Monthly Archives: July 2018

THIS IS THE SPECIAL TIME TO READ BOOKS

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It is dark, raining and cold, and I think I can even hear thunder in the distance. It is winter in New Zealand. That’s why it is the time, for me anyway, to read books in Aotearoa.

QUOTE FROM THE BOOK: “Man’s troubles are always due to his ignorance of God.” – D M Lloyd-Jones

Even more so because the Sallies here in Kaitaia had a second hand  book sale not long ago and I must have bought Christian books of the value of more than $200, if I would have bought them new, for almost nothing.

I love to read expositions. At the present time I am reading “An Exposition of Ephesians One” by D M Lloyd-Jones called “God’s Ultimate Purpose.” I think he is one of the best teachers of the Bible. I have heard him preach many years ago at Westminster Chapel in London.

AT THE PRESENT TIME I AM LEARNING ABOUT THE TWO OPERATIONS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.

  1. The Spirit  that is in the Bible, the Word of God (“Testimonium Spiritus Externus”). 2 Peter 1:21 and 2 Timothy 3:16.
  2. The Spirit in the Reader (“Testimonium Spiritus Internus”): Without the Spirit in us, we cannot understand the Word of God. With other words, the Bible is not food for us.

“Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.” – Matthew 4:4

This is one of the  most important doctrines of the Christian faith.

Not that I needed the books from the Salvation Army to read, because  I have many books in my little library at home already, which I have not read properly, and expositions of books of the Bible, which I like to read again and again.

But it is not only time to read Christian books, it is time to read “The Book of Books,” the Bible. How are you getting on with your reading of the Bible?

But for many people here in New Zealand this is the time to leave the country and go where the sun is shining. But as Elizabeth Clarke Dunn says, “Change is an easy panacea. It takes character to stay in one place and be happy there.”

Loneliness

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Building relationships with other people is the solution to loneliness.

I am glad to read that in the Maxim Institute Column called “Getting serious about loneliness,” in our local paper today. (The Northland Age, Tuesday, July 24, 2018)

Also young New Zealanders are lonely!

And what a surprise it is for me to read in the column that Britain has the first Minister for Loneliness in the world.

I can hardly believe it! And the author of the column is wondering how the British Minister for Loneliness will deal with one problem, namely with the problem that the government cannot love people.

Apparently the Minister is encouraging awareness of the problem of loneliness and is providing infrastructure to reduce the problem.

“An assay by the former US Surgeon General claims loneliness in the US has reached ‘epidemic levels,'” it says also in the column.

I am also told in the same column that loneliness can be bad for our physical health. Researchers say that. I have no problem agreeing with that.

The solution to loneliness is not only the relationship with other people, but first and foremost the relationship with our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ! And the Lord Jesus Christ loves us.

Please read John 3:16 in the Bible. There it says:

“‘FOR GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD THAT HE GAVE HIS ONE AND ONLY SON, THAT WHOEVER BELIEVES IN HIM SHALL NOT PERISH BUT HAVE ETERNAL LIFE.'”

Please read also the following verses.