From: R & S Scarcella & Family [inbox@webpastor.com] Sent: Wednesday, 19 April 2000 10:07 PM To: inbox@webpastor.com Subject: CoGS Weekly Hits! 2000 Vol.4. No.3 =================================================== YOUR CoGS WEEKLY HITS! - FREE NETMAGAZINE =================================================== distributed by Rev. Rocco & Mrs. Susan Scarcella from Church of the Good Shepherd Bossley Park NSW Australia WEBSITE: www.webpastor.com ITEMS, JOKES ETC TO: hits@webpastor.com SUBSCRIBE: subscribe@webpastor.com UNSUBSCRIBE: unsubscribe@webpastor.com (Please write "no hits" in the subject frame) WHAT IS CHRISTIANITY?: Go to... http://www.christianity.net.au HELP BLIMBINGSARI ORPHANAGE?: Go to... http://www.webpastor.com/miss&supp.htm *************************************************** Dear Net Family, This week is Easter, the high point of the Christian year. It was brought home to us recently just how much the faith has been pushed into the background when were asked by a young woman (we often see at the shopping centre) "What is the significance of Palm Sunday,Good Friday and Easter Day?". By the way, thanks also for those of you who are helping us out through thr AllAdvantage.com program. We expect our first payment cheque for the orphanage to arrive soon after Easter. If you have no idea what I'm talking about then please go to: http://www.webpastor.com/miss&supp.htm and sign up through our link! You must use the link on that page or go directly to this one: http://www.alladvantage.com/go.asp?refid=LCD613 (All the "how it works" is there for you to read.) If you do join YOU get paid for every hour you are online and we do too for referring you! We have committed these funds to the orphanage. Please let your friends know so that might consider signing up to help these kids.(Note: "spamming" is not allowed!)Thanks! READING FROM THE WORD OF GOD Now, brothers, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. By this gospel are you saved if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise you have believed in vain. For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures that he was buried that he was taised on the third day according to the Scriptures and that he appeated to Peter, and then to the Twelve. After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time,most of are still living, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James then to all the apostles and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born." --1 Corinthians 15:1-7 (NIV) Paul,the great apostle of Christ, describes himself as "one abnormally born." By this he means that his entry into the ranks of the apostles was not by the usual means: he did not walk with Jesus as James did, he did not sit at Jesus' feet, as did Peter, and he was not present with the 500 when Jesus appeared to them. Nevertheless, Paul's faith was founded on the same basis as that of the apostles: the resurrection of Jesus. If that one historical act had not happenned, then all the spirituality in the world would count for nothing. Those who believed in it, if it were not true, were living in fairyland. Sincere, but sincerely deluded. But Paul assures us: it did happen. Jesus did rise from the dead. Paul saw Him; Paul spoke with Him. And so, moreover did hundreds and hundreds of others. We can believe it with full trust, and proclaim as did our brothers and sisters throughout the ages: He is risen! He is risen indeed! AN EASTER STORY There was once a school with a class of students no teacher had been able to handle. A young man, just out of college, heard about the class and he applied to the school. The principal asked him, "Do you not know what you are asking for? No one has been able to handle these students.You are just asking for a terrible beating." After a few moments of silent prayer, the young man looked at the principal and said, "Sir, with your consent I accept the challenge. Just give me a trial basis." The next morning the young man stood before the class. He said to the class, "Young people, I came here today to conduct school. But I realize I can't do it by myself. I must have your help." One big boy, they called Big Tom, in the back of the room whispered to his buddies, "I'll not need any help. I can lick that little bird all by myself." The young teacher told the class that if they were to have school, there would have to be some rules to go by. But he also added that he would allow the students to make up the rules. This was certainly different, the students thought! One young man suggested "NO STEALING." Another one shouted "BE ON TIME FOR CLASS." Pretty soon they had 10 rules listed on the board. The teacher had then asked the class what the punishment should be for breaking these rules. Someone in the class suggested that if the rules were broken, they should receive 10 licks with a rod across their back with their coat off. The teacher thought that was pretty harsh, so he asked the class if they would stand by this punishment.The class agreed. Everything went pretty well for two or three days. Then Big Tom came in very upset. Someone had stolen his lunch. Worse still, someone had seen a student named Timmy with Big Tom's lunch! The teacher called Timmy up to the front of the room.Timmy admitted readily that he had taken Big Tom's lunch."You must remove your coat, then," the teacher instructed.(The little fellow had come with a great big coat on.) Timmy said to the teacher, "I am guilty and I am willing to take my punishment, but please don't make me take off my coat." The teacher reminded Timmy of the rules and punishments and again told him he must remove his coat. The little fellow started to unbutton that old coat. As he did so,the teacher saw he did not have a shirt on under it. Even worse, he saw a frail and bony frame hidden beneath that coat. The teacher asked Timmy why he had come to school without a shirt on. Timmy replied, "My daddy's dead and my mother is very poor. I only have one shirt, and my mother is washing it today. I wore my big brother's coat so's to keep warm." That young teacher stood and looked at the frail back, the ribs sticking out, the spine protruding against the skin. He wondered how he could lay a rod on that little back and without even a shirt on. Still, he knew he must enforce the punishment or the children would not obey the rules. So he drew back to strike little Timmy. Just then Big Tom stood up and came down the aisle. He asked, "Is there anything that says I can't take Timmy's whipping for him?" The teacher thought about it and agreed. With that Big Tom ripped his coat off and stooped and stood over little Timmy at the desk. Hesitatingly the teacher began to lay the rod on that big back. But for some strange reason, after only five licks that old rod just broke in half. The young teacher buried his face in his hands and began to sob. He heard a commotion and looked up to find not even one dry eye in the room. Timmy had turned and grabbed Big Tom around the neck, apologizing to him for stealing his lunch, begging his forgiveness. He told Big Tom that he would love him till the day he died for taking his whipping for him. Aren't you glad that Jesus took our whipping for us, that He shed His precious blood on Calvary so that you and I can have eternal life in Glory with Him? We are unworthy of the price He paid for us, but aren't you glad He loves us that much? -submitted by Rose T PRAYER POINTS **Thank God for His goodness in sending His son to take out rightful punishment. **Praise Him for the resurrection of Jesus, which gives us assurance of eternal life. **Pray for the Easter outreaches all over the world, that many will come to know Jesus as Lord and Saviour at this time. **Pray for the "Jesus Videos" that many churches, including CoGS, have given out, that they will be the vehicles to bring people to a saving knowledge of God.(Over 3 billion people, half the world's population, have now seen this video!) **Pray for our own lives, that we will honour God in all that we think do and say. **Pray for Pat C's husband, Bill. Latest tests have confirmed a slow growing cancer. Options are soon to be discussed. **Pray for Jan M, whose health is not good. Her daughter and grandchild are coming to live with her out of a difficult situation. Pray for the whole family. **Keep praying for Rose T and family after the death of Bill. **Gail writes: "My sister has a viral infection, and is very sick, please pray for her, and her husband hasn't worked since Dec. of last year, and can't pay their bills now. Please pray for this need. Thank you" **Violet F is down to her last few weeks of pregnancy. Lynn D, Gina L and Trisha C have still some time to go, but welcome your prayers. **Pray for the Fresh Start Outreaches in Sydney this year, especially the one to be held at our own Church of the Good Shepherd May 20-28. YOUR FEEDBACK RE: "SUE THE MOUSE-KILLER!" Vince Ricci wrote: "Who is this superwoman that bests a mouse with her bare hands and disposes of a wanton spider that dared trespass her property? Surely she must be a Philistine ... go find her and I will make her my guardian." LOLOL RE: YOU KNOW YOU LIVE IN SYDNEY WHEN..." Mitch and Desley W wrote: "Just wanted to say I liked the "You know you live in Sydney when...." bit in this weeks hits. Now you know why we moved to the bush! (ha ha)." Our thanks also to http://www.altera.com for their kind donation of a T-shirt for Indonesia. HAHAHA CORNER **A defense attorney was cross-examining a police officer during a felony trial - it went like this: Q. Officer, did you see my client fleeing the scene? A. No sir, but I subsequently observed a person matching the description of the offender running several blocks away. Q. Officer, who provided this description? A. The officer who responded to the scene. Q. A fellow officer provided the description of this so- called offender. Do you trust your fellow officers? A. Yes sir, with my life. Q. With your life? Let me ask you this then officer - do you have a locker room in the police station - a room where you change your clothes in preparation for you daily duties? A. Yes sir, we do. Q. And do you have a locker in that room? A. Yes sir, I do. Q. And do you have a lock on your locker? A. Yes sir. Q. Now why is it, officer, if you trust your fellow officers with your life, that you find it necessary to lock your locker in a room you share with those same officers? A. You see sir, we share the building with a court complex, and sometimes lawyers have been known to walk through that room. --submitted by Paul D. **A husband and wife had just finished a heated discussion while driving on their way home. For a long time neither said anything. Finally the wife spotted a lone donkey in a field. To her husband she asks. "Relative of yours?" "Yes," the husband replies, "by marriage." --submitted by Pat C. **FOLKS, THIS IS THE ULTIMATE URBAN LEGEND! Does any of this sound familiar??? (CLUE: crazy e-mails that you may have received!!!) I know this guy whose neighbor, a young man, was home recovering from having been served a rat in his bucket of Kentucky Fried Chicken. So anyway, one day he went to sleep and when he awoke he was in his bathtub and it was full of ice and he was sore all over. When he got out of the tub he realized that HIS KIDNEYS HAD BEEN STOLEN. He saw a note on his mirror that said "Call 911!" But he was afraid to use his phone because it was connected to his computer, and there was a virus on his computer that would destroy his hard drive if he opened an e-mail entitled "Join the crew!" He knew it wasn't a hoax because he himself was a computer programmer who was working on software to save us from Armageddon when the year 2000 rolls around. His program will prevent a global disaster in which all the computers get together and distribute the $600 Neiman Marcus cookie recipe under the leadership of Bill Gates. (It's true-I read it all last week in a mass e-mail from BILL GATES HIMSELF, who was also promising me a free Disneyworld vacation and $5,000 if I would forward the e-mail to everyone I know. The poor man then tried to call 911 from a pay phone to report his missing kidneys, but reaching into the coin-return slot he got jabbed with an HIV-infected needle around which was wrapped a note that said, "Welcome to the world of AIDS." Luckily he was only a few blocks from the hospital- the same one, actually, where that little boy who is dying of cancer is, the one whose last wish is for everyone in the world to send him an e-mail and the American Cancer Society has agreed to pay him a nickel for every e-mail he receives. I sent him two e-mails and one of them was a bunch of x's and o's in the shape of an angel (if you get it and forward it to twenty people you will have good luck but ten people you will only have ok luck and if you send it to less than ten people you will have BAD LUCK FOR SEVEN YEARS). So anyway the poor guy tried to drive himself to the hospital, but on the way he noticed another car driving along without his lights on. To be helpful, he flashed his lights at him and was promptly shot as part of a gang initiation. And it's a little-known fact that the Y1K problem caused the Dark Ages. The above is fact and true. --submitted by Paul D. And finally.... **The Jelly Bean Prayer Red is for the blood He gave, Green is for the grass He made, Yellow is for the sun so bright, Orange is for the edge of night. Black is for the sins that were made White is for the grace He gave, Purple is for the hour of sorrow, Pink is for the new tomorrow. Give a bag full of jelly beans, Colorful and sweet, Tell them it's a Prayer.... It's a promise.. It's an Easter Treat! --submitted by Patricia T ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Now off you go, and eat those jelly beans! Have a Happy and a Blessed Easter. Your Netfriends, Rocco and Sue. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~