2020-04-17
1 John 2:1 NLT
The moon and stars you can see on a clear night are mere drops in the vast sea of the universe. Our sun is one of more than 100 billion stars that make up the Milky Way galaxy. And there may be as many as 100 billion other galaxies – billions of which may have hundreds of millions of planets like ours. The Hubble Space Telescope relays images of galaxies as far away as twelve billion light years – that’s twelve billion times six trillion miles! And all this was created because God uttered one sentence: “Let there be” (See Genesis 1). But here’s something even more amazing: The One who created it all loves you and cares about every detail of your life. When you are weak, He is strong. When you blow it, He forgives you. The Bible says, “If anyone does sin, we have an advocate who pleads our case before the Father. He is Jesus Christ, the one who is truly righteous. He himself is the sacrifice that atones for our sins.” God’s grace is truly amazing, and you don’t have to do anything to deserve it. Because God is your Father, you can call home anytime and find a welcome. You’re “connected” to the One who “understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin. So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most” (Hebrews 4:15-16 NLT). You’re connected to unending mercy and grace – how awesome is that?
Soul food: Lev 21:1-23:25; Mark 1:35-45; Ps 127; Prov 10:11
Psalm 139:7 NIV
We only have to look at the beauty and vastness of creation to see how beautiful and vast God is. He created it all with the words: ‘Let there be’ (have a read of Genesis 1). Even though God’s all-powerful and bigger than we can ever imagine, He still knows us all individually. The One who created it all loves us and cares about every detail of our lives. The psalmist wrote: ‘Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast’ (vv.7-10). He’s always with us. When we’re weak, He’s strong. When we mess up, He forgives us. The Bible says: ‘If anyone does sin, we have an advocate who pleads our case before the Father. He is Jesus Christ, the one who is truly righteous. He himself is the sacrifice that atones for our sins’ (1 John 2:1 NLT). God’s grace is truly amazing, and we don’t have to do anything to deserve it. Because God’s our Father, we’re always welcome in His presence, and we can always call on Him. We’re connected to the One who ‘understands our weaknesses…So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most’ (Hebrews 4:15-16 NLT). We’re connected to unending mercy and grace – how incredible is that?
Lev 21:1-23:25; Mark 1:35-45; Ps 127; Prov 10:11
2020-04-16
Proverbs 15:14 NLT
It’s been said that we forget more than 80 percent of what we learn in school and college. That raises the question, “Why bother? Is education really worth what we invest in it?” It is. There are many valid reasons for learning, even if forgetting will take its usual toll. Here are five of the most important ones: (1) The most important function of the learning process is the self-discipline and control that it fosters. Good students learn to follow directions, carry out assignments, and channel their mental faculties toward a constructive end. These are skills you’ll need in order to succeed in life. (2) Even if the facts and concepts can’t be recalled, you know they exist and where to find them. So you can retrieve the information when you need it later on. (3) Old learning makes new learning easier. Each mental exercise gives you more associative clues with which to link future ideas and concepts, and you are changed for having been through the process of learning. (4) Your brain is like the programming in your computer. You don’t really forget anything that is beyond the reach of your memory. The information is still stored in your brain and will return to consciousness when properly stimulated. (5) You are shaped by the influence of the people who teach you. The Bible says, “The heart of him who has understanding seeks knowledge,” (NKJV). Perhaps you wish that an easier process for shaping the human mind could be found, rather than the slow, painful experience of education. But until a “learning pill” is developed, the old-fashioned approach will have to do.
Soul food: Lev 18-20; Mark 1:21-34; Ps 43; Prov 10:10
Proverbs 15:14 NCV
Do you like learning? Or do you try and avoid studying? It’s important for us to keep learning about God. We’ll never learn everything there is to know about Him; there will always be more we can discover. The Bible says: ‘People with understanding want more knowledge, but fools just want more foolishness.’ If we want to be people with understanding, we need to long to learn more about God. We need to spend time studying the Bible. It contains so much wisdom about life and God, and no matter how many times we read it, God can always teach us something new. We’re told: ‘All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for showing people what is wrong in their lives, for correcting faults, and for teaching how to live right’ (2 Timothy 3:16 NCV). We have to be disciplined in making the time to spend studying His Word. We might not always feel like opening our Bibles, but it’s important that we keep going with it. It can also be useful to read commentaries and books about the passage we’re studying, or to listen to a pastor talk about it. Learning is part of our worship. It’s a way of loving God. Jesus said that the greatest commandment is to: ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength’ (Mark 12:30 NCV). Part of loving God is through using our mind. If we never take the time to study His Word, or learn more about Him, then we’re neglecting part of our worship. However we feel about studying, let’s make sure we’re always prepared to learn so that we can grow in our faith and love for God.
Lev 18-20; Mark 1:21-34; Ps 43; Prov 10:10
Spreuke 15:14 NLV
Daar word gesê dat ons meer as 80 persent van dit wat ons op skool en universiteit leer, vergeet. Hoekom dan moeite doen? Is opvoeding dan regtig die belegging werd? Dit is. Daar is baie geldige redes om te leer, selfs al vergeet ons baie daarvan. Hier is vyf van die belangrikste redes: 1) Die belangrikste funksie van die leerproses is die selfdissipline en beheer wat dit kweek. Goeie studente leer om aanwysings te volg, opdragte uit te voer en hulle intellektuele kapasiteit tot ‘n konstruktiewe resultaat aan te wend. Dis vaardighede wat jy nodig het om sukses in die lewe te behaal. 2) Selfs al kan jy nie die feite en konsepte oproep nie, weet jy dat dit bestaan en waar om dit te kry. Jy kan dus die informasie vind wanneer jy dit later nodig kry. 3) Ou leringe maak nuwe leerprosesse makliker. Elke intellektuele oefening gee jou meer leidrade wat toekomstige idees en konsepte aan mekaar skakel en jy word deur die leerproses verander. 4) Jou brein is soos die programmering op jou rekenaar. Jy vergeet nie regtig dit wat buite die bereik van jou geheue is nie. Die inligting word steeds in jou brein gestoor en sal weer na vore tree wanneer jou brein behoorlik gestimuleer word. 5) Jy word deur die invloed van die mense wat jou leer, gevorm. Die Bybel sê: “‘n Gelowige smag altyd na nog meer kennis en insig…” (DB). Miskien wens jy dat daar ‘n makliker manier was om die menslike gedagtes te vorm, eerder as die stadige, pynlike ervaring van onderwys. Totdat daar egter ‘n ‘kennispil’ ontwerp word, sal die outydse benadering die ding moet doen.
Sielskos: Lev 18-20; Mark 1:21-34; Ps 43; Spr 10:10
