2021-09-02
Filippense 4:13 NLV
Wanneer jy nie ‘n keuse het of jou omstandighede kan beheer nie, kan jy steeds besluit hoe jy daarop gaan reageer. Paulus was in die tronk toe hy geskryf het: ‘Wees altyd bly omdat julle Christene is…’ (vers 4 NLV). Daar is mense wat ‘n voortdurende pessimistiese lewensuitkyk het en meeste van die tyd op ‘n negatiewe manier praat. Dis ernstige sake! ‘Die tong het mag oor dood en oor lewe. Hulle wat lief is om te praat, moet saamleef met die gevolge van hulle woorde’ (Spreuke 18:21 NLV). Dit beteken dat jy jouself dood kan praat of lewendig kan praat. Dis ‘n Skriftuurlike waarheid!
Die probleem is egter dat ons nie altyd agterkom wanneer ons met negatiewe self-praatjies besig is nie, omdat dit ‘n gewoonte word. Ons ontwikkel onbewustelik ‘n verkeerde siening van onsself wanneer ons aanhoudend ding soos: ‘Ek is so ‘n “loser”,’ of ‘Dit is te moeilik, ek gaan nie eers probeer nie,’ dink en sê. Ons is tevrede met verloor, wanneer ons met ‘n paar klein houdingsveranderinge die deur na wonderbaarlike moontlikhede kan oopmaak.
As verloste kind van God, is daar binne-in jou die krag om beter te dink, beter te praat en beter te doen. ‘Staan dit in die Bybel?’ vra jy. Ja, Paulus sê: ‘…Hy wat mag het om deur die krag wat in ons werk, oneindig meer te doen as wat ons vra of dink om te vra’ (Efesiërs 3:20 NLV). Dis tyd om ‘n lyn in die sand te trek en te verklaar: ‘Dit wat God van my sê, sal ek ook sê!’ Hier is ‘n wonderlike vers om mee te begin: ‘Ek kan onder alle omstandighede regkom deur Hom wat my krag gee.’
Sielskos: Eseg 20-21; Luk 19:28-40; Ps 111; Spr 19:18-20
2021-09-01
Acts 15:37-39 MSG
Paul and Barnabas had traveled and ministered together, encouraged one other, endured persecution side-by-side, and won many to Christ. But even the best of relationships can go awry, and they were no exception. “Tempers flared, and they ended up going…separate ways.”
Paul and Barnabas never intended to hurt each other. They were both good men, and God’s Kingdom was their top priority. God chose Paul to bring the Gospel to the Gentiles, and the Bible calls Barnabas “a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith” (Acts 11:24 NIV). Both agreed on the major issue: namely, re-visiting those churches where they’d ministered earlier. They just differed on how to go about it. Barnabas wanted to take John. Paul didn’t; he wanted to take Silas. And it often happens that we agree on what needs to be done but differ on how to accomplish it.
Natasha Robinson says it’s important to: (a) Recognize when God brings a relationship to a close and not to try to turn “seasonal” people into life-long friendships. When He sends certain people into your life, He doesn’t intend them to become permanent partners. Yet because you love them and get attached it’s hard to let go, even when it’s time.
(b) When you part company, make a clean break and don’t let anger make you sin. We’re emotional creatures. It’s easy to get bitter and want to tell your side of the story, and consequently end up causing division. Speak “the truth in love” (Ephesians 4:15 KJV). Refuse to bad-mouth the other person and God will honour you. Even if they speak out against you, God knows, and He’ll handle it.
Soul food: Eze 16:53-19:14; Luke 19:11-27; Ps 103:13-22; Prov 19:17
Handelinge 15:37-39 NLV
Paulus en Barnabas het saam gereis, mekaar bemoedig, saam vervolging verduur en baie mense vir Christus gewen. Selfs die beste verhoudings kan egter skeefloop en hulle was geen uitsondering nie. ‘Daar het toe kwade gevoelens ontstaan, en hulle het elkeen sy eie koers gegaan…’ Paulus en Barnabas het nooit bedoel om mekaar seer te maak nie. Hulle was altwee goeie mense en God se koninkryk was hulle hoofprioriteit. God het Paulus gekies om die Evangelie vir die heidene te bring en die Bybel noem Barnabas: ‘…’n goeie man, vol van die Heilige Gees en van geloof…’ (Handelinge 11:24 NLV). Altwee het oor die grootste kwessie saamgestem: naamlik om weer kerke te besoek waar hulle vroeër gepreek het. Hulle het net verskil oor hoe om te werk te gaan. Barnabas wou vir Johannes saamvat. Paulus wou nie; hy wou vir Silas saamvat.
Dit gebeur dikwels dat ons saamstem oor dit wat gedoen moet word, maar verskil oor hoe ons dit moet bereik. Natasha Robinson sê dat dit belangrik is om: a) Te herken wanneer God ‘n verhouding tot ‘n einde bring en nie probeer om ‘seisoenale’ mense in lewenslange vriendskappe te verander nie. Omdat jy hulle egter lief het en aan hulle geheg raak is dit moeilik om hulle te laat gaan, selfs wanneer dit daarvoor tyd is. b) Dit ‘n skoon breuk te maak wanneer julle paaie skei en nie toe te laat dat woede jou laat sondig nie. Dis maklik om bitter te raak en jou kant van die storie te wil vertel en sodoende verdeeldheid te veroorsaak. ‘Ons moet altyd die waarheid praat en altyd lief wees vir mekaar…’ (Efesiërs 4:15 ABA).
Weier om die ander persoon sleg te sê en God sal jou eer. God weet as hulle sleg van jou praat en Hy sal dit hanteer.
Sielskos: Eseg 16:53-19:14; Luk 19:11-27; Ps 103:13-22; Spr 19:17
Acts 15:39 MSG
Paul and Barnabas had travelled and ministered together, encouraged one other, endured persecution side-by-side, and brought many people to Christ. But even the best of relationships can go wrong, and theirs was no exception. ‘Tempers flared, and they ended up going their separate ways.’
Paul and Barnabas never intended to hurt each other. They were both good men, and God’s Kingdom was their top priority. God chose Paul to bring the gospel to the Gentiles, and the Bible calls Barnabas ‘a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith’ (Acts 11:24 NIV). Both agreed on the major issue, which was re-visiting the churches where they’d ministered earlier. They just differed on how to go about it. Barnabas wanted to take John. Paul didn’t; he wanted to take Silas. It often happens that we agree on what needs to be done but have different ideas of how to accomplish it.
Author and speaker Natasha Robinson says it’s important for us to: 1) Recognise when God brings a relationship to a close and not to try to turn ‘seasonal’ people into life-long friendships. When He sends certain people into our lives, He doesn’t intend them to become permanent partners. But because we love them and get attached, it’s hard to let go, even when it’s time.
2) When we have to part company because of a difference of opinion, we should refuse to let anger take hold. It’s easy to let our emotions take control and become bitter, but instead we should ‘speak ‘the truth in love’ (Ephesians 4:15 KJV) and refuse to belittle the other person out of spite. Even if they speak out against us, God knows, and He’ll handle it.
Eze 16:53-19:14; Luke 19:11-27; Ps 103:13-22; Prov 19:17
