2022-06-29
Proverbs 23:7 NKJV
When we’re young, we’re often told, ‘Mind your manners.’ If we try to get involved in something that doesn’t concern us and cross the line between helping and interfering, we might be told, ‘Mind your business.’ But here’s some advice that applies to all parts of life: ‘Mind your mind.’
Proverbs 23 gives us six principles to live by when it comes to thinking: 1) Your thoughts determine your character. ‘For as he thinks in his heart, so is he.’ Before we tell a lie, we let it come into our mind and think like a liar for a brief time. Before we give in to a temptation, we let the desire to do that thing rule our thoughts for a moment. So if we don’t want to do something, we must try to stop our thoughts dwelling on it.
2) Don’t waste your thoughts on people who don’t value them. ‘Do not speak in the hearing of a fool, for he will despise the wisdom of your words’ (v.9 NKJV).
3) The first person you must learn to lead is yourself. ‘Apply your heart to instruction, and your ears to words of knowledge’ (v.12 NKJV). We can’t set an example to others if our own self-control is lacking.
4) Be sure your role models are people with good values and integrity. ‘Do not let your heart envy sinners’ (v.17 NKJV).
5) Stay confident that the vision God has given you will happen. ‘Be zealous for the fear of the LORD all the day; for surely there is a hereafter, and your hope will not be cut off’ (v.17-18 NKJV).
6) Stay committed to what you know is right. Don’t get side-tracked. ‘Hear… and be wise; and guide your heart in the way’ (v.19 NKJV).
Our thoughts have power. Let’s do our best to ensure they line up with God’s thoughts as much as we can.
Jer 4-6; Matt 22:15-22; Ps 59:1-8; Pro 14:21-22
2022-06-28
Psalm 27:14 NKJV
When we become impatient and react without thinking, we can do damage to ourselves and others. Sometimes when we pray and God doesn’t respond quickly enough, we decide to take matters into our own hands and things get worse as a result. When God tells you to wait, He is saying, “Trust me with the timing, the ways and means, and you will get a better result.” David wrote: “I would have lost heart, unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait on the Lord; be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart; wait, I say, on the Lord!” (vv. 13-14 NKJV).
It can be tough to wait on the Lord. It’s much easier in the heat of the moment to lose your calm. Stop and look back. How did the hasty and prayerless decisions you made in the past turn out? Do you think this situation will be different? Not a chance! What do you want? Temporary relief or a permanent solution?
Haste makes waste! When you act in haste, you do things you end up regretting and having to apologize for. Or worse, justifying! Impulsiveness got King Saul into serious trouble. Instead of waiting for the prophet Samuel to arrive and the priests to offer a peace offering to God ensuring their victory over the Philistines, Saul grew impatient, usurped the role of a priest, and offered the sacrifice himself. When Samuel asked him why, he replied, “I felt compelled” (1 Samuel 13:12 NKJV). And the result? “Samuel said to Saul, ‘You have done foolishly… now your kingdom shall not continue'” (vv. 13-14 NKJV). So, wait on God.
Soul food: Jer 1-3; Matt 22:1-14; Ps 21; Pro 14:17-20
Psalm 27:14 NKJV
When we become impatient and react without thinking, we can do damage to ourselves and others. Sometimes when we pray and God doesn’t respond quickly enough, we decide to take matters into our own hands and things get worse as a result. When God tells us to wait, He’s saying, ‘Trust me with the timing, the ways and means, and you will get a better result.’ David wrote: ‘I would have lost heart, unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait on the LORD; be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart; wait, I say, on the LORD!’ (v.13-14 NKJV).
It can be difficult to wait for God. It’s much easier in the heat of the moment to lose our calm. But take a moment to stop and look back. How did any hasty and prayerless decisions you made in the past turn out? Probably not very well, and definitely not as well as they could have done if God had been brought into them. A decision made without God’s involvement might give us some temporary relief, but for a permanent solution, we must pray and ask for His guidance and wisdom.
When we act impulsively, we often do things that we end up regretting and having to apologise for. Impulsiveness got King Saul into serious trouble. Instead of waiting for the prophet Samuel to arrive and the priests to offer a peace offering to God, which would ensure their victory over the Philistines, Saul grew impatient, took over the role of the priest, and offered the sacrifice himself. When Samuel asked him why, he replied, ‘I felt compelled’ (1 Samuel 13:12 NKJV). Then ‘Samuel said to Saul, “You have done foolishly… now your kingdom shall not continue”‘ (v.13-14 NKJV). So, make sure you always wait for God.
Jer 1-3; Matt 22:1-14; Ps 21; Pro 14:17-20
Psalm 27:14 AFR53
Wanneer ons ongeduldig word en reageer sonder om te dink, kan ons skade aan onsself en ander berokken. Soms wanneer ons bid en God nie vinnig genoeg na ons sin reageer nie, besluit ons om reg in eie hande te neem en dinge raak dan gevolglik erger. Wanneer God vir jou sê om te wag, sê Hy in wese: ‘Vertrou My met die tydsberekening, die maniere en middele, en jy sal ‘n beter resultaat kry.’ Dawid het geskryf: ‘Wag op die Here! Wees sterk en laat jou hart sterk wees! Ja, wag op die Here!’ (vers 14 AFR53).
Dit kan moeilik wees om op die Here te wag. Dis baie makliker om in die hitte van die oomblik jou kalmte te verloor. Stop en dink terug. Hoe het die haastige besluite in die verlede, waaroor jy nie gebid het nie, uitgedraai? Dink jy dat hierdie situasie anders sal uitdraai? Nee, nie sommer nie! Wat wil jy hê? Tydelike verligting of ‘n permanente oplossing?
Hoe meer haas hoe minder spoed. Wanneer jy haastig optree, doen jy dinge waaroor jy later spyt is en verskoning moet maak, of nog erger, moet regverdig! Impulsiwiteit het koning Saul in ernstige moeilikheid gebring. In plaas daarvan om te wag vir die profeet Samuel om op te daag en vir die priesters om ‘n vredesoffer aan God te bring om sodoende hulle oorwinning oor die Filistyne te verseker, het Saul ongeduldig geword, wederregtelik die rol van ‘n priester ingeneem en self die offer gebring. Toe Samuel hom vra hoekom hy dit gedoen het, het hy geantwoord: ‘…Ek het… verplig gevoel…’ (1 Samuel 13:12 NLV). Die resultaat? Samuel het vir Saul gesê: ‘…Dit was dwaas van jou!… nou sal jou koningskap nie voortduur nie…’ (vers 13-14 NLV). Wag dus op die Here.
Sielskos: Jer 1-3; Matt 22:1-14; Ps 21; Spr 14:17-20
2022-06-27
Johannes 10:10 NLV
Het die ervarings wat jy deurgemaak het van jou ‘n ander mens gemaak as wat God jou bedoel het om te wees? Het die mense, doelwitte en plesier wat jy gekies het, gelei tot ‘n gevoel van hopeloosheid oor jou toekoms? Wanneer jy jou sin van waarde verloor, is dit moeilik om te glo dat God vir jou kan lief wees – maar Hy is. Hy weet dat daar binne jou die mens is wat groot dinge vir Hom kan doen. Dis hoekom Hy jou hart roer en jou laat weet dat Hy in jou lewe beweeg. Reageer dus op Hom in geloof. Waag dit om te glo dat Hy jou “‘n nuwe skepping” (2 Korintiërs 5:17 NLV), kan maak.
Vertrou eerder op Hom as op jouself. Of jou wonde nou self toegedien is of deur ander veroorsaak is, Jesus sal jou genees en jou weer ophef. Jy sê: ‘Jy weet nie watter dinge ek al gedoen het nie en hoeveel mense ek seergemaak het nie.’ Jesus doen egter. Hy wil die krom plekke in jou hart reguit maak. Jy moet Hom egter toegang tot elke area van jou lewe gee. Wanneer Hy jou hart binnekom, sal jy nooit weer dieselfde gebroke persoon wees nie.
Dawid se sondes het in ‘n nasionale skandaal ontaard. Toe God hom egter vergewe en herstel het, het hy geskryf: ‘Ek wil die Here prys en nie sy goeie dade vergeet nie. Hy vergewe al jou sondes, en genees al jou siektes. Hy verlos jou van die dood, bekroon jou met liefde en medelye. Hy vul jou lewe met goeie dinge, vernuwe jou jeug soos ‘n arend s’n’ (Psalm 103:2-5 NLV). Let die voordele op wanneer jy jou lewe aan Christus toevertrou: vergifnis, genesing, verlossing van verwoestende gewoontes, liefde, medelye en vernuwing.
Sielskos: Hosea 11-14; Matt 21:33-46; Ps 17; Spr 14:13-16
