Radio Pulpit

“Sal twee mense saam op reis gaan sonder om eers af te spreek om dit te doen?” Amos 3:3 NLV

Stel finansiële grense

Dit is geen geheim dat die meerderheid huwelike deesdae weens finansiële probleme misluk nie. Ander verhoudings kan ook bedreig word wanneer ons nie ‘n lening terug betaal of ons finansiële verantwoordelikhede nakom nie. Die volgende drie strategieë sal help om hierdie slaggate te vermy: 1) Besluit saam met jou eggenoot die maksimum bedrag wat elkeen van julle sonder die ander se toestemming mag spandeer. Enige bedrag bo hierdie limiet sal volledige instemming vereis. Elke paartjie definieer ‘n ‘groot’ aankoop anders, afhangende van hul huishoudelike inkomste - hou dus by julle besluit. Dit is belangrik. As julle nie oor ‘n transaksie saamstem nie, sal julle geneig wees om vinger te wys indien die transaksie skeefloop. 2) Lig julle familie in dat persoonlike lenings teen julle beleid is. Indien jy besluit om ‘n uitsondering te maak, maak seker dat jou eggenoot ten volle saamstem. As jy wys is, sal jy die voorwaardes en spertye van die lening op skrif stel. 3) Moenie jou kind, eggenoot of enigiemand anders in staat stel om onverantwoordelik te lewe deur hom of haar finansieel by te staan of altyd hul veiligheidsnet te wees nie. Sê net nee. Wanneer jy nie nee sê nie, word een van God se effektiefste beginsels ondermyn – deur die gevolge van hulle onverantwoordelike finansiële gedrag te ontduik. Ware volwassenheid vind plaas wanneer hierdie les geleer word. Liefde moet soms streng wees! Dring byvoorbeeld aan dat jou volwasse kind wat steeds in die huis bly, sy of haar huurgeld moet betaal. Dit demonstreer karakterbouende liefde, wat ware liefde is. As jy finansiële grense moet stel, doen dit!

“Go…teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you.” Matthew 28:19-20 NKJV

History is His story

The words Jesus spoke changed the world forever. These were the last instructions to His disciples: “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations…teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you” (vv. 18-20 NKJV). Jesus’ followers took this seriously: “Daily in the temple, and in every house, they did not cease teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ” (Acts 5:42 NKJV). They remembered that they followed a man who taught everyone, and who commanded them to teach all peoples. So they did. They began to teach both men and women, both slaves and free. Some of the world’s greatest teaching institutions were founded by followers of Christ. Oxford and Cambridge Universities began in the thirteenth century. (The motto of Oxford University is from Psalm 27:1: “The Lord is my light.”) George Marsden noted: “One of the remarkable facts about American history is that within six years of landing in Massachusetts wilderness, Puritans established what would soon become a reputable college.” These words are from a student handbook: “Let every student be plainly instructed and earnestly pressed to consider well, the main end of his life and studies is to know God and Jesus Christ, which is eternal life (John 17:3), and therefore to lay Christ…as the only foundation of all sound knowledge and learning.” That was Harvard University! And 92 percent of the first 138 colleges and universities founded in America were begun by followers of Christ. His words not only inform us; they also transform us.

“Gaan dan… Leer hulle om alles te gehoorsaam wat Ek aan julle opgedra het…” Matteus 28:19-20 NLV

‘History is His story’

Die woorde wat Jesus gespreek het, het die wêreld vir altyd verander. Sy laaste instruksie aan sy dissipels was die volgende: ‘…God het die volle mag oor hemel en aarde aan My toevertrou. Gaan dan, maak al die nasies my dissipels… Leer hulle om alles te gehoorsaam wat Ek aan julle opgedra het…’ (verse 18-20 NLV). Jesus se volgelinge het dit ernstig opgeneem: ‘En elke dag het hulle aangehou om mense in die tempel en van huis tot huis te onderrig en die Goeie Nuus te preek dat Jesus die Messias is’ (Handelinge 5:42 NLV). Hulle het onthou dat hulle ‘n man gevolg het wat almal geleer het en wat hulle beveel het om al die volke te leer. Hulle het begin om beide mans en vroue en beide slawe en vrymense, te leer. Van die wêreld se grootste onderwysinstellings is deur volgelinge van Christus gestig. Oxford en Cambridge Universiteite is in die dertiende eeu gestig. (Die leuse van Oxford Universiteit kom uit Psalm 27:1: ‘Die Here is my lig.’) George Marsden het opgemerk: ‘Dis merkwaardig dat die Puriteine binne ses jaar nadat hul in die wildernis van Massachusett geland het, ‘n leerskool begin het wat kort daarna ‘n gerespekteerde kollege sou word.’ Hierdie woorde kom uit ‘n studentehandboek van daardie kollege: ‘Laat elke student duidelik onderrig en ernstig aangespoor word dat die hoofdoel van sy lewe en studies sal wees om God en Jesus Christus te ken, wat die ewige lewe is (sien Johannes 17:3), en om Christus as die enigste fondament van alle gesonde kennis en leer te beskou.’ Dit was Harvard Universiteit! 92 persent van die eerste 138 kolleges en universiteite wat in Amerika gestig is, is deur volgelinge van Christus begin. Sy woorde gee nie net kennis nie; dit transformeer ons ook.

“Only the Lord gives wisdom.” Proverbs 2:6 NCV

Pray for wisdom

Here’s Paul’s prayer for the Ephesian church: “That…God…may give you the spirit of wisdom and revelation” (Ephesians 1:17 NKJV). For the Colossian church, he asked that God would fill them with “the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding” (Colossians 1:9 NKJV). James wrote: “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God…and it will be given to him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting” (James 1:5-6 NKJV). Godly wisdom also comes to us by Bible reading. This is why Paul, in his last letter before being beheaded for the gospel, wrote to his successor Timothy and said, “From childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation” (2 Timothy 3:15 NKJV). How would you know that the wisdom you’re walking in comes from God? “God’s wisdom begins with a holy life…characterized by getting along with others. It is gentle and reasonable, overflowing with mercy and blessings, not hot one day and cold the next, not two-faced” (James 3:17 MSG). As young Solomon took the throne of Israel God asked him, “What shall I give you?” (1 Kings 3:5 NKJV). Solomon answered: “‘Give to Your servant an understanding heart.’…The speech pleased the Lord, that Solomon had asked this thing” (1 Kings 3:9-10 NKJV). As a result, Solomon became known as one of the wisest men who ever lived, and he wrote three of the books of the Bible. And the God who gave him wisdom will give it to you too. All you have to do is pray for it and open your heart and mind to His Word.

“Dit is tog die Here wat wysheid gee…” Spreuke 2:6 NLV

Bid vir wysheid

Hier is Paulus se gebed vir die kerk in Efese: ‘…dat die God van ons Here Jesus Christus…aan julle geestelike wysheid en insig sal gee…’ (Efesiërs 1:17 NLV). Vir die kerk in Kolosse het hy gevra dat God ‘…geestelike wysheid en insig aan julle sal gee sodat julle heeltemal seker sal wees van wat Hy wil hê’ (Kolossense 1:9 NLV). Jakobus het geskryf: ‘Vra vir God as jy nie kan agterkom wat Hy wil hê jy moet doen nie. Hy sal jou eenvoudig daardie wysheid gee. Maar, as ‘n mens bid, moet jy die vertroue hê dat God sal antwoord…’ (Jakobus 1:5-6 NLV). Hoe kan jy weet dat die wysheid waarin jy wandel, van God af kom? ‘Maar as ‘n mens leef soos God dit in sy wysheid bedoel het, sal jou lewe heeltemal anders lyk. Dit sal ‘n lewe wees waarop die sonde geen houvas het nie. So iemand sal in vrede met ander mense saamleef…’ (Jakobus 3:17 DB). Toe die jong Salomo die troon van Israel bestyg het, het God hom gevra: ‘…Wat wil jy hê?..’ (1 Konings 3:5 NLV). Salomo het geantwoord: ‘’Gee my tog die vermoë om met verstandigheid en regverdigheid oor u volk te regeer…’ Die Here was tevrede met Salomo se antwoord…’ (1 Konings 3:9-10 NLV). Salomo het bekendheid as een van die wysste manne wat ooit geleef het, verwerf en hy het drie van die boeke in die Bybel geskryf. Die God wat vir hom wysheid gegee het, sal dit ook vir jou gee. Al wat jy hoef te doen is om daarvoor te bid en jou hart en verstand vir sy Woord oop te maak.

“This is the day the Lord has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.” Psalm 118:24 NKJV

The greatest moment in your life is now

The greatest moment in your life is now. Not because it’s pleasant or happy or easy, but because it’s the only moment you’ve got. Every past moment is irretrievably gone. It’s never coming back. If you live there, you lose your life. And the future is always out there somewhere. You can spend an eternity waiting for tomorrow or worrying about tomorrow. If you live there, you likewise will lose your life. This moment is God’s irreplaceable gift to you. Most of all, this is the moment that matters because this is the moment where God is. If you are going to be with God at all, you must be with Him now—in this moment. That is why the Psalmist says: “This is the day the Lord has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.” That is why the prophet Jeremiah said God’s mercies never fail because “they are new every morning” (Lamentations 3:23 NKJV). That is why the apostle Paul said, “Be careful how you live…Make the most of every opportunity…Understand what the Lord wants you to do” (Ephesians 5:15-17 NLT). Frederick Buechner wrote, “Morning, afternoon, evening—the hours of the day, of any day, of your day and my day. The alphabet of grace. If there is a God who speaks anywhere, surely he speaks here: through waking up and working, through going away and coming back again, through people you meet and books you read, through falling asleep in the dark.” All of this means one thing—the greatest moment in your life is now.

“‘Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?’ Then I said, ‘Here am I! Send me.’” Isaiah 6:8 NKJV

Your reaction time matters

Do you remember the ten spies who doubted God’s ability to deliver on His promise and dissuaded the Israelites from entering the Promised Land? Their doubt was so offensive to God—He had already revealed His power to them through the exodus from Egypt and the parting of the Red Sea—that God executed judgment on the spot. The very next day, the Israelites did an about-face. They changed their minds, but it was too little, too late. One day’s delay cost them forty years! They missed out on the Promised Land because their reaction time was too slow. Now that doesn’t mean you should live in fear of missing out. After all, God is the God of second chances (see Jonah 3:1). But please understand this: inaction is an action, and indecision is a decision. When you’re dealing with God, your response time is all important. Paul’s ministry began when he had a life-changing encounter with Christ on the Damascus road. Immediately he fell to his knees and cried: “Lord, what do You want me to do?” (Acts 9:6 NKJV). In the book of Isaiah, when heaven opened and God said, “‘Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?” immediately the prophet Isaiah said, “‘Here am I! Send me.’ And He said, ‘Go, and tell this people’” (Isaiah 6:8-9 NKJV). You don’t want to get ahead of God, and you don’t want to lag behind Him. What you want to do is seize the opportunities He gives you as quickly, as decisively, and as boldly as you possibly can. Your reaction time matters.

“Dit is die dag wat die Here gemaak het. Laat ons daaroor juig en bly wees.” Psalm 118:24 NLV

Die grootste oomblik in jou lewe is nou

Die grootste oomblik in jou lewe is nou. Nie omdat dit aangenaam of gelukkig of maklik is nie, maar omdat dit die enigste oomblik is wat jy het. Elke oomblik in die verlede is onherroeplik verby. Dit kom nooit terug nie. As jy in die verlede leef, verloor jy jou lewe. Die toekoms is altyd iewers daar buite. Jy kan ‘n ewigheid vir môre wag of jou oor môre bekommer. As jy in die toekoms leef, sal jy ook jou lewe verloor. Hierdie oomblik is God se onvervangbare geskenk aan jou. Bowenal is dit hierdie oomblik wat saak maak, want God is in hierdie oomblik. As jy enigsins by God wil wees, moet jy nou by Hom wees - in hierdie oomblik. Daarom sê die Psalmdigter: ‘Dit is die dag wat die Here gemaak het. Laat ons daaroor juig en bly wees.’ Daarom het die profeet Jeremia gesê dat mens altyd op God se genade kan vertrou, want ‘…Dit is elke oggend nuut’ (Klaagliedere 3:23 NLV). Daarom het die apostel Paulus gesê: ‘Wees dus baie versigtig hoe julle lewe… Benut elke geleentheid… probeer uitvind wat God se wil is’ (Efesiërs 5:15-17 NLV). Frederick Buechner het geskryf: ‘Morning, afternoon, evening - the hours of the day, of any day, of your day and my day. The alphabet of grace. If there is a God who speaks anywhere, surely He speaks here: through waking up and working, through going away and coming back again, through people you meet and books you read, through falling asleep in the dark.’ Dit alles beteken net een ding - die grootste oomblik in jou lewe is nou.

“…’Wie kan Ek met ‘n boodskap na my volk toe stuur? Wie sal vir ons gaan?’ Ek het geantwoord: ‘Here, ek sal gaan! Stuur my!’” Jesaja 6:8 NLV

Jou reaksietyd maak saak

Onthou jy die tien spioene wat God se vermoë om sy belofte na te kom betwyfel het en die Israeliete ontmoedig het om die Beloofde Land binne te gaan? Hul twyfel was so aanstootlik vir God - Hy het immers reeds sy mag aan hulle deur die uittog uit Egipte en die skeiding van die Rooi See geopenbaar - dat God dadelik sy oordeel oor hulle voltrek het. Die volgende dag het die Israeliete ‘n ommeswaai gemaak. Hulle het van plan verander, maar dit was te min, te laat. Een dag se vertraging het hulle veertig jaar gekos! Hulle het die Beloofde Land misgeloop omdat hul reaksietyd te stadig was. Dit beteken nie dat jy in vrees moet leef om iets mis te loop nie. God is immers die God van tweede kanse (sien Jona 3:1). Jy moet egter die volgende verstaan: onaktiwiteit is ‘n aksie en besluiteloosheid is ‘n besluit. Wanneer jy met God te doen het, is jou reaksietyd van kardinale belang. Paulus se bediening het begin toe hy ‘n lewensveranderende ontmoeting met Christus op die Damaskuspad gehad het. Onmiddellik het hy op sy knieë geval en uitgeroep: ‘…Here, wat wil U hê moet ek doen?..’ (Handelinge 9:6 AFR53). Toe die hemel oopgaan en God vra: ‘…Wie kan Ek met ‘n boodskap na my volk toe stuur? Wie sal vir ons gaan?..’ het die profeet Jesaja onmiddellik geantwoord: ‘…Here, ek sal gaan! Stuur my!’ Hy het gesê: ‘Ja, gaan. Sê vir die mense so…’’ (Jesaja 6:8-9 NLV). Jy wil nie God vooruitloop nie en jy wil nie agtergelaat word nie. Wat jy moet doen, is om die geleenthede wat Hy jou gee so vinnig, so beslis en so dapper as moontlik aan te gryp. Jou reaksietyd maak saak.

“The weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God.” 2 Corinthians 10:4 NKJV

You can conquer your hang-ups

Today’s problem is not necessarily tomorrow’s problem. Don’t incarcerate yourself by assuming it is. Resist self-labeling: “I’m just a worrier.” “Gossip is my weakness.” “My dad was a drinker; I guess I’ll carry on the tradition.” Stop that! These words create alliances with the devil. They grant him access to your spirit. It’s not God’s will that you live a defeated, unhappy life. Turn a deaf ear to the old voices and make new choices. “The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places; yes, I have a good inheritance” (Psalm 16:6 NKJV). Live out of your inheritance, not your circumstances. God has already promised you victory and provided you with weapons for the fight. “Though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds” (2 Corinthians 10:3-4 NKJV). How did Joshua conquer Jericho? By using God’s strategy: “Take up the ark of the covenant and let seven priests bear seven trumpets of rams’ horns before the ark of the Lord” (Joshua 6:6 NKJV). The ark of the covenant was the symbol of God’s presence. Joshua placed it in the middle of the procession. Every activity orbited around God. The secret of victory is to keep God center stage in your life, using the weapons of worship, Scripture, and prayer. Employ every tool God offers: Scripture memorization and petition. Turn off the TV and open the Bible more. Worry less and pray more. You can conquer your hang-ups by drawing daily on the presence of God.