Pray for Evangelism

I'd appreciate your prayers if you are reading this.

I've been invited to speak at the local Rotary Club Christmas dinner to share a special Christmas message. It's quite exciting really- the kind of thing I really like about being in ministry- telling others about Jesus.

Pray I'd be clear, interesting and challenging. I'm speaking on Monday night, 6:30pm. Ta!

A Christmas Meme

Ali tagged me for this Christmas meme. I'm tagging JT, Tim, and Matt.

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Neither, I prefer presents.

2. Real tree or artificial? Real tree, Christmas tree farm down the road (I live in the sticks!) Will this be affected by signing Kyoto?

3. When do you put up your tree? Sometime this week? Get a life peeps!

4. When do you take the tree down? Sometime in January…if it’s a real tree, make it last, I say. (And get a life peeps!)

5. Do you like eggnog? I’ll drink anything with cinnamon and honey in it.

6. Favourite gift received as a child? My golf game. You pull a lever and a golf ball pops up and rolls onto the tee. You pull another lever and a little man tees it off into a hole. And you pull another lever for it to sink and start all over again. I still have it.

7. Do you have a Nativity scene? No.

8. Hardest person to buy for? My Dad. He has all he needs.

9. Easiest person to buy for? My brother. He needs comic books.

10. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? Nothing springs to mind. But my sister once received a fake pearl necklace from my grandmother one year, and since she got it, we have had an ongoing game (running over 10 years now) where we have hidden it in each other’s room/ place. Once she went to sleep with the pearls in her pillow case. Another time I found them in my backpack at Uni. They are currently in the top drawer of my desk. Does she think I haven’t found them? Just you wait little sister…mwah mwah mwah!!

11. Mail or email Christmas cards? How about a hearty ‘Merry Christmas’?

12. Favorite Christmas movie? When I was growing up, me and my brother would watch ‘The Year without a Santa Claus’ without fail. Right now, I’d say ‘It’s a Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie’.

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? Um, how many days do I have left?

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? No, but I’m currently using the coffee percolator I gave to my Dad one Christmas. Does that count? Hey wait a second, that gives me an idea for question 8!

15. Favorite things to eat at Christmas? BBQ prawns are an essential part of any Christmas day eating.

16. Clear lights or colored on the tree? The soft glow of clear lights reflects the soothing, ambient atmosphere which I like to relax in.

17. Favorite Christmas song? "Let it snow let it snow let it snow…" only because it features in Die Hard 2, and I can’t get the song out of my head.

18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? Travel down the road to my folks place.

19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer? On Dasher, on Dancer, on Vixen, on Comet…on the rest of ya’s….Hmmmm…guess not. Points for trying?

20. Angel on the tree top or a star? Star. There’s only room for one angel in my household. Isn’t that right Maddie? *cough cough*

21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? Morning. Well, not anymore. I live alone, and I don’t give presents to myself. So, it’s afternoon now.

22. Most annoying thing about this time of year? All the altruistic nonsense you read in the newspapers which just helps selfish people feel better about themselves. Ok, maybe I’m just cynical?

23. What is the "corniest" family tradition you do, or miss doing? Each year my siblings and I have a ‘Christmas meeting’ to work out the finer details of making sure that Christmas works well in our family. Plus my brother and I used to go out on Christmas Eve yelling ‘Ho! Ho! Ho!’ for the neighbourhood kiddies. Ain’t we stinkers?

24. Ugliest Christmas Decoration ever invented? Blow-up Santa’s. What’s with that?

25. Which looks the best, theme trees or homey trees? Homey? Yo! What’s up wiv dat homee tree bro?

26. What does Christmas mean to you? Jesus: God Saves.

It's OK, you can swear!

I’m back. I’ve been away for a little bit, and plan to keep posting here. But in the meantime kiddies you can sit back, grab a coffee and read on, dear reader.

I’ve sustained a jogging injury which I’ve had for a few years now, and decided for my next plan of attack to visit a chiropractor. While I was lying face down on the bench, having the chiropractor poke my stiff muscles, he called in his assistant to do the massaging.

Now when someone massages me (and I’ve had a few) my preference is to at least meet them. But alas, I was not afforded this opportunity since, as I said, I was lying face down.

The girl just came in and just started massaging me as she was chatting to me. We were talking about muscle groups and the Bay run, among other things. She also studied anatomy at NatureCare, where I used to do some casual teaching so I could pay the bills whilst at Bible college. The funny thing was how at ease she seemed to be. Her talk was casual and unguarded. She was swearing like a trooper as she talked to me. She was saying ‘s&^% yeah’ to this and ‘effin’ oath’ to that. The conversation was quite jolly. Obviously she had done this many times. And then she asked me ‘so what do you do?’

I knew the conversation was about to change.

‘I work for a church’

‘Really?? What do you do there?’

(After all, maybe I mowed the grass and trimmed the hedges)

‘I am a minister’

I could hear her brain thinking back over all the expletives that she had used within the last five minutes.

‘That’s quite a change…’

‘Yeah’ (me agreeing)

‘What made you decide to do that?’

Now before I continue, can I just admit that I’ve never come up with a clever answer to this question? I mean, an knock-out answer which will make the best use of having a good gospel conversation. Once I said to a whole church (answering the same question) ‘because there is a heaven and there is a hell, and everyone is going to one place or the other’. I also once said to a hairdresser ‘so I can help people know about Jesus’. And this time? Well I paused for some moment. (Put it down to the massage I was clearly enjoying).

‘Because I want people to think through the big questions in life. About knowing God’

She politely agreed.

The conversation didn’t really go anywhere after that.

But it made me think that the world really does put us ministers into a different box than everyone else. I feel as though they don’t know what to do with us. Sometimes even I don’t know what to do with me! But it’s interesting that the world feels the need to stop swearing and behave around me! Perhaps they feel judged, or guilty. Maybe even unholy.

Whatever it is, I wished she felt as though she could be herself. I wanted her to keep swearing at me! I wanted her to be at ease. I wished the conversation could go on. I wished she could know I’m just like her- I’m a sinner in need of grace too! I wanted to stay in the same box as her, and not be put in a different box.

Stay tuned, I'm going back on Monday.

In the meantime, help me out. What would you say if someone asked you ‘what do you do?’ and you are seeking to share the gospel with them?

Oil aint oils.

Today I mowed the grass. Somehow the oil cap flew off the lawn mower. As a result oil was spewing out of the mower like a fine mist in the air. As a result oil was spraying onto me and I didn't realise it. As a result, I looked like I had just discovered some black gold. Texas tea. Yuk.

The Art of Forgiveness

I'm doing a 3 week series on the topic of forgiveness. Here's how it goes:

1. How God forgives
2. How we forgive
3. ???

I haven't come up with the title of the 3rd week. Any ideas? Please?

Is God a Greenie?

Here is an article I wrote for our local newspaper (bascially its my environment sermon rehashed, attempting to present the gospel in the light of the environment). I'd be interested to know what you think. David.

Is God a Greenie?

If God were to go shopping would he use plastic or green shopping bags? If God owned a car, what would he drive? A gutsy Commodore V8 or a piddly Daihatsu Charade? Does God care about the environment? Would you find God singing with Midnight Oil ‘Your dream world is just about to end?’

There are many reasons why God should be a greenie. Look at our world. What happens when all the oil runs out (and it will)? How do we dispose of used uranium? What about the hole in the ozone layer and global warming? And the drought in our country? Does God care about these things?

The story of the Bible is that God does care about these things. Indeed, the Bible explains the environmental mess our planet is in. Consider are 3 Inconvenient Truths from the Bible about the state of our planet (apologies to Al Gore).

Inconvenient Truth #1: Planet Earth is God’s

The earth is the LORD's, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it. (Psalm 24:1)

One general rule in life is if you create something from scratch, you own it. Since God created planet earth from nothing, it’s His. The local valley, the local soccer field, the local rotary park- it’s all His. And He made this world to bring glory to Himself.

Inconvenient Truth #2: We are Caretakers of God’s Planet Earth

You see this in the creation account in Genesis 1.

God created man in his own image…God blessed them and said to them, "Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground." (Genesis 1:27-28)

Humans are given 2 commands- fill the earth and subdue it. We have done pretty well at the first command (6.7 billion people so far and counting!) But we are also told to rule the earth under God. But ruling the earth does not mean ruining the earth. The earth is on lease to us as rental property. We are merely the caretakers. As the caretakers, we must manage it responsibly. We can’t do with the world what we like.

Inconvenient Truth #3: Planet Earth is ‘Sick’ because of Human Rebellion

However, instead of choosing to rule under God, we staged a coop and took control of God’s earth. We ignored our Creator. God, being the perfect gentleman that He is, allows us to rebel against Him. And the results are catastrophic.

For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it. (Romans 8:20)

Our world is now ‘frustrated’. Because of human self-centredness, the world is in ecological disaster. Human greed cuts down forests to make money but that damages the environment. Killing whales to make a buck drives them to extinction. Now there are Hurricane Katrina’s and Cyclone Tracey’s. There are floods and fires, droughts and diseases.

So what will God do about our environment? Here are 2 reasons why God is a greenie.

1. God will Fix up Planet Earth

The creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God. (Romans 8:21)

Creation is waiting to be freed from its decay. God is going to do something amazing in the future. He is not going to throw this world away over his shoulder like an empty can. He is going to renovate it. God will dismantle the creation and build it again. He will make a new heavens and a new earth (Revelation 21:1).

Because of this, Christians have a huge respect for this planet. We believe not only that God made it, but he is also going to restore it. We want God’s plans for this world to be our plans for this world.

Not that we will achieve utopia now- that’s for the future. But in the meantime Christians work for justice and environmental care because we want the world to head towards what it one day will properly be- a restored world.

2. God is now Fixing up People

Before God saves the planet, he is now saving people. He fixes up people by making them new creations.

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! (2 Corinthians 5:17)

He is transforming humans, through Christ, into what we were created to be. Now we can have a new relationship to God, and a new relationship to each other. This includes a new relationship to our world. Now we can rule God’s creation the way we were made to rule it.

God sent His Son to pay for the fact that we ignore Him and run His world our own way. His Spirit transforms people’s hearts into people that want to serve Him and love others. Selfish people and God-ignorers become new creations. We can now live as the proper caretakers of the earth that God has rented out to us.

This means caring for the planet. It means using our world’s resources properly. It means preventing selfish pollution and needless wastage. It means giving up on materialism at the expense of being eco-friendly. It means recycling and being responsible. It means loving others by caring for the environment.

God cares for His planet and how it is used. He will fix up the mess one day, but in the mean time, he is fixing up people. Is God a greenie? Yes!

Author’s endnote- no forests were cut down in the process of writing this article.

Cause for Environmental Concern #3

(For the start of this sermon on the environment, see previous 2 blog entries)

2 Reasons Why You Should Care:

i) ‘Not Yet’- Planet Earth will be Renovated

Romans 8:19 The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed.

Romans 8:21 that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God.

Our future is linked to the future of this planet. When we are glorified, creation will be glorified. When we are resurrected in physical bodies, planet earth will be resurrected as well. He will make a home fit for us to live in.

God will dismantle the creation and build it again. Creation is waiting eagerly to be what it should be. It’s waiting to be freed from its decay.

The future is physical.

God is going to rebuild this world into a new heavens and a new earth. We read in Isaiah 24 the horrible state that the world is in because of the sin of Israel. But by the end of Isaiah we read of God’s better homes and gardens plan.

Isaiah 65:17 17 "Behold, I will create new heavens and a new earth. The former things will not be remembered, nor will they come to mind.

God is going to do something amazing in the future. He is not going to throw this world away over his shoulder like an empty can. He is going to renovate it. Recreate it. Make it new. A new heavens and a new earth!

Christians above all are people who have a huge respect for the earth because we believe not only that God made it, but he is going to remake it. God’s plans for this world should be our plans for this world. Too often you hear Christian’s say ‘why be concerned about this world- its all going to be destroyed anyway’.

But God plans to restore his creation. That gives you every reason to work for justice and to make creation what it one day will properly be.

We shouldn’t think we can achieve a greenie paradise now. It’s arrogant to think that we can achieve some kind of greenie paradise by changing our lifestyle. We won’t end the pains of the earth by science or technology. God is the one who will create a new heavens and a new earth. Not us.

Christians should be the ones who lead the way in wanting the world to be what God wants the world to be. The ‘not yet’ drives us to care for the environment.

ii) ‘Already’ – Planet Earth is reconciled to Christ.

The ‘now’ is that the world is being reconciled to Christ. Paul says this about Jesus:

Colossians 1:19-20 For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, 20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.

God has reconciled everything to His Son. From Bono to Peter Garrett, from my dog to the devil- all things are being reconciled. God has brought his entire rebellious creation back under the rule of his sovereign power.

That includes planet earth. God has claimed back this planet as his very own, through the death of His Son. It can now do its job- praise its Creator.

But more than that- God has claimed back people.

2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!

God is in the process of making new creations- he transforming humans, through Christ. We have a new relationship to God, and a new relationship to each other.

Christians are now, what we were created to be. Now we can rule God’s creation the way we were created to rule it. We are God’s image bearers, and we can rule creation the way God intended. We will live as caretakers of the earth that God has rented out to us. And as his image bearers, we can help our world be what it was created to be- a world which praises God.
Planet earth is already reconciled to Christ. It can right now live for the praise of His glory. And we Christians can be involved in that right now!

So, let me give you some principles to live by:-

3. Some Principles to Live by-

i) Love

Someone once asked Jesus which was the greatest command.

Matthew 22:37-39 Jesus replied: "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'

Christians are people who love God and love others. We care for all people- whether they live in India or Ethiopia, or Australia.

The best way to love someone is to share Jesus with them. That’s our top priority. Saving people is more important that saving whales.

But in today’s world, one way to love others is to care for the environment.

We are to love those people who in Fiji might lose their islands if global warming becomes real.
We are to love our children so we aren’t dumping all the environmental problems on them but coming up with solutions for our own mistakes. Love is the key.

ii) Wisdom

Wisdom in the Bible is working out how to live in the world under God. We must listen to what God says about the world. And look at the way the world works. The Bible doesn’t tell us how deal with global warming. So we need to listen to scientists and environmental engineers. Listen to those who are studying God’s creation to see if we can come up with a solution to fix the mess of the environment.

iii) Transformation

Romans 12:2 Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.

This problem is a spiritual one. And Christians have got to stand against the greed and materialism of this world, by being transformed ourselves. We are transformed by the Holy Spirit.

So many of our environmental problems are due to selfish hearts. We must repent of selfish pollution. We must repent of double standards. If we insist on the protection of African rain forests then we have to be willing to do something in our own backyard.

Love, wisdom and transformation.

May God give us the strength to live this way. Amen.

Cause for Environmental Concern #2

Point ONE: 3 INCONVENIENT TRUTHS

Al Gore alarmed us last year by making a movie called ‘An Inconvenient Truth’- inconvenient because selfish humans don’t like hearing about the state of the environment because we may have to do something about it.

But I would like to tell you 3 Biblical ‘Inconvenient Truths’ about Planet Earth. They are inconvenient for the same reason- because selfish humans don’t like hearing these truths.
3 Inconvenient truths to consider:

1. Planet Earth is God’s Earth

Psalm 24:1 The earth is the LORD's, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it;
There is a general rule in life- you create something you own it.

God created planet earth so it is his. All that you see- the valley, the soccer field, the rotary park- its all His. And he makes this world to bring glory to Himself, to sing His praises.

But this isn’t the full story, because secondly,

2. Planet Earth has been given to Humans To Rule (Under God)

Psalm 115:16 16 The highest heavens belong to the LORD, but the earth he has given to man.
Earth actually belongs to both God and man.

God because he made it. Man because God has handed it to us.

The earth is God’s and ours. You see this in the creation account in Genesis 1.

Genesis 1:26-28 26 Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground." 27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. 28 God blessed them and said to them, "Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground."

Humans are given 2 commands- fill the earth and subdue it. We have no problems with the first command. The command to go forth and multiply is probably the only command of God’s we ever kept.

But we are also told to rule the earth. Subdue it. But ruling the earth does not mean ruining the earth. Because – and here’s the important part- we are to rule under God. God has given to the earth to run on His behalf. That means we are stewards. The earth is on lease to us. It’s rental property. We are not the landowners- we are the caretakers of God’s property. We have to manage it responsibly.

What do horses and atoms and cells all have in common? God has given them to us to improve life. We can train horses to plow fields. We can use atoms to create energy for good reasons. When I worked in the lab, we were taking strands of DNA out of one cell and putting into another cell to make medicines. We are supposed to use technology and science to improve life.

We are caretakers. But the reason we are caretakers is because God has given us the world to rent. The greenies are right about one thing- We have to care for the earth. We can’t do with the world what we like. But the greenies don’t have the same reason as us. We care for it because it’s God’s world and we are only the caretakers under him.

3. Planet Earth is ‘Sick’ because of Human Sin

There was a cosmic rebellion in the universe- we humans turned our back on our Creator. Instead of choosing to rule under God, we staged a coop and took control of God’s government.
We go on ignoring him. You see it in the way we simply ignore God as our Creator. We prefer to speak of ‘Mother Nature’ as the Creator. There’s even a company called ‘Natures way’. She is the maker of Earth. We worship her and her ways. What blasphemy! to be worshipping a false idol, instead of worshipping the God who made nature!

The result is that God lets us do it. He judges us for doing it.

And the results is catastrophic. Its cosmic.

Romans 8:20-22 20 For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God. 22 We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time.

Because of our human self-centredness, God has chosen to frustrate His own world. (‘frustration here means vanity’- its useless!) Creation is not what it should be. The world doesn’t do its job. It doesn’t achieve the purpose that the creator set out for it. As a result, the world is in ecological disaster.

Now there are hurricane Katrina’s and cyclone Tracey’s. Now there are floods and fires. Its now hard to grow crops. There are thorns and droughts and diseases. Its hard to rule creation. We are under the judgement of God.

But everything is still good (I Tim 4:3). It’s to be received with thanksgiving because its made by a good God. But it’s in decay.

We keep thinking that the real problem with the world is physical. But the real problem is spiritual. The heart of the problem with the world is the problem of the human heart.
The reason why there is a drought in this country is because of the spiritual drought in our hearts. We have ignored our Creator. If we all die a thirsty death it will be because we don’t thirst after God. It’s God’s judgement upon us.

And the cycle is endless. We bring ecological disaster upon ourselves. Human greed cuts down forests to make money but that damages the environment. Killing whales to make a buck will drive them to extinction.

The world exists to bring glory to God. But we think the material world exists to feed our materialism. See how the Bible makes perfect sense of the world we live in?

There are 3 Inconvenient Truths about Planet Earth. It’s God’s. It’s given to us to rule under God. It’s now sick.

Next: 2 Reasons why Christians should care about the environment.

Cause for Environmental Concern #1

OK, so I'm a little behind on this week's sermon. I've got the guts of it, but it still needs work. Besides prayer, I thought I would motivate myself by posting my sermon up as I finish it. Its a once-off topical on the Environment, so here's my introduction:

Is God a Greenie?

• Is God a greenie?
• Does God want me to use plastic bags?
• How long should I spend in the shower or have my air conditioning on for?
• What kind of car would Jesus drive? Would he be a Commodore V8 guy or a Daihatsu Charade kinda man? Hereby known as WWJD- What would Jesus drive?
• Should you vote Green? Or just use green bags instead of plastic ones?
• Should you vote at all since there is so much paper wastage on election days?

I don’t know if any of these questions have crossed your mind, but the Environment is a big issue in today’s world, and its not an issue that is going to go away.

Earlier this year The Sydney Morning Herald published an article on the front page with the headline: ‘World wakes to climate calamity’.

February 3, 2007: 2007-THE world has been delivered its strongest warning yet that human actions are causing global warming and that greenhouse gas emissions must be reined in by 2020 if humanity wants a chance to avoid catastrophic climate change.

Should Christians care about this? There are many reasons humanly speaking why we should be concerned about the environment. Here's 4:

1. Population Growth. At the moment the population of the world is 6.7 billion. But by the year 2015, it could be 8 billion. Can the earth handle such a large population? How many people could live in your house before its just too much to handle?

2. Use of resources. Can we feed 8 billion people? The earth only has a limited amount of resources. You think of oil and other fossil fuels you cant recycle. Once they are gone they are gone forever.

3. Waste disposal. Our nation is rich in uranium, which when it is used it is still radioactive. What do we do with all that waste?

4. Damaged atmosphere. Think about the damages done to the ozone layer, and global warming. The hole in that ozone layer is getting larger, and are we to blame? And is it linked to increases in skin cancers and global warming? Scientists think that by 2100 the average temperature of the planet will increase by 1-5 degrees. Is that why there is a drought in this country and is the future of our great grandchildren that they will all die slow thirsty deaths?

There are many reasons why we should be alarmed about the environment.
But as Christians we always want to be driven by God and his concerns.

Coming up:
3 Inconvenient Truths
2 Reasons Christians Should care
Some Principles to Live by

Do you want to attain holiness?

Do you want to attain holiness? Do you feel this day a real hearty desire to be holy? Would you be a partaker of the divine nature? Then go to Christ. Wait for nothing. Wait for nobody. Linger not. Think not to make yourself ready. Go and say to Him, in the words of that beautiful hymn,

‘Nothing in my hand I bring,
Simply to Thy cross I cling;
Naked, flee to Thee for dress;
Helpless, look to Thee for grace.’

There is not a brick nor a stone laid in the work of our sanctification till we go to Christ. Holiness is His special gift to His believing people. Holiness is the work He carries on in their hearts by the Spirit whom He puts within them.….Holiness comes from Christ. It is the result of vital union with Him. It is the fruit of being a living branch of the true Vine... Go then to Christ and say, ‘Lord, not only save me from the guilt of sin, but send the Spirit, whom Thou didst promise, and save me from its power. Make me holy. Teach me to do Thy will.’

Would you continue holy? Then abide in Christ. He says Himself, ‘Abide in Me, and I in you….He that abideth in Me and I in him, the same beareth much fruit’ (John 15:4, 5). It pleased the Father that in Him should all fullness dwell, a full supply for all a believer’s wants. He is the Physician to whom you must daily go, if you would keep well. He is the Manna which you must daily eat, and the Rock of which you must daily drink. His arm is the arm on which you must daily lean, as you come up out of the wilderness of this world...

May all who read these pages know these things by experience, and not by hearsay only! May we all feel the importance of holiness, far more than we have ever done yet! May our years be holy years with our souls, and then they will be happy ones! Whether we live, may we live unto the Lord, or whether we die, may we die unto the Lord or, if He comes for us, may we be found in peace, without spot, and blameless.



JC Ryle, Holiness, p48,49

Sometimes Process Beats Destination

My dear reader, it is truly wonderful to know that you are still out there and taking in the words which now appear before your eyes. Life for me has been all systems go. The train has left the station. The eagle hasn’t landed. The fat lady has not yet even begun to sing. OK, I’m rambling. I’m musing. But that’s the title of this blog, and you wouldn’t be here if you weren’t at least a little bit interested in even the most obscure keystroke I have to offer you.

So let me see if I have anything to offer you, so that you can say that your time here was of some value to your day. Have you considered what makes reading this blog- this particular blog, worthwhile? Is it interest in the author’s life and happenings? Is it some insight into a subject that the author has, and how it applies to his specific situation? It could even be boredom that brings you here. At its worst, perhaps it is even be a form of voyeurism that brings you here, and apart from these words, the thoughts of the author are veiled from your mind.

Whatever the reason, dear reader, your interest means masses to me. I consider it pure altruism that you indulge me by your presence. How thoughtful of you to click on these pages and upload my words with interest, consider my thoughts, and perhaps even comment on the most archaic of my ramblings, hereby increasing my site meter count as well as my own self esteem.

So what insight can I offer you tonight? What possible words of wisdom will ‘random musings’ offer you? That, dear reader, is hard to say. For tonight presents a different kind of blog entry. This entry has no set purpose in mind. The aim here, dear reader, is to share my thoughts, as the blog name suggests, with randomness, but not at the expense of clarity. But you will need to be the judge of that. My habit has been to reflect before I speak. However tonight I find myself doing the opposite. I speak as I reflect. And I’m sure that you will agree that the result is rather...impetuous.

Now I’m all for spontaneity. Spontaneity wakes people up in the morning. Spontaneity provides unpredictability to an otherwise boring existence. Spontaneity breathes exhilaration into life and sucks up the mundane. Spontaneity is what keeps share market analysts employed.

So do not be alarmed dear reader. I have not lost my mind. I am merely celebrating an opportunity for a newly found spontaneity. Its an opportunity to start with a thought, and to enjoy the process of thought upon thought, without giving much thought to the final destination. Indeed, there does not have to be a significant distination. For process is what is important here. This process reminds me of when I was a child, and I would place a leaf in a flowing creek just after the rain, only to see where its destination would be. In once sense the destination did not matter, but the process of travel was important to observe. And I must say, that the enjoyment of the ride along the way can sometimes overshadow the importance of the destination. It should, for creativity sometimes needs to be an end within itself. And this is why modern art is highly subjective. The artist has enjoyed the process of creating, even if the end result is something you wouldn't hang up on a preschoolers wall. Don’t blame it all upon postmodernism, dear reader. The process involved in creativity does have its place.

Forgive my reflective and somewhat evasive mood this cold September evening. Some will read this and feel that the contents are not fit to line my dog's kennel. Others will enjoy the process and feel a warm heart at an update. But whoever you are, dear reader, I do owe you for the pleasure of allowing myself to indulge upon this rather poetically reflective mood I find myself in this evening. The process has been engaging and entertaining for at least one of us. Until next time, my dear reader...

Thirsty Merc and Pub Church

So tonight I got to hear Thirsty Merc live again...they really are an awesome band. My only complaint was that they didn't play for longer. Afterwards, I caught up with some friends of mine- Scott and Suze, and kinda met the drummer's wife- Di- but didn't really meet her. But it was cool to know that she is a Christian, as it her hubby.

The Mean Fiddler is such an awesome pub. In my own humble opinion (which here on in will be known as IMOHO for you non bloggers) its one of Sydney's finest pubs. After rocking with the Merc, Scotty and I dreamed about starting up a pub church at the Fiddler. It's something I've thought about for a few months now- being inspired by others before me, but being a one man band, it would be hard for me to pull it off on my own. So Scotty got my brain into gear, and we dreamed together about getting this thing called 'pub church' for men up and running. Hmmm, something to think and pray about.

How excitement!

PS This post is partly to prove to Shannyn that I haven't given up on the blog. Are you still out there and reading this? I need reassurement!

A Moment of Honesty: Today I met Jerry Bridges

OK, so today I got to meet Jerry Bridges. I mean, the Jerry Bridges of ‘Transforming Grace’ fame. It was at a staff meeting at a church I used to work for. It was a privilege to be invited for such an occasion. He spoke to us on the topic of 'How to urge the Saints to Pursue Holiness without Forfeiting Grace.'

His story of legalism reminded me of my own journey. I remember as a teenager reading his book ‘The Pursuit of Holiness’. It was a very challenging book, and being a pious Christian at the time, I rose to the challenge of putting into practice some of the things he said in the book. But that's not the moment of honesty for me.

You see, today Jerry verbalized some things that God has been teaching me in my own walk with the Lord over the past year. If you've been reading these pages, you've been seeing stuff on humility and doing things in God's strength, living by faith, and indeed, just recently, claiming the rightousness of another as our own. In a word: GRACE. Jerry defined 'grace' as God giving to people He is rightly angry with what they don't deserve.

If you know me at all, you would know that I grew up with a pretty legalistic view of Christianity. It was easy for me to think that the Christian life was characterized by commands or by the word ‘ought’. I suppose I focused upon commands in my young adulthood, and my standing with God was based upon this. Surprisingly, this is what Jerry experienced as well!

Now I knew the answers about grace- in my head- but being compelled by grace and living by grace…actually doing it? Well, that’s another story. For me, its been a journey to live out the imputed righteousness of Christ. In other words, to live out the righteousness that has been handed to me on a platter. And the temptation is still strong to think that by my own efforts I can achieve this righteousness.

You see, because I have lived an upright life, (at least outwardly) its easy for me to be proud and to think that I have achieved something. But God won’t let me get away with that! Pharisee that I am- proud of my own righteousness! Jerry reminded me of what God has been teaching me of late (if you don’t believe me, see my previous posts!) - to look outside of myself for my acceptance. I need to see myself in the imputed righteousness of Christ. My righteousness comes from outside of myself, not from within myself. (Theologians call this ‘alien’ righteousness for the very reason that it comes from outside us, not from within).

And yet I still see the gap between my own sinfulness and my need to grow (something else Jerry pointed out today). I'm constantly reminded of what a great sinner I am. And Jerry reminded us to always look to Christ’s infinite righteousness, because that’s the righteousness that I have….please read that last sentence again. If you are in Christ, you have his infinite righteousness!!! He even mentioned the sinful woman, who anointed Jesus’ feet (a passage which spoke powerfully to me earlier this year, and a passage I intend to preach on later this year).

But its more than having the righteousness of Christ. Its also having the power of the Holy Spirit. By the Spirit I am able to live out the righteousness of Christ. Again, not by my strength, but the daily attitude of relying upon Him to do things in His strength. For me, the temptation is to constantly think I can do things in my own strength. But what I need to keep realizing is that I HAVE NO POWER WITHIN MYSELF! God is really not interested in my self-strength, but in my reliance upon His Spirit. Ahh grace…what a relief it is to live by you.

So there is the righteousness of Christ, the power of the Spirit, and if you really want to get Trinitarian about it (and I do!) the sanctifying work of God the Father. Rely on each of these Christian brother and sister!!!

One of the things that stood out for me was Jerry’s prayers. He shared with us things that he had prayed for during his life, and how God had answered those prayers. Here are some of them:
-I pray I would use the Bible to guide my conduct
-I pray I may be compelled by the love of Christ
-I pray I would be conscious of your forgiveness

Good things to continually pray for.

Jerry also commented upon how the church tends to compare their own sinfulness with the world's, rather than from within the church. As a result, we have a number of ‘respectable sins’. Sure the church doesn’t tolerate sins like adultery and homosexuality. But when it comes to gossip, pride, anxiety, bitterness and unforgiveness (I could go on) the church puts up with these sins. Again, its something God has been teaching me of late. I'm a 'respectable' sinner. But if you would see inside my heart, you would see that I'm no such thing.

So ya...God used Jerry to confirm/underline/highlight the journey I'm on at the moment. Its been a deeper grasp of the gospel for me. A deeper sense of my own sin. And a deeper sense of my need for forgiveness. Indeed, God has been showing me the pit that He has pulled me out of.

And I couldn’t help it- I had to ask Jerry to sign my copy of ‘Disciplines of Grace’. His verse: 2 Cor 5:21. Probably the topic of my evangelistic talk on Sunday night. And here's the proof.

Congratulations Tim & Shona!

It was awesome witnessing this today.
Congrats guys! May God bless your new life together.

Friday Friendships

Sorry for the lack of blogging lately, but I would just like to thank God for living in a city where you can pick up friendships with old friends you haven’t seen in years, make friendships with new people you have never met before, and just plain hang out with current friends! And thank God for being able to call up old friends and catch up. And laughter. That’s ALWAYS fun. Isn’t being a Christian such a blessing?

Fridays tend to make me think about the friends that I have...seeing as how its a day to enjoy friendships. Tonight a group of us went out for pizza- the funniest thing that happened- one of the girls there was trying to tell her friend that she had some green food on her teeth. Her signal was to put some green food on her own teeth. Subtle but hilarious. It reminds me of my own age old joke- which consists of putting some food on my nose at the dinner table and then waiting for someone to notice.

I need to get out more.

Our Only Entry to Heaven

The only righteousness in which we can appear before God is the righteousness of another- even the perfect righteousness of our Substitute and Representative, Jesus Christ the Lord. His work and not our work is our only title to heaven. This is a truth which we should be ready to die to maintain.

(Holiness, JC Ryle, p21).

Do you appreciate just how sinful you are?

So much of our religious teaching betrays no sign that the speaker has descended into hell, been near the everlasting burnings, or been plucked from the awful pit. He has risen with Christ—what right have we to deny it?—but it is out of a shallow grave, with no deepness of earth, with no huge millstone to roll away.

~PT Forsyth, The Church, the Gospel and Society

What sweet words- that we are risen with Christ. But do we really see how far we have risen up out of the grave? Does this come through in my preaching? My conversations? My prayers? We do we shrink from the doctrine of sin, when it makes the doctrine of our completeness in Christ even more sweeter?

A Snapshot of This Thursday

The day starts with finishing off my pastor's corner for the local newspaper. My latest article is on 'Amazing Grace'- an article arguing that 'Amazing Grace' is more than just a hymn- its a song about us! Hopefully with the upcoming movie, the article will generate some interest. And then there is the sermon series that I want to promote in the local rag on 'Eternity...everything you wanted to know but were too afraid to ask'. Also, an email about the bon fire night tomorrow night. A phone call or two. And the morning is gone.

Then there are Scripture classes. I teach year 4 in two schools. The kids are better behaved at the second class I teach than the first one. But is this because I'm better prepared for the second class, having done it once already? I have no way of knowing, other than travelling to a parallel universe to find out.

In between classes I catch up with Shannyn at one of the local cafes for a coffee. We solve all the problems of the world during this time, starting with our own.

Lunch at home. My dog is excited to see me. After lunch I send some more emails. (Our poor secretary gets a bombardment of emails from me on Thursdays...) I hope to rope in some volunteers to help move a 'woman-in-need' from my suburb to East Kurrajong. I'd call her a widow, but she wasn't married to the deceased. What do you call a woman in a de-facto relationship where the partner dies? Still trying to figure that one out. The forecast for the projected removal day is rain, so it could be unpleasant.

Finally some sermon work. Preaching on Romans 5:1-11 on Sunday morning, at 8:30am and 10am. Then I cover Ruth 1 in the evening. Ruth 1 still needs some fine tuning. (My sermon, not the actual word of God, in case you were confused!) Romans 5:1-11 is looking fine. I'm glad I did some hard work on it earlier. I look forward to preaching both. I also start writing next week's Bible study on Romans 5:12-21.

The evening- a few phone calls, more emails, a visit from Dad, and all is well in my world.

But looking forward to a day off tomorrow...a visit from my cousin, perhaps a beer with a mate, and a bonfire night at church with the local kids.

Totally reliant upon my God and in awe at this life He has given me.

Amazing Grace- the movie

My boss had free tickets to see a prescreening of the movie Amazing Grace. So I went along and saw it with him. (The perks!)

I have to say first and foremost I loved the movie. There were some serious and somber moments where the gruesome brutalities of the slave trade were realised. There were also some light moments, like when Wilberforce was matched up with his wife-to-be. There was romance and humour. The political scenes were well done. There was suspense as a plan was hatched to pass the Bill of Abolition. There was drama as Wilberforce delivered a stirring speech to the Parliament.

But I don’t think this movie does much to help you ‘speak’ the gospel with your friends. There is a point in the movie where Wilberforce is at the death bed of Pitt, the Prime Minister, and Pitt says ‘I’m afraid.’ Wilberforce asks ‘what are you afraid of?’ Pitt says ‘Death. I wish I had your faith.’ At this point I thought ‘now he is going to show him that he doesn’t need to be afraid of death’. But Wilberforce merely takes his hand and holds it. End of scene. What the? When I'm about to die, I don’t need someone who is going to hold my hand…I need the Saviour. I was on the edge of my seat, thinking ‘Wilby, preach it brother.’ But apparently that doesn’t make for good movie making.

The difficulty is that the movie doesn't really explore the Chrisitan motive behind the ethics. It just explores the ethics of slave trading. I see this movie as a ‘flag waving exercise’. It adorns the gospel. It shows that Christians have stood up for Christian issues and they have been unpopular about doing so. And Christians still do the same thing today. When we speak up against the plight of refuges, or about euthanasia, or killing fetuses or embryos, its because we believe in the value of human life, that all are equal- men, women, Africans, Australians, embryos, elderly…all are made in the image of God, and are to be cherished as such.

It also strikes me that one of the challenges of atheism is to come up with a good reason why slavery is wrong. I mean, if people have no created worth, (the atheist's view) then surely it is OK to view people as commodities to be used, rather than people within relationships who are to be cherished?

Movies like these put Christianity into the public sphere, which is always a good thing. (The 200th anniversary of slave trade abolition in Britain was 25 March, 2007, so the movie comes at a significant time). I'd recommend going to see it. Who knows how God might use it? Perhaps you can use the movie to speak of Newton- the wretched man that he was- guilt driven, yet found by God. And explain the story of the well known words, Amazing Grace. Perhaps you can take your post modern friend along who doesn't believe in a category such as 'wickedness' and see what he thinks.

Incidently, here's some interesting trivia on Wilberforce: he used to say Psalm 119 to himself from memory when he was most under pressure. Not bad for a psalm which is 176 verses long. Wilberforce chose that particular psalm because its about the importance of relying upon God’s word.

Last Day of Our Holiday

I'm back at work now, but the last day of holidays was by far our greatest adventure. We were driving along the highway to fly out of Townsville doing around 80 when something in the back of the bomb we borrowed shook. The car started backfiring and shaking quite badly, and Dave had to slow the car down to 60. Eventually the shaking got so bad that we had to pull over.

Its funny how quickly a bunch of ministers can turn into a bunch of mechanics. I got under the car. Dave popped the bonnet. Steve offered suggestions about what could be wrong. Would we make our trip back to Townsville in time? Can you feel the suspense dear reader?

We pooled our collective experience about what had gone wrong with bombs we had driven in the past. Was it the carby? The petrol line? The spark plugs? (I don't mean to boast here, but incidentally, my particular speciality is radiator overheating. This one time, on another holiday, Dave and I drove home from the Hunter in my previous car- my old Corolla, which kept overheating on us... admittedly it took us a while to get home, but since we had a set of Boules with us, while we waited for the car to cool down, we played Boules by the side of the road. But that's another story for another time. Back to the current one!)

We decided that it was the fuel line. Dave gave the petrol filter a little shake, which seemed to do the trick. There was also a bit of a problemo with the exhaust. It was hanging decidedly low...So Dave being the Macgyver that he is, sacrificed a cable connection from his mobile to allow us to cable tie the muffler to the rear bumper. Having fixed that, we were on our way again.

But we didn't get far. We called the owners of the bomb and told them the sad news. The owner graciously met us at Frosty Mango, the first northern stop outside of Townsville. And the NRMA guy (or whatever its called in Queensland) came to give the diagnosis. It turned out it was the fuel pump!!! The next problem was, the guy couldn't start the car. We had driven it into the ground. It had given up the car-ghost.

The owner graciously drove us to Townsville airport, and we made our plane. Fun times.

Rest in peace, bomb!

Mission Beach Hoons

We got to the water taxi this morning to be told that there were no trips to Dunk Island today because the weather was meh. (That's not the word they used btw).

So this was plan B....

As you can see, basically the plan was to look like something out of C.H.I.P.S.

And then after we accomplished that, we decided to fang around Mission Beach on our scooters all day.

Sweet fun.

Do you know this person??

So recently someone got hold of my camera, and left a nice picture on it. It was very kind of her, and I'm guessing she did it so I can share this special picture with you.

You just never know where your picture is going to end up!

De-bunked from going to Dunk

...because of the weather. I mean, you can hardly see the island!

So maybe tomorrow.

Meh.

Mission Beach- not meh!

Now I'm in Mission beach. The bus trip here was a little meh. It took only 3 buses to get here from Cairns. But the place where Steve, Dave and I are staying is not meh. It's a beach side apartment with 3 bedrooms. My room is an ensuite equppied with double bed, spa, TV and air con, and it faces onto the beach. So yeah, its not meh, because I fall asleep to the calming sound of the ocean. Did I mention that I have an ensuite?

Yesterday we went for a walk on the Kennedy trail. 3 hours return. The sand by the water's edge was a metallic gold. A fool's gold maybe, but gold nonetheless. PLus the beaches stretch for miles. We need more beaches like this in Sydney.

We also went snorkelling near Bingel Bay. To be honest there wasn't much to see except for a few tropical fish and dashes of coral. At one point I thought I saw a stinger's tail (they are grey with a white tip, right??) I even found myself protectign my heart with my hand in case the guy felt threatened by my presence, but come to think about it, that was pretty stupid huh? Like if a stinger's tail could go through Steve Irwin's sternum and pierce his heart, it could do the same thing to my hand and my sternum I'm sure. But one does not think about these things when you are snorkelling and see a stinger's tail poking out from under a rock.

Tomorrow we conquer Dunk Island.

Did i mention I have an ensuite?

So yeah, not meh.

More than just a trip to Cairns

OK, so here it is. Especially for Shannyn, cos I’m sure that since I haven’t been updating as regularly as I used to, my blog readership is suffering drastically. So Shannyn (and anyone else who still visits this page) ... enjoy!

So I’ve been in Cairns for the last few days. Palm Cove to be exact. The flight in was rather smooth. An air stewardess comments on my Thirsty Merc t-shirt and tells me that one of the band members had flown with Virgin Blue recently. I wonder if that’s true. And if there is any way of finding that out.

I reflect on how flying is such a strange phenomenon. To think that you can get inside this little capsule and be hurled through the sky to the other end of the country and come out and feel like it was no real distance that was travelled. I open my drink bottle at mid-flight. When the plane starts to descend, I go to open it again, and I notice that my drink bottle is all crumpled. My mind starts whirring about differences in air pressures and how there is a lower pressure in the bottle at a higher altitude, but then I wonder if cabin pressure would cancel out such altitudinal differences. I conclude apparently not.

Then I land and Chris is there. Chris used to attend my church but moved to Cairns to recover from Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. We just talked on Skype the night before so it doesn’t seem like so long since I’ve seen him. We chat away about the last 24 hours and the few days ahead we have to hang out, how his chronic fatigue is going. And I start to realize I’m here and how much I’m hanging out for these next few days with my friend. And I know he will challenge my own walk with the Lord, as I trust I will refresh him.

And, can I just say, not by way of rubbing it in, but by way of thankfulness to God, that I am utterly loving it here. I could put it down to the jogs by the beach, the lazing on the sand to the sound of the waves washing up on the ocean. It might even be the coffees near the water, or the warm temperature (OK, so those things are rubbing it in…I realize that!). But I think most of all it’s the time of refreshment I get with Chris. He really does challenge me to be Christ-like. To live in the fullness of grace. To simply have faith and believe. To learn what it means to be forgiven. To realize the depth of my own sinfulness. To learn what it means to have a contrite heart. We talk about brokenness and how everyone is filled with something…and we talk about being filled with God. We talk about humility and waiting upon the Lord. We speak about loving God with all our heart. We talk about helping others to love God more, and setting others hearts on fire with the love of Christ burning deeply within them. We talk about growing in godliness and forming good habits, and trusting in God. We talk about how people love doctrine but neglect God. I’m challenged to not just love the doctrine of justification, but to love the One Who Justifies. I’m challenged yet again about my own pride and selfishness and need to believe myself dead to sin in Christ. To depend upon Him as dying to sin for me, and to look upon myself as dead to sin in Him. We talk about how we trust Him for salvation, but we trust Him for so little beyond salvation. We talk about how the Lord wounds and also heals. We talk a lot about things that are on my heart at the moment. We talk about God’s sovereignty, how He hurts us where it’s precious to us, so that we will hand over every single area of our life to Him. We talk about giving up precious dreams by faith. We talk about how we don't have to hang onto things if we are in Christ. We talk about how desiring in God actually changes our desires. We talk about how the notion of 'I feel, therefore I am' is such a lie. We talk about prayer and telling God how we feel. And handing all over to the Lord. We talk about abiding in Christ. We talk about the Puritans. And Luther. And Calvin. And Spurgeon. And Romans. And Galatians. And complacent Christians. Above all we talk about being IN CHRIST, the paradigm for my life which I keep coming back to again and again and again.

So yeah, you can see why I love spending time with Chris, and how refreshing it is to be with a brother who sees me through the eyes of Christ, warts and all. A man of God who encourages me to love God more. God bless him!

Too much info Shannyn? :)

Happiness

O LORD,
Help me never to expect any happiness from the world, but only in thee.
Let me not think that I shall be more happy living to myself,
for I can only be happy if employed for thee,
and if I desire to live in this world
only to do and suffer what thou dost allot me.
Teach me
that if I do not live a life that satisfies thee,
I shall not live a life that will satisfy myself.
Help me to desire the spirit and temper of angels
who willingly come down to this lower world to perform thy will,
though their desires are heavenly,
and not set in the least upon earthly things;
then I shall be of that temper I ought to have.
Help me not to think of living to thee in my own strength,
but always look to and rely on thee for assistance.
Teach me that there is no greater truth than this,
that I can do nothing of myself.
Lord, this is the life that no unconverted man can live,
yet it is an end that every godly should presses after;
Let it be then my concern to devote myself and all to thee.
Make me more fruitful and more spiritual,
for barrenness is my daily affliction and load.
How precious is time, and how painful to see it fly
with little done to good purpose!
I need thy help:
O may my soul sensibly depend upon thee
for all sanctification,
and every accomplishment of thy purposes
for me, for the world,
and for thy kingdom.

~A Puritan Prayer

(p168, Bennett, The Valley of Vision, 2005)

The Pain of Knowing God

1. I asked the Lord, that I might grow,
In faith, and love, and ev’ry grace;
Might more of His salvation know,
And seek more earnestly His face.

2. ’Twas He who taught me thus to pray,
And He, I trust, has answered prayer;
But it has been in such a way
As almost drove me to despair.

3. I hoped that in some favoured hour,
At once He’d answer my request,
And by His love’s constraining power
Subdue my sins, and give me rest.

4. Instead of this, He made me feel
The hidden evils of the heart;
And let the angry powers of hell
Assault my soul in ev’ry part.

5. Yea, more, with His own hand He seemed
Intent to aggravate my woe;
Crossed all the fair designs I’d schemed,
Blasted my gourds, and laid me low.

6. ‘Lord, why is this?’ I trembling cried,
‘Wilt Thou pursue Thy worm to death?’
‘’Tis in this way,’ the Lord replied,
‘I answer prayer for grace and faith.

7. ‘These inward trials I employ,
From self and pride to set thee free;
And break thy schemes of earthly joy,
That thou may’st seek thy all in Me.’

John Newton, 1725–1807

Heaven- Working the Crowd Eternally

My mate Jimbo has been in love with a girl- Viv- for years and years. Well, she finally accepted (wore down? gave in?) Jimbo's advances. And today they were announced to be husband and wife....and I had the joy of attending their wedding.

What struck me about the day was there were so many people from my church past who were there- people I'd laughed and cried with, people who had lost babies, people who I've seen married and have kids (well, I wasn't in the delivery room if that's what you were thinking!), people I've planted churches with, people who I've seen fly overseas to be missionaries, people I've been in Bible study groups with, people I've been on church staff with, people I've prayed with and prayed for, people I've studied at Uni with, people I've seen come to the Lord and...the list just goes on and on.

More than one person commented to me 'this is what heaven will be like'. It sure did feel that way. Time stood still. We picked up relationships where they left off. I 'worked the crowd', catching up with as many people as possible.

And I'm sure the new heavens and new earth will be an eternal opportunity to 'work the crowd'.

I can't wait. Until then there is work to be done. Like tomorrow's preaching on the resurrection body. What a great joy to tell everyone about this! (And that's exactly what I plan on telling people!)

To Booze or not to Booze...

I was in big trouble on Sunday- one of my parishioners complained that the Communion wine was alcoholic.

Whenever we have communion at church, I try to make sure that we have grape juice, and not port, sherry or wine. You never know if there are recovering alcoholics in the congregation who may get a whiff of the stuff and want to get back on the sauce. And you don’t know who is going to be offended. So I insist on grape juice (must be my strong Baptist heritage- thanks Mum and Dad!)

In my church however, there is a couple who are constantly offended that we use grape juice. So instead, we give them a seperate cup of port, but everyone else gets grape juice.

On this particular Sunday, since we had run out of grape juice, there was no other option but to use the port. I didn’t know at the time we had run out. Imagine my surprise when I took a cup and gulped it all down! Man, did that put hairs on my chest that morning!!!

Afterwards, a lady came up to me the following week and told me that she had taken a vow before the Lord that alcohol would never ever pass her lips again. D'oh!!!

So this Sunday, its back to the grape juice. The things a minister has to deal with…*sighs*

Ridiculous Grace

I met a guy at a house warming party who used to come to my church when he was a teenager. He was telling me how he wandered away from the Lord, but now he was back. He said 'the grace of God is ridiculous'.

The grace of God is ridiculous. I love that description. Calvin said irresistible grace. I'm going for ridiculous grace.

I mean, grace is what we are constantly learning. Grace teaches us how to forgive, how to give, how to live. Grace that changes our hearts. Grace that means that everytime we fall flat on our face, or stray or stumble, the grace of God is always there to restore us. Grace that means its not by our own efforts. Grace that means that a squeaky clean track record means diddly squat, for we are all on equal footing at the foot of the cross. Grace takes away the Pharisee's pride of clean living. But by the costly grace of God, go I.

Grace- amazing, irresistible, costly, rich and free. I'm going to throw around ridiculous.

Ridiculous grace. Isn't it?

Bondi & Recovering Humility

I had an awesome day today with my cousin Clare, who has just moved to Bondi. It was good to explore some cafes while we read the paper, sit on the beach and draw, and then have dinner. Bondi became my new favourite place today- the packed cafes and restuarants, the smell of coffee and pizza, the laid-back atmosphere, the buzz about the streets- everyone just loves being there. We ended the day at Boarders at Bondi Junction, reading magazines and sipping coffee.

Whilst browsing through the magazines at Borders, I came across an issue of Quadrant, an Australian commentary on society and culture. Tom Frame (Anglican Bishop to the Australian Defence Force) has written a fantastic piece called Humility: The Depised Virtue? It sparked my interested because of my own reading and understanding on humility lately. The article basically looks at how humility is such a foreign virtue in our society. But yet so important because it affects the way that we see the world, how we treat people, and conduct public debate (like national apologies by governments for the misdeeds of the past).

The article is not available online, but some articles from back issues are available here.

Happy Resurrection!!!

Phew...I made it.

Don't get me wrong, I love Easter, and love sharing the Easter message. But its a crazy time for us ministers because of so much preaching and organisation of services that need to take place. While this is a great privilege, its also going to be nice to just chill out now that Easter is over!

Some highlights over the last few days :
Receiving TWO home made lots of Rocky Road from a woman in my congregation who wondered if I was allergic to nuts...so she made TWO lots- one without nuts and one with! (in dark chocolate too might I add cos I love dark chocolate the most- yum!)

Going to a bucks night where my mate Jimbo got dressed as a Raider when he is really an Eels supporter...it was to an Eels vs Raider game (I hope he didn't get bashed...I'll find out next week at the wedding!)

Doing kid's talks where I am popping balloons in church and one of the kids took off cos he was so scared...

In sermon tonight, saying 'the tomb was rolled away...' Not the worst slip-up in a sermon I have made.

Getting addicted by the on-line community of facebook. Check it out! And make me your friend if you join!

Being challenged by my own study of 1 Cor 15...Jesus is the man who has defeated death. He brings order to God's universe and rules the way we were supposed to. So make him your ruler!

Can't wait to just chill out with my cuz in Bondi tomorrow... fun times.

The Way a Day off Should be...

With apologies to other days off I have had.

This was probably one of my most favourite days off ever. Why? Time with friends, time to relax, time to hang out in our great city, and time to for 'silly Dave' to come and play for a while and no one seems to mind. Its all part of the destressing of ministry life anyway! Here's how it works.

Start by riding a river cat from Rydalmere and actually run for it in order to board. But once you are on, you can relax and enjoy the surroundings. Laugh at the little girl who sits behind you and asks her Mum after every bridge you go under: 'Is that the Sydney Harbour Bridge?' Little kids are good for a giggle like that.

After some lunch, cruise on in to the Sydney Aquarium. You'll love the crocs and stingers, but you can act like a bigger dill than you already are. Crickey! How long can you hold your breath under water?

Next, re-live that time you got lost in the mirror maze when you were a kid, and the time you threw up after going on the Gravitron as a teenager by heading to Luna Park. You'll see magnificent views of Sydney Harbour from the ferris wheel, and your thirst for silliness can be quenched a little more.

Throw in some quality time spent in Conney Island with slide races, spinning out on big wheels and through tunnels. Once you're done, play some pinnies and race each other in Daytona! And may the force be with you, because relfexes and sheer talent certainly won't be! (Why can't I ever win at these things?)

And then, when the day is over, sit back and chill back over dinner, share some more laughs, have some 'serious' time in talking about life and God and relationships- some of my most favourite topics. Intense stuff!

Then, when its time to bid thee a farewell, release all that excitement that is left and teenage angst that you never got rid of as a teenager by shooting up some bad guys! Yeah! bring that on!

Ahhh...now I'm ready to get back to the grindstone!

Any similiarities to real people are intentional and voyeuristic on your part.

Evangelistic Dinner- How it went

Well, a number of you have been asking how the dinner went, so here goes.

In a word- fantastic!!! The food was great, the atmosphere was inviting (although muggy). Around 90 people were packed into our little church, and a number of them there for the first time. My sister did a great job singing some of her songs. And then a cracker of a sermon was preached on the paralytic whose sins were forgiven.

And after Ray's talk...silence. You could feel that people had been touched by the Word of God.

I asked people to fill out cards. Some from church indicated that they had responded to Christ. One woman, who doesn't come to church, responded by saying that she had prayed but wasn't sure if she should feel any different.

I love seeing people come home to Him! God is indeed merciful. Thanks for your prayers. Keep in prayer for those who asked God for forgiveness.

Dinner update: 90 people and counting

At last count, we had 90 people coming to our dinner for Saturday night!!! I couldn't have asked for a better response if I tried. I've had to turn people away who were coming without bringing any friends along. We are even setting up a video link in the next room of the church to accomodate all the people who are coming!

Someone asked me 'why do you think it was so successful?' What do we tribute this success to?

I'd like to think it was the sermons I've been preaching on the Coming Kingdom. I'd like to think that the 5 minute spots on 'building bridges to people' and then 'how to invite someone to an evangelistic event' had a lot to do with it. But that would be arrogant.

The success was due to people actually making effort in their friendships and inviting others to come! People really took the message on board that we need to form relationships and be inviting people. Relationships is where its at folks!

And it goes without saying that God had His hand in it too. People got excited in church when I shared with them the story of how the man dying of cancer became a Christian. The gospel got people excited!

(A couple saw the dinner advertised in the local paper, and rang up this afternoon to come!)

Please keep praying!!!! Its THIS Saturday! Go God! Woo-hoo!!!!

Light Sent into the Dark

Last night we went to College Graduation. I began to appreciate the voyeuristic nature of blogging….a friend I haven’t seen in ages said to me ‘I have come across your blog!’ Whilst I don’t tend to spill my guts on the blog, it does strike me as a way that people can access your private life, and see what you have been up to, without ever seeing you. Even though my blog is random, I tend to think of it as a way of keeping in touch with people more than anything.

Anyway, what I loved about the night was not only the singing of great hymns and songs, seeing people I know get their piece of paper after 4 years hard work (I know what that’s like), hearing the Word expounded…BUT what I loved the most was the thought of the gospel going into all the world through these people- UK, Japan, Spain, Australia…God is doing amazing things in our very own city.

When I was waiting on the steps to go inside, a passer by said to me ‘what’s going on in there?’ I merely said ‘Oh, it’s a college graduation’. If I had that moment again, I would have said ‘A celebration of light being sent into a dark, dark world'.

Or something cool like that. Good enough for Jesus, good enough for me.

For all the voyeurists out there, I close with some pictures of some of my friends. Congratulations!!!

Smile At Life Again

Life ain't over. Life ain't done now.
So get back up in your place, child.
When you feel like its the end,
no mother and no friend could love you more.
These are dry days.
And your heart breaks when the best years seem to have gone by.
I've made promises before,
But no mother and no friend could love you more.

You've got to smile at life again.
Smile at you. There's a time to let it go, and then you
Smile at life again. There's a time to let it go.

I know that sometimes you need someone,
And the soul you want is nowhere.
When you're scared and left alone,
your faith becomes your reason to go on.
If you'll hear me, I have known truth.
I have hurt, and I have cried, too.
I've made promises before,
But no mother and no friend could love you more.

It's time to let it go.

The Elms, 2002

Evangelistic Dinner- Progress Report

On March 24 we are holding an evangelistic dinner at church. Its pretty exciting- people are actually inviting others to come. But why am I surprised? My church has been gripped by the gospel, and they love seeing people come to Christ. They have been praying for this for a long time. At last count, we had 60 people coming. I’m so excited! God is stirring up this place, working through His Word and Spirit. People keep ringing me to tell me that more are coming. One is a lady who has never been to our church before, but brings her kids regularly to our kid's club. Another is a couple I married, but they didn't quite make friendships at church.

So please pray for this night. Pray for Ray as he preaches. Pray for my sister as she sings on her guitar. Pray for me as I MC the night. And pray for the unbelievers who will be there. I can't wait to tell you how it goes!

Its a Lost World After All....

I’ve recently downloaded Google Earth onto my computer. Its awesome. I just type in my address, and I can see where I live, and every house I’ve ever lived in. I can relive overseas trips. I can see aerial shots of that island in Fiji I’ve visited twice in real life and many times in my imagination…then there’s San Fran, Great Keppel, Cairns and Adelaide- all places with fond memories, and I haven’t even touched Poland or Thailand.

Plus it’s a great reminder about how small our world is, and how great the need is for the lost people of this world to know Jesus. I used an aerial shot of my suburb in the kid’s talk to make this very point on Sunday.

In other news, I don’t like Monday night meetings that go late…

The Prayer of a Dying Man

Today was a good day. No- today was a GREAT day!

I went to visit a dying man. His partner called me to ask for some pastoral care for him. It turns out he used to be a church-goer. He used to sing in a choir. He grew up knowing Bible stories and the rest. But he had wandered so far from God.

I asked him ‘so is God someone who you feel is out there in the distance, or is he someone who is very close to you?’

After a thoughtful pause he said ‘God feels quite far away'.

He said that he felt like he was a hypocrite, coming to God in his hour of need, when he had spent so long ignoring God. Then we talked about the prodigal son. He seemed to remember the story.

We talked about the son who wandered away from his father, and squandered his father’s inheritance money on wild living. But at his lowest point he returned home, begging for mercy, as he asked his Dad to take him back in.

But then we talked about what the father was like. He watched the road patiently, waiting for the son to return. And when he finally saw the son return, he ran! He ran as fast as his old legs would carry him, and embraced his son, wanting to throw him a party and restore him to the place of son. ‘That’s what our God is like!’ I said excitedly. ‘He loves it when people who have wandered away from him come home. He is only too ready to take us back!’ I explained that it would take a proud person to stay away from God. Only a truly humble person can admit their fault and turn to God.

That parable had his name written all over it.

I told him that the reason why God has spared his life in this way is to give him time to repent.

‘What do you think about that?’ I asked.

He looked at me puzzled. ‘When you talk about repenting, I don’t think that I have done anything wrong.’

And I believed him. He seemed like such a nice man.

I explained that sin is not about how good or bad you are. Its about rejecting God, and living a life of ignorance about Him. We talked about heaven and hell, and the reality of those places, and the rightness of God to send us to hell if we chose to want to have nothing to do with him. The punishment Jesus took on the cross deals with our rejection of Him.

‘It makes sense when you put it that way’, was the reply.

I then asked him if did he want to repent- to do some serious business with God- start treating God as God, and change his attitude to God, and trust in Jesus for forgiveness. He said he did.

So I prayed a prayer out loud, while he prayed it in his heart. And by the end of it, he had asked God for forgiveness, and trusted in the mercy of God at the cross.

It was the quickest conversion I’ve ever seen. But when your time is up, and you could go at any moment, you don't want to stuff around.

I don’t mention this to boast. Far from it. But it does put things in perspective, doesn't it? Some days I wonder what God is doing. I wonder if His Word just keeps falling on deaf ears all the time. But then I get a moment of clarity, like today, when I see Him at work so clearly. Preach the Word, in season and out of season.

And I get paid to do this?

Thanks for your prayers.

The Sovereignty of God

At the moment I don’t know what the future is.
I wish I knew what the specifics are.
Is that a lack of trust?
At least I know the generals:
That God is leading me into holiness, godliness and a stronger trust,
Even though the details are sketchy,
There are so many questions.
And answers are wanting.
Is this what it means to live by faith and not by sight?
Yet God is in control!
This causes me to rejoice and be confident,
And be prayerful and faithful.
And work with all my might.
For He knows,
And cares,
And is compassionate,
And is in control,
Of the details.
So take comfort.
For He’ll get me there.
I even know where ‘there’ is,
Even though I don’t know the details
Of the itinerary.
But they become clearer
The longer I’m alive.

When Death Comes Knocking...

Bible studies for the week have been written...enquiries about a weekend away have been made...meeting with the boss with future planning accomplished...sermon notes updated...phone calls made...emails sent...wedding for couple planned.

In fact, the only thing out of the ordinary thing that happened today was the phone call I received to meet with a man dying of cancer. He wants some pastoral care. Some advice. About how to die. Maybe he read my article in the local newspaper? Who knows. He wants to prepare for his untimely death. What do you tell a dying man? The gospel of course.

That's tomorrow's job. If you can call it a job. Pray I'd be clear. Pray he'd accept Jesus as Lord and Saviour. Pray that God will use his early death to soften his heart to Jesus.

Its at times like these that I remember why I went into ministry. God knows that He's also teaching me things during times like these.... I'll keep you posted.

Emancipate Yourself

Me thinketh that Thirsty Merc doth rock.
Rocketh on!

Bible Study Quote of the Week

In Bible study yesterday we were talking about superstition.

Elderly Wife- Christians shouldn't be superstitious like that. I've seen some people kiss old relics, and as Christians we shouldn't be doing that.

Elderly Man- Is that why you don't kiss me anyone?

Thirsty Merc- 20 Good Reasons

OK here's the deal...

Orginally I was thinking of seeing Thirsty Merc on Saturday night. But having to preach the next day kinda put a damper on things, and besides, that gig was sold out. But now I realise that the 2 March (Friday night) gig is not sold out, and they are not on stage until 10.45pm. And even though I have kid's club on, I could make it to Annandale by 10.45pm. I know its late, but its not a school night, so my big question to all my friends and acquaintances and whoever out there...are you interested???????

Let me know. Everyone and anyone. Especially Merc fans.
David

Friday Dinner at Dave's

I love hosting dinners at my place…the only problem is, it really is out in the sticks where I live, so its an effort to get here. But boy oh boy, when you do, I hope its worth the trip out to the country…

The truth is, I love to bake things. It’s the idea of putting together some ingredients in an oven, and then watching to see what will come out in 30 minutes or an hour’s time. Lamb is one of my specialties. If anyone out there has some winning lamb recipes that they would be willing to share, I’ll be sure and do a swap with you. (Mine is made with local honey…)

After dinner and dessert we did something I’d never done with some guests before- we wandered over to the church next door and belted out some hymns, courtesy of Little Musician. Oh, and Little Miss has a pretty good voice as well so between them we rocked the church! And it was uplifting. After that I preached a sermon (only kidding).

And to top it all off, we watched an episode of the Muppet Show (from 1976!) over coffee, starring Candice Bergen. Remember her? I thought she became a little whiney in Murphy Brown. But she was stubborn and she had attitude, which is always cool in my books.

Men’s convention is tomorrow. There are 8 of us going, which is awesome. Just spending the day together makes for some leaps and bounds in relationships. Plus my sermon is actually finished…(and I’m preaching twice, 2 different sermons, so I’m feeling on top of things at the moment). If only that feeling could last!

Goodnight!

Where did God come from?

A common question keeps coming up each year in Scripture class- 'where did God come from?' or 'who made God?' I know how I would answer it, but I'm curious- how would you answer this one?

Goodbye Shirley

Good bye Shirley...we have been places together. You carried me. I maintained you. We got lost together. We explored together. We picked up hitchhikers (well, only one, really). You overheated. We met NRMA people. We ventured far and wide. Remember the trip to Melbourne? Remember the trips to Port? We saw a lot of the east coast. I made such an impact on you...

...especially when I ran you up the back of that BMW back in 1998. Oh the memories!

120 years ago

In 1887...

Barbed wire was patented.
The first contact lenses were made.
Hertz invented radar.
The first gramophone was made.
A year before, Coca Cola had been invented, so was the dishwasher, and the chemical element fluorine was discovered.

And the first church service was held in my church.

A Prayer to be Freed from False Forms of Belonging

Do you gain comfort from reading the prayers of others? Sometimes other saints are able to say things that we are feeling better than we can say ourselves. Here is a prayer a friend shared with me. You might gain some encouragement from it.

O Lord Jesus, you who came to show us the compassionate love of your Father, make your people know this love with their hearts, minds, and souls. So often we feel lonely, unloved, and lost in this valley of tears. We desire to feel affection, tenderness, care, and compassion, but suffer from inner darkness, emptiness, and numbness. I pray tonight: Come, Lord Jesus, come. Do not just come to our understanding, but enter our hearts- our passions, emotions, and feelings- and reveal your presence to us in our inmost being. As long as you remain absent from that intimate core of our experience, we will keep clinging to people, things, or events to find some warmth, some sense of belonging. Only when you really come, really touch us, set us ablaze with your love, only then will we become free and let go of all false forms of belonging. Without that inner warmth, all our ascetical attempts remain trivial, and we might even get entangled in the complex network of our own good intentions.

O Lord, I pray that your children may come to feel your presence and be immersed in your deep, warm, affective love. And to me, O Lord, your stumbling friend, show your mercy.
Amen.

~Henri J. M. Nouwen