Double Update!

Hi All,
Sorry for the delay, but my hosting service has been unavailable for the last week or so. However, this week I can present both of the latest messages from Pastor John!
Hope you enjoy them!

Illawarra Lutheran Parish
17th and 24th June 2007.

Click to download and listen: You are the Man!

Prayer of the Day

Merciful Father, you have freed us from guilt through your Son and called us to work with him in your kingdom. Help us to be as compassionate with others as he has been with us. For he lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

Click to download and listen: (Re-) Born Free!

Prayer of the Day

Thank you, heavenly Father, that you have clothed us with Christ and made us one in him. Break down all barriers that divide us and teach us to live in harmony as members of your family. We ask this through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

Photo credit: 'Stone Cross' by Bob Smith, Georgetown, Mass, United States.

Heavenly Healing-Helpfully Human!

Hello Everybody,
Do you think Christ came just to heal people? Many people wanted to be healed-and indeed many were healed-during Jesus ministry, but often healing was a secondary miracle to Jesus offering forgiveness of sins.

Physical healing was, is, important to people in the here-and-now. But the problem is, we will not live on earth forever-all of us will die (temporally speaking) someday! The real problem is: how are we to be reconciled to an absolutely holy God when we do pass away?

This is the real reason for Jesus becoming human-only through His death are we able to be judged not guilty before God. All it takes is the free gift of faith in Christ!

Click here to download and listen:
Heavenly Healing-Helpfully Human!

Illawarra Lutheran Parish
10th June 2007

Prayer of the Day

Thank you, Lord God, that you have cleansed us from sin and saved us from the power of the enemy through the death and resurrection of your Son. Keep us drowning our sinful self by repenting day after day and bring to life in us each day a new self to live with you forever. We ask this through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen

Photo credit: 'Heart of Grunge' by Lynne Lancaster, United Kingdom.

Wet.

Hello Again!
Romans 5: what a fantastic piece of divine scripture! For eample, in just one small line we learn about what faith is and how we should rejoice in suffering!
But how hard is suffering to suffer? We would all like an easy life, avoiding suffering at all costs. They are those, of course, who do 'boast in their suffering', but for the wrong reasons: the businessman, the actor, the athlete. We've all seen those who boast how tough they did it and pulled themselves up by their bootstraps.
So how should Christians handle suffering? Listen to Pastor Johns' message and maybe you'll find some insights into this perplexing dilemma.

Oh; and be wet by grace!

Click to download and listen: Wet.

Illawarra Lutheran Parish
3rd June 2007
Trinity Sunday

Prayer of the Day.

Eternal God, you have revealed yourself as Father, Son and Holy Spirit and you live in the perfect unity of love. Give us a sure faith in you, so that we share in your holy fellowship and life as three Persons in one God, now and forever. Amen.

Photo credit: 'Water Splash' by Justyna Furmanczyk, Netherlands.