If you want to win An Apple 2nd Generation 8GB iPod Touch  go into one of the local restaurants and get hold of the publication called Coffee News today. The  competition is advertised in Vol 109:4.

You have to find the Coffee News Man in one of the advertisements.  I had to look hard to find the Man. That’s why I am not telling you in which ad the Coffee News Man is hidden.

There are of course different kinds of competitions. Most of them are fun. It was fun of course to find the Coffee News Man.

But there are also harmful competitions and people get hurt.

I am talking about the eternal competition for status in the human society. Are you also fighting to be the “top sheep”? Are you competing to “get ahead”?

People are fighting and competing for positions everywhere, in human organizations, communities, business firms and churches. There is a long list. Be careful that you don’t get hurt in the process.

At the moment  I am learning more about sheep.

Within the flock itself is tension. Within the flock itself is rivalry. Within the flock itself is cruel competition for dominance. ( It is called the “butting order”.)

There is friction in the flock and the flock does not do well.

And this is now very interesting. What is stopping the foolish behavior of the sheep? The presence of the shepherd. And that is a fact!

I mentioned already that people are also fighting and competing for positions in churches. I have also been told that people are striving for status in churches to appease their guilty conscience.

Just as a restless and disturbed flock of sheep never does well, a congregation full of tension, rivalry and cruel competition never does well either.

We know already the answer: THE PRESENCE OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST, THE GREAT SHEPHERD!

Hebrews 12:2 says: “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus,….”

Are my eyes on the Lord or are they on those around me?

Where is the place of peace?

“HOPE is the companion of power and the mother of success. For those of us who HOPE strongest have within us the gift of miracles.” – Sydney  Bremer

Saturday is market day in Kaitaia and that’s where I talked to the owner of a stall who is advertising Yoga Classes and A Day of Yoga and Meditation here in Kaitaia.

And that is also where I came again across the phrase “peace of mind”. On the flyer I picked up there is written “Yoga and Meditation can help you to a more flexible body and greater peace of mind”.

This evening I am reading a book (A Shepherd looks at Psalm 23 by P. Keller) that is talking about people whose lives are permeated by a deep peace. And not only by a deep peace, but by a quiet peace and a settled peace. It says also that the peace in their lives is beautiful to behold.

Who are those people?

Are they rich? Are they poor?

That are those people who know the Lord Jesus Christ as their personal Saviour. The Lord Jesus Christ is their Lord, their Master, owner and manager!

The Lord Jesus Christ is their  Shepherd and they say, “I shall not be in want.”

Philippians 4:7

“And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

The truth is incontrovertible,

malice may attack it,

ignorance may deride it,

but in the end; there it is.

Churchill