18/05/2024

Angus Buchan

18/05/2024

Let Your Light Shine

Angus Buchan • Matthew 5:16

I greet you in Jesus’ precious name! It is Saturday morning, the 18th of May, 2024, and this is your friend, Angus Buchan, with a thought for today.

We go straight to the Gospel of Matthew 5:16:

“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.”

It is not so much what we say but rather who we are that makes an impact on the world. Isn’t that true? It is like that beautiful lighthouse standing on top of that cliff, with all the dangerous rocks behind it. Charles Haddon Spurgeon, the great preacher, said, “The lighthouse makes no noise, it makes no song and it is silent, but on a stormy night it shines through the noise of the waves that are crashing on the seashore, it helps that desperate sea captain, when he is trying to navigate his ship, with waves that are 3 metres high and he can’t see where he is going, and then all of a sudden he sees a little light in the distance, just a spark, that’s all he sees, and it speaks louder than a thousand choirs singing because now he knows where the danger is.”

Many, many years ago, I had the privilege of going to speak at a men’s conference in the northern part of our beloved South Africa. I got letter in the post before I left, to say that “There is an old gentleman who would like to meet with you.” Well, I want to be honest with you, at the time I felt I didn’t have time to go and see him, but I felt the Holy Spirit say, “You must go and visit this old man on the way up to the conference”, which I duly did. As I walked into his house, I sensed the presence of God there. I saw a huge photograph on the wall of an old lady and an old man. I looked at that old man and I couldn’t believe it. It was a photo of the Yorkshire Plumber, Smith Wigglesworth, a man who had been used by God, mightily. In fact, something like 13 people had been raised from the dead through his ministry.

I said to the old gentleman, Mr Harold Berry, “Sir, is this a friend of yours?” He said, ‘It is one of my relatives. It is my wife's grandfather.” I was amazed. I got on my knees, on the carpet, and I asked him to please anoint me. I said, “I want your mantle, Sir.” This old gentleman had started many churches up in the Congo. He was ninety years old. He walked into his room, got a bottle of healing oil and anointed my head with oil. Then he started praying undiluted scripture over me. It was impressive, very impressive, but the part that I remember, only one part, he said, “It won’t be so much what he says but who he is, that will make the impact,” And I have never forgotten that. It is not what you say, it is not how loud you can sing, it is how well you can shine for the Lord.

Jesus bless you and have a wonderful day,

Goodbye.

01/06/2024

June 1, 2024 • Angus Buchan • 2 Corinthians 5:17, Revelation 21:5

I greet you in Jesus' precious name! It is Saturday morning, the 1st of June, 2024, and this is your friend, Angus Buchan, with a thought for today. We go straight to the Book of Revelation 21:5: "Then He who sat on the throne said, "Behold, I make all things new." And He said to me, "Write, for these words are true and faithful." That is a wonderful promise from God. He doesn't do patch-up jobs, He doesn't try and renew something that's old and broken. He does a brand-new job. One of my favourite verses in the Bible, 2 Corinthians 5:17 says: "Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new." It is a miracle, an absolute miracle, and it is something I can never, ever get used to, and I have seen it for 45 years. You preach the Gospel with love, with sincerity. You challenge the men and the women, the boys and the girls - I have seen it from Sunday School, to men's conferences to ladies meetings, and then you give them an opportunity. You say, "What about giving your life to Christ today?" And you see the change in the countenance of the person. A person who is down and out, who is broken, who has been defeated, all of a sudden, it is the power of God, folks, it is the Holy Spirit, the same Holy Spirit who moved in the upper room. A group of people who are cowering in the corner, absolutely petrified, waiting for the Roman soldiers to come in and to execute them, all of a sudden filled with the power of God and completely new life comes into them. Remember Peter? He preached his first sermon and 3,000 people came to Christ. The same thing has happened, wherever I go I see it, and it touches me deeply. A man who is an alcoholic and is giving up, he prays that prayer, he asks Jesus into his heart, and God takes that thing away from him; broken marriages restored; physical healings taking place. He is the God of the impossible! Put your trust in Him today. I want to pray for you. Maybe you have never prayed this prayer yourself. Why not do it on the 1st of June, a new beginning? Pray this simple prayer after me: Dear Lord Jesus, I am tired of living the way I am living. Today Lord, I surrender my old life to You, and I ask You to make me a new creation. I want to start again, Lord. I repent of my sin, I accept You as my Lord and Saviour. I will serve no other gods but You, today onwards, in Jesus' name, Amen. God bless you. Now, go out and tell the first three people that you meet what you did today. You are a brand-new person! Jesus bless you and goodbye.

31/05/2024

May 31, 2024 • Angus Buchan • Psalm 39:3

I greet you in Jesus’ precious name! It is the 31st of May, the last day of the month, Friday morning, and the year is 2024, and this is your friend, Angus Buchan, with a thought for today. We go straight to the Book of Psalms 39:3: “My heart was hot within me; While I was musing, the fire burned.” “Musing” means contemplating. It means thinking deeply. It means being in a quiet place. You know that lovely old blind preacher, by the name of George Matheson, you hear me often speak about him. They loved him so much that when he died, and they buried him, they put the coffin in the grave, and they say they filled that grave with red roses. He was a wonderful man of God. George Matheson says we must come apart and we must sit quietly and allow the fire of God to fill our hearts, before we go out and speak to others. He says, “Oh my soul, would you have your life glorified, beautified, transfigured, to the eyes of men? Get up into the secret place of God’s pavilion where the fires of love are burning. Your life shall shine gloriously to the dwellers on the plain. Your prayers shall be luminous, they shall light your face like the face of Moses, when he knew not that it shone. Your words shall be burning, they will kindle many a heart, journeying on the road to Emmaus. Your path shall be radiant when you have prayed in Elijah’s solitude. You shall have Elijah’s chariot of fire.” We need to allow the Holy Spirit to speak to us. Get alongside the Lord, sit by that little fireplace, and look into those beautiful bright coals and flames, and let the Holy Spirit speak to you. Then go into all the world and tell people about your beloved Jesus, and you will get amazing results. Because you see, they won’t see you; no, they will see Christ in you. Have a wonderful day, Jesus bless you and goodbye.

30/05/2024

May 30, 2024 • Angus Buchan • Luke 9:25

I greet you in Jesus' precious name! It is Thursday morning, the 30th of May, 2024, and this is your friend, Angus Buchan, with a thought for today. We start in the Gospel of Luke 9:25: "For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and is himself destroyed or lost?" Oh, my dear friend, we have to stop working so hard. We have to stop trying to please God. The Lord loves us as we are. We don't have to do anything to earn His love. We just have to love Him, that's all. So many of us are trying to earn our way to Heaven. You can't earn your way to Heaven, it is for gratis, it is free. You don't have to pay for it, you just have to receive it. The Lord just wants you and I for fellowship. He created us so that He could speak with us, love us, and we love Him. That's all. The other night, Jill and I were sitting, listening to the most beautiful song. It's called "Broken Ladders". The song was written by Samuel and Becca Mizell. I think that's how you pronounce their name. I want to read this to you. It is the most beautiful song: You never asked me to be king Build my tower up to the sky So why do I try You never asked me to be rich And buy the things that gold can buy So why do I try All You ever wanted was my heart My heart, my simple heart To You that's all that really matters Why do I feel I have to reach Believe I have to rise When You never said I had to climb These broken ladders You never asked me to be complete By myself, find all I need So why do I try Oh, You never asked me to stand alone Face the struggles on my own So why do I try When all You ever wanted was my heart My heart, my simple heart To you that's all that really matters Why do I feel I have to reach Believe I have to rise When You never said I had to climb These broken ladders Cause all they do is take my eyes off You And make me forget the truth All You ever wanted was my heart My heart, my simple heart To You that's all that really matters Why do I feel I have to reach Believe I have to rise When You never said I had to climb Oh You never said I had to climb These broken ladders Oh these broken ladders What beautiful words! Today, stop trying to do things for God and just love Him. That's all He wants. God bless you and goodbye.