Steady Feet

I got sick of drawing hands for now so I tried some feet instead.

Proverbs 4:10-15

New International Version (NIV)

10 Listen, my son, accept what I say,
    and the years of your life will be many.
11 I instruct you in the way of wisdom
    and lead you along straight paths.
12 When you walk, your steps will not be hampered;
    when you run, you will not stumble.
13 Hold on to instruction, do not let it go;
    guard it well, for it is your life.
14 Do not set foot on the path of the wicked
    or walk in the way of evildoers.
15 Avoid it, do not travel on it;
    turn from it and go on your way.

Blessings!

Astounded

I am astounded that God would choose someone small and weak like me to do his work in this world. But then I look at the bible and see he's done this for all of time. In our weakness he is seen strongest. Who else to choose but the worst to show his best.
I am in LOVE with God and no one can change this!

1 Peter 3:15-17
But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander. For it is better, if it is God’s will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil.

Blessings!

Something to Dwell on

It’s incredible...

that the relationship between God and Moses went from talking through a burning bush to face to face in a tent.

Exodus 3:2-4 -> 

There the angel of the Lord appeared to him in flames of fire from within a bush. Moses saw that though the bush was on fire it did not burn up. So Moses thought, “I will go over and see this strange sight—why the bush does not burn up.” When the Lord saw that he had gone over to look, God called to him from within the bush, “Moses! Moses!” And Moses said, “Here I am.”

Exodus 33:11 -> The Lord would speak to Moses face to face, as one speaks to a friend. 

Our God is great!

A tired People

The last three days have been exhausting.
So many things have happened. The fires still blaze and we may not get rain until Tuesday.
Friend's have lost houses and some are still waiting to be evacuated.

However, these events cause me to be reminded that our time on earth is not all there is. I've been reminded of one of my favourite songs. Soon and very soon by Hillsong/Brooke Fraser
Here are the lines from it:

Soon and very soon
My King is coming
Robed in righteousness
And crowned with love
When I see Him, I
shall be made like Him
Soon and very soon


Soon and very soon
I'll be going
To the place He has prepared for me
There my sin erased
My shame forgotten
Soon and very soon


I will be with the One I love
With unveiled face I'll see
There my soul will be satisfied
Soon and very soon


Soon and very soon
See the procession
The angels and the elders
'round the throne
At His feet I'll lay my crown, my worship
Soon and very soon


Though I have not seen Him
My heart knows Him well
Jesus Christ the Lamb
The Lord of Heaven

Here is a drawing I completed tonight:

 

I began this more than a month or two ago but I came back to it tonight.

When I began this I was focused on the idea of growing old on this earth. I was yearning for it at the time as I see it as the time in life when you are truly cared for. When we grow old we can no longer care for ourselves. However, this is not the only time we are like this.

In this time of hardship God has reminded me that we are frail, fragile and unable to truly care for ourselves. Without God we are nothing.

So while my hands do not look like this yet and acknowledge that I will always need my God. He will always care for me and make my path straight. He will always do the best in my life and those whom follow him. Even if it doesn't feel like it. God is here always. He's the beginning and the end. The creator of all and I Love Him dearly.

Praise be to our God and Father!

Many Blessings and please pray for us in New South Wales, Australia as our land burns.

Prayerfully Trusting God

Walking through the supermarket tonight with my sister I noticed everyone around me looking tired and defeated.

My community were not directly affected by the fires. I have friends who have lost their homes and some who are still under threat.

Last week there was an explosion in part of my suburb and the other day someone was shot to death a few suburbs over and someone was hit by a train in another suburb nearby.

Its hard to think positively at this time and it shows on the faces of the people in my community.

However, I will still choose to stand firm in my God. I will still choose to rely on him and find my hope in him.

For it is not what happens here that matters in the way of possessions and riches. It is the relationships formed. Most importantly though it is our relationship with God that is the biggest concern we should have now.

As I pray for my family and friends most affected by these fires, and for those in and around my community affected by the recent tragedies; I will keep leaning on my God for strength.

Romans 12:12

Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and


keep on praying.



Many blessings and if you're reading this please continue to pray!

God's Strength in our Trouble

God will bring us through these flames. He will have glory over our lands.


Look up into the heavens.
    Who created all the stars?
He brings them out like an army, one after another,
    calling each by its name.
Because of his great power and incomparable strength,
    not a single one is missing.
27 O Jacob, how can you say the Lord does not see your troubles?
    O Israel, how can you say God ignores your rights?
28 Have you never heard?
    Have you never understood?
The Lord is the everlasting God,
    the Creator of all the earth.
He never grows weak or weary.
    No one can measure the depths of his understanding.
29 He gives power to the weak
    and strength to the powerless.

Isaiah 40: 26-29


Someone who lost their house yesterday wrote this on facebook this morning.

A timely reminder this morning: “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal." Matthew 6:19-20

A Day of Fires

I think this month so far NSW Australia has had some of the worst fires in our history.
We've had 3 days this month over 35 degrees and its not even technically summer yet.
I have many friends who live in the fire struck areas.
God has kept us safe so far and he is teaching us to remain solid in him in these times of distress.
Through struggles we grow in faith.
So while I pray that the fires end, I also pray that God will shine his love through all of this and people
will come to follow him.

Blessings in this hot weather!
Please pray for NSW and the fires.
So far no fatalities (that I've heard of).

Kids Ministry and the Story of Moses

So here's the plan I came up with for this term at Kids Club.
We've got 9 weeks so its set to that.
It's quiet vague because I wanted the other leaders to feel free to try different delivery methods.

Kids Club term 4

K-3 lessons

Topic: God saves his people – Exodus

Aims:

• ·         For the kids to understand/articulate the story of Moses and the exodus out of Egypt.
• ·         To be able to understand the link between Moses and Abraham.
• ·         To understand the beginning of God’s big story – to put the story of Moses on our timeline.

Creative ways to deliver a lesson

• ·         Get the kids to act it out
• ·         Act it out yourself while teaching
• ·         Create a colouring sheet or a find a word
• ·         Get then to draw a picture for you
• ·         Draw out the story in pictures – tell it without the pictures – then ask the kids to put the pictures in order (option of colouring the pictures after the story – have multiple copies)

Outline

Week	Topic	Passage	Lesson Content	Interactive tools
1	God saves baby Moses	Ex 1 – 2:9	Reminder of the bible story so far (timeline drawings)	Timeline drawing (already done last term)
2	Moses flees Egypt & Burning bush)	Ex 2: 11 – 3:22		Add to timeline Make a burning bush – cellophane and cardboard or paper – to take home
3	God’s Promise	Ex 5: 22 – 6:12		Add to timeline
4	Pharaoh’s ‘magic’/Plagues	Ex 7:8 – 8:15	Aarons Staff becomes a snake Plague of Blood/frogs	Add to timeline
5	Plagues	Ex 8: 16 – 9:7	Gnats/flies/livestock	Add to timeline
6	Plagues	Ex 9: 8 – 10:20	Boils/hail/locusts	Add to timeline
7	Plagues	Ex 10: 21 – 11:10	Darkness/firstborn	Add to timeline
8	Passover	Ex 12		Add to timeline
9	Crossing the red sea/Wrap up	Ex 13: 17 – 14 :31	Summary and wrap up of Moses story	Finalise the drawings on the timeline

Blessings!

Wowed by my God... again!

I've been... skimming through the book of Exodus making a plan for my kids club lessons this school term and I've been wowed by God.

God saved Moses - a man who turned into a cowardly murderer - and chose him for the task of returning to Egypt to bring the Israelites out. But Moses says no, he can't speak. He doesn't believe that he will be able to persuade Pharaoh due to his speech impediment (that's what I take it to be 'speak with faltering lips' Exodus 6:30). Instead of getting angry and choosing someone more faithful to do the task. God instead says this:
Exodus 7:1 'Then the Lord said to Moses, "See, I have made you like God to Pharaoh, and your brother Aaron will be your prophet.'

How amazing is this action! God says to Moses that Moses will look like God! Look like God! Have a prophet. That's so amazing! It's as if God is saying just because you come across like a bumbling idiot (my words here) don't worry because I am giving you the appearance of something higher. Moses goes and has a prophet!
A prophet was someone chosen to bring God's message to his people. So God uses Moses and with Moses God uses Aaron.
Because Moses doesn't want to go in on his own God sends his brother. God sends 2 people to easily do the job of one (a hard job yes).

How cool is that?

Anyway that's my little rant for the day.

Many Blessings!

the Selfishness of Telling

I've been reading a book from my Minister about Spiritual formation and teens.
Something in the book has struck me...

The selfishness of telling.
This kind of links back to a previous post: http://little-thoughts-on-a-big-book.blogspot.com.au/2013/09/what-makes-good-youth-group-according.html

There is a problem within some churches that nobody really realises exists. That is... more telling happens than pacing. This book I'm reading talks about an idea called pacing. That is meeting someone where they are at. Instead of having someone come to you and you just TELL them the whole gospel and exactly what to do, you have to listen.

LISTEN!

Meet someone where they are at, listen to them. Get in their head, think about what it would be like to walk in their shoes (cliché I know but its true!). Pacing means having patience and empathy. Its about forming relationships and telling little bits at a time. There's no point coming to someone and blabbing tones of information when they aren't even in the position to take it on.

Don't be selfish!

Telling is selfish because it only satisfies you - the person who is doing the telling.
The point of pacing is to serve the other person. Which is exactly what we are called to do!
When we meet someone at their level we can form bonds and trust. Then God really reveals where the TELLING is appropriate. Then God really starts working.

Isn't this exactly what God does with us?

I believe it is. Its been like that in my life. Many times I've gone through something and people haven't been here for me, instead they've just told me what to do. Then a few years later I remember what they've said what its actually applicable. Which is still a wonder of God! When I really think about it I would rather have been forming relationships with those people who TOLD me. I would rather have had them to listen to me and sit with me and comfort me.

So people don't be selfish and tell!  Think about if you were that person and what emotional needs they may have. Develop some patience! It's a fruit of the spirit.

Discipleship is what we're about... so lets go out and DISCIPLE THIS WORLD!

And remember...
 GOD'S TIMING IS BEST!

He will let you know when the timing is right. Don't go running in!

Blessings!

Also the book is here: http://www.amazon.com/Shaping-Spiritual-Life-Students-Ministers/dp/0830822844

Humbling Kindness

So today I was humbled to the extreme!
I checked my letter box and found an envelope with my name on it but no stamp or address.
Inside were two movie gift cards and a note telling me to enjoy them.
I'm not going to say who did this for me but I have to say.
It is not my birthday.

My first thought was... WHAT THE HECK WHO DOES THIS?
Then I thought: No one does things like this for me!
Then I felt bad for thinking of myself badly, like I'm not a good enough person or not loved enough to have nice things done for me. Clearly my negative thoughts against myself (something I know everybody does) are wrong and people do love me.

I have no idea how to thank this person. But I thank God for their kindness and thoughtfulness.

I am someone who is learning to ask for financial help and God is certainly helping me along the way.

I hope that one day when I do have money to spare I can pass on the kindness to someone else.

1 Corinthians 10:31

New Living Translation (NLT)

So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.


Blessings!