From: R & S Scarcella & Family [inbox@webpastor.com] Sent: Thursday, 19 October 2000 11:39 AM To: Susan Scarcella Subject: CoGS Weekly Hits! 2000 Vol.10 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 LIKE YOUR OWN FREE EMAIL ADDRESS & MORE? Go to... http://www.webpastor.com/free-mail.htm *************************************************** Dear Net Family, Did anyone miss us? The "Hits!" computer needed an upgrade, and in the process, all the email was lost along with some addresses. If you have a friend who has suddenly stopped receiving the "Hits!" please ask them to email us and we'll place them on the list again. If you believe you have received this email in error then please unsubscribe as above. Thanks! READING FROM THE WORD OF GOD Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, "Did God really say, "You must not eat from any tree in the garden?" The woman said to the serpent,"We many eat fruit from the trees in the garden, but God did say, "You must not eat from the tree that is in the middle of of the garden and you must not touch it, or you will die." "You will not surely die," the serpent said to the woman, "For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened and you will be like God, knowing good and evil." Genesis 3:1-5 (NIV) Recently, one of our netfamily was told by a doctor, "That's right, you are BOUND by your beliefs, aren't you?" Rightly, she replied,"No, we are freed by them." So it was with the woman in the garden. She was free to do so much, to enjoy the creation that God had created for humans, free to rule over it and care for it, free to eat of the wondrous bounty that grew on the trees. There was but one limit: God was the ultimate authority, and humans were answerable to him. That was where the Evil One began his campaign, to chip away at that one limit. "Did God limit you...oh really? Wonder why he did that? Could it be that he is not the benign sovereign he portrays himself as? Maybe he's a tyrant and just wants to keep you under control." Drop by drop, the poison entered Eve's mind until she began to doubt God, and then she blatantly disobeyed him. So did Adam! The upshot was that they both had concluded that they could run the world better without God's interference. All too soon they found out the folly of that belief, but too late to stop the entrance of SIN into the world. SIN...sIn... the "I" in the middle is the trouble! God should be in the middle! Is the devil using the same tactics on us today? Let us learn from the mistakes of our ancestral parents and give our lives over to the Creator this very day. TESTIMONY Maria writes: "I am a Filipina and a college student in the University of the Philippines. For six long years my family and I stayed in Saudi Arabia, where Jesus is only known as a prophet and Christians have to gather to a 'closed' place for fellowship. But it was there that I personally met the Lord. In that country, I have experienced both the ups and downs of my life. No regrets though, because through that I've come to develop intimacy with the Lord. My family is now serving the Lord through music, and if God wills, I would like to be used as a pastor or as a missionary someday. To Him, all glory and power and thanksgiving belong." PRAYER POINTS ***Thank God that He is trustworthy and that we never need to doubt Him. ***Thank God that even while we were still sinners, He sent Christ to die for us and pay the penalty for our sins. ***Praise Him that He has promised NEVER to leave His people. ***Thank God for breakthroughs in the Middle East crisis. Keep the Palestinian and Jewish people in your prayers. Both need to know Jesus as Lord. ***Pray for those in the floods in Northern Italy and Switzerland, especially those who have lost loved ones. ***Praise God that little Amelia D came through her heart operation well last Tuesday. The doctor is pleased and she may be out of intensive very soon. Keep her in your prayers as she recovers - and her mum & dad! *** Pray for Barbara, Sue's mum, as she deals with the return of the cancer and for the family as they seek to make things as comfortable as possible for her in the time remaining. ***Pray for those having difficulties in the areas of health and marriages. Pray that our gracious God can find solutions where human beings cannot. ***Pray for the outreaches going on amongst the Paralympians over the next few weeks. Our brother Barry B is amongst those working amongst the athletes and spectators. HAHAHA CORNER ***A man told his doctor that he wasn't able to do all the things around the house that he used to do. When the exam was complete, he said, "Now, Doc, I can take it. Tell me in plain English what is wrong with me." "Well, in plain English," the doctor said, "you're just lazy." "Okay," said the man. "Now give me the medical term so I can tell my wife." --submitted by Arthur N. *** SIGNS THAT YOU ARE GETTING OLD: You're asleep, but others worry that you're dead. Your back goes out more than you do. You quit trying to hold your stomach in, no matter who walks into the room. You buy a compass for the dash of your car. You are proud of your lawn mower. Your best friend is dating someone half their age and isn't breaking any laws. Your arms are almost too short to read the newspaper. You sing along with the elevator music. You would rather go to work than stay home sick. You constantly talk about the price of gasoline. You enjoy hearing about other people's operations. You consider coffee one of the most important things in life. You no longer think of speed limits as a challenge. People call at 9 pm. And ask, "Did I wake you?" You have a dream about prunes. You answer a question with "Because I said so!" --submitted by Jennie G ***Winning the Election The politician was sitting at his campaign headquarters when the phone rang. He listened intently, and after a moment his face brightened. When he hung up, he immediately phoned his mother to tell her the good news. "Ma," he shouted, "the results are in. I won the election!" "Honestly?" The politician's smiled faded. "Aw, Ma, why bring THAT up at a time like this?" --Anon. ***Now that I'm older, here's what I've discovered: 1. I started out with nothing, and I still have most of it. 2. My wild oats have turned into prunes and All Bran. 3. I finally got my head together; now my body is falling apart. 4. Funny, I don't remember being absent minded... 5. All reports are in; Life is now officially unfair. 6. If all is not lost, where is it? 7. It is easier to get older than it is to get wiser. 8. I wish the buck stopped here; I sure could use a few... 9. It's hard to make a comeback when you haven't been anywhere. 10. When I'm finally holding all the cards, why does everyone decide to play chess? 11. It's not hard to meet expenses...they're everywhere. 12. These days, I spend a lot of time thinking about the hereafter... I go somewhere to get something, and then wonder what I'm here after. --submitted by Jennie G. Sick Parishioner A young boy called the pastor of a local neighbourhood church to ask the pastor to come by to pray for his mother who had been very ill with the flu. The pastor knew the family, and was aware they had been attending another church down the road... so the pastor asked, "Shouldn't you be asking Father Brown down the road to come by to pray with your mom?" The young boy replied, "Yeah, but we didn't want to take the chance that he might catch whatever it is that Mom has." --submitted by Warren C. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Well, that's about it from us this week. Keep sending in those jokes and prayer points. See you (figuratively speaking!) Rocco and Sue. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++