2019-08-14
Colossians 3:13 MSG
When divorce shatters your family, how can you help your children? First, stop talking about who doesn’t accept them, and surround them with people who do. As a parent your love can go a long way toward compensating for another’s neglect. Explain that sometimes people grow together, other times they grow apart. Remind them that “Ken” and “Barbie” are just dolls, and prepare them to live in the real world. Encourage them to be strong, not self-pitying. As they get older teach them that if they meet someone they have to “change” in order to “love,” they haven’t met the right one. When love is right it can live with strengths and weaknesses under the same roof, because “love covers over a multitude of sins” (1 Peter 4:8 NIV). Real love covers a mistake like an insurance policy covers a driver in an accident. Don’t use your child as a weapon to get back at one another. Be sure they understand that you are the one who got divorced, not them. Explain that someone can be unsuited as a companion but still be a good parent. When you take away the blame, you take away the shame and everybody can move forward. Bitterness is a thief, but you don’t have to let it steal your peace, your creativity, your song, or your hope for a better future. Remember, that was then – this is now. There must be a “now” for you and your children, so let it begin today. God’s promise is: “I am about to do something new” (Isaiah 43:19 NLT). So you can start over and rebuild.
Soul food: Judg 12-15; Matt 17:14-27; Ps 119:81-88; Prov 17:27-28
2019-08-13
Kolossense 3:9 NLV
Probeer om die volgende vrae eerlik te beantwoord. Sal jy lieg om uit ‘n moeilike situasie te kom? Om iemand te beïndruk? Om die gevolge van jou aksies te probeer vermy? In ‘n groot opname is mense gevra: ‘Wat sal jy bereid wees om vir 10 miljoen dollars te doen?’ Vyf-en-twintig persent het gesê dat hulle bereid sal wees om hulle families te verlaat. Drie-en-twintig persent het gesê dat hulle gewillig sou wees om vir een week ‘n prostituut te word. Sewe persent het gesê dat hulle gewillig sou wees om ‘n vreemdeling te vermoor. Is jy geskok? Miskien dink jy dat jy dit nooit sou doen nie. Moenie so vinnig oordeel nie – die opname het gewys dat Christene amper net so gewillig as nie-Christene is om op hulle belastingopgawes te kul, om ‘n siekdag by die werk te neem wanneer hulle nie siek is nie, om hulle maat te verkul en om iemand anders se karakter af te kraak om hulself te laat beter lyk. Dink daaroor – het jy onlangs een van hierdie dinge gedoen? As jy het, lees hierdie volgende woorde versigtig en biddend: ‘Moenie vir mekaar lieg nie. Julle het mos die vorige mens en sy leefstyl soos klere uitgetrek en die nuwe mens aangetrek. Hierdie mens kry voortdurend nuwe insig en word só verander en nuut gemaak om al meer soos die Skepper te lyk (verse 9-10 NLV). Gee veral aan die woorde ‘en die nuwe mens aangetrek’ aandag. Eerlikheid is ‘n kledingstuk wat jy elke dag moet aantrek. Dink aan die waarheid. Staar die waarheid in die gesig. Wees lief vir die waarheid. Streef die waarheid na. Stap in die waarheid. Neem vandag die besluit dat jy altyd eerlik sal wees.
Sielskos: Rig 9:34-11:40; Matt 17:1-13; Ps 119:73-80; Spr 20:25; Pred 5:4-6
Colossians 3:9 NLT
Try to answer the following questions honestly. Would you lie in order to get yourself out of a jam? Impress someone? Avoid dealing with the consequences of your actions? Well, how’d you do? In a major survey people were asked, “What would you be willing to do for $10 million?” (Are you sitting down?) Twenty-five percent said they’d be willing to abandon their families. Twenty-three percent said they’d be willing to become a prostitute for a week. And 7 percent said they’d be willing to murder a stranger. Are you shocked? Maybe you’re thinking that you’d never do that. Well, don’t be so quick – the survey showed that Christians were “almost as likely as non-Christians” to falsify their tax returns, call in sick when they weren’t, cheat on their mates, and tear down someone else’s character to make themselves look better. Think about it – have you done any of those things lately? If you have, read these words carefully and prayerfully: “Don’t lie to each other, for you have stripped off your old sinful nature and all its wicked deeds. Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like him” (vv. 9-10 NLT). Pay particular attention to the words “put on your new nature.” Honesty is a garment you have to put on every day. So start modeling the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you God. Think the truth. Face the truth. Love the truth. Pursue the truth. Walk in the truth. From today on make up your mind that you’ll always be honest.
Soul food: Judg 9:34-11:40; Matt 17:1-13; Ps 119:73-80; Prov 20:25; Ecc 5:4-6
2019-08-12
Markus 6:31 NLV
Hoekom het Jesus tyd geneem om te rus? Sodat wanneer Hy gewerk het, Hy op sy beste was. Vandag wil Hy hê dat jy moet weet dat as jy nie ‘n breuk neem nie, jy nie een sal kry nie. Die eerste struikelblok wat jy sal moet oorkom, is skuldgevoelens. Dis wat van ons werksverslaafdes maak. Ons voel skuldig en sê vir onsself: ‘Daar is net soveel om te doen.’ Jesus het die lewe anders benader: ‘Omdat daar voortdurend talle mense gekom en gegaan het sodat [Hy en sy dissipels] selfs nie kans gekry het om te eet nie, het Jesus toe vir hulle gesê: ‘Kom julle nou self eenkant toe na ‘n stil plek en skep ‘n bietjie asem.’ Hulle het toe per boot na ‘n stil plek vertrek waar hulle alleen kon wees’ (verse 31-32 NLV). Geen tyd om te eet, te veel mense wat kom en gaan, geen tyd om na jouself om te sien nie – beskryf dit jou lewe tans? Jy brand nie uit wanneer jy binne die wil van God lewe nie! Jesus het gesê: ‘Want my juk sal saggies op julle skouers rus en my las is lig om te dra’ (Matteus 11:30 NLV). Die rede hoekom Hy dit kon sê, is omdat mense nie sy agenda bepaal het nie, maar sy hemelse Vader het. Die Psalmdigter het gesê: ‘Hy laat my rus in groen weivelde…’ (Psalm 23:2 NLV). Sal jy nie eerder uit keuse na die park toe gaan as onder dwang na die hospitaal nie? God sal jou nie soontoe stuur nie, maar jou eie gebrek aan wysheid kan. Vandag sê Jesus vir jou dat jy moet rus en as jy wys is, sal jy dit doen!
Sielskos: Rig 7:1-9:33; Matt 16:13-28; Ps 119:65-72; Spr 17:23-26
Mark 6:31 NIV
Why did Jesus take time out to rest? So that when He worked, He’d be at His best. And today He wants you to know that if you don’t take a break, you won’t get one. He wants you to survive the long haul, not just the short sprint. And the first obstacle you need to overcome is guilt. That’s what makes us workaholics. We feel guilty and tell ourselves, “There’s just so much to do.” Jesus handled life differently: “Because so many people were coming and going that [He and his disciples] did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, ‘Come with me…to a quiet place and get some rest.’ So they went away by themselves…to a solitary place” (vv. 31-32 NIV). No time to eat, too many people coming and going, no time to take care of yourself – does that describe your life right now? Some people say, “It’s better to burn out than rust out.” That’s poor advice, plus it’s not scriptural. You don’t burn out when you’re in the will of God! Jesus said, “My yoke is easy, and my burden is light” (Matthew 11:30). And the reason He could say that was because people didn’t set His agenda, His heavenly Father did. The psalmist said, “He maketh me to lie down” (Psalm 23:2). Wouldn’t you rather go to the park by choice than to the hospital by force? The fact is God won’t send you there, but your own lack of wisdom can. Today Jesus is saying to you, “Get some rest,” and if you’re wise you will do it!
Soul food: Judg 7:1-9:33; Matt 16:13-28; Ps 119:65-72; Prov 17:23-26
