2021-09-27
1 Corinthians 9:22 NKJV
Paul wouldn’t give an inch about the truth of God’s Word, but he refused to be drawn in to a fight about customs, traditions, and people’s preferences. For example, some of the Corinthian Christians thought because certain meats were offered in worship to idols it was sinful to eat them. Paul didn’t handle it by standing up and declaring, ‘I’m not going to allow you to impose your unscriptural convictions on me’?
Instead, he wrote: ‘Some are accustomed to thinking of idols as…real, so when they eat food that has been offered to idols, they think of it as the worship of real gods, and their weak consciences are violated. It’s true that we can’t win God’s approval by what we eat. We don’t lose anything if we don’t eat it, and we don’t gain anything if we do. But you must be careful so that your freedom does not cause others with a weaker conscience to stumble’ (1 Corinthians 8:7-9 NLT). Then he said, ‘I try to find common ground with everyone, doing everything I can to save some’ (1 Corinthians 9:22 NLT).
God didn’t call us to win theological arguments; He called us to win people to Christ. So be gracious to people who don’t think like you, dress like you, or care about some of the things you care about. Be gracious to those whose worship style and fine points of theology are different from yours. ‘Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love. Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace’ (Ephesians 4:2-3 NLT).
1 Sam 8-10; Luke 23:26-34; Ps 54; Prov 21:18-21
1 Korintiërs 9:22 DB
Paulus sou nie ‘n duim oor Bybelse waarhede toegee nie, maar wanneer dit by gebruike, tradisies en mense se voorkeure gekom het, het hy geweier om daaroor te baklei. Sommige van die Christene in Korinte het byvoorbeeld gedink dat dit sonde was om sekere soorte vleis te eet, omdat daardie vleis aan afgode geoffer is.
Het Paulus dus verklaar: ‘Ek gaan nie toelaat dat jy jou onskriftuurlike oortuigings op my afdwing nie’? Nee. Hy het geskryf: ‘…Party is daaraan gewoond om te dink ‘n afgod bestaan werklik. As hulle dan kos eet wat aan die afgode geoffer is, dink hulle dat hulle betrokke is by die verering van werklik bestaande wesens en hulle sensitiewe gewetens word met skuldgevoelens belas. Onthou, dis nie kos wat ons nader aan God bring nie. Ons verloor niks as jy nie eet nie en ons wen niks as ons wel eet nie. Maar wees versigtig dat jou vrymoedigheid om alles te eet nie jou medegelowiges met ‘n sensitiewe gewete in hulle geloof laat struikel nie’ (1 Korintiërs 8:7-9 NLV). Dan onderstreep hy dit deur te sê: ‘… Wat daar ook al van my gevra word om mense na die Here toe te lei, is ek bereid om te doen’ (1 Korintiërs 9:22 DB).
God het ons nie geroep om teologiese argumente te wen nie; Hy het ons geroep om mense vir Christus te wen. Wees dus genadig teenoor diegene wat nie soos jy dink, soos jy aantrek, of oor dieselfde dinge omgee waaroor jy omgee nie. Wees genadig teenoor diegene wie se aanbiddingstyl en fyner teologiese uitgangspunte van joune verskil. ‘Met totale beskeidenheid en sagmoedigheid, ja, met geduld moet julle mekaar in liefde verdra. Deur in vrede met mekaar te lewe, moet julle die eenheid wat die Gees bewerk het, bewaar’ (Efesiërs 4:2-3 NLV).
Sielskos: 1 Sam 8-10; Luk 23:26-34; Ps 54; Spr 21:18-21
2021-09-26
Psalm 25:16 NLT
David, who committed adultery with another man’s wife, prayed: “Turn to me and have mercy, for I am alone and in deep distress. My problems go from bad to worse. Oh, save me from them all!…See how many enemies I have and how viciously they hate me! Protect me! Rescue my life from them! Do not let me be disgraced, for in you I take refuge. May integrity and honesty protect me, for I put my hope in you” (vv. 16-21 NLT). How can you protect yourself in areas where you’re vulnerable?
(1) By staying close to God. When you’re lonely, distancing from God doesn’t make sense. It just increases your exposure to things like infidelity, pornography, drugs, and alcohol.
(2) By coming out of hiding. Get involved in some aspect of ministry. Be willing to be more transparent by getting to know others and letting them get to know you. Shakespeare said, “Fire that is closest kept burns most of all.” When you spend time around people who truly care about you, loneliness ceases to be such an issue.
(3) By taking the focus off yourself. Winston Churchill said, “We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.” Victory comes by reaching out to those in need; by giving of yourself, praying for them, loving and serving them.
(4) By forgiving those who’ve hurt you. Isolating yourself when you’ve been hurt just leads to bitterness. Forgive, turn it over to God, let Him deal with your offender – and get on with your life.
Soul food: Gen 24:1-51; 2 Cor 6:14-7:1
Psalm 25:16 NLT
David prayed: ‘Turn to me and have mercy, for I am alone and in deep distress. My problems go from bad to worse. Oh, save me from them all!…See how many enemies I have and how viciously they hate me! Protect me! Rescue my life from them! Do not let me be disgraced, for in you I take refuge. May integrity and honesty protect me, for I put my hope in you’ (v.16-21 NLT).
We all have areas where we’re weaker and more vulnerable, where our integrity is most likely to be tested, and where we’re more at risk of giving in to temptation. Here are four ways that we can protect ourselves in our most vulnerable areas:
1) By staying close to God. When we’re lonely, distancing from God doesn’t make sense. It can increases our exposure to things that could be harmful to our physical, emotional and spiritual selves, as we look to other things to find comfort. Instead, we should turn to God.
2) By coming out of hiding. If we try getting to know others and letting them get to know and care for us, we become more willing to be transparent and open, and less likely to hide away our struggles.
3) By taking the focus off ourselves. Victory comes by reaching out to those in need; by giving your time to help them, praying for them, loving and serving them.
4) By forgiving those who’ve hurt us. Isolating ourselves when we’ve been hurt just leads to bitterness. We should turn it over to God, let Him deal with the offender, and ask Him to help us forgive.
Gen 24:1-51; 2 Cor 6:14-7:1
Psalm 25:16 NLV
Dawid, wat owerspel met ‘n ander man se vrou gepleeg het, het gebid: ‘Draai u gesig na my en bewys genade aan my, want ek is alleen en in diepe nood. Die kwellinge van my gedagtes word al meer. Verlos my tog uit hierdie ellende!.. Kyk hoeveel vyande is teen my, hoe hulle my haat met venyn! Beskerm my en red my! Bewaar my van vernedering, want ek vertrou op U. Mag opregtheid en eerlikheid my beskerm, want ek wag op U’ (verse 16-21 NLV). Hoe kan jy jouself in areas waar jy weerloos is, beskerm?
1) Deur naby aan God te bly. Wanneer jy eensaam is, maak dit nie sin om jouself van God af te sonder nie. Dit verhoog net jou blootstelling aan dinge soos ontrouheid, pornografie, dwelms en alkohol.
2) Deur nie meer weg te kruip nie. Raak betrokke by ‘n aspek in die bediening. Wees gewillig om meer toeganklik te wees, deur ander mense te leer ken en hulle toe te laat om jou te leer ken. Wanneer jy tyd met mense bestee wat waarlik vir jou omgee, hou eensaamheid op om so ‘n groot kwessie te wees.
3) Deur die fokus van jouself af te neem. Winston Churchill het gesê: ‘Ons maak ‘n bestaan deur dit wat ons kry, maar ons maak ‘n lewe deur dit wat ons gee.’ Oorwinning vind plaas wanneer jy na mense in nood uitreik; jouself vir hulle gee, vir hulle bid, vir hulle lief is en hulle dien.
4) Deur diegene te vergewe wat jou seergemaak het. Wanneer jy jouself isoleer nadat jy seergekry het, lei dit net tot bitterheid. Vergewe, gee dit aan God oor, laat Hom toe om jou oortreder te hanteer – en gaan met jou lewe aan.
Sielskos: Gen 24:1-51; 2 Kor 6:14-7:1
