Australian Thoughts at the Weekend. 23rd May 2009.

Australian Thoughts at the Weekend. 23rd May 2009.

Winners and Losers

Before this week's drenching rain, I have been amazed at the number of people running and walking each morning. Some may be doing it just for general fitness but some I would thin are training for the various fun runs and the Gold Coast Marathon which happens in about 6 weeks time.

A couple of years ago my daughter ran (and walked) in a 10 kilometre race with 30,000 participants. 29,999 did not win. Kayt did not get her picture in the newspaper or on television but in her mind (and in ours) she was a real winner.

She was a winner because of the effort she made to get to the starting line. It included training and weight loss. It meant overcoming significant health problems. Then on the day she had to have a good plan. She ran and walked as appropriate and no doubt gave encouragement to her running companion as the companion also encouraged her. She finished and therefore it was a winning achievement.

Australia is a land where many have overcome difficulties to eventually succeed. Sometimes it seems difficulty piles on difficulty, yet there are those who win through and are declared winners.

Australia has been described as the “Land of the Second Chance”. From the time of its first white settlement in 1788 when convicts from England and their English guards settled at Sydney Cove, this land has provided a second chance to many. Those early residents, many of them Irish prisoners of England and sundry other residents of the British Isles who had broken the law, found a land that was very different to their homeland.

They found that their knowledge and skills had to be adapted to fit with different seasons and climate in this new land. They mistakenly thought that they had little to learn from the Aboriginal residents who knew nothing of agriculture and living in solid structures arranges along streets. In spite of very difficult beginnings, many of the convicts saw opportunities and on concluding their sentences remained here to make most of a second chance.

Since then many have taken hold of opportunities. Less than one hundred years after the beginnings at Sydney Cove, gold was discovered in various locations around the land, and many were attracted to opportunity to strike it rich and find a new beginning. It was a tough life and many perished. Some found the wealth to make a new beginning. It is said some of the Chinese miners who arrived on the fields found it so tough to find payable gold they found it paid better to grow vegetables and sell them to other miners.

Each June 6th our State, Queensland, celebrates Queensland Day. It was on this day, 150 years ago this year, we became a separate state. It is a fact that at the time we had 7 and one half pence (about 5 cents) in our State Treasury. The discovery of gold gave us a real chance of making it alone. Some times have been rough since then but we have grown and prospered.

Other earlier settlers were Germans seeking refuge from religious persecution and who came seeking freedom to live without their previous concerns. Following the Second World War, Australia encouraged people from the United Kingdom and continental Europe to seek new opportunities in this land. Many took the opportunity to leave that which was familiar to seek a new life for themselves and their children. The numbers of new settlers were boosted soon by refugees seeking escape from Communism which had taken over their cental and eastern European homelands.

In more recent times Australia has been seen as a land of opportunity by refugees from Asia. In the late 1970s people began arriving on our shores from Vietnam. These refugees came crowded in fishing boats and other boats more at home in the coastal waters and rivers of Vietnam. I had a personal encounter with many of these people when I was in charge of The Salvation Army used furniture warehouse which provided the families with basic furniture and other essential household items. I found the Vietnamese people were courteous, appreciative and friendly. We did discuss whether student’s desks were basic and essential items. My manager said they were not. The Vietnamese said they would leave the other items, if they could have the desks. The parents said their children must study. It was the way to take hold of the second chance at life they had been offered. I was not surprised when in 2 or 3 years these refugee children were topping the State in examinations. (I also understood the joke that said “How do you know a Vietnamese broke into your house... answer: your homework is done!”).

It is good to read the events of Pentecost (Acts 2). Here was a coming such as never had occurred before. My favourite part is the events which followed on (Acts 3). We read that Peter and John came to the Temple at the time of prayer. Here was a crippled beggar. The beggar sought a coin or three. Peter and John suggested they had something more to give and that was a second chance at life. “In the name of Jesus of Nazareth, get up and walk” (Acts 3.6). We read he delighted in the chance and danced around praising God.

Such was the commotion that a crowd gathered and turned their praise to Peter and John. Peter stood up and said that it was not them but Jesus who had healed this man. He outlined the events of the crucifixion and how they fulfilled Old Testament prophesies. Peter said they had crucified Jesus, the Son of God in ignorance. However, God had raised Jesus up and they now had a second chance. “Now turn from your sins and turn to God, so you can be cleansed of your sins. Then wonderful times of refreshment will come from the presence of the Lord, and he will send Jesus your Messiah to you again (Acts 3.19, 20). We go on to read that many accepted the opportunity for this second chance to live according to God’s way through Jesus, His Son.

Life offers many second chances. God gives us a second chance at life living His Way. Jesus talked to Nicodemus about being born again (John 3.3). That opportunity is there still for us all. Today is the day to grab that second chance and begin dancing in praising God.

[Look and Listen : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WJ8uBbAbwao ]


Peter and John went to pray.
They met a lame man on the way.
He asked for alms and held out his palms
And this is what Peter did say:

'Silver and gold have I none;
but such as I have give I you.
In the name of Jesus Christ
of Nazareth, rise up and walk.

He went walking and leaping and praising God
walking and leaping and praising God.
In the name of Jesus Christ
of Nazareth, rise up and walk.

He went walking and leaping and praising God
walking and leaping and praising God.
In the name of Jesus Christ
of Nazareth, rise up and walk.


[I don’t know this next song but found the words when looking for the above well known chorus]:

SILVER & GOLD
Verse Number One:

The day was dark and cloudy ......the lame man begged as usual....
At the gate where he lay for many years.....
Tears welled up within his eyes...as he saw the crowd despise.....
All the things he had to do just to survive.....

Then along his trail of sorrow, came hope for a bright tomorrow.....
Apostle Peter gave a helping hand....
He said, "It's not by faith in gold...but in His Name you're whole.....
You can rise up and be a brand new man.....

The Chorus:

SILVER AND GOLD HAVE I NONE, BUT SUCH AS I HAVE....
GIVE I THEE...I GIVE TO THEE....TO THEE....
IN THE NAME OF JESUS, YOU CAN RISE UP AND WALK.....
YOU CAN RISE UP AND BE A BRAND NEW MAN....

[Musical Channel] Dobro

Verse Number Two:

Little children stared and wondered...at a forsaken old alcoholic....
Who lay sleeping.....with a bottle in his hands....
Music swelled out from the mission...as men told of dire conditions.....
And...what they had to do just to survive....

Now the preacher was old fashioned...his tears showed his compassion....
As he told them of God's great saving plan....
He said, "It's not by faith in gold...but in His Name you're whole...
You can rise up and be a brand new man.....

The Chorus:

SILVER AND GOLD HAVE I NONE, BUT SUCH AS I HAVE....
GIVE I THEE...I GIVE TO THEE....TO THEE....
IN THE NAME OF JESUS, YOU CAN RISE UP AND WALK.....
YOU CAN RISE UP AND BE A BRAND NEW MAN....

[Instrumental] Fiddle

Oh, Glory...Hallelujah...you can rise up and walk....
You can rise up and be a brand new man....
Oh...Glory...Hallelujah you can rise up and walk...
You can rise up and be a brand new man...

Oh, Glory...Hallelujah...you can rise up and walk....
You can rise up and be a brand new man....
Oh....Glory...Hallelujah you can rise up and walk...
You can rise up and be a brand new man...

Tag

You can rise up and be a brand new man....brand new man...
2000/2003 By Smokey River Boys
Words & Music By Robert Metzgar (ASCAP) and Dixie McKeithen (ASCAP)
Published by Walt Disney Music Company (ASCAP) . Hollywood
Published by McKeithen Melodies (ASCAP) . Nashville
® Universal Music Group/All Rights Reserved
©Smokey River Boys O Hollywood Album
ISRC CODE US-PP6-03-95412



Acts 3
1One day at three o'clock in the afternoon, Peter and John were on their way into the Temple for prayer meeting.
2At the same time there was a man crippled from birth being carried up. Every day he was set down at the Temple gate, the one named Beautiful, to beg from those going into the Temple.
3When he saw Peter and John about to enter the Temple, he asked for a handout.
4Peter, with John at his side, looked him straight in the eye and said, "Look here."
5He looked up, expecting to get something from them.
6Peter said, "I don't have a nickel to my name, but what I do have, I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk!"
7He grabbed him by the right hand and pulled him up. In an instant his feet and ankles became firm.
8He jumped to his feet and walked.
The man went into the Temple with them, walking back and forth, dancing and praising God.
9Everybody there saw him walking around and praising God.
10They recognized him as the one who sat begging at the Temple's Gate Beautiful and rubbed their eyes, astonished, scarcely believing what they were seeing.
11The man threw his arms around Peter and John, ecstatic. All the people ran up to where they were at Solomon's Porch to see it for themselves.


Turn to Face God
12When Peter saw he had a congregation, he addressed the people:
"Oh, Israelites, why does this take you by such complete surprise, and why stare at us as if our power or piety made him walk?
13The God of Abraham and Isaac and Jacob, the God of our ancestors, has glorified his Son Jesus. The very One that Pilate called innocent, you repudiated.
14You repudiated the Holy One, the Just One, and asked for a murderer in his place. 15You no sooner killed the Author of Life than God raised him from the dead--and we're the witnesses.
16Faith in Jesus' name put this man, whose condition you know so well, on his feet--yes, faith and nothing but faith put this man healed and whole right before your eyes.
17"And now, friends, I know you had no idea what you were doing when you killed Jesus, and neither did your leaders.
18But God, who through the preaching of all the prophets had said all along that his Messiah would be killed, knew exactly what you were doing and used it to fulfill his plans.
19"Now it's time to change your ways! Turn to face God so he can wipe away your sins, pour out showers of blessing to refresh you,
20and send you the Messiah he prepared for you, namely, Jesus.
21For the time being he must remain out of sight in heaven until everything is restored to order again just the way God, through the preaching of his holy prophets of old, said it would be.
22Moses, for instance, said, "Your God will raise up for you a prophet just like me from your family. Listen to every word he speaks to you.
23Every last living soul who refuses to listen to that prophet will be wiped out from the people.'
24"All the prophets from Samuel on down said the same thing, said most emphatically that these days would come.
25These prophets, along with the covenant God made with your ancestors, are your family tree. God's covenant-word to Abraham provides the text: "By your offspring all the families of the earth will be blessed.'
26But you are first in line: God, having raised up his Son, sent him to bless you as you turn, one by one, from your evil ways." ( Acts 3 :: The Message)

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