V – Albert Theron
Bybelse dissipelskap kan opgesom word in die volgende drie punte. Toets jou dissipelskap hier.
·dissipels van Jesus is eerstens mense wat so oorweldig is deur die onverdiende liefde wat aan die kruis bewys is dat hulle as’t ware leef in verslawing aan Jesus en die Woord van die kruis (1 Kor. 1:18 en 2:2)
·tweedens is dissipels mense wat as gevolg van hierdie “heilige verslawing” nie meer vir hulleself leef nie, maar vir “Hom wat vir hulle gesterf het en opgewek is” (2 Kor. 5:15) met die doel om ook van ander mense dissipels te maak wat leef vanuit die “heilige verslawing” van die Nuwe Testament
·in die derde plek is dissipels mense wat deur die liefde van Christus gedring word om almal in hulle invloedsfeer baie spesifiek en intensioneel by die plek te bring waar hulle ook dissipelmakers word.
Dissipelskap is daarom nooit ‘n proses wat net stop by my eie toewyding of selfs net by my eie snoesige groepie nie. Dit is per definisie ‘n dinamiese proses wat spring van een hart na ‘n ander. As dit stop by ‘n indiwidu of by ‘n groep en hulle die liefde wat God in Sy Seun aan hulle bewys het net vir hulleself hou, is die stroombaan gebreek en die dinamiese element geneutraliseer.
Ons word dus nie net geroep om dissipels te maak nie, maar om dissipelmakers te maak. Bybelse dissipelskap is die Goddelike proses wat in die hart van die Vader begin het en wat dissipels maak wat weer dissipels maak wat dissipels maak…. Lewe jy in hierdie stroombaan van evangelie-liefde wat doelgerig aangegee word na mense rondom jou of het die proses by jou gestop? Net jy kan hierdie vraag eerlik antwoord. Dit is so maklik om besig te raak met dosyne programme en kerkaktiwiteite en steeds dissipelskap heeltemal te mis. Derduisende leef vandag so. Jy hoef nie. Raak intensioneel.
BRANDED WITH HIS MARK – Austin Sparks
What does Paul mean in Gal 6:17? I find the whole letter to the Galatians tells us. It was written to try to get people to belong to Jesus altogether. They were being tempted by some people to draw back, to ease off a bit, not to let the Lord Jesus be everything in their lives, not to be out and out, not to let the Lord Jesus be the fulness of their lives. These people were going round saying that Paul went too far, that they need not go so far, that it was not necessary to do so. “Don’t take Paul too seriously, there is no need at all to do so”, and they were drawing people away from the Lord Jesus and His fulness.
Paul, in closing the letter, says, “I bear branded on my body the marks of Jesus.” It is really a matter of, “Are you going to be absolutely for the Lord Jesus and follow Him fully?” OR, are you listening to those who say “Don’t be too serious, don’t live on too high a level”. “It is a difficult life. Be simple, don’t be so out and out”. And Paul says that is saying the Lord is not absolute Master, that He is not having all.
If “I” must have a place in the matter, then the Lord has not all. Paul says, “If you go that way — I have some place and He has some place — I don’t. He is for me absolute Master, and whatever others say, I belong to the Lord Jesus and listen to His voice. If He wants me I am absolutely His, branded with His mark. I belong to Him altogether and can take no other instructions”.
Have we got the mark of the Lord Jesus on us? See Isaiah 44. Can you say, “I am the Lord’s”? Are His marks on you? Not just lip declaration, but His marks. It is not, ‘Are you calling yourself His’, but are His marks on you? It is not what you say, for marks do not speak. They are seen and it is what people see that declares, “I belong to Him”. Is it true of us that as Paul said: “I bear His marks, I belong to Him and everybody can see it”?
HAIL, KING JESUS – D.A. Carson
When Paul writes to Christians in the city of Corinth in about the middle of the first century, he describes Jesus as the king with all of God’s sovereignty mediated through Him: ‘For He must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death’ (1 Cor. 15:25-26).
“INNIGE TEDERHEID”: JY IS SEKER NIE ERNSTIG NIE!? – Albert Theron
‘As daar dan enige troos in Christus is, as daar enige vertroosting van die liefde, as daar enige gemeenskap van die Gees, as daar enige innige tederheid en ontferming is.” Filippense 2:1
Die wedergeboorte bring ons in ‘n lewende eenheid met Christus en in hierdie eenheid met Hom is daar troos, vertroosting, Heilige Gees gemeenskap, innige tederheid en ontferming. Wow! Wat ‘n wonderlike vers. Paulus stapel al hierdie verhoudingsvoordele “in Christus” op mekaar voordat hy in vers 2 die appél maak op die dissipels in Filippi om in harmonie en eenheid te leef met mekaar. M.a.w. om die waarheid van ons redding as’t ware in geloof te verwerklik in die lief en leed van ‘n gevalle wêreld met dikwels baie moelike verhoudingsituasies.
“Maak dan my blydskap volkome deur eensgesind te wees en dieselfde liefde te hê, een van siel, een van sin.” Filippense 2:2
Dink gou vir ‘n oomblik oor net een van daardie wonderlike verlossingswerklikhede wat Paulus in vers een noem: “innige tederheid”. As ek nie geweet het daardie frase staan in die Bybel in die konteks van dissipels se verhouding met mekaar nie sou ek dit net in een, hoogstens twee, soort verhoudings op aarde geplaas het; die verhouding tussen ‘n moeder en haar kind. En dan miskien nog ook tussen ‘n man en vrou wat lief is vir mekaar, veral in die beginfase van so ‘n verhouding. Paulus gebruik die frase egter onbeskaamd en sonder verduideliking of verskoning as die ononderbroke werklikheid van ons almal se verhouding met mekaar “in Christus”.
Hoeveel van jou verhoudings met mede-gelowiges sal jy kan beskryf as dat dit gekenmerk word deur “innige tederheid”? Ek dink nie ons sien vandag baie van hierdie hoë standaard van liefde in gemeentes, of selfs eers in gelowige families nie. Mag die Heilige Gees hierdie verstommende waarheid van verhoudingsintimiteit “in Christus” vir ons ‘n proefondervindelike werklikheid maak.
WE CAN CHOOSE THE DIRECTION AND CONTENT OF OUR THOUGHTS – Jerry Bridges
We must constantly turn our minds to the Word of God, pondering the meaning and application of its truths to our lives. The idea of continual meditation may seem unrealistic and unattainable in our busy age when our minds need to be occupied with the various responsibilities we all have. “How can I meditate on Scripture,” you may ask, “when I have to think about my work all day long?”
We should not think of the concept of “continually” as meaning every moment. Rather we should think in terms of consistently and habitually. What does your mind turn to when it is free to turn to anything? Do you begin to meditate on Scripture? I often ask people this question: “When you can think about anything you want to think about, what do you think about?” Do you think about your problems, or do you engage in mental arguing with someone else, or perhaps even allow your mind to drift into the wasteland of impure thoughts? Thinking is our most constant activity. Our thoughts are our constant occupation. We are never without them. But we can choose the direction and content of those thoughts.
Meditation on Scripture is a discipline. We must commit ourselves to be proactive. We must memorize key passages (or carry them on cards) so that we can think about them. We must be alert for those times during the day when we can turn our minds to the Word of God, and then we must do it. Even the practice of daily Bible reading is insufficient if we go the rest of the day without meditating on some truths of Scripture.
WANNEER DIE WONDERWERK VAN “WAARHEID IN LIEFDE” PLAASVIND – Albert Theron
Alle families op aarde beleef konflik van tyd tot tyd. Dit is “normaal” gegewe die gevallenheid van die mens se hart. Konflik is nie noodwendig iets negatiefs nie. Inteendeel, dit is ‘n nodige pre-kondisie vir die unieke soort vrede waarvan die Bybel praat. Iemand wat ek ken het by geleentheid iets gesê oor een van Jesus se uitsprake in die Bergpredikasie; “salig is die vredemakers, want hulle sal kinders van God genoem word”. Sy stelling sal my altyd bybly:
“Peacemakers are not peacekeepers. Peacekeepers never confront the issue. Peacemakers do.”
Dit sou wonderlik gewees het as Jesus vir my al die duisternis van my eie hart self kon uitwys en nie nodig gehad het om ook van tyd tot tyd ander mense, en veral die wat so naby aan my is (!), te gebruik om dit te doen nie. Efesiërs 4 vers 15 sê ons moet “in liefde by die waarheid bly en SO in alle opsigte groei na Christus toe..” Eina. Ek wens daar was ‘n ander manier om te groei. Hierdie “waarheid’ is in konteks die waarheid oor wie Jesus is, maar dít is onlosmaaklik verbind aan die waarheid van my en jou hart. “In U lig sien ons die lig” (Ps. 36:10).
As mense wat steeds gevallenheid met hulle saamdra, kry nie een van ons altyd die balans (nie 50/50 nie, maar 100/100) tussen waarheid en liefde reg nie. Dit is net in ons gebrokenheid, wederkerige leerbaarheid en ware evangelie-nederigheid wat die wonderwerk van “waarheid in liefde” plaasvind. En wat ‘n kosbare wonderwerk is dit nie. Hierdie wonderwerk bring altyd verandering as ons bereid is om te luister. (Ek praat nou uit ervaring in terme van die een uit tien keer wat ek wel geluister het.) Ons moet sekerlik vir mekaar genade gee as ons nie altyd hierdie balans regkry nie, maar een ding wat ons nie kan bekostig om te doen nie is om op te hou om die waarheid te praat en dan in die valse “vrede” van ons generasie aan te ploeter. Dink daaroor:
ons wil nie hê mense moet vir ons ongemaklike dinge oor onsself vertel nie
maar ons het dit tog broodnodig anders hou ons op om te groei as beste “scenario” en as slegste gaan die Vader baie harder met ons begin praat op verskillende maniere
“Pain insists upon being attended to. God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our conscience, but shouts in our pain: it is His megaphone to rouse a deaf world.” (C.S. Lewis)
wie anders as die mense naby aan ons kan vir ons die waarheid oor onsself vertel ?
wie ken ons goed genoeg om dit te kan doen?
gaan ons dit ontvang in gebrokenheid en leerbaarheid?
of gaan ons aandring op God se alternatiewe spreekbuise?
“Friends mean well, even when they hurt you. But when an enemy puts his arm around your shoulder–watch out!” Proverbs 27:6 (Good News Bible)
Die kanse is baie goed dat die mense na aan jou wel lief is vir jou en dat die waarheid wat hulle met jou praat bedoel is om te herstel en genees en nie te verwoes en vernietig nie.
THE SIMPLE TRAGIC FACT – Francis Schaeffer
The church’s or Christian group’s methods are as important as its message. It is to deal consciously with the reality of the supernatural. Anything that exhibits unfaith is a mistake, or may even be a corporate sin. The liberal theologians get rid of the supernatural in their teaching, but the unfaith of the evangelical can in practice get rid of the supernatural.
We function as though the supernatural were not there. If the Church does not show forth the supernatural in our generation, what will? The Lord’s work done in the Lord’s way does not relate only to its message, it relates also to the method. There must be something the world cannot explain away by the world’s methods, or by applied psychology.
THE MOST STAGGERING THING IN THE UNIVERSE – Martyn Lloyd-Jones
Test your view of the Cross. Where does this statement about ‘declaring’ His righteousness and so on come into your thinking? Is it something that you just skip over and say: ‘Well, I don’t know what that means. All I know is, that God is love and that He forgives.’ But you should know the meaning of this. This is an essential part of the glorious Gospel. On Calvary God was making a way of salvation so that you and I might be forgiven.
But He had to do so in a way that will leave His character inviolate, that will leave His eternal consistency still absolute and unbroken. Once you begin to look at it like that, you see that this is the most tremendous, the most glorious, the most staggering thing in the universe and in the whole of history. God is there declaring what He has done for us. He is declaring at the same time His own eternal greatness and glory… God was declaring publicly once and forever His eternal justice AND His eternal love. Never separate them, for they belong together in the character of God.
‘N RADIKAAL NUWE BENADERING TOT GEMEENSKAPSVERANDERING – Albert Theron
Een van die mees verstommende openbarings van die Nuwe Testament is dat dit ‘n radikaal nuwe benadering tot verandering van die samelewing vir ons voorhou. Hierdie benadering is nie polities, filosofies (dit het wel filosofiese inhoud), organisatories of godsdienstig in die normale sin van die woord nie. Dit is ook nie leier-gedrewe in die eerste plek, d.w.s. dat verandering net kan kom deur die inisiatiewe en projekte wat leiers op die tafel sit, nie.
Dit is verandering wat begin in die hart van die indiwidu en dan van daar af ander harte in verhouding raak. Dit is ten diepste die intimiteit in die Drie-Eenheid wat deur die evangelie as’t ware organies en lewend oorgedra word na die harte van die wat glo (sien Johannes 13 tot 17) en dan wyer uitkring.
Dit is so maklik om hierdie punt te mis in die Nuwe Testament en dan terug te val op die ou maniere en metodes tot verandering wat regdeur die geskiedenis van die mens gevolg is; m.a.w. verandering langs die weg van politiese, filosofiese, organisatoriese, leier-gedrewe kanale of deur godsdiens tradisies. Leiers moet wel die toon aangee, maar dan langs die Nuwe Testament se weg tot verandering! In ‘n sekere sin word ons almal dan leiers, want alle dissipels van Jesus kan hierdie soort invloed uitoefen.
God se manier van verandering is so radikaal anders as die wêreld s’n. Sy liefde, geopenbaar in die evangelie, verlos die mens se hart toenemend van selfsug en self-gerigtheid met ‘n gevolglike verdieping van ons verhoudings. Hierdie verdieping en verinniging van verhoudings is die enigste ware groei, want dit alleen strook met die DNA van die Nuwe Testament; hartsverandering met verhouding ten doel! ‘n Sinvolle vraag om jouself te vra in hierdie verband is; hoeveel diep, veilige, standvastige, betekenisvolle en groeiende verhoudings het jy in jou lewe? Sekerlik net ‘n baie klein persentasie van jou honderde Facebook, Whatsapp en Instagram vriende! Hoeveel van hierdie verhoudings is met mense in jou gemeente? Slegs daardie verhoudings is eintlik jou ware gemeentelewe.
As gevolg van tydsbeperking kan ‘n mens nie meer as so tien tot twaalf sulke verhoudings op ‘n slag hê nie. Jesus self het in Sy tyd op aarde nie baie meer as twaalf sulke verhoudings gekultiveer nie, en dan was een nog ‘n Judas. Maar daardie verhoudings het uiteindelik die wêreld verander! Miskien is dit tyd dat ons ophou probeer om deur die wêreld se metodes die verandering te bring wat net God in ons harte kan bring deur die krag van die evangelie.
Dink kleiner (dieper in), dink organies, dink verhouding. Die sleutel tot kragtige transformasie wat dinamies sal uitkring na meer mense lê nie iewers daar buite of in nuwe projekte, planne, leiers of metodiek nie. Dit lê in die verhoudingskapasiteit van jou eie hart. Begin by die mense wat reeds in jou invloedsfeer is. Sommer net daar in jou eie gesin en familie. Kultiveer verhoudingsintimiteit vanuit die Wynstok.
“Soos die Vader My liefgehad het, het Ek julle ook liefgehad. Bly in hierdie liefde van My.” Johannes 15:9
Dít alleen is die dissipelskap waarvan die Nuwe Testament praat.
GROSSLY IGNORANT ABOUT THE HEART – Oswald Chambers
For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders. . . . Mark 7:21﻿
This passage is detestable to an unspiritual person, it is in absolutely bad taste, nine out of every ten people do not believe it because they are grossly ignorant about the heart. In these verses Jesus Christ says, to put it in modern language, “﻿No crime has ever been committed that every human being is not capable of committing.﻿”
Do I believe that? Do you? If we do not, remember we pass a verdict straight off on the Lord Jesus Christ, we tell Him He does not know what He is talking about. We read that Jesus ﻿“﻿knew what was in man,﻿”﻿ meaning that He knew men’s hearts; and the Apostle Paul emphasises the same thing—“﻿Don’t glory in man; trust only the grace of God in yourself and in other people.﻿” No wonder Jesus Christ pleads with us to give over the keeping of our hearts to Him so that He can fill them with a new life! Every characteristic seen in the life of Jesus Christ becomes possible in our lives when once we hand over our hearts to Him to be filled with the Holy Spirit
JESUS – ALLES OF NIKS – Albert Theron
Hudson Taylor, die bekende sendeling na Sjina, het by geleentheid gesê “Christ is either Lord of all, or He is not Lord at all.”
Maar is dit waar? Leer die Bybel werklik dat Jesus se Heerskappy so absoluut moet wees in ons lewens dat halfhartige toewyding aan Hom gelyk is aan geen toewyding en ook dan geen ware verhouding met Hom nie? Indien hierdie stelling van Hudson Taylor beteken dat net mense wat perfekte gehoorsaamheid aan Jesus uitleef in elke aspek van hulle bestaan op aarde Jesus werklik ken, sou dit vanselfsprekend vals wees. Ons almal groei nog geestelik en ons is bedoel om aan te hou groei tot ons sterf. Maar as dit beteken dat net diegene wat in hulle harte en daaglikse getuienis en belydenis voor mense Jesus as absolute Heer van alles in hulle lewe érken en kies om Hom só te volg; dat net húlle Hom werklik ken, dan is dit waar en 100 persent in lyn met die Bybel.
Is Jesus alles vir jou? Kan mense aan jou gesindheid en hartsbegeertes sien dat jy Hom bo alles liefhet en kies om onderdanig te wees aan Sy Woord? Praat jy spontaan van Hom in jou daaglikse gesprekke, of net wanneer jy in “geestelike geselskap” is? Is Sy Woord regtig die norm van jou lewe waaraan jy alles maar alles in jou denke en besluite onderwerp? Indien nie, is dit baie moontlik dat Hy in werklikheid niks is vir jou nie en dat jy nog nooit jou knie gebuig het voor Hom as Verlosser en Here van alles nie. Dan het jy nog nooit werklik gesien dat jy ‘n totaal verlore sondaar is en dat Jesus se kruisdood waarlik die enigste manier was wat jou sondes deur God die Vader vergeef kon word nie.
As jy hierdie boodskap lees is daar nog tyd vir jou. Buig jou knie en erken dat Jesus Here van alles is. Daar is geen groter innerlike vreugde as ‘n lewe onder Sy Heerskappy nie, maar die alternatief is ewige verdoemenis.
‘En die saligheid is in niemand anders nie, want daar is ook geen ander naam onder die hemel wat onder die mense gegee is, waardeur ons gered moet word nie.” Handelinge 4:12
The most fundamental task of a mother and father is to show God to the children. Children know their parents before they know God. This is a huge responsibility and should cause every parent to be desperate for God-like transformation.
The chief task of parenting is to know God for who He is in His many attributes—especially as He has revealed Himself in the person of Jesus and His cross—and then to live in such a way with our children that we help them see and know this multi-faceted God. And, of course, that will involve directing them always to the infallible portrait of God in the Bible.
THE ONLY TRUE DELIGHT – C.H. Spurgeon
Nothing gives the believer so much joy as fellowship with Christ . He has enjoyment as others have in the common mercies of life—he can be glad both in God’s gifts and God’s works; but in all these separately, yes, and in all of them added together, he does not find such substantial delight as in the matchless person of his Lord Jesus. He has wine that no vineyard on earth ever yielded; he has bread that all the cornfields of Egypt could never bring forth. Where can such sweetness be found as we have tasted in communion with our Beloved? In our esteem, the joys of earth are little better than husks for pigs compared with Jesus, the heavenly manna. We would rather have one mouthful of Christ’s love and a sip of his fellowship than a whole world full of carnal delights. What is the chaff to the wheat? What is the sparkling paste to the true diamond? What is a dream to the glorious reality? What is life’s merriment compared to our Lord Jesus in His most despised estate?
If you know anything of the inner life, you will confess that our highest, purest, and most enduring joys must be the fruit of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God. No spring yields such sweet water as that well of God, which was dug with the soldier’s spear. All earthly bliss is of the earth earthy, but the comforts of Christ’s presence are like Himself, heavenly. We can review our communion with Jesus and find in it no empty regrets; there are no dregs in this wine, no dead flies in this ointment. The joy of the Lord is solid and enduring. Vanity has not looked upon it, but discretion and prudence testify that it abides the test of years and is in time and in eternity worthy to be called “the only true delight.” For nourishment, consolation, exhilaration, and refreshment, no wine can rival the love of Jesus.
GEEN WARE GEBED SONDER AFHANKLIKHEID NIE – Albert Theron
Gebed en afhanklikheid is sinoniem in die Bybel. Terwyl Jesus op aarde was het Hy gedurig getuig en gedemonstreer dat Sy uitmuntende gebedslewe geheel en al gebaseer was op Sy afhanklike verhouding met Sy Vader.
Sonder afhanklikheid is daar geen ware gebed nie. Bybelse gebed is maar net ‘n verlenging van ‘n lewe wat eens en vir altyd en in alles oorgegee is aan God. Om te bid is ‘n erkenning van die Godheid van God, dat Hy alleen in beheer is, en die mensheid van die bidder, dat hy in werklikheid geen ware beheer oor omstandighede op ‘n gevalle planeet het nie.
Dit is primêr vir hierdie rede dat baie gebede so oneffektief is. Ons roep God aan om sekere aspekte van ons lewens te beïnvloed terwyl ons steeds wil leef in die twyfelagtige illusie en pseudo sekuriteit van menslike beheer. Dit is futiel. Mag die Heilige Gees ons lei in ware gebed deur ons te leer om totaal afhanklik te lewe. Dit is niks anders nie as wat die Nuwe Testament noem die lewe “in Christus”.
“As julle in My bly en my woorde in julle, sal julle vra net wat julle wil hê, en julle sal dit verkry.” Johannes 15:7
WE MUST GET OUR LIFE FROM HIM – J.R. Miller
Life is a mystery. We can note its manifestations—but we cannot find its source. We see that a man lives—we see it in his actions; but we cannot tell what it is, that keeps the heart beating, beating, beating, without pause, for sixty, seventy, years. We can read the poet’s lines, and look at the artist’s pictures, and hear the musician’s songs; but what do we know of the inner mental life that produced the poem, the pictures, the songs? It is hidden life. So spiritual life is hidden.
We see one supported in quiet peace, amid great trial; another comforted into sweet acquiescence in a bitter sorrow; another living purely and nobly amid sore temptations; another lifted up out of degradation, and transformed. We cannot understand the processes; we see only the effects. So all life is mysterious. But we know that it all comes from Christ. He is the fountain of all life. No human genius, skill, or power has ever been able to produce life of any kind, even a living blade of grass or a little violet. Still less can any human power give new life to a dead soul. Only Christ can do this. We must get our life from him.
DRIE KANALE VIR DIE GENESING VAN DIE LIEFDE – Albert Theron
Daar is drie kanale wat moet oop wees in my hart vir die liefde om ‘n volle werk van genesing in my te doen en om sielsgesondheid te verseker.
Ons spandeer so baie tyd, geld en energie aan so baie dinge wat nie werklik waarde het nie. Die Bybel maak dit baie duidelik dat dit net die unieke liefde van God is wat uiteindelik betekenisvol is en waarde gee aan die mens se lewe op aarde en ook vir alle ewigheid. Die vloei van hierdie liefde van God in Christus werk as’t ware via drie kanale in die menslike hart.
· Eerstens moet ons die liefde van God ontvang. Dit kan net gebeur as ons God se diagnose van ons verlorenheid en verdorwenheid aanvaar en Hom dan toelaat om Sy unieke kruisliefde aan ons deur-sonde-gebroke harte te bedien.
· Tweedens moet ons leer hoe om hierdie liefde wat ons onverdiend ontvang het vir ander te gee in die daaglikse handel, wandel en hartseer van ons eie lewens. Ons almal weet dat dit ‘n bonatuurlike werk van God verg.
· In die derde plek moet ons egter leer om ook liefde van ander te ontvang. Dit is insgelyks nie kinderspeletjies nie.
As hierdie drie kanale oop is in jou hart sal jy onvermydelik ‘n gesonde, volwasse en vrugbare mens word. Vra God om hierdie kanale wyd oop te maak in jou hart; ontvang-gee-ontvang sonder onderbreking. Dit is voorwaar ‘n wonderlike gebed om spesifiek en intensioneel te bid vir jouself en vir jou gesin, vriende en gemeente. Satan kan niks meer doen aan die liefde van God wat deur die kruisdood van Jesus histories geopenbaar en geanker is nie, maar hy kan die kanale in ons harte verstop om die vloei van kruisliefde te belemmer. Daarom moet ons bid!
A HAVEN FROM HYPOCRISY AND SELF-DECEIT – Arthur Katz
Christians are intended by God to be the most real people on earth. The Church ought, therefore, to be a haven and refuge from the hypocrisy and self-deceit of the world, the place to which truth-starved men and women can flee. What makes it such a haven is not any amount of words, but only people walking in truth, moment by moment, together.
The world is full of people with keen discernment, scrutinizing the Church. Our profession of truth has drawn all the more attention to ourselves. People in the world have learned to recognize pretense. They are well-schooled in the art of bluffing. They know all about convenience, expediency, insincerity, and manipulation. They can sense superficial relationships. If they find in the Church nothing essentially different from what is found outside of it, if they see no real difference in the way money and power are handled, then no amount of words, no matter how true they may be in themselves, is ever going to impress them. A congregation, like an individual, can have an appearance of truth. It can stand upon the most orthodox and fundamental doctrines. It may have signs of blessing and prosperity in large numbers and abundant finances. It may even exhibit manifestations of spiritual gifts. But does it express truth in its innermost being? Or is it inwardly riddled with pretense and evasion, with shallow relationships, feigned love and unspoken animosities that subvert and contradict its words and make them, in effect, lies?
God desires truth in the inward part. We need to begin to reckon truth as He does, which means according to our true spiritual condition and not our seeming, outward condition. It is the genuineness of our patience and forbearance and our commitment to speak and hear the truth in love that will reveal what we really are as the Church-not the volume and frequency of our “amens,” “praise Gods,” and “hallelujahs.”
HE IS NOT HERE – Horatius Bonar
So does the angel soothe the fear of the trembling women: ‘Fear not ye; He is not here; He is risen: come, see the place where the Lord lay.’ Let us mark, then, the glad tidings which the angel brings us regarding Him who died and was buried.
RYK IN LIEFDE – Albert Theron
“En mag die Here julle ryk en oorvloedig maak in liefde vir mekaar en vir almal..” 1 Thes. 3:12
Die rykdom wat vir God belangrik is, is rykdom in die liefde. ‘n Mens kan materieël baie welgesteld wees, maar arm in liefde. Dan is jy in werklikheid ‘n arm mens. Jy kan baie ‘godsdienstig’ wees, maar arm in liefde. Dan is jy maar steeds arm. Jy kan propvol kennis wees, maar as dit nie gestalte vind in Bybelse liefde nie is jy in werklikheid ‘n leë mens. Jy kan so baie gawes en talente hê dat mense oral ‘n ophef van jou maak, maar as jy nie ryk is in liefde nie het jou lewe geen blywende geestelike impak op enigiemand nie. Hierdie besonderse evangelie-liefde word pragtig beskryf in gedeeltes soos 1 Korinthiërs 13 verse 4 tot 7 en Galasiërs 5 vers 22. ‘n Sterk geloof in Christus sal toenemend manifesteer in hierdie soort liefde, want Hy is eintlik die Een wat in en deur ons liefhet. Min liefde wys op min geloof. Dit is die ware toets. Hoe lyk die prentjie in jou lewe? Miskien is jy volgens die wêreld se standaarde in elke area van jou lewe arm, maar weet dit; jy kán “in Christus” ryk wees in die liefde. Dan is jy werklik ryk!
TAKE UP WHAT IS YOURS – J.R. Miller
“He picked up the mantle that had fallen from Elijah.” 2 Kings 2:13
We are continually seeing useful lives removed from earth. The loss seems irreparable. But there are no accidents in God’s providence. Everyone’s life is a plan of God, and no faithful servant is taken away—until his part in the great plan is finished. There is abundance of work remaining—but it is the work of others, not of him who is gone. His mantle falls at someone’s feet— yours, perhaps.
A godly mother dies, and when a gentle mother goes out of a home—the loss indeed seems irreparable. But if there is an elder daughter in the sorrowing group at the grave, at her feet the mantle falls. So it is in all the breaches which death makes in Christian homes and communities, in every case the mantle falls at someone’s feet. God makes provision that his work shall not suffer, unless his servants fail in their duty. We must be ready always to take up what is ours.
“Die goeie mens bring uit die goeie skat van sy hart goeie dinge te voorskyn, en die slegte mens bring uit die slegte skat slegte dinge te voorskyn.” Mattheüs 12:35
THREE DIMENSIONS OF THE LIFE OF GRACE – Sinclair Ferguson
SIN IN ITS CONCENTRATED ESSENCE – A.W. Tozer
Because man is born a rebel, he is unaware that he is one. His constant assertion of self, as far as he thinks of it at all, appears to him a perfectly normal thing. He is willing to share himself, sometimes even to sacrifice himself for a desired end, but never to dethrone himself.
No matter how far down the scale of social acceptance he may slide, he is still in his own eyes a king on a throne, and no one, not even God, can take that throne from him. Sin has many manifestations but its essence is one. A moral being, created to worship before the throne of God, sits on the throne of his own selfhood and from that elevated position declares, ‘I AM.’ That is sin in its concentrated essence.
WARE DISSIPELS IS LIEF VIR DIE LIG – Albert Theron
Die apostel Johannes skryf sy hele eerste brief om baie duidelik te maak dat daar ‘n reuse kloof tussen lig en duisternis is en dat die twee nooit kan meng nie. Dit het in al Johannes se geskrifte baie pertinente betrekking op die verskil tussen ware en valse dissipels.
“En dit is die verkondiging wat ons van Hom gehoor het en aan julle verkondig: God is lig, en geen duisternis is in Hom nie.’ 1 Johannes 1:5
In sy evangelie wys hy uit dat mense wat wil volhard in die duisternis van hulle eie gevallenheid nooit toelaat dat Jesus, die waaragtige lig volgens Johannes 1 vers 9, die duisternis in hulle konfronteer en sodoende redding en genesing bring nie.
“Want elkeen wat kwaad doen, haat die lig en kom nie na die lig nie, dat sy werke nie bestraf mag word nie.” Johannes 3:20
Jesus hou egter aan om die uitnodiging te gee vir mense om deur geloof in Hom die kloof tussen duisternis en lig oor te steek. Slegs Jesus kan mense neem van duisternis na lig.
“So lank as julle die lig het, glo in die lig, sodat julle kinders van die lig kan word…” Johannes 12:36
In een van sý briewe verklaar Paulus onomwonde dat al die mense wat Jesus se uitnodiging aanvaar wel nou eksklusief “kinders van die lig” is.
“Julle is almal kinders van die lig en kinders van die dag; ons is nie van die nag of die duisternis nie.” 1 Thessalonicense 5:5
Satan probeer alles in sy vermoë om die skeidslyn tussen lig en duisternis onduidelik te maak, sodat mense nie kan bepaal waar hulle werklik staan nie en ook om ware dissipels te verwar. Die Nuwe Testament ontmasker sy bose planne en maak dit baie duidelik dat “kinders van die lig”, ongeag die worstelinge wat hulle steeds mag hê met die reste van duisternis in hulle harte, die lig liefhet en begeer om te leef in die volle lig van reinheid en heiligheid in Christus.
A LIFE OF DEPENDENCE – Austin Sparks
There is no light in man, even redeemed man; there is no light in us ourselves, even when we are saved, sanctified, consecrated, when we are the Lord’s people. The thing is not in us, it still remains in Him, and the Lord is very jealous about that, because the temptation of the devil in the garden at the beginning was in the other direction. The temptation came along the line of a suggestion that man could have the thing in himself, “You shall possess knowledge. Your position is one governed, you are compelled to live a dependent life, dependent upon God, a life of obedience; you have to go to God for permission for everything, and for knowledge about everything! God is withholding from you something that you might have! He has forbidden you to take that because He knows that if you do, you will have that knowledge, that spring in yourself instead of in Him, and a life of dependence! Why not have it in yourself? Why not be as God, knowing?” That was the subtlety of the temptation. It always makes an appeal to the soul to possess the power, and the knowledge in itself, so that, using it, there may be a position gained of advantage.
Over against that the very Son stands in a voluntarily accepted position that the Son can do nothing out from Himself. He, the Last Adam, strikes a tremendous blow at the thing that the first Adam has done. He stands in distinct and mighty contradiction to, and reversal of, the course of the first Adam; a life of dependence, a life of having everything in God and nothing apart from God. That is Christ. So that all things for divine purposes, unto divine intentions, are held in God and no one ever gets them out of God and possesses them in themselves. Right to the end, if we are going to be governed by the Lord, we shall be kept on that law of an utter dependence upon the Lord Himself for every bit of resource. And the further we go with the Lord the more deeply will that be wrought into our being, the consciousness and knowledge that we have nothing in ourselves, it is all in Him, and that we must be utterly dependent upon the Lord for every fragment.
DIE GROOTSTE EN MEES DRINGENDE VERANDERING DENKBAAR – Albert Theron
Ons kan die beste leerstelling en organisasie op aarde hê, maar as ons nie dringend ons hele konsep van gemeentefunksionering verander nie gaan ons nie werklik ‘n betekenisvolle impak op gemeenskappe hê nie.
Die Nuwe Testament werk konsekwent met die verandering wat begin in die hart van ‘n indiwidu en van daar af wyer uitkring in al sy verhoudings. Dit is die wese van die dissipelskap-proses wat Jesus ons beveel het om te implementeer en na elke stam en taal en nasie te neem. Die hele korporatiewe konsep van gemeentelewe wat dit in lidmate se verstaan daarvan die domein van leiers maak wat ‘n suksesvolle organisasie moet bestuur en uitbrei, is die doodsvonnis vir ware gemeentelewe. Dit sal nooit in tien duisend jaar lei tot die lewenskragtige, verhoudingsgebaseerde dinamiek van ware Nuwe Testamentiese gemeentes nie.
Ons het nodig om heeltemal weg te beweeg van daardie prentjie en eerder kleiner te gaan, meer intiem, en meer verhoudings-gefokus. Elkeen moet verstaan dat hy persoonlik verantwoordelik is vir die mense in sy huis en in sy invloedsfeer. Dit is juis hierdie dinamiek van Bybelse dissipelskap wat deur leiers geleer en gemodeleer moet word. Dit is die eintlike bedieningswerk van Nuwe Testamentiese leiers; om mense te leer om volle verantwoordelikheid te neem vir hulle eie verhoudings. Nie om futiele pogings aan te wend om ‘n pseudo Christus vir almal te probeer wees nie. Laasgenoemde metodiek is fataal, verlammend, oneffektief en sieldodend vir die indiwiduele gelowige. Dit is boonop oor honderde jare bewys as die enkele grootste faktor wat ons weerhou daarvan om uit te kom by die opwindende en kreatiewe gemeentelewe van die Nuwe Testament wat die indiwidu dinamies ontsluit in sy unieke funksie met sy unieke gawes in sy bepaalde invloedsfeer van God-gegewe verhoudings.
Jesus Christus maak ‘n persoonlike appél op die hart van die indiwidu en terwyl ons aanhou om korporatief-organisatories-leiergefokus in plaas van indiwidueel-organies-verhoudingsgebaseerd te dink sal ons nooit uitkom by die soort gemeenskap wat die Nuwe Testament ‘n “liggaam” (liggaam van Christus) noem nie. Wat dink jy? Maak ek te veel van hierdie punt?
THE MOST DELICATE MISSION ON EARTH – Oswald Chambers
Goodness and purity ought never to attract attention to themselves, they ought simply to be magnets to draw to Jesus Christ. If my holiness is not drawing towards Him, it is not holiness of the right order, but an influence that wil awaken inordinate affection and lead souls away into side-eddies. A beautiful saint may be a hindrance if he does not present Jesus Christ but only what Christ has done for him. He will leave the impression – “What a fine character that man is!” That is not being a true friend of the Bridegroom; I am increasing all the time, He is not.
VERVANG FEILBARE MENSLIKE LIEFDE MET ONFEILBARE GODDELIKE LIEFDE – Albert Theron
Die Bybel leer konsekwent dat ons liefde vir mekaar net kan aanhou floreer wanneer dit op die vaste rots van God se genade staan. As ons verwysingspunt in ons verhoudings nie die Vaderhart van God is nie, is ons almal geneig om afgode te maak van ons liefde vir ander en ook hulle liefde vir ons. Jonathan Edwards het gesê “If you idolize it, you will demonize it.” As my liefde vir iemand dus slegs in my eie gevoelens (onafhanklik van ‘n vaste sekuriteit in God se liefde) gewortel is, het ek geen waarborg dat dit nie ‘n 180 grade draai kan maak en in ‘haat’ verander as daardie persoon my op een of ander manier faal nie. En ons almal faal een of ander tyd mekaar.
Die hoë persentasie egskeidings en gebroke verhoudings in families en gemeentes vertel hierdie verhaal ongelukkig baie beter as wat ek dit hier kan doen. Hoe verklaar ‘n mens anders die feit dat mense wat byvoorbeeld op ‘n tydstip hulle liefde en trou aan mekaar voor baie getuies beloof het, later kan omdraai en mekaar verskeur met venynige en dodelike woorde.
Daarom is dit só noodsaaklik dat ons harte gedurig versterk en verruim moet word deur die liefde van God wat vir ons mildelik in Christus uitgestort is (Heb. 13:9). Ons moet gedurig maar net weer in geloof die kruisdood van Jesus in die blaaie van die Nuwe Testament aanskou en leer om uit dáárdie liefde te leef. Dit alleen is vaste grond onder ons voete in al ons verhoudings en dit alleen gee ons die vermoë om ander te vergewe en steeds lief te hê, ook wanneer hulle liefde teenoor óns in ‘haat’ verander het.
THERE CANNOT BE HEAVEN WITHOUT CHRIST – C.H. Spurgeon
Oh, to think of heaven without Christ! It is the same thing as thinking of hell.
DIE GROOT VOORWAARDE VIR DIE ONTSLUITING VAN DIE NUWE VERBOND – Albert Theron
Jesus het gekom na die aarde om aan gevalle en liefdelose mense die liefde tussen Hom en die Vader te openbaar en deur te gee met die doel om van húlle liefdevolle mense te maak. Daarom moet ons so versigtig wees dat ons nie die idee by mense skep dat dit onmoontlik is om die liefde van die Vader teleur te stel nie. Dit is net eenvoudig nie waar nie. Hoor wat Jesus hieroor te sê het.
“Soos die Vader My liefgehad het, het Ek julle ook liefgehad. Bly in hierdie liefde van My. As julle my gebooie bewaar, sal julle in my liefde bly, net soos Ek die gebooie van my Vader bewaar en in sy liefde bly.” Johannes 15:9-10
Jesus gee ‘n baie duidelike opdrag aan Sy dissipels: “Bly in hierdie liefde van My”. Die liefde van Jesus is niks anders nie as die Vader se liefde vir Hom wat weer na die dissipels deurgegee word. Dit is egter baie duidelik dat hierdie besonderse liefde by ons kan stop as ons nie Jesus se liefdesgebod gehoorsaam nie. As ons nie aanhou om mekaar lief te hê soos wat Jesus ons liefgehad het nie is ons nie besig om te bly in Sy liefde nie.
Dit is die groot voorwaarde vir die ontsluiting van die volle krag van die Nuwe Verbond (natuurlik nie onafhanklik van die reddende geloof wat God se liefde in die evangelie ontvang nie). Die liefde wat jy by God ontvang het, en steeds ontvang, mag nooit by jou stop nie. Ons moet dus baie versigtig wees met die gebruik van die frase “onvoorwaardelike liefde” in terme van die evangelie. Daar ís ‘n voorwaarde na geloof; hou aan om die liefde wat jy by Jesus ontvang het deur te gee na ander. God het reeds Sy groot liefde bewys deur Sy Seun te stuur om in ons plek te sterf vir ons sondes, maar die vloei van hierdie liefde hang af van ons gehoorsaamheid aan Jesus se opdrag in Johannes 15 vers 12:
“Dit is my gebod, dat julle mekaar moet liefhê net soos Ek julle liefgehad het.”