FASTING, FORTY DAYS AND FORGIVENESS – In Genesis 3 the first sin is recorded and also the subsequent judgement by GOD. As the human capacity for sin is not reduced in any way, GOD determines to wipe out humanity from His creation. Noah is instructed to build an ark to survive the ensuing flood. GOD intends to begin again with Noah and make a new covenant with him ‒ to never again destroy the earth by flood. Covenants always have signs; and, in this case, GOD commits Himself to the sign of the rainbow.
Noah and his family were saved by water ‒ symbolising baptism as a symbol of GODʼs grace. It saves us now and acts as a sign of GODʼs promise of ultimate salvation. The risen CHRIST, sitting at the right hand of GOD, is ample reassurance ‒ better even than a rainbow in the sky.
After 40 days of fasting and prayer in the desert, JESUS confronted temptations to deny His mission and emerged with a much clearer commitment to His mission.

Fr Steve                           DOWNLOAD ENCOURAGER HERE: Encourager-Autum 2021

The Power of Prayer. I love that definition right at the start – PRAYER IS THE SOUL’s SINCERE DESIRE – UTTERED OR UNEXPRESSED.
Our prayer needs to be sincere – not simply rattled off in rote fashion but spoken as a sincere conversation WITH GOD. Prayer is a part of our relationship with GOD. It is something upon which JESUS placed much emphasis.
The apostle Paul urges us, in 1 Thessalonians 5: 16-18 to:
‘Rejoice always pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances;
for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you’.

DOWNLOAD ENCOURAGER HERE: Encourager-Summer

Crosswalk.com, an online Christian living magazine gives an explanation on its website that Praying without ceasing is:
Impossible, right? Maybe in the olden days, when every task directly affected your family’s survival—of course they prayed, because if the crop died, they’d starve. If someone got sick, there was no medicine to help. Life was dangerous and fragile, and people weren’t distracted by social media and cell phones. But today? Who could be expected to keep their mind on God at all times? Surely God wouldn’t expect that of us, because He knows more than anyone how flawed we are, and how short our attention spans are.
Except that nowhere in the Bible is there an asterisk after that verse that says, “*unless you’re really busy.”
Here’s the good news. Not only is it possible to pray without ceasing, but it’s possible to do so without making any significant changes to your schedule or time commitments. It’s all about shifting your thought process and turning everyday moments into prayer. Someone once suggested that it’s like keeping the radio playing in the background. Keep that connection open and talk to God as you go through your day.

On Wednesday 8 July, the Gospel reading was from Matthew 10: 1-7.
JESUS had already called His 12 disciples. He didn’t draft them, force them, or ask them to volunteer; He chose them to serve Him in a special way. JESUS calls us today. He doesn’t twist our arms and make us do something we don’t want to do. We can choose to join Him, or we can choose to remain behind.

DOWNLOAD HERE:  Encourager-Winter
This list of JESUS’ 12 disciples doesn’t give us many details – probably because there aren’t many impressive details to tell. JESUS called people from all walks of life – fishermen, political activists, and tax collectors. He called common people and uncommon leaders; rich and poor, educated, and uneducated.
Today, many people think only certain people are fit to follow CHRIST; but this is not the attitude of the Master Himself. GOD can use anyone, no matter how insignificant he or she appears or thinks they appear. GOD calls ordinary people to do extraordinary work. He doesn’t call the equipped – He equips the called.
JESUS sent his disciples to go only to the Jews because He came first to the Jews. GOD chose the Jews to tell the rest of
the world about Him. Jewish disciples and apostles then preached the Gospel of the Risen CHRIST all around the Roman Empire – and soon Gentiles were pouring into the Church. The Bible clearly teaches that GOD’s message of salvation is for ALL people – regardless of race, sex, or national origin.
The Jews were waiting for the Messiah to usher in His kingdom.
JESUS spoke of a spiritual kingdom, not a military one as the
people thought. JESUS the Messiah, has already begun His kingdom
on earth in the hearts of His followers. One day this kingdom will
be fully realised. The evil will be destroyed, and all people will live
in peace with one another.
Everyday, is a new opportunity to seek the LORD. We can always pause and ask: Where is GOD in this? Like His disciples, we, too, have been given the authority and the ability to proclaim the Gospel in our everyday lives. When we start each day by seeking FROM OUR DIOCESAN SPIRITUAL DIRECTOR

GOD with our whole heart, spending time with Him in the Word and allowing Him to fill us with His grace and love, we are better able to serve Him and offer up our whole day for Him. Regardless of what may be going on in our personal lives, now is the time to seek the LORD. Never feel as though you aren’t good enough.

The way we live our lives is sometimes the only Gospel some
people experience. Do we stay connected to Him? What areas
of life do we need to open up in order to deepen our relationship
with Him?
De Colores
Fr Steve