2017-09-10
1 Corinthians 11:3 NAS
Paul writes, “I want you to understand that Christ is the head of every man, and the man is the head of the woman, and God is the head of Christ.” There is an order to how God operates. Just as Christ was submitted to God, husbands are supposed to be submitted to Christ, and wives are supposed to be submitted to godly husbands. Note the words, “the man is the head of the woman” – not all women. This arrangement doesn’t apply in the workplace or in other relationships. When we fail to honour God’s structure, Satan can enter our homes just as he entered the first home in Eden. “Submission” is an unpopular word today. But when we understand it from a biblical perspective, we see that it’s a positive force to accomplish good, not a negative force to subject women to an inferior status. The Greek word for submission, “hupotasso”, means to willingly place oneself under the authority of another. It doesn’t involve coercion, but rather a willingness to take who and what God made you, and submit it to the authority of another. In the husband’s case, to God, and in the wife’s case, to God and to her husband. Paul writes, “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her” (Ephesians 5:25 NIV). When a husband loves his wife that way, and gives himself to her, she will gladly submit to his leadership in the home. It’s her husband’s love and protection that releases her into the fullness of her God-given potential.
Soul food: Dan 6:1-24; Acts 12:1-19
1 Korintiërs 11:3 NLV
Paulus skryf, ‘Ek wil egter hê dat julle moet weet dat Christus hoof is oor elke man, dat die man hoof is oor sy vrou en dat God hoof is oor Christus.’ Daar is ‘n orde aan hoe God dinge doen. Net soos Christus aan God onderdanig was, so is mans veronderstel om aan Christus onderdanig te wees en vrouens is veronderstel om aan hul godvresende mans onderdanig te wees. Let wel, die man is die hoof oor sy vrou, nie oor alle vrouens nie. Hierdie reëling geld dus nie in die werkplek of in ander verhoudings nie. Wanneer ons nie God se struktuur eer nie, kan Satan ons huise binnedring, net soos hy die eerste huis in Eden binnegedring het. ‘Onderdanigheid’ is deesdae ‘n onpopulêre woord. Wanneer ons dit egter vanuit ‘n Bybelse perspektief verstaan, sien ons dat dit ‘n positiewe krag is om die goeie te bereik, nie die negatiewe krag wat vrouens tot ‘n mindere status verlaag nie. Die Griekse woord vir onderdanigheid, hupotasso, beteken om jou self gewillig onder die outoriteit van ‘n ander te plaas. Dwang is nie daarby betrokke nie, maar eerder ‘n gewilligheid om dit wat God jou gemaak het om te wees, te neem en aan die outoriteit van iemand anders te onderwerp. In die man se geval aan God, en in die vrou se geval aan God en haar man. Paulus skryf, ‘Getroude mans, julle moet julle vroue liefhê net soos Christus liefde aan die kerk bewys het toe Hy sy lewe daarvoor gegee het’ (Efesiërs 5:25 NLV). Wanneer ‘n man sy vrou so liefhet en homself aan haar gee, sal sy met liefde haarself aan sy leierskap in die huis onderwerp. Dit is haar man se liefde en beskerming wat haar vry maak om haar Godgegewe potensiaal te vervul.
Sielskos: Dan 6:1-24; Hand 12:1-19
2017-09-09
Genesis 3:6 NKJV
In Genesis, before Eve was created God warned Adam not to eat the forbidden fruit, and it was his responsibility to communicate that to his wife. Clearly, he didn’t do a very good job. As a result he lost his job and they ended up losing their home. Notice, the Devil first approached Eve with the idea of disobeying God. “When the woman saw that the tree was good…She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate.” Question: Where was Adam when Eve was being deceived? “With her.” So here’s an important lesson: When a man fails to listen to God and obey Him, he can’t be the leader his wife and family need. He literally opens the door to Satan and allows him to come in and cause chaos in the family. When Satan was trying to sell Eve a bill of goods, Adam stood silently by instead of speaking up and saying, “That’s not right. Unless we follow the path God has laid out for us, we’ll lose everything.” The issue in marriage isn’t about who’s the boss; it’s about honouring the structure God created so everyone in the family can walk in His blessing. The Bible says Satan comes to “steal, kill and destroy” (John 10:10). But when a husband is truly submitted to Christ, he can protect his family. So if you’re a husband, you need to step up to the plate. And if you’re a wife, you need to encourage your husband to walk with God and let him know that it’s an honour and privilege to follow such a man.
Soul food: Col 3-4; Philemon; Mark 11:12-26; Ps 78:17-31; Prov 23:26-28
Genesis 3:6 NLV
In Genesis, voor God vir Eva geskep het, het Hy vir Adam gewaarsku om nie van die verbode vrugte te eet nie. Dit was Adam se verantwoordelikheid om die waarskuwing aan sy vrou te kommunikeer. Duidelik het hy nie ‘n goeie werk daarvan gemaak nie. Hy het gevolglik sy werk verloor en hulle het hulle tuiste verloor. Let op, die Duiwel het eerste vir Eva met die idee om ongehoorsaam aan God te wees, genader. Waar was Adam terwyl Eva besig was om bedrieg te word? Hy was by haar. Hier is dus ‘n belangrike les te leer: Wanneer ‘n man nie na God luister en aan Hom gehoorsaam is nie, kan hy nie die leier wees wat sy vrou en familie nodig het nie. Terwyl Satan besig was om vir Eva te bedrieg, het Adam stil by hulle gestaan, in plaas van om te sê, ‘Dis nie reg nie. As ons nie die pad volg wat God vir ons uitgelê het nie, sal ons alles verloor.’ Die kwessie gaan nie oor wie is baas in die huwelik nie; dit gaan daaroor om die struktuur wat God geskep het te eer sodat almal in die familie in Sy seën kan wandel. Die Bybel sê dat Satan gekom het om ‘…te steel, dood te maak en te vernietig…’ (Johannes 10:10 NLV). Wanneer ‘n man werklik aan Christus onderdanig is, kan hy egter sy familie beskerm. As jy die man is, is dit tyd vir jou om op te staan en te doen wat reg is. As jy die vrou is, moet jy jou man aanmoedig om saam met God te stap, en hom laat weet dat dit ‘n eer en ‘n voorreg is om so ‘n man te volg.
Sielskos: Kol 3-4; Filem; Mark 11:12-26; Ps 78:17-31; Spr 23:26-28
2017-09-08
Ephesians 1:11 NLT
The Bible says, “The Lord will withhold no good thing from those who do what is right” (Psalm 84:11 NLT). Sometimes we pray for a certain thing, believing it’s good for us. But God, who has a plan for your life, knows what would be “good” and what wouldn’t be. Billy Graham’s wife, Ruth, said if God had answered all her prayers when she was young, she’d have married the wrong man – several times. Two teardrops were floating down the river of life. One asked the other, “Who are you?” The second replied, “I’m the teardrop from the girl who loved a man and lost him. Who are you?” The first teardrop replied, “I am the teardrop of the girl who got him.” That’s the way life goes, isn’t it? We cry over what we don’t have, not realizing we might have cried twice as hard if God had given it to us. The expression “walking by faith” means trusting the plan God has already worked out, and will reveal to you on a need-to-know basis. Paul said, “I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content” (Philippians 4:11 NKJV). Clearly his contentment didn’t come from his surroundings, since he spent all but seven years of his ministry in prison. So where did it come from? The knowledge that God “makes everything work out according to his plan.” Does that mean Paul understood every detail of God’s plan? No, but when he didn’t understand the plan, he trusted the Planner! And that’s where Paul’s peace, joy, and contentment came from. The same goes for you.
Soul food: Col 1-2; Mark 11:1-11; Ps 78:9-16; Prov 23:22-25
