2026-03-19
Romans 5:20 NKJV
The Scarlet Letter is the story of a woman found in adultery and required to wear a scarlet “A” on her dress as a symbol of shame. We do the same thing, don’t we? We label people based on a mistake. Sadly, it’s just as true in some churches as it is in the culture. That isn’t how God sees us and labels us. He takes off the graveclothes of sin and covers us in the garments of salvation (see Isaiah 61:10). He gives each of us a new name, a new identity, a new destiny.
There’s a storyline in John’s gospel that’s not unlike Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter. A woman was caught in the act of adultery. The religious mob was ready to stone her to death when Jesus stepped in. His defense was pure brilliance: “He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone” (John 8:7 NKJV). One by one, they dropped their stones and walked away. Then Jesus told her, “Go and sin no more” (v. 11 NKJV).
When you hear about someone’s failure, remember John Bradford’s famous adage: “But for the grace of God, there go I.” Live by the maxim, “Love people when they least expect it and least deserve it.” That’s how you change someone’s life. That’s what Jesus did with this woman. When the Pharisees were writing people off, He was writing them in. When everyone else showed them the door, Jesus showed them grace. Grace is the catalyst that turns guilt into gratitude. One act of grace can turn the worst moment into a defining moment in someone’s life. And you can be that agent of grace.
Soul food: Rev 19-22; Luke 19:1-21; Ps 116:1-11; Prov 8:8-9
2026-03-18
2 Corinthians 3:18 NKJV
Beginning in 2007, the REVEAL research project surveyed the members of more than a thousand churches. They wanted to determine the percentage of churchgoers who are actually propelled by their faith to love God and love others with their whole hearts. Guess how many met these qualifications? Eleven percent! Nearly nine out of ten believers did not make the grade.
Think about it this way: If a school graduated only eleven percent of its students, if a hospital healed only eleven percent of its patients, if a sports team won only eleven percent of its games, if a home builder completed only eleven percent of his projects, wouldn’t changes be made? About 2.2 billion people on our planet call themselves Christians. That’s approximately one-fourth of the world’s population. If the survey is any indication, about two billion of those Christians are chugging along on a fraction of their horsepower.
What would happen if they got a tune-up or decided to step up or rise up? How much joy would be unleashed? How much wisdom would be shared? How many marriages would be saved? How many wars would be prevented? How much hunger would be eliminated? What would it take for you to be part of the eleven percent – more compassion, more conviction, more courage? What attitudes would you need to discontinue – greed, guilt, negativity, a critical spirit?
Here’s the good news: You can. With God’s help, you can close the gap between the person you are and the person you want to be. You can be “transformed… from glory to glory.”
Soul food: Rev 15-18; Luke 18:18-43; Ps 19; Prov 8:6-7
2 Korintiërs 3:18 AFR20
Vanaf 2007 het die REVEAL-navorsingsprojek die gemeentelede van meer as ‘n duisend kerke ondervra. Hulle wou die persentasie kerkgangers wat werklik deur hul geloof gedryf word om God en ander mense met hul hele hart lief te hê, bepaal. Raai hoeveel het aan hierdie kwalifikasies voldoen? Elf persent! Byna nege uit tien gelowiges het nie die graad gehaal nie.
Dink so daaraan: As slegs elf persent van ‘n skool se matrikulante slaag, as ‘n hospitaal slegs elf persent van sy pasiënte genees, as ‘n sportspan slegs elf persent van sy wedstryde wen, as ‘n bouer slegs elf persent van sy projekte voltooi, sou dinge nie moes verander nie? Ongeveer 2,2 miljard mense op ons planeet noem hulself Christene. Dit is ongeveer ‘n kwart van die wêreldbevolking. As REVEAL se opname enige aanduiding is, is daar ongeveer twee miljard van daardie Christene wat nie hul Christenskap ten volle uitleef nie.
Wat sou gebeur as hulle besluit om voluit vir Christus te begin leef? Hoeveel vreugde sou ontketen word? Hoeveel wysheid sou gedeel word? Hoeveel huwelike sou gered word? Hoeveel oorloë sou voorkom word? Hoeveel hongersnood sou verdwyn? Wat sou dit verg om deel van die elf persent te word – meer deernis, meer oortuiging, meer moed? Watter houdings sou jy moet laat vaar – gierigheid, skuldgevoelens, negatiwiteit, ‘n kritiese gees?
Hier is die goeie nuus: Jy kan dit doen. Met God se hulp kan jy die gaping tussen die persoon wat jy is en die persoon wat jy wil wees, oorbrug. Jou ‘heerlikheid’ kan steeds toeneem.
Sielskos: Op 15-18; Luk 18:18-43; Ps 19; Spr 8:6-7
2026-03-17
Psalm 34:5 NLV
Vader, ek kom met vrymoedigheid voor u troon om barmhartigheid en genade te verkry om van emosionele onsekerheid verlos te word (sien Hebreërs 4:16). U Woord sê dat U u genade oorvloedig oor my sal stort, sodat ek altyd in alle dinge genoeg sal hê en oorvloedig sal wees in elke goeie werk (sien 2 Korintiërs 9:8). Ek verwerp elke gedagte van ontoereikendheid en elke idee wat in teenstelling is met wat u Woord sê oor wie ek is en wat ek kan doen (sien 2 Korintiërs 10:5).
Ek weerstaan enige angs oor die moontlikheid om ‘n sosiale of professionele posisie of verhouding te verloor. Ek weet dat niemand u doel vir my lewe kan dwarsboom nie. U, o Here, het my bestemming bepaal (sien Jesaja 14:27). ‘Here, U alleen is my erfenis, my beker van seën. U waarborg my lotsbestemming’ (Psalm 16:5 NLV).
U Woord sê dat U my doelbewus in die moederskoot gevorm het om u dienaar te wees. Daarom verbly ek myself en vertrou dat ek perfek ontwerp is om my lewensdoel te behaal (sien Jesaja 49:5). As gevolg van u genade wandel ek nie in self-twyfel of in selfvertroue nie, want ek weet dat ek sonder U absoluut niks kan doen nie (sien Johannes 15:5).
Daarom is my oë alleenlik op U gerig om oneindig meer te doen as wat ek kan vra of dink om te vra, volgens u krag wat in my werk (sien Efesiërs 3:20). Ek dank U dat U my verhoor het, my van al my vrese verlos het en dat hulle geen mag meer oor my lewe het nie (sien Psalm 34:5). In die Naam van Jesus Christus bid ek dit, amen.
Sielskos: Op 10-14; Luk 18:1-17; Ps 11; Spr 8:4-5
Psalm 34:4 NKJV
Father, I come boldly before Your throne of grace to obtain mercy and find grace for deliverance from emotional insecurity (see Hebrews 4:16). Your Word says You will make all Your grace abound toward me so that I will always have all sufficiency in all things and abound in every good work (see 2 Corinthians 9:8). I cast down every thought of inadequacy and every imagination that rises up against what Your Word says about who I am and what I can do (see 2 Corinthians 10:5).
I resist any anxiety over the possibility of losing a social, professional, or other position or a desired relationship. I know that no one can thwart Your purpose for my life. You, O Lord, have sealed my destiny (see Isaiah 14:27). “You guard all that is mine” (Psalm 16:5 NLT).
I know, according to Your Word, that You deliberately shaped me in the womb to be Your servant. Therefore, I rest, rejoice, and trust that I am designed for my destiny and perfect for my purpose (see Isaiah 49:5). Because of Your grace, I walk neither in self-doubt nor in self-confidence because I know that apart from You, I can do absolutely nothing (see John 15:5).
Therefore, my eyes are on You alone to do exceedingly abundantly above all that I could ask or think according to Your power that works in me (see Ephesians 3:20). I thank You that You have heard me and delivered me from all my fears, and they no longer have any power over my life (see Psalm 34:4). In the Name of Jesus Christ I pray, amen.
Soul food: Rev 10-14; Luke 18:1-17; Ps 11; Prov 8:4-5
