Radio Pulpit

“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” Galatians 6:9 NIV

Keep on keeping on

Some of the world’s most successful people were told by so-called experts that they didn’t have what it took to be a success in the professions they had chosen. In 1927, Lucille Ball was told by an instructor at the John Murray Anderson Drama School, “Try any other profession. Any other.” Universal Pictures dismissed both Clint Eastwood and Burt Reynolds, claiming that Reynolds had no talent and Eastwood talked too slowly. Malcolm Forbes, the late editor-in-chief of Forbes magazine, failed to become part of the staff of his school newspaper when he was an undergraduate at Princeton University. Decca Recording Company executives responded negatively to the audition of four young musicians, saying, “We don’t like their sound. Groups with guitars are on the way out.” So the Beatles took their sound elsewhere. For seven years, a young inventor named Chester Carlson took his idea to twenty corporations, all of which turned him down. The Haloid Company finally purchased the rights to his electronic paper-copying process. And Haloid became Xerox. Don’t be discouraged if you are not finding the acceptance and success you desire right now. Your story is still being written! The Bible says, “…do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises” (Hebrews 6:12 NKJV). Faith and patience are the two qualities that will bring you success. This is why the apostle Paul wrote: “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”

“Moet dus nie moeg word om goed te doen nie, want as ons nie tou opgooi nie, sal ons op die regte tyd oes.” Galasiërs 6:9 NLV

Hou aan

Van die wêreld se suksesvolste mense is deur sogenaamde kenners meegedeel dat hulle nie sukses in die beroepe wat hulle gekies het, sal behaal nie. In 1927 het ‘n instrukteur by die John Murray Anderson Dramaskool vir Lucille Ball gesê: ‘Probeer eerder enige ander beroep. Enige ander een.’ Universal Pictures het beide Clint Eastwood en Burt Reynolds van die hand gewys en gesê dat Reynolds geen talent het nie en dat Eastwood te stadig praat. Malcolm Forbes, die voormalige hoofredakteur van die Forbes-tydskrif, kon nie daarin slaag om deel van sy skoolkoerant se redaksie te word toe hy ‘n voorgraadse student aan Princeton Universiteit was nie. Bestuurders van die Decca Recording Company het negatief op die oudisie van vier jong musikante gereageer en gesê: ‘Ons hou nie van hul klank nie. Groepe met kitare is uit die mode uit.’ Gevolglik het die Beatles hul klank elders geneem. Vir sewe jaar lank het ‘n jong uitvinder genaamd Chester Carlson sy idee na twintig verskillende maatskappye geneem, wat hom almal die deur gewys het. Die Haloid Company het uiteindelik die regte op sy elektroniese papierkopieerproses gekoop. Haloid het later Xerox geword. Moenie moedeloos word as jy nie die aanvaarding en sukses wat jy op die oomblik begeer, vind nie. Jou storie word steeds geskryf! Die Bybel sê: ‘Dan sal julle nie geestelik afgestomp raak nie. Inteendeel, julle sal die voorbeeld volg van hulle wat deur hulle geloof en uithouvermoë besig is om te verkry wat God beloof het’ (Hebreërs 6:12 NLV). Geloof en geduld is die twee eienskappe wat sukses sal meebring. Daarom het die apostel Paulus geskryf: ‘Moet dus nie moeg word om goed te doen nie, want as ons nie tou opgooi nie, sal ons op die regte tyd oes.’

“Who is this uncircumcised Philistine?” 1 Samuel 17:26 NKJV

Trust your covenant with God

Fourteen generations before David fought Goliath, God told Abraham, “I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse” (Genesis 12:3 NIV). Later, God extended this covenant to Abraham’s descendants and inserted a key provision: “You are to undergo circumcision, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and you” (Genesis 17:11 NIV). Apparently, no one in Saul’s army, including Saul himself, remembered they had a covenant with God, which led David to ask, “Who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?” David was asking, “How could this man, who has no covenant with God, even think about conquering us?” How strong is your faith in God’s covenant to bless, protect, and prosper those who are in right standing with Him? If you continue to run from the giants in your life, you will never see the power of God manifested. When you believe God’s promises, you won’t tolerate any giant in your life. Did you know that you’re an heir to the same covenant of blessing that God gave Abraham? “If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise” (Galatians 3:29 NIV). David rested on a covenant of protection that was fourteen generations old and is still good today. The story of David and Goliath is representative of the many battles we face on a regular basis: good over evil, God’s power over man’s strength, and faith over fear. Whatever the situation, we can rest on God’s Word: “We who have believed enter that rest, just as God has said” (Hebrews 4:3 NIV).

“…Wie is hierdie onbesnede Filistyn...?” 1 Samuel 17:26 NLV

Vertrou in jou verbond met God

Veertien geslagte voordat Dawid teen Goliat geveg het, het God vir Abraham gesê: ‘Ek sal dié seën wat jou seën en dié wat jou vervloek, sal Ek vervloek…’ (Genesis 12:3 NLV). Later het God hierdie verbond na Abraham se nageslag uitgebrei en ‘n sleutelbepaling bygevoeg: ‘Julle moet aan die voorhuid besny word. Dit is ‘n teken dat julle my verbond nakom’ (Genesis 17:11 NLV). Blykbaar het niemand in Saul se leër, insluitend Saul self, onthou dat hulle ‘n verbond met God het nie. Dit het Dawid genoop om te vra: ‘Wie is hierdie onbesnede Filistyn dat hy die leër van die lewendige God so beledig?’ Dawid het met ander woorde gevra: ‘Hoe kan hierdie man, wat geen verbond met God het nie, selfs daaraan dink dat hy ons sal kan oorwin?’ Glo jy dat God deur sy verbond diegene wat in ‘n egte verhouding met Hom is, sal seën, beskerm en voorspoedig maak? As jy aanhou om van die reuse in jou lewe weg te vlug, sal jy nooit die krag van God gemanifesteer sien nie. Het jy geweet dat jy ‘n erfgenaam van dieselfde verbond van seën wat God aan Abraham gegee het, is? ‘Verder, omdat julle aan Christus behoort, ís julle die nageslag van Abraham en dus erfgename van die belofte!’ (Galasiërs 3:29 NLV). Dawid het op ‘n verbond van beskerming wat veertien geslagte oud was en vandag nog steeds geldig is, staatgemaak. Die verhaal van Dawid en Goliat is verteenwoordigend van die vele gevegte wat ons gereeld in die gesig staar: goed oor kwaad en geloof oor vrees. Wat ook al die situasie is, ons kan rus op God se Woord: ‘Want hierdie blye boodskap van ‘n plek van rus wat God vir ons gereedgemaak het, het ons ook ontvang…’ (Hebreërs 4:2 NLV).

“Christ…entered…into heaven…to appear in the presence of God for us.” Hebrews 9:24 NKJV

Jesus is in your corner (2)

Growing up, many of us had no clue what our parents did forty hours a week. We might have known where they worked, but we weren’t altogether sure what they did. In much the same way, most of us don’t really know what Jesus does all day. And our lack of holy confidence stems from that very fact. So what does Jesus do all day, every day? He’s pleading your case, pleading your cause. All you have to do is plead the blood. That phrase has fallen out of circulation in some circles. In part because of its misapplication. Let’s see if we can revive it. Pleading the blood is not some superstition. And it’s not an abracadabra; it’s an awareness of your authority in Christ. It’s an understanding that your forgiveness has already been paid for in blood money. It’s coming to terms with the fact that we overcome Satan by the blood of the lamb (See Revelation 12:11). Christ is in your corner, which means you have the full backing of the King and His kingdom. His full blessing–His full authority! Satan would like to make you doubt that. Remember what he said to Eve in the Garden of Eden: “Has God indeed said…?” (Genesis 3:1 NKJV). Translation? “God is holding out on you!” If Satan can get you to distrust God’s goodness, he wins, and you lose. Is it possible that because you’re holding out on God, you think God is holding out on you? Go all in with God! If you don’t hold out on Him, He surely won’t hold out on you.

“Christus het immers tot in die hemel self ingegaan om nou as ons voorspraak voor God te verskyn…” Hebreërs 9:24 NLV

Jesus is in jou hoek (2)

Baie van ons het kleintyd geen idee gehad waarmee ons ouers veertig uur van die week besig was nie. Ons het dalk geweet waar hulle werk, maar ons was nie heeltemal seker wat hulle doen nie. Net so weet die meeste van ons nie regtig wat Jesus heeldag doen nie. Ons gebrek aan heilige vertroue spruit juis uit hierdie feit uit. Wat doen Jesus dan heeldag, elke dag? Hy is besig om jou saak te bepleit. Al wat jy hoef te doen is om die bloed oor jou te pleit. Hierdie frase het in sommige kringe in onbruik verval, deels as gevolg van die verkeerde toepassing daarvan. Kom ons kyk of ons dit kan laat herleef. Om die bloed oor jou te pleit is nie ‘n bygeloof nie. Dit is nie iets ongeoorloofs nie; dit is ‘n bewustheid van jou gesag in Christus. Dit is om te begryp dat jou vergifnis reeds met bloedgeld betaal is. Dit is om vrede met die feit dat ons Satan deur die bloed van die lam oorwin het, te maak (sien Openbaring 12:11). Christus is in jou hoek, wat beteken dat jy die volle steun van die Koning en sy koninkryk het. Sy volle seën - sy volle gesag! Satan wil jou graag daaraan laat twyfel. Onthou jy wat hy vir Eva in die Tuin van Eden gevra het: ‘…Het God regtig gesê…?’ (Genesis 3:1 NLV). As Satan jou sover kan kry om God se goedheid te wantrou, wen hy en jy verloor. Is dit moontlik dat omdat jy terughou wanneer dit by God kom, Hy jou nie dalk ook terughou nie? Lewe voluit met God! As jy Hom nie terughou nie, sal Hy jou vir seker nie terughou nie.

“If anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.” 1 John 2:1 NKJV

Jesus is in your corner (1)

You might not know the name Angelo Dundee, but you’ve undoubtedly heard of world champion boxer Muhammed Ali. For more than two decades, Angelo was in Muhammed Ali’s corner–literally. He was Ali’s corner man! He also trained other world boxing champions. One of the great descriptions of Jesus is, “He’s our “corner man!” “If anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.” In his letter to Timothy, Paul exhorts us to “fight the good fight” (1 Timothy 6:12 NIV). And you’re going to get knocked down a time or two. But you’ve got a corner man who once went three rounds with death itself. He got knocked down at the cross, but He got back up three days later. He walked out of the tomb, winning the fight against sin and death. Where is He now? He’s at the right hand of the Father, interceding for you. In other words, Christ is in your corner! And He’s not the only one. Jesus called the Holy Spirit the “paraclete,” which translates in English as comforter and counselor. Paraclete is a military term referring to Roman soldiers who would fight back-to-back when they got into hand-to-hand combat. They protected each other’s blind side, and that’s what the Holy Spirit does. The Holy Spirit has got your back. And Christ is in your corner. The prophet Isaiah calls Him our rear guard: “The Lord will go before you, the God of Israel will be your rear guard” (Isaiah 52:12 NIV). You don’t just have one member of the Godhead interceding for you–you have two!

“…As iemand egter sonde doen, ons het ‘n Helper by die Vader wat ons saak stel, Jesus Christus, die regverdige.” 1 Johannes 2:1 NLV

Jesus is in jou hoek (1)

Jy ken dalk nie die naam Angelo Dundee nie, maar jy het ongetwyfeld al van die wêreldkampioen-bokser Muhammed Ali gehoor. Vir meer as twee dekades was Angelo letterlik in Muhammed Ali se hoek. Hy was Ali se hoekman! Hy het ook ander wêreldbokskampioene opgelei. Een van die beste beskrywings van Jesus is dat Hy ons hoekman is! ‘…As iemand egter sonde doen, ons het ‘n Helper by die Vader wat ons saak stel, Jesus Christus, die regverdige.’ In sy brief aan Timoteus spoor Paulus ons aan om die goeie stryd te stry (sien 1 Timoteus 6:12). Jy gaan vir seker ‘n keer of twee neergevel word. Jy het egter ‘n hoekman wat self drie rondtes met die dood geveg het. Hy is by die kruis neergevel, maar Hy het drie dae later weer opgestaan. Hy het uit die graf gestap en die stryd teen sonde en die dood gewen. Waar is Hy nou? Hy is aan die regterhand van die Vader en tree vir jou by Hom in. Met ander woorde, Christus is in jou hoek! Hy is ook nie die enigste een nie. Jesus het die Heilige Gees die ‘parákletos’ genoem, wat in Afrikaans as trooster en raadgewer vertaal word. ‘Parakleet’ is ‘n militêre term wat na Romeinse soldate verwys wat rug-aan-rug veg wanneer hulle in ‘n handgeveg betrokke raak. Hulle het sodoende mekaar se blinde kant beskerm. Dit is wat die Heilige Gees doen. Die Heilige Gees beskerm jou rug, en Christus is in jou hoek. Die profeet Jesaja noem Hom ons agterhoede: ‘…die Here trek voor julle uit, en die God van Israel is julle agterhoede’ (Jesaja 52:12 AFR). Jy het nie net een lid van die drie-enige God wat vir jou intree nie - jy het twee!

“Whatever things are…praiseworthy—meditate on these things.” Philippians 4:8 NKJV

Think good thoughts

Experts estimate that we have 50,000 to 70,000 thoughts a day. So let’s use 60,000 as a happy medium. And let’s observe four important things about our thoughts: (1) Psychologists say that 98 to 99 percent of our thoughts are habitual. In other words, they are basically the same thoughts we had yesterday, and the day before yesterday, and the day before that. Your mind must be renewed day by day (see Romans 12:2). You can’t keep thinking the same things and expect a different outcome or a different outlook. What’s the answer? Take on a learning mindset! “In all your getting, get understanding. Exalt her, and she will promote you” (Proverbs 4:7-8 NKJV). (2) Only 12 percent of our thoughts are focused on the future. But faith, by definition, is future oriented. “Faith shows the reality of what we hope for” (Hebrews 11:1 NLT). (3) A Harvard University study found that the average person spends 46.9 percent of their waking hours thinking about something other than what they are presently doing. And psychologists say, “A wandering mind is an unhappy mind.” Of course, the most obvious culprits are the digital devices that keep us disengaged. Nothing dumbs down our ability to dream like our so-called smartphones! (4) The Cleveland Clinic estimates that 80 percent of our thoughts are negative. That’s 48,000 negative thoughts per day! And when we verbalize those thoughts, it compounds the problem. What’s the answer? “Whatever things are…noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things” (NKJV).

Radio Pulpit welcomes Andile Tsako (Andy) to the studio for an engaging conversation on his musical journey. Known as a singer, songwriter, vocal producer, vocal director, and vocal coach, Andile shares how music grew from a childhood hobby in Port Elizabeth into a lifelong calling — from recording four albums with iBandla Church of Christ, to relocating to East London to pursue journalism studies, only to find music pulling him back through collaborations with fellow artists. It's an inspiring story of purpose, humility, and the unexpected ways God redirects our paths. A must-listen conversation on staying true to your calling and trusting God's timing.

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