icon__search

18/01/2022

Smell The Roses

January 18, 2022 • Angus Buchan • Psalm 46:10, Mark 6:30–32

And a very good morning to you!

It is Tuesday morning, 18th January, the year 2022, and this is your friend, Angus Buchan, with a thought for today.

“Be still, and know that I am God”
Psalm 46:10

And then we go to the New Testament, Mark 6 and I am reading from verse 30:

“Then the apostles gathered to Jesus and told Him all things, both what they had done and what they had taught. And He said to them, “Come aside by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while.” For there were many coming and going, and they did not even have time to eat. So they departed to a deserted place in the boat by themselves.”

A few years ago the Lord spoke to me almost audibly and do you know what He said? He said: “Your busyness is making Me tired.” I tell you what folks, it was a wake-up call. God is not impressed by our busyness - He wants you to Himself. It is only the world that is impressed - “I am going here, I am going there, I am doing this, I am doing that!”

Even the disciples did not have time to eat. They were telling Jesus of all the miracles and the healings that had taken place, and Jesus said, “Come aside and rest a while.”

You know I ride my horse Snowy, I love that Appaloosa and he talks to me probably more than a lot of people. If I am in a rush and I just want to have a quick ride before I have to go and do something, that horse of mine becomes very agitated. He becomes naughty sometimes. He doesn’t listen to what I am saying because he thinks that there is trouble, he thinks that Angus is too uptight. We need to relax and we need to be still and know that the Lord Jesus Christ, He is God.

The Lord always makes people feel important. Remember the woman at the well? She wasn’t even a Jew, she was a Samaritan. Jesus had time to speak to her and tell her her whole life story. I am talking about God Himself. What about the little people? They came to Jesus, the disciples tried to chase them away. He said:
“Suffer the little ones to come unto Me and forbid them not for of such is the Kingdom of God.”

These days, nobody wants to listen anymore... We really need to take time out. My old friend, Alan, who was my neighbour on the farm next door, we used to stand at that barbed wire fence, early in the morning, waiting for our staff to come to work. I am talking about before 5 o’clock.

We used to chat to each other, and he always used to say to me, “Angus, take time out to smell the roses!” Alan, I am trying - I am trying!

Go out today and smell the roses.

Jesus bless you.
Goodbye.

28/03/2024

March 28, 2024 • Angus Buchan • Isaiah 53:1–3

I greet you in Jesus’ precious name! It is Thursday morning, the 28th of March, 2024, and this is your friend, Angus Buchan, with a thought for today.  We start in the Book of Isaiah 53:1-3: “Who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? For He shall grow up before Him as a tender plant, And as a root out of dry ground. He has no form or comeliness; And when we see Him, There is no beauty that we should desire Him. He is despised and rejected by men, A Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised, and we did not esteem Him.” Oh, my dear friend, that is a description of our Lord Jesus Christ, written 700 years before He was even born. We want to thank our dear Lord Jesus this morning. Remember, this is the night before Good Friday. Tomorrow is the day we traditionally remember that Jesus Christ was crucified for your and my sins. When I think of the example that You set for us on earth, Lord, Your humility, a Man who was acquainted with sorrow and with pain, so much so that we even cannot look upon your face, a man who was despised by the world system because everything You ever said and did was the total opposite of the things of this world - but oh Lord, I love You. I love You because you were such an incredible example to us.   I think of the Baobab tree, the San Bushman tell you it is called the upside-down-tree because the roots look like they are sticking up into the sky and the top of the tree is underground. Well, I want to tell you, our beloved Jesus preaches the upside-down Gospel according to the world system because everything that the world says we must do and be, He seems to teach the exact opposite. When the world says you must get to the top, no matter how many people you trample on to get to the top, Jesus says, “Turn the other cheek”. When the world says you must be the greatest, Jesus says you must be the least. When the world says, “Let’s have a party and be happy”, you are found with those who are weeping, those who are mourning, and those who are sorrowful. Thank You, Master, for leading the way for us, for teaching us, not so much by words, but by action and by lifestyle. Our desires are to become more like You everyday. We love You very, very much. Thank you for being our ultimate example and champion here on earth, Amen. God bless you and have a wonderful day, Goodbye.

27/03/2024

March 27, 2024 • Angus Buchan • Romans 5:3

I greet you in Jesus’ precious name! It is Wednesday morning, the 27th of March, 2024, and this is your friend, Angus Buchan with a thought for today.  We go straight to the book of Romans 5:3:  “And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope.” Just yesterday I had a very severe lesson taught to me in patience, in humility and character building. I had to go and get a document from an institution that was full of people from every walk of life. I got there early in the morning. I waited in the queue and then by about nine or ten o’clock, I asked the lady at the counter, “What is the holdup?” She said that the internet is down and they cannot do anything. That’s right, my patience was starting to get a little bit tested, a bit ragged. I said, ”Well, should I come back?” She said, ”I think that might be a good idea.” “What time should I come back?” I came back at one o’clock.  When I got there at one o’clock, the place was packed out. There were queues everywhere. I had to sit and wait and you know, during that time of waiting, God started talking to me in my heart. First of all, I saw people from every walk of life and I realised how fortunate I was. An older lady was wheeled in a wheelchair because she had to sign the document. There was a man who walked in afterwards. He had obviously had a stroke. He was walking on one crutch, his wife was trying to keep him balanced and he was waiting for a document. There was a young man and a young woman with two little babies, obviously getting the babies registered. The babies were very hot and not comfortable at all and mom and dad were trying to hold the babies and sign all the documents. I sat there quietly looking at all of this and the Lord showed me very clearly, just the tremendous need that there is in society. Sometimes, we are so busy doing things we don’t observe what is happening in the everyday lives of ordinary people. Yes, indeed, it was a character-building day. Eventually, by about half past three in the afternoon, I managed to get to the counter again to collect my document, but only to be told that my fingerprints were not registering on the computer. The poor lady was trying her best to help me but she was failing. I said I’d come back again the next day. She said, ”Please sir, If you don’t mind, I would appreciate that.”  I walked out, and I thought, “I have achieved nothing today,” but just in my quiet time room this morning, I’m realising I had achieved plenty. God showed me just how little patience I have, just how little compassion I have for others, and God taught me a lesson in humility.  Today, don’t be afraid of tribulation. It will make a man or a woman out of you. Jesus bless you and goodbye.

26/03/2024

March 26, 2024 • Angus Buchan • 3 John 4, Matthew 6:33

I greet you in Jesus’ precious name! It is Tuesday morning, the 26th of March, 2024, and this is your friend, Angus Buchan, with a thought for today.  We start in the 3rd Epistle of John - “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.” 3 John 4   Now, this is a letter that the Apostle John wrote to the people and his friend, Gaius, and he says, “I have no greater joy…”  I want to say to young people listening to the Thought For Today, if you want to bring real joy to your mom and your dad, to your parents, maybe even your grandparents, walk in the ways of God, walk in truth, because you see if you walk in truth, then you will succeed in anything you tackle in this life. Matthew 6:33 says:  “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” You shall meet the right person in your life because that person will be a follower of Jesus Christ as well. You will pursue a career that will bless others and you will succeed in it. You will make godly decisions. You will do the right thing. Why? Because you are walking in the truth. I know that I can hear moms and dads saying, “If I only knew when I was young what I know now, I wouldn’t have caused myself so much pain and suffering. You see, young person, when you commit a sin, and you repent of it, and you say sorry to the Lord, He forgives you, but the scar of that sin often remains in your heart when you do something you should not have done. You end up in jail. You didn’t mean to do it and you end up in jail. You made that girl pregnant - you didn’t mean to do it but you did it. God will forgive you but the consequences of your actions remain.   I want to say to you today, if you want to make mom and dad happy, and I know you do, then walk in the truth.   Jesus bless you and goodbye.