2020-04-13
1 Tessalonisense 2:18 NLV
Paulus skryf: ‘Ons wóú dus na julle toe kom – ek, Paulus, meer as een keer – maar die Satan het ons gekeer.’ Let die woorde ‘meer as een keer’ op. Wanneer jy ‘n opdrag van God ontvang, sal Satan jou herhaaldelik aanval om jou te probeer keer om jou opdrag te vervul. Let drie dinge op: 1) Sy aanval wys dat hy glo dat jy in staat is om jou doelwit te bereik. Dis hoekom hy jou daar wil hou wanneer jy terneergedruk voel. Hy weet dat wanneer jy weer opstaan, jy sterker en effektiewer as ooit tevore sal wees. 2) Hy val altyd die geboorte van iets beduidends in jou lewe aan. Dit mag dalk die geboorte van jou bediening wees, soos die versoeking van Jesus in die woestyn. Dit mag dalk die geboorte van jou lotsbestemming wees, soos die geboorte van Moses, wat veroorsaak het dat al die eersgebore seuntjies in Egipte vermoor is in ‘n poging om die eksodus te keer. 3) Hy sal die mense naaste aan jou as ‘n poort tot jou hart gebruik. Jesus het gesê: ‘Selfs ‘n mens se eie familie sal jou vyande wees’ (Matteus 10:36 NLV). Wat moet jy dus doen? Bid vir hulle. Jou intrede is dikwels die enigste bedekking wat hulle het, bid dus daagliks die genade van God oor hulle harte uit. Moet ook nooit vergeet dat jou houding belangriker as die teenstand wat jy ervaar, is nie. Aanvalle gaan verby, maar as jou houding bitter of ontmoedig is, kan dit in bitterheid wortelskiet wat elke dag van jou toekoms kan vergiftig (sien Hebreërs 12:15). Jou invloed op God se koninkryk, bepaal die hewigheid van die aanval wat die Vyand teen jou loods. Moet dus nie moedeloos word nie – hou aan!
Sielskos: Lev 11:1-13:37; Matt 28:11-20; Ps 50:1-15; Spr 10:3
2020-04-12
Galatians 2:20 NKJV
The cross is a vital part of our everyday lives. When we became Christians, we became a new person. The Bible says: ‘Anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!’ (2 Corinthians 5:17 NLT). Each day we face three enemies: sin, Satan, and ourselves. Our old self still wants us to do certain things that we know are wrong. We’re still tempted. The enemy attacks us and tries to lead us down the wrong paths. But we can overcome these things by living the crucified life. Paul wrote: ‘I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me.’ What does it mean to live the crucified life? It means we let Jesus take over the running of our lives. We surrender our desires and goals, and let Him gives us better ones. Jesus said: ‘Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me’ (Matthew 16:24 NIV). We walk in His ways rather than our own. Living Jesus’ way isn’t easy. We have to keep surrendering, sometimes moment by moment. But living His way is definitely worth it. This Easter, let’s celebrate that Jesus is alive. He’s living in us, and we’re being transformed into His likeness. We have His power in us and He can work through us. Even if we’re struggling in our walk with Him, we can be grateful that His death on the cross means that we’re acceptable to God and welcomed into His presence. When we mess up, He forgives us. When we walk away, He welcomes us back. However challenging it seems, let’s pick up our cross and surrender to God again today.
1 Cor 15; Matt 28:1-10; Job 19:25-26; John 11:25-26; 1 Pet 1:3; Isa 25:8
2020-03-31
Matteus 13:28 NLV
Die Bybel sê: ‘Hy het ‘n ander gelykenis aan hulle voorgehou met die woorde: ‘God se koningsheerskappy kan vergelyk word met ‘n man wat goeie saad op sy land saai. Maar een nag, terwyl die mense geslaap het, het sy vyand gekom en onkruid tussen die koring gesaai en verdwyn. Toe die groen koring opskiet en in die aar begin kom, verskyn terselfdertyd ook die onkruid. Die slawe van die boer kom toe en sê vir hom: ‘Meneer, u het tog goeie saad op u land gesaai. Waar kom die onkruid dan vandaan?’ ‘Dis ‘n vyand se werk!’ het hy uitgeroep…’ (verse 24-28 NLV). Ons het almal ‘n geestelike wekroep van tyd tot tyd nodig. Soms is die probleem waarmee ons stoei nie van menslike oorsprong nie. Ja, dis dwaas om alles op die Duiwel te blameer, maar dis nog dwaser om nie agter te kom wanneer hy aan die werk is nie. Paulus skryf: ‘Om staande te bly teen die listigheid van die duiwel moet julle God se gevegstoerusting aantrek. Want ons stryd is nie teen mense nie, maar teen bose regeerders en maghebbers, teen die geeste wat heerskappy in hierdie donker wêreld uitoefen, teen die bose geeste in die hemelruimtes. Daarom moet julle God se gevegstoerusting aantrek. Dan, wanneer die Bose julle aanval, sal julle weerstand kan bied, en na die hele geveg verby is, sal julle nog vas staan’ (Efesiërs 6:11-13 NLV). Hy gaan voort deur te sê: ‘Dra onder alle omstandighede die skild van die geloof. Daarmee kan julle al die brandpyle blus wat die Bose afskiet’ (vers 16 NLV). Die woord vir jou vandag is dus: Herken wanneer Satan aan die werk is, staan teen hom op en hy sal vlug! (sien Jakobus 4:7).
Sielskos: Job 38-39; Matt 26:36-46; Ps 31; Spr 8:34-36
Matthew 13:28 NIV
Jesus told the people this parable: ‘The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat…When the wheat sprouted…the weeds also appeared. The owner’s servants came to him and said, “Sir, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?” “An enemy did this”‘ (vv. 24-28 NIV). When things go wrong in our lives, it can sometimes be because of the enemy. We shouldn’t blame everything on the enemy, but we have to acknowledge that the enemy does attack us. He can come and plant weeds in our lives, even when we’ve done all the right things. So how can we protect ourselves? Paul writes: ‘Put on the full armour of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but…against the powers of this dark world and…spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armour of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground’ (Ephesians 6:11-13 NIVUK). Sometimes we can find ourselves just accepting the work of the enemy in our lives. But we can protect ourselves by wearing the armour God’s provided for us, and use the weapon of His Word to stand up to him. When the enemy was tempting Jesus, He used God’s Word to fight back (take a look at Matthew 4:1-11). And that’s what we can do too. The Bible says: ‘Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you’ (James 4:7 NIV). We need to recognise when the enemy’s at work and stand up to him.
Job 38-39; Matt 26:36-46; Ps 31; Prov 8:34-36
Matthew 13:28 NKJV
The Bible says: “Another parable He put forth to them, saying: ‘The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field; but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and…when the grain had sprouted and produced a crop…the tares also appeared. So the servants of the owner came and said to him, ‘Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have tares?’ He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this'” (vv. 24-28 NKJV). We all need a spiritual wake-up call from time to time. Sometimes the problem we are dealing with isn’t of human origin. Jesus said, “While men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way.” Yes, it’s foolish to blame everything on the Devil, but it’s even more foolish not to recognize when he is at work. Paul writes: “Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but…against the powers of this dark world and…spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground” (Ephesians 6:11-13 NIV). He goes on to say, “Take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one” (v. 16 NIV). So the word for you today is: Recognize when Satan is at work, stand up to him, and he will flee! (See James 4:7.)
Soul food: Job 38-39; Matt 26:36-46; Ps 31; Prov 8:34-36
