2024-05-26
Romans 12:18 MSG
The Bible says, “Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you” (Ephesians 4:32 NKJV). You say, “But what they did to me was unfair, unkind, and unwarranted.” Exactly – and God feels the same way about some of the things you have done! Any attempt to avenge a wrong is a violation of God’s Word. That includes bad-mouthing them, giving them the silent treatment, making sarcastic remarks, refusing to help them, and resorting to physical violence or verbal attacks.
If you were hurt by someone at work, it includes taking company resources without authorization, applying workplace rules more stringently to the offending employee than others, and deliberately slowing your pace to frustrate them. If you were hurt by your mate, it includes brooding, making them walk on eggshells, and withholding your love and affection.
Paul writes: “‘Bless your enemies; no cursing under your breath… Don’t hit back; discover beauty in everyone. If you’ve got it in you, get along with everybody. Don’t insist on getting even; that’s not for you to do. ‘I’ll do the judging,’ says God. ‘I’ll take care of it'” (Romans 12:14, 17-19 MSG).
Repaying evil for evil won’t bring you satisfaction. Besides, have you considered that the person who hurt you may have genuinely changed? What if God continued to hold your transgressions over your head? Retaliation just destroys your peace of mind because you know it displeases God. Today pray: “Father, I release any desire to get even. I want to walk in your peace, extend your grace, and allow you to avenge all wrongs done against me. Amen.” (So be it!).
Soul food: Gal 5:23; Isa 40:9-11; Isa 42:1-4; Eph 4:1-3
Romeine 12:19 NLV
Die Bybel sê: ‘Wees eerder vriendelik met mekaar. Gee vir mekaar om. Vergewe mekaar soos God julle vergewe het op grond van wat Christus gedoen het’ (Efesiërs 4:32 NLV). Jy sê: ‘Maar wat hulle aan my gedoen het was onregverdig, onvriendelik en ongevraagd.’ Presies – en God voel dieselfde oor sommige van die goed wat jy al gedoen het! Enige poging om ‘n onreg te wreek is ‘n skending van God se Woord. Dit sluit in om sleg van hulle te praat, sarkastiese opmerkings te maak, te weier om hulle te help, of jouself tot fisieke geweld of verbale aanvalle te wend.
As jy deur iemand by die werk seergemaak is, sluit dit om maatskappyhulpbronne sonder magtiging te neem, om werkplekreëls strenger op die oortreder as ander toe te pas en om jou pas doelbewus te vertraag om hulle te frustreer, in. As jy deur jou maat seergemaak is, sluit dit om jou liefde en geneentheid te weerhou, in.
Paulus skryf: “…vra God om hulle te seën… Moenie vir enigiemand kwaad met kwaad terugbetaal nie; wees positief oor alle mense. Sover dit vir julle moontlik is, moet julle goeie verhoudings handhaaf met alle mense. Geliefdes, julle moet julleself nie wreek nie. Laat die straf aan God oor. Daar staan mos in die Skrif: ‘Dit is mý reg om te straf; Ek sal vergeld, sê die Here'” (Romeine 12:14, 17-19 NLV).
Om kwaad met kwaad te vergeld, sal jou nie bevrediging bring nie. Buitendien, het jy daaraan gedink dat die persoon wat jou seergemaak het, dalk werklik verander het? Vergelding vernietig net jou gemoedsrus omdat jy weet dat dit God mishaag. Bid vandag: ‘Vader, ek laat vandag enige begeerte om terug te slaan, gaan. Ek wil in U vrede wandel, U genade aan ander bewys en enige straf aan U oorlaat. Amen.’
Sielskos: Gal 5:23; Jes 40:9-11; Jes 42:1-4; Ef 4:1-3
2024-05-25
Psalm 51:2 NKJV
There is bad news, and there is good news. The bad news is, when David tried to hide his sin, God exposed it to the entire nation. The good news is, when he repented of his sin, God forgave him and expunged his record. And what God did for David, He will do for you. All you have to do is get down on your knees and pray, “Cleanse me from my sin…Create in me a clean heart, O God” (vv. 2, 10 NKJV).
If you want to know how God responds to such a prayer, here is what He said to Solomon, David’s son: “If you walk before Me as your father David walked, in integrity of heart and in uprightness, to do according to all that I have commanded you, and if you keep My statutes and My judgments, then I will establish the throne of your kingdom over Israel forever, as I promised David your father, saying, ‘You shall not fail to have a man on the throne of Israel'” (1 Kings 9:4-5 NKJV).
Today you may feel that because of your sin you are beyond hope and redemption, that you have forfeited the opportunity to be useful to God and to fulfill your destiny. Don’t believe it! You can recover. You can be restored. You can be forgiven. You can regain your integrity. You can be healed and become whole again. You can sing: “There is a fountain filled with blood, drawn from Immanuel’s veins, and sinners plunged beneath that flood, lose all their guilty stains.”
The word for you today is – God will forgive and restore you. All you have to do is ask Him.
Soul food: Judg 12-15; Mark 11:1-11; Ps 97; Prov 13:9-10
Psalm 51:3 NLV
Daar is slegte nuus en daar is goeie nuus. Die slegte nuus is toe Dawid sy sonde probeer wegsteek het, het God dit aan die hele volk blootgelê. Die goeie nuus is dat toe Dawid sy sonde bely het, het God hom vergewe en sy rekord uitgevee. Wat God vir Dawid gedoen het, sal Hy ook vir jou doen. Al wat jy moet doen, is om op jou knieë te gaan en te bid: ‘…Wis tog my sonde uit… Skep vir my ‘n rein hart, o God…’ (verse 3, 12 NLV).
As jy wil weet hoe God op so ‘n gebed reageer, lees wat Hy vir Salomo, Dawid se seun, gesê het: “…Dien My met opregtheid en vroomheid soos jou pa, Dawid, gedoen het, doen alles wat Ek beveel het en voer my bevele en voorskrifte uit. Dan sal Ek jou koningskap oor Israel bevestig soos Ek aan jou pa, Dawid, belowe het: ‘Daar sal altyd iemand uit jou nageslag op die troon van Israel wees'” (1 Konings 9:4-5 NLV).
Jy mag dalk vandag voel of jy as gevolg van jou sonde, hoop, verlossing en die geleentheid om bruikbaar vir God te wees, verbeur het. Moet dit nie glo nie! Jy kan herstel word. Jy kan genees word. Jy kan vergewe word. Jy kan jou integriteit terugkry. Jy kan weer heel word. Jy kan sing: ‘There is a fountain filled with blood, drawn from Immanuel’s veins, and sinners plunged beneath that flood, lose all their guilty stains.’
Die woord vir jou vandag is – God sal jou vergewe en herstel. Al wat jy moet doen is om Hom daarvoor te vra.
Sielskos: Rig 12-15; Mark 11:1-11; Ps 97; Spr 13:9-10
2024-05-24
Psalm 119:28 NKJV
When you’re depressed. When depression is physiologically based, God can heal you through a miracle, the right medical treatment, vitamins, herbs, and supplements. But sometimes it goes deeper, and just like your body can suffer from “dis-ease,” so can your soul. Thankfully, God is the ultimate soul doctor! The psalmist said, “The day… I cried out, You answered… and made me bold with strength in my soul” (Psalm 138:3 NKJV).
Instead of giving up and settling for the fact that depression runs in your family, stand on God’s Word. Jesus came to “heal the brokenhearted… proclaim liberty to the captives… comfort all who mourn… to give them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness” (Isaiah 61:1-3 NKJV).
The Bible says, “You will show me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore” (Psalm 16:11 NKJV).
“The ransomed of the Lord shall return, and come to Zion with singing, with everlasting joy on their heads. They shall obtain joy and gladness… sorrow and sighing shall flee away” (Isaiah 35:10 NKJV).
“These things I have spoken… that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full” (John 15:11 NKJV).
“Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full” (John 16:24 NKJV).
Every morning when you get up, look in the mirror and declare: “This is the day the Lord has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it” (Psalm 118:24 NKJV). God wants to free you from depression, and when you do your part, He will do His.
Soul food: Judg 9:34-11:40; Mark 10:35-52; Ps 129; Prov 20:25
