ARE YOU A MEMBER OF THE BODY OF CHRIST?*

IF YOU ARE, YOU MUST BE AWARE OF THE SPIRITUAL DROUGHT, NOT ONLY IN THE WORLD, BUT ALSO IN THE CHURCHES.

SPIRITUAL DROUGHT BEGINS TO HURT.

WHEN?

__________

Body of  Christ.

The church is the body of Christ, in Paul’s figur of speech (First Corinthians 12:12-26). Christian believers are members (parts) of the body of  Christ. As the head, Christ rules over the body (Ephesians 1:22-23, Ephesians 4:12, 15-16).

20th Century Bible Dictionary

Believe! Acts 16:31

“BEFORE ME EVERY KNEE WILL BOW.”

Isaiah 45:23

Romans 14:11

Philippians 2:10

“It’s made it very hard on my bucket list.”

That was said by a young man who was given a very short time to live. He is dying of cancer – but he is laughing in the face of death. His story is called “Laughing in the face of cancer”  in the newspaper.

All of us have a list of things we want to do before we die. This young man called the list his bucket list. There were so many things he wanted to do before he “kicked the bucket”.

He lived longer than expected and he has done things.

Maybe he has even done the overnight fishing trip with his friend to Tutukaka he was looking forward to so much by now. It was one thing on his ultimate to-do list.

But things are up with him. And things are down with him. What comes next? He does not know. The paper says, “But for now he is laughing”.

We must have the things of God on our to-do list. We must have the commandments of God on our to-do list. We are reading about the commandments of God in the Bible, the Word of the Living God. Here is one:  Acts 17:30 says:  “In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent.” Read also Second Peter 3:9

When we repent, we know what comes next!

*Is the bucket list coming from Ecclesiastes 12:6, where it is written “…; before the pitcher is shattered at the spring,…” ?

This morning  I read about officials, about the officials of  Pharaoh.

Some feared the Word of the Lord and some did not. There were those who hurried to bring their slaves and livestock to a place of shelter. They feared the Word of the Lord. But there were also those who left their slaves and livestock in the field. They ignored the Word of the Lord.

Read the story in Exodus 9:13-35 “The Plague of Hail” (Exodus 9:20)

That was long ago. But it is the same today.

There are people who fear the Word of the Living God. But most of the people ignore the Word of the Living God. There are only two groups. To which group do you belong?

And these are the words of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ:

“Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.”

Matthew 24:35

In Matthew 28:18-20 the Lord Jesus Christ says:

“Then Jesus came to them and said, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore GO and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.’”

I am wondering how many  people went, because they read the following:

“But the meeting was drawing to a close; the ‘foreign teacher’ had ceased speaking. Looking round upon the audience with the instinct of one accustomed to lead in such matters, Nyi rose  in his place and said with simple directness:

‘I HAVE LONG SOUGHT THE TRUTH, AS DID MY FATHER BEFORE ME, BUT WITHOUT FINDING IT. I HAVE TRAVELLED FAR AND NEAR, BUT HAVE NEVER SEARCHED IT OUT. IN CONFUCIANISM, BUDDHISM, TAOISM, I HAVE FOUND NO REST; BUT I DO FIND REST IN WHAT WE HAVE HEARD TO-NIGHT. HENCEFORTH  I AM A BELIEVER IN JESUS.’

He it was who, talking with Mr. Taylor, unexpectedly raised a question the pain of which was not easily forgotten.

‘How long have you had the glad tidings in England?’ he asked all unsuspectingly. The young missionary was ashamed to tell him, and vaguely replied that it was  several hundreds of years.

‘What’, exclaimed Nyi in astonishment, ‘several hundreds of years! Is it possible that you have known about Jesus so long, and only now have come to tell us?’

‘My father sought the truth for more than twenty years,’ he continued sadly, ‘and died without finding it. O , WHY DID YOU NOT COME SOONER?’”

(CAN YOU READ THAT WITHOUT TEARS IN YOUR EYES?)

Hudson Taylor in early years

The growth of a soul

Dr. and Mrs. Howard Taylor

pages 441-443

I read the the above as a young believer and I have never forgotten the words:

“OH,WHY DID YOU NOT COME SOONER?”

I WENT TO THAILAND!

“READING HITS THE SPOT!”

That message is written on the bookmark I picked up today at the local library. I will use the bookmark from now on when reading through the Bible, the Word of the Living God!

Have you ever tried to borrow a BIBLE from a library?

There is one word I don’t like at all. That is the word separation. Unfortunately we do come across it again and again.

I did not long ago when I visited the Citizens Advice Bureau in New Lynn (Auckland). There I found  two brochures advertising the same thing, only in different languages, in english and in simplified chinese. At the top it says: “Parenting through separation.” “A FREE INFORMATION PROGRAMME FOR PARENTS.” On the second page you can read, “Parenting through Separation is a free information programme to help you help your kids when you separate.”

But that is not all. I have here two more booklets on the subject of separation from the same bureau. One has the title: “Teenagers’ Guide to Family Separation.” (“What happens to us when our parents separate?”) The other is for children called: “Childrens’ Guide to Family  Separation.” (“What happens to us when our parents break up?”)

I must take time one of these days to study the booklets.

Much can be said about the theme SEPARATION.  But just now a portion of the Bible, the Word of the Living God, comes to my mind. Here it is from the book of Proverbs in the Old Testament, Proverbs 31 (the last chapter of the book) the verses 10 to 31. (PLease read all the verses.)

Proverbs 31:10-12

“A WIFE OF NOBLE CHARACTER WHO CAN FIND?

She is worth far more than rubies.

Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value. She brings him good, and not harm, all the days of her life.”

Proverbs 31:28-30

“Her CHILDREN arise and call her blessed; her HUSBAND also, and he praises her:

“MANY WOMEN DO NOBLE THINGS, BUT YOU SURPASS THEM ALL.”

Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.”

Please notice that the children call her blessed! The Amplified Bible says: “happy, fortunate and to be envied.”

Leviticus 17:11

“FOR THE LIFE OF A CREATURE IS IN THE BLOOD,……”

Leviticus 17:14

John 6:54

“WHOEVER….DRINKS MY BLOOD HAS ETERNAL LIFE,….”

John 1:5

“THE LIGHT SHINES IN THE DARKNESS, BUT THE DARKNESS HAS NOT UNDERSTOOD IT.”

Every Friday and Saturday night @ 7pm

From Jan 8 till Feb 13, 2010

Kaitaia A&P Showgrounds

GOOD HOPE MINISTRIES

Hendrik and Amanda welcome all