Fair go this Christmas

The gift of God in Christ remembered at Christmas helps focus and direct our giving in three area.
1. Compassion. In our day, we are expected to give gifts to everyone and we end up spending mountains of money buying gifts for people who don't need them.
Rather we can focus Christ's love on the genuinely needy by giving to the poor. We could even ask people not to buy us presents, but instead to give to the needy.
Organisations like Fair Trade, Tear, WDR etc, give us amply opportunity.
2. Sacrificial. We love bargains, but realise that there are prices we are not willing to pay to have them, such as buying stolen goods. Some goods (especially chocolate and coffee) may come cheeply to us, but are produced through extortion, slavery and unjust wages to workers. We ought not be willing to buy them on account of their origin. However, it may mean that we will pay more if we buy them under fair trade conditions. But, in the likeness of Christ's sacrificial gift we ought to be willing to pay sacrificially in order to help the poor.
3. Wisdom. The practice of simple giving is important, especially in emergencies. Yet this approach is not always the wisest thing to do and can even do more harm than good. As is often quoted, "it is better to teach someone how to fish, than to give them fish." As Christians we ought to look for opportunities to support justice and structural change as wise strategies for the long term relief of poverty.
It is our view that fair trade can be an effective vehicle for Christian giving since it enables us to focus our giving in these ways. As a church and as church leadership we are supporting it and encourage others to prayerfully do the same. Full details of the fair trade organisation can be found at http://www.fairtrade.com.au.

Isaac, the imperfect patriach of faith

The Bible is full of flawed characters who were graciously blessed by God. The Christmas list in Matthew's gospel is full of them and Isaac was one of them. The record of his life is without spectacular event or great achievement. He had some obvious flaws, yet his name is recorded among the fathers of our faith.
In Beersheba he "called on the name of the Lord" at the altar he built and remained in the land as God had commanded him.
The thing most notable, is God's blessing on him in the likeness of his blessing on Abraham. God was with him and would bless him and for that reason he should not fear (Gen.26:24 - 25).
He was chosen by grace and receive the promise by faith.
This too is our simple testimony. We are saved by grace through faith and in this we too are the children of Abraham (Gal 3:7).

Freedom - the truth will set you free!!

Jesus Said: "I am the way THE TRUTH, and the life"
      Believe it
      Hold on to it
      Know it

The test:
Are you being held by things:       Fear, Guilt, Pride   or anything else?

Are you holding onto things trying to find security / freedom in those things rather in Jesus Christ.

What do you need to let go of this week so that you can Hold on to Jesus with both hands?

True freedom and peace comes from knowing an assurance of Life Eternal with a loving God
        a God who says:
"Fear Not for I am with you - I have called you by name - child you are mine"

Let us be free from slavery to the things of this world and live in hope and assurance of our eternal security.

PERSPECTIVE

Are looking at the world through your Jesus glases this week??
Do you have your faith perspective -  
          Looking at problems different??
          Looking at sin different??
          Looking at the situation different??

Fix your eyes on Jesus - the author an perfector of your faith
- and live from faith perspective this week:
         It will blow your mind
         Its a world within a world
         Remember other people won't belive it's possible
                 WHY??
"so you won't grow weary and lose heart"

Prayer Changes the Situation

Well it does and it dosn't!
Sometimes the situation changes dramatically and quickly when we pray.
Other times the situation doesn't change - but we do.
Other times the situation changes slowly and gradually.
Does pray make any difference in this?
In a discussion with someone after the service on Sunday we really wrestled with this. Do christians just manipulate the discussion around prayer - Things that could have happened a really just coincidence. Any undeniable supernatural answers to prayer are few and far between and always happen to 'somone we know'
Where does a conversation like that end - I'm not sure. But what I am sure is there is a God who can change anything in the universe. I know that through Jesus I can talk to him and he listens to me. Ultimately I have to trust that He knows best when it comes to answering prayer - the answer could be Yes No or Wait.
When it comes to people dieing that really shouldn't - ie in freak accidents or at a young age. 
People who have prayed for protection or may have had may people praying for them - why didn't God stop it happening? Because God knows best! It may not make sense to us this side of heaven but I am sure it will from the other side.
When I pray - I trust in a God that knows best - He can change things so I will keep praying to Him.
Have a read of Luke 18:1-8  Our Father knows what is right!!

Prayer that will change you.

I've added some reflective exercises from Psalm 27 to help you pray a life changing prayer.
Use the inspired words of the Psalm as the foundation of your prayer.
Meditate on them and reflect the words used in the psalm back to God in prayer.
Let me know if it helps and how you get on.

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? (Praise God for these specific qualities. Thank him for all he is to you in Christ.)
When evil men advance against me
to devour my flesh,
when my enemies and my foes attack me,
they will stumble and fall.
Though an army besiege me,
my heart will not fear;
though war break out against me,
even then will I be confident. (Tell God you trust him and long to do so even more)

One thing I ask of the LORD,
this is what I seek:
that I may dwell in the house of the LORD
all the days of my life,
to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD
and to seek him in his temple (ask God to reveal himself to you more.)
For in the day of trouble
he will keep me safe in his dwelling;
he will hide me in the shelter of his tabernacle
and set me high upon a rock.
Then my head will be exalted
above the enemies who surround me;
at his tabernacle will I sacrifice with shouts of joy;
I will sing and make music to the LORD. (sing a song of praise to God)

Hear my voice when I call, O LORD;
be merciful to me and answer me. (for what would you want God to be merciful to you?)

(address the following words to God in prayer)
My heart says of you, “Seek his face!”
Your face, LORD, I will seek.
Do not hide your face from me,
do not turn your servant away in anger;
you have been my helper.
Do not reject me or forsake me,
O God my Savior.

Though my father and mother forsake me,
the LORD will receive me.
Teach me your way, O LORD;
lead me in a straight path
because of my oppressors.
Do not turn me over to the desire of my foes,
for false witnesses rise up against me,
breathing out violence.
(Reflect on how you have been living. Confess your sin and ask the Lord to lead you in his ways)

I am still confident of this:
I will see the goodness of the LORD
in the land of the living.
Wait for the LORD;
be strong and take heart
and wait for the LORD.
(Spend some quiet time just waiting and meditating on what you have read and said)

Dont Stop Praying

"Be joyful always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances"
"Let us contunually offer to God a sacrifice of praise"
"always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ"
"Pray in the spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and request"

"I used to read these passages in a fog of guilt, imagining saints that prayed throughout the night....I read them now not as a perpetual guilt trip but as a call to a Godward oreintation. Prayer means keeping company with God who is already present." Phillip Yancey

Prayer continues to be a mystery to me! But I have given up on trying to to figure out how it works and actually just keep practicing it - even with all its seeming contradictions and irrationality. I believe the creator of the universe - my father - knows how it works so I'll keep doing it.
I know it changes things - How?  ......well thats up to dad!!!!