HAPPY AUSTRALIA DAY
WHAT AUSTRALIA NEEDS
LUKE 4:14-21

According to world historians, “The average age of the world’s great civilizations has been 200 years.” The nations progressed:

From bondage to spiritual faith
From spiritual faith to great courage
From great courage to liberty
From liberty to abundance
From abundance to complacency
From complacency to apathy
From apathy to dependence
From dependence back to bondage

Many people assess that Australia today could be well into the final phase of this cycle. From the leadership that Jesus gave us, what Australia needs today is more people:

1. Participating is Public Praise and Worship of God
2. Powered by the Personal Spirit of God
3. Preaching the Good News of God to the poor by our words and actions
4. Proclaiming the release God gives from bandage to the past, from blindness to a vision for our future, and from oppression of guilt, fear and doubt

Pronouncing God’s salvation to all people through faith in Jesus

Introduction of Supply Minister

Klasina and I are pleased to be ministering with you at Ashmore Uniting Church through to the end of April. Our brief history includes; married with a son and a daughter, a daughter-in-law and one little granddaughter. I conducted 34 years of ordained ministry, retiring in 2008 after completing 12 years at Southport Uniting Church.

Leading up to and during the recent Christmas Season, the retail store Myer chose and promoted their theme “The Power of Give”. Reflecting on this theme, I have decided to focus on “Power” in our lives leading us into Lent and Easter.

This theme will include “The Power of the Gospel” on Australia Day, Sunday 26^th January and “The Power of Love” to coincide with St Valentine’s Day in February. Other titles are “The Power of Touch”, “The Power of Words”, “The Power of Belief”, “The Power of the Holy Spirit” and the “Power of One”

Each week I will seek to give a brief outline of the particular Sermon in this Ministers Column.

Today we will expand on the “Power of Give”

Gratitude;   generosity

Invitation;   inspiration

Voluntary;   validation

Enriching;   eternally