this is a pic of me, the cohens and my bro - calebI just want to say first off that the conference was great.
I really enjoyed my past week at the Bible Conference at Geographe Bay. Although I had real difficulty getting to sleep on 3 out of 4 nights, I still managed to stay awake for most activities – and God really gave me the sustenance to get through the whole conference on minimal sleep (as He always does). Also, I really had a great time with my roomies in villa 62 (Dorcas, Merilyn, Eileen, John & Michelle) and I really enjoyed villa-time eating, drinking, singing, cooking, sleeping, grooming, feeding ducks, watching Discovery Channel crime shows, and everything in between with the girls (and fellow).
The speaker, Dr Gary Cohen, is a converted Jew (he has a cool Jewish accent and kept saying that everything was 'bewdeefull' hehe)who accepted Christ as a young child. He shared about how he became a Christian and his testimony was so incredible. He pretty much bought the wrong Bible (one with a new testament), read it, believed it and became a Christian! He shared with us how, after years of his family rejecting him, many of them came to receive Christ as well (through many different ways – including through a television evangelist!). It was a truly incredible and encouraging testimony.
But the whole reason for the conference was to learn about the book of Revelation. The message that spoke to me most was the one about the seven letters from Jesus to the seven churches. Basically, the letters were written to encourage them as well as to warn them about the problems he saw within each one. When Dr Cohen shared this message, I was greatly convicted because nearly every warning from Jesus seemed to be applicable in my own spiritual life. Jesus encouraged the churches by telling them that God knows their situation and the struggles that they face and gave them the advice to repent, hold fast, be watchful, and pray for God to help give them the strength, opportunity and resources to get right with Him and start doing His work. This is pretty much exactly what I need to do too.
I spent time during the free time to identify barriers that are stopping me from getting closer to God and I have spent time in prayer asking God to help me overcome these things. I am glad that I did that, but I also felt a bit lost as to where to go and what to do from that point onwards. I guessed that it was probably just to keep up the prayer and to spend time with God. But on the way home, Truc confirmed this with me when she said to me when you start spending a lot of time with someone, you start to think like them – so the same goes when you spend more time with God, you will end up thinking more like Him too. I think that was pretty good advice – thanks Truc! I guess now the challenge is to follow that advice.
I ended up coming back early and skipping the Albany leg of the trip because of the tiredness catching up on me. I really wanted to join my family in Albany but I also thought that it was important for me to be able to go to work on Monday with a clear, rested and alert mind, and knowing that I would be away until late Sunday night with my rellies, I thought it would be best to skip that trip and continue to pray for my parents and brothers from home. I really ask the Lord that that they will have the opportunity and courage to witness to the rellies.
I really enjoyed my past week at the Bible Conference at Geographe Bay. Although I had real difficulty getting to sleep on 3 out of 4 nights, I still managed to stay awake for most activities – and God really gave me the sustenance to get through the whole conference on minimal sleep (as He always does). Also, I really had a great time with my roomies in villa 62 (Dorcas, Merilyn, Eileen, John & Michelle) and I really enjoyed villa-time eating, drinking, singing, cooking, sleeping, grooming, feeding ducks, watching Discovery Channel crime shows, and everything in between with the girls (and fellow).
The speaker, Dr Gary Cohen, is a converted Jew (he has a cool Jewish accent and kept saying that everything was 'bewdeefull' hehe)who accepted Christ as a young child. He shared about how he became a Christian and his testimony was so incredible. He pretty much bought the wrong Bible (one with a new testament), read it, believed it and became a Christian! He shared with us how, after years of his family rejecting him, many of them came to receive Christ as well (through many different ways – including through a television evangelist!). It was a truly incredible and encouraging testimony.
But the whole reason for the conference was to learn about the book of Revelation. The message that spoke to me most was the one about the seven letters from Jesus to the seven churches. Basically, the letters were written to encourage them as well as to warn them about the problems he saw within each one. When Dr Cohen shared this message, I was greatly convicted because nearly every warning from Jesus seemed to be applicable in my own spiritual life. Jesus encouraged the churches by telling them that God knows their situation and the struggles that they face and gave them the advice to repent, hold fast, be watchful, and pray for God to help give them the strength, opportunity and resources to get right with Him and start doing His work. This is pretty much exactly what I need to do too.
I spent time during the free time to identify barriers that are stopping me from getting closer to God and I have spent time in prayer asking God to help me overcome these things. I am glad that I did that, but I also felt a bit lost as to where to go and what to do from that point onwards. I guessed that it was probably just to keep up the prayer and to spend time with God. But on the way home, Truc confirmed this with me when she said to me when you start spending a lot of time with someone, you start to think like them – so the same goes when you spend more time with God, you will end up thinking more like Him too. I think that was pretty good advice – thanks Truc! I guess now the challenge is to follow that advice.
I ended up coming back early and skipping the Albany leg of the trip because of the tiredness catching up on me. I really wanted to join my family in Albany but I also thought that it was important for me to be able to go to work on Monday with a clear, rested and alert mind, and knowing that I would be away until late Sunday night with my rellies, I thought it would be best to skip that trip and continue to pray for my parents and brothers from home. I really ask the Lord that that they will have the opportunity and courage to witness to the rellies.
