2025-12-12
Psalm 86:5 NLT
“Heavenly Father, although I’ve repented and genuinely regret my actions, the guilt of my sin continually torments me. The burden of it is too heavy for me to bear any longer, so I am turning to you for deliverance. Your Word declares that you are ready to forgive me (See Nehemiah 9:17), and that you have an abundance of mercy for all who call upon you (See Isaiah 55:7).
The problem is, I’m having a hard time accepting your forgiveness and releasing myself from the remorse of my sin. Help me to comprehend and receive your promise that says, ‘If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness’ (1 John 1:9 KJV). You said in your Word, ‘I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins’ (Isaiah 43:25 KJV).
Drawing on the power of your Spirit, I choose to no longer let thoughts of guilt and condemnation rob me of the peace and joy you offer. I stand on your Word which says, ‘As far as the east is from the west, so far you have removed my transgressions from me’ (See Psalm 103:12).
You have said, ‘Their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more’ (Hebrews 10:17 NKJV). Since you have chosen not to remember it, help me to forget it and stop rehearsing it. Beginning today I declare, ‘The blood of Jesus Christ God’s Son cleanses me from all sin!'” (See 1 John 1:7).
Soul food: Micah 5-7; John 19:31-42; Ps 105:23-36; Prov 30:15-19
Psalm 86:5 NLV
‘Hemelse Vader, alhoewel ek berou getoon het en opreg spyt is oor my dade, pynig die skuld van my sonde my voortdurend. Die las daarvan is te swaar vir my om langer te dra, daarom wend ek my tot U vir verlossing. U Woord sê dat U gereed is om my te vergewe (sien Nehemia 9:17), en dat u oorvloedige genade het vir diegene wat na U roep (sien Jesaja 55:7).
Die probleem is dat ek dit moeilik vind om u vergifnis te aanvaar en myself van die berou oor my sondes te bevry. Help my om u belofte te verstaan en te ontvang: ‘As ons egter ons sondes bely, Hy is betroubaar en regverdig om ons sondes te vergewe en ons skoon te maak van elke verkeerde optrede’ (1 Johannes 1:9 NLV). U sê in u Woord: ‘Ek, ja, Ek alleen, is die Een wat hulle sondes uitwis. Ek doen dit ter wille van Myself en dink nie weer daaraan nie’ (Jesaja 43:25 NLV).
Deur krag uit die mag van u Gees te put, kies ek om nie langer toe te laat dat gedagtes van skuld en veroordeling die vrede en vreugde wat U bied, van my steel nie. Ek staan op u Woord wat sê: ‘So ver as die ooste is van die weste, so ver verwyder Hy ons van ons oortredings’ (Psalm 103:12 NLV).
U het gesê: ‘…Ek sal aan hulle sondes en hulle oortredings nooit weer dink nie’ (Hebreërs 10:17 NLV). Aangesien U gekies het om dit nie te onthou nie, help my om daarvan te vergeet en op te hou om daaroor te tob. Van vandag af begin ek verklaar: ‘…die bloed van Jesus, sy Seun, maak ons skoon van alle sonde’ (1 Johannes 1:7 NLV).’
Sielskos: Miga 5-7; Joh 19:31-42; Ps 105:23-36; Spr 30:15-19
2025-12-11
Acts 20:35 NKJV
When British Prime Minister William Gladstone was facing one of the greatest crises of his political life, he sat down one morning at two o’clock to write the speech he hoped would help him win a political victory in Parliament the following day. At that same hour, the mother of a dying child saw the light on in his home and knocked on his door. She asked him to come and bring a message of hope and cheer to her son. Without hesitation, Gladstone left his half-finished speech on his desk and spent the remainder of the night with the child, leading him to Christ before he died.
As the morning light was breaking, he went back to his study and faced his own day with a smile of confidence, peace, and power. He said to a friend later that morning, “I am the happiest man in the world today.” When asked why, he replied that the previous night he had been allowed to serve a child in the name of his Master.
Later that day Gladstone made what many consider to be the greatest speech of his life. The House of Commons was won over and his cause triumphed. Were the two events related? Gladstone was convinced that they were.
Before leaving the leaders of the church at Ephesus for the last time, Paul told them: “I have shown you in every way, by labouring like this, that you must support the weak. And remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.'”
Soul food: Micah 1-4; John 19:17-30; Ps 105:16-22; Prov 30:10-14
Handelinge 20:35 NLV
Toe die Britse Eerste Minister, William Gladstone, een van die grootste krisisse van sy politieke lewe in die gesig gestaar het, het hy een oggend om twee-uur gaan sit om die toespraak te skryf wat hy gehoop het hom sou help om die volgende dag ‘n politieke oorwinning in die Parlement te behaal. Kort daarna het die moeder van ‘n sterwende kind die lig in sy huis sien brand en aan sy deur geklop. Sy het hom gevra om ‘n boodskap van hoop en bemoediging aan haar seun te bring. Sonder aarseling het Gladstone sy halfvoltooide toespraak op sy lessenaar gelos, die res van die nag saam met die kind deurgebring en hom na Christus gelei voordat hy gesterf het.
Toe die oggendlig begin breek, het hy teruggegaan na sy studeerkamer en sy eie dag met ‘n glimlag van vertroue, vrede en krag aangepak. Hy het later daardie oggend vir ‘n vriend gesê: ‘Ek is vandag die gelukkigste man in die wêreld.’ Toe hy gevra is hoekom, het hy geantwoord dat hy die vorige aand toegelaat is om ‘n kind in die naam van sy Meester te dien.
Later daardie dag het Gladstone die toespraak, wat baie as die grootste toespraak van sy lewe beskou het, gelewer. Gladstone se saak het geseëvier. Was die twee gebeure verwant? Gladstone was oortuig daarvan.
Voor Paulus die leiers van die kerk in Efese vir die laaste keer verlaat het, het hy vir hulle gesê: “In alles het ek vir julle ‘n voorbeeld gestel dat ons só hard moet werk dat ons die armes kan help. Onthou die woorde van die Here Jesus: ‘Dit is meer geseënd om te gee as om te ontvang.'”
Sielskos: Miga 1-4; Joh 19:17-30; Ps 105:16-22; Spr 30:10-14
2025-12-10
1 Samuel 16:7 NKJV
Here is a description of Saul, Israel’s first king: “There was not a more handsome person… among the children of Israel” (1 Samuel 9:2 NKJV). But his looks couldn’t compensate for his lack of character, and he died prematurely in shame and defeat. When Samuel the prophet went to the house of Jesse to anoint one of his sons as Israel’s next king, God said, “Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”
Many years ago a boy was born in Russia who thought himself to be so ugly, he was certain there would be no happiness for him in life. He bemoaned the fact that he had a wide nose, thick lips, small grey eyes, and big hands and feet. He was so distraught about his appearance that he asked God to work a miracle and turn him into a handsome man. He vowed that if God would do this, he would give Him all he possessed.
That boy was Count Tolstoy, who became one of the world’s foremost authors, best known for his epic War and Peace. In his books he admits that through the years, he discovered that the beauty of physical appearance he had once sought was not the only beauty in life – and it was not the best beauty. Instead, Tolstoy came to regard the beauty of a strong character as having the greatest good in God’s sight. Character is not a matter of money or looks, but of doing what is right apart from money and standing up for what’s right apart from appearances.
Soul food: Neh 11-13; John 19:1-16; Ps 105:8-15; Prov 30:5-9
