Mandarin Chinese is the official language of China since 1917.

Today I was able to learn some words in Mandarin Chinese like HELLO (to elderly, to someone younger or the same age), THANK YOU and GOOD BYE.

A Chinese family invited us to share a meal with them in their shop coming Monday. An elderly lady from China, who does not speak English, will also be present.

And today “it just happened” that I got in contact with two ladies – I have never met them before – at a family restaurant (McDonald’s) who speak Mandarin Chinese and were willing to give me my first (and very brief) language lesson.

There is no doubt that the advertisement is concerned about our physical life and our physical health.

But we must also be concerned about our spiritual life and our spiritual health.

“Dare yourself to go healthy”

We hear about physical health almost everywhere, and that’s why I don’t need to say really anything about our physical health.

But I want to write quite a bit about our spiritual life and our spiritual health.

What about our spiritual life and our spiritual health? What are we going to do about it?

Just as we were born the first time, we must be born a second time. When we are having our second birthday we are passing from darkness to light and we begin a new life.

All need to be born again. Let us read John 3:3. There it says, “In reply Jesus declared, ‘I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.'”

The new birth is the beginning and in order to grow the Christian must persevere in the QUIET TIME day by day with the Lord.

What does the Bible say about our physical life? Let us read Psalm 90:10. There it says, “The length of our days is seventy years – or eighty, if we have the strength; yet their span is but trouble and sorrow, for they quickly pass, and we fly away.”

What does the Bible say about our spiritual life? John 3:36 says, “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, FOR GOD’S WRATH REMAINS ON HIM.”

Do you see the difference? The physical life is not for long, but the spiritual life is forever.

THE SPIRITUAL LIFE IF MORE IMPORTANT!

Readers of the local paper, and I am a reader, THE NORTHLAND AGE, are invited to submit photos depicting the Far North’s special qualities to the editor for “THIS IS OUR PLACE.”

Beautiful East Coast of Northland

I submitted the image above ( East Coast of Northland in WINTER) and it appeared in THE NORTHALND AGE, Tuesday, September 10, 2013.

One good thing about being retired is that you don’t have any deadlines.

It was only yesterday that I was working on a post and when the post was almost finished, something happend, and everything was gone from the computer screen.

I tried for quite some time to retrieve the words, but with no avail. I had to write the story A MARTYR from scratch.

My consolation was telling myself, “Am I glad that I don’t work for a boss and according to deadlines!”

“I did not receive my office (authority) from the emperor or the pope, but from Christ. And that is the reason why I cannot put it down or stop doing it.”

That was the answer the martyr Matthew Ulicky gave to the religious people – church – of his day, when they did not agree with his teaching.

He taught that we must trust in the mercy of God, and in his mercy alone.

I am reading about Matthew Ulicky, who lived at the beginning of the 17th century in the book GEDULD UND GLAUBE DER HEILIGEN by Joerg Erb.

We are reading about the “not” and “but” also in the Bible, the word of the Living God.

At the beginning of his letter to the Galatians the apostle Paul is writing, “Paul, an apostle – sent NOT from men nor by man, BUT by Jesus Christ and God the Father …”

Also in at least five of his letters in the New Testament, the apostle starts by telling the readers that he is “…, called to be an apostle of Christ Jesus and by the will of God, …” He does that in his two letters to the Corinthians, in his letter to the Ephesians, in his letter to the Colossians and in his second letter to Timothy.

“SENT NOT FROM MEN NOR BY MAN, BUT BY JESUS CHRIST AND GOD THE FATHER, …”

 I was born in Germany, I came from death to life, (from darkness into light) in Germany, and lived in Germany until I was 26 years old.

In Germany I met pastors, who were not sent by Jesus Christ and God the Father, but by man. They were pastors just as others were plumbers or electricians.

At the age of 26 I arrived just before Christmas as a missionary in Thailand and I knew that I was “sent not from men nor by man, but by Jesus Christ and God the Father …”

Because Matthew Ulicky received his office (authority) from the Lord, he was willing to die on September 11, 1627 as a martyr.

He died a terrible death. His right hand was cut off first and then his head. While all this was happening, he prayed Psalm 70:

“Hasten, O God, to save me; O LORD, come quickly to help me.” 

What about me? Am I also willing to die as a martyr? 

“READ EVERY DAY. LEAD A BETTER LIFE.”

What an encouragement!

I have been reading every day for a long time. I am doing it now and want to continue to do so in the future.

Today I read one chapter in the Bible, Matthew chapter eight. For those who do not know, that is in the New Testament.

In the chapter I am reading about leprosy, the faith of one particular man, Jesus healing many, the cost of following the Lord Jesus Christ, calming of a storm and the healing of two demon-possessed men.

READ EVERY DAY

I have been reading the story about the two demon-possessed men already several times, but today I noticed for the first time that the Lord is answering the prayer of the demons.

The demons begged to be sent into the herd of pigs.  And what is the answer of the Lord? “GO,” said the Lord.

Tomorrow  am intending to read chapter nine in the Gospel of Matthew. The chapter begins with the healing of a Paralytic. It is a good habit, to read the BIBLE from cover to cover.

Today I read also a Devotional Classic, MORNING AND EVENING, daily readings by C. H. Spurgeon.

Today is September 1 and Spurgeon is explaining Psalm 73:24 where it says:

“You guide me with your counsel, and afterwards you will take me  into glory.”

In his writing he is asking two questions:

1. Where  is the mariner without his compass?

2. And where would the Christian be without the BIBLE? 

If I remember correctly, the Devotional Classic was bought very very cheaply second-hand somewhere. And I think I remember correctly. Some of my best books are bought second-hand.

There is also another Devotional Treasury on my table, and that is the book called UNTO THE HILLS by Billy Graham. Another second-hand book, so far as I remember.

Especially reading the BIBLE every day helps me to lead a better life. Of course, I must do what I read!

SCAMSAVVY

Protect yourself against fraud and scams

Friday 6th September, 2013

10:00 – 11:30am

TE AHU CENTRE, KAITAIA

Learn about what’s happening in our communities:

Known scams, Internet scams, Unsolicited phone scams, Credid card scams, Banking scams, Card skimming … and more!

One more milestone in my life.

At the beginning of this year I started to read the BIBLE from cover to cover.

HOLY BIBLE (NIV)

The Bible is divided into two main sections. The first section is called the Old Testament and the second section is called the New Testament.

This morning I  finished reading the Old Testament.

One more milestone in my life!