The Christian hymn “Because He Lives” by William J. Gaither reminds me of Paki, a brother in Christ.

I remember when he sang the hymn many years ago in Kaikohe, where we worked as missionaries (United Maori Mission).

EASTER 2013

“Because He lives I can face tomorrow; because He lives all fear is gone;

because I know He holds the future, and life is worth the living just because He lives.”

Easter is an annual festival. Christians celebrating the Resurrection of Christ at Easter.

The outstanding characteristic of Christianity is that it is the only religion with a living originator. Buddha is no longer alive. Brahma (Hinduism) is no longer alive. Mohammed is no longer alive and Marx (Communism) is dead. 104 times is the resurrection mentioned in the New Testament.

There is evidence of the resurrection. We read about the evidence in the Bible. The empty tomb, the testimony of angels, etcetera.

And there is the evidence of the resurrection by the testimony of millions who have proved the Lord Jesus Christ to be a living Saviour.

I believe Paki belongs to the millions, I know that I belong to the millions.

You can also belong to the millions by believing in the Lord Jesus Christ.

“A woman attempting to live her life with her own personality entirely in her own hands, can be a monster loosed. A woman living her life with her personality in the hands of Christ, can be a sure, creative benediction.” 

We used to live in Kaikohe, in the mid north of New Zealand for quite some time working as missionaries.

One day going north from Whangaparaoa (Auckland area) to our home, we stopped in Orewa at a second hand shop.  

At the second hand shop I picked up a book I started reading again.

I know it was in the year 1997, because 1997 including my name is written in the book. I don’t know how much I paid for the book, maybe 50 cents, but I know that I bought my most cherished books in second hand shops.

The book is Printed in Great Britain by Lowe and Brydone (Printers) Limited, London, N.W. 10  for OLIPHANTS LTD London, Edinburgh. At the beginning of the book it says also: This Edition 1960, Reprinted  1961, Reprinted 1962, Reprinted 1963.

The book is called WOMAN TO WOMAN and on one page of the beginning of the book the author Eugenia Price is writing, “To My Mother Who is showing me more and more the value of  a Christ-controlled personality.”

I think every man should read the book!

One more question for me to answer!

No, I am no longer house hunting. I  have found my home and I want to invite you to come along  with me.

Do I ever like the hymn:

“HOUSE HUNTING?”

“Come along with me to my Father’s house,

To my Father’s house, to my Father’s house;

Come along with me to my Father’s house,

Where there’s joy, joy, joy!” 

The hymn has four verses. Verse two says that Jesus is the way (John 14:6) to the house of the Father. Verse three says that Jesus is the light (John 8:12) in the house of the Father. Verse four teaches us that Jesus is the way, the truth (John 14:6), the life (John 11:25) and the door (John 10:7) to the house of the Father.

Please “Come along with me to my Father’s house, …” Why? Because “there’s joy, joy, joy!”

Anon. v1-3 Lindsay Smith v4

“Let the words of the page carry you away,” is written on the window of the book shop here in Kaitaia. (1st-31st March 2013 is New Zealand Book Month.)

“LET THE WORDS OF THE PAGE CARRY YOU AWAY”

And the “words of the page” carried me away to the different places of the globe.

I remember the little country school in the north of Germany where I learned to read and where I read most of the books in the library with great eagerness.

WHY WAS I SO KEEN TO READ THE BOOKS? WAS IT, BECAUSE I WANTED TO VISIT THOSE PLACES?

I managed to visit several countries in Europe.

It was even my privilege to work as a missionary in Asia (Thailand) from Christmas 1966 to Christmas 1979.

And now I am living here in New Zealand.

I think I was so eager to read about the different places, because I wanted to go there!

“To win a copy of THE LION BIBLE TO KEEP FOR EVER, tell us the Bible story that inspires you most.”

I like the hymn “This world is not my home, I’m just a-passing through, ..” Anon.

And all Bible stories inspire me, but at the moment  THE HEALING OF THE BOY WITH A DEMON inspires me most. You find the story in three gospels. In the gospel of Matthew we find the story of the Boy in Matthew 17:14-27. (Read the story also in Mark 9:19 and Luke 9:41)

I like especially verse 17 in Matthew chapter 17. In that verse the Lord is asking the following two questions :

1.  “HOW LONG SHALL I STAY WITH YOU?”

2.  “HOW LONG SHALL I PUT UP WITH YOU?”

Do you also like those two questions? I hope you do!

And here is the chorus of the hymn mentioned at the beginning:

“O Lord, You know I have no friend like you,

If Heaven’s not my home, then Lord what will we do?

The angels beckon me from Heaven’s open door

And I can’t feel at home in this world anymore.”

Not long ago I finished reading the book called Deuteronomy (The meaning is “SECOND LAW”) in the Bible. (The book has 34 chapters.) When I came to the end of chapter 32, I was struck by two things. First of all we must not break faith with the LORD in the presence of his people. Second we must uphold his holiness among his people.

1. DO NOT BREAK FAITH WITH THE LORD IN THE PRESENCE OF HIS PEOPLE.

We are hearing and reading a lot about FAITH.

Can I remind you here that God is the only independent being in the universe. He is the only one who is self existent. We are dependent beings. Do you get the point. We are not even sure of our next breath. Do I need to say more? NO!

I think that’s why  the LORD says this in Matthew 17:17 “‘O unbelieving and perverse generation,’ Jesus replied, ‘how long shall I stay with you? Bring the boy here to me.’ Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of the boy, and he was healed from that moment.” You find the same story in Mark 9:19 and Luke 9:41.

2.  UPHOLD HIS HOLINESS AMONG HIS PEOPLE.

We hear and read a lot about FAITH as mentioned already and we hear and read  a lot about LOVE. But we don’t hear and read much about the HOLINESS of God.

This is a quote by Murray Mc Cheyne: “Lord, make me as holy as it is possible for a child of Thine to be.”

HOLY, “HAGIOS,” denotes that which is sacred, set apart, consecrated.

1.  In Romans 12:1 we are urged to yield our bodies “holy, acceptable unto God.”

2.  In  First Timothy 2:8 we are exhorted to ‘lift up holy hands.”

3.  In First Peter 2:5 we are called a “holy priesthood.”

4.  In First Peter 2:9 we are named a “holy nation.”

5.  In First Thessalonians 3:13 we are urged to be holy in heart, “hearts unblameable in holiness before God.”

We do well to pray that we may be Holy in body, Holy in prayer, Holy in worship, Holy in citizenship and Holy in heart.

Moses and Aaron broke faith with the LORD in the presence of the Israelites and Moses and his brother Aaron did not uphold  the holiness of the LORD among the people of Israel. That happened at the waters of  Meribah Kadesh in the Desert of Zin.

Because of that both of them viewed Canaan form a distance, but did not enter it.

LET US BE CAREFUL NOT TO BREAK THE FAITH WITH THE LORD IN THE PRESENCE OF HIS PEOPLE AND LET US BE CAREFUL TO UPHOLD HIS HOLINESS  AMONG HIS PEOPLE!

“Waiho i te toipoto, kaua i te toiroa.”

I am reading that MaorI proverb in the book RAIN, HAIL OR SHINE by Tricia Irving. Here is the English translation:

“Let us keep close together, not far apart.”

Under the paragraph “Companionship” it says there also, “We need talk, fun and laughter. Have regular contact with other people. This can take some effort, but give it a go. It can make such a positive difference.”

Can I please add to that : Have regular contact with the Lord Jesus Christ. Talking to the Lord Jesus Christ makes all the difference.

This promise is recorded for us in the Word of God:

“DO NOT BE ANXIOUS ABOUT ANYTHING, BUT IN EVERYTHING, BY PRAYER AND PETITION, WITH THANKSGIVING, PRESENT YOUR REQUESTS TO GOD.” – Philippians 4:6

Can you hear the Lord Jesus Christ saying to you now,

“LET US KEEP CLOSE TOGETHER, NOT FAR APART?”