There is no doubt that our society is experiencing unprecedented uncertainty. The rapid rise of COVID-19 has seen people purchasing household items and food at alarming rates, leaving store shelves empty of basic goods and rationing of potentially life saving medicines. In the land of mateship and a fair go we have witnessed widespread selfishness and opportunistic profiteering which has left many of us bewildered and breathless, and so soon after the generosity displayed during the bush fire crisis just a few short weeks ago. The media is updating us around the clock of developments across the globe, and our Government is rapidly tightening border control, internal movement and access to public gatherings. Right now, the cultural response contains a lot of fear and political wrangling - we need to be wary of both. Fear doesn’t stay at fear, it quickly turns into anxiety, stress, selfishness, and even anger; and none of these glorify God. So how should we as disciples of Jesus respond in this rapidly changing environment?
Firstly to quote a member of QLD Health “We can not pour from an empty bucket”; self care is important! Be fed with the word of God daily, follow all guidelines for health and hygiene, get plenty of rest and remember to wash your hands (Christians believe in both the power of prayer and soap!) Then you can:
And we can do the same today! Let’s work to His praise and Glory in all times and in all places. Jen
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On our theme of ‘making disciples’
Jesus taught his disciples to live in view not of today or tomorrow, but eternity. We try to help others follow Jesus; we do deliberate spiritual good; we pray for gospel influence; we proclaim God’s words, and we do all this for the sake of the Last Day. Yes, we may see some fruit now. But the goal is always to present people mature in Christ then. Discipling at its core is about initiating a relationship with another person in which you teach, correct, model, and love. It’s about uplifting, encouraging and seeking spiritual growth for that person. In teaching we teach the words of Jesus (all of them), and all the words of the Bible (even if they make us uncomfortable). In the church we do this through expository preaching. We encourage people to attend Bible study, and we are we encourage people to good authors and books to encourage their faith. One on one and in small groups teaching occurs as people learn to have spiritually meaningful conversations with each other; It’s fine to talk about football or the kids’ school. But talk about Sunday’s sermon as well. Learn to ask each other what God has been teaching you about himself, or how you have seen God at work in the everyday this week. This may seem a little awkward at first - but the eternal benefits are out of this world! To His glory alone Jen |
AuthorJen is an energetic and passionate disciple of Christ who loves to share Jesus with anyone who will listen! Past Thoughts
December 2021
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