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Romans 8:31-39

A better promise

In the movie Finding Nemo Marlin promises his last surviving child that he will never let anything happen to him. Having held my own  infant child I know what it’s like to want to protect him from being hurt. My eldest turns 18 in a few months so it has been a long time since he was cute and cuddly.

In the movie, Marlin is very over protective of Nemo who has what they call a ‘lucky fin.’ Nemo is embarrassed by his dad on his first day of school. He feels he needs to prove himself and so accepts a dare to swim into open water. At that moment his dad catches Nemo swimming away from the safety of the reef. Marlin promptly has a complete parental meltdown. In defiance Nemo swims all the way to a boat against his Fathers threats and pleas to come back. Nemo is captured and an epic story begins. Nemo learns to cope while his Dad learns how to let go of his promise.

No matter how much I want to protect my son he is going to get hurt. Marlin learns in his journey that being hurt is a part of life and that preventing anything from happening to his son stopped Nemo from experiencing life. As a parent I know that this is easier said than done. Especially as my son has grown older I’ve had to let him make his own mistakes without frothing at the mouth.

As we celebrate Laura’s baptism let’s be reminded that we are safe because God commits Himself to us. We don’t need to fear being humiliated and rejected because God forgives us, covers our shame and accepts us. We don’t need to fear abandonment because we belong to God. A better promise to make to a child is to always remind them that they are safe, covered and belong because of God’s promises, His forgiveness and His love for them.  the Rev

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Psalm 23

2012 Survival Guide

Something I learned from Bear Grylls is that you cannot survive in the wilderness unless you let go of your life as you know it. If you want to live then you have to eat bugs and chew raw meat. Your going to sleep in a tree not in a bed, your going to spend all of your effort and time finding your way back to civilisation. There is no leisure time in the wilderness.

Bear Grylls served in the British SAS in which he learned to survive in wilderness. The best lessons learnt were in the wilderness rather than in the classroom. Survival principles need to be applied in a real life experience. There are three principles that are a key to survival. Finding food and water to sustain health and strength, having the ability to navigate to find a way to civilisation and resting at night to renew strength so as to be able to keep going.

I want to survive 2012. First I need to let go of any unrealistic expectations that I have. I live in broken world full of broken people as a broken person myself. So I need to put aside my expectations that people are here to serve my needs. There are going to be times when I’m going to be ill treated and I will ill treat people. Relationships are going to be messy and I need to learn to having a forgiving spirit and a servants heart.

Second I need training. I have Christ who is my shepherd whom I plan to follow as I navigate my way through the year. I have Christ whom I will depend on to provide for me and renew me throughout the year. I recognise that I live in a spiritual wilderness which Christ will use to teach me how I can grow in my love for him and people.  the Rev

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2 Timothy 2:20-26

Useful to the Master

You aren’t a Christian for long before you realize that God has saved you for a purpose. That purpose is to serve Him. Throughout the New Testament we are exhorted to do good works. However, we have to be clear that these good works do not save us.

Useful like a Swiss Army Knife

We are saved to serve. God wants us to do good works, however small they may be. He wants us to be useful to Him. Paul also writes to Timothy encouraging him to be useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work (2 Tim 2:20-26).

To be useful to the Master we need to take certain action. We don’t become useful by just hoping that God will use us. These few verses challenge us to pay attention to two critical areas. Firstly, we need to work on our own personal integrity, so that we are instruments that God can use.  Secondly, we need to develop people skills, in order to lead others to Christ.

Every Christian needs to take action in these two areas, not just church leaders. The action needed should not be too difficult for those who have the Holy Spirit. Scottish preacher, Robert Murray McCheyne, wrote, “The greatest need of my people is my personal holiness.”  In other words, his personal integrity was foundational to his ministry. English poet, John Donne wrote, “No man is an island, entire of itself.” That is, we cannot live removed from others; and so we need good people skills to relate to one another.

No Christian would be content with being useless to the Master. These verses help us understand how we can be useful to the Master, which in turn brings contentment in life.

The other Rev.

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Ephesians 1:1-14

Changing Masters (Western Echo Article)

The worst type of slavery is one disguised as freedom. We all want to be free to pursue happiness without pausing to consider whether our pursuit of happiness is in fact a form of slavery. We study to get a good job so that we can afford happiness. We have friends to be happy, we enter into intimate relationships to be happy and some believe in God hoping that he will will bring happiness.

Experience true freedom

I’ve noticed that people get very depressed about happiness. They may have most things they thought would make them happy and found that they are not. Or they feel that they will never manage to attain their goals, or they lose what had made them happy. People sometimes lose hope and their will to live because they can’t see how they can ever be happy.

Being a slave to happiness can be very cruel. It can strip from you the very joy of living. It will progressively narrow what you find enjoyable until there is very little left. For example anything that requires you to be patient and faithful is hardly tolerated. We live in the NOW and expect instant and easy results. We get depressed when work and relationships require personal effort and sacrifice without giving us the results we want.

Much of our pursuit of happiness makes us tired and sad. Jesus said “He who seeks to save his life will lose it.” (Mark 8:35) Changing masters might seem like going from freedom to slavery but in reality it is the reverse. Jesus said

“Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.  Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30)  the Rev

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Ephesians 1:1-14

How to cope when you’re not coping

(Western Echo Article)

Even though we may never have met, I know something about you. At times, you experience a  heaviness in your heart that makes it hard to get out of bed in the morning. Despite having friends you sometimes feel a loneliness that’s like an ache in your chest. There are times when you become so afraid that it feels like butterflies in your stomach. The heaviness, the aching and the butterflies are all symptoms of being overwhelmed.

How to cope when your not

When you’re not coping it’s easy to turn inward, to shut down your emotions and go numb. Unfortunately, this isolates you even further and makes it harder to deal with your crises. Having gone through significant stress in my life, I’ve learned that sometimes you’re not meant to cope. The problem is that you expect to be in control of your life. None of us likes the feeling that our lives are out of our control. But occasionally reality catches up with us and our feeling of control explodes like a burst balloon.

Here is a golden opportunity to do something different. Don’t reconstruct the illusion of being in control. Instead, turn to the one who is in control. You are both a physical and spiritual being. You have an embodied soul. That soul was made by God so that you could be connected to Him. Spiritual disconnection is sometimes evidenced by the following emotions; fear, anger, guilt, shame, loneliness. Perhaps you’re not coping because you need to turn to God for help. If you would like to learn how to cope when you’re not coping then listen to message found at www.godsgap.net/howtocope. the Rev

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Matthew 6:5-15

Why God! (Western Echo Article)

I’m writing this just before I go on holidays amongst the millions of tasks that need to be done before I have a 4 week break. My younger sister has been diagnosed with lung cancer and she has two young kids. I’ve been to Melbourne, had phone conferences with doctors and tried to support my distraught parents. Add to this the fact that I’ve had to juggle hire cars because mine is in for repairs after being crashed into from behind at the traffic lights and you get a small picture of the chaos I’m currently experiencing.

Why God!

Instead He has shown his grace within my pain through people’s prayer, concern and support from within my church and my local community. God exists not for me, but me for Him. He exists to do as He pleases not as I please. He is much more interested in helping me face my challenges and grow through my suffering than He is in preventing them. This is reflected in the Lord’s Prayer. There is only a small part of that prayer which is about my circumstances (give me my daily bread). The rest of the prayer focuses on God, on His glory and His will being done on earth as it is in heaven. Instead of “Why God!” I’m trying to exercise my trust in God within those things that I’m finding overwhelming. I’d like to say to you, my readers, that God is good. May He bless you.  the Rev

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John 13:1-17

Jack in the box

This week I’ve felt fragile. Like a Jack in the Box whose handle is being turned by the many frustrations experienced in daily life. Like for example the continued sniffing of one of my kids in another room while I was working.

But Jack didn’t pop up because I deliberately diffused my irritation so that it didn’t explode in anger. It has been amusing for me to practice this sermon throughout the week. Christ washing his disciples feet has rather blown me away.

Jack in the Box

How fragile do you think Christ felt, just before he was to be betrayed and nailed to the cross, where he would bear the sin of the whole world? His disciples had been fighting about who was going to be the best. Christ washes their feet. Wow.

I’ve found that really challenging to put specifically into practice. This has meant making an emotional effort to be kind, saying good morning, doing the dishes, cooking a few meals this week all despite feeling really tired and irritable.

Going to Assembly was a test. Sitting there all day listening to people talk in a language I wasn’t sure was English and then having to be polite, entering into conversations I had no interest taking part. I made the effort, I engaged and fellowshiped with ministers and elders alike.

Even within epic failures Christ was with me, like my trip to Centrelink with Josiah, we didn’t have all we needed, another visit is needed. I lost it. That night I had nightmares. Within all the mess Christ restrained me so that it wasn’t a complete disaster. Despite my handle being turned Christ has managed to keep Jack in his box. the Rev

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Ephesians 4:7-16 and 1 Timothy 3:1-7

Someone you can turn to

Reflecting on my past there have been several people who have significantly helped, taught, shaped, mentored, comforted and counselled me. Many have been godly elders who have invested themselves in me.

Stephen was my pastor when Michele and I were not long married. He was an older man who I looked up to, with very strong pastoral gifts. He encouraged me ever so patiently to consider entering into the ministry. He as a man I felt I could turn to at any time.

We can help

Peter was my pastor when I studying theology. He spent a lot of time with me teaching me to project my voice, discussing at length theological doctrine, controversies and issues. He was both my pastor, my mentor and my friend.

Today we have David Niven, a pastoral giant with a wise head on his shoulders and Nick Prins our esteemed encourager who is our highly capable helper on sesion and CoM. The time has come for us to elect two more elders, young men who have shown godly character, leadership qualities and an ability to teach.

These young men will be embraced by us as a congregation as we train them theologically and pastorally. They will be discipled and mentored by your current elders. Each brings quality gifting. Dan like his Dad, steady, I’ve never seen him in a flap. He is a capable and logical thinker who has a heart for God’s people and their walk with Jesus. Ming has a growing interest in pastoral care/ biblical couselling. He has demonstrated proven potential as a preacher and leader of the music team.

May God bless us as we consider who we nominate, train and elect as elders. the Rev

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Ephesians 47-16 and 1 Peter 5:1-4

You are not alone

My overwhelming childhood memory is loneliness. I guess my parents where incredibly busy, both worked and they were pre-occupied with their disintegrating relationship. Love had cooled, drift created distance and distance led to resentment and hatred.

You are not alone

Now I have my church family here in the Gap. We have each other. Christ would touch each of you as you learn to encourage one another daily. Paul says that God has gifted you so that you can edify your brother and sisters in Christ. So what are your gifts?

Primarily your gift is Jesus Christ. He will teach and enable you to become selfless. He wants you to grow in your care for your church family. How? Listen more and you will know more. As you grow in your understanding, you will grow in your care. As you care you will grow in your desire to help, support and encourage.

A simple beginning would be to ask someone today what they would like you to pray for them. Then pray for them and later check up with them to see how they went or how they are. Whenever we meet together, text, email and Facebook each other lets pray for each other lets seek to say something encouraging.

My prayer is that we will grow in our confidence with each other, to share our burdens and our joys, whether shameful or victorious. Christ is with you, we are with you, so you are not alone. the Rev

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Matthew 6:19-24

Issue of the heart

The phrase “Getting to the heart of the issue” is used when we want to understand the reason reason for something. Today Rev Wesley Redgen explores that the real issue is our heart.

Your heart is where your treasure is

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Psalm 23

Real Help

Why doesn’t God help me the way I want? Work is hard, chores are boring, family is painful, future is scary and life is tiring. God is all powerful so why does the lawn still need to be mowed, why are there things to be fixed at home, why do the kids keep fighting and why do the bills out number my income?

Through the valley of death

Can’t God help? Or won’t God help? If a person has been diagnosed with cancer how will it help them if we raised money so that we could give them a care, send their kids off to rehabilitation so that they came back civilised, a new car, an easier and higher paying job. None of this would make sense since they have cancer, they are going to die. Wouldn’t be better if we could do something about their cancer so that they could live. Wouldn’t they be happy to return to their small imperfect home with fighting kids and a boring job?

So it is with God. We want what does not matter while ignoring our greatest need. We rush headlong through our lives missing and ignoring our need for God himself. We substitute him for that which in comparison is worthless. We are like sheep who have gone astray. We are lost in the wilderness and the howling of the wolfs has frozen our blood.

We need a shepherd who is going to care for, not just in terms of food and shelter. We need his care to heal our broken hearts, to heal the wounds that so scar us. We need him to refresh us and restore our very souls. Not with plasma TV’s but with a real experience of our Shepherds care within our daily lives, within the wreckage of our family, work and church

When we are sounded by the wolfs we want the Rod and Staff not only to protect us but to guide us into safety. We need the Shepherds comfort in the dark times of our lives. So often we stumble and fall. These are times when we doubt our salvation or our faith as being genuine. And yet our shepherd assures us that we will never be lost from him, that we will one day dwell in the house of the Lord forever. Why? Because he is going to make sure that we make it because he will care for us, he will comfort us and he will protect us, never to forsake us.

God doesn’t help me the way I want because he is concerned about giving me real help. the Rev

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Luke 12:22-34

Not what they expected

Homework... Whaaa?

the Rev was very excited to accept an invitation to speak at the Chapel service at Northside Christian College. 1,000 students in a Pentecostal school combined with the Rev makes for a fun, confounding, annoying and challenging time. Being told that God is boring and that the evidence of the Holy Spirit in their lives is them doing their home work is not quite what they were hoping for. 

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Psalm 131 and Mark 4:35-41

Beyond distraction

Being a father of four kids I’ve learnt to work and study with all manner of household noise. But I do have my limits, particularly when the kids have gone mad with silliness and I’m on the phone. That’s when I politely tell the person to hang on and then ROAR for QUIET!!!!.

A guide to a calm soul

How many voices yell for your attention throughout the day. I’m talking about the voices of your desire. Things like wishing you could get married, wishing you weren’t married, wishing your kids would turn out right, wishing you had just a bit more money, wishing you could have a restful holiday, wishing work or school wasn’t so hard.

We live in a noisy world because our hearts are noisy. The Bible calls this noise and these wishes “the lust of the flesh.” A lust is a normal desire gone mad. For example you may want your kids to grow up right to be a good person who loves God. That is a normal desire given by God. However it can easily go mad and be transformed into a lust, something that you must have, something that you can’t do without

When your child is naughty do you go way over the top, are you like a KGB agent always on their case, exposing their every flaw, correcting their every wrong. Do you yell and rage at your child because they continue to disobey you? That is not God given, it is Lust.

Lust is deceptively common and we often expect God to fulfill it for us. We want health, a good job, to be popular, to be happy and not sad, to be able to retire, to have good friends. But all of these are voices which can yell at you for their attention, that poor anxiety into your life, that fill your heart with noise.

Today’s Psalm is about calming our hearts so that we are quiet on the inside. Not so much by ignoring the noise but by learning to hear one clear and true voice that comes from Christ’s lips. When we tune in to him then we will have peace.  the Rev

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Psalm 119:161-168

Mouse Trap

So much of what we are committed to in our lives is in reality cheese on a mouse trap. No matter how careful we are the trap is sooner or later going to spring. In an arguement people are either committed to being aggresive; they fight back or they are committed to withdrawing; going silent. We are committed to things that give us pleasure, what we really love. Let me encourage you to change your commitment. To invest in living according to God's revealed wisdom so that you will know real peace and you may never need to stumble.  the Rev

Bad commitment

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Psalm 119:25-32

Crying out to God

Much of how you relate to God is developed as a child by the way you have related to your parents. If your father was distant, emotionless, unapproachable then you may think of God in the same way. Let me assure you that God cares for you, he hears and answers those who cry out to him in need. The purpose of todays message is to encourage to cry out to God in your need, to ask God for help and finally to commit yourself to living God’s way.  the Rev

Cry out to God

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Psalm 119:65-72

What is Good?

I ask in my sermon what is good. Chocolate, family, friends, parents, fresh air, a good movie, sleep and an engrossing book were some of the answers given. But can good things be bad? The surprising answer is yes. Sometimes we want something that is good in a bad way and the way we try and get what is good is also bad. Psalm 119 gives clarity for those willing to be honest to not only discover what is good but to live and enjoy it.  the Rev

Relationships are good but not all the time?

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Psalm 119:137-144

Real Connection

Ever felt God is far away. Ever read the Bible and the words are just words. Ever wondered how you can connect with God despite feeling small, unworthy or harrased by trouble? Psalm 119 will help you intimately connect with God in a very personal way. the Rev

God I feel small

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Psalm 62

Be a real hero in 2010

Every good story has a hero. But to be a good hero you need the right quest which usually involves some crises, challenge, enemy or monster that needs to be overcome. To do that you need the right weapon or skill. Psalm 62 is like a manual on how you can face 2010 with more than an attitude of survival. You will be guided as to which quest to undertake, what challenges you will face and how you can face those challenges in such a way that you will come out the other end a real hero. the Rev

Slowing down

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Psalm 63

What you can do

Thinking about 2009 can be both good and bad depending on how you remember the year. So much of our lives is inter connected, work affects home and home  has a bearing on work. Mostly we strive to be accepted and not rejected in all the different parts of our lives. This Psalm is about David’s painful experience of being betrayed by family, and yet he finds more than just comfort in God. The key to life is not how much you get but how much you give. the Rev

Refresh your soul

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Luke 22:14-15, Matthew 26:26-29, John 13:31-35

Eager Care

Speaking as a married man I sometimes think that wives can lose sight of the many expressions of love their husbands give them every single day. They go to work even though there are times when they hate it. They mow the lawn even though it is hard, hot and sweaty work. They allow themselves to be dragged through the shops instead of sitting down to their favourite sports program. Translated into ‘woman’ these activities a like the giving of flowers and chocolates, or the writing of a romantic note.

Remember Christ

Christ told his disciples he was really keen to celebrate the passover with them before he suffered Lk 22:14-15. Now Christ was not keen to suffer and die, just like I’m not keen to mow the lawn, or go to the shops. But Christ had a care for his disciples which was eager. He strongly desired to save them from their sin despite having to bear the punishment of hell upon himself.