2025-06-03
Acts 1:8 NKJV
You say, “If Christ lives in me, why do I still think and act the way I do?” A Christian leader explains: “The answer is illustrated in a story about a lady who had a small house… at the turn of the century. She was quite wealthy but also quite frugal… People were surprised, then, when she decided to be among the first to have electricity in her home. Several weeks after the installation, a meter reader appeared at her door. He asked her if her electricity was working well, and she assured him it was. ‘I’m wondering if you can explain something to me,’ he said. ‘Your meter shows scarcely any usage. Are you using your power?’ ‘Certainly,’ she answered. ‘Each evening when the sun sets, I turn on my lights just long enough to light my candles; then I turn them off.’ She’s tapped into the power but didn’t use it. Her house is connected but not altered.
Don’t we make the same mistake? We, too – with our souls saved but our hearts unchanged – are connected but not altered. Trusting Christ for salvation but resisting transformation. We occasionally flip the switch, but most of the time we settle for shadows. What would happen if we left the light on? What changes would occur if we set about the task of dwelling in the radiance of Christ? No doubt about it: God has ambitious plans for us. The same one who saved your soul longs to remake your heart. His plan is nothing short of a total transformation.” “He decided… to shape [our] lives… along the same lines as the life of his Son” (Romans 8:29 MSG). Today, use your God-given power.
Soul food: 2 Ki 1:1-4:17; Mark 11:27-33; Ps 1; Prov 13:1
2025-06-02
1 Samuel 16:7 NLV
Jesus was veroordelend oor die Fariseërs: ‘So lyk julle ook van buite vir die mense baie vroom, maar van binne is julle vol skynheiligheid en minagting van die wet’ (Matteus 23:28 NLV). Hulle het ‘n goeie front voorgehou, maar was heeltemal van genade, barmhartigheid en medelye ontbloot. Jesus het hulle daaroor aangespreek!
Omdat ons in ‘n samelewing wat op voorkoms gefokus is leef, waarsku Jesus ons oor die gevare wat voortspruit wanneer ons op die uiterlike lewe, ten koste van die ontwikkeling van die innerlike lewe, fokus. Hoe kan ons keer dat dit gebeur?
1) Volg Jesus se voorbeeld. Hy het sy lewe gewy om diegene wat verlore, vergete en eensaam was, te bedien.
2) Hou in gedagte dat selfs wanneer jy ‘n Christen is, jy in sekere areas sal sukkel, moet dus nie voorgee dat jy alles onder beheer het nie.
3) Vra God om gedragspatrone wat om voorkoms, eerder as die hart wentel, te verander.
4) Omring jouself met mense wat jou aanmoedig om opreg te wees en jou korrigeer wanneer jy dit nodig het.
Marybeth Whalen skryf: ‘Die verwers het die muur by die trap wat na onder lei, wit geverf. Ons gewoontes het egter nie verander nie. Die kinders het steeds hul vuil hande oor die muur gesleep en die skoon wit muur, vuil en grys gemaak. As ek nie versigtig is nie, kan ek soos daardie muur dinge onder ‘n laag verf probeer wegsteek. Ek kan my Bybel onder die arm dra, glimlag asof alles wonderlik is en oor my wandel met die Here spog. Sodra die lewe egter deurmekaar raak, wag die lelike gewoontes binne-in my om uit te kom. Ek kan dan soos ‘n hedendaagse Fariseër begin fokus op die wit muur en die vuiligheid daaronder ignoreer.’ Wees dus opreg.
Sielskos: Op 19-22; Mark 11:12-26; Ps 129; Spr 12:27-28
1 Samuel 16:7 NLT
Jesus was rough on Pharisees: “People look at you and think you are saints, but beneath… you are total frauds” (Matthew 23:28 MSG). They put on a good front but were devoid of grace, mercy, and compassion. And Jesus called them on it!
Because we live in an appearance-focused society, Jesus warns us about the dangers that come from dwelling on the outer life at the cost of developing the inner life. So, how do you keep that from happening?
(1) Follow Jesus’ example. He spent His life ministering to the hurting, the forgotten, the lost, and lonely.
(2) Keep in mind that even though you’re a Christian, you will still struggle in certain areas, and don’t try to act like you “have it all together.”
(3) Ask God to reveal behaviour patterns that are appearance oriented instead of heart oriented.
(4) Surround yourself with transparent people who encourage you to be real and correct you when you need it.
Marybeth Whalen writes: “The painters painted the wall leading downstairs… A week later I discovered, while the wall had been repainted, the habits hadn’t changed. The kids were still dragging their dirty hands behind them, making what was white and clean, grey, and dirty. Like that wall, if I’m not careful I can cover up what’s there… wear the Christian tee shirt, carry my Bible, smile like everything’s great, and talk a good game about my walk with the Lord. But deep inside the ugly habits are waiting to be revealed the moment life gets messy. I can become a modern-day Pharisee who focuses on the whitewash and ignores the dirty stuff underneath.” So, be real.
Soul food: Rev 19-22; Mark 11:12-26; Ps 129; Prov 12:27-28
2025-06-01
2 Corinthians 4:7 NKJV
Be careful to make the distinction between the “earthen vessel” and the “treasure.” Paul says, “We have this treasure”; he doesn’t say, “We are this treasure!” Anytime you allow people to think of you as the treasure, God is not pleased, and you’re setting yourself up to fail. When God deposits a treasure within you, it means two things: (1) He expects a return on His investment. (2) You’re called to a higher level of responsibility and accountability.
Sometimes people think leaders are immune to life’s tests and trials. Not so! Because someone has talent doesn’t mean they don’t struggle in certain areas. Their struggles may be unseen, but they’re real.
Let’s face it; God uses people we would have censured and thrown away, like Rahab working as a prostitute in Jericho. But when she placed her faith in God, He used her to help win the battle of Jericho. Then He included her in the family line of Christ (See Hebrews 11:31). And how about Jephthah? He was born to an unwed mother, rejected as illegitimate by his half brothers and sisters, and ended up living in a cave with a gang. Yet God used him to deliver Israel and become one of its youngest leaders (See Hebrews 11:32).
God specializes in restoring broken vessels. He takes things that aren’t productive – marriages that don’t work, people with problems – and teaches them how to be victorious and fruitful in His service. Knowing that gives you the strength and tenacity to face whatever comes because you understand that when God places His treasure within you, He protects it, uses it, and blesses it.
Soul food: Exo 20:16; Deut 19:15-20; Rev 21:8
2 Korintiërs 4:7 NLV
Maak seker om onderskeid tussen die ‘breekbare kleipot’ en die ‘skat’ te tref. Paulus sê: ‘Ons het hierdie skat,’ hy sê nie: ‘Ons is hierdie skat,’ nie! Elke keer wanneer jy mense toelaat om aan jou as die skat te dink, is God nie tevrede nie en stel jy jouself vir mislukking bloot. Wanneer God ‘n skat in jou deponeer, beteken dit twee dinge: (1) Hy verwag ‘n opbrengs op sy belegging. (2) Jy word tot ‘n hoër vlak van verantwoordelikheid en aanspreeklikheid geroep.
Soms dink mense leiers is immuun teen die lewe se toetse en beproewings. Dis nie so nie! Net omdat iemand talent het, beteken nie dat hulle nie op sekere gebiede sukkel nie. Hulle stryd is dalk onsigbaar, maar hulle sukkel steeds.
God gebruik ook mense wat ons sou afgekeur en weggegooi het, soos Ragab wat as ‘n prostituut in Jerigo gewerk het. Toe sy haar geloof egter in God plaas, het Hy haar gebruik om die slag van Jerigo te help wen. Hy het haar ook toe in die familielyn van Christus ingesluit (sien Hebreërs 11:31). Wat van Jefta? Sy ma was ongetroud, hy is deur sy halfbroers en -susters as buite-egtelik verwerp en het uiteindelik saam met ‘n bende in ‘n grot gewoon. Tog het God hom gebruik om Israel te verlos en een van sy jongste leiers te word (sien Hebreërs 11:32).
God spesialiseer daarin om gebroke kleipotte te herstel. Hy neem dinge wat nie produktief is nie – huwelike wat nie werk nie, mense met probleme – en leer hulle hoe om oorwinnend en vrugbaar in sy diens te staan. Hierdie wete gee jou die krag en volharding om enigiets teen te staan, want jy verstaan dat wanneer God sy skat in jou plaas, Hy dit sal beskerm, gebruik en seën.
Sielskos: Eks 20:16; Deut 19:15-20; Op 21:8
