We live in a rapidly changing culture that often seems at odds with the character of God's kingdom. Some Christians choose to reject the surrounding culture, escaping to live separate lives. Others seem to embrace the culture uncritically and end up no different than the world around them. Could it be that a better approach is to engage with the culture - to be in the world but not of it. The apostle Paul modelled this exceptionally well during his time in Athens, especially at Mars Hill - a place full of idols, altars and pagan philosophers. Where is your... Read more →

Each time I read the Gospels, I never fail to see something new about Jesus and the way he brought transformation to people who he came in contact with. After Jesus calmed the storm, he said to his disciples, "Why can't you trust me?" (Luke 8:25. Message Bible) That's a good question to consider after God brings you through a tough time. Luke goes on to say: Luke 8:26-27. They sailed on to the country of the Gerasenes, directly opposite Galilee. As he stepped out onto land, a madman from town met him; he was a victim of demons. He... Read more →

At our staff prayer meeting a few weeks back I was prompted to think and pray about three things as we began a new term of ministry: Fuel, Focus and Faith. Fuel In Ephesians 5:18-20, the apostle Paul tells us to, "Be continually filled with the Holy Spirit." Like a vehicle whose petrol tank gradually moves towards empty and like a technological device whose battery gradually dies down, we too have limited capacity and energy. It is vital that we stop and fuel - allowing ourselves to draw on the un-ending strength God provides. See also Renewing Your Energy Focus... Read more →

Do you feel like your life is cluttered? Are you a hoarder? Do you have stuff everywhere and the piles are only getting bigger? Do you feel overwhelmed? Maybe it's time to de-clutter. For some assistance, why not check out The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up. This #1 New York Times best-selling guide to decluttering your home from Japanese cleaning consultant Marie Kondo takes readers step-by-step through her revolutionary method for simplifying, organising, and storing. Here are the main take away ideas: The art of tidying requires discarding first (things that have outlived their purpose), then organising (the remaining... Read more →

Yesterday, we looked at the prayer Jesus taught his disciples. Before teaching that pattern or pathway for prayer, Jesus gave these important instructions: Matthew 6:1-8. When you pray, don't be like the hypocrites who love to pray publicly on street corners and in the synagogues where everyone can see them. I tell you the truth, that is all the reward they will ever get. But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father in private. Then your Father, who sees everything, will reward you. When you pray, don't babble on and... Read more →

Jesus taught his disciples how to pray. Matthew records his teaching like this ... Matthew 6:9-15. Pray like this: Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy. May your Kingdom come soon. May your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Give us today the food we need, and forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us. And don't let us yield to temptation, but rescue us from the evil one. If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you refuse to... Read more →

Let's reflect on the mystery of healing today. There is a close connection between love, forgiveness, healing and peace. God revives the humble and contrite … leading them to comfort. Only five of Jesus' healing events in the Gospels involve people dying. The main stories are for the blind, deaf, dumb, paralysed and possessed. In many ways, these can be metaphors for common experiences of life - spiritual blindness, deafness, dumbness, paralysis, and deadness. Blind > can't see; darkness; no vision. Deaf > can't hear; silence; no revelation. Dumb > can't speak; muted; muzzled; no voice. Paralysed > can't move;... Read more →

How precious are your thoughts about me, O God. They cannot be numbered. I can’t even count them; they outnumber the grains of sand. And when I wake up, you are still with me. Psalm 139:17-18. Read more →

NAIDOC Week is a celebration of the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. It’s one of the most important events in the Indigenous calendar, and you might be surprised to hear that it all began with a letter to the churches of Australia. The letter was sent by William Cooper, a legendary Aboriginal Christian leader and rights activist. In it he asked the church to observe what he was calling ‘Aboriginal Sunday’ - an annual day of prayerful awareness of Aboriginal people and their God-given place and future in this land. From 1940 to 1954,... Read more →

God's world. The power of the sea. Endless motion. Seasons come and go. The sands of time. Vast humanity. Creation care. Human achievements are but castles in the sand. Erosion. Shaped by relentless movement and motion. His love never fails. His faithfulness reaches beyond - from generation to generation. Mercy un-ending. The finite meets the infinite. Read more →

Most followers of Christ understand the need to pursue truth and avoid error. Some take it upon themselves to find error and point it out to others. Most churches I know have a statement of faith and their teaching teams speak from this foundation. They believe that the Bible is inspired by God and is authoritative in matters of belief and practice. From time to time, I noticed that one of our teaching team may quote someone in a message and it raises questions from a listener or congregation member. This can lead to some interesting conversations. In one such... Read more →

Today is the 1st July and the first half of 2015 is history! Like a halftime at a sports game, mid year is a good time to stop ... or at least pause ... and reflect. Ask yourself some questions: What has gone well and needs affirming? What isn't going so well and needs adjusting? How do you feel? What do you want to say to God? What does he want to say to you? Why not set aside some time for prayerfully meditating on these questions and your first half of the year. Then write down your impressions. Make... Read more →