Die Belangrikheid van Gemeenskap

Ons land se reëls en regulasies is so min Suid Afrikaans as wat jy kan kry. Die opstellers daarvan was internasionaal en het geen idee gehad wat Suid Afrikaans is nie. Ek voel dat Suid Afrikaans tog in onsin weerspieël moet word, al is ons ‘n redelike nuwe Suid Afrika.

Ek het lank terug gesê dat iemand ‘n boek moet skryf getitel “Hoekom ubuntu Suid Afrika verlaat het saam met apartheid”. Ubuntu is ‘n Afrika term vir ‘n kwaliteit wat die noodsaaklike menslike deugde insluit soos deernis en menslikheid. Dit kommunikeer die belangrikheid van gemeenskaplike verhoudings, respek, gemeenskap, waardes en verantwoordelikhede netjies verpak in godsdiens. Dit verteenwoordig eenheid, want ‘n persoon is slegs ‘n persoon deur die gemeenskap. Dit beteken dat die gemeenskap jou ouer, leermeester, vriend en ondersteuning is. Ja, en daar is dit, ons mense soek vryheid om te doen wat hulle wil en hoe minder reëls en regulasies daar is hoe beter, hul wil nie deur ander iets geleer of gesê word nie. Ek verstaan ware vryheid as volle kennis, aanvaarding en besitneming van die reëls en regulasies. Vrees en frustrasie kom waar hierdie ware vryheid ontbreek.

As Christene word ons geroep tot ubuntu – Jesus en Paulus het baie gepraat van die gemeenskap van gelowiges. Ons moet as een liggaam kan funksioneer en Jesus as ons hoof kan aanvaar, respekteer en gehoorsaam. Ubuntu is dalk ‘n Afrika term, maar dit kom vanaf die Joodse leringe wat na Etiopië versprei het gedurende die tyd wat Salomo koning van die Jode was. In latere jare het dit verder en verder suid versprei tot in Suid Afrika en Lesotho.

Ek was bevoorreg gewees om in die platteland groot te word waar gemeenskap belangriker was as in die stad en het geleer van die rol wat gemeenskap speel. Ons is almal aanmekaar gekoppel, die een aan die verbind. Ek sê altyd aan my leerders dat dit wat jy in die donker onder jou bed doen jou verhouding met ander om jou beïnvloed.

Gemeenskap is belangrik en huidiglik wil niemand dit erken nie, maar dit is besig om meer en meer uit te rafel, huisgesinne val uitmekaar en meer kinders as ooit vantevore raak verlore in die samelewing (of is dit nou alleenlewing). Ek besef dat die hele samelewing nie ‘n perfekte eenheid kan vorm nie, maar as kinders van God kan ons daarna streef. As elkeen van ons ons verhouding met God as die belangrikste in ons lewens beskou sal dinge reeds verander. Wanneer ons by God wil wees, Hom wil aanhang, afhanklik van Hom wil wees, lief vir Hom wil wees, Hom wil geniet, Hom wil behaag, dan het ons Hom lief met ons hele wese, bly ons in Hom, bly ons in Sy liefde, bly ons in Christus en is ons vervul met Sy Gees (geïnspireer deur Rebecca se skrywe). Omdat God ‘n hart het vir alle mense glo ek dat sosiale geregtigheid binne-in ons liefde vir God verborge is. Dus gee ons om vir ander mense, die vernederde, die verlore, die uitgelate, ons naaste, omdat ons God liefhet. Hierdie liefde word dan ook deur ons dade en woorde sigbaar. Sodoende kan ons die gemeenskap herstel wat besig is om uitmekaar te val.

Matthéüs 22:34-40, Johannes 15:7

JESUS MIN MY SALIG LOT

JESUS MIN MY SALIG LOT
EK WEET DIT UIT DIE WOORD VAN GOD;
AL IS EK OOK SWAK EN BLIND,
NOGTANS NOEM HY MY SY KIND.

KOOR:
JA, JESUS MIN MY!
JA, JESUS MIN MY!
JA, JESUS MIN MY!
EK WEET DIT UIT GOD’S WOORD.

JESUS MIN MY, JA OOK MY
MAAK SY BLOED VAN SONDE VRY;
SIONS POORTE OPEN HY,
EWIG JUIG EK AAN SY SY!

KOOR

JESUS MIN MY, HY BLY MY
OP MY PELGRIMSREIS NABY;
AS EK HOM OPREG BEMIN,
LEI HY MY SY HEMEL IN.

KOOR

VERGEWIS JOUSELF NOU MET HOM, EN MAAK VREDE MET HOM

Dink julle ook ons verwaarloos ons geloof? Doen ons genoeg, of meer as genoeg om Hom werklik te ken of te leer ken. Ek dink dat ‘n doelbewuste soeke na wie God werklik is van kardinale belang is. Dit kan alleenlik gebeur met die hulp van die Heilige Gees wat moet kom en die verkeerde persepsies wat ons van God het vir ons moet uit te wys. Dan sal ons van hierdie verkeerde idees kan ontslae raak en meer bewus kan word van Sy goedheid en liefde. God se goedheid en liefde is diep verweef in Sy karakter en wese en ons sal dit alleenlik ken as ons Hom soek met ons hele hart (Jeremia 29:13).

Die woord kennis in die Bybel beteken om begrip te hê, te verstaan en te erken, dus om dit waar te neem en ten volle bewus te wees daarvan.

Om reg te leef moet jy eers die Here liefhê. As jy die Heilige ken, verstaan jy soveel meer van ’n gelukkige lewe (Spreuke 9:10). Die probleem is dat baie mense God nie werklik ken nie en Hom daarom nie werklik kan vertrou en liefhê nie.

A.W. Pink het ‘n paar artiekels geskryf wat ook in ‘n pdf boekformaat beskikbaar is wat jy gerus hier kan aflaai: ‘The Attributes of God‘. Dit werk deur nege karakter eienskappe van God wat mens help om Hom beter te leer ken. Hy skryf:

“VERGEWIS JOUSELF NOU MET HOM, EN MAAK VREDE MET HOM: dan sal dit weer goed gaan met jou” (Job 22:21).

So spreek die HERE: Laat die wyse nie in sy wysheid roem nie, en laat die magtige nie in sy krag roem nie; laat die rykman nie ryk wees in sy rykdom nie; Maar as iemand wil spog, dan moet hy hieroor spog: dat hy My, die Here, ken en dat hy weet Ek doen wat Ek belowe het. “(Jer.9:23,24). ‘N Geestelike en reddende kennis van God is die grootste behoefte van elke menslike wese.

Die fondament van alle ware kennis van God moet ‘n duidelike geestelike vrees vir Sy volmaaktheid wees soos dit in die Heilige Skrif geopenbaar word. ‘N Onbekende God kan nie vertrou, gedien of aanbid word nie.

Daar is iets meer as ‘n teoretiese kennis van God nodig. God is slegs in die siel waarlik bekend, want ons gee onsself aan Hom, onderwerp aan Sy gesag en reguleer al die besonderhede van ons lewens deur Sy heilige wette en gebooie. “Dan sal ons weet as ons die Here op die pad van gehoorsaamheid volg ons Hom sal ken” (Hosea 6:3). “Iemand wat doen wat God wil hê, sal weet of die dinge wat Ek vir julle leer, van God kom en of dit van Myself kom.” (Johannes 7:17). “… maar die mense wat vir God ken, sal aanhou om nie verkeerde dinge te doen nie.” (Daniël 11:32). – A.W. Pink, 1930.

 

My verhoudings is my verantwoordelikheid

Maak verhoudings jou ook soms seer? Het jy al gevoel jy wil net weghardloop?

Iemand het ‘n hele tydjie gelede vir my gesê “Ek het nog nooit aan egskeiding gedink nie, maar moord, baie”!

Dit is gewoonlik die mense die naaste aan jou wat jou die seerste maak. Dit is nie net die hartseer nie, maar dit is die teleurstelling, die verwerping, die skok en ander emosies wat soos ‘n golf oor jou spoel en jou voete totaal onder jou uitslaan. Jy het geen krag, energie of woorde nie en dit voel net te veel om met enige iemand hier oor te praat, wat nog van die persoon wat dit alles veroorsaak het. Die ergste van alles is dat sy of hy glad nie die inpak van die woorde en of dade wat jou voet onder jou uitgeslaan het werklik kan begryp nie. Die situasie se gebeure was dalk bedoel om seer te maak, of dalk glad nie, maar jou belewenis daarvan het vir jou die enigste realiteit geword.

Dit is dus baie moeilik om met die persoon te praat wat jou seergemaak het, veral as die erns van die saak nie verstaan word nie. Die beste plek vir jou om te begin is verwoording. Skryf jou emosies neer. Onthou dat pyn en woede nie die enigste emosies kan wees nie. Dink aan die teleurstelling en skok terwyl jy jou emosies neerskryf wat jy ervaar of ervaar het. Jy moet dan vir die persoon jou ervaring van die situasie verduidelik sonder om aan te kla of aan te val.

… My man, ek het heeltemal gedrop gevoel toe jy dit en dit gesê het en dit het my ook baie hartseer en woedend gemaak…

Jy moet dan ook noem dat hy of sy dit nie noodwendig so bedoel het nie, maar dit wel vir jou ‘n slegte ervaring was. Die volgende stap is dan om te vergewe.

… Ek vergewe jou, al is my emosies nog deurmekaar…

Die goue reël van Christenskap is liefde wat fyn verweef is deur die hele Bybel. Jesus moedig jou aan om hierdie goue reël uit te lewe, deur vir God lief te wees met jou hele wese, vir jouself lief te wees, om ander mense lief te hê en aan hulle te doen soos jy sou wou hê hulle moet aan jou doen.

Ek bid dat jy positiewe ervarings in jou verhoudings sal hê en dat enige seer en misverstande op gesonde wyses opgelos sal word.

Amen

The love of Jesus

The love of Jesus is so wonderful x 3
Oh, wonderful love.
It’s so high, you can’t get over it
It’s so low, you can’t get under it
It’s so wide, you can’t get around it
Oh, wonderful love.

Loof Hom met die tromme

Loof hom met die tromme,
Loof Hom met die harp,
Loof Hom met die klinkende simbale,
Alles wat asem het,
Loof, loof die Here.
Alles wat asem het,
Loof, loof die Heer.

GET CONNECTED, STAY CONNECTED

Failure is the cause of being detached or disconnected. If a given opportunity is not taken, destruction becomes inevitable because further detachment leads to death… Get connected!

To be connected is to always have access to the needed source which means that whatever you need is always available through this connection which is supplied by the source. We sometimes wonder why a specific person is so successful and when asking around it is said that “He is connected”. A person who is connected have access to things others do not.

The question then is: What is the source you need to be connected to and what do you need to get connected?

Read John 15:1-11.

Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he [is the one that] bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing (John 15:4-5 ESV).

The Father cares for everyone connected to Jesus (John 15:1-3)

• Jesus is the actual vine, the true source of God’s riches and blessing. God the Father is the Proprietor and Caretaker of the vine. Jesus makes it clear here that He is depended on the Father and that they always work together (John 15:1). We also read about God the Father and Jesus the Word working together in John 1:

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made (John 1:1-3 ESV).

• God is the Caretaker which takes away the branch that bears no fruit by lifting them from the ground. This gives the branch an opportunity to bear fruit. Those branches who already bears fruit is pruned to bear even more fruit. God the Father’s goal is to care for the vine and the branches in such a way that it will produce more fruit (John 15:2).
• At first glance the next verse seems to be out of place not fitting into the story Jesus is telling. Jesus is saying to the disciples that they are already clean because of the words He had spoke to them (John 15:3). Paul also speaks about Jesus Christ cleansing the church by the washing of the word (Ephesians 5:26). Isaiah (1:16) talks about being washed as to cease from doing evil. Malachi (3:1-2) likened the Messiah to a refiner’s fire and the launderers’ soap. In Leviticus (12-14) we also read that sacrificial offerings were made to be cleansed from sickness and sins. Jesus therefore came to cleanse mankind from sin and sickness as our sacrificial offering. This means that those who were changed by Jesus, the Word of God, needs less or even no pruning.
• Let me explain God’s caring with an example. You just received your new car you waited for almost five months after ordering it. You are overly excited and makes a daily effort in caring for it. In the mornings before work you start-up the engine and wait for it to warm up before driving it. You park it in such away that other drivers will not be able to scratch your car with their car-doors. You open and close the doors for the passengers also as to ensure the doors are not scratched or slammed. You regularly make sure the tyre pressure is correct and there is enough oil and petrol in the car. You wash the car at least once a week and only use a specific scratch free cloth and car shampoo. The beauty of this new washed car before your eyes is always worth the effort because of the satisfaction you get out of the car.
• God is also excited about us, His children, and wants to take care of us (Matthew 10:31). He is always with us (Acts 18:10) and provides for us each and everyday (Isaiah 41:10). We can trust God as our Caretaker and Provider because He speaks into our lives, changes and moulds us daily (Psalm 32:8). He also removes us from circumstances and relationships that we should not experience, to protect us and He gives us the strength needed for circumstances that we have to experience (Isaiah 41:10).
• We should therefore stop fearing and trust God to guide us. When trials and tribulations come and we are challenged by many obstacles, we may trust the Lord. He will always guide us making sure that we reach the other side.
• For us to always be able to receive this care from God we need to be connected and stay connected to Him.

Staying connected and receive what ever you desire (John 15:4-8)

• The Greek word “μένω” pronounced “menō” is a verb that means to remain in a given place, state, relation or expectancy (Strong 2008:§G3306). Abide in this context is to stay in a specific relation to Jesus. Thus stay connected!
• We need to be connected to Him as a branch is connected to the vine which give the branch the ability to bear fruit. If the branch is broken off the connection is severed and the branch dries out and dies. This branch is good for nothing else except to make a fire with (John 15:4-6).
• Those branches connected to the vine are the people who are connected to Jesus and listens to the words He speaks. These people are able to receive what ever they desire because they are connected. They can therefore bear much fruit and by so doing give glory to God (John 15:7-8, 1 John 5:14).
• If for example you want to browse the internet you need an internet connection. There are some cheap ways to connect like from a coffee shop’s wi-fi, but it is too slow and your are limited to what you may download. Although you have the biggest and fastest computer, without a proper connection you can do nothing. When you finally decide to install an unlimited ADSL connection at home the whole internet becomes freely available.
• When we are connected to Jesus all the divine riches of God is available for us, which enables us to bear more fruit.

Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust (2 Peter 1:2-4 NKJV).

• With these fruit we are enabled to love and care for other people. It is difficult at times and we may fail to share love, joy and peace with some people, but this is why we trust in Father God. He is faithful and will keep working in us that we may bear more fruit. The important thing is to learn how to stay connected to Jesus.

Stay connected by living a life of love (John 15:9-11)

• Jesus commands us to abide in His love in the same way He abides in God the Father’s love. He does this by doing what the Father had commanded Him. We also abide in Jesus’ love by doing what He had commanded us (John 15:10). Jesus commanded us to love God with our whole beings and our neighbours as ourselves (John 13:34). God the Father loves Jesus and in the same way Jesus loves us and therefore we also need to love (John 15:9-10).

A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:34-35 NKJV).

He who does not love does not know God, for God is love (1 John 4:8 NKJV).

• One of the (if not the biggest) reasons we do not abide in Jesus’ love is because we battle to believe that God can love us. Yes we are able to find many reasons why a Holy God cannot love a sinful person. The fact is: “God is Love” and whatever He does is motivated by love (1 John 4:8) (Terblanche 2014). We can therefore be certain of His love for each one of us. Take that step and get connected to Him and allow yourself to receive and experience His love for you.
• When we allow the words of Jesus to saturate us (Job 22:21-27) His joy remains in us and we become overflowed with joy (John 15:9-10). We are then recognised as Jesus’ disciples when we abide in Him and allow others to experience our love for them (John 13:35).

Jesus makes it clear to us that it is important to stay connected by displaying the results of being connected and the consequences of not being connected. Remember this one thing “STAY CONNECTED” to the source of life! Jesus is the way, the truth and the life (John 14:6) and I challenge each and everyone to get connected to Jesus and stay connected to Him! We do this by receiving and experiencing Jesus’ love for us, therefore living a life of love. Love God with your whole being and those around you as yourself and your joy will be full!!! Remember: “stay connected through love”!

Life’s Endangerments

We are living in a world where extremes and drastic changes and choices have become the norm. Life itself have become very demanding and we have become very competitive and only allow for the “survival of the fittest”. We have become animals murdering the very essence of our souls. We are then “able” to destroy anything and anyone standing in our way…

Do not go about spreading slander among your people. Do not do anything that endangers your neighbor’s life. I am the Lord (Leviticus 19:16).

We have a choice! Choose life or death, God said. Choosing life might be more difficult, but it is so much more rewarding.

Love like there’s no tomorrow, and if tomorrow comes, love again. Max Lucado

Choosing death will bring you satisfaction for now, but when the decay of it enters in you will not be able to stop it.

Here, God van my Heil

Here Hemel Vader dankie dat ons kan vra ‘wees ons genadig’. U weet dat ons stof is en sonder U niks kan doen nie wat die moeite werd is nie.

’n PSALM van Dawid. Alef. Tot U, o Here, hef ek my siel op. Bet. My God, op U vertrou ek; laat my nie beskaamd staan nie; laat my vyande oor my nie juig nie. Gimel. Ja, almal wat U verwag, sal nie beskaamd staan nie. Hulle sal beskaamd staan wat troueloos handel sonder oorsaak. Dalet. Here, maak my u weë bekend; leer my u paaie. He. Lei my in u waarheid en leer my, want U is die Gods van my heil. U verwag ek die hele dag. Sajin. Dink, Here, aan u barmhartigheid en u goedertierenhede, want dié is van ewigheid af. Get. Dink nie aan die sondes van my jonkheid en aan my oortredinge nie; dink aan my na u goedertierenheid, om u goedheid ontwil, o Here ! Tet. Die Here is goed en reg; daarom sal Hy sondaars leer aangaande die weg. Jod. Hy sal die ootmoediges lei in die reg en die ootmoediges sy weg leer. Kaf. Al die paaie van die Here is goedertierenheid en trou vir die wat sy verbond en sy getuienisse bewaar. Lamed. Om u Naam ontwil, Here, vergeef my ongeregtigheid, want dit is groot. Mem. Wie tog is die man wat die Here vrees? Hy sal hom leer aangaande die weg wat hy moet kies. Noen. Hy self sal vernag in die goeie, en sy nageslag sal die land besit. Samek. Die verborgenheid van die Here is vir die wat Hom vrees, en sy verbond om hulle dit bekend te maak. Ajin. My oë is altyddeur op die Here, want Hý sal my voete uit die net uitlei. Pe. Wend U tot my en wees my genadig, want ek is eensaam en ellendig. Sade. Die benoudhede van my hart is wyd uitgestrek; lei my uit my angste. Resj. Aanskou my ellende en my moeite, en vergeef al my sondes. Resj. Aanskou my vyande, want hulle is talryk, en hulle haat my met ’n gewelddadige haat. Sjin. Bewaar my siel en red my; laat my nie beskaamd staan nie, want by U skuil ek. Tau. Laat vroomheid en opregtheid my bewaar, want U verwag ek. o God, verlos ons uit al ons benoudhede! (PSALMS 25:1-22 AFR53)

Here roep ons terug na U, daar waar U plek vir ons voorberei het. Ek bid ook vir U vrede en teenwoordigheid in alle omstandighede, dat stukkend hartseer harte vrede en genesing sal ontvang.
Dankie Here Jesus vir U naam en U lewe, Amen.

Christ-centredness

It is so true that many Christians believe their lives to be Christ-centred when they only read the Bible and attend church regularly. Christ centeredness should be a lifestyle that centres around Christ, we should ultimately be like, and act like Christ.

I also believe that in order to be like Him we need to know Him. Knowing Christ is sometimes an effort but setting it as the goal of our lives will help us to become more Christ-centred. We must therefore be focused on building a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

And these signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues (Mark 16:).

And behold, some men were bringing on a bed a man who was paralyzed, and they were seeking to bring him in and lay him before Jesus, but finding no way to bring him in, because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and let him down with his bed through the tiles into the midst before Jesus. And when he saw their faith, he said, “Man, your sins are forgiven you.” And the scribes and the Pharisees began to question, saying, “Who is this who speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God alone?” When Jesus perceived their thoughts, he answered them, “Why do you question in your hearts? Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Rise and walk’? But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”–he said to the man who was paralyzed–“I say to you, rise, pick up your bed and go home.” And immediately he rose up before them and picked up what he had been lying on and went home, glorifying God
(Luke 5:18-25).

Jesus said to them again, ‘Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.’ And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld (John 20:21-23).

And Jesus answered them, “Truly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what has been done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ it will happen” (Matthew 21:21).

Truly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him (Mark 11:23).

By remaining a community of pray and fellowship, relying on one another and God will ensure a Christ-centred community.

I would like to ad though that “love” is a very important factor that some may neglect. Rob Bell said that how you love others is how you love God (2004). Jesus also said that we will be known as his disciples because of our love for one another (John 13:35, ESV). Jesus had a lot to say about “love” and the importance there of as seen in John 13:34-35, John 14:15-31, John 15:9-19 to mention only a few in the gospel of John.

Therefore Christ-centredness must be based on love for Jesus Christ’s words and works is based on love.

I totally believe that the leaders of the church needs to cultivate a culture of Christ-centredness. This will then permeate the congregation to be also Christ-centred. I am reminded of Psalm 133:

A Song of Ascents. Of David. Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity! It is like the precious oil on the head, running down on the beard, on the beard of Aaron, running down on the collar of his robes! It is like the dew of Hermon, which falls on the mountains of Zion! For there the LORD has commanded the blessing, life forevermore (Psalms 133:1-3).

I believe that this blessing always runs down from the head, the leaders of the church, and down the beard and robe, towards everyone they lead. So also will the culture of Christ-centredness flow down towards everyone accepting their leadership. This is done through the teaching and preaching of the words and works of Jesus Christ.

Yes, church is “only” spiritual in nature… our strugggle is to connect with our humanity which is spirit, soul and body. It is then that we forget what church truly is and we shape it with so many laws that we get lost within it all.

We must allow the works and words of Jesus to teach us to be like Him; But first we must desire and ask Him to teach us through the Holy Spirit.

Works Cited

Bell R 2004. Nooma: Bullhorn. Grand Rapids: Flannel

The Holy Bible, English Standard Version ©2001 Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.