1, 2. (a) UMzalwan’ uRussell wawuphendula njani umbuzo womfundisi owayefuna ukuqonda ukuba imisebenzi yaBafundi BeBhayibhile ixhaswa njani ngemali? (b) Yintoni esiza kufunda ngayo kwesi sahluko?

NGENYE imini uMzalwan’ uCharles T. Russell wadibana nomfundisi weCawa yamaDatshi owayefuna ukuqonda ukuba imisebenzi yaBafundi BeBhayibhile ixhaswa njani.

UMzalwan’ uRussell wathi: “Asiqokeleli nkongozelo.”

Lo mfundisi wabuza: “Niyifumana phi ke imali?”

URussel wathi: “Xa ndinokukuxelela indlela esiyifumana ngayo, akunakukholelwa. Xa abantu besiba nomdla kwiintlanganiso zethu, ababoni sitya samali sigqithiswayo. Kodwa bayabona ukuba zikho iindleko. Bazixelela ukuba, ‘Le holo ayikhange ibekho nje mahala . . . Ndinokunikela njani?’”

Lo mfundisi wamjonga engakholelwa.

URussel wathi: “Ndikuxelela inyaniso engangxengwanga. Nam bakhe bandibuze, ‘Mna ndingaxhasa njani?’ Xa umntu enokuthile esandleni, ufuna ukunikela eNkosini. Ukuba akananto, kutheni ke simele simnyanzele?” *

² Ngokwenene uMzalwan’ uRussell wayethetha “inyani engangxengwanga.” Abantu bakaThixo banembali yokunikela ngokuzithandela ukuze baxhase unqulo lokwenyaniso. Kwesi sahluko, siza kufunda ngemizekelo yeZibhalo ethetha ngoku, nendlela esiqhubeka sisenza ngayo kule mihla. Njengoko siqwalasela indlela imisebenzi yoBukumkani exhaswa ngayo ngemali namhlanje, ngamnye wethu wenza kakuhle xa ezibuza oku, ‘Mna, ndingabuxhasa njani uBukumkani?’

3, 4. (a) Yintoni aqiniseke ngayo uYehova ngabanquli bakhe? (b) AmaSirayeli akuxhasa njani ukwakhiwa komnquba?

³ UYehova uyabathemba abanquli bakhe bokwenyaniso. Uqinisekile ukuba xa belinikwa ithuba, baya kubonisa indlela abazinikele ngayo kuye ngokunikela ngokuzithandela. Khawuqwalasele le mizekelo mibini yamaSirayeli.

⁴ Emva kokuba uYehova ekhokele amaSirayeli aphuma eYiputa, wawaxelela ukuba akhe intente ethwaleka lula,  okanye umnquba awayeza kunqulela kuwo. Esi sakhiwo nezinto ezikuso zazingazi kufuna nje iminikelo engacacanga. UYehova wayalela uMoses ukuba anike abantu ithuba lokuwuxhasa lo msebenzi, esithi: ‘Bonke abantliziyo zivumayo mabazise umnikelo kuYehova.’ (Eks. 35:5) Babeza kuthini aba bantu babesandul’ ukubulaleka ‘kumsebenzi wobukhoboka ababenyanzelwa ukuba bawenze’? (Eks. 1:14) Baxhasa ngamandla abo onke, benikela ngegolide, isilivere, nezinye izinto—ezinye zazo ekusenokwenzeka ukuba babezifumene kwabo babeziinkosi zabo eYiputa. (Eks. 12:35, 36) AmaSirayeli anikela ngaphezu koko kwakufuneka ada ‘apheza okanye ayekiswa ukuzisa.’—Eks. 36:4-7.

5. Benza ntoni abantu bakwaSirayeli xa uDavide wabanika ithuba lokunikela ekwakhiweni kwetempile?

⁵ Kwiminyaka emalunga neyi-475 kamva, uDavide wanikela “ngobutyebi bakhe” ukuze kwakhiwe itempile, isakhiwo sokuqala sonqulo lokwenyaniso emhlabeni. Emva koko wanika amaSirayeli ithuba lokunikela, esithi: “Ngubani okhoyo ozinikela ngokuzithandela ukuba azalise namhlanje isandla sakhe ngesipho sikaYehova?” Abantu ‘benza iminikelo yokuzithandela kuYehova.’ (1 Kron. 29:3-9) Eqonda ukuba ngubani owona mthombo wale minikelo, uDavide wathandaza wenjenje: “Yonk’ into ivela kuwe, sikunike esikuthabathe esandleni sakho.”—1 Kron. 29:14.

6. Kutheni umsebenzi woBukumkani owenziwayo namhlanje ufuna imali, yaye kuphakama yiphi imibuzo?

⁶ UMoses noDavide abazange babanyanzele abantu bakaThixo ukuba banikele. Kunoko, abantu banikela ngeentliziyo ezivumayo. Kwenziwa njani namhlanje? Sazi kakuhle ukuba umsebenzi woBukumkani bukaThixo ufuna imali. Kufuna imali enjengemali ukupapasha nokusasaza iiBhayibhile neencwadi ezithetha ngeBhayibhile, ukwakha nokuhlaziya iindawo ekuhlanganiswana kuzo nezakhiwo zesebe, nokunikela ngezinto zokunceda ezikhawulezileyo kwamanye amaKristu ngamaxesha entlekele. Xa kunjalo, kuphakama le mibuzo ibalulekileyo: Imali yokwenza zonke ezi zinto ivela phi? Ngaba abalandeli bakaKumkani bayanyanzelwa ukuba banikele?

7, 8. Kutheni abantu bakaYehova bengangqibi okanye bahambe becela?

⁷ UMzalwan’ uRussell nezinxulumani zakhe abazange bafune ukuxelisa iicawa zeNgqobhoko ezisebenzisa iindlela zokunyusa ingxowa-mali. Kwinkupho yesibini yeMboniselo, kumxholo othi “Uyayifuna ‘IMboniselo’?” uRussell wathi: “Sikholelwa kwelokuba, ‘iMboniselo’ ixhaswa nguYEHOVA, ngenxa yoko ayisayi kungqiba okanye icele abantu bayixhase. Xa Lowo uthi: ‘Yonke igolide nesilivere yeentaba yeyam,’ esilela ukulungiselela imali efunekayo, siya kuqonda ukuba lifikile ixesha lokuyiyeka le mpapasho.” (Hag. 2:7-9) Ngoku  sele kudlule iminyaka engaphezu kweyi-130 iMboniselo nentlangano eyipapashayo zikho, ibe azibuyi mva!

⁸ Abantu bakaYehova abahambi becela imali. Abahambisi izitya zenkongozelo okanye bathumele iileta ezicela imali. Abanazindlela zokunyusa ingxowa-mali ezifana neebazaars neeraffles. Babambelele koko kwathethwa yiMboniselo kudala: “Asiyiboni ifanelekile into yokucelela imisebenzi yeNkosi imali, njengoko zisenza iicawa . . . Ngokwendlela esibona ngayo, imali eyenziwe ngezi ndlela zahlukahlukeneyo zokungqiba egameni leNkosi yethu kukuyimela kakubi, akwamkelekanga kuyo, ibe akubaziseli iintsikelelo abo banikelayo kwakunye nomsebenzi ofezwayo.” *

9, 10. Sisiphi isizathu esibangela ukuba sinikele ngokuzithandela?

⁹ Njengabalawulwa boBukumkani banamhlanje, akukho mfuneko yokuba sinyanzelwe ngokunikela. Kunoko, siyisebenzisa ngokuzithandela imali yethu nezinto esinazo ukuze sixhase imisebenzi yoBukumkani. Kutheni sinikela ngeentliziyo ezivumayo? Makhe sihlolisise ezi zizathu zithathu.

¹⁰ Esokuqala, sinikela ngokuzithandela kuba siyamthanda uYehova yaye sifuna ukwenza “izinto ezikholekileyo emehlweni akhe.” (1 Yoh. 3:22) Ngokuqinisekileyo uYehova uyamthanda umkhonzi onikela ngentliziyo evumayo. Makhe sihlolisise amazwi kampostile uPawulos athetha ngokunikela kwamaKristu. (Funda eyesi-2 kwabaseKorinte 9:7.) UmKristu wokwenyaniso akanikeli ekrikriza okanye kuba enyanzelekile. Kunoko, unikela kuba ‘egqibe entliziyweni yakhe.’ * Oko kukuthi, unikela emva kokuba ebone kukho imfuneko yokwenza oko waza wayiqonda nendlela anokunikela ngayo. UYehova uyamthanda umntu onikela ngolo hlobo, kuba “uThixo uthanda umphi ochwayitileyo.” Enye inguqulelo ithi: “UThixo uthanda abantu abakuthandayo ukupha.”

11. Yintoni ebangela ukuba sifune ukunikela kuYehova ngako konke esinako?

¹¹ Esesibini, sinikela ngezinto zethu eziphathekayo kuba sibulela uYehova ngeentsikelelo ezininzi asinika zona. Cinga ngomgaqo okuMthetho kaMoses okwenza uhlolisise intliziyo yakho. (Funda iDuteronomi 16:16, 17.) Xa esiya kwimithendeleko emithathu yonyaka, umSirayeli ngamnye kwakufuneka anikele isipho ‘ngokwentsikelelo ayinikwe nguYehova.’ Ngenxa yoko, mntu ngamnye ngaphambi kokuba aye kumthendeleko, kwakufuneka acinge ngendlela asikelelwe ngayo aze ahlole intliziyo yakhe ecinga ngesona sipho anokunikela ngaso. Ngokufanayo, xa sicinga ngeendlela ezininzi asisikelela ngazo uYehova, siye sifune ukunikela  ngako konke esinako. Isipho esisinikela ngeentliziyo ezipheleleyo, esiquka izinto eziphathekayo esinazo, sibonisa ukuba siyixabisa ngokwenene indlela uYehova asisikelela ngayo.—2 Kor. 8:12-15.

12, 13. Iminikelo yethu yokuzithandela ibonisa njani ukuba siyamthanda uKumkani wethu, yaye ngamnye kuthi unikela njani?

¹² Esesithathu, xa sinikela ngokuzithandela sibonisa ukuba siyamthanda uKumkani uYesu Kristu. Njani? Khawucinge ngoko uYesu wakuxelela abafundi bakhe kubusuku bakhe bokugqibela ngaphambi kokuba afe. (Funda uYohane 14:23.) Wathi: “Ukuba nabani na uyandithanda, uya kuligcina ilizwi lam.” “Ilizwi” likaYesu liquka umyalelo wokushumayela iindaba ezilungileyo zoBukumkani emhlabeni wonke. (Mat. 24:14; 28:19, 20) Elo “lizwi” siligcina ngokuba senze konke esinako—sisebenzise ixesha, amandla nezinto esinazo—ukuze sihambisele phambili umsebenzi wokushumayela ngoBukumkani. Ngaloo ndlela sibonisa ukuba siyamthanda uKumkani wethu onguMesiya.

 ¹³ Njengabalawulwa abanyanisekileyo boBukumkani, sifuna ukubonisa ukuba sibuxhasa ngeentliziyo ezipheleleyo uBukumkani ngokunikela ngemali. Sikwenza njani oko? Eso sisigqibo somntu ngamnye. Ngamnye unikela ngokwamandla anawo. Noko ke, amaKristu amaninzi esikhonza nawo akathathi ntweni. (Mat. 19:23, 24; Yak. 2:5) Loo maKristu kumele kuwathuthuzele ukwazi ukuba uYehova noNyana wakhe baxabisa neyona minikelo mincinane, xa iphuma kwintliziyo evumayo.—Marko 12:41-44.

14. Kangangeminyaka, amaNgqina kaYehova ebezihambisa njani iincwadi?

¹⁴ Kangangeminyaka, amaNgqina kaYehova ebehambisa iincwadi ngeminikelo. Bekucelwa iminikelo ephantsi kakhulu ukuze iincwadi zifunyanwe nangabantu abangathathi ntweni. Kakade ke, ukuba umninimzi obonakala enomdla akanayo imali, abavakalisi boBukumkani bebemshiyela incwadi mahala. Eyona nto bebenomdla wayo kukuba abantu abanyanisekileyo nabakwaziyo ukufunda bafumane iincwadi ukuze bancedakale.

15, 16. (a) Ngo-1990, luluphi utshintsho olwenziwa liQumrhu Elilawulayo kwindlela esizihambisa ngayo iincwadi zethu? (b) Kunikelwa njani? (Funda nebhokisi ethi “ Iya Phi Iminikelo Yethu?”)

¹⁵ Ngo-1990, iQumrhu Elilawulayo layitshintsha indlela esizihambisa ngayo iincwadi zethu. Ngaloo nyaka, eMerika abantu ababenikwa iincwadi babenikela ngokuzithandela. Ileta eyayibhalelwe onke amabandla alapho yathi: “Abavakalisi nabantu abanomdla akuzi kufuneka babhatale ixabiso elithile leemagazini neencwadi ukuze bazifumane. . . . Nabani na ofuna ukunikela ukuze ancedise kwiindleko zomsebenzi wethu wokufundisa wamkelekile, kodwa zona iimpapasho umntu uza kuzinikwa enoba unikele okanye akanikelanga.” Elo lungiselelo layenza yacaca into yokunikela ngokuzithandela kumsebenzi wonqulo esiwenzayo, lacacisa nokuba “asingobathengisi belizwi likaThixo.” (2 Kor. 2:17) Ekuhambeni kwexesha, eli lungiselelo lokunikela ngokuzithandela lasetyenziswa kuwo onke amasebe asehlabathini.

¹⁶ Kunikelwa njani? IiHolo zoBukumkani zamaNgqina kaYehova zineebhokisi zeminikelo. Abantu banokufaka iminikelo kwezi bhokisi nakwimibutho esemthethweni yamaNgqina kaYehova. Nyaka ngamnye kwiMboniselo kuphuma inqaku elithetha ngendlela enokwenziwa ngayo iminikelo enjalo.

17-19. Khawuchaze indlela esetyenziswa ngayo imali (a) kumsebenzi owenziwa ehlabathini, (b) ekwakhiweni kweeHolo zoBukumkani (c) nakwiindleko zebandla.

¹⁷ Umsebenzi owenziwa ehlabathini. Le yeyeendleko zomsebenzi wokushumayela owenziwa ehlabathini lonke. Ezi ziindleko zeencwadi ezihanjiswa ehlabathini, ukwakha  nokuhlaziya iiofisi zamasebe namakhaya aseBheteli, ezinye zezezikolo ezahlukahlukeneyo zobuthixo. Ngaphezu koko, le mali inyamekela abathunywa bevangeli, abaveleli abahambahambayo kunye noovulindlela abakhethekileyo. Le minikelo ikwasetyenziselwa ukunceda abazalwana noodadewethu ngamaxesha entlekele. *

¹⁸ Ukwakhiwa kweeHolo zoBukumkani ehlabathini lonke. Le inceda amabandla afuna ukwakha okanye ukuhlaziya iiHolo zoBukumkani. Ngokuya abantu benikela, kutsho kuncedakale namanye amabandla. *

¹⁹ Iindleko zebandla lasekuhlaleni. Le ibhatala zonke iindleko zebandla. Abadala banokugqiba ekubeni enye yale mali ithunyelwe kwiofisi yesebe ukuze isetyenziswe kumsebenzi owenziwa ehlabathini. Xa kunjalo, abadala baza kucela imvume yebandla. Ukuba liyavuma, baya kuthumela loo mali kugqitywe ngayo. Nyanga nganye umzalwana ojongana neengxelo zemali zebandla wenza ingxelo eza kufundwa ebandleni.

20. Unokumzukisa njani uYehova ‘ngezinto zakho zexabiso’?

²⁰ Xa sicingisisa ngako konke okufunekayo kumsebenzi wokushumayela ngoBukumkani nowokwenza abafundi owenziwa ehlabathini, siye sifune ‘ukubeka uYehova ngezinto zethu zexabiso.’ (IMize. 3:9, 10) Izinto zethu zexabiso ziquka amandla, ingqondo, umsebenzi wokushumayela neempawu zethu zobuKristu. Ngokuqinisekileyo zonke ezi zinto sifuna ukuzisebenzisa ngokupheleleyo kumsebenzi woBukumkani. Singalibali ke nokuba izinto zethu zexabiso ziquka nezinto eziphathekayo. Masizimisele ukunikela ngoko sinako xa sikwazi ukwenjenjalo. Iminikelo esiyinika uYehova iyamzukisa yaye ibonisa ukuba siyabuxhasa uBukumkani bukaMesiya.