One of the most well-known statements in the Bible is recorded in the Gospel of John, chapter 3 and verse 16. It goes like this ... For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. NIV You may have heard this before OR maybe it’s the first time you’ve ever heard those life giving words. Christian author Max Lucado describes it like this: “Here is a 26-word sentence of hope, beginning with God, ending with life, and urging us to do the same.... Read more →

One of the most important qualities to develop in our lives is the quality of FAITHFULNESS. Faithfulness means being true to your word, keeping your promises, being loyal, being reliable, honest, and trustworthy. Unfortunately, lack of faithfulness, or ‘unfaithfulness’, is becoming quite rampart in our society. A recent study revealed that up to 70% of high school students admitted to serious cheating on tests. More and more people are lying on their tax returns, on their resumes, on reports, and in conversations with other people all the time. All up, it is estimated that we are lied to about 200... Read more →

3. Be Wise! Satan is highly intelligent. He is crafty, subtle and cunning. He knows our weaknesses and the areas in which we are vulnerable. He is always looking for an opportunity or an access point to gain a foothold in our lives. He tailors his attack and temptation to us individually. Jesus taught and understood this. Paul did too (see 2 Cor.2:10-11). We need to understand strategic warfare tactics. Your enemy always wants to seek a way to get advantage over you so he can defeat you. What stronghold is Satan trying to form in your mind (2 Cor.10:3-6),... Read more →

RULES OF ENGAGEMENT1. Be Awake! One of the phrases Jesus used regularly was “Watch out ...” which means to be alert, awake and on guard at all times (Matt.26:41). Paul and Peter pick up this teaching of Jesus in their letters to Christians (Eph.6:10-18. 1 Peter 5:8-9). When it comes to the spiritual battle we are in, we need to avoid the extremes of pre-occupation with the devil and his forces AND the other extreme of skepticism or ignorance of his existence and strategies. Satan is pleased with either extreme. Were he better known, he would be more hated, more... Read more →

At our church leaders’ meetings this year, we have started looking a little closer at Jesus as the ultimate leadership model for us to follow and emulate. The apostle Paul told people to follow him as he followed Christ (1 Cor.11:1). All leaders must be first of all good followers and Jesus is THE leader worth following. We first noted that one of the most important keys to Jesus’ life and ministry was the fact that he began his ministry by being EMPOWERED BY THE SPIRIT and he continued to do so throughout his ministry. Jesus was a minister of... Read more →

Here are some discussion questions you might like to consider about marriage ... What was your parent’s marriage like? What ‘roles’ did your dad or mum each play and what were the expectations like? How has that influenced your view of marriage? What are some of the implications that the doctrine of the Trinity (one God existing in three persons - equal partners, unity in diversity, etc) has for marriage and human relationships? From your perspective, what are some practical tips for a good marriage? For those who are parents, what are some keys to modeling a healthy view of... Read more →

Marriage Today The Bible is the inspired word of God and it was given to guide us in our lives today. Our first task is ‘exegesis’, which is where we ask what God’s Word meant back then in the culture and time in which it was given. There are considerable cultural gaps between us and world of the Bible that need to be bridged. Our next task is ‘hermeneutics’ which is where we ask what God’s Word means today in our time and culture, which is very different to the context in which it was first given. Unless this is... Read more →

Better Relationships We're currently doing a series of messages at our weekend church gatherings based on Paul's letter to the Ephesians. This weekend we picked up some of Paul's thoughts for better relationships. These are often referred to as the ‘household codes.’ Paul addresses husbands and wives (Eph.5:21-33), parents and children (Eph.6:1-4), and finally masters and slaves (Eph.6:5-9). Just prior to this Paul noted that God calls us to live life carefully, knowing his will and making the most of every opportunity. We are not to get drunk with wine but we are to be continually filled with the Spirit.... Read more →

I must admit, I don't read a lot of fiction (much to to my family's disgust!). Every now and then I do, just for fun ... and to see what other people are reading about. I've read a few books by best-selling fictional writer Dan Brown. His writings are rapid-paced, page-turners and he can sure spin a yarn. His book The Da Vinci Code raised questions about the historical foundations of the Christian faith (click here for the first of three posts I did a while back where I addressed the claims of this book about Jesus), while Angels and... Read more →

There are a fair few emails flying around at the moment about something called the Copenhagen Treaty. With issues such as this it is always hard to tell whether it's being fueled by the conspiracy theorists (who thrive on stuff like this) or whether there are genuine things we need to be concerned about. Here's a recent blog article in The Australian. Christopher Monckton, a former adviser to Margaret Thatcher, has recently spoken out about it. You can watch his address here or listen to an interview conducted by Alan Jones on Sydney radio station 2GB. Herald Sun journalist Andrew... Read more →

Now that I am a Kindle user (yes, I received one from some good friends for my recent birthday!), I'm starting to learn a bit more about eBooks - or 'electronic books.' True, there is nothing quite like holding a book in your hands and flipping through its pages, but eBooks can open up an entire new world. Amazon has a corner on the market for books dedicated to the Kindle, their own eBook reader. However, you can download other documents to the Kindle, as well as a variety of eBooks. You can also read eBooks on your computer via... Read more →

The World Wide Web is an amazing source of information and communication. However, it's becoming so huge and complex that you can easily get lost in it or miss out on some of spots well worth visiting. Last month I shared a variety of sites that may be if interest to you. Here are some more: GADGETS. Visit www.productwiki.com for a thorough listing and review of all sorts of gadgets. For local price comparison here in Australia, check out www.staticice.com.au GARDENING. Visit Gardening Australia at www.abc.net.au/gardening if you need help or inspiration for your garden. Also, check out www.thevegetablepatch.com, www.burkesbackyard.com.au... Read more →