Good and bad

I think that every person has their good points and their bad points.

I think that every country has got it’s good points and it’s bad points.

I think that every government has it’s good points and it’s bad points.

I think that every city has got it’s good points and it’s bad points.

I think that every house has got it’s good points and it’s bad points.

I think that every car has got it’s good points and it’s bad points.

I think that every job has got it’s good points and it’s bad points.

So I think we must enjoy the good things in life. Fix the bad things. But if we cannot fix the bad things, then we must just do the best we can with whatever the situation is.

Many times in my life, some people that I have known have been very good to me, but those same people have also been very bad to me. It shouldn’t be like that, but that is the way it is. Let me give you an example from the Bible.

One day Jesus asked his disciples who they thought he was, and Peter replied: “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Jesus commended him for that statement and said: “Flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven.” So Peter was used by Almighty God at that moment!

Then, a few minutes later, Jesus says to Peter: “Get thee behind me Satan!” Wow. So Peter was used by God, and also used by Satan!

Later on, Peter denied that he ever even knew Jesus. Wow. But Jesus forgave him. Later on, Peter was mightily used by God to heal the sick and to raise the dead! So, don’t give up. There is hope for all of us yet!

Just keep on believing!

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Related scriptures: Matthew 16:16-23, Mark 8:29-33, Luke 22:31, Acts 9:33-42.

Wounded in the house of my friends

I grew up attending a church in Africa with the idea that the church people were the best people on the planet, and that the “worldly” people were the bad people who would hate us. This was based on the teachings of Jesus where he said: “If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.” (John 15:18)

Jesus taught his disciples to love one another. (John 13:34) So my idea was that the church people were full of love, and the “worldly” people were full of hate.

When I was a minister of a church in Canada, I did the Gospel of Mark in pictures, and it was then that I realized that the “world” who hated Jesus was not the bad sinners, but the religious people. That was a shock to me, and it became even more real to me when the church people turned against me, and wanted me dead.

They wanted to kick us out of the church in the middle of winter, when it was -20C at night and -10C in the day. We were living in the back of the church building, with no money, my car was broken, and my credit card was at the limit. We had no home to go to. The leader of the church made us both quit our jobs and move down there. In the old days people were burned at the stake, etc, but the modern day is more sophisticated, but the end result is the same! When my trial was on, I just sat there quietly with my head down.

So anyway, I can relate to the words that Jesus will one day say to his people as recorded in the words of the prophet: And one shall say unto him, “What are these wounds in thine hands?” Then he shall answer, “Those with which I was wounded in the house of my friends.” (Zechariah 13:6)

At the last supper, Judas left the table to betray Jesus. Then Jesus referred to his disciples as his ”Friends.” (John 15:15) In the Garden of Gethsemane after Judas had betrayed Jesus with a kiss, Jesus called him “Friend.” (Matthew 26: 50)

So it seems like Jesus still loved Judas, even though he had betrayed him. Maybe Jesus still loves every one of us, no matter who we are or what we have done. Our job is to repent of our sins and get saved.

 

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Related scriptures:

Psalm 22:16 – For dogs have compassed me: the assembly of the wicked have inclosed me: they pierced my hands and my feet.

Isaiah 53:5 – But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.

Zechariah 12:10 – And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn.

Zechariah 13:6 – And one shall say unto him, What are these wounds in thine hands? Then he shall answer, Those with which I was wounded in the house of my friends.

Matthew 26

48 Now he that betrayed him gave them a sign, saying, Whomsoever I shall kiss, that same is he: hold him fast.

49 And forthwith he came to Jesus, and said, Hail, master; and kissed him.

50 And Jesus said unto him, Friend, wherefore art thou come? Then came they, and laid hands on Jesus and took him.

John 13:34 – A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.

John 15:15 – Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.

John 15:18 – If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.

John 19:37 – And again another scripture saith, They shall look on him whom they pierced.

Revelation 1:7 – Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.

King’s Messengers Quartet

Apparently these folks hail from Butterworth area, and did recordings back in the 1950’s. I remember singing once in Butterworth back in the 1970’s. The name of the city of Butterworth has since been changed, the same as lots of cities of South Africa that I sang in back in the 1970’s.

One of the songs that touched my heart deeply was: “Softly and tenderly.” That song brings back lots of memories for me. Jesus is calling each one of us to come home to God and get saved. One verse they didn’t sing has these words:

“Time is now fleeting, the moments are passing, Passing from you and from me;

Shadows are gathering, deathbeds are coming, Coming for you and for me.”

Beloved, each of us will die. The scripture says: “For it is appointed unto all men once to die and after that the judgment.” (Hebrews 9:27) We must all get right with God. It is the final call.

Abide with me

Amazing grace

Face to face with Christ my Saviour

Farther along (Tempted and tried)

God be with you

I need Thee every hour

Jericho Road

Nearer my God to Thee

No disappointment

No one ever cared for me like Jesus

Oh God our help

Rock of ages

Softly and tenderly

Swing down

The love of God

What a friend we have in Jesus

When the roll is called up yonder

Wonderful words of life