“Water & words. Easy to pour, impossible to recover!” I am reading on the board, that is standing in front of one of our hairdressers.

And this morning in my reading of the Bible from cover to cover, I came to Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, where it says in chapter four, “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.” (Ephesians 4:29, NIV) In another translation it says, “Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them.” (Ephesians 4:29, NLT)

I am asking myself now, “What kind of words are pouring out of my mouth?” Do you want to ask yourself the same question?

“If we don’t stand for something we’ll fall for anything!”

I stand for the fact that the Bible does not contain the Word of God, but that the Bible IS the Word of God. (Second Timothy 3:16; Second Peter 1:21 )

Not that I am a great singer, but I like to sing the hymn STANDING ON THE PROMISES . The author of that beautiful hymn is  Russell Kelso Carter, wo lived from 1849-1928.

I am standing on the promises of God.

If you are a reader of the Bible, you must have noticed the phrase “fear not”. I am just learning that the phrase appears 365 times in the Bible. And I don’t need to tell you that there are 365 days in one year. That means that there is one “fear not” for every day of the year.

Here are some promises to stand on:

“‘So do not fear, for I am with you;…'” – Isaiah 41:10

THE LORD IS WITH US!

“‘Do not fear; I will help you.'” – Isaiah 41:13

THE LORD WILL HELP US!

“‘Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine.'” – Isaiah 43:1

THE LORD HAS REDEEMED US! HE KNOWS US BY NAME! WE ARE HIS!

That are only some of the promises. And please remember this: “For no matter how many promises God has made, they are ‘Yes’ in Christ.” – Second Corinthians  1:20

I am not making any promises any more. I don’t need to tell you why.

What do you stand for? Remember the warning: “IF WE DON’T STAND FOR SOMETHING WE’LL FALL FOR ANYTHING!”

AT TE AHU

“FEELING LIKE THERE IS NO  HOPE?” I am reading that on the business card I am looking at.

What is your answer?

Also before me here is the publication called COFFEE NEWS. One of the many advertisements in the publication asks the question, “In need of concrete work?”  (Vol 139:4)

Not only Drives, Paths and Floors,  but also Foundations are advertised.

IF you are “Feeling like there is no HOPE”, you are “in need of concrete work”, you are in need of a foundation that is built on the rock.

The hymn writer Edward Mote, who lived from 1797-1874, sings; “On Christ, the solid Rock I stand; All other ground is sinking sand, All other ground is sinking sand.”

I am also standing on CHRIST, the SOLID ROCK.

Listen to this GOLDEN NUGGET:

“Trust in the LORD forever, for the LORD, the LORD IS THE ROCK ETERNAL.” – Isaiah 26:4

Depression is a Global Crisis

What is your answer to the question: “FEELIING LIKE THERE IS NO HOPE?”

PRAYER

Please let me ask you two questions:

1. Do you believe that “prayer changes things?”

2. Do you believe in “the power of prayer?”

A.  “PRAYER CHANGES THINGS.”

Are you also coming across “Prayer changes things” as I do?

I have seen it written on a box – for the first time many many years ago, and I know that the box is still in existence.

 I am looking now at an editorial in a magazine called “Prayer changes things.”

I am reading also that the words are written on a little cross-stitch picture.

DOES PRAYER CHANGE THINGS?

” …, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray.”

Listen to what Martyn Lloyd-Jones says, “Neither does he say ….’Pray, because prayer changes things’. No it does not. Prayer does not ‘change things’ …. It is not your prayer that is going to do it, it is not you who are going to do it, but God.”

B.  “THE POWER OF PRAYER.”

Are you coming across “the power of prayer” as  do?

An editor writes about “the power of prayer” in the editorial of a magazine.

Billy Graham is writing about “The Power of Prayer” in one of his books.

DO YOU BELIEVE IN “THE POWER OF PRAYER?”

Listen to what the  late Dr. Donald Grey Barnhouse says, “I am not so sure that I believe in the ‘power of prayer,’ but I believe in the power of the Lord who answers prayer.”

What is your answer to the above two questions?

“Groucho Marx always found television educational. Whenever someone turned it on, he went to another room to read a book,” I am reading in the COFFEE NEWS. (Vol 138:2)

We don’t have television in our home, but I would do the same and besides other books I would read the BIBLE.

What is a MUST for YOU?

“Only a small number of New Zealand Christians read their Bibles more than once a week. It’s time you made  the commitment to read it as often as you can, everyday preferable. Will you be part of a Bible reading revolution in the the New Zealand church?” (April 2007 Baptist)

AN EIGHTY YEAR OLD LADY SAYS, “THE WEEKLY IS STILL A MUST FOR ME …”

She is looking back on many happy years of reading THE NEW ZEALAND WOMAN’S WEEKLY and will keep on buying the “wonderful magazine” as long as she is able to do so.

She used to cut out images and articles for school projects. With Over the Teacups she had many a laugh. ( New Zealand Woman’s Weekly, April 30, 2012)

I SAY, “THE BIBLE IS A MUST FOR ME, HAS BEEN FOR A LONG TIME AND WILL BE A MUST UNTIL I DIE.

I  like  to read the Bible from cover to cover and I am always on the lookout for Golden Nuggets and Sermon Outlines. Go to ARCHIVES on this blog and click on GOLDEN NUGGETS to find the Golden Nuggets. Click on SERMON OUTLINES to find the Outlines. Here is one Golden Nugget. You find this nugget in First Corinthians 3:11 “For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid which is JESUS CHRIST.” Is the Lord Jesus Christ your Foundation? Remember that all of us are in need of concrete work.

WHAT DO YOU SAY? WHAT IS A MUST FOR YOU?

Yes, I want to be part of a Bible reading revolution in the New Zealand church. Why? This is the answer: “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.” – Matthew 24:35 The Lord JESUS CHRIST says that.

DISIGNER OF THE YEAR – 2012

Te Ahu Centre, Kaitaia

Exhibition 9.00am – 4.00pm

Saturday 27 October 2012

32 ENTRIES

The winner of last year was Louise Lilly

The Floral Art Clubs in the Northland Area are affiliated to the Floral Art Society of NZ.

The AIM of the Floral Art Society of NZ Inc. is to encourage, stimulate and promote participation in the art of floral design and to appreciate its cultural value.