2022-03-22
Efesiërs 1:11 NLV
God sê: ‘Ek is die Alfa en die Omega, die Eerste en die Laaste, die Begin en die Einde’ (Openbaring 22:13 NLV). God bepaal die eindresultaat wat Hy wil hê en begin dan by die begin en werk dan daarnatoe. Josef het ontdek dat selfs wanneer jou familie teen jou draai, God se plan steeds in werking is. Toe hy daarop terugkyk, het Josef gesê: ‘Wat my betref, het God die kwaad wat julle gedoen het, omgekeer in iets wat goed is…’ (Genesis 50:20 NLV). Moet egter nie ‘goed’ met ‘gemaklik’ verwar nie. Wanneer God jou korrigeer en jou lei, voel dit nie altyd goed nie. Dit is egter goed! Dawid het gesê: ‘Die lyding was goed vir my, want toe het ek u voorskrifte geleer’ (Psalm 119:71 NLV).
Indien jy nie seker is van God se plan nie, soek Hom totdat Hy dit vir jou wys. Ander dinge mag dalk dringender lyk, maar niks is belangriker nie. As jy reeds God se plan ken, kan jy seker wees dat geen menslike optrede dit kan kanselleer nie. Die Psalmdigter het geskryf: ‘Here, U sal u doel met my bereik, want u troue liefde, Here, ken geen einde nie…’ (Psalm 138:8 NLV). Daar is geen situasie wat Satan kan uitdink waarvoor God nie reeds vir ‘n uitweg gesorg het nie.
Paulus stel ons gerus: ‘…God is getrou. Hy sal keer dat die versoeking te sterk vir julle word. Midde-in die versoeking sal Hy vir ‘n uitweg sorg sodat julle kan volhou’ (1 Korintiërs 10:13 NLV). Dis in die tye wat jy getoets word, wat jy ontdek dat God getrou is. Hy sal jou strek, maar nooit verder as jou breekpunt nie. Sy plan vir jou is om sterker en gereed vir dit wat volgende op sy agenda is, uit hierdie ervaring te kom.
Sielskos: Job 15-17; Luk 19:1-10; Ps 13; Spr 8:14-16
Ephesians 1:11 CEV
God said, “I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end” (Revelation 22:13 CEV). God determines the end result He wants, then starts at the beginning and works toward it. He “always does what he plans.”
Joseph discovered that even when your family turns against you, God’s plan is still in effect. Looking back, he said, “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good” (Genesis 50:20 NIV). But don’t confuse “good” with “comfortable.” When God corrects or redirects you, it doesn’t always feel good. But it is good! David said, “When you corrected me, it did me good because it taught me” (Psalm 119:71 CEV).
If you’re not sure of God’s plan, seek Him until He shows it to you. Other things may seem more urgent, but nothing is more important. And if you already know God’s plan, rest assured that no human action can cancel it. The psalmist wrote, “The Lord will vindicate me; your love… endures forever” (Psalm 138:8 NIV).
There is no situation Satan can devise for which God hasn’t already made “the way of escape” (1Co 10:13 NKJV). Paul reassures us: “God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted [tested] beyond what you are able, but with the temptation [testing] will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it” (v. 13 NKJV). It’s in your times of testing that you discover “God is faithful.” He will stretch you, but never beyond your breaking point. His plan is for you to come out of this experience stronger and ready for what’s next on His agenda.
Soul food: Job 15-17; Luke 19:1-10; Ps 13; Pro 8:14-16
Ephesians 1:11 CEV
God said, ‘I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end’ (Revelation 22:13 CEV). God determines the end result He wants, then starts at the beginning and works towards it. He ‘always does what he plans’. Joseph discovered that even when your family turns against you, God’s plan is still in effect. Looking back, he said, ‘You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good’ (Genesis 50:20 NIV). But don’t confuse ‘good’ with ‘comfortable’. When God corrects or redirects you, it doesn’t always feel good. But it is good! David said, ‘When you corrected me, it did me good because it taught me’ (Psalm 119:71 CEV).
If you’re not sure of God’s plan, seek Him until He shows it to you. Other things may seem more urgent, but nothing is more important. And if you already know God’s plan, be assured that no human action can cancel it. The psalmist wrote, ‘The LORD will vindicate me; your love… endures forever’ (Psalm 138:8 NIV).
God has already made ‘the way of escape’ (1 Corinthians 10:13 NKJV) for every situation that Satan can come up with to push us off course. Paul reassures us: ‘God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it’ (v.13 NKJV). It’s in the times of testing that we discover ‘God is faithful’. He’ll stretch us, but never beyond our breaking point. His plan is for us to come out of the experience stronger and ready for what’s next in His plan.
Job 15-17; Luke 19:1-10; Ps 13; Pro 8:14-16
2022-03-21
Luke 6:37 NLT
Once you understand that parents aren’t always capable of giving their kids what they didn’t get themselves – namely love, nurturing, acceptance, and physical affection – it becomes easier to forgive them.
Author Stormie Omartian says: “Sometimes what one parent didn’t do hurts as bad as what the abusing one did. A parent’s uninvolvement or unwillingness to step in and rescue you feels like a betrayal. Unforgiveness for that uninvolved parent is more difficult to recognize but is more common than we think. Ask God to show you any unforgiveness towards a parent who didn’t come to your rescue. If it’s there, you have to deal honestly with your feelings… We can’t go back in time and get someone to hold and nurture us, and we mustn’t demand it from a spouse or friends because they can’t do it. It [must] come from our heavenly Father… The first step… is to receive [His] forgiveness and let its reality penetrate the deepest part of our being. When we realize how much we have been forgiven… we have no right to pass judgment on… another. Being forgiven and released from everything we’ve ever done is such a miraculous gift, how could we refuse to obey God when He asks us to forgive others? Forgiveness is a two-way street. God forgives you, and you forgive others… We base our decision not on what we feel like doing but on what we know is right.”
Jesus said, “Do not judge…and you will not be judged… Forgive… and you will be forgiven” (v. 37 NLT). Choosing to forgive and not let somebody else’s sin dictate how you feel and what you do frees you to live in peace.
Soul food: Job 11-14; Luke 18:31-43; Ps 116:12-19; Pro 8:10-13
Luke 9:62 NIV
Whatever has happened in our past, it doesn’t automatically determine our future. Here are some things to remember to help us keep moving forward: 1) Focus on what’s ahead. We can use what we’ve learned from our past experiences, good and bad, to help us as we move forward. But if we keep looking back at the past, we’ll miss all the amazing things that God’s putting in our future. Our past isn’t where we’re heading; we need to stay focused on what’s ahead.
2) Stop looking for easy answers. Life is hard, and being a Christian certainly doesn’t promise us a trouble-free life. In fact, when we’re following God’s plan, the devil might try even harder to stop us. But what we are promised is a God who is bigger than any problem we’ll ever have to face, and who will not leave us to face things alone.
3) Stay on your path – not everybody will go with you. We shouldn’t let anyone hold us back from following the plan that God has for us. Following God’s path might mean leaving friends behind, but even though that’s hard, we can be sure that God’s plans are the best, and He has amazing things lined up for us if we choose to trust Him and follow His guidance.
4) Believe in yourself – God does! People might try to criticise us and put us down, but God knows our potential, and if we’re willing to trust Him and work hard, He’ll help us fulfil it. He gave each of us a specific purpose, and He doesn’t make mistakes. If He’s called us, He’ll give us everything we need to achieve that calling.
Job 11-14; Luke 18:31-43; Ps 116:12-19; Pro 8:10-13
