From: R & S Scarcella & Family [inbox@webpastor.com] Sent: Wednesday, 16 August 2000 12:32 PM To: Susan Scarcella Subject: CoGS Weekly Hits! 2000 Vol.8 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 Netsters, The cold hit again here this morning. Sydney is ringed by snow, although all we get here is the low temperatures. There is one month to go to the Olympics, so we look forward to having lots of overseas guests. Are any of you coming South? Let us know. READING FROM THE WORD OF GOD As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector's booth. "Follow me," he told him, and Matthew got up and followed him. While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew's house, many tax collectors and "sinners" came and ate with him and his disciples. When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples,"Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and "sinners"?' On hearing this, Jesus said, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. But go and learn what this means: "I desire mercy, not sacrifice.' For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners." Matthew 9: 9-13 (NIV) Many professions have suffered the ups and downs of public opinion over the centuries, but tax collectors have never enjoyed anything but scorn from society! Yet, here was the holiest and purest man in history sitting and eating with tax collectors and "sinners" (probably prostitutes, undertakers etc)! Why, that sort of behaviour could not be tolerated by "nice" people! Yet Jesus' answer was to the point,"It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick." Jesus came to call people to repentance, not sit and have bottomless cups of tea with the saints. But don't the saints deserve some attention too? Certainly, but not at the expense of the sinners! We have to work hard to strike a balance between outreach and in-service. And we have to remember, above all, that "church" is not a club for the healthy but a hospital for sick souls as well. Matthew knew: after all, he wrote down the record of his own conversion, no doubt still marvelling at the love of Jesus for a tax collector such as he. TESTIMONY A missionary on furlough told this true story while visiting his home church in Michigan... "While serving at a small field hospital in Africa, every two weeks I traveled by bicycle through the jungle to a nearby city for supplies. This was a journey of two days and required camping overnight at the halfway point. On one of these journeys, I arrived in the city where I planned to collect money from a bank, purchase medicine and supplies, and then begin my two-day journey back to the field hospital. Upon arrival in the city, I observed two men fighting, one of whom had been seriously injured. I treated him for his injuries and at the same time talked to him about the Lord. I then traveled two days, camping overnight, and arrived home without incident. Two weeks later I repeated my journey. Upon arriving in the city, I was approached by the young man I had treated. He told me that he had known I carried money and medicines. He said, 'Some friends and I followed you into the jungle, knowing you would camp overnight. We planned to kill you and take your money and drugs. But just as we were about to move into your camp, we saw that you were surrounded by 26 armed guards. At this I laughed and said that I was certainly all alone in that jungle campsite. The young man pressed the point, however, and said, 'No sir, I was not the only person to see the guards. My five friends also saw them, and we all counted them. It was because of those guards that we were afraid and left you alone.'" At this point in the sermon, one of the men in the congregation jumped to his feet and interrupted the missionary and asked if he could tell him the exact day this happened. The missionary told the congregation the date, and the man who interrupted told him this story: "On the night of your incident in Africa, it was morning here and I was preparing to go play golf. I was about to putt when I felt the urge to pray for you. In fact, the urging of the Lord was so strong, I called men in this church to meet with me here in the sanctuary to pray for you. Would all of those men who met with me on that day stand up?" The men who had met together to pray that day stood up. The missionary wasn't concerned with who they were, he was too busy counting how many men he saw. There were 26 men. --submitted by Jennie Graham (Ed. China-missionary Marie Monson records an incident like this that happened to her in the 1930's. Other missionaries have reported similar occurrences. What an awesome God we have!) PRAYER POINTS ** Praise God for who he is, full of mercy and love. Thank him for showing that love by sending Christ Jesus while we were still sinners. Thank him for his offer of forgiveness and salvation, through the death and resurrection of Jesus. ** Thank him for his promise that he will never leave his children, that no one can separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus. ** Keep praying for outreach in our congregations, and that we will not let our churches become closed shops. ** Keep praying for Doctor Jordan Patrick in Pakistan, as he works amongst the sick there. ** We have also received an email from Pastor Moses Kummari in India. Keep him in your prayers, as he reaches out to his countrymen. Pray against the persecution that is going on in many areas by anti-christian fanatics. ** Pray for the Christians in Indonesia, especially in troubled areas such as the Maluku Islands. Pray that Bali remains quiet and safe and for the growth of the indigenous church. ** Pray for those experiencing problems in their families, whether they be financial, or between family members. Pray for wisdom in these situations. **Pray for Sydney as it gears up for the Olympics. Pray for protection against those who would cause troubles. Pray especially for many opportunities to talk to visitors about Jesus. MOMENT OF INSPIRATION WHOSE HANDS? *A basketball in my hands is worth about $19. A basketball in Michael Jordan's hands is worth about $33 million. It depends whose hands it's in. *A baseball in my hands is worth about $6. A baseball in Mark Mcquire's hands is worth $19 million. It depends whose hands it's in. *A tennis racket is useless in my hands. A tennis racket in Pete Sampras' hands is a Wimbledon Championship. It depends whose hands it's in. *A rod in my hands will keep away a wild animal. A rod in Moses' hands will part the mighty sea. It depends whose hands it's in. *A sling shot in my hands is a kid's toy. A sling shot in David's hand is a mighty weapon. It depends whose hands it's in. *Two fish and 5 loaves of bread in my hands is a couple of fish sandwiches. *Two fish and 5 loaves of bread in God's hands will feed thousands. It depends whose hands it's in. *Nails in my hands might produce a birdhouse. *Nails in Jesus Christ's hands will produce salvation for the entire world. It depends whose hands it's in. *As you see now it depends whose hands it's in. So put your concerns, your worries, your fears, your hopes, your dreams, your families and your relationships in God's hands because -- it depends whose hands it's in. --submitted by Pat Croisant HAHAHA CORNER **A window salesman phoned a customer. "Hello, Mr. Brown," said the sales rep. "I'm calling because our company replaced all the windows in your house with our triple-glazed weather-tight windows over a year ago, and you still haven't sent us a single payment." Mr. Brown replied, "But you said they'd pay for THEMSELVES in 12 months." --Anon. **"Families are like fudge... mostly sweet with a few nuts." - Unknown **A man was driving to work when a truck ran a stop sign, hit his car broadside, and knocked him out cold. A passerby pulled him from the wreck and revived him. He began a terrific struggle and had to be tranquilized by the paramedics. Later, when he was calm, they asked him why he struggled so. He said, "I remember the impact, then nothing. I woke up on a concrete slab in front of a huge, flashing 'Shell' sign. And somebody was standing in front of the 'S'!" --anon. **Here is a test to find whether your mission on earth is completed. If you're alive, it isn't.~ Richard Bach **Two men were sitting around discussing investments at lunch, when one suggested his friend go to the bank and check out the investment opportunities they offered. His friend takes his advice and goes to the bank. He walked in and a charming woman greeted him." He explained. 'I would like to speak with Fred, who I've been told is a tried and trusted employee of yours.' "The lovely woman replied, 'Yes he certainly was trusted. And he will be tried as soon as we catch him.'" --anon. ========================================================= There have been quite a few sightings of Olympic-inspired t-shirts and stickers. Here's one reading: "Remember to take your medication. Our Olympic visitors must suspect nothing!" If you have an Olympic-inspired t-shirt message, send it to us as mailto:tshirt@webpastor.com We will arrange a surprise gift for the best entry! Cya Rocco and Sue. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++