Twyfel jy soms aan jou redding? Alhoewel jy onbewus is van enige spesifieke sonde in jou lewe, voel jy steeds onwaardig om op te staan in God se teenwoordigheid, vol vertroue dat Hy jou aanvaar? Skryf hierdie Skrifgedeelte neer en dra dit oral saam met jou: "...volmaakte liefde dryf die vrees uit." Jy sou bekommerd moes wees as God jou liefgehad het met 'n onvolmaakte liefde. Die oomblik as jy jou vertroue in Christus plaas, beskou Hy jou as "regverdig" en word jy ten volle aanvaar. Sy liefde dryf jou vrees uit, want dit dryf jou sonde uit. Onthou hierdie woorde uit Johannes se brief: "As ons gewete ons veroordeel - God is groter as ons gewete, en Hy weet alles." (1 Joh. 3:20 NV). Dit beteken dat dit moontlik is om vergeef te word, maar tog onvergeefd te voel. Wanneer jy onvergeefd voel, moet jy aan jou eie gevoelens twyfel en nie aan God nie. Gaan terug na die Skrif. Paulus het aan Titus gesê: "Die liefdevolle goedheid van God wat verlossing bring, het... vir almal sigbaar geword... Oor hierdie dinge moet jy praat... [en hulle] bemoedig..." (Titus 2:11, 15 NLV). Vertrou jy in Christus as jou Verlosser? Begin dan om met vrymoedigheid lief te hê en kragtig te lewe. "... as ons ons sondes bely - Hy is getrou en regverdig, Hy vergewe ons ons sondes en reinig ons van alle ongeregtigheid." (1 Joh. 1:9 NV). Let op na die woorde: "Alle ongeregtigheid". As jy God se vergifnis ontvang het, leef soos iemand wat vergewe is!
Sielskos: 1 Sam 11-13; Luk 4:1-13; Ps 95; Spr. 16:31-33 It is burning in John. It is burning to tell as many people as possible about Jesus, what He came to do on earth, and that all people should believe in Him. People didn’t know how or where or when. They might have heard the news about Jesus who had been on earth a couple of years previously, but they did not understand everything about the life after this life and that Jesus indeed came to unlock heaven for all those who believe in Him. 3 We saw it, we heard it, and now we’re telling you so that you can experience it along with us, this experience of communion with the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ. Our motive for writing is simply this: We want you to enjoy this, too. 4Your joy will double our joy.
I cannot choose my earthly family. My parents, brothers and sisters were chosen for me. I cannot simply decide one day that I don’t like them and go looking for another family. But I do have a choice to become part of God’s family and what a prominent family this is! God is the Father. Jesus is my brother! But this family has many other benefits. All who are members of this family will not go to hell when they leave this earth one day; they will rest in the lush meadows of heaven! How unbelievable is that? Wouldn’t everybody want a chance to do that? It is a simple message. These people were with Jesus. They walked with Him along dusty roads. Some of them heard Him preaching, but they still choose not to join God’s family. Why are they so blind? Why are they so stubborn? But this is certainly not abnormal, because today many people still walk around doing the same. For one reason or another they just don’t choose Jesus. Yes, they may have heard the message. Maybe they even chose Jesus and God’s family, but the noise of the world cut those family relations. Maybe I must look in the mirror first. Maybe I should first ask myself whether I’m still part of God’s family. If I ask my neighbour or colleague or the people working for me, if they know who my family is, what will they say? 6If we claim that we experience a shared life with Him and continue to stumble around in the dark, we’re obviously lying through our teeth – we’re not living what we claim. Maybe these verses are our wake-up call! Each of us must go and make sure and realise that we can be part of a wonderful family. When we realise that, we must also go and look at our behaviour. When I’m part of God’s family, my behaviour must be aligned with that, because as you know, actions speak louder than words. And like John, we also want all people, especially those closest to us, to be part of the family that enjoys such wonderful benefits. But then our behaviour must be in line with what we believe. Then my actions must be in line with the family of which I’m a member. The scary thing is that the way in which I act and live can deter others from becoming part of this wonderful family. Yes, I’ve done business with so-called Christian business people whose way of doing things really did not remind me of God’s family. Let’s choose again to be a part of God’s family. Let’s take a magnifying glass and study our behaviour so that we can be sure that we’re not doing anything to discourage others from becoming part of God’s family. Let us do things that will make others long to also be a part of God’s family. Just like John, we must burn with the desire to tell all that we come into contact with about God – and let our actions confirm it! Reflection Are you part of God’s family? Does your behaviour show it? Who close to you must still become part? Psalm 50:15 (Living Bible)
I want you to trust Me in your times of trouble, so I can rescue you. - We all face tough times. - Tough times also present opportunities. - It gives us an opportunity to trust God. - As we trust Him, He can come and rescue us. PRAYER: Lord, I place my full and complete trust in You. Deliver and rescue me I pray. Amen. Some time ago I had to talk to people at a factory and I also showed them the movie The Passion of the Christ. They must have thought I was angry with them when I started talking. But I was forceful. I was serious about the fact that the Lord wanted each of them to join Him in heaven one day. And I explained it to them in simple language: “If you do not choose Jesus at one time or another in your life, you will go to hell. You are going to burn and it certainly won’t be nice. However, if you choose Jesus, you will live for ever and ever. Yes, one day you will leave your body behind, but after this life, you will live again.”
I begged those people to choose Jesus. Because He died on the cross we will one day be able to experience Eternal Life. And it is precisely this message that John wants to convey to his readers. 2 The Word of Life appeared right before our eyes; we saw it happen! And now we’re telling you in the most sober prose that what we witnessed was, incredibly, this: The infinite Life of God himself took shape before us. What we do not always realise is that the life that we live here on earth is very short, even if you get to be a 100. It does not even make a mark on the time line of eternity. I always use the example of a block of granite one metre by one metre by one metre in size. Once a year a very small bird comes and sharpens his beak on that block of granite. Just once a year, a very small bird. The day when that big block of granite is worn away by that one small bird sharpening his beak once a year, even on that day, not one day of eternity will have passed. The few years of your life on earth is a time in which, firstly, you have to make a choice about where you want to go after this life on earth, and, secondly, you have to prepare for the trip. God wants each of us to make our own choice. God does not force His will on people. Therefore, He gives us an earthly life during which we ourselves can choose for Him or against Him. God made it easier for us to choose Him by sending Jesus to us. In Him, we can see God. In Him, we also see a picture of eternal life. By default, making no choice, is to choose against Him. This is not pie in the sky, something we can only dream about. No, Jesus, who is closest to God, showed us what it is all about through His life here on earth. We just have to choose it. But there are people who choose the direct opposite. This reminds me of a guy who once asked me to remove his e-mail address from the mailing list, because he did not believe in God and Crossroad was just @#$% him off. This is a choice against God and against Jesus and against Eternal Life and for hell . . . However, if we choose Eternal Life, we also choose to be knocked “into shape” for Eternal Life. We must keep our eyes on the winning posts, because that’s where we’re heading! And that is why I had to talk so seriously to the people after The Passion of the Chris. I’m afraid that they’ll miss the bus. And in a way I was just like John: 3We saw it, we heard it, and now we’re telling you so that you can experience it along with us. We cannot keep the message to ourselves. There are many people out there just waiting for us to come and tell them the message. Children, spouses, friends and colleagues. So, include the message of Eternal Life when you spend time with them. Reflection Do you believe that there is life after death? Are you ready for it? What must still be cut off? Who must you tell about eternal life? When are you going to do it? The church orchestra began to play the Stars and Stripes as everyone rose to their feet. One of the men who had just returned from the way in Iraq was in uniform and carried the flag down the aisle to the front of the church. As they past near to where I sat, I noticed that a small boy wearing a beret was marching proudly beside the man. He could not have been more than 4 years old. They arrived together on the platform and the man placed the flag into its holder. They stepped back and the Pastor led us in the Pledge of Allegiance. It was a special moment but only a small glimpse of what was to unfold in the next few moments. After the pledge our Pastor introduced the man and his son to the congregation. He was someone that the church had been praying for as he was away from his family in the war. It was great to see him home and to participate in such a moment. But there was more... Our Pastor asked him to share an incident that happened while he was on duty in Iraq. He began to tell this story: While on duty in Iraq, he received a package from the 4th and 5th grade Bible class of our church. In the package of letters was a small coin about the size of a silver dollar. The inscription on the coin read words that God would protect him and care for him. He slipped the coin into his pocket and carried it with him throughout the remainder of his duty in Iraq. One day he injured his back and was taken to the field medical facility much like what we have seen in MASH. While he lay in the medical field medical station they brought in a young man who he said must have been about 19 years old. He was badly wounded from a mine or something similar. He only had one good hand and his body was severely injured. He cried for them to find his St. Christopher medal and give it to him. He obviously wanted God to be near, as he knew that he was in severe danger. They were unable to locate the medal for him. They soon wheeled the young man off to surgery. Our church member remembered the coin that he had in his pocket from the 4th and 5th grade Bible class. He removed it from his pocket and called a nurse over to his bed. He asked if the nurse would take his coin to the young man going into surgery and tell him that God was with him. The nurse understood and left to take the coin to the young man. Some time later the young man was returned from surgery and it was noted that in his good hand he was clutching the coin. God was there and had demonstrated it by touching young children to send a coin to a member of the church on duty in the way, who was touched to share it with a very wounded young man, who was able to feel the presence of God in a moment of crisis in a distant land. You and I never know what God has in store when we are obedient in the small things of life. It is not the grandiose but the small loaves of bread and fish, the widow's mite, the son of shepherd where God does His wonder. Your touch filled with His Spirit can create a ripple that can be felt around the world. NEVER underestimate the things God wants to do in and through you. Pastor Jim Matthew 25:40 "Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me." “... (the Lord) has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was granted us in Christ Jesus from all eternity." 2 Timothy 1:9
Time keeps moving on. It never stops for anyone--no matter how important you are. We just can't find enough of it. God wants us to be good stewards of our time, but we'll never be able to until we're clear about our purpose for living. The starting point is knowing why we're here. First, ask God to help you develop a life-purpose statement. It will take some time, but it's the best time you'll ever invest. Know why you're here. Second, decide each day what's most important for you to do that day, and do it. By having a clear purpose, and doing the most important thing each day, God can revolutionize your life and help you make the most of your time. 2 Samuel 22:29
O Lord, You are my light; yes, Lord, You light up my darkness. - God offers us His light in our lives. - We can know what it is to live in His light. - Darkness may come but God wants to be our light in such times. - Let His light into your heart today. PRAYER: Lord, in the midst of all I am facing, it is great that You bring Your light and hope into my life and circumstances. Amen. |
Ana & Andre Schoonbee God uses us to motivate and encourage the body. Authors
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