Kalinda

God is concerned about injustice

27 million people globally trapped in slavery....deeply concerning to God Can we be a generation to bring end to slavery?

Not all can go but all can partner in rescue and restoration of those caught in sex trafficking industry D and K able to touch thousands of people in last 4 years

160 girls trapped in brothels have been reached last year Partnering with Eden ministries in giving the girls a job after they come out of the sex slave industry

Eg Cha Wu... Sold into prostitution at age of 14 years...traded three times in last year Each time tried to run away caught and beaten, forced to have sex with 10 men per night. Broken and unable to communicate with people properly One night rescued by Kalinda and team...car at end of road...will you come? Ran her life, pregnant but free and exposed to healing ministry of Holy Spirit

Doug L       How to conquer change

Many challenges faced by D and K in China Change is constant and very uncomfortable....God wants us to embrace change First days in China...

Unable to communicate, everything different, difficult..even basics, loss relationships Must learn how to handle change....embrace and overcome and grow through it Loss of relationships, loss of familiar, everyday issues can bring unexpected and sometimes unwelcome change Called to be more than a conqueror through Christ

Lam.3: 17-26

Written at desperate time....nation devastated and destroyed by invasion...grief Christ has paid the penalty for us, broken all curses....empowers us to handle loss God brings hope in midst of loss.... Always willing to walk with us and empower us Easy to lose all joy during hard times and be overwhelmed 17-18.  Sorrow

19.        Cries to Lord

20.        Steadfast love of Lord never ceases.....wait quietly for salvation of Lord

1. Drop the Denial

    Admits and is transparent about grief....boldly expresses his feelings

    Culture in NZ tends to resist honest sharing of feelings, bury them

    Burying feelings is unhealthy.

   "Don't you dare cry....need to be strong" .....common expression

   "Fine". Doesn't mean fine at all...cover for honest sharing and connecting

    Unresolved grief overflows, leaks out and impacts relationships negatively

    Eg. David poured out soul...then ...strengthen himself in God

    Eg. Journal, write out feelings, share openly with someone trusted

2. Redirect your Thinking

Vs21 "soul remembers and is bowed down....remember God....hope comes"

When we are facing loss the soul continues to draw towards the loss and dwell on it Eg. Put cone over dogs head because keeps worrying the sore and make it bigger Focus on the neg. issue tends to make it bigger and depressing...soul bowed down "This I call to mind and therefore I have hope...steadfast love of Lord...faithfulness Deliberate refocus of mind on goodness of God....intentional refocus Love of God never comes to the end, mercies constantly new daily.

Choose what you focus upon.....issues or goodness of God Checed.....loving kindness, goodness, mercy, faithfulness.

Hope replaces despair when we make deliberate focus on goodness and love of God 2Cor.3:18. Beholding Him(the glory of The Lord) we are changed into the same image from one degree of glory to another.

As we worship and change the focus of our heart we are changed What we focus on and meditate on changes us ....for good...or for bad

3. Wait on him with expectancy

Good to wait quietly upon The Lord

Wait....not passive...means to look with hope and expectancy of something good We tend to think of waiting as a passive process..it is not It means to have expectancy Means....to gather in agreement with Him., put aside our doubts, demands Means....to wrap yourself around as the twisting of a rope Means....to focus upon God and His word expecting Him to come through Eg ivy wrapping around tree and climbing higher attached to strength of the tree Is40:Vs 41 They that wait on The Lord shall renew their strength

Questions for Reflection

1. What has the Holy Spirit been saying to you through this message?

2. Is there some situation you have experienced grief and disappointment and you have buried or denied your true feelings? When,how will you express it and face what you are experiencing?

3. In what area do you need to refocus your thinking? What promises of God could you focus upon, to renew your mind?

4. How do you handle delays? What do you normally do? How could you go about waiting on The Lord with new expectation? Who could your ask to hold you accountable