The Cross at Paihia Baptist Church.

“Then the church

Acts 9:31

Introduction:

throughout Judea, Galilee and Samaria

1. enjoyed a time of peace.
2. It was strengthened, and
3. encouraged by the Holy Spirit,
4. it grew in numbers,
5. living in the fear of the Lord.”

End:

That self-pity did not exist in his handbook was said about the diseased person at his funeral.

That made me think about my handbook, my guidebook, the Bible. The Bible is the guidebook to everlasting life.

THE BIBLE, MY GUIDEBOOK TO EVERLASTING LIFE.

Precious promises coming to my mind. Here are some I know froM memory:

First John  1:9 : “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”

First Corinthian 3:11

Second Corinthians 3:17

Second Chronicles 20:12

James 4:2

Colossians 1:17

First John 3:8

Revelation 12:11

Jeremiah 8:9

Micah 7:7: “But as for me,  I watch in hope for the LORD, I wait for God my Savior, my God will hear me.”

I am not familiar with the handbook of the diseased person, but I know that the Bible is my guidebook. And is it not almost impossible to pity oneself in an exaggerated manner with all those precious promises in the Scriptures? That is the definition of self-pity.

I think it is.

That “‘we are losing our connection with nature,'” I am reading in the article called “‘Bug Man’ shares advice, encourages kids.” (The Northern Advocate, Saturday, October 13, 2018)

HOUHORA HARBOUR IN THE FAR NORTH OF NEW ZEALAND.

But let us not only be interested in nature, but let us be interested in the One who created nature.

God is the creator of all things. Revelation 4:11 says: “‘You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they are created and have their being.'”

But we only understand that by faith.

In Hebrews 11:2  we read; “By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.”

I am all with the people who are concerned that we are losing our connection with nature, buy I am more concerned that we are losing our connection with God, who created nature.

The more nature-literature children we have the better, but what we really need is Bible-literate children and Bible-literate adults.

“It’s okay to laugh to toast the departed,” is the article of an award-winning journalist in one of the papers we can buy here in Kaitaia called.

Apparently the author has attended many funerals and his observation is that at the present time the funerals are more cheerful than they were in the past. Once the people going to funerals were gloomily mourning, but now they are laughing and grinning.

ROMANS 6:23: “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

That’s what I read in the paper today and only yesterday a Chartered Accountant writes in the same paper that he was asked once what he thought people would say about him at his funeral.

It is all very well to think about what people are going to say at our funeral, but what I am really interested in is what the Bible, says when I die. What does the Bible say? In Hebrews 9:27 the Bible says:

“JUST AS MAN IS DESTINED TO DIE ONCE, AND AFTER THAT TO FACE JUDGMENT, …”

Here we are told about death and judgment.

DEATH: Nothing can keep us from death. Death awaits us.

JUDGMENT: Judgment awaits us. Nothing  can deliver us from being condemned at the day of judgment, except the atoning sacrifice of Christ. We will not be saved from eternal punishment, if we despise or neglect this great salvation.

I ask once more: What about the fear of death? “Don’t believe people if they tell you that they do not fear death. The fear of death grips modern civilization in a vice-like grip, and it is none the less real for being driven underground.” – Michael Green (“THE DAY DEATH DIED”)

Four coasters I received as a prize.

While attending the MENTAL HEALTH AWARENEDS WEEK CELEBRATIONS I received the above prize.  ( 10th October, OLD PAK N SAVE CARPARK, KAITAIA)

Who knows the name of the flower? I don’t.

“SALVATION IS FOUND IN NO ONE ELSE, FOR THERE IS NO OTHER NAME UNDER HEAVEN GIVEN TO MEN BY WHICH WE MUST BE SAVED.” – Acts 4:12