If she would not have told me I would not have known.

I was sitting on the bench in front of the local Warehouse drinking water. A lady who works at the ASB saw me sitting there and told me that she saw my picture in the local paper “The Northland Age”.

I was surprised to hear that and was wondering what it was all about. But something dawned on me.

I got up from the bench, the waterbottle still in my hand, and walked the short distance to the bookstore called Paper Plus. I bought the Tuesday edition of  “The Northland Age” and on page five I found my picture. Every issue of the paper has always a picture – sent in by readers –  depicting the Far North’s special qualities.

“this is our PLACE”

Houhora Harbour on a sparkling Winterless North winter’s day.

Why do I write about this?

If she would not have told me  I would not have known about the picture in the paper.

“No Telling No Selling” I remember reading a long time ago on the wrapper of a Christian newspaper.

We must tell the the good news of salvation in Jesus Christ, the Gospel! We must tell the WORLD.

In my daily Bible reading I have come to the book of Acts in the New Testament and in Acts 1:8 it is written:

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.

Notice that it says JERUSALEM. Our Jerusalem is Kaitaia. The message is clear: Witness to your neighbours!

I saw a small milk truck parked on the other side of the road in front of a plumbing business. The numberplate of the truck had two lines, but because of the distance I was only able to read the first line which said: “1 LORD” I crossed over the road to the other side to read the second line. It said : “JESUS CHRIST”

“1 LORD

JESUS CHRIST”

I continued my walk home. All of a sudden the driver of the car came out of the plumbing shop, entered the car and was in the process of driving off. I walked back to the car and knocked on the car window to get his attention.

I expressed my interest in the numberplate of the car and found out that the young man believes in the Lord and goes to one of the churches at the eastcoast. I just needed that encouragement. The Lord knew that and I praised his Name.  Hallelujah!

In order not to get discouraged I also need to be reminded of the following fact again and again:

NOT EVERYONE IS LOOKING FOR A REASON FOR LIVING

— Many people choose to live not asking the big questions. They just live.

— Others know the answers provided in the Bible and in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ and choose to ignore or reject them.

In the “WAR CRY” 29 March 2008 I read the article “No Ordinary Tuesday” and was greatly encouraged.