It is pretty unavoidable at the moment...wherever you turn people are making promises.
You know those people, in the flash power suits, with thousands of hanger on’s…
“Vote for me” they say and “you will be better off”
“Vote for them and your life will be a mess….”
It is easy to be cynical.
It is easy to think it is a load of rubbish...they give us so much ammunition!
But it is also easy to miss the point, the bigger picture of what is going on here.
Being someone who wants to follow Jesus. Being a disciple…
You need to ask yourself how you fit into this whole messy thing?
Should you make a noise?
Should you pretend to not care?
Should you vote?
One thing that does come to mind is a scripture that goes like this:
Romans 13:1
Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God.
It is like the Bible is telling us that the leaders we have are there because God wants them there. That if you have a problem with them, that you have a problem with what God might want to do through you and them.
Colossians 1:16 says
For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him.
God wants our country, the place where you live, to be led by the right people.
And that is where you come in as a disciple of Christ.
You can have the inside running on who God would like running the show.
If we don’t step up and be part of this election, we will get something else by default.
So as we head into polling day, this is what I suggest…
Pray—ask God for his will be to done, that the right leaders are voted into power.
Pray—that God will help you make the right choice.
Act—and get out there on the 8th of November and make a vote that counts.
Something to think about...
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Thursday, October 16, 2008
I was sharing with a group of people the other day and we were talking about words that make us feel uncomfortable in our christian faith.
Words that when you hear them, if you are honest, something inside of you cringes or just reacts.
Some of the words mentioned were tithing, giving, discipline and of course evangelism.
The funny thing about words like these is that there is nothing wrong with them.
They are an important part of the Kingdom of God.
It is just sometimes our past experiences taint their flavour for us.
Take evangelism for example. Many of can feel uncomfortable about it.
But with our funny feelings about words like these we are robbed of its meaning, power and design.
Have a read of the 10 things below that may help change your mind about that particular word.
"I don't have any non-Christian friends."
Jesus was a friend of sinners. We need to take risks to follow his example.
"I don't have the gift of evangelism. It's not my thing."
Jesus gave the Great Commission to the entire church. We all have a vital part to play by using approaches that fit our unique personalities.
"I don't have time right now."
Mix outreach with things you're already doing by inviting unchurched friends to join you. Think of the difference one lunch made in the life of Zacchaeus!
"I'm afraid of what friends will think of me."
That's a good sign you're sensitive enough to approach people in ways that won't unnecessarily offend them! If you interact respectfully, they'll likely be open.
"I'll just live out my faith in front of my friends; they'll figure it out."
That sounds appealing, but it's neither biblical nor effective. Paraphrasing Romans 10:14, they're not going to see it unless we also say it.
"I don't know how to bring up the topic."
Pray for wisdom and courage to seize split-second opportunities to steer ordinary topics, like getting a drink of water (John 4), into spiritual conversations ("I could have given you living water").
"I wouldn't know what to say once the topic was raised."
That's okay because it's best to do more listening at first anyway. Once you're into it, you'll find experiences to explore, questions to discuss, and stories to tell—and the Holy Spirit will guide you!
"I don't know enough."
The best way to grow in this area is simply to dive in and say what you do know. You can always delay answering a tough question until you've had time to look into it.
"In our church's tradition, we don't talk about personal faith."
Your friends need to understand the gospel message because it's "the power of God for salvation." Stretch yourself to communicate it in ways that fit you, and them—maybe writing letters or sending books or tapes. Take small steps, and it'll become more natural.
"My church is more into teaching and worship than evangelism."
Don't excuse negligence of one area because we have competence in another. For the sake of lost people who matter to God, let's do all we can to reach them, personally and through the church.
© 1998 Christianity Today International. This article originally appeared in Leadership journal. For more articles like this, visit CTLibrary.com.
We need all together to reach this generation for God.
We need to take chances and risk something because someone did that for us.
Maybe this week you could pray for some opportunity to reach out to someone?
Maybe you could invite them to a service or even one of our events?
Something to think about...
Locky
Words that when you hear them, if you are honest, something inside of you cringes or just reacts.
Some of the words mentioned were tithing, giving, discipline and of course evangelism.
The funny thing about words like these is that there is nothing wrong with them.
They are an important part of the Kingdom of God.
It is just sometimes our past experiences taint their flavour for us.
Take evangelism for example. Many of can feel uncomfortable about it.
But with our funny feelings about words like these we are robbed of its meaning, power and design.
Have a read of the 10 things below that may help change your mind about that particular word.
"I don't have any non-Christian friends."
Jesus was a friend of sinners. We need to take risks to follow his example.
"I don't have the gift of evangelism. It's not my thing."
Jesus gave the Great Commission to the entire church. We all have a vital part to play by using approaches that fit our unique personalities.
"I don't have time right now."
Mix outreach with things you're already doing by inviting unchurched friends to join you. Think of the difference one lunch made in the life of Zacchaeus!
"I'm afraid of what friends will think of me."
That's a good sign you're sensitive enough to approach people in ways that won't unnecessarily offend them! If you interact respectfully, they'll likely be open.
"I'll just live out my faith in front of my friends; they'll figure it out."
That sounds appealing, but it's neither biblical nor effective. Paraphrasing Romans 10:14, they're not going to see it unless we also say it.
"I don't know how to bring up the topic."
Pray for wisdom and courage to seize split-second opportunities to steer ordinary topics, like getting a drink of water (John 4), into spiritual conversations ("I could have given you living water").
"I wouldn't know what to say once the topic was raised."
That's okay because it's best to do more listening at first anyway. Once you're into it, you'll find experiences to explore, questions to discuss, and stories to tell—and the Holy Spirit will guide you!
"I don't know enough."
The best way to grow in this area is simply to dive in and say what you do know. You can always delay answering a tough question until you've had time to look into it.
"In our church's tradition, we don't talk about personal faith."
Your friends need to understand the gospel message because it's "the power of God for salvation." Stretch yourself to communicate it in ways that fit you, and them—maybe writing letters or sending books or tapes. Take small steps, and it'll become more natural.
"My church is more into teaching and worship than evangelism."
Don't excuse negligence of one area because we have competence in another. For the sake of lost people who matter to God, let's do all we can to reach them, personally and through the church.
© 1998 Christianity Today International. This article originally appeared in Leadership journal. For more articles like this, visit CTLibrary.com.
We need all together to reach this generation for God.
We need to take chances and risk something because someone did that for us.
Maybe this week you could pray for some opportunity to reach out to someone?
Maybe you could invite them to a service or even one of our events?
Something to think about...
Locky
Thursday, October 09, 2008
Some people think that our basic emotions are some what primitive.
That maybe you should try to avoid them or suppress them?
They don’t want to cry or to laugh because that can be messy.
They don’t want to love or be passionate in case they get hurt.
I don’t think that God gave them to us to simply hurt us or make us feel uncomfortable.
There must be some bigger use for them.
Something to do us good.
Because that is God’s nature...to do us good and not harm us.
Take laughter for example.
I think it is awesome!
As Christians we sometimes take ourselves too seriously.
We mistake being all serious for ‘godliness’ when sometimes that is just being religious.
Then other times we laugh at things we shouldn’t and hurt others or even ourselves.
Laughter is a gift from God.
It has a powerful effect on our lives.
I read this today about some of its good effects…
Laughter reduces the level of stress hormones like cortisol, epinephrine (adrenaline), dopamine and growth hormone. It also increases the level of health-enhancing hormones like endorphins, and neurotransmitters. Laughter increases the number of antibody-producing cells and enhances the effectiveness of T cells. All this means a stronger immune system, as well as fewer physical effects of stress.
Have you ever felt like you "have to laugh or I'll cry"? Have you experienced the cleansed feeling after a good laugh? Laughter provides a physical and emotional release.
A good belly laugh exercises the diaphragm, contracts the abs and even works out the shoulders, leaving muscles more relaxed afterward. It even provides a good workout for the heart.
Laughter brings the focus away from anger, guilt, stress and negative emotions in a more beneficial way than other mere distractions.
Studies show that our response to stressful events can be altered by whether we view something as a 'threat' or a 'challenge'. Humor can give us a more lighthearted perspective and help us view events as 'challenges', thereby making them less threatening and more positive.
Laughter connects us with others. Also, laughter is contagious, so if you bring more laughter into your life, you can most likely help others around you to laugh more, and realize these benefits as well. By elevating the mood of those around you, you can reduce their stress levels, and perhaps improve the quality of social interaction you experience with them, reducing your stress level even more!
Proverbs 17:22 even says...
A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.
Something to think about...
That maybe you should try to avoid them or suppress them?
They don’t want to cry or to laugh because that can be messy.
They don’t want to love or be passionate in case they get hurt.
I don’t think that God gave them to us to simply hurt us or make us feel uncomfortable.
There must be some bigger use for them.
Something to do us good.
Because that is God’s nature...to do us good and not harm us.
Take laughter for example.
I think it is awesome!
As Christians we sometimes take ourselves too seriously.
We mistake being all serious for ‘godliness’ when sometimes that is just being religious.
Then other times we laugh at things we shouldn’t and hurt others or even ourselves.
Laughter is a gift from God.
It has a powerful effect on our lives.
I read this today about some of its good effects…
Laughter reduces the level of stress hormones like cortisol, epinephrine (adrenaline), dopamine and growth hormone. It also increases the level of health-enhancing hormones like endorphins, and neurotransmitters. Laughter increases the number of antibody-producing cells and enhances the effectiveness of T cells. All this means a stronger immune system, as well as fewer physical effects of stress.
Have you ever felt like you "have to laugh or I'll cry"? Have you experienced the cleansed feeling after a good laugh? Laughter provides a physical and emotional release.
A good belly laugh exercises the diaphragm, contracts the abs and even works out the shoulders, leaving muscles more relaxed afterward. It even provides a good workout for the heart.
Laughter brings the focus away from anger, guilt, stress and negative emotions in a more beneficial way than other mere distractions.
Studies show that our response to stressful events can be altered by whether we view something as a 'threat' or a 'challenge'. Humor can give us a more lighthearted perspective and help us view events as 'challenges', thereby making them less threatening and more positive.
Laughter connects us with others. Also, laughter is contagious, so if you bring more laughter into your life, you can most likely help others around you to laugh more, and realize these benefits as well. By elevating the mood of those around you, you can reduce their stress levels, and perhaps improve the quality of social interaction you experience with them, reducing your stress level even more!
Proverbs 17:22 even says...
A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.
Something to think about...
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Sometimes you read a piece of news and it stands out to you.
You know, beyond all the murder, death, kill we are presented with every day…
Apparently there is a small company called Algordanza based in the mountainous southeast of Switzerland, which uses the ashes of dead people to make diamonds as a permanent memento for their nearest and dearest.
For around about $10,000 NZD you can wear your loved one on some jewelry where ever you go.
The technology for making artificial diamonds was first pioneered by General Electric in the 1950s, and mirrors what happens naturally in the earth by subjecting carbon to huge pressure and temperature.
Pressure can do amazing things like turning what looks like basic carbon into a precious stone.
Pressure keeps your car tires up.
Pressure exists in your body as blood is pumped around.
But when many of us use the word ‘pressure’ it is used to express something bad in our lives.
We complain about being under too much pressure, or that we feel under pressure.
I personally think pressure can be good or bad...it is just having the right balance of it.
Just as too much pressure can be bad...too little, and nothing much seems to change.
Take the diamond example.
Add the right amount of pressure and you get a diamond.
Add too little pressure and all you get is a lump of coal.
I think it is normal to have some pressure in your life.
Pressure will actually help grow you, help mould you, help make you the person God planned for you to be.
The Bible uses phrases that reflect this regularly.
Phrases like perseverance doing its work, being blessed when we persevere, that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.
Don’t panic...it is not all bad so to speak.
1 Corinthians 10:13 (message) says
No test or temptation that comes your way is beyond the course of what others have had to face. All you need to remember is that God will never let you down; he'll never let you be pushed past your limit; he'll always be there to help you come through it.
So when you next face some pressure check it out. It may not be all bad...
Pressure in the right amount is good for you. It will change your life for the better.
Trust that God has your life in his hand and he will lead you and grow you.
Something to think about...
You know, beyond all the murder, death, kill we are presented with every day…
Apparently there is a small company called Algordanza based in the mountainous southeast of Switzerland, which uses the ashes of dead people to make diamonds as a permanent memento for their nearest and dearest.
For around about $10,000 NZD you can wear your loved one on some jewelry where ever you go.
The technology for making artificial diamonds was first pioneered by General Electric in the 1950s, and mirrors what happens naturally in the earth by subjecting carbon to huge pressure and temperature.
Pressure can do amazing things like turning what looks like basic carbon into a precious stone.
Pressure keeps your car tires up.
Pressure exists in your body as blood is pumped around.
But when many of us use the word ‘pressure’ it is used to express something bad in our lives.
We complain about being under too much pressure, or that we feel under pressure.
I personally think pressure can be good or bad...it is just having the right balance of it.
Just as too much pressure can be bad...too little, and nothing much seems to change.
Take the diamond example.
Add the right amount of pressure and you get a diamond.
Add too little pressure and all you get is a lump of coal.
I think it is normal to have some pressure in your life.
Pressure will actually help grow you, help mould you, help make you the person God planned for you to be.
The Bible uses phrases that reflect this regularly.
Phrases like perseverance doing its work, being blessed when we persevere, that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.
Don’t panic...it is not all bad so to speak.
1 Corinthians 10:13 (message) says
No test or temptation that comes your way is beyond the course of what others have had to face. All you need to remember is that God will never let you down; he'll never let you be pushed past your limit; he'll always be there to help you come through it.
So when you next face some pressure check it out. It may not be all bad...
Pressure in the right amount is good for you. It will change your life for the better.
Trust that God has your life in his hand and he will lead you and grow you.
Something to think about...
Thursday, September 11, 2008
I have been thinking this week about something I read.
I actually read it many years ago as well and decided to give it a go...
This is it…
Romans 12:20
"If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.
In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head."
For me, it is two parts.
The first being the challenge to do the opposite of what we would normally want to do.
The opposite of what our flesh screams out to do.
The concept of doing good to someone who is doing something bad to you.
It is in fact finding a way to meet an enemies need, even when you think they don’t deserve it.
When you think about it...it is kind of like a ‘Jesus’ thing to do…
When you think of his life, you see him doing good all the time.
It didn’t matter what people said or did, he stayed focused on what he was here to do.
Even the events leading up to him being crucified, echoed these values...
Acts 10:38 says
God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him.
The second part is what intrigues me the most about this scripture.
What is this heaping burning coals thing?
And what does it do?
It is a picture.
It is a spiritual response to what you do to your enemy.
Imagine having these burning coals on your head...
It would hurt. It would make you think about why you had them there.
Coals like this were a picture in the Word of cleansing.
Doing good to your enemy puts them in a spiritual position for God to cleanse them.
For God to fix them or the situation.
God promises to look after us.
To avenge us if we need avenged.
This passage is reminding us to do what is right.
To let God sort it out.To trust he is in control.
Because when we do...it is way more powerful and effective!
Something to think about...
I actually read it many years ago as well and decided to give it a go...
This is it…
Romans 12:20
"If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.
In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head."
For me, it is two parts.
The first being the challenge to do the opposite of what we would normally want to do.
The opposite of what our flesh screams out to do.
The concept of doing good to someone who is doing something bad to you.
It is in fact finding a way to meet an enemies need, even when you think they don’t deserve it.
When you think about it...it is kind of like a ‘Jesus’ thing to do…
When you think of his life, you see him doing good all the time.
It didn’t matter what people said or did, he stayed focused on what he was here to do.
Even the events leading up to him being crucified, echoed these values...
Acts 10:38 says
God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him.
The second part is what intrigues me the most about this scripture.
What is this heaping burning coals thing?
And what does it do?
It is a picture.
It is a spiritual response to what you do to your enemy.
Imagine having these burning coals on your head...
It would hurt. It would make you think about why you had them there.
Coals like this were a picture in the Word of cleansing.
Doing good to your enemy puts them in a spiritual position for God to cleanse them.
For God to fix them or the situation.
God promises to look after us.
To avenge us if we need avenged.
This passage is reminding us to do what is right.
To let God sort it out.To trust he is in control.
Because when we do...it is way more powerful and effective!
Something to think about...
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