Issue 227
TUPU
WHAKARANGI
Impact
Prayer
Teaching
Page 12 Moses’ Story Inside
FREE Please take one
Official magazine of Maori Postal Aotearoa www.maoripostal.co.nz
Jesus
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CONTENTS Issue 227 | Vol 52:1
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THE ONE AND ONLY TRUE GOD! Who is God? What is God like? How are we to know the truth?
CAN YOU HELP US?
7 The Arohanui Team need you!
Editor: Graham Batson Design: Tereya Dowers Mail: PO Box 10, Wanganui E: info.maoripostal@gmail.com www.maoripostal.co.nz
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OVERCOMING DEPRESSION
Rebuild your life.
THE LORD HAS CHANGED MY WAYS COMPLETELY
12 “Lord, you took the drink away from me. Please take my smoking habit from me.”
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15 MPA STALL, CAMBRIDGE
Our team at the local market.
LIVING HER DREAM!
16 Maria Gabrielle Henderson’s story!
19 GODLESSNESS IN THE LAST DAYS
“People will be lovers of themselves.”
AT HOME WITH THE LORD - RALPH WICHERS
21 1925 - 2017 A man who has left a tremendous legacy!
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The
ONE
&
only
TRUEGOD! In the last issue of “Tupu Whakarangi” we thought about God’s Creation. Now we want to think about God Himself. Of all the subjects to consider, this is the most important. When you ask people, “Who is God?” or “What is God like?” you get all sorts of answers these days because the world is full of ideas about God, but many of them are wrong. How, then, are we to know the truth? It is very important that we do know the truth and that we are not just following a god of our own imagination. To be doing so is to be following a false god no matter how sincere we may be.
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irst, God has revealed the fact of His existence and power in His creation – in the things He has made. As we look at creation and begin to realize
something of its immense size and complexities, whether in the stars of the night sky or the flowers in our gardens, we know that God must be super intelligent and super powerful.
But we can never really get to know what God is like just by looking at creation by itself. We can only really get to know what God is like if He tells us, and He has done so through
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I am the LORD, and there is no other. Isaiah 45:6 NIV
His Word, the Bible. In the Bible we learn that there is only one true God. He is not just the God of the Maori people or the Pakeha people or the Asian people, or any other race. He is the God who created all people for Himself. The Bible says, “From one man He made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth” (Acts 17, verse 26). Concerning the fact that there is only one true God, here are some verses for you to underline in your Bible. God says in Isaiah 44, verse 6, “I am the First and I am the Last; apart from Me there is no God.” Isaiah 45, verse 5 says, I am the LORD (Jehovah), and there is no other; apart from Me there is no God.” Verse 6 of the same chapter says, “I am the LORD and there is no other.” Isaiah 45, verses 18 and 22 tell us the same thing. Finally, Isaiah 45, verse 22 says, “Turn to Me and be saved all you ends of the earth; for I am God and there is no other. ” The Bible makes it very clear that there is only one true God. It also tells us what He is like and how we can have a personal relationship with Him which is the most important thing in life. What are some of the other things the Bible tells us about God? It shows us that God exists in three Persons -- God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. These are the three Persons of the Godhead who work together in perfect harmony. In the first verse of John’s Gospel, God the Son is called the Word. So, we have God’s written Word (the Bible) and we also have the Living Word (Jesus Christ). He is called the Word because He expresses to us in a way we can understand more clearly, just what God is like. (Read also Hebrews 1, verses 1 to 3). The Bible tells us that God is ETERNAL (MUTUNGA KORE). Unlike us He depends on no one else for His existence. Psalm 90, verse 2 says, “From everlasting to everlasting You are God. ” This statement takes us back before time began and declares that God was always there. He had no beginning. Then it takes us beyond time and tells us that God will continue to be always there. He had no beginning and He will have no end. More than this, He will never change. He will continue to be what He has always been – the Almighty God, Creator and Sovereign Ruler of the universe. In John 4, verse 24 we are told that God is SPIRIT (WAIRUA). We must not think of Him as having a physical body like us. He is not limited by such a body, but He is able to appear in human form and has done so on various occasions. The greatest example of this was when God the Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, became human not only to show us what God is like but to die in our place as the sacrifice for our sins. Through His death and resurrection, because He paid sin’s penalty for us, we can be freed from our sins and made right with God if we accept Him as our Saviour and Lord. As we have already seen, God is ALMIGHTY (KAHA RAWA). His power and majesty are far above every other being in the universe. He is Supreme Sovereign and is both the Creator and Sustainer of everything. By His almighty power everything was created and is kept working. Power in the hands of humans is not always safe, but power in the hands of God means the safety of the universe. He will never misuse His power for it is coupled with His perfect wisdom.
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That which sets God apart from His creation more than anything else is the fact that He is HOLY (TAPU RAWA). This is shown in Isaiah 6, verse 3, where Isaiah, as a young prophet, had a vision depicting His holiness. The seraphim (special angels) were calling out, “Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty; the whole earth is full of His glory”. The truth of God’s holiness is seen in many other parts of the Bible as well. Holiness means that God is separate from all that is impure or evil and that He Himself is completely pure and perfect. He cannot tolerate wickedness or sin and will finally punish and consume all that is sinful, including us if we do not turn to Him for forgiveness and cleansing. God’s holiness is hard for us to understand because we are so unholy and sinful. But not only is God holy, He is also LOVE (AROHA). This is seen most clearly in the great sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ for us. One of the best-known verses in the Bible is John 3, verse 16, “For God so loved the world (you and me) that He gave His one and only Son (the Lord Jesus), that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.” “Koia ano te aroha o te Atua ki te ao, homai ana e ai tana Tama kotahi, kia kahore ai e ngaro te tangata e whakapono ana ki a ia engari kia whiwhi ai ki te ora tonu.” God originally created us for Himself so that we could have a meaningful relationship with Him. But our sin (that which causes us to do, say and think evil things) has separated us from God and ruined our relationship with Him. Because of God’s love we do not need to remain in our ruined condition for He gave the Lord Jesus to take the punishment for our sin and make the way open for us to come back to Him so that we could live to please Him. However, if we reject His love the only thing left for us is His anger and judgment. A verse many people try to avoid in the Bible is John 3, verse 36, “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath (anger) remains on him”. Another important thing about God is that He is ALL-KNOWING, as Psalm 139 tells us. There is nothing that God does not know or that He is not aware of. God does not need to learn anything because He already knows everything. This means that God knows all about us, even the secret things we would not want anyone else to know. We cannot hide from God nor can we hide anything in our lives from Him. Even though He knows all about us He still loves us and wants us to receive Him into our lives. The most important thing in all of life is to be right with God. This can only ever happen, as we are willing to turn from our sin and accept the Lord Jesus as our Saviour and Lord. In this magazine you will read about people who have done just this. Their lives have been completely changed and taken on real meaning and they would urge you to make the same decision. – Editor.
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CAN YOU HELP US? Ross and Ethne Hanna and the Arohanui team PO Box 11-279, AUCKLAND 1542 Phone (09) 579-8315 arohanui.hanna@xtra.co.nz
Right now there are urgent needs all over the world. Empty bellies, people “trapped” in various forms of bondage all over the world. We are blessed here in NZ with abundance and, generally speaking, privilege. But this is not true for every New Zealander. There are urgent needs here as well. There are children with empty bellies also - usually because their parents or family are “trapped” in addictions and/or poverty. Our youth suicide rates are at epidemic proportions (just one is too many!). The key we, believe, to “breaking the cycle” is Christ. Mother Theresa once said that “the greatest poverty is not that of lack of food or money but poverty of soul” -- the poverty and pain of being unwanted – unloved, ignored. Here at Arohanui we have the tools, resources and networks to help break the chains of abuse and neglect, and to offer healing to those wearing the scars of these societal ills/evils -- but we lack one thing - Caregivers. Maybe we lack you? Do you have a heart for mentoring youth? Or young solo mums? Could you live with others in your home (provided here in Auckland), not just DOING something for them but BEING something for them- A CARE-GIVER? It may sound simplistic. But lack of care (usually due to an abundance of drugs and alcohol) is one of the biggest problems facing NZ youth today. If you are interested in learning more (even if you’re not wanting to sign up just yet), please give us a call or email us at Arohanui Christian Trust. Ross (027 533 6705) or Ethne (021 661 781). We would love to hear from you!
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O
VERCOMING DEPRESSion www1.cbn.com/overcoming-depression
9 Almost everyone at one time or another experience a period of sadness. Most people get over it with a little time. But for some people, the sadness continues. If you are caught in a prolonged period of sadness, you may recognize one or more of the signs that often accompany depression: A growing distrust of God, resentment of others, difficulty making decisions, guilt, inactivity, sleeplessness or oversleeping, not eating or overeating, doubting, complaining, worrying, and hopelessness, as though you’re in an inescapable pit. Thankfully, as desperate as everything may look, there are real reasons for hope. God loves you. And He wants to fill you with joy, peace, fulfilment and so much more. First Step to Help The Bible says that Jesus came that we “might have life, and might have it abundantly” (John 10:10). Certainly, depression is not abundant life. But you can be assured, God wants you to find His peace and joy. He will help you because you are very, very important to Him. Have you received God’s gift of “abundant life”? If you are not certain, ask God right now to forgive you for your sins and to come and rule in your life (Romans 10:9, 10,13; 1 John 1:8, 9; John 1:12, 13). The Bible describes what happens the moment you give your life to God as being “born again.” Spiritually you are a new person. But you now need to learn a new way of living. God will help you. God’s Spirit will give you the power to live like God wants you to live. The Holy Spirit guides, comforts, teaches, empowers and produces within a Christian the actual characteristics of God -- love, joy, peace, patience and more (Galatians 5:22-23). And it is when you are living the way God wants that you will experience the full and joyful life God has for you. When you are born again, God takes up residence in your spirit. He brings with Him the promise of great joy and peace, sometimes immediately. But what if you are now a Christian and you are depressed? You are not alone. Many people of faith have experienced periods of deep depression. The Bible stories of Moses, David and so many others show us how God’s love continues even during these times and that He eventually brings great hope. What You Can Do What can you do to overcome depression? It depends on why you are depressed. There are many possible reasons, but since more than one may be present in your life, read all the sections below: Physical: Physical problems cause some depression. Improper diet, lack of exercise, and not enough sleep can all contribute to depression. So, if you are feeling “down,” make sure you are taking care of your body. In addition, many illnesses can cause depression (others may be caused by depression). Also, some medications can cause depression. It’s always a good idea to see your doctor for a check-up to rule out physical reasons. But remember, God can heal any physical problem, including one that causes, or is caused by, depression (Psalm 103:3; Matthew 8:16-17). If your doctor has diagnosed a particular problem, ask your prayer partner, pastor, Christian counsellor or other Christian to pray with you for God’s healing (James 5:14-16). But if you are taking medication for any problem, consult your doctor before changing or stopping it. Losses and Other Hurts: When something bad happens to you, it’s normal to feel hurt. You may have lost your job or other financial security. You may have been wronged in some way, recently or in the past. You may have a bad relationship with a friend, family member, or spouse. A loved one may have died. Or you may even be hurting about something you’ve never had, but feel you should have, such as a spouse or children. It is okay for you to hurt over a situation like this. Tell God about your hurt. He already knows, but it is important for you to put the hurt into words and tell Him. Also tell a trusted friend or pastor, or consult a Christian counsellor. Allow yourself to cry if you want to. Normal grieving, including crying, is healthy. The Bible says that Jesus “bore our griefs” on the cross (Isaiah 53:4 NAS). He feels our pain as strongly as we do and will carry it for us. Give your hurt to Him. Then resolve not to dwell on it again. Sin: Sometimes depression is rooted in sin. You will never be at peace if you ignore something in your life that you know is against God’s will (1 Timothy 1:19). If you know you are doing or have done something against God’s
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‘FOR HIS WOUNDS HAVE HEALED OURS
11 will, admit to God that it is wrong. Then ask His help in doing what is right. If you admit your sin and turn from it, God has promised to forgive you completely, and cleanse you from the sin (1 John 1:9). Trust Him to do it. If it is an ongoing sin and it seems too big for you to deal with, just deal with it today, this moment. Tell God that with His help you will do the right thing right now. In addition, you may need to take some action to make up for your sin with those you have wronged. You may need a pastor or Christian counsellor to help you decide what to do. Don’t forget to obey God in the small things. Very often, it is because we have chosen to ignore Him in the small things that we slowly slip into deeper problems. You can reverse this slide. If you obey God in the small things, it will help put you back on track in the larger things. You may need to obey Him in something so simple as getting up early enough to get to work on time without rushing. Wrong Thinking: What do you think about right before you feel depressed? Do you think such things as “I’m no good,” or “I can’t do anything right,” or “This situation will never change”? It’s vitally important for you to find out what God says is the truth about you and your life. Read the Bible closely to find out what is the real truth (Ephesians 1:18-19). Once you find out the wonderful things God says about you, stop repeating negative things to yourself. Instead, memorize and repeat to yourself the truths you find in the Bible that contradict the negative thoughts.
Fill your thoughts with such truths as : “For I can do everything God asks me to with the help of Christ who gives me the strength and power” (Philippians 4:13); “It is he who will supply all (my) needs from his riches in glory, because of what Christ Jesus has done for (me)” (Philippians 4:19); “For the Holy Spirit, God’s gift, does not want (me) to be afraid of people, but to be wise and strong, and to love them and enjoy being with them” (II Timothy 1:7). “Overwhelming victory is ours through Christ who loved us enough to die for us” (Romans 8:37); “He personally carried the load of our sins in his own body when he died on the cross, so that we can be finished with sin and live a good life from now on. For his wounds have healed ours!” (I Peter 2:24). In Conclusion: Admit to God you need His help in order to live rightly with peace and joy. Repent of any known sin. Accept God’s forgiveness and cleansing (I John 1:9). Rebuild your spiritual life through Bible reading, prayer and fellowship with other Christians. Attend a local Bible-believing church faithfully. Being an active member in a church is a good way to begin to grow spiritually and learn an overcoming faith. If your depression continues, seek help from your pastor or other qualified Christian counselor. There ARE answers for you. However, finding and solving the root causes of depression do not always happen quickly. And finally, once you are on the other side of depression, thank God for this time of hardship and the good that has come out of it. As You Pray Ask God to reveal specific thoughts and actions He wants you to change. Agree with Him when He points out sin and ask Him to help you change. Forgive others who have wronged you. Thank God for His love and ask Him for healing and a renewed joy in life
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“The Lord has changed my life completely” Kia ora. Ko toku ingoa Moses Makoare. Most of my life I’ve been a drunk. I’ve always had a job, food on the table, and my children housed and wellclothed, but after work I would just drink and fight a lot. Lots of times I would end up in jail. I would even hit my wife when I got angry until she had enough and left me. Later she said she admired me for never hitting the children when I had been drinking. Ten years later I met an-
other lady, but after a while the same things started to happen -I was getting drunk and beating her up. One weekend I had been drinking all night and in the morning as I sat at the table with all my beers, my good lady came out of the room with a suitcase. I asked her what the suitcase was for. She said, “I’m leaving. I’ve had enough.” That’s all she said and she left. I thought she would be back shortly but she wasn’t. That night, while still drinking, I called out to God and said, “God, if you are real I want you to
come and help me now.” I remembered this Christian guy who used to come and pick up the kids next door to go to church on Sundays, and he would always come and ask me to come to church with him. I would always be drinking, and I would tell him I would be there as soon as I finish my beers, which I never did. So now I thought I would give him a ring and rang this church in the area I knew he lived in. The guy said he would come around and have a chat,
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but when he arrived it wasn’t the guy that used to come around, it was a young guy who I found out was the pastor of the church. He invited me to attend his church the following Sunday. I went but wasn’t that impressed and didn’t go again for a couple of weeks. Then the pastor rang to see how I was and invited me to attend church again which I accepted. This time I sat by the door so I could leave if the sermon wasn’t interesting, but it must have been alright because I stayed till the end, although I had no idea what the sermon was about. After the sermon three ladies came and sat with me and they asked if I was alright. I said, “Not really.” And they asked why. I said, “Look around.” So, they did and said, “Why, what’s the matter?” I said, “I’m the only Maori here.” They looked around and one of the ladies said, “You’re right, Moses. You are the only Maori here.” It was the way this lady spoke that made me feel very welcome because this church was full of lawyers, doctors, and business men, even a politician. About three weeks later I found out there was another church
“God, if you are real I want you to come and help me now.”
down the road where many Maoris were attending. I believe the Lord led me to the first church where I was out of my comfort zone because I would have felt comfortable in the second church and probably kept on drinking. About two months later, my good lady rang up and said she had left something behind and could she come and get it. I agreed. When she arrived the first thing she said was, “Are you
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alright?” I said, “Yes, why do you ask?” She said I looked different. Anyhow, we got talking and it was getting late so she asked if she could stay the night, I said, “Please do.” She stayed three nights and during that time we went shopping three times and when we got home after the third time, she asked me again if I was alright because we had been shopping on three days and not once did I buy a beer. I looked at her and said, “You are right, and you know what, my dear, I have no desire for a beer anymore.” So then she moved back in with me. Later I realized what the Lord had done was a miracle because my prayer was from the heart. About twenty years ago my cousin and I had a fight and if we passed each other anywhere we would fight. My lady was always aware that we may meet in the street so she would drag me to the other side of the street if she saw him in town. I asked the Lord if I could make peace with my cousin, and I was actually waiting for the phone to ring and for my cousin to say he wanted to make peace with me. But the Lord had other ideas. One day I was shopping at Countdown. I had a shopping basket and was walking, looking along the bottom shelf when I bumped into this trolley. I looked up and was about to apologize when I saw it was my cousin. I got a fright and positioned myself so I could get the first hit, but I said, “Kia ora, Cousin! I want to make peace with you.” He didn’t answer so I said it again, but he still didn’t answer. I was about to let him have it when he said, “Is that you Boy?” (All my whanau called me Boy.) I said it was me. He said, “Your face looks bright and shining and I didn’t recognize you. Usually, when I see you, you are either drunk or getting drunk. Yes, I would love to make the peace with you too.” Two grown men hugging each other and crying in a Countdown aisle must have looked really strange. The Lord had made us meet in a place out of our comfort zone and we see each other a lot now which is a beautiful feeling. Thanks to our Lord Jesus. The pastor asked me after a couple of months if I would like to be baptized. I said, “Yes please.” Four days before I was to be baptized I asked the Lord to take my smoking habit away as I didn’t want to be smoking when I was baptized. I said, “Lord, you took the drink away from me. Please take my smoking habit from me.” As I was asking the Lord to do this, there was a movie on TV, “Ben Hur”, which I was watching. It showed the silhouette of a person offering a bowl of water to Jesus carrying a cross! When I saw that I burst into tears (which I’m just about doing now) and I thought, “Lord you went through all that pain just for me!! Lord,” I cried out, “I am willing to suffer a little bit of pain for you to give up these smokes.” Every time I desired a smoke from then on I would say the same thing, and the desire would leave me. I have not had a smoke since then, thanks to my Lord Jesus. Jesus is now King in my life and many changes have happened. There are people who wouldn’t give me the time of day who now say they see a change in me and they like what they see. Even the police who have locked me up shake my hand now. The Lord has changed my ways completely. I am amazed at what my friends tell me about the change that has come over me, and I don’t show anger and fear anymore. My good lady, Jane, is still with me and the Lord is moving in her life. I still have times when I really need to trust our Lord to take care of things for me, as I feel that the closer I get to God the angrier Satan gets. Every day my prayer is this, ”Lord fill my heart with your love, and may the words that come out of my mouth be wise words.”
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mpa stall, cambridge Norm and Liz Silcock held an MPA (Maori Postal Aotearoa) literature stall at the local market in Cambridge recently. Although interest was slow at first they ended up by giving away a lot of material. Special interest was shown in the new children’s magazine, “Tamariki a Atua”. Among
those who stopped to talk, some were surprised to know MPA still existed and others had never heard of it before. About three of the people who stopped were from educational establishments, i.e. school teachers and early childhood teachers. They were particularly keen to have the calendars.
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LIVING HER DREAM!
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ia ora. My name is Maria Gabrielle Henderson. Maria means “wished-for child”, and Gabrielle means “woman of God” or “God is my strength” (so true!). I was born in Gisborne, the first of three children. We grew up on a sheep and beef farm an hour and a half inland from Gisborne. Dad’s grandfather cut the farm out of the bush, so the farm has been in our family for a few generations. My siblings and I went to a small rural school, with about 30 children at the most (down to 8 kids the year after I left). Everyone knew that our family was the only one that “went to church”, so we were the “weirdoes”. This made me feel quite lonely and shy. I tried to be “good” and to earn the favour of my parents, teachers, and God. Sometimes at New Year I would say to myself, “I’m going to be perfect all year”, but I soon discovered that I couldn’t make myself perfect. I was frustrated whenever I did something wrong. One day, I remember hearing a message about how God wants to be our friend. That really impacted me. I understood that God wasn’t just distant; He was near and He loved me. I also learned that He could forgive me for all my sin – not only the wrong things I’d done, but my desires and words as well. That was really helpful to learn, and as a child I decided to ask Jesus to forgive me, and let Him be in control of my life. Since then I have been a lot less lonely and frustrated, because He is with me all the time. Later, I was baptised to show that I was committed to live for Jesus Christ, and wanted Him to give me a new life. In hindsight, I can definitely see how God has helped me to be a better person - more loving, more patient, less angry and so on. Though it has been hard at times, it’s been worth it! For high school, I studied through The Correspondence School. I liked the flexible hours, so I could help on the farm in between study. One year I took a month off to go to South Korea to help teach English.
I loved chemistry and I also did well at maths and technology. For technology, I had the opportunity to work at a canvas-maker’s place and at a joinery to complete my projects. It was such a cool experience I probably wouldn’t have had, if I had been in a normal school. During high school I also enjoyed being involved with Search and Rescue with Dad. Around this time, my parents were heavily involved in political lobbying. Through that I found my niche, walking up to strangers and asking them to sign a petition. Later, that experience helped me with “The Good Person Test”, a tool for sharing with people the fact that we don’t measure up to God’s standard and therefore need Jesus in our lives to save us. After I finished high school I worked on the farm for a year (2011). During that time, I applied for a gap year course that I found out about through a cousin. I knew in my heart that was what God wanted me to do, so I wasn’t suprised
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when they rang me to say that I was in! In 2012 I went on the Headspace course. To me, it was like living with a youth group for a year – a treat, since I’d hardly been in a youth group in my isolated upbringing. The year was filled with opportunities to learn and grow through work experience at pack houses, periods of studying, and a 10-week mission trip to Thailand, teaching English and helping with building projects and teaching English some more. I enjoyed learning more about God, myself and others and seeing God at work in our lives. God woke me each morning; I didn’t have an alarm clock. He showed me that I could survive on a lot less sleep than I had been having, because God gave me strength. In Thailand, one person who inspired me was a man named Pii Gee. He was a farmer, and had chosen that career because it was flexible so he could take time off to go and share the Gospel with people. He even left his farm at the busiest time of the year, so that he could come and join us. After Headspace finished in November, I wasn’t sure exactly what to do next. But I knew I wanted to do something that involved sharing Jesus with others. It is a passion God has put on my heart. I worked on the farm over summer, and also did a lot of internet searching. A friend suggested OAC, but I thought I’d already looked at that. However, I looked again, and found a School of Evangelism coming up, which I applied for. I was in touch with Jeremy, in Hastings, the director of the school. Soon I found out that there weren’t enough people enrolled, and so the school may not happen. Meanwhile, I headed off to Parachute music festival at Mystery Creek, Hamilton. I had managed to get a virtually free entry, by working 4 to 8 hours each day on the security team, minding the gates. I booked a one-way bus ticket to Cambridge, and didn’t know where I’d go next. I didn’t take a tent either, because God was challenging me to trust Him for somewhere to stay. And He did! I shared a tent with another girl on the security team. Parachute was a lot of fun - meeting new people at work, catching up with friends from Headspace, catching up with my cousin and listening to music. On Monday morning the festival finished and the punters headed off. I helped some people pack up, still not knowing where I was going to sleep that night. As I was walking with my bag out to the main carpark, God provided a ride! I went with a ute full of ladies to Katikati, where I stayed with them a few days before heading to Tauranga and spending a week with a friend there. By that time, I had checked my emails, and found out that the School of Evangelism wasn’t happening; but there was an internship that I could do instead. I agreed to it, and found that I’d start in about a week. Mum happened to be on her way back from Auckland, so I got a ride home with her and stayed a few days before moving to Hastings where I’ve been most of the time since! Upon coming to OAC, I enjoyed meeting new people and getting to share my faith. I enjoyed learning how to communicate the Gospel clearly and overcoming shyness. There were challenges, as there always are in life, but God has always been there and helped me through. I have enjoyed seeing how God has provided for my every need. Often He has provided through people giving me cash, but there have been more specific things, as well! Like the day I arrived “home” (to the place I was staying) and opened my mail. There was a cheque for $100, with a short note saying to buy myself some new shoes, and spend any leftovers on whatever I wanted. The person who sent that was a friend from a different city, and I had never told him that I needed new shoes! But I definitely did my old ones had holes in them. A while later, I was planning for a kids’ holiday camp. We needed a serial story, but I had no ideas in my head. At 4:30 pm the guys I worked with headed out from the office, so I sat and prayed about it, and God gave me an idea! I scribbled down the gist of it before heading home. While doing so, I imagined that a warm, furry-edged jacket would make the perfect idea!
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Before I’d got around to asking someone if they had one to borrow, a friend said she had a jacket to give me. And when I saw it - it was furry-edged and warm, perfect for the drama! The whole thing turned out really well. Another one that I am still amazed by is this, an excerpt from an email I sent in that first year (2013): Struggles and Surprises! There was a day where Mike, Jeremy and I all went to talk to people on the streets in Hastings around lunch time. We prayed together, then headed off in different directions. A couple of hours later, and all of us had found that people weren’t really interested in talking about spiritual things. None of us had been able to have really deep conversations. Later in the afternoon, we drove to Napier, where we had about an hour to look for opportunities to share the Gospel. I approached two people, who weren’t interested in talking, and one man, who said he was already a born-again Christian - it is refreshing to meet them! Being by the beach in Napier brought back memories from the year before. Rewind... Easter Friday: I knew I had to wait a couple of hours or so for my connecting bus. I had prayed that I would have opportunities to talk to people about God. As I was walking in the gardens along from the bus stop, I felt that God wanted me to talk to a man I saw sitting down. I was kind of nervous about it at the time. But I chose to at least walk past him, and he greeted me before I said anything! God didn’t need to convince me further to stop and talk to him. We had an interesting conversation, that took up most of the time before the bus came. So the Wednesday before Easter this year, when we were out walking, I was wandering through the garden where I’d met this man. As I was walking towards a man sitting down, to see if he wanted to talk, he recognised me! In fact, he was the same man, in the same place - even on the same seat! His name is Philip, and he was in Napier for a while. He was
pleased to see me, and asked what I’d been up to. He also wanted an ice-cream, so we headed to Subway. They didn’t have any ice-cream, so he bought a drink, which we shared (I hadn’t brought any money). We sat there and talked for quite a while. He asked me how I became a Christian. (Hey, I thought I was meant to volunteer to share my testimony!) I also asked him if anyone had explained the Gospel to him. He happily encouraged me to share it, and “convince” him. Philip mentioned how he keeps bumping into Christians; for example, he met an evangelist a few weeks before. I replied, saying that maybe God was trying to tell him something! I left, joking that I might see him again next Easter. Praise God for how He is working in Philip’s life - I know this is not co-incidence. These were highlights from the first year in OAC, but God has continued to surprise me, to this very day. He continues to bring people and opportunities into my life and to provide in amazing ways (like an anonymous Prezzy Card I received in the mail recently). I am involved in various things with the aim of sharing the Gospel with people and helping them to grow as Christians. For example: church activities with children and youth, kids’ programs in Hawke’s Bay and Gisborne and beyond, sharing the Gospel on the streets, travelling to festivals to share the good news of Jesus, and training others in this ministry. I’m living my dream, and can’t think of anything I’d rather be doing!
Feel free to get in touch with me at maria@oac.org.nz or 022 0966 300
GODLESSNESS IN THE LAST DAYS
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2 Timothy 3, verses 1 to 5 The Bible teaches that we are at present living in the age of God’s grace. This is the time when His salvation is available to all who will turn from their sinful ways to the Lord Jesus Christ, the Saviour He has provided. But the Bible also teaches that this age will finally end, and it gives us indication as to when that end is near. The passage of God’s Word above is one of those giving indicators or signs that this age is ending. Here we see that Paul wanted Timothy to know that during “the last days” there would be terrible, perilous or dangerous times: Times or seasons of deep depravity, perplexity and upheaval when it would be difficult for people to know where to turn“ The last days” here is a term referring to the whole of this age of grace, the time since the first coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. Throughout this time there would be savage or dangerous eras or epochs, which would increase in intensity towards the end of the age and the second coming of Christ. They would be times which would seem to threaten the very existence of goodness itself. There would come a kind of last tremendous assault of evil before its final defeat. (See also 1 Timothy 4, verses 1-2). Timothy was serving the Lord at the beginning of this period referred to as “the last days” and he needed to be aware of the environment of his ministry so that he could be prepared and not caught off guard. Such times would be occurring not just in the world, but also within the professing Church, as indicated by verse 5. It also gives warning to each of us to make sure we are ready for when Christ comes again by receiving Him into our lives now. The reason for such times would be the departure of people from God and His Word and the corrupting influence of false teachers, referred to by Paul in Acts 20, verse 29 as “savage wolves ... not sparing the flock”. Concerning the Church, he warned that “even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth” (verse 30). Here, in Acts 20, he was speaking to the elders of the Ephesian Church. This was the church in which Timothy was serving when Paul wrote to him, and in his letter he was giving a similar warning to Timothy. We have here a description of those who turn away from the truth, including false teachers and those led astray by their evil doctrine. This description is the very opposite of truth and holiness. The alarming thing is that the people referred to here are not just people outside the realm of Christianity, but also those within the professing church. These are referred to as those having “a form of godliness but denying the power thereof”. It begins with the statement that “people will be lovers of themselves” and such is the central characteristic in this whole evil scenario. All the other evils mentioned here grow out of this one defining feature – a lifestyle that is centred in self. As a result an unhealthy lust for money, materialism and sexual perversion will be rampant. “Boastful, proud and abusive or blasphemous” further indicates a lifestyle that is centred around self – self ego, self-importance, arrogance and blasphemy -rather than a God-centred, God-honouring lifestyle. It indicates a situation where
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become their own god, despise the true God and seek the advancement of their own transient little kingdoms. This is the complete opposite to the God-honouring fruit of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5, verses 22-23) and commitment to the advancement of the Kingdom of God (Matthew 6:33). This period will also be marked by disorder and disobedience among children and young people. They will be ungrateful and live unholy lives with no respect for authority and a convoluted attitude with the idea that the world owes them a living. Much of this will reflect the behaviour and lack of self-discipline of parents and those who should otherwise be good role models -- all of which indicates serious family breakdown affecting the whole of society. “Without love” and “unforgiving” shows a lack of genuine care and compassion for others and a bitter and twisted attitude motivated by revenge and hatred. It indicates a lack of normal human affection and tolerance. “Slanderous” indicates people who somehow derive pleasure from putting others down and destroying their reputations. An aspect of the fruit of the Spirit that will be sadly lacking in the lives of many during this period is self-control. In its place will be wild, dissolute behaviour such as we see as the result of alcohol and drug abuse. “Brutal” indicates an increase in violence and cruelty (see Genesis 6, verse 11, and Luke 17, verses 26-27), another product of a lack of self-control. Violence was an alarming feature in the days of Noah before God intervened with judgment and it is an alarming feature of the days in which we live. “Despisers of that which is good” speaks of a convolution or reversal of moral standards and implies persecution of those who to speak out against current evils and who seek to live righteously (see Isaiah 5, verse 20). “Treacherous” indicates that many will be underhanded, untrustworthy, deceitful and shifty. “Rash” refers to hastiness in which bad decisions are made without due consideration or regard for the right. Such situations occur when people live without reference to God. “Conceited” refers to a self-important, self-satisfied, smug and arrogant attitude. It is contrary to true godliness and is at best self-deception because a conceited person has a wrong evaluation of self. In a sense, people will not be without love, but it will be misdirected and corrupted for besides being lovers of themselves and lovers of money (verse 2) they will also be “lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God”. Finally, in this category of evil, there will be a façade of religion, for many will have “a form of godliness but deny the power thereof”. These people who give lip service to God have no interest in coming under His authority nor exhibiting His power in a changed life from one that is self-centred and sinful to one that is God-centred and righteous. They have the outward appearance, but no corresponding inward reality. In the original text the verse reads, “They have a form of godliness, having denied the power thereof”. In other words, they have deliberately turned away from the truth and consequently are left with nothing but the outward appearance. They are commonly known as hypocrites – people who want to appear pious but whose hearts are far away from God. This list of evil attributes begins with the fact that these people are “lovers of themselves” and it ends with the fact that they are not “lovers of God”. They have a wrong attitude towards God and a wrong attitude towards their fellows. From these two evils stem all the other evils mentioned in between. In fact every sin ever to blight humanity stems from these two evils. Jesus Himself pointed out that the two most important things on which everything else depends is, firstly, our attitude to God, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind”. Secondly, our attitude toward others, “Love your neighbour as yourself” (Matthew 22, verses 37-40). We can only fulfil these requirements adequately as our sin is dealt with and we are born again of the Holy Spirit through the redeeming grace of God in Christ. This happens when we are willing to turn from our sinful ways and receive the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ, into our lives. It also calls for watchfulness on the part of all Christians for they are not exempt from contamination from such corruption just by virtue of the fact they are Christians (1 Peter 5, verse 8). – Editor.
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AT HOME WITH THE LORD 1925 - 2017
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n December 14th, 2017, Ralph Wichers, a man
who has left us a tremendous legacy of compassion for others and commitment to Christ passed on to be with the Lord whom he faithfully served for many years. At an early age he responded to the Gospel and received Jesus Christ as his personal Lord and Saviour. This is what changed the whole direction and motivation of his life. Ralph has been both a well-known identity in Wairoa and the surrounding area as well as an effective witness for Christ. For many years he was a contributor to this magazine. His concern particularly for young people was born out of his experiences in WW2. In a recent article he said, “I had seen how the Nazis treated innocent Jewish children, sending them to their deaths by the thousands. Ever since I have had a heart for children and they seem to know it�.
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R
alph was born in Vriezenveen, Holland, at home, in 1925. He was the oldest of 6 children. His formal schooling ended at age 14 when his homeland was invaded by the Germans and they went into hiding to avoid becoming conscripted labour for the German army. After the war ended Ralph joined the Dutch army as part of compulsory military service. Then he went to Indonesia as part of a peacekeeping force following the defeat of the Japanese for 3 years. He returned to Holland briefly and then volunteered with the Dutch army to be stationed in Iriianjaya for a year, working in communications as a radio operator. During this time, an opportunity came along for a free plane ride to New Zealand, and because he realized there was limited opportunity for owning his own dairy farm in his homeland, Holland, which was his dream, he decided to spread his wings and go exploring. Landing in Wellington, New Zealand, around 1952, with 20 pounds ($40) in his pocket, and just a few words of English, and while pondering on what he should do next, some kind fellow from the Dutch embassy came along and took him to the Trentham Immigration hostel where he was temporarily employed to help pull down the Lower Hutt town hall. He soon realized that his dream would not come true in the city, so he enlisted the help of other immigrants to make applications for dairy farm jobs. His first dairying job was near Matamata with a Dutch family. When the year contract ended he moved to a neighbouring farm where the two teenage daughters took great delight in perfecting his English. In 1955 he moved to Havelock North as a herd manager and it wasn’t long before a young lass was spotted cycling by every morning. He devised a plan to delay her journey, so he could strike up a conversation. This clever plan, putting the herd of cows on the road at the appropriate time, did not work as the lass just weaved her way through the cows and went on her way, no worries. Being the resourceful and determined man he was, plan B was put into action -- get a bike! He started riding alongside so the lass had no escape! Long story short, the marriage of Pat and Ralph took place in 1958 when Ralph was 33 years old. To follow the dream, they moved on to Te Aroha for a sharemilking job. It was a run-down farm with a large herd and they were there for 2 years. He made a great success of this place; the manager valued Ralph’s ability and work ethic and supported him well. With a healthier looking bank balance, he was able to start looking for ownership opportunities. By this time Chris and Cathy had arrived on the scene. A lease-to-buy contract near Wairoa came up and with all resources pooled together they were on the move. This left them stone broke but excited to be embarking on this next chapter. Within 9 years from landing in New Zealand, Ralph was seeing his dream coming to reality. Six children later, who were becoming more and more useful on the farm, Ralph’s persistence and extremely hard work saw him paying off the loans and freeholding his land. He continued to build on what he had started and when the opportunity to both lease and purchase neighbouring land came along, he took this up and the family moved across the paddocks to the house in Devery Rd where they are now. In time the Wichers farm came to be the largest supplier of town supply milk in the district. After many floods, other natural events and challenges, and with the kids increasingly voicing their dislike of electric fences and lifting countless hay bales, other interests took precedence in the lives of the children and the time came to change direction for Ralph. The farm became smaller and community service took higher priority. Supported by their local church, the Wairoa Gospel Hall, Sundays at Wichers farm were the highlight for many Wairoa children for over 20 years. They provided food, companionship, acceptance and fun, giving the kids a taste of country life and always ending with a little bible story from Ralph, Pat or a visitor. Seats in the van were in high demand. A retired school building was brought onsite to provide additional space to run activities. As time went on the demands of keeping up with all of this became too much for aging folks, so things were scaled right back until completely stopping 2 years ago. Ralph was involved in teaching bible-in-schools until around 3 years ago, travelling out to country schools in the greater Wairoa district. He was also an elder in
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the Wairoa Gospel Hall for about 20 years. Ralph and Pat received two awards for community service Paul Harris Fellow Award and Wairoa District Council Appreciation certificate. With his willing band of workers, Ralph spent much time collecting pine cones, drying them, bagging and, on Saturdays, selling them in the local supermarket carpark. The profits were divided between the Bible Society and Maori Postal Aotearoa. In recent times Ralph took an interest in learning to use the computer and took up his passion for writing and storytelling, publishing articles both locally and in his homeland up until quite recently. His stories caught the interest of a researcher and publisher Dutch couple who wanted to capture that knowledge and share the journey and success of a local lad abroad. A book, “Verhalen van Roelof Wichers”, was published a few months ago and at least 125 copies have been distributed. Recently Ralph’s health deteriorated and he was adamant that he didn’t want any interventions, didn’t want to go to hospital and spent his last days at home being cared for by his family. He passed away peacefully on Thursday, December 14th. The words of the well-known hymn by Charlotte Elliot (1835), “Just as I Am” were sung at his funeral service. The message of this hymn was what made the great difference in Ralph’s life: --
Having fun on Wichers farm
Just as I am, without one plea, But that Thy blood was shed for me, And that Thou bidst me come to Thee, O Lamb of God, I come, I come. Just as I am, and waiting not To rid my soul of one dark blot, To Thee whose blood can cleanse each spot, O Lamb of God, I come, I come. ust as I am, though tossed about With many a conflict, many a doubt, Fightings and fears within, without, O Lamb of God, I come, I come. Just as I am, Thou wilt receive, Wilt welcome, pardon, cleanse, relieve; Because Thy promise I believe, O Lamb of God, I come, I come. Just as I am, Thy love unknown Hath broken every barrier down; Now, to be Thine, yea, Thine alone, O Lamb of God, I come, I come.
Thank You