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Discover God’s heart and blueprint for family

Discover God’s heart and blueprint for family

God intended family since the beginning. God made Adam and saw that he was alone, and needed a helpmate. He made Eve. Then they had children, obeying the first command to multiply and fill the earth. (Gen 1:28) This rule of multiplication is currently the primary method how Islam is intending to conquer the world. They do not integrate, learn the language, abandon their traditions and clothing. Yet they are now residing over the world, and expanding through population growth percentage of 3.1 children per family against the 2.1 rate of Europe and America. See the following article on this subject: http://brie-hoffman.hubpages.com/hub/Muslim-World-how-muslims-will-take-over-the-world-via-population-growth Although this may be true, originally God’s intention is to cover the earth with His Glory, through godly and righteous families.
The first family serves as an example of the struggles of family too. When Adam’s children sacrificed to God, Abel’s sacrifice was approved but not Cain’s. He murdered his brother out of jealousy, anger and offense. (Gen 4:5-6) God’s answer to Cain is interesting: (v7) “If you do well, will you not be accepted? If you do not do well, sin crouches at your door, its desire is for you, but you must master it.” Cain’s heart was exposed by God rejection of his sacrifice. “Am I my brother’s keeper?” (Gen 4:9) God is not interested in our sacrifices, but our mercy, readiness to help those who are in trouble. (Mat 9:13 AMPLIFIED) Family is the primary breeding ground for offenses to happen, when we master it, we will be able to master life.
Multiplying was the easy part, how to multiply spiritually and have the children walk in the precepts of the parents seems to be the difficult part.
The way God’s family is constituted is through faith and obedience. God called Abraham from the Chaldeans living in Ur, to become His family. (Gen 12:1; Rom 4:5) Abraham is the father of faith. (Rom 3:30; 4:1-2; 4:16; Heb 6:15) His name Abraham – Means Father of many nations. Essensially the story of the birth of a nation, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob is a family story.
A Spiritual Family – Birthed by Supernatural means
Sarah, Rachel, and Rebekka all was barren, and God had to miraculously open their womb to be able to bare children. The Covenent blessing on Abraham since the beginning was towards a generational legacy of families. (Gen 12:1-3) None of their firstborn by blood received the covenant blessing. Abraham’s first born was Ismael. But Isaac born of Sarah received the promise. (Gen 17:18-21) Isaac’s firstborn was Essau, yet Jacob deceives his father and received the blessing. (Gen 27:20-29) Jacob’s first born was Rueben and did not received a blessing: “You will not excel” (Gen 48:3-4) Reuben’s immorality with his father’s concubine Bilhah (the mother of his brothers Dan and Naphtali) is recorded in Genesis 35:22. Joseph received the blessing born as the oldest son with Jacob’s wife Rachel. Yet later Benjamin received the tribal blessing. Joseph firstborn son was Manasseh yet Jacob crossed his hands and blessed Ephriam. (Gen 48:1-20)
The Jewish system of governance is called a Theocracy where God is the King. It was not God’s original plan that Isreal should have an earthly king. (1 Sam 8:1-21) Even when Samuel warned them of the consequenses: 19 Nevertheless the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel; and they said, “No, but we will have a king over us, 20 that we also may be like all the nations, and that our king may judge us and go out before us and fight our battles.” It was never God’s desire that His people be enslaved as subjects of a King. God’s plan is family!
When God apointed the first King of Isreal He chose the King in the way man would chose. … a mighty man of power. 2 And he had a choice and handsome son whose name was Saul. There was not a more handsome person than he among the children of Israel. From his shoulders upward he was taller than any of the people. (1 Sam 9:1-2) When Dawid was the youngest son of Jesse, and yet he received the appointment as the next king of Israel, because of his faith and relationship with God. . (1 Sam 16:13)
God wants us to be His children, people of faith, walking according to his statutes and will. This is why some people who would never have been accepted into the Kingdom are included because of their faith, like Boaz and Ruth, and their son Obed. Hagar the prostitute, who hid the Israelite Spies, and gave them a way of escape. The Bible story and history, is a story of faith heroes. (Heb 11)
God values family very highly. Family is God’s way of maturing us into adulthood. Physiologists and educators can list the negative effects of a broken family, absent parents, child abuse due to bad parental rolemodels and poor family structures. We can suppose that most of the social problems we experience today is because of a broken family unit. This is clearly evident studying the Kings. But not many leaders in the Bible succeeded to raise their kids in the fear of God. Eli the High Priest became vile because he did not restrain them (1 Sam 3:13) Samuel’s children also did not serve God. They turned aside after dishonest gain, took bribes, and perverted justice. Which speaks of a lack of godly character. (1 Sam 8:3)
Interesting that some of the rightous Kings in Judah, did not follow their own father’s legacy but chose to go back and follow in David’s footsteps. 2 And he did what was right in the sight of the Lord, and walked in all the ways of his father David; he did not turn aside to the right hand or to the left. (2 Kings 22:2) On there were Kings who did not consider the legacy they left for their Children, knowing that their own children would suffer the consequences of their father’s doings. So Hezekiah showed off all the riches of Judah to the son of King of Babylon and consequently received the damnation by the Prophet Isaiah that this very Kingdom will come and carry all this riches away. He was only so happy that the judgment will not happen in his lifetime. 19 So Hezekiah said to Isaiah, “The word of the Lord which you have spoken is good!” For he said, “Will there not be peace and truth at least in my days?” (2 Kings 20:15)
This very same attitude pertains to most Africans in African culture. They are more concerned with the dead, and their forefathers, than to try to make it easier for the immerging generation. In African culture the children is responsible for the parent. Paying huge sums for Lobola as a wedding gift to the father. In Western Culture the father pays the huge amount for the wedding. Both are extremes. God the father being our example how He raised Jesus into adulthood through dissipline and obedience to earthly parents, in a small close-knit community and when He was ready at the age of thirty release to him the powers of His Kingdom. The end-goal of God’s view of family is maturity. The husband should, like Christ, present his wife blameless and perfect to God, thus meaning mature. (Eph 5:27) This is mostly done by example and following, obeying and submitting to Jesus. Wives should instruct the younger, through wisdom, example, purity and reverence. (1 Tim 5:2; Tit 2:3)
The eternal Church God’s design for family.
The Church: The Spirit-filled community of salvation History – The church is the receiver and fulfilment of the Kingdom and the message of salvation. (Mat 16:18) Church is seen as a many membered active body of believers who each have an important role to play. (Rom 12:3-8; 2:19-22) Although leaders are important in the church, and should be respected (Heb 13:7-8, 17) the active ministry and participation of the church as a whole is imperative. The apostles do not see leaders above people, but among the people. Leading by example (Acts 18:3; 20:33–35) This is why the fivefold ministries are given, to equip the saints for their ministry. (Ephesians 4:11) Church is seen as one body, filled with one spirit, with one father, one baptism and one faith. (Eph 4:4-6)
God’s mold for Family is church. The word church (ecclesia) is made up of two root words: ek – out of and kaleo – called. Thus a direct translation of church would be His called out ones. But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a dedicated nation, [God’s] own purchased, special people, that you may set forth the wonderful deeds and display the virtues and perfections of Him Who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light. (1 Pet 2:9)
 
Discerning the body of Christ
Our problem is not that there is to many churches, nor that we differ so much, but we do not discern one another as brothers of one family. (Eph 4:1-6) The Father determines the children. No one comes to the father if He doesn’t draw them. (Joh 6:44)
 
Our job is not to choose our family, but except the ones He has adopted into our family.
When Jesus came to the Earth He needed a body; today He still needs a body. (Heb 10:5) Of which He is the head. (Eph 1:22-23) There are different kind of bodies – the body both of men or animals – a dead body or corpse the living body of animals – the bodies of planets and of stars (heavenly bodies) – is used of a (large or small) number of men closely united into one society, or family as it were; a social, ethical, mystical body so in the NT of the church – a gathering of citizens called out from their homes into some public place, an assembly – an assembly of the people convened at the public place of the council for the purpose of deliberating the assembly of the Israelites – any gathering or throng of men assembled by chance, tumultuously in a Christian sense – an assembly of Christians gathered for worship in a religious meeting the assembly of faithful Christians already dead and received into heaven – a company of Christian, or of those who, hoping for eternal salvation through Jesus Christ, observe their own religious rites, hold their own religious meetings, and manage their own affairs, according to regulations prescribed for the body for order’s sake – those who anywhere, in a city, village, constitute such a company and are united into one bod – the whole body of Christians scattered throughout the earth.
In summery then we can say that there are various expressions of the Body of Christ. Small groups, house churches, large gatherings, ministries towards a specific need, whenever we actually get together in His name He manifest Himself amongst us. (Mat 18:20) It is thus important that we do not neglect these meetings. (Heb 10:25)
Question: Can I be a Christian without joining the church?
Answer: Yes, it is possible. It is something like being:
A student who will not go to school.
A soldier who will not join an army.
A citizen who does not pay taxes or vote.
A salesman with no customers.
An explorer with no base camp.
A seaman on a ship without a crew.
A businessman on a deserted island.
An author without readers.
A tuba player without an orchestra.
A parent without a family.
A football player without a team.
A politician who is a hermit.
A scientist who does not share his findings.
A bee without a hive.
Everyone knows about the old codger who lives to be 100 and cavalierly attributes his longevity to booze, black cigars, beautiful women-and never going to church. According to Dr. George W. Comstock of Johns Hopkins School of Hygiene and Public Health, that kind of impious longevity may be the exception, not the rule. In studies of the relation of socioeconomic factors to disease in the population of Washington County, Md., Comstock and his colleagues made an incidental but fascinating discovery. Regular churchgoing, and the clean living that often goes with it, appear to help people avoid a whole bagful of dire ailments and disasters. Among them: heart disease, cirrhosis of the liver, tuberculosis, cancer of the cervix, chronic bronchitis, fatal one-car accidents and suicides. The most significant finding was that people who go to church regularly have less arteriosclerotic heart disease. The annual death rate from such disease was about 500 for every 100,000 persons among weekly churchgoers, nearly 900 per 100,000 among “less than weekly” attendees. As for bronchitis, Comstock is at a loss to explain the relationship. (Maybe all that hymn singing helps clear the tubes. ) In any case, he has a name-or at least a nickname-for the whole phenomenon, which he humorously calls the “Leo Durocher” syndrome. “Nice guys,” concludes the good doctor, “do seem to finish last.”
Physician Steward Wolf in Roseta Pennsylvania has discovered this same phenomenon. This little community is a copycat mirror-image of the original Hometown in Italy, the street names, building style, and business names are all the same, even the very unique Italian dialect. The power of this unique community lies in their sense of family. Children grow up without fear of finding a job, for somewhere in the community someone will take you in. Up to three generations lived in one home. They visited one another regularly, cooking for one-another. They had a strong base of the extended family arranged naturally in clans. The have huge gatherings of eating and feasting together. They look out for another, and have a sense of responsibility and accountability to the greater whole. The end result? They have a very low rate of any heart decease. It is not the food they eat, that effect this result, rather it is the way they operate as a family. (From Outliers Pg 3-11, Malcolm Gladwell) In this book Gladwell actually proofs that our individual genius, is never because of our own ability. It is the people’s abilities around us that makes us great!
For the sake of family
“For the sake of family” is often heard. The needs of the family is more important that that of my own. In the African context this emphasis can also be abused, where it becomes impossible to rise above the cultural downforce of the community. In the west we have a too high emphasis on the individual, in the east the individual disappear in the whole. In the biblical context, God chose a man, and effects the group through that man. So it is not what man wills, or what the group wills, but what God wills. Both man and group ought to submit to the will, and way of God.

  • Our suffering is for the sake of the church, see Paul’s example. Colossians 1:24 I now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up in my flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ, for the sake of His body, which is the church.  When you receive public correction, receive it for the sake of the others present, so that all can learn and fear.  (1 Tim 5:20)
  • The operation of the gifts of the spirit is not for the benefit of self, but for the building up of the body.  (1 Cor 14:12).
  • We give up our own family for the sake of the Kingdom family. (Luk 18:29)
  • Jesus prays for his disciples, but also for the following generation that will come. (Joh 17:20-21)
  • Paul is torn between the desire to be with the Lord, yet for the sake of the church he remains. (Phil 1:23-24)

Often in the OT whole generations is removed by God, to cherish and protect the lineage of faith and obedience. This is also why God hates divorce. (Mal 2:15) God is seeking a godly offspring! There is no greater attack against the child’s future faith in God, than when their parents divorce. On the other hand, there will be much less divorces if we remain faithful for the sake of family!
Becoming part of God’s family.
We need to be part of a church, right! Yes! But being part of the right body is vital! In studying Kings and chronicles we soon discover the power of leadership, and how it influenced the prosperity of the people. This is how God has made us as humans, we follow naturally after leadership. Therefor the strict warning in James 3:1 My brethren, let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment. The following verses in chapter 3 of James deal with the power of the tongue, how it steers the ship. I believe leaders determine the direction, and measure of maturity in a local church. You cannot belong to a local church and really grow beyond the level of the local leadership’s growth, without being very frustrated.
We all desire to be led. We need leaders. We hate them or love them, but we do not want their job. Life is hard, and getting by with all the daily chores is not always easy. Thus we do not want to make the big decisions, we do not want that responsibility. Some of us however, are made exactly for that purpose; we thrive on these difficult challenges. This is how God has made us. Some people like to lead and some follow. Moreover we should be able to balance leadership and submitting like breathing, for leaders who cannot submit suffocate their people, and people who never take initiative frustrate leaders. We all must learn a measure of leadership, and submitting in all areas of life.
On regards to big groups of people, we need godly leaders. This is the message of Kings & Chronicles, how did man fare with God not being their king, but man? When the Kings served and obeyed God’s commands and will the people prospered. When the King made himself God, and had the people obey him, they entered destruction.
Who do you chose to follow and why?
The people of Israel sought a righteous King, and followed Jerobeam. This generation of people of Israel ended 19 kings later being scattered all over the world. In 400 years none of these Kings served or obeyed God. Jerobeam created his own counterfeit religion, temples and priesthood. The people, who remained faithful to God’s word and promise to David, saw 8 Kings serving God, and the birth of the Messiah.
Some people followed Moses, but others were easily swayed to follow Aaron and Mirriam, who began to question Moses Leadership. Num 12:1-4 There was many occurrences of such rebellion under Moses Leadership.
Following a Reformer.
The Biblical criteria we should use to determine who we ought to follow are:

  1. Do they have a personal relationship with God?
  2. Do they have a prophetic mandate to lead?
  3. Do they seek to keep reforming according to the standard of God’s Word? Do they obey the Word?
  4. Does their personal life line up with the word?
  5. Do they keep to the original mandate?

Discipleship in family context
Whenever we conduct church outside of the parameters of family, we enter into trouble and eventually in error. Family is eternal. You cannot resign from a family. You cannot leave your house. You eternally belong. Even your earthy family has this power over you, you can change your name, but in DNA and genetics you’re still connected. This is how God intended family to be. We changed His order.
The fact that we go in and out, connect and leave is at the root of why some of our evangelism efforts are failing. Jesus did not only preach to the crowds, He made family, taking His disciples with Him. We preach and leave, not willing to lay down our lives for a community, to become fathers and older brothers that will lead them out of darkness into his marvelous light. (1 Pet 2:9) The true heart of the apostolic is thus to be fathers to the churches. (Gal 4:19; 1 Cor 4:15; ). The context of the true church is also set, within the context of family. How can you take care of His church, when your own family is ruins? (1 Tim 3:5) Church history is full of stories where leaders forsake their own families, and it lead to all kinds of error and misconduct.
God’s protection plan for ministry is family! Getting to busy for family, then you’re too busy for God. Whenever we neglect family and move without the unity of family we are in danger. Again God’s design for family is not just about being a family by name of bloodline, but to experience the same unity that exist in the Godhead. When a family serves God together, obey God, and live for His glory it makes things easy and natural. We do not have to find unnatural means to protect and care, grow or empower. It all happens naturally without even paying attention to it. He works is through all the various dynamics within family. Our only job should be to preserve the Unity!
At the end we all have to give up our own cultures, and traditions. We need to be reformed in our religion,
until He becomes the sum-total of all things. Until we mature into His image.
The negative of family
Like everything God gave as a provision the enemy distorts into a curse. So also a family without God becomes a stronghold, a satanic confederacy against the purposes of God. Families carry from one generation to the next the disobedience of the one generation to the next. Ungodly traditions of man are not questioned but obeyed blindly. This is why we need reform. We need to a systematic relentless determination to keep on allowing God to reform our thinking through the Spirit and the Word.
The Blessing of a spiritual family.
It is much easier to pray with someone than praying alone, do evangelism together than doing it alone, praising God together than singing by yourself. Corporate anointing makes serving God easier. It is our own ego and self centered nature that seeks to be separate, be different, unique, following my way, seeking my own new path. It is humbling to follow, to first take directions from men who aren’t perfect. Jesus did this for 90% of his entire life. Obeying earthly parents. How do you want to obey God, if you cannot obey your parents, your boss, the law? Surely we need to be alone at times; Jesus also made time for being alone with God, in order to be ready to engage with man in a godly manner.
The Three Chair principle – the power of experience
In conclusion we need to look into the generational regression effect. Like I have shown in the beginning of this chapter, not many fathers were able to translate their anointing and zeal for God to the next generation.
David served God with all his heart, and was called a friend of God. Yet although Solomon did serve God initially he eventually compromised and lost his way. His son Rehabeam did not serve God at all. We see the same progression with Josua. Me and my house will serve God. (Jos 14:15) The next generation of Elders also served God (Jos 24:31; Judg 1:7) consequently the next generation did evil in the sight of the Lord and did not even enquire from Him anymore. (Judg 1:10)
Bruce Wilkerson writes about this phenomenon in much detail in his book. “The three chairs Principle”
The question is: Where did David fail to kindle the same kind of zeal for God he possessed, to Solomon? There are surely many answers, like his lack of discipline, not spending enough time with his children etc.
I believe that the most important aspect that we should remember about the next generation, is what this whole blog is about. God’s family is supernaturally reproduced.
In God’s family there can be No Spectators!
Conditions to enter His Kingdom and Family
Luk 17:20 pharasees “the kingdom does not come with observation”
Acts 14:22 We must through many tribulations enter the Kingdom
Joh 3:3 Unless you born again you will not see the kingdom
Luk 18:29 Give up family for the sake of the kingdom of God
Luk 6:20 Blessed are the poor for yours is the Kingdom of God
Luk 18:24 Hard for the rich to enter
Mat 5:20 except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven
Matthew 7:21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven but he who does the will of God.
No matter how you receive the Word (Voice) of God, whether through Bible study, some supernatural experience, visions, dreams, or encounters it all boils down into one thing – Doing it! Obedience to the will, voice, and instructions of God is the key to Kingdom living!
First hand encounters from the tree of Life, instead of eating from the tree of knowledge of good and evil. The NT way of the spirit to transfer knowledge is through impartation – not through words only but through power. (1 Cor 4:20) It is form this first-hand basis that the apostles conducted their ministry. (1 Joh 1:1) We have seen with our own eyes, hearing with our own ears.
There is no other way. Jesus is the door. You have to go through Him personally, by surrendering your life to Him. (Mat 16:24) No one can do it for you. Your parents can show you the way, by example and teaching but you have to go in and experience Him yourself.

Categories
Sermons

Discover God’s heart and blueprint for family

God intended family since the beginning.  God made Adam and saw that he was alone, and needed a helpmate. He made Eve. Then they had children, obeying the first command to multiply and fill the earth.  (Gen 1:28) This rule of multiplication is currently the primary method how Islam is intending to conquer the world. They do not integrate, learn the language, abandon their traditions and clothing. Yet they are now residing over the world, and expanding through population growth percentage of 3.1 children per family against the 2.1 rate of Europe and America. See the following article on this subject: http://brie-hoffman.hubpages.com/hub/Muslim-World-how-muslims-will-take-over-the-world-via-population-growth Although this may be true, originally God’s intention is to cover the earth with His Glory, through godly and righteous families.
The first family serves as an example of the struggles of family too.  When Adam’s children sacrificed to God, Abel’s sacrifice was approved but not Cain’s.  He murdered his brother out of jealousy, anger and offense.  (Gen 4:5-6) God’s answer to Cain is interesting: (v7) “If you do well, will you not be accepted? If you do not do well, sin crouches at your door, its desire is for you, but you must master it.”  Cain’s heart was exposed by God rejection of his sacrifice.  “Am I my brother’s keeper?” (Gen 4:9) God is not interested in our sacrifices, but our mercy, readiness to help those who are in trouble. (Mat 9:13 AMPLIFIED) Family is the primary breeding ground for offenses to happen, when we master it, we will be able to master life.

Multiplying was the easy part, how to multiply spiritually and have the children walk in the precepts of the parents seems to be the difficult part.

The way God’s family is constituted is through faith and obedience. God called Abraham from the Chaldeans living in Ur, to become His family. (Gen 12:1; Rom 4:5)  Abraham is the father of faith.  (Rom 3:30; 4:1-2; 4:16; Heb 6:15) His name Abraham – Means Father of many nations.  Essensially the story of the birth of a nation, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob is a family story.
A Spiritual Family – Birthed by Supernatural means
Sarah, Rachel, and Rebekka all was barren, and God had to miraculously open their womb to be able to bare children.  The Covenent blessing on Abraham since the beginning was towards a generational legacy of families. (Gen 12:1-3)  None of their firstborn by blood received the covenant blessing.  Abraham’s first born was Ismael.  But Isaac born of Sarah received the promise. (Gen 17:18-21) Isaac’s firstborn was Essau, yet Jacob deceives his father and received the blessing. (Gen 27:20-29) Jacob’s first born was Rueben and did not received a blessing: “You will not excel” (Gen 48:3-4) Reuben’s immorality with his father’s concubine Bilhah (the mother of his brothers Dan and Naphtali) is recorded in Genesis 35:22. Joseph received the blessing born as the oldest son with Jacob’s wife Rachel. Yet later Benjamin received the tribal blessing.    Joseph firstborn son was Manasseh yet Jacob crossed his hands and blessed Ephriam. (Gen 48:1-20)
The Jewish system of governance is called a Theocracy where God is the King.  It was not God’s original plan that Isreal should have an earthly king. (1 Sam 8:1-21) Even when Samuel warned them of the consequenses: 19 Nevertheless the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel; and they said, “No, but we will have a king over us, 20 that we also may be like all the nations, and that our king may judge us and go out before us and fight our battles.”  It was never God’s desire that His people be enslaved as subjects of a King.  God’s plan is family!
When God apointed the first King of Isreal He chose the King in the way man would chose. … a mighty man of power. 2 And he had a choice and handsome son whose name was Saul. There was not a more handsome person than he among the children of Israel. From his shoulders upward he was taller than any of the people. (1 Sam 9:1-2) When Dawid was the youngest son of Jesse, and yet he received the appointment as the next king of Israel, because of his faith and relationship with God. .  (1 Sam 16:13)
God wants us to be His children, people of faith, walking according to his statutes and will.  This is why some people who would never have been accepted into the Kingdom are included because of their faith, like Boaz and Ruth, and their son Obed.  Hagar the prostitute, who hid the Israelite Spies, and gave them a way of escape.  The Bible story and history, is a story of faith heroes.  (Heb 11)
God values family very highly.  Family is God’s way of maturing us into adulthood.  Physiologists and educators can list the negative effects of a broken family, absent parents, child abuse due to bad parental rolemodels and poor family structures.  We can suppose that most of the social problems we experience today is because of a broken family unit.  This is clearly evident studying the Kings.  But not many leaders in the Bible succeeded to raise their kids in the fear of God.  Eli the High Priest became vile because he did not restrain them (1 Sam 3:13) Samuel’s children also did not serve God. They turned aside after dishonest gain, took bribes, and perverted justice. Which speaks of a lack of godly character. (1 Sam 8:3)
Interesting that some of the rightous Kings in Judah, did not follow their own father’s legacy but chose to go back and follow in David’s footsteps. 2 And he did what was right in the sight of the Lord, and walked in all the ways of his father David; he did not turn aside to the right hand or to the left. (2 Kings 22:2) On there were Kings who did not consider the legacy they left for their Children, knowing that their own children would suffer the consequences of their father’s doings. So Hezekiah showed off all the riches of Judah to the son of King of Babylon and consequently received the damnation by the Prophet Isaiah that this very Kingdom will come and carry all this riches away.  He was only so happy that the judgment will not happen in his lifetime. 19 So Hezekiah said to Isaiah, “The word of the Lord which you have spoken is good!” For he said, “Will there not be peace and truth at least in my days?” (2 Kings 20:15)
This very same attitude pertains to most Africans in African culture.  They are more concerned with the dead, and their forefathers, than to try to make it easier for the immerging generation.  In African culture the children is responsible for the parent. Paying huge sums for Lobola as a wedding gift to the father.  In Western Culture the father pays the huge amount for the wedding.  Both are extremes.  God the father being our example how He raised Jesus into adulthood through dissipline and obedience to earthly parents, in a small close-knit community and when He was ready at the age of thirty release to him the powers of His Kingdom.  The end-goal of God’s view of family is maturity. The husband should, like Christ, present his wife blameless and perfect to God, thus meaning mature. (Eph 5:27) This is mostly done by example and following, obeying and submitting to Jesus.  Wives should instruct the younger, through wisdom, example, purity and reverence.  (1 Tim 5:2; Tit 2:3)
The eternal Church God’s design for family.
The Church: The Spirit-filled community of salvation History – The church is the receiver and fulfilment of the Kingdom and the message of salvation.  (Mat 16:18) Church is seen as a many membered active body of believers who each have an important role to play. (Rom 12:3-8; 2:19-22) Although leaders are important in the church, and should be respected (Heb 13:7-8, 17) the active ministry and participation of the church as a whole is imperative. The apostles do not see leaders above people, but among the people. Leading by example (Acts 18:3; 20:33–35) This is why the fivefold ministries are given, to equip the saints for their ministry.  (Ephesians 4:11) Church is seen as one body, filled with one spirit, with one father, one baptism and one faith. (Eph 4:4-6)
God’s mold for Family is church.  The word church (ecclesia) is made up of two root words: ek – out of and kaleo – called. Thus a direct translation of church would be His called out ones. But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a dedicated nation, [God’s] own purchased, special people, that you may set forth the wonderful deeds and display the virtues and perfections of Him Who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light. (1 Pet 2:9)
 
Discerning the body of Christ
Our problem is not that there is to many churches, nor that we differ so much, but we do not discern one another as brothers of one family. (Eph 4:1-6) The Father determines the children. No one comes to the father if He doesn’t draw them. (Joh 6:44)

Our job is not to choose our family, but except the ones He has adopted into our family.

When Jesus came to the Earth He needed a body; today He still needs a body. (Heb 10:5) Of which He is the head. (Eph 1:22-23) There are different kind of bodies – the body both of men or animals – a dead body or corpse the living body of animals – the bodies of planets and of stars (heavenly bodies) – is used of a (large or small) number of men closely united into one society, or family as it were; a social, ethical, mystical body so in the NT of the church – a gathering of citizens called out from their homes into some public place, an assembly – an assembly of the people convened at the public place of the council for the purpose of deliberating the assembly of the Israelites – any gathering or throng of men assembled by chance, tumultuously in a Christian sense – an assembly of Christians gathered for worship in a religious meeting the assembly of faithful Christians already dead and received into heaven – a company of Christian, or of those who, hoping for eternal salvation through Jesus Christ, observe their own religious rites, hold their own religious meetings, and manage their own affairs, according to regulations prescribed for the body for order’s sake – those who anywhere, in a city, village, constitute such a company and are united into one bod – the whole body of Christians scattered throughout the earth.
In summery then we can say that there are various expressions of the Body of Christ.  Small groups, house churches, large gatherings, ministries towards a specific need, whenever we actually get together in His name He manifest Himself amongst us.  (Mat 18:20) It is thus important that we do not neglect these meetings. (Heb 10:25)
Question: Can I be a Christian without joining the church?
Answer: Yes, it is possible. It is something like being:
A student who will not go to school.
A soldier who will not join an army.
A citizen who does not pay taxes or vote.
A salesman with no customers.
An explorer with no base camp.
A seaman on a ship without a crew.
A businessman on a deserted island.
An author without readers.
A tuba player without an orchestra.
A parent without a family.
A football player without a team.
A politician who is a hermit.
A scientist who does not share his findings.
A bee without a hive.
Everyone knows about the old codger who lives to be 100 and cavalierly attributes his longevity to booze, black cigars, beautiful women-and never going to church. According to Dr. George W. Comstock of Johns Hopkins School of Hygiene and Public Health, that kind of impious longevity may be the exception, not the rule. In studies of the relation of socioeconomic factors to disease in the population of Washington County, Md., Comstock and his colleagues made an incidental but fascinating discovery. Regular churchgoing, and the clean living that often goes with it, appear to help people avoid a whole bagful of dire ailments and disasters. Among them: heart disease, cirrhosis of the liver, tuberculosis, cancer of the cervix, chronic bronchitis, fatal one-car accidents and suicides.  The most significant finding was that people who go to church regularly have less arteriosclerotic heart disease. The annual death rate from such disease was about 500 for every 100,000 persons among weekly churchgoers, nearly 900 per 100,000 among “less than weekly” attendees. As for bronchitis, Comstock is at a loss to explain the relationship. (Maybe all that hymn singing helps clear the tubes. ) In any case, he has a name-or at least a nickname-for the whole phenomenon, which he humorously calls the “Leo Durocher” syndrome. “Nice guys,” concludes the good doctor, “do seem to finish last.”
Physician Steward Wolf in Roseta Pennsylvania has discovered this same phenomenon.  This little community is a copycat mirror-image of the original Hometown in Italy, the street names, building style, and business names are all the same, even the very unique Italian dialect.  The power of this unique community lies in their sense of family. Children grow up without fear of finding a job, for somewhere in the community someone will take you in.  Up to three generations lived in one home. They visited one another regularly, cooking for one-another. They had a strong base of the extended family arranged naturally in clans.  The have huge gatherings of eating and feasting together. They look out for another, and have a sense of responsibility and accountability to the greater whole. The end result? They have a very low rate of any heart decease.  It is not the food they eat, that effect this result, rather it is the way they operate as a family.  (From Outliers Pg 3-11, Malcolm Gladwell) In this book Gladwell actually proofs that our individual genius, is never because of our own ability. It is the people’s abilities around us that makes us great!
For the sake of family
“For the sake of family” is often heard.  The needs of the family is more important that that of my own.  In the African context this emphasis can also be abused, where it becomes impossible to rise above the cultural downforce of the community.  In the west we have a too high emphasis on the individual, in the east the individual disappear in the whole.  In the biblical context, God chose a man, and effects the group through that man.  So it is not what man wills, or what the group wills, but what God wills. Both man and group ought to submit to the will, and way of God.

  • Our suffering is for the sake of the church, see Paul’s example. Colossians 1:24 I now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up in my flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ, for the sake of His body, which is the church.  When you receive public correction, receive it for the sake of the others present, so that all can learn and fear.  (1 Tim 5:20)
  • The operation of the gifts of the spirit is not for the benefit of self, but for the building up of the body.  (1 Cor 14:12).
  • We give up our own family for the sake of the Kingdom family. (Luk 18:29)
  • Jesus prays for his disciples, but also for the following generation that will come. (Joh 17:20-21)
  • Paul is torn between the desire to be with the Lord, yet for the sake of the church he remains. (Phil 1:23-24)

Often in the OT whole generations is removed by God, to cherish and protect the lineage of faith and obedience.  This is also why God hates divorce. (Mal 2:15) God is seeking a godly offspring! There is no greater attack against the child’s future faith in God, than when their parents divorce.  On the other hand, there will be much less divorces if we remain faithful for the sake of family!
Becoming  part of God’s family.
We need to be part of a church, right! Yes! But being part of the right body is vital! In studying Kings and chronicles we soon discover the power of leadership, and how it influenced the prosperity of the people.  This is how God has made us as humans, we follow naturally after leadership. Therefor the strict warning in James 3:1 My brethren, let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment. The following verses in chapter 3 of James deal with the power of the tongue, how it steers the ship. I believe leaders determine the direction, and measure of maturity in a local church.  You cannot belong to a local church and really grow beyond the level of the local leadership’s growth, without being very frustrated.
We all desire to be led. We need leaders. We hate them or love them, but we do not want their job.  Life is hard, and getting by with all the daily chores is not always easy. Thus we do not want to make the big decisions, we do not want that responsibility.  Some of us however, are made exactly for that purpose; we thrive on these difficult challenges. This is how God has made us.  Some people like to lead and some follow.  Moreover we should be able to balance leadership and submitting like breathing, for leaders who cannot submit suffocate their people, and people who never take initiative frustrate leaders.  We all must learn a measure of leadership, and submitting in all areas of life.
On regards to big groups of people, we need godly leaders. This is the message of Kings & Chronicles, how did man fare with God not being their king, but man?  When the Kings served and obeyed God’s commands and will the people prospered.  When the King made himself God, and had the people obey him, they entered destruction.
Who do you chose to follow and why? 
The people of Israel sought a righteous King, and followed Jerobeam.  This generation of people of Israel ended 19 kings later being scattered all over the world. In 400 years none of these Kings served or obeyed God. Jerobeam created his own counterfeit religion, temples and priesthood.  The people, who remained faithful to God’s word and promise to David, saw 8 Kings serving God, and the birth of the Messiah.
Some people followed Moses, but others were easily swayed to follow Aaron and Mirriam, who began to question Moses Leadership.  Num 12:1-4 There was many occurrences of such rebellion under Moses Leadership.
Following a Reformer.
The Biblical criteria we should use to determine who we ought to follow are:

  1. Do they have a personal relationship with God?
  2. Do they have a prophetic mandate to lead?
  3. Do they seek to keep reforming according to the standard of God’s Word? Do they obey the Word?
  4. Does their personal life line up with the word?
  5. Do they keep to the original mandate?

Discipleship in family context
Whenever we conduct church outside of the parameters of family, we enter into trouble and eventually in error.  Family is eternal.  You cannot resign from a family.  You cannot leave your house. You eternally belong. Even your earthy family has this power over you, you can change your name, but in DNA and genetics you’re still connected.  This is how God intended family to be.  We changed His order.
The fact that we go in and out, connect and leave is at the root of why some of our evangelism efforts are failing. Jesus did not only preach to the crowds, He made family, taking His disciples with Him. We preach and leave, not willing to lay down our lives for a community, to become fathers and older brothers that will lead them out of darkness into his marvelous light. (1 Pet 2:9) The true heart of the apostolic is thus to be fathers to the churches. (Gal 4:19; 1 Cor 4:15; ).  The context of the true church is also set, within the context of family. How can you take care of His church, when your own family is ruins? (1 Tim 3:5) Church history is full of stories where leaders forsake their own families, and it lead to all kinds of error and misconduct.
God’s protection plan for ministry is family! Getting to busy for family, then you’re too busy for God.  Whenever we neglect family and move without the unity of family we are in danger. Again God’s design for family is not just about being a family by name of bloodline, but to experience the same unity that exist in the Godhead.  When a family serves God together, obey God, and live for His glory it makes things easy and natural. We do not have to find unnatural means to protect and care, grow or empower. It all happens naturally without even paying attention to it.  He works is through all the various dynamics within family.  Our only job should be to preserve the Unity!

At the end we all have to give up our own cultures, and traditions. We need to be reformed in our religion,

until He becomes the sum-total of all things.  Until we mature into His image.

The negative of family
Like everything God gave as a provision the enemy distorts into a curse.  So also a family without God becomes a stronghold, a satanic confederacy against the purposes of God. Families carry from one generation to the next the disobedience of the one generation to the next.  Ungodly traditions of man are not questioned but obeyed blindly. This is why we need reform. We need to a systematic relentless determination to keep on allowing God to reform our thinking through the Spirit and the Word.
The Blessing of a spiritual family.
It is much easier to pray with someone than praying alone, do evangelism together than doing it alone, praising God together than singing by yourself. Corporate anointing makes serving God easier.  It is our own ego and self centered nature that seeks to be separate, be different, unique, following my way, seeking my own new path.  It is humbling to follow, to first take directions from men who aren’t perfect.  Jesus did this for 90% of his entire life. Obeying earthly parents.  How do you want to obey God, if you cannot obey your parents, your boss, the law? Surely we need to be alone at times; Jesus also made time for being alone with God, in order to be ready to engage with man in a godly manner.
The Three Chair principle – the power of experience
In conclusion we need to look into the generational regression effect.  Like I have shown in the beginning of this chapter, not many fathers were able to translate their anointing and zeal for God to the next generation.
David served God with all his heart, and was called a friend of God. Yet although Solomon did serve God initially he eventually compromised and lost his way. His son Rehabeam did not serve God at all.  We see the same progression with Josua. Me and my house will serve God. (Jos 14:15) The next generation of Elders also served God (Jos 24:31; Judg 1:7) consequently the next generation did evil in the sight of the Lord and did not even enquire from Him anymore.  (Judg 1:10)
Bruce Wilkerson writes about this phenomenon in much detail in his book. “The three chairs Principle”
The question is: Where did David fail to kindle the same kind of zeal for God he possessed, to Solomon? There are surely many answers, like his lack of discipline, not spending enough time with his children etc.
I believe that the most important aspect that we should remember about the next generation, is what this whole blog is about. God’s family is supernaturally reproduced.

In God’s family there can be No Spectators!

Conditions to enter His Kingdom and Family
Luk 17:20 pharasees “the kingdom does not come with observation”
Acts 14:22 We must through many tribulations enter the Kingdom
Joh 3:3 Unless you born again you will not see the kingdom
Luk 18:29 Give up family for the sake of the kingdom of God
Luk 6:20 Blessed are the poor for yours is the Kingdom of God
Luk 18:24 Hard for the rich to enter
Mat 5:20 except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven
Matthew 7:21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven but he who does the will of God.
No matter how you receive the Word (Voice) of God, whether through Bible study, some supernatural experience, visions, dreams, or encounters it all boils down into one thing – Doing it! Obedience to the will, voice, and instructions of God is the key to Kingdom living!
First hand encounters from the tree of Life, instead of eating from the tree of knowledge of good and evil.  The NT way of the spirit to transfer knowledge is through impartation – not through words only but through power.  (1 Cor 4:20) It is form this first-hand basis that the apostles conducted their ministry. (1 Joh 1:1) We have seen with our own eyes, hearing with our own ears.
There is no other way. Jesus is the door. You have to go through Him personally, by surrendering your life to Him. (Mat 16:24) No one can do it for you. Your parents can show you the way, by example and teaching but you have to go in and experience Him yourself.

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Sermons

Why remain faithful in Marriage

Why remain faithful in Marriage

FOR GOD – The Bible declare God hates divorce. (Malachi 2:10-16) We made a vow before God and witnesses; “what God has brought together, let no man separates” Jesus made it very clear that Moses offered the people divorce letters, but before God there is no separation. (Matthew 19:4-8) As believers we have no right to divorce unless our partner has already committed adultery, and when your spouse who is an unbeliever seeks to be separated. (1Corinthians 7:27-28) We are joined to each other in covenant, and we cannot separate. As believers we belong to God, and we are His dwelling place, how can we allow the members of his body to be defiled? (1 Corinthians 6:16-19) God will judge adulterers and divorcees. (Hebrews 13:4) Joseph resisted the daily seduction of Potiphar’s wife because of his love for God. He asked her, “How … could I do this great evil and sin against God?” (Genesis 39:9). God wants us to develop a passion for Him that is greater than our passion to sin!
FOR TRUE LOVE – So many people say: “I do not love my spouse anymore, should I stay in a loveless marriage for the sake of marriage?” This reveals a great deception where these people value “love” more than they value obedience to God. Love is now their god. They believe that love will make them happy. Erotic romantic love makes you feel empowered, you feel invincible, you feel alive, your happiness is focussed on your lover, and you cannot get them out of your head. People even give their lovers’ god-like names, and become poetic of the wonderful, glorious, illuminated, transcending experience. The sad truth is, that all this is a chemical reaction in the brain that releases dopamine that wears off over time. Love is what brings a couple together, but we need more than mere romantic love to remain together. Do the 1 Corinthians 13 love test, and discover God’s kind of love.
FOR HONOR – Honour is the stuff heroes are made of. Honour is what makes our lives reach over time and generations. We remember people either for their honour or their failure. Honour your father and mother that you may have a long life. Honour is a form of godliness where we are touching divinity. When we do the honourable thing, doing what is right, we expose the quality of our heart and character. Choosing the path of honour is not easy, sacrificing our lives in the process. People who get divorced for any other reason than adultery, physical abuse and manipulation towards criminal behaviour has no honour. Marriage is honourable, it is holy. Hebrews 13:4. Honour God, honour family, and honour yourself!
FOR IT IS MY CALLING AND RESPONSIBILITY – When we consider and fulfil our various roles: husband as leader and wives as helpmate we bring honour to the relationship. When we allow emotions and circumstances to override our responsibility, position and role we open the door to various kinds of evil. We leave our partner uncovered, exposed to attack. Make your calling and identity sure. (1 Peter 1:10) You are not an adulterer, liar, thief, a betrayer and unfaithful person! But giving in to sin, distorts God’s destiny and calling over your life, and soon you will become exactly that. Respect yourself and God’s call upon your life enough to not sell your birth right for a morsel of bread. Cheating is not a mistake, it is a choice. Loyalty is a responsibility not a choice.
FOR LEGACY – We model right living to our children and thus build a legacy for our children to follow. We give up rights and privileges now, so in the future our children may have it easier. Marriage faithfulness is the foundation of building a legacy for our children. The family unit becomes the bases of family enterprise that provides for generations to come. Once we brake this up, we divide not only the family but also the family’s provision. So many children today have lost hope and faith in the sanctity and purpose of marriage because they have so few examples to follow. Children now have to make and discover their own way, because this generation selfishly only provided for themselves. Children do not learn through their ears, they learn through their experiences. What experience are you creating for your children? Your decision will affect them for the rest of their lives.
FOR KEEPING YOUR WORD – One of my best friends were married for 22 years when his wife contracted colon cancer. She became very sick, and they did not enjoy the pleasures of marriage anymore. He had to take care of her, she was in much pain and as a result became difficult and unreasonable at times. After she passed away, I asked him one day; “why did you remain faithful?” His quick and prompt reply moved me; “I gave my word!” That’s it! We do not always have much to give as humans, but our word! Many people’s words has become meaningless without substance, because you cannot take them on their word. You made a vow before God and witness, you should therefor get all those people together, and try to convince them why you are now seeking a divorce.
FOR SAFETY AND SECURITY – Marriage provides financial security if we work hard and are faithful with what we have received. Together husband and wives build together to establish a home, and provide for their children, saving also for their old age, and in some cases they have to help provide for their respective parents too. Divorce destroys this nest egg. Wives who have not been working full-time, are thrown back in the corporate world often at old age to start at the bottom again. They have lost the security and safety of marriage. The children are often also the victims of financial difficulty, because of the losses and costs of divorce. Thus also losing the safety and security home should have provided. It is unbelievable to see what people are willing to pay for giving up their marriages, if they have spent the same money and effort on working at their problems the marriage could have been saved.
FOR PERSONAL GROWTH – Walking out of a relationship most people have little understanding on what contributed to the breakup. We can usually tell in elaborate detail what our partners have done wrong, but we do not see our own error. We then enter the new relationship, with the same baggage and unchanged. Conflict in a relationship is sometimes necessary to expose the areas in our lives where we are not Christ like. People get divorced mostly because they have been hurt by a partner’s un Christ like behaviour. When we live to grow in Christ’s humility, meekness, gentleness, the fruit of the spirit, godly character, faithfulness, loyalty and love no one in the world would want to leave and separate. There can thus be no justification for divorce, but our own fickle hearts and unrestrained passions.
FOR NOT BECOMING A ‘THIEF’ – When getting involved emotionally with a married person, you are setting up a scene of fraud and theft. You taking something that belongs to someone else. Have you ever felt the powerless feeling when walking into your house that has been robbed? You are that person stealing! You are also the thief that is about to steal the trust and respect of the partner that have committed their life to you. The pain of betrayal is like mourning the death of a loved one, but they are still alive and hurting you continually. One lady whose husband was unfaithful wrote in a letter to him: “you have robbed me for keeps, you make your partner an adulterer. How will it feel if your partner would leave you for someone else? The one person I allowed in, with whom I had no defence or secrets betrayed me!
FOR OLD AGE PARTNERSHIP – Most breakups in relationships happens around the first 7 years and then once the children have left home. This is when couples have to recommit themselves and renew their vows, because they’re not the same people they once were. Yet the period we need a partner the most is in old age! As we grow older we become fragile and more and more dependent on each-other. Many times the one partner becomes more dependent. Difficult adults become very difficult old people. This is why we had to grow, adapt and change as individuals in character and person, to become the best we can be at the end. It is in old age where we appreciate it the most, the lives we have lived. This was the intend at the beginning was it not? Growing old together!
FOR FRIENDSHIP – In divorce you lose not only a partner but you lose your friends too. When a couple gets divorced it brings an end to most of the friendships they have once shared. Friends have to decide with which partner they are going to side. Those who keeps their distance to not get involved, remain uninvolved altogether. As friends we were supposed to get old together. Divorce has such a huge ripple-effect on the extended family and friendship circle we belong to. This is why a healthy family is the bedrock of society’s moral fibre and strength.
FOR ENDURANCE – Being single is terrifying. The dating scene is so clouded, where hidden motives thrives, and pretence, broken hearts seeking solitude. The uncertainty of finding love again, as specially getting older is a huge challenge. Sexually it is about making that special connection, finding the one! We all seek intimacy, to know and to be known… But this really becomes quite a challenge if we have no way to know, to be certain to find that special person. Enduring with the one you do know is certainly much easier.
FOR THE RIGHT FOUNDATION – A relationship build on adultery and someone else’s heartbreak is doomed for failure. There will always be trust issues and respect issues. The divorce rate after the second marriage is considerably higher. Once you have been unfaithful, it is easy to do it again.
FOR LOYALTY – We all treasure loyalty and fear the abandonment of the one we love. Yet some are willing to do exactly that and betray their partner, helpmate our spouse. Beware of turning your heart and seek to be nourished elsewhere. All relationships go through difficulty, the routine of daily living, the boring shores of responsibility and duty. One may feel entitled to justify your unfaithfulness because of core needs not met within marriage. The bible instructs us to drink from your own fountain, the wife of your youth. (Proverbs 5:18) All sexual needs should be met within marriage. (1 Corinthians 7:1-5) Learn to be content whether you get what you want or not. Marriage is about give and take. If only one member in the relationship do all the sacrifices it will lead to disillusionment and discouragement. Kindle and rekindle the fire within the relationship and stay in the boat.
FOR IT IS WORTH IT – I would love to ask every person who ever walked out and committed adultery, whether it was worth it in the end? Years later after all the damage caused has settled down, and the new relationship now also becomes routine, was it worth it?
Fight for you marriage, it is worth it!

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Sermons

Eternal Capital, the Riches we have in Christ

Eternal Capital, the Riches we have in Christ

It is said that the greatest need in Uganda is Capital. Their is no lack of ideas and plans in Uganda. Like ants scavenging, people are constantly seeking work and means of income. People looking for ways in which they too will become the blessed, rich, wealthy, victorious kings and queens everyone is preaching about.

The truth is: God’s Capital is within you if you are a born again believer. Godly character is an Eternal commodity we carry within us – the Bible calls it the fruit of the spirit. When you meet someone wealthy their money carries weight and authority in this world, people seek to gain their favor, and they are reckoned as powerful and blessed. They get things done, and have entrance into VIP restricted areas of society. In the same way a Christlike Character and Activity brings favor.

Mother Theresa had no money when she started to look after the orphans, destitute, and Lepers in Kolkata, yet she addressed the united Nations in 1984. This is the prayer she prayed:

 

Make us worthy Lord to serve our fellow men throughout the world, who live and die in poverty and hunger.

Give them through our hands, this day, their daily bread

and by our understanding love give peace and joy

Lord, make me a channel of thy peace.

That where there is hatred I may bring love,

That where there is wrong, I may bring the spirit of forgiveness,

That where there is discord, I may bring harmony

That where there is error I may bring truth,

That where there is doubt I may bring faith,

That where there is despair I may bring hope,

That where there are shadows I may bring light,

That where there is sadness I may bring joy.

Lord, grant that I may seek rather to comfort that to be comforted,

To understand than to be understood,

To love than to be loved.

For it is by forgetting self that one finds.

It is by forgiving that one is forgiven,

it is by dying that one awakens to eternal life.

Amen.

She was granted a state funeral by the Indian government in gratitude for her services to the poor of all religions in India.[63] Her death was mourned in both secular and religious communities.

IRENE GLEESON, 1944-2013

Mission accomplished: Irene Gleeson surrounded by some of the children she spent decades helping. Photo: Supplied —

Irene Gleeson fought and overcame many battles in her time as a missionary: late-night attacks by rebels, recurring bouts of malaria, depression, extreme isolation and the challenge of being a single white woman in one of the most volatile regions of the world.

For 22 years, her home was Kitgum – a small, isolated community 30 kilometres from the Sudan border and seven hours’ drive from the capital of Uganda, Kampala. ”Mama Irene” or ”The General”, as she was otherwise known, began her work on 7.3 hectares of dry, scrubby land donated by the local government. It was a ministry that would leave an indelible imprint on the hearts and lives of more than 20,000 war-affected Ugandans. (http://www.charismanews.com/world/40359-missionary-to-uganda-irene-gleeson-dies-at-68)

PATIENCE NAMANYA

When Patience Namanya was 12, she came home from school with a bad report card. She was failing literature, history, civics and math. Her teacher had scrawled a note at the bottom. “Patience can do better than this. Should please put in more effort.” Patience sat alone, ashamed. She ached for her parents. She was afraid of her abusive aunt. Who would she show this wrinkled piece of paper to? She knew one person who would understand. One woman who would both challenge and comfort her. Patience picked up her pencil and began to write. “The good Lord solves our problems even though they are big. This year was not wonderful for me because of the problems I had. I lost my grandma and my mummy in the same year and month, but I surrendered them to Jesus Christ.”

Patience has surrendered a lot to Jesus in her young life. She grew up in Kyebando, a slum in Kampala, Uganda, mired in unemployment, alcoholism and malnutrition. In Patience’s own home, tragedy was relentless. Her father died of AIDS, the disease that would gradually take the lives of her mother and two of her younger siblings. While AIDS still ravaged her body, Patience’s mother enrolled her at Compassion’s Gayaza Road Child Development Center.

Patience was eventually promoted to the Anti-Corruption National Strategic Planning Team for Uganda. A job at the national level affords her both freedom and safety. Her team has appeared on radio and television in their efforts to protect fellow Ugandans from government corruption. Earlier this year, Patience helped reinstate 6,000 teachers who had been illegally removed from their jobs. She says she hopes to one day be appointed to parliament, where she can fight corruption from within. (http://www.communityglobal.org/-blog/patience-namanya)

 

 

WAYS IN WHICH GOD PROVIDES FOR US:

Christ within the hope of glory:

Col 1:27 Speaks of this great mystery that now has been revealed, namely Christ in and among us! Paul knew of this riches and said that although he has nothing, he is making many rich. 2 Cor 6:10. He was content within, no matter the state of the conditions on the outside. Phil 4:11-12 in verse 13 he victoriously declares “I can do all things, through Christ that strengthens me!” God made an huge capital investment within us, His own Son!

Living the life of Jesus, is true riches indeed. As you begin to follow Him, laying down your own life, dreams and ambitions, He begins to teach you His way of riches. The greatest statesman Mr Nelson Mandela was not known for his politics and accomplishments But for his humility, compassion, forgiveness, and unity he brought about.

The Holy Spirit is our guide, but once we decided to surrender self, He is also the one that raise Christ up in us. Christ resurrected in us, and through us. In Him we live and move and have our being. We are crucified with Him, but we will also live and reign with Him.

He will lead each one of us, into the rich tapestry of Christlike destiny He has purposed for all of us. Like Him we learn obedience through the things we suffer. Heb 5:8 and being perfected by Him, we become the author of an aspect of Christ’s riches He has chosen to reveal through us to the world.

We cannot choose this destiny for ourselves, we discover it as we continue to obey Him in the small things, here a little, there a little, step upon step, line upon line. In total trust we blindly follow Him, until He choose to open our eyes, now seeing like He sees. Paul had to first be blinded naturally, and see in the spirit, before God could give him back his sight.

 

  1. Christlike character is a commodity! It gives you heavenly currency to trade and do business and gain favor and success in everything you do.  The president [Yoweri Museveni] turned to the church when it became evident that the army was getting nowhere with the war. The president went so far as to ask Christians to volunteer for public service. “The president says that only the principled can make a difference,” Senyonga told Charisma Magazine. “He would say, ‘If [born-again Christians] don’t have skills I will give them the skills. But I want the heart.” (http://www.charismamag.com/site-archives/146-covers/cover-story/1965-ugandas-miracle) More and more christians are coming in demand in the job sector, business that core character is essential to business success. For born again believers, the character of Christ becomes the fruit of your new nature in Christ.
  2. Inherent provision in creation: Every created thing has an inherent provision. (Mat 6:22-35) The way that God blesses us is, through blessing the land. Ps 65:9-13 God provides by blessing the Land.  The most natural way of God’s provision to us lies in nature, farming, sowing and reaping.  Hos 10:12 The prophet asked the widow: “What do you have?” Often God’s provision is in what we already have. “silver and gold I have not, but what I have I give you” Jesus also taught His disciples “You give them something to eat”. Like Paul I like to pray that our spiritual eyes be opened to the calling, inheritance and power we have within us. (Ephe 1:19-21)
  3. Money is only a means: Poverty lack access to a means. We do not need money, we need a means, to make, or earn money. Many people who have won a lot of money do not know what to do with it. They lack a means. We cannot trust in the means, because it can change, we can loose it, either by our own doing, or someone else doing. Mat 6:26 God cares for the birds, who do not sow or reap, nor gather into barns.  Do not trust in your sowing, trust God! We on a constant journey to discover different means of income, to provide not only for ourselves but others also. Each person ought to develop their vocation in obedience to Christ. Nic ” ” do not have any legs or arms, yet he minister all over the world. He became perfected through obedience and now have a power story to tell, thus becoming n author of hope to millions.
  4. See the Lord’s Provision: Jehovah Jireh: H3070. יִרְאֶה יְהוָֹה y hōwāh yir’eh:A proper noun designating Jehovah Jireh, a name given to designate the Lord by Abraham for providing a sacrifice in place of Isaac (Gen. 22:14). It means “the Lord will see to it” literally but also means “the Lord will provide.” You need to see your provision to be able to obtain it. Often in survival circumstances people die, because they could not see the provision in what they had around them.  Abraham had to see God’s provision in the ram.  Look at what is obvious, close proximity to you. You will not become good in anything, if it is not already within you. I was told this week by Ellen Odendaal, MD of Bokomo Uganda. If you have to do a course at something so that you will be able to do it, your were not meant to do it.  Doing course in public speaking, wont make you a good speaker, you should ready have it in. The course is only for improvement. See the gifts what God has already put in you.
  5. Faithfulness in the small things.  Being faithful is so important for success.  You will never go forward if you never learn to first be faithful in the small things.  Luk 16:19. The way I move people forward, is to first give them simple commands, then once they complete them accurately, we can ahead to greater things. No plant in God’s garden begins as a full-grown tree. We want to skip the steps, and create plastic human made plants, that looks nice, but they’re dead.
  6. Shrewdness and prudence: 5430. φρονίμως phronímōs; adv. from phrónimos (G5429), prudent. Prudently. It denotes the wise, prudent and sensible manner in which one conducts himself and his affairs. In Luke 16:8 the word means with advantage, shrewdly. “Now here’s a surprise: The master praised the crooked manager! And why? Because he knew how to look after himself. Streetwise people are smarter in this regard than law-abiding citizens. They are on constant alert, looking for angles, surviving by their wits. I want you to be smart in the same way—but for what is right—using every adversity to stimulate you to creative survival, to concentrate your attention on the bare essentials, so you’ll live, really live, and not complacently just get by on good behavior.” Message
  7. Principle of sowing and reaping: Everything in God’s Kingdom/creation works on this principle/law. Gen 8:22 The more one sows, the more one can reap. 1 Cor 9:6 The measure of your sowing determines the measure of your harvest.  Like a farmer, he cannot eat the seed. He will have nothing to eat in the future! Most people eat all their seed, they do not know how to make money, only how to spend it. The way of the Kingdom is: the more you need, the more you need to give.  The people in our church, who are most blessed and prosperous are the ones that give.
  8. Get going do something:Deut 8:18 Give you power to attain wealth – God has made provision for every man, it is what you make of the opportunities you did receive that will bring you greater opportunities. Charismatic and Pentecostal people can fall in the trap of trying to fix everything with prayer, laying of hands, and having more church meetings. Although these things are important for spiritual growth, it does not sustain us. Paul says: “working with my own hands” he provided for those who was in his company. Pastors who forsake work and labour, become professional beggars and shrewd in taking up offerings to sustain themselves. Much error has crept into the church because of this.  Apostles work hard. 2 Cor 6:5 – labors, 2 Cor 10:15 – measure of our labour – We do not boast beyond limit in the labors of others. 2 Cor 11:23 – with far greater labors 1 Cor 15:10; 1 Cor 4:12 Working with our own hands; 2 Thes 3:8 with toil and labor
Categories
Sermons

The Power of Two

The Power of Two

The Power of two.
What is the Power that makes some partnership flourish, creating a collective genius far surpassing the genius of one?
That question lies at the heart of Joshua Wolf Shenk’s new book out this week, Powers of Two: Finding the Essence of Innovation in Creative Pairs, in which, drawing on academic research, historical evidence, and original reportage, he explores what makes creative partnerships tick, from a foundation of trust to a spark that ignites when two people are “as alike as identical twins and as unalike as complete strangers.”
All of us have experienced creative connection, and glimpsed its power. Yet, for centuries, the myth of the lone genius has obscured the critical story of the power of collaboration. In Powers of Two, Joshua Wolf Shenk argues that creative pairs are the exemplars for innovation. Drawing on years of research on great partnerships in history – from Lennon and McCartney to Marie and Pierre Curie, plus hundreds more in fields including literature, popular culture, art and business – Shenk identifies the common journey pairs take from the spark of initial connection, through the passage to a cognitive ‘joint identity” to competition and the struggle for power. Using scientific and psychological insights, he uncovers new truths about epic duos – and sheds new light on the genesis of some of the greatest creative work in history. He reveals hidden partnerships among people known only for their individual work (like C. S. Lewis and J. R. R. Tolkien), and even ‘adversarial collaborations’ among those who are out to beat each other. This revelatory and lyrical book will make us see creative exchange as the central terrain of our psyches.
More example in our time is:
Bill Gates & Paul Allen (colleagues; business partners) Founders of Microsoft Corporation
Founders Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak created Apple Computer on April 1, 1976,
Frodo Baggins & Sam Gamgee (fictional; companions in the Lord of the Ring trilogy)
Biblical Examples are:
Gen 2:25 Adam and eve
Jos 2:1 The Two Spies
Zech 4:14 Two anointed ones (King & Priest Partnership)
2 Sam 20:34; & Sam 1:25-26 David & Jonathan
Jesus send the disciples two by two (Luk 10:1)
According the wisdom of the Preacher “two ae better than one” Eccl 4:9-12
What are the hindrances to a healthy partnership.
1) Lack of honour – Jesus exist to glorify the Father, our accurate deeds in frequency with the Father’s will glorify Him. We honour God with our lives when we accurately represent Him. Our lives, testimony, fruit, accomplishments, and success, is because we listened and obeyed His instruction, utilizing His wisdom, applying his power… The fruit glorifies the source. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven. (Matthew 5:16) We show honor in the way we involve and value our partner. Not informing one another of important decisions, and not including the other is a show of disrespect.
2) Desire to control, and Ego. Wanting to remain in control and have the last say, stifles the creativity in a relationship. A team works well together when both get’s the opportunity to lead. Working together is like dancing, mutual submission, and willingness to be led.
3) Losing Unity as always being the first point on the Agenda. Our point of departure is always unity first. No matter the grudge, the mistake or the problem it remains OUR problem, we face it together. We solve things together. We think team all the time.
4) Poor confrontation skills and results. Confrontation is healthy, if done the correct way. We all need to improve our correction skills, being mature enough to agree to disagree. Dealing with all our defense meganisme and bad habits in terms of reaction to correction paves the way to a strong relationship. We can grow, through our differences.
5) Not defining and understanding different roles. Healthy partners know their individual roles and gifts they add to the friendship. Both know their weakness and strengths and how to use the strengths to each other’s benefit. Defining the different roles and job description helps to establish synergy.
6) Having two visions, or goals. – division. Two visions will eventually break and destroy the partnership. It is the common agreement that holds the partnership together. We do not create unity we preserve it! Keep to the original vision, and both must be in agreement when the goalposts change.
7) Lack of Execution – physical work done, completed for the other. Not keeping your word, on what is agreed, will end the partnership. Both need to be responsible and show integrity to complete tasks, and fulfill obligations. This is the most basic foundation of any partnership. Not getting things done, and not fulfilling your end of the bargain destroys trust.

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Sermons

15 Steps of Unfaithfulness in Marriage

15 Steps of Unfaithfulness in Marriage

 
Sien hierdie kragtige PPT oor Egbreuk vir meer antwoorde:
How does adultery “happen?” People don’t just decide one day to hop in bed and be unfaithful to their spouse. Adultery is the culminating act of a dozen or more tiny steps of unfaithfulness. Each step in itself does not seem that serious or much beyond the previous step. Satan draws a person into adultery one tiny step at a time. And he does this over time so that our conscience is gradually seared. This makes it easier to take “just one more step” thinking such a tiny step won’t hurt us.
The following “15 steps” which analyze how adultery “happens” are based on scores of interviews, counseling, and correspondence with church folk who fell into unfaithfulness. Our question: “How did this happen… what were the tiny steps which led to this mess?” While the order varied from case to case, the following is the general progression which surfaced in most incidents. This is not some sort of theoretical list. These are the actual steps taken by scores of church people who wound up committing adultery and regretting it later. Some of these people sobbed deeply as they shared, hoping that their own pain and failure might save other marriages. This information comes to you at great expense.
This chapter doesn’t have any preaching or analysis… that is left to you. Here we offer you cold word-for-word quotes. You and your Sunday School class can draw out the lessons. How did these lives get ruined? How does it start?
1. Sharing Common Interests. (Deel gemeenskaplike belange)
“We just had so much in common, it was uncanny.”
“She and I both enjoyed music, and we were attracted to each other.”
“He was so spiritually-minded… I’d been looking for someone to share my spiritual struggles with.”
“We both loved horses, and started riding together.”
“We both shared a burden for the church and especially children’s work.”
“She was the first woman I’d ever met who liked the outdoors, even hunting and fishing — I was fascinated!”
2. Mentally comparing with my mate. (Vergelyk my maat, fokus op tekortkominge)
“My husband wasn’t interested much in spiritual things, but this man knew so much about the Bible.”
“She was slim, attractive, and dressed sharp — quite a difference from my wife who didn’t take care of herself much at that time.”
“She was so understanding and would listen to me and my hurts — my wife was always so busy and rushed that we didn’t have the time to talk.
“My husband just would never communicate — he’d come home from work and just sit there watching TV. I finally gave up on him. Then this man came along who was worlds apart from my husband — he was gentile, loved to talk, and would just share little things about his life with me.”
3. Meeting emotional needs. (Bevredig emosionele behoeftes)
“He understood how I was feeling and offered me the empathy I was hungering for.”
“She was there when I needed her.”
“My ego was so starved for affirmation that I would have taken it from anyone — I guess that’s what started the whole thing.”
“No one had ever really believed in me until he came along. He encouraged me, inspired me, and believed so deeply in what I could become.”
“My wife was busy with the kids and not at all involved with my work. This girl admired me and treated me like I was really somebody. It felt so good.”
4. Looking forward to being together. (sien uit daarna om mekaar te sien)
“I used to dread going to work, but after we started our friendship, I would wake up thinking of how I would see him later that day… it seemed to make getting up easier.”
“I would think of being with her the whole time I was driving to work.”
“I found myself thinking of him as I got dressed each morning, wondering how he would like a certain outfit or perfume.”
“I looked forward to choir practice every week because I knew he would be there.”
“Every time I drove by her house I would think of her and how we’d see each other that Sunday.”
5. Tinges of dishonesty with my mate. (Begin oneerlik te handel met my maat)
“When my wife would ask if she was with the group I’d pretend I couldn’t remember… right there I started building a wall between us.”
“I would act like I was going to practice with our ensemble, but actually I was practicing a duet with him.”
“Once my wife asked about her, but I denied everything, after all, we hadn’t done anything wrong yet. Now I see that this was one of those exit points where I could have come clean and got off the road I was speeding down.”
“Whenever we got together as couples I would act like I didn’t care about him, and afterward I would even criticize him to my husband. I guess I was trying to hide my real feelings from my husband.”
6. Flirting and teasing. (Flirtasie en speelse grapies)
“I could tell from the way she looked at me. She would gaze directly into my eyes, then furtively glance down my body then back into my eyes again — I knew then that she was interested in more than my friendship. But, I was so flattered by her interest that I couldn’t escape.”
“Then we started teasing each other, often with double-meaning kind of things. Sometimes we’d tease each other even when we were together as two couples. It seemed innocent enough at first, but more and more we knew it really did mean something to us.”
“We would laugh and talk about how it seemed like we were “made for each other” so much. Then we’d tease each other about what kind of husband or wife the other one would have been if we’d married each other.”
“He had those killer eyes. When he’d look at me in that “special way” I would just melt. It was hopeless fighting my urges — he had me.”
7. Talking about personal matters. (begin oor persoonlike sake te praat en deel)
“We would talk about things — not big things, just little things which he cared about, or I was worried about.”
“We’d meet together for coffee before church and just talk together.”
“I was having problems with my son and she seemed to understand the whole situation so much better than anyone else I talked with. I’d tell her about the most recent blow-up and she would understand so well. We just became really deep friends — almost soul-mates. That’s what’s so weird about all this — we never intended for it to go this far.”
“I had lost my Dad just before we got to know each other and he had lost his mother a few years earlier. He seemed to understand exactly what I was going through and we would talk for hours about how each of us felt.”
“I was so lonely since my husband died and hungry for someone to share life with. Then he began to call just because he cared. I loved hearing his caring voice at the other end of the line, even though I knew he was married.”
“We spent so much time together at work that I swear she knew more about me than my wife ever did — or even cared to know.”
8. Minor yet arousing touch, squeeze, or hug. (Ligte aanrakings, drukkies, met gevoel)
“He never touched me for months. Then one night after working late, we were walking toward the door when he said ‘You’re so special, thanks for all you do…” then he turned and hugged me tenderly, just for a second. I loved how I felt for that moment so much that I began to replay it over and over again in my mind like a videotape. Now I know that I should have stopped it all right then. I never intended to ruin my family like this.”
“She was always hanging around our house and was my wife’s best friend. Often she would stay late to watch TV, even after my wife went to bed. She would sit beside me on the couch and I was drawn to her like the song says… like a moth to the flame.”
“He would often pat me on the shoulder — you know, in appreciation for a good job I’d done. But I knew it meant more than that.”
“The first time she touched me was when we were doing registration together. We were sitting beside each other. I’d say something cute or funny and she would giggle, then under the table she’d squeeze the top of my leg with her hand. That was really exciting to me.”
“Every time she shook hands with me at the door she seemed to linger, sort of holding my hand more than shaking it. No one else would notice, but I knew there was more to her touch than appeared to the eyes. She knew too.”
9. Special notes or gifts. (spesiaale geskenke, en boodskappe)
“He would write these little encouraging notes and leave them in my desk, pocketbook, or taped to my computer. They didn’t say anything which could be traced. If anyone found them they wouldn’t suspect anything. But we both knew what was going on, we just didn’t want to stop yet.”
“I would sometimes call him and leave a short message on his answering machine. He would leave little notes in my Bible.”
“He would buy me a little gift — not that expensive, but it always showed he had taken extra thought to get exactly what I liked. Of course everyone else thought he was just being a good boss.”
“She started leaving unsigned notes to me in my desk sharing her feelings for me. It scared me at first, because I thought someone would find one. But after a while I found myself looking forward to the next one, even though I knew the risk.”
10. Inventing excuses to call or meet. (Dink verskonings uit om mekaar te ontmoet)
“I started figuring out ways I could drop off something at her house when her husband was gone. He and I knew each other and I would always return borrowed tools in the afternoon when I knew she’d be there alone.”
“I would wait until the end of the workday then I’d call him just before closing time about something I’d made up as a ‘business question’ and we’d talk.”
“The more entangled we got, the more I planned times where he and I could practice together. We started meeting more often.”
“She started arranging her schedule so that her husband dropped her off at committee meetings. I would hang around and offer to take her home, acting with as much nonchalance as I could muster up.”
11. Arranging secret meetings. (Beplan geheime ontmoetings)
“By now we both were so far gone that we started meeting secretly at the mall parking lot. It know now how foolish this was, but I was driven by something other than good sense at that time.”
“We started arranging to work evenings on the same nights, then we would leave early and meet each other in the dark parking lot.”
“I started making sure he knew my travel schedule so we could attend the same conferences. We still weren’t involved physically at that time, but there was such excitement and romance to it all… even the secrecy seemed to make it more exciting.”
“She would sometimes call me just before lunch and we’d sneak through a drive-up together, and then spend the rest of my lunch hour talking quietly to each other.”
12. Deceit and cover ups. (Misleiding en verdoeseling)
“Once we were meeting secretly I had to invent all kinds of stories about where I’d been to satisfy my wife. By now I had built a towering wall of dishonesty between us.”
“Pretty soon my whole life was full of lies. I’d lie about where I was going, where I’d been, and who I’d been with. The more suspicious my husband got, the better liar I became. But he knew something was going on. It’s hard to lie without people suspecting it.”
“I joined several groups so that I would have an excuse to be away in the evenings.”
“She would ask when I’d gotten off work. I’d simply lie about it, and she never knew what hit her. How can I ever regain her trust now?”
“We agreed that if anyone saw us driving around we would both tell the same story: that my car wouldn’t start, he stopped to help, an we were going together to get a new fuse to replace the broken one he’d discovered.”
“By now my whole life was a lie, so I began telling them regularly to cover up our little meetings.”
13. Kissing and embracing. (Soen en vashou, en omhelsings)
“The whole thing seemed so exciting by now. I was such a fool. We were meeting secretly and both of us were fearful of being caught. But that only seemed to increase our common ground. When we’d meet, we would embrace as if we’d not been together for years — like in the movies when someone comes home from the war.”
“Once we started meeting secretly the end came fast. We kissed and hugged like two teenagers going parking for their first time.”
“It just felt so good to be hugged and loved by somebody who really cared about me.”
14. Petting and high indiscretion. (Sekuele voorspel en onbetaamlike gedrag)
“At this point my glands took over. I forgot reason altogether and was willing to risk everything for more.”
“It was like I was a teenager again — going too far, then repenting and promising to do better; then just as quick I was hungrily seeking more sin.”
“When my husband and I were dating we struggled with ‘how far to go.’ Well, here I was again struggling over the same issue. Friendship with this guy didn’t seem so wrong. But now were we’re going further than I ever intended. But, I felt curiously justified going exactly as far as I had with my husband when had been dating. In a way, I think some of my resentment against my husband’s constant pressure on me started coming out. I’m not saying that it wasn’t wrong. Just that I kind of felt justified.”
“At about this time I began fooling myself into thinking I was heroic for not going “all the way.” That’s what I wanted to do. But by doing “everything but” I fooled myself into thinking I was successfully resisting temptation. What I didn’t realize was that, not only was what I was doing wrong, but that eventually I would take the next step. It’s just not possible to freeze a relationship — you have to go ahead with it, or break it off totally.”
15. Sexual intercourse. (Sekuele omgang)
“Soon I quit resisting and was swept into outright adultery.”
“One thing led to another and finally we ended up in bed with each other.”
“Though we never intended it to go that far, we eventually went all the way and had sex.”
“One night we couldn’t seem to stop ourselves (at least we didn’t want to) so I completed my journey of unfaithfulness to my husband — I had sex with this man.”

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Sermons

When Love is not enough

When Love is not enough

Please read (Mat 7:15-23)
We so often say we love You Lord, but do they really? It is so easy to sing along songs in church about how much we love Him, but do we obey Him? Jesus’ love for the Father was tested, when He endured the most difficult burden of our sins and death saying: “Not My will be done, but thine!”
There are so many things in my life, that I know God wants me to do, but I never get around doing it. My spouse asked me to do something in the house ages ago, and I simply never do it. The Church made and appeal, and I felt that God wants me to respond, but I never did it.
Are we not singing too many love-songs in church, and doing too little? When we are asked to labor and come and work in church, like attending the prayer meetings, visiting the poor, praying for people at work. We just never get around to do it, with a long list of excuses.
God is not looking for obedience grounded in a slave mentality. He wants us to want to obey. Obedience should come naturally. There is nothing so offending when my spouse makes it clear that they did something out of obedience and I should take note that it was not easy, and that actually they did not want to do it. Love says: you should have wanted to do it for me, because you love me!
When people commit sin, adultery, deceit, selfish ambition, selfishness I cannot but question their love for God. Even more, I question their experiential knowledge of the Love of God.
No one filled with the love of God, can continue in sin.
We should focus more on trying to understand and come to see for ourselves the width, depth, and height of His love. (Eph 3:16-19) His love is what heals us. His love quench the hunger of your deepest desires. His love completes every yearning and longing you have in your heart. His love restores all the heartbreak. It is in seeing His love that we understand that all our desires were actually seeking Him. No husband or wife, no children, no perfect job, no conquest of any kind, can permanently fill and satisfy your desires like God. He is the author of Love. He is love! There is no true love without Him.
Let us study this passage closely in Matthew 7.
In vers 15 we are warned of false teachers. Ravenous wolves! How will you be able to discern them? By their fruits. Meaning the stuff they do! How they live, their attitude, values, habits and actions will prove whether they are true or not. In vers 17-19 Jesus explains that fruit bearing is a natural process. No matter how hard a citrus tree will strive to bear bananas, it cannot. You bear naturally according to your DNA. This is why our natures needs to be transformed by God. We need to be born again. (Joh 3:3-5; 1 Pet 1:21; 2 Cor 5:17) When we are changed from the inside we will naturally bear His fruit. (Gal 5:21-22) The opposite list mentioned in Galatians 5, is called “works” of the flesh. You cannot work godliness from the flesh. These people have a show of godliness but lacking the power. (2 Tim 3:5) When God transforms us from within, He becomes the means and power towards Godliness. He works His grace in us to do according to His will. (Phil 2:13)
Someone who is still struggling with sin, has not yet received this power. This is how you know that you walk in His grace. You overcome sin naturally. (Rom 5:17) Through God’s mercy we have gained access, but through His grace we have received power to overcome. (Heb 4:14-16) Obedience is thus not a work like that of a slave. Godly obedience is a grace that He works in us, because of our faith in Him. We have come to the place of desperation because we find no good in ourselves, we simply cannot perform His will. (Rom 7:19-25) But thank God through Jesus Christ, I find a power in Him that enables me to overcome sin. (Rom 8:2)
Back to Matthew 7:
In vers 21 Jesus continue with His line of thought saying that not everyone who says to me Lord, Lord shall enter the Kingdom. He is not interested in what we have done for Him, even performing miracles. Did we obey Him? This is what He is looking for. Vers 21 exclaimed: “You who practice lawlessness!”
Let us all come to realize this truth – The law cannot save you and make you right with God. But you cannot disobey the law and say you love Him. Whoever therefor breaks one of these commandments and teaches men so, will be called least in the Kingdom. (Mat 5:19) You are my friends if you do what I command them. (Joh 15:15) My food is to do the will of God. (Joh 4:34) As many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are sons of God. (Rom 8:14) Obedience is important to God.
You cannot divorce your spouse, and say I love God. You are breaking His law! He hates divorce! (Mal 2:16) Read (Mal 2:12-17) It also speaks of people bringing their sacrifices of worship to God, they come with weeping and crying. But you deal treacherously with the wife of your youth? You have wearied the Lord with your words v17.
You cannot be guilty of the following practices and fruit and be named among the elect. But now I have written to you not to keep company with anyone named a brother, who is sexually immoral, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or an extortioner — not even to eat with such a person. (1 Cor 5:11)
When one turns from these and repent there is mercy and grace. (Heb 4:14) But when one identifies with sin, and line yourself up with it, you will be judged with the sin by the church. “put away from yourself this evil person” (1 Cor 5:13) Paul’s plea to the church in this whole chapter is: Why are you as the church not judging this person? Do you not know that little leaven leavens the whole lump? (v6) He exclaims: as absent from the body but present in the spirit, I have already judged this person! (v3)
God will cut away the branch that does not bear fruit. (John 15:2) If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. (v6)
We cannot escape God’s law. We cannot disobey Him, and think we can correct our rebellion with nice words and emotional worship songs! May we be totally raptured in His love! May we be so filled with His presence and love that shines on our darkness and draws us unto Himself, so that He can heal us. “For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. 21 But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God.” (Joh 3:18)
We all like to know God. We even presume we know Him. What a shock it will be one day to hear: “I never knew you; depart from Me!” (Mat 7:23) When we read further in Mathew 7:24-29 Jesus continues to explain why this is so important for us to not just hear His words but to obey Him. When we only hear, but do not obey we are like someone who builds his house on sand. This is why so many Christian leaders and people are losing their testimony and fall into sin. They did not obey! Whether you are a Christian for many years or only a few months the same standard is set for everyone –obedience! You need to mix your hearing with actions of faith. For indeed the gospel was preached to us as well as to them; but the word which they heard did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in those who heard it. (Heb 4:2)
Why do some Christian believers marriage’s fail, are their business not producing good success, and their relationship with people always in troublesome waters? I am over simplifying. But hear the truth: Obedience is good fruit! Obedience is building your house on the rock! Obedience is what gives us authority. (2 Cor 10:6)
though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered. 9 And having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him, (Heb 5:8) Even Jesus had to learn obedience! We do not learn obedience when everything is going well. It is when we struggling through difficulties and hardship, that we need to hear from God what to do. Do not pray to God for the problem to go away. Rather ask Him for a ‘Jesus’ strategy on how to overcome it. We are not victims of people’s wrongdoing. We cannot blame others for our sin. In God, in the scriptures, in the life and way of Christ there is solutions to be found on how to handle every difficulty! Instead of searching for the problem in someone else, rather seek the answer in the Word of God. Let the Holy Spirit guide and teach you His ways. Learn from other believers who have already discovered truths and ways on how to overcome. I have found that with obedience, comes the grace to obey. Before obedience the task may seem daunting, but the moment you agree to do it, you will feel the energy of God’s Spirit working in you to do it. The more you obey, the more you will want to obey. Just do it!
We all know the feeling when your spouse, declares that “they love you” yet when you ask them to do something for you, they forget, or went and did something else for you. This is really frustrating. May God wash our hearts and work His grace of reverence and the fear of the Lord in our hearts, dealing with all rebellion, hardness of heart, unwillingness to yield, resentment, excuses, procrastination, and everything that hinders us to walk an obedient life to His Glory! God is most glorified in us, when Christ is most evident in us!
We receive His obedience by faith.
Grace and Peace
Apostle Jan and Prophet Chantál, called by the grace of God to preach the Gospel of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ.
 

Categories
Sermons

Die Jesus Lewe

How not to loose your Identity in Christ

Om soos Jesus te word is die sleutel tot ʼn vervulde en gelukkig lewe. Jy sal die beste huweliksmaat wees om mee te leef, die beste sakeleier of werker wees vir enige sakeonderneming, die beste tipe vriend, die beste ouer. Die hoogste ideaal vir elke mens se bestaan is Jesus. Mense vergeet die wenners van die Olimpiese spele, die beste akteurs van die jaar, en selfs die mees beroemdste mense verval later in vergetelheid. Maar om Jesus te leef elke dag van my hele lewe, maak ʼn ewigheidsverskil in my lewe sowel as die mense wat ek aanraak.

Die uitkoms van alle geestelike aktiwiteit behoort Jesus Christus te wees.

Of jy ‘n belewenis gehad het soos Paulus, (hy sê nie sy naam nie) om in die derde hemel opgeneem te wees, of jy bloot nuwe betekenis in ‘n teksvers ontdek het, dit moet alles jou meer soos Jesus laat klink en lyk. Ons karakter, gesindheid, waardes, denkpatroon, lewenstyl en identiteit moet alles in lyn wees met Jesus. Die fokus van gebed is uiteindelik om meer soos Jesus te word. God het nie ons lofprysing nodig nie. Lofprysing is God se werktuig in ons lewens om ons te vorm om soos Hy te wees. Dit wat jy op fokus en aanbid, word jy. Prediking, vermaning, korreksie, Dissipelskap, lering, alles is gerig om ons te vorm na die beeld van Jesus. Die sukses van ʼn bediening is dus nie net die grote van die skares en geboue nie, maar in watter mate die mense soos Jesus begin te leef en handel. Hoe meer ons een raak met Jesus, hoe meer een sal ons raak met mekaar, en sal die Wêreld glo dat ons van God is. (Joh 17:21)

Misty Edwards sing oor Jesus in “a beautiful heart” hoe perfek en rein Jesus se hart is.

There is no shadow of turning in You


No rebellion or pride

You don’t know greed or envy or strife

Your intentions are pure and holy

Delighting to do the Father’s will

You don’t have a thought against Him

But humbly You live in perfect restraint

Waiting for promises given

Chorus:

Jesus, You have a beautiful heart

Jesus, You have a beautiful heart

Verse 2:

You’re gentle, You’re meek,

yet Your heart is strong

Jesus, Your gladness is contagious

You are not selfish,

You can’t compromise

You are the truth, You can’t lie

You don’t hold a grudge or have a cynical eye

Bitterness has no part of You

But You’re quick to forgive,

let me back in again

Your kindness is so liberating

God wil uiteindelik hê dat al Sy kinders net so ʼn mooi hart soos Jesus sal hê.

Hoe meer ons konformeer en transformeer om gelykvormig te word met hierdie eienskappe hoe meer vind ons vervulling in ons eie skeppingsdoel. (Rom 8:29) Want ons is geskape met die potensiaal om soos Hy te kan wees. Hierdie potensiaal is in elke mens, maar is deur sonde verdraai. Ons fokus soms so in ons teologie op die verdorwenheid van die menslike natuur dat ons vergeet waarom God die mens geskape het. Die skrif is duidelik ons is geskape:

  • Om aan God toegewy te wees (2 Tim 1:9)
  • Om sy kinders te wees (Efe 1:5) ‘Kinders’ spreek van afstammeling, soos Hy, beelddraers, dieselfde karakter eienskappe. Kinders weerspieël natuurlik die eienskappe van die ouers.
  • Om heilig en onberispelik voor Hom te wees. (Efe 1:4)
  • Om alles onder een hoof te verenig naamlik Jesus (Efe 1:10)

Ons verheerlik God die meeste, wanneer ons soos Jesus leef en handel. Sy heerskappy dui bloot op Sy manier van leef, volgens Sy wil. Hoe meer my lewe onder Sy heerskappy kom, hoe meer reflekteer ek Sy karakter. As die doel hoekom God ons geskape het Christus is, dan beteken dit dat die potensiaal om Jesus te wees alreeds in ons opgesluit is.

Fokus op die Jesus wat alreeds in ons is.

Die Here het my jare gelede geleer: “baie mense probeer om hulle Jesus in mense af te druk, in plaas daarvan om die afdruk van Jesus wat alreeds in elke mens is te ontdek.” Dis tog baie duidelik: Die templaat/afdruk van die mens is nie die duiwel nie, maar Jesus. Ons is geskape in God se beeld nie satan se beeld nie. Hierdie beeld word egter geskend deur sonde, en hoe meer ons aan sonde blootgestel word en self begin deelneem, hoe meer word Jesus se beeld in ons verdraai. Net soos daar sleg in elke mens is, of sonde in elke mens is (Rom 3:23) net so is daar ‘n afdruk van Jesus in elke mens. Ons kies om oor tyd ons ledemate al hoe meer aan sonde en satan te wy. (Rom 6:15-23) Sodoende het ons kinders van satan geword, toegewy om sy wil te doen. Wanneer ons egter tot bekering kom en omdraai, begin die pad van toewyding aan God. Die sondige natuur is nie ‘n keuse nie, dit kom soos ‘n siekte saam met ons geboorte in hierdie wêreld. (Efe 2:3) Daarom moet ons weergebore word, om ons goddelike natuur terug te kan ontvang. (Joh 3:2; 1 Pet 1:23)

Wanneer ons weergebore word, neem God weer Sy regmatige plek van heerskappy in ons lewens in, en leer Hy ons om te leef volgens Sy bloudruk – ons skeppingsdoel. Die verderf en verwoesting om teen Sy wil te leef is duidelik. Kyk maar net hoe ʼn stukkend en verskriklike plek die wêreld geword het omdat mense leef volgens hulle eie raadsbesluit. Die teenoorgestelde is ook waar, wanneer almal sal leef volgens Jesus se gedragskode en waardes sal dit hemel wees op aarde. ‘n Wêreld sonder ambisie, bitterheid, wraak, haat, selfsug, eiegeregtigheid, selfverryking, rassisme, egosentrisme, onreg, ongehoorsaamheid.

Net so natuurlik as wat sonde kom vir die mens wat nog nie weergebore is nie, so natuurlik en spontaan kom heiligheid vir die weergebore persoon. Paulus verduidelik hierdie bestaan baie raak in Rom 7:19: “Die goeie wat ek wil doen, doen ek nie, maar die slegte wat ek nie wil doen nie, dit doen ek” Maar die teenoorgestelde gebeur vir die weergebore gelowige: Ons dink soms daaraan om sleg te doen maar dan wanneer dit by doen kom dan doen ons die regte ding voor ons dink. Ons natuur het verander. (2 Kor 5:17) Ons is met God verenig en Hy lewe nou deur ons, soos ons Hom toelaat.

Vir die apostels was die einddoel van alle hulle bediening altyd Christus.

  • Totdat Christus volkome in julle gevorm word – Gal 4:19
  • Om elke mens volmaak in Christus Jesus te stel – Kol 1:28-29
  • Julle aan een man verbind, om julle as ʼn rein maagd aan Christus voor te stel – 2 Kor 11:2
  • Niks anders onder julle te weet as Jesus Christus en Hom as die gekruisigde – 1 Kor 2:2
  • Nie ledig of onvrugbaar tot die kennis van ons Here Jesus Christus nie – 2 Pet 1:8
  • Eenheid van geloof en kennis van die Seun van God, tot ʼn volwasse man, tot die mate van die volle grote van Christus – Efe 4:13

Die vrug van geregtigheid wat by gelowiges pas is die lewe en karakter van Jesus opgesom in die vrug van die Heilige Gees as ons nuwe natuur. (Gal 5:20-22) Dit beteken ook dat die einddoel van al die gawes en werk van die Heilige Gees ook die natuur en lewe van Christus is. Volheid van die Heilige Gees is om gevul te wees met die karakter van Jesus Christus. Hoe voller ek van die Gees is, hoe meer sal ek die natuur en karakter van Jesus openbaar. Heiligheid is dus nie hoe eksentriek ek kan wees nie, maar of ek die natuur, hart, en persoon van Jesus openbaar. Heiligheid beteken bloot dat ek vol is van God se teenwoordigheid! Wanneer jy baie tyd met iemand spandeer, veral as die persoon ‘n baie sterk karakter het, dan begin mens al hoe meer soos die persoon klink, praat, en lyk. Ons menswees boots spontaan die sterkste karakter waaraan ons blootgestel word na. Wanneer Jesus verwys na die vrug wat ons dra, verwys hy na die karakter eienskappe van God in ons lewens.

Die waarheid van die Jesus Lewe is ʼn universele beginsel – Die mense wat oor die eeue die mees langlewende afdruk op die mensdom gemaak het, was diegene wat die meeste volgens Jesus se lewe geleef het. Moeder Teresa, Ghandi en Mandela. Alhoewel die persone nie noodwendig ʼn intieme verhouding met God gehad het nie, en ook nie noodwendig belydende Christene was nie, het hulle lewe die meeste indruk gemaak op die mensdom omdat hulle bereid was om radikaal Jesus se lewe te leef.

Om Jesus se lewe te leef, gaan jou lewe kos!

Dis die raaisel en misterie van die Jesus lewe, jy kan nie sy lewe naboots en soos ‘n selfhelp ghoeroe probeer om in stappe te verdeel nie. Sy lewe gaan jou lewe kos. Mat 16:24
Jesus het toe vir sy dissipels gesê: “As julle my volgelinge wil wees, moet julle julle eie, selfsugtige ambisie prysgee, julle kruis op julle skouers neem, en agter My aan kom. Sy lewenstyl is reguit in teenstelling met die lewenstyl van die Wêreld. Matteus 5 – 6 is die moeilikste hoofstukke in die Bybel om te leef, daarom is ons lief om daaroor te praat en te debatteer, want die doen is gans onmoontlik vir die eie ek. Elke daad wat hier bespreek word en beveel word, kos jou alles. Dit kos dat jy jou regte opgee, jou drome, ambisie, jou eie wil – alles! Dit is hoekom so min mense die ware karakter van Jesus openbaar, want alhoewel ons by tye reg doen en goed doen, is Sy lewe alleen moontlik wanneer ons ‘n algehele oorgawe maak om ons self te verloën, en Sy wil te doen. Dit raak ‘n lewenstyl – dit is nooit maklik nie, en dit hou nooit op nie. Elke ware kind van God, word daagliks uitgedaag om dinge ‘ anders’ te doen.

  • As jy jou lewe wil vind, moet jy dit verloor.
  • As jy mense wil lei en voorloop, dien mense.
  • As jy meer wil hê, gee meer weg.
  • As jy aansien wil verkry, steek jouself weg.
  • As jy vry wil wees, spreek ander vry.

Dit is heeltemal in kontras met wat self wil doen. Daarom moet elke mens by die plek kom, om te glo in Jesus of nie. Gaan jy Sy lewe leef of nie? Daar is nie ‘n middeweg wat volhoubaar is nie. Kompromie werk vir ‘n kort tydjie, maar deurstaan nie die toets van tyd en vervolging nie. Sommige kan probeer om al die mooi goed te doen vir die aansien van mense, maar wanneer vervolging en verdrukking oor ons pad kom, dan kom self-oorlewing sterk na vore. Iemand wat sy lewe in Christus verloor het, skyn Sy lewe juis te meer onder druk. Dis juis dan wanneer Sy lewe in ons die helderste skyn! Deur die eeue is daar menigte heiliges wat hierdie lewe geleef het, hulle lewe skyn deur die eeue vandag nog Sy heerlike lig! Lewens van selfopoffering, hulle het nie hulle lewe as kosbaar geag nie, maar was bereid om bo alles aan God gehoorsaam te wees. Hulle lewe roep ons op om hierdie reis saam met hulle te voltooi. Mag die kerk van die laaste dae, nog te meer Sy lig en lewe deur ons laat skyn.

Mense wat oorgelewer is aan Hom sal Sy karakter openbaar: vergenoegdheid, nederigheid, vol van geloof, vorstelik en onbeweeglik ten opsigte van wat reg en waar is, sagmoedig, liefdevol, vol van lewenslus en passie, inskiklik en gemaklik met hulleself, vreugdevol en gelukkig, innerlike vrede en rustigheid, sensitief wees vir menslike nood maar iets doen daaraan. Mense wat deur hulle dade getuig van Jesus. Jy kan dus Jesus se lewe in hulle dade opmerk. Volwassenheid van karakter om selfs onder opposisie steeds nie reaktief te lewe nie, maar dan juis Sy manier van doen te openbaar.

Hierdie lewe kom nie vanself nie – Dit is nie in die mens nie. (Jer 10:23) Dis alleenlik wanneer ons, ons eie lewe neerlê en in die geloof Sy lewe ontvang. (Gal 2:20) Ons reken onsself dood. (Rom 6:11) en as ‘n daaglikse lewenswyse offer onsself as lewende heilige offers om Sy wil te doen. (Rom 12:1) Soos ons op Hom wag vir Sy manier, kom wys die Heilige Gees die weg en lei ons in die waarheid. Hy leer ons om ons vyande en vervolgers te vergewe, die wat ons beroof het vry te spreek en te seën, en te bid vir die wat ons misbruik.

Paulus som hierdie lewe op soos volg: 1 Corinthians 4:10-15; 2 Corinthians 4:8-18; 2 Corinthians 6:3-10; 2 Corinthians 11:23-28

Being reviled we bless

Being persecuted we endure

Being defamed we entreat

Much patience

By purity

By knowledge

By long-suffering

By the Holy spirit

By sincere love

By the word of truth

By the power of god

By the armour of righteousness

Wat Paulus hier vir ons wys, is dat hy in elke krisis ʼn goddelike antwoord en strategie ontvang het om te oorwin en staande te bly. Hy is nooit ʼn slagoffer van slegte omstandighede nie, maar het deur Jesus se leefwyse antwoorde verkry om elke uitdaging te oorwin.

Hoe word ons meer soos Jesus?

Jy kan nie ‘n toeskouer van hierdie lewe wees nie. Die enigste manier om die seën van Sy lewe te ontvang is om dit te leef. Jy kan dit dus nie deur iemand ontvang nie. Hy self is die bron, anders eet ons weer van die boom van kennis van goed en kwaad. Niemand kan dit vir jou doen nie, en namens jou die prys betaal nie. Jy moet self jou eie lewe opgee, en in die geloof Sy lewe ontvang, en dan werk Hy Sy lewe in jou.

En moenie vir mekaar lieg nie. Julle het met die ou, sondige mens en sy gewoontes gebreek 10en leef nou die lewe van die nuwe mens, wat al hoe meer vernuwe word na die beeld van sy Skepper en tot die volle kennis van God Kol 3:9-10

Jy moet Hom ontvang. Jy neem Sy lewe aan as jou eie. Jy trek Hom as te ware aan as jou nuwe identiteit. Om te strewe om soos Hy te wees, bly ʼn strewe soos ʼn wortel voor ʼn donkie se neus aan ʼn stok. Strewe is nie genoeg nie. Dis soos ʼn nuwejaarsvoorneme wat nooit realiseer nie. NEE, Jy neem Sy lewe aan in die GELOOF. Ek is saam met Jesus begrawe en Hy is elke dag besig om meer en meer in my op te staan soos ek in die geloof Hom gehoorsaam. Hoe meer bewus ek raak van Jesus in my, en begin fokus op dit wat Hy alreeds in my is, hoe meer raak ek soos Hy. Hoe kry jy die lug uit ʼn glas? Deur dit vol water te maak. Hoe oorwin jy sonde in jou lewe? Om vol te wees van Jesus. Ons fokus is nie sonde nie, ons fokus is Jesus en die werk wat Hy vir ons gedoen het aan die kruis.

Om soos Jesus te wees is gans onmoontlik vir die mens. As ek net dink aan al die karaktertrekke van Jesus, weet ek nie waar om te begin nie. Dank God die Heilige Gees lei ons en help ons in alle waarheid. Hy lei ons elke dag. Hy gee ons daaglikse instruksies, en lei ons om Hom te vertrou. Vir elkeen gee Hy ander opdragte en bevele, want Hy is met ons elkeen op reis na die selfde doel – Jesus. Soos ons hoor en gehoorsaam, voel dit soms dat ons ook soos Jesus wil vra: “Laat hierdie beker my verbygaan, Here!” Hy werk egter die vermoë en genade in ons om die opdrag uit te voer, en soos ons dit doen ervaar ons ʼn heerlike opstanding in ons. Genade is nie eenmalig gegee nie, maar is die kragtige werking van God wat daagliks in ons werk. (Fil 2:13) Hoe weet jy of jy in genade leef óf nie? Jy weet dat dit nie jy is nie, maar genade. Jy het duisend keer probeer en gefaal, hierdie keer is dit Hy wat die werk in jou doen. Dis nie hoe hard jy probeer nie, maar hoe hard jy glo in Sy werk.

Die uitkoms!!!

Mag elke persoon wat God aan ons gegee het, om deel te wees van hierdie deel van die familie van Christus, groei in volwassenheid en Jesus-vrug! Mag ons getuienis onder mense van hierdie omgewing wees dat ons;
Liefdevolle, sagte spontane mense is. Mense wat geestelike diepte het en standvastig is in hulle geloof. Mense wat jy kan vertrou, en deur wie God se Gees kragtig werk. Betroubare, getroue en opregte mense op wie jy kan staatmaak. Pilare in die gemeenskap wat hulle invloed gebruik ten bate van die wat onderdruk en minder bevoorreg is. Mense wie se karakter en woorde 100% op-lyn en waar daar geen valsheid te vinde is nie. Mense wat jou nie net seën met hulle woorde nie, maar wat daadwerklik jou help en ondersteun totdat jy weer op jou voete is. Mense wie se besigheid en werksaamhede getuig van godsvrug: op tyd wees, deugsaamheid, netheid, kreatiwiteit, gehalte werk en akkuraatheid. Mense vol van genade, geloof en vryheid! Tog spreek hulle lewe van eenvoud, innerlike tevredenheid en kalmte. Jy hou daarvan om by hierdie mense te wees want hulle is gemaklik, uitgesorteer en volwasse. Hulle geniet die lewe sonder om te sondig en leef die lewe voluit! Hulle is vrygewig en heg meer waarde aan ewigheidsgoed as aardse besittings, roem of aansien. Hulle rykdom is in Jesus se karakter wat elke dag meer en meer duideliker word in elkeen. Hulle is nie te trots om saam met kinders op die vloer te speel en uitbundig te lag nie. Hulle is kinderlik, spontaan en het weinig vrese of inhibisies. Hulle erken gou hulle foute en menslikheid sonder skaamte, want hulle weet hoe afhanklik hulle van die Here is. Hulle is “bold” en passievol oor hulle geloof, en is nie skaam oor God se liefde en nabyheid nie. Hulle teenwoordigheid maak jou veilig voel, en hulle bring Goddelike perspektief en wysheid na elke moeilike situasie. Hulle is konstant en gebalanseerd maar tog nie vervelig nie. Hulle ingesteldheid getuig van lewenslus en geloof in die onmoontlike, hulle is optimisties maar nie ligsinnig of oppervlakkig nie. Hulle grappies getuig van goeie smaak en eerbied vir alles mense. Hulle is in alles dankbaar en godvresend, meer as wat hulle bang is vir wat die mense gaan sê of dink. Hulle is nie ingestel op die opinies en sake van mense nie, en praat nooit oor mense wat nie teenwoordig is nie. Hulle is bidders en ken en verstaan die wil en hart van God. Hulle is op frekwensie met wat die Gees van die Here tans mee besig is in die Wêreld. Jy sal dieselfde fokus optel by gelowiges regoor die wêreld, want hulle leef in die Wil van God. Jy voel altyd ʼn beter mens as jy van hulle weggaan. Jou geloof is gebou en jy voel opgebou en gestig om ook meer soos Jesus te lewe. Hulle is aangename en vriendelike mense, sonder veroordeling en kritiek, negatiwiteit en gemeenheid. Tog is daar geen kompromie by hulle te vind nie, en voel dit asof die ligte aan is wanneer jy by hulle is. Wanneer hulle jou bedien is dit met liefde, maar ferm en in waarheid. Sonder bybedoelings of selfsugtige motiewe. Hulle lewe daag passiwiteit en valse verskonings uit. Hulle bring dinge aan die lig, sodat daar lig en groei kan kom. Hulle is wetsgehoorsaam, en wys respek en eerbied vir alle mense. Hulle neem verantwoordelikheid vir die foute wat hulle maak en maak reg waar verbrou is. Hulle lewe spreek van orde en dissipline sonder om rigied of wetties te wees. Hulle handhaaf gesonde roetines en gewoontes in hulle private sowel as publieke lewe. Hulle is eerlik en sonder fieterjasies, ongekunsteld en vol van die teenwoordigheid van die Here. Hulle is ‘kerk’!

Categories
Sermons

Hoe bly mens vir ‘n leeftyd getrou aan jou huweliksmaat?

Hoe bly mens vir ‘n leeftyd getrou aan jou huweliksmaat?

Dit is die belofte wat feitlik elke man en vrou aan mekaar sweer voor die Here en getuies op hulle troudag. “Ek belowe ek sal getrou aan jou wees… tot die dood ons skei.” Tog breek ons hierdie belofte so gou vir byna elke rede onder die son. “Ek is nie meer lief vir jou nie” of “ek voel eensaam” of “my maat verstaan my nie, ek voel nie meer in voeling met my maat nie.” of “My maat doen dit… of dat…” Die feit is ons regverdig ons ontrouheid. Ons bou innerlik ʼn regsaak op om ons optrede te regverdig.
Die verdere hartseer is dat die party wat ontrou is dikwels meer woede toon en meer verontreg voorkom as die maat teenoor wie oortree is, selfs nadat hulle oortreding ontbloot is. Hoe is dit moontlik? Die onskuldige party wat meestal ook al hierdie emosies en bogenoemde dinge en redes ervaar het, was nie ontrou nie, het nie losmaking gesoek nie, en kom op ʼn dag met ʼn skok agter dat die ander party al vir ʼn geruime tyd ontrou is! Die onreg in egbreuk is: Die getroue party het ook al die negatiewe elemente van die verhouding beleef, en het nietemin getrou gebly. Jy leef in ʼn illusie as jy dink, net jý beleef alleenheid, onvervuldheid, tekort aan erkenning, onbevredigde behoeftes en begeertes, en onregverdigheid. In honderde berading sessies het ek dit feitlik elke keer eerstehands beleef, dat beide partye meestal dieselfde negatiewe dinamika in die verhouding ervaar. Die misleiding en sluier word vinnig gelig wanneer die rolle omgeruil word. Wat sal jy doen as jou maat ontrou is?
Egbreuk begin as ‘n misleiding van die hart. Ons beleef ‘n negatief, en in plaas daarvan om direk met dit te deel totdat oplossings verkry word gooi ons die handdoek in, en begin inwaarts skei, onttrek, terugtrek, wegdraai, ontknoop.
Die dialoog en redes hoekom mense ontrou was, dui ook verder op die misleiding: Want as mens sal ons altyd ons verkeerd regverdig.
“Kan ʼn mens nie maar twee mense dieselfde tyd liefhê nie?” Dit is ʼn fantasie uit die put van die hel!! Want ons almal weet jou hart kan nie op twee persone fokus nie: Jy sal of die een haat en die ander een liefhê; die een aanhang en die ander verag. (Mat 6:24) Tydens die tydperk van ontrouheid, het jy nog liewer vir jou maat geword, meer geduldig, sagter, meer ingestel op sy/haar gevoelens? Nee die waarheid is, terwyl jy jou hart vir iemand anders oop gemaak het, het jy begin om jou maat te verag, te haat en het jy stadig maar seker al hoe verder weg begin beweeg. Dit is hoe mens agterkom hier is fout, want op intieme vlak verloor maats selfs hulle behoefte vir seksuele bevrediging by hulle maats, want hulle word nou êrens anders gevoed.
“Ons het dit nie gesoek nie” is die ander verduideliking wat mens telkens hoor by getroudes wat ontrou was. Dit is ook nie die waarheid nie. Elke huwelik gaan deur moeilike tye, mens verander, ons liggame verander, ons behoeftes verander. Jou maat verander nie sy of haar slegte gewoontes nie. Ons stry oor dieselfde goed oor en oor. Daar is dae wat ons werklik nie lief voel vir mekaar nie. Ons stry en bereik nie ʼn ooreenkoms nie. My maat gee nie in nie en is onverbiddelik. Ons maak mekaar seer, en voel alleen, onvervuld, en gekrenk. DAN DRAAI MY HART. In plaas daarvan dat ek aanhou “engage” aanhou praat, dinge deurwerk, met my maat ‘stoei’ totdat ons ʼn deurbraak kry… gee ek op, en stilweg begin my hart draai. Ek skei lank alreeds in my hart. God se antwoord teen huweliksontrou is: ‘n Gelukkige en vervulde (gees, siel en liggaam) verhouding met jou maat. (1 Kor 7:1-5) Die waarheid is; jy is nie gelukkig nie maar het nie die moed om met jou ongelukkigheid te deel nie. Jy het al probeer, maar jou maat… Sy/hy sal nooit verander nie… Ons het al gegaan vir hulp maar dit het nie gehelp nie… Die “maars” is ʼn baie lang lys. Die waarheid is, jy het nie hard genoeg probeer nie, as die een oplossing nie werk nie, dan probeer jy iets anders. Die verhouding is dit werd! Die mens het al baie moeiliker goed reg gekry. Ons het ʼn ruimtetuig geland op Mars! Daar is so baie onmoontlikheid wat oorwinnings geword het omdat iemand dit regtig WOU doen.
Die vraag bly dus: Hoe bly ek vir ʼn leeftyd aan my maat getrou? Is liefde genoeg? Ja liefde is genoeg, maar saam met liefde kom karakter. Liefde is ʼn emosie, liefde is ʼn uitvloeisel van die keuse en die fokus van my hart. Maar liefde is onvoorspelbaar. Liefde is met tye eenvoudig nie genoeg nie. Wat doen jy wanneer jou maat jou nie meer kan terug liefhê nie, soos wanneer jou maat siek word en dalk Altzeimers kry. Wat doen jy wanneer jou maat te siek raak om vir jou te sorg, en jy moet jou maat versorg? Dis tog dit wat ons belowe het. “In siekte of gesondheid”.
Karakter: Integriteit, Respek, Eerbied, en Lojaliteit!
Karakter: dit is wat my getrou hou aan my maat aan die einde van die dag. Om die regte ding te doen, aan te hou doen, al voel ek wat! Om ontrou te wees is ʼn skending van my eie karakter en waardes. Ek is ʼn persoon van my woord, my ja is my ja. Ek is eerbaar en lewe met eerbied en lojaliteit! Ons leer nie ons kinders hoe om lief te hê nie, want dit gebeur vanself. Ons leer ons kinders hierdie waardes, omdat hierdie waardes nie vanself kom nie. Dis ʼn keuse elke dag, om deur temptasie my hart gefokus te hou. Die huweliksverbond gaan oor baie meer as net liefdesgeluk! Dis ʼn verbond van trou, eerlikheid, deursigtigheid en vennootskap. Dis die boustene van ʼn gesonde samelewing. Wanneer ons as samelewing ons waardes verloor begin ons op ʼn afdraande die afgrond binne jaag! Ons is nie meer vir ons kinders en kleinkinders rolmodelle nie. Wanneer ons ingee tot ontrouheid, assosieer ek myself met leuens, ek word ʼn leuenaar. Ek lieg vir myself, my maat, my kinders en familie. Om uiteindelik in skaamte te moet erken, ek is vals, wat julle gesien het was ʼn leuen. Ons huwelik, die liefde, die mooi saam, die vakansies, die neseier opbou, die veiligheid van huis; alles ʼn leuen!
Temptasies kom, daar is niemand wat nie al versoek is en voor temptasies te staan gekom het nie. Die skrif sê egter ons moet temptasie “endure” verdra . (Jak 1:12) Ons gee nie in nie, ons karakter word getoets. Ons kies om aanhoudend en voortdurend ons hart te bly draai na mekaar. Partykeer met moeite! Maar ons doen dit, omdat dit is wie ek is! Wanneer ek ingee, verraai ek nie net my maat nie, maar myself! Seksuele sonde is eerstens primêr teen myself. (1 Kor 6:18) Want ons is tempels van die Heilige Gees. Ons is God se verteenwoordigers op aarde. Uiteindelik staan elkeen wat gesondig het en in gegee het vir die temptasie, in skaamte. Kinders van die Here is NIE ontrou nie Ongelukkig moet ons deesdae sê: “veronderstel om ontrou te wees nie)!
Ons het ons identiteit in God verraai vir die luste van die vlees. (Rom 6:12) Soos Esau ons geboortereg verkoop vir ʼn pot lensiesop. (Heb 12:16) Die bietjie kos maak nie op vir die geweldige prys wat ons op die ou einde moet betaal nie.
Hoe bly ek dus getrou aan my maat oor ʼn leeftyd? Omdat ek my woord gegee het, veg ek om te alle tye in eerbied, integriteit, lojaliteit en respek te leef met my maat elke dag ten spyte van enigiets wat my maat doen of nie doen nie. Dit is wie ek is! Ek kies om te veg vir ons verhouding, want ons huwelik is ʼn monument van bogenoemde waardes. Omdat hierdie waardes die boustene is van ʼn gesonde samelewing veg ek met alles in my vir dit! Dis tog die waardes waarop ons volhoubare besighede bou. Dis is ook die waardes waarop ons ons gesinne bou. Liefde vloei spontaan en natuurlik uit hierdie waardes wanneer ons dit leef en doen. Liefde maak dit lekker, maar is nie my vertrek plek nie. Omdat ek kies om aanhoudend my hart te draai, groei liefde in vlakke en in diepte tot die punt waar ek soos God begin liefhê, en ek en my maat een word soos God een is. Dit is wat ons almal soek, maar nie altyd bereid is om die prys voor te betaal nie. Dit kos harde werk, karakter! Soos God se karakter ook in my groei, en ek al hoe meer transformeer na Sy beeld, word eerbied, lojaliteit, integriteit en respek nie goed wat ek doen nie maar die persoon wie ek is!
Eerbied:
Die Bybel sê dat ons, ons ouers moet eer. (Mar 7:10) Maar hoe eer ʼn mens iemand? “Hierdie volk nader My met hulle mond en eer My met die lippe, maar hulle hart is ver van My af.”
As jy iemand eer is jy gehoorsaam:
Jesus maak dit duidelik in hierdie gedeelte, dit help nie julle eer my met julle lippe, maar julle doen nie wat ek sê nie. (Mat 15:6-8) As jy werklik iemand eer, doen jy wat die persoon van hou, en wil gedoen hê.
Eerbied is ʼn lewenswyse: Ons word deur Paulus verder vermaan om “die een moet die ander voorgaan in eerbetoning” Petrus sê dat ons “almal moet eer” (1 Pet 2:17) Eer is dus ook ʼn ingesteldheid ʼn manier hoe ek optree teenoor iemand vir wie ek baie agting het. Ons eer hooggeplaastes, en eregaste, die Bybel leer ons leer met hierdie eerbied met alle mense, jou broers en susters in die Kerk, en jou vrou! Net so moet julle, manne, verstandig met hulle saamlewe en aan die vroulike geslag, as die swakkere, EER BEWYS, omdat julle ook mede- erfgename van die genade van die lewe is — sodat julle gebede nie verhinder mag word nie. (1 Pet 3:7) Ons word te familiêr met die mense in ons huis, ons sal vir hulle enigiets sê, dinge wat ons nooit in die openbaar sal sê nie. Wanneer ons dit doen dan eer ons nie ons maat nie.
As jy iemand eer, hou jy daardie persoon die heel tyd ingelig: Dit is hoe Jesus die Vader geëer het. Joh 15:19; 5:20, 30; 6:38; 8:28; 12:49; 14:10, 24, 31; 15:5; 16:13 Ek eer nie my maat as ek vir my maat geheime het, of hom of haar nie ingelig hou van my besluite, waar ek gaan, en wat ek mee besig is nie. Wanneer ek nie my maat inlig nie wys ek deur my dade, dat my maat nie vir my belangrik is nie, dat ek nie haar of sy insette nodig het nie, en dat ek nie eintlik glo hy of is deel van die span nie.
As jy iemand eer is jou ja, ja en jou nee, nee!: Maar kyk, in hierdie stad is ‘n man van God, en die man is geëerd: alles wat hy spreek, kom sekerlik uit; laat ons nou daarheen gaan; miskien kan hy ons inlig oor die tog wat ons onderneem het. (1 Sam 9:6) Iemand wat ʼn persoon van sy of haar woord is, leef eerbaar. Wanneer jy ontrou is, verloor jy hierdie vertroue wat iemand in jou woord het. Skielik word alles wat jy sê in twyfel getrek.
Lojaliteit:

Lojaliteit is ʼn kwessie van die hart. Ontrouheid vind lankal reeds in die hart plaas voordat dit in die openbaar bekend word. Daarom sê Jesus dat iemand wat self net na ʼn vrou kyk en haar begeer, het alreeds in sy hart met haar egbreek gepleeg. (Mat 5:27-29) ʼn opregte hart is ʼn onverdeelde hart. IN Psalm 101:2b word ons op geroep om: “In my huis wil ek lewe met ‘n opregte hart.”
Die hart is baie bedrieglik (Jer 17:9) en dit is in die hart waar ontrouheid begin (Mat 15:19). For as he thinks in his heart, so is he. “Eat and drink!” he says to you, But his heart is not with you. Ons kan die leuens van ons hart vir mense wegsteek maar nie vir God nie. (1 Sam 16:7b) Daarom moet ons bo alles altyd sorg dat ons, ons hart bewaar. Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life. (Spr 4:23)
Lojaliteit teenoor my maat, beteken om my maat in my hart eerste te stel. God is altyd heel eerste in ons harte, maar daarna is dit ons eggenoot, dan ons kinders, werk, kerk en familie. Wanneer ons hierdie orde verbreek, is ons dislojaal. Wanneer ek my ma of pa, bo my maat stel, of eerder hulle guns wil behou as my maat sin is ek dislojaal. Wanneer ek enigiemand se belang bo my maat sin stel, is ek ontrou aan my maat.
In die huwelik verloor ons iets van ons individualiteit, om dit uiteindelik juis terug te wen. Hoe gesonder die verhouding is, hoe meer ruimte is daar vir gesonde individualiteit. ʼn Goue reël in hoe jy te werk gaan met die teenoorgestelde geslag is: om nooit jouself te bemark as enkel nie. Ek is getroud, ek dra ʼn ring sodat almal dit kan sien. Ek gebruik gereeld die woord “ons”. Ek stel nie net myself voor nie, maar ook my maat al is sy nie by nie. Ek wys ʼn foto van my maat, en stel hom of haar altyd in die heel beste lig. Ek is een van die mees gelukkigste mense op aarde om met “Eggenoot se Naam” getroud te wees. As ek stories vertel sluit ek my eggenoot in die verhaal in. “ONS was daarheen op pad en toe het…” Ons Praat nooit negatief of sleg van ons maat teenoor ʼn ander persoon nie. Ek is versigtig hoe ek my maat aanspreek en hanteer wanneer my maat ʼn fout in die publiek maak. Liefde maak toe! (1 Kor 13) Ek praat nooit neerhalend met my maat nie, en soveel te meer voor ander mense. Ek spot nie met my maat nie. Ek is nie sarkasties of afbrekend nie.
Respek:

Respek is die “awe” (ontsag) wat ek vir my maat het. Ek kyk op na my maat. Respek moet verdien word, maar al hoewel my maat dalk my respek verdien omdat hy ʼn goeie atleet is, is hy nie so netjies nie, en het hy irriterende gewoontes. Ons respekteer mense gewoonlik in een area, maar dit is nie so maklik wanneer ons met die mens getroud is nie. Mense het almal foute. Nou hoe nou gemaak? Bybelse respek is in die geloof. Omdat ek my maat in die Gees sien. Ek respekteer byvoorbeeld my vrou omdat sy ‘n goeie ma is, my man omdat hy ʼn getroue voorsiener is, maar ek moet meer in my maat raaksien om die hele persoon te respekteer. Sien ek Christus in my maat? Sien ek my maat se roeping in die Here, en waarheen God met my maat op pad is? As ek hierdie dieper en meer permanente geestelike eienskappe begin raaksien, sien ek my maat in heeltemal ‘n ander lig.
Respek het ook met gesag te doen. In ʼn huwelik is die man dalk meer gesaghebbend wat rekenaars betref, dan onderwerp die vrou haar in respek in daardie area aan die man. Die vrou is dalk goed met finansies, en die man onderwerp hom weer in daardie area aan die vrou. Wanneer ons dit regkry word huwelik ʼn wonderlike vennootskap.
Integriteit:

Integriteit gebeur in jou private lewe. Die dinge wat jy doen wat niemand sien nie. Die gedagtes wat jy nooit uiter nie. Integriteit word veral toegepas in die deel van jou lewe wat niemand sien nie. Dis die kern van die ware jy. Dis die besluite wat jy neem waarvan niemand ooit sal weet nie, of waarvoor jy nooit erkenning sal kry nie. Baie mense kan self-opofferend dienskneg wees, en heiligheid regkry voor mense, maar dis wanneer niemand sien nie waar dit regtig tel. Geestelike volwassenheid is wanneer ons publieke lewe en private lewe in sinergie met mekaar is. Daar is dus geen tweeledigheid (dualiteit) in my optredes privaat en publiek nie.
Why is it that so few men finish well? “They learn the possibility of breing fruitful without being pure… they begin to believe that purity does not matter. Eventually they become like trees rotting inside that are eventually toppled by the storm. Jim Downing
Integriteit het te doen met innerlike waarheid. Die opregtheid van eerlike mense wys vir hulle die koers. Die valsheid van onbetroubare mense bring hulle ondergang. (Spr 11:3) Integriteit is ʼn basiese bestanddeel van leierskap. Moses moes manne van integriteit (waarheid) aanstel. (Eks 18:21) Die integriteit van ʼn kleipot in die ooste is bepaal deur dit in die son te laat staan vir ʼn tyd, sodoende sou enige krake wat met was of vet toegesmeer is maklik wys. Ongeveins, onbesproke, deursigtig, onomkoopbaar, onkreukbaarheid. Dit het ook te doen met eerlikheid. Daar is nie boekgehou van die geld wat aan die opsieners van die bouery gegee is nie, want hulle was eerlik en getrou. (2 Kon 12:15) Getrouheid is die mees basiese bousteen en onderbou van ʼn gesonde samelewing. Ons as ouers leer integriteit in ons kinders, sodat hulle suksesvol kan wees. Daarom moet ons ook in integriteit, getrouheid, eerbaarheid, lojaliteit, respek met ons maat saamleef. Wees getrou in die kleine en jy sal getrou wees ook in die groter dinge. (Luk 16:10)
Ontrouheid verbrokkel hierdie waardes se krag in ons lewe. Een keer se ontrouheid, en jy sukkel die res van jou lewe om gesig te gee aan hierdie waardes. Soos ʼn goeie naam, kry jy dit net een keer in jou lewe. Daarna moet jy maar toesmeer, stilbly, en jou skaamheid probeer toemaak, soos Adam en Eva. Klink dit asof mense wat getrou in huwelike bly dan glad nie sondig nie? Is hulle maar nie ook met geheime dinge besig nie? Wel as hulle is, gaan die son van die lewe die krake uitwys op een of ander tyd! Daarom moet ons almal, let wel ALMAL! Die wat in huwelike staan en die wat ʼn misstap begaan het onsself opbou in Goddelike Karakter! Hoe meer SY karakter deel word van ons lewe en bestaan hoe kleiner die mag van die duiwel om ons te versoek. Die volheid van goddelike karakter is die teenmiddel teen ontrouheid. Hoe meer ons ontwikkel en groei in ons karakter, hoe beter kans het ons om temptasies te weerstaan.
Versoekings sal nooit ophou nie, maar as ek en my maat beide as dissipels en leerlinge van Christus SY pad begin stap, wys Hy die onreinheid en valsheid in ons harte uit, en ons groei, bly groei om meer soos Hy te word. Die perfekte huwelik is wanneer beide persone só in Christus gegroei het en bly groei. Ek deel met die foute van ons verhouding deur self meer soos Jesus te word. Wanneer my maat dieselfde doen, begin ons verhouding in eenheid en sinergie in Hom te groei. Dan word die huwelik wat God bestem het dit moet wees. ʼn Heilige Goddelike eenwording! In stede van na my maat se foute te kyk, staan ek deursigtig voor God en laat Hom die donker in my hart wys. Uiteindelik besef ek dat ek méér foute het as my maat. Dat ék tekort skiet om my maat se behoeftes te vervul. In Sy teenwoordigheid word ek sag en soos klei in Sy hande, Hy vorm my en maak my soos Hy wil! Wie wil nie getroud wees met so ʼn maat nie? Iemand wat sag is, nederig, liefdevol, vol van passie, vredemakers, ongeveins, eerlik, standvastig, gehoorsaam, regverdig, wys, onselfsugtig, gemaklik. Die foute wat ons oënskynlik in die begin weggedryf het van mekaar is op die ou einde deel van die mens wat God nog moet verander. Dis die eienskappe van ons menswees wat nog nie onder Jesus se heerskappy is nie.
My gevolgtrekking is dus: Die enigste manier om vir ewig getrou te wees aan my maat is om elke dag meer en meer te word soos Jesus, in karakter, lewenstyl en gesindheid! As beide partye tot hierdie proses verbind is… het ons hemel op aarde!
 

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Geskep om te regeer

Geskep om te regeer

God het ons oorspronklik geskape om te heers. Genesis 1:28
En God het hulle geseën, en God het vir hulle gesê: Wees vrugbaar en vermeerder en vul die aarde, onderwerp dit en heers oor die visse van die see en die voëls van die hemel en oor al die diere wat op die aarde kruip.

Selfs oor sonde. Genesis 4:7
Is daar nie verheffing as jy goed doen nie? En as jy nie goed doen nie—die sonde lê en loer voor die deur, en sy begeerte is na jou; maar jý moet daaroor heers. Romans 6:12 Moet dan nie toelaat dat die sonde nog langer oor julle heerskappy voer en julle die begeertes van julle sterflike aardse bestaan laat gehoorsaam nie. Romans 6:6 Ons weet tog dat die sondige mens wat ons was, saam met Christus gekruisig is, sodat ons sondige bestaan beëindig kon word. Ons is dus nie langer slawe van die sonde nie.

Ons moet oor ons liggame heers. 1 Corinthians 9:27 27 Maar ek oefen my liggaam en bring dit onder beheer, sodat ek nie ander tot die stryd oproep en self nie kwalifiseer nie.

REIGN IN LIFE THROUGH THE ONE, JESUS CHRIST. Romans 5:17

Ons as individue kan nie God se gesag in onsself alleen vestig en uitvoer nie. Daarom in die NT lê die gesag van God in SY kerk. Mat 16:18 “build my church and the gates of hell” Alle gesag is onder die voete van Sy Kerk en liggaam. (Efe 1:22-23) Die kerk maak die heerlikeheid van God bekend aan die geestelike owerstes en maghebbers. (Efe 3:10) Oh what a foolishness to try to attain victory over satan in your life without the church!!! PLEASE WAKE UP!

Jesus het ons as voorbeeld vooruit gegaan, en vir ons gewys dit is moontlik om as mens te regeer oor die volgende:

  • Oor Boosheid: Matthew 8:16 Toe dit aand word, het hulle baie wat in die mag van bose geeste was, vir Hom gebring. Hy het die geeste met ‘n woord uitgedryf en al die siekes gesond gemaak. Colossians 2:15 Hy het elke mag en gesag ontwapen en hulle in die openbaar vertoon deur hulle as gevangenes in die triomftog van Christus mee te voer.
  • Oor satan: John 14:30 Ek sal nie meer lank met julle kan praat nie, want die owerste van die wêreld is aan die kom. Hy het geen mag oor My nie,
  • Oor voorsiening: Vermeerder die brood Joh 6; Vang baie vis deur nette aan die ander kant in te gooi Joh 21:6-13; muntstuk in die vis se bek. Mat 17:27
  • Oor die natuurlike elemente: Maak die storm stil Mt 8:26-27; Loop op die see Mt 14:25; Vervloek die vyeboom Mt 21:19
  • Oor elke tipe krankheid en siekte: Acts 10:38 Julle weet van Jesus van Nasaret, dat God Hom met die Heilige Gees gesalf en met krag toegerus het. Hy het rondgegaan, oral goeie werke gedoen en almal gesond gemaak wat in die mag van die duiwel was, want God was by Hom.
  • Oor die dood: Romans 6:9 Ons weet dat Christus wat uit die dood opgewek is, nie weer kan sterwe nie; die dood het nie meer mag oor Hom nie.
  • Oor sonde: Matthew 9:4–6 Maar Jesus het geweet wat hulle dink, en Hy sê vir hulle: “Waarom het julle sulke slegte gedagtes in julle harte? 5 Wat is makliker? Om te sê: ‘Jou sondes word vergewe,’ of om te sê: ‘Staan op en loop’? 6 Maar Ek gaan nou vir julle die bewys lewer dat die Seun van die mens volmag het om op aarde sondes te vergewe.” Hy sê toe vir die verlamde man: “Staan op, vat jou draagbaar en gaan huis toe.”

In die Woord is al die sleutels opgesluit om oor elke saak en situasie te heers:

Leierskap – Wees die minste en dien (Mat 10:27)

Grimmigheid – sagte antwoord (Spr 15:1)

Tekort – gee (Die weduwee Mark 12:42-43; Gee en vir jou sal gegee word Luk 6:38)

Sonde – dood (Rom 6:6)

1 Corinthians 4:8–13 8 Julle het mos klaar alles wat julle begeer! Julle is al klaar ryk! Julle regeer al klaar soos konings! Ons nog nie. As julle tog maar werklik konings was, sodat ons saam met julle kon regeer. 9 Dit lyk vir my God het aan ons, die apostels, die laaste plek in die ry gegee asof ons mense is wat tot die dood in die arena veroordeel is. Ons het ‘n skouspel geword vir die wêreld, vir engele sowel as vir mense. 10 Ons is dwaas ter wille van Christus, julle is verstandig in Christus; ons is swak, julle is sterk; julle geniet aansien, ons word verag. 11 Tot op hierdie oomblik ly ons honger en dors, ons is armoedig aangetrek en word mishandel. Ons swerf rond 12 en werk hard met ons eie hande.

  • Ons word uitgeskel, en ons antwoord met seënwense;
  • ons word vervolg, en ons verdra dit;
  • 13 ons word beledig, en ons bly vriendelik.

Ons het die uitvaagsels van die wêreld, die skuim van die samelewing geword, en dit is nou nog so.

 

2 Corinthians 6:6

  • by purity,
  • by knowledge,
  • by longsuffering,
  • by kindness,
  • by the Holy Spirit,
  • by sincere love,

 

2 Corinthians 6:10

  • as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing;
  • as poor, yet making many rich;
  • as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.