Daily Archives: October 23, 2017

QUOTE

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“A. B. Simpson once heard a man say something that he never forgot. ‘WHEN GOD TESTS YOU, IT IS A GOOD TIME FOR YOU TO TEST HIM BY PUTTING HIS PROMISES TO THE PROOF, AND CLAIMING FROM HIM JUST AS MUCH AS YOUR TRIALS HAVE RENDERED NECESSARY.'” – Billy Graham

FREEDOM

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“Freedom is what matters most to me, and I’ve always been a free spirit,” says the writer of the article “A FREE SPIRIT”  (“Humans of Kaitaia) in our local paper. (The Northland Age, Thursday, October 5, 2017)

Sitting in my favourite coffee shop today and looking at the front-page of another paper, which is distributed free of charge in our area, and being already involved in a conversation with a person at the next table (Cannot remember how the conversation started), I mention that I cannot read the article in front of me, because I did not bring my  glasses.

“FREEDOM”

I see that the article is about the man who wrote the article “A free spirit” in our local paper almost 14 days ago.

“I cannot read the small print,” I said to the person at the next table, “but this is written in big letters,” and I read out aloud, “‘Freedom is what matters most to me, and I’ve always been a free spirit'”.

I continued to say, “That reminds me of the verse in the Bible where it says, ‘Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is there is freedom.'”

The Apostle Paul is writing that to the  saints in the city of Corinth. (Second Corinthians 3:17) That is in fact a verse I have memorized.

FREEDOM in the Bible means freedom from every kind of bondage.

  1. From bondage to fear (Romans 8:15).
  2. From bondage to sin (Romans 7:6).
  3. From bondage to corruption (Romans 8:21-23)
  4. From bondage especially to the law (Galatians 5:18)

Coming back from Parakai south of here not long ago a campervan came towards us. On the front at the top was written in big letters “FREEDOM”.

There are a goof number of “”FREEDOM posts on this blog, and I sense that “FREEDOM” is on the  mind of many people.

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The New Bible Commentary Revised, Inter-Varsity Press

VOLUNTEERING

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That it is good for us to volunteer, says a notice that is stuck together with other adverts on the window at the local Salvation Army premises.

What is a volunteer? A volunteer is a person who does SERVICE for others without getting paid for what he does.

“SERVICE”

Why is it now good for us to volunteer? Three areas are mentioned on the invitation to volunteer, namely HEALTH, STRESS and PURPOSE IN LIFE.

Volunteers are “10 times more likely to be in good health than non volunteers.” “Volunteering has made them feel healthier.” 76% of the volunteers questioned said that.

Volunteers said “that volunteering lowered their stress levels.” 78 percent of volunteers questioned said that.

They said also “that volunteering enriched their sense of purpose in life.” In fact 96 percent of volunteers questioned said that.

It is all about SERVING others. That reminds me of the Rotary Motto. The Rotary Motto says: “SERVICE ABOVE SELF.”

The Bible has a lot to say about SERVICE. Read Luke 12:35 and Matthew 20:25-28.

THE WORLD

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This is what the BIBLE says about the world.

The Bible says not to love the world. That includes anything that is in it. Also loving the world excludes loving God the Father.

In 1 John 2:15-17 (The Amplified Bible), we are told about three things in the world.

  1. “Lust of the flesh [craving for sensual gratification].”
  2. “Lust of the eyes [greedy longings of the mind].”
  3. “Pride of life [assurance in one’s own resources or in the stability of earthly things].”

Why are we as followers  of the Lord Jesus Christ commanded not to love the world? The answer is that the world is passing away, but people who do God’s will have eternal life.”