SMILE

“A Sunday School Teacher was discussing the Ten Commandments with her five and six year olds. After explaining the commandment to “honour” thy Father and thy Mother, she asked, “Is there a commandment that teaches us how to treat our brothers and sisters?” Without missing a beat one little boy (the oldest in the family) answered, “Thou shalt not kill.”

Source: Tupu Whakarangi, Page 21, Number 194. Vol 46:1

Blindness: Can be used as Sermon – Outline.

BLINDNESS

“In 2013 you restored sight to more people than  ever before,” I read in the Winter 2014 Fred Hollows Foundation NZ Newsletter. It  says there also, “Your donations helped thousands of blind and vision impaired people across the Pacific, Papua New Guinea and Timor-Leste to see again.”

EYECARE

There is not only physical blindness, but there is also spiritual blindness, and the Bible tells us about both. Physical blindness is bad enough, but spiritual blindness is worse.

A. PHYSICAL BLINDNESS:

Matthew 9:27: Two blind men following the Lord.

Matthew 12:22: The Lord heals a man who is not only blind, but also demon-possessed and mute.

Matthew 20:30: Two blind men in Jericho asking for mercy.

Matthew 21:14: Jesus heals the blind and the lame at the temple.

B. SPIRITUAL BLINDNESS:

Isaiah 59:10:

“LIKE BLIND WE

— grope along the wall,

— feeling our way like men without eyes.

— At midday we stumble as if it were twilight;

— among the strong, we are like the dead.”

Matthew 6:23: Here the Lord Jesus Christ is talking about bad eyes.

Matthew 15:14: Are you led by a blind guide?

Second Corinthians 4:4: The minds of the unbelievers are blinded by the god of this age.

First John 2:11: Are you hating your brother?

But let us always remember that restoring physical blindness is only for this life, but restoring spiritual life is for ETERNITY.

SMILE

“A teacher was giving a lesson on the circulation of the blood. Trying to make the matter clearer, she said, “Now, class, if I stood on my head, the blood, as you know, would run into it, and I would turn red in the face.” “Yes,” the class said. “Then why is it  that while I am standing upright in the ordinary position the blood doesn’t run into my feet?” A little fellow shouted, “Cause your feet ain’t empty.”

Source: Tupy Whakarangi, Page 21, Number 194, Vol 46:1

SMILE

“A little girl was talking to her teacher about whales. The teacher said it was physically impossible for a whale to swallow a human because even though it was a very large mammal its throat was very small. The little girl stated that Jonah was swallowed by a whale. Irritated the teacher reiterated that a whale could not swallow a human; it was physically impossible. Then the little girl said, “When I get to heaven I will ask Jonah.” The teacher asked, “What if Jonah went to hell?” The little girl replied, “Then you ask him.”

Source: Tupu Whakarangi, Page 21, Number 194, Vol 46:1

The Cross

“because our gospel

First Thessalonians 1:5

Intr.:

came to you not only simply with words,

1.  but also with power,

2.  with the Holy Spirit and

3.  with deep conviction.

 End:

You know how we lived among you for your sake.”

The Cross

“It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus,

First Corinthians 1:30,31

Intr.:

who has become for us wisdom from God – that is,

1.  our righteousness,

2.  holiness and

3.  redemption.

End:

Therefore as it is written: ‘Let him who boasts boast in the Lord.'”

AT THE BEACH

“Life can be fragile – as an attorney you are trusted to protect someone’s future, if they can’t decide for themselves,” I am reading on the leaflet called “Enduring Power of Attorney” I picked up today at our local library.

When I read that the following portion from the Bible came to my  mind:

“Remember your Creator in the days of your youth, before the days of trouble come and the years approach when you will say ‘I find no pleasure in them’ – before the sun and the light and the moon and the stars grow dark, …”

The portion of Scriptures is from the book called Ecclesiastes. Please read the whole of chapter twelve of the book.

If we live long enough I think there comes the time for all of us when we cannot decide for ourselves!