HARAKEKE – FLAX

“All men who have turned out  worth anything have had the chief hand in their own education.” – Sir Walter Scott

“I write to discover the past” – Amy Tan

I find that quote in an old Reader’s Digest. (October 1998) 

I write to serve the Lord Jesus Christ from conversion to… 

My conversion took place in the year 1958 in Germany. That is almost 55 years ago!

THERE ARE SEVERAL REASONS WHY WE SHOULD SERVE THE LORD JESUS CHRIST.

Here are three:

1.  The Lord Jesus Christ died for all.

We are reading that in Second Corinthians 5:14.

This is the story of stories and this blessed Gospel story needs to be told everywhere. In 1966 I went from Germany to THAILAND to tell the story that the Lord Jesus Christ died for all in THAILAND. I went also from Thailand to NEW ZEALAND to tell the story that the Lord Jesus died for all here in NEW ZEALAND. The Lord Jesus Christ died for all. Each has the right to know about it. I know that all need a Savior. I know that Jesus died for ALL. I know also that I must tell everyone!

CHACHOENGSAO / THAILAND: SUNDAY WORSHIP SERVICE

 Picture / Allan Collingwood

2.  We have the moral obligation to live for others.

In Second Corinthians 5:15 it says “…, that those who live should no longer live for themselves…”

I must live an unselfish life. I must live a life of service. I must not serve self. I must serve others. I must leave my selfish way of life and give my life to the Lord Jesus ChrIst and serve Him. I belong to Him. He must have all I possess. Why?  He has saved me, bought me and redeemed me.

Why are we saved? We are saved to serve. We are saved to serve our Master, the Lord Jesus Christ and our neighbors, not ourselves.

I am reading again and again about happiness. An unselfish life is the happiest life. Do you believe that too?

3.  We are ambassadors with the word of reconciliation.

Second Corinthians 5:18-21

Verse 19, “And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation.”

What comes to your mind, when you hear the word reconciliation? That two people were at war? Yes, but who were the two parties? The two parties were God and the sinner.

It is the task of true followers of the Lord Jesus Christ to bring the news of reconciliation to the sinner hiding from God. The Bible calls us ambassadors. An ambassador is an official representative of a government. Followers of the Lord Jesus Christ are official representatives of the government of heaven.

I write to serve the Lord Jesus Christ from conversion to death or His second coming.

I remember the day of my conversion, but I do not Know when I die and when the Lord is coming again.

But I know that the love of Christ compels me. In Second Corinthians 5:14 it says, “For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died.” To compel means to impel, to drive forward.  

TIME

Quote taken from Reader’s Digest. (October 1998)

“Each of us is given a pocketful of time to spend however we may. We use what we will. We waste what we will. But we can never get back a day. – Roger Wilcox in New Era

“Life in a muddle?” and “Is your house secure?” are the questions I want to answer.

That are only two of the many questions advertisers are asking in the publication called COFFEE NEWS. I am looking at Vol 145:3 for PAPATOETOE MANGERE,  which I picked up in OTAHUHU.

OTAHUHU, AUCKLAND / NEW ZEALAND

QUESTION:

“Is your house secure?” asks the advertiser. “NO?… Call us now.”

ANSWER:

“Unless the LORD builds the house, its builders labor in vain. Unless the LORD watches over the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain.” – Psalm 127:1

QUESTION:

“Life in a muddle?” asks the advertiser. “Can’t find a way through?”

ANSWER:

“FOR NO ONE CAN LAY ANY FOUNDATION OTHER THAN THE ONE ALREADY LAID WHICH IS JESUS CHRIST.” – First Corinthians 3:11

“When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, ‘I AM THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD. WHOEVER FOLLOWS ME  WILL NEVER WALK IN DARKNESS, BUT WILL HAVE THE LIGHT OF LIFE.'” – John 8:12