2024-01-01
Romeine 6:4 NLV
Weier dat jou verlede jou toekoms by jou steel. Hierdie jaar wil God vir jou ‘n nuwe begin gee. Ons almal het verhoudings wat nie herstel kan word en kwessies wat nooit na wense opgelos sal word nie. Deur God se genade kan ons egter vergewe, vergeet en aanbeweeg. Jy hoef nie in die aande wakker te lê en ou koeie uit die sloot te grawe, rowe af te krap en pynlike herinneringe te vernuwe nie.
Jy sê: ‘Maar ek sukkel in so baie areas.’ Ons almal doen. Selfs die groot apostel Paulus het erken dat hy nie al die antwoorde het nie. Paulus het erken: ‘Ek weet dat ek – ten minste wat my ou, sondige natuur betref – nie oor die vermoë beskik om die goeie te doen nie… Ek versuim die goeie wat ek so graag wil doen, maar die slegte wat ek nie wil nie, dít doen ek…’ (Romeine 7:18-19 NLV). Almal van ons wat verkeerdelik gedink het dat sodra ons Christene word, daar geen stryd meer sou wees nie, kan Paulus vir sy eerlikheid bedank!
Paulus hou egter nie daar op nie, maar voeg hierdie twee belangrike Skrifgedeeltes by: 1) ‘…En nou kan ons, net soos Christus… opgewek is, ook ‘n totaal nuwe lewe leef’ (Romeine 6:4 NLV). 2) ‘Julle moet dus ook verseker weet dat julle vir die sonde dood is, en nou vir God lewe deurdat julle één is met Christus’ (vers 11 NLV).
Jy vra: ‘Hoe moet ek dan my ou kwessies hanteer?’ Erken hulle, hou daarmee op en vergeet daarvan! In plaas daarvan om gevegte te veg wat jy nie kan wen nie, laat Christus se opstandingskrag deur jou lewe beweeg en die bande tussen jou en die pyn van jou verlede, verbreek.
Sielskos: Rom 13:12-14:19; Matt 1:1-17; Jes 43:18-19
Romans 6:4 NIV
Refuse to let your past rob you of your future. This year God wants to give you a new start. Let’s face it, we all have relationships that can’t be healed, and issues that will never be resolved to our liking. But by God’s grace we can forgive, forget, and move on. You don’t have to lie awake at night digging up old bones, picking at scars, and reviving painful memories. If you give them an opening, the ghosts of your past will take up residence in your head.
You say, “But I still struggle in so many areas.” We all do. Even the great apostle Paul admitted he didn’t have it all together. Unlike those who condemn in others the very things they struggle with themselves, Paul admits: “I know the law but… can’t keep it… sin… keeps sabotaging my best intentions, I… need help!… I decide to do good, but… My decisions… don’t result in actions. Something… gets the better of me every time” (Romans 7:17-20 MSG). “Thank you, Paul,” from all of us who mistakenly thought that once we became Christians there would be no more struggles!
But Paul doesn’t stop there; he adds these two important Scriptures: (1) “Just as Christ was raised from the dead… we too may live a new life” (Romans 6:4 NIV). (2) “In the same way [as Christ], count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus” (v. 11 NIV). You ask, “How then should I handle my old issues?” Admit them, quit them, and forget them! Instead of fighting battles you can’t win, let Christ’s resurrection power sweep through your life and sever the ties between you and the pain of your past.
Soul food: Rom 13:12-14:19; Matt 1:1-17; Isa 43:18-19
2023-12-31
Jeremiah 9:24 NIV
God says: “Let not the wise boast of their wisdom or the strong boast of their strength or the rich boast of their riches, but let the one who boasts boast about this: that they have the understanding to know me” (vv. 23-24 NIV). The truth is, if you don’t know God it doesn’t matter how much money you have in your bank account, or what diplomas hang on your wall, or what position you hold in the company. Until you have a relationship with God, you haven’t really begun to live! And part of getting to know Him is learning the truth about yourself.
After witnessing the miracle-working power of Christ, Peter acknowledged, “I am a sinful man!” (Luke 5:8 NIV). When the prophet Isaiah saw the Lord sitting upon His throne, he cried, “Woe is me!” (Isaiah 6:5 NKJV). But God doesn’t tell you the truth about yourself and then leave you that way. No, like a good doctor, He tells you you’re sick so that you can get the proper treatment. And the proper treatment for sin is salvation through the blood of Jesus. You will never know God until you are related to Him through Jesus Christ.
So if you’ve never accepted Him as your Saviour, start this New Year by praying: “Lord, I repent and turn from my sin. I place my life in Your hands, trusting You as my Lord and Saviour. By faith I receive the gift of eternal life. Starting today, I ask You to lead and guide me and fulfill Your will through me. In Jesus’ name I pray: Amen.” Happy New Year!
Soul food: Phil 3:8-14; 2 Cor 5:14-21; Ps 77:11-20; Prov 9:10-12
Jeremia 9:24 NLV
God sê: ‘…Mense met insig moenie spog met hulle kennis nie. Sterk mense moenie grootpraat oor hulle krag nie. Ryk mense moenie roem in hulle rykdom nie. Laat hulle wat wil spog, dit doen omdat hulle My ken, en begryp…’ (verse 23-24 NLV). Die waarheid is dat as jy God nie ken nie, maak dit nie saak hoeveel geld in jou rekening is, watter diplomas op jou muur hang of watter posisie jy in die maatskappy beklee nie. Totdat jy ‘n verhouding met God het, het jy nog nie waarlik begin lewe nie!
‘n Deel daarvan om Hom te leer ken, is om die waarheid oor jouself te leer. Nadat hy gesien het hoe Christus ‘n wonderwerk doen, het Petrus erken: ‘…ek is ‘n te groot sondaar…’ (Lukas 5:8 NLV). Toe die profeet Jesaja die Here op sy troon gesien het, het hy uitgeroep: ‘…Ellende het my getref!…’ (Jesaja 6:5 NLV).
God vertel jou egter nie die waarheid oor jouself en los jou dan net so nie. Nee, soos ‘n goeie dokter sê Hy vir jou jy is siek, sodat jy die regte behandeling kan ontvang. Die regte behandeling vir sonde is verlossing deur die bloed van Jesus. Jy sal nooit God ken totdat jy met Hom deur Jesus Christus verbind is nie.
As jy Hom dus nog nooit as jou Redder aanvaar het nie, begin die nuwe jaar deur te bid: ‘Here, ek bely en draai weg van my sonde af. Ek plaas my lewe in u hande en vertrou U as my Here en Redder. Deur geloof ontvang ek die gawe van ewige lewe. Ek vra U om my van vandag af te lei en te rig en u wil deur my te vervul. In Jesus se Naam bid ek dit: Amen’ Voorspoed vir die nuwe jaar!
Sielskos: Fil 3:8-14; 2 Kor 5:14-21; Ps 77:11-20; Spr 9:10-12
2023-12-30
Exodus 31:2 NIV
The first person in the Bible who was said to be “filled with the Spirit of God” was Bezalel. And if his name doesn’t ring a bell, it’s because he wasn’t a prophet, priest, king, or apostle. He was a craftsman, skilled in design. He had an eye for color and a flair for management, and when it came time for building the tabernacle, he oversaw the job.
Here is what God said about him: “I have chosen Bezalel… and… filled him with the Spirit of God, with wisdom, with understanding, with knowledge and with all kinds of skills – to make artistic designs for work in gold, silver and bronze, to cut and set stones, to work in wood, and to engage in all kinds of crafts” (Exodus 31:2-5 NIV).
Imagine being Bezalel. From your youth you loved to work with your hands. You don’t know God is involved in this – but He is! He actually placed these desires within you. When you’re working, the joy you feel is actually the presence of God. You have certain strengths; you were born with them. They will always be your strengths, and you delight in them. Wonderful things happen when you discover those strengths, put them to use, and focus on improving them.
Trying to develop in an area where God hasn’t gifted you is like trying to instruct a rabbit to swim or a snail to run. When you’re in your God-given slot, working with your God-given strengths, you’re at your best. When that happens, you are blessed, and so is everybody around you. The point is, in God’s plan, Bezalel was every bit as important as Moses. So, take heart; what you do matters!
Soul food: Malachi 3-4; John 21:15-25; Ps 139:13-24; Prov 31:28-31
