Page 3 - Good News July 2005 paper

uring the days when the Judges daughters-in-law that she might return feeling embitterment towards God. When we feel
ruled Israel, famine struck Beth- from the country of Moab, for she had bitter, people will observe it in our conversations,
Dlehem. Due to the famine, Elimelech heard in the country of Moab that the Lord deeds and attitudes. Even our physical health will
decided to leave with his wife and two sons had visited His people by giving them deteriorate. Bitterness also builds up walls of
on a journey to the eastern side of the Dead bread." isolation, fear and distrust.
Sea Valley, to the country of Moab. We need to change our mindset when we FORGIVENESS is the key to overcome bitterness.
He had decided to leave of his own accord, are experiencing a famine in our lives. We Whatever "famine" you may be going through,
and so often in life we make choices need to repent! Repentance is a decision remember the Father loves you! Today you too can
without hearing from God, which brings that results in a change of mind, which then also experience A NEW DAY DAWNING in your life if
"Self-inflicted Circumstances" (famines) leads to a change of purpose, and of action. you will ARISE and say like the prodigal son:
upon ourselves! Ruth 1: 7 - "Therefore she went out from the I am going back to my Father's House where there is
The famine was not intended or initiated by place where she was, and her two BREAD. For JESUS is the BREAD of LIFE! Arise,
God, but by the people themselves, for the daughters-in-law with her; and they went have a change of mind and experience a
Lord had previously warned them that the on the way to return to the land of Judah.” breakthrough in your life!
land would turn against them if they were Naomi AROSE! And as she began to act in Sponsored by: TG TRADERS
unfaithful to Him. the natural and went back to Bethlehem, A
Deut. 28:15 - "But it shall come to pass, if NEW DAY was beginning to dawn for her in
you do not obey the voice of the Lord your the spiritual realm.
God, to observe carefully all His command- Ruth 1: 11 - "But Naomi said, 'Turn back, my
ments and His statutes which I command daughters; why will you go with me?'…"
you today, that all these curses will come We see Naomi giving both her daughters-
upon you and overtake you …" in-law a choice to return to their mother's
Deut. 28:24 - "The Lord will change the rain house. (Naomi's name means: "pleasant"
of your land to powder and dust; from the and "trusting").
heaven it shall come down on you until you Ruth 1:16, 17 - "But Ruth said: 'Entreat me
are destroyed." not to leave you, or to turn back from
But let us proceed with Elimelech's history. following after you; for wherever you go, I
Ruth 1:3-5 - "Then Elimelech, Naomi's will go; and wherever you lodge, I will
husband, died; and she was left, and her lodge; your people shall be my people, and
two sons. Now they took wives of the your God, my God. Where you die, I will die,
women of Moab: the name of the one was and there will I be buried. The Lord do so to
Orpah, and the name of the other Ruth. And me, and more also, if anything but death
they dwelt there about ten years.Then both parts you and me.'"
Mahlon and Chilion also died; so the Ruth not only trusted in Naomi, but also in
woman survived her two sons and her the nature of Yahweh (the Lord).
husband." Ruth 1:19,20 - "Now the two of them went
Naomi had not only faced natural famine in until they came to Bethlehem. And it
her own country, but was now facing happened, when they had come to
personal famine in her own life. After living Bethlehem, that all the city was excited
in Moab for ten years, her husband died as because of them; and the women said 'Is
well as her two sons (Mahlon: which means this Naomi?' But she said to them, 'Do not
"sickly" and Chilion: meaning "pining", call me Naomi; call me Mara, for the
"wasting disease"). Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me.'"
Ruth 1:6 - "Then she AROSE with her Because of past circumstances Naomi was
JESUS KEN DIE BEGIN EN DIE EINDE VAN DIE STORM! (Vervolg van p. 1)
Talle mense kom bid, gee vir my Skrifgedeeltes om aan vas te hou, maar ek wil dit nie nou
hoor nie. Ek wens ek kon net vir almal sê om my uit te los. Ek wil nie hoor die Here gaan
my gesond maak nie. Ek kan selfs nie eens bid nie!
Genadiglik het die Here so baie getroue kinders wat aanhou bid en nogmaals bid. Hy
stuur hierdie mense sonder ophou na my toe. Behalwe al my kerkmense en vriende het
Hy spesiaal vreemdes my pad langs gestuur met wonderlike boodskappe van
versterking en opbouing.
'n Bra onbekende persoon kom besoek my en sê hy gebruik al 10 jaar lank die sakkie en
geniet nogtans 'n gelukkige en vervulde lewe. Ek moet net glo die Here sal voorsien.
Daar gaan die "dips" kom, maar telkens wanneer ek "onder" is, moet ek weet dat as ek
weer "bo" uitkom, ek nader aan die Here sal wees.
Pastoor Japie Venter en sy vrou kom besoek my en ek vertel hulle van hierdie "blok"
(doodsheid) in my gemoed en my skuldgevoelens daaroor. Hy gee vir my Ps. 23:4 - "Al
gaan ek ook in 'n dal van doodskaduwee, ek sal geen onheil vrees nie, want U is met my"
en ook vers 2: "…na waters waar rus is lei Hy my heen". In die Nuwe Vertaling lui vers 4
so: "Selfs al gaan ek deur donker dieptes sal ek nie bang wees nie, want U is by My. In U
hande is ek veilig." Al gaan ek dus deur 'n dal van geestelike en emosionele dood-
skaduwee (doodsheid), is God by my en Hy sal my weer na waters waar rus is, lei. Al voel
ek hoe ver verwyderd van die Here, Hy hou my styf vas in Sy arms. Soos 'n ma haar kind
wat seergekry het koester, so koester Hy my in hierdie moeilike tyd.
Toe stuur die Here 'n dame van Bloemfontein na my. Haar boodskap was net so treffend.
In Markus 4 vanaf vers 35 lees ons hoedat Jesus 'n storm op see stilmaak. Jesus het aan
Sy dissipels opdrag gegee om na die oorkant van die meer te vaar. Toe het Hy gaan
slaap. 'n Storm het opgekom, hulle het bang geword en Hom wakker gemaak met die
uitroep: "Gee U nie om dat ons vergaan nie?" Die dissipels het geweet dat Jesus in
Vervolg op p. 6