Educational Resources

Rendering honour on the Queen’s Birthday public holiday David d’Lima - FamilyVoice Australia, June 2020 As the first and oldest Australian public holiday, the Queen’s Birthday gives the opportunity to render honour to our Sovereign Lady, along with various noteworthy people who are recognised by awards that are conferred on that day each year, under the Order of Australia, of which Her Majesty is head. Action to honour the Sovereign, as the nation’s highest authority, is a virtue that is commendable to all Australians, regardless of their political views. Such action accords with the way we have arranged our civic system in Australia. Furthermore, it is coherent with the following biblical precepts: Give to everyone what you owe them: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honour, then honour (Romans 13:7); Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every authority instituted among men: whether to the king, as the supreme authority, or to governors, who are sent by him ... (I Peter 2:13); Show proper respect to everyone, love the family of believers, fear God, honour the king (I Peter 2:17).

Prepared by David d'Lima.

Reflections on Australian Citizenship David d'Lima, FamilyVoice Australia - August 2017 Since developing Australian citizenship in the mid-Twentieth Century, the nation has struggled to find the right approach, with five pledges used in five decades, as may be seen in the following short survey. In 1901 at Federation, Australians were not citizens of Australia, but of Britain. In 1948 Australian Citizenship was created, and it took effect from 1949. From that date, candidates for citizenship made the following Oath of Allegiance: I, A. B; swear by Almighty God that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to His Majesty King George the Sixth, his heirs and successors according to law, and that I will faithfully observe the laws of Australia and fulfil my duties as an Australian citizen. From 1966 all persons pledging themselves as Australian citizens were required to renounce all foreign allegiance, but received the optional choice of making no reference to God when they made their promise: I, A. B., renouncing all other allegiance, swear by Almighty God [or solemnly and sincerely promise and declare] that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth the Second, Her Heirs and Successors according to law.

Raising children in the fear of Almighty God David d’Lima, FamilyVoice Australia - June 2021 Part of the privilege and responsibility of parents and teachers is to encourage young hearts and minds towards knowing God, who is both loving and holy, and who therefore is to be loved and to be feared. Indeed, all authorities in society, including parents, teachers and governmental leaders, should be loved and respected, and therefore it is good to encourage those responses among the children we nurture. The word ‘fear’ is regarded somewhat negatively within modern thinking, both in Christian and secular contexts. Hence it is valuable and necessary to restore the wise and biblically-endorsed concept of fear. The gift of fear is built into creation itself. Hence, people are rightly frightened by unexpected loud noises, and sources of pain, such as hot surfaces or sharp implements. As expressed by an Irish proverb: A man who is not afraid of the sea will soon be drowned. While such examples of fear may be called a common grace (functioning as good gifts that are granted to all humanity), other aspects of fear must be taught and learned - in response to the revelation by God concerning his character and qualities.

Lessons from the Sydney Opera House David d'Lima - July 2020 Looking at the history of the Sydney Opera House, which was opened by Queen Elizabeth in 1973, we can find several illustrations of biblical principles which may encourage our Christian ambition to share the message of Christ and the blessing of God. We see Danish architect Jørn Utzon dreaming and sketching a building so breathtaking in scope that those who judged the designs felt compelled to reject his brilliant proposal as impossibly ambitious - until one judge who arrived late to the adjudication insisted the design be reconsidered. We see Utzon as a dreamer and craftsman, made in the image of Almighty God (the Author of all visionary workmanship). We may also note how often the plans of God are rejected by unresponsive humanity!

Learning lessons from the mistakes of Moses David d’Lima - FamilyVoice Australia, September 2020 The Bible paints a very human portrait of the early life and calling of Moses, as a very humble man who had a great deal to be humble about! Having thrown away his princely opportunity, Moses became a murderer who fled Egypt only to serve as a shepherd, until at the age of eighty he most reluctantly accepted the divine calling to give testimony to a pagan civic authority and to rescue the descendants of God’s covenantal people. Our knowledge of the early life and work of Moses comes to us from the Book of Exodus (3-4) which records his birth to Hebrew parents who lived in Egypt among the oppressed people of God. When the Egyptian king gave orders to kill each newborn Israelite boy, the mother of Moses firstly hid him, and then launched the baby onto the waters of the Nile, in a basket. Naturally speaking that would be the end of his life.

Impelling the continent towards nationhood FamilyVoice Australia, February 2021 ... what we are doing by this great movement is not for us, but for ... the untold millions that will follow us; until this land of Australia shall gather within its bosom all the fruits of the culture of the world, all the lessons from the philosophy of the world, all the high examples from the brilliant courage of our great forefathers; and until the flag of freedom shall be planted here so firmly, and guarded with such a fervid patriotism, that all the powers on earth shall never assault it. - Remarks Sir Henry Parkes delivered to the New South Wales House of Assembly on 7th May 1890, (noted in Honour to Whom Honour is Due by Bruce Smith, Sydney: McCarron and Co, 1899, p14).

Prepared by David d'Lima.

Heeding the example of Florence Nightingale David d’Lima - FamilyVoice Australia, September 2020 Florence Nightingale (1820 - 1910) is recognised as the founder of modern nursing. Following her excellent service during the Crimean War, in which she organised care for wounded soldiers whom she famously tended at night, Florence obtained the nickname - "The Lady with the Lamp" - based on a phrase from a report in The Times newspaper, which described her work as follows: She is a "ministering angel" without any exaggeration in these hospitals, and as her slender form glides quietly along each corridor, every poor fellow's face softens with gratitude at the sight of her. When all the medical officers have retired for the night and silence and darkness have settled down upon those miles of prostrate sick, she may be observed alone, with a little lamp in her hand, making her solitary rounds.

Good governance in Australia prior to Federation David d’Lima, July 2021 Prior to Federation in 1901, people in Australia exercised God’s gift of governance in three modes: Firstly, around 250 tribal groups applied Aboriginal customary law, under the supervision of elders. Secondly, the laws and customs of Britain were applied in the early colonial period, under the Crown. Thirdly, the six colonies governed themselves, almost independently, but under the Crown.

The Commonwealth Coat of Arms Australia's Coat of Arms features the seven pointed Federation Star above a blue and gold wreath, a kangaroo and emu at either side of the States' Shield, and a background of Golden Wattle, our National Flower.

Gaining insights from the Patriarch Joseph    Written by: David d'Lima, March 2020  The Patriarch Joseph has much relevance to the modern world, with our fragile economies and great need for Godly people to take up ministry opportunities as leaders in pagan contexts, as we read in the Book of Genesis: Now Israel loved Joseph more than any of his other sons, because he had been born to him in his old age; and he made an ornate robe for him. When his brothers saw that their father loved him more than any of them, they hated him and could not speak a kind word to him. [37:3-4] Joseph went after his brothers and found them near Dothan. But they saw him in the distance, and before he reached them, they plotted to kill him. “Here comes that dreamer!” they said ... and they took him and threw him into the cistern. ... Judah said to his brothers, “What will we gain if we kill our brother and cover up his blood? Come, let’s sell him to the Ishmaelites and not lay our hands on him; after all, he is our brother, our own flesh and blood.” His brothers agreed....