2021-12-30
Genesis 3:9 NLT
When we don’t feel good about ourselves, we might use things like work, food, relationships, and money to build a wall and keep people from getting too close. Another hiding tactic we might use is to keep the focus off ourselves and direct it on to other people by asking things like, ‘How come she passed the exam and I didn’t?’ Or, ‘Why did he get that job and not me?’ – the implication being that the other person didn’t deserve their achievement and that we’re looking for things to criticise about them so we feel better about ourselves.
But even worse than pretending with people is pretending with God. When God asked Adam, ‘Where are you?’ He already knew the answer. But He asked anyway, because He wanted Adam to acknowledge where he was and what he had become. Eric Hoffer said, ‘We lie loudest when we lie to ourselves.’ Until we face the truth about ourselves, we’ll find it hard to talk to God. We’ll feel lonely and alienated, and we’ll struggle to let people get close to us in case they see who we ‘really are’.But God already knows everything about us – every emotion, every word and every thought – and He doesn’t reject us.
So let’s make this our prayer today: ‘Father, I know You love me. Nothing can change that or steal its joy except my own doubts and my refusal to believe it. You loved me before I was born, You created me according to Your plan, You redeemed me and gave me a special purpose in the world, and You’re working day by day to make me into a person who pleases You’ (see Philippians 2:13). The good news is…we don’t have to hide from God.
1 Cor 15-16; Matt 3:1-10; Ps 116; Prov 31:30-31
2021-12-29
Deuteronomium 30:6 NLV
Hebreeuse babaseuntjies is volgens kerkgebruik besny. Dit het aangedui dat hulle in ‘n verbondsverhouding met God is waarin Hy beloof om hulle te beskerm, te lei en te seën. In die Nuwe Testament, het Paulus hierdie kerkgebruik ‘vergeestelik.’ ‘…die ware besnydenis… is die besnydenis van jou hárt wat deur die Gees van God verrig word…’ (Romeine 2:29 NLV). Geestelik gesproke beteken besnydenis dat ons enigiets wat verkeerde impulse en optredes in ons bevorder, ‘afsny.’
Jesus het gesê: ‘Gelukkig is dié wie se harte volkome op God gerig is, want hulle sal vir God sien’ (Matteus 5:8 NLV). Wanneer jou hart rein is, sal jy God kan sien waar ander mense nie kan nie en Hom kan hoor wanneer ander mense nie kan nie. Die woord ‘rein’ kan ook as ‘sonder besoedeling’ verstaan word. Dis die verskil tussen ‘n helder stroom en ‘n besoedelde stroom. Dit beteken dat jy jou selfgesentreerde denke agterlaat en jou vleeslike natuur kruisig.
Die verskil tussen vergifnis en reiniging is soos die verskil om ‘n onkruid teen die grond af te sny, of dit met wortel en al uit te trek. Vergifnis hanteer die ‘resultaat’ van sonde – dis maklik om te identifiseer. Reiniging hanteer die ‘oorsaak’ van sonde – wat nie so maklik is om te identifiseer nie, omdat dit jou natuurlike eienskappe en karakterfoute insluit. Vergifnis word deur belydenis meegebring, terwyl jy in die lig moet wandel om gereinig te word. ‘As ons optrede egter van die lig getuig, leef ons soos Hy wat in die lig is… en die bloed van Jesus, sy Seun, maak ons skoon van alle sonde’ (1 Johannes 1:7 NLV).
Vra jy oor en oor vir God om dieselfde sondes te vergewe? Dis omdat jy ware reiniging moet ervaar. Jou hart moet besny word. Dis ‘n werk vir die Heilige Gees.
Sielskos: 1 Kor 12-14; Matt 2:16-23; Ps 139:13-24; Spr 31:28-29
Deuteronomy 30:6 NIV
Hebrew baby boys went through the rite of circumcision. It signified that they were in a covenant relationship with God in which He promised to protect, guide, and bless them. And in the New Testament, Paul “spiritualizes” this rite. “True circumcision…is a change of heart produced by God’s Spirit” (Romans 2:29 NLT). Spiritually understood, circumcision means “cutting off” anything that promotes and produces in us wrong impulses and actions.
Jesus said, “Those whose hearts are pure…will see God” (Matthew 5:8 NLT). When your heart is pure, you will be able to see God where others can’t and hear Him when others don’t. The word pure could be translated “without contamination.” It’s the difference between a clear stream and a polluted one. It means your self-centered thinking is abandoned and your carnal nature is crucified.
The difference between forgiveness and cleansing is like the difference between cutting off a weed at the ground and pulling it up by its roots. Forgiveness deals with the “result” of sin – that’s easy to identify. But cleansing deals with the “cause” of sin – that’s not so easy to identify because it deals with your natural traits and character flaws. Forgiveness comes by confession, but cleansing comes by walking in the light: “If we walk in the light, as he is in the light…the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin” (1 John 1:7 NIV).
Do you keep asking God to forgive the same sins over and over? That’s because you need to experience true cleansing. Your heart needs to be circumcised. And that’s a job for the Holy Spirit.
Soul food: 1 Cor 12-14; Matt 2:16-23; Ps 139:13-24; Prov 31:28-29
Deuteronomy 30:6 NIV
Hebrew baby boys went through the rite of circumcision. It signified that they were in a covenant relationship with God in which He promised to protect, guide, and bless them. And in the New Testament, Paul ‘spiritualises’ this rite. ‘True circumcision…is a change of heart produced by [God’s] Spirit’ (Romans 2:29 NLT). That change of heart calls for cutting off anything that encourages and produces in us wrong impulses and actions.
Jesus said, ‘Those whose hearts are pure…will see God’ (Matthew 5:8 NLT). When our hearts are pure, we’ll be able to see God where others can’t and hear Him when others don’t. The word pure could be translated ‘without contamination’. It’s the difference between a clear stream and a polluted one. It means our self-centred thinking is abandoned and our earthly nature is crucified.
The difference between forgiveness and cleansing is like the difference between cutting off a weed at the ground and pulling it up by its roots. Forgiveness deals with the ‘result’ of sin – that’s easy to identify. But cleansing deals with the ’cause’ of sin – that’s not so easy to identify because it deals with our natural traits and character flaws. Forgiveness comes by confession, but cleansing comes by walking in the light: ‘If we walk in the light, as he is in the light…the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin’ (1 John 1:7 NIV).
Do you keep asking God to forgive the same sins over and over? That’s because you need to experience true cleansing. Your heart needs to be changed. And that’s a job for the Holy Spirit.
1 Cor 12-14; Matt 2:16-23; Ps 139:13-24; Prov 31:28-29
2021-12-28
1 Korintiërs 6:12 ABA
Paulus het gesê: ‘Ek weet julle sê ‘n mens mag alles doen. Maar julle moet onthou: Alles is nie goed vir ‘n mens nie. Julle sê ‘n mens mag alles doen, maar ek sê jy mag nie iets so belangrik laat word dat dit oor jou regeer nie.’ As jy ernstig oor geestelike groei is, moet jy vir geleenthede uitkyk waar jy vir jouself in klein areas nee kan sê. Jy sal dan een dag wanneer dit regtig saak maak, dit ook kan sê.
Daniël het begin deur nee vir die koning se kos te sê en kon later weier om voor die koning se afgode te buig. Fokus op die ongedissiplineerde areas in jou lewe; die areas waarvoor jy aanhou verskoning maak, rasionaliseer en aanhou uitstel om dit te hanteer. Paulus het sy optrede as volg geoordeel: ‘Is dit voordelig? Het dit die potensiaal om my te beheer?’ (sien 1 Korintiërs 6:12).
Jy het die volste ‘reg’ om elke aand ‘n bak roomys op te eet. Dis toelaatbaar – maar dis nie ‘voordelig’ nie, veral nie as jy ‘n klein middellyf, die vermoë om ‘n marathon te hardloop, of selfs net om by jou kinders en kleinkinders te kan byhou, wil hê nie. Jy het die ‘reg’ om jou geld soos jy wil te spandeer, maar dan moet jy nie kla as skuld ‘n houvas op jou kry nie. Jy het die ‘reg’ om na enigiets op televisie of die internet te kyk, maar blootstelling aan verkeerde invloede sal onvermydelik jou karakter verswak, jou selfrespek steel en jou verslaaf maak.
Jou karakter is die somtotaal van die keuses wat jy elke dag maak. Wanneer dit daarby kom om slegte gewoontes met goeie gewoontes te vervang, is die enigste persoon wat dit kan doen, jyself!
Sielskos: 1 Kor 10-11; Matt 2:9-15; Ps 139:1-12; Spr 31:25-27
