2021-06-27
Galasiërs 5:22 AFR83
Almal het invloed op iemand. Dis wat jy met daardie invloed doen wat bepaal of dit negatief of positief is. Sosioloë vertel ons dat selfs die skaamste en grootste introvert in ‘n leeftyd omtrent tienduisend mense sal beïnvloed. Elke interaksie wat jy met ‘n ander persoon het, verryk of verarm daardie persoon. Invloed is nooit neutraal nie. Jy kan dit ook nie afskakel nie, omdat dit in die struktuur van die lewe self ingebou is. Dit maak ook nie saak wat jou titel is nie. Jou karakter sal bepaal of jou titel by jou pas.
Die Bybel sê: ‘Die vrug van die Gees, daarteenoor, is liefde, vreugde, vrede, geduld, vriendelikheid, goedhartigheid, getrouheid, nederigheid en selfbeheersing…’ (Galasiërs 5:22-23 AFR83). Wanneer jy daardie kwaliteite het, sal mense in ‘n ry staan om jou te help, vir jou lief te wees en jou te volg. Jy vra: ‘Hoe kan ek al hierdie kwaliteite uitstraal?’ Menslik gesproke, kan jy nie. Dis die slegte nuus. Die goeie nuus is egter dat dit nie net ‘n moontlikheid is nie, maar ‘n werklikheid – wanneer jy onder die invloed van God se Gees is.
Daar word ‘n storie vertel van ‘n seuntjie wat elke nag uit sy bed geval het en sy ma met sy gehuil wakker gemaak het. Een nag nadat sy hom weer in die bed gesit het, het sy gevra: ‘Hoekom hou jy aan om uit die bed uit te val?’ Hy het vir ‘n minuut daaroor gedink en toe gesê: ‘Ek het seker te naby aan die plek waar ek ingeklim het, gebly.’
Verlossing is die beginpunt, maar tensy jy elke dag onder die invloed van Jesus deurbring, sal jy nie volwasse word, jou geestelike gawes ten volle gebruik of jou Godgegewe lewensopdrag ontdek en vervul nie.
Sielskos: 1 Kon 17:17-24; Mark 5:21-43; Joh 11:1-45
Galatians 5:22 NIV
Everybody has influence over somebody. It’s what you do with that influence that determines whether it’s negative or positive. Sociologists tell us that over a lifetime even the shiest and most introverted person will influence about ten thousand people. Every interaction you have with another person enriches or impoverishes them. Influence is never neutral. And you can’t turn it off, because it’s built into the structure of life itself. Furthermore, it doesn’t matter what your title is. Ultimately, your character will determine if the title fits you.
The Bible says, “The fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, [and] self-control” (Galatians 5:22-23 NAS). When you have those qualities, people will line up to help you, love you, and follow you. You ask, “How can I display all these qualities?” Humanly speaking, you can’t. That’s the bad news. But the good news is that it’s not only a possibility but a distinct reality – when you’re under the influence of God’s Spirit.
The story is told of a little boy who kept falling out of bed each night and waking his mother up with his crying. One night after tucking him in yet again she asked, “How come you keep falling out of bed?” He thought about it for a minute and then said, “I guess I just stayed too close to where I got in.”
Salvation is the starting point, but unless you spend time each day under the influence of Jesus, you won’t mature, you won’t maximize the spiritual gifts He has given you, and you won’t discover and fulfill your God-given assignment in life.
Soul food: 1 Ki 17:17-24; Mark 5:21-43; John 11:1-45
2021-06-26
Acts 15:37-38 NLT
Paul and Barnabas were a great missionary team. On their first tour, Barnabas’ cousin, a young man named John Mark, had joined them. But it seems he had grown homesick and returned to Jerusalem. On their second missionary tour, Barnabas wanted to take John Mark with them again, but Paul said no. ‘Their disagreement was so sharp that they separated. Barnabas took John Mark…Paul chose Silas’ (vv. 39-40 NLT).
If two spiritual giants couldn’t resolve their conflict and come to an agreement, it’s something we’re likely to struggle with at some time too. Paul was a totally focused, no-nonsense, straight-to-the-point person. Barnabas, whose name means ‘son of encouragement’, was a long-suffering and lovable person who believed in reconciliation and refused to cross anybody off his list. There are two valuable lessons in this story about handling disagreements.
1) When it comes to our friends and family members, we can have blind spots. It can be difficult for people to look beyond a blood bond and focus on what’s best in the long run. As a result, the vision God gave them often suffers.
2) Sometimes we need a wise and trusted third party to help resolve a problem. When it comes to trouble in the church, Jesus laid down clear guidelines. First, we must go privately, one to one, and deal with the issue. Second, if that doesn’t work, we should take one or two others with us and try to resolve it. Third, we must take the situation to mature spiritual leaders and get their input (see Matthew 18:15-18). That’s the scriptural way to handle disagreements, and we must make it our way too.
Jer 18-21; Luke 2:41-52; Ps 59:1-8; Prov 14:21-22
Handelinge 4:13 NLV
Om ‘onder die invloed’ te wees, beteken dat jy deur iets of iemand anders as jyself, beheer word. Wie jy is, wat jy is en waar jy vandag is, is omdat jy onder die invloed van sekere mense was. Die geselskap wat jy kies beïnvloed jou gedagtes, jou gedagtes beïnvloed jou aksies, jou aksies beïnvloed jou karakter en jou karakter bepaal jou lotsbestemming.
Dis onmoontlik om invloed te ontsnap. Dis soos die weer – altyd daar om mee rekening te hou. Dis hoekom dit noodsaaklik is om jou kinders se internetgebruik, dit wat hulle op die televisie kyk en die geselskap wat hulle hou te monitor, omdat hierdie dinge hul ten goede of ten slegte kan beïnvloed. As jy regtig wys is, sal jy tyd onder die invloed van Jesus bestee. Jy sal sy Woord lees en tyd saam met Hom in gebed deurbring. Hoe meer tyd jy saam met Hom deurbring, hoe meer sal jy soos Hy word.
Toe die dissipels op die dag van Jesus se hemelvaart met die Heilige Gees vervul is, was hulle so getransformeer dat party mense gedink het dat hulle dronk was. Petrus het egter gesê: “Party van julle sê hierdie mense is dronk. Dis nie waar nie!.. Nee, wat hier gebeur, is waarvan God deur die profeet Joël gepraat het: ‘Só sal dit in die laaste dae wees, sê God: Ek sal my Gees uitstort op elke mens…'” (Handelinge 2:15-17 NLV). Twee hoofstukke later lees ons: ‘Die raadslede was verbaas toe hulle Petrus en Johannes se waagmoed sien, want hulle het besef dis gewone mense sonder enige besondere opleiding. Hulle het hulle ook herken as mense wat saam met Jesus was’ (Handelinge 4:13 NLV).
Vandag kan die Heilige Gees, wat eenvoudig die invloed van Christus is, ook jou lewe transformeer.
Sielskos: Jer 18-21; Luk 2:41-52; Ps 59:1-8; Spr 14:21-22
Acts 4:13 NIV
To be “under the influence” means to be controlled by something or someone other than yourself. Who you are, what you are, and where you are today is because you were under the influence of certain people. The company you keep influences your thinking, your thinking influences your actions, your actions influence your character, and your character determines your destiny.
Influence is impossible to escape. It’s like the weather – always there to be reckoned with. That’s why it’s essential to monitor your children’s use of the internet, what they watch on television, and the company they keep because these things can influence them for good or evil. And if you’re really wise, you’ll spend time under the influence of Jesus. You’ll read His Word and spend time with Him in prayer. Indeed, the more time you spend with Him, the more you’ll become like Him.
When the disciples were filled with the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost, they were transformed to the extent that some folks thought they were drunk. But Peter said: “These people are not drunk, as you suppose. It’s only nine in the morning! No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: ‘In the last days,’ God says, ‘I will pour out my Spirit on all people'” (Acts 2:15-17 NIV). Two chapters later, we read this: “When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus” (v. 13 NIV). And today the Holy Spirit, who is simply the influence of Christ, can transform your life too.
Soul food: Jer 18-21; Luke 2:41-52; Ps 59:1-8; Prov 14:21-22
