2025-09-12
Psalm 119:105 KJV
The patriarch Job said, “I made a covenant with my eyes not to look with lust at a young woman” (Job 31:1 NLT). Job couldn’t control his environment and its temptations any more than we can. Still, we can learn a valuable lesson from Job’s words. A covenant is a promise made in good faith with the intention of keeping it. It’s a step of faith you commit to before you know what circumstances you will encounter, not unlike a marriage covenant. The Bible tells us, “The just shall live by faith” (Romans 1:17 KJV), not by our own efforts. Faith is based on God’s revealed will, and our part is agreeing with God’s will with the understanding that only by His power can we fulfill our vow.
Our selfish nature militates against keeping God’s commandments; that’s why everything we need to succeed is ours because of the Holy Spirit who indwells us. If you wait until you feel strong enough to honour your covenant with God, it will never happen. But if you make it by faith, recognizing your own weakness, the Holy Spirit will provide the strength you need to keep it! His covenant, made by faith, enabled Job to say, I will “not… look lustfully at a young woman” (Job 31:1 NIV).
But isn’t it better not to make a covenant than to make one and break it? No, because all our failures are covered by Christ’s blood. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us… and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9 KJV). Repentance brings forgiveness and a fresh start!
Soul food: 2 Cor 9:1-11:15; Matt 25:22-30; Ps 24; Pro 21:1-2
2025-09-11
Hebrews 4:12 NLT
It seems like no matter where you look nowadays, there are temptations. Our young people are bombarded by imagery that confuses, seduces, and erodes standards of decency and self-control. A wise and devoted eighty-year-old pastor was asked at what age sexual temptation was no longer an issue. Without hesitation, he replied, “It must be sometime after eighty!” The truth is, if you’re breathing – you’re vulnerable!
And it doesn’t end there. Research shows that a growing number of women are becoming ensnared in the easily accessible world of seductive literature, movies, and videos. Willpower, internet filtering, and personal accountability partnering are all valuable and can help. But these alone won’t bring about deliverance or provide healing from the moral wounds inflicted by the Enemy. We all need to hear and heed some Bible directives offered for our protection.
Jesus said, “You have heard… it… said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I tell you… anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart” (Matthew 5:27-28 NIV). The first step is to recognize that lust is destructive and scripturally forbidden. Now, Jesus isn’t talking here about a momentary glance. He is talking about a longing look that inflames desire and leads to sin. It implies a process rather than a fleeting thought. The Greek word blepo used here for “looks at” implies special contemplation or willful, extended thought.
Clearly then, a look that stirs up wrongful passion should be our cue to call on the Holy Spirit to help us resist sin and walk in purity.
Soul food: 2 Cor 5-8; Matt 25:14-21; Ps 78:65-72; Pro 20:26-30
Hebreërs 4:12 NLV
Dit voel asof daar deesdae oral versoekings is. Ons jongmense word gebombardeer deur beelde wat standaarde van ordentlikheid en selfbeheersing verwar, verlei en afwater. ‘n Wyse en toegewyde tagtigjarige pastoor is gevra op watter ouderdom seksuele versoeking nie meer ‘n kwessie is nie. Sonder om te huiwer het hy geantwoord: ‘Dit moet iewers na tagtig wees!’ Die waarheid is, as jy asemhaal – is jy kwesbaar!
Dit eindig ook nie daar nie. Navorsing toon dat ‘n groeiende aantal vroue in die maklik toeganklike wêreld van verleidelike literatuur, flieks en video’s, verstrik raak. Wilskrag, internetfiltrering en persoonlike aanspreeklikheid is waardevol en kan help. Dit alleen sal egter nie bevryding teweegbring of genesing van die morele wonde wat deur die Vyand toegedien word, verskaf nie. Ons moet almal op ‘n paar Bybelverse wat ons beskerming bied, ag slaan.
Jesus het gesê: ‘Julle het gehoor dat daar gesê is: ‘Jy mag nie egbreuk pleeg nie.’ Maar Ek sê vir julle, elke man wat met ‘n wellustige oog na ‘n ander vrou kyk, het al klaar in sy hart egbreuk gepleeg’ (Matteus 5:27-28 NLV). Die eerste stap is om te verstaan dat wellus vernietigend is en Skriftuurlik verbied word. Jesus praat nie hier van ‘n vinnige blik nie. Hy praat van ‘n verlangende kyk wat begeerte aanblaas en tot sonde lei. Dit impliseer ‘n proses, eerder as ‘n vlietende gedagte.
Dit is dus duidelik dat ‘n blik wat onregmatige passie opwek, ons wekroep moet wees om die Heilige Gees aan te roep om ons te help om sonde te weerstaan en in reinheid te wandel.
Sielskos: 2 Kor 5-8; Matt 25:14-21; Ps 78:65-72; Spr 20:26-30
2025-09-10
Mark 6:31 NLT
God instructed the observance of the Sabbath day with good reason: rest from our labours. Now if God felt He should rest after six days of creative activity, how much more should we? Jesus was a big advocate of taking time off. Once, He sent His disciples on an evangelistic journey. When they returned thrilled about all the wonderful miracles that had happened, you would imagine that He would urge them to maintain the momentum. He didn’t.
“Then Jesus said, ‘Let’s go off by ourselves to a quiet place and rest awhile.’ He said this because there were so many people coming and going that Jesus and his apostles didn’t even have time to eat. So they left by boat for a quiet place” (vv. 31-32 NLT).
Note the words “people coming and going.” Does this sound like your normal day in which you rarely get a chance to take a breather? Jesus was concerned that His disciples would get out of balance. What did He know that we continue to miss? He never rushed around, never seemed to be harried or controlled by the crowds, kept His priorities in order, and always managed to complete what He set out to do. Jesus knew the importance that rest and relaxation played in His disciples’ continued effectiveness. But “time-outs” won’t occur without firm determination and planning.
You must view such times just as important as any other undertaking. Prayer: “Father, help me to make rest a priority in my life. Help me to stop dishonouring my body, this temple you have given me to perform my purpose here on earth.”
Soul food: 2 Cor 1-4; Matt 25:1-13; Ps 78:56-64; Pro 20:25
Markus 6:31 NLV
Daar is ‘n goeie rede hoekom God ons opdrag gegee het om die Sabbat te onderhou – om te rus. As God na ses dae van kreatiewe aktiwiteit moes rus, hoeveel te meer moet ons nie! Jesus was ‘n groot voorstaander van rus. Hy het een keer sy dissipels op reis gestuur om die evangelie te gaan uitdra. Toe hulle terugkeer, vol energie en praatjies van al die ongelooflike wonderwerke wat plaasgevind het, sou mens dink Hy sou hulle verder uitstuur om die momentum te behou. Hy het dit egter nie gedoen nie.
‘Omdat daar voortdurend talle mense gekom en gegaan het sodat hulle selfs nie kans gekry het om te eet nie, het Jesus toe vir hulle gesê: ‘Kom julle nou self eenkant toe… en skep ‘n bietjie asem.’ Hulle het toe per boot na ‘n stil plek vertrek…’ (verse 31-32 NLV).
Let op dat daar ‘voortdurend mense gekom en gegaan het.’ Klink dit soos jou normale dag waar jy skaars kans het om asem te skep? Jesus was bekommerd dat sy dissipels nie meer balans sou kon handhaaf nie. Jesus het nooit rondgejaag nie, dit het nooit gelyk of Hy deur die skare gepla of beheer word nie, Hy het sy prioriteite behou en altyd daarin geslaag om te voltooi wat Hy hom voorgeneem het om te doen. Jesus het geweet hoe belangrik rus en ontspanning vir sy dissipels se volgehoue effektiwiteit is. Dit vind egter nie sonder vasberadenheid en beplanning plaas nie.
Jy moet sulke tye net so belangrik as enige ander onderneming beskou. Bid die volgende: ‘Vader, help my om rus ‘n prioriteit in my lewe te maak. Help my om op te hou om my liggaam oneer aan te doen, hierdie tempel wat U aan my gegee het om my doel hier op aarde uit te voer.’
Sielskos: 2 Kor 1-4; Matt 25:1-13; Ps 78:56-64; Spr 20:25
