Glenroy Oak Park Baptist Church

2011

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18th December 2011

“ Are not all angels spirits in the divine service, sent to serve for the sake of those who are to inherit salvation? ”
(Heb 1:14)

I like to know that there are unseen angels looking after me at God's command. I did a keyword search on “angels” in BibleGateway.com using the New Living Translation (NLT) of the Bible, and discovered that the words “angel” and “angels” appear 327 times in the Bible including:

“All heaven will praise your great wonders, Lord; myriads of angels will praise you for your faithfulness.”
(Psa 89:5)

“Praise the Lord, you angels , you mighty ones who carry out his plans, listening for each of his commands. Yes, praise the Lord, you armies of angels who serve him and do his will!”
(Psa 103:20 – 21)

“…there is joy in the presence of God's angels when even one sinner repents.”
(Luke 15:10)

“Don't forget to show hospitality to strangers, for some who have done this have entertained angels without realizing it!”
(Heb 13:2)

“…this Good News has been announced to you by those who preached in the power of the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. It is all so wonderful that even the angels are eagerly watching these things happen.”
(1 Pet 1:12)

“…I heard the voices of thousands and millions of angels around the throne and of the living beings and the elders.”
(Rev 5:11)

“See, I am sending an angel before you to protect you on your journey and lead you safely to the place I have prepared for you.”
(Exod 23:20)

“ For the angel of the Lord is a guard; he surrounds and defends all who fear him.”
(Psa 34:7)

Angels also played a prominent part in the birth of Jesus, see Matt 1:20; 2:13–20; Luke 1:13–38; 2:8–21. This Christmas, as we hear and sing about angels, be encouraged to know they weren't just at work 2000 years ago, they continue to be at work for God's glory and our good today.
(Rev. Sylvia Griffiths)

4th December 2011

“ ... those who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint .” (Isa 40:31)

When we go to see the Doctor, we generally have to spend some time in the waiting room. We have to be within the vicinity of the Dr, waiting until s / he is ready to deal with us. Sometimes we have a short wait, other times it's a LONG wait. We can experience various emotions while waiting for the Dr – anxiety, impatience, irritation, pride (“I shouldn't have to wait!”) , peace, joy etc. Our emotions can be effected by various other factors such as whether or not we need to be somewhere else by a certain time, or how sick we're feeling, or whether or not there are any interesting magazines to read on the table, or whether or not we came well prepared with various things to do while we wait etc.

Isa 40:31 is a VERY popular verse for good reason. It's an encouraging promise. However we tend to focus on the ‘renew strength,' ‘soar like an eagle' and ‘renew energy' aspects of the verse rather than what we need to do to experience these benefits. We have to “...wait for the LORD...” which can be a bit like waiting for a Dr at times. We might be waiting for a particular door of opportunity to open, or waiting for a resolution to a difficult problem we're struggling with etc. The wait may be short or long. Waiting can be frustrating, irritating, nerve wracking etc. How well we wait depends on various factors such as what we do with our waiting time and our attitude to waiting. The best way to wait for God is to spend regular time in his presence doing things like reading Scripture (regular Bible reading tends to give us unexpected solutions to our problems) , praying, and other things that help us to feel closer to God (e.g. going for a nature walk, listening to Christian music, coming to church etc) . Feeling positive about the benefits of spending time in God's presence is also important. Sadly many Christians think it's a time waster when the opposite is true. How good are we at sitting in God's waiting room?
(Rev. Sylvia Griffiths)

20th November 2011

“ do not fear, for I am with you, do not be afraid, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my victorious right hand .” (Isa 41:10)

This is one of my favourite verses' in the Bible. So much so that I have cross-stitched it on to a small table cloth. The verse is surrounded by colourful flowers and butterflies. It's a great memory verse.

Isaiah had the difficult job of prophesying to a disobedient nation. God's people had progressively gone down-hill over the centuries. They worshipped idols, the set up pagan alters, their morals were at rock– bottom. Isaiah had to warn them that as a result of their disobedience, unless they repented BIG TIME, they would be conquered by a foreign nation (Assyria in the initial phase) and removed from their homeland.

However, after Israel had endured its punishment, God would restore the nation – not because the people deserved it – but because God is God. In Isaiah 41:1 – 20 we read one of Isaiah encouraging prophesies about God's restoration of this disobedient, exiled nation. It is in this passage that we read today's verse. A few verses later we read: “ Do not fear, you worm Jacob, you insect Israel! I will help you, says the LORD; your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel” (Isa 41:14) . In other words, God wasn't going to help his people because they deserved it. They'd behaved despicably. They'd done nothing to earn God's favour.

God was going to redeem Israel for a couple of reasons: firstly, he'd made this nation a promise through their ancestor Abraham to be their God and make them his people (Isa 41:8 – 9) . Secondly, He was going to miraculously save and restore them “so that all may see and know, all may consider and understand, that the hand of the LORD has done this, the Holy One of Israel has created it” (Isa 41:20) . In other words, God is faithful to his promises and values his reputation.

Sometimes we can slip in to one of two dangerous extremes: we can either think that we are a despicable worm who does not deserve God's help OR we can think we're wonderful and God should do everything we ask. Instead we need a more balanced perspective: in Christ we are a ‘new creation' (2 Cor 5:17) , but we're not to get too arrogant about it least we fall (Rom 12:3; 1 Cor 10:12) and we're to pray in accordance with God's Word and will (Lk 22:42; Jhn 14:13–14) not our selfish desires.

When we are going through tough times, if Jesus is our Saviour we can be assured that even though we probably don't deserve it: ‘we have no reason to fear, for God IS with us. We have no reason to be afraid, for God IS our God. God WILL strengthen us, and he WILL help us. God WILL uphold us with his victorious right hand.' Hallelujah!
(Rev. Sylvia Griffiths)

13th November 2011

“... the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.. .” (Gal 5:22–23)

Last week I wrote about what we can do to produce healthy rather than shrivelled up fruit in our lives. I highlighted the importance of nurturing our roots by spending quality time with God doing things like praying. I've often talked about praying through the fruit of the Spirit. What exactly do I mean by that? As I breathe in I pray “Spirit fill me with your...” (insert fruit here) and on the breath out I pray “And wash away my...” (insert something anti the fruit here) . Here is an example which includes some Bible verses for you to look up to see why I chose these ‘anti fruits'...

Spirit fill me with your love , and wash away my fear. (1 John 4:18)

Spirit fill me with your joy , and wash away my sorrow. (Psa 42:11)

Spirit fill me with your peace , and wash away my anxiety. (Phil 4:6 – 7)

Spirit fill me with your patience , and wash away my impatience.

Spirit fill me with your kindness , and wash away my judgementalness. (Matt 5:22)

Spirit fill me with your goodness , and wash away my negativity.

Spirit fill me with your faithfulness , and wash away my unbelief. (Mark 9:23 – 24)

Spirit fill me with you gentleness , and wash away my anger. (James 1:19 – 20) .

Spirit fill me with your self-control , and wash away my lack of self-control.

I find that praying through the fruit of the Spirit in this way slows my breathing down and calms me. It also redirects my focus from anything bothering me. For instance, I was praying the above while I was experiencing contractions giving birth to Josiah without any pain medication. If this prayer can help a woman to endure child birth without drugs – don't you think it's worth trying in other stressful situations?!
(Rev. Sylvia Griffiths)

6th November 2011

“The surviving remnant ...shall again take root downward,
and bear fruit upward .” (Isa 37:31)

About a year after we were married, I walked past the pretty little tree in our front yard and was shocked to see a weird green thing In horror I plucked the offending object off the tree only to discover I had prematurely removed a tiny green orange. Neither Kieran nor I knew we had an orange tree until that day. The next year we expectantly watched and waited for oranges. We got one. The third year, we had none. The fourth year we had a visitor who knew something about orange trees. We explained our disappointment. Our visitor told us we had to do radical things like feed and water the roots. He came back a few days later with appropriate nutrients for the roots and spread them all around the base of the tree. We started watering the tree. Attention and time have led us to 2011 the year of the bumper, edible orange crop.

If you want a decent amount of good quality fruit, you have to feed and water the roots. Deep, well cared for roots result in abundant, juicy fruit. It's a simple lesson in nature. But it's one that few people apply to their own lives. From a human perspective, the best way to water and nourish our roots (i.e. our soul) is to spend regular quality time with God. That is, taking regular time out to do things like read God's word, reflect on spiritual truths, talk with God, learn about the way God wants us to live AND in the Spirit's power, put it all in to practice. When we thus “ take root downward ” we will “ bear” abundant, juicy “ fruit upward. ”

Sometimes we get it backwards. We think we need to be busy producing fruit without worrying about our roots. We can say things like “I'm too busy to spend quality time with God.” However, busyness does not produce abundant, juicy fruit. Instead we produce shrivelled up fruit and we tend to become rather dried up in the process. I encourage each of us to try to take increasingly good care of our roots by watering and feeding our souls and letting God take care of the fruit.
(Rev. Sylvia Griffiths)

30th October 2011

“ ...all flesh shall come to worship before me, says the LORD”
(Isa 66:23, see also Phil 2:9 – 11)

Have you ever been to a large Christian gathering where everyone is boldly praising the name of Jesus? It can be so electric that it can cause the hairs on your arms to stand on end. Imagine it happening with every person who ever lived. Wow! When Jesus returns everyone will know that He is LORD. Every knee will bow before him. Every tongue will confess that Jesus is LORD. What a spine-tingling moment that will be.

For people who've accepted Jesus as their Lord and Saviour this will be the ultimate moment of affirmation and awe. We'll be jumping out of our skins with excitement. But for people who've not accepted Jesus as their Lord and Saviour, this will be a horrifying moment. You definitely don't want to be in that boat. Nor do you want anyone you love to be in it.

Sometimes you hear people say “what if you're wrong? What if Jesus isn't who you think he is?” To such a question I would reply “What if you are wrong? What if Jesus is who I think he is?” Our recent preaching series through Romans has taught us that our faith in Jesus has MANY benefits. These include freedom from the penalty of sin, freedom from guilt (when forgiveness is sought and found in Christ) , an inner peace and strength which sustain us through anything that this life throws at us, the God of all Creation to call on for help whenever we need it, a renewed sense of purpose in life, a secure hope in our eternal destination, a guidebook to life (i.e. the Bible) from our Creator which instructs us on the way to enjoy life to the max. etc. Plus we're blessed with God's Spirit produces fruit in our lives including more love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control that we would experience without God's Spirit living within us (Gal 5:22 – 23) .

If Christians are wrong we will have enjoyed a better life than we would have without faith, but the ending will be different. But what if we're right? Then we're going to spend eternity in heaven with Jesus after spending the blink of an eye on earth. Unbelievers however will spend eternity living in hell. The very best of what this world has to offer gives us a tiny taste of how wonderful heaven will be. The very worst of what this world has to offer gives us a tiny taste of how abominable hell will be. I know where I'm spending eternity – do you? Please tell me if you don't.
(Rev. Sylvia Griffiths)

23rd October 2011

“ Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God – what is good and acceptable and perfect .” (Rom 12:1 – 2)

Do you ever have negative thoughts? It can be a constant battle to think God's way. Last week I was running late for a morning meeting in West Melbourne. I raced out the door, tried to start the car, but it wouldn't start. I tried about 5 times. In frustration I called to Kieran “I need to take the family car, get me the key.” Kieran got me the key, took my key, and tried starting the small car. After a couple of goes, he had success. He told me to take the small car. Rather than expressing gratitude I snarled “Oh great ! Let's see how late we can make me to this meeting!”

My usual habit, I'm sad to say, would have been to drive in the peak hour traffic meditating on the various aspects of my morning that had slowed me down. Additionally I would get angry at the frustrating traffic (e.g. the HUGE queue at the Glenroy / Pascoe Vale Rd intersection awaiting trains) and the road works on the City Link causing bumper to bumper traffic. Then I would meditate on all of the excuses I would give to the meeting when I ran in harassed and late.

On this occasion however, I decided to do something different. My habits have only got me more wound up in the past. I wanted a different result this time, which meant trying something new. So instead of getting angry about all the things that had made me late, I kept telling myself “what if I'm not late? I'm not going to bother worrying about something that might not happen” and I refused to look at my watch. Then I used my time in road-work traffic, to pray through the fruit of the Spirit: “Lord fill me with your love, and wash away my anger; Lord fill me with your joy and wash away my sadness; etc.” Rather than thinking of excuses for being late, I thought, “Oh well. It doesn't matter if I miss the start of the meeting, I'll still be there for most of it.” I kept focusing on the positives, I had a much better trip and I arrived happy. Miraculously I was even on time!
(Rev. Sylvia Griffiths)

16th October 2011

“... we …boast in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, ” (Rom 5:3 – 4)

Have you ever had a really bad foot cramp? They're revolting. I learned their solution from a fellow resident in the single women's dorm at Morling College (the Baptist Bible College of NSW / ACT) . Sue was doing chiropractic studies at Macquarie University (the neighbouring campus).

One day a group of us were watching TV in the common room when I got a horrid foot cramp. Sue excitedly exclaimed that she'd learned how to fix them. I was hoping for a nice foot massage but instead she put her thumb on the top of a calf muscle running down the back of my leg. Her application of pressure caused me excruciating pain – worse than the foot cramp. Applying pressure to the muscle for long enough results in calf muscle relaxation AND a solution to foot cramping problems. You just have to wait out the pain.

Sometimes we want solutions to our problems in life in the form of a nice foot massage. However, in order to fix the problem properly, God applies pressure to another part of our life. We think our problems are multiplying so we ask God to fix the new problem as well. When really we just need to reinterpret the new problem as being part of God's solution and “wait” on Him for the pain to subside. This results in a fix to the problem we didn't realise we had (the tight calf muscle) as well as the original problem (the foot cramp) .

Sometimes we misinterpret excruciating pain in our lives as being a bad thing – when it really is a Godly thing. The difference between Godly pain and ungodly pain can be discerned by checking it against God's Word. E.g. if our pain is caused by incessant bullying we know it's ungodly. But if it's caused by undesirable circumstances that don't contradict God's word, then perhaps we need to endure the pain trusting and hoping in God's coming solutions, rejoicing in his goodness (read Psa 33:20–22).
(Rev. Sylvia Griffiths)

9th October 2011

“ To the weak I became weak, so that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that I might by all means save some. ” (1 Cor 9:22)

This is a good example of a Bible verse that can be taken out of context. For instance, many years ago I had a Christian friend who would regularly visit the pub nearest his accommodation. He would play pool and drink heavily with the locals. His argument for his heavy drinking was he was being “all things to all people in order that he might win some for Christ.” I don't believe he was successful in his “evangelism campaign.”

To interpret a Bible verse correctly, we need to examine the verse within its context. That means knowing the chapter, book, Testament and overall Biblical context that we find the verse in. E.g. we also read in 1 Cor: “ But now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of brother or sister who is … [a] drunkard…. Do not even eat with such a one (1 Cor 5:11) . Regularly getting drunk is a sin. We don't use “winning people for Christ” as an excuse for sinning.

We read in another of Paul's letters (Gal 2:3 – 5) that his Greek friend and co-worker Titus was not circumcised. Some false believers came in to the church to try to force Titus by peer pressure to become circumcised. Paul's response was: “ we did not submit to them even for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel might always remain with you ” (Gal 2:5) . Thus Paul put limitations on his “being all things to all people.” He would not bow to peer pressure without good reason. He would only do things within the boundaries of God's Word and he only did things that he believed to be helpful to people's growth in Christ.

Today's verse reminds us of a few important lessons. Firstly, being “all things to all people” is to be is a principle that operates within the boundaries set out by God's Word. Secondly, we need to read Bible verses within the broader contexts of God's Word in order to filly appreciate their meanings. Thirdly, beware of peer pressure.
(Rev. Sylvia Griffiths)

2nd October 2011

“I worship you, Almighty God, there is none like you .
I worship you, O Prince of Peace, that is what I love to do...” (Chorus by Sondra Corbett )

The above chorus is one of the songs we regularly sing to Josiah each night before he goes to bed. Last Sunday I was in the bathroom with the door closed. Josiah (on the other side of the door) , got down on his hands and knees and sang the following words: “I worship me O Prince of Peace, there is none like me .” I had a good chuckle, but then I reflected: ‘actually, that is probably closer to the truth than many of us would care to admit.' We can be more self-focused than God-focused. We can allow our feelings and circumstances to guide us above our faith.

Many years ago I went out for coffee with a friend from church. She was very good at talking about herself (as many of us are!) but not so good at inviting her listeners to speak. On this occasion I determined to listen and only talk about myself if invited. She spoke about herself for an hour or so, I listened attentively, then she stopped. There was a long pause and she said “well I don't have anything more to say.” She gathered her things and left. It challenged me to think about myself. At the time I would meet with people and tell long winded dramatic stories about my life without caring to hear about their lives. I wonder who we talk about the most? What does our conversation reveal about our level of self- interest? What does it reveal about our faith in God?

Do I worship God above myself or visa versa? When I wake up in the morning do I worship God and thank Him for the day, seeking his help to get through it his way? Or do I think about how I am feeling and how I will best please myself that day? When something goes wrong in my eyes, how do I respond? Am I secure in Christ, believing that God is constantly at work for my good? Or am I negative in my thinking?

Let's get in to the habit of asking God to help us to worship and be guided by him above ourselves, our feelings and our circumstances.
(Rev. Sylvia Griffiths)

25th September 2011

“ Not a single person on earth is always good and never sins. ” (Ecclesiastes 7:20, NLT)

There is a sporting ground near our house that is surrounded by trees, out-door exercise equipment and a children's play area. The council periodically dumps HUGE piles of mulch amongst clumps of trees for workers to spread around. There can be a significant delay between the time the mulch is dumped and the day it is spread around the trees.

One day I was walking around the oval and I saw a woman with a plastic bag walking rapidly towards a group of trees. She looked as if she was up to no good (do you know that expression?) She got to a pile of mulch, shoved as much as she could in her plastic bag, then started walking back to where she had come from. After a few steps, her bag burst. She was angry. I wasn't! She tried to recollect what she could and stormed off.

Was the woman right to do what she did? I don't think so. She was not acting as though she was doing the right thing. She didn't do it with a smile on her face and a spring in her step. Was she breaking a law? Was she stealing? Was not saying anything to her sinful? Did it make me an accessory to the crime? How would you have responded? Why?

How do we know what is right and wrong? How often do we do neglect to do the “right” thing? The woman was acting as if she knew she was doing the wrong thing, but she persisted in doing it anyway. How often do we know what the right thing to do is, but fall short of the mark? E.g. if someone says something nasty about someone else to us, do we stop them, listen, or join in? If God makes us aware of something kind that we can do for someone else, do we always do it? Or do we only do it when it suits us? If someone does / says something that hurt us do we find a way to ‘get our own back' or do we commit it to God in prayer and leave the right to revenge up to him (see Rom 12:19) ? Do we ALWAYS do the right thing? Or is it true that none of us are perfect (see today's verse) and we all need saving?
(Rev. Sylvia Griffiths)

18th September 2011

Gideon said to God: ... “ Do not depart from here until I come to you, and bring out my present, and set it before you." And [ God ] said, "I will stay until you return. ” (Judges 6:18)

In Judges 6 we read about the Israelites' stubborn disobedience resulting in God punishing them by allowing the Midianites to repetitively defeat them in battle and impoverish them. The Israelites eventually cried out to God and He restored their military success and fortunes using Gideon.

When God first appeared to Gideon and told him that he was going to used him in this key role, Gideon replied that did not believe he was up to the task. God told Gideon he was right! God would win the miraculous victories through Gideon. Gideon would not (he could not) win in his own strength. Gideon's next response was to ask God to wait until he got Him a present (see today's verse) . In one sense, that almost sounds a bit cheeky. Gideon wanted the God of the Universe to wait while he went and got him a present! We don't like being held up by people. Didn't God have something more important that he needed race off and do?!

It's a facetious question because God is omnipresent (i.e. the Spirit who is present everywhere always) and outside of time. Of course God can “wait” if he wants to. God ALWAYS has time for us. God regularly, and lovingly waits for us – e,g, to get the point he's trying to make to us, or turn to him in faith, or talk to him, or worship him (as Gideon was racing off to do) etc. God is very patient and perseverant with us because he loves us and wants what is best for us ALWAYS.

Sometimes I think we try to live as though we are omnipresent and living outside of time. In other words we are super busy wanting to be all places and all times for all people. But that's impossible. We forget that God alone is omnipresent and he doesn't call us to be. God is never too busy for us and he wants us to ensure we're never too busy for him. I encourage you to take regular time out with God to stop, revive and thrive in your spiritual walk (not run!) and witness.
(Rev. Sylvia Griffiths)

11th September 2011

“ For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing .” (2 Cor 2:15)

I regularly have the privilege of going to Federation Village and conducting a chapel service for the residents there. After the service, we have afternoon tea together. On occasion I have succumbed to the temptation of the biscuits calling my name on the table before me. At such times I have been surprised to discover that no matter what biscuit I select: choc chip, Kingston, lemon cream etc, they all seem to have a ginger flavour. This delights some people... but not me. Actually it's given me enough of an incentive to resist the temptation to eat a biscuit when I was last there.

Last time I asked if all the biscuits were stored in the same tin. Unsurprisingly the answer was “yes.” For those of you who've not already guessed, there is a ginger-snap fan club at Federation Village. The ginger-snaps are the dominant aroma / flavour in the biscuit tin. Thus all of the other biscuits become ginger infused.

Christians are meant to be the aroma of Christ in the community. The aroma of Christ is pure. He alone is the Light of the World (Jhn 8:12) , Good Shepherd (Jhn 10:11) , Bread of Heaven (Jhn 6:35) , Wonderful Counsellor, Prince of Peace (Isa 9:6) , Rock (1 Cor 10:4) , liberator (Luke 4:18) , truth (Jhn 14:6) etc. The more time we spend with him the more like him we become by the power of his Spirit (2 Cor 3:18) . Think of Jesus as being the supreme, dominant ginger-snap in the tin and we're the other biscuits trying to soak up his aroma, so that when unbelievers get a taste of us they get a taste Jesus too. Some people in the community will love the ginger / Jesus infusion. Others won't. Then there'll be others who'll come around in time, thanks be to God.

How are you smelling at the moment? How ginger / Jesus infused are you? Do you need to spend a bit more time in closer proximity to Jesus in order to strengthen your godly aroma? Let's seek to increasingly provide those around us with the sweet smelling aroma of Jesus.
(Rev. Sylvia Griffiths)

4th September 2011

GOD'S TIMING

“For everything there is a season , and a time for every matter under heaven … He has made everything suitable for its time…” (Ecc 3:1, 11 see rest of chapter)

“Call on me in the day of trouble ; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me." (Psa 50:15, see also Psa 86:7; 91:15)

“But I trust in you, O LORD;
I say, "You are my God." My times are in your hand…”
(Psa 33:14 – 15)

“The LORD upholds all who are falling, and raises up all who are bowed down. The eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food in due season . You open your hand, satisfying the desire of every living thing.” (Psa 145:14 – 16)

“ I will climb up to my watchtower
and stand at my guardpost.
There I will wait to see what the L ord says
and how he will answer my complaint. …

This vision is for a future time.
It describes the end, and it will be fulfilled.
If it seems slow in coming, wait patiently,
for it will surely take place.
It will not be delayed. ” (Hab 2:1, 3, NLT)

“ So let us not grow weary in doing what is right, for we will reap at harvest time , if we do not give up.” (Gal 6:9)

Concerning the timing of Christ's return: “ which [God] will bring about at the right time -- he who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords.” (1 Tim 6:15)

28th August 2011

LOVE

“ How precious is your steadfast love , O God! All people may take refuge in the shadow of your wings.” (Psa 36:7)

“ O my strength, I will sing praises to you, for you, O God, are my fortress, the God who shows me steadfast love .” (Psa 59:17)

“ But as for me, my prayer is to you, O LORD. At an acceptable time, O God, in the abundance of your steadfast love , answer me. With your faithful help ” (Psa 69:13)

“ But you, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness. ” (Psa 86:15)

“ And now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; and the greatest of these is love .” (1 Cor 13:13)

“God's love was revealed among us in this way: God sent his only Son into the world so that we might live through him.” (1 John 4:9)

“... God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us. For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. Indeed, rarely will anyone die for a righteous person-- though perhaps for a good person someone might actually dare to die. But God proves his love for us in that while we still were sinners Christ died for us .” (Rom 5:5 – 8)

“All who confess that Jesus is the Son of God have God living in them, and they live in God. We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in his love . God is love , and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them. And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect.... We love each other because he loved us first.” (1 John 4:15 – 17, 19 NLT, see whole chapter)

21st August 2011

GOD'S GOODNESS

“I say to the LORD, "You are my Lord; I have no good apart from you."” (Psa 16:2)

“ Good and upright is the LORD… ” (Psa 25:8)

“ O how abundant is your goodness that you have laid up for those who fear you, and accomplished for those who take refuge in you, in the sight of everyone!” (Psa 31:19)

“ O taste and see that the LORD is good ; happy are those who take refuge in him.” (Psa 34:8)

“For you, O Lord, are good and forgiving, abounding in steadfast love to all who call on you.” (Psa 86:5)

“ The LORD is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. The LORD is good to all, and his compassion is over all that he has made.” (Psa 145:8 – 9)

“Thus says the LORD, your Redeemer, the Holy One …I am the LORD your God, who teaches you for your own good , who leads you in the way you should go.” (Isa 48:17)

“The LORD is good , a stronghold in a day of trouble; he protects those who take refuge in him” (Nahum 1:7)

“ We know that all things work together for good for those who love God.. .” (Rom 8:28)

“... the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared...” (Titus 3:4)

“ May grace and peace be yours in abundance in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. His divine power has given us everything needed for life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. ” (2 Pet 1:2 – 4)

14th August 2011

ASSURANCE OF SALVATION

“ For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life .” (John 3:16)

“ "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house there are many dwelling places. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, so that where I am, there you may be also. And you know the way to the place where I am going." Thomas said to him, "Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?" Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me .” (John 14:1 – 6)

“ Then he brought them outside and said, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" They answered, "Believe on the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved.. .” (Acts 16:30 – 31)

“ if you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For one believes with the heart and so is justified, and one confesses with the mouth and so is saved. …For, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved .”” (Romans 10:9 – 10, 13)

“ For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God .” (Ephesians 2:8)

“ when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of any works of righteousness that we had done, but according to his mercy, through the …renewal by the Holy Spirit. This Spirit he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life .”
(Titus 3:4 – 7)

7th August 2011

SPIRITUAL WARFARE

“ Discipline yourselves, keep alert. Like a roaring lion your adversary the devil prowls around, looking for someone to devour. Resist him, steadfast in your faith, for you know that your brothers and sisters in all the world are undergoing the same kinds of suffering .” (1Pet 5:8–9)

“ Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you… .” (James 4:7 – 8)

“ ... God made you alive together with him, when he forgave us all our trespasses, erasing the record that stood against us with its legal demands. He set this aside, nailing it to the cross. He disarmed the rulers and authorities and made a public example of them, triumphing over them in it .” (Colossians 2:13 – 15)

“ Indeed, we live as human beings, but we do not wage war according to human standards; for the weapons of our warfare are not merely human, but they have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every proud obstacle raised up against the knowledge of God, and we take every thought captive to obey Christ .” (2 Corinthians 10:3 – 5)

“ Put on the whole armor of God, so that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For our struggle is not against enemies of blood and flesh, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. ” (Ephesians 6:11 – 12. Read to verse 18 for the complete list of the armour of God)

“I [Jesus] have said this to you, to that in me you may have peace. ...take courage; I have conquered the world.” (John 16:33)

31st July 2011

GOD'S POWER

“ Yours, O LORD, are the greatness, the power , the glory, the victory, and the majesty; for all that is in the heavens and on the earth is yours; yours is the kingdom, O LORD, and you are exalted as head above all. Riches and honor come from you, and you rule over all. In your hand are power and might; and it is in your hand to make great and to give strength to all .” (1 Chronicles 29:11 – 12)

“ Ascribe power to God, whose majesty is over Israel; and whose power is in the skies. Awesome is God in his sanctuary, …he gives power and strength to his people. Blessed be God! ” (Psa 68:34–35)

“ …he [God] saved them for his name's sake, so that he might make known his mighty power .” (Psalm 106:8)

“ …hope in the LORD! For with the LORD there is steadfast love, and with him is great power to redeem .” (Psa 130:7)

“ Great is our Lord, and abundant in power ; his understanding is beyond measure .” (Psa 147:5)

“ Ah Lord GOD! It is you who made the heavens and the earth by your great power and by your outstretched arm! Nothing is too hard for you .” (Jeremiah 32:17)

“ You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power , for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created .” (Revelation 4:11)

“... Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen.” (Rev 7:12)

24th July 2011

FEAR

“The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? ... 3 Though an army encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; though war rise up against me, yet I will be confident.” (Psa 27:1, 3)

“I sought the LORD, and he answered me, and delivered me from all my fears.” (Psa 34:4)

“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear...” (Psa 46:1 – 2)

“Say to those who are of a fearful heart, "Be strong, do not fear! Here is your God. He will come with vengeance, with terrible recompense. He will come and save you."” (Isa 35:4)

“do not fear, for I am with you, do not be afraid, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my victorious right hand.” (Isa 41:10)

But now thus says the LORD, he who created you, ...Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you. For I am the LORD your God, the Holy One ...your Savior. ... you are precious in my sight, and honored, and I love you, ...Do not fear, for I am with you....” (Isa 43:1 – 5)

“For God has not given us the spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” (2 Tim 1:7, NKJV)

“There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear; for fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not reached perfection in love.” (1 John 4:18)

17th July 2011

PEACE

“Let me hear what God the LORD will speak, for he will speak peace to his people, to his faithful, to those who turn to him in their hearts.”
(Psa 85:8)

“For a child has been born for us, a son given to us; authority rests upon his shoulders; and he is named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace .” (Isa 9:6)

“You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you,
all whose thoughts are fixed on you!
Trust in the L ord always, for the L ord G od is the eternal Rock.
(Isa 26:3 – 4, NLT)

“Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favors!” (Luke 2:14)

“Therefore, since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Rom 5:1)

“For the kingdom of God is ...righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.” (Rom 14:17)

“...God is a God not of disorder but of peace ....” (1 Cor 14:33)

“...the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Phil 4:7, see also v.6)

“Finally, brothers and sisters, farewell. Put things in order, listen to my appeal, agree with one another, live in peace ; and the God of love and peace will be with you.” (2 Cor 13:11)

10th July 2011

WORRY / ANXIETY

Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.
Then you will experience God's peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds
as you live in Christ Jesus. (Phil 4:6 – 7, NLT, see also v.8)

Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.
(1 Pet 5:7, NLT)

“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And can any of you by worrying add a single hour to your span of life?
So do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring worries of its own. Today's trouble is enough for today.” (Matt 6:25 – 27, 34)

“When they bring you to trial …do not worry beforehand about what you are to say; but say whatever is given you at that time, for it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit.” (Mark 13:11)

“Worry weighs a person down;
an encouraging word cheers a person up.” (Prov 12:25, NLT)

“Blessed are those who trust in the LORD, whose trust is the LORD. They shall be like a tree planted by water, sending out its roots by the stream. It shall not fear when heat comes, and its leaves shall stay green; in the year of drought it is not anxious, and it does not cease to bear fruit.” (Jer 17:7 – 8 )

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3rd July 2011

HOPE

For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord . They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope .
(Jeremiah 29:11)

So let's not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don't give up.
(Galatians 6:9)

The LORD's unfailing love and mercy still continue, Fresh as the morning, as sure as the sunrise. The LORD is all I have, and so in him I put my hope . The LORD is good to everyone who trusts in him, so it is best for us to wait in patience--to wait for him to save us (Lamentations 3:22 – 26)

Why am I discouraged? Why is my heart so sad?
I will put my hope in God!
I will praise him again—my Savior and my God! (Psalm 42:11)

Let all that I am wait quietly before God,
for my hope is in him.
He alone is my rock and my salvation,
my fortress where I will not be shaken. (Psalm 62:5 – 6)

Don't envy sinners,
but always continue to fear the L ord .
You will be rewarded for this;
your hope will not be disappointed. (Proverbs 23:17 – 18)

I pray that God, the source of hope , will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit. (Romans 15:13)

24th April 2011

“…When [Jesus] was at the table with them, he took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. Then their eyes were opened, and they recognized him… ” (Luke 24:30 – 31)

We've lived in our house in Glenroy for just over 6 years. We have a fluorescent light in the middle of the kitchen but when you stand over the sink and bench, shadows make it challenging to see things clearly. Kieran has always realised this, but I have not. For the last 6 years, Kieran has said “I want spotlights over the kitchen sink and bench.” And I have considered it to be unnecessary.

Recently we've needed a new light fixture in the lounge room. I magnanimously said to Kieran: “Why don't we get those spots you've always wanted for the kitchen while we're at it?” He was rather excited by the idea. So we went to a light shop, purchased some bright spot lights, and had them installed on Monday.

I was COMPLETELY ignorant about the difference these spot lights would make. Our kitchen is a whole new world. I had NO idea just how dark the sink and bench were UNTIL they were correctly illuminated. The moral to the story is – always listen to your husband!

Luke 24:30 – 31 is part of the conclusion to wonderful story. Followers of Jesus walking along the road to Emmaus had been retelling the sad events of their teacher's death to an ignorant stranger. The ignorant stranger turned out to be the risen Lord. What a shock! What a joy! Their eyes were opened. They saw the light.

Jesus said “… I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life” (John 8:12) . I pray that your eyes will be opened and your life illuminated by the “light of the world” this Easter season. You may not realise how much you need him (as I didn't our kitchen spot lights) but I assure you that once the light of Christ is turned on within your life you will wonder how you ever coped without him.
(Rev. Sylvia Griffiths)

3rd April 2011

“ I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt , out of the house of slavery; ” (Exod 20:2)

If someone saved your life, how would you express your thanks? Or just say you had been falsely imprisoned for years, or experienced an ongoing oppressive and abusive work situation, or some other long-term undesirable situation, and someone came and rescued you from your demoralising circumstances. How would you express your gratitude?

God introduces the '10 Commandments' to the Israelites by reminding them that he is the God who liberated them from the oppressive situation that had broken their spirits over many years (Exod 20:2) . He is the Supreme God to whom they owed their lives. How might they express their gratitude to He who valued them in such an incredible and tangible way? Well… there were 10 key things that he wanted them to do. We find this list in Exodus 20:1 – 17 and again in Deuteronomy 5:6 – 21.

The first commandment is “You must not have any other god but me.” (Exod 20:3, NLT) . It's worth noting that the Israelites had come from Egypt and were going to Canaan . In both cultures the people revered foreign gods. In Egypt the Israelites had served an oppressive government performing harsh manual labour. In Canaan they would be farmers relying on God for their agreeable weather conditions and healthy harvests (e.g. see Lev 26:3 – 4) . However the Canaanites believed that their fertility gods were responsible for bountiful harvests. The Israelites needed to solely trust in and rely on the LORD their God for their farming success. They were not to succumb to the temptation of superstitiously worshipping any foreign gods in the process of learning their new trade.

We live in a multi-faith society in an age of religious tolerance. We need to be careful that living in such an open society does not seduce us in to diluting our faith or denying that Jesus alone is “…the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through [Him]” (John 14:6) . How easy do you find the first of the ten commandments?
(Rev. Sylvia Griffiths)

27th March 2011

“you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength .”
(Mk 12:30)

There's a saying: “You can't stop the birds from flying over your head but you can stop them from nesting in your hair.” This reminds us that we can't stop thoughts from coming in to our head, but we can stop ourselves from turning them over and over in our mind. We chose whether we shoo an unwanted thought away, or invite it to stay.

I have two methods for getting rid of unwanted thoughts. One is to use Mark 12:30 as a prayer. Rather than dwelling on the unhelpful thought I pray: “Lord Jesus I dedicate my heart to you. Lord Jesus I dedicate my soul to you. Lord Jesus I dedicate my mind to you. Lord Jesus I dedicate my strength to you.” Saying this prayer helps me to refocus. It also invites God to refresh my mind. It's a prayer request that God is keen to answer affirmatively.

My second method for getting rid of unwanted thoughts uses Phil 4:6 – 8. I interrupt my thoughts by saying “STOP!” then I remind myself of the verses: “Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, beloved, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.” I quality control my thoughts in the light of Phil 4:8. I ask myself: Is this thought true? Is it honourable? Is it just? Is it pure? Is it pleasing? etc. If I answer “no” to any of those questions I know the thought is not worth dwelling on. I keep repeating the verses (or say the above prayer) until the thought goes. Do you have any thoughts you need to shoo away at present?
(Rev. Sylvia Griffiths)

13th March 2011

“ … I give water in the wilderness, rivers in the desert,
to give drink to my chosen people,
the people whom I formed for myself
so that they might declare my praise. ” (Isa 43:20b – 21)

I was recently admiring the vibrant green grass on our nearest sporting oval. It was SO green I could almost fool myself in to thinking I was in England ! This reminded me that no matter how brown grass becomes, a bit of decent rain can revive it and restore its vibrancy.

We can go through spiritually dry seasons where our spirit feels like an oval of brown grass. At such times the scorching sun increasingly endangers the declining health of our spirit. The scorching sun may be an analogy for things such as the damaging words of others or an undesirable change in our circumstances or temptations to do things we know will cause further damage to our spirit or negative thoughts in general. Our ability to recover from scorching sun experiences is impacted by how well we're caring for our grass / spirit.

The best way to minimise sun damage is to grow healthy grass, with a well established root system (deep in Christ) , which we regularly water (with the Spirit of God) . Ways we water our spirit include: listening to Christian music, reading God's Word, escaping to nature, praying, reciting liturgies, visiting sacred places and spaces, being alone with God, being with others in a way that heightens our awareness of God, studying things of God etc. I encourage you to chat with God about how you might best water your spirit in order to minimise sun damage. The good news is, even when our spirits are feeling as poorly nourished as brown grass, a good soaking in the Spirit of God can revive us and restore our vibrancy in Christ. May God revive and restore you this week.
(Rev. Sylvia Griffiths)

27th February 2011

“…let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven. ” (Matt 5:16)

Last week I wrote about the fact that we are children of the light. This means we live in the light of Christ and reflect his light to others. Today's verse reminds us of the importance of letting our light shine before others. How do we do this and why?

A friend of mine (*Mark) was out with a group of male colleagues around 20 ago. They had attended a conference in Kings Cross (sadly there are good conference facilities in affordable venues there) . Afterwards they walked through the red-light district. The group stopped outside a strip club and agreed on a show. Mark was the only one who refused to go in. His colleagues did their best to manipulate him in to joining them. They ridiculed him for being such a prude. They considered him to be a Christian kill-joy and all the negative stereotypical definitions of what this means were thrown at him. Mark remained resolute in his decision and the group went in without him. In his eyes it was a humiliating and fruitless experience. In God's eyes it was a winning play.

There was one man (*Luke) in the group who was silently impressed with Mark's stand. For years Mark's determination not to go in to the strip-club that night stayed with Luke. What was it about Jesus that made Mark think that enduring the ridicule of his colleagues was better than taking the easier option of going along with the crowd? This though hounded Luke for long enough that he eventually explored Christianity. Jesus is in the business of ensuring that those who sincerely seek him, find him. Thus Luke became a Christian. He credits Mark's decision that night outside of the strip-club to be the turning point in his life that led him to Christ. This is what it means to let your light shine before others. As long as we are living in the light, we never know how God is using that to draw others to himself. Be encouraged as you let your light shine before others.
* Not their real names.
(Rev. Sylvia Griffiths)

20th February 2011

“Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life. ” (John 8:12)

When you think of Jesus as the light of the world, what images come to mind? Some people are reminded of TV police dramas where a suspect is put under a bright spotlight. The purpose of the light is to help the interrogation officer to get the suspect to squirm and confess their sins.

A better image is that of a sporting oval with flood lights. When it is getting too dark to play but the game is not yet over, the flood lights are turned on. The power of the lights enables team mates to see each another and play together. It also enables them to see the opposition so they can play defensively and offensively as appropriate. The desire is to win the game.

Children of the light (1 Thess 5:4 – 5) are on the winning team under the ultimate flood light (Jesus) here on earth. Children of the light are used by the Head Coach (God) get as many people on the winning team as possible. The desire is to help people living in darkness to see the light “… so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in [ Jesus ]” (Acts 26:18) . Until Christ returns, the game on this earth remains in play. Satan wants to steal children of the light for his side. We are warned: “ Discipline yourselves, keep alert. Like a roaring lion your adversary the devil prowls around, looking for someone to devour. Resist him, steadfast in your faith…” (1 Peter 5:8 – 9a) . We discipline ourselves by living as children as the light. “For once you were darkness, but now in the Lord you are light. Live as children of light—for the fruit of the light is found in all that is good and right and true” (Eph 5:8 – 9) . Are you living as a child of the light? How is your gameplay?
(Rev. Sylvia Griffiths)

13th February 2011

Today I'm starting a message series about one of Jesus' more prominent disciples, Peter. Some points and sample passages highlighting various aspects of Peter's character pre & post resurrection include:

In the gospels Peter was:

• a fisherman (Luke 5:4 – 5)

• a follower of Jesus

• renamed (from Simon to Peter / Rock; John 1:40 – 42)

• married (Matt 8:14 – 15)

• experimental (walked on water, Matt 14:28 – 29)

• inquisitive (Matt 15:15; Luke 12:41; Matt 18:21 – 22; Mark 13:3 – 8; John 13:21 – 26)

• spoke his mind (Luke 8:45, 18:28 – 30)

• favoured (Luke 8:51; Matt 17:1 – 4; Luke 22:7 – 13)

• determined (John 6:66 – 60)

• given spiritual insight (Matt 16:15 – 17)

• the rock on which Jesus built his church (Matt 16:18 – 19, see also Acts 1 – 5; 8 – 12; 15)

• open to Satan's influence (Matt 16:21 – 23; Luke 22:31 – 34; Matt 26:69 – 75)

• rebuked (Matt 16:23)

• impetuous (Matt 17:1 – 4; John 18:7 – 11)

• observant (Mark 11:20 – 24)

• sincere in faith (John 13:6 – 10; Matt 26:32 – 41)

• human / earthy (Matt 26:36 – 41)

• redeemed (Mark 16:6 – 7)

• commissioned (John 21:1 – 22)

In Acts Peter was:

• a leader (Acts 1:12 – 26; 5:1 – 11; 11:1 – 18; 15:1 – 11)

• an evangelist (Acts 1 – 5; 8 – 12)

• a preacher (Acts 1 – 3)

• a prophet (i.e. one who sees and understands visions from God)

• a channel of God's miracles (Acts 3:1 – 10; 5:12 – 16; 9:32 – 42)

• arrested (Acts 4:1 – 4; 12:1 – 5)

• a bold speaker to government authorities (Acts 4:5 – 13, 18 – 21; 5:27 – 32)

• flogged (Acts 5:40 – 42)

• full of the joy of the Lord (Acts 5:40 – 42)

• a cross-cultural missionary (Acts 8:14 – 25; 10:1 – 48)

• miraculously rescued from prison (Acts 12:6 – 18)
(Rev. Sylvia Griffiths)

6th February 2011

“… the people thirsted there for water; and the people complained against Moses and said, “Why did you bring us out of Egypt , to kill us and our children and livestock with thirst? ” (Exod 17:3)

This incident occurred while Israel was wandering around in the desert. It was after their dramatic liberation from Egyptian oppression (see Exod 12 – 14) . It was after their festival of praise (Exod 15) . The people understandably needed water in the desert (Exod 17:1 – 7) . Rather than prayerfully asking God to meet their needs, they complained and demanded. They demonstrate a lack of faith and trust. They become nasty. It was an understandable but unwise reaction. I wonder how the story would read if the Israelites had responded differently to their undesirable circumstances? Perhaps they could have prayed this way:

“God Most High (Ps 57:2) . You are the God who hears (Ps 40:1) , sees (Gen 16:13 – 14) and provides (Gen 22:14) . In your greatness and majesty you brought us out of Egypt and rescued us from our oppressors (Exod 15:7) . We exalt You our Saviour and God. We praise You (Exod 15:2) . God forgive us for the times we doubt You. Forgive us for the times we think Egypt was better than this (Num 14:19 – 20) . Help us to remember that the best way to live is in Your presence – even when our limited perception causes us to view our present circumstances (living Your way) as being undesirable (Ps 27:4 – 5) . Lead us out of this time of trial. Deliver us from the attacks of the devil (Matt 6:13) . We need water. Please give it to us. God, You alone create all things and by Your will they exist (Rev 4:11) . You alone give life to the dead and call in to existence the things that do not exist (Rom 4:17) . Nothing is impossible for you (Gen 18:13 – 14) . In You we place our trust and our hope (Ps 71:5) . You will not let us down (Deut 31:8) . We praise You Almighty God. You reign forever and ever (Exod 15:18) . Amen.”

Wouldn't this have been a better way to respond? How do we respond to adverse circumstances? How are we responding to life at present?
(Rev. Sylvia Griffiths)

30th January 2011

“ Can two people walk together without agreeing on the direction? ” (Amos 3:3, NLT)

In 1981, my family and I were on holiday in New York . This was quite a radical change from driving from Bathurst to Dubbo for our holidays, which was what we did most other years! We went on a guided tour of NYC ( Ney York City ). Our tour guide was a rather amusing fellow who had a large red fan that he would keep waving in the air so we could follow him whenever we got off the bus. He sternly warned us to keep our eyes on the fan because it was very easy to get lost in NYC.

One of the places we stopped was China Town . We enthusiastically followed our guide around, did a bit of souvenir shopping and then got back on the bus. Once on the bus the guide did his usual head count… but not all the heads were back on the bus. We had lost someone. He was the husband of an elderly Italian woman who was VERY distressed. The man spoke virtually no English. We were all rather alarmed. How had the woman lost her husband? Had they not stuck together? Why hadn't the man followed the guide's bright red fan? Where was he?

The tour guide waited for as long as possible in the hope that the man would appear… but he didn't and we had to move on. So off we went to the Statue of Liberty with our guide reassuringly informing us that they had EXCELLENT food in China town and he was sure the man would make his way back to his hotel and all would be well once more.

Today's verse reminds us that in order for two people to walk together they need to agree on the direction. Sometimes we can fall in to the trap of thinking it's our job to set the direction and wave the fan for God to follow. This is unwise as we can find ourselves stranded in a foreign country, not knowing the language and feeling rather disorientated. To walk with God it's best to agree to walk in and at His direction. We do this by choosing to seek and follow him daily. Are you walking God's way at the moment? Or feeling lost in an unknown land?
(Rev. Sylvia Griffiths)

23rd January 2011

“ …Many crowds followed Jesus, and he cured all of them, and he ordered them not to make him known. ” (Matt 12:15 – 16)

Jesus told some people not to tell anyone about the miracles he'd performed in their lives, but told others the opposite. Why?

Matthew is a gospel thought to have been written predominantly for a Jewish audience seeking proof that Jesus was the fulfilment of Old Testament (OT) prophesy about God's coming Messiah. Throughout the book of Matthew we find various OT quotes being used to prove this fact. E.g. in Matt 12:18–21 we read a Messianic quote from Isaiah 42:1–4. In these verses we discover the main reason Jesus ordered people to be silent about his work in their lives. According to the OT prophesy, God's coming Messiah would be a quiet servant: “ He will not cry or lift up his voice, or make it heard in the street ” (Isa 42:2, c.f. Matt 12:19 ) . Put another way, he would be about his Father's business without shouting it from the roof-tops. Jesus fulfilled OT prophesy by discouraging the public broadcasting his activities.

People were to remain silent about Jesus' work in their lives UNLESS silence prevented them from re-entering society. E.g. Jesus cured a man of demon possession and then “… said to him, “Go home to your friends, and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and what mercy he has shown you” (Mark 5:19) . Prior to the exorcism, the man had been an outcast from society. In order to be holistically healed he needed spiritual and social healing. The social healing would only occur when people realised that it was safe to accept him back in to normal society. He needed to show and tell what God had done for him in order to complete his healing.

People wanted to make a spectacle of Jesus. They had all sorts of motives – some purer than others. But it was not until after Jesus had completed his mission on earth that things were to be shouted from the roof-tops. So let's “go tell it on the mountain…” !
(Rev. Sylvia Griffiths)

16th January 2011

“ What good is it, dear brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but don't show it by your actions?... ” (James 2:14, NLT)

A couple of weeks ago, Josiah developed a nasty cough. He still has the cough. He has learnt that it is important to cover your mouth with your hand whenever you cough. Thus at the conclusion of every coughing fit he emphatically says “cover mouth!” The trouble is, he doesn't cover his mouth with his hand. He only says it.

At the start of the two weeks, every time Josiah would wisely say “cover mouth” at the end of a coughing fit, I would encouragingly reply “that's right – good boy!” This is because I was pleased that he had learnt the importance of covering his mouth. Sometimes we would additionally practice pretending to cough and covering our mouths with our hands to ensure he knew what the words meant. However, he continues to NOT cover his mouth when he has a genuine coughing fit and he continues to SAY “cover mouth” at the cough's conclusion without doing it.

This morning I had had enough! Josiah coughed, said “cover mouth” and rather than my usual encouraging words I exasperatedly exclaimed “it's not enough to just say the words, you have to act upon them as well!” Then I thought, “what a good idea for a Link article!”

Throughout the Bible we are reminded that God wants us to know His Word. That's why I keep having a new Bible Challenge every year. That's why we have a Bible Study Group. That's part of the reason we come to church on a Sunday. So that we can grow in our knowledge of God's word. But it's not enough to simply know God's Word. It's not even enough to be able to re-state God's Word. Stating God's Word is important in that it helps us to remember what God has to say about the various situations we come across. I encourage us to work on memorising scripture as Linda highlighted last week. Adding to that, we need ensure we put God's Word in to practice. Let's aim to not just know what to do, but to also ensure our actions reflect that knowledge.
(Rev. Sylvia Griffiths)

9th January 2011

Every year I set myself some goals to achieve. My goals cover all different aspects of life – spiritual, physical, social, emotional, recreational and skills. I like to have a challenge. Every month I review my goals to see how I am progressing. I was inspired to do this by my friend's (Di) husband Bernie. Bernie is very disciplined and achieves an amazing number of things each year.

One of Bernie's goals the last few years has been to memorise increasing amounts of Scripture. When Di was seriously ill in intensive care two years ago, the fruit of his labours was evident. As we sat by Di's bed wondering at the outcome of her illness, Bernie recited to me the verse he was currently memorising: “Do not worry....” ( Matthew 6:25-34 ). How appropriate and reassuring to us to know that God had everything in hand and all we had to do was trust Him for Di's health and future. Who knows the impact this had on the ICU nurse attending Di that night?

One of my spiritual goals this year is to memorise some favourite psalms and passages from Scripture. When I was at Bible College in 1993 we did Scripture memorisation but to my detriment I didn't maintain that habit. However, I find even now, that when I hear those key verses mentioned my mind automatically begins reciting them. I have heard myself speaking these verses in conversations I have had with people about Jesus. What a great way to speak God's truth into people's lives. The Bible assures us that God's word never returns empty ( Isaiah 55:11 ).

2 Timothy 3:16–17 was one of my old memory verses and states that “All scripture… is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work . ” Memorised scriptures become like internal prompts to help us live according to God's way `by hiding God's word in our hearts' (Psalm 119:11) .

Last week Sylvia challenged us to invest in some Word nurturing activities. Perhaps along with the 2011 Bible challenge you might also consider doing some Scripture memorisation this year. You may like to choose some verses of special meaning to you; or verses around a particular topic (e.g. anxiety, joy, heaven); or verses that standout to you as you read the Bible. Please let me know if you would like some verses to get you started.
(Pastor Linda McCurdy)

2nd January 2011

“How sweet are your words to my taste,
sweeter than honey to my mouth!”
(Psa 119:103)

“…I took the little scroll from the hand of the angel and ate it;
it was sweet as honey in my mouth,
but when I had eaten it, my stomach was made bitter.
Then they said to me, “You must prophesy again about many peoples and nations and languages and kings.”
(Rev 10:10 – 11)

My family and I LOVE buffets. It's fun trying lots of different foods. Sometimes I don't like the sample of the food I'm trying and find it hard to stomach. Other times I try something and find it a bit boring. But the BEST times are when I LOVE what I'm sampling (at such times I tend to get more!) . All the food is good – but it's not all to my taste. Still… I'm no quitter!

Sometimes we read the Bible and we don't like it. We don't understand it. Or it makes us feel uncomfortable. Other times we read Scripture and find it a bit boring (e.g. genealogies and the dimensions of the Temple ). Other times we find God's word to be VERY tasty. It encourages us or gives us just the right word and the right time to help us in a particular situation etc. Such times remind us of the importance of continuing to read God's word.

I've had a few Link articles urging you to read the Bible right through. That's because we're starting a new Bible Challenge. It's not too late to start. I promise I'll write about something else next week!
(Rev. Sylvia Griffiths)

Jan 2011	Feb 2011
Mar 2011	Apr 2011
Jul 2011	Aug 2011
Sept 2011	Oct 2011
Nov 2011	Dec 2011