sal deur God beloon word. Maar die mense wie se bouwerk deur die vuur verteer word, sal skade ly, alhoewel hulle self gered sal word. Hulle sal egter wees soos mense wat op die laaste oomblik uit ‘n brand gered word’ (verse 12-15 NLV).
Wanneer jy voor Christus staan, sal jy twee opsies hê – beloning of berou. Kry dus ‘n ‘voorbereidingsperspektief.’
Sielskos: Dan 11-12; Mark 3:7-19; Ps 16; Spr 10:15
