Page 9 - Good News November 2016 paper

he story was all over the work, so that I cannot come down. stressful work and have special what we have to deliberately
news: A businessman, after Why should the work cease while I family times and activities. That is choose. Therefore, we need to be
Twithdrawing $100 000 at the leave it and go down to you?... in order. alert and discerning and honestly
bank, stopped at a store and Should such a man as I flee? And judge our hearts to see where we
placed his briefcase full of money who is there such as I who would However, we must be careful that are with our focus regarding the
beside him on the checkout go into the temple to save his life? the good things don't take over purpose of God for our life here on
counter. A man standing next to I will not go in!" (Nehemiah our focus and the time we once earth.
him engaged him for a few 6:3,11). used to spend in prayer and in
seconds in a conversation while God's Word! Life moves very fast. We also need to realize that we are
another man walked up, grabbed Jesus, too, immediately recog- We have only a short time before not strong enough to finish this
the briefcase and disappeared. nized that the enemy was trying to it's over. So let us not get caught race on our own. We daily need to
When the businessman turned use his loving disciple to try to in the web of seeking the things ask God for wisdom, discernment
around, his money was gone! He sidetrack Him from going to on earth. and grace to stay on course. Then
panicked. The crime was caught Jerusalem so that He might die at at the end of our life, we will be
on the store's surveillance the cross for our sins. Peter had What then must we do to keep our able to say, along with the apostle
camera and serves as a warning said to Him, "Far be it from You, focus? We must be aware that Paul, "But none of these things
that a few seconds of distraction Lord; this shall not happen to distractions, especially the ones move me," (Acts 20:24) and "I
is enough for you to lose your You!" (Matthew 16:22). that make us happy, entertain us, have fought the good fight, I have
most valuable possessions. and fill our days with excitement, finished the race, I have kept the
Jesus replied, "Get behind Me, are easy for us to accept, but faith" (2 Timothy 4:7).
One of our enemy's tactics is Satan! You are an offense to Me, saying 'no' to temptations and [K P Yohannan, Gospel for Asia
distractions. He tries to attract for you are not mindful of the 'yes' to the way of the cross is World, July 2015].
and divert our attention, confuse things of God, but the things of
our mind, sidetrack our steps, and men" (Matthew 16:23).
draw us away from our God-given
focus. So often we don't recog- What about us? Do we recognize
nize what's happening until much distractions as being distrac-
later when we find ourselves way tions, especially when they are
off our course. very good things? For example,
m jouself 'n Christen te noem, is een ding. Om 'n Christen genoem te
once I wanted to look up an event m jouself 'n Christen te noem, is een ding. Om 'n Christen genoem te
word deur diegene wat jou lewe dophou, is 'n heel ander storie
Recognizing distractions is vital from early Christianity, so my son O word deur diegene wat jou lewe dophou, is 'n heel ander storie
in serving God and fulfilling our brought me an 800-page Church O(Anoniem).
(Anoniem).
calling as His witnesses. History Book from the library. I
could have gone to the index and
"Daarom, broers, moet julle julle des te meer daarvoor beywer om deur julle
Nehemiah had left his prestigious straight to the page that answered "Daarom, broers, moet julle julle des te meer daarvoor beywer om deur julle
job as the king's cupbearer, along my question, but I didn't. The lewe te bewys dat God julle geroep en verkies het" (2 Petrus 1:10).
lewe te bewys dat God julle geroep en verkies het" (2 Petrus 1:10).
with the comfort and luxury of life book and the pictures were too
in the palace, to travel to Jeru- intriguing to put down, and
Om deur God geroep te wees, is wonderlik! So noem ons onsself Christene.
salem to rebuild its destroyed instead of spending 10 minutes, I Om deur God geroep te wees, is wonderlik! So noem ons onsself Christene.
walls. He rallied and inspired the found myself spending all after- Sonder God se genade sou ons dit nie kon wees nie.
Sonder God se genade sou ons dit nie kon wees nie.
returned exiles for the task, but noon reading about interesting
soon he ran into opposition from things that had nothing to do with
Kan mense dit sien? Ervaar hulle in jou lewe dat die genade van God regtig 'n
the enemies of the Jews and their what I needed to know. Kan mense dit sien? Ervaar hulle in jou lewe dat die genade van God regtig 'n
undercover collaborators. They verskil gemaak het? Ervaar hulle wat nie glo nie, dat jy God se liefde en omgee
verskil gemaak het? Ervaar hulle wat nie glo nie, dat jy God se liefde en omgee
requested an urgent meeting with We are surrounded by hundreds uitstraal?
uitstraal?
him. They spread lies about his of good causes, wholesome
faithfulness to the king. They activities, wonderful oppor-
circulated rumours of threats on tunities, as well as a host of Dis moeilike vrae, nie waar nie? Om 'n Christen te wees, is nie iets wat ons net
Dis moeilike vrae, nie waar nie? Om 'n Christen te wees, is nie iets wat ons net
his life, and they even hired a electronics and the world of moet weet nie. Die toets of die genade van God ons lewe oorgeneem het, lê
moet weet nie. Die toets of die genade van God ons lewe oorgeneem het, lê
prophet to deliver a false mes- internet, that all compete for our
uiteindelik in die uitleef van daardie genade teenoor alle mense!
sage to get him to stop the work attention. In the meantime we lose uiteindelik in die uitleef van daardie genade teenoor alle mense!
and go into hiding. precious time to reach the lost for
Christ. If we don't recognize dis-
Here, ek bely voor U dat ek nie altyd 'n goeie advertensie vir U is nie. Vergewe
Thankfully, Nehemiah recognized tractions, we become victims of Here, ek bely voor U dat ek nie altyd 'n goeie advertensie vir U is nie. Vergewe
my daarvoor en maak my deur U Gees 'n lewende advertensie van U liefde
what all these things really were: good things. my daarvoor en maak my deur U Gees 'n lewende advertensie van U liefde
distractions from completing the teenoor elke mens wat vandag my pad kruis. Amen.
teenoor elke mens wat vandag my pad kruis. Amen.
work God had asked him to do. He Yes, as human beings we need
[PITKOS vir die PAD, Annes Nel, CUM, 2004].
responded: "I am doing a great times of rest, to unwind from our [PITKOS vir die PAD, Annes Nel, CUM, 2004].