2020-06-04
Hebrews 5:12 NCV
God loves us just as we are, but He also takes us on a journey of transformation. He wants to help us become more like Jesus and become mature in our faith. He wants to help us develop. Over the next few days, we’re going to be looking at the different areas of our lives that need development. Firstly, we need to develop spiritually. Paul said to the early church: ‘I have a lot more to say…but it is hard to get it across to you since you’ve picked up the bad habit of not listening. By this time you ought to be teachers yourselves, yet here I find you need someone to sit down with you and go over the basics on God again, starting from square one – baby’s milk, when you should have been on solid food long ago!’ (vv.11-13 MSG). Sometimes we can be like those Christians in the early church. We stop listening and stick with what we already know, rather than developing and growing. That might be because we’re too busy, we’re feeling overwhelmed or anxious, or we’re just comfortable with how things are. But there’s always more to learn about God. We’ll never know everything about Him. Newborn babies desire milk, but when they grow up they move on to solid foods. We need to move on to more advanced spiritual food too. We can end up only being spiritually fed at church on a Sunday morning. But then we question why our faith isn’t strong, why we’re struggling to deal with temptation, or why we can’t seem to feel God’s presence and guidance in our lives. We need to be continually feeding on God’s Word. Each day we should be reading our Bible’s and spending time with Him.
1 Kings 18:16-20:43; Mark 14:12-26; Ps 124; Prov 12:26
Hebreërs 5:12 NLV
Paulus het vir die vroeë kerk gesê: ‘Ek kan nog baie hieroor sê, maar dit is vir my moeilik om dit behoorlik by julle tuis te bring, omdat julle nie eintlik wil luister nie. Om die waarheid te sê, behoort julle eintlik self al mense te gewees het wat ander van die dieper dinge van die godsdiens kon vertel. Maar kyk net na julle: ‘n mens moet julle weer van die begin af al die basiese dinge oor God en sy boodskap leer. Op geestelike gebied is julle soos regte babatjies wat net melk drink en geen vaste kos kan eet nie…’ (Hebreërs 5:11-13 DB). Dit staan as ‘vertraagde ontwikkeling’ bekend en kan met enigeen van ons gebeur. Een van die eerste bewyse dat ‘n kind gesond is en goed groei, is wanneer hulle nie meer nodig het om uit ‘n bottel te drink nie en kan begin om vaste kos te eet. As die enigste tyd wanneer jy geestelik gevoed word Sondagoggend in die kerk is, hoekom is jy dan verras wanneer jy nie die geloof om God vir antwoorde op jou gebede te glo, die krag om versoeking te weerstaan of ‘n sin van God se leiding in jou lewe, het nie? Hoe lank dink jy sal jy hou as jy net een keer ‘n week eet? Dawid het gesê: ‘Hoe aangenaam is u woorde vir my; dis soeter as heuning in my mond’ (Psalm 119:103 NLV). Jeremia het geskryf: ‘Toe U met my gepraat het, was u woorde vir my soos kos wat ek kon eet. Ek was bly, want Here, God wat oor alles regeer, U het gesê ek behoort aan U’ (Jeremia 15:16 ABA). Om geestelik te groei, het jy die ‘vaste kos’ van God se Woord nodig (sien Hebreërs 5:14 NLV).
Sielskos: 1 Kon 18:16-20:43; Mark 14:12-26; Ps 124; Spr 12:26
2020-06-03
Galasiërs 5:13 NLV
Voor Hy na die kruis toe is, sê die Bybel dat Jesus: ‘…toe van die tafel af opgestaan [het], sy bo-klere uitgetrek, ‘n doek gevat en dit om Hom vasgebind [het]. Daarna het Hy water in ‘n wasskottel gegooi en begin om die dissipels se voete te was en af te droog met die doek wat om Hom vasgebind was’ (Johannes 13:4-5 NLV). Toe het Hy gesê: ‘Ek het vir julle ‘n voorbeeld gestel, en soos Ek vir julle gedoen het, moet julle ook doen… As julle hierdie dinge insien en julle eie maak, sal julle gelukkig wees as julle dit ook doen’ (verse 15-17 NLV). Wat ‘n les! Liefde kan nie in isolasie manifesteer nie. Dit kan nie gedoen word wanneer jy alleen voor die rekenaar of televisie sit nie. Om die sanger Michael W. Smith aan te haal: ‘Love wasn’t put in your heart to stay. Love isn’t love till you give it away.’ Hoe het Jesus sy liefde aan die dissipels bewys? Deur ‘n dienskneg se doek aan te trek. Waar kan jy dit ook doen? Enige plek! Wat van môre by die kantoor, die fabriek of die bouperseel? Jou werksplek kan ‘n heilige plek word waar God se teenwoordigheid die alledaagse, dag-tot-dag roetine kan seën, omdat die liefde van God binne-in jou ‘n dienskneg se doek dra. ‘Laat ek daardie kopieë vir jou maak… Ek sal jou telefoon antwoord terwyl jy gou jou kind se kosblik vir hom skool toe vat… Dit lyk of jy deur ‘n rowwe tyd gaan, ek is ‘n goeie luisteraar. Ek mag dalk nie al die antwoorde ken nie, maar ek weet van Iemand wat doen.’ Paulus sê dat ons mekaar met liefde moet dien. Gaan dus uit jou pad om vandag iemand te dien.
Sielskos: 1 Kon 16:1-18:15; Mark 14:1-11; Ps 4; Spr 12:25
Galatians 5:13 NIV
Before He went to the cross, the Bible says that Jesus ‘took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him’ (John 13:4-5 NIV). In those days, feet would need to be washed regularly because of the dust and dirt they were walking through. This unpleasant task would have been the job of a servant, but Jesus humbled Himself and took that role in order to show His love to others. Then He said, ‘I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you…Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them’ (vv.15-17 NIV). Jesus wants us to do the same. We might not need to wash feet in order to serve others, but we can serve and show love in other ways, whether that’s at the office, school, a lecture theatre, or at home. We can serve others by helping them out practically, being available to listen when they’re going through a challenging time, or encouraging someone when they’ve done a great job. When we humble ourselves and serve others, we’re showing God’s love to them. The Bible says: ‘Serve one another humbly in love.’ Serving others isn’t always the easy thing to do. We might have other ways we want to spend our time. But we need to follow the example Jesus set if we want to become more like Him. We’re not called to serve others constantly and leave no time for anything else. Jesus often left the crowds and spent time alone with God. But when we see an opportunity to serve someone, let’s take it.
1 Kings 16:1-18:15; Mark 14:1-11; Ps 4; Prov 12:25
Galatians 5:13 NKJV
Before He went to the cross, the Bible says that “Jesus…took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him” (John 13:3-5 NIV). Then He said, “I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you…Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them” (vv. 15-17 NIV). What a lesson! Love can’t be manifested in isolation. It can’t be done sitting alone in front of a TV or PC. To quote the singer Michael W. Smith: “Love wasn’t put in your heart to stay. Love isn’t love till you give it away.” Note, Jesus “showed them the full extent of his love” (See v. 1 NIV). How? By donning a servant’s towel. And where can you do that? Anywhere! How about tomorrow at the office, the warehouse, or the job site? Your workplace can become a sacred place where God’s presence blesses the mundane, day-to-day routine, because the love of God within you wears a servant’s towel. “Let me make those copies for you…I’ll cover your calls while you run to school to bring your son his lunch box…you look like you’re going through a rough time, and I’m a pretty good listener. I may not have all the answers, but I know Someone who does.” Paul bottom-lines it: “Through love serve one another.” So go out of your way to serve someone today.
Soul food: 1 Kings 16:1-18:15; Mark 14:1-11; Ps 4; Prov 12:25
