Thought For Today

I greet you in Jesus’ precious name! It is Saturday morning, the 23rd of November, 2024, and this is your friend, Angus Buchan, with a thought for today.

We go to the Book of Jeremiah 18:4:

”And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter; so he made it again into another vessel, as it seemed good to the potter to make.”

Then we go to the Gospel of John 12:24:

”Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain.”

"Heaven will be filled with broken vessels, broken upon the wheel of earth." Campbell Morgan said it, and I think it is so true. Yes, we will be made into new creatures. There is no doubt about it but it’s men and women who have been broken on the wheel of earth, the potter’s wheel of earth, that will fill heaven. You see, it’s in dying that we live. Even as our beloved Christ was broken on the cross, so too we must be prepared to be broken. Maybe this morning you feel that your dream, your vision, has failed miserably. It’s all been a waste of time. Oh no, oh no! Take heart Christians, many of those who have gone before us must have felt exactly the same way. Get up now, dust yourself off and get back into the fight.

I want to give you an example, Jim Elliot, I think he must have been 29 years old, he must have felt the same way when he was being murdered in the Amazon jungle. What a waste - but I want to tell you folks that through his death and through his friend's death, thousands of young men and women have gone to the mission fields to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ and are still going even today. That same young man said, ”It is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.”

Today, you and I, let us keep on. You might feel broken, you might feel that you have disappointed others. Get up and keep going because heaven is filled with people who have been broken on the wheel of earth.

Jesus bless you and have a wonderful day, 
Goodbye.

I greet you in Jesus’ precious name! It is Friday morning, the 22nd of November, 2024, and this is your friend, Angus Buchan, with a thought for today.

We go to the last Book of the Bible, Revelation 22:12-13. This is Jesus speaking:

”And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last.”

Then we go right down to verse 20 and the Lord says:

“Surely I am coming quickly.”

Oh, how many of us can say, “Lord, today would not be soon enough.” Jesus is our measuring staff. When we look at the chaos in the world today, we just see how things are disintegrating and we cry out, “Lord come, please come Lord. End these double standards, the dishonesty. Shatter the long nights of sin and of sorrow, of tears, of pain, despair and death.” We are to look up folks. Many of us are looking too low. We must look up because Jesus is coming back very soon. He who aims beneath the stars, aims too low. We must aim above the stars - we as followers of Christ. We’re not going back to Egypt. We’ve got no reverse gear in our motor cars. We are refusing to lower our standards for anyone. We are going to remain fearless and expectant for our soon-coming King.  

One of the heroes of the early fathers of the church was Polycarp. Polycarp was a martyr, he died for his faith. He was the Bishop of Smyrna. He was 86 years old when they arrested him. The Roman soldiers that arrested him said, ”Listen old man, we don’t want to kill you. Just renounce the name of Jesus, follow after the gods of Rome and we’ll let you die in peace.” He said, ”No ways.” And so they took him to the arena and the crowds were waiting in anticipation to see a child of God be burned at the stake.

The Proconsul, the representative of Caesar, said to him, ”Do you know who I am? I have the power of life and death over you. Do you  know who I am?” And the old gentleman said, ”Oh yes, I know who you are. You are the son of the devil!” Folks, we need some men like that who fear nothing but sin and desire no one but God.

Today, lift up your eyes. Get rid of all that sin in your life, and get ready for the coming of the King.

Jesus bless you and goodbye.

I greet you in Jesus’ precious name! It is Thursday morning, the 21st of November, 2024, and this is your friend, Angus Buchan, with a thought for today. 

We go to the Book of Ephesians 4:15:

”…speaking the truth in love,…”

It is the truth that will set you and me free today. The truth cancels out all our mistakes. In other words, just own up and apologise and say sorry, and it sets us free. But as long as you and I continue to tell untruths - yes, that little white lie…there is no such thing as a white lie, we are held prisoner by the devil himself. You see, one lie leads to another lie. As they say, when you tell lies, you have to have a good memory because you have to remember what you said the last time, and slowly but surely, what happens is we get trapped in a spider’s web until we cannot escape. We need today to speak the truth in love. 

That is what happened to Richard Nixon. He had the potential to be America’s greatest president. I mean, he made peace with China, he was a great diplomat. He had incredible natural abilities, but he told an untruth, he told a lie and then to cover that lie, he told another lie, then eventually he put his hand on the Bible and swore over the Bible that he had not made the mistake, and he was found out and it toppled him completely until he had to leave office. 

Tell the truth today in love and Jesus Christ will back us up all the way and we will walk free because the devil will have no more hold over us. Folks, today Jesus Christ is saying to you and to me, ”Let us walk in honesty and the purity of God’s word.” And if we do make a mistake, and by the way, every single one of us have  - Peter made three mistakes, he denied the Lord three times, he didn’t know him when he knew him very well, but he repented, he said sorry and what did Jesus do? He forgave him and used him to head up the church.

Today, let’s walk in truth and let’s be free. The Lord shall set you free - you shall be free indeed.

Jesus bless you and have a wonderful day,
Goodbye.

I greet you in Jesus’ precious name! It is Wednesday morning, the 20th of November, 2024 and this is your friend, Angus Buchan, with a thought for today.

We start in the Book of Proverbs 10:19. The word of God says:

“In the multitude of words sin is not lacking, But he who restrains his lips is wise.”

Then we go to Matthew 27:14:

“But He answered him not one word, so that the governor marveled greatly.” 

Now the Message translation says: “Do you hear that long list of accusations? Aren’t you going to say something?” Jesus kept silence—not a word from His mouth. The governor was impressed, really impressed.”  

We need to watch what we say. We need to make sure that our words are sweet because one day we might have to eat them! The longer you speak, the more you dilute your point. Speak less, listen more and we will become mighty wiser people. Mom, those children don’t listen to you maybe because you talk too much all the time. Let your words be shorter and to the point. 

I love the story of Sir Winston Churchill, the famous British Prime Minister, the “bulldog of Britain”. He went to Harrow School in 1941, in the middle of the Second World War and all the students were there, probably hanging on each word he was going to say. One of the greatest speakers ever to live, got up, walked up to the podium, looked at those young men and said, “Never, never, never give up!” And then he went and sat down. That was it. Do you know that that speech is the shortest speech he ever made, yet everybody knows it. 

Today, be like Jesus. Let your words be few but let each one count. 
Jesus bless you and goodbye.

I greet you in Jesus’ precious name! It is Tuesday morning, the 19th of November 2024, and this is your friend, Angus Buchan, with a thought for today.

We start in the Gospel of Luke 23:3:

”Then Pilate asked Him, saying, “Are You the King of the Jews?” He answered him and said, “It is as you say.”

Jesus Christ is the King of all Kings. Hallelujah. He’s the Lord of Lords. He’s the Lily of the Valley. He’s the Bright Morning Star. He’s the friend of sinners like you and I. Folks, I want to say to you that every single creature that has ever existed in Heaven and on Earth knows in their heart, that Jesus Christ is Lord of all. Philippians 2:10-11 says every knee shall bow, every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. Everyone knows this. You say, “How come?” Because God has put eternity into the heart of a man.

You can go to the Amazon jungle, you can go to the Congo jungle, you can go to the Artic Circle, and you can meet people who have never ever heard the name of Jesus and you can ask them, ”Is there a God?” And they will say, ”There is. There is a higher power”. They just don’t know His name because you and I haven’t told them, but they know that there is a creator! Albert Einstein regarded as one of the most brilliant men that ever lived, acknowledged that there is a God. This creation couldn’t have happened with a Big Bang. It is created.

I want to ask you a question, ”Do you know Him today, sir? Do you know that Jesus Christ is God in flesh? Immanuel, God with us?” I want to suggest to you, stop arguing with God and start believing. Do you know that there is more evidence that Jesus Christ walked on this earth than there is that Julius Caesar was the Emperor of Rome. Yet no-one questions the fact that Julias Caesar was the Emperor of Rome. Yet we are always questioning whether Jesus Christ is indeed the Son of God. You know, Pontius Pilate asked Him, he said, ”Are you the King of the Jews?” He said, ”Yes, it is as you say.” Oh, my dear friend. I want to pray with you this morning. 

Father, 

This man, this woman, who is listening to this message this morning, they continue to doubt Your sovereignty. Please forgive them. 

Pray this prayer after me: 
I confess that I have doubted God but today, 
I choose by faith, to believe that Jesus Christ is the soon-coming King.
Amen.

God bless you and have a wonderful day. Goodbye. 

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

We start in the Book of Isaiah 42:3:

”A bruised reed He will not break, And smoking flax He will not quench; He will bring forth justice for truth.”

Folks, I want to say to you that the Lord will establish justice on the earth. “Gentle Jesus meek and mild” - that was a children’s hymn that was written in 1745. It goes like this:

Gentle Jesus meek and mild, 
Look upon a little child, 
Pity my simplicity,
And suffer me to come to thee. 

They say in the early days that instructing little children to memorise and sing hymns was the most important way to keep truth in their little minds. I want to speak to you about the gentlest person who ever walked on the face of the earth. Yes, His name was our beloved Jesus. You say, ”What was His character like?” Well, let me give you an example. You know He was the one that was arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane, and you can read it in John 18:8, and yet what did He say, He said, ”Let these go their way,” the disciples, ”I’m the one that you want.” Isn’t that beautiful?

He was the one, when He was hanging on a cross, where spikes had been driven through His hands and through His feet and a crown of thorns rammed upon His head and blood pouring down His face, He could say, ”Forgive them for they do not know what they do.” Oh yes, this is the gentle Jesus I’m talking about. He’s the one who could tell Peter that he will see Him in Galilee. Why didn’t He say that to all the others? No, because Peter was the one who had denied Him no less than three times, but He still loved him.

He’s the one who, when He was hanging on the cross, looked down and saw the disciple John and He said, ”John look after my mother.” And then He looked at His mother and He said, ”Mom, look after my brother” - so gentle. Gentle means mild and kind. Moderate, not harsh or severe but kind, tender, understanding. Talk to Him today, He’s waiting for you. He says to you and I, ”I have come to give you life abundantly.” John 10:10.

Jesus bless you and have a wonderful day with gentle Jesus,
Goodbye.

I greet you in Jesus’ precious name! It is Sunday morning, the 17th of November, 2024, and this is your friend, Angus Buchan, with a thought for today. 

We start in Psalm 65:3:

“Iniquities prevail against me; As for our transgressions, You will provide atonement for them.” 

Beautiful! In the Amplified Version it says:

“Wickedness and guilt prevail against me; Yet as for our transgressions,You forgive them [removing them from Your sight].”

Oh beautiful! Then 1 John 1:9:

“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 

Isn’t that beautiful? Jesus provides a way of escape, a way out. Not only does He forgive us of our sins, but He also forgets our sin! When you go to the Lord and you say, “Lord, remember that thing that I did last week?” He says, “No, I don’t remember. When He forgives, He forgets, not like us - when the going gets tough we say to that person, “Remember what you did to me at that other time?” God never says that. That is why I love Him so very much. 

Romans 8:1 (Amplified Version):

“Therefore there is now no condemnation [no guilty verdict, no punishment] for those who are in Christ Jesus [who believe in Him as personal Lord and Saviour].”

Isn’t that beautiful? No fishing - okay, there is a big pool there, you want to go fishing - no! There is a sign up there that says, “No fishing!” When God forgives, it is done, therefore go, sin no more. It is like getting all those accounts at the end of the month. You don’t know how you are going to pay them, you start opening these accounts and there is a big stamp, right across those accounts, “Paid”, “Paid”, “Paid in Full” - “Paid By The Blood of Jesus Christ which was shed on the Cross of Calvary  for you and for I.”

Go therefore today, knowing that your sins are forgiven and the Master says, “Go and sin no more.” 

Jesus bless you and goodbye.

I greet you in Jesus’ precious name! It is Saturday morning, the 16th of November, 2024, and this is your friend, Angus Buchan, with a thought for today.

We start in the Gospel of Matthew 10:30-31. Jesus says:

“But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.”

Our God is the God of infinite detail -  do you know that He even knows how many hairs are on our heads!? Ask your hairdresser the next time you get your hair done, if she can just quickly count the hairs on your head. She will never do it, will she? I can hear somebody saying this morning, ”But nobody cares about me, Angus. I don’t have a friend in the world. If I was to die today, no-one would even notice.” That is not true. He cares for you. He loves you so very much that He died in your place. John 15:13:

“Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.” 

Do you know that Jesus Christ knows you by name? When you die and you go to Heaven, yes, there will be huge crowds there, tens of thousands, millions, and yet He will be there to welcome you home! 

I don’t know if you have ever travelled overseas to an international airport. I am just thinking of Atlanta Airport in the United States of America. You get off that aeroplane, folks, I am telling you, especially for a country boy like me, a farmer, you don’t know where you are. When you go through customs and immigration, you are faced with escalators going up, escalators going down, and signs everywhere. You follow the signs, you go down underground and the next thing, a huge train! The doors open, people go in, people go out and you just say, “Lord, please help me!” It’s quite an experience but I want to tell you, when you get home to Heaven, there is going to be a personal welcome for you. Jesus is not going to send one of His soldiers, one of His disciples, no, no, He promised you, He is coming Himself. He is going to say to you, “Welcome home Peter!”, “Welcome home Jenny, Lindy, Johnny, Patricia!” Let’s not disappoint our Lord Jesus when we arrive at home and we don’t know who He is, because I am telling you He has got a huge banquet waiting for you in Paradise. 

In John 14:3, He says,

“I am going ahead to prepare a place for you and then I am coming back to fetch you."

Today, just rejoice as the Lord not only knows you, He loves you and He created you. 

Jesus bless you and goodbye.

I greet you in Jesus’ precious name! It is Friday morning, the 15th of November, 2024, and this is your friend, Angus Buchan, with a thought for today.

We go to 2 Corinthians 1:22, and I’m going to read it out of the Amplified version:

”… it is He who has also put His seal on us [that is, He has appropriated us and certified us as His] and has given us the [Holy] Spirit in our hearts as a pledge [like a security deposit to guarantee the fulfillment of His promise of eternal life].”

Oh beautiful, a security deposit to prove His promise of eternal life. He’s given us His Holy Spirit. Jesus has put His seal upon us. Certified us as His alone. Isn’t that beautiful? He has stamped us with His seal of love over our hearts, like you put an engagement ring on your fiancé’s finger. “She is mine”. Stamped us with His eternal pledge, His eternal promise. We are guaranteed that by His promise, we are His forever. That seal can be seen by everyone, a lifetime guarantee. Isn’t that beautiful?

We were in Israel maybe just over a year ago now and one of our meetings was at King David’s Tower that he built in the Old City, a most beautiful place. We had a wonderful service with all our pilgrims, over 300 of us. At the completion of the service, we were just closing up, a young man came up to me in tears and he said, ”Angus, I feel convicted.” Oom Angus, he called me. “I feel convicted by the Holy Spirit. I need to marry my girlfriend. We have being going out for a couple of years.”  I thought she was in South Africa. I said, ”Where is she?” He said,” She’s here, she’s part of the group.” I said, ”Bring her up here.”  I called them up onto the platform and he pledged his seal upon her. He got on his knees in tears, she was in tears, we were all in tears, and I married them right there in David’s Tower in the Old City of Jerusalem in Israel, with much rejoicing! He put his pledge upon her, gave her his ring. They were man and wife. God blessed them and you know something, just a month ago, they gave birth to their first child. A beautiful baby boy, I’ve seen the photos. A happy mother, a proud father and take a guess what? They have named him David. 

Allow Jesus to put His seal upon you too. 
Jesus bless you and goodbye.

I greet you in Jesus’ precious name! It is Thursday morning, the 14th of November, 2024, and this is your friend, Angus Buchan, with a thought for today.

We start with the most well-known scripture in the whole Bible. John 3:16. We all know it, say it with me:

”For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” 

I want to speak to you today about the greatest miracle that has ever happened in the world. Now, when it comes to miracles, St. Augustine said, ”Miracles are not in contradiction to nature. They are only in contradiction with what we know of nature.” I really like that. Be careful folks, that we don’t get too clever and try to explain everything. You can’t explain a miracle. 

I looked up the Oxford dictionary to find out the literal meaning of the word, “miracle”. This is what it says: “A welcome event that is so extraordinary it is thought to be the work of God or a saint. It is amazing, astounding, remarkable, extraordinary, incredible, unbelievable, sensational and phenomenal.”

Now, the greatest miracle of all is Christmas. We are in the Christmas season, Immanuel - It means God with us. Now seven hundred years before Jesus was born, Isaiah 7:14, tells us about the virgin birth of Jesus. A virgin is a woman who has never slept with a man, and the Bible tells us in Isaiah, seven hundred years before the birth of Christ, that a young maiden will become pregnant with a baby, without knowing a man, and that baby’s name will be Jesus and we can see confirmation of that in Matthew 1:23. 

I want to sat to you today my dear friend, if you cannot believe in miracles you cannot believe the Bible. The Bible is one miracle. The Gospel of John 1:1:

”In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”

When an atheist says to you they don’t believe in God and you ask them, ”Well how did everything come into being?” And they will say to you, ”With a Big Bang.” Then you need to ask them, ”Who made the big bang?” It was God. 

In the beginning was the Word and you’ll find that your strength will be built up if you believe Romans 10:17:

”So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.” 

Jesus bless you at this Christmas season, 
Goodbye.