2025-01-19
1 Timothy 4:15 NKJV
Paul had a succession plan for his ministry. That’s why he mentored Timothy and instructed him, “Meditate on these things; give yourself entirely to them, that your progress may be evident to all.” The words “that your progress may be evident to all” mean that growth is measurable. Question: As you look back over the last few years of your life, in what areas have you grown? Before you read on, take a moment, and think carefully about how you answer that question.
In childhood, our bodies automatically grow. But some of us bring into adulthood a subconscious trust that spiritual, emotional, and mental growth follow a comparable pattern. We think that as time goes by, we inevitably improve. We’re like cartoon character Charlie Brown in Charles Schulz’s Peanuts comic strip, who once said, “I think I’ve discovered the secret of life – you just hang around until you get used to it.” The problem is that you don’t get better by just living; you must be intentional about it. No one improves by chance.
Personal growth doesn’t simply take place on its own. And when you’re finished with your formal education, you must take full ownership of the growth process because no one else will see to it for you. The ultimate growth manual is your Bible. It’s “living and powerful” (Hebrews 4:12 NKJV). Everything you need to know and everything that’s required for you to grow can be found in its pages. So, open your Bible. Delve into it. Read it. Meditate on it. Apply its principles to your life, and you will be amazed at how you grow.
Soul food: Judg 16:23-31; 2 Cor 12:3-10
2025-01-18
Lukas 15:28 NLV
Die gelykenis van die verlore seun gaan oor twee seuns en hul vader se liefde vir hul elkeen. Die jonger seun het sy vader oneer aangedoen en in ‘n varkhok beland. Toe hy terugkeer huis toe, het hy alles verloor – behalwe sy vader se liefde. Maak nie saak wie jy dus is of wat jy gedoen het nie – God is lief vir jou en wil jou deel van sy familie maak.
Jesus het ‘n wonderlike stelling gemaak: ‘…En toe hy nog ver weg was, het sy pa hom sien aankom. Oorweldig met liefde en deernis het hy na sy seun toe gehardloop, hom omhels en gesoen’ (vers 20 NLV). Die antieke Hebreeuse kultuur het ouer mans wat hardloop as onwaardig beskou. Mans het lang, vloeiende klere gedra wat hulle tot by hulle middel moes optel om te hardloop, wat sodoende hulle onderklere ten toon gestel het. Die pa het egter nie omgegee wat ander mense gedink het nie; hy het net oor sy eiesinnige seun omgegee. Ongelukkig het sy ouer broer nie dieselfde gevoel nie.
Verstaan jy hoekom baie jonger broers nog steeds in die varkhok is en nie die kerk wil binnegaan nie? Omdat hulle bang is dat ouer broers hulle sal veroordeel eerder as om hulle in liefde te verwelkom. Die ouer broer het straf begeer, maar die vader het vergifnis gegee. Die ouer broer het skuld vereis, maar die vader het genade gegee. Die ouer broer wou weerwraak hê, maar die vader wou versoening hê.
Hier is die goeie nuus: Maak nie saak hoe laag jy geval het nie, weet dat wanneer jy terugkom, jou hemelse Vader met ope arms en ‘n liefdevolle hart vir jou sal wag.
Sielskos: Jes 63-66; Luk 4:14-30; Ps 89:15-37; Spr 2:21-22
Luke 15:25 NKJV
The parable of the prodigal son is about two boys and their father’s love for each. The younger one dishonoured his father and ended up in a pigpen. When he returned home, he had lost everything – except his father’s love. So no matter who you are or what you have done – God loves you and wants you in His family.
Jesus made an amazing statement: “When he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him” (v. 20 NKJV). Ancient Hebrew culture thought running was an undignified act for older men. Men wore long flowing robes, and had to pull them up around their waist to run, exposing their undergarments. But the father didn’t care about what people thought; he cared about his wayward son. Unfortunately, his older brother didn’t feel that way.
Do you understand why a lot of younger brothers are still out in the pigpen and don’t want to enter the church? Because they’re afraid older brothers will hit them with the mean hand of judgment instead of touching them with the welcoming hand of love. The older brother desires punishment, but the father provides pardon. The older brother requires guilt, but the father gives grace. The older brother wants revenge, but the father wants reconciliation.
Here is the good news: No matter how low you have fallen, know that as soon as you return, you will discover your heavenly Father facing you, extending open arms and a loving heart toward you.
Soul food: Isa 63-66; Luke 4:14-30; Ps 89:15-37; Prov 2:21-22
2025-01-17
Luke 18:13 NKJV
Jesus said: “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other men – extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.’ And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me a sinner!’ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other” (vv. 10-14 NKJV).
The difference between these two men is that the Pharisee was guilty of sins of the spirit, and the tax collector was guilty of the sins of the flesh. Pride shut the door of heaven to the Pharisee, and humility opened the door of heaven to the tax collector. The Pharisee said he was innocent but went home guilty. The tax collector acknowledged he was guilty and went home innocent.
Notice, he doesn’t use the usual word for mercy. The word used here dates back to the Hebrew word kippur, which means “atonement,” as in Yom Kippur, which means “the Day of Atonement.” The word atonement means “to cover.” What the tax collector said was, “God, I’m admitting what you already know is true about me. I am a sinful man with a sinful heart. God, will you cover me?” That’s all God needed to hear from him to save him – and that’s all God needs to hear from you too.
Soul food: Isa 58-62; Luke 4:1-13; Ps 89:1-14; Prov 2:20
Lukas 18:13 NLV
Jesus het gesê: ‘Twee mense het na die tempel toe gegaan om te bid. Die een was ‘n Fariseër en die ander ‘n tollenaar. Die Fariseër het stelling ingeneem en by homself gebid: ‘O God, ek is dankbaar teenoor U dat ek nie soos die ander mense is nie – diewe, onregverdiges, ontugtiges of ook soos hierdie tollenaar. Ek vas twee keer gedurende die week, en ek gee ‘n tiende van alles wat ek verdien!’ Die tollenaar het op ‘n afstand stelling ingeneem en wou selfs nie na die hemel opkyk nie. Hy het vol skuldbesef op sy bors geslaan en gesê: ‘O God, wees my as ‘n sondaar genadig!’ Ek sê vir julle: Hierdie man, eerder as die eerste een, gaan huis toe as iemand wie se saak met God reg is…’ (verse 10-14 NLV).
Die verskil tussen hierdie twee mans was dat die Fariseër skuldig aan sondes van die gees was, terwyl die tollenaar skuldig aan sondes van die vlees was. Trots het die deur na die hemel vir die Fariseër toegemaak, maar nederigheid het die deur van die hemel vir die tollenaar oopgemaak. Die Fariseër het gesê dat hy onskuldig is, maar het skuldig huis toe gegaan. Die tollenaar het erken dat hy skuldig was en het onskuldig huis toe gegaan.
Let op dat die tollenaar nie die gewone woord vir genade gebruik het nie. Die woord wat hier gebruik word, dateer terug na die Hebreeuse woord kippur toe, wat ‘versoening’ beteken. Die woord versoening beteken ‘om te bedek.’ Wat die tollenaar gesê het was: ‘God, ek erken ek is ‘n sondige man met ‘n sondige hart. God, sal U my bedek?’ Dit is al wat God van hom moes hoor om hom te red – en dit is al wat God van jou ook moet hoor.
Sielskos: Jes 58-62; Luk 4:1-13; Ps 89:1-14; Spr 2:20
