2023-06-06
Luke 22:60 NAS
The Bible says: “While he was still speaking, a rooster crowed. The Lord turned and looked at Peter. And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how He had told him, ‘Before a rooster crows today, you will deny Me three times.’ And he went out and wept bitterly” (vv. 60-62 NAS).
Before God entrusts you with a great assignment, He will permit Satan to test you. Why? To reveal your weaknesses and strengthen you in those areas. God will allow you to fail in a smaller sphere to keep you from messing up in a larger one, hurting not only yourself but others too. One of the wonders of the Christian life is that Jesus can take rubble and build something beautiful out of it. Peter promised never to deny Jesus, but by the time the rooster crowed, he had already done it three times. Repeated failure!
Can you relate? You said you wouldn’t lose your temper, but you did. Cock-a-doodle-doo! You said you wouldn’t give in to temptation, but you did. Cock-a-doodle-doo! When does a rooster crow? Early in the morning. Good news! That means the rooster announces the beginning of a brand new day. After his worst night of failure, the sun came up for Peter. And it will come up for you too.
By God’s grace you can start your life over any day you choose to. Today you can repent of your sin and go on to do great things for the Lord. Peter ended up winning multitudes to Christ and leading the church. So no matter how badly you have failed, God will forgive you, restore you, and redirect your steps.
Soul food: 1 Kings 21-22; Matt 15:1-14; Ps 124; Prov 12:26
2023-06-05
Lukas 22:32 NLV
God wil hê dat jy sy wil moet doen, maar jy sal nooit die plek van geestelike volwassenheid bereik waar jy vry van Satan is nie. Jy kan hom oorkom, maar jy kan hom nie elimineer nie. Kyk na Petrus. Hy was altyd in die middel van alles wat aangaan, maar hy was nie altyd op hoogte van alles nie. Die man wat uiteindelik die kerk sou lei, het eers ontken dat hy ‘n dissipel van Jesus is.
Dis nogal skokkend, nè? Niks van ons kan God egter verras nie. Hy het jou nie geroep en gesê: ‘Ek hoop jy is die regte persoon’ nie. Nee, Jesus het vir Petrus gesê: ‘…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…’ (vers 31-32 NLV). Is dit nie ‘n wonderlike openbaring nie? Selfs wanneer jy nie weet hoe om vir jouself te bid nie, is Jesus besig om vir jou te bid. ‘…Ja, Hy leef vir altyd om hulle saak voor God te bepleit!’ (Hebreërs 7:25 NLV).
Jesus het vir Petrus gesê: ‘…As jy weer tot inkeer gekom het, moet jy jou medegelowiges gaan ondersteun’ (Lukas 22:32 NLV). Die gemors waarin jy jou vandag bevind, kan ‘n bediening vir ander mense word. Nie net kan God jou lewe omdraai nie, Hy kan jou gebruik om die lewens van ander mense ook om te draai. God sou jou nie gesif het as daar nie in die eerste plek iets in jou was wat die moeite werd was om te red nie. Sif is ‘n manier om iets te suiwer, om die puin uit te keer en dit wat oorbly te verfyn. God roep jou vandag. Moenie nog ‘n oomblik mors nie; gee jou lewe aan Hom oor.
Sielskos: 1 Kon 18:16-20:43; Matt 14:22-36; Ps 116; Spr 12:25
Luke 22:32 NAS
God wants you to do His will, but you’ll never reach the place of spiritual maturity in which you’re “Satan-free.” You can overcome him, but you can’t eliminate him. Look at Peter. He had only one gear: overdrive. He was always in the middle of everything that was going on, but he wasn’t always on top of things. The man who ended up leading the church, first denied being a disciple of Jesus.
Pretty shocking, eh? But nothing about us surprises God. He doesn’t call you and say, “I hope you’re the right person.” No; Jesus told Peter, “Satan has demanded… to sift you like wheat; but I have prayed for you, that your faith may not fail” (vv. 31-32 NAS). Isn’t that an amazing revelation? Even when you don’t know how to pray for yourself, Jesus is praying for you. “He ever liveth to make intercession for them” (Hebrews 7:25 KJV).
Jesus told Peter, “When… you have turned again, strengthen your brothers” (Luke 22:32 NAS). Out of the mess you’re in today can come a ministry to others. Not only can God turn your life around, He can use you to turn the lives of others around too. And one more thing: God isn’t apt to think you’re worth “sifting” if you aren’t doing something right in the first place. Sifting is a method of purifying, of straining out the debris and refining what remains. That means there had to be something worth salvaging in you at the outset. Today God is calling you. Don’t waste another moment; surrender your life to Him.
Soul food: 1 Kings 18:16-20:43; Matt 14:22-36; Ps 116; Prov 12:25
2023-06-04
Jeremiah 1:5 KJV
The word “sanctified” means “to be set apart for the exclusive use of.” The word “ordained” means “ordered according to a plan.” Here are two things you need to know: God doesn’t waste anything He created, and He doesn’t waste anything He can use.
Before you were saved, God permitted experiences, both good and bad, that were equipping you for what He had in mind. That includes who your parents were, the places they came from, where you were educated, the number of years you spent in school, the jobs you held, and the training you received. It also includes things God put inside you at the time of your birth, even though some of those things may have seemed to work against you while you were growing up.
Do you hold on to ideas like a pit bull? God can use that. Do you enjoy poring through books and research? God can use that. Are you quick to confront, excited to run right at the enemy? God can use that.
Today you may feel like you’re in the wrong place, doing the wrong things, with the wrong people. You may be wondering how you’re going to dig yourself out of the hole or turn your life around. And truthfully, the answer may be that you can’t. But God can! He makes miracles out of mistakes. So, give Him the things in your life that aren’t so good, the things you’re not proud of, and say, “Lord, here they are. I wish my life was different, but it’s not. I wish I could change it, but I can’t.” Then let God go to work.
Soul food: John 5:1-15; Isa 54:9-17
Jeremia 1:5 NLV
Vandag moet jy twee dinge weet: God mors nie enigiets wat Hy geskep het nie en Hy mors nie enigiets wat Hy kan gebruik nie. Voor jy gered is, het God toegelaat dat beide goeie en slegte ervarings jou toerus vir dit wat Hy vir jou in gedagte het. Dit sluit in wie jou ouers is, die plekke waarvandaan hulle gekom het, waar jy skool gegaan het, die beroepe wat jy al gehad het en die opleiding wat jy al ontvang het. Dit sluit ook dinge in wat al by jou geboorte in jou geplaas is, selfs al het dit voorgekom of van daardie dinge teen jou gewerk het soos jy ouer geword het.
Byt jy soos ‘n veghond aan ‘n idee vas? God kan dit gebruik. Hou jy daarvan om deur boeke te blaai en navorsing te doen? God kan dit gebruik. Is jy vinnig om in ‘n konfrontasie met vyande betrokke te raak? God kan dit gebruik. Jy mag dalk vandag voel dat jy op die verkeerde plek is en die verkeerde dinge saam met die verkeerde mense doen. Jy mag dalk wonder hoe jy jouself uit hierdie gat gaan kry en jou lewe gaan omdraai.
Die waarheid is dat jy dit dalk nie kan doen nie, maar God kan! Hy maak wonderwerke uit foute uit. Gee dus vir Hom die dinge in jou lewe wat nie so goed is nie, die dinge waaroor jy nie trots is nie en sê: ‘Here, hier is hulle. Ek wens my lewe was anders, maar dit is nie. Ek wens ek kon dit verander, maar ek kan nie.’ Laat God dan toe om aan die werk te spring.
Sielskos: Joh 5:1-15; Jes 54:9-17
