2020-06-07
Proverbs 13:20 NKJV
Let’s look at arrested relational development. God’s plan for your life requires connecting with the right people – and disconnecting from the wrong ones. Sitting beside Jesus at the Last Supper were John, who loved Him, and Judas, who betrayed Him. It’s imperative to know who is sitting at your table! So to that end pray: “Lord, I pray for the people You’ve brought into my life and placed on my heart. Bless the healthy relationships, and give me wisdom to handle the difficult ones in a way that pleases You. If there are friendships I need to walk away from, ones that will be harmful no matter what I do, show me what to do and give me the grace and courage to do it. If there are relationships that are draining and distracting me from Your plan and purpose, I trust You to bring them to an end or change them for the better. And when I’m the one who needs to change, show me, and work in my life by Your amazing power. I need Your wisdom to recognize the friends and associates I should choose. Help me to steer clear of relationships that lead me away from the path You’ve laid out for me. Send people into my life who are godly and wise, and help us to bless, encourage and contribute to the quality of each other’s lives. Show me the friendships that are worth fighting for, and I’ll gladly do it. Be Lord of all my relationships so that they will be what You want them to be. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.”
Soul food: Rev 7:13-17; Ps 23; Luke 15:1-7
Proverbs 13:20 NCV
Finally, we need to develop relationally. God’s plan for our lives requires us to connect with the right people – and disconnect from the wrong ones. Sitting beside Jesus at the Last Supper were John, who loved Him, and Judas, who betrayed Him. We can have people around us who love and support us, but also people who bring us down and go behind our backs. We need to be aware of who is influencing us and who is speaking into our lives. The Bible says: ‘Spend time with the wise and you will become wise.’ The relationships we choose to invest in have a direct effect on how we live and how we develop in our faith. So here’s a great prayer to pray: ‘Lord, I pray for the people You’ve brought into my life and placed on my heart. Please bless the healthy relationships, and give me wisdom to handle the difficult ones in a way that pleases and honours You. If there are friendships I need to walk away from, show me what to do and give me the grace and courage to do it. If there are relationships that are draining and distracting me from Your plan and purpose, I trust You to bring them to an end or change them for the better. And when I’m the one who needs to change, show me, and work in my life by Your amazing power. I need Your wisdom to recognise the friends I should choose. Help me to avoid relationships that lead me away from the path You’ve laid out for me. Send people into my life who are godly and wise, and help us to bless and encourage each other. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.’
Rev 7:13-17; Ps 23; Luke 15:1-7
Spreuke 13:20 NLV
Kom ons kyk na vertraagde verhoudingsontwikkeling. God se plan vir jou lewe vereis dat jy met die regte mense skakel – en van die verkeerdes ontkoppel. Tydens die paasmaaltyd het Johannes, wat Hom liefgehad het en Judas, wat Hom verraai het, weerskante van Jesus gesit. Dis noodsaaklik om te weet wie aan jou tafel sit! Dus moet jy bid: ‘Here, ek bid vir die mense wat U in my lewe gebring het en op my hart geplaas het. Seën die gesonde verhoudings en gee my die wysheid om die moeilike verhoudings op ‘n manier wat U behaag, te hanteer. As daar vriendskappe is waarvan ek moet wegstap, wat skadelik is, maak nie saak wat ek doen nie, wys my wat om daaromtrent te doen en gee my die genade en moed om dit te doen. As daar verhoudings is wat my aandag van u plan en doelwit aftrek, vertrou ek U om dit tot ‘n einde te bring of om dit te verbeter. Wanneer ek die een is wat moet verander, wys my hoe en werk deur u wonderbaarlike krag in my lewe. Ek het u wysheid nodig om die vriende en kennisse wat ek moet kies, te herken. Help my om weg te bly van verhoudings wat my weglei van die pad wat U vir my gekies het. Stuur mense wat goddelik en wys is in my lewe in en help ons om mekaar te seën, aan te moedig en tot mekaar se lewenskwaliteit by te dra. Wys my watter vriendskappe ek voor moet veg en ek doen dit graag. Wees die Here van al my verhoudings, sodat hulle sal wees wat U wil hê hulle moet wees. In Jesus se Naam bid ek dit. Amen.’
Sielskos: Op 7:13-17; Ps 23; Luk 15:1-7
2020-06-06
Proverbs 9:9 NKJV
Let’s look at arrested intellectual development. Sometimes we use verses like “God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise” (1 Corinthians 1:27) as excuses for not developing our minds and growing intellectually. God said, “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge” (Hosea 4:6). A sense of fulfillment accompanies intellectual growth – one that doesn’t come any other way. When you know you’re growing in knowledge and understanding, you become less vulnerable to criticism, neglect, and slights. Your sense of worth is no longer tied to other people’s approval because you measure yourself by a different yardstick – personal growth! The writer of Proverbs says, “The heart of the prudent acquires knowledge, and the ear of the wise seeks knowledge” (Proverbs 18:15 NKJV). “The hearing ear and the seeing eye, the Lord has made them both” (Proverbs 20:12 NKJV). Notice, you learn by listening and observing! And we’re not talking about hours spent watching television that dulls your brain and stunts your powers of conversation. The Bible says, “As iron sharpens iron…a man sharpens the countenance of his friend” (Proverbs 27:17 NKJV). To grow and become sharp, you need people in your life who sharpen you. Three key activities in determining your future are (a) the time you spend with God; (b) the relationships you form; and (c) the books you read. And the book you should spend the most time reading is your Bible. Just one more thought: Any time you’re reading and get a good thought, or experience an “aha!” moment, write it down – otherwise you’ll lose it.
Soul food: Rev 1-4; Mark 14:43-52; Ps 1; Prov 13:1
Proverbs 9:9 NCV
Whether we consider ourselves to be academic or not, it’s important for us to keep learning and keep asking God for wisdom. The Bible says: ‘Teach the wise, and they will become even wiser.’ Sometimes we can come up with excuses for not developing our minds and growing intellectually. But God gave us minds which are capable of learning new things. Learning is very important to God. In fact, in Hosea it says: ‘My people will be destroyed, because they have no knowledge. You have refused to learn, so I will refuse to let you be priests to me’ (4:6 NCV). God isn’t asking us to reach a certain level of academic success; we don’t need to achieve a certain grade in our exams in order to be used by God. But He wants us to be eager to learn rather than wasting a lot of our time on things that don’t help us to grow. The Bible says, ‘As iron sharpens iron, so people can improve each other’ (Proverbs 27:17 NCV). To grow and become sharp, we need people in our lives who sharpen us. We need to think about who we’re spending time with. Are they encouraging us to learn more about God? Are they helping us move forward on our faith journey? We also need to make sure we’re spending time with God. He’s the One who can help us grow in wisdom and understanding. Finally, we need to be reading the Bible. If we read something in our Bible that we don’t understand, we can ask God to give us the wisdom we need to understand it. Let’s just make sure we’re always open to learning more about God and His Word.
Rev 1-4; Mark 14:43-52; Ps 1; Prov 13:1
