2022-01-03
Spreuke 12:3 AFR53
Jy moet diep geestelike wortels ontwikkel. ‘Maar gelukkig is dié mense wat op die Here vertrou… Hulle is soos bome wat langs ‘n rivier staan, hulle wortels reik diep tot by die water. Hitte bedreig hulle nie, hulle blare bly groen. Lang maande van droogte pla hulle ook nie, hulle hou nie op om vrugte te dra nie’ (Jeremia 17:7-8 NLV). Hierdie Skrifgedeelte gee jou een rede hoekom jy diep geestelike wortels moet hê: sodat jy dit deur moeilike tye – tye van hitte en droogte – kan maak. Salomo het gesê: ‘Iemand wat verkeerd lewe, het nie vastigheid nie. Iemand wat regverdig lewe, is stewig geanker’ (Spreuke 12:3 NLV).
Dis wanneer seisoene van teëspoed jou tref wat jy ontdek waaraan jy geanker is: God se krag of bloot jou eie. Wanneer die Bybel van ‘hitte’ praat, praat dit van druk in die lewe. Wanneer dit van ‘droogte’ praat, praat dit van seisoene van krisis en gebrek. Wat is dus die antwoord? Wortels wat diep tot by die water reik. Wat is die resultaat? Hulle hou nie op om vrugte te dra nie. As jy die wortels van ‘n groot eikeboom sou meet, sou dit oor verskeie honderde kilometers strek. Dis hoekom hulle stabiel in die storms van die lewe is.
Paulus skryf die volgende: ‘Mag Hy deur sy Gees uit die rykdom van sy Goddelike grootheid aan julle die krag gee om innerlik sterk te word. Dan sal Christus deur die geloof in julle harte woon, en sal julle in God se liefde gewortel en gegrondves wees… Dan sal julle Christus se liefde, wat alle verstand te bowe gaan, beleef. Mag julle heeltemal met die volheid van God vervul word’ (Efesiërs 3:16-17, 19 NLV).
Sielskos: Gen 1-3; Luk 1:1-10; Ps 90:1-6; Spr 1:1-4
Proverbs 12:3 NLT
We must cultivate deep spiritual roots. ‘Blessed are those who trust in the LORD…They are like trees planted along a riverbank, with roots that reach deep into the water. Such trees are not bothered by the heat or worried by long months of drought. Their leaves stay green, and they never stop producing fruit’ (Jeremiah 17:7-8 NLT). This Scripture gives us one reason why we need deep spiritual roots: to make it through the rough times – times of heat and drought.
Solomon said, ‘No one can be established through wickedness, but the righteous cannot be uprooted’ (Proverbs 12:3 NIV). It’s when seasons of adversity hit our lives that we discover what we’re ‘rooted’ to: God’s strength or just our own. When the Bible talks about ‘heat’, it’s talking about the pressures of life. When it talks about ‘drought’, it’s talking about seasons of crisis and lack. We need ‘Roots that reach deep into the water,’ because ‘They never stop producing fruit.’
Because of their roots, the giant redwoods of Northern California can withstand the big forest fires. The roots of large trees can spread up to five times the width of the tree’s leafy canopy. That’s why they’re stable in the storms and droughts. Paul wrote this: ‘I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong…you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God’ (Ephesians 3:16-17, 19 NLT).
Gen 1-3; Luke 1:1-10; Ps 90:1-6; Pro 1:1-4
2022-01-02
John 15:16 NIV
When Jesus said, ‘I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit – fruit that will last,’ He was saying, ‘Spend your life aiming for things and doing things that have lasting significance and eternal value!’ What does He mean by ‘fruit’? ‘The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control’ (Galatians 5:22-23 NIV). Those nine qualities describe the only life that’s truly worth living.
Fortunately, we’re not left to produce this kind of fruit through our own efforts. And in fact, we never will be able to do it alone. Jesus said this: ‘I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful…No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing’ (John 15:1-2, 4-5 NIV).
Jesus is speaking to every believer, ‘every branch in me’ (v.2 NIV). God, who is ‘the gardener’ (v.1 NIV), has a goal for each of us: to be ‘even more fruitful’ (v.2 NIV). And the secret of fruitfulness is staying in constant contact with Jesus and developing a close relationship with Him. ‘If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit’ (v.5 NIV). So, if we want to be more fruitful, let’s draw closer to Him and look forward to the amazing ways He’ll use us.
2 Chron 7:12-16; Matt 6:5-15; Luke 18:1-8
John 15:16 NIV
When Jesus said, “I chose you…that you might…bear fruit – fruit that will last,” He was saying, “Spend your life in pursuit of that which has lasting significance and eternal value!” What does He mean by “fruit”? “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control” (Galatians 5:22-23 NIV). Those nine qualities describe the only life that’s truly worth living.
Fortunately, you’re not left to produce this kind of fruit by self-effort. Indeed, you may as well try to pick yourself up by your own bootstraps! No, Jesus said this: “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful…No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing” (John 15:1-2, 4-5 NIV).
Who is Jesus speaking to? Believers. “Every branch in me” (v. 2 NIV). Who is the gardener? “My Father is the gardener” (v. 1 NIV). What’s His goal? For you to be “even more fruitful” (v. 2 NIV). What’s the secret of fruitfulness? Constant contact and intimacy with Jesus. “If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit” (v. 5 NIV). So, if you want to be more fruitful, draw closer to the Lord.
Soul food: 2 Chron 7:12-16; Matt 6:5-15; Luke 18:1-8
Johannes 15:16 NLV
Toe Jesus gesê het: ‘…Ek [het] julle uitgekies… om te gaan vrugte dra, vrugte wat sal hou…,’ het Hy inderwaarheid gesê: ‘Leef jou lewe in die strewe na dit wat blywende betekenis en ewigheidswaarde het!’
Wat bedoel Hy met ‘vrugte’? Die vrugte van die Gees is: ‘…liefde, vreugde, vrede, geduld, vriendelikheid, goedheid, getrouheid, sagmoedigheid en selfbeheersing…’ (Galasiërs 5:22-23 NLV). Hierdie nege eienskappe beskryf die enigste lewe wat waarlik die moeite werd is om te lewe.
Gelukkig hoef jy nie hierdie vrugte deur jou eie inspanning te probeer produseer nie. Nee, Jesus het gesê: ‘Ek is die egte druiwestok en my Vader is die tuinier. Elke loot aan My wat nie vrugte dra nie, sny Hy af. Elkeen wat egter vrugte oplewer, snoei Hy sodat dit nog meer vrugte kan dra… Julle moet aan my verbonde bly soos Ek aan julle. ‘n Loot kan nie uit sy eie vrugte dra as dit nie aan die druiwestok verbind bly nie, en só julle ook nie as julle nie voluit aan My verbonde bly nie. Ek is die druiwestok, julle is die lote. Wie aan My verbonde bly en Ek aan hulle, dra baie vrugte, want sonder My kan julle niks doen nie’ (Johannes 15:1-2, 4-5 NLV).
Met wie praat Jesus? Gelowiges. ‘Elke loot aan My’ (vers 2 NLV). Wie is die tuinier? ‘My Vader is die tuinier’ (vers 1 NLV). Wat is sy doelwit? Vir jou om ‘nog meer vrugte [te] kan dra’ (vers 2 NLV). Wat is die geheim tot baie vrugte? Konstante kontak en intimiteit met Jesus. ‘Wie aan My verbonde bly en Ek aan hulle, dra baie vrugte’ (vers 5 NLV). As jy dus meer vrugte wil dra, moet jy nader aan God beweeg.
Sielskos: 2 Kron 7:12-16; Matt 6:5-15; Luk 18:1-8
