Page 8 - Good News June 2017 paper

BLADSY 8 GOEIE NUUS/GOOD NEWS TEL. (018) 293 1996 FAKS (018) 297 2308 JUNIE 2017

ekende woorde: “Ag nee! wynstok, julle die lote. Wie in My strength comes from God. When antwoorde vir ons probleme nie.
Alweer 'n kragonder- bly, en Ek in hom, hy dra veel we stay close to God, His Spirit Dit is dán dat ons moet terugkeer
Bbreking!” Ons kan byna vrug; want sonder My kan julle enables us to do His will, despite na God se Woord om die gebroke
nie bestaan sonder krag nie. niks doen nie” (Johannes 15:5). the obstacles. When we stray kragkoppeling te herstel! Ons
Byna geen werk kan gedoen word from God, we are cut off from our moet die fout soek. Ons moenie
in die moderne werksplek sonder In ons daaglikse lewenswandel Power Source” (Life Application probeer om ons probleme in eie
krag nie! het ons God as ons Kragbron Bible). menslike krag op te los terwyl die
nodig. Ook ons werk wat ons vir Groot Kragbron tot ons beskik-
Ons beleef baie frustrasies Hom hier op aarde moet doen, kan Ons kan geleidelik van God king is nie!
tydens kragonderbrekings. Baie ons nie doen as ons nie by Hom as wegdryf sonder dat ons dit besef.
van ons ouer garde sal onthou ons Kragbron ingeskakel is nie! Dit is dán wanneer die vyand op In Psalm 18:17 staan geskryf: “U,
hoe ons op plase sonder krag Reeds in Sagaria 10:12 (Lewende ons toeslaan en 'n kragonder- Here, laat my lamp helder skyn;
klaargekom het, maar in ons Bybel) sê God: “Ek sal my volk breking teweegbring. Ons word my God gee lig as dit donker is
hedendaagse lewe sal dit chaos sterk maak, want Ek sal self hulle kragteloos, maar probeer om in om my.” Kom na Sy lig toe! Jy
veroorsaak indien daar geen krag krag wees, en hulle sal My aanbid. eie krag en met eie menslike hoef nie langer in stikdonker te
is nie! Dit kan selfs ons land se Ek, die Here, sê self dit sal vermoëns en wysheid oplossings sit nie! Hy sal jou verseker help!
nywerhede in duie laat stort! gebeur.” vir ons probleme te vind! 'n “Want geen ding sal by God
Kragonderbreking het egter toe- onmoontlik wees nie” (Luk. 1:37).
Net so lewensnoodsaaklik is dit Dan sê iemand oor hierdie selfde geslaan en veroorsaak dat ons in En onthou, saam met Paulus kan
vir elke gelowige om aan God se v e r s : “ G o d p r o m i s e s t o stikdonkerte sit! ons sê: “Ek is tot alles in staat
Kragbron gekoppel te wees! strengthen His people, and in deur Christus wat my krag gee”
Jesus het immers gesê: “Ek is die Zech. 10:12 reveals that this Sonder God se krag het ons geen (Fil. 4:13). © Dr. J J Venter

emas had at one time been one of Paul's decided that what Satan has to offer in this life is
“fellow workers” in the Gospel Ministry along better than what God has to offer in the next!
Dwith Mark, Luke, and others (Philemon 1:24).
During Paul's first imprisonment in Rome, Demas Paul makes a sharp contrast in 2 Timothy 4:8 and 10.
was also in Rome (Colossians 4:14). In verse 8, Paul speaks of those who love the Lord:
“There is laid up for me the crown of righteousness,
There is also Biblical evidence that Demas was with which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award… to
Paul during Paul's second imprisonment in Rome, all who have loved His appearing”. Demas, in
at least for a while. Then something happened! contrast to those who lovingly wait for Jesus' return,
Demas forsook Paul, abandoned the ministry, and loved the present world (verse 10). First John 2:15 is
left town. Paul wrote about the sad situation: clear about the spiritual state of those who love the
“Demas, because he loved this world, has deserted world: “Do not love the world or anything in the
me and has gone to Thessalonica” (2 Timothy 4:10). world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father
is not in them.” Nowhere in the Bible do we read of
The Greek verb for 'desert' implies that Demas had the restoration of Demas.
not merely left Paul, but had left him “in the lurch”;
that is, Demas had abandoned Paul in a time of great The tragedy of Demas is still being lived out today by
need. The apostle was in prison, facing a death those who choose the temporary benefits of this
sentence, and that's when Demas chose to set sail. world over the eternal riches of heaven. Today there
Undoubtedly, Paul was deeply let down by Demas. are still those who seem to receive the Word but then
It's never easy to see a friend and associate in whom “the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of
you've placed your trust forsake you in the midst of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful”
hardship. (Matthew 13:22).

The separation caused by Demas' desertion of Paul Past service is no guarantee of future faithfulness;
was not merely physical but also deeply spiritual. we must depend on the Lord, our Strength (Psalm
Demas left Rome because he fell in love with this 28:8). We must be born again (John 3:3); otherwise,
world! In other words, Demas chose the corrupt we have no foundation of faith. “They went out from
value system of the unsaved world over what us, but they did not really belong to us. For if they
heaven values. As the New Living Translation had belonged to us, they would have remained with

describes it, Demas “loves the things of this life” us; but their going showed that none of them
(2 Timothy 4:10). We don't know the details of belonged to us” (1 John 2:19; cf. Matthew 7:22-23).
Demas' situation, but it is evident that Demas www.GotQuestions.org