OzThoughts –Tuesday 2nd May, 2006
A young man will spend his life in a wheelchair after
diving from a friend’s back fence into a canal. The
tragedy of the accident horrified all who watched the
news reports at the time. The events of the night came
to the attention of news reporters when the injured
young man decided to sue the owner of the property for
not placing warning signs at the fence adjoining the
canal.
A news report following the court case reported:
Twenty-eight year old Paul Borland will forever be
confined to a wheelchair. His life changed when the
morning after a night spent drinking with friends, he
climbed a fence surrounding a mate's waterfront
property on the Gold Coast and dived from it into a
canal. Even though Mr Borland admitted to the Supreme
Court he was stupid to attempt the dive, a jury has
found he is not the only one to blame for his
injuries. The jury found the homeowners, Alex and
Pamela Makauskas, who were overseas at the time of the
accident, are 70 per cent liable because they hadn't
erected a sign warning it would be dangerous to dive
into the neighbouring waterway…
The report continued:
Mr Borland, who was 22 when he became a tetraplegic,
had previously dived from the balcony of the
Makauskas' home into their swimming pool. The Supreme
Court heard that after that incident, the homeowners
had warned him such action was dangerous and asked him
not to do it again. Now they're facing a damages claim
which could reach $2 million.
(http://www.abc.net.au/am/stories/s151931.htm).
As you can imagine there was great debate following
this court decision. People everywhere were asking the
same question “What happened to personal
responsibility?”
The case was appealed and “the Court of Appeal
unanimously found that this was a madly risk-taking
action by Mr Borland and although it's foreseeable
that people will do things that fail to take
reasonable care for themselves, there was really
nothing reasonable that the occupiers could have done
to prevent it”.
(http://www.abc.net.au/rn/talks/8.30/lawrpt/stories/s431991.htm)
The story of the Prodigal Son told by demonstrates the
“personal responsibility” we have in our lives. The
son made his own choices. Firstly, to leave home and
live as he wanted then to return home and come under
the benefits of his father’s household.
Spiritually, Jesus illustrated by this story, we have
personal responsibility. We live or die by the choices
we make. John’s Gospel in the well known chapter says:
"This is how much God loved the world: He gave his
Son, his one and only Son. And this is why: so that no
one need be destroyed; by believing in him, anyone can
have a whole and lasting life. 17God didn't go to all
the trouble of sending his Son merely to point an
accusing finger, telling the world how bad it was. He
came to help, to put the world right again. 18Anyone
who trusts in him is acquitted; anyone who refuses to
trust him has long since been under the death sentence
without knowing it. And why? Because of that person's
failure to believe in the one-of-a-kind Son of God
when introduced to him.
19"This is the crisis we're in: God-light streamed
into the world, but men and women everywhere ran for
the darkness. They went for the darkness because they
were not really interested in pleasing God. 20Everyone
who makes a practice of doing evil, addicted to denial
and illusion, hates God-light and won't come near it,
fearing a painful exposure. 21But anyone working and
living in truth and reality welcomes God-light so the
work can be seen for the God-work it is." (John
3:16-21 (The Message).
Before thy face, dear Lord,
Myself I want to see;
And while I every question sing,
I want to answer thee.
Chorus
While I speak to thee,
Lord, thy goodness show;
Am I what I ought to be?
O Saviour, let me know.
Am I what once I was?
Have I that ground maintained
Wherein I walked in power with thee,
And thou my soul sustained?
Have I a truthful heart,
A conscience keen to feel
The baseness of a false excuse,
The touch of aught unreal?
Have I the zeal I had
When thou didst me ordain
To preach thy word and seek the lost,
Or do I feel it pain?
O Lord, if I am wrong,
I will not grieve thee more
By doubting thy great love and power
To make and keep me pure.
Author: Herbert Howard Booth (1862-1926)
The Salvation Army Song Book: Song Number: 409
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Luke 15:11-32 (The Message)
11Then he said, "There was once a man who had two
sons. 12The younger said to his father, "
Father, I want right now what's coming to me.'
"So the father divided the property between them.
13It wasn't long before the younger son packed his
bags and left for a distant country. There,
undisciplined and dissipated, he wasted everything he
had. 14After he had gone through all his money, there
was a bad famine all through that country and he began
to hurt. 15He signed on with a citizen there who
assigned him to his fields to slop the pigs. 16He was
so hungry he would have eaten the corncobs in the pig
slop, but no one would give him any.
17"That brought him to his senses. He said, "All
those farmhands working for my father sit down to
three meals a day, and here I am starving to death.
18I'm going back to my father. I'll say to him,
Father, I've sinned against God, I've sinned before
you; 19I don't deserve to be called your son. Take me
on as a hired hand.' 20He got right up and went home
to his father.
"When he was still a long way off, his father saw
him. His heart pounding, he ran out, embraced him, and
kissed him. 21The son started his speech: "
Father, I've sinned against God, I've sinned before
you; I don't deserve to be called your son ever
again.'
22"But the father wasn't listening. He was calling
to the servants, "Quick. Bring a clean set of clothes
and dress him. Put the family ring on his finger and
sandals on his feet. 23Then get a grain-fed heifer and
roast it. We're going to feast! We're going to have a
wonderful time! 24My son is here--given up for dead
and now alive! Given up for lost and now found!' And
they began to have a wonderful time.
25"All this time his older son was out in the
field. When the day's work was done he came in. As he
approached the house, he heard the music and dancing.
26Calling over one of the houseboys, he asked what was
going on. 27He told him, "Your brother came home. Your
father has ordered a feast--barbecued beef!-because he
has him home safe and sound.'
28"The older brother stalked off in an angry sulk
and refused to join in. His father came out and tried
to talk to him, but he wouldn't listen. 29The son
said, "Look how many years I've stayed here serving
you, never giving you one moment of grief, but have
you ever thrown a party for me and my friends? 30Then
this son of yours who has thrown away your money on
whores shows up and you go all out with a feast!'
31"His father said, "Son, you don't understand.
You're with me all the time, and everything that is
mine is yours-- 32but this is a wonderful time, and we
had to celebrate. This brother of yours was dead, and
he's alive! He was lost, and he's found!'"
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granted for “church purposes”. These versions plus
others may be accessed at www.biblegateway.com
Songs from The Salvation Army Song Book may be
accessed at www.salvationist.org
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OzThoughts – Monday 1st May, 2006
The noisy crowd who gathered at the Temple yesterday
were drawn towards worship as the Band played the
simple hymn tune invitation “Come let us all unite to
sing God is love”. This was the theme for the meeting
and right from the beginning it was great to joyfully
affirm “God is Love”.
Our meeting leader and speaker was a visiting officer
who told us he is finding great fulfilment in his work
as the manager of The Salvation Army Individual
Lifestyle Support Service (for people over 30 with a
mild to moderate intellectual disability). These
people live independently in the community and the
service provides appropriate support to them.
As we met were prayerfully mindful of many of your
young people and their leaders who were absent at
weekend camps which were providing for their social,
recreational and spiritual development.
When we turned to the Scriptures, we read the story of
the “Prodigal Son” from Luke Chapter 15. This is one
of the great stories told by Jesus and probably one of
the best known stories from the whole Bible.
We took the time to think about the whole of the story
and our speaker drew out many points which came as a
challenge to each individual worshipper.
The first point he made has remained in my memory and
seems to stand out amongst others. He told of our
individual choices. The Prodigal Son made a choice and
that was to leave home. Each of us make choices.
In fact, I have been continuing to think we face a
life time of choices. These choices concern our home
and our spiritual home. Our life companions, our work
situation, our recreational activities.
In meditation we listened to a cd of “How deep the
Father’s love for us”. It contains excellent responses
to our Heavenly Father’s love for us.
How deep the Father's love for us,
How vast beyond all measure
That He should give His only Son
To make a wretch His treasure
How great the pain of searing loss,
The Father turns His face away
As wounds which mar the chosen One,
Bring many sons to glory
Behold the Man upon a cross,
My sin upon His shoulders
Ashamed I hear my mocking voice,
Call out among the scoffers
It was my sin that held Him there
Until it was accomplished
His dying breath has brought me life
I know that it is finished
I will not boast in anything
No gifts, no power, no wisdom
But I will boast in Jesus Christ
His death and resurrection
Why should I gain from His reward?
I cannot give an answer
But this I know with all my heart
His wounds have paid my ransom
(Author: Stuart Townend).
Luke 15:11-32 (The Message)
11Then he said, "There was once a man who had two
sons. 12The younger said to his father, "
Father, I want right now what's coming to me.'
"So the father divided the property between them.
13It wasn't long before the younger son packed his
bags and left for a distant country. There,
undisciplined and dissipated, he wasted everything he
had. 14After he had gone through all his money, there
was a bad famine all through that country and he began
to hurt. 15He signed on with a citizen there who
assigned him to his fields to slop the pigs. 16He was
so hungry he would have eaten the corncobs in the pig
slop, but no one would give him any.
17"That brought him to his senses. He said, "All
those farmhands working for my father sit down to
three meals a day, and here I am starving to death.
18I'm going back to my father. I'll say to him,
Father, I've sinned against God, I've sinned before
you; 19I don't deserve to be called your son. Take me
on as a hired hand.' 20He got right up and went home
to his father.
"When he was still a long way off, his father saw
him. His heart pounding, he ran out, embraced him, and
kissed him. 21The son started his speech: "
Father, I've sinned against God, I've sinned before
you; I don't deserve to be called your son ever
again.'
22"But the father wasn't listening. He was calling
to the servants, "Quick. Bring a clean set of clothes
and dress him. Put the family ring on his finger and
sandals on his feet. 23Then get a grain-fed heifer and
roast it. We're going to feast! We're going to have a
wonderful time! 24My son is here--given up for dead
and now alive! Given up for lost and now found!' And
they began to have a wonderful time.
25"All this time his older son was out in the
field. When the day's work was done he came in. As he
approached the house, he heard the music and dancing.
26Calling over one of the houseboys, he asked what was
going on. 27He told him, "Your brother came home. Your
father has ordered a feast--barbecued beef!-because he
has him home safe and sound.'
28"The older brother stalked off in an angry sulk
and refused to join in. His father came out and tried
to talk to him, but he wouldn't listen. 29The son
said, "Look how many years I've stayed here serving
you, never giving you one moment of grief, but have
you ever thrown a party for me and my friends? 30Then
this son of yours who has thrown away your money on
whores shows up and you go all out with a feast!'
31"His father said, "Son, you don't understand.
You're with me all the time, and everything that is
mine is yours-- 32but this is a wonderful time, and we
had to celebrate. This brother of yours was dead, and
he's alive! He was lost, and he's found!'"
``````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````
`````````````````````````
Thank you for your prayers and support for OzThoughts
Internet Ministry.
To unsubscribe send an email (without a message) to :
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(Tell them to check their junk box for the reply if
it does not seem to come).
The New International Version (NIV®) and The Message ®
are copyright and are used here with permissions
granted for “church purposes”. These versions plus
others may be accessed at www.biblegateway.com
Songs from The Salvation Army Song Book may be
accessed at www.salvationist.org
`````````````````````````````````````````````````````````
You can also receive OzThoughts from the following
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http://groups.msn.com/PoemsfromtheLordbyAilsaYates
BAND MUSIC: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/bandmusic
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Australian Thoughts at the Weekend
[Administration notice: A computer malfunction meant
OzThoughts was unable to be posted from Tuesday until
today. Today's Australian thoughts was first posted
two years ago , and at that time caused a lot of
comment. Some actually remembered the event. Others
had visited "O'Reilly's" in the border mountains
behind Gold COast City. Lat weekend O'Reilly's
celebrated their 80th Anniversary as a guesthouse.
See:
http://www.oreillys.com.au/content/v2_standard.asp?name=DiscoveryWeeks
]
The Stinson Disaster
Most people seemed to ignore the monument in the
forecourts of O’Reilly’s Guesthouse. Some stopped and
looked for a moment barely having time to read the
plaque. Tourists who had arrived on buses mingled with
those who arrived by private transport and from
packets sprinkled seeds and other morsels which were
eagerly gobbled by the colourful parrots and other
birds. It was the birds which were the attraction>
Those who were lucky enough to have birds land on
their hands or head hoped their friends with still and
video cameras had captured the moment. Some might get
the statue in the background of their pictures and may
wonder at the story behind it. It is a story of
strength and tenacity and answers to prayer.
It is the story of a man who searched for a plane that
went missing after all others had given up. It was 68
years ago this weekend on the 19th February, 1937 that
the Stinson tri-motor 'City of Brisbane' (VH-UHH),
flying its regular service flight to Sydney, took off
from Brisbane into the teeth of a cyclone. When the
luxury tri-motor with its 2 crew and 5 passengers
failed to arrive in Sydney, the largest air search in
Australia's history began. (See longer version of
story below)
Bernard O’Reilly began his search after the official
search had been called off over a week after the
crash. He searched in the rugged subtropical rain
forest covered mountains of the New South Wales
Queensland Border. He was guided by a burnt out tree
on a far ridge to where the wreck of the plane and two
survivors lay injured and exhausted beside it. It is
the story of his extra human feat in getting down the
mountain and getting help to get these two men to
safety.
It was a remarkable four days from when he left home
to begin his search to when the survivors were brought
to the waiting ambulances. With only limited sleep and
food and massive human exertion during that time it
was in the realm of heroic feat yet O’Reilly pointed
to God. It was God who was his help as prayers were
answered.
In one place as he considers comments made about his
bushcraft he says that word was overworked. He says
that anyone who carefully studies the topography and
vegetation of the Border Ranges would know that no
matter how well a man was equipped with bush instinct
he might search there unsuccessfully for fifty years.
He says the fact should be noted and due credit given
to his mother who was saying her prayers back home.
Reflecting further on the rescue O’Reilly wrote in
“Green Mountains”:
It is a wild dream now- that wild run (from Westray
to the open forest where he met the rifle man) – I was
quite mad – my heart had been wrung out with horror
and pity – no one who looked upon those poor survivors
could help praying as I did: “that God would let me
live long enough to help these men.” I knew that I was
sobbing and that I only paused when tears blinded me.
I remember, too, that the shock and jar of leaping and
landing on these rocks at top speed was telling on me,
even though I was in splendid condition, but I was
given strength to complete the task.
If human hearts are often tender,
And human minds can pity know,
If human love is touched with splendour,
And human hands compassion show,
Chorus
Then how much more shall God our Father
In love forgive, in love forgive!
Then how much more shall God our Father
Our wants supply, and none deny!
If sometimes men can live for others,
And sometimes give where gifts are spurned,
If sometimes treat their foes as brothers,
And love where love is not returned,
If men will often share their gladness,
If men respond when children cry,
If men can feel each other's sadness,
Each other's tears attempt to dry,
John Gowans
The Salvation Army Song Book Song Number: 50
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The Stinson Disaster
It was 68 years ago this week on the 19th February,
1937 that the Stinson tri-motor 'City of Brisbane'
(VH-UHH), flying its regular service flight to Sydney,
took off from Brisbane into the teeth of a cyclone.
When the luxury tri-motor with its 2 crew and 5
passengers failed to arrive in Sydney, the largest air
search in Australia's history began.
Over the next couple of days, hundreds of seemingly
reliable reports and sightings flooded in. Thousands
of searchers and dozens of aircraft combed the 1000 km
of mountains, beaches, and ocean between Brisbane and
Sydney. Many reports said they had heard or seen the
plane close to Sydney and therefore officials narrowed
the search to the mountainous ravines and gullies of
Broken Bay and the Kuringai Chase National Park just
north of Sydney After a week of exhaustive
investigations from the air and on land, the official
search was abandoned. It was to be assumed that, for
some unknown reason, the plane had headed out to sea
on its approach to Mascot Airport in Sydney and had
crashed into the ocean.
On Thursday 25 February, Mrs H. Proud, mother of one
of the missing passengers, offered a 500 pound reward
to anyone who found the missing plane. Over the
previous few days she had had a recurring vision. She
could see her son sitting in the bush beside burnt-out
wreckage. He was still alive. (This was documented in
newspapers of the time.)
On the Queensland - New South Wales border ranges nine
hundred kilometres away from the search around Sydney,
Bernard O'Reilly, a dairy farmer, led his packhorses
down into the valley with his week's cream supply. His
property had been carved from the rainforest on the
mountain tops in the early 1900s, just before the area
was declared a National Park. The farm was surrounded
by the towering trees of the rainforest, and the only
track to his farm was up the side of the treacherous
ravines that overshadow the valley.
Bernard visited his brother Herb (who had a farm in
the valley) and, during the day, Bernard had the
opportunity to read the newspapers from the previous
week. He read details of the search for the missing
Stinson, but from all of the conflicting reports,
there appeared to be only one key fact: there were
four passengers waiting to be collected in Lismore and
the plane hadn't arrived.
During the day, Herb commented idly: 'The plane flew
over here, you know. It was so low it scared all the
chooks and they didn't lay for a few days.' Bernard
rang a couple of Herb's neighbours to see if they had
seen the distinctive aircraft flying over and, from
their discussions, found a number of the locals had
seen the plane passing. The last farmer up the valley
had watched as the plane disappeared into the
clouds—heading towards, but high enough to clear the
mountains.
That evening, as the final search planes returned to
Sydney without success, Bernard O'Reilly wound his way
back up the track to his farm, he pondered the plane's
fate and decided that, after his chores next morning,
he would take a ride out to the border ranges to see
if he could see anything. He drew a line on his map
with a pencil and school ruler from where the farmer
had seen the aircraft climbing higher over the
mountains to Lismore. He reasoned that the plane if it
crashed would be on one of the northern slopes of the
four east-west mountain ranges along the line
indicated by the pencil line.
Setting out shortly after dawn, O’Reilly set out on
horse back and rode as far as the horse could take him
on the narrow track through the thick rain forest.
Sending the horse back home, he turned to face the
battle though the forest on foot. The rest of the day
he battled on rising up the ranges and down the
gorges, noting as he went huge trees which had been
felled by the previous week’s cyclone.
After an almost sleepless night spent in the company
of the forest’s nocturnal creatures including howling
dingoes, tiger cats and powerful owls, he pushed on
towards the high peak from which he hoped to survey
the landscape across several mountain ranges. Upon
arrival at the top of the mountain he looked and
surveyed a scene of swirling low cloud. As he stood
enjoying the cooling breezes suddenly the clouds
parted and he could see clearly across three mountain
ranges.
On the third range, in the sea of green trees, with
the occasional white flowering tree was a tree that
was light brown. A tree that was burnt or dying.
O’Reilly decided that it was no coincidence this tree
was right on the pencil line marking the guessed route
of the plane. He set off with renewed vigour to cross
the gorges and ranges between him and the tree. It was
about 4 o’clock in the afternoon he eventually reached
the top of the range where the dead tree by his
calculations was situated.
After regaining his breath he sent out the great
Australian bush call: “Coo-ee”. It echoed across the
gorge. There also came a clear answering call from
close by. Then there was a second call which woke him
from the physical shock of the first. Continuing to
call and hear answering calls, he moved as quickly as
possible the two hundred yards or so where he saw the
burnt out remains of the plane. From under the wreck
came the voices of the two survivors.
As O’Reilly looked at the man he saw first, he saw the
broken swollen and maggoty leg and realised this man,
John Proud, had lain there in pain for ten days and he
was probably too late to save him. The second man, Jim
Binstead, too was in poor condition but had been able
through the ten days to drag himself over rocks and
vines, etc 300 metres down and back up a steep slope
to get water. But that journey was now impossible. The
last one had taken him 5 hours.
O’Reilly found enough dry material to start a fire and
soon had the billy boiling to make tea. Meantime, he
heard the tale of the crash. How the plane had been
caught in a sudden downdraft of the cyclone and dashed
against the trees chopping off their tops and then
finally hitting the big tree which had become the
guiding beacon. Four, the two pilots and two
passengers were killed instantly in the crash and
subsequent fire. A third man an Englishman, Jim
Westray, had also escaped the crash and had helped
Binstead drag Proud clear. Westray had gone for help
but had not returned.
Not much more than a half hour after finding the two
men, O’Reilly set off for help. Westray had chosen the
best direction for help, so he went the same way down
along the creek. Eventually, he came to a waterfall
and saw where Westray had slipped over it as he tried
to move around it. O’Reilly expected to find his
broken body at the bottom but it wasn’t there. Westray
had dragged himself down the steam for several more
miles and successfully past other waterfalls until
eventually he died as he sat with his back against a
rock bathing a smashed angle in the cooling pool and
his last cigarette in his hand.
O’Reilly had no time to stop. Light was fading and he
must get as far as he could before night’s darkness
was complete. He was driven on, as mile after mile of
obstacles in the creek bed passed, by the thought that
Proud was dying. Eventually, he came to an area where
the jungle gave way to more open forest and he
eventually found a broad timber-getters track. Nearby
there was the crack of a rifle. O’Reilly called out
and received a cheery youthful reply. As they met the
rifle’s owner said he was just shooting flying foxes
but asked where O’Reilly came from.
’Reilly broke the news he had found the plane and two
survivors. As quickly as they could they got to the
young man’s house and phone the news the plane was
found. As the news went out so was a rescue party
organised. A doctor, ambulance cars and the police
were notified. Men from the district were organised
into two groups. One with the doctor to go back to the
wreck, the way O’Reilly had come. The other group
would go to a closer vantage point and would commence
cutting through vine and bush with brush hooks and
axes to make a way for the men on stretchers to be
brought.
It was 10am when the rescue party got to the wreck.
O’Reilly had come down to the open country in three
hours. It had been 8 hours since he met the doctor and
the party and began the same upward climb. The doctor
quickly began treating Proud’s wounds as the rescuers
began to fashion stretchers from saplings and chaff
bags. A bush tent was made for the two men to rest in
with the aid of sedatives. My nightfall the men
cutting the track through the jungle emerged at the
wreck. It was time for a night’s rest for all. Not
many slept. After refreshing billy tea in the pre-dawn
darkness the stretcher bearers set of down the slope.
At times depending whether they were travelling up or
down the carriers had their end of the stretcher high
above their heads while at the other end it was
carried well below the knees of weary yet willing men.
Eleven hours after the dawn departure, the weary party
arrived at “base camp” where ambulance cars waited and
the local women had set up a canteen. Four days after
O’Reilly left home he could now rest except for those,
friends and strangers, newsmen and photographers who
questioned him and remarked about his “bushcraft”.
In one place as he considers comments made about his
bushcraft he says that word was overworked. He says
that anyone who carefully studies the topography and
vegetation of the Border Ranges would know that no
matter how well a man was equipped with bush instinct
he might search there unsuccessfully for fifty years.
He says the fact should be noted and due credit given
to his mother who was saying her prayers back home.
Reflecting further on the rescue O’Reilly wrote in
“Green Mountains”:
It is a wild dream now- that wild run (from Westray
to the open forest where he met the rifle man) – I was
quite mad – my heart had been wrung out with horror
and pity – no one who looked upon those poor survivors
could help praying as I did: “that God would let me
live long enough to help these men.” I knew that I was
sobbing and that I only paused when tears blinded me.
I remember, too, that the shock and jar of leaping and
landing on these rocks at top speed was telling on me,
even though I was in splendid condition, but I was
given strength to complete the task. (1941. p 45).
````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````\
```````````````````````Bernard
O'Reilly's book Green Mountains tells the story of his
family pioneering, clearing and settling the
rainforest of the McPherson Ranges and, in his book,
he dedicates three chapters to his search for the
missing Stinson. O’Reilly’s Guesthouse in the
mountains behind the Gold Coast continues to provide a
link with the family and home of this heroic pioneer.
`````````````````````````
Thank you for your prayers and support for OzThoughts
Internet Ministry.
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The New International Version (NIV®) and The Message ®
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others may be accessed at www.biblegateway.com
Songs from The Salvation Army Song Book may be
accessed at www.salvationist.org
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OzThoughts - Monday 24th April, 2006
As we gathered with God’s people in God’s House to
worship Him on his day, we were challenged to consider
God’s Word. Our Corps officer developed his theme from
1 Thessalonians “Building Strong Believers” based on
the text of 1 Thessalonians 2: 13 New International
Version):
“And we also thank God continually because, when you
received the word of God, which you heard from us, you
accepted it not as the word of men, but as it actually
is, the word of God, which is at work in you who
believe.”
We considered how the earliest believers in Christ
accepted, appropriated and applied God’s Word. In
fact, we went back further than that and read selected
verses from Psalm 119., and even further to read a key
verse from Joshua:
“Study this Book of the Law continually. Meditate on
it day and night so you may be sure to obey all that
is written in it. Only then will you succeed.” (Joshua
1:8 New Living Translation).
As we thought about the three “As” – accepted,
appropriated and applied, I thought of another A –
Affirmation.
Much of what we do as active Christians is affirming
out faith. We affirm our faith in God, Father, Son and
Holy Spirit. We affirm our believe that the Bible is
God’s Word and that we accept the truth contained
within its pages as God inspired and relevant for us
in this ever changing world.
There is so much more we affirm in our formal
Salvation Army Doctrines and in our personal belief in
God and His way for us. However, as I thought about
affirming God’s Word, I though that is what we were
doing in this meeting. The songs we sang we songs of
affirmation of our belief in God’s Word as containing
the essentials for our daily walk. .
We sang at the beginning of our meeting “How firm a
foundation, ye saints of the Lord, Is laid for your
faith in his excellent word!” (Song 653). Our
concluding song was “Standing on the promises of
Christ my King” (Song 757).
PRAYER:
Almighty God, whose word is authority, and power and
whose way we love, grant unto us today clear minds,
understanding hearts, and willing spirits so that we
may wisely appropriate your word of truth. In the name
of Christ. Amen. (A Guide to Prayer for Ministers and
Other Servants).
MEDITATION:
How firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord,
Is laid for your faith in his excellent word!
What more can he say than to you he hath said,
To you who for refuge to Jesus have fled:
Chorus
No, never alone, no, never alone,
He promised he never would leave me,
Never, no never, alone.
Fear not, I am with thee, O be not dismayed,
For I am thy God, I will still give thee aid!
I'll strengthen thee, help thee, and cause thee to
stand,
Upheld by my gracious, omnipotent hand.
When through the deep waters I call thee to go,
The rivers of grief shall not thee overflow,
For I will be with thee thy trials to bless,
And sanctify to thee thy deepest distress.
When through fiery trials thy pathway shall lie,
My grace all-sufficient shall be thy supply;
The flames shall not hurt thee; I only design
Thy dross to consume, and thy gold to refine.
The soul that on Jesus hath leaned for repose,
I will not, I will not, desert to its foes;
That soul, though all Hell should endeavor to shake,
I'll never, no never, no never forsake.
Author: Anonymous
The Salvation Army Song Book: Song Number: 653
Standing on the promises of Christ my King,
Through eternal ages let his praises ring;
Glory in the highest, I will shout and sing,
Standing on the promises of God
Chorus
Standing, standing,
Standing on the promises of God my Saviour;
Standing, standing,
I'm standing on the promises of God
Standing on the promises that cannot fail,
When the howling storms of doubt and fear assail;
By the living word of God I shall prevail,
Standing on the promises of God.
Standing on the promises of Christ my Lord,
Bound to him eternally by love's strong cord,
Overcoming daily with the Spirit's sword,
Standing on the promises of God.
Standing on the promises I cannot fall,
Listening every moment to the Spirit's call,
Resting in my Saviour as my all in all,
Standing on the promises of God.
Standing on the promises I now can see,
Perfect, present cleansing in the blood for me;
Standing in the liberty where Christ makes free,
Standing on the promises of God.
Author: Russell Kelso Carter (1849-1926)
The Salvation Army Song Book: Song Number: 757
``````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````
`````````````````````````
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granted for “church purposes”. These versions plus
others may be accessed at www.biblegateway.com
Songs from The Salvation Army Song Book may be
accessed at www.salvationist.org
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Australian Thoughts at the Weekend
ANZAC DAY
ANZAC Day (25th April) is the Australian and New
Zealand Day of Remembrance.
ANZAC was the name given to the Australian and New
Zealand Army Corps soldiers who landed on the
Gallipoli Peninsula in Turkey early on the morning of
25 April 1915 during the First World War (1914-1918).
As a result, one day in the year has involved the
whole of Australia and New Zealand in solemn
ceremonies of remembrance, gratitude and national
pride for all our men and women who have fought and
died in all wars. That day is ANZAC Day - 25 April.
In 2004 it was my privilege to be the guest speaker,
representing The Salvation Army, at the year Dawn
Service in our community. It is estimated more than
one thousand people gathered in the pre-dawn darkness
for the ceremony.
The following is an outline of my speech. It may vary
in delivery according to time factors. I acknowledge
that I have used several official sites where I have
gained appropriate information and comments.
Later in the day our band will lead a returned
serviceman’s march and provide music and accompaniment
for a Citizen’s Ceremony of Commemoration. The
Salvation Army will also lead Prayers at both
services. [Additional note in 2004: - Much to my
surprise as I was settling into the band for the
Service I was announced to lead the hymn singing with
one of the ladies from our Corps whose husband – who
has been Promoted to Glory since – was a Returned
Digger].
Anzac Day Dawn Service
We stand here this morning in the pre-dawn darkness on
this ANZAC Day. We look towards another day as it
dawns. A day loaded with possibilities face because of
the freedoms we enjoy. We face the future of this
great Country. Today, these precious moments are the
beginning of the future.
Today is a different day. Here in the morning we look
eagerly ahead. However, as we face this day. It is
good to stop a while.
We often half turn and look back over our shoulder but
today is a day to turn fully around and face the past.
We face the past which shapes today and shapes our
future. We face the past and remember. We face the
past and are humbled by those who have gone before. We
face the past and say thanks.
Today we stop especially to remember.
We remember those young ANZACS of the Australian and
New Zealand Army Corps who in those pre dawn hours
stepped onto a foreign shore. They fought bravely and
many fell there not to get up. In our minds they still
stand tall for what they believed.
We remember those who went before the Anzacs. We
remember those who proudly wore the name “Australia”
as they went to fight in the Boer War.
We remember others from the Great War of 1914-1918,
those who faced various foes in the War of 1939 –
1945. We remember to Korea, Malaya, Borneo, Vietnam,
East Timor and those who have served and still serve
in the Gulf, and in many other places.
As we remember we don’t ask why....
We remember the Spirit of the Anzacs. “The Spirit of
ANZAC is an intangible thing. It is unseen,
unpredictable, and an unquenchable thirst for justice,
freedom and peace…
The Spirit of ANZAC is a cornerstone which underpins
our Australian image, way of life and indeed is an
integral part of our heritage”.
The Spirit of ANZAC was suggested by official war
historian C.E.W. Bean to have 'stood, and still
stands, for reckless valour in a good cause, for
enterprise, resourcefulness, fidelity, comradeship and
endurance that will never own defeat.'
The Spirit of ANZAC was epitomised in the deeds of
Simpson with his donkey at Gallipoli - comradeship,
courage and sacrifice: others before self.
It also encompasses the laughter, the pride and the
love of life that is in every Australian. To really
understand this Spirit one must delve back into our
country's past.
This is not the place for a detailed History lesson
...it is a day of looking back at the key indicators
in the History of our nation. History not written in
books but history written in the lives of men and
women as they fought and died and some returned from
the battle fields so far away.
It is a day of capturing in History values and
traditions to which we hold.
In another context in another place words which will
help us today as we think of the Spirit of ANZAC
That I can tell you in one word--tradition! (Tevye -
Anatevka)
"Because of our tradition we have kept our balance for
many, many years.
"Because of our tradition everyone knows who he is and
what God expects him to do.
"For without tradition our lives would be as shaky as
a fiddler on the roof!"
"A fiddler on the roof, sounds crazy, heh?
Sounds crazy? ...someone speaking of the Anzac Spirit
said it is madness
The sun invades our bodies and makes us 'mad'; mad for
freedom - freedom of speech, freedom of worship,
freedom to live and think as you will
But the Spirit of ANZAC is not confined to the
battlefield. It lives in the schools, on the sports
fields, in fact all over these great countries of
Australia and New Zealand.
The sun invades our bodies and makes us 'mad'; mad for
freedom - freedom of speech, freedom of worship,
freedom to live and think as you will.
This day as we look back we turn to look ahead…
We may be touched with sadness and tinged with
madness but we love those freedoms.... freedom of
speech, freedom of worship, freedom to live and think
as you will.
As we think of freedom I think there is another word
that comes to mind. ..Well two words that have become
linked as one…the words “fair dinkum”
Those that went to war and those who stayed at home
supporting them loved the freedom to be fair dinkum…
The stories I hear of Aussie soldiers particularly
they put the “fair dinkum “test to those they met.
.We all have our stories. The stories we have been
told the stories we love to tell.
When the Diggers came back here, they put the same
test to those who came to live along side them. To the
English who came and worked in the factories and
mines, to the Italians who bent their backs in the
cane fields of the north, to the many, many
nationalities who could proudly say they worked in the
Snowy Mountain Scheme and in so many other places. We
wondered and we tested them but they have proved “fair
dinkum.”
I laughed when I was teaching a high school class in
Liverpool, Sydney the son of an Italian migrant from
Calabria said I don’t think these Vietnamese should be
coming they are taking our jobs. We laughed together
as I reminded him the same was said about the
Italians.
Some years ago, I had in my circle of Salvation Army
friends a Vietnam veteran who came home hating the
Vietnamese. He kept it pretty quiet but it bubbled
away within him. He built a new house and moved in.
One day, a very wet day, he was picking up his
children from school and his daughter asked him if
they could give her friend home, as she lives in our
street. A little Vietnamese kid got in the car. For
his own kid’s sake he did not say anything. Later that
evening, there came the knock on the door, the
Vietnamese kid’s father had come to say thanks. Hate
bubbled quickly but the bubble burst in a warm
handshake. My friend said in telling the story “He
seems to be “fair dinkum” and then went on to tell of
the success this new citizen, his new friend was
making in this new country.
What the test of being “fair dinkum”? We can look back
and learn lessons from the past. Being fair dinkum is
the putting of that we believe to be right and good
for others and the general good before ourselves.
Recently we have celebrated Easter. One of the little
incidents but big in meaning was the Roman soldier who
stood by the cross where Jesus hung dead and said
“surely this was the Son of God!” He was saying this
Jesus is fair dinkum. He is what he claimed to be.
Today every Australian and New Zealand citizen and
those who are guests in our lands can enjoy the fair
dinkum Spirit of ANZAC. “A warm, tender, fiery, even
melancholy ideal that nurtures intense patriotism in
the innermost soul of every body. Many foundation
ANZACs died, but their glorious challenge to catch the
thrown torch shouts loud and strong to all. Their goal
was freedom for the land they loved”.
“The Spirit of ANZAC is invincible. It is the flame
that burns forevermore in the heart of every true
Australian and New Zealander. Today we stand safe and
free, clothed with all the privileges and rights of
citizens in these great free countries. And all these
things - liberty, security, opportunity, and the
privileges of citizenship - we owe to those men and
women who fought, endured, suffered, and died for us
and for their country. Their deeds and their
sacrifices gave us the invincible, the intangible, the
Spirit of ANZAC”.
PRAYER:
God of love and liberty, we bring our thanks this day
for the peace and security we enjoy, which was won for
us through the courage and devotion of those who gave
their lives in time of war. We pray that their labour
and sacrifice may not be in vain, but that their
spirit may live on in us and in generations to come.
That the liberty, truth and justice which they sought
to preserve may be seen and known in all the nations
upon earth.
We pray too for those who have suffered because of war
and those who continue to suffer. I pray your
comforting hand be upon them today. We pray for those
who live inland s which are still experiencing the
terrors of war, that they may know peace in their
hearts, homes and lands. This we pray in the name of
the one who gave his life for the sake of the world,
Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
THE PRAYER OF ST. FRANCIS
Lord, make me an instrument of thy peace,
That where there is hatred, I may bring love;
That where there is wrong, I may bring the spirit of
forgiveness;
That where there is discord, I may bring harmony;
That where there is error, I may bring truth;
That where there is doubt, I may bring faith;
That where there is despair, I may bring hope;
That where there is darkness, I may bring light;
That where there is sadness, I may bring joy.
Divine Master,
Grant that i may not so much seek
To be comforted . . .as to give comfort
To be understood . . .as to understand,
To be loved . . . as to love
For it is in giving . . .that we receive,
It is in pardoning, that we are pardoned,
It is in dying . . .that we are born to eternal life
The Salvation Army of Australia in War see:
Soldiers of the Cross:
http://www.anzacday.org.au/spirit/cross/index.html
For general information about ANZAC Day see the same
site:
www.anzacday.org.au
Australian War Memorial: One of the world's great
museums :
www.awm.gov.au
``````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````
`````````````````````````
Thank you for your prayers and support for OzThoughts
Internet Ministry.
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(Tell them to check their junk box for the reply if
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The New International Version (NIV®) and The Message ®
are copyright and are used here with permissions
granted for “church purposes”. These versions plus
others may be accessed at www.biblegateway.com
Songs from The Salvation Army Song Book may be
accessed at www.salvationist.org
`````````````````````````````````````````````````````````
You can also receive OzThoughts from the following
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OzThoughts Friday 21st April, 2006
There was a story that did the quick flip between
computers on the internet just before Palm Sunday. It
was the story of a young boy who was sick and so
stayed home from church on Palm Sunday. When his
sisters and his dad arrived home he sked what happened
at church.
They went into the great story of Palm Sunday which
was acted out. They told of waving banners and
shouting Hosanna with all the enjoyment they had
shared with others at the church. They told of how
they were doing this and Jesus came right into the
church riding on a donkey.
The young boy burst into tears and said “Just the day
I am sick and have to stay home Jesus turns up!”
I don’t know where Thomas was but he was not with the
other Disciples when Jesus appeared to them after his
resurrection. Excitedly the Disciples told him “Jesus
was alive!” Thomas did not catch their excitement. In
fact, he declared “seeing was believing”.
Thomas captured the excitement when Jesus appeared
right there in the room just over a week later. His
excitement turned very quickly to worship.
Thomas said, "My Master! My God!"
29 Jesus said, "So, you believe because you've
seen with your own eyes. Even better blessings are in
store for those who believe without seeing." (John 20:
28,29 The Message)
PRAYER AND MEDITATION:
Thine is the glory,
Risen, conquering Son;
Endless is the victory
Thou o'er death hast won.
Angels in bright raiment
Rolled the stone away.
Kept the folded grave clothes
Where thy body lay.
Chorus
Thine is the glory,
Risen, conquering Son;
Endless is the victory
Thou o'er death hast won.
Lo! Jesus meets thee,
Risen from the tomb;
Lovingly he greets thee,
Scatters fear and gloom;
Let his Church with gladness
Hymns of triumph sing,
For her Lord now liveth;
Death has lost its sting.
No more we doubt thee,
Glorious Prince of Life!
Life is naught without thee;
Aid us in thy strife;
Make us more than conquerors
Through thy deathless love;
Bring us safe through Jordan
To thy home above.
Author: Edmond Louis Budry (1854-1932),
Translated: Richard Birch Hoyle (1875-1939)
The Salvation Army Song Book: Song Number: 152
John 20 (The Message)
19 Later on that day, the disciples had gathered
together, but, fearful of the Jews, had locked all the
doors in the house. Jesus entered, stood among them,
and said, "Peace to you."
20 Then he showed them his hands and side.
The disciples, seeing the Master with their own
eyes, were exuberant.
21 Jesus repeated his greeting: "Peace to you. Just
as the Father sent me, I send you."
22 Then he took a deep breath and breathed into
them. "Receive the Holy Spirit," he said.
23 "If you forgive someone's sins, they're gone for
good. If you don't forgive sins, what are you going to
do with them?"
24 But Thomas, sometimes called the Twin, one of
the Twelve, was not with them when Jesus came.
25 The other disciples told him, "We saw the
Master."
But he said, "Unless I see the nail holes in his
hands, put my finger in the nail holes, and stick my
hand in his side, I won't believe it."
26 Eight days later, his disciples were again in
the room. This time Thomas was with them. Jesus came
through the locked doors, stood among them, and said,
"Peace to you."
27 Then he focused his attention on Thomas.
"Take your finger and examine my hands. Take your hand
and stick it in my side. Don't be unbelieving.
Believe."
28 Thomas said, "My Master! My God!"
29 Jesus said, "So, you believe because you've
seen with your own eyes. Even better blessings are in
store for those who believe without seeing."
30 Jesus provided far more God-revealing signs than
are written down in this book. 31These are written
down so you will believe that Jesus is the Messiah,
the Son of God, and in the act of believing, have real
and eternal life in the way he personally revealed it.
`````````````````````
1 Corinthians 15:55-57 (The Message)
55 Who got the last word, oh, Death?
Oh, Death, who's afraid of you now?
56 It was sin that made death so frightening and
law-code guilt that gave sin its leverage, its
destructive power.
57 But now in a single victorious stroke of Life, all
three--sin, guilt, death--are gone, the gift of our
Master, Jesus Christ. Thank God!
```````````````
'Whr, O deth, s ur vctry? Whr, O deth, s ur stng?' Th
stng f deth s sin, nd th pwr f sin s th lw. Bt thnks b
2 God! He givs us th vctry thru r Lord Jesus Christ. 1
Cor. 15:55-57 (TNIV)
(Today's Bible verse abbreviated in SMS syntax for
mobile text messaging – From Zondervan –SIGN UP for
great Biblical newsletters from:
https://www.zondervan.com/Cultures/en-US/Registration/EMAS.htm?QueryStringSite=Z\
ondervan)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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it does not seem to come).
The New International Version (NIV®) and The Message ®
are copyright and are used here with permissions
granted for “church purposes”. These versions plus
others may be accessed at www.biblegateway.com
Songs from The Salvation Army Song Book may be
accessed at www.salvationist.org
`````````````````````````````````````````````````````````
You can also receive OzThoughts from the following
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OzThoughts Thursday 20th April, 2006
The two men walked slowly towards their home. Except
for their dress they looked like footballers who stood
around while their opponents celebrated the goal which
would give them the championship. Their shoulders
slumped, their heads were down and as they trudged
their bodies seemed to lack any energy. Followers of a
losing team know about that long walk home.
Then a third walker, with a brisk step like that of
the winner caught up with them. There were no
introductions but they chatted about what had
happened. Those who looked like losers told of the
events of the day, as they understood them. Then the
other man told of his understanding of all that had
happened and even told them how it all came about and
was planned to happen.
The two were so enthused now by the man’s
understanding they invited him to stay with them when
they reached their house. As they shared a meal, the
visitor blessed the bread and broke it and passed it
around. At once, they recognised in the familiar
blessing that their guest was Jesus! He was crucified
and alive again!
Their whole mood changed as they rushed back to
Jerusalem to be with their friends there. I can
imagine them singing:
Christ the Lord is risen today,
Hallelujah!
Sons of men and angels say:
Hallelujah!
Raise your joys and triumphs high;
Hallelujah!
Sing, ye heavens; thou earth, reply:
Hallelujah!
Love's redeeming work is done;
Fought the fight, the battle won;
Lo! the sun's eclipse is o'er,
Lo! he sets in blood no more.
Vain the stone, the watch, the seal,
Christ hath burst the gates of Hell;
Death in vain forbids his rise;
Christ hath opened Paradise.
Lives again our glorious King;
Where, O death, is now thy sting?
Once he died our souls to save;
Where's thy victory, boasting grave?
Soar we now where Christ has led,
Following our exalted head;
Made like him, like him we rise,
Ours the cross, the grave, the skies.
Author: Charles Wesley(1707-88)
The Salvation Army Song Book: Song Number: 143
Luke 24:13-35 (The Message)
13 That same day two of them were walking to the
village Emmaus, about seven miles out of Jerusalem.
14 They were deep in conversation, going over all
these things that had happened.
15 In the middle of their talk and questions, Jesus
came up and walked along with them.
16 But they were not able to recognize who he was.
17 He asked, "What's this you're discussing so
intently as you walk along?"
They just stood there, long-faced, like they had
lost their best friend.
18 Then one of them, his name was Cleopas, said,
"Are you the only one in Jerusalem who hasn't heard
what's happened during the last few days?"
19 He said, "What has happened?"
They said, "The things that happened to Jesus the
Nazarene. He was a man of God, a prophet, dynamic in
work and word, blessed by both God and all the people.
20 Then our high priests and leaders betrayed him,
got him sentenced to death, and crucified him.
21 And we had our hopes up that he was the One, the
One about to deliver Israel. And it is now the third
day since it happened.
22 But now some of our women have completely confused
us. Early this morning they were at the tomb
23 and couldn't find his body. They came back with
the story that they had seen a vision of angels who
said he was alive.
24 Some of our friends went off to the tomb to check
and found it empty just as the women said, but they
didn't see Jesus."
25 Then he said to them, "So thick-headed! So
slow-hearted! Why can't you simply believe all that
the prophets said?
26 Don't you see that these things had to happen,
that the Messiah had to suffer and only then enter
into his glory?"
27 Then he started at the beginning, with the Books
of Moses, and went on through all the Prophets,
pointing out everything in the Scriptures that
referred to him.
28 They came to the edge of the village where
they were headed. He acted as if he were going on 29
but they pressed him: "Stay and have supper with us.
It's nearly evening; the day is done." So he went in
with them.
30 And here is what happened: He sat down at the
table with them. Taking the bread, he blessed and
broke and gave it to them.
31 At that moment, open-eyed, wide-eyed, they
recognized him. And then he disappeared.
32 Back and forth they talked. "Didn't we feel
on fire as he conversed with us on the road, as he
opened up the Scriptures for us?"
They didn't waste a minute. They were up and on their
way back to Jerusalem. They found the Eleven and their
friends gathered together,
34 talking away: "It's really happened! The Master
has been raised up--Simon saw him!"
35 Then the two went over everything that
happened on the road and how they recognized him when
he broke the bread.
```````````````
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The New International Version (NIV®) and The Message ®
are copyright and are used here with permissions
granted for “church purposes”. These versions plus
others may be accessed at www.biblegateway.com
Songs from The Salvation Army Song Book may be
accessed at www.salvationist.org
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OzThoughts Tuesday 18th April, 2006
A song which has been a good part of my experience
right back to my school days has been “When I survey
the wondrous cross”. In those now far off days we used
to sing a hymn each morning just after we had sung
“God save the Queen” which was then the Australian
National Anthem.
As we sung that hymn once a week the words became very
familiar to me. Of course, we used the familiar tune
of Rockingham. It took more than school days to make
the experience I was singing about a reality in my
life.
On Sunday morning, I was part of the Songsters which
sang these wonderful words of Isaac Watts to an
Appalachian Folk Melody arranged by Lee Poquette and
published by Word Music. It was a lovely setting of
these familiar words.
As I reflect on these words, I find two sides of the
coin. One is the suffering of Jesus, the death of
Christ my God, which is so wonderfully captured in a
few words in verse 3. The other is the worth I have or
am in God’s eyes.
I see my worth summed up and rejected as worthy in a
few words. My richest gain, my boasts, all the vain
things, and the whole realm of nature are nothing but
a far too small gift. God’s sacrifice demands all of
me. Yes, my soul, my life and my all.
Many years ago my answer was “Love so amazing, so
divine, SHALL HAVE my soul, my life, my all.
When I survey the wondrous cross
On which the Prince of Glory died,
My richest gain I count but loss,
And pour contempt on all my pride.
Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast
Save in the death of Christ, my God;
All the vain things that charm me most,
I sacrifice them to his blood.
See, from his head, his hands, his feet,
Sorrow and love flow mingled down;
Did e'er such love and sorrow meet,
Or thorns compose so rich a crown?
Were the whole realm of nature mine,
That were a present far too small;
Love so amazing, so divine,
Demands my soul, my life, my all.
Author: Isaac Watts (1674-1748)
The Salvation Army Song Book: Song Number: 136
Ephesians 2:4-10 (The Message)
4 Instead, immense in mercy and with an incredible
love,
5 he embraced us. He took our sin-dead lives and made
us alive in Christ. He did all this on his own, with
no help from us!
6 Then he picked us up and set us down in highest
heaven in company with Jesus, our Messiah.
7 Now God has us where he wants us, with all
the time in this world and the next to shower grace
and kindness upon us in Christ Jesus.
Saving is all his idea, and all his work. All we do is
trust him enough to let him do it. It's God's gift
from start to finish!
We don't play the major role. If we did, we'd probably
go around bragging that we'd done the whole thing!
10 No, we neither make nor save ourselves. God does
both the making and saving. He creates each of us by
Christ Jesus to join him in the work he does, the good
work he has gotten ready for us to do, work we had
better be doing.
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The New International Version (NIV®) and The Message ®
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Songs from The Salvation Army Song Book may be
accessed at www.salvationist.org
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OzThoughts Monday 17th April, 2006
Each Monday morning OzThoughts carries a reflection on
the Sunday Meetings that the writer attended with
thoughts which carry us into the new week of our
Christian walk. Today, I can praise God for the
wonderful gift of his Son and lovely reflections on
the giving of this gift in excellent meetings over
this Easter period.
On Friday, my wife and I began to discuss what one
radio station calls “stickers”. They are songs that
once you hear them remain in the mind and at any
moment during the day, you find your self singing
them. The conversation came about because of the fact
that after sharing together the words of “How deep the
Father’s love for us”, we both found it had become a
“sticker”. We had remarked we had not sung it for a
long time but we not only made up for that in quiet
moments but noted its use by others during the
weekend.
Another “sticker” came about at the Saturday morning
Children’s Ministry supporter’s breakfast. About 40
people gathered and during the devotional segment we
sang “Lord I lift your name on high” and i found the
melody and words stayed with me for the day.
Lord I love to sing your praises
I'm so glad your in my life
I'm so glad you came to save us
You came from heaven to earth
To show the way
from the earth to the cross
My debt to pay
from the cross to the grave
from the grave to the sky
Lord I lift your name on high
Words and Music by Rick Founds
(http://www.walkthroughlife.com/midis/christian/lordilift.htm)
However, I think the song that has “out stuck” both of
them is one that was included in the band selection on
Friday morning which was repeated again yesterday.
The band played the song arrangement "Jesus Dying on
the Tree" (Howard Davies - Triumph Series 987). The
song is Richard Slater’s ‘What is the love of Jesus to
thee?’
The sticking bit has been the chorus:
“O remember, O remember
All a loving Saviour bore for thee!
O remember, O remember
Jesus dying on the tree!”
Easter is more than a day, or a weekend. It has
eternal consequences for us, as we were reminded by
our Corps Officer yesterday. But those consequences
for each of us start now and depend on our reaction to
Easter.
PRAYER:
Heavenly Father, my awareness of your love and the
cost to Jesus has been renewed during these past few
days. Help me to live worthy of that that Sacrifice
today and each day. Amen.
MEDITATION:
What is the love of Jesus to thee?
Art thou its claims denying?
Dost thou e'er think how he on the tree
Gained thy salvation by dying?
Chorus
O remember, O remember
All a loving Saviour bore for thee!
O remember, O remember
Jesus dying on the tree!
What is the call of Jesus to thee?
Say, is thy heart replying?
Henceforth is he thy Master to be?
Wilt thou as rebel defy him?
What is his grace, O sinner, to thee?
O 'tis of thanks deserving,
Waiting so long thy soul to set free,
Love in its purpose ne'er swerving.
What is the name of Jesus to thee?
Art thou his fame extending?
Dost thou obey? He says: Follow me,
Life in my service be spending.
Author: Richard Slater (1853-1939)
The Salvation Army Song Book: Song Number: 276
1 Corinthians 15:1-10 (The Message)
1 Friends, let me go over the Message with you one
final time--this Message that I proclaimed and that
you made your own; this Message on which you took your
stand 2 and by which your life has been saved. (I'm
assuming, now, that your belief was the real thing and
not a passing fancy, that you're in this for good and
holding fast.)
3 The first thing I did was place before you
what was placed so emphatically before me: that the
Messiah died for our sins, exactly as Scripture tells
it;
4 that he was buried; that he was raised from
death on the third day, again exactly as Scripture
says; 5 that he presented himself alive to Peter,
then to his closest followers,
6 and later to more than five hundred of his
followers all at the same time, most of them still
around (although a few have since died);
7 that he then spent time with James and the rest of
those he commissioned to represent him;
8 and that he finally presented himself alive to me.
9 It was fitting that I bring up the rear. I don't
deserve to be included in that inner circle, as you
well know, having spent all those early years trying
my best to stamp God's church right out of existence.
10 But because God was so gracious, so very
generous, here I am. And I'm not about to let his
grace go to waste. Haven't I worked hard trying to do
more than any of the others? Even then, my work didn't
amount to all that much. It was God giving me the work
to do, God giving me the energy to do it.
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The New International Version (NIV®) and The Message ®
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others may be accessed at www.biblegateway.com
Songs from The Salvation Army Song Book may be
accessed at www.salvationist.org
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You can also receive OzThoughts from the following
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Australian Thoughts at the Weekend
May you each be blessed this Easter with love, peace
and joy which comes through knowing Jesus lives.
A friend sent me this lovely ecard which I share with
you:
http://www.alighthouse.com/helives.htm
(you can subscribe to this Christian Greeting site at
: http://www.alighthouse.com )
`````````````````````````````````````````````````````
He Lives!
(First published Easter 2004)
A few weeks ago a good friend sent me an extract from
a newspaper (Herald Sun, Melbourne, Australia. 19
March 2004). It told of a man who wants to freeze his
parents after they die in the hope technology will one
day be able to revive them.
I wondered at this attempt for a scientific
resurrection and how it contrasts with a Christian
one. I wondered about the “hope” that lies behind
both.
The newspaper reports this man who wants to freeze his
parents is a member of the Cryonics Association of
Australia. He has spent almost $100,000 preparing an
underground storage for them. He hopes to get State
Government permission to freeze his parents at his
Cowra (New South Wales) property.
His parents have agreed to take the slim chance they
may one day be brought back from the dead. They
believe there is a chance technology, especially in
nanotechnology, will develop to a level where
successful reanimation of dead people will be
possible. Without religious or moral objections to the
concept, they believe cryonics is worth trying.
The Herald Sun report tells of others who have already
or would soon be frozen with the same hope. A
Melbourne woman, the sixth Australian to be frozen,
awaits transport from a Sydney funeral parlour to
America. A Melbourne man who died last year – he had
been dead for two weeks and his body embalmed – was
sent by his family to the US for freezing.
The Cryonics Association of Australia has about 30
members and 16 living people have signed on to be
frozen in the US-based Alcor and Cryonics Institute,
which typically costs $A70,000.
The Newspaper reports the son as saying “"If I can get
my own facility set up, I could freeze my parents at
my own cost – they gave me a life, I intend to give
them another life."
As I read this report I thought of another Son who
spoke of life beyond death when he said:
… I came so they can have real and eternal life, more
and better life than they ever dreamed of…
… the Father knows me and I know the Father. I put
the sheep before myself, sacrificing myself if
necessary.
17This is why the Father loves me: because I freely
lay down my life. And so I am free to take it up
again.
18No one takes it from me. I lay it down of my own
free will. I have the right to lay it down; I also
have the right to take it up again. I received this
authority personally from my Father. (John 10: 10,15,
17-18. The Message)"
Soon after Jesus had moved on from the controversy
that this discussion caused, John (Chapter 11) tells
us that Jesus’ friend Lazarus and the brother of Mary
and Martha, got sick and died.
Martha meets Jesus just before he gets to the house as
John records:
Martha said, "Master, if you'd been here, my brother
wouldn't have died. 22Even now, I know that whatever
you ask God he will give you."
23Jesus said, "Your brother will be raised up."
24Martha replied, "I know that he will be raised up
in the resurrection at the end of time."
25"You don't have to wait for the End. I am, right
now, Resurrection and Life. The one who believes in
me, even though he or she dies, will live.
26And everyone who lives believing in me does not
ultimately die at all. Do you believe this?"
27"Yes, Master. All along I have believed that you
are the Messiah, the Son of God who comes into the
world.” (John 11: 21-27 The Message).
After coming eventually to the tomb of Lazarus where
he had been lying dead for four days we read:
40Jesus looked her (Martha) in the eye. "Didn't I
tell you that if you believed, you would see the
glory of God?"
41Then, to the others, "Go ahead, take away the
stone."
They removed the stone. Jesus raised his eyes to
heaven and prayed, "Father, I'm grateful that you
have listened to me.
42I know you always do listen, but on account of this
crowd standing here I've spoken so that they might
believe that you sent me."
43Then he shouted, "Lazarus, come out!"
44And he came out, a cadaver, wrapped from head to
toe, and with a kerchief over his face.
Jesus told them, "Unwrap him and let him loose."
There was no freezing cryonics here, just the power of
God in his son Jesus. However, it must be noted that
Lazarus like the son in the story recorded by Like is
restored to life in an earthly body. The disease that
conquered them is defeated and the body resumes life
as before.
Not long after that, Jesus went to the village Nain.
His disciples were with him, along with quite a large
crowd.
12As they approached the village gate, they met a
funeral procession--a woman's only son was being
carried out for burial. And the mother was a widow.
13When Jesus saw her, his heart broke. He said to
her, "Don't cry."
14Then he went over and touched the coffin. The
pallbearers stopped. He said, "Young man, I tell you:
Get up."
15The dead son sat up and began talking. Jesus
presented him to his mother.
16They all realized they were in a place of holy
mystery, that God was at work among them. They were
quietly worshipful--and then noisily grateful, calling
out among themselves, "God is back, looking to the
needs of his people!"
17The news of Jesus spread all through the country.
(Luke 7.11-17. The Message).
In the very next chapter of Luke, there is another
incident of raising to life after death:
…While he was still talking, someone from the
leader's house came up and told him (Jairus), "Your
daughter died. No need now to bother the Teacher."
50Jesus overheard and said, "Don't be upset. Just
trust me and everything will be all right."
51Going into the house, he wouldn't let anyone enter
with him except Peter, John, James, and the child's
parents.
52Everyone was crying and carrying on over her. Jesus
said, "Don't cry. She didn't die; she's sleeping."
53They laughed at him. They knew she was dead.
54Then Jesus, gripping her hand, called, "My dear
child, get up."
55She was up in an instant, up and breathing again!
He told them to give her something to eat.
56Her parents were ecstatic, but Jesus warned them to
keep quiet. "Don't tell a soul what happened in this
room.” (Luke 8. 49-56).
In these three stories Jesus demonstrated his power
over death and was able to restore life to earthly
bodies. Lazarus, Jairus’ daughter and the widow’s son
would all know death again. Eventually their bodies
would breath their last.
In these three stories there is grief and it is
followed by joy because of the love and power of
Jesus. But at another time there would be more and
renewed grief when these people are again laid to
earthly rest.
The friends and Disciples of Jesus knew the deepest of
sorrow. They understood how life almost was beaten out
of him. They understood too how he silently suffered
the torture of hanging on the cruel cross in the
midday sun as life ebbed from him.
They knew his body was placed in a tomb by the kind
actions of Joseph of Arimathea. They grieved as they
realised their own loss of one they loved so dearly.
The Message says they were Looking for the Living One
in a Cemetery:
At the crack of dawn on Sunday, the women came to
the tomb carrying the burial spices they had
prepared.
2They found the entrance stone rolled back from the
tomb,
3so they walked in. But once inside, they couldn't
find the body of the Master Jesus.
4They were puzzled, wondering what to make of this.
Then, out of nowhere it seemed, two men, light
cascading over them, stood there.
5The women were awestruck and bowed down in worship.
The men said, "Why are you looking for the Living One
in a cemetery?
6He is not here, but raised up. Remember how he told
you when you were still back in Galilee
7that he had to be handed over to sinners, be killed
on a cross, and in three days rise up?"
8Then they remembered Jesus' words.
9They left the tomb and broke the news of all this to
the Eleven and the rest.
10Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James,
and the other women with them kept telling these
things to the apostles,
11but the apostles didn't believe a word of it,
thought they were making it all up.
12But Peter jumped to his feet and ran to the tomb.
He stooped to look in and saw a few grave clothes,
that's all. He walked away puzzled, shaking his head.
(Luke 24. 1-12 The Message).
Paul later reminds the Christians in Rome:
We know that when Jesus was raised from the dead it
was a signal of the end of death-as-the-end. Never
again will death have the last word. (Romans 6.9 The
Message).
Paul also reminds the Corinthians of the Death and
Resurrection of Jesus witnessed by so many
3The first thing I did was place before you what was
placed so emphatically before me: that the Messiah
died for our sins, exactly as Scripture tells it;
4that he was buried; that he was raised from death on
the third day, again exactly as Scripture says;
5that he presented himself alive to Peter, then to
his closest followers,
6and later to more than five hundred of his followers
all at the same time, most of them still around
(although a few have since died);
7that he then spent time with James and the rest of
those he commissioned to represent him;
8and that he finally presented himself alive to me.
(1 Corinthians 15. 3- 8)
He goes on to explain the difference between an
earthly body and a spiritual body:
34Think straight. Awaken to the holiness of life. No
more playing fast and loose with resurrection facts.
Ignorance of God is a luxury you can't afford in
times like these. Aren't you embarrassed that you've
let this kind of thing go on as long as you have?
35Some skeptic is sure to ask, "Show me how
resurrection works. Give me a diagram; draw me a
picture. What does this ‘resurrection body’ look
like?"
36If you look at this question closely, you realize
how absurd it is. There are no diagrams for this kind
of thing.
37We do have a parallel experience in gardening. You
plant a "dead" seed; soon there is a flourishing
plant. There is no visual likeness between seed and
plant.
38You could never guess what a tomato would look like
by looking at a tomato seed. What we plant in the
soil and what grows out of it don't look anything
alike. The dead body that we bury in the ground and
the resurrection body that comes from it will be
dramatically different.
40 …And we're only looking at pre-resurrection
"seeds"--who can imagine what the resurrection
"plants" will be like!
42This image of planting a dead seed and raising a
live plant is a mere sketch at best, but perhaps it
will help in approaching the mystery of the
resurrection body--but only if you keep in mind that
when we're raised, we're raised for good, alive
forever!
43The corpse that's planted is no beauty, but when
it's raised, it's glorious. Put in the ground weak,
it comes up powerful.
44The seed sown is natural; the seed grown is
supernatural--same seed, same body, but what a
difference from when it goes down in physical
mortality to when it is raised up in spiritual
immortality!
45We follow this sequence in Scripture: The First
Adam received life, the Last Adam is a life-giving
Spirit.
46Physical life comes first, then spiritual—
47a firm base shaped from the earth, a final
completion coming out of heaven. 48The First Man was
made out of earth, and people since then are earthy;
the Second Man was made out of heaven, and people now
can be heavenly.
(1 Corinthians 15 the Message).
We can rejoice today that Jesus lives and because he
lives we have assurance we too will live eternally.
I know that my Redeemer lives;
What comfort this sweet sentence gives!
He lives, He lives, who once was dead;
He lives, my ever living Head.
He lives to bless me with His love,
He lives to plead for me above.
He lives my hungry soul to feed,
He lives to help in time of need.
He lives triumphant from the grave,
He lives eternally to save,
He lives all glorious in the sky,
He lives exalted there on high.
He lives to grant me rich supply,
He lives to guide me with His eye,
He lives to comfort me when faint,
He lives to hear my soul’s complaint.
He lives to silence all my fears,
He lives to wipe away my tears
He lives to calm my troubled heart,
He lives all blessings to impart.
He lives, my kind, wise, heavenly Friend,
He lives and loves me to the end;
He lives, and while He lives, I’ll sing;
He lives, my Prophet, Priest, and King.
He lives and grants me daily breath;
He lives, and I shall conquer death:
He lives my mansion to prepare;
He lives to bring me safely there.
He lives, all glory to His Name!
He lives, my Jesus, still the same.
Oh, the sweet joy this sentence gives,
I know that my Redeemer lives!
Author: Samuel Medley (1738-99) (verses)
(Verses 1, 2, 6 & 8 The Salvation Army Song Book:
Song Number: 144
"I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that he shall
stand at the latter day upon the earth; and though
worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see
God" (Job 19:25-26).
"For now is Christ risen from the dead, the
first-fruits of them that sleep" (1 Corinthians
15:20).
Hallelujah Chorus (from Messiah)
Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
For the Lord God Omnipotent reigneth
Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
For the Lord God Omnipotent reigneth
Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
For the Lord God Omnipotent reigneth.
Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
The kingdom of this world
Is become the Kingdom of our Lord
And of His Christ, and of His Christ;
And He shall reign for ever and ever
And He shall reign for ever and ever
And He shall reign for ever and ever
And He shall reign for ever and ever
King of Kings, for ever and ever, Hallelujah!
Hallelujah!
And Lord of Lords, for ever and ever, Hallelujah!
Hallelujah!
King of Kings, for ever and ever, Hallelujah!
Hallelujah!
And Lord of Lords, for ever and ever. Hallelujah!
Hallelujah!
King of Kings, for ever and ever. Hallelujah!
Hallelujah!
And Lord of Lords
King of Kings and Lord Of Lords
And He shall reign for ever and ever
He shall reign for ever and ever
King of Kings, Hallelujah!And Lord of Lords,
Hallelujah!
King of Kings, and Lord of Lords
And He shall reign for ever and ever
King of Kings, and Lord of Lords.
King of Kings, and Lord of Lords.
He shall reign for ever and ever
Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
Halle-lu-jah!
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Songs from The Salvation Army Song Book may be
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OzThoughts Good Friday - 14th April, 2006
Three Crosses
First published: 17th April 2003
It was just two wooden beams fashioned into a cross.
It stood at the busy corner of a park near the centre
of town. It had two signs. A sign near the base said
it was erected by the local Churches. The main sign
was nailed at about eye level. It bore a simple
message "Is it nothing to all you who pass by, that on
the cross your Saviour should die?"
Another cross I remember well was in a church. It was
high on the wall above the altar. It was placed to be
the focus of those who came to worship. As a member of
a choir visiting a rural city, we were taken to look
at the area's newest church. It was very different to
the simple one we worshipped in week by week. I still
remember the comment of one of our choir members. As
we looked at the cross raised high above the altar and
considered the cross and the artist’s impression of
Jesus on that cross, she said "I don't think I could
look at that every week". The artist had tried to
capture the torture and pain that Jesus suffered as He
died on the cross. It was not a pleasant sight. It
did, however, capture the agony at the centre of our
faith.
Those two crosses were about ten years apart in my
experience at each end of my teenage years. I have
never forgotten them and they come together in my
experience to remind me of the purpose of the event we
celebrate on Good Friday. They draw together other
experiences and other events which point me to the
love of God for me that took Jesus to the Cross. Every
Easter I remember those two crosses as I look towards
the third, and I have shared about them many times. To
say that those two crosses influenced my experience is
true. However the third cross - the cross of Jesus -
changed it dramatically. It gave me a right
relationship with God. It gave me forgiveness. It
gives me hope.
One of the churches traditional hymns expresses it
well for me and a contemporary writer has gathered
similar thoughts in a new song which has become a
favourite of many, including me.
Firstly the traditional hymn :
When I survey the wondrous cross
On which the Prince of Glory died,
My richest gain I count but loss,
And pour contempt on all my pride.
Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast
Save in the death of Christ, my God;
All the vain things that charm me most,
I sacrifice them to his blood.
See, from his head, his hands, his feet,
Sorrow and love flow mingled down;
Did e'er such love and sorrow meet,
Or thorns compose so rich a crown?
Were the whole realm of nature mine,
That were a present far too small;
Love so amazing, so divine,
Demands my soul, my life, my all.
Isaac Watts (1674-1748)
and now the contemporary one:
How deep the Father's love for us
How vast beyond all measure
That He would give His only Son
To make a wretch His treasure
How great the pain of searing loss
The Father turns His face away
As wounds which mar the chosen One
Bring many sons to glory
Behold the Man upon a cross
My guilt upon His shoulders
Ashamed, I hear my mocking voice
Call out among the scoffers
It was my sin that held Him there
Until it was accomplished
His dying breath has brought me life
I know that it is finished
I will not boast in anything
No gifts, no powr's, no wisdom
But I will boast in Jesus Christ
His death and resurrection
Why should I gain from His reward?
I cannot give an answer
But this I know with all my heart
His wounds have paid my ransom
Written by: Stuart Townend
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Songs from The Salvation Army Song Book may be
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OzThoughts Thursday 13th April, 2006
We noted the other day that after Jesus rode into
Jerusalem, he looked around the Temple then left and
went to Bethany. However he came back to the Temple.
Mark records the incident in his Gospel:
15 They arrived at Jerusalem. Immediately on entering
the Temple Jesus started throwing out everyone who had
set up shop there, buying and selling. He kicked over
the tables of the bankers and the stalls of the pigeon
merchants.
16 He didn't let anyone even carry a basket through
the Temple.
17 And then he taught them, quoting this text:
My house was designated a house of prayer for the
nations;
You've turned it into a hangout for thieves. (Mark
11 The Message)
I have often wondered why Jesus left this
“cleansing of the Temple” until the last week of his
earthly ministry. I am not sure there is an answer but
for me the incident restates the importance of the
meeting place for prayer and worship. It is God’s
house!
We live in a time when costly multi-purpose buildings
are often the order of the day. It is great when we
can have a sanctuary which we can preserve each moment
of the day and each day of the week as a place of
prayer and worship.
It is interesting to link this incident with the
thoughts written by Paul to the Corinthian Church:
16 You realize, don't you, that you are the temple
of God, and God himself is present in you?
17 No one will get by with vandalizing God's
temple, you can be sure of that. God's temple is
sacred--and you, remember, are the temple. 1
Corinthians 3:16-17(The Message)
PRAYER AND MEDITATION:
I would be thy holy temple,
Sacred and indwelt by thee;
Naught then could stain my commission,
'Tis thy divine charge to me.
Chorus
Take thou my life, Lord,
In deep submission I pray,
My all to thee dedicating,
Accept my offering today.
Take thou my life, Lord, I pray;
Take thou my life, Lord, I pray;
My all to thee dedicating,
Accept my offering today.
Seeking to mirror thy glory,
Living to answer thy call,
Each faithful vow now renewing,
Gladly I yield thee my all.
Time, health and talents presenting,
All that I have shall be thine;
Heart mind and will consecrating,
No longer shall they be mine.
O for a heart of compassion,
Moved at the impulse of love,
Lost ones to bring to thy footstool,
Thy gracious riches to prove!
Author: Brindley Boon
The Salvation Army Song Book: Song Number: 786
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The New International Version (NIV®) and The Message ®
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granted for “church purposes”. These versions plus
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Songs from The Salvation Army Song Book may be
accessed at www.salvationist.org
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OzThoughts Thursday 13th April, 2006
We noted the other day that after Jesus rode into
Jerusalem, he looked around the Temple then left and
went to Bethany. However he came back to the Temple.
Mark records the incident in his Gospel:
15 They arrived at Jerusalem. Immediately on entering
the Temple Jesus started throwing out everyone who had
set up shop there, buying and selling. He kicked over
the tables of the bankers and the stalls of the pigeon
merchants.
16 He didn't let anyone even carry a basket through
the Temple.
17 And then he taught them, quoting this text:
My house was designated a house of prayer for the
nations;
You've turned it into a hangout for thieves. (Mark
11 The Message)
I have often wondered why Jesus left this
“cleansing of the Temple” until the last week of his
earthly ministry. I am not sure there is an answer but
for me the incident restates the importance of the
meeting place for prayer and worship. It is God’s
house!
We live in a time when costly multi-purpose buildings
are often the order of the day. It is great when we
can have a sanctuary which we can preserve each moment
of the day and each day of the week as a place of
prayer and worship.
It is interesting to link this incident with the
thoughts written by Paul to the Corinthian Church:
16 You realize, don't you, that you are the temple
of God, and God himself is present in you?
17 No one will get by with vandalizing God's
temple, you can be sure of that. God's temple is
sacred--and you, remember, are the temple. 1
Corinthians 3:16-17(The Message)
PRAYER AND MEDITATION:
I would be thy holy temple,
Sacred and indwelt by thee;
Naught then could stain my commission,
'Tis thy divine charge to me.
Chorus
Take thou my life, Lord,
In deep submission I pray,
My all to thee dedicating,
Accept my offering today.
Take thou my life, Lord, I pray;
Take thou my life, Lord, I pray;
My all to thee dedicating,
Accept my offering today.
Seeking to mirror thy glory,
Living to answer thy call,
Each faithful vow now renewing,
Gladly I yield thee my all.
Time, health and talents presenting,
All that I have shall be thine;
Heart mind and will consecrating,
No longer shall they be mine.
O for a heart of compassion,
Moved at the impulse of love,
Lost ones to bring to thy footstool,
Thy gracious riches to prove!
Author: Brindley Boon
The Salvation Army Song Book: Song Number: 786
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The New International Version (NIV®) and The Message ®
are copyright and are used here with permissions
granted for “church purposes”. These versions plus
others may be accessed at www.biblegateway.com
Songs from The Salvation Army Song Book may be
accessed at www.salvationist.org
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OzThoughts Wednesday 12th April, 2006
Keith was a tall and distinguished looking man. He had
a lovely lot of grey hair that I as a young Captain
hoped I would have when I was his age. When I first
met Keith he was a resident at the Salvation Army
Hostel and a great salesman of the beds and chairs in
our furniture shed.
Keith was what most Australians would call a “good
bloke”. Unfortunately, he was also an alcoholic. For
Keith definitely one drink was far too many and a
thousand never enough. Keith new the personalities of
the Sydney homeless and alcoholic scene very well. He
had lived rough and in various ‘hostels’ with most of
them.
I liked to listen to Keith because he seemed to have
an understanding of these personalities and while I
made my own judgements it was worth listening to his.
He had lived in a world of men I was seeking to know,
love and help.
I remember one of the early pieces of advice that
Keith gave me. It was simple and to the point. He
simply said “Captain, you are new to this work, can I
tell you to beware of the ‘Hymn Singers’”. I learnt
after asking a few questions he meant hostel residents
who sang hymns when the Officers were around but had
no other sign of Christianity among those they lived
with. It was good to remember God still had a work to
do within the lives of the “Hymn Singers” just as he
had to do in my life.
It seems Jesus encountered a lot of “hymn singers” on
his entry into Jerusalem. There were lots of people
who cried out their praise and demonstrated their
allegiance by waving palms but as the week went on
their allegiance changed.
PRAYER:
Heavenly Father, help me through your Holy Spirit not
to be a “Hymn Singer” but to have a complete
commitment to you. I do not want today to be shouting
“Hosanna” and tomorrow “Crucify him”. Father, in your
power, and your power alone it is possible for me to
remain faithful. Amen.
MEDITATION:
Matthew 26 (The Message)
26During the meal, Jesus took and blessed the bread,
broke it, and gave it to his disciples:
Take, eat.
This is my body.
27Taking the cup and thanking God, he gave it to
them:
Drink this, all of you.
28This is my blood,
God's new covenant poured out for many people
for the forgiveness of sins.
29"I'll not be drinking wine from this cup again
until that new day when I'll drink with you in the
kingdom of my Father."
30They sang a hymn and went directly to Mount
Olives.
31Then Jesus told them, "Before the night's over,
you're going to fall to pieces because of what happens
to me. There is a Scripture that says,
I'll strike the shepherd;
helter-skelter the sheep will be scattered.
32But after I am raised up, I, your Shepherd, will
go ahead of you, leading the way to Galilee."
33Peter broke in, "Even if everyone else falls to
pieces on account of you, I won't."
34"Don't be so sure," Jesus said. "This very
night, before the rooster crows up the dawn, you will
deny me three times."
35Peter protested, "Even if I had to die with you,
I would never deny you." All the others said the same
thing.
I would be true, for there are those who trust me;
I would be pure, for there are those who care;
I would be strong, for there is much to suffer;
I would be brave, for there is much to dare.
Chorus
Jesus will help me,
He is my friend;
He'll lead and I will follow
Till life's very end.
I would be friend of all--the foe, the friendless;
I would be giving, and forget the gift;
I would be humble, for I know my weakness;
I would look up and laugh and love and lift.
Author: Howard Arnold Walter (1883-1918) (verses)
The Salvation Army Song Book: Song Number: 491
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OzThoughts Tuesday 11th April, 2006
With the noise of the crowds who lined the streets
ringing in his ears, Jesus “entered the Temple. He
looked around, taking it all in. But by now it was
late, so he went back to Bethany with the Twelve.
(Mark 11:11 The Message).
These words always seem an anticlimax to me. The great
triumphant entry into Jerusalem with its great crowds
of people shouting their welcoming praise and waving
palm branches seems to demand more. On this day there
was “glory to glory” for Jesus.
However, I am quickly reminded that in the Old
Testament God tells Samuel “GOD judges persons
differently than humans do. Men and women look at the
face; GOD looks into the heart.” (1 Samuel 16:7 The
Message). Here was an occasion when Jesus appeared
just to look around, but I am sure something more was
happening.
This week, I have read again the description of one
evening by John Wesley:
“In the evening I went very unwillingly to a society
in Aldersgate Street, where one was reading Luther’s
preface to the Epistle to the Romans. About a quarter
before nine, while he was describing the change which
God works in the heart through faith in Christ, I felt
my heart strangely warmed. I felt I did trust in
Christ, Christ alone for salvation. And an assurance
was given me, that he had taken away my sins, even
mine, and saved me from the law of sin and death.”
Here we have two beginnings where God works quietly in
the heart and mind of men. Jesus was in God’s house
away from the noise and clamour of the streets and
John Wesley in a quiet room with one voice reaching
his ears, but God was touching their hearts.
PRAYER AND MEDITATION:
O thou to whose all-searching sight
The darkness shineth as the light,
Search, prove my heart, it pants for thee;
O burst these bonds and set it free!
Wash out its stain, refine its dross,
Nail my affections to the cross;
Hallow each thought, let all within
Be clean, as thou, my Lord, art clean.
Saviour, where'er thy steps I see,
Dauntless, untired, I'll follow thee;
O let thy hand support me still
And lead me to thy holy hill!
If rough and thorny be the way,
My strength proportion to my day,
Till toil and grief and pain shall cease,
Where all is calm and joy and peace.
Author: Nicolaus Ludwig von Zinzendorf (1700-60),
Translator: John Wesley (1703-91)
The Salvation Army Song Book: Song Number: 453
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Songs from The Salvation Army Song Book may be
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OzThoughts Monday 10th April, 2006
It was great to meet in God’s House yesterday with God
and worship him in fellowship his people.
We stepped out of line with mainstream Christendom
yesterday and did not celebrate Palm Sunday. Other
than our “Welcomer” and the Bandmaster in introducing
our Band selection (Give me oil in my lamp) there was
no mention of it.
The enrolment of yet another Junior Soldier is always
a highlight. It was great and to see Sean’s
grandfather (who with his wife had come about 900kms
to be present) holding the flag and his father
standing with him was a great sight.
The band was requested to play “Lord, if your
presence” to introduce the meeting and later in the
meeting the congregation joined with the band to sing
it. It is the thought I carry with me into this week.
Lord, If Your Presence...
Lord, if your presence does not go with us,
Please do not send us up from here.
How will anyone know we are your people
Unless you go before us?
Lord, if your favour does not rest on us
We dare not move beyond this place,
How will anyone know we go in your name
Unless your blessing is over us?
So we stand within your presence,
And humbly seek your grace;
Father Almighty, Jehovah, Saviour,
We long to meet you face to face.
Let your glory fall upon us,
Convict, inspire, provide;
Father Almighty, Jehovah, Saviour,
Your holy presence is our guide.
Lord if your presence does not stay with us,
Please do not send us up from here.
How will anyone hear of truth and goodness
Unless your Word speaks through us?
Lord, if your presence is not love in us
How can we minister your grace?
How will anyone feel your tender mercy
Unless your heart is in us?
So we stand within your presence…
Words based on Joshua 3:5 & Exodus 33:12-19
(Music by Yvonne Field)
MEDITATION:
John 12 (The Message)
12The next day the huge crowd that had arrived for the
Feast heard that Jesus was entering Jerusalem. 13They
broke off palm branches and went out to meet him. And
they cheered:
Hosanna!
Blessed is he who comes in God's name!
Yes! The King of Israel!
14Jesus got a young donkey and rode it, just as
the Scripture has it:
15No fear, Daughter Zion:
See how your king comes,
riding a donkey's colt.
16The disciples didn't notice the fulfillment of
many Scriptures at the time, but after Jesus was
glorified, they remembered that what was written about
him matched what was done to him.
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Australian Thoughts at the Weekend
Adapted from OzThoughts – Thursday 1st April, 2004
[Thank you to those who share ATAW and OzThoughts with
their friends, by printing, forwarding the email or
posting it to their groups and websites. May God
bless all our readers.]
Most people love parades. Recently all over Australia,
people have gathered along streets and in city squares
to welcome and congratulate our sports people who took
part in the recent Commonwealth Games in Melbourne.
Previously people had gathered to watch the Queen’s
Baton as it passed through their community. I heard
many interviews with people who had the honour of
carrying the Baton say they were surprised at how many
people lined the streets to cheer and clap as they
passed by.
During the Games themselves, people gathered along the
routes of the street races to watch the passing parade
of competitors cycling, running and race walking.
I imagine with all the various competitors and
officials, and spectators moving around Melbourne, it
was very hard to escape the fact that the Commonwealth
Games were taking place.
I imagine, too, it was a little like that in Jerusalem
on the week before the Passover. Many pilgrims would
be arriving and people gathered along the road side
would feel the growing excitement. It was a very
special time, and it was great to be in Jerusalem at
this time. It would be difficult not to get caught up
in the excitement and all the preparations.
Many people got caught up in the excitement of Jesus
of Nazareth riding on a donkey. People pulled branches
off trees and waved them before they threw them on the
road to make a green carpet. Others placed their
cloaks in front of the donkey as it carried Jesus,
many knew as the miracle working Rabbi.
It was difficult to escape the enthusiasm of the young
and the not so young particularly with the waving
branches and the cry “"Hosanna to David's son!"
"Blessed is he who comes in God's name!" "Hosanna in
highest heaven!" Blessed the coming kingdom of our
father David! Hosanna in highest heaven!
It is difficult to escape (if we wanted to)
preparations for Easter. In Australia the Easter treat
Hot Cross Buns (spicy sticky buns with a cross on the
top) appear in the supermarkets soon after Christmas.
They are followed soon after by displays the numerous
Easter eggs, bunnies, chickens and bilbies.
The Christian Lent season gives the same supermarkets
opportunity to feature canned fish, frozen fish and
supposedly fresh fish and other seafood in their junk
mail catalogues of featured “specials”. It is a great
public service these supermarkets do in reminding some
Christians of their seasonal obligations.
Easter in Australia is also a four day weekend and is
a part of two weeks of school holidays so outdoor
recreational items such as tents, barbecues, fishing
and other sporting items are featured in other
advertisements. The hardware and do it yourself stores
also feature items for those home owners who will
spend their four days in household and garden fix it
chores.
It seems there are many who want to assist us in our
physical and material preparations for Easter. There
is nothing wrong with that in itself. We are all
involved in these things. However, we are more than
body. We are mind and soul as well. There is a
challenge for us to prepare in these areas too.
We can discipline our mind by reading, listening and
seeing. The scriptures are available for all. The
internet has many sermons, comments and other aids to
Christian thought. Some may choose to look again at
films such as “The Passion of The Christ”. There are
probably Christian books on our bookshelves or in the
church library waiting for us to read or re-read them.
Our spiritual preparation is also a discipline of the
soul. It comes through linking many of the disciplines
of body and mind with reaching out to God. It also
comes by allowing God to come to us. Our God is a God
who comes and lives with us. The soul is fed through
the Word of God, through meditation and prayer. It
comes through allowing God the Holy Spirit to speak to
us. It comes through sharing with other Christians
through direct fellowship, through their writing,
their music and their words from pulpit or platform.
Romans 5 (The Message)
1By entering through faith into what God has always
wanted to do for us--set us right with him, make us
fit for him--we have it all together with God because
of our Master Jesus.
2And that's not all: We throw open our doors to God
and discover at the same moment that he has already
thrown open his door to us. We find ourselves standing
where we always hoped we might stand--out in the wide
open spaces of God's grace and glory, standing tall
and shouting our praise.
3There's more to come: We continue to shout our praise
even when we're hemmed in with troubles, because we
know how troubles can develop passionate patience in
us, 4and how that patience in turn forges the tempered
steel of virtue, keeping us alert for whatever God
will do next.
5In alert expectancy such as this, we're never left
feeling shortchanged. Quite the contrary--we can't
round up enough containers to hold everything God
generously pours into our lives through the Holy
Spirit!
6Christ arrives right on time to make this happen. He
didn't, and doesn't, wait for us to get ready. He
presented himself for this sacrificial death when we
were far too weak and rebellious to do anything to get
ourselves ready. And even if we hadn't been so weak,
we wouldn't have known what to do anyway.
7We can understand someone dying for a person worth
dying for, and we can understand how someone good and
noble could inspire us to selfless sacrifice.
8But God put his love on the line for us by offering
his Son in sacrificial death while we were of no use
whatever to him.
9Now that we are set right with God by means of this
sacrificial death, the consummate blood sacrifice,
there is no longer a question of being at odds with
God in any way.
10If, when we were at our worst, we were put on
friendly terms with God by the sacrificial death of
his Son, now that we're at our best, just think of how
our lives will expand and deepen by means of his
resurrection life!
11Now that we have actually received this amazing
friendship with God, we are no longer content to
simply say it in plodding prose. We sing and shout our
praises to God through Jesus, the Messiah!
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OzThoughts Friday 7th April, 2006
“He is (or was) a good bloke” is a phrase well known
to Australians. This week Australia laid to rest one
of its loved artists. Pro Hart was an artist who
captured the “outback” life in skilful brushstrokes
and was able to capture the attention of the nation
with his vibrant art. He lived in the remote mining
town of broken hill and had worked as a miner. He was
something of an eccentric. He had adorned one of his
two Roll Royce cars with his art. I have visited his
gallery and noted many eccentricities,. His art was
not confined to the Rolls and contained within wooden
frames.
Pro was a Christian and he did not mind who knew that.
A friend of mine recently pointed out that he has two
Gideon New Testaments given to him by Pro. Pro had
painted the front cover of them. Pro knew some people
were attracted to his art and he used this as another
way of evangelism. (do a search on www.google.com for
lots of sites on Pro Hart).
In many ways, Pro was a “good bloke”. I thought of Pro
when I read the following verses from Peter earlier
this week:
11 Friends, this world is not your home, so don't
make yourselves cozy in it. Don't indulge your ego at
the expense of your soul.
12 Live an exemplary life among the natives so that
your actions will refute their prejudices. Then
they'll be won over to God's side and be there to join
in the celebration when he arrives.
13 Make the Master proud of you by being good
citizens. Respect the authorities, whatever their
level;
14 they are God's emissaries for keeping order.
15 It is God's will that by doing good, you might
cure the ignorance of the fools who think you're a
danger to society.
16 Exercise your freedom by serving God, not by
breaking the rules.
17 Treat everyone you meet with dignity. Love your
spiritual family. Revere God. Respect the government.
Peter calls us all to be “good blokes”, good
neighbours, good citizens. We must be obedient and
respectful servants of God living an exemplary life.
PRAYER:
Heavenly Father, it is only with your Holy spirit
helping me, I can live as you would have me live. I
pray that your Spirit may give me this ability today.
Amen.
MEDITATION:
You may sing of the joys over Jordan
And the glories prepared for our sight,
But the soldier of Jesus rejoices
On the way to that city of light.
Chorus
Wonderful is the peace Jesus gives me,
Wonderful is his power full and free;
No tongue can e'er express all the glories I possess;
Wonderful is the peace Jesus gives me.
You may talk of the harps of the angels,
Of melodious praises they sing,
But my heart's filled with heavenly music
While I'm marching to meet the great King.
You may long for the robes bright and shining,
And the song, and the crown, and the palm;
But your heart must be kept pure and spotless
If you'd join in the song of the Lamb.
Would you reign with the King in his beauty?
In his cross-bearing now you must share;
For none but the soul who has conquered
May dwell in that land over there.
Author: A. Saker-Lynne,alt
The Salvation Army Song Book: Song Number: 406
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accessed at www.salvationist.org
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OzThoughts Thursday 6th April, 2006
Peter continues to write about our personal roles in
the fellowship of the church of Jesus.
1 Peter 2 (The Message)
5 Present yourselves as building stones for the
construction of a sanctuary vibrant with life, in
which you'll serve as holy priests offering
Christ-approved lives up to God. . . .
9 But you are the ones chosen by God, chosen for
the high calling of priestly work, chosen to be a holy
people, God's instruments to do his work and speak out
for him, to tell others of the night-and-day
difference he made for you—
10 from nothing to something, from rejected to
accepted.
11 Friends, this world is not your home, so don't
make yourselves cozy in it. Don't indulge your ego at
the expense of your soul.
12 Live an exemplary life among the natives so that
your actions will refute their prejudices. Then
they'll be won over to God's side and be there to join
in the celebration when he arrives.
Peter says a lot in these few words. I wonder how we
can sum this up? Is this it: 1. Be lively and
available; 2. Be Christ approved; 3. Be a link between
God and man (a priest); 4. Don’t be self indulgent and
5. Be an example of godly goodness ?
PRAYER:
Heavenly Father, I want as your Word suggests to live
a life of usefulness in agreement with your standards
and purpose. Amen.
MEDITATION:
O God of light, O God of love,
Shine on my soul from Heaven above!
Let sin appear in thy pure ray
As black as on the judgment day;
Let perfect love apply the test,
And all that's wrong make manifest.
O take thy plummet and thy line,
Apply them to this heart of mine,
And thus reveal each crooked place
By contrast with true righteousness!
Let holy truth condemn each sham;
Show what thou art, and what I am.
O smite and spare not, faithful God!
A Father's hand still holds the rod;
O make my sin-stained conscience smart,
And write thy law upon my heart
So plainly, that my will shall bow
In full surrender, here and now!
Work on in me thy perfect will,
In me thy promise, Lord, fulfil;
O make me quick to fight for thee,
And set my soul at liberty!
My soul can rest in nothing less
Than in a spotless holiness.
Author: Arthur Sydney Booth-Clibborn (1854-1939)
The Salvation Army Song Book: Song Number: 446
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OzThoughts Wednesday 5th April, 2006
When we look at what type of church we want to belong
to, it may be somewhat easy to blame others for the
church not being what we want it to be. Sure there is
some responsibility that lies with the leadership, but
the main responsibility lies with us or specifically
me as an individual.
Peter in his first letter has a few words on this
matter:
1 So clean house! Make a clean sweep of malice and
pretense, envy and hurtful talk.
2 Now, like infants at the breast, drink deep of
God's pure kindness. Then you'll grow up mature and
whole in God.
3 You've had a taste of God.
4 Welcome to the living Stone, the source of life.
The workmen took one look and threw it out; God set it
in the place of honor.
5 Present yourselves as building stones for the
construction of a sanctuary vibrant with life, in
which you'll serve as holy priests offering
Christ-approved lives up to God. (1 Peter 2 The
Message)
Wow! That’s enough for a beginning!
PRAYER:
Heavenly Father, thank you that the blood of your son,
Jesus and the Holy Spirit have helped me to live a
life that is presentable and acceptable to you. I want
more of you that I might become not only marginally
acceptable but grow into a useful maturity. Amen.
MEDITATION:
O that in me the mind of Christ
A fixed abiding-place may find,
That I may know the will of God,
And live in him for lost mankind.
Chorus
Doing the will of God,
Doing the will of God,
The best thing I know in this world below
Is doing the will of God.
The suffering servant he became,
Yea more; in loneliness and loss
He bore for me in grief and shame,
A crown of thorns. a heavy cross.
O that in me this mind might be,
The will of God be all my joy,
Prepared with him to go or stay,
My chief delight his sweet employ.
More than all else I would become
The servant of my servant-Lord;
My highest glory his reproach,
To do his will my best reward.
Author: Edward Henry Joy (1871-1949)
The Salvation Army Song Book: Song Number: 451
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OzThoughts Tuesday 4th April, 2006
Yesterday, we looked at the question “What type of
Church do you want to belong to?” and from 1
Thessalonians 1 we looked at a church which had a good
reputation. People were hearing good reports of the
church.
I thought of this and our prayer, when I heard a
report at our small home group from one of our Sunday
School teachers. Our prayer had been:
Love I ask for, love I claim,
A dying love like thine.
A love that feels for all the world,
Saviour, give me a love like thine.
The report was that on Sunday in our Sunday school one
young person made a first time decision for Jesus and
another 5 made fresh commitments. We can praise God
for this great work of God amongst our young people.
On Self Denial Sunday, and the weeks leading up to it
we have seen very motivating videos on the big screen
of our work throughout the world. We, too, praise God
for his working in many diverse situations in many
countries.
I have been thinking that our prayer for a love like
Jesus’ love that feels for all the world includes the
great work which goes on week by week, even day by day
in the very place where we worship. Sadly so often ,
we know as little about what goes on in ministry in
our church as we know about God’s work in far away
places.
PRAYER:
Thank you Heavenly Father, that we have a place of
worship where we can draw aside from the rush and
tumble of the everyday so that we can worship you.
Thank you too, that our place of worship gives a
secure and safe place where dedicated people can work
with your precious children. Father, I pray that your
Holy Spirit might empower those involved in children’s
ministry and they draw the young ones into your
Kingdom. Amen.
MEDITATION:
13 People were bringing little children to Jesus to
have him touch them, but the disciples rebuked them.
14 When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to
them, "Let the little children come to me, and do not
hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as
these. 15 I tell you the truth, anyone who will not
receive the kingdom of God like a little child will
never enter it."
16 And he took the children in his arms, put his
hands on them and blessed them. (Mark 10 New
International Version)
13 The people brought children to Jesus, hoping he
might touch them.
14 The disciples shooed them off. But Jesus was
irate and let them know it: "Don't push these children
away. Don't ever get between them and me. These
children are at the very center of life in the
kingdom.
15 Mark this: Unless you accept God's kingdom in the
simplicity of a child, you'll never get in."
16 Then, gathering the children up in his arms, he
laid his hands of blessing on them.
(Mark 10 The Message)
Children of Jerusalem
Sang the praise of Jesus' name;
Children, too. of modern days,
Join to sing the Saviour's praise.
Chorus
Hark, hark, hark, while children's voices sing!
Hark, hark, hark, while children's voices sing!
Loud hosannas, loud hosannas, loud hosannas to our
King!
We are taught to love the Lord,
We are taught to read his word,
We are taught the way to Heaven,
Praise for all to God be given.
Parents, teachers, old and young,
All unite to swell the song,
Higher and yet higher rise
Till hosannas reach the skies.
Author: John Henley (1800-42) alt
The Salvation Army Song Book: Song Number: 834
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OzThoughts Monday 3rd April, 2006
Today, in The Salvation Army in Australia was Self
Denial Sunday, when we brought our gifts to the altar
for the Army’s worldwide work in disadvantaged
countries.
It is great to reflect on the fact that one man and
woman, William and Catherine Booth, with their
commitment to God were used by their God to raise up
an Army that is bringing salvation through Jesus and
relief from suffering to people in most countries of
this world.
We can praise God for his goodness and his willingness
to continue to use our Army in this way.
When we turned to consider the Scriptures, our Corps
officer posed the question “What type of Church do you
want to belong to?”
We returned to the first letter of Paul to the
Thessalonian church and found the answer as to what
type of church they were:
5 …our gospel came to you not simply with words, but
also with power, with the Holy Spirit and with deep
conviction. You know how we lived among you for your
sake.
6 You became imitators of us and of the Lord; in spite
of severe suffering, you welcomed the message with the
joy given by the Holy Spirit.
7 And so you became a model to all the believers in
Macedonia and Achaia. 1 Thessalonians 1:5-7 (New
International Version)
I thought immediately of the chorus we do not sing as
often as we used to:
Love I ask for, love I claim,
A dying love like thine.
A love that feels for all the world,
Saviour, give me a love like thine.
This chorus speaks to me of the spirit of Jesus. As we
approach Easter, I can only walk with him on the road
to Jerusalem and Calvary, if I share the same love for
all the world. My prayer this week must be “Saviour,
give me a love like thine”.
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Australian Thoughts at the Weekend
Crocodile Man
A young internet chat friend in England some time ago
started talking about an Australian person she called
the “Crocodile Hunter”. I soon realised that this was
the person I had seen catching crocodiles and tying
them up before moving them to other places. Sometimes
it was to a different river. At other times it was to
a zoo. I could not understand her enthusiasm. I asked
her what she liked about him. Her answer was very
brief. She said simply “his shorts”. Disinterestedly,
I explained that they were ordinary work shorts. To
her further questions, I gave the explanation that
these were standard shorts worn by outdoor workers in
Australia. She seemed to gain an enthusiasm for all
Australian workers, particularly those who worked
outdoors.
Since then I have learnt a lot more about the
Crocodile Hunter. No doubt the world has too. Some
months ago I visited Australia Zoo
(http://www.australiazoo.com.au). This is now owned by
Steve Irwin and his wife Terri. When Steve was growing
up it was owned by his parents. In those days, I was
also growing up and then it was my children’s turn to
do the growing up. In all this time, although I passed
it dozens of times, I never saw reason to stop and
visit the Queensland Reptile and Fauna Park as it was
then called. To me Australian snakes and lizards were
a colourless lot to be encountered mostly on the road
as I drove by, or sometimes over them. Crocodiles were
not a big feature of the park then.
As I said some months ago I visited Steve’s Zoo. I
was unprepared for the experiences of that day. I have
visited many zoos in over 50 years. (My mother’s
favourite story of my toddler days is when we were
visiting the zoo in Adelaide, a camel snorted and I
took off as fast as my legs could carry me. I was out
of there). The place is clean and tidy, and well set
out. There are crocodiles in ponds everywhere but
there are also many other animals to see. There are
demonstrations and showings of various animals which
are entertaining and informative. One lasting
impression I have is of the friendliness of the staff.
They went out of there way to be helpful.
One of the clowns who entertained the crowd waiting
for the Crocodile demonstration said “You know people
are strange. They come to a Zoo and what do they ask
‘Where is Steve, the Crocodile Man?’ Yep Strange
things people are. They come to a zoo, the home of
animals and they want to see a man. He is not here!
The animals are! A zoo is where animals live!” I
imagine there are many who go away with a souvenir of
their photo with a cardboard cut out of Steve or of
them sitting in his old 4 wheel drive Toyota. Crikey!
What an experience!
That day more than any television show, I learnt a
respect for Steve Irwin. A respect for him as a host
to thousands of tourists many of whom come from
overseas, as a business man and as a lover of
Australian animals and reptiles. Like many Australian
I was hard to convince. This man who acted strangely
in front of television cameras when in the company of
crocodiles was in the “must avoid” category. This also
included his television shows.
It is interesting that St Matthew (Chapter 13) records
that Jesus was not accepted as a prophet in his home
town. The folks knew him and therefore did not listen
effectively to him. He was able to teach and heal
better in other places. St John (Chapter 1 _10-14)
puts it in a different context but says the same type
of thing when he says Jesus came to His own but was
rejected. However, there were great benefits to those
who accepted Him.
We can become too familiar with things and people and
therefore lose out. We need to continually see that we
are getting the full blessings from the Heavenly
Storehouse God has for us through Jesus. Crikey!
Hallelujah!
Matthew 13: 53-58 (The Message) ‘When Jesus finished
telling these stories, he left there, 54returned to
his hometown, and gave a lecture in the meetinghouse.
He made a real hit, impressing everyone. "We had no
idea he was this good!" they said. "How did he get so
wise, get such ability?" 55But in the next breath they
were cutting him down: "We've known him since he was a
kid; he's the carpenter's son. We know his mother,
Mary. We know his brothers James and Joseph, Simon and
Judas. 56All his sisters live here. Who does he think
he is?" 57They got their noses all out of joint.
58But Jesus said, "A prophet is taken for granted in
his hometown and his family." He didn't do many
miracles there because of their hostile indifference’.
John 1 10-14. (The Message). He was in the world, the
world was there through him, and yet the world didn't
even notice. 11He came to his own people, but they
didn't want him. 12But whoever did want him, who
believed he was who he claimed and would do what he
said, He made to be their true selves, their
child-of-God selves. 13These are the God-begotten, not
blood-begotten, not flesh-begotten, not sex-begotten.
14The Word became flesh and blood, and moved into the
neighbourhood. We saw the glory with our own eyes, the
one-of-a-kind glory, like Father, like Son, Generous
inside and out, true from start to finish.
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OzThoughts Friday 31st March, 2006
They are telling a great story about you! So Paul
says to the Thessalonians.
7 Do you know that all over the provinces of both
Macedonia and Achaia believers look up to you?
8 The word has gotten around. Your lives are echoing
the Master's Word, not only in the provinces but all
over the place. The news of your faith in God is out.
We don't even have to say anything anymore--you're the
message!
9 People come up and tell us how you received us
with open arms, how you deserted the dead idols of
your old life so you could embrace and serve God, the
true God.
10 They marvel at how expectantly you await the
arrival of his Son, whom he raised from the
dead--Jesus, who rescued us from certain doom. (1
Thessalonians 1:7-10 The Message)
As I read this part of Thessalonians I think of Jesus
sitting on a hillside a lot of sea miles from
Thessonalica. It was even further if you travelled by
land.
Jesus had gathered his Disciples around him and he
began to talk about people who were very special in
God’s Kingdom. He went on to say to his Disciples that
they were specially blessed:
10 "You're blessed when your commitment to God
provokes persecution. The persecution drives you even
deeper into God's kingdom.
11 "Not only that--count yourselves blessed
every time people put you down or throw you out or
speak lies about you to discredit me. What it means is
that the truth is too close for comfort and they are
uncomfortable.
12 You can be glad when that happens--give a cheer,
even!-for though they don't like it, I do! And all
heaven applauds. And know that you are in good
company. My prophets and witnesses have always gotten
into this kind of trouble. (Matthew 5).
Paul talks about the Disciples as the salt of the
earth and comes then to the part that fits the
Thessalonians so very well:
14 "Here's another way to put it: You're here to be
light, bringing out the God-colors in the world. God
is not a secret to be kept. We're going public with
this, as public as a city on a hill.
15 If I make you light-bearers, you don't think I'm
going to hide you under a bucket, do you? I'm putting
you on a light stand.
16 Now that I've put you there on a hilltop, on a
light stand--shine! Keep open house; be generous with
your lives. By opening up to others, you'll prompt
people to open up with God, this generous Father in
heaven. (Matthew 5).
Prayer:
Heavenly Father, through your son you have forgiven us
our wrongdoing and made us your own children. Help us
to live so that we may give glory to you and cause
others to do so as well. Amen.
MEDITATION:
Awake, awake! Fling off the night!
For God has sent his glorious light;
And we who live in Christ's new day
Must works of darkness put away.
Awake and rise, Like men renewed,
Men with the Spirit's power endued;
The light of life in us must glow
And fruits of truth and goodness show.
Let in the light; all sin expose
To Christ, whose life no darkness knows.
Before his cross for guidance kneel;
His light will judge and, judging, heal.
Awake and rise up from the dead,
And Christ his light on you will shed;
Its power will wrong desires destroy,
And your whole nature fill with joy.
Then sing for joy, and use each day;
Give thanks for everything alway;
Lift up your hearts; with one accord
Praise God through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Author: John Raphael Peacey (1896-1971)
The Salvation Army Song Book: Song Number: 408
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OzThoughts Thursday 30th March, 2006
Like many preachers and novice Bible students, I have
a well used collection of William Barclay’s
commentaries or Daily Study Bible as he calls it. I do
not have one on the Book of Acts.
However, I am told that Barclay’s dedication of this
volume is to two people identified only by initials
but who are clearly his parents. The dedication is to
those who first taught him about Jesus and in whom he
first saw Jesus. (Someone will have the correct
wording and send it to me).
Here was a man of God, a scholar who has guided many
people in their pursuit of knowledge of God’s Word and
of our Triune God. Yet, he casts his mind back to
those early lessons. How important was that sight of
Jesus in his parents.
Paul became a spiritual father to many. God can use us
in the same way.
PRAYER:
Lord, I pray that I may know thee,
Risen One, enthroned on high;
Empty hands I'm stretching to thee,
Show thyself to me, I cry.
Chorus
Show thyself to me, show thyself to me,
That I may reveal thy beauty;
Show thyself to me.
All that once I thought most worthy,
All of which I once did boast,
In thy light seems poor and passing,
'Tis thyself I covet most.
Give thyself to me, give thyself to me,
That I may show forth thy power;
Give thyself to me.
Only as I truly know thee
Can I make thee truly known;
Only bring the power to others
Which in my own life is shown.
Show thy power in me, show thy power in me,
That I may be used for others;
Show thy power in me.
Authors: Ruth Tracy (1870-1960)
The Salvation Army Song Book: Song Number: 435
1 Thessalonians 1 (New International Version)
1Paul, Silas[a] and Timothy,
To the church of the Thessalonians in God the
Father and the Lord Jesus Christ:
Grace and peace to you.[b]
2We always thank God for all of you, mentioning you
in our prayers. 3We continually remember before our
God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor
prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope
in our Lord Jesus Christ.
4For we know, brothers loved by God, that he has
chosen you, 5because our gospel came to you not simply
with words, but also with power, with the Holy Spirit
and with deep conviction. You know how we lived among
you for your sake. 6You became imitators of us and of
the Lord; in spite of severe suffering, you welcomed
the message with the joy given by the Holy Spirit.
7And so you became a model to all the believers in
Macedonia and Achaia. 8The Lord's message rang out
from you not only in Macedonia and Achaia—your faith
in God has become known everywhere. Therefore we do
not need to say anything about it, 9for they
themselves report what kind of reception you gave us.
They tell how you turned to God from idols to serve
the living and true God, 10and to wait for his Son
from heaven, whom he raised from the dead—Jesus, who
rescues us from the coming wrath.
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OzThoughts Wednesday 29th March,2006
Paul and Silas who established the church at
Thessalonica were not showmen. Acts Chapter 17 shows
that they were clearly teachers who in the synagogue
taught about Jesus. Paul knew that the new Christians
were watching them. Paul and Silas were on show for
Jesus.
Paul writes: “You paid careful attention to the way we
lived among you,” but he does not stop there. He
continues “and determined to live that way
yourselves.”
So the Thessalonians not only had a preacher and
teacher they had an example in the way to live. Their
new Christians lives had a great pattern because as
Paul continues further “In imitating us, you imitated
the Master.”
I wonder how we go with that. We often become the
preacher or the teacher but we must remember that our
listeners’ eyes are fixed purposely on us. That is a
big challenge for us to accept. We must show how Jesus
lives by the way we live and be confident we are
teaching others plainly how they must live.
But wait there is more. The Thessalonians or Paul or
Silas did not just follow and imitate a model. That
was important but Paul says “Something happened in
you. The Holy Spirit put steel in your convictions”.
It was not only an external, wilful copying or
imitating of Paul and Silas, it was a work done by the
Holy Spirit! The Holy spirit gave them the inner
strength they displayed.
PRAYER:
Spirit of the living God,
Fall afresh on me.
Spirit of the living God,
Fall afresh on me.
Break me, melt me, mold me, fill me;
Spirit of the living God,
Fall afresh on me.
The Salvation Army Song Book: Chorus 53
To be like Jesus!
This hope possesses me,
In every thought and deed,
This is my aim, my creed;
To be like Jesus!
This hope possesses me,
His Spirit helping me,
Like him I'll be.
The Salvation Army Song Book: Chorus 107
5 When the Message we preached came to you, it wasn't
just words. Something happened in you. The Holy Spirit
put steel in your convictions.
6 and determined to live that way yourselves. In
imitating us, you imitated the Master. Although great
trouble accompanied the Word, you were able to take
great joy from the Holy Spirit!-taking the trouble
with the joy, the joy with the trouble. (1
Thessalonians 1 The Message).
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OzThoughts Tuesday 28th March, 2006
When Paul writes to the Church at Thessalonica, he has
a very special knowledge about them. He writes:
It is clear to us, friends, that God not only loves
you very much but also has put his hand on you for
something special. (1 Thessalonians 1: 4 The Message).
Sometimes, I get the feeling I just want to rest in
God’s love. I want to enjoy all his gifts to me.
I live in a tourist city with an estimated 20 million
visitors a year. I see people just enjoying themselves
all around me. Some of our visitors are retired,
others are taking some annual leave and getting the
sand between their toes, and the refreshing feel of
salt water. Others choose the coolness and solitude of
the rainforest, while others choose the busy shopping
mall to find something different or a bargain or two.
Their rest and leisure creates work for others. So it
has its benefits.
Paul reminds that Thessalonians that they can not only
enjoy God’s love but he “also has put his hand on you
for something special.”
Is there a “something more” experience for us when we
rest in God’s love? Is it that we are not only to
count our blessings but use them for God. Are we open
to feel God’s hand on us?
PRAYER:
Father, touch me again that I may know your special
interest in what I do for you. Guide me into some
useful service for your Kingdom’s sake. Amen.
MEDITATION:
Touch me with thy healing hand, Lord,
Take the life I fully yield,
Teach thy word and tell thy will, Lord,
Test the heart that thou hast sealed.
Chorus
In me, Lord, in me, Lord,
Thy will fulfil in me, Lord.
Melt the hardness and the coldness,
Mold the life I yield to thee,
Mark for pureness and for boldness,
Make thy presence felt in me.
Show me how to win the lost ones,
Send me where I ought to go,
Satisfy my deepest longings,
Sanctifying power bestow.
Feed me with the bread of Heaven,
Fill me with thy love divine,
Fit me for yet wider service,
Finish, Lord, this work of thine.
Author: Hugh Sladen (1878-1962)
The Salvation Army Song Book: Song Number: 531
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OzThoughts Monday 27th March, 2006
It was a positive note we commenced on as we met for
worship at the Temple yesterday. The Band played the
march “The Evangelist” which features a chorus about
our personal responsibility for bring people to
Christ. Then the congregation sang of our faith as we
sang the song which has this chorus:
But I know whom I have believed,
And am persuaded that he is able
To keep that which I've committed
Unto him against that day. (Song 730).
Something else which I carry from the time of worship
is the beautiful song “His Provision” which was sung
by the Songsters. I am sure I will sing more than a
few phrases from this song during the week. What a
wonderful thing it is to be reminded of God’s care for
us through his Holy Spirit.
When we turned to the Scriptures, we turned to 1
Thessalonians Chapter 1 and read of Paul thanking God
for the church as Thessalonica and telling them how
other Christians looked up to them.
We were challenged as to what would people think of
us. Focusing on our Sunday worship, our Corps Officer
reminded us that we have many visitors, even from
inter state and overseas who visit us. What is the
impression they carry with them when they leave?
My immediate thoughts were that many come back time
and time again. Some have joined our activities during
the week. Others have joined our weekday and night
activities and through that found themselves in
church, worshipping alongside us of a Sunday. However,
many do not come back. We do not know why. God does,
however.
As I come to this week, I wonder what is the
impression, I leave with people I meet. I hope to be
seen as friendly, helpful and caring. With God’s help
this week, I hope to be seen as one of his children.
PRAYER:
At the moment of my weakness,
When my need for pow'r is plain.
And my own strength is exhausted once again.
Then my Lord has made provision,
For the day of my despair.
And his precious Holy Spirit hears my Prayer.
Holy Spirit Promised Presence fall on me,
Holy Spirit Make me all I long to be.
Holy Spirit Holy Spirit,
Give your power to me O Holy Spirit.
When the darkness falls around me,
When bewildered and afraid.
When I feel the most deserted and betrayed.
Then my ev'ry need is answered,
By God's providential care.
And his precious Holy Spirit hears my Prayer.
Nothing now can rob God’s servant,
Of the peace that He bequeaths.
Nothing take away the strength His presence breathes,
Of the everlasting arms of love.
I'm daily made aware,
And his precious Holy Spirit hears my Prayer.
Holy Spirit Promised Presence fall on me,
Holy Spirit Make me all I long to be.
Holy Spirit Holy Spirit,
Give your power to me O Holy Spirit.
(Written by John Gowans)
Amen! Amen! Amen!
Meditation:
1 Thessalonians 1 (The Message)
1 I, Paul, together here with Silas and Timothy,
send greetings to the church at Thessalonica,
Christians assembled by God the Father and by the
Master, Jesus Christ. God's amazing grace be with you!
God's robust peace!
2 Every time we think of you, we thank God for you.
Day and night you're in our prayers
3 as we call to mind your work of faith, your labor of
love, and your patience of hope in following our
Master, Jesus Christ, before God our Father.
4 It is clear to us, friends, that God not only loves
you very much but also has put his hand on you for
something special.
5 When the Message we preached came to you, it
wasn't just words. Something happened in you. The Holy
Spirit put steel in your convictions.
You paid careful attention to the way we lived
among you,
6 and determined to live that way yourselves. In
imitating us, you imitated the Master. Although great
trouble accompanied the Word, you were able to take
great joy from the Holy Spirit!-taking the trouble
with the joy, the joy with the trouble.
7 Do you know that all over the provinces of both
Macedonia and Achaia believers look up to you? 8 The
word has gotten around. Your lives are echoing the
Master's Word, not only in the provinces but all over
the place. The news of your faith in God is out. We
don't even have to say anything anymore--you're the
message!
9 People come up and tell us how you received us with
open arms, how you deserted the dead idols of your old
life so you could embrace and serve God, the true God.
10 They marvel at how expectantly you await the
arrival of his Son, whom he raised from the
dead--Jesus, who rescued us from certain doom.
I know not why God's wondrous grace
To me he hath made known;
Nor why, unworthy of such grace,
He claimed me for his own.
Chorus
But I know whom I have believed,
And am persuaded that he is able
To keep that which I've committed
Unto him against that day.
I know not how this saving faith
To me he did impart,
Nor how believing in his word
Wrought peace within my heart.
I know not how the Spirit moves,
Convincing men of sin;
Revealing Jesus through the word,
Creating faith in him.
I know not what of good or ill
May be reserved for me,
Of weary ways or golden days,
Before his face I see.
Author: Daniel Webster Whittle (1840-1901)
The Salvation Army Song Book: Song Number: 730
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