Content Next Study
Asking and Listening for the Answer
Twenty years ago I asked two friends to pray with me that I might know the will of God for a personal ministry. The answer came – ‘Use the gift I gave you and write books and tracts. I will give the subject, the title and the money for printing.’
Since that time, I have never been short of all three.
When I first began to send materials to Africa, friends said, ‘Why work over there? Why not work for Australians?’ My response has always been, ‘I do, but when a call comes, how can you ignore it?’
In the Christian community, there is always the Macedonian call, ‘Come over and help us’. You can’t force people to read, but gladly will you supply a request.
Most of the workers email from Internet cafes. One brother rides his bicycle two hours to type his two-finger message. Another brother walked four hours just to tell me he had arrived safely in a distant territory.
Public transport is available, but quite often the choice is the bus or the email. However, if the driver is amenable to turning off the radio, the worker can pay his fare by preaching to the passengers! Many take advantage of this to evangelise the country.
Of course, it is always ‘weather permitting’, as the rainy season makes travel almost impossible. But workers do need to travel, even when the roads are impassable. One worker took a bus along a short route available for travel, but from there he had to walk. It took two hours to go one kilometre, as each foot sank knee deep into the mud. But the gratitude of the group of believers was worth the effort.
The workers rely on book sales in the market place, on the buses, house to house and businesses, for their daily living. But they must be supplemented with mission offerings to purchase literature and tracts for these missionary journeys. A portion of the funds given in Australia goes straight to workers, but some is needed for printing tracts and airmailing them to Africa.
Only small boxes can be mailed at a time, as the custom duty is sometimes so high the parcel must be forfeited. Later the contents are sold in a post office sale. If money can be saved to pay the duty, there are additional fees for storing the parcel. Certainly this is a thorn in the side of the poor workers. (Thankfully, this is not in all African countries)
At times a grateful message comes from a brother and his wife, ‘We were down to our last bit of food – a pound of corn, and your money arrived. Praise God.’
I have never been to Africa, but my world is enriched with their experiences. Letters and tapes reveal the sacrifice these workers are willing to make that others might have the hope of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
My going to Africa would be fun, but the indigenous men and women have a greater advantage than a white lady unused to the hardships of African life. My place is alternating between the armchair, the post office and my knees.
Daily I praise God that not only does He inspire the Macedonian call, but He speaks clearly to those who ask and are willing to listen for the answer.
Learning to Listen
When Elijah was running for his life from Jezebel, he came to the mount of God, and hiding in a cave, heard the voice of God say, “What doest thou here Elijah?” Then He told the prophet to stand before Him while He passed by.
“And behold…. a great strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks… but the Lord was not in the wind After the wind was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. Then came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. But after the fire was a still small voice”. 1 Kings 19:12.
God speaks through His Holy Spirit, often called the conscience. It seems to fill the mind, sometimes with warnings against sin or a sense of guilt; at other times the blessedness of peace, joy and comfort. Jesus said the Spirit would “reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment”. John 16:8. His messages are understood, rather than ‘heard’, and yet the exact words can be repeated.
But there is another voice -- the voice of our guardian angel. It is different from God’s Spirit, for we actually ‘hear’ the words spoken, not with our ears, but in the mind. I usually think the words are my own thoughts, and many times they go unheeded.
Sometimes it is counsel and I have not followed it. Or directions. Other times it is a warning, after which I have said, ‘It will be alright.’ It hasn’t been. And then I remember, ‘I heard those words’.
How many times I have remonstrated with myself for not listening.
One time I had driven to Melbourne, and after taking some money out of the bank, went to visit a friend. As I parked my car, I had the idea she was not home. I got out of the car to knock on the door, but left my handbag on the passenger seat of the car. There was no answer, so I decided to look around. Perhaps she was in the garden.
Then I heard a voice, ‘Don’t leave your bag in the car’. Thinking I had thought this myself, I said, ‘It will be alright’.
I walked through the open side gate calling out to my friend. When out of sight of the car, I heard the voice again, ‘Don’t leave your bag in the car’. By this time you would think I had realised it was a warning, but no, I was not listening.
Again I said, ‘It will be alright.’
The next moment I found my friend. After our greeting we went into her kitchen. In a few moments the telephone rang. As I sat there relaxing, I felt an extremely strong impression to go to my car. I actually felt like I was being pushed, but felt nothing touch me.
I got up and walked out the kitchen door. From that position I could see the car. The driver’s door was open and a young man was standing at the door. He had my handbag in his hand. As I approached him, he put it down, stepped back to allow me to stand at the driver’s seat. I calmly and quietly picked up my open bag. Taking out the purse I could see it had been opened, so I casually looked inside – the money was still there.
The boy, still standing beside me, said, ‘Do you think it’s bad to be on marijuana? My mother thinks its not good for me.’ I replied, ‘Yes, she is right’. Nothing else was said and he walked away. I shut the car door and walked back to the kitchen, handbag safely clasped in my hand.
My friend was off the phone and I told her my experience.
She was shocked and said, ‘My son is on heroin. I should have told you not to leave money anywhere because he will find it.’
I am very thankful my angel did not give up. If I would not listen to him, he would do something else. But this has not always been the case. Oh that I will learn to listen always.
Listening and Believing
I praise God that He does not leave us without communication from Him, either by His holy Word the Bible, the Holy Spirit or angelic beings. The Bible says, “And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left.” Isaiah 30:21.
Last week I spoke about the experience of hearing the voice of my guardian angel warn me regarding my handbag. His words were said clearly and rather quickly in my mind. Was I listening? No, I thought they were my own thoughts. But after that experience, I have begun to learn.
A friend heard the voice of his angel when he was about to make a turn into traffic on his motorbike. As he began to press his foot on the accelerator, he heard a voice say, ‘Joe stop’. At first he thought it was his own thought, but realised he does not name himself when he thinks. Praise God Joe listened to his angel’s voice, because it saved his life.
Another friend, who is not a Christian, heard a voice say, ‘Stop’ as he was driving along a very hilly narrow road. Although he did not know who said the words, he stopped, and as he did so, a car sped out of a hidden driveway. It would certainly have collided with him had he continued on his way.
One morning I was having my daily devotions in the lounge room. It was early in the morning and no one else was up. At that time I was pleading with the Lord to take me away from a very difficult situation, but as I had no money, I felt it was impossible.
Suddenly a voice said, ‘Go to America’. It seemed to come from about four feet behind me, and yet I heard it in my mind.
I spun around and said, ‘You’d have to be joking’.
As I turned back, the Spirit of the Lord also spoke to my mind. His “still small voice” spoke very gently, ‘Who are you speaking to like that?’ I had heard my angel’s voice before and should have known, so I apologised to the Lord for being so flippant.
As I was living solely on donations from those who supported my ministry, I knew I had no money to travel to the United States of America. However, I said to the Lord, ‘If you want me to go that will be wonderful, but you will have to supply the money.’
In eighteen days I was in the United States.
Nine days after I heard my angel’s instructions, I received a phone call from a friend in America. ‘We have been praying you will come to America. We will pay your fare and keep you while you are over here.’
It took nine more days to prepare for my trip and fly across the Pacific Ocean. How amazing to be sitting in my friend’s lounge room in Madera, California!
“Ministering angels are waiting about the throne to instantly obey the mandate of Jesus Christ to answer every prayer offered in earnest, living faith.” Selected.
Oh that I had always listened, but I am thankful I am learning.
God is Listening
There is a promise in the Bible that assures us God is listening. It is in the setting of the new earth, but applies to all who speak to Him today. “And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear.” Isaiah 65:24.
I had an experience some years ago that made it very clear God was listening to me, in fact, He had prepared for my needs through someone who knew nothing of them. For four years, I did not have a regular income. In fact, I had no money at all, nothing in the bank and no car. After a very specific prayer, God promised He would provide my needs, so long as I continued my ministry for Him.
To confirm His will, I was inundated with donations, enough to buy a cheap car and pay the postage for a monthly newsletter ready to be mailed.
It was a wonderful time of ministry.
I never had a lot of money, but there was always enough for food, petrol, electricity, gas, rates, the mortgage, and all the other expenses of modern living. I still had nothing in the bank, but that was alright with me.
One day my son said, ‘Mum, can you lend me $20.00?’ He understood my circumstances, and so I said, ‘Warren, you know I don’t have much money. In fact, right now I have only $20.00 in my purse. That’s all I have.’ He replied, ‘Yes, but you only have to go to the post office and you’ll have some more.’ I smiled, but with serious tones said, ‘But I don’t take that for granted and neither should you.’ I gave him the $20.00.
On my daily walk to the post office, a friend passed me in her car. She stopped and said, ‘Margaretha, I have some money for you.’ It was $25.00.
As time progressed, the money continued, but it was never quite enough to pay the bills. Gradually they mounted up -- $200. $400. $800. ‘Oh my Father’, I prayed, ‘What is happening? Are you listening to my prayers?’ $1000. ‘My Father, I am working for you, and you said you would supply my needs. Will you help me? In Jesus’ name. Amen.’ $1200. $1300. $1400.
Finally my debt reached $1500, and in desperation, I pled with the Lord, ‘My Father, I come to you in great need. I have been obeying you in every way I know, sending out materials to all who request them, but I don’t have enough to pay the bills. I know I am unworthy of all your blessings, but I am your child through Jesus Christ, and I don’t know what to do. If you want me to get a job, I will, but as yet, you have not given me direction to do it.
Father, if I can’t believe you will provide the money to live, I can’t believe you for anything, so I trust you and ask you to send me $1500 today.’ Never before had I specified a time for God to answer my prayers, but this was a real test.
Would I continue to trust God?
In peace, I went on with my daily tasks.
That afternoon the time came for my walk to the post office. It was always exciting, in fact, I could never wait until I got home to open the mail and would meander back enjoying all that had arrived -- letters from friends, requests for books, small amounts of money.
But what was this? A bank cheque without a letter and no return address!
The amount on the cheque? $1500 exactly.
God had heard me. In fact, He had prepared the answer even before I had uttered the words.
Friend, God is listening.
The Real You – Part One
It is very important that Christians be representatives of Christ in every area of their lives, and not just ‘one-day-a week’ Christians. Otherwise, those who do not profess the faith will see our inconsistencies and be repelled.
Sadly, Jesus will get the blame.
But there is one place where men and women have a tendency to change into different people. This even includes some Christians. It is a chameleon act, but for Christians it should never be.
Where is it? In the home.
Something happens at the door step that is quite amazing -- the mask is removed and the cloak taken off.
Recently I overheard part of a conversation. It went like this, “Yes, he’s nice at work, but you should see him at home. He is a different person.”
I did not wait to hear whether the poor man was better or worse when he arrived home, but from the introductory words, it was apparent that at home, the ‘monster’ emerged.
Am I dramatising?
I don’t think so. Men and women can be very polite to the boss, but speak to their spouses and children in a very rude manner. Of course, if a mother yells at her children in the supermarket or a husband loudly criticises his wife in a restaurant, you know what the home-life is like.
But for loving Christian men and women to be gentle to strangers, but argumentative and critical to their own families, is a shame.
In fact, it is more than a shame; it is sin.
Home is certainly a place to relax, but it is not to be a place of strife.
Children spend most of their waking hours in school and if the home is filled with harshness, selfwill, criticism and anger, where would they rather be? And where will they learn to live like Jesus? It will not be at church, one hour a week.
Troubles may invade the home, but these are the lot of humanity. Let patience, gratitude, and love be like sunshine in the hearts of each family member, though the day may be ever so cloudy.
The home may be plain, but it can always be a place where cheerful words are spoken and kindly deeds are done. Family members should be courteous to each other, and problems dealt with in a kindly, loving manner.
Sometimes it is easier to be honest with other people than it is to be honest with ourselves, to face squarely in the mirror and ask, ‘What kind of a person am I at home, really?’
If you see a mask and cloak, why not cast them away and put on the robe of Christ’s righteousness. Then you will become the person God wants you to be.
The Real You -- Part Two
Last week we spoke of the amazing change for the worse that can take place when men and women enter their homes, including some Christians. Instead of remaining courteous behind closed door, they become angry and rude.
But there is another place where men and women have a problem, even Christians. I am told by my son who has just returned from Germany that it doesn’t happen over there, but there is no question Australia has a problem.
It is road rage.
Why is it that men and women can scream and yell at other drivers in a manner that defies description? Yes, and Christians too. One pastor told me he repented with tears for his rage at a driver who cut him off.
Another friend had a driver scream at her because he did not see she was turning right. The indicator had been flashing for some time, when suddenly a car swerved and a man’s voice yelled profanities in her direction. In this instance, the rage was so bad, the man did a u-turn and came after her.
My friend began to panic and sped on, hoping to lose him, but he kept coming. He skidded around corners, raced up streets and continued yelling out the window, ‘I’ll kill you.’ Finally she either lost him or he gave up. It was not a pleasant experience.
One whole family was chased for an hour and a half. The wife and children were crying as the father desperately searched for a police station. He sped up and down streets, fearing at any time the gauge would show empty. A frightening time for all.
Recently I received an email about a lady in the United States. It was sent as a joke, but it could have been a real-life experience. It is preferable it really happened, rather than a clever mind writing in recognition of the way certain people are seen by others.
Two cars were waiting at a stoplight. The light turned green, but the man in the front car did not notice it. His head was down. A woman in the car behind began banging her steering wheel and yelling at the man to move. He didn’t. The lady continued to rave, pounding her steering wheel dashboard, and calling out the window. The light turned yellow and the woman began to blow the car horn. The man looked up, saw the yellow light and accelerated through the intersection just as the light turned red.
Of course, the woman missed the light. She is beside herself. Suddenly there is a tap on the window. Turning her head, she looks into the barrel of a gun. It is being held by a very serious-looking policeman. He orders her out with her hands up, telling her to remain with her hands on the roof of the car. He has her details checked, then returns with a bit of a smile on his face. Indignantly the lady asks, ‘What was that all about?’
‘I’m really sorry for this mistake. But you see, I was behind you and saw you cussing the guy in front of you. I noticed a ‘Choose Life’ license plate holder and the ‘What Would Jesus Do?’ bumper sticker. Naturally I assumed you had stolen the car.’
If we want to be representatives of the Saviour, we must be like Him everywhere. So says the hymn, “Be like Jesus, this my song; In the home and in the throng. Be like Jesus all day long; I would be like Jesus.”
The Hope of the Christian -- Part One
“This world is not my home, I’m just a-passing through,
A mansion is laid up, Somewhere beyond the blue.”
So goes the chorus, but is it true? Is there a mansion waiting for Christians in some far off place?
Jesus said, “In My Father’s house are many mansions…. I go to prepare a place for you; if I go to prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you unto myself, that where I am, ye might be also.” John 14:1-3.
Just imagine – a beautiful mansion in the far-off city of God. We might be living in a modest home today or a tiny cottage, but in the home of Jesus we will have a mansion.
Listen to a description of the city. “And the foundations of the city are garnished with all manner of precious stones…. jasper, sapphire, emerald, beryl, topaz, amethyst… And the twelve gates are twelve pearls, every gate of one pearl; and the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass.” Revelation 21:19-21.
But it is not all glitter, there is a river. “And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb.” Revelation 22:1.
Won’t it be wonderful to drink pure, clear water?
There are also trees. The most wonderful tree is the tree of life.
“In the midst of it… was the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month.” Revelation 22:2.
What will this fruit taste like? Strawberries? Plums? Mangoes? Peaches? We have no idea, but they will be delicious.
There will be nothing that defiles in this city. Those who walk there will be pure and holy. Nothing will hurt or destroy. There will be peace and happiness for eternity.
More than this, there will be “no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither will there be any more pain, for the former things are passed away.” Revelation 21:4.
Isn’t it something worth waiting for?
You can’t buy this mansion, even if you had millions of dollars. Instead it is FREE. It is a gift.
Of course, there was a cost, but Jesus has paid it. Never forget this – the mansion in God’s city cost Jesus His life on a cruel cross. He was willing to suffer that we might have hope for something better.
It is not a figment of imagination or a wispy cloud. Heaven is a real place. Soon Jesus will return to take His children to their home above. It is open to all, but you must decide if you want it.
This is the hope of the Christian.
The Hope of the Christian Part Two
There is an interesting text in the Bible that says, “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.” Matthew 5:5.
People have often wondered about this verse, because it stands in stark contrast to what takes place today. In this world, the rich or strong own the earth. We might all have our little bit, but certainly not as a fulfilment of the text.
But the promise is sure – the meek will inherit the earth.
You see, there are two aspects to heaven.
There is the city of God and the great white throne. It is the home of ten thousand times ten thousand holy angels. There Jesus sits with His Father on the throne of the universe. The prophet saw “that great city…. descending out of heaven…” Revelation 21:10. It will come down to this earth.
But the earth will be renewed, and become what the Bible calls “the new earth”, cleansed of everything vile and corrupt by unquenchable fire. Nothing will be left but ashes. And God will remake the whole earth in Edenic beauty. The Bible says, “For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth… the wolf and the lamb shall feed together, and the lion shall eat straw like the bullock… they shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain, saith the lord.” Isaiah 65:17.25.
The prophets wrote a lot about our renewed home. “The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them.” Isaiah 11:6.
Isn’t this something to look forward to?
“The eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. The lame shall leap as a hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing…” Isaiah 35:5.6.
No sickness, no suffering, no pain, no tears, and no death.
“And the ransomed of the Lord shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads; they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.” Isaiah 35:10.
This is certainly ‘beauty for ashes’.
If we are laid to rest before it all takes place, we can rest in peace.
God has promised to “swallow up death in victory.” Isaiah 25:8.
“In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump… the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed… this mortal must put on immortality.” 1 Corinthians 15:52.53.
If you have problems, give them to God. If you are lonely, sad, or in pain, be encouraged – there is hope. Titus 2:13.
It is called the “blessed hope” of the Christian.
The Gift of Patience
How many lives would be blessed if there were more patience in the world. But patience cannot be acquired by clenching the fists or by striving harder. Patience is the gift of God. “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance (or self-control).” Galatians 5:22.23.
It is received by asking and believing it has been received.. “If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?” Luke 11:13.
You might say, ‘I have asked, but I am still impatient.’
When the temptation comes, you must follow the Bible principle given in the book of James. Firstly, “Submit yourselves therefore to God…” James 4:7. In the face of a frustrating trial, God does not say, ‘Clench your fists. Grit your teeth.’ He says, ‘Submit to Me. Give Me your will. Surrender your desire to be impatient.’
If you believe God has already given you His patient long-suffering, then you have the choice to claim it or hold on to your own frustrations. The choice is yours – always.
When you surrender -- ‘Yes Lord, not My will, but Thine’ -- God will pour forth His power. He does not do this while fists are clenched – that would be a ‘victory’ of ‘will-power’, and hardly patience. It can only be God’s power.
But the text continues, “Resist the devil.” This means you do not remain standing in front of the temptation. Calmly leave the room. Put your arms around the person. Start singing. Praise God. Go and pray. The result will be that the devil will flee from you. The temptation will be gone, and the victory will be complete.
“Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh. Grudge not one against another brethren, lest ye be condemned; behold the Judge standeth before the door.” James 5:8.9. Do not be discouraged if it takes time to learn to surrender. Be patient with yourself. It is God’s work. He loves you.
A little old lady living in the hills of Lake Arrowhead, United States, taught the principle of patience in a beautiful way. Visitors must walk down a narrow pathway to a special part of her property. Suddenly, as they turn the corner, they are confronted with a most glorious sight – five acres of magnificent daffodils. Thousands of bulbs have been planted in groups according to their colour, in swirling patterns of orange, white, lemon yellow, salmon pink, saffron, and butter yellow. The colours seem to flow like rivers down the mountainside.
A sign reads -- 50,000 BULBS -- ONE AT A TIME, BY ONE WOMAN -- TWO HANDS, TWO FEET AND VERY LITTL BRAIN. Begun in 1958.
If you are tempted to think of all the wasted time in your life, put the thought aside. You may not have sixty years left to plant a garden of golden daffodils, but you have a heavenly Father who is willing to make you like His Son, Jesus Christ. God makes the simple leaf, the tiny flower, the blade of grass, with as much care as He creates a world, how much more will He give His gifts to those who ask Him.
Don’t wait until tomorrow, it might never come. Give Him your will today.
Patience at all Times
There is no question, life is not a bed of roses. There are frustrations -- making ends meet, feeding, clothing and schooling the children, working to a schedule, housework, shopping, exercising, socialising, relaxing…. Sometimes relaxing is crowded out by other things. It’s the same for all of us to greater or lesser degrees, but for most, life is very hectic.
City living is called a ‘rat race’ and no doubt it is. Thankfully country life is at a more leisurely pace, but whether it is a city or rural life, time flies by so fast, it is hard to keep up with it. There are still deadlines to meet, places to go to, and miles to travel. Even those living alone must be disciplined to fit everything in on time.
But sometimes things don’t go smoothly and time is lost.
It can wear the patience when your car has a flat tyre just as you are about to leave for work. Or the battery on the rideon doesn’t work after long months in the garage. The children can be slow and trying. The teenage daughter can take too long looking in the mirror. Or perhaps it is the son! Hubby can forget some last-minute job that must be done before leaving. The wife can remember something she needs to get from the house after it is all locked up.
One morning, the head of a company arrived late at work because his small son was just starting kindergarten. He wanted to make certain the child felt comfortable to be left alone. Another man remembered it was his turn to buy the donuts for morning tea. This made him late. Another had to go back to answer the telephone.
A lady found the traffic getting slower and slower until finally it stopped. There had been an accident at the junction. She was stuck in traffic for a long time, and thus late for work. One woman slept in because her alarm did not go off. Another spilled food on her clothes and had to take time to change. Another missed the bus. Another had a car that would not start. One woman had a child who dawdled and would not hurry up. All were late for work.
One man had bought a new pair of shoes. On this day he chose to wear them for the first time. After walking some
distance, catching a bus, a train, and walking further, he found he had developed a blister on his foot. He went to a supermarket and bought a Band-Aid, then found a chair in a quiet place to apply his medicinal aid.
He was late for work, but that is why he is alive today.
In fact, not only is this man still alive, but all the others who were late. Something made them late. It might have been a simple starter motor on the car, and accident, a slow child, spilled food, but it may have been a Higher Power delaying them long enough to save their lives.
You see, these men and women all worked at the Twin Towers, New York City!
It behooves every one of us to pray for patience. It may not save our lives, but it will give us the peace of Christ that passes all understanding.
Bumper-sticker Christians
There seems to be great confusion as to what constitutes a Christian. If we accept the bumper-sticker definition, our understanding will be that CHRISTIANS ARE JUST FORGIVEN.
But is this an accurate statement?
Certainly Christians are forgiven, but is that all? Are they just forgiven and nothing more?
The Bible makes it clear that Christians are different. “If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature… all things are new.” 2 Corinthians 5:17.
Obviously this is more than being forgiven! But what has changed? What is new in the life?
Jesus said to Nicodemus, “Ye must be born again.” John 3:7.
The ruler did not understand the statement, and Jesus added, “Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.” John 3:5.6. Nicodemus still did not understand, but when He saw Jesus on the cross, his heart was broken and he was born again.
The new birth is an act of God. It is a spiritual birth, and only those who have experienced it will understand.
Sins will be confessed and forsaken. Old sinful habits will be repulsed. Worldly activities will not be attractive. The Bible. says, “Love not the world, neither the things in the world – the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life….” 1 John 2:15.16.
A converted Christian will desire to worship with other believers. The Bible will become a precious Book, read with eagerness and studied with delight. Purity and honesty will be prayed for, and love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, self-control will fill the heart. Galatians 5:22.23.
Tests will come along the way. A minister moved into town, and some weeks after he arrived, he had occasion to take a bus to the city.
When he sat down, he discovered the driver had accidentally given him twenty cents too much. He knew he should return it, but then the thought came -- Why worry about such a small amount? Fares are too high anyway. Accept it as a gift from God and say nothing.
But when his stop came, he paused at the door, handed the driver the twenty cent piece, saying, ‘You gave me too much change.’
With a smile, the driver replied, ‘Aren’t you the new preacher in town? I have been thinking of going to church, but I thought I would see what you would do if I gave you too much change.’
A Christian will be tempted, but not by God. There will be a decision to make – Will I go back to the old way, or stand for the new?
If the Bible description of a true Christian does not fit you, and you claim to be a Christian, remember, a bumper-sticker religion is only a bumper sticker.
It might be fun to see who honks when they see your sticker HONK IF YOU LOVE JESUS, but it is only a bit of fun, nothing more.
Thank you Jesus
Much has been said about the physical sufferings of Christ, but let us think of His mental pain.
Christ, who assisted the Father in the creation of this world, was willing to be “made in the likeness of men; and being found in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.” Philippians 2:7.8.
Imagine leaving the glorious heavenly home and coming to this world of sin and suffering, to die a cruel death.
How much He must have loved you and me!
“Men may paint Christ’s outward sufferings, but not that inward excellence from whence the virtue flowed -- the glory and goodness in Himself. Men may paint Him crucified; but how can we distinguish the Saviour from the criminals?
We may paint the outward appearance of His sufferings, but not the inward suffering or causes of them. Men can paint the cursed tree, but not the curse of the law that made it so. Men can’t paint Christ bearing the sins of humanity. We may describe the nails piercing His sacred flesh, but who can describe eternal justice piercing both flesh and spirit?
We may describe the soldier’s spear, but not the arrow of the Almighty; the cup of vinegar which He but tasted, but not the cup of wrath which He drank to the lowest dregs; the derision of the mob, but not the desertion of the Almighty forsaking His Son.” J.H. Waggoner. 1890.
In agony of soul Christ cried out to His Father, “My God! My God! Why hast thou forsaken Me?” Matthew 27:46. Justice demanded that sin be punished, but God must separate Himself from it. Jesus was sinless in His life, but He covenanted to take its penalty.
We might think of ourselves as good moral people deserving the mansion above, but in reality, we are totally unworthy of anything from the spotless Saviour. He took our sins. He died our death so that He could give us eternal life and a glorious home in the city of God.
“Wherefore God also hath highly exalted Him, and given Him a name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow… and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” Philippians 2:9-11.
On that day, everyone will confess Christ, but for some it will be in sorrow and agony of soul, knowing it has come too late.
Today is all we have. Today is the time to surrender our lives to Christ and live for Him.
Now is the time to say ‘Thank you Jesus’.
When Disaster Strikes
Time moves on and the shocking devastation of the eleven-country tsunami disaster is beginning to fade from our memories. It will never fade completely; we saw too much of the horror of lost lives and wreckage. But life goes on and for those of us living thousands of miles away, the pain disappears.
Sadly for some, the pain is still there. They lost loved ones. Their homes are gone. Their livelihood was swept out to sea. And the flashbacks bring it all to mind again.
But for others -- their lives were miraculously spared.
One Christian mother and father prayed for their lost baby. In amazement they watched as a mattress floated by – on it their precious child, alive and well.
In Sri Lanka, the leader of a Christian orphanage had promised the children a day at the beach. It would be December 26. The children could not wait for the day to arrive. Early on Sunday morning everyone awoke in high spirits excited at the prospects of a day of fun and relaxation.
But the woman in charge awoke with an impression they should not go that day. Should she disappoint the children and keep them at home? In faith, she decided to tell the children. Perhaps God was giving her a warning, and being a Christian leader, she dared not ignore it. They would go New Year’s Day instead.
A few hours later, it was clear that God had impressed her and given the warning. Gathering the children around her, they all praised God for His protection.
At Tamil Nadu, India, is a Christian school. On Christmas weekend, the children were taken to a church campsite at the beach. On Sunday morning, Anita one of the youth leaders, took eighteen of the children to the beach at 7.00am for a walk, devotions and prayer.
They were there early enough to watch the sun rise. At 8.30, they returned, and headed to a restaurant for breakfast.
An hour later, the first tsunami hit the exact beach where the young people had been praying. One of the girls reported later, “We heard the news while having breakfast and rushed by van to the campsite. We saw that the water had entered the rooms, and most of the three-acre campsite up to about a metre high, but it had receded. The van was unable to enter the campsite because of the sludge. We all rushed to the dormitories to retrieve bags and luggage, then back to the van. At 10.00, the second tsunami hit, but we had already made it to the highway.”
Again, praises ascended to God for His protection.
The Bible chapter read by Anita on the beach that morning was Job 38. Included in this passage are the words, “Who shut up the sea with doors, when it brake forth, as if it had issued out of the womb?…. And said, Hitherto shalt thou come, but no further; and here shall thy proud waves be stayed?” Job 38:8.11.
When disasters strikes, some are protected. Others are not.
Why the difference?
We don’t know.
But for those who honour God and keep His commandments, they know that when the Creator chooses to allow some to be laid to rest and others to live another day, He knows the reason.
One day He will explain, and those who love Him, will understand why.
Let us trust Him until then.
Is there Worse to Come?
Watching the news these days is very different from watching the news in days gone by. At least for most people, there is always the thought, “I wonder what disaster has struck today.”
It is not good for the nerves, and in fact, some have stopped watching for this very reason. ‘After all’, they say, ‘if a disaster is going to affect me, I’ll know about it soon enough.’
Is this how we should be?
Well, maybe certain people need to avoid watching these events to be able to handle the pain viewing causes. News gets around anyway.
In the Bible, Jesus made some shocking predictions. “He said unto them, ‘Nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and great earthquakes shall be in divers places, and famines, and pestilences; and fearful sights and great signs shall there be from heaven…..
And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring. Men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth; for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.” Luke 21:10.11.25.26.
If we glance around the world today, it is obvious most of these predictions are being fulfilled to the letter, even “the sea and the waves roaring”.
However, these texts also say that the sun, moon and stars will play a part in the disasters coming upon the earth, “for the powers of heaven shall be shaken”. What will happen then? We don’t know until we experience it.
In spite of the horrors of 9-11, of Bali, and of the devastating tsunami, Jesus said they are “only the beginning of sorrows”. Matthew 24:8.
There will be more. It is not something we want to hear, but Jesus told us to give us impetus to prepare for His second coming.
How?
So we will learn to trust Him.
While life is relatively easy and everything is happening ‘over there’, we tend to think ‘it will never happen here’. But Jesus said it will happen here.
Am I learning to trust Him? It is easy when ‘my world’ is safe.
How about you? What if an earthquake, tornado, hurricane, or tsunami hit your home? Would you trust Him then? You see, we need to be praying today. We need to be reading our Bibles today. When disaster strikes, would you know where to turn for comfort? Would you be able to follow Bible prophecy to see what will happen next?
Yes, disasters will get worse. We must expect it because Jesus spoke the truth.
But Jesus also said, “When ye see these things come to pass, know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand.” Luke 21:31. And He said, “When these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads, for your redemption draweth nigh.” Luke 21:28.
So now, before they get worse, we need to look up.
But if we already have the joy of the Lord, let us share it with those whose hearts are failing for fear of those things coming on the earth.
If we do these things, the message of Jesus has done its work.
Connected through Prayer
When I first started writing Friday Reflection, I mentioned that I have a Christian ministry in Africa. Often wonderful experiences of God’s blessing are revealed, some with my own workers and at times in other missions. The following is not my own experience, but it shows the connection between workers in a far country and brothers or sisters in the homeland.
A missionary on furlough included the following experience in the sermon at his home church in Michigan, U.S.A.
“While serving at a small field hospital in Africa, I had to travel every two weeks by bicycle through the jungle to a nearby city for supplies. This was a journey of two days and required camping overnight at the halfway point.
On one of these journeys, I arrived in the city where I would collect money from a bank, purchase medicine and supplies, and then begin my two-day journey back to the field hospital. Upon arrival in the city, I observed two men fighting, one of whom had been seriously injured. I treated him for his injuries and at the same time talked to him about the Lord. I then travelled two days, camping overnight, and arrived home without incident.
Two weeks later I repeated my journey. Upon arriving in the city, I was approached by the young man I had treated, and he said, 'Some friends and I followed you into the jungle, knowing you would camp overnight. We planned to kill you and take your money and drugs. But just as we were about to move into your camp, we saw that you were surrounded by 26 armed guards.”
At this I laughed, and said I was alone in that jungle campsite. The young man pressed the point and said, “No, sir, I was not the only person to see the guards. My friends also saw them, and we all counted them. It was because of those guards that we were afraid and left you alone.”
At this point in the sermon, one of the men in the congregation jumped to his feet and interrupted the speaker. He asked the missionary if he remembered the exact day this had happened. “Yes, I do remember”, and he told the congregation the date.
Then the brother said, “On the night of your incident in Africa, it was morning here and I was preparing to go play golf. I was about to leave, when I felt the urge to pray for you. In fact, the urging of the Lord was so strong, I called the men of this church to meet with me here in the sanctuary to pray for you. Would all of those men who met with me on that day stand up?”
The men who had met together to pray stood up and the missionary started counting. 1….2….3…4….5….6….
There were 26 in all.
What a wonderful example of how the Spirit of the Lord moves upon believers to pray for others, in this case, for a faithful worker in Africa.
Did you think you can ‘only’ pray?
You may be in a position to donate time and money to missions, but you may not.
This experience shows that praying for God’s faithful workers is never a small matter. On that day, if one man had ignored the prompting of God’s Spirit to pray, a missionary would have lost his life.
My mission work is not in that far-off country of Africa, but the workers and pastors labouring in the field do need prayer. It is not easy work, and it is getting harder.
Often there is not enough food.
In the hot season, water is scarce, and in the rainy season, fuel for fires is scarce. Bibles are a luxury and few possess them. But their faith is strong.
Will you pray for them?
Life of an African Worker
Last week I mentioned that life is not easy for Christian workers in Africa. One brother said he needed to get water. It was the dry season and very dusty. He wrote, “Its so dry here. The atmosphere is coloured with dust. We are forced to increase our water intake to more than usual. Its so dusty, even breathing is difficult.”
This brother does not have a car and must ride his bicycle. The closest bore is a two-hour ride. On arriving, he must join a queue of about one hundred people. All have at least two large cans to fill. The return journey is even more difficult balancing two full cans on a bicycle.
And we thought we had water problems?
A few weeks later my friend said the rainy season had begun and water was not a problem, however, fuel for cooking would become a concern. He wrote, “I am so happy that the rain is now raining. We have water, but soon we shall another problem of firewood. In our area, we have no forest. We always depend on dry maize cobs and animal waste for cooking, apart from the expensive charcoal and kerosene.”
Another brother was building a clinic where he could care for the sick. He had been seeing patients in his home, but the need was growing. Five thousand sun-dried bricks was the first job.
My friend wrote, “Our blocks are dried now so we are hoping to start building up the walls any moment as the Lord blesses us.” I saw a photograph of the ‘blocks’, imagining them to be brick-size, but they were much larger and a cube. The colour was a nice baked yellow.
Weekly I received progress reports. “We have done five rounds of the blocks.” Another letter simply said, “Concerning the construction, work has been progressing up to the windows.” But it was a race against time. If the rainy season began before the roof was on, the blocks would be destroyed.
Then another problem arose. “Mom! We have a big problem that needs assistance. We have to pay the mayor of the town 500.000frs, which is equivalent to $1200 US! We pleaded with him, and he divided it into two parts and said we should pay only $600 US. If we can not pay it soon, they will put an X on the building, indicating that development stop till further notice. And further notice can be when rains start. What will we do?” (This payment is insurance is case the local government decides they want your land. If you have the papers, you will be reimbursed)
I did not have the money to send him, so I said, ‘Pray’, and go and plead again.
A few days later an email of rejoicing arrived. “Mom! I went back to mayor and pleaded with him. He reminded me he had already reduced the fee. He asked how much I had to pay. I told him I did not have the money. He said, ‘Go and bring half.’
Mom, I received your $150 AUST. I took it to him and said this is what the Lord has given me. He said it was not enough. I told him that God wanted him to add to it. He looked at me and said to go and buy a fiscal stamp and bring the form. When I brought it to him, he signed it and told me to go and continue the work.
Mom! I went out of that office with my head up, rejoicing in the Lord. Mom, do not call the money you sent small. It is the widow’s mite.”
Praise God the work continued and progress reports brought it to completion. “Rains threatening nearly every day, but we are almost through with putting up the walls.”
“We are so busy with the work because rains are just falling unprepared. We have almost finish putting wood on top the building.”
“The roofing continue till five sheets were short. So we struggle and got some money for remaining sheets, and the work was completed last week Thursday.”
“The kids are happy with unplastered house, no floor, no window shutters. The day the roof was covered, we sang praises to the Almighty all night through.”
Let us praise God for His abundant blessings to His faithful children.
Short Stories
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The articles on this page were printed in a country newspaper called ‘The Pyrenees Advocate’, a weekly paper printed on Fridays. They were in the religious column known as ‘Friday Reflection’. It is hoped they will be a blessing to you.