Less than $NZ 110.00 I paid for the books I bought second-hand about thirty years ago in Whangarei, namely seven volumes on Romans by D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones.

Seven Volumes on ROMANS

But only recently I began to read the first volume seriously and I have almost come to the end of the book of 394 pages. It is an exposition of ROMANS chapter 1, the Gospel of God.

I find those expositions on Paul’s letter to the ROMANS most exciting. At the end of the volume I am reading at the present time D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones is pointing out the biblical motive for preaching the Gospel, for evangelising.

What would you answer if I would ask you, “What is the biblical motive for preaching the Gospel?” I can almost hear you answering, “The Love of God!”

The biblical answer for preaching the Gospel is the wrath of God.” (Romans 1:18)

Wondering if the books are still available and curious how much the cost of the books is at the present time, I did not only discover yesterday on the internet that the volumes are still for sale, but also that the total cost of the seven books is now $NZ 227.05.

That means that I saved more than $NZ 117.05. At least one person is thankful for second-hand shops.

MEMORIES

“MEMORIES ARE THE KEY NOT TO THE PAST, BUT TO THE FUTURE.” – Corrie Ten Boom

ROMANS

The next book I am going to read is:

ROMANS by D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones

Exposition  of chapters 3:20 to 4:25 ATONEMENT AND JUSTIFICATION

In the Preface D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones says:

 “The greatest need today is a return to expository preaching.”

“What’s my driving like?” I remember reading on the back of a big lorry not long ago here in Kaitaia. And I  hope I got the words right. A Call Free number was also given.

Thinking about that question reminds me of followers of the Lord Jesus and their walking with the Lord Jesus Christ.

Followers of the Lord don’t need to ask others, but they should ask themselves on a regular basis, “What is my walk with the Lord Jesus Christ like?”

If you are a follower of the Lord, ask yourself these three questions:

1.  What is my reading of the Bible like?

LAMP

Remember Psalm 119:105: “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.”

2.  What is my praying like?

Remember James 4:2: “You do not have, because you do not ask God.”

3.  What is my witnessing like?

Remember Acts 1:8: “‘And you will be witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.'”

Some time ago I read this: “Watch your steps carefully, everyone else does.”

FOOTSTEPS

In every dish he created and every decision he made, he was living the lessons his grandmother and his father taught him, I am reading about a man born in Ethiopia in the October 2014 Reader’s Digest. (His grandmother showed him the possibilities of food.)

Already for a long time I have been thinking about the lessons I have been taught. Am I living the lessons I have been taught?

I am reminded again of what the Lord Jesus Christ says about the wise builder and the foolish builder.

The wise builder:

“‘Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house upon the rock.'” (Matthew 7:24).

The foolish builder:

“‘But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on the sand.'” ( Matthew 7:26 ).

I really believe that the chef who was born in Ethiopia and brought up in Sweden lived the lessons he had been taught, because in 2003 he won the title of best chef in New York. (2003 James Beard Foundation Awards in New York.)

AT THE BEACH

Not long ago I read the true story about a young soccer player who knows what it is like to see his name on the list (team roster) and the heartbreak that comes the day he looks and his name is no longer there.

Reading that reminded me of the Book of Life. The Bible tells us about the Book of Life.

In Luke 10:20 the Lord Jesus Christ says, “‘However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.'”

Philippians 4:3: Here the Apostle Paul mentions a number of people, whose names are in the Book of Life. He names some of his fellow workers:

Clement,

Euodia,

Syntyche and

a loyal yokefellow.

It is suggested that Euodia and Syntyche were deaconesses at Philippi and Paul beseeches Euodia and Syntyche to be reconciled.

Once our name is written in the Book of Life, it will never be blotted out. In Revelation 3:5 the Lord Jesus Christ says, “I will never blot out his name from the book of life, …” There will be no heartbreak, because our name will always be there.

Reader’s Digest, October 2014, page 84, A Chef’s Life