Dr. Margaret's Treasure Chest

GOD'S RESCUE PLAN - a Slide Presentation Video

noreply@blogger.com (Margaret Lepke) — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 14:32:00 +0000

The God of the Bible has a rescue plan. He wants to save you from an eternity of torment in hell to give you eternal life. Who is this God? What is He like? Is there a need to fear Him? Why would fear lead to wisdom? How can you access God's free gift of salvation and everlasting life? Watch this slide video (one of my husband's presentations) and find out...

VALLEYS AND HILL TOPS

noreply@blogger.com (Margaret Lepke) — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 12:08:00 +0000

Years ago, people used to love singing hymns. Their words were meaningful and sprang to mind during life’s ups and downs. Remember these words, “There is a place of quiet rest, near to the heart of God… A place where sin cannot molest… A place of comfort sweet… A place of full release.” Wouldn’t it be wonderful to continually rest in His presence? While we know in our minds that as those saved in Christ we are always close to God, our emotions can be a different matter altogether. Haven’t we all experienced times of feeling far away from God when immersed in the hustle and bustle of life? Sometimes we need a holiday from our ‘busy-ness’ to draw close again, and that holiday may come in unexpected ways.

There was a time in the not too distant past, when I was doing a lot of good and necessary things. I was getting too busy to spend time with God. Slowly but surely I felt myself slipping further and further away from His presence. My leash was getting too long, and I didn’t like it. Finally I begged God to draw me close again, and guess what happened: I ended up in bed. Lying there with a back injury was anything but what I would have called a holiday, but it stopped me in my tracks and gave me plenty of time to think. After a few days of misery, when the pain suddenly became too much to bear, God showed me His love by miraculously taking away the fiery darts. As I said, this happened only once, but I was so grateful for the reprieve that it became a spiritual turning point. Didn’t I call on Jesus for help immediately after my injury? Yes, I did, but it took five days and the stripping away of the last shreds of self-reliance before I felt near to the heart of God once again. And then, of course, I couldn’t stop praising him. My enforced holiday had done its job.

Sometimes I think I should be more careful about what I ask for (like the woman who asked for patience and received tribulation!), but then I realise that God always knows what I need and only ever has my best interest at heart. While this may require a wake-up call or a time of chastening, I can be assured that all of His corrections work together for my good. Why? Because He loves me with a love that is far greater than any human love could ever be. Jesus proved it by dying for my sin.

Valleys or hill tops - which would you prefer?

In hindsight, it has never been the hill top experiences that have brought me nearest to the heart of God, but those in the valley. Mind you, I love the mountain tops! Whenever I see other people become aware of their sin before a holy God and turn to Jesus for forgiveness, I cannot contain my joy (and neither do the angels in heaven). During an ‘ahh…’ experience of gaining new insight from Scripture I am ecstatic, and when I notice God’s work in my own life or in that of others I am thankful. Who would not love the mountain tops? Yet despite their joys they are dangerous places, for when things go well, we tend to walk in our own strength. Self-reliance, which is nothing less than pride, can so easily exert itself and take back control of our lives.

Yes, on the hill tops I am glad to be God’s child, but in the valleys I learn to walk with Him – if I am prepared to learn lessons instead of asking, “Why me?” in self-pity. Many Christians have confided that their lives, too, tend to be a bit like a roller-coaster, and that it is during the down-turns that they feel their greatest need for God and draw most closely to Him. As a matter of fact, my only outstanding experiences of God’s peace have happened while going through those valleys. I am not talking about a generally peaceful feeling, but about a profound experience of peace that does not depend on circumstances but rather exists in spite of chaos and surrounding pain.

And so it is in the ebbs of life that I have learnt about the necessity of valleys for the process of becoming more like Christ. It is here that God has shown Himself to be all-sufficient for any situation and I have experienced Him to be all-powerful, all-knowing and ever-present. He is the mighty Creator of the Universe who says, “Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, let not the mighty man glory in his night, nor let the rich glory in his riches; but let him who glories glory in this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the LORD, exercising loving kindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth, for in these I delight.” (Jeremiah 9:23-24)

FREE GOSPEL TRACT

noreply@blogger.com (Margaret Lepke) — Tue, 08 Feb 2011 11:41:00 +0000

Just quickly today, here is a gospel tract, which you may freely download, print and use. My husband wrote it for a gospel meeting he took, and I did the design and layout. As you know (and might have seen on http://heartbeatpresentations.org/webdesign.html), creating anything associated with God’s work is my favourite hobby.

But back to the tract… It’s a colorful tri-fold that you can print back to back and fold into 3 columns. We use it on slightly thicker, parchment type paper, and our supplies usually vanish when we take them along to meetings.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE PDF
(This tract is in A4 landscape format. If printing to US letter size, use landscape & "shrink to fit printable page" printer settings)

LIFE IN CHRIST AND BLACK FOREST CAKE

noreply@blogger.com (Margaret Lepke) — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 04:50:00 +0000

Life in Christ and Black Forest Cake, what do they have in common? Both are rich and wonderful beyond measure :-)

Yesterday, a big red book came to light from the depth of our 'old book box'. I almost threw it out because it looked like a ledger without a title. But on its pages I discovered a mixture of old German recipes (some of my totally forgotten favorites from childhood) and bible study notes from long ago. I was glad for both and will share one of each with you today.

REFLECTIONS from Colossians 2:6-15

Scripture: As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving.

Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ. For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power.

In Him you were also circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead. And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.

Reflections – Christians are wealthy beyond measure:

We are not deceived by worldly teachings but can rely on what is written in the Word of God.

We know that wisdom and knowledge are found only in Christ, not in any of the many philosophies on offer in the world.

Christ is the bodily dwelling place of the Godhead, i.e. all that pertains to God.

He is the head of all principality and power.

He is the unwavering object of our faith.

He is our surety of a glorious life to come.

He is the source of spiritual life right here and now.

He lives in us!

We have been buried and raised with Him through baptism (in a symbolical way).

Our naturally corrupt, spiritually dead nature of rebellion against God has been dealt with in Him.

We have been made alive together with Him.

He is our root and sap, our source and sustenance of life.

All of our sins are forgiven.

In Him we are complete.

We are privileged to live under grace, not under the law.

The law was against us because no human being could ever perfectly fulfill it.

But Jesus fulfilled the law and thereby wiped out the requirements that had been against us, nailing them to the cross.

Let us therefore live in a manner that is worthy of all these blessings and always abound in thanksgiving!

BLACK FOREST CAKE – an old family recipe

Ingredients:

5 eggs, separated into whites and yolks

1 cup of sugar

1 cup of potato or corn flour

1 tablespoon or normal, white flour

4 rounded teaspoons of baking powder

2 tablespoons of good cocoa powder (van Houten is a good brand)

½ litre of whipping crème (can be thickened)

1 (or 2 if you want to indulge) glass of sour cherries (Aldi brand works well)

Preparation:

Place greaseproof paper across bottom of a 28 – 30 cm diameter springform (the one where the side can be removed by opening the clasp) and grease the bottom only – not the sides.

Heat oven to 200 degrees Celcius normal oven or 170 degrees Fan-forced.

Beat egg whites, adding sugar very slowly as it is being absorbed, until mixture is very stiff.

Add lightly beaten egg yolks and fold under very gently and carefully by hand – no stirring or further whipping.

Sift all flour, baking powder and cocoa over mixture and fold under quickly and carefully.

Baking:

Place into springform and bake approx. 20 – 25 minutes.

Remove from oven, let cool slightly, then remove the rim of the springform and gently lift the cake off the bottom with a cake lifter (or turn upside down onto wire wrack and lift off the bottom of the springform and pull off the baking paper).

Decorating:

When cool, cut the cake into 3 layers and dribble a little fruit liqueur (optional) on the bottom 2 layers.

With a knife, place a layer of thickly set fruit jam (cherry, strawberry or orange) over the bottom 2 cake layers – optional, but it keeps the cherries from making the cake soggy.

Then add cream and well-drained cherries onto the 2 layers and top with with the 3rd layer.

Finally, place a little more cream across the top and around the sides of the cake, grate dark chocolate over the top for garnish - and enjoy!

Blessings to you all,

Margaret

IT'S ALL ABOUT JESUS

noreply@blogger.com (Margaret Lepke) — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 10:07:00 +0000

o how do WE reflect our great God and Saviour?

Dr Harry Ironside used to tell a story about a man who lived in a small country town in England. One day, he went to London where he would need to stay for several days. He was glad to be there on a Sunday because that gave him opportunity to hear some of the great preachers of that day. He wrote home to his wife, and he said: “Last Sunday morning I went to hear Dr Jones, and in the evening I went to the Metropolitan Tabernacle to hear Charles Spurgeon. I was so greatly impressed by both of them. Dr Jones is certainly a great preacher, but Mr Spurgeon has a great Savior.”

That was an astute observation and led me to thinking… Who are people impressed with when they have been with me? Are they impressed with me, or are they impressed with my Jesus? How authentic is my life? How much impact for God does it have on the world around me? These are sobering questions because, like the apostle Paul, I want to live for advancing the Lord Jesus Christ and His cross, not myself. I hope that goes for you as well...

JUDY'S 70TH BIRTHDAY - A JOYFUL POEM

noreply@blogger.com (Margaret Lepke) — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 10:48:00 +0000

Judi is a dear Bible Study friend and a lady with many talents. One of them is poetry. I hope you'll like what she wrote for her 70th birthday (you'd never guess her age!). Her secret to keeping young? Rejoicing in the Lord always and living up to her name (it's Young - hee hee). Enjoy...

It’s a wonderful view from the top of the hill
Looking back at the valley below.
And it’s been a long climb, over hurdles at times,
But the blessings are all mine, I know.

My children aren’t perfect and neither am I
But our love will overcome all.
I wouldn’d change them for a million quid
For then I’d have nothing at all.

They’ve all got partners to help them along
And kids of their own to love,
And now their kids have also got kids
All gifts from our Father above.

As I look back o’er the years that have gone
And think of the things I have done
I’m hoping that down by the other side of the hill
There’s plenty more yet to come.

So I, now having reached my three score and ten,
I’m hoping for strength of days
To watch all the children grow up big and strong
And for that I’ll give God all the praise.

© 2009 Judi Young

MOTIVATION TO LOVE - LUKE 7:47

noreply@blogger.com (Margaret Lepke) — Fri, 15 May 2009 14:43:00 +0000

Today's texts are Luke 7:47, Prov.10:12 and 1 Corinthians ch. 13. Sorry I've been away for so long. Busy, busy, busy, which isn't good. I keep thinking about Mary's sister Martha who chose not to sit at the Lord's feet because of her many (though very necessary) chores.

And so I've been thinking. My waiting room wall displays a pictorial chart of 1 Corinthians ch. 13. It shows Noah building his ark and then different animals acting out love's manifold character in various scenarios. A brilliant object lesson, and many people comment on it. But what about the motivators for this love and its connection to understanding? Consider the following statements and keep chewing the cud...

Love without understanding is blind.
Understanding without love is legalistic.
The right kind of understanding generates the right kind of love.

Jesus once said, "To whom little is forgiven, the same loves little." (Luke 7:47)
"Hate stirs up strife, but love covers a multitude of sins." (Proverbs 10:12, 1 Cor.13:4-6)

Even among Christians this may be worth pondering... Are you aware of how much you have been forgiven by God (that is, IF you have been forgiven and know it)? What motivates you to love others?

Have a lovely and loving day,
Margaret

WHY DO CHRISTIANS SUFFER? - CAN WE TRUST GOD?

noreply@blogger.com (Margaret Lepke) — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 12:49:00 +0000

When we are in a mess and there are things in our lives we find extremely distasteful, unjust, intolerable or painful, we experience suffering - and we tend to ask questions. “Why, Lord?” is a frequent response. And sometimes, when we are focused only on self, we even ask, “Why ME, Lord?” Here are some examples of life’s tragedies:

Jenny moved to the city a year ago to attend university. She now has new friends and leads a busy social life, but most of her friends do not believe in Jesus. More and more she slips into their habits. She doesn’t talk about her faith any more because she knows they wouldn’t like it. She hardly finds time to meet with other Christians. She still talks to God, but their times together become shorter and less frequent. When she first arrived, things seemed to go well for her and she loved her new life. But gradually her mind became focused on worldly things, and she began to feel more and more dissatisfied. Now her grades are slipping, some of her ‘friends’ are turning against her, and her boyfriend has just broken up with her because she wouldn’t sleep with him. Jenny feels angry and exhausted most of the time. “Why is everything going wrong for me?” she cries out to God.

Carmen and her husband are happily married and have three sons. Two of their sons are walking with the Lord and doing fine, but the third one has been addicted to drugs for a number of years. His parents have tried to help him. They have prayed; they even moved to stay close to him to offer support, but all to no avail. Carmen loves her son and has suffered for years. “Why are you not changing him, Lord?” she moans.

Mary’s daughter is about to move out. She is expecting a child and wants to set up home with her non-believing boyfriend. Mary is distraught. Hasn’t she always been conscientious in teaching her daughter the ways of God? She has prayed for her since she was born, encouraged godly habits, and tried to be a good role model herself as both mother and wife. And now this…She wonders whether her daughter was ever truly born again and petitions God for the welfare of her soul. Mary wrecks her brain – did she do something wrong in rearing her child? Why is her daughter so distant? “Lord, why are you not stepping in here?” she cries.

Melanie is ecstatic. She has a wonderful husband and three small children, and just last week they moved into a brand-new house. Melanie is having fun as a homemaker, but she is starting to feel so tired all the time, and her headaches are getting worse. She puts it all down to the stress of moving, until she starts feeling sick as well. Maybe she is pregnant again? A trip to the doctor and many tests later, a shocking revelation is made: Melanie has cancer. All she can utter is, “Why, Lord? Why?”

Anna is our final example. Most people like her, but her closest co-worker constantly undermines her wherever she can. What has gone wrong? Hasn’t she always been nice and helpful to this woman? Anna prays about the problem and continues with her positive attitude, but the behaviour of the other woman becomes worse instead of better. And then Anna doesn’t get the promotion she deserves and hears that her co-worker has influenced the decision-makers. Someone also tells her that this woman calls her ‘Miss Goody Goody’ behind her back, and that she hates Christians. Anna’s question of “Why?” has been answered.

Most Christians encounter messy circumstances at one time or another, and it would not be wise to jump in and offer advice – just think of Job’s misguided friends. They were miserable comforters and God rebuked them sharply for assuming wrongly. Job’s response to suffering, on the other hand, is a marvellous example to us: When Satan attacked and murdered his servants, destroyed his flocks and killed his children, Job grieved terribly. Nonetheless, he asserted his belief in God’s sovereignty: “The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; Blessed be the name of the LORD” (Job 1:21). Then came another attack. Satan struck Job’s own body with painful boils from head to toe, and his wife suggested that he should curse God and die. But Job responded differently, “Shall we indeed accept good from God, and shall we not accept adversity?” (Job 2:10)

When one of Job’s friends tried to tell him that innocent people do not suffer (thereby suggesting that he must be guilty!), Job’s anguish heightened. He pointed out that no one is righteous before God, and that no one is able to withstand the only sovereign God (Job 9:2-12). He also grappled with the concept of wisdom and came to the conclusion that, “the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, and to depart from evil is understanding” (Job 28:28). And then Job went to great lengths to defend himself before his friends. He asserted his innocence in regard to three issues: sensual sins, trusting in his wealth, and being uncaring toward his enemies. Finally, he pleaded to meet God personally in order to defend himself before the highest authority. But then God turned things around and questioned Job directly. And what did Job do? He admitted his ignorance and confirmed God’s ability to do anything He purposes. His conclusion, “I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees You. Therefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes” (Job 42:5-6).

Job’s mess was organised by Satan and approved by God in order to demonstrate Job’s faith and God’s faithfulness. But what about our troubles? Sometimes we suffer for the same reason, but at other times we may endure the consequences of our own foolish actions. Or we may suffer without apparent fault of our own because of the transgression of others. At times we may even be privileged to partake in the sufferings of Christ, and at other times the hand of God chastens us for the very reason that we are His children. He prunes His trees to bring forth more fruit. He cuts and refines and polishes His jewels, so “that in the ages to come He might show forth the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus” (Eph.2:7).

When we are in a mess, we need to seek God’s wisdom to discern the reason for our suffering. Rather than asking, “Why?” point blank, it may be more helpful to ask, “What can I learn from this situation, or what can I learn through the process of suffering? How can I honour God through it all, and how can I grow spiritually?” Since God is in control, all suffering has the potential of drawing us closer to Him while at the same time magnifying His glory. Death itself is not something to be feared by God’s children, but a promotion to glory.

At certain times of my Christian walk I myself have experienced great anguish but, looking back, each encounter has strengthened my faith and reliance on Christ. For over a year now I have been forced to live with a mess that I can neither understand nor define or resolve. God has not answered my questions, and all I can do is trust and remain patient. God’s timing is not our timing, and His thoughts are higher than ours. My favourite verse is, “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths” (Prov.3:5-6). I am comforted by the fact that He is in control, and that He promises to work “all things…together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose” (Rom.8:28).

I will leave you with the well-known words of the hymn writer H.G. Stafford, who also knew suffering:

When peace like a river attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou has taught me to say,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,
Let this blest assurance control,
That Christ has regarded my helpless estate,
And hath shed His own blood for my soul.

May you trust in Christ no matter what befalls you...
Margaret

THOSE WE LOVE - A THOUGHT PROVOKING POEM

noreply@blogger.com (Margaret Lepke) — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 08:57:00 +0000

Here is another one of my favourite poems for you. Enjoy...

They say the world is round, and yet
I often think it's square;
So many little hurts we get
from corners here and there.
There is one truth in life I've found
while journeying east and west,
The only folk we really wound
are those we love the best.

The choicest garb, the sweetest grace
are oft to strangers shown;
The careless word, the frowning face,
are given to our own.
We flatter those we scarcely know,
we please the fleeting guest,
And deal full many a thoughtless blow
to those we love the best.

By Ella Wheeler Wilcox

Knowing God's Purpose - in Hindsight

noreply@blogger.com (Margaret Lepke) — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 17:55:00 +0000

Sometimes only hindsight can provide insight. Christina is returning home from a funeral and has no eyes for the beauty outside her window. The brilliant sunshine above and shimmering sea of clouds below are lost on her as she retraces the years that have passed.

Susan firmly believed that people should have a reverent attitude when sitting in church. So when her daughter Christina kept whispering and laughing right through her own wedding ceremony, Susan was visibly shaken. She knew her daughter had a rebellious streak and didn’t care much about God, but this behaviour was outrageous. She decided that she would pray for the new pair to take God seriously.

Two years later Christina and husband David decided to move to America, and Susan felt very upset by this decision. Not only for herself, but also for her daughter. Christina would loose the influence of her family and with it her last vestige of Christianity. Susan feared that America was even less godly than England, and that her daughter was entering heathen territory.

As time passed, Christina made many friends and through their influence drifted into new age beliefs. When Susan eventually came to visit, Christina told her with enthusiasm about the god within her and that some day she would be born again as another being. Susan was now convinced that her fears had been realised. She felt very disillusioned and started questioning God. Had He not heard one word of her prayers?

But then one day Susan received a phone call. “Mum, I’ve finally found the truth! I’ve been born again and am now a Christian!” “But you always were a Christian,” Susan puzzled. “You were brought up in the traditions of the Church!” “Ah, but I wasn’t a Christian,” Christina explained. “I didn’t understand why Jesus died for me on the cross. I might have been a bit religious when I was younger, but I never understood the consequences of my sin. I never knew Jesus died for me personally. Oh Mum, I wish you could see what I can now see! This is so fantastic. I’m a new person, and I walk with Jesus every day. Will you come to my baptism?”

This was not at all what Susan had prayed for; this was far too fanatical for her taste. And being baptised again, well, that was total sacrilege! All she had wanted was a daughter who would live a good life, regularly go to church, and be respectful toward God. But not this! Susan politely declined the invitation.

And then things got worse. Because Susan was a passionate teacher who loved her profession, good schooling was very important to her. So when her daughter informed her that she was going to home school her four children, she was horrified once again. They would miss out on so much! And socialisation with peers was so important! Although Susan was happy that they now had more opportunities to spend time with her in England, she continued to find fault with the way her grandchildren were being brought up. Everything was so focused on Jesus as Lord and Saviour that it made her feel most uncomfortable. She didn’t like fanaticism.

And then, 12 years later, Susan died. Did she go to be with God? Christina didn’t know. She was realistic enough to realise that her mother may have been purely religious, because she had always resisted Christina’s faith and had never been concerned with the salvation of souls. Yes, Susan had gone to Church and had been keen on upright living, but she had never worried about eternity and where people would spend it. She had simply believed that most Western people were Christians by birth through being baptised into the Church, and that they would all go to heaven if they lived a good life. She had even considered her husband to be a good Christian man, and yet Christina knew that her father did not see himself as a sinner, and that by his own confession he had no need for Christ. But God alone knew her mother’s heart, and Christina kept hoping against hope that one day she would see her again.

On her flight home after the funeral Christina was lost in reflection. Her mother had once told her how upset she had been at Christina’s wedding, and how she had started praying for her daughter and new husband. At the time it hadn’t meant much to Christina, but now in hindsight she realised that God had done so much more for her than her mother had ever asked for. God had led her to a far away country in order to bring her to salvation - both of which her mother had perceived as disasters. He had led the children to be home schooled, encouraging their faith, developing godly personalities, and eventually taking them to university and great careers serving God – but again her mother had not grasped the treasures this had provided for her grandchildren.

Had Christina’s mother known the Lord personally, she would have been able to look back on all these things in a different light. What had been perceived as obstacles and disasters at the time of happening would have become occasions for praising God’s foresight and blessings. Susan would have realised the truth of God’s Word:

“And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God,
To those who are the called according to His purpose.”
(Romans 8:28, NKJV)

Suddenly it hit Christina. She had read this verse so often, but now it took shape and became reality. She, too, didn’t have to understand everything God was doing! Her part was simply to trust and obey, and God would work in all of their lives according to His perfect plan. Christina felt thankful and greatly encouraged. She was eager to get home.

Sweet Fragrance of Christ... 2 Cor.2:14-16

noreply@blogger.com (Margaret Lepke) — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 05:16:00 +0000

weetness - what feelings and images does that word evoke? For me, it brings to mind something pleasant, something pure and innocent, something true and reliable, something with round edges rather than sharp ones.

Last week I had much occasion to dwell on this word. You see, I met two ladies at our new church who symbolise the word 'sweet'. I have only spoken with them a couple of times so far, but each time they left me with a fragrance of sweetness. And no, it wasn't their perfume; it was their gentleness, their sincerity, their kindness yet directness, and their general behaviour toward others. Then, when I encountered some very frustrating difficulties during this past week, my mind kept drifting to Jill and Emily. I kept asking God, "Please make me sweet!" My intellect can easily exert itself and go into battle, but I realised that I needed to reflect Christ's Spirit - I needed to be 'sweet'. The result, of course, was very positive.

Then I decided to get out my concordance and do a word study in relation to 'sweet'. Surprisingly, most references were in the Old Testament and many related to a 'sweet aroma'. I particularly liked Prov.16:24, "Pleasant words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the bones." I often point out to my clients that words can promote either life or death (to varying degrees, of course). If you should ever read through the Book of Proverbs in one sweep, you may notice just how many verses concerning lips, tongue, mouth and words will jump right out at you. By the way, when I was a young Christian I colour-coded my Proverbs according to topics; it was a most interesting exercise and one that I can highly recommend :-)

And then I looked at related New Testament verses and found 2 Cor.2:14-16, "Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place. For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing. To the one we are the aroma of death to death [because they can't stand God], and to the other the aroma of life to life." This means that others need to see Christ in us. And how can they see Him? By the way we behave!

Unfortunately, our behaviour leaves much to be desired at times. It all depends on whose influence we submit to: the old Adamic nature that can only produce the fruit of SELF, or God who produces His own sweet fruit through His Holy Spirit. I have a picture hanging above my kettle in the kitchen. It depicts a chain of lovely apples surrounding Gal.5:22,23, "The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control." To me, this Spiritual fruit symbolises the essence of 'sweetness'.

With my best wishes for the New Year - may you be SWEET throughout its days...
Margaret

Christmas Traditions - Truth is free but can cost dearly

noreply@blogger.com (Margaret Lepke) — Sun, 21 Dec 2008 10:25:00 +0000

This post could be a little controversial (to say the least), but please be assured that I do not wish to offend any one of you!!! Instead, I wish you all every possible blessing for the coming year! I hadn’t intended to write about this topic at all, but when we arrived home tonight after a day of church and fellowship – and much talk about Christmas carols and other celebrations – I felt compelled to write a few words. Initially I just wanted to wish you all the very best for the upcoming season, but then my fingers took matters into their own hands. Hence the controversial bit...

Let me tell you a true story: There once was a young couple who had found forgiveness in Jesus Christ and was determined to serve Him in spirit and truth. The following Christmas they apologized to their young children about having told them lies about Santa; he simply had to go. No more milk on the porch for his reindeer, and no more Christmas carols that talked about him. Christmas that year was wonderful: Church in the morning, shining eyes under the Christmas tree, everyone enjoying their long awaited presents, wholesome Christmas songs, and a feast for lunch. And then, finally, a well-deserved lazy, hot summer afternoon, relaxing from the hectic of Christmas. Soon life returned to normal.

During the following year, the wife stumbled upon Jeremiah 10:2-4 and was shaken by the prophet's description of pagan rituals that sounded so similar to her own Christmas tree. And what made it worse was the preface of the Lord's words, "Do not learn the way of the Gentiles." Those words kept ringing in her ears: “Do not learn the way of the Gentiles…” She realized that Jeremiah hadn't talked about her tree, but the similarity was too striking to just forget about it. So she began to ask questions. People said, "Don't be silly, Jeremiah is just talking about the pagan rituals of his own day," but she wasn't satisfied. During the following Christmas season they threw out their Christmas tree and decorations, focusing exclusively on Christ.

And then, during the next year, she began to research the whole Christmas tradition. In her own home country, the Christmas tree had always been the most important part of Christmas. Each year her family had enjoyed going to the woods to purchase a huge fir tree that would just about reach the lounge room ceiling. Decorating it with gold and silver and real candles was an almost holy family tradition to be undertaken on the afternoon of Christmas Eve. When the tree was finally ready, the family would go to church. And afterwards, when it was dark, Santa would knock on the door in his red suit. He carried presents in a large sack in one hand and a switch made from leafless twigs in the other - just in case the children had been naughty. The switch was never used, of course, but it invoked enough respect to actually make children behave better during the month of December.

Everyone loved Christmas – but was it for the right reasons? Baby Jesus was mentioned only at church (if one went to church at all) and then forgotten. The tree was the real focal point; even churches sported huge fir trees near their altars with small nativity scenes at their feet. And whosoever knocked on your door during this season was asked inside to admire the tree. The wife began to search her bible and follow traditions into their historic past. She discovered some disturbing facts:

(1) The Bible places Christ’s birth somewhere in the European fall, around the month of September, i.e. after the completion of harvest but before the onset of colder winter nights. How do we know? The shepherds were still out in the fields, and a census involving extensive travel was recommended neither around the harvest season, nor in winter when travel was more difficult due to deteriorating weather conditions.

(2) The wise men did not visit the infant Jesus (together with the shepherds), but arrived considerably later when he was already a ‘young child’ in a ‘house’ (Matt.2:11). King Herod enquired about the rise of the star the wise men had followed and determined the age of this new king-child to be anywhere up to two years old (Matt.2:16).

(3) The Bible does not speak about ‘three’ wise men, but about three symbolic gifts the wise men brought. The number of those wise men remains undetermined (Matt.2:1).

(4) Jesus did not once tell his disciples to remember His birth – only His death and resurrection. Furthermore, they were to remember this not once a year (at so-called Easter, which word is of pagan derivation) but every time they broke bread and shared the Lord’s Supper.

(5) Most Christmas customs already existed BEFORE Christ’s birth – in form of pagan traditions. December 25 was a European celebration of the winter solstice, the rebirth of the sun god, heralding renewed lengthening of days. Yuletide, mistletoes, trees, presents, merrymaking – all were pagan customs already in existence. But when Emperor Constantine began the unholy church-state union that soon developed into Roman Catholicism, this new so-called Christianity embraced many pagan traditions that became entrenched until this present day. Christmas is one such example. The winter solstice celebrations were simply christianised.

The wife and her husband also recognized that God hates such syncretism (a mixing of pagan customs with Christianity). The Old Testament repeatedly emphasizes that God is a jealous God who hates ANY pagan influences that pervert His people. And we’re not even talking here about the ‘-mas’ part of the word Christmas, a coupling of the words Christ and Mass (offering). Every time a mass is said, Christ is supposedly offered up again (i.e. around the clock, every day of the year!) – a practice that is totally contrary to the Biblical Christ dying ONCE for all (Hebr.10:10-14).

So what do you think this couple did? Some of their Christian friends had already taken Christ OUT of Christmas and celebrated it as a worldly holiday, complete with tree, Santa, and all the usual Christmas cheer. That didn’t seem right in their eyes. Other friends had put Christ INTO Christmas as they themselves had done the previous year. But now that they had come to know more facts, they struggled to do the right thing. If they stopped Christmas altogether, they would risk offending family and friends, but if they kept celebrating it despite knowing the truth about its origin, they feared offending their Lord and Savior. They finally decided to tell their children about the traditions of men and stopped having Christmas altogether. The first years were really hard. It was depressing to go without all this ‘cheer’. But time is a great healer, and each year things got a little easier.

Well, now you know why we no longer celebrate this festival. Initially we tried to explain the truth to family and friends, but no one seemed to be concerned. Instead, they thought we had become fanatical nutters. It was VERY hard to swim against the stream and stand for the truth concerning Christmas (just as it is hard to stand for ANY truth). But now, some 20 years later, I have learnt to be more gracious about the whole thing. It’s not my duty to make others see the light, so to speak. After all, a man convinced against his will is of the same opinion still…

I can now send greetings and best wishes for a joyful season and a good new year to those who celebrate as unto the Lord. To those who are Christians and don’t, I take off my hat (well, if I wore a hat, I would). I understand their suffering and admire their singleness of mind. Truth is expensive – it may cost us dearly in many different ways. But our suffering is nothing compared to that of our Lord, who paid for our sins with His blood, sweat and tears. His sacrifice is incomparable, and so we count it all joy when we are privileged to suffer for His name’s sake.

Heartily in Him, Margaret

Safe in God's Hand - an encouraging poem

noreply@blogger.com (Margaret Lepke) — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 02:54:00 +0000

Hi everyone, I know it's been a while, but this gem of a poem was definitely worth waiting for:

Each morning when I wake, I say, "I place my hand in God's today." With faith and trust that by my side He'll walk with me my steps to guide.

He leads me on with tender care, when paths are dark and I despair. No need for me to understand if I hold fast to His great hand.

My hand in His - no surer way to walk in safety through each day. By His great bounty I am fed, warmed by His love and comforted.

When at day's end I seek my rest, and realise how much I'm blest, my thanks pour out to Him - and then I place my hand in God's again.

Anon - regrettably

Biblical Transformations: Will there be a rapture?

noreply@blogger.com (Margaret Lepke) — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 12:41:00 +0000

Imagine for a moment that you are going about your daily business and then, all of a sudden, you are gone. People no longer see you, but you have not died. You have simply vanished to enter another realm. Am I talking about science fiction or alien abduction? The answer is ‘No’. I am thinking of actual historic events, of encounters experienced by Enoch and Elijah. What’s more, I am thinking of something that is yet to happen, something that may affect you and me. Looking forward in time, the Bible predicts a third occurrence of transformations.

First, let us take a look at Enoch’s experience. This man was born into the seventh generation from Adam and had a son called Methuselah. Paradoxically, Methuselah became the longest-living man on earth – 969 years, to be exact – while Enoch had the shortest life experience among his contemporaries. He was only 365 years old when he left this world, merely one third of the average ante-diluvian age. Why am I emphasizing this fact? Because it is due to his transformation: “Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him” (Genesis 5:24). As simple as that – God took him home, and Enoch became the first person to be translated into the realm of God without experiencing physical death.

No further reason is given for this unusual event except for one short sentence in the book of Hebrews (11:5): “By faith Enoch was translated so that he did not see death, and was not found because God had translated him; for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God.” Nothing more is said, and Enoch is never again mentioned in the Bible except for Jude 14, where he is said to have foretold the judgment of false teachers, and Luke 3:37, where he is confirmed as representing the seventh generation from Adam and as part of the earthly lineage of Christ through Mary. Could this short account of Enoch’s translation be the initiation and foreshadowing of similar occurrences? This seems very likely, because the Bible records three such events in total; two that are past and one yet to come.

The second event involved Elijah, who was also taken away from this earth without going through physical death. He had the same experience as Enoch, although the circumstances were a little more flamboyant: Elijah was whisked away by a fiery chariot drawn by fiery horses, taken up into heaven by a whirlwind (2^nd Kings 2). The Bible recalls another interesting fact about this particular translation: both Elijah and his successor Elisha knew about it in advance, and Elisha kept waiting for the unusual event to occur. Could this have a foreshadowing significance for the last event of this kind?

You may not have heard about these disappearances before today, but God had a purpose for recording them in the Bible. Furthermore, you may be wondering what Enoch and Elijah’s experiences have to do with you in today’s world. Well, event number three has not yet happened, and if you belong to God, you could be involved in it. How do I know? Because I believe what is written in the Bible.

The apostle Paul spoke about this exciting moment as something new, something hitherto unknown: “Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep [die], but we shall all be changed – in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we [who are alive at that time] shall be changed” (1 Cor.15:51-52). He also emphasised the fact that this revelation came directly from God: ”For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord” (1 Thessalonians 4:15-17).

What an exciting event to look forward to! The writer of Hebrews agrees: ”Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. To those who eagerly wait for Him, He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation” (Hebr.9:28). Should we ask ourselves whether WE are eagerly waiting for His appearing? >Are we expecting Him to return from heaven to whisk us away? Are we looking forward to the possibility of being transformed while still alive in order to meet Him in the air? What a wonderful expectation for those who have trusted in the Son of God for their salvation, for those who are near to the heart of God through faith.

Depression and what you can do about it

noreply@blogger.com (Margaret Lepke) — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 12:36:00 +0000

Have you ever felt depressed? Was it just a passing bout of the blues or was it more severe? Let's talk about this topic and discuss some natural remedies that can be effective for less severe cases.

Christians often think that depression has no place in a person yielded to God, but this is not so! Many faithful servants have suffered from depression and have even considered suicide! I once spoke at a Christian health day where I met two extraordinary Christian women who told of their experiences with depression and bipolar disorder, and how the Lord carried and sustained them through it all. Please do not think that clinical depression is brought about by the person suffering from it. It has many origins, and in this fallen world even Christians suffer from hormonal and other biochemical imbalances that often have no causal explanation. There is therefore no reason to feel ashamed!

If you think that you, or someone you know, is suffering from depression, there is a really good self-test at http://www.moodchange.info/ Other helpful sites are: http://www.beyondblue.org.au
http://www.depressionet.com.au
http://www.metanoia.org/suicide/

So what exactly is the difference between depression and a bout of the blues, and what can be done about it naturally?

Clinical depression is not the same as having the blues once in a while. Instead, it's a psychiatric disorder based on physiological changes that produces four or more of the following symptoms consistently, almost every day, for a period of at least 2 weeks and ongoing: a depressed, sad or empty mood, irritability, excessive crying, markedly diminished interest/pleasure in ordinary activities (including sex), sleep and/or eating disturbances, constant fatigue/loss of energy, psychomotor disturbances, feelings of inappropriate guilt, worthlessness or helplessness, and a diminished ability to think or concentrate. There may also be increased visits to the doctor, chronic aches and pains that don’t respond to treatment, and/or recurrent thoughts of death and/or suicide.

On the positive side, there are effective natural substances people have successfully utilised for the treatment of mild to moderate (but NOT severe or major) depression. The most well known herb is Hypericum perforatum, commonly known as St. John’s wort (wort = plant).Several studies have shown it to be just as effective as tricyclic and SSRI (serotonin reuptake inhibitor) medications, but with virtually none of their negative side effects. St. John’s wort inhibits stress induced physiological changes and therefore stops stress from getting started. It acts as a mood enhancer and stabiliser, relieves anxiety and depression, has a calming affect on the nervous system, and supports the body’s natural defence mechanism. Trials have shown that the best therapeutic dose for depression is 300 mg of the dried herb in tablet or capsule form (standardised to contain 0.3% hypericin), to be taken three times daily. This means a hypericin content of 2.7 gr daily. However, most over the counter products in Australia contain less hypericin, which means that you have to take more of the herb.For example, Healtheries produce a 1.8 gr St. John’s wort capsule containing 1000 mcg (1 gr) of hypericin. This means that you will require 2 – 3 capsules daily (depending on individual needs) to obtain 2 – 3 gr of hypericin. Other brands have similar contents, but please check the label. And please be patient, St. John’s wort takes a little while to work (from a few days to a few weeks). Additionally, 1000 - 2000 mg (1 - 2 gr) of Valerian root about one hour before bedtime may be able to help you sleep better, and the herb Damiana (Turnera diffusa) can be helpful to reduce sexual dysfunction associated with many antidepressant medications. All of these herbs can be taken simultaneously without adverse interactions, but please be aware that St. John’s wort (Hypericum) should NOT be taken in conjunction with other antidepressants or with certain other medications, because it will alter their effectiveness: oral contraceptives, theophylline, warfarin, digoxin, reserpine, cyclosporine, loperamide and indinivir (a protease inhibitor used for HIV).

A less well known, but even more effective and more quickly working substance is SAMe (s-adenosyl-l-methionine). This is a naturally occurring source of methyl groups in the brain, which are necessary to produce feel-good neurotransmitters. Impaired methylation seems to occur in several neurological and psychiatric disorders, including depression, and SAMe supplementation provides an excellent, fast working antidepressant action. It is interesting to note that the synthesis of SAMe is closely linked with folate and vitamin B12, since a deficiency of these two vitamins may also cause nerve and emotional disorders including depression. As to dosage, SAMe should be taken on an empty stomach, preferably 1 hour away from food, starting at a dosage of 200 mg once or twice daily. If results aren't seen in a few days, the dose can be increased, up to 800 mg daily if needed, but 400 mg per day is usually sufficient. Since SAMe is unstable at higher temperatures, it should be kept refrigerated whenever possible, and enteric coated tablets ensure stability. It is also important to add the necessary co-factors in order to avoid increased risk of cardiovascular disease. This means taking vitamin B6 (50 - 60 mg), vitamin B12 (up to 1000 mcg) and folic acid (800 mcg) as part of a multi-vitamin formula with food during SAMe supplementation. Unfortunately, SAMe is quite expensive, but often just one 2-week course followed by St. John’s Wort is sufficient to change the mood balance.

Another source of depression is an imbalance of oestrogen and progesterone, where hormone replacement therapy in crème form (preferably natural, see last issue) can do the trick. Progesterone has a calming effect on agitated depressions, being much stronger than the average barbiturate, whereas for lethargic depressions oestrogen is at least as invigorating as Prozac. Hormone supplementation has achieved remarkable success treating women who did not respond to other antidepressant medication.

Dr. Bach also invented the proven Rescue Remedy (made from flower essences) for shock, panic, hysteria or desperation. Whilst this is not an antidepressant, it is an excellent first-aid remedy for all sorts of emergencies, including panic episodes during depression. It can be used whenever there is fear and/or high stress levels, and it works really well for children as well as adults. For many more helpful strategies to combat less severe depression I can highly recommend the book banishing the blues by Hilary Boyd, published in 2000 by Mitchell Beazley, an imprint of Octopus Publishing Group Ltd, London, ISBN 1 84000 315 4.

I hope that this article has provided you with helpful information. Please note that it is not a personal prescription (see the disclaimer at the bottom of my blog), so please see a qualified health practitioner for your individual needs. I wish you well until we meet again.

In Christ,
Margaret

Why Do Theologians Disagree?

noreply@blogger.com (Margaret Lepke) — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 13:04:00 +0000

How we see theology can make all the difference to our understanding of certain concepts. That brings me to my question: Have you ever wondered why theologians DISagree? Most of us tend to look up to and believe educated people, and especially those who are well known and/or have written books. And this is a good thing because we may learn much from them. It is also true that we are to submit to the leadership of our Elders. However, even learned men (and women) are fallible, and it is a fact that theologians disagree with one another. Not on who Jesus is, of course, and not on the fact that God shows Himself in three different ways: the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit; but they can disagree on many not quite so important issues.

In the light of having a Bible that claims to be the inspired Word of God, this puzzled me, and so I made it my business to find out. After extensive studies of human behaviour (in the light of God's Word, of course) and a lot of historical research, I came up with two main reasons: (1) The founders of doctrinal distinctives were themselves influenced by the theological models of their time, some of which originated from the traditions of men rather than God, and they were also influenced by their own cultural and philosophical background. (2) Men and women tend to resist change. They take on board what they have learnt from the teachers they admire and then prefer to stay within these 'safe' parameters rather than chart new waters. Systematic theology gives comfort and provides security, and this is where our theological colleges play an important role.

The first difficulty arises when students enter theological college. They want to learn God’s truth in order to serve Him better, and their intentions are most sincere. However, theological colleges are subject to denominational preferences and associated theological concepts. They reflect particular mind-sets that they pass on to others. The problem is that students are constrained by time and exam expectations. They need to cram a lot of information in a relatively short period of time for the passing of tests. This means that they simply don’t have the time to properly research for themselves what is being learnt, or even fully digest what they have taken on board.

The outcome is that colleges tend to reproduce more or their own, i.e. academics with the same mind-set of ‘truth’. Students entering a chocolate-flavoured college, for example, will eventually pass on chocolate flavour. Those who enter a strawberry-flavoured college will pass on strawberry flavour. Hence, individual flavours will be retained automatically within their life cycle: A denominational college educates pastors and teachers, these move to congregations, congregations bring in new converts, some of these eventually become new students, these are educated once again by the college and eventually move back into congregations. And why do we have different denominations in the first place? That‘s best left for another post (maybe).

The second difficulty stems from the fact that most people don’t like change. They feel threatened by it. Even among academics there are very few free thinkers, i.e. those who are able and willing to think outside of the quare, and who are willing to stand against the mainstream if their own research brings to light a different ‘truth’. Being eloquent and ‘studied’ does not necessarily mean that one has discernment and the agility to consider issues from new and different perspectives. This is also why commentaries make such interesting reading. When considering ‘difficult’ Bible passages, many remain silent or copy the thoughts of other commentators.

Having said all of this, it is important to remember that those people, who unwittingly pass on erroneous teaching on a particular topic, are usually sincere in their motives! And moreover, they can be excellent teachers of truth in other areas. Yet in some instances they can also be wrong, albeit sincerely wrong. What’s the point of this post? Search Scripture diligently as the Bereans did (Acts 17:11).

Doing Church - Are We Pleasing God or Men?

noreply@blogger.com (Margaret Lepke) — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 10:24:00 +0000

I should be doing something else right now, but my procrastination (and consequently this post) may give you something to think about...

My husband and I attended a youth service last night and felt totally disconnected. Was it our age? Maybe, but there were quite a few other oldies who seemed to be enjoying themselves. Was it the loud, lively music to songs we didn't know? Maybe, but no one else seemed to be singing them either with confidence and gusto. Was it the lyrics? Well, they did seem rather focused on self and the little word "I". What about the prayers? I don't think so. Prayers are good, although these ones seemed a little repetitive, and I noticed that people were yawning and fidgeting. Then it must have been the message? Maybe, it was supposed to instill awe at God's awesomeness, but somehow it didn't seem to succeed. I am tempted to ask...

Where can I find churches who have great hearts instead of big budgets; those who render service instead of requesting money; who experience God's presence instead of record-breaking attendances? And where are those who are shining examples in our lives instead of seeking a great hype? Where are the churches whose members do things quiety instead of talking loudly? And those who show off beautiful lives instead of beautiful clothes? Where are the preachers who love the truth rather than watering it down to be more politically correct, seeker sensitive or culturally relevant? God surely knows His faithful servants - and indeed I know some of them myself - but I would dearly love to see more in our churches!

Please don't misunderstand me. I am not judging others or looking down on them. I am simply frustrated with all the apathy around me on the one hand, and the false hype on the other. I am so yearning for Christians to be real and truly spiritual in their understanding and actions, and for them to be really interested in and caring for one another. Is that too much to ask? How can we draw others to Christ if they can't see Christ in us?

Life and Death - From Desert to Green Pastures

noreply@blogger.com (Margaret Lepke) — Sun, 19 Oct 2008 11:52:00 +0000

What picture does the word desert evoke in your mind? I see a wide expanse of dryness and barrenness; and if I were lost in it without food and water, I would surely perish. But if I lived among green pastures, there would be plenty of food and water to sustain me.

Have you ever wondered how God sees this world? When I asked this question in Scripture classes, the children usually answered, ‘He sees good people and bad people.’ While the words good and bad might need some defining, it is true that God sees what people do. But more importantly, He sees what they are and who they belong to. God also sees two types of people, but what He sees may surprise you: God sees those who are born physically but are dead spiritually and reside in Satan’s domain, and those who are born again spiritually by the Spirit of God and are alive and in God’s kingdom forevermore.

Let’s imagine we are watching a world that is divided into these two kingdoms: Satan’s kingdom to the left – a huge expanse of desert – and God’s kingdom to the right – a land of life and green pastures. As we watch these two kingdoms, we notice that for some odd reason all infants are born into the desert kingdom. This kingdom is crowded, and people live on foods that sustain them only for a short time. They seem content with chasing one mirage after another and are totally unaware of their king who hates them, is deceitful and wicked, and seeks their ultimate destruction. Besides, they have a huge problem and don’t even know it: they are spiritually dead and separated from the wonderful Being that created them.

When we watch these two kingdoms, we see an insurmountable dividing wall between them, with only one door in this wall and only one way leading through it. Once in a while we notice a person moving through that door from Satan’s kingdom on the left to God’s kingdom on the right. We shift our gaze to God’s kingdom and notice that it has far fewer residents, and wonder why everyone rejoices over each new person that joins them. We think it strange that so few people enter this kingdom - after all, it offers abundant life, and the king is loving and just: he treats his people like his own children and gives them to eternal life in his presence.

As we keep watching, we also notice something shocking going on in the desert kingdom: when desert dwellers come to the end of their earthly existence, they are ordered to a dark and lonely place, full of never ending torment. Once there, they beg for someone to be allowed to go and warn their family and friends, to tell them to find the door to God’s kingdom - but it’s too late. They can only hope that their loved ones will listen to the message they themselves rejected.

Again, we shift our gaze to the green pastures of God’s kingdom, and here too people are leaving the earth. But these ones are triumphantly escorted to a place of great joy. They go to meet the person they have loved from the day they entered this kingdom. And as we move a little closer, we see that this person is the one that the Bible proclaims to be Lord and Saviour. This is Jesus Christ, who said of Himself: “I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture.” (John 10:9)

We are curious. Why do some people walk through that door and others don’t? As we investigate, we find that people who died in Satan’s domain went to a place of eternal doom because they had disregarded the good news of a Saviour found in the Bible. Yet there is no shortage of Bibles! We see them on dusty bookshelves, in drawers and underneath piles of old junk. In fact, there are Bibles everywhere, but no one takes any notice of them. We are told that they are old, boring books that are no longer relevant to modern society. And besides, who could possibly believe those strange, old tales?

Well, happily some people did and still do. They leave Satan’s kingdom and find eternal life in the neighbouring kingdom of God's grace. How do they do it? They believe the Bible, which teaches that Satan’s kingdom is full of sinners, and that sinners cannot enter the kingdom of God. They realise that there is no one who is righteous, not even one, and that all fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:10,23)– including themselves.

And so they follow Jesus, the Son of God, who said of Himself: I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. The Bible teaches that the reward for sin is death, but that the gift of God is eternal life. God demonstrated his love toward sinners in that His Son Jesus Christ died for them. They are purchased with His precious blood, so that anyone who believes in the Son has everlasting life. But those who don’t believe will not see life as God’s anger remains on them. (John 14:6; Romans 6:23; Romans 5:8; 1 Peter 1:18,19; John 3:36)

We realise that those who crossed over had found the key! They had placed their faith in the Son of God, believing that His work on the cross was sufficient payment for their sins. They had realised that it was love that had compelled Him to die for them, because they could not save themselves. He had taken their punishment in order to set them free. He was able to offer this free gift of pardon, because He had paid for it with His own life.

As we ponder this marvellous love, we wonder why so few of the desert dwellers receive it. Wouldn’t it make sense to escape certain doom? It appears that these people are stubborn and proud, disregarding all warnings and thinking that they know better. Instead of being thankful that someone loved them enough to warn them, they dislike those who do. They even persecute them. Because they will not humble themselves before the almighty God, their pride and self-will leads to their own destruction. Our puzzle is solved. Now we know why and how some people found life in the pastures of the kingdom of God, and why others remained in the desert of death. Where do you find yourself?

(All Scripture from the NKJV)

Why do we have a conscience?

noreply@blogger.com (Margaret Lepke) — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 12:39:00 +0000

Throughout history, the involvement of conscience in the affairs of mankind is enormous. Many men and women suffered for what they considered to be right rather than taking the easy way out. They fought for justice and sought to help the oppressed. They stood up what they considered to be wrong and influenced the laws of their land. Some even gave their lives. And then there is each one of us. Don’t we expect our brothers and sisters in Christ to have a conscience when dealing with one other? After all, we are supposed to have the mind of Christ. Just imagine what the world would be like if there were no such thing as a conscience! But then, what exactly is that conscience? Do all people have it, or only some? Is it a part of us from birth (nature), or is it acquired through our upbringing (nurture)? Why do some people have extremely sensitive consciences while others seem to have no conscience at all? These are interesting questions.

Allport, for example, wrote of a generic conscience that enhances ones life, Freud parallelled it with his idea of superego (a source of morality and moral judgement), and Fromm distinguished between two different types conscience: a fear-based, authoritarian infantile sense of right and wrong, and a more mature, rational, sensitive, humanistic one. But despite their differences, Psychologists would agree that everyone is born with the capacity to develop a moral character, which influences our conscience, and which progressively takes on shape as our cognitive capacities develop from infancy to adulthood and beyond. This capacity, which enables us to make judgements based on values, develops as a result of interactions between our own desires to earn acceptance and avoid punishment, and the influence of socialising agents such as parents, peers and wider society.

The Bible gives a more definite explanation as to the origin of our conscience. At the very beginning of mankind’s history, God gave Adam the following command: “… of the tree of the knowledge of good an evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die” (Gen.2:17). And Satan added “…God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil” (Gen.3:5). Adam and Eve may have believed that God wanted to deprive them of something good, that he wanted to withhold knowledge from them, but in reality His prohibition was meant for their protection. Why? Because once they knew both good and evil, they would not be able to abstain from doing evil. Contrary to what Satan had said, they would not be like God, because He alone is capable of doing good only and not evil. Jesus confirmed this by saying that “No one is good but One, that is, God” (Matt.19:17).

When Adam and Eve ate from the forbidden tree, their conscience was activated immediately: “…the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves coverings” (Gen.3:7). Their conscience told them that they had done wrong, and they “hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God” (Gen.3:8). And ever since then, mankind has been hiding from God. After all, who likes to have their wrongdoings exposed? It’s so much easier to blame others, just as Eve blamed the serpent (Satan), and Adam blamed Eve and ultimately God by referring to “the woman whom YOU gave to be with me” (Gen.3:12-13 - emphasis mine).

Our conscience is therefore the inbuilt knowledge that some behaviour is good and other behaviour is evil. It is a God-given moral potential rooted in the image of God, which progressively unfolds as our cognitive capacities develop. We cannot escape the fact that we are moral beings, and the Bible is clear on this point: “…when Gentiles, who do not have the [Jewish] law, by nature do the things contained in the law, these, although not having the law, are a law to themselves, who show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and between themselves their thoughts accusing or else excusing them in the day when God will judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my [Paul’s] gospel” (Rom.2:14-15).

But here is an interesting phenomenon: although everyone has this faculty called conscience, the judgements determined by it can vary greatly. A native person might be honoured for being a headhunter, but severely punished for something we would consider a small offence, or no offence at all. Another tribal person may be honoured for being utterly deceitful, but may be despised when being honest (I once saw a missionary documentary concerning such a tribe). This proves that all human beings distinguish between good and evil, but that their perception of what is good and what is evil can vary greatly. Even gangs and outlaws have a set of values and their own code of conduct.

Our conscience is therefore a moral capacity we are born with. It only develops into specific values and ideas as we grow up and are influenced by people and culture. This learning takes place as we socialise with persons that are important to us. We internalise their expectations (standards, ideals) and merge them with own individual desires and innate moral consciousness, until we finally we end up with our own perceptions of right and wrong. But these are by no means fixed. If the impact of external factors is strong enough, and a person has the necessary internal motivation to change, their moral code can be adjusted.

Why is it that the shaping of our conscience is so dependent on our surroundings? Two strong motivators make us take in parental ideals and expectations from an early age: love and fear. We love and admire our parents (or some other significant person), and we fear their punishment or rejection if we fall short. But as we grow older, we will increasingly look to other sources for our values and tend to take on board the standards of our peers and broader society. We normally experience a good conscience when we do what we have learnt to be right.

Unfortunately, people can also develop a false bad conscience, which is unhealthy. Therapists are all too aware that angry, unloving and punitive environments are likely to foster emotions of false guilt. When people that are important to a child display unloving, punishment driven attitudes, the child takes these on board and merges them with its own inherent sense of moral justice. As a result, the child then develops inappropriate corrective attitudes and emotions. Severe false guilt feelings, for example, are often found in depressive and obsessive compulsive personalities. When child education focuses on loving disciplinary actions, on the other hand, it will produce a love-based set of corrective attitudes in the child and enable him or her to experience true guilt when s/he has done something to hurt another person. Problems of conscience are usually the result of developmental disturbances, as people fail to internalise acceptable standards, or as they repress their inherent moral nature and develop antisocial or sociopathic personality styles because of inappropriate values.

The attitudes of our conscience are therefore shaped by upbringing, education, and other external influences. Unfortunately, this also means that the media, advertising and associated peer pressure, easily exploits children, teens, and even adults. How important it is to be selective in what we allow to enter our minds and affections, so that our conscience can be shaped according to Godly values instead of the values of secular society!

The Bible emphasises the upbringing of children. The Old Testament advises parents to teach them the Law of God in and through all of life’s circumstances (Deut.11:18-21), and the New Testament entreats God’s children not to be conformed to this world, but to be conformed instead to God’s standards. This requires a renewing of the mind in accordance with Scripture (Rom.12:1-2) and a focus on those things that are true, noble, just, lovely and praiseworthy (Phil.4:8). It is in following this advice, and by having their conscience directed by Him, that His children can prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

The Bible also teaches that the functions of conscience are to convict us of wrongdoing (Jn.8:9) and to bear witness to our doing right (Rom.9:1), thus guiding our behaviour. However, some people may have a weaker conscience than others due to a lack of understanding. We find an example of this in 1 Cor.8:7-12, where the eating of meat offered to idols is seen as unlawful by some, but not by others. Paul understood that this is not a problem before God because idols have no power (1 Cor.8:4-6), but he insisted that love would not force this understanding on another brother or sister to make them act against their own conscience, which would be sin.

But best of all, the Bible teaches that when we put our faith in Christ, our conscience is cleansed from (our own) dead works by His blood (Heb.9:14), so that we can serve God in full assurance of faith with a CLEAR CONSCIENCE (Heb.10:22). This is our positional standing before God when we are His children!<>

Ideas that Oppose Christianity

noreply@blogger.com (Margaret Lepke) — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 12:36:00 +0000

It is amazing that Christianity stands alone with its message while all other religious ideas have something in common. They say, "You have to achieve...!" Whether that achievement is self-focus, self-denial, self-degradation, working on yourself to be good enough, making yourself achieve certain things so that you may be acceptable, learning enough about this or the other... the main philosophy behind these requirements is, "You can/must achieve" - the focus is on self. The Bible, and therefore Christianity, on the other hand says, "There is nothing you can do but accept what has already been done for you. Christ died for your sins because you are helpless. He loves you and is ready to give you this great gift of eternal life. You can receive it through believing Him." Faith is all it takes - not works.

It is interesting that throughout history all of the great philosophies have
opposed the teachings of Christianity:

Greece said, "Be wise, know yourself!"
Rome said, "Be strong, discipline yourself!"
Religion says, "Be good, conform yourself!"
Epicureanism says, "Be sensuous, enjoy yourself!"
Education says, "Be resourceful, expand yourself!"
Asceticism says, "Be lowly, suppress yourself!"
Psychology says, "Be confident, assert yourself!"
Materialism says, "Be satisfied, please yourself!"
Pride says, "Be superior, promote yourself!"
Humanism says, "Be capable, believe in yourself!"
Legalism says, "Be pious, limit yourself!"
Philanthropy says, "Be generous, release yourself!"

JESUS SAYS, "Believe in me - and because you believe and have eternal life, SERVE OTHERS!"

Author Unknown

What we Have in Christ... Ephesians Chapter 1

noreply@blogger.com (Margaret Lepke) — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 02:33:00 +0000

n Christ... Have you ever considered the real meaning of being in Christ? The first chapter of Paul's letter to the Ephesians encourages us to understand the riches we have been given if we belong to the Son of God. Read it and count the number of times you find the words in Christ and similar; you will be utterly amazed. My Bible is highlighted and marked on almost every page from years of study, but despite my other markings in this particular chapter, the red highlights of in Him etc. still stick out like a beacon of light. Some people think that writing in a Bible is akin to desecrating it, but I don't believe that. God wants us to know His Word, understand it, remember it, use it and work with it. And being a visual person, I can't do that unless I mark it and write notes in it of things that I found and want to remember (unfortunately, I don't have the memory of an elephant). No matter how you may treat your Bible, I would encourage you to take note of the many inferences of in Christ in Ephesians 1, and to maybe write out a list of benefits that flow to us because of Him who died for us. It's amazing - this portion of Scripture reveals the great treasures imparted to those who have been born of God and positionally placed in Christ. If you develop an appetite for looking at Scripture a little more closely and gleaning the wonderful riches it contains, then join us at our study blog http://womenforgod.blogspot.com - you are always welcome.
With my love in Christ, Marg

Blessing God... Ephesians 1:3

noreply@blogger.com (Margaret Lepke) — Sun, 12 Oct 2008 12:46:00 +0000

ave you ever thought about the meaning of the word 'blessed'? Eph 1:3 (NKJV) reads: "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ." People use this word so easily. "Bless you," they say, or "Blessings," at the end of a letter. I assume they understand blessed in the sense of being made happy, being enriched, or having something good bestowed upon you. This interpretation may fit when God blesses people, or when people are blessed in the sense of being happy, but how does it apply to God? How can we bless Him? I have often wondered about passages where people bless God, but the answer is actually quite simple: the predominant meaning of bless is to speak well of someone, i.e. to praise. It is the same word we transliterate as eulogy. Hence, Eph 1:3 would better read, "Praise (laudation) be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has commended us IN CHRIST with every spiritual commendation in the heavenlies." And praise is certainly warranted. Let's count our blessings one by one and day by day, and praise our heavenly Father for them!

Be blessed and bless Him :-)
Margaret

Fermented Probiotic Drink

noreply@blogger.com (Margaret Lepke) — Sun, 12 Oct 2008 12:30:00 +0000

Here is the easy and inexpensive recipe I promised to keep your gut flora healthy. Sorry it's taken so long. We had overseas visitors and an enjoyable break, but now life is returning to normal and here it is - my own fermented drink recipe made from good-quality organic wheat, rye, oats, millet or triticale (avoid old, cracked or rancid grain). I prepare a sterilised glass jar and fill ½ with grain that has been thoroughly rinsed in a strainer until free of dirt, dust and chaff. Then I add distilled water until the jar is nearly full and allow the grain to soak for 24 hours in a warm place. Thereafter I shake the jar, strain off the liquid, and let the ‘soak water’ ferment in a warm place, covered with a piece of cheesecloth. Depending on temperature, this will take about 36-72 hours, after which time I store the liquid in a refrigerator for up to one week. The discarded grain can be used in sourdough bread and soup etc. Drink ½ glass of the fermented liquid each morning on an empty stomach, and your intestinal flora will be grateful :-)

Probiotics - Health for your digestive tract

noreply@blogger.com (Margaret Lepke) — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 06:20:00 +0000

Today I have some very practical tips for you regarding the inner life of your digestive tract. It's home to friendly microbes commonly known as gut flora and can give you considerable trouble if you neglect to look after it. You need to feed these good bacilli because they are essential for good health and immunity and need to be nourished in order to stay alive and in good shape. How? By eating plenty of prebiotics, i.e. foods that nourish the friendly bacteria. These foods include raw oats, unrefined wheat and inulin containing foods such as roots & rhizomes in general, dandelion root, wild yam, artichokes, chicory, garlic and leeks. Eat plenty of them, but be warned. Inulin tends to produce gas, and your system may take a little while to get used to it :-)

Unfortunately, our gut 'goodies' can be destroyed by antibiotic treatment, stress, excessive alcohol and exposure to toxic substances. This makes their harmful competitors thrive and can result in faulty digestion and fungal overgrowth such as candidiasis, a reason why many women suffer from thrush when on antibiotics. Fortunately there is plenty we can do.

For example, we can get some probiotics, i.e. dietary supplements of friendly lactobacilli and bifidobaceria that can be obtained in various forms. We can also eat fermented foods that contain therapeutic amounts of good bacilli, such as sauerkraut, kefir, yogurt and drinks containing 'live cultures', or else we can buy the probiotics from a supermarket or chemist in capsule or powder form.

By the way, it's a good idea to ensure supplementary products have been shipped and stored in refrigerated conditions so that the bacilli are still alive when you buy the product. Unfortunately, supplements without enteric coating also loose a lot of bacilli during their hazardous journey through the digestive tract and should therefore be taken without additional food to keep digestive acid to a minimum.

Poeple tend to think that probiotics are a magic cure for constipation, bloating and yeast infections because they get such fast, symptomatic relief when taking them. To obtain long-term benefits from supplements however, you should also eat plenty of prebiotic foods at the same time (and forever after that :-) in order to feed the newly colonised bacteria. It would also help if you could drastically decrease sugars and refined flour products, because these are super foods for the 'badies'. In the next post I will show you an easy and inexpensive way of making your own fermented drink. Till then, stay healthy. Margaret

We live what we learn

noreply@blogger.com (Margaret Lepke) — Sat, 04 Oct 2008 12:47:00 +0000

There are many sayings that connect learning to living. A Catholic 'priest' once said to my husband, "Give me a child until he is seven, and he will be mine forever." Many years ago, in my pre-Christian past, I worked with clinical hypnotherapy to help people with psychosomatic illnesses. It was then that I first realised how powerful the subconscious mind is, and how much it affects both physiological and psychological states and behaviours. Did you know, for example, that everything you see and hear in life gets stored? You might remember a night of unrest when your mind kept processing your late night's mental work in your dreams. Or you watched a very impressive movie before going to bed, and your mind kept dwelling on it in a jumbled up way. We may not be able to consciously recall every single detail of our past, but it is stored in our brain nonetheless. Some information may even turn into a heavy burden.

During an emotionally tense moment, for instance, someone may have said, "You are hopeless!" And because you believed it and took it on board, a feeling of failure has accompenied you ever since. Or you may have seen something that you couldn't get out of your mind for a long time. Some images will never leave us, no matter how old we grow. Whatever we learn, whatever is allowed to enter our mind, all will subsequently affect our thoughts and behaviour in some small or large way. Counsellors work with their clients all the time to off-load this baggage and to renew the mind. Does God pay attention to these influences on our thinking? He certainly does. As a matter of fact, he has quite a bit to say on the subject.

Prov.22:6, for instance, promises the following: "Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it." This verse is very interesting. The Hebrew idea of training includes three different concepts: (1) dedication to God - considering the child as belonging to God and taking up stewardship for it: (2) instruction - causing the child to learn everything essential in pleasing God; and (3) motivation - creating a desire within the child, so that s/he is internally motivated (not externally constrained!) to do what God wants him/her to do. A not so well known fact is that several different Hebrew words are translated with the one English word child, and that in this case a better translation would be dependent. This stretches the age limit quite considerably, meaning that as long as a young person lives with his/her parents, s/he is to be the recipient of training, regardless of age. But his training by no means equates to harsh and legalistic prohibitions; rather, it should create and nurture a positive motivation to engage in godly activities.

The content of training is also important - in the way that he should go. Remember Bill and Jane's children in The Boarder story? They were trained in two opposing ways: God's way and that of the world. They had the freedom to taste and experience those things they were told NOT to do. No wonder they chose to follow the wordly path! Children who live with double standards will often choose the lower one, but God expects just one standard - His own. There is a good example of this in the Old Testament, where God tells the Israelites how to teach His law to their children through everyday life experiences: "You shall lay up these words of mine in your heart and in your soul, and bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be a frontlet between your eyes. You shall teach them to your children, speaking of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up. And you shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates, that your days and the days of your children may be multiplied in the land." (Deut. 11:18-21)

And then there is the promise that when the dependent child becomes independent, s/he will keep walking in the same godly direction. Having brought up two children who are now in their late twenties and actively walking with the Lord, I know how difficult it is to keep them from worldly influences. People have often accused us of sheltering our children too much, but my husband always had a standard reply: "Do I need to give them heroin in order for them to learn how bad it is?" Nonetheless, there were many times when I felt like throwing my hands in the air and giving up; yet we can't afford to give up! The stakes are too high. We need to inspire our children to develop a godly view of themselves and the world around them, and to see themselves as the person God has created for His purpose. Only then can they treat others likewise.

I will leave you with two of my favourite verses, to which I have clung often during trying times. Paul said, "I beseech you therefore...by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God" (Rom.12:1-2). And "Whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy - meditate on these things" (Phil.4:8 NKJV). I pray that your own journey will be a successful one! With Christian love, Margaret