2025-07-14
Romans 15:4 NIV
There is a cute story about a girl who left home and went away to college. After her first semester, she emailed her mother, saying, “I think it’s time I brought you up to date on what’s going on in my life. Shortly after I arrived at college, I got bored with dormitory life and stole fifty dollars from my roommate’s purse. With the money, I rented a motorcycle, which I crashed into a telephone pole a few blocks from the dorm. I broke my leg in the accident and am unable to attend classes, so I’m coming home to live with you and dad.”
After hitting “send,” she immediately sent a second email: “Mom, I was only joking. I didn’t steal any money, or rent a motorcycle, or hit a telephone pole, or break my leg. And I won’t be coming home to live with you and dad either. However, I am getting a D in mathematics and an F in literature, and I wanted you to keep my grades in proper perspective!”
Seriously, having a biblical perspective on life’s challenges can lift you out of discouragement and despair. Paul said, “Everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures… we might have hope.” For every problem you face in life, God’s Word has a principle to be practiced or a promise to be claimed. So, the way to overcome discouragement is to get into God’s Word and get it into you.
Soul food: Acts 14-15; Matt 9:27-38; Ps 133; Pro 16:2
2025-07-13
James 2:26 NIV
Could it be that the negative perception people have of the church stems from the negative energy we project? And could it be that our negative energy stems from our negative view of righteousness? We falsely view righteousness as doing nothing wrong: “Don’t do this. Don’t do that. And you’re okay.” The problem with that approach is you can do nothing wrong and still not do the right thing; the thing God is calling you to do. Righteousness means more than doing nothing wrong. Do you really think God’s ultimate dream for us is doing nothing wrong? You love it when your children make a difficult decision not to do something wrong. But the thing that brings you greater joy is seeing them develop their gifts and maximize their potential. And that’s what God wants for each of us.
The Bible teaches two kinds of sin: the sin of commission, which is doing something you shouldn’t have done, and the sin of omission, which is all the things we could and should have done to advance God’s kingdom but didn’t do. A pastor writes: “In God’s economy, breaking even is a total loss. Isn’t that the lesson of the parable of the talents? The servant with one talent broke even… [and] Jesus called him a ‘wicked and lazy servant’ (Matthew 25:26 NKJV). The greatest risk is taking no risks… Righteousness is using all our God-given gifts to their full God-given potential. Love doesn’t play it safe; it takes risks. Love doesn’t make excuses; it takes responsibility. Love doesn’t see problems; it seizes opportunities to step up and step in.”
Soul food: 1 Sam 21:1-6; Hosea 6:4-6; Matt 12:1-14
Jakobus 2:26 NLV
Kan dit wees dat die negatiewe persepsie wat mense van die kerk het, uit die negatiewe energie wat ons uitstraal spruit? Kan dit ook wees dat ons negatiewe energie uit ons negatiewe siening van geregtigheid spruit? Ons beskou geregtigheid verkeerdelik as om niks verkeerd te doen nie. Die probleem met so ‘n benadering is dat jy niks verkeerd kan doen nie en steeds nie die regte ding doen nie; die ding wat God jou roep om te doen. Dink jy regtig dat dit God se groot droom vir ons is dat ons niks verkeerd doen nie? Jy hou daarvan as jou kinders ‘n moeilike besluit maak om iets nie te doen wat hulle weet verkeerd is nie. Dit bring egter groter vreugde mee as jy sien hoe hulle hul talente ontwikkel en hulle potensiaal begin uitleef. Dis wat God vir elkeen van ons wil hê.
Die Bybel leer ons van twee soorte sondes: die sonde van bedryf, wat is om iets te doen wat jy nie moes doen nie en die sonde van versuim, wat al die dinge is wat ons kon en moes gedoen het om God se koninkryk te bevorder, maar nie gedoen het nie. ‘n Pastoor skryf: ‘In God se ekonomie is om gelyk te breek, ‘n totale verlies. Is dit nie die les van die gelykenis van die talente nie? Die slaaf met een talent het gelyk gebreek, maar Jesus het hom ‘n slegte slaaf en ‘n lamsak genoem (sien Matteus 25:26). Geregtigheid is om al jou God-gegewe gawes te gebruik om jou God-gegewe potensiaal ten volle te bereik. Liefde speel nie veilig nie; dit neem risiko’s. Liefde maak nie verskonings nie; dit neem verantwoordelikheid. Liefde sien nie probleme nie; dit gryp geleenthede aan om op te staan en in te tree.’
Sielskos: 1 Sam 21:1-6; Hosea 6:4-6; Matt 12:1-14
2025-07-12
Prediker 3:1 NLV
Jou lewensdoel word aan ‘n spesifieke tyd en seisoen gekoppel. Sommige van God se doelwitte kan binne ‘n kort tydjie bereik word, terwyl ander ‘n leeftyd neem. Jy sal nie in staat wees om altyd dit te doen wat jy vandag doen nie, of ten minste nie in dieselfde mate as wat jy dit tans doen nie. Die Bybel leer ons: ‘…soos jou dae, so sal jou krag wees’ (Deuteronomium 33:25 KAB23). Dis hoekom sommige van die wêreld se beste sportspelers die oorgang na afrigting maak.
Drie belangrike waarnemings:
1) Jy moet verstaan in watter seisoen jy tans is en die meeste daaruit put.
2) Wanneer een seisoen eindig, moet jy met grasie na die volgende seisoen beweeg.
3) Jy moet leer om die seisoen waarin jy jou tans bevind, te geniet.
Hier is ‘n interessante verskynsel: Elia het sy mantel van krag aan Elisa oorgedra, maar nêrens lees ons dat Elisa dit aan iemand anders oorgedra het nie. Toe Paulus egter sy mantel aan Timoteus oorgedra het, het dit nie daar geëindig nie. Paulus het vir hom gesê: ‘Jy het my baie dinge hoor leer wat bevestig is deur baie betroubare getuies. Leer hierdie groot waarhede aan betroubare mense wat bekwaam is om dit aan ander deur te gee’ (2 Timoteus 2:2 NLV).
In plaas daarvan om te treur dat sy tyd besig is om uit te loop, het Paulus hom in die wete dat God hom gehelp het om sy opdrag te vervul, verheug. ‘Ek het die goeie stryd gestry, ek het die wedloop voltooi, en ek het gelowig gebly. En nou wag die prys vir my: die lourierkrans van geregtigheid…’ (2 Timoteus 4:7-8 NLV). God gee jou genade vir die seisoen waarin jy is. Let dus op en weet wanneer om aan te beweeg!
Sielskos: Hand 12-13; Matt 9:14-26; Ps 123; Spr 16:1
2025-07-11
Ecclesiastes 3:1 NKJV
Your life’s purpose is connected to a specific time and season. In other words, it will have a beginning and an ending. Some of God’s purposes can be fulfilled in a short time, while others take a lifetime. You won’t always be able to do what you’re doing today, or at least to the extent you’re doing it now. The Bible teaches, “As your days, so shall your strength be” (Deuteronomy 33:25 NKJV). That’s why some of the world’s best sports players transition into coaching.
Three important observations:
(1) You must understand and maximize the season you’re in right now.
(2) When one season ends, you must transition graciously into the next.
(3) You must learn to enjoy whatever season you’re in.
Here is an interesting phenomenon: Elijah passed his mantle of power to Elisha, but nowhere do we read that Elisha passed it on to anyone else. But when Paul passed his mantle on to Timothy, it didn’t end there. Paul told him, “The things… you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit…to faithful men who will be able to teach others also” (2 Timothy 2:2 NKJV).
Instead of lamenting that he had run out of time, Paul rejoiced in knowing that God had helped him to fulfil his assignment. “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Finally, there is laid up for me the crown” (2 Timothy 4:7-8 NKJV). The truth is, God only gives you grace for the season you’re in. And when a season ends, and it’s time to transition, the grace lifts. So, pay attention and know when to move on!
Soul food: Acts 12-13; Matt 9:14-26; Ps 123; Pro 16:1
