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Philippians Chapter 4 Contentment in All Situations

Sun, 18 Mar 2012 00:00:00 +1100

This is the closing message in our series on Philippians.

Contentment in ALL Situations : Philippians 4 (Cate Hayes)

We are SO like Jonah

Sun, 23 Aug 2009 00:00:00 +1000

You probably wouldn't have realized......but.....Sue and I NEVER really wanted to go to Manila and end up being so attached to these people in the squatter slums over there....We knew all about the school....and had followed it's progress for some years.....We had heard that there was a group going over there in January of 2007....and while we thought that was great...WE didn't want to be a part of it..........But THEN....we were contacted and asked if we would go with that team....and reluctantly... we said....wow...that would be great to experience....

BUT we didn't want to go.....Do you have any idea how PRECIOUS the Christmas holidays are ....the pool....air conditioning...the boat......See...I KNOW that Manila is 105 in the shade.....and we are talking about SLUMS....not 4 star hotels here.......

So we figured that AVOIDANCE was our best option.....we had shown some initial interest....and that was important...we scored the brownie points for that......BUT we never committed to anything.....keep them hanging...that was our aim.......And we figured that if we could just lie low for long enough....the trip would get planned....the closing date for deposits would pass.....and we'd be home free......

So a whole month goes past.....and we manage to steer TOTALLY clear of David and Cherie Snellgrove who spoke here a few weeks ago......And we figured that the holidays were ours.....

Sue and I were on DATE night....at Woolworths.....doing the shopping......sharing a large skim milk spearmint thickshake......which is our sad idea of a good night out....when who do we run into in the MEAT section......Dave Snellgrove......and STRAIGHT away.....he's on us....

I didn't hear from you guys....and I wasn't sure whether you wanted to come to Manila or not....

Ohhhh sorry mate......we just got caught up with other things and forgot all about it....we would have LOVED to have gone......what a shame we missed the closing date.....

And HE says....Well actually....you DIDN'T....I'm going to pay the deposits tomorrow.....

Fair dinkum......BUT...On the inside....I'm going RATS....what do I do now......

So I say.....OHHHHH....if only we could get our hands on the $3000 for the flights......we'd be in there like a flash.....

Then Dave says.....you don't need the $3000....all we need is a $500 deposit

NOW at THIS point....I thinking.....Give me a BREAK....BUT....I figure I'm OK....because Sue NEVER carries around more than $50 Cash......so I say......HOW MUCH have you got Sue....

And she looks at me......that look...you know the public look.....and she opens her handbag.....and there is $500 cash that she'd just got out of the bank that afternoon to payback some money she'd borrowed from her MOTHER.

FANTASTIC.......WELL......let's just DO it....THIS must be a GOD thing....I said as I handed over the cash.....

And that was it....we were locked in....and that was the beginning of what has been....the most significant experience of my recent life......and what did I spend three days of my time over there doing....in 105 degree heat......WELDING......as if God doesn't have a sense of humour.

NOW....do you begin to SEE any parallels....in this situation.....

Are WE like Jonah or WHAT......In fact I recon I could GUARANTEE that EVERY one of us.....moves through the Jonah Process in some shape or form....at various stages of our lives......in fact I think we visit this process more often than we even recognize.......

See....I think we need to take the KIDS story aspect.....out of Jonah..... I mean....I've STILL got my Jonah book that was given at Sunday School in about Year 3...it's a GREAT story....but for so long I thought the FISH was the star.....but really...the fish has very LITTLE to do with Jonah's story....and what I now see....is that Jonah might have been a MINOR prophet....but he certainly has a MAJOR message that is ABSOLUTELY targeted at EVERY one of us.......and that message has as MUCH significance to our lives today......as it did 1000 years ago....and the REASON for that....is that for WHATEVER reasons.....we continue to move through the Jonah Process...every one of us......with great regularity....and we need to be CONSTANTLY reminded of what God is DOING in this story.....through that process....

So....before we begin to look at this process....let's just come up to speed in the story.....I thought Jono did a great job taking us up to where the fish spits Jonah.... out of it's MOUTH......and Jonah sets of for Ninevah.

He arrives at Ninevah....and this is a big city of about 120,000....and he delivers what I recon....is one of the DULLEST messages possible....he doesn't gloss it...he doesn't dress it.....he simply says.....Forty more days and Nineveh will be overturned....that's it.....

BUT this uninspiring message.... has this amazing affect.....they GET it.....they get what he's saying....and they are SO sorry to God......they put on potato sacks and throw ashes on their heads as a sign of how sorry they are.....from the king....to the poorest person....even the cows....everyone.....and they stop eating as a sign of their sincerity.....

Now....here's the thing....I get up here and deliver a lot of messages......and MOST of the time.....I have NO idea....whether it's had ANY impact on your lives or NOT.....if just ONE of you came next Sunday in a potato sack....I would be WRAPPED...cause at least I'd have SOME idea that I'm actually HAVING some affect......and HERE....is 120,000 people in sacks......responding to such a pitiful message.......go figure.

And you'd think that Jonah would be happy......NAH......He's as cranky as.....because he KNEW...that God was a loving and compassionate God....and he KNEW that God wasn't going to wipe out this place......and after ALL he'd been through.....WHY didn't God just let him go on his sailing holiday......and forgive Ninevah anyhow.....

BUT....he figures it's early days yet.....and the people of Ninevah might go back to their old ways....so he goes out of town and sets up camp so he has a great view just in case God DOES wipe out the town.....

But this story is as much about Jonah's heart as it is about the people of Nineveh....and God hasn't finished with Jonah yet.......This is a HOT place.....much like Manila....and God grows up a vine.....overnight to give Jonah some shelter from the sun......and Jonahs pretty happy......just waiting for the big event...nice and comfy under the shade.........but the next day....God sends a WORM......God's bringing out the BIG guns now.....a worm.....which burrows into the vine and kills it.....and to cap things off....then God whips up a hot easterly wind....and poor old Jonah gets heat stroke and finally loses it.....and pretty much tells God....for goodness sake KILL ME NOW....I'd be better off dead.

And at that point......FINALLY God has Jonah in exactly the right position to begin to do some REAL work with him......Storms......Fish......Vomit...You'd think that would have been enough wouldn't you......NO......Then there was the amazing response to his mediocre message to the Ninevites ......Vines.....Worms.....Winds.....It took ALL that....before God had Jonah EXACTLY where he needed him.......and it's about there....that Jonah FINALLY has his AHAHHH moment!

But I don't want to judge Jonah too harshly....because he acted the way WE act ...we are SO like Jonah........So let me just step through this Jonah Process......

First up......God Calls......

And don't think that God has STOPPED calling.....Remember my message from a couple of weeks ago....about Moses....and how God interrupted his life with a burning bush to GET his attention......God STILL tries to get OUR attention.....but sometimes I think it will take an actual BURNING BUSH before we'll realise that it's God......

And then.....even when we have some incling that it's God calling......We Run....

We creatively avoid....we justify......we rationalize.....and we're GOOD at it......

BUT.....God continues to pursue us and continues to TRY and get our attention.......

And sometimes....he has to step it up a level......and the more we try to stick our heads under the pillow.....the more he works at getting our attention......And what I find REALLY interesting....is that sometimes....in our determination to AVOID God's calling.....we sometimes end up putting OTHER people at RISK...like the sailors on that boat with Jonah.......For us...that might be our families....our marriage relationships....our relationships with friends...our church life.......And we do that by shutting down....by opting out.......by saying we are committed to something...but NOT following through......by pushing people away because they remind us of this thing that God is calling us to do.....and in some cases by packing up and walking away.....because we just DON'T want to have to face this THING that God has put before us.....

But like Jonah found out....God is NOT going to leave it at that.......and if HE wants our attention....then he is going to do WHATEVER it takes to get it.....if that means turning our world upside down.....then so be it......

Because at SOME point....God is going to get us to the point where we can do nothing else BUT hear what he's been trying to tell us and DO something about it....and often...that's NOT a nice place to have to be in......

And it's usually in that place....that we eventually stop FIGHTING against God......and start to move WITH him......and it's then.....that amazing things start to happen......that life takes on a whole new direction.....and you'd THINK that that would be GREAT....and that we would continue to move with God in the plans that he has......

But I think we're a bit STUPID......because we SO often DO a Jonah......

We start to move with God.....but we're not satisfied with God's plans.....the outcome is NOT what we wanted.....the rewards are not as great as we thought.....and so we begin to do our OWN thing again.....

And sometimes God has to give us WORMS......and a touch of the wind......to draw us back to the plan....of working with HIM instead of against him....

It's all about perspective really.....isn't it? When things work out how we want them to work out.....everything is fine.....BUT when things don't go according to our plans......life stinks.

But so often.....it's NOT about how WE want things to work out.......

You know....back when I was working with BHP......I had a very strong inkling...this constant prompting in my subconscious.......that God wanted me to be doing something different......but my job was SOOOO good.....I was my own boss.....I was tucked away from everyone.....I had a sit down catered lunch in the staff canteen every day.....and they had the best Lamb's Fry and bacon anywhere......and I didn't want all that to change.....but there was this UNSETTLING in my heart...

And it's only as I look back....that I realize.....that I stuck my heels in....and disregarded that unsettling feeling......and when I did that......the first thing I NOW realize....is that I started to get sick......I started to get a really bad migraines almost every second week....and I was having to miss work.....and I was off to the hospital every time.....but STILL I clung to that situation...and tried to avoid this feeling I had in my heart that I should be doing something else.....

And I'll NEVER forget the day...I got called into my managers office....and he told me that they were RESTRUCTURING my department....and I could either take a retirement offer.....or go and work for BHP Engineering....back on a drawing board......

THAT was my rock bottom.... that was my BELLY of the WHALE......and FINALLY God had me RIGHT where he wanted me.....

And I could do nothing BUT pay attention to him.....

And THEN....I started to move WITH him......and one thing after another began to fall into place.....and I have thought about it so many times.....WHAT IF.....what if I had decided to go to BHP Engineering rather than use that belly of the fish moment to change directions totally.....What might God have done NEXT to get my attention.....and what might I have put Sue and the girls through in the process.....

See...I KNOW.....that if you look back over your life......you will be able to identify SO many situations in your life where you have gone through this Jonah Process......

God calls....you run....God calls again.....you avoid it....God gets serious to get your attention.....you experience your belly of the fish moment.....and God finally has your attention.....You start to move WITH God....but you don't like the plan...or the outcome.....You complain or you try to change it to your plan.....Then there are the worms and the wind......until FINALLY God gets you moving with him again.....

But the trouble is....It's ALL retrospective......those times are fairly easy to see as we look BACK....BUT WHY can't we recognize them when they are HAPPENING......

Wouldn't it be GREAT....if we had the TOOLS to be able to SEE this process for what it is ......and to be able to.....RIGHT back in the early stages......instead of RUNNING from God's plans...... begin to work with them right THEN.......How much grief might we save ourselves??

Perhaps the greatest message of Jonah......is that our God....is a God of second chances...and third chances.......and he WILL persevere with us....regardless of how much we fight against him....

But Jonah also encourages me to want to get BETTER at hearing God in the situations of my life.....to get BETTER at recognizing God's plans for my life....and to NOT have to go through the whole process every time....with me dragging God back and digging in my heels.

To me......the image of .Jonah's belly of the fish.....is of a quiet....uninterrupted place....where the distractions of life are shut out....and God can finally lay out his plans without having to fight for our attention against every other aspect of life........and you know....we can get BETTER at that.....at allowing God to speak INTO our lives......

If that's the point where things begin to turn around.....then we have to get to that point much sooner......we have to recognize WHEN we are fighting against God....and throw ourselves overboard much sooner....and we DO that....by developing better communicating with God.....learning how to pray to God with an expectant heart....with an open heart.....with NO distractions to stop us from hearing what God has to say....

PRAYER is what turned it all around for Jonah....and PRAYER is what will turn it all around for us.

And you know.....this is a great time to be exercising this process......we have this $10 Challenge in front of us....and each of us are seeking GOD'S plan for how that $10 should be spent.........how it might be multiplied.....and who might be in NEED of a blessing in their lives.

Do you THINK God will be silent on this matter if you seek him out on it? I KNOW he won't. Let's all commit this week......to taking this Jonah process....and getting better at it.....

Father....I think we really struggle with hearing your voice.....and many times perhaps that's why we end up going our own way...and ending up in our belly of the whale situation. Father I pray for a renewed commitment for each person here....to actively seek you out Father....to pray with expectant hears and open minds....

Father help us to get better at this.......and I pray that over this next week Lord....you will really be speaking to each one of us....particularly regarding this $10 challenge. Make us open to your plans I pray....

Amen

$10 Challenge

Sun, 09 Aug 2009 00:00:00 +1000

What you need to understand....is that...living with Luke is a challenge......I can suggest to him over and over to do something...like tidy my shed...or not to park on the driveway........but so often....he seems to forget about it......SO I've decided.....I'm going to take a new approach....AN ARM WRESTLE....in front of all of you....and if I win.....then Luke....you HAVE to do ALL the things I've asked you to do......

Now...you'd THINK that Luke would know....that he had little chance of winning wouldn't you.......You think he'd know that it's not smart to get involved in a contest that you know you are not going to win.....but good on you for trying.....and I've got a list for you after church.....

BUT....in reality.....I think that process.....is exactly what we do with God.......We are always trying to wrestle God in to doing what we want him to do.

We make all kinds of plans for our life.........plans about our job....about our house.....about the partner we want....about the children we want......about the retirement we want......Doesn't matter what period of life we're in....every one of us......We make these plans ....then we try to encourage God to see the VALUE of them...and to make them happen...and it's a natural thing.

BUT a relationship with Jesus....is NOT about getting God into our lives.... so that He can bless all of these plans that we are making.....and do what God does best.....make it happen.....

BUT we ALL do it.....don't we......we all have those times when we've taken all our plans and desires to God......in the hope that He would make them happen.....and if they DO HAPPEN.....then we feel that....God is somehow BLESSING us......and if they don't....then it has nothing to do with God...it was simply bad luck!

And let me tell you......there are a lot of Christ followers around today.....who believe that receiving God's blessing in their life.....is about surrounding God with all of their well thought out plans and desires.....and THEN....somehow expecting.....that because God is a part of their lives......that he will then work through all those plans and make them happen...that he will make them prosper.....and make life wonderful....

BUT.....That's not a biblical picture...... The biblical picture is that God comes into the CENTRE of our lives....when we allow him.....and he surrounds himself with HIS plans and then God begins to work out HIS plans through our lives.....when we allow him.....and the BLESSING comes.....as a result of us getting caught up in what God's doing IN our lives and THROUGH our lives........and it's THEN that we experience fullness and peace and joy.....and it's THEN that our lives are TRUELLY blessed.

God is in the center. God is working out HIS own plans in our lives. See the mistake I think we sometimes make....is to think that God is there to JOIN us.... to WORK with us..... to make our plans happen.

When the reality is....that God is SO often calling on US to join HIM in working out his plans in the world......And it's when you GET that....and begin to work within that picture.....that your relationship with God actually begins to work.....and you begin to FEEL the blessings that we are meant to experience......

I read this passage from our reading....earlier on this week......and as I read it.....I felt I could really connect with Moses....because pretty much....he was an unsuspecting man of God......he's just going about....doing his own thing....and then suddenly God interrupts his life....and although he was a little hesitant at first.....he starts to work with God's plans for his life.....and his life takes this whole new direction....and it has significance....and meaning.....and his situation has SO much to say to every one of us......

You know what REALLY stuck out for me in this story of Moses..... is that God lights the bush...... God sets the bush on fire.....not Moses........Or in other words....God interrupts Moses life to get his attention.

So this is not a situation where Moses wants God to do something so he piles up a bunch of wood and lights it on fire and says....God come on down.....I want to be a shepherd.....I want to be a great shepherd....I want to be a rich shepherd....I want to be a rich shepherd with a beautiful wife and two kids......

Moses is going around his normal business and then God grabs his attention because God has a concern that really has little to do with Moses.....BUT God wants to draw Moses in to what he is doing.....God wants MOSES to be a part of the SOLUTION to something that's troubling HIM...not something that's troubling Moses.

And I think sometimes we MISS WHY God wants Moses attention...and it's SO significant....... and it's because He sees how bad things really are..... God sees the needs.....what does he say in verse 7....."I have indeed seen the misery." "I have heard them crying out." "I am concerned about their suffering, so I have come down to rescue them."

I have seen, I have heard, I am concerned; I have come down to rescue. I think that's significant.....God KNOWS how bad things are. He SEES how bad things are in the world. He HEARS the prayers of his people who call him.... saying God...this has got to end...this has got to change....God please do something about my situation.......And He's concerned.....He cares about what's happening in the world and it's out of this CARE..... that God comes down to do something about it......and he interrupts Moses life.....to make HIM a part of the process....

And what struck me as I read through this passage..... is......that God is already at work......Moses isn't the BEGINNING of the process....When God connects with Moses.....he connects with Moses to DRAW him into something that's already going on.......

And that makes sense........when you think about Moses life...way way back......Pharaoh says that all male children must be put to death.....Moses somehow escapes that....and is protected and placed in a basket in the river amongst the reeds.....and he ends up being raised by Pharaoh's own daughter....Nobody had a CLUE what God's purposes were going to be in the long run for Moses life...... All this stuff was happening behind the scenes..... BUT...God was at work protecting him and preparing him for THIS day...... when he was READY to interrupt Moses life and USE him for his specific purposes.....

That just HIT me this week.....that we get SO caught up in all that's going on around us in our lives......and so often we FORGET...that God is already at work around us too...that he's been protecting and preparing US...and he's likely to interrupt OUR lives at some point.....to get involved in HIS plans for our lives.....and I don't want to MISS that moment.....so I'm hoping there's a burning bush involved so I don't.

And I think we've ALL got to be LOOKING OUT for those burning bush moments.....when God CALLS us in to be a part of HIS plans......But you know.....I think that if there WASN'T a burning bush....then God would have a hard time getting our attention in amongst all the stuff we have to do for US....

BUT how do we get involved with what God is doing?.... How do we accept these invitations...how do we even notice when they are happening?

I believe there are a number of things we can do.....

And the First thing we can do is pray..... And by pray.... I mean to get rid of the "God bless me" prayers..... where we make the plans and then ask God to bless them.....SO instead of praying .....those ..."God bless MY plans" sort of prayers....where we present our list and allow God to choose WHICH one he will BLESS us with.....WE need to start praying differently..... and one of the ways we need to pray is what I would call.....availability prayers... God I am here..... I am available. ....What are you doing....what's on your heart?.... I am willing to be a part of that with you..... even if it is something unusual....or something that's going to interrupt my life.....

And if that's going to be a part of how we pray....then it leads to another significant thing we need to do....we need to make connections..... We need to notice when God is actually showing us part of our answer........ You know....when Sue saw a show about 12 years ago about Foster care.....and she turned to me after it and said....I think we should do that......it didn't hit me straight away....in fact it didn't hit me until after we'd had about our first 10 foster children stay with us....that I made the CONNECTION that we were actually having a POSITIVE affect on the lives of these kids....no idea why.....but when I made that connection....it didn't make me feel all puffed up and proud......it made me SO aware of the plans that God has for our lives....and how he interrupts our lives...through burning bushes......television shows....friends.....and maybe even me this morning.....and he CONNECTS us with his plans......and the blessings......are incredible.

Wherever you are at...at this point in time.....whatever may be on your heart or your mind.....whatever has been niggling away at your heart.....BEGIN to MAKE the connections.....because GOD might be wanting to INTERRUPT your life......about plans that HE has......

All our homegroups started a study on Jonah this week....and we're going to look at this great story over the next couple of weeks....and Jonah is a PERFECT example of this.....God NEEDED Jonah in order to be able to carry out his plans.....what does Jonah do....he runs a mile.....BUT don't think that will STOP God......SO if you want ANY peace....you need to start and make the connections....

The next thing is.... we need to ask questions. I think we've got to take some initiative.....to talk to God about these things. That's what I like about Moses.....He talks to God heaps about what's going on.....MOSTLY because he doesn't have a whole lot of faith.... and I think that's a good reason why WE need to talk to God....because we don't have a whole lot of faith.

But we need to talk to people too....... We need to find out what the real needs are; to not just step out into something before we really understand what the environment is like...what the needs are...what the people think....what opportunities are there....what's already happening.....That's why what Bec and Luke have been doing over in Manila is SO valuable.....because it gives us that background information that is SO vital to determining what the needs are and how best to meet them.

And then we need to listen. We need to listen to what God is saying...... we need to be listening for his voice in whatever our burning bush might be............God KNOWS what's going on ....and he KNOWS who HE is going to use to work out his plans.....and I don't want ANY OF US to miss that voice.......

BUT I think we need some EXERCISE in this area......

Last year....ventured into what ended up an amazing exercise.... $100 Challenge

Explain....gave each group $100.....encouraged them to EXPAND that $100

Encouraged them to OPEN their eyes....and look around at what NEEDS there were in our local community....and you know what.....that was perhaps the hardest part.....It's not until you open your eyes....that you realize the needs that are right outside our door.

BUT they did....and the results were amazing...

Music Team.....new sheets and pillows for ALL of the MayCare clients
Youth Group.....Christmas for a family of girls who had no Christmas....McDonalds
Monday Night Group.....Lined walls
Wednesday night group....Werribi Scholarship at Mayfield East....now Mayfield West
Thursday Group....paid medical expenses for a patient in Maroba
Energy....Washed cars to raise money for a morning tea for the firemen.

Hands up if you were a part of one of those projects in some way.....

Look at that...SO many.....but we still have a number of people who are not a part of any specific group in the church at this point....

As I was thinking how we might MIX it up a bit this year.....

I came up with the $10 Community Challenge

We might NOT be part of a specific group in the church....BUT we are part of Mayfield Church of Christ.....and so I want this year for EVERY one of us to be involved in this challenge....

So I'm now going to give every one of you $10......

Now you can do a number of things with your $10.....what I DON'T want you to do....is to go down to Maccas and buy lunch for yourself.....HOWEVER....I don't mind if you go down to maccas and RANDOMLY offer to pay for someone elses lunch....THAT would work....

I expect that most of the groups within the church will POOL their $10 together to create a pool of money that can be used to DO something.....there is still going to be the need to INCREASE that pool if you want to accomplish something significant....BUT I know you can do that.....

If you are NOT a part of a group.....then you might like to INVEST in what one of the groups are doing by giving them your $10.....you might like to just get together with a couple of friends and do something with your combined $30

This is NOT your $10....this is God's BURNING BUSH to EVERY one of you......which is saying...I want YOU to be involved in MY Plans.....

You are going to get a set of guidelines and a FAKE $10 note to PIN to your fridge to REMIND you of this challenge.....

It all wraps up on the 22^nd November....when we have a celebration Challenge service...and hear about some of the amazing things that God has done with His $10...through YOU

I want you to PRAY about this...and seek out God's plans for this challenge....I want you to OPEN your eyes to the needs around us.....and I want you to begin to make connections between God's plans and YOUR resources...

Manila - Impacting Our World

Sun, 05 Jul 2009 00:00:00 +1000

I of course don't know where each one of you might be on your own journey of faith.....I feel like I've been trying to follow Jesus for a long time....but I find myself challenged by a very basic question.....and it's this.....are Jesus and I REALLY interested in the same thing?

I of course know what I'm interested in....and I could make a list of those things.....and you probably could as well....BUT if we were to set ALL those things aside for just a moment...and ask from first principles......what is God passionate about.....what would we come up with?

This morning....I'd like us to think about two of the more unfamiliar passions of God.....and they are God's passion for the world.....and God's passion for Justice.....

What we know from the Christmas story....and we certainly see it reinforced in the Easter story.....is that God REALLY loves the world....John 3:16 says....that God SO loved the world.....that he gave his only begotten son.

God has this consuming passion for this world....which also means that he has this consuming passion for all these gazillions of people as well.....spread across all these interlacing continents and cultures....in every colour shape and size.....THIS is what God loves.....

NOW....by contrast....what do I love......what am I passionate about......Well to tell you the truth....every single day....I am TOTALLY passionate about.....ME! I love ME.....I'm fascinated by ME....every single day.

I don't wake up in the morning and have to remind myself to think of ME.....it seems to come really really naturally.....But you know...SUE keeps reminding me that perhaps this is a little NARROWER than I should be as a Christian....SO I'm trying to broaden my heart out a little bit.....

And I'm doing really well I think....cause on a really good day.....I can actually find myself extending love.....and compassion.....to ALL the people in the world.....who are in my immediate family....and that even includes the in-laws.....

That's a pretty good day for me......when I can extend more love and care for my wife and kids.....that I do for myself......in fact....they are days that Sue marks on the calendar with a circle......and they all pray that it might happen again next year sometime.....

But you know.....maybe I might even have a LARGER spiritual experience....and I might find my heart beginning to grow.....and I'll find myself extending love and compassion to ALL the people.....in my world.....that I LIKE.....and who like ME......and who are LIKE me......See THIS then becomes MY world of FOCUS and energy and PASSION.....this little shriveled world....of ME and MY.

You know.....I think....that Jesus probably finds this pretty natural......I guess this is pretty understandable.....BUT I don't think that everything that is natural and understandable....is necessarily GODLY.....

So maybe this morning....you and I can at least agree to what to GOAL is.......and even if we're not there yet....the GOAL is to have a heart that is becoming MORE like the heart of our God.....that shares SOMETHING of His passion for the world.....

You know....this challenge came home to me in a very REAL way just over a year ago.....in January of 2008....when Sue and I had the opportunity to travel to Manila in the Philippines....to visit a small church that was set up by a Filipino Pastor and his wife in one of the poorest areas of Tatalon....in Quezon City....which is a suburb of Manila.

To give you some perspective......the City of Manila.....covers an area of just on 636 sq km.....That's about the same area as the city of Lake Macquarie. Crammed into that area.....is some 17 million people....again....to give you some perspective....the entire population of Australia is 21 million......imagine our entire population living in Lake Macquarie.....that's Manila

The poverty in Tatalon.....is a tangible thing.....you can't miss it....it is truly shocking.....with not enough employment and not enough housing....and NO assistance from a corrupt government....Tatalon is virtually a squatter city....of corrugated iron, scavenged timber, plastic and cardboard....where 20 families share one toilet and one tap......the whole place is chaotic....and noisy and it never....never STOPS...

That's the world that we stepped into....and it was jarring....BUT in amongst all of this......we met up with Pastor June....and his wife Milleth....an extremely humble couple.....who grew up in this area.....who love the people around them.....and whose heart is SO large....with very obvious love and compassion and RESPECT for the MASSES of neighbours around them......June and Milleth have such a heart for God....and that they WANTED to DO something about CHANGING the lives of these people...so they established a small church....which initially met in their lounge room....which is about 3m square......but which grew...and grew.....

Mother Teresa....once said...that everything you do.....seems but a drop in the ocean....but without that drop....it would be forever missing.

And I'm sure....that as June and Milleth started that small church in their community....they would have felt that it was just a drop in the ocean......BUT that drop grew...and grew

What I find so encouraging as a leader....is that their VISION is huge......June understood....that the ONLY way out of the cycle of poverty....was through education....BUT children in Manila just don't have a chance in state schools......with classes of 65 and up....most of the kids drop out of school because they just can't cope and don't get the support that they need....

But the King Solomon Learning Centre....offers something very unique in this squatter area.... And the children in the school are just magnificent.....they are SO beautiful....and they are doing so well. Junes vision....is to continue to grow and expand the school to allow those kids who first started with them.....to continue to move into high school so they complete their full education ready for college .....he has NO idea how that's going to happen....BUT he has a faith in God that leaves me breathless.....

At this point in time.....there are about 120 kids in the school from the immediate squatter area.....these kids attend because of the generosity of people who sponsor them......$300 a year provides their education.....uniform....books and equipment....and a lunch provided by the school....and often that's the only meal some of those kids have in the day.....in fact initially they had to watch the kids eat their lunch....because these kids were taking the lunch home to feed the whole family at night......it's just MINDBLOWING.....

Within our church here.....we sponsor 16 of those kids...that's so amazing....and thise kids write letters and appreciate what is being done for them SO much....

While we were in Manila....Sue and I went and visited our sponsor child Jana....in her home.....which is an area about 3m by 3m with a concrete floor and a single gas burner to cook on.....and Jana and her two sisters and brother live there with their mum and dad....and EVERYTHING happens in that little area....sleeping, washing....eating.....they have SO little....and yet they have SO MUCH it would seem......they are so happy...and so welcoming...and so thankful for the opportunities given to their children.

I sat and talked with Jana....and as I did it suddenly occurred to me......in a way that I had never thought of before.....that the maker of the entire cosmos....specifically intended that this one little Filipino girl.....should exist.....and not only that....but He intended that THIS little girl...should exist to be with Him.....forever! And he wanted THIS little girl to exist with him so desperately that he was willing to give up his own son.....to be tortured and murdered....just to ensure that THIS little girl would be with Him.....forever. And suddenly....I was just blown away by the cosmic significance of this one little 5 year old girl.

And then it occurred to me.....that the 17 million other Filipino people....who are JUST as precious to God as this little girl.....they could all just DROP off the face of the earth.....and for me as a Christian in Australia.....it just wouldn't affect my day....at ALL....

And I began to see.....that there was a significant difference between the way Jesus looked at the world....and the way I did......And you know....I didn't want to BE that far away from what REALLY mattered to Jesus....and so that moment began a journey for me......to begin to open up the borders of my heart.....beyond this shriveled world of just ME and MY.....to try and share something of HIS great passion.....for the WORLD.....

But you know what's been interesting for me.....as you start to DO that....as you start to share something of the LOVE with that world.....WHAT do you think is probably the most difficult thing for people in OUR part of the world to actually believe about the Christian faith.....I think it's simply the idea....that God is GOOD.....because they are in so much pain.

I've been staggered by statistics recently.....which suggest.....that there will be 20,000 kids in our world...who will just DIE today....because their parents can't give them enough food....and there will be 20,000 again tomorrow....and the next day....and on and on......And statistics like that....leave you just shaking your head....and wondering....how are those children....and how are those parents supposed to believe somehow that God is GOOD.....

When I hear of how children from the school in Manila DIE....because their parents can't get medical assistance for the FLU.....I mean their not arguing whether they get to pick their own doctor or not....they just CAN'T see a doctor because they can't afford to pay the 15 Australian dollars that is COSTS to see a doctor......and they DIE.....for the sake of $15....because $15 is more than that will hold in their hands in a lump sum for a month.....how are they supposed to believe that God is good?.....

Well the answer from the Bible turns out to be kind of surprising.....cause as it turns our.....WE are the plan....and that God doesn't have.....another plan......Do you remember what Jesus said to us....his disciples....in Matthew chapter 5.....this is what he said....he said....YOU are the light of the world......let your light so shine among men....that they will see YOUR good works....and give glory to the Father...who is in heaven......And I love this...because he doesn't say....you MIGHT be the light of the world....... he doesn't say you COULD be the light of the world....I sure hope you turn OUT to be the light of the world......instead...Jesus is saying to us.....YOU'RE IT.

So if ANY of you woke up this morning....wondering if your existence mattered......you need to understand that the God of the universe has decided to put his WHOLE reputation on the line....through US.... The Apostle Paul in 2 Corinthians 5 says....God is making HIS appeal to the world.....through US.

And so for 2000 years.....Christians have been trying to make it believable that God is GOOD....and if there are people today.....who are suffering because they've never heard that God LOVES them......then WE'RE the ones who actually get to GO to them and share the good news that God LOVES you.....and if people are suffering because they don't have enough food....then we FILL up that pantry with food.....and if people are suffering because they don't have medical care for even the most simple of conditions to us......then we HELP them get it....and if others are suffering because they don't have homes....then we help them to find shelter.....because when we DO that....they actually SEE the body of Christ itself....and it becomes believable to them....that God is GOOD....

Parenting

Sun, 28 Jun 2009 00:00:00 +1000

You know....I THOUGHT that parenting finished when your kids reached the end of their teens and left home.....BUT it's SO not like that....it just seems to go on and on and on. The Australian Bureau of Statistics has just released a paper that confirms this...it says that the number of children aged 20 to 29 still living at home....has risen from 18% to nearly 30% in the past 20 years.....so the roll of parenting IS actually evolving....

We really enjoy the show ‘Packed to the Rafters' ....and I think the reason we like it....is that it pretty much explains our life at the moment.....JUST when you think the kids have all left home...some married....some off doing independent things....and you finally have the house to yourself....and you can walk round in your undies and watch what YOU want on tele.....and then it ALL falls apart....and suddenly....half of them are back home.....and they aren't alone.....there are husbands and hangeroners....and babies....and the house is a noisy, busy place again.....

BUT you know what...the reality is...that I wouldn't swap it for ANYTHING.....and I wouldn't give up the role of PARENT for anything......BUT I DO think that there is a whole lot of stress and strain on Parents BECAUSE of the constantly changing dynamics of the family unit ....like... children staying home longer....or the fact that in the last 20 years in Australia....the number of single parent families has risen by 53%.....SO if there was EVER a time when we NEED to be revisiting the role of PARENTS....and I use that term in a broad sense to include grandparents......relatives.....significant others.....right down to neighbours and ESPECIALLY the role of every one of us within the Church....who have a responsibility to care for our young people.....If there was EVER a time when that role needs to be revisited....then it's NOW.

I've spent a lot of time this week.....just hanging around my kids.....it's been HUGE....to finally have Sarah back in the country and to have all my kids and extended family close around me again.....And it's been a bit bizarre....because I actually find that I LIKE my kids......and I LIKE being around them.....and it's bizarre because it wasn't ALWAYS like that. Sian could tell you about the night when she arrived home and we had her bags packed....and we told her that she couldn't live in the house any longer.....because her behavour was taking down the whole family....That's OUR Sianny....beautiful Sianny....wasn't always like that.....We told her that she would have to find somewhere else to live until SOMETHING changed in how she was behaving......HARDEST moment of our life.....BUT it had to be done......sometimes LOVE has to be tough.....and she lasted three days....before we had the BEST sit down talk with her EVER and it was a turning point in her whole life.....BUT it wouldn't have happened without us being STRONG PARENTS.....It could have gone either way....BUT I knew we had done the groundwork....she knew that we loved her but hated her behaviour....and we felt hopeful that she would see the light......

Rebecca....don't get me started.....she was the most beautiful smiling, sweetheart of a child...the rose between her two thorns of sisters.......till she turned 13 and then something broke!! The next 5 years were seriously more than we ever thought we could get through.....We have cried a lot of tears over Becky....If there were two ways to do things....she ALWAYS chose the WRONG way....or the way that involved police.....biggest thugs in the school....she went out with them.....worst habits....she took them up.......communication with us.....didn't happen....could we do anything right....not a hope!! And ALL we could do was to LOVE her through it regardless......that often meant we had to just close the door on whatever it was that she was doing....but love her regardless....and SOMEHOW....through the grace of God....she made it through.....and our beautiful Becky came back......and then found LUKE...which is a whole other sags......which is also GREAT!!

Sarah......well we just spent 5 weeks and countless thousands of dollars trying to get her sorted out......No....actually....she's doing pretty well.....but there's still time....because remember....it NEVER ENDS....this role of parenting.....

Luke and Bec have just begun their journey as parents.....and it's been really interesting to have discussions with them and hear the questions they are asking about just HOW to be good parents.

A lot of experts would say that the easiest way to be a good parent is to have good parents......But I wouldn't agree with that....in fact I know so many people who go into parenthood determined ....and often NEEDING to FIX the problems that their own parents made.....I mean I know I had good parents....but I have certainly chosen to do some things differently and I would even think to myself BETTER than how they did things.....and it's in that sense that parenting IS constantly being redefined....sometimes for better....sometimes for worst.....like I would really struggle to be convinced that the concept of NOT smacking children when they do wrong has helped our children these days to be better people....or more rounded individuals or to even be able to recognize right from wrong....See I don't see that....NOT when I'm faced each day by children who know their rights and refuse to be disciplined in any way......so when I hear of governments suggesting to BAN parents from smacking their children appropriately.......I don't know that that is a positive redefinition of parenting.....

BUT if we are looking for an appropriate model for parenting.....then I'm convinced that there is only one.....and it's NOT Dr Spock!

As you look through the Bible....there might not be a clearly defined model for parenting....but there are certainly aspects of the character of God.... as our heavenly Father that apply very much to our role here on earth.

And so this morning....I want to just look at some of these....to give us a basis...so that next week....Sue can do a bit of a further analysis of our role as parents in an extended sense....

To me...one of the most important aspects of parenting...is to spend TIME on the relationship....

My Dad was in the Ambulance service for pretty much his whole working life.....until I was 14....I always lived in the Ambulance residence right there next to or on top of the Ambulance station.....and because of that....Dad was ALWAYS on call....and I didn't get to spend a lot of quality time with Dad.....it was mum who took me to training or to a game...Dad and I certainly went out occasionally fishing....and we went on family holidays once a year....but day to day.....I didn't have the opportunity to nurture my relationship with dad just by spending TIME with him.....and I wish now that that could have been different....that process of developing a DEEP relationship with my dad has only happened in the last part of his life....

This whole theme of TIME has been driven home very powerfully in songs like Cats in the Cradle...but there are more and more studies suggesting just HOW important time is in the parenting role.... (especially on boys)...and a LACK of time together potentially develops a whole range of issues..... from low self-esteem.... to a need for immediate gratification and even a greater influence by peers towards bad behaviors.

When you look at what Jesus did with his disciples...and the time he spent with them....having them with him as often as possible....talking over everything that happened....you begin to see the importance of time....in building relationship...in teaching....in mentoring.....in modelling

When the girls were little.....when I got home from work...I'd have a cuppa with Sue....and then it was my time with them.....from then until bath time....either riding bikes....playing in the yard or just watching a video together.... Talking about their day...looking at what they had done....it may have only been an hour or an hour and a half....but it was important time....and they knew it was my time with them....

Meal times are SO important.....we have become SO slack over recent times....either there is stuff on the table ...or the Simpson's are on....so we sit in front of the tele for tea.....We NEVER did that when the kids were younger.....tea time was information time....Each night we would go round the table and each person would have to tell the BEST and WORST part of their day.....us included....and sharing like that makes them a part of what you are experiencing in your life....and it shows them how you go about DEALING with the bad parts and celebrate the good parts....and it allows you insight into what they are experiencing.....BUT it takes TIME.....

I think another important aspect of parenting.....is to DO meaningful things together.....

And I guess it's closely linked to spending time together......and it's about building into the routine of life....meaningful elements that become the GLUE that holds everything together.

Again when you look at the life of Jesus......mealtimes were significant.....teaching times were significant.....prayer times were significant.....and SERVING together DOING things together were significant.....

When the kids were little....we had a few things we did.....Morning Devotionals at the breakfast table.....where I would read a story....we would talk about it....pray...then get ready for the day.....5 minutes...but the girls remember those times as meaningful.....

We had Family Night.....where once a fortnight...on a Friday night.....we each took it in turns to have our go to say what we would eat together as a family....and what activity we would DO together as a family......Becky ALWAYS played Barbies.....I got the Ken Doll....and we would set up houses and interact as a doll family.....Sian would want to do a play or dress up....and Sarah would want to form an orchestra.....and they were REALLY significant in our girls growing up....They must have been....because just last week....the girls all decided that we were going to re-implement Family Night.....I'm hoping the activities will change.....but the concept is the same.....doing something meaningful together.

As the kids got older.....the meaningful time took on different shapes.....and sometimes...if you want to spend meaningful time with your kids....you have to put yourself into what they are involved in.....that might be sporting teams....youth groups....dancing lessons.....driving lessons.....sewing lessons.....whatever it is that allows you an avenue into the life of your child....to interact alongside them at some meaningful level....LOOK for it....and make it happen.....

Next on my list....would be to LISTEN to your children....

I seriously don't think there would be a day goes by....when I don't have at least 5 students come to my staffroom over lunch...needing to talk to me outside.....And when I sit and listen to the issues that they have and concerns that trouble them .....it just strikes me that it should be their PARENT who is hearing this stuff....BUT when you suggest that.....YEAH RIGHT....I tried to talk to my mum about it but she was too busy.....or she just got angry.....or dad's always at work.....or there is just never a time when I CAN talk to them, when there's not other stuff happening....EVERY DAY.....

A young fifteen-year old girl.....who just before she turned sixteen......became one of the eleven hundredth drug related death in Australian teenagers each year.....wrote this about her parents "....they talked and talked and talked, and never once did they ever hear one thing I was trying to say to them ... if only they would let me talk instead of for ever and eternally and continuously harping and preaching and nagging and correcting and yacking, yacking, yacking. But they won't listen and we kids keep winding back up in the same old, frustrating, lost lonely corner with no one to relate to either verbally or physically."

Relationships between parents and their children are SO fragile and sometimes....you feel like you have to be some sort of expert to be able to navigate them.......

If there was an area where I think ALL parents need to develop.....it's in trying to improve their understanding and skills in human relations.....and learning the art of listening....and really hearing the feelings that are often hiding among the words being said.

I think another important aspect of Parenting which is very clearly seen in how God treats his Children.....is how to allow your children to learn through consequences...

Throughout the old testament.....there are situations where God has the opportunity to step in and FIX a situation.....but he is careful in how he does this.....and often he allows the consequences of behaviour to be the solution to the problem...

Regularly.....God allows his children to make mistakes.....and it must be so frustrating to him......but he warns them....he instructs them.....and then he disciplines them. There was a natural order of consequences and rewards......when God's children followed his instruction.....things usually went well and there were rewards.....when they went against Gods guidance....there was consequences......

And the same pattern is there in the area of parenting......Becky just refused to tidy her room....to the point where it was an OH&S issue....but the harder I fought....it seemed the deeper the pile of clothes got. So we just decided to CLOSE the door.....to allow her to LIVE in the pile...but we didn't have to look at it.....and it didn't take long before she couldn't find anything she wanted...her clothes were never ironed....and she ran out of clean clothes...her room began to smell......THEN she decided to tidy her room.

When we packed Sian's bags for her.....we could have easily arranged for her to stay at her Nanna's....but part of the consequence of her inability to live peacefully in our house....was to find her OWN place to live....and have to forgo the benefits of her own home....and as I said....she lasted three days.

It's not that you willingly place your child in danger...or allow them to purposefully stuff up.....You warn them....you instruct them.....but in the end you have to allow them to REALISE that there are consequences to the choices they make....and sometimes....to see your child go through those consequences.... will be SO hard to take.....and sometimes you will NEED to intervene to RESCUE your child from those consequences.....but without consequences....children never learn to be responsible.....they never learn that lesson....that actions have equal and opposite reactions.....

I guess the last element of parenting I want to leave you with today....is about discipline.....

The Bible says, "Train up a child in the way they should go: and when they are old, they will not depart from it" (Proverbs 22:6). .......It also says, "Do not provoke your children to anger, lest they be discouraged" (Colossians 3:21)....... And both passages about children obeying their parents.....in Ephesians (6:1-4) and Colossians (3:20-21) are followed by "Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger".

Disciplines a hard one....because NO-ONE can tell you how to discipline your children....there are so many factors at play......

Perhaps one way of looking at it...is to look at the Houston Police Dapartments Ten Easy Rules for Raising a Delinquent....I got these on an email some time back.....

1. Begin at infancy to give the child everything they want. In this way they will grow up to believe the world owes them a living.

2. When they picks up bad words, laugh at them. This will make them think they are cute.

3. Never give them any spiritual training. Wait until they are 21 and then let them "decided for themself".

4. Pick up everything they leaves lying round.....books, shoes, clothes. Do everything for them so that they will be experienced in throwing all responsibility on others.

5. Quarrel frequently in their presence. In this way they will not be too shocked when the home is broken later.

6. Give a child all the spending money they want. Never let them earn their own. Why should they have things as tough as you had them?

7. Satisfy their every craving for food, drink and comfort. Denial may lead to harmful frustrations.

8. Take their part against neighbours, teachers, policemen. They are all prejudiced against your child.

9. When they gets into real trouble, apologize for yourself by saying, "I never could do anything with them".

10. Finally......Prepare for a life of grief. You are bound to have it.'

You know....ultimately.....there is no sure way to guarantee that your child will grow up to be the kind of person you would like him or her to be. The most likely way is for you to be the kind of person you would like them to be.

As a parent....your relationship is the most significant thing you can give your children. Every child then moves through the task of self-definition..... distinguishing themselves.... maturing by testing the limits that have been set by loving parents.

And you don't have to be a psychologist to realize....that through this whole process....LOVE is the ONLY thing that will get you through.....Love of the child regardless of the behaviour.....Love of the child BECAUSE of their uniqueness....Love of the child which might require TOUGH action.....But amongst ALL of the elements of parenting....the GREATEST of these is LOVE....

What is your Spiritual Shape

Sun, 14 Jun 2009 00:00:00 +1000

So....Wednesday afternoon.....I finish work......get back to my desk....and then I remember.....I have to NOW come HERE and do HOMEWORK with kids for another hour and a half at Homework Centre.......And like most Wednesdays....I usually SIGH......BUT....when I get here.....those kids are like a shot of adrenalin......their energy....their enthusiasm to be at a HOMEWORK centre......their affection....and just to be working with such a great group of helpers......just fires me up...and EVERY week....I walk out of here....with a smile on my face....feeling that it is perhaps the most fulfilling....purposeful hour and a half of my whole week.....

It is just a bizarre feeling when you find yourself serving God in some area....and it makes you feel like it's the BEST thing you think you could be doing....I actually MISSED homework Centre when we were away.....I actually MISSED preparing messages when we were away....because when you are able to work out...and then have the opportunity to actually DO the things that God wired you to do.....there is this awesome sense of SATISFACTION and MEANING that comes from it....And whilst at times...serving God might seem like an interruption to your life........and that you REALLY have to put yourself out to do it......I am absolutely convinced....that there is NOTHING like serving God....in the right place....doing the right thing....for the right reasons.....

I was thinking about the life of Jesus this week...and the time he spent here on earth.....and ALL the different ways He made contact with people.....and the impact he had on their lives as a result of those interactions......and I had this amazing revelation.......You may have already realized this.....but it just struck me.......

Most of the interactions that Jesus had with people.....which led to him having some significant impact on their lives.....happened when he was... INTERRUPTED......when his plans....when his LIFE...when his schedule......got interrupted..... He was on his way from one place to the other.....or he was in the middle of doing something......and then someone called out to him......or got in his way.....or touched his clothes....or dropped down through a roof.....

These incredible MOMENTS.......when Jesus had the opportunity to do amazing....life altering things....and speak profound words....happened when Jesus life was interrupted.

And the reason WHY that was a revelation to me....is because I recognized....that I spend a lot of my life.....feeling like I'm too busy.....that there is too much on .....that I don't get time to do MY things because of LIFE'S interruptions.....and yet throughout his life.....we see Jesus.....doing some of his best work....his most life altering work....in the midst of life's interruptions.......

I think we've become pretty conditioned these days....to the idea that it's ALL about US.....look after yourself..... guard your time....your resources.....your abilities.....Guard them closely and DON'T put yourself out...don't be INTERRUPTED from your number one purpose.....YOU....... SHAPE your life around.....YOU........

BUT...if the life of Jesus shows us ANYTHING....it encourages us to RETHINK that concept.....in light of the interruptions that we see to Jesus life....and what he DID with them.....

See....I really believe that my life has GOT to count for something bigger than ME.....there has got to be a purpose to WHY God put this MESS together....there has got to be a reason WHY I AM the way I am.....why I can DO the things I can......why I feel about things the way I do.....why I get excited about doing homework on a Wednesday afternoon....once I'm doing it.....There has got to be a REASON why God puts these INTERRUPTIONS into my life......and I WANT to understand that reason.....and you know.....I think we ALL want to understand WHY our lives happen the way they do......

Psalm 139...our reading this morning....I just love this psalm.....I want it read at my funeral.....I love this Psalm....because it REMINDS us that we are UNIQUE.....every one of us......that we were created for a very specific reason....and that our life GOAL....should be to try and understand WHAT that goal IS.....and work towards achieving it.....rather than working in some opposing direction...

And my greatest hope.....is that by the time I GET to my funeral......that my life will SHOW that in some SMALL way..... I understood WHO I am in God's eyes.....that I understood in some way WHY he knit me together the way he did....before I even breathed.....Why I FEEL in my heart...the way I do about things....Why I can do the things I do.....Why I have such specific abilities.....Why my personality is the way it is......and Why it is that I have experienced the things I have in life....and what they have taught me.....and the opportunities they have provided me....and the reasons WHY I have reacted to life's interruptions the way I have.....

And that should be the goal for ALL of us ......regardless of where we are at on that continuum of life......to SEARCH out those WHY's and DO something with them......to understand that we were put here for a REASON....that God had planned the reason for our existence...WAY in advance.....and our life goal is to search out and LIVE that purpose with EVERYTHING we have......

And I want to share with you this morning....that when you get the smallest GLIMPSE of your life purpose......the purpose for which God designed you....and when you begin to live your life AROUND that purpose......then there is NO greater sense of satisfaction....there is nothing that will make you feel more ALIVE....BUT....it will involve INTERRUPTIONS....it will involve sacrifices......because WHEN you begin to glimpse your god ordained purpose in life....you are going to realize that it is NOT all about you.....but you won't care.....because you will be living the life that GOD planned for you.

BUT....that means you have to begin to SEARCH out your God ordained purpose in life.....and WHERE do you even BEGIN a search like that......

Well.....all I can do is share how it was for me......because I believe it begins by trying to understand WHO this person IS that God has put together....

When I was designing the granny flat I'm building in my backyard......I sat with Becky, and Luke who ultimately will be the ones living in it....and I asked the questions.....What will be the purpose of the space....and how will it be used....and what sort of shape will it take.....

And before God created YOU....he asked the same questions.....He decided right up front what the PURPOSE for your life was.....He decided exactly how he wanted to use you.....and he SHAPED you specifically for that purpose....with the skills and gifted abilities that you would need to fulfill that purpose.....

And when you begin to SEE your life that way..... THEN you might begin to understand WHY you are put together the way you are...WHY certain activities just excite you....WHY you interact so well with certain groups of people.....WHY you have the skills and abilities that you do....BECAUSE....let me tell you....it's NOT just for your amusement....there is PURPOSE and FORETHOUGHT in WHO you are.....

BUT....going through the process of self examination.....to try and determine what that purpose might be.....can seem a pretty daunting task.....BUIT it's something God EXPECTS of us.....We don't come with a stamp on our forehead of WHAT our purpose might be.....God gives us all the clues....and he expects us to put them together and then look to where our PURPOSE fits in th the culture and times in which we live......

One of the most books I have found MOST helpful in trying to sort out my God ordained purpose in life....is Rick Warrens...Purpose Driven Life .....and if there was one book that I would encourage EVERY ONE of you to read.....it would be that one......I'm even going to put my well worn copy in the library so SOMEONE can grab it and read it.....

And one of the things he does in his book...is to take the word SHAPE....and use it as an acronym to BEGIN to help us understand our spiritual shape......and I think it would be worthwhile sharing that acronym with you this morning.....

The S in SHAPE - stands for Spiritual gifts.

Spiritual gifts are the almost supernatural abilities that God gives you when you make the decision to be a follower of Jesus.....and I say supernatural....because these things may have been there all along....BUT it's ONLY in the context of a relationship with Jesus....and working out that relationship in your life....that these things suddenly become REALLY evident.

I NEVER believed I had a gift in teaching...BUT in the context of my relationship with God.....He has shown me this gift...and developed this gift...and provided opportunity for me to use this gift......I NEVER believed I had ANY leadership skills....BUT again...in the context of my relationship with him....and in the setting of His church.....this area of who I am has grown and been exercised and has developed to where I'm now leading a church....THAT'S ridiculous....BUT...in the context of my relationship with Jesus....it SEEMS to work.....

What I find frustrating...is when I come across people who have been followers of Jesus for years.....but they STILL don't know they have even GOT spiritual gifts.....because they've never made the connection between the things they can do...and their relationship with Jesus.....and they've never unwrapped their gifts.......BUT you have them.....in fact the Bible says that God has GENEROUSLY divided out his gifts to us.....some have more than one gift....

Spiritual gifts include things like GIVING.....some people just LOVE to give...they would give you the shirt off their back.....MERCY....some people can display mercy and grace in ways that astound me.....LRADERSHIP.......TEACHING.....FAITH.....these people display absolute confidence in God's power and his promises no matter what the situation.....WISDOM.....I wish this was one of my gifts.....to be able to apply God's knowledge to the decisions I make in lifes situations....HELPS......these people just LOVE to give support and assistance to anyone and in any situation...and I can tell you a LOT of you have this gift...because I see it exercised often.....ADMINISTRATION......FAITH.....ENCOURAGEMENT....and there are a number of others as well.....NONE of them more important than any other......ALL of them given by God for a specific purpose......

A lot of people find spiritual gift questionnaires really useful in helping them sort out WHAT their unique gift might be....and I have some of those if you would like to look further at this......BUT....The fact remains we all have spiritual gifts.....specific to who we are and the purpose that God has for our lives.....

The H in SHAPE - stands for Heart.

"Heart" is about your PASSION....what it is that FIRES you up and gets you enthusiastic....and usually this will centre around your interests....the things you would most like to do if you were given the opportunity......

Have you ever noticed that some things really interest you but other things bore you to tears? Have you noticed that some things really get you excited, and others you couldn't care less about?..... Where do you think you got those innate interests? ..... God gave them to you. God gave you your heart, the things that really interest you, that cause you to get passionate..... And WHY did God do that?...... Because God wants you to be you.

You know what I am passionate about.......CHURCH....I LOVE the way church works....how you can bring such a diverse group of people together and under a common focus....JESUS....an amazing UNITY is created....an incredible SYNERGY is possible.....DIRECTING that....and making it work is something that keeps me awake at night thinking about it.....I am PASSIONATE about BUILDING things....whether it's a garden or a cupboard....I LOVE to see materials come together and take shape into something practical and beautiful.....So my HEART is around CHURCH and around using my skills to BUILD and CREATE.....

Did you know that every human being has a different physical heartbeat...... They all beat differently.....just like you have a different thumbprint..... And every human being has a different EMOTIONAL heartbeat...... The person setting next to you I'll guarantee does NOT get excited about some of the things you get excited about. That's the way God shaped us...... If we all had the same heart....and if we all had the same interest....if we all just loved church and building.....we'd all do the same thing and there would be a lot of things in the world that wouldn't get done.

So fortunately everything in the world that needs to get done....gets done because God has created some people who like balancing cheque books..... happily....like Cheryl.....our treasurer...... Others.... like repairing cars....like Zech...and Jake...and Robert...I HATE cars...with a passion.... And I thank God for those guys that LOVE them.....Some people love cooking...like Joan...and others like eating....like me.....and God did it that way so that everything would get done.

SO.....We have Spiritual gifts and we have a Heart...a passion for the things that we love to do.

The A in SHAPE - stands for Abilities.

Now....These are the natural abilities you were given the moment you were born....and they are different from your Spiritual Gifts..... And EVERYBODY has some natural abilities.....and the range is HUGE.........Some of you are good with people; some of you aren't so good with people. Some of you are really good with practical things...... Some of you have natural athletic ability - OTHERS of US....would need intravenous ventolin to run a kilometre........We're all made differently...... Some of you have leadership abilities...... Some of you have musical abilities - you pick up an instrument and in a few days you're playing the thing......Ben Lambert is a FREAK..... Some of you have great voices and you can sing amazingly......BUT...SOME of you...And I hear it all from up here......are what I'd call.... prison singers....you're always behind a few bars and never have the right key......in fact you couldn't carry a tune if it was in a bag.....

We have different kinds of abilities....and they are part of WHO God created us to be..... We have Spiritual gifts, Heart, Abilities.

The P in SHAPE - stands for Personality.

God shapes you by giving you unique personality. And some of our personalities are very unique......And it's obvious that God loves variety....and he has a sense of humour.... Even when you try to classify personalities.....it never really works because we are often such a blend.... a combination.....a mosaic of all kinds of different things. .....and the point is that God uses our different personalities to work out all different purposes in the world.

God gives you Spiritual Gifts...Heart...Ability...Personality.

And finally....He gives you the E in SHAPE....Experiences.

Obviously God gives us lots of different kinds of experiences......from early childhood....right through.....our education....our vocations......our families..... we experience exciting.... mountaintop experiences....and we experience the deepest most painful experiences......and through ALL these experiences.....we LEARN....and we SHAPE who we are...what we think.....what we believe.....how we act......We learn to empathise....we learn to forgive.....we learn about consequences.....and we learn to trust.....

Perhaps one of the greatest lessons I have learned about my God.....is that often.....in order for him to get me to where He needs me to be......I will have to EXPERIENCE things that will be both pure joy....and darkest times......That MY God intentionally allows me to go through these experiences BECAUSE he is EQUIPPING me for some specific purpose he has for me.....

So ....when he says...in James....that we should Consider it pure joy..... whenever we face trials of many kinds...we begin to understand where that logic fits in....IF we are wanting to BE open for God to prepare us for his purposes.....

So these are 5 areas that God uses to SHAPE who we are.......

And all of that is NICE to know.....and helps us understand a little more about ourselves.....BUT in the overall scheme of things....it counts for very LITTLE unless we actually DO something with it.......and it's in that sense.....that if we are REALLY wanting to FOLLOW Jesus....then I think we have some responsibility to be ACTIVELY doing something about our shape....

I think we need to be DISCOVERING more about our shape......looking at what's happened in our past...and how those experiences have shaped us.....experimenting NOW with the opportunities we are given...trying new things.....making ourselves available to serve God in different ways.....being AVAILABLE....trying different options....PUTTING yourself out there for God to use......

And once you begin to ACCEPT the shape God has formed you in....ACCEPT IT....don't fight it.....work with it......Don't COMPARE yourself with others....and want to be like them.....or think you are LESS...... Figure out what you're good at and focus on that and don't worry about what you're not good at........But most importantly......don't EVER conform to other people...and become something DIFFERENT to who God made you to be.....CELEBRATE your uniqueness and look to GOD to provide the opportunities......

I think we also need to be constantly DEVELOPING who we are in Jesus......I think our spiritual shape is a bit like a muscle....if you don't use it and exercise it.....it withers and becomes ineffective......

God has a place for you in this world. You're not here by accident. .....And part of our church's job and responsibility..... is to help you discover and provide opportunity for you to exercise that muscle.....

When you look at our world.....every amazing achievement that's ever been done has been done by a gifted person....... Somebody who USED the talents that God gave them and brought about good in the world. And I guess in the same way..... our worst moments....every destructive thing in our world..... has come about by somebody misusing the gifts that God gave them.

What's the difference?....... Our gifts need to be directed back to God..... What God gives you..... your talents and experiences.....they are God's gift to you. ...... What you do with them..... is your gift back to God....And if you are willing to do that....then I encourage you to pray this prayer with me now........

Prayer

Loving God......I want You to take my life and my SHAPE and use it......Lord, I offer my life to You....Everything I've been through.....I want to use it for you Father.....That means the good, the bad, the painful, the shameful, the hurt......Everything that I've been through - all those experiences......I offer them to you....I put myself out there for you....to use for your glory.
Amen.

One Drop at a Time - Project Manila

Sun, 03 May 2009 00:00:00 +1000

This will be our last week for about a month.....as next Friday....Sue and I head over to Paris to meet up with Sarah....and then spend some time looking through Britain, Scotland, Wales and other bits......So any problems you have.....see Alan, Libby, or Luke......

I think it's important to have times away...to see what's happening in other places....firstly because it makes you so thankful about where God has placed you....but also I find these times help focus and excite and renew my spirit about what it is that we are doing here as a church of Christ...and how we can better IMPACT our world here and the world abroad with the love of Jesus......

This week....we launch that part of the year.....where we begin to focus very specifically on what's going on OUT THERE...and how WE as a body of God's people fit into that larger picture......and in particular for this next part of the year.... We want to focus on the work being done in Manila at the King Solomon Christian School.

And as we do that......I feel it's important that we have a clear idea of WHERE we are in understanding our own faith......

See....I have NO idea where each one of you might be on your own journey of faith.....

But personally....I feel like I've been TRYING to follow Jesus for a long time....but over the last year or so......I find myself challenged by a very basic question.......are Jesus and I REALLY interested in the same thing?

See I KNOW what I'm interested in....and I could make a list of those things.....and you probably could as well....and it's a big list....a fun list....BUT if we were to put ALL those things aside for just a moment...and get back to some basic principles......and ask the question....what is God passionate about.....what do you think we would come up with?

This morning....I want us to think about what God's passions ARE .....'Cause as I've been thinking about that this week....I think it comes down to two core passions......God is passionate about the world.....and God is passionate about Justice.....

What we know from the Christmas story....and what we see reinforced in the Easter story....and right throughout Jesus time here on earth.....is that God REALLY loves the world....John 3:16 says....that God SO loved the world.....that he gave his only begotten son.

God has this consuming passion for this world....which by the way.... means that he has this consuming passion for all these gazillions of people in it as well.....spread across all these interlacing continents and cultures....in every colour shape and size.....THIS is what God loves.....

NOW....let's do a little contrast....What do I love......what am I passionate about......Well to tell you the truth I can answer that....Every single day....I am TOTALLY passionate about.....ME!

I love ME.....I'm fascinated by ME....every single day.

I don't wake up in the morning and have to remind myself to think of ME.....it comes really really naturally.....and SUE keeps reminding me that perhaps this is a little NARROWER than I should be as a Christian....SO I'm trying to broaden my heart out a little bit.....

And I'm doing pretty well I think....cause on a really good day.....I can actually find myself extending love.....and compassion.....to ALL the people in the world.....who are in my immediate family....and that even includes the in-laws.....

That's a pretty good day for me......when I can extend more love and more care and more forgiveness.....to my wife and kids.....than I do for myself......in fact....they are days that Sue marks on the calendar with a circle......and I recon the whole family hopes and prays that it might happen again next year sometime.....

But you know.....I think there are times when I might even have a LARGER spiritual experience....and I might find my heart beginning to grow.....and I'll find myself extending love and compassion to ALL the people.....in my world.....that I LIKE.....and who like ME......and who are LIKE me......

See what I'm getting at...is that THIS then becomes MY world of FOCUS and energy and PASSION.....this little shriveled world....of ME and MY.

And I think....that Jesus probably finds this pretty natural......and I guess this is pretty understandable.....given what we are.....BUT I don't think that everything that is natural and understandable....is necessarily GODLY.....

So maybe this morning....you and I can identify...or at least agree to what the GOAL is.......And even if we're not there yet...that's OK....BUT.....the GOAL is to have a heart that is becoming MORE and MORE like the heart of our God.....that shares SOMETHING of His passion for the world.....and the people in it.

And every now and then....things happen which REMIND us and REINFORCE to us... what the goal IS......Possibly the most significant experience like that for me....was back in January of 2007....when Sue and I had the opportunity to travel to Manila in the Philippines....to visit this small church that was established by a Filipino Pastor and his wife in Tatalon..... one of the poorest areas of Quezon City....which is a suburb of Manila.

To give you some perspective......the City of Manila.....covers an area of just on 636 sq km.....That's about the same area as the city of Lake Macquarie. And crammed into that area.....is just over 17 million people....again....to keep that in perspective....the entire population of Australia is 21 million......so you can imagine our entire population living in Lake Macquarie.....that's Manila

The poverty in Tatalon.....is a tangible thing.....you can't miss it....it is truly shocking.....with not enough employment and not enough housing....and NO assistance for the poor because of a corrupt government....Tatalon is virtually a squatter city....of corrugated iron, scavenged timber, plastic and cardboard....where 20 families share one toilet and one tap......the whole place is chaotic....and noisy and it never....never STOPS...

And when you step into that world......it's jarring....BUT in amongst all of this......we spent three weeks with Pastor June....and his wife Milleth....a beautiful humble couple.....who grew up in this area.....who love the people around them.....and whose heart is SO large....with such obvious love and compassion and RESPECT for the MASSES of people around them......And BECAUSE they have a heart for the things that GOD is passionate about...even though they are just part of the masses..... they WANTED to DO something about CHANGING the lives of these people...so they established a small church....which initially met in their lounge room....which is about 3m square......but which has just taken off....and to experience worship in that church of over 300 of the poorest of people....is just incredible.....

In a message I gave when I came back.....I introduced you to that beautiful quote that Mother Teresa once said...that everything you do.....seems but a drop in the ocean....but without that drop....it would be forever missing.

And I'll guarantee....that as June and Milleth started that small church in their community....they would have felt that it was just a drop in the ocean......BUT that drop grew...and grew....BECAUSE it is aligned with the heart of GOD

What I find so encouraging as a leader....is that Pastor June's VISION is huge......And he SAW a way to DO something......He understood.... that the ONLY way out of the cycle of poverty...for these people he loved.....was through education....BUT children in Manila just don't have a chance in state schools......with classes of 65 and up....most of the kids drop out of school because they just can't cope and don't get the support that they need....

And June saw OPPORTUNITY....so he and Milleth set up a small school..... the King Solomon Learning Centre....and that vision has grown and expanded and CAPTURED the hearts and minds of EVERY person who SEES what they are doing there.....And the school offers incredibly unique in this squatter area....education in an environment of respect, care and the LOVE of Jesus Christ.... And the children in the school are just magnificent.....they are SO beautiful....and they are doing so well.

And June's vision....is to continue to grow and expand that school to allow those kids who FIRST started with them...in kindy.....to continue to move into high school so they complete their full education ready for college, in King Solomon .....he has NO idea how that's going to happen...because what that actually means that he has to physically BUILD another two classrooms EVERY year to accommodate them......BUT he has a faith in God that leaves me breathless.....

At this point in time.....of the 300 kids in the school....there are about 120 kids who are sponsored to attend...they are the poorest of the poor.....and these kids attend because of the generosity of people who sponsor them......$300 a year provides their education.....uniform....books and equipment....and a lunch provided by the school....and often that's the only meal some of those kids have in the day.....in fact initially they had to make sure the kids ate their lunch....because these kids were taking the lunch home to feed the whole family at night......it's just MINDBLOWING.....

Within our church here.....we sponsor 21 of those kids...that's so amazing....and these kids write letters and they appreciate SO much what is being done for them ....

SLIDE - JANNA AND FAMILY

While we were in Manila....Sue and I went and visited our sponsor child Jana....in her home...which was perhaps the most significantly profound experience I have had up to this point in my life....Jana and her family...like most families....live in a space about 4m by 4m with a concrete floor and concrete walls....with a single fuel burner to cook on.....and Jana and her two sisters and brother live there with their mum and dad....and EVERYTHING happens in that little area....sleeping, washing....eating.....they have SO little....and yet to talk with them.....it would seem they have SO MUCH ......they are so happy...and so welcoming...and so thankful for the opportunities given to their children.

And I had the opportunity to sit and talk with little Jana....and as I did....I had this realization.....in a way that I had never thought about before.....that the maker of the entire cosmos....specifically intended that this one little Filipino girl.....should exist.....And not only that....but He intended that THIS little girl...should exist to be with Him.....forever! And he wanted THIS little girl to exist with him so desperately that he was willing to give up his own son......just to ensure that THIS little girl would be with Him.....forever.

And as that thought hit me....I was just blown away by the cosmic significance of this one little 4 year old girl.

But you know what I also realized at that point...which was enormously confronting for me.......I realized that the thousands of other people who live around that little church....who are JUST as precious to God as this little girl.....they could all just DROP off the face of the earth.....and for me as a Christian in Australia.....it probably wouldn't affect my day....very much at ALL....

SLIDE - BLUE WALLS

In Manila.....the wealthier people didn't like being confronted continually by the poverty of the squatter people.....SO the government came up with an innovative solution.....they HID the poverty.....along the main roads in squatter areas....they erected sheets of ply wood.....along the sides of the squatter settlements....and they cut windows and doorways into them and painted door jambs and fascias....and they painted the whole wall a beautiful blue....and they called this an URBAN FACELIFT.....but REALLY what it is....was a way of turning their back on the problem....hiding it away so it doesn't interfere with their lives.....so they didn't have to THINK about the problem.

And I think WE have become very innovative at erecting urban facelifts on those areas of OUR life that are inconvenient....that we don't want to be confronted by.......that are too difficult to deal with......and I think we need to be jarred back to reality.....

Because in that whole situation I began to see.....that there was a significant difference between the way Jesus looked at the world....and the way I did......And you know....I didn't want to BE that far away from what REALLY mattered to Jesus....and so that point in time began a journey for me......to begin to open up the borders of my heart.....beyond this shriveled world of just ME and MY.....to try and share something of HIS great passion.....for the WORLD.....

I recognized that for me living here in Australia....what I didn't see....didn't affect me.....like an urban facelift......And from right HERE.....it's pretty easy to SHIELD ourselves from having to think too much about the poverty and the need of a world over THERE.....Because when we DO...I think we start to STRUGGLE with the whole notion of HOW God could allow this....and certainly the line that's thrown out all the time....is.... HOW is God GOOD...when there is so much suffering and pain....

I've been staggered by statistics recently.....which suggest.....that there will be 20,000 kids in our world...who will just DIE today....because their parents can't give them enough food....and there will be 20,000 again tomorrow....and the next day....and on and on......And statistics like that....leave you just shaking your head....and wondering....how are those children....and how are their parents SUPPOSED to believe somehow that God is GOOD.....

When I hear of how children from the school in Manila DIE....because their parents can't get medical help for conditions as simple as the FLU.....I mean their not arguing whether they get to pick their own doctor or not....they just CAN'T see a doctor because they can't afford to pay the 40 Australian dollars that is COSTS to see a doctor and get some medication......and they DIE.....for the sake of $40....because $40 is more than most of them will hold in their hands in a lump sum in a month.....how are they supposed to believe in that situation that God is good?.....

Well the answer from the Bible turns out to be kind of surprising.....cause as it turns our.....WE are the plan....and apparently God doesn't have.....another plan!

Do you remember what Jesus said to us....his disciples....in Matthew chapter 5.....this is what he said....he said....YOU are the light of the world......let your light so shine among men....that they will see YOUR good works....and give glory to the Father...who is in heaven......

And I love this...because he doesn't say....you MIGHT be the light of the world....... he doesn't say you COULD be the light of the world....or....I really hope you turn OUT to be the light of the world......instead...Jesus is saying to us.....YOU'RE IT......like the words of the song Becky's going to sing later...that say.....Now I've seen you.....I am responsible......

So if ANY of you woke up this morning....wondering if your existence mattered......you need to understand that the God of the universe has decided to put his WHOLE reputation on the line....through US.... In 2 Corinthians 5 Paul says....that God is making HIS appeal to the world.....through US.

And for 2000 years...from that point......Our role hasn't changed....WE continue to make it BELIEVABLE that God is GOOD...in a world that often STRUGGLES to believe it because of all the wrong and injustice in our world....not caused by GOD but caused by the greed and injustice of MAN......and so if there are people today.....who are suffering because they've never heard that God LOVES them......then WE'RE the ones who actually get to GO to them and share the good news....that God LOVES you.....and if people are suffering because they don't have enough food....then we get to FILL up that pantry with food.....and if people are suffering because they don't have medical care for even the most simple of conditions ......then we HELP them get it....and if others are suffering because they don't have homes....then we help them to find shelter.....because when we DO that....they actually SEE the body of Christ itself.... and it becomes believable to them....that God IS GOOD....and we CAN'T solve every problem......BUT....we CAN do it...one drop at a time....

So my prayer is this.....that this next part of the year for each of you will be a time of OPENING your heart.....a time of actively seeking the heart of God.....and then STICKING to the plan......of showing that love to a world that NEEDS to see it desperately.....whether it's here...or whether it's in Manila....

Father God...thank you for the reminder that WE are the plan...to show your love to our world. Father I pray that each person here will feel the tug of your holy spirit to tear down the urban facelifts in our lives....that allow us to hide away the things of this world that we don't want to have to deal with. Thanks for our great friends in Manila....we pray for your continued blessing on their work....and for the lives of every child in that school.

Amen

Our Emmaus Road

Sun, 26 Apr 2009 00:00:00 +1000

You know.....the thing I found the most revealing in our recent trip overseas.....was just how DIFFERENT things are in reality....to what you imagine them to be......After years of seeing pictures..... watching TV shows.....and European Vacation movies......you have a picture in your mind of what things will look like.....but when you see them up close......they are very different to what you imagine......I thought the Eiffel tower would be taller....I thought Paris would have a lot more LOVE....but apart from a few couples kissing.....not a lot of love in the place......I thought the tower bridge would be MUCH bigger......I thought Wales would be a lot dirtier with coal mines....and I thought HAGGIS would be a lot worst tasting....but it was really nice and I had it for breakfast every day in Scotland.

But I think that's how it is with a lot of things when you travel.....things aren't always the way you think they would be....or you have pictured them in your mind......According to the book I'm reading at the moment....the Road to Emmaus...is that way as well....I imagined Emmaus to be a quaint ancient city in the holy land about 7 miles from Jerusalem.....but what I have learned....is that if you went to visit the town of Emmaus.....then what you would find....is that around Jerusalem.....in about a seven mile radius....there are actually six towns that have the name Emmaus......and the tour guides will tell you that depending on where you are....they will take you to the closest town by the name of Emmaus....as long as it satisfies the picture in your head.

And when you go into it a bit..... there is no historical reference of a town named Emmaus...and the only reference we have to this town....is in the reading we heard today.....and all we know about it....is that it was about 7 miles from Jerusalem....

So if you'd made the effort to make the trip all the way to the holy land to walk the road to Emmaus......the same road that the two characters in our reading this morning walked ....well ...you could be on any one of six....and there's a good chance you're going to feel a bit gypped..... and you might feel like it's all been set up as a tourist trap....and you might be right......

But perhaps we look at it all wrong.....the road to Emmaus might have an even greater significance.....I like the way Marcus Borg says it......He says that perhaps Emmaus is NOWHERE.......and perhaps Emmaus is EVERYWHERE.....perhaps the road to Emmaus is a road that we ALL take at various times in our lives......you might even be on it now.....when we are moving AWAY from the cross.....away from Jesus.....The road to Emmaus is wherever your life leads you when you are in despair...when you are in doubt....when you have more questions than answers.....and when you feel like there is no HOPE......when you are moving away from Jesus.....

Perhaps......you feel like you've been on the road to Emmaus in recent times...... when you have been waiting for news of some kind....news about loved ones....relationships....health issues.....and in that time... you fear the worst....and you QUESTION God....and it's not easy to cope........... Perhaps....the road to Emmaus.... is those times in life....when it's all you can do to put one foot in front of the other....when it's almost too hard to keep going......when grief...at the loss of someone you loved so deeply....makes you wonder when if ever you will feel happy again....or as I'm experiencing at the moment with my dad....when you have to watch as someone you love...loses their ability to function.....and the decline in health and quality of life....seems a slow cruel process..... Perhaps your road....is the difficulty...of a marriage relationship that is just BROKEN....and you feel very alone.... And you just don't know how to fix it.....

Because see......we ALL travel that road....in different ways....by different paths.... at one time or another in our life......and like these guys in our reading...found on this day.....it can seem a lonely......difficult....hopeless....road.....

BUT our reading today...GIVES us something amazing....because it shows us....that it's HERE on this road to Emmaus...wherever it may have been for them...and wherever it might be for us............that at a point where the road seemed it's darkest.......Jesus appeared to these two disciples.....and we NEED to be able to LOCATE ourselves in this story....to physically see ourselves in that place.....because when we do....we discover something pretty special.....

This had been a REALLY hard day for these disciples......They had heard earlier......about how the women who went to the tomb to prepare Jesus' body had found it empty....and how they had apparently......actually SEEN the Risen Jesus.

And you can almost imagine HOW they would have felt......On one hand.....even the slightest possibility of this being true would have been SO incredibly exciting for them..... and I'll guarantee that they would have been talking about that possibility for hours.....they would have gone over and over that last events of Jesus life......the final time they saw Jesus....these reports of the women and the rumor of the empty tomb.

But at the end of the day.......They just couldn't see it......their FAITH just wasn't STRONG enough....they had WATCHED him being nailed to that cross.....and they are positive....that NOONE comes back from that.....BUT.... I'll guarantee that in amongst all the horrific stuff they had witnessed over that previous few days.....they would have wanted SO BADLY to hold on to the slightest hope....that Jesus was still alive..... and that He was STILL in control of the things that were happening.

But you almost sense in the text of this reading.....that they carried a HUGE bag of DOUBT as they set off for Emmaus.......in fact SO much doubt....that they didn't even recognize...the same Jesus they had been following for weeks or month before...that they had watched get executed a few days before...........And you know.....I don't believe that Jesus was in any way disguised......These guys were just SO knocked FLAT by what they had been through...and what they had been a part of......that their FAITH was overwhelmed by their DOUBT.....And I can identify with that feeling....because it's a place I've been at before....many times.....

And I think.... if we are honest with ourselves.....then I think ALL of us at times.....reach points where we feel stuck......when our journey is NOT what we expected......We made a decision to follow Jesus....and it went well for a while.....We seemed close...and conversation was easy....but somewhere....somehow.....we got LOST...and we find ourselves on this Road to Emmaus....wherever that is......And we can't make up our minds which side of the road to walk on.....and suddenly...God doesn't even seem to be in the picture...he no longer seems to be traveling with us....all we have are memories about God....... We can talk about anything else with confidence and ease.....but we STRUGGLE to even MENTION God because He seems so distant..........and our faith is reduced to occasional talk ABOUT God on Sundays.....rather than talk WITH God......about every aspect of our lives.....

Have you been there......or are you there right now......

Have you ever asked yourself.........Where is this freedom that Christ spoke about? Why do I still get so uptight about stock market figures......why do I get SO ticked by people who do U-Turns at traffic lights.....why do I react so badly about the little things people say...and feel challenged or confronted.....why do I care so much about being able to eat my lunch in peace....instead of the lives of the kids who knock at my door to bother me with their little life crises......Why is it that I can be so focused on the things that interest me....and yet I can barely focus my prayers on God for more than 30 seconds at a go? Why is it that 10 minutes.....taken out of my morning ritual of getting ready....my time to spend with God....seems like such an inconvenience and a nuisance.....

I can be overwhelmed......as I was this week...... as I was reading....by the amazing truths.... of how the God of the universe....deals with ME on a personal level......But a stupid blowfly that was trapped on the inside of the window in my office.....was all it took to distract me from those truths......and forget all about them.....

Our Road to Emmaus....is a path we seem to take daily....and it's NOT always filled with drama and despair....sometimes it can seem a rather trivial road....BUT there is often that niggling feeling of hopelessness....like nothing is going to change or get better.....AND it's on this road that we meet the strangest people.......

Jesus......had only just risen from the dead.....and he meets up with two of his disciples.....one's name is Cleopas, and the other isn't named.....and as they walk to the village of Emmaus ....Jesus asks them what they are talking about......And quite downhearted....they tell him about Jesus of Nazareth..... about how the religious leaders handed him over to be crucified..... about how they had hoped that he was the one....who would make EVERYTHING right.....

And Jesus listens.....and then speaks.....Why are you so thick headed...and slow hearted....Why can't you simply believe all that the prophets have said?

And then when they arrive at Emmaus..... these two persuade Jesus.....who they still don't have a clue who he is.....to eat with them.

He does.....and as Jesus breaks the bread.....gives thanks.....and gives it to them....suddenly it clicks....and they recognized him.....and then he vanishes from their sight.

And then that beautiful line of retrospect.....as they say to each other....Didn't we feel on FIRE as he talked with us on the road....as he opened up the scriptures for us......

You know.....what I'm coming to realize.....is that throughout our lives......our encounters with Jesus are often like that.....short.......fleeting..... little ambushes.....at times when we least expect it and are never prepared for......and yet....after they happen....in retrospect.....there is a warmth....there is a burning in our heart as we recognize that encounter for what it was.......

I got an email from Luke on Thursday....he's currently over in Manila, working with our friends over there to establish a computer lab in the school...

Little sidelines.....Funny story.....so Luke is trying to maximize the number of computers he can jam into his bag...so he takes three bags to the airport....and tries to get the maximum weight through checkin....But they wouldn't let him take three bags....so he took the two heaviest bags and sent the lightest one home with Bec.......Then we get an email the next day when he arrives....saying that unfortunately....the bag he sent home has ALL his clothes and toiletries in it....

So anyhow.....I get this email on Thursday....and Luke's a bit worried because he has been asked to take the message in church on Sunday....and he doesn't know what to speak on......

So I sat to reply.......and a thought struck me.......You know....when you go to Manila....and you are working with these beautiful people in the squatter slums......there is almost a sense of POWER you feel.....firstly because of the way they treat you......like you are amazing....like you are GOD in some way....coming there to help them......and secondly....because....the bit of money you have with you in your pocket....can fix SO Many problems....and as the problems are presented to you....you decide to DO something...and you take some money and you FIX whatever medical or housing...or other need is there....and it feels GOOD to fix problems......

But as time goes on.....you begin to recognise an interesting twist.....you THINK you are helping them.....you THINK you are giving to them...but in actual fact....there is something going on in your heart that you can't even BEGIN to understand......your heart is growing....you feel compassion welling up in you......and you recognize....that you haven't been doing a work on THEM....THEY have been doing a work on YOU....that is SOME WAY......in those beautiful smiles....and thankful hearts....you have met with JESUS...and you don't expect it....and it CHANGES you.....it changes you're outlook on life....it changes your focus on what is important....and the whole MESSAGE of LOVE....and compassion...and EMPATHY begins to change the shape of your heart....

So.....to our team going over to Manilla in January......you need to prepare to meet Jesus in the slums of Manila.....and that may well be....your road to Emmaus....and as you leave that place.....it will leave you BURNING in your heart...for what to do next.

So I wrote back to Luke....and suggested that he share with them....how much impact they have had on our lives.......how much they have ministered to us.....and how much we have grown as a result of them.

Jesus presents himself in the strangest of places......

There have been a number of times.....when my life has NOT been going well.....and during those times.... at some point.....someone will come alongside me......and encourage me....and guide me.....and take me back to basics...and CLEAR THE FOG of the situation......And in retrospect....you FEEL your heart warmed by their presence and their input.....and you know it to be a GOD thing.....that's an Emmaus road experience......

What do we tend to do....when everything is going bad.....we turn away from God......A close friend of ours.....who is going through some tough times at the moment....said it this way recently....when everything is just so hard and I can't cope....the thing I always tend to give up....is GOD......I know it's probably the worst thing to do.......but it's just what I do......

And again...if we're honest....I think that when life gets too hard.....God IS....the thing that we drop....we stop reading his word....we stop praying....we stop coming to church to worship him......and the more we drop....the more distant he FEELS from us...and the more lonely we feel.....

But....Isn't it lucky that God doesn't drop US........instead....he sends Jesus...in the strangest of situations...in the strangest of people........and Jesus walks with us in whatever is going on......And the message he has for us......is usually the same.....that the God who worked in his life...... gave ALL that he had to go through.... an incredible.. significant purpose......and this same God is at work in OUR lives as well....making sense from what at that moment......might seem senseless.

Jesus presents himself....in the strangest of situations......How easily we recognize him....is about our Faith.......See.....Faith is not just in the head...it's not just in the heart. Faith is designed to be in the hands, in our noses, in our mouths, in our eyes, and in our feet.

We are all on a journey...that's what this story is all about.....and on that journey....we ARE going to experience moments...like what happened on the road to Emmaus....with these two disciples.....

And I think God gives us those moments......to allow us to rediscover....and sift through.....and work out JUST what all this means......our hope, our love, our compassion...our forgiveness....our faith.

And he WANTS us to recognize those moments.....when we KNOW.....that JESUS is with us right here...right now......and he wants our hearts to BURN with that recognition of just how awesome that is.......because Emmaus...I think...... is here in the heart......

Father...help us to recognise You on our road to Emmaus.... and to allow you to walk with us through whatever we might be going through in life at the moment. As you did with these two disciples....guide us towards your word and reveal the truths of your love for us.....and then help us put those truths into action in our lives.....

Father....I pray....that our hearts might burn when we recognize you in the everyday journey of our lives...that we might be looking for you.....and that our faith might be strengthened..... Amen.

Snapshots of Love - Week 1

Sun, 22 Mar 2009 00:00:00 +1100

This week.....we begin our four week series leading up to Easter.....on Snapshots of Love.....

And I'm totally looking forward to this.....because I believe that over the next month.....we are going to REALLY begin to engage with the notion of just how DEEPLY God's love for each one of us really is.......And I say engage....because for each one of us......the MANIFESTATION of God's love....the ways in which that love is PRESENTED to us....or displayed to us..... is going to be different.....the way in which we IDENTIFY and REALISE the depth of that love is going to be different......The MOMENTS when we EXPERIENCE the depth of that love in some tangible....visible way.....are unique for every one of us......And the REASON why I wanted to include the SNAPSHOT aspect into this series.....is that over the next month.....as we are FOCUSED and CONTEMPLATING God's love for us......we are going to be LOOKING for these moments that are actually there ALL the time....but we just don't RECOGNISE them...BUT...over THIS month....there are going to BE moments where every one of us say WOW...THAT'S IT.......When in THAT moment......we get this WINDOW.....in something we SEE...or something we experience....or in some INDIVIDUAL......through which we get a GLIMPSE of the DEPTH of love that God has for us......and what I want you to DO....is to take a SNAPSHOT of that moment.

It might be a snapshot of a SCENE....which speaks to you of the incredible design and wonder of what God has created for our pleasure......It might be a snapshot of a PERSON......whose unconditional love and acceptance gives you a tangible PICTURE of the love that God has for you as well.......It might be a snapshot of the simple yet profound shape of the CROSS....as you view it in some everyday activity or scene.....which once again reminds you of the SACRIFICE.....and the MEASURE of God's love for you......or it might be an image like my slide today....that just REMINDS you of an amazing GOD truth.....like that His love is available to EVERYONE..........because it's UNCONDITIONAL......

We ALL want to see those moments.....we want to SHARE those moments......we want to CELEBRATE those moments together......in photographic form......

So that means....that you pretty much need to carry your camera around with you 24/7.....and if you don't HAVE a camera....then you might need to buy one....or borrow one....or see Sue and I'm sure somehow she'll give you one......And when you take your snapshots....we want you to write down in a few lines.....about just HOW that snapshot speaks to you of God's Love.... And we are going to spend the last week of this series....being AMAZED by the many ways God has displayed his love to each one of you.

Because here's what I believe....I believe that in our sharing of our snapshot perspectives on the love of God.....we are going to experience something pretty special......and it's going to draw us closer together......in our uniqueness.......in our diversity.....and in our ONE uniting commonality....the fact that we ALL experience REMINDERS of the love of God in SO many ways.....at so many times throughout every day of our lives....And THIS series....is going to make us more AWARE of those moments.......more SWITCHED ON to them......and appreciate them more.....

Over the last 7 weeks.....Sue and I have been caring for little baby Olivia....from 5 days old......Her mum was NOT able to care for her...so we took on that role....BUT last week...she moved on from us...and now that she's gone.....I can recognize that the short time she was with us... ROCKED me.....Olivia was NOT my child.....she carried NONE of my DNA.....and yet in a very short period of time.....like a day.....I grew to love her with a depth that amazed me....And as I would hold her to feed her....or rock her to settle her....I would look at her and actually ACHE inside at how much I loved her.....

SO....when she left and was placed in long term care just over a week ago....it was like a little part of me got ripped out....and I recognize that it has affected how I operate....it has affected how I cope with every other thing in my life....and while I'm ACTUALLY used to this process of Foster Care...of attaching to children and then having them leave.......THIS one has affected me deeply...

We sent her off to her new placement with photos of us.....and a beautiful children's bible with a nice message from us inside....BUT I've no idea if she'll ever read that message.....and we might NEVER have any contact with that little girl again.....

So I've been working through all of that and processing it all this week.....And in amongst that....this image of the unconditional love of God.....has been rolling round my mind .....

God our Father....loves us unconditionally....to the point where it ACHES inside him.....He looks at us...he knows us TOTALLY.....and He LOVES what he sees....warts and all....BUT he RELEASES us.... here...he places us here......but with something written deep inside our makeup.....a need....a desire.....part of who we are....a connection with him....in the HOPE that we will MAKE that connection.....that we will COME BACK to Him....

And it must HURT so much....for Him....when we DON'T....when we FAIL to make that connection with Him....when we decide NOT to FILL that need....that void....with relationship with Him....but instead fill it with so much other STUFF.

I think we need to REALLY GET this notion of ‘unconditional love'.....BUT I think we really struggle with it...... For me personally... for the greater part og time....I'm UNIMPRESSED with myself.....and I really STRUGGLE to understand WHY we are WORTH this love.....this unconditional GIFT of love from God.....

Philip Yancey, in his book.... What's So Amazing About Grace?,....a book which I believe to be a MUST READ..... tells about how C.S. Lewis overheard a conversation about what (if anything) is so unique about Christianity......and C.S. Lewis listened for a moment.....then said.... the answer is grace........And he's right.....And I think we've all heard that enough times to know it to be TRUE..... BUT I think we would give the same answer without recognizing how foreign the whole notion is.....because as Philip Yancey goes on to say....the idea of God's love coming to us free...no strings attached.....goes against EVERY human instinct. BUT if God's love is conditional...then we're ALL in trouble....and this...when you whittle it down....is the basis of all religion.....God loves...BUT on condition....Meet the conditions and you gain the Love...Love is something to be attained.

And we use different words for it.....forgiveness....mercy.....acceptance....grace....but they are all really different words for LOVE....

And in thisaspect... ALL religions SEEM to be the same....they give God a name.....then they establish the rules you have to follow if you are to gain his affection and favour....and I think that's why we sometimes make the mistake of THINKING that all religions are just different ways of getting to the same thing......

The Buddhist eight-fold path, the Hindu doctrine of karma, the Jewish covenant, and the Muslim code of law...and even some Christian churches.....each of these offers a way to earn approval....and these traps WORK....because of two things.....we LONG for love....and we just DON'T understand the concept of UNCONDITIONAL love....we are conditioned to believe that Love is CONDITIONAL...... but ONLY Christianity makes God's love unconditional.....ALL other religions are TAILORED to the human condition and human instinct...to have to WORK towards acceptance.....BUT God sees us as we are....and accepts us.....ALL we have to do....is accept HIM.....

Some of us begin with God at an early age.....and just progress with him through life.....that's been my experience.....BUT some people begin with him early.....but then run as far away as they can....searching for whatever it is that they long for in their hearts.

Over the years....I've come across a lot of people who are running from God.....angry with Him......and yet in some way they're also desperately looking for Him.....just needing Him to present Himself in some tangible way......

And most people who are running from God....will tell you that they are searching for Love....which is SO frustrating....when it seems so clear....that God himself IS love.....

I think that often....when it comes to Love....we are our own worst enemies.....When we've been hurt by love in the past....or we feel that somehow love is going to betray us....Often we do almost everything we can to destroy LOVE directed towards us....just to TEST if it's actually real....

During the first year of our marriage....I think that's pretty much what Sue and I did.....we put our love to the test....on pretty much every level and topic.....

I remember Sue once asked me in that first year WHY I loved her.....

Now I wanted to express to her that my love was UNCONDITIONAL.....that there was nothing about her that I DIDN'T love....BUT I made the mistake of telling her that I loved her for no good reason.....BA..BAH

Not a good answer apparently....because she come back with....SO there's NO good reason to love me......there's nothing about me that's worth loving......

I may not be bright....BUT I am intuitive......I knew NOT to try and explain myself...but to just be EXPLICIT about what I loved about her.....So I told her how I loved that she was so beautiful....that she was so smart....that she was so talented....that she has such a beautiful smile....that she cares about other people......And EVENTUALLY I dug my way out of that situation.....

And I think we've ALL been in situations like that....especially the men....but I think it SPEAKS something about us all...at a much more BASIC level.....I think the reality is....that we are unsure and uncomfortable about LOVE and in particular God's love.....and we take that uncertainty into every aspect of LOVE in our lives.....

God's love disorients us....because it's so foreign to the pattern of love that we USUALLY see displayed....which is so conditional......I'll love you IF......I'll love you WHEN....I'll love you BECAUSE.....

But God's love is NOT that way..... We desperately WANT God to love us at so many levels....BUT at the same time......we find ourselves NERVOUS before Him....because He sees right through us....and He KNOWS everything that isn't LOVABLE about us.....and we can't RECONCILE this love...WE know who WE are.....We know what is unlovely in US....and we wonder how we EVER became so WORTHY of this love that God has for us...and it WORRIES us.....because we KNOW we are NOT worthy.

So many of us RUN......we run from God because we KNOW he sees us fully.....and we run to escape our sense of unworthiness......and we run from God because we are CERTAIN that the closer we come to him.....the more GUILT and SHAME we are going to feel.

We run from God because we LONG to be loved...and we have convinced ourselves....or we've been convinced by those around us who DON"T show love and acceptance to us......that this God who is the absolute MOST loving...could NEVER want to love and accept us as we are......

It seems that no matter how beautiful or talented or wanted we are...there's always something inside us that makes us insecure....particularly when it comes to love...

And I think one of the reasons for that...is that we have so little experience of unconditional love.....and the only love we do experience....is so often CONDITIONAL ....and that constantly leaves us insecure and wanting something more......BUT we make the mistake of THINKING that at least with conditional love....we have SOME control over our life situation...if we DO these things then we WILL be loved...but the downside is.....when we rely on conditional love....when you don't meet the expectation...you lose the love.....and that hurts....and it builds up more insecurity...and more feelings of unworthiness....

YOU are the object of God's love....you are unique and irreplaceable.....This is God we are talking about....and there are a lot of things that ARE dispensable.....He can recreate whatever he wants......but YOU...are not on that list....do you get that???

Well I hope you do.....BUT I want to finish this morning....by just REMINDING you of some of the REALITIES of God's love from His word......so that as you move into this month of celebration of God's love for us.......you are reminded of these key concepts......

The FIRST Truth is this.....that God's Love is a personal thing not a generalisation.......

1 John 4:9-10 -This is the kind of love we are talking about-not that we once upon a time loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to clear away our sins and the damage they've done to our relationship with God.
2 Corinthians 5:21 - In Christ..... God put the wrong on him who never did anything wrong, so we could be put right with God.

See our reading this morning from Romans 5....and these passages here....leave us with no guessing.......that God LOVES each of us personally.....it's not JUST for some ...but for ALL of us.....and He SHOWED the depth of that love....through Jesus....and the sacrifice of his son......

The second Truth....is that God's Love is Unconditional

Colossians 1:19-20 - From beginning to end he's there, towering far above everything, everyone. So spacious is he, so roomy, that everything of God finds its proper place in him without crowding. Not only that, but all the broken and dislocated pieces of the universe-people and things, animals and atoms-get properly fixed and fit together in vibrant harmonies, all because of his death, his blood that poured down from the cross.
John 1:29 - The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, "Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!

WE were sinners....that's the bottom line....and we could do NOTHING to break out of the cycle of sin in our lives.........so God sent Jesus to make the perfect sacrifice to FIX our relationship with God....no cost....no expectation..... God's love is unconditional and He accepts me "Just as I am" and he gradually transforms me into what I have been called to be...to find my proper place.....in Him

The final TRUTH I want to leave you with is this... God's Love Demonstrates that He Value's You

1 Peter 1:18-21 - Your life is a journey you must travel with a deep consciousness of God. It cost God plenty to get you out of that dead-end, empty-headed life you grew up in. He paid with Christ's sacred blood, you know. He died like an unblemished, sacrificial lamb. And this was no afterthought. Even though it has only lately-at the end of the ages-become public knowledge, God always knew he was going to do this for you. It's because of this sacrificed Messiah, whom God then raised from the dead and glorified, that you trust God, that you know you have a future in God.

How do you determine the value of an object? It is only worth what someone is willing to pay. What was the price God paid for you? God demonstrates His love for us by giving His one and only Son to die on the cross for our sins.

You are the object of God's love....

Over this next month....I want you to think deeply about that.....and look for those ways in which God reveals these truths to you.....because he will.....

Father God...we want to draw near to you over this next month... and we want to give you thanks because of the things that you have done for us in Jesus Christ. Father....I pray that you will work deeply in our hearts over this time.....so that we might respond to your incredible gift of grace in a way that not only brings us life, but allows us to share that life with each of our brothers and sisters here...Make us aware of your displays of love as we go about life....and to recognize them for what they are...reminders of your deep and unconditional love for us...and as we gather our Snapshots of Love over this time...may they bring glory to the name of Jesus...who gave so freely....and in whose name we pray. Amen.

Some Spiritual Housekeeping - Clean Up Australia Day

Sun, 01 Mar 2009 00:00:00 +1100

Well....this morning we are doing things a bit different.....After communion today.....we are going to finish our service and some of us are going to go out and clean up around Stephenson Park and along the Industrial Highway.....

A few years ago.....the phrase "What would Jesus Do?" was popular.....And I think it was a good concept in that for every situation you found yourself in....that phrase provided a way of injecting a Jesus perspective into that situation.....

Last weekend at camp.....We began to look at the process of Spiritual Formation that every one of us undergoes in some way......Spiritual Formation is about us becoming more like Jesus.....and the process of constantly CHANGING to become more and more like Jesus.....a bit like taking the "What would Jesus Do?" process to the next level

What I was saying last weekend.....is that GOD'S desire for us....is that we would ALLOW ourselves to be shaped and transformed...so that JESUS becomes the centre of our lives....becomes the model for our lives..... becomes the pattern of our lives....BUT that process can't begin....unless WE CHANGE....from being the person who SHAPES our own life....to the person who is BEING SHAPED

I think we take the idea of CHANGE....a bit for granted....as if it just HAPPENS....as if our lives become RICHER...as if the process of spiritual formation will take place in our lives just by being associated with Jesus or by going to church.....but it doesn't....there is a certain amount of spiritual housekeeping that is required.

Change is often a difficult concept to grasp......Change is something pretty unique to us as humans. What is natural to us is not natural to anything else that breathes. Like my cow Mabel is not driven to pursue a better life.....my sheep did not lie around contemplating their personal destiny and how they might improve it.....which is possibly what led to their demise.....and even though my chickens have some inbuilt instinct to protect their eggs....they don't feel the need or do anything about creating a better world for themselves.....they just exist....and the VALUE of their existence is influenced by so many externals out of their control....like if I remember to feed them......

But for US....This desire for CHANGE and the possibility of making things better....is part of who we are....and when it comes down to it....most of us....are driven by it....it PUSHES us to do and pursue so many of the things that fill our time and consume our energies....and it is somewhere within this driving force for change...that the whole notion of HOPE sits.

We somehow know that we're supposed to be instruments for good....even apart from our relationship with Jesus.....we somehow KNOW that we're meant to make the world a better place. We don't know why.....we don't have any justification or reason for it...other than this inbuilt sense of morality....but we just feel that we have to care about this world and the people in it.

The Bushfires of the last few weeks....have been a perfect example of this......EVERYONE has been profoundly affected by what has taken place down in Victoria. And people feel compelled to DO something because it is part of how we are wired....part of our design by a God who CARES for each one of us...and wired that care into who we are....A God who wants a DEEP relationship with us....a God who MADE us so that we should care about this world and the people in it.

When we experience the suffering of others....it compels us to DO something...If we ignore it....if we walk away and decide that the problem isn't ours...it's someone else's.....then it eats into our consciences...and we know deep inside us that something is terribly wrong.

In the paper a couple of weeks ago....I was reading an interview with a volunteer that had gone down to help with the efforts.....and she finished with this sentence....After this experience....I can't NOT think about it. I can no longer pretend that everything is OK because it's NOT. My eyes were opened to this reality and now I have to figure out what to do about it.

And I can echo that exact same sentence.....because it's EXACTLY what I felt when I was confronted by the absolute POVERTY in the slums of Manila.....and you just can't NOT think about it......it CHANGES you...it compels you....it motivates you to DO something....

WHY.....what is it inside the human spirit that tells us something must be done? WHY do we feel compelled to give an offering to help those people down in Victoria.....WHY do we have a conscience about families living in tiny 3m x 3m hovels half way around the world..... WHY do we have a conscience about the state of our planet and the mess that it's in, for which we are ALL ultimately responsible for......WHY should we care about something when there is NO benefit in it for us?

Well....it's pretty simple really.....because we're human....and humans are created in the image of God....because built into all of us is this intrinsic need for PROGRESS FORWARD.....this need to believe that things WILL get better....that WE will get better....our lives will get better....and even our world and our environment will get better.

And unless you've become totally cynical...or your wiring is fried.....then there is something inside you that either DRIVES you to make the world a better place.......or makes you feel guilty that you aren't doing anything about it.

You are designed to accomplish......your soul can't THRIVE without progress...without positive development...without worth and purpose...without HOPE.....and the times when you are feeling jaded and cynical....are the times when you have lost sight of your hope......

But you know the greatest problem......is that the thing that holds us back.....is that we can't begin to make the WORLD a better place....if we ourselves aren't MOVING FORWARD towards a better place.

I think it was Gandhi who had that wonderful line......Become the change you seek.......I totally get that......but the question is......HOW?

Spiritual formation......is about ALLOWING the spirit of God to PROMPT you.....to MOVE you....to CHANGE you....to SOFTEN you.....and it happens.....when we CONNECT with our God through Jesus........because then something happens....as we connect with Jesus....and as we allow him to SHAPE and influence our lives.....we begin to care much more deeply about people....and the world around us....

Today is Clean Up Australia Day......and all round our country....groups of people are taking on the task of being COMMITTED to our environment....and DOING something about it.....Last Wednesday I went to a meeting out at Charlestown....with all of the people who had signed on to look after a clean up site.....And in that room....as I listened to the questions and stories from previous years.....there was a sense of commitment and PASSION in those people....and passion like that is exhilarating....it DRAWS you in....when there is a sense of common purpose....

Jesus is like that...and people who display a passion and commitment for Jesus....are exhilarating...and it draws people in....that's what Jesus meant when He said that we are the salt of the earth and the light of the world...and the Jesus that we present to the world should be exhilarating....He should inspire Passion.....He should unite people in common purpose.... And He DOES....but that passion should NOT be limited to what happens in THIS building......we need to be taking that passion....that common purpose OUT THERE.....

In one of the articles I read in amongst the information for Clean up Australia Day.... Al Gore was writing about climate change....and he said this......

"The climate crisis also offers us the chance to experience what very few generations in history have had the privilege of knowing....a generational mission.....the exhilarations of a compelling moral purpose; a shared and unifying cause......the thrill of being forced by circumstances to put aside the pettiness and conflict that so often stifle the restless human need for transcendence....the opportunity to rise......And when we rise, we will experience an epiphany as we discover that this crisis is not really about politics at all..... It is a moral and spiritual challenge."

You know I read those words.....and I found them compelling.....but for different reasons.....So much of what we do.....so much of who we are as followers of Jesus.....places us in this MORAL and SPIRITUAL challenge......And the question that kept coming to my mind was....WHERE does my passion lie....what is it that consumes my thinking.....that I am totally committed to....what is it that I am prepared to do WHATEVER it takes to MAKE a difference......

And I can tell you it isn't cleaning up rubbish.....and it isn't becoming involved in political agendas about global warming and our care of the planet.....BUT to be united with all of you....going out there today to pick up rubbish....and to be united with people all across our country from every walk of life and every point of spiritual formation....and to be able to put aside our agendas and our expectations and our judgements and to be UNIFIED in a common cause which is important.....DOES something for your spiritual formation....it is a moral and a spiritual challenge

If Jesus was here today.....would He be a part of Clean up Australia.....I reckon He would....because he would see the value of people CARING about our world....he would see the value of people being united in their purpose.....and coming alongside each other to DO something about it.....

Jesus was prepared to do WHATEVER it took.....to get the message across....to make us understand....to unify us in a common goal.....and to secure a future for us......When Jesus Christ died for us......it was very much a case of WHATEVER it takes.....and we come here this morning to say....THANKYOU....and to let him know that it WAS worth it.....that his sacrifice and commitment and passion MEANT something to us.....that He has CHANGED us and offered us something that we couldn't get ANYWHERE else....Forgiveness....Acceptance....and HOPE

And so together.....we want to say thankyou to Him for that.....and to recognise once again....the sacrifice He made to CLEAN UP our relationship with God.....

Clean Up Australia Day.....is very much about SERVING....and Jesus came to serve us...even in His death....and he asked that we continue to serve one another......and so we want to do that this morning...but before we do that.....we want to take time to thank Jesus......

Could I have our helpers come forward now and SERVE you......in the name of Jesus.....

Father......thanks for showing us the way you want us to live life...and for the ongoing forming of each one us by the prompting and guidance of your spirit......Lord you cared about hurting people....you cared about the issues of society.....and father you CARE about US.......and this morning.....we come to give thanks for that.....Lord as we go out this morning and collect rubbish.....I pray that each of us will be mindful that we care....because you cared first....we serve....because you served first....and we love.....because you loved first. Lord I pray that this exercise will be a real time of fun....but that we each will be challenged personally.....to cleanup.....

Spiritual Formation - Camp Study

Sat, 21 Feb 2009 00:00:00 +1100

I have some really interesting friends....and I want to introduce you to them.....

Tony is into fitness....

Claim to fame - "Abciser" video model
Gym before work
Always has a bottle of water
Run after work then finish at gym
Weekends - competes in Body beautiful competitions
Never met ANYONE who spends so much time an fitness and sculpting their body

Kim is into dieting....

You name the diet....Kay's been on it...
Not even seriously overweight but convinced she is.
Currently onto the shakes diet......only has mixup shake for lunch...or a soup.....1 apple
Conversations....always seem to be about diets.....like she is at WAR with weight.
Doesn't seem real happy!

Paula is into alternative medicines...

Took 12 months and went and worked in India....
Came back very different.....vegetarian.....gave up drinking....into alternative medicine.
Sit with her at morning tea.....talk will always turn to herbs of some sort.
Always asking what my problems are and suggesting I use this...or burn this in my belly button.

John....is a good looking man I guess!

He has a personal trainer.... seems to make most of the major decisions in Johns life....
If his trainer says to do it....then John does it
It's all about the whole IMAGE for John....and he struggles when a student in his class doesn't like him.

Angela and her husband are into Financial Planning

Last week she brought out a graph which they have been plotting for the last 15 years....HUGE
Every week they plot what the Dow Jones Index is at
She can show you the build up to every financial glitch over that time.
She has worked out a mathematical formula for WHEN the best DAYS to purchase stock are and WHAT stock.
For all her plotting.....Kristi is STILL a school teacher.

Ray....keeps a journal of everything that happens at work

He's convinced that he's going to be able to SUE his work for something that happens
If he can't....he's sure he will be able to go out on stress leave
Ray hates work so much....that he spends every day searching for a way to get out of it.
Nobody will talk to him....in case they say something wrong and give him the ammunition he needs
Ray needs to get out of his job

There's nothing WRONG with my friends BUT they are an INDICATOR of the society we live in......

We live in a consumer oriented society....

You can buy ANY service.....and we are pretty much prepared to buy whatever we need.
We also live in a performance based society......
To achieve whatever it is we want.....we will do whatever it takes......
We have 5.....10.....and even lifetime plans for ourselves....for our jobs....even our kids.
We have plans for every aspect of our lives.....from weight loss to getting rich.....from getting healthy to getting the job we want.

AND YET.....and here's the freaky part....When it comes to our SPIRITUAL LIFE.....to the very core of who we are and why we are here......

Most of us have.....NO PLAN.....

We leave all that organization to the Pastor...to TEACH us on Sunday....or to our home group.....or to the youth leader.....to MEET those needs....and we just EXPECT....or at least we HOPE that we will GROW and develop to somehow become MORE like Jesus....

BUT.....it's NOT working for most of us.....and it's SO haphazard....so hit or miss.....

This weekend....is an opportunity for each of us....to think about how OUR spiritual development is going......a bit of a spiritual health check....and to ask the question......WHAT plan do I have in place that is developing my spirit to be MORE like Jesus...that is ACTIVELY......assisting the spirit of God to bring about CHANGE in who I am...and how I think....that is MORE in line with how JESUS thinks.......and if I don't have one......WHAT might I need to do.....

And so....as you go about the rest of your evening...and as you lie in bed tonight....I want you to think about just ONE question.......

Am I willing to have my life changed.....to become more like Jesus?

SATURDAY MORNING

Slide 1

Last night I left you with a question....

Am I willing to have my life changed....to become more like Jesus?

Some of you may have given that some thought......
Some of you might have come up with a resounding YES.....if God brings about change in my life...no matter how radical....then YES
Others might have thought....well I guess so....but I fail to see WHY it would be needed ort what it would accomplish......things are going along quiet well....or I'm old and don't NEED to change
And I guess some of you might have quietly thought to yourselves....a straight out NO...I'm happy with how things are...life's good...God's in the right position.....everything's OK

The difficult thing is....that as a leader....my JOB is to lead you into places that you might NOT otherwise go....so regardless of HOW you answered that question......my hope is....that over the course of this weekend.....and over the next few months....you might be taken to a place where you begin to really think about what it REALLY means to be CONSTANTLY changing to become more and more like Jesus.

The term that is used to describe this process.....is Spiritual Formation.....the process of becoming more and more like Jesus....

Slide 2

Whether we know it or not, our lives are shaped by the things that we invest ourselves in.....by the things that we value...by the things that energise us.....much like my friends at work who I introduced you to last night....

And none of these are WRONG in themselves.....but when we allow those things to SHAPE our lives.....to shape who we are...and how we operate....and even how we view the world....then it can be very shallow......and it can almost seem as if something is missing.

When I was studying to be a teacher......the process of study was my life.....it was all I breathed....it was pretty much every conversation I had....it governed my time....it governed my mood and it determined my emotions according to how it was going.....and Sue can tell you....that those 4 years were perhaps the 4 worst of our marriage.....BUT for me in the middle of it....oblivious to how it was all playing out and affecting those around me as well as myself.....it felt pretty much normal....I was in control....I was making my own choices....and I was doing well in the eyes of those whose APPROVAL was important to me. BUT I remember feeling IMMENSELY empty during those 4 years...as if something was missing!

And I think that most of us can identify at one point or another in our lives....those feelings.....that there's just GOT to be more.....and at the very heart of those feelings....are some deep spiritual questions....like....What will bring meaning and purpose to my life?......What am I searching for?......How do I live my life in order to make it count?...and what will it look like in the end?

And it doesn't matter whether you're a Christian or NOT......we ALL have those questions.....they are an essential part of what it MEANS to be HUMAN.....they are part of our design and it's almost like God puts them in us so that ONE day we just MIGHT finally wake UP to his whole purpose and plan for us......

BUT the trouble is that our own NEED to be in control of our life and our choices.....I think can potentially STOP us from EVER seeing God's purpose for us....or from enjoying the kind of relationship He REALLY wants to have with us....

GOD wants us to ALLOW ourselves to be shaped and transformed...so that JESUS becomes the centre of our lives....becomes the model of our lives..... becomes the pattern of our lives....BUT that means that we have to CHANGE....from being the person who SHAPES....to the person who is BEING SHAPED.....and as threatening as that might seem....THAT'S the ultimate objective.....the ultimate goal....our highest priority....I think PAUL certainly GOT this......it's exactly what he was talking about in Romans 12:2 .....Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is-his good, pleasing and perfect will.

And then in 2 Corinthians 3:18.....And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.

This process of change was a REALITY in Paul's life......and not ONCE does he paint it as a BAD thing....as a hard thing.....this change in his life is AMAZING.......BUT sometimes I just don't think we just MISS the whole point.....and I think we sabotage every opportunity that God HAS to bring about this process of change....because we DON'T want to UPSET things as they are.....we don't want to let GO...we think that to let JESUS in.....somehow means there's less of US.

Slide 3

That's why I wanted this weekend....to begin to look at the process of Spiritual Formation....or the process of becoming more and more like Jesus....It's NOT a sudden change.....its not even necessarily a RADICAL change.....and to some extent there's never a point where we actually GET there...Everyone...whether they're a Christian or not...undergoes spiritual formation......the only question is whether it's GOOD formation or BAD...but regardless....it's a lifelong process that ANYONE who chooses to sign on with Jesus is a part of.....whether we CHOOSE to embrace it ....is another question.

Dallas Willard has written some great stuff on this topic......and I particularly love this quote....

"As a disciple of Jesus I am with him by choice and by grace, learning from him how to live in

the Kingdom of God...his life flowing through mine...I am learning from Jesus to live my life as he would live my life if he were I. I am not necessarily learning to do everything he did, but I am learning how to do every thing I do in the manner that he did all that he did."

And that pretty much sums up what this is all about......

Slide 4

If the OBJECT of this life....is to become more and more like Jesus......then it's probably worthwhile spending some time LOOKING at how that might LOOK in us.....because the process actually involves an interweaving of these three DIFFERENT processes within each one of us.....

The first is about what we THINK about Jesus and about what it means to be a follower of Christ.....this is termed orthodoxy......

The second is about our actions .....how does having a relationship affect our behaviour, our actions, and how do our actions line up with the actions of Jesus.....this is termed orthopraxy

And third.....is about how we feel... about God, about ourself and about others as a result of how Jesus sees and feels about us...this is termed orthopathy.

And the whole process of our spiritual shape or formation...our whole view of Jesus and his impact on our lives.......is determined by how these three processes interplay in our lives.......and it's all about balance....that no ONE is more important or less important than the others....

And you can begin to see what happens when we have a SKEWED view on this....and say FAVOUR one aspect over another.....

If it's all about orthopraxy and our actions and what we DO....then there's a good chance that at worst we will become tireless ....and tired...and we'll likely burn ourselves....and others...out because we feel we have to rely on our own efforts to please God.

If it's all about orthopathy ....or our feelings about God...and about ourselves and the relationship of the two.....to the exclusion of the others......then we can end up as impractical off with the fairy mystics....so focused on contemplation and personal spiritual experience that we become absolutely no use in the kingdom of God.

And I think we all know what happens.... if our main focus or even our exclusive focus is in orthodoxy...or our need to know the RIGHT thinking about Jesus and our faith....and there's a lot of churches out there that have this focus.....then the worst case scenario....is that we end up hard arrogant judgmental law mongerers.... no different than the Pharisees of Jesus day.....worshipping our doctrine and our theological arguments and our intellectual superiority......INSTEAD of a genuine REAL encounter with Jesus

THIS....is the place we want to focus of...where the three intersect....and FORM who we are in our spirit.....this point where our HEAD ....our HEART and our HANDS....overlap....because it's HERE that we meet JESUS and begin to understand what it REALLY means to be shaped by Him....and we begin to understand just who we ARE in Him.......

Slide 5

Now....understanding that this process of spiritual formation.....is a lifelong process......I'm not aiming to get this all sorted this weekend......

This weekend is about BEGINNING the process of understanding WHO YOU ARE in your relationship with Jesus....and how your current perceptions of that might be SKEWING that relationship......

My mum......took up pottery when she was older....and she was AMAZING...she was a GREAT potter.....I was intrigued when I watched her spin up a pot on the wheel....and gently lift and form the sides of the pot....and narrow the sides as she drew them up.....

And it was a fine art......of working the clay and keeping the moisture....the pressure on her hands and the thickness of the side....ALL in balance.......

BUT every now and then.......when she was distracted....of if she let the clay get too wet......or if she went a bit thin with the sides.......the pot would begin to wobble....just a bit at first....but then it would wobble noticeably....and then the WHOLE pot would collapse on itself in an ugly mess.....and she would start the whole process over again.....

I sometimes feel like our spiritual formation is a bit like that...sometimes things just get out of whack..... we fail to get it...we try too hard...or worst...we do NOTHING....and then we hit a hiccup......the whole lot seems to be collapsing around us in an ugly mess.....

BUT our God is a gracious God.....and he WANTS deep meaningful relationship with us....he WIRED us for it.......and he sent JESUS to show us the BEST way to make that happen......and He wants us to GET that...He wants us to CARE about that...and he wants us to DO something about it.

For the remainder of our time until morning tea.....I want us to begin to think about our Spiritual formation......and I guess that begins....by going back to our original question...... Am I willing to have my life changed....to become more like Jesus?

I've divided you all into groups....

I want each group to just discuss the 5 questions on this sheet....

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

1. When in my life has God become more that just a concept?

2. If each of us are becoming more like Jesus, then there should be those around us who resemble Jesus in some way. Who in my life is like Jesus?

3. In what areas do I sense development or change in my faith?

4. What are the greatest obstacles in my life to growing spiritually?

5. How do I most often express my love for God?

Prepare Yourselves - Consecration

Sun, 01 Feb 2009 00:00:00 +1100

I'm convinced....that the more you go away from Australia......the more you REALLY understand that there is just NO place like Australia. We just spent 3 weeks in America......nice place....but wouldn't want to live there......

We lived for 12 days....with a family in San Diago......The dad was a retired US Marine officer....and he drove a bright red Hummer...so that was good.....BUT he was big on President Bush.....big on the war in Afganistan....and big on his JOB now....which is all about PROFILING......his mission is to train marines to be able to identify the specific behaviours of terrorists just by watching them by remote cameras....and then going in to take them out....and he is absolutely committed and passionate about this MISSION he has been given....and he speaks often about his mission.....to wipe out the bad guys....SO it was an interesting cultural exchange of different values and ideas and beliefs.....BUT during our time with them....we saw some beautiful aspects of the states.....the Joshua Tree national monument....which is a huge national park out in the desert......we stayed at Palm Springs......BUT I am so glad to be home......

One of the things that troubles me most about America....is that GOD is so OBVIOUS in their culture....and yet He is so OBSCURE.....Most families are associated with church......they speak of God....and yet there is so little evidence of God in their lives....apart from Sunday church.....it's like God is as much a part of their culture as the flag....but with about as much significance......and I know that might be a generalization....but after three trips to the states.....THAT'S the thing that strikes me everytime.....

And so...after all that.... I've come home......determined that I want to make God evident and OBVIOUS in everything I do as an individual....and in ALL that we do as a church.....

See I believe that God has given this church a mission....And just like our host and his mission....I'm PASSIONATE about that mission......BUT sometimes that mission can be a little hard to identify.....it's NOT just a matter of just hearing what God wants....and then going and doing it.

And I also think....that if we seriously want to be a part of God's mission.... Then we should expect.....that WE are going to change...... because God's mission is all about changing people, from the inside out.....and it's hard to be a part of that mission...if you're not experiencing that change yourself......

Over the last 12 months.....I've talked a lot about the kind of church that I believe God wants us to be.....and I guess what sums that up....is that I believe that what God calls the church as a whole to be....is a church that CARES about what's happening to His people around us.....it means that the things that affect the lives of people half way around the world ....has an impact on our lives...... it affects US as well ....and so we WANT to DO something to help CHANGE those circumstances.....to support them...and help them ....and that's an amazing aspect of this church here in Mayfield......it's part of our identity and its part of what we are called to be as the church of Jesus Christ....we don't just TALK about it and SAY it's part of what we do....we actually DO it.....

And it's also about recognising that those problems and the issues aren't just overseas......they are here too.....right outside our doors.....in our own neighborhoods ....and God calls us to be COMMITTED....to DEDICATE ourselves to the task of HAVING an IMPACT on the lives of the people we come in contact with.....

And so that means.....that as a church.....we have made some commitments....We have made a commitment to grow deeper in our relationship with our God....so that we are GROWING and experiencing that change as we get to know our God deeper.....It involves commitment to put ourselves OUT there...to make ourselves AVAILABLE to DO something.....to take seriously the needs of the people in our neighborhoods.....and the needs of people half way around the world..... And that commitment means that sometimes.....we're not always certain of what the next hurdle will be or how we will overcome it......the path is NOT always clear......often all we get is a GLIMPSE of where we are going...but that's all we need.....if we are DEDICATED to the task.....

And I found our reading this morning....as I read it this week....to be REALLY encouraging..... because from that reading....we recognize that we're not the FIRST people to be on a MISSION from God.....without being able to see how it's all going to pan out.....that all God requires....is for US to be dedicated to the task.....

Our passage from Joshua...... goes back all the way to the very formation of the nation of Israel......and here are a group of people who have had a promise that they've been waiting to see happen for hundreds of years....... God has promised them a LAND..... and their ancestors passed on this promise from generation to generation...... They built alters....wherever they went.....as a reminder of the promise that had been made to them by God...even though they didn't have a CLUE how it was going to come about......They went through slavery in Egypt.....They were taken out of slavery and then spent 40 years wandering around the desert...... And then now...at this point....right at this passage..... they are on the very edge of the land that God has promised....they can see it...... It's there....It's right across the river.....but the river is in flood.... and there are no bridges....there are no boats...... There's no way to CROSS this river ......and yet they are at the edge and God is saying to them...."This is your land.....and I am going to take you into it."

And so Joshua says to the people on that day.

"When you see the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God, and the priests, who are Levites, carrying it, you are to move out from your positions and follow it. Then you will know which way to go, since you have never been this way before. But keep a distance of about a thousand yards between you and the ark; do not go near it."

And I want you to hear this next section....... "Joshua told the people, "Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do amazing things among you."

These people are right on the edge of the land that has been promised to them....so close..... They are ready to FINALLY get the promise that they have been carrying around and waiting for...all this time.....and Joshua tells them to....."Consecrate themselves."

What does it MEAN to concsecrate themselves...... Consecrate means to dedicate something or somebody to a specific purpose.....so what Joshua is saying to them......is to DEDICATE yourselves to the task....prepare yourselves.....purify yourselves....make yourselves READY....because tomorrow.....God is going to do amazing things through you and around you.

You know....one of the greatest delights I have had in the last few months.....is to watch the CHANGE that has taken place in Becky and Luke leading up to and after Holly was born.....

I'm sure Becky won't mind me saying....that up till recent times....it's ALWAYS been about Becky.....BUT it's been magical to watch the CHANGE....as she has prepared herself.....and examined herself....and then after Holly was born how she has DEDICATED herself to the task of caring for that little girl....It's like a single minded focus.....an all consuming task....which is greater that ANYTHING else.....

And Luke also went through a similar transformation.....but for him it was very practical......There was this room.....that was always a junk room......And it's like he walked into that room....and recognized that it was no longer a junk room...it was no longer an office....THIS was going to be a nursery and HE had to make this room SPECIAL.....ready for someone SPECIAL....and he suddenly discovered skills he didn't know he had...and tools he didn't know I had.......and from that came cupboards....and change tables....and fancy drapes......and a room that is SPECIAL......that is DEDICATED....that is CONSECRATED.........that is set apart for somebody special.....

And SEE.....We are called to be consecrated to God...to be set apart for somebody special....What an amazing concept....... That God wants us to be ready for him.

Now when Joshua told the people of Israel to consecrate themselves.....it involved some ritual things..... it involved a ritual washing of themselves, a ritual washing of their clothes. They lived in a culture where water was scarce, so they didn't bathe every day....so bathing and washing your clothes was a pretty big deal......and it was a symbolic moment of starting in a new direction.....in a new stage of life......

BUT they had to prepare at a DEEPER level as well as the physical...... They had to put their attention on God...... They had to make HIM their focus...... They had to pay attention..... They had to be available..... They had to be ready.....because God was coming to DO something.

And you know.....I absolutely believe.....that WE are at a major moment in the life of our church here at Mayfield...... It's like we are on the bank of the river and ready to cross over.....God has been incredibly faithful in the past...... It's just amazing when you look back at the history of this church.....at the things that have taken place....at the lives that have been touched..... People have been helped.....people have GROWN.....People are actually LIVING the life God has called us to live..... SO we keep moving forward.....and God is still as big as ever..... and the job is not finished yet......BUT there is still that promise...and so we need to continue to CONSECRATE ourselves....to PREPARE ourselves...to DEDICATE ourselves to what lies ahead.....

So as we MOVE into this year....at what I sense is an important time for us as a church.....I want to just think about what it means to consecrate ourselves.

The first aspect of this idea of consecration....I think has to do with purification.....like the ritual washing of the Israelites..... There are things in our lives that need work....and in some cases that need to go...... There are attitudes.....and ambitions...and distractions that have to go..... God wants us to be pure inside.... and that's NOT going to happen in a hurry...... There is going to be a struggle involved.....but If we never choose to COMMIT to that struggle....then things are NEVER going to change......we've got to commit to WANT to bring about change in our INNER life....to have relationships brought under control....to get habits broken....to begin to purify our thoughts and desires .....

But we also have to consecrate our time......I HATE that I get so busy at times.....because I think that OFTEN we use our busyness as an excuse for things that we don't do in our spiritual life....... So often I am too busy to read my Bible....... I am too busy to pray...... I am too busy to be available for this thing...or that.....and I begin to feel BAD about this burden that God is putting in my life..... God I am TOO busy.

We've got to design some margin in to our lives.....some room for God to move...and that's HARD......but it's all a part of consecrating ourselves to what lies ahead.....

I think we also need to Consecrate our finances...... Debt is such a huge issue for us all. We've got to get to the point where we earn more than we spend or spend less than we earn.....so we have some elbow room..... We have the extra...... We have the grace back in to our lives that we then can THEN use for God when he places things in front of us......

We've got to consecrate our gifts. God has given us gifts and abilities.....and these abilities are useful in our personal lives....they're useful in our work lives..... but those gifts are given by God because He wants to use those gifts in you to accomplish HIS work......in the church....down the street.....over in Manila...BUT are we making them available to Him?

See......all of these things require some sort of a response from us....and that response is going to involve our WILL. God creates a foundation.....and that foundation is set in place with each of us as individuals....and with us as a church.......but we have to CHOOSE to get engaged in it or not.....

I want to finish this morning.....with a verse from 2^nd Timothy that talks about this sort of choice 2 Timothy 2:20-21...and it says this:

"In a large house there are articles not only of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay; some are for noble purposes and some for ignoble. If a man cleanses himself from the latter, he will be an instrument for noble purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work."

There are all kinds of things that clutter up life......just like they clutter up our house......just like that junk room that has been collecting things for years....and then comes that day that because of the birth of that new baby.....we go in to that room and we start getting rid of the things that aren't important......We get rid of the things that are standing in the way of something that's SO much more important.......And WE need to do that with our lives. We need to get RID of the clutter..... Clean out the garbage........ and Consecrate ourselves.....DEDICATE ourselves to what lies ahead......

This is a good point in the year to do that......because I believe that God is going to be working on us ALL this year.

"Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do amazing things among you." God is going to do amazing things among us. I believe it......and it's NOT because we are worthy....not because we are clever or because we are great......but because it's TIME.

We are living in that time when God is going to do something AMAZING among us. And our lives are going to be changed as we connect with God in this.

BUT we have a responsibility......to CONSECRATE ourselves....to be prepared...to be available....to be ready when it happens....to be in the right place... facing in the right direction with our eyes and hearts open.....READY to respond....ready to follow, ready for something amazing.... Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do amazing things among you. Let's get ready.

Let's pray. God, as we head into this new year.....I pray that we will be aware of our own consecration...of our own dedication to you....and that you will be showing us day by day, step by step, what needs to happen in our lives. For we ask this in Jesus' name. Amen.

Dedication Service - Ben Partridge

Sun, 01 Feb 2009 00:00:00 +1100

Invite Robert, Lizie and Ben come forward.....

Psalm 139:13-16 (New International Version)

For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother's womb.

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful,
I know that full well.

My frame was not hidden from you
when I was made in the secret place.
When I was woven together in the depths of the earth,

your eyes saw my unformed body.
       All the days ordained for me
       were written in your book
       before one of them came to be.

Welcome

What a great opportunity it is....to come here this morning to give thanks for the life of Ben Partridge.....Lizie and Robert bring Ben here this morning....and have asked us all to join them....in dedicating themselves to the role of raising Ben and also to give thanks to God for this great little guy.

So we welcome you all here this morning for this time of thanksgiving.....

How awesome is it....having little babies around...... but even more amazing....is what happens as they start to grow. In what seems like an instant....this tiny baby....who is vulnerable and dependent... becomes a toddler...and they learn how to crawl and then to walk.... cries become words then sentences....they grow in body...they grow in mind...and they grow in spirit.... and they seem to almost sprint toward adulthood...and Ben has just begun that process.

And as parents Bert and Lizie have been given this tremendous opportunity to witness ALL of that....BUT they also have the great responsibility of guiding this amazing process that they began.

But the most amazing aspect of it all..... is that the very hand of God is involved in that process. The word of God in Psalm 139, tells us that our Creator knows each child long before he even enters this world, before he is even a dream in his mother's heart....The creator God was there at Ben's birth and will be there throughout ALL his years....

And as such....there is a sense in which our children belong to God.....but they are entrusted into our care for a season.....So parenting....in essence....is a calling from God...for us to take on this role through those years.....to love and protect.....to challenge.... and to gradually release these precious children.

And as Lizie and Bert already know......Parenting requires every resource we have, and then some....and coming here this morning is a way of acknowledging their need for God's help in fulfilling their role as parents

And so.......Bert and Lizie...I'd like to ask you these questions....

Do you bring Ben before God this morning to give thanks for him....and to dedicate yourselves to the role of parenting him?

If that's the case....I'd ask you to respond with..... "We do."

Do you acknowledge your need of Gods help, in your role as parents.....to nurture and guide Ben towards a life of obedience, love and faith.....in the hope that one day he too will seek to have a relationship with Jesus Christ?

If so, say, "We will."

And finally, will you do all in your power to shape the home life of Ben, by your words and example, training and prayer, to provide a place where he might become all that he can be....and see in you both, something that makes him desire to have a relationship with Jesus Christ.

If so, say, "We will."

The responsibility, for the development and nurture of Ben DOSEN'T fall only upon the immediate family. For good or bad, our society, the nation, and in fact the whole world will have some influence. And it's at this level, that all of us.....as members of the family of God, share some of that responsibility.

And so I'd like to ask you all ....Are you all willing to participate as fully as you can, in the creation of a nurturing, loving and prayerful environment for Ben. To show to him, the love and grace and nurture of our Lord Jesus Christ.

If so...I'd ask you to respond... " We will".

Would you all stand and join with me in a prayer of dedication.

The Prayer of Dedication

For all your gracious gifts to us, Father, we give you our thanks, especially for the life of this great little guy, Ben. We want to give thanks to you for him, and dedicate him to you today. Bless Robert and Lizie as his parents.....in all that they do....Guide us all as family and as a congregation in all that we do.... that Ben may increase in wisdom and stature and in favor with You and with all of mankind. Grant that the vows made here this morning may be faithfully upheld. Give all of us some measure of Christ's love and appreciation of children. And help us to do our part in building a world in which all children may grow up in health and happiness. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The Blessing

Jesus said, in Matthew 18: 3-5 "Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me."

And so......Ben, I dedicate you to God..... to His care and holy purposes, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

New Year Message - Emmaus Road

Sun, 04 Jan 2009 00:00:00 +1100

When you hear a verse like.....Romans 8 verse 28.....that we KNOW that in all things God works for the good of those who love him.....do you REALLY believe it

I mean....just thinking back through this last year.....remembering all that's happened over the year.....do you BELIEVE that all these things .....have worked for your GOOD?.... Cause it's NOT always easy is it......

Just this last week.....I've had one thing after another BREAK down on me.....boat motor......boat controller....boat starter..... the head gasket in the car......all RIGHT before I go to America......

And I'm thinking....HOW can that be for my good.....Well right NOW.....I guess I'm not seeing it.....BUT....HISTORICALLY.....I have a very good track record.... when I look back at the things that have happened in my life.......of very clearly seeing the hand of GOD working on the circumstances of my life......to allow things to happen....which cause me to MOVE in certain directions.....to MAKE certain decisions.....or to REACT in certain ways.....and as such....I'm CONFIDENT that in the near future I WILL know what this weeks breakdowns have been about......BUT....Having the CONFIDENCE....or the FAITH to be able to accept that REGARDLESS of what happens....that God IS working for my good.....is to me....one of the major challenges of living this life with Jesus....

I think it's GOOD to look back over your life.....particularly at the beginning of a new year.....at one of the most critical markers of our calendar.....and be able to identify key moments when God has been significantly guiding and directing the circumstances of your life....and to SEE God working in your life......because that KNOWLEDGE is what BUILDS our faith....and strengthens our TRUST in Him.....so that when we get BOMBARDED by the BREAKDOWNS of life......we can get THROUGH them.....because of the CONFIDENCE that we have in our God.....knowing...that HE is walking there beside us.....because sometimes....I think we MISS what it is He's doing there.......

A few days after Jesus is crucified.....there is an event that takes place on the road between Jerusalem and Emmaus.....which I want to look at today....as we move into another year as a church....because to ME it SPEAKS to us......of what this years holds for us.....and also what we need to be prepared for....as we move into this next exciting period together......

The Road between Jerusalem and Emmaus was about 7 miles ......

Jesus has just been crucified.......and what is now happening.....is that all of these people who loved Jesus.....who had followed him....and listened to him....and who had decided to LIVE their lives according to His teachings.......They were shattered.......and gradually....they began to scatter....to go back to their everyday lives.

Cleopas and his mate....whose name we're not even told..... aren't two of your well known disciples....they're just two followers....not part of the inner core of disciples....but everyday people who had been AFFECTED by the words that Jesus spoke....and I think we tend to forget about this group of early followers of Jesus.....and instead focus on the core of disciples and how they would have felt at this time.....but there were probably hundreds of disciples like Cleopas and his mate......who would have had NO idea....what was going on....to them....the whole thing just FELL apart....before it really got started......and they're STRUGGLING.....they were DEVASTATED........and they've LEFT Jerusalem......left a DEAD Jesus.....left what they thought was a DEFEATED Jesus....and they're going home.....they're moving one....back to their OLD lives......

And the thing I LOVE about this account....is that these two virtual NOBODIES could be any one of us.....any one of us who have decided to follow Jesus.....but who FAIL to see what it IS that he is DOING in our lives and in our church....that has ANY lasting... significant affect.......Any one of us.....who....when the wheels start to fall off......decide to GIVE it up.....and WALK AWAY disillusioned....back to our old life.....

Anyway......Out of the blue....a stranger tags along with these guys...... as they walked on the road away from Jerusalem.....and this stranger asks them WHAT they are discussing....and they say to Him.....are you kidding.....have you been in a cave for the last three days.....haven't you heard about this Jesus.....He was amazing....we thought He was IT.....He was meant to be the ONE.....but they killed him.....done....finished.....we did NOT see that coming....

And in Jesus' beautiful style.....He responds with....how thick are you.......hello.......do you not GET it.......OK....let me explain in ONE more time for you......obviously you MISSED it......and so He reminds them of all the teachings about himself from Moses right through......and they HEAR IT.....BUT.... even THEN....these guys STILL didn't get it......

BUT....while they didn't get it....there was obviously SOMETHING about this guy that made them want to talk more.....so they convince him to STAY for tea.....they offer him HOSPITALITY...... And at the dinner table in these guys home in Emmaus.....this stranger broke bread and gave thanks.....before they ate.....and AT LAST..... in that simple act.....Their eyes were opened.....they FINALLY got it.......

At that moment of the breaking of the bread....the penny dropped and they understood WHAT he had been saying to them out on the road......that this was all part of the plan....and that Jesus had come back to life from the dead.

And at THAT moment.....they GOT UP....(and a little foot note in one of my Bibles.....suggests that that term GOT UP literally means they had their own resurrection)......because they understood from that moment.... that nothing is impossible with God.......

I LOVE the next part of the account...you hear nothing more about what happened with Jesus .....but these two guys have now finally REALIZED what was going on.....and they start trying to convince each other that they KNEW all along....that it was Jesus who was walking with them..... "Were not our hearts burning within us while he was talking to us on the road, while he was opening the scriptures to us?"

And I love this part because I think....How often do we do that as well.....we use that wonder of RETROSPECT to revise our history.... We look back on the important moments in our lives.....and we try to convince ourselves that Jesus or the Holy Spirit was there at our sides.....even though we didn't have a CLUE at the time?

But you know....that's a GOOD thing.......because ultimately.....this is what the spiritual life is all about.......Trying to SEE God in the circumstances of our lives.....Trying to INCLUDE God in more of the day to day happenings of our lives......trying to make more and more of our lives a prayer..........Trying to celebrate and give THANKS.....for the incredible gift of this life with Jesus....that is with us every moment.....if only we have the eyes to see and the ears to hear.

And it's also about.....recognizing how much of our own life is outside of our conscious control....and how grateful we should be ....for those moments of undeserved and unrecognized connection and companionship when we are in need.....those moments that to me.....are moments of amazing grace....when we are picked up and carried through...whatever it is we are struggling with.....by a power of love that's is BEYOND our understanding.......

And the RESPONSE of these two guys is important......because... the moment that they see this....The moment they GET it.....they get up and head BACK to Jerusalem......BACK to the place they were just a bit earlier trying to get away from...... back to the place where they didn't want to be...back to the place that was just TOO hard......

And WHY did they go back?.....Well....it WASN'T because they have a new view of Jerusalem.... It was because they had a new vision of Jesus.....He was alive and He was there by their side...... And that gave them a new vision of themselves and what they were capable of........and it turned their FEAR into courage....and it turned their DESPAIR into hope....... And it turned their RETREAT into forward motion........

And as we head into this new year......I think there's a lot that we can take from that account.....Maybe as this year closes.....you find yourself heading AWAY from Jerusalem...feeling like it's all just a bit LOST.......there might be something that you have been running from for a long time.....an old hurt that just keeps hurting.....a failure or some sin that you're just terrified someone will find out about....hurtful words may have been said about you......you might have experienced loss.......or you might be feeling....that spiritually....it's all just falling apart.....and you're not FEELING like Jesus is there with you.....or that you even have a NEED for Him TO be with you......and so you're heading back towards Emmaus....back to some old pattern of life .....

This is the time to look back.....and to see when Jesus might have been walking with you....but you just didn't recognize it......when you were so busy trying to deal with life by yourself that you didn't even recognize Him there.......Or that life was going so well WITHOUT HIM....that you didn't think you NEEDED Him there...

This is the time for that AHAH moment....to have YOUR eyes opened again.....and to get up and DO something....and head BACK towards Jerusalem.....back to whatever it is that you have to deal with....KNOWING that Jesus is with you....that's His promise.....Because it is not until you go there with him...in him.....that you will EVER begin to DEAL with this stuff....or that you will EVER be ultimately free.

As a church.......as I think back over the last twelve months......there are a LOT of times.....when I can Identify that Jesus has been walking with us as we've been going....BUT...I wonder if we've RECOGNISED that He was there....or if we thought it was because of our careful planning or our generousity....or our cleverness....BUT I just want to RECOGNISE those times....and make SURE that we THANK Him for walking those roads beside us.....

Last January.....I think we met Jesus in Manila......and he CAPTURED us.....and filled us with compassion......and love......and a desire to BE Jesus to these people in the slums of Manila.....and we came back here and shared that with you....and YOU captured it too....And this year has been an AMAZING journey on that road together with our friends in Manila.....In ONE offering...after the fire.....$10,500 was given......which has been used to build a Cafeteria...which is providing lasting employment for about 10 families.....providing purpose and security....and WORTH in a place where worth is hard to find....And AS WELL it's providing our sponsor children with daily nutritionally sound meals at the school......The picture of how that $10,500 was used....is very different to the picture we had..... of rebuilding houses.....but in many ways it's a BETTER more lasting answer to the problem....and JESUS was THERE in that process.......

One 11 year old boy.....has been able to have bowel surgery to REPLACE a colostomy bag.....because of what WE are doing here as we walk with Jesus......

THIRTEEN children are now being given the opportunity to attend school and BREAK the cycle of poverty....because of individuals within our church.....that's fantastic.....and THIS year...... I BELIEVE....that's going to increase....and I thank GOD for placing upon the hearts of individuals....compassion.....empathy....and the desire to GET UP and DO something about it.....

I had lunch tea with Boof and Libby this week.....and we were talking about the homework centre.....and how amazing the beginning of THAT journey has been.....and how as a result of that work.....we now have Cambell and Helen and Corey a part of us....on the same road together.....and we have Jasmine and Hamish and Angus and Heather....a part of us as well.....and Boof made the comment.....you know we have only scratched the surface of that ministry.....what do you think would happen if we GOUGED the surface.....WELL Maybe that's going to happen this year....and who knows where it will lead....because I am ABSOLUTELY convinced that JESUS is walking with us on that road.....and when He's there....anything is possible.....

We have received a cheque from Churches of Christ....which is going to allow us to purchase 10 notebook computers so that we can begin Adult Computer Education classes this term.......and again....Jesus is arranging the circumstances of OUR life as a church......and things are happening when WE....GET UP and go out and DO SOMETHING....even though it might seem hard....even though it might seem scary.....it's NOT...when Jesus is taking the road with you....

I am excited about Home groups this year.......having Boof at the wheel.....All I can say is....prepare to be confronted...prepare to be challenged......prepare to have ALL the obstacles removed so we can ALL be part of a small group....cause THAT'S what I HOPE is going to happen......and I want you ALL to be preparing for that......It's easy to say NO....it's easy to NOT put yourself out there...because it's SAFE......but Jesus doesn't want SAFE for us......he want's to walk the road with us......and He wants us to GET up and DO Something...

And then there's the BUILDING work.....if all these other things are happening....we are going to need somewhere for them to happen....and those extension we are planning.....are a part of that.....it MIGHT have taken 18 months to get though council.....but right there.....Jesus is walking with us on that road....it happens when HE needs it to happen......so I am confident to move to the next stage....knowing He is there......BUT this year.....we are ALL going to be challenged......because if we are going to do these extensions.....then we need to be able to pay for it....and that might mean that ALL of our faith might need to be increased....as we commit to making this happen.....BUT AGAIN.....If Jesus is walking with us all on this road.....then HE will open our eyes to what needs to happen.....it might take us a little while to SEE that.....but I'm confident we'll get it in the end......and when we do.....we will have the FAITH to get up and DO something......

The disciples on that road to Emmaus....were TURNED AROUND......NOTHING was the same once they RECOGNISED that it was JESUS who was walking with them......and it turned their FEAR into courage....and it turned their DESPAIR into hope....... And it turned their RETREAT into forward motion........

We certainly have NOT been retreating.....we've been moving ahead .....BUT I think this year...we are going to see a lot more forward motion......and the potential of that..... the potential of that.....is just SO exciting......

If you received a copy of our huge Christmas card.....you might have read my message on the back......where I said....

May God continue to bless and encourage each one of you over this next year.....BUT....be prepared to be surprised......because often....God's blessings don't look like we expect them to....

And that's what I want to leave you with as we go into this new year together......prepare to be surprised.....by Jesus...who walks this road with us......

Father....we look to this year with expectation and hope.....Lord I pray that you will make this year count....both in our personal walk with you...and our walk with you as a church. Help us not lose sight of you in that process....and help us to see you more in the everyday...AMEN.

Christmas Day Message

Thu, 25 Dec 2008 00:00:00 +1100

Well....Christmas day.....isn't it GOOD to finally be able to STOP......no more shopping....at least until the Boxing Day sales......I LOVE that everything is shut down for Christmas day....it's almost like forced rest......

But you know.....the Christmas rush is NOT something new.......Luke's Gospel records the account of the very FIRST Christmas rush (Luke 2:15-20)........ Immediately after the announcement of the angels.....the shepherds HURRIED off to Bethlehem......and although Bethlehem was only a small village......the shepherds still had to search in order to find Jesus......and they eventually found Him lying in that manger.

It's a bit sad though.....that today's Christmas rush has little or nothing to do with searching for Jesus....... It's more about looking for car parks....... and bargains

And you know.....that should be a great concern to us......because if people fail to search for and find Jesus, then they will have missed out.....on the best gift of all....the very REAL opportunity to have a relationship with Jesus Christ.

The shepherds were not the same after they found Jesus..... These ordinary guys couldn't keep quiet about what they had seen and heard ..... they wanted to tell anyone who would listen....about Jesus....I think it would have been a long time before they went back to shepherding......

But you know.....that's still the reality today..... Things are never the same after you truly encounter Jesus......

People CHANGE.....when they are confronted with Jesus.....

And Christmas.....is such an important social marker.....that it would be a shame to let it pass another year....without each one of us being confronted once again....with Jesus ....and what he stood for....kindness....compassion......mercy..... to know us......to save us......to have a relationship with us......

I got an interesting email this week....about how some of the major airlines have cut back in light of the economic situation...... American Airlines started eliminating one olive from each salad served and they estimate they will save $40,000 annually....... Singapore Airlines stopped butter-frying their prawns and they expect to save $750,000 annually.... Northwest Airlines stopped serving pretzels and expects to save $2,000,000 annually......and I was blown away by how little changes can make SUCH a difference

Imagine what could happen if each of us made small changes in our Christmas spending and in our spending throughout this next year.......then invested the savings in ways that honored what Jesus CAME for.....and what he showed..... kindness....compassion......mercy..... Because I think over this Christmas New Year period....and over this next year.....we might be amazed at the DIFFERENCE that we can make.....It could mean....that by cutting back....you could sponsor a child in Manila......you could decide to put regular groceries in the MayCare basket......

I want us to CELEBRATE this Christmas......but I want us to LIVE the message of Christmas.....a message of HOPE....a message of OPPORTUNITY.....a message of NEW BEGINNINGS....

I wonder is this is how the next great move of God is going to breakout across our city...across our country and across our world......When we.....as God's people......LIVE OUT the message of Christmas right through the year.....extending kindness....compassion......and mercy.....What a difference that could make......

May this Christmas.......be a time when you are again....confronted by Jesus......and may you be changed in the process.......

Creation and Evolution...is this the debate we should have?

Sun, 30 Nov 2008 00:00:00 +1100

I don't know WHAT I was thinking when I put these two messages one after the other....Why does a merciful God allow suffering......and then.... Evolution v's Creation?...in 20 minutes....

What I DO know.....is that a lot of the discussions I have been having with people outside of church.....over recent weeks....have been coming back to these BIG questions....like suffering and creation....And I remember when I put these topics down....my thinking was....that it would be good for me to have a look at a couple of the BIG questions.....so I was better prepared the NEXT time these discussions happened.....

Trouble is......whenever I have engaged in a conversation on Creation in the past....it's USUALLY ended up as a debate rather than a discussion....because like ALL of the BIG questions....when our view and our framing of God are challenged....or questioned.....we STRUGGLE with moving our focus or changing our view....from the fixed point that we have been comfortable with up to that time......

I can really relate to Rob Bells TRAMPOLINE analogy.....when it comes to these big questions....

I LOVE trampolines....but there aren't too many that take 115kg......It doesn't take you long bouncing on a trampoline.....to realize the importance of the springs. I've come to see my FAITH as a bit like bouncing on a trampoline......and the springs are the things that help me make sense of all of the realities of my faith....all the elements that make up WHAT it is that I believe about my God.....the springs aren't God.....the springs aren't Jesus.....BUT they are the statements and beliefs and understandings about my faith. And they help me explain the depth of feeling that I have in my faith....as I am jumping. The springs aren't the reason WHY I jump....they are just the means to the end.....they are absolutely important....and I need to search and learn about them....and I consider each concept seriously.....but I keep them in perspective.......

I see the Creation question is one of those springs.....it's certainly a BIG spring...an important spring...probably one on the corner....but it's the spring in my faith that helps me to FRAME my understanding of where I came from....my relationship to God.....my relationship to this earth.....a rhythm for life....6 days of work and one of rest.....it frames my understanding of TIME.....of the development of the human race....and so many other significant aspects of my faith....

And I can recognize ....that over the years....as I've read....and been influenced by different teaching and thinking.....and as my FAITH has matured and strengthened.... This spring....of God's CREATION of our world..... has ALWAYS been central to my understanding of who God is......BUT...I've been stretching that spring......I've pulled that spring off and examined it closely.... discussed it....probed it....questioned it....It flexes and stretches.......and my views and attitudes towards this particular spring have certainly developed and even changed......But you know what.....MY BOUNCING doesn't STOP....BECAUSE I've done all that questioning and examining......In fact I think my FAITH has GROWN...because I've ALLOWED that spring to remain FLEXIBLE.....rather than a rigid view.....

And it's the ability to stretch and flex aspects of my understanding of God....that make this so effective......it's the ability to be able to probe and question this whole topic of creation....without the mat falling to the ground....that make it so effective....and my faith is richer and stronger....because it passes the test.... because in that process I have gained a fuller, deeper, richer understanding of just who God is.

BUT we need to remember the springs aren't God.....Creation is not GOD......it's ONE aspect of our faith that has been strongly debated over time..... as people have discussed and studied..... and experienced and thought about their developing understanding of who God is....

The springs aren't absolutes.....only God is absolute....and as we move into our discussion of Creation this morning......we need to keep that perspective in mind....it's OK to pick up this spring and give it a stretch this morning......and if at the end of the morning....your spring goes back on your trampoline unchanged....then that's OK...in fact that's good.....BUT if in the process of stretching.....your understanding of who God is....and what the whole Creation question means to your faith....is made richer....then that's ALSO good......so hopefully our discussion this morning should be a win win.....

See straight off.....we need to understand that the Bible.....is about theological HISTORY...God's History.......it's NOT a scientific textbook......from the very first words.....In the beginning....GOD....It's ALL about God and His work in history......

Galileo.....made an amazing statement that again....somehow frames our discussions about creation.....He said....The Bible exists NOT to tell us about HOW the heavens go.......BUT to tell us HOW to go to heaven.......

In the beginning....GOD.....

See when we begin to argue our position on creation......there is the potential that while we THINK we are making it about GOD....we are actually making it about US.

The Bible doesn't begin with....In the beginning....God created YOU.......because it's NOT about you....creation is all about God and how God made the heavens and the earth....and eventually you and I....

So in order to FRAME our discussion this morning....I thought it would be worthwhile looking at some of the different views that people have of the Genesis 1 creation....and there are basically 6 of them....

The first....is Historical Creationism....

In this view....the earth is very old....in fact older than human life.....the earth was created at some time in history...Then....Over a period of 6 days....God prepared the earth for human life...then God created Man and Woman.....This view would see those 6 days as literal 24 hour periods of time....but the genesis creation passages are just about preparing the already formed earth for us.

Then there is Young Earth Creationism....

In this view.....the earth is seen as relatively young.....about the same age as man....In this view....God made EVERYTHING in 6 literal 24 hour days....start to finish....At some point God brought all things including the earth into being....and this is a popular view.....but one which struggles to embrace things like carbon testing or the possibility of dinosaurs...

Next is an interesting one....The Gap Theory.....

In this view.....the earth is very...very old......The earth was originally made....and humanity in some form existed well before creation and humanity as we know it.....but then this theory would say.....that there is this GAP that somehow takes place between Genesis 1:1 and 1:2...and some calamity takes place in this gap...perhaps the fall of a certain arch angel...but for whatever reason....the WHOLE of humanity at that point was wiped out.....THEN...in Genesis 1:2....With Adam and Eve....a NEW humanity is formed by God....humanity as WE know it....and it was like a second attempt at human life.....a restart.....and in Gods eyes.... it was good

Then comes the Literary Framework View.....

In this view....the earth is very old.....but humanity is very young....and the time between the formation of the earth and the formation of man and woman was potentially very long....certainly NOT 6 literal days....but 6 periods of time. As such.....in this view the Genesis narrative is viewed as poetic...more a figure of speech than stated facts. And certainly....the book of Genesis DOES contain poetry and is written with a very poetic prose.....

Next....is the Day Age View.....

This view is reasonably similar to Literary Framework.....in that the earth is old...and humanity is young....earth was created by God......BUT then.....over six extended periods of time.....everything else was brought into existence....

And finally....there is the Theistic Evolution View.....

In this view.....evolution is OK....in fact it's RIGHT.....BUT behind evolution.....is the hand of God.....GOD working THROUGH the evolutionary process. And one of the BIG aspects of this view....is that God is STILL creating....or God's creation is still evolving....so....God is STILL at work and we are STILL evolving under God's watchful eye.

SO......amongst those 6....perhaps you able to identify YOUR position in those different views.....or elements of what you feel your view is......

Where do I stand....well...I'd say YES!

And I'd say YES because I think that for me....it's not quite as cut and dry as that.....and I think this is where my SPRINGS come into play.... Because for ME...there are some aspects of this discussion which are NON-NEGOTIABLE....like......for me....the Bible is TRUE....and there was ONE GOD who created the heavens and the earth and ALL things in it.....absolute...no questions....

But then there are other aspects of the discussion which I'm OPEN to think about and talk about and investigate.....like.....How old IS the earth......how did God create the earth.......was it 6 literal days....or 6 periods of time.....And it's THESE aspects that we can discuss.....BUT we will NOT divide over them...because that would be ludicrous...to divide over something which we cannot determine absolutely......And the PROVISION for diversity of thinking in these areas.... amongst the people I meet with and worship with and do church with..... doesn't WEAKEN my faith....it doesn't call into question ANY of my core beliefs and understandings of God....it actually BUILDS and strengthens my faith......and encourages me to keep searching and learning and forming my view of God....

I think there is a real DANGER when individuals...or even churches take one of these 6 various views...and make it an ABSOLUTE....in fact make it the TEST to determine if you are a REAL Christian or not....

And as I've shared with you before....that's exactly what happened at a church we were a part of.....and the litmus test in that situation was about whether or not you believed in 6 literal days of creation...... And after a message I delivered....one of the church leaders made the statement.... that if you deny that God created the world in six literal twenty four hour days....then you are denying that Jesus ever died on the cross and you are calling into question every other aspect of scripture......WOW!!.....what an amazing leap of logic .....BUT of greater concern.....was that we were then told....that if you DIDN'T believe in 6 24 hour days of creation....then you COULDN'T be a member of that church.

That's DANGEROUS stuff..... SO...God accepts me as a person who is searching for truth...forgives me...through His death on the cross....and accepts me into His family..... BUT the church doesn't.....Dangerous ground....

And the same process should be applied to discussions of evolution......Because what I'm realizing more and more......particularly as I watch more and more documentaries.....is that Science and the Bible are not always in conflict........ The conclusions of both are sometimes biased by the individual whose handling them...or writing the book....or narrating the documentary.... But we have nothing to be afraid of.... in evaluating and questioning.......There are thousands of Christians who are scientists.....they just so happen to be outnumbered by thousands who are evolutionists......BUT they are both looking at the same evidence....

Hugh Ross, who is a Christian astrophysicist.....wrote..... "The work of secular scientists is the friend, not the foe, of Christians. Their efforts have given us some of the strongest evidences for our Creator, God, and Savior."

See....for ME.....I have NO worries.......with a view of creation that includes a time when dinosaurs were around.....Does the possibility of dinosaurs in ANY way diminish MY reality that it was GOD who created the heavens and the earth and EVERYTHING in it....NO....in fact it just makes my view of God GRANDER....

Does my view CHANGE the fact that regardless of the time line of creation.....MAN became separated from God because of SIN....and that God then put into play perhaps His GREATEST creation in birth of the baby Jesus....who LIVED and DIED with the SOLE purpose of reconciling us to God....NO it doesn't.

Do I KNOW all the facts...and times.....NO....

Does it ultimately matter to my relationship with my God....NO....Because the God I know....is a God of GRACE and a God of MYSTERY...who makes himself known through Jesus Christ....

And did Jesus get into debate over the details of creation......No.....and I think that's a really important factor in how we look at the whole creation v's evolution dilemma.....because otherwise....this dilemma has the potential to marginalize....In itself....it becomes selective and exclusive....to one of two extremes.....

See....I COULD tell you what my personal views on creation and evolution are.....BUT I have deliberately tried to NOT tell you my views....not because they are radical or ridiculous....but because immediately you hear my views....you position me in a box....and much of the credibility of everything else I say...for you... will be determined by the box you put me in....THAT'S what we do.....I've heard it even in discussions I've had this week.... ‘Oh...he's an idiot because he believes such and such.....'

The book of Genesis....is a beautiful story of God's desire to establish something wonderful....something INCREDIBLY intricate and finely balanced......Genesis is about God wanting RELATIONSHIP with US....and about THIS world being created as the stage for that to happen.....and about us being created for THAT specific purpose....and yet SO many arguments have been waged over what are very ABSTRACT details of that process.....and in doing so....attention has been DRAWN away from what I see are the ABSOLUTES of what God was wanting in His relationship with us......

You know what I REALLY think.....I think that the creation issue....is really a fairly minor issue...That God can create our world and everything in it.....is incredible.....but ultimately Genesis is setting a stage for what was to come AFTER that.....

I mean....look at what come right AFTER Genesis.....Exodus.... The Exodus story....is such a critical account of the establishment of the very roots of the WHOLE Hebrew faith and scriptures.....and the issues in Exodus are NOT abstract....they are ABSOLUTES......freedom for the oppressed......freedom for the enslaved.....helping the poor....looking to God for direction.....God's provision for His people....

In the beginning......GOD created......no questions.......and if you doubt that....read Georges story in the Link about the spider....or the giraffe.....watch ANY David Attenborough documentary as I have this week......get outside more......MARVEL at God's creation......but leave the details to God.....don't waste your energies on trying to PROVE what you think happened....otherwise....we run the risk of MISSING what comes AFTER God's creation....and that's our relationship with Him......and that's something worth investing energy...and time.....

God existed in human history....he knows us....he knows our sin.....he knows our need.....he knows our separation.....he knows that often we exchange the truth with lies......he knows that often we worship THINGS that are created ....instead of the creator OF things......

HE is why we exist....HE is why we were created......the details about HOW that happened....are ultimately unimportant...except to say that they were AMAZING.....What IS important....is that we get to know our GOD....who created.....

I want to just finish....by reading again....those two passages from our reading.....because I think they sum this all up beautifully....

The first from Psalms 19:1-4 ......"The heavens declare the glory of God and the skies announce what his hands have made. Day after day they tell the story; night after night they tell it again. They have no speech or words; they have no voice to be heard. But their message goes out through all the world; their words go everywhere on earth."

And from Romans 1:20 ....."There are things about God that people cannot see--his eternal power and all the things that make him God. But since the beginning of the world those things have been easy to understand by what God has made. So people have no excuse."

Father God.....creator of heaven and earth.....this morning we just want to take time to MARVEL at your creation.....and to be AMAZED at your ongoing work in creation.....Father....help us to NOT lose sight of what is important.....You are our God.....you created us for RELATIONSHIP......You value us THAT much......Thanks Lord.......Amen.

Why Does a Merciful God Allow Suffering?

Sun, 23 Nov 2008 00:00:00 +1100

Little Holly was born two weeks ago......how great is it being a poppy...Poppy Mac?.....As I've thought about her entrance into this world.....and what lies ahead for her...and even her first two weeks......I'm convinced....that Life ought to begin with a HAZARD WARNING. There should be a tag on every newborn baby.....saying life might very well be full of love...and fun and adventure and excitement and joy.....BUT there are possible side effects....... There's illness . . rejection . . . broken relationships. . . betrayal . . . sorrow . . .loss . . . injuries. . . disappointment . . . heartache . . .. . .and finally...death.

I think this is what Jesus is hinting at..... in John 16:33 where he says that in this life, there will be trouble.....And I think to a greater or lesser extent....ALL of us struggle with......how to DEAL with that trouble.....and the pain and suffering that seems to plague us ALL in life.....And it's a huge question....that one day will be fully answered.... Why are there these side effects? Why is there suffering and evil and pain?...And WHY does a merciful God allow such suffering?....

Each month....our friends David and Cherie Snellgrove....who are over in the Philippines working in the slums of Manila....send us a newsletter....and in each one....they include the story of one of our sponsor children's families.....

I want to begin this morning.....by sharing with you....a little of the life of a beautiful woman we got to know while we were in Manila........her name is Maravic...that's her and two of her kids up on the screen....And I want to introduce her to you because I think her life is a bit of case study as we look at this huge question today....

Marivic was born in the slum area of Manila and contracted Polio when she was very young. The Polio left her face and body slightly disfigured. Her speech was no longer clear and it became very difficult to understand what she was trying to say. She now walks with a limp and has occassional body spasms.

Her mother and father were very poor but they loved and were very protective of Marivic. She also had three other siblings, two brothers and one sister.....BUT they wanted nothing to do with her.

Marivic finished school and college....and she achieved quiet good results.... but was never given the opportunity to do anything with her education because of her disabilities.

Eventually she married and had three children.....however the man who was supposed to love her.... abused her both physically and emotionally because of her disabilities. Not long after being married.....her parents both died leaving Marivic alone with this husband and her brothers and sister....all in the one house. Without the watchful eye of her parents. Her brothers and sisters soon joined in with the verbal and physical abuse of Marivic...so she coped it from every angle....

Marivic's life soon became one of rejection and fear. Abuse was dealt out constantly by those who SHOULD love her most. As if she wasn't already feeling alone and unlovable.....Marivic came home one day to find her husband in bed with another women. He blamed HER for HIS unfaithfulness, telling her she was too ugly and deformed to look at.

He then he abandoned both her and their three children.....

Before her parents passed away.... they had managed to build a small house for their children, where Maravic and her kids lived. Her brothers and sisters soon left to pursue their own lives....offering no support for Maravic....who they saw as worthless.

Marivic started a very small sari sari store in the front of her house...like a little stall....which sells small sachets of Milo and snacks. The store however, barely makes enough money to buy food for her and her children.

The King Solomon Learning Center....heard about Marivic's situation....came alongside her and supported her.... and offered her children sponsorship places in the school. Through the sponsorship program Marivic has come to know a God who loves unconditionally and whose love is consuming....all that she has longed for in a family....and her relationship with Him has continued to grow...... and when you meet Marivic....her love of Jesus is an OBVIOUS thing....

OK....so that was back in May.....

Two weeks ago.....we got an email from David and Cherie....letting us know that things had very suddenly CHANGED FOR Maravic....Apparently her brothers had come home and decided that they wanted to sell the house....so they kicked Maravic and her children out....they moved in....and started making plans to sell.....So Marivic and her children had no house...no food....and no one to help.....

Fortunately....after several days.....one of Marivic's children came to the school and alerted the staff at King Solomon....that their mum had been kicked out and was on the street with nowhere to go.....When they found her....she was in tears....and contemplating how she could commit suicide.....

Marivic's story....I guess is nothing out of the blue.....it's just another story about someone else going through SIGNIFICANT suffering.....in a situation that is pretty much REMOVED from us....so we don't get too emotionally involved .....unless you KNOW her.....BUT the reality is....that MOST of us.....can at least identify with ONE aspect of Marivic's story...... because Marivic's story has it all.....sickness, death, abuse, marginalization, loneliness, homelessness, poverty...the desire to give up......and we might only identify with ONE of those.....SO....do you THINK.... that Maravic would have reason to be asking the question that so many of us ask.....Why would a loving God allow such suffering and pain?

And tied in with this basic question.....is a whole stack of similar questions that cover the whole spectrum of human suffering...like.....Why do people starve? .....Why do tragic accidents happen to babies, children and young people who get cut off with so much life to live?..... Why is a good wife the subject of abuse? ........Why did God even allow the existence of mind-altering chemicals and drugs? ......And what IS the DEAL with Cancer and other diseases.....and the list goes on and on.

And I think we've become pretty good at rationalizing this whole suffering thing...in order to just COPE...BUT......just when you think you might have come up with a reasonably good explanation.....that is almost intellectually respectable.....and socially palatable......along comes a tragedy that has absolutely no rhyme or reason.....like Maravic.

OR....Like one I read in a magazine recently......It was written by a policeman....and he said...Try explaining to a young wife that her husband...and her children's father died MEANIGFULLY when his car was struck from above by a 220kg cow carcass that had just ripped through the side of an overturned semi on the overpass above his car.....HOW do you begin???

If you've never asked that question.....why our world is infected with so much pain and suffering and evil.......maybe you haven't had to YET...BUT you will when suddenly you...or someone you love....is struck with the full force of suffering.....And I just wish I could somehow have INSIGHT into God's reasoning....so I could answer that question....for you now...so you'll be ready.... but I can't really.....nobody can....and any explaination sounds so trite when you are in the middle of it.....

Corinthians 13:12 says....... that on THIS side of heaven....we only see things dimly.....because we can't understand everything from our finite perspective.....ain't that the truth....

BUT.....I think there ARE some things that we CAN understand about suffering.....they may not make it perfectly clear....but they HELP us to understand what's going on.......and I think we NEED to be able to do that....to begin to satisfy our souls......

The first point that's REALLY clear......is that God is not the creator of evil and suffering.
So when you get hit with the question..... "Why didn't God just create a world where suffering and evil didn't exist?".....The answer is.....He did...... Genesis 1:31 says: "God saw all that he had made, and it was....... VERY GOOD."

And at that point....you begin to open a Pandora 's Box.....because if God didn't bring pain or evil or death into play.... where did it come from?

My girls used to have a Barbie doll....that had a string on it's back......and if you pulled that string.... it would say "I love you," .....BUT that didn't really mean ANYTHING because the doll had been programmed to say that......... Real love is very different.....it HAS to involve a choice.

God decided to give human beings free will, because He wanted us to be able to MAKE the CHOICE to love Him......to express our love to God and to each other......He didn't want to pull our string and have us programmed.....But the downside is......we have abused our free will by turning our back on God and walking away from Him. And that ACT.....has resulted in two very REAL kinds of evil being introduced into the world: "moral evil" and "natural evil."

And these are pretty straight forward.....Moral evil is the pain and suffering that comes because WE choose to be selfish...We CHOOSE to be arrogant...uncaring....hateful....and abusive. And we ALL have a part in this....it's the stuff talked about in Romans 3:23 where it says "All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God."

It's even been estimated...... that around 95 percent of the world's suffering results from the sin of ourselves or others...... Like...when you look at a famine or people living in the slums in Manila....with very little food and nourishment......and wonder where God is....you have to understand that the world produces enough food for EVERY person to have 3,000 calories a day. It's OUR irresponsibility and selfishness that STOPS people from getting fed.
It's your choice......But you can't NOT do anything about the suffering of others....and then turn around and question GOD about WHY suffering exists in YOUR life....

The second kind of evil is called "natural evil" .....these are things like earthquakes...tornadoes....and fires and droughts....that cause suffering..... But in many ways....these too, are the result of sin being allowed into the world.

As one author puts it...... "When we humans told God to shove off....He partially honored our request..... We did it OUR way.....Nature began to revolt...... The earth was cursed..... Genetic breakdown and disease began..... Pain and death became part of the human experience."

Way back in Genesis 3:18 it says......it's because of sin that nature was corrupted and "thorns and thistles" entered the world......And Romans 8:22 says...."For we know that up to the present time ALL of creation groans with pain like the pain of childbirth."

God didn't instruct people to build major cities on critical shear points in the earths crust......He didn't tell them to build towns on the slopes of active volcanoes...or to build cities BELOW sea level....NEXT to the sea.......der....WE just did it....because it had the best view or the best soil.....but when earthquakes happen and towns are flooded.....we call them ACTS of God....and ask Him WHY

There is this sense of disorder and chaos in our world............and Nature is almost hanging out for God to come and for things to be set right....for things to be restored....

The Point I'm trying to make is this....... God did not create evil and suffering and death.....SURE... He did allow the POTENTIAL for evil to enter the world....BUT he did it because that was the only way to create the potential for REAL genuine goodness and love. But it was US.... in our free will, who brought so much of the evil that plagues us.....into reality.

A lot of people THEN ask..... "Couldn't God have seen that all of this was going to happen?"....

As a parent whose kids are all grown up.... I have the benefit or retrospect....... BUT...Do you think that before I had my girls.....that I didn't think about the possibility.... that they might get sick....or suffer disappointment or pain in their life....or that they might go right off the rails and hurt us and even walk away from us and want nothing to do with us?

Well....I guess YEAH we did...... and in fact...to some degree those things did happen......but we still went ahead and had our girls...... Why?.... Because we also knew that there was SO much potential for incredible joy and deep love and great significant moments...like the birth of a grandchild.....and a sense of meaning for our lives.

And I think it's the same with God..... He knew we'd turn our backs on Him....but He also knew a lot of people would NOT turn away from him....and just the slightest possibility of the potential JOY and incredible LOVE that just MIGHT be possible.... HAVING a relationship with us.....for some reason....made it WORTH it for Him...... even though it would cost His own Son a whole STACK of pain and suffering to achieve that relationship with us......The PAIN was worth it....for the end result.

Which leads to another thing I believe we can understand about pain and suffering.....That while it might not be good when you're going through it...... God can USE it to ACCOMPLISH GOOD.

And He does this in a couple of ways.......The first way he does it....is to use suffering to draw our attention to Him.....I love what C.S. Lewis says: ‘God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our conscience, but shouts in our pains; it is His megaphone to rouse a deaf world.'"

And isn't that true...... When we're happy and life's good...when there's no pain or suffering.....how often do we forget God? ....Often it's ONLY when we suffer...or experience heartache or loss or disappointment that we even THINK to turn to Him.

And it AMAZES me.....to read about people who have gone through INCREDIBLE suffering and pain.....and to hear them say.....the truth is that it's worth any price if it means coming to know God better.

I think God also uses pain and suffering..... to SHARPEN our CHARACTER; to help us become more like Him....more like the character and person he desires us to be......

I love Romans 5:3.....which says: "We also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance....perseverance, character...and character, hope."

I KNOW....that my times of deepest pain and suffering....like when Sian contracted meningitis at 4 days old......STAND as like a KEY MOMENT in my relationship with God......because at that point.....I had NOTHING else BUT God...no one else could FIX her.......and He gave US the strength and determination to be able to stand up to what lay ahead....and the HOPE to BELIEVE.... that this little girl.....who for all intents and purposes should be crippled on her right side, deaf and challenged in so many ways......to BELIEVE that GOD could turn this situation around.....And He CAN and DOES do it.....when it suits His plan....

Now Sian has turned out magnificently perfect....BUT....I can say....that for a long time it was 50-50....BUT my HOPE and the change in my character was NOT dependant on the final outcome .

Finally......when you look at passages like Hebrews 12:10-11 which says: "Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in His holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it."....

I think a lot of people misunderstand that....to believe that God is somehow PUNISHING us....The reality is...like the passage says....that God sometimes uses pain and suffering to LOVINGLY discipline us for our own good......BUT discipline is NOT punishment......discipline is all about guiding us towards a set path....and steering us away from the wrong path...... Like as a PARENT.....you use something you might not particularly like ......discipline..... to help protect your children from the harm that could result if they continue to head in certain direction....

But here's the problem ....GOD has the big picture and we don't...... He can see the good that will come out of the stuff He allows in our lives......but often we CAN'T because we're RIGHT in the middle of it....and we don't have His perspective.

I read this great analogy....which explains this beautifully...... You're walking in the woods and come across a bear with his leg in a trap. You have compassion for the bear and want to help him, but he's afraid of you and not cooperating so you have to shoot him with tranquilizers. But the bear thinks you're trying to hurt and kill him. He can't understand why you'd intentionally inflict harm that way.

Then, to get his leg out of the trap, you have to first push it deeper into the trap to release the tension on the spring. If the bear was still semi-conscious, he would be even more convinced you were out to hurt him. But he would be wrong! He can only see the situation from his limited perspective, and he wonders, "Why is he making me suffer?"

And so often we ONLY see things from our limited perspective.....and we wonder why God is allowing pain in our lives.....when actually he's allowing it because he sees the big picture and knows it's the BEST thing that can happen to us....at that moment....

If there is a verse that sums ALL of this up this morning.....I guess it would be Romans 8:28: "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose."

On day...I hope you get to meet Maravic.....so that you can SEE what it does to a person when they UNDERSTAND....and CLING to that verse with all that they have and are.....and KNOW it to be true. It brings into perspective.....our understanding of pain and suffering....and how it all fits into God's purpose.....

Father God......we so often struggle to understand your plans....especially when pain and suffering are part of it. Lord I pray that you might teach us to have more faith in you....in your plan for our lives.....Remind us Lord....that you are walking the path with us......and that at times you need to help us alter our course. Thankyou Father....for Maravic......for the inspiration she is to us....for he faith....for her dependence on you....we have much to learn from her. Protect her I pray Lord.....and help those around her care for her and love her....as you do.

Amen.

Being Thankful

Sun, 16 Nov 2008 00:00:00 +1100

Reading Luke 17: 11 - 19 Healing of ten lepers. ...... I was wondering this morning how many in this church still say grace before their meals at home?

And then I was wondering if you do say grace. WHY?

Do you say it because you always have, as long as you can remember?

Does it mean anything anymore. Can I ask you if you go out to a restaurant do you give thanks before you eat?

Or is saying grace an opportunity to express to God your gratitude for the food that He has provided. And you feel that saying thanks is important.

Do you feel awkward sometimes as you sit down to eat at a friends place or when you are visiting, the meal is prepared and served and the first served starts eating you were waiting for grace but it didn't happen.

We have always taken each others hand around the table just like in this next picture it seems to mean to me that we are saying thank you as one family.

Grace such a simple thing yet it may in reality be the only time during the day when you actually say thank you to God for anything.

Then again I have had meals in my early Christian life at homes where by the time grace is finished the meal has gone cold. And we have thanked God for everything from creation to Salvation to the second coming.

But GRACE shouldn't be the entire conversation with God for the day. Nor should it be just food that we are grateful for.

Being GRATEFUL MAKES ALL THE DIFFERENCE to your Christian walk.

Our reading this morning is an interesting one and revolves around a accidental meeting between Jesus and ten lepers.

You know leprosy is a terrible disease, it is contagious, it is feared, we are fortunate that it is a tropical disease and you will never come across it in our climate area. Leprosy has been known for a long time, so long that God gave instructions in the Old Testament on how they were to handle Lepers. The main way was by segregation if the leprosy disappeared then there were rules covering the presentation to the priest who would determine if he was clean. No one was to touch them or eat with them. They lived and died by themselves. They were pushed outside of the cites and towns. It was a horrible disfiguring disease. So in our reading this morning we read the story of the encounter between Jesus and this group of 10 lepers. You notice a couple of things about these lepers 1. They stayed together they lived in a diseased group separate from everyone else. Probably lived on the city garbage tip the other thing I noticed in the reading was that when they met Jesus they stayed their distance and they shouted at him so they could be heard.

The story continues and Jesus sends them off to the High Priest and as they went they looked at their hands and feet and discovered that their leprosy had disappeared they were clean. You would think they would be bursting with joy and gratitude after years of living a living death suddenly they were clean they could return to their families walk the streets without being shunned.

But what happens out of the ten lepers only one took the time to turn around and come back to Jesus and say thanks. In surprise Jesus asked wasn't their ten of you where are the other nine?

Mary keeps reminding me, and I know it is getting worse, that I am becoming forgetful. My memory is not what it used to be I am currently trying to get into the habit of when I remember that there is something that I need to do, then I try and do it while I am thinking about it for sure enough if I don't then give me a few minutes and it is completely forgotten. Bad memory is not just my private and personal problem we all suffer from it give it enough time and we will all forget things that happened away back. God knew this and He gave Moses instructions that when the children of Israel where in the promised land living off milk and honey they were to be reminded and they were to be careful not to forget who gave them all these things. Don't forget your God. They even had a thing called a THANK OFFERING they were not allowed to forget. One of the startling things about the history of God's people was the number of times that they completely forgot their God sometimes for generations.

They became an UNGRATEFUL, SELF SATISFIED, race of people.

They completely forgot their history, they forgot that it was God who brought them into this promised land, It was God who fought for them against the tribes who occupied the land before them. Everything that they owned, all the land that they lived on their crops their cattle their fields was all theirs as a gift from God.

Yet they filled themselves with pride for what they had achieved. AND THEY FORGOT THEIR GOD. AND NO LONGER SAID GRACE. They completely forgot who made them.

In the New Testament we are prompted to be GRATEFUL and the early church when they met there were some important things that they did as they met. In Acts 2:47 it says that they met with sincere and glad hearts, praising God.

They were just bubbling over with gratitude for their salvation.

Ephesians 5:20 Says, and it is important that we take note of what Paul is saying here. Always give thanks to God the Father for everything in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.

1 Thessalonians says: Be joyful always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances.

There's an old Chorus that we don't sing anymore and I said to Mary we will make a trio this morning with Darrell and Graeme and myself we'll sing this old song to you . But Mary said noway you are not doing that.

But you will remember the words of this beautiful hymn that goes

When upon life's billows
You are tempest tossed
When you are discouraged,
Thinking all is lost
Count your many blessings,
Name them one by one
And it will surprise you
What the Lord has done.

Chorus:
Count your blessings,
Name them one by one
Count your blessings,
See what God has done
Count your blessings,
Name them one by one
Count your many blessings,
See what God has done.

Do you remember it?

COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS!

I'm finding lately as I move into the later part of my life and look back over all those years that even though we are not rich Mary and I live in a comfortable but modest home there is always food on our table and our health for our ages is pretty good. WE HAVE A LOT TO GIVE THANKS TO GOD FOR. We are just so grateful. After Mary's recent heart attack and her recovery WE ARE JUST VERY GRATEFUL..

But you say George that's OK for you but what about the people who are really struggling with life

Sometimes giving thanks doesn't come naturally! In Philippians 4:6 It says do not be anxious about anything.

I can remember many times in my life and I am sure you have experienced the same when things where not going right. Life had become difficult and maybe just unfair. These are times when gratitude and saying thanks to God just doesn't come easy. What we are giving thanks for in these circumstances is the comfort that comes from knowing that God cares. He loves us. Like the Psalmist said back in the 23rd Psalm THO I WALK THROUGH THE

VALLEY OF THE SHADDOW OF DEATH -YOU ARE WITH ME and as one minister used to put it valleys don't last for ever.

SO WHAT AM I GRATEFUL FOR ?

The Leper was obviously thankful that he had been healed, but what about you and me.

Just what am I thankful for - Well here's my list, you will have yours. One thing I thought about as Bec and Luke had their baby Holly last week, did she have five fingers and five toes was everything OK. Let's be grateful to God for our Children and grandchildren's health.

Thank God for our life. Ours and those close to us.

Thank God for His patience with us, we sin and He still loves and forgives us.

Thank God for our home our food our bed at night

For our church I say thank you for every one of you. You are my church family

AND SO THE LIST GOES ON

But one thing we should say thank you to God for everyday is for Jesus and our Salvation.

SO HOW DO WE EXPRESS OUR THANKS TO GOD?

Well just saying grace before each meal is only a small part of it. Grace to me is saying thank you for the food that we have set before us.

What about a bit of prayer time. You know that conversation that you have with God. I have been reading about prayer this week and the difference it makes Men of God who were busy busy because they were so busy gave

extra time out of their day to pray. Can't fit prayer time in. I remember one of our ministers wives who made a habit of getting up to pray well before the house began to stir. This was her quiet time, her time between her and God.

I WAS WONDERING IS THERE OTHER WAYS TO SAY THANKS.

We have just finished communion this morning and I believe this is an important way of showing gratitude to God for our salvation through the death of His son Jesus. Another part of our service has been the offering.

Surely we express our gratitude and can we measure our love this morning by how much you gave.

In the Old Testament and in the early church giving was an important part of church life. They gave as they saw the need.

SERVICE IS AN OBVIOUS WAY OF SAYING THANK YOU Are you ministering to someone are you sharing your gifts and using them for the blessing of people around you.

ANOTHER IMPORTANT way is to recognize God's authority and to obey Him. A life committed to Christ is a marvelous way of saying thank you.

Yes say saying grace and just saying thank you is just part of the whole story

Jesus said to these men ‘Come follow me!" and remember they left their fishing boats their trade their families and followed Him.

Yes saying Thanks and showing your gratitude is much more than 30 seconds before you eat.

LET'S BE GRATEFUL.

Bring Him what you have... Anniversary 08

Sun, 09 Nov 2008 00:00:00 +1100

What an amazing week it's been. This is certainly a week of celebration and thanksgiving for our family and it's just great that it coincides with a week of thanksgiving for our church family as well.

When I was growing up, my family were part of the Uniting Church and as a church they had some great traditions, but I think my favourite Sunday on the Church calendar was Harvest Sunday.

As a young guy, I can still remember walking into the church and seeing the stage COVERED in Hay bails and Lucerne bails and the air was thick with that haystack smell. And then, covering all of the bails and half of the floor were baskets of fruit and vegetables, pumpkins, apples, tomatoes, corn, there were flowers and greenery and bags of flour and rice, and there was STACKS of this stuff.....and straight away, I was thinking that morning tea was going to be somehow AWSOME this morning.

I can still smell of the church on Harvest Sunday, and I can still see them loading all that fresh food onto a truck after church to deliver it to the various aid agencies around town for distribution to the poor.

The tradition of having Harvest Festival began back in the old testament around Deuteronomy, as a way of remembering God's provision and our need to give back to him. But it was also about reminding us of WHO God is and his significance to us.

Harvest Festival, was about REMEMBERING that God is the OWNER, that everything belongs to him, as it says in Psalm 24:1...."The earth is the LORD'S, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it."

Harvest Festival was about reminding us that WE are God's stewards. Our role is to look after ALL that He has created, and so to bring forward the finest of the spring crops, and place it before God as a thank offering, made Harvest Festival very significant to me as a young guy. Each kid in the Sunday school was asked to bring a vegetable or fruit, and so during the service, I marched down the front with my couple of carrots and placed my offering on the pile....

Harvest Festival was also about recognising that we need to TRUST God to provide and give thanks for that provision.

Now we might not celebrate Harvest Sunday in our church calendar.....

But this morning we come here to celebrate 71 Years in which Mayfield Church of Christ has been a part of this area, 71 years of influence in the Mayfield area, 71 years of sewing into the lives of countless people who have walked through those doors, 71 years of friendship and support amongst it's people, 71 years opening up and studying the word of God in small groups and Bible studies, 71 years of eating red jelly slice, well perhaps not 71 YET....but I KNOW it will happen, it is a legacy we leave to our children.

And as I've thought about that milestone this week I had this strong sense, that in a way this is our Harvest Sunday. Because this morning we want to recognise that this is GOD'S church......He established it, He grew it, He has sustained it through some tough times, through some difficult times, He even kept it's doors open at times when it looked like it all might end. GOD is the owner and ALL this belongs to him.

And in that picture, WE are His stewards and this morning represents a long and faithful line of stewardship within this church, as God has placed upon his people in THIS place, the responsibility of PLOWING the fields, SEWING the seed, of TENDING the flock, SERVING wherever, as our part in the process of scattering seed and nurturing those seeds to bring forth influence and change in the lives of people that we have contact with.

So in those terms, Garry and his faithfulness in prayer and his steadfastness when this church went through perhaps it's darkest period. For him to have the attitude that ‘as long as the doors are open he would continue to worship in this church', that's good stewardship.

Mavis, serving as Superintendent in the Sunday School for so many years, giving her time and effort, that's good stewardship.

Pam, who for a long time walked down here from home in Waratah and cleaned the place each Saturday, that's good stewardship

Joan, and her terrier dog consistency in following every available avenue and some not so apparent avenues to allow the restoration of our building to take place, that's good stewardship.

The long line of pastors and leaders that have sewn into this place over the years, the legacy they have left, displays good stewardship.

And even in more recent years, to see Sian start a youth group with only 5 kids. To build around herself a team who together GREW our youth to an amazing group of young people, that's good stewardship.

To watch the CHANGE that has taken place in the lives of our little kids in Energy, is a mark of the stewardship on behalf of Jono and Ruth and the other leaders.

To see what happens in this place on a Wednesday afternoon, where it's all about Product, and Sum, and Difference....as we help these kids out at the Homework Centre, is amazing.

Over 71 years, Mayfield Church of Christ has seen, and continues to see MUCH harvest. People whose lives are touched by the love commitment..., the grace of Jesus Christ. This morning is all about CELEBRATING that harvest, THIS is our Harvest Festival.

A few weeks ago, I did a lesson with my scripture class on the feeding of the 5000, And in that lesson, I took along 5 small dinner rolls and 2 fish shaped biscuits, and as I told the story, I went round and broke a little off each for the kids in my class. Now they didn't get FULL with the feast I served them, I wasn't able to perform any miracle at that moment. BUT as a class of 25 year 6 kids, they got a GLIMPSE of how Jesus is able to MULTIPLY, how he is able to take the very LITTLE we have to offer, and often the very LEAST that we are WILLING to give Him, and he MULTIPLIES it, He makes it POSSIBLE.

And you know that's what He does again and again in this place, He takes what little we have to offer, and He somehow MULTIPLIES it, and He makes things happen.

How else do you think all this HAPPENS, this building, restored, this congregation growing, our youth, our energy kids, healthy and growing. He does it by taking what we have, and performing a MIRACLE with it to multiply it in ways I find hard to fathom.

Those disciples wanted to send the people away....we CAN'T do it they said, BUT Jesus said bring me what you've GOT.

And see, what's important for us to recognise in this, is that when we involve JESUS in the process. when we place what we are DOING in the hands of Jesus. then the TOTAL is always more than just the sum of the parts. There is a SYNERGY that happens. BUT, we need to BRING to him what we've got. If we keep it back, then He can't do ANYTHING with it, but when we give it to him, things go crazy. That's what we are witnessing.

BUT, We need to learn this over and over and over again. We need to remember and to trust, that when we bring it to Jesus, when we ask for the power of his blessing, and when we add the power of our prayers , we WILL see miracles!

On Fridays, we have a group of ladies from Alanon meet in the church, and I love having those ladies in each week....for one they feed me, but I love that this place is in a sense a haven for them, they love it.

We now have the Breast Feeding association using our building for their meetings, and again....they are overwhelmed at this resource God had given us, and that WE are willing to SHARE with them.

I believe that the work being done in the homework centre is SO important to this area, and those kids get SO much from the little we put in.

If you have ever been around on a Friday night, and been a part of what happens with our youth, or if you've had them at your house for an activity, it just blows you away. What is happening in that group, and the quality relationships that have been made, and the enthusiasm of those teenagers, and the GROWTH that is taking place is just amazing.

In so many areas of our church, I see the hand of GOD at work. We put in a little , and somehow God multiplies it, to the point where our baskets are overflowing, our emotions are often overflowing, and praise God.....often our transport is overflowing. Because whilst ever we continue to involve JESUS in the process of all that we do here, we will CONTINUE to see God performing miracles in the lives of the individuals that are touched and in the lives of his servants who are willing to BRING Him what they have.

When Sue and I were first married, we honeymooned on the Gold Coast at Currumbin beach in a little one bedroom flat named Goondi. And for nearly the whole week, we were woken up every morning about 8.00 by workmen out the front ripping up the guttering and replacing it....good timing for our honeymoon.

On the day they poured the new concrete, they went home after work, and Sue and I went down when it got dark and wrote in the soft concrete....Mark and Sue, Hmoon 81. Now that might have been a bad thing to do, but I was young and in love. NOW I'm old and still in love, and I get so much out of going for a walk with Sue each year along the beach to Goondi, and reading what we carved in the concrete 27 years ago. It gives a sense of connection, a sense of history, and a sense of accomplishment to look at that now.

Do you know, that so many people have carved their names in Mayfield Church of Christ over the years in so many ways.

What we do in this place, week after week, is much like that act of marking. But we are not carving into soft concrete, we are making a mark on the lives of individuals, individuals from such a diverse range of ages, cultures, interests and backgrounds. And we make that mark through Love, and Acceptance, and TIME, and devotion, commitment, sacrifice, and Grace....the very things Christ asked us show.

Some of you might be here this morning because years ago, someone from this church sewed into your life with love, and understanding, and formed a bond that has stayed. That connection is the marks we make, many of them we may not see, but they are there. The love of God touching individuals lives at a time when it has great significance, a seed that's planted in their life that might not germinate till YEARS later, but it's sown.

Last week, Libby and I finally completed the Web Page, and I REALLY want to encourage you, if you have a computer, to start and visit that site. The Link newsletter is there each week now in glorious colour, the latest rosters, sermons that have been taught. But most importantly, is what our church is about, our Vision, our Mission, and our Values, and I want each of you to become very familiar with those elements, because as we move forward from this point, from 71 years to whatever, embracing our history and looking forward to our future, those elements are going to shape who we are, and what we do as a church, and the MARK we make in the Mayfield area through the love of Jesus.

So, for us as a church after 71 years, In the words of the great 1 hit lyricist Timbuk 3, Things are going great, and they're only getting better, the futures so bright, I have to wear shades.

So lets just look for a little while, at what that future looks like.

Just over two years ago, I put some ideas up on the screen that looked like this. What we saw at that point, was that we now had the main building restored and looking great, but we didn't have anywhere to have morning tea. And what we also began to think about, was HOW this building could be set up to allow us to better SERVE our community, and at that time, I teased some ideas around about computer classes for adults, music lessons for kids, and a place for small groups to gather. So I put together these ideas and walked you all through the idea of a café area where we could have morning tea, with glass doors leading out the side of the building into a covered outdoor area. As well, this plan included a couple of small conference / seminar rooms, and there was a lot of excitement about those ideas....

So we put these to paper and had plans drawn up. Those plans spent 18 months in council, but NOW, they are passed and ready to be built.

I have really come to understand and embrace the concept of GOD'S timing. I used to get SO up tight and stress about WHY things didn't happen when I expected them to. But as the plans came back just recently, I almost SENSED this week, as the trees disappeared from around the car park, that the time is right, and God has delivered the plans back to us in His time, and we are ready to start a new project. So early next year, we will begin to break ground on our extensions. We don't want those extensions to limit or disrupt what we are doing already in the church, so a small project team will drive that process.....so....exciting times.....and the plans for those extensions are up the back for you to have a look at.

Half way through this year, we applied to Churches of Christ in NSW for a two Synergy Grants to allow us to develop some existing and new ministries within the church. We asked for $5000 to go towards the purchase of a second Hiace Bus. I think one of the big needs around this area, is to provide cheap (I'm talking gold coin cheap) transport for elderly people, to allow them to buy groceries and do shopping in Mayfield. They would be picked up from their home and dropped off in Mayfield, given an hour or so to do shopping, then delivered back home.

Now, We were unsuccessful on this grant THIS year, BUT I still believe this to be an AWSOME opportunity to sew back into the community of Mayfield, and next year, I want to get this up and running, regardless.

The other grant we applied for, was for $5000 to purchase 10 Notebook computers for use with the homework centre. As well, we want to be able to start adult computer skills classes. Those three old computers I got from school only JUST cope each week. NOW this grant, we were successful on. I was notified this week, so we will be purchasing those machines in the next little while ready for next year, and again, from the feedback we get from the school and the parents of kids who come to Homework Centre, this is a REAL need in our area, and WE can meet that need, when we BRING what we have to the hands of Jesus.

Jono Finch has all but cleared around the block, and in particular around the church hall. What we hope to do in the near future, is to pressure clean the entire building, fix up any damaged boards, then paint the whole structure to match the church. And I think that will give an amazing face lift to the whole block, as well as a show of support and encouragement to the Samaritans.

We love having the Samaritans in that building, and they are extremely gracious to let us use the facilities on Sunday mornings for Energy.

I can see a time, when we may need to resume the use of that building, when our youth and children's work needs a permanent home, but again, God will make that time very clear I know, but in the meantime, the rent being paid by the Samaritans will be used to support any loan that we will need to take out to complete the building program.

The bus has been a great bonus for the youth this year, what we hope to do, is to purchase a second bus of similar quality, to keep up with the ever increasing Youth numbers. Our Youth now has 62 on the books and a regular 35 to 40 each week.....THAT'S amazing. And I want to thank Luke and Bec and the whole team....Shelly, Jake, Zec, Kaleb, Suminda, Karly, for all the work they do and for all that they BRING to that group.

Perhaps the greatest THRILL for me over the last year, was to travel to Manila and become a part of what the King Solomon Learning Centre is doing in the slums there. But I think the greater thrill came, when we came BACK and introduced to you, the urban poor of Manila, and their need.

I have been truly overwhelmed by the way this church has embraced those people and the work of King Solomon. How every challenge and need that has been placed before us has been met so above and beyond. It AMAZES me. YOU have not MET these people personally and yet it's as if you KNOW them and FEEL their plight and you GIVE with such generosity. After the fire which left over a hundred families homeless, we raised over $11,000 in one offering. When a young boy needed an operation, we raised over $1500.

I can hardly wait till January 2010 to take a group of you over to Manila, to meet these beautiful people, Because you know what, they see you all as HEROES...seriously, you are like AMAZING in their eyes, do you feel that way. NO.....you bring what you can to the hands of Jesus and he MULTIPLIES it and is able to accomplish MIRACLES in the lives of these people.

Church, these activities, these offerings on our part, are our HARVEST for God, and we bring them to him and we offer them back to him as a way of saying THANKYOU for ALL that He has done for us. My greatest prayer, is that WE will continue to BRING our gifts to God and that He will continue to use them to touch lives, to leave a mark, for His glory.....Amen

Father, we come before you this morning and we want to just THANK you for ALL that we se happening in and through this church. For the opportunity that we each have to be a part of something MUCH bigger than ourselves. Father, we stand before you now and we give you our thanks for 71 years of faithful ministry in this church, of which we ALL are a small part. We pray Father that you will continue to use the small offerings we bring you, for your glory....Amen.

Rethinking Worship

Sun, 02 Nov 2008 00:00:00 +1100

Twelve months ago, I started using Close Up Blue toothpaste, and from the first time I used it, I loved it. I loved the clear blue gel with the little silver flecks in it. I loved the fresh taste, I loved the clear plastic tube it came in, in fact everything about my toothpaste made the whole experience of cleaning my teeth enjoyable - a wonderful experience that I looked forward to.

Three months ago, both Woolworths and Coles decided to STOP carrying Close Up Blue on their shelves, and I went into withdrawals. I tried other flavours with cute tubes and nice colours, but NOTHING came close.

So this week, I wrote to the manufacturers in Victoria and I explained to them my dilemma and I asked if they could tell me where I could buy some Blue, and they wrote back and said that I can BUY Close Up Blue at their outlet store in Sheparton ......so I ordered a few boxes and my toothpaste will arrive in 3 to 5 working days.

Now the reason I'm telling you this, is that I've been a little embarrassed this week at how passionate I got about my toothpaste, and the JOY I experienced when I found that I can STILL get some sent to me.

And the reason I was embarrassed, was because it occurred to me that I can get SO passionate, and engaged in the process of tracking down toothpaste, and so filled with AWE about a dental hygiene product. And yet that passion seemed totally out of proportion to so many aspects of my life and in particular my relationship with God, and it started me thinking about how UNPASSIONATE our spiritual life can become, how MUNDANE, how go through the motions our times with God can be when we LOSE our focus. And the area that I find this MOST evident for ME, is in my worship.

Over the last few weeks, I've been looking down from the stage during worship, and it's always interesting to observe the many and varied responses to worship, and levels of involvement in worship. And I'm not suggesting that any of them are wrong, or that I'm concerned about worship in our church, but it's made me start thinking about worship. Because WORSHIP is one of those areas that CAN get a little out of proportion, a little LOST in amongst everything else.

So this morning, I want to wander through some thoughts I've been pondering on WORSHIP. Not because I think our worship is broken, but I want to see if there is anything that we might be missing, anything new to be added to the mix, any rethinking that might be worthwhile.

See for more than 35 years now, I have been actively involved in the process of corporate worship, and by corporate worship I don't mean worshiping corporations, I mean the act of coming together as a group of people to worship God.....to focus attention on Him.

And most of those 35 years have been up on stage in some form or another, behind the drums, singing, leading or allowing worship leaders to lead me in the process of worship.

And I can honestly say that through all that time I still LOVE the dynamic that happens when as a group of Gods people we get together to worship. And I think God does, too.....most of the time.

And I'd even go so far as to say, that some of my greatest GOD moments have taken place during corporate worship, when the presence of the Spirit of God has been SO there. And there's a sense in which you can feel God manifesting Himself in that moment, making His presence felt. And usually, those times happen when EVERYONE has come together with the common purpose of seeking Him and worshiping Him. And THAT'S what I love about worship.....but it's NOT always like that, and perhaps it's unrealistic to think it SHOULD be like that very often, but then maybe it SHOULD.

So I thought a good place to begin would be to pull apart a little our reading from Acts 2, which describes the characteristics of the FIRST church. Cause this stuff is all FRESH to them, it hasn't yet been twisted and distorted and cannibalized by religion and the church, it's the purest VISION of worship that we have so it SHOULD be our starting point.

So I want to focus on HOW they worshiped and straight away there are some significant words that jump out at you from those verses......devotion......awe....gladness.....praise......

And you know for ME, I think perhaps the most significant aspect is their devotion. These people were DEVOTED, and by that I mean they had "steadfast perseverance" This was their first priority, and NOTHING was going to take their attention away from their focus, and their focus was on the apostles teaching, and their care for one another. This wasn't just a small period of time in the week for them, it was a LIFESTYLE, it was what their lives were all about, they were DEVOTED to making it work.

But it's the word AWE that gets me. Most of you know I enjoy the Message Bible. Well Eugene Paterson also wrote a couple of other books, and in one of them he gives this amazing quote about the awesome potential of worship, and perhaps a little insight into how we are undervaluing it, and it goes like this.....

"Why do we people in churches seem like cheerful, brainless tourists on a packaged tour of the Absolute?... Does anyone have the foggiest idea what sort of power we so blithely invoke? ...It is madness to wear ladies' straw hats and velvet hats to church; we should all be wearing crash helmets. Ushers should issue life preservers and signal flares; they should lash us to the pews. Explorers unmindful of 'conditions' have died. Why don't similarly unprepared worshippers perish on the spot?... Week after week, we witness the same miracle: that God, for reasons unfathomable, refrains from blowing our dancing bear act to smithereens. Week after week, Christ washes the disciples' dirty feet, handles their very toes, and repeats, 'It is all right, believe it or not, to be people.'"

Perhaps that might be a bit harsh to describe our worship as a dancing bear act, BUT I understand where he's coming from. There is a sense of REALITY in describing a lot of worshippers as cheerful brainless tourists on a packaged tour of the absolute. Because to some extent our worship has become an ABSOLUTE a fixed.....this is all there is....this is how it's meant to be, process.

When I was little I got an ant farm for my birthday, and I spent half a day picking the nest and strongest ants from the garden to inhabit my farm. I looked after them I fed them I gave them water, which I soon realized was a mistake, after I drowned half the colony. BUT I soon lost interest in my ants, because it was like I meant NOTHING to them. They didn't stop what they were doing when I got up real close to the glass, they didn't even seem to get excited when I was right there watching everything they did. I MADE their little world. I sustained them with food, and yet it was as if they didn't even CARE that I existed. They just went about DOING the same thing....so I tipped them back in the garden.....I was disgusted with my ants.

If I was God, looking up close at some of the attention being paid to Him by his creation, some of the offerings of thanks, and the level of recognition of His significance in their lives, I probably wouldn't be real impressed. I guess it's just fortunate that Jesus has that attitude of 'It is all right, believe it or not, to be people'.

But it makes you think doesn't it and as much as I love the creative expressions of love for Jesus that are so much a part of our worship. I just have this sense that loving God and expressing that love, goes a whole lot deeper than just telling God we love Him, or singing to Him about it.

Because as you look back through the Bible, there's NO aspect of worship that involves those who are worshiping just giving God lip-service, and SAYING or SINGING the right words. In fact.....on more than one occasion God goes off at His people for going through the motions of these religious aspects of worship without LIVING out their faith in the BIGGER matters, like social justice and appropriate living. And that's what makes me wonder if we're missing something.

Because a deep, true passion for Jesus is going to motivate us to do more than just sing lovely songs to Him as our act of worship..

So I guess we have to ask - What is it that shows, that demonstrates our love for God beyond just the elements that we've come to see as our corporate worship - singing songs praying and taking communion together?

But I think to answer that, you have to ask another question: How did God show His love for us?

1 Jn. 4:9-11 : This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.

How did God show His love for us? He laid down His life for us, and our expression of love to Him is expected to contain at least a WIFF of that same commitment, that same passion, doesn't it?

See what I'm beginning to FINALLY understand, is that if ALL of our life can be worship to God, then I don't want to limit my worship to the acts of worship that I am part of here on Sunday.

I think I am longing for something deeper. I think I AM a bit dissatisfied in my worship to God and I think that's GOOD. I think we should ALL have a sense of dissatisfaction in our worship, cause I think that dissatisfaction causes us to seek out to look for MORE than we currently do. More ways that we can express how we feel about our God.

See I want to worship God in the broader arena of life in the ways I can find to lay down my life for Him - like loving the people He loves - walking the walk he wants me to walk - practicing simple obedience, and I say simple cause I KNOW I'll never be fully obedient. But that's what I love about my God - He is gracious.

But mostly, I want to worship Him by nurturing the character of Jesus in my own heart and life.

Have you ever thought about how TRUE worship happens? Because as I've been thinking about this whole notion of WORSHIP, it struck me that in virtually every religion on the planet in which a ‘god' of some sort is worshiped, the worship that is offered is usually done as an attempt to ease god's wrath, butter god up in order to gain some sort of favor or as some sort of bartering, in the hope that that god will act in a certain way.

And as I thought about that, it was a bit sobering to think of how much of THAT sort of behaviour has crept into OUR notions of Worship in subtle ways.

But in TRUE worship of our God, we don't worship Him to gain His favor or calm down his anger, or to get Him to do something. What SHOULD be happening is that we worship Him as a NATURAL response to what He has already done. Worship has got very little to do with what's to come, it's about what has already been done.

And this is how true worship should happen - It is not a conjuring up or working up of emotion to some sort of frenzied climax like it's sometimes portrayed. It is an overflow...... An overflow of gratitude when we REALIZE what He has done for us, the incredible price He paid to buy us back and the incredible way He continues to touch our lives.

It's an overflow of AWE when we consider His glory and His beauty, and the beauty of His plan. It's an overflow of WONDER and ADORATION when we recognize how indescribably amazing He is. Because when we begin to get a glimpse of who He is and what He's done, it's actually difficult NOT to worship.

But you know what concerns me as I think about our worship? It's that I think we display more AWE and WONDER and ADORATION towards a good HAMBURGER or a tube of toothpaste....than we do in worshiping our God!

Worship is an overflow.......

But that doesn't mean that WE always have to FEEL something in order to worship Him. Because there is NEVER a time when Jesus is NOT worthy of our worship and praise.And when you think of it in those terms, there is NEVER an inappropriate moment to offer that worship to Him, REGARDLESS of what's going on in our lives or how we might be feeling. It's not about US getting something, it's about us GIVING something.

What it DOES mean, is that at the HEART of our worship is an understanding that we are RESPONDING to Him. HE is the One Who initiated this, not US.

And when we begin to re-think our worship in those terms, a couple of thoughts come to mind.
First, I think some of us have lost the TRUTH behind this and have stopped seeing worship as an overflow, and have begun to see it as a duty, or even worse as almost a self-serving thing.

We have fallen into the practice of "worshiping" God to get His favor, or because of what WE can get out of it.

And if that's the case, then our worship is at best shallow, and at worst totally false, because worship is NOT about us - It Never was.

And the second thing. If our worship is an overflow, and if worship is a lifestyle, then there are other ways for that overflow to be expressed than just in corporate singing.

Because herein lies a problem - If you're not a singer, and your perception of worship is that its ALL about singing, then there's a problem. And if that's you, then you are going to NEED to find other ways to overflow.

We can overflow in all sorts of ways - in artistic creativity, in our occupations, in caring for the poor, in promoting justice, in accepting some social responsibility, and in a whole stack of other ways. You might even find cleaning the church as your overflow.

Understanding this, is I guess where I am at with RETHINKING my views of worship,
and I guess what I'm doing this morning, is inviting you to re-think this along with me.

So these are the questions we're faced with - When your heart overflows for God, what does that look like? Or more the point - What does it make you want to do?

If you were going to form your own response to God, your Worship to him, your response to what He's doing in your life, what would that look like?"

And why I think we need to ask these questions, is because if we are going to expand our expression of worship beyond what it currently is, and again I want to stress that I'm not looking to abandon what we do now, but rather add to it. Then it does mean that in some ways, in some aspects, our personal approach to worship MIGHT need to be re-shaped.

And how we answer those questions, and how we respond to God - how we choose to overflow, is what's going to re-shape that worship. Because our worship NEEDS to be shaped by what GOD is doing in His people's lives right here.

A couple of weeks ago, we began to put some of this thought into action, when we had Francis share with us during our worship. And over the coming months, Sue and the worship team are going to BUILD on this, as more people are asked to come up and share some sort of OFFERING of worship to God. And during this process of rethinking our Worship, we ALL need to consciously REMOVE our pre-conceived notions of worship. Because what we are seeking, is an OVERFLOWING, an OUTPOURING. It might be a song or a dance, It might be a reading, a drama, a poem, a drawing, a demonstration of some sort. You might like to read a personal journal entry or another piece of writing. ANYTHING that is an HONEST response and a GIFT that you wish to bring to God, that is likely to focus ALL of our attention on God, and that is going to help people worship through whatever they happen to be feeling at that moment. Those times when we are discouraged, disconnected, depressed, or even angry, because those are the times when we probably most need to connect with God anyhow.

Week after week, Christ washes the disciples' dirty feet, handles their very toes, and repeats, 'It is all right, believe it or not, to be people.'

Our worship should reflect that we are people.....but that we are people of God.

Father God, we come here this morning to worship you, each of us having been touched by you in some way through the week, but often not even recognizing that touch. Father, teach us to worship better. Bring to us lord, a sense of AWE of who you are, and help that awe to pour out of us in worship to you. Help us to be honest with you in our worship, and creative in our outpourings to you. Be with each one of us I pray in this week to come.....in Jesus name...Amen

One Month to Live PART 4

Sun, 14 Sep 2008 00:00:00 +1000

You know....the reality is.....that regardless of how worthwhile....or how switched on to a specific topic I might be......EVERY one of us are at different stages in our relationship with God......And I know....that for some of you.....reading this book over the last 4 weeks has NOT been an option....for time reasons....for emotional reasons....and even because it just doesn't CAPTURE you.....and you know.....that's OK.....See I'm not uptight because some people will NOT have read this book.....and perhaps some people will NOT have answered the questions......and I don't feel DISAPPOINTED if there is not significant.....dramatic change in the lives of people.....

I think I began this series.....by saying that ANY impact that this series might have on people....would be personal....and it would be specific to the individual......

You know....ultimately....I'm probably a selfish Pastor......cause when I think about it........I mostly pick topics and series to teach on....that I NEED to look at in my life......If YOU get anything out of it.....then it's a BONUS....

BUT from the discussions I have had with people...over recent weeks.......regardless of whether you've read this book.....One Month to Live.....or answered the questions I've handed out.....or even LISTENED to my messages.....It would be hard to be a part of this church over the last month and NOT be confronted with that ONE question.....What would I do if I only had ONE month to live.......HOW would my life.....my relationships.....my priorities....change if I knew I only had one month to live.....what relationships would I need to RESTORE if I knew I only had one month to live.....

And if I DO have more than one month to live.....HOW do all these questions translate....to identify some CHANGES that perhaps I should make in my life......some relationships that perhaps I should restore.....some priorities that I might need to revisit.....SO THAT I KNOW....that when it IS my time to go.....I leave BOLDLY and with NO regrets.

But this morning.....I'm NOT going to be selfish....I want to SHARE our time this morning......and I want us all to get a snapshot of ideas and thought.....from throughout our family here....

SO...I've asked five people to come up and share for 4 or 5 minutes..... how this process might have challenged them......what they have learned about themselves and about their relationship with Jesus in the process......and what ongoing affect this concept of living each DAY as if they only had one month to live.....might have had on their life......

SHARING

Thankyou guys SO much....for sharing with us....I am constantly BLOWN away.....by the beautiful people in this church.....and the amount of LOVE and CONNECTION we have with each other....

Someone said, "Your life is a gift from God...... What you do with it is your gift to God."

This last month.....has allowed us to re-examine our gift to God......

You know......If there was only ONE thing that I hope you can take from this series.....it would be to REDISCOVER and RESTORE your passion for life......See.....If you only had one month to live, you would want to enjoy every single moment as the precious gift it is...... And you would want to make every second count toward something meaningful and eternal......something that DEFINES your purpose on this earth......and the fuel for being able to sustain this one-month-to-live lifestyle... over the long haul..... is passion.....MAY YOU find your PASSION for life.....

Prayer

Father....you know each one of us.....you know the days allocated to each of us....and you have ALWAYS known them......perhaps the reason WE don't know....is that you don't want us just to SPRINT to the line....you want us to live our life and live it to the FULL EVERY day.....Father I pray.....that you will continue to challenge us...in how we live our lives.....how we relate to each other......how we set our priorities......that you would challenge us to want MORE.....and to be PASSIONATE about seeking YOUR plan for our lives.

Amen.

One Month to Live PART 3

Sun, 07 Sep 2008 00:00:00 +1000

Well....I don't know what it is about this series......BUT......there is SOMETHING going on!

It's like I TRY to take some time to focus in on examining my life.....and I've never felt so ATTACKED....This last fortnight has been ridiculous....demands at school.....demands on my time.....demands on my pocket......demands on my emotions. It got SO bad this week.....that Sue said.....I think you should just put a video on for Sunday and NOT even TRY to prepare a message for Sunday.....cause I think you're going to implode!........I think I actually started to feel like I only had one month to live.....and there was NO WAY that I was going to get through everything I had to get through!

Which is kind of ironic isn't it......in a month where I'm REALLY trying to evaluate.... and prioritize.....and start CLEARING out some of the CROWD from my life...so I can actually GET some SPACE in my life...but this week the crowd began to press in.....Has anyone else been experiencing some significant opposition to the process of trying to develop a NO regrets lifestyle....

Well....you know the more I thought about it this week....the more I identified.....that it ALL came down to question 2 from last week's sheet..... What is one risk that you believe God is calling you to take at this time in your life? And....What are your fears about taking this risk?

And you know what that RISK is for me.....ACTUALLY handing it over.....handing over MY NEED to fill my life with so much activity that I feel like I'm only just keeping my head above water......hand over MY NEED to be constantly trying to BE acceptable to everybody....as a person...as a teacher....as a Pastor.....handing over my ANXIETY.....about pretty much EVERYTHING....but in particular this week.....handing over my anxiety about Sarah going overseas to live next year.....when having my chickens gathered close around me is so important to my security and well being......

I've GOTTA risk handing this stuff over........because otherwise....I now see....that I'm living my WHOLE life in fear.....fear of being unacceptable....fear of losing the people I love the most.....fear about pretty much EVERYTHING.....

As we head into the last half of our...One Month to Live series......where this QUESTION that we keep asking ourselves.....What would I do if I only had ONE month to live.....is there in front of us every day....I think FEAR is a significant element in the process.....for me anyway...

See...If you are going to initiate REAL and LASTING change in your life.... then you are going to have to overcome your FEAR......Fear that if you cut back on your calendar or workload.....some people might think you are LESS IMPORTANT or that they can do WITHOUT you......FEAR that you might have to actually CONFRONT some relationships or circumstances that you've been happy to just LEAVE there in the background......FEAR....that you just might NOT be able to do it....not be ABLE to hand it over to God and ALLOW him some LATITUDE to work in your life to even BEGIN to bring about change.......

But....THIS is where the rubber hits the road.......and I think this fear is centred around the final concept in this One Month to Live series....LEAVING BOLDLY......See...I think EVERYONE wants to leave a LASTING imprint in life.....pretty much everything we DO is about that..... Something that outlives us....a legacy to be remembered.....something that WE did that made a difference........ Harold Kushner said, "I am convinced that it is not the fear of death....of our lives ending.....that haunts our sleep so much as the fear .....that as far as the world is concerned, we might as well never have lived."

When my girls were little.....every September holidays....when we went for our annual trek to Queensland...... at some point during the holiday....I would build them an AMAZING sand castle on the beach....... I mean, I would work for hours......We didn't go down to the beach with a little bucket and a spade.....we took Garden Spades.....and we had special tools.....we took knives for sculpting.....and a trowel for smoothing....and I would build tunnels and bridges and high walls.

And I would always begin by building a huge DAM wall in front of the castle to protect it from the rising tide......But you know.....it didn't matter how high I would build that dam wall....... and it didn't matter how hard I had worked to protect the castle.......the next morning after the tide had rolled in.....we would always walk down to the beach to find that all our hard work from the day before had totally vanished......it had been completely washed away.

You know.....I think that's the reality that a lot of us live with EVERY day of our lives......I think sometimes....it's like it doesn't matter WHAT we do...or how HARD we work.....at the end of the day....it counts for NOTHING and it just gets flattened.....

I know Sue... OFTEN feels that way...living with me and the girls....she cleans the kitchen...but within 5 minutes of Sarah getting home....it's a MESS again....She tidies the house....but by the time we go to bed.....it's a mess again.....

This week.....it feels like it doesn't matter HOW much I do....or how late I stay up.....the LIST is getting LONGER and my ability to CULL it is getting harder.......and there's a sense in which you begin to feel....like all your hard work....just gets washed away by the end of every single day.

But.....as I've been reading One Month to Live this week.....I'm beginning to get a fresh HOPE.....I'm beginning to see a DIFFERENT reality...... cause it might FEEL like every day .... everything I do here on this earth gets washed away, but what's really happening.....is whether I realize it or not....I'm building a legacy for all eternity......

See.....God has placed this desire in all of our hearts to live a life that matters.....to make a lasting mark on this earth....... Every one of us have a desire to leave a legacy......BUT...you know what I'm also GRADUALLY coming to understand.......is that often.....the stuff I'm doing to BUILD this legacy......is not ACTUALLY adding ANYTHING to it......and THAT'S why so often....it feels like at the end of the day....it all gets washed away.....

1 Corinthians Chapter 3 :12-14.....says..... "If any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man's work. If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward."

Do you see what I'm getting at..... every day of my life I'm building a legacy.....in what I sew into my relationships...into my family....into the work I do for God....into what I do at school....and every moment of every day I get to CHOOSE what materials I'll build with...... and I can build with TEMPORARY materials or I can build with ETERNAL materials. And if I'm going to build a legacy....I want to make SURE...I'm building with the right STUFF......

Isaiah 40:8 says, "The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the Word of our God stands forever."

How many TRENDS and STYLES have you seen come and go....it's SPRING....and all the new fashions are going to start appearing....but they'll be gone next year.....but God's Word NEVER changes......MUSIC...Top 30....is always changing.....but God's Word never changes. So many things appear....and disappear...but NOT God's word.....1000 years ago.....and I'll guarantee a thousand years from NOW......God's word is THERE

BUT....if we want to LEAVE a lasting legacy......then our VALUES and our CONVICTIONS....the things that we BELIEVE to be true....what we PASS on to our children...have GOT to be something that will LAST.....and I believe....what' in the Word of God.....is IT....

I like the way the Message puts it in Matthew 7:26....... "But if you just use My words in Bible studies and don't work them into your life, you are like a stupid carpenter who built his house on the sandy beach."

He's saying you CAN'T just study the Bible.....you've got to put it into your life for it to have any LASTING benefit...... See....You don't really BELIEVE something unless you LIVE it out.....and I realize that I'm already on the back foot......I've lived most of my life KNOWING the word of God.....QUOTING the word of God....even TEACHING the Word of God.....but not LIVING the word of God......If my goal for this 30 days is NOTHING else......it's to make sure....that for the remainder of my life.....I am LIVING the word of God and BUILDING something eternal as a result.....and maybe that's not a bad goal for you either!

You know what......you can KNOW the Bible from cover to cover.....but if you don't live it out....you don't really believe it.....and I'm so TIRED of Christians who do that.....they don't LIVE with conviction......

Kerry Shook puts it this way.....a belief is something you hold on to...but a CONVICTION is something that holds you... that permeates our lives and becomes so much a part of us....that it's just who we are ..... If you're going to build something that's going to last long after you're gone......then you have to build convictions in your life.

And you know what else you've got to develop......CHARACTER

I like the Message Bible.....cause to me it makes some verses so CLEAR.....like Romans 8:29. "God knew what He was doing from the very beginning. He decided from the outset to shape the lives of those who love Him along the same lines as the life of His Son ...."

See.....from the very beginning.....right through my childhood.....my rebellion.....my schooling....my dating.....my work....my marriage.....God has ALWAYS had a plan and his plan is to make ME more like Jesus Christ.......And His plan......is to put into MY life the very character traits of Jesus.......

Regardless of where YOU are at...right now.....even if you only HAD 30 days to live......He wants to build into your life...RIGHT NOW....for how EVER much life you have left.... the very character traits of Jesus.

I watched a documentary on the History channel some time back....and it was about Michelangelo.....And Michelangelo was once asked...."How did you sculpt the famous David?" and this is what he said...., "Well, I just chipped away everything that didn't look like David. It was as simple as that."

And you know what.....that's what Jesus does in your life.....and I can tell you that he hasn't finished with ANY of you.......BUT He chips away everything in your character that doesn't look like....Jesus. And I'm pretty sure that's what He's been doing over this last few weeks in MY life......All the character faults and character flaws that don't look like HIM...he's challenging.....giving them a bit of a tap.....letting me know they are there......because His plan is to make me more like Jesus....but I'll tell you.....some of us have some areas of tough old rock that just DON'T want to let go........

And you know how that chipping process works......I think He uses THINGS in your life to carry out the process of SHAPING......Things like PROBLEMS .......We HATE problems in life.....But sometimes God allows little problems into your life...he doesn't MAKE them happen....usually that's OUR own doing....but He ALLOWS them in....little irritations that kind of rub off the rough edges of your character....but then other times.....he allows huge problems into your life.....and that's when it's tough....and we don't like it....cause it's like he gets out the jackhammer and starts knocking off huge chunks that don't look like Jesus in your life...and you almost feel like you're going to fall apart...... Problems are NEVER nice when you are going through them.....but we need to know......that problems WILL make us more like Jesus Christ if we have the right ATTITUDE in the process.

And I think He also uses PRESSURES to shape me.......and I figure He's doing a LOT of shaping right now on me.......but we ALL have pressures in life......and from pressures we learn patience.

As I think back.......I would have to say.....that the MOST Christ-like people I've ever known....were people who were under heaps of pressure. But pressure always has the potential to bring out the best or the worst in us.....and some use pressure as an EXCUSE to cut God out of the equation......but it's a cop out.

But I think.....the most significant tool that God uses to shape our character......is PEOPLE...... people in our lives that are hard to love...... people in our lives that irritate us.....that get under our skin.....that rub us the wrong way...... and some of you have those people in your family....in your acquaintances......I've even heard PEOPLE being referred to as heavenly sandpaper.....and God uses them to just rub off the rough edges of our lives......Some of you are sitting next to them right now.....Yeah, you know who you are......Don't look at them......I don't want to cause any problems.......

PAUSE

I managed to make it to home group this week.....Joan MADE it happen......she made our group a meal....and who can resist tea at Joan's.......

And you know....I came away.......with such a strong CONVICTION........that HOME groups......are absolutely VITAL to the work God does in developing our character...in shaping us.....in teaching us....in encouraging us.......I'd even be prepared to go out on a LIMB and say that........If you're too busy for a small group.....then you're just too busy.......

When we talk about COMMUNITY......small groups are the best picture of community we have.....If we look at the very first Acts 2 church......the model that EVERY church aspires to......Small groups are the CLOSEST thing we have to that model.....and they WORK.....and they are SO IMPORTANT.

See....I don't think there is ANY excuse why we ALL can't be a part of a small group......transport...children...time.....busyness......age......I think that if we really want to be serious about our spiritual development....and our spiritual SHAPING....and the development of our CHARACTER to be more like Jesus......then Sunday is NOT enough.....I've said it before and I'll say it again.....I'm NOT that good........BUT small groups.....that's where it starts to happen!

Boof is now in charge of home groups....and when he gets back from Vietnam.....he's told me that he's going to be a man on a mission.....to look at EXACTLY what YOU need to get you into a small group.....and then look at MAKING it happen......so be pre-warned!

You remember Mary and Martha.... Jesus friends....... One night they invited Jesus over for dinner, and Martha was running around in a tizz trying to make sure everything was perfect.....which when you think about it was fair and reasonable...... because the Son of God was in her house...I reckon Sue would even DUST on an occasion like that..... but Mary just sat at Jesus' feet TALKING with Him....... And Martha got so cranky...... She was mad at Mary.....and you know what.... I think she was really mad at Jesus too....because Jesus wasn't SEEING what was happening and making it right.... He wasn't looking out for HER needs.......and so she comes to Jesus and what does she say in Luke 10..... "Martha was distracted by her many tasks: So she came to Him and asked, ‘Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to do all the work by myself? Tell her to help me.' But the Lord answered her, ‘Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things: but there is need of only one thing and Mary has chosen the better part ...

Jesus has just got this WAY of GENTLY driving the knife in and giving it a little twist..... That had to hurt.....see Martha is thinking.....look at all I'm doing......I'm working as hard as I can.... and look what she's doing.....and Jesus, look what you're letting her do.

And Jesus gently tells Martha......you're missing the boat.... You KNOW your priorities are all out of whack........ Mary is DOING the ONE thing that's important....that will last.....the only thing that's eternal.......what he was saying to her.....was.....You're making the Christian life too complicated....... It's really pretty simple...... It's a relationship with me and a relationship with others........ That's what Jesus was saying.

Everything we have on this earth.....just like our sand castles on the beach..... will be washed away...... We CHOOSE whether or not we want to have a relationship with Jesus......that's our choice....... and we ALSO choose whether or not we want to make a difference in this life.....whether we want to ALLOW Jesus to SHAPE us.......whether we want to BE a part of COMMUNITY and be a part of SEWING into the lives of others..... building relationships.....We CHOOSE whether we want to reach out to others on the other side of the world to make a DIFFERENCE in their lives....... We MAKE that choice.......but in amongst that choice....we have to be asking.......What kind of legacy do I want to leave behind?

WHAT would you do if you KNEW you only had one month to live.......HOW would your life be DIFFERENT if you only had one month to live......WHAT would you change about your relationships with the people around you if you knew you only had one month to live.....WHAT would you change in your relationship with JESUS if you knew you only had one month to live......

For any ONE of us......30 days might well be a reality.....the exercise of the last few weeks has been about RECOGNISING that and TAKING that knowledge on board and ALLOWING it to CHANGE how we live our lives.....to make sure that we LEAVE some lasting legacy....and leave this place BOLDLY and with NO regrets.

Next week.......we are going to hear how this process has challenged some of you......what you have learned about yourself and about your relationship with Jesus in the process......and what ongoing affect this concept of living each DAY as if you only had one month to live.....has had on your life......and we look forward to that....

BUT.....in the mean time.....we have another list of questions to help us continue on this journey......I want to just let you know.....these aren't MY questions......I have just gone through the week's chapters and picked what I felt were the most CHALLENGING questions......let's Pray.

One Month to Live PART 2

Sun, 31 Aug 2008 00:00:00 +1000

This last week..... as I as I started reading this book.....I had this sense of excitement......and the reason I was so excited..... was because I knew that there was a whole bunch of people from Mayfield Church of Christ..... who were reading the same book....thinking the same thoughts..... and asking the same focusing question .....What would I do if I only had ONE month to live?

See....I think I'm beginning to understand how God works... and I think it goes something like this.....WHENEVER....He can get a group of His people to start thinking HIS thoughts all at the same time.....LOOKOUT......because when that happens......something HUGE and RADICAL is going to happen......TRANSFORMATION......is about to occur......LIVES.....are going to be changed.......WALLS are going to start coming down.

And as I'm sitting there......reading....and wondering what all you guys are thinking about what I'M reading......I started thinking about the messages I would bring over these four weeks.....how I would put them together.......how I might INSPIRE more people to get involved in this journey. AND THEN.......I think I heard God kind of whisper to me....."Mark yeah that's all good... BUT - don't forget...... I intend for these next few weeks to change you as well." ...And the week started to happen very differently from there.....

THAT was the point that these pages....these stories....these questions....took on a whole new meaning......because it became all about ME....and in this case....THATS a good thing.....cause God's not going to point out to ME....how to change YOU.....He's going to point out to ME.....how to change ME.....and this process.....as much as it is so GOOD to talk about it with others......is ultimately about ME......or for you....YOU!

I didn't get to go to home group this week....because I only had 1 night available to write my message.....and I felt really TICKED.....when Sue came home and told me what a good night it was....she said......that for her....tackling these questions and examining her life was really HARD by herself.....but discussing them together at home group....suddenly brought them ALIVE....gave them clarity and meaning.......and I can SEE how that happens....

SO......I encourage you to keep TALKING through this process.....a SHARED process of challenge and change....makes it all that much RICHER.

I Decided this week.....after I read chapter ONE....to carry out my own social experiment.....I emailed a few of my obscure friends and contacts.....and asked them what THEY would do or change....if they only had ONE month to live.......

NOW......I guess I wasn't really looking for a reply.......I just wanted to keep the question up there in front of myself... and I wanted to get perspective and depth to my thinking....... BUT I GOT some answers to my question.....What would you do if you only had ONE month to live.....

I would drop out of school.....seriously.....in aflash

I would live BOLDLY........whatever that means......

I would spend the entire month spending ALL my money.....

I would spend every moment with my wife and kids......

I would tell everyone how much they have meant to me.....

I would have a LIVING funeral....so I could find out just what people thought of me...rather than never hearing it ...because I died......

And the last one was a classic......I would make the effort to come and SEE you instead of emailing!

I really like what Kerry Shook wrote on day two of this One Month to Live journey...

Just as the roller-coaster ride passes in a flash....our lives on this earth are temporal and finite. It's a natural part of being human.....we're born.....and eventually our bodies die. Instead of finding this depressing or paralyzing....IF....you're willing to face and own this truth about life.....that it will end as we know it here... THEN.....you can be truly free. Instead of limiting us.....our mortality can consistently remind us to be all we were meant to be.

All that you were meant to be.....you can see why PASSION is so central to this process....can't you.....

When you think of the word passion......what do you think of?...... What pictures come to your mind?

When I think of passion.....probably the first thing that I think of....is a true KNIGHTS supporter.......They go to the match.....and watch ALL the prelim games.....They are fully decked out in the red white and blue......they hang flags on their homes and cars....some even PAINT their homes red white and blue.....they paint their faces.....they train up their KIDS to be equally as excited about the team......they will NEVER tip against their team in the footy comp...no matter WHO they are playing.....and they will justify and support their team even after the BIGGEST losses.....THAT'S PASSION......

Young couples are PASSIONATE....I remember Sue's mum sitting down and having a serious talk to us about PASSION....and she said that our PASSION was sometimes hard to look at.....that it was so uncontained that we sometimes FORGOT that there were other people in the room.....

I think we all RECOGNISE passion when we see it.....and we also recognize when it's LACKING..... People who are passionate about something... understand..... that cost...time, money....weather.....comfort....and sometimes the comfort of OTHERS..... are all irrelevant.....BECAUSE .....if you are passionate about something you are willing to suffer for it.

I read a great quote this week....by Howard Thurman.....and he said, "Don't ask what the world needs...... Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it...... Because what the world needs is people who have come alive." I thought that was magic..... ...I'm going to put that above my desk.....

But I don't think it's easy......There are SO many things that crowd into my life that threaten to steal my passion for life..... I pretty much operate on an overcrowded schedule...... Maybe you do too...... How many of you feel right now.....like you don't have enough time to get everything done by the end of the day?..... Raise your hand if you feel like that.....OK.... How many are just too tired to raise your hand? .....Raise your hand.....yeah.

Dr. Richard Swenson in his book "Margin" describes this beautifully.....He says margin is the difference between your LOAD and you LIMIT. The less MARGIN you have in life.... the more stress you'll experience in your life......He says it's like trying to read a book with no spaces between the words and no margins on the page. A LIFE without margin is just like that. Without margin....without space.....sentences are chaotic ....you can't understand the.....they are gibberish....and a LIFE without margin is chaotic and incomprehensible.

When I MANAGE to put even a LITTLE margin and space in my life it all begins to makes sense again...... But most of us live our lives without any margin at all..... We have no margin physically..... We don't get enough rest...... We don't eat right and exercise...... We have no margin in our schedules...... Our calendars are crowded. We have no margin in our finances...... We JUST make it from pay week to pay week...... We have no margin in our lives...and we wonder why we feel so stressed and lose our PASSION in life. We get so busy in the details that we miss the most important things in life. BUT margin doesn't just HAPPEN.....We have to get DETERMINED about putting MARGIN back in our lives.....if we want to live PASSIONATELY.....

I think the story of the Paralytic man in Luke chapter 5 is just fantastic..... Here's Jesus is in the middle of a packed house with people everywhere....and here's this guy who REALLY needs to get to Him...but he can't get close to him..... I LOVE this passage because you can SEE the focus and determination.....and the intentionality of these guys.....who want to help their mate....... I mean....nothing was going to stop them from getting their friend to Jesus......

The way this passage ends with everyone going home saying... we have seen remarkable things today.... just makes me wonder..... WHAT would it take for all of us....to go home this morning...saying we have seen remarkable things today...... Wouldn't it be amazing.....wouldn't it be unreal if ALL of us.... could....by the end of the day.....decide we are going to focus on the things that count....That WE were going to have that same kind of PASSION and DETERMINATION in our lives....that we see in this passage......

But see....it WASN'T easy......these guys were trying to get their friend to Jesus so he could be healed.......BUT they could not find a way to do this because of the crowd.......See....straight up....there's a picture there about our lives.......That's the WORST thing about a crowded life...... It keeps me from being CLOSE to Christ. I can always tell when my life is too crowded.....when I'm too overloaded.....because I just go OFF....and I start just GOING THROUGH the motions of being in a relationship with Jesus Christ......And I FEEL like my soul is beginning to dry up...... My emotions get numb......and I began to STOP living passionately and just start EXISTING.

You know what.....I would even go so far....as to say.....that I believe that THIS.....is probably the most significant SIN that we have to deal with in this church.... a life without passion...a life no longer living....but just existing.......And the reason why I say it's a SIN.....is because....it KEEPS us from being close to Jesus and having the rich.....close....loving relationship....with the God who created us.....that He WANTS to have with us......

The crowd will keep you from Christ.....and a crowded life.....will keep you from Christ. So WE'VE got to stop and do what these guys did to break through the crowd.

If you want to recapture YOUR passion in life.....then YOU'VE got to do what these guys did.

And that begins by DOING SOMETHING DRASTIC......In verse 19 it says, "When they could not find a way to do this because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and lowered him on his mat through the tiles into the middle of the crowd, right in front of Jesus."

The crowd was keeping them from Christ...so they did something drastic. They tore a hole in the roof of someone's house......I'd say that's pretty drastic....it's pretty out there......!

See.....when your life gets overcrowded......you can't just DO a couple of little things and expect that somehow your life is going to change......You can't just talk about how things need to change.....You can't make a few LITTLE alterations in your schedule and expect everything to be different........ It doesn't work that way.

You've got to STOP.....and do something drastic.....and we ALL need to do this...because we ALL naturally tend to have an overloaded lifestyle.

Why I like the concept of asking.....IF I only had one month to live...how would things be different.......is because it puts these BIG issues in perspective......

What has been shown over and over again......is that WHEN people find out that they have a short time left to live on this earth.....they suddenly realize what MATTERS most.....and it's relationships......Suddenly....when they are faced with a defined end.....people are SET FREE.....and they SAY the things that they wish they could have always said......and they DO the things that maybe had been on their TO DO list for years.....that were important to them.....but they never got around to it because life was too busy.

Well, guess what......NOW they make time......They ask for forgiveness from others and they give forgiveness freely to anyone who asks......Their lives are radically DIFFERENT in their last days. Suddenly.....instantly......instinctively.....their vision is cleared.... They SEE the big picture.... They get it....They do the things they wish they would have always done.....

If this is what happens to everyone when they find out that their days are numbered....then why don't we live this way all the time?......Honestly.....we ALL know our days are numbered. Why don't we start living like that now?

I've done a few Funeral Services now.......and you know what I STRUGGLE with the most.....it's listening to a family reminisce and speak about the person who has passed away....with such open LOVE and open affection...they TALK them UP.....and to me ...this deceased person seems like the BEST person who ever lived......And the hardest thing.....is KNOWING....that they NEVER spoke that way to that person before they passed away......they never TOLD them how they really felt.....sometimes they even held back those thoughts.....almost as a PUNISHMENT for something that might have been done or said.....and NOW....it's too late......THAT is a TRAGEDY.....

You know what's amazing about asking this question EVERY day..... What would I do if I only had one month to live......it's that you realize what's important...... You realize what's important. That's exactly what happened to these guys in Matthew....... They realized what's important. They knew it was their LAST CHANCE to get their friend to Jesus....to be healed......That they'd probably never get another chance.....so they knew their time was limited.

When you know your time is limited.....you immediately realize what's important........See....they tore a hole through the roof to get their friend to Jesus....they did WHATEVER it took to get him to Christ......I'll guarantee they weren't thinking.....I guess we're going to have to pay for this roof......they didn't care because it was JUST a roof.

I think so many of us.....get stuck on the roof.....and we worry about all this stuff that's just NOT going to last.....that's SO not important..... And you know what.....the more stuff you HAVE the more you have to worry about...... We focus on all these things that don't really matter and they won't last five years from now....let alone for all eternity.

We forget about the things that really do matter.....like the people in our lives......These guys put their friend ABOVE the roof......They said it's JUST a roof......You can REPLACE a roof.....PEOPLE matter MORE than THINGS......we've got to get our friend to Jesus. They realized what was important......and they were PASSIONATE about it.

And when they got their perspective right......THEN.....they began to REMOVE the obstacles. You decide what's important and then you cut out everything else...... These guys in this passage removed the roof...... That was an obstacle and they removed it........We need to be THAT drastic in our own lives......and be prepared to CUT out....WHATEVER is in the way of this LIFE that Jesus wants for us.

You know.....on ANY given day......I might have a list of about 20 things to do and they are all important things.......They're all good.......BUT the reality is......I'm going to only REALLY be able to get a FEW of these things done.....IF I'm going to start REMOVING the obstacles......

So, how do I decide?......How do I choose between all these things I have to do?...... How do you focus in on the most important thing?......Well.....this is what I've discovered recently....like this week......

The really important things in your life.....the things that you would focus on if you KNEW you only had a little time to live......are NOT the things that come with bells and whistles.......They aren't the things that have a deadline........They aren't the things that you'll be rewarded for if you do them.......In fact......almost every time......they will go UNNOTICED and UNREWARDED if you choose to do them.

There are things like.....taking the time and effort to GET your relationship right with your kids REGARDLESS of what they have done.....and how often they have done it...... Taking the time to really LISTEN to your neighbor or your friend when they are needing to talk.....even though you have a million things to do....... Spending time having a coffee or taking a walk with your spouse.....and SEWING in to that relationship.....making sure IT'S SOLID.

It's NOT about trying to figure out and rejig your calendars.....It's not about trying to figure out when you are going to have repairs done on the house.....who cares if it takes 5 Years to paint the house.....And it's certainly NOT about making PAYING off the house the most important priority......It's about CONNECTING......it's about RELATIONHIP.....with each other....and with God......the rest.....is just OBSTACLES......

So...you realize what's important......you remove the obstacles....and sometimes that means doing something drastic........And if you manage to do that.......then you have to be READY.....to EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED.......

You know.....I LOVE to be in control of life.....but what I'm learning....is that Life constantly interrupts you. There will always be things that come into your life that are crazy and hectic and unexpected....and they often come in threes.....and they INTERRUPT you...... And THAT'S when you have to lighten up.......and just say......God, I give it to You......I know You're in control.....

We need to plan.....We need to prioritize......but when our plans get messed up.....we need to KNOW that God is STILL in control.......

That's what happened with these guys. They brought their friend to Jesus...... They had made their plan......They knew where Jesus would be. ......They had this perfect plan to get their friend healed.....but when they got there they realized things hadn't gone as planned.

They hadn't planned on a packed house.

They COULD have said......well....we gave it our best shot.....we tried..... Sorry old son....we TRIED to get you to Jesus.....but it's not going to work out......But they didn't do that.

They just changed their plans......And whenever YOUR plans change.....it's PASSION that allows you to roll with the punches and you give it over to God.....and HE helps you come up with a NEW plan and you get creative.

These guys got creative and they went through the roof.

But THIS is the part of the story that amazes me......When they lowered their friend down.....right in front of Jesus.....Jesus DOES something very UNEXPECTED...... Look what He does in verse...20...... "When Jesus saw their faith, He said, ‘Friend, your sins are forgiven.' "

See this guy was expecting Jesus to heal him.....The WHOLE reason they got him to Christ....why they dug a hole in some guys roof.....was so that Christ could HEAL this guy.....but what happens..... Jesus says......FIRST I'm going to forgive your sins......It was TOTALLY unexpected.

That man could have said.....HELLO....I think you're MISSING the point here..... I'm lying on a mat.....I can't walk.....I think it's GREAT that You are want to forgive me of my sins.....but don't WORRY about all that stuff.....just HEAL me please.

But he didn't do that......This guy ACCEPTED the unexpected.....and WE need to learn how to ACCEPT the unexpected.....because Jesus KNEW what was best for him.......He needed SPIRITUAL healing even MORE than he needed PHYSICAL healing.

So Jesus healed him spiritually first......and then physically.....because God KNOWS what's best for us.....even more than we know what's best for us.

We have to get to the point.... where we make our plans, we decide what's important, we prioritize, but when life interrupts us we say God....You KNOW what's best......I'm not going to get uptight about this......I'm not going to worry about this. I'm not going to try to TAKE control of everything.

The problem is we make our plans.....and we lay it all out.....and then when it gets interrupted we get really frustrated and really stressed.......And we begin to LOSE our passion.

You know.....What we are doing here over the next month......is going to be VERY individual in it's expression...... You'll do things that no one else will.....Your experience will be unique to you.....but no matter who you are....what I KNOW is.....that this is going to HELP you live more passionately.

I love the phrase in this passage where it says "Immediately he stood up in front of them, took what he had been lying on and went home praising God." And I LOVE it....because it speaks about US today......WE want to start today....IMMEDIATELY.....uncrowding our lives....and FINDING our passion in life.

Prayer

Father God......I think sometimes we get a bit lost......and we cant see the forest for the trees. I KNOW that for so many of us......this problem of a cluttered life is ROBBING us of our passion....our passion for people....our passion for service....our passion for YOU.....

WE need to STOP......Father....we need to be STILL....RIGHT NOW......and know that YOU are God......be STILL...........................................................

And know that YOU are God.......Be with us this week....as we continue on this journey of defining who we are in you.....and discovering the LIFE you have for us.

Amen

One Month to Live PART 1

Sun, 24 Aug 2008 00:00:00 +1000

There's this thought.....that's been going round in my head over recent months.....and it's this....TOO many people around me....live with regrets.....missed opportunities.....and unrealized dreams......and I don't want to BE like that.....

I think I'm moving through one of those periods of life.....when I seem to be surrounded....by people whose lives are ENDING......through sickness......and old age......and by others whose RELATIONSHIPS are ending.......And as I'm speaking with these people.......there is this overwhelming sense of REGRET that comes through......

And I think this has somehow TRIGGERED in me .....a DESIRE to want to LIVE my life WITHOUT any regrets....I DON'T want to get this WRONG......I don't want my last moments of life on this earth.....to be about what I DIDN'T do....what I DIDN'T make right.....what I DIDN'T manage to do......or undo......

Georgie Taggart.....is a real cemetery buff.....He loves a good cemetery tour to look at all the old gravestones and the lives they represent...... Because when he's looking at them.....he finds himself wondering what life was like for that person..... What did he live for....Who did she love?...What were his passions and dreams?... What were her biggest mistakes and greatest regrets?....

See the amazing thing about Gravestones....is that they take an ENTIRE life.....and reduce it.... to two dates and one little dash. They might say some other appropriate stuff...... but each person's life ...when it comes to the gravestone....really comes down to what HAPPENED between those two dates...... It comes down to what's in the dash.

See.....When you think about it, we don't have control over many things in life. We didn't get to decide where we were born......who our parents are..... which time period and culture we enter.

We don't get to decide the dates on our gravestone....... We don't know when our time on this earth will be up. It could be next week or next year or decades away...... Only God knows..... Our lives are in His hands.

BUT.....there is one thing we have a HUGE amount of control over...... We get to decide how we're going to use our dash.

And the question I FIND myself asking of late...is..... What am I spending my DASH on..... Am I LIVING the dash.....knowing FULLY who I am and why I'm here?......Am I living the LIFE I was DESTINED by God to live.....OR....am I just dashing to live......spending my dash chasing after things that really don't matter at ALL?

A month or so ago......I came across this book in Koorong......and it was like it SPOKE exactly to what I was feeling......

One Month to Live.....Thirty Days to a No-Regrets Life.....And what I LOVE about this book....is that it's not just a Book....it's a LIFESTYLE......and the basic idea that it puts across....is..... If you knew you had one month to live.....then your life would be RADICALLY changed for that month!......relationships.....attitudes.......priorities......EVERYTHING would SUDDENLY be REORGANISED to make EVERY second count.....

But why do we wait until we're diagnosed with cancer or we lose someone we love.... to understand this concept....and only THEN...allow it to SHAPE how we live EVERYDAY......so that we can FULFILL the purpose for which we were created? WHY don't we start NOW......to live each DAY as if we only had one month to live.....

So we are going to look at this book.....over the next 4 weeks.....for the next 30 Days.....

And what I am going to CHALLENGE every one of you to do.....is to BUY a copy of the book from the Bookstore.....If you can't afford it today....just pay it off over the month.....whatever it takes...... If you still can't afford it....I'll buy it for you.....But I want as many of you as possible to take this challenge with me.......and together we are going to LIVE the next month of our life together.....as if it was our last.......and SEE how it changes our perspective on things....

Because I'm convinced.....that there is SO much potential for REEVALUATION....for questioning.....and examination......when you put LIFE into the context of only having 1 month to live.....

In the book there is a CHAPTER for each day.....and within each chapter.... there are these Make it Count Moments......which force you to EVALUATE what you currently DO and Think.....and how that changes when suddenly life becomes more finite.....

I want this to be the topic of conversation when we meet for home group.....I want us to talk about what we are experiencing....with our friends over the phone......when we're chatting at morning tea......I want this month....to be a month of SIGNIFICANCE....of self evaluation......of honesty.......of support......but most of all.....a month of allowing the life of Jesus to SPEAK into the very CORE of our lives......to challenge....and transform....and to create an amazing lifestyle of MEANING and PURPOSE that hopefully is going to go on for much....much longer than just this 30 days........because THAT'S the life that I think Jesus was a trying to SHOW us in his time here.....

Let me put that into some context......When you THINK about it.........Do you THINK that Jesus KNEW when HE had 30 days left to live here on earth......that he KNEW he had 30 days until the cross...I guarantee he did......So....What did He DO when He knew He had one month to live?.......What can we DRAW from that last month of Jesus life......what can we TAKE from the last month of the life of Jesus......that....if we make it PART of how WE live..... would allow us to REALLY live our dash.......That's what we are going to explore......and what you FIND when you look at the Life of Jesus......is FOUR key principles.......He lived passionately....He loved completely......He learned humbly........ and He left boldly.

That's why He came.....you look at what He said in John 10:10. "I came so they can have real and eternal life, more and better life than they ever dreamed of." (Msg.)

This was the way Christ lived His life on earth...and it's what he wanted US to get......and He showed us these four principles....to help US.... to live the life God made us for.

So these 4 principles become the BASIS for our study over the next month......

THE FIRST PRINCIPLE : JESUS LIVED PASSIONATELY.

You know I love the show....Deal or No Deal.......Sue doesn't get it....but I love the concept of being able to CHOOSE to TAKE the deal offered to you...and go and do something amazing with this free gift..........or NO DEAL......to hold out...hopefully for something better....

I like it because I think it's a bit like LIFE really ......Because in life.....I think a lot of us are HANGING out for a better deal.....we have SO many opportunities to DO something amazing with this life that God has offered us.....but we're always...NO DEAL.... holding out for something better.....whether it's relationships.....jobs.....opportunities......

I want to show you a passage.... that really spins me out ..... Jesus talked about it in Luke 7:31..... He's talking to a crowd about the people of His generation....and He says....."To what, then, can I compare the people of this generation? What are they like? They are like children sitting in the marketplace and calling out to each other: ‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not cry.' "

Jesus is saying.......we played the music of LIFE for you.....but you didn't dance.....You didn't enjoy life......You were always waiting to live....You were always stuck in this ONEDAY mentality.....always WAITING for a better deal..... Then when the pain and the problems came your way you didn't cry..... you didn't GROW from life's experiences......you just tried to avoid all risks whatever it cost...you just played it safe.....You didn't live....... I put you on this earth and gave you the most sacred gift of all.....the gift of life.... and you didn't use it.

See...I think we get STUCK.......between placing SO much emphasis on TOMORROW.....that we keep saying....maybe SOMEDAY......and then we focus SO much on YESTERDAY.....with all of it's guilt and regrets....so that we never really take off..... So the first part of the journey....to us experiencing this life of NO regrets....is to LIVE PASSIONATELY.....and how to DO that better...

THE SECOND PRINCIPLE from Jesus life..... JESUS LOVED COMPLETELY.

Look at what Jesus did when He knew He only had a little bit of time left with His disciples.... in John 13:1 "Jesus knew that the time had come for Him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved His own who were in the world, He now showed them the full extent of His love."

If you knew you only had one month to live you would want to do the same thing...... You would want to love completely....... You would say the things you've always wanted to say...to the people around you........ You would focus on your relationships and express your love to the people closest to you.......

Now that might sound real simple......but it MUST be profound.....because NOBODY seems to get it........ The reason why you are placed on this earth is to love and you're never living until you're loving. ....Jesus summed up the ENTIRE Bible in a couple of verses in Matthew 22, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself."

At the end of your life it won't matter how much money is in your bank account.....it won't matter how many awards you've won.....it won't matter how many goals you've achieved....and it won't matter how RIGHT you thought YOU were......and justified you were in your actions......ALL that will matter is.....did you love?...... Did you love the people in your life.....or did you SHUT yourself off ....and RATION out your love like it was some treasured possession?......

Did you love God with all your heart?...... That's the ONLY thing that's going to matter one day.

Love is an action..... Love is a choice...... So one of the FIRST challenges is this..... Who do you need to tell today that you love them?....Because you NEED to DO it today.....cause you might not have tomorrow....And all the regrets.....all the sorrys....and all the flowers at their funeral...... won't mean a thing.

Who do you need to SHOW love to?.....Because if Jesus showed us ANYTHING.....it's that Love is not love until you give it away.

What did He do......He showed His love by doing something REAL simple. He washed their feet....... In this 30 days......I want to challenge YOU to think about the simple little things that can make a big difference......but this is a time of ACTION.....we only HAVE 30 days remember......so you need to ACT on these thoughts....... A minor change can make a major difference in letting someone know you really love them.

THE THIRD PRINCIPLE was this.....JESUS LEARNED HUMBLY.

And you know what....I think this is perhaps the BIGGEST stopper to this whole concept......See....Even though Jesus was God He taught us by His own example how to learn humbly.

Philippians 2:5-8 says...."Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made Himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to death-- even death on a cross!" The writer of Hebrews is TELLING us...... that even though He was God......Jesus HUMBLED himself......He could have STAYED up in heaven..... with all of its amazingness.... With all His glory..... as God....BUT he didn't.....He humbled Himself and became a man....

And this verse is saying.... OUR attitude should be the same.....it challenges us to be the same as Christ....... WE were made to learn to be more like Christ..... WE were made to become more like Him........ There's gotta be a BIG lesson there for us.....

And I think it's ALL about character building. The only thing you can take with you to Heaven is your character...can't take anything else....SO our time HERE... I figure... has GOTTA be a training ground where God is BUILDING our character to make us more like Himself.....to get us ready for the long haul....eternity.

And If I take what Jesus says......the two most significant things that build my character are ....... Understanding the CHARACTER God wants for me.....and I get that by READING His words....because ultimately if I READ it....I've GOT to become more like Him......And the SECOND thing that builds my character...... lies in the problems I face and how I chose to DEAL with them......

Some of the greatest blessings in our lives are disguised as problems......Some of you might be going through the most difficult problems you've EVER gone through....... But those problems can't stop God's plan for you...unless you LET them....... God wants to use those problems to make you more like JESUS.....to develop your character ....BUT WE want to say.....God change what's happening to me.....but GOD says......."No, I'm going to change you instead .....just be prepared to LEARN......."

Finally.....the FOURTH PRINCIPLE.....JESUS LEFT BOLDY.

Not only did Jesus live passionately, love completely, learn humbly but He also left boldly.

He was TOTALLY FOCUSSED on His mission on earth and He KNEW why He was here. I love the sense of urgency you get in Luke 9:51 when it says, "As the time approached for him to be taken up to heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem." There was no hesitation or procrastinating with Jesus. He was resolute....he was determined... to fulfill the purpose that He came for.

If you knew you only had 30 days to live..... I KNOW....that you would be ABSOLUTELY DETERMINED to finalize your purpose here on earth. You wouldn't waste time or energy on things that didn't really matter.... but you would look for ways to somehow leave a lasting legacy......with your family....with your friends......

BUT one of the BIGGEST obstacles to our legacy....is our focus on trying to please everyone else....... Trying to live our lives for everyone else's approval...... See.... A lot of people tell you how to live your life.....but at the end there's only ONE opinion that matters.....and it's Jesus saying.... hey, you lived the life you were made for...... God is not going to look at you and say why weren't you more like Boof? (well obviously) ..... What He IS going to say.....is why weren't you more of who I made you to be?......Why weren't you more of you?...... Why didn't you live the life I made you to live?

What I want God to say...... more than anything is well done Mark.....you made an absolute MESS of SO many things......but you were fully you.....You were fully who I made you to be...... and THAT gave me pleasure....... Well done good and faithful servant.

I want to challenge you to take this ONE MONTH challenge with me....... I think it's going to be an exciting month.....

And on the LAST week.....on our 30^th day.....We are going to have some of you come up here and SHARE how this 30 days....living as if they were your last.....has CHANGED...or REFOCUSSED.....or just CHALLENGED you to be MORE the person God made you to be.....

FOR ALL of us......I want all of us to Ask the question EVERY day....."What would I do if I only had one month to live?"

If you don't plan on buying the book....I STILL want you to be PART of the process......SO....I've printed up a QUESTION sheet for each week......with a couple of questions for you to focus on each day......

For those who are BUYING the book......Read a chapter in the book each day..... There are 30 chapters.....one for each day ..... and I want you to journal....to WRITE DOWN in a pad or an exercise book..... your experiences over the next 30 days as you take this challenge. Record the changes in your life and what God is doing in and through you over this period....

Prayer.....

Father......we don't want to live with regrets.....and we don't want to DIE with regrets......You came to give us LIFE....life better that we could ever imagine.....and we get glimpses of that life often Lord.....But then we lose sight of it.....amongst all our business.....and misplaced effort.....and unforgiveness......and anger...and frustration....... Father....CHALLENGE us to seek out....the life you want for us.....and help us to use this month.....to focus fresh....on getting it right....and living out what might remain of our lives....with purpose....in Your name we pray....Amen.

A Life of Submission (1 Peter 3)

Sun, 20 Jul 2008 00:00:00 +1000

OK....who organized this teaching roster.....and put ME down to speak on SUBMISSION......good planning.....

Let me just give you a brief overview of where I'm at...... I've been a Christian now for 33 years......and I've been going long enough to KNOW that living as a Christian is not just a matter of DECIDING to and then CONSTANTLY TRYING to obey God.

Took me a while to understand.....that all the determination and effort that I can summons up will NOT bring about the sort of life that I want.....and the sort of relationship with God that I want

And then there is this whole OTHER dilemma.......I'm realistic enough to know that it's UNLIKELY that I'll EVER be perfect......but I LOVE God enough to.....at least perhaps to begin to SHOW signs that I'm growing in my Christ likeness.

And so I come to the Scriptures that we've been looking at over the last few weeks..... from 1 Peter and there's a sense in which....as I read these passages.....I find myself asking......

"Can I even DO what God asks....Can I ever BE who God wants me to be....?

Cause.....these passages in 1 Peter demand a pretty high standard......if you consider yourself a follower of Jesus ......I mean look at 1 Peter 2:11- 3:8 "Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul. Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.

And from THERE Peter begins to spell out just EXACTLY what it IS that Jesus expects of us ...and ultimately it boils down to this one thing......submission. He expects us to be Submissive.... we are to BE submissive.....

toward governing authorities, v13

toward masters/bosses and v18

toward our spouse.3:1

toward everyone 3:8

And you know....I understand WHAT it is that I'm supposed to do.....and I think I even understand the ATTITUDE that I'm meant to have WHEN I do it..... BUT can I actually do it.....and not just when I concentrate on it and FOCUS on being submissive.....BUT can that become the way I naturally act and react...ALL the time?

Well...If my REACTIONS when I'm in the car and the people around me do STUPID things is any gauge.....then I'm struggling....Like in Sydney on Tuesday....picking up the bus......with a gizillian catholics gathered at Darling Harbour....The roads were a ZOO...Try practicing submission in THAT situation......you go first....NO you go first...no I insist....

How do I get to the place in life where my natural reactions and actions are what God is describing here in 1 Peter......cause pretty obviously......DECIDING to.....and TRYING to.....are a good step....but they're obviously not enough.........

Because actually.....for the MOST part......I'm with Paul when he shares in Romans 7:21-24

"When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God's law; but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind... What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death?"

But HERE in this letter from Peter......we begin to get some LIGHT on this whole area of submission.....

Because here.....Peter uses Jesus as the ultimate example of patient....non-retaliational....submission.... even when he's abused...... 1 Peter 2:21-23

"To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps. "He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth." When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly."

Jesus is the ultimate example of how we SHOULD behave toward others....and you begin to get a PICTURE of how Submission is meant to work.....whether it's towards government....your boss.....your spouse.....or ANYBODY.....

But you know.....I have seen these passages in 1 Peter....used and abused ...... as tools to manipulate and bind up people...to somehow DEMAND respect regardless of how they treat others....and as such....I think it's important to get a feel for who it was that Peter was writing these thoughts on submission....

Peter is addressing some VERY real concerns to these new Christians scattered across Asia Minor.

These Christians were living in a world that was totally AGAINST their faith.....

It wasn't always full on physical persecution..... but they were living in circumstances that were HARD.......

Some of them are servants and slaves with masters who are not Christians.
Some of them are married to spouses who don't follow Jesus.
They live in a society of people where being in a relationship with Jesus puts you very much in a minority.....and under government leaders that go out of their way to make it hard for them.
And At the very least these followers of Jesus are persecuted regularly .....ridiculed....blamed for anything that happens......

And you can understand that living with this constant harassment because of their FAITH.........would begin to flow over and have an affect in their homes.....it would have an affect in their jobs and even in their community......And I think we really STRUGGLE to get a true concept of this......because it ISN'T the reality that WE live with.....but it was HARD for these people to maintain their faith in light of all that was happening to them on a daily basis....and you get a sense....that they were starting to BITE back.....to retaliate against some of the stuff they had to put up with......and it's THIS temptation...this very NORMAL reaction....that Peter is addressing....

And what does He say?.....1 Peter 2:13-17

"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 to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right. For it is God's will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish men. Live as free men, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as servants of God. Show proper respect to everyone: Love the brotherhood of believers, fear God, honor the king."

Again....this concept of "submit."......Submit yourselves! ..... Be submissive in your attitude.....defer to others.......and I KNOW that these would have been hard words to hear......and I know that..... because they STILL are hard words for US to hear......because they run totally opposite to virtually every natural reaction we have!

And this PRINCIPLE of submission..... and a concern for others ahead of us......Peter is saying pretty much.....that THIS should be applied to "everyone".....

This is hard stuff.....because.....I can't think of anything that runs more against the grain of our human spirit than submission......it's ALL about striving to WIN....standing up for yourself.....do whatever it takes......tread on whoever gets in your way....but make SURE you come out on top......

You know......I think I've always struggled with GREED......and you know what I've found to be the greatest tool I have to fight against greed..... GENEROUSITY.....And you know....it REALLY works....the more generous I am.....the less the issue of greed affects me.......

And....in the same way....... the most effective tool against to SELF-CENTREDNESS is submission......

See Peter knew that in order to SURVIVE in the middle of such a DIFFICULT culture.....that was against you simply for what you believed.....Peter knows that these followers of Jesus had to learn to EMBRACE this attitude of submission to others.......and let me stress this....don't let anyone tell you that these passages are suggesting ABSOLUTE submission in all cases...where abuse and that sort of treatment is involved.......I don't have time to deal with that argument....but that's NOT the intent of these passages.......Instead this submission is a disposition.....it's an attitude......which is to affect every relationship we have.

What does it mean to submit to others?

Well.....have a Listen to some of the bible passages that give us a clue:

Philippians 2:3-4 "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others."

Mark 10:42-44

"Jesus called them together and said, "You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all."

Romans 15:1-2

"We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves. Each of us should please his neighbor for his good, to build him up.

Bit different to what out NATURAL inclination is ehhh.......submission is high regard for others.....a respect for them.....and a willingness to be inconvenienced for their sake.....

And Why?..... Why should we submit to others?

Well......Peter gives us two reasons:

First of all....V13....we submit to others "for the Lord's sake."

Jesus is the ULTIMATE reason we submit to others......Submission is first of all an attitude that we are showing to JESUS by showing it to others.

We are called to be like him.....it says in Philippians 2 ...."Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant..."

Submitting to others "for the Lords sake" means we will treat people as Jesus would.

This submission is the practical way that we show love for others....It is the way that the love that George spoke about last week is demonstrated.

See when you think about it.....how serious ARE we about this decision we make to follow Jesus.......cause when it comes down to this level....you begin to realize that that decision you might have made.....was a SIMPLE decision....but it certainly wasn't an EASY decision

Ultimately.....what Jesus was saying was....."Follow me, do what I do, in my way," .......and we decide to that....... or NOT.

BUT.....If we say we will follow him......than we can't pick and choose which BITS we will apply and which BITS are just too hard......and SUBMISSION is a non-negotiable......

You know.....I think we have this romantic notion.....that following Jesus is going to take us on some great cause....or involve us in some important work...... but most of what following Jesus means has to do with everyday choices...... in the mundane day to day aspects of life.

Sue went shopping a few weeks ago......and I thought to myself....what could I do for Sue while she was gone....to show her how much I loved her......

So I decided to sweep all the floors in the house.....took me a long time......and I felt very humble while I was doing it......there was no glory in this task....it was just for my love of Sue.....

When I heard the car come down the drive.....I sat down and tried not to look too cocky.....and when she walked in....she looked at the floor and said....Oh....the floors clean.....thank you......and then she started putting the shopping away.....

Well..... that was NOT the reaction I was hoping for......I felt underappreciated......and it took me a while to get out of that....

NOW....several weeks down the track....as I look BACK on that selfless act on my part.....I can recognize.....that it wasn't selfless......and it wasn't submission....I was sweeping those floors to get something for ME.....praise......recognition.....kisses.....

So when we read that instruction to submit ourselves for the Lord's sake.....that's NOT what I was doing....I was submitting for MY sake......and if we are honest.....you know... THAT is the motive for so many of the supposed selfless acts that we do......it's ALL about US.....

But Peter also gives us another reason for submitting to others.....

1 Peter 2:15 "For it is God's will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish men."

And that's a lot like what Peter wrote just a couple of verses earlier in 1 Peter 2:12

"Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.

The basic instruction here.....is do good to others.

But it's more than that......he says to do good even when.....it's to the very people who are ripping you off....making life hard....and persecuting you.......

See......Peter is writing to people whose government.....whose bosses and.....perhaps the most hurtful of all.....whose own family members see them as whacked.....and in some cases....as enemies.....because of the faith that they have in Jesus.....

And in their IGNORANCE of ANYTHING to do with Jesus.....they say and do all kinds of hurtful things AGAINST them.....

We certainly don't face what these people faced....BUT....I can at least BEGIN to identify with their situation.......

Man....I used to STRUGGLE with slander.....I couldn't bear it when I would hear a rumour or get wind that someone had said something about me..... See...what we WANT to do in that situation....is to set the record straight.....to shut down the rumors..... and to let everyone know what really happened.

The time I have WASTED.....trying to chase down rumours.....every misrepresentation.... every LIE..... and try and GET to where it all started so I could let them have it........

But it rarely happens that way......you NEVER get back to the source.....and you waste your time chasing the tail of the rumour.....

And what's HARD to accept.....is that the FACTS have very little relevance once someone gives a false representation......What I learned.....is that the ONLY thing that changes peoples perceptions....is OBSERVATION.....seeing WHO I really am......

So here....in 1 Peter 2:15 it says...."For it is God's will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish men. Live as free men, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as servants of God. Show proper respect to everyone..."

Now Unfortunately.....this approach DOESN'T guarantee that our good treatment of others will get the results we would like as soon as we'd like......but it does say that THIS is what Christ wants us to do.......

You know the question.....that has changed my WHOLE perspective in life......It's a real simple question....that my WIFE keeps reminding me......when I go through a period where I am REALLY struggling with this stuff.....It's a very simple question that you ask in every encounter you have with PEOPLE.....

What is God's loving interest in this person right now?

Regardless of WHAT they are displaying to ME right now.....What can I do to show the love of Jesus.....to them now?

Because when you ASK that question......it CHANGES your REACTION to that person....in that situation.....and it changes THEIR reaction to YOU in that situation......

We are called to live a life of SUBMISSION......or as Oswald Chambers wrote...... "Identify yourselves with GOD'S interest in other people.....don't try to identify God with your interest (or disinterest) in other people."

Father God......

We really struggle with this area of submission in our lives. Help us father....to see others through your eyes.....Father.....help to grow in us....a heart of compassion..... a heart of grace.....and keep our eyes focused on Jesus....the maker and perfecter of our faith....

Amen.

Eternity - A Life of Hope (1 Peter 1)

Sun, 06 Jul 2008 00:00:00 +1000

I'm still a bit blown away....as I walk down the corridor to the toilets.....to look at the response to our Easter series on the HOPE of Easter. I think one of the main things that impresses me about those artworks.....is the sense that there is a very tangible connection between what Jesus did....and the lives of the people who prepared those masterpieces.

Developing that connection with Jesus....is VITAL to our ongoing development and understanding of who we are as God's people.....and So this morning.... As we begin a 4 part series on 1 Peter....I want to take that to the next level....and focus on four areas in this amazing letter.....that I think are foundational in a relationship with Jesus......A Life of Hope.....A Life of Love.....A Life of Submission....and a life of Service

I read a disturbing article this week......that I want to share with you.....

It is 2:00am and you are deep in sleep, warm and at peace in your bed. Suddenly you wake up to the sound of pounding on your front door.....the sound of shouting.....You jump out of bed and race for the door.....your heart pounding....your eyes still bleary. Before you reach the door....it's torn off its hinges and flattened ..... You are face to face with men in uniform carrying guns.....There are bright lights in your eyes.....You begin to speak and then you feel the throbbing pain at the side of your head then ... nothing!

When you come to.... you are lying on the ground...you can feel the grass....Then the realisation....It was not a dream.... hours must have passed. Your wife is by your side...and so are your children....and they are all distressed and crying. They are trying to bandage up the wound on your head with strips of cloth from your son's T-shirt.... It feels cold and damp. As your eyes begin to focus you finally ask...."Why are we outside?.... What's happening?"

Then....with tears streaming down her face.... your wife says, "The government....they took everything....Our house....cars....clothes...food....money....everything! ...WHY

Because we are Christians."

In one day, your whole life has changed radically and permanently. You are now poor, unemployable, persecuted, an exile. You won't get together with your friends for church this Sunday. As a matter of fact, you don't even know where they are. You sit there with a numb mind and bruised body trying to grasp what has just happened to you and your family.

This morning, in over 50 countries....that's the reality for many Christians who are being persecuted for their faith.....Up to two thirds of the world's Christian population faces abuse of some kind....whether it's verbal harassment....discrimination....hostility or persecution. Up to 170,000 Christians are killed every year because of their faith. The top countries...where this persecution is happening....China...Laos...Vietnam...North Korea...Saudi Arabia, Uzbekistan, Iran, the Maldives and Afghanistan. A study in 2001 identified that in North Korea alone..... 100,000 Christians were in labour camps....In prison because of their refusal to deny their Faith in Jesus Christ.

I found that a really disturbing article......NOT only because of the persecution of fellow humans....

But also because it highlighted to me just how EASY it is for US to be in relationship with Jesus.....and how little it actually COSTS us.....

If I asked you.....what parts of the Bible you like.....I recon I'd come up with a list that included the Psalms....Luke's Gospel.... Philippians.....The Sermon on the Mount....Romans....or maybe a practical book like James.

If I asked the SAME question of our friends over in the slums of Manila....or in China.....then it's very likely....that they would give me a different perspective.....and quite possibly....1st Peter would be high on their list....and the reason for that is that the world which Peter describes....of social isolation....of exclusion from society and of persecution..... is their daily experience.....they relate to what he is describing and they CLING to the HOPE that he expresses in his letters.

But you know.....I really believe that this letter has so much to say to us....right here....living in what is a very a secular.....very comfortable....very materialistic Australia.

Sue and I went camping years ago.....up on the Barrington River.....there had been a lot of rain in the week before....and we had to cross two fiords.....On one of them.....as I drove down into the water at about 20km/h....I remember asking Sue the Question.....600mm......is that too deep to cross.....well it WAS....and the car STOPPED about 10 metres in.

As soon as it stopped....water started to come in through Sue's door....she was upstream.....So I grabbed the can of WD40....and I thought I'd just get out and give the distributor a spray to dry it out....but when I got out of the car.....and managed to get the bonnet up.....I couldn't even SEE the distributor...it was underwater

As I stood holding my can of WD40 in one hand....and the Bull Bar in the other hand.....it was all I could do to keep my feet on the ground....the current was so strong......and I had this very real fear....this feeling in my GUT.....that at any moment I could be washed downstream.....

I remember that feeling of fear and panic really clearly...as a feeling of hopelessness....of a sense that there's NOTHING I can do......and as I thought about it....I recognize that I get that feeling a lot at different times in my life.....

Because I think that FEELING.....of impending DOOM.....like our feet are going to be taken out from under us at any moment......is a very REAL feeling for many of us on a regular basis.....we might not be going through the type of persecution I mentioned earlier....but the feelings are no LESS....

The bills still keep coming into the letter box.....but your bank account doesn't match your spending.....and the river rises... Your calendar is out of control...... and your relationship with your partner is strained . . . the current gains speed... Pressures of life are mounting....your health is starting to suffer.....each day you wake up with a knot in your stomach wondering what catastrophy today will bring ... and you FEEL the ground beneath your feet starting to give way as the water presses against you. You try to hold on.....and you keep going day after day....but you are not sure how long you can stand your ground before you are swept away.

See....I think that's a pretty familiar feeling for most of us..... When Peter wrote to these early followers of Christ....his words brought hope in the middle of a HUGE rising river of trials and persecution. THAT was their life......I mean these guys were living right around the time that Nero was burning Rome....and looking for someone to blame it of.....and he chose....the Christians....and so he burned, and crucified, and generally found any way to persecute them.....But what Peter is saying....to them....in the midst of all that....is the same message he has to us....that....We all face difficult times of varying levels....of pain...of tension...and conflict. But the stuff we have to face....DOESN'T have to sweep you away...it doesn't have to make your whole life miserable .... destroy your family.... or demolish your hopes.

Maybe it's just me, but I just get the feeling that people aren't very optimistic these days. You can almost hear and see an overall mood of doubt and pessimism in people's voices and faces. You ask how people are going....standard reply...no use complaining.....Instead of being hopeful, Australia is full of people who flip each other off....cut each other off in traffic....and generally live with a scowl on their faces. It seems that for so many....hope and happiness has BEEN swept away.

And I find it hard to understand WHY that seems to be an INCREASING reality in our country..........given that we are NOT experiencing what Christians in North Korea or China are experiencing...... I don't understand WHY there is so much doubt and pessimism...around us.....But then I read this amazing verse this week...in Ecclesiasties 3....and it just blew me away....

Here.....Solomon wrote....I have seen the burden God has laid on men. He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set ETERNITY in the hearts of men. The burden that God has laid on men is that everything is beautiful, but only "in its time." The beauty of a flower only lasts for a week. The grass is only green during the summer. The beauty of a snowfall only lasts so long, and then it melts away. But God has set "ETERNITY" in the hearts of men, the desire for things to last.

ETERNITY....isn't that a great word....and it seems so appropriate for us here in Australia.....And it all starts to make sense.....We buy dishwashers, stoves, air conditioners and mobile phones to LAST....... We don't like it when things break down...... But the problem is that EVERYTHING in this life has a life span..... Cars wear out..... Gadgets get old.... Love gets mediocre.....Computers become obsolete...the week after you buy them....and our bodies slow down and grow old.

And so as Australians who live with some of the newest and the best equipment in the world....we STILL aren't happy and optimistic..... Why?..... Because we have "ETERNITY" in our hearts..... But the things and dreams of this life are not eternal......they wear out.....

You don't have a guarantee on health.... You don't have a guarantee on wealth.... Marriage don't always last till death do you part..... And so our whole OUTLOOK is skewed to give this pessimistic view on life.....

But....Do you think God wants you to live your life that way? Do you THINK that God wants us to be Eeyores.....Thanks for comin'.....it's meant to be sunny but I doubt it will be..... Does that sound like the attitude of someone who Jesus calls the "light of the world" or the "salt of the earth?" That's not the way God wants us to live....to live without HOPE....And if you live without hope....then in a sense you are living without faith.....And what I believe Peter is spelling out here....is that there's no excuse for that kind of outlook on life...when you are in relationship with Jesus....... But we do it all the time.

Martin Luther went through a real downer like this once...... So you know what his wife did?..... She came down the stairs one morning wearing all black and looking really sad sorrowful...... He asked her, "who died?"...... She said....."God did." Luther said.... "You silly woman, God did not die." And she responded, "oh, I thought by the way you were acting that he had."......See she wanted to remind him that Jesus still LIVED. There was still hope. And that's Peter's point in this opening chapter of 1st Peter.......

Listen to the optimism of these verses......

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ!.... In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, .....and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade.....kept in heaven for you, .....who through faith are shielded by God's power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.....in this you GREATLY rejoice.....

No matter how bad life may get.....there is still hope - because we have the assurance that Jesus died for the sins of the world......and that Jesus died for US.....and that God accepted what was pinned to that cross...... There is something more certain to life than death and taxes ....there is eternal life......and it's THAT promise that GIVES spiritual life and hope in our world.... of something that is permanent.....that DOEN'T perish, spoil, or fade.

When Sue and I went to Thailand......we booked all our hotels before we left.....and you know that feeling....when you arrive at your destination and you're tired....and you check in.....and even before you get to your room.....you REALISE....that it's NOTHING like the brochure....Well the HOPE that Jesus gives us...is like INSUIRANCE against that happening when we move on from here.... That ISN'T going to happen in heaven.......we AREN'T going to be disappointed....

Do you have that sense of HOPE?.....Does that HOPE get you through the hard stuff in your life......Or are you floundering a bit?...... I find it so sad to see Christians moping around frustrated with life, and depressed over their futures.

See.....When you really live with that hope....and I mean LIVE with it....not just see it as a nice possibility......it honestly does effect the way we live our lives.

I have a student at school....whose mum is in the final stages of Cancer.....and Thursday before last....her mum went in to have an operation to reduce the size of the tumor in her head....and there was a lot of concern as to whether she would make it through.......I was at the hospital on Friday, and I saw this girl and she was so happy that mum had come through the operation and she was back in a general ward....and it all seemed good.

On Monday morning.....she came and saw me first thing.....and she was smiling....so I thought it was good news.....but she said....Mr Mac....I just wanted to tell you....that we saw the surgeon yesterday...and the operation actually didn't go well...mum actually died on the table and they had to bring her back....and they accidentally severed a vein in her brain that has left her paralyzed from the waist down and without the use of her left hand....BUT This young girl was still smiling ....and I sensed a real HOPE in her spirit....and as I talked with her.....she told me that even though the outcome was not good.....she STILL had her mum and she had her for a little while longer.....

Do you GET the concept that this young girl just drove home to me......?

What is YOUR happiness based on? So often you deal and talk with people who just aren't happy with life..... Why? .....Because their job stinks.....their marriage isn't what it's cracked up to be.....or they're having health problems...... And so often....they equate their happiness with healthiness and wealth and comfort. But they're basing their happiness on the temporary things of this world.....they have ETERNITY in their hearts....

It seems strange to us here in Australia..... when we are given every creature comfort .....to expect to be happy without comfort........In our trip to MANILLA .....the most amazing...most stand out thing about the beautiful people living in the slums of Quezon City.....was their ability to be happy with NOTHING....and they SHAME us.....And it's a genuine happiness.....not put on show for us rich Australian visitors......there is a depth to their FAITH and their HOPE that I just find INSPIRING.......

Have you ever read the story of Paul and Silas in prison? Luke tells us that the jailer......he put them in the inner cell and fastened their feet in the stocks. Doesn't get much more uncomfortable..... Often times their legs would cramp up and cause extreme pain...... But what were they doing?..... About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them ....thinking what the heck.....

And Peter tells us that these Christians who he is writing to...... were doing much the same thing during their pain and suffering....... And WHY were they doing this?.....well you get some idea when you read what Peter says from verse 6......

In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith-of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire-may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

I think in our society......we have a lot to learn about HOPE......there are no guarantees in life....no promises of an easy run....good health....happy marriage....no promises of retirement at 65 with wealth..... health...and stealth to get away......

BUT....what we do have.....is the ASSURANCE of HOPE......hope in something that IS ETERNAL.....I think we are YET to fully understand that HOPE......to embrace it in the NOW....to allow it to SHAPE our lives....our temperament....our outlook.

Can I encourage you this week....to read over 1 Peter.....and to REDISCOVER the HOPE that we have through Jesus Christ.....Amen.

Father.....for some of us here this morning.....life at present feels like the river is rising and the current is strong......for some of us.....there is that feeling of impending doom.....and for some.....there is a sense of frustration....that comes as the things that we see as important in this life are failing us.....our health...our finances.....our relationships.....Lord...you have given us an eternity of HOPE....and yet so often......our hope is so dependent on the here and now. Help us to look beyond Lord.....to understand the goal of our faith.....and offer you praise, glory and honour right NOW....for the HOPE we have in you....Amen.