Instead of asking for more love – go out and actively love someone.

Instead of asking more joy – be active in thanksgiving and share joy.

Instead of asking for peace – look for opportunities to be the peacemaker.

Instead of asking for forbearance (patience) – practice patience in the day to day events that come your way.

Instead of asking for kindness – go and do an act of kindness.

Instead of asking for faithfulness – look for opportunities to stand faithfully with family member or a friend.

Instead of asking for gentleness – look for an opportunity to be tolerant and kind.

Instead of asking for self-control – choose to act differently in a situation that may have been explosive to you in the past.

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Imagine this scene. It is breakfast time, and the family is in chaos. The daughters are complaining about their brother who took too much time in the bathroom.

As a result their hair isn’t brushed and makeup isn’t applied. Mom is doing her best to manage the conflict, but she woke up with a headache and a long list of things to do.

The clock is ticking like a time bomb, ever closer to that moment when, boom! It’s time to go. Dad stops at the kitchen entryway and surveys the pandemonium. He weighs his options:

• Command everyone to shape up and behave.
• Berate his son for dominating the bathroom, his daughters for poor planning, and his wife for not taking control.
• Sneak out before anyone notices.

What would you do?

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I find it very easy to become cynical. I can see all the problems and must work hard not to lose hope.  

As Christians, we are often perceived as being a very negative group of people.

The Christian story is not negative at all, though. We are honest about the brokenness of life, but our story is ultimately one of hope.

There is a better day coming.

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I've felt this, so this is my way of letting go, by writing about it.

Despite our best efforts to make the world a safer place for ourselves and our children, it is marked by accidents, disasters, disease, financial hardship, and violence. 

Even all our advancements as a society were powerless to stop COVID-19 from becoming a global pandemic. Such a miniscule virion, a particle about one-hundredth the size of a human cell, almost brought the world to a standstill.

Australia also regularly experiences disasters such as bushfires, drought and floods. In particular, the 2019/20 bushfire season was catastrophic.

New Zealand has earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and in 2019 suffered a major terrorist attack. The consequences of these events not only take from us, but leave us with scars such as grief and trauma.  And just like a scar on our skin lasts a lifetime, so can grief mark our lives.

It doesn't hurt to talk about it with a trusted friend, a grief counselor, anybody who will listen.

I will write more about this, as I get inspired. 

Thank you all for your caring.

It is very much appreciated.

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Halloween is big business. But how did it start? Where did it come from?

Pagan Origin

Its origin lies in the time before Christ, among the Celtic Druids of Gaul and the British Isles. October 31st was the end of the pagan year, the dividing line between summer and winter and observed as the feast of Samhain, the "lord of death". At that time of year, it was believed, the veil between the natural and the supernatural was at its thinnest and the spirits of the dead could enter animals, especially black cats. At this festival, human sacrifices as well as animal were offered to Samhain.

Pagan Customs

The turnip lantern derives from the fact that the Druids used to have slung over their shoulder on a cord a hollowed-out turnip, with an oil lamp burning inside, which was supposedly their personal god and guide. Later, in America a pumpkin was used rather than a turnip.

The spirits of the dead were regarded as liable to return to their homes on the 31st October and cast spells or play tricks unless appeased by a treat, usually food. This is the origin of "Trick or Treat". People also dressed up in hideous masks to disguise themselves among the evil spirits.

Bobbing for apples in water without using the hands and also being able to peel them in one piece were seen as gaining favour with the spirits. Bonfires were lit to frighten off evil spirits and someone would often go round the edge of the village with burning sticks for this purpose.

Pagan with a Make-over

After the apostles' time, much of the church gradually departed from Biblical teaching. Various unbiblical doctrines and practices were introduced until what became Roman Catholicism was fully developed, with the Bishop of Rome holding supreme power as the Pope.

An integral part of this lamentable development was the practice of absorbing pagan festivals by putting a Christian veneer on them as church festivals or holy days.

Pope Boniface IV reconsecrated the Roman Pantheon temple, previously used for the worship of Cybele, to the virgin Mary in 609 AD and it was used for prayers for the dead. In 834 Pope Gregory IV made November 1st "All Saints Day" and November became the month especially for prayers for the dead whose souls were allegedly in purgatory. The evening of October 31st was known as "all saints eve"or "all hallows even" and hence shortened to halloweÿen. Over much of Europe the old pagan practices continued alongside the false Christian ones.

Pagan Still

Satanists still offer sacrifices to the Devil at halloween. The observance of halloween is a serious business for the large number of wizards and witchesÿ covens in the country today. Halloween is not harmless fun, nor should it be treated as such.

The Bible condemns all witchcraft, (2 Chronicles 33 v 6 and Galatians 5 v 20). "There shall not be found among you. . . a witch, or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer. For all that do these things are an abomination unto the Lord." (Deuteronomy 18 vs 10-12). A "necromancer" is someone who attempts to communicate with the dead.

The Roman Catholic make-over is no more Biblical than what it was intended to replace. All saints day was introduced with no basis in the Bible, the Word of God.

The idea of purgatory is an invention. The Bible speaks of a Heaven of endless joy for those redeemed by Christ and a Hell of endless misery for those who are not. "And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal." (Matthew 25 v 46). Praying for the dead is not Christian. Halloween was pagan from the start and remains so today, despite any pseudo-christian gloss put on it. Christians should have no part in it and should ensure that their children do not either.

"As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord." (Joshua 24 v 15).

If you are not a Christian, then far from engaging in the darkness of halloween, you must seek the light of God's Word. Search the Scriptures. In them you will find the message of forgiveness of sin through faith in Jesus Christ. He bore the guilt of sin in the place of sinners when he died on the cross. Seek him. "Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near." (Isaiah 55 v 6).

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There seems to be quite a lot of misinformation - and even a whiff of panic - floating around about the Wuhan virus. I have spent much of the last week locating the best sources of info that I could find - to ascertain how dangerous this virus truly is.

Here is my brief summary from the best sources I can find on this:

(1) This virus is VERY infectious (at least twice as infectious as a normal flu) - so it spreads easily. BUT-

(2) The actual fatality level is low. (Much lower than most people think). Outside of China, if you get hospitalized for this, your chances of survival are VERY HIGH. Older people are more vulnerable - but even then, if you are outside China your chances are VERY GOOD. (Proof of this below).

(3) In China this thing is out-of-control - and the fear and panic are greatly stifling their ability to locate the worst cases and give them the very best care. They are inundated - and I expect China to remain a virtual "basket case" for months. The fear and panic alone are going to cripple the country for some time.

Will this affect the global economy? YES. -Especially firms that rely on China for anything.

In summary - will this thing spread? Yes - it will spread.

But outside China, is it likely to cause high fatalities? No - not according to the best info we have. Right now this seems to be a highly-contagious, low-fatality virus. Even if you got it, you would most likely get through it OK.

BEST INFO is BELOW

I am now going to give you links to 3 of the best sources of information that I have come across. The first is a Reddit thread that follows the cases outside China. And then there are two excellent videos with great in-depth information from experts-

Reddit thread-
https://www.reddit.com/r/China_Flu/comments/euvexx/

Expert interview (very recent)-
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pjHbogeWiXU

Another good video-
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CMXcMtqH8ak


God bless you all.

Andrew Strom.

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As 2020 begins, Israel faces deadly threats from her enemies on all sides. 

Iranians burn flags of Israel and the United States.  (CCTV+ YouTube capture)

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Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased. Luke 2:14

Samuel Marsden was a friend of William Wilberforce and the thinking behind the abolition of slavery led to a new perspective about native peoples. Marsden’s plans to come to NZ were put on hold for several years after the Boyd massacre in Whangaroa. When Marsden did arrive, he went to straight to Whangaroa to see the chief who had killed and cannibalised the Boyd crew. Marsden, as a gesture of trust, decided to spend the night ashore with the tribe, accompanied only by John Nicholas who wrote, “Night threw its gloomy shade over the ruthless murderers of our countrymen, while we, but two in number, remained perfectly defenceless in the midst of them”.

The next day they sailed to the Bay of Islands, arriving on 22 December. On the 24^th Ruatara made preparations for the Christmas service.

Marsden wrote: “Duaterra passed the remaining part of the day in preparing for the Sabbath. He enclosed about half an acre of land with a fence, erected a pulpit and reading desk in the centre... He also procured some bottoms of old canoes and fixed them up as seats on each side of the pulpit for the Europeans to sit upon, intending to have Divine service performed there the next day. These preparations he made of his own accord; and in the evening, informed me that everything was ready for Divine service. I was much pleased with this singular mark of his attention. The reading desk was about three feet from the ground and the pulpit about six feet. The black cloth covered the top of the pulpit and hung over the sides. The bottom of the pulpit as well as the reading desk was part of a canoe. The whole was becoming and had a solemn appearance. He had also erected a flagstaff on the highest hill in the village, which had a very commanding view.”

The First Christmas Service in NZ, Oihi Bay, 1814

But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people. Luke 2:10

From the journals of Samuel Marsden: â€œAbout ten o’clock we prepared to go ashore to publish the glad tidings of the Gospel for the first time… When we landed we found Korokoro, Duaterra , Shunghee [Hongi Hika] dressed in regimentals which Governor Macquarie had given them, with their men drawn up ready to march into the enclosure to attend Divine service. They had their swords by their sides and a switch in their hands.

We entered the enclosure and were placed in the seats on each side of the pulpit. Korokoro marched his men on and placed them on my right hand in the rear of the Europeans and Duaterra placed his men on the left. The inhabitants of the town with the women and children and a number of other chiefs formed a circle round the whole. A very solemn silence prevailed – the sight was truly impressive. I got up and began the service with the singing of the Old Hundred Psalm, and felt my very soul melt within me when I viewed my congregation and considered the state they were in.

It being Christmas Day, I preached from the second chapter of St Luke’s Gospel, and tenth verse: â€˜Behold! I bring you glad tidings of great joy.’ In this manner the Gospel has been introduced into New Zealand; and I fervently pray that the glory of it may never depart from its inhabitants, till time shall be no more.” ²

For 15 years from 1985 there were youth camps held on the farm surrounding Oihi Bay over the New Year period. They always included a service on this site. In 1999, 70 young people were water baptised in the bay. There is a legacy from the early missionaries!
John Subritzky

^{1, 2} J.R. Elder, ed., The Letters and Journals of Samuel Marsden 1765-1838, Dunedin: Coulls Somerville Wilkie, 1932, pp.93-94.

There is now an excellent Heritage Park that is well worth visiting!

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