A ROCKY FOUNDATION

             During a time of testimonies at Lansdowne Baptist Church, England in the Summer of 1952, Rev Francis Dixon heard two very similar stories from two British sailors who had never met each other before. Both sailors, while on short leave in Sydney, were approached by a man who asked the question: “Young man, if you were to die tonight, where would you be, in heaven or in hell?”In the course of time they both returned home. The encounter with this mysterious man in George Street, Sydney left such a deep impression on their hearts and minds that they both sought spiritual help when back in England. Later, they both became Christians, Dixon himself having the pleasure of leading one of the sailors to Christ. Shortly after this, Dixon departed with his wife Nancy for his first preaching tour to Australia and New Zealand. Deeply fascinated by the coincidence of the two stories of the sailors and recognising that he was heading to the land where these events had happened, he

                     Shall the imperial eagle, whose undazzled eye drinks in the splendours of a cloudless sun, envy the worm that never rose an inch beyond its native dust? Shall the sun itself envy the flickering rush-light which the feeblest breeze can extinguish? Shall the heaving ocean, bearing on its bosom the richest merchandise and reflecting from its deep blue eye the glories of the firmament, envy the little summer pool, which a passing cloud has poured into a foot-print? Psalm 37 was written by David when he was an old man (Ps.37:25). It gives us the wisdom of an aged man. He addresses a question that has plagued the people of God in every age and that question is why do the wicked seem to prosper while the righteous suffer? This same problem is a theme in Psalm 73 and the book of Job. Why do those who care nothing of God seem to prosper while the righteous suffer? Shouldn't the wicked have all the problems and the righteous have all the good things? Why does God let

                 In October 1810 a 20 year old girl in Bradford, England wrote the following words in her journal “If nothing in providence appears to prevent, I must spend my days in a heathen land. I am a creature of God and he has an undoubted right to do with me, as seems good in his sight... He has my heart in his hand and when I am called to face danger, he can inspire me with fortitude and enable me to trust in him. Jesus is faithful; his promises are precious. Were it not for these considerations, I should sink down with despair”.  Ann Hasseltine had received a proposal of marriage from Adoniram Judson, who was shortly to leave for Asia as one of America's first overseas missionaries. And thus commenced one of the greatest dramas of church history; a saga of love, courage, suffering and perseverance. At the age of 25, Adoniram Judson was the first American missionary to Burma. He and Ann married two weeks before they boarded a ship bound for India, from which they event

                   Stanley Praimnath was in his office in the South Tower at the World Trade Center when his phone rang. "Are you watching the news?' asked a woman in their Chicago office. "Are you alright?" "I'm fine" he said wondering why she had called. Just then he turned to gaze out the window. The surreal sight of a low-flying jet, heading straight for his tower, disrupted his view. He dropped the phone in mid-sentence and dove to the floor. Curling under his desk he began praying to God, "Lord, help me," he prayed desperately as the aircraft smashed into the tower. The smell of jet fuel was in the air. Equipment was scattered all around with rubble covering the floor and dust in the air. He began clawing his way out. "Lord, I have to go home to my family," he wheezed. Just then he saw a light. "I am here to help you." He thought, "This is my guardian angel! The Lord sent somebody to help me!" Praimnat