When a team takes the field for a game of footy they are playing with a goal in mind. The short term goal is to play the best they can and win the game. The long term goal is at the end of the season to hold up the premiership cup for their club. As Christians as we go through life the short term goals might be things we pray about and need to do that day. Do you take time each day to stop and pray about the things that God would have you do that day? Even as … Continue reading →

‘Meeting someone for the first time is like going on a treasure hunt. What wonderful worlds we can find in others!’ Edward E. Ford. Is that your attitude when you meet someone? When you go to a new church or a party or a community group? Are you looking to connect with others and looking to find the positives and the good in them? Or do you go with a negative attitude, expecting people not to be friendly? Our attitude can so much affect the way we react to situations and to people and the way we treat them. If … Continue reading →

Is the Bible irrelevant? Apparently many people, and some of them those who claim to be Christians, think so. That’s the conclusion drawn from statistics produced recently which showed the staggering fact that ‘less than 2 of every 10 Christians in Australia are engaging with God on a daily basis through the Word.’ This is horrifying. How can our churches grow, how can Christians hope to grow in knowledge of God, in obedience in holiness unless they are reading His Word? As I read write this I am convicted that today I have not stopped and taken that prayer and … Continue reading →

‘Christmas would be great if they didn’t try and bring religion in it,’ I heard someone say. Well I’m sorry, but you can’t have Christmas without Christ. That’s what Christmas is all about. Santa and presents, the tree and decorations, food and family and all those other things are peripheral. They are not what make Christmas. You can have all those things and it may be a celebration of some sort but it is not Christmas. Christmas is about Jesus. Too often though, He is pushed aside. So here are some ways to put Christ back into Christmas. Send out … Continue reading →

If God told us we could have anything we wanted, what would we say? Would we ask for wisdom for the task we have to do? When God told Solomon to ask for whatever he wanted, 1 Kings 3:5, Solomon asked for wisdom to do the job at hand. He wanted wisdom to rule as king over the people of Israel. Do we start each day asking God for wisdom for the day ahead in the decisions we need to make and the jobs we need to do? Because that’s what we should do. Do we ask for wisdom in … Continue reading →

Adults can learn a lot from children. Have you ever listened to a child pray? They will pray about anything and everything. They will thank God for pets and pray if their pet dog or hamster is sick. They will pray about friends or a lost toy.Adults, on the other hand, sometimes only want to pray about the big things. The little things they think they can take care of themselves. Children are mostly not afraid to admit when they need help from an adult, whether it’s to tie shoe laces or help with their homework or know what to … Continue reading →

Guilt is the worst reason for taking on any form of ministry in your church or community. Guilt is the also the worst reason for doing something you no longer have the passion and drive and commitment to do. Yet that’s what happens time and time again in churches. Christians seem to be past masters at laying guilt trips on others for what they should be doing. A friend who is a writer and has had a number of novels published, and yes they include Christian content, was criticized by her pastor husband’s congregation because she wasn’t doing the things … Continue reading →

Sometimes when we are struggling on our own prayer life, it can be helpful to look back over prayers in the bible. An example that is worth looking at is the prayer of Abraham in Genesis 18:23-33. Take time now to read this prayer. There are several things to notice about Abraham’s prayer. The first is that it is other person centered. Abraham was not seeking something for himself but for the city of Sodom, not all of the city but for the righteous within that city. God had revealed to Abraham what he intended to do, verse 17. We … Continue reading →

Can you say you love and trust God implicitly? Or do you find at times the doubts start to creep in? You start to wonder if God really has your best interests at heart or maybe He doesn’t fully understand the situation. He does. He knows far more about who we are and what we need than we ourselves know. While we may wonder at times whether God knows what He is doing because things aren’t working out the way we would like or expect and certainly not the we way we would do it if we were in charge, … Continue reading →