Radio Pulpit

“…Ek het geantwoord: ‘Here, ek sal gaan! Stuur my!’” Jesaja 6:8 NLV

Vertel die hele wêreld van Jesus

Een van die geskiedenis se grootste rampe het in 1271 plaasgevind. Daardie jaar het Niccolo en Matteo Polo, die vader en oom van Marco Polo, Kublai Khan besoek wat op daardie stadium as die wêreldheerser beskou is - met gesag oor die hele China, Indië en die hele Ooste. Kublai Khan was aangetrokke tot die verhaal van Christus soos Niccolo en Matteo dit aan hom oorvertel het. Hy het vir hulle gesê: ‘Julle moet na julle hoëpriester gaan en hom namens my sê om vir my honderd manne te stuur wat vaardig in julle godsdiens is, en ek sal gedoop word. Wanneer ek gedoop is, sal al my baronne en groot manne gedoop word en hulle onderdane sal ook gedoop word. So sal daar meer Christene hier wees as in julle deel van die wêreld.’ Verbasend genoeg is daar egter niks gedoen in reaksie op Kublai Khan se versoek nie. Eers na dertig jaar is ‘n handjievol sendelinge gestuur. Dit was te min, te laat! Christelike leiers in die Weste het blykbaar nie die visie gehad om te sien hoe die Ooste vir Christus gewen kon word nie. Dis verstommed om te dink aan die maniere waarop die wêreld vandag anders sou kon wees as die dertiende-eeuse China, Indië en die ander gebiede van Asië, Christelik geword het. Nou is dit egter ons verantwoordelikheid! Jy vra: ‘Wat kan ek doen? Ek is net een persoon.’ Jy kan drie dinge doen: 1) ‘Hierdie oes is die Here s’n. Vra Hom dan om werkers vir sy oesland te voorsien’ (Matteus 9:38 NLV). 2) Gee, sodat die ongereddes met die evangelie bereik kan word (sien 2 Korintiërs 9:7). 3) As God jou roep, gaan! ‘…Ek het geantwoord: ‘Here, ek sal gaan! Stuur my!’’

“My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from him.” Psalm 62:5 KJV

Evaluate your expectations

We all have expectations of others. Many times, we may not be totally aware of our expectations, or we don’t express them or will not acknowledge that they are unrealistic. Therefore, they can cause us a great deal of frustration. Failed expectations will always create stress if we allow them. Unfortunately, some of the most harmful expectations are the ones we have of ourselves. “I should be able to raise three children, have dinner on the table each night, work ten-hour days, and look perfect when my husband walks through the door.” Make a list of your key expectations beginning with the most important people in your life, and list your key expectations of each person. Try to be objective in whether they are realistic. Understand the origin or core reason for an expectation. Have you shared these expectations? If not, why not? Do you fear rejection? What is the worst that could happen? Are you willing to negotiate some of your expectations? To preserve your peace, there may be instances in which you may have to eliminate certain expectations. The psalmist wrote: “My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from him.” That means you may have to expect less from people and more from God. Don’t set yourself up to be frustrated. Bring your expectations before God for a valuation. Let Him weed out the unrealistic ones and give you the courage to express the ones that need to be communicated. Trust God to influence the hearts of those involved so your expectations don’t become a source of stress for you or them.

“Wees net maar stil tot God, my siel, want van Hom is my verwagting!” Psalm 62:6 AFR53

Evalueer jou verwagtinge

Ons almal het verwagtinge van ander mense. Baie keer is ons dalk nie heeltemal bewus van ons verwagtinge nie, of ons druk dit nie duidelik uit nie, of ons erken nie dat dit onrealisties is nie. Daarom kan dit ons baie frustreer. Mislukte verwagtinge sal altyd stres veroorsaak. Ongelukkig is sommige van die skadelikste verwagtinge dié wat ons van onsself het. ‘Ek behoort drie kinders groot te maak, elke aand aandete op die tafel te hê, tien uur per dag te werk en perfek te lyk wanneer my man deur die deur stap.’ Maak ‘n lys van jou belangrikste verwagtinge. Begin met die belangrikste mense in jou lewe en maak dan ‘n lys van jou belangrikste verwagtinge van elke persoon. Probeer objektief wees of dit realisties is of nie. Maak seker dat jy die oorsprong of kernrede vir ‘n verwagting verstaan. Het jy hierdie verwagtinge duidelik gemaak? Indien nie, hoekom nie? Vrees jy verwerping? Wat is die ergste wat kan gebeur? Is jy bereid om oor sommige van jou verwagtinge te onderhandel? Daar kan gevalle wees waar jy sekere verwagtinge moet uitskakel om jou eie vrede te bewaar. Die Psalmdigter het geskryf: ‘Wees net maar stil tot God, my siel, want van Hom is my verwagting!’ Dit beteken dat jy dalk minder van mense en meer van God sal moet verwag. Moenie jouself blootstel om in frustrasie te lewe nie. Bring jou verwagtinge voor God en laat Hy hulle beoordeel. Laat Hy die onrealistiese uitskakel en jou die moed gee om dié wat gekommunikeer moet word, uit te druk. Vertrou God om die harte van diegene wat betrokke is, te beïnvloed sodat jou verwagtinge nie ‘n bron van frustrasie vir jou of hulle word nie.

“Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.” 2 Peter 3:18 NKJV

Keys to spiritual growth

How can you grow spiritually? By doing these five things: (1) Rediscover the Bible. You will never grow spiritually without soaking your mind in Scripture. When Jesus told the devil, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4 NKJV), He was quoting a verse from Deuteronomy that He’d memorized. If Jesus needed the Scriptures, you do too. (2) Restart your prayer life. Charles Spurgeon said, “As well could you expect a plant to grow without air and water as to expect your heart to grow without prayer and faith.” When you venture into the realm of the impossible and start praying for God to move supernaturally in your life, you will begin to see miracles. (3) Reconnect with God’s people. “Let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together…but encouraging one another” (Hebrews 10:24-25 NIV). (4) Resist your sinful habits. “The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure” (1 Corinthians 10:13 NLT). Always choose God’s “way out.” (5) Invest in others. God has a place for you to serve and people for you to invest in. Make a quality decision that you are not going to just sit in church and soak up one more sermon; instead, begin to act on what you have learned.

“Sorg liewer dat julle steeds groei in die onverdiende goedheid en kennis van ons Here en Verlosser, Jesus Christus…” 2 Petrus 3:18 NLV

Sleutels tot geestelike groei

Hoe kan jy geestelik groei? Deur die volgende vyf dinge te doen: 1) Herontdek die Bybel. Jy sal nooit geestelik groei sonder om jou gedagtes in die Skrif te verdiep nie. Toe Jesus vir die duiwel gesê het: ‘…’n Mens het meer as brood nodig om van te lewe. Wat jy eintlik nodig het, is om te leef van elke woord uit God se mond’ (Matteus 4:4 NLV), het Hy ‘n vers uit Deuteronomium aangehaal wat Hy gememoriseer het. As Jesus die Skrif nodig gehad het, het jy dit ook nodig. 2) Hervat jou gebedslewe. Charles Spurgeon het gesê: ‘Net soos jy nie kan verwag dat ‘n plant sonder lug en water moet groei nie, so kan jy nie verwag dat jou hart sonder gebed en geloof moet groei nie.’ Wanneer jy begin bid dat God bonatuurlik in jou lewe moet optree, sal jy wonderwerke begin sien gebeur. 3) Skakel weer met God se mense. ‘Laat ons voortdurend aandag gee aan mekaar – oor hoe ons mekaar kan aanspoor tot ‘n meer kragdadige beoefening van liefde en goeie dade… Kom ons moedig mekaar aan...’ (Hebreërs 10:24-25 NLV). 4) Weerstaan jou sondige gewoontes. ‘Onthou, die versoekings wat oor julle pad kom, is nie uniek nie; ander ondervind dit ook. God is getrou. Hy sal keer dat die versoeking te sterk vir julle word. Midde-in die versoeking sal Hy vir ‘n uitweg sorg sodat julle kan volhou’ (1 Korintiërs 10:13 NLV). Kies altyd God se ‘uitweg.’ 5) Belê in ander. God het ‘n plek vir jou gereed gemaak om te dien en in mense te belê. Maak ‘n kwaliteitsbesluit dat jy nie net in die kerk gaan sit en die een preek na die ander gaan luister nie; maar dat jy gaan begin optree volgens wat jy geleer het.

“Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” Romans 12:21 NKJV

“Overcome evil with good”

During the Korean War, a South Korean civilian was arrested by the communists and ordered to be shot. When the young communist leader learned that the prisoner in his charge was the head of an orphanage caring for young children, he decided to spare him. Instead, he ordered the execution of the man’s son. The nineteen-year-old son was shot in the presence of his father. After the war, the young communist leader was captured by United Nations forces and condemned to death. But before the sentence could be carried out, the Christian whose son had been killed pleaded for the life of the killer. He argued that the communist had been young when he ordered the execution, and that he really didn’t know what he was doing. “Give him to me,” the man requested, “and I will train him.” Unusual though it was, the United Nations forces granted his request, and the father took the murderer of his son into his own home and took care of him. The Bible says, “Love never fails” (1 Corinthians 13:8 NKJV). And by being exposed to the love of God, that young communist leader became a Christian and eventually went on to become the pastor of a church. Have you been hurt, betrayed, or treated unfairly? Instead of retaliating in anger, handle it scripturally: “Never pay back evil with more evil… Never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say, ‘I will take revenge; I will pay them back,’ says the Lord…Don’t let evil conquer you, but conquer evil by doing good” (Romans 12:17, 19, 21 NLT).

“Moenie toelaat dat die slegte julle onderkry nie, maar deur goed te doen moet julle die slegte hokslaan.” Romeine 12:21 NLV

‘Deur goed te doen moet julle die slegte hokslaan’

Tydens die Koreaanse Oorlog is ‘n Suid-Koreaanse burger deur die kommuniste in hegtenis geneem. Toe die jong kommunistiese leier uitvind dat hy die hoof van ‘n weeshuis is, het hy egter besluit om sy lewe te spaar. In plaas daarvan het hy beveel dat die man se seun tereggestel moet word. Die negentienjarige seun is in die teenwoordigheid van sy vader geskiet. Na die oorlog is die jong kommunistiese leier deur die Verenigde Nasies gevange geneem en ter dood veroordeel. Voordat die vonnis egter voltrek kon word, het die Christen wie se seun doodgemaak is, vir die lewe van die moordenaar gepleit. ‘Gee hom vir my,’ het die man gevra, ‘en ek sal hom oplei.’ Hoe ongewoon dit ook al was, het die Verenigde Nasies sy versoek toegestaan en die vader het sy seun se moordenaar in sy eie huis ingeneem en vir hom gesorg. Deur aan die liefde van God blootgestel te word, het daardie jong kommunistiese leier ‘n Christen en uiteindelik die pastoor van ‘n kerk geword. Is jy al seergemaak, verraai of onregverdig behandel? In plaas daarvan om in woede terug te veg, hanteer dit Skriftuurlik: ‘Moenie vir enigiemand kwaad met kwaad terugbetaal nie… julle moet julleself nie wreek nie. Laat die straf aan God oor. Daar staan mos in die Skrif: ‘Dit is mý reg om te straf; Ek sal vergeld, sê die Here’… Moenie toelaat dat die slegte julle onderkry nie, maar deur goed te doen moet julle die slegte hokslaan’ (Romeine 12:17, 19, 21 NLV).

“The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed.” Matthew 13:31 NIV

God has given you seed to sow

Jesus said: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. Though it is the smallest of all seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds come and perch in its branches” (vv. 31-32 NIV). A mustard seed is only two millimeters in diameter and comes in three primary varieties: yellow, black, and white. Within that seed is a remarkable nutritional profile, including vitamin A, B6, B12, C, E, and K. It’s also a source of calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, and zinc. It has anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties. Jesus pointed out that when it’s planted, it can grow up and become one of the largest trees in the garden, blessing the birds of the air by providing them with a home. Paul wrote: “Now may He who supplies seed to the sower…multiply the seed you have sown and increase the fruits of your righteousness” (2 Corinthians 9:10 NKJV). Who does God give “seed” to? Sowers, not hoarders! What does God do with your seed when you sow it? He multiplies it! The seed you sow can be in the form of time, service, wisdom, money, compassion, etc. And God promises that when you sow, you will reap His blessing. “God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work” (2 Corinthians 9:8 NIV). God has given you seed—sow it!

“…God se koningsheerskappy is soos ‘n mosterdsaad wat iemand in sy tuin geplant het.” Matteus 13:31 NLV

God het vir jou saad gegee om te saai

Jesus het gesê: ‘…God se koningsheerskappy is soos ‘n mosterdsaad wat iemand in sy tuin geplant het. Dit is die kleinste van alle saadsoorte, maar as dit groei, word dit groter as al die ander plante in die tuin. Dit word so ‘n groot boom dat die voëls in sy takke kan kom nesmaak’ (verse 31-32 NLV). ‘n Mosterdsaad is slegs twee millimeter in deursnee en kom in drie primêre kleure voor: geel, swart en wit. Binne daardie merkwaardige saad is vitamien A, B6, B12, C, E en K. Dit is ook ‘n bron van kalsium, yster, magnesium, fosfor, kalium, natrium en sink. Dit het anti-inflammatoriese en anti-kanker eienskappe. Jesus het daarop gewys dat wanneer dit geplant word, dit groei om een van die grootste bome in die tuin te word, wat die voëls van die hemel seën deur hulle van ‘n tuiste te voorsien. Paulus het geskryf: ‘God wat saad voorsien aan die saaier en dan brood om te eet, sal ook aan julle saad gee en dit laat toeneem en die vrugte van julle goedhartigheid lieflik laat groei’ (2 Korintiërs 9:10 NLV). Aan wie gee God ‘saad’? Aan saaiers, nie aan opgaarders nie! Wat doen God met jou saad wanneer jy dit saai? Hy vermeerder dit! Die saad wat jy saai kan in die vorm van tyd, diens, wysheid, geld, deernis, ens. wees. God belowe dat wanneer jy saai, jy sy seën sal oes. ‘En God is in staat om aan julle elke gawe in oorvloed te gee sodat julle in elke opsig genoeg kan hê én ook nog oorvloedig kan wees in elke goeie werk’ (2 Korintiërs 9:8 NLV). God het vir jou saad gegee - saai dit!

“Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord, but those who deal truthfully are His delight.” Proverbs 12:22 NKJV

Tell the truth

Rosalie Elliot made it to the fourth round of a national spelling contest in Washington, DC. The eleven-year-old from South Carolina was asked to spell the word avowal. In her soft southern accent, she spelled the word, but the judges were unable to determine if she had used an a or an e as the next-to-last letter. They debated among themselves for several minutes as they listened to the recording, but it was too accent-blurred to decipher. Finally, the chief judge put the question to the only person who knew the answer. “Was the letter an a, or was it an e?” he asked Rosalie. By this time, being surrounded by whispering young spellers, Rosalie knew the correct spelling of the word. Still, without hesitation, she replied that she had misspelled the word, and she walked from the stage. The entire audience stood and applauded, including some fifty newspaper reporters. The moment was a proud one for her parents. Even in defeat, she was a victor. Indeed, more has been written about Rosalie Elliot over the years than about the “unknown” winner of the event. As a redeemed child of God, your heavenly Father requires honesty in word and deed. “The truthful lip shall be established forever, but a lying tongue is but for a moment” (Proverbs 12:19 NKJV). “Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds” (Colossians 3:9 NKJV). “Therefore, put away lying, ‘Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbour,’ for we are members of one another” (Ephesians 4:25 NKJV).