2026-07-30
Matthew 5:21-22 NKJV
Around the turn of the nineteenth century, a Russian physician named Ivan Pavlov won a Nobel Prize for his experiments with dogs. All of them had one thing in common – they salivated around food. But Pavlov wanted to find out if salivation could be caused by another stimulus, so he conditioned the dogs by ringing a bell before feeding them. Eventually the dinner bell caused salivation, even if the food wasn’t served. Pavlov referred to this learned relationship as a conditioned reflex.
We have all been consciously or subconsciously conditioned our entire lives. Much of our behaviour was dictated by those conditioned reflexes. Some conditioned reflexes are as normal and natural as a blush. Others are as destructive as drinking to drown your sorrows. But conscious or subconscious, harmless or harmful, one thing is certain: we are far more conditioned than we realize.
And one dimension of our spiritual growth is being reconditioned by the grace of God. Jesus said, “You have heard that it was said… But I say to you.” Jesus uses this couplet repeatedly. What was He doing? He was uninstalling Old Testament applications and reinstalling New Testament truths. It was no longer “An eye for an eye.” Jesus upgraded it to “Turn to them the other cheek,” which required reconditioned reflexes (See Matthew 5:38-39 NIV).
Sometimes it’s much easier to act like a Christian than to react like one. How does this change in our reactions take place? By the Holy Spirit. “We are being changed to be like him [Jesus]. This change… comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit” (2 Corinthians 3:18 NCV).
Soul food: 1 Chr 4:24-5:26; Mark 1:35-45; Ps 78:17-31; Pro 19:27-29
Matteus 5:21-22 NLV
Aan die einde van die negentiende eeu het ‘n Russiese dokter genaamd Ivan Pavlov ‘n Nobelprys vir sy eksperimente met honde ontvang. Hierdie honde het almal een ding in gemeen gehad – hulle het speeksel rondom kos afgeskei. Pavlov wou egter uitvind of hierdie speekselafskeiding deur ‘n ander stimulus veroorsaak kon word, daarom het hy die honde gekondisioneer deur ‘n klokkie te lui wanneer hy hulle kos gegee het. Uiteindelik het die honde begin speeksel afskei sodra hulle die klokkie hoor lui het, of hulle kos gekry het of nie. Pavlov het na hierdie aangeleerde optrede as ‘n gekondisioneerde refleks verwys.
Ons word almal, bewustelik of onbewustelik, ons hele lewe lank gekondisioneer. Baie van ons gedrag word deur hierdie gekondisioneerde reflekse bepaal. Sommige gekondisioneerde reflekse is so normaal en natuurlik soos om te bloos. Ander is so vernietigend soos om te drink om jou hartseer te vergeet. Bewustelik of onbewustelik, onskadelik of skadelik, is een ding egter seker: ons is baie meer gekondisioneer as wat ons besef.
Ons geestelike groei word egter deur God se genade geherkondisioneer. Jesus het gesê: ‘Julle het gehoor dat vir ons voorouers gesê is… Maar Ek sê vir julle…’ Jesus gebruik hierdie uitdrukking herhaaldelik. Wat het Hy daarmee bedoel? Hy het daarmee Ou Testamentiese toepassings verwyder en dit met Nuwe Testamentiese waarhede vervang. Dit was nie meer: “‘n Oog vir ‘n oog,” nie. Jesus het dit met: ‘Draai die ander wang,’ vervang (sien Matteus 5:38-39 NLV).
Soms is dit baie makliker om soos ‘n Christen op te tree as om soos een te reageer. Hoe verander ons dus ons gekondisioneerde reaksies? Deur die Heilige Gees. ‘…Ons word al hoe meer verander om soos die Here te lyk, met ‘n heerlikheid wat steeds toeneem namate die Here, dit is die Gees, dit aan ons gee’ (2 Korintiërs 3:18 NLV).
Sielskos: 1 Kro 4:24-5:26; Mark 1:35-45; Ps 78:17-31; Spr 19:27-29
2026-07-29
Matteus 12:15 NLV
Wonder jy of Jesus gewillig is om jou te genees? Kom ons kyk na die bediening van Jesus Christus, wat die Bybel beskryf as ‘…steeds dieselfde [is] – gister, vandag en vir altyd!’ (Hebreërs 13:8 NLV). Dit beteken dat as Hy dit voorheen gedoen het, Hy dit weer sal doen. Soos jy oor die vele genesings en wonderwerke wat Jesus voortdurend verrig het lees, sal dit jou geloof laat groei en jou verwagting laat styg. ‘Die geloof volg uit die aanhoor van die boodskap. En die aanhoor van die boodskap volg uit die prediking van die Goeie Nuus wat handel oor Christus’ (Romeine 10:17).
Regdeur die evangelies het mense met verskeie siektes na Jesus vir genesing gegaan. Sommige was op die rand van die dood en sommige was eintlik reeds dood. Daar was mense met sterk geloof en ander wat gesukkel het om te glo. Die sleutels tot elk van hierdie wonderwerke was:
1) Diegene wat siek was, het seker gemaak dat hulle in die teenwoordigheid van Jesus kom;
2) Hulle het sy Woord gewillig ontvang en daarop gereageer.
Lees oor sommige van die wonderwerke wat Jesus verrig het:
1) Simon se skoonmoeder is van koors genees (sien Matteus 8:14-15);
2) Die opstanding van Jaïrus se dogter (sien Markus 5:21-24, 35-43);
3) Genesing van die vrou met bloedvloeiing (sien Markus 5:25-34);
4) ‘n Dowe man is genees (sien Markus 7:32-37);
5) ‘n Afgesnyde oor is herstel (sien Lukas 22:47-51);
6) ‘n Blinde man kon weer sien (sien Johannes 9:1-41).
Jesus het nooit vir ‘n hulpgeroep en genesing nee gesê nie: ‘…’n Groot skare het agter Hom aan gekom. Hy het al die siekes onder hulle gesond gemaak’ (Matteus 12:15). Wat Hy vir hulle gedoen het, kan Hy vir jou ook doen, wanneer jy bid en sy Woord glo.
Sielskos: 1 Kro 3:1-4:23; Mark 1:21-34; Ps 78:9-16; Spr 19:24-26
Matthew 12:15 KJV
Do you find yourself wondering if Jesus is willing to heal you? Let’s look at the ministry of Jesus Christ, whom the Bible says is “the same yesterday, today, and forever” (Hebrews 13:8 NKJV). That means if He did it before, He will do it again. As you read about the many healings and miracles Jesus performed on a continual basis, it will cause your faith to grow and your expectation to rise. “Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Romans 10:17 KJV).
Throughout the gospels, people with various sicknesses went to Jesus for healing. Some were near death, and some were actually dead. There were people with strong faith, and others who struggled to believe. All the people Jesus healed were unsaved, as Jesus had not yet purchased salvation on the cross. The keys to every one of these miracles are:
(1) Those who were sick made sure they were in the presence of Jesus;
(2) They willingly received His word and acted on it.
Read about some of the miracles Jesus performed:
(1) Simon’s mother-in-law healed of a fever (see Matthew 8:14-15);
(2) The resurrection of Jairus’s daughter (see Mark 5:21-24, 35-43);
(3) Healing of the woman with the issue of blood (see Mark 5:25-34);
(4) A deaf man healed (see Mark 7:32-37);
(5) A severed ear restored (see Luke 22:47-51);
(6) A blind man healed (see John 9:1-41).
Jesus never said no to a cry for help and healing: “Great multitudes followed him, and he healed them all” (Matthew 12:15 KJV). And what He did for them, He can do for you if you pray and believe His Word.
Soul food: 1 Chr 3:1-4:23; Mark 1:21-34; Ps 78:9-16; Pro 19:24-26
2026-07-28
Ephesians 2:10 NLT
A farmer once caught a young eagle in the forest, brought it home, and raised it among his chickens and turkeys. Five years later, a naturalist came to visit him and saw the bird. “That’s an eagle, not a chicken!” he said. “Yes,” said the farmer, “but I’ve raised it to be a chicken.” The naturalist said, “It has a wingspan of fifteen feet. It’s an eagle!” The farmer said, “But it will never fly.” The naturalist disagreed, and they decided to put their argument to the test.
First, the naturalist picked up the eagle and said, “Thou art an eagle; thou dost belong in the sky and not to this earth; stretch forth thy wings and fly.” The eagle saw the chickens and jumped down. The next day, the naturalist took the eagle to the top of the house, said the same thing, and let the eagle go. Again, it spotted the chickens below and fluttered down to join them in feeding.
“One more try,” said the naturalist. He took the eagle up a mountain. The trembling bird looked around, and then the naturalist made it look into the sun. As he spoke its true identity once more, suddenly the eagle stretched out its wings, gave a mighty screech, and flew away, never to return.
You must know who God created and called you to be. And that takes place in the right environment, the right company, and with the right input – God’s input! “He has created us anew in Christ Jesus… [to] do the good things He planned for us.”
Soul food: 1 Chr 1-2; Mark 1:9-20; Ps 78:1-8; Pro 19:21-23
