The “Economic Overview” is “A quarterly overview of the New Zealand economy” from Westpac. Two articles in the  April 2008 issue surprised me greatly. They had the titles “Keeping the Faith” and “The meek shall inherit the Earth”.

“The meek shall inherit the earth”.

It says that the economy is really slowing down in the USA and will be slowing down in Europe and Japan as well. But the economy in the socalled developing countries is booming and will continue to boom. It says,” The balance of wealth is clearly shifting from West to East, rich to poor.”

Matthew 5:5 says,” Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.” The editor of the “Economc Overview” has a good understanding of the word meek.

The roots of the word meekness lie in the Old Testament, where the adjective usually translated ‘meek’ means poor. Psalm 22:26 “The poor will eat and  be satisfied;…”

The local paper, “The Northland Age”, had the headline “Where were you on Sunday?”– Tuesday, May 27 2008– No need to say that I was immediately interested. What a good question. I am quite happy and eager to answer,” I was in Church last Sunday!– Exodus 20:8-11– I even heard last Sunday from the pulpit that there are 16 different Churches here in Kaitaia alone. There is no excuse for not going to church. Find the church that suits you.

“Where were you on Sunday?”

“Now, it’s been said ‘The best company you can have in a strange place is a map’.”

Do you find that the earth is a strange place? I do. Do you have many questions— too many? Deuteronomy 29:29.

We surely need a map. The map is the Bible, the Word of the Living God. Psalm 119:105

“Are you ready to meet God?” was the title of a Gospel tract written by Evangelist Billy Graham. If I remember correctly I distributed the leaflets in London many years ago.

We can be prepared to meet God by believing in the Lord Jesus Christ. Acts 16:31 If we don’t God remains our judge.

From 1902 to 1912 a cable station operated here. Spanning almost 3500 nautical miles to Queensland it was the longest cable in the world. The station closed down in 1912 when a cable was laid between Auckland and Sydney.

One nautical mile is 1852 metres.

How long was the cable?

6 482 km

I am holding here in my left hand a Westpac brochure. The brochure is all about home loans and it says, “Putting down roots? Choose the home loan that changes with you.”

The Bible says in Colossians 2:6-7 “So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in Him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.”

Rooted in the Lord Jesus Christ.

Are we rooted in Him? Are we anchored in the Lord?

The Collins Concise Dictionary says: root the organ of a higher plant that anchors the rest of the plant in the ground and absorbs water and mineral salts from the soil.

The Lord Jesus Christ is the water of life. John 4:14 We must be watered by him. We can only be watered by him when we are rooted in Him. We are the salt of the earth.  Matthew 5:13 But we can only be salt of the earth when we are rooted in him.

We find the word rooted also in the letter to the Ephesians, in Ephesians 3:17-19. That are beautiful verses.

I have here a leaflet from the ASB and it says, “At ASB we like to be one step ahead, so…..”

I also like to be one step ahead. That’s why I am reading the Bible, the Word of the Living God. — Psalm 119,99 “I HAVE MORE INSIGHT THAN ALL MY TEACHERS, FOR I MEDITATE ON YOUR STATUTES.”

The farmer allows walkers to cross the field for free, but the bull charges.