1 John 1… … … …

1 John 1 (New International Version)

The Word of Life

¹That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched—this we proclaim concerning the Word of life. ²The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us. ³We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. ⁴We write this to make our joy complete.

Walking in the light

⁵This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. ⁶If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth. ⁷But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.

⁸If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. ⁹If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. ¹⁰If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives.

1 John 1 (Amplified Bible)

¹[WE ARE writing] about the Word of Life [in] Him Who existed from the beginning, Whom we have heard, Whom we have seen with our [own] eyes, Whom we have gazed upon [for ourselves] and have touched with our [own] hands.

²And the Life [an aspect of His being] was revealed (made manifest, demonstrated), and we saw [as eyewitnesses] and are testifying to and declare to you the Life, the eternal Life [in Him] Who already existed with the Father and Who [actually] was made visible (was revealed) to us [His followers].

³What we have seen and [ourselves] heard, we are also telling you, so that you too may realize and enjoy fellowship as partners and partakers with us. And [this] fellowship that we have [which is a distinguishing mark of Christians] is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ (the Messiah).

⁴And we are now writing these things to you so that our joy [in seeing you included] may be full [and your joy may be complete].

⁵And this is the message [the message of promise] which we have heard from Him and now are reporting to you: God is Light, and there is no darkness in Him at all [no, not in any way].

⁶[So] if we say we are partakers together and enjoy fellowship with Him when we live and move and are walking about in darkness, we are [both] speaking falsely and do not live and practice the Truth [which the Gospel presents].

⁷But if we [really] are living and walking in the Light, as He [Himself] is in the Light, we have [true, unbroken] fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses (removes) us from all sin and guilt [keeps us cleansed from sin in all its forms and manifestations].

⁸If we say we have no sin [refusing to admit that we are sinners], we delude and lead ourselves astray, and the Truth [which the Gospel presents] is not in us [does not dwell in our hearts].

⁹If we [freely] admit that we have sinned and confess our sins, He is faithful and just (true to His own nature and promises) and will forgive our sins [dismiss our lawlessness] and [continuously] cleanse us from all unrighteousness [everything not in conformity to His will in purpose, thought, and action].

¹⁰If we say (claim) we have not sinned, we contradict His Word and make Him out to be false and a liar, and His Word is not in us [the divine message of the Gospel is not in our hearts].

Discipline in your faith Part 13 – Misconceptions about Meditation Part 6

Die eerste Innerlike Dissipline wat Richard Foster (in sy boek “Celebration of Discipline”) noem, is meditasie. (Alle aanhalings is uit sy boek.) In die vorige paar inskrywings het ons gekyk na die misverstande aangaande meditasie. Vandag gaan ek net die misverstande wat genoem is, opsom.

The first on the Inward Disciplines, that Richard Foster (in his book “Celebration of Discipline”) mentions, is meditation. (All quotes are taken from his book). In the previous few blogs, we looked at a few misconceptions regarding meditation. Today I will list the misconceptions in short.

1. Meditation belongs only to Eastern religions, and has no place in Christianity.
2. Christian meditation is the same thing as Eastern meditation, and thus very dangerous.

We saw that the aim of Christian meditation is to fill a person’s mind, and that the aim of Eastern meditation is to empty the person’s mind. Thus it is not even closely the same thing. Another aim of Eastern meditation is the detachment from the world, as well as to lose the person’s individuality. Christian meditation teaches a detachment from the confusion around us so that we can have a deeper attachment to God. Christian meditation helps us to achieve inner wholeness, which is necessary to give ourselves freely to God.

3. Meditation is too difficult and/or too complicated.

Meditation is, in fact, very easy, and needs no special abilities, gifts, powers or techniques.

4. Meditation (contemplation) is impractical, because it puts the person who practice it out of touch of the “real world”.

Meditation is the one thing that can redirect our lives in such a way that we can deal with human life successfully. It’s even said that meditation has no point and no reality unless it is rooted in life.

5. Meditation is a religious form of psychological manipulation.

Meditation is actually not about us. It is all about our encounter with God. It is all about resting in the One who has found us in the first place, who loves us, who is near to us, who comes to us to draw us to Him.

1. Meditasie hoort by Oosterse godsdienste, en het geen plek in Christenskap nie.
2. Christelike meditasie is dieselfde ding as Oosterse meditasie, en dus baie gevaarlik.

Ons het gesien dat die doel van Christelike meditasie is om die persoon se gedagtes te vul, terwyl die doel van Oosterse meditasie is om die persoon se gedagtes leeg te maak. ‘n Verdere doel van Oosterse meditasie is die losmaking van die wêreld, asook dat die persoon sy/haar individuliteit sal verloor. Christelike meditasie leer ‘n losmaking van die deurmekaar wêreld om ons, soda tons ‘n dieper verbintenis met God kan hê. Christelike meditasie help ons om innerlike heelheid te ervaar, wat nodig is om onsself vrylik aan God oor te gee.

3. Meditasie is te moeilik en/of te ingewikkeld.

Meditasie is in der waarheid baie maklik, en vereis geen spesiale kwaliteite, gawes, krag of tegnieke nie.

4. Meditasie (kontemplasie/oordenking) is onprakties, omdat dit die persoon wat dit toepas uit pas uit haal met die “regte wêreld”.

Meditasie is die een ding wat ons lewens op so ‘n manier kan rig dat ons suksesvol met die lewe kan omgaan. Daar word selfs gesê dat meditasie geen punt en geen realiteit het as dit nie gewortel is in die lewe nie.

5. Meditasie is ‘n godsdienstige vorm van fisiologiese manipulasie.

Meditasie gaan egter nie oor ons nie. Dit gaan alles oor ons ontmoeting met God. Dit gaan oor die rus in Hom wat ons in die eerste plek gevind het, wat ons lief het, wat naby aan ons is, wat naby aan ons is om ons na Hom toe te trek.

Nuusbrief 1… 2010…

Ek is nie seker hoe om hierdie nuusbrief te begin nie. Ek sal maar sê…

Geagte leser

‘n Paar mense in Rustenburg het my gevra om hulle op hoogte te hou met hoe dit met my gaan in hierdie jaar. Ek het gedink ek sal hulle sommer nou en dan ‘n eenvoudige SMS stuur. Totdat ek besef het dat e-mail dalk heelwat makliker (en goedkoper!) gaan wees!

Dit is nou al in die derde week van die nuwe jaar – wel, die derde week van die studiejaar. En dit voel of dit ‘n vierde jaar is! Wat werkslading betref, voel dit soos graad11 in vergelyking van graad 10. Toe ek by die skool gewerk het (en nogsteeds, as ek met skoliere praat), is ek altyd amazed met hoe die graad 10’s skool geniet, terwyl hulle skielik kla oor die hoeveelheid werk in graad 11. Dit is seker iets wat mens moet verwag. Werk moet meer raak soos wat jy vorder in ‘n kursus – skool-“kursus” óf studiekursus.

Ek sal maar begin by my studiewerk. Ek het hierdie jaar ‘n pragtige hoeveelheid van 32 vakke. Dit is “darem” kwartaalvakke, so dit is nie so erg soos wat dit klink nie. Ek vertel vir almal hoe dankbaar ek is date k klaar is met Grieks. Laat ek net die drie of vier wat my kwalik kan neem oor daardie stelling gerus stel. Ek hou van Grieks. Ek moes egter Grieks deur gekom het verlede jaar sodat ek hierdie jaar vierde jaar kan wees.

Ek het vandag ‘n baie interessante taak ingegee. Dit was vir NTW451 (die vakkode vir Nuwe Testamentiese Wetenskap, vierde jaar, eerste kwartaal). Dit het gegaan oor die “nuwe perspektiewe” oor Paulus. Baie interessant. Baie insiggewend.

Gepraat van insiggewend… Ek het hierdie kwartaal ook ‘n vak waarin ons leer van die Kerkorde en Kerkreg. Dit is actually nogal interessant, al klink dit vreeslik boring.

Verlede jaar het ek baie onttrek by die gemeente waar ek bedien het. ‘n Groot rede was omdat ek Grieks wou en móés deur kom! Hierdie jaar doen ek nie Grieks nie. Dit beteken ek kan weer meer betrokke wees! Ek was vandag by die kerk, en ek het weer myself aangebied om in C-Team en GAP in te skakel. Ek sal later meer sê oor albei.

Ek is nou al meer as twee weke gelede in Rustenburg gewees. Ek moet erken, ek mis die Rusties (en ‘n paar Bergsig, Grenswag en AoG mense ook) vrek baie! En met my foon wat nou al meer as twee weke lank nie reg is nie, voel dit regtig of ek afgesny is van my “familie”. Ek hoop om binne die volgende twee weke te kom kuier.

Gepraad van kuier… Ek hoop julle sien so baie uit na die Super 16 soos ek! Ek dink dit gaan huge wees hierdie jaar! Ek weet julle gaan my trots maak. En nou bedoel ek sommer elkeen wat daar gaan wees, en nie net die Topskool (RHS) nie… Almal wat van Pretoria en omgewing kom, moet nie julle suntanlotion vergeet op 2 Maart nie! By the way, is daar enigiemand wat vir my kan laat weet watter skole daar gaan deelneem?

Hierdie eerste kort nuusbrief was maar net ‘n “bekendstellingsbrief”. Ek sal van volgende keer af meer skryf.

Ek wil graag iets vra. Ek weet daar is alreeds heelwat mense wat vir my bid, in Rustenburg en Pretoria, en selfs in Kinross, Zeerust en Potchefstroom. Ek wil vra dat julle nie sal ophou bid nie. Ek het netnou getik van die 32 kwartaalvakke nie so erg is as wat dit klink nie. Dit is egter nogsteeds 32 vakke, wat ek alles móét slaag om verder te gaan met my studies volgende jaar. Bid ook asseblief vir my finansies. Dit gaan maar soms moeilik daar ook.

As jy dalk die nuusbrief na jou persoonlike e-mail adres wil ontvang, stuur jou inligting vir my asseblief. My adres is freddiedelange@yahoo.com. Merk die e-mail “nuusbrief-inligting”.

Mag elkeen wat hier gelees het ‘n baie geseënde tyd hê. Mag julle, al lyk omstandighede hoe sleg lyk, God beleef op besondere maniere. Ek wil graag Jeremia 29:11-13 vir julle gee: “Ek weet wat Ek vir julle bepan, sê die Here: voorspoed en nie teenspoed nie; Ek wil vir julle ‘n toekoms gee, ‘n verwagting!” En hoekom gee Hy vir ons ‘n toekoms en ‘n verwagting? Sodat dit kan goed gaan met ons? Miskien, ja. Maar meer as dit! “Dan sal julle My aanroep, tot My kom bid, en ek sal julle gebede verhoor. Julle sal vra na My wil en julle sal dan My wil ken as julle met julle hele hart daarna vra.” Ek bid dat julle, elke keer wat julle met God praat, julle Homs al beleef. Ek bid dat julle die Een wat gebede beantwoord sal wil ervaar, eerder as dat julle jul gebede beantwoord wil hê.

Geniet die week

Freddie “Fredz” de Lange

Discipline in your faith Part 12 – Misconceptions about Meditation Part 5

Die eerste Innerlike Dissipline wat Richard Foster (in sy boek “Celebration of Discipline”) noem, is meditasie. (Alle aanhalings is uit sy boek.) In die vorige inskrywing het ons gekyk na hoe baie mense glo dat meditasie daartoe lei dat mense kontak en medelye verloor met die alledaagse, gewone lewe. Ons het egter gesien dat meditasie mens juis help om die “alledaagse lewe” beter te hanteer. Vandag kyk ons na miskien die grootste misverstand aangaande meditasie: om meditasie as godsdienstige vorm te sien as sielkundige manipulasie.

The first on the Inward Disciplines, that Richard Foster (in his book “Celebration of Discipline”) mentions, is meditation. (All quotes are taken from his book). In the previous blog we talked about the misconception that people have, in that they believe that meditation leads people to loose contact and compassion with the everyday, normal life. We saw, though, that meditation can help people to handle the “everyday life” much better. Today we will look as perhaps the most common misconception regarding meditation: to view meditation as a religious form of psychological manipulation.

 

Meditation may be valuable in that it helps to get our blood pressure down on to relieve our tension. It may even help us with meaningful insights by helping us get in touch with our subconscious mind. “If you feel that we live in a purely physical universe, you will view meditation as a good way to obtain a constant alpha brain-wave pattern.”

“But if you believe that we live in a universe created by the infinite-personal God who delights in our communion with him, you will see meditation as communication between the Lover and the one beloved.”

Meditasie kan dalk handig wees omdat dit help om ons bloeddruk te laat daal of om spanning te verlig. Dit kan ons selfs help om betekenisvolle insigte te bekom, deurdat dit help om ons in kontak te bring met ons onderbewussyn. Indien jy voel dat ons in ‘n suiwer fisiese heelal lewe, sal jy selfs glo dat meditasie ‘n goeie manier is om ‘n konstante gelyke golflengte vir jou brein te kry.

Maar indien jy glo in ‘n heelal wat geskep is deur ‘n ewig-persoonlike God wie gemeenskap verlang met ons, sal jy meditasie sien as kommunikasie tussen die “Lover of our souls” (Liefhebber) en die een wat geliefd is.

These two concepts of meditation are complete opposites.

• On the one hand, we are confined to a totally human experience. It talks about the exploration of the subconscious.
• On the other hand, we are catapulted into a divine-human encounter. It talks about us resting in him whom we have found, who loves us, who is near to us, and who comes to us to draw us to himself.

Both may sound religious and can even use all sorts of religious words, but the first one can ultimately find no place for spiritual reality.

Hierdie twee konsepte van meditasie is totale teenoorstaande konsepte.

• Aan die een kant word ons vasgevang in ‘n totale menslike belewenis. Dit praat van die ontdekking van die onderbewussyn.
• Aan die ander kant word ons opgehef tot ‘n goddelik-menslike ontmoeting. Dit praat van ons wat in Hom wat deur ons gevind is rus, Hom wat ons lief het, Hy wat naby ons is, en Hy wat na ons toe kom om ons na Hom toe te trek.

Beide klink baie godsdienstige en kan selfs allerhande godsdienstige woorde bevat, maar die eerste een kan uiteindelik geen plek vind vir geestelike realiteit nie.

In the next blog, we will look at another concept relating to meditation, and that is to desire the living voice of God.

In the meantime, I leave you with a challenge, witch Richard Foster also gives:

Take an experiential attitude towards spiritual realities. Like any other (scientific) endeavour, we form a hypothesis and experiment with it to see if it is true or not. If our first experiment fails, we don’t suddenly label it as fraudulent; we re-examine our procedure, maybe adjust our hypothesis, and try again. We should at least have the honesty to persevere in this work to the same degree we would in any other field of science.

The fact that so many are unwilling to do so, might be more indicative of their prejudice, and not of their intelligence.

In die volgende skrywe sal ons kyk na ‘n ander konsep wat verband hou met meditasie, en dit is om die lewende stem van God te begeer.

Intussen wil ek jou uitdaag met dieselfde uitdaging wat Richard Foster gee”

Neem ‘n wetenskaplike uitgangspunt tot die geestelike realiteite. Soos enige ander (wetenskaplike) onderneming, vorm ons sekere veronderstellings en dan eksperimenteer ons daarmee om te sien of dit waar is of nie. Indien ons eerste eksperiment nie slaag nie, merk ons dit nie onmiddelik as vals nie, maar herevalueer die prosedure, pas dalk die veronderstellings aan, en probeer weer. Ons moet ten minste eerlik wees en die werk tot ‘n mate behou, soos in enige ander wetenskaplike veld.

Die feit dat so baie onwillig is om so te maak, wys dalk eerder na hulle voorveronderstellings, en nie na hulle intelligensie nie.