2022-06-27
John 10:10 NKJV
Have the experiences you have been through made you a different person from the one God intended you to be? Have the people, pursuits, and pleasures you chose resulted in a feeling of hopelessness about your future? When you lose your sense of worth, it’s hard to believe God could love you – but He does. He knows that hidden inside you is a person who can do great things for Him. That’s why He is stirring your heart and letting you know He is moving in your life. So respond to Him in faith. Dare to believe that He can make you “a new creation” (2 Corinthians 5:17 NKJV).
Shift your confidence from your own weakness to His power. Trust in Him rather than in yourself. Whether your wounds were self-inflicted or caused by others, Jesus will heal you and raise you up again. You say, “But you don’t know the things I have done, and the people I have hurt.” Jesus does. And He wants to straighten out the crooked places in your heart and make you whole. But you must allow Him access to every area of your life. When He comes into your heart, you will never be the same broken person again.
David’s sins became a national scandal. But when God forgave and restored him, he wrote: “Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits: who forgives all your iniquities, who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from destruction, who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies, who satisfies your mouth with good things” (Psalm 103:2-5 NKJV). Notice the potential benefits of committing your life to Christ: forgiveness, healing, freedom from destructive habits, mercy, and satisfaction.
Soul food: Hosea 11-14; Matt 21:33-46; Ps 17; Pro 14:13-16
2022-06-26
Lukas 22:32 NLV
“‘Simon, Simon!’ het Jesus gesê. ‘Let op, die Satan het ernstig geëis om julle soos koring te kan sif, maar Ek het vir jou gebid dat jou geloof jou nie moet begewe nie. As jy weer tot inkeer gekom het, moet jy jou medegelowiges gaan ondersteun'” (verse 31-32 NLV).
Is jy betrokke by dinge wat jy nooit gedink het jy in staat sou wees om te doen nie? Jy het nooit gedink dat jy ‘n buite-egtelike verhouding sou hê nie. Jy het nooit gedink dat jy sou steel, kul en lieg om vooruit te kom nie. Jy het nooit gedink dat jy jou familie sou afskeep of sleg behandel nie. Jy het nooit gedink dat jy aan pornografie, dwelms en alkohol verslaaf sou raak nie. Jy is nie alleen nie!
Petrus het gesweer dat hy Jesus nooit sou ontken nie, maar hy het. Nie net een keer nie, maar herhaaldelik. Was Petrus lief vir die Here? Absoluut. Omdat hy egter swak was, het hy sy rug op Hom gedraai. Wat ‘n verskriklike skuldgevoel om te dra. Geen wonder hy het ‘…buitetoe gegaan en onbedaarlik gehuil’ (vers 62 NLV), nie. Jesus het egter vooraf geweet dat dit sou gebeur en vir Petrus gesê dat Hy vir hom sal bid.
Wanneer jy sondig, bid Jesus vir jou! ‘Gevolglik kan Hy hulle wat deur Hom na God toe gaan, eens en vir altyd verlos. Ja, Hy leef vir altyd om hulle saak voor God te bepleit!’ (Hebreërs 7:25 NLV). Stel jou voor: Jy sukkel met ‘n sondige gewoonte, terwyl Jesus terselfdertyd sy reinigende bloed aan die Vader voorhou en Hom namens jou om hulp en genade smeek. Sal Jesus se gebede namens jou verhoor word? Natuurlik. Hy sal, maak nie saak hoe lank dit neem nie, met jou werk totdat jy volkome herstel is.
Sielskos: Eks 34:29-35; Mark 9:2-27; 2 Kor 3:7-18
Luke 22:32 NKJV
“Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren” (vv. 31-32 NKJV).
Are you involved in things you never thought yourself capable of doing? You never thought you would have an affair. You never thought you would cheat, steal, and lie to get ahead. You never thought you would become jealous and resentful of someone else’s success. You never thought you would neglect or mistreat your family. You never thought you would get hooked on pornography. You never thought you would become addicted to drugs and alcohol. You’re not alone!
Peter swore that he would never deny Jesus, but he did. And not just once but repeatedly. Did Peter love the Lord? Absolutely. But because he was weak, he turned his back on Him. What a load of guilt to carry. No wonder he “went out and wept bitterly” (v. 62 NKJV). But Jesus knew in advance it would happen and told Peter that He would be praying for him.
Here is an amazing thought: When you sin, Jesus prays for you! “Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them” (Hebrews 7:25 NKJV). Picture this: You’re struggling with a sinful habit, while at the same time, Jesus presents His cleansing blood to the Father and petitions Him for help and mercy on your behalf. Will Jesus’ prayers on your behalf be answered? Of course. And like Peter, however long it takes, He will work with you until you’re restored.
Soul food: Exo 34:29-35; Mark 9:2-27; 2 Cor 3:7-18
Luke 22:32 NKJV
Jesus said, ‘Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren’ (v.31-32 NKJV). We all go through times of failure because of our own weaknesses or particular temptations. We might end up doing things we always said we’d never do, and never thought we’d be capable of. But temptation and fear are powerful things, and both can lead us along a path we never intended to take.
But we’re not alone. Even the people who were closest to Jesus made mistakes. Peter swore that he would never deny Jesus, but he did. And not just once but three times. There’s no doubt that Peter loved Jesus, but because his weakness took over, he turned his back on Him. It was a massive load of guilt to carry, and he ‘went out and wept bitterly’ (v.62 NKJV). But Jesus knew in advance it would happen and told Peter that He would be praying for him.
Here’s an amazing thought: when you sin, Jesus prays for you! ‘Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them’ (Hebrews 7:25 NKJV). Picture this: you’re struggling with a sinful habit, but at the same time, Jesus presents His cleansing blood to the Father and begs Him for help and mercy on your behalf. And because we know Jesus’ prayers are totally in line with His Father’s will, His prayer for you will succeed. And however long it takes, He’ll work with you until you’re restored.
Exo 34:29-35; Mark 9:2-27; 2 Cor 3:7-18
2022-06-25
Psalm 112:7 NLV
Daar is ‘n groot verskil tussen om van tyd tot tyd aan God te dink en jou gedagtes op Hom te fokus. In ooreenstemming met die sielkundige William James, skryf die navorser Jeffrey Schwartz die volgende: ‘Die noodsaaklike prestasie van die wil is om aan een voorwerp aandag te gee en dit duidelik en sterk voorop in die gedagtes te hou, sodat al die ander – sy mededingers vir aandag en daaropvolgende aksie – verdwyn soos sterlig wat deur die glans van die son oorval word.’
Het jy al ooit ‘n kontaklens op ‘n mat laat val? Jou intense fokus veroorsaak dat jou brein enigiets wat jou aandag daarvan aflei om die verlore lens te vind, onderdruk – die mat se kleur en patroon en koekiekrummels. Jou gedagtes is gefokus. Dis verstommend hoeveel mense hulself as slagoffers van watter gedagtes ook al deur hulle kop hardloop, sien. Dis asof hulle passiewe toeskouers met geen beheer is nie, wat kyk hoe ongewenste gedagtes oor die skerm van hulle bewussyn blaai.
Verstaan die volgende: Daar is tans ‘n stryd aan die gang wat deur Satan geloods word om die soort gedagtes waaraan jy dink, te beheer. Jy kan nie hierdie stryd sonder God se hulp wen nie. Die uiteindelike vryheid – een wat niemand van jou kan wegneem nie – is die vryheid om te besluit by wat jou gedagtes gaan stilstaan. Die Psalmdigter het die ware geseënde mens as volg beskryf: ‘…hy is gerus, hy vertrou op die Here.’ Wanneer jy op God vertrou en jou gedagtes op Hom gefokus is, sal jy bewyse van sy teenwoordigheid oral waar jy kyk, sien. Jy sal dan met sekerheid kan sê: ‘U goedheid en trou vergesel my al die dae van my lewe…’ (Psalm 23:6 NLV). Hou dus jou gedagtes op God gefokus.
Sielskos: Hosea 6-10; Matt 21:18-32; Ps 8; Spr 14:9-12
