1, 2. (a) Singafundani ekukghodlheleleni kwakaGidiyoni namajonakhe ayi-300? (Qala isithombe esisekuthomeni.) (b) Ngokuya ngokwencwadi kaLukasi 21:19, kubayini ukukghodlhelela kuqakatheke kangaka?

AKHUBONE ngamehlwengqondo nasi ipi ibambene ngezandla phakathi kwama-Israyeli namanabawo. Odosa phambili ngumaHluleli uGidiyoni. UGidiyoni namajonakhe bagijimisana namaMidiyani njalo bekwaba libanga elingaba mamitha ayi-32 ! IBhayibheli iyasihlathululela okwenzeka: “UGidiyoni gade ayame iJordani namadoda amakhulu amathathu nalokhu agijimisa amaMidiyani. Ngebanga lokobana gade adinwe aphelile.” Kodwana lokho bekungatjho bona besele bayithumbile ipi, bekusafuze balwe namajoni ayi-15 000. Besele kuminyaka ama-Israyeli agandelelwe manaba la, yeke bengeze alahla itewu. UGidiyoni nabakhambisani bakhe bagijimisana namanababo lawo, bekwaba kula bawahlula khona!—AbaKhokheli 7:22; 8:4, 10, 28.

² Nathi nasi nje silwa ipi ebudisi khulu nezositjhiya sidinwe siphelile. Siqalene noSathana nephasi lakhe, ngapha siphila nesono. Abanye bethu sekuminyaka balwa namanaba la.  Kodwana sezizinengi khulu izipi esizithumbileko, phela sirhelejwa nguJehova. Kusesenjalo, kusese neyamaswaphela ipi okusafuze siyithumbe. Ngasikhathi singazizwa sifikelwa kunyefa, nofana siphele ihliziyo ngokuthi kuzabe bekube nini sisole silinde ukuphela kwephasi elimbeli. UJesu wasiyelelisa ngokuthi sizokuqalana nokulingwa nokutlhoriswa okukhulu phakathi namalanga wamaswaphela la. Kodwana wabuye wathi nasingakghodlhelela singathumba. (Funda uLukasi 21:19.) Kuyinto bani ukukghodlhelela? Yini engasirhelebha sikghodlhelele? Singafundani kilabo ebakhe bakghodlhelela? Begodu singakuvumela njani ‘ukunyamezela kwethu kuveze imisebenzi’?—Jakopo 1:4.

3. Ukukghodlhelela kuyinto bani?

³ IBhayibheli ikuhlathulula bunje, ukukghodlhelela akusi kumane uyane nobujamo obubudisi kwaphela. Kuhlanganisa nendlela esicabanga ngayo nesizizwa ngayo ngemirarwethu. Ukukghodlhelela kusisiza sibe nesibindi, ukukholwa nesineke. Enye incwadi ithi ukukghodlhelela kububuntu obusisiza sibenethemba, singapheli amandla nasiqalene nokulingwa. Kubhala batjho siqalene neenlingo ezingangani, kodwana kungasisiza sikghone ukudzimelela. Kusenza godu sithathe iinlingwezo sizifanise nokuthumba, siqalane nemigomwethu kunobuhlungu.

4. Sikutjhwiso yini ukuthi ukukghodlhelela kukhuthazwa lithando?

⁴ Ithando lisenza sikghodlhelele. (Funda kwebe-1 Korinte 13:4, 7.) Kimiphi imikhakha? Ukuthanda uJehova kuyasakha sikghone ukukghodlhelela nanyana yini uJehova azoyivumela. (Lukasi 22:41, 42) Ithando lethu ngabazalwana lisisiza sibekezelele ukungapheleli kwabo. (1 Pitrosi 4:8) Ukuthanda abantu esitjhade nabo kusirhelebha ‘emirarweni’ esiyifumana ngitjho nebatjhadikazini ekuthiwa bathabile, bekusisize siqinise nemitjhadwethu.—1 Korinte 7:28.

5. Kubayini sithi uJehova nguye yedwa osirhelebha sikghodlhelele?

⁵ Bawa uJehova akuphe amandla. UJehova ‘unguZimu wokubekezela newokukhuthazeka.’ (Roma 15:5) Nguye yedwa ozwisisa ubujamo bethu, amazizwethu, nendlela esikhuliswe ngayo. Yeke wazi kuhle ukuthi sitlhogani nasizakukghodlhelela. IBhayibheli ithi: “Uzalisa iimfiso zabo boke abamesabako, alalele isililo sabo abasindise.” (IRhubo 145:19) Alo uZimu angayiphendula njani imithandazwethu bona sikwazi ukufumana amandla wokukghodlhelela?

6. Njengokuthembisa kwayo iBhayibheli, uJehova ‘angasinikela njani indlela yokuphepha,’ nasiqalene neenlingo?

⁶ Nasibawa uJehova bona asirhelebhe ‘uzasinikela nendlela yokuphepha.’ (Funda kwebe1 Korinte 10:13.) Ukwenza njani lokho? Kesinye isikhathi angasusa isilingweso. Kodwana kanengi, usipha amandla ‘wokudzimelela okukhulu kanye nokubekezela ngethabo.’ (Kolose 1:11) Akekho umuntu owazi ubuthakathaka  bemizimbethu, iingqondo, namazizwethu ukudlula uJehova. Yeke angeze avumela nanyana ngibuphi ubujamo busidisibeze besingasakwazi nokuhlala sithembekile.

7. Fanekisa ukuthi kubayini sitlhoga iimfundiso zeBhayibheli ukwenzela bona sikghodlhelele.

⁷ Zivumele iimfundiso zeBhayibheli ziqinise ukukholwa kwakho. Yini eyenza iimfundiso zeBhayibheli ziqakatheke kangaka? Akhese siyifanekise bunje indaba le: Nawuzakukhwela iNtaba ebizwa ngokuthi yi-Mount Everest, bekungatlhogeka bona umzimba womuntu ufumane izakhamzimba ezibizwa ngama-calories ezingaba yi-6 000 ngelanga. Lokho kungaphezu kokutlhogwa mumuntu. Nakazakufikelela indimakhe umuntu lo, nanyana kungaba njani kufuze adle ama-calories lawo ngendlela angakghona ngayo. Indaba le ifana ntse nokuthi nasizakukghodlhelela besifikelele nendimenethu, kusatlhogeka sifumane iimfundiso zeBhayibheli ezinengi. Kusafuze sizimisele ukwenza isikhathi sokuzifundela nokuya esifundweni. Izintwezi zoke nje, sizitlhoga khulu ukwenzela ukuthi siqinise ukukholwa kwethu.—Jwanisi 6:27.

8, 9. (a) Ngokuya komtlolo kaJobho 2:4, 5, khuyini ebandakanyekako nasivelelwe miraro? (b) Nawucwile emirarweni, ngiwuphi umfanekiso ongazindla ngawo?

⁸ Ungakulibali ukuthembeka kwakho kuZimu. Navane silingwa zinengi khulu izinto ezibandakanyekako, kunokumane sithi siyahlupheka. Ukuthembeka kwethu kuZimu kusuke kulingwa. Indlela esizoziphatha ngayo nasilingwako, ngiyo etjhoko bona uJehova simthatha njengomBusi wendalo yoke na. Sikutjhwiso yini lokho? Phela uSathana linaba lakaZimu uphikisana nokubusa kwakhe, wakhe wathuka uJehova kabuhlungu kangangani! Wathi, nakubabantu balotjha uZimu ngebanga lamarhamaru. Wabuye wathi: “Umuntu uzakunikela koke anakho ikani azakusindisa ipilwakhe.” Endabeni kaJobho wathi: “Nange ungelula isandla sakho umthinte enyameni nemathanjenakhe, ngiyakutjela ngithi uzokuthuka emtarini.” (Jobho 2:4, 5) Kghani uSathana lo wakhe watjhentjha na ngemva kokutjho into enjalo? Akusinjalo nakancani! Eminyakeni eyadlulako, ngemva kokuqothwa kwakhe ezulwini, bekasolo athuka iinceku zakaZimu ezithembekileko. (IsAmbulo 12:10) Bekube namhlanjesi, usanyefula abantu ngokuthi balotjha uZimu ngamarhamaru. Uzimisele ukusibona sisukela ukubusa kwakaZimu besilise nokumkhonza.

⁹ Nawuqalene nesilingo, ngamehlwengqondo akhulinge ukubona naku umbono. Nangu uSathana namadimonakhe bajame ehlangothini linye. Bakuqalile, into abayilindeleko kukubona ulahla itewu. Nawuthi uyaqala ngakelinye ihlangothi kunoJehova, kube yiKosethu uJesu Krestu, ngapha ngabakhethiweko kunye neengidigidi zeengilozi. Bakuqalile njengombana ururharurha nje, bazimisele ukukukhuthaza. Into ebathabisako ngawe kukuthi uzimisele ukukghodlhelela nokuhlala uthembekile kuJehova. Kuthi kusese njalo uzwe uJehova athi kuwe: “Hlakanipha mntwanami, ulethele ihliziywami ukwenama; ngizakwazi ukuphendula woke umuntu onginyazako.”—IzAga 27:11.

10. Ungamlingisa njani uJesu endabeni yokukghodlhelelela bewufumane umvuzo?

 ¹⁰ Cabanga ngemitlomela. Akhesithi uthethe ikhambo. Ekhambwenelo, indlela okufuze ukhambe ngayo imrhoba-kazi omude. Nawuthi uqala ngapha nangapha kunzima kutshu! Kodwana uyazi nawungakhamba bewuyokufika emaphethelweni womrhoba lo uzokugqina uwubonile umkhanyo. Nepilo ingafaniswa nekhambo elinjalo. Ngasikhathi ungaqalana nezinto ezibudisi, uzizwe uphelelwa mamandla ngebanga lemirarwakho. Ngitjho noJesu wakhe wazizwa njalo. Wathi nakatlhoriswa esigodweni sokuhlunguphazwa, kwahlekiswa ngaye ngapha aseenhlungwini. Leso kungenzeka kwaba sikhathi esibuhlungu ukuzidlula zoke ekuphileni kwakhe! Kodwana khuyini eyamrhelebha wakghodlhelela? IBhayibheli ithi ‘itokozo ebeyibekwe phambi kwakhe.’ (Hebheru 12:2, 3) UJesu umnqophwakhe bewukufumana umtlomela wokukghodlhelela, okuyinto eqakathekileko. Lokho-ke bekukukuba nengcenye ekuhlwengiseni ibizo lakaZimu asekele nombuswakhe. Bekazi kuhle bona isilingo bekuyinto yesikhatjhana, kuthi umtlomela wezulwini uzokuhlala unomphela. Nanamhlanje iinlingo oqalana nazo zingakukhandla bezikuzwise nobuhlungu, kodwana khumbula ukuthi ziyinto yesikhatjhana.

11. Kubayini kufuze sifunde ezintweni zalabo ‘abanyamezelako’?

¹¹ Akusithi sodwa esikghodlhelelako. UPitrosi nakakhuthaza amaKrestu bona ajamelane neenlingo zakaSathana wathi: “Jamelanani naye ninzinzile ekukholweni ngombana niyazi bona abazalwana benu ephasini loke bangaphasi kokubandezeleka okunjalo.” (1 Pitrosi 5:9) Izinto “labo abanyamezelako” abaqalana nazo zisifundisa ukuthi sikwazi ukuhlala sithembekile, bezisiqinisekise nokuthi singaphumelela, zibuye zisikhumbuze ukuthi sizokuvuzwa ngokuthembeka kwethu. (Jakopo 5:11) Asiqalelele nanzi ezinye iimbonelo. ^[1]—Qala isiphetho.

12. Sifundani esibonelweni samakerubhi ebewagade e-Edeni?

¹² Amakerubhi aziingilozi ezisesikhundleni esiphakemeko. Kwathi ngemva kokona kwaka-Adamu no-Eva, uJehova wanikela amakerubhi umsebenzi omutjha ephasina. Umsebenzi lo bewuhluke khulu kunalowo ebeziwenza ezulwini. Isibonelo sazo sisifundisa ukuthi sikghodlhelele nasinikelwa imisebenzi ebudisi. IBhayibheli ithi uJehova: “wabeka amakerubhi ngepumalanga esangweni lesivande. Amakerubhi lawo gade anesabula yomlilo ebenyezelako, alinde indlela eya emthini wokuphila.” ^[2] (Qala isiphetho.) (Genesisi 3:24) IBhayibheli akhenge kheyitjho bona iingilozezi zakhe zanghonghoyila namkha zizibone  ziqakatheke khulu emsebenzinazo. Azange beziphathwe nasithukuthezi nofana ziphele amandla. Kunokuthi zizizwe njalo, zahlala emsebenzinazo bezawuqeda, mhlamunye bekwaba sikhathi ekwafika ngaso umThwalela, sekudlule iminyaka engaphezu kweyi-1 600 yoke!

13. UJobho wakwazi njani ukghodlhelela iinlingo zakhe?

¹³ UJobho indoda ethembekile. Kesinye isikhathi ungazizwa kabuhlungu ngebanga lokuthi mhlamunye ilunga lomndenakho litjhwe into engasimnandi. Namkha kungenzeka ipilwakho iyabogaboga nofana uhlongakalelwe mumuntu omthandako. Kodwana nanyana kungaba yini, uJobho usibonelo sethu. (Jobho 1:18, 19; 2:7, 9; 19:1-3) Kwabhala nofana bekangazi ibanga ebelimenza atlhage, uJobho akhenge aphele amandla. Yini eyamsiza wakghodlhelela? Kokuthoma, bekathanda uJehova khulu, begodu angafuni nokumdanisa. (Jobho 1:1) UJobho bekafuna ukuthabisa uZimu kukumbi kukuhle. UJehova wamrhelebha uJobho ngokumtjengisa amandla wezinto ezikarisako azidalako. Lokho-ke kwenza uJobho wakholiseka khulu ngokuthi uJehova bekazaku qeda iinlingo zakhe ngesikhathi esifaneleko. (Jobho 42:1, 2) Vele kwaba njalo. “[UJehova] waphendulela ubujamo bakhe: Wamupha lokho agade anakho ngokubuyelelwe kabili.” Yeke, uJobho “wahlongakala sele amdala khulu ngeminyaka.”—Jobho 42:10, 17.

14. Ngokuya ngokomtlolo webe-2 Korinte 1:6, ukukghodlhelela kwakaPowula kwabaqinisa njani abanye?

¹⁴ Umpostoli uPowula. Ungaphasi kwegandelelo lokutlhoriswa nofana uyaphikiswa? Kghani ungumdala webandla nofana umjikelezi ozizwa athwele budisi ngebanga lemisebenzakho? Nangabe kunjalo, isibonelo sakaPowula singakurhelebha. UPowula wakhe watlhoriswa khulu, bekahlala atshwenyekile nangabazalwana. (2 Korinte 11:23-29) Kodwana nalinye ilanga akhenge akhe azihloboke, begodu isibonelo  sakhe saqinisa nabanye. (Funda kwebe 2 Korinte 1:6.) Nawe ukukghodlhelela kwakho kungaqinisa nabanye.

15, 16. (a) Ngiwuphi ‘umsebenzi’ ongafezwa kukghodlhelela? (b) Itjho iimbonelo zokuthi singakuvumela njani ukukghodlhelela ‘kuveze imisebenzi epheleleko.’

¹⁵ Umfundi uJakopo wasetjenziswa nguZimu watlola wathi: “Ukunyamezela kwenu akuveze imisebenzi epheleleko khona nizakuba ngabavuthiweko nabapheleleko, ningatlhayeli ilitho.” (Jakopo 1:4) Yeke ukukghodlhelela kungayiveza njani “imisebenzi” kithi? Nasiqalene nemiraro, kungatlhoga sibe nomusa, sithokoze besithande abanye. Ukukghodlhelela ngikho okuzosenza sifunde ukuveza ubuntobu, lokho-ke kuzokuthuthukisa ubuntu bethu bobuKrestu.

¹⁶ Ngebanga lokuthi ukukghodlhelela kusenza amaKrestu angcono, ngalokho angeze saphula imithetho kaJehova ngebanga lokuthi sifuna isilingo sidlule msinyana. Nangabe unghanghisana nemizindlo emimbi, ungazihloboki! Bawa uJehova akusize ubalekele imizindlo leyo. Kghani kukhona ilunga lomndenakho elihlalele ukuphikisana nawe? Ungapheli amandla! Zimisele ukuhlale ulotjha uJehova. Umphumela walokho, uzokuba mumuntu ongcono olotjha uJehova. Ukhumbule, nawuzakwamukelwa nguJehova kutlhogeka ukukghodlhelela.—Roma 5:3-5; Jakopo 1:12.

17, 18. (a) Fanekisa ukuthi kunjani ukukghodlhelela bekube sekupheleni. (b) Njengombana sesilalamela ukuphela kwephasi elimbeli, khuyini esiqiniseka ngayo?

¹⁷ Kufuze sikghodlhelele bekube sekupheleni, ingasi isikhatjhana esincani. Akhucabange ngesikepe esiminzako. Abakhweli baso kufuze badude bebayokufika eligweni lelwandle. Nakungenzeka kubekhona ofikelwa kuphelelwa mamandla nakathoma ukududa, uzokucwila. Into le iyafana-ke nomuntu ophela amandla sekusele kancani bona afike eligweni. Nasifuna ukuphila ephasini elitjha, kufuze sihlale sikghodlhelela. Asilingiseni umpostoli uPowula nakathi: “Asililahli ithemba.”—2 Korinte 4:1, 16.

¹⁸ NjengoPowula, siyaqiniseka bona uJehova uzosisiza sikghodlhelele bekube sekupheleni. Wathi nakatlolako uPowula: “Kodwana kikho koke lokho singaphezu kwabahluli ngaye owasithandako. Nje-ke ngineqiniso lokobana akunalitho, nanyana kungaba kukufa, kuphila, ziingilozi, babusi, zizinto ezikhona, zizinto ezizakubakhona, mibuso, kuphakama, kuzika, nanyana kungaba yini edaliweko ezasihlukanisa nethando lakaZimu kuKrestu Jesu iKosethu.” (Roma 8:37-39) Siyavuma khona, ngasikhathi sizokunande sifikelwa kudinwa. Kodwana asilingiseni uGidiyoni namajonakhe. Gade badinwe baphelile, kodwana akhenge baphele amandla. ‘Balokhu bagijimisa’!—AbaKhokheli 8:4.