2022-03-30
2 Petrus 1:6 NLV
Het jy al ooit agtergekom dat ons geneig is om ons omstandighede, in plaas van ons tekortkominge, te blameer? Ons skryf ons probleme aan ons swak opvoeding, finansiële moeilikhede of aan ander mense se tekortkominge, toe. Net soos jy nie die spieël kan blameer vir hoe jy lyk nie, net so kan jy ook nie jou karakterfoute op jou omstandighede blameer nie.
Integriteit is altyd ‘n keuse en elke keer wat jy ‘n karakter-gebaseerde besluit maak, neem jy ‘n tree vorentoe in jou geestelike groei. Dink aan die kere wat jy voor versoeking en teenstand te staan gekom het. Skryf hulle neer en dui langs elkeen die keuse wat jy gemaak het aan: om te ontsnap, te verskoon, in te gee, te vermy, uit te hou of te oorkom. Watter probleemareas kan jy identifiseer? Hoe kan jy beter doen? As die dinge wat jy neergeskryf het buite jou beheer was, kies dan om groter beheer van jou lewe te neem.
Hoe? Deur selfbeheersing toe te pas. Karakter word gebaseer op dit wat ons doen wanneer niemand anders kyk nie – hoe ons die lewe se klein ergenisse hanteer en hoe ons mislukking – en sukses – hanteer. Aan die einde van ‘n briljante loopbaan, het Josua vir Israel met hierdie woorde uitgedaag: ‘As julle nie die Here wil aanbid nie, moet julle vandag vir julleself besluit wie julle dan wil aanbid… Ek en my huisgesin sal die Here aanbid’ (Josua 24:15 NLV).
Karakter word op selfbeheersing gebaseer en selfbeheersing gaan daaroor om die regte besluite te neem. Die goeie nuus is dat jy dit nie alleen hoef te doen nie: ‘Dis mos God wat julle gewillig maak om te doen waarvan Hy hou, en Hy gee julle ook die vermoë om dit te kán doen!’ (Filippense 2:13 NLV).
Sielskos: Job 38-39; Luk 20:27-40; Ps 6; Spr 8:32-33
2022-03-29
1 Korintiërs 6:11 NLV
Nadat hy sommige van die ergste sondes moontlik genoem het, het Paulus vir die mense van Korinte gesê: ‘Daar was ‘n tyd toe party van julle presies so was, maar nou is julle sonde afgewas en God het julle aan Homself toegewy. Julle is vrygespreekte mense op grond van wat die Here Jesus Christus en die Heilige Gees van God vir julle gedoen het’ (vers 11 NLV). Voor jy dus ‘n oordeel oor iemand anders vel, onthou waaruit God jou gelig het! Daar is twee maniere hoe ons mekaar kan help.
Een is om ‘n gewas te verwyder. ‘n Gewas kan jou doodmaak en moet verwyder word. Paulus skryf: ‘…wanneer iemand iets doen wat verkeerd is, moet julle wat deur die Gees gelei word, daardie persoon nederig reghelp… Help ander gelowiges wat swaarkry, en gee só uitvoering aan Christus se liefdeswet’ (Galasiërs 6:1-2 NLV). Dit kan ‘n las wees om iemand anders se skaamte en vernedering saam met hulle te dra. Nietemin, ‘Terwyl ons die kans het, moet ons dus goeddoen aan alle mense, maar veral aan medegelowiges’ (Galasiërs 6:10 NLV). As jy vinnig is om iemand anders te veroordeel – iets wat ons almal al van tyd tot tyd gedoen het – vra jouself die volgende vraag af: As mense nie genade tussen die mense wat dit preek kan vind nie, waar kan hulle dit dan kry?
Die tweede manier is om ‘n gebreekte been te spalk. Die Skrif sê vir ons: ‘…Al is ons baie, vorm ons saam een liggaam…’ (Romeine 12:5 NLV). Deur iemand wat geval het op te help, help jy hulle om hulle pyn te genees en stel jy hulle in staat om weer ‘n noodsaaklike, funksionerende deel van Christus se liggaam te word. Die woord vir jou vandag is dus – help mekaar.
Sielskos: Job 35-37; Luk 20:20-26; Ps 69:19-36; Spr 8:30-31
1 Corinthians 6:11 NIV
After listing some of the worst sins imaginable, Paul told the Corinthians, “And that is what some of you were. But you were… justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God” (v. 11 NIV). So, before you pass sentence on someone else, remember what God has lifted you out of!
Many of us think a “good” sermon is one that goes over our head and hits our neighbor squarely between the eyes! In Scripture, the word restore has two shades of meaning. One is to remove a tumor. A tumor can kill you, and it needs to be removed. Paul writes, “If someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently… in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ” (Galatians 6:1-2 NIV).
Make no mistake, sharing someone’s shame and humiliation can be a burden. Nevertheless, “we should do it… [giving] special attention to those… in the family of believers” (Galatians 6:10 NCV). If you tend to be quick to condemn others – something we have all done from time to time – ask yourself this question: If people don’t find grace among the people who preach it, where can they find it?
he other means to reset a broken bone. Scripture tells us, “Christ makes us one body… connected to each other” (Romans 12:5 GWT). In fact, your spiritual family is more important than your earthly family because it will last forever. By lifting a fallen family member, you help heal their pain and enable them to become a vital, functioning part of Christ’s body again.
So, the word for you today is – be a restorer.
Soul food: Job 35-37; Luke 20:20-26; Ps 69:19-36; Pro 8:30-31
1 Corinthians 6:11 NIV
After listing some of the worst sins imaginable, Paul told the Corinthians, ‘And that is what some of you were. But you were… justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God’ (v.11 NIV). Before we judge and condemn someone else, let’s remember what God has lifted us out of, and how much restoration has taken place in our own lives.
In Scripture, the word restore has two shades of meaning. One is to remove a tumour. A tumour can kill, and it needs to be removed. Paul wrote, ‘If someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently… in this way you will fulfil the law of Christ’ (Galatians 6:1-2 NIVUK). Sharing someone’s shame and humiliation can be a burden, but ‘we should do it… [giving] special attention to those… in the family of believers’ (Galatians 6:10 NCV). We’ve all been quick to condemn others at times, but if we find being judgmental is turning into a habit, we should ask ourselves this question: if people don’t find grace among those who preach it, where will they find it? We need to show God’s grace in action by extending that same grace to others.
The other meaning of restore is to reset a broken bone. Scripture tells us, ‘Christ makes us one body… connected to each other’ (Romans 12:5 GWT). Our spiritual family is important because it will last forever. By lifting a broken and stumbling family member, we help heal their pain and enable them to become a vital, functioning part of Christ’s body again.
So, the word for today is – be a restorer.
Job 35-37; Luke 20:20-26; Ps 69:19-36; Pro 8:30-31
2022-03-28
Galatians 6:1 NIV
Sometimes when we fall we can get up by ourselves; other times we need someone to help us. And sadly, not all Christians are willing to help. Sometimes they feel that by extending grace to someone they are condoning their sin. But Paul knocked that argument down when he wrote, “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you” (Ephesians 4:32 NIV). Why should we be restorers?
(1) Because God tells us to. “If someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves… you also may be tempted” (Galatians 6:1 NIV). It’s pride that causes us to point an accusing finger instead of extending a helping hand to those who fall. It makes us think we’re better than someone else; incapable of falling like they did. You would be surprised what you would do in certain circumstances! Paul writes, “We are just as capable of messing it up as they were. Don’t be so… self-confident… You could fall flat on your face as easily as anyone else” (1 Corinthians 10:12 MSG).
(2) Because Jesus is our example. Jesus had no time for the Pharisees who hid their sins behind a religious mask. But not one time did He condemn someone who was caught in sin and overtaken by temptation and failure. The minute they reached for Him, He willingly restored them. Someone has said the church is the only army that shoots its wounded. Today, others are watching us to see if the grace we preach to others is the same grace we extend to one another. Let’s not disappoint them.
Soul food: Job 32-34; Luke 20:9-19; Ps 69:1-18; Pro 8:27-29
