Word Watch: 1-5 August 2011
Written by Daniël Brink	Wednesday, 06 July 2011
Jesus said: "I am the Way, the Truth and the Life." He also said: "You will know the Truth and the Truth will set you free." It was said about Jesus: "In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God, and the Word was God" and "The Word became flesh and dwelt among us."
There is no more powerful testimony about God and Who He is than from the Bible itself. Both the spoken word and the written word were given through the Holy Spirit. There is no more powerful way to speak Truth than to speak aloud the words of the Bible.
This year is the 400th anniversary of the first Authorized English Bible, the King James Version. After the birth of the Church on the Day of Pentecost, Christians spread the message about Jesus without a written Bible at their disposal. All they had were the testimony of the apostels, the Jewish scriptures (Old Testament) and the inspiration by the Holy Spirit. The early versions of the Bible as we have it today were written in either Greek or Latin and it was only ordained clergy who had access to the written Word of God. For 1000 years the Word of God was imprisoned in Latin. Those caught in possession of another translation were simply executed and the bibles were burnt. No wonder this era became known as the Dark Ages.
The translation of the Bible came at great cost to many believers. But today we can rejoice that 98% of the world can read a Bible in a language which they can understand. World-wide churches and organizations set time aside to celebrate the joy of having the Bible in one's mother language. South African Christians are invited to join in these celebrations through a 24/5 Word Watch from 1-5 August 2011.
A Word Watch is a prayer focus on praying or proclaiming the Word of God.
Word Watch ideas:
The easiest is in the form of a Bible reading marathon, where members of a congregation read aloud through the Bible from midnight on the 1st of August until midnight
of 5th of August. The Bible can be read through in 5 days if read 24 hours a day.
The Bible can also be read through in one hour by members of the congregation receiving allotted chapters to read and the whole congregation then reads together in a symphony of Word.
In 1 Tim 4:13 Paul urges Timothy to devote himself to public reading of the Word. A public Word Watch is to read the Bible in a public setting, by either opening the church building for the public during the Word Watch week, or by pitching a table somewhere in a Mall or other public place, and to simply read aloud from the Bible.
Christian Radio stations are invited to have programs focused on the Word of God or devote huge sections of time to the reading of the Word over the air in different languages.
Prayer Watches are encouraged to spend the whole month of August reading the Word of God aloud in their communities.
WOORD WAG: 1-15 AUGUSTUS 2011
Jesus het gesê: "Ek is die Weg, die Waarheid en die Lewe." Hy het ook gesê: "Julle sal die Waarheid ken en die Waarheid sal julle vry maak." Oor Jesus is gesê: "In die begin was die Woord en die Woord was by God en die Woord was God" en "Die Woord het vlees geword en onder ons kom woon."
Daar is geen kragtiger getuienis oor God en Wie Hy is as in die Bybel nie. Die Heilige Gees het beide gesproke en geskrewe woord gegee. Daar is geen kragtiger manier om die Waarheid te verkondig as om die woorde in die Bybel eenvoudig hardop te spreek nie.
VIER 'N WOORD-FEES SAAM!!!
Hierdie jaar is die 400ste herdenking van die eerste wettige Engelse Bybel, die "King James" uitgawe. Na die geboorte van die Kerk op Pinksterdag het Christene die boodskap oor Jesus versprei sonder dat hulle 'n geskrewe Bybel tot hulle beskikking gehad het. Al wat hulle gehad het was die getuienisse van die apostels, die Joodse geskrifte (Ou Testament) en die inspirasie van die Heilige Gees. Die eerste uitgawes van die Bybel soos ons dit vandag ken was in Grieks of Latyn. Slegs geordende predikante het toegang tot die Bybels gehad. Vir 1000 jaar was die Woord van God in Latyn gevange gehou. Diegene wat in besit van 'n ander vertaling betrap is, was tereggestel. Geen wonder die tydperk word beskryf as die Donker Eeue nie.
Die vertaling van die Bybel het 'n groot prys gekos maar vandag kan ons jubel omdat 98% van die mense in die wêreld die Bybel kan lees in 'n taal wat vir hulle verstaanbaar is. Wêreldwyd vier kerke en organisasies die vreugde om 'n Bybel in ons eie moedertaal te besit. Suid Afrikaanse Christene word uitgenooi om ook aan hierdie feesvierings deel te neem deur middel van 'n 24/5 Woord Wag van 1-5 Augustus 2011.
'n Woord Wag is 'n gebedsfokus op die bid en uitroep van die Woord van God.
Woord Wag idees:
Die maklikste manier is in die vorm van 'n Bybel-lees maraton, waar lidmate van 'n gemeente bloot die Bybel hardop lees van middernag 1 Augustus tot middernag 5 Augustus. As mens vir 24 uur per dag lees kan die Bybel in 5 dae deurgelees word.
Die Bybel kan ook in een uur deurgelees word deur lidmate of lesers elk 'n paar hoofstukke te gee en dan met een geweldige simfonie, almal saam hardop te lees vir 'n uur lank! Doen dit in die kerk, in parke, op berge en in treine en busse.
Paulus het vir Timoteus dringend aangespoor om homself toe wy daaraan om die Woord in die openbaar te lees (1 Tim 4:13). 'n Openbare Woord Wag is om die Bybel hardop in 'n openbare plek soos 'n inkopiesentrum te lees. Sit 'n tafel en stoele uit en lees eenvoudig hardop uit die Bybel.
Christen Radio stasies word aangemoedig om vir die week van 1-5 Augustus programme uit te saai wat op die Woord van God fokus en selfs lang ure daaraan te wy om die Woord self in verskillende tale oor die lug te lees.
Gebedswake word uitgedaag om die vir die hele maand van Augustus die Woord van God hardop in hulle omgewing te lees.