2022-03-17
Romeine 12:1 ABA
Paulus skryf: ‘Vriende, God is baie goed vir julle… Julle moet self offers wees vir Hom… Dan sal julle dinge doen wat God wil hê julle moet doen, goeie dinge, dinge waarvan Hy hou, dinge wat heeltemal reg is’ (verse 1-2 ABA). Daar is twee maniere om God se soewereiniteit te verstaan: a) deur sy inisiatief, en b) deur ons reaksie.
In wese sê Paulus die volgende: 1) Weerstaan die druk van ‘n wêreldsisteem wat jou in die verkeerde rigting trek. 2) Vernuwe jou gedagtes elke dag deur gebed en deur God se Woord te lees. 3) Herken sy wil vir jou lewe en lewe daarvolgens. Paulus hou egter nie daar op nie. Hy skryf: ‘Julle moet waarlik lief wees vir mekaar. Julle moet slegte dinge haat en graag goeie dinge doen. Julle behoort aan Christus en aan mekaar, daarom moet julle lief wees vir mekaar. Julle moet eerste wees om ander mense te respekteer… Wanneer julle swaarkry, dan moet julle geduldig wees. Julle moet aanhou bid. Party mense wat ook aan die Here behoort, het baie min goed. Julle moet van julle goed vir hulle gee. Julle moet vriendelik wees met vreemdelinge. Wanneer mense slegte dinge aan julle doen, dan moet julle vir die Here vra om goed te wees vir hulle … Wanneer mense slegte dinge aan julle doen, dan moet julle nie ook slegte dinge aan hulle doen nie. Julle moet goeie dinge doen… Julle moet baie hard probeer om in vrede te lewe met ander mense’ (verse 9-18 ABA).
God se soewereiniteit stel ons nie van persoonlike verantwoordelikheid vry nie. Dit beteken nie dat ons belangstelling in aktuele sake of ingeligte besluite moet verloor nie. God verwag steeds van ons om na uitnemendheid te strewe en besorg te wees oor ‘n verlore wêreld.
Sielskos: Job 1-4; Luk 17:20-37; Ps 11; Spr 8:4-5
Romans 12:1 CEV
Paul writes, “God is good. So… offer your bodies to him as a living sacrifice… Then you will know how to do everything that is good and pleasing to him” (vv. 1-2 CEV). There are two ways to understand God’s sovereignty: (a) through His initiative, and (b) through our response. In essence, Paul is saying this: (1) Resist the pressures of a world system that pulls you in the wrong direction. (2) Renew your mind every day through prayer and reading God’s Word. (3) Recognize His will for you and live accordingly.
But Paul doesn’t stop there. He writes: “Hate everything that is evil and hold tight to everything that is good. Love each other as brothers and sisters and honor others more than you do yourself. Never give up. Eagerly follow the Holy Spirit and serve the Lord. Let your hope make you glad. Be patient in time of trouble and never stop praying. Take care of… needy people… Ask God to bless everyone who mistreats you… When others are happy, be happy with them, and when they are sad, be sad. Be friendly with everyone. Don’t be proud and feel that you are smarter than others. Make friends with ordinary people. Don’t mistreat someone who has mistreated you. But try to earn the respect of others, and do your best to live at peace with everyone” (vv. 9-18 CEV).
God’s sovereignty doesn’t release us from personal responsibility. It doesn’t mean we should lose interest in current affairs or in making informed decisions. God still expects us to strive for excellence and show concern for a lost world. Acknowledging God’s sovereignty sets you free from playing God and enables you to enjoy walking with Him.
Soul food: Job 1-4; Luke 17:20-37; Ps 11; Pro 8:4-5
Romans 12:1 CEV
Paul wrote, ‘God is good. So… offer your bodies to him as a living sacrifice… Then you will know how to do everything that is good and pleasing to him’ (v.1-2 CEV). What Paul’s saying is this: 1) Resist the pressures of a world system that tries to pull you in the wrong direction. 2) Renew your mind every day through prayer and reading God’s Word. 3) Recognise His will for you and live accordingly.
But Paul doesn’t stop there. He continues: ‘Hate everything that is evil and hold tight to everything that is good. Love each other as brothers and sisters and honour others more than you do yourself. Never give up. Eagerly follow the Holy Spirit and serve the Lord. Let your hope make you glad. Be patient in time of trouble and never stop praying. Take care of… needy people… Ask God to bless everyone who mistreats you… When others are happy, be happy with them, and when they are sad, be sad. Be friendly with everyone. Don’t be proud and feel that you are smarter than others. Make friends with ordinary people. Don’t mistreat someone who has mistreated you. But try to earn the respect of others, and do your best to live at peace with everyone’ (v.9-18 CEV).
God’s sovereignty doesn’t release us from personal responsibility. It doesn’t mean we should lose interest in the news or in making informed decisions. God still expects us to strive for excellence and show concern for a hurting world. Acknowledging God’s sovereignty sets us free from trying to do everything ourselves in our own power, and instead enables us to enjoy walking with Him.
Job 1-4; Luke 17:20-37; Ps 11; Pro 8:4-5
2022-03-16
Lukas 13:12 NLV
Hierdie vrou het godsdiens probeer, maar dit kon haar nie help nie. Sy het dokters probeer, maar hulle kon haar nie genees nie. Die mense rondom haar het gedink dat haar probleem nooit opgelos sou word nie. Sy het self so gedink! Maar nie Jesus nie. Sy belofte is: ‘Kom na My toe, julle almal wat moeg is en swaar laste moet dra, en Ek sal julle lewens verkwik’ (Matteus 11:28 NLV).
Maak nie saak hoe moeilik die lewe lyk nie, verligting is net ‘n gebed weg. Ongeag die struikelblokke wat in jou pad staan, reik uit na Jesus toe. Jy mag dalk tans ‘n buite-egtelike kind in jou arms hê, maar hou aan deurdruk na Hom toe. Jy mag dalk mishandel en gemolesteer wees en kan vir niemand daarvan vertel nie, maar moenie ophou om na Hom uit te reik nie.
Jy hoef nie vir almal jou hele verlede te vertel nie. Weet net dat Jesus jou roep. Hy ken jou verlede en Hy roep jou in elk geval. Hy sien jou nie soos jy is nie, maar soos jy sal wees wanneer sy genade in jou lewe gewerk het. Maria Magdalena mag dalk ‘n prostituut gewees het voor sy Jesus ontmoet het, maar sy het een van sy naaste dissipels geword. Matteus, wat die eerste boek van die Nuwe Testament geskryf het, was ‘n veragte tollenaar wat vir die Romeine gewerk het toe hy Jesus ontmoet het.
Jesus ondersoek nie jou verlede om te besluit wat Hy met jou toekomstige self gaan doen nie. Saul van Tarsus, die moordenaar van Christene, het Paulus die Apostel geword, die skrywer van helfte van die Nuwe Testament. Die goeie nuus is wanneer Jesus jou red, het jy nie langer ‘n verlede nie. Jy het slegs ‘n toekoms.
Sielskos: 2 Tess 1-3; Luk 17:11-19; Ps 115; Spr 8:1-3
Luke 13:12 NKJV
The woman in Luke 13 had tried religion, but it couldn’t help her. She tried doctors, but they couldn’t cure her. And the people around her thought her problem would never be solved. Even she thought that. But not Jesus. His promise is: ‘Come to Me, all you who labour and are heavy-laden and overburdened, and I will…[relieve and refresh your souls]’ (Matthew 11:28 AMPC).
We can give our burdens to Jesus and receive rest. No matter how hard life seems, relief is just a prayer away. Whatever the obstacles standing in our way, we need to reach out to Jesus. Keep pressing towards Him. Never stop reaching out for Him. We don’t have to tell everyone our whole past. We only need to know that Jesus is calling us to Him. He knows every step, every moment of our past, but He calls us anyway.
He doesn’t see us as we are, but as we will be when His grace has been at work in our lives. The Samaritan woman at the well was an outcast because of her immoral life, but she was chosen to tell many more people about Jesus (see John 4:39). Matthew, who wrote the first book of the New Testament, was a despised tax collector working for the Romans when he met Jesus. But Jesus doesn’t examine our past in order to decide what He’ll do with our future. Saul of Tarsus, the murderer of Christians, became Paul the Apostle, author of half the New Testament.
Today, focus on these words: when Jesus saves you, you no longer have a past. You only have a future.
2 Thes 1-3; Luke 17:11-19; Ps 115; Pro 8:1-3
