1 CORINTHIANS 11:24 and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.”
Have you ever taken a close look at the Matzah bread that the Jews eat during their Passover meal? The bread, which is unleavened, is pierced with rows of little holes forming stripes. It is also slightly burnt. Many churches today use this bread for the Holy Communion. Do you know why the bread is pierced, striped and burnt? My friend, the bread that you hold in your hands when you partake of the Lord’s Supper speaks of the body of our Lord Jesus Christ when He bore our sins and sicknesses on the cross. Like the bread, He was pierced in His brow by the crown of thorns as well as in His hands and feet by the nails. He was also pierced in His side by a soldier’s spear. The prophet Isaiah says, “He was pierced for our transgressions…” (Isaiah 53:5, NIV) Like the bread, He was scourged on His back until His flesh was all torn and bloody, and His bones were exposed, so that today, you can say, “By His stripes I am healed!” (Isaiah 53:5) What about the burnt marks on the bread? The full fire of God’s wrath fell on Jesus, burning up our sins into ashes, and at the same time, bringing out the fragrance of the offering of Jesus. Today, your sins and lawless deeds are but ashes, and your Father in heaven remembers them no more! (Hebrews 8:12) So the next time you partake of the bread during the Holy Communion, know that Jesus was pierced for your sins and scourged for your healing. He bore God’s fiery judgment so that you will never be judged for your sins! He also bore your diseases and carried your pains so that you can walk in divine health! When you discern these precious truths about our Lord’s body, you are partaking of the Holy Communion in a worthy manner. And you will not be weak and sickly, nor die before your time. (1 Corinthians11:27–30) No, you will be strong and healthy, and you will live long! Een dag van die jaar, op Versoeningsdag, kon die priester agter die swaar gordyn in die tabernakel ingaan in die Allerhoogste in waar God se teenwoordigheid was. Hy kon daar ingaan omdat die bloed van 'n offerlam die genadetroon, waaronder die Verbondsark gerus het, bedek het. God het dit so gereël. Wat was in die Ark? Die Tien Gebooie - wat ons almal gebreek het. Die enigste manier waarop God na die bewys van Sy mense se skuld kon kyk, was deur die bloed van die lam. Kom ons spring nou na die kruis. Jesus het "... die laaste asem uitgeblaas. Op daardie oomblik het die swaar gordyn in die tempel in twee geskeur van bo tot onder." Alles het daardie dag beter geword! Ten spyte van jou mislukkings kan jy nou in God se teenwoordigheid kom met die wete dat jou sonde deur die bloed van Jesus bedek is, en jy kan met vertroue vra vir dit wat jy nodig het. "Kom ons gaan dan met volle vrymoedigheid na die troon van ons genadige God. Hy sal aan ons Sy ontferming en genade bewys sodat ons op die regte tyd gehelp sal word." (Heb 4:16 NLV). God se aanvaarding is gewaarborg as jy hom benader deur te sê: "Ek kom in die Naam van Jesus en op grond van Sy bloed wat Hy vir my gestort het." Dit werk soos 'n kredietstelsel. "Jy is in Christus", sodat jy 'n perfekte krediettelling het! Selfs as jy onwaardig en onverdienstelik voel, as jy in geloof vra, sal God dit vir jou gee "... op grond van wat Christus gedoen het." (Ef 4:32 NLV).
Sielekos: Eks 33-35; Joh 4:27-38; Ps 32; Spr 27:1-3 HEBREWS 4:10–11… he who has entered His rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from His. Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest...
A baby learns to sit first before he starts to stand and walk. The Christian life also begins with sitting. God “raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus”. (Ephesians 2:6) How well we walk after that depends on how well we sit and rest in the finished work of Christ. The promised land was a land of rest where God promised His people “large and beautiful cities which you did not build, houses full of all good things, which you did not fill, hewn-out wells which you did not dig, vineyards and olive trees which you did not plant”. (Deuteronomy6:10–11) But for 40 years, God’s people wandered in the wilderness because they refused to believe that God had given them a land where everything had been prepared—the work was finished. They could not believe that God had given them a land full of good things to enjoy, a land which just flowed with His abundant supply. Today, there are believers who still cannot believe that the work of Jesus is truly complete and finished. They are trying to complete a completed work, finish a finished work and defeat a defeated devil. There are believers today who are always working and trying to produce their healing, success and victory. God wants us to stop trying and start trusting in His love for us. He wants us to stop working and struggling, and start resting and believing in His grace toward us. The only “work” left for us to do today is to enter His rest. We are to labor every day to enter His rest. We are to rest inwardly and believe that the work is done because it is a finished work, and trust in God’s undeserved favor toward us. We are to rest in Jesus our true ark, who will carry us through tempestuous waters. So today, “if you will hear His voice, do not harden your hearts…be diligent to enter that rest”. (Hebrews 4:7, 11) Let’s enter His rest. Let’s enjoy sitting together with Christ in the heavenly places, then we will run and not be weary! (Isaiah 40:31) As jy wil weet hoe sterk jou geloof is, moet jy aandag gee aan dit wat jy sê. "... hoewel hulle die prediking gehoor het, het dit hulle niks gebaat nie, omdat hulle nie geglo het wat hulle gehoor het nie." (Heb 4:2 NV). Dit is nie genoeg om net God se Woord te lees nie; dit moet deel word van jou en jy moet daaroor praat. Ons sê baie dinge, maar ons glo dit nie regtig nie, want dit gebeur nie in ons lewens nie. Jy moet so lewe dat as God nie is wie Hy sê Hy is nie, jy plat op jou gesig sal val.
Dit beteken dat jy die volgende moet doen:
Sielekos: Neh 11-13; Luk 22:14-23; Ps 78:56-64; Prov 24:5-10 Psalm 81:6 (New Living Translation)
'Now I will take the load from your shoulders; I will free your hands from their heavy tasks.' - The Lord is the burden removing, yoke destroying God. - He will take and lift the load from your shoulders. - He will bring you out of bondage and into freedom. - Give it to Him today and let Him lift your burden. PRAYER: Lord, as You did this for your people in ancient times, I ask that You will do the same for me today. I give You my burdens and heavy loads and I ask You to help me. Amen. DEUTERONOMY 28:4 Blessed shall be the fruit of your body…
The Bible records that Jesus’ spit healed a blind man (Mark 8:23–25), Peter’s shadow healed the sick (Acts 5:15), and handkerchiefs and aprons from Paul’s body drove out evil spirits and diseases. (Acts19:11–12) This tells us that what comes forth from our bodies can be so blessed that it brings about blessings and miracles to others. Indeed, God said, “Blessed shall be the fruit of your body…” He was not just referring to your children, or He would have simply said, “Blessed shall be your children.” No, God meant that everything that proceeds from your body will be blessed. All that is of and from your body will be of top-notch quality! This includes your health. So even if your doctor has said that you have a particular medical condition in your body, just believe that God calls your health, the fruit of your body, blessed. And expect to walk continuously in divine health! God calls your thinking ability, the fruit of your body, blessed too. You will impress your teachers and schoolmates in school with your mental prowess, or your superiors and colleagues at work with your innovative ideas and solutions. Your mental faculties will be of quality par excellence! If you are married, you will enjoy a truly blessed marriage and a fulfilling sex life with your spouse. A secular song that laments, “I can’t get no satisfaction…” will never be true for you because God calls your marital relationship (both the emotional and physical parts of it), the fruit of your body, blessed! If you are a parent, God calls your children, the fruit of your body, blessed. This means that they are special, having exceptional qualities. So the child you are taking care of is not just a child. You are holding a champion in your hands. He will grow up to be a general in God’s kingdom! Beloved, because Jesus has paid the price—His body was beaten, scourged and pierced for you, all these blessings are yours. Blessed shall be the fruit of your body! “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”(Philippians 4:13, NKJV)
In scripture, Paul had been through a lot of trials. He had been shipwrecked, spent the night on an open sea, and gone days without food. He was falsely accused, beaten with rods, and thrown into prison. If anyone had a right, at least in the natural, to be negative, bitter or complain, it would have been Paul. But his attitude was, “I can handle it. I am ready for and equal to it. Why? Because Almighty God, the Creator of the universe has infused me with strength. He has equipped me, empowered me, anointed me, crowned me with favor, put royal blood in my veins, and called me to reign in life as a king.” In difficult times, like Paul, you’ve got to talk to yourself the right way. If you don’t talk to yourself, your thoughts will talk to you. Don’t let the negative, self-defeating thoughts play in your mind. Instead, declare that you are more than a conqueror, and you will boldly embrace the life of victory God has in store for you! Father, thank You for equipping and empowering me for victory in this life. Instead of letting my thoughts drag me down, I’ll let Your word build me up! I will declare Your truth that sets me free all the days of my life in Jesus’ name! Amen. 'n Oliestorting besoedel die Golf van Mexiko. Dit vernietig die seelewe en die bestaan van miljoene mense. Ons kyk dag na dag daarna terwyl dit op die televisie uitgesaai word soos dit gebeur. 'n Aardbewing tref Haïti, 200 000 mense sterf en die wêreld se armste mense word honger en haweloos gelaat. 'n Amerikaans-gebore terroris vlieg terug vanaf 'n Al-Qaeda-opleidingskamp met 'n bom in sy onderklere en probeer die vliegtuig en die grootste deel van Detroit vernietig. Ons word dag en nag met hierdie soort verslae gebombardeer. Kommentators in die media probeer so veel hul kan uit elke oomblik kry, en skep sensasie uit elke geleentheid omdat dit hul kyksyfers opstoot, advertensies verkoop en geld maak. Vrees verhoog verkope! Party verslaggewers het beroemd geraak. Dis 'n groot bedryf. Ons is die mees voorspoedige generasie ooit, maar ook die bangste een. In die verlede moes jy jou dosis angs tydens die aandnuusuitsending ontvang, maar vandag ontvang jy dit aanhoudend op jou BlackBerry en iPad. Nou kan jy nie meer jou kop in die sand druk nie. As jy egter nie versigtig kies waarna jy luister nie, kan jy jou gemoedsrus heeltemal verloor. God weet dit, en Sy Woord vra dus: "Wie het ons boodskap geglo? Aan wie het die Here Sy reddende mag openbaar?" Die Here se reddende mag verwys na Sy mag om ons te verlos en Sy voorsiening vir elke gebeurtenis in ons lewens. Wie se boodskap gaan jy glo?
Sielekos: Eks 39-40; Joh 5:1-15; Ps 41; Spr 27:7-9 “But, ma’am,” I pleaded, “I’ve got to be in Houston this evening.” She was patient but firm. “I’m sorry, sir, the rules say passengers must be at the gate ten minutes before scheduled departure time.” “I know the rules,” I said. “I’m not asking for justice; I’m asking for mercy!” She didn’t give it to me.
She didn’t give me mercy, but God does. Even though by the “book” I’m guilty, by God’s love I get another chance. Even though by the law I’m indicted, by mercy I’m given a fresh start. The Bible says, “For it is by grace you have been saved. . .not by works, so that no one can boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9). No other world religion offers such a message. Others say, “You do this, and God will give you that.” Christ’s kingdom is just the opposite. A kingdom where membership is granted, not purchased! You are placed into God’s kingdom! He gives you, not justice, but mercy! How would you fill in this blank? A person is made right with God through_____. Don’t let its brevity fool you. How you complete it is critical; it reflects the nature of your faith.
One might say a person is made right with God through. . . being good. Giving sandwiches to the poor. Some say Christian conduct is the secret. Perhaps suffering is the answer. Sleep on dirt floors. Malaria. Poverty. Bare feet. The greater the pain, the greater the saint. No, no, no, another contends. The way to be made right with God? It’sdoctrine. Air-tight theology which explains every mystery. Inspiration clarified. Yet, how are we truly made right with God? All the above are tried. All are demonstrated. But none are from God. Romans 3:28 says, “A person is made right with God throughfaith.” Through faith in God’s sacrifice on the cross. It’s not what you do, it’s what He did. |
Ana & Andre Schoonbee God uses us to motivate and encourage the body. Authors
All
Archives
June 2015
|