1, 2. (a) UMfowethu uRussell wamphendula wathini umfundisi owayefuna ukwazi ukuthi aBafundi beBhayibhili babeyithatha ngaphi imali? (b) Sizahlolani esahlukweni lesi?

UMFOWETHU uCharles T. Russell wake walandwa ngomunye umfundisi we-Reformed Church owayefuna ukwazi ukuthi aBafundi beBhayibhili babeyithatha ngaphi imali yokusekela umsebenzi wabo.

UMfowethu uRussell wamtshela wathi: “Kasiceli nkongozelo.”

Umfundisi lo wabuza wathi: “Manje liyithola njani imali?”

URussell waphendula wathi: “Ngingaze ngikutshele iqiniso sibili kawusoze ulikholwe. Loba ngubani ofika emihlanganweni yethu, katholi kulomganu wenkongozelo obhodiswayo. Kodwa uyananzelela ukuthi kulezindleko okumele zibhadalwe. Uyazibuza ukuthi, ‘Iwolu leyi kumele ibhadalelwe, manje ngingancedisa njani ngemadlana engilayo?’ ”

Umfundisi wakhangela uMfowethu uRussell engamkholwa.

URussell waqhubeka wathi: “Ngikutshela iqiniso elipheleleyo. Bayangibuza ukuthi, ‘Nginganikela njani emsebenzini eliwenzayo ngemadlana engilayo?’ Nxa umuntu ebusiswe ngempahla langemali, uba lesifiso sokunikela ngakho eNkosini. Nxa engelayo, siyabe simbambelani ngamandla ukuthi anikele?” *

² UMfowethu uRussell wayekhuluma “iqiniso elipheleleyo” sibili. Sekuleminyaka eminengi abantu bakaNkulunkulu benikela ngokusuka enhliziyweni ukuze basekele ukukhonza kweqiniso. Esihlokweni lesi sizahlola ezinye izibonelo eziseMibhalweni kanye lezenzakala esikhathini sethu ezikufakazelayo lokhu. Ngesikhathi sihlola ukuthi imisebenzi ephathelane loMbuso isekelwa njani lamuhla, munye ngamunye wethu kumele azibuze ukuthi, ‘Ngingatshengisa njani ukuthi ngiyawusekela uMbuso?’

3, 4. (a) Kuyini uJehova angakuthandabuziyo ngezikhonzi zakhe? (b) Ama-Israyeli atshengisa njani ukuthi ayekusekela ukwakhiwa kwethabanikeli?

³ UJehova uyazethemba izikhonzi zakhe zeqiniso. Ukwazi mhlophe ukuthi nxa zingaphiwa ithuba, zingakujabulela ukutshengisa ukuthi ziyamthanda ngokunikela ngokuzithandela. Khangela izibonelo ezimbili zako-Israyeli wendulo.

 ⁴ Ngemva kokukhulula ama-Israyeli eGibhithe, uJehova wawatshela ukuthi akhe ithente elithwalekayo kumbe ithabanikeli ayezalisebenzisa ekukhonzeni. Kwakuzafuneka izinto ezinengi ukuze lakhiwe lokuthi kulungiswe izinto ezazizasetshenziswa phakathi kwalo. UJehova walaya uMosi ukuthi anike abantu ithuba lokusekela umsebenzi lo, wabatshela wathi: ‘Akuthi wonke ozimiseleyo alethe kuJehova umnikelo.’ (Eks. 35:5) Benzani abantu laba ababeke benza ‘yonke imisebenzi enzima amaGibhithe ebasebenzisa ngochuku’? (Eks. 1:​14) Bawusekela ngenhliziyo yonke, banikela ngegolide, ngesiliva langezinye izinto eziligugu, okunengi kwakhona okumele ukuthi babekuthethe kumaGibhithe ayekade ebathumbile. (Eks. 12:​35, 36) Ama-Israyeli anikela ngokunengi kulalokho okwakufuneka, aze ‘avinjelwa ukuletha okunye futhi.’​—Eks. 36:​4-7.

5. Ama-Israyeli enzani lapho uDavida ewanika ithuba lokunikela ukuze kwakhiwe ithempeli?

⁵ Ngemva kweminyaka engaba ngu-475, uDavida wanikela ‘ngenotho yakhe’ ukuze kwakhiwe ithempeli, elaba yindawo yokuqala yokukhonza kweqiniso emhlabeni engazange intshintshe. Ngemva kwalokho wanika ama-Israyeli ithuba lokunikela ngokuwabuza ukuthi: “Ngubani ofuna ukuzinikela kuJehova lamuhla?” Abantu basuka lapho ‘banikela kuJehova ngokukhululeka langezinhliziyo zabo zonke.’ (1 ImiLan. 29:​3-9) Ngenxa yokuthi uDavida wayekwazi ukuthi iminikelo le yayivela kubani, wathandaza kuJehova wathi: “Konke kuvela kuwe, thina sikunike kuphela lokho okuvela esandleni sakho.”​—1 ImiLan. 29:14.

6. Kungani kufuneka imali ukuze kwenziwe umsebenzi woMbuso lamuhla, njalo yiphi imibuzo ebakhona?

⁶ UMosi loDavida kabazange babambe abantu bakaNkulunkulu ngamandla ukuba banikele. Kodwa abantu banikela ngezinhliziyo ezimhlophe. Sekuntshintshile yini? Kakho ongaphika ukuthi lokho okwenziwa nguMbuso kaNkulunkulu lamuhla kudinga imali ukuze kuphumelele. Kufuneka imali ethe xaxa ukuze kudindwe njalo kuthunyezwe amaBhayibhili lamabhuku alichasisayo emhlabeni wonke, lokuthi kwakhiwe njalo kunakekelwe izindawo esikhonzela kuzo kanye lamawofisi egatsha. Kanti njalo imali iyadingeka ukuze kuncedwe abafowethu nxa behlelwe ngumonakalo. Nansi-ke imibuzo eqakathekileyo: Ivela ngaphi imali yokwenza konke lokhu? Izinceku zeNkosi kumele zibanjwe ngamandla yini ukuze zinikele?

7, 8. Kungani abantu bakaJehova bengaceli imali ebantwini?

⁷ UMfowethu uRussell labanye bakhe kabazange balingisele izindlela zokudinga imali ezazisetshenziswa ngamasonto ayezithi ngawesiKhristu. Ku-Watch Tower eyayingeyesibili ukubhalwa, esihlokweni esithi “Uyayifuna Yini ‘i-Zion’s Watch Tower’?” uMfowethu uRussell wathi: “Sikholwa ukuthi i-Zion’s Watch Tower isekelwa nguJEHOVA, njalo nxa esaqhubeka eyisekela kayisoze incenge loba icele uncedo ebantwini. Nxa lowo othi: ‘Isiliva ngesami legolide ngelami,’ angekela ukuyisekela ngemali  edingekayo, sizavuma ukuthi kuyabe sekuyisikhathi sokuthi siyekele ukuyibhala imagazini le.” (Hag. 2:​7-9) Sekuleminyaka edlula 130 iNqabayokulinda kanye lenhlanganiso eyidindayo kulokhu kuphumelela kusiya phambili!

⁸ Abantu bakaJehova kabahambi becela imali. Kababhodisi imiganu yenkongozelo njalo kababhali izincwadi zokucela imali. Kabadingi imali ngokuthengisa ezinye izinto kumbe ukwenza imidlalo engenwa ngemali. Banamathela kulokho okwakhulunywa yi-Watch Tower kudala ukuthi: ‘Kasikaze sikubone kuqondile ukuthi sicele imali ukuze sisekele umsebenzi weNkosi, njengalokho okwenziwa ngamanye amasonto. Sibona angathi imali ecelwa ngezindlela ezehlukeneyo ngebizo leNkosi imbi njalo kayamukeleki kuyo, futhi iNkosi kayisoze ibusise ophileyo kanye lomsebenzi owenziwe ngemali le.’ *

9, 10. Yisiphi esinye isizatho esenza sinikele ngenhliziyo yonke?

⁹ Thina esiyizinceku zoMbuso lamuhla kasibanjwa ngamandla ukuthi sinikele. Kodwa sinikela ngokusuka enhliziyweni ngemali kanye langezinye izinto esilazo ukuze sisekele imisebenzi ephathelane loMbuso. Kungani sisenza njalo? Khangela izizatho lezi ezintathu.

¹⁰ Okokuqala, sinikela ngezinhliziyo zethu zonke ngenxa yokuthi siyamthanda uJehova njalo sifuna ukwenza “okumthokozisayo.” (1 Joh. 3:​22) UJehova uyajabula kakhulu nxa isikhonzi sakhe sinikela ngenhliziyo emhlophe. Ake sihlole amazwi kamphostoli uPhawuli aphathelane lokuthi amaKhristu kufanele anikele njani. (Bala u-2 Khorinte 9:7.) UmKhristu weqiniso kadondi ukunikela njalo kabanjwa ngamandla. Kodwa unikela ngenxa yokuthi ‘umise enhliziyweni yakhe’ ukuthi enze njalo. * Lokhu kutsho ukuthi uqala acabangisise ngokuthi kuyini okudingekayo, abesebona ukuthi yena angancedisa njani. UJehova uyamthanda kakhulu umuntu onikela njalo, ngoba “uNkulunkulu uthanda onikela ngokuthokoza.” Elinye iBhayibhili lihumutsha ivesi le ngokuthi: “UNkulunkulu uthanda abantu abathanda ukunikela.”

11. Kuyini okwenza sinike uJehova okungcono kulakho konke esilakho?

¹¹ Okwesibili, ukunikela ngezinto esilazo kuyindlela yokubonga uJehova ngezibusiso zonke asipha zona. Cabanga ngesimiso esiseMthethweni kaMosi esingakunceda ukuthi uzihlole. (Bala uDutheronomi 16:​16, 17.) Indoda ngayinye engumIsrayeli kwakumele ihambe emikhosini emithathu umnyaka ngamunye iphethe isipho, ‘kusiya ngokuthi yayiphiwe yabusiswa ngokunganani nguJehova.’ Ngakho-ke ingakahambi emkhosini kwakumele iqale ibale izibusiso eyayizitholile njalo ihlole inhliziyo yayo, ukuze ikhethe isipho esingcono kulazo zonke eyiyayinganikela ngaso. Lathi lamuhla nxa sicabangisisa ngezindlela ezinengi uJehova asibusise ngazo, siba lesifiso esikhulu  sokumnika okungcono kulakho konke esilakho. Isipho sethu esisinikela ngenhliziyo yonke, esigoqela lezinto esilazo, siyatshengisa ukuthi siziqakathekisa kangakanani izibusiso uJehova asithululele zona.​—2 Khor. 8:​12-15.

12, 13. Iminikelo yethu yokuzithandela itshengisa njani ukuthi siyayithanda iNkosi, njalo umuntu ngamunye kumele anikele ngokungakanani?

¹² Okwesithathu, sinikela ngokuzithandela ukuze sitshengise ukuthi siyayithanda iNkosi uJesu Khristu. Sitshengisa njani ukuthi siyayithanda? Impendulo siyithola kulokho uJesu akutshela abafundi bakhe ngobusuku bokucina elapha emhlabeni. (Bala uJohane 14:​23.) Wathi: “Nxa ekhona ongithandayo uzalalela imfundiso yami.” “Imfundiso” kaJesu igoqela lomlayo wakhe wokutshumayela izindaba ezinhle zoMbuso emhlabeni wonke. (Mat. 24:​14; 28:​19, 20) Silalela “imfundiso” yakhe ngokusebenzisa isikhathi sethu, amandla ethu, lezinto esilazo ukuze sisekele umsebenzi wokutshumayela ngoMbuso. Nxa sisenza lokhu, siyabe sitshengisa ukuthi siyayithanda iNkosi enguMesiya.

¹³ Njengoba siyizinceku zoMbuso, sifuna ukutshengisa  ukuthi siwusekela ngenhliziyo yonke, ngokunikela ngemali. Kodwa kumele sinikele ngemali enganani? Umuntu ngamunye uyazikhethela. Unikela ngalokho okusemandleni akhe. Lanxa kunjalo, abafowethu abanengi kabalampahla enengi. (Mat. 19:​23, 24; Jak. 2:5.) Kodwa kungabaduduza ukwazi ukuthi uJehova leNdodana yakhe bayayiqakathekisa ngitsho leminikelo emincane abayenza ngenhliziyo yonke.​—Mak. 12:​41-44.

14. Okweminyaka eminengi, oFakazi bakaJehova babesenza njani lapho benika abantu amabhuku abo?

¹⁴ Okweminyaka eminengi, oFakazi bakaJehova babesithi umuntu aqale anikele bengakamniki amabhuku. Kwakunikelwa ngemali ephansi okokuthi lalabo ababeswela babesenelisa ukuwathola. Kodwa abamemezeli boMbuso babengakuvilapheli ukutshiya amabhuku kuloba ngubani owayetshengisa ukuthi ulesifiso sokufunda lanxa wayengelamali. Isifiso sabo esikhulu sasingesokuwanika labo ababedinga iqiniso, ababezawabala njalo bathole ulwazi olwaluzabanceda.

15, 16. (a) Yiluphi untshintsho olwenziwa liQula Elibusayo ngo-1990 endleleni esasinika ngayo abantu amabhuku ethu? (b) Iminikelo yokuzithandela yenziwa njani? (Khangela lebhokisi elithi “ Iminikelo Yethu Isetshenziswa Ngaphi?”)

¹⁵ Ngo-1990, iQula Elibusayo laqalisa ukuntshintsha indlela esasinika ngayo abantu amabhuku ethu. Ngomnyaka lo, e-United States abantu baqalisa ukuphiwa amabhuku bengasacelwa ukuthi banikele. Incwadi eyabhalelwa wonke amabandla alelolizwe yakuchasisa lokhu yathi: ‘Abamemezeli kanye lalabo abafuna amamagazini lamabhuku sebezawaphiwa bengazange bacelwe ukuthi banikele loba kukhulunywe ngokuthi kulomnikelo ongenziwa bengakatholi amabhuku. Loba ngubani ofisa ukunikela ukuze aphungule izindleko zomsebenzi wethu wokufundisa angenza njalo, kodwa angawathola amabhuku kungelani lokuthi unikelile kumbe hatshi.’ Lokhu kwacacisa ukuthi umsebenzi wethu usekelwa ngeminikelo yokuzithandela lokuthi “kasihambi sithengisa ilizwi likaNkulunkulu.” (2 Khor. 2:​17) Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi indlela le entsha yaqalisa ukusetshenziswa lakwamanye amagatsha asemhlabeni wonke.

¹⁶ Iminikelo yokuzithandela yenziwa njani? Kulamabhokisi omnikelo afakwe ezindaweni ezikhethwe kuhle emaWolu oMbuso aboFakazi bakaJehova. Abantu bangaphosela khona iminikelo yabo kumbe bayithumezele enhlanganisweni esemthethweni yaboFakazi bakaJehova. Umnyaka ngamunye kuba le-Nqabayokulinda elesihloko esichaza ukuthi iminikelo enjalo yokuzithandela ingenziwa njani.

17-19. Chasisa ukuthi iminikelo isetshenziswa njani (a) emsebenzini womhlaba wonke, (b) ekwakhiweni kwamaWolu oMbuso emhlabeni wonke, (c) lasekunakekeleni izindleko zebandla.

¹⁷ Umsebenzi womhlaba wonke. Iminikelo le isetshenziswa ukubhadala izindleko zomsebenzini wokutshumayela emhlabeni wonke. Izindleko lezi zigoqela imali esetshenziswa ukudinda amabhuku ahanjiswa emhlabeni wonke, ukwakha lokunakekela amaBhetheli, futhi iyasetshenziswa lasezikolo zenkonzo ezitshiyeneyo. Kanti njalo imali le isetshenziswa lasekunakekeleni  abanali, ababonisi abahambelayo kanye lamaphayona aqakathekileyo. Iminikelo yethu iyasetshenziswa futhi ukuze abafowethu abehlelwe ngumonakalo bathole uncedo. *

¹⁸ Ukwakhiwa kwamaWolu oMbuso emhlabeni wonke. Iminikelo le inceda amabandla ukuze akhe kumbe alungise amaWolu oMbuso. Nxa abantu beqhubeka benikela, imali yokuncedisa amanye amabandla iyaqhubeka itholakala. *

¹⁹ Izindleko zebandla. Iminikelo le isetshenziswa ukubhadala izindleko zeWolu loMbuso kanye lokuligcina lisesimeni esihle. Kwesinye isikhathi abadala bangakubona kufanele ukuthi enye imali ithunyelwe ewofisini yegatsha ukuze incedise emsebenzini womhlaba wonke. Nxa befisa ukwenza njalo, bangezwa ngebandla ukuthi kungahanjiswa malini. Ibandla lingavumelana, imali yakhona iyathunyelwa egatsheni. Inyanga ngayinye, umzalwane okhangela izimali zebandla kumele enze umbiko ozabalelwa ibandla.

20. Ungamdumisa njani uJehova “ngemfuyo” yakho?

²⁰ Nxa sicabanga ngakho konke okudingekayo ukuze umsebenzi wethu wokutshumayela ngoMbuso lowokwenza abafundi emhlabeni wonke uqhubekele phambili, sizizwa sifuna ‘ukudumisa uJehova ngemfuyo yethu.’ (Zaga. 3:​9, 10) Imfuyo yethu igoqela amandla ethu, ukukhalipha kwethu kanye lalokho esenelisa ukukwenza enkonzweni yethu. Siyakufuna sibili ukusebenzisa konke lokhu emsebenzini woMbuso. Singakukhohlwa ukuthi imfuyo yethu igoqela lempahla esilayo. Yikho-ke kasizimiseleni ukunikela ngokusemandleni ethu, ngasosonke isikhathi. Iminikelo esiyenza ngenhliziyo yonke iyamdumisa uJehova njalo itshengisa ukuthi siyawusekela uMbuso obuswa nguMesiya.