Wednesday, June 28, 2017

Fix

Are you one of those people who are good at fixing things?
Or maybe you are one of those people who just wish you had that gift? Don't worry, I'm not asking for you to raise you hand.

Part of our human nature is to normally try to fix things.
Whether it be broken hearts, busted dreams, or damaged relationships.
Either that or we try to fix them by doing the very opposite to avoid the mess...

Coldplay coined these words recently...
"Lights will guide you home
And ignite your bones
And I will try to fix you"

Can the words of a song really fix what might need fixing in your life right now? They maybe can help...but I am not convinced they will truly fix it.

I have some good news for you!
You don't have to rely on me or yourself to try and fix what is possibly wrong.
The fix you are maybe looking for starts I believe a little differently...

FIX your THOUGHTS

Our first choice, first action if you like, is to make some choices about what we think about the most.
Fixate on issue or focus on the fixer of our souls?

fix your thoughts on Jesus... Hebrews 3:1

There are many times something seemed impossible to fix, so I do what I can to focus on Christ, because I have no better place to turn.
And many times to help myself I remind myself or dive into His Word, to help guide my thoughts.

Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds
Deuteronomy 11:18

FIX your EYES

...run with perseverance...fixing our eyes on Jesus...
Hebrews 12:1-2

While you wait for the fix, you have to keep on moving.
And if you keep on moving towards Jesus, with that as your goal, your fix will come, I promise you!

Don't let yourself be distracted or put off. Run after Him.

Let your eyes look straight ahead; fix your gaze directly before you. Proverbs 4:25



Something to think about...

Wednesday, June 21, 2017

He's all about the Grace, 'bout the Grace...

Ok, I am being a little silly with this title, but seriously I think I have needed a revelation of this lately...and maybe this is for you as well?

For nearly 2 years I have been looking at teaching on grace.
Why has it taken me so long?
To be honest, I am not sure, apart from I haven't before now known where to start!

I read these words from an author by the name of Preston Sprinkle recently that helped me...

"Grace isn't a term. It’s not a doctrine. It’s not a buzzword.
It’s not the words of a song, a prayer before meals, a name plastered on our churches.
It’s not leniency or niceness. It’s not something that can be domesticated or completely understood. And it’s something that can never grow old or stale.
Grace is what flows through the veins of Jesus, who heart stubbornly beats for you."

One of the reasons I don't totally understand grace is because it actually doesn't make any sense.
Why is God so graceful to us when we certainly don't deserve it?
Why do we seem to at some point, to put a statute of limitations on grace, even when God doesn't ask us to?
Should grace be more simple, more defined?
I guess grace matches up to God's personality and His way of doing things. Didn't some old prophet say that God's ways and thoughts are higher than ours?

The reality for all of us is that we should never move from a place of grace, for ourselves and for others. When we do we actually move away from who God can be for us and those around us.

Many of the letters in the new testament finished with asking for God to pour His grace on the readers. And one author asked us to add grace to whatever grace we already have received...
May God this week do just that for you?
May you seek His grace and mercy over His judgement?
May grace cover you, lead you, motivate you and bring you closer to your father in heaven...

Something to think about...

Thursday, June 15, 2017

My summary on Divine Direction

We have just completed a 4 week teaching series at our Church inspired by the book Divine Direction by Craig Groeschel!
Thanks Pastor Craig - you are awesome sharing your resources with the world...
And then today I was speaking at a local school and felt to summarise what we have learned together for the kids at their assembly.

So if you are in a place right now looking for some divine direction for your life, maybe these thoughts could help you today?

Do Not Panic!

A man’s heart plans his way, 
but the Lord directs his steps. Proverbs 16:9 NKJV

If you are doing your best to follow Jesus, to live right...you have nothing to worry about.
God has vested interest in helping you make great choices about your future!
You don’t have to have everything all planned out, because He does.
Trust Him to lead you and guide you on that plan, whenever you need a next step...

Trusting God with your life will make it more of an adventure!

Look for what grabs your attention

3They said to me, “Those who survived the exile and are back in the province are in great trouble and disgrace. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates have been burned with fire.”
4When I heard these things, I sat down and wept. For some days I mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven. Nehemiah 1:3-4 NIV

• Nehemiah was a Cup Bearer for the leader of the nation where his people were in exile.
• Glorified ‘Suicidal Sommelier’
• His one job is bring the best wine to his boss.
• Make sure it is the right quality. Taste it to make sure it won’t kill his boss (possible to die on the job).

Nehemiah hears this news and for some divine reason it impacts his life like no other news he has heard before. Decides someone has to do something about it and it might as well be him.

I have learnt over the years that God uses things to grab our attention, and some of those things grab our attention in a powerful godly way.

What does Nehemiah know about Wall Building? Seriously what?
God gets people like you to do cool stuff if you want to do cool stuff for him.
It has nothing to do with age, skill, experience...but a willing heart!

Trust the Process

I was thinking about this the other day...
Who I am now is not a random thing, an accident...
Who I am now is based on me trusting the plan that God has for my life.

I can see God taking me on a journey / a divine process to get me to be who I am today and I firmly believe that God wants to do the same for you.
Probably everything you have been through has in some way helped develop you into who you have become. And if you are trusting God with all your life, then with all your life He will lead you through the process to who He dreams you can be in Him.

Be Brave

You might have heard people say they don’t regret what they did during their lives, but actually what they didn’t do?

Don’t let fear stop you from following through on whatever you think God might want you to do right now!
Maybe you like the idea of praying for people and seeing them get healed? Do it - see what God does...
Maybe you have a dream of being a “________”?  Don’t look for all the reasons why you can’t be that person. Trust God will help you be that person.

Looking for more?
Would you like to dig into this some more? 
Here are some options for you :
Check out some of out teaching podcasts
Or feel free to get in contact with us here at Elim

Bless ya heaps!  

Wednesday, June 14, 2017

Sounds good...what does it mean?


I saw this appear on a few friends social media pages this week and I instinctively clicked 'like'.
I mean it sounds good doesn't it?
But I was also left wondering what it really means for me?
What it means for the person sharing it?
And what it could possibly mean for you reading it just now?

"Let you light shine before others..."

When I read something like this I am intrigued by the words used.
It is telling me a lot with very little.
1. That there is a light coming from my life in some way.
2. That I need to let it out.
3. That it will be seen and has been designed to be seen by others around me.

It then gets me to ask some challenging questions of myself?
- What is the light coming from my life?
- How bright is it?
- Am I happy with what it says about me?
- How would others interpret my light?
- Do I need to change anything?

It is actually not as cryptic as you might think.
Light is exactly translated from a greek word meaning light, emitting light, brightness.

Jesus goes on to say that our light is actually how we behave, what we do, our true self, our true religion. All the real us and the work done by God on our lives, coming out of us naturally and supernaturally.

God doesn't want it hidden.
If God has poured anything good into your life let it out.
- If grace, shine grace.
- If healing, shine healing.
- If forgiveness, shine forgiveness.
- If generosity, shine generosity
- If gifting in some way, shine your giftedness

Get your Jesus loving life in a public place and shine like the Jesus glow worm you should be?
Interesting that I just mentioned glow worm, they operate best in dark places...and you and I can change environments with the light of Christ coming from our lives...now matter how dark they maybe!

Maybe you could be like me today and take a moment to reflect on what my light is saying what I truly believe and who I believe I am in Christ?
I want to shine for Him in the most God honouring way possible!

Something to think about...


Wednesday, June 07, 2017

8 Years

Exactly 8 years a go today our journey of being Pastors of our own Church essentially began.
Armed with more enthusiasm than skill, more passion than a plan, I came to Taupo one Queens Birthday Weekend while my family was in Auckland and led my first Sunday.
I had been part of leading at a Church in Auckland with 1000's of people. Now I had the privilege of stepping out and leading one myself.
30 people turned up that day. 
I didn't care that it wasn't big compared to where I was from, I was just super excited to have God give me a go...

What have I learned?
I have learned so much and yet discovered that I have plenty more to learn.
I probably at a pinch could sum up these last few years pastoring a Church as an 'art'.

Adventure
I have always believed that following Jesus was supposed to be an adventure of sorts.
Yes it means we can have our sins forgiven and yes we can have our consciences cleared. But it was never supposed to begin and end at that moment of decision.
We are each called to a grand adventure of following Him.
It is a walk of faith not a rest in a garden.

Coming to Taupo was an adventure and it truly still is.
While I have an idea of where we are going there are many gaps that only God can orchestrate and fill.
And that to me my friends is actually truly living!

Reality
Beyond my enthusiasm there is also reality.
The reality that while on this grand adventure God has got us on, that life still happens, and not always the way I had planned for myself.

There have been endless highs and lows on this road.
I ask God all the time to invade my reality and with His presence and guidance.
The road may be rocky but it is the road God has put me on.
And I for know I couldn't do a better job than Him planning my lifes journey.

Which leads to the biggest one for me...

Trust
If I have learned anything in these last few years it is this...
Trust is the foundation of any great relationship.
To the level I trust God with my life actually dictates the level I am able to operate in it.

I can honestly say my trust has been trialled, tested and shaken all around.
And I can honestly also say that I will continue to trust in Him.
He is with me.
He is faithful.
He planned my life.
He has made me promises.
So I am left with trust. Not on my own understanding, but I on His perfect will. For me to live is Christ!

Maybe some of my journey speaks to you today?
Following Jesus is an art.
Stay the course my friend. Look for the adventure.

Something to think about...