news & views on university life from a Christian perspective
Monday, March 25, 2013
If you are interested in going to churchoverEasterhere are the service times for the local Lutheran Churches.I know many uni students are not into 'churchy stuff' but Easter is the high point of the Christian calendar and a time for celebration. Whether you believe Jesus Christ's death and resurrection as a myth or a reality (as I do), thanyou may appreciate some time for reflection and meditation anyway.
There are also many other demominations in the city and suburbs that you can look up (here)- but I share with you two where I personally know the pastors- and they are near your universities.
* March 28th Maundy Service 7.30pm with Holy Communion
* March 29th Good Friday Service 9.30am with Holy Communion
* March 31st Easter Sunday Service 9.30am with Holy Communion
Our purpose is to listen, share, encourage, support, care and reach out to our extended family.
Our mission is to be a growing congregation, interacting and sharing God's love to all. Pastor Peter Faggotter
Office: 19 Edward St, Magill 5072 (Tues & Thurs 9:00am-12:00pm)
Ph: 8364 3957
Fax: 8364 5824
Mob: 0435 448 437
E Mail: peter.faggotter@lca.org.au
Many of you are poor starving students so you will understand poverty - though it is relative to our own section of this world, of course.
I'll get to my main point to you first up - so you know where I'm heading with this:
You might be 'poor' now - but when you are financially in a better place - please do not forget the poor in our society and in the world at large.
I was listening to J K Rowling talking about her few years as a single mum in relative poverty. Obviously, now, she has no trouble paying her bills but she can still recall easily the shock of being an educated woman suddenly finding herself in a hopeless financial situation.
Personally, I've had my occasional share of relative poverty over the years also. A low point for me was being stuck in a housing trust maisonette with my wife, a young child and a baby. Our neighbours were abusive and violent. The walls were thin. The police were constantly being called out. The whole street was a squirming cesspool of moneyless hopelessness.
There is a domino effect in not having money. I needed to write out a resume to look for work. I couldn't afford ink for my computer printer, so I had to go to the library to book a computer and find coins to pay for the paper. I called the library, the computers were booked out, so I had to wait and come back a few hours later to use a computer. While I was updating my resume the teenagers next to me were looking up questionable sites and laughing - making it hard to concentrate. Eventually after buying the smallest pack of envelopes in the store and buying a single stamp - I'd send it off to a prospective employer. Hoping and praying to get more work to earn more money. This scenario was repeated. This is only -one- example.
Today, I'll open up a document on my computer and print it out buy a handful of stamps and a larger pack of envelopes and send it off while I'm down at the store for something else. Time wise what once took me pretty well the whole day - I can do in 15 minutes. If you have always had cash-at-hand, it is hard to understand the daily terrible stress and trauma that lack of money brings. No one is to blame for 'having' or 'not having', that's certainly not my point - my point is, 'listen' to those who are poor - what are they saying? Hear their voice.
Also, let's stay away from talk about 'it's their choice' - those who choose poverty would be in the absolute minority. Most sane people do not choose to be in poverty.
I haven't mentioned the stress of trying to keep a car on the road when it finally gives up the ghost - you have to 'bus' it everywhere which takes an hour or two when it would usually take 20 minutes. You can't buy mulit-trips because it eats into the food money. You can't borrow money because you can't actually pay it back. This is all just the tip of the iceberg.
Money doesn't make you happy - but the lack of money brings terrible suffering. When you find yourself in a healthy financial position - don't forget the poor. If you can, help them to get out of poverty but even more important, help them to get out and stay out. Then finally, help them to be able to help other people.
"He who is kind to the poor lends to the LORD, and he will reward him for what he has done". Proverbs 19:17
"Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me."Matthew 25:40
" My friends, if you have faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ, you won’t treat some people better than others. 2 Suppose
a rich person wearing fancy clothes and a gold ring comes to one of
your meetings. And suppose a poor person dressed in worn-out clothes
also comes. 3 You
must not give the best seat to the one in fancy clothes and tell the
one who is poor to stand at the side or sit on the floor. 4 That is the same as saying that some people are better than others, and you would be acting like a crooked judge.
5 My
dear friends, pay attention. God has given a lot of faith to the poor
people in this world. He has also promised them a share in his kingdom
that he will give to everyone who loves him. 6 You mistreat the poor. But isn’t it the rich who boss you around and drag you off to court? 7 Aren’t they the ones who make fun of your Lord? 8 You
will do all right, if you obey the most important law in the
Scriptures. It is the law that commands us to love others as much as we
love ourselves."James 2
God be with you and help you to be prosperous. May God give you a heart that cheerfully and generously lifts up those who can't help themselves. May God bless you!
Finally: "For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was
rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty
might become rich."2 Corinthians 8:9
You've discovered that you've got 'mojo' and out of the corner of your eye, you catch good looking strangers taking a second look at you. You are well above the legal age of consent, so you can take advantage of your new freedom. One night stands are part of our culture and anyway, YOLO.
'One night stands' are acceptable in many quarters of our side of the world. I can't tell people who don't subscribe to the Christian faith how to live their lives but I can invite them - and invite you - to consider a few factors about the whole thing. I don't like or advocate 'one night stands'.
I'm aware that to there are people who for recreation like getting themselves hooked up after a night at the club with someone sweet/hot/cool/handsome/pretty for the night. Maybe it's the highlight of the week and something to talk about with your buddies from Sunday to Friday. I'm aware that on the whole 'no one is getting hurt' and that it is by 'mutual consent' or that it beats the mundane lows and loneliness of life for a short time.
My main problem is that a one night stand is really an exercise in mutual selfishness.
Don't believe me? Let's test it. (I'll say 'you' but these are general)
Did you have to get intoxicated/stoned to spend time with this person? If so why? Would you have gone home with them if you had met them somewhere else? If not, then what was your goal that night? Be honest ...is it about them...or you?
Are you willing to look after and/or care for this person if they suddenly came down with the flu, or had a car accident? If not why not?
Do you know and agree with this person's intellectual and spiritual beliefs? If you don't know - then have you thought about the effect this sort of intimacy has on your own spirit/intellect?
Do you know if this person is 'safe'? Do you know their background? Do you actually really - know - who you are being intimate with?
I could go on...not to mention the wonderful diseases that you can pick up...that pregnancy does happen...no contraception is 100% sure...but maybe I'll stop there!
My personal view is to get to know a person intellectually and spiritually first and learn how to care and support each other along the way. It's a big topic but I want to encourage you to think about it.
If you are a Christian and 'do' one night stands, then you may have to find chapters or passages in the Bible to support your actions - because I don't see any in my own Bible.
Instead there are many passages about looking after other people and not being selfish.
1 Thessalonians 4:3-4 – “It is God's will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; that each of you should learn to control his own body in a way that is holy and honorable”
1 Corinthians 10:13 – “No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.” 1 Corinthians 6:13 – “The body is not meant for sexual immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body.”
Genesis 1: 27-28 – “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. God blessed them and said to them, "Be fruitful and increase in number;”
Genesis 2:24 – “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh.”
1 Corinthians 7:2-3 – “But since there is so much immorality, each man should have his own wife, and each woman her own husband. The husband should fulfill his marital duty to his wife, and likewise the wife to her husband.”
Hebrews 13:4 – “Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral.”
Forgiveness
"God is faithful and reliable. If we confess our sins, he forgives them and cleanses us from everything we've done wrong." 1 John 1:9
"For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God." (1 Peter 3:18a)
"In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace." (Ephesians 1:7)
What’s the Bible got to do with the internet? Quite a lot in
fact! The Bible has a very impressive understanding of human nature. It can
tell us about how we are to deal with
other peopleand its principles are transferable right into the
internet age.
Jesus knew what people were like back then and nothing has
changed. We still find people are the same way ‘out in the world’. The
following passage is from Matthew 10:16, take note of what Jesus tells
his disciples when he sends them out:
“I am sending you like lambs into a pack of
wolves.
So be as wise as snakes and as innocent as doves”.
Let’s look at this verse for our own context in the
internet age:
“Pack of wolves”: we all know there are predators and
scammer and hackers and haters and abusers on the ’net. Not everyone is a wolf
out there – but because there are wolves – then we need to be cautious.
“Wise as snakes” – Snakes are good at
being present but staying just out of trouble. They sense danger and move
quickly to protect themselves from any further harassment. We need to be wise
as snakes as far as being ‘aware’ of what is out there and not wandering into
danger.
“Innocent
as doves” – another translation is ‘harmless as doves’. There are
many non-abusive ways of dealing with people on the internet. We aim to fight
wrong - with right, darkness - with light, hatred - with love. We do not deliberately
deceive or hurt other people. We all make our mistakes and I’ve certainly made
mine, however, God gives us a fresh start every new day. God’s spiritual
principles can still be active through the keyboard and mouse.
Ephesians 4:14 says: “Then we will no
longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there
by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in
their deceitful scheming”
Instead:
Romans
12:15-18 “When others are happy, be happy with them, and when they are sad, be
sad. Be friendly with everyone. Don't be proud and feel that you are smarter
than others. Make friends with ordinary people. Don't mistreat someone who has
mistreated you. But try to earn the respect of others, and do your best to live
at peace with everyone.”
Isn’t this a
great ‘online’ attitude?
I’m not sure you’ll find God on your
latest social network site; however, his Holy Spirit will guide and lead you as
you aim to be “as wise as snakes and as innocent as doves”.
May He bless you on the ‘net and also in the ‘real’ world
out there.
This is from a secular point of view (and a a bit 'girlie') butI agree with the content as world-wisdom and thought it good enough to pass on:
Eight Steps Toward a More Satisfying Life Want to lift your level of happiness? Here are some practical suggestions from University of California psychologist Sonja Lyubomirsky, based on research findings by her and others. Satisfaction (at least a temporary boost) guaranteed
1. Count your blessings. One way to do this is with a
“gratitude journal” in which
you write down three to five things for which you are currently thankful—from the
mundane (your peonies are in bloom) to the magnificent (a child’s first steps). Do this
once a week, say, on Sunday night. Keep it fresh by varying your entries as much as
possible.
2. Practice acts of kindness. These should be both random (let that harried
mom go ahead of you in the checkout line) and systematic (bring Sunday supper to an
elderly neighbor). Being kind to others, whether friends or strangers, triggers a cascade
of positive effects—it makes you feel generous and capable,gives you a greater sense of
connection with others and wins you smiles, approval and reciprocated kindness—all
happiness boosters.
3. Savor life’s joys. Pay close attention to momentary pleasures and wonders. Focus
on the sweetness of a ripe strawberry or the warmth of the sun when you step out
from the shade. Some psychologists suggest taking “mental photographs” of
pleasurable moments to review in less happy times.
4. Thank a mentor. If there’s someone whom you owe a debt of gratitude for guiding
you at one of life’s crossroads, don’t wait to express your appreciation—in detail and, if
possible, in person.
5. Learn to forgive. Let go of anger and resentment by writing a letter of forgiveness
to a person who has hurt or wronged you. Inability to forgive is associated with persistent
rumination or dwelling on revenge, while forgiving allows you to move on.
6. Invest time and energy in friends and family. Where you live, how much money you
make, your job title and even your health have surprisingly small effects on your satisfaction
with life. The biggest factor appears to be strong personal relationships.
7. Take care of your body. Getting plenty of sleep, exercising, stretching, smiling
and laughing can all enhance your mood in the short term. Practiced regularly, they can
help make your daily life more satisfying.
8. Develop strategies for coping with stress and hardships. There is no avoiding
hard times. Religious faith has been shown to help people cope, but so do the
secular beliefs enshrined in axioms like “This too shall pass” and “That which
doesn’t kill me makes me stronger.” The trick is that you have to believe them.
Some personal thoughts on a sort-of-satisfying life....
I consider myself a 'realist' and I don't believe any of us can have a 100% satisfying life all day everyday. My life, as is yours, is full of all sorts of frustrations, pains, joys and plain hard work. However, over the years I've come to appreciate a few valuable Christian practices and principles that I have found empowering. If you don't give a hoot about my personal opinion, that's fine! This is my blog so I'm going to write them anyway :-)
Leading on from the last point on 'Religious Faith' - I personally take courage from a relationship with God through Jesus Christ. Knowing God is a short prayer away has always been a strength for me.
I try and read just a little of the Bible everyday. I've learned that if a verse 'jumps out' that I need to meditate on it and tuck it away as possibly something I need to consider. Though I certainly have my 'dry times' of dull (sigh) Bible reading - for the most, it is an 'alive' book that - often ...reads me.
I really appreciate the strength I get from being around other Christians.
I know many of my limitations and ask God to help me through.
Perspective is very important and I often have to come back to the 'big picture' under God's care again and again. Perspective also reminds me not to take myself too seriously which is a lovely freedom.
Sin is a reality - and so apologising to God and others comes with the territory-being forgiven by God and others is a special gift that makes every day new. No matter what disasters we caused yesterday - today (and tomorrow) we may have to clean it up - but in spite of that - we also have permission to forgive ourselves and restart again from where we are now. God makes all things new.
God has gifted us each with abilities. We work best when we are using our God given abilities. It doesn't work when we try and be someone else...
I could rave on for a long time, but the best summary of the Christian life for me is from 1 Corinthians 13:13
"And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of
these is love."
