Hey everyone. Akita is back tomorrow, and then Thrive can return to it's usual topics of vegie patches, hyperactive dogs, gardening and strange toilet experiences. Until then, here's another one from me.

Small Things Matter

A story is told of a man who reaches heaven, and Jesus welcomes him with an embrace and says "I'm so glad you're here, and thankyou for all those you brought with you". Turning around, the man sees a multitude of people. He's confused, because he never lived a very socially active life, he never preached a sermon, he never led a bible study, or performed any great miracles. In fact he thought he lived a very ordinary life. How could he be responsible for bringing all these people to heaven? Then one by one the people approach him with their stories. One says "When I was young you showed me kindness when not many other people did. I knew you were a Christian, and your words and love started me on the path towards finding God, and I eventually became a preacher who travelled the world". Another person said "Your prayers for me led me to salvation, which in turn saved my whole family". One after the other people came forward and shared stories about how this man had influenced their lives, which had then affected so many others. The man was amazed.

A common trap we humans fall into is thinking that because we aren't involved in "big" projects or seeing "big" miracles, we aren't being effective, or that somehow God is absent. But there's a whole lot more going on than meets the eye. Jesus said "Whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven" (Mt 18:18). As we go about our daily lives, our words, prayers, and deeds can cause things to happen on an epic scale. War is waged in the heavens. Life and death hang in the balance.

I think sometimes we need to reasses what we think by the word "miracle". Sure, God is working through some of his children in the world today in amazing ways, performing miracles of healing, raising the dead, and so on. But lets not overlook the "everyday" miracles. For God to change the heart of a man - that's a miracle. For bitterness and unforgiveness to be healed - that's a miracle. For someone to accept God's gift and find salvation - that's a miracle. These are truly life or death matters.

Your words, your actions, and your prayers, can have an eternal effect... they can be binding and loosing things in heaven! You don't need to be seeing or doing "big" miracles to be witnessing the power of God. The little things in life actually aren't all that little. They're epic, and they matter. Your words can change the lives of your friends, family, and neighbours forever. Even if you don't see the results straight away.

"We fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal" (2 Corinthians 4:18)

What do you want to loose today?

Graeme

08-03-07

To view past editions of Thrive, click: THRIVE editions

To visit the Oxygen Youth website:

If you have any praise points, encouragement, favourite verses, or short teachings you wish to share... please send me an email (I know there are some out there) and we will try to include.

Study/dinner night - The next study night will be on this Sunday 11 March. Venue will be announced on Sunday at church.

Vineyard Conference - Go online today and register for the "Naturally Supernatural Conference", being held on the 23rd + 24th of March (Fri + Sat). This conference will assist in understanding and using the gifts of the Spirit, through teaching + workshops, with guest speaker Gary Best. To be held at Bunbury Vineyard Church. Cost: Adults $30, Couple $50, Students $20. Register online at www.vineyard.org.au

Oxygen - As usual Oxygen was a great night last Saturday. The next event is booked in for Saturday 8 April and is a showing of "The Passion Of The Christ". More details soon

Oxygen School Tour - This week!! The Oxygen Youth band is touring local high schools and TAFEs this week. Visit the Elevator '07 website for more details.

Power House - Next girl's event is this Sunday the 18th of March @ Grand Cinemas. More details next week. Power House planners are pinned on the youth board... they are pink in colour.

Prayer - every Sunday afternoon, 5-6pm @ church.

prayer: Oxygen mission team currently in Tanzania. Prayer for safety, opportunities, effectiveness...etc. Team members: Aarron, Akita, Andrew, Danny, Dave, Jason, Jesse, Mandy, Stephanie, + Stephanie.

prayer: for Elevator '07, the huge Student Battle of the Bands at the Bunbury Regional Entertainment Centre on 31 March. This is a fantastic opportunity to introduce to the community who we are and what we believe in. Prayer for the working team of this project.
Check out the Elevator website: www.oxygenyouth.com/elevator

.... if you have any requests you would like added here, please email me, contact details below.

Philippians 4:4

Rejoice in the Lord always. I'll say it again: Rejoice!

Please feel free to forward this email-newsletter to friends + family.

Akita Olsen - Youth Pastor
Email: olsens@westnet.com.au

Bunbury Vineyard Church.
PO Box 1475, Bunbury,
WA 6231, Australia.
Office phone: (08) 9721 3379
www.bunburyvineyard.org.au

If somebody has forwarded this email to you and you'd like to subscribe to this weekly message, please visit www.bunburyvineyard.org.au/thrive.htm.