The last thing the world needs is more education
Experts in life still suggest better education will solve the world’s problems, but then fail to explain why it is has failed to do so after how many thousands of years of trying.
Education is a blessing from God, but it can just end up providing more skills for criminals to apply their trade on the innocent.
We must support the best education system we can afford with balance catering for students as fully as possible. Sadly, Theology is no longer a core subject, as it used to be at our oldest universities for example, and Church based schools are no longer the norm.
A soundly based understanding of God, our Divine Creator, can help shape our thinking in all areas of life and for Christians provide absolutes to live by.
SRE as part of the NSW public education system, is not just a nuisance for time-table designers, but a wonderful opportunity to teach Theology to a significant number of students many of whom have little contact with mainstream churches or Christians generally.
Considering Oak Flats Primary School, the SRE students represent more than 40% of the school population. Contact with supervising teachers is also an opportunity to show Christianity at work.
Please pray for this ministry and encourage the teachers.
In Proverbs 22:6 we read:
“Train up a child in the way he should go, Even when he is old he will not depart from it.” NASB
– Geoff Kyngdon
Coming up this Sunday 25th August 2019
This Sunday at our 10am service, John Wilson will continue our morning series in the Gospel of John, with the next talk titled ‘The First Sign, with the bible readings Isaiah 55:1-13 and John 2:1-12.
And then at our 5pm service we have Geoff Kyngdon continuing our evening series on the Book of Hebrews. The sermon topic is ‘Be Warned, Be Prepared, Be Blessed’, with the bible readings Psalm 37:1-40 and Hebrews 2:1-4.
Make sure you can join us this Sunday as we have an update from our Parish Nominators at both our services.
So, please come and join us at either 10am or 5pm. Or if you can’t make it in person, jump online to www.oakflats.tv and watch our live stream.
See you at 10am or 5pm this Sunday, God willing!
Peace and love, (for) Man!
This month marks 50 years since the famous Woodstock Folk Festival in America.
Apart from the music, drugs and other unsavoury activities, a major theme was ‘Make Love, Not War’, set against the back-drop of the Vietnam conflict. As near a half-million people immersed themselves in ‘peace and love’ one commented that the experience was a taste of heaven!
How different are Paul’s words in Romans 5 as he describes the peace and love that God provides:
v1 Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.
v8…God demonstrates His own his love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
By trusting in the sacrifice of our Lord, Jesus Christ, we have peace with God. God declares it so. “It is God who justifies, who will condemn?” asks Paul later in his letter. Obviously, no-one! God’s righteous wrath against our sin, and condemnation for breaking His Law is gone. Christ has borne that for us.
Peace with God is real peace and lasting peace. However, bearing our sin meant the death of His Son. God did for us what we could not do for ourselves and what we don’t deserve. He shows His love in providing for our greatest need when we were blind to it. How different is the peace and love God offers to that of the world!
The experience of ‘peace and love’ ended abruptly when festival goers had to return to work on Monday.
The experience of peace and love that God brings to us in Christ will last forever!
– PHIL PRATT
Coming up this Sunday 11th August 2019
This Sunday at our 10am service Ken Coleman will continue our morning series in the Gospel of John, with the next talk titled ‘Days of Discovery’, with the bible readings Genesis 28:10-22 and John 1:29-51.
And then at our 5pm service we have Ken who will continue our evening series on the New Testament book of Hebrews. The sermon topic is ‘The Incomparable Son’, with the bible readings Isaiah 40:25-31 and Hebrews 1:1-14.
So, please come and join us at either 10am or 5pm. Or if you can’t make it in person, jump online to www.oakflats.tv and watch our live stream.
See you at 10am or 5pm this Sunday, God willing!
What the world needs now is?
Some will remember the Burt Bacharach Hal David song which commences: “What the world needs now is love sweet love. It is the only thing that there is just too little of”. The second verse reads: “Lord we don’t need another mountain” and ends: “Enough to last till the end of time”
What does the world really need? The songwriters got it partly right; it is sweet love but not type they had in mind.
John 3:16 is so well known it hardly needs quoting, but just in case: “For God so loved the World that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.”
The world needs this love; worldly love is but an image/experience of God’s love.
Many today think good insurance policies covering, life, health, superannuation and funerals will somehow carry the day and see them safely to the other side. They can offer comfort but never eternally.
Still the world has it partly right: A policy is needed, but not of insurance but assurance.
Song writer Fanny Crosby wrote and you can sing along if you wish. “Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine O what a forestate of glory divine Heir of salvation purchase of God Born of His Spirit, washed in His blood.”
Our dear brother John Thompson had this assurance in Jesus, but do you? Romans 10:13 reads: “for Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved”.
Have you made the call?
– GEOFF KYNGDON