Crossing the chasm: Diana Nyad and Eliezer

It's a fantastic and amazing story. 64-year-old Diana Nyad, a New York native, swam 110 miles from Cuba to Florida without a shark cage in less than 54 hours, arriving an hour ago to throngs and media and no doubt, a massive sense of relief and joy.
She tried unsuccessfully four other times in 2011 and 2012, but finally landed Monday just before 2 pm on US Labor Day.

Nyad said on arrival, "I have three messages. One is, we should never, ever give up. Two is, you're never too old to chase your dream. Three is, it looks like a solitary sport, but it is a team," she said on the beach.

This week is a culmination of sorts for others as Jewish people meet again for New Year services in synagogues worldwide. Rosh Hashanah begins Wednesday evening which introduces a 10-day period of introspection and seeking forgiveness from the Almighty. It's also an attempt to cross a chasm, to reach the other side of a great divide. According to the Scriptures, God and man are separated by sin (Isaiah 59.1-2) and according to the Jewish religion, man crosses that chasm by repentance, prayer and good deeds during the next ten days. If God accepts our activities of faith, then the chasm is crossed and Jewish people have another year of life.

That's not exactly how it works, if I read the same Scriptures and also read the Newer Testament. Yeshua, the Messiah, taught about chasm crossing in a famous story of Eliezer (Lazarus) and a rich man. The rich man was not even named. This is recorded in the story by Luke chapter 16. (Full story below)

Eliezer is a poor man, rejected by society, with health issues abundant, and he dies. Contrasted to that is a rich man, who dresses and eats well. The rich man also dies and the eternal state of them both is shown. Eliezer goes to Abraham's bosom, a vision of heavenly comfort, while the rich man goes to Hades, a place of torment. The rich man begs Abraham to assist him, to make the conditions better, by sending Eliezer cool him off. Abraham says that the rich man had plenty of comfort in his life and the poor Eliezer did not. The rich man then wants Abraham to send Eliezer to the rich man's family, as if Eliezer is still a servant class below him, and invites Abraham to follow his plans. Abraham insists that the great gulf (the chasm) is fixed and cannot be crossed. Ever. And that the family, whom the rich man wants to hear a warning from someone on the other side, has plenty of biblical evidence in the readings of (the five books of) Moses and the prophets.

The Bible then is the witness that Abraham calls into the courtroom of the story to bring evidence of the truths listed. The truth of Hades and eternal judgment is there in the Older Testament. The truth about Hell's torment is there in the Older Testament. The truth about God's comfort is there in the Bible. And so much more.

But this story sounds exactly opposite the swimming achievement of Diana Nyad and the Gulf of Mexico. Or is it?

Actually the story evidences the reality of the crossing of the chasm by Eliezer (Lazarus). He who was without any comfort in this life, who had oppression and dismissal on his menu of social interaction found a way over to the other side. The rest of the Bible gives us the back story. How did he do it? How did he cross the chasm?

Moments before according to Luke, Yeshua told this story, "What man among you, if he has a hundred sheep and has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open pasture, and go after the one which is lost, until he finds it? And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!’ I tell you that in the same way, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents, than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance."(Luke 15.3-7)

He follows that story with one about a lost coin and similar joy. Then he finishes the triad of stories with the famous Prodigal Son story, about a wayward son who lives lavishly and wrongly, and comes to his senses. Then the son returns to the father who runs to greet him and forgive him. Those stories introduce the story of Eliezer and the rich man so that we see how Eliezer got to cross the chasm. How? By three things.

1) He admitted he was a sinner
2) He came to Yeshua as the only savior
3) He received the welcome by Yeshua characterized by forgiveness of sins.

That story is told over and over in the Bible and it's a story for you. And for Diana Nyad. And for anyone in Cuba or Florida, for Jewish people or Gentiles, for men or women, for sinner or saint. It's a story for Rosh Hashanah or Yom Kippur, or anytime.

The great chasm is fixed. I'm trying to help you cross it. How can you get to God?
1) Admit you are a sinner, and need His forgiveness
2) Believe Jesus, Yeshua, the Jewish Messiah, died for your sins and made atonement with God on your behalf
3) Confess Him as your Lord and Savior.

The Bible says, "if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved" (Romans 10.9)

Come on over to new life.


The Nyad story is here: Nyad Success The story of Lazarus is here:
Now there was a certain rich man, and he habitually dressed in purple and fine linen, gaily living in splendor every day. And a certain poor man named Lazarus was laid at his gate, covered with sores, and longing to be fed with the crumbs which were falling from the rich man’s table; besides, even the dogs were coming and licking his sores. Now it came about that the poor man died and he was carried away by the angels to Abraham’s bosom; and the rich man also died and was buried. And in Hades he lifted up his eyes, being in torment, and saw Abraham far away, and Lazarus in his bosom. And he cried out and said, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool off my tongue; for I am in agony in this flame.’
But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that during your life you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus bad things; but now he is being comforted here, and you are in agony. And besides all this, between us and you there is a great chasm fixed, in order that those who wish to come over from here to you may not be able, and that none may cross over from there to us.’

And he said, ‘Then I beg you, Father, that you send him to my father’s house — for I have five brothers — that he may warn them, lest they also come to this place of torment.’

But Abraham said, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.’
But the rich man said, ‘No, Father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent!’

But Abraham said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be persuaded if someone rises from the dead.’” (Luke 16.19-31) Separation is clear from this passage: "Behold, the LORD’S hand is not so short that it cannot save; Neither is His ear so dull That it cannot hear. But your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, And your sins have hidden His face from you, so that He does not hear."(Isaiah 59.1-2)

Repairs: Who you gonna call?

Repairs, a photo by bobmendo on Flickr.

We need a savior!
By Bob Mendelsohn
Based on Deuteronomy 31-32-33
Given at Ashfield Presbyterian Church
1 September 2013

Introduction
Shalom friends at Ashfield. For a decade and a half I’ve been coming to visit, to teach from the Bible, and to share the burden of our ministry, Jews for Jesus, with you. And for most of that time Peter Hastie was the minister and my friend. Now he’s gone to Melbourne and another friend of Jews for Jesus is here, David Balzer. I’m honored to be invited back again, and especially happy to be welcomed by Pastor David. Thanks to you as a church, and to David as a pastor for such a welcome.

Who you gonna call?
Last week we got new floors in our kitchen and rumpus room. It’s been needed for about 15 years, but last week we got them. And the tradespeople who were scheduled to come on Wednesday no showed. I rang the agent. I rang the company who was supposed to be laying the floors. I finally got hold of someone who sorted the problem. The men got busy at another job and promised to be at my place the next morning at 7. Everything got sorted fairly easily, but it took some calling and some pushing. Maybe you’ve had a similar experience. When things are broken, you want someone to come and fix it. When the pipes leak; when the left arm goes numb; when the child falls and screams. You want something done. Something has to be fixed. Now. Not tomorrow at 7, but now.

Setting/ History
Perhaps you know that this Wednesday evening is the beginning of the Jewish New Year. 5774 years ago God created the world and all that is in it. He made Adam and Eve and gave us laws and instruction to follow. Adam didn’t comply and as a result we humans were exiled from the Garden of Eden, and have been struggling to find our way back ever since.

The 10 days, which begin this Wednesday, are called the Ten Days of Awe or the Ten Days of Repentance. It’s a season in which Jewish people make things right with neighbors and with God. We seek atonement at the end. We seek His favor. And we often do that in synagogue where most Jews do not attend all the rest of the year.

If things are broken, I guess we have to see to their being fixed.

About 2500 years after Adam and Eve, God delivered the Jewish people from slavery in Egypt after we had been in that 400-year detentions centre there. Immediately on leaving, we Jews wandered in the wilderness, and made our way to Mt Sinai where God gave more laws and instructions for Jewish people in particular to follow.

God’s assurance of His presence in power transfer
After 40 more years, near the end of his 120 years of life, Moses spoke the words we heard in our reading today. Chapter 31 of Deuteronomy records his encouraging words to the people of Israel. Verse three says “God will cross ahead of you…destroy those nations before you… you shall dispossess them.” (31.3) In other words, God Himself will be the warrior and general to conquer the land of Canaan, and you Jewish people will live securely in the Land there, which will later be titled Israel. In verse 6, God says to Israel to be strong and courageous. Nothing to fear!

Now you might think there was nothing to fear, but the Jewish people had been walking with this old guy Moses for four decades and now he’s checking out. He was the founder, if you will, and all that the wandering Hebrews had known for almost their entire life, was his responsibility. Now he’s leaving. That had to be difficult for the millions.

I was part of transfer of power a couple times. One from a church I founded in Kansas in 1972 when I stepped down in 1977, and the other in Jews for Jesus, when we elected a new executive director after Moishe Rosen stepped down in 1996. Moishe had founded the organization. Both were tough transitions and both had commensurate problems. Here in our text, God wanted to ensure a smooth transition and thus in chapter 3 (21-28) and chapter 31 (8), like bookends around the rest of the book, he strongly charges Joshua who would be the next man in charge.

Here in Australia this coming Shabbat we will elect officials to lead us the next few years, and we may or may not see such a smooth transition as God was hoping for from the children of Israel.

Joshua hears the charge from Moses ‘in the sight (eyes) of all Israel’ that not only would God be leading them to battle, but JK$D;mIo h∞RyVhˆy a…wh£ (Hu yih’yeh imach) that is, God would be with them! The assurance of His presence would strengthen the 85-year-old Joshua and give confidence to the people that they should trust him as his mentor’s replacement.

God will hide his face
Then moments later God tells Moses and Joshua in the commissioning service, from inside the cloud, MRhEm y§AnDp y°I;t√rA;tVsIh◊w (v’histarti fanai mayhem) that is, God would hide his face from the people. So on the one hand he says his face would be with them, that is guaranteeing presence, on the other hand he says, not so.
But the next verse amplifies the hiding of God’s face with
‹yÅnDÚp ry§I;tVsAa r°E;tVsAh y#IkOnDa◊w. (v’anochi hastair aster panai) That’s even worse (.18) than verse 17. Utterly or completely hide my face. That’s darkness times 10. We are alone.
Confused? Let me unpack this for us.

Rabbi Chaim Ingram lives here in Sydney. He wrote last week the following in regards to this passage and about Rosh Hashanah. “The concealment is deliberate. For one thing, G-D’s greatness is matched by His humility (Megila 31a). He has no wish to force His people to ‘proclaim me your king through the blowing of bugles!’ so He conceals the commandment as simply a Yom teru’a. Indeed exhortations to love and revere G-D are as a rule proclaimed only by Moses and only in Sefer Devarim, not by G-D Himself. But in addition to this, G-D has no wish to impose Himself on man because He wishes man to discover G-D for himself. This is the secret of Rosh Hashanah.”

Still confused? Listen to these words from the daughter of Billy Graham after the tragedy of September 11, 12 years ago.
Clayson: “I’ve heard people say, those who are religious and those who are not, if God is good, how could God let this happen? To that, you say?
Anne Graham Lotz: “I say God is also angry when he sees something like this. I would say also for several years now Americans in a sense have shaken their fist at God and said, ‘God, we want you out of our schools, our government, our business, we want you out of our marketplace.’ And God, who is a gentleman, has just quietly backed out of our national and political life, our public life. Removing his hand of blessing and protection. We need to turn to God first of all and say, ‘God, we’re sorry we have treated you this way and we invite you now to come into our national life. We put our trust in you.’ We have our ‘trust in God’ on our coins; we need to practice it.”

God is the most amazing King ever on the planet. Every other king rules and dominates according to his own strength. And those who are conquered are well advised to submit to his ordinances and taxes. The King of the Universe on the other hand is as Anne Graham Lotz says, ‘a gentleman.’ Stunning. The one who created all things, which we note and in which we rejoice today, offers himself to us to know and love him. He does not demand, but rather offers. Would you like to be part of this kingdom? Would you like to join us? An invitation, not a suzerainty treaty. Amazing!
Maybe that helps us with the real story in today’s reading.

God will judge Israel
It is found in verse 16: “Behold, you are about to lie down with your fathers; and this people will arise and play the harlot with the strange gods of the land, into the midst of which they are going, and will forsake Me and break My covenant which I have made with them.”

The problem was not with God, but with Israel. God shows the dying Moses that Israel would forsake the Almighty down the proverbial road. And as a result God would hide himself. Ouch. This has to hurt.

Hear these words from our text:
God told Moses to “write this song for yourselves, and teach it to the sons of Israel; put it on their lips, so that this song may be a witness for me against the sons of Israel. … Then they will turn to other gods and serve them, and spurn me and break my covenant. . When many evils and troubles have come upon them, that this song will testify before them as a witness…So Moses wrote this song the same day, and taught it to the sons of Israel. (31.19-22)
A song from Moses. This is the 2nd song of Moses in the Bible. There will be three all together. The first was as they left slavery in Egypt and walked through the Red Sea. This is the 2nd. The third is in Revelation 15. John Phillips is a Bible commentator who contrasts the first and 3rd songs of Moses. He titles the 3rd song as the Song of the Lamb, which is the song of Jesus, who is like Moses on so many levels and yet greater!

“The first song of Moses was sung at the Red Sea, the 3rd song of Moses, and the song of the Lamb is sung at the crystal sea; the song of Moses was a song of triumph over Egypt, the song of the Lamb is a song of triumph over Babylon; the song of Moses told how God brought His people out, the song of the Lamb tells how God brings His people in; the song of Moses was the first song in Scripture, the song of the Lamb is the last. The song of Moses commemorated the execution of the foe, the expectation of the saints, and the exaltation of the Lord; the song of the Lamb deals with the same three themes.” (John Phillips, Exploring Revelation, rev. ed. [Chicago: Moody, 1987; reprint, Neptune, N.J.: Loizeaux, 1991], 187

But you must know that the reasons for the Deuteronomy chapter 32 song are twofold. One, to witness against us, like a prosecuting attorney’s key witnesses, and second, to remind us as a covenant-breaking people of God’s love and to draw us back. What? Tell someone they are bad, and that you predicted they would turn away, as a reminder to draw them back? Yes, that’s exactly what I said.
So the song of Moses given to indict the Jewish people and to prove our failings is found in chapter 32. It’s painful to read. When we grow fat and thick and sleek, we will turn to other gods. (.15) And so we have. Throughout history. And to this day.

Judgment brings jealousy and hope
The song says something which might be familiar to some of you who read the book of Romans in the Newer Testament. ‘They have made me jealous with what is not God; they have provoked me to anger with their idols. So I will make them jealous with those who are not a people; I will provoke them to anger with a foolish nation.” (32.21)
In other words in the same way that your following a non-god as if he were God, I will make you Jewish people jealous by calling a non-people to be my people. Sounds like Romans 11.11 (Jewish people did not stumble so as to fall, did they? May it never be! But by their transgression salvation has come to the Gentiles, to make them jealous.)

The text gives hope. I know it doesn’t sound like much hope with vengeance and sword and bloodshed. But in verse 36 God says, “I will vindicate my people” and strangely includes you Gentiles in Ashfield in the final verse of the song, “Rejoice, O nations, with His people; For He will avenge the blood of His servants, And will render vengeance on His adversaries, And will atone for His land and His people.” (verse 43)

Wow, Gentiles will have hope as God brings Jewish people and the land of Israel back to Himself. Isn’t that exactly what Paul wrote the Romans later in chapter 11, verse 15? For if their rejection is the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead?
So the Song of Moses in chapter 32 of Deuteronomy is a sample of God’s passion, his compassion, his hatred of evil for what it does to us and his invitation.

If broken, call the Fixer: Tikkun Olam
One of the big theses, by the which Jewish people have lived for hundreds of years, is the phrase Tikkun Olam. This phrase translates to ‘repair of the world’ and is probably one of the main core values of Judaism today. If the world needs repair, then the questions are begged, “Who broke it?” and “When did it break?” and “How can anyone fix it?” Even deeper is the question, “Who can fix it?”
The record of Moses here seems to indicate that God called Israel before creation and certainly in the Exodus, and reminds us that He and He alone has the power and the right to do what He wants. I suppose the simple answer is, “We broke it; God alone can fix it.” It’s borderline presumptuous to think world repair is our purview. We read in 33.29, “Blessed are you, O Israel; who is like you, a people saved by the LORD”

God created. God judges sin. God saves to the uttermost. No wonder we shout “Hallelujah!” And no wonder Christians make such a big deal about the cross of Jerusalem, on which Jesus died. It’s there that the solution to our problems is found.
So when the pipes leak, you ring the plumber. You might like the carpenter. You might have a great relationship with your dentist. But you don’t ring them. You call the one who is able and who is assigned the tasks of repair. He is certified. He is qualified. And you trust him.

When your left arm goes numb, you don’t ring the chiropractor. You don’t ring the footy coach. You ring the doctor and get yourself to emergency at the hospital.
Therefore, when the Lord tells us of our sin, that we are going the way of all flesh, when we hear ourselves say, “Our hand is triumphant, and the LORD has not done all this.” We forsook God and scorned the God of our salvation” (32.15, .27) When we are ready to admit our sin, and our failing, and our self-satisfaction, when we admit we have turned from God and chased after other things, beauty, power, money, love, devotion from others, security… when we admit our failings, God is ever ready to forgive. He loves us. He longs to give us hope and success. And he wants us to praise Him so that we live a full and meaningful life. That’s how it works.

The invitation: Getting it right
Remember, the people said in chapter 31. “Is it not because our God is not among us that these evils have come upon us?’” (verse 17)
The people got it exactly wrong. Because God IS among us that these evils come upon us. That happens so that we turn back to him.
So the invitation is issued. Do you know yourself well enough to know you are not the one who can repair the world? Do you know today on whom you should call to find such repair in your world?

My brother is going through radiation therapy for his stage four liver cancer. He is unwell and yet has a very positive attitude. And he knows that when the script comes for his medication he has to go to the pharmacy to fulfill it. When the doctor rings to discuss his situation my brother doesn’t ring the gardener to discuss this; he listen to the doctor. Getting it right involves the problem, the diagnosis and the right professional to resolve the issue.

If you want to get your life right, you have to admit the problem, consider and agree with the diagnosis, and go to the God who has all the answers. It’s as difficult and as simple as that.

You here at Ashfield don’t have to be Jewish to admit your sin. You don’t have to wait until Rosh Hashanah to find out the solution to your problem of walking away from God. Hear it today; believe it today; receive God’s forgiveness in Jesus today. And be forgiven today!

God loved the world so much he sent his only begotten son so that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. Do you believe that?

Calm

Calm, a photo by bobmendo on Flickr.

A friend liked someone's instagram status today. It began "If you're secure in the one who holds you, you can sleep through the storms." Immediately I flashed on this photo which I took on Sunday morning in Brisbane up in Queensland. The little child was asleep in daddy's arms. The father was going up to the front of the church to receive communion. The babe was calm no matter what was going to happen.

I liked the moment. I took the photo. I hope you like it also.

And this idea of calm, no matter what, made me think today. What are the 'no matter what's' which come to you each day? Or today? My brother was diagnosed with cancer a few months ago and he's bearing well to some. I read another story today in Issues magazine about a woman in the US who has fought off cancer's dominance for years. And she's serving as a nurse!

http://www.jewsforjesus.org/publications/issues/v20-n01/rabbis-skeptics-and-the-suffering-messiah

Amazing stuff. Calm in the midst of lots of storms.

What else? Car crashes. Drought. Loss of a job. Loss of a wife. Loss itself, in whatever form.

Storms come and toss us to and fro. Or so they try to do. But calm in the midst...that's the life!

Tonight I read in the Bible John 16.33. That's at the end of a pretty lengthy sermon/ talk/ discourse by Yeshua. He has just warned his mates that in very short order he would be killed, would be 'going away' and they would be in anguish. Then he told them they would cop the same kind of treatment from others as he would endure.

They thought they understood. They didn't.

He ended his talk with “These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.”

Wow, what courage himself. Chutzpah. Conquest? He was about to die on the Roman cross. Overcome? I don't think so. But He knew. And he could title it such.

In the world, you will have tsuris. You will have troubles and tribulations and bothers. Storms. But take courage. Be calm. I'm in the driver's seat. I'm in charge. You may not see it; I do. I have your life in my hands. Relax in my power to save.

Not that he would save them FROM trouble, but THROUGH trouble. Eternity is much longer than this life, no matter how many years we gain now and then.

Calm. Like a resting baby.

Are you wanting that today? Talk to the Almighty. He's listening...

Project Timothy is available

Interns and messianic congregations and missions alike are joining together in an ongoing program titled "Project Timothy." Each intern takes a year off and travels the world serving and staying with ministries and congregations, learning, being mentored and growing in his/her messianic faith.

Check out the website at Project Timothy or the Facebook page Project Timothy on Facebook and "like" the FB page and learn more on the website. There are photos and a brochure, applications, FAQs of course, and so much more.

The purpose is to grow new disciples for Yeshua.
The plan is to encourage 18-25 year old messianic youth to travel and learn and grow.
The place is everywhere!

Come, check it out.

Encouragement

“Now may the God who gives perseverance and encouragement grant you to be of the same mind with one another according to Christ Jesus” (Romans 15.5)

Every two years or so, I visit all the capital cities of Australia, travel to New Zealand, and teach and preach in Singapore. It’s a wide territory, but worth our visiting for evangelizing the Jewish people and for teaching in churches. On my first trip to Singapore in 2001, I spoke to a large gathering in the Anglican cathedral. After the meeting an older Chinese Christian woman approached me, touching my arm, and almost in tears, said, “I’ve prayed my whole life for the Jewish people. I’d never met one until tonight. And the first Jew I meet is a believer in Jesus. Thanks be to God!” I don’t know who was more surprised. And I don’t know who was more delighted. Here I was, the answer to her prayer, saved some 30 years previously, and in that one moment, God was affirming to her that He listens. I told of other Jews who had found Messiah. He was encouraging her to keep praying. I told of other Jews who were considering Y’shua. He was challenging her to keep praying. At the same time, He was encouraging me to return, again and again, to Singapore and other nations in Asia, to keep letting people know that Jesus is the Messiah and that God answers prayer.

From generation to generation

a photo by bobmendo on Flickr.

Who will lead us? What's going to happen in the messianic world in the next 20 years?

Pictured are Rabbi David Rosenberg and this woman farewelling at Messiah College in July this year. This year at Messiah Conference I was privileged to spend hours and hours speaking with rabbis and young alike about Project Timothy. And both of these two and so many others are ready to join with whoever else puts up their hands for this brand new messianic internship program.

And I'm willing to help coordinate this.

What's the point of Project Timothy? To build a new generation. And to watch what G-d does in building His people in the next era.

Here's what I mean. When I came to faith in Yeshua in 1971, what we did, in what was called the "Jesus movement" was so very different than anything else in church history. Oh, not different than other massive movements of the Lord over history. I don't mean to sound so pompous.

What I mean is that the music was different. The literature we wrote was different. The hair was longer. Drugs, sex, rock and roll had been the matrix of our worldliness. Now we were going to be the leaders of a new generation and a new evangelical movement.

So what will take us to the next level? Will it require new music? New clothing? New poetry? New liturgy? I don't have any idea, but I have loads of ideas.

And here's what will happen. The older people like David in this photo and me and so many others, who have been working in the ministry, have to yield. We have to give the reins over to those whom we can mentor, but who will take us to the next place. I'm willing to go where they lead us.

What about you?

Tolls...will they drop them?

Tolls...when to drop them, a photo by bobmendo on Flickr.

Every three or six months all around Sydney, the government allows the roads and maritime authority to raise the rates and tolls for using the roads. They claim it's all about the rising costs of living. They say it's commensurate with other expenses. I say, it's time to stop the madness.

It's not only that I'm a user of the roads and the tolls. Down in Melbourne they have a prix fixe system, if I understand it right, but their websites are terribly confusing. Still they charge a maximum each day, for cars on all their roads. It's almost an incentive to use the toll roads.

Here in NSW, each time you use a toll road, you pay the toll. There is a discount if you don't use certain roads during peak hours, but no maximum will ever be reached.

I've spoken to transport minister Gladys Berejiklian, and I know she would like to adjust the situation here in NSW, and I hope that this will happen.

I guess today I was encouraged to remind her, and to write this, when I heard the Liberal candidate, Tony Abbott, mention that he intends to lower business taxation from 30% to 28.5% in July 2015. I got excited because it's one of those concepts I'm afraid many in Australia don't understand.

Let me explain, using the toll roads as a prime example.

When the government noticed that not enough people were using the Cross City Tunnel a couple years back, they did what is typical: they raised the prices to gain more revenue. Of course, from whom were they going to receive the increased revenue? From the already-burdened users of the toll road. My suggestion at the time, and it's consistent with Abbott's announcement today, was to lower the toll, not to raise it. As a result, more people would use the toll road; more revenue would be gained and more loyalty would be accrued. In the long run, more money would come to the state's coffers. But it takes patience, doesn't it?

In the same way, when businesses have more capital, given a 1.5% discount on requisite taxes, they will hire more people, funnel more cash into overhead or into inventory, and as a result the state will gain more cash through everyone's taxes.

So I'm taking a lesson from myself. As of 1 September, all prices on our CDs at the Jews for Jesus shop will be lowered, significantly. $30 CDs will now be $25. $25 CDs will be $20. And we will adjust other products in due course. But we have to start somewhere. And help our customers. And help the economy. Seems right, doesn't it?