Reflection on Luke 15:11-32

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Scripture

“We must celebrate with a feast, for this son of mine was dead and has now returned to life. He was lost but now he is found.” So the party began

Observation

To illustrate the point that God loves sinners, Jesus tells the famous story about the prodigal son.

A man had two sons. The younger one demands his share of the family inheritance. He goes away and spends it all on wild living .

This son finds himself in a desperate circumstances and eventually goes home to his father. He realises he deserves nothing from his father, but at least the servants are better off than him.

He goes home. The father runs to meet him, overwhelmed with joy that his lost son has returned.

Big brother is not happy. He has slaved away and never had a party in his honour. But the father points out that the son has always had access to the father and to everything he owns. The younger son, in contrast, was like a dead man who has come back to life.

Application

God loves a party! All through the Bible we find references to feasts and festivals. Of course, the biggest party ever will take place in Heaven when we are all reunited with the Father.

Here in Jesus’ story, there is a father who celebrates the return of his wayward son. There are no lectures or recriminations, no punishment or probation. It’s all joy and celebration.

I’ve never had any children go off the rails. I do have some who moved a long way from home, and it is always a joy when they come back.

My joy is just a tiny fraction of the joy God feels when a sinner turns around and comes back to Him.

Prayer

Lord, I thank you for this expression of the joy that you experienced in your family. May I always make you happy. Amen.

J. Lee Grady: Instead of Spreading Last-Days Fever, Let’s Share Jesus

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John Lee Grady exhorts us to focus on Jesus rather than obsessing with last days madness,

As if the COVID-19 pandemic weren’t enough to spark fears of the end of the world, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine poured gasoline on this fire. Everywhere I go Christians ask me if we are on the verge of World War III. And most of them don’t like my answer: I don’t know. But I’m not worried. I’m keeping my eyes on Jesus no matter what happens!

Ever since I began seriously following Jesus in the 1970s, Christians have been spreading last-days fever. They love to speculate on who the Antichrist is, when the rapture will happen and what our government is doing secretly to stamp us all with the mark of the beast. During the pandemic, people spread rumors that the COVID-19 vaccine is a satanic plot; now Vladimir Putin’s war is supposedly the precursor to Armageddon.

If I suggest that Jesus wants to pour out the Holy Spirit in a fresh way in the midst of these challenging times, some people get angry. They want God to hurry up and judge America!

Why so much pessimism? It’s partly because many people have exchanged their passion for God for a misguided fascination with doomsday eschatology. They latch onto Bible prophecy “experts” who make a living speculating about things nobody knows for sure. This sky-is-falling mindset never produces good fruit. Here are four reasons we should avoid an unhealthy overemphasis on the end times:

Read the full article here

Quote for the Day

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Israel’s elites were the ungrateful servants who, having been tentatively forgiven for not paying the King (God) what they owed Him—honoring the sabbatical year system as a condition of residency in the holy land—nevertheless turned around and sought to coerce every cent owed to them by the poor. Jerry Bowyer

Brian Houston Quits

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This is a sad end to what had been an illustrious ministry. Brian has done a lot for the church, more than just the Hillsong denomination.

None of us is perfect. We all sin and fall short of the glory of God.

From Eternity News:

Brian Houston has resigned as Global Senior Pastor of Hillsong Church following a finding that he had breached the church’s code of conduct for pastors in two instances of inappropriate conduct towards women.

The move was announced in a letter to church members released by the Hillsong global and Australian board on Wednesday.

“We would like to advise you that Pastor Brian Houston has resigned as Global Senior Pastor of Hillsong Church and the board has accepted his resignation,” the email reads.

“We understand there will be much emotion at this news, and we all share these feelings. Irrespective of the circumstances around this, we can all agree that Brian and Bobbie have served God faithfully over many decades and that their ministry has resulted in millions of people across the world being impacted by the power, grace, and love of Jesus Christ.

“Hillsong Church was birthed out of Brian and Bobbie’s obedience and commitment to the call of God and we are extremely grateful for all that Brian and Bobbie have given to build His house. We ask that you continue to pray for them, and the entire Houston family, during this challenging time.”

“We acknowledge that change is needed.” – Hillsong Australian and global board

The email acknowledged that there was still much to be done by the church leadership, which continues to seek God’s wisdom as they set the course for the future.

“We acknowledge that change is needed. We have committed to an independent review of our governance structure and processes, understanding that this is a time of humble reflection and we are committed to doing what is necessary to ensure God is honoured, and our eyes are fixed on Jesus.”

On Sunday, Hillsong’s interim Global Senior Pastor Phil Dooley issued an emotional apology to the two women who had made complaints against Houston over the past ten years.

This followed an email sent to Hillsong Church members on March 18 by the church’s global board, which detailed the two complaints of inappropriate conduct against Houston.

Houston had entered the hotel room of an unidentified woman for 40 minutes while “disoriented” after mixing alcohol with a higher-than-prescribed dose of anti-anxiety medication during the church’s annual conference in 2019.

It remains unclear if Houston and the woman had sex. Houston doesn’t recall having sex, and the woman has not said if they had sex.

The earlier incident involved an “inappropriate text message” Houston sent to a staff member in 2013, which Dooley said was “along the lines of, ‘If I was with you I would like to give you a kiss and a cuddle or a hug.’” The woman resigned soon afterwards and Houston personally paid her the equivalent of two months’ salary.

Read the full article here

Great News For Cotton

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The drought emptied dams and left cotton growers, and other farmers, in a parlous state. After a very wet summer, things are turning around.

From Stock Journal:

IT HAS been a roller-coaster growing season for Australia’s cotton producers but leading into the defoliation period prior to harvest the industry is upbeat about prospects.

“We were a little nervous at Christmas, it had been cool and we were worried about missing out on some of that optimum flowering period but things turned around nicely and the crops are now looking good in the final part of the growing season,” said Cotton Seed Distributors (CSD) NSW extension and development manager Jorian Millyard.

Mr Millyard’s sentiments have been backed by the latest report from the Australia Bureau of Agricultural Resource Economics and Sciences (ABARES) crop report, which found that there is likely to be a monster jump in Australian cotton production in 2021-22.

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ABARES is forecasting a 91 per cent year on year increase in production, to 1.16 million tonnes, with a 75pc increase in Queensland and a 94pc rise in NSW, on the proviso of a relatively dry finish.

Mr Millyard said there were good plantings on the back of high allocations of irrigation water, while the wet summer has meant dryland cotton has also come into its own.

He said gross margins were likely to be healthy based on current high cotton prices.

Cotton producers received another boost this week with hefty gains in international futures on the back of a big lift in US exports to China.

With cotton from China’s major production region in Xinjiang province under embargo in many places China is being forced to look elsewhere for demand for its textile industry

This includes imports from the US at present and most likely Australia once our crop comes on line.

However, while things are looking rosy now, Mr Millyard said there had been plenty of nervy moments along the way.

“Different valleys have had different issues, but we’ve had a few issues with flooding and the associated disease pressures you see with these wet years.”

“In terms of the flooding the Namoi was probably the worst hit along with the western Gwydir, while up into Queensland we’ve obviously seen the issues in the Lockyer Valley in recent weeks and there was some nasty hail late last year that caused isolated severe damage, however overall things are good.”

Mr Millyard said while there had been slightly less than optimum heat on the crop the absence of extreme temperatures had made up for it.

“We’ve had a really mild summer and the crop hasn’t had to withstand that intense heat we can sometimes get, so that has been a real positive for growth in terms of things like flower development and boll size.”

Read the rest of the article here

Reflection on 2 Corinthians 5:11-21

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Scripture

This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun.

Observation

Paul recognises the fearful responsibility the Lord has laid on him, so he works hard to persuade other people.

Christ died for all, so we have all died to our old life. He died for all so that those who receive the new life will live for Christ and not for themselves.

Everyone who belongs to Christ is a new person. The old life is gone, and a new life has begun. All of this is God’s gift. God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself.

We are Christ’s ambassadors. We speak for Christ when we urge people to turn to the Lord.

Application

When I became a Christian, I became a new person. The old life came to an end and a new life began.

I am not held in captivity by my old nature. No, I am set free to live the perfect and righteous life that God intended for me. I am free to live to the glory of God.

Of course, I have not yet learnt how to live in perfection. Like a horror movie, my old nature keeps reaching out to reclaim me.

Thankfully, God is gracious. He continues to forgive my sins, not counting them against me. If we confess our sins, God is faithful and will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.(See 1 John 1:9)

Prayer

Thank you Jesus for raising me to a new life. My old life is gone and a new life is here. Hallelujah! Amen.

Quote for the Day

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It is important to notice Jesus declared the salvation of Zacchaeus’s house only after he offered four-fold restitution to the defrauded poor. Repentance was necessary, because Zacchaeus was guilty. He defrauded. That’s why Zacchaeus knew which sin to repent. Jerry Bowyer

Reflection on Joshua 5:1-12

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Scripture

The very next day they began to eat unleavened bread and roasted grain harvested from the land. No manna appeared on the day they first ate from the crops of the land, and it was never seen again. So from that time on, the Israelites ate from the crops of Canaan.

Observation

The Lord tells Joshua to circumcise the Israelite men. All the men who had been old enough to fight in battle when they left Egypt had been circumcised, but they were now dead. The next generation born in the wilderness had not been circumcised.

The Lord then says to Joshua,”Now I have rolled away the shame of your slavery in Egypt.”

There at Gilgal, the Israelites celebrate Passover for the first time in the Promised Land. The next day they begin to eat unleavened bread and roasted grain harvested from the land. That day, the manna stops and is never seen again.

Application

Gods provision of manna over the forty years in the wilderness had never failed. Like clockwork, every morning except the Sabbath, it appeared.

Suddenly, this free gift is taken away, because it is no longer needed. Instead, God has provided for them grain ready to be harvested, His first provision in the land flowing with milk and honey.

Gods provision is always adequate for what we need. When one form of provision ends, another takes its place.

He is faithful. He loves us and desires to meet our needs .

We never have to be afraid that He will let us down.

Prayer

Thank you Father for your extraordinary grace. In you I will always have enough. Amen.