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As a new writer I am trying to get my thoughts on paper so that they are noticed.

Until a few years ago I was with Radio CCFM, a Christian broadcasting unit in Muizenberg near Cape Town. I broadcast with them for about six years and was both a producer and presenter of a top-rated show called "Silver Threads".

During this programme I also presented a short message called 'Thought for the Day' and I am providing some of these scripts for your perusal. I also ended each script with a suitable hymn which I thought would underline the message. It is with this in mind that I want to continue to give people in various situations something on which to channel their minds. I want to call my book "LIGHTS ALONG THE SHORE" as these were my guiding lights in many of life's difficulties.

I have completed 59 chapters of which 9 are devoted to Easter, Christmas and the New Year.

Below, you will find "Behold The Man" and "The Good News Station" which will give you an idea of the concept.

Brightly beams our Father's mercy

From His lighthouse evermore,

But to us He gives the keeping

Of the "lights along the shore.

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WE ARE THE GOOD NEWS STATION!!

That we declare the good news of Jesus Christ and his love!!

What then is this good news? It is the old, old story which has come down to us through the century.

The dictionary defines the word "news" as "a report of recent happenings" or "fresh information" and you may not think that this applies to a story that is two thousand years old! But the story of God's plan of redemption for a sinful old world, which He still loves in spite of it's sin came to fruition by the death of His Son Jesus Christ on the Cross of Calvary. It is as fresh and relevant today as when it was first told.

We used to sing a chorus in Sunday School which went like this;

The old, old chorus it is ever new,

The old, old story praise the Lord It's true,

That Jesus died for me as well as you,

I love the old, old story.

In Romans chapter 5 verse 8 we read, "But God commended His love towards us in that

WHILE WE WERE YET SINNERS Christ died for us.

There are still many in the world today who have not accepted God's remedy for sin and while there are yet sinners God continues to reach out to them with His offer of salvation.

The old, old story will continue to be news; good news.

The great thing about this offer of salvation is that it is free and assured.

In John chapter 6 verses 37 to 40 we read that Jesus said, "All that the Father giveth me shall come to Me; and him that cometh unto me I will in no ways cast out. For I came down from heaven not to do my own will but the will of Him who sent Me. And this is the Father's will which sent me that all which He hath given me I shall lose nothing but shall raise it up again at the last day. And this is the will of Him who sent me that every one which seeth the Son and believeth on Him may have everlasting life and I will raise him again at the last day".

That is indeed Good News; fresh relevant and an offer which is surely too good to reject. Free salvation and it is ours for the asking because Jesus willingly paid the price by His death on Calvary.

But this good news will not last forever and we might come to the end of time when it will be too late! God will find that the time has come, a time which He alone knows, when He will withdraw the good news and we will no longer be able to draw on it.

Don't let that happen to you! Find out now and then go out and tell the GOOD NEWS to all who will listen to you.

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TEN THOUSAND ANGELS

They bound the hands of Jesus in the garden where He prayed

They led Him through the streets of shame.

They spat upon the Saviour, so pure and free from sin;

They said "Crucify Him, He's to blame".

CHORUS He could have called ten thousand angels

To destroy the world and set Him free.

He could have called ten thousand angels

But He died alone for you and me.

Upon His precious head they placed a crown of thorns;

They laughed and said, "Behold the King".

They struck Him and they cursed Him and mocked His holy name,

All alone He suffered everything.

When they nailed Him to the cross, His mother stood nearby;

He said "Woman behold thy son!"

He cried "I thirst for water," but they gave him none to drink.

Then the sinful work of man was done.

To the howling mob He yielded; He did not for mercy cry.

The cross of shame He took alone.

And when He cried, "It's finished," He gave himself to die;

Salvation's wondrous plan was done.

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As I was reading the account in John's gospel chapters 18 and 19 of the arrest and trial of Jesus I was brought up short by three words; "BEHOLD THE MAN".

If ever there was a reluctant judge in all of history it was Pontius Pilate who maintained his belief in Christ's innocence throughout His farcical trial and indeed made several appeals to His accusers for permission to release Him. In Matthew's gospel chapter 27 verse 19 we read of him turning his back on his wife's appeal to him not to get involved.

When he brought Jesus out to them in his final attempt to save Him Pilate announced not " Behold the prisoner," "Behold the accused," or even "Behold the impostor." Oh no.

It was " BEHOLD THE MAN ".

At that stage Jesus must have looked a sorry sight. He had been slapped and punched, deprived of sleep, lashed with a multi-thronged whip and so mockingly dressed in a purple robe. There was probably blood running down His face from the crown of thorns jammed on His head but in spite of all this there was a something, a majestic dignity in His bearing that spoke strongly to the man who was called upon to pass judgement on Him. But Pilate was between a rock and a hard place. His political career was on the line and eventually he gave in to the demands of the blood thirsty rabble and handed Christ over to be crucified.

In Matthew's gospel we also read that he took water and washed his hands saying that "I am innocent of the blood of this just

person." (Matthew Chapter 27 verse 24.) He also put on the cross saying " JESUS OF NAZARTH THE KING OF THE JEWS." He was not afraid to take it down saying " What I have written I have written ".

During His three years of active ministry when Jesus went about doing good followed by crowds clamouring for His healing touch. So it is hard to understand those who saw and benefited from His miracles could have held back when His enemies seized Him and had Him crucified. But God can turn man's evil plan into victory and what was meant to be a cross of shame has become a symbol of hope in a sinful world.

In Isaiah chapter 53 and verse 3 we hear that "He is despised and rejected of men; a Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief," but two thousand centuries after the crucifixion the power of Jesus' personality which spoke so strongly to Pontius Pilate still draws mankind to His feet today. In worship and adoration the weary and sin-sick still come, bringing their shattered lives to receive His healing touch.

If we continue reading Isaiah and come to verse 5 we will read " But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our

iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon Him; and with his stripes we are healed ".

Can you turn your back on those three short words:

" BEHOLD THE MAN "?

Behold the Man,

This mighty man called Jesus,

With callused hands now we cling to Him,

From heaven above He came down to this old world to teach us

How to live in love and die in peace.

Behold the Man,

He's the living resurrection,

He knew each curse a human heart could stand

With failing love to behold the main perfection

If there ever was a man Behold the Man.

Behold the Man

Even Pilate shock before Him.

Condemned to die no-one could understand,

The gentle strength and the love that flows within Him

Let every eye Behold the Man.

Behold the Man

Yet He even knew rejection,

And every curse that the human heart can stand,

There He stands the pathway to perfection,

If there ever was a man

Behold the Man.

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