“my mother always told me…

Friendship isn’t about who you’ve known the longest. It’s about who came and never left.

Kay Brydon, via email”

(that’s life! magazine, Issue 17 May 6, 2013)

There are many people wordwide who know about this FRIENDSHIP.

One of them who knew about this friendship was Rufus H. McDaniel, who lived from 1850-1940.  He is the author of the hymn: “What a wonderful change in my life there has been, …” The refrain of the hymn begins like this: “Since Jesus came into my heart, Since Jesus came into my heart, …”

Once the Lord Jesus Christ comes into our heart, he never leaves. And here is his promise:

“‘NEVER WILL I LEAVE YOU; NEVER WILL I FORSAKE YOU.'” – Hebrews 13:5

I am a reader of “THE BOOK OF BOOKS”.

When I read this morning on the back of a truck, “Our eyes  are placed in front because it is more important to look ahead than to look back,” I remembered reading something similar before. Long ago a man called Paul wrote  this in a letter, “Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead.”

Paul wrote that in his letter to the Philippians and you find the letter in the Bible, “THE BOOK OF BOOKS”.

HARAKEKE – FLAX

“Let my body be a servant of my spirit, and both body and spirit servants of JESUS.” – Jeremy Taylor

“pack MORE into your day,” says the advertisement, and I am interested. I want to pack more into my day.

I am learning from the ad that “Alive! Multis” are for daily energy. What are Multis? They are Antioxidants, Enzymes, Vitamins, Minerals and More.

But we are not only to take care of our physical bodies, but also of our spiritual lives.

Long ago I learned that THE QUIET TIME is for daily strength of a Christian’s life.

This is a suggested plan for THE QUIET TIME: Start with prayer, then read the Bible and finish with prayer.

In his book ONE HUNDRED BIBLE LESSONS Alban Douglas is asking the question WHAT SEVEN QUESTIONS DO THE NAVIGATORS ASK ABOUT EACH BIBLE PASSAGE?

“pack MORE into your day”

This is the answer:

1. What new thing have I learned today?

2. Is there a command for me to obey?

3. Is there an example for me to follow?

4. Is there an error for me to avoid?

5. Is there a sin for me to forsake?

6. Is there a promise for me to claim?

7. Is there a new thought about God Himself?

I don’t know if Multis help me to pack more into my day. (I have not tried Multis yet.)

But I know that persevering with MY QUIET TIME  helps me to pack more into my day.

“There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.” – Albert Einstein

“Give your children and grandchildren the gift of a green and peaceful future. Take action and put a gift to Greenpeace in your Will,” I am reading in a GREENPEACE magazine. (Winter/Spring 2013) Ecotips on how to save the planet are also given. It says, “There are many different ways that you can help the Earth to be a healthy and happy place for us all to live.”

We can fix our eyes on what is seen or we can fix our eyes on what is unseen. We can fix our eyes on the first heaven and the first earth or we can fix our eyes on the new earth and the new heaven.

The Bible tells us about the new earth and the new heaven.

Heaven is the home of the Lord God. (Matthew 6:9)

Heaven is a building. It is not only a building, but it is the building of God. (Second Corinthians 5:1)

Heaven is called a garner, a barn. (Matthew 3:12)

Heaven is called the kingdom of God and of Christ. (Ephesians 5:5)

Heaven is called the Father’s house. (John 14:2)

Heaven is called a place of rest. (Hebrews 4:9)

Heaven is called paradise. (Second Corinthians 12:4)

I want to fix my eyes on what is unseen, because what is unseen is eternal, but what is seen is temporary.

“‘But the house of Israel is not willing to listen to you because they are not  willing to listen to me, for the whole house of Israel is hardened and obstinate.'” – Ezekiel 3:7

Four things are said here about the HOUSE OF ISRAEL: They are not willing to listen to Ezekiel, they are not willing to listen to God, they are hardened and they are obstinate.

Now I am not asking you, but I am asking myself four questions:

1. Am I willing to listen to the Lord?

2. Am I willing to listen to the preachers of the Word of God?

3. Am I stubborn?

4. Am I obstinate?