Radio Pulpit

“…Ek is met ‘n groot taak besig, ek kan nie nou daarmee ophou en julle ontmoet nie.” Nehemia 6:3 NLV

Wees versigtig na wie jy luister

Soos Dawid se ouer broer, Eliab, sal daar altyd mense wees wat jou probeer ontmoedig om die reus in jou lewe dood te maak of enige ander Godgegewe opdrag aan te pak (sien 1 Samuel 17:28). Hul weerstand kan wees omdat hulle nie wil hê jy moet hulle agterlaat nie. Of dit kan wees dat hulle hul vrees en gebrek aan geloof op jou projekteer. Dit kan selfs afguns wees; hulle is wrokkig dat jy poog om dit te doen wat hulle te bang is om te doen. Hierdie weerstand mag dalk ‘n toppunt bereik wanneer jy slaag waar hulle misluk het. Wat ook al hul motivering en voorneme mag wees, jy sal dalk alleen in jou strewe moet staan. Nehemia se vyande het elke truuk in die boek probeer om hom te ontmoedig om die muur van Jerusalem te herbou. Hulle was meedoënloos. Let op hoe hy hul teenstand hanteer het: ‘Toe stuur Sanballat en Gesem vir my ‘n boodskap met die versoek dat ek hulle… moes ontmoet. Ek het besef dat hulle beplan het om my kwaad aan te doen. Ek het toe vir hulle ‘n boodskap teruggestuur: ‘Ek is met ‘n groot taak besig, ek kan nie nou daarmee ophou en julle ontmoet nie.’ Hulle het die boodskap vier keer vir my gestuur en elke keer het ek vir hulle dieselfde boodskap teruggestuur’ (Nehemia 6:2-4 NLV). Nehemia het standvastig gebly in dit wat hy geweet het God hom geroep het om te doen, en jy moet ook. Jy moet bereid wees om die afkeer, die afguns, die afleidings, die ontmoedigende woorde en alle ander teenstand te verduur en op God se Woord te staan: ‘…As God aan ons kant is, wie kan ooit téén ons wees?’ (Romeine 8:31 NLV). Die woord vir jou vandag is dus - wees versigtig na wie jy luister.

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

Live in day-tight compartments (2)

In The Screwtape Letters, C.S. Lewis demonstrated that God wants humankind to attend chiefly to two things: ‘To eternity itself, and to that point of time, which they call the Present. For the Present is the point at which time touches eternity.’ In light of that truth, Screwtape, the veteran demon, advised a novice named Wormwood with these words: ‘Our business is to get them away from the eternal, and from the Present. With this in view, we sometimes tempt a human…to live in the Past.’ Screwtape then advised Wormwood about another demonic tactic – getting people to live in the future. ‘We want a whole race perpetually in pursuit of the rainbow’s end, never honest, nor kind, nor happy now, but always using as mere fuel wherewith to heap on the altar of the future every real gift which is offered to them in the Present.’ Whether we are overcoming lifelong addictions or going after life goals, one key to accomplishing things is breaking them down into manageable and measurable steps. A goal is a dream with a deadline. And without a deadline, the dream is dead in the water. Successful programmes that help alcoholics and addicts find sobriety and strength use the slogan: ‘One day at a time!’ If you want to break a habit, break it down into day-tight compartments. Just like boxing, you’ll win some rounds and lose some rounds. But you’ve got to fight one day and one round at a time. Before you know it, your winning streaks will get longer, and your losing streaks will get shorter.

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

Lewe een dag op ‘n slag (2)

In The Screwtape Letters het C.S. Lewis geskryf dat God wil hê dat die mensdom hoofsaaklik aan twee dinge aandag moet gee: ‘Aan die ewigheid self en aan daardie tydstip wat hulle die Teenswoordige noem. Want die Teenswoordige is die punt waarop tyd die ewigheid aanraak.’ In die lig van hierdie waarheid het Screwtape, die veteraan-demoon, ‘n beginner, genaamd Wormwood, as volg aangeraai: ‘Ons taak is om hulle weg van die ewige en van die Teenswoordige te stuur. Met dit in gedagte, versoek ons dus soms ‘n mens om in die Verlede te leef.’ Screwtape het Wormwood toe van ‘n ander demoniese taktiek vertel - om mense so ver te kry om in die toekoms te lewe. ‘Ons wil ‘n hele generasie hê wat voortdurend die einde van die reënboog nastreef, nooit eerlik, of vriendelik, of gelukkig oor waar hulle hulle tans bevind nie, maar besig om elke geskenk wat in die Teenswoordige aan hulle gebied word, op die altaar van die toekoms op te offer.’ Of ons nou lewenslange verslawings oorkom of lewensdoelwitte nastreef, die een sleutel om dinge te bereik, is om dit in hanteerbare en meetbare stappe op te breek. ‘n Doelwit is ‘n droom met ‘n sperdatum. Suksesvolle programme wat alkoholiste en verslaafdes help om nugter te word en innerlike krag te vind, gebruik die slagspreuk: ‘Een dag op 'n slag!’ As jy ‘n gewoonte wil breek, breek dit in meetbare stappe op. Jy sal, net soos in boks, ‘n paar rondtes wen en ‘n paar rondtes verloor. Jy moet egter een dag en een rondte op ‘n slag veg. Voor jy jou oë uitvee, sal die dae wat jy wen baie meer as die dae wat jy verloor word.

‘Live one day at a time.’ Matthew 6:34 TLB

Live in day-tight compartments (1)

Sir William Osler was the most famous physician of his generation. He organised the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine and served as a professor of medicine at Oxford University. Considered the father of psychosomatic medicine, his textbook, The Principles and Practice of Medicine, was the principal reference book for medical students for three decades. But Osler’s medical career almost ended as soon as it started because of a nervous breakdown. He was trying to finish his academic requirements, start a medical practice, and make ends meet – all at the same time. It nearly killed him. Then he came across something that Thomas Carlyle wrote: ‘Our main business is not to see what lies dimly at a distance, but to do what lies clearly at hand.’ Those words revolutionised Osler’s life. In a commencement address at Yale University, Osler told the students he owed his success to a simple principle: living in day-tight compartments. He told them that they needed to let go of dead yesterdays and unborn tomorrows. ‘The load of tomorrow,’ he said, ‘added to that of yesterday, carried today, makes the strongest falter.’ David said: ‘This is the day the Lord has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it’ (Psalm 118:24 TLB). Jesus said: ‘Don’t worry at all about having enough food and clothing…your heavenly Father already knows perfectly well that you need them, and he will give them to you if you give him first place in your life and live as he wants you to. So don’t be anxious about tomorrow. God will take care of your tomorrow too. Live one day at a time’ (Matthew 6:31-34 TLB).

“…Leef vandag voluit vir God!” Matteus 6:34 DB

Lewe een dag op ‘n slag (1)

Sir William Osler was die bekendste geneesheer van sy generasie. Hy het die Johns Hopkins Skool vir Geneeskunde bestuur en as professor in medisyne aan die Universiteit van Oxford gedien. Sy handboek, The Principles and Practice of Medicine, word as die vader van psigosomatiese medisyne beskou en was vir drie dekades lank die belangrikste naslaanboek vir mediese studente. Osler se mediese loopbaan het egter, pas nadat dit begin het, amper weens ‘n senuwee-ineenstorting geëindig. Hy het probeer om aan sy akademiese vereistes te voldoen, ‘n mediese praktyk op die been te bring en kop bo water te hou - alles op dieselfde tyd. Dit het hom amper doodgemaak. Toe kom hy op die woorde van Thomas Carlyle af: ‘Our main business is not to see what lies dimly at a distance, but to do what lies clearly at hand.’ Hierdie woorde het Osler se lewe verander. In ‘n toespraak by Yale Universiteit, het Osler vir die studente gesê dat hy sy sukses aan ‘n eenvoudige beginsel te danke het: om die lewe een dag op ‘n slag te leef. Dawid het gesê: ‘Dit is die dag wat die Here gemaak het. Laat ons daaroor juig en bly wees’ (Psalm 118:24). Jesus het gesê: ‘…Hou op om te sê: ‘Wat gaan ons vandag eet en drink?’ of: ‘Wat gaan ons vandag aantrek?’…Julle het mos ’n Vader in die hemel wat presies weet wat julle nodig het. Hy sal sorg dat julle dit alles kry. Stel God se koninkryk eerste. Doen net daardie dinge wat vir Hom belangrik is. Hy sal vir die res sorg... En los môre se probleme vir die dag van môre. Van probleme het elke dag immers oorgenoeg. Leef vandag voluit vir God!’ (Matteus 6:31-34 DB).

‘Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them.’ Romans 12:9 NLT

Rules for serving

When it comes to serving others, try to live by these three rules: 1) Serve sincerely. ‘Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them.’ God knows your heart, so be honest with yourself about your true motives in serving and sacrificing for others. If you need help in this area, turn to the Scriptures: ‘For the Word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword…and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart’ (Hebrews 4:12 NKJV). 2) Serve silently. ‘When you do a charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet…that [you] may have glory from men’ (Matthew 6:2 NKJV). Note the words, ‘do not sound a trumpet’. When people take your kindness for granted or fail to appreciate the things you do for them, don’t toot your own horn. Look to God for your reward, not people; otherwise you’ll be disappointed. ‘As the eyes of servants look to the hand of their masters…so our eyes look to the Lord our God’ (Psalms 123:2 NKJV). 3) Serve selectively. You’re not called to go to every place, meet every need, and help every person. On two different occasions God stopped Paul from going into Asia to preach the gospel. But look what happened next: ‘And a vision appeared to Paul in the night. A man of Macedonia stood and pleaded with him, saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.”…immediately we sought to go to Macedonia, concluding that the Lord had called us to preach the gospel to them’ (Acts 16:9-10 NKJV). Why is this important to know? Because when God guides you, He provides for you!

“Moenie veins dat jy ander liefhet nie; doen dit uit jou hart uit…” Romeine 12:9 NLV

Reëls vir bediening

Wanneer dit by die dien van ander kom, moet jy probeer om volgens hierdie drie reëls te leef: 1) Dien opreg. ‘Moenie veins dat jy ander liefhet nie; doen dit uit jou hart uit…’ God ken jou hart, wees dus eerlik met jouself oor jou ware beweegredes om ander te dien en vir hulle op te offer. As jy hulp in hierdie area nodig het, wend jou tot die Skrif: ‘Die woord van God is vol lewenskrag en energie. Dit is skerper as die ontleedmes van ‘n chirurg… Dit vlek ons diepste motiewe en oorwegings oop’ (Hebreërs 4:12 NLV). 2) Dien stilweg. ‘Wanneer jy iemand in nood help, moenie ‘n groot okkasie daarvan maak nie. Dis wat die skynheiliges in die sinagoges en op die strate doen om deur die mense opgehemel te word…’ (Matteus 6:2 NLV). Wanneer mense jou vriendelikheid as vanselfsprekend aanvaar of nie die dinge wat jy vir hulle doen waardeer nie, moenie jou eie beuel blaas nie. Draai na God vir jou beloning en nie na mense toe nie; anders sal jy teleurgestel word. 3) Dien selektief. Jy is nie geroep om na elke plek te gaan, in elke behoefte te voorsien en elke persoon te help nie. By twee verskillende geleenthede het God Paulus gekeer om na Asië te gaan om die evangelie te gaan verkondig. Kyk egter wat volgende gebeur het: ‘Daar het Paulus in die nag ‘n visioen ontvang. Hy het ‘n Masedoniese man gesien wat hom staan en smeek: ‘Kom oor na Masedonië toe en help ons.’ …ons [het] onmiddellik Masedonië toe vertrek omdat ons tot die oortuiging gekom het dat God ons geroep het om die evangelie daar te verkondig’ (Handelinge 16:9-10 NLV). Waarom is dit belangrik? Want wanneer God jou lei, voorsien Hy vir jou!

‘The Lord said to Joshua: “Get up! Why do you lie thus on your face? Israel has sinned.”’ Joshua 7:10-11 NKJV

The consequences of disobedience

The walls of Jericho had fallen, and Joshua was flushed with victory. Their next challenge was the town of Ai, with a population of only 20,000 people. So Joshua decided that 3,000 of his soldiers could do the job. He was wrong. ‘The men of Ai chased the Israelites from the town gate as far as the quarries, and they killed about thirty-six who were retreating…The Israelites were paralysed with fear at this turn of events, and their courage melted away’ (vv. 4-5 NLT). What caused this? Achan, one of Joshua’s soldiers, had disobeyed God’s command and taken the spoils of Jericho and hidden them in his tent. As a result, Israel went down in a humiliating defeat, and Achan and his family were stoned to death in the valley of Achor. Joshua had a meltdown. He tore his clothing and fell on his face and prayed, ‘Oh, that we had been content, and dwelt on the other side of the Jordan!’ (v. 7 NKJV). Note what God said to him: ‘Get up! Why do you lie thus on your face? Israel has sinned.’ There’s an important lesson here: there’s a time to pray and a time to ‘get up’ and deal with the issues God’s talking to you about! Sometimes we pray hoping that God will overlook our disobedience or change His mind. But God’s goal is to change us! Why did Achan take the spoils of Jericho? Because he didn’t trust in God’s ability and willingness to provide for him. Is God dealing with you about the same thing?

“Die Here sê toe vir Josua: ‘Staan op. Hoekom lê jy daar op die grond? Israel het oortree…” Josua 7:10-11 NLV

Die gevolge van ongehoorsaamheid

Jerigo se mure het geval en Josua was oorweldig deur die oorwinning. Hulle volgende uitdaging was die stad Ai, met ‘n bevolking van slegs 20 000 mense. Josua het toe besluit dat 3 000 van sy soldate die stad kon inneem. Hy was egter verkeerd. ‘Die mense van Ai het die Israeliete van die poort van die stad af agternagesit en hulle gejaag tot by die klipskeure waar hulle omtrent 36 van hulle teen die skuinste doodgemaak het. Die volk se moed het in hulle skoene gesak’ (vers 5 NLV). Wat het hierdie nederlaag veroorsaak? Akan, een van Josua se soldate, het God se bevel verontagsaam en van die buit van Jerigo geneem en dit in sy tent weggesteek. Gevolglik het Israel ‘n vernederende nederlaag gely en Akan en sy familie is in die Laagte van Akor met klippe doodgegooi. Josua het ‘n ineenstorting gehad. Hy het sy klere geskeur en op die grond neergeval en gebid: ‘…As ons tog maar liewer aan die ander kant van die Jordaan gebly het!’ (vers 7 NLV). Let op wat God vir hom gesê het: ‘…Staan op. Hoekom lê jy daar op die grond? Israel het oortree…’ Daar is ‘n belangrike les hieruit te leer: daar is ‘n tyd om te bid, en daar is ‘n tyd om op te staan en die kwessies waaroor God jou aanspreek, te hanteer! Soms bid ons in die hoop dat God ons ongehoorsaamheid sal oorsien of van plan sal verander. God se doel is egter om ons te verander! Waarom het Akan van die buit van Jerigo geneem? Omdat hy nie op God se vermoë en bereidwilligheid om vir hom te sorg, vertrou het nie. Spreek God jou ook daaroor aan?

‘I am the Lord your God, who teaches you what is good for you and leads you along the paths you should follow.’ Isaiah 48:17 NLT

The paths to your destiny

You’ll probably travel several different paths on your way to your destiny. When Luciano Pavarotti was a boy, his grandmother often put him on her lap and said, ‘You’re going to be great – you’ll see.’ But his grandmother had dreams of him becoming a banker! Instead, he became a schoolteacher. He taught primary school for a while, occasionally singing at special events. His father was the one who challenged him to develop his voice, telling him he was settling far short of his potential. Finally, at age twenty-two, Pavarotti stopped teaching to sell insurance. He continued to look for something stable on which he could rely financially in case he could not make it in the music world. The insurance business allowed him time to take voice lessons, and, as they say, ‘The rest is history.’ In an interview, the opera star said, ‘Studying voice was the turning point of my life.’ Then he added, ‘It’s a mistake to settle for the safe path in life.’ It takes courage to leave a position you consider safe and launch out in a new direction, but without risk, you can never realise your potential or know all God created you to be. The greatest risk of all is to take no risk because the person who risks nothing accomplishes nothing, has nothing, feels nothing, and, in the end, becomes nothing. God may lead you along several different paths on your way to your destiny, but if you submit to His will and follow His guidance, you will surely succeed.