“PUT A RING AROUND SUNDAY”

“Put a ring around Sunday” is the article in the paper called. (The Northland Age, Thursday, June 2, 2011)

It is an invitation to pop along to the weekly competition of the Waipapakauri Bowling Club on SUNDAY.

I say also “Put a ring around Sunday.”

BUT THIS IS AN INVITATION TO GO TO CHURCH ON SUNDAY!

I am very much interested in the church. I like to learn about the church.

In his book One Hundred Bible Lessons Alban Douglas gives five

CONDITIONS OF MEMBERSHIP IN THE CHURCH:

“1. Repentance, Acts 2:38. 2. Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ as Saviour,  Lord and Son of God, Matthew 16:16-18,  3. Salvation, regeneration, the new birth, Acts 2:47. 4. Baptism in the Name of the Trinity, Acts 2:38; Matthew 28:19; Acts 10:47,48; Acts 22:16.  5. Continuance in the Apostles’ doctrine, Acts 2:42. They lived according to the Scripture.”

He also says this about Church Discipline:

“Church discipline is like the weather. We talk a great deal about it but seldom do anything about it. Paul expected Christians to use church courts, not government courts. (First Corinthians 6:1-3)”

“Discipline means taking corrective measures as punishment in order to maintain the good conduct of church members. This is a practice seldom made effective in the churches today.” He asks, “Why?” and then asks six questions.

Here they are:

“Is it because we have grown weak and cold and fear to act on our principles?”

” Is it because we have all attained a state of perfection and no longer require it?”

“Is it because our churches are afraid of losing church members?”

“Are we afraid that the church income will be reduced if we punish sin?”

“Do we love popularity, money, large churches, easy times, more than holiness?”

“Are we afraid of calling ‘sin’ “SIN” and thus condone the evil of fellow believers?”

“The Apostolic Church was strong because it was pure.

Our modern church is weak because we have compromised our position and condoned sin in the members.”

“MAKING A DIFFERENCE

I was alert when I read “MAKING A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE” on the shopping bag. The NEW WORLD bag belonged to one of the ladies who attended the Consumer Rights Day at the RSA hall in Kaitaia.

“Making a difference.” I am reading a lot about that. And I belong to those people who want to make a difference.

Lately I read two questions in relation to “making a difference” in one of our local papers, the NORTHERN NEWS, June 1, 2011. And questions need answers!

One advertisement asks, “DO YOU KNOW A VOLUNTARY GROUP THAT’S MAKING A DIFFERENCE IN YOUR COMMUNITY?”  That is question number one.

It is all about the Trustpower Far North Community Awards. We are asked to make a nomination and by doing that we go into the draw for a $100 power voucher. It is also about powering volunteers.

And here is the second question:  “Do you want to make a difference in the lives of young Kiwis?” Kiwis are New Zealanders in case you don’t know that already.

It’s all about “The annual World of  Difference programme.”

“The Vodafone New Zealand Foundation is looking for social entrepeneurs and  will pay eight inividuals to do it.”

Of course I want to make  a difference in the lives of young Kiwis. I don’t only want to make a difference in the lives of young New Zealanders, but also in the lives of old New Zealanders. The fact is that I want to make a difference in the lives of people.

WHAT IS THE BEST WAY TO DO THAT?

The Lord Jesus Christ has made a difference in my life. He has made already a difference in the lives of many, many people worldwide and he wants to continue to do so.

But he can only continue to do so, when I am willing to tell other people what he has done for me. The Lord Jesus Christ wants his followers to be witnesses for him!

I still remember the time when the Lord Jesus Christ made a difference in my life. When that happened, the Bible became alive for me. In Matthew 28:16-20 I read about THE GREAT COMMISSION to “go and make disciples of all nations”.

I attended a Bible School for three years, became a member of a Missionary Society and went to Thailand for 13 years to work there as a  missionary. During 1980 I did more studies at the Bible College of New Zealand in Auckland. After that I became a member of the United Maori Mission and worked as a missionary in Kaitaia and Kaikohe in the north of  New Zealand until I retired.

I live now in the north of the beautiful country called  New Zealand and it is always a great joy to tell German tourists who come to Kaitaia about the Lord in my mother tongue.

“NO MAN WHO MERELY SKIMS THE BOOK OF GOD CAN PROFIT THEREBY; WE MUST DIG AND MINE UNTIL WE  OBTAIN THE HID TREASURE.” – C. H. Spurgeon