2019-05-06
Galatians 5:22 TM
Paul writes, “What happens when we live God’s way?…[We gain] a sense of compassion…[and] we find ourselves…not needing to force our way in life” (vv. 22-23 TM). Let’s think about these two Christlike qualities: (1) You become more compassionate. You stop seeing people as objects that need to be straightened out, or avoided, or used for your own benefit. When Jesus looked at people, “he was moved with compassion” (Matthew 9:36). When that happens, two wonderful things occur. First, you conquer selfishness and become concerned with somebody other than yourself. Second, you develop a sense of gratitude for blessings you may have taken for granted. In other words, compassion expands your field of vision beyond “us-four-and-no-more” to those you’ve been too busy to notice. (2) You no longer need “to force [your] way in life.” You stop seeing people who have gentle, loving spirits as “wimps” who never achieve much. Paul wrote, “We behaved gently…among you” (1 Thessalonians 2:7 AMPC). And Paul was no wimp! Sometimes the reason we’re so driven is we fear that if we become more gentle and loving, we might stop getting ahead and fall behind in the race. That kind of fearful, frantic thinking drains the creativity out of your life – not to mention the joy. And any success you enjoy is in spite of your stress, not because of it. Look at Jesus. He wasn’t in a hurry, He seldom raised His voice, He took time for children, He loved people and lifted them. And the Bible says, “This is the kind of life you’ve been invited into” (1 Peter 2:21 TM). It’s what’s known as living “God’s way.”
Soul food: Num 30:1-32:24; Mark 5:1-10; Ps 44:9-16; Prov 11:10-11
Galasiërs 5:22 DB
Paulus skryf: ‘Net soos ‘n boom wat ‘n baie goeie vrug oplewer, wys hierdie mense se lewe dat hulle aan God behoort. Sulke mense gee baie om vir ander… Hulle verdra ander mense sonder om ooit lelik met hulle te wees…’ (vers 22 DB). Kom ons kyk na hierdie Christelike kwaliteite: 1) Jy gee om vir ander mense. Jy hou op om mense as voorwerpe te sien wat uitgestryk moet word, of vermy moet word, of tot jou eie voordeel gebruik moet word. Toe Jesus na mense gekyk het, het Hy ‘…ontroerd geraak oor hulle seerkry en weerloosheid…’ (Matteus 9:36 NLV). Wanneer dit gebeur, gebeur twee wonderlike dinge. Eerstens oorkom jy jou selfsugtigheid en word jy oor iemand anders besorg. Tweedens ontwikkel jy ‘n sin van dankbaarheid vir seëninge wat jy dalk as vanselfsprekend aanvaar het. 2) Jy is nooit lelik met ander mense nie. Jy sien nie meer mense met sagte, liefdevolle persoonlikhede as papperds wat nooit veel bereik nie. Paulus het geskryf: ‘…ons [was] soos babatjies teenoor julle…’ (1 Tessalonisense 2:7 NLV). Paulus was vir seker nie ‘n papperd nie! Soms is die rede dat ons so gedrewe is, die vrees dat wanneer ons sagter en liefdevoller word, ons nie meer vooruit sal beweeg nie en in die resies sal agterbly. Hierdie tipe vreesbevange denke dreineer die kreatiwiteit uit jou uit – om nie eers van jou vreugde te praat nie. Enige sukses wat jy behaal is ten spyte van jou stres, nie as gevolg daarvan nie. Kyk na Jesus. Hy was nie haastig nie, Hy het selde sy stem verhef, Hy het tyd vir kinders gemaak, Hy het mense liefgehad en hulle opgehef. Dís hoe jy op God se manier lewe.
Sielskos: Num 30:1-32:24; Mark 5:1-10; Ps 44:9-16; Spr 11:10-11
2019-05-05
Romans 15:24 NKJV
The world isn’t going to devote itself to making us happy, and only when we accept that can we begin to move forward. Much of the time life doesn’t work out the way we plan. Paul wrote, “Whenever I journey to Spain, I shall come to you.” But he never got to Spain; instead, he landed in prison. But it was from there he wrote the epistles. So your disappointment may turn out to be God’s appointment! The Bible says, “In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps” (Proverbs 16:9 NIV). Aren’t you glad God’s in control of your life? Let the philosophers argue over why life works as it does; just you focus on how to live it! If you live to be a hundred, what good is it if resentment and regret keep you from enjoying it? And what good is more time, if you’re just wasting the time you’ve got? Do you know how an oyster makes a pearl? When a grain of sand gets into its shell and irritates it, the oyster wraps the sand in layers of beauty until a pearl is formed. An unknown poet wrote, “This tale has a moral, for isn’t it grand, what an oyster can do with a morsel of sand? What couldn’t I do if I’d only begin, with all of the things that get under my skin?” God is at work in what you’re going through today – for your good and His glory. All you need to do is trust Him.
Soul food: Exo 20:12; Eph 6:1-3; Matt 15:1-9; John 19:25-27
Romeine 15:24 NLV
Die wêreld gaan homself nie daaraan toewy om ons gelukkig te maak nie; en eers wanneer ons dit aanvaar, kan ons begin vorentoe beweeg. Baie kere werk die lewe nie so uit soos ons dit beplan het nie. Paulus het geskryf: ‘…Ek hoop om julle op my deurreis na Spanje te sien…’ Hy het egter nooit by Spanje uitgekom nie; in plaas daarvan het hy in die tronk beland. Dis egter in die tronk wat hy die sendbriewe geskryf het. Jou teleurstelling mag dus dalk God se aanstelling wees! Die Bybel sê: “‘n Mens bepaal sy koers, maar die Here bepaal sy bestemming” (Spreuke 16:9 NLV). Is jy nie bly dat God in beheer van jou lewe is nie? Laat die filosowe stry oor hoekom die lewe werk soos dit doen; fokus jy net daarop om te lewe! Watter nut is daarin om honderd jaar oud te word, wanneer spyt en wrokke jou daarvan weerhou om dit te geniet? Watter nut het meer tyd, wanneer jy die tyd wat jy reeds het mors? Weet jy hoe ‘n oester ‘n pêrel maak? Wanneer ‘n korreltjie sand by sy skulp inkom en dit irriteer, draai die oester die sand in lae skoonheid toe totdat ‘n pêrel gevorm word. ‘n Onbekende digter het geskryf: ‘This tale has a moral, for isn’t it grand, what an oyster can do with a morsel of sand? What couldn’t I do if I’d only begin, with all of the things that get under my skin?’ God is aan die werk in dit wat jy vandag deurmaak – ten goede van jou en vir sy verheerliking. Jy moet Hom net vertrou.
Sielskos: Eks 20:12; Ef 6:1-3; Matt 15:1-9; Joh 19:25-27
2019-05-04
Matthew 24:44 NIV
Jesus warned, “Many false prophets will rise up and deceive many” (v. 11 NKJV). In our generation there have been high-profile preachers who set dates for Christ’s second coming, and the press jumped all over it. That having been said, Jesus is coming again! In Scripture it is referenced more than 300 times. Charles Swindoll says: “Critics have denied it. Cynics have scorned it. Scholars have ignored it. Liberal theologians have tried to explain it away (they call that ‘re-thinking it.’) Fanatics have perverted it. And some have sarcastically said, ‘Where is the promise of his coming?’ (2 Peter 3:4). Jesus’ return has always been attacked, misused, and denied. But still it stands, solid as a rock, offering real hope in the midst of despair and unbelief. You say, ‘What should I do while I’m waiting?’ First, understand what you shouldn’t do. Don’t sit around listening for a bugle call or looking for a rapture cloud. Don’t quit your job, and don’t set a date. Instead use the time to get your act together. Live every day like it’s your last, but work like Jesus isn’t coming back for another ten years. Shake your ‘salt’ and shine your ‘light’ wherever you go (See Matthew 5:13-16). Remain balanced, cheerful, winsome, committed, and stable, anticipating the day of His return. And if you’re not sure you’re ready, get your ticket immediately. As long as they’re available, they’re free. But if you’re wise you won’t wait! What good is a ticket when the event is over?” Today accept Jesus as your Savior and be ready when He returns.
Soul food: Num 27-29; Mark 4:26-41; Ps 44:1-8; Prov 11:9
