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Cont. From Previous Page… them in His Son, Jesus Christ” (Jerry Bridges, Transforming Grace, p.40). I don’t know how all this affects you, but I agree with David when he says, “Blessed is he whose transgressions are forgiven...Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord does not count against him...” (Psalm 32:1,2). All hope for happiness is contingent on the forgiveness of sins. The word “blessed” in Psalm 32, by the way, is plural! As Charles Spurgeon has said, “Oh, the blessednesses! the double joys, the bundles of happiness, the mountains of delight” that abound to the forgiven (Treasury of David). Having experienced for himself the joy of forgiving love, David encourages others to seek God’s pardoning favor: “Therefore let everyone who is godly pray to You while You may be found; surely when the mighty waters rise, they will not reach him. You are my hiding place; You will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance” (Psalm 32:6-7). God is like a high rock on which we stand when the flood waters of adversity begin to rise. God is a hiding place, a shelter in whom we find safety and protec-tion from all that threatens the soul. And remember, all this for men and women like David who have spurned His ways and transgressed His will. What accounts for this willingness in God to forgive? To what do we attribute the peace and release and joy that flood the pardoned soul? David puts his finger on it in Psalm 32:10 - “Many are the woes of the wicked, but the Lord’s unfailing love surrounds the man who trusts in Him.” God’s love is the bul-wark of our lives, the bodyguard of our souls, the atmosphere of immutable affection in which we move and live and breathe.

Family Games and Film Night on Friday,

4 July at 7pm.

The countdown has begun to the best Blast Off weekend in the universe! We are seeking a team of dedicated children’s workers who will help us launch the kids in our church and community into exploring God’s infinite love!

But how does one describe the forgiveness of sins? Have you ever played with an “Etch-a-Sketch”? It’s that toy with what looks like a televi-sion screen and two knobs that enable you to sketch whatever suits your fancy. I never was much good at it, as I’m not an artist by any stretch of the imagination. The Etch-a-Sketch was made for people like me. If you don’t like what you’ve drawn and especially don’t want to be embar-rassed should anyone else see it, you simply tip the screen, give it a shake and your work of art vanishes! It’s a crude and simple illustration, but that is a lot like what God does with your sin when he grants for-giveness. Through the course of our earthly existence we sketch an ugly scenario of sin and rebellion and ingratitude and jealousy and lust. There it is, vividly imprinted on the screen of our souls. But when we confess our sin, God’s loving and gracious hand tips the toy and the slate is wiped clean! No matter how often we return to deface our lives with ugly pictures of hatred and anger and pride and envy, God is faithful to tip the screen. All it takes is confession. All it takes is the blood of Christ. But don’t take my word for it. Listen to what God Himself says: “I, even I, am He who blots out your transgressions, for My own sake, and remem-bers your sins no more” (Isaiah 43:25). When we confess our sin and plead the blood of the Lord Jesus, God promises never again to bring it up, either to Himself, to you, or to others. That’s forgiveness! God’s not finished yet. He’s got another illustration to make His point. Hezekiah puts it this way: “Surely it was for my benefit that I suffered such anguish. In Your love You kept me from the pit of destruction; You have put all my sins behind Your back” (Isaiah 38:17). God has taken your sin and placed it out of sight behind His back. All He sees now when He sees you is the blessed righteousness of His own dear Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. Such is the love of forgiveness. Still not convinced? Still afraid that your sins will do you in? Then pay close attention to the word of the prophet Micah. He has something important to say about the kind of God we have: “Who is a God like You, who pardons sin and forgives the transgression of the remnant of His inheritance? You do not stay angry forever but delight to show mercy. You will again have compassion on us; You will tread our sins underfoot and hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea” (Micah 7:18-19). How much more graphic do you demand God to be before you enter into the joy of His forgiving love? All vestige of condemning guilt is gone. Again, “just as God said He put our sins behind His back, so here He says He will hurl them into the depths of the sea. They will not ‘fall overboard’; God will hurl them into the depths. He wants them to be lost forever, because He has fully dealt with

Philemon provides valuable historical insights into the early church’s rela-tionship to the institution of slavery. Slavery was widespread in the Roman Empire (according to some estimates, slaves constituted one third, per-haps more, of the population) and an accepted part of life. In Paul’s day, slavery had virtually eclipsed free labor. Slaves could be doctors, musi-cians, teachers, artists, librarians, or accountants; in short, almost all jobs could be and were filled by slaves. Slaves were not legally considered persons, but were the tools of their masters. As such, they could be bought, sold, inherited, exchanged, or seized to pay their master’s debt. Their masters had virtually unlimited power to punish them, and some-times did so severely for the slightest infractions. By the time of the New Testament, however, slavery was beginning to change. Realizing that contented slaves were more productive, masters tended to treat them more leniently. It was not uncommon for a master to teach a slave his own trade, and some masters and slaves became close friends. While still not recognizing them as persons under the law, the Roman Senate in A.D. 20 granted slaves accused of crimes the right to a trial. It also became more common for slaves to be granted (or to purchase) their freedom. Some slaves enjoyed very favorable and profitable service under their masters and were better off than many freemen because they were assured of care and provision. Many freemen struggled in poverty. The New Testa-ment nowhere directly attacks slavery; had it done so, the resulting slave insurrections would have been brutally suppressed and the message of the gospel hopelessly confused with that of social reform. Instead, Christi-anity undermined the evils of slavery by changing the hearts of slaves and masters. By stressing the spiritual equality of master and slave, the Bible did away with slavery’s abuses. The rich theological theme that alone dominates the letter is forgiveness, a featured theme throughout New Testament Scripture. Paul’s instruction here provides the biblical definition of forgiveness, without ever using the word. If you have a love for our growing number of senior saints and would be interested in sharing some time and encouragement, then speak with Ray Greer and let him know of your interest.

Welcome to South Valley 8 June 2014

Crosstrainers - For all Highschoolers We meet every Thursday night from 7pm until 8:30pm up at the back shed. Call Darren on 52442428 for further information Sunday School - From Grade 1 - Year 12 Every Sunday morning at 9:30am. Playgroup - For Kids up to School Age We come together every Thursday morning from 10 to 11:30am. Valley Kids - For Grades 3-6 Valley Kids is an activity based ministry, providing interactive games that encourage teamwork and fun, followed by a creative Bible lesson and a snack. All nights run from 7 to 8.30pm on a Friday evening. For inquiries or if you would like to join us as a leader or parent helper contact Nick Moore mob: 0468705911.

Your under-shepherd Kirby, would like your help. Realising that we live in an increasingly mobile culture, Kirby would like to trial something for this month. On the notice board in the foyer you will see a calendar for the month of June. There are some daytime (yellow) and evening (green) slots that are available, as Kirby would love to drop by your home for a visit. Follow the directions on the calendar and print your name in the appropriate colour to indicate your interest. Kirby will

then call you to confirm a time that is best. Many thanks! You are invited to Bhec’s audio-visual presentation next Sunday night, 15 June at 6pm, as she shares what God is doing in rescuing little girls from the atrocity of being sex-trafficked in India.

“Who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of His own purpose

and grace, which He gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began.” 2Timothy 1:9

“Stand up in the presence of the elderly, and show respect for the aged. Fear your God. I am the LORD” (Leviticus 19:32 NLT).