2026-01-14
1 Corinthians 13:4-5 NCV
Let’s begin with three short stories that spell out the challenge of building a strong and happy marriage. First story: A man was observing a couple and said to his wife, “Look at them, they look so happy.” She said, “Don’t be so sure, they’re probably saying the same thing about us.” Second story: “A woman once said, “My husband and I have a very happy marriage. There’s nothing I wouldn’t do for him, and there’s nothing he wouldn’t do for me. So we’ve gone through life doing nothing for each other.” Third story: A husband told his friend, “My wife and I have decided never to go to bed angry.” His friend asked, “How’s that working?” He replied, “We haven’t slept in a month.”
Seriously, the biggest challenge in marriage is selfishness. When two people each put their own desires and interests first, their relationship is headed for trouble and possibly a divorce court. What’s the answer?
These inspired words were written almost two thousand years ago, but they are still God’s formula for a stable and successful marriage: “Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous, it does not brag, and it is not proud. Love is not rude, is not selfish, and does not get upset with others. Love does not count up wrongs that have been done. Love takes no pleasure in evil but rejoices over the truth. Love patiently accepts all things. It always trusts, always hopes, and always endures. Love never ends… So these three things continue forever: faith, hope, and love. And the greatest of these is love” (vv. 4-8, 13 NCV).
Soul food: Lev 26-27; Luke 2:41-52; Ps 74:12-23; Prov 2:7-8
2026-01-13
Matthew 25:21 NKJV
If you are a purpose-driven person, the thought of spending eternity doing little, or nothing will have no appeal to you. But that’s not the case. When we get to heaven, God is not going to say, “Well done, good and faithful servant; you can take the rest of eternity off.” No, He will say, “Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things” (Matthew 25:21 NKJV).
There will be “many things” for us to do. We already know that we will be ruling with Christ over this restored earth during His millennial reign (See Revelation 20:6). And Revelation 22:3 says, “His servants shall serve Him.” God will not only have a place for each of us, but a plan. The reason heaven will not be boring is because God is not boring! The psalmist said, “In thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore” (Psalm 16:11 KJV).
Since we will be in God’s presence, everything we do will bring joy and satisfaction. Ecclesiastes 3:11 says that God has placed eternity in our hearts. That means that God has created within us a space that cannot be satisfied with anything but heaven. We can never comprehend all that God has prepared for us in our heavenly home. And we can’t recreate heaven on earth. But when we opt to prepare for our eternal home that is waiting for us, our earthly focus shifts toward living a life that pleases and honours God and brings others to Him.
Soul food: Lev 23:26-25:55; Luke 2:34-40; Ps 74:1-11; Prov 2:6
Matteus 25:21 NLV
As jy ‘n doelgedrewe persoon is, mag die gedagte om vir alle ewigheid te sit en niks doen, jou nie vreeslik aanstaan nie. Dis egter nie die geval nie. Wanneer ons by die hemel kom, gaan God nie sê: ‘Welgedaan voortreflike slaaf; jy kan die res van alle ewigheid afvat,’ nie. Nee, Hy gaan sê: ‘…Uitstekend! Jy is ‘n voortreflike slaaf; een op wie ek kan staatmaak. In die kleine het jy jou betroubaar bewys. Daarom gaan ek nog baie groter verantwoordelikhede aan jou toevertrou…’ (Matteus 25:21 NLV).
Daar gaan baie dinge vir ons wees om te doen. Ons weet reeds dat ons saam met Christus oor hierdie hernude aarde tydens sy duisendjarige heerskappy sal regeer (sien Openbaring 20:6). Openbaring 22:3 (NLV) sê ook: ‘…sy diensknegte sal Hom vereer en dien.’ God sal nie net ‘n plek vir elkeen van ons hê nie, maar ook ‘n plan. Die hemel gaan nie vervelig wees nie, want God is nie vervelig nie! Die Psalmdigter het gesê: ‘…in u teenwoordigheid is vreugde, en aan u regterhand is daar blydskap vir altyd’ (Psalm 16:11 NLV).
Omdat ons in God se teenwoordigheid gaan wees, sal alles wat ons doen vir ons vreugde en bevrediging verskaf. God het die ewigheid in ons harte geplaas (sien Prediker 3:11). Dit beteken dat God in ons ‘n spasie geskep het wat slegs deur die hemel gevul kan word. Ons sal nooit alles wat God vir ons in ons hemelse tuiste voorberei het, kan begryp nie. Ons kan ook nie hemel op aarde herskep nie. Wanneer ons egter kies om vir ons ewige tuiste wat vir ons wag voor te berei, verskuif ons aardse fokus na ‘n lewe wat God behaag en eer en ander mense na Hom toe bring.
Sielskos: Lev 23:26-25:55; Luk 2:34-40; Ps 74:1-11; Spr 2:6
2026-01-12
Hebrews 13:8 NKJV
Jesus, who was known in the Bible as “the Great Physician,” spent much of His ministry healing the sick. Read these four Scriptures:
(1) “Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching… preaching the gospel… and healing all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease among the people. Then His fame went throughout all Syria; and they brought to Him all sick people who were afflicted with various diseases and torments… and He healed them” (Matthew 4:23-25 NKJV).
(2) “When He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them… And when He had called His twelve disciples to Him, He gave them power over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease” (Matthew 9:36; 10:1 NKJV).
(3) “When they had crossed over, they came to the land of Gennesaret. And when the men of that place recognized Him, they sent out into all that surrounding region, brought to Him all who were sick, and begged Him that they might only touch the hem of His garment. And as many as touched it were made perfectly well” (Matthew 14:34-36 NKJV).
(4) “A great multitude of people from all Judea and Jerusalem, and from the seacoast of Tyre and Sidon… came to hear Him and be healed of their diseases… And the whole multitude sought to touch Him, for power went out from Him and healed them all” (Luke 6:17-19 NKJV).
Since Jesus Christ is “the same yesterday, and today, and forever,” that means you can pray with faith and confidence, believing God to heal you and your loved ones.
Soul food: Lev 21:1-23:25; Luke 2:21-33; Ps 71:17-24; Prov 2:3-5
Hebreërs 13:8 NLV
Daar word dikwels na Jesus as ‘Die Groot Geneesheer’ verwys. Hy het groot dele van sy bediening hier op aarde bestee om siek mense gesond te maak. Lees die volgende vier Skrifgedeeltes:
1) ‘Jesus het nou deur die hele Galilea rondgegaan en die Goeie Nuus van die koninkryk aangekondig deur die mense in hulle sinagoges te onderrig en elkeen onder die volk wat ‘n siekte of kwaal gehad het, gesond te maak. Kort voor lank het die nuus oor Hom oor die hele provinsie van Sirië versprei. Die mense het almal wat siek was, na Hom toe gebring… en Hy het hulle gesond gemaak’ (Matteus 4:23-24 NLV).
2) ‘Toe Jesus na die baie mense kyk, het Hy ontroerd geraak oor hulle seerkry en weerloosheid… Jesus het sy twaalf dissipels na Hom toe geroep en aan hulle die volmag gegee om… elkeen met ‘n siekte of kwaal gesond te maak’ (Matteus 9:36; 10:1 NLV).
3) ‘Nadat hulle die see oorgesteek het, het hulle by Gennesaret aan wal gegaan. Toe die plaaslike mense dit hoor, het hulle die nuus deur die hele omgewing versprei en al hulle siekes na Hom toe gebring. Die siekes het Hom gesmeek om aan Hom te mag raak, al was dit maar net aan die onderste rand van sy jas. En almal wat daaraan geraak het, het gesond geword’ (Matteus 14:34-36 NLV).
4) ‘…Daar was mense van oral oor Judea en Jerusalem en so ver noord as die kusgebied van Tirus en Sidon. Hulle het gekom om na Hom te luister en om genees te word… Almal het aan Hom probeer raak, want genesende krag het van Hom uitgegaan, en hulle almal is genees’ (Lukas 6:17-19 NLV).
Omdat Jesus Christus altyd dieselfde bly – gister, vandag en vir altyd – kan jy God glo om jou en jou geliefdes te genees.
Sielskos: Lev 21:1-23:25; Luk 2:21-33; Ps 71:17-24; Spr 2:3-5
