1. (a) Kwenzeka ntoni kuPetros kulwandle lwaseGalili? (Jonga umfanekiso osekuqaleni.) (b) Kwakutheni ukuze uPetros aqalise ukutshona?

NGOBUNYE ubusuku, umpostile uPetros nabanye abafundi babexakwe kukuwela uLwandle lwaseGalili ngesikhephe ngenxa yesaqhwithi. Kwathi kusenjalo, babona uYesu ehamba phezu kolwandle. UPetros wakhwaza uYesu waza wacela ukuhamba phezu kwamanzi aze kuye. Xa uYesu wathi makeze, uPetros wehla esikhepheni waya kuye. Kodwa kamsinya nje emva koko, uPetros waqalisa ukutshona. Kwakutheni? Kaloku wajonga isaqhwithi namaza waza wafikelwa luloyiko. UPetros wakhalela uncedo waza uYesu wambamba wathi kuye: “Wena ulukholo luncinane, kutheni uthandabuza nje?”—Mateyu 14:24-32.

2. Yintoni esiza kuthetha ngayo ngoku?

² Makhe sithethe ngezinto ezintathu esinokuzifunda kuPetros ngokholo: (1) indlela awayemthembe ngayo uYehova ekuqaleni, (2) into eyamenza waphelelwa lukholo, (3) nento eyamncedayo ukuze aphinde abe nokholo. Ukuhlola  ezi ngongoma kunokusinceda sibone indlela esinokuhlala ngayo ‘sime siqinile elukholweni.’—1 Korinte 16:13.

3. Kwakutheni ukuze uPetros ehle esikhepheni, ibe thina sifana njani naye?

³ UPetros wayenokholo olomeleleyo. Kutheni sisitsho nje? Xa uYesu wambizayo, wehla esikhepheni waza wahamba phezu kwamanzi. Wawathemba amandla kaThixo ukuba aza kumnceda kanye njengokuba anceda uYesu. Ngendlela efanayo, xa uYesu wathi masimlandele, sahlulela ubomi bethu kuYehova saza sabhaptizwa. Ngoba? Ngenxa yokuba nokholo kuYehova nakuYesu, nangenxa yokuba sasibathemba ukuba baza kusinceda.—Yohane 14:1; funda eyoku-1 Petros 2:21.

4, 5. Kutheni kubalulekile ukuba nokholo?

⁴ Kubalulekile ukuba nokholo. Lwenza uPetros wahamba phezu kwamanzi, nto leyo ebonakala ingenakwenziwa ngumntu. Nathi, ukholo lunokusinceda senze izinto ezibonakala zingenakwenzeka. (Mateyu 21:21, 22) Abanye bethu baye batshintsha indlela abacinga nabaziphethe ngayo, kangangokuba abantu ababesazi ngaphambili, bayasothuka. Siye satshintsha kuba sithanda uYehova nangenxa yokuba esincedile ukuze sikwenze oko. (Funda amaKolose 3:5-10.) Ukholo lwasenza sahlulela ubomi bethu kuYehova saza saba ngabahlobo bakhe, nto leyo esasingenakuze sikwazi ukuyenza ngaphandle koncedo lwakhe.—Efese 2:8.

⁵ Ukholo lwethu lusenza somelele. Ngokomzekelo lusinceda silwe notshaba lwethu olunamandla, uMtyholi. (Efese 6:16) Kwakhona, ngenxa yokuba simthemba uYehova, asizikhathazi kangako ngeengxaki esijongana nazo. UYehova usithembise ukuba uza kusinika esikudingayo, ukuba nje sinokholo kuye yaye sibeka uBukumkani bakhe kwindawo yokuqala. (Mateyu 6:30-34) Ngaphezu koko, uYehova uza kusinika isipho sobomi esimangalisayo ngenxa yokholo lwethu.—Yohane 3:16.

6, 7. (a) Sinokusifanisa nantoni isaqhwithi namaza awoyikisa uPetros? (b) Kutheni simele siyiqonde into yokuba sisenokuphelelwa lukholo?

⁶ Njengoko uPetros wayehamba phezu koLwandle lwaseGalili, wafikelwa luloyiko. Kwakutheni? Kwakungenxa yesaqhwithi namaza. Oko kusenokufaniswa neemvavanyo nezilingo ezininzi amaKristu ajongana nazo namhlanje. Enoba ezo ngxaki zinzima kangakanani na, uYehova unokusinceda somelele. Kodwa khumbula into eyenzeka kuPetros. Akazange atshoniswe sisaqhwithi nakukuntlithwa ngamaza. Kunoko iBhayibhile ithi: “Akukhangela kwisaqhwithi somoya, woyika.” (Mateyu 14:30) UPetros wayeka ukujonga kuYesu waza wajonga eso saqhwithi sinamandla. Emva koko ukholo lwakhe lwaqala ukuba buthathaka. Nathi  ke, ukuba sihlala sicinga ngeengxaki zethu, sisenokuqalisa ukuthandabuza ukuba uYehova uza kusinceda.

⁷ Simele siyiqonde into yokuba sisenokuphelelwa lukholo. Ngoba? Kuba iBhayibhile ithi ukuphelelwa lukholo ‘sisono esisithandela ngokulula.’ (Hebhere 12:1) Ngendlela efanayo noPetros, ukuba sihlala sicinga ngezinto eziphosakeleyo, ukholo lwethu lunokukhawuleza lube buthathaka. Ngoko sinokubona njani xa ukholo lwethu lusengozini? Le mibuzo ilandelayo iza kusinceda sizihlole.

8. Sisenokuqalisa njani ukuzithandabuza izithembiso zikaThixo?

⁸ Ngaba ndisazikholelwa njengasekuqaleni izithembiso zikaThixo? Ngokomzekelo, uThixo uthembise ukuba uza kulitshabalalisa eli hlabathi likaSathana. Kodwa ngaba siphazanyiswa ziindlela ezininzi zokuzonwabisa zeli hlabathi? Ukuba kunjalo, sisenokuzibona sithandabuza ukuba isiphelo sisondele. (Habhakuki 2:3) Khawucinge nangalo mzekelo. UYehova usinike intlawulelo kwaye usithembise ukuba uza kuzixolela iimpazamo zethu. Kodwa ukuba sihlala sicinga ngeempazamo esasikhe sazenza, sisenokuqalisa ukuthandabuza ukuba uYehova usixolele nyhani. (IZenzo 3:19) Ngenxa yoko, sinokude siphelelwe luvuyo ekukhonzeni uThixo size siyeke nokushumayela.

9. Yintoni enokwenzeka ukuba sihlala sicinga ngeziqu zethu?

⁹ Ngaba ndisamnika konke endinako uYehova? Xa siziphosela nofele ekusebenzeleni uYehova, loo nto isinceda sihlale sicinga ngamathemba azayo. Kodwa ke kuthekani ukuba sihlala sicinga ngeziqu zethu? Ngokomzekelo, sisenokwamkela umsebenzi onomvuzo oncumisayo, kodwa ube ungasiniki thuba laneleyo lokukhonza uYehova. Loo nto inokulwenza buthathaka ukholo lwethu, size siqalise ‘ukudangala,’ simcuntsulele uYehova kwindlela esimkhonza ngayo.—Hebhere 6:10-12.

10. Sibonisa njani ukuba sinokholo kuYehova xa sixolela abanye?

¹⁰ Ngaba kunzima kum ukuxolela abanye? Xa abanye besikhubekisa okanye besikhathaza, ngaba siye sicaphuke okanye singabathethisi? Ukuba kunjalo, kusenokwenzeka ukuba sizihoye kakhulu iimvakalelo zethu. Sibonisa ukuba sinokholo kuYehova xa sibaxolela abanye. Njani? Ukuba kukho umntu osonileyo, loo mntu uyasityala. Xa thina sisona uYehova, sityala yena. (Luka 11:4) Ngoko xa sibaxolela abanye, sibonisa ukuba siyamthemba uYehova. Siyamthemba ukuba uza kuyisikelela indlela esicinga ngayo, yaye intsikelelo yakhe ixabiseke ngaphezulu lee  kunokubhatalisa loo mntu ngento asenze yona. Abafundi bakaYesu bayiqonda into yokuba kufuneka ube nokholo ukuze ukwazi ukuxolela abanye. Xa uYesu wabaxelela ukuba baxolele kwanabo babone izihlandlo ezininzi, abafundi bakhe bamcenga besithi: “Sinike ukholo olungakumbi.”—Luka 17:1-5.

11. Yintoni enokusenza singafundi nto kwisiluleko?

¹¹ Ngaba ndiyakhubeka xa ndilulekwa? Khangela izinto onokuzifunda kweso siluleko kunokuba ujonge iimpazamo kuso okanye ubuthathaka baloo mntu ukululekayo. (IMizekeliso 19:20) Sukuphoswa lithuba lokucinga njengoYehova!

12. Xa umntu esoloko ekhalazela abo bakhokelayo, isenokubonisa ntoni loo nto?

¹² Ngaba ndiyabakhalazela abakhokelayo ebandleni? Xa amaSirayeli ahlala ecinga ngengxelo embi yeentlola ezilishumi, akhalazela uMoses noAron. Emva koko uYehova wambuza oku uMoses: ‘Kuya kude kube nini na bengakholwa kum?’ (Numeri 14:2-4, 11) UYehova wayesazi ukuba amaSirayeli ayengamthembanga, kuba ayekhalaza ngoMoses noAron, amadoda awayemiselwe nguye. Ngendlela efanayo ke, ukuba sisoloko sikhalazela abantu abasetyenziswa nguYehova namhlanje, loo nto isenokubonisa ukuba ukholo lwethu kuThixo lubuthathaka.

13. Kutheni simele singatyhafi xa sibona ukuba ukholo lwethu lwehlile?

¹³ Emva kokuhlolisisa le mibuzo, ungatyhafi xa ubona ukuba ukholo lwakho lwehlile. Khumbula ukuba kwanompostile uPetros wafikelwa kukoyika waza wanamathandabuzo. Ngamanye amaxesha, uYesu wayebaluleka bonke abapostile ngenxa yokuba ‘nokholo oluncinane.’  (Mateyu 16:8) Sekunjalo, kukho isifundo esibalulekileyo esinokusifunda kwinto eyenzeka kuPetros. Phawula ukuba wenza ntoni emva kokuba ethandabuzile waza watshona elwandle.

14, 15. (a) Wenza ntoni uPetros xa wayeqalisa ukutshona? (b) ‘Sinokukhangela njani ngenyameko’ kuYesu?

¹⁴ Wenza ntoni uPetros xa wayeqalisa ukutshona? Ekubeni wayekwazi ukuqubha, wayenokukwazi ukudada abuyele esikhepheni. (Yohane 21:7) Kodwa kwakutheni ukuze angayenzi loo nto? Kungenxa yokuba zange athembele kwisiqu sakhe. Wajonga kuYesu kwakhona, waza wamvumela ukuba amncede. Ukuba siyabona ukuba ukholo lwethu lwehlile, simele sixelise uPetros. Singakwenza njani oko?

¹⁵ Kanye njengokuba uPetros wajonga kuYesu xa wayefuna uncedo, nathi simele “sikhangele ngenyameko” kuYesu. (Funda amaHebhere 12:2, 3.) Kodwa asinakumbona ngeliso lenyama njengokuba kwakunjalo ngoPetros. Ngoko ‘sinokukhangela njani ngenyameko’ kuYesu? Sinokufunda izinto awayezifundisa size simxelise ngokusondeleyo. Ukuba senza loo nto, siza kuncedakala ukuze someleze ukholo lwethu. Makhe sibone ezinye iindlela esinokumxelisa ngazo uYesu.

16. IBhayibhile ingasinceda njani sibe nokholo olomeleleyo?

¹⁶ Thembela eBhayibhileni. UYesu wayeyisekile ukuba iBhayibhile liLizwi likaThixo yaye inawona macebiso alungileyo. (Yohane 17:17) Ukuze sixelise uYesu, kufuneka sifunde iBhayibhile yonke imihla, siyiphande size sicamngce ngezinto esizifundileyo. Simele sikhangele neempendulo zemibuzo esinayo. Ngokomzekelo, ngaba uyakholelwa ukuba siphila kwimihla yokugqibela? Qinisa ukholo lwakho lokuba isiphelo sisondele ngokufunda iziprofeto zeBhayibhile ezibonisa ukuba siphila kwimihla yokugqibela. Ngaba ufuna ukuba nokholo olungakumbi kwizithembiso zikaThixo zekamva? Funda iziprofeto zeBhayibhile esele zizalisekile. Ngaba uyakholelwa ukuba iBhayibhile iyasebenza namhlanje? Unokufunda ngabazalwana noodade abatshintsha ubomi babo bencedwa yiBhayibhile. * (Funda umbhalo osemazantsi.)—1 Tesalonika 2:13.

17. Yintoni eyanceda uYesu wakwazi ukunyamezela ubunzima obuqatha, yaye sinokufana njani naye?

¹⁷ Hlala ucinga ngeentsikelelo ezithenjiswe nguYehova. UYesu wahlala ejonge kwiintsikelelo ezizayo, yaye oko kwamenza wanyamezela nobona bunzima buqatha. (Hebhere 12:2) Akazange aphazanyiswe zizinto awayenokuzifumana ehlabathini. (Mateyu 4:8-10) Singafana njani noYesu? Camngca ngezithembiso ezimangalisayo uYehova azenzileyo. Khawuzibone ukwihlabathi elitsha. Bhala phantsi okanye uzobe izinto oza kuzenza eParadesi. Unokwenza noludwe lwabo baza kube bevusiwe ongathanda ukuthetha nabo nezinto ofuna ukuzithetha kubo. NjengoYesu, jonga ezi zithembiso njengezivela kuThixo, zisiya kungekuphela kubantu nje kodwa kuwe.

18. Umthandazo unokukunceda njani womeleze ukholo lwakho?

 ¹⁸ Thandazela ukholo olungakumbi. UYesu wafundisa abafundi bakhe ukuba bacele umoya oyingcwele kuYehova. (Luka 11:9, 13) Njengoko ucela umoya oyingcwele, thandazela ukholo olungakumbi. Luyinxalenye yesiqhamo somoya oyingcwele. Ungangqala kwimithandazo yakho. Ngokomzekelo, xa ukufumanisa kunzima ukuxolela, cela uYehova akuncede ube nokholo olomeleleyo uze uxolele abanye.

19. Singabakhetha njani abahlobo abafanelekayo?

¹⁹ Khetha abahlobo abanokholo olomeleleyo. UYesu wayebakhetha kakuhle abahlobo abasondeleyo. Abona bahlobo bakhe babesondele kuye, abapostile bakhe, babethembekile, benyanisekile kwaye bemthobela. (Funda uYohane 15:14, 15.) Xelisa uYesu uze ukhethe abahlobo ngobulumko. Mayibe ngabantu abanokholo olomeleleyo nabamthobelayo uYesu. Abahlobo bokwenene bayakwazi ukuxelelana inyani enoba loo nto iza kuthetha ukuba kufuneka umluleke okanye ululekwe ngumhlobo wakho.—IMizekeliso 27:9.

20. Yintoni enokwenzeka xa sinceda abanye bomeleze ukholo lwabo?

²⁰ Nceda abanye bomeleze ukholo lwabo. UYesu wanceda abafundi bakhe bomeleza ukholo ngentetho nangezenzo. (Marko 11:20-24) Simele sixelise umzekelo kaYesu. Xa sisenjenjalo, ukholo lwethu nolwabanye luya komelela ngakumbi. (IMizekeliso 11:25) Ungabanceda njani abanye kwindawo oshumayela kuyo? Xa ufundisa abanye iBhayibhile, gxininisa kubungqina bokuba uThixo ukho, usikhathalele yaye iBhayibhile liLizwi lakhe. Ungabanceda njani abazalwana noodade bagcine ukholo lwabo lomelele? Ukuba uphawula ukuba kukho umntu okhalazela abazalwana abakhokelayo, sukukhawuleza ukuyeka ukuba ngumhlobo wakhe. Mncede ngobuchule agcine ukholo lwakhe. (Yude 22, 23) Ukuba usafunda kwaye utitshala wakho ufundisa ukuba izinto ezikhoyo zazivelela, yiba nesibindi uze ukuthethelele ukukholelwa kwakho kwindalo. Ingakumangalisa indlela asabela ngayo utitshala kunye nabantwana ofunda nabo.

21. Yintoni uYehova ayithembise ngamnye wethu?

²¹ UYehova noYesu banceda uPetros wayeka ukuthandabuza nokoyika. Kamva, uPetros waba ngumzekelo wokuba nokholo olomeleleyo. Ngendlela efanayo, uYehova unceda ngamnye wethu ukuba ahlale eqinile elukholweni. (Funda eyoku-1 kaPetros 5:9, 10.) Kufuna umgudu ukwakha ukholo olomeleleyo, kodwa uYehova uya kusivuza xa siwenza.