Wednesday, June 30, 2010

'word'

“word to yo motha”
I heard that phrase in an 80’s song that someone was performing recently...funny aye!
It actually comes from an old Vanilla Ice song.

Apparently the meaning is one of agreement.
If you said that, you were agreeing with a statement someone else had just made.
The other funny part is that it is commonly attributed to the Afro-American culture...not some skinny white guy trying to rap...very badly!

This week saw us doing this E100 Challenge reading to some similar sounding words

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. John 1:1

On face value this can look as confusing as Vanilla Ice trying to be cool.
It is seemingly comparing God and words, and showing that they completely linked together in some way.

I now think that is point!

God is not like us in the sense that he operates exactly like us.
Number one, he exists outside of our time.
Number two, he can not lie.
Number three, he is perfect.
Number four, he is the definition of love.

With all that going for him, when you are talking about His word or what He says...it has a whole new complexion to it.

You see, God doesn’t just think about doing something…
He actually does what He says.
You don’t find references to God promising to deliver on something and not following through.
God ultimately has the power to stand by His word.
He can make it happen!
God’s words to you are powerful.
They are the only words you can fully trust in and never be let down by.
They have a history of proving their reliability.

So as you rock into the rest of your week…
May you remember what God says?
May you trust what he says will come to pass.
It is, and has always been...about His words.

Something to think about…

Wednesday, June 23, 2010

confess

In a movie I watched over the last few days, a very young and inexperienced priest kept asking an old man to come to confession.
He wanted the old guy to ‘confess’.
The old guy tells him go away...not so nicely!
Over the course of the movie things changes for both people. Until one day he confesses
He doesn’t confess what the priest was expecting, but things that had been bothering him for many decades.
Apparently he felt heaps better afterwards?

We all have secrets don’t we?
Even today as I drove around, a lady was talking on the radio about the fact she had an abortion when she was 17 and the fact that her husband still doesn’t know.

I have secrets too…
Things I try to hide.

Now you are probably going to keep reading this hoping I am going to confess to some life shattering sin?
Well today when I was out I bought a sausage roll.
I made sure I ate it before I got home so my wife wouldn’t find out about it.
I regularly ‘sneak’ chocolate out of the cupboard in my office, which sits directly behind me even now as I type…
The problem is that I am hiding something that will eventually get found out anyway...when my body gives me away!

In James 5 it talks about “confessing your sins to each other and praying for each other so that you may be healed.”
Now me confessing bad eating habits won’t stop me getting fat, but it may have other positive outcomes.

Guilt sucks when it comes to the things we try and hide.
It saps the life out of you.
It can get you so distracted you can go off course.

Maybe you need some confession time?
If you do find someone you can really trust.
Confess and get it off your chest.
Let them pray for you.
And get healed from the guilt that might be eating at you?

If that is not you...remember to have some grace for those you know struggling with some stuff right now...

Something to think about…

Wednesday, June 16, 2010

angry

Why is it that some emotions are easier than others to experience it seems…?

Take getting angry for example.
Most of us have been angry at some stage recently.
Maybe even in the last 24 hours?

Lots of things can make me angry.
And yes I do get angry
Pastors aren’t all sweetness and light you know….

I get angry when a referee makes a bad call in a game.
I get angry when someone hurts someone else maliciously (not by accident).
I can get angry at home sometimes too…
The spectrum of anger is so varied, and yet it is all the same emotion.

So what is the deal with anger? Is it ok?

I guess ultimately anger can cause a lot of pain.
Anger can scare those around you.
Too much will cause you to do crazy things!
But anger can also cause you to come to someone’s aid in a time of need. It is like an emotional turbo boost!

If you read the Bible you will see everyone in the Book seems to get angry at some stage…even God! The common theme to everyone’s anger which lead to something good...was they didn’t stay angry.
It was for a moment. And then it was gone.

I think that being angry for a moment, and where it doesn’t take you too far in your response, is ok.
Where it is not cool is when it never stops.
When it takes over.
That is when your life is now one of being angry.

Ephesians 4:26 simply says...
"In your anger do not sin" : Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry.

We all get angry sometimes. That is life.
The key is to not let it take over and cause you to sin.
Plus don’t hang on to your anger...let it go.

As the day ends...let it go with the day...

Something to think about…

Wednesday, June 09, 2010

dodgy?

Have you in the last few months thought that what someone else you know watches or listens too...is a bit dodgy?
You know...beyond their tastes, to the actual content…

I have found that ‘opinions’ on this vary all over the place.
What someone feels comfortable to watch…someone else thinks is terrible.
Where is the tipping point?
Where is the boundary?
Now more than ever, that place is very grey.
Someone else’s opinion is not the best guide I don’t think.
But again where should be a boundary?
Should there be a boundary?

Take porn for example.
Most would agree that it will damage you.
But when does porn become porn?
For many porn is porn when you see private body parts.
Others argue that it is not porn to them.
There seems differences between guys and girls.

Another one is...what is bad language?
To one person a word is bad, while to another it is acceptable.
And then most agree that certain words are not appropriate in certain settings. You don’t use certain words in a Church service...but then some people who think that, are happy to hear those words in a movie or a song.

See where I coming from?

People quote the Bible over this sometimes and say things like “everything is permissible, not everything is beneficial...” but was Paul talking only about food or things beyond?

Jesus said this profound statement…
“Your eye is the lamp of your body. When your eyes are good, your whole body also is full of light. But when they are bad, your body also is full of darkness. See to it, then, that the light within you is not darkness.”
Luke 11:34-35

Essentially he is saying that what you let into your life has an effect.
Everything you let in does.
Everything you experience.
My ‘opinion’ is that we need to be aware about what we listen too and watch...and the effect it will have on us.
Assuming that it won’t effect us is wrong.

Is what you are listening to and watching good for you or hurting you.
Is what is ‘entertaining’ you just ‘entertaining’ you or doing something more?

Something to think about…

Wednesday, June 02, 2010

I am in danger of being over simplistic with what I am about to say...but I am sure you will get the point…

I have been thinking about something today and have come to realize that the relationships we have with
people, discovering who they really are, comes down to two levels.

When you meet someone, first impressions seem huge.
We judge people on their looks.
What they are dressed like. What they look like.
How good looking...that sort of thing.
In a short space of time we figure out someone’s
personality and their obvious talents...

The next level is when we judge someone’s character.
Character I have found is more about who a person is rather than their looks, personality or talents.
When we find out more what a persons character is like, we then decide if this person is really someone we want to invest ourselves in.

God cares about those first impression things, but cares way more about the character part!
Character counts above everything else.
It doesn’t matter how good looking and talented you are...without good character...you end up lonely.

So maybe today, take a few seconds to think about your character? What others would say about it if they could, and we wouldn’t get too offended? Pretty challenging!!!
Maybe ask God to grow your character and mould it.
What do you think?

Something to think about…