As Christians we have every reason to support initiatives such as this. We are to be stewards of everything God has given us. That has to include making every effort to care for the environment, for it is God’s creation. A special day like this reminds us of the little things we can be doing every day in that regard.

But there is something bigger we will have in mind in all of this. We know ultimately that this creation is groaning (Romans 8:22) and is fading away. We know that a new creation is ahead. The real salvation this planet needs is that which can only come from the Saviour, Jesus Christ.

It’s great to turn off our lights and save energy. But one thing we cannot save is ourselves. For that we need the Saviour (Luke 2:11), the one who came to be the light of the world, the one who really came to save our planet.

As we build towards connect09 let’s be sure to point people to the real saviour of the planet. Christmas will bring plenty of opportunities to do so.

Personal opportunities: It’s a really great thing to be praying for ministries that reach out to our community with the gospel. But perhaps the first thing we should be praying about regarding our local mission is the opportunities for gospel witness in our own lives and situations. Who can you be reaching out to with the gospel in your own life, and how? Pray for these opportunities.

Local

REAL and PHAT in the local high schools

• Pray for the REAL workers that they may proclaim the gospel boldly and present it a manner that engages the youth.
• Pray that the REAL workers will be shining lights amongst the teachers at the high schools. Pray that the other teachers will be open to the Gospel and ask questions about the hope Christians have in Jesus.
• Pray for the leaders of PHAT that they may encourage the Christian students to live their faith amongst their friends and take opportunities to speak the truth in a loving and gentle way.

Global

Somalia

When Jesus left this earth He spoke these words: “Go and make disciples of all nations”. He didn’t explain how it was to be done, instead by His own life He gave them an example. Disciples need a role-model.

This is also what Somali believers need: a living example of how to live a holy life for Christ. The Somali house churches will grow in number when they grow in maturity. Only true disciples will make disciples! Of course, the need for living examples challenges foreign workers also. Somalis want to observe a vivid prayer life, how to be immersed in God’s Word, how to forgive one another, how to have godly marriages, how to love their enemies, how to overcome discouragement and how to love God more than anything.

Somali disciples of Christ will eventually become the leaders of their house churches. It will be a turning point in history when Somali elders, who fit the biblical criteria of eldership, lead their churches. Generally, Somalis reject any kind of leadership because submission is something negative. They assume that leaders will work for their own benefit. Therefore the church will need leaders with godly character, who are ready to serve in the way Jesus did.

Please pray:

• Praise God for His model of discipleship!
• Pray for Somali believers to grow in their walk with the Lord!
• Pray that God will raise up Somali believers who will become godly leaders for their churches.

We’ve currently got about 70 blokes of all ages signed up so I’m sure it’ll be a great time for all of us. Just so you know what to expect, we won’t be having A speaker this year. Instead we’ll be having MANY speakers as a whole bunch of SCPC guys just reflect openly and honestly up-front about their response to the “5o men” trip to Brisbane and how they’re trying to honour Jesus as Lord in every dimension of life. There’ll also be plenty of time for informal conversation and the usual shenanigans for those who just can’t sit still!

So if you’re not yet signed up and still want to come along - leave a comment, call the office, or to be honest - just rock up! We won’t turn you away and there’s always enough sausages!

Part of that mission will include looking through and filling out a booklet called “my part in connect09” which most of you should now have.  If you haven’t received a booklet and would like one please call or email the office.

Within the booklet there is a lot to read through, think and pray about.  Although there is a green page in the centre of the booklet that needs to be filled out and returned, there is a lot that can’t be filled out on paper.  There are so many opportunities that exist everyday and it is about making the most of these opportunities for the gospel whatever situation you are in - continuing to look up, look around and look out.

We will be talking more about this in the coming weeks and in your small groups.

Key Verse

“The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off - for all whom the Lord our God will call.”

Acts 2:39

Bible Reading: Acts 2:29-47

Outline:

1.  Jesus is Lord   Acts 2:29-41
2.  every day        Acts 2:42-47

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It seems we’re set for some good news at the pump as petrol prices retreat from the highs of recent months. Apparently we might be paying as little as a dollar a litre within weeks. That’s welcome news. Yet it wasn’t that long ago at all that we thought anything over a dollar was outrageously expensive!

It all seems so fickle. There has to be more to life than riding the economic rollercoaster of  petrol prices, stock values and government policies.

Jesus said, “a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions” (Luke 12:15).  He said it a long time before the current ‘global financial crisis’. He said it because there is always a crisis when our trust is in the temporary things of this earth.

Lots of people are doing it tough at present. So there is some good news in relief at the bowser. But Jesus came to earth to offer far greater relief than that. Eternal relief. As Christmas approaches, rather than being swept up or psyched out by the ‘commercial’ Christmas, why not check out the Christ of Christmas.

Steve Cree
Southern Cross Presbyterian Church Lismore

Local

Mission in the workplace around Lismore:

• Pray that Christians may see their workplace as a mission field and seek opportunities to speak the Gospel to their non-Christians colleagues.
• Pray that Christians may be a good witness and set a good example
• Pray that people in the workplace may be curious about the hope that the Christians have and be open to hearing the Gospel.

Global

Somalia

In a powerful vision, God revealed to his servant that He will be worshiped by people “from every tribe and language and people and nation” (Revelation 5:9). Therefore we can say with confidence that the Somali language will be included in that worship. Hallelujah! Jesus promised to build his church and He is also doing it among the Somali people. There are some house churches here and there. They gather to study God’s word, to worship, and to pray for one another.

Generally, Somali believers enjoy singing. They are gifted in writing poems. Sometimes they create songs spontaneously.  Somali believers don’t need to copy the style of worship from their neighbouring cultures. God gave them the full right to worship in their own language with their own spiritual songs and in their own style. The Lord enjoys any worship which comes to him in Spirit and in truth. Somalis are not used to long sermons, but they like discussions. It’s not unusual for such discussions to become hot, because emotions are always involved.

The sad news about Somali house churches is the struggle with disunity. There are character issues, clan issues, or different Christian organizations that cause divisions. Because Jesus builds his church, there is hope for Somalis!

Please pray:

• Praise God that He is keeping his promise to build His church among Somalis. Nobody can stop him!
• Pray for unity in the Somali house churches! May forgiveness always overcome bitterness and anger among the believers.
• Pray for maturity among the Christian organizations. Pray for a Kingdom-mindedness among various Christian workers that glorifies God and functions as the body of Christ serving one another.

A member of our church family, James Ritchie will be heading overseas to Thailand at the end of this month to spend a couple of months thinking through what it means to serve Christ overseas.

James will be working with a mission team in the Karen village which is on the Thai-Burmese border and will be spending time encouraging other Christians and sharing the gospel with unbelievers.

He will also be visiting other missionaries and Thai Christians to find out what its like to live and work as a missionary in Thailand.

Please pray for James while he is away (leaving on Sunday 30th November - returning on 18 February).  During his time away James will be thinking through what it means to work in overseas mission long term and how to best glorify God in his life.  Please also pray that James will be loving in how he shares Jesus with others.

James will be coming back earlier than originally planned and he had a few reasons for doing this including his family and also his excitement for connect09 and his involvement with mission right here in Lismore.

Vision Sunday is only a few days away where we will all be able to look ahead to connect09 and see what part each of us has to play right here in Lismore.

Key Verse

But if an unbeliever or someone who does not understand comes in while everybody is prophesying, the will be convinced by all that he is a sinner and will be judged by all, and the secrets of his heart will be laid bare.  So he will fall down and worship God, exclaiming, “God is really among you!”

1 Corinthians 14:24-25

Bible Reading: 1 Corinthians 14

Outline:

1.  upside-down
2.  inside-out

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We need to be prayerful for him, and for other world leaders including our own here in Australia. They carry a great weight of expectation in these times of war and financial upheaval.

We need also to think carefully about these expectations so many people have of their leaders. It is interesting to hear words such as ‘hope’ and ‘freedom’ and ‘peace’ used so frequently in relation to the president-elect. Clearly he has a very important job to do and that is why we need to pray. But as we pray we will also be mindful of what a mere man can do and what he cannot do.

Ultimately we know that true hope and freedom and peace come only through a greater moment in history than the one we witnessed yesterday. It was that moment witnessed by the apostles and over 500 others (1 Corinthians 15:6) when the crucified Jesus rose from the dead. And ultimately that is where aching hearts and expectant faces need to turn to find all that they long for. It is for us to point to him.