Thought For Today

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.

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.

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.

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

We start in the Book of Numbers 13:27-28. 

"Then they told him, and said: "We went to the land where you sent us. It truly flows with milk and honey, and this is its fruit. Nevertheless the people who dwell in the land are strong; the cities are fortified and very large; moreover we saw the descendants of Anak there." (the descendants of the giants there).

I read a statement, the other day, that really touched me. It goes something like this: "It is when we are in the way of duty that we find giants. It was when Israel was going forward that the giants appeared. When they turned back into the wilderness, they found none." If you are doing something today and feel you have mountains in front of you, you have giants in front of you, keep going forward. There is no reverse gear in the Kingdom of God. We need to go forward and that is why the Lord loved Caleb so much. If you just turn over the page, to the next chapter, Numbers 14:24 - one of my favourite verses, by the way, in the Bible: 

"But My servant Caleb, because he has a different spirit in him and has followed Me fully, I will bring into the land where he went, and his descendants shall inherit it." 

It's a promise from God. You see, the other ten spies were so negative, but Caleb wasn't negative; he was going forward, and so was Joshua. I want to say to you today, my dear friend, let's go forward! Of course there are giants there. Anything worth having is worth fighting for! Isn't that true? So let's go forward and we know that the Lord goes before us.

Jesus bless you and have a wonderful day, and don't be scared of those giants.
Goodbye.

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

We start in the Gospel of John 10:16: 

“And other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they will hear My voice; and there will be one flock and one shepherd.”  

Apart from the Jews, the Lord says that there are other sheep who must come into the fold, gentiles. It doesn’t matter who you are, where you come from, it doesn’t matter what your colour, your creed or your sex is. He died for you and me and He wants to bring you into the fold. He gathers the outcasts. That is what it says in the Book of Isaiah. 

Romans 10:13 confirms what we are saying: 

“For whoever (whoever means whoever) calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.” 

We must never write off anybody. When you look at the disciples that the Lord Jesus chose, they were a real motley bunch, weren’t they? I mean they came from all different types of backgrounds. There were blasphemers, drinkers, they were fishermen, they were tax collectors - they were thieves, those tax collectors. They were zealots, terrorists, and they all came to Christ, and He used them to change the world. Let us not make the mistake of saying, “That person will never become a Christian.”  

I remember when I was a new Christian, for quite a few weeks, I was actually chastised by my minister because he didn’t really believe I was for real. I said to him one evening, after Bible Study, “Why are you always picking on me?” And then he confessed and said, “I really didn’t think you were serious; I thought you were having us on.” I said, “No, no, no, my love for Jesus Christ is huge.” “He whom I have forgiven much loves me the most”, the Lord says.

So today, let's embrace the whosoever’s who come into the fold because Jesus died for every one of them, just like He died for you and me.

Jesus bless you and have a lovely day,
Goodbye.

I greet you in Jesus' precious name! It is Saturday morning, the 13th of April, 2024, and this is your friend, Angus Buchan, with a thought for today.

We start in the Gospel of Luke 19:46: 

'My house is a house of prayer,…' 

Then we go to Mark 11:17, the same thing again: 

'My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations'.

Everybody is welcome to pray in the House of God. Then, of course, Isaiah 56:7: 

"For My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations."  

No one is excluded. Prayer is open to anyone who truly seeks help from God. I looked up the Oxford Dictionary to find out the literal meaning of the word "Prayer", which says: "It is a request for help or an expression of thanks, made to God." You say, "I don't know how to pray. I really am struggling." Well, it's funny you should say that because that's exactly what the disciples said to Jesus, in Luke 11:1. They said, 

"Lord, teach us to pray,.."  

I love sitting quietly and listening to little children pray. It brings a tear to my eye. I am sure the Lord stops in Heaven and says, "Hang on a minute", to all His angels, "these little children want to speak to Me. Just hang on a second."

"No, but there is a big concern amongst…"

"Yes, just hang on a minute, I want to hear these children." Oh, it is so beautiful and so sincere. 

We really need to pray more and we really need to speak less. When I gave my life to the Lord, which was 46 years ago, we had a little follow-up meeting after the Sunday service, where mature Christians instructed us on the things of the Lord. We got into little circles, and they said, "Tonight, we are going to start to pray." I took a look around, we were all brand spanking new Christians. We still had the wrapping paper on! Each one of us had to pray out loud, and we were extremely nervous, and this is the honest truth. As we went around the circle, there was one old gentleman sitting there and I could see he had had a hard life. He had all those war maps printed all over his face. He had really been through some tough times, and I could see that he was extremely nervous and he prayed a prayer I will never, ever forget. He just cried out from the bottom of his heart, "God, please help me!" That was his prayer. Now, I have heard prayers from all over the world. I have heard eloquent people praying, but I will never, ever forget John's prayer: "Lord, please help me!" And do you know something? God helped him.

Do it today, it will change your life.
Jesus bless you and goodbye.

I greet you in Jesus’ precious name! It is Friday morning, the 12th of April, 2024, and this is your friend, Angus Buchan, with a thought for today.

We go to the Song of Solomon 1:6:

“They made me the keeper of the vineyards,
But my own vineyard I have not kept.”

Charity begins at home. Service starts with valuable time, spent first of all, in the presence of Jesus Christ, and then your family, and then your work. The Gospel of Mark 8:36 says: 

“For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?” 

We need to spend more time in the presence of Almighty God, both quantity and quality. We need to be careful, and I am talking to myself here more than anybody, that the work of the Lord does not keep us from the Lord of the work—so busy for Jesus that we have no time to spend with Jesus. We really need to be so careful of that fact.

A man I have the utmost respect for, one of my heroes was James Hudson Taylor. That young man took the Gospel of Jesus Christ to China. As a result, they are having one of the greatest revivals in the world in the underground church in China, at the moment, and yet, that man could say, and I am going to read it, “Our attention is here drawn to a danger which is pre-eminently one of this day: the intense activity of our times may lead to zeal in service, to the neglect of personal communion; but such neglect will not only lessen the value of the service, but tend to incapacitate us for the highest service.” In other words, if we are not having a proper quiet time with the Lord, if we are not interacting with the Lord, it will even affect our ministry, let alone our family that will suffer, and most of all, our personal relationship with the Lord.

Remember, first the Lord, then your wife or your husband, then your children, then the rest of your family, and then the ministry or the work that God has called you to. If we do it in that order we will not fail.

Jesus bless you and have a lovely day,
Goodbye.

I greet you in Jesus’ precious name! It is Thursday morning, the 11th of April, 2024, and this is your friend, Angus Buchan, with a thought for today. 

We start in the New Testament, in the Book of Hebrews 12:1: 

“Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,…”

Early this morning, before the sun came up, I went for a ride on my mountain bike on a gravel road. I had to use a little torch that I had fitted to the bike because it was still dark. As I was riding, I heard the most incredible sound. I don’t think I have ever heard it before in my life, and I am a farmer, a man of the land. I heard tens of thousands of birds singing. Now, I didn’t know where the noise was coming from. I was riding alongside a pine plantation on my neighbour’s farm. I wondered whether the noise came from there, but I had never heard that before. And as I was riding, the sun just started to peak over the beautiful surface of the world, and then I felt the Holy Spirit say to me, “Lift up your eyes and look up,” and I looked up and I saw something that really almost brought a tear to my eye. 

I saw tens of thousands of swallows flying above. The whole sky was clear but it was full of swallows and they were singing. That’s where the noise was coming from. These swallows were focused; they were flying north to their home in the Northern Hemisphere because winter is starting here in South Africa, and in Europe, the summer is starting, and they were making their way back to their summer address. Their eyes were fixed on their destiny. They were going to their new home. They tell me, I don’t know, that swallows eat on the wing, while they are flying. They sleep on the wing - they have catnaps while they are flying. They are totally focused, they are looking straight ahead to their home.  

I want to say to you, my dear friend, there are many people in Heaven, a cloud of witnesses, that are cheering you and I on, and this is what they are saying, “Be like that little swallow. Do not get distracted, don’t get pulled down by the things of this world. Do not allow the devil to rob your joy, keep your vision, keep your focus because soon, and very soon, you are going to get home.” We are going to arrive at our new destination. This is not our home, we are sojourners, pilgrims, passing through! 

Let us keep our eyes fixed on Jesus today, the Author and the Finisher of our faith. 

God bless you and have a wonderful day. Don’t forget the swallow, he is a good example. 
Goodbye.

I greet you in Jesus’ precious name! It is Wednesday morning, the 10th of April, 2024, and this is your friend Angus Buchan with a thought for today.

We start in 1 Samuel 15:22, in the Old Testament, 

”Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice,...”  

Then we go to the last book in the Bible, the Book of Revelation 2:4-5. The Lord Jesus says: 

”Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place—unless you repent.”

Wow, obedience is better than sacrifice. In other words, to do as you are told, is better than continually saying, “I’m sorry.” The Lord is requiring obedience from us this morning. This scripture in Revelation 2, is one of the hallmarks in the ministry at Shalom. I was up at the Umkuzi game reserve in Northern Kwazulu-Natal, having a break with my dear wife, Jill. I was sitting there early in the morning having my quiet time, just like I’m doing right now. I thought I was doing a great job for the Lord, but you see, a good idea is not always a God idea. What are you doing at this time as you are listening to this message? Are you obeying the Lord or are you doing something you think the Lord would like you to do?

This scripture was very relevant in my life. The Lord says, ”I see all the good things you are doing but you have forsaken your first love.” That is your relationship with Jesus Christ. “You are so busy with the work of the Lord, that you haven’t got time for Me,” the Lord was saying to me. So I was listening, I was devastated actually. I felt the Lord saying, “Go home, cancel everything and then I will speak to you.” I did exactly that. 

You know something folks? The Holy Spirit impressed upon me to start mentoring young men because we are living in a fatherless generation. I cancelled every single appointment and then I started to mentor young men. I thought maybe two or three and I really mean that. You know by the year 2010 which was seven years after the Lord had spoken to me, we saw no less than four hundred and fifty thousand men on this farm.

Obedience is better than sacrifice. Let’s start doing what the Lord has told us to do and not what we think He’s told us to do. “How do we do that, Angus?”, by spending time quietly in His presence. 

Jesus bless you and goodbye.

I greet you in Jesus’ precious name! It’s Tuesday morning, the 9th of April, 2024, and this is your friend, Angus Buchan, with a thought for today. 

“So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth;
It shall not return to Me void,
But it shall accomplish what I please,
And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.”
Isaiah 55:11

The word of the Lord shall accomplish what the Lord has said, and it shall prosper in the very thing for which it was sent. Just like the rain comes down from Heaven and waters the earth, and germinates the crops. I have seen it so many times; it makes them grow so that the seed will become bread for those farmers who cultivate it. I have seen it for over 40 years, and so the Lord says to us today, the spoken word, spoken out in faith, shall accomplish the same thing. 

I had the privilege of watching a documentary just the other day, and part of that documentary was what happened in Cape Town in Mitchell’s Plain, one of the poorest places in South Africa, where probably about 250,000 people, many of them poor folk, came to speak the word of God over a city that was without water. People were panicking, they didn’t think they would have enough water to drink, never mind to wash or to grow crops. In the middle of that prayer meeting as we were speaking out the word of God, oh yes, it started to rain! I will never forget it as long as I live. I want to say to you this morning, I don’t know who you are or where you are, but you need to start speaking the word of God out again, by faith. The word of the Lord will never return void. If we look at John 1:1, the Bible says: 

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

Speak the word of God, and it will accomplish the same thing that the Lord spoke because it is His word in your mouth, and my mouth, spoken by faith, will achieve the same thing. Speak to that mountain today and ask the Lord Jesus Christ, by faith, to remove it out of your life.

Have a wonderful day,
God bless you and goodbye.