Spiritual Conflict…?

Posted on August 25, 2021 
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“In his Screwtape Letters C.S. Lewis says that there are two equal and opposite errors that people fall into regarding the dark powers. One mistake is to disbelieve in their existence, the other is to believe in them to excess.

In Ephesians 6:10-12, Paul the Apostle writes: Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his power… For our struggle is not against enemies of blood and flesh, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places…”

– John Mason has posted his latest “Word on Wednesday” at Anglican Connection in the USA. John reminds us that “spiritually speaking, God’s people live in enemy occupied territory”.

Present Distresses and Wedding Dresses

Posted on August 25, 2021 
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“The seventh chapter of Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians is full of all sorts of brain-stretching moments. Sitting right up near the top of its ‘vexing verses list’ surely has to be vv.26-27 –

I think that in view of the present distress, it is good for a person to remain as he is. Are you bound to wife? Do not seek to be free. Are you free from a wife? Do not seek a wife.

A copious amount of ink (and pixels) have been spilt over these verses, not the least about what this so-called ‘present distress’ could possibly be and how on earth it relates to marriage. And yes, here I come to spill more of the same! But before I do, let me give you some important context. …”

– At The Australian Church Record, Dani Treweek begins a two-part series on what 1 Corinthians 7 teaches us in light of the current Covid restrictions on weddings.

Smuggling Christ into popular culture — with Greg Sheridan

Posted on August 23, 2021 
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“Australia (or the west) is simultaneously post Christian, Christian and pre Christian according to Greg Sheridan, one of the most respected and influential analysts of domestic and international politics.

How can Christian writers and artists, or even non Christian writers and artists who think Christianity has something important and worthwhile to say, speak into the confused and hostile culture of today?

Greg started at The Australian newspaper in 1984. And has been its foreign editor since 1992.

Greg has just published: ‘Christians: The urgent case for Jesus in our world’, following on from his 2018 book ‘God is good for you: A defence of Christianity in troubled times.’…”

– This week’s episode of The Pastor’s Heart.

Archbishop Kanishka Raffel on TEN’s The Project

Posted on August 22, 2021 
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Archbishop Kanishka Raffel was a guest on Network TEN’s The Project this evening, speaking about refugees from Afghanistan.

Watch here (Twitter).

Related:

Christian leaders urge Morrison to take more Afghan refugees – Sydney Morning Herald, 22 August 2021.

Sunday morning encouragement

Posted on August 22, 2021 
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With thanks to Rob Smith and St. Andrew’s Cathedral Sydney.

CMS Summer School NSW & ACT 2022 registrations open

Posted on August 21, 2021 
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CMS NSW & ACT has opened registrations for the 2022 Summer School.

There are options for online and in-person (hopefully!) attendance.

“This coming January we long to be singing God’s praises together in Katoomba with you and over one thousand other brothers and sisters – with many more connecting online. And that is what we are praying will be possible.”

How to grow your church in daily Bible reading

Posted on August 20, 2021 
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At The Pastor’s Heart, Dominic Steele shares a Ministry Tip to help us encourage the reading of God’s word in our local churches.

Pray with us for Afghanistan

Posted on August 18, 2021 
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Archbishop Kanishka Raffel has called for prayer for the troubled nation of Afghanistan.

In a video issued today, he addressed the situation after the withdrawal of western forces and prayed for the nation, its people, especially the women facing persecution and repression and Christian churches.

He also prayed for Australian defence personnel who had served in that land, saying “for soldiers who returned from there bearing the scars of war, and their families, these have been days of anger, grief and disbelief.”

See the video from the Archbishop, and download the prayer written by the Rev Mark Charleston at SydneyAnglicans.net.

Bethel, Jesus, and Dove Dung

Posted on August 18, 2021 
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“Bethel Church in Redding, California, is becoming increasingly influential amongst churches in my own city of Sydney. This is partly due to its promotion by Hillsong and also because of its influential music label. So I’ve set myself the task of reading through some of Bethel’s books in order to understand their theology.

The first book I’ve chosen is The Physics of Heaven: Exploring God’s Mysteries of Sound, Light, Energy, Vibrations, and Quantum Physics … The contributors to the book are associated in various ways with Bethel Church, and there are key contributions by Bill and Beni Johnson (senior pastors of the church).

Before I read the book, I was hoping to find something positive to be able to say. Anything. But I could find nothing. In short, as a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, I found this book extremely disturbing (especially one part of it).”

– Lionel Windsor is very disappointed, to say the least.

Learn why at Forget the Channel. This is an important review and is well worth reading.

Lockdown brings us to our knees

Posted on August 17, 2021 
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“Prayer is everywhere, and not just for the pandemic. Extended periods of isolation at home have meant that people, stripped of a busy life of commuting, events and travel, are putting prayer at the forefront of their day. …

Last week the Archbishop and bishops organised regional meetings of leaders of churches across the Diocese to pray for our locked-down communities.

Archbishop Raffel is also joining other church and community leaders in a special prayer event in Wednesday, 18 Aug (click here to register on zoom). The group, organised by Family Voice, includes former Deputy Prime Minister John Anderson, and former Wallabies captain Nick Farr-Jones. …

On twitter, the Archbishop also called for urgent prayer for the nation of Afghanistan, especially for vulnerable people, after the takeover by the Taliban.”

– Russell Powell writes at SydneyAnglicans.net.

Afghan Pastors Ask for Prayer

Posted on August 17, 2021 
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“Remember those who are in prison, as though in prison with them, and those who are mistreated, since you also are in the body.” (Heb 13:3)

As Taliban forces have swallowed up Afghanistan and even now the capital city of Kabul, pastors in the country have been emailing and messaging me over the last few days, even hours, anxious for prayer.

– Here’s a very timely post at 9Marks. Please use it to inform your prayers.

(Kabul scene: 9Marks.)

Can you help The Wandering Bookseller?

Posted on August 16, 2021 
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Many of our readers will be familiar with The Wandering Bookseller run by Karl Grice and his team at Katoomba.

Many of us have benefitted from their expertise and their wonderful range of books over the years, and here’s an opportunity for you to help them.

They write:

It’s been a hard couple of years…

We’ve had staff sickness, bushfires and floods—

And that was all before the pandemic!

We’re now at a point where we’ve had 18 months of uncertainty: event cancellations, border closures, import restrictions and lockdowns.

We know that Covid won’t last forever, and we want to continue partnering with you in ministry for years to come.

Can you help?

Please be encouraged to see their website and consider how you could help.

Prayer for Goma diocese

Posted on August 16, 2021 
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Today’s prayer request from GAFCON –

“Six weeks ago, we prayed for the portable Bible schools in Goma diocese, DR Congo. Joseph Rusangiza reports from the Archdeaconry of Binza. They recently had a graduation ceremony, and 42 evangelists were presented with their certificate.

We prayed that each may have a Bible and the Lord provided for this. However, the supply of Bibles is nearly finished. Please continue to pray that each evangelist may have his or her own Bible.”

Sunday morning encouragement

Posted on August 15, 2021 
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With thanks to Emu Music.

Annual Moore College Lectures 2021 now available online

Posted on August 13, 2021 
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The Annual Moore College Lectures for 2021 have just concluded.

The Rev Dr David Höhne, Academic Dean of the College, spoke on the topic, “In Him All Things Hold Together: The Triune God and The Choosing Self”.

If you missed seeing the livestream, all the lectures (plus the handouts) are now available from the College.

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