February 3, 2014 Steps to Life Newsletter

Dear STL Supporter

Weekend Spiritual Seminars for 2014

Steps to Life's weekend spiritual seminar plans are well under way for 2014. We have been working closely with two husband and wife teams for the July and November seminars. Both of these seminars will be addressing most challenging current issue. Both of the issues are presently impacting the community, the church and young people and their families. We will give you full details as we approach the dates for these seminars.

The first of our three weekend seminars will be conducted by Jeff Wehr in March. Jeff was in Australia for STL in October, November 2011. His topic then was Surrounded But Don't Surrender. Many folks who attended this program said that Jeff was one of the most helpful and encouraging presenters they have listened to. As well, he made available his study book, The Prophets Code and it has been greatly appreciated as a systematic explanation of the great prophecies of Daniel and Revelation. This time Jeff's topic will be Walking With Jesus Through the Book of Romans. He has produced another study guide book, by the same title as his seminar, but much more extensive in its content. Please read the enclosed brochure for dates, times, venues and details of each of the presentations that make up Jeff's March seminar.

Blind Spots and Distorted Perceptions. We All Have Them.

We all experience blind spots and distorted perceptions of varying types. In our relationships we sometimes don't recognise the needs of others. In our communications we say things that mean something different to us than to the person we are communicating with. In driving our cars we can look out of the rear vision mirror and not see a car about to overtake us. Even a new pair of glasses may cause distorted vision until our eyes adjust and we see clearly. Blind spots and distorted vision have been the cause major upsets - even fatal accidents.

Our brains seem to have some blind spots built into them. Try the following exercise.

Read the following passage at normal reading speed and count every "F" in the following text as you go:

FINISHED FILES ARE THE RE
SULT OF YEARS OF SCIENTI
FIC STUDY COMBINED WITH
THE EXPERIENCE OF YEARS...

Chances are you got less than six "F's" first time through. The reason is that our brains have some blind spots and have difficulty processing "OF". (There are six F's in the sentence above.)

When it comes to spiritual eyesight we need the guidance of the Holy Spirit to overcome the spiritual blind spots in our natures. We need to be guided by the right spirit to enable our spiritual minds to process and absorb the Bible truths as God intended them to be processed and understood.

The apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 2: 10 to 14 has some pertinent advice about being able to understand the things of God. "But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things

of God...even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God. These things we also speak, not in words which man's wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned."

We need to pray to have the right spirit (The Holy Spirit) guiding us each time we read the Bible, otherwise we can have blind spots and distortions in our understanding.

Sunday Health Seminar On February 16 With Dr David Rankin.

We are privileged to introduce to you Dr David Rankin as the presenter for our first SHS on February 16, 2014. His topics will be -

• Is Your GP a Good Doctor? Are You a Good Patient?
• Your Vital Organs: Brain, Heart, Lungs and Kidney
• Preventing Children from Developing Behavioural Problems

David has had wide experience. He is a medical doctor who is a specialist in medical administration. He started his medical career as a GP at Warburton in the late 1980s. Since then he has run a private hospital, been General Manager to New Zealand's accident insurance organisation, been health advisor to several government departments in NZ and held the position of Executive Director of Medical Services in a large Melbourne health service.

David has a Masters Degree in both Health Administration and Public Health. He has held a range of prominent positions including President of the Royal Australasian College of Medical Administrators, President of the NZ Private Hospitals Association and the NZ Institute of Health Management. As well, he is the cofounder of Youth Connect - a youth mentoring program based on Christian principles.

See the enclosed brochure for full details of the February SHS. For those unable to attend the seminar will be recorded as a DVD and you can order it in the normal way by phone (03 9739 4093) or via the internet at our Online Shop

Studio Filming Equipment to Gospel Ministries International Romania

Steps to Life has now shipped three TV studio cameras and associated equipment to Pastor David Gates' free to air TV station in Romania. The equipment was no longer use by us, as we are now using more mobile digital HD cameras. It is pleasing to know that these quality cameras will once more be back in use in the hands of an organisation with similar aims to Steps to Life.

Christian greetings from Cherryl and the STL Team

Brian Way/ Program Coordinator