The brisk southerly wind made riding interesting this morning. My slowest km I averaged 16 km/hr, but the fastest, on the highway coming home, was 36 km/hr π€ #cycling #Narrabri #Biketooter
Today’s Bike Ride
Quote for the Day
While the Spirit’s power seemed to ebb and flow and even go underground for generations, the Holy Spirit has been at work throughout history and has made Himself evident in our generation. Stephen Strang
Today’s Bike Ride
Energetic ride to the telescope today. These are some pigs that have been on the loose since Friday. The Council rangers were looking at them, trying to work out how to handle them. #cycling #Narrabri #Biketooter
Today’s Sermon
The Voice Is Silenced
Yesterday, Australia voted in a referendum to change our constitution to include a so-called Voice to Parliament. The Voice would have been effectively a third chamber of Parliament that represented the concerns of indigenous people, able to veto any legislation or executive action of the Australian Government.
This referendum will go down as Australia’s Brexit moment. As with the Brexit vote in the UK, the ordinary people of Australia told their elite overlords to get out of identity politics and the “woke” agenda and start listening to the people who pay for all this stuff.
There are many reasons why the Voice is wrong in principle, including the following:
- It gives one group of people extra rights not enjoyed by others
- The aboriginal industry has over 1000 groups paid for by tax payers already
- In Parliament, the proportion of indigenous Members and Senators exceeds the proportion of the general population. If they cannot be a “Voice” to the Government, (their job description is literally to represent the interests of their electorate), then who can?
- The Voice would not solve the problems of remote aborigines who are the 20% who comprise the gap between mainstream Australia and indigenous Australia
- The Voice would just be a talk fest for the inner city elites who already have plenty of platforms to voice their grievances
In Australia, constitutional change is difficult to achieve. As well as getting a national majority in favour, proponents must also win a majority in a majority of states (i.e. 4 out of 6 states). To achieve that, history shows that both sides of politic need to be actively in favour. In this case they weren’t.
So here are the results from the AEC web site as of close of counting on Saturday night. The vast majority of votes have been counted, but the result cannot be officially declared for two weeks until postal votes are included.
Overall, the vote was about 60% “No” nationally and in every state. Even Victoria, the wokest state ended up 54% “No”. Early in counting, it almost looked like it would be about 50-50, but the later counting brought it more into line with the rest of the country.
Interestingly SA and WA which were the two states that the “Yes” campaign had to win to ensure the majority of states, they had an even greater “No” vote. In other words, the more people saw of this proposal, the more likely they were to reject it.
If you go to the last line in the table you see the ACT vote. They were the exact opposite of the rest of the country- 60% “Yes”. The Canberra bubble is the cause of most of the problems in this country. Dominated by the bureaucracy, the ACT is exactly out of step with the rest of the nation. It must surely be time to dismantle Canberra- that would be a constitutional change that could get through.
Reflection on 2 Corinthians 7: 8- 16
Scripture
For the kind of sorrow God wants us to experience leads us away from Ssn and results in salvation. There’s no regret in that kind of sorrow. But worldly sorrow, which lacks repentance, results spiritual death.
Observation
Paul is not sorry that he sent his severe letter to the Corinthians. He was sorry at first because he caused them pain. But the pain caused them to repent and change their ways, so Paul is now glad.
Godly sorrow leads us away from sin and towards God. But worldly sorrow has no repentance and results in spiritual death.
In the case of the Corinthians, godly sorrow produced earnestness and zeal.
Titus was also happy about the way they received him. Paulβs boasting to Titus about the Corinthians proved true.
Application
There are two ways in which we can be sorry about sin β the worldβs way and God’s way.
In the world’s way, people may be sorry even remorseful for their sin. This relates to the consequences of being caught or feelings of guilt. They might be sorry for their sins, but do not relate it to God. Worldly sorrow leads to death it misses repentance.
Repentance is the acknowledgement that my sin is offensive to God. The Greek word means literally to change our thinking. What we once considered to be good or pleasurable we now recognise is evil in Godβs eyes. Therefore we make a decision to leave that sin in order to stop displeasing God.
Godly sorrow contains this idea of repentance. We recognise that our sin separates us from God, and we desire to return to fellowship with Him.
We need to repent of our sins daily. This is not a one-off at the start of the journey, but a life long process of course corrections as we seek to follow the Lord.
Prayer
Dear Lord, I recognise that my sins are offensive to you. I repent now and ask you to forgive me Amen.
Quote for the Day
The one word that differentiates Christianity from the other world religions is love. Other religions demand rituals and behaviours that follow a rigid set of rules. But when one is welcomed into the family of God, it is His love that invites us. Stephen Strang
Quote for the Day
Spirit – led living is knowing who you are in Christ and having confidence that the Holy Spirit in you is greater than anything you face in the world. Stephen Strang
Reflection on 2 Corinthians 7: 1-7
Scripture
Because we have these promises, dear friends, let us cleanse ourselves from everything that can defile our body or spirit. And let us work towards complete holiness because we fear God.
Observation
We have these promises from God (6:16–18) that God will dwell with us, that we are His people, and that God is our Father. therefore, we must cleanse ourselves from everything that will defile us and become completely holy.
Paul again asks the Corinthians to open their hearts to him. He is confident in them and takes pride in them. In Macedonia, Paul faced conflict on every side. He was encouraged when Titus arrived with the news of how the Corinthians longed to see him, and how they repented for what had happened. Paul’s heart was filled with joy.
Application
Many Christians see faith as a blessing machine. We sign up to Jesus and then He gives us all that we need. These people donβt see the need for a changed life. Paul he says it is exactly because of the promises of God that we that we must pursue a live of holiness.
God promises to be our God and our Father, so so we must make ourselves holy. Various sins defile us in body and in spirit, so we must put them away to remain holy before the Lord
The motivation for this is because we fear God. God has the power to destroy us in body and spirit. He can condemn us to the terrors of Hell. Therefore, He is to be feared.
We do not live in terror of God, because He loves us. We have experienced His love and grace. He limits His power to destroy those who walk in covenant with Him, because He loves us. We must not take that love for granted, however.
Prayer
Lord, I love you. Please show me how to become more like you, to become holy as you are holy. Amen.
Today’s Bike Ride
A bit windy today, so it was like riding up and down hills at times. I saw four pigs on the loose near Culgoora Road which is a bit unusual… Raw bacon ο#cycling #Narrabri #Biketooter
New Life Narrabri 