2023-07-25
Proverbs 22:6 NLT
When your child begins to toddle and talk, plant God’s Word deep in their heart. That doesn’t guarantee they won’t go astray. Many of us got it wrong before we finally got it right. Just make sure they know where “the right path” is.
Picture a salmon being spawned in a hatchery in Northern California, released into a channel which leads to a creek, the creek to a river, and the river to the Pacific Ocean. The salmon swims for thousands of miles. Then, as if by command, it begins the long journey back to its place of spawning. And it not only locates the spot where it entered the ocean, but the river, the creek, and the exact inlet from which it had been released. In one documented story, a salmon worked its way up through a drain and pushed through a hefty, screened lid atop a three-foot vertical pipe, and ended up in the same tank where it was hatched. Unique markings on its fin confirmed this.
“Direct your children onto the right path, and when they are older, they will not leave it.” That Scripture means, give your children a taste of the things of God when they’re young, and when they grow older, the world won’t satisfy their taste and they will return to their spiritual roots. Faithfully do your part, and trust God to do His. Your part now is to instruct, love, and pray for them. God’s part is to draw them back. And He will, for He loves them even more than you do!
Soul food: Acts 16-17; Matt 27:45-56; Ps 1; Prov 16:10-15
2023-07-24
Galasiërs 5:13 NLV
Voel jy dat die wêreld jou iets skuld? Ons neem aan dat mense ons iets skuld as gevolg van die posisie wat ons in hulle lewens vervul: vrou, man, moeder, dogter, vriend, pastoor, donateur, werknemer, baas ens. Ons dink dat ons posisie ons die reg gee tot watter verwagte voordeel ook al. Paulus beskryf die kern van dissipelskap met die volgende woorde: ‘…julle is geroep om in vryheid te leef… gebruik dit om mekaar met liefde te dien.’ As jy ‘n houding van geregtigheid het, is hier ‘n paar strategieë om dit te oorkom:
1) Verstaan die verskil tussen jou ‘regte’ en jou ‘begeertes.’ Jy het die reg om te verwag dat jou man of vrou getrou aan jou moet wees, maar jy het nie die reg om te verwag dat hulle jou hand en voet moet bedien nie. ‘God het die mensewêreld so liefgehad dat Hy se enigste Seun gegee het…’ (Johannes 3:16 NLV). Ware liefde word gekenmerk deur te gee, nie deur te neem nie.
2) Lewe volgens die Goue Reël (sien Matteus 7:12). Jesus het gesê dat alles wat jy wil hê ander vir jou moet doen, jy die inisiatief moet neem en dit vir hulle begin doen. Jy sê: ‘Maar wat as hulle nie die guns teruggee nie?’ God sal jou in elk geval daarvoor beloon! ‘…Hy sal nie vergeet hoe hard julle vir Hom gewerk het nie: hoe julle julle liefde vir Hom betuig het deurdat julle julle mede-Christene gedien het en dit nog steeds doen nie’ (Hebreërs 6:10 NLV).
3) Moet nooit aanvaar dat ‘n persoon se vorige vriendelikheid ‘n voortdurende verpligting teenoor jou skep nie. God mag dalk ander mense gebruik om jou te seën, maar Hy moet altyd die bron wees op wie jy vertrou om aan jou behoeftes te voldoen (sien Jakobus 1:17).
Sielskos: Hand 14-15; Matt 27:33-44; Ps 65; Spr 16:8-9
Galatians 5:13 KJV
Do you have an “I-O-YOU” attitude or a “U-O-ME” attitude? What gives us an attitude of entitlement? It’s found in the middle of the word entitlement itself: “title.” We assume people owe us because of the title we hold in their lives: wife, husband, mother, brother, daughter, friend, pastor, donor, employee, boss, etc. We think of our title as a title deed that gives us the right to whatever advantage we expect. Paul described the essence of discipleship in these words: “By love serve one another.” If you have an attitude of entitlement, here are some strategies to help you overcome it:
(1) Understand the difference between your “rights” and your “desires.” You have the right to expect your husband or wife to be faithful to you, but you don’t have the right to expect them to wait on you hand and foot. “For God so loved… that he gave” (John 3:16 KJV). True love is marked by giving, not taking.
(2) Live by the Golden Rule (See Matthew 7:12). Jesus said that whatever you want others to do for you, take the initiative and begin doing it for them. You say, “But what if they don’t return the favour?” God will reward you anyway! “He will not forget how hard you have worked for him and how you have shown your love to him by caring for other believers, as you still do” (Hebrews 6:10 NLT).
(3) Never assume that a person’s past kindness creates an ongoing obligation to you. God may use others to bless you, but He alone must always be the source you trust to meet your needs (See James 1:17).
Soul food: Acts 14-15; Matt 27:33-44; Ps 65; Prov 16:8-9
2023-07-23
Spreuke 13:7 NLV
Die Bybel sê: ‘Sommige mense gee voor hulle is ryk, maar hulle het eintlik niks nie. Ander maak of hulle arm is, maar intussen besit hulle baie’ (vers 7 NLV). Dis ‘n seën om die goed te hê wat geld kan koop, solank as wat jy dit wat geld nie kan koop nie, nie uit die oog verloor nie. Geld kan enigiets koop wat te kope is. Die grootste dinge in die lewe, soos jou gesondheid en jou verhoudings, kan egter nie met geld gekoop word nie.
Jy kan dit wat die Bybel oor geld sê met die volgende drie stellings opsom:
1) Wie jy is, is belangriker as wat jy besit. ‘Dit is beter om arm te wees en eerbaar te lewe as om oneerlik te lewe en ryk te wees’ (Spreuke 28:6 NLV).
2) Wat God in jou sien, is belangriker as wat jy besit. ‘Dit is baie beter om min te hê en ook respek vir die Here, as om groot rykdom te besit met die onrus daarmee saam’ (Spreuke 15:16 NLV).
3) Wat ander van jou dink, is belangriker as wat jy besit. ‘Soek eerder na ‘n goeie naam as na groot rykdom. Hoë aansien is beter as silwer of goud’ (Spreuke 22:1 NLV).
Moenie probeer om tred te hou met die bure nie. Die bure mag dalk een stappie weg van bankrotskap of die skeihof wees. Die waarheid is dat jy nooit gelukkig sal wees met wat jy het, totdat jy leer om gelukkig te wees met dit wat ander mense het en jy nie het nie. Die Bybel sê vir ons dat hebsug ‘n sonde is. En hebsug is eenvoudig om nie te geniet wat God vir jou gegee het nie!
Sielskos: 2 Kon 20:1-11; Heb 8:7-13
Proverbs 13:7 NKJV
The Bible says, “There is one who makes himself rich, yet has nothing; and one who makes himself poor, yet has great riches” (v. 7 NKJV). It’s a blessing to have the things money can buy, as long as you don’t lose sight of the things it can’t buy. Money can buy whatever is for sale. But the greatest things in life, like your health and your relationships, can’t be bought because they’re not for sale. You could sum up much of what the Bible has to say about money with these three bottom-line statements:
(1) What you are is more crucial than what you have. “Better is the poor who walks in his integrity than one perverse in his ways, though he be rich” (Proverbs 28:6 NKJV).
(2) What God sees in you is more crucial than what you have. “Better is a little with the fear of the Lord, than great treasure with trouble” (Proverbs 15:16 NKJV).
(3) What others think of you is more crucial than what you have. “A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, loving favour rather than silver and gold” (Proverbs 22:1 NKJV).
Don’t worry about “keeping up with the Joneses.” The Joneses might be one step from bankruptcy or the divorce court. Furthermore, if you did catch up with the Joneses, they would just refinance. The truth is, you will never be happy with what you have until you learn to be happy with what others have – that you don’t have. The Bible tells us covetousness is a sin. And covetousness is simply failing to enjoy what God has given you!
Soul food: 2 Kings 20:1-11; Heb 8:7-13
