Connecting Sydney Christadelphian Young People

Choices

August 2006

The Vine is published every two months by the Sydney Christadelphian Young People

Editorial Team: Jenny Galbraith, Jenni Sawell, Katie Shields, Leah Sawell

Masthead design: Alisa Thompson

Layout: Jenny Galbraith

Cover artwork: Leah Sawell

Contributors: Dani Saxon, John Otter, Michael Goddard, Belinda Fowler, Josh Sawell, Sara-Rose Pogson, Mylee Joseph, Michael Court, Tim Mogg, Sam Collins, Jess Smith

The Vine is published to the glory of our Heavenly Father, through whom all things are made possible

thevinescyp@hotmail.com

1 The Vine

At this time in our lives, the decisions we make seem to get more diffi cult year by year. Choosing what to study, who to go out with, what career path to go down or whether to do overseas mission

work seem to be decisions that are going to affect the rest of our lives. Determining the right decisions God wants us to make can be a real struggle.

We often don’t doubt that God will do what is best for us, but sometimes we fear what that ‘best’ will be. Sometimes God’s will for us is not what we really want. Maybe the road he has chosen for us is hard and painful. Do you fear God’s will? Does this inhibit your decision-making? Does this inhibit your prayers? Are you afraid to ask God for the answer, in case it is not the answer you want to hear?

Are you afraid of making the wrong choice? Remember that everyone makes mistakes. God will still love us and work with us for good, even if we make a ‘bad decision’.

When it comes to making decisions in life, God calls us to clear thinking that is based on our relationship with Him, and our dedication to His values, which are clearly set down in Scripture. God has given us His Word so we can gain advice from many other God-fearing people in history who also have struggled with decision-making.

“This is what the Lord says, Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is and walk in it, and you will fi nd rest for your souls.” (Jer 6:16) Ask God to show you the right path to go down in your life. Follow your dreams, and if they are God’s dreams for you as well, He will open doors for you.

God has made us to be thinking, understanding people, who can fi gure out the truth and take responsibility for working our way through life according to His general plan and purpose. He challenges us to learn all we can about any situation, relationship, responsibility or opportunity. We should carefully consider all aspects of the decision in light of what we know from His Word, before taking action.

“I know, O Lord, that a man’s life is not his own; it is not for a man to direct his steps.” (Jer 10:23) God is in control of your life, and if you will let Him, He will lead you to eternity.

With love in the Lord,

The Editorial Team

How can we know God’s will for us?

The Vine 2

93

3 Which way is God’s way?We make choices every day of our lives. But how do we know if they are the choices God wants us to make?

5 Loving the Lord in LondonWhat are our fellow young people getting up to in London?

6 Profi le: Michael GoddardWhat’s behind the man who loves dress-up nights, gadgets, surprise weddings and of course his lovely wife Aja?

7 What’s the meaning of life?How do we fi nd purpose in our lives? And how do we know when we’ve found it?

9 Photo Spread!Check out all the Persian princes and princesses from June SCYP class.

11 Life after the HSCHow do you cope after leaving school?

13 Can we still cast lots?The Bible contains many examples of people casting lots to determine God’s will. But can we still do it today?

18 ReviewsA review of Reliant K’s new album Mmhmm.

Which way is God’s way?

7

JESUS

MAGAZINES

FAMILY

CONTENTS

We start to learn how to make choices as little kids. The choices then are easy, and

hopefully low risk. Do I want the red lolly or the green one? How about stuffi ng both in? Total risk factor: Mouth too full, might dribble some. Possible gain: Two lollies instead of one. As we get older the stakes start to get higher; subject choices, lifestyle, friends, partners, job opportunities, marriages, following Christ. It’s important that we take time to learn how to make good choices before we actually have to make the hard ones.

Stuff to rememberThe choices that we make are always contextual. In other words, we bring with us all the beliefs and baggage of our lives,

mixed-up with whatever experiences we’ve had along the way. If we’re going to make good, God-centred choices then we need to take a step back from ourselves and look at what God expects from us. The best way to do this is to read His bible and see how other people of faith have made their choices. There’s truly nothing new under the sun. The times and circumstances may have changed however the right and wrongs of life haven’t.

Don’t sweat the small stuffYou’re bound to make mistakes in your choices along the way. Learn to forgive yourself for the stuff-ups and to ask for forgiveness from God and others. Mistakes happen. Life happens. The small decisions are where we practice our decision-making for the big things. Take some time to refl ect so you don’t keep on

Which way is God’s way?

3 The Vine

The Vine 4

repeating them. Ask God in prayer for help. His answer might not be the one you want however it will be the one you need.

What is the big stuff?The big stuff is anything that can affect your life long-term and your eternal life. In the case of following after Christ this is a matter of life or death. The Bible puts the choices to us again and again: do we follow our own way or God’s way? Death or life?

Is it Godly? Is it moral?In making our choices are we following in Christ’s path or our own? God is holy and He expects us to be holy too. His rules are set out pretty clearly and we should try to stick to them. Anything that takes our focus from Him has to a bad choice: be it money, drugs, sexual relationships outside of marriage, idolising people or things.

Is it legal?God is our ruler however He does tell us to work within the rules of our country wherever they don’t conflict with His. Many of our laws are based around God’s so if your breaking either one then that should be a wake-up call.

Is it helpful?Will your choices help you towards your long-term goals in life? If you don’t have any long-term goals, start thinking about them! If you want God to be part of your life then your decisions should help you in this path. For example how will playing in a sports team or your future career (that may demand you work or play most Sundays) help you serve God with other believers at church or young people’s groups?

What are the risks? What are the benefits?To understand what you risk you need to first

know what you value and where your heart lies. Whether you’re Christian or not your values are something only you can work out. If you choose badly, what will the result be? How would you cope with the consequences? What are you hoping to accomplish by your decision? From a Biblical perspective we’re told to put God first and your neighbours second. Yourself and all your desires for things of the world and its accessories come a very poor last. Try to make your decisions selfless rather than selfish

How do you choose in matters of the heart? Love or Lust?Firstly, don’t turn your brain off! The brain

is the organ God gave you to think with, so use it! Relationships can come with some of the best, most fun, most dangerous or hardest decisions you’ll ever make and come with some of the best and worst consequences. Choose your partners carefully and think about these things before you get involved over your head. Are you headed in the same direction? Are their values are the same as yours? Would you choose

them as a friend? Remember don’t play with other people’s heart and emotions: you don’t want yours messed with and neither do they. Things to do!1. Pray2. Play by the rules, God’s and your country’s.3. Do your research. Read your Bible to see what others have done and what God wants.4. Ask the experts (other people who have made similar decisions whether they did it well or mucked it up). We all become experts even if it’s by learning the hard way.5. Phone a friend. True friends will keep your interests at heart.

Dani Saxon

If we’re going to make good, God-centred choices then we need to take a step back

from ourselves and look at what God expects from us.

The Vine 4

5 The Vine

Loving the Lord in

LondonLondon is one of the best cities in the world. Okay,

I do live there so I am probably a bit biased but it does have everything from amazing history to fantastic culture to sights and sounds that rival any city in the world. Many people come to London to study, work or just pass through. There are nine Christadelphian ecclesias in London (see www.ukchristadelphians.org.uk) with their resident young people. Plus, London has several universities so there are a fair few students

about. So what’s going on for young people in London? Individual ecclesias plan events for their young people. For example, London South has a weekly ‘First Principles’ class aimed at students and young people. In addition to the activities organised by

individual ecclesias, the London and South East Region (LASER) Christadelphian Youth Group plans to ‘encourage young people in the region to walk in the ways of God’. The LASER region covers the South East of England from Dover to London. (A few from the South West and the North of England and even further afi eld sometimes show up – and we don’t turn them away!) We have an event every two months in various locations

across the LASER region. We usually meet up early on a Saturday afternoon for a ‘bring and share lunch’ following by an activity of some kind. Past activities have included a Music / Reading workshop, “Creation Appreciation”, ice skating and a photography competition. Then we come back to the venue for an interesting and relevant talk led by a ‘local’ from the area. The focal point of the LASER program is the annual Easter Gathering. We hire a school in Luton and 120 young people, primarily from the LASER region, spend four days together over the Easter long-weekend. We have studies each morning (this year was ‘The House that God Built’) and ‘Creative Activity Groups’ in the afternoon. You can choose which activity group you want to be in. Choices include music, sport, art and even mountain biking! We have a range of evening activities including a quiz, talent night and for the fi rst time this year, a themed meal – this year was ‘Black Tie’. Although the accommodation is less than fi ve-star (we sleep on the classroom fl oors), everybody seems to enjoy it and keep coming back! To fi nd out more, visit the LASER website www.christadelphians.org.uk/laser or email me on jon_the_otter@hotmail.com.

Jon Otter

Where do you live and what ecclesia do you go to? I (and my lovely wife) live at Cardiff (in Newcastle). You could fi nd us at any ecclesiaon any given Sunday, but technically I belong to Boolaroo.

What do you like about your ecclesia? It’s always the same, so I know what to expect.

What sort of work do you do? I work for an engineering fi rm which manufactures, maintains and installs pumps.

How many jobs have you had in your life? What was your most interesting one? 15 (maybe more)! The most interesting would have been travelling internationally on a 200,000 tonne oil tanker.

What are your favourite hobbies and past times? Playing with gadgets and experiencing new things.

What do you like best about SCYP?The four hour return trip from Newcastle!

What characteristic of Jesus do you like best? His strength to fully rely on God.

What are you most looking forward to in the Kingdom? Realising the full capacities that God designed us to have (in mind and body).

I work for an engineering fi rm which manufactures,

How many jobs have you had in your life?

15 (maybe more)! The most interesting would have been travelling internationally on a 200,000 tonne

What are your favourite hobbies and past

Playing with gadgets and experiencing new things.

What characteristic of Jesus do you like best?

Behind the scenes with...

Michael He loves dress-up nights, gadgets, surprise weddings and of course his lovely wife Aja. But what’s really behind the man and his trusty ute?

Goddard

7 The Vine

What’s the meaning of life?

Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless. What does man gain from all his labor at which he toils under the sun?”

(Ecc 1: 2-3) It can certainly feel like this sometimes.What is the meaning of life? This common expression highlights that the concept of purpose in one’s life is age old. We all want to feel like our life means something. How do we fi nd purpose in our lives? And, how do we know when we found it? It depends where we are looking for that feeling of meaning. Every billboard, magazine cover, T-shirt and coffee mug is trying to convince you of its meaningfulness (yes, I may have created a word). While on a shopping spree in Hong Kong I found an imitation brand

jumper which on closer inspection revealed the delightfully mistranslated slogan “Enjoy the present condition, and do enjoyable life” It was not until much later (and having worn this novelty jumper many times) that I actually considered the slogan I was sporting. I was publicising the views of the rich man described by Jesus (in Luke 12:19), who lived in the moment and planned to “take life easy; eat drink and be merry” This parable echoes the views held by the world today. It begs the question, is this purposeful life? To be merry, to enjoy the present? If we read on in Luke 12 we fi nd that God will not tolerate this view, no matter how widely held. In this chapter, Jesus details what our purpose is NOT. It is not to gain food or clothing, or store up wealth. So how do we fi nd purpose in our lives? Try this. Stop searching. Stop looking for purpose and

realise your purpose. If you believe in God, and acknowledge that he is all-knowing, all-powerful and everywhere, then you will see His creation has a built-in purpose, and therefore so do we. This life is about getting to know God and affecting His purpose. “For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (2 Peter 1: 5-8)

Some ideas to get you started.• Think about what is important to you, who you look up to. Are you living in the moment?• Look at the qualities Peter describes above. Try targeting one at a time as suggested. • Talk to God. If you are struggling to fi nd meaning, tell Him! Ask for help in fi nding purpose.• Ask yourself every day “What can I do today to help show God to others?”• Share your experiences with your friends, so we can learn from each other.• Christ showed us how to realise God’s purpose. Next time you fi nd yourself thinking “Everything is meaningless!!” Consider that God has given you this life. Would God give a gift that has no meaning?

Belinda Fowler

How do we fi nd purpose in our lives? And how do we know when we’ve found it? How do we live a life of purpose?

Josh Lawrie’s primary source of inspiration is his brain, so he claims. But when careful thinking and referring to past experience fails, he turns to his mum for advice on important decisions. Tim Cole combines careful thinking and prayer, and when unable to nut it out like that, prays again for God’s guidance and fl ips a coin. Anonymous Extra (AE) claims that it’s hard to see which choices she makes affect her life, and generally consults her

boyfriend about decisions, since they usually concern both of them.

When we make a decision, we are infl uenced by many things around us, some good, some not so good. What things infl uence us to make a good choice?

Tim found his upbringing in a Christadelphian family and his friends were a good infl uence on his choices. AE found the infl uences are often based on what God says NOT to do, rather than what TO do, and

tries to avoid seeing things negatively, even though it’s sometimes diffi cult to see that an important decision is being made at all. Josh found support from his family and friends gave him the nudge in the right direction when making choices.

We’re also surrounded by things that infl uence us toward making bad decisions, what are they?

AE thought emotions, like anger, caused people to make bad decisions. A problem with the emotional kind of bad decisions is that we often don’t feel as guilty about them as we do about logical bad decisions that we’ve made. If we realise we’ve acted poorly out of anger or other strong emotions, and repent of that decision, then we’ve done the right thing. Josh found that the world around him was a bad infl uence, with everyone having fun in an environment where instant personal gratifi cation is easy and sound, wise decision-making is hard. It can be a struggle to ignore the infl uence of co-workers and friends who seem to enjoy doing the wrong thing all the time. Tim found that his friends can at times also be a negative infl uence on him, and the small amount of Christadelphian support in Canberra leaves a gap in the good infl uence, which is easily fi lled with bad infl uences.

We all have to deal with various bad infl uences, but it’s no easy task, how do we do it? Josh reckons it’s important to have the right friends, and to associate with people who you know will guide you to make wise decisions.

Tim suggests prayer, and says that a good indicator is guilt, if you feel guilty about an option, stay away from it. AE prefers to change the source of negative infl uence, by either changing the way she relates to the person or issue of infl uence, or removing the negative infl uence rather than simply resisting it. Also the support of friends and Jesus really helps her when trying to adjust her own views rather than blaming the ‘source’ of the problem (person/situation etc.).

Everyone has different methods of making decisions, and dealing with infl uences they face, whatever way you make a decision, make sure you include prayer and reading of God’s word, weigh it up in light of his laws and principles, and then act.

When we make a decision, we are infl uenced by many things around us, some good, some not so good. What things infl uence us to make a good choice?

Tim found his upbringing in a Christadelphian family and his friends were a good infl uence on his choices. AE found the infl uences are often based on what God says NOT to do, rather than what TO do, and

tries to avoid seeing things negatively, even though it’s sometimes diffi cult to see that an important decision is being made at all. Josh found support from his family and friends gave him the nudge in the right direction when making choices.

We’re also surrounded by things that infl uence us toward making bad decisions, what are they?AE thought emotions, like anger, caused people to make bad decisions. A problem with the emotional kind of bad decisions is that we often don’t feel as guilty about them as we do about logical bad decisions that we’ve made. If we realise we’ve acted poorly out of anger or other strong emotions, and repent of that decision, then we’ve done the right thing. Josh found that the world around him was a bad infl uence, with everyone having fun in an environment where instant personal gratifi cation is easy and sound, wise decision-making is hard. It can be a struggle to ignore the infl uence of co-workers and friends who seem to enjoy doing the wrong thing all the time. Tim found that his friends can at times also be a negative infl uence on him, and the small amount of Christadelphian support in Canberra leaves a gap in the good infl uence, which is easily fi lled with bad infl uences.

We all have to deal with various bad infl uences, but it’s no easy task, how do we do it?Josh reckons it’s important to have the right friends, and to associate with people who you know will guide you to make wise decisions.

Tim suggests prayer, and says that a good indicator is guilt, if you feel guilty about an option, stay away from it. AE prefers to change the source of negative infl uence, by either changing the way she relates to the person or issue of infl uence, or removing the negative infl uence rather than simply resisting it. Also the support of

rather than blaming the ‘source’ of the problem (person/situation etc.).

Everyone has to make decisions about their life, some important, others meaningless, ranging from our choice of sock colour, to what university we attend, to whether or not to go abroad preaching. But what infl uences us and how do we make these decisions that affect our lives on a large scale? Josh Sawell asked a few SCYPians how they dealt with diffi cult choices…

Under theInfluence

JESUS

MAGAZINES

FAMILY

GOD

GIRLFRIEND

BIBLEBOYFRIEND

TELEVISION

FRIENDS

The Vine 8

Persian Paradise Party

Persian Paradise Party

Some people are lucky, and know right from the beginning what career path they want to take.

But so many of us feel pressured into making a decision that seems to have more weight than it really does. In fact, on average you’ll have about 40 job changes in your life, and, if you choose, you’ll change careers too. So it’s important not to feel bogged down about it, there are other things to worry about too! Leaving school is a startling change, considering all you’ve ever done since you were about five was go to school. Out of that microcosm you come to a world of tax. In all forms this tax comes; you earn money and pay tax. Pay rent or board, pay for TAFE or uni and the stacks of textbooks, you perhaps buy a car and then you pay for fuel for that too. Ultimately it’s about you being a responsible adult in the big taxy adult world! But it isn’t all bad! The accompanying independence and freedom is what you in your teenage years have been fighting

Life after the HSC

by Leah Sawell

for! So take it, and run with it! With freedom comes some responsibilities. Most of you by now have your license, and you or many friends will have cars. Getting your license was a piece of cake right? It’s important however, on all your road trips and outings to watch out for you and your friends’ driving, because so many of us have accidents at that time. Half my friends had accidents in the summer break, and we even had one at schoolies which was particularly inconvenient. So take care, but enjoy your freedom! Getting a job is an important part of life. You’ll spend the majority of your life working, so you’ll need to be good at it, and now you’re out in the real world its time to stop bludging off your parents! It’s an important life lesson when you realise the value of money, when you work for it and then spend it on living. But right after the HSC, whether you plan to work or study later, the break you’ll

When your school years come to an end, you can feel confronted with choices that would seem to dictate the rest of your life, your course and career. At 17 or 18, you have to make up your mind what you want to be. Or so it would seem.

11 The Vine

The Vine 12

have is best if you make the most of it with your friends, before you go your separate ways into the world. So I do not recommend embarking on 40 hour work weeks straight away, keeping a part-time job will fund your beach outings, fuel, and what you probably owe your mum and dad for schoolies! But, what to do next year? Do I have to decide what course to do right now? Well, there’s no written law that says you have to go straight to university (which can be harder than your HSC!) when you’ve finished school, and if you’re a practical person, do not discount TAFE, apprenticeships or traineeships, as they will get you in the workforce much quicker, and some courses may be better for your chosen careern than uni. Depending on your school, you’ll probably find there’s a certain stigma about studying strait away that can be daunting... but there are some great options for taking a year off to make up your mind, and when you do, you’ll likely have a far clearer idea of what you want to be, and some great experiences in there too! It’s advantageous to know that if you work first for a year or so before attending tertiary education, and earn a certain amount and/or move out of home off your own bat, then the Australian government considers you “independent”. This means that later when you do attend tertiary education, you’ll probably be eligible for centrelink benefits that will support you living out of home and attending university or TAFE. This working option also has a great benefit that you get a real chance at trying out a career, industry or business before you invest several years of university into it! Even if you’re right at the bottom you’ll still see what goes on in a workplace, so you can know whether you like it. In a year you could find you discover a completely different career to follow you didn’t even know of, that you love! Overall the experience can get you a good standing in life, and some great experience! But don’t forget that this year of working will get you really accustomed to earning a wage and uni students are notoriously poor! Have you heard of year out, or GAP year?This is a exciting prospect for someone leaving school! When you take a year off, you can travel overseas on a year out or gap year program that could change your life! These come in all shapes and sizes, from a few months in isolation teaching kids English in a mountain village in Peru or Nepal, to a whole year as a live-in au pair placement in

the UK or Europe. For some, like Antipodeans, the idea is to spend the first half of the year working and saving up, and the second out in the world broadening your horizons! This kind of program is beneficial because you learn about real work and the value of money, as well as enjoying the fruits of your labor and immersing yourself in another culture. No matter who you are, there’s surely something that takes your fancy you want to explore, and by removing yourself from your everyday context, you’re likely to do a lot of self-discovery as well. As a general rule, people come back from a GAP year/year out with a clearer idea of who they are and what they want to be, and often a completely different career path in mind. What else can you do? Camp leader in the American wilderness? Year 13 overseas? Marine life preservation in Australia and overseas? Building projects in Ghana or Vietnam? Teaching English in Peru or Indonesia?

Snowboarding in Canada? Volunteer in Brazil? Christadelphian Mission in India? Trekking the Himalayas? Preserving wildlife in Africa? Work in Europe? Backpack anywhere...All you have to do is type “year out” or “gap year” into your search engine and get some good ideas, remembering you don’t even have to leave Australia to volunteer and do good. Now you see there are endless possibilities for you once schools out, and there’s plenty of life after the HSC! The upshot of most of this is that it’ll look great on your resume; people love volunteers and second languages or cultural awareness! Hopefully you’ll feel a little less pressured about the upcoming choices you’ll have to make or maybe you feel even more pressure because you have even more choices! No matter what you do, though, you’ll be discovering a lot about the rest of the world, even if you don’t realise it. It’s important however to hold on tighter to your faith as more comes to challenge it and as your life changes it can become harder.But it’s a great big world out there that God made, no matter what you choose to do, enjoy it, thank God for it, and the best of luck to you all!

No matter what you choose to do, enjoy it and thank God for it

Can we still cast lots?Most of us believe in praying about important

decisions, but often we make decisions without consulting God first. Why is this? Is it because we think God isn’t really interested? Do we think we don’t have time to pray? Or don’t know what to ask? Or is it because deep down we really don’t believe God will give us an answer?Jesus said, “If you remain in me, and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you”. (John 15:7)“Heaven is full of answers to prayers which were never asked” – Billy Graham

How can we determine God’s will for us?How should we go about making decisions that are within God’s will? How can we be sure of what His will or purpose is for us? It is easy for us to confuse our wishes with God’s leading. Is it possible to be certain of an answer?

The Bible cannot give us answers to every decision that we face, but it does teach us how to make decisions. Prayer, studying His Word, looking at the circumstances, seeking advice, and common sense should all be used. There is no formula that works for every decision – God gives us answers in His own time, and in His own way. Proverbs tells us to always seek the wisdom of God (Prov 3:1-26) and listen to good advice (19:20). “If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.” (James 1:5) “Is prayer your steering wheel or your spare wheel?” – Corrie Ten BoomPray for Godly wisdom in making decisions. If we have given the matter careful, prayerful consideration, we can be sure that He will be with us and guide us in whatever decision we make.

Casting lotsMany Christians, in the past and today, ‘cast lots’

as a way of determining God’s will for them, when making important or life-changing decisions. But is this what God expects us to do and how should it work?

What does ‘casting lots’ mean?It is a method of decision-making whereby the outcome is reached by ‘rolling dice’, ‘drawing straws’ or ‘drawing an answer out of a hat’. In Bible times, pieces of wood or stones were often used.

When was it used in the Bible?Casting lots is mentioned on a number of occasions. The three most well known examples are: the sailors on the boat with Jonah (Jonah 1:7), the soldiers at the cross (John 19:24), and the disciples seeking a replacement for Judas Iscariot (Acts 1:20-26).

What can we learn about casting lots from these incidents?Before casting the lot, the sailors each prayed to their own god, yet the outcome gave them the correct answer. This would appear to be a clear answer from the Lord, who was directing the course of events in Jonah’s life. In the second example, the soldiers clearly sought no direction from God in this matter, as casting lots for the criminals’ clothes was common practice. The outcome was entirely random, like gambling. One version actually translates the verse as, ‘we will gamble to see who gets it’. This incident has no more significance than ‘tossing a coin’ to see who wins the prize. The third example is different. The disciples did three very important things before they ‘drew names’. 1. They consulted scripture. 2. They made an informed decision based on criteria set down in scripture. 3. They prayed to God for the final answer.

The Bible contains many examples of people casting lots to determine God’s will. But can we still do it today? Can we ask God for a sign to help us to make decisions in our lives?

If we have given the matter careful, prayerful consideration, we can be sure that He will be with us and guide us in whatever decision we make.

Can we still cast lots?This is clearly the model example of the right way to cast lots.

But isn’t casting lots open to a random outcome? Casting lots without direction from God is random. After all, if I roll a dice, I’m going to get one of the six numbers, whether God infl uences the outcome or not. If we choose to use this as a method of Godly decision-making, we are asking God to infl uence the random outcome, and ‘speak’ to us directly.

Is casting lots the same as asking God for a sign when making a decision? In some ways, yes it is. It is a way of seeking a specifi c answer.

Is it okay to ask for a sign from God?Yes, I believe it is. Scripture is full of examples of faithful people asking God for a sign (e.g. Gideon, see Judges 6). God wants us to seek His direction in our lives. There are occasions when people acted without waiting for a sign from God, and were reprimanded for their actions (e.g. Saul, 1 Sam 14).

But how can I know for sure that God has answered me? “Ask and it will be given to you…” (Matt 7:7)“But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.” (James 1:6)

So can we still cast lots today? There is no Biblical evidence to suggest that this is not okay. If you really have trouble making a big decision, you can ask for God’s guidance by casting lots. The model example of the disciples in Acts 1 should be followed. 1. Consult scripture to be sure that your choices are within God’s will.2. If all options are scripturally sound, ask God for guidance in helping you to make an informed decision.3. When all options have been prayerfully

considered, if you still need an answer, you can seek God’s direction by casting lots. However, in making a decision this way, it is very important to:1. Accept His answer, WHATEVER the outcome.2. Thank Him for His guidance3. TRUST He will be with you in this choice, NO MATTER what the consequences of this choice are. It is your choice whether or not to make a decision by casting lots, or seeking a sign. But whatever you decide, make your decisions in life as mature people in Christ. In all things ask God for wisdom and direction. Look to the Word of God, and think about what God would want you to do and what impact this decision will have on yourself and others. Pray for God to bless your decision, for the strength to live with the consequences of the decision and for the wisdom to learn from whatever circumstances the decision brings.

Jenni Sawell

The Bible contains many examples of people casting lots to determine God’s will. But can we still do it today? Can we ask God for a sign to help us to make decisions in our lives?

If we have given the matter careful, prayerful consideration, we can be sure that He will be with us and guide us in whatever decision we make.

15 The Vine

What’s the best decision you’ve ever made?

“Walking away from the wrong group of friends.”

“Besides my baptism, I’d have to say choosing my uni degree because that’s

going to shape my future career.”

“Taking up surfi ng was the best decision I ever made, it gives me

time to think.”

“Apart from my baptism probably my chosen job, which I love,

because it makes me appreciate what I’ve been given.”

Belinda

Tim

Jessica

Sam

The Vine 16

If you ever decide to come looking for Moorebank ecclesia, you’ll fi nd us at Newbridge Heights. We’re a

nice little ecclesia with about 50 members and 30 kids running around in the Sunday School, with people hailing from Hornsby to Razorback to Singapore. One special thing about Moorebank is that about 30 per cent of our members didn’t grow up in Christadelphian families. We have preaching seminars every Tuesday night, and we still have 6-8 people who have been coming from an original group of 35 who registered at the start of the year. It just shows that preaching does work, and there are still plenty of people out there who want to listen. The Moorebank young people are a group of about 14 young people, and we get together every second Friday night for a nicely unstructured class. We’ve been looking at the Judges recently, and one of the biggest things we’ve got out of it, is to give our all to whatever we do i.e. Ehud plunged his sword into Eglon’s belly so deep that the fat closed over it, or Jael sunk the tent peg

into Sisera’s head with one great blow. So it’s made us realise that we can give our all to God, and do all for God. One of our projects is the Discover Your Maker camp and day. The camp in February was a chance to appreciate His beauty and power in our surroundings at the beach and refl ect on how He works in our own lives. DYM aims to bring young people together from everywhere, and the DYM day coming up later in the year will be awesome. Well I’m sure you are convinced by now that Moorebank is a great place to be, so if you are thinking about it, we have just two requirements if you want to join the Moorebank young people: you have to be slightly musical and you have to be single… …so as a bit of an advertisement, there’s really a lot of awfully nice young single guys at our ecclesia. And, as we’re always looking to poach members from other ecclesias, so come visit!

Sara-Rose Pogson

Ecclesial Profile...Moorebank

17 The Vine

Heard it on the...Grapevine

Capturing theKingdom

I was baptised when I was 16 years old, about the same time that schizophrenia turned my closest friend into a frightened and confused stranger. Perhaps I am not the only person who found it difficult growing up, not really fitting in at school and feeling lonely and confused by my friend’s illness?

I chose to be baptised because the only thing I was really sure of was that God has a better plan for our world. A plan to rid the world of the pain and confusion of mental and physical illnesses, a plan that will free the creation from pollution and degradation – a plan that could include me.

I didn’t have many opportunities to go to Sunday school or youth group as

the nearest ecclesia was about two hours drive away. Most Sundays we would have a little meeting at home and there was a hymn that snagged my heart strings the very first time I heard it – it still does.

Hymn 289 is based on the words of Isaiah 35. It is the complete opposite of the world we live in now and captures a beautiful vision of a world we can look forward to when Christ returns.

Isaiah 35:10 “and the ransomed of the

LORD will return. They will enter Zion with singing; everlasting joy will crown their heads. Gladness and joy will overtake them, and sorrow and sighing will flee away.”

Mylee Joseph

I chose to be baptised

because the only thing I was really sure of was that God has a better

plan for our world.

Reviews

Heard it on the...Grapevine

BaptismsThe Vine 18Annie Lawrie

Reliant K: MmhmmReliant K is a four piece Christian punk band, with tendencies towards alternative rock. Mmhmm is the fourth album released by Reliant K. The bands fi rst album was released when the band

members were teenagers and the musical style and lyrics refl ected this period of the bands life. However four years after this fi rst album was released, the lyrics of Mmhmm show a developing maturity towards life and faith in God. Mmhmm is more orientated towards alternative rock and less towards punk, a change from earlier albums. It has many softer moments in which acoustic guitar becomes the prominent instrument. It is in these softer moments that the band explores their faith in God the most. Lead vocalist and guitarist Matty Thiessen writes all of the lyrics for the band. This album appears to be very personal, refl ecting Thiessen’s outlook on the world surrounding him. He frequently sings about the hardships of life and offers a very realistic portrayal of the life that he leads. It is a life that we all can relate to, making this a very accessible album. It is not simply an album

which worships God to the exclusion of all else. Rather, it questions how hard it is to be faithful and dedicated to God a lot of the time, a struggle that surely everyone must encounter throughout their lives. Lyrics such as, “God don’t make me face up to this… Running from you is what my best defence is”, are feelings which we can all relate to. However there is so much optimism in this album because Theissen always acknowledges that all hope comes from God. He says, “When I got tired of running from you, I stopped right there to catch my breath…I said the words I knew you knew, Oh God, Oh God I needed you”. Words such as these show what a strong faith Thiessen has, and are an inspiration to the listener. I would strongly recommend this album to anyone. It is one of my favourite albums because it recognises that sometimes it is hard to worship God. It doesn’t simply portray God as a distant heavenly dwelling being who we will always praise. It explores the diffi culty in fi nding God in our real life and reaches the conclusion that God is a companion who is there for us even if we don’t always know it. Michael Court

Position VacantSmall group of females seeks intelligent

male for Vine committee. Must have commitment, creativity and car. Applicants

can apply to thevinescyp@hotmail.com Please send brief resume and photo.

(i.e. we need a guy on the committee, see us if you’re interested.)

Got some feedback or ideas? Email

thevinescyp@hotmail.com

Got some feedback

thevinescyp@hotmail.com

BirthsNoah James Shaw (Jacqui and Cameron)

“I am the true vine...”