Church

TIMELY REMINDER

Jono — Sun, 29 Jun 2008 22:23:10 +1000

Today was my last Sunday with West Penno church for quite some time. My good mate Dave Peacock preached a cracker sermon from 2 Peter 3 about the day of the Lord. I'm about to head back to Ukraine. I compare so many things between life here and there. I think about the up coming months and the plans further into the future. I was greatly challenged to have a much greater focus upon the day of the Lord. Do I look forward with joy and anticipation toward the coming of Christ? Am I making every effort to live a holy and blameless life?

Whatever this week holds for you, I hope this short note refocuses your vision, and mine, upon things which are eternal. And if you have the time, listen to Dave's sermon.

A COUPLE OF LUNDA SONGS

Jono — Mon, 19 Nov 2007 03:06:25 +1000

I was at a gathering of Christians in Zambia who were singing songs and praying in the Lunda language. I was passed a song book that had an English translation of the songs underneath. These two following songs really spoke to me. What thoughts should be uppermost in my mind? What did Jesus do for me and what should my response be?
The first song:

Lord, it is good that you have gone
To sit on the throne of the Father:
Your path of sorrow is finished,
You will not suffer again.

We rejoice always to think of
Your walk here on earth
You Holy Son of God
In the midst of sinners.

We are always amazed to gaze at
Your cross of sorrow and shame:
When you died for us
You took away our sin.

We think also of your grave
Empty, you have already left it:
And the power of death is finished,
You saved us by your death.

We rejoice to see
Our Lord seated in Heaven:
To hear all the heavenly ones
Welcoming Him with clapping.

We wait for the Lord to come
And take us to the Father’s house;
There forever we will rejoice
Come quickly, we beg.

And the second song:

Jesus, Son of God,
You have saved us
From all sins,
On the cross you died.
Today you are seated
At the right hand of God;
Tomorrow we will go
To live with you.

Jesus, Son of God,
You love us;
You forgave us all for
The suffering you felt,
You suffered for us
When you died for us;
Lord, we daily trust you
With true hearts.

Jesus, Son of God,
We constantly think
Of that suffering of yours;
We are amazed, we are silent,
At your love;
By your blood we are safe;
There is nowhere else to hide
Except in you Lord.

Jesus, Son of God,
We love you very much,
But we fail
To thank truly.
Our hearts, Lord,
Let them be yours completely,
Let us work for you also
You who died for us.

REVOLUTION AND POLITICS

Jono — Sat, 17 Nov 2007 03:08:46 +1000

In 2004 I took part in Ukraine's Orange Revolution. Now I'm sitting in Africa - Zambia - a country where corruption robs the people of the land's richness. I recently read this: "Revolutions are aptly named: they revolve. They turn one lot of sinners out, and put another lot of sinners in. The trouble with virtually all forms of revolution is that they can change everything - except the human heart. And until that is changed, nothing is significantly different in the long run" (Discipleship by David Watson).

God what do you want us to do? How do you want us to live? How should Christians in Australia, Ukraine or Zambia live? What are Your goals for their lives?
A friend wrote to me recently that everywhere we look - no one is seeking God. No one is looking for God on a day to day basis. They seek only for themselves.
God may my life see after You - a heart that is after You - like David's - and You can work a revolution in my heart.

PLEASE PRAY FOR GAVEN AND HIS FAMILY

Jono — Fri, 13 Apr 2007 09:18:04 +1000

Yesterday Gaven’s father was swept off his boat while fishing off the coast of Tasmania. At this point he is still missing – feared most likely dead. As I write, Gaven is boarding a plane to head home.

Please pray for Gaven, his Mum and brothers Travis and Scott. Pray for strength and comfort over the next few days, weeks and months. Pray for Gaven while traveling. Pray for wisdom as Gaven will be making decisions regarding his Dad’s farm and looking after his Mum. Pray for his future decisions and timing to return to Ukraine.

Please also pray for the Strawberry Farm here that Gaven has been managing. This will put a great strain on Daniel’s time and energy. Pray about my involvement at the farm if that is what God would like.

Pray for the church here – that this experience will draw them closer to God and to each other.

Please remember – that God holds our lives in His hands. Only He knows the number of our days. Are you ready to meet Him if He should call you today to give an account of your life?

Gav, we love you mate. Your strength will be found in the One who loves you more than all.

Jono
Keep Looking Up

Jono Miller

Blog: A Challenge to Ukrainian Politicians

Jono — Thu, 12 Apr 2007 09:24:25 +1000

Here is a quote from a recent news source:

“President Viktor Yushchenko dissolved Ukraine's parliament and called early elections Monday, but parliament refused to acknowledge the order and vowed to continue meeting as the country slipped further into political turmoil. The deadlock follows months of maneuvering by Yushchenko and his rival, Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych, and signals the possible return of competing protests, tent camps and political rallies to the streets of Kiev - two years after mass protests helped propel Yushchenko to power.”
For the full story click here: http://www.wjla.com/news/stories/0407/410902.html

So what?

Instead of trying to give my spin on politics – I want to quote some verses from the Bible. The wisest man who lived wrote about governments in the book of Proverbs.

My challenge is for anyone involved in Ukrainian politics to read these Bible passages and reflect. If you know anyone involved in Ukrainian politics – please pass this email along to them.

On Leaders:
Proverbs 28:2
“When a country is lawless, it has one ruler after another; but when it is led by a man with understanding and knowledge, it continues strong.”
Also see Proverbs 11:14, Proverbs 16:10, Proverbs 16:12, Proverbs 19:12, Proverbs 28:3, Proverbs 29:14, Proverbs 31:4-5

On Money:
Proverbs 28:16
“A ruler without wisdom will be cruel, but the one who refuses to take dishonest money will rule a long time.”
Also see Proverbs 10:2, Proverbs 22:16

On Honesty:
Proverbs 20:28
“Loyalty and truth keep a king in power; he continues to rule if he is loyal.”
Also see Proverbs 16:13, Proverbs 29:4

On Wisdom:
Proverbs 20:26
“A wise king sorts out the evil people, and he punishes them as they deserve.”
Also see Proverbs 8:15 (and the entire book of Proverbs)

On Good vs. Evil:
Proverbs 21:15
“When justice is done, good people are happy, but evil people are ruined.”
Also see Proverbs 11:10, Proverbs 14:34, Proverbs 24:23-25, Proverbs 25:5, Proverbs 28:12, Proverbs 28:28, Proverbs 29:2

I have seen the church jumping in on Ukrainian politics, so I do not think it unreasonable to challenge Yushchenko, Yanukovych, and Tymoshenko to read these verses and reflect deeply on the weight of responsibility before them.

Each of us also should consider the will of God – summed up nicely by the Jewish prophet Micah, “What does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” (Micah 6:8)

Each one of us should be challenged.
Jono
Keep Looking Up

Miss is that a wig you are wearing?

Jono — Wed, 07 Feb 2007 08:50:56 +1000

MISS, IS THAT A WIG YOU’RE WEARING?

I’ve been in London for less than a week but it’s been go go go. Here are a few of my impressions, thoughts, observations and happenings.

Students calling me ‘miss’
Students asking me if I’m wearing a wig, pulling my hair and saying “Ooooh it is attached!”
Everyone on the tube reading the tabloids
People thinking the tube is crowded (come to Ukraine and I’ll show you crowded)
Getting up at 5:30 am and getting home at 6:30 pm
Finding a Russian shop just up the road from where I’m staying.
Ruth watching lots of cooking shows in TV (and cooking great meals too)
Fast wireless internet
A great view of London from the top of the London Eye
Hearing many languages spoken and sometimes not even understanding the English

Jono

BLOG - WATER AND CONTENTMENT

Jono — Fri, 15 Sep 2006 01:51:32 +1000

Today I got running water again at the house. You can't imagine how happy I was! I flushed the toilet, I've done heaps of washing, I cleaned the kitchen and I'll soon have a shower.

Water is such a necessity for life - and an abundance of running water is just - such a blessing!

But I've also been listening to a sermon by John Piper about contentment. Paul said he had learned to have little and he'd learned to have a lot and in both cases was content.

I had this thought: "If God allowed my water to stop working again tomorrow and it took another week or two to fix it, would I be able to say that in all things I have learned to be content?"

I want to come to that place in my life where I have real contentment because I know that the only thing I need is God. I need to know this in every-day life, not just in my head.

Go and turn on your tap. Watch the water run out - and say "thank you God". Then whatever little thing it is that you want right now and don't have, be content with out it.

Jono Miller

BLOG - STATEMENT ABOUT YOUTH GROUP AND CHURCH

Jono — Thu, 07 Sep 2006 01:56:39 +1000

I write this statement to ask you to stand with me in prayer through a difficult time in my life.
Together with Daniel Gollan, I have decided that it is best for me to stand down from spiritual leadership in the church here for the remainder of this year.
There are some deep personal issues that need to be resolved in my life before I continue in such a role.
Please pray for me as much of this is difficult.
Please pray for the church here, I feel I have let them down - pray that they become stronger.
Please pray that God's work is advanced and Satan's kingdom weakened as a result of obedience to God.
I thank you all for your prayers and your love.
And I say to myself and to you -

Keep Looking Up
Jono

Jono Miller
Proverbs 3:5-6, Psalm 73:28

BLOG Auschwitz August 17

Jono — Thu, 24 Aug 2006 09:56:44 +1000

I squeeze myself into the last seat at the back of the bus. it's a hot day, the bus is crowded and the air conditioning is not working. The guys on either side of me are hot and sweaty too.

It's a bumpy 1 1/2 hour ride from Krakow out to the camp site and when I get there all I want is fresh air and a toilet stop.
We start to wander through the camp, reading the information and gazing at the photographs with very little actual understanding of what took place here and what it all means.

All I know is that my legs are sore and I want to sit down - or I'm hungry and I want to have lunch - or its hot and I want to get into the shade.

BUT WHERE AM I??!!

I am in Auschwitz! The site of the mass killing and the cruel forced labour of 100s of 1000s or Poles and Jews and Gypsies.
It's not the same as it was 60 years ago. Its cleaned up and full of tourists. Although the images are stark and sometimes even eerie, I cannot comprehend their full worth.

What I am struck with is the smallest little thing I can complain about because of discomfort (I'm hungry or hot or tired), when these people marched out to work, and dragged back their mates who didn't make it through the day. If they were lucky they might eat and sleep and then do it all again.

Then I visited the "Death Wall". A small enclosed courtyard where 1000s of people lost their lives. I overheard an English tour guide telling of the sacrifice of Father Maxymillian Kolbe. An amazing story! As everyone left the courtyard I sat on a concrete wall and stared at the one end where wreaths and candles were laid.

As I looked and contemplated the many people who stood there and were shot
- it was as if I sore Jesus - hanging on the wall, looking at me, saying "I sacrificed myself for you Jono!"
Powerful!!

I'm not really sure how to make total sense of todays visit. Afterwards we had donuts and icecream!!
But I will remember Auschwitz.
And I will remember the One who sacrificed Himself for me.

The Clarke's are leaving

Jono — Wed, 05 Oct 2005 11:58:53 +1000

Here is a letter from Ben and Tamara Clarke

Dear Prayer Partners:
It is with hugely mixed emotions that Tam and I want to inform you that we are being led by God to go back to Australia to live. You may have been praying with us knowing that we wanted to come back for the Christmas season. Well God has showed us that it is time for us to leave what we have been doing here in Ukraine and to return to Australia. Just what He has there for us is still a huge unknown, scary too.

We have always known that God would call us back to Australia. The when was unknown, and we were not looking for it yet. Through His word, the words of brothers and sisters and through the prompting of the Holy Spirit we believe that this is the time to leave. We are really grateful that God has used us here for the time He has, and we look forward to serving Him in Australia.

From a human point of view it seems strange, our neighbors can't work it out, but we know that God is in control. It seems as if we will be leaving a hole in God's work here, as there are no obvious replacements for the things we have been doing. However we believe that to stay here against the will of God would not be a blessing to the people here or beneficial for us. We know that God will move to provide all that His children in Rzhyshchiv need. As He will provide for us.
We do not know where in Australia we are going to live. My brother has offered us a house in Geraldton W.A. I have never been there so that would be strange. We also have a concentration of family in Victoria. We pray that God will lead us and give us peace wherever we end up.

We are a bit apprehensive about what it will be like living in Australia, I am sure it will be different from what we are used to here. Please pray with us about this.
Last week we organized a football tournament here in Rzhyshchiv. It was great with 8 teams showing up, about 80 people were there for most of the day. And I picked the two teams for the final and the end result! Most of the guys were local so we had a chance to show what Jesus love looks like, and guys from our youth group were there to "be" the light, as well as great helpers in organizing the day.
We are seeing a lot of response from spending time at the teachers and builders technical schools. At least there is fruit in people coming to church and feeling loved and welcomed. We pray that they will fall in love with Jesus as we are.
We now have about 3-4 weeks to pack up and say good bye to a huge part of our life. One guy said that it would be better to have told him 20 min. before we left so he could cry for only 20 min and not four weeks. We feel a real attachment to the guys here and it will be sad to leave them.

Thank you for your support over the 4.5 years we have been here and for the prayers and letters. We pray that God has blessed you through us and that you will keep the people of Ukraine in your prayers.

Ben and Tam Clarke
Serving God in Rzhyshchiv, Ukraine.

email an SMS to us on 3109529@sms.umc.com.ua