Introduction:
Another year (2005) has passed. A new year lies ahead of us. What has the new year in store for us? What is going to happen this year?
A few Questions:
1. How was 2005 for you? A wonderful year that you won't easily forget (a good year) or a year that you do not want to remember because of what has happened to you or because of what you have done wrong (a bad year)?
2. What did you do for the Lord during 2005?
3. Did you live and do everything to the glory of God? (1 Cor. 10 v 31; 6 v 20)
4. If you have to appear before Jesus Christ's judgment seat now (2 Cor. 5 v 10), how will your life-report look like? Will you pass the test of fire that awaits each and every born-again believer? (1 Cor. 3 v 11 - 15)
5. Are you ready and prepared to die now and stand before God (Amos 4 v 12c) to give an account of your life? (Eccl. 12 v 14; Rom. 14 v 12; 1 Peter 4 v 5) What do you think God will say to you? Will He say Matt. 7 v 21 - 23 and 25 v 41 to you or will He say Matt. 25 v 34?
* If you could answer positive on each of these questions, then praise the Lord! Keep on living to the glory of God and be an example to others.
* If your answer is negative , then the next questions: Why? What happened? What were your problems? What did you do that caused you to fail to live to the glory of God and doing something for the Lord during 2005?
Let us be serious and examine ourselves (2 Cor. 18 v 5a-c; Gal. 6 v 4) honestly on the basis of God's Revelation (His Word of Truth) and under the illuminating light of God's Holy Spirit (John 16 v 8), in order to find out exactly what happened and what we have really been doing or not doing during 2005; regarding the following:
YOU AND GOD
Your relationship and fellowship with God:
Do you still have a relationship with God? Yes, you still have a relationship with God, because you are born-again and therefore, you are still God's child. However, in spite of the fact that you may still have a relationship with God (because God won't reject you if you are a disobedient child of God. Obedient or disobedient, you are and will still be God's child), did you fellowship with God? (1 John 1 v 3 b-c; 1 Cor. 1 v 9c; 2 Cor. 13 v 14c). This is something else (not the same as a relationship with God). This means: Did you spend quality (how well) and quantity (how much) time with God?
Have you been busy with God? ( not God's works because many believers - Christian Believers, as well as unbelievers and believers from other religions - keep themselves busy with God's works and religious works on a daily basis)? Like in many marriages a couple may still be in relationship to each other because of the fact that they are legally and officially married but it does not always mean that they (still) have fellowship with each other (meaning: spending time together and attending to each other's needs). They can still be married but at the same time, have and / or experience marriage problems.
The same way in a Believer's relationship with God. If I have to ask you the following questions:
“How's things between you and God”, what would your answer be? Are you still in love with God? When last did you have an appointment with your God? When last did you hear God's Voice? When last did you spend time with God in reading, studying, memorising, meditating God's Word, as well as to spend time in prayer: thanking, praising, worshipping God, waiting on God for guidance, cleansing yourself spiritually through confession and praying for yourself as well as praying for other people? When last did you listen to and obey God's Word and the Voice of God's Holy Spirit? Did you spend time with God by fellowshipping with Him on a daily basis? WHAT would your answers be? Be honest and straightforward with yourself.
* If your answer is positive, then a next question: Has your life shown a definite change for the better and have you been a better example to others than the previous year (2004) or has nothing changed? (meaning: you are still the same!) Only others who have watched and looked at you and your life could tell. What will other people and / or Believers say about you and your life?
* If your answer is negative, then the next question will be: Why? Why didn't or could you not do the things you were supposed to do? What were the reasons for failing to do what you had to do?
YOU AND OTHER PEOPLE
1. Your Marriage, Home and Family Life:
Your relationship and fellowship with your wife / husband / child(ren):
a) The husband:
i) Have you fulfilled your role and responsibility as priest of your home? (1 Peter 3 v 7)
ii) Did you - according to God's commands - love your wife as Jesus Christ has loved His Body, the Born-again Believers? (Eph. 5 v 25, 28, 33; Col. 3 v 19)
iii) Have you attended to the spiritual, emotional and physical needs of your wife and child(ren) or not?
iv) Did you train up your child(ren) in the ways of the Lord or not? (Prov. 22 v 6; Eph. 6 v 4)?
b) The wife:
i) Have you been a helpmeet to your husband in his life and everywhere? (Gen. 2 v 18)
ii) Have you - according to God's commands - submit yourself to your husband or not? (Eph. 5 v 22; Col. 3 v 18; 1 Peter 3 v 1)
iii) Have you also loved your husband and child(ren)? (Tit. 2 v 4b-c)
iv) Have you also attended to the spiritual, emotional and physical needs of your husband and child(ren) or not?
c) The child(ren):
Regardless of your age, have you shown love, respect and obedience to your parents or not? (Eph. 6 v 1 - 2); Col. 3 v 20)
2. Your relationship and fellowship with other Born-again Believers:
 How are things between you and other Believer(s)? Do you practise fellowship with other Believers or not? (1 John 1 v 3b) Did you express and show love to your brothers and sisters in the Lord or not? (John 13 v 34; 15 v 12; 1 John 4 v 21; Rom. 12 v 10a; 1 Peter 4 v 8; 1 John 3 v 11) Did you encourage, support, exhort, discipline, help, comfort and pray for other Believers or not? (Rom. 15 v 1; Eph. 4 v 32; Col. 3 v 18; 1 Thess. 5 v 11, 25; Hebrews 3 v 13; 10 v 24)
Heinrich Kutzner (HoH) of Pretoria
To be continued ............
Part 2 in the next Issue ... |
