1, 2. Iziphi izinkathazo abaningi abaye babhekana nazo, kodwa siyini isifiso sezinceku zikaNkulunkulu?

SIPHILA esikhathini esigcwele izinkathazo. Umhlaba ubulokhu ukhungethwe izinhlekelele. Ukuzamazama komhlaba, ama-tsunami, imililo yequbula, izikhukhula, izintabamlilo neziphepho ezinhlobonhlobo kuye kwakhahlameza isintu. Ngaphezu kwalokho, izinkinga zomkhaya nezinto ezibuhlungu umuntu ngamunye abhekana nazo ziye zaletha ukwesaba nosizi. Ave kuyiqiniso ukuthi “isikhathi nesenzakalo esingalindelekile” sisehlela sonke.—UmSh. 9:11.

² Izinceku zikaNkulunkulu njengeqembu ziye zabhekana kangcono nalezi zimo ezicindezelayo. Noma kunjalo, sifuna ukuba abakulungele ukubhekana nanoma ibuphi ubunzima obungase busehlele esikhathini esizayo njengoba lesi simiso sisondela ekupheleni kwaso. Singabhekana kanjani nalezi zinselele ngokuphumelelayo futhi zingasiqedi amandla? Yini eyosisiza ukuba sibhekane nezinkathazo zanamuhla ngesibindi?

3. Njengoba kuboniswe kumaRoma 15:4, yini engase isiduduze lapho sibhekene nezimo ezicindezelayo?

³ Nakuba izimo ezinzima zithinta abantu abaningi kunanini ngaphambili, azizintsha neze esintwini. Ake sibone ukuthi singafundani kwezinye zezinceku zikaNkulunkulu ezabhekana nezinselele ngokuphumelelayo nangesibindi esikhathini esedlule.—Roma 15:4.

4. Iziphi izinkathazo uDavide azikhuthazelela, futhi yini eyamsiza?

⁴ Cabanga ngoDavide. Phakathi kokunye, kwadingeka akhuthazelele ulaka lwenkosi, ukuhlaselwa yizitha, ukuthunjwa kwamakhosikazi akhe, ukukhashelwa ezinye zezikhulu zakhe nosizi olungokomzwelo. (1 Sam. 18:8, 9; 30:1-5; 2 Sam. 17:1-3; 24:15, 17; IHu. 38:4-8) Ukulandisa kweBhayibheli ngokuphila kukaDavide kububonisa  ngokucacile ubuhlungu lokhu okwambangela bona. Nokho, akuzange kuluqede ukholo lwakhe. Ngokholo, wathi: “UJehova uyisiphephelo sokuphila kwami. Ngizoba nengebhe ngobani?”—IHu. 27:1; funda iHubo 27:5, 10.

5. Yini eyasiza u-Abrahama noSara ukuba babhekane ngokuphumelelayo nokuphila okunzima?

⁵ U-Abrahama noSara bachitha iminyaka eminingi yokuphila kwabo behlala ematendeni njengabafokazi ezindaweni abangazazi. Ukuphila kwakungelula ngaso sonke isikhathi. Noma kunjalo, babhekana ngesibindi nezinselele ezinjengendlala nosongo lwezizwe ezazibazungezile. (Gen. 12:10; 14:14-16) Bakwenza kanjani lokhu? IZwi likaNkulunkulu lisitshela ukuthi u-Abrahama “wayelindele umuzi onezisekelo zangempela, omakhi nomenzi wawo nguNkulunkulu.” (Heb. 11:8-10) U-Abrahama noSara bahlala begxilise amehlo abo ezintweni ababezithenjisiwe, abazange bavume ukuba izwe elalibazungezile libacindezele.

6. Singamlingisa kanjani uJobe?

⁶ UJobe wabhekana nezingcindezi ezedlulele. Cabanga nje ukuthi kumelwe ukuba wazizwa kanjani lapho kubonakala sengathi yonke into ayimhambeli kahle ekuphileni. (Jobe 3:3, 11) Okwenza izinto zaba zimbi nakakhulu ukuthi wayengaqondi ngokugcwele ukuthi kungani ayehlelwa yilezo zinto. Noma kunjalo, akazange aphele amandla. Walondoloza ubuqotho bakhe nokholo lwakhe kuNkulunkulu. (Funda uJobe 27:5.) Yeka isibonelo esihle asibekele sona!

7. Yini uPawulu abhekana nayo njengoba ayekhonza uNkulunkulu, kodwa ukuqaphela ini okwamnika isibindi sokuqhubeka?

⁷ Cabanga nangesibonelo somphostoli uPawulu. Wabhekana ‘nezingozi emzini, ehlane nasolwandle.’ Ukhuluma ‘ngokulamba, ukoma amakhaza nangokuhamba-ze.’ UPawulu ukhuluma nangokuchitha ‘ubusuku nemini esekujuleni kolwandle,’ cishe ngenxa yokunye kokuphahlazekelwa umkhumbi abhekana nakho. (2 Kor. 11:23-27) Naphezu kwakho konke lokhu, phawula isimo sengqondo asibonisa ngemva kokuba ecishe wabulawelwa ukukhonza uNkulunkulu: “Lokhu kwakungenjongo yokuba singathembeli kithi ngokwethu, kodwa kuNkulunkulu ovusa abafileyo. Entweni enkulu kangako enjengokufa wasophula futhi uyosophula.” (2 Kor. 1:8-10) Ababaningi abantu abake babhekana nezinto ezibuhlungu eziningi njengoPawulu. Noma kunjalo, abaningi kithi bangayiqonda imizwa yakhe futhi baduduzwe isibonelo sakhe sesibindi.

8. Izinkinga zanamuhla zingasithinta kanjani? Bonisa.

⁸ Abantu abaningi bagajwa izinhlekelele, izinselele nezingcindezi ezigcwele emhlabeni namuhla. Ngisho namanye amaKristu aye azizwa ngaleyo ndlela. ULani, * owayejabulela inkonzo yesikhathi esigcwele nomyeni wakhe e-Australia, uthi lapho kutholakala ukuthi unomdlavuza webele, kwaba sengathi ushaywe umbani. Uthi, “Ukwelashwa engangikuthola kwakungigulisa kakhulu, futhi kwangishiya ngizenyeza.” Ngaphezu kwalokhu, kwakudingeka anakekele umyeni wakhe owayesanda kuhlinzwa umgogodla. Uma sizithola sisesimweni esinjengalesi, yini esingayenza?

9, 10. (a) Yini okungamelwe sivumele uSathane ukuba ayenze? (b) Singabhekana kanjani ngokuphumelelayo neqiniso elishiwo kuzEnzo 14:22?

⁹ Kufanele sikhumbule ukuthi uSathane ufuna ukusebenzisa izinsizi ezisehlelayo ukuze enze ukholo lwethu lube buthaka. Nokho, akumelwe simvumele ukuba asiphuce injabulo yethu ngale ndlela. IzAga 24:10 zithi: “Ingabe uzibonise udangele ngosuku losizi? Amandla akho ayoba mancane.” Ukuzindla ngezibonelo eziseBhayibhelini, njengalezi esisanda kuxoxa ngazo, kuyosisiza ukuba siqunge isibindi lapho sibhekene nobunzima.

¹⁰ Kuhle nokukhumbula ukuthi asikwazi ukuqeda zonke izinkinga. Eqinisweni, singalindela  ukuba sihlangabezane nazo. (2 Thim. 3:12) IzEnzo 14:22 ziyasitshela: “Kumelwe singene embusweni kaNkulunkulu ngezinsizi eziningi.” Kunokuba zikudikibalise, kungani ungazibheki njengamathuba okubonisa isibindi esisekelwe okholweni lwakho lokuthi uNkulunkulu unamandla okukusiza?

11. Singakugwema kanjani ukugajwa izinkathazo zokuphila?

¹¹ Kudingeka sigxile ezintweni ezinhle. IZwi likaNkulunkulu lithi: “Inhliziyo ejabulayo inomphumela omuhle ebusweni, kodwa ngenxa yobuhlungu benhliziyo kuba khona umoya omunyu.” (IzAga 15:13) Sekuyisikhathi eside abacwaningi bezokwelapha beqaphela ukuthi kuyelapha ukucabanga ngezinto ezinhle. Iziguli eziningi ezinikezwa amaphilisi-mbumbulu ziye zazizwa zingcono ngoba nje zazicabanga ukuthi zithola usizo. Ngakolunye uhlangothi, kuye kwaphawulwa nomphumela oba khona uma iziguli zingakholelwa ukuthi imithi eziyitholayo izozisiza. Impilo yeziguli iye yawohloka ngoba nje zitshelwe ukuthi umuthi othile wawuyoba nemiphumela engemihle. Ukuhlale sicabanga ngezimo esingenakuzishintsha kungamane kusiqede amandla. Okuhle kakhulu, ukuthi uJehova akasiniki “amaphilisi-mbumbulu.” Kunalokho, ngisho nasezikhathini zenhlekelele, usinikeza usizo lwangempela ngesikhuthazo esitholakala eZwini lakhe, ngabazalwane abasisekelayo nangamandla esiwanikezwa umoya ongcwele. Ukugxila kulezi zinto kuyosivuselela. Esikhundleni sokugxila ezintweni ezingakhi, yenza lokho ongakwenza ukuze ubhekane ngokuphumelelayo nenkinga ngayinye futhi ugxile ezicini ezinhle zokuphila kwakho.—IzAga 17:22.

12, 13. (a) Yini eye yasiza izinceku zikaNkulunkulu ukuba zikhuthazelele imiphumela yezinhlekelele? Bonisa. (b) Ngezikhathi zezinhlekelele, kubonakala kanjani ukuthi yini ebalulekile ekuphileni komuntu?

¹² Muva nje, amanye amazwe aye abhekana nezinhlekelele ezinkulu. Kuyaphawuleka ukuthi abazalwane abaningi kulawo mazwe baye babonisa ukukhuthazela okumangalisayo. Lokhu akusho ukuthi kwakulula. Ekuqaleni kuka-2010, ukuzamazama komhlaba okukhulu ne-tsunami eChile kwacekela phansi izindlu nempahla yabazalwane bethu abaningi, futhi kwezinye izindawo kwacekela phansi namabhizinisi abo. Naphezu kwakho konke lokhu, abafowethu bamane baqhubekela phambili ngokomoya. USamuel, ondlu yakhe yacekeleka phansi ngokuphelele, wathi: “Ngisho nakulezi zimo ezedlulele, mina nomkami asizange siyeke ukuya emihlanganweni yebandla nasensimini. Ngikholelwa ukuthi yilokho okwasisiza ukuba singaphelelwa ithemba.” Bona nabanye, bayidlulisa le nhlekelele ezingqondweni zabo futhi baqhubekela phambili nenkonzo kaJehova.

¹³ Ngo-September 2009, ingxenye engamaphesenti angaphezu kwangu-80 yedolobha laseManila, ePhilippines, yambozwa izikhukhula ezinkulu. Isigwili esithile esalahlekelwa okuningi sathi, “Lesi sikhukhula sabenza balingana abantu, sabangela ukuhlupheka kwabacebile nabampofu.” Lokhu kusikhumbuza iseluleko sikaJesu esihlakaniphile: “Zibekeleleni ingcebo ezulwini, lapho kungoni nundu nakugqwala khona, nalapho amasela engagqekezi khona ebe.” (Math. 6:20) Ukugxilisa ukuphila ezintweni ezibonakalayo, ezingashabalala masinyane, kuvame ukuletha ukudumazeka. Yeka ukuthi kuwukuhlakanipha kangakanani ukugxilisa ukuphila kwethu ebuhlotsheni bethu noJehova, obungahlala bunjalo kungakhathaliseki ukuthi kwenzekani endaweni esihlala kuyo!—Funda amaHebheru 13:5, 6.

14. Sinaziphi izizathu zokubonisa isibindi?

¹⁴ UJesu wavuma ukuthi zaziyoba khona izinkinga phakathi nesikhathi sokuba khona kwakhe, kodwa wathi: “Ningesabi.” (Luka 21:9) Njengoba sinaye njengeNkosi yethu futhi sisekelwa uMdali wendawo yonke,  sinazo zonke izizathu zokubonisa isibindi. UPawulu wakhuthaza uThimothewu: “UNkulunkulu akasinikanga umoya wobugwala, kodwa owamandla nowothando nowokuhluzeka kwengqondo.”—2 Thim. 1:7.

15. Nikeza izibonelo zokuqiniseka izinceku zikaNkulunkulu ezazinakho, futhi uchaze ukuthi singakwazi kanjani ukuba nesibindi esifanayo.

¹⁵ Phawula ezinye zezinkulumo ezashiwo izinceku zikaNkulunkulu ezibonisa ukuthi zaziqiniseka ngokugcwele. UDavide wathi: “UJehova uyizikhwepha zami nesihlangu sami. Inhliziyo yami yethembelé kuye, futhi ngisiziwe, kangangokuba inhliziyo yami iyethaba.” (IHu. 28:7) UPawulu wezwakalisa ukuqiniseka okungantengantengi ngala mazwi: “Kuzo zonke lezi zinto siyanqoba ngokuphelele ngalowo owasithanda.” (Roma 8:37) Ngokufanayo, njengoba ukuphila kwakhe kwakusengozini, uJesu washiya izilaleli zakhe zingangabazi ukuthi wayenobuhlobo obuqinile noNkulunkulu, wathi: “Angingedwa, ngoba uBaba unami.” (Joh. 16:32) Yini esobala kulezi zinkulumo? Ngayinye yembula ukuthembela kuJehova okungantengantengi. Ukuhlakulela ukuthembela okunjalo kuNkulunkulu kungasinika isibindi sokubhekana nanoma iziphi izinkathazo zanamuhla.—Funda iHubo 46:1-3.

16. Kungani kubalulekile ukuba sitadishe iZwi likaNkulunkulu?

¹⁶ Isibindi sobuKristu asikona ukuzethemba. Kunalokho, siwumphumela wokwazi uNkulunkulu nokuncika kuye. Singakwenza lokhu ngokutadisha iZwi lakhe elilotshiwe, iBhayibheli. Udade ohlushwa ukucindezeleka ngokomzwelo uchaza okumsizayo, “Ngifunda ikakhulu izindinyana eziduduzayo ngokuphindaphindiwe.” Ingabe siye sasilandela isiqondiso sokuba nesikhathi sokukhulekela komkhaya njalo? Ukwenza lokhu kuyosisiza ukuba sibe nesimo sengqondo somhubi owathi: “Yeka indlela engiwuthanda ngayo umthetho wakho! Uyinto engiyikhathalela usuku lonke.”—IHu. 119:97.

17. (a) Iliphi ilungiselelo elingasisiza sihlale sinesibindi? (b) Nikeza isibonelo sendlela indaba yokuphila enyathelisiwe eye yakusiza ngayo.

¹⁷ Ngaphezu kwalokho, sinezincwadi ezisekelwe eBhayibhelini ezinokwaziswa okuqinisa ukuthembela kwethu kuJehova. Abazalwane abaningi baye bathola izindaba zokuphila ezikomagazini bethu ziwusizo ngokukhethekile. Omunye udade wase-Asia onenkinga yokuguquguquka kwemizwelo wajabula lapho efunda indaba yokuphila yomzalwane owake wakhonza njengesithunywa sevangeli owabhekana ngokuphumelelayo nenkinga efanayo. Wabhala: “Yangisiza ukuba ngiqonde inkinga yami futhi yanginika ithemba.”

18. Kungani kufanele sisebenzise ilungiselelo lomthandazo?

¹⁸ Umthandazo ungasisiza kuzo zonke izimo. Umphostoli uPawulu wabonisa ukubaluleka  kwaleli lungiselelo, lapho ethi: “Ningakhathazeki ngalutho, kodwa kukho konke izicelo zenu mazaziwe nguNkulunkulu ngomthandazo nangokunxusa kanye nokubonga; ukuthula kukaNkulunkulu okudlula konke ukucabanga kuyolinda izinhliziyo zenu namandla enu engqondo ngoKristu Jesu.” (Fil. 4:6, 7) Ingabe silisebenzisa ngokugcwele leli lungiselelo lokusisiza ukuba sithole amandla lapho sibhekene nezinkathazo? U-Alex, umzalwane waseBrithani oye wahlushwa inkinga yokucindezeleka ngokomzwelo isikhathi eside, wathi: “Ukukhuluma noJehova ngomthandazo nokumlalela ngokufunda iZwi lakhe kuye kwangigcina ngiphila.”

19. Imuphi umbono okufanele sibe nawo ngemihlangano yobuKristu?

¹⁹ Imihlangano yebandla ingelinye ilungiselelo lokusisiza elibalulekile. Umhubi waloba: “Umphefumulo wami ulangazelele amagceke kaJehova futhi usuphelile ukuwalubela.” (IHu. 84:2) Ingabe sizizwa ngendlela efanayo? ULani, okukhulunywe ngaye ekuqaleni, uchaza indlela abubheka ngayo ubudlelwane bobuKristu: “Ukuya emihlanganweni kwakungeyona indaba yokuzikhethela. Ngangazi ukuthi kwakumelwe ngiye uma ngilindele ukuba uJehova angisize ukuba ngibhekane nenkinga yami.”

20. Ukushumayela kuyosisiza kanjani?

²⁰ Isibindi sisithola nangokuzigcina simatasa emsebenzini wokushumayela ngoMbuso. (1 Thim. 4:16) Udade othile wase-Australia owabhekana nenqwaba yezinkinga uthi: “Ngase ngiphelelwe ugqozi lokushumayela, kodwa umdala othile wangimema ukuba ngihambe naye futhi ngavuma. Kumelwe ukuba uJehova wayengisiza; isikhathi ngasinye ngiya enkonzweni yasensimini, ngangizizwa ngijabule kakhulu.” (IzAga 16:20) Abaningi baye bathola ukuthi ukholo lwabo lwaluqina lapho besiza abanye ukuba babe nokholo kuJehova. Lokhu kubenza basuse izingqondo zabo ezinkingeni zabo futhi bagxile ezintweni ezibaluleke ngokwengeziwe.—Fil. 1:10, 11.

21. Ikuphi ukuqiniseka esinakho ngokuqondene nobunzima esibhekana nabo?

²¹ UJehova uye walungiselela usizo oluyindathane ukuze sikwazi ukubhekana nezinkathazo zanamuhla ngesibindi. Ngokuwasebenzisa ngokugcwele la malungiselelo nangokuzindla ngezibonelo ezinhle zezinceku zikaNkulunkulu ezaba nesibindi futhi sizilingise, siyaqiniseka ukuthi singabhekana nobunzima ngokuphumelelayo. Nakuba kungenzeka ukuthi sisazobhekana nezinto eziningi ezimbi njengoba lesi simiso sisondela ekupheleni kwaso, singaba nomuzwa ofana nokaPawulu, owathi: “Siphonswa phansi, kodwa asibhubhi. . . . Asiyeki.” (2 Kor. 4:9, 16) Ngosizo lukaJehova, singakwazi ukubhekana ngokuphumelelayo nezinkathazo zanamuhla ngesibindi.—Funda eyesi-2 Korinte 4:17, 18.