Simple Words, Part 18

 

Buah Roh - Kesetiaan

Pendahuluan

 

Dalam bahasa Yunani, kata kesetiaan berasal dari kata yang sama dengan iman. Tentu yang menjadikan dasar dari kesetiaan kita kepada Tuhan adalah iman kita kepadaNya. Pada saat kita memikirkan kata kesetiaan, secara tidak langsung kita akan diingatkan mengenai dua karakter lain yaitu keteguhan dan dapat diandalkan. Bila kita memiliki iman dalam Tuhan, kita akan menjadi seseorang yang teguh dalam menjalani hidup dan dalam hidup ini kita dapat menjadi seseorang yang dapat diandalkan oleh Tuhan dan orang lain.

Sebaliknya, ketidak setiaan berarti tidak dapat diandalkan. Kantor-kantor dan perusahaan tidak suka pekerja yang tidak dapat diandalkan. Pasangan juga tidak akan dapat bertahan lama apabila salah satu dari mereka tidak setia. Dalam hal yang sama juga, Tuhan tidak dapat memakai hamba yang tidak setia. Tuhan melatih setiap hamba-hambaNya dengan memberikan mereka tanggung jawab yang kecil sebelum mempercayakan tanggung jawab yang lebih besar lagi kepada mereka.

Kesetiaan juga berarti kejujuran dan integritas. Seseorang yang setia akan melakukan tugasnya walaupun pada saat bossnya tidak ada di kantor. Dia akan melakukan pekerjaannya dengan baik tanpa harus diawasi. Seseorang yang tidak setia hanya mengerjakan tugasnya saat dia merasa dia diharuskan. Pada saat lainnya dia tidak akan menuruti peraturan yang sudah diberikan.

Apakah kita orang Kristen yang setia? Apakah kita teguh dalam iman kita kepadaNya?

Sudahkah kita setia dalam panggilanNya dalam hidup kita, dapatkah kita diandalkan dalam pekerjaan yang sudah diberikanNya dan taat kepada perintahNya? Tuhan Yesus selalu setia. Dia menghargai kesetiaan dan oleh karena itu Dia mau agar setiap dari pada kita untuk dapat setia selamanya (Wahyu 2:10)

1. Belajar dari kesetiaan Tuhan

·  Kesetiaan Tuhan bukanlah hal yang sementara; dari mulanya Allah adalah setia

· Kesetiaan Tuhan berasal dari surga. Oleh karena itu kesetiaannya tidak terbatas oleh keadaan ataupun situasi

·  Saat Dia mau kita untuk menunggu waktuNya, bukan berarti Dia tidak setia

·  KesetiaanNya tidak akan meninggalkan kita walaupun saat Dia mendidik kita

· Kesetiaan Tuhan bukan bersifat pasif. Kesetiaannya akan menjangkau dan menolong siapapun yang memanggil namaNya

Dengan cara yang sama, kesetiaan kita kepada Tuhan dan orang-orang disekitar kitapun harus tetap. Jangan biarkan sitiuasi, keadaan dan juga ketidak setiaan orang lain merubah karakter kita. Kawan memukul dengan maksud baik, tetapi seorang lawan mencium dengan berlimpah-limpah (Amsal 27:6). Dalam kesetiaan, kita harus menasehati saudara kita apabila mereka melakukan kesalahan.

2. Menanamkan kesetiaan

 a. Kesetiaan berdasarkan dengan ketaatanSaat kita berkomitmen untuk mentaati Firman 
    Tuhan, kita akan belajar untuk hidup setia. Disaat banyak orang memilih untuk meninggalkan 
   kebenaran Firman, kita tetap setia karena kita mentaati perintah Tuhan. Aku telah memilih 
   jalan kebenaran, telah menempatkan hukum-hukumMu dihadapanku (Mzm 119:30)

b. Kesetiaan berdasarkan dengan takut akan Tuhan
Saat kita takut (rasa cinta, kekaguman dan hormat) kepada Tuhan, kita tidak perlu takut pada 
hal-hal lainnya. Dalam 2 Taw 19:9, Yosafat memberikan perintah yang sangat baik kepada 
bangsa Lewi – Ia memerintahkan mereka: “Kamu harus bertindak dengan takut akan Tuhan, 
dengan setia dan tulus hati.”

Dengan takut akan Tuhan, kita akan melayaninya dengan sepenuh hati. Memberikan yang terbaik dan mempersiapkan pelayanan dengan baik. Ini akan terlihat berbeda dibandingkan apabila kita melayani dengan sikap yang “seenaknya saja” saat kita tidak menghormati Raja diatas segala Raja.

Dengan sikap yang sama, kita harus setia kepada pasangan kita, kepada siapa kita akan mengikat perjanjian dihadapan Tuhan, dengan takut akan Tuhan.

c. Kesetiaan berdasarkan dengan kedatangan Tuhan untuk kedua kalinya
Hamba yang setia  akan tetap setia dan berjaga-jaga menantikan Tuannya. Orang Kristen 
yang menanti-nantikan kedatangan Tuhan akan setia menjalankan panggilan dan tugas-
tugasnya. Mereka akan berkerja keras di ladangnya, mengembangkan talenta mereka dan 
siap untuk melayani Tuhannya saat Dia datang kembali.

Dalam Matius 24:44-51, Tuhan menceritakan tentang dua tipe hamba. Tentu setiap dari kita mau menjadi hamba yang setia dan bijaksana. Hamba yang dipercaya Tuannya. Hamba yang seperti ini harus tetap setia mengerjakan semua tugasnya agar saat Tuannya kembali, mereka akan didapati telah melakukan pekerjaannya dengan baik.

Tuhan melanjutkan dengan perumpamaan tentang talenta dalam Matius 25:14 dan selanjutnya. Hamba yang setia mengerjakan talenta yang sudah diberikan dan melipat gandakannya sampai kedatangan Tuannya. Dengan cara yang sama, kitapun harus menggunakan talenta, pemberian dan kasih karunia yang sudah Tuhan berikan selama hidup ini.

Marilah kita tetap setia terhadap panggilanNya dalam hidup kita sampai akhir masa.

Kesimpulan

Kita membutuhkan Tuhan untuk membantu agar kita dapat tetap setia. Tanpa pertolongannya sangat sulit untuk kita dapat setia. Namun degan kita taat kepada Tuhan dan dengan belajar untuk menanamkan kesetiaan, kita dapat membina hubungan yang dapat bertahan lama.

Biarlah nama Tuhan dimuliakan melalui buah roh yang ada dalam hidup kita! Haleluya!

Source :

http://www.bcs.org.sg/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=538:buah-roh-kesetiaan&catid=34:cool-sharing-material&Itemid=77

A Glass of Milk (Segelas susu)

One day, a poor boy who was selling goods from door to door to pay his way through school, found he had only one thin dime left, and he was hungry.

He decided he would ask for a meal at the next house. However, he lost his nerve when a lovely young woman opened the door. Instead of a meal he asked for a drink of water. She thought he looked hungry so brought him a large glass of milk. He drank it slowly, and then asked, "How much do I owe you?" "You don't owe me anything," she replied. "Mother has taught us never to accept pay for a kindness." He said..... "Then I thank you from my heart."

As Howard Kelly left that house, he not only felt stronger physically, but his faith in God and man was strong also. He had been ready to give up and quit.

Year's later that young woman became critically ill. The local doctors were baffled. They finally sent her to the big city, where they called in specialists to study her rare disease. Dr. Howard Kelly ! was called in for the consultation. When he heard the name of the town she came from, a strange light filled his eyes. Immediately he rose and went down the hall of the hospital to room. Dressed in his doctor's gown he went in to see her. He recognized her at once. He went back to the consultation room determined to do his best to save her life. From that day he gave special attention to the case. After a long struggle, the battle was won.

Dr. Kelly requested the business office to pass the final bill to him for approval. He looked at it, then wrote something on the edge and the bill was sent to her room. She feared to open it, for she was sure it would take the rest of her life to pay for it all. Finally she looked, and something caught her attention on the side of the bill. She read these words..... "Paid in full with one glass of milk"

Signed Dr. Howard Kelly. Tears of joy flooded her eyes as her happy heart prayed: "Thank You, God, that Your love has spread abroad through human hearts and hands."

Source :  
http://www.truthorfiction.com/rumors/o/oneglassofmilk.htm
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Suatu hari seorang pemuda miskin yang menjual barang dari pintu ke pintu untuk membayar biaya sekolahnya, saat itu dia sedang lapar dan tidak memiliki uang sepeserpun. Dia memutuskan untuk meminta makanan dirumah berikutnya. Namun, dia kehilangan keberaniannya ketika seorang wanita cantik membuka pintu rumahnya. Alih-alih meminta makan, dia malah meminta air putih.

Wanita itu berpikir, sepertinya pemuda ini lapar, maka dia membawakan segelas susu. Dia meminumnya secara perlahan, kemudian bertanya “Berapa banyak saya berhutang padamu ?”

“Kamu tidak berhutang apapun kepada saya.” jawabnya. “Ibu telah mengajarkan kita untuk tidak menerima apapun untuk kebaikan sesseorang”.

Pemuda itu mengatakan “Aku sangat berterima kasih dari lubuh hatiku yang paling dalam”. Kemudian pemuda ini meninggalkan rumah itu, dia tidak hanya merasakan kuat secara fisik, tetapi iman kepada Tuhan juga. Dia telah siap untuk tidak menyerah.

Beberapa tahun kemudian wanita muda itu jatuh sakit. Para dokter setempat bingung. Mereka akhirnya membawa wanita itu ke kota besar, dimana mereka memanggil dokter spesialis untuk mempelajari penyakit langka tersebut. Dr. Howard Kelly dipanggil untuk konsultasi. Ketika dia mendengar nama kota asalnya, cahaya aneh memenuhi matanya. Segera ia bangkit dan pergi menuruni aula rumah sakit untuk pergi ke kamar wanita itu.

Sambil mengenakan seragam dokternya, dia pergi menemui wanita itu. Dia langsung mengenalinya. Dia kembali ke ruang konsultasi dan memutuskan untuk melakukan yang terbaik untuk menyelamatkan nyawanya. Sejak hari itu dia memberikan perhatian lebih untuk kasus ini.

Setelah perjuangan yang panjang, akhirnya sang dokter memenangkannya (berhasil menyembuhkannya). Dokter Kelly meminta kantor bisnis untuk mengirimkan seluruh biaya pengobatan kepadanya untuk persetujuan.

Dr. Kelly melihatnya, kemudian dia menulis sesuatu ditepi, lalu tagihan itu dikirim ke kamar wanita itu. Wanita itu ketakutan untuk membukanya, karena ia yakin hal itu akan mengambil sisa hidupnya untuk membayar itu semua. Akhirnya dia melihat, dan sesuatu menarik perhatiannya pada bagian tepi tagihan.

Dia membaca kata-kata……

“Dibayar penuh dengan satu gelas susu”

(Ttd)

Dr. Howard Kelly

Air mata sukacita membanjiri matanya saat hatinya bahagia, dia berdo’a: “Terima kasih Tuhan, bahwa cinta Anda telah menyebar melalui hati dan tangan manusia.”

Source :
 http://billyboen.com/segelas-susu-a-glass-of-milk/

What Should You Look for in a Mate?

WHAT SHOULD A WOMAN LOOK FOR IN A HUSBAND?

1. The man should be committed to growing in his relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. 

Do not take on a fellow as a discipleship project. Don’t take on a husband who has merely mastered Bible trivia. Look for a husband who is serious about growing in grace and in his knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ. Imagine that he is going to be, in part, your shepherd and your guide; that he is going to be the spiritual leader of your home; that he is going to be the nurturer of your children together.

2. A husband should be an individual of obvious integrity.

  If you find him in an employee/employer situation fudging the issue in his sales calls, telling somebody that he can get the product to them in two weeks when he comes afterwards and tells you that actually he knew that he couldn’t get it there for four weeks, but he said that because he didn’t want to lose the sale — on the day he tells you that, you need to have a long, serious conversation with him. And if he seeks to under-gird his deceptiveness with argumentation, you should probably kiss him goodbye. You need a husband who is honest to the core, to a fault.

3. Look for a husband who is able to lead boldly. 

 Look for the kind of man who can think for himself, who can weigh options, and who can make good decisions. A girl should never settle for leadership that is selfish, bombastic, and domineering. The leadership of the Lord Jesus Christ, as espoused by the Apostles, is a leadership that is marked by an attitude of servanthood, an attitude that submits to the leadership of others.

The flip side of it, is that a young woman should be more than a little concerned if the fellow that she’s dating has to check with his mother all the time — ”I need to phone my mom about that,” and all he’s trying to decide is where he should buy the large or the medium t-shirt — you’ve got a problem there.

4. Look for a husband who displays the ability to love sacrificially. 

 For example, watch, at the end of an evening with friends, to see if this character is quick to organize and spearhead the cleanup, or whether he waits for everybody else to clean up. Observe the way he relates to children and to strangers. See if he possesses a willingness to hold doors for passersby with full arms. Watch his attitude to waitresses and to other people who are involved in serving the public.

5. A husband should be able to laugh heartily.  

Humor is a vital element in preventing marital failure. The ability to laugh doesn’t mean that he’s the class clown or even a joke-teller. In fact, he may be hopeless at telling jokes. That may be the funniest part about him. But it is important that he likes to laugh, and a key trait to look for is his willingness to laugh at himself. If he takes himself too seriously, look out.

6. A husband should model genuine humility. 

Simply put, a good husband shouldn’t be stuck on himself. Genuine humility keeps its focus on others. And if you find yourself in the company of somebody who cannot be an understudy, who can’t sit in the second chair, who has always got to be the theme of the story, the joke of the party, the success of the event, I want to suggest to you, girls, that you might want to take a long, hard look at whether you’re in the company of the person with whom you want to spend the rest of your life.

WHAT SHOULD A MAN LOOK FOR IN A WIFE:

1. A good wife must have a personal faith and trust in the Lord Jesus. 

 Don’t enter into an intimate relationship where one person is a Christian and the other is not. The Bible is clear —don’t get unequally yoked.

2. Look for a wife who possesses beauty that is deeper than the skin. 

 It is less important to find a woman whose beauty comes from time spent in front of a beauty parlor than from time spent in the presence of the Lord Jesus.

3. Look for a wife who is an initiative-taker with an attitude of submission. 

This simply parallels what we said previously about a man being a sacrificial leader. Any wise fellow is looking for a woman with ideas, abilities, hopes, plans, gifts, dreams, the whole panorama of abilities that she brings to marriage, because in entering into marriage in more areas than we are prepared to admit, we, as the husbands, will be dependent upon their knowledge, upon their insight, upon their courage, upon their faith, upon their expertise.

There will seldom be a day, as a man, when we do not have occasion to depend on multiple levels upon the wisdom, insight, initiative, grace, courage, faithfulness, integrity, skill, giftedness, of our wives.

4. A wife should build her husband’s confidence. 

Trustworthiness stems from character. A woman’s intrinsic qualities are revealed by her actions.

5. Look for a wife who displays kindness that touches others. 

 Women don’t have the exclusive ownership of the characteristic of kindness, but often they do a much better job in expressing compassion than most men. If you think about it, women that have marked our lives have often marked our thinking on account of their tenderness.

6. A wife, like a husband, should have a sense of humor that braves adversity. 

 The ability to laugh will get couples through more than a few rough spots.

Source :

 http://www.marriagemissions.com/what-should-you-look-for-in-a-mate/

We Are The Reason - Avalon

As little children we would dream of Christmas morn

Of all the gifts and toys we knew we’d find

But we never realized a baby born one blessed night

Gave us the greatest gift of our lives

We are the reason that He gave His life

We were the reason that He suffered and died

To a world that was lost He gave all He could give

To show us the reason to live

As the years went by we learned more about gifts

The giving of ourselves and what that means

On a dark and cloudy day a man hung crying in the rain

All because of love

All because of love

*Chorus

I finally found the reason for living

It’s in giving every part of my heart to Him (every, every part to Him)

In all that I do every word that I say (that I know, you know I’ll be saying)

I'll be giving my all just for Him, for Him (everything for Him)

And we are the reason that He gave His life

We are the reason that He suffered and died

To a world that was lost He gave all He could give (all that he could give all)(don’t you know that we are the reason)

To show us the reason to live

#He is our reason to live

(don’t you know do you know the reason

that he came, oh he came to save us

when he gave his life for us) he suffered and died

To a world (for a world that was lost He gave)that was lost He gave everything (everything that He had He gave)

To show us the reason to live

*chorus

He gave His life

Don’t know how I could thank Jesus for all that he done all..

He gave His life

He suffered and died for you

*chorus

______________________________________________________________

Thank You Lord Jesus

Thank You for Everything

Cross=Love

Six Reasons Why Every Believer Should Be Baptized

A. A command from Jesus. He told the apostles to make disciples and baptize them
Matt. 28:19, "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost", KJV.

B. A public confession of our faith. In other words, don’t be afraid to tell others about your relationship to Jesus Christ
Mark 8:38, "If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his Father’s glory with the holy angels.” NIV;

 Ps. 107:2, "Let the redeemed of the LORD tell their story— those he redeemed from the hand of the foe," NIV.

C. A picture of salvation. Through baptism, we illustrate death to our old way of living—and a new beginning in Christ
John 3:3, Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again." NIV

D.  An identification with the body of Christ. Baptism is a symbol that unites us with all believers worldwide, regardless of denomination
1 Cor. 12:13;  "For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and have all been made to drink into^[a] one Spirit.",NKJV

Eph. 4:5, "one Lord, one faith, one baptism";NIV


E. A tangible way to declare that you follow Christ. Commemorating your decision to follow Christ is a good reminder to you and others of this important step.

F. A declaration of belief in the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ. Baptism     also illustrates  the promise that at the end of time, every believer will be  resurrected and live forever in His presence.
 Rom. 6:4-5,"For we died and were buried with Christ by baptism. And just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, now we also may live new lives. Since we have been united with him in his death, we will also be raised   to life as he was." NLT

Source :
 http://www.intouch.org/resources/sermon-outlines/content/topic/baptism_the_clear_teaching_of_scripture_outline

Prayer of Saint Francais of Assisi