Curiosity Killed the Cat!

    I grew up in a small country community where everyone knew everyone else’s business, and what they couldn’t find out, they made it up instead! So I always like to find out the whys and wheres when something unusual is seen.

    This time, we had made our usual summer trek north to our holiday area, and what should we see as we came around the bend in the road by the big local river, but a house sitting on the edge of the river bank among the mangrove trees. Not only one house, but behind it was a second house! There was no real road  in to these houses, and they looked as though they had been dumped there from the river itself. Visiting friends a couple of days later, I saw a newspaper clipping about these two houses which solved the problem of how they had got there. They had been shipped on a barge from the big city over  two hundred miles south, and a description of the voyage north was given beside the picture. Their final destination was a few miles further up the river where they were going to be transported by truck the final few miles. So that solved the puzzle of the houses sitting in the mangroves on the edge of the river!

    It seems strange to me, that something like this makes the news, when really it is no-one else’s business but the people who bought them, while the more important things of life that concern every single person are completely ignored. It’s obvious that these houses will be eventually lived in somewhere, but no-one is really concerned with where their soul is going to live for eternity. We make all sorts of preparations for a big trip we may be going to take overseas, but pay very little attention to the most lasting trip of all which every person is going to take eventually. Surely this is the most important thing to be curious about, and the most important trip to prepare for!

What do You Remember?

    It’s always good to remember the good times, but not so nice remembering the bad times! I’ve been reminded this past week about some of the boats we’ve owned down through the years, and thought of the first big launch we owned back in 1966-1972.          Then again there is the run-about that has been our last venture out on the water. She is being taken away today to her new home, and we are sad to see her go….it is the end of an era for us, as until now, we have always had a boat of some sort. But we still have the photos and memories of those good (and bad!) times out on the sea.

    It reminded me of how memory is a gift from God to remind us and teach us things that would otherwise be completely forgotten. That is why we are told in Bible to get together with other believers regularly and remember what He has done for us, especially in sending His Son into this world 2025 years ago.  God knows how weak our memories really are, and that is why He has seen to it that His Word is written down for us to read.

   Did you know that God has books in Heaven as well? In these books is a record of every single person who has ever lived, and the things they did and said while they were alive. The Bible tells us that one day, these books are going to be opened and we will have to give an account of ourselves before Him! Our memories at that time will be crystal clear…..no-one else is going to say what we did or said or accuse us in any way, it is each one of us who will give an account of ourselves then!     Then there is another book that will be opened then, and that is called the Book of Life.  In this book is written the names of all those who have come to know God in a personal way in this life. This is the guarantee that they will have a place in God’s home when they leave this world. But for anyone whose name is not in that book, they will be separated from God and all that is good and right and beautiful for ever. We read about that in Revelation chapter twenty, verses eleven to fifteen.

    But there is still time now, to get right with God and have your name written in that Book of Life!

What Are Your Seasons?

    A good friend of ours passed away a couple of weeks ago, and the funeral was hel at local chapel where she fellowshipped.  When we walked into the hall on the funeral day, there was a plain wooden coffin with paintings of horses all over it and about half a dozen winning ribbons draped over it. It seemed strange to say the least! But we had only known her as an old lady, and that was only a fraction of what she had been and done in her life time! When the Eulogy was given by her daughter, we learned how she had been involved in competitive horse riding for a good part of her life.

    I couldn’t help thinking how we all have seasons in our lives, and those who have only known us for a few years have no idea of what we used to be like. What we are as old people, is only half of what we were or are! I had no idea that Julie had ever been into horses or competitive horse riding! Her daughter said she had drawers full of winning ribbons from her competitions.

     When we were younger, my brother and sister-in-law had a farm next door to ours and we used to do all our big jobs together as a team. I remembered when my sister-in-law died, of this season of our lives and how we used to work and play together. Our children grew up together as one big family, and got into all sorts of mischief.       I thought of her grand-daughters who had only known her as an older lady, so I sat down and wrote them a letter of the things she used to do when she was younger on the farm, how we all worked together, especially at times like hay making or cattle mustering. Then there was all the work she did as a Bible in Schools teacher, and how we worked together in the camp work at the local Christian Youth Camp. Then there were the sailing days on the harbour, when we would all go out together and have such fun on the water. Then there were the trips that she and her husband used to do as well…. the big one going to England and Europe for five months, as well as several around the South Island. Now there are only a few photos and all the memories that go with them.

    So her grand-daughters thought she belonged to them as an old lady, but hadn’t known that she had had another life when she was a young mother, helping in the general farm work when needed and in her church life as well. It is only at someone’s funeral that we learn of these other seasons in their life that have gone to shape them into the older person that those present knew. Let us see to it that those who attend our funeral when the time comes, will have worthwhile memories of us and that we may be an inspiration in some way to those who know us!

What Are your Little Foxes?

      The preacher at church last Sunday gave us some good points to think about, that are worth passing on. He read from the book of Song of Solomon in the Old Testament part of the Bible,  these verses….

Song of Solomon 2:13-15….

The fig tree puts forth her green figs, and the vines with the tender grapes give a good smell. Rise up, my love, my fair one, And come away!   14“O my dove, in the clefts of the rock, In the secret places of the cliff, Let me see your face, Let me hear your voice; For your voice is sweet,  And your face is lovely.” 15  Catch us  the foxes, the little foxes that spoil the vines, for our vines have tender grapes…..

The Gardener has planted his crops and is now waiting to see them grow, and ultimately to fruit, BUT….there are foxes waiting to spoil the beauty!

This is just like us….we could say that God has planted us and given us all that we need to grow in the things of Himself, but there are things that distract us and take our minds and thoughts off Him…how do we react to these “little foxes”?

In our Environment….perhaps there are worries about our job, or we want a change of circumstances. There are other things that annoy us that we can’t change, and maybe they get us down.

In Our Relationships…. In our friendships with others, there maybe jealousy or competitiveness that grates….can we continue without holding grudges or being unforgiving?  Remember that unforgiveness only hurts you in the long run….the other person may be totally unaware of the matter!

In the Workplace….is there someone there that grates on you? Remember that the Lord has said He will bear all our burdens, so take it to Him…there is no need for two of you to carry it!

In Our General Health….do we always feel tired? Perhaps it warrants a visit to the doctor. Do we have continual colds and other aches and pains? Again, check out your health…do you need some supplements to build you up?

In Our Homes….Are there disappointments with family members, or other concerns? Are there differences of opinions? Remember that we just might not always be right!! I remember reading a book many years ago called “Lord, Change Me!” Perhaps we are the ones who need to change….our attitudes and feelings. To say nothing of our opinions!

In Our Relationship with the Lord…..Are we holding grudges? Do we neglect our daily time with Him? Do we remember to take all these things to God in prayer?

    These are all things that are “little foxes”  in the gardens of our lives waiting to spoil the fruit that God desires to see in each of us. Let us be full of courage  and take it all to the Lord in prayer. He will take over and enable us to be what we ought to be!!

Lessons to Learn

    There are many lessons we can learn as we go through life. No more so than in the garden! I like gardening and as I  tie and snip at the different plants, I think how much these things must hurt that plant. But it is all for their own good!

     The tomato plants tend grow rather rampantly if left on their own. But they must be staked, and then tied up to that stake so they won’t fall over and get untidy. Not only that, but there are extra shoots growing that need to be taken off regularly. The plant is firmly rooted in the ground before it can grow and that reminds me how that each one of us needs to be firmly “rooted” in our Lord Jesus Christ before we can yield the sort of fruit that He is looking for in our lives.

     Then again I grow a variety of rose that, if left to itself, will grow very rampantly all over the ground. So much so, that it is called a “Carpet Rose”. They send up long shoots from the ground, and I always cut these off and then tie the plant to a stake, and pick off any side shoots. If there is another strong looking shoot coming off the main stalk, then that gets tied in an upright position onto the stake as well. The plant probably doesn’t like being tied firmly like this, but it adjusts, and in time grows into a nicely shaped bush that shows off its flowers to best advantage. Not only that, but it is forced to look up, and ultimately to grow up!

    So it is with us….as troubles come into our lives, we are forced to look up to the Master Gardener, Who is growing us as He pleases. The plant may not like where it is put, but it has no option, it must stay there, and flower where it is. There are times when we don’t like where we are, or our position in life, but as we remember that God is over all, we can learn to be satisfied and give Him thanks. This is like the tomatoes growing on the vine, or the rose flowering tied to the stake.

     As we look around, we see those who are less fortunate than ourselves…..one lady I know is very short sighted and there is nothing that can be done to improve her eyesight. There have been many times when she thinks “Why me?” Another friend has had sudden hearing loss, and again might well be thinking, “Why me?” But these things are sent to grow us into being the sort of person God wants us to be….thankful in all things for the blessings we DO have. May we each one find that this is so.

Do You Ever Feel Like this?

    We were travelling once in a strange area, and decided to take a train ride that was advertised as being a scenic one. So we went on board, and there was one other passenger, a Japanese tourist with a large camera strung around his neck. It was a while before the train started off…it was an old steam train, and of course had to get the steam up before it could move off. No-one else turned up to go for the ride, so at last it began to huff and puff and then to finally move off.    We waited to see what was around the first corner, but it was only more of the same sort of scenery. Another two or three minutes of this chugging along, and then it stopped. In the middle of nowhere, just like that. Then we heard a clanking and fresh chugging, but the train was going back the same way that we had come! Was this all that we were going to get for our money?

   The other passenger hadn’t even got his camera out of its case, let alone taken any pictures! With a great swooshing sound, the steam was let out of the engine as it came to a stop at the platform. The driver came along, and said that the trip was over. We could hardly believe our ears! Just that little bit? The Japanese passenger got out, and we followed him along to the road. “I tink we been had,” he was saying, more or less to himself. And then again, “I tink we been had!!”   Well, we felt like that too, in fact we KNEW that we had been “had”!

     There are many times in life when we feel we have been shortchanged, and let down. But you know there is one time when we are never let down or been “had”, and that is when we take God at His Word. He will ALWAYS keep His Word….what He says He will do, He WILL do! And if we are His followers, that is how we should be too…we must always stick to what we say, so that others will know that they can trust what we say. In this world where there is so much fake news, we hardly know what to take notice of and what to discard as nonsense.

    That is another lesson for us to learn…always make sure that what bit of information you are going to pass on is based on FACT, and not just hearsay or  idle gossip. If we do this, then others will know that they can always trust what we say.

Don’t Leave it Too Late!

    We’ve been concerned about a new friend who has been coming along to church recently, with his wife who is a devout Christian. He doesn’t appear to be anti the messages he is hearing from the pulpit, but neither is he altogether accepting of them. Perhaps you know some folk who are like that.

      He says he just cannot see how God is, Who He is!  He says he will do something about it one day, but we wonder if he really wants to! After all, God has said in His Word, “Those who seek Me SHALL find Me”.

    It reminds me of another man we knew many years ago. He had been going to the
Sunday evening services where the gospel was preached clearly every Sunday night. But after a period of time, he started to make excuses, and eventually stopped going altogether. But the Lord had not quite finished with him. One night he had a vivid dream that troubled him greatly. He went to his uncle who knew him well, and said, “You know Unc, I had a dream the other night. I dreamt that I was in an open place, and that God was in Heaven above me. Then I saw a great big black curtain come down between me and Him, and I know now that I couldn’t come to Him even if I wanted to”. What a tragic state of affairs! He had been convicted so many times, and kept putting off doing anything  about God’s invitation, until now he had passed the point of no return. Shortly after that, he passed away with his daughter by his side. Her comment was, “I never want to see another person die….the expression on Dad’s face as he went, was terrible!”

     We have the case in the Bible of the story of Moses telling the king of Egypt  to let the people of Israel leave the land. At first we read that the king “hardened his heart” and refused to let the people go, but after a few times of this request being made, then we read that the Lord “hardened his heart”. So it was in the case of this man we knew….he had put off the strivings of God with him for so long, that then it had no effect on him. He knew it too, and that dream just confirmed it to him.

     So we continue to pray for our new friend, that he will not do the same thing until it is too late, and he has no desire to come to church any more. So it is with those who may read this post…..if there is something you need to put right or some confession of sin that needs to be done, do NOT put it off. The desire to do so may leave you, and you will be the worse off for it in the long run!

Some Random Thoughts

      I’ve been reading in the Old Testament book of Isaiah lately, and have come across some thoughts about that book that might be helpful. Many people skip reading the Old Testament prophetic books as they feel they are irrelevant for today’s world, but there are pearls scattered all through these books that we would miss if we didn’t read the books through consecutively.

    The book of Isaiah is especially so, as there is a distinctive pattern followed here that gives some tremendous  insights into the thoughts and desires of God’s heart. For instance in chapter nine, verse s 6-7 we are told of the coming Messiah, and what He would be like. For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder. His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end, upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, to order it and establish it with judgment and justice from that time forward, even forever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.

    This prophecy, as with so many, has been partly fulfilled in the coming of Jesus Christ, but will be completely fulfilled at the end of time when He takes over his Kingdom forever.     And in  chapter fifty three we are told of the sufferings of the coming Messiah which we see fulfilled in the death of Jesus Christ .

    Apart from these prophecies, there is also a pattern followed whereby the book itself is divided into two distinctive sections, just as the Bible  is. It is, in fact, a miniature of the Bible itself……

There are 66 chapters; there are 66 books in the Bible. There are two sections; the Bible has the Old Testament and the New Testament.  

The first section calls Israel; the Old Testament of the Bible  calls Israel. The second section calls ALL to come;  in the New Testament, the Bible gives the Gospel to the whole world. The final message is the same in both Isaiah and the Bible itself…. Both tell of the new heavens and a new earth. Both tell of an eternal blessedness. Both end up with the result of ignoring God’s message and invitation.           

    So read it for yourself, starting off in chapter forty, the beginning of the second section, and be blessed.

See what God has to say to YOU.