2022-12-07
Psalm 118:2 NLT
Do yourself a favour – read Psalm 118!
(1) “In my distress I prayed to the Lord, and the Lord answered me” (v. 5 NLT). What are you battling today? A destructive habit? A crippling fear? A sense of worthlessness? God wants to set you free.
(2) “The Lord is for me, so I will have no fear” (v. 6 NLT). Your future doesn’t rest in the hands of people, but God; a good God who has good plans for you.
(3) “He will help me. I will look in triumph at those who hate me” (v. 7 NLT). When people try to put you down, God will raise you up. When they withhold from you, He will supply all your needs.
(4) “I will not die; instead, I will live to tell what the Lord has done” (v. 17 NLT). We will all die someday; but you don’t have to die before your assignment is complete and you have brought glory to God.
(5) “The Lord has punished me severely, but he did not let me die” (v. 18 NLT). Is God correcting you? Rejoice; His correction is not rejection. It’s protection against future mistakes.
(6) “This is the day the Lord has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it” (v. 24 NLT). Whether yesterday was a triumph or a tragedy, God is giving you a new day. Seize it. Rejoice in it!
(7) “Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever” (v. 29 NLT).
You may experience days without enough money, but you will never have a day without God’s mercy. These seven Scriptures are for you, so stand on them today.
Soul food: Josh 5:1-8:29; John 14:1-14; Ps 2; Prov 28:25-28
Psalm 118:2 NLV
Doen jouself ‘n guns – lees Psalm 118! 1) ‘In my nood het ek tot die Here gebid. Die Here het my geantwoord en my bevry’ (vers 5 NLV). Waarmee sukkel jy vandag? ‘n Destruktiewe gewoonte? ‘n Gevoel van waardeloosheid? God wil jou daarvan bevry. 2)
‘Die Here is by my, ek sal nie bang wees nie…’ (vers 6 NLV). Jou toekoms rus nie in die hande van mense nie, maar in God; ‘n goeie God wat goeie planne vir jou het.
3) ‘Die Here is by my. Hy help my. Ek sal neersien op my haters’ (vers 7 NLV). Wanneer mense jou probeer afkraak, sal God jou ophef. Wanneer hulle van jou weerhou, sal Hy in al jou behoeftes voorsien.
4) ‘Ek sal nie sterf nie, maar lewe, en van die Here se werke vertel (vers 17 NLV). Ons almal sal eendag sterf; maar jy hoef nie te sterf voordat jou taak voltooi is en jy God verheerlik het nie.
5) ‘Die Here het my swaar gestraf, maar nie aan die dood oorgegee nie’ (vers 18 NLV). Korrigeer God jou? Verbly jouself; sy korreksie is nie verwerping nie. Dis beskerming teen toekomstige foute.
6) ‘Dit is die dag wat die Here gemaak het. Laat ons daaroor juig en bly wees’ (vers 24 NLV). Of gister nou ‘n triomf of ‘n tragedie was, God gee vir jou ‘n nuwe dag. Gryp dit aan! Verbly jouself daarin!
7) ‘Wees dankbaar teenoor die Here, want Hy is goed! Sy goedheid duur vir altyd!’ (vers 29 NLV). Jy mag dae sonder genoeg geld ervaar, maar jy sal nooit ‘n dag sonder God se genade gaan nie.
Hierdie sewe Skrifgedeeltes is vir jou, staan dus vandag daarop.
Sielskos: Jos 5:1-8:29; Joh 14:1-14; Ps 2; Spr 28:25-28
2022-12-06
Filippense 1:3 NLV
Paulus het dikwels diegene wat hom gehelp het, erken. ‘Elke keer as ek aan julle dink, dank ek God… omdat julle, van die eerste dag wat julle die Goeie Nuus gehoor het, tot vandag toe saamgewerk het om dit verder uit te dra’ (verse 3-5 NLV). ‘Julle, Filippense… geen gemeente behalwe julle [het] my finansieel ondersteun nie. Selfs toe ek in Tessalonika was, het julle meer as een keer iets gestuur om my te help’ (Filippense 4:15-16 NLV). Hy skryf aan die gelowiges in Tessalonika: ‘…dit is gepas dat ons altyd vir God dankie sal sê vir julle, want julle geloof hou net aan groei en julle almal se liefde vir mekaar word net groter! Gevolglik vertel ons self met trots in God se gemeentes hoe julle volhard en glo onder al die vervolging en swaarkry wat julle verduur’ (2 Tessalonisense 1:3-4 NLV).
Die skrywer Barbara Glanz vertel van ‘n man wat ‘n brief vir sy graad agt letterkunde-onderwyseres geskryf en die volgende antwoord ontvang het: ‘Jy sal nooit weet hoeveel jou brief vir my beteken het nie. Ek is 83 jaar oud en bly stoksielalleen. My vriende en familie het almal heengegaan. Ek het vir 50 jaar skoolgehou en jou brief is die eerste ‘dankie sê’ brief wat ek ooit ontvang het. Soms wonder ek wat ek met my lewe gedoen het. Ek sal jou brief oor en oor lees totdat die dag wat ek doodgaan.’ Ironies genoeg was sy die onderwyseres waaroor die studente die meeste by die skoolreünies gepraat het, maar niemand het haar ooit daarvan gesê nie.
Om waardering te wys kos so min in terme van tyd en geld, maar kan die wêreld vir iemand beteken. Teenoor wie moet jy vandag jou waardering bewys?
Sielskos: Jos 1-4; Joh 13:31-38; Ps 130; Spr 28:21-24
Philippians 1:3 NLT
Paul often acknowledged those who helped him. “Every time I think of you, I give thanks to my God… for you have been my partners in spreading the Good News” (vv. 3-5 NLT). “You Philippians were the only ones who gave me financial help…No other church did this. Even when I was in Thessalonica you sent help more than once. I don’t say this because I want a gift from you. Rather, I want you to receive a reward for your kindness” (Philippians 4:15-17 NLT).
He writes to the believers in Thessalonica: “We can’t help but thank God for you, because your faith is flourishing and your love for one another is growing. We proudly tell God’s other churches about your endurance and faithfulness in all the persecutions and hardships you are suffering” (2 Thessalonians 1:3-4 NLT).
Author Barbara Glanz tells about a gentleman who remembered his eighth-grade literature teacher. He wrote to her and received this reply: “You will never know how much your letter meant. I’m 83 years old, and… living all alone. My friends are all gone. My family’s gone. I taught school 50 years and yours is the first ‘thank you’ letter I have ever gotten from a student. Sometimes I wonder what I did with my life. I will read and reread your letter until the day I die.” Ironically, she was the teacher students talked most about at class reunions, but nobody ever told her.
Showing appreciation costs so little in terms of time and money, but it can mean the world to somebody. So today, who do you need to express your appreciation to?
Soul food: Josh 1-4; John 13:31-38; Ps 130; Prov 28:21-24
2022-12-05
Proverbs 23:7 NKJV
Every family has generational “issues” they struggle with. These are things our parents and grandparents passed to us like addiction, abuse, anger, anxiety, lust, fear, etc. Often we say, “It just runs in my family, I can’t do anything about it.” Yes, you can! You may not be able to do anything about your family’s past, but by God’s grace, you can change the future for yourself and your children.
The Bible says, “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new” (2 Corinthians 5:17 NKJV). Note the words “in Christ.” By yourself you can’t change your family’s dysfunction, but “in Christ” you receive the power needed to go in a new direction. If your computer can be reprogrammed, your mind can too. “Be transformed by the renewing of your mind” (Romans 12:2 NKJV).
You say, “How do I renew my mind?” By saturating it in the Scriptures! Just like soaking your body in water removes sweat and grime, soaking your mind in the Scriptures cleanses and corrects your thinking. The old saying goes: “Watch your thoughts for they become your words. Watch your words for they become your deeds. Watch your deeds because they become your habits. Watch your habits because they become your character. Watch your character because it becomes your destiny.” God told Gideon, “Tear down the [old] altar of Baal that your father has” (Judges 6:25 NKJV). In its place Gideon built a new altar to the Lord, and the lives of he and his family were changed forever. And by programming your mind with God’s Word, you can do the same!
Soul food: 3 John; Jude; John 13:18-30; Ps 65; Prov 28:17-20
