Across The Nations Ministries

08/04/2025

Psalm 53:1–6 — English Standard Version (ESV)

1 The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.”

They are corrupt, doing abominable iniquity;

there is none who does good.

2 God looks down from heaven

on the children of man

to see if there are any who understand,

who seek after God.

3 They have all fallen away;

together they have become corrupt;

there is none who does good,

not even one.

4 Have those who work evil no knowledge,

who eat up my people as they eat bread,

and do not call upon God?

5 There they are, in great terror,

where there is no terror!

For God scatters the bones of him who encamps against you;

you put them to shame, for God has rejected them.

6 Oh, that salvation for Israel would come out of Zion!

When God restores the fortunes of his people,

let Jacob rejoice, let Israel be glad.

Job 20:5

Those who are evil are happy for only a short time. The joy of ungodly people lasts only for a moment.

03/03/2024

08/02/2024

Hebrews 13:16

16 And don't forget to do good and to share with those in need. These are the sacrifices that please God.

09/01/2024

Wat beteken dit om ‘jou vader en moeder te eer’?
Die Bybel se antwoord
Die opdrag “eer jou vader en jou moeder” verskyn ’n hele paar keer in die Bybel (Eksodus 20:12; Deuteronomium 5:16; Matteus 15:4; Efesiërs 6:2, 3). Dit behels dat jy vier belangrike dinge moet doen.
1. Waardeer hulle. Jy eer jou pa en ma wanneer jy dankbaar is vir alles wat hulle vir jou gedoen het. Jy kan vir hulle wys dat jy hulle waardeer deur na hulle raad te luister (Spreuke 7:1, 2; 23:26). Die Bybel spoor ons aan om ons ouers as ons “prag” te beskou, met ander woorde ons moet trots wees op hulle.—Spreuke 17:6.
2. Aanvaar hulle gesag. Jy eer jou pa en ma, veral terwyl jy nog jonk is, deur die gesag te erken wat God vir hulle gegee het. Kolossense 3:20 sê vir jongmense: “Wees in alles aan julle ouers gehoorsaam, want dit is welbehaaglik in die Here.” Selfs toe Jesus jonk was, was hy gewillig om gehoorsaam te wees aan sy ouers.—Lukas 2:51.
3. Behandel hulle met respek (Levitikus 19:3; Hebreërs 12:9). Dit hang baie keer af van wat jy sê en hoe jy dit sê. Dit is so dat party ouers soms dinge doen wat dit moeilik maak om hulle te respekteer. Selfs dan kan kinders hulle ouers eer deur nie disrespekvol met hulle te praat of hulle disrespekvol te behandel nie (Spreuke 30:17). Die Bybel sê dat dit ’n ernstige oortreding is om sleg te praat van jou pa of ma.—Matteus 15:4.
4. Sorg vir hulle. Wanneer jou ouers oud word, het hulle dalk praktiese hulp nodig. Jy kan hulle eer deur jou bes te doen om seker te maak dat hulle alles het wat hulle nodig het (1 Timoteus 5:4, 8). Jesus het byvoorbeeld kort voor sy dood gereël dat iemand vir sy ma sou sorg.—Johannes 19:25-27.
Wat mense d**k jy moet doen om jou pa en ma te eer
Wat mense sê: Om jou pa en ma te eer, moet jy hulle toelaat om jou huwelik te beheer.
Wat die Bybel sê: Die Bybel leer dat die huweliksband belangriker is as enige ander familieverhouding. Genesis 2:24 sê: “’n Man [sal] sy vader en sy moeder verlaat, en hy sal sy vrou aankleef” (Matteus 19:4, 5). Getroude paartjies kan natuurlik bevoordeel word deur die raad van hulle ouers of hulle skoonouers (Spreuke 23:22). Maar dit sal nie verkeerd wees vir ’n paartjie om te besluit om familielede se betrokkenheid in hulle huwelik te beperk nie.—Matteus 19:6.
Wat mense sê: Jou pa en ma het die hoogste gesag.
Wat die Bybel sê: Hoewel God ouers gesag in die gesin gegee het, is mense se gesag altyd beperk—dit is nooit hoër as God se gesag nie. Byvoorbeeld, toe ’n hof Jesus se dissipels beveel het om aan God ongehoorsaam te wees, het hulle gesê: “Ons moet eerder aan God as heerser gehoorsaam wees as aan mense” (Handelinge 5:27-29). Net so moet kinders ook hulle ouers “in eenheid met die Here” gehoorsaam, met ander woorde in alle dinge wat nie teen God se wette is nie.—Efesiërs 6:1.
Wat mense sê: Om jou pa en ma te eer, beteken dat jy hulle godsdiensoortuigings moet volg.
Wat die Bybel sê: Die Bybel moedig ons aan om seker te maak dat die dinge wat ons geleer word, die waarheid is (Handelinge 17:11; 1 Johannes 4:1). Iemand wat dit doen, sal dalk later ’n ander godsdiens kies as die een waaraan sy ouers behoort. Die Bybel noem ’n hele paar getroue knegte van God wat nie in dieselfde godsdiens as hulle ouers gebly het nie. Dit sluit voorbeelde in soos Abraham, Rut en die apostel Paulus.—Josua 24:2, 14, 15; Rut 1:15, 16; Galasiërs 1:14-16, 22-24.
Wat mense sê: Om jou pa en ma te eer, beteken dat jy aan die tradisionele gebruike van vooroueraanbidding moet deelneem.
Wat die Bybel sê: “Jehovah jou God moet jy aanbid, en aan hom alleen moet jy heilige diens verrig” (Lukas 4:8). Iemand wat sy voorouers aanbid, maak God se hart seer. Boonop leer ons in die Bybel dat ‘die dooies van hoegenaamd niks bewus is’ nie. Hulle is glad nie bewus van enige eer wat aan hulle betoon word nie, en hulle kan ook nie die lewendes help of seermaak nie.—Prediker 9:5, 10; Jesaja 8:19.

31/12/2023

25/12/2023

25/12/2023

As we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, may your heart be filled with peace, your home with love, and your life with blessings.
This Christmas, may the spirit of giving fill your heart with joy, and may the light of kindness shine brightly in your life.
Wishing you a Merry Christmas and a New Year filled with hope, health, and happiness. May each day be a gift and every moment a treasure.

27/09/2023

Proverbs 23:4-5 In-Context
4 Do not wear yourself out to get rich; do not trust your own cleverness. 5 Cast but a glance at riches, and they are gone, for they will surely sprout wings and fly off to the sky like an eagle.

25/12/2022

A very Blessed Christmas to you all from Across The Nations Ministries
Potchefstroom !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

16/07/2022

What does Psalm 37:4 mean?

This verse is easily misapplied, as are many such references to the promises of God. To "delight in the Lord" is to enjoy all the blessings found in Him, because they are from Him, not merely because they are to our benefit. It's often said that the person who delights in the Lord values the Giver more highly than His gifts. The Hebrew word translated as "delight" here is from a root word that implies pleasure and enjoyment.

In context with the surrounding verses (Psalm 37:3, 5), this clearly refers to those whose desires are in harmony with those of God. A person who "delights in the Lord" has righteous desires. He will not desire anything that springs from selfish desires. No one can expect God to give something contrary to God's will, or the Lord's glory. So far as our wills are attuned to the will of God (John 14:15), our requests will be granted (John 14:14; Matthew 6:33). This idea is expressed often in the Psalms (Psalm 21:2; 145:19).

Some commentators suggest this statement could be interpreted to mean the Lord will place into our hearts those desires which are godly. In other words, when we delight in God, He makes us want what He wants (Romans 12:2; Galatians 5:16–24).

Psalm 16:11 assures us that in God's presence there is fullness of joy, and pleasures that last forever are at His right hand. A truly joyful life, one which extends through eternity, is based on our delighting ourselves in the Lord. The book of Ecclesiastes traces Solomon's search for happiness and meaning in a variety of things, but his search led only to emptiness until he found happiness and meaning in a personal relationship with God. At the end of the book he counsels his readers: "Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth, before the evil days come and the years draw near of which you will say, 'I have no pleasure in them'" (Ecclesiastes 12:1).


AMEN