23 Jul What a week!
Well…if you thought President Trump dodging (by mere millimetres) an assassin’s bullet last week was crazy, what must you be thinking about THIS WEEK!?!?!?
Just…WOW!
I’ll get to that in a minute…but first…let’s get the logistics of this week on the board:
- Zoom Bible Study Catch-up – Jeremiah 3:11-15 & 7:1-15 is our focus wrapping up any loose ends from Sunday)
Friday 26th July 2024 @ 1:00 p.m.
Join Zoom Meeting — https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83006349720 — Meeting ID: 830 0634 9720 - Steering Team meets tonight and Mary & I are doing devotions at Caloola Court Thursday
- Ladies Fellowship has a compressed Bible Study schedule & meets again 1st Their inter-church fellowship is expanding & that’s filling their calendar! Well done Ladies! The more we can engage with our fellow disciples in the other churches in town, the better we represent the body of Christ in mission to this city. Outstanding! I don’t mind moving our Bible Study dates around when you’re simultaneously deepening the fellowship amongst the local churches.
- HUGE Congratulations to the AFES Campus Fellowship for their presentation of John’s Gospel Drama last weekend! What a massive undertaking and massive success in putting the Gospel of John into live action. I found myself marvelling at how the “script” stayed so closely aligned with the actual text of the gospel. It was also quite a joy to go out on Saturday in the cold & wet to serve their lunch. Big THANK YOU to everyone who provided food or funds or hands for that effort. A guy I know in town who, like me, prays for greater cooperation among the churches saw the list of congregations who partnered with Campus Fellowship in making the drama happen and said, “John this list should be twice…three times larger. Every church in town should get on board with this ministry.” Well…you know my heart on that…he’s right & it hurts me to see us not linking up more consistently like that. Let’s keep praying what Jesus did in John 17… “I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one—as you are in me, Father, and I am in you. And may they be in us so that the world will believe you sent me.” “So that…” When we operate in a unity as the body of Christ it widens the possibility of the “so that.”
So…Just when you thought Joe Biden & Donald Trump were up for a rematch, Biden’s not in the race any longer & I’m not sure we’ve heard the full story about any part of the last 10 days yet, and you know what? We may never know exactly what’s afoot. Let that sink in for a moment…in the wider world of geopolitics…we may never hear the truth from anyone. I’m not just being cynical because I prefer one candidate over the other, or because I think all politicians are bad people. I do believe there can be honourable men & women elected to higher office & political responsibility just as easily as there can be scoundrels. We know from Scripture that “the Most High God rules over the kingdoms of the world and appoints anyone he desires to rule over them.” – Dan 5:20b
But we also know there’s a lot at stake & self-interest is just part of the picture…So…be wary before you believe the latest version of some story served up hot & fresh by your favourite news outlet. BUT…don’t despair, pray. Pray that God would send wise leaders to every nation. Pray for the ones we have & ask God to multiply the good ones. Ask God to especially bless the ones who seem to struggle in their roles…and most of all, pray that even when there’s a leader you are less than fond of, that God will work justice & cause good to flourish in spite of their failings.
AND…Remember…Psalm 146:3-6
Do not put your trust in princes, in human beings, who cannot save.
When they breathe their last, they return to the earth, and all their plans die with them.
But joyful are those who have the God of Israel as their helper, whose hope is in the Lord their God.
He made heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them.
He keeps every promise forever.
See you somewhere along the way this week and surely in worship on Sunday
John
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