Mission

This Sunday we leave for a one week mission to a Chinese church in Sydney.
There are 14 wonderful people in my team. I'm really looking forward to putting into practise some of the things that we've been learning over the last month or two.
The biggest challenge for me will be preaching a 15-20 minute Evangelical talk on "if anyone is to come after me he must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me". Its my first time preaching and quiet a strong message. I've been rewriting and rewriting the sermon to the point of quiet some confusion.
But I'm reminded to trust in him. Its actually quiet hard sometimes to put things simply when there is so much to say. I think preaching on this verse (and the surrounding ones) for 3 hours would be much easier than 15 minutes.
Anyway like always this is another wonderful opportunity to trust in Him. His message and His servant. I'm looking forward to all of these 'trials of many kinds'.

Please pray our mission trip. We are going to east Linfield to a Chinese church.

• Pray that we would be able to serve the church in any way possible
• Pray that peoples hearts would be softened during the many outreach events over the week
• Pray that our team would grow in our faith and character.

Research Week

For some reasons the trees in Croydon all seem to grow at 45 degrees. This photo was taken on Badminton Rd which I walk down a few times a week to go to the Burwood shops or catch a train. In this case I was making a trip to centrelink to sort out some paper work.

This week have been a little different in that we don't have lectures but instead can use the time to write essays and finish assignments. I spent most of the time working on my Old Testament essay. Its the first real essay I've written since high school (8 years ago!) which meant that it was lots of work. I really enjoyed it though.

I learned so much reading through judges, most of which I wasn't able to put in my essay (I tried to fit it in there but it just wouldn't :(). Each time I read through the book I learned something new. I never really realised how much amazing attention to detail there is in the bible. The main story of Judges is very clear:

That Israel sinned against God by worshiping the Gods of the people around them.
That God responded to this in judgement by sending the nations to attack them.
That Israel cried out to God to save them and He did by raising up judges.
That after the judge died Israel went back to their wicked ways.

These themes repeat each other through out the book. Yet its in the subtlety that God beautifully adds to this message. Did you know that this book has two introductions? That the phrase "Did evil in the sight of God" is always followed by "Cried out to the LORD" except in the account of Sampson? That most of the events in Judges occur twice (foreshadowing). I could have written 100 essays and still have more to say.

It brings me great joy to know that the bible has so many layers. There is treasure in there for people willing to dig. And yet the best news is that the most important (and useful) information is presented to clearly.

I'm reminded though of how people often find in hard to start reading the bible. It certainly is hard to read without an introduction. So much of the bible assumes a good knowledge of the other books (Judges without Numbers would not make much sense). I remember a course I did once called "The Old Testament in a Day". It was really good and put so much in perspective.

Sorry that this entry probably sounds like an essay. I guess I'm just in that mode from all the writing this week.

I keep bumping into mandarin speakers. In fact I've had two conversations in Mandarin just today! I'm still very much out of practise and my pronunciation (which was never all that good) is slipping.

If your praying for me here are some requests

Pray and Praise

• Thank God that I was able to finish my essay on time without too much stress.
• Thank God for good health!
• The next few weeks a lot is on in terms of study work load. Pray that God will give me wisdom in how to prioritise my tasks.
• I'm trialing taking Saturday's off (Friday sundown to Saturday sundown). It's quiet difficult not to work or study for a whole day but I see this as God honouring and important for my own health.
• I'm still having dramas with Centrelink. Please pray that this will go through smoothly.
• It looks likely that as a student I'll be entitled to the $950 hand out later in this year. Please pray that God will show me how to best use this unexpected blessing.
  

Until next time
-Matthew.

Judges

Well its a new week and I'm feeling very good.

Yesterday I went to church with one of my house-mates, Dave. It was very encouraged by the way in which the church represented the community it which they live in. There where Fijians, Indonesians, and of cause Anglo Saxons. Apparently there are also a few Chinese people who where not there that day. I'm always very exited to see diversity in the Church. I think it speaks volumes about what it is (who it is) that truly unites us.

I'm still looking for a church of my own. My thoughts are currently that I would like to find a local church (within walking distance) which is not demographically biased and which has an outreach into the local community here in Croydon. I still have quiet a few churches to visit and I'm really enjoying getting an idea for what is happening around Sydney. Still, I really to miss not being settled into a church.

Right now I'm working on an essay on the book of Judges. I've read the book through 2-3 times and each time the rabbit hole gets deeper. I was thinking today how thankful I am to be able to take time out like this to study the bible. I really would not want to be studying anything else!

A few things I've been up to:
Started playing the piano a little for fun (I'm 'borrowing' the one in our chapel).
Reading "Sophie's World" for a little 'outside' perspective.
Put our kitchen here to work on Sunday and managed to (finally) make a noodle soup work.
Still (slowly) learning Chinese :)
And of cause meeting heaps of new friends

Prayer and Praise
* Once again I'm very thankful for the amazing people we get to meet here at college. That goes for the on-site missionary's, the lectures and the students. I'm very blessed and feel quiet privileged.
* Praise God that I'm feeling really good. A few lateish nights and some early mornings but my body seems to be coping well.
* Please continue to pray that I can find a good church to settle in where I can both serve God and be encouraged in my faith.
* Please pray that I will remember to find practical ways to love my brothers and sisters here. It's really easy to get caught up in the (sometimes huge) workload.

Thanks for your support.
-Matthew.