2021-06-07
2 Corinthians 3:18 KJV
They say a rut is just a grave with the ends kicked out. And once you get into a rut, it’s hard to get out, especially if it’s comfortable. But you’ll never become what God wants you to be, or all that you could be, as long as you resist change and insist on staying as you are. There are two kinds of change.
(1) The change you personally must make. Astronaut James Irwin said: “You might think going to the moon was the most scientific project ever, but they literally threw us in the direction of the moon. We had to adjust our course every ten minutes, and landed only fifty feet inside of the five hundred-mile radius of our target.” On that mission every change, no matter how small, was essential to success.
Let’s face it, we dislike change, so we try to resist or postpone it as long as possible. Yet in the end it’s the only thing that brings growth. The Bible says, “Whoever disregards discipline comes to poverty and shame, but whoever heeds correction is honoured” (Proverbs 13:18 NIV). Wise people are willing to change their minds, the foolish never do.
(2) The change only God can make. His goal for your life is to develop in you the character qualities of Jesus. And since that cannot be accomplished through self-effort, His Word says: “But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory…by the Spirit of the Lord.” What brings about change? Drawing on God’s power each day.
Soul food: 2 Ki 1:1-4:17; Mark 14:43-52; Ps 1; Prov 13:1
2 Corinthians 3:18 NCV
Comfort zones feel like good places to be. We’re often reluctant to leave them. But we’ll never reach our full potential and become what God wants us to be if we resist change and insist on staying as we are. There are two kinds of change.
1) The change we must personally make. Astronaut James Irwin said: ‘You might think going to the moon was the most scientific project ever, but they literally threw us in the direction of the moon. We had to adjust our course every ten minutes, and landed only fifty feet inside of the five hundred-mile radius of our target.’
Every correction in the right direction, no matter how small, was essential to success. Let’s face it, we generally dislike changing things – it can be uncomfortable or unpleasant – so we try to resist or postpone it as long as possible. But in the end it’s the only thing that brings growth. The Bible says, ‘Whoever disregards discipline comes to poverty and shame, but whoever heeds correction is honoured’ (Proverbs 13:18 NIVUK). Change isn’t easy for us – it’ll take a conscious decision and effort to make whatever corrections are needed to keep us in the right track.
2) The change only God can make. His goal for our lives is to develop in us the character qualities of Jesus. But that can’t be done through our own effort – we need to draw on God’s power each day. His Word says: ‘We all show the Lord’s glory, and we are being changed to be like him. The change in us brings ever greater glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.’
2 Ki 1:1-4:17; Mark 14:43-52; Ps 1; Prov 13:1
2021-06-06
1 Peter 2:21 CEV
Richard C. Halverson, former chaplain of the United States Senate, said: “Want to be a winner? Compete against yourself, not somebody else…. Outrunning your rival doesn’t mean you ran your best race. You can win over another and still not fulfill your potential…. To be your best, you must compete with yourself. It’s life’s biggest contest. A loser is a winner – however many his losses – if he conquers himself. A winner is a loser – however many his victories – if he loses the battle with himself. Alexander the Great conquered the world, and cursed his own lack of self-control. Victory over others may in fact be the very thing that contributes to the winner’s failure to conquer self. Winning makes him proud, arrogant, independent, thoughtless – and sometimes cruel. To put it another way, it isn’t what happens to you that makes the difference, but how you handle it. The one who stops maturing spiritually because he thinks he knows more Scripture than others or has more success in ministry, is still far from being what Christ planned for him.”
Compared to others you may look good, but God’s plan is to produce in you the character qualities of Christ. “This is the kind of life you’ve been invited into, the kind…Christ lived. He suffered everything that came his way so you would know that it could be done, and…how to do it, step-by-step. He never did one thing wrong, not once said anything amiss. They called him every name in the book and he said nothing back. He suffered in silence, content to let God set things right” (vv. 2:21-23 MSG).
Soul food: 2 Ki 5:1-14; John 5:1-15
1 Petrus 2:21 NLV
Richard C. Halverson, voormalige kapelaan van die Amerikaanse senaat, het gesê: ‘Wil jy ‘n wenner wees? Ding dan met jouself mee, nie met iemand anders nie. Net omdat jy jou teenstander in die resies wen, beteken nie dat jy jou beste resies gehardloop het nie. Jy kan iemand anders wen en steeds nie jou volle potensiaal bereik nie. Om jou beste te wees, moet jy met jouself meeding. Oorwinning oor ander mag dalk die struikelblok wees wat tot die wenner se onvermoë om homself te oorwin, bydra. Oorwinnig kan jou trots, arrogant, onafhanklik, selfsugtig en soms wreed, maak. Om dit anders te stel, dis nie wat met jou gebeur wat die verskil maak nie, maar hoe jy dit hanteer. Die een wat ophou om geestelik volwasse te word, omdat hy dink dat hy meer van die Skrif as ander mense weet of meer sukses in die bediening behaal, is nog ver van wat Christus vir hom beplan het.’
Dit mag dalk goed lyk wanneer jy jouself met ander mense vergelyk, maar God se plan is om in jou die karaktereienskappe van Christus te produseer. ‘As Christene word daar van julle verwag om soos Jesus te leef. Hy het vir julle ‘n voorbeeld gestel hoe julle moet leef. Leef soos Hy geleef het. Onthou dan, Hy het vir julle gely en nooit iets gedoen waarvan God nie gehou het nie. Wat Hy gesê het, kan julle maar altyd glo. Hy het mense wat lelike dinge vir Hom gesê het, nie terugbeledig nie. Toe hulle Hom seergemaak het, het Hy nie gesê dat Hy hulle gaan terugkry nie. Hy was tevrede om alles in God se hande te los. God sal daarvoor sorg dat wat moet gebeur, sal gebeur’ (1 Petrus 2:22-23 DB).
Sielskos: 2 Kon 5:1-14; Joh 5:1-15
1 Peter 2:21 CEV
Richard C. Halverson, who was chaplain of the United States Senate, said: ‘Want to be a winner? Compete against yourself, not somebody else…Outrunning your rival doesn’t mean you ran your best race. You can win over another and still not fulfil your potential…To be your best, you must compete with yourself. It’s life’s biggest contest. A loser is a winner – however many his losses – if he conquers himself. A winner is a loser – however many his victories – if he loses the battle with himself. Alexander the Great conquered the world, and cursed his own lack of self-control. Victory over others may in fact be the very thing that contributes to the winner’s failure to conquer self. Winning makes him proud, arrogant, independent, thoughtless – and sometimes cruel. To put it another way, it isn’t what happens to you that makes the difference, but how you handle it.’
We’re each running our own race, following a unique path laid out for us by God. Our purpose is different from everyone else’s, so there’s no need to feel pressured to compete with others. We may think we look good and are doing well compared to other people, but God’s plan is to help us become more Christlike in character. ‘This is the kind of life you’ve been invited into, the kind…Christ lived. He suffered everything that came his way so you would know that it could be done, and…how to do it, step-by-step. He never did one thing wrong, not once said anything amiss. They called him every name in the book and he said nothing back. He suffered in silence, content to let God set things right’ (vv. 2:21-23 MSG).
2 Ki 5:1-14; John 5:1-15
