2025-09-17
Romans 12:18 NLT
Author Chuck Swindoll says that when he was a young man, he couldn’t understand how two people who loved the Lord and believed the Bible could come to different conclusions: “In my two-by-four thinking I was convinced that all godly minds held identical conclusions… I soon discovered that there weren’t only various opinions, but God had the audacity to bless those who disagreed with me… He isn’t nearly so narrow minded as many of His people… God’s much easier to live with… tolerant… full of more grace and forgiveness than all of us.”
In order to show grace under fire, you must understand and accept these two things: (1) People’s opinions and convictions will often differ from yours. Yes, you must never compromise Bible truth and core values, but it costs no more to be tactful and gracious than it does to be critical and caustic. And that’s especially true when confrontation and correction are called for. Paul writes, “If another believer is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path” (Galatians 6:1 NLT). Pay careful attention to the words “gently” and “humbly.”
(2) Everyone’s perspective has some merit. When you grow up in a home that functions on a right-versus-wrong justice scale, the person who is “right” gets praised while the person who is “wrong” gets put down. And that’s a pity because generally it’s not an “I’m-right-and-you’re-wrong” issue as much as it’s an “I-see-it-this-way-and-you-see-it-that-way” issue. So before you go to war, ask yourself what’s more important: your need to correct this person or to connect with them.
Soul food: 1 Sam 1-3; Matt 26:17-29; Ps 34; Pro 21:14-16
2025-09-16
1 Peter 2:20 NIV
Are you in “the school of hard knocks” today? Are you wondering, “Why am I going through this?” Because God is more interested in your character than your comfort! Patsy Clairmont writes: “Jason, our youngest, has two goals in life. One is to have fun, and the other is to rest. And he does both quite well. So I shouldn’t have been surprised by what happened when I sent him to school one fall day. As Jason headed off for the bus, I busied myself, preparing for a full day. The knock on the door was a surprise and disruptive to my morning rhythm, which is not something I have a lot of. I flew to the door, jerked it open, only to find myself looking at Jason. ‘What are you doing here?’ I demanded. ‘I’ve quit school,’ he announced. ‘Quit school?’ I repeated in disbelief, at a decibel level too high for human ears.
Swallowing once, I tried to remember some motherly psychology. But all that came to my mind was ‘A stitch in time saves nine’ and ‘Starve a fever, feed a cold’… Somehow, they didn’t seem to apply to a six-year-old drop-out dilemma. So I questioned, ‘Why have you quit school?’ Without hesitation he proclaimed, ‘It’s too long, it’s too hard, and it’s too boring!’ ‘Jason,’ I instantly retorted, ‘you’ve just described life. Get on the bus!'”
The Bible says, “If you suffer for doing good and… endure it… this is commendable before God.” So when you find yourself in “the school of hard knocks,” rejoice – God is training you for bigger and better things! So, get on the bus!
Soul food: S of Sol 5-8; Matt 26:1-16; Ps 39; Pro 21:9-13
1 Petrus 2:20 NLV
Wonder jy vandag: ‘Waarom moet ek hierdeur gaan?’ Want God stel meer in jou karakter as jou gemak belang! Patsy Clairmont skryf: “Jason, ons jongste, het twee doelwitte in die lewe. Die een is om pret te hê en die ander is om te rus. Hy doen albei baie goed. Ek moes dus nie verbaas gewees het oor wat gebeur het toe ek hom een herfsdag uit die huis stuur om vir die skoolbus te wag nie. Ek het met my werk begin toe daar skielik ‘n klop aan die deur is. Ek het die voordeur oopgemaak, net om Jason op die voorstoep te sien. ‘Wat maak jy hier?’ het ek gevra. ‘Ek het besluit om nie meer skool toe te gaan nie,’ het hy aangekondig. ‘Ophou skool toe gaan?’ het ek in ongeloof op ‘n desibelvlak te hoog vir menslike ore, herhaal.
Ek het een keer gesluk en probeer onthou wat die kenners sê mens in sulke gevalle moet doen. Al wat egter by my opgekom het, was: “‘n Pak slae op sy tyd is soos brood en konfyt,” en ‘Buig die boompie terwyl hy nog jonk is.’ Dit was egter nie heeltemal van toepassing op die dilemma van ‘n sesjarige wat besluit het dat hy nie meer skool toe gaan nie. Dus het ek hom gevra: ‘Hoekom het jy besluit om op te hou skool toe gaan?’ Sonder om te huiwer het hy geantwoord: ‘Want dis te lank, dit is te moeilik en dit is te vervelig!’ ‘Jason,’ het ek dadelik teruggekap, ‘jy het so pas die lewe beskryf. Gaan klim op die bus!'”
Die Bybel sê: ‘…Om egter die houe te vat wanneer julle goeddoen, dít is iets besonders voor God.’ As jy jouself vandag in ‘n moeilike situasie bevind, wees bly – God lei jou vir groter en beter dinge op! Klim dus op die bus!
Sielskos: Hoogl 5-8; Matt 26:1-16; Ps 39; Spr 21:9-13
2025-09-15
Psalm 119:9 NLV
Wanneer ons aan versoeking toegee, is dit maklik om ander mense en ons omgewing te blameer. ‘Vroue trek deesdae te uitlokkend aan… Mans is te seksueel aggressief… Die media is te eksplisiet.’ Hierdie stellings mag dalk waar wees, maar help ons nie om die versoeker se werkswyse te oorkom nie. Satan, ons vyand, het nie sy werkswyse verander nie. Dit werk steeds omdat die menslike natuur nie verander het nie.
Dawid het op ‘n pynlike manier geleer dat dit nie Batseba se badroetine was wat sy ondergang veroorsaak het nie. Hy het verantwoordelikheid vir sy gedrag geneem en gebid: ‘Want ek ken my oortredings en my sonde is gedurig voor my. Teen U, U alleen het ek gesondig; ek het gedoen wat vir U verkeerd is…’ (Psalm 51:5-6 NLV).
Let twee belangrike lesse wat Dawid geleer het op: 1) Hy het ontdek dat mens vergifnis, herstel en vryheid ontvang deur jouself te bekeer en verantwoordelikheid vir jou dade te neem. 2) Hy het ook geleer dat die manier om beheer oor jou wellustige natuur te neem in gereelde tyd wat jy met God se Woord bestee, gevind word.
Jy kan dit nie op eie houtjie doen nie. ‘Hoe kan ‘n jongmens ‘n skoon lewe lei? Deur gehoorsaam te wees aan u woord.’ God se antwoord is nie geheimsinnig of moeilik om te verstaan nie. Sy universele oplossing is: ‘Deur gehoorsaam te wees aan u woord.’ Dawid se nuwe gesindheid en reinheid van hart het uit die beoefening van hierdie waarheid gespruit: ‘Ek het u woord in my hart gebêre sodat ek nie teen U sou sondig nie’ (Psalm 119:11 NLV). Dis ‘n formule vir oorwinning wat ook vir jou sal werk.
Sielskos: Hoogl 1-4; Matt 25:41-46; Ps 3; Spr 21:4-8
Psalm 119:9 NIV
When we give in to temptation, it’s easy to blame other people and our environment. “Women dress too provocatively today… Men are too sexually aggressive… The media is too explicit.” These statements may be true, but they don’t help us to overcome the tempter’s tactics. Humourist Will Rogers is attributed with saying, “Things aren’t what they used to be, and probably never were!” Rose-coloured glasses can be deceptive when it comes to looking back. Satan, our enemy, hasn’t altered his tactics. They still work because human nature hasn’t changed.
David learned painfully that Bathsheba’s bath routine didn’t cause his failure. Owning responsibility for his behaviour, he prayed, “I acknowledge my transgressions, and my sin is always before me. Against… You only, have I sinned, and done this evil in Your sight” (Psalm 51:3-4 NKJV).
Notice two important lessons David learned: (1) He discovered that forgiveness, restoration, and freedom begin by repenting and taking responsibility for your actions. (2) He also learned that the way to maintain power over your lustful nature lies in frequent time spent in God’s Word, not your own efforts.
“How can a young person stay on the path of purity?” God’s answer isn’t mystifying or hard to understand. His universal solution is, “By living according to your word.” David’s new attitude and purity of heart came from practicing this truth: “I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you” (Psalm 119:11 NIV). And that’s a formula for victory that will work for you too.
Soul food: S of Sol 1-4; Matt 25:41-46; Ps 3; Pro 21:4-8
