2021-06-09
Ephesians 4:2 CEV
For the next few days, let’s think about how we can be better at living in harmony with others. First, let’s look at harmony within our homes and families. Any time we find it easier to talk to outsiders than to our own family, we should use that as a warning that something might be broken, and urgently needs fixing. There are times when it’s not appropriate to talk to our family about something, or God’s put someone outside of our family to support us through a particular issue; but He designed families to be a support system, and a safety net to catch us when we fall, so if we find we’re always turning to others, we need to ask for His guidance to help restore His original design. (However, if your family is putting you at risk or you feel unsafe with them, make sure you tell someone you trust and get help.)
God’s Word gives us the tools for creating harmony within our home: ‘Always be humble and gentle. Patiently put up with each other and love each other. Try your best to let God’s Spirit keep your hearts united. Do this by living at peace’ (vv. 2-3 CEV). There are four important words in these verses: ‘humble’, ‘gentle’, ‘patiently’, and ‘united’. Without those essential ingredients, it won’t work!
One thing we can start doing immediately is to pray for every member of our families. We won’t always agree with them, but with God’s help we can learn to value, love, and respect each other. Every family has its ups and downs, but inviting God into our homes and families each day can bring a sense of peace, love and unity that completely changes the atmosphere.
2 Ki 7-9; Mark 14:66-72; Ps 132:1-10; Prov 13:4-6
2021-06-08
Revelation 12:10 NIV
A guy who worked in an office loved to play a particular trick on new employees. He would approach them and whisper, “They know what you did,” then walk away smiling. First, the person would look bewildered. Then they would get anxious and wonder, “What have I done?” Then they would think, “Who are they?” “What do they know?” and “What are they saying about me?” And since even the most innocent have a knee-jerk tendency to conceal and protect, the new employee would walk around all day anxiety ridden.
That’s exactly how Satan works! He casts aspersions! But there’s good news: “The accuser of our brothers…who accuses them before…God day and night, has been hurled down. They triumphed over him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony” (vv. 10-11 NIV).
There’s an unfailing strategy for silencing the voice of the accuser. What is it? Remind him that the blood of Jesus Christ has cleansed you from all sin. Just as Jesus defeated Satan in the wilderness, you can defeat him every time by standing on the truth of God’s Word. It’s not God who makes you feel condemned. He wants you to know you’re loved, forgiven, and fully accepted. Paul writes, “Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect?…Christ…is at the right hand of God…pleading…for us” (Romans 8:33-34 AMPC).
So stop beating yourself up. Jesus came to save you and let you know that the penalty for your sin has been removed and its power over your life has been broken. God sees you today as righteous – and that’s how you need to start seeing yourself (See 2 Corinthians 5:21).
Soul food: 2 Ki 4:18-6:33; Mark 14:53-65; Ps 48; Prov 13:2-3
Openbaring 12:10 NLV
‘n Man wat in ‘n kantoor gewerk het, was mal daaroor om die nuwe werknemers ‘n spesifieke poets te bak. Hy sou hulle nader en fluister: ‘Hulle weet wat jy gedoen het,’ en dan met ‘n glimlag wegstap. Eerstens, sou die nuwe werknemers verdwaas lyk. Dan sou hulle angstig word en wonder: ‘Wat het ek gedoen?’ Dan sou hulle dink: ‘Wie is hulle? Wat weet hulle?’ en: ‘Wat sê hulle van my?’ Omdat selfs die onskuldigste mense ‘n outomatiese neiging het om weg te steek en te beskerm, sou die nuwe werknemer die hele dag senuweeagtig rondloop.
Dis presies hoe Satan te werk gaan! Hy gooi beswadderings rond. Daar is egter goeie nuus: ‘…Die aanklaer van ons medegelowiges is neergewerp, hy wat hulle dag en nag voor ons God aangekla het. En hulle het hom self oorwin op grond van die bloed van die Lam en die boodskap waaroor hulle getuig het…’ (Openbaring 12:10-11 NLV).
Daar is ‘n onfeilbare strategie om die stem van die aanklaer stil te maak. Herinner hom dat die bloed van Jesus Christus jou van alle sonde gereinig het. Net soos Jesus vir Satan in die woestyn oorwin het, so kan jy hom elke keer oorwin deur op die waarheid van God se Woord te staan. Paulus skryf: ‘Wie sal dit waag om ons aan te kla as God ons spesiaal uitgekies het?.. Christus Jesus is tog die Een… wat op die ereplek langs God sit en wat daar vir ons pleit’ (Romeine 8:33-34 NLV).
Hou dus op om jouself te oordeel. Jesus het gekom om jou te red en jou te laat weet dat die straf vir jou sonde weggeneem is en dat die krag daarvan oor jou lewe, gebreek is. God sien jou vandag as geregtig – en dis hoe jy jouself moet begin sien (sien 2 Korintiërs 5:21).
Sielskos: 2 Kon 4:18-6:33; Mark 14:53-65; Ps 48; Spr 13:2-3
Revelation 12:10 NIV
There’s a story about a man who would play a trick on new employees in his office. He would approach them and whisper, ‘They know what you did,’ then walk away smiling. First, the person would look bewildered. Then they’d get anxious and wonder, ‘What have I done?’ Then they’d think, ‘What do they know?’ and ‘What are they saying about me?’ Even the most innocent person has a tendency to conceal wrongdoing and protect themselves, so the new employee would spend the day full of anxiety.
That’s exactly how Satan works – he whispers aspersions and accusations. But the good news is that ‘the accuser of our brothers and sisters, who accuses them before our God day and night, has been hurled down. They triumphed over him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony’ (v.10-11 NIV).
There’s a strategy we can use for silencing the voice of Satan the accuser: remind him that the blood of Jesus Christ has cleansed us from all sin. Just as Jesus defeated Satan in the wilderness, we can defeat him every time by standing on the truth of God’s Word. It’s not God who makes us feel condemned. He wants us to know we’re loved, forgiven, and fully accepted.
Paul wrote, ‘Who can accuse the people God has chosen? No one, because God is the One who makes them right. Who can say God’s people are guilty? No one, because Christ Jesus died, but he was also raised from the dead, and now he is on God’s right side, appealing to God for us’ (Romans 8:33-34 NCV). With God’s love, we can stand against all of Satan’s accusations.
2 Ki 4:18-6:33; Mark 14:53-65; Ps 48; Prov 13:2-3
2021-06-07
2 Korintiërs 3:18 NLV
Wanneer jy eers in ‘n groef is, is dit moeilik om daaruit te kom, veral as dit gemaklik is. Jy sal egter nooit word wat God wil hê jy moet wees, of alles wees wat jy kan wees, solank as wat jy verandering teenstaan en daarop aandring om te bly soos jy is nie.
Daar is twee tipes verandering. 1) Die verandering wat jy persoonlik moet maak. Die ruimtevaarder James Irwin het gesê: ‘Jy mag dalk dink dat om maan toe te gaan, die mees wetenskaplike projek ooit was, maar hulle het ons letterlik in die rigting van die maan gegooi. Ons moes elke tien minute ons koers aanpas en het slegs vyftig voet binne die vyfhonderd myl radius van ons teiken, geland.’ Op daardie vaart was elke verandering, maak nie saak hoe klein nie, noodsaaklik vir sukses.
Kom ons wees eerlik; ons hou nie van verandering nie, dus probeer ons dit so lank as moontlik teenstaan of uitstel. Tog is dit die enigste ding wat op die einde groei meebring. Die Bybel sê: ‘Hy wat hom nie wil laat reghelp nie, beland in armoede en vernedering. Hy wat ‘n teregwysing ter harte neem, ontvang eer’ (Spreuke 13:18 NLV). Wyse mense is gewillig om van plan te verander, dwase nie.
2) Die verandering wat slegs God kan maak. Sy doel vir jou lewe is om in jou die karaktereienskappe van Jesus te ontwikkel. Omdat dit nie deur jou eie inspanning bereik kan word nie, sê sy Woord: ‘Ons word al hoe meer verander om soos die Here te lyk, met ‘n heerlikheid wat steeds toeneem namate die Here, dit is die Gees, dit aan ons gee.’ Wat bring verandering mee? Om elke dag op God se krag staat te maak.
Sielskos: 2 Kon 1:1-4:17; Mark 14:43-52; Ps 1; Spr 13:1
