More about Wisdom...

'Happy is the man who finds wisdom, and the man who gains understanding...Length of days is in her right hand, in her left hand riches and honour.' Proverbs 3: 13, 16
 

The Bible says in Proverbs 4: 7 that 'Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom. And in all your getting, get understanding.'

Wisdom is, therefore, something to pursue.

So what is this wisdom?

In a recent post I drew our attention to King Solomon who, as a young man, was faced with a God who was giving Him the greatest of opportunities. In 1 Kings 3: 5 it is recorded that God Himself in all His glory and power was standing before Solomon in a dream and was saying 'Ask what you wish Me to give you.'
Solomon asked wisely and requested an 'understanding heart' so that he could judge the people of God and God granted him his request for wisdom and with 'it' gave him riches and honour.

Solomon had riches and honour, he had the left hand of wisdom but he didn't have the right hand.
In 1 Kings 3: 14 God said to Solomon that 'if you walk in My ways, keeping My statutes and commandments...then I will prolong (lengthen) your days.'
Solomon, sadly, was under the Old Covenant and so the terms of his walk were conditional upon him walking in the ways, statutes and commandments of God and history records that Solomon was unable to do it.
Solomon had the left hand of wisdom but not the right hand.

So what about you?
If you believe in Jesus, as this is the ONLY commandment that you have (1 John 3: 23), then you are under the New Covenant.
Under the New Covenant Jesus Himself is the 'right hand' and therefore to pursue wisdom is to pursue Jesus.
HE is our wisdom!
When we have Him we possess the two hands of wisdom. Those that possess the two hands have length of days and riches and honour.

Now how do we 'pursue wisdom'?
You cannot earn wisdom. You cannot deserve it. You cannot study for it and receive it as a certificate. You cannot buy it.

Wisdom, that is Jesus Himself, ONLY comes by His unmerited favour, His grace, that which we don't deserve but comes purely on the basis of the love of God and under the terms and conditions of the New Covenant, ratified in the blood of Jesus, which says 'their sins and their iniquities I will remember no more' (Hebrews 8: 12) the foundation upon which God says He will 'put, write and be' our God (Hebrews 8: 10).
Oh the freedom of this! Can you receive it? This is freedom.
No longer relying on me and what I do or don't do but TOTALLY and UNDENIABLY relying on Him, our Jesus, and His finished and completed work at the cross. There He bore my sin once and for all and in His shed blood I am the righteousness of God in Him (2 Corinthians 5: 21).
There are many religions in the world and they all have factors that make them interesting, maybe even desriable, but none have the eternal factor of the person of Jesus. He is the difference. As we appropriate Him we rise above the religions into the difference that is Christianity (because as I have said before Christianity and religion ARE NOT the same).

So receive the word of God.
Pursue wisdom for this is the principal thing...what is wisdom?
Wisdom is the person of Jesus.
Pursue Him, He is EVERYTHING!
Beloved, this is the day of the Lord's favour (Luke 4: 19), this is the day of Grace, this is the day of Receiving, this is the day of sitting in the place of rest (Ephesians 2: 6), this is the day that the Lord has made...why do you strive so hard to achieve wisdom?
No longer is the command to do, or don't, but simply to believe.

Receive Him and in the receiving receive the promise of the two hands...length of days and riches and honour.
They are yours to take...do not walk by the blessings that litter your life and pursue an alloyed 'religion' mixing law and grace.
Throw out the law and receive the grace...receive Him who is everything, receive Jesus Christ.

God bless your day.

The Genie of the Lamp...

Aladdin found an oil lamp in a magic cave and when he rubbed it there appeared a genie who gave him power, splendour and wealth, and the hand of the beautiful Princess Badroulbadour.

The common cartoon image of the genie is the all-powerful figure dressed in his pyjamas offering three wishes...so...let me ask you this question...if the true All-Powerful One were standing before you now and asking for your request what would you say?

I am intrigued today by an eighteen year old young man who had very big shoes to fill as he ascended the throne of his father who was in that very position. Before him was God and God was asking him what he would like Him to do.

(That makes me think of blind Bartimaeus...he was blind and begging by the roadside when Jesus walked by. Hearing the commotion Bartimaeus asked what was going on and was told that Jesus of Nazareth was passing by. Bartimaeus then begins to call out for Jesus, the Son of David to have mercy on him. When told to hush up he calls out all the more. Jesus stops; he calls Bartimaeus to him and asks the most unusual question..."What would you have Me do for you?" I have always thought that was such an unusual question...Bartimaeus was blind! And Jesus ask him what he wanted Him to do! Funny question!)

The eighteen year old was Solomon, the son of King David. David had died and Solomon was ascending the throne of his father and before him was the true All-Powerful One, God Himself, and He is asking Solomon for his request. This is recorded clearly in 1 Kings 3: 5. Solomon has gone to Gibeon to offer a thousand burnt offerings on the altar to God and it says,

'In Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream at night; and God said, "Ask what you wish me to give you."'

Now it says nothing about any restriction or limitation, placed by God, on what Solomon could ask.
Solomon could have asked for wealth, health, happiness, glory, splendour, honour...even the head of his enemies on a silver platter! It intrigues me then that Solomon asked for...

'Therefore give to Your servant an understanding heart to judge Your people, that I may discern between good and evil. For who is able to judge this great people of Yours?' 1 Kings 3: 9

God was pleased with this request. God granted Solomon his request and added riches and wealth, and honour 'such as none of the kings have had who were before you, nor shall any after you have the like.' Even today the wealth and splendour of Solomon, and his kingdom, are legendary.

So what has this got to do with us? Listen to these words from the Bible and I'll leave you to ponder these things for yourself.

'But by His (God) doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption,...' 1 Corinthians 1: 30
 

'Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom. And in all your getting, get understanding.' Proverbs 4: 7
 

'That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power.' Ephesians 1: 17-19
 

Wow! There is a lot I could say about that but instead hear these words.

Jesus said...

'Ask, and it shall be given to you; seek, and you shall find; knock, and it shall be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it shall be opened.' Matthew 7: 7-8 

Jesus is stopped today and standing and He is calling you to Him and He is saying to you...

"What would you have Me do for you?"

What will you ask?

A Conundrum!...

I spent the past weekend in the company of a bunch of men.
The majority were Christians and the others not.
It is so interesting to observe when these two 'worlds' rub up against one another.
As I rode home (it was a motobike weekend) I thought about the counsel that we have all heard that we, as Christians, are 'in the world, but not of it.'
Now is that a verse from the Bible? Maybe someone can help me with that because as I write this I have no availability to find out whether this is from the Bible or not. Certainly my experience has been that if it is not an actual Bible verse then it has been established by 'us' as having the same weight as a Biblical verse!

I then, as I rode, thought about the time when I personally had my first real interaction with a God who wanted to have a relationship with me. During that first conversation one of the things this voice said to me was this...God said that He understood that I had walked away from a church that had no real relevance to the world in which it lived but He said that here (in the church in which I was sitting at that moment) was a church which "had a desire to be relevant".
The pastor on that day was preaching on the (then) church value of 'Relevance'. It is interesting that the church of which I am a member has since abandoned 'Relevance' as a value as such but I couldn't help think about whether or not we had actually arrived at this value of being 'relevant' to the world around us, and to which God brings us into contact constantly.

Now here's the conundrum...how do we be in the world but not of it?

When I was young 'contact' with the world was not encouraged. Any personal relationships with things perceived as 'worldly' were openly discouraged whether that was in a sporting team, in a social setting or through common interests this contact was taught to me as not being a good or desirable thing. Many times I had heard the words "but it's worldly" as a concrete and justifiable reason for not engaging.
This resulted in extreme frustration for me because it produced in me a double life...I had my Sunday life and I had my Monday - Saturday life and the two were exceedingly different. The other thing this produced was an ability to lie as I avoided the two conflicting in any way.
Now that is me but things have moved on.
I went to great lengths to divest myself of this hypocrisy and exceedingly and openly engaged a life that was not 'christian' in nature or behaviour.

Now here I was and am and God was and is talking to me about relevance...about being relevant. Here I was with the 'issue' of relevant Christianity staring me full in the face as He talked to me about this as I observed two very different camps interract on a simple bike riding weekend.
So...relevant to who? Well relevant, I expect, to those around me who don't have what I have, don't know what I know, who are lost but don't know it.

I have said this before but I need to say it again. Christianity and religion are not the same. Why is it that millions of people who have the same desire for relationship, who have the same 'eternity' placed in them by our common Creator, would never consider stepping into one of our 'churches'?
Do you know, I believe, that the reason is that church has ceased to be a place of Christianity, and all that truly means, and has rather become a place of religion and the man who unwittingly is seeking God, even he who knows nothing of God knows that religion isn't it, and so rejects it. I have heard their conversations so many times where 'christian' and 'religion' become confused and I have to tell you we (the 'churchies') have done that! And not only that we show it by what we do.

Now I recall Jesus praying for those He was to leave in the world upon His departure...I think John 17...and the basic tenet of His prayer was that they be kept that they may be used that the world may believe.

How do we be in the world but not of it?

Do we win the world by separating ourselves or do we win the world by accepting them and engaging with them? Do we engage with their banter, full of innuendo and foul language, or do we separate ourselves away? If the answer is to engage then to what level do we engage?

I am nothing special but I have been given an acceptance in both camps. Combined with this I have been led to a place were I openly and with substantial spiritual indignation have rejected 'religion' and embraced 'Christianity', and the two ARE NOT the same. I don't care what your church/denomination dogma says religion is man placing his controlling 'law' upon people in the name of God and by God I have been set free from the death of the law to the fullness of the super-abundant grace of God in Jesus Christ...I am free and I WILL NOT sit under your rules anymore. God loves me and my role is to show that love.
Now do I engage in the depravity of the world's conversation...no, and with my 'worldly' mates I will openly ask them to desist from some of the things they say but do I then separate myself and show my disapproval? NO, a million times no. Jesus engaged with the most undesirable with the purpose of engaging.

So...to those who came on the weekend's ride and engaged with a group of blokes who even if they don't know it are searching for that indefinable, that thing that appears so unreachable that they could not even define it, to those who engaged thank you.
Your actions showed relevant Christianity in all it's fullness and spat in the eye of religion and all its falsity.
If we are to engage this world we will hear some bad language, some foul conversations, some disturbing stuff but quite frankly get over it!
In the midst of it you will hear the cry of a lonely man who recently turned fifty and doesn't believe he will see sixty, a man who has no satisfying relationship with his wife, who has no satisfaction in his life except when he joins a simple motorbike ride. This man text me after I arrived home and this is what he said..."Only wanted to say..I just love rolling with you. I'm well aware I'm not in your league. Would be an idiot to think even close. Its a sheer pleasure to be invited to roll with and be a part of what appears to be an ever-growing group. I truly thank you".

You need to know that when the cry of this man was heard there was myself and one other of the Christian camp sitting there and the other came to me later and said that he would be praying.

So here is the question...if we had not engaged we would NEVER have been in a position to hear his cry and we then would never have been in a position to pray for him and without the prayer his case is lost and hopeless eternally.

We have to engage. How can we hope to influence if we don't engage? Do we get down in their sludge, no, but by God we have to be close enough to give them a hand up!

As Jesus is...

For many months I have been thinking about a section of the Bible found in Ephesians chapter two. The truths found here have impacted me immensely and have changed my life.
I have spoken about these before in this blog and have probably quoted them but it is worth quoting them again...

'But God, being rich in mercy,because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places, in Christ Jesus, in order that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.'
Ephesians 2: 4 - 7
 

 Awesome words.
You know the Bible is something else. It's not just a book. It is a living word and it is probably the most misunderstood book ever written; misquoted, misinterpreted, misused, abused, villified and persecuted. I was listening to the radio recently and an announcer who I in fact like a lot starting talking about what the Bible says about women...now I have no idea where she got her material because her observations showed a total lack of understanding of anything the Bible says and a total misinterpretation of the stuff she quoted from and only showed that she, despite being a learned person who claims to have got 496/500 in her HSC, has absolutely no understanding of the truth of Jesus. I listened, I could have got annoyed but I ended feeling very sorry for her.
Why is there so little grasp of Jesus in this world?
You know it is a sad fact that the Church is largely to blame because the Church has failed to grasp truth and has been peddling an alloyed message that purports to bring freedom but in fact brings bondage.
What is he talking about I hear you ask?
Dear precious reader we cannot mix grace and law.
We cannot have a little bit of each. We can't talk about a message of grace and about being gracious to one another etc. etc. but continue to burden people with rules and regulations. We cannot give lip service to a gospel of grace and then put requirements upon people that, at the very least are downright burdensome and expect people to find freedom in Christ.
When we bring Christianity and alloy it with law the result is a burden that results in an enemy taking it and producing frustration, distortion, anger, abuse and total disillusionment.
You cannot have two mothers...either your mother is grace or your mother is law...you cannot have both.

Now I could talk a long time about this and by this time you are either interested or you have probably zoned out. I don't suppose what I say will have much impact on you but today I just want to share a few thoughts with you because today I was drawn to another verse in the Bible which then directed me back to verses that precede the ones that I have quoted above and add another wonderful brick in the structure that God is building for me...the Life of Purpose.
Listen to this...

'Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgement; because as He is, so are we in this world.'
1 John 4: 17
 

First thing to note is that 'Love has been perfected among us.' God is Love and what follows reveals the perfection of Him.
Second as a result we need have no concern about the day of judgement because we are not measured or judged on the basis of our performance but instead God looks at Jesus and sees me and you. Our sin has been, once for all, completely dealt with at the cross and the under-pinning term of the New Covenant is that God remembers our sin and our iniquities NO MORE!
Third 'as He (Jesus) is, so are we...' Notice this is present tense, 'as He IS' that is how we are right now in this world wherever we are. You, if you believe in Jesus, are 'as He is' right now.
So the question then has to be asked...how is Jesus today, where is He?
It was then that I was turned back a few verses from the ones that have consumed me for months, and which I quoted above, to these majestic words. Listen to this...

'...He (God) raised Him (Jesus) from the dead, and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule, and authority and power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age, but also in the one to come. And He has put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fulness of Him who fills all in all.'
Ephesians 1: 20 - 23
 

Immense words, do you not agree?
Now meditate on this...'as He is, so are we in this world.'
See yourself as Jesus is, far above all power, dominion, name, negative situation, I could go on and on but I would rather you go and meditate on this truth. Write your own list of the negative things of this world that He is far above...and you are far above in Him.
You know as we walk along life's pathway there are blessing upon blessing that we miss...why?..because we fail to see them.
Open you eyes and see and in the seeing you 'with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord,' will be 'transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.' (2 Corinthians 3: 18)
It really is in the seeing and the great mission of the enemy of mankind is that their eyes will be veiled and blinded so that they will not see but instead will take a few isolated verses and develop a doctrine that adds another layer of veil...this is what the radio announcer did and often, so sadly, this is what many a well-meaning preacher does because they have received grace but then alloyed it with law and the burden increses.
Be set free.
See yourself as God sees you...seated with Him in heavenly places enjoying the benefits of being sons and daughters of the King.
God bless you today with his Shalom.

Cambodia - An Afterword

I have been back in Australia only a few days and many people have asked me how it went...I am so sorry but I really find it very hard to describe...it's like describing the intricate details of a beautiful sunrise or the immensity and splendour of a flash of lightning!

We are so privileged to stand and watch Christ do His stuff at close quarters.

How do you describe that?

How do you describe the first smile of a little child who has only known the depravity and want of living on the rubbish dump when offered a gift, no strings attached?
How do you describe the moment when a boy of maybe six or seven is given a colouring pencil and a picture to colour and he doesn't know what to do? How do you describe his moment when a beautiful young Australian with a heart of hope sits down and takes the time to show him and praises his every move?
How do you describe a beautiful little girl who is overjoyed with her new backpack, the only one she will likely ever receive, but she wants a 'girl' one, pink, not a 'boy' one, blue...how do you describe her face when she receives the blessing of God upon her tiny life?
How do you describe a group of children who want to learn and who are on the very edge of their seats as they are taught a few rudimentary rules of English grammar by a big Australian larrikin with a heart of peace and joy and they lap it up and his praise for their every attempt like it is very food for their souls?
How do you describe a group of children who are expecting some white strangers to arrive and are overjoyed to spend a day playing ball, painting, doing all sorts of other activities and then when they leave they leave all the stuff behind?
How do you describe the joy of a group of boys who receive full football strip, and a ball, and even a pump to pump it up with, and the gift comes with no strings attached?
How do you describe a small girl with great need being touched and loved by a beautiful brown haired Australian girl with tears in her eyes and a heart bursting with compassion who takes her hands and breathes into her the very breath of God in prayer?
How do you describe precious deprived children receiving exercise books, pencils and even an eraser for them to keep?
How do you describe the face of a child receiving a beautifully decorated pencil case, full with stuff, which was made by a child in Australia?
How do describe the joy on the face of a woman pastor who in great want is ministering to dump children when she receives a pile of new, clean underwear for 'her' children because some family in Australia were inspired by God to provide them?
How do you describe young people whose lives have been changed eternally by thoughtful people far away who contribute by sponsoring via the Living Hope for Children Sponsorship Scheme or through the Emerging Leaders Sponsorship Program?
How do you describe a group of women who have gathered to share around the ministry of prayer and receive the arms of the Lord around them and the restoring, releasing, sight-giving, freedom-giving power of the Lord into their own lives, personally?
How do you describe a situation where you know you have twice as many children as you expected and that there is only enough meals for the original amount and you pass the problem to the Lord and every child gets a meal?
How do you describe a group of people who have never heard of Jesus being introduced to the One who loves them without end and is for them when all else is against them and they receive the revelation of the Holy Spirit and they rise as one to receive Him?
How do you describe a group of soldiers who stand in protection of their King and country but are unsure of who stands for them and they are able to rise as one and receive the One who will never leave them or forsake them?
How do you describe a man who comes forward to receive prayer and the ministry of the Lord for his chronic back problem and dances his way back to his chair swivelling his hips like Elvis?
How do you describe the man who can't move his little finger and we anoint it with anointing oil and receive the favour of an abundant God of Grace and he walks away moving a finger that did not move before?

I could go on and on and on.

However having said all that I know it is important that I convey to you in some way the blessing of the Lord to the people of Cambodia through you.
Last night I received a little report from our team in Cambodia. It gave some detail of the outcome of the 'celebrations', the gospel rallies (we decided we didn't like that word, too hard) and it is important that I share it with you.
It was my privilege to share Jesus with the people at fifteen separate celebrations.
The figures are:

• 2844 people heard the gospel and were blessed and fed with a meal provided by the sponsors of Cambodia WTL.
• 1825 precious people received Christ and many had never heard His name prior.
• 632 Bibles in the Khmer language were distributed. 

So, how do you describe a God who loves us and wants us to receive from Him, who declares we are seated with Christ in the ultimate place of blessing, who wants us to understand the full awesome ramifications of the truth that this is the Day of Grace, the day of the favour of the Lord?
How do you describe a God who wants to bless the people with His salvation and His immense grace and He chooses to work through us? Through me? It just astounds me!
How can I describe to you the partnership that He has formed, the brother He has given me, the immense life of purpose He has blessed me with?

I am so thankful.

God bless you all who made this a reality and I freely declare you partners with Christ in this immense and awesome ministry to a funny little country in Asia that no one thinks much about but over which God is raising His banner declaring 'Jesus is Lord.'

Cambodia - Children at Jehovah Jireh Centre

On Wednesday 26th September 2012 Katie, Tilly, Peter and Fiona visited the Jehovah Jireh Centre on the outskirts of Phnom Penh.
The centre is run by Thearith and his team and has a ministry to the children and adults who live off garbage mountain. Thearith started this ministry by providing meal parcels himself and the Lord provided and he now has a centre right on the edge of the dump from which he provides medical care, schooling for the children and adults and as a place to share the love of Christ with the people. Cambodia WTL has been supporting the Jehovah Jireh Centre in a small way for a number of years.
Fiona has provided a little report of her impressions of the day with the children and carers at Jehovah Jireh.
She writes...

' Yesterday we visited the Jehovah Jireh centre, which was again a completely different experience to the first two centres we visited. Although we had the same activities to run at each centre and the same gifts to give, each experience taught us different lessons.  

When we pulled in the driveway of the centre in our big van we saw the hidden children all run from the play equipment to greet us at the gate. The children were laughing and actually jumping for joy. I couldn't believe they were so excited to see us, after all they really had no idea who we were. We were just strangers to them. Yet for some reason we caused them to rejoice.

It is amazing being swarmed by children. As soon as each one of us stepped out of the van a crowd of children immediately gathered. I wonder if that is what happened to Jesus when the disciples told the children not to bother Him. Were the children so overcome with joy at His presence that they couldn't help but want to touch Him, hug Him, play with Him? That was certainly the experience for us. Each child wanted to drag us off in different directions, no doubt each one wanting to play some sort of game with us or reveal some special place they had at the centre. It is quite confronting in a way, but you cannot help but want to play with them for their smiles are hard to say no to.

It was quite disorganised when we arrived.  We all went into sit in one of the English classes and my first thought was, these teachers need to learn how to teach English better. It wasn't meant to be demeaning for the teachers in my stating that, I feel they are simply doing the best they can with their limited resources. Not all the children had pencils or paper and so I was encouraging them to share as they copied down words. They can write the letters and say the words but I wondered how much meaning it carried for them as they were not using the phrases in a sentence. Nevertheless I stayed with a small group of boys and helped them to copy down the notes. They just lit up at any praise I gave them, it was so beautiful.

After the English lesson we took the children upstairs to their Bible room and explained we were from Cambodia WTL. We taught them 'Jesus in the boat' as we had done with the other children at the other centres, yet when we finished the song they wanted to sing it back to us in Khmer. I have to say I love that song in English, but it takes on a whole other level of beauty when sung in the harmonious voices of Khmer children. Pete then taught them about David and Goliath, which they loved of course. Seeing such a big man fall to the ground really shows them how powerful God is, as he helped David to defeat the giant Goliath.

We played the water bottle game to break the ice and it was as successful as it has been everywhere else. Little girls were jumping up and down shrieking hoping not to get caught with the thief bottle (you really have to have witnessed the game to understand), then the boys were slowing it down, making it worse for the girls.

Next was the biscuit game, and this is always by far the favourite activity of the children. Their eyes just light up when you show them the biscuits with icing and lollies on them. Then Ratha  made them wait to eat the biscuit until they all had a biscuit. Once they were allowed to eat they all stuffed them into their mouths and we had smiles full of icing and crumbs. I really think that bringing them food was a great thing to do, especially something as silly as lolly-coated biscuits.

After the snack we split the group into two and had painting and craft. We bought these ribbons here for the craft and the boys were so good at tying them into little bows. All the little girls were huddled around this one boy Chan (like Jacky Chan) asking him to tie their bows for them. It was the cutest thing you have ever seen.

Next they had lunch which was nice to see as we provided them with a decent meal. After lunch there were new bags (Angry Bird bags of course) along with stationary supplies as gifts from Cambodia WTL to the children. We were asked to hand the bags and books to the children as they were called up one by one. The first little girl to receive a back pack was so sweet, when I handed her the bag her little face lit up and she cuddled her back pack smiling. It was such a precious moment. Peter always jokes that every birthday I get a handbag from one of the lakes, which is true, it is hard to fathom that these children do not get a new bag every year. For some of them this was a once only gift.

The children then left and went home for a bit. We shared lunch with the staff at the centre; I couldn't help but noticed they put the biggest and best bowls of food in front of us, which made me ashamed. I could afford to lose a few kilos but these Cambodians are just skin and bones. The lunch was lovely though. We rested Cambodian style after lunch, laying down on the hard nailed floor and slept for about an hour.

Then we had the most special part of the trip for Pete and I, we taught English to the older children in years 3 and 4. I love my husband, I always have, that's why I married him, but this trip has made me realise how special he is and how blessed I am to have him as my husband. We were given sheets for the children to copy, but both Pete and I didn't want to waste time teaching them that way. So Pete taught them about pronouns. He  was amazing. He had actions and made them repeat and kept quizzing them to ensure they understood. I actually don't have the words to describe the faces of those children as Pete taught them new words and how to use articles. They were so bright with joy, like they knew they were being challenged by Pete but they loved the challenge. I now know the expression 'on the edge of your seat' for these children literally were on the edges of their seats as Pete taught them. They wanted his praise so much, that an hour flew by in that hot little classroom and not one child was bored or wanted to leave. In fact the smaller children kept coming in after their lesson finished. Even the teacher lapped up the lesson. Teaching is Pete's gift, and when he has joy in teaching the blessings that provides for those to whom he is teaching are in abundance. Those children will always remember the day the giant white man named Peter came and taught them English. How I wish we could have stayed doing that for the two weeks we were here. I would really feel that we'd be doing the children a real blessing.

That took us almost to the end of our time there. We had just enough time to play with the parachute and for Katie to teach the children how to play AFL with the balls we brought. These children just love learning anything new and so played AFL until it was time for us to go. As we got ready to leave we again faced that gut-wrenching feeling of leaving before it was really time to go. The children asked us when we would come again, they hugged us like they would never let go and a few children even tried to sneak into the van. I can't help but feel that again we came to give them gifts but ended up walking away with more than they had. Not only do we have a home to go to, but we also had the blessing of knowing those beautiful children. They showered us with whatever gifts they could giving away all the craft they made which was meant to be for them. When a Cambodian gives you a gift, there is no way to say no because they so intent for you to have it. How can those children give us all of these gifts when they have nothing themselves?

On the way back to our hotel we talked to Thearith, the founder of the Jehovah Jireh centre (he asked us to call him T because his real name in Khmer is too difficult for us to pronounce). T told us how he established the centre, and all of the other amazing work he does through the centre. Not only do they support the children who did not previously attend school, they have a clinic for pregnant women who cannot normally afford medical treatment and also a group for women to earn a trade. They teach these women, the mothers of the children at the centre, to make necklaces to be sold and all the money goes back to the women. It was so good to see Cambodians like T working to bring their people out of poverty. I am glad we are partnered with him because he does so much for the community.

As I reflect on the whole day, I feel God taught me a lot, but also blessed me a lot as well. I only hope to see some of the children we met today; Wanyea (boss), Pania and Chan, grown up with a world of possibilities open to them due to their education and their spiritual teaching about Jesus. For theses kids to have Jesus and an education, that is so much more than what they started with before attending the centre.

God bless these children, for they are Yours.'

Cambodia - Thursday 4th October 2012

Okay...the heading on this post is Thursday 4th October but it is in fact Saturday and I am sitting at my desk back in Sydney.

Thursday morning it was my blessing to share at the ICPC (Church planters) prayer morning. This is the day of the favour of the Lord, the day of Grace...the day of receiving.

We have a tradition that the team always has lunch or dinner together and so we all gathered for lunch and rejoiced together.

My departure is always tinged with sadness but with anticipation to see Alyson and Tilly.

I am so blessed.
My Australian team who through the heat, the opposition, the emotional upheaval, the mud, the difficulties and through the times of great blessing and excitement ministered the love of Christ in word and deed.
My Cambodian team who are such a blessing to me. I cannot describe how much joy I have to stand with you in Cambodia and together minister the abundant grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. He is our everything and this is the day of receiving His blessing. As a channel I receive the fullness of His abundant grace for you. God bless you all.
All who support our ministry...words cannot express my gratitude to you all. Your prayer, your love, your financial blessing...everything that you provide as Kingdom providers that enable us to step into the call that the Lord has blessed us with...God bless you. This is your ministry...you are donors to the ministry of Grace, Abundant Grace, to Benjamin, and the Lord will reward you. Receive from Him.
'For this reason I too, having heard of the faith in the Lord Jesus which exists among you, and your love for all the saints, do not cease giving thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers; that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him. I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe. These are in accordance with the working of the strength of His might which He brought about in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead,...
To my Lord...to You be the glory...You are worthy of all praise and honour. We rejoice in You; You are our Saviour, our Advocate, The Almighty, the Alpha and the Omega, the Amen, the Author and Perfecter of Faith, the Bread of Life, our Chief Shepherd, our Cornerstone, our Deliverer, the Door, the First and the Last, the Glory of God, our Great High Priest, Heir of all things, Immanuel, our King, the King of kings and Lord of lords, the Lamb, Life, the Light of the World, Lord of All, our Righteousness, the Man of Sorrows, the Messenger of the Covenant, the Messiah, Mighty God, our Passover, Prince of Life, Prince of Peace, our Redeemer, the Resurrection and the Life, our Rock, the Shepherd and Guardian of our souls, the True Light, the True Vine, the Truth, our Wonderful Counsellor, the Word of God. All praise and glory to Your Holy Name. Thank You Jesus.
...and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age, but also in the one to come. And put all things in subjection under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.' Ephesians 1: 15 - 23

Final word...Jesus 1825, satan 0.

God bless you all.