November – Gemeente van die Wynstok
SPONTANE EN KINDERLIKE LOF HERWIN – Albert Theron
Hoe moet ons dink oor die uitbundige en spontane lof aan die Here waarvan die Psalms en ander dele van die Bybel propvol is?
‘’ ‘n Psalm van Dawid. Loof die HERE, o my siel, en alles wat binne-in my is, sy heilige Naam!” Ps. 103:1
“Loof die HERE, roep sy Naam aan, maak onder die volke sy dade bekend.” Psalms 105:1
“Halleluja! Loof die HERE, want Hy is goed, want sy goedertierenheid is tot in ewigheid.” Ps. 106:1
“Loof die HERE, alle nasies! Prys Hom, alle volke!” Ps. 117:1
“Hef julle hande op na die heiligdom, en loof die HERE!” Ps. 134:2
“Geloofd sy die HERE, die God van Israel, van ewigheid tot ewigheid! En laat die hele volk sê: Amen. Halleluja!” Ps. 106:48
‘n Eerlike omgang met die Skrif moet ons sekerlik laat stilstaan en vra of ons lewens ook gekenmerk word deur hierdie soort lof wat vrylik vloei uit ‘n gelowige hart. Nie net moet ons hierdie vrae vra m.b.t. ons persoonlike lewens nie, maar ook in terme van ons gesinne en gemeentes. Ongelukkig is ons dikwels hopeloos te bewus van hoe ander mense dink oor lof en dit bring ‘n berekendheid by ons wat spontane lof en danksegging onderdruk, inhibeer en in baie gevalle heeltemal laat verdwyn.
Is dit moontlik vir ons om uit te styg bo ons dikwels versmorende godsdienstradisies en om so bewus te raak van God dat ons die spontaneïteit van ‘n kind kan herwin voor Sy aangesig? Kan ons nie ‘n slag vergeet van ander mense en net ons eie harte ondersoek nie? Is dit moontlik om die kompleksiteit en doodloopstrate van die hele debat oor lof en aanbidding in ons tyd eenkant toe te skuif en net weer spontaan uiting te gee aan my liefde vir die Here as ‘n eenvoudige dissipel van Jesus? En kan ek dit doen sonder om ander mense te probeer beïndruk deur my uitbundigheid of vir hulle aan die ander kant ‘n punt te probeer bewys deur my stoere onbetrokkenheid? Vra die Here self of Hy tevrede is met jou lof aan Hom in jou persoonlike lewe, jou gesin en jou gemeente.
GOD HAS SETTLED THE MATTER OF RIGHTEOUSNESS IN CHRIST – Watchman Nee
CONCENTRATE ON SEEING GOD FOR YOURSELF – Roy Hession
To concentrate on service and activity for God may often actively thwart our attaining of the true goal, God Himself. At first sight it seems heroic to fling our lives away in the service of God and of our fellows. We feel it is bound to mean more to Him than our experience of Him. Service seems so unselfish, whereas concentrating on our walk with God seems selfish and self centered. But it is the very reverse. The things that God is most concerned about are our coldness of heart towards Himself and our proud, unbroken natures. Christian service of itself can, and so often does, leave our self centered nature untouched. That is why there is scarcely a church, a mission station, or a committee undertaking a special piece of service, that is without an unresolved problem of personal relationships eating out its heart and thwarting its progress.
This is because Christian service often gives us opportunities of leadership and position that we could not attain in the secular world, and we quickly fall into pride, self seeking, and ambition. With those things hidden in our hearts, we have only to work alongside others, and we find resentment, hardness, criticism, jealousy, and frustration issuing from our hearts. We think we are working for God, but the test of how little of our service is for Him is revealed by our resentment or self pity, when the actions of others, or circumstances, or ill health take it from us!
In this condition we are trying to give to others an answer which we have not truly and deeply found for ourselves. The tragedy is that much of the vast network of Christian activity and service is bent on propagating an answer for people’s needs and problems which few of those propagating it are finding adequate in their own lives. We need to leave our lusting for ever larger spheres of Christian service and concentrate on seeing God for ourselves and finding the deep answer for life in Him. Then, even if we are located in the most obscure corner of the globe, the world will make a road to our door to get that answer. Our service of help to our fellows then becomes incidental to our vision of God, and the direct consequence of it.
VREDE IN DIE STORM – Albert Theron
Alle wedergebore mense het reeds vrede met God op grond van regverdigmaking deur die geloof (Rom. 5:1). Nie almal leef egter met die vrede van God in hulle binneste as ‘n daaglikse werklikheid nie.
“Want ‘n Kind is vir ons gebore, ‘n Seun is aan ons gegee; en die heerskappy is op sy skouer, en Hy word genoem: Wonderbaar, Raadsman, Sterke God, Ewige Vader, Vredevors— tot vermeerdering van die heerskappy en tot vrede sonder einde, op die troon van Dawid en oor sy koninkryk, om dit te bevestig en dit te versterk deur reg en deur geregtigheid, van nou af tot in ewigheid. Die ywer van die HERE van die leërskare sal dit doen.” Jesaja 9:5-6
Die “gawe van geregtigheid” (Rom. 5:17) is bedoel om ‘n heerskappy van vrede in ons lewens te vestig wat radikale implikasies het vir alle aspekte van ons bestaan op aarde. Hierdie vrede vorm die basis van ‘n lewe van oorwinning. Hierdie vrede maak dit moontlik vir jou om God se stem binne-in die die storms van die lewe te hoor. Hierdie vrede maak dit ook moontlik om vrede te hou met ander gelowiges. Hierdie vrede is anders as die wêreld se vrede, want dit is geensins afhanklik van omstandighede nie (Joh. 14:27).
Hierdie vrede is baie dieper as enigiets wat vandag beskikbaar is by die apteek of die drankwinkel. Hierdie vrede is ten volle toeganklik vir jou, want dit is joune “in Christus”. Om die waarheid te sê dit is Jesus se eie vrede wat Hy vir jou beskikbaar stel. Hy begeer om dit vandag nog vir jou te laat ervaar as ‘n blywende werklikheid. Rus net in Hom. Gee net oor. Jy is in elk geval nie in beheer nie, God is. Klink dit te eenvoudig? Dit is nie, dit is ingesluit in die goeie nuus van die evangelie en dit is jou erfdeel in Christus!
“Vrede laat Ek vir julle na, my vrede gee Ek aan julle; nie soos die wêreld gee, gee Ek aan julle nie. Laat julle hart nie ontsteld word en bang wees nie.” Johannes 14:27
WE SHALL SEE HIM AS HE IS – Octavius Winslow
JY WORD GENOOI – Albert Theron
Het jy al geantwoord op God se uitnodiging? Hier is dit:
“O Almal wat dors het, kom na die waters; en wie geen geld het nie, kom, koop en eet; ja, kom, koop sonder geld en sonder prys, wyn en melk!” Jesaja 55:1
“En die Gees en die bruid sê: Kom! En laat hom wat hoor, sê: Kom! En laat hom wat dors het, kom; en laat hom wat wil, die water van die lewe neem, verniet.” Openbaring 22:17
Daar is geen plaasvervanger vir geestelike dors nie. Net die wat werklik dors na God sal wegdraai van die besoedelde fonteine van die wêreld en drink uit die onuitputlike fontein van verlossing. Tog staan die uitnodiging regdeur die Bybel en nooi God die gevalle mensdom om hulle dorstige siele te kom verkwik by die heerlike waters wat Hy beskikbaar maak. Hierdie waters is natuurlik niks anders nie as verlossing en versadiging in Jesus.
Die “kinders van Korag” roep uit in Psalm 42 vers 2 “soos ‘n hert wat smag na waterstrome, so smag my siel na U, o God!” Dit is so betekenisvol dat hierdie Goddelike uitnodiging ook reg aan die einde van die Bybel weer gerig word tot die “wat dors het” en die “wat wil”. Daar is vandag soveel “fonteine” in die wêreld wat belowe om die mens se dors te les, maar niks en niemand anders as Jesus kan ons geestelike dors les nie. Dissipels van Jesus is per definisie mense wat “water skep met vreugde uit die fonteine van heil” (Jes. 12:3). Maar is ons nog dors vir die teenwoordigheid en die Persoon van Jesus, of het ons tevrede geraak met die leë beloftes van alternatiewe bronne van bevrediging?
WHAT DO YOU EXPECT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT? – Francis Chan
The Epistles tell us of the Holy Spirit’s amazing power at work in us, our Spirit-enabled ability to put our sin to death through Him, and the supernatural gifts He gives us. If we read and believed these accounts, we would expect a great deal of the Holy Spirit. He would not be a mostly forgotten member of the Godhead whom we occasionally give a nod of recognition to, which is what He has become in most American churches. We would expect our new life with the Holy Spirit to look radically different from our old life without Him.
KOM KNIEL BY DIE KRUIS – Albert Theron
“Alles is aan My oorgegee deur my Vader, en niemand ken die Seun nie, behalwe die Vader; ook ken niemand die Vader nie, behalwe die Seun en elkeen aan wie die Seun dit wil openbaar.” Mattheüs 11:27
Die verhouding tussen die Vader en die Seun is absoluut uniek, maar dit is nie geslote nie. Dit is wel net toeganklik deur een enkele kanaal, die Seun. Jesus maak dit baie duidelik dat Hy nie in kompetisie is met enige ander gesag op aarde nie. Daar is maar net een gesag en dit is die gesag wat die Vader vir die Seun gegee het. Daarom kan niemand wat weier om die knie te buig vir Jesus Christus ooit aanspraak maak daarop dat hulle God ken nie en niemand kan die ewige lewe verkry as hulle nie die Vader ken nie.
“En dit is die ewige lewe, dat hulle U ken, die enige waaragtige God, en Jesus Christus wat U gestuur het.” Johannes 17:3
Deur die eeue eggo die stem van die Seun en roep die mensdom om te kom kniel by die kruis. Slegs daar gaan die hemele oop en begin die aangesig van die Vader herkenbaar word. Slegs daar wink ‘n nuwe lewe en kry gebroke mense vergifnis, genesing en ‘n hoop wat nooit sal beskaam nie.
GO TO GOD – Paul Washer
A young man asked me last night, he said, “You were talking about a passion, you were talking about seeking God with a full heart? What happens when you don’t have a full heart and you don’t have passion?” I said, “Oh, that’s very easy.” I said, “You go to God and you say, ‘I don’t have passion. I don’t have a full heart. I don’t know what to do and I can’t fix it.’” You see the answer to every thing is to always go to God, period. Do you know everything will be fixed by just one thing? Seek me. Seek him. Just seek him. I don’t care what it is in your life. I don’t care where it is, what it is, what has happened, it doesn’t matter to me. There is one solution. Seek him. Cry out to him and keep crying out to him and seek him and keep seeking him. That is it. That’s it. Almost everything people ask me nowadays. How do you do this? What do you do this? How can you fix this? This… Seek him. Seek him. Call out to him. Wait. Wait. Did you know about… do you know about prayer? Do you know how it works? It is mainly waiting. Did you know that? It is mainly waiting. It is waiting. I can remember in my first journey into the things of God in prayer of actually saying, coming to the point where I said I am not going to pray for anything, Lord, but you. I want you to come. I want to know you. I want you to come. And so I began to pray. I went to the closet. My roommates had left. I went into the closet to pray. And I said, “I am not coming out of this closet until either you show up or I die.” Fifteen minutes later I fell asleep in the closet. The my roommates came home, found me in the closet and thought I had lost my mind. I still have that problem today. I pray and I sleep. One time I fell at sleep at seminary praying and my roommate couldn’t get in our bedroom because the door opened inside and I was blocking the door. So I took an alarm clock with me and set it for every 15 minutes. I would pray about 10 minutes, fall asleep five minutes. The alarm clock would go off. I would set it again and start praying again. You see, you are all too spiritual about this. This is one of your problems. And I got to the point where this is literally what I did for weeks and weeks and weeks, two and three hours a night. “Lord, it has been three months, 10 days, five hours, you still haven’t come. Lord, I just sat here for an hour and a half and you still haven’t come. I’ll be back tomorrow.” You think I’m kidding? I’m not. Waiting at a door. You see, how childlike you have to become? Do you have a clue in all your big theologies and everything else? Just do what he says. “Ok, Lord. Five months. I am not leaving.” And he came. He came. It is so simple, isn’t it? It is so child like and goofy. So unorthodox and ignoble. I am going to pray. I am going to wait. I know my Redeemer lives.
DIE PADDA IN DIE POT – Albert Theron
“…sodat ons nie deur die Satan bedrieg sou word nie; want ons is met sy planne nie onbekend nie.” 2 Korinthiërs 2:10b-11
‘n Padda sal dadelik spring uit ‘n pot kookwater, maar as jy hom in koue water sit en geleidelik die water verhit, kan jy hom doodkook sonder dat hy sal uitspring. Hierdie bekende en eenvoudige ilustrasie gee ‘n les deur wat die kerk in ons tyd dringend nodig het om op ag te slaan. Dit is presies hoe die satan regdeur die eeue gemeentes en denominasies kaap en uiteindelik transformeer tot valse institusies wat grootskaalse misleiding van die massas tot gevolg het. Ware dissipels van Jesus wat hulleself bevind in sulke gekompromitteerde gemeentes en denominasies het nodig om wakker te word en te sien wat besig is om reg voor hulle oë te gebeur.
Valse leringe en misleiding wat nooit deur vorige generasies aanvaar sou word nie, word onder die invloed van die tydgees aanvaar en dan aanvaarbaar gemaak deur kerklike kommissies en sinodes wat in baie gevalle lankal wegbeweeg het van die Woord van God. Wanneer daar dan ‘n protes opgaan van ware dissipels van Jesus in hierdie denominasies word die bose besluite as’t ware uitgestel vir ‘n tyd. Twee treë vorentoe, maar net een tree terug. Dit is hoe die satan werk. So raak mense mos al hoe meer familiêr met dwaling, totdat hulle dit heeltemal aanvaar. Moenie doodkook in die pot nie. Spring uit. Die temperatuur in daai pot gaan nooit weer daal nie.
LEADING LIKE OUR HEAVENLY FATHER – Bruce Ware
The Father is always infinitely wise and good in how he exercises his authority. And he is always meticulously careful and thorough in all that he does. He can rightly be trusted and worshiped. He is worthy of our highest esteem because he exhibits such remarkable wisdom, care, goodness, and thoroughness in how he does his work. We should marvel at this and see in the Father a pattern for human relationships and responsibilities. We’ll never succeed in being like him as we should be, but we should see in him the pattern of what any of us who is in a position of authority ought to be like. To exercise authority with wisdom, goodness, care, and thoroughness, and not in self-serving ways, is to be like our heavenly Father. Who is in a position of authority, with responsibility to pattern his manner of leadership after the Father? Clearly, every married man is in this category. Husbands have rightful authority in their homes with their wives, and if God has blessed them with children, their authority extends also to these precious gifts from the Lord. Husbands should exercise their authority with wisdom, goodness, carefulness, and thoroughness in order to seek the well-being of those under their charge. Husbands should seek to be like their heavenly Father in increasing measure. Others with this responsibility, such as elders in a local church, mothers (as well as fathers) with their children, or employers in the workplace, or in any arena of life where people are placed under another’s authority—these are all spheres where we can look to the Father for the model of how to lead, or how to exercise rightful authority. Surely, none of us can be like the Father in this respect, at this moment, perfectly. But this should not stop us from keeping in view the goal to which we aspire. We should never turn our failure into an excuse not to see the vision of what we ought to be. May this vision of God the Father inspire us and move us to depend on God’s strength to lead others in a manner that matches more closely how God leads within the Trinity and in human relationships.
EVERYTHING ELSE IS CLUTTER – Chip Brogden
Here is what I want us to see. If we come to the Lord on the basis of being a Jew, or a Gentile; a Protestant, or a Catholic; a Fundamentalist or a Charismatic; an American, a Nigerian, an Israeli, an Arab, a Filipino, a Chinese, or an Argentinean; a rich person or a poor person; a professional clergy or a layperson; a male or a female; a red, yellow, black, or white person; then we are approaching the Lord solely on an earthly, human basis. We have to leave all our earthly ground and come onto the ground of Christ, and that is a heavenly thing. It goes beyond where we are.
EK HET JOU NIE NODIG NIE, HET EK? – Albert Theron
Die volgende verse in 1 Korinthiërs het die potensiaal om hele gemeentes om te keer en ‘n onomkeerbare gemeenskapsrewolusie te begin.
“As almal een lid was, waar sou die liggaam wees? Maar nou is daar wel baie lede, maar net een liggaam.En die oog kan nie vir die hand sê: Ek het jou nie nodig nie; of ook die hoof vir die voete: Ek het julle nie nodig nie.” 1 Korinthiërs 12:19-21
Ons soek dikwels naarstigtelik na antwoorde vir ons onvermoë om betekenisvolle en groeiende verhoudings binne-in gemeentes te sien realiseer, maar dalk lê die werklike antwoord niks verder of dieper as ons onafhanklike gesindheid a.g.v. ons Westerse verbruikersleefstyl nie. Dit is so maklik om gedurig besig te wees met die Bybel en steeds nie losgeskud te word van ons diepgewortelde kulturele vooroordele nie. Die prentjie van gemeentelewe wat die Nuwe Testament vir ons skets, is in baie opsigte radikaal anders as waaraan ons gewoond is. Ons het nodig om al ons gebruike en gewoontes, en veral ons gesindhede, in die lig van die Nuwe Testament te bevraagteken. Jy kan ‘n doktorsgraad in ekklesiologie hê en die vermoë om al die Bybelse data oor gemeentelewe 100% weer te gee, maar as jy ‘n gemeente benader asof jy die een is wat vir ander gee, óf net ontvang van ander terloops, dan weet jy eintlik niks of baie min van die bruisende lewe van Christus in en deur ‘n ware gemeente. Luister hoe stel Paulus dit; ‘n man wat apostoliese gesag gehad het en ‘n groot deel van die Nuwe Testament geskryf het.
“Want ek verlang om julle te sien, om julle een of ander geestelike genadegawe mee te deel, sodat julle versterk kan word; dit is, dat ek saam bemoedig kan word onder julle deur die gemeenskaplike geloof, van julle sowel as van my.” Romeine 1:11-12
Sjoe! Dit is radikaal. Paulus sê hy wil bemoedig word deur die gemeente in Rome via húlle geloof in Jesus net soos hy hulle bemoedig deur sy geloof! Is dit hoe bediening vandag funksioneer in gemeentes? Is dit die gesindheid van hedendaagse bedienaars en predikante?
Dalk is jy nie in “voltydse bediening” nie, maar iemand wat al vir dekades lank die mooi en die lelik gesien het in ‘n verskeidenheid van gemeentes. Dalk het jy baie kennis opgedoen in al jou wedervaringe met gemeentes. Gevolglik is jou hele benadering tot gemeentes: “ek het iets wat julle nodig het, maar julle het nie regtig iets wat ek nodig het nie”. Dit is baie hartseer as dit so is, want ek kan jou verseker jy gaan grootliks uitmis op die lewe van Christus via gemeentelewe as dit jou gesindheid is. So ‘n gesindheid gaan jou effektief op die kantlyn los as iemand wat net ander met data wil bedien in plaas daarvan om jou léwe te deel met mense wat ook Christus in hulle het en daarom ‘n “gemeenskaplike geloof” besit wat jy dringend nodig het! Ons het mekaar nodig. Mag die Heilige Gees ons op hartsvlak bedien sodat ons waar nodig ‘n radikale verandering van gesindheid kan beleef.
FULL SALVATION REALISED – Albert Theron
Are you saved? “I am, I am being, and I will be.” This is the only right and biblical answer to the question. My spirit is saved, my soul is being saved and my body will be saved. Justification, sanctification and glorification. On which one of the three should our focus be? On all three, but very intensely on being saved in the present. In this endeavour our understanding and faith appropriation of past justification and future glorification play a profound role, but it must never ever be allowed to replace our PRESENT SALVATION. How serious are we about present salvation? How serious is sin in the life of a justified person?
Present salvation is a battle that can only be won by embracing both past (Rom. 5:1) and future (1 Jn. 3:2-3) salvation, but additionally it can only be won if we take this present deliverance very seriously. Satan works on every front according to the specific danger on that front. Those who have little understanding of righteousness he discourages in their battle for present salvation. Those who stand on righteousness in Christ he will attempt to lull to sleep in order to keep them from taking present salvation seriously. Believers who stand on righteousness in Christ without fighting their own “flesh” (putting sin to death by the Spirit: Rom. 8:12-13) with a view to present salvation will suffer profound loss in this life and the next. We should be very alert to satan’s plans to confuse us with regard to salvation or to throw the balance of the biblical teaching about salvation out of whack. Let us also be acutely aware that salvation as to its full realisation is only “in Christ”. He alone is our “righteousness and sanctification and redemption” (1 Cor. 1:30).
GENADE VIR MY, VEROORDELING VIR JOU – Albert Theron
Ons is geneig om instinktief vir onsself barmhartigheid te gee en regverdigheid van ander mense te verwag. Miga 6 vers 8 leer ons dat ons van onsself geregtigheid moet verwag en vir ander mense barmhartigheid moet gee.
“Hy het jou bekend gemaak, o mens, wat goed is; en wat vra die HERE van jou anders as om reg te doen en liefde te betrag en ootmoedig te wandel met jou God?” Miga 6:8
Ons mag die vergifnis wat Jesus vir ons met Sy kruisdood bewerkstellig het omhels met alles wat in ons is en met dankbare harte ons daagliks verheug daarin. Die vraag is net, gun ek vergifnis in Jesus vir die mense met wie ek saamleef en skouers skuur in ‘n gebroke wêreld of verwag ek van hulle om altyd reg op te tree teenoor my terwyl ek my eie ongeregtigheid baie gemaklik vee onder die mat van “vergifnis”? Die “liefde” wat Miga 6 my vra om te “betrag” is liefde vir ander mense. Hoe kan ek God se liefde bewys aan ander deur die barmhartigheid van God so te spieël dat hulle in Jesus beide barmhartigheid en geregtigheid sien en sodoende getrek word na ‘n lewe van vergifnis, maar ook integriteit en regverdigheid?
Ons kan tog so maklik vir dae lank tob oor wat ander aan ons gedoen het en dan vergeet ons blitsvinnig van die onreg wat ons ander aangedoen het. ‘n Vinnige “ag jammer jong”, of dalk glad nie!, en dan gaan ons aan met ons lewens asof niks gebeur het nie. As hulle ons onreg aangedoen het, verwag ons daarenteen ‘n lang en ernstige belydenis…met nabetragting vir so ‘n week of wat, asseblief. Kom ons erken maar liewer dat die sondeval ons skaal van reg en geregtigheid geheel en al gebreek het. Die goeie nuus van vergifnis in Jesus was nooit bedoel om van ons genadevrate vir onsself en genade-onthouers vir ander te maak nie. Dit was bedoel om ons in te lei in ‘n teen-kulturele lewe wat barmhartigheid uitstraal en terselfdertyd myself hou aan ‘n Skrifgebaseerde geregtigheid en regverdigheid, in die krag van die Heilige Gees natuurlik. En as ek faal dan weet ek daar is vir my ook vergifnis in Jesus. Let op hoe Jesus hierdie twee dinge langs mekaar stel.
“Salig is die wat honger en dors na die geregtigheid, want hulle sal versadig word. Salig is die barmhartiges, want aan hulle sal barmhartigheid bewys word.” Mattheüs 5:6-7
MINISTERING TO THIS SINFUL WORLD – C.H. Spurgeon
The nations of the earth are dead in sin; how can they cry to you? But it is yours to see their misery; and let the poor, poor dumb wounds of this bleeding earth speak to you. It is true, earth is a maniac, and it puts away the only cure. But what care we for that? It is ours to thrust our kindness upon unwilling men, because we believe that their unwillingness arises from the madness of their disease. Let us take the poor man that has fallen among thieves. Let us pour in the oil and the wine, and if he does not receive it gratefully, because he is faint, if he puts his hand upon the wound, and rends away the liniment, and unbinds the plaster, nevertheless, let us bind him up again, and set him upon our own beast, and carry him to the inn. Let us pay for the lodging even though as yet he cannot speak to thank us; and the day shall come, when the wound is healed, and the burning fever is removed, when his brain is cool, and his reason restored, that he shall fall at our feet and kiss the hand that once he spurned. Unborn generations shall bless the men that sent the gospel, which at first their fathers did reject.
DIE TOETS VAN ROEM – Albert Theron
Is dit nie verstommend hoe ons van kindsbeen af leer om onsself met ander te vergelyk sodat ons daardeur ‘n sin vir ons eie waarde kan kry nie? Van ons voorskoolse klassies af regdeur tot in die ouetehuis is ons gedurig besig om vas te stel wie is die mooiste, die sterkste, die slimste, die vinnigste of die rykste. Elkeen probeer om bo ander uit te styg en ons kan mekaar soms so subtiel probeer beïndruk met ons prestasies of ‘belangrikheid’.
In sy briewe aan die gemeente in Korinthe gee Paulus twee opdragte wat ‘n groot toets van ware dissipelskap is.
“Laat niemand dan op mense roem nie, want alles behoort aan julle.” 1 Korinthiërs 3:21
“Maar wie roem, moet in die Here roem.” 2 Korinthiërs 10:17
Waarin roem jy? Wat beïndruk jou?
THE MOST IMPORTANT WORDS EVER WRITTEN – By A.T. Pierson
Our present undertaking is a very simple one. We seek to show, by a few examples, the boundless range and scope of one brief phrase of two or three short words: in Christ, or, in Christ Jesus. A very small key may open a very complex lock and a very large door, and that door may itself lead into a vast building with priceless stores of wealth and beauty. This brief phrase — a preposition followed by a proper name — is the key to the whole New Testament. Those three short words, in Christ Jesus, are, without doubt, the most important ever written, even by an inspired pen, to express the mutual relation of the believer and Christ. They occur, with their equivalents, over one hundred and thirty times. Sometimes we meet the expression, in Christ or in Christ Jesus, and again in Him, or in whom, etc. And sometimes this sacred name, or its equivalent pronoun, is found associated with other prepositions — through, with, by; but the thought is essentially the same. Such repetition and variety must have some intense meaning. When, in the Word of God, a phrase like this occurs so often, and with such manifold applications, it can not be a matter of accident; there is a deep design. God’s Spirit is bringing a truth of the highest importance before us, repeating for the sake of emphasis, compelling even the careless reader to give heed as to some vital teaching…. If there be one truth of the Gospel that is fundamental, and underlies all else, it is this: A new life in Christ Jesus. He, Himself, clearly and forcibly expressed it in John 15:4: “Abide in me and I in you.” By a matchless parable our Lord there taught us that all believers are branches of the Living Vine, and that, apart from Him we are nothing and can do nothing because we have in us no life. This truth finds expression in many ways in the Holy Scripture, but most frequently in that short and simple phrase we are now considering — in Christ Jesus. Such a phrase suggests that He is to the believer the sphere of this new life or being. Let us observe -a sphere rather than a circle. A circle surrounds us, but only on one plane; but a sphere encompasses, envelopes us, surrounding us in every direction and on every plane. If you draw a circle on the floor, and step within its circumference, you are within it only on the level of the floor. But, if that circle could become a sphere, and you be within it, it would on every side surround you — above and below, before and behind, on the right hand and on the left. Moreover, the sphere that surrounds you also separates you from whatever is outside of it. Again, in proportion as such a sphere is strong it also protects whatever is within it from all that is without — from all external foes or perils. And yet again, it supplies, to whomsoever is within it, whatever it contains. This may help us to understand the great truth taught with such clearness, especially in the New Testament. Christ is there presented throughout as the sphere of the believer’s whole life and being…
DIE KONINKRYK VAN GOD WORD NIE GEBOU DEUR SLIMMES EN STERKES NIE – Albert Theron
Hoekom het Jesus nie net Sy visier gestel op die slimmes en sterkes (finansieël, polities, ens.), hulle vinnig bymekaar gebring met briljante strategie en van daar af die invloed van Sy koninkryk uitgebou nie? Sou die gesiene mense in die samelewing nie baie meer effektief gewees het as die spulletjie wat Hy as dissipels geroep het nie? God dink anders as ons en Hy werk op ander maniere.
“Maar wat dwaas is by die wêreld, het God uitverkies om die wyse te beskaam; en wat swak is by die wêreld, het God uitverkies om wat sterk is, te beskaam; en wat onedel is by die wêreld en wat verag is, het God uitverkies, en wat niks is nie, om wat iets is, tot niet te maak.” 1 Korinthiërs 1:27-28
Jesus het dit baie duidelik gemaak dat ons, hetsy slim, sterk of nie een van die twee nie; absoluut niks in die koninkryk kan uitrig sonder Sy wysheid en krag nie (Joh. 15:5). In Johannes 6 vers 63 neem Hy alle grond vir enige vertroue op natuurlike vermoëns geheel en al onder ons voete uit met die volgende stelling:
“Dit is die Gees wat lewend maak, die vlees is van geen nut nie…”
Miskien ís jy slim of sterk, of albei, en jy wil graag jou deel doen vir die uitbreiding van God se koninkryk. Hoe nou gemaak? Roep alle vertroue in jou eie kennis, wysheid, krag en posisie vaarwel toe en vertrou ten volle op die krag van Jesus deur die Gees. Slegs dan kan jy begin om werk te doen in die koninkryk wat ewigheidswaarde het. Daar is ‘n reuse klomp aktiwiteite en projekte in gemeentes wat gebore is uit mense se vaardigheid en bekwaamheid en wat net mooi niks te doen het met die inspirasie en krag van die Heilige Gees nie. Dit is uit God se perspektief “hout, hooi en stoppels” (1 Kor. 3:12).
THE ACTIVE, IMMANENT, AND INTIMATE LORDSHIP OF JESUS – Sam Storms
The letter to the church in Ephesus proceeds from him who “holds” the seven stars in his right hand and who “walks” in the midst of the seven golden lampstands. The meaning of this symbolism is given in the immediately preceding verse (Rev. 1:20). When John turned he saw “seven golden lampstands,” a clear allusion to Zechariah 4:2, 10. Most believe that the lampstand in Zechariah with its seven lamps symbolizes the temple and by extension the faithful within Israel. Here in Revelation the lampstands represent the church. The church is to serve as a light to the world. In the middle of these lampstands is the risen Christ. “Part of Christ’s priestly role is to tend the lampstands. The Old Testament priest would trim the lamps, remove the wick and old oil, refill the lamps with fresh oil, and relight those that had gone out. Likewise, Christ tends the ecclesial lampstands by commending, correcting, exhorting, and warning . . . in order to secure the churches’ fitness for service as lightbearers in a dark world.”
What is of special note to us is the advance made from the description in 1:13, 16 to that of 2:1. Jesus not only “has” the stars, he “holds” (lit., grasps) them. He not only “stands” in the midst of the lampstands, he “walks” among them! The lordship of Christ over his people is not passive, distant, or indifferent. It is active, immanent, and intimate. Our Lord patrols the churches with an intense and ever present awareness of all thoughts, deeds, and activities. Thus it is no surprise that each letter contains the ominous, “I know your works” (2:2, 9, 13, 19; 3:1, 8, 15). The move from “has” to “holds” and from “stands” to “walks” is designed to highlight both the sovereignty of Christ over the church and his loving presence and unfailing ministry within it. He “holds” or “grasps” the church because it belongs to him. He owns it. He has redeemed it by his blood. At no time does the church slip from his grasp or elude his grip or operate under its own authority. As difficult as church life often becomes, Christ never ceases to be its Sovereign. As disillusioning as human behavior within the church can be, it ever remains “his” body.
HUMAN GUILT CAN ONLY BE FORGIVEN ON A RIGHTEOUS BASIS – Dave Hunt
In none of the world’s religions is there any concept of God’s perfect justice having to be satisfied for the sinner to be forgiven. Instead, works and rituals and mystical experiences are offered to appease God and/or to earn one’s salvation. The Bible, however, finds all the world guilty of sin before God and insists that human guilt can only be forgiven on a righteous basis. The penalty that God decreed must be paid in full.
This attempt to offer works or rituals in payment of salvation is true even of some groups which claim to be Christian, but set up their own rules for salvation in opposition to the biblical gospel of salvation by faith and grace alone without works. The Bible clearly says: “…that whosoever believeth in him [Christ] should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16); “For by grace are ye saved through faith … not of works, lest any man should boast” (Ephesians 2:8,9); and “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us … that being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life” (Titus 3:5-7). God’s gift by His grace is rejected by any attempt to make even a partial payment.
That good deeds cannot pay for sins is not only biblical but logical. Even a traffic ticket cannot be paid on that basis. It will not avail to ask the judge to dismiss the charge for speeding because the guilty party has driven more often within the speed limit than he has exceeded it. Nor would the judge waive the payment of some crime in response to the defendant’s promise never, ever to break the law again. The judge would simply say, “If you never break the law again you are only doing what the law demands. You receive no extra credit by which to pay for having broken the law in the past. That penalty is a separate issue and must be paid as prescribed.”
The Bible further asserts that God’s justice is infinite and that man being finite could never pay the infinite penalty it demands. We would be separated from God forever if we tried to work off the debt owed to His justice. God, being infinite, could pay that infinite penalty, but it wouldn’t be just because He is not one of us. Therefore, God became a man through the virgin birth in order to take upon Himself, in our place, the judgment we deserve. And it is only on the basis of that penalty having been paid in full that God can offer forgiveness.
GLO NOU, VOLG LATER…MISKIEN – Albert Theron
Jesus is nie net ons Verlosser nie, Hy is ook ons Here. Hy is altyd beide Verlosser en Here en Hy kan nie in sy Persoon verdeel word nie. Is dit moontlik om in Hom te glo as Verlosser, maar Hom dan nie te volg as Here nie? In Markus 10 is daar vir ons ‘n gebeurtenis opgeskryf wat die antwoord baie duidelik maak.
“En toe Hy op die pad uitgaan, hardloop daar een na Hom toe en val voor Hom op die knieë en vra Hom: Goeie Meester, wat moet ek doen om die ewige lewe te beërwe?” Markus 10:17
Let op dat hierdie man baie ywerig was om by Jesus uit te kom. Hy “hardloop” na Jesus en hy “val op sy knieë” voor Hom. As ons vandag iemand raakloop wat so ywerig is om van Jesus te hoor en wat die ewige lewe soek met so ‘n passie, wat sou ons vir hom sê? Miskien iets soos: “Bid net hierdie gebed agter my aan…..Amen. Daar’s hy. Jy’s nou ‘n Christen en nou moet jy aktief raak by ‘n kerk.” Jesus sê antwoord is anders. Lees self verse 18 tot 20. Ons tel die teks op in vers 21:
“En Jesus het hom aangekyk en hom liefgekry en vir hom gesê: Een ding kom jy kort—gaan verkoop alles wat jy het, en gee dit aan die armes, en jy sal ‘n skat in die hemel hê; kom dan hier, neem die kruis op en volg My.” Markus 10:21
Jesus het hierdie man “liefgekry”, maar dit het Hom nie weerhou daarvan om Sy vinger presies op die afgod in sy hart te lê nie. Verlossing is klaarblyklik meer as om net te glo dat Jesus die Verlosser is. Dit behels ‘n wegdraai van sonde, ‘n geloof wat gekenmerk word deur ‘n radikale en opofferende liefde vir Jesus en ‘n lewenslange volg in die voetspore van Jesus. Die prys was te hoog vir hierdie man.
“Maar hy het treurig geword oor dié woord en bedroef weggegaan, want hy het baie besittings gehad.” Markus 10:22
Miskien het hy later tot sy sinne gekom, maar ten minste is hy nie onder ‘n valse sekuriteit gebring nie. Hy het duidelik verstaan wat Jesus van hom vra. Verstaan ons generasie? Of dink ons dit is moontlik om te glo en dan eers later te volg…of dalk glad nie?
PREVAILING PRAYER – Oswald J. Smith
Prevailing prayer is not easy. Only those who have wrestled with the powers of darkness know how hard it is. Paul says that “we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” (Eph. 6:12.) And when the Holy Spirit prays it is “with groanings which cannot be uttered.” (Rom. 8: 26.)
Oh, how few find time for prayer! There is time for everything else, time to sleep and time to eat, time to read the newspaper and the novel, time to visit friends, time for everything else under the sun, but–no time for prayer, the most important of all things, the one great essential.
So important did the Apostles consider it that they would not even wait on tables, but said: “We will give ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the Word.” (Acts 6:4.) Yet how many ministers are burdened with the financial side of the work, and how many officials expect them to bear it! No wonder their spiritual work is of such little account!
“And it came to pass in those days, that He went out into a mountain to pray and continued all night in prayer to God.” (Luke 6:12.) Such is the record concerning the Son of God; and if it was necessary for Him how much more so for us! Oh, think of it!–“all night in prayer.” How many times could that be written of us? Hence, His strength! Hence, our weakness!
How fervently do the prophets of old urge a life of prayer! Hear Isaiah as he exclaims: “You who put the LORD in remembrance, take no rest, and give him no rest until he establishes Jerusalem and makes it a praise in the earth.” (Isa. 62:6-7.)
DOMINEE-PASTOOR MOSES – Albert Theron
Een van die kosbaarste, indien nie díe kosbaarste, voordele van die nuwe verbond is dat ons direkte toegang tot God het deur die bloed van Jesus en dat ons geen ander middelaars nodig het nie.
“Want daar is een God en een Middelaar tussen God en die mense, die mens Christus Jesus.” 1 Timotheüs 2:5
Elke ware dissipel van Jesus is ‘n priester wat daagliks voor God mag verskyn om in te tree vir mense by God. Ons het onmiddellike toegang tot die heilige en geestelike realiteite in die ware tempel in die hemel.
“Maar julle is ‘n uitverkore geslag, ‘n koninklike priesterdom…” 1 Petrus 2:9a
Maar ongelukkig is die oeroue instink van die gevalle mens om sy verantwoordelikheid, en verstommende voorreg in hierdie geval, af te skuif op sogenaamde “spesiale geroepenes” steeds sterk teenwoordig in ons midde.
“En toe die hele volk die donderslae en die blitse en die geluid van die basuin en die rokende berg bemerk, het die volk dit gesien en gebewe en op ‘n afstand bly staan. En hulle het vir Moses gesê: Spreek u met ons, dat ons kan luister; maar laat God nie met ons spreek nie, anders sterwe ons.” Eksodus 20:18-19
Wat ‘n wonderlike seën om die Heilige Gees in en by jou te hê om jou persoonlik te leer elke keer wat jy die Bybel optel. Ja sekerlik is daar leraars en predikers vir die gemeente gegee om ons te help om die kosbaarhede van die Skrif toenemend vir onsself te ontdek (Efes. 4:11), maar hulle was nooit bedoel om die Heilige Gees te vervang nie!
Die dominee, pastoor, apostel of profeet gaan nie eendag in ons plek staan voor God nie en ons gemeente of denominasie gaan ook nie pa staan vir ons nie. Jy gaan alleen daar staan en self verslag gee van jou eie lewe en verhouding met Jesus en omgang met die Bybel, of nie, op hierdie aarde.
Want elkeen sal sy eie pak dra.” Galasiërs 6:5
Laat ons baie seker maak seker dat ons geloof en wandel direk en persoonlik met Jesus is en nie met allerhande plaasvervangers nie.
RESTING ON THE FAITHFULNESS OF JESUS – Andrew Murray
Moses and Aaron together represented God in Israel; the one as apostle or messenger, the other as high priest. In the person of Jesus the two offices are united. As High Priest He is merciful as Aaron; as Apostle of our profession He is faithful as Moses. Moses was the great apostle or messenger of God, the Old Testament type of Christ as prophet. He had access to God, and brought the word of God to the people. Christ is the great Apostle or Prophet of the New Covenant. He ever spake of Himself as the one whom the Father had sent; in Him, the Son, God speaks to us. As Apostle He is God’s Representative with us, making God known to us; as High Priest; our Representative with God, bringing us into His presence. As High Priest He stands linked to us by His mercy and compassion, as He now, having died for us, helps us in our temptation and weakness; as Apostle He pleads for God with us, and proves Himself entirely faithful to Him. We need to consider Christ Jesus, not only as a High Priest in His mercy, but as the Apostle of our profession who was faithful to Him that appointed Him, as also was Moses in all his house.
Faithfulness is trustworthiness. As we see Jesus faithful to Himwho appointed Him, our faith and trust will rise into perfect and joyful assurance that He will indeed most faithfully fulfil all God’s promises in us, that in us too He will be faithful as a Son over His own house. Nothing gives such strength to faith as resting on the faithfulness of Jesus. The glory of Jesus is the glory of Christianity; is the strength and glory of the Christian life.
SPIRITUAL DECLINE – A.W. Pink
By spiritual decline we mean the waning of vital godliness, the soul’s communion with its Beloved becoming less intimate and regular. If the Christian’s affections cool, he will delight himself less in the Lord and there will be a languishing of his graces. Hence spiritual decline consists of a weakening of faith, a cooling of love, a lessening of zeal, an abatement of that whole-hearted devotedness to Christ which marks the healthy saint. The perfections of the Redeemer are meditated upon with less frequency, the quest of personal holiness is pursued with less ardor, sin is less feared, loathed and resisted. “Thou hast left thy first love” (Rev. 2:4) describes the case of one who is in a spiritual decline. When that be the case the soul has lost its keen relish for the things of God, there is much less pleasure in the performance of duty, the conscience is no longer tender, and the grace of repentance is sluggish. Consequently there is a diminishing of peace and joy in the soul, disquietude and discontent more and more displacing them. When the soul loses its relish for the things of God there will be less diligence in the quest of them. The means of grace though not totally neglected, are used with more formality and with less delight and profit. The Scriptures are then read more from a sense of duty than with a real hunger to feed on them. The throne of grace is approached more to satisfy conscience than from a deep longing to have fellowship with its occupant. As the heart is less occupied with Christ the mind will become increasingly engaged with the things of this world. As the conscience becomes less tender a spirit of compromise is yielded to and instead of watchfulness and strictness there will be carelessness and laxity. As love for Christ cools, obedience to Him becomes difficult and there is more backwardness to good works. As we fail to use the grace already received, corruptions gain the ascendancy. Instead of being strong in the Lord and in the power of His might, we find ourselves weak and unable to withstand the assaults of Satan.
VORMGODSDIENS STAAN LYNREG IN JESUS SE PAD – Albert Theron
“As die Seun julle dan vrygemaak het, sal julle waarlik vry wees.” Johannes 8:36
“Die Here is die Gees, en waar die Gees van die Here is, daar is vryheid.” 2 Korinthiërs 3:17
Waar Jesus teenwoordig is en kans gegun word om mense se harte te bedien, sal daar altyd ‘n atmosfeer van vryheid wees. Vormgodsdiens van watter aard ookal (gereformeerd, pinkster, charismaties, metodisties…) bring daarenteen omtrent sonder uitsondering ‘n strak en koue of eentonige atmosfeer wat geestelike kreatiwiteit en vrye kommunikasie tussen mense inperk en aan bande lê. Baie van ons is van kleins af al so gekondisioneer om ‘n erediens of ander samekoms van die gemeente met koue formaliteit te assosieer dat die heerlike vryheid in die vergaderings van dissipels van Jesus vir ons ‘n totaal vreemde idee is. Dit is baie, baie hartseer en was nooit God se plan vir ons nie. Ons byeenkomste as nuutgemaakte kinders van God is veronderstel om ‘n getuienis vir die wêreld te gee van hoe vrymakend en genesend menslike interaksie en bediening kan wees waar God werklik teenwoordig is en die Heilige Gees kan werk soos wat Hý wil in ons harte.
LIVING WITH FOREVER IN VIEW – Paul David Tripp
Life, real life as it was designed to be, simply cannot work without eternity. It is the nature of design. You will never see your neighbor drive his speedboat out of his garage and down the street. His boat is an amazing creation, but it was not designed to travel over macadam. You will never see a fish lounging in a tree. Everything around us only works, is used, or lives according to its design.
You were made for forever. That is your inescapable identity. Life only works as it was meant to work when you live with forever in view. Could it be that you have been like a bird underwater, trying your best to find life in the here and now while forgetting forever? There really is a better way.
These words by C. S. Lewis say it all: “If I find in myself a desire which no experience in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that I was made for another world.”
GOD HET FINAAL GESPREEK IN SY SEUN – Albert Theron
Satan sal alles in sy vermoë doen om die klem weg te neem van Jesus af en dit op “goeie” dinge te plaas, maar dinge wat ons weglei van God se meesterplan. 2 Korintiërs 11:3 (Bybel in Afrikaans 1983/1992) sê immers:
“Maar ek is bang dat julle gedagtes weggelei sal word van die onverdeelde en suiwere toewyding aan Christus, net soos Eva verlei is deur die listigheid van die slang.”
Die grootste fout wat ’n dissipel of ’n gemeente ooit kan maak, is om Jesus as vanselfsprekend te aanvaar.
Jesus plus niks is gelyk aan alles, maar Jesus plus enigiets is gelyk aan niks! Alles wat die Vader ooit vir ons wou gee, is in sy Seun. In Hom alleen het ons die volheid (Kol 2:10). In Hom alleen vind ons totale vervulling. Die oomblik wat ons dink daar is iets ekstra wat ons uit onsself kan byvoeg om ons lewe as dissipels meer volkome te maak, val ons in die strik van die Satan en verloor ons die belewenis van die volheid wat ons in Jesus het. In ‘n sin is die geloofslewe net ‘n toenemende ontdekking van alles wat ons in Christus ontvang het met die wedergeboorte.
“Nadat God baiekeer en op baie maniere in die ou tyd gespreek het tot die vaders deur die profete, het Hy in hierdie laaste dae tot ons gespreek deur die Seun.” Heb. 1:1
God het finaal gespreek in sy Seun.
LOVE IS KNOWN BY ITS CALVARYS – John Henry Jowett
Hereby perceive we the love of God, because He laid down His life for us. And the real test of any love is what it is prepared to lay down. How much is it ready to spend? How much will it bleed? There is much spurious love about. It lays nothing down; it only takes things up! It is self-seeking, using the speech and accents of love. It is a work of the flesh, which has stolen the label of a fruit of the Spirit. Love may always be known by its expenditures, its self-crucifixions, its Calvarys. Love is always laying down its life for others. Its pathway is always a red road. You may track its goings by the red marks of the Lord Jesus.
And this is the life, the love-life, which the Lord Jesus came to create among the children of men. It is His gracious purpose to form a spiritual fellowship in which every member will be lovingly concerned about his fellows’ good. A real family of God would be one in which all the members bleed for each, and each for all.
How can we gain this disposition of love? God is love. We love because He first loved us. At the fountain of eternal love we too may become lovers, becoming partakers of the divine nature, and filled with all the fulness of God.