2021-02-05
Matthew 18:33 NLT
Jesus told this story: ‘The Kingdom of Heaven can be compared to a king who decided to bring his accounts up to date with servants who had borrowed money from him. In the process, one of his debtors was brought in who owed him millions of dollars. He couldn’t pay, so his master ordered that he be sold – along with his wife, his children, and everything he owned – to pay the debt. But the man fell down before his master and begged him, “Please, be patient with me, and I will pay it all.” Then his master was filled with pity for him, and…forgave his debt. But when the man left the king, he went to a fellow servant who owed him a few thousand dollars. He grabbed him by the throat and demanded instant payment. His fellow servant…begged for a little more time. “Be patient with me, and I will pay it,” he pleaded. But his creditor wouldn’t wait. He had the man arrested and put in prison until the debt could be paid in full…the king called in the man he had forgiven and said, “You evil servant! I forgave you that tremendous debt because you pleaded with me. Shouldn’t you have mercy on your fellow servant, just as I had mercy on you?” Then the angry king sent the man to prison to be tortured until he had paid his entire debt. That’s what my heavenly Father will do to you if you refuse to forgive your brothers and sisters from your heart’ (Matthew 18:23-35 NLT).
Are you holding on to resentment or struggling to forgive someone? Today, with God’s help, make the choice to begin the process of forgiveness.
Isa 63-66; Matt 12:38-50; Ps 120; Prov 3:33-35
Matthew 18:33 NLT
Jesus said: “The Kingdom of Heaven can be compared to a king who decided to bring his accounts up to date with servants who had borrowed money from him. In the process, one of his debtors was brought in who owed him millions of dollars. He couldn’t pay, so his master ordered that he be sold – along with his wife, his children, and everything he owned – to pay the debt. But the man fell down before his master and begged him, ‘Please, be patient with me, and I will pay it all.’ Then his master was filled with pity for him, and…forgave his debt.
But when the man left the king, he went to a fellow servant who owed him a few thousand dollars. He grabbed him by the throat and demanded instant payment. His fellow servant…begged for a little more time. ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay it,’ he pleaded. But his creditor wouldn’t wait. He had the man arrested and put in prison until the debt could be paid in full…the king called in the man he had forgiven and said, ‘You evil servant! I forgave you that tremendous debt because you pleaded with me. Shouldn’t you have mercy on your fellow servant, just as I had mercy on you?’ Then the angry king sent the man to prison to be tortured until he had paid his entire debt. That’s what my heavenly Father will do to you if you refuse to forgive your brothers and sisters from your heart” (vv. 23-35 NLT).
If you are harboring resentment and refusing to forgive someone, read this story again. It’s the word for you today!
Soul food: Isa 63-66; Matt 12:38-50; Ps 120; Prov 3:33-35
2021-02-04
2 Korintiërs 9:8 AFR83
God het nie net lief nie; Hy oorlaai ons met liefde (sien 1 Johannes 3:1). Hy deel nie net wysheid uit nie; Hy ‘…sal jou eenvoudig daardie wysheid gee, en jou nie verwyt dat jy dit gevra het nie’ (Jakobus 1:5 NLV). Die Verlore Seun het die vetste kalf gekry, die gaste by die troue in Kana die beste wyn en Petrus het so baie vis gevang dat sy boot begin sink het.
Paulus sê vir ons dat God ‘saad voorsien aan die saaier’ (2 Korintiërs 9:10 NLV). Die Griekse woord vir ‘voorsien’ stam van twee betekenisse af. Die eerste beteken ‘om te dans’ en die tweede beteken ‘om te lei.’ Dit beteken letterlik om “‘n dans te lei.” Wanneer God dus vir jou gee, dans Hy van vreugde. Hy is lief daarvoor om te gee! Een dag het Petrus vir Jesus gesê: ‘…Ons het alles opgegee om u dissipels te word. Wat sal ons daaruit kry?’ (Matteus 19:27 NLV). Dit lyk na ‘n goeie geleentheid vir Jesus om Petrus se ‘Wat’s in dit vir my?’ mentaliteit aan te spreek. Hy doen dit egter nie. In plaas daarvan, verseker Hy vir Petrus dat ons honderdvoudig in hierdie lewe sal ontvang en die ewige lewe ook sal verkry (sien Matteus 19:29). Jesus beloof ons ‘n wins van 10,000 persent! God deel sy goedheid nie met ‘n oogdrupper uit nie, maar met ‘n brandkraan; nie met ‘n teekoppie nie, maar met die Middellandse See. Jy kan dit eenvoudig nie bedwing nie.
Laat dit dus oorborrel. Uitloop. Oor die kant mors. ‘…En onthou, hierdie dinge het julle nie self verdien nie. Ek het dit gratis vir julle gegee. Gaan gee dit daarom ook verniet aan ander weg’ (Matteus 10:8 DB).
Sielskos: Jes 58-62; Matt 12:22-37; Ps 108; Spr 3:31-32
2 Corinthians 9:8 NKJV
God doesn’t just love; He lavishes us with love (See 1 John 3:1 NIV). He doesn’t dole out wisdom; He “gives generously to all without finding fault” (James 1:5 NIV). The Prodigal Son got the fattest calf, the guests at the wedding in Cana got the best wine, and Peter caught so many fish that his boat started to sink.
Paul tells us God “supplies seed to the sower” (2 Corinthians 9:10 NKJV), and the Greek word for “supplies” comes from two roots. The first means “to dance,” and the second means “to lead.” It literally means “to lead a dance.” So when God gives to you, He dances for joy. He strikes up the band and leads the giving parade. He loves to give!
One day Peter said to Jesus, “We have left all and followed You. Therefore what shall we have?” (Matthew 19:27 NKJV). Seems like a good opportunity for Jesus to chastise Peter’s “what’s in it for me?” mentality. But He didn’t. Instead, He assured Peter that we shall receive a hundredfold in this life and inherit eternal life too (See Matthew 19:29). Jesus promises a gain of 10,000 percent! If someone gave you ten thousand dollars today for every hundred dollars you gave them yesterday, you might call that person “God-generous.”
God dispenses His goodness not with an eyedropper, but with a fire hydrant; not with a teacup, but with the Mediterranean Sea. You simply can’t contain it. So let it bubble over. Spill out. Pour forth. “Freely you have received; freely give” (Matthew 10:8 NIV).
Soul food: Isa 58-62; Matt 12:22-37; Ps 108; Prov 3:31-32
2 Corinthians 9:8 NCV
God doesn’t just love us – He lavishes us with love (take a look at 1 John 3:1 NIV). He doesn’t give out a little bit of wisdom – He ‘gives generously to all without finding fault’ (James1:5 NIV). God loves to be generous and give us more than we expect or deserve. The Prodigal Son got the fattest calf. The guests at the wedding in Cana got the best wine. Peter caught so many fish that his boat started to sink.
Paul tells us that God ‘supplies seed to the sower’ (2 Corinthians 9:10 NKJV). The Greek word for ‘supplies’ is epichoregeo, which comes from a root that can mean ‘dance’ or ‘leader of a chorus’. It paints a picture of God being so full of joy to be giving things to us that He sings and dances as He does it. He really does delight in giving and being generous! One day Peter said to Jesus, ‘Look, we have left everything and followed you. So what will we have?’ (Matthew19:27 NCV). Basically, Peter was saying, ‘What’s in it for me?’ We might expect Jesus to have disciplined Peter for his attitude. But He didn’t. Instead, He assured Peter that ‘all those who have left houses, brothers, sisters, father, mother, children or farms to follow me will get much more than they left, and they will have life forever’ (v.29 NCV).
God doesn’t gives out His goodness one tiny drop at a time – His goodness overflows so we can’t contain it. And because we receive abundantly, we can be generous in whatever we give to others: ‘Freely you have received; freely give’ (Matthew 10:8 NIV). So let’s allow our generosity to bubble over, spill out and bless others abundantly too.
Isa 58-62; Matt 12:22-37; Ps 108; Prov 3:31-32
