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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.

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Psalm 100

Lifting the burden of Christmas

Christ’s birth was heralded with Angels saying

14    “Glory to God in the highest,

    And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!”

Be as free as a humming bird

The reason why Christ came in the first place is that we struggle to find and keep peace and goodwill toward all people. Christmas can be especially hard for us. It can remind us of our fractured families, of loved ones who have died or can’t be with us. Of love that turned to bitterness. Our lives are broken, lived in the context of a broken world.

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Matthew 6:5-13

Connecting with God

Would you like to have a greater sense of God’s closeness to you? How about some genuine help with how you pray? Do you fall asleep when you pray and then feel incredibly guilty? Do you start well but find that your mind has wandered off somewhere far from God?

God’s children are like Chefs that can’t boil an egg to save themselves. You would expect that we would be people of prayer. After all we are known to the living creator God, we have been adopted into his family, we have been promised that whatever we ask in Christ’s name we will have.

Pray Aloud

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Proverbs 3

Wisdom Teeth?

Why do we call some of our teeth wise, especially since many of us get them taken out very soon after they come up? I guess it’s because our wisdom teeth don’t arrive when we are kids but when we are much older. The implication is that getting older makes you wise. But I’ve met some pretty stupid old people, particularly when I remember some of the things I’ve done and struggle with. 

How often have you been confused, perplexed and at your wits end? These are the times when you wish you knew just what to do; that’s wisdom. It is better than money, it is better than anything in this world. If you would like to find out why wisdom is so valuable and how to get it then listen or watch this sermon. the Rev

We need more than wise teeth

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Psalm 145

Seeing the invisible God

People have become genuinely confused about God. I’ve been asked why God doesn’t reveal himself more clearly. Christians whom I counsel struggle to find God within their crises or addiction. God has revealed himself as the invisible God. Is that fair? How are we supposed to know him?

To begin with God has been revealing himself right from the beginning. Originally he walked and talked with Adam and Eve in the garden. It was their sin which got them kicked out of God’s presence. But God has not abandoned his children nor this world.

God makes every daisy every time

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Psalm 139

Real Intimacy

There is no question everyone longs for friendship. There is nothing more frightening than being rejected and feeling alone. And yet lonely is how many of us do feel. Even though we might be with friends, even though we smile on the outside it can so often just be a mask that hides our sense of isolation. God understands; he is close, he is faithful, he is able to care for you, he is thoughtful and he is protective. Be refreshed and renewed by God’s love for you. the Rev

Refresh your soul

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Mark 10:17-31

Lost in the Clutter

We are presently painting the inside of our house. Call us crazy, I know. The more we paint the more I agree with that assessment. It is amazing how much has to be done before a drop of paint actually hits the wall. One pre-painting challenge is to move furniture and in some cases that means unloading bookcases or packing up crockery etc from cabinets so that they can be moved. One thing that we have said to each other on a couple of occasions is “We have too much stuff!” But, we are reluctant to throw some of it out because it has sentimental value, like the ceramic dragon that Nana made, and which sits in the bottom of the buffet. We seem to have a lot of clutter.

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Mark 10:35-45

True Greatness

Late last week I googled the internet for “great Australians” and found a site called whitehat.com.au that listed 200 significant Australians. They chose not to find great Australians “because there are some people who have had a strong influence on Australia who are not necessarily great. Ned Kelly was a murderer but was quickly elevated to legend status.” They also discarded famous, successful and popular.

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Ephesians 2:1-10

Real Hope

Big thanks to Rev David Niven for taking the service and giving us the message today.

Hope allows us to face that which terrifies us. Without hope we can’t face getting out of bed let alone getting through the rest of the day. There are lots of places where you can find hope.

Need a little more hope?

Personally I think that when man stepped on the moon it gave the world a hope that we could do what was once thought to be impossible. Having a friend who cares for you can give you hope. Some people hope to win the lottery or find the right partner. All people think that being happy, experiencing pleasure gives hope. The way this works is that they think that as long as they can enjoy something, have fun, indulge themselves they can face hardship, so in effect they place their hope in being able to have fun.

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Galatians 5:16-26

How to love life

There are a lot of self help books that seek to give advice on how to improve your life, how perhaps even to come to ‘love life.’ Typically they will be something like 10 steps to happiness, or 7 steps to enrich your marriage.

Self help or Jesus help?

Unfortunately life is not reducible to a few simple steps. The sheer number of self help books proves that loving life is not as simple as they make it out to be. Nothing in this world will make you love life. And there is no secret technique either. Jesus is the life of this world. He promises to be the very source of your life both spiritually and physically

We often try and meet our spiritual needs with the physical. For example: We fear God’s judgement so we compensate by wanting people to love us, accept us and certainly not reject us. But when Christ reconciles us to God we no longer have to use people to replace the love and acceptance of God.

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John 6:22-71

Lasting Satisfaction

There is nothing like a deliciously hot dinner on a cold night. Full, warm and satisfied is the result. But in a few hours tummy starts thinking about supper or a snack.

Is Jesus the goose that lays the golden egg?

Life can be just like hunger. Satisfaction is never lasting so we need to keep eating. One holiday is not going to last you the rest of your life. One romantic night leads to a desire to another. Your dream car, job, hobby needs constant upgrading.

Isn’t God there to give us what we find satisfying, to make our marriage happy, kids obedient, job fulfilling, food tasty? I haven’t found that to be the case. God has rarely given me what my heart desires.

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Exodus 20:1-17

Full Colour

I love living in sunny Brisbane with blue sky above the lush green of the trees which cover my neighbour hood. I’ve met lots of people who have moved away from places which seem full of grey, bitter cold and rain. They come here to feel the warmth of the sun, to enjoy the vividness of our sunlight.

Let Jesus colour your life

There are times when the colour is drained from our world from within our own hearts. If we begin to lose hope our bright would turns to shades of grey, with sharp shadows of darkness filling much of what we see.

When we turn to that which once held light and warmth it seems that the greyness consumes the brightness. And the more we try to brighten our world the more we seem to darken it.

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Luke 7:1-10

Spinning Jesus out: Luke 7:1-10

It may be hard to imagine but it possible to spin Jesus out. Even though he made everything, sees everything, is everywhere there are occasions when even Jesus is amazed

There are two occasions in the Bible when this happened. They are both unlikely examples of extreme and daring faith. Today we will be sharing in the story of a centurion who blew Jesus away with his faith.

Add courage to your faith to Amaze Jesus

It is so unlikely that a hardened soldier who had killed men in battle with a sword would so simply and decisively put his complete trust in Christ. To the point where he didn’t even need Jesus to come and lay hands on his sick servant. He just asked Jesus to ‘say the word and my servant will be healed.’

Not even among Church people had Jesus encountered such faith. I must admit I find this story incredibly challenging.  I make stupid excuses like, I really hate that person, they have hurt me so many times therefore I don’t have to love them or forgive them. That isn’t very good faith is it? Jesus said forgive, love your enemies and watch what I can do.

This story challenges us to be really daring, to leap into situations with an attitude of; how do I serve rather than be served, how do I forgive, love and demonstrate Christ working in and through my life? There is no reason why we should hold back because Jesus has the authority to do amazing things when we amaze him with our daring faith.  the Rev

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Luke 7:18-35

Is God for real?: Luke 7:18-35

What I love and hate about Jesus is that he is surprisingly surprising. I love the way he spins people out, he touches the untouchables, he has dinner with hardened criminals. But I hate the way he sometimes surprises me by allowing me to suffer far too much, as far as I’m concerned.

Not what you expected?

John the Baptist was a full on Prophet of God. No one in all of history can compare to his dedication to God. But even John asked Jesus whether he was the one he hoped for. So if John can have doubts how much more should we expect to sometimes struggle.

What is surprising is that Jesus assures John of who he is by doing a bunch of miracles. After that Jesus praises John, even though he had just questioned Christ as to his true identity. So it is ok for us to struggle with doubt. Perhaps Jesus wasn’t ministering in the way John expected. After all he was in prison, and Jesus seemed to be gathering to himself a large crowd of no hopers instead of overthrowing their nations enemies or cleansing the Church of religious hypocrites.

Sometimes Jesus doesn’t work the way we expect him to in our lives. He can allow some pretty hard stuff to happen. The trick then is to learn to recognise Christ in our lives, to see and hear Jesus working despite painful circumstances, people or experiences. Today I hope to encourage you to learn to see and hear Jesus within John’s story, your own story and our community’s story. the Rev     

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Luke 7:36-50

Immoral Woman Kisses Jesus: Luke 7:16-50

This happened when Jesus was having dinner with some religious leaders. They couldn’t believe their eyes. What they saw made them seriously doubt Jesus’ teaching and claims about himself. After all any prophet from God would have known what kind of woman she was, so why was Jesus allowing her to kiss him? (see the Gospel of Luke 7:36-50).

Go in peace

The woman who came to Jesus showed incredible courage and humility. She endured the condemning stares and murmurs of the dinner guests while she washed Christ’s feet with her tears, dried them with her hair and then continued to kiss them in gratitude. She believed Jesus was both human and divine, sent to earth to rescue her from the mess she had made of her relationship with God and her life. There was no way she could pretend or cover up what she had done and who she had become. She came as she was with all her shame and guilt. However, when she left she was forgiven, made whole, made clean, and set free. She left a new person with a new life, a new hope and a renewed faith in God.

As a Pastor I meet a lot of people who don’t realise who God is really like. A lot of people think of him as being like the religious leaders who looked down on the woman, who condemned her in their minds. But God isn’t like that, he sent Jesus to do exactly what we see him doing for the immoral woman, setting her free of judgement, of guilt and of shame. the Rev

This article was published in the Western Echo and is on our Church Website.            

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Luke 7:11-17

From funeral to celebration: Luke 7:11-17

Does your life feel like a funeral? Are you weeping on the inside not just because your hurting but because you are so afraid. I know that feeling. As a boy I hid under the blankets of my bed trying not to hear my mum and dad yelling at each other. I’ve sat on my father’s knee as he told me he was leaving and was never coming back. Up until then I had lived within the ever escalating tension of a couple who had come to hate each other. But on my Dad’s knee God shattered my world completely. I stopped living, I stopped hoping.

Christ's compassion

My most present emotions where incredible loneliness and white rage. I turned my back on God, I hated him for taking my dad out of my life. So I fled into the arms of whatever would destroy me, drugs, alcohol, violence. My only dream was to take my own life.

In the funeral that was my life Jesus was never far. He pursued me and kept me in his tight embrace, I know this now but I didn’t then. Jesus touched me as he did the widow’s son. He made me breath again, hope was kindled like the flame of a candle.

Christ surrounded me with people who had also been touched, whose funeral had been changed to celebration. And so I grew in hope, love, joy and peace. Loneliness was replaced by Christ himself.

Christ transformed the widow’s funeral into a celebration. I share her story. May Christ turn your funeral into celebration. the Rev

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Psalm 46

Safety, Care and Victory

Rev Roger Marsh filled in for me this Sunday so I could have a study week. Roger is a full time Army Chaplain so this sermon bristles with great military illustrations. There are many storms in our lives which can make us feel battered, God can be your refuge. In times of great need God can be your care and when you are being attacked God can be your victory. Thanks Roger

God is our refuge

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Deut 8:1-5, Jeremiah 17:5-10

Comfort in the wilderness

I’ve met many people who are depressed about happiness. It seems so elusive, so difficult to hold onto. Even worse are the times in your life when everything seems to be going wrong, all the good in your life has turned sour, when the colour and life has been drained from your life.

So how are we supposed to cope with circumstances which we don’t like and can’t change? God wants us to correctly diagnose what our problem is so that we can live the cure. Our problem is not so much bad circumstances but the problem of our heart. We desire the wrong thing.

Fruit not Thorns

Our heart’s desire is to be happy. Our heart tells us that to be happy it needs, wants and feels like certain things or people. When we don’t give our heart what it desires then it gets angry with us, we get sad, we get depressed, frustrated, angry etc.

God wants us to recognise that our heart is very sneaky and tricky. We really shouldn’t listen to it as much as we do. We can learn to change what we enjoy so that we can experience real joy despite bad circumstances.

When we listen and rely on God more than our own heart we will respond differently to our circumstances. Our desire will be to be like God, to grow in the following heart qualities which are the fruit of the Spirit: Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control (Gal 5:22-23). the Rev

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Psalm 19

Prevent implosion

In many ways the human heart is like a black hole. It sucks everything into its ‘self.’ That which is drawn into the black hole is crushed. There is no escape from a black hole, even light is consumed.

What God made reminds us of his power and glory

Within the blackness of our heart it would seem that even God is lost, destroyed or at least made ineffective. In our dark moments, when fear, or anger, or depression overcomes our thoughts it seems as though God is gone.

When Christ died on the cross here entered the biggest and darkest black hole ever; the black hole of death itself and he overcame the blackness with his light and life. When we put our trust in Christ he changes our hearts from being a black hole which consumes, to being a living spring which bubbles over with life.

But there are still times when we feel more like a black hole than a spring, when God seems lost to us rather than near. So Psalm 19 encourages us by showing us three places where we can find God so that we do not implode in on ourselves in selfishness.

1) All around us, in the very world we live in we are reminded of God by all that he has made. That God is powerful, wise, good and involved in the world.

2) God has specifically revealed himself in the Bible to cast out our dark thoughts and replace them with hope, peace, joy and love.

3) God can be found within our own heart when we ask him to help us live for him so we can prevent our own implosion. the Rev

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Matthew 5:1-12 and Matthew 7:21-29

Certainty in an uncertain world

With the freedom of Post Modernism comes tremendous uncertainty. Values, principles and absolutes have been exchanged for subjective reality. Yes, we can do whatever we want but at what cost? Here is what is certain. God. And God loves to bless people who live according to his values. The sermon on the mount is something you can certainly live your life by and on. If you do then your life will be a blessing. If you would like to know how this works then listen to Dr Bruce Winter’s sermon. He graciously stepped in for me as I’ve had minor surgery on my knee again and my brain is still mush, so thank you Bruce. the Rev

Build your life on something solid

Click on 'read more' to explore how you can build your life on that which God has declared is certain.

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2 Peter 3

Encouragement for 2009

A fresh start

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Psalm 20

The right response to tragedy, crises and challenge Part 4

Trust the Lord

Tonight months of preparation will culminate in our Carol service which we will being having in the Gap High School Auditorium. Our desire is to go out of our comfort zone so that we can share with people the light of the gospel. God knew he was going wreck our Church building and arranged before hand for us to have our Carols in the High School. Psalm 20 is a prayer for God's help and favour before going into battle. We have prayed this prayer and look forward to seeing what God will do through us. the Rev

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Psalm 80

The right response to tragedy, crises and challenge Part III

God rescue us

As a nation Israel really went out of their way to upset God by disobeying him in every way they could. God disciplines his children so that they come to their senses and seek help from him. Psalm 80 seems to have been written just before the North of Israel was going to be taken captive to another nation. This Psalm pleads with God to restore and save them. As a little Church here in the Gap we are going through tough times and so we have sought comfort from this Psalm by asking God to restore and save us. the Rev

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Psalm 139

The right response to tragedy, crises and challenge Part II

Comfort from someone who cares and is close

David was an accomplished warrior. He had killed men in hand to hand combat. And yet in Psalm 139 David opens up his heart and relationship with God in the most personal, intimate and encouraging way. In this Psalm we find a man with anxious thoughts who sought comfort from God’s care and closeness. If you’re going through a tough time then this Psalm will encourage you to desire God’s comfort and closeness. the Rev

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Psalm 148

The right response to tragedy, crises and challenge

Even cows are to praise the Lord

Sometimes not knowing how to respond is as bad as going through a crises. When a loved one dies, when a storm tears your home or Church apart or when you are afflicted emotionally, how can you respond? Psalm 148 calls us to praise the Lord. Let me explain what this involves, who should praise, the Lord, how this is to be done and why we should praise the Lord. This Psalm gives direction where there is hesitation, confusion and uncertainty. the Rev

Check out the photos which I refer to during the sermon

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Is God needed anymore?

Science has a very respected and privileged place in our society because of the countless amazing things it has done for us. In many ways, science is the voice of truth in our culture. But what are we to make of the many religious (or anti-religious) claims that science is beginning to make? Has science put God out of a job? How do we even know that God exists? How should Christians approach science, if at all? Ming

Nanobot working on a red blood cell

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James 4:1-3

Brisbanenites learn to master their feelings

It was my privelage to give the message for 96Five's family worship service on Sunday 03/08/08.

If you would like to reduce the amount of conflict in your life then this message will give you practical advice to help you become more at peace within yourself, with God and with the world. the Rev

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1 Samuel 17

Will your rope hold?

My name is Ming and on Sunday I had the opportunity to give my first sermon, in our church’s evening service called Renew. It was on the story of David and Goliath (1 Sam 17), which we all discovered was much more than an exciting kid’s story.

Will your rope hold?

If you plan to go mountain climbing, you’d want to be sure that your harnessing rope is strong. You can have 100% faith in an old frayed rope, but it doesn’t change the fact that it’s old and frayed. David had courage because he put his trust in the rope that will never break – God. Because of that, God used David to defeat a giant. There’s a great lesson to be learnt for both little kids and big kids alike.

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Isaiah 53

Purpose or chance?

People explain suffering in the world and in their lives in terms of chance. Is life random or is there purpose and meaning? God is loving and powerful but suffering still continues. Instead of removing suffering God does three surprising things. He shares your suffering, he dies in your place and he rose from the dead. None of these surprising events happened by chance but were purposed by God. This message has a few quotes from the Bible which I have included here for your ease. Please click on read more. the Rev 

Don't gamble your life on Chance

Luke 4:1-13 - Listen to this message now or download as MP3

No one is immune... It doesn't matter whether we are famous, rich or what sex, race or age we are.

Luke 9:28-36 - Listen to this message now or download as MP3

Sometimes we think we know someone, only to find out we were mistaken....

Romans 3:21-26 - Listen to this message now in Real Audio or download as MP3

God is like an Olympic athlete....

Psalm 34 - Listen to this message now in Real Audio or download as MP3

God is like a swiss army knife....

Psalm 3 - Listen to this message now in Real Audio or download as MP3

The relevance of Faith: "Where the rubber hits the road."

Psalm 2 - Listen to this message now in Real Audio or download as MP3

Christianity and the State of Origin (Yeah we win!)

Coming from Victoria I consider myself to be impartial in regards to the State of Origin match.

Psalm 1 - Listen to this message now in Real Audio or download as MP3

God is like a bowl of vegies.

Given the choice between a bowl of vegetables and a bowl of hot, golden crispy chips which would you choose?