At the beach

“The best way to be missed when you’re gone is to stand for something when you are here,” says the author Seth Godin.

Looking for a certain hymn in one of our hymn books, I came across the hymn, “Stand up, stand up for Jesus, ye soldiers of the cross!”
In the hymn book I am also told how the hymn came into being. A powerful preacher had a tragic accident and was dying and on his deathbed he was saying as his final statement, “Let us all stand up for Jesus.”

One of the ministers at his deathbed was the Rev. George Duffield. Inspired by the words, “Let us stand up for Jesus,” he wrote the hymn, “Stand up for Jesus.”

The hymn has three verses:

“Stand up, stand up for Jesus, the trumpet call obey,” is the beginning of the second verse.

The last verse begins with, “Stand up, stand up for Jesus, the strife will not be long.”

“If we don’t stand for something, we’ll fall for anything!”

Many years ago you could see that sign at a church.

“Stand up, stand up, for Jesus!”

Te Ahu Centre

Yesterday I listened to a lecture on poverty and inequality. The lecturer was Bryan Bruce, an internationally acclaimed documentary maker.

The meeting was organised by QUAKERS IN AOTEAROA.

I learned more about the Quakers or the Religious Society of Friends. The founder, George Fox lived from 1624-1691 and I am reading that he was near his God.

THE CROSS

“Since then, no prophet has

Deuteronomy 34:10-12

Intr.:

risen in Israel like Moses,

A.  whom the LORD knew face  face,

B.  who did all those miraculous signs and wonders the LORD sent him to do in Egypt –

a.  to Pharaoh and

b.  to all his officials and

c.  to his whole land.

End:

For no one has ever shown the mighty power or performed the awesome deeds that Moses did in the sight of all Israel.”

KAITAIA: Airport

“AIRPORTS SEE MORE SINCERE KISSES THAN WEDDING HALLS. THE WALLS OF HOSPITALS HAVE HEARD MORE PRAYERS THAN THE WALLS OF CHURCHES.” – Anonymous

WHANGAREI: Hospital

A beautiful Flower

“Moses was a hundred and twenty years old when he died, yet his eyes were not weak nor his strength gone.”- Deuteronomy 34:7

I did not go for the free Coffee and Cake

Today I paid a visit to our Sustainable Living Centre in Kaitaia.

The Sustainable Living Centre

One day I must go again and look at the massive range of products on offer.

SUSTAINABLE LIVING CENTRE (Sustainable Products)

SUSTAINABLE means “capable of being maintained at a steady level without exhausting natural resources or causing ecological damage,” says the Collins dictionary.

The Sustainable Living Centre

ECO SHOP (Eco Products)

ECOLOGICAL means “intended to benefit or protect the environment,” says the Collins dictionary.

The Sustainable Living Centre

THE EARTH IS GOD’S PROPERTY. WE ARE HIS STEWARDS. WHAT IS A STEWARD? A STEWARD IS MANAGING THE PROPERTY OF SOMEBODY ELSE.

The Sustainable Living Centre

At the beach

“My soul yearns for you in the night; in the morning my spirit longs for you.” – Isaiah 26:9

Here we are told a very short night story.

The world has night stories. How are they? They are gruesome.

The Bible tells us night stories. How are they? They are glorious.

A. IT WAS NIGHT,

when ABRAM doubted and the LORD told him in Genesis 15:5 “‘Look up at the heavens and count the stars – if indeed you can count them.'” Then he said to him, “‘So shall your offspring be.'” What did Abram do? It says in Genesis 15:6 “Abram believed the LORD, and he credited it to him as righteousness.”

What a night, when the heart trusts in the Lord Jesus Christ.

B. IT WAS NIGHT,

when the EGYPTIANS who bothered the people of God, got into real trouble, but the Israelites went into freedom singing. The pillar of fire gave them light. Read Exodus chapter 12.

C. IT WAS NIGHT,

when SAMUEL answered, “‘Speak, for your servant is listening,'” when the LORD called him.

What a night, when the voices of the people are quiet and they are hearing the voice of the LORD. You find all this in First Samuel chapter three.

D. IT WAS NIGHT,

when the SHEPHERDS hurried to Bethlehem, to search for the Saviour. Please read Luke 2:8-20.

E. IT WAS NIGHT,

when the DISCIPLES ON THE ROAD TO EMMAUS ran to Jerusalem full of joy with the message, “‘It is true! The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon.'” Please read Luke 24:34.

F. IT WAS NIGHT,

when PAUL AND SILAS  praised the Lord at midnight in prison. Please read Acts 16:16-40

What kind of night is that, we have been reading about at the beginning? It is a night when the heart is touched by the Living God. It is a holy night.

New LIFE in God begins.

_______________________________________

Notes taken from, “LASS DEIN HEIL UNS SCHAUEN” by Wilhelm Busch, page 287.