1, 2. Yintoni awayekhe ayenze uThixo mandulo, ibe yintoni abazibuza yona abanye namhlanje xa begula?

UKUBA wakhe wagula kakhulu, usenokuba wawuzibuza ukuba: ‘Ngaba ndiza kuphila?’ Mhlawumbi ugulelwa lilungu lentsapho okanye umhlobo, ibe uyazibuza ukuba uya kuze abe bhetele na. Kungokwemvelo ukuzinqwenelela impilo entle wena nabo ubathandayo. EBhayibhileni sifunda ngabantu ababegula nababeyixhalabele impilo yabo. Ngokomzekelo, uKumkani uAhaziya, unyana ka-Ahabhi noIzebhele, wayefuna ukwazi ukuba uza kuphila na. NoKumkani uBhen-hadadi waseSiriya owayegula kakhulu wayexhalatyisiwe yimpilo yakhe.—2 Kumkani 1:2; 8:7, 8.

² Kwakhona iBhayibhile ithi mandulo uYehova wayekhe abaphilise ngommangaliso abantu abagulayo, ibe wayede asebenzise abaprofeti bakhe ukuze avuse nabafileyo. (1 Kumkani 17:17-24; 2 Kumkani 4:17-20, 32-35) Namhlanje, abanye abantu abagulayo basenokuzibuza  ukuba nabo uThixo uza kubaphilisa na.

3-5. UYehova noYesu banamandla okwenza ntoni, ibe yiyiphi imibuzo esiza kuthetha ngayo?

³ UYehova unamandla okuchaphazela impilo yabantu. Abanye wabohlwaya ngokubenza bagule, njengoFaro ngexesha lika-Abraham, kunye noMiriyam, udade boMoses. (Genesis 12:17; Numeri 12:9, 10; 2 Samuweli 24:15) AmaSirayeli awayengathembekanga wawohlwaya ‘ngezifo nezibetho.’ (Duteronomi 28:58-61) Ngamany’ amaxesha, uYehova ebebakhusela abantu bakhe ekuguleni. (Eksodus 23:25; Duteronomi 7:15) Wayede abaphilise abanye. Ngokomzekelo, waphilisa uYobhi owayegulel’ ukufa.—Yobhi 2:7; 3:11-13; 42:10, 16.

⁴ Siqinisekile ukuba uYehova unamandla okubaphilisa abo bagulayo. NoYesu uyakwazi ukubaphilisa abagulayo. Xa wayesemhlabeni, waphilisa abantu ababegula liqhenqa nesifo sokuxhuzula. Waphilisa kwaneemfama nemilwelwe. (Funda uMateyu 4:23, 24; Yohane 9:1-7) Oku kusenza sikhangele phambili kwimimangaliso uYesu aza kuyenza kwihlabathi elitsha. Ngelo xesha, “akakho ummi wakhona oya kuthi: ‘Ndiyagula.’”—Isaya 33:24.

⁵ Ngaba oku kutheth’ ukuba simele silindele ukuba uYehova okanye uYesu asiphilise ngokumangalisayo xa sigula? Ibe yintoni esimele sicinge ngayo xa sikhetha unyango?

6. Ithini iBhayibhile ngemimangaliso eyayisenziwa ngamaKristu enkulungwane yokuqala?

⁶ Ngenkulungwane yokuqala, uYehova wathambisa amaKristu ngomoya wakhe oyingcwele waza amanye wawanika amandla okwenza imimangaliso. (IZenzo 3:2-7; 9:36-42) Ngokomzekelo, ayekwazi ukuphilisa abantu nokuthetha ngeelwimi ezahlukahlukeneyo. (1 Korinte 12:4-11) Kodwa ekuhambeni kwexesha yaphela loo mimangaliso, kanye njengoba iBhayibhile yayitshilo. (1 Korinte 13:8) Ngoko namhlanje asinakulindela ukuba uThixo asiphilise ngokumangalisayo.

7. INdumiso 41:3 inokusikhuthaza njani?

⁷ Kodwa ukuba uyagula, uYehova uya kukuthuthuzela aze akuxhase, njengoko wenzayo kubakhonzi bakhe bamandulo. Ukumkani uDavide wathi: “Unoyolo nabani na onikela ingqalelo kwisisweli; ngomhla wentlekele uYehova uya kumsindisa. UYehova uya kumlinda amgcine ephila.” (INdumiso 41:1, 2) Kodwa ke uDavide wayengathi umntu olungileyo onikela ingqalelo kwisisweli owayephila ngelaa xesha wayengasoze afe. UYehova wayeza kumnceda njani ke loo mntu? UDavide wathi: “UYehova uya kumxhasa  emandlalweni wokugula; wonke umandlalo wakhe uya kuwutshintsha ngokuqinisekileyo ebudeni bokugula kwakhe.” (INdumiso 41:3) Uzazi kakuhle iingxaki zabakhonzi bakhe yaye akabalibali. Unako ukubakhuthaza abanike nobulumko. Ibe uwudale umzimba womntu ngendlela yokuba ukwazi ukuziphilisa.

8. KwiNdumiso 41:4, yintoni eyacelwa nguDavide kuYehova xa wayegula kakhulu?

⁸ KwiNdumiso 41, uDavide usixelela nangexesha lokugula kwakhe kakhulu, xa wayexhalabile ephelelwe nangamandla. Kubonakala ngathi elo xesha leli unyana wakhe uAbhisalom wayefuna ukumbhukuqa ngalo. Wayegula kakhulu kangangokuba wayengakwazi ukumthintela uAbhisalom. Wayesazi ukuba iingxaki zentsapho yakhe yimiphumo yesono sakhe noBhatshebha. (2 Samuweli 12:7-14) Wenza ntoni ke? Wathandaza wathi: “Owu Yehova, ndibabale. Wuphilise umphefumlo wam, kuba ndonile kuwe.” (INdumiso 41:4) UDavide wayesazi ukuba uYehova umxolele, yaye wathembela kuye xa wayegula. Kodwa ngaba wayelindele ukuba uYehova amphilise ngokungummangaliso?

9. (a) Yintoni uYehova awayenzela uKumkani uHezekiya? (b) UDavide wayelindele ntoni kuYehova?

⁹ Yinyaniso kona ukuba uThixo wayebaphilisa abantu. Ngokomzekelo xa uKumkani uHezekiya wayegulel’ ukufa, uYehova wamphilisa. Waphila iminyaka eyi-15 eyongezelelekileyo. (2 Kumkani 20:1-6) Kodwa uDavide wayengalindelanga mmangaliso. Kunoko wayelindele ukuba uThixo amncede ngendlela awayenokumnceda ngayo umntu “onikela ingqalelo kwisisweli.” UDavide wayenobuhlobo obuhle noYehova, yiyo loo nto wamcelayo ukuba amthuthuzele aze amnyamekele ekuguleni kwakhe. Wamcela nokuba amphilise. Nathi sinokuyicela loo nto kuYehova.—INdumiso 103:3.

10. Kwenzeka ntoni kuTrofimo nakuEpafrodito, yaye oko kusifundisa ntoni?

¹⁰ Ngenkulungwane yokuqala, ayingawo onke amaKristu awaphiliswa ngemimangaliso, nangona umpostile uPawulos nabanye babekwazi ukuphilisa. (Funda iZenzo 14:8-10.) Umpostile uPawulos waphilisa uyise kaPubliyo owayegula kakhulu. “Wathandaza, wambeka izandla waza wamphilisa.” (IZenzo 28:8) Kodwa akazange aphilise wonke umntu amaziyo. Omnye wabahlobo bakhe uTrofimo wayejikeleza naye. (IZenzo 20:3-5, 22; 21:29) Xa wagulayo, uPawulos akazange amphilise. Ngoko kwafuneka ayeke ukuhamba naye, ashiyeke eMileto ukuze aphile. (2 Timoti 4:20) Omnye umhlobo kaPawulos, uEpafrodito, wajik’ ekufeni kukugula. Kodwa iBhayibhile ayitsho ukuba uPawulos wamphilisa.—Filipi 2:25-27, 30.

11, 12. Sazi ntoni ngoLuka, ibe kumele ukuba wamnceda njani uPawulos?

¹¹ ULuka wayengugqirha ibe wayejikeleza noPawulos. (IZenzo 16:10-12; 20:5, 6; Kolose 4:14) Kumele ukuba  wayedla ngokumnyanga uPawulos nabanye ababejikeleza. (Galati 4:13) Kanye njengoko uYesu watshoyo, “kwabo bagulayo” kufuneka ugqirha.—Luka 5:31.

¹² ULuka wayengugqirha oqeqeshiweyo, kungekhona nje umntu owayethanda ukucebisa ngezempilo. IBhayibhile ayisichazeli ukuba wabufundela phi okanye nini ubugqirha. Kodwa iyatsho ukuba uPawulos wathumela imibuliso kaLuka kumaKolose. Kusenokwenzeka ke ukuba uLuka wafundela ubugqirha kwisikolo saseLawodike, idolophu ekufutshane neKolose. Kwakhona, xa uLuka wayebhala incwadi yakhe yeVangeli neyeZenzo, wasebenzisa amagama obugqirha. Kuba wayengugqirha, wabhala ngamabali amaninzi ezihlandlo uYesu awaphilisa ngazo abantu.

13. Simele sikhumbule ntoni ngaphambi kokuba sicebise okanye samkele icebiso ngezempilo?

¹³ Namhlanje, abazalwana bethu abakwazi ukusiphilisa ngemimangaliso. Kodwa kuba befuna ukusinceda, basenokusicebisa nokuba asibacelanga. Kakade ke, amanye amacebiso awanabungozi. Ngokomzekelo, uPawulos wacebisa uTimoti ukuba asele iwayini. UTimoti wayehlutshwa sisisu, mhlawumbi ngenxa yokusela kwakhe amanzi angacocekanga. * (Funda umbhalo osemazantsi.) (Funda eyoku-1 kuTimoti 5:23.) Kodwa sifanele silumke. Umvakalisi usenokufuna sisele iyeza elithile okanye sitye ukutya okuthile. Usenokuthi oko kwanceda isalamane sakhe esasinengxaki efanayo. Kodwa loo nto ayithethi kuthi nathi siza kuncedakala. Sifanele sikhumbule ukuba enoba baninzi kangakanani abantu abancedwe liyeza elithile, lisenokuba yingozi kwabanye.—Funda iMizekeliso 27:12.

14, 15. (a) Ngabantu abanjani esimele sibalumkele? (b) Yintoni esinokuyifunda kwiMizekeliso 14:15?

¹⁴ Sonke siyafuna ukuba sempilweni ukuze siphile kamnandi nokuze simsebenzele ngamandla ethu uYehova. Kodwa asifezekanga, ngoko soze singaguli. Xa sigula, kusenokubakho iindidi zonyango, yaye sinelungelo lokuzikhethela esilufunayo. Okubuhlungu kukuba, abanye abantu nezinye iinkampani ziye zithi zinawo amayeza okusinceda. Oko zikwenza kuba zifuna imali. Zinokuthi baninzi abantu abancedwe ngamayeza azo. Yaye ukuba siyagula, sinokufuna nantoni na enokusinyanga. Kodwa masingalilibali icebiso eliseLizwini  likaThixo elithi: “Nabani na ongenamava ukholwa ngamazwi onke, kodwa onobuqili uyawaqwalasela amanyathelo akhe.”—IMizekeliso 14:15.

¹⁵ Ukuba sinobuqili okanye ubulumko, asiyi kukholelwa yonk’ into le ingakumbi ukuba loo mntu usicebisayo akazange afumane uqeqesho olufanelekileyo ngezonyango. Masizibuze: ‘Uthi eli yeza okanye ukutya ngendlela ethile kwabanceda abanye, kodwa ndazi njani ukuba yinyani loo nto? Enokuba bancedakele ke, ndazi njani ukuba ndiza kuncedakala nam? Ngaba andinakuphanda ngakumbi ndize ndithethe nabantu abaqeqeshelwe ukunyanga esi sigulo ndinaso?’—Duteronomi 17:6.

16. Sinokukusebenzisa njani ukuqonda xa sisenza izigqibo ngezonyango?

¹⁶ Simele sisebenzise ukuqonda okanye sibe ‘nengqondo ephilileyo’ xa sisenza izigqibo ngezonyango. (Tito 2:12) Oku kubaluleke kakhulu xa kubonakala ngathi olo nyango aluqhelekanga. Ngaba lo mntu ukuxelela ngolo nyango angakuchazela indlela olusebenza ngayo? Ngaba inkcazelo yakhe iyathandabuzeka? Ngaba oogqirha abaninzi bayavumelana  naye? (IMizekeliso 22:29) Kusenokubakho umntu okuxelela ngonyango olutsha oogqirha abangekazi nto ngalo. Kodwa ngaba bukho ubungqina boko? Abanye basenokucebisa unyango olusebenza ngendlela engaqondakaliyo. Oku kunokuba yingozi kakhulu. Khumbula ukuba uThixo akafuni sisebenzise amandla omlingo.—Duteronomi 18:10-12; Isaya 1:13.

17. Nguwuphi umnqweno oqhelekileyo esinawo?

¹⁷ Iqumrhu elilawulayo lenkulungwane yokuqala lathumela ileta kubazalwana emabandleni libaxelela izinto ababemele baziphephe. Ekupheleni kwaloo leta, labhala oku: “Ukuba niyazikhwebula kwezi zinto, niya kuphumelela. Mpilo-ntle!” (IZenzo 15:29) Nangona la yayingamazwi okubhabhayisa, asikhumbuza ukuba kuyinto eqhelekileyo ukunqwenela impilo entle.

18, 19. Yintoni esiyilindele ngemincili kwihlabathi elitsha?

¹⁸ Asifezekanga, ngoko asinakude singaguli. Ibe xa sigula, asilindelanga ukuba uYehova asiphilise ngokungummangaliso. Kodwa sikhangele phambili ekusiphiliseni kwakhe ngokupheleleyo kwixesha elizayo. KwiSityhilelo 22:1, 2 umpostile uYohane uthetha ‘ngamanzi obomi nemithi yobomi’ eya kuphilisa bonke abantu. Apha akabhekiseli kunyango lwamayeza esiza kulufumana ngoku okanye kwihlabathi elitsha. Kunoko, ubhekisela kuko konke uYehova noYesu abaza kukwenza ukuze siphile ngonaphakade.—Isaya 35:5, 6.

¹⁹ Ingathi alisafiki elo xesha limangalisayo. Kodwa okwangoku, siqinisekile ukuba uYehova uthanda ngamnye wethu, ibe uyayiqonda indlela esivakalelwa ngayo xa sigula. NjengoDavide, siqinisekile ukuba akasoze asilahle. Uya kusoloko ebanyamekela abo bathembekileyo kuye.—INdumiso 41:12.