2021-06-19
Romeine 2:4 NLV
Is die kerk nie vol skynheiliges nie? Die woord hipokraat kom van die Griekse woord vir ‘akteur’ af. Skynheiligheid is dus die uitbeelding van oortuigings, gevoelens of waardes wat jy nie werklik besit nie. Die ware kerk van Jesus Christus bestaan uit ware gelowiges; skynheiliges gee dus voor en sit tussen God se mense. Jesus het selfs een tussen sy twaalf dissipels gehad – Judas.
Kom ons wees eerlik; mense het al die kerk verlaat as gevolg van skynheiligheid. Daar is meer akteurs in die kerk as in Hollywood. Skynheiligheid is ongebreideld in die moderne kerk – maar wees versigtig voor jy dit oordeel. Onthou die ou gesegde: ‘Christene is nie perfek nie, net vergewe.’
Voor jy dit op jouself neem om oordeel oor mense wat foute maak en met swakhede sukkel te vel, lees hierdie woorde: ‘Jy sê dalk: ‘Dis darem verskriklike mense wat jy beskryf!’ Jy is egter self sonder verontskuldiging. Deurdat jy ‘n oordeel oor ander uitspreek, veroordeel jy immers jouself, want eintlik doen jy dieselfde soort dinge. Daarom is jy ook sonder verontskuldiging. Ons weet tog dat God ‘n suiwer oordeel sal vel oor enigiemand wat met sulke praktyke besig is. Dink jy dan – jy wat ander veroordeel wat hierdie dinge doen, en tog ook self daarmee besig is – dat jy God se oordeel sal vryspring? God is so oorvloedig in sy goedheid, verdraagsaamheid en geduld teenoor jou. Minag jy dit werklikwaar? Besef jy nie dat God so goed vir jou is omdat Hy vir jou tyd wil gee om tot inkeer te kom nie?’ (verse 1-4 NLV).
Moenie jouself oor die skynheiliges in die kerk bekommer nie; God sal hulle uitsorteer; die ‘onkruid’ van die ‘koring’ (sien Matteus 13:30).
Sielskos: Hosea 11-14; Luk 1:57-66; Ps 139:13-24; Spr 13:25
2021-06-18
2 Peter 3:13 NIV
What about suffering – doesn’t that prove there isn’t a loving God? Adam was given a choice: to obey God or disobey Him. He chose disobedience, and God said, “Cursed is the ground [earth] because of you; through painful toil you will eat food from it all the days of your life” (Genesis 3:17 NIV). Note the word “painful.” Think how many people are plagued with cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, multiple sclerosis, heart disease, emphysema, Parkinson’s disease, and other debilitating illnesses. Did God “blow it” when He created humanity? Sadly, many use the issue of suffering as an excuse to reject any thought of God, when His existence is the very reason we should believe in Him.
In the beginning God created perfect humans, and they lived in a perfect world without suffering – it was heaven on earth. When sin came into the world, death and misery came with it. What’s the ultimate answer? “We are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells. So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found…at peace with him” (2 Peter 3:13-14 NIV).
Suffering reached its zenith when Jesus said from the cross, “It is finished.” Those words mean “paid in full.” They mean when you accept Jesus as your Saviour, you will go to heaven when you die, and you will live in a glorious earth made new without sin or suffering. “No eye has seen…no ear has heard…no human mind has conceived – the things God has prepared for those who love him” (1 Corinthians 2:9 NIV). If you’re not sure this is true, today put your trust in Jesus.
Soul food: Hosea 6-10; Luke 1:39-56; Ps 139:7-12; Prov 13:24
Deuteronomy 15:8 NLT
God instructed the Israelites, ‘If there are any poor Israelites in your towns when you arrive in the land the LORD your God is giving you, do not be hard-hearted or tightfisted toward them. Instead, be generous and lend them whatever they need (v.7-8 NLT). Generous people focus on what they can give to others, not what they can get from them. The more we respond to God’s promptings to give, the better our attitude becomes towards giving.
We might think that the amount we have of something determines the amount we should share. But with God, it’s not what we have that matters; it’s what we do with what we have. And that’s determined by our attitude. It doesn’t mean we should be reckless with what we have, or give everything away so that God will be pleased with us. We need to always seek His guidance in what to give and how we can best serve others.
And that’s something we can start doing today. Whether it means spending more time with family, being an encourager for someone who’s struggling, or helping people in our church or community, it’s about putting our own desires on hold for a while so we can bless someone else. The Bible says, ‘Speak out for justice! Stand up for the poor and destitute!’ (Proverbs 31:9 MSG).
To stay generous, we need to trust God first of all, remembering that He’s blessed us with what we have now and will meet all our needs, then make a habit of giving up our time, attentiveness, money, and resources whenever He directs us to.
Hosea 6-10; Luke 1:39-56; Ps 139:7-12; Prov 13:24
2 Petrus 3:13 NLV
Wat van lyding – bewys dit nie dat daar nie ‘n liefdevolle God is nie? Adam is ‘n keuse gegee: om God te gehoorsaam, of om aan Hom ongehoorsaam te wees. Hy het ongehoorsaamheid gekies en God het gesê: ‘…Daarom vervloek ek die grond. Jou hele lewe lank sal jy met droefheid sukkel om ‘n bestaan daaruit te maak’ (Genesis 3:17 NLV). Dink hoe baie mense aan kanker, Alzheimer se siekte, veelvuldige sklerose, hartsiektes, emfiseem, Parkinson se siekte en ander aftakelende siektes ly. Hartseer genoeg, gebruik baie van ons lyding as ‘n verskoning om enige idee oor God te verwerp, terwyl die bestaan daarvan die presiese rede is hoekom ons in Hom moet glo.
In die begin het God perfekte mense geskape en hulle het in ‘n perfekte wêreld sonder lyding gelewe – dit was hemel op aarde. Toe sonde egter in die wêreld gekom het, het dit die dood en ellende meegebring. Wat is dus die antwoord? ‘Maar ons sien uit na die nuwe hemele en ‘n nuwe aarde, soos God belowe het. Dáár sal almal voor God reg lewe. Daarom, geliefdes, terwyl julle wag… Lewe in vrede met God’ (2 Petrus 3:13-14 NLV).
Lyding het sy hoogtepunt bereik toe Jesus aan die kruis gesê het: ‘Dit is volbring.’ Dit beteken dat dit ten volle betaal is. Dit beteken dat wanneer jy Jesus as jou Redder aanvaar, sal jy hemel toe gaan wanneer jy sterf en in ‘n glorieryke wêreld lewe wat sonder sonde en lyding nuut gemaak is. ‘…Wat geen oog gesien het; wat geen oor gehoor het; wat in niemand se hart opgekom het nie – dit het God voorberei vir hulle wat Hom liefhet’ (1 Korintiërs 2:9 NLV). As jy nie seker is dat dit waar is nie, plaas vandag jou vertroue in Jesus.
Sielskos: Hosea 6-10; Luk 1:39-56; Ps 139:7-12; Spr 13:24
2021-06-17
Genesis 1:26 GWT
At creation God said something interesting about us: ‘Let them rule.’ In other words, He gave us full authority for managing our lives. We serve as His agents on earth to make sure His will is done. However, we also need to watch out, because Satan will try to get us to hand control of our lives over to him, or deceive us into believing we have no power and he has it all, or encourage us to rule our lives based on our own skewed judgment and limited view.
But it’s only when we rely on God’s wisdom and walk according to His Word that we get a complete realisation of God’s plan for us. God reigns over everything, but He’s given us authority in our own spheres of influence. ‘The heavens are the heavens of the LORD, but the earth He has given to the sons of mankind’ (Psalm 115:16 NASB).
God empowers us to make right choices and decisions, and tailors His reactions to our actions. Sometimes we sit around waiting for God to act, when the truth is, He’s waiting for us to make a move. One pastor writes that God ‘has maintained a base of sovereign boundaries, a sphere He will not allow [people] to trespass on…[but] simultaneously opened up a field where we get to call the plays, leaving Him to respond accordingly.’ For example, if we want to reap bountifully, we must sow generously. If we want to be forgiven, we must forgive others. And if we want to walk in His blessings, we must walk in obedience. We’re called to ‘rule through the one man, Jesus Christ (Romans 5:17 NCV).
Hosea 1-5; Luke 1:26-38; Ps 139:1-6; Prov 13:21-23
