Radio Pulpit

“…ek kom na jou toe in die Naam van die Here die Almagtige…” 1 Samuel 17:45 NLV

Praat terug met jou reus

Goliat het bo Dawid uitgetroon. Dawid het egter na Goliat deur die oë van sy almagtige God wat hoog sit, laag sien en alles oorwin, gekyk. ‘…Jy kom na my toe met ‘n swaard en ‘n spies en ‘n kromswaard, maar ek kom na jou toe in die Naam van die Almagtige, die God van die magte van Israel wat jy beledig het.’ Intimidasie is een van Satan se gunstelingwapens. Hy sal jou gedagtes gee wat jou in ‘n toestand van vrees laat. Eendag het die spotprentkarakter Charlie Brown by die skool middagete geëet toe hy aan sy vriend Linus bieg dat hy nie goed genoeg voel om ‘n sekere jong dame te nader nie: ‘Ek kan nie met daardie klein rooikopmeisie praat nie, want sy is iets en ek is niks. As ek iets was en sy niks was nie, kon ek met haar praat, of as sy iets was en ek iets was, dan kon ek met haar praat. Of as sy niks was en ek niks was nie, dan kon ek ook met haar praat. Maar sy is iets en ek is niks, so ek kan nie met haar praat nie.’ Linus het geantwoord: ‘Vir niks, Charlie Brown, is jy werklik nogal iets besonders!’ Charlie Brown het toegelaat dat die rooikop se skoonheid hom intimideer en na die kantlyn toe dwing. As sy verloste kind, dink God dat jy werklik iets besonders is. Dawid het gesê: ‘Het die Here jou gered? Sê dit dan, jy wat Hy verlos het van die vyand’ (Psalm 107:2 NLV). Omdat Dawid se woorde met God se Woord en sy plan ooreengestem het, is Goliat in sy spore gestuit. Staan dus vandag voor jou ‘reus’ en kondig aan: ‘Ek sal jou verslaan in die Naam van die Here die Almagtige!’

“In all things at all times, having all that you need.” 2 Corinthians 9:8 NIV

In partnership with God

Paul wrote: “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…Now he who supplies seed to the sower…will…increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion” (vv. 8, 10-11 NIV). Paul couldn’t be more explicit. If we are faithful to give generously, when God wants to meet needs again in the future, He will remember us as capable partners and come back to us. If a restaurant gives good service, it results in repeat business. The same applies to good stewards. And if you sow generously, then God is able to give you more and more. God takes special care of faithful stewards. As long as you are in a giving partnership with Him, He makes sure you get everything you need, exactly when you need it. That’s His offer. True wealth is having everything you need when you need it. That should dispel all your fears about giving. Is fear holding back your generosity? Do you give leftovers because you’re concerned about making ends meet? Have you ever asked God to give you a plan for the stewardship of the money He has entrusted to you? At some point, as a Christian, you’ve just got to go for it and say, “God, because I worry so much about money, I’m inviting You into my finances. I want to know that whether things are good or bad, You’re involved.”

“En God is in staat om aan julle elke gawe in oorvloed te gee sodat julle in elke opsig altyd van alles genoeg kan hê…” 2 Korintiërs 9:8 NLV

In vennootskap met God

Paulus het geskryf: ‘En God is in staat om aan julle elke gawe in oorvloed te gee sodat julle in elke opsig altyd van alles genoeg kan hê… God wat saad voorsien aan die saaier… sal ook aan julle saad gee en dit laat toeneem en die vrugte van julle goedhartigheid lieflik laat groei. In elke opsig sal julle ryk gemaak word om ook by elke geleentheid vrygewig te kan wees…’ (verse 8, 10-11 NLV). Paulus kon dit nie duideliker stel nie. As ons getrou is om vrygewig te gee, sal God ons as bekwame vennote onthou en ons in die toekoms weer gebruik om aan ‘n behoefte te voldoen. Wanneer ‘n restaurant goeie diens lewer, lei dit tot herhaalde besigheid. Dieselfde geld vir goeie rentmeesters. As jy vrygewig saai, is God in staat om jou meer en meer te gee. Wanneer jy in ‘n gee-vennootskap met Hom is, maak Hy seker dat jy alles kry wat jy nodig het, presies wanneer jy dit nodig kry. Dis sy aanbod aan jou. Ware rykdom is om alles te hê wat jy nodig het, wanneer jy dit nodig kry. Dit behoort al jou vrese om te gee, te verdryf. Hou vrees jou vrygewigheid terug? Gee jy net wanneer daar oorskiet is omdat jy bekommerd is oor hoe om kop bo water te hou? Het jy al ooit vir God gevra om jou ‘n plan te gee vir die rentmeesterskap van die geld wat Hy aan jou toevertrou het? Op ‘n stadium moet jy as Christen die sprong neem en sê: ‘God, omdat ek my so baie oor geld bekommer, nooi ek U in my finansies in. Ek wil weet dat U betrokke is, maak nie saak of dinge goed of sleg gaan nie.’

“Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing…These things ought not to be so.” James 3:10 NKJV

Don’t speak with “a forked tongue”

Note what the Bible says about an uncontrolled tongue: “Sometimes it praises…and sometimes it curses…And so blessing and cursing come pouring out of the same mouth. Surely, my brothers and sisters, this is not right! Does a spring of water bubble out with both fresh water and bitter water? Does a fig tree produce olives, or a grapevine produce figs?” (vv. 9-12 NLT). Native American Indians warned about trusting a person with “a forked tongue.” They’ll say one thing at one time in one place and the opposite thing at another time in another place. The Bible says, “This is not right!” We deceive ourselves if we think we can go through life speaking with a forked tongue. Our words are a barometer of what’s really in our hearts. Hence Solomon wrote: “Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life” (Proverbs 4:23 NLT). Sometimes a doctor will ask you to stick out your tongue during an examination. Why? Because internal problems can often be identified by the film or coating on the tongue. Now a competent physician wouldn’t just clean off your tongue and send you home. No, they would determine the source of your problem and then treat it. And a heart that’s surrendered to God produces a tongue that’s under the control of His Holy Spirit. Again, Solomon weighed in: “Words from the mouth of the wise are gracious, but fools are consumed by their own lips” (Ecclesiastes 10:12 NIV).

“Dit beteken dat lof en vloek uit dieselfde mond kom. Dit kan tog nie so wees nie…!” Jakobus 3:10 NLV

Moenie met ‘n ‘gevurkte tong’ praat nie

Let op wat die Bybel oor ‘n onbeheerste tong sê: ‘Partykeer loof daardie tong ons Here en Vader, en ander kere vloek dieselfde tong mense wat na die beeld van God gemaak is. Dit beteken dat lof en vloek uit dieselfde mond kom. Dit kan tog nie so wees nie…! Kan ‘n fontein uit dieselfde oog soet en bitter water laat opborrel? Kan jy olywe van ‘n vyeboom afpluk, of vye van ‘n druiwestok?’ (verse 9-12 NLV). Inheemse Amerikaanse Indiane het gewaarsku om nie iemand met ‘n ‘gevurkte tong’ te vertrou nie. Hulle sal een ding op een tyd op een plek sê en die teenoorgestelde ding op ‘n ander tyd op ‘n ander plek sê. Ons mislei onsself as ons dink ons kan deur die lewe gaan en met ‘n gevurkte tong praat. Ons woorde is ‘n barometer van wat werklik in ons harte aangaan. Daarom het Salomo geskryf: ‘Bo alles wees versigtig met wat in jou hart aangaan. Wat jy dink, bepaal alles wat jy doen’ (Spreuke 4:23 NLV). Soms sal ‘n dokter jou tydens ‘n ondersoek vra om jou tong uit te steek. Hoekom? Omdat interne probleme dikwels deur die film of laag op die tong geïdentifiseer kan word. ‘n Bekwame dokter sal egter nie net jou tong skoonmaak en jou huis toe stuur nie. Nee, hulle sal die oorsprong van jou probleem bepaal en dit dan behandel. ‘n Hart wat aan God oorgegee is, produseer ‘n tong wat onder die beheer van sy Heilige Gees is. Salomo het ook gesê: ‘Dis lekker om te luister na wyse woorde. Dwase se gepraat lei net tot vernietiging’ (Prediker 10:12 NLV).

“Consider your ways! You have sown much, and bring in little.” Haggai 1:5-6 NKJV

Obedience: it’s your key to victory & blessing

In Haggai chapter one, we see a group of people whom God told eighteen years previously to rebuild His house. They still had not obeyed Him, yet they didn’t understand why their lives were a mess. They wondered why God was not blessing them. So He said to them: “Is it time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses, and this temple to lie in ruins?…Consider your ways! You have sown much, and bring in little; you eat, but do not have enough; you drink, but you are not filled…you clothe yourselves, but no one is warm; and he who earns wages, earns wages to put into a bag with holes.…Go up to the mountains and bring wood and build the temple, that I may take pleasure in it and be glorified” (vv. 4-8 NKJV). When God says, “Consider your ways,” He’s asking you to stop and examine your life. If you are not satisfied with the way things are going, is it because you have not done what He told you to do? James wrote: “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning” (James 1:17 NKJV). The words “no variation or shadow of turning” mean that God is intrinsically good, and He longs to shower your life with His goodness. But to experience it, you must walk in obedience. “No good thing will He withhold from those who walk uprightly” (Psalm 84:11 NKJV). Obedience is your key to victory and blessing.

“…Dink ‘n bietjie na oor hoe sake vir julle staan! Julle het baie aanplantings gedoen, maar die oes was maar skraal…” Haggai 1:5-6 NLV

Gehoorsaamheid: die sleutel tot oorwinning en seën

In die eerste hoofstuk van Haggai lees ons van ‘n groep mense vir wie God gesê het om sy huis te herbou. Na agtien jaar het hulle Hom steeds nie gehoorsaam nie, maar kon nie verstaan waarom hulle lewens ‘n gemors was nie. Hulle het gewonder waarom God hulle nie seën nie. Daarom het Hy vir hulle gesê: ‘Hoe kan julle in weelderige huise bly terwyl my huis ‘n ruïne is?.. Dink ‘n bietjie na oor hoe sake vir julle staan! Julle het baie aanplantings gedoen, maar die oes was maar skraal. Julle het nou wel kos om te eet, maar julle is nog honger. Julle het wyn om te drink, maar nie genoeg om julle dors te les nie. Julle het klere om aan te trek, maar dit is nie voldoende om julle warm te hou nie. Julle geld raak weg asof dit gebêre is in ‘n broeksak met gate!.. Gaan haal hout op die heuwels en begin dan my huis herstel. Dit sal My tevrede stel en Ek sal voel dat julle My eer betoon…’ (verse 4-8 NLV). As jy nie tevrede is met hoe dinge gaan nie, is dit nie dalk omdat jy nie gedoen het wat Hy vir jou gesê het om te doen nie? Jakobus het geskryf: ‘Van Bo af kom net goeie, ja, volmaakte gawes. Hulle kom van die Vader wat die hemelligte geskep het. Anders as die hemelligte, staan Hy onbeweeglik vas. Selfs sy skaduwee verskuif nie soos hulle s’n nie’ (Jakobus 1:17 NLV). God is intrinsiek goed en Hy wil graag jou lewe met sy goedheid oorlaai. Om dit te ervaar, moet jy egter in gehoorsaamheid wandel. ‘…Hy sal die goeie nie weerhou van hulle wat doen wat reg is nie’ (Psalm 84:12 NLV). Gehoorsaamheid is jou sleutel tot oorwinning en seën.

“Now may He who supplies seed to the sower, and bread for food, supply and multiply the seed you have sown and increase the fruits of your righteousness.” 2 Corinthians 9:10 NKJV

Be a sower

Three young men were each given three kernels of corn by a wise old sage. He told them to go out into the world and use the corn to bring themselves good fortune. The first young man put his three kernels of corn into a bowl of soup and ate them. The second thought, “I can do better than that,” and he planted his three kernels of corn. Within a few months, he had three stalks of corn. He took the ears of corn from the stalks, boiled them, and had enough corn to eat for three meals. The third man said to himself, “I can do better than that!” He also planted three kernels of corn. But when his three stalks of corn produced, he stripped one of the ears and replanted all of the seeds in it, gave the second ear of corn to a sweet maiden, and ate the third. His one full year’s worth of replanted corn kernels gave him 200 stalks of corn! And the kernels of these he continued to replant, setting aside only a bare minimum to eat. He eventually planted a hundred acres of corn. With his fortune, he not only won the hand of the sweet maiden, but he also purchased the land owned by the sweet maiden’s father. And he never hungered again. There’s an important scriptural principle here. To whom does God supply seed? Sowers. When does God multiply seed? When it is sown into good ground to accomplish good things. So be a sower.

“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

Wees ‘n saaier

Drie jong mans het elk drie mieliepitte van ‘n ou wysgeer ontvang. Hy het hulle beveel om die wêreld in te gaan en die mieliepitte te gebruik om vir hulself goeie geluk te bring. Die eerste jongman het sy drie mieliepitte in ‘n bak sop gesit en dit geëet. Die tweede jongman het gedink: ‘Ek kan beter doen as dit,’ en sy drie mieliepitte geplant. Binne ‘n paar maande het hy drie mielieplante gehad. Hy het die mieliekoppe van die plante afgehaal, dit gekook en genoeg mielies vir drie maaltye gehad. Die derde man het vir homself gesê: ‘Ek kan nog beter doen as dit!’ Hy het ook drie mieliepitte geplant. Toe sy drie mielieplante egter opkom, het hy een van die koppe gestroop en al die sade daarin herplant, die tweede mieliekop vir ‘n liewe meisie gegee en die derde het hy self geëet. Die herplante mieliepitte het hom 200 mielieplante gegee! Met die pitte daarvan het hy aanhou herplant en slegs ‘n absolute minimum opsy gesit om te eet. Hy het uiteindelik ’n honderd akkers mielies geplant. Met sy fortuin het hy nie net die hand van die lieflike meisie gewen nie, hy het ook die grond wat aan die lieflike meisie se vader behoort het, gekoop. Hy het nooit weer honger gehad nie. Daar is ‘n belangrike Skriftuurlike beginsel hieruit te leer. Aan wie voorsien God saad? Saaiers. Wanneer vermeerder God saad? Wanneer dit in goeie grond gesaai word om goeie dinge te bereik. Wees dus ‘n saaier.

“Our light affliction…is working for us.” 2 Corinthians 4:17 NKJV

God is putting the pieces together

Without God’s Word, most of our experiences in life make no sense whatsoever. With it, we can decipher our experiences. Few things are more comforting or more exhilarating than knowing that God is the One putting together the jigsaw puzzle of your life. It was a London cartographer, John Spilsbury, who is credited with commercializing jigsaw puzzles around 1760. During the Great Depression, they were popularized in America as a cheap form of entertainment. Puzzles come in all shapes and sizes, including the latest and greatest—3D spherical jigsaws. But the method of assembly has not changed. It requires the fitting together of oddly shaped, interlocking pieces. The key is the picture on top of the box. Without it, you’re lost. And that’s why many of us feel helpless and hopeless at times—because the pieces of our lives don’t seem to fit together, and we can’t see God’s vision for the whole. Few have suffered more than the apostle Paul, yet he wrote: “Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal” (2 Corinthians 4:16-18 NKJV). Yes, bad things do happen to good people. But God has promised to recycle it, redeem it, and use it for our good and His glory.