2020-04-22
Galatians 1:10 NLT
People-pleasing does two things: 1) It makes us neglect our own needs in order to meet other people’s. 2) It causes us to make decisions based on their approval. We can end up feeling like we’re being walked over. Maybe we became a people-pleaser early in life to get the attention we needed and couldn’t get any other way. Or maybe we never learned to trust our own judgment, and instead relied on other people to make the decisions for us. The Bible says, ‘Fearing people is a dangerous trap’ (Proverbs 29:25 NLT), because it always backfires. Not only do others get upset with us, we end up disappointed with ourselves when things don’t work out. Peter struggled with people-pleasing. The night before the crucifixion when ‘a servant girl…said…”You were one of those with Jesus”…Peter denied it in front of everyone. “I don’t know what you’re talking about”‘ (Matthew 26:69-70 NLT). Afterwards he ended up devastated over his failure. When Samuel confronted Saul about his decision to not completely destroy the Amalekites: ‘Saul admitted…”I was afraid of the people and did what they demanded”‘ (1 Samuel 15:24 NLT). Paul, on the other hand, wrote, ‘I’m not trying to win the approval of people, but of God. If pleasing people were my goal, I would not be Christ’s servant.’ It’s good to be considerate, loving, and patient, but we can’t let ourselves be intimidated and manipulated: ‘For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline’ (2 Timothy 1:7 NIV). We shouldn’t let other people control our lives. Instead we should surrender our lives to God and allow Him to be the One to lead us.
Dan 1-2; Mark 3:7-19; Ps 16; Prov 10:15
Galasiërs 1:10 NLV
Wanneer jy mense tevrede probeer stel, gebeur twee dinge: 1) Dit veroorsaak dat jy jou eie behoeftes tweede stel sodat jy aan hulle behoeftes kan voldoen. 2) Dit veroorsaak dat jy jou besluite op hulle goedkeuring baseer. In beide gevalle kan jy soos ‘n deurmat begin voel. Miskien het jy vroeg in jou lewe begin probeer om mense tevrede te stel, om sodoende die aandag te kry waarna jy gesmag het en wat jy nie andersins sou kry nie. Of miskien het jy nooit geleer om jou eie oordeel te vertrou nie. Die Bybel sê: ‘Jy stel vir jouself ‘n slagyster as jy vir mense bang is…’ (Spreuke 29:25 NLV), omdat dit jou altyd in die steek laat. Nie net raak ander mense ontsteld met jou nie, jy stel jouself teleur wanneer dinge nie uitwerk nie. Dink aan die aand voor die kruisiging, toe ‘n diensmeisie nader kom en vir Petrus sê: “‘Jy was mos ook saam met Jesus die Galileër?’ Hy het dit egter voor almal ontken. ‘Ek weet nie waarvan jy praat nie,’ het hy verklaar” (Matteus 26:69-70 NLV). Na die tyd het hy oor sy eie mislukking gehuil. Toe Samuel vir Saul oor sy besluit om nie al die Amalekiete te vernietig nie gekonfronteer het, het Saul bely: ‘…Ek was ongehoorsaam aan die Here se opdrag en u voorskrifte, want ek was bang vir die manskappe en het aan hulle versoeke toegegee’ (1 Samuel 15:24 NLV). Dis goed om bedagsaam, liefdevol en geduldig te wees, maar jy moenie jouself laat intimideer en manipuleer nie. Wanneer jy aan jou vrees vir ander toegee, laat jy toe dat hulle, en nie God nie, jou lewe beheer. God wil nie hê dat jy mense uit vrees moet dien nie, maar uit liefde vir hulle – en vir Hom.
Sielskos: Dan 1-2; Mark 3:7-19; Ps 16; Spr 10:15
2020-04-21
Luke 10:42 NLT
Here are two enemies that threaten your spiritual life: (1) Boredom. Missionary and educator Frank Laubach said, “If you’re weary of some sleepy form of devotion, probably God is as weary of it as you are.” Walking with God is the most rewarding life possible. “In Your presence is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore” (Psalm 16:11 NKJV). (2) Busyness. Jesus told Martha, “You are worried and upset over all these details! There is only one thing worth being concerned about. Mary has discovered it” (Luke 10:41-42 NLT). And what was Mary doing? Sitting at Jesus’ feet listening to Him! Martha loved Jesus and she couldn’t do enough for Him. But she was so busy serving Him that she didn’t know how to relax and enjoy being with Him. Maybe like Martha, you think that unless you do the job yourself, it won’t get done right. And you may be right. But God will never ask you to do anything that takes His place in your life. He wants to be your top priority. Sometimes we approach God with a list of requests the length of our arm because we’re more interested in His presents than His presence. David said, “The one thing I ask of the Lord – the thing I seek most – is to live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, delighting in the Lord’s perfections and meditating in his Temple” (Psalm 27:4 NLT). Can you imagine having “one thing” at the top of your agenda at all times: needing and desiring to spend time with God? Think how that could revolutionize your life.
Soul food: Phil 1-4; Mark 2:23-3:6; Ps 103:13-22; Prov 10:14
Luke 10:42 NLT
Every day we all have loads of things we need to do. But the one thing which should be right at the top of our list is seeking God. A life with God is the most rewarding life possible. The Bible says: ‘You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand’ (Psalm 16:11 NIV). But there are two things that can really threaten our spiritual lives: boredom and busyness. Sometimes our faith can become mundane. We go to church, we read the Bible, we occasionally pray, but only because we think we have to or because it’s a habit. If we feel like this, we need to try and connect with God in a new way. If we’re too busy trying to tick off everything on our to-do lists, we can easily find that time with God ends up at the bottom of our agendas. Jesus told Martha, ‘You are worried and upset over all these details! There is only one thing worth being concerned about. Mary has discovered it’ (Luke 10:41-42 NLT). Mary was sitting at Jesus’ feet listening to Him. Martha loved Jesus and she couldn’t do enough for Him. But she was so busy serving Him that she didn’t know how to relax and enjoy being with Him. God wants to be our top priority. David said, ‘The one thing I ask of the Lord – the thing I seek most – is to live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, delighting in the Lord’s perfections and meditating in his Temple’ (Psalm 27:4 NLT). Let’s focus on the one thing that’s most important – spending time with God.
Phil 1-4; Mark 2:23-3:6; Ps 103:13-22; Prov 10:14
Lukas 10:42 NLV
Daar is twee vyande wat jou geestelike lewe kan bedreig: 1) Verveling. Die sendeling en opvoeder, Frank Laubach, het gesê: ‘As jy moeg is vir ‘n vervelige vorm van toewyding, is God heel waarskynlik net so moeg daarvoor soos jy.’ Om saam met God die pad te stap is die lonendste lewe. ‘…in u teenwoordigheid is vreugde, en aan u regterhand is daar blydskap vir altyd’ (Psalm 16:11 NLV). 2) Besig wees. Jesus het vir Marta gesê: ‘…jy kwel jou tog oor so baie dinge! Daar is regtig net een ding wat die moeite werd is om oor besorg te wees. Maria het dit ontdek…’ (Lukas 10:41-42 NLV). Wat was Maria besig om te doen? Sy het by sy voete gesit en na Hom geluister! Marta het Jesus liefgehad en kon nie genoeg vir Hom doen nie. Sy was egter so besig om Hom te dien, dat sy nie geweet het hoe om te ontspan en tyd saam met Hom te geniet nie. Miskien dink jy, soos Marta, dat as jy nie die werk self doen nie, dit nie reg gedoen sal word nie. Jy mag dalk reg wees. God sal jou egter nooit vra om iets te doen wat sy plek in jou lewe inneem nie. Hy wil jou top prioriteit wees. Dawid het gesê: ‘Een ding vra ek van die Here, en dit sal ek bly soek; om in die huis van die Here te bly al die dae van my lewe, om my te verbly in sy goedheid, en in sy tempel daaroor na te dink’ (Psalm 27:4 NLV). Kan jy jou indink om ‘een ding’ te alle tye aan die toppunt van jou agenda te hê: die behoefte om tyd saam met God te spandeer? Dink net hoe dit jou lewe kan omkeer.
Sielskos: Fil 1-4; Mark 2:23-3:6; Ps 103:13-22; Spr 10:14
