Saturday 30 July

Source of Hope

Read Lamentations 3:19-41

Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed  Lamentations 3:22

What good is faith when all seems lost?  I’ve asked that penetrating question in my life, and not long ago I received a letter from a mum who has asked it as well.

She told me that she and her husband set out in their marriage to seek God’s will for their lives and entrust their future to Him.  Then their second son was born with Down Syndrome.  Their initial response was “grief, shock and disbelief.”  Yet the same day he was born, God used Philippians 4:6-7 to put peace in their hearts and give them an undying love for their precious son.  It says: “Let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts.”

But their days in the desert were not over.  Nine years later, their fourth son was diagnosed with cancer.  Before he reached his third birthday, he was gone. Shock, pain and sadness again broke into their world.  And again, they found help from God and His Word.  “When the grief overwhelms us,” says his mum, “we turn to God’s Word and His gift of eternal life through Jesus Christ.”

When life’s troubles hit us like a tidal wave, we can remember that God’s compassions never fail.  He can gives us the hope we need.  Dave Branon.

My sheep I know, they are My own;

I leave them not in trials alone;

I will be with them to the end,

Their hope, their joy, their dearest Friend.  Anon

Feeling hopeless reminds us that we are helpless without God.

Prayer:

Ask God for His peace and guidance, at the conclusion of the service tomorrow, as people  provide their feedback from last week’s meeting.

Ask God to continue to bless Rex Findon as he teaches R.I., and gives driving lessons to many Sudanese.

Friday 29 July

Orange Peels

Read 1 Corinthians 10:1-13

Let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall.  1 Corinthians 10:12

Back in 1911, a stuntman named Bobby Leach went over Niagara Falls in a specially designed steel drum, and lived to tell about it.  Although he suffered minor injuries, he survived because he recognised the tremendous dangers involved in the feat, and he had done everything he could to protect himself from harm.

Several years later, while walking down a street in New Zealand, Bobby Leach slipped on an orange peel, fell, and badly fractured his leg.  He was taken to a hospital where he died of complications from that fall.  He received a greater injury walking down the street than he sustained in going over Niagara falls.  He was not prepared for danger in what he assumed to be a safe situation.

Some of the great temptations that roar around  like the rushing waters of Niagara will leave us unharmed, while a small, seemingly insignificant incident may cause our downfall.  Why?  We simply become careless and do not recognise the potential danger.  We mistakenly think we are secure.

We must always be on guard against temptation.  A victorious Christian is an alert Christian who watches out even for those little “orange peels”.  Richard de Haan

Take the name of Jesus ever

As a shield from every snare;

If temptations round you gather,

Breathe that holy name in prayer.  Baxter

Whenever we fall, it is usually at the point where we think we are strong.

Prayer:

Remember our Music Leaders and the Music Team Members who regularly meet every Friday evening to prepare for Sonday worship.

Ask God for a special blessing in their lives.

Thank God for the people who faithfully attend to the sound and projection side of this ministry.

Thursday 28 July

Trapped!

Read Matthew 11:25-30

Take my yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart.  Matthew 11:29

A man who sold books and magazines on the street was freed after being trapped for 2 days under a mountain of paper in his flat.  The man’s collection of printed materials, which he had stacked wall to wall and floor to ceiling, collapsed and buried him alive.  Emergency workers filed 50 bin bags as they dug through the debris to reach him.

We don’t need a Mt Everest of old newspapers to know the feeling of being trapped under the crush of our work and the burden of overwhelming spiritual demands.   Yet a glance at our Saviour reveals His deep inner rest.  Charles E. Hummel writes: “Jesus’ prayerful waiting for God’s instructions ..... Gave Him a sense of direction, set a steady pace, and enabled Him to do every task God assigned.”

Jesus invites the wary to come to Him.  Matthew 11:29.

This rest that comes with salvation is not achieved by effort by is received by faith.  In Christ we can also find release from the tyranny of the urgent and accomplish everything He has given us to do.  David McCasland

Come, heavy-laden, wear one,

Come unto Christ for rest;

Come lay your every burden down,

And lean upon His breast.  Anon

Following Jesus takes the busyness out of life.

Prayer:

Remember all of our Cell leaders as they willingly serve God and you in this ministry.

Praise God for the servant hearts of the ladies who are part of the Ladies Cell, as they take on the organisation of the Food Preparation for the Needy.

Wednesday 27 July

A Wonderful Pair

Read Exodus 23:1-13

What is desired in a man is kindness, and a poor man is better than a liar.  Proverbs 19:22

An honest and kind taxi driver drove the streets for man than an hour to find the woman who had left her purse full of money on the back seat of his taxi.  I like what he said when some of his fellow drivers ridiculed him for not pocketing the money.  He responded, “I am a card carrying member of the Christian faith, and what good is it to go to church if you don’t practice what you preach?”

In Exodus 23, the principles of honesty and kindness were brought together for the Israelites in the laws God gave them.  They were to be honest enough to return a straying animal to its owner, even if that person were an enemy (vs 4).  They were to be kind enough to a foe to help him get a stubborn donkey to its feet (vs 5).  They were to be so concerned about making sure that a poor person got fair treatment that they would help him, even when it was a costly thing to do (vs6-9).  Landowners were to let their farm lie idle every seventh year and allow the poor to glean freely from it (vs 10-11).

Honest people can be cruel.  Kind people may be soft and not concerned enough about righteousness.  But when you put honesty and kindness together, you have a wonderful pair that honours God and blesses others.  Herb Vander Lugt.

When others view our lives today,

Our honesty is on display;

Lord, help us point the way to You

By doing what is kind and true.  Branon

Tact is the ability to make a point without making an enemy.

Prayer:

Praise God for Jim Lyon’s recovery.

Remember Jim & Faye as they travel to Perth and present their programme “Price tag of Sex” to many High School Students.

Ask God to help these teenagers hear His truth and be willing to apply same to their lives.

Tuesday 26 July

To Have One, Be One

Read John 15:9-17

A man who has friends must himself be friendly.  Proverbs 18:24

All of us need one or two close friends.  A small boy defined a friend as “someone who knows all about you and likes you just the same.”  Ralph Waldo Emerson said, “A friend may well be reckoned the masterpiece of nature.”  And from Henry Durbanville comes this observation: “A friend is the first person to come in when the whole world goes out.”

Solomon wrote in Proverbs 17:17, “A friend loves at all times”.  We can’t improve on that definition.  To have someone who remains true to us under all circumstances is one of life’s choicest blessings.  The support and encouragement that only an intimate friend can offer is sorely needed when the burdens of life weigh heavily upon us.  Jesus, of course, is the ultimate friend, for He laid down His life for His friends (John 15:13).

Proverbs 18:24 takes us beyond a description of what is means to be a friend. It says that “a man who has friends must himself be friendly.” The implication is clear:  Friendliness must begin with us.  We must take the initiative in developing relationships with others.  Let us be to others what we desire for ourselves.  When it comes to friends, to have one you must be one!  Richard De Haan

I went outside to find a friend

But could not find one there;

I went outside to be a friend,

And friends were everywhere!  Anon

Friends are seldom found; they are made.  Wentworth.

Prayer:

Pray for the Christians in the countries where persecution is rife.

Pray for the police, who often appear to be corrupt, and yet are probably fearful of those in power.

Remember the Christians who are in prison for their faith and trust in God. Ask God to continue to help them to bless His name in all their circumstances..

Monday 25 July

Litter Duty

Read 1 Peter 5:1-6

All of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility. 1 Peter 5:5

It was once my privilege to preach in a church were love and warmth were especially evident. I was impressed by the members’ willingness to pitch in and work. On the Sunday I spoke, three services were scheduled. The women of the church had provided a bountiful meal to be served between the meetings for visitors who had travelled long distance.

Following the diner, after most of the people had left, I notice a distinguished-looking couple clearing the tables and dumping the paper plates into large plastic bags. When I complimented them on what they were doing, they said matter-of-fatly, “Oh, we’re litter duty. We volunteered to clean up after every church function. We consider it a ministry”.

How wonderful that this man and woman were not only available to serve the Lord, but humbly did what others might consider demeaning work. These dear people were glad to be what they cheerfully called litter duty.

Some members of the body of Christ are called to serve in places of prominence; others to labour quietly behind the scenes. Regardless of what the Lord asks us to do, let’s be willing to do it by serving one another through love, knowing that ultimately we are serving the Lord. Richard De Haan

There’s surely somewhere a lowly place

In earth’s harvest fields so wide,

Where I may labour through life’s short day

For Jesus the Crucified. Prior

There is no insignificant task in the church.

Prayer:

Uphold our elders and Pastor Esa after their presentation, of God’s forward future direction for this church.

Pray that the congregation will continue to be open and respective to God’s challenges and that many will pray earnestly seeking God’s face.

Saturday 23 July

Crowd Pleasers

Read John 12:35-43

They loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.  John 12:43

I once read a newspaper story about an old carnival headliner nicknamed “Cannonball”.  In his younger days, he was blasted out of a cannon 1,200 times, pulled a 90 pound weight across a table with his eyelids, and performed many other bizarre stunts.  When asked why he did such things, he replied, “Do you know what’s it’s like to feel the applause of 60,000 people?  That’s why I did it over and over.”

In John 12 we learn about some leaders who were also motivated by a desire to please others.  In their case, however, they refused to follow Jesus openly because they wanted to be accepted by the Pharisees.  Although they had seen the Saviour’s miracles and believed in Him, they wouldn’t acknowledge this publicly.  I believe we are safe in assuming that many people failed to turn to Jesus because they were also crowd pleasers who feared the disapproval of these “Chief” crowd pleasers.

We are all subject to social pressures.  If we are true to ourselves and to God, we’ll be able to withstand the strong pull of the crowd.  But if we become crowd pleasers, we’ll be in far worse shape than the man who climbing back into that cannon!  Mart De Haan

If we, to gain the world’s applause,

Refuse to own the Saviour’s cause,

What shame will fill us on that day

When Thou Thy glory shall display!  Anon

Yielding to God’s Spirit within prevents conforming to the world without.

Prayer:

Commit and spend time in prayer regarding the National Day of Prayer tomorrow in Canberra.

Plead with God to work within the lives of all our politicians, especially over those pushing for same sex couples marrying.

Pray that the possible law changes for ratings, R18+ will not be revoked, but instead, an even more tightening up of the law.

Friday 22 July

Wounded Oysters

Read Genesis 41:46-57

God has caused me to be fruitful in the land of my affliction. Genesis 41:52

When seemingly needless suffering invades our lives, we often ask ourselves, “Who needs all this grief?  But consider, for a moment, the origin of pearls.

Each pearl is formed by an oyster’s internal response to a wound caused by an irritant, such as a grain of sand.  Resources of repair rush to the injured area.  The final result is a lustrous pearl.  Something beautiful is created that would have been impossible without the wound.

In today’s Bible reading, we see Joseph in a position of influence, a position God soon used to fee surrounding nations and Joseph’s family during the famine.  But how did he become influential?  It began with a wound, being sold into slavery (Genesis 39), which produced a peal of usefulness.  Because Joseph drew on God’s resources when humiliated, he became better, not bitter.  He names his second son Ephraim, which means “twice fruitful”, and he said, “God has caused me to be fruitful in the land of my affliction” (41:52)

Author Paul E. Billheimer says of Joseph, “If human duty could have rescued him from the sad part of his life, the glorious part that followed would have been lost.”  So if you’re suffering, remember: No wounds, no peals.  Joanie Yoder.

If we accept adversity,

Enduring every pain,

Then we will learn what we should know;

Our grief will turn to gain.  Sper.

Adversities are often blessings in disguise.

Prayer:

Uphold all our Youth  and ask that God would continue to work in their lives.

Remember those of our Youth who are in Year 12 and all the associated pressures of their final year of High School.

Pray for the leaders of our Youth as they serve God in this role.

Thursday 21 July

His Way

Read Matthew 26:36-46

O my Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.  Matthew 26:39

A question about the title of a hymn took me back to a wonderful old song that I grew up singing in church called’ “Let Him Have His Way With Thee.”  The chorus says: “His power can make you what you ought to be; His blood can cleanse your heart and make you free; His love can fill your soul, and you will see ‘twas best for Him to have His way with thee.”

Even when we know that God’s way is best for us, we may still struggle to obey Him.  When Christ our Saviour faced the horrible reality of bearing our sins on the cross, He agonised in prayer, saying, “O my Father, if it possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will” (Matthew 26:39).

Jesus, who lived to do His Father’s will, struggled and prayed, then willingly obeyed.  And He can help us as we grapple with the difficult choices in our lives.

C.S. Lewis wrote: “There are only two kinds of people in the end: those who say to God, ‘Thy will be done.’”  If we continually choose our own way, He will eventually allow us to suffer the consequences.

It’s best to surrender to God now.  If we do, we’ll have the assurance that His way is best for us. David McCasland.

Have Thine own way, Lord!  Have Thine own way!

Thou art the Potter, I am the clay;

Mould me and make me after They will,

While I am waiting, yielded and still.  Pollard.

There is victory in surrender when the conqueror is Christ.

Prayer:

Pray for the orphans that we support as a church, through Compassion.

Pray for this Indonesian village, that many will see Christ in the lives of these supported children.

Wednesday 20 July

Living Stones

 

Read 2 Corinthians 3:1-6

 

You are an epistle of Christ, .... Written not with ink but by the Spirit of the Living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of flesh, that is, of the heart.  2 Corinthians 3:3

 

I’ve seen a number of recent reports about efforts to remove monuments with  the Ten Commandments from public places.  It’s regrettable, for the monuments celebrate righteousness, and “righteousness exalts a nation” (Proverbs 14:34).  I believe that removing these reminders is a reflection of our crumbling moral foundations.

 

There is one enduring monument to righteousness, however, that cannot be removed: the truth of Christ, written on human hearts by the Spirit of God (2 Corinthians 3:3).

 

Those who have the law of God written on their hearts love the Lord with all their mind, soul, and strength.  They demonstrate this love to the world by showing honour to their parents, faithfulness in their  marriage, and integrity in their work.  They respect human life and treat all men and women with dignity and honour.  They don’t speak evil of anyone, no matter how much evil has been done tot hem.  They are content with God and what He has given them, and they want nothing more.

 

These are the outward signs that God’s law is alive, written on our hearts “by the Spirit of the Living God.”.

 

You and I are living monuments to His grace.  We must stand tall.  The world is watching.—David Roper

 

You’re writing a :gospel” a chapter each day,

By the deeds that you do, by the words that you say;

Men read what you write, whether faithless or true,

Say, what tis the “gospel” according to you? - Gilbert

 

God’s laws engraved on our hearts can never be removed from the public arena.

 

Prayer:

V Pray for the 2 orphanages visited in Shiloh, India recently.

V Continue to pray for the safety and building work of this new orphanage.

V Pray for a team to go over mid year 2012 to assist in the finalisation of this building project.

 

Tuesday 19 July

Mysterious Ways

Read  Romans 8:28-39

 

God works all things according to the counsel of His will.  Ephesians 1:11

 

The twists and turns in the life of Jacob DeShazer sound like the plot of an intriguing war novel.  But taken together, they show us the mysterious ways in which God moves.

 

DeShazer served in the World War !! As a bombardier in the squadron of General Dootlittle.  While participating in Doolittle’s raid on Japan in 1942, De Shaker and his crew ran out of fuel and bailed out over China.  He was taken to a Japanese prison camp where he trusted Jesus as his Saviour.  After his release, he became a missionary to Japan.

 

One day De Shazer handed a tract with his story on it to a man named Mitsuo Fuchida.  He didn't know that Mitsuo was on his way to a trial for his wartime role as the commander of Japanese forces that attacked Pearl Harbour.  Fuchida read the pamphlet and got a Bible.  He soon became a Christian and an evangelist to his people.  Eventually, De Shazer and Fuchida met again and became friends.

 

It’s amazing how God can take two men who were mortal enemies, bring them together, and lead them to Himself.  But it shows us that He is in control. And nothing, not even a world war, can stop God from working “All things according to the counsel of His will” (Ephesians1:11) - Dave Branon

 

My times are in my Father’s hand;

How could I wish or ask for more?

For He has my pathway planned

Will guide me till my journey’s o’er.—Fraser

 

Every child of God fills a special place in His Plan.

 

Prayer:

V Uphold Pastor Esa, Kerryn & family during this 2 week break.

V Ask God to give Pastor Esa a refreshing time and a good opportunity for him to seek the Lord.

 

 

 

 

Monday 18 July

A Brilliant Idea

 

Read 2 Chronicles 16:1-13

 

Help us, O Lord our God, for we rest on You. 2 Chronicles 14:11

 

An ancient Indonesian fables tells of a turtle that could fly.  He would hold onto a stick with his mouth as it was carried by geese.  When the turtle heard the onlookers on the ground saying, “Aren’t these geese brilliant!” His pride was so hurt that he shouted, “It was my idea!”  O course he lost his grip.  His pride became his downfall.

 

For 41 years, Asa was a strong and humble king.  He brought peace and prosperity to the kingdom of Judah.  During the early years of Asa’s reign he prayed, “Lord, it is nothing for You to help, whether with many or with those who have no power; help us, O Lord our God, for w rest on You”.

 

But toward the end of his reign, when the army of the northern kingdom of Israel confronted him, Asa sought help from the King of Syria instead of from God.  Because of his foolishness, his rule weakened and his nation experienced wars.  What went wrong?  Proud of past achievements, Asa had forgotten to depend on the Lord, so the Lord was no longer showing “Himself strong” on Asa’s behalf (16:9).

 

God is still looking for those who will allow Him to show Himself strong in their lives.  Living a humble, God-dependent life is truly a brilliant idea! - Albert Lee

 

We must depend upon our God

With Deep humility,

Lest pride should rob us of His strength

And bring Futility.  D. De Haan

 

No one is stronger than the one who depends on God.

 

Prayer:

V Pray for the people in your congregation who are facing physical challenges, that God would be their strength.

V Continue to pray for Sam Frater and her back issues. Ask God to give her the necessary strength to cope daily.

 

Generosity Revolution

Sermon Series commencing Sonday 14th August, 2011

 

Saturday July 16, 2011

Read Revelation 20-21

Sometimes when I’m driving around or just “existing” and feeling miserable about the state of the world I try to imagine what life in the new heaven/earth would be like. Revelation 20-21 tells us that the old order will have passed away and that there’ll be no more crying or mourning or pain. Death will have been swallowed up in victory. All believers will dwell in the new creation with God at the centre of the great City.

So what would it be like if I were in heaven, now? Can you imagine it? There’d be no news to listen to on the radio as those horrid accidents and crimes would be a thing of the past. Praise songs, adoration songs and nothing else will echo out from every radio station. School students would no longer bully each other and a lonely child would never again commit suicide, because of the pain of rejection. My children will never again come home upset at something that happened at school. The teachers will never again resign in total frustration. I can’t even begin to imagine a school with perfect students, can you? There’ll never be a funeral service to attend and doctors would be permanently

unemployed as the hospitals would be completely empty. Strangers that I pass now will be deep intimate friends in heaven. The issues in my life will have been sorted out. Stress will be a thing of the past and politicians will never lie to us again! That’s it! I’m sold. Let me in!

After about half an hour of thinking about what heaven would be like is generally enough to get my mind out of the doldrums and to fill it with praise and excitement.

Christian Victory comes with setting our hearts and minds and eyes on the finish line. Paul encourages the Philippians with these words.

I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

You and I should adopt the same attitude because sin often creeps into our lives when we become down, depressed or apathetic in our faith. Sometimes the world burdens us and weighs us down. It’s in those dark hours that we often seek relief in something sinful. As we focus on the finish line, as we set our heart on the prize, as we run with perseverance we will more and more see daily victory rather than daily defeat.

But never forget this one truth - You are not running alone. You are a part of a team and the other members are relying on you and you on them. It’s team work. Spur each other on. Motivate one another and build each other up. Try talking about heaven and the prize with your Christian mates. Encourage them with their heavenly inheritance. Give them a reason to persevere. Build them up. Set the trend in your circle of friends and cell group. SMS them a Bible verse every now and then. Find a good sermon off the internet or from church that can help them or build them up.  Pray with them. Pray for them. Rejoice with them.

Prayer:

V Pray for those in other countries that are persecuted daily for there faith.

V Pray that more and more people have access to the Bible in their native language.

V Praise God that we have free access to Bibles,  Bible reading notes and that we have the freedom in this country to live out our faith.

V Pray that people will take advantage of this freedom and look for further ways to reach out to non believers.

V Pray for the youth in your congregation that they will have opportunities to reach out to their friends and invite them along to youth group.

V Pray for the leaders of youth group that they will be able to encourage and support the youth as they grow in Christ.

Developing Godly Habits #4

Read Psalm 119:133. Write it down

The Psalmist prays that God would direct him according to the word and that no sin would rule over his life. Now read Romans 6:14. Write it down.

So many Christians are needlessly ruled/mastered by sins such as unforgiveness, hatred, anger, lusts and passions and so on. Through Christ Jesus God has freed you from the mastery of sin. He has purchased you by the blood of    Jesus and the evil one has no     control over you.

If you are ruled by something sinful it’s time to pray  as the Psalmist did. Pray that no sin would rule over you. Remind God that Jesus has purchased you. Plead with God to rule your heart and your ways according to His Word.

Friday July 15, 2011

Read 2 Peter 3:10-14

It would be grossly unfair if the Lord omitted vs 13-14 from 2 Peter 3. All too often we see people who think that Christianity is merely an avoidance tactic. If you do this and that, you’ll avoid hell! That’s not Christianity, that’s religion. All religions are based around doing and working off your debt to ensure some level of salvation. Christianity is primarily about grace - God calls us to Himself, justifies us and glorifies us through His unmerited and undeserved GRACE.

You and I look beyond the Day of Judgment to a new heaven/earth where we will dwell with God for all eternity. We know the judgement is coming and we take the necessary precautions but that’s only half the story. Jesus has suffered for us at the cross and has taken our punishment upon himself - that’s GRACE. We therefore look beyond punishment to the new world that God will create. We live in anticipation of a better world where sin is totally removed, where pain and sorrow are removed and where the curse of death is annihilated!

That joyous anticipation motivates us here and now to live spotless and blameless lives. It motivates us to be constantly at peace with God through Christ Jesus.

I  know that many believers do not have total peace with God. They have some past sins weighing them down with guilt and self hatred. Some have shoved past sins into the closet of their heart and have been trying to keep the doors closed ever since, only to find they keep breaking open and spilling out everywhere. And when they do, others usually get hurt in the fallout.

So how do I find peace with God? A lack of peace, what we might call “unpeace” arises from undealt with sin in our lives. Guilt is good if it drives us to God in repentance to seek His forgiveness. When we have sinned or when we feel guilty, rather than running away from the light of God (and hence John 3:20 is true) we need to run to God and consciously ask His forgiveness. When we have confessed our sins, we need to rejoice in His promise - see 1 John 1:9 and Hosea 14:1-4, mainly verse 4. Initially satan will seek to convince us that we cannot be forgiven for such heinous sins but we need to listen to the truth of God’s Word and nothing else!

Prayer:

V Pray for the children we are sponsoring through Compassion that they will grow and mature into a strong faith that changes the world they live in.

V Pray for the people surrounding these children and their families and the local community that their lives will also be touched so that they become aware of and accept God into their hearts.

Thursday July 14, 2011

Read 2 Peter 3:11-12

Often when we know there’s danger ahead we change course or take necessary precautions. A detour sign on a road, for example, warns us of danger ahead and takes us to our destination via another route.  A  ‘Do Not Enter’ sign warns us that entering could be hazardous to our health.

Spiritually speaking, the Day of Judgement, which is described as a Day of Fire, is a warning to us. We know that there is danger ahead so we ought to live, as Peter says, ‘holy and godly lives’. The word ‘holy’ means to be separate from sin and transgression. We are to live our lives avoiding sinful things as much as possible and practical. Often, if we are proactive and thoughtful, we can avoid much of the sin in our lives. The man addicted to viewing inappropriate material on his computer could easily put a filter on his computer and give his wife the password. He’s taking the necessary precautions!

The word ‘godly’ means in accord with the character of God. It means to be pleasing to God. Our lives are not just about the negative but also about the positives. That man sitting at his computer could use his computer for good, not evil. He could email a brother an encouragement. He could research prayer points from around the globe in persecuted countries. He could turn it off and spend the time praying for others.  If we are going to overcome sin in our lives then we need to be substituting godly habits and practices in place of ungodly ones.

Added to this, we are to live with our eyes firmly fixed on the coming of that day. We are to live in anticipation of it, expectant that it could occur soon. We need to be ready and watchful for the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night.  Often we fall into sin because our eyes are not fixed on the return of Christ but on us and our needs and our wants and our desires. As soon as I take my eyes off Jesus I will put them on something else - more often than not, that something else will be me! As soon as I start looking at me, I start to be tempted.

There is a great hazard ahead - the Day of Judgement. God is warning us to take the necessary precautions and to live a way that befits what is coming. But don’t be fooled, keep reading tomorrow to find out more.

Prayer:

V Pray that God will grow the faith of every believer gathered in your congregation. Pray that the whole day will be a faith filled day where God works powerfully among you all.

V Pray that you are aware of your spiritual gifts and that you will use these to help spread the Word of God.

V Pray this for others in your congregation.

Wednesday July 13, 2011

Read Matthew 7:21-23

There are some scary passages in the Bible! This one is probably the scariest and the most to be feared!  But before I tell you my thoughts on the passage, what are your thoughts? If someone asked you to talk about this passage in cell group, what would you say about it? Take time to reflect before you read on.

I find this passage scary, not because I doubt my own salvation, but because I see people like this in the wider church. Read the verses for today again, very slowly and think about what’s happening on that Day of Judgment.

The passage pictures people, people who called themselves believers, standing before God knowing that eternal condemnation awaits them. They cry out to God, pleading with Him to remember their prophesying, their miracles and even their casting out of demons. And they did it all in Jesus’ name! But alas! It’s too late.  Christ will drive them away with those haunting words ‘I never knew you. Away from me you evil doers.’

Here’s why it’s so scary. These men and women deceived themselves and thought that they could assure themselves of eternal life because of their miracles and exorcisms and healings. They used the name of Jesus but they never loved Him. They did what they did, even in His name, for self gain, self promotion, self - something. It wasn’t for Jesus at all. They failed to walk in obedience. Behind closed doors they continued to sin. They refused to repent and walk in paths of Holiness and God ultimately rejected them.

Precious child of God, I cannot stress enough the value of obedience. Those who love Jesus want to obey Jesus with their heart, their soul, their mind and

their strength (or their outward life). Those who are followers of Jesus hate sin and willingly repent when God shows them something displeasing in their own lives. Those who call God Abba Father have a healthy fear of God and do not want to displease Him.  I rejoice with tears of joy that I see this in your life, that I do not see that kind of hypocrisy that will lead to eternal rejection and condemnation. ’

We should take time to thank and praise God for every believer we know and more so, we should make time to pray that God would strengthen them, uphold them in the face of temptation and use them powerfully for His kingdom.

Prayer:

V Praise God for the leaders on 3 campuses, and pray for those who have been to the Mid-Year Conference in June in Qld.

V Pray for the provision of $90,000 over the next 3 years to fund the efforts in launching Student Life in Perth.

Tuesday July 12, 2011

Read Matthew 25:31-46

Do you know for certain whether you are a sheep or a goat in the parable that Jesus told? Many people struggle with their true identity in Christ. They often wonder if they are really saved or if they are genuinely Christian. Do you fall into that trap? The evil one has attacked many a believer with doubt, often in the crucial final hours of one’s life!

One of the ways that you can be assured when the evil one attacks is to look back over your life and to see if there is fruit of your faith throughout.

Jesus gives some examples of loving the brotherhood and serving others.

Since James 2:17 is true we need to think back over our lives and find solace in the fact that Christ has worked through us. Even though we may be in a desert wandering at present we can be comforted by God’s work in us and

through us throughout the past. This is no reason to be proud or self promoting but simply a way to put one’s mind or doubts to rest.

If, God forbid, you look back over your life and cannot see any fruit, it’s time for serious prayer and reflection. Ask God to show you whether or not you are a true believer. If you are not confirmed with a ‘yes’ immediately, talk to a mature Christian and tell them your doubts. Something is stopping you from stepping out in faith - probably fear in some shape or form. You need to remove this fear immediately so that you can begin to bear the fruit of your faith in Christ. It is vital that at this stage you do not seek to find resolution yourself! The evil can easily trick you, lie to you  or compound your self condemnation while you are down in this pit. Find a mature believer to walk through this with you.

Be comforted that God’s sheep will hear the voice of the Shepherd beckoning them, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.’ On that blessed day, all the pain, all the toil, all the hardship will prove to have been worth it. In the

midst of the utter and total joy of being invited into that Paradise by Christ, you will totally and utterly forget everything painful and negative from this world.

Paul says in Romans 8:18

I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.

He says in 2 Cor 4:17

For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.

Prayer:

V Pray for the Chaplains in your local schools as the battle continues with the new government regulations.

V Pray for more and more opportunities to reach out to the students and staff.

Developing Godly Habits #3

Do you fear the Lord? Many New Testament believers would say ‘NO’, indignantly thinking that judgement has been averted through the blood of Christ and that we have nothing to fear. That is partly true. It fails to take account of the truth that we will be called to give an account of our lives to God. Read Romans 14:12 and ponder it.

Since this is true, we need to cultivate a healthy fear of the Lord. Do a Word search on ‘fear of the Lord’ and read through the list of verses (about 22 of them) and you’ll be amazed at how positive (not negative) the phrase is.

A healthy fear of the Lord sees God as a heavenly Father, loving and gracious but also just. A healthy fear of God seeks to please God (or not to displease Him) because it knows that the discipline of the Lord is hard and often painful.

Monday July 11, 2011

Read 2 Peter 3:10; Genesis 20:1-29

Judgement is a scary and terrible thing to talk about. In fact, it’s been blacklisted by many in the church as a topic of preaching or teaching. Many simply refuse to speak of it. Many believers simply refuse to read any of the Old Testament because of the judgement that it speaks of and displays.

But God is not changing and different in Old and New Testament. The judgments of the Old Testament prefigure and foreshadow the judgement coming in the New Testament when the Lord Himself returns. They fundamentally act as a warning for believers and non believers alike.

The judgement coming upon the world is such a terrible and frightening event that Jesus repeatedly warned us to keep watch, to pray and to do anything in our power to make sure that we are on the right side of the Lord. Before that Day of Judgement there will be signs in heavens, nations will be in uproar and the love of most will have grown cold. When the Lord returns He will return with wrath and vengeance upon all who have rejected Him or spurned His Lordship. Romans 14:12 shows how we Christians will fair on that day.

So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God.

We will not be judged or condemned with the world but we will be asked to account for every word, every thought and every action that displeased God. It will not be a pretty sight or pleasant for many believers who live loose lives, sinning and transgressing without much ado.

When we are tempted to sin or when we are seeking to make excuses for our sins we need to be asking ourselves ‘How will I explain this to the Lord on the day He returns?’ or ‘How can I account for this sin?’ The simple answer is ‘I CAN’T. Don’t do it. It’s not worth it!

Prayer:

V Pray for God to raise up new leaders at Student Life at USQ, and pray that students will be reaching their friends with the gospel.

V Pray for Student Life's initiative with the it’s launch in Perth this year.

Saturday July 9, 2011

Read Hosea 14:1-4; 1 John 1:9

A believing woman rings her friend with the goal of encouraging her friend and blessing her. After a few moments she’s gossiping and slandering that other woman in cell! She had every intention of being a blessing but something happened. Something went wrong! Have you ever been there? Have you ever had the greatest intentions, only to fall into some old habit or sin?

Later that afternoon this woman is sitting alone thinking about her sin. Like you and I, she’s genuinely sorrowful for what she did. But where to now? What does she do? She understands the biblical injunction (even if she doesn’t know what that word means) to repent. But how?

Hosea 14:1-4 is a great counsel for us when we have sinned. We need, first and foremost, to return to the Lord as quickly as possible when we have sinned. Leaving the appointment with God until the guilt has lessened is a deadly habit to get into. We must return back to God fully realising that our sin has been our downfall. We need to be ready to admit to God that we have sinned. We need to come to God willing to admit that He was right and that we were wrong.

But we also need to return to God with words. Saying ‘Sorry’ just won’t cut it. We need to tell God what we’re sorry for. We need to plead with God for His GRACE so that we might again offer ‘the sacrifice of praise, the fruit of lips that confess His name’.

As we confess our sins to God we must understand that we have, in some sense, committed idolatry. Just as Assyria couldn't save the Israelites, nor could false gods deliver them, we need to realise that these sinful areas cannot save us or meet our needs fully. We need to realise that by indulging our physical needs or desires we have bowed down to something that is not God and sought fulfilment which only God can give through legitimate means.

What we need to do is to talk deeply and passionately with God about our sin. We need to open up and tell Him about them without excuses or justifications, without blaming others, without denials or without hiding the truth.

And take heart. Look at God’s response in vs 4.

"I will heal their waywardness and love them freely, for my anger has turned away from them.

When we turn to God and seek His forgiveness God promises to forgive. He promises to wash us clean and to love us freely. Such grace, such love is too good to miss out on. I personally know of many people who have found ongoing victory as soon as they've applied this principle of running straight to God when they fall into sin. Of course they have! God doesn’t make promises that He won’t keep!

Prayer:

V Pray that with the recent natural disasters happening around the world that people will look to God to help them through the pain and loss. Pray that we will all be more aware of how fragile life is and how important it is to turn to God not only in times of need, but in times of joy.

Friday July 8, 2011

Read 1 Peter 3:3-9

Most of us sin regularly in areas of repetition. Few of us go looking for sins to enter into. I certainly hope that you don’t. But when we are plagued with a sin it’s often around a similar theme or thing. Some may struggle with pornography. Others may struggle with hateful thoughts of their spouse. Some may struggle with gossip.

Think about your own life. Is there a connecting link between your sins and down falls? If you can see a common link then you are well on the way to Victory. Once you’ve identified the common thread search the Bible for a promise from God about that area or struggle. We often struggle and fall because we don’t know the promises of God. There are some very specific promises and some generic ones. Learn as many promises as you can off by heart. Write them on the tablet of your heart.

When temptation comes and you are being pulled in the wrong direction you can claim that promise by stating it, by praying it, by reminding God of it. If you have a close mate, ring him or her (guys to guys, gals to gals) and ask them to be praying for you as well. Get yourself involved in something godly and productive as soon as temptation starts so that you busy your mind and hands with other things. The worst thing you can do is sit alone in silence continuing to think about indulging the passions of the flesh.

We saw yesterday that God longs for all men to repent and to come to salvation through Christ. As a believer God wants you to be victorious over the struggles and to walk in His ways, every step of the way. He longs for you to be righteous and to overpower the sin/temptation. He has given you everything you need to be victorious. One of the weapons He’s given you is His promises! Use them powerfully each and every single day.

Prayer:

V Pray for the new believers in Christ that they will be encouraged and supported to grow emotionally and spiritually in their new found faith.

V Pray for those people you know are yet to make a commitment to Christ and that God will reveal His desire to have a personal relationship with them.

Developing Godly Habits #2

If we are to have Jesus’ Victory in our life we have to cultivate a heart that is with Christ. We have to start seeing the world and the people in it as Jesus saw it all. Psalm 51:10 is a great prayer to be praying daily or even hourly!!

But to help get that cultivation going, read one of the gospels and see if you can figure out what Jesus felt towards the various people he met. As you read the gospel, ask yourself questions like ‘What is Jesus feeling towards this person?’ ‘Why is He feeling it?’ ‘What is Jesus’ response to this person?’ ‘Why?’

As you read and glimpse at the heart of Jesus, pray that God would change your heart and make it like Jesus’.

We need to remember that sin originates from selfishness. If we are going to walk in victory we have to kill the selfishness within us.

Thursday July 7 2011

Read 2 Peter 3:5-9

I marvel at how great God is, don’t you? Don’t you often meditate about God and His ways and just throw your hands up in adoration saying ‘Wow! You are AWESOME Lord!’ As I read today’s passage that is my response!

I look at the world, I look at the evil people in the world, I look at the murderers and rapists and thieves and conmen and child abusers and I despair. Sometimes I even pray God’s vengeance upon them. But then I read 2 Peter 3:9!

He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.

1 Tim 2:4 tells us that God

... wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.

God sees the evil, the pain and the hurt and has sent Jesus to die as a curse for the

sins of the world. He sent His one and only Son to redeem the world and to bring the world back to Himself. God’s heart is for those sinners and evil doers to repent and to come to Himself in loving worship. Wow! Doesn’t that blow you away? Doesn't that just change your perception of God?

As I ponder God’s character I have to rethink how I approach the people of the world. Do I have a heart that yearns for them to come to God in adoration and worship? Do I yearn to see more people repenting and believing in Christ? Do I want those people around  me, in my world, to find Jesus and to honour God with their lives? Do I want it like God wants it? Would I willingly suffer and give as God gave to remove the sins of the world?

If my heart is reaching out in love to people, I will have a great impact in my little world. People see the heart. The world has seen hypocrisy and two faced cunning in church people for long enough to spot a fake a million miles away. But they haven’t seen love in action. They haven’t seen grace. They haven’t seen sacrificial other centeredness! But they will as you go forward with the heart of Christ, shining the light of love and grace. The world will see Jesus as you give your life to save them, as you ‘become all things to all men to bring them to Christ’.

Christian victory is not just about getting my life and my mind in order. Christian victory is taking that love of Jesus out into the world and willingly carrying the cross for sinners, for God haters and doing everything in our power to save them. Christian victory is seeing others come into the faith. Christian Victory is putting our lives on the line so that the kingdom of God will grow and flourish as more people bow the knee and confess Him as Lord.  Christian Victory is taking on Jesus’ mission as our own mission. Christian Victory is letting Jesus live in us and through us.

Prayer:

V Pray for the men’s ministry that they will be able to reach out to the men in the local community and that they will be able to encourage and support each other through the challenges facing them in day to day life.

Wednesday July 6, 2011

Read 2 Peter 3:3-4. 2 Tim 3:1-9

God warns us that the “last days” will not be a pretty sight. People will go from bad to worse. The love of most will grow cold and many will abandon the faith. People will love everything but what is good and holy and right. They will call evil ‘good’ and good ‘evil’. In particular, God warns us that many will scoff at the faith. They will mock the second coming of Christ and will perpetuate an argument that sounds convincing.

Interestingly, the pro-evolution team strongly argue that all things occur now as they always have. They argue that the processes we see and measure today have always been constant since the beginning of time. They assume that nothing has changed and that nothing will change. They call such untenable assumptions ‘science’ and lead many people astray into believing that God is irrelevant, unneeded and that He certainly won’t be returning in the guise of some religious guru named Jesus!

If you and I are to live godly and victorious lives in this present dark age we must have within our own hearts a clear demarcation of what is good and what is evil. We cannot make up the lines ourselves as the world does but must adopt God’s lines of right and wrong, good and evil. We cannot hide behind the grey areas to justify our stance or even worse, our practice of sinfulness.

If you think about the Christian life as a house you begin to understand what I mean. Often we invite Jesus into our lounge room to sit and visit as a guest. But the kitchen (where ideas and fantasies are cooked up), the bedroom (our love life and personal life), the bathroom (where we build ourselves up), the laundry (where we iron out our finances) and other rooms are off limits to Jesus. We feel that He has no right to be in those rooms. What we need to do is ask Jesus to cleanse each room in our house (family, friendships, financial, workforce, leisure, thoughts and so on). We need to let Jesus into all areas of our life. We need to let Him be Lord of all the rooms in our Christian life - that’s what the greatest commandment is really getting at. We are called to love the Lord our God with all our heart, all our soul, all our mind and all our strength.

Why not spend 15 minutes inviting Jesus to be Lord in every area of your life - your finances, your thoughts, your family, your parenting, your spousing, your friendships, your work life, your leisure time, your viewing habits, your speech, your fantasies and so on.

Prayer:

V Praise God for His forgiveness, ask, confess and seek God to forgive the temptations you have fallen into an ask Him to show you how to have a more productive God centred use of your time.

Tuesday July 5, 2011

Read Psalm 51

King David is presented in Scripture as the ideal King but he too had sins to repent of. Apart from Jesus, none of us is perfect. David, rather than going to war, decided to grant himself leave. He spent the evening wandering atop the palace. In the distance he spied a beautiful woman bathing. Instead of turning away he lusted! He lusted so much that he sent for this woman and she fell pregnant! What to do? David did what comes naturally to each of us. He sought to cover up the affair. He called Uriah, the woman’s husband from war and organised to have him killed in battle. Adultery and murder sure don’t look good on a King’s résumé.

Psalm 51 is David’s repentant cry to the Lord. He tells us some hard hitting truths. First and foremost we learn that all sin is sin against God. Whether we’re lusting or gambling or fighting or stealing or eating chocolate (is that a sin? of course not!) we are sinning directly against God. ’Against you, you only have I sinned,’ cries David.

Remember this when you are tempted. Whatever the temptation before you, indulgence is a sin against the one true living God who loves you and has blessed you with sorrow. Do you want to spit in the face of God? Do you want to disappoint the very God who sent Jesus to die on the cross for yours sins? Do you want to bring shame upon the God who lavished you with His grace?

David realised what every child wants to realise - that our heavenly Father is pleased with a broken and contrite heart. When we realise the depth of our sin and the wickedness of it, God is genuinely pleased and satisfied because such realisation leads to long term repentance. But what stops me making such a realisation? Pride! A desire to sin again! Self justification for my sins (it’s never my fault because…!).

When we come to God with our sins we need to be convinced that what occurred or what we did/thought/said was actually sinful. We need to be certain that God is right while we are wrong on this issue. Nothing else will produce genuine repentance.

Just think for a moment what you are really saying when you say sorry to God. There’s often a text and an unspoken subtext. The things we actually say are written first below and the things we mean are written second.

Sorry God - I’m sorry you don’t like that but I have no intention of stopping.

Forgive me Father - until I do it again.

Sorry God - but so and so made me do it.

It’s much easier and less painful to agree with God and to come with a broken and contrite heart admitting that He was right and you were wrong. Ask for forgiveness without making excuses or justifications. Throw yourself at the mercy of the Lord and be amazed. Read 1 John 1:9 and write down what the Lord promises to do for us when we ask him for forgiveness.

Prayer:

V Pray that you will be set free to be a true and genuine disciple of Christ Jesus. Pray that you will see sin minimised in your life; pray this for others in your congregation.

V Pray that God will bring healing and wholeness to those in the congregation who are suffering.

Monday July 4, 2011

Read 2 Corinthians 7:8-13

Anyone can bung on a ‘sorry’. Anyone can put on a sad face and pretend to be sorry for what’s happened. You see this all the time. A criminal stands before a judge and expresses his remorse for his crimes. A few weeks later he’s arrested for a similar crime. Was he remorseful? I doubt it. A child stands before her teacher and sadly cries, ‘Sorry Miss. I won’t do it again.’ A few moments later she has all but forgotten her promise and is again teasing another student. Was that genuine sorrow? I doubt it.

The Corinthians were involved in some pretty sinful things, including rejecting the Apostle Paul because his speaking ‘amounted to nothing.’ He was a whimp in their presence but was forceful in his letters. He sent them a painful letter, one that would have caused a loud and painful ‘ouch!!’ from the congregation. It even hurt Paul to write it. Yet it had the intended result - they repented.

Genuine repentance results from godly sorrow. We are genuinely struck by God as to the sinfulness of what we have done or said or thought and we take action to never allow it to happen again. Genuine sorrow means being ready and willing to change for the better at all costs.  Often when we say ‘sorry’ what we mean is, ‘Sorry I got caught’ or ‘Sorry it hurt you’ but we have no intention of

changing. Godly sorrow brings repentance that is ready and willing to change. Until we have godly sorrow for our sins and habits that displease God, we will never change. You can ask God to grant you such sorrow and repentance for the things in your life you know that displease God. You don’t have to be a slave to them any longer.

Prayer:

V Prayer for the mums who come and the children, that they are encouraged and are shown God’s love through the leaders and MOPPET carers.

V Pray for the leader of and MOPPET carers that they will seek out opportunities to reach out to the mums and children who attend MOPS.

Saturday July 2, 2011

Read 2 Peter 1:19-21; 2 Sam 22:31; Psalm 33:4

After driving for some 10 hours I pulled up at a petrol station and filled up my empty tank. As I put the nozzle back on the pump I realised that the ULP dollar signs were on, not the diesel one! I had inadvertently put unleaded petrol into a diesel motor! Doh! Double Doh! Now you don’t have to be a diesel mechanic to realise that driving a diesel motor on unleaded petrol can and probably will cause a lot of damage. What you put inside makes all the difference!

The same applies to you and I. You don’t need to be a psychologist to work out that what you put into your mind makes all the difference. If children watch a lot of violent TV, there’s a highly likely chance that they will be violent towards others. If they watch a lot of shows that accentuate disrespect to adults and make it fun, what do you think they will show? Good fuel in - good stuff out! Bad fuel in - bad stuff out! It’s a simple, easy to understand truth, isn’t it?

The Word of the Lord, the Bible, is perfectly good. It’s good clean fuel to be putting into your system. It’s pure and perfect and will produce a good output. The question is not about the Word of God but about the way that you and I are getting it into our system.

Maybe it’s time to re-juggle our lives and to reprioritise. Often we leave God and His Word to the very end of the day. In tiredness and frustration we sit before God, read a bit of the Bible and fall asleep. It’s good fuel, but it aint getting in! Maybe we could spend 30 minutes with God before we get rolling for the day. Maybe we could spend our lunch times engrossed with God and His Word. Maybe we could set aside time in the early afternoon before the heaviness of our eyes and minds takes over. Maybe we could spend time with God as soon as we get home from work or school. Take some time to think about your life and commitments and where you could find quality time to refuel on the good stuff of the Word.

The most obvious way to have good input is through church. But even there, you need to be engaged. Remember our very first study in this series? A man reaps what he sows. If you prepare yourself for Church tomorrow, if you pre-read the passage and think about it, if you ask God or petition God to prepare your heart, you will be greatly blessed by the service. If you turn up and think through the week ahead and mentally do those assignments and chores, if you see an opportunity to catch up on much needed rest, then you’ll get as much out of it. A man reaps what he sows. What are you sowing for Church this week?

Prayer:

V Pray for the Christians in Burma’s Chin state as they are under intense persecution from the Burmese soldiers.

V Pray for our children and teens to know God deeper and more intimately. Pray that these teens and children will be regular readers of the Word and that prayer would be a priority for them pray so that they will be world changes in their own environments.

V Pray for ESA and Jon Jones as they fly to India today. Pray that their week there will pave the way for the upcoming mission trip to be all it can be for God's Kingdom and for their safety and health during thus time.

Friday July 1, 2011

If I were to ask you to prove the following equation, what would you do? Answer honestly. Maybe our builder from yesterday had the right idea!



Most of us would throw up our hands in despair and say ‘I don’t know’. When we don’t know what to do we usually revert back to something we do know how to do. If I don’t know how to express my anger, I’ll revert to tantrums and hitting things. If I don’t know how to love my spouse I’ll revert to selfishness. If I don’t know how to get involved at church I’ll revert to sitting quietly and running off as the last hymn starts.

Colossians 3 outlines for us a vital principal of victory. If we are going to have victory in our lives we need to take several steps. Let me outline them for you - the impact they have in your life will depend on what you do with them:-

1. Identify specifically the ungodly areas that you need to change. Our builder from yesterday needed to find a godly way to express his anger when he hit his thumb. For him to say ‘I need to stop swearing’ is too vague. Be specific man. Get to the point.

2. Talk with mature Christians (friends, pastor, elders etc) and ask them to share with you godly ways of dealing with your issue. Our builder could sit with the pastor and say something like, ‘Hey cool Pastor,  whenever I hit my thumb I really swear like a trooper. It’s not glorifying to God. What else can I do?’

3. After gathering a list of alternatives, sort them and choose the most appropriate for you and your context.

4. Pray that action and reaction into your life and start putting it into practice right now!  You are effectively substituting a negative or sinful action with a godly or positive one.

The replacement strategy works for thoughts and well as actions. If you have

sinful thoughts when Person X enters the room, work through steps 1 – 4 above and start getting godly thoughts into your head.  You’ve seen it on paper now, let’s see it in your life and my life. Praise the Lord.

Prayer:

V Pray for the upcoming Children's ministries that they will a large number of children in attendance at our school holidays program and that the supervisors will have opportunities to share the Word of God with all the children and parents in attendance.

V Ask the lord to show you His plan for your life, your role in the body of Christ and how you can be serving and ministering to others.

V Pray that God’s grace will flow out from the student life representatives through out Australia. Pray that many students will be brought to the Lord in repentance and faith through grace.