Life’s full of its ups and downs. You and I we know that. Jesus knows that. That’s why when He promised us an abundant life, He made that promise in the context of a story, a parable, about life’s ups … and downs. The Shepherd and His Flock As we race through life day after day, one of the things that happens is that we somehow get conned or duped …

This whole Christmas celebration thing is of course a birthday celebration. And birthdays are all about celebrating new life. Would it surprise you to know that that’s exactly what God has in mind for you to celebrate? Your new life. SILENT NIGHT There's a bunch of guys in the Bible who I envy. Now I know what you're thinking, the tenth Commandment…

Christmas is supposed to be a lot of things these days. And yet it doesn’t always deliver all that it’s meant to deliver. But then, the very first Christmas, it wasn’t all sweetness and light either. If nothing else, it was a decidedly uncomfortable Christmas. OVERTAKEN BY EVENTS There are times in our lives when it feels as though circumstances or…

I don't know if you’ve ever thought of this, but on the surface of things, Christmas is a crazy idea! I mean, what exactly was God thinking by sending His Son to become a man – and to be born in some drafty, smelly shed out the back of Bethlehem? CHRISTMAS IS A CRAZY IDEA On the surface of things, Christmas is a crazy idea. I mean stand back and th…

Question – When is Christmas not Christmas? When is Christmas anything but Christmas? Answer – when we just follow the well-trodden paths of the Christmas ritual, and forget completely what God was saying to us on that very first Christmas. THE PROBLEM WITH CHRISTMAS I don't know if you've ever thought of this but Christmas is a real problem for gu…

When I first started reading the Bible, it seemed to me that it was all about the things I had to give up - what I was going to lose. But what I discovered is that actually, actually God wants to bless us. His Wisdom brings blessing to our lives - as counterintuitive as it may seem, when we’re sitting there wrapped up in our selfish desires. The Fr…

God is a God of love and so we don’t often think about Him hating things. But He does - He clearly tells us so in His Word. So - what are the seven things that God hates … things that are an abomination to Him? Do you know - because my hunch is … they’re worth avoiding. Proud Eyes and a Lying Tongue One of the most common responses we receive from …

Well this week we’re kicking on with our second message in a series called Wisdom that Works - looking at some of God’s mighty wisdom through the Book of Proverbs. And we’re going to be chatting this time around, about trust, truth … and temptation. Trust and Honour God Welcome to the programme again this week and yes, we are continuing in a series…

Most of us intuitively know that wisdom’s a good thing. Sometimes we’re full of it - wisdom that is … and sometimes, we’re full of ourselves and that’s when we come unstuck. So - where do we find the sort of wisdom that really makes a difference? Wisdom Starts Here Hey, it’s fantastic to be with you again this week. How quickly the weeks roll on by…

The world is full of good and of evil. You and I, we’re called to live a life of good. A life that honours God. But what we need, are the life skills to allow us to do that. Fortunately God’s already thought of that – and His Word is packed full of wisdom, full of the very life skills that we need, to live a life that glorifies Him. Treat People as…

If only you and I could always come first. You know, be numero uno in this world. But as much as that’s our desire sometimes, Jesus doesn’t give us that option. Because in order to be first, actually you have to come last. What a pain!!! The Power of a Tender Heart Kindness is a much underrated quality these days. Sure, we love it when other people…

So let me ask you, is ambition right, or wrong? I mean is it okay to be ambitious, or, if you believe in Jesus, is ambition something that you need to give up? As things turn out, it’s not ambition itself that’s the problem, it’s the sort of ambition, the type of ambition that you have in your heart, that brings you unstuck. Dealing with Ambition S…

When it comes to developing the life skills that we really need, the life skills that are going to lead to a much, much better life, there is none more important, than maturity. But what exactly is maturity, and where do you get it? Grow Up Let’s be honest. Some people never grow up. Now, there are different aspects to growing up: Moving from child…

Have you ever wondered – how to live an extraordinary life? I mean no one wants to live a boring ordinary life. We all want to have some impact in this world. But … how? The Theory is not Enough When I finished high school almost 40 years ago now, my grades were good enough to mean I was selected to study medicine at Sydney University. And so I app…

Jesus didn’t do things by half measures. His compassion wasn’t ordinary, everyday compassion. It was radical compassion. His power wasn’t religious power. It was God’s awesome power. Radical Compassion I have a confession to make. I’m not naturally a compassionate person. How about you? Now that doesn’t mean that I don’t care about people deeply. I…

There’s an old proverb – never put things off until tomorrow, that you can do today. Jesus was a master at that. In just three and a half years, He turned the world completely upside down. A Team Player Other people can be such a pain in the neck, have you noticed that? I don’t mean you I mean other people. It’s always those other people isn‘t it? …

Life is no dress rehearsal. You blink, and it’s gone. So … it makes sense to live an extraordinary life. Okay … but how? Where do you start? How do you turn things around? Why We Need A Mentor We’re going to kick off something really exciting today on the program. Over the coming few weeks we’re going to be looking at how to live an absolutely extr…

The reason that so many people who believe in Jesus are struggling is, quite frankly, because they’re not men and women of God’s Word. They don’t take God’s Word seriously. Well, today, that’s something we need to deal with, because there is such an incredible blessing waiting for you, in God’s Word! God's Work Takes Time Waiting for something that…

Sometimes it’s hard to remember that God is good, when life simply isn’t. In fact, sometimes it’s downright impossible. That’s why God is revealing His goodness every moment of every day, through His Word. God is Good So life is going along ok I guess, with its ups and downs, but something doesn’t quite feel right. You’re not completely happy with …

If only the going was always easy. But life’s not like that. Sometimes we have to travel through difficult times. Times that test our patience, our endurance and our faith. And it’s right in the middle of those times that God’s Word holds the answers that we need to make it through. Life Wasn't Meant to be Easy These days, it’s a bit unpopular for …

Sometimes the blindingly, glimpsingly obvious isn’t all that obvious, but here it is anyway: Men and women of God’s Word, men and women who actually read their Bibles, end up living a much more powerful, much more victorious, much more fulfilling life than those who don’t. It’s obvious, you’d think. The Way to God’s Blessing I know you’ve heard it …

The thing I love about God is that He doesn’t just send Jesus to save us and then leave us dangling to deal with all the things we have to deal with. He gives us His Spirit and his Word, to pour His wisdom, godly wisdom, powerful wisdom, wisdom that works – into our hearts. WISDOM AMIDST CONFLICT One of the reasons that we have conflict in our live…

Life doesn’t always go the way we want it to. We wish it did, but it just doesn’t. Things happen that aren’t fair. Stresses and strains come along that we wouldn't have chosen for ourselves and so what we need in those times is powerful godly wisdom. Wisdom that works. Wisdom for Your Life We know, you and I, that our days on this earth are numbere…

Sure, everybody wants wisdom. Do you want to be wise? Yep, me too. But receiving wisdom and living it out – well it’s not always that easy. Sometimes it hurts. Sometimes it costs. Hmm. Do you still want to be wise? Dealing with Hardness of Heart Heart disease is rather a big deal these days. A diet high in refined carbohydrates, combined with a lac…

Wisdom. There’s real wisdom, godly wisdom. And then there’s the false wisdom that many in this world hold out to be true wisdom. God yearns for you to be filled with real wisdom. Wisdom from above. A Different Kind of Wisdom Let’s be honest. Sometimes we do the dumbest things. We don’t mean to, we just do. And there comes a point where you think to…

It’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking that our freedom is dictated by our circumstances. But like the Apostle Paul, you can be locked up in a dungeon on death row, yet still experience the freedom that you have in Jesus Christ. That’s the incredible power … of the freedom that God has ready and waiting for you. Your Freedom is Secure This pro…

It’s pretty obvious, but let me say it anyway. You and I were not made to be slaves. You and I were made to be free. So why is it then that so many people are intent on living their lives as slaves these days? Hmm? From Slaves to Heirs in Christ Official figures tell us that there are around twenty-one million slaves on the earth today. That’s a sh…

All too many people start off believing in the free favour of God through Jesus Christ, but ... you know, as time goes on, we end up falling back into our old ways. We end up right back in that old idea that you have to work your way into God’s favour. And what a terrible mistake that is. A New Way to Freedom Have you ever tried to work yourself in…

What does the Word freedom mean to you? Well – think about it. Is it being able to do whatever you want … or is it more about being free from the things that are holding you back? Hmmm. A Revelation of Freedom Most of us, I guess, would define freedom as being able to do whatever we want whenever we want, and that definition right there is what bri…

There’s a description of God’s people that pops up several timed in the Bible. It’s the adjective “stiff–necked”. An interesting way to describe the stubbornness of God’s people. I’m guessing that it points to their unwillingness to bow down their lives in worship to God. I wonder … I wonder if you know anyone like that!! FULL ON SURRENDER We live …

As politically incorrect, unpopular and old–fashioned things go, the subject of repentance would have to be right up there near the top of the list. Repentance – what the blazes does it mean anyhow? Who even talks that way anymore these days? Give me a break!! FULL ON REPENTANCE When I come across a subject like “repentance” – and I’ll explain what…

I remember someone once saying to me “oh, you’re not one of those ‘born again’ Christians are you?” The tone in her voice said it all. I was driving a car at the time, so I couldn’t turn to look her in the eye. I just smiled and replied “Well, actually, that’s the only sort of Christian there is!” WHEN THE STORM BLOWS IN As societies around the wor…

Have you ever had a lukewarm cup of tea? There’s simply nothing worse, so imagine … I mean, just imagine … what a lukewarm Christian feels like to the God who sent His Son to suffer and die for you and me. Just imagine. DON’T BE A LUKEWARM CHRISTIAN One of the things that hits me between the eyes over and over again is how honest and direct God is.…

One of the hardest things in life is to bring a difficult issue to a head in a relationship that really matters to us. So how do you speak the truth in love? Giving the Hard Advice I’d like to share a story with you as we open the program today. A few years ago I was working as a consultant in the Information Technology Industry and I was called in…

No doubt you’ve heard the saying – you can pick your friends but you can’t pick your relatives. So – what do you do, when the people you’re closest to turn out to be amongst the most difficult to deal with? We’re All Different The first thing we notice when we look around at other people is that we are all different, aren‘t we? In a room of just te…

We all have some difficult people in our lives. You do. I do. So how do you deal with them – especially when you’re under fire from the enemy? It’s Easy to Fight Wars I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but dealing with people, sometimes difficult people, is a big part of life, at home, at work, socially. And conflict can take its toll. Sometimes we fe…

So I wonder – who’s the most difficult person in your life right now? Chances are you can picture their face. Well I’d like to spend some time with you chatting about the number one most difficult person in your life. When People Look at Us Let me ask you a question: when the world looks at the church, what does it see? When people look at the chur…

With Easter done and dusted for another year, it’s kind of easy to forget about the Cross, Christ’s suffering, the resurrection and the empty tomb … and just get on with life. What do all those things have to do with what I have going on in my life now? But that sort of attitude can get us into a lot of trouble. THE RIGHTEOUS MAN DESTROYED It’s fun…

I guess when we think of Easter we think of it way, way, way in the past and I guess of its consequences way, way, way in the future. The past act of Jesus dying for you and me and the future blessing of a resurrection for us to live eternity with Him. In the past and in the future but what if I told you that Jesus wants to give you a ‘here and now…

By about this time of year any little bit of a break we might have had over Christmas and New Year is but a dim distant memory. We’re back in the grind and we’re looking forward to our next break – awesome! But surely there’s more to life than that. HOPE MATTERS Hope is a beautiful word, four letters, just one syllable, there’s a clear, pure ring t…

Suffering is not a lot of fun is it. Nobody looks forward to it, and yet, it’s pretty certain that storms will hit our lives. So, when they do, there’s a confidence that God wants you to have in your heart. A confidence, in Him. WITH FRIENDS LIKE THAT Suffering is bad enough, but if while you’re suffering, your so-called friends can’t even stand by…

Way too many Christians are way too timid in their prayer lives. Now, I’m not saying be belligerent and demanding, but let me tell you, if your faith is in Jesus … you have a lot more power in your prayer than you realised. OUR FAITH IN CHRIST Well, welcome to this last program in the four part series that I’ve called, “The Power of Prayer”. Over t…

Prayer is not always what we think it is. We expect instant results. But God’s ways aren’t our ways’ His thoughts aren’t our thoughts. Which is why Jesus told some strange parables about prayer. A FRIEND AT MIDNIGHT Today we are continuing on our series called the, “Power of Prayer”. And over the last couple of weeks we’ve been looking at ‘how to p…

When we go to God to pray, all too often we head in with a shopping list don’t we? “I need this … I need that … oh God please help me with this … oh God please end my pain and suffering … oh God” … but what if I told you that by and large, at least according to Jesus, prayer isn’t all about me. It’s not all about … you. IT’S NOT ABOUT ME This week …

Communication between people – I mean real, meaningful communication is becoming harder to come by. Technology lets us be more connected – but somehow we communicate less. With people, and with God… THE COMMUNICATION GAP Now this week on the programme we are starting a new series that I’ve called, “The Power of Prayer” – the power of having a conve…

Each person who believes in Jesus has a battle going on inside. Between the desires of the flesh, and the work of the Holy Spirit. Each one. Sometimes we feel as though it’s a battle we’re losing, even though we’ve already won. How can we actually live out that victory? How can we walk in in the Spirit? THE FLESH AND THE SPIRIT One of the most enco…

One of the things that I’ve noticed is that I don’t have the strength, or the power in my own right to live the life that God wants me to. Have you noticed that too? We try … and we fail. What we need, is power. Power from high. Fortunately that’s exactly what Jesus has in mind. POWER FROM ON HIGH Great to be with you again this week and today we’r…

One of the things that we’re promised about Jesus is that when we let Him into our lives – He’ll sort the good from the bad – the wheat from the chaff in each one of us – and then burn the chaff with an unquenchable fire. At first that sounds a bit confronting. And yet when Jesus gets to work cleaning out the muck we have on the inside – talk about…

So many people wish that they could say they’re living their lives by walking in the Spirit. But that’s not really how their life works at all. In fact God often seems a million miles away. Well, there’s a reason for that – it comes down, as it turns out, to a question of priorities. DECIDING WHAT'S IMPORTANT Today we are kicking off a new series t…

Sure. We’re created to be an individual, but not in isolation – in community, and community doesn’t work if it doesn’t accept and love and value the uniqueness of each individual in it. IS YOUR LIFE GOING TO COUNT? Each minute that slips by is one less minute that you and I have to live on this earth. How we spend this precious time has everything …