Learning to Live

"For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of love, power and a sound mind."

What do you choose?

My Utmost for His Highest - Dec 15

This entry really struck me yesterday:

Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth —2 Timothy 2:15

If you cannot express yourself well on each of your beliefs, work and study until you can. If you don’t, other people may miss out on the blessings that come from knowing the truth. Strive to re-express a truth of God to yourself clearly and understandably, and God will use that same explanation when you share it with someone else. But you must be willing to go through God’s winepress where the grapes are crushed. You must struggle, experiment, and rehearse your words to express God’s truth clearly. Then the time will come when that very expression will become God’s wine of strength to someone else. But if you are not diligent and say, "I’m not going to study and struggle to express this truth in my own words; I’ll just borrow my words from someone else," then the words will be of no value to you or to others. Try to state to yourself what you believe to be the absolute truth of God, and you will be allowing God the opportunity to pass it on through you to someone else.

Always make it a practice to stir your own mind thoroughly to think through what you have easily believed. Your position is not really yours until you make it yours through suffering and study. The author or speaker from whom you learn the most is not the one who teaches you something you didn’t know before, but the one who helps you take a truth with which you have quietly struggled, give it expression, and speak it clearly and boldly.

Who Shall Love the Lovers?

Come on an imagination trip with me. I'll keep it short, I know you're probably busy.

Imagine that all day, every day, you make food and serve it to the hungry. It's your purpose in life, your mission, your ministry. Every morning, you get up and bake bread rolls and croissants for people's breakfast. Once you're finished serving up those, you start making sandwiches for lunch. When the lunch rush is over, it's time to start preparing dinner - a few choices so that everyone can find something to their taste.

People depend upon you. Some even appreciate your service. You drag yourself home at the end of the day knowing that you've really helped some people, that they're fed and content. Good job!

Of course, this all takes a lot of time. You don't have time for regular meals, and your usual evening snack before bed is a chocolate bar or packet of chips. Simple, easy, and satisfying enough.

Back to reality.

There's a good chance you read that scenario and thought, "How silly! I'd end up starving and malnourished in no time - and a lot of good that'd do the hungry. How does it help to feed the hungry and starve myself?"

There's a good chance that if you're in any sort of ministry, you've felt as though taking a break in order to spiritually recharge as a sign of weakness. A good christian is constantly refilled with the Holy Spirit, right? Spiritual retreats are for the servants who're losing touch and losing the plot.

After sending them off, he climbed a mountain to pray.
Late at night, the boat was far out at sea; Jesus was still by himself on land.
Mark 6:46-47

Jesus took spiritual retreats. He 'neglected' his ministry to do so. Tell him he was weak. Go on, I dare you!

Being in top spiritual health is the absolute best thing you can do for your ministry, whatever it is. And if that means you need to take a break and let God refresh you - so be it.

What's Going On?

I've just had heart surgery - yay!

I'm working on the changes. Honest :-)

New Aussie Salvo Blogger

Check it out:

Passionate Salvo - Rob Casburn

Are We Fearful?

I started up Winamp this morning, and this song started up -

Don't Be Afraid (listen to mp3)

Fearful – we’re fearful of others.
Fearful of contact with people –
unless they’re just like us.
Fearful – we’re fearful of difference.
Fearful of conflict with strangers –
who ain’t the same as us.
(But) God’s embrace is great.
His amazing grace never fails to save.
God’s love conquers hate -
So don’t be afraid.

Fearful – we’re fearful of changes.
Fearful of fighting –
fearful of winning –
fearful of loss.
Fearful – we’re fearful of dangers.
Fearful of following a leader –
who died on a cross.
(But) God’s embrace is great.
His amazing grace never fails to save.
God’s love conquers hate -
So don’t be afraid.

Yup, it's another Dave Andrews song. It reminded me of a bible verse that resonates with me every time my scaredy-cat side makes an appearance...

There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear
1 John 4:18a

Now I need to point out (because I've been hassling people for this recently) that I'm taking this verse somewhat out of context. In John's letter, the subject is fear of being punished by God. But I think that when we act in love towards people - strive to understand them, see them not as 'other' but as people who are really just like us where it counts - then we lose our fear of them.

New Direction?

You may have gotten the impression that the 'changes' I was talking about must already be in place, since I've been posting stuff regularly.

Well... I'm not sure. I've been trying to follow God's leading, and he seems to be particularly pointing out things that I should post, so I have been.

Where do I think this is going? Well, I suspect into more of an 'equipping people to help others' sort of direction, rather than just talking about what's already happening. Does that make sense?

Every Day Deserves a Chance

Sermon by Max Lucado

A Little Parable...

Edges and Whispers, by Max Lucado.

Or, as I like to call it, The Little Candles That Wouldn't!

Living Out The Dream

Danielle Strickland on 'Living Out the Dream'

Hey-Hey You Say

Another song from Dave Andrews!

Listen to the song (mp3 format)

Hey-hey we say, that ‘You are my God!’
Hey-hey we say, ‘My God, you’re good!’
Hey-hey we say, ‘I’m prayin’ for the day
I can live life like I should.’

Hey-hey you say, ‘Let’s end the war!’
Hey-hey you say, ‘Let’s feed the poor!’
Hey-hey you say, ‘Let’s make a start today
to live a life worth living for.’

‘May your kindom come –
with love for everyone -
on earth, as it is in heaven!’
‘May your will be done –
all our evil overcome -
on earth, as it is in heaven!’

Repeat

Hey-hey you say, ‘Let’s end the war!’
Hey-hey you say, ‘Let’s feed the poor!’