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042009
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To our brothers and sisters in Christ,
We are delighted to bring you the very frst ohopeully many editions o Pebbles! You mightbe wondering whats going on, so let us explain!
Pebbles was originally a YF-only intragroupnewsletter/magazine. We have taken its
core ocus o having insightul and thought- provoking articles, and built upon it to createa tool which we hope will be a blessing to you.Our prayer is that you will fnd it helpul in yourChristian walk!
Ultimately however, we want to see Jesus litedup! He deserves so much more than we couldever give.
Jesus Christ is the Way, the Truth and the Lie. Heis the only Way. I you havent done so, surrender
your lie to Him today. Put your selfsh ambitionsaside and live with Christ as Lord o your lie.Give aithully - your time, your fnances, yourwhole lie. Use your gits to serve Him and bringglory to Him.
Its time to rise up!
Soli deo gloria,
Billy JamesyDesign Editor [email protected] [email protected]
PING MAO
MATTHEW WONG
BILLY LAM
JAMESY CHAN
SERENA LANGENBRUCH
PASTOR ANDREW HONG
Find pebbles online atyfonline.wordpress.com
03
15
16
04
0906
christians&sustainability
how to become a Christian
thoughts on sportthoughts on prayer
quiet timesand Gods grace
catching upwith abe andrews
missions in burma
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And as we drove on through the nightmy riend was explaining to me howguilty he elt rom not reading theBible regularly. He knew that it was adiscipline that he should cultivate - buthe just didnt eel like reading his Bible.And it was eating him up.
I remember saying several times to himin the car that actually, it didnt matterall that much. God still loved him just
the same, even i his quiet times wereterrible.
But he kept on beating himsel up abouthis terrible quiet times - and I just kepton saying to him that God loved himanyway.
And then. Finally. What I was sayingsunk in...
He suddenly remembered that hestood beore God by grace alone - andnot on the basis o his perormanceas a Christian. Not the ervency o hisprayer lie. Not the regularity o his Biblereading. But only because he is clothedwith Christs own righteousness.
Now, youd think thats irresponsibleo me to talk about grace. I mean,wouldnt that just make him even moreundisciplined? Thats what youd think.But when we reached his house, he said,you know what? Now I eel like readingmy Bible!
Its interesting that rules and lawsand regulations ailed him - but graceenergised him as a Christian. And in actthis is how the Christian lie operates.Not on the basis o laws and regulations(you must do your quiet times regularly,etc.) but on the basis o grace! We think
its the opposite - that we need rules andregulations to keep us going. But in act,they wear us down and distract us romthe gospel o Gods grace. The gospelis not something you hear once, then
leave behind to ocus on godly living.Its the petrol that drives you every daya Christian!
I believe that Christians need tounderstand the doctrine o justifcationwell. I we dont, it has all sorts o pastoralimplications - just like what we see withmy riend all those years ago. Pastoralimplications like being uncertain oour standing with God, when were
not doing well. Or eeling we need tokeep up with our spiritual disciplines tomake God happy with us. Not true! Wedo them because theyre helpul or us ingrowing as Christians - not to keep us inGods good books!
And knowing this releases us rom thechains o drudgery... to discover the truejoy o growing as a Christian.
I REMEMBER TALKING TO A FRIEND ONCE AS I DROVE HIM HOME AFTER YOUTHGROUP. THIS WAS MANY YEARS AGO, AND I SUPPOSE WE MUST HAVE BEEN TALKINGABOUT QUIET TIMES. BECAUSE IT CAME UP THAT HIS QUIET TIMES WERENT GOING TOO
WELL. IN FACT, THEY WERE PRACTICALLY NONEXISTENT...
Pastor Andrew Hong is the English Congregation Pastor o Northern District Chinese Christian Church Sydney. This article, and many others,
can be ound on his blog athttp://andrewhongnsw.spaces.live.com
GOD STILL LOVEDHIM JUST THE SAME
EVEN IF HIS QUIETTIMES WERE TERRIBLE.
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Let: Ricardo Kaka -Committed Christian and one o the worldsgreatest ever soccer players
First o all, I just want to say I love sports! Soccer, basketball,
tennis and ootball just to name a ew... even though its timeconsuming and brings me an endless list o injuries rom ankle
to knee to cal to headaches!
This year I will be resuming my 7th season or Sunnybank Saints
in the QLD Christian association on a part time basis. A lot o
people will fnd it surprising that Ive played over 100 matches o
competitive club soccer. Personally Ive always ound that two o
the most interesting aspects or Christians in a competitive sport
environment are winning and pride.
Winning
During my time with the Sunnybank club weve won everything
rom premierships and grand fnals, but the winning euphoria
never last orever. Yet to some players winning means everything.
They are willing to cheat and even act in an ungodly manner
to their teammates and the opposition. Many teams can lose a
game but win the respect o the opposition; you could say that in
our Christian context, its the beaten team that has won the real
game. Ive seen many riendships made between teams despite
players just being thrashed something like 9-0.
Next time you play sport, ocus on having un and encouraging
one another because truly, the result is meaningless. Just think oit this way: bringing your trophy to heaven will be like bringing a
grain o rice to the perect buet.
Pride
Ive always thought that Sport is a very simple concept: all you
have to do is put a round ball through a hole (a goal is still a
hole)! But nothing gives someone a bigger ego boost than
the eeling o scoring a goal, a try, or a basket. In our society
sportspeople are treated like kings, yet we as Christians know
that a true King named Jesus came to earth as a man, a humble
servant. A talented sportsman who shows admirable humility
in winning will be respected as well as ollowed. Ater all, most
sports require more than just one person to play - it wouldnt
mean much without an opponent!
ChairmanMaoon...
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prayerhaving the right focusGrowing up in a non-Christian amily I didnt have much o an
understanding o what prayer was, it seemed like something that you
did when you were in trouble or wanted something. Then later when
I became a Christian, I got the
impression that you had to
be really articulate and well
spoken to pray, that it was all
about ancy words and well
ormed speeches. It wasnt
until recently that I fnally
realized and learnt what
prayer was all about !
Since Ive become a Christian, the struggle has always been submitting
all areas o my lie to God. No matter how oten Im told to be humble,
to be trust in God, as soon as challenging or tough times come along, I
automatically revert to my human wisdom or comort and support.
On a recent overseas trip, I was dozing o on the bus listening to a
sermon on my iPod by a amous American preacher when one point
the preacher made nearly knocked me o my seat! He said something
along these lines When you pray and ask God or something, and you
dont get it. Instead o complaining and grumbling against God, have
you ever stopped to think about WHY you didnt get what you asked
or ? Maybe Gods trying to tell you something. Maybe Hes trying to
teach you that its all about Him, so i Hed have given you what youd
asked or, youd end up worshiping it rather than worshipping God !.
Then it hit me, I realized where Id gone wrong all these years. The
ocus was all wrong, although most i not all the things Id asked or
werent necessarily bad things, the ocus was all wrong, itd all been
about me. I was thinking only about personal gratifcation and about
what made me eel good, Id totally orgotten the purpose or which
God has put me here to bring Him glory, its all about God, not about
me! Oten times its much the same in our lives, the danger o putting
ourselves or otherthings in ront o God
is constantly there. Its
important to remember
that weve been put here
to bring glory to God, to
be aithul stewards o
the gospel and to love
others!
Prayer comes rom the
heart, and requires or
us to be in the right mindwith the right attitude
in order to be able to
communicate with our
creator God. Whats the ocus o your lie, are there things in your lie
that are stopping you rom praying with all your heart ?
THE STRUGGLEHAS ALWAYSBEENSUBMITTINGALL AREAS OFMY LIFETO GOD...
Jamesyon...
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EARLIER THIS YEAR ABE CAME AND TALKED TO YF ABOUT EVANGELISM.NOW THE CHAPLAIN OF THE ASP PRO SURFING TOUR, HE WILL BE RUBBINGSHOULDERS WITH - AND WITNESSING TO - THE WORLDS ELITE SURFERS. BILLYAND PING CAUGHT UP WITH HIM AT THE RECENT QUIKSILVER PRO, AND FOUND HIMAS PASSIONATE AND DOWN-TO-EARTH AS EVER...
For those who havent met you beore... Can you tell us a
little bit about your background?
I grew up on the Sunshine Coast surfng and hanging out
with my mates on the weekend. I moved to Brisbane when
I was 19 to study teaching. Ater graduating rom uni I went
on to teach or a year. I elt God call me into high school
chaplaincy, and so I moved to the Gold Coast and worked
as a high school chaplain or 2 years. I recently married my
lovely wie Lize and together we run Gold Coast Christian
Surers at Palm Beach.
What are your hobbies, apart rom surfng?
Hobbies apart rom surfng... I dont think there is anything
outside o surfng! But seriously I do enjoy playing a bit o
guitar, so does Lize, so occasionally we will have a little jam
together. I also love fshing, the only problem is the Gold
Coast is probably the most over fshed place in Australia,
so I dont catch much worth keeping. A little activity I also
enjoy is flming and editing. I have made three sur movies
o my mates here on the Gold Coast. It is just really un to
make little sur icks that you can sit and watch when there
is no sur.
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How did you come to Christ?
I came to know about God when I was
only fve, but I dont think I personally
knew God until I was about 21 years
old.
I grew up in a broken home, my parents
separated when I was about three
and they were in the drug scene prettyhard as I was growing up. My mum did
get her lie on track and married my
stepdad. They got radically transormed
by God and became Christians. I guess
rom then on I went to Sunday School
and our home was a pretty normal
Christian home.
When I was 15 my real ather passed
away, this let me questioning God and
lie. From there I started to slowly walkaway rom God, and I elt pretty empty
and lost in my world.
Whats your current role with Christian
Surers and also ASP?
My o cial title or Gold Coast Christian
Surers is Mission Coordinator. I mainly
coordinate a team o leaders to do
events, camps and sur comps here on
the Goldie.
The ASP Chaplaincy Role is a little more
broader and still in its ormative stage.
Im mainly a support person or the
surers on the World Surfng Tour. The
chaplaincy program is setup to nurture
the wellbeing o the surers, this is
made up o our personal components:
physical, mental, emotional and
spiritual.
My aim is to build relationships with the
surers in order or them to eel they can
trust me and come to me when there is
a need.
Youre very passionate about
evangelism... Why is it important?
I have a passion or people, and I
think i you are passionate about
people, then you cant help but want to
share you aith with them. Evangelism is
simply that, sharing your aith. I guess
lie is more than just what we say, it is
more what we do... so I spend a lot o my
time living lie as Christ would have me
live, rather than just preaching it.
How can we be relevant to people
were reaching out to?
I know or me to be relevant to people
Im reaching out to, is frst to have
some common ground. I am a surer,
so, I reach out to surers. I I was a chess
player, I would reach out to those I can
relate to e.g. other chess players.
It is like speaking dierent languages,
it is harder or a Russian to outreach to
a Chinese, because they speak totally
dierent dialects and also come rom
totally dierent cultures. I the Russian
wanted to witness to the Chinese, frst he
would need to learn Chinese, and then
learn the culture, this would break down
the barrier and allow or a relationship
to orm.
Relationships come frst.
Whats your ministry goals or the
coming year or two?
I will be aiming at spending as much
time I can on the World Tour with the
surers, just building relationships. I
hope to see Chaplaincy on the World
Tour as an intricate service or the surers
which will be utilized daily. Still early
days though.
I will also look at working more to
expand Christian Surers Missions. At
the moment we only have two missions
on the Gold Coast: a Girls mission and a
Guys mission. By 2010 we would like to
have 4 missions, God willing!
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IM NO SURFIE!WHY DOES THISMATTER TO ME?The sur culture is probably alien to most o
us o Asian or ABC heritage. Most o what
we think we know probably comes rom
popular stereotypes - images o bronzed,tall, athletic people; broad shoulders, sun-
bleached hair, and an air o permanent
relaxation about them; people who use
words like dude and sweet and rothing;
people who are willing to get out o a warm
bed at a most ridiculous hour because they
are so passionate about what they do.
As a matter o act, what we just wrote
describes Abe pretty well. Theres just one
undamental omission: Jesus Christ.
From the limited time that we spent talking
to him and others rom Christian Surers,
we can confdently attest to their love
or Jesus. Yes they love surfng too, but it
never becomes an idol. We are Christians
who happen to love surfng, Abe stresses,
and not the other way around. He is
an incredibly encouraging man, riendly,
approachable, serving in humility and
running hard ater Christ.
As a group, what struck us about Christian
Surers is how loudly they testiy o Christ
through their actions.
They are incredibly fred up and love to get
into scrippy - aka have a bible study, to fnd
out more about the nature, love and mercyo God. Their lives reect the act that they
are constantly in the Word.
Their attitude to money is, in a word,
rereshing. While we Asians tend to spend a
lot o time worrying about responsibilities
like saving or our frst home and fnancial
security, they trust in Gods providence. No,
they are neither ignorant or irresponsible,
but their ocus is Christ alone.
They have a great love or surfng, and
have used it as a vessel by which outreach
and evangelism can occur to surers. It
is an awesome ministry, one based on
establishing real and genuine relationships
with people... being living, breathing
examples o Christ to the lost.
We have much to learn rom them!
SUPPORTING ABESMINISTRYHaving a cool ASP Tour pass doesnt mean
that Abe is unded by them. In act, whetherhe is able to travel overseas with the surersdepends on whether he can raise suf cientunds to cover or expenses.
Its estimated that he will need approximately$38000 to attend every sur competition onthe Tour.
I God has put on your heart a desire topartner with Abe and Lizes ministry, you cangive nancially bydirect transerto:
Account Name: A F Andrews
BSB 064497 | Account No. 10704846
Or donors can make out a check or moneyorder toAbraham Andrews and post to...6/25 Fiteenth AvePalm Beach, QLD 4221
Donations over $2 are tax deductible!
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The Karen are the largest hilltribe group in Northern Thailand. Traditionally settled along the Thai-Burmese border, many Karen have
now migrated urther into Thailand to escape political unrest in Burma. Thousands o Karen are now living in reugee camps over
the Thai border ater their villages were destroyed by the Burmese army. There are also tens o thousands o Karen living as Internally
Displaced Persons in Burma. No peaceul resolution to this struggle can be seen in the near uture.
FOR MANY YEARS, THE KAREN HAVE STRUGGLED AGAINST A MILITARY-CONTROLLEDBURMESE GOVERNMENT FOR ETHNIC INDEPENDENCE AND A FREE KAREN STATE.SERENA LANGENBRUCH EXPERIENCED, FIRST HAND, THE GRACE OF GOD WORKING
IN A PERSECUTED PEOPLE.
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Moo Traw
Out o everybody I talked to in Thailand, I was most encouraged and excited by
my talks with Moo Traw. Moo Traw graduated rom Noh Bo Academy last year,
but visited the school a ew times while we were there. It was awesome seeing
the work God is doing in Moo Traws lie and the way God is using him. Moo Traw
told me that when he wants to talk to his riends about Jesus, he asks them, Do
you want to have this reedom that I have? This was an exciting reminder o the
gospels power to change lives. Please pray that Moo Traw would be encouraged
as he ministers to his riends, and that the reedom that God oers would be
clearly evident in Moo Traws lie.
Toe Hla
Toe Hla has recently fnished his second last year at Noh Bo Academy. He stands
out as a strong Christian leader at the school, and I believe God has big plans to
use Toe Hla to shine the love o Jesus in the school community. Toe Hla thought
he would not be able to study at Noh Bo Academy next year, as his sponsor who
has supported his school ees was unable to continue to sponsor him or 2009.
We only became aware o this situation ater a class activity in which he hadto describe a situation which made him eel worried. Praise God or his plans
to keep Toe Hla at the school, as we were able to sponsor him with some o the
money that had been donated. Please pray that God would draw people closer
to him through Toe Hlas lie and love or Jesus.
Nwe Nwe Aye
Nwe Nwe Aye is extremely outgoing and loving. She has always wanted to go to
a beach because she enjoys swimming, and she got very excited whenever we
went to the river or to a waterall to swim. During our time at Noh Bo Academy,
Nwe Nwe Aye decided not to ollow Buddhist teachings and to be baptised as a
Christian. Her aith grew stronger and stronger over the three months we were at
the school, and she said she was greatly encouraged by her English teachers and
Christian classmates. Nwe Nwe Aye became especially close to Emilia - it was
a great joy to see their relationship grow during the trip, and a great privilege
to witness Nwe Nwe Ayes baptism on our fnal day in Noh Bo. Please pray or
Nwe Nwe Aye as she continues to learn more and more about our great God,
and please pray or her classmates as they encourage her to always grow in aith
and love or God.
Pastor Andrew Schwe Mya
During our time in Thailand, we were privileged to be able to visit two o Pastor
Andrews churches, to celebrate his 25th wedding anniversary, and to accompany
him on a church outreach trip to a remote mountain village accessible only by
our wheel drive. Despite his enormous task o being responsible or a number o
churches, I loved seeing Pastor Andrews constant joy in sharing the gospel and
his genuine love or the people he ministers to. Whether it was a regular Sunday
church service or a packed service to celebrate Karen Revolution Day, Pastor
Andrews sermons were always engaging. Although we couldnt understand
what he was saying without a translator, we could always count on at least
one light-hearted story that would make everyone listening laugh, and direct
eye contact when he was challenging us to take seriously the message he was
sharing.
Please pray or Pastor Andrew and his plans to fnd more ways to train disciples
and spread the good news o Jesus.
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With three other Australians, I recently spent three
months teaching at Noh Bo Academy, a school
or Karen reugees on the Thai-Burmese border.
During the trip, one conversation in particular
had a big impact on me.
I was talking to Moo Traw, one o the schools
ormer students who was visiting or a ew days.
I had gotten to know Moo Traw on two previous
trips to Noh Bo, and was excited to see the way
God was using him in his lie beyond school. He
was still Moo Traw, with his cheeky personality,
but with a dierent lie perspective and a dierent
way o speaking about things.
Moo Traw and I talked about two dierent kinds
o reedom.
Firstly, we talked about Tun Mya Win, or Tom,
another ormer student who had moved to
America as a reugee. Moo Traw asked Tomto compare his lie in America with his lie in
Thailand.
Moving to a new country has many challenges
and di culties, like dierent ood, a dierent
language and a dierent culture, but Tom told
Moo Traw one thing he could not compare was
the reedom he has in America to do things that
he wants to do, and to go where he wants to go
without ear o checkpoints.
As a reugee in Thailand, Tom had tight restrictions
on where he could be in the reugee camp, at
school and very ew other places. With no Thai
citizenship, he had no right to travel, and was
aced with soldiers at checkpoints on the road
outside the camp.
Although I was extremely happy to hear that Tom
was experiencing this reedom, it was the second
kind o reedom that Moo Traw and I talked about
that made me even more excited.
Moo Traw is ree because o Jesus Christ. When he
wants to tell his riends about Jesus, he asks them,
Do you want to have this reedom that I have?
It made me very happy to be able to look at Moo
Traw and know that he is ree because o Jesus.
What makes this reedom dierent to the frst
reedom that Tom talked about?
rom Jesus Christ, who is the aithul witness,
the frstborn rom the dead, and the ruler o the
kings o the earth. To him who loves us and reed
us rom our sins by his blood - Revelations 1:5
The dierence is that this second kind o reedom
comes rom Jesus. Not just a reedom now, to
be able to go somewhere, but a orever reedom
given by Jesus. Revelation tells us that Jesus reed
us rom our sins by his blood. When Jesus died on
the cross, he died to bring us this orever kind o
reedom.
Because o Jesus, Moo Traw has reedom. Because
o Jesus, I have reedom.
At the end o our previous trip to Thailand in
February 2008, Tom expressed his desire to
become a Christian but was yet to devote his lie
to God. In America, Tom has continued to try to
study the bible, and says that he now trusts God
with his lie. He will be baptised later this year.
Please pray that Toms aith would be strong and
genuine, and that he would also truly be ree
because o Jesus. Praise God or the spread o His
gospel at Noh Bo Academy, and or His work in the
students, even ater they leave the school.
It is or reedom that Christ has set us ree.
Galatians 5:1
IT IS FOR FREEDOM THATCHRIST HAS SET US FREEGALATIANS 5:1
WHEN JESUS DIEDON THE CROSS, HEDIED TO BRING USTHIS FOREVER KINDOF FREEDOM.
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Scott Braithwaite, Emilia Dempster, Juanita Nantes and I set o rom Australiaas soon as our university exams had fnished in November, keen to begin
teaching at Noh Bo Academy, catch up with old riends and meet many new
people.
Living with the students or three months meant that, rather than just
teaching the bible through talks in church, we were able to show in our lives
where our aith met reality. This was exciting.
During our time at Noh Bo Academy, we were always made to eel so at
home and so supported by school headmistress Candle Paw and all the Karen
teachers. Seeing the way Candle Paw approached the running o the school,
and her love or her students, made my respect or her grow more and moreas the trip went on.
I would describe Noh Bo Academy as a place where, rather than having to
search out opportunities to share the gospel o Jesus, those opportunities
oten come to you.
Though we were kept busy with teaching at the school, preparing bible talks
and visiting churches, some o the most memorable times in our trip came in
our ree time, when students would come to visit us at the teachers house.
We shared Karen culture and Australian culture, daily challenges and daily
encouragements, jokes, songs and lie stories.
We especially enjoyed the chances we had to read the bible and pray with
the students. One evening, I was reading with a student named Rocket. I was
reading my English bible, and he was reading his Karen translation. When
Rocket asked to read a section in
English, I took an old bible rom
the shel in the teachers house,
which had much larger print
than mine. When we opened the
bible, a tiny worm crawled out.
Looking across at me, Rocket
promptly said, I you read
your bible more oten, animalswouldnt grow inside!
Everyday stories like this make up
the collage o memories we have rom our time at Noh Bo Academy.
Our church experiences during the three months included wedding
anniversaries, an outreach trip to a small village accessible only by our-wheel
drive, kids programs, and countless weddings. Despite the language barrier,
we loved sharing in the passion or sharing the gospel held by many Karen
Christians, such as Pastor Andrew Shwe Mya.
I eel so blessed to have been part o a team where we all made it a priority
to make sure our actions displayed Jesus love both to the people we metas well as to each other. I eel blessed to have been surrounded by people,
both within the team and rom outside the team, who challenged me daily
to live lie less or mysel and more or our almighty God. I eel blessed to have
become riends with the students and teachers at Noh Bo Academy. Most o
all, I eel blessed to have been used by God to serve him in such a challenging,
exciting and rewarding way.
I FEEL BLESSEDTO HAVE BEENUSED BY GODTO SERVE HIM INSUCH ACHALLENGINGAND REWARDINGWAY.
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Sustainability... its a term that we hear everywhere in the media these days. It seems like every
company and product is claiming to have some element o environmental consciousness,
as though being green is the new black. Yet in the Christian context, debate still rages about
whether caring or the environment (creation care) is biblical; or whether it is a topic best let to
scientists and tree-hugging greenies; or i we as individuals can make a dierence at all.
A recent poll in the US ound that 90% o evangelicals would like Christians to take a more active
role in caring or creation, with 85% o active churchgoers having never heard o creation care.
So I know this blurb isnt irrelevant!
So why should we care about the environment?
God made it
Genesis tells us that God created the world, and that men have been created as stewards over
creation. Some point out that the ground is already cursed (Genesis 3:17). Countering that is the
act that the laws in Leviticus 25 exhibit sound principles o sustainable land use, so at the very leastwe know humans can do something to manage it...
We know that creation reveals the glory o God (Psalm 19) but, on the other hand, you could say
that a polluted area devoid o lie reveals the irresponsibility o man instead.
We are commanded to do it
God never told us explicitly to be environmentalists, yet we are commanded to be concerned about
those who need our help (Matthew 25:38-40) and to love our neighbours (Mark 12:30-31). Hes our
sustainer and he also sustains the earth (Psalm
104), but that doesnt mean that we dont have
to care!
We dont usually realise it, but a large portion
o our worlds environmental problems - air
pollution, water pollution and shortage,
chemical poisoning - and their associated
sociological and ecological eects (displacing
populations, amines, etc.) are actually hurting
people - and oten the poorest and most disadvantaged cop it the worst!
Its an opportunity to witness
Putting it simply... caring or the environment is a way to show people that we really do care - orthem, and or the uture generations that are yet to come!
What does this mean or me?
Firstly, realise that creation care matters. Recycling is an easy frst step, but its not the answer... like
many other green initiatives (hybrid cars, emissions trading, etc) its like a band aid on a gaping
wound. Be discerning about all the sustainable things you
hear about, because true sustainability is about giving back
to the world - not about reduced energy use. In some cases,
greenwashed products not only cost more but are actually
more damaging to the environment than normal options.
Above all, pray that God will help you see things rom His perspective, so you can choose to ocus
on whats important and what needs prioritising, and what doesnt!
sustainabilityBillyo
n...
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ETERNITY ISFOREVER -LIFE BEYOND
THE LIFE THATWE NOW LIVE.
Jesus Christ said, Now this is eternal lie:
that they may know You, the only true
God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have
sent. (John 17:3)
However, our sin willul disobedience
towards God separates us rom God. The
Bible says, All have sinned and all short
o the glory o God (Romans 3:23) and
The wages o sin is death, but the git oGod is eternal lie in Christ Jesus our Lord.
(Romans 6:23).
But God had a plan to solve the problem
o sin. For God so loved the world that He
gave His one and only Son (Jesus Christ),
that whoever believes in Him shall not
perish but have eternal lie. (John 3:16)
When Jesus Christ died on the cross and
rose rom the grave, He paid the penalty
or our sin. No longer are we destined oreternal death. The Bible says, But God
demonstrates His own love or us in this:
While we were still sinners, Christ died or
us. (Romans 5:8)
Jesus Christ stated, I am the way and the
truth and the lie. No one comes to the
Father except through Me. (John 14:6)
God invites us to place our trust in Jesus
Christ, acknowledge our sin, accept Christs
death on the cross as payment or our sin,
and give our lives to Him as our Saviour
and Lord. The Bible says, I tell you the
truth, whoever hears my word and believes
Him who sent me has eternal lie and will
not be condemned; he has crossed over
rom death to lie. (John 5:24)
Will you accept Gods invitation to have
eternal lie with Him? All you have to do is
speak to God in prayer!
Dear God,
Thank you or loving me. I coness
that I have sinned against You. I
believe that your Son Jesus Christ died
on the cross to pay or my sin and rose
again rom the dead. I want to place
my aith and trust only in Jesus Christ,
my Saviour and Lord, to orgive me
and save me rom the penalty o my
sin. Thank you or your git o eternal
lie. Amen.
I you have just prayed this prayer, praise
God, or this is the start o your new lie
in Christ! Rejoice, because i anyone is in
Christ, then he is a new creation. The old
has passed away; behold, the new hascome. (2 Corinthians 5:17)
Your old lie - a lie lived in darkness - is now
dead and buried, but at the same time you
need to keep walking away rom sin and
towards Christ! Continue to grow in your
relationship with God by reading your
bible, praying to Him, worshipping Him,
representing Him in your daily lie, and
telling others about Him!
On a fnal note, we recommend that youget connected with a local church. Youll
fnd older, mature Christians able, and
willing, to help you on your journey. Theyre
people o great wisdom who can tell you
more about our awesome, loving God!
WILL YOU ACCEPTGODS INVITATIONTO HAVE ETERNALLIFE WITH HIM?
WHOEVER HEARSMY WORD ANDBELIEVES HIMWHO SENT MEHAS ETERNAL LIFEAND WILL NOT BECONDEMNED;HE HAS CROSSEDOVER FROM DEATHTO LIFE
Love Pebbles? Dont leave it lying around! Share it, or leave it somewhere where it can be a conversational starter and open doors or you to share about Christ!