Hosted by TruLight Ministries – The Place of Truth
In Matthew 16, Jesus asks what good it is for a man to gain the whole world but lose his soul (Matthew 16:26). To gain the whole world is to receive all the world has to offer—money, fame, pleasure, power, prestige, etc. To lose one’s soul is to die without a right relationship with Christ and spend an eternity in the lake of fire.
In the context of His rhetorical question, the Lord was predicting His suffering and death and resurrection (Matthew 16:21). When Peter resisted His teaching, Jesus rebuked him and said, “You do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns” (verse 23). Jesus then spoke to the crowd and reminded them that there was nothing worth more than one’s own eternal soul. Rejecting Christ might mean temporary, earthly gains, but it comes at the worst possible price.
The Jewish people had been waiting for a Promised One for many centuries. Most expected that this Messiah would be a military leader or a king like David or Solomon. Jesus’ disciples recognized that He was the One whom the prophets had predicted. However, Jesus did not speak about conquering with an army or by taking over the government. Instead, Jesus taught that the Messiah would suffer and die at the hands of men.
Just before He asks, “What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul?” Jesus says that, in order to truly follow Christ, people must be willing to “deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me” (Matthew 16:24). To take up one’s cross is a reference to being condemned to die. Jesus’ statement is symbolic of a total, final commitment.
In other words, one needs to be willing to give up everything in order to be a follower of Jesus Christ. Worldly suffering shouldn’t be a deterrent. This is the context of Jesus’ question, “What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul?” If a person rejects Jesus and becomes the richest, most powerful person on earth, he has still made a poor decision. Sooner or later, earthly things will fade away. And that person will have lost the only part of himself that lasts forever. The day of reckoning is coming: “For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father’s glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what they have done” (Matthew 16:27).
There is nothing more valuable than a person’s soul. To trade that away is the epitome of foolishness. When a person chooses to embrace this world instead of heaven, he is forfeiting his soul. If a person rejects Christ for the sake of anything in this life, he will lose his soul. Esau despised his birthright, choosing stew instead; Judas sold the Savior for a few pieces of silver; Demas loved this present world and forsook the ministry. All three men thought they were gaining something but actually lost everything.
In Matteus 16 vra Jesus wat dit vir ‘n mens baat as hy die hele wêreld verkry, maar sy siel verloor (Matteus 16:26). Om die hele wêreld te verkry, is om alles te ontvang wat die wêreld bied – geld, roem, plesier, mag, aansien, ens. Om jou siel te verloor, is om te sterf sonder ‘n regte verhouding met Christus en ‘n ewigheid in die poel van vuur deur te bring.
In die konteks van Sy retoriese vraag het die Here Sy lyding, dood en opstanding voorspel (Matteus 16:21). Toe Petrus Sy leer weerstaan het, het Jesus hom bestraf en gesê: “Jy dink nie aan die bekommernisse van God nie, maar net aan die bekommernisse van mense” (vers 23). Jesus het toe met die skare gepraat en hulle daaraan herinner dat daar niks meer werd is as jou eie ewige siel nie. Om Christus te verwerp, kan tydelike, aardse winste beteken, maar dit kom teen die ergste moontlike prys.
Die Joodse volk het al eeue lank op ‘n Beloofde Een gewag. Die meeste het verwag dat hierdie Messias ‘n militêre leier of ‘n koning soos Dawid of Salomo sou wees. Jesus se dissipels het erken dat Hy die Een was wat die profete voorspel het. Jesus het egter nie gepraat oor oorwinning met ‘n leër of deur die regering oor te neem nie. In plaas daarvan het Jesus geleer dat die Messias sou ly en sterf deur die hande van mense.
Net voordat Hy vra: “Wat baat dit vir iemand om die hele wêreld te wen, maar sy siel te verloor?” sê Jesus dat, om Christus werklik te volg, mense bereid moet wees om “homself te verloën en sy kruis op te neem en My te volg” (Matteus 16:24). Om jou kruis op te neem, is ‘n verwysing na die veroordeling tot die dood. Jesus se stelling is simbolies van ‘n totale, finale toewyding.
Met ander woorde, ‘n mens moet bereid wees om alles prys te gee om ‘n volgeling van Jesus Christus te wees. Wêreldse lyding behoort nie ‘n afskrikmiddel te wees nie. Dit is die konteks van Jesus se vraag: “Wat baat dit vir iemand om die hele wêreld te wen, maar sy siel te verloor?” As ‘n persoon Jesus verwerp en die rykste, magtigste persoon op aarde word, het hy steeds ‘n swak besluit geneem. Vroeër of later sal aardse dinge verdwyn. En daardie persoon sal die enigste deel van homself verloor het wat vir ewig hou. Die dag van afrekening kom: “Want die Seun van die mens gaan kom in die heerlikheid van sy Vader met sy engele, en dan sal Hy elkeen vergeld volgens wat hulle gedoen het” (Matteus 16:27).
Daar is niks meer waardevol as ‘n persoon se siel nie. Om dit weg te ruil, is die toonbeeld van dwaasheid. Wanneer ‘n persoon kies om hierdie wêreld in plaas van die hemel te omhels, verbeur hy sy siel. As ‘n persoon Christus verwerp ter wille van enigiets in hierdie lewe, sal hy sy siel verloor. Esau het sy eersgeboortereg verag en eerder bredie gekies; Judas het die Verlosser vir ‘n paar silwerstukke verkoop; Demas het hierdie huidige wêreld liefgehad en die bediening versaak. Al drie mans het gedink hulle wen iets, maar het eintlik alles verloor.
Bible Verse and Prayer for Today
Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.
—Ephesians 6:11
We often focus only on the things we like, are good at doing, or are interested in accomplishing. God wants us to use every piece of his spiritual armor for every situation where it is needed. He wants us to be disciplined and grow in areas of our spiritual weakness, as well as in those we do not find particularly exciting or interesting. Our evil opponent is crafty and will attack us in the areas of our weaknesses and vulnerabilities, the areas we neglect to bring under the Lordship of Christ. So let’s not just commit to being diligent in the areas of our interests and strengths, but especially hone in those areas where we are not strong and don’t usually pay attention. Let’s put on the FULL armor of God and take our stand against the evil one and his schemes.
Prayer
Father, strengthen me in the areas where I am most vulnerable to sin because of my lethargy and neglect. Please open my eyes to see my areas of weakness and vulnerability. Rekindle my heart to passionately seek after your holiness as I strive to bring all of my life under the lordship of my Savior, Jesus, in whose name I pray. Amen and Amen
Bybel Vers en Gebed vir Vandag
Trek die volle wapenrusting van God aan sodat jy jou standpunt kan inneem teen die duiwel se planne.
—Efesiërs 6:11
Ons fokus dikwels net op die dinge waarvan ons hou, goed is om te doen, of waarin ons belangstel om te bereik. God wil hê dat ons elke stukkie van sy geestelike wapenrusting moet gebruik vir elke situasie waar dit nodig is. Hy wil hê dat ons gedissiplineerd moet wees en groei in areas van ons geestelike swakheid, sowel as in dié wat ons nie besonder opwindend of interessant vind nie. Ons bose teenstander is listig en sal ons aanval in die areas van ons swakhede en kwesbaarhede, die areas wat ons versuim om onder die Heerskappy van Christus te bring. Laat ons dus nie net daartoe verbind om ywerig te wees in die areas van ons belangstellings en sterk punte nie, maar veral slyp in daardie areas waar ons nie sterk is nie en gewoonlik nie aandag gee nie. Laat ons die VOLLE wapenrusting van God aantrek en ons standpunt inneem teen die bose een en sy planne.
Gebed
Vader, versterk my in die areas waar ek die kwesbaarste is vir sonde as gevolg van my lusteloosheid en nalatigheid. Maak asseblief my oë oop om my areas van swakheid en kwesbaarheid te sien. Ontvlam my hart weer om passievol na u heiligheid te soek terwyl ek daarna streef om my hele lewe onder die heerskappy van my Verlosser, Jesus, te bring, in wie se Naam ek bid. Amen en Amen.
Bible Teaching of the Day
Satisfaction is the state of being content, the feeling that one’s needs or wants are met. Satisfaction seems to be a rare condition in our world today, as many people express dissatisfaction with their jobs, their marriages, their circumstances, and themselves. The Bible teaches that finding satisfaction in life depends on having a relationship with God through Christ.
One expression of satisfaction is the pleasure we feel at reaching a goal or achieving a measure of success. God designed human beings with a great capacity for joy, as He Himself possesses (Genesis 1:27). He placed within us the ability to set goals and achieve them; then He demonstrated what healthy satisfaction looks like in Genesis 1. By the third verse, the Bible is already recording that God saw what He had made and that it was good. We understand that feeling. When we have labored to create something good, we feel satisfaction.
Satisfaction involves contentment, being satisfied with one’s circumstances. The Bible has a lot to say about contentment. First Timothy 6:6–8 says, “Godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that.” Learning to be content is the prelude to satisfaction.
To be satisfied means we are not yearning for something else. When our hunger is satisfied, we don’t want any more food. When our thirst is satisfied, we don’t crave more water. When we are in right relationship with God, our souls are satisfied. “Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever” (Psalm 73:25–26).
In some ways, the human heart is like a whining toddler who, if left to himself, will never be satisfied (Matthew 15:19; Ecclesiastes 6:9; 9:3; Jeremiah 17:9). We tend to constantly demand more, bigger, better, flashier. Much of advertising today is designed to destroy our satisfaction and to make us think we need more than we have. But when our hearts are filled with the Holy Spirit, the demands of our hearts can be brought under His control (Galatians 5:16–17). We recognize that God has provided all we need for our present happiness and we can, therefore, experience satisfaction. Jesus said, “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full” (John 10:10).
Godly satisfaction is not to be confused with self-satisfaction. Godly satisfaction is the state of being pleased and grateful for God’s provision and work in our lives (1 Thessalonians 5:18; Ephesians 5:20). Self-satisfaction is a form of pride. Self-satisfaction considers the pleasurable state the result of our own efforts and is pleased to draw attention to that fact. Jesus gave an example of the self-satisfied in Luke 12:16–21. In this parable, a rich man was quite satisfied with his abundance, and his life revolved around fulfilling his wants and desires. Jesus reminded us that none of us should become so satisfied with this life that we disregard eternity.
We find satisfaction in life when we uncover our true purpose in being here. As long as we pursue our own ideas of what will satisfy, we never quite find it. Like a child chasing soap bubbles, we are convinced that, if we could only get our hands around that beautiful dream, we would be forever content. And then we catch it. And it’s gone. But, look, there’s another bubble! So on we go wasting our lives chasing soap bubble dreams of happiness while, all the time, our Creator waits with the instruction manual in His hands.
Paul lived for decades with beatings, stonings, imprisonments, and rejection. He summarized earthly satisfaction in Galatians 2:20 when he wrote, “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” When we, with Paul, are willing to daily crucify our flesh with its passions and desires (Galatians 5:24) and allow the Holy Spirit to live through us, we find a greater fulfillment than the soap bubbles of this world could ever promise.
Life is simplified when we recognize that our purpose is simply to reflect the glory of God in the unique ways He designed us to shine (1 Corinthians 10:31; 2 Corinthians 5:20). When we make it our goal to live for Christ, the result is a satisfaction that carries into eternity. Even when earthly needs or wants clamor for attention, our souls know this state is temporary and our eternal satisfaction is just ahead. “You will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand” (Psalm 16:11; cf. Matthew 6:19–21).
Bybel Lering vir die Dag
Tevredenheid is die toestand van tevredenheid, die gevoel dat ‘n mens se behoeftes of begeertes bevredig word. Tevredenheid blyk ‘n seldsame toestand in ons wêreld vandag te wees, aangesien baie mense ontevredenheid uitspreek met hul werk, hul huwelike, hul omstandighede en hulself. Die Bybel leer dat die vind van tevredenheid in die lewe afhang van ‘n verhouding met God deur Christus.
Een uitdrukking van tevredenheid is die plesier wat ons voel wanneer ons ‘n doelwit bereik of ‘n mate van sukses behaal. God het mense geskape met ‘n groot kapasiteit vir vreugde, soos Hy self besit (Genesis 1:27). Hy het in ons die vermoë geplaas om doelwitte te stel en dit te bereik; toe het Hy in Genesis 1 gedemonstreer hoe gesonde tevredenheid lyk. Teen die derde vers teken die Bybel reeds aan dat God gesien het wat Hy gemaak het en dat dit goed was. Ons verstaan daardie gevoel. Wanneer ons gewerk het om iets goeds te skep, voel ons tevredenheid.
Tevredenheid behels tevredenheid, om tevrede te wees met ‘n mens se omstandighede. Die Bybel het baie te sê oor tevredenheid. Eerste Timoteus 6:6–8 sê: “Godsvrug saam met tevredenheid is ‘n groot wins. Want ons het niks in die wêreld ingebring nie, en ons kan ook niks daaruit wegneem nie. Maar as ons voedsel en klere het, sal ons daarmee tevrede wees.” Om te leer om tevrede te wees, is die voorspel tot tevredenheid.
Om tevrede te wees, beteken dat ons nie na iets anders smag nie. Wanneer ons honger gestil is, wil ons nie meer kos hê nie. Wanneer ons dors gestil is, smag ons nie na meer water nie. Wanneer ons in die regte verhouding met God is, is ons siele tevrede. “Wie het ek in die hemel behalwe U? En die aarde het niks anders as U nie. My vlees en my hart mag dalk beswyk, maar God is die rots van my hart en my deel vir ewig” (Psalm 73:25–26).
In sommige opsigte is die menslike hart soos ‘n kermende kleuter wat, as hy aan homself oorgelaat word, nooit tevrede sal wees nie (Matteus 15:19; Prediker 6:9; 9:3; Jeremia 17:9). Ons is geneig om voortdurend meer, groter, beter, meer opvallend te eis. Baie van advertensies vandag is ontwerp om ons tevredenheid te vernietig en ons te laat dink dat ons meer nodig het as wat ons het. Maar wanneer ons harte met die Heilige Gees gevul is, kan die eise van ons harte onder Sy beheer gebring word (Galasiërs 5:16–17). Ons erken dat God alles voorsien het wat ons nodig het vir ons huidige geluk en ons kan dus tevredenheid ervaar. Jesus het gesê: “Ek het gekom sodat hulle die lewe kan hê, en dit in oorvloed” (Johannes 10:10).
Godvrugtige tevredenheid moet nie verwar word met selfvoldaanheid nie. Godvrugtige tevredenheid is die toestand van blydskap en dankbaarheid vir God se voorsiening en werk in ons lewens (1 Tessalonisense 5:18; Efesiërs 5:20). Selfvoldaanheid is ‘n vorm van trots. Selfvoldaanheid beskou die aangename toestand as die resultaat van ons eie pogings en vestig graag die aandag op daardie feit. Jesus het in Lukas 12:16–21 ‘n voorbeeld van die selfvoldane gegee. In hierdie gelykenis was ‘n ryk man heeltemal tevrede met sy oorvloed, en sy lewe het gedraai om die vervulling van sy begeertes en begeertes. Jesus het ons daaraan herinner dat niemand van ons so tevrede met hierdie lewe moet word dat ons die ewigheid verontagsaam nie.
Ons vind bevrediging in die lewe wanneer ons ons ware doel ontdek om hier te wees. Solank ons ons eie idees van wat sal bevredig nastreef, vind ons dit nooit heeltemal nie. Soos ‘n kind wat seepborrels jaag, is ons oortuig dat as ons net daardie pragtige droom in die hande kon kry, ons vir ewig tevrede sou wees. En dan vang ons dit. En dit is weg. Maar kyk, daar is nog ‘n borrel! So mors ons ons lewens deur seepborreldrome van geluk na te jaag terwyl ons Skepper heeltyd wag met die handleiding in Sy hande.
Paulus het dekades lank met slae, stenigings, gevangenisstraf en verwerping geleef. Hy het aardse tevredenheid in Galasiërs 2:20 opgesom toe hy geskryf het: “Ek is met Christus gekruisig en ek leef nie meer nie, maar Christus leef in my. Die lewe wat ek nou in die liggaam leef, leef ek deur die geloof in die Seun van God wat my liefgehad het en Homself vir my oorgegee het.” Wanneer ons, saam met Paulus, bereid is om daagliks ons vlees met sy hartstogte en begeertes te kruisig (Galasiërs 5:24) en die Heilige Gees toelaat om deur ons te leef, vind ons ‘n groter vervulling as wat die seepborrels van hierdie wêreld ooit kan belowe.
Die lewe word vereenvoudig wanneer ons erken dat ons doel bloot is om die heerlikheid van God te weerkaats op die unieke maniere waarop Hy ons ontwerp het om te skyn (1 Korintiërs 10:31; 2 Korintiërs 5:20). Wanneer ons dit ons doel maak om vir Christus te leef, is die resultaat ‘n tevredenheid wat tot in die ewigheid dra. Selfs wanneer aardse aandag nodig het of wil hê, weet ons siele dat hierdie toestand tydelik is en ons ewige tevredenheid net voorlê. “U sal my met vreugde vervul voor u aangesig, met ewige genietinge aan u regterhand” (Psalm 16:11; vgl. Matteus 6:19–21).
Today’s Devotional
It goes without saying that the only things of eternal value in this world are those that are eternal. Life in this world is temporal, not eternal, and therefore, the only part of life that has eternal value is that which lasts through eternity. Clearly, the most important thing in this world that has true eternal value is having a relationship with Jesus Christ, as the free gift of eternal life comes only through Him to all those who believe (John 3:16). As Jesus said, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6). Everyone is going to live somewhere for all of eternity, Christians and non-Christians alike. And the only eternal destiny other than the one in heaven with Christ is one that provides everlasting punishment for those who reject Him (Matthew 25:46).
Regarding the abundant material things this world offers, which many tenaciously seek after, Jesus taught us not to store up for ourselves earthly treasures that can be destroyed or stolen (Matthew 6:19–20). After all, we brought nothing into this world, and we can take nothing out of it. Yet our core Christian values often get overlooked in our diligent quest for success and material comfort, and in the midst of these earthly pursuits we often forget about God. Moses addressed this issue 3,500 years ago as his people were about to enter the Promised Land. He warned them not to forget about God, for he knew once they “built fine houses and settled down” their hearts would become proud and they would forget about Him (Deuteronomy 8:12–14). There is certainly no eternal value in living our lives for ourselves, looking to get out of life all that we can, as the world system would have us believe.
Yet there can be significant eternal value in what we do with our lives during the exceedingly short time we are here on earth. Although Scripture makes it clear that our earthly good works will not save us or keep us saved (Ephesians 2:8–9), it is equally clear that we will be eternally rewarded according to what we have done while here on earth. As Christ Himself said, “For the Son of Man is going to come in His Father’s glory with His angels, and then He will reward each person according to what he has done” (Matthew 16:27). Indeed, Christians are God’s workmanship, “created in Christ Jesus to do good works which God prepared in advance for us to do” (Ephesians 2:10, emphasis added). These “good works” pertain to serving the Lord the best we can with what He has given us and with full dependence on Him.
The apostle Paul discusses the quality of the works that can bring eternal rewards. Equating Christians to “builders” and the quality of our works with the building materials, Paul informs us that the good materials that survive God’s testing fire and have eternal value are “gold, silver, and costly stones,” whereas using the inferior materials of “wood, hay and straw” to build upon the foundation that is Christ have no eternal value and will not be rewarded (1 Corinthians 3:11–13). Essentially, Paul is telling us that not all of our conduct and works will merit rewards.
There are many ways our service to the Lord will bring us rewards. First, we need to recognize that every true believer has been set apart by God and for God. When we received God’s gift of salvation, we were given certain spiritual gifts (1 Corinthians 12:7, 11). And if we think our gifts are insignificant, we need to remember that, as Paul told the church in Corinth, the body of Christ is made up of many parts. And “God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as He wanted them to be . . . and those parts of the body that seem weaker are indispensable” (1 Corinthians 12:14, 18, 22 emphasis added). If you are exercising your spiritual gifts, you are playing a significant role in the body of Christ and doing that which has eternal value.
Every member of Christ’s body can make meaningful contributions when we humbly seek to edify the body and to glorify God. Indeed, every little thing can add to the beautiful mosaic of what God can do when we each do our part. Remember, on earth Christ has no body but ours, no hands but ours, and no feet but ours. Spiritual gifts are God’s way of administering His grace to others. When we show our love for God by obeying His commandments, when we persevere in the faith despite all opposition and persecution, when in His name we show mercy to the poor and sick and less fortunate, and when we help alleviate the pain and suffering that is all around us, then we are indeed building with the “gold, silver, and costly stones” that have true eternal value.
Vandag se Bemoediging
Dit spreek vanself dat die enigste dinge van ewige waarde in hierdie wêreld dié is wat ewig is. Die lewe in hierdie wêreld is tydelik, nie ewig nie, en daarom is die enigste deel van die lewe wat ewige waarde het, dit wat tot in ewigheid duur. Dit is duidelik dat die belangrikste ding in hierdie wêreld wat ware ewige waarde het, ‘n verhouding met Jesus Christus is, aangesien die gratis geskenk van die ewige lewe slegs deur Hom kom aan almal wat glo (Johannes 3:16). Soos Jesus gesê het: “Ek is die weg en die waarheid en die lewe. Niemand kom na die Vader behalwe deur My nie” (Johannes 14:6). Almal gaan vir ewig êrens woon, Christene en nie-Christene. En die enigste ewige bestemming behalwe die een in die hemel saam met Christus, is een wat ewige straf bied vir diegene wat Hom verwerp (Matteus 25:46).
Wat die oorvloedige materiële dinge wat hierdie wêreld bied, wat baie hardnekkig soek, het Jesus ons geleer om nie vir onsself aardse skatte op te gaar wat vernietig of gesteel kan word nie (Matteus 6:19–20). Ons het immers niks in hierdie wêreld ingebring nie, en ons kan niks daaruit neem nie. Tog word ons kern Christelike waardes dikwels oor die hoof gesien in ons ywerige soeke na sukses en materiële gemak, en te midde van hierdie aardse strewes vergeet ons dikwels van God. Moses het hierdie kwessie 3 500 jaar gelede aangespreek toe sy mense op die punt gestaan het om die Beloofde Land binne te gaan. Hy het hulle gewaarsku om nie van God te vergeet nie, want hy het geweet sodra hulle “mooi huise bou en hulle vestig”, sou hul harte trots word en hulle sou van Hom vergeet (Deuteronomium 8:12–14). Daar is beslis geen ewige waarde daarin om ons lewens vir onsself te leef en alles uit die lewe te kry wat ons kan nie, soos die wêreldstelsel ons wil laat glo.
Tog kan daar beduidende ewige waarde wees in wat ons met ons lewens doen gedurende die uiters kort tydjie wat ons hier op aarde is. Alhoewel die Skrif dit duidelik maak dat ons aardse goeie werke ons nie sal red of ons gered sal hou nie (Efesiërs 2:8–9), is dit ewe duidelik dat ons ewig beloon sal word volgens wat ons gedoen het terwyl ons hier op aarde was. Soos Christus self gesê het: “Want die Seun van die mens sal kom in die heerlikheid van sy Vader met sy engele, en dan sal Hy elkeen vergelde volgens sy werk” (Matteus 16:27). Inderdaad, Christene is God se maaksel, “geskape in Christus Jesus om goeie werke te doen wat God voorberei het vir ons om te doen” (Efesiërs 2:10, klem bygevoeg). Hierdie “goeie werke” het betrekking op die diens aan die Here so goed as wat ons kan met wat Hy ons gegee het en met volle afhanklikheid van Hom.
Die apostel Paulus bespreek die kwaliteit van die werke wat ewige belonings kan bring. Deur Christene gelyk te stel aan “bouers” en die kwaliteit van ons werke met die boumateriaal, deel Paulus ons mee dat die goeie materiaal wat God se toetsvuur oorleef en ewige waarde het, “goud, silwer en kosbare klippe” is, terwyl die gebruik van die minderwaardige materiale van “hout, hooi en strooi” om op die fondament van Christus te bou, geen ewige waarde het nie en nie beloon sal word nie (1 Korintiërs 3:11–13). In wese sê Paulus vir ons dat nie al ons gedrag en werke belonings sal verdien nie.
Daar is baie maniere waarop ons diens aan die Here ons belonings sal bring. Eerstens moet ons erken dat elke ware gelowige deur God en vir God afgesonder is. Toe ons God se gawe van verlossing ontvang het, is ons sekere geestelike gawes gegee (1 Korintiërs 12:7, 11). En as ons dink dat ons gawes onbeduidend is, moet ons onthou dat, soos Paulus vir die kerk in Korinte gesê het, die liggaam van Christus uit baie dele bestaan. En “God het die dele in die liggaam, elkeen van hulle, net soos Hy wou hê hulle moes wees… en die lede van die liggaam wat swakker lyk, is onontbeerlik” (1 Korintiërs 12:14, 18, 22, klem bygevoeg). As jy jou geestelike gawes beoefen, speel jy ‘n belangrike rol in die liggaam van Christus en doen jy dit wat ewige waarde het.
Elke lid van Christus se liggaam kan betekenisvolle bydraes lewer wanneer ons nederig daarna streef om die liggaam op te bou en God te verheerlik. Inderdaad, elke klein dingetjie kan bydra tot die pragtige mosaïek van wat God kan doen wanneer ons elkeen ons deel doen. Onthou, op aarde het Christus geen liggaam behalwe ons s’n nie, geen hande behalwe ons s’n nie, en geen voete behalwe ons s’n nie. Geestelike gawes is God se manier om Sy genade aan ander toe te dien. Wanneer ons ons liefde vir God toon deur Sy gebooie te gehoorsaam, wanneer ons in die geloof volhard ten spyte van alle teenstand en vervolging, wanneer ons in Sy Naam barmhartigheid bewys aan die armes en siekes en minderbevoorregtes, en wanneer ons help om die pyn en lyding wat oral om ons is, te verlig, dan bou ons inderdaad met die “goud, silwer en kosbare stene” wat ware ewige waarde het.
The Collectors of Manna – Women of the Word // Gaarders van Manna – Vroue van die woord
Dilize Light has Managed a TruLight Ladies Group on Telegram for the Past 6 Years and from Today . she will be Sharing her Manna with the Ladies in The TruLight Daily Manna Platform . Dilize is the only Daughter of Pastor Dirk and has been part of the Ministry since the age of 11 . Dilize is also the Radio Host for the Popular TruLight Top 10 that airs on TruLight Radio XM saturdays at 17h00′
Dilize Light bestuur die afgelope 6 jaar ‘n TruLight Damesgroep op Telegram en van vandag af sal sy haar Manna met die Dames deel op die TruLight Daaglikse Manna-platform. Dilize is die enigste dogter van Pastoor Dirk en is deel van die bediening sedert die ouderdom van 11. Dilize is ook die radio-aanbieder vir die gewilde TruLight Top 10 wat Saterdae om 17:00 op TruLight Radio XM uitgesaai word.
Die Benodigde Antenna:
Hoe kan jy hierdie vraag beantwoord: “Wat is die sin van die lewe ? Jonathan Gabay van Engeland het ‘n boek gepubliseer wat die antwoorde bevat van bekende individue wat navraag doen. Een van hulle, ń kerkleier, het ń gedagteprikkelende getuienis gelewer. Soos ‘n kind, sê hy, dat hy na sy gesin se swart en wit TV gekyk en gewens het dat hy ‘n duideliker prentjie kon kry, maar hy was bly hulle het selfs daardie onbevredigende stel gehad. Toe ontdek sy familie dat ‘n buiteantenna nodig is. “Skielik; het hy gesê. Ons het gevind dat ons duidelike prente kon kry. Ons genot is verander. Dan tref hy hierdie vergelyking: Lewe sonder ‘n verhouding met God deur Jesus Christus is soos die televisie sonder die antenna. Sonder ‘n kennis van God en Sy voornemens geopenbaar in die Bybel en in Christus, het ons mense die beste ń onduidelike prentjie van die onsigbare, Heilige Skepper. Maar wanneer ons die Bybel optel en Jesus Christus ontmoet, die Man wat God in die vlees was, verdwyn die wasigheid. Soos Jesus self verklaar het, Hy wat My gesien het, het die Vader gesien (Joh. 14:9). Het jy al probeer om in te stem op die sin van die lewe ? Jy sal God se antenna nodig hê om die prentjie te kry.
Om ‘n duidelike prentjie van God te kry, kyk na Jesus Christus.
The Needed Antenna:
How can you answer this question: “What is the meaning of life?” Jonathan Gabay of England has published a book containing the answers of well-known individuals who inquire. One of them, a church leader, gave a thought-provoking testimony. As a child, he says, he watched his family’s black and white TV and wished he could get a clearer picture, but he was glad they even had that unsatisfactory set. Then his family discovered that an outside antenna was needed. “Suddenly,” he said. “We found we could get clear pictures. Our enjoyment was changed.” Then he makes this comparison: Life without a relationship with God through Jesus Christ is like the television without the antenna. Without a knowledge of God and His purposes revealed in the Bible and in Christ, we humans have at best a hazy picture of the invisible, Holy Creator. But when we pick up the Bible and meet Jesus Christ, the Man who was God in the flesh, the hazy picture disappears. As Jesus Himself declared, He who has seen Me has seen the Father (John 14:9). Have you ever tried to tune into the meaning of life? You will need God’s antenna to get the picture.
To get a clear picture of God, look at Jesus Christ.
TruLight Ministries Daily Entertainment
TruLight TV – Kingdom Kidz TV – THE TRUE MEANING OF LOYALTY
In the previous episode of “Way out West,” a pompous railroad magnate convinced the mayor of Rowdy Town to compel the townspeople to work on a railroad. The town sheriff, Dallas, and her cousin, Dusty, are determined to find a better life for the people of Rowdy Town and have set off to Tumbleweed Canyon out west. However, Mayor Rowdy is not willing to let them leave so easily and has dispatched a bandit to track them down. Tune in to discover what unfolds! Meanwhile, at Konnect HQ, there’s an exciting new program called “More Loyal, More Prizes!” led by Mike. Everyone at Konnect HQ is now earning points for their loyalty. But does Mike truly understand the essence of loyalty? Join us for an hour of fun-filled entertainment to find out!
Today on TruLight Radio XM
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00:15 Words to Live By Testimonies
01.15 Science Scripture and Salvation
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5:55 It is Today devotional
6:00 Gaither Homecoming Morning Show
7:15 Discover the Word
8.15 Destined for Victory
8:55 Science Scripture and Salvation
9:00 Holy Spirit Hour – Normally Sermons
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11:15 Unshackled
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12:15 Truth for Life
13:15 Living on the Edge with Chip Ingram
14:15 Focus on the Family
15:00 Kids Hour
16:00 In Touch with Dr. Charles Stanley
16:30 Groundwork
17:15 Live in the Light
18:15 Renewing your Mind
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BIBLE PROPHECY IN THE NEWS
SOON THE WORLD ORDER WILL STOP THE WELFARE WAGONS AROUND THE WORLD . THE GATEWAY TO THE MARK OF THE BEAST.
America will lead this worldwide Trent . Stopping the Welfare Wagon ,
People all over social media are publicly threatening to steal food once their EBT benefits run out. Some of them are taking it one step further by threatening to get violent with anyone that tries to prevent them from stealing food. So what is our country going to look like if this actually happens on a widespread basis?
Today is day 26 of the government shutdown, and there is no end in sight. It appears that food stamp benefits will not be paid out to 42 million Americans at the beginning of November, and nobody is exactly sure what is going to happen next.
Personally, I have never seen as much anger directed toward the federal government as I am seeing right now.
Countless EBT meltdown videos are being posted on social media platforms, and the closer we get to the November 1st deadline the more dramatic they seem to become.
Are these people really serious?
I believe that they are.
When people openly admit that they plan to commit acts that are morally wrong, I tend to believe them.
I know that it isn’t easy out there right now.
I write about the economic suffering in this nation all the time.
But there is no excuse for theft and there is no excuse for violence.
Unfortunately, I think that we are going to see a lot of theft and a lot of violence during the weeks ahead. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, November 1st is a hard deadline because “the well has run dry”…
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced on its website that SNAP benefits won’t be sent out come Nov. 1 because the program lacks the funding it needs during the ongoing government shutdown.
SNAP, also known as food stamps, is a federal program that provides 42 million Americans monthly benefits to afford healthy food.
“Bottom line, the well has run dry. At this time, there will be no benefits issued November 1,” a message on USDA’s website as of Oct. 27 says.
Some states are going to continue funding food stamp benefits for as long as they can.
But most states will not be able to do that.
So some families that are currently receiving hundreds of dollars a month in benefits will soon be receiving nothing…
A family of four on average receives $715 per month, according to CBPP, which breaks down to a little less than $6 per day per person.
The states administer the programs, with much of the funding coming from the federal government.
Several states have pledged to use their own funds to cover any shortfall, however the federal government has warned that they will not be reimbursed.
There are certain states that will get hit far harder than others.
For example, in New Mexico a whopping 21 percent of the entire population is on food stamps…
In terms of state population proportions, New Mexico is the state most dependent on SNAP, with 21 percent, or 451,200, of its residents claiming food stamps in 2024. It is followed by Louisiana and Oregon, where 18 percent get benefits.
Those numbers are staggering.
Nearly one out of every five people in Oregon and Louisiana is on food stamps, and more than one out of every five people in New Mexico is on food stamps.
I think that we will probably see the most chaos in large urban areas such as New York City, Chicago and Los Angeles.
When people get hungry, they also tend to get very emotional.
And the fact that EBT benefits are being cut off just before the holidays is just going to intensify the emotions that people are now feeling…
Another said, ‘Cutting off EBT during the holidays is heartless & telling people “just get a job” behind these food stamps is crazy. AINT NOBODY HIRING. People been getting LAID OFF by the THOUSANDS. Y’all are evil.’
‘If you’ve never had to survive on food stamps you don’t understand what’s about to happen to many families next month,’ agreed a third.
The gap between the wealthy and the poor has never been wider, and this crisis will only make things worse.
The vast majority of the country, and this is especially true for those that are poor, are just barely scraping by from month to month.
For example, CBS News just interviewed one man in Georgia that literally doesn’t know where his next meal will come from…
“I applied on Sept. 11,” he said. “They actually approved me that same day, but I didn’t find out until I got a letter in the mail later. I’ve been waiting for my food stamp card ever since–since around Sept. 20.”
Nearly a month later, he’s still waiting. Daryl says the delay has turned everyday living expenses into a day-by-day struggle.
“Groceries right now in my house are nonexistent,” he said. “My fridge is empty–just condiments. When I do get food, it’s just something for that day. I can’t even think about tomorrow.”
There are tens of millions of other Americans that are just like Daryl.
PASTOR DIRK SAYS
This is Bible Prophecy in the Making . Psalm 91 speaks of the Snares of the Fowler
Psa 91:1 – 4 He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.
Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence.
He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler.
In South Africa this Welfare wagon is Called SASSA – Over 40 Million People are dependent on this Monthly Grand that the South African Government cannot Afford. so soon this wagon will loose all 4 its wheels and the Receipt-ants will burn SA Down!
The Stopping of a Few other Welfare wagons will Follow . Free Medical , Free Housing and Debt . Leading to the Mark of the Beast.
SIGNS OF THE TIMES
Creeping Islamization Has Now Accelerated In The USA And UK
Until recently, America viewed the erosion of Western norms by Islam as a British and European problem from which America was largely immune. That is now far from the case.
India’s War On Digital Evangelism – Jail And Fines For Sharing Your Faith
India’s infamous anti-conversion laws–already a weapon of fear used against Christians and other religious minorities–are now extending into the digital realm.
GOG AND MAGOG UPDATE
Ezekiel’s Riders Awaken? GOG = Russia Returns To Mounted Assault Forces
When reports surfaced this month that Russia is training assault units on horseback to counter Ukraine’s drones and land mines, prophecy-watchers couldn’t help but pause. Horses galloping across the battlefields of Eastern Europe — in the 21st century? It sounds more like a scene from the Book of Ezekiel than a modern war report.
And yet, here we are.
According to Russian military sources and footage verified by multiple outlets, commanders in the Donetsk region are forming horse-mounted assault teams. Two soldiers per horse — one riding, one firing — practicing under drone cover, training animals to stay calm amid explosions and gunfire. A Kremlin-linked blogger described them as a “modern horde,” noting that horses “see well at night, need no roads, and can instinctively avoid mines.”
It’s not a return to romantic cavalry charges. It’s desperation — a low-tech answer to a high-tech nightmare. Drones hover overhead, minefields choke the ground, and mechanized units are easy prey. So Russia, the world’s most sanctioned state, is resorting to tactics older than the tank.
But for students of Bible prophecy, one question rises like thunder: could this be a glimpse — perhaps just a shadow — of what the prophet Ezekiel foresaw nearly 2,600 years ago?
The Horsemen of the North
Ezekiel 38 paints a startling picture. A coalition led by “Gog of the land of Magog” comes from “the uttermost parts of the north” against the land of Israel. The invaders are described as “all of them riding upon horses, a great company and a mighty army.”
For centuries, interpreters puzzled over those horses. Why would a modern invasion — one involving a superpower like Russia — use horsemen? Skeptics dismissed it as ancient imagery. Others said Ezekiel was using symbols — describing tanks, trucks, or aircraft in language his audience could understand. Yet others argued the text should be taken literally — that in some future scenario, the armies of the north might indeed revert to horses, whether by necessity or by the collapse of technology.
And now, curiously, Russia is reviving horse-mounted forces. Not in symbolic prophecy, but in the mud and mines of Ukraine.
Why Horses Make Sense Again
Analysts explain that the modern battlefield has changed. Drones have made noise, heat, and road dependency deadly. Horses, meanwhile, move silently, don’t need fuel, and can traverse terrain tanks cannot. They leave no heat signature, and they can carry men or supplies where vehicles can’t go.
If this tactic proves viable — even for small units — it could spread. A century ago, mechanization replaced the horse. But in the age of drones and cyberwarfare, the pendulum may swing back.
And so, when Ezekiel spoke of horsemen “from the north,” was he merely describing what he knew — or was he seeing exactly what we’re now beginning to see again? Armies returning to primitive mobility because modern machinery has become a liability?
Literal or Symbolic? The Great Prophecy Debate
This brings us to one of the deepest questions in Bible prophecy: How do prophets describe what they see?
When Ezekiel, Daniel, or John the Apostle were shown visions of the future, they described things using their own vocabulary — the language of the ancient world. But what happens when they’re witnessing modern or even futuristic warfare?
Consider John’s terrifying “locusts” in Revelation 9. He describes them as having “faces like men,” “breastplates of iron,” “wings sounding like chariots,” and “tails like scorpions.” To the modern ear, this reads almost like a field report on attack helicopters: armored, loud, guided by men, with missiles stinging from the rear. Were these literal demonic creatures? Or was John describing the technology of war using first-century words?
The same question surrounds Ezekiel’s horses. Were they literal steeds — or symbols of mechanized or even aerial forces? The Hebrew text gives no hint that “horses” are meant metaphorically. Yet the modern reader can’t ignore the possibility that the prophet was describing something he had no words for — or something that might return when high technology collapses.
When Prophecy Meets the Modern Battlefield
Some prophecy scholars argue that the horse imagery must be symbolic because modern armies don’t use horses. Yet others note that God’s Word has a pattern: the impossible becomes possible again. Israel, once scattered for two millennia, is now a nation again. So why not literal horses in the end-time battle?
It’s not hard to imagine a global war so destructive — or a cyber collapse so severe — that modern armies revert to ancient methods. A world cut off from fuel, GPS, or power grids could easily find horses once again as the most reliable transport.
That is, in fact, exactly what we’re seeing in Ukraine: soldiers turning to what works when everything else fails.
Could the “horses of Gog” one day ride not through Donetsk but through the mountains north of Israel? Only time will tell. But this moment reminds us how literally prophecy can leap to life when global conditions shift.
A Warning and a Wonder
So what do we make of Russia’s new “horse soldiers”? At one level, it’s tactical improvisation. At another, it’s prophetic resonance. It reminds us that Scripture speaks across millennia — and that what seems obsolete can become relevant again when the world descends into chaos.
Perhaps the real lesson isn’t whether Ezekiel’s horsemen are literal or figurative, but that the stage is being set. Global instability, technological vulnerability, and ancient prophecies aligning with modern headlines all point to a world moving closer to that climactic confrontation described by the prophets.
We live in days when the Word of God is not ancient history — it’s breaking news.
“And you shall come from your place out of the uttermost parts of the north… you and many peoples with you, all of them riding upon horses, a great company and a mighty army.” — Ezekiel 38:15
When the prophets spoke, they saw a world far beyond their own. And perhaps, as horses thunder again across European fields, we are beginning to catch a glimpse of what they saw.
TruLight Ministry News
TruLight Ministries orders from God since 2012 . Teach Them , Comfort Them and Warn Them!
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TruLight Ministries opdrag vanaf God sedert 2012. Leer hulle, Troos hulle en Waarsku hulle!
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