Weeds and Wheat

Weeds and Wheat (Matthew 13:25-29; 36-40)

Matthew 13:25-29 But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way. 26) But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also. 27) So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares? 28) He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up? 29) But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them. 30) Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.

Matthew 13:36-40 Then Jesus sent the multitude away, and went into the house: and his disciples came unto him, saying, Declare unto us the parable of the tares of the field. 37) He answered and said unto them, He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man; 38) The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one; 39) The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels. 40) As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world. (KJV) 

Whenever I have, in the past, read this passage, my mind automatically went into “them and us” mode, with “them” as the tares, naturally.

The word used in the Greek for “tares” is “zizanio”, and more than likely refers to darnel (Lolium temulentum), a weed that resembles wheat, that may be found growing in wheat fields and is regarded as poisonous. Darnel is sometimes called false grain.

When we look at this passage in context, between Matthew 13:29 and Matthew 13:36, Jesus tells two other parables, one about tiny mustard seeds that grow to enormity, and a second about yeast that permeates the entire loaf. Noticably, verse 41 says, “The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity”

There are two subjects mentioned in this verse: ‘Things that offend (Gk. “skandalon” – “stumbling-block”)’ and ‘Them which do iniquity (Gk. “anomia” – law-breakers)’.

Based on the content of the accompanying parables and the two subjects of verse 41, I would like to suggest that the wheat and tares are not just referring to people that the Enemy has planted in our midst (them which do iniquity), but to behaviours that we display when we fail to reflect a Christ-like character (all things that offend) especially when this behaviour becomes a stumbling block to ourselves or others.

This means that at some time or other we are all tares for the Devil (See Romans 3:23, 24). I observe that James 3:2 says, “For in many things we offend all.” (offend = Gk “patio” – “stumble” – the NIV says, “We all stumble in many ways.”)

Darnel or false grain produces no usable fruit. So if I desire to reveal the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22, 23) I ought not to wait until the sickle is used before using the hoe (see Heb 3:12-15).

In times past when we lost a loved-one through death, we men would wear a black arm-band as a sign of mourning and the women would wear black dresses. The arm-bands or black dresses are historically referred to as "weeds" (from the Germanic word for "garment"). Now-a-days we don't always publicly display our grieving, but endeavour to contain it within ourselves. Likewise we are inclined to be very quick to see weeds around us but fail to see the festering within. I need to remind myself that criticising the weeds in my neighbour's garden does not remove the weeds from my own.

So, what can I do about this?

Firstly, I believe I need to abandon my ‘them and us’ mentality (See Matthew 7:1-5).

Second, I believe I need to invite God’s Spirit to enable me to examine myself in order to weed-out undesirable traits in me (See Psalm 139:23, 24).

Thirdly, I believe I need to reflect on and confess my past judgement of particular individuals as being weeds while I considered myself as wheat (See 1 John 1:9).

And fourthly, I believe I need to follow the admonition of Romans 12:3-21, specifically verse18, “If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men”.

May God help me in this endeavour.

-- Lionel Hartley

Psalm 17

Psalm 17 

A prayer of David.

In Verses 1-4, David prays for justice in the controversy between him and his oppressors. In verses 5-6, he requests of the Lord that he might have grace to act rightly while under the trial. From verses 7-12, he seeks protection from his foes, whom he graphically describes; and in verses 13-14, pleads that they may be disappointed; closing his prayer in the confidence that all would be well in the end.

1) A prayer of David. Hear the right, O LORD, attend unto my cry, give ear unto my prayer, that goeth not out of feigned lips.

David reminds God and us of the importance of genuine prayer.

2) Let my sentence come forth from thy presence; let thine eyes behold the things that are equal.

David is asking God to examine him and his prayer and give him the words to say. This is a valuable principle. This is why the disciples asked Jesus to teach them how to pray (Luke 11:1)

3a) Thou hast proved mine heart; thou hast visited me in the night; thou hast tried me, and shalt find nothing; …

David is not referring to his own righteousness. We may get that impression at first, but when we get to verse 5, we will find that he has no confidence in himself.

3b) … I am purposed that my mouth shall not transgress.

Here is a deliberate choice. Amos 5:14 says, Seek good, and not evil, that ye may live: and so the LORD, the God of hosts, shall be with you, as ye have spoken.

4) Concerning the works of men, by the word of thy lips I have kept me from the paths of the destroyer.

God’s word protects. We have here an invitation to pray scripture. What does that mean?

5) Hold up my goings in thy paths, that my footsteps slip not.  

Psalm 73:2 reads, But as for me, my feet were almost gone; my steps had well nigh slipped. Asaph the psalmist in this psalm says that when he turned his eyes away from God and looked at the prosperity of the wicked his feet nearly slipped. David in Psalm 17 is telling us that when we turn our eyes to God he guides us on our path (cf Ps 119:105)

David has his own commentary on the fate of the wicked in verse14.

6) I have called upon thee, for thou wilt hear me, O God: incline thine ear unto me, and hear my speech.

Here we have an example of absolute confidence in prayer. How do we get absolute confidence in prayer? This is detailed in the next verse:

7) Show thy marvellous lovingkindness, O thou that savest by thy right hand them which put their trust in thee from those that rise up against them.

We can have confidence due to the loving kindness of God that He will be able to save us when we put our trust in Him.

8) Keep me as the apple of the eye, hide me under the shadow of thy wings,

This verse reflects the intimacy that is possible in prayer.

Genesis 1:27 says “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them”. God has a feminine side.

(Matthew 23:37 and Luke 13:34 both read, "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!"

Speaking of Jacob, we read in Deuteronomy 32:10-12  He kept him as the apple of his eye. As an eagle stirreth up her nest, fluttereth over her young, spreadeth abroad her wings, taketh them, beareth them on her wings: 12) So the LORD alone did lead him….

David takes up the Deuteronomy theme in this psalm in verse 8 Keep me as the apple of the eye, hide me under the shadow of thy wings. And Psalm 36:7 How excellent is thy lovingkindness, O God! therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings. Psalm 57:1 …In the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge, until these calamities be overpast. Psalm 61:4 I will trust in the covert of thy wings. (A covert is a feather covering the base of a bird's flight feather.) Psalm 63:7 Because thou hast been my help, therefore in the shadow of thy wings will I rejoice. Psalm 91:1 & 4 He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. … He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust.

9) From the wicked that oppress me, from my deadly enemies, who compass me about. 10) They are enclosed in their own fat: with their mouth they speak proudly.

These verses point to the selfishness of the wicked. However, whenever we point our index finger at some-one, there is usually an accusing thumb pointing to God (or falsely giving the “thumbs up” to our self-righteous attitude) and, noticeably, three fingers pointing back at us! James 4:3 says,  Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts. Romans 8:26 reminds us,  Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.

11) They have now compassed us in our steps: they have set their eyes bowing down to the earth; 12) Like as a lion that is greedy of his prey, and as it were a young lion lurking in secret places. 13) Arise, O LORD, disappoint him, cast him down: deliver my soul from the wicked, which is thy sword: 14) From men which are thy hand, O LORD, from men of the world, which have their portion in this life, and whose belly thou fillest with thy hid treasure: they are full of children, and leave the rest of their substance to their babes.

Here David is seeking protection from his enemies, but as we shall soon see, this is not his primary petition.

15) As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness.

This tiny last verse contains several concepts.

-         “As for me”: having put faith in God, David has confidence that God will carry through with his promises.

-         “I will behold thy face”: This is David’s real purpose in this psalm—not the destruction of the wicked, but seeing the works and character of God.

-         “In righteousness”:  We learnt by comparing verses 3 and 5 that David had no confidence in his own righteousness, he “Fully Relied On God (FROG)”.

-         “I shall be satisfied”: Satisfaction comes from seeing God.

-         “When I awake”: There is a belief in the resurrection

-         “With thy likeness”:  Having, once again, the likeness of God is the purpose of righteousness

CH Spurgeon wrote concerning this Psalm, “We have in the present plaintive song, an appeal to heaven from the persecutions of earth. A spiritual eye may see Jesus here.” How is Jesus revealed in this Psalm?

— Lionel Hartley.

God Guiding through the Fog

God Guiding through the Fog

It was 3am and I was driving home over a mountain range in New South Wales, Australia. As I negotiated the narrow tree-lined hair-pin bends in the road a thick blanket of fog enveloped my vehicle like maple syrup on a corn dumpling. The amber glow from the solitary fog lamp that I had installed on the front of the car only a week earlier seemed to strain in a weak attempt to force its light into the seemingly impenetrable wall of mist.
Inching along at a snail's pace, unable to see in any direction more than an arm's reach excepting through the pathetic puddle of light ahead of me, I fastened my gaze on the centre line painted on the road. Although scarcely more than a metre was visible at any given time, this line, worn with traffic and time, became a lifeline. I knew that my destination was ahead of me, although I could only see it in my imagination. I also knew that the thin line, nothing more than fragments of paint along the mountain road, would lead me out off the fog and into the sunrise.
As I write this, it is again about 3am. This time I am in hospital following spinal neurosurgery. Once again there seems to be a fog around me. But just ahead of me the amber glow of the Son of Righteousness, lighting my path. Sure, I can't see very far ahead, but it doesn't matter, as I only need to see enough to put my next footstep. He, like His word, 'is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path (Psalm 119:115). I don't need fret about the past nor worry about the future with Him guiding the present.
Thank you God.

--Lionel Hartley  Freezine Magazine 15 August 2003

Overheard

Sometimes we overhear something that causes our mind to take a step back and replay what we have heard and try to make sense of it. This happened recently when I was a patient in hospital. Because I was in isolation due to a 'golden staph.' infection, I saw very few people yet overheard many conversations emanating from adjacent rooms. On one occasion I heard the 'tea lady' ask another patient what he would like to drink. His reply, I guess, left us both wondering. He said, 'I like my coffee black, unsweetened, and piping hot with sugar and ice-cold milk please.'
On another occasion I overheard a doctor asking the nurse what she meant by a comment she had written in a patient's wound-treatment notes. The comment was. 'The wound is healing in its own juices.' He bluntly told the nurse, 'You'll have to learn how to express yourself,' and, after a pause, added, 'and I don't mean breast milk!'

-- Lionel Hartley

Marriage Enrichment

There was this fellow who commuted from Brisbane to Kalangur each day to attend the South Queensland SDA Camp Meeting. Amongst other meetings, I ran a course on interpersonal relationships that year.  He attended this course and decided to mend his ways to become more appreciative of his non-Christian wife who hadn't come to any of the meetings. When I next spoke to him, he related what later happened because on the way home from the Camp Meeting he bought a big heart-shaped box of chocolates and a huge bunch of roses. When he melodramatically presented them to her she burst into tears. After considerable efforts at consoling her she blubbered, "It's been such a terrible week - the fridge broke down, the dog twice sicked up on the carpet, the car got a flat tyre, our five-year-old flushed the car keys down the toilet, I broke my favorite teapot, and now you come home drunk!"
-- Lionel Hartley, The Link Bulletin, December 1995

GROWTH

GROWTH:
G - Go to God in prayer daily John 15:7
R - Read God's Word daily Acts 17:11
O - Obey God moment by moment John 14:21
W - Witness for Christ daily by your life and words Matthew 4:19; John 15:8
T - Trust God in every detail of your life 1 Peter 5:7
H - allow the Holy Spirit to control and empower your daily life and witness Galatians 5:16,17; Acts 1:8

-- Lionel Hartley 1989

4-A method to problem solving

4-A method to problem solving:

Accept that God is able. "With God all things are possible". Matt 19:26

Accept God's wisdom to face your problem.  James 1:5

Accept counsel from Christian friends. Proverbs 11:14

Act. Believing that God is able, accepting His wisdom, and good counsel, choose a course of action and act in faith. Hebrews 11:8

-- Lionel Hartley © May 2005

Getting a Tattoo

Some time ago I received an email where the writer asks:
 'My Dad has been arguing with me because I want to get a tattoo. What do you think, is it really so bad wanting a tattoo?

My reply:
As I use the Bible to guide what I think, I would rather tell you what the Bible says, than simply what I think. Leviticus 19:28 in the New International Version (NIV) reads 'Do not cut your bodies … or put tattoo marks on yourselves. I am the LORD.' Now you will probably think that the context of this argument is weak if, for example, you read the preceding verse, 'Do not cut the hair at the sides of your head or clip off the edges of your beard.' (Vs 27). However, the New Testament provides a stronger argument in John 2:21 where John describes the body as a temple. Paul expands this concept in 1 Corinthians 6:19, 20: 'Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honour God with your body.'
So if our bodies are a home for the indwelling of God, then we are indeed responsible for caring for His 'house'. Surely mutilating God's temple is not what the Creator has planned for us. Also the Bible puts humility and service to others above the decoration of self: 1 Peter 3: 3,4: 'Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewellery and fine clothes. Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God's sight.'

--Lionel Hartley

30 Types of Love in Ephesians 5

30 Types of Love in Ephesians 5...
[Ephesians 5:2] And walk in love...

         
[Ephesians 5:20] Giving thanks always (A grateful love) for all things (A inclusive love) unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;
         
[Ephesians 5:21] Submitting yourselves (A surrendering love) one to another (A mutual love) in the fear of God.
         
[Ephesians 5:22] Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord (A Godly love).

[Ephesians 5:23] For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour (A “risk-all” love) of the body.
         
[Ephesians 5:24] Therefore as the church is subject (First Corinthians 7:3, 4 calls this a benevolent love) unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing (More inclusive love).
         
[Ephesians 5:25] Husbands, love (A command!) your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave (A sacrificial love) himself for it;
         
[Ephesians 5:26] That he might sanctify (A purifying love) and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word (Love based on biblical precepts),

[Ephesians 5:27] That he might present (A giving love) it to himself a glorious (A glorious love) church, not having spot, or wrinkle (A pure love), or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish (A love with no strings attached).
         
[Ephesians 5:28] So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies (A caring love). He that loveth his wife loveth himself (A love which builds self esteem).
         
[Ephesians 5:29] For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth (A nurturing love) and cherisheth (A precious love - emphasising value and worth) it, even as the Lord the church (A committed love):

[Ephesians 5:30] For we are members (A unifying love) of his body (A complete love), of his flesh (A growing love), and of his bones (A strong love).
         
[Ephesians 5:31] For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother (A love which considers priorities), and shall be joined (A bonding love) unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh (A physical love).
         
[Ephesians 5:32] This is a great mystery (a love we can’t explain): but I speak concerning Christ and the church (A spiritual love).
         
[Ephesians 5:33] Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself (this is in the singular: a faithful love [fidelity]); and the wife see that she reverence (A love of respect) her husband.”

© 2003 Lionel Hartley

The Beatitude of Gratitude

"The beatitude of gratitude is an attitude. Gratitude consists of more than the commonplace, hence gratitude is no platitude. Gratitude seeks all strata of society and thare for is no platitude in servitude. Gratitude is a deliberate act of precision, an exactitude in giving. Gratitude builds relationships to prevent solitude. In summary then, The primary beatitude is an attitude of gratitude which is no platitude in servitude, but an exactitude which prevents solitude."
--Lionel Hartley, The Beatitudes, Philadelphia Publications, 1977

Tarnishing Tarshish

Tarnishing Tarshish

 It is interesting how something ordinary can take on extra-ordinary significance, and yet this extra-ordinary significance can so easily be sullied, making the thing again ordinary (or less than ordinary). In Old Testament times, the ships of Tarshish were regarded as a symbol of beauty, strength and lofty ideals. Even ships going to Tarshish took on this same significance. The name Tarshish became also an epithet for any merchant vessel (as if for, to or from that Mediterranean Sea port - Tarshish ships were even made as far away as Eziongaber or Etsjon-Geber on the Red Sea-- 2 Chronicles 20:36).
Isaiah 2:16 even lists the ships of Tarshish in their symbolic beauty and loftiness along with one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, the Cedars of Lebanon.
2 Chronicles 9:21, Jeremiah 10:9, Ezekiel 27:12 and Isaiah 60:9 all refer to the ships of Tarshish bringing gold, and other treasures. Ezekiel 27:25 and 38:13 even go so far as to suggest that praise from the merchants or ships of Tarshish is to be desired.
And yet, despite all this, Jonah, in a singular act of rebellion against God, changed this perception: 'But Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarshish from the presence of the LORD, and went down to Joppa; and he found a ship going to Tarshish: so he paid the fare thereof, and went down into it, to go with them unto Tarshish from the presence of the LORD' (Jonah 1:3).
God has given us an earth-full of wonderful gifts, treasures to have and behold, ideals with which to aspire and good news to share. However, in our rebellion we quickly tarnish Tarshish.
The word tarnish comes from the French word 'ternir' from the root 'terne', meaning 'dark' and often refers to oxidation of surfaces due to misuse. Tarnish on many surfaces can be removed by polishing with denatured (methylated) spirit. We all have rebelled and tarnished many of God's glorious gifts. But it is not too late. We can still use God's Spirit to put a shine on these things and move us out of darkness into his marvellous light (1 Peter 2:9).

-- Lionel Hartley, FreEzine Magazine, Issue 33 Vol 4 # 3  March 2003

Tarshish is now Turdetania in south-western Spain

Ezekiel 27:25 (KJV)  The ships of Tarshish did sing of thee in thy market: and thou wast replenished, and made very glorious in the midst of the seas.

Having a handicap

Having a Handicap.
I sit writing this, I reflect on a question that I was asked this very day regarding coping with what he described as 'a handicap'. Here is how I truthfully answered the enquirer. "Many decades ago when I was a child at primary school, I would rather read than participate in sporting activities. However at the school's annual sports carnival, running races were mandatory for all students. My teacher, a Miss Pierre, realised that I would be unlikely to run competitively against my classmates who spent every opportunity at recess and lunchtime to run and play in the school playgrounds while I sat and read books. So Miss Pierre took me to one side and said, 'Lionel, today for your race I am giving you a handicap.''What's that?', I asked.'It's a head start! When I start the race I will tell you to go first and then I will blow the whistle for the rest of the class to start running.'Well, I still came in last in the race, but I have always remembered that to have a handicap is to have a head start."
-- Lionel Hartley (Reprinted from an editorial written 3rd July 2005)

Chronicles in the Life of Peter Blank, Part 14

Episode 14: Theology For Peter
Peter had been married almost a year, had ceased employment, and was attending a church camp, uncertain of the direction for his future. He had a number of options, one of which was returning to study, perhaps obtaining a degree in theology. However to seek that option would require perhaps a further $1000 more than he had saved. He considered completing an earlier interrupted teaching diploma. These and other possibilities were discussed often with his wife, Mary, but still a definite direction was illusive. The local Church Conference President was a close friend and, on Christmas Eve Peter sought an opportunity to share prayer with him and seek counsel. The wise pastor listened patiently as Peter shared the possibilities he and his wife had discussed. Then his counsellor suggested something rather strange. He asked what was preventing Peter doing what he believed God wanted him to do. Assuming it to be obtaining a theology degree, he mentioned the need of a further $1000. The pastor immediately suggested that if that was all he needed then he could determine God's will by testing out the Lord.  With them praying about it together, yet neither mentioning it to any-one else, Peter would challenge God to show him how he could raise $1000 within the following week IF God wanted him to pursue that option.
Peter didn't have long to wait for an answer, for the very next day, a Godly relative was sharing Christmas Dinner with them in their caravan. "What are you doing next year, Peter?" she asked as the meal concluded. "I'm not sure yet," he replied, "perhaps I'll do some further study."
"That'll be expensive with a family to care for as well." she mused. "I've put aside some money I'm willing to contribute if you choose theology;" she ventured, and then quickly added, "One thousand dollars!"
Needless to say, Peter considered it an answer to prayer and a little more than a month later was attending his first theology lecture.
Although God was moving his life, the lesson for Peter is not finished yet.


-- Lionel Hartley, Not Finished Yet -- Chronicles in the Life of Peter Blank
"This serial saga, although novel, is not a novel. It is merely a series of true-life episodes highlighting the extraordinary working of an extraordinary God in a very ordinary life. Each episode contained a lesson for Peter Blank, a lesson we can all learn, from a lesson-book life that is not finished yet."
As first appeared in FreEzine Magazine July 2000 ff

Hidden Treasures

These hidden treasures are found by reading the verse and selecting each letter of each word only in the order that they were written. The words are chosen to describe what the verse is saying to you.
This exercise is to encourage you to read the verse many times and to look for the deeper personal meanings.
It is not an appropriate method of building theology.

Valentine:
For God so loVed the world,
That He gAve
his onLy
BegottEn
SoN
That whosoever
believeth In Him
Should Not perish,
But have Everlasting life.'
John 3:16

Phrase: Goodness to us all
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Here are some more that I found: God’s Valentine; God loves even me!; God loved even Satan; God loves you all; Great Love; Eternal life; Forever; Good Hope; Love divine; Great Trust; Faith in Him; God gave to us life; Favourite; Greater honour; God’s love is so true; The world sees that wonder; Will I have everlasting life?; Glory to who ever believes; God invites all.

-- Lionel Hartley Feb ©2009

Chronicles in the Life of Peter Blank, Part 13

Episode 13: The Hitch-hiker
Peter was planning the return to the land of his birth. His bride-to-be, also born in that same land, was to follow some months later. They decided that the bulk of her luggage, which was in storage, could be air-freighted along with Peter's luggage to save her the burden of organising it later in the year. A taxi-truck was duly rented and the cabin trunk and boxes were delivered, along with Peter and Mary, to the Air Cargo depot in one of the outer suburbs of the city.
Peter and Mary felt a little anxious as the items were weighed. They only had limited funds, some which would be required for their return journey from the city. They prayed silently as the scales creaked under the weight of their parcels. The depot attendant asked how much they anticipated paying. A chin-scratching "Hmmmm" followed their reply, and he sighed, "I'll see what I can do."
A few minutes later he smilingly announced that, due to a reclassifying the luggage as household effects, the amount they had suggested would be the exact amount he would receipt for them.
Peter and Mary had gone to the suburban depot in a taxi-truck -- they now had to find a way back to the Central Railway Station in the heart of the city. They felt their best option would be to walk the several kilometres to the International Airport and travel from there to the Central Railway Station on the Airport Shuttle Bus.
As they waited to cross a busy intersection, Peter jokingly pointed out a 'bus to Mary which had the word AIRPORT emblazoned across the front. Peter's pointing digit had apparently caught the eye of the driver who, it seems, mistook it for a gesture for him to stop. He signalled a reply, to the effect that he would wait for them on the other side of the intersection.
They boarded the 'bus and were immediately directed by the driver, without verbal interchange, to jostle to the back of the 'bus. In bewilderment, they did so, but were even more surprised when the 'bus failed to turn off at the side road to the airport, but proceeded immediately into the city and stopped outside the Central railway Station. Amid the clambering passengers they made their way to the front of the 'bus. The driver was nowhere to be seen! A perambulated circuit around the 'bus revealed the driver, an Oriental gentleman, unloading suitcases from the stowage area under the 'bus. Upon asking how much they owed for the journey, he said, "You hitch-hikers. No pay!"
With gratitude they made their way to the relevant platform and caught a much earlier train than was originally planned, thanking God once again for attending to the minutest detail.
However, the lessons for Peter are not finished yet.


-- Lionel Hartley, Not Finished Yet -- Chronicles in the Life of Peter Blank
"This serial saga, although novel, is not a novel. It is merely a series of true-life episodes highlighting the extraordinary working of an extraordinary God in a very ordinary life. Each episode contained a lesson for Peter Blank, a lesson we can all learn, from a lesson-book life that is not finished yet."
As first appeared in FreEzine Magazine July 2000 ff

 He lives, He lives.

A number of years ago I filmed a documentary to promote the ministry of the Crossroads Christian Fellowship to the Disabled in Newcastle, New South Wales. 

As I filmed one of their gatherings, I was moved to tears by about 50 persons, some quite severely disabled and many obviously in great pain, singing with gusto and enthusiasm, some with slurred voices, others with distorted facial features, some with contorted bodies, most in wheelchairs unintentionally advertising their disabilities.

 

And what were they singing? "He lives, He lives, Christ Jesus lives today! He walks with me and talks with me along life's narrow way. He lives, He lives, salvation to impart! You ask me how I know He lives? He lives within my heart."

 

---  Lionel Hartley