2021-04-17
Romans 8:16-17 NKJV
When our Favourite sports team wins, we say, “We won!” What do you mean “we?” You weren’t on the field. You didn’t get tackled. You didn’t throw or kick the ball. You didn’t even score a single goal. What do you mean “we” won? You mean that because the team you support and identify with won, you won too.
There’s an important spiritual truth here for you as the redeemed child of God. When Jesus died, you died with Him. When Jesus arose, you arose with Him to “walk in newness of life” (Romans 6:4). The difference between you and the team that won is that you will never actually be part of it. But when Jesus won at the cross and you accepted Him as your Saviour, God positioned you “in Christ.” Today He sees you clothed in the righteousness of Christ (See 2 Corinthians 5:21).
Paul explains it this way: “The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs – heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ.” Did you get that? As a redeemed child of God, you are an “heir” of everything your heavenly Father owns. And it gets better; you’re also “a joint heir with Christ,” meaning that whatever Jesus is entitled to, you are also entitled to.
When you understand this truth and begin to walk according to it, you start to identify and claim the blessings God has promised you in His Word. These blessings include such things as grace, forgiveness, healing, provision, guidance, strength, etc. Your identity in Christ entitles you to all these things.
Soul food: Dan 3-4; Mark 2:18-22; Ps 130; Prov 10:12
Romeine 8:17 NLV
Wanneer ons gunsteling sportspan wen, sê ons: ‘Ons het gewen!’ Wat bedoel jy met ‘ons’? Jy was nie op die veld nie. Jy het nie die bal gegooi of geskop nie. Jy het nie ‘n enkele doel aangeteken nie. Wat jy bedoel is dat omdat die span wat jy ondersteun en mee identifiseer gewen het, beteken dit dat jy ook gewen het.
Hier is ‘n belangrike geestelike waarheid vir jou as verloste kind van God. Toe Jesus gesterf het, het jy saam met Hom gesterf. Toe Jesus opgestaan het, het jy saam met Hom opgestaan om ‘n totaal nuwe lewe te leef (sien Romeine 6:4). Die verskil tussen jou en die span wat gewen het, is dat jy nooit inderwaarheid deel daarvan sal wees nie. Toe Jesus egter die kruis oorwin het en jy Hom as jou Redder aanvaar het, het God jou ‘in Christus’ geposisioneer. Vandag sien Hy jou geklee in eenheid met Christus se geregtigheid (sien 2 Korintiërs 5:21 NLV).
Paulus verduidelik dit as volg: ‘Want die Gees self bevestig die getuienis van ons eie gees dat ons God se kinders is. En as ons God se kinders is, maak Hy ons ook sy erfgename. Saam met Christus deel ons in God se rykdom…’ (Romeine 8:16-17 NLV). As verloste kind van God, beteken dat jy ‘n ‘erfgenaam’ is van alles wat jou hemelse Vader besit. Dit raak beter, jy is ook ‘n mede-erfgenaam saam met Jesus, wat beteken dat alles waarop Jesus geregtig is, jy ook op geregtig is.
Wanneer jy hierdie waarheid verstaan en daarvolgens begin lewe, sal jy begin om die seëninge wat God vir jou in sy Woord beloof het, te identifiseer en op te eis. Hierdie seëninge sluit dinge soos genade, vergifnis, genesing, voorsiening, leiding, krag ensovoorts, in. Jou identiteit in Christus maak jou op al hierdie dinge geregtig.
Sielskos: Dan 3-4; Mark 2:18-22; Ps 130; Spr 10:12
2021-04-16
Isaiah 42:9 NKJV
The same people who declared Jephthah “persona non grata” were the same ones who turned to him for help when they were threatened by a powerful enemy.
So here’s lesson one: Other people don’t determine your future, God does! The Israelites were living in slavery when God made them this promise: “‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ says the Lord. ‘They are plans for good and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope'” (Jeremiah 29:11 TLB). God’s plan for you will prevail over every other plan.
Here’s lesson two: A unity walk requires unity talk. Jephthah immediately embraced the new relationship. “Then Jephthah sent messengers to the Ammonite king with the question: ‘What do you have against me that you have attacked my country?'” (Judges 11:12 NIV). Note the words “me” and “my country.” He put the hurts of his past behind him and fully embraced the cause. One author writes: “He was ready to walk in unity. And a unity walk requires unity talk. You would be surprised at the impact unity talk will have on your attitude and relationships. You’ll find yourself being less critical of others once you make such “team talk” a habit.”
That doesn’t mean you’ll always see eye to eye on every issue. It just means the cause and the vision you share are greater and more important than your differences of thought and opinion. The Bible says, “Make every effort [you’ve got to work at it] to keep yourselves united in the Spirit [not necessarily in opinion], binding yourselves together with peace” (Ephesians 4:3 NLT).
Soul food: Dan 1-2; Mark 2:13-17; Ps 127; Prov 10:11
Jesaja 42:9 NLV
Dieselfde mense wat Jefta as ‘persona non grata’ verklaar het, was dieselfde mense wat na hom toe gedraai het vir hulp toe hulle deur ‘n magtige vyand bedreig is.
Hier is dus les een: Ander mense bepaal nie jou toekoms nie, God doen! Die Israeliete het in slawerny gelewe toe God aan hulle hierdie belofte gemaak het: ‘Ek weet wat Ek vir julle beplan het,’ sê die Here. ‘Ek beplan voorspoed vir julle, nie teëspoed nie. Ek wil hê dat julle hoop vir die toekoms moet hê’ (Jeremia 29:11 NLV). God se plan vir jou sal bo elke ander plan seëvier.
Hier is les twee: ‘n Eenheidspad vereis eenheidspraatjies. Jefta het onmiddellik die nuwe verhouding aanvaar: “Jefta het boodskappers na die koning van die Ammoniete gestuur om by hom te hoor: ‘Wat is daar tussen ons dat jy hier in ons land kom oorlog maak?'” Let die woorde ‘ons’ en ‘ons land’ op. Hy het die seer van die verlede agter hom gesit.
Een skrywer merk op: ‘Hy was gereed om in eenheid te wandel. ‘n Eenheidswandel vereis eenheidspraatjies. Jy sal verbaas wees oor die impak wat eenheidspraatjies op jou houding en verhoudings kan hê. Jy sal vind dat jy minder krities teenoor ander mense is, wanneer jy sulke ‘spanpraatjies’ ‘n gewoonte maak.’
Dit beteken nie dat julle altyd oor elke kwessie sal saamstem nie. Dit beteken net dat die plan en visie wat julle deel, groter en belangriker is as julle verskille in gedagtes en opinie. Die Bybel sê: ‘Deur in vrede met mekaar te lewe, moet julle die eenheid wat die Gees bewerk het, bewaar’ (Efesiërs 4:3 NLV).
Sielskos: Dan 1-2; Mark 2:13-17; Ps 127; Spr 10:11
Isaiah 42:9 NCV
The same people who rejected Jephthah were the same ones who turned to him for help when they were threatened by a powerful enemy. Here are a few things we can draw from his story:
1) Other people don’t determine our future, God does. The Israelites were living in slavery when God made them this promise: ‘”I know what I am planning for you,” says the LORD. “I have good plans for you, not plans to hurt you. I will give you hope and a good future”‘ (Jeremiah 29:11 NCV). God’s plan wins over every other plan.
2) A unity walk requires unity talk. Jephthah immediately embraced the new relationship. ‘Then Jephthah sent messengers to the Ammonite king with the question: “What do you have against me that you have attacked my country?”‘ (Judges 11:12 NIV). Notice the words ‘me’ and ‘my country’. He put the hurts of his past behind him and fully embraced the cause. One author writes: ‘He was ready to walk in unity. And a unity walk requires unity talk.’ Unity talk can have an impact on our attitude and relationship with others. For example, when we’re working in a group, simply saying ‘our project’ rather than ‘the project’ can make a difference in how unified everyone feels. That doesn’t mean we’ll always agree on every issue. It just means the cause and the vision we share are greater and more important that our different opinions and thoughts.
The Bible says, ‘Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace’ (Ephesians 4:3 NLT).
Dan 1-2; Mark 2:13-17; Ps 127; Prov 10:11
