In contrast to the common understanding of retirement, the fourth quarter of your life may be the culmination of everything for which God has been preparing you.
Monthly Archives: December 2016
Christmas: Decisions to enjoy
At Christmas, we’re confronted with an array of options for doing good, which can be confusing and unsettling. God trusted us to make the generous, kind and godly decision.
A Small Church CAN Impact the Whole Community!
Over the past two years Warracknabeal Baptist Church has grappled with what it means for a small country church to have an impact for the Gospel in the local community.
2016 has seen us run 2 CAP courses (Free budgeting and money management skills courses from Christians Against Poverty) with the support of the Horsham Church of Christ facilitators. Both courses were fully subscribed with local community members, and we plan to continue the programs in 2017.
Young Guns practising for their L Plates test
An exciting new development recently has been the commencement of two youth support groups, one aimed at young single mums and their children, and the other aimed at young people who are not in education or employment. Naomi Malcolm, the coordinator of both programs is a qualified secondary teacher and she volunteers two days a week to work with the two groups.
The “Young Guns” group are studying for their driver’s licences with help from Naomi, and they have already worked as a team to rebuild a broken down fence at the church, and have been landscaping at the neighbours house. Both groups have been given access to the local gymnasium for an hour each week, and Naomi has arranged with the local heated pool and a volunteer qualified swimming instructor for the children and their mums to have swimming lessons. The children are looked after at the church by volunteers while their mums participate at the gym. Musical Tots runs each week also, and a reading with your children program is being arranged. A children’s clothes bank and a toy bank has also commenced, with local community members donating toys and clothes. Lunch is provided for the young mums and their children each week.
Celebrating the new fence
Young Mums group in action
The kids are at the church and I’m here pumping iron
Only four weeks into the programs we have seen the numbers at both programs steadily increase and we are excited at what can happen when one person is obedient to what God is calling her to and the church catches the vision. Church members have signed on as volunteers and prayer partners for what we feel is a cutting edge ministry, aimed at a group of young people who are often overlooked and feel unsupported in the community.
Anyone wanting more information about either of these programs can contact Pastor Norm McLean at mclean.norm1@gmail.com or phone 0422 810 229.
Source: BUV News
A Small Church CAN Impact the Whole Community!
Over the past two years Warracknabeal Baptist Church has grappled with what it means for a small country church to have an impact for the Gospel in the local community.
2016 has seen us run 2 CAP courses (Free budgeting and money management skills courses from Christians Against Poverty) with the support of the Horsham Church of Christ facilitators. Both courses were fully subscribed with local community members, and we plan to continue the programs in 2017.
Young Guns practising for their L Plates test
An exciting new development recently has been the commencement of two youth support groups, one aimed at young single mums and their children, and the other aimed at young people who are not in education or employment. Naomi Malcolm, the coordinator of both programs is a qualified secondary teacher and she volunteers two days a week to work with the two groups.
The “Young Guns” group are studying for their driver’s licences with help from Naomi, and they have already worked as a team to rebuild a broken down fence at the church, and have been landscaping at the neighbours house. Both groups have been given access to the local gymnasium for an hour each week, and Naomi has arranged with the local heated pool and a volunteer qualified swimming instructor for the children and their mums to have swimming lessons. The children are looked after at the church by volunteers while their mums participate at the gym. Musical Tots runs each week also, and a reading with your children program is being arranged. A children’s clothes bank and a toy bank has also commenced, with local community members donating toys and clothes. Lunch is provided for the young mums and their children each week.
Celebrating the new fence
Young Mums group in action
The kids are at the church and I’m here pumping iron
Only four weeks into the programs we have seen the numbers at both programs steadily increase and we are excited at what can happen when one person is obedient to what God is calling her to and the church catches the vision. Church members have signed on as volunteers and prayer partners for what we feel is a cutting edge ministry, aimed at a group of young people who are often overlooked and feel unsupported in the community.
Anyone wanting more information about either of these programs can contact Pastor Norm McLean at mclean.norm1@gmail.com or phone 0422 810 229.
Yingiya Mark Guyula MLA’s first speech in NT Parliament
‘I did not want to become a politician but we Yolngu have tried many ways of gaining recognition of Yolngu law, and none have worked.’
Link highlights – November 2016
Highlights of links to online news and opinion pieces for November 1st to 30th, 2016.
Voices raised for our Pacific neighbours at Parliament House
Over 200 Christians, from all around Australia, including some Victorian Baptists, representatives of Pacific communities and Members of Parliament gathered in front of Australian Parliament House this morning calling on Australia to be a better neighbour to our Pacific brothers and sisters.
Speakers from Fiji, Tonga and Kiribati shared their experiences of climate change, and the effect it is having on their lives and communities. They called on politicians to make a greater commitment to climate change action and aid focussed on Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) for developing nations in our region. Prayers were said for our churches, our nation, our nation’s leaders and our world.
Rev James Bhagwan, a leader from the Methodist Church of Fiji, greeted the crowd with a traditional greeting – “Bula!” – as a reminder of the importance of place and relationships. He called on the Australian government to love and care for all people, including our Pacific neighbours.
“To love and care for only a few is not to love at all,” he said.
Tinaai Teaua and Vasiti Tebemare from Kiribati spoke of their love for their land and culture, and their worry about what the next big king tide will mean for their people. They shared how climate change and the corresponding sea level rise is causing increasing severity of these events, and the flooding of homes and hospitals in their homeland. They spoke of their fear, watching their people run around frantically looking for somewhere safe to go.
“But there is nowhere to run in Kiribati” Tinaai said. “This is not about policy for us, it is about survival”.
Joseph-Zane Sikulu from Tonga spoke about the grief he feels when seeing country acknowledged in Australia and knowing that climate change puts his own people at risk of experiencing severe loss of land and culture, and all the pain that comes with that, as indigenous Australians have suffered.
Micah Australia is a coalition of churches and Christian organisations raising a powerful voice for justice and a world free from poverty.
Voices raised for our Pacific neighbours at Parliament House
Over 200 Christians, from all around Australia, including some Victorian Baptists, representatives of Pacific communities and Members of Parliament gathered in front of Australian Parliament House this morning calling on Australia to be a better neighbour to our Pacific brothers and sisters.
Speakers from Fiji, Tonga and Kiribati shared their experiences of climate change, and the effect it is having on their lives and communities. They called on politicians to make a greater commitment to climate change action and aid focussed on Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) for developing nations in our region. Prayers were said for our churches, our nation, our nation’s leaders and our world.
Rev James Bhagwan, a leader from the Methodist Church of Fiji, greeted the crowd with a traditional greeting – “Bula!” – as a reminder of the importance of place and relationships. He called on the Australian government to love and care for all people, including our Pacific neighbours.
“To love and care for only a few is not to love at all,” he said.
Tinaai Teaua and Vasiti Tebemare from Kiribati spoke of their love for their land and culture, and their worry about what the next big king tide will mean for their people. They shared how climate change and the corresponding sea level rise is causing increasing severity of these events, and the flooding of homes and hospitals in their homeland. They spoke of their fear, watching their people run around frantically looking for somewhere safe to go.
“But there is nowhere to run in Kiribati” Tinaai said. “This is not about policy for us, it is about survival”.
Joseph-Zane Sikulu from Tonga spoke about the grief he feels when seeing country acknowledged in Australia and knowing that climate change puts his own people at risk of experiencing severe loss of land and culture, and all the pain that comes with that, as indigenous Australians have suffered.
Micah Australia is a coalition of churches and Christian organisations raising a powerful voice for justice and a world free from poverty.
Source: BUV News
GOD SAVE THE KING: Why Study First (I) Samuel
A powerful prophet, a promising potentate, a perishing Philistine, and persistent paranoia – welcome to the Book of I Samuel. This book tells us the transition from the time of the judges to the birth of Israel’s monarchy. Another way to look at it is the theocracy of Israel, where God was king, evolved into a man-led monarchy. Seen in this context, Israel’s monarchy is not a sign of progress nor a divine promotion.
I Samuel starts with the birth of the most credible prophet in Israel since the time of Moses – Samuel. Following this is the birth of the Israelite monarchy, the rise of Saul and David, and their bizarre interaction. Highlights include the rise of Samuel, the destruction of Shiloh and journeys of the Ark, the temporary neutralising of the Philistine threat, David’s victorious confrontation of Goliath, and David’s life as a fugitive from Saul. As usual in Scripture, there is no whitewash of the main characters. The story is told as it is. The book ends with the death of king Saul and his sons by the hand of the Philistines on the slopes of Mount Gilboa in northern Israel.
HEBREW
The original name of the book comes from Samuel, or shmu’el.This can be translated ‘heard of God,’ ‘petitioned of God,’ or even ‘his name is God.’ Though it, along with II Samuel, were originally one account in Hebrew, in the 285 BC Greek language translation of the Hebrew Bible, known as the Septuagint (LXX), separates the two books.
AUTHOR
The person who wrote I Samuel is anonymous. The Talmud nominates Samuel, who could have easily written part of it (though it is unlikely he wrote about his own death in Chapter 25 or of the encounter with the witch at En Dor in Chapter 28). I Chronicles 29:29 speaks of the books of Samuel the seer, Nathan the prophet and Gad and Gad the prophet. Possibly all three were involved in the authorship of I Samuel, with Samuel writing the earlier portions and the other prophets writing the latter.
PORTRAIT OF CHRIST
There were three categories of ‘anointed’ ones in ancient Israel. The prophets, priests and kings. All three are part of I Samuel: Eli the priest, Saul the king, and Samuel the prophet.
While these three offices involved anointed ones, only in Jesus do you have ‘the Anointed One’ (Messiah in Hebrew, Christ in Greek) or ‘the King of kings, Lord of lords, Anointed of the anointed.
As we learn elsewhere in Scripture, Jesus is:
• Anointed a prophet like Moses (Deuteronomy 18:15);
• Anointed a priest like Melchizedek (Psalm 110:; Hebrews xxx);
• Anointed a king like David (II Samuel 7; I Chronicles 17)
THEME OF I SAMUEL
It tells the story of transition from the time of theocracy, where God ruled through the judges, to the monarchy where a man is king. This centralisation of power into human hands came with demands and risks, including the lack of balance of power and accountability. You will learn about a corrupted priesthood under Eli, reprobate sons who were incapable of succeeding him, a rising monarchy and prophets who provided ‘checks and balances.’ For centuries prophets were ‘oral’ and later they became the written prophets, whom are featured in the Old Testament.
The time will come that the theocracy and monarchy will combine in One Person, Jesus Christ, when He comes to earth to reign again in the period we know as ‘The Millennium’ or 1,000 year reign (Revelation 20:4-6). Every believer should long for that day!
KEY VERSES
I Samuel 13:14: But now thy kingdom shall not continue: the LORD hath sought him a man after his own heart, and the LORD hath commanded him to be captain over his people, because thou hast not kept that which the LORD commanded thee.
I Samuel 15:22: And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.
DISTINCTIVES
Revival in I Samuel
• Hannah’s prayer (1)
• A humbled people (2)
• A prophet’s prayer (7)
Backsliding of Saul
• God promised all would be well if Israel and her king would fear Him (I Sam 12:12-15). Yet, Saul failed God. Here’s how:
• 1. Sin of presumption by assuming the priests function at the altar (13:11-13);
• 2. Unjust to Jonathan (14:44);
• 3. Partial obedience – which is always disobedience – in the matter of Amalek (15:23);
• 4. Mistreatment and persecution of David (18:29);
• 5. The final straw: communing with a witch (28:7).
•
OUTLINE OF I SAMUEL
I. From Eli the judge to Samuel the prophet (1:1-3:21)
• Hannah’s masterful prayer
• Eli’s sinful sons
• The call of Samuel
II. Samuel the Judge (4:1-7:17)
• Philistine conquest of Israel
• Eli and sons die
• Shiloh destroyed
• Ark of God taken and returned
• Israel repents and revives under Samuel
• Philistines subdued
III. From Samuel the prophet to Saul the king (8:1-12:25)
• Samuel’s sons are rejected
• God is rejected in favour of a human king
• Samuel warns Israel about the manner of a king
• Samuel anoints Saul
• Saul coronated
• Saul’s victory on behalf of Jabesh-Gilead
IV. Early reign of Saul (13:1-15:9)
• Presumption at the altar
• Foolish curse
• Disobedience
V. Saul and the rise of David (15:10-31:13)
• Saul rejected by God
• David anointed by Samuel
• David slays Goliath
• Saul persecutes David (18-26)
• David goes to Philistia
• Saul visits the witch and dies on Mount Gilboa
God’s Peace Process – Part 01
Among the most desirable and least obtainable commodities in the world is peace. In the last century, we had two world wars and dozens of regular wars since. We even had a very dangerous ‘Cold War’ where the American and Soviet superpowers avoided direct conflict, but they facilitated several proxy wars while pointing nuclear-tipped intercontinental ballistic missiles at each other. We even now have a ‘war on terror,’ which, in reality, is a war with global jihadism.
In addition, there are global hotspots, mostly in Asia, where a miscalculation or lack of statecraft could result in a regional or global conflict. These ‘hotspots’ include the Korean Peninsula, China-Taiwan, India-Pakistan, Israel-Iran, Israel-Arabs, the Syrian war and the threat of the Islamic State.
Yet, even in prosperous and relatively peaceful societies, there is a shocking lack of personal peace. Rates of anxiety and depression are at record levels, especially in prosperous peaceful countries like Australia. Those who suffer from these things derive no comfort from the fact that their country is not in armed conflict.
Are you eager to trade in your fears, anxieties, and depression, for some lasting peace? Then read on.
THE PEACE PROCESS
During the early 1990s, there was a novel approach to the Arab-Israel conflict. Israel entered into the ‘Oslo peace process’ with the Palestine Arabs. Basically, it offered ‘peace in instalments.’ Here’s how it worked: the more land Israel gave to the Palestinians, the ‘more peace’ it would obtain.
While there have been some areas of progress as a result of Oslo (for example, Oslo made it possible for certain countries to enter into diplomatic relations with Israel), the ultimate goal of a just, lasting peace remains elusive.
Nevertheless, there is good news: it is possible to have personal, growing, permanent, life-sustaining peace. It is a priceless gift from Jesus Christ Who, among His many glorious titles, is called the ‘Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6). Jesus offers every true believer the marvellous gift of peace and it, too, comes as a process. You can ‘grow in peace’ as you do ‘in faith, grace and glory.
WORD OF THE LORD: SHALOM
If you would like to receive God’s peace, here and now, pay particular attention to this promise from Jesus from John 14:27 (NKJV):
Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
Most people know the Hebrew word for ‘peace,’ namely ‘Shalom.’ It is used to say ‘hello,’ ‘good-bye,’ and ‘how are you?’ Yet this word goes even deeper. It can also mean ‘wholeness, inner rest, fellowship with God, and total well-being.’ In the Greek language translation of the Old Testament, the Septuagint, ‘shalom’ becomes ‘soteria,’ which means ‘salvation’ (Genesis 26:31; 41:16).
What a wonderful word!
GOD’S PEACE PROCESS
If you would like to enter into God’s ‘Peace Process,’ please understand that the above verse in John 14:27 gives the promise of peace and the pre-requisite for receiving it. Christ promises to leave His peace with you. As the Prince of Peace, His peace will be grander, more powerful, and more wonderful than mere human peace. He promises to give peace in a manner that is impossible for the world to replicate. When the world gives peace, it gives for a price, it gives in part, and it can renege and take it away. When Christ gives, He gives peace fully, freely, and permanently.
Yet, there is a condition you must fulfil. Before you can receive Christ’s peace, you have to obey the simple command: don’t let your heart be troubled or afraid. Despite the march of fleshly fear, overdrive anxiety, and deepening depression, if you will surrender to God, humble yourself, and submit to His grace, you can enter into a personal, mental, and spiritual ‘cease-fire’ which makes receiving Christ’s peace possible.
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The Nature of Peace
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The World’s Peace
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Christ’s Peace
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Given for a price
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Given freely
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Given in part
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Given in full
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Can be lost or taken back
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Remains permanently
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Powerless
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Powerful
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Anxiety remains
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Anxiety gone
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Depression remains
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Depression gone
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Fear remains
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Fear gone
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Despair possible
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Despair impossible
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There are four more steps to entering into God’s peace process. Stay tuned for more