Sep-Oct 2024
Praise and thanks
Please join me in praising and thanking our gracious God: for his steadfast love and grace, his constant care and protection, his wisdom and power, his kindness and forgiveness, his sovereign power over all things, his great gospel plan for the nations, and his coming glory.
Praise him for productive evangelistic opportunities and conversations.
Praise and thank him for health, energy, and for many opportunities for many different ministries!
Praise and thank him because I continue to love the variety of challenges that ministry brings. It challenges my faith, love, hope, self-discipline, attentiveness, empathy, comprehension, emotions, intellect, theology, personality, relational ability, creativity, artistry, morality, discernment, wisdom, and communicative and administrative abilities! What a wonderful and comprehensive collection of challenges! Life and ministry are never boring!
Prayers
Please join me in my daily prayers for myself:
- ‘You have blessed and enriched me: help me to bless and enrich others freely and generously.’
- ‘Help me to stand in your grace, live in your love, trust in your truth, grow in your wisdom, walk in your ways, and serve in your strength, in the name of the Lord Jesus, and for your glory.’
- ‘By your glorious and powerful strength, give me patient endurance in everything, and joyful thanks to you for the Lord Jesus [based on Col 1:11-14].’
- ‘May this day be my best day of trusting, honouring, loving, and serving you.’
Please pray with me for my ministry over the next two months.
- Sermons and talks.
September
1st, Preaching on 2 Timothy at St James’ Ivanhoe.
1st, 15th, 29th, Training sessions on Interpreting the Bible, Red Door, Caroline Springs.
4th-6th, EFAC Retreat on Bible-enriched Praying, 6 sessions.
7th, speaking as an ‘Ambassador’ to raise money for the new CMS Mission Partners Residential Housing.
8th, preaching on Hebrews 3 times at City on a Hill, Melbourne.
10th, speaking at Book Launch of Andy Prideaux’s commentary on Job, ‘Enduring Hope’.
22nd, preaching twice on Ezekiel 47 at St Jude’s Parkville.
October
3rd, speaking at Singleness conference.
6th, 13th 20th, Training sessions on Interpreting the Bible, Red Door, Caroline Springs.
20th, preaching on Heb 12:1-13, at Mooroolbark Baptist Church
- Training. Regular sessions [every six weeks]: Five Prayer Training Groups; Four Preaching Training Groups.
- Mentoring, advising, and praying for ministers. This continues.
- Writing. September. Finalising editorial recommendations on my book on Praying, due to be published by Matthias Media next year. October. Getting back to finalising the book on the inspiration of Scripture.
- Research Students. Kay Hoe, and Christine, [Malaysia], and Steve [USA]. Their projects are all due to be assessed/examined in Sep/Oct.
- St Jude’s ministry. Training, preaching, counselling, mentoring, encouraging people to pray, evangelising.
- Leadership. I chair the New Cranmer Society, working for the reformation of the Diocese of Melbourne. September and October are busy months, as we prepare for the Diocesan Synod meetings October 8th-12th, and our NCS AGM on October 28th.
‘Please hear all these prayers from the lips of Jesus Christ, your Son, whom you have made our High Priest, Intercessor, and Mediator. Come Lord Jesus. Amen.’
On the home front I am in good health and mood. Now the dogs have gone I have acquired two male canaries, both excellent singers! But more difficult to take for a walk.
Thank you so much for your fellowship and support in prayer.
