NATUURLIKE VLOEI/ NATURAL FLOW
- 10 minutes read - 2041 wordsDAAR IS ‘N NATUURLIKE VLOEI IN GOD SE KONINKRYK
Alles op Aarde het God ontwerp volgens ‘n hemelse model. Dit begin in Génesis en eindig in Openbaring. Daar is ‘n natuurlike vloei in God se koninkryk. Daar is nooit ‘n opgaar mentaliteit nie. Daar was ‘n rivier in Eden wat in 4 takke verdeel het om uit te vloei na ander areas - Génesis 2:10-14. Volgens Eségiël 47 vloei daar water vanuit die tempel. Eségiël het dieper en dieper in die water beweeg wat ‘n aanduiding is dat hy ‘n dieper en meer intieme verhouding met God gehad het.
“En in dié dag sal daar lewende waters uit Jerusalem uitvloei, die een helfte daarvan na die Oostelike en die ander helfte daarvan na die Westelike See; somer en winter sal dit so wees.”
“En die Here sal Koning wees oor die hele aarde; in dié dag sal die Here een wees, en sy Naam een.”
SAGARÍA 14:8-9 AFR53
“EN hy het my getoon 'n suiwer rivier van die water van die lewe, helder soos kristal, wat uitstroom uit die troon van God en van die Lam. In die middel van sy straat en weerskante van die rivier was die boom van die lewe wat twaalf maal vrugte dra en elke maand sy vrugte gee, en die blare van die boom is tot genesing van die nasies.”
OPENBARING 22:1-2 AFR53
God het in die Ou Testament gesê dat konings nie rykdom moet opgaar of baie vroue moet neem nie – Deuteronómium 17:16-17. Later sien ons hoe Salomo en Hískia trots raak, spog met hul rykdom en gevolglik tot ‘n val kom – 1 Konings 10, 2 Konings 20. Salomo en Dawid het ook probleme ondervind omdat hulle meer vroue wou hê – 1 Konings 11, 2 Samuel 11. Dawid was trots en het die mense laat tel – 2 Samuel 11. Daar was dus ‘n opgaar mentaliteit onder baie konings. Dawid het elke keer berou oor sy sonde gehad en God het hom “‘n man na Sy hart” genoem – Handelinge 13:22. Die Israeliete kon slegs die sesde dag manna opgaar vir die Sabbat. Die kerk in Handelinge het hulle besittings met mekaar gedeel. Dikwels wanneer mense suksevol is begin hulle opgaar en bestaan die gevaar dat hulle trots word en dink hulle dat hulle sonder God kan regkom.
“Trotsheid kom voor die verbreking, en hoogmoed kom voor die val. Dit is beter om nederig van gees te wees saam met die ootmoediges as om buit te verdeel met die trotsaards.”
SPREUKE 16:18-19 AFR53
Jesus is ons rolmodel. Hy het Homself van 12 jaar oud reeds besig gehou met Sy Vader se dinge. Jesus moes geestelik groei en daarom moet ons ook.
“En ná drie dae het hulle Hom in die tempel gevind, terwyl Hy in die midde van die leraars sit en na hulle luister en hulle uitvra. En almal wat Hom gehoor het, was verbaas oor sy verstand en sy antwoorde. En Hy sê vir hulle: Waarom het u My gesoek? Het u nie geweet dat Ek in die dinge van my Vader moet wees nie? En Jesus het toegeneem in wysheid en grootte en in genade by God en die mense.”
LUKAS 2:46-47, 49, 52 AFR53
Jesus het Sy volgelinge weer uitgestuur om God se werk te doen. Jesus het nie ‘n “mega” kerk gebou nie, maar Hy het Sy volgelinge die waarheid omtrent Sy liefdevolle Vader geleer. Wanneer Jesus mense genees het, het hulle uitgegaan en vir ander daarvan vertel. Die kennis oor Jesus en wat Hy gedoen het moes nie vir jouself gehou word nie, maar dit moet versprei word. Jesus het nie onnodige aandag op Homself geplaas nie, maar altyd na Sy Vader verwys. Daar was ‘n natuurlike vloei van lewende water.
“U is 'n fontein van die tuine, 'n put met lewende water wat van die Líbanon afvloei.”
HOOGLIED 4:15 AFR53
Kerke moenie probeer om lidmate te versamel nie. Lidmate moet geestelik groei sodat hulle kan uitbeweeg en hulle eie missie uitvoer. Onthou in Jesus se tyd moes Hy tempel toe gaan om die Woord te lees. Daarna het Jesus die mense in die tempel en op straat geleer. Jesus het die Heilige Gees gestuur om ons almal te leer. Vandag het almal in ons land toegang tot ‘n gedrukte of ‘n elektroniese Bybel. In die Nuwe Testament is elkeen van ons ‘n tempel. As jy ‘n tempel is word dit jou verantwoordelikheid om kennis te verkry en die Heilige Gees sal jou openbaring gee. Jou tempel benodig die Lewende Water. As jy ‘n leier is moet jy die liggaam van God opbou sodat hulle kan uitgaan en hulle missie uitvoer. Water wat stilstaan vrot en stink. Sonder ‘n natuurlike vloei sal daar probleme ontstaan. Mense en hulle volgelinge raak arrogant wanneer hulle ‘n opgaar mentaliteit het. Jesus het ons gewaarsku dat daar in die eindtyd vals gesalfdes sal wees - Matthéüs 24:5. Jesus het God se koninkryk gebou en dit is ook ons doel hier op Aarde. Ons moenie ons eie koninkryk bou nie. God moet verheerlik word en nie mense nie.
“Want my volk het twee verkeerde dinge gedoen: My, die fontein van lewende water, het hulle verlaat om vir hulle reënbakke uit te kap, gebarste reënbakke wat geen water hou nie.”
JEREMIA 2:13 AFR53
Die Samaritaanse vrou illustreer hoe ons as sondige vreemdelinge vir Jesus vind - Johannes 4:1-30. Daarna het die vrou vir ander van Jesus vertel en hulle kon ook gered word. Ons kan die Lewende Water drink en dit dan uitgee aan ander.
“maar elkeen wat drink van die water wat Ek hom sal gee, sal in ewigheid nooit dors kry nie, maar die water wat Ek hom sal gee, sal in hom word 'n fontein van water wat opspring tot in die ewige lewe.”
JOHANNES 4:14 AFR53
Dra jy en jou gemeente goeie vrugte?
Is daar ‘n gesonde uitvloei van finansies om die weduwees en weeskinders te versorg?
Is daar ‘n uitvloei van lidmate wat hulle eie roeping gevind het?
Vloei die Heilige Gees vrylik?
“Hy wat in My glo, soos die Skrif sê: strome van lewende water sal uit sy binneste vloei.”
JOHANNES 7:38 AFR53
THERE IS A NATURAL FLOW IN GOD’S KINGDOM
Everything on earth was designed according to a heavenly model. It starts in Genesis and ends in Revelations. There was a river in Eden that parted to form 4 rivers that flowed out to other areas - Genesis 2:10-14.
Ezekiel saw a river flowing from under the temple. Ezekiel moved deeper and deeper into the water symbolizing our deeper walk of intimacy with God - Ezekiel 47. When this life is over we will see this river flowing.
Zechariah 14:8-9 MEV
On that day living water will flow out from Jerusalem, half to the Dead Sea and the other half to the Mediterranean Sea. This will happen for the summer as well as the winter. [9] And the LORD will be king over all the earth. In that day it will be-"The LORD is one," and His name is one.
Revelation 22:1-2 TPT
Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, flowing with water clear as crystal, continuously pouring out from the throne of God and of the Lamb. [2] The river was flowing in the middle of the street of the city, and on either side of the river was the Tree of Life, with its twelve kinds of ripe fruit according to each month of the year. The leaves of the Tree of Life are for the healing of the nations.
God desires a natural flow and not a hoarding mentality. The Father warned the kings in the Old Testament not to stock up riches or have multiple wives - Deuteronomy 17:16-17. Later we read how Solomon and Hezekiah start off as good kings, but then brag about their riches and come to a fall - 1 Kings 10, 2 Kings 20. Solomon and David also wanted more than 1 wife and ended up sinning - 1 Kings 11, 2 Samuel 11. David was proud and wanted to count how many people were in his kingdom - 2 Samuel 11. Numerous kings wanted to build their own kingdom and had a hoarding mentality. David repented of his sins and God called him “a man after His own heart” - Acts 13:22. The Israelites were only allowed to collect extra manna for the Sabbath. The church in Acts shared their belongings. Often when people are successful they start hoarding earthly possessions that cause pride and they stop being dependent on God.
Proverbs 16:16-18 MEV
How much better to get wisdom than gold! And to get understanding is to be chosen rather than silver! [17] The highway of the upright is to depart from evil; he who keeps his way preserves his soul. [18] Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.
Jesus is our role model. At 12 years old He was already about His Father’s business. Jesus had to grow spiritually and therefore we should too.
Luke 2:46-47,49,52 MEV
After three days they found Him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. [47] All who heard Him were astonished at His understanding and His answers. [49] He said to them, "How is it that you searched for Me? Did you not know that I must be about My Father's business?" [52] And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and men.
Jesus never counted or tried to “collect” followers. He sent His disciples out to do God’s work. Jesus didn’t build a “mega church”. He taught and equipped His disciples and then sent them out. Once you know Jesus you want others to know Him too. Jesus didn’t place attention on Himself, He always spoke about His Father and gave Him honour. There was always a natural flow of living water.
Song of Solomon 4:15 AMPC
You are a fountain [springing up] in a garden, a well of living waters, and flowing streams from Lebanon.
We can’t have a hoarding of members inside the church. The church must equip their members to mature so that they can finish their calling. In Bible times people had to go to the temple to hear the Word. Today we have access to multiple free electronic translations of the Bible. Each person must take charge of their own spiritual growth. When Jesus left He sent Holy Spirit to teach us. You are the temple now and God’s Spirit lives inside you. Your temple needs Living Water. If you are a leader you need to know that your purpose is to equip the body and not to collect followers. There needs to be a healthy flow of people finding their purpose and mission. Water that is stagnant will have a bad odour and can cause diseases. Without a natural flow in a church problems will arise. Jesus warned us that there will be false anointed ones in the last day - Matthew 24:5. Jesus built God’s Kingdom and not His own. We shouldn’t attempt to build our own kingdom. Only God should be glorified through us, and not other people.
Jeremiah 2:13 AMPC
For My people have committed two evils: they have forsaken Me, the Fountain of living waters, and they have hewn for themselves cisterns, broken cisterns which cannot hold water.
The Samaritan woman at the well illustrates how a sinful person finds Jesus - John 4:1-30. She drank from the Living Water and then shared it with other Samaritans.
John 4:14 MEV
but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water that I shall give him will become in him a well of water springing up into eternal life."
Are you and your congregation carrying good spiritual fruit?
Is there a natural flow of resources flowing out to help the poor, widows and orphans?
Are mature Christians encouraged to fulfill their calling?
Is the move of Holy Spirit welcomed?
John 7:38 MEV
He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart shall flow rivers of living water."