“WE HAVE ONLY DONE WHAT WAS OUR DUTY:”

Vrydag 21 Maart 2025.

PÊREL VIR ELKE DAG:

(Lukas 17:1-10).

“ONS HET GEDOEN WAT ONS VERPLIG WAS OM TE DOEN:”

Jesus het vir Sy dissipels gesê: “Dit is onvermydelik dat daar dinge kom wat mense laat struikel. Maar ellende wag vir die mens wat die oorsaak daarvan is.
“So ‘n mens kan eerder met ‘n groot klip aan die nek, in die see gegooi word, as dat hy vir een van hierdie kleintjies ‘n struikelblok word.
“Wees dus self op julle hoede. As jou broer verkeerd optree, berispe hom; en as hy berou kry, vergewe hom.
“Selfs as hy sewe maal op ‘n dag verkeerd optree teen jou, en sewe maal na jou toe terugkom en sê: ‘Ek is jammer,’ moet jy hom vergewe.”
Die apostels sê toe vir die Here: ‘Gee ons meer geloof.’
Maar die Here antwoord: “As julle maar geloof so groot soos ‘n mostert-saadjie gehad het, sou julle vir hierdie moerbeiboom kon sê: ‘Trek jou met wortels en al uit die grond uit, en plant jouself in die see,’ en hy sou julle gehoorsaam.
“Sê nou een van julle het ‘n slaaf wat ploeg of vee oppas. Sal hy vir die slaaf sê as hy van die veld af inkom: ‘Kom eet eers gou?’
“Natuurlik nie! Maar hy sal vir hom sê: ‘Maak vir my iets klaar vir aandete. Sit dan jou voorskoot aan en kom bedien my terwyl ek eet en drink. Daarna kan jy self eet en drink.’
“‘n Slaaf wat sy opdrag uitgevoer het word mos nie bedank nie, of hoe?
“So is dit ook met julle: As julle alles gedoen het wat aan julle opgedra is, sê dan: ‘Ons is slawe wat niks verdien nie. Ons het gedoen wat ons verplig was om te doen‘“.

PEARL FOR EACH DAY:

Friday 21 March 2025.

(Luke 17:1-10)

“WE HAVE ONLY DONE WHAT WAS OUR DUTY:”

Jesus said to His disciples: “Temptations to sin are sure to come, but woe to the one through whom they come.
“It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were cast into the sea, than that he should cause one of these little ones to sin.
“Pay attention to yourselves. If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents forgive him,
“and if he sins against you seven times in the day, and turns to you, saying: ‘I repent,’ you must forgive him.”
The apostles said to the Lord: ‘Increase our faith!’
And the Lord said: “If you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree: ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you.
“Will anyone of you who has a servant, plowing or keeping sheep, say to him when he has come in from the field: ‘Come in at once and recline at table?
“Will he not rather say to him: ‘Prepare supper for me, and dress properly and serve me while I eat and drink, and afterwards you will eat and drink.’
“Does he thank the servant because he did what was commanded?
“So you also, when you have done all that you were commanded, say: ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done what was our duty.’”

THE RICH MAN AND LAZARUS:

Donderdag 20 Maart 2025.

PÊREL VIR ELKE DAG:

(Lukas 16:19-25)

DIE RYK MAN EN LASARUS:

“Daar was ‘n ryk man wat duur en deftige klere gedra het, en elke dag feestelik en weelderig geleef het.
“En daar was ‘n arm man met die naam Lasarus, wat by die deur van die ryk man gelê het, in die hoop dat hy van die oorskiet van die man se tafel, te ete sou kry.
“Hy was oortrek van die swere, en selfs van die honde het daaraan kom lek.
“Toe die arm man te sterwe kom, is hy deur die engele weggedra na díe ereplek langs Abraham. Die ryk man het ook gesterwe en is begrawe.
“Toe hy in die doderyk in pyn verkeer, kyk hy op en sien vir Abraham daar in die verte, en vir Lazarus langs hom. En hy roep:
“‘Vader Abraham, ontferm u oor my, stuur tog vir Lasarus dat hy net die punt van sy vinger in water steek, en my tong afkoel, want ek ly vreeslik in hierdie vuur!’
“Maar Abraham sê: ‘My kind, onthou dat jy in jou leeftyd altyd die goeie gekry het, en Lasarus die slegte. Nou gaan dit hier goed met hom, maar jy word gepynig.’”
“En buitendien is daar ‘n groot kloof tussen ons en julle, sodat dié wat hiervandaan wil oorgaan na julle toe, nie kan nie; en diegene wat daar is ook nie kan oorkom na ons toe nie.’
“Toe sê hy virAbraham: ‘Ek smeek u dan vader, stuur hom tog na my pa se huis toe.
“‘Ek het nog vyf broers. Laat hy hulle dringend gaan waarsku, sodat hulle nie ook in hierdie plek van pyniging beland nie.’
“Maar Abraham sê: ‘Hulle het die Woorde van Moses en die Profete. Laat hulle daarna luister.’
“Hy antwoord egter: ‘Nee vader Abraham, maar as iemand uit die dood na hulle toe gaan, sal hulle, hulle bekeer.
“Maar Abraham antwoord: ‘As hulle na Moses en die Profete nie luister nie, sal hulle nie oortuig word nie, al sou iemand uit die dood opstaan.’”

PEARL FOR EACH DAY:

Thursday 20 March 2025.

(Luke 16:19-31)

THE RICH MAN AND LAZARUS:

“There was a rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen, and feasted sumptuously every day.
“And at his gate was laid a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores,
“who desired to be fed with what fall from the rich man’s table. Moreover, even the dogs came and licked his sores.
“The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried,
“and in Hades being in torment, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far off, and Lazarus at his side.
“And he called out: ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the end if his finger in water, and cool my tongue, for I am in anguish in the flame.’
“But Abraham said: ‘Child, remember in your lifetime you received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner bad things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in anguish.
‘“And besides all this, between you and us, a great chasm has been fixed, in order that those who passed from here to you, may not be able, and none may cross from there to us.
“And he said: ‘Then I beg you father, to send him to father’s house,
‘“for I have five brothers, that he may warn them, lest they also come in this place of torment.’
“But Abraham said: ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.’
“But he answered: ‘No father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’
“Abraham answered: ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead.’”

THE DISHONEST MANAGER:

Woensdag 19 Maart 2025.

PÊREL VIR ELKE DAG:

(Lukas 16:1-13)

DIE ONEERLIKE BESTUURDER:

Jesus het vir Sy dissipels ook gesê: “’n Ryk man het ‘n bestuurder in diens gehad, en dié is by hom aangekla omdat hy sy geld verkwis het.
“Hy ontbied hom toe en sê vir hom: ‘Wat is dit wat ek van jou hoor? Gee verslag van jou bestuur van sake, want jy kan nie langer bestuurder wees nie.
Die bestuurder dink toe by homself: Wat moet ek doen, want my werkgewer neem die bestuurderskap van my af weg. Vir harde-arbeid sien ek nie kans nie; en om te bedel skaam ek my.
“‘Maar wag, nou weet ek wat ek sal doen, sodat daar mense sal wees wat my in hulle huise sal ontvang, as ek uit die bestuurders-amp ontslaan is
“Toe roep hy die skuldenaars van sy werkgewer een vir een, en vra vir die eerste: ‘Hoeveel skuld jy my werkgewer?’
“Hy antwoord: ‘Honderd vate olyfolie’ Toe sê hy vir hom: ‘Vat jou skuldbewys, gaan sit en skryf gou: Vyftig. ‘
“Daarna vra hy vir ‘n ander een: ‘En jy, hoeveel skuld jy?’ Hy antwoord toe: ‘Honderd sak koring.’ En hy sê vir hom: ‘Vat jou skuldbewys en skryf tagtig. ‘
“Die werkgewer het die oneerlike bestuurder geprys vir die slim ding wat hy gedoen het. Die mense van hierdie wêreld tree onder mekaar slimmer op, as die mense van die lig.
“En Ek sê vir julle: Gebruik die oneerlike mammon om vir julle vriende te maak, sodat wanneer die geld nie meer kan help nie, hulle julle in die ewige wonings sal ontvang.
“Wie in die kleinste dinge betroubaar is, is ook in die groot dinge betroubaar; en wie in die kleinste dinge oneerlik is, is ook in groot dinge oneerlik.
“As julle dan nie betroubaar is in die hantering van die oneerlike mammon nie, wie sal die ware rykdom aan julle toevertrou?
“As julle met ‘n ander man se goed nie betroubaar is nie, wie sal dan iets aan julle gee, om as julle eie te besit?
“Geen huisbediende kan vir twee base tegelyk werk nie. Want hy sal óf die een minder ag, en die ander een hoër, óf vir een meer oorhê, en die ander een afskeep. Julle kan nie God en mammon dien nie.”

PEARL FOR EACH DAY:

Wednesday 19 March 2025.

(Luke 16:1-13)

THE DISHONEST MANAGER:

He also said to His disciples: “There was a rich man who had a manager, and charges were brought to him that the man was wasting his possessions.
“And he called him and said to him: ‘What is this that I hear about you? Turn in the account of your management, for you can no longer be manager.
“And the manager said to himself: ‘What shall I do, since my master is taking the management away from me? I am not strong anough to dig, and I am ashamed to beg.
“‘I have decided what to do, so that when I am removed from management, people may receive me into their houses.’
“So, summoning his master’s debtors one by one, he said to the first: ‘How much do you owe my master?’
“He said: ‘A hundred measures of oil.’ He said to him: ‘Take your bill and sit down quickly and write fifty.’
“Then he said to another: ‘And how much do you owe?’ He said: ‘A hundred measures of wheat.’ He said to him: ‘Take your bill, and write eighty.’
The master commended the dishonest manager for his shrewdness. For the sons of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own generation, than the sons of light.
“And I tell you: Make friends for yourselves by means of unrighteous wealth, so that when it fails, they may receive you into the eternal dwellings.
“One who is faithful in a very little, is also faithful in much. And one who is dishonest in a very little, is also dishonest in much.
“If then you have not been faithful in the unrighteous wealth, who will entrust to you the true riches?
“And if you have not been faithful in that which is another’s, who will give you that which is your own?
“No servant can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one, and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.”

“ALL THAT IS MINE IS YOURS:”

Dinsdag 18 Maart 2025.

PÊREL VIR ELKE DAG:

(Lukas 15:17-32)

“ALLES WAT EK HET, IS OOK JOUNE:”

“Toe kom hy tot inkeer en sê: ‘My pa het wie weet hoeveel dagloners, en hulle het almal oorgenoeg kos, en hier vergaan ek van die honger!
“‘Ek sal dadelik na my pa toe terug gaan en vir hom sê: ‘Pa, ek het teen pa en teen God gesondig!
“‘Ek is nie meer werd om Pa se seun genoem te word nie. Behandel my soos een van Pa se dagloners.’
“En hy het sonder versuim na sy pa toe terug gegaan. Toe hy nog ver aankom, het sy pa hom al gesien, en hom innig jammer gekry. Toe hardloop hy hom tegemoet, omhels hom en soen hom.
“Toe sê die seun vir hom: ‘Pa, ek het teen God en teen Pa gesondig. Ek is nie meer werd om Pa se seun genoem te word nie!’
“Maar sy pa roep sy werksmense, en sê: ‘Maak gou! Bring die beste klere en trek dit vir hom aan. Sit vir hom ‘n ring aan sy vinger en trek vir hom skoene aan!
“’En bring die vetgemaakte kalf, slag hom, en laat ons eet en feesvier!
“‘Hierdie seun van my was dood, en hy lewe weer, hy was verlore, en ek het hom terug gekry.’ Toe het hulle begin feesvier
“Sy oudste seun was nog in die veld. Toe hy terugkom en naby die huis was, hoor hy die musiek en die singery.
“Hy roep toe een van die bediendes nader en vra hom wat aan die gang is.
“Die bediende antwoord toe: ‘U broer het gekom, en u pa het die vetgemaakte kalf geslag, omdat hy hom behoue en gesond terug gekry het.’
“Toe het die oudste seun kwaad geword, en hy wou nie in die huis ingaan nie. Sy pa gaan toe uit en praat mooi met hom;
“maar hy antwoord: ‘Kyk, al die jare werk ek soos ‘n slaaf vir Pa. Nog nooit het ek ‘n opdrag van Pa verontagsaam nie. En vir my het Pa nog nooit eers ‘n bokkie gegee, sodat ek saam met my vriende kan feesvier nie.
“‘Maar noudat hierdie seun van Pa, wat Pa se goed met prostitute deurgebring het, terugkom, het Pa vir hom die vetgemaakte kalf geslag!’
“Toe sê die pa vir hom: ‘Kind, jy is altyd by my, en alles wat ek het, is ook joune.
“‘Maar ons kan tog nie anders as om fees te vier en bly te wees nie, want hierdie broer van jou was dood, en hy lewe weer; hy was verlore, en ons het hom teruggekry.’”

PEARL FOR EACH DAY:

Tuesday 18 March 2025.

(Luke 15:17-32)

“ALL THAT IS MINE, IS YOURS:”

“But when he came to himself, he said: ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger.
“‘I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him: ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before you.
“‘I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants.’
“And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him.
“And the son said to his father: ‘I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’
“But the father said to his servants: ‘Bring quickly the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet.
“‘And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate.
“‘For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to celebrate.
“His older son was in the field and as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing.
“He called one of the servants and asked what these things meant.
“And the servant said to him: ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf, because he has received him back, safe and sound.’
“But he was angry and refused to go in. His father came out and entreated,
“but he answered his father, ‘Look, these many years I have served you, and never disobeyed your command, yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might celebrate with my friends.
“‘But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him!’
“His father said to him: ‘Son, you are always with me. and all that is mine, is yours.
“‘It was fitting to celebrate and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.’”

THERE IS JOY BEFORE THE ANGELS OF GOD, OVER ONE SINNER WHO REPENTS:

Maandag 17 Maart 2025.

PÊREL VIR ELKE DAG:

Lukas 15:8-16)

“DAAR IS BLYDSKAP ONDER DIE ENGELE VAN GOD. OOR EEN SONDAAR WAT HOM BEKEER:”

“Of watter vrou wat tien silwer muntstukke het, en een raak weg, steek nie ‘n lamp op en vee die huis uit, en soek sorgvuldig totdat sy dit kry nie?
“En as sy dit kry, roep sy haar vriendinne en buurvroue bymekaar en sê: ‘Wees saam met my bly, want ek het my geld wat weggeraak het, weer gekry.’
“Ek sê vir julle: Net so is daar blydskap onder die engele van God, oor een sondaar wat hom bekeer.”
Verder hetJesus gesê: “Daar was ‘n man wat twee seuns gehad het.
“Die jongste het vir sy pa gesê: ‘Pa, gee my die deel van die besittings wat my toekom.’ Die pa het toe die goed tussen die twee seuns verdeel.
“Nie lank daarna nie het die jongste seun alles tot geld gemaak, en van die ouerhuis af na ‘n ver land toe vertrek. Daar het hy sy geld verkwis deur losbandig te lewe.
“Nadat hy alles deurgebring het, het daar ‘n kwaai hongersnood in daardie land gekom, en ook hy het begin gebrek ly.
“Hy het toe sommer by een van die mense van daardie land gaan bly, en dié het hom na sy plaas toe gestuur om varke op te pas.
“Daar het hy gewens hy kon sy honger stil met die peule wat die varke eet, maar niemand het hom daarvan gegee nie.”

PEARL FOR EACH DAY:

Monday 17 March 2025.

(Luke 15:8-16)

“THERE IS JOY BEFORE THE ANGELS OF GOD, OVER ONE SINNER WHO REPENTS:”

“Or what women having ten silver coins, if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp and sweep the house, and seek diligently until she finds it?
“And when she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors, saying: ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin that I had lost.’
“Just so, I tell you, there is joy before the angels of God, over one sinner who repents.”
And He said: “There was a man who had two sons.
“And the younger of them said to his father: ‘Father, give me the share of property that is coming to me.’ And the father divided the property between them.
“Not many days later the younger son gathered all he had and took a journey into a far country, and there he squandered his property in reckless living.
“And when he had spent everything, a severe famine arose in that country, and he began to be in need.
“So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs.
“And he was longing to be fed with the pods that the pigs ate, and no one gave him anything.”