St Paul's Lutheran Church, Box Hill in Box Hill, Victoria | Religious centre

St Paul's Lutheran Church, Box Hill

Locality: Box Hill, Victoria

Phone: +61 3 9899 0623

Address: 1201 Riversdale Road 3128 Box Hill, VIC, Australia

Website: http://www.stpaulsboxhill.org.au/

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20.05.2022 Spaces available at our mainly music program this term. Contact Keren for more info.

11.05.2022 Position Available Volunteer and Business Manager - 0.8 FTE St Paul's Lutheran Church Box Hill is seeking a dedicated and proactive person to fill the role of Volunteer and Business Manager. Overseeing the office management and business aspects of St Paul’s, you will be responsible for managing operating budgets, compliance, policies and procedures, and volunteer relationships, recruitment and support. You will ensure meaningful management and reporting of financial results..., compliance with LCA policies and other legislative requirements and will develop and manage volunteer support systems. All tasks are undertaken to support and build on the mission of St Paul’s Lutheran Church, Box Hill. Experience of both financial and personnel management of an operating business, department or volunteer organisation is essential. For further information and a copy of the position description please contact the St Pauls Vice Chair, Kathy Harrison on [email protected] or 0419 359 149.

25.01.2022 July 22 Read Ezekiel 17:1-15 Say to this rebellious people, Do you not know what these things mean? Verse 12 God is always faithful to his covenant people. A covenant is meant to be an agreement or promise between two parties to which both sides are bound to be faithful its like a marriage. However, the Old Testament is the history of Gods one sided faithfulness to his rebellious people. Thankfully, the Old Testament also holds the promise of Gods new covenant with a...ll people. We read about this promise if we read on from the allegory in these verses from Ezekiel 17. We read in verses 22-24 that God himself will plant a shoot from the very top of the cedar, and make the dry tree flourish. As God says in Isaiah 11, A shoot will come from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit. The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him. Both these prophecies point directly to Jesus, the fulfillment of Gods new covenant. Jesus paid the price for our unfaithfulness and freely offers us forgiveness and reconciliation. Let us pray that daily we may be renewed by the Holy Spirit to live in this grace. See more

24.01.2022 July 1 Read John 13:12-20 I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. Verse 15 Have you ever had the wonderful experience of being mentored by someone you really respected? Good mentors not only tell you how you should live, they show you by their own example. They walk with you. They encourage you. Theyre there for you. As Christians, each of us is blessed to have Jesus as our mentor. He shows us how to live. Even more, he empowers us through the... Holy Spirit to follow the example that he gives us. But most important of all, he forgives us when we fail, stumble and fall. By his death on the cross, he frees us of guilt and shame and our own sense of inadequacy. So what is the example that Jesus gives us? In these verses, we read of Jesus humility as he lovingly stoops down to wash his disciples feet even the feet of those who would deny him, betray him and desert him. Its a tall order, but we dont face this alone. Jesus walks with us. See more

22.01.2022 Join Professor Wendy Mayer on Zoom on Monday 3 August for a research seminar on Narrative Patterns in Religious Conflict. Everyone is very welcome to attend. RS...VP by Friday 31 July. To view up-to-date information on ALCs upcoming research events, click: https://alc.edu.au/research/research-events/

22.01.2022 I’m taking a break from posting daily devotions on this Facebook page for a time. Previous devotions are still available on this page. Thank you. Dania Ahern

21.01.2022 Martin Luthers morning prayer. Thank you St Johns Unley for this beautiful prayer.

21.01.2022 July 2 Read 1 John 3:11-18 This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. Verse 16 Our view of life and love has so much to do with how we were brought up, our experiences in school, our success or failure in relationships and our sense of belonging or not in community. If we rely on our own definition of what love is, it will be skewed by all of these and more. So here John gives us the true definition of what love is: Jesus Christ laid down ...his life for us. The Messiah, God with us, the One who is love, gave up every last bit of himself because he is indeed love. Love that is so true and so great and so pure that he couldnt live without us. So he had to die for us. This is love. Whatever hand you have been dealt in life, the love of God in Christ Jesus can restore and heal you and reconcile you to himself and yourself. See more

20.01.2022 July 19 Read Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43 But he said, No, lest in gathering the weeds you root up the wheat along with them. Verse 29 It seems to be part of our human nature that we can be quick to judge. Thankfully, God is much more patient than us! In this parable, the master doesnt seem to be in any hurry at all to pull out the weeds, in case some wheat is mistakenly pulled out as well. The master warns his servants not to be hasty in their judgement. Imagine if it was up... to others to pronounce judgement on our life! Sometimes, we might think were doing pretty well, but not everyone judges us so kindly. If we take a good look at ourselves, we know that we too often fall short of our own standards, far less Gods! We can be thankful that Gods judgement is totally based on the redemptive work of Jesus on the cross, whose blood washes us clean of our sinfulness. As it says in Galatians 3; For in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. So, this parable is encouraging for us, both assuring us of the holy nature of God, and reminding us to daily seek forgiveness and new life in Christ. See more

18.01.2022 July 26 Read Matthew 13:31-33, 44-52 Jesus told them another parable: ’The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into about sixty pounds of flour until it worked all through the dough.’ Verse 33 This parable could be called the Lockdown Parable. Apparently one of the most common searches on web browsers during the COVID 19 lockdown is for sourdough recipes. It would seem that everyone wants to be making bread and not just any bread, but sourdough b...read. The idea behind sourdough bread is to capture the good yeasts floating in the atmosphere into a flour and water mixture; then feeding and nurturing the yeasts in the mixture to do their stuff and make our bread rise. What a wonderful parable of the kingdom of heaven! We could say that God’s word is like those good yeasts and we are the flour and water. His word, by the power of the Holy Spirit, creates faith in our hearts, growing us into being a new creation in Christ. During this new lockdown in Melbourne, may we be exposed to God’s good yeast his word and may it grow hope, faith and love in us, regardless of circumstances. See more

18.01.2022 July 16 - Read Hebrews 4:9-13 There remains, then, a Sabbath rest for the people of God. Verse 9 In these days of ISO, many people are working or studying from home. The daily commute looks a bit like bed to desk to bed. The family dog is tired from being dragged on endless walks by family members taking their permissible daily exercise. Even church is no further away than the sofa. We dont need Sabbath rest-we need excitement! We want to get out on an adventure! And yet we ...know that the levels of stress and anxiety from being cooped up are taking their toll. Theres financial stress and fears of job security. Restless nights worrying about the health and welfare of family and friends are exhausting. Many of us are experiencing a whole different type of fatigue. We are assured here that God still offers Sabbath rest for his people. Rest from carrying the worries of the world. Rest from fear and anxiety about tomorrow, far less the future. We can rest, knowing that Jesus, out of his unfathomably great love for us, carried all our cares and fears on his shoulders, even as he was nailed to the cross. Jesus still calls us to come to him and rest. See more

17.01.2022 July 9 Read Luke 14:7-14 When Jesus noticed how the guests picked the places of honour at the table, he told the, this parable.Verse 7 Two words can sound so similar, but theres a huge difference between humility and humiliation. In these verses, Jesus gives us clear examples of these words. Humiliation comes when we think of ourselves more than we should. Humility comes when we allow God to grow his good fruit in us so we can see ourselves, and others, the way God sees us. Jesus mission on earth was to proclaim Good News to the poor, to bind up the broken hearted, to proclaim freedom to the captives, to comfort those who mourn. In humility and complete dependence on Gods grace, we are now his called and equipped mission-aries, inviting the poor, the crippled, the lame and the blind to Gods banqueting table.

17.01.2022 22 July District eNews please click the link below to District eNews. https://lcaenews.createsend.com//reports/viewCampaign.aspx You can subscribe to District... eNews at the link below www.lca.org.au//communicatio/enews-single-subscribe-form/ See more

17.01.2022 Trivia Night is on THIS Saturday. So come and join us. You can organise your own group or we can put you into groups on Zoom. So BYO snacks and we will organise the rest. Its only 5 rounds with some fun mini games in between. Cant wait to see you all there.

17.01.2022 July 12 Read Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23 Then Jesus told them many things in parables, saying: farmer went out to sow his seed. Verse 3 What sort of soil are you? Sometimes we could be any one of the four different soils in Jesus parable. There might be times when we just dont want to get it, and turn away from God. There might be times when were doing really well and feeling very joyful, but all too soon, we are distracted and yet again, turn away. Or there might be times... when all the good and all the bad stuff in life harasses us for our attention, and yet again we turn away from God. And then there are times when our soil is good its been well dug, with compost and manure added, well weeded and ready to give a bountiful crop. Yet through it all, the seed continues to be sown through Gods faithfulness and grace. Gods grace is also at work in our soil through his means of grace. We are reminded of our baptism. We are encouraged to read and hear his Word. We can hopefully soon again join with Gods people in the sacrament of Jesus body and blood and in fellowship and prayer. Through these means, God is working our soil to produce a crop pleasing to him! See more

16.01.2022 July 11 Read Psalm 65 You care for the land and water it; you enrich it abundantly. The streams of God are filled with water to provide the people with grain, for so you have ordained it. Verse 9 Our hearts rightly can be overwhelmed with gratitude to God, and his provision of all our needs. When times are good and theres food on the table, its not so hard to say Grace, giving thanks to God for the bounty before us. It should be evident to us that God provides for all o...ur needs in this country we are so very blessed with fresh food and everything else we need to sustain life. Why then are we so very tempted to panic buy when we hear on the news that during this pandemic, people are stockpiling toilet paper and pasta? This is such a fearful, worldly response! And yet, we too are tempted to doubt Gods provision. When Jesus taught us to pray, he included the words, Give us today our daily bread. This doesnt mean we wait around for bread to drop from the sky. Rather, it reassures us that God cares about every detail of our lives even the seemingly trivial. God has so ordained it that we can trust him and come to him in prayer when we feel anxious or troubled in these difficult times. We can come to him in prayer when we cant see how the next bill will get payed. We can come to him in prayer when it all gets too difficult. God does provide even in ways we least expect. See more

15.01.2022 July 26 Read Matthew 13:31-33, 44-52 Jesus told them another parable: The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into about sixty pounds of flour until it worked all through the dough. Verse 33 This parable could be called the Lockdown Parable. Apparently one of the most common searches on web browsers during the COVID 19 lockdown is for sourdough recipes. It would seem that everyone wants to be making bread and not just any bread, but sourdough b...read. The idea behind sourdough bread is to capture the good yeasts floating in the atmosphere into a flour and water mixture; then feeding and nurturing the yeasts in the mixture to do their stuff and make our bread rise. What a wonderful parable of the kingdom of heaven! We could say that Gods word is like those good yeasts and we are the flour and water. His word, by the power of the Holy Spirit, creates faith in our hearts, growing us into being a new creation in Christ. During this new lockdown in Melbourne, may we be exposed to Gods good yeast his word and may it grow hope, faith and love in us, regardless of circumstances. See more

14.01.2022 July 25 Read Psalm 119:129-136 The unfolding of your words give light; it gives understanding to the simple. Verse 130 Sometimes when we read the Old Testament, it can feel like the laws and rules pile up, almost to suffocation point. But thats not Gods purpose at all! As the psalmist says here, Gods word brings light its like a light leading us through the darkness that can surround us. Gods word is the light that leads us to life life in abundance. The most beautiful words of the Old Testament lead us to Christ the Light of life. Pray that the light of Christ may shine in our hearts as we read and pray and worship and listen together to his word even when we cant physically be together in these perplexing days.

14.01.2022 July 13 Read Deuteronomy 32:1,2,45-47 Let my teaching fall like rain and my words descend like dew, like showers on new grass, like abundant rain on tender plants. Verse 2 As I read these verses, my senses are awakened. I can feel the rain falling on my face; I can brush my hand over the morning dew; I can smell the rain and the newly mown grass; my heart beats for the tender plants that God so gently waters. This is how God desires us to hear his word let it touch every... sense and emotion; let it seep into our innermost being. Moses instructed the people when he had finished speaking Gods word to them to Take to heart all the words I have solemnly declared to you this day, so that you may command your children to obey carefully all the words of this law. They are not just idle words for you they are your life. (verses 45-47) Lord we pray that we may hear your word in our hearts, as they are our life. See more

14.01.2022 July 24 Read 1 Corinthians 1:18-25 We preach Christ crucified. Verse 23 We can’t put it much more simply than this: as Christians, we preach Christ crucified Christ, both the power of God and the wisdom of God. Whether we preach from a pulpit or from a pew, our lives are living testimony to the wisdom and the power of God. Through Christ and his death on the cross, God has silenced the scoffers and the cynics, who claim there is no God, who would argue that we should each seek our own brand of ‘wisdom’ from within. It’s so simple that it can defy logic yes, the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the wisdom of God. It is God's desire that many are saved through the hearing of the Good Newseven as they hear it from our Spirit filled lives and inspired lips.

13.01.2022 Here’s today’s worship service just in case you missed it this morning.

12.01.2022 July 6 Read Micah 4:1-4 Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war any more. Verse 3 So much has changed in these Covid 19 days. As we look back over these months, its almost hard to remember what life used to be like. So will change last? Has humanity become more caring and considerate, more aware of the weak and vulnerable? Will nations stop training for war? Even though so much of the news is about the pandemic, occasionally theres news o...f refugees fleeing from war zones or nuclear build-up or trade wars between nations or racism and inequalitythe list goes on. Truly, there is nothing new under the sun. In verse 2 we read, He will teach us his ways, so that we can walk in his paths. Only God can create change in the human heart- but the price he had to pay was the life of his only Son, Jesus. Only in him is there ever true peace. See more

11.01.2022 Im taking a break from posting daily devotions on this Facebook page for a time. Previous devotions are still available on this page. Thank you. Dania Ahern

10.01.2022 July 3 Read 1 John 4:7-21 There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear. Verse 18 All too often, we make decisions based on fear fear of failure, fear of taking a risk, fear of losing face, fear of having to admit were wrong. Imagine what it would be like to only make decisions based on love! We dont need to imagine Jesus shows us what its like to live a life based on love, not fear. Every decision Jesus made was motivated and activated by love. Jesus a...lways loved perfectly and because of this perfect love, he knew no fear. His love blazed brightly when he faced the religious leaders who tied their people in legalistic knots. His love was tender towards those who came to him in humility. His love knew no fear as he faced death and separation from God as he bore our sins on the cross. His love burns in our hearts as he calls us to follow him and love all people, without fear or favour, as he has loved us. See more

09.01.2022 July 14 Read Isaiah 28:23-29 All this comes from the Lord Almighty, whose plan is wonderful, whose wisdom is magnificent. Verse 29 If we listened to a farmer, we might hear words just like these in Isaiah. Theres a rhythm and a pattern for everything a farmer grows and produces; theres a method and a tool for every task. As God said through Solomon, for everything there is a season. God holds the whole universe in perfect and perpetual motion. God also holds the intimate... details of our lives in his loving hands. We can sometimes shake our fist at God, or question his wisdom. But God says to us that right now, we only see a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. (1 Corinthians 13:12) We might not be able at this time to understand, but we can be assured that the Lord Almightys plans are wonderful, and his wisdom is magnificent. See more

09.01.2022 July 7 Read Matthew 11:20-24 Then Jesus began to denounce the towns in which most of his miracles has ben performed, because they did not repent. Verse 20 Jesus, the Son of God, only ever had one reason to take on human flesh, and to suffer and die on the cruel cross of Calvary. Everything he did was for only one reason. Every miracle he performed was for one reason. Every word he spoke was for one reason. Everything he did or said, every miracle he performed, was to bring us to repentance - turning away from serving self and to know the deep, deep love that is God, and to be reconciled to God the Father, bringing glory to God. This was Jesus mission. Jesus miracles were not cheap tricks; his words not empty tales; his death not a meaningless defeat. It breaks his heart when we harden our hearts against him.

08.01.2022 Trivia Night is on Next Saturday. So come and join us. You can organise your own group or we can put you into groups on Zoom. So BYO snacks and we will organise the rest. Please RSVP, all details are on the image below. Hope you can join us.

08.01.2022 Martin Luther’s morning prayer. Thank you St John’s Unley for this beautiful prayer.

08.01.2022 July 5 Read Matthew 11:16-19, 25-30 Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light. Matthew 11:28-30 No one can say it better than Jesus. ... Hear his words for you today. Read his words in these verses slowly over and over to yourself. Read you own name into these verses. Find rest for your soul. Amen.

07.01.2022 Heres todays worship service just in case you missed it this morning.

07.01.2022 July 20 Read Isaiah 40:12-17, 21-24 Who has measured the Spirit of the LORD, or what man shows him his counsel? Verse 13 God tells of his vastness, wisdom, power and majesty in our human words that struggle to contain him. Indeed, we cannot measure his Spirit. We would be foolish to give him counsel. He is questioning us its almost like hes challenging us! Its like the gauntlet has been thrown down. With great gratitude in our hearts, we can know that Jesus took it up ...for us. The most incredible truth is that in Jesus, God, the creator and preserver of all life, emptied himself totally and became man a man who gave up his life to give us life, and to live in us through the Holy Spirit of God. In our baptism, God gives us the full measure of his Holy Spirit. As it says in Ephesians 3; I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Now, let us then approach Gods throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help is in our time of need.( from Hebrews 4) See more

07.01.2022 July 12 Read Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23 Then Jesus told them many things in parables, saying: Á farmer went out to sow his seed. Verse 3 What sort of soil are you? Sometimes we could be any one of the four different soils in Jesus parable. There might be times when we just dont want to get it, and turn away from God. There might be times when were doing really well and feeling very joyful, but all too soon, we are distracted and yet again, turn away. Or there might be times... when all the good and all the bad stuff in life harasses us for our attention, and yet again we turn away from God. And then there are times when our soil is good its been well dug, with compost and manure added, well weeded and ready to give a bountiful crop. Yet through it all, the seed continues to be sown through Gods faithfulness and grace. Gods grace is also at work in our soil through his means of grace. We are reminded of our baptism. We are encouraged to read and hear his Word. We can hopefully soon again join with Gods people in the sacrament of Jesus body and blood and in fellowship and prayer. Through these means, God is working our soil to produce a crop pleasing to him! See more

06.01.2022 St Paul’s Lutheran Church Members and Friends group is a fun, safe environment to share our experiences. We encourage you to join so you can make comments, ask questions, and share pictures related to the Ministry of St Paul’s Lutheran Church Box hill. To have access to the group please follow this link https://www.facebook.com/groups/744754342598176 and answer a few questions. Once you have joined we'd love you to complete a poll to give us feedback on our zoom coffee time. Staff are wanting to find out from you all what your preferences are knowing that we could be continuing online for some time.

06.01.2022 June 27 - Read Psalm 89:1-4, 15-18 Blessed are those who have learned to acclaim you, who walk in the light of your presence, Lord. Verse 15 What is it to be blessed? In the Beatitudes, Jesus tells us that the poor in spirit and those who mourn and those who are meek are blessed. He tells us that those who hunger and thirst after righteousness are blessed, as are the merciful, the pure in heart, the peacemakers and those who are persecuted. Here the psalmist says that those ...who have learned to acclaim God, and who walk in the light of his presence, are blessed. None of these are qualities that the world would necessarily acclaim as good fortune. We need to look through different eyes to see the blessing the eyes of faith that show us Gods kingdom values. Our faith eyes are imperfect this side of heaven, so it can be hard to see blessing in tough times. As Paul says in 1 Corinthians 13; For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror, then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part, then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. See more

05.01.2022 June 29-Read Mark 9:37-41 Whoever is not against us is for us. Verse 40 Jesus is always reminding us not to judge others. Its so easy for us in our humanity to decide whos in and whos not. Trouble is-when we do that, were treading on very thin ice. Jesus elsewhere tells us to get the log out of our own eye so to see more clearly how to help the other get the speck out of their eye. In this reading, it does seem to be genuine curiosity that prompts the disciples question. God does work through both kingdoms as Martin Luther said. God works both through spiritual means, such as prayer, and through worldy means such as doctors. Its not ours to judge, but to give thanks for Gods gracious provision.

05.01.2022 July 22 Read Ezekiel 17:1-15 Say to this rebellious people, ‘Do you not know what these things mean?’ Verse 12 God is always faithful to his covenant people. A covenant is meant to be an agreement or promise between two parties to which both sides are bound to be faithful it’s like a marriage. However, the Old Testament is the history of God’s one sided faithfulness to his rebellious people. Thankfully, the Old Testament also holds the promise of God’s new covenant with a...ll people. We read about this promise if we read on from the allegory in these verses from Ezekiel 17. We read in verses 22-24 that God himself will plant a shoot from the very top of the cedar, and make the dry tree flourish. As God says in Isaiah 11, ‘A shoot will come from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit. The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him.’ Both these prophecies point directly to Jesus, the fulfillment of God’s new covenant. Jesus paid the price for our unfaithfulness and freely offers us forgiveness and reconciliation. Let us pray that daily we may be renewed by the Holy Spirit to live in this grace. See more

04.01.2022 June 28 Read Matthew 10:40-42 If anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones who is my disciples, truly I tell you, that person will certainly not lose their reward. Verse 42 What is the currency of heaven? Its something that we cant buy or barter. Its grace pure grace. In this verse there are no prerequisites on the anyone who gives a cup of water to one of Jesus disciples. Their reward purely comes from showing grace to someone who follows ...Jesus. In Matthew 25, Jesus tells how the nations will be gathered before him when he comes in his glory. He will separate the people one from another, he says, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. To the sheep he says, Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepare for you since the creation of the world, for I wasthirsty, and you gave me something to drink. The righteous ask when did they see him thirsty. Jesus answers, Whatever you did for the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me. The currency of heaven is grace Gods grace given freely to us in Jesus, and his grace at work through us to others. See more

04.01.2022 July 23 Read Luke 12:54-59 You know how to interpret the appearance of earth and sky, but why do you not know how to interpret the present time? Verse 56 We know when spring is coming. The buds on the deciduous trees begin to fatten. The days get longer. We get out and plant our vegetable gardens as the soil gets warmer. Ancient mariners could judge navigation routes when on the open oceans through tidal patterns and the stars. Farmers know when to plant crops by observing ...climatic cycles. Birds begin their morning songs often well before the first hint of daylight. Even city dwellers instinctively know the rhythms of nature it may be well hidden, but its almost like its in our DNA. God created humankind in his own image. All too often weve buried this image behind our busy-ness and materialism and frantic pace we set ourselves that we can lose this discernment that Jesus speaks about here. Just as most of us would be lost on the open seas without a compass, so too we can get a bit lost in life without the compass that is Jesus, who is our plumb line for this life and who points us to our heavenly home. Take time - many times to utter the name of Jesus. take time to read of his love for you in his word. Let him reawaken this awareness of whose we are and who we are in him. Learn from him his gentle rhythms of grace. See more

04.01.2022 July 18 Read Psalm 86:11-17 Teach me your way, LORD, that I may rely on your faithfulness; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name. Verse 11 How do we learn to trust? How do we come to rely on anyones faithfulness? I guess the only way we come to trust is through getting to know someone well; getting to know their values and morals; understanding the value they place on us and the relationship they have with us. Experiencing how they treat us over time. David... here prays that he can come to know God better; that God can teach him his ways so that David may come to rely on Gods faithfulness. Hes praying that he can grow in trust of God. What a beautiful prayer! This is a prayer that we can also pray, especially when so much of life seems unpredictable even more so during these days. God has proved himself trustworthy. So we can pray; Teach me your way Lord: you ways that are always wise, holy, pure and loving. Teach me to rely on your faithfulness, even when life seems to be fraying at the edges. See more

03.01.2022 July 17 Read Hebrews 6:1-8 Land that drinks in the rain often falling on it and that produces a crop useful to those for whom it is farmed receives the blessing of God. Verse 7 Rain is like fire it can be our friend or our foe. Fire can warm us, cook our food or, when out of control, burn our homes. Equally, rain can bring refreshing and a crop and bounty from the earth, or can flood homes and cause landslides and destruction. The benefits of rain most often depends on th...e land that rain falls on here in Hebrews, the writer talks about land that drinks in the rain. This is a beautiful image to a farmer this is gentle rain that comes in this season when the tilled, fertile land can drink it up. This is the rain that promises bountiful crops in the coming season. This is rain that soaks into the receptive soil, bringing life to the ploughed and planted land. Pray that our lives may be like this receptive soil, soaking in the rain of Gods word, and receiving his blessing, producing a rich harvest. See more

03.01.2022 July 10 Read Luke 14:15-23 Blessed is the one who will eat at the feast in the kingdom of God. Verse 15 Our society most often rewards those who either are born to wealth, power or greatness, such as royalty or celebrities, or those who achieve status through physical attributes and hard work whether thats in the sporting, commercial or academic worlds. Gods kingdom is just so different. Our sense of justice and worth can be affronted when we hear Jesus talk about who... is rewarded and who isnt. The huge difference is at the very core of the kingdom of God. Its all about grace. Its not about who our parents are, or how smart we are, or how hard we work or how attractive or talented we are. In fact, its got nothing to do with any of these things. Equally, none of our justifications to reject Gods free gift of grace, life and love hold water. We cant put God off with our weak excuses. Such is his grace so freely given, that it is eternally foolish to refuse. See more

03.01.2022 July 15- Read Romans 10:8-18 For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich to all that call on him. Verse 12 To see the world rise up against the continuing violence against people who are prejudiced against because of the colour of their skin has been powerful. God sent his only son Jesus to save all people. Jesus delivers us from all that divides us. Jesus cleanses us from the sins of prejudice, racism and bigotry. ... Let us confess those sins that are lodged deep in our hearts that cause hatred and division, knowing that Jesus forgives us from the riches of his grace. Let us pray that the Holy Spirit overflows Gods love and grace in our hearts so that through him we love all people. See more

02.01.2022 July 8 Read Matthew 21:1-9 This took place to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet: Say to Daughter Zion, See, your king comes to you, gentle and riding on a donkey, and on a colt, the foal of a donkey. Verse 4 & 5 Martin Luther referred to the Old Testament as the cradle of Jesus. Here are two ways in which this statement this is true in prophesying both the events in Jesus life and also the nature and character of Jesus, the Son of God. Jesus did indeed ride... into Jerusalem on a donkey. Jesus is also our King who comes in humility and gentleness, putting aside his kingly status. He rode a donkey, not a stallion, he wore a crown of thorns, not of jewels, and his throne was a rough-hewed cross, not an intricately wrought bejewelled pedestal. His kingdom abides in our hearts; our lives are the temple of his Holy Spirit. We can now humbly live lives of trust and gratitude to our King, believing that when we join him in heaven, we will live to praise him forever, seeing him in his resurrected glory. See more

02.01.2022 July 24 Read 1 Corinthians 1:18-25 We preach Christ crucified. Verse 23 We cant put it much more simply than this: as Christians, we preach Christ crucified Christ, both the power of God and the wisdom of God. Whether we preach from a pulpit or from a pew, our lives are living testimony to the wisdom and the power of God. Through Christ and his death on the cross, God has silenced the scoffers and the cynics, who claim there is no God, who would argue that we should each seek our own brand of wisdom from within. Its so simple that it can defy logic yes, the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the wisdom of God. It is Gods desire that many are saved through the hearing of the Good Newseven as they hear it from our Spirit filled lives and inspired lips.

02.01.2022 July 4 Read Psalm 145:8-14 The Lord upholds all who fall and lifts up all who are bowed down. Verse 14 With David the psalmist, we can be so very thankful to God because he is gracious and compassionate and trustworthy. God does care so very deeply for everything and everyone he has created. Sometimes the world can seem a crazy place, seemingly on a path of destruction. Sometimes our own lives can seem just too hard to bear. In this psalm, we hear again that the Lord uphol...ds all who fall, and lifts up all who are bowed down. Jesus words to us carry this promise through; Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light. (Matthew 11) Jesus is the ultimate expressing of Gods grace, compassion and trustworthiness. See more