On Sabbath, Dec 26 - our group travelled 100km south to the town of Casino: Population approximately 10,000. We had previously contacted Casino's local pastor and offered to take Sabbath School and the divine service.

The road to Casino from Murwillumbah passes through beautiful country; windy mountain roads near Mount Warning, flattening out to farmland and plains. 100km passed quickly while we appreciated the scenery, sang, and made last minute church service preparations.

Sabbath School was a blessing. In between songs we were able to tell canvassing stories from the past week, and how God prepares hearts and plans situations to bring truth-filled books into eager hands.

This last Sabbath School quarterly on Jeremiah has shone a light on God's loving, patient, and just character. Emmanuel lead the church in reviewing the last week of this quarter: Lessons from Jeremiah. Are you forsaking sin? Is your life clean from idols; every distraction from God?

The divine service focused on spiritual applications for the 5 canvassing essentials:

Prayer

Essential for canvassing, and just as important for your relationship with God. There is power in prayer - and Jesus grasped this to the fullest while battling Satan during his life on earth.

Know your canvass

On the job, this means being familiar with the books in your bag. Effective presentation and sale greatly depends on knowing the book's content, or at least important chapters. As Christians we have the Bible, a book above all others. To live by God's word requires studying and knowing it.

"But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:" - 1 Peter 3:15

Smile

Smiling is another ingredient for successful canvassing. By it, we show friendliness and the nature of our intentions; to share the gospel - good news to mankind.

In our day to day lives, smiling reveals the peace and joy that God gives.

Walk fast

Fast steps make good use of time. More canvasses can be squeezed into the day, and more people reached.

God exhorts us to run the most important race of our lives in Hebrews 12:1; striving to be like Christ:

"Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us."

Book in the hand

Each encounter has a crucial moment; getting the book into your contact's hands so they can feel the book, flip through its pages, and see for themselves what you're offering.

God is stretching out his hand to humanity right now. He offers abundant life, for free!

If you've claimed that life already, how are you sharing the good news? God will use a surrendered person.

 

In the afternoon, we travelled with some Casino church members to Minyon Falls. This waterfall drops over a sheer cliff into lush valley floor, 100m below. Every aspect impressed: bare cliffs rising above the falls, giant gum trees in dense forest at the bottom, and the falls themselves.

We closed Sabbath as a team while the sun set. After a day of rest, all were ready for the next 6 days.