What flag will we choose?

I am interested to see what flag is chosen as this flag will represent what New Zealanders see as important.   

As a nation God has blessed us and continues to bless us.  We live in a beautiful country, the work of God’s creation, located in the Southern hemisphere, represented by imagery of the Southern Cross. We live in a nation, a colony of Britain, represented by the Union Jack and founded with a Treaty that attempted to establish principles for Maori and Pakeha to live together.  We live in a society with a justice system founded on the 10 commandments.  New Zealanders have benefited greatly from God’s work and following his guidance. 

God’s greatest work for the world occurred at the cross, where Jesus chose to die for our sin so that we could be forgiven, restored into relationship with our Heavenly Father and live forever.  “For God  loved the world so much he gave his only Son, so that anyone who  believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16).” Just as the Southern Cross helped sailors navigate to New Zealand so the work on the cross guides us to our Heavenly father, to peace on earth now and to eternal life. 

The Bible records how nations prospered when they listened and obeyed God and were conquered or destroyed when they did not.  Our national anthem reflects our acknowledgement that we once wanted God’s help. But do you still talk and listen to Him? The answer to this question affects your life now and in the future. Regardless of what flag is chosen, the Southern Cross will shine bright in the sky and God’s work on the cross is complete “Jesus is the King of Kings and Prince of peace”. 

Nicola Hawkins

Mangapapa Church

Published in the Gisborne Herald 22 August 2015

There is no bigger question...

"Christians live on a different planet!"  A comment sometimes heard from those who think we are a bit silly in believing in faith in God, but there is a lot of truth in it!   

Physicist Stephen Hawking, in launching his great search for intelligent life in the universe recently said; "…there is no bigger question.  It’s time to commit to finding the answer, to search for life beyond Earth.  We must know.”   Well, as a Christian I would not discount the possibility of other God-created life  in an infinite universe, but I certainly would redefine what 'finding life' actually means, and what the 'no bigger question' is.  I will do so by sharing a very recent example.  

A member of our church has been to their sick and dying younger brother several times, encouraging him to turn to Jesus, to believe His love and forgiveness of sin and receive Jesus' very life that He brings into us.   The brother could or would not see it, until one night, he did decide to call out to Jesus, and he found indeed he was 'born again' spiritually into new life in Jesus Christ.  A fascinating thing has happened - this man, given no hope by wonderful specialists, is recovering physically as I write this.  It is a beautiful God-thing.  How long he will have on this planet, we don't know, but as he finally came into peace with God in his 'inner man', now his physical 'outer man' is responding too.  

How absolutely natural and wonderful is the spiritual life in Christ, that brings us to being one with God and with all God has created.  There is "no bigger question" - have you found the Way, the Truth and the Life?  Tune in your inner listening ear to Jesus Christ. 

Stewart Patrick 

Leader, Mangapapa Church, Gisborne 

Published in the Gisborne Herald Saturday 8 August 2015 

Stewart will be known by many for his earlier work with Youth for Christ, and has now been the leader at Mangapapa Church for the last few years.  He leads his church - God's church - with a strong commitment to the word of God as being the truth, and the importance of staying "in the vine".

Spacecraft

Recently in the news there has been the story of an unmanned spacecraft photographing Pluto on the way past.  Who knows how long the spaceship will carry on travelling? A little closer to home, satellite spacecraft also continuously circle the earth in a seemingly endless way.

Recent stories about space travel reminded me of some key verses in Psalm 103.  This psalm describes, some of the amazing things God does for us, and also describes the fragility He sees in us. 

In particular, verses 11 and 12 resonate with me, in relation to the topic of space.  “For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us”.

The heavens are seemingly endless above the earth.  This image gives a glimpse of the extent to which God loves or cares about us – Wow!    “Those who fear him” describes anyone who has reverence for Him or recognises that He exists. 

Finally if we confess our sins (the bad things we do) to him, the final verse describes what He will do with our transgressions.  Transgressions  is another word for sin.  When you think back to the image of a satellite, if it is heading east around the earth it will never reach the west.  If we leave our sins with God, He will take them completely away from us.

Remember that God will never give up on you.  Why not  talk to someone whose life has been changed by God?

Don McLean