2025-07-15
James 3:14 CEV
The Bible says, “People are slaves to whatever has mastered them” (2 Peter 2:19 NIV). And that’s especially true of jealousy. Chuck Swindoll writes: “Jealousy and envy are often used interchangeably, but there’s a difference. Envy begins with empty hands; it mourns what it doesn’t have… Jealousy begins with full hands; it’s threatened by the pain of losing what you have to someone else despite your efforts to hold on to it… This was Cain’s sin. He was jealous of Abel. He resented God’s acceptance of his brother, and not until Abel’s blood poured over Cain’s cruel hands did jealousy subside. Solomon might well have written the epitaph for Abel’s tombstone: ‘Jealousy is [cruel] as the grave. Its flashes are flashes of fire’ (Song of Solomon 8:6 ESV).
Anyone who has experienced deliverance from this hellish giant knows too well how jealousy can decimate a friendship, dissolve a romance, destroy a marriage, shoot tension through the ranks of professionals, nullify unity on a team, ruin a church, separate preachers, foster competition among the choir, bring bitterness and finger-pointing among talented instrumentalists and capable singers. Jealousy questions motives and deplores another’s success.”
The Bible says, “If your heart is full of… jealousy… don’t… cover up the truth.” Instead, determine that by the grace of God, you’re going to break free from its control. Swindoll adds: “I lived many years obeying its commands. It was gross agony. Finally, I realized I didn’t have to live in darkness. I slew the giant and crawled out… and the releasing sunlight of freedom captured my heart. The air was so fresh and clean. Oh, the difference it has made! It’s utter delight. Ask my wife.”
Soul food: Acts 16-17; Matt 10:1-10; Ps 140; Pro 16:3
2025-07-14
Romeine 15:4 NLV
Daar is ‘n oulike verhaal van ‘n meisie wat haar ouerhuis verlaat het om universiteit toe te gaan. Aan die einde van haar eerste semester, het sy vir haar ma die volgende e-pos gestuur: ‘Ek dink dit is tyd dat ek Ma op datum bring oor wat in my lewe aangaan. Kort nadat ek by die universiteit aangekom het, het ek met die koshuislewe verveeld geraak en vyfhonderd rand uit my kamermaat se beursie gesteel. Met die geld het ek ‘n motorfiets gehuur, maar naby die koshuis daarmee teen ‘n telefoonpaal vasgery. Ek het my been in die ongeluk gebreek en kan nie klasse bywoon nie, so ek kom huis toe om by Ma en Pa te kom bly.’
Nadat sy die e-pos gestuur het, het sy dadelik ‘n tweede een gestuur: ‘Ma, ek maak net ‘n grappie. Ek het nie enige geld gesteel, of ‘n motorfiets gehuur, of daarmee teen ‘n telefoonpaal vasgery, of my been gebreek nie. Ek kom ook nie huis toe om by julle te bly nie. Ek het egter ‘n D in wiskunde en ‘n F in letterkunde gekry en ek wou hê julle moet my punte in die regte perspektief beskou!’
Op ‘n ernstiger noot, kan ‘n Bybelse perspektief op die lewe se uitdagings jou uit wanhoop en moedeloosheid lig. Paulus skryf: ‘…Die standvastigheid en die bemoediging wat die Skrif aan ons gee, help ons om aan ons toekomsverwagting te bly vashou.’ Vir elke probleem waarvoor jy in die lewe te staan kom, het God se Woord ‘n beginsel om uit te oefen en ‘n belofte om op te eis. Die manier om dus moedeloosheid te oorkom, is om in God se Woord te delf en dit ter harte te neem.
Sielskos: Hand 14-15; Matt 9:27-38; Ps 133; Spr 16:2
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
