2023-03-05
2 Korintiërs 4:8 DB
Ons gee as gevolg van verskeie redes op: 1) Ons vrees mislukking. Ons het almal dinge in ons verlede wat ons eerder sal wil vergeet. Sit hulle agter jou. Paulus skryf: ‘…ek vergeet dit wat agter my lê, en strek my uit na dit wat voorlê’ (Filippense 3:13 NLV).
2) Ons is bekommerd oor wat mense gaan sê. ‘Jy stel vir jouself ‘n slagyster as jy vir mense bang is…’ (Spreuke 29:25 NLV). Hoe jy teenoor kritiek reageer, is een van die belangrikste besluite wat jy ooit sal maak. Daar sal altyd mense wees wat nie van jou hou of jou verstaan nie.
3) Ons luister na die verkeerde stemme. Satan is die Vader van die Leuen en hy sal alles in sy vermoë doen om jou te ontmoedig. Paulus sê: ‘…Daarmee vernietig ons die argumente, asook elke skans wat teen die kennis van God opgerig word. Ons neem ook elke gedagte gevange om dit aan Christus gehoorsaam te maak’ (2 Korintiërs 10:4-5 NLV). As ‘n gedagte van God af kom, aanvaar dit; as dit van Satan af kom, ‘vernietig’ dit.
4) Ons verloor fokus. As gelowiges, lewe ons deur te glo en nie deur te sien nie (sien 2 Korintiërs 5:7). Dit beteken dat jy elke besluit moet maak op grond van wat God sê en nie volgens wat jou natuurlike oë kan sien nie.
5) Ons verloor kontak met ander gelowiges. Toe die apostels uit die tronk gekom het, het hulle ‘…dadelik die ander gelowiges opgesoek…’ (Handelinge 4:23 NLV). Om sterk te bly, het jy gemeenskap met ander Christene nodig. Te veel mense gee op die kruin van sukses op; moenie een van hulle wees nie. Daar is net een graad verskil tussen warm water en stoom – hou dus aan en moenie eers daaraan dink om op te gee nie!
Sielskos: Matt 6:19-34; 1 Kon 8:17-40
2022-04-19
2 Corinthians 5:19 NIV
God created us to have unbroken fellowship with Him and with each other. That’s why Satan’s first scheme was to separate us from God, and from each other. Using things like pride, stubbornness, confusion, resentment, and selfishness, he drives wedges and promotes disunity. What starts out as a misunderstanding can end in angry stand-offs or toxic silences that last for hours, days, and sometimes years.
We might think that it’s nothing to do with anyone else because it doesn’t affect them, but the truth is that the fallout from a major disagreement can’t be contained. A grudge against one person can begin to infect every relationship in our lives in some way, and it’s often because the disagreement becomes the focus of our lives and we’re determined to prove we’re right and the other person is wrong at every opportunity. It’s a serious problem that needs a divine solution.
Paul wrote, ‘God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them.’ Sin destroyed our relationship with God, but He took the initiative by giving Jesus ‘as a ransom [a price paid] for many’ (Mark 10:45 NIV) in order to reconcile us to Himself. Reconciling means bringing back together what belongs together. God doesn’t count ‘people’s sins against them’, but that doesn’t mean He trivialises or ignores our sin debt.
He cancelled it at the cross and stopped holding it against us. And it didn’t end there. He made us ‘Christ’s representatives’ (2 Corinthians 5:20 MSG), calling us ‘to settle our relationships with each other’ (v.19 MSG). Sometimes that means practising humility, becoming the reconciler, taking the initiative, and ending the grudge. Are you ready to do that today?
1 Cor 4-6; Luke 24:25-35; Ps 43; Pro 10:10
2021-12-17
1 Samuel 30:8 NLT
While David and his men were off fighting, the Amalekites destroyed their homes and took their families captive. First, David’s army wept. Second, they looked to David for guidance. Third, David looked to God, saying, ‘”Should I chase after this band of raiders? Will I catch them?” And the LORD told him, “Yes, go after them. You will surely recover everything that was take from you!”‘
There are four important points we need to remember: 1) Satan will attack our loved ones to get to us. It might be big stuff like a parent losing their job or a brother or sister becoming ill; or it could be little stuff like low-grade family tension and lack of consideration for each other. We need to stay alert and discern Satan’s attacks so we can defend ourselves against them.
2) Love people but lean only on God. The people David fought side by side with were the same ones who turned against him. That’s why our strength, strategies, and solutions must come from God, not others.
3) Talk to God. ‘David found strength in the LORD his God’ (v.6 NLT). If we talk about our situation, we can become discouraged. But if we talk to God, the One who can change our situation, we’ll be encouraged. The Bible says, ‘As a tree gives fruit, healing words give life, but dishonest words crush the spirit’ (Proverbs 15:4 NCV). God’s words will strengthen and uplift us.
4) We can get back what we’ve lost. God told David, ‘Go after them. You will surely recover everything that was taken from you.’ And what God did for David and his men that day, He’ll do for each one of us if we seek Him.
Zech 1-4; John 20:10-18; Ps 57; Prov 30:24-28
1 Samuel 30:8 NKJV
While David and his men were off fighting, the Amalekites destroyed their homes and took their families captive. First, David’s army wept. Second, they looked to David for guidance. Third, David sought God, saying, “‘Shall I pursue this troop? Shall I overtake them?’ And He answered him, ‘Pursue, for you shall surely overtake them and without fail recover all.'”
Notice four important points: (1) Satan will attack your loved ones to get to you. It may be big stuff like your husband losing his job or your wife discovering a lump in her breast, or little stuff like low-grade family tension and lack of consideration for each other. You need to stay alert and discern Satan’s attacks so you can defend yourself against them.
(2) Love people but lean only on God. The people David fought side by side with one day turned against him the next day. That’s why your strength, strategies, and solutions for living must come from God, not others.
(3) Talk to yourself in the right way. “David encouraged himself in the Lord” (v. 6). If you want to end up discouraged, talk about your situation. If you want to be encouraged, talk to the One who can change your situation – the Lord. The Bible says, “A wholesome [uplifting, positive, inspiring] tongue is a tree of life” (Proverbs 15:4 NKJV). So learn to talk to yourself in the right way.
(4) You can get back what you have lost. God told David, “Pursue, for you shall surely overtake them and without fail recover all.” And what God did for David and his men that day, He will do for you if you seek Him.
Soul food: Zech 1-4; John 20:10-18; Ps 57; Prov 30:24-28
2020-07-25
Matthew 26:41 NKJV
Why did Jesus tell His disciples, “Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak”? Because He knows that without the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit, we’re not equal to the temptations that come our way. Jesus didn’t doubt the disciples’ love for Him or their willingness to serve Him, but He knew they couldn’t do it in their own strength. And you can’t either. When you fight the flesh in the power of the flesh, you end up fighting yourself – and you lose every time. Note the words “lest you enter into temptation.” You’ll never be exempt from temptation, but you don’t have to “enter into” it. Indeed, your regenerated spirit can’t “enter into” it because sin has no appeal to it. But your unregenerated “flesh” will always be attracted to sin. And becoming a Christian increases the frequency, variety, and intensity of the temptations you face. Why? Because Satan, “the tempter,” doesn’t give up control easily. He will fight you constantly, and on different fronts. The Bible speaks of “manifold temptations” (1 Peter 1:6 KJV). The word “manifold” means there are “many kinds” of temptation. What’s the answer? “Manifold grace!” (1 Peter 4:10 KJV). The moment temptation rears its head, and before you have time to “enter into” it, draw on God’s grace. How do you do that? Jesus said, “Watch and pray.” The New Living Bible says, “Keep alert and pray. Otherwise temptation will overpower you.” Sheep don’t have the strength or skill to overcome the wolf. But they have the strategy! They just draw close to the Shepherd and He deals with the wolf.
Soul food: Acts 18-19; Luke 9:37-45; Ps 42:6-11; Prov 16:17-19
