2022-01-20
Proverbs 14:17 NIV
When a person loses his or her temper, one of the most common expressions used to describe their reaction is “flying off the handle.” The phrase refers to the head of a hammer coming loose from the handle as you attempt to use it. And several not-so-good things happen as a consequence.
(1) The hammer becomes useless. Your message may be all-important, but the manner in which you deliver it determines whether or not you get the results you desire. Simply stated, when people don’t take you seriously, you don’t get the outcome you hoped for.
(2) The hammer head does damage. By flying out of control, it’s likely to damage anything in its path. Words spoken in anger cause wounds, and sometimes those wounds can last a lifetime. James writes: “Post this at all the intersections, dear friends: Lead with your ears, follow up with your tongue, and let anger straggle along in the rear. God’s righteousness doesn’t grow from human anger” (James 1:19-20 MSG).
(3) Repairing both the hammer and the damage may take a long time. In some cases, it simply can’t be done. Here are some Scriptures to keep in mind before you vent your spleen. Again, “A quick-tempered person does foolish things.” “Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret – it leads only to evil” (Psalm 37:8 NIV). “A person’s wisdom yields patience; it is to one’s glory to overlook an offense” (Proverbs 19:11 NIV). “Do not be quickly provoked in your spirit, for anger resides in the lap of fools” (Ecclesiastes 7:9 NIV).
So the word for you today is – “Don’t fly off the handle.”
Soul food: Gen 42-43; Luke 4:14-30; Ps 89:15-37; Pro 2:21-22
2022-01-19
Ezekiel 36:26 NKJV
Cyprian, a wealthy noble who lived during the Third Century, enjoyed galloping about Carthage in his gold and bejeweled chariot. He wore fancy clothes studded with diamonds and precious stones and lived a debauched life. In a letter to one of the Christian theologians of his time, Cyprian said he couldn’t possibly conceive how he could change his life – the life he had lived for so long. The inveterate habits, tastes, and desires that he had developed, the sins he clutched to his bosom, how could he possibly give these things up? How could he ever become like the Christians he saw? He said it seemed to him to be an utterly impossible thing.
Yet in the mysterious providence and grace of God, that which seemed utterly impossible came to pass and Cyprian was transformed. God reached down and took out of Cyprian’s breast that stony heart and placed within him a heart of flesh – a heart tuned to love his God and sing his praises. Cyprian, who later became one of the great Christian leaders of the early church, said things that before had seemed utterly impossible, mysterious, and difficult to understand had all become plain. All his problems had disappeared.
You say, “But I don’t understand the new birth.” The good news is you don’t have to. You just have to trust in Christ and be born again. All kinds of people – the great and the mighty, the base and the low, the noble and ignoble, the savage and the sophisticate – have experienced the regenerating power of God and enjoyed a new life in Christ. And you can too.
Soul food: Gen 40-41; Luke 4:1-13; Ps 89:1-14; Pro 2:20
Ezekiel 36:26 NKJV
Cyprian was a wealthy nobleman who lived during the third century. He enjoyed galloping about Carthage in his gold and bejewelled chariot. He wore fancy clothes studded with diamonds and precious stones and lived a debauched life. Cyprian wrote a letter to one of the Christian theologians of his time, saying he couldn’t possibly imagine how he could change his life – the life he had lived for so long. The long-standing habits, tastes, and desires that he had developed, the sins he clung on to – how could he possibly give those things up? How could he ever become like the Christians he saw? To him it seemed to be a totally impossible thing.
But in the divine power and grace of God, the things that seem totally impossible can happen, and so Cyprian was transformed. God reached down and took out Cyprian’s stony heart and placed within him a heart of flesh – a heart that was tuned to loving God and singing His praises. Things that had at one time seemed completely impossible, mysterious, and difficult to understand had all become plain and clear. Cyprian was so totally transformed, he even went on to become one of the great Christian leaders of the early church.
We might not understand how such a change is even possible – how our old natures, habits and sins can be completely turned around. But the good news is we don’t have to understand. We just have to trust in Christ and be born again. All kinds of people – rich and poor, unknown and famous, those with university degrees and those with little formal education – have experienced the regenerating power of God and enjoyed a new life in Christ. And each of us can experience it too.
Gen 40-41; Luke 4:1-13; Ps 89:1-14; Pro 2:20
Esegiël 36:26 NLV
Cyprianus, ‘n welgestelde edelman wat tydens die Derde Eeu geleef het, het dit geniet om in die antieke stad van Carthago met sy versierde wa rond te galop. Hy het ontwerpersklere, wat met diamante en edelestene versier was gedra en ‘n losbandige lewe gelei. In ‘n brief aan een van die Christelike teoloë van sy tyd, het Cyprianus gesê dat hy hom nie kon indink hoe hy sy lewe kon verander nie – die lewe wat hy al so lank gelei het. Die ingeburgerde gewoontes, smake en begeertes wat hy ontwikkel het, die sondes wat hy aan sy boesem vasgehou het, hoe sou hy ooit hierdie dinge kon prysgee? Hoe sou hy ooit soos die Christene wat hy teëgekom het kon word? Hy het gesê dat dit vir hom soos ‘n gans en al onmoontlike verandering lyk.
Maar, in die geheimsinnige voorsienigheid en genade van God, het dit wat heeltemal onmoontlik gelyk het, plaasgevind en Cyprianus het verander. God het afwaarts gereik en die kliphart uit Cyprianus se bors geneem en dit met ‘n hart van vlees vervang – ‘n hart wat daarop ingestel was om vir God lief te wees en Hom te loof. Cyprianus, wat later een van die grootste Christelike leiers van die vroeë kerk geword het, het gesê dat dinge wat heeltemal onmoontlik, geheimsinnig en moeilik verstaanbaar gelyk het, eenvoudig geword het. Al sy probleme het verdwyn.
Jy sê: ‘Maar ek verstaan nie die wedergeboorte nie.’ Die goeie nuus is dat jy dit nie hoef te verstaan nie. Jy moet Christus net vertrou en nuut gebore word. Alle tipes mense – die groot en magtige, die edele en die onedele, die woeste en die gesofistikeerde – het al die vernuwende krag van God ervaar en ‘n nuwe lewe in Christus geniet. Jy kan ook.
Sielskos: Gen 40-41; Luk 4:1-13; Ps 89:1-14; Spr 2:20
2022-01-18
Spreuke 13:18 NLV
Wanneer iemand jou teregwys, moet jy onderrigbaar, nie onbereikbaar wees nie. ‘…wees altyd gou om te luister, nie te gou om te praat nie, en nie te gou om kwaad te word nie’ (Jakobus 1:19 NLV). As jy die eerste twee dinge doen, sal die derde vanself in plek val. As jy gou is om te luister en stadig is om te antwoord, gaan jy stadig wees om jou humeur te verloor. ‘…Hy wat ‘n teregwysing ter harte neem, ontvang eer.’ Gebruik dus jou ore meer as jou mond en wees gewillig om teregwysing te aanvaar.
Die wysste mense is gewillig om by ander mense te leer. Jy kan by enigiemand leer, as jy weet wat die regte vrae is om te vra. Dis belangrik dat jy nooit ophou vrae vra nie, want die oomblik wat jy ophou om in die lewe te leer, is dit klaar met jou! Wees onderrigbaar en nie onbereikbaar nie.
Man, kan jy van jou vrou leer, of is dit vir jou ‘n bedreiging? Wanneer sy ‘n voorstel maak, raak jy verdedigend? Neem jy elke opmerking as ‘n bedreiging tot jou manlikheid op? Vrou, kan jy by jou man leer? Ouer, kan jy by jou kinders leer? As jy met ‘n eensame lewe wil opeindig, moet jy nooit jou foute erken, nooit van ander mense leer en nooit toelaat dat enigiemand jou iets leer nie.
Hoeveel tyd het verbygegaan vandat jy laas teenoor jy eggenoot erken het: ‘Liefie, ek was verkeerd; dit was my fout’? Sommige mense het dit jare laas gesê. Die Bybel sê: ‘…aanvaar nederig die woord wat God in julle geplant het…’ (Jakobus 1:21 NLV). Wanneer jy God se Woord benader, moet jy dit met ‘n sagmoedige, nederige houding doen wat sê: ‘Here, ek is gewillig om onderrig te word.’
Sielskos: Gen 37-39; Luk 3:21-38; Ps 84; Spr 2:16-19
