Tag: church

Discover what makes God happy – Multiplication

Post author By Jan Oosthuizen
Post date August 7, 2016

The Parable of the 10 Virgins (Mat 25:1–13) does not reveal the meaning of “taking oil with you”, and thus many sermons suggested oil, referring to the Holy Spirit. But you cannot buy the Holy Spirit. It is evident that the parable’s focus is about being prepared for the coming of the Lord. These two parables are interrelated, both starting with “then the kingdom of God is likened” and both ending with God’s judgment. The second parable explains the first. The wise virgins were preparing for the unexpected delay of the bridegroom (v. 5). The best way we can prepare for the delay of his coming is, making disciples who can continue after our death. We need to duplicate our lives so that the flame of the gospel can keep burning. Freely we have received, freely we need to give. Mat 10:8

Read the rest of the portion of scripture; Mat 25:14-30

His goods – The money was His, and they were only stewards. My farm worker who uses my car, cannot come and give me back my car, and demand a blessing for returning it. We cannot twist God’s arm with our tithes and giving, to give us more. It is all His in the first place. He wants us to look after it, and make it grow, cultivate it.

Trade: to work, perform by labor, to do, produce, cultivate the earth. Gen 1:28 Mat 25:15 five talents The Greek text indicates an amount equal to 75 years’ wages thus the average years of a person’s live. The talents were of silver (money in Matt. 25:18 is argyrion, which means silver money). A talent weighed between 58 and 80 pounds. Again the average weight of a man. Our lives should reproduce, multiply, and cultivate the righteousness, and God-given abilities we have received. The old Protestant preachers would always ask: “what are you going to do with Christ you have received?”

Each according to their ability: we all have received intrinsic natural gifts talents, and influence. Righteousness is receiving sonship; now God wants us to cultivate what we have received.

“you knew that I reap where I have not sown, and gather where I have not scattered seed” The wicked and lazy servant did not know the character of hIs master. This scripture in-plicately reveals the true meaning of the parable; God wants to reap a harvest where He has not sown, he first sown seed in us, not we sow, and reap a harvest exponentially for Him.

‘For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away”

25:29 have abundance, perisseuo (per-is-syoo-oh); Strong’s #4052: To superabound, have in excess, greatly surpass, excel. The word shows the generosity of God’s grace, giving assurance that faithful use of one’s talents and gifts sets the stage for one’s own advancement. The abundance of life is already within you. Your provision is within you. Give yourself, serve others with your abilities and gifts, and provision will follow you. He who chase after money never finds it.

Let’s look at Jesus’ example:

Jesus worked – John 5:17 what was His primary work?

Taught and disciplined 12 men – 2 Tim 2:20 and in the end He presented them back to God. Joh 17:4 He prays for them but eventually pray for their fruitful offspring. Joh 17:20 The seed principle is part of God’s nature, He created every living thing from this principle. Man cannot duplicate this original reproducing seed. The seed man creates cannot reproduce after its original kind. OMG Disciples are gifts. They are added by God in our lives, for a period to raise. Like, children.

Acts 10:38 – went about doing good

Works of faith – Multiplied bread Mat 15:32-39

The circuit of ministry – Mark 6:6 Then He went about the villages in a circuit, teaching.

He died – Joh 12:24

Why did the servant hide the talent in the ground? He was afraid of losing it. Scared of taking risks. He did not believe in his own ability. He was also called lazy. This servant was only seeking an excuse to do nothing and not be productive. Excuses are what keeps most people from doing: they try to justify their actions. Excuses like: “evangelism is not my gift or calling, or I cannot sell anything. We become good at anything we practice. We only need to start. We all receive a mostly healthy body, but being lazy we do not cultivate it, we become over-weight, and more and more restricted to do what that the body was made to do. When we exercise we discover that the body is capable of much more, and we begin to do what we thought was impossible.

“Enter into the joy of the Lord” God is well pleased. We enter into Him being happy and delighted at our work, and faithfulness. The end of both these parables concludes: those who did not multiply was not given access to enter the Kingdom of heaven.

We were naturally made to reproduce. Like a tree multiplying its fruit, it is doing what it was made to do. It is natural for a healthy tree to reproduce. Fear, laziness, and stubbornness is not natural. God gave to each one according to their ability, and they had the means, they only had to obey.

May our eyes be opened to the riches that God has placed within us in Christ Jesus. Let us break loose of the lies and excuses that hold us back. Let our lives be productive and multiply that what He has placed in us.

Tags balance, Bible, Christ, church

Sermons

Discover what makes God happy – Multiplication

Post author By Jan Oosthuizen
Post date August 7, 2016

We often equate faithfulness with being steadfast, consistency, being dependable, reliable, dependable, loyal, true, trustworthy, devoted, truthful. Jesus equates faithfulness with something else – multiplication. Whatever God gives to us, He expects us to multiply and present it back to Him. John Bevere
The Parable of the 10 Virgins (Mat 25:1–13) does not reveal the meaning of “taking oil with you”, and thus many sermons suggested oil, referring to the Holy Spirit. But you cannot buy the Holy Spirit. It is evident that the parable’s focus is about being prepared for the coming of the Lord. These two parables are interrelated, both starting with “then the kingdom of God is likened” and both ending with God’s judgment. The second parable explains the first. The wise virgins were preparing for the unexpected delay of the bridegroom (v. 5). The best way we can prepare for the delay of his coming is, making disciples who can continue after our death. We need to duplicate our lives so that the flame of the gospel can keep burning. Freely we have received, freely we need to give. Mat 10:8
Read the rest of the portion of scripture; Mat 25:14-30
His goods – The money was His, and they were only stewards. My farm worker who uses my car, cannot come and give me back my car, and demand a blessing for returning it. We cannot twist God’s arm with our tithes and giving, to give us more. It is all His in the first place. He wants us to look after it, and make it grow, cultivate it.
Trade: to work, perform by labor, to do, produce, cultivate the earth. Gen 1:28
Mat 25:15 five talents The Greek text indicates an amount equal to 75 years’ wages thus the average years of a person’s live. The talents were of silver (money in Matt. 25:18 is argyrion, which means silver money). A talent weighed between 58 and 80 pounds. Again the average weight of a man. Our lives should reproduce, multiply, and cultivate the righteousness, and God-given abilities we have received. The old Protestant preachers would always ask: “what are you going to do with Christ you have received?”
Each according to their ability: we all have received intrinsic natural gifts talents, and influence. Righteousness is receiving sonship; now God wants us to cultivate what we have received.
“you knew that I reap where I have not sown, and gather where I have not scattered seed” The wicked and lazy servant did not know the character of hIs master. This scripture in-plicately reveals the true meaning of the parable; God wants to reap a harvest where He has not sown, he first sown seed in us, not we sow, and reap a harvest exponentially for Him.
‘For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away”
25:29 have abundance, perisseuo (per-is-syoo-oh); Strong’s #4052: To superabound, have in excess, greatly surpass, excel. The word shows the generosity of God’s grace, giving assurance that faithful use of one’s talents and gifts sets the stage for one’s own advancement. The abundance of life is already within you. Your provision is within you. Give yourself, serve others with your abilities and gifts, and provision will follow you. He who chase after money never finds it.
Let’s look at Jesus’ example:
Jesus worked – John 5:17 what was His primary work?
Taught and disciplined 12 men – 2 Tim 2:20 and in the end He presented them back to God. Joh 17:4 He prays for them but eventually pray for their fruitful offspring. Joh 17:20 The seed principle is part of God’s nature, He created every living thing from this principle. Man cannot duplicate this original reproducing seed. The seed man creates cannot reproduce after its original kind. OMG Disciples are gifts. They are added by God in our lives, for a period to raise. Like, children.
Acts 10:38 – went about doing good
Works of faith – Multiplied bread Mat 15:32-39
The circuit of ministry – Mark 6:6 Then He went about the villages in a circuit, teaching.
He died – Joh 12:24
Why did the servant hide the talent in the ground? He was afraid of losing it. Scared of taking risks. He did not believe in his own ability. He was also called lazy. This servant was only seeking an excuse to do nothing and not be productive. Excuses are what keeps most people from doing: they try to justify their actions. Excuses like: “evangelism is not my gift or calling, or I cannot sell anything. We become good at anything we practice. We only need to start. We all receive a mostly healthy body, but being lazy we do not cultivate it, we become over weight, and more an more restricted to do what that the body was made to do. When we exercise we discover that the body is capable of much more, and we begin to do what we thought was impossible.
“Enter into the joy of the Lord” God is well pleased. We enter into Him being happy and delighted at our work, and faithfulness. The end of both these parables concludes: those who did not multiply was not given access to enter the Kingdom of heaven.
We were naturally made to reproduce. Like a tree multiplying its fruit, it is doing what it was made to do. It is natural for a healthy tree to reproduce. Fear, laziness, and stubbornness is not natural. God gave to each one according to their ability, and they had the means, they only had to obey.
May our eyes be opened to the riches that God has placed within us in Christ Jesus. Let us break loose of the lies and excuses that hold us back. Let our lives be productive and multiply that what He has placed in us.

Tags balance, calling, church, huwelik

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Cultivating the Finished Work of Christ

Post author By Jan Oosthuizen
Post date July 17, 2016

Notes By Dr. Andre Pelser
Not DO, but DONE – Living from the completed work of Christ (Alan Platt)
It is Finished – (David Wilkerson)
The inception of our spiritual lives began the moment He said it is finished. – Mike Wood
We cannot attain righteousness without God’s inward help.
Eccl 7:20
Isa 64:6
Mat 5:20
Our righteousness is an abomination for God.
Luk 16:15
Mat 23:28
Luk 18:9
Rom 3:10
Rom 3:20
Phil 3:6
Seek and find His righteousness – Mat 6:33
It was a perfect sacrifice by a perfect person to perfect some very imperfect people. By that single offering, he did everything that needed to be done for everyone who takes part in the purifying process. –Hebrews 10:14, The Message
Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they may be saved. For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes. –Romans 10:1–4
For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “The just shall live by faith.” –Romans 1:17 Herein lies the secret of the power of the gospel; there is no good news in it until the righteousness of God is revealed! –Romans 1:17, The Mirror
Therefore, as through one man’s offense judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through one Man’s righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life. –Romans 5:18 The J.B. Phillips translation of Romans 5:18 reads as follows: We see, then, that as one act of sin exposed the whole race of men to God’s judgment and condemnation, so one act of perfect righteousness presents all men freely acquitted in the sight of God.
In Eden the only work Adam had to do was to cultivate the finished product of a perfect Garden and name all the animals (work from a position of rest). The names that Adam called them became theirs forever. His words had so much creative power.
When Adam sinned God drove him and Eve out of the Garden of Eden and commanded him to till the ground and earn his bread by the sweat of his brow (self effort). He had to continually make sacrifices for sins. (Genesis 2:5; 3:23)
Flesh tills the ground; spirit cultivates the finished work of Christ Jesus.
Flesh represents the works that self effort produces (not the physical body as we presume). When you try to finish what God has already finished it is called the works of the flesh. In other places in the Scriptures it is called ‘dead works’ that we have to repent of.
We are not trying to get; we have already received.
We are not trying to get there; we have already arrived.
We are not trying to get healed; we were healed 2 000 years ago already.
We are not trying to become; we are.
The very act of trying spells unbelief.
Mercy destroys sin in people’s lives.
When God planted the Garden of Eden everything was good and perfect in His sight. The fruit were pleasant in man’s sight and pleasant to eat.
The Messiah finished the transgression. He made an end of sin. Sin is no longer a problem. Daniel understood the revelation of the Messiah through reading Jeremiah’s prophecy and then Daniel prophesied: Daniel 9:23: Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy.
The righteousness Jesus brought into the world is everlasting righteousness – not righteousness until your next sin.
Preachers of condemnation tell you to try to get forgiven. It is too late, God already forgave us all at the cross 2 000 years ago. It is the same with healing. You were already healed.
What a glorious Gospel we have! We can only appreciate and enjoy the glory of the Gospel when we are no longer under condemnation and guilt. There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, who learn to walk according to the prompting of the Spirit and not the flesh. Romans 8:1-8
The spirit realm is the third dimension where things are already established and permanent. When we walk in the spirit we enjoy eternal blessings, not temporal ones. We engage in eternal things because we enjoy eternal life – now in this life, and not just in the life to come.
We don’t take communion to get healed; we are already healed. We take communion to claim Christ’s death where healing was already accomplished. When we worship God in spirit and truth we have fellowship with God and with one another and the blood of Jesus cleanse us from all sin – continually! Jesus’ blood flows through his body (the Church) just as our blood flows through our entire body.
We cultivate the finished work of Christ.
We are complete in Him. When Jesus died on the cross he announced: it is finished! He fulfilled all the requirements of the law that was against us, and wiped out the handwriting that is against us, nailing it to the cross! Colossians 2:13-15
We don’t fight for victory; we fight from a standpoint of victory. God always causes us to triumph in Christ Jesus. II Corinthians 2:14, 15
Adam named all the animals and birds in the Garden of Eden. What he said remained true forever. His words had such power. When we are in Christ Jesus our words of faith also have creative ability. The Father of our faith had to learn to speak according to what he believed. Faith comes by hearing the Word of God. God told Abraham, ‘you are a father of many nations!’ Abraham believed it and started confessing it continually.
Abraham called things that did not exist as though they were – in spite of sense evidence that proved contrary. He called himself ‘father of nations’ when he and Sarah had no son. He called her, ‘mother of nations’ long before she bore Isaac (meaning laughter). Romans 4:17-24
How you hear determines how it will be given to you. When you hear the anointed Word of God it enters your spirit before it enters your mind. Your spirit illuminates your understanding. That is why we receive the engrafted Word by faith and not by reason. By faith you receive what God says, long before you understand it, and the light of the glorious Gospel of Jesus Christ enlightens the eyes of your understanding to see the hope of your calling, the riches of God invested in the saints and the power of God that raised Jesus from the dead that works mightily in us who believe! (Ephesians 1:17-21)
The entrance of God’s Word brings light. When God’s Word enters your spirit you see a lot of good things inside yourself. When you acknowledge the good things Christ has already done in you it stimulates your faith. You communicate your faith much better when you focus on the good things Christ has already accomplished in your life. (Philemon 6: Let the communication of your faith become more effectual by acknowledging the good things of Christ in you – Phillips Translation of the New Testament) If you focus on all the things that still have to change in your life, it makes you discouraged.
The anointing on the Word switches on the light of the Word.
When someone preaches with anointing, it switches on the light. You see the answers you were looking for. You know what to do. David said, ‘in Your light we see the light!’
In order to cultivate the finished work of Christ, we have to stay tuned to the wavelength of Grace. The moment you switch wavelengths, you lose your peace and joy and fall back into the works of the flesh. You try to obey the Law again in your own strength, instead of waiting patiently for the Lord to change things inside of you. It is a work of His grace. Every time you try to change yourself you fail, become discouraged and lose hope. The creature cannot change itself. The Creator alone can change his creatures.
You can yield yourself to God to speed up the process, though. When we worship in spirit and truth, God does so much inside of us that we do not even notice. When we have fellowship with God and with one another, God affects the changes and brings the cure we so desperately need. Then no man can get the glory except God. He does the work we cannot do. He does it by the power of His Spirit. It is not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord. It is a Spirit of grace and supplication. He graciously makes supplication for us. He intercedes for us, because we don’t really know how to pray. Therefore everything works together for good for those who love God and are called according to His purpose. (Romans 8:26-28)
So if God closes a door it is because He is about to open a more effectual door. When God ends one relationship, He is already preparing a better relationship. God only has good things in store for us. He is our loving heavenly Father. Jesus paid the price to reconcile us with Him. The more we love Jesus the less we sin. To whom much has been forgiven, loves much. We love Him because He first loves us.
Love is a grace frequency.
Our faith works through love (Galatians 5:6). When we distort the grace of God and frustrate it in our lives, we feel unloved and deserted by God. Then we feel sorry for ourselves and throw a pity party. The grace is still there, but we have moved positions. We have changed frequency.
God’s grace is sufficient for us – He supplies all our needs. He has already provided everything we need to live a godly life in Christ Jesus. He gave it together with His own son that He sacrificed for our sins. It is already done. We need to cultivate the habit of glorifying God for what Christ has already accomplished for us.

Tags balance, church, Finansies

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Made for His Presence

Post author By Jan Oosthuizen
Post date July 10, 2016

WORD WEALTH
60:1 glory, chabod (kah-vohd); Strong’s #3519: Weightiness; that which is substantial or heavy; glory, honor, splendor, power, wealth, authority, magnificence, fame, dignity, riches, and excellency. The root of chabod is chabad, “to be heavy, glorious, notable,” or “to be renowned.” In the OT, “heaviness” represented honor and substance, while “lightness” was equated with vanity, instability, temporariness, and emptiness (see Judg. 9:4; Zeph. 3:4). Chabod is God’s glory, not only His honor, renown, and majesty, but also His visible splendor, which filled Solomon’s temple and will someday fill the Earth (1 Kin. 8:11; Num. 14:21). From chabod are derived the names “Jochebed” (“Yahweh Is Glory”) and Ichabod (“Where Is the Glory?”). Hayford, J. W. (Ed.). (1997). Spirit filled life study Bible (electronic ed., Is 59:21). Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson.
We have all been in a meeting where you suddenly feel a presence, a heaviness as God manifest His presence to our senses. This experience is God’s manifested presence, where He allow us to feel Him through our senses. On the other hand, God is omnipresent. Everything has been created through Him, and for Him. Colossians 1:17 But God cannot be contained in Creation Deuteronomy 4:39 Nor can He be contained in our Cathedrals and Church Buildings. 1 Kgs 8:27; 2 Chr 2:6; Ps 139; Isa 66:1. He Holds everything created together by His Word. Ps. 33:6; John 1:3; 2 Pet. 3:5.
GOD IS ALWAYS PRESENT
This truth is a sobering realization. God is always present, and He is always there. The fact that you do not feel him or sense Him, does not mean He is not there. Jacob also did not initially recognize God’s Presence. Genesis 28:16 When Adam & Eve sinned, God knew yet He continued to come and meet them in the evening as usual. The fact is, they moved. This is the reason why God asked: “Adam where are you?” God has not moved, sin moved man away. Asking the question: “Where is God?” is like asking where is the Earth? Or “Where is the Sun?”? The fact that you haven’t seen the earth from a satellite or spaceship perspective does not mean it is not there. God is the suffering God, that although not bound or contained by Creation, allow Himself to feel the groanings of Creation. Rom 8:21
THE BIBLE IS A COMPILATION OF ENCOUNTER STORIES BETWEEN GOD & MAN
The Bible is man’s narrative with a God that is present, and the different ways He makes Himself known to man. We were made for His presence, Gen 1:24; 28. His presence is the homecoming all mankind is seeking. In His presence we find ourselves, we get healed and restored, and we find real peace. In His presence, we find rest for our souls. Man’s strange attraction to psychedelic drugs is a clear sign of our inward desire to be raptured to a place of peace and rest. The word Shekinah Glory has this meaning to be raptured into a state of ecstasy.
Gen 3:21 God slaughtered the first kind of sacrifice by killing an innocent animal to make clothes covering their sin/shamed/nakedness. Even right here at the opening of the Story, God shows his heart and intent of one day slaughtering His own Son for our sins.
FAITH IS AN ESSENTIAL COMPONENT
Why was Cain’s gift not excepted? What’s wrong with you? Why do you look so angry? If you had done the right thing, you would be smiling. But you did the wrong thing, and now sin is waiting to attack you like a lion. Sin wants to destroy you, but don’t let it!”
Genesis 4:6-7 CEV What did he do wrong? By faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain Heb 11:4 By Faith Abel saw or understood that God wanted the Firstfruits of his herd, slaughtered. God is not impressed with what we can do for Him, He wants to do great things through us, if we are willing to listen and obey. Cain trusted in his own ability and wanted to show-off! Abel obeyed what he heard in His heart.
From hear on the Bible story continues and we see individual appearances and encounters.
Ex. 3:5 – God appearing to Moses – Holy Ground
Exo 33:15-16 Moses see God face to face.
Exo 40:34-40 – The fire column at night and the cloud in the day. The moved after the presence
Moses – Exodus 40:34–35 – cloud filled the Temple – Salomon – 2 Chron. 5:13–14
As the Story unfold God’s intend is becoming clearer.
Lev. 26:12 God wants to walk among His people.
Ex. 25:8–9 – God’s presence located in the temple.
1 Chron 13 – Uzza dies trying to save the Ark from falling. In Verse 1 David’s mistakes is made evident. He consulted with the captains of thousands and hundreds, and with every leader… After the tragedy he too had to first consult God, on the procedure. 12 David was afraid of God that day, saying, “How can I bring the ark of God to me?” In 1 Chron 15:2 David consulted God’s Word on instructions how to move the Ark. Man’s effort to try to contain or control God’s presence become withcraft! No one method works every time. We need to get to know God, find out what He wants, and then by faith obey. This is why Jesus never did any miracle in the same way. There is no methods. There is no “Glory” recipe. God will not allow us to demand and control Him. Sometimes people begin to worship the method. Worship the temple. Worship the worship! God is a relational God. Our sacrifices and worship become unbearable for Him to listen to because there is no faith and no heart in it.
1 Sam. 4:21 – Ichabod – Eventually the glory departed
The Prophets prophesied what is to come – Ezek. 47:9; Ezek. 37:26–28
1Ki 8:27 pp 2Ch 6:18 See also 2Ch 2:6; Isa 66:2-3 God never wanted our buildings, He wanted to live in a man and a woman, whose heart is upright and contrite.
JESUS became the full manifestation of His presence – Kingdom is near.
John 1:1–4, 14 – Jesus became God’s presence in the flesh (Matt. 1:22–23; cf. Isa. 7:14) “Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world” (John 17:24).
Jesus bought us the right to passage by a new and living way. To enter with boldness. Heb 4:14-26 & Heb 10:19-21.
Acts 2:1-2 Poured out on all flesh
It is to your advantage that I go John 16:6-10
The Baptism of the HS is the final part of the process where God finally finds his Earthly habitation in His people!
The presence lives in us:
–1 Corinthians 3:16; 1Corinthians 6:19 (we are God’s habitation)
David longed for this reality – Ps 27:4
God’s glory revealed through the church
2Co 3:18 See also Eph 1:12; 3:21; 1Pe 4:14;
Especially when we operate in the gifts of the Spirit – 1Co 14:25
Indwelling habitation
Jn 14:18; Eph 2:22; 1Jn 3:24
By the Spirit we see Him, like John – the revelation of Jesus
–Revelation 1:16–18 (awesomeness of the one who was John’s close personal friend)
In Death we will be unshackled totally from sin to be eternally in His presence.
–Psalm 23:4 (God with us is reason not to fear)
–Revelation 21:3–4 (dwelling in the presence)
Matt 18:20 – when two or three are gathered in His name (corporate Presence)
Encounters are the introduction to His person, like Paul on the road to Damascus Acts 9. We should all have some kind of encounter with God, where He becomes a reality to you. This is the basis of Apostolic Ministry: we have seen Him with our own eyes 1 Joh 1:1-2. But this encounter or visitation is for the intend to dwell, find a home in us. “If you search for His visitation you miss His Habitation” JHK
“To have found God and still to pursue Him is the souls paradox of Love.” Todd Atkins
The greatest gift we can give someone is your presence. Be there for them. This is why we do not want to give Christmas Gifts to the Children at Riverview at the end of the year anymore. They need your presence. We give them meals every day, but they need a caring teacher who knows them.
In the Church, this presence does not have to be physical only. “For I indeed, as absent in body but present in spirit” 1 Cor 5:3 We have a presence in one another together as a body. This UNITY is a great mystery and wonderful revelation. Col 1:27 Christ in / Among you the hope of Glory.

Tags balance, Christ, church, Gebed

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Getting to the root of racism and pulling it out.

Post author By Jan Oosthuizen
Post date June 27, 2016

Truth is Balanced. For us to truly prosper is not the absence of problems. True prosperity is determined by how your soul prospers in the midst of trials and persecution. The Message of the Gospel contains many opposites and paradox.

We see the unseen. We subdue by submitting. We win by losing. We are made grand by making ourselves little. We come in first by becoming last. We are honored by being humble. We fill up with God by emptying out ourselves. We become wise by being fools. We possess all things by having nothing. We wax strong by being weak. We find life by losing ourselves in others. We live by dying. Leonard Sweet, Beautiful.

The same applies to the Race issue. God has set boundaries for Nations, yet He wants us to respect and love all mankind, showing no partiality as if there is no boundaries. He divided the languages at Babel, yet wants us to find a Divine Love language in Christ. We need to overcome our race issues because there is ONE heaven, ONE Father to us all in Christ.

In an interview with Neels Jackson, the infamous Beyers Naudes says the following: “Ek hóóp ek het ’n boodskap,” sê hy en praat dan met dieselfde drif wat ek oor jare leer ken het. “Dis absoluut noodsaaklik dat ons leer om saam te leef, om mekaar te verdra – ook mense van verskillende godsdienste. Ons moet leer om met liefde en toegeneentheid saam te leef met mense en godsdienste wat geweldig van ons verskil,” sê hy. “Ook verskillende kleure,” voeg tannie Ilse by. Oom Bey beaam dit. “Ek kan nie sien waarom dit nie kan gebeur nie. Die Woord van God sê julle moet mekaar liefhê en verstaan en vergewe,” en hy beklemtoon dat dit teenoor álle mense geld, nie net teenoor Christene nie. Die Here het dit ook nie só bedoel dat die rykes ryker word, terwyl die armes armer word nie. Almal moet hande vat en kyk hoe hulle ’n regverdiger bedeling kan bewerkstellig. Excerpt From: “Ek kies steeds die kerk” by Neels Jackson. Scribd.

Most people have an immediate defensive reaction when they hear the word racism, or touching the wealth issue. The fact that some become immediately emotional and defensive is a dead give away. The truth is: we all have certain prejudices and pre-conceived ideas. Belief systems based on a subjective one-sided perspective of the truth. These prejudices are also mostly subconscious.

Malcolm Gladwell’s book Blink provides an anecdotal account of how split-second decisions called “rapid cognition” or “thin-slicing” assist us in decision making. Gladwell distinguishes this type of rapid cognition from intuition, which he claims has a more emotional source. Rapid cognition is a distinctly rational process, a thinking process that moves a little faster than ordinary conscious and deliberate decision-making. One of the most interesting parts of the book deals with first impressions about race, particularly those that happen at a subconscious level. In the chapter entitled “The Warren Harding Error: Why We Fall for Dark, Handsome Men,” Gladwell describes the Implicit Association Test (IAT). The IAT, developed by Anthony G. Greenwald, Mahzarin Banaji and Brian Nosek, measures a person’s attitude on an unconscious level and the immediate, and automatic associations a person makes before that person has time to think. The IAT test is designed to examine automatic associations with race. A tested individual is timed to see how quickly they associate categories of good and bad adjectives with black and white faces. The test results reveal that the 80% of Americans more quickly pair words like “love, peace” and “joy” with white faces and words like “terrible, evil” and “failure” with black faces. The level of difference is a matter of microseconds, yet is still statistically significant. What the IAT most significantly reveals is that unconscious attitudes and the behaviors which those attitudes give rise to may be completely incompatible with a person’s conscious values. Even those who consider themselves very enlightened in matters of race still overwhelmingly tend to have an implicit preference for whites. https://everydaythomist.wordpress.com/2010/01/25/what-malcolm-gladwells-blink-teaches-about-virtue/

Let us all thus reverently allow the Holy Spirit and the Word to convict us of the division and alienation in us we do not see ourselves. Be our mirror Lord, show us the spots in our feasts. Study 1 Cor 11:17-34Ecclesiastes 7: 10 Don’t always be asking, “Where are the good old days?” Wise folks don’t ask questions like that. “Moenie sê: “Waarom was die ou dae beter as die huidige?” nie. Dit is nie uit wysheid dat jy daaroor vra nie. PREDIKER‬ 7:10‬ NLV‬‬ It is common for people to romanticize the old days, and consequently skip the responsibility of doing what is right in the present. Racism is relevant in every age. People will continue to offend another even without knowing it, because we do not see another in the spirit. It is in reality part of our sinful nature. See Mike Woods notes on sin = missing the mark. In other words “mistaken identity”. Mistaken identity is a ‘seeing’ problem. Eventually, you will mistake the character of everything around you. The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single (whole), thy whole body shall be full of light. But if thine eye be evil (disease), thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness Mat 6:22-23 David’s brothers did not see him in the spirit, Joseph’s brothers tried to kill him, the Jews did not recognize Jesus as the Messiah. Prejudice is an ancient human problem. ‬‬There is not a race in this world that does not have some embedded prejudices against a particular group.
Racism is taught. Racism is a faulty false belief system.
Scientifically, humanity is comprised of exactly one race. Although the world has different ethnicities, geographies, citizenships, and cultures, all human beings are nearly identical genetically. The genetic differences that reflect variation in physical appearance across all humankind involve 0.01% of our genes. And all humans are made in the image of God (Genesis 1:26-27), brought to life by His breath (Genesis 2:7), and imbued with an immaterial and immortal soul.
All men have the same struggle with Sin. Romans 3:23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God therefor God’s heart is for all to be saved. Yet God desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. 1 Timothy 2:4. No Racial group in the world is free from jealousy, rage, contempt, offense, resentment and hatred. We all have a common struggle with sinfulness.
According to an article by Institute of Relations in South Africa, our tolerance of different races are actually sound. Click Here to Read Article. The Media and specific parties are painting a gloomy picture of South Africa’s rainbow nation. The professional culture of the workplace demands tolerance and acceptance. Out quest of survival seems to surpass our need for separation. Like the openly racist farmer who invited the black business man for supper, when the price for selling his farm was agreed.
Unfortunately, the most prominent places on earth where racism is most evident is often the most Christianized areas. The struggle I believe for most Christians is to remain holy and pure, while reaching and loving the lost, broken and dirty. Usually, we either become so holy we hardly ever see anyone get saved, or we try so hard to win the lost that we begin to compromise biblical values. Loving God and loving people!
God was clear in His rules to the Israelites regarding those from different nations. In Deuteronomy 10:17-18, Moses asserts God’s love of the foreigner and then exhorts the Israelites to love them as well (verse 19). God did make a distinction between aliens who desired to follow Him and/or blessed His people and those who didn’t. In 1 Kings 8:41-43, Solomon acknowledges that immigrants will pray to God, and God will hear them. Nations that respected God’s will were to be blessed (Genesis 12:2-3). However, nations that practiced widespread child sacrifice and temple prostitution were to be destroyed (Deuteronomy 20:17-18). The call for separation was not a racial issue. It was God protecting His people from sinful influences. We should never abandon the great commission.
He made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their habitation. Acts 17:26 God gave the boundaries, and we ARE different, WE ARE NOT INSTRUCTED TO BECOME COLORBLIND, BUT COLOR SHOULD NOT EFFECT THE WAY WE TREAT/FAVOR/LOVE PEOPLE. Opening his mouth, Peter said: “I most certainly understand now that God is not one to show partiality, but in every nation, the man who fears Him and does what is right is welcome to Him. Acts 10:34-35
The Greek word “prosopolemptes” literally means ‘a receptor of the face or person’. It is part of a larger group of similar words which combine to form an idiom which refers to the principle of non-discrimination, one being not a respecter of persons, and the like. Jesus applied this principle very clearly in his interactions with the Samaritans and His teaching on the subject, to even love your enemies. (Luk 6:27-36) Jesus underlines God’s mercy on Heathen (Luke 4:26-27) He rebukes the disciples when they want to pray for God’s judgment on a town that would not receive them. (Luk 9:51-56) The story of the good Samaritan also deals with religious prejudices. (Luk 10:33)
Is it not an interesting fact that the gifts of the Spirit are much more evident in the mission context than ministering to those within your family or social circle? More people get healed in the outreach mission context than in the local church. “Go and make contact” (Mat 28:19) and treat every person with respect. (1 Pet 2:17)
NO PARTIALITY WITH GOD
Romans 2:11 For there is no partiality with God. 1 Timothy 5:21 I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus and of His chosen angels, to maintain these principles without bias, DOING NOTHING IN A SPIRIT OF PARTIALITY.
NO DISTINCTION MADE AN ACCOUNT OF YOUR EARNINGS
Proverbs 22:2 The RICH AND THE POOR have a common bond, The LORD is the maker of them all. No partiality according to salary level: John 13:16 “Truly, truly, I say to you, A SLAVE IS NOT GREATER THAN HIS MASTER, nor is one who is sent greater than the one who sent him. From prison, Paul wrote to a friend whose slave had run away, had met Paul, and had come to faith. Paul appealed to his friend on the basis of their relationship to welcome the slave back not as a slave but as a brother. He offered to repay any loss from his own pocket. The letter survives in the New Testament as the book of “Philemon” and is a touching example of a dedicated believer seeking to motivate a slaveholder internally to change his attitudes and behavior. Philemon 1-25. The point is clear, do not treat rich people differently because they are rich, the same applies to the poor. Treat everyone the same – LOVE THEM!
At this moment Social Integration is a National Government drive. Should it not be the church leading society towards what is right? See these drone photos taken of areas in the Western Cape showing the segregation and division made between the rich and the poor. This is certainly a worldwide phenomenon, and not a Western Cape issue. Click Here to View Photos This division is justified, for economic reasons. But when God looks at it, what are we preaching to the World?
SHOW NO PERSONAL FAVORITISM
James 2:1 My brethren, do not hold your faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ with an attitude of personal favoritism. James 2:2-4 For if a man comes into your assembly with a gold ring and dressed in fine clothes, and there also comes in a poor man in dirty clothes, and you pay special attention to the one who is wearing the fine clothes, and say, “You sit here in a good place,” and you say to the poor man, “You stand over there, or sit down by my footstool,” have you not made distinctions among yourselves, and become judges with evil motives?
NO NATIONAL CULTURAL FAVORITISM
Romans 10:12-13 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, abounding in riches for all who call on Him; for “WHOEVER WILL CALL ON THE NAME OF THE LORD WILL BE SAVED.” See Colossians 3:11
NO PARTIALITY ACCORDING TO TITLE AND POSITION:
Matthew 23:8 “But do not be called Rabbi; for One is your Teacher, and you are all brothers.
NO GENDER INEQUALITY
Galatians 3:28
EQUAL RIGHT TO INCOME:
1 Samuel 30:24 “And who will listen to you in this matter? For as his share is who goes down to the battle, so shall his share be who stays by the baggage; they shall share alike.”
Ephesians 6:9 And masters, do the same things to them, and give up threatening, knowing that both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no partiality with Him.
THE UNITING FACTOR IS OUR FAITH IN CHRIST.
Jesus openly showed a bias to this women. See the story of Racial Slurs of Jesus towards the Syrophoenician Woman Mark 7:24-37 Apparently she is “a Greek, born in Syrian Phoenicia” — a Gentile considered to be spiritually and racially inferior to a Jew. The story of Jesus’ encounter with the Syro-Phoenician woman illustrates the way that none of us can come out of a broken society unscathed by its deceptions and injustices. We had no control over the race, social class, into which we were born, but moral choice enters the picture at the moment that we are confronted by the people whose humanity we have overlooked. This story is balanced with the story In John 4, He had a long conversation with a Samaritan woman, although the Samaritans were an ethnic group the Jews despised. It is her faith that saved these women. I find that amongst all kind of churches and ministries, this to be the ONE uniting factor above all. Many proclaim Christ, but they show no faith through their actions. Call it a frequency, a way of speaking and living, but you cannot hide real faith! it is in the open, and it challenges you, to either reject or get doing the Word too.
GROW IN TOLERANCE
We all need the grow in Tolerance. Disunity is a sign of our immaturity. Mature children or people have no problem playing with small children. But children fighting amongst themselves are usually only because of this lack of maturity and godly character. Grow up in wisdom on how to handle each person differently (Jud 22-23) Overcome evil with good. (Rom 12:21) And look after your witness among the people. (Jam 3:13) And let your conduct be honorable among the Gentiles. (1 Pet 2:12)
NO RIGHT TO SEPARATE
As a Christian you are not alone, and cannot operate in isolation, you are part of a family. Your suffering and honor have an effect on the people around you. (1 Cor 12:26) Paul kept himself blameless not to have preached to others and he himself is disqualified. (1 Cor 9:27) There are different vessels in house, some for glory, some for dishonour. Paul instructs us to cleanse ourselves from the latter to all become vessels of honour. (2 Tim 2:20-21) Like in any family, the conduct of one member has an effect on the others. The actions of white believers have an effect on our black brothers in the squatter camp close by. What the labor force do in town, has an effect on the Farm’s productivity.
God sees us as a whole, and whether we acknowledge the diversity or not, our lives affect each other. We need each other!
UNITED ONLY UNDER HEADSHIP OF CHRIST
Equality is only possible IN CHRIST! The biggest divide in Humanity is different Values. Pursuing Christlike values and character is the best way to live life.
In Christ we possess His nature and the fruit of the Holy Spirit. This unity is already established for us in Christ. We do not have to fight for it or seek it. We are taught to protect and maintain this Divine Unity though, (Eph 4:1-4). Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; One Lord, one faith, one baptism, One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.
The former Minister of defense during the Apartheid era has begun a journey of reconciliation. First his confessions before the Truth & Reconciliation Committee, then God spoke to Him to wash Frank Shikane’s feet, the President of the AFM Africa church. Later he would also wash the feet of some victims in Mamelodi. He discovered the root of Apartheid being, that he loved himself more than he loved his neighbor.

Vlok sê hy het God toegelaat om hom te lei. Hy was nie self regstreeks betrokke by die dood van dié vroue se geliefdes nie, maar hy het hom afgevra wat die grondliggende sonde van apartheid was. Hy het tot die gevolgtrekking gekom dat dit is dat hy homself baie meer liefgehad het as sy naaste. Dit het gegroei tot trots, die gedagte dat jy beter as “hulle” is. Excerpt From: “Ek kies steeds die kerk” by Neels Jackson. Scribd.

Lastly, who helped Jesus carry his cross, in the end when he could no longer carry it? Simon of Cyrene, most likely was a black man. What we do know about Simon called Niger is his name. Simon is a Jewish name and Niger comes from the Latin word for “black”. Research shows that Simon of Cyrene was from a country in ancient northern Africa (bordering Egypt) called Libya.

Tags balance, Bible, Christ, church

Sermons

Thriving in Babylon – Hope

Post author By Jan Oosthuizen
Post date May 31, 2016

Daar word gesê dat ‘n mens tot 40 dae sonder kos, 7 dae sonder water, 4 minute sonder suurstof kan leef, maar nie een sekonde sonder hoop nie. As ons hoop verloor, word ons soos robotte wat net take verrig dag in en dag uit, sonder ŉ toekoms. Die realiteit is dat ons hoop die afgelope tyd onder aanslag is. Die ekonomiese krisis, stygende kostes van elektrisiteit, brandstof en voedsel maak ons depressief, en laat ons met min hoop oor ŉ beter toekoms. As ’n mens lank uitsien na iets en dit gebeur nie, maak dit jou moedeloos, maar as ’n mens se begeerte vervul word, gee dit jou nuwe moed. (Prov 13:12 LB) Verskeie kwessies in ons dorpe maak ons nog verder moedeloos en baie mense is besig om hoop te verloor. Deur die lewe en mense se oortredinge teenoor ons, word ons verwond. Sonder hoop word die wond septies en trek allerhande bakteria, vlieë en siektes. Hoop is ’n geestelike teengif en buffer teen demoniese infestasie.

Ons is mense van hoop: handdoek ingooi is nie ŉ opsie nie! Toe een van ons boere in ons gemeenskap ŉ paar jaar gelede geweldige brandskade op sy plaas gehad het, moes ek gaan om hom te bemoedig. Ek het eerlikwaar nie geweet wat om te sê nie. Toe sê die Here vir my: “There is a difference between giving up and letting go.” Om op te gee is nie ŉ opsie nie, maar soms moet ons dinge oorgee af afgee, om staande te kan bly. Dit het vir die boer en sy vrou hoop gegee, dat alles nie tot niet is nie.

Ons kan nie toelaat dat afbrekende woorde en ŉ negatiewe ingesteltheid ons siel en gees besmet nie. Jesus self in ons is ons hoop. (Col 1:27) As kinders van die Here het ons, ons hoop gevind in dit wat nie geskud en vernietig kan word nie, naamlik ons verhouding met Jesus Christus. (Ps 39:7) HOOP het in ons hart kom woon, en ons beleef nou Sy vrede en vreugde in die Heilige Gees, ten spyte van ons omstandighede. (Rom 14:17)

Moeilike omstandighede en krisisse ontbloot die waarheid van ons hart, waarin is ons hoop gevestig? Is ons sekuriteit in ons besittings, posisies, kontantvloei, en voorspoed? Of is ons sekuriteit Jesus en Jesus alleen? Jesus Christus is ons ewige onwankelbare HOOP!

Hoop is ‘n persoon, sy naam is Jesus. Daniel was ‘n man van hoop, omdat hy die Here persoonlik op Sy woord gevat het. (Dan 1:8) Hy moes self sy geloof in God toets. Jy kan nie op iemand anders se hoop lewe nie. Alhoewel Daniel heelwaarskynlik nie in ‘n Godsdienstige tyd groot geword het agv Israel se afvalligheid nie. Tog het Daniel die dieet van sy voorvaders onthou, en homself voorgeneem om homself nie te besoedel met die lekkernye van die Koning se tafel nie. Hy moes uit ervaring geleer het, dat die Bybelse Dieet beter resultate lewer. Uit Sy voorneme neem hy ‘n geloofaksie en die Here beloon sy geloof deurdat hulle guns kry by sy leermeesters. Elke keer as die koning hulle raad gevra het oor ’n saak waarvoor daar insig en begrip nodig was, het hy gevind dat hulle tien maal meer weet as al die towenaars en fortuinvertellers in sy ryk. (Dan 1:20)

Bybelse hoop lê in ‘n verhouding, ‘n pad saam stap, ervarings en verlossingsdade wat deel raak van ons Storie met God. Dit gee vir ons wat na God toe gevlug het om gered te word die moed om vas te hou aan wat Hy beloof het. 19Om so op God te vertrou, is vir ons lewens ’n anker wat vas en seker is, want dit verbind ons aan God self (Heb 6:18-19)

Vanuit hierdie verhouding met God, het Daniel met God ’n daaglikse pad gestap, Dan 6:10. Hy het altyd eers na die Here toe gegaan. (Dan 2:14–23) en gesien hoe die Here wonderdade verrig soos om die bekke van die leeus te sluit. (Dan 6:21). Hierdie pelgrims reis met die Here het sy geloof en hoop in God verder en verder versterk.

Sy hoop was egter nie net in ervarings met God nie, hy het die Skrifte gereeld ondersoek en op die woord van die profeet Jeremia afgekom dat die Ballingskap net 70 jr gaan duur. (2 Chr. 36:21; Ezra 1:1; Jer. 25:11, 12; 29:10; Zech. 7:5)

Toe het hy homself voorgeneem om die Woord te bid. (Dan 9:2-3) Op hierdie tydstip was die Koninkryk van Babel in geen gevaar nie en die stad ondeurdringbaar. In die fisiese omstandighede blyk dit eers dat niks verander nie, maar God het hom ontmoet, en die engel Gabriël het aan hom verskyn en hom versterk. (Dan 9:20) Uiteindelik vervul die Here Sy woord aan Kores, die Persiese heerser en bring Babilon tot ‘n val in een dag! (Isa 45:1-7)

The great test was Babylon with its massive walls and its prestige of centuries of rule. It was
particularly impregnable because of the vast area within the walls where food could be stored and even produced, because of its great wealth, and because of the Euphrates River which flowed through the city. Cyrus is said to have stationed a portion of his army at the place where the river entered the city and another where it left. The rest of the army deepened the canals in the Euphrates Valley and diverted the river temporarily. In October, 539 b.c., the army marched in by way of the river bed under the leadership of Gobryas (Akkad. Ugbaru), who died a week later (ANET, p. 306).[1]

Die Here verlos uiteindelik sy kinders uit die hand van die Babiloniërs, en word hulle onder die regering van die Perse, toegelaat om hulle tempel (Esra) en die stadsmure (Nehemia) te herbou. Daniel is dus vir ons ‘n voorbeeld deurdat hy enduit, (60jr) of langer sy Hoop en geloof uitgeleef het. Regerings kom en gaan, bose heersers staan op en kom tot ‘n val, die geskiedenis van tyd leer ons dat God Ewig is, en ’n waarmaker is van Sy Woord.

[1] Dayton, W. T. (1975). Cyrus. In C. F. Pfeiffer, H. F. Vos, & J. Rea (Eds.), The Wycliffe Bible
Encyclopedia. Moody Press.

Tags Afgodery, Bible, Christ, church

Sermons

Thriving in Babylon – Humility

Post author By Jan Oosthuizen
Post date May 27, 2016

Nederigheid is ‘n goddelike eienskap, want God self is die beste voorbeeld van nederigheid. (Phil 2:6-8) Hy wat in die gestalte van God was, het sy bestaan op Godgelyke wyse nie beskou as iets waaraan Hy Hom moes vasklem nie, maar Hy het Homself verneder deur die gestalte van ‘n slaaf aan te neem en aan mense gelyk te word. En toe Hy as mens verskyn het, het Hy Homself verder verneder. Hy was gehoorsaam tot in die dood, ja, die dood aan die kruis.

Sy voorbeeld wys ook wat Nederigheid is: Dis nie om mense se vloerlap te wees nie. Dit beteken nie om leeg en swak te wees nie. Inteendeel God het Homself arm gemaak om ons te kom dien. Ware goddelike nederigheid se oorsprong is die volheid van God in jou. Nadat jy die geskenk van Sy geregtigheid ontvang het, die pêrel van groot waarde, (Mat 13:46) die goddelike vermoë om Sy kind te wees (Joh 1:12) dien jy die mense om jou vanuit Sy volheid. Verniet het ons ontvang verniet gee ons dit weer uit. (Mat 10:8)

Iemand wat God regtig ontmoet het en ken, kan nie anders as om nederig te wees nie. Niemand kan voor God staan nie. Arrogansie, trots, self-waan verdwyn soos mis voor die Son, wanneer ons voor Hom staan en Sy heerlikheid aanskou. Daarom is gebed die eerste eienskap wat Daniel laat floreer het in Babilon, vanuit Sy intieme gebedslewe het nederigheid natuurlik gekom.

“Humility is having a true and sane estimation of yourself”

“Pride/arrogance is on overestimation of self and an underestimation of others.”

“Inferiority is an underestimation of self and an overestimation of others.”

Soos God, is dit ook belangrik dat jy uit jou eie uit jouself sal verneder. “Humble thyself” (James 4:10) Anders sal God jou verneder maar dit gaan nie mooi wees nie.
“God weerstaan die hoogmoediges, maar aan die nederiges gee Hy genade” (1Pet 5:6) Jesus wys ons ook dan om dienskneg te wees, en soms die werk te doen van die geringste soos voete was, ons nederig hou en ons voete stewig op die grond. John 13: 1–17 Deesdae is daar ‘n program op TV undercover Millionaire, waar die eienaars van besighede tot nuwe insigte kom wanneer hulle meng met die mense op grondvlak. “Associate with the humble” Rom 12:16 Hoeveel mense wat arm is, is vriende op jou selfoon, Facebook, en kuier jy gereeld met hulle? Dis waar Jesus sou gewees het, tussen die armes!

Daar is ook ‘n belofte is: As jy jouself verneder, sal God jou op die regte tydstip verhoog. Dis
nie hoekom ons dit doen nie. Ons is bereid om soos Paulus uitgegiet te word vir Sy heerlikheid, (Phil 2:17) ons beloning is die Here. “I am your shield, your exceedingly great
reward.” (Gen 15:1) Ons sien die belofte ‘n paar keer in vervulling kom in Daniel se lewe, maar die verhoging was ook tot God se eer. Drie heidense Konings erken dat Daniel se God, die Ware God is. (Daniel 2:47; 6:20; 10:12)

LEER VAN DANIEL HOE HY FLOREER IN BABILON DEUR NEDERIGHEID.

Daniel se nederigheid was nie ‘n onkenning en vervalsing van sy goeie hoedanighede nie. Hy was nie skaam oor wie hy wel was nie. Kyk hoe mooi beskryf Daniel homself en sy vriende: Jong seuns aan wie geen enkele liggaamsgebrek was nie, maar wat mooi van aansien was
en vernuftig in allerhande wysheid en in besit van kennis en insig in wetenskap, en wat bekwaam was om in die paleis van die koning te dien; en om hulle die skrif en die taal van die Chaldeërs te leer Daniel 1:4 Nederigheid is die nugter en ware siening van wie ek is. Ons spog nie oor ons goeie hoedanighede nie. Self nie ons geestelike ervaringe nie. Paulus kies om
eerder in sy swakhede te roem, as om te roem in die verruklike geestelike ervaring wat hy gehad het. (2 Cor 12:2-6) Mense soek aansien: Of deur studies en Grade, Posisies en aanstellings, hoeveel mense hulle ken, en wié hulle ken. Jesus het self nie die eer en aansien van mense gesoek nie. (Joh 5:40) Nederigheid is nie ‘n swak selfbeeld en miskenning
van wie ek is nie. Nederigheid is ’n ware, juiste en goddelike estimasie en siening van self. Ons dink nie meer van onsself as wat ons behoort nie. (Rom 12:3) Hy wat sê hy iets is maar dit nie is
nie mislei homself. (Gal 6:3–4) Maar deur die genade van God is ek wat ek is (1 Cor
15:10)

Reg in die begin van Daniel se lewe in Babilon sien ons, hy was mooi opgevoed. Daniel 1: 8–16 “Daniel vra vergunning.” Dis ‘n duidelike bewys van sy hartgesindheid en toon sy nederigheid. Hoe mooi is die eienskap nie? Kinders vra hulle ouers eers vergunning voor hulle iets gaan doen. Dit wys respek en eerbied. Nederigheid is dus ‘n gesindheid van die hart. Ondergeskiktes in die werksplek kan soveel verder kom, om hulle griewe in ‘n mooi gesindheid te kom bespreek met hulle werknemers. Gesindheid Wen! Wanneer jy dit verloor en
‘n vloermoer gooi, wys dit nie vinger na die persoon wat jou kwaad gemaak het nie, dit wys op jóú karakter.

Selfs toe die vriende die koning teengaan om nie te buig nie, is daar geen sprake van arrogansie, rebellie, of ongeskiktheid in hulle spraak nie. “dan sal Hy
ons uit die brandende vuuroond en uit u hand, o koning, verlos” Dan 3:16–18 Nederigheid is absoluut en altyd ons gesindheid selfs wanneer ons iemand teengaan. Gehoorsaamheid is
voorwaardelik. Toe die dissipels deur die Sanhedrin gevange geneem word, bly hulle gesindheid nederig, maar hulle gehoorsaam nie die bevel om nie Jesus verder te verkondig nie. Acts 4:19-20

Daniel 2:48–49 Daniel vergeet nie Sy vriende toe hy ’n promosie kry nie, hy sorg dat hulle ook beter posisies beklee. Dis weer ‘n mooi voorbeeld van sy nederigheid om reg te doen, en nie sy eie belang bo die van sy vriende te stel nie. Dis dieselfde gesindheid wat Jesus gehad het, en wat Paulus pleit ons ook moet hê. In nederigheid die ander hoër ag as homself Philippians 2: 3–5 Ons sien nog ’n mooi voorbeeld in Abraham se lewe. Abraham laat Lot die beste deel kies, en uiteindelik verhoog die Here hom. Genesis 13: 1–18 Die 2 seuntjies stry oor ‘n roomys.
Mamma kom tussen by en leer hulle dat Jesus die roomys vir sy broer sou gegee het. Die eerste seuntjie trek weg en sê: “Ok wees jy eerste Jesus!”

Toe Daniel die oordeel van God ontvang teenoor Nebukadnésar verlekker hy hom nie in die wrede goddelose koning se lot nie. Daniel 4: 19 Hy spreek nog steeds die woord van die Here, maar bly respekvol. Daniel het die Koning gedien, nieteenstaande die koning se boosheid. Dis ‘n merkwaardige eienskap wat Jesus ons ook kom leer het in Sy bergpredikasie:
Wees gou goedgesind teenoor jou teëparty Mat 5:25
dat julle ’n slegte mens nie moet weerstaan nie Mat 5:39
Julle moet jul vyande liefhê; seën die wat vir julle vervloek, doen goed aan die wat vir julle haat, en bid vir die wat julle beledig en julle vervolg Mat 5:44

Uiteindelik bely die trotse arrogante koning. “Nou prys ek, Nebukadnésar, en ek roem en eer die Koning van die hemel: al sy werke is waarheid en sy paaie is reg, en Hy kan verneder die wat in hulle trotsheid wandel” Daniel 4: 34–37

Dan 6:25–28 Toe Daniel in die leeukuil gegooi word, murmureer en stribbel hy nie tee nie, hy is
vreesloos in God se verlossing. Sy vriende het dieselfde geloof gehad Daniel 3:16-18, Mat 16:24-25 Hy wat sy lewe wil wen sal dit verloor. Nederigheid is ‘n goddelike sterkte.

GOD GEE GENADE VIR DIE NEDERIGES
Prov 3:34
James 4:6
1 Pet 5:5
Hierin is ‘n wonderlike geheimenis in opgesluit. Wanneer ek my afhanklikheid van God erken, en bely dat ek hom nodig het, want ek ken my beperkinge, en ek ken Sy almag, ontsluit ek die genade/krag/vermoë van God in my lewe. Sien in Daniel se lewe die vele
wonderwerke waar God vir Daniel gehelp het. Hoekom? Want hy was nederig! Nederigheid is een van die mooiste eienskappe wat ‘n mens kan hê, veral as jy ryk is, baie slim is, iets merkwaardig bereik het. “Geseënd is dié wat weet hoe afhanklik hulle van God is, want aan hulle behoort die koninkryk van die hemel.” Mat 5:3

Nederige mense praat nie die heeltyd oor hulleself nie.
Soek nie hulle eie belang nie.
Soek nie die roem en eer van mense nie.
Vererg nie hulleself as hulle nie erkenning kry nie.
Nederige mense is gehoorsaam en pligsgetrou.
“Willing to yield”
Hulle is kalm, rustige, vriendelike en vreedsame mense.
Vergeld nie die kwaad met kwaad nie.
Is gemaklik in baie invloedryke sowel as die mees geringstes se geselskap
Is nie ambisieus om aandag op hulle-self te trek nie.
They are the unsung Heroes of our time!

Tags Afgodery, balance, Bible, Christ, church

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Exposing the Spirit of individualism in the Church

Post author By Jan Oosthuizen
Post date April 14, 2016

Understand how the Spirit of Individualism is weakening the Body of Christ
When people want to start a new ministry, I often hear the following statement: “It should not be linked to a certain church or in the name of an existing local church, so as not to cause offense”
To me the basis of this statement is fundamentally flawed. It is like someone is saying to their spouse: “let’s have children, but not name them, nor let them carry our surname, not to offend someone who may not like our family.” All churches are flawed, and has offended someone. Not even Jesus’ could please everyone, nor did all his disciples remain faithful. There is no local church or denomination that is getting everything right, yet we all need to be part of this family. God has one family of which He is the father. (Eph 4:2-6) So much focus has been given in the Charismatic era on the ministry of the individual, the gifts and authority of the believer, our identity in Christ. This emphasis is essential to get people to wake up to the fullness of their calling, inheritance and power in Christ. (Eph 1:17-21) Equally important is the truth that no man is an island, our growth is always connected with OUR growth in the body of Christ. (Eph 4:16) Essentially becoming a follower of Christ entails denying self and the taking up of our cross. (Mat 16:24) This refers to our obedience to Christ, even to the point of death.
For a person to grow spiritually, they have to eventually be part of a local intimate family. The pattern we find in Acts was either small group meetings from house to house the household of faith, or big gatherings or meetings drawing a crowd. We need to find the balance between these two activities, and see how they actually compliment the other. Why do we wait so long to initiate house churches? Should the outflow of big gathering not be to get the seekers into a local church, family, house church immediately? This solves the demand for follow-up activities after the meeting?
The DNA of church, God’s sanctuary is made up of three entities: The individual 1 Cor 6:19; the church in the Locality 2 Cor 6:16; the universal church 1 Cor 3:16 based on the context of these scriptures declaring that we are the temple of the Holy Spirit. In the case for the individual Paul warns that man cannot have intercourse with a prostitute and not become one with her. (1 Cor 6:15-18) In the second instance Paul addresses the Corinthian Church not to be defiled with the witchcraft in the city. (2 Cor 6:11-16) Then he warns all believers in general to remain holy and sanctified, set apart for God. In is thus very clear that like an orange, a cell, within a cell, within a cell makes the orange the church is made op three parts. You cannot remove a part; A church where individuals are not born again that church becomes a lifeless institution like a social club. Individuals that do not partner and become part of the church in a location became rogue agents that do not submit to any authority. Local churches that separates them from the greater community of faith becomes Sects. We are all three at the same time, to become the habitation of the Holy Spirit in the Earth.
Traveling ministry is biblical and in essence apostolic. It was one of the primary roles of the apostles to visit the local church in a certain location and to align them to the truth. The goal was apostolic alignment to Christ, not to get a nice big offering. Surely we should not muzzle the ox where he has trotted, a minister is worthy of our honor and support. The premise and foundation is always family and relationship. When traveling ministries operate on their own, with out a given family, they tend to build and gather people around themselves. They inevitably build a family, yet without the nurturing and closeness that a true local family provides. Being a traveling minister can be glorified. You can preach your best 10 sermons from meeting to meeting, people treat you like some kind of celebrity and give you their best treatment. This is proper and right, but again not outside the context of family.
Kingdom & family is synonymous. Our King is our Father! The godhead is in essence a family. The purpose of traveling ministers is thus, to strengthen and build the local family. To come alongside the local leadership and assist, correct, admonish, rebuke and chasten the family to mature in Christ.
The mass gathering is a wonderful tool to strengthen the small group, making them feel they are part of a greater cause. Being faithful to the few is not easy. People begin to know another, nothing is hidden, accountability and correction can cause offense. The Large gathering does not produce this kind of inward growth. We need both the small group, household setting and the big large crusade setting.
At his point of time many people have become disillusioned with structured church, mostly because that Church has become alienated from the head which is Christ. But being a structured church is not wrong or intrinsically evil. It is when the structure migrate away from their original position in Christ. When this happens we need to question our loyalty to this church. Like most of the NT believers had to do the same, regarding their Jewish Faith upbringing. They had to decide to leave, and face persecution to become part of the new Jesus family. Today people are leaving church, but not connecting again with church. God has no plan B. Christ gave His life for His church. Some seek a new expression of church but they are not willing to pay the price of obedience to Christ to become and be that accurate Christ-like expression. It is easier to only criticize, point finger but not doing anything to help or better it.
God’s heart is always family. God is in essence family, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Starting a ministry on your own, not linked to any family, not being send or under supervision of any existing family is dangerous and arrogant. You will start this family without you knowing it, and soon there will be children, and without you wanting to be a family become a family – a church. You are going to have to deal with the mess of raising and disciplining children, or you going to abandon them like many ministers do.
We as people find it hard to follow someone else. It is in our human individualistic nature to always seek a new path, find our own way, do our own thing. This pioneering spirit is wonderful and God has used it to start wonderful ministries to reform another human trait, the ability to get stuck in the familiar. Both these traits need to come under the supervision and control of the Holy Spirit. When we submit and obey the Spirit, we will never get stuck in tradition for our tradition is obedience to the Spirit. Obedience to pioneer comes under His control for it to be properly mandated, else it can become mere ambition. This brings us back to family. A Family where God is the Father, and the fathers in the house submits and point everyone to the One and only True Father there will be no ambition, selfish interests, striving, competition, suppression and bondage.
This family has matured in Christ, and will cover the world with His Glory. The current exodus out of formal religion is understandable in context of the church loosing its life and soul – Jesus Christ. Yet the power of an Christlike family over generations cannot be underestimated! The God of Abraham, Isaac & Jacob! There is a generational power in a large family that helps the next generation, making it easier for them to move forward. The enemy knows this and has released the spirit of divorce, betrayal, division and strive in the church trying to stop this Godly momentum. You cannot build or plant a new church/family based on division. You have to live and remain in honor, to also receive honor.
There is wisdom and much benefit being linked to a greater extended family. There are more resources, help and support, and a greater doctrinal accuracy. It is evident that smaller separate groupings tend to enter into error more quickly. We need to learn to think WE and not ME. Jesus did not function on His own, he gathered friends (Disciples) around Him, he later called His family. (Mark 3:31-35) Paul always took an companion, and greets his Co-workers. (Acts 19:29; Phil 4:3; Philemon 1:24; Gal 2:9)

We do not have it all together, but together we have it all. (Michael Wood)

Even more so, having more than one apostolic father and the input of all the five Ascension gifts gives balance and depth. (Eph 4:11-16) Some ministers speak out against the local church, then they should also not expect support from the local church.

May God continue to reform the church, so that the church can reform the Land. (Andre Pelser)

We need to come out of old obsolete structures and systems who are keeping His body in bondage, but not at the cost of the true Church. I believe God has already preserved a remnant of true believers all over the World, that has kept true to His Word and the Spirit of Christ. Churches who seek to continue to obey and reform into His likeness in everything they do. The true church is build on a divine revelation of Christ. (Mat 16:18) This revelation installs an inward operating system that continually reforms and updates us to His present revealed truth.

Grace & Peace

Apostle Jan Oosthuizen

Tags Afgodery, balance, church

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Exposing the Spirit of individualism in the Church

Post author By Jan Oosthuizen
Post date April 14, 2016
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Tags Afgodery, balance, bekering, church

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Die Tiende Vraagstuk

Post author By Jan Oosthuizen
Post date January 28, 2016

DIE TIENDE VRAAGSTUK

Die vraag oor tiende is soos die weegskaal vraagstuk in vele mense se lewens. Ek weet ek moet ŉ sekere gewig weeg, maar ek weet ook dat daai syfer nooit ŉ realiteit op my skaal gaan word nie, so ek bly maar stil en praat nooit daaroor nie. Niemand moet ook weet wat ek weeg nie, dis uiters belangrik dat dié inligting maar eerder net in my kop alleen bly. Die realiteit van die kerk se boeke is egter ŉ refleksie van hoe min mense werklik hulle tiende betaal.

In ons gemeente verplig ons niemand om tiende te betaal nie. Ons gee geen spesiale tiende koevertjies uit nie, en merk nie af wie tiende gee of nie. Al hoe ons weet wie getrou gee is die maandelikse internet betalings, of as iemand per tjek betaal. Die realiteit is duidelik, die meeste mense betaal nie tiende nie. Dit gaan skynbaar ook so met die meeste mense wat oorgewig is … maar die skrywe is nie om jou te kry om gewig te verloor nie, en ook nie om meer geld uit mense te probeer kry nie. Ek soek duidelikheid oor wat God wil hê ek as Sy rentmeester met Sy geld moet doen.

Tot hede is die praktyk oor tiende in ons gemeente die volgende: Alles wat ons doen moet uit geloof wees, mense word dus geleer om by God self te hoor waar en hoeveel hulle moet gee. Dit is ook die rede hoekom ons elke Sondag vir mense geleentheid gee om te deel wat God hulle gesê het en te getuig oor die seën van gee. Geloof kom deur die gehoor, en gehoor deur die Woord van God. (Rom 10:17) Hierdie skrywe is ook nie ŉ poging om mense te probeer forseer, manipuleer of te oortuig om tiende te betaal nie! Ons volstaan dat God gehoorsaamheid eer! As ons as kerk leierskap gehoorsaam is en bly, sal God vir ons sorg! Ons dank God dan ook vir diegene wat op hulle beurt gehoorsaam is God, want sodoende kry God alleen die eer!

Moet ek tiende betaal of nie?

Is dit nie maar net ŉ Ou Testamentiese wet nie? Ek móét soveel dinge betaal, en ek kom nie uit met my geld nie, ek het nie genoeg om my tiende te betaal nie! As ek my tiende betaal, gaan ek nie genoeg geld oorhê vir kos nie.

Daar is baie dialoog op die internet oor die misbruik van tiendes en offergawes deur televisie predikers en die wyse waarop hierdie predikers geld uit mense mergel vir hulle bedieninge. Daar word dan ook geargumenteer teen tiende vir die volgende redes: Die Jode betaal nie vandag tiende nie, want daar is nie meer ŉ tempel nie, en ook nie meer ŉ levitiese orde nie. As hulle nie tiende betaal nie hoekom word Christene verplig? Dit is ŉ Ou Testamentiese wet en dus nie meer op ons van toepassing nie. Nêrens in die NT word die kerk opgeroep om tiende te betaal nie, nie deur Jesus of die apostels nie. Tiende was bereken op landbou produkte en nie geld nie. Dit impliseer dus dat net boere tiende moet betaal en nie salaristrekkers nie. Indien mense wel ver moes trek met hulle produkte kon hulle, die tiende omruil vir geld.

Wat is God se doel met tiende? Lees (Deut 14:22-29)

Ons word nie meer regverdig deur die wet nie, maar die wet is ‘n leermeester ‘Tutor’ om ons te onderrig in God se wee. Indien iemand nie die onderrig van die wet ontvang nie, bring mense God is nie die skande soos ‘n seun wat werklik koning is deur sy genetika, maar omdat hy hom nie laat leer deur die koninklike hof nie, maar hy dwase besluite.

v23 die doel van die tiendes is om jou te leer om altyd die Here jou God te eer.

v27 vir die leviete wat nie ŉ erfdeel ontvang het saam met al die ander stamme nie. Hulle behoort aan die Here. (Num 18:20 – 32) Vergoeding vir die Leviete se diens wat hulle in die tempel doen, en hulle moet weer op hulle beurt ŉ tiende van dit wat hulle ontvang het aan die Here gee. (Neh 12:47) die leviete se tiende was vir die priesters. (2 Kron 31:6-21) het die hele volk getrou hulle hele tiende gebring en verdeel aan al die Levitiese seuns vanaf drie jaar en op, wat nog sou bedien in die huis van die Here!

v29 vir die vreemdelinge, wees en weduwee.

(Lev 27:30-33) v30 dit behoort aan die Here en is heilig. In (Jos 6:17-27 – 7:1-26) Lees ons van die stad wat aan die Here behoort en geheilig is met die banvloek. Niemand mag daarvan gevat het nie. Tog het Akan van die buit weggesteek in sy tent. Sy ongehoorsaamheid het daartoe gelei dat hulle nie die volgende stad kon beset en oorwin nie. Akan, sy familie en al sy besittings is saam met die buit verbrand.

(Deut 26:1-15) v10 Om God te aanbid omdat Hy jou uitverkies het en gebring het na die land.

Daar is verskillende offers gebring waarvan tiende maar net een was.

(Deut 12:6-7) brandoffers, ander offers, tiendes, julle gawes, julle gelofte-offers, julle vrywillige offers en die eerstelinge uit julle bees- en skaaptroppe bring.

(Neh 10:36-39) Die beste van die eerstelinge van die oes.

Waar bring ek en gee ek God se tiende?

Aangesien die engele nie God se tiende kom haal en opeis nie. Vir wie gee ons dit? En waar gee ons dit? (Deut 12:13-18) v13 Moenie jou offers sommer op enige plek bring nie. Alleenlik die plek wat die Here sal aanwys… dit sou later die tempel word. Ons glo jy sluit nie by ŉ gemeente aan nie, God voeg jou by. Ons glo dat elkeen wat deel is van ons gemeente deur God gestuur is, en dat God persoonlik in elke persoon se hart gewerk het om deel te wees.

v18 In die dorp saam met julle familie, en werkers en die leviete wat in die dorp woon… as die plek (tempel te ver is) mag julle by julle huis die tiende geniet. Tiende word geniet saam met die mense waar jy bly. Wanneer ons die hoofstuk van die begin af lees, sien ons dat hulle eers die afgode en afgodstempels moes afbreek en dan die Here met hulle tiende in hulle dorpe dien. Om jou tiende in ŉ dorp of plek te gee waar jy nie bly nie, is om jouself te verdeel, en nie algeheel betrokke te wees in die plek waar God jou geplaas het nie. Jou eerste verantwoordelikheid glo ek lê by jou plaaslike gemeente, want God wil dat Sy heerlikheid die aarde vul, en dit is hoekom hy elkeen van ons op ŉ sekere plek geplaas het om daar ŉ verskil te maak. Alleen is dit nie moontlik om in ŉ gemeenskap werklik ŉ verskil te maak teen duisternis nie. Daarom ons visie: “Reform the church to reform the land!”en “It takes an accurate church to raise a village!” (Mat 16:18) Wanneer gemeentes akkuraat funksioneer sal hulle nie die tiende net vir hulleself gebruik nie, maar uit die inkomste vir die wees, weduwee en arme voorsien. Verder sal hulle saam vir die betrokke organisasies met wie hierdie gemeente skakel en netwerk voorsien. Ons probleem is dat die meeste gemeentes nie soos ŉ liggaam funksioneer nie, en daar ŉ te groot skeiding is tussen die leierskap en die res van die gemeente.

Die tiende is gebruik om fees te vier en saam met die leviete, die wees, en weduwee asook jou werknemers. Uiteindelik was alle tiendes, en offergawes by een plek gegee naamlik die tempel! Dan is daar van jou verwag om “charitable” te wees. Die basiese fondasie stene van die Jode, is liefdadigheid en barmhartigheid. Daar is ŉ duidelike onderskeid tussen liefdadigheid en jou offers aan God. Die een kan nie sonder die ander nie. Jy kan nie jou offers bring en nie ook barmhartig wees aan almal wat oor jou pad kom nie. Jy kon ook nie barmhartig wees aan die vreemdeling en nie jou offers aan God bring nie. Jy moes beide doen, uit dankbaarheid vir wat God vir jou gee en doen!

Wat is die inherente geestelike vrug van tiende betaal?

Almal van ons beleef die angs en vrees wat oor ŉ mens kom, omdat jy besef jy gaan nie genoeg hê of uitkom met jou geld nie. Die enigste manier om hierdie vrees te konfronteer is deur die geloof. Deur jou tiende te betaal konfronteer jy juis hierdie vrees direk. Jou verklaring van geloof is nie net met jou woorde en belydenis nie maar ook jou dade dat jy volkome op God vertrou. Hy is my bron en nie ŉ mens nie!

Daar is iets geesteliks en heilig omtrent die 1ste tiende, die eerstelinge van ons oes. Jesus was God se beste gawe gegee vir ons. (Joh 3:16; 1 Kor 15:20, 23) Die kerk is die eerstelinge van Jesus se gawe en offer. (Rom 16:5; 1 Kor 16:15; Jak 1:18; 2 Tes 2:13; Rom 8:23). God werk deur die beginsel van die eerste gawe, die eerste offer, die eerste saad in alles wat Hy doen. Adam se eerste sonde bring ŉ vloek op sy hele nageslag. Die perfekte offer en gehoorsaamheid van Christus herstel God se plan en uit Christus kom ŉ nuwe nageslag voort. Ons eerste vrugte van ons inkomste is ŉ profetiese aksie en daad van geloof wat in die Gees gemeet en raakgesien word.

Die volgende punt is moeilik om te verduidelik. Maar sien dit in die gees. Daar vind ŉ geestelike “impartation” plaas wanneer ons, ons tiende en offergawes vir ŉ sekere gemeente gee. In die gees maak jy jouself deel van die openbaring en gewig van die spesifieke gemeente. Ek het dit al self beleef dat jong gelowiges selfs sonder dat hulle die Bybelskool of dienste gereeld bywoon, hulle in die openbaring en salwing van die liggaam begin optree asof hulle al lankal deel is omdat hulle getrou is in hulle bydraes. Hulle sê en doen dinge wat niemand vir hulle al geleer het nie, asof hulle dit inherent weet.

Indien ons nie tiende betaal nie, watse alternatief moet dan gevolg word om vir die gemeente se bedryfsuitgawes te betaal.

Geld moet dan tog van iewers af kom. Diegene wat teen tiende praat, moet dan uiteindelik ŉ alternatief voorstel oor hoe die predikante, werkers, huur, en bedryfsuitgawes van ŉ gemeente betaal moet word. Sommige stel dat die kerk bloot sy uitgawes bekend moet maak en dat mense dan soos hulle gelei voel daarvoor instaan. My kritiek op hierdie voorstel is; waar staan dit in die Bybel? Verder sal die gevolg wees dat net die ryk mense en vermoënde mense die las gaan dra in die gemeente. Wat is geestelik rondom hierdie proses, het iemand gebid en God vertrou sonder om iemand te sê?

Die Jode se alternatief vir tiende is ŉ Sinagoge belasting, waar jy letterlik jou sitplek by die Sinagoge huur per maand/jaar, die voorste sitplekke kos duurder.

ŉ Verdere voorstel wat ek gelees het, is dat predikers eintlik almal voltyds moet werk en soos Paulus ‘n tentmaker bediening hê en nie ŉ las is vir die gemeente moet wees nie. Dit is verseker ŉ moontlikheid; diegene wat dit wel al gedoen het sal vir jou sê wat ŉ swaar las dit op die persoon en uiteindelik die gesin plaas, en dat dit nie volhoubaar is nie. Daar is mense geroep vir dié bediening!

Wat moet die kerk met die tiende doen.

Dit is uiters belangrik dat die kerk wat hierdie tiendes en offergawes ontvang korrek volgens God se plan optree en handel en nie die altaar ontheilig nie.

Die tiende was hoofsaaklik vir Leviete en priesters – Die Christene in die NT het nie hulle tiende betaal nie, want dan moes hulle indirek hulle vyande en vervolgers betaal. Die Jode het Christus verwerp en gekruisig, en die vroeë Christene vervolg. Dit beteken egter nie dat hulle nie bydraes gemaak het nie. Hulle het bydraes versamel vir die in nood, en moes dit weekliks vergader en stoor tot Paulus sou kom en reëlings tref oor hoe dit na Jerusalem sal gaan. (Hand 11:28–30; Rom 15:25–27; 1 Kor 16:1-4) Paulus, Petrus en ander was nie net tentmakers nie, hulle het ook uit die bydraes van die Christene geleef. (2 Kor 11:8–9; Fil 4:15–18; 1 Kor 9:3-6) Die leviete se roepingsopdrag: Laat hulle nou u bepalings aan Jakob leer en u gebooie aan Israel. Hulle sal reukwerk voor U bring en brandoffers op u altaar offer. (Deut 33:10)

Die leviete is die eerstelinge van die 12 stamme wat aan God behoort. In die NT word die hele liggaam en al sy lede as lewende stene opgeroep tot diens en bediening. Daarom is die gebruik van die tiende nie net vir ŉ sekere uitverkose pastor wat al die werk doen en die res van die lede kyk toe nie. Die tiende is vir die liggaam. Dis hoe die liggaam van God in ŉ sekere lokaliteit beweeg en saam God se koninkryk uitbou! Die doel van die geld is nie om ons eie koninkryke te bou nie, ook nie net ons eie gemeente nie. Ons doel is om deur ons tiende en bydraes die geestelike koninkryk van God te bou deur die verkondiging van die evangelie.

Daar is verskillende bedieninge en variasies van bedieninge in die Nuwe Testamentiese kerk. Sommige is geroep om as priesters hulle reg tot ŉ inkomste op te gee en hoofsaaklik vir die Here te werk. Ander is geroep om as konings in die markplein op te tree. Ek glo nie dat die twee bedieninge noodwendig teenoor mekaar staan nie. As jy kan, moet elke bedienaar van God se Woord probeer om van sy of haar inkomste aan te vul deur ŉ beroep van die een of ander aard wat nie te veel van hul tyd opneem nie te beoefen. Ook sodat hulle in tred kan bly met die werklikheid van die beroepswêreld. Die wat in die beroepswêreld staan moet ook leer om te bedien, en God se woord te kan verkondig. Uiteindelik moet ŉ gesonde akkurate gemeente ŉ variasie van bedieninge ondersteun soos nodig.

Ek glo dat ŉ gesonde liggaam waar almal gewig dra en getrou is aan hulle bydraes, niemand iets sal kortkom nie. (Hand 4:32-37) ŉ Liggaam is ŉ lewende organisme wat spontaan en natuurlik aan elke lid voorsien, want elkeen leef en bestaan vir die ander. (we exist for the sake of the body) (1 Kor 12:25) Ek glo verder dat ŉ gemeente wat akkuraat Bybels funksioneer ook sal Netwerk met legitieme organisasies wat deel uitmaak van die liggaam, en as liggaam hierdie organisasies bystaan. Geen gemeente kan net na binne gee, en geseënd wees nie. Ons moet as gemeente uitgee na ander gemeentes en dele van God se liggaam. Omdat die regering nalaat op soveel sosiale gebiede word die druk meer vir die kerk om te help, met ouetehuise, kinderhuise, en die armes. Dis reg so, want dit is immers die roeping van die kerk, wat vir te lank op die regering afgeskuif het.

In die OT is die fokus op die hou van die wet soos ŉ formule. Die fokus in die NT is om deur die Here gelei te wees om te gee. Daarom die geweldige straf vir Ananias en Saffira se leuens teen die Heilige Gees. (Hand 5) Ons kyk baie keer hierdie radikale daad mis in die begin van die handelinge van die Apostels. God was weer besig om die eerste dinge te heilig.

Daar is so baie misbruik in die kerk omdat mense uit óf vrees óf hebsug funksioneer. ‘n Gemeente waar beproefde geloof die grondbasis is beleef nie hierdie probleme nie. Die kerkleiers vra nie vir geld nie, en maak nie ‘n appél op die mense om te móét gee nie. Op geen wyse nie! (2 Kor 9:5-7) “Dan sal dit gereed wees as ’n vrywillige dankoffer en nie as iets wat afgepers is nie… Elkeen moet gee soos hy in sy hart besluit het, nie uit spyt of dwang nie, want God het die blymoedige gewer lief.”

Spesiale behoeftes van die gemeente of van die in nood word wel bekend gemaak. (Hand 11:28–30; Rom 15:25–27)

Die gemeente lede maak ook nie hulle behoeftes aan mekaar bekend sonder geloof nie! Geen skimpe, enige vorme van manipulasie word geduld nie. “almal is vry om te vra en ook vry om nee te sê”; (Fil 4:15–18) Die beste manier om te gee is in die geheim. (Mat 6:4) Die apostoliese fonds bestaan vir hierdie doel. Geld of items word deur die apostoliese fonds gehanteer volgens individue se behoefte of in opdrag van die donateur.

Amal gee uit hulle oorvloed wat hulle oor het, of soos die Here lei (Deut 16:17; Spr 3:9; 1 Kor 16:2) Jy kan net gee wat jy het. (Jakob – Gen 28:20-22) Die hoofrede hoekom ons nie skuld moet maak nie, is omdat jy sodoende jou reg op jou geld vir iemand anders gee. Jy kan nie skuld maak en vrylik gee nie!

Wat is my tiende?

Die beginsel is duidelik. Van alles wat jy ontvang, die ekstra ongewone inkomste (Gen 14:20) Abraham het vanuit sy buit vir Melgisedek ŉ tiende gegee. (Gen 14:20)

ŉ Tiende van alles gevra. (Gen 14:20; Gen 28:22; Deut 14:23)

Dit is ‘n opdrag van God en heilig. (Lev 27:30–33; Deut 12:6–7; 2 Kron 31:4–8)

Getrouheid:

Ons is meer getrou om ons Sanlam polisse en versekering te betaal as om die Here se deel te gee. Sien, tiende is ŉ refleksie en getuienis van wie jy werklik vertrou. Dit is belangrik om te sien dat die verskil tussen die Ou Testament en die Nuwe verbond ŉ verskuiwing is van wet tot geloof, van werke tot gelei deur die Heilige Gees, van offers vir myself tot offers vir die liggaam. Die tempel bestaan nie meer nie, ons verantwoordelikheid is dus om Sy liggaam te versorg, die nuwe organiese lewende tempel.

Baie mense wil hulle tiende en bydraes iewers anders gee. As God regtig vir jou gesê het, is dit reg so. Maar ek glo binne ŉ liggaam word daar besluit watter organisasies ons ondersteun, wie ons help, en ons doen dit saam. Want soos in ŉ kompanjie in die weermag, wat alles saam doen en hulpmiddele en kos deel, elke troep nie sommer net kan besluit om kos uit die kombuis te gaan haal en vir ŉ ander kompanjie te gaan gee nie. Wanneer ons nie saam vir dieselfde goed gee nie, is dit soos ŉ weermag waar iemand ‘rank’ breek en ‘resources’ buite die kamp met ander deel. So neem ons ‘resources’ van die lokale troepe.

Mag die Here ons gedurig reformeer om meer en meer in lyn te kom met Sy Wil en Waarheid Jesus Christus!

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