And a very good morning to you!
It is Monday morning, 17th January, the year 2022 and this is your friend, Angus Buchan, with a thought for today.
“Now godliness with contentment is great gain.”
1 Timothy 6:6
Then we go to Philippians 4:11, the Apostle Paul says:
“Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.”
That was a man who had been to the two extremes of life. I looked up the Oxford Dictionary to find out the definition of the word, contentment. It means: “A state of peaceful happiness or satisfaction.”
Now, King David - he had everything. He had money and he was a very, very handsome man. He could do whatever he wanted. He had the most beautiful women in the world, he had fame and power but then he said in Psalm 27:4:
“One thing I have desired of the Lord,
That will I seek:
That I may dwell in the house of the Lord
All the days of my life,
To behold the beauty of the Lord,…”
How are you feeling today, are you content with your lot in life?
I remember the story of a little boy who was always complaining to his mom that he wanted another new pair of shoes until he was walking down the street with his mom one day and he saw another little boy, being wheeled up the street in a pram because he didn’t have any feet.
You and I need to be content and we need to be satisfied with what God has given us. Today I walked out of my house and Jill has got a little window-box made out of brick and cement. She had the most beautiful display of pansies, please look at the picture... Then we had that terrible hailstorm and it wiped out every single flower that she had in the whole garden.
But I walked out this morning and I looked at this little window-box and growing out of the wall, out of the side of the window-box, that’s right the brick and the cement was the most beautiful, content, happy, smiling pansy! And the Lord just said to me, in my heart, “You see Angus, that little Pansy is so content.”
Well, the wisest man that ever lived, Solomon, he said:
Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter, and that is:
“Fear God and keep His commandments,
For this is man’s all.”
Ecclesiastes 12:13
Have a good day,
God bless you and goodbye.
17/01/2022
Being Content
January 17, 2022 • Angus Buchan • 1 Timothy 6:6, Philippians 4:11, Psalm 27:4
18/04/2024
April 18, 2024 • Angus Buchan • Psalm 27:1, Matthew 28:20, Philippians 4:13
I greet you in Jesus’ precious name! It is Thursday morning, the 18th of April, 2024, and this is your friend, Angus Buchan, with a thought for today. We start in Psalm 27:1: The Lord is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; Of whom shall I be afraid? Then we go to Matthew, the Gospel of Matthew 28:20, the last verse in the Book of Matthew: “…I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” You and I can never be alone. Jesus has promised us that He will be with us always. We must always add His resources to our own when we are making calculations. That is what F B Meyer says, and I agree. When you sit down and work out your budget, when you are working on your spreadsheet and making plans for your future, always put it next to it with a little + sign, “But God.” So when people come to you and say it will never happen, it is too big, just answer two words, “But God!” Remember, we can do all things through Christ Jesus, who strengthens us. (Philippians 4:13) William Carey, who translated the Bible from English into many different Indian languages, was just a cobbler. People mocked him and said, “You are a shoemaker, aren’t you?” He said, “No, I can’t make shoes, I can only repair them.” Yet God used that man because He brought God into all his calculations. He became the Chief Interpreter to the High Court of Delhi. A country boy, just a man who could repair shoes, why? Because he added God into all his calculations. He added God into all his resources. He said, “Attempt great things for God and expect great things from God.” Today, remember to add “But God” to all your calculations, and you will be surprised at what things you can do for the King. Jesus bless you and have a lovely day. God bless you and goodbye.
17/04/2024
April 17, 2024 • Angus Buchan • Psalm 34:7, Psalm 147:3, 2 Corinthians 12:10
I greet you in Jesus’ precious name! It is Wednesday morning, the 17th of April, 2024, and this is your friend, Angus Buchan, with a thought for today. We start in Psalm 34:7: “The angel of the Lord encamps all around those who fear Him, And delivers them.” “He heals the brokenhearted And binds up their wounds.” Psalm 147:3 In the New Testament, 2 Corinthians 12:10, simply says: “For when I am weak, then I am strong.” And we ask ourselves the question - how come? Well, it’s because when we get out of the way and let God take over, He makes us strong. You know, proud people are often very lonely people. When we come to the Lord Jesus because we just can’t go on anymore, that’s the time that He takes over. It happened in my life and I am sure it has happened in your life. He says, “I can,” just when you say, “Lord, that’s it. I cannot do it anymore.” Maybe you are in that position today. As an evangelist, always the highlight of any service for me, is when we make the altar call. We ask people to come forward and to lay their burdens down at the altar rail, at the foot of the Cross. We see instant and miraculous changes taking place. It is quite something. You see a whole crowd turn in an instant from being down-hearted, fearful and afraid. All of a sudden, they start to smile, there is a real sparkle in their eyes. Many are weeping because they are free from the chains and the shackles of guilt and condemnation. It’s definitely the highlight for me, every single time, and I never, ever get used to it. Billy Graham always used to sing a song, “Just as I am, without one plea”, as the people started to come forward, and I have done it myself many times. It is a very special hymn, it’s a deep hymn, it’s a hymn that sets the captive free, it heals the brokenhearted. That hymn, you know that hymn, maybe you would like to sing it with me? Just as I am, without one plea, But that Thy blood was shed for me, And that Thou bidds’t me come to Thee, O Lamb of God, I come! I come! Just as I am, though tossed about With many a conflict, many a doubt, Fightings and fears, within and without, O Lamb of God, I come, I come! Jesus bless you, Have a wonderful day, Goodbye.
16/04/2024
April 16, 2024 • Angus Buchan • Genesis 4:9, Matthew 22:39
I greet you in Jesus’ precious name! It is Tuesday morning, the 16th of April, 2024, and this is your friend, Angus Buchan, with a thought for today. We start in the Book of Genesis 4:9: “Am I my brother’s keeper?” Then we go straight to Matthew 22:39: “You shall love your neighbour as yourself.” It’s a commandment for you and me. It is not optional. The first family that ever existed was our Heavenly Father, the Lord Jesus Christ, His Son and His Holy Spirit - the First Family. Families are under tremendous strain at the moment. I am getting many letters from families who are not getting on. We ask ourselves the question, why is it that there is so much strife and so much trouble in the family unit? Well, I believe it’s because the family is so close to our Heavenly Father’s heart. He loves the family unit, and the devil knows it, and the devil hates God and the way that he can hurt God, is to hurt God’s family. There is no one who fights like brothers, and it is not even a joke, folks; it is serious. The first two brothers in the Bible were the children of Adam and Eve. Their names were Cain and Abel. Remember, Cain killed his brother, Abel, and when our Heavenly Father asked, “Where is your brother?” He said, “Am I my brother’s keeper?” Am I responsible? Well, the answer is yes, we are responsible. What about Joseph with the coat of many colours, how he and his brothers could not get on together? No-one fights like brothers. The Jews and the Arabs have got the same father, Abraham, they are half-brothers, and look at what is happening as I talk to you now, in the Middle East. You know, I knew two brothers who could not get on and it got so bad that the one brother went to the government offices and got his surname spelling changed. He did not even want his name to be spelt the same as his brother's. It is not a joke, folks. It is so serious. We must to learn to forgive, to make up and to press on together, and we must also see how the devil’s hand is in this - he will do everything in his power to destroy the family unit. So what is the solution? The solution is, we need to talk to one another, we need to ask for forgiveness, say sorry. You say, “I can’t.” Jesus says you can and you must for His sake, for your own sake and for your brother’s sake. Jesus bless you and goodbye.