nl nl en fr nl en nl ro nl en nl pl fr nl en nl en nb en nl ro nl en nl pl fr nl en nl en nb en nl ro nl en nl pl fr nl en nl en nb en nb en nl en nl fr nb fr fr fr en en en en nl en fr en en af pl fr nb da af nl en de sv nl pl en af en nl nl af nl pt nl nl de de de de de af de de af nl nl de nl tr es nl en nl li nl nl es de en da en nl de en af en nl en af nl af af nl nl af nl nl fr af nl en en en en sl en nl nb en en nb af af af nb en en nb en en nb de af af af af nb en en nb en en af nb en en en en en nb en en en en nb af en af af nb en en nb nl af af nb en en en en nb en en da af af af nb en en nb af af af nb en en nb nl af af af af nl af nl af da en en en en nb nl af nb en en nb en en en en nb nl af nl af nb en en en en nb af af af nb en en nb en en nb af af nl af pl nb en en en nb af af af en
Augustus – Gemeente van die Wynstok
Die onversoenbaarheid van die Skepping en evolusie
Outoriteit en Gesag van Jesus en die Woord
Sy laaste dae – ons laaste dae
Wie is ons en wat glo ons?
Pad van die Gemeente storielyn
عربي (ar)Bosanski (bs_BA)Dansk (da_DK)Deutsch (de_DE)English (en_US)English (en_ZA)Español (es_ES)Español (es_PE)Eesti (et)"فارسی" (fa_IR)Français (fr_FR)Hrvatski (hr)Italiano (it_IT)日本語 (ja)myanma bhasa (my_MM)Português (pt_PT)Pycckий (ru_RU)Slovenčina (sk_SK)Slovenščina (sl_SI)Cpпckи (sr_RS)Svenska (sv_SE)中文 (ug_CN)中文 (zh_CN)
THE PERSON OF JESUS CHRIST – C.H. Spurgeon
And best of all, the Person of Jesus Christ is the property of the Christian. I am persuaded, Beloved, we think a great deal more of God’s gifts than we do of God. We preach a great deal more about the Holy Spirit’s influence than we do about the Holy Spirit. And I am also assured that we talk a great deal more about the Offices and Works and Attributes of Christ than we do about the Person of Christ! Hence it is that there are few of us who can often understand the figures that are used in Solomon’s Song, concerning the Person of Christ, because we have seldom sought to see Him or desired to know Him. But, O Believer, you have sometimes been able to behold your Lord. Have you not seen Him, who is white and ruddy, “the chief among ten thousand and the altogether lovely”? Have you not sometimes been lost in pleasure when you have seen His feet, which are like much fine gold, as if they burned in a furnace? Have you not beheld Him in the double Character, the white and the red, the lily and the rose, the God, yet the Man, the dying, yet the living—the perfect and yet bearing about with Him a body of death? Have you ever beheld that Lord with the nail-prints in His hands and the mark still on His side? And have you ever been ravished at His loving smile and been delighted at His voice? Have you ever had love visits from Him? Has He ever put His banner over you? Have you ever walked with Him to the villages and the garden? Have you ever sat under His shadow? Have you ever found His fruit sweet unto your taste? Yes, you have. His Person, then, is yours! The wife loves her husband. She loves his house and his property. She loves him for all that he gives her, for all the bounty he confers and all the love he bestows. But his person is the object of her affections. So with the Believer—he blesses Christ for all He does and all He is. But oh, it is Christ who is everything! He does not care so much about His office, as he does about the Man Christ.
GLO JY WERKLIK DAT CHRISTUS IN JOU LEEF? – Albert Theron
“Sodat Christus deur die geloof in julle harte kan woon…” Efesiërs 3:17
As ons Jesus van Nasaret slegs as ‘n historiese figuur sien wat tweeduisend jaar gelede geleef en sekere dinge vir ons gedoen het, sal ons nooit die volheid van ons eenwording met Christus beleef nie. Die historiese feite oor die lewe, dood en opstanding van Jesus is uiters belangrik (1 Kor. 15:1-4), maar as ons nie die eindresultaat van die werk van Christus raaksien nie, naamlik “Christus in jou”, lewe ons soos wese tussen die eerste en tweede koms van Jesus. Dit is God se wil vir ons om nou alreeds ons eenheid met Christus wat in ons leef, te ken en te ervaar. Ons is intiem verenig met Christus en ons moet ons volle aandag skenk aan hierdie onuitspreeklike voorreg. Die Weymouth vertaling van Efesiërs 3:17 sê: ‘I pray that Christ may make His home in your hearts through your faith’. Tensy ons in geloof die teenwoordigheid van Christus binne-in ons herken, sal Hy nie tuis wees in ons harte en Sy teenwoordigheid begin openbaar in ons nie. Prakties gesproke beteken dit ook dat ons moet ophou om te leef van die uiterlike na die innerlike. Daarteenoor moet ons deur geloof lewe op die basis van ‘n nuwe lewe wat diep binne-in ons woon. Die vraag is nie of jy dit voel nie, maar of jy dit gló!
THE RESTORATION OF THE TESTIMONY OF JESUS – Chip Brogden
If Paul is the teacher, the explainer, and the detailer, then John is the one who summarizes everything Paul ever said about Christ into one place: “He that has the Son has Life, and He that has not the Son of God has not Life” (1 Jn. 5:12). It just cannot be expressed more plainly or simply. John never mentions anything about head coverings, or spiritual gifts, or the qualifications of an elder. Concerning husbands and wives, parents and children, masters and slaves, widows and orphans, he says nothing; he ties everything up into one succulent truth: “Love one another.” All the details have been covered by Paul already. John’s work is not to set the Ekklesia in order, but to restore the Testimony of Jesus to the Ekklesia. If the Ekklesia does not bear the Testimony then the matters of head covering, speaking in tongues, and eldership become moot points. In other words, if the Light goes out, then it does not matter if everything else is done decently and in order. We will simply be having “church” in the dark. If the Testimony of Jesus is lost then the meeting together, the Lord’s Supper, the establishing of new fellowships, the exercise of spiritual gifts, the ministry to the poor – all that pertains to the Ekklesia becomes meaningless and dead. As a wise master builder, Paul is building upon the foundation of Christ and concerns himself with everything from the building materials, to the color of the carpet and the fixtures on the wall (figuratively speaking). From Paul we learn all about this Ekklesia that Jesus is building. Once that is established, John comes to remind us why the spiritual building is built in the first place and Who the Owner is. In other words, John is calling us back to the Testimony of Jesus in order to recover God’s original thought and purpose for the Ekklesia.
Before there can be any real discussion and dialogue and exchange there must be agreement concerning primary and fundamental matters. Without the acceptance of certain axioms and propositions in geometry, for example, it is idle to attempt to solve any problem. If certain people refuse to accept the axioms, and are constantly querying and disputing them, clearly there is no point of contact between them and those who do accept them. It is precisely the same in the realm of the church. Those who question and query, let alone deny, the great cardinal truths that have been accepted throughout the centuries do not belong to the church, and to regard them as brethren is to betray the truth. As we have already reminded ourselves, the apostle Paul tells us clearly what our attitude to them should be: “A man that is a heretic after the first and second admonition reject” (Titus 3:10). They are to be regarded as unbelievers who need to be called to repentance and acceptance of the truth as it is in Christ Jesus. To give the impression that they are Christians with whom other Christians disagree about certain matters is to confuse the genuine seeker and enquirer who is outside [and also, we would add, to confuse those within the church]. But such is the position prevailing today. It is based upon a failure to understand the nature of the New Testament church which is “the pillar and ground of the truth” (I Timothy 3:15). In the same way it is a sheer waste of time to discuss or debate the implications of Christianity with people who are not agreed as to what Christianity is. Failure to realize this constitutes the very essence of the modern confusion.
DIE LIEFDE IS… – Albert Theron
“God is liefde” (1 Joh. 4:8). Hy hoef nie te probeer om liefdevol te wees nie. Hy is wat Hy is.
“Die liefde is lankmoedig en vriendelik; die liefde is nie jaloers nie; die liefde praat nie groot nie, is nie opgeblase nie, handel nie onwelvoeglik nie, soek nie sy eie belang nie, word nie verbitterd nie, reken die kwaad nie toe nie, is nie bly oor die ongeregtigheid nie, maar is bly saam met die waarheid. Dit bedek alles, glo alles, hoop alles, verdra alles.” 1 Kor. 13:4-7
Let baie mooi op hoe hierdie evangelie-liefde beskryf word in 1 Korinthiërs 13. Paulus sê nié die liefde moet lankmoedig, vriendelik, ensovoorts wees nie. Hy sê dit ís lankmoedig en vriendelik. Dit is nie ‘n lys van kenmerke van die liefde wat ons moet probeer bereik nie. Dit is iets wat ons of het of nie het nie (sien verse 1 tot 3). Dit is ‘n “state of being”, ‘n geloofsingesteldheid. Wanneer die siel van ‘n dissipel van Jesus so geposisioneer is in geloof dat dit die heerlikheid van Jesus aanskou (2 Kor. 3:18), in plaas van die self, vloei die liefde van God in Christus spontaan uit ons uit op verskillende maniere na die eis van die situasie.
Die liefde is…! Die liefde streef nie om te wees nie. Ons stryd as dissipels van Jesus is nie om liefde te probeer produseer nie, maar om te glo dat Christus in ons alles is wat ons nodig het vir hierdie lewe en die volgende. Ons stryd is ‘n geloofstryd. Geen hoeveelheid tyd of godsdiensywer kan menslike liefde bring op die vlak van die evangelie-liefde van 1 Korinthiërs 13 nie. Daardie liefde is algeheel Goddelik en dit ís wat dit ís. Dit kan net in geloof ontvang word van Jesus en dan uitdrukking vind in ons daaglikse lewens. Dit kan nooit ooit geproduseer word nie.
WAR FOREVER WITH ERROR AND DECEIT – C.H. Spurgeon
We must fight the Lord’s battles against this giant error, whichever shape it takes; and so must we do with every error that pollutes the church. Slay it utterly; let none escape. “Fight the Lord’s battles.” Even though it be an error that is in an Evangelical Church, yet must we smite it. I love all those who love the Lord Jesus Christ, but, nevertheless, I cannot have any truce any treaty with diverse errors that have crept into the church, nor would I have you regard them with complacency. We are one in Christ; let us be friends with one another; but let us never be friends with one another’s error. If I be wrong, rebuke me sternly; I can bear it, and bear it cheerfully and if you are wrong, expect the like measure from me, and neither peace nor parley with your mistakes. Let us all be true to one another, and true to Christ; and as soon as we perceive an error, though it be but as the shadow of one, let us root it out and drive it from us, lest it plague the whole body, and put leprosy into the entire fabric of the church. No peace with sin. No peace with falsehood. War, war, war without deliberation: war forever with error and deceit!
KYK OF DIE LIEFLIKE DRIELING IN JOU HART IS
Die lieflike drieling van 1 Thessalonicense 5:16-18; lof vanuit blydskap, ononderbroke gebed en dankbaarheid in alle omstandighede sal altyd teenwoordig wees in ‘n hart onder die invloed van genade. Alle opdragte in die Nuwe Testament het ‘n tweeledige doel; dit wek ons op tot oorgawe en gehoorsaamheid, maar dit wys ook vir ons hoe die Gees-vervulde lewe in die praktyk lyk. God werk die heilige lewe ín ons deur sy Gees, maar ons moet uitdrukking gee aan dit wat in ons harte gebeur (Fil. 2:12-13). As die lieflike drieling nie teenwoordig is in jou binneste nie kan jy sonder enige twyfel weet dat jou hart uitbeweeg het onder die invloed van genade. Dit beteken eenvoudig gestel; jy leef prakties uit jou eie krag en wysheid en nie vanuit Christus in geloof nie. God het nooit bedoel vir ons om op enige ander manier te leef nie as onder die invloed van genade sodat lof, gebed en danksegging ons lewenstyl kan wees. Ons gemeentelewe is net ‘n voortsetting van individuele harte onder die invloed van genade. Dan is ons korporatiewe lof en gebed tot God gewortel en gegrond in die werklikheid, in Christus. Anders is dit altyd net vormgodsdiens, wat God geensins behaag nie.
WHEN UNITY IS PURCHASED AT THE PRICE OF COMPROMISE – A.W. Tozer
The hour is coming when the sheep will be divided from the goats and the tares separated from the wheat. God will again divide the light from the darkness and all things will run to their kind. Tares will go into the fire with tares and wheat into the garner with wheat. The dimness will lift like a fog and all outlines will appear. Hell will be seen to be hell all the way through, and heaven revealed as the one home of all who bear the nature of the one God.
For that time we with patience wait. In the meanwhile for each of us, and for the church wherever she appears in human society, the constantly recurring question must be: What shall we unite with and from what shall we separate? The question of coexistence does not enter here, but the question of union and fellowship does. The wheat grows in the same field with the tares, but shall the two cross-pollinate? The sheep graze near the goats, but shall they seek to interbreed? The unjust and the just enjoy the same rain and sunshine, but shall they forget their deep moral differences and intermarry?
To these questions the popular answer is yes. Union for union’s sake, and men shall brothers be for that. Unity is so devoutly to be desired that no price is too high to pay for it and nothing is important enough to keep us apart. Truth is slain to provide a feast to celebrate the marriage of heaven and hell, and all to support a concept of unity which has no basis in the Word of God.
The Spirit-illuminated church will have none of this. In a fallen world like ours unity is no treasure to be purchased at the price of compromise. Loyalty to God, faithfulness to truth and the preservation of a good conscience are jewels more precious than gold of Ophir or diamonds from the mine. For these jewels men have suffered the loss of property, imprisonment and even death; for them, even in recent times, behind the various curtains, followers of Christ have paid the last full measure of devotion and quietly died, unknown to and unsung by the great world, but known to God and dear to His Father heart. In the day that shall declare the secrets of all souls, these shall come forth to receive the deeds done in the body. Surely such as these are wiser philosophers than the religious camp followers of meaningless unity who have not the courage to stand against current vogues and who bleat for brotherhood only because it happens to be for the time popular. “Divide and conquer” is the cynical slogan of Machiavellian political leaders, but Satan knows also how to unite and conquer.
THE HEAD UNITES THE BODY – Martyn Lloyd-Jones
“So we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.” Rom. 12:5
People are saying that you can have true unity in spite of profound disagreement concerning vital and essential doctrines. But I want to put it to you that again this is a complete denial of the teaching of this one verse, Romans 12:5, even without going any further. You cannot have unity unless it includes unity of mind and of thinking. The illustration makes that impossible. Christ is the Head of the body, which is the church, and, says the Apostle Paul to the Corinthians, ‘We have the mind of Christ’ [1 Cor. 2:16]. So we all have the mind of Christ – we must have. Everybody who is a true member of the church is a member of Christ and a part of the body of Christ, and it is the one mind of Christ that controls the whole.
Not only that. The Spirit who produces this unity is the Holy Spirit, who is also called ‘the Spirit of truth’ [John 14:17; 15:26; 16:13]. He is contrasted with the spirit of error, and our Lord said about Him,’He will guide you into all truth’ [John 16:13]. So it is essential that this unity should be a unity of mind and not a vague unity of spirit. Or take it like this: if we believe in the Holy Spirit, we must believe in the devil and in evil spirits. That is why we call the Holy Spirit the holy Spirit – to show that He is the eternal antithesis of the others. We are told in the Scriptures, and we know in experience, that there are other spirits. They are clever and subtle, and their head, the devil, can transform himself into ‘an angel of light’ [2 Cor. 11:14].
‘N PERSOONLIKE PADKAART VIR MY SIEL
“U woord is ‘n lamp vir my voet en ‘n lig vir my pad.” Psalm 119:105
Die Vader begeer dat elke kind van Hom die Bybel sal lees met ‘n verwagting om uniek en individueel bedien te word deur die Gees. Ons liefde vir die Woord sal groei namate ons ‘n persoonlike omgang met die Skrifte het. Die Vader wil elkeen van Sy kinders daagliks in die Skrif ontmoet en daar van aangesig tot aangesig met ons praat. Daarom is dit krities belangrik dat ons in ons kwaliteit tyd in die dag (oggend, middag of aand) net die Bybel sal lees en ‘n Bybel waarin ons kan skryf en merk sodat dit werklik vir ons ‘n persoonlike padkaart vir die siel kan word. Sonder hierdie persoonlike padkaart gaan ons siele ongetwyfeld die pad byster raak en op afdraaipaadjies beland wat onnodige smart en lyding bring.
CONTAMINATED BY THE SPIRIT OF THE WORLD – Harry Ironside
And then the enemy of souls works in another way. He persecutes, he destroys, he puts God’s people to death, gives them to realize the bitter enmity of the world, and when that will not keep folk from coming to Christ, nor keep the Church from witnessing for Christ, he turns the tables, and seeks to become in some sense the patron of Christianity. He endeavors to render the testimony of the Church innocuous by amalgamation with the world. It is in this way that Israel fell. As long as Israel remained a separated people they had a testimony for God in the world, but when they followed after the idolatry of the nations, when they made marriages with the heathen, they lost their testimony, and so God set them to one side. They were of no further use as a witness in the world. It has been the same with the Church throughout the centuries. As long as the Church walked in holy separation from the world it has been a power for God, sinners have been convicted, and anxious ones have been saved. Whole nations have been stirred by a separated, devoted, godly people, but just as soon as the Church has listened to the suggestions of the enemy, coming now in the guise of a friend, and has given her fair hand to the world, has amalgamated with the world, at once her testimony has been annulled, she has ceased to be of any real account for God in this scene. In the Word of God we find the importance of separation from evil stressed. If we would really count for the Lord we need to remember this, for the professing Church all about us has become contaminated to a great extent by the spirit of the world.
HEMEL OP AARDE – Albert Theron
Moenie toelaat dat nietige tydelike dinge jou so besig hou dat jy die hier-en-nou werklikheid van die evangelie verwaarloos nie. Selfs in die alledaagse aktiwiteite van die lewe sal ‘n hart wat die volle rykdom van genade in Jesus akkommodeer die goue glans van God se onsigbare teenwoordigheid versprei deur alles wat jy sê en doen. Moenie die hemelse werklikheid mis te midde van die aarde se tasbare dinge nie. Die hemel is binne jou bereik hier en nou! Christus leef in jou en Hy is letterlik hemel op aarde! Dit is die fokus van jou gedagtes wat jou hart bedien en sodoende jou lewe beïnvloed sodat Jesus “sigbaar” kan word vir mense wat Hom nie ken nie.
“Verder, broeders, alles wat waar is, alles wat eerbaar is, alles wat regverdig is, alles wat rein is, alles wat lieflik is, alles wat loflik is—watter deug en watter lof daar ook mag wees, bedink dit.” Filippense 4:8
LEGALISTIC LEADERSHIP VERSUS GRACE LEADERSHIP – Albert Theron
“Not that we dare to classify or compare ourselves with some of those who are commending themselves. But when they measure themselves by one another and compare themselves with one another, they are without understanding.” 2 Cor. 10:12
Legalistic leadership is more than just the promotion of a message that in various ways compromises the grace revelation of the gospel. It is based on an erroneous belief-system with regard to human relationships that binds people to leaders instead of to Christ, thus depriving them of the victory and freedom only available in Christ. We were created to be united with only one Lord, Jesus Himself. Leaders are just servants with a view to uniting others to that one Lord. Nowhere is the contrast between legalistic leadership and grace leadership more clear in the New Testament than in the life of the former legalistic Rabbi, now Paul the apostle of grace. Paul’s constant appeal in all his letters is for the saints to fully embrace the authority of the gospel of grace. When he refers to his own authority as an apostle it is always in the context of this gospel. It is never an effort to pull rank or compare himself with others as if he has more merit in his person because of leadership gifting than anybody else. Anyone who begins to compare himself with others and compare the importance of gifts and ministries in the church relative to each other outside of a gospel context reveals by this carnal comparison that he does not fully understand the message of grace.
The gospel of grace communicates the immeasurable worth and wealth of being united with Christ. Once we see this clearly no title, ambition or leadership position can entice us to sell out what we have received in Christ. What higher position could you seek than being “seated with Christ in the heavens” (Eph. 2:6)? Leaders who do not see this foolishly try to connect as many people as possible to their own gifting and ministry in order to somehow increase their own worth. In the light of the riches of Christ revealed in the gospel and freely available to a simple childlike faith this is truly pathetic. Legalistic leadership is alive and well in the church and it traps multitudes in a ridiculous one-upmanship that completely misses the point of the gospel. Additionally it fools believers into thinking that they somehow have a better standing with God because of their connection and submission to some modern-day “apostle”, “bishop”, “senior pastor” or whatever other title is used to impress people. These are functions, not titles. As long as leaders in the church do not see the revelation of God’s riches freely available in Christ they will continue to try and impress people with themselves and their gifting instead of with the gospel. Paul’s sole concern was to impress the individual with the spiritual riches available in the message that he preached. His leadership was only an instrument to be used in this high calling. His leadership was never ever his emphasis as a thing in itself. He never gave believers the impression that their spiritual well-being was completely dependent on their relationship to him as a leader (see Phil. 2:12). He did indeed urge them to yield to the authority of the message that he preached as an apostle of Jesus Christ. It is in this capacity that he had apostolic authority. There is a subtle difference here, but it has vast implications for the life of the church. Leaders should never use (abuse!) the gospel as a tool to emphasise their authority and thus coerce submission to them. They should rather use their leadership to draw people into submission to the gospel so that Jesus may be glorified and Jesus as our unique leader would be Lord in all aspects of our lives and in the practical administration of the church.
THE SHELL OF TRUTH WITHOUT THE SPIRIT – A.W. Tozer
Water may change from liquid into vapor and still be fundamentally the same. So powerless religion may put a man through many surface changes and leave him exactly where he was before. Right there is where the snare lies. The changes are in form only, they are not in kind. Behind the activities of the non-religious man and the man who has received the gospel without power lie the very same motives. An unblessed ego lies at the bottom of both lives, the difference being that the religious man has learned better to disguise his vice. His sins are refined and less offensive than before he took up religion, but the man himself is not a better man in the sight of God. Selfishness still throbs like an engine at the center of his life. The man who has received the Word without power has trimmed his hedge, but it is still a thorn hedge and can never bring forth the fruits of the new life. Yet such a man may even be a leader in the Church and his influence and vote may go far to determine what religion shall be in his generation. Wherever the Word comes without power its essential content is missed. Jesus told the woman at the well (John 4:24) “God is a Spirit and must be worshiped in spirit and in truth.” While it is never possible to have the Spirit without at least some measure of truth, it is, unfortunately, possible to have the shell of truth without the Spirit.
DIE BESTE VERTALING VAN DIE BYBEL – Albert Theron
Die beste vertaling van die Bybel is die een wat die Heilige Gees in jou hart (en dan in jou lewe) vertaal wanneer jy die kruis van Christus omhels as jou eie. Net so word God se liefde sigbaar in jou. Dit is ook die enigste vertaling wat ongelowiges kan lees…wanneer hulle die Bybel “vertaal” sien in jou lewe!
“So werk die dood dan in ons, maar die lewe in julle.” 2 Korinthiërs 4:12
THE SECRET OF SPIRITUAL POWER – Jessie Penn-Lewis
The cry to be wholly conformed to the death of the Lord Jesus, so that His own life may be manifested day by day, and as the ‘death works in us’ life go forth to others as rivers of living water, is the true path of progress for the child of God. In the life of Paul the Apostle as described in the Acts of the Apostles, we need to read the second Epistle to the Corinthians alongside of the life of power described by Luke the physician; for the one gives the story as it appeared to other eyes, and his own letters tell of his inner life as known to himself alone. In the Acts we see Paul baptized with the Holy Spirit (Acts 9: 17), and then, not long after, sent away by God for three years to Arabia, where he was given by the Risen Lord Himself the deep insight into the meaning of His Cross which ever afterwards characterized his ministry. We read of mighty things wrought by God through His servant, but what his own experience was we are shown in his letter to the Corinthians, when he spoke of the ” weakness and fear and much trembling,” alongside of the “demonstration of the Spirit and power “. We see him “caught up into Paradise “, but glorying not in the visions and revelations but in his weakness. “Anguish of heart and many tears” over children of God sinning against their Lord. Commending his message by his life, in “much patience . . . long-suffering, and kindness”. Life, blessing, power for others; weakness, suffering, patience, endurance, gentleness for himself this is the true fruit of the power of the Holy Spirit. “The Cross leads to the Spirit, and the Spirit to the Cross” (Dr. A. Murray).
DIE LIEFDE WAT GEHOORSAAM – Albert Theron
Jesus het na die aarde gekom om te “soek en te red wat verlore was”. Ons verlorenheid het ten diepste te doen met ‘n ongehoorsame hart. Daarom is ons redding baie meer as net vergifnis van sondes, maar juis ook ‘n nuwe gehoorsaamheid deur die wedergeboorte. Die ware toets is dus nie net my belydenis dat ek Hom liefhet nie, maar my lojaliteit aan sy Woord. Bybelse liefde vir Jesus lei altyd tot ‘n begeerte om Sy wil te doen. Ek het Jesus lief, ek het sy Woord lief. Hierdie twee loop altyd saam in die Skrifte. Pasop vir boodskappe wat hulle op allerhande subtiele maniere (of blatant!) skei van mekaar.
“Jesus antwoord en sê vir hom: As iemand My liefhet, sal hy my woord bewaar, en my Vader sal hom liefhê, en Ons sal na hom toe kom en by hom woning maak. Hy wat My nie liefhet nie, bewaar my woorde nie; en die woord wat julle hoor, is nie myne nie, maar is van die Vader wat My gestuur het.” Johannes 14:23-24
IT WAS ALL CONCLUDED ON THE CROSS – Horatius Bonar
All is done, and done by Him who is Son of man and Son of God; perfectly and for ever done; nothing to be added to it or taken from it, by man, by Satan, or by God. The burial of the Substitute does not add to its completeness; resurrection forms no part of that justifying work. It was all concluded on the cross. It is so finished that a sinner may at once use it for pardon, for rest, for acceptance, for justification. Standing beside this altar where the great burnt-offering was laid and consumed to ashes, the sinner feels that he is put in possession of all blessing. That which the altar has secured passes over to him simply in virtue of his taking his place at the altar, and thus identifying himself with the victim. There the divine displeasure against sin has spent itself; there righteousness has been obtained for the unrighteous; there the sweet savor of rest is continually ascending from God; there the full flood of divine love is ever flowing out; there God meets the sinner in His fullest grace, without hindrance or restraint; there the peace which has been made through blood-shedding is found by the sinner; there reconciliation is proclaimed, and the voice that proclaims it from that altar reaches to the ends of the earth; there the ambassadors of peace take their stand to discharge their embassy, pleading with the sons of men far off and near, saying, “Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us; we pray you in Christ’s stead, be reconciled to God.” The resurrection was the great visible seal set to this completeness. It was the Father’s response to the cry from the cross, “It is finished.”
ORE OM TE HOOR – Albert Theron
By verre die grootste deel van dissipels van Jesus se verantwoordelikheid is om seker te maak dat ons onverdeelde aandag skenk aan wat God vir ons wil sê. Ons aandag word deur so baie dinge afgelei en ons ore is oop vir soveel goed wat nie ewigheidswaarde het nie. Die herstel en genesing van ‘n lewe voor God begin áltyd met “nuwe ore” om te kan hoor wat God vir ons wil oordra in Sy Woord. Verder is die behoud van ‘n oorwinningslewe 100% afhanklik van my heilige vasberadenheid om aan te hou hoor én luister. Net die wat “hoor” kan verstaan en net die wat verstaan kan oorwin deur die krag wat God verleen deur Sy ewige Woord.
“En Hy het die skare na Hom geroep en vir hulle gesê: Luister en verstaan!” Matt. 15:10
Gehoorsaamheid begin áltyd met “luister”, want die krag om te kan gehoorsaam word net ontsluit wanneer die woorde van God ‘n vastrapplek gekry het in my hart. Kyk bietjie na hierdie klein uittreksel van tekste uit die Ou en Nuwe Testament wat ‘n appél maak op ons om te hoor en te luister. Neem jou konkordansie en soek nog tekste wat dieselfde appél maak. Jy sal verbaas wees om te sien hoe dit soos ‘n goue draad regdeur die Bybel loop.
“Waarom weeg julle geld af vir wat geen brood is nie, en julle arbeid vir wat nie kan versadig nie? Luister aandagtig na My en eet die goeie, en laat julle siel hom in vettigheid verlustig.” Jes. 55:2
“Neig julle oor en kom na My toe, luister, en julle siel sal lewe; Ek wil met julle ‘n ewige verbond sluit: die bestendige genadebewyse van Dawid.” Jes. 55:3
“Maar Jeremia antwoord: Hulle sal u nie oorgee nie. Luister tog na die stem van die HERE in wat ek aan u sê; dan sal dit goed met u gaan en u siel sal lewe.“ Jer 38:20
“En elke siel wat nie na dié Profeet luister nie, sal uit die volk uitgeroei word.” Hand. 3:23
“Wie ‘n oor het, laat hom hoor wat die Gees aan die gemeentes sê. Aan hom wat oorwin, sal Ek gee om te eet van die boom van die lewe wat binne in die paradys van God is.” Openb. 2:7
WAITING FOR THE FINAL REDEMPTION OF OUR BODIES – Martyn Lloyd-Jones
And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for’ – what? – ‘for the adoption, to wit (that is), the redemption of our body.’ [Rom. 8:23] There the same truth, quite explicidy. What does it mean ? It means that here and now we are justified, we are being sanctified; we indeed have, as Paul says, ‘the firstfruits of the Spirit’. But there is one thing that we have not got, one thing we shall never have perfectly in this world, and that is the final redemption of our bodies. Our bodies have suffered as the result of the Fall. It was not merely man’s spirit which fell. When Adam fell the whole man fell – body, mind, and spirit. Our very bodies are not what they were meant to be. Our bodies are weak and subject to illness and infections and coughs and colds and aches and pains and all these things. It is all the result of the Fall. And there is no real beauty. All the beauty of man, the most handsome man or woman, is only relative beauty, and there are seeds of decay in it. But when we are glorified our very bodies shall be perfect, every vestige of sin will be taken out of them, and all the results and consequences of sin will be entirely removed. There will be no trace of sin left, and every one of us will be glorious in beauty.
Another great statement of this is found in Philippians 3:21, where the Apostle says that we who are Christians are a ‘colony’ of heaven. ‘Our citizenship’, he says, ‘is in heaven, from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall change our vile body’ – that is, ‘the body of our humiliation’ – ‘that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.’ What the Apostle is saying is that he is looking forward to that day, which is coming, when he shall be perfectly glorified, fully saved; not only his spirit and soul saved, but his body saved also.
It is an essential part of the Christian message to preach the redemption of the body. That is why we must never let go of the doctrine of the physical resurrection. We are to be raised, and we are to be changed, we are to be glorified. We shall be glorious in our bodies, even as He is in a glorified body now. That is what Paul saw on the road to Damascus. He had a glimpse of the glorified body of the Lord Jesus Christ. Now this, we are promised, is going to happen to us. The Apostle John puts it in this way in the First Epistle, third chapter and the second verse. He says, ‘Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it does not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.’ We shall be like Him! That is John’s way of saying what the Apostle Paul says in Philippians 3:20-21.
VERVANG JOU FRUSTRASIE MET JESUS SE PRESTASIE! – Albert Theron
Gehoorsaamheid is ‘n uiters belangrike deel van ons lewe as dissipels van Jesus, maar ‘n verkeerde verstaan van gehoorsaamheid bring nie ‘n seën nie, maar groot frustrasie. Paulus som vir ons gehoorsaamheid onder die Ou Verbond op in Romeine 10 vers 5 met die aanhaling: “Die mens wat hierdie dinge doen, sal daardeur lewe.” Vroeër in Romeine sê Paulus dit is Jesus se gehoorsaamheid wat regverdig maak (Rom. 5:19). Die klem lê in die Nuwe Testament op Jesus se gehoorsaamheid en ons geloof. Dit is juis ons geloof in Sý gehoorsaamheid wat die krag is van ons gehoorsaamheid. Daarom kry ons die term “geloofsgehoorsaamheid” in die Nuwe Testament (Rom. 1:5). Gehoorsaamheid in die Nuwe Verbond is ‘n reaksie op die Vader se evangelie-aksie in Christus. Is jy gefrustreerd met jou onvermoë om ‘n gehoorsame lewe te lei? Gaan weer terug na die Nuwe Testament en begin lees dit met die klem op Jesus se prestasie en nie in die eerste plek jou verantwoordelikheid nie. Maak seker dat Jesus se prestasie (sy verlossingswerk) jou meer beïndruk as enigiets anders in die Bybel en jou hele uitkyk op gehoorsaamheid sal radikaal verander. Gewaarborg! Die hele Ou Testament bou op na Jesus se gehoorsaamheid en prestasie. Ons gehoorsaam nie om regverdiging en lewe van God te ontvang nie. Ons gehoorsaam ómdat ons regverdiging en lewe in Jesus ontvang het!
INEXHAUSTIBLE PROVISION IN CHRIST – Austin Sparks
We will see how it is possible for every believer to have a witness, to be in the ministry of every age and dispensation. That is our calling. What constitutes us ministers of Jesus Christ? Simply that the Holy Spirit bears witness of Him in us. What is the witness of the Holy Spirit to Him? That comprises everything. Can you range the content of the Lord, all the values and virtues in Him? Can you catalogue those things that are in Christ for us? You will never range the content of the Lord Jesus, but there is that in Him that will range every detail of our need from A to Z. Whatever it is in relation to God for us, you will find it is already in Christ for you. In every emergency, any position of service, you will find it is already provided in Him. As you go on in the Spirit, He is showing you Jesus Christ in His manifold, many-sided, inexhaustible provision. Some new position arises, a new crisis, and the Holy Spirit must show how Christ meets that need. That is the witness of the Spirit; the Holy Spirit testifying in us what He is, that is the testimony of Jesus witnessed in us by the Holy Spirit. That is not years ago, but day by day and year by year, you find there is something of the Lord Jesus which you never saw before. Today I have a Christ right up-to-date, who I never knew before. He supplies all my need.
TRUE COMMUNITY IS NOT OPTIONAL – Paul David Tripp
I was raised in the “Jesus and me” privatized, individualized Christianity of the fundamentalism of the ’60s and ’70s. The closest our church got to an actual functioning, ministry-oriented body of Christ was a rare pastoral visit and the Wednesday night prayer meeting. No one knew my father and mother—I mean, really knew them. No one had a clue what was going on in our home. No one helped my father to see through the blindness that allowed him to live a double life of skilled deception and duplicity. No one knew how troubled my mother was beneath her encyclopedic knowledge of Scripture. No one knew. We were a Christian family in active participation in a vibrant church, but what we were involved in lacked one of the primary and essential ingredients of healthy New Testament Christianity: a trained, mobilized, and functioning body of Christ. It was Christianity devoid of Ephesians 4, 1 Corinthians 12, and Hebrews 3:12–13.
For much of my Christian life and a portion of my ministry, I had no idea that my walk with God was a community project. I had no idea that the Christianity of the New Testament is distinctly relational, from beginning to end. I understood none of the dangers inherent in attempting to live the Christian life on my own. I had no awareness of the blinding power of remaining sin, which was discussed in the last chapter. I had no idea that I was living outside of God’s normal means of sightedness, encouragement, conviction, strength, and growth. I had no idea how much consumerism and how little true participation marked the body of Christ. I had no idea of the importance of the private ministry of the Word to the health of the believer. I had no idea.
I have now come to understand that I need others in my life. I now know that I need to commit myself to living in intentionally intrusive, Christ-centered, grace-driven, redemptive community. I now know it’s my job to seek this community out, to invite people to interrupt my private conversation, and to say things to me that I couldn’t or wouldn’t say to myself. I have realized how much I need warning, encouragement, rebuke, correction, protection, grace, and love. I now see myself as connected to others, not because I have made the choice but because of the wise design of the one who is the head of the body, the Lord Jesus Christ.
GÉÉN SEËN BUITE CHRISTUS NIE – Albert Theron
Die heil en verlossing, identiteit en bestemming van alle nasies en alle mense is slegs in Jesus. Daar is geen verlossing, geen vrede, geen ware blydskap of vervulling buite Hom nie. Ons boodskap as dissipels van Jesus is nie dat mense deur ‘n soort van ‘n algemene geloof in die Bybel geseën kan word as onafhanklike individue of families nie. Dit is eerder dat hulle slegs IN CHRISTUS geseën kan word deur vergifnis, heil, verlossing en identiteit IN HOM te vind! Net so is jou verdere pad na versoening met Jesus nie ‘n onafhanklike bestaan waar jy probeer om op ‘n manier seën vir jou eie lewe, omstandighede en familie by God te kry nie. Jou seën kan net gevind word in ‘n groeiende en lewende kennis van Jesus en jou vereniging met Hom.
“Maar julle moet toeneem in die genade en kennis van onse Here en Saligmaker, Jesus Christus. Aan Hom kom die heerlikheid toe, nou sowel as in die dag van die ewigheid. Amen.” 2 Pet. 3:18
Dit is nie nodig vir jou om lang ompaaie in ‘n geestelike woestyn te stap deur iewers hierdie ontwykende geseënde lewe te soek nie. Fokus liewer jou hele hart op Jesus en verhouding met Hom en selfs al lyk jou lewe dan uiterlik asof alles nie altyd klopdisselboom is nie, sal jy in jou binneste weet dat jy weet dat jy ‘n geseënde mens is, ryk in genade!
OUR MOST BASIC DEALING – Bill Freeman
“For of him, and through him, and unto him, are all things. To him be glory for ever. Amen.” Romans 11:36 (ASV)
We must see that God’s most basic dealing in our lives is to bring us into Himself as our source. Every part of our being is destined to live out of God as our source. In this entire universe, God is reconciling all things to Himself through Jesus Christ. This means that God is seeking to have His rightful place in the universe as the unique source of everything. This is the meaning of reconciliation individually, corporately, and universally—that God would be the source and the spring from which everything proceeds. This is not only the basic revelation of the Bible, but also the present movement, or current, of history. The destiny of the earth is that the kingdom of God would come in reality, where God is all in all (1 Cor.15:28). Everything in this universe is ultimately unto Him.
God is at work in our lives and in the church to make Himself our source. For example, He wants to be the source of our thoughts. He wants to be the source for us to deal with our wandering mind. It is not a matter of our attempting to handle our thoughts by ourselves, but of our coming to the true source of thought life—God Himself. Interacting with God as our source supplies us to deal with the maze of thoughts that spring from our independent thinking. God is at work in our lives to establish Himself as the very source of our thought life.
MOENIE DIE STRYD OPGEE NIE! – Albert Theron
Aan die einde van sy lewe skryf Paulus soos ‘n ou generaal wat deur baie bloedige gevegte geworstel het ‘n laaste brief aan sy jong luitenant Timotheüs en hy gee vir hom krities-belangrike instruksies vir die stryd om waarheid. Ons ken daardie brief as 2 Timotheüs. Die stryd is ‘n saak van lewe en dood, want dit het te doen met mense se siele en ewige bestemming. Satan en sy leër van demone doen alles in hulle vermoë om mense weg te hou van die waarheid van die evangelie. Sy mees subtiele aanslag is om soos ‘n “engel van die lig” (2 Kor. 11:14) reg binne-in die linies van die dissipels in te kom en daar die waarheid te kom verdraai. Sy teiken is dan ook gewoonlik die denke en harte van slim geleerdes of sterk leiers in gemeentes of die akademie wat nie wedergebore is nie en daarom geen vermoë het om geestelik te onderskei tussen die leuen en die waarheid nie. Diesulkes gebruik hy dan om die Skrifte te verdraai (2 Pet. 3:16) sodat hulle aan die een kant dissipels kan verwar en aan die ander kant die evangelie kan versluier sodat ongelowige mense nie tot wedergeboorte kan kom nie. Dit is teen hierdie aanslag wat ons sterk moet staan en nie die stryd moet opgee nie. Iemand het gesê “some have not given up the faith, but they have given up the fight”. As jy die “swaard van die Gees” (Efes. 6:17) laat sak het, neem dit in Jesus naam weer op. Ek is vas oortuig dat die onderstaande uittreksel uit 2 Timotheüs in staat is om jou te bemoedig en versterk. Lees dit biddend en met verwagting dat die Here jou weer moed en krag sal gee vir die stryd. Die stryd is fel en alle dissipels van Jesus word opgeroep, nie net leiers in die liggaam van Christus nie!
“Maar bly jy in wat jy geleer het en waarvan jy verseker is, omdat jy weet van wie jy dit geleer het, en dat jy van kleins af die heilige Skrifte ken wat jou wys kan maak tot saligheid deur die geloof in Christus Jesus. Die hele Skrif is deur God ingegee en is nuttig tot lering, tot weerlegging, tot teregwysing, tot onderwysing in die geregtigheid, sodat die mens van God volkome kan wees, vir elke goeie werk volkome toegerus. Ek besweer jou dan voor God en die Here Jesus Christus, wat die lewende en die dode sal oordeel by sy verskyning en sy koninkryk: verkondig die woord; hou aan tydig en ontydig; weerlê, bestraf, vermaan in alle lankmoedigheid en lering; want daar sal ‘n tyd wees wanneer hulle die gesonde leer nie sal verdra nie, maar, omdat hulle in hul gehoor gestreel wil wees, vir hulle ‘n menigte leraars sal versamel volgens hulle eie begeerlikhede, en die oor sal afkeer van die waarheid en hulle sal wend tot fabels.” 2 Tim. 3:14-4:4
LIFE IN THE KINGDOM OF GOD – W. Ian Thomas
Life in the kingdom of God is diametrically opposed to the way people live in this world. In the world people need to look out for themselves and strive to achieve the goals they have set for themselves. Only the strongest, or the most talented, or the most assertive, or the most educated rise to the top. In contrast, the people who are willing to become the most dependent on God become the greatest in His kingdom. It is not that they are placed in elevated seats of prominence, but they become the most useful servants. It is those who are willing to become the most childlike in their dependence on God who will become the most valuable servants in the kingdom of God. Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a {helpless and dependent} little child will by no means enter it. (Mark. 10:15) …What is highly valued among men {the independent and self-exalting ways of the world} is detestable in God’s sight. (Luke 16:15) The first disciples, while they were being tossed by the storm, did all they could to escape from their situation. With their backs bent to the oars, and with perspiration pouring down their faces from their great struggle, they tried to save themselves from their situation. Eventually, however, they recognized their helpless condition. It was not until they had considered themselves “as good as dead” that we find Christ coming to them in divine power.
THE CONTRAST BETWEEN ZION AND BABYLON – Austin Sparks
We know what Babylon represents. Babylon was the product of human effort and human glory. The city was built not far from the Tower of Babel, and the Tower of Babel was built with the object of making a name for man. It was human effort for human glory. That tower for ever speaks of the super-man, the glory of fallen man, and the Devil’s object has always been to try to get fallen man to reach unto heaven. Just as they sought to make that tower to reach unto heaven, so Satan has always sought to make man a super-man by his own effort, and in his own glory. Babylon always speaks of that, “Let us build us a city, and a tower… and let us make us a name…” (Gen. 11:4). Many years afterward the great king of Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar, uttered these words: “Is not this great Babylon, that I have builded…” (Dan. 4:30). How clearly, then, Babylon speaks of man’s power, man’s effort, man’s glory, seeking to reach unto the very clouds. Babylon stands for the glory of human power, but, of course, in a religious way; for Babylon was very religious, strongly religious. The idea here is of something glorious in this world, with man’s name upon it. When we recognise that, how impressive are the words: “I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God-” (Rev. 3:12). Man’s design is to have something glorious in the way of a city with his own name upon it. God’s thought is to have a glorious thing of a heavenly order, with His Name upon it, and this He will have. The Church has God’s Name on it, because it will be an expression of God’s glory and God’s power and God’s effort, and it will be glorious indeed. But here is the difference between Zion, spiritual elevation in heavenliness, and Babylon, that which stands in the glory of man. No wonder God is jealous over Zion.
DAAR IS ÓÓK GESKRYWE 4: EENHEID – Albert Theron
In Sy gebed in Johannes 17 bid Jesus baie spesifiek vir die eenheid van Sy gemeente. Paulus sê in Efesiërs 4 vers 3 ons moet “ernstig strewe om die eenheid van die Gees te bewaar”. In 1 Korinthiers 1 vermaan hy die gemeente om “almal eenstemmig te wees, en dat daar geen skeuringe” onder hulle moet wees nie (v10). Jesus het gesterf vir die eenheid van Sy gemeente en nou leef Hy om Sy heerlikheid bekend te maak deur die eenheid van Sy gemeente. Gemeente-eenheid is ‘n ernstige saak en skeuring is ongetwyfeld ‘n sonde en iets wat ons nooit ligtelik mag opneem nie. Maar daar is ook ‘n ander kant van die saak, naamlik die reinheid van die gemeente. Die gemeente van Jesus Christus is bedoel om beide verenig én suiwer te wees. Daarom se Paulus net ‘n paar hoofstukke later in dieselfde 1 Korinthiers: “maar nou skryf ek aan julle om nie om te gaan met iemand wat, al staan hy as ‘n broeder bekend, ‘n hoereerder is of ‘n gierigaard of ‘n afgodedienaar of ‘n kwaadspreker of ‘n dronkaard of ‘n rower nie; met so iemand moet julle selfs nie saam eet nie.” Mense wat volhard in sonde en weier om hulle te bekeer moet volgens die Nuwe Testament afgesny word van die gemeenskap van die dissipels van Jesus met die doel om hulle te bring by bekering. In Efesiers 5 vers 11 word ons vermaan om nie “gemeenskap te hou met die onvrugbare werke van die duisternis nie, maar” om dit te “bestraf”. (Sien die lys van teksgedeeltes hier onder vir soortgelyke instruksies in die Skrif). Nou wat dan as ‘n hele gemeente of denominasie die sonde herdefinieer, die “goddelose regverdig verklaar” en die wat hierdie gruwelike verdraaiinge uitwys as boos, “skuldig verklaar” (Spreuke 17:15)? Hoe moet ‘n mens dán onderskei tussen rein en onrein, suiwer en onsuiwer? Is ons onder verpligting om so ‘n eenheid te “bewaar”? Geensins. Die Bybel is baie duidelik daaroor dat ons, ons moet afskei van sulke boosheid. Ons word beveel in 2 Tim. 2 vers 22 om geregtigheid na te jaag saam met mense wat “die Here aanroep uit ‘n rein hart”. Skaar jou by mense wat beide die eenheid én die suiwerheid van die gemeente bewaar. Eenheid sonder suiwerheid, of nog erger eenheid in onsuiwerheid, is ‘n gruwel in die oë van God en dit is net ‘n kwessie van tyd voor Sy oordeel sal losbreek oor so ‘n onheilige verbintenis, as dit nie al klaar begin het nie.
“En ek het ’n ander stem uit die hemel hoor sê: Gaan uit haar uit, my volk, sodat julle nie gemeenskap met haar sondes mag hê en van haar plae ontvang nie” (Openbaring 18:4).
Mag God ons die moed gee om die regte ding te doen en die wysheid om dit reg te doen.
2 Kor. 6:14-18; Gal. 1:8-9; Rom. 16:17; 2 Joh. verse 6-11; 2 Thess. 3:6 en 14; Titus 3:10; 1 Tim. 1:18-20, 5:22, 6:3-5; 2 Tim. 2:16-21 en 3.5.
THE END OF SELF-CONFIDENCE – Chip Brogden
Before he saw the Lord, Paul was self-confident and dangerous. Those who trust in themselves have neither seen themselves nor seen the Lord. I am afraid that many people have the idea that Jesus came only to lend them a hand and help them feel more successful and fulfilled. Today the most popular Christian books tell us how to have a better life, how to prosper, how to be a “winner”, how to improve our circumstances, and how to think nice, positive, encouraging thoughts about ourselves. The focus appears to be on making life here on earth more enjoyable and making believers more self-reliant and self-confident. This may not be the stated intention but it is the inevitable result – and if a few Scriptures can be used in the process, so much the better. It would be a mistake to equate holiness with misery and drudgery; but it is an even greater mistake to tell someone how wonderful they are until they have first despaired of themselves and learned the lesson that Paul learned: “In me (that is, in my flesh,) dwells no good thing.”
Positive thinking is appropriate so long as I am living according to the Truth, but if I am unsurrendered to Jesus and living life according to my terms then I am in no position to think about myself in a positive light: I am positively deceived. We do not need Self-Esteem, we need Christ-Esteem. The more we see of Jesus the less we will trust in ourselves. That is why, once Paul learned his lesson, he wrote, “We have no confidence in the flesh” (Philippians 3:3b). He then goes on to list quite a number of things that seem important in terms of religion, status, social order, education, and good works – all the things that tend to make one self-confident and self-righteous. With one grand stroke, Paul says, “Yet, I count them all as dung, that I may win Christ.” He simply discards what some people spend a lifetime trying to achieve. Here is a man who knows the sufficiency of God as well as the insufficiency of himself.
DIE UNIVERSELE BANK VAN SEËNINGE – Albert Theron
Aan die begin van ‘n nuwe jaar dink almal oor die verloop van hulle lewens en wat dit beteken om ‘n geseënde jaar te beleef. Dit is ook dan die tyd wat familie en vriende seëninge oor mekaar uitspreek vir die jaar wat voorlê. ‘n Mens wonder soms of daar regtig outoriteit is agter hierdie seëninge wat ons oor mekaar uitspreek? Beteken dit werklik iets of is dit maar net bedoel om ‘n aangename gevoel van welwillendheid by die ontvanger te skep wat vir so ‘n dag of twee hou? Die waarheid is dat daar slegs outentieke seëninge kan kom van die Vader van ons Here Jesus Christus, die Koning en soewereine Heerser van die heelal. Al Sý seëninge is eksklusief en alleenlik te vinde in Sy Seun. Hy roep almal wat ware seën wil beleef op met die woorde: “Dit is my geliefde Seun, luister na Hom!” (Markus 9:7) Die wat deur die wedergeboorte “in Christus” is, is alrééds geseën met “alle geestelike seëninge in die hemele”. Hierdie seëninge is egter soos onbeperkte fondse wat vir ons beskikbaar is in die “Universele Bank van Seëninge”. Ons kan slegs die volle voordeel daarvan beleef as ons “die woord van Christus ryklik in ons laat woon” (Kol. 3:16). Dit is net in die Naam van Jesus wat ek by hierdie wonderlike hemelse “bank” kan trek wat ek nodig het vir seën in hierdie lewe. En dit is net diegene wat die woord van Christus lees en bewaar wat weet wat vir hulle beskikbaar is in Hom en sodoende die heerlike voordeel van hulle hemelse bankrekening kan beleef. Hierdie seëninge stel ons nie net in staat om ‘n geseënde lewe van “vrede en blydskap” (Rom. 14:17) te leef nie, maar ook om ‘n seën vir ander te wees.
So hoe sal ek dan jou en jou geliefdes seën vir 2016? Miskien kan ek dit doen met ‘n vraag of twee. Het die “woord van Christus” ruim plek in jou hart soos wat jy volhard in die lees van die Bybel? Indien nie, is jy van plan om hierdie jaar gedissiplineerd die Bybel te lees met ‘n verwagting om die volle seën van God se koninkryk te sien in jou lewe? Op geen ander manier kan Jesus nommer Een wees in jou hart en lewe nie (Joh. 8:31) en as dit nie realiseer nie kan jy nie werklik ‘n geseënde jaar beleef nie, selfs al sou elke mens op die planeet persoonlik en spesifiek ‘n seën oor jou uitspreek. Mag die Heilige Gees jou oprig in ‘n nuwe liefde vir die Woord en ‘n dissipline om dit jou eie te maak deur ‘n heerlike en vrugbare Godgegewe volharding.