“Then I will rebuke the devourer for you.”
— Malachi 3:11
“Ek sal die sprinkane keer.”
—Maleagi 3:11
Once the Lord revealed the huge gap in the wall of my finances, due to my lack of ministry tithing, I began to notice that all the frustrations that I had been experiencing were due to the “devourer” coming in and taking what was rightfully his to take!
Toe die Here die groot gaping in die muur van my finansies openbaar het, as gevolg van my tekort aan bediening tiendes, het ek begin agterkom dat al die frustrasies wat ek ervaar het was as gevolg van die “verslinder” wat ingekom het en gevat het wat regmatig syne was om te vat!
We can ignore it, but the fact is that God says that we are to “‘Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be food in My house, and test Me now in this,’ says the LORD of hosts, ‘if I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you a blessing until it overflows. Then I will rebuke the devourer for you, so that it will not destroy the fruits of the ground; nor will your vine in the field cast its grapes,’ says the LORD of hosts” Malachi 3:10-12.
Ons kan dit nie ignoreer nie, maar die feit is dat God sê “‘Bring die volle tiende na die voorraadkamer toe sodat daar iets te ete in my huis kan wees, en toets My hierin, sê die HERE die Almagtige. Toets My of Ek nie die vensters van die hemel vir julle sal oopmaak en vir julle reën sal uitgiet, meer as wat julle kan gebruik nie. Ek sal die sprinkane keer dat hulle nie die oes op julle land vernietig nie, en dat julle wingerde nie sonder vrugte is nie, sê die Here die Almagtige. Dan sal al die nasies julle as gelukkige mense beskou; julle sal in 'n begeerlike land woon, sê die HERE die Almagtige” Maleagi 3:10-12.
It seemed that everything I owned, all of a sudden, was in ill-repair or broken: a computer, our front porch lights, our kitchen table, our water cooler, our dishwasher, our kitchen water filter, and many more things that I can’t remember right now. The devourer also came in and rightfully stole from us, something dear to me—pictures on my laptop, which included all the pictures from our four years on our farm, and later, my around the world travel pictures—they were all gone.
Dit het gelyk asof alles wat ek besit het, ewe skielik, in swak herstel was of stukkend: ‘n rekenaar, ons voorste stoep ligte, ons kombuistafel, ons waterverkoeler, ons skottelgoedwasser, ons kombuis filter, en baie meer dinge wat ek nie nou kan onthou nie. Die verslinder het ook gekom en regmatig by ons gesteel, iets kosbaar van my—fotos op my skootrekenaar, wat die fotos van vier jaar op die plaas ingesluit het, en later, my rondom die wêreld reis fotos—hulle was almal weg.
It came to a peak when, in just one day, my daughter, bless her heart, broke the window shade in my bedroom and within minutes had taken the finish off the ceiling fan in our living room. That’s when I realized—we were being EATEN ALIVE!!
Dit het tot op ‘n punt gekom toe, in net een dag, my dogter, seën haar hart, die venster ligskerm in my slaapkamer gebreek het en binne minute die afwerking van die dak waaier in ons sitkamer afgeneem het. Dit is toe ek besef het dat ons—LEWENDIG OPGEEET word!!
My Heavenly Husband was so patient, good, gracious, and loving (as usual) as He led me through past checks to confirm what He had laid on my heart—that I had not tithed from the second huge donation to our ministry. Then He showed me that is when all my books in my warehouse and ministry office had been destroyed. And not surprisingly, that’s when I realized that my lack of funds was all part of the consequences of my lack of knowledge because God said, “my people are destroyed from lack of knowledge” Hosea 4:6.
My Hemelse Man was so geduldig, goed, genadig, en liefdevol (soos gewoonlik) soos wat Hy my deur agterstallige tjeks gelei het om te bevestig wat Hy op my hart gelê het—dat ek nie my tiende uit die tweede groot donasie van ons bediening gegee het nie. Toe wys Hy my dat dit is toe al my boeke in my stoorkamer en bediening kantoor verwoes was. En nie verrassend nie, dit was toe dat ek besef het dat my tekort aan fondse alles deel was omdat ek nie aan God toegewy was nie, “My volk gaan onder omdat hulle nie aan My toegewy is nie” Hosea 4:6
And yet, do I even need to tell you how good and gracious God is?!?
En tog, is dit nodig dat ek jou vertel hoe goed en genadig God is?!?!
Just knowing that I needed to pay my ministry’s past tithes did not result in automatically being able to pay them. You might be thinking, “Well, of course, since you are in a financial crisis, how could you pay them?!” But that was really not the problem at all. From the moment that I set my heart to tithe, I found so many things that began blocking me!
Net om te weet dat ek my bediening se agterstallige tiendes moes betaal het nie veroorsaak dat ek hulle automaties kon betaal nie. Jy mag dalk dink, “Wel, natuurlik, aangesien jy in ‘n finansiële krisis is, hoe kan jy hulle betaal?!” Maar dit was glad nie die probleem nie. Van die oomblik wat ek my hart daarop geplaas het om ‘n tiende te gee, het ek so baie dinge gevind wat my geblok het!
It began with the first back tithe I owed. The Lord showed me would send a missionary to Africa. However, suddenly, at the last minute, she had no place to stay, so we waited; waiting a total of twelve weeks. In the meantime, all I could do was think about how (without that tithe paid) the devourer would continue to wreak havoc in our home.
Dit het begin met die eerste agterstallige tiende wat ek geskuld het. Die Here het my gewys dat ek ‘n sendeling Afrika toe sou stuur. Nietemin, skielik, op die laaste minuut, het sy geen plek gehad om te bly nie, so ons het toe gewag; ‘n totaal van twaalf weke. Intussen, al wat ek kon doen was om te dink hoe (sonder dat daardie tiende betaal is) die verslinder sou voortgaan om verwoesting in ons huis te saai.
Some people who knew about what was going on told me to simply pay it elsewhere; I mean, why not? The reason is simple: when God tells you to do something specific you should never deviate from it. And I will let you in on a little secret that will help you—be prepared for people coming out of nowhere to try to get you to change the path He’s leading you on. This is nothing new, we see it in the book of First Samuel 15:22–24 when it says…
Sommige mense wat geweet het wat aangaan en my eenvoudig vertel het om dit êrens anders te betaal; ek bedoel, waarom nie? Die rede is eenvoudig: wanneer God vir jou sê om iets spesifiek te doen moet jy nooit daarvan afwyk nie. En ek sal jou inlaat op ‘n klein geheim wat jou sal help om voorbereid te wees vir mense wat uit nêrens kom om te probeer om die pad wat hy jou op lei te verander. Dit is niks nuuts nie, ons sien in die Eerste boek van Samuel 15:22-24 wanneer dit sê...
“Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of divination, and insubordination is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the Word of the Lord, He has also rejected you from being king. Then Saul said to Samuel, ‘I have sinned; I have indeed transgressed the command of the LORD and your words, because I feared the people and listened to their voice.’”
“Is brandoffers en ander diereoffers net so aanneemlik vir die Here as gehoorsaamheid aan sy bevel? Nee, gehoorsaamheid is beter as offerande, om te luister is beter as die vet van ramme. Weerspannigheid is net so erg as die sonde van waarsêery; eiesinnigheid net so erg as die bedrog van afgodery. Omdat jy die woord van die Here verwerp het, het Hy jou as koning verwerp. Saul sê toe vir Samuel: “Ek het gesondig, want ek het die bevel van die HERE en u opdrag oortree omdat ek vir die manskappe bang was en na hulle versoek geluister het.”’
Some people take this lightly, I don’t. I have chosen to live by each principle He’s revealed to me and it has cost me. Yet, whatever I have lost I have gained ten-fold. Most of what I have lost is my reputation and my friends. People tend to think you are crazy when you follow the Lord without question. Saul did and it cost him his crown.
Sommige mense neem dit ligtelik op, ek doen nie. Ek het gekies om by elke beginsel te leef wat Hy aan my openbaar het en dit het my gekos. Tog, watookal ek verloor het het ek tien keer oor gewin. Meeste van wat ek verloor het is my reputasie en my vriende. Mense neig om te dink dat jy mal is wanneer jy die Here sonder bevraging volg. Saul het dit gedoen en dit het hom sy kroon gekos.
Of course, I wanted to buy her ticket so I could be on my way to correcting my “back tithe” situation, but there was nothing I could do until the doors opened again for Africa. To pay it somewhere else would be to open myself (and my ministry) to destruction.
Natuurlik, wou ek haar kaartjie koop sodat ek oppad kon wees om my “agterstallige tiendes” situasie reg te stel, maar daar was niks wat ek kon doen totdat die deur weer in Afrika oopgmaak het nie. Om dit êrens anders te betaal sou wees om myself (en my bediening) oop te maak vir verwoesting.
If you think for one moment that I would risk everything by trying to stray from the Lord’s leading, you haven’t read enough of my books. Besides, I have learned the secret of this well-known yet dreaded “waiting period.” Watching what happened, as a result, this particular wait will be forever engraved in my mind to help me see the future, past the wait, to what is waiting for me on the other side (but that, dear reader you will have to wait to read in a future chapter).
As jy vir een ‘n oomblik dink dat ek alles sou waag deur weg te dwaal van die Here se leiding, het jy nie genoeg van my boeke gelees nie. Buitendien, ek het hierdie geheim van hierdie wel-bekende tog gevreesde “wagperiode” geleer. Om dop te hou wat gebeur, as ‘n resultaat, sal hierdie spesifieke wag vir ewig in my verstand gegraveer word om my te help om die toekoms te sien, verby die wag, na wat vir my aan die ander kant wag (maar dit, liewe leser sal jy moet wag om in ‘n toekomstige hoofstuk te lees).
It was during the wait that the Lord began to gently show me that I needed to begin fixing my “back” tithe situation by paying “current” tithes. A no-brainer for you, perhaps, but for me, it was an exciting revelation! At that point, I felt my Heavenly Husband say that the last batch of the donations needed to be tithed to where the missionary would be going, an orphanage for AIDS babies in South Africa.
Dit was gedurende die wag dat die Here begin het om my saggies te wys dat en nodig gehad het om my “agterstallige” tiende situasie te begin regstel deur die “huidige” tiendes te betaal. ‘n Piekniek vir jou, miskien, maar vir my, was dit ‘n opwindende openbaring! Op daardie stadium, het ek gevoel dat my Hemelse Man sê dat die laaste bondel donasise se tiendes moet gaan na waar die sendeling sou gaan, ‘n weeshuis vir VIGS babas in Suid-Afrika.
Yet, when I attempted to give there, I found that they were in the process of getting their new site up! Just trying to do what was right brought about nothing but delays, one after another! Sound familiar? So many Christians think that once they get past the hurdle of fighting their flesh to do what is right, that the rest comes easily. It may for a baby Christian, but for most of us, setting off to do what God has called us to do is just the beginning of the battle. Therefore, don’t give up, or worse—believe it wasn’t God’s will after all; that somehow you missed God. If you want to do great things for God, then when opposition comes against you it is a sign that you are on the right path after all.
Tog, toe ek gepoog het om daar te gee, het ek gevind dat hulle in die proses was om hulle nuwe webwerf op te stel! Net om te probeer doen wat reg was het baie vertragings teweeg gebring, een na die ander! Klink dit bekend? So baie Christene dink dat sodra hulle verby die hindernis om hulle vlees te beveg om te doen wat reg is kom, dat die res maklik kom. Dit mag wees vir ‘n baba Christen, maar vir meeste van ons, deur te begin om te doen wat God ons geroep het om te doen is net die begin van die stryd. Daarom, moet nie opgee nie, of erger—glo dat dit glad nie God se wil was nie; dat jy op een of ander manier vir God gemis het. As jy groot dinge vir God wil doen, dan wanneer oposissie teen jou kom is dit ‘n teken dat jy na alles op die regte pad is.
Though I was being stopped, the greatest mystery is—God always and will forever see the intent and desires of our hearts. Did you know that? Isn’t His grace just beyond comprehension sometimes? Even though I hadn’t paid a single back tithe or even a single current tithe, things in my home and my life began to improve. Not because I performed the proper “task or duty,” but just because, as always, He looks at our heart “for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7).
Alhoewel ek gekeer was, die grootste misterie is—God sal altyd en vir ewig die bedoeling en begeertes van ons harte sien. Het jy dit geweet? Is Sy genade nie net somtyds ver verby begrip nie? Alhoewel ek nie ‘n enkele agterstallige tiende teugbetaal het of selfs ‘n enkel huidige tiende nie, het dinge in my huis en lewe begin verbeter. Nie omdat ek die regte “taak of plig” uitgevoer het nie, maar net omdat, soos altyd, Hy na die innerlike kyk “Die mens kyk na die uiterlike, maar die HERE na die innerlike” (1 Samuel 16:7).
“For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast” (Ephesians 2:8–10).
“Julle is inderdaad uit genade gered, deur geloof. Hierdie redding kom nie uit julleself nie; dit is 'n gawe van God. Dit kom nie deur julle eie verdienste nie, en daarom het niemand enige rede om op homself trots te wees nie” (Efesiërs 2:8-10).
Getting my back tithes caught up and paid, I experienced each and every day that they were, for me, impossible. And that dear reader was really great news! Do you know why? For “Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh; is anything too difficult for Me?” (Jeremiah 32:27). To which I love to shout…
Om my agtertallige tiendes opgevang en opbetaald te hê, het ek ieder en elke dag ervaar dat hulle, vir my, onmoontlik was. En dit liewe leser was regtig goeie nuus! Weet jy waarom? “Ek is die HERE die God van al die mense. Is iets vir My onmoontlik?” (Jeremia 32:27). Waarop ek lief is om UIT te skree...
“Ah Lord GOD! Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and by Your outstretched arm! Nothing is too difficult for You”! (Jeremiah 32:17).
“Ag, Here my GOD, U het die hemel en die aarde gemaak deur u groot mag. Niks is vir U onmoontlik nie”! (Jeremia 32:17).
Finances and Salvation
Finansies en Redding
Now let me take this to a higher plane. In the Bible, God always compares our finances to salvation. That means that in the same way I am unable to pay my debt for my sins, He allowed me to see that I am totally unable to pay my debts, which now included back, or past tithes owed to Him.
Nou laat my dit na ‘n hoër oppervlak neem. In die Bybel, vergelyk God altyd ons finansies met redding. Dit beteken dat op dieselfde manier wat ek nie in staat is om my skuld vir my sondes te betaal nie, het Hy my toegelaat om te sien dat ek heeltemal nie in staat is om my skuld te betaal nie, wat nou agterstallige, of verlede tiendes aan Hom verskuldig insluit.
Just as it would be foolish for me to set out on a journey to pay for my past sins, it also would be foolish for me to try to pay my debt, owed to Him, for past tithes.
Net soos wat dit dwaas is vir my om op ‘n reistog uit te gaan om vir sondes van die verlede te betaal, sal dit dwaas wees vir my om te probeer om my skuld, wat aan Hom verskuldig is, te betaal, vir agterstallige tiendes.
The Lord then encouraged me (which means that He gave me courage) by using one of my own testimonies. He reminded me of the first task after my divorce that He laid on my heart with the building pledge that my husband ATT (at the time) had not paid. The Lord didn’t put that on my heart as a burden, but as a blessing—as I watched Him provide the thousands not yet paid. I knew I couldn’t do it, but God could, and He did within a two-week period. Impossible? Yes, but once again, nothing, not one thing, is impossible with God.
Die Here het my aangemoedig (wat beteken dat Hy my die moed gegee het) deur een van my eie getuienisse te gebruik. Hy het my herinner aan die eerste taak na my egskeiding wat Hy op my hart gelê het met die bou pleging wat my destydse man nie betaal het nie. Die Here het dit nie op my hart geplaas as ‘n las nie, maar as ‘n seën—soos wat ek Hom dopgehou het die dusiende wat nog nie betaal was nie voorsien. Ek het geweet ek kon dit nie doen nie, maar God kon, en Hy het binne ‘n twee-weke periode. Onmoontlik? Ja, maar weereens, niks, nie een ding, is onmoontlik met God nie.
We read in Romans 13:8 that it tells us to “Owe nothing to anyone except to love one another.”
Ons lees in Romeine 13:8 dat dit vir ons sê “Julle moet niemand iets verskuldig wees nie, behalwe om mekaar lief te hê.”
How could the Lord tell us something that would cause a burden on us, when He came to be our Burden-Bearer? When He tells us to owe no man, so that we are free to just love them, it is not a burden, but a blessing! Because He provided the means to pay that debt (as we look to Him for it) as well as the love that we are to love others with!! What could be more beautiful?!
Hoe kan die Here vir ons iets vertel wat ‘n las op ons sou veroorsaak, as Hy gekom het om ons Las-Draer te wees? Wanneer Hy sê ons moet niemand iets verskuldig wees nie, sodat ons vry is om net lief te wees vir hulle, dit is nie ‘n las nie, maar ‘n seën! Omdat Hy die wyse om die skuld te betaal voorsien het (soos wat ons na Hom toe kyk daarvoor) sowel as die liefde waarmee ons ander moet liefhê!! Wat kan meer pragtig wees?!
The question I had to ask though was “Why?” Why did I miss this? Why didn’t I know (been enlightened, had a revelation) to tithe from the ministry when I first took over the ministry? The answer is because God does create calamity. “The One forming light and creating darkness, causing well-being and creating calamity; I am the LORD who does all these” (Isaiah 45:7).
Die vraag wat ek tog moes vra was “Waarom?” Waarom het ek dit gemis? Waarom het ek nie geweet nie (verlig, ‘n openbaring gehad) om van die bediening tiendes te gee toe ek eers die bediening oorgeneem het? Die antwoord is omdat God rampspoed skep. “Ek maak die lig en skep die donker; Ek gee voorspoed en skep rampspoed. Ek is die HERE, Ek doen al hierdie dinge” (Jesaja 45:7).
God creates calamity in our lives, not so we can feel abandoned, ashamed, or so we can work our way out of it, but so He can prove to others, through our lives, that He is there for us and will see us through when others believe we’re through!! Can you shout, “Thank You, Lord!”?
God skep rampspoed in ons lewens, nie sodat ons verlate, beskaamd kan nie voel nie, of sodat ons ons pad daaruit kan werk nie, maar sodat Hy aan ander kan bewys, deur ons lewens, dat Hy daar is vir ons en ons sal deursien wanneer ander glo dat dit verby is met ons!! Kan jy skree, “Dankie, Here!”?
God created calamity in the lives of so many of our Bible heroes; just sit for a moment and think about it. If Israel had not been in the calamity of bondage, the Israelites would have never seen the power and compassion of God; therefore, there would have been no need for Moses or his brother Aaron. Where would you and I be without the testimony of the Red Sea? Being fed with manna? And, after years of wandering, where would we be without the testimony of the Israelites finally crossing the Jordan into the Promised Land?
God het rampspoed in die lewens van so baie Bybel helde geskep; sit net vir ‘n oomblik en dink daaraan. As Israel nie in die rampsoed van slawerny was nie, sou die Israeliete noot die krag en die deernis van God gesien het nie; daarom, sou daar geen behoefte vir Moses of sy broer Aaron gewees het nie. Waar sal ek en jy wees sonder die getuienis van die Rooi See? Om gevoed te word met manna? En, na jare van rond dwaal, waar sou ons wees sonder die getuienis van die Israeliete wat finaal oor die Jordaan en in die Beloofde Land ingaan?
Being in a place like this, then, should be exciting and not frightening at all!
Om in ‘n plek soos dit te wees, dan, behoort opwindend en glad nie angswekkend te wees nie!
How many of you are in this place? I believe a lot of you are.
Hoeveel van julle is op hierdie plek? ek glo dat baie van julle is.
If you are like me, you’ve been stealing from God by not tithing, and suddenly this is a revelation to you. And, getting it paid may seem like the impossible dream—but God makes a way when there seems no way. All you have to do is give it to Him again, and again, and again!
As jy soos ek is, het jy van God gesteel deur nie tiendes te gee nie, en skielik is dit ‘n openbaring vir jou. En om betaling te kry mag lyk soos die onmoontlike droom—maar God maak ‘n manier wanneer dit lyk asof daar nie ‘n manier is nie. Al wat jy moet doen is om dit oor, en oor, en oor vir Hom te gee!
That’s what I have done, and in the next chapter, I will share with you this portion of my life-changing journey.
Dit is wat ek gedoen het, en in die volgende hoofstuk, sal ek hierdie deel van my lewens-veranderde reis met jou deel.
Update: Years after this chapter was written, the pictures from our four years on our farm and my world travel pictures—suddenly were recovered. Without looking, without complaining, suddenly, they were back.
Opdatering: Jare nadat hierdie hoofstuk geskryf is, was die fotos van ons vier jare op ons plaas en my wêreld reis fotos—skielik herwin. Sonder om te soek, sonder om te kla, skielik, was hulle terug.