2024-06-20
1 John 3:18 NLT
The word “love” isn’t just a noun, it’s a verb (an action word). And it’s not demonstrated simply by what you say but by what you do.
In a small Jewish town in Russia, there is a rabbi who reputedly doesn’t show up for several hours every Friday morning. His followers claim that during this time he goes up to heaven and talks to God. A stranger moved into town and was skeptical about all this, so he decided to check things out. He hid and watched. The rabbi got up in the morning, said his prayers, then dressed in peasant clothes. He grabbed an axe and went off into the woods and cut firewood, which he hauled to a shack on the outskirts of the village where an old woman and her sick son lived. He left them enough wood for a week, then crept back home. Having observed the rabbi’s behavior for himself, the newcomer became his disciple. Now when he hears the villagers say, “On Friday morning our rabbi ascends all the way up to heaven,” he quietly adds, “If not higher.”
You can’t earn salvation by doing good works, but if you are truly saved, your actions and attitudes will prove that you are truly a recipient of salvation. Paul wrote these two Scriptures to Titus: “In all things showing yourself to be a pattern of good works” (Titus 2:7 NKJV). “These things I want you to affirm constantly, that those who have believed in God should be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable to men” (Titus 3:8 NKJV).
Soul food: Eze 43-45; Luke 1:39-56; Ps 139:1-6; Prov 15:25-27
1 Johannes 3:18 NLV
Die woord ‘liefde’ is nie net ‘n selfstandige naamwoord nie, maar ook ‘n werkwoord. Dit word nie net gedemonstreer deur wat jy sê nie, maar ook deur wat jy doen. In ‘n klein Joodse dorpie in Rusland is daar ‘n rabbi wat na bewering vir ‘n paar uur elke Vrydagoggend nie te vinde was nie. Sy volgelinge beweer dat hy gedurende hierdie tyd opgaan hemel toe om met God te praat.
‘n Vreemdeling het in die dorp ingetrek en was skepties oor al hierdie dinge, daarom het hy besluit om uit te vind wat werklik op Vrydagoggende gebeur. Hy het gesien hoe die rabbi die oggend opstaan, sy gebede doen en toe gewone klere aantrek. Die rabbi het ‘n byl gegryp en in die woud gegaan en vuurmaakhout gekap, wat hy na ‘n hut aan die buitewyke van die dorpie geneem het waar ‘n ou vrou en haar siek seun gewoon het. Hy het vir hulle genoeg hout vir ‘n week gelos en toe teruggesluip huis toe. Nadat hy die rabbi se gedrag self waargeneem het, het die nuweling sy dissipel geword.
Jy kan nie jou verlossing verdien deur goeie werke te doen nie, maar as jy werklik gered is, sal jou optrede en gesindhede bewys dat jy werklik verlossing ontvang het. Paulus het die volgende twee Skrifgedeeltes aan Titus geskryf: ‘Wat jou betref, jy moet in alles wat jy sê en doen ‘n voorbeeld stel van hoe ‘n Christen behoort te leef. Doen goed aan ander mense’ (Titus 2:7 DB). ‘…Ek wil hê jy moet vir die mense wat in God glo, duidelik sê dat hulle hard moet probeer om goeie dinge te doen. Al hierdie dinge is mooi en goed vir die mense’ (Titus 3:8 ABA).
Sielskos: Eseg 43-45; Luk 1:39-56; Ps 139:1-6; Spr 15:25-27
2024-06-19
Proverbs 13:20 NLT
When you encounter someone who tries to “cut you down to size,” remind yourself they are probably trying to cut you down to their size. So, what should you do? Love them, but don’t be overly influenced by what they say. As a rule, instead of staying where you’re tolerated, go where you’re appreciated!
The Japanese bonsai tree is tiny, growing only about eighteen inches tall. To create a bonsai, a young sapling is pulled from the soil. Then the taproot and some of the feeder shoots are tied off. Thus, the growth of the bonsai tree is deliberately stunted.
By contrast, the California sequoia tree grows large. For example, the General Sherman in California’s Sequoia National Park stands 275 feet and measures 100 feet in circumference at its trunk. If felled, it would provide enough lumber to build over 30 five-room homes! The sequoia begins life as a small seed, no bigger than the bonsai seed. So, what makes the difference? The sequoia sapling is allowed to be nourished in the rich California soil and sunshine.
Now, neither the bonsai nor the sequoia has a choice in determining how large it will become – but you do! For instance, you can’t go through life blaming others – including your parents – for what they may or may not have done in the past. So, here are your options: Stay where you are and suffer, or move to a rich, fertile, nourishing environment where you can grow. Is that always easy? No. But if you believe what Jesus said – “My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life” (John 10:10 NLT) – you will be willing to do it.
Soul food: Eze 40:10-42:20; Luke 1:26-38; Ps 73:17-28; Prov 15:22-24
Spreuke 13:20 NLV
Wat moet jy doen wanneer jy mense teëkom wat jou aanhoudend afkraak en ‘op jou plek’ probeer sit? Wees lief vir hulle, maar moet dit wat hulle sê jou nie te veel aantrek nie. As ‘n reël moet jy eerder gaan waar jy waardeer word as om te bly waar jy slegs verdra word!
Die Japanese bonsai-boom is piepklein en word omtrent net 45 sentimeter hoog. Om ‘n bonsai-boompie te maak, word ‘n jong boompie uit die grond getrek. Dan word die penwortel en van die voerlote afgebind. So word die groei van die bonsai-boom doelbewus belemmer. Daarenteen word die Kaliforniese sequoia-boom baie groot. Die General Sherman boom in Kalifornië se Sequoia Nasionale Park staan byvoorbeeld 83 meter hoog en meet 100 meter in die omtrek by sy stam. As dit afgekap word, sal dit genoeg hout om meer as 30 vyfvertrekhuise te bou, verskaf! Die sequoia begin lewe as ‘n klein saadjie, nie veel groter as die bonsai-saad nie.
Wat maak die verskil? Die sequoia boompie word toegelaat om in die ryk Kaliforniese grond en sonskyn gevoed te word. Die bonsai of die sequoia het nie ‘n keuse om te bepaal hoe groot dit sal word nie – maar jy het! Jy kan byvoorbeeld nie deur die lewe gaan deur ander mense – insluitend jou ouers – te blameer vir wat hulle in die verlede gedoen of nie gedoen het nie. Jou opsies is as volg: Bly waar jy is en kry swaar, of beweeg aan na ‘n ryk, vrugbare omgewing waar jy kan groei. Is dit altyd maklik om te doen? Nee. As jy egter glo wat Jesus gesê het: ‘…Ek het gekom sodat julle lewe kan hê, ja, om dit oorvloedig te hê’ (Johannes 10:10 NLV), sal jy gewillig wees om dit te doen.
Sielskos: Eseg 40:10-42:20; Luk 1:26-38; Ps 73:17-28; Spr 15:22-24
2024-06-18
1 Corinthians 15:58 NIV
Failure doesn’t mean you will never succeed; it just means it may take a bit longer. John Wayne coined a great line in the movie The Train Robbers. He said, “You’re going to spend the rest of your life getting up one more time than you’re knocked down, so you’d better start getting used to it.” That’s what success is – getting up one time more than you were knocked down. You have no idea how close you may be to what you want to achieve. But if you quit, you will never know – plus you guarantee that you will never get there. Author Ben Stein said, “The human spirit is never finished when it is defeated. It is finished when it surrenders.”
Time magazine conducted a survey among people who had lost their jobs. Everyone expected them to be crestfallen and disheartened, but they found them to be extremely resilient. Why? The survey showed that people who had lost jobs and found new ones were better prepared to deal with adversity than those who had been with the same company for years without ever having had to deal with unemployment.
When you have experienced failure, you’re actually in a better position to achieve success than people who have not. When you fail and fail again – and keep bouncing back and learning from your failures – you’re building character, strength, tenacity, experience, and wisdom. And people who develop these qualities are capable of sustaining their successes, unlike those for whom good things come too early and too easily. As long as you don’t give up, you’re in a good position. So the word for you today is – “Stand firm. Let nothing move you.”
Soul food: Eze 37:1-40:9; Luke 1:11-25; Ps 73:1-16; Prov 15:18-21
