2024-10-29
Isaiah 43:4 NLT
Guess who said, “You are precious to me?” God. So don’t let anybody tell you otherwise. Why is this important? Because understanding who you are as a person and genuinely believing that you merit love and attention from another person is essential to your self-worth. The capability to convey that successfully and in a considerate manner is essential for any healthy, mutually satisfying relationship.
A sense of self-worth is not arrogance. It helps you to set boundaries and guarantees that no matter who you meet, those boundaries will never be compromised. Often when we feel used in relationships, it’s because we have permitted those boundaries to be crossed. Or worse, we have never thought about where the boundaries should be. The way to prevent this situation is to be clear about who you are and what you are willing to do in a relationship. Disregarding the truth about another person, or yourself, may be okay temporarily, but over time, it usually leads to disaster.
With a solid foundation of knowing who you are and what you represent, you will possess the bravery to ask the right questions and discern the answers. You will acquire information and evidence that help you realize who a person really is and if they fit into your life. You will be truthful with yourself and others about who you are, your needs, and the way you want to live your life. Outside your relationship with God, there is no other more important relationship than the one you have with yourself. God says, “You are precious to me.” Believe it, and live accordingly.
Soul food: Isa 22-25; John 6:52-71; Ps 127; Prov 27:25-27
2024-10-28
2 Korintiërs 5:7 NLV
Impalas is een van die kragtigste diere in Afrika. Hulle kan hoër as drie meter spring en ‘n afstand van meer as nege meter in een sprong aflê. Tog kan die impala in ‘n kamp met ‘n heining wat nie meer as drie meter hoog is nie, aangehou word. Hoekom? Omdat die impala nie sal spring as hy nie kan sien waar sy voete gaan land nie. In ‘n sin wandel impalas deur sig, nie geloof nie.
Wat beteken dit om te ‘wandel’? Om een voet voor die ander te sit en deur een tree op ‘n slag aan te hou om vorentoe te beweeg. Wat beteken dit om ‘geloof’ te hê? Om die Here te vertrou en sy Woord te gehoorsaam, maak nie saak hoe dinge vir jou lyk of voel nie. Geloof doen nie met intelligente denke en rede weg nie. Daar is egter ‘n verskil.
Wanneer intelligente denke en rede jou nie nog ‘n tree verder kan neem nie, hou geloof reguit aan vorentoe beweeg. Hoekom? Omdat intelligente denke en rede die hand van die mensdom wat uiteindelik in ‘n doodloopstraat beland, vashou, terwyl geloof die hand van God vashou, die God wat ‘n pad maak waar dit lyk asof daar geen pad is nie.
Dit was Abraham se verhaal: ‘Omdat hy geglo het, het Abraham, toe God hom geroep het, gehoorsaam weggetrek na die land wat God vir hom as ‘n erfdeel sou gee. Hy het weggetrek sonder om te weet waar hy sou beland’ (Hebreërs 11:8 NLV). Is jy angstig oor die toekoms? Moenie wees nie; neem net die volgende tree in geloof, en jy sal een tree nader aan die seëninge en belonings wat God vir jou in gedagte het, wees.
Sielskos: Jes 17-21; Joh 6:35-51; Ps 98; Spr 27:23-24
2 Corinthians 5:7 NKJV
Impalas are one of the most powerful animals in Africa. They can leap to a height of more than ten feet and cover more than thirty feet in one jump. Yet the impala can be kept in an enclosure with a fence that’s no more than three feet high. Why? Because it won’t jump unless it can see where its feet will land. In a sense, impalas walk by sight, not faith. What does it mean to “walk”? To put one foot in front of the other and keep moving forward a step at a time.
What does it mean to have “faith”? To trust the Lord, obeying His Word regardless of how things look or feel to you. Now, faith doesn’t do away with intelligent thought and reason. But there is a difference.
When intelligent thought and reason won’t take you another step, faith keeps right on going. Why? Because intelligent thought and reason hold the hand of man and go only as far as he can travel, whereas faith holds the hand of God, the God who makes a way where there seems to be no way.
That was Abraham’s story: “[Urged on] by faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed and went forth to a place which he was destined to receive as an inheritance; and he went, although he did not know or trouble his mind about where he was to go” (Hebrews 11:8 AMPC). Are you anxious about the future? Don’t be; just take the next step of faith, and you will be one step closer to the blessings and rewards that God has in mind for you.
Soul food: Isa 17-21; John 6:35-51; Ps 98; Prov 27:23-24
2024-10-27
Johannes 2:5 NLV
‘n Christelike leier sê: “‘n Bruilof was vir die Jode die heel grootste sosiale geleentheid. Dit het gewoonlik met ‘n seremonie teen sononder in die sinagoge begin. Dan het die hele trougeselskap met ‘n lang kersligoptog deur die middel van die dorp geloop. Die paartjie sou verby so veel as moontlik huise begelei word sodat almal kon uitkom en hulle gelukwens. Dan het hulle huis toe gegaan na ‘n partytjie wat verskeie dae aangehou het. Daar sou geskenke gegee word, toesprake sou gemaak word en hulle sou eet en drink. Gasvryheid by ‘n troue was gesien as so ‘n heilige plig dat die seremoniemeester vir ‘gasvryheidsbreuk’ gedagvaar kon word. Sou die kos en wyn opraak sou dit as ‘n enorme belediging gesien word.”
Dis opmerklik dat Jesus se eerste wonderwerk was om ‘n huishoudelike krisis op te los en die pasgetroudes van verleentheid te red. Dis ‘n fout om te dink dat God net vir groot dinge soos egskeiding, bankrotskap of die dood omgee. Hy gee ook vir klein dingetjies soos gebreekte borde, tandpyn, kwaai base, verlore honde, pap wiele en verpaste vlugte om. Die Bybel sê: ‘Gee al julle bekommernisse aan God oor, want Hy gee vir julle om’ (1 Petrus 5:7 NLV). Wat vir jou saakmaak, maak vir Jesus saak.
Toe hierdie pasgetroudes uitnodigings na hulle troue toe uitgestuur het, het hulle ook een aan Jesus gestuur. Hy het opgedaag en aan hulle behoeftes voldoen. Let ook op hoe dit gebeur het. Maria, Jesus se moeder, het vir hulle gesê: ‘…Wat Hy ook al vir julle sê, moet julle noukeurig gaan doen.’ Wat Jesus vir hulle gesê het om te doen, het nie rasioneel geklink nie, maar toe hulle Hom gehoorsaam het, het hulle ‘n wonderwerk ontvang. As jy bid, God vertrou en Hom gehoorsaam, sal Hy ook ‘n wonderwerk vir jou doen.
Sielskos: Rut 1:8-18; Rut 2:5-12; Rut 3:1-6; Rut 4:9-13
John 2:5 NKJV
A Christian leader informs us: “There was not a bigger social happening in Jewish life than a wedding. It usually began with a ceremony at sundown in the synagogue. Then the entire wedding party would leave the synagogue and begin this long candlelight procession through the middle of town. The couple would be escorted past as many homes as possible so everyone could come out and congratulate them… They went home to a party lasting several days! There would be gift-giving, speech-making, wining and dining. Hospitality at a wedding was considered such a sacred duty that the master at the wedding could actually be sued for ‘breach of hospitality.’ So running out of food or wine was considered a tremendous insult.”
It’s notable that Jesus’ first miracle was not healing cancer or raising the dead but resolving a domestic crisis and rescuing newlyweds from embarrassment. It’s a mistake to think that God only cares about major stuff like divorce, bankruptcy, or death. He also cares about minor stuff like broken dishes, toothaches, grumpy bosses, lost dogs, flat tires, and late flights. The Bible says, “Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you” (1 Peter 5:7 NLT). What matters to you matters to Jesus.
Notice that when these newlyweds sent out wedding invitations, they sent one to Jesus. And He showed up and met their need. Notice also how it happened. Mary, the mother of Jesus, said to them, “Whatever He says to you, do it.” What Jesus told them to do didn’t seem rational, but when they obeyed, they received a miracle. And if you will pray, trust God, and obey Him, He will work a miracle for you too.
Soul food: Ruth 1:8-18; Ruth 2:5-12; Ruth 3:1-6; Ruth 4:9-13
