2024-03-08
Romans 12:10 NKJV
Do you get upset when you cannot control others? Or moody and irritated when people don’t do what you want? Do you react when your mistakes are pointed out? Or try to force people to comply with your demands? Do you exaggerate your pain, sickness, or need in order to gain attention or sympathy? Or criticize the opinions and choices of others, and position yourself as superior? Do you become angry and abusive when someone disagrees with you or challenges your authority? Are you reluctant to compliment others, but quick to try and fix something you think is wrong in them? Do you find it hard to say, “I need you”? Do you try to drive a wedge between your loved ones and anyone else who gets close to them? Do you “give orders” to those you interact with, rather than using the simple courtesies of “please” and “thank you”?
If your answer to these questions is yes, then the word for you today is – don’t be so controlling! The Bible says, “Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honour giving preference to one another” (v. 10 NKJV). That means stopping to consider how your behavior affects other people. You say, “But I just happen to have a strong personality.” Sorry, that doesn’t let you off the hook! “A servant of the Lord must… be gentle to all” (2 Timothy 2:24 NKJV).
So if you’re a controller, start changing your ways! And if you’re allowing yourself to be controlled because you fear anger and rejection, it’s time to draw a line in the sand. When the controller realizes you will no longer permit it, they will stop doing it.
Soul food: Rev 15-18; Matt 21:33-46; Ps 136:13-26; Prov 6:32-35
2024-03-07
Spreuke 22:7 NLV
Dis nie toevallig dat hierdie twee Skrifgedeeltes op mekaar volg nie: ‘Leer ‘n jongmens om die regte pad te kies, en wanneer hy eendag oud is, sal hy nie daarvan afwyk nie. Soos rykes oor armes heers, so is die man wat geld leen; Hy is die slaaf van die man by wie hy leen’ (verse 6-7 NLV). Dis in die haak om geld vir jou kind se studies, ‘n bekostigbare huis en ‘n betroubare kar te leen. Andersins, tensy jy vir iets kan betaal – leer om te wag!
Jesus het gesê: ‘…As enigeen van julle my dissipel wil word, moet jy jou selfsugtige ambisie aflê, elke dag jou kruis opneem en My volg’ (Lukas 9:23 NLV). Ons is nie baie goed daarmee om onsself die dinge wat ons wil hê, te ontsê nie. Tensy jy egter wil hê dat jou kinders jou skuld moet erf, self met skuld moet opeindig en die beginsel van onmiddellike bevrediging aan hulle kinders moet oordra, moet jy nou die siklus breek.
Kom uit die skuld en bly daaruit! Sê: ‘Here, ek gaan nie meer verskonings maak nie. Ek neem verantwoordelikheid vir die gemors waarin ek myself bevind. Ek het te veel spandeer, u beginsels van goeie rentmeesterskap geïgnoreer en ek het berou. Gee my die moed om my skuld in die gesig te staar en ‘n eerlike opname te maak van waar ek staan. Moet my nie toelaat om in ontkenning te leef nie. U het ons gewaarsku om nie onkundig oor Satan se taktieke te wees nie (sien 2 Korintiërs 2:11 NLV). Hy probeer my in finansiële slawerny hou. Help my om op te hou om bykomende skuld te maak. Verlos my van emosionele besteding. Asseblief, help my om uit die skuld te kom. In Jesus se Naam bid ek dit. Amen.’
Sielskos: Op 10-14; Matt 21:18-32; Ps 136:1-12; Spr 6:30-31
Proverbs 22:7 NIV
It’s not by accident that these two Scriptures are back-to-back: “Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it. The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is slave to the lender” (vv. 6-7 NIV). Your child’s college education, an affordable home, and a reliable car are okay to borrow money for. Otherwise, unless you can pay for something – learn to wait!
Jesus said, “If any man would be my disciple, he must deny himself” (See Luke 9:23). We’re not very good at denying ourselves the things we want. But unless you want your kids to inherit your debt, end up getting into debt themselves, and passing the principle of instant gratification on to their children, break the cycle now. Get out of debt and stay out of debt!
Say: “Lord, I’m through making excuses. I take responsibility for the mess I’m in. I gave in to my impulses, overspent, ignored your principles of good stewardship, and I repent. Give me the courage to face my debts and take an honest look at where I stand. Don’t let me live in denial. You warned us not to be ignorant of Satan’s tactics (See 2 Corinthians 2:11). He is attempting to keep me in financial bondage, and as a result, I am unable to respond when it’s time to sow and finance your work. Direct me to a trustworthy source that can help me develop a debt-eliminating strategy. Help me to stop making additional credit charges. Deliver me from emotional spending. Please, help me to get out of debt. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.”
Soul food: Rev 10-14; Matt 21:18-32; Ps 136:1-12; Prov 6:30-31
2024-03-06
Johannes 15:5 NLV
Selfhelp boeke en motiveringsprekers is soos rasieleiers wat op die kantlyn staan en skree: ‘Jy kan dit doen!’ Hulle kan behulpsaam wees, maar as die ‘jy kan dit doen’ filosofie altyd waar was, sou ons nie vir God nodig gehad het nie. Paulus het dit verstaan. Dis hoekom hy geskryf het: ‘Ek kan onder alle omstandighede regkom deur Hom wat my krag gee’ (Filippense 4:13 NLV).
Om die wil van God te ontdek, verg geloof in die onmoontlike en ‘n kinderlike afhanklikheid van Hom. Die Bybel is vol mans en vrouens wat hul roeping in die perfekte wil van God ontdek het, deur dinge te doen wat gewoonlik onmoontlik op hul eie sou wees. Byvoorbeeld:
1) Noag en sy onmoontlike projek. Noag is opdrag gegee om ‘n skip die grootte van ‘n vliegdekskip – met die hand en op land – te bou!
2) Abraham en sy onmoontlike belofte. God het vir hom toe hy negentig jaar oud was gesê dat sy kinders so baie soos die sterre aan die hemelruim en die sand van die see sou wees.
3) Maria en haar onmoontlike swangerskap. Verbeel jouself jy moet vir jou verloofde sê: ‘Ek is swanger en die baba se vader is die Heilige Gees.’
God het nog altyd gewone mense gekies om ongewone dinge te doen. Elkeen van hulle was geroepe om deel van iets groters as sy- of haarself te wees. As gevolg van hulle gewilligheid om aan God oor te gee en toe te laat dat sy doelwitte in hulle geopenbaar en deur hulle vervul word, het Hy hulle op wonderbaarlike wyses gebruik. God vind behae daarin om dinge deur ons te doen wat slegs Hy kan doen, sodat Hy op die ou einde al die glorie, eer en lofprysing ontvang.
Sielskos: Op 5-9; Matt 21:1-17; Ps 77; Spr 6:29
John 15:5 NKJV
Self-help books and motivational speakers are like cheerleaders standing on the sidelines shouting, “You can do it!” They can be helpful, but if the “you can do it” philosophy always held true, we wouldn’t need God. Paul understood this. That’s why he wrote, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13 NKJV).
Discovering the will of God requires faith for the impossible and a childlike dependence on Him. The Bible is full of men and women who discovered their destiny in the perfect will of God by doing things that would ordinarily have been impossible to do on their own. For example:
(1) Noah and his impossible project. Noah was commissioned to build a ship the size of an aircraft carrier – by hand – and on land!
(2) Abraham and his impossible promise. At ninety, after years of trying unsuccessfully to be a father, God told him his children would be as numerous as the stars in the sky and the sands of the sea.
(3) Mary and her impossible pregnancy. Imagine telling your husband to be, “I’m pregnant, and the baby’s father is the Holy Spirit.”
God has always chosen ordinary people to do extraordinary things – and they all had something in common. Every one of them was called to be part of something bigger than himself or herself. And because of their willingness to yield to God and allow His purposes to be revealed in them and fulfilled through them, He used them in amazing ways. God takes pleasure in doing things through us that only He can do, so that in the end, He will receive all the glory, honour, and praise.
Soul food: Rev 5-9; Matt 21:1-17; Ps 77; Prov 6:29
