When I saw “The rise of female clergy in New Zealand” written on the front page of the Newspaper Magazine “Canvas”, (Weekend Herald February 7, 2009) I bought the whole paper immediately.

I have always been interested in the subject of  “Female clergy.”

What does the Bible say? Let me know what you think!

Even born again Bible Teachers, who are reading the same Bible and are taught by the same Holy Spirit are having different opinions on this subject. That’s what I have found out already.  How is that possible?

Comments please!

Usually I don’t go so far along Commerce Street in Kaitaia – but today I did. By doing so, I discovered the new meeting place of  the “Virtue Christian Centre.” Mitre 10 used to be there some time ago, in the middle of town, so to speak.

I understand, that the first service is there tomorrow at 10 am.

As you may know, theological virtues are faith, hope and charity (love). First Corinthians 13:13. Easy to remember.

“AND NOW THESE  THREE REMAIN: FAITH, HOPE AND LOVE. BUT THE GREATEST OF THESE IS LOVE.”

LET US PUT THE SPARK BACK IN  YOUR LIFE!

Philippians 2:14-16

“DO EVERYTHING WITHOUT COMPLAINING OR ARGUING, SO THAT YOU MAY BECOME BLAMELESS AND PURE, CHILDREN OF GOD WITHOUT FAULT  IN A CROOKED AND DEPRAVED  GENERATION, IN WHICH YOU SHINE LIKE STARS IN THE UNIVERSE as you hold out THE WORD OF LIFE – ..

The Lord willing, I am beginning another computer course at the beginning of March this year. (2009)

“We always put you first” – Vodafone

I like that, so I copied it down. And I notice also that it does not say we put you first, but it says we always put you first. Always is very important! There is lots of talk at times to get our priorities right. And you have heard it said, “First things first.”

That brings me actually to a verse from the Bible, the Word of the Living God. Actually Matthew 6:33 is a well known verse, often quoted. It says there, ” But seek first his KINGDOM and his RIGHTEOUSNESS, and all these things will be given to you as well.”

What a message “First things first.” Are our priorities right? Are we saying to the Lord Jesus Christ, “I put you always first, Lord!” We are commanded do do so.

Two words are very important in that verse, namely KINGDOM and RIGHTEOUSNESS.

There is lots of talk about the  Kingdom of God, the Kingdom of Heaven. But what does it really mean to seek the kingdom?  It is good, that we have Bible dictionaries. The 20th Century Bible Dictionary says, “Seeking the kingdom must be the first goal of the Christian (Matt. 6:33)- that is, conforming to the will of God and recognizing His sovereignty over all life.”

And what does it mean to seek his RIGHTEOUSNESS?

The Bible dictionary again, ” In the New Testament God manifests His righteousness in His dealings with sinful men by His gracious action through Christ to justify and save all who respond in faith to his redeeming work.”

Have you responded?

I have here the New International Version before me and Matthew 6:33 is included in the verses Matthew 6:25-33 and the beautiful heading is “DO NOT WORRY.”

“You’ll be lost without us,” I am reading on the front cover of the book with the Auckland street maps. What I really like about the book is the Auckland street index at the back of the book. The coverage is from Waiwera to Bombay.

And that exactly happened to us some years ago on our journey to and in Auckland. We were lost on the streets in Auckland. And of course at that time we did not have the book with the street maps of Auckland to give us direction on our journey. (My wife bought the almost new Auckland Compact 2006 edition not long ago at a garage sale for one Dollar. (WISES MAPS) It’s amazing what you can pick up at garage sales!)

Soon we will be on our greatest journey, on our journey to eternity and if we are neglecting to study the book which gives us information about this journey to eternity we will be REALLY LOST!

Usually we prepare our journeys well. I did that especially when I went to Thailand for the first time as a missionary. Also I found out as much about that country as I could. I enjoyed that greatly, getting to know the country I would be working in for quite some time. It was also very helpful, to get information from friends, who were living there already.

Should we not find out everything we can about our last and most important journey, the journey to eternity? And about the place we are going to?.

The only book which can tell us about that most important journey of our life is the BIBLE. This is why we must study the BIBLE, and find out especially all the things the Bible says about HEAVEN. It is said that we don’t hear very many sermons about heaven these days from the pulpits. So – Find out for yourselve, explore the Bible.

wd

“A good photograph is one that communicates a fact, touches the heart, leaves the viewer a changed person for having seen it. It is, in one word, effective.” – Irving Penn

PLEASE click on pictures to see the writing!

“TELL ME WHAT YOU EAT AND I WILL TELL YOU WHAT YOU ARE”

The FUTURE ROAD SHOW IS in Kaitaia at the moment.

What Anthelme Brillat-Savarin said in 1825 took really my attention. And needless to say the word FUTURE took my attention also. It is almost 200 years ago when the gastronome Anthelme Brillat-Savarin said, “TELL ME WHAT YOU EAT AND I WILL TELL YOU WHAT YOU ARE.”

It is very important to watch what goes into our bodies. But it is even more important to watch what goes into our minds.

Should we not all feed our minds more on the WORD OF GOD? Are you reading the Bible at the moment? The Lord Jesus Christ says, “MAN DOES NOT LIVE ON BREAD ALONE, BUT ON EVERY WORD THAT COMES FROM THE MOUTH OF GOD.”