Sunday, July 02, 2006

From Out of the Storm.


Christ and Jairus' Daughter
Hello Again,

Todays message is from Job. Pastor John talks about how we can make sense of the unjustice we see around us; that despite all the wrong we see around us and what we personally experience, God is still in control of all His creation.

We may feel abandoned and hopeless, as the writer of Lamentations did in Ch.3. But after listing all his afflictions he says in v21: 'This I recall to my mind, therefore I have hope.' (KJV). He then goes on to list all the ways that the Lord's mercies are delivered to his believers-not because we have done anything within ourselves to merit such mercies-but because He is the Lord and will never remove them from us.

This is the founding principle of our faith and the one thing that is different to all other faiths: Christian truths are objective. If God says we are saved through Christ, then we are saved! If He says He will give us the means to believe in Him (faith) then He will give us those means. If He says Christ has died for us even while we were sinners: well, that's the greatest gift of all! We need to (and indeed can) do NOTHING to earn the favour of God: it is His FREE gift to us.

All we need to do is to learn from the Law how corrupt and without hope of oneness with God we are. We then realize just what the gift of salvation means to us personally. Therefore there is no need to worry about how you feel, about whether God loves you any more or why you can't stop sinning, even though you want to. You WILL NOT ever be abandoned by God, because He has promised never to do it, and because God is perfect, you can always rely on Him to keep that promise.

Listen to todays message: 'From Out of the Storm.'



Illawarra Lutheran Parish.
2nd July, 2006.
4th Sunday after Pentecost.


Prayer of the Day.

Lord, our Saviour and Healer, lay your healing hand on each of us and on all who are hurting. Protect us from all that diminishes our lives, and give us the life that overflows from you. For you live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
Amen.

Prayer Points.
  • Give thanks for everything we have and for the many blessings we receive daily.
  • Pray for the will to use our gifts and talents for the benefit of others.
  • Pray for giving hearts, not greedy hearts.
  • Pray for discernment when it comes to helping the needy.
  • Pray for the political situation in East Timor: that it would stabilize.
  • Pray for the Holy Spirit to bless Amanda at the 'Giraffe-on-Ice' course.
  • Pray for the families travelling during the school holidays that they would be safe.
  • Pray for a restful break for Pastor John and his family.
  • Pray for Fritz T, Christine F, Max C, Kiara B and Linda F as they struggle with ill health.
  • Pray for the Trinity congregation in Sydney, NSW as they seek to call a new Pastor.
Today's Readings.
Lamentations 3: 23-33.
2 Corinthians 8: 7-15.
Mark 5: 21-43.

Today's liturgical colour is
GREEN
The colour of life and growth in nature. Used in the meditative teaching Seasons which emphasise the living demonstration in the Christian of the power of God's salvation.
Use from the First Sunday after Trinity, or from the Monday after Trinity Sunday, through the Season to, but not including, the Vespers of the Saturday before the First Sunday in Advent.


Minor Festivals (and Colours) this Week.
July 2: Days of Our Lord: The Visitation (White).
The visitation celebrates the angels' visit to the virgin Mary to announce the conception of Christ.
"Blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfilment of what was spoken to her from the Lord."-from the Introit.
Readings: Isaiah 11: 1-5; Luke 1: 39-55

Thought for the Week.
The Lord is the stronghold of my life: of whom shall I be afraid?

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