Monthly Archives: February 2012

“Peace……Peace……Peace…”

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“PEACE……PEACE……PEACE….”

I read PM Netanyahu’s speech to US Congress, 24 May 2011. ( ISRAEL & CHRISTIANS TODAY, June 2011 Edition)

Guess how many times I came across the word “PEACE”? The answer is 44 times, and I think I have counted correctly.

“Study the word ‘PEACE’ more,” I told myself.

One of my study books is THE NEW BIBLE DICTIONARY” (Inter Varsity Fellowship).

Why is the world in chaos? The world is in chaos because of our sin.

The Bible teaches that PEACE comes only as God’s gift. The Bible teaches also that:

A.  FIRST OF ALL WE MUST HAVE PEACE WITH GOD.

B. ONCE WE HAVE PEACE WITH GOD, INWARD PEACE CAN FOLLOW.

C.  THAT PART OF THE PURPOSE FOR WHICH CHRIST DIED IS PEACE BETWEEN MAN AND MAN.

A.  FIRST OF ALL WE MUST HAVE PEACE WITH GOD.

Because of our sin we are the enemies of God. We are in a hopeless situation. But the Lord Jesus Christ died for us. He removed sin’s enmity. Through him we can have peace with God. All we must do is believe. Read Romans 5:1 and Colossians 1:20.

B.  ONCE WE HAVE PEACE WITH GOD, INWARD PEACE CAN FOLLOW.

Read Philippians 4:7

No matter what happens round about us, we can have this inward peace. John 14:27 and John  16:33.

C.  THE BIBLE TEACHES THAT PART OF THE PURPOSE FOR WHICH CHRIST DIED IS PEACE BETWEEN MAN AND MAN.

Ephesians chapter 2.

CAN WE ALSO SAY THAT PART OF THE PURPOSE FOR WHICH THE LORD JESUS DIED IS PEACE BETWEEN NATION AND NATION?

 

Afflictions

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“In the full face of afflictions it is hard to see any sense to the things that befall us and we want to question the fairness of a faithful God. However, these moments can be the most meaningful of our lives.” – Charles Humbree

Inland Revenue Departmant & Finanzamt Neubrandenburg

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On January 22, 2012, I posted this entry:

At the present time I am in contact with two Tax Departments, one is here in NZ and the other one in Germany.

The reason why they are in contact with me is that I receive a small pension from Germany since 2005.

Since 2005 I pay tax on my small German pension here in NZ and the payment for the next bill is due at the beginning of February this year.

In 2011 the German Tax Department asked me for the first time to pay tax on my German pension. At the beginning of this year I received tax bills for the years 2005-2010, six in all. The deadline to pay the 6 bills is 5th of March this year.

All this is really bad news  for me and I am only at the beginning of this nasty development.

I promised also at that time to let you know about the outcome.

Here it is:

Only Germany is entitled to collect tax for the pension. All the money I paid here in New Zealand I got back immediately. On top of that Germany is not collecting as much tax as NZ. Only about 50 % of what NZ does!