Radio Pulpit

“…Al is ons uiterlike mens besig om te vergaan, innerlik word ons van dag tot dag vernuwe.” 2 Korintiërs 4:16 NLV

Oorwinning is ‘n ‘inside job’

In 1928 is ‘n gelukkige, ambisieuse jong verpleegstudent met tuberkulose gediagnoseer. Destyds het so ‘n diagnose dikwels ‘n doodsvonnis beteken. Haar familie het haar vir ‘n paar maande na ‘n sanitorium gestuur in die hoop dat sy genees sou word. Sy was egter bestem om vir die volgende een-en-twintig jaar in die bed te bly! Baie mense sou moed opgegee het, maar nie Isabel Smith nie. Sy was ‘n paar keer op die drumpel van die dood, maar haar geloof het sterk gebly en sy het nooit opgehou om positief en met ywer te leef nie. Sy het gulsig gelees, briewe geskryf, aardrykskunde bestudeer en ander pasiënte leer lees en skryf. Terwyl sy siek was, het sy ‘n vriendelike, sagte man ontmoet wat ook ‘n pasiënt by die sanatorium was. Sy het daarvan gedroom om met hom te trou en in ‘n klein huisie aan die voet van die berge te bly. Op haar laagste het haar droom haar aan die gang gehou. Sy is in 1948 getroud. Sy het toe ‘n boek met die titel ‘Wish I Might’ geskryf, wat in 1955 gepubliseer is. Die boek het gehandel oor ‘al die goeie dinge wat die lewe my gebring het’, en sy het genoeg geld daaruit verdien om die bergtoevlugsoord waarvan sy gedroom het, te koop. ‘n Tragiese lewe? Glad nie! Isabel Smith het alles bereik wat sy wou, alhoewel die kanse teen haar oorweldigend was. Selfs toe sy plat op haar rug in die bed gelê het, het sy nooit ophou groei, leer, droom en gee nie. ‘…Al is ons uiterlike mens besig om te vergaan, innerlik word ons van dag tot dag vernuwe.’ Oorwinning is ‘n ‘inside job.’

‘Lazy people want much but get little, but those who work hard will prosper.’ Proverbs 13:4 NLT

The rewards of vision and hard work

In the autumn of 1894, Guglielmo retreated to his room on the third floor. All summer while on holiday, he read books and filled notebooks with squiggly diagrams. Now the time had come for him to work. Every day, he rose early. He worked all day and long into the night, to the point that his mother became alarmed. He had never been a robust person, but now he had become appallingly thin. His face was drawn, and his eyes were often glazed over with fatigue. Finally, the day came when he announced that his instruments were ready. He invited the family to his room and, pushing a button, he succeeded in ringing a bell on the first floor! While his mother was amazed, his father was not. He saw no use in being able to send a signal so short a distance. So Guglielmo laboured on. Little by little, he made changes in his sending circuits so he could send a signal from one hill to the next and then beyond the hill. Eventually his invention was perfected – partly due to vision and inspiration, but mostly due to perseverance. Guglielmo Marconi was eventually hailed as the inventor of wireless telegraphy, radio’s forerunner. He not only received a Nobel Prize in physics but also acquired a seat in the Italian senate. If you want what successful people have, you must be willing to do what successful people do. And 99 per cent of their success is due to vision and hard work. ‘Lazy people want much but get little, but those who work hard will prosper.’

“Luiaards begeer baie dinge, maar hulle kry dit nie. Mense wat hard werk, het meer as wat hulle kan begeer.” Spreuke 13:4 NLV

Die beloning vir visie en harde werk

In die herfs van 1894 het Guglielmo hom in sy kamer op die derde verdieping afgesonder. Die hele somer terwyl hy met vakansie was, het hy boeke gelees en notaboeke met kronkelende diagramme vol geskryf. Nou het die tyd vir hom aangebreek om te werk. Elke dag het hy vroeg opgestaan. Hy het heeldag en tot laat in die nag gewerk, soveel so dat sy moeder bekommerd oor hom begin raak het. Hy was nog nooit ‘n sterk persoon nie, maar nou het hy verskriklik maer geword en sy oë was dikwels glaserig van moegheid. Uiteindelik het die dag aangebreek om sy werk ten toon te stel. Hy het die gesin na sy kamer genooi en deur ‘n knoppie te druk, het hy daarin geslaag om ‘n klokkie op die eerste verdieping te laat lui! Sy ma was beïndruk, maar nie sy pa nie. Hy het geen nut daarin gesien om ‘n sein oor so kort afstand te kan stuur nie. Dus het Guglielmo aanhou werk. Bietjie vir bietjie het hy veranderinge aangebring totdat hy ‘n sein van een heuwel na die volgende en dan selfs verder as die heuwel kon stuur. Uiteindelik is sy uitvinding vervolmaak - deels danksy visie en inspirasie, maar meestal danksy deursettingsvermoë. Guglielmo Marconi is uiteindelik as die uitvinder van draadlose telegrafie, die voorloper van die radio, beskou. Hy het nie net ‘n Nobelprys vir fisika ontvang nie, maar ook ‘n setel in die Italiaanse senaat verwerf. As jy wil hê wat suksesvolle mense het, moet jy bereid wees om te doen wat suksesvolle mense doen. 99 persent van hul sukses is egter aan visie en harde werk te danke. ‘Luiaards begeer baie dinge, maar hulle kry dit nie. Mense wat hard werk, het meer as wat hulle kan begeer.’

‘He sent his word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions.’ Psalm 107:20 KJV

God can heal you (5)

Here’s a prayer for healing and continued good health: ‘Father, the power of Your Word is the source of my healing and continued good health. It declares that You have delivered me from all destruction. I may have made decisions in the past that caused ill health in my life, but You have forgiven me in Christ, and You deliver me continuously from all sickness, pain, weakness, and disease. Your Word says: “Because you have made the Lord…your dwelling place, no evil shall befall you, nor shall any plague come near your dwelling” (Psalm 91:9-10 NKJV). You are my refuge and my dwelling place. There is no sickness in Your presence, and since I abide in you, sickness cannot remain in my life. I am protected because I am in Christ. Your Word says, “Let the weak say, ‘I am strong’” (Joel 3:10 NKJV). So I call myself strong even when I feel weak. Lord, your Word says You will satisfy my mouth with good things so that my youth is renewed (see Psalm 103:5). You are my source of complete satisfaction, and I believe my youth and strength are being renewed. As a result, I age gracefully in Christ. Lord, Your Word says that I can call upon You, and You will answer me. You will be with me in trouble; You will deliver me and honour me. With long life You will satisfy me, and show me Your salvation (see Psalm 91:15-16). Therefore, I stand on Your Word and declare by faith: “I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the Lord”’ (Psalm 118:17 NKJV).

“Met ‘n woord het Hy hulle genees, en hulle van die dood weggeruk.” Psalm 107:20 NLV

God kan jou genees (5)

Hier is ‘n gebed vir genesing en volgehoue goeie gesondheid: ‘Vader, die krag van u Woord is die bron van my genesing en volgehoue goeie gesondheid. Dit verklaar dat U my van alle vernietiging verlos het. Ek het dalk in die verlede besluite geneem wat swak gesondheid in my lewe veroorsaak het, maar U het my in Christus vergewe, en U verlos my voortdurend van alle siekte, pyn, swakheid en kwale. U Woord sê: ‘As die Here jou toevlug is, as die Allerhoogste jou skuilplek is, sal geen kwaad jou tref, en geen ramp naby jou tent kom nie’ (Psalm 91:9-10 NLV). U is my toevlug en my skuilplek. Daar is geen siekte in u teenwoordigheid nie en aangesien ek in U bly, kan siekte nie in my lewe bly nie. Ek word beskerm omdat ek in Christus is. U Woord sê: ‘…laat die swakkes sê: Ek is sterk’ (Joël 3:10 KAB23). Daarom noem ek myself sterk, selfs wanneer ek swak voel. Here, u Woord sê U sal my lewe met goeie dinge vul, sodat my jeug vernuwe word (sien Psalm 103:5). U is my bron van volkome tevredenheid en ek glo dat my jeug en krag hernu word. Gevolglik verouder ek goedgunstelik in Christus. Here, u Woord sê dat ek U kan aanroep en dat U my sal antwoord. U sal by my wees in nood; U sal my verlos en my eer herstel. U sal vir my ‘n lang lewe gee en my u verlossing wys (sien Psalm 91:15-16). Daarom staan ek op u Woord en verklaar deur geloof: ‘Ek sal nie sterf nie, maar lewe, en van die Here se werke vertel’ (Psalm 118:17 NLV).’

‘He who received seed on the good ground is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit.’ Matthew 13:23 NKJV

God can heal you (4)

Just because you haven’t seen results yet doesn’t mean your prayer is not being answered. The Word of God is a seed; it needs time to produce fruit. Ask God for the grace to hold on to what you believe from His Word while it takes root and grows. No matter what the situation, it’s always a good time to be thankful. Satan wants you to focus on your circumstances and what appears unchanged instead of thanking God for the part of your life that has gotten better. As you are standing in faith and allowing the Word to work inside you, continue to meditate on the promises of God about healing. God’s Word works when you plant it in your heart. Keep watering that seed by continuing to speak God’s promises over your life. God said: ‘The rain and snow come down from the heavens and stay on the ground to water the earth. They cause the grain to grow, producing seed for the farmer and bread for the hungry. It is the same with my word. I send it out, and it always produces fruit. It will accomplish all I want it to, and it will prosper everywhere I send it’ (Isaiah 55:10-11 NLT). What did God say about His Word? ‘It will accomplish all I want it to, and it will prosper everywhere I send it.’ Keep your faith strong and stand on God’s Word; ‘I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living’ (Psalm 27:13 NIV).

“Hulle by wie op die goeie grond gesaai is, is dié wat die boodskap hoor en verstaan. Hulle dra vrug en bring ‘n oorvloedige oes voort…” Matteus 13:23 NLV

God kan jou genees (4)

Net omdat jy nog nie resultate gesien het nie, beteken nie dat jou gebed nie verhoor word nie. Die Woord van God is ‘n saad; dit het tyd nodig om vrugte te dra. Vra God vir die genade om aan dit wat jy glo uit sy Woord vas te hou, terwyl dit wortel skiet en groei. Ongeag die situasie, is dit altyd ‘n goeie tyd om dankbaar te wees. Satan wil hê dat jy op jou omstandighede en wat onveranderd lyk, moet fokus, in plaas daarvan om God te dank vir die deel van jou lewe wat beter geword het. Terwyl jy in geloof staan en die Woord toelaat om binne-in jou te werk, moet jy aanhou om oor die beloftes van God wat oor genesing handel, te mediteer. God se Woord werk wanneer jy dit in jou hart plant. Hou aan om daardie saad nat te gooi deur God se beloftes oor jou lewe te spreek. God het gesê: ‘Reën en sneeu kom uit die hemel, en dit gaan nie daarheen terug nie. Dit maak die aarde nat om die plante te laat bot en vrugte te laat dra, sodat daar saad is om te saai en brood om te eet. Net so is dit met die woord wat uit my mond kom. Dit sal nie leeg na My toe terugkeer nie, maar dit sal doen wat Ek verwag en die doel bereik waarvoor Ek dit gestuur het’ (Jesaja 55:10-11 NLV). Hou jou geloof sterk en staan vas op God se Woord: ‘Tog is ek daarvan oortuig: Die Here se goedheid sal ek sien hier in die land van die lewendes’ (Psalm 27:13 NLV).

‘At the proper time we will reap…if we do not give up.’ Galatians 6:9 NIV

God can heal you (3)

Healing can happen in different ways. Sometimes God performs a miracle and instantly heals someone. Other times He heals a person progressively. When looking at Scripture and the many miracles Jesus performed, it’s easy to think He always healed people in the same fashion. But on closer examination, we see that in many cases He didn’t do the same thing twice. For instance, here’s how He healed those who were blind: 1) In Matthew 9:29, Jesus healed two blind men by simply touching their eyes. 2) In Mark 10:52, He healed blind Bartimaeus by speaking to him rather than touching him. 3) In Mark 8:22-25, He put saliva on a blind man’s eyes and laid hands on him twice before he was completely healed. Jesus wasn’t bound by one method of healing people – but He was always willing to heal them. Regardless of the method, the receivers consistently showed belief in His ability to heal and willingness to release His power on their behalf. And the same is true today! If you’ve prayed for healing and nothing happened immediately, that doesn’t mean your faith faltered. It also doesn’t mean that God is angry at you or that He wants you to suffer. It just means it’s time to thank God that you are taking Him at His Word and believing you are getting progressively better day by day: ‘By whose stripes you were healed’ (1 Peter 2:24 NKJV). That means believing that what is already accomplished in the Spirit realm will eventually manifest itself in the physical realm. From God’s perspective, your healing has been bought and paid for.

“…as ons nie tou opgooi nie, sal ons op die regte tyd oes.” Galasiërs 6:9 NLV

God kan jou genees (3)

Genesing kan op verskillende maniere plaasvind. Soms verrig God ‘n wonderwerk en genees iemand onmiddellik. Ander kere genees Hy iemand progressief. Wanneer ons na die Skrif kyk en die vele wonderwerke wat Jesus verrig het, is dit maklik om te dink dat Hy mense altyd op dieselfde manier genees het. By nadere ondersoek sien ons egter dat Hy in baie gevalle nie twee keer dieselfde opgetree het nie. 1) In Matteus 9:29 het Jesus twee blinde mans genees deur bloot aan hulle oë te raak. 2) In Markus 10:52 het Hy die blinde Bartimeus genees deur met hom te praat, eerder as om hom aan te raak. 3) In Markus 8:22-25 het Hy speeksel aan ‘n blinde man se oë gesmeer en hom twee keer die hande opgelê voordat hy heeltemal genees was. Jesus was nie aan een metode om mense te genees gebonde nie - maar Hy was altyd bereid om hulle te genees. Ongeag die metode, het die ontvangers konsekwent geloof in sy vermoë om te genees en bereidwilligheid om sy krag namens hulle vry te stel, getoon. Dieselfde is vandag ook waar! As jy vir genesing gebid het en niks gebeur onmiddellik nie, beteken dit nie dat jou geloof wankel nie. Dit beteken ook nie dat God kwaad is vir jou of dat Hy wil hê jy moet ly nie. Dit beteken net dat dit tyd is om God te dank dat jy in sy belofte kan glo en dat jy dag vir dag progressief beter word: ‘…Deur sý verwonding is julle genees!’ (1 Petrus 2:24 NLV). Dit beteken om te glo dat dit wat reeds in die geestelike ryk bereik is, uiteindelik in die fisiese ryk sal manifesteer. Vanuit God se perspektief is jou genesing reeds gekoop en betaal.

‘He forgives all my sins and heals all my diseases.’ Psalm 103:3 NLT

God can heal you (2)

The psalmist wrote: ‘Let all that I am praise the Lord; may I never forget the good things he does for me. He forgives all my sins and heals all my diseases. He redeems me from death and crowns me with love and tender mercies’ (vv. 2-4 NLT). David reminded himself of these four things, and you should too. God had forgiven all his sins. God had healed all his diseases. God had redeemed his life from death and destruction. God had crowned him with love, kindness, mercy, and favour. The Bible records: ‘A vast crowd brought to him people who were lame, blind, crippled, those who couldn’t speak, and many others. They laid them before Jesus, and he healed them all’ (Matthew 15:30 NLT). Were these born-again Christians that Jesus healed? No, this took place before the cross. Think about it: if Jesus was willing to heal all of them, then as a redeemed child of God who has put your trust in Christ for salvation, He can heal you too. Are you a believer? Yes? Then read this Scripture and stand on it: ‘These signs will follow those who believe…they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover’ (Mark 16:17-18 NKJV). James wrote: ‘Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up’ (James 5:14-15 NKJV). If you are sick, stand on God’s Word and believe Him to heal you.