Thursday, October 26, 2006

Spring and a holiday, what a great combination…
Ok it rained most of the time!
But I loved the chance to have a few days to rest, reflect, recharge, re… anything else I could think of.

As I write this I can see my plum tree and all its new growth for spring.
This year I paid more attention to the tree, and put fertiliser around it at just the right time.
Looks like I am going to get a great crop….yummy!

Spring is a time for me to reinvent part of my life.
Winter for many of us sometimes sees us hibernate in different areas of our lives.
Spring therefore reminds us about new life, a new start.
An opportunity to grow new growth.

For me part of that new growth was I needed to reinvent part of my quiet time…especially in the area of reading my Bible.
I prayerfully sat down and came up with a new plan that will reinvigorate my reading of God’s word. It’s realistic and challenging all wrapped up in one.

One of the reasons for doing this was the challenge I felt in my own heart from God, to go up a gear in this new season.

Have I felt down or condemned over this? No Way!
I have felt reinvigorated to go after God more.
To reinvent areas that maybe have not had enough attention in the previous season.

My challenge to you this week…
To ask God what areas in life you might need to review.
Relax about what he shows you, and put a plan in place.
If you take the time to fertilise areas you want to grow in your life, you will get much better results!

Thursday, October 19, 2006

This week a well known celebrity created a world wide stir.
They have apparently adopted a little African boy, and everyone has an opinion on whether it is good or bad!

It seems the boys father was not consulted.
The grandmother is not happy.
Others argue that it is good, because this little boy will have opportunities beyond his wildest dreams.
Those cynical amongst have questioned the $6,000,000 given to an orphanage as part of some sort of an adoption deal.

Driving in my car and listening to talk back radio, I heard all these opinions and more...

A simple thought occurred to me listening to these people…

The Bible says that we should “do good” Galatians 6:9

God’s plan is that all of us should do the good that we find we can do.
If an opportunity presents itself to help, then we should be the first to do so.

No one can complain with any integrity when we do something unselfishly, even sacrificially.

Sometimes (not as often as I should) I have come across situations where I could choose to do something good or carry on my way.
Things as simple as picking up a toy a child has dropped in the supermarket and returning it.
Or helping someone with a door as they carry too much to do it themselves.

Because of the fact that the world we live in is cold and hard...random, even simple acts of goodness, really stand out those who receive them.

One writer in the Bible said that “Jesus went around doing good”

Let’s be prepared to do good to those around.
Be on the look out to be Jesus to those around you.

You have no idea the impact it could have on someone’s life!

Wednesday, October 11, 2006

I love the idea of reading...is it just that I am not so good at it…

Currently I am reading a number of books at the same time, which is not too bright, but I am up for the challenge.
Some of them include:
- An Unstoppable Force / Erwin McManus
- Chazown / Craig Groeschel
- Your Church Has A Fantastic Future / Robert Schuller

WHY?

Something I have learnt is that we need to keep our ‘Faith Fresh’.
You can not live on past revelation alone for too long.
Either it will bore you or stop you in a time warp that even you can not perceive.

I know that even with all that I may have learnt already in life, that I need to know more.
I want to understand how this God thing works!
I want to have answers when people ask me questions!
...so I invest in myself by reading and studying...so that I have something to offer others.

I am not too proud to say that I do not know everything.

What we have is an awesome opportunity in our time to learn and gain understanding about what we believe in.
If you are struggling to come to terms with some sort of ‘God thing’, why not read about it.
Wrestle with it until it makes sense to you.


‘Books’ have undoubtedly shaped the lives of other Christians around the world.
God uses this medium to help us all to grow in some way.

How about you grab a great ‘christian’ book today and start reading with me...

Thursday, October 05, 2006

I have been talking a lot about ‘Seeing God’
My heart is stirred to the point that I am now desperate to see him ‘obviously’ at work in all our lives.
I have come to realise that most generations throughout history have struggled with God when they haven’t
experienced him personally.
This thought drives me to help us all see God at work. Without it, we only have history to go by and most of us either hate history, or ignore it.

As part of my Bible reading recently I found another story that kind of goes along with some of what I have been talking about.

Back when Jesus was born there was a very old man called Simeon.
The Bible actually calls him ‘righteous and devout’...very complimentary.
Simeon had been calling out for God to move in his generation. Asking God to do something before he died. His heart was to not miss out on seeing something of what God had promised happen in his time.

He loved God and we find him in the Temple when he first sees Jesus.
Because of Simeon’s heart, apparently God had promised that he would see the Messiah before he would die. When that actually happened we don’t know, but we do know he believed God, that he stayed the course and God fulfilled his promise.
He got to SEE Jesus.

The Bible also says that he was waiting…
This is that ‘active waiting’ I have been talking about.
He didn’t sit on his hands when God gave him the promise. He was looking and expectant enough that the Holy Spirit was able to prompt him be at the Temple the same time Jesus was there.

I am convinced that God wants us to see him!

The keys are very simple!

Isaiah 641-5a
Oh, that you would rend the heavens and come down,
that the mountains would tremble before you!
As when fire sets twigs ablaze and causes water to boil,
come down to make your name known to your enemies
and cause the nations to quake before you!
For when you did awesome things that we did not expect,
you came down, and the mountains trembled before you.
Since ancient times no one has heard, no ear has perceived,
no eye has seen any God besides you,
who acts on behalf of those who wait for him.
You come to the help of those who gladly do right,
who remember your ways.
©Today's New International Version. 691. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, © 2001, 2005.

1. We need to do right
2. We need to wait on him

God wants us to see him be dramatic and do what he has promised.
He is not a man that he should lie about anything!

We need to keep things simple and focused.
Do what you know is right
And actively wait on him.
Do the things like prayer and worship and getting together.

Can I encourage you as I encourage myself…
To turn our thoughts and hearts towards God again this week.
To begin to cry out that he would show up!
That this generation would SEE him…