2024-11-30
Galasiërs 5:17 NLV
As jy ernstig daaroor is om God se wil te vervul, moet jy vasberadenheid hê. Een definisie van vasberadenheid is om ‘n dispuut deur ‘n gesaghebbende besluit of uitspraak te besleg. Kom ons pas dit op een van ons grootste probleme toe – die daaglikse stryd tussen ons vlees en ons gees. “‘n Mens se sondige geaardheid wil dinge doen wat teen die Gees is, en die Gees wil dinge doen wat teen jou sondige geaardheid is…” (vers 17 NLV). Onthou, die definisie van vasberadenheid vervat die idee om ‘n dispuut te besleg. Dit is belangrik, want as jy jou gaan verbind om te doen wat God wil hê jy moet doen, sal jy die nimmereindigende geskil tussen jou vlees en jou gees moet besleg. Hoe doen mens dit? Deur ‘n gesaghebbende besluit of uitspraak te maak. Jou vlees sal altyd saam met die stroom gaan of die status quo wil behou, tensy jou wedergebore gees nee sê.
Josua is ‘n goeie voorbeeld hiervan. Uit vrees dat God se volk in die leefstyl van die omliggende nasies vasgevang sou raak, het hy vir hulle gesê: ‘As julle nie die Here wil aanbid nie, moet julle vandag vir julleself besluit wie julle dan wil aanbid. Is dit die gode wat julle voorouers anderkant die Eufraat gedien het, of is dit die gode van die Amoriete in wie se land julle nou woon? Ek en my huisgesin sal die Here aanbid’ (Josua 24:15 NLV). Omdat Josua ‘n gesaghebbende besluit en ‘n uitspraak gemaak het, sê die Bybel: “Die volk sê toe vir Josua: ‘Ons sal net die Here ons God aanbid. Ons sal net na Hom luister'” (vers 24 NLV). Vraag: In watter area van jou lewe moet jy vandag ‘n gesaghebbende besluit of uitspraak maak?
Sielskos: Gen 24:1-25:18; Joh 14:15-25; Ps 118:19-29; Spr 31:14-17
Galatians 5:17 NIV
If you’re serious about fulfilling God’s will, you must have determination. One definition of determination is “to settle a dispute by an authoritative decision or a pronouncement.” Let’s apply it to one of our biggest problems – the daily battle between our flesh and our spirit. “The flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh” (v. 17 NIV). Remember, the definition of determination carries the idea of settling a dispute. This is important because if you’re going to commit to doing what God wants you to do, you will have to settle the never-ending dispute between your flesh and your spirit. So, how do you do that? By an authoritative decision or a pronouncement. Your flesh will always cause you to “go with the flow” or “settle for the status quo” unless your regenerate spirit says no.
Joshua is a great example of this. Fearing that God’s people were getting caught up in the lifestyle of the surrounding nations, he told them: “Choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord” (Joshua 24:15 NKJV). Because Joshua made an authoritative decision and a pronouncement, the Bible says, “The people said to Joshua, ‘The Lord our God we will serve, and His voice we will obey!'” (v. 24 NKJV). Question: In what area of your life today do you need to make an authoritative decision or a pronouncement?
Soul food: Gen 24:1-25:18; John 14:15-25; Ps 118:19-29; Prov 31:14-17
2024-11-29
Spreuke 16:23 NLV
Die Bybel sê: “‘n Mens wat wys is, sê verstandige dinge. Hy kan ander mense onderrig. Mooi woorde is soos heuning; dit is goed vir die gees en bevorderlik vir sy lewe” (verse 23-24 NLV). Jou gedagtes en jou woorde is intiem met mekaar verbind. Daarom is dit belangrik om aangename gedagtes te dink, sodat jy aangename woorde kan spreek. Jou gedagtes is stil woorde wat nie net jy en die Here hoor nie, maar wanneer dit geverbaliseer word, dit jou emosionele, geestelike en fisiese welstand beïnvloed. Salomo sê: ‘…Mooi woorde… is goed vir die gees en bevorderlik vir sy lewe.’
Jou gedagtes is stil woorde wat jou innerlike wese, jou gesondheid, jou vreugde en jou houding affekteer. Die dinge waaraan ons dikwels dink, kom by ons monde uit en laat ons soms dwaas lyk. As ons egter op God se manier leef, kan ons woorde en gedagtes ons lewens en die lewens van ander mense aangenamer maak. Moenie die fout maak om te dink dat jy jou gedagtelewe in enige wêreldse rigting wat dit wil, kan laat loop en dit dan kan teenwerk deur godvrugtige woorde te spreek nie. Óf albei is aangenaam, óf albei is negatief en sondig. Daar is geen middeweg nie.
Paulus skryf: ‘Julle gesindheid moet soos Jesus Christus s’n wees’ (Filippense 2:5 NLV). Die Skrif is jou toegang tot ‘n nuwe leefwêreld. Soos jy tyd bestee om Jesus toe te laat om jou denke aan te pas, sal jy nie daaraan hoef te dink om aangename woorde, wyse woorde of genesende woorde te spreek nie. Dit sal van nature begin gebeur.
Sielskos: Gen 20-23; Joh 14:1-14; Ps 118:10-18; Spr 31:10-13
Proverbs 16:23 AMPC
The Bible says, “The mind of the wise instructs his mouth, and adds learning and persuasiveness to his lips. Pleasant words are as a honeycomb, sweet to the mind and healing to the body” (vv. 23-24 AMPC). Your thoughts and your words are intimately connected. Because of this, it’s important that you think pleasant thoughts so that you can speak pleasant words. Your thoughts are silent words that not only you and the Lord hear, but when verbalized, affect your emotional, spiritual, and physical well-being. Solomon says, “Pleasant words are… healing.”
Your thoughts are silent words that affect your inner man, your health, your joy, and your attitude. The things we think about often come out of our mouths and sometimes make us look foolish. But if we live God’s way, our thoughts and words can make our lives and the lives of others more enjoyable. The New International Version of the Bible says, “The hearts of the wise make their mouths prudent, and their lips promote instruction” (v. 23). Don’t make the mistake of thinking that you can let your thought life run in any worldly direction it wants and then fake it by speaking godly words. Either both are pleasing, or both are negative and sinful. There is no middle ground.
Paul writes, “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 2:5 NKJV). Scripture is your doorway into a new realm of living. As you spend time letting Jesus adjust your thinking, you won’t have to think about speaking pleasant words, wise words, instructive words, or healing words. It will just happen naturally.
Soul food: Gen 20-23; John 14:1-14; Ps 118:10-18; Prov 31:10-13
2024-11-28
1 Chronicles 4:10 NKJV
The story of Jabez takes up only two Scriptures, but they contain life-changing truth: “Jabez was more honorable than his brothers, and his mother called his name Jabez, saying, ‘Because I bore him in pain.’ And Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, ‘Oh, that You would bless me indeed, and enlarge my territory, that Your hand would be with me, and that You would keep me from evil, that I may not cause pain!’ So God granted him what he requested” (vv. 9-10 NKJV). That prayer could be reduced to these words: “I want to grow; I want to know; I want to go!”
The biggest danger you face is the idea that you will make personal growth a priority later. Don’t fall into that rut. Someone said, “The only difference between a rut and a grave is the length!” If you want to reach your God-given potential, you need to do more than simply experience life and hope you learn what you need to know as you travel along. You must capture growth opportunities as if your future requires it – because it does. Growth doesn’t just occur; you have to pursue it.
You say, “But I’m afraid of failing.” All of us have fears. But there is good news: All of us have faith. “God has dealt to each one a measure of faith” (Romans 12:3 NKJV). The question you must ask yourself is, “Which one will I allow to be stronger, my fears or my faith?” God has great things in store for you, so rise up in faith and begin to seize them.
Soul food: Gen 17-19; John 13:31-38; Ps 118:1-9; Prov 31:6-9
