Hosted by TruLight Ministries – The Place of Truth
You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance.
—Psalm 32:7 U is my skuilplek; U sal my van benoudheid beskerm en my omring met liedere van verlossing.
The apostle Paul described true worship perfectly in Romans 12:1-2: “I urge you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable, or well pleasing and perfect.”
This passage contains all the elements of true worship. First, there is the motivation to worship: “the mercies of God.” God’s mercies are everything He has given us that we don’t deserve: eternal love, eternal grace, the Holy Spirit, everlasting peace, eternal joy, saving faith, comfort, strength, wisdom, hope, patience, kindness, honor, glory, righteousness, security, eternal life, forgiveness, reconciliation, justification, sanctification, freedom, intercession and much more. The knowledge and understanding of these incredible gifts motivate us to pour forth praise and thanksgiving—in other words, worship!
Also in the passage is a description of the manner of our worship: “present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice.” Presenting our bodies means giving to God all of ourselves. The reference to our bodies here means all our human faculties, all of our humanness—our hearts, minds, hands, thoughts, attitudes—are to be presented to God. In other words, we are to give up control of these things and turn them over to Him, just as a literal sacrifice was given totally to God on the altar. But how? Again, the passage is clear: “by the renewing of your mind.” We renew our minds daily by cleansing them of the world’s “wisdom” and replacing it with true wisdom that comes from God. We worship Him with our renewed and cleansed minds, not with our emotions. Emotions are wonderful things, but unless they are shaped by a mind saturated in Truth, they can be destructive, out-of-control forces. Where the mind goes, the will follows, and so do the emotions. First Corinthians 2:16 tells us we have “the mind of Christ,” not the emotions of Christ.
There is only one way to renew our minds, and that is by the Word of God. It is the truth, the knowledge of the Word of God, which is to say the knowledge of the mercies of God, and we’re back where we began. To know the truth, to believe the truth, to hold convictions about the truth, and to love the truth will naturally result in true spiritual worship. It is conviction followed by affection, affection that is a response to truth, not to any external stimuli, including music. Music as such has nothing to do with worship. Music can’t produce worship, although it certainly can produce emotion. Music is not the origin of worship, but it can be the expression of it. Do not look to music to induce your worship; look to music as simply an expression of that which is induced by a heart that is rapt by the mercies of God, obedient to His commands.
True worship is God-centered worship. People tend to get caught up in where they should worship, what music they should sing in worship, and how their worship looks to other people. Focusing on these things misses the point. Jesus tells us that true worshipers will worship God in spirit and in truth (John 4:24). This means we worship from the heart and the way God has designed. Worship can include praying, reading God’s Word with an open heart, singing, participating in communion, and serving others. It is not limited to one act, but is done properly when the heart and attitude of the person are in the right place.
It’s also important to know that worship is reserved only for God. Only He is worthy and not any of His servants (Revelation 19:10). We are not to worship saints, prophets, statues, angels, any false gods, or Mary, the mother of Jesus. We also should not be worshiping for the expectation of something in return, such as a miraculous healing. Worship is done for God—because He deserves it—and for His pleasure alone. Worship can be public praise to God (Psalm 22:22; 35:18) in a congregational setting, where we can proclaim through prayer and praise our adoration and thankfulness to Him and what He has done for us. True worship is felt inwardly and then is expressed through our actions. “Worshiping” out of obligation is displeasing to God and is completely in vain. He can see through all the hypocrisy, and He hates it. He demonstrates this in Amos 5:21-24 as He talks about coming judgment. Another example is the story of Cain and Abel, the first sons of Adam and Eve. They both brought gift offerings to the Lord, but God was only pleased with Abel’s. Cain brought the gift out of obligation; Abel brought his finest lambs from his flock. He brought out of faith and admiration for God.
True worship is not confined to what we do in church or open praise (although these things are both good, and we are told in the Bible to do them). True worship is the acknowledgment of God and all His power and glory in everything we do. The highest form of praise and worship is obedience to Him and His Word. To do this, we must know God; we cannot be ignorant of Him (Acts 17:23). Worship is to glorify and exalt God—to show our loyalty and admiration to our Father.
Die apostel Paulus het ware aanbidding perfek beskryf in Romeine 12:1-2: “Ek vermaan julle dan, broeders, by die ontferminge van God dat julle julle liggame stel as ‘n lewende en heilige offer wat vir God welgevallig is. Dit is julle geestelike erediens. En word nie aan hierdie wêreld gelykvormig nie, maar word verander deur die vernuwing van julle gemoed, sodat julle kan beproef wat die wil van God is, wat goed en welgevallig, welgevallig en volmaak is.”
Hierdie gedeelte bevat al die elemente van ware aanbidding. Eerstens is daar die motivering om te aanbid: “die ontferminge van God.” God se ontferminge is alles wat Hy ons gegee het wat ons nie verdien nie: ewige liefde, ewige genade, die Heilige Gees, ewige vrede, ewige vreugde, reddende geloof, vertroosting, krag, wysheid, hoop, geduld, vriendelikheid, eer, heerlikheid, geregtigheid, veiligheid, ewige lewe, vergifnis, versoening, regverdiging, heiligmaking, vryheid, voorbidding en nog baie meer. Die kennis en begrip van hierdie ongelooflike gawes motiveer ons om lof en danksegging uit te stort – met ander woorde, aanbidding!
Ook in die gedeelte is ‘n beskrywing van die manier van ons aanbidding: “gee julle liggame as ‘n lewende en heilige offer.” Om ons liggame aan te bied, beteken om onsself aan God te gee. Die verwysing na ons liggame hier beteken dat al ons menslike vermoëns, al ons menslikheid – ons harte, verstand, hande, gedagtes, houdings – aan God aangebied moet word. Met ander woorde, ons moet beheer oor hierdie dinge prysgee en dit aan Hom oorhandig, net soos ‘n letterlike offer volledig aan God op die altaar gegee is. Maar hoe? Weereens, die gedeelte is duidelik: “deur die vernuwing van julle gemoed.” Ons vernuwe ons gemoed daagliks deur dit van die wêreld se “wysheid” te reinig en dit te vervang met ware wysheid wat van God kom. Ons aanbid Hom met ons vernuwe en gereinigde verstand, nie met ons emosies nie. Emosies is wonderlike dinge, maar tensy hulle gevorm word deur ‘n verstand versadig met Waarheid, kan hulle vernietigende, onbeheerbare kragte wees. Waar die verstand gaan, volg die wil, en so ook die emosies. Eerste Korintiërs 2:16 sê vir ons dat ons “die verstand van Christus” het, nie die emosies van Christus nie. Daar is net een manier om ons denke te vernuwe, en dit is deur die Woord van God. Dit is die waarheid, die kennis van die Woord van God, dit wil sê die kennis van die genade van God, en ons is terug waar ons begin het. Om die waarheid te ken, die waarheid te glo, oortuigings oor die waarheid te hê, en die waarheid lief te hê, sal natuurlik lei tot ware geestelike aanbidding. Dit is oortuiging gevolg deur liefde, liefde wat ‘n reaksie op die waarheid is, nie op enige eksterne stimuli nie, insluitend musiek. Musiek as sodanig het niks met aanbidding te doen nie. Musiek kan nie aanbidding voortbring nie, alhoewel dit beslis emosie kan voortbring. Musiek is nie die oorsprong van aanbidding nie, maar dit kan die uitdrukking daarvan wees. Moenie na musiek kyk om jou aanbidding te veroorsaak nie; kyk na musiek as bloot ‘n uitdrukking van dit wat veroorsaak word deur ‘n hart wat verower is deur die genade van God, gehoorsaam aan Sy gebooie.
Ware aanbidding is God-gesentreerde aanbidding. Mense is geneig om vasgevang te raak in waar hulle moet aanbid, watter musiek hulle in aanbidding moet sing, en hoe hul aanbidding vir ander mense lyk. Om op hierdie dinge te fokus, mis die punt. Jesus sê vir ons dat ware aanbidders God in gees en waarheid sal aanbid (Johannes 4:24). Dit beteken dat ons uit die hart aanbid en op die manier wat God dit ontwerp het. Aanbidding kan insluit gebed, die lees van God se Woord met ‘n oop hart, sang, deelname aan nagmaal en dien van ander. Dit is nie beperk tot een daad nie, maar word behoorlik gedoen wanneer die hart en gesindheid van die persoon op die regte plek is.
Dit is ook belangrik om te weet dat aanbidding slegs vir God gereserveer is. Slegs Hy is waardig en nie enige van Sy dienaars nie (Openbaring 19:10). Ons moet nie heiliges, profete, standbeelde, engele, enige valse gode of Maria, die moeder van Jesus, aanbid nie. Ons moet ook nie aanbid met die verwagting van iets terug, soos ‘n wonderbaarlike genesing nie. Aanbidding word vir God gedoen – omdat Hy dit verdien – en slegs vir Sy plesier. Aanbidding kan openbare lofprysing aan God wees (Psalm 22:22; 35:18) in ‘n gemeentelike omgewing, waar ons deur gebed ons aanbidding en dankbaarheid teenoor Hom en wat Hy vir ons gedoen het, kan verkondig en prys. Ware aanbidding word innerlik gevoel en word dan deur ons dade uitgedruk. Om uit verpligting te “aanbid” is vir God onaangenaam en is heeltemal tevergeefs. Hy kan deur al die skynheiligheid sien, en Hy haat dit. Hy demonstreer dit in Amos 5:21-24 waar Hy praat oor die komende oordeel. Nog ‘n voorbeeld is die verhaal van Kain en Abel, die eerste seuns van Adam en Eva. Hulle het albei offerandes aan die Here gebring, maar God was net tevrede met Abel s’n. Kain het die geskenk uit verpligting gebring; Abel het sy beste lammers uit sy kudde gebring. Hy het uit geloof en bewondering vir God gebring.
Ware aanbidding is nie beperk tot wat ons in die kerk doen of openlike lofprysing nie (alhoewel hierdie dinge albei goed is, en ons in die Bybel beveel word om dit te doen). Ware aanbidding is die erkenning van God en al Sy mag en heerlikheid in alles wat ons doen. Die hoogste vorm van lofprysing en aanbidding is gehoorsaamheid aan Hom en Sy Woord. Om dit te doen, moet ons God ken; ons kan nie onkundig van Hom wees nie (Handelinge 17:23). Aanbidding is om God te verheerlik en te verhoog—om ons lojaliteit en bewondering teenoor ons Vader te toon.
Bible Verse and Prayer for Today
You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance.
—Psalm 32:7
Out of the attacks of evil one come the victories of God and the victory chants of God’s people. Let us make God our refuge, our hiding place, and our source of security. The Lord Almighty is our hope in times of trouble. He protects us from trials, troubles, temptations, and gives us songs of glorious deliverance!
Prayer
Father, thank you for the confidence we can have in your power and might to deliver us from every attack of the evil one. You are worthy of all glory, honor, power, and praise. In the name of your Son and our Lord Jesus Christ, we thank you for deliverance and praise you because of your might and our deliverance. Amen and Amen
Bybel Vers en Gebed vir Vandag
U is my skuilplek; U sal my van benoudheid beskerm en my omring met liedere van verlossing.
—Psalm 32:7
Uit die aanvalle van die bose kom die oorwinnings van God en die oorwinningsgesange van God se mense. Laat ons God ons toevlug maak, ons skuilplek en ons bron van veiligheid. Die Here die Almagtige is ons hoop in tye van benoudheid. Hy beskerm ons teen beproewinge, probleme, versoekings en gee ons liedere van glorieryke verlossing!
Gebed
Vader, dankie vir die vertroue wat ons in u krag en mag kan hê om ons te verlos van elke aanval van die bose. U is waardig aan alle heerlikheid, eer, mag en lof. In die Naam van u Seun en ons Here Jesus Christus dank ons U vir verlossing en prys ons U vanweë u mag en ons verlossing. Amen en Amen
Bible Teaching of the Day
There are endless reasons to worship God, but at the heart of the matter lies this truth: worshipping God is the supreme purpose for which humans were created (Psalm 29:1–2; 1 Corinthians 10:31; Ephesians 1:3–6; Philippians 2:9–11). You and I were made to worship God. The central function of the Church is to glorify and worship God through Jesus Christ (Ephesians 1:4–6; 1 Peter 2:5; Revelation 5:13–14; 21:1—22:5).
Ecclesiastes 3:11 tells us that God planted eternity in the human heart. This verse explains why we are not satisfied with earthly endeavors and achievements. Humans are born with a deep, inner longing to comprehend our eternal purpose and know our infinite Creator. We yearn for something more, something greater than ourselves.
You could say we have a built-in craving to worship. God placed eternity in our hearts so we would hunger and thirst for Him. But before we came to know God through a relationship with Jesus Christ, we fulfilled that gnawing hunger by worshiping unworthy objects and pursuits. Our idols took the form of money, people, careers, hobbies, passions, possessions, and anything that replaced God in our hearts.
The Bible teaches that God desires our worship (Psalm 99:5; John 4:23). He is the only One worthy of it (Deuteronomy 10:21; 1 Chronicles 16:25; Psalm 96:4–5). Our worship of Him reveals that the God of the universe has captured our attention and won our allegiance. We worship God because we recognize that no other being, thing, pursuit, or pleasure is worthy of the place He inhabits on the throne of our lives (Exodus 20:3–5; Hebrews 12:28–29).
To worship is to recognize, honor, and express the worthiness of God that He is due as our Maker (Acts 17:28; James 1:17; Revelation 4:11) and our Redeemer (Colossians 1:12–13; 1 Peter 1:3). Worship is part of our daily fellowship with God. For believers, worship is our way of life. The apostle Paul defined worship as an all-encompassing lifestyle, dedicated to glorifying God: “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship” (Romans 12:1).
When we worship our heavenly Father through Jesus Christ, we experience fellowship and communion with Him (Philippians 3:3). Worship is how we meet with God and praise Him for His goodness, love, mercy, grace, wisdom, beauty, truth, holiness, compassion, might, and every other aspect of His character: “Shout with joy to the LORD, all the earth! Worship the LORD with gladness. Come before him, singing with joy. Acknowledge that the LORD is God! He made us, and we are his. We are his people, the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving; go into his courts with praise. Give thanks to him and praise his name. For the LORD is good. His unfailing love continues forever, and his faithfulness continues to each generation” (Psalm 100:1–5, NLT).
Through worship, we celebrate God’s presence and power. We grow closer to Him as He speaks to hearts and makes His home in our lives. His will becomes our will, and we are transformed.
Not only does worship change us, but it also makes God known to others and changes their lives, too: “He has given me a new song to sing, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see what he has done and be amazed. They will put their trust in the LORD” (Psalm 40:3, NLT). Our worship testifies to what God has done in us and what He can also do for others.
Yes, God deserves our worship, but we, in turn, benefit from it. What could be better than to find and fulfill our ultimate purpose—to worship God and live in His presence forever and ever? “After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. And they cried out in a loud voice: ‘Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.’ All the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures. They fell down on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, saying: ‘Amen! Praise and glory and wisdom and thanks and honor and power and strength be to our God for ever and ever. Amen!’” (Revelation 7:9–12).
Bybel Lering vir die Dag
Daar is eindelose redes om God te aanbid, maar die kern van die saak lê hierdie waarheid: om God te aanbid is die hoogste doel waarvoor mense geskape is (Psalm 29:1–2; 1 Korintiërs 10:31; Efesiërs 1:3–6; Filippense 2:9–11). Jy en ek is gemaak om God te aanbid. Die sentrale funksie van die Kerk is om God te verheerlik en te aanbid deur Jesus Christus (Efesiërs 1:4–6; 1 Petrus 2:5; Openbaring 5:13–14; 21:1–22:5).
Prediker 3:11 vertel ons dat God die ewigheid in die menslike hart geplant het. Hierdie vers verduidelik waarom ons nie tevrede is met aardse pogings en prestasies nie. Mense word gebore met ‘n diep, innerlike verlange om ons ewige doel te verstaan en ons oneindige Skepper te ken. Ons smag na iets meer, iets groter as onsself.
Jy kan sê ons het ‘n ingeboude hunkering om te aanbid. God het die ewigheid in ons harte geplaas sodat ons na Hom sal honger en dors. Maar voordat ons God deur ‘n verhouding met Jesus Christus leer ken het, het ons daardie knaende honger bevredig deur onwaardige voorwerpe en strewes te aanbid. Ons afgode het die vorm aangeneem van geld, mense, loopbane, stokperdjies, passies, besittings en enigiets wat God in ons harte vervang het.
Die Bybel leer dat God ons aanbidding begeer (Psalm 99:5; Johannes 4:23). Hy is die enigste Een wat dit werd is (Deuteronomium 10:21; 1 Kronieke 16:25; Psalm 96:4–5). Ons aanbidding van Hom openbaar dat die God van die heelal ons aandag getrek en ons trou gewen het. Ons aanbid God omdat ons erken dat geen ander wese, ding, strewe of plesier die plek werd is wat Hy op die troon van ons lewens bewoon nie (Eksodus 20:3–5; Hebreërs 12:28–29).
Om te aanbid is om die waardigheid van God te erken, te eer en uit te druk wat Hy as ons Skepper (Handelinge 17:28; Jakobus 1:17; Openbaring 4:11) en ons Verlosser (Kolossense 1:12–13; 1 Petrus 1:3) toekom. Aanbidding is deel van ons daaglikse gemeenskap met God. Vir gelowiges is aanbidding ons lewenswyse. Die apostel Paulus het aanbidding gedefinieer as ‘n allesomvattende leefstyl, toegewy aan die verheerliking van God: “Daarom vermaan ek julle, broeders en susters, op grond van die barmhartigheid van God: Gee julle liggame as ‘n lewende, heilige en welgevallige offer – dit is julle ware en gepaste aanbidding” (Romeine 12:1).
Wanneer ons ons hemelse Vader deur Jesus Christus aanbid, ervaar ons gemeenskap en gemeenskap met Hom (Filippense 3:3). Aanbidding is hoe ons met God ontmoet en Hom prys vir Sy goedheid, liefde, barmhartigheid, genade, wysheid, skoonheid, waarheid, heiligheid, medelye, mag en elke ander aspek van Sy karakter: “Juig tot eer van die HERE, o ganse aarde! Aanbid die HERE met blydskap! Kom voor Hom en sing met vreugde! Erken dat die HERE God is! Hy het ons gemaak, en ons is Syne. Ons is sy volk, die skape van sy weide. Gaan sy poorte binne met danksegging, gaan in sy voorhowe in met lof! Loof Hom en prys sy Naam! Want die HERE is goed; sy liefde duur vir ewig, sy trou duur van geslag tot geslag” (Psalm 100:1–5, NLT).
Deur aanbidding vier ons God se teenwoordigheid en krag. Ons groei nader aan Hom terwyl Hy tot harte spreek en Sy woning in ons lewens maak. Sy wil word ons wil, en ons word verander.
Aanbidding verander ons nie net nie, maar dit maak God ook aan ander bekend en verander ook hulle lewens: “Hy het my ‘n nuwe lied gegee om te sing, ‘n loflied tot eer van onse God. Baie sal sien wat Hy gedoen het en verstom wees. Hulle sal op die HERE vertrou” (Psalm 40:3). Ons aanbidding getuig van wat God in ons gedoen het en wat Hy ook vir ander kan doen.
Ja, God verdien ons aanbidding, maar ons trek weer voordeel daaruit. Wat kan beter wees as om ons uiteindelike doel te vind en te vervul – om God te aanbid en vir ewig in Sy teenwoordigheid te leef? “Hierna het ek gesien, en kyk, daar was ‘n groot menigte wat niemand kon tel nie, uit elke nasie, stam, volk en taal. Hulle het gestaan voor die troon en voor die Lam. Hulle was bekleed met wit klere en het palmtakke in hulle hande gehou. En hulle het hard uitgeroep: ‘Die heil behoort aan onse God wat op die troon sit, en aan die Lam.’ Al die engele het rondom die troon en rondom die ouderlinge en die vier lewende wesens gestaan. Hulle het voor die troon op hulle aangesig neergeval en God aanbid en gesê: ‘Amen! Aan onse God behoort die lof en die heerlikheid en die wysheid en die danksegging en die eer en die mag en die sterkte tot in alle ewigheid! Amen!’” (Openbaring 7:9–12).
Today’s Devotional
The Hebrew word translated as “worship” literally means “to bow down.” In Psalm 95:6, the psalmist uses three different terms to describe bowing down, which is the foundational posture of worship in the Old Testament: “Come, let us worship and bow down. Let us kneel before the LORD our maker” (NLT, emphasis added). Each of the italicized words conveys the image of bowing low, bending the knee, and kneeling. They are meant to inspire the worshiper to bring himself low before God, but physically bowing down is not the true essence of humbling oneself in worship.
In the ancient world (and even in some cultures today), bowing down was the appropriate sign of respect when entering the presence of someone to whom reverence was due. Bending down expressed honor, submission, and allegiance to a higher authority. For this reason, the Israelites reserved the action for God alone. They were forbidden to bow down to false gods or idols (Exodus 20:5).
Kneeling or bowing down signifies a posture of humility and submission, both physically and mentally, bodily and in the heart. When we bow down in worship, we acknowledge God’s exalted place and accept our own lowly, surrendered position: “The LORD is great in Zion; he is exalted over all the peoples” (Psalm 99:2, ESV; see also Psalm 46:10; 113:4).
Above all else, our attitude is what matters in worship. Our hearts must always humbly “bow down” when we worship God, even when our bodies do not: “The high and lofty one who lives in eternity, the Holy One, says this: ‘I live in the high and holy place with those whose spirits are contrite and humble’” (Isaiah 57:15, NLT).
The Bible gives examples of worshippers in many other physical positions besides bowing down. Sometimes, people fell facedown to the ground before the Lord (Numbers 20:6; 22:31; Nehemiah 8:6). At other times, they stood to sing songs of thanks and praise (Leviticus 9:5; 1 Chronicles 23:30). Miriam led the women of Israel to dance before the Lord (Exodus 15:20). When the ark of the covenant was carried into Jerusalem, David leapt and danced in worship (2 Samuel 6:14–16). At the dedication of the temple, Solomon knelt with his hands raised toward heaven (1 Kings 8:54).
The Bible gives precedence for several different postures in worship. We do not need to be physically bowing down to worship God, as long as our inner being is honestly and humbly submitted to God in reverence. The apostle Paul taught the Romans to worship God as an all-encompassing way of life: “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship” (Romans 12:1).
Bowing down is merely an outward expression of an inner attitude of humility, reverence, and submission. Jesus said, “God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth” (John 4:24). To worship God in spirit and truth means honoring Him with our entire being—heart, soul, mind, and strength.
Worship that pleases God flows naturally from pure hearts (Psalm 24:3–4; Isaiah 66:2). It doesn’t matter if we bow down, stand and shout, or quietly contemplate in our minds; if our hearts are humble, reverent, and submitted to God, then we are “bowing down” in worship, and our external posture is irrelevant.
Vandag se Bemoediging
Die Hebreeuse woord wat as “aanbidding” vertaal word, beteken letterlik “om neer te buig”. In Psalm 95:6 gebruik die psalmis drie verskillende terme om neer te buig, wat die fundamentele houding van aanbidding in die Ou Testament is: “Kom, laat ons aanbid en neerbuig. Laat ons kniel voor die HERE, ons Maker” (NLT, klem bygevoeg). Elk van die kursiefgedrukte woorde dra die beeld oor van laag buig, die knie buig en kniel. Hulle is bedoel om die aanbidder te inspireer om homself laag voor God te bring, maar fisies neerbuig is nie die ware essensie van jouself verootmoedig in aanbidding nie.
In die antieke wêreld (en selfs in sommige kulture vandag) was neerbuig die gepaste teken van respek wanneer iemand die teenwoordigheid van iemand aan wie eerbied verskuldig was, betree het. Om neer te buig het eer, onderwerping en trou aan ‘n hoër gesag uitgedruk. Om hierdie rede het die Israeliete die aksie vir God alleen gereserveer. Hulle was verbied om voor valse gode of afgode neer te buig (Eksodus 20:5).
Om te kniel of te buig dui op ‘n houding van nederigheid en onderwerping, beide fisies en geestelik, liggaamlik en in die hart. Wanneer ons in aanbidding buig, erken ons God se verhewe plek en aanvaar ons ons eie nederige, oorgegewe posisie: “Die HERE is groot in Sion; Hy is verhewe oor al die volke” (Psalm 99:2; sien ook Psalm 46:10; 113:4).
Bowenal is ons gesindheid wat saak maak in aanbidding. Ons harte moet altyd nederig “buig” wanneer ons God aanbid, selfs wanneer ons liggame dit nie doen nie: “Die Hoë en Verhewe Een wat in die ewigheid woon, die Heilige, sê: ‘Ek woon in die hoë en heilige plek by die wat verslae en nederig van gees is’” (Jesaja 57:15).
Die Bybel gee voorbeelde van aanbidders in baie ander fisiese posisies behalwe om neer te buig. Soms het mense met die aangesig na die grond voor die Here geval (Numeri 20:6; 22:31; Nehemia 8:6). Ander kere het hulle gestaan om lofliedere en dankliedere te sing (Levitikus 9:5; 1 Kronieke 23:30). Miriam het die vroue van Israel gelei om voor die Here te dans (Eksodus 15:20). Toe die verbondsark Jerusalem binnegedra is, het Dawid gespring en gedans in aanbidding (2 Samuel 6:14–16). By die inwyding van die tempel het Salomo gekniel met sy hande na die hemel opgehef (1 Konings 8:54).
Die Bybel gee voorrang vir verskeie verskillende posture in aanbidding. Ons hoef nie fisies neer te buig om God te aanbid nie, solank ons innerlike wese eerlik en nederig in eerbied aan God onderwerp word. Die apostel Paulus het die Romeine geleer om God as ‘n allesomvattende lewenswyse te aanbid: “Daarom vermaan ek julle, broers en susters, by die ontferming van God dat julle julle liggame stel as ‘n lewende, heilige en welgevallige offer – dit is julle ware en gepaste aanbidding” (Romeine 12:1).
Om neer te buig is bloot ‘n uiterlike uitdrukking van ‘n innerlike houding van nederigheid, eerbied en onderwerping. Jesus het gesê: “God is Gees, en sy aanbidders moet in Gees en waarheid aanbid” (Johannes 4:24). Om God in gees en waarheid te aanbid, beteken om Hom met ons hele wese te eer – hart, siel, verstand en krag.
Aanbidding wat God behaag, vloei natuurlik uit rein harte (Psalm 24:3-4; Jesaja 66:2). Dit maak nie saak of ons neerbuig, staan en uitroep, of stilweg in ons gedagtes peins nie; as ons harte nederig, eerbiedig en aan God onderdanig is, dan “buig” ons neer in aanbidding, en ons uiterlike postuur is irrelevant.
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.
Lesse In Lyding:
Die beeld op die skerm was groot en skerp, sodat ons die diep snye op die man se liggaam kon sien. ‘N soldaat het hom geslaan terwyl mense vir die man gelag het wie se gesig nou met bloed bedek was. Die tonele het so eg gelyk. Maar dit was slegs ‘n film van Jesus se lyding vir ons.
Petrus het geskryf om ons aan Jesus se lyding te herinner. Hier is julle geroep, omdat Christus vir julle gely het en vir julle ‘n voorbeeld gestel het, sodat julle in sy voetstappe kan volg (1 Petrus 2:21). Terwyl lyding in verskillende vorme en intensiteit voorkom, is dit te verwagte. Ons sin is dalk nie so intens soos dié wat Paulus ervaar het nie, wat ter wille van Christus met stokke geslaan en gestenig was nie. Hy is deur rowers aangeval, en hy het honger en dors verduur (2 Kor 11:24-27).
Net so ly ons nie soos diegene wat erge vervolging verduur in kulture waar Christenskap nie verwelkom word nie.
In die een of ander vorm sal lyding egter oor ons pad kom terwyl ons onsself verloën, teistering verduur, beledigings verduur of weier om betrokke te raak by aktiwiteite wat die Here nie eer nie. Selfs om geduld te beoefen, wraak te vermy en ander te vergewe en om goeie verhoudings te bevorder, is vorme van om in Sy voetspore te volg.
Wanneer ons lyding teëkom, mag ons onthou wat Jesus vir ons verduur het !
Die skool van lyding leer ons lesse wat ons in geen ander klaskamer sou kon leer nie.
Lessons in Suffering:
The image on the screen was large and sharp, so we could see the deep cuts on the man’s body. A soldier beat him while people laughed at the man whose face was now covered in blood. The scenes seemed so real. But it was only a film of Jesus’ suffering to us.
Peter wrote to remind us of Jesus’ suffering. To this you were called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps (1 Peter 2:21). While suffering comes in different forms and intensities, it is to be expected. Our sense may not be as intense as that experienced by Paul, who was beaten with rods and stoned for the sake of Christ. He was attacked by robbers, and he endured hunger and thirst (2 Corinthians 11:24-27).
Similarly, we do not suffer as those who endure severe persecution in cultures where Christianity is not welcomed.
However, in one form or another, suffering will come our way as we deny ourselves, endure harassment, endure insults, or refuse to engage in activities that do not honor the Lord. Even practicing patience, avoiding revenge, forgiving others, and fostering good relationships are forms of following in His footsteps.
When we encounter suffering, may we remember what Jesus endured for us!
The school of suffering teaches us lessons that we could not learn in any other classroom.
TruLight Ministries Daily Entertainment
TruLight TV – Popcorn & MOVIE TIME – INDIVISIBLE
The extraordinary true story of Army Chaplain Darren Turner and his wife Heather. When war etches battle scars on their hearts, they face one more battle: the fight to save their marriage. One marriage, one family, under God.
Today on TruLight Radio XM
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BIBLE PROPHECY IN THE NEWS
How AI-Powered Censorship Threatens The Voice Of Faith
There was a time when “truth” meant something sacred — a pursuit guided by reason, conscience, and often, faith. But today, truth is being rewritten by algorithms. In the name of fighting “hate speech” and “disinformation,” nations are turning to artificial intelligence to monitor and punish opinions that dare to challenge the approved narrative.
What begins as an effort to “protect” the public quickly becomes a weapon to silence it. When a government empowers machines to decide what speech is acceptable, human freedom becomes nothing more than data — scanned, flagged, and erased at the speed of a click.
And that’s not science fiction anymore.
The Rise of the Digital Inquisition
In one South American nation, leaders have proudly unveiled a sweeping AI platform designed to hunt “disinformation” and “hate speech” in real time. Its name, ironically, invokes the idea of “respect.” But behind the pleasant branding lies something far darker: a system that tracks online conversations, reads tone and sarcasm, and sends anything deemed “problematic” to prosecutors for potential criminal charges.
Brazil’s new system doesn’t just look for slurs or threats — it targets words, opinions, and beliefs. If you affirm biological reality, question radical ideology, or express a view rooted in traditional faith, you may find yourself branded as hateful. In that nation, even stating that men and women are different has been enough to risk legal action.
It’s a chilling evolution: AI-driven speech policing has become the modern Inquisition. The “crime” is not violence or harm — it’s disagreement. The heretics are those who dare to think for themselves.
When Machines Become the Thought Police
Artificial intelligence was meant to help humanity — to solve problems, connect the world, and make life easier. But in the wrong hands, it becomes something else entirely: a tireless enforcer that never sleeps, never questions, and never forgives.
Unlike human censors, AI doesn’t feel guilt or hesitation. It simply executes. Once programmed to recognize “dangerous ideas,” it will detect them everywhere — in sermons, posts, videos, or even private conversations. And once the machine labels something “harmful,” that label becomes truth.
This is the heart of the danger: the combination of limitless surveillance and moral relativism. When morality is redefined by those in power, and machines enforce it without question, free speech dies quietly — not with a bang, but with an algorithmic whisper.
Freedom Redefined — and Redacted
The same logic is beginning to spread into the Western world. Influential voices are already suggesting that new “regulatory systems” should be used to “separate facts from opinion.” It sounds reasonable — until you realize what it truly means.
“Diversity of opinion is good,” we’re told, “but we don’t need diversity of facts.” That statement alone should send shivers down the spine of anyone who values liberty. Who, after all, defines these “facts”? The government? Big Tech? A panel of unelected “experts” backed by political interests?
Once the state decides what truth is, the individual loses the right to seek it. That’s not democracy — it’s control wrapped in the language of compassion. It’s tyranny disguised as protection.
Why Christians Should Be Especially Concerned
Faith has always challenged power. From the prophets who confronted kings to the apostles who defied Rome, the story of Christianity is one of truth spoken in the face of authority. But in the emerging digital world, that courage could soon be criminalized.
Already, traditional Christian beliefs on gender, sexuality, and morality are being rebranded as “hate speech.” Under AI-driven systems that monitor tone, nuance, and emotional language, even quoting Scripture in defense of biblical values could trigger automated censorship or legal scrutiny.
The danger is not just that believers will be silenced — it’s that faith itself will be redefined. A Christianity that must first pass through an algorithm to be deemed “acceptable” is no longer the Gospel of Christ, but the gospel of compliance.
From Free People to Managed Speech
Imagine a world where every online word you write, every conversation you have, every sermon you preach is monitored by a system designed to protect “social harmony.” At first, it removes only the obvious evils — threats, violence, obscenity. But then it moves to “offensive” opinions, “divisive” content, “misleading” ideas. Soon, the only voices left are those who echo the approved line.
This is not a hypothetical future — it’s the logical conclusion of today’s trend. Once governments, activists, and tech companies combine the power of AI with the authority to regulate truth, dissent becomes a glitch to delete, not a right to defend.
The Spiritual Cost of Silence
Censorship is not just a political issue — it’s a spiritual one. When people lose the right to speak freely, they also lose the ability to testify, to reason, and to bear witness to truth. Scripture reminds us: “You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” If truth becomes a government-approved commodity, freedom itself dies in the shadows.
Christians must be alert. We cannot allow the state or its machines to determine what we can or cannot say about the Creator, about morality, or about the human condition.
The Call to Stand
What we are witnessing is not merely technological progress — it’s the re-engineering of conscience. Freedom of speech, once a sacred pillar of civilization, is being traded for a counterfeit “safety.” But safety that silences truth is not safety at all — it’s slavery with better branding.
The question now is not whether AI will shape our future, but whether it will rule it. And if the guardians of truth become machines programmed by ideology, we may one day wake up in a world where faith itself is treated as misinformation.
SIGNS OF THE TIMES
New Poll: What Do Churchgoers Believe And Does It Align With The Bible?
Earlier this week, Pew Research released the results of a poll indicating that nearly a third of U.S. adults believe religion’s influence is growing in America. A Wall Street Journal report echoed that trend, explaining that 2.4 million Bibles were sold in September, a 36% increase compared to the same month last year, just as a Barna Group study found that Gen Z and millennials are driving a resurgence in church attendance.
But this raises the question: what do churchgoers believe, and does it align with the Bible? On October 13, Family Research Council’s Center for Biblical Worldview (CBW), in partnership with the Cultural Research Center at Arizona Christian University, released the findings of a national report titled “Social Issues and Worldview.” The report provides insight into the theological, cultural, and political beliefs of America’s churchgoers and indicates areas of teaching that pastors and disciple-makers can prioritize to reverse the decline in biblical beliefs.
Human Dignity
Encouragingly, 84% of regular churchgoers believe that “every person is made in the likeness of God,” 83% believe “every human being has undeniable value and dignity,” and 75% believe “the God of the Bible is the only author of life.”
However, there were some stunning revelations concerning abortion. Whereas 63% of churchgoers identified as “pro-life” in 2023, only 45% now identify as pro-life. Meanwhile, “pro-choice” identification rose 13 points (22% in 2023 to 35% in 2025).
Similar to two years ago, there was little consensus about what the Bible teaches regarding abortion: 26% said never acceptable, 19% said acceptable if the mother’s life is endangered, 12% said acceptable if the child will be born with significant physical or mental challenges, and 4% said acceptable under any circumstance. Fourteen percent insisted, “none of these,” and another 16% admitted they did not know what the Bible teaches on the topic.
Fifty-four percent said the Bible indicates when human life begins, 24% said it does not, and 22% said they did not know. Among those who believe the Bible defines when life begins, 40% said it begins when the female egg is fertilized, 10% said the point at which the child has been delivered and begins breathing, and 9% said the Bible is not specific on the matter (after having just said that the Bible indicates when human life begins), and 7% said they did not know.
Ironically, despite the pervasive confusion evidenced by these responses, only 25% wanted more teaching from their church on the topic of abortion, compared to 31% in 2023.
Marriage, Family, and Sexuality
Seventy-nine percent of regular churchgoers believe that there “are only two genders — male and female.” Only 13% disagreed, and 8% were unsure.
Sixty-eight percent expressed support for defining a “legitimate marriage” as “only between one man and one woman.” A decade after the Obergefell decision that imposed same-sex marriage on the country, 23% of churchgoers rejected the orthodox view of marriage, and 10% were unsure.
Although a majority of churchgoers agreed with the biblical teaching on marriage, there were a variety of ideas about what constitutes a family. Forty-six percent defined family as “people united by God’s design — a man and a woman married to each other, plus their children and relatives.” Twenty-two percent claimed that the definition of family “changes over time and across cultures,” while 20% suggested that family is any group of people who care for each other.
Seventy percent of churchgoers indicated “it is important for society to facilitate families that have a father, a mother, and children living together.”
Religious Freedom
Eighty-three percent agreed that people should be allowed to practice “peaceful, genuinely held religious beliefs without being punished by the government.” Only 8% rejected this principle.
Desire for Worldview Training
Respondents indicated a desire for “additional worldview education” from their church on five topics: religious freedom (88%), social and political responsibility (76%), human sexuality (64%), abortion and the value of life (60%), and euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide (54%). These findings indicate that most churchgoers would appreciate their pastor addressing these issues in the course of the church’s teaching ministry.
Israel
Regular churchgoers overwhelmingly supported the Jewish state of Israel. Eighty-four percent said consistent prayer for Israel is “very or somewhat important,” 74% believe personal verbal support is important, 73% say that it is important for the U.S. government to support Israel, and 68% believe Christians should provide personal financial support.
Conclusion
The 2025 CBW report paints a picture that is both encouraging and concerning regarding the beliefs of America’s regular churchgoers. Although overwhelming majorities of churchgoers expressed biblical convictions about human dignity, that commitment is not held consistently. As demonstrated by the lagging pro-life findings, churches still have much work to do in teaching a pro-life ethic and applying it to issues like abortion and euthanasia.
Although churchgoers hold conflicting views on the definition of family, it is nonetheless encouraging that most churchgoers still believe in a biblical definition of marriage. Additionally, it is encouraging that strong majorities of churchgoers desire additional worldview training from their church.
In short, while research like the 2025 CBW report can sometimes be used to criticize pastors and teachers, the most helpful approach is to view it as an opportunity to strengthen discipleship. Now that we know where theological and worldview weaknesses exist among our people, we can intentionally design sermons, lessons, and discipleship resources that address those gaps. Rather than dwelling on the discouraging aspects of the report, we should see even its most troubling findings as opportunities to shepherd believers toward greater biblical faithfulness and maturity.
GOG AND MAGOG UPDATE
Gog / Russia’s New Doomsday Arsenal: The Dark Frontier Of Modern Warfare
When Vladimir Putin revealed that Russia has successfully tested two new nuclear-powered weapons — the Poseidon underwater drone and the Burevestnik cruise missile — the world crossed another line few seemed to notice. Together, these weapons represent a new class of doomsday technology designed not merely to defend Russia, but to terrify the world. Their purpose is psychological as much as physical: to remind humanity that nuclear annihilation remains just one decision away.
These tests aren’t just military milestones. They are warnings — ominous indicators of a world growing less stable, less predictable, and more willing to play with apocalyptic fire.
The “Flying Chernobyl” – A missile that never lands
The Burevestnik, or “Storm Petrel,” looks like a conventional cruise missile on the outside — but that’s where the similarity ends. Inside, it carries a miniature nuclear reactor that can keep it flying for weeks or even months without refueling. That means it could circle the globe indefinitely, waiting for the order to strike, attacking from any direction at any time.
Unlike conventional missiles that burn fuel and run out of range, this one could theoretically fly forever. It launches with a small booster and then switches to its nuclear-powered engine, heating incoming air through the reactor to sustain propulsion. Reports claim the missile traveled over 14,000 kilometers during its latest test — an unimaginable feat in the missile world.
The implications are staggering. You cannot destroy a missile before it’s fired if it never needs to land. A weapon like this could loiter in the atmosphere, invisible to radar, capable of delivering a nuclear strike from angles that no defense system could anticipate. ( DOES THIS SOUND LIKE THE ARROW GOD SLAPS AWAY = Ezekiel 38/39 ?? )
For military planners, it’s a nightmare. For ordinary citizens, it’s a chilling reminder that human ingenuity often outpaces human wisdom. We have built something that blurs the line between deterrence and madness — a machine that embodies the cold logic of mutually assured destruction, only now with even less room for error.
Poseidon – The monster beneath the sea
If the Burevestnik dominates the skies, Poseidon haunts the ocean depths. Described as an autonomous, nuclear-powered torpedo, Poseidon is said to be over 60 feet long — the size of a small submarine — and capable of reaching speeds up to 115 mph under water.
But it’s not speed that makes it terrifying. It’s the mission. Poseidon is designed to carry a massive nuclear warhead capable of creating a radioactive tidal wave hundreds of feet high, potentially wiping out entire coastal cities and rendering them uninhabitable for decades.
Imagine a weapon that could silently traverse the ocean floor, undetected, and detonate near the coastline of any major nation. The resulting radioactive tsunami wouldn’t just kill millions — it would poison harbors, destroy economies, and devastate the global environment. It’s not just a missile or torpedo; it’s an engineered apocalypse.
Russian propaganda has gone so far as to boast that Poseidon could “drown Britain under a 1,600-foot wave of radioactive seawater.” Whether that’s true or exaggerated, the very concept shows a grim evolution of nuclear strategy — one that targets not just armies or bases, but the very ability of a nation to survive.
A new age of instability
These two weapons — the Flying Chernobyl above and the Poseidon below — symbolize something deeper than military ambition. They represent a world losing its balance.
When nations begin developing systems designed not merely to defend, but to guarantee mutual destruction, the rules of deterrence start to collapse. The Cold War was horrific, but it was also structured. There were red lines, treaties, and a shared understanding that nuclear weapons were to prevent war, not wage it.
Now, that balance is unraveling. Trust between great powers has eroded. Treaties have been abandoned. Artificial intelligence is creeping into military decision-making, shortening the time between detection and retaliation. Cyberwarfare adds new risks of miscalculation. And nuclear weapons, once the last resort, are quietly becoming tools of intimidation once again.
Russia’s tests are not just about Moscow flexing its muscle — they reflect a global pattern of rising aggression and diminishing restraint. The United States, China, North Korea, Iran, and others are all modernizing their arsenals. Each step taken in the name of “deterrence” increases the odds of a mistake, a misunderstanding, or an act of desperation that could ignite catastrophe.
The terrifying truth is that we now live in a time when a single human decision could erase cities, when nuclear submarines patrol beneath oceans and missiles circle invisibly above. The technology is advancing faster than diplomacy can contain it, and the old safeguards that once held the world back from the brink are rusting away.
The invisible countdown
Most people go about their lives unaware that the nuclear clock is ticking louder than it has in decades. But the existence of these new Russian weapons forces the world to confront an uncomfortable reality: we are entering an age of unlimited-range destruction.
A missile that can fly indefinitely and strike without warning.
A torpedo that can turn the sea into poison.
Both powered by reactors that, if they fail, could spread radiation even without being used in war.
Each represents a kind of fatal overconfidence — a belief that power without morality can ensure peace. But history teaches the opposite. The greater the weapons, the thinner the line between deterrence and disaster.
The Burevestnik and Poseidon are not just Russian innovations; they are symbols of the age we are entering — one where technology no longer promises safety, and where the concept of “mutually assured destruction” has evolved into something even darker: destruction without warning, without boundaries, and possibly without survivors.
We stand at a fragile moment in history, where pride, politics, and paranoia are converging with technologies too powerful to control. If the 20th century was defined by the first nuclear age, the 21st may be defined by the second — one of nuclear autonomy, artificial intelligence, and nations arming for wars they can never truly win.
Whether by intention or accident, one spark could unleash a storm unlike any humanity has ever faced. And for now, as missiles fly above and torpedoes prowl below, the silence of the skies and the stillness of the seas are the only things standing between us and that storm.
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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