Spiritual Gifts

Hope you were encouraged and spurred on in your faith by our talk on spiritual gifts at Sunday @ 6 last night or at any of our services.

Do you know what your spiritual gift or gifts are? If not, be brave! Ask a Christian friend you love and trust to get their opinion - someone who will give you honest, truthful feedback. Pray to God and ask him too! And try out your gifts and you may discover you have a real passion for something (eg welcoming new people or encouraging others in their faith).

A Quick Silly Quiz!

To find out what supervillain you are, go to

http://www.thesuperheroquiz.com/villain/

Post up who you turn out as!

God and You: Being Connected

A few weeks ago in the USA, Apple introduced its new iPhone. Did you know Apple sold over 270,000 iPhones in the first 30 hours of sale - that's about two sold per second! Clearly people want to be connected to each other with a mobile phone, and they want a nice way of connecting! The iPhone is easy to use, pretty-looking and is a mulitpurpose device that seems to suit all of its users' needs.

At Senior High last Monday we looked at how we are connected to God through Jesus. We read about the image of the vine in John 15:1-20. We saw that:

• God is the gardener, or - to use iPhone talk - he is the best keeper of networks ever!
• Jesus is the only connection to God the Father
• We are in Jesus - that is, we are a branch of the vine, or like a mobile phone user connected to God's service!
• If we disconnect to God we can do nothing on our own - there is no connection or service! Our lives go dead!
• If we remain in him he will remain in us
• God chose us personally to be part of his network through Jesus
• God is not a big brother horrible God with us his slaves but a friend, a personal God (thanks for this point Ashleigh McGill)
• God asks us to love each other 'as I have loved you'
• As his disciples - connected to him and actually in him, like a branch is a living part of a vine (see picture above) - we begin to bear fruit for Jesus!
• This fruit is love for Jesus, hope in Jesus, faith, and things like
  love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23)
• Like any good gardener, God will prune us now and then and that will hurt.
• But he does that so we will eventually bear more fruit for him.

Are you being pruned at the moment? Does it hurt? Although it is hard, know that this is for your benefit, to make you bear fruit for the living God, who personally chose you to receive the benefits of his 'kingdom network'.

He's Back!

This Sunday @ 6 Richard Mills returns! He'll be leading our service. And there's something different about him...see for yourself this coming Sunday night.

Catherine Laughlin is also going to speak to us about her mission trip with students from Bowral Christian High School to the Northern Territory.

Andrew will be speaking this Sunday night on the spiritual gifts we receive from God. Listen out for his 'top 10 gifts I wish I had' list...

See you there.

This Sunday @ 6...

...Elyse Bywater will be leading our service and Andrew will be speaking on the topic of 'Are Christians Cannibals?'. It will be a discussion on the Lord's Supper and its significance in our Christian life.

A great way to be prepared for Sunday @ 6 would be to read our passage - 1 Corinthians 11:17-34.

Look forward to seeing you there.

God and You: Stumbling block principle brings real results!

Over the last few weeks in our sermon series on 1 Corinthians we’ve looked at stuff like ‘the Stumbling Block Principle’ of Paul.

It’s really important for us to remember that when we use that principle, good things happen.

In Acts 15, Peter tells the Council of Jerusalem that anyone – whether a Jewish person or non-Jewish – can turn to Jesus and be saved. But some people had other ideas.

"They have to be circumcised, according to the Law of Moses", they said*.

Why did they say this? Perhaps they were a bit alarmed at the freedom non-Jewish people were exercising in their faith.

In contrast, the Jewish believers were still fresh from observing all the Jewish customs and were finding it hard to break away.

To cut a long story short – the Council decides to apply what we know as ‘the stumbling block principle’! And it has a wonderful effect on Christians everywhere!

The council sends a decree to the new Gentile Christians, saying they are pleased they are saved by grace, but asking them to voluntarily steer clear of a few things that would really truly cause offence to the Jews.

"We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are…It is my judgment, therefore, that we should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God. Instead we should write to them, telling them to abstain from food polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from the meat of strangled animals and from blood. (Acts 15:11; 19-20)

In this way, the Gentiles would care for the 'weaker' Jewish Christians.

Because of applying the ‘stumbling block principle’ so that Jewish people were cared for, here’s what happened:

As they traveled from town to town, they delivered the decisions reached by the apostles and elders in Jerusalem for the people to obey. So the churches were strengthened in the faith and grew daily in numbers. Acts 16:4-5

Just remember from this example in Acts: when we obey God’s word and care and build up our brothers and sisters in Christ, good things happen.

*Acts 15:1

God and You will Be Posted Thursday!

Coming Soon to the New MAC Centre

www.stevemorrison.com.au

Here Is...Tony Parks! (Part 2)

What is your story with following Jesus?

I was brought up in the Catholic Church so I knew God when I was young – but for a long time through High School I never went to church. Things were going good and I guess God was just left out. In year 10 and 11 things got a little harder. School was hard and I didn’t like it much. The fun things which my friends and I used to do as kids were now getting to old for us to do. Even ‘though I had people around me who loved me I felt very alone and down.

But it was at this time of questioning that God really drew me in. So it was a rainy cold day when I was feeling like crap, sitting in my room, when I started to read my school bible. Then I read a bit more and a little more. And I guess that’s how it got started. Not long after this one of my friends from school who was not a Christian heard of the youth group at Mittagong Anglican Church and all the cool stuff they were doing, so I went along with him as much to hear about God and what Anglicans believe as to get out of the house.

I was blessed really that God brought me to a place where I met some amazing Christians. Mark Adam was running the youth group and what an awesome encouragement he and the other youth leaders were. I can remember just having great conversations with Mark, Fuzz, Josh and Dan and the other leaders in their cars to and from youth group events.

At Harvest 2000 I got up and went down the front when they asked people to commit their lives to Jesus. The next day when I was at home in my room I talked to God for ages and I pretty much said “From now on it’s me and you”. I mad a promise that I was always going to love and serve him and he was going to be my God. I said I would never leave him if he would never leave me.

The start of my Christian life was exciting and I was always full on. I felt God very powerfully in me, working in my life. I started to go to bible study which was just up the street, and every day in study class I would read my bible the whole time – so growth happened very quickly.

SO that’s about it, I am still following God 7 years later. Someone once said being a Christian is like being married – it’s a lifelong relationship which you have to work at, it takes a whole lot of work sometimes but other times you just know it’s the only place to be and it really makes life worth living.

What's a favourite Bible verse?

Hard to say – but Romans 10:11 is encouraging:

For the Scripture says, "Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame."

Chris Tomlin Interview

For an interview with Chris Tomlin on how he wrote the song How Great is Our God (sung at Sunday @ 6) click here.

God and You: Being All Alone

(Contributed by Cecily Paterson)

The story of Elijah is very instructive for anyone who is feeling alone, isolated and misunderstood.

Elijah replied, "I have zealously served the LORD God Almighty. But the people of Israel have broken their covenant with you, torn down your altars, and killed every one of your prophets. I alone am left, and now they are trying to kill me, too."

1 Kings 19:10

Elijah feels alone. He’s dwelling on his isolation, and it’s making him almost arrogant. He’s getting into a sense of forced melancholy – sort of crisis, panic, super-drama. It’s an easy state for any of us to find ourselves in.“I’m the only one who really understands the world, who really sees the problems in Australia, who really has a relationship with God that means something, who’s really suffered, who really.... " Well, you fill in the blank.

It's so easy to find ourselves the hero of an exaggerated super-drama.But God did not leave Elijah alone. He does not leave us alone either. We would have to go far to be completely isolated. There is always someone to stand with - others who love God. Why did Elijah not make an effort to find others who were the same as him and seek refuge with them? I don’t know. Maybe fear of being rejected, killed or persecuted? Maybe it was pride. In a dramatic way, it’s kind of cool to be the only one left! The single hero, solitary figure, misunderstood.

There are heaps of movies are built on that romantic ideal. But interestingly, the single, solitary, misunderstood hero is always seriously flawed - as a result of their isolation. It might be cool or interesting to be isolated for a while. But you will die of it in the end. It was the grace of God that told Elijah there were 500 others who followed him. Not just two or three. But 500!

There are plenty of people around who we can stand with too. We have to face our fears and our pride and go out and identify ourselves with them.

(15 points for naming the location in the picture)

Here Is...Tony Parks! (Part 1)

Tell us about yourself:

Well I was born Anthony John Parks in Ipswich, Queensland to iconic Australian parents (mum was and still is a schoolteacher, dad was a miner). Dad’s mum got sick when I was about 5 or 6 so dad got a job at the Berrima Colliery and we moved to the Southern Highlands.

I had a great childhood. I spent all my spare time riding my pushbike, building cubbyhouses and billycarts and climbing trees, like kids are supposed to do!

I finished year 12 in 2001 and had a variety of jobs after that which included being a factory hand, a delivery driver, trades assistant, installing skylights and insulation (worst job in the world!) and I joined the army reserves too.

In 2005 I started a linesman’s apprenticeship with Integral Energy which was a huge blessing from God – it is a wonderful job. It combines the things I like such as heights and electrical things. Not a day goes by where I am not grateful to God for giving me such an opportunity.

So that is where I am at now, I still live at home with my folks and my little sister Renee. My brother Clinton is at NSW Uni and my sister Alicia is at Charles Sturt Uni in Orange. I have an awesome family which is also another huge blessing in my life – I am not sure what I would do without them.

Do you have hobbies?

Well work keeps me pretty busy but in my spare time I love to fish and fish and fish a little more. Lately I have been getting into rock climbing and abseiling after I bought ropes a few months ago. I’ve been up the Gib a few times doing that which is very fun. I like to cycle when it is warm and am trying to get strong so I work out in our garage a few times a week. I also love to play Settlers (the board game). I play a couple of times a week with mum and Renee…not boasting or anything but my record is impressive! I also love to read – not that I do it overly much but Nan bought me a Bryce Courtenay book which was a great read. Pay the Devil by Jack Higgins also kept my interest.

Not being a suck but God is a huge passion in my life. I love reading the Old Testament stories of God’s faithful people like Abraham, David, Job, Gideon, and others. I love seeing how God can use people so powerfully and to do amazing things. At the moment I am reading Luke which is encouraging.

For how Tony became a Christian, stay tuned for part 2 soon!

Peter Bull This Coming Sunday!

This coming Sunday @ 6 we'll be hearing Peter Bull preach on a difficult passage in the Bible - 1 Corinthians 11:2-16.

Why not read the passage before Sunday? This will really help you get your head around the passage before Peter talks about it with us.

Pray for Peter as he prepares. Look forward to seeing you there!

5 points to guess where this is (hard!). 20 points for the name of the building it is taken from (harder!).

What Coming Up at Sunday @ 6

This Sunday night we'll be hearing about suicide prevention from Daphne Robey. She's going to give us some pointers to watch for with our friends who we think may be in trouble in this department.

Also Janelle is going to speak to us on 1 Corinthians 10:14-11:1 - 'everything is permissible - but not everything is beneficial'.

We'll then share a light supper together and you might want to go out to Shellfish - I mean Swordfish - Cafe or someone's place afterwards to talk about the night and what God has shown you!

Your Favourite Christian Artist(s)

Here's a chance for you to give us your opinion!

Who are your favourite Christian music artists? Who gets the most airplay in your CD or MP3 player? We want to know - please comment below!

God and You: Good God!

Last Sunday we heard from Richard about overcoming temptation. So what happens if you have already fallen into temptation?

Psalm 51 is probably one of the most well-known examples in the Bible of an example of someone who has fallen into temptation, and who truly repents for what he has done to God. It’s great for us to look at and imitate. King David himself writes it, only after his hidden sin is discovered and brought into the open.

David had lusted after a gorgeous woman – Bathsheba - and killed Bathsheba’s husband to have her all for himself! David thought no-one had found out his evil act. But he gets caught out by one of God’s prophets! You can read about this in (click on the verses to read them) 2 Samuel 11 and 12. David pays a tragic price for his sin in 2 Samuel 12:14-18.

People often focus on David and his heartfelt repentance in Psalm 51. This is a good thing. Sin makes us feel dirty, sad, broken, constantly guilty and far from God’s presence. Also, when we sin the person most offended is God himself.

If you read through Psalm 51 you will see David feels this too. He can’t go on with the sin in his life, and he knows only God can wash him clean. Like us when we sin, David wants to be washed clean of the dirtiness he is feeling as a result of his sin. It lingers in him and is making him despair. The most pure, clean thing he can think of is white snow so he says to God, “Wash me (of my dirty insides) and I will be whiter than snow”.

But this psalm tells us a lot more than just David’s reaction to his terrible sin. It tells us about the good God we have! Here are some things about God that are here for us to remember and delight in...

God is a God -

Of steadfast love (v1)
Of abundant mercy (v1)
Blameless in his judgement (v4)
Who delights in truth in our inner being (v6)
Who teaches us wisdom in our secret heart (v6)
Who washes and cleans us of our sin (v7)
Who gives us joy and gladness (v8)
Who creates in us a clean heart and renews a right spirit in us (v10)
Who gives us joy in his salvation of us (v12)!

God is good! He lavishes all these things on you! Why would we want to turn away from his goodness! Yet if you have succumbed to temptation - but then truly turn 180 degrees from our sinful ways (ie repent, like David) - God promises these things for you once more.

STRIVE News

Our STRIVE group for 18-25s will be having a two week break over the holidays.

We will meet again on THURSDAY 19th July at 7.15pm at the rectory.

At STRIVE we study God's word together and also have a time of practical ministry training. we've spent the last term looking at what it takes to lead a bible study group. We'll be doing more of this in term 3 as well as some 'gifts discovery' sessions together!

So if this interests you, you are most welcome to come along in term 3.

Write for FUEL!

Attention budding writers and potential interviewees!

If you like writing and you would like to contribute to FUEL, please send your piece to Andrew Paterson's e-mail address (see MAC Update). Also - if you are interested in being interviewed for FUEL we will send you some questions to answer!

A small sample of things you may want to write on:

• Soapbox - your opinion on an issue happening at the moment
• A book/film/CD/DVD review
• Something you've discovered or enjoyed from the Bible lately
• News about what something God has done in your life lately that you'd like to share
• Or any idea you may have!

Hold Onto God's Promise

Richard reminded us yesterday about God's promise to us in 1 Corinthians 10:13, and encouraged us to learn this verse from memory:

No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.

Richard also reminded us to 'blow out' temptation (like blowing out a newly lit match) when we feel its beginnings.

Was there anything else you were encouraged or challenged by in Richard's sermon?