Blog

I don’t know about you but knowing there’s a God who is “so big, so strong and so mighty” means the world to me. Knowing there’s “nothing my God cannot do” fully rocks my socks. It’s no wonder kids sing songs about this stuff

I was reminded of this song when I was reading from Isaiah earlier this afternoon. Isaiah is a great book in the Bible to read if you ever want to put life into perspective. It’s full of rich promises and reasons why we never need to feel afraid, powerless, alone, uncertain . . . The list goes on.

Feeling afraid? Isaiah 51:13-15, “You have forgotten the Lord, your Maker, who stretched out the heavens and laid the foundations of the earth. You fear continually all day long because of the fury of the oppressor, who is bent on destruction. But where is the fury of the oppressor? The oppressed shall speedily be released; they shall not die and go down to the Pit, nor shall they lack bread. For I am the Lord your God, who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar – the Lord of hosts is his name.”

Click to continue »

In the last couple of days I’ve spent some time preparing for next week’s sermon and while doing so I stumbled upon a passage of Scripture that seriously moved me. It was Hebrews 11:13-16 and it’s where the author talks about a Christian’s experience on earth and the fact that those who choose to live by faith feel like strangers and foreigners here.

I wouldn’t say I was feeling at all melancholy at the time but somehow this passage struck a chord in me that I might not have otherwise known existed and all of a sudden I had the hugest aching to be with the great men and women of faith listed in this chapter and an intense longing for the homeland we have been promised.

Unfortunately neither my aching or longing could be satisfied then and there but I am pleased to be able to report that the stories of these great men and women of God spurred me on and next Saturday I am going to tell all those who hear my sermon why I believe faith is the it and the bit when it comes to having an awesome relationship with Jesus . . . even if it does make you a Jesus freak!

I moved house again last weekend and I have just worked out that I’m now living with Housemates #46, #47 and #48! I guess that’s the joy of being single and living in houses where people constantly come and go, and that’s possibly why I’m loving the idea of my new home, of living with a family who will stay much longer than the 4-5 months I intend to

Some seem to think it weird that I would like the idea of living with a 7 month old baby and his mum and dad but as I just said, I’m not just liking the idea, I’m loving it! In the last however many years I’ve somehow grown into a super independent being which has seriously challenged all my talk about living in community but this year I’ve been experiencing community in a number of new contexts and I can’t help but think I’ve been like the ignorant child C S Lewis describes in Weight of Glory who wanted to make mud pies in a slum because he couldn’t imagine a holiday by the sea.

Click to continue »

I’ve not long arrived home from my weekly church mail run and while driving I was listening to Third Day’s Offerings album and specifically their song King of Glory. I imagine a number of you will recognise the title of this song and some of you will even know the lyrics but I want to share the lyrics with you today anyway because they come as a beautiful reminder of who God is and what He is all about . . .

Who is this King of Glory, that pursues me with His love
And haunts me with each hearing, of His softly spoken words
My conscience a reminder, of forgiveness that I need
Who is this King of Glory, who offers it to me

Who is this King of angels, O blessed Prince of Peace
Revealing things of heaven, and all its mysteries
My spirit’s ever longing, for His grace in which to stand
Who is this King of Glory, Son of God and Son of Man

Click to continue »

Tomorrow marks the beginning of our new church year and I can’t help but wonder what this year will mean for us. Where will our church be in 12 months time? What will we look like? Will the lampstand Jesus currently stands beside still be burning brightly in it’s place? (Revelation 2:5)

As I think about what it’s going to take for us to become more of who God created us to be, what it’s going to take to grow into God’s vision for us both as individuals and as a body, I can’t help but think of Mary the mother of Jesus’ response to her calling and I can’t help but think this will need to be our response to our calling . . .

I have no doubt that God will call us to big things this year. I have no doubt that we could become the city on a the hill that cannot be hidden (Matthew 5:14). But what I believe this is going to mean for us at Chatswood Seventh-day Adventist Church is that we will need to be surrendered, that we will need to obey, and we will need faith to obey; and how aptly are all of these attitudes reflected in Mary’s response,

Click to continue »

I think this is about my fifth take on this week’s devotional First I wrote about Heath Ledger but realised my poetry was going nowhere. Then I thought about Sir Edmund but concluded I’d missed the deadline. I also thought of sharing the Don’t Give Up (You Are Loved) lyrics because I know someone needs encouragement. And then I wondered if Hebrews 10:32-39 might hit the spot for someone else like it has previously done for me. When I still couldn’t decide what to write about, I decided to “take the air.”

When I first moved to Auckland in 2000 I lived next door to a beautiful woman with whom I would “take the air.” This is possibly a foreign term to many men, and no doubt many women, but Jane Austen fans will know it “improves one’s complexion” and I would suggest it does much more. There’s definitely something about “a turn in the garden” that refreshes one’s soul but tonight I have to say it wasn’t so much the garden as the people in it that saw me returning home aglow.

Click to continue »

Earlier this week I took the time to reread my summary of the Bible texts and other things I believe God has directly applied to my life in the last 4 and a bit years and I am still overawed by what this summary tells me about the nature and character of God. As I have struggled with sin, faith issues, fears. As I have confronted my weaknesses, required guidance, God has been so faithful to me/so constant, and my summary oozes of His compassion, kindness, forgiveness, mercy and grace.

I have to say I have learnt a lot about God’s grace these last few years. A lot that has suprised me. I had thought I understood grace. I had thought I got what it was all about and I felt sorry for those who didn’t. But what I have had to learn is that it’s not okay to take grace for granted. What I have had to learn is that it’s not okay to presume I’m saved and therefore become complascent about sin, and over and over God has had to show me that there are consequences of sin (Galatians 6:7). Over and over He has had to reveal things in my life that I didn’t even know were sin and what I find most amazing about all this is that my love for Him has only gone through the roof!

Click to continue »

I have to say it was very tempting to skip my usual reading of God’s Word after saying my prayers this morning. End of week deadlines like our volunteer placements for 2008, next year’s preaching plan, our outreach Christmas Service this Saturday, all these things loomed large and loud and so loud I wasn’t even thinking of my need to find a new home to move into in 3 weeks and organising this year’s family Christmas/holiday for 15 adults and 7 kiddies! Anyone else want to join us?!

Anyway, I couldn’t do it. I couldn’t get out of bed without first turning to where I was up to in 2 Kings and as soon as I did I was glad. I love the stories of King Hezekiah. Well I love the stories of anyone who does what is right in the sight of the Lord but this morning I was especially encouraged by the story of Judah’s deliverance from King Sennacherib so I thought I would share it with you . . .

Click to continue »

Not so long ago I was feeling somewhat bitter towards someone for something they had done to me and when I came to God to confess my bitterness I believe God led me to the story of Philemon. I have to admit I knew nothing about Philemon at the time. Sure I knew it was a book in the New Testament which means I must have read it at some point, but I couldn’t remember anything about the story so you can imagine my response when I discovered it to be all about forgiveness.

Philemon was a good man we are told. Someone Paul considered a dear friend. And it was his love for the saints and his faithfulness to Jesus that gave Paul reason to ask something of him. Paul wanted Philemon to forgive his former slave Onesimus for the crimes he had committed against him. Apparently Onesimus had stolen from Philemon and he had then run away. Somehow Onesimus had then come into contact with Paul and he’d ended up giving his heart to Jesus. Now Paul was sending him back to Philemon and he was asking Philemon not only to receive him back, but to receive him back not as a slave but as a beloved brother.

Click to continue »

I’ve been reading the Bible through from the book of Joshua in the last couple of months and I’ve just finished the 9th chapter of 1 Kings. While 1 Kings hasn’t been entirely without bloodshed, chapters 3-9 have been a welcome break from the results of sin and I’ve loved the stories of Solomon’s early years and the stories of his deep, deep love for God.

One thing I couldn’t help but wonder in chapter 3 was what it takes for God to appear to someone and ask them what they want Him to give them (1 Kings 3:6). Who was Solomon that he should induce such favour? What did he do to deserve such reward?

Click to continue »