2021-02-10
Proverbs 14:30 NLT
In the last half century, doctors have come to understand and emphasize the correlation between mental and physical health. Yet the Bible talked about it over three thousand years ago when King Solomon gave us these four proverbs: (1) “A peaceful heart leads to a healthy body; jealousy is like cancer in the bones.” (2) “A cheerful look brings joy to the heart; good news makes for good health” (Proverbs 15:30 NLT). (3) “Kind words are like honey – sweet to the soul and healthy for the body” (Proverbs 16:24 NLT). (4) “A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength” (Proverbs 17:22 NLT).
These Scriptures could be summed up like this: a faith-filled attitude (focusing on what’s good instead of what’s bad), laughter (the ability to rejoice), and spoken words of encouragement have a profound effect on your health (and the health of those around you). What’s the antidote for stress? Serenity! What’s the remedy for fear? Faith! And where do serenity and faith come from? God!
David was in bad shape when he wrote, “I begged the Lord for mercy, saying, ‘What will you gain if I die, if I sink into the grave?'” (Psalm 30:8-9 NLT). We don’t know whether he was stressed-out mentally, or if he was physically ill. But God intervened, and later in the same psalm David wrote, “You have turned my mourning into…dancing. You have…clothed me with joy, that I might sing praises to you and not be silent” (vv. 11-12 NLT).
There’s no doubt about it – your thinking has a profound effect on your health!
Soul food: Rom 9:17-11:36; Matt 13:36-46; Ps 138; Prov 4:14-17
Spreuke 14:30 NLV
In die laaste halfeeu, het dokters die verhouding tussen geestelike en fisiese gesondheid begin verstaan en beklemtoon. Tog praat die Bybel meer as drie duisend jaar gelede al daaroor toe koning Salomo vir ons hierdie vier spreuke gegee het: 1) ‘Innerlike kalmte bevorder die gesondheid. Jaloesie vreet ‘n mens op.’ 2). ‘Oë wat blink, bring vreugde. Goeie nuus, bring gesondheid’ (Spreuke 15:30 NLV). 3) ‘Mooi woorde is soos heuning; dit is goed vir die gees en bevorderlik vir sy lewe’ (Spreuke 16:24 NLV). 4) “‘n Vrolike mens is soos goeie medisyne. ‘n Neerslagtige mens tap jou krag” (Spreuke 17:22 NLV).
Hierdie Skrifgedeeltes kan as volg opgesom word: ‘n Houding wat met geloof gevul is (deur op die goeie eerder as die slegte te fokus), lag (die vermoë om jouself te verbly) en gesproke woorde van aanmoediging het ‘n diepgaande effek op jou gesondheid (sowel as die gesondheid van diegene rondom jou).
Wat is die teenmiddel vir stres? Kalmte! Wat is die geneesmiddel vir vrees? Geloof! Waar kom kalmte en geloof vandaan? Van God af! Dit het nie goed met Dawid gegaan toe hy die volgende geskryf het nie: ‘Ek het na U geroep, Here. Ek het by U gepleit om genade: ‘Wat sal dit U baat as ek sterf, as ek wegsak in die graf?’…’ (Psalm 30:9-10 NLV). Ons weet nie of hy stres gehad het of fisies siek was nie. God het egter ingetree en later het Dawid in dieselfde Psalm geskryf: ‘U het my droefheid verander in ‘n dans van vreugde. U het my… met vreugde geklee. Daarom sal ek sing tot u eer en nie swyg nie…’ (verse 12-13 NLV).
Daar is geen twyfel daaraan nie – jou gedagtes het ‘n diepgaande effek op jou gesondheid!
Sielskos: Rom 9:17-11:36; Matt 13:36-46; Ps 138; Spr 4:14-17
2021-02-09
Romans 8:15 NLT
Let’s take a few minutes to reflect on the amazing fact that God chose us to be His. We may not have had the best start in life. There may be things in our past, or even our present, that we’re not proud of. But God still wants us. He can see our entire lives from beginning to end, with all of the mistakes, sins and failures, but He was still convinced ‘to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ’ (Ephesians 1:5 NLT). That means we can now live ‘like God’s very own children, adopted into…his family, and calling to him, “Father, Father”…And since we are his children, we will share his treasures – for all God gives to his Son Jesus is now ours too’ (Romans 8:15,17 TLB).
God doesn’t reject us because of our background, flaws, weaknesses, or bad choices. We’re His redeemed children. We can ‘approach God with freedom and confidence’ (Ephesians 3:12 NIV). We don’t even have to call Him by some grand title or name – we have the privilege to be able to call Him ‘Father’. And that’s true on our bad days as well as our good ones. By adopting us, He welcomes us into His redeemed family, united by the blood of Jesus.
Maybe our own experience of family isn’t great, but as part of God’s family, we’re instantly part of a loving community. And if God loves us, we must be worth loving. If He wants to have us in His kingdom, then we must be worth having. God’s grace calls for us to change our attitudes about ourselves and stand with God against any feelings of rejection and unworthiness. We’re accepted, loved, and secure, and God treasures us as His children.
Rom 7:1-9:16; Matt 13:24-35; Ps 134; Prov 4:5-13
Romans 8:15 NLT
If you’re adopted, that means your parents chose you. They could have picked a different gender, color, or ancestry. But they selected you. You say, “But if they could have foreseen the rest of my life, they might have changed their minds.” That’s the point exactly!
God saw our entire lives from beginning to end, and He was still convinced “to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ” (Ephesians 1:5 NLT). We can now live “like God’s very own children, adopted into…his family, and calling to him, ‘Father, Father’…And since we are his children, we will share his treasures – for all God gives to his Son Jesus is now ours too” (Romans 8:15, 17 TLB).
God doesn’t accept you because of your pedigree. And He doesn’t reject you because of your divorce, deficiencies, debt, or dumb choices. You’re His redeemed child. You can call him “Abba,” which means “daddy” or “papa.” You “may approach God with freedom and confidence” (Ephesians 3:12 NIV). And that’s so, on your bad days as well as your good ones. And it gets better. Your adoption is horizontal as well as vertical. You’re now a member of His redeemed family. Dividing walls of hostility are broken down, and community is created on the basis of a common father. Instant family worldwide!
If God loves you, you must be worth loving. If He wants to have you in His kingdom, then you must be worth having. God’s grace invites you – no, requires you – to change your attitude about yourself and take sides with God against your feelings of rejection and unworthiness. You’re accepted, loved, and secure!
Soul food: Rom 7:1-9:16; Matt 13:24-35; Ps 134; Prov 4:5-13
Romeine 8:15 ABA
As jy ‘n aangenome kind is, beteken dit dat jou ouers jou gekies het. Hulle kon ‘n ander geslag, kleur of afkoms gekies het. Hulle het egter vir jou gekies. Jy sê: ‘As hulle egter die res van my lewe kon vooruitsien, mag hulle dalk van gedagte verander het.’ Dis presies die punt! God het ons hele lewe van begin tot einde gesien en tog was Hy steeds oortuig om ‘Deur wat Christus gedoen het… ons as sy kinders aan te neem…’ (Efesiërs 1:5 NLV). Ons kan nou lewe soos God se ‘…kinders, en die Heilige Gees help ons om vir God te sê ‘Vader’… Ons is God se kinders, en daarom sal God ook vir ons gee wat Hy vir ons belowe het. Ja, ons sal saam met Christus alles kry wat God gee…’ (Romeine 8:15, 17 ABA).
God aanvaar jou nie op grond van jou stamboom nie. Hy verwerp jou ook nie op grond van jou tekortkominge, skuld of dom keuses nie. Jy is sy verloste kind. Jy kan ‘…met vertroue vrymoedig na God toe gaan’ (Efesiërs 3:12 NLV). Dit raak egter beter. Jou aanneming is horisontaal sowel as vertikaal. Jy is nou ‘n lid van sy verloste familie. Verdelende mure van vyandigheid word afgebreek en ‘n samelewing word op die basis van ‘n gemeenskaplike Vader geskep. Oombliklike familie wêreldwyd!
As God vir jou lief is, is jy waardig om liefde te ontvang. As Hy jou in sy koninkryk wil hê, is jy waardig om geken te word. God se genade nooi jou uit – nee, dit verwag van jou – om jou houding teenoor jouself te verander en saam met God teen jou gevoelens van verwerping en onwaardigheid standpunt in te neem. Jy is aanvaar, geliefd en veilig!
Sielskos: Rom 7:1-9:16; Matt 13:24-35; Ps 134; Spr 4:5-13
