Dr Margaret's Treasure Chest

Why Do I Blog?

noreply@blogger.com (Margaret Lepke) — Mon, 25 May 2026 07:59:06 +0000

Why do I blog? I would like to pass on a few pearls of wisdom the Lord has allowed me to gather over the years. I have collected a whole treasure chest full and hope you will benefit from what you read.

Some bloggers treat their blogs as diaries, others write professional articles or provide information on specific topics, and most people use the opportunity to monetise their blogs. My aim is different. No ads, and no monetising. Just food for thought.

When I was young, I thought I was going to live forever and have all the time in the world, but now that the hourglass is running down, I realise how short my time on this earth actually is, and how important it is to make it count for God. The Preacher of Ecclesiastes was right when he penned the last 7 verses of his book - you might like to look them up :-)

With years of experience as a Christian naturopath, counsellor, mentor and educator, I hope to pass on some of the lessons God has taught me along the way.

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. (Proverbs 3:5-6)

My best wishes to whoever may find this. I hope we meet in eternity!

Margaret

A House or a Home?

noreply@blogger.com (Margaret Lepke) — Sun, 24 May 2026 14:00:45 +0000

I have used this poem for so many occasions: special wedding cards, posters, and even take-home reminders for my counselling clients. It is worth striving for a home such as this:

The walls of a house may be built of wood,

Its foundations of brick or of stone;

But a genuine home is an exquisite thing,

For it’s built of heart-throbs alone.

The price of a house may be reckoned at once,

And paid with a handful of gold;

But the price of a home very few can compute,

And that price they have never yet told.

The rooms of a house may be stately and grand,

Their adornment a triumph of art;

But the beauty of a home is the final result

Of the toil of an unselfish heart.

A house may be burned, may be sold or exchanged,

Nor the loss of one’s peace interfere;

But the loss of a home - how it crushes the heart! -

For our homes we all love and revere.

Of houses a man may possess many scores,

Yet his lack of a home cause despair;

But an honourable couple, in a home filled with love,

Must be counted a true millionaire.

Adapted from J.H. Sykes

The Boarder - A thought provoking story

noreply@blogger.com (Margaret Lepke) — Thu, 17 Jul 2025 14:28:00 +0000

Almost 20 years ago, I read an article about a boarder that I have never forgotten. I have not been able to source it, but the Lord knows the faithful woman who put together the original story. We shall give all credit to her. I hope that this edited version will touch you as much as the original one did me:

Bill and Jane have a boarder in their home. He’s been with them for many years now. In fact, he joined their family soon after they were married. I could never understand why a young married couple would want to take a third party into their home, but Jane assured me that he was no trouble at all. It seemed to me that they quite enjoyed having him in their home. He was usually very quiet, speaking only when asked to do so, and yet full of the most interesting stories that you could imagine. It was easy to spend a whole evening listening to him. He was very imaginative and certainly knew how to keep his audience spellbound.

As time passed, however, I couldn’t help wondering if this boarder was such a good idea. Jane and Bill spent many evenings engrossed in his stories, which seemed to be so worldly. When I once mentioned this to Jane, she laughed at me and declared that I was ‘too square’. After all, that’s the way the world is, and what harm could it possibly do to hear about how the other side lives?

As time passed, Bill and Jane had a family, the same as we did. These were hectic times: the baby crying, dinner on the stove, the other children fighting about toys. Would I remain sane? I must admit that I envied Jane, because she had it much easier. She had her wonderful boarder to help out, who kept her children quiet and occupied. The stories he told them were totally enthralling, and they would sit on the floor listening in rapt attention. And Jane was convinced her children were learning so much from the boarder that they would be way ahead in school.

But I couldn’t help feeling somewhat uneasy when I learned about some of the stories her children talked about. The boarder’s stories seemed to be full of worldly ideas, broken families, children who didn’t listen to their parents, homes that were full of materialistic things, dancing, movie-going, and rock music. There seemed to be hardly any mention of families praying together, going to church, and living godly lives.

In fact, it seemed to me that the boarder taught the children things that were in conflict with the very principles Bill and Jane were trying to teach their children. For they were certainly doing their best to bring them up in a Christian home: they were regular churchgoers, always had devotions at meal times, and sent their children to a Christian school. Yet they couldn’t see that every night the boarder in his stories contradicted their Bible reading immediately after dinner.

As the children grew older, they seemed to need more excitement to hold their attention, and the boarder’s stories became increasingly disturbing. There were lots of bad guys (often the heroes), car chases and killings, gangs and weird space monsters. When I dared to mention to Jane that the boarder’s stories were getting more and more opposed to the Biblical message they were trying to teach their children, she thought I was too alarmist. The children, she said, could easily distinguish between reality and fantasy stories. And the fact that they constantly heard about murders and other forms of violence wouldn’t desensitise them to God’s commands.

When their children were teenagers, Bill and Jane were frequently away from home, but the boarder was there to look after them. Only now, his stories were full of sexual overtones. The children weren’t upset about nakedness, unmarried people sleeping together, and even homosexual relationships. After all, this was part of the reality of life, wasn’t it?

But slowly a revelation was sinking into the minds of Bill and Jane. Their children were not turning out quite as they had expected. They didn’t like the way their children dressed, the music they listened to, and the activities they participated in: movies, nightclubs and parties where alcohol and drugs were present. They had the dreadful suspicion that their children were participating in premarital sex and, above all, the children were not willing to listen to them. Curfews were ignored, and parental opinions were laughed at as being old-fashioned.

Bill and Jane were stunned. What could possibly have gone wrong? Hadn’t they done their very best? Hadn’t they always given a good example, had a Christian home life, gone faithfully to church, and sent their children to the right schools? It must be the fault of the teachers! Or the church isn’t appealing enough! The minister is too dry and dull in his sermons! Maybe we’ve overdone it with religion, and the poor kids are sick of it by now.

It never occurred to them that the fault was present in their very own home: the boarder. All these years they had allowed him to do his thing. He had filled the minds of their children with ideas and values that were completely opposed to those of the Bible. For years he had fed them a diet of violence, sex, materialism, pleasure seeking and worldliness. But even now Bill and Jane deny that this had any effect on their children. After all, they had always understood that this was all fantasy, and that their family lived differently in reality.

In fact, if you were to visit Bill and Jane’s home today, you would probably find them sitting in front of their boarder still, watching him do his stuff. As for the children, they’ll grow out of it. All those years of teaching have to have some effect, don’t they?

Have you guessed who the boarder is? No? He's the television set in the lounge room!

A Health Tip from Romans 13:1-5

noreply@blogger.com (Margaret Lepke) — Thu, 17 Jul 2025 14:20:00 +0000

One of my bible study groups is currently walking the Romans' road. Last week, we focused on chapter 13, and Judi walked in with a brilliant smile on her face. "I have a health tip for you!" she announced. "Do you want to hear it right now or wait until we have read the chapter?" The consensus was that we read the chapter, but no one could find Juli's health tip! Can you?

Paul wrote, "Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities; for there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. Therefore, whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves...Therefore, you must be subject, not only because of wrath but also for conscience' sake." (Romans 13:1-5)

There it was, our health tip. Of course! You have probably heard about the mind-body connection, i.e. how much our mind influences bodily activities (I might write a bit more on that some other time). A good conscience gives peace of mind, and a peaceful mind reduces stress levels and muscle tension, to say the least. A health tip straight from God's mouth. So let's all live according to the apostle Paul's motto: "always strive to have a conscience without offence toward God and men (Acts 24:16)" - and live healthier lives.

Have a healthy, happy day! Margaret

Have You Received This Gift?

noreply@blogger.com (Margaret Lepke) — Thu, 17 Jul 2025 14:16:00 +0000

Most people love receiving gifts and are grateful for the giver's generosity. Gifts arrive on birthdays and other special occasions, and some come out of the blue, just because we are loved. Sometimes we can choose our gifts, and sometimes we hope for things without knowing whether we will ever get what we hoped for.

Recently, I came across the results of a survey showing that many people hope they will get to heaven by being a good person. Or they are doing enough good works to balance imaginary judgment scales in their favour. Others believe it is important to have some kind of faith, no matter which one that may be. The interesting thing here is that people focus on hope or faith, which prompts the question: How do we know that our faith is valid and absolutely reliable? How do we know it will achieve what we are hoping for?

I am sure that most of you have sat on many different chairs during your lifetime. Think about it for a moment… You sat on each one of those chairs without even thinking about possible consequences. And why was that? Because you believed that each chair would surely support you. If that weren’t the case, you would have checked each one before sitting down. But what would happen if you sat on a faulty chair? You’d come crashing down! And then you would realise that your faith in the soundness of that chair had been misplaced. You would have learnt that it is not the strength of your faith that is important, but the strength of the object you place your faith in! You would have learnt to ask: Is the object of my faith reliable? Does it have the power to deliver what my faith expects? The Bible teaches that the only object worthy of our faith is Jesus Christ, because He died for all sinners and became the mediator between God and man/woman. And as such, He is able to deliver His promise of forgiveness.

Did you know that the word sin was originally a marksman’s term? It meant a shortfall of the specified target, a missing of the central mark, the bull’s eye. No matter how far the arrow missed the target - whether it be the tiniest margin or a huge gap - it was still sin. In Biblical terms, this means that no matter how many good works a person may do, or how religious he or she may be, every person falls short of the Creator’s perfect standard, and there is no exception. The Bible says that all of us have sinned, and that the penalty for sin is death. But because of His great love for us, Christ took our place and died for our sins. And as a result, He is the only One who can save us from an eternity without God in the presence of Satan and his angels, an eternity of torment. This is why He could say: “I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved.”

Is there anyone more worthy or reliable to be the object of our faith? As the Bible says: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

Do you find a need for forgiveness in your heart? If you do, you can turn to Him right now, wherever you may be. Communication lines to heaven are always open, and you can talk to God as you would to a trusted friend. Believe that Christ died for your sins and that God raised Him from the dead. Humble yourself before Him and ask His forgiveness. And then be baptised to show your identification with Him.

If you really mean it, a spiritual miracle will take place in your heart, and you will know it! You will be given new life in Christ. You will become a child of the Most High God and live with Him forever in a place of joy. But if you reject Christ, you will face an eternity of torment without God. The choice is yours...

I hope to see you in eternity!

Margaret

Natural First Aid for Bites and Stings

noreply@blogger.com (Margaret Lepke) — Thu, 17 Jul 2025 13:59:00 +0000

Are you surprised that I might give you some pearls in the form of health tips? Then you probably haven't read my profile :-) In some parts of the world it will soon be summer, so I thought it might be helpful to focus on insect bites etc... When our son was just five years old and learning to ride his first mini-bike, my husband took him to a reserve with plenty of room and a nice little hill. Attempting to negotiate that rise, our son was supposed to open the throttle just a little to get a good run up, but his run up the hill turned into a jump across it - straight into a bull ant's nest. While superboy ended up with a couple of quickly forgotten bruises, his father suffered quite some time from a number of those nasty ant bites. Had I known then what I know now, those bites would have been little more than a momentary inconvenience.

Some years later, an old bushie told me about his secret weapon: Coca Cola! We always keep a can in our first aid kit now, and as soon as anyone suffers a bull ant bite, wasp attack, or (non-deadly :-) scorpion sting, we run for the can, shake it vigorously, open it, and spray the Coke all over the bite area. The result is amazing: hardly any swelling, pain or itching. It seems to work for bee stings as well, although I first scrape away the stinger without squeezing more poison into the skin. By the way, Coke or Pepsi also helps to remove dead insects from the windscreen or front bumper of our car. Spray, soak, and easily wash away! I wish you all sparkling health!

Cheers, Margaret

We Live What We Learn

noreply@blogger.com (Margaret Lepke) — Thu, 17 Jul 2025 13:57:00 +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

Fermented Probiotic Drink Recipe

noreply@blogger.com (Margaret Lepke) — Thu, 17 Jul 2025 13:47:00 +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 the temperature, this process will take approximately 36-72 hours. Afterward,
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 :-)

Blessing God... Ephesians 1:3

noreply@blogger.com (Margaret Lepke) — Thu, 17 Jul 2025 13:40:00 +0000

Have 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

What We Have in Christ... Ephesians Ch.1

noreply@blogger.com (Margaret Lepke) — Thu, 17 Jul 2025 13:37:00 +0000

In 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.

With my love in Him,

Margaret

Philosophies that Oppose Christianity

noreply@blogger.com (Margaret Lepke) — Thu, 17 Jul 2025 13:34:00 +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!"

Author Unknown

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

Jesus Loves Me - For Seniors

noreply@blogger.com (Margaret Lepke) — Sat, 11 Jun 2016 13:57:00 +0000

My three-year old granddaughter enjoys singing, "Jesus loves me, this I know," just like her mother and uncle used to do when they were her age. Can you imagine my surprise when I recently came across the same melody with different lyrics? They really spoke to me, so I will share them with you. If you haven't yet reached the age where you can identify, don't worry. Eventually you will get there (Lord willing)...

Jesus loves me, this I know, though my hair is white as snow.

Though my sight is growing dim, still He bids me trust in Him.

Yes, Jesus loves me... Yes, Jesus loves me,

Yes, Jesus loves me... The Bible tells me so!

Though my steps are oh, so slow, with my hand in His I'll go.

On through life, let come what may, He'll be there to lead the way.

Though I am no longer young, I have much - which He's begun.

Let me serve Christ with a smile, go with you the extra mile.

When the nights are dark and long, in my heart He puts a song.

Telling me in words so clear, "Have no fear, for I am near."

When my work on earth is done, and life's victories have been won,

He will take me home above, then I'll see His unbound love.

I love Jesus, does He know? Just today I told Him so.

Jesus loves to hear me say, that I love Him every day.

CHORUS

All credit for this song goes to the unknown author - thank you!

Christian Valleys or Hill Tops

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

Valleys or hill tops ... which would you prefer?

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.

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), creating anything associated with God’s work is my favourite hobby.

But back to the tract… It’s a colourful trifold that you can print back-to-back and fold into 3 columns. We use 120 GMS paper, but normal photocopy paper will work as well. Our supplies usually vanish when we take them along to meetings.

Click here for free download from Biblical Publications
This tract is available in both A4 (AUS & EU) and Letter (US) formats.

Life in Christ & 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 favourites from childhood) and bible study notes from long ago. I was glad for both and will share one of each with you today.

LIFE IN CHRIST - 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 fulfil 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 the bottom of a 28 – 30 cm diameter spring form (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 the mixture and fold in quickly and carefully.

Baking:

Place into a spring form and bake for approximately. 20 – 25 minutes.

Remove from oven, let cool slightly, then remove the rim of the spring form and gently lift the cake off the bottom with a cake lifter (or turn upside down onto a wire rack and lift off the bottom of the spring form 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 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

Does My Life Reflect Jesus?

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

What do people see when they look at me? Who do I reflect?
Do I draw people to myself, or do I draw them to God?

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 greatly impressed by both of them. Dr Jones is certainly a great preacher, but Mr Spurgeon has a great Saviour.”

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 Joyful 70th Birthday Poem

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

Judy 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.

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, Proverbs 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, followed by 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 Corinthians 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?

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, my Christian walk has been filled with 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, nor 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” (Proverbs 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 called according to His purpose” (Romans 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

Do You Hurt Those You Love?

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

Here is another one of my favourite poems...

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

Seeing 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 her 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 lose 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 were always 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 homeschool 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 faraway country to bring her to salvation - both of which her mother had perceived as disasters. He had led the children to be homeschooled, 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

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

Sweetness - 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 - True or False?

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 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 were determined to serve Him in spirit and truth. The following Christmas, they apologised to their young children for 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 realised 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 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 probably not undertaken during 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 inquired 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 (Matthew 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 the 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 realised that God hates such syncretism (a mixing of pagan customs with Christianity). The Old Testament repeatedly emphasises 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 (Hebrews 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 Saviour. 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.

Initially, they tried to explain the truth to family and friends, but no one seemed to be concerned. Instead, they thought this family had become fanatical nutters. It was VERY hard for them 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, they have learnt to be more gracious about the whole thing.They now send greetings and best wishes for a joyful season and a good new year to those who celebrate as unto the Lord. After all, it's not their duty to make others see the light, so to speak. As the old saying goes, "a man convinced against his will is of the same opinion still."

As for me, I take off my hat (well, if I wore a hat, I would) to those who don't celebrate at all. 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 - A 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

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 emphasising 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 Corinthians 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” (Hebrews 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 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.

Maranatha