2024-08-30
Handelinge 17:11 NLV
Hier is ‘n verhaal van twee stede: 1) Tessalonika het die waarheid verwerp. ‘Soos dit Paulus se gewoonte was, het hy na die sinagogediens gegaan en op drie Sabbatdae na mekaar uit die Skrifte met die Jode geredeneer… ‘Hierdie Jesus wat ek aan julle verkondig,’ het hy gesê, ‘Hý is die Messias.’… Die Jode was egter jaloers hieroor. Hulle het toe met die hulp van ‘n paar nikswerd leeglêers ‘n betoging begin en die stad in oproer gebring…’ (verse 2-3, 5 NLV).
2) Berea het die waarheid ontvang. ‘…Daar aangekom, het hulle [Paulus en Silas] na die Jode se sinagoge gegaan. Die mense daar was ontvankliker as dié in Tessalonika, en hulle het met groot belangstelling na Paulus se boodskap geluister. Hulle het elke dag die Skrifte ondersoek om te sien of dit is soos Paulus en Silas sê. Baie van hulle het gevolglik gelowig geword en ook heelparty van die Grieke, sowel vooraanstaande vroue as mans’ (verse 10-12 NLV).
Dis nie net ‘n verhaal van twee stede nie, maar van twee ingesteldhede. ‘n Toe ingesteldheid sê: ‘Ek glo dat ek alles wat daar oor hierdie onderwerp te wete is, weet.’ ‘n Oop ingesteldheid sê: ‘Ek is dankbaar vir wat ek weet, maar ek glo dat daar meer te wete is.’ ‘n Woord van waarskuwing egter! Net omdat ‘n spreker iets sê, beteken nie jy moet dit sonder twyfel aanvaar nie. ‘n Leier wat daarna streef om God te eer sal nie aanstoot neem as jy dit wat hulle sê, bevraagteken nie. Die mense in Berea het Paulus se woorde, die skrywer van die helfte van die Nuwe Testament, ondersoek! Die woord vir jou vandag is dus – wees altyd oopkop.
Sielskos: 2 Kro 35-36; 2 Joh; Luk 18:18-30; Ps 119:161-168
Acts 17:11 NKJV
Here is a tale of two cities: (1) Thessalonica rejected the truth. “Then Paul, as his custom was, went in to them, and for three Sabbaths reasoned with them from the Scriptures… saying, ‘This Jesus whom I preach to you is the Christ’ …But the Jews who were not persuaded, becoming envious, took some of the evil men from the marketplace, and gathering a mob, set all the city in an uproar” (vv. 2-3, 5 NKJV).
(2) Berea received the truth. “Paul…went into the synagogue of the Jews. These were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so. Therefore many of them believed, and also not a few of the Greeks, prominent women as well as men” (vv. 10-12 NKJV).
This is not just a tale of two cities but two mindsets. An open mindset and a closed mindset. A closed mindset says, “I believe I know all there is to know about this subject,” and an open mindset says, “I’m grateful for what I know, but I believe there is more to know.” But a word of caution! Just because a speaker says something doesn’t mean you should accept it without question. A leader who seeks to honor God won’t be offended when you question what they say. The Bereans “received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so.” Whose teachings were they checking out? Paul’s, the author of half the New Testament! So, the word for you today is – always be open-minded.
Soul food: 2 Chr 35-36; 2 John; Luke 18:18-30; Ps 119:161-168
2024-08-29
Spreuke 24:32 NLV
Koning Salomo word as een van die wysste mense wat nog ooit gelewe het, beskou. Hy het drie boeke in die Bybel geskryf en word gereeld aangehaal. Hy was ‘n lewenslange leerder en soeker na die waarheid. ‘Ek het nagedink oor wat ek gesien het. Ek het iets daaruit geleer.’ Let op die woorde: ‘Ek het daaroor nagegedink… Ek het iets daaruit geleer’. Dit behoort jou vaste gesindheid in die lewe te wees.
God se plan vir jou is om aan te hou leer, verander, groei en volwasse word totdat jy jou laaste asem uitblaas. Dit beteken dat jy altyd oopkop moet wees. Kyk na die Fariseërs. Hulle was 100 persent toegewyd aan hulle geloofstelsel. Hulle was ook die bes opgevoede mense in die samelewing. Tog het hulle Jesus en die waarheid wat Hy gedeel het om elke hoek en draai weerstaan. Hoekom? As gevolg van drie baie algemene redes: 1) Trots. ‘As wat Jesus sê reg is, beteken dit ons is verkeerd.’ 2) Sekuriteit. ‘As ons sy leerstellings aanvaar, wat gaan dan van ons reputasie en inkomste word? 3) Tradisie. ‘Ons glo en dink al vir generasies op hierdie manier.’
Kan jy sien hoe dit dalk op jou lewe van toepassing mag wees? Geestelike groei verg twee dinge: ‘n honger na die waarheid en die nederigheid om te erken dat jy nog baie het om te leer. Dit is twee kwaliteite wat God altyd sal eer: ‘Hy lei die nederiges op die regte weg, en vir dié wat beskeie is, leer Hy sy pad’ (Psalm 25:9 NLV). Wees dus altyd oopkop.
Sielskos: 2 Kro 32-34; Luk 18:1-17; Ps 119:145-160; Spr 22:14-16
Proverbs 24:32 NKJV
King Solomon is considered one of the wisest men who ever lived. He wrote three books in the Bible and is quoted regularly. And he was a lifetime learner and seeker of truth. “When I saw it, I considered it well; I looked on it and received instruction.” Note the words “I considered it well.” That should be your fixed attitude in life.
God’s plan for you is to keep learning, changing, growing, and maturing until you draw your last breath. And that means always being open-minded. Consider the Pharisees. They were 100 percent committed to their belief system. They were also the best-educated people in society. Yet they resisted Jesus and the truth He shared at every turn. Why? For three very common reasons: (1) Pride: “If what Jesus says is right, that makes us wrong.” (2) Security: “If we accept what He is teaching, what will happen to our reputation and our income?” (3) Tradition: “We have believed and done things this way for generations.”
Can you see where we’re going with this line of thought? And can you see how it may apply to your life? One pastor said, “It’s good to be saved and sanctified, as long as you are not saved, sanctified, and stuck!” Spiritual growth requires two things: a hunger for truth, and the humility to acknowledge that you still have more to learn. Those are two qualities that God always honors: “The humble He guides in justice, and the humble He teaches His way” (Psalm 25:9 NKJV). So always be open-minded.
Soul food: 2 Chr 32-34; Luke 18:1-17; Ps 119:145-160; Prov 22:14-16
2024-08-28
1 Corinthians 1:27 NKJV
Answer: Because the only kind of people God has to work with are weak people! Moses’ relationship with God is described in these remarkable words: “The Lord spoke to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend” (Exodus 33:11 NKJV). So, was Moses perfect? Far from it. He spent the first forty years of his life as a prince in Pharaoh’s palace, and the next forty years as a shepherd living in the wilderness. The Bible speaks about the strains in his marriage and his times of stress and despair.
In The Ten Commandments movie, Moses is played by actor Charlton Heston, who was tall, handsome, and articulate. But Moses was actually a weak, bashful stammerer who couldn’t put two words together without verbally tripping over himself, much less speak in the courts of the most feared dictator on earth. The Bible refers to the Israelites as a “congregation” which made Moses a pastor. And no pastor had more trouble with a congregation than he did.
You say, “Why bring up Moses’ shortcomings?” To encourage you! To let you know that your flaws don’t disqualify you and your limitations don’t limit what God can do through you. Paul writes: “For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty… that no flesh should glory in His presence” (1 Corinthians 1:26-27, 29 NKJV).
Soul food: 2 Chr 29-31; Luke 17:20-37; Ps 119:137-144; Prov 22:11-13
