Hello everyone From the Editor

The Bible says, ‘Give no place to the devil’. This also includes sin and evil. We should not entertain or give sin any place in our hearts and minds, if we do, sin will take over our lives.

You may have heard of the old Arab story of the camel getting into the tent. An Arab lived in a tent. One cold night he heard footsteps. It was a camel. The camel poked his nose into the tent, “Get out “ ordered the Arab. The camel spoke back, “It’s freezing cold out here. Please let me just put my nose inside to get warm.” “Alright’ said the Arab. “but don’t come any further.”

Soon the Arab noticed the Camel’s head was inside the tent. “Didn’t I tell you to come no further,” shouted the Arab. “But my head is so cold, and I thought that you wouldn’t mind my head in as well.” replied the camel. “Well, see that you come no further.” growled the Arab.

Soon the camel had his front feet and shoulders through the door and was moving in further. The Arab was angry and told the camel to leave. He reached down for a stick to hit the camel, but the camel pushed boldly into the tent and forced the poor man out of his tent, so that he had to stay out in the cold.

Now sin and the devil are like that camel, if we let them into our lives, even in a small way, then soon they will control and occupy our entire lives.

So the Bible wisely says, ‘Give no place to the devil’. We must forsake every sin and set our hearts against it by the Lord’s grace and help. There is an old proverb that goes something like this, “First, the man took an evil, then the evil took another evil, then the evil took over the man’.

Sin and evil never remain alone, they always increase, and they take over more and more of a person’s heart and life, until they have complete control and ruin our lives.

The Artist and the Gypsy Girl

Many years ago the artist Stenberg had his artist’s studio in Dusseldorf, in Germany. He agreed to paint a picture of the crucifixion of Christ for a Church. It was to be a masterpiece and he would be paid a large price for his work.

Before he began to paint, he carefully read all the details about the death of Christ for several weeks. At last he began to paint. First the background, then the cross. Day by day he added a little more. Then he became tired. “I’ll forget this and walk out in the country and do some sketching.”

At the edge of the forest, Stenberg saw a gypsy girl weaving a straw basket. She had long black hair and large shiny black eyes. “What a painting!” Stenberg thought. The girl stood up and did a gypsy dance before the Artist.

“Stand,” said Stenberg, “this week you must come to my studio ; I’LL paint you.” “But Sir,” the girl replied shyly, “I’m only a poor gypsy girl.”

“Come.” Said Stenberg. And she came at the appointed time. Her name was Pepita. Stenberg was ready for her. “Stand! Sit!” he ordered. Pepita had never seen a studio. She asked many questions.

Then suddenly she saw the painting of the crucifixion. “Who is it?” she asked. “The Christ.” he replied. “But what are they doing to Him?” “Crucifying Him.” he answered. “But who are those cruel people.?”

Stenberg put down his brush and said, “Now look here, you must stand there still and do not move your lips to speak. She remained quiet but her eyes were fixed on the crucifixion. As she left that day, she asked, “Was he bad?” “No, no, very good.” Stenberg replied.

Each day Pepita came she asked another question, “If he was good, why did they do it?” Stenberg answered, “Listen, I will tell you once for all.” Then he quickly explained the story of the crucifixion. As he did, he noticed that her eyes were filled with tears.

At last both paintings were finished. Pepita was delighted with the picture of herself. Then she walked to the other picture and looked silently, and said to Stenberg, “You must love Him very much, Sir, when He has done all that for you; do you not?” Then she left quickly.

Pepita’s words seemed to ring in Stenberg’s ears, “You must love Him very much when He has done so much for you.”
He could not forget them. He now felt troubled and unhappy in his heart. He sold the painting to the Church for a fraction of its worth, but he was still troubled.

One evening he went for a walk and people who seemed to be happy entering into a church. He joined them people and there heard the message of the gospel and he came to know Christ as his Saviour.

His painting was hung and people flocked to see it. One day he found Pepita standing in front of the picture weeping. “Oh Sir.” She cried. “if he had but loved me so.” Stenberg sat down and explained to her that Christ died for people of very race who trust in Him. Pepita listened quietly and said “I believe it.” Two years later she died, firmly trusting in Christ.

Stenberg also grew old and died. Years later a young nobleman wandered into the gallery and looked at the painting. He read the words underneath, “All this I did for thee. What hast thou done for me?”

These words spoke to that young man’s heart and that night he devoted his life to serving Christ. That nobleman was Count Zinzendorf (1700-1760) who became a famous missionary for many years. The art gallery was burned down many years ago and with it the famous painting of the crucifixion of Christ.

~Smile a while~

· Big shot: Did you hear about the man who got a job as a human cannon ball? He was hired and fired the same night.

· Good shot: Did you hear about the human cannon ball? He could not retire because they could not find another one of his calibre.

· Rash shot: Bob, Jack and Bill were all to face a firing squad. Bob was first. Just before the order to shoot, he screamed “Earthquake!” The squad took fright and fled. Bob jumped the wall and escaped. Then Jack’s turn. He yelled, “Tornado”. He also escaped. Then Bill’s turn came. He thought, ”They are frightened of a disaster.” As the guns were raised, he yelled out “Fire”

· Top Dog: What kind of dog can jump higher than a building?

Any kind of dog. Buildings can’t jump.

· Perfect balance: As a man approached a bank teller’s window, he suddenly tripped and fell forward, but he managed to save himself from falling. The teller asked him, “Did you come here to get your balance?”

· Great results: Teacher: “When you take these exam results home to your father his hair will turn gray.” Pupil: “Wow, my dad will be very happy. He is completely bald”

What’s the hardest part of doing an exam? The correct answers.

· Legal meal: Two lawyers walked into a restaurant and ordered cups of coffee, then pulled their lunches from their briefcases. “Sorry,” said the waitress, “but you can’t eat your own food here.” The lawyers looked at each other, shrugged their shoulder, and swapped their sandwiches.

· Who am I?: When asked of whom a certain photo was of, the owner replied, ”Brothers and sisters I have none, but that man’s father is my father’s son.

Which came first?

“What is that you are reading?” a young man roughly demanded of a young girl. “I am reading God’s book, the Bible.” she replied. “Then you believe that there is a God?” he asked. She answered, “Is it possible that you don’t believe it?” “I used to believe that there is a God, but after attending university and studying science and philosophy, I realised that it is all wrong. There is no God.” he replied.

“I have never studied those subjects that you have. But since you are so educated, may I ask you a question?” “Certainly”. he replied, “Ask as many as you please.”

“You say there is no God. Now suppose I had an egg in my hand, could you tell me where it came from?” He replied, “What a funny question! Of course it came from a hen.” “And which existed first, the egg or the hen?” she asked. “I really don’t know what you mean by this question. Of course the hen existed first.”

“Well that must have been a hen that did not come from an egg. Can you tell me where that hen came from?” He stuttered and replied, “I was mistaken. Of course the egg came first.” “Then that must have been an egg that did not come from a hen. Where did that first egg come from?” she continued.

The young man was frustrated, “What’s the use of asking such questions as these?” “The use is this,” continued the girl, “if the first hen did not come from an egg as other hens do then somebody must have made that hen. That somebody must be God. If you cannot explain how the first egg existed without God, how can you explain how the whole world came into existence without God?”

The young man looked very annoyed and turned and walked away. The simple question from the girl had shown how empty all his so-called learning was.

The Shorter Catechism - Question 11

Question ~ What are God's works of providence? Answer ~ God's works of providence are, His most holy, wise, and powerful preserving and governing all His creatures, and all their actions.

This question indicates a new section in our Catechism entitled Providence. This word appears only once in our English Bible [Acts 24:21 which is a bit strange when you think how important providence is to our daily lives. It refers to how God works in time, space and history bringing about all that He has planned for the world and for our lives.

When Jesus told His followers not to worry about tomorrow (Mt 6:25) He had in mind that God takes care of all our tomorrows in His providence. God works away in the background of our lives and everything He does is carded out in a holy, wise and powerful manner. So that everything He has created functions according to His will and purpose.

A little girl once asked her dad what this Catechism answer really meant. He replied in this way: ‘I once knew a very clever man that always seemed to be building things in his workshop. One day I saw all sorts of funny little wheels and springs lying about his workbench. I asked him what he intended to do with it all. He replied that he planned to build a clock. I told him that I couldn't see how all these little bits and pieces could ever tell the time. The next time I visited his workshop I saw the finished clock on the wall and working perfectly. I asked him how he could be sure that it would keep the time. He replied, I designed it to keep the time and all I have to do now is wind it up every week.’

So God has designed the universe. His powerful preserving and governing of all the elements of the world maintains its order. Except for one thing: we can no longer function according to design due to the damage caused by sin. That is why there is so much evil, wickedness, suffering, pain and death all around us.

Without God's ruling in providence there would be nothing but confusion and turmoil in the world. But by His preserving and governing over the actions of men, He makes sure that evil is kept in check and that good will be done in the lives of men and women, boys and girls.

That is why we believe in a good, kind and loving God. So when your friends ask you why there is so much evil and suffering and pain in the world you can tell them it would be a whole lot worse were it not for the God that rules in providence!

Doing the same thing as Adam

Some people imagine that if they were in Adam’s position they would not sin as he did.

A young boy named Jabo felt this way. His father was a preacher in Sudan, Africa. One Sunday Jabo’s father was invited to preach at the next village, so he asked Jabo to go with him. Jabo did not want to go; he made every excuse he could think of. It was too hot, the road was too rough and dusty, and when he finally went to church, he complained that the seats were too hard.

Jabo slept through much of the sermon, but he woke in time to hear his father say, “Sin entered the world through Adam, and all the troubles of this world are because of sin.” This gave Jabo something to really complain about. “If only Adam hadn’t sinned, we wouldn’t have all this trouble. I wouldn’t have to work and do things I don’t like. Adam was a wicked man. I am sure that I would not have been so stupid.”

After tea that night, Jabo’s father said to him, “Jabo you have growled all day today. I am tired of your grumbling. So, I have decided that you will not have to work any more. You can eat what you like and do what you like.” Jabo was delighted, “You mean I will not have to work in the garden any more?” “That’s right,” replied the father. “But do you see that little red box?” “Yes “ replied Jabo. “You will not have to work as long as you don’t open that box, but if you open the box, you will have to go back to work again. Do you understand, Jabo?”

“You mean as long as I don’t open that box I won’t have to work? Why I won’t even look at it”. Jabo replied.. The father continued. “Tomorrow, your mother and I will be away until late in the day. We will leave food for you; but don’t open that box”

When Jabo got up the next morning, his parents were gone and he could please himself. The first thing he saw was the red box. “I wonder what is in it?” he muttered. Then he made himself some breakfast, then he decided to make himself a new spear. But all the time he was looking at the box and wondering what was in it.

At last he walked over to the box to take a closer look at it. He said to himself, “It won’t hurt if I just look at it.” He put his hands behind his back so that he would not touch it. He thought, “If I opened that fastener just a little, I could see what was in it, and father would never know.” .

His heart was pounding with curiosity and excitement as he care fully lifted the lid. What could be hidden inside” Then out flew a tiny red bird. He tried to catch the bird, but it quickly flew away.

Later his father arrived home; Jabo sought to hide. “Come here”, called his father, “I see you have opened the box which I told you not to open. You have disobeyed me. Now you will have to work.”

Jabo hung has head in shame. His father explained to him, “You have done the same thing that Adam did. He was tempted and disobeyed, so did you. You are guilty of your own sin. But there is a remedy for sin. The gift of God is eternal life, through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Later Jabo realised his need of Christ and became a true Christian.

Not losers!

Sometimes people think that if they kept the Sabbath day holy that they would be losers. They think that they gain much by working on the Lord’s day.

At one time in England there were many flour-mills that worked seven days a week and twenty-four hours a day. The owners of the mills thought that they were producing as much flour as possible.

.However, a new manager took over the mills. He ordered that the mills stop on Saturday night and start on Monday morning. This gave all the workers a full Sunday off work.

During the next year, the same men produced thousands of bushels more flour than they had ever done before. And in fact the men were more happy and contented than they had been. There were less disputes and quarrels than at other times.

God’s commands are not only right, but are good, and for our good. We are never losers when we obey God’s word. Do you ‘Keep holy the Sabbath Day’?

A puzzle. Who was this man?

This man in the Bible, had two names, two characters and two histories. His first name describes what he was in his sinful nature, his second, what he became by God’s grace to him. In the first part of his history he was a great deceiver; in the second part, he was greatly deceived. Few people have experienced greater changes than he did. He had many losses and gains, many hopes and fears, poverty and riches, sorrow and joy.

He was born in one country; married in another; and died in a third; and he was buried in his first land. When he was buried there was great weeping at his graveside, which stirred people from two different nations to which he did not belong. Who was he?