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Notepad Thoughts

WOW

21/8/2020

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I was chatting with someone this week about become better disciple makers by intentionally recognising God’s faithfulness in our everyday life, and putting the WOW back into our witness.  This came from a discussion around Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego in the fiery furnace: 
  • How their experience of God’s faithfulness in their lives gave them such certainty in the promises of God that they knew even if God did not save them, with God on their side, ultimately they never lose - WOW! 
  • How they themselves were unharmed whilst those throwing them into the furnace died from the heat - WOW! 
  • How in the midst of the furnace they were unharmed, their clothes not scorched nor any smell of smoke upon them - WOW!  
  • How God didn’t save them from being thrown into the furnace, but met them in there and walked through it with them - WOW!  
  • How when they emerged from the furnace, that which had bound them previously had been removed - WOW!  
  • How because of their faithful witness in the face of fiery trials someone far from God saw the power of God in action - WOW!
WOW is an exclamation that we use when something takes us by surprise (in either positive or negative ways) - which, one commentator notes is why we spell it the same both forwards and backwards!  But how does WOW make us better disciple makers?  When we (adults and children) are WOWed by something in a negative way, we learn valuable lessons and seek to help others to avoid the same mistakes.  When we are WOWed by someone (in a good way) we talk about them endlessly, we spend as much time with them as we can to learn as much about them as we can, and seek them out at every opportunity.  When children are WOWed by something (in a good way) they can’t wait to tell their friends, they’re excited, they’re bubbling, and their passion is infectious …
​God wants to WOW us - and he wants us to share our WOW with others around us.  When we read His word closely, His story and his faithfulness will WOW us; when we bring our lives to the foot of the cross, His grace will WOW us; when we seek Him and walk in relationship, his love (and his correction) will WOW us … 
When was the last time you allowed yourself to be WOWed by God? 
When was the last time you witnessed like a child who has been WOWed? 
​
Grace & Peace
Jen
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Ambassadors of Christ

5/8/2020

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It’s no secret that life is tough right now - around the world people are contracting COVID-19, many are becoming critically ill, others are dying.  The statistics day after day are staggering; but we must never lose sight of the fact that the numbers on our screens and in our newspapers are more than just statistics, they represent people - Mum’s & Dad’s, Nan’s & Pop’s, Children, Grandchildren, Aunts, Uncles, Friends.  Whilst this disaster may not be personal to us today, it is personal to someone, and perhaps even someone we know.  Here in CQ we can feel removed from it all, and potentially become numb to the issues at hand or perhaps even complacent in the way we respond.  But we must never lose sight of the fact that the way we respond has an impact we can’t even see; following the basic hygiene principles keeps us and our loved ones safe; complying with the directions of health officials keeps our community safe and makes the lives of first responders, health care professionals and even politicians a little easier; keeping aware but not alarmed helps protect those in our community suffering from mental health disorders, and helps to alleviate the load on public health facilities; not buying into or spreading conspiracy theories and public revolt ideologies helps to keep effort and energy in the right place, helps people to choose to help others, and helps protect our front line law enforcement officers from violence and abuse.  The Apostle Paul taught that we are to obey our worldly masters in so far as it does not violate God’s law; as disciples of Jesus it is important that we follow His lead in this area (even when we don’t like it).  


We are ambassadors of Christ, how we choose to react or behave during the pandemic reflects on Christ: as such we are calm because we know that Christ is ultimately in control - we are not those who sneak across boarders, break curfew, go to church or work with a sore throat, gather in sizes not permitted, or break other rules because it suits us to do so.  As ambassadors of Christ our message needs to be “we care - even when it is not convenient!”  Our role as disciples is: Repent humbly, witness openly, and love unreservedly - this applies even more so today!
Colossians 3:17 And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.


Grace & Peace
Jen
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    Author

    Jen is an energetic and passionate disciple of Christ who loves to share Jesus with anyone who will listen!  

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