This morning I tried to get hold of people who are travelling in Europe. The answer I received was: “This person’s phone is switched off. Please try later or send a text.”

A well known verse from the Bible came to my mind straight away. Here it is: Psalm 50:15 “……., and call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you,……”

God is speaking!

No more needs to be said!

“Please consider the environment before printing this email.” Have you ever seen that?

A HEALTHIER ENVIRONMENT/ A PERFECT ENVIRONMENT!

I received two beautiful PENTEL deluxe retractable ballpoint pens for Christmas, neatly packaged, and on the back of the recyclable board is written: “This board is made from recycled material and may be recycled. Please dispose of packaging thoughtfully. Pentel is working with you to create a HEALTHIER environment.”

I read the above about a healthier environment some days ago with great interest.

Today I read some more about the environment. Today I read about the perfect environment with even greater interest. What I read about the perfect environment is written in a very old book. The book was first published in 1945. The author of the book is H. L. GEE and the title of the book is: “Good in Everything.”

“It is not a comfortable world for souls who would be comfortable. It is not designed to be comfortable. It is planned to keep mankind on the track. Life is not a boarding-house; it is a line of march. From the beginning all things which have life have struggled to create the PERFECT environment, and always some catastrophic force or slow inexorable pressure has tumbled their plans with a stern ‘HERE IS NO ABIDING PLACE – FORWARD, MARCH.’”

From Sunwise, by Sidney F. Wicks

Auf dem Aufkleber war eine brennende Kerze und dies war auch noch auf dem Sticker zu lesen:

“RICHTIG WEIHNACHTEN WIRD ES DANN, WENN GOTTES LIEBE UNSER HERZ GEFUNDEN HAT.”

(Und das kann ja zu jeder Jahreszeit geschehen. Bei mir war es im September!)

Man hatte den Sticker auf den Umschlag einer meiner Weihnachtsbriefe geklebt links neben meine Adresse.

Ich habe mich darueber gefreut!

Acts 20:35

“O THOU GREAT CHIEF, LIGHT A CANDLE IN  MY HEART THAT I MAY SEE WHAT IS THEREIN AND SWEEP THE RUBBISH FROM THY DWELLING PLACE.”

I am all for first things first!

What are the first things?

At the Citizens Advice Bureau I picked up the booklet with the interesting title “Putting your children first.” It is a “Parents’ guide to caring for children after separation.”

The booklet has 44 pages. I think I have counted correctly. Guess, how many times you find written: “Putting your children first” in the booklet? First of all I thought it was only five times, but when I looked closer, I discovered the small print and this is the final result: I counted at least 17 times “PUTTING YOUR CHILDREN FIRST” in the booklet of 44 pages.

Can anybody tell me why “PUTTING YOUR CHILDREN FIRST” is written 17 times in the small book?

On page 22 it is written that the children need to be reassured many times that splitting up is very common.

Do you know why splitting up is very common?

The Bible, the Word of the Living God has the answer: Matthew 6:33.

First things first -

1. The kingdom of God.

2. His righteousness.

“But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”

The message for all of us is this:

FIRST THINGS FIRST – THE KINGDOM OF GOD / HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS!