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What is your Purpose?
What is your Purpose? Have you ever wondered what your purpose is? What your goal in life is? Why you are on the planet? The Bible has an answer for you. You don’t need to figure this out on your own. In Genesis 1:27, it says: God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. We were created in God’s image, which means that we were made to love. In 1 John 4:7-8 we read, “Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.” When Jesus was asked what
Five Healthy Marriage Habits
Five Healthy Marriage Habits There are many challenges and even more blessings in pastoral ministry. Certainly, one of the great blessings is the opportunity to be involved in weddings. In recent months, I’ve had the privilege to lead weddings for two fantastic young couples in our church family. It’s always a great joy to stand with the couple on their big day and lead them through the promises they make to one another before God and then present them as a newly married couple at the end of the service. It’s equally as joyful and meaningful to meet with these couples prior to their big day to talk through the meaning and significance of marriage and to try to equip them with some tools to love, fight, and forgive
Does Prayer Work?
Does Prayer Work? I’ve been asked that exact question before, more than once. From both non-Christian and Christian friends. I recently wrote about prayer; the heartache my friend had for her family member who didn’t seem to accept Jesus before he died. I was pleasantly surprised to have some of you talk to me about encouraging stories of loved ones coming to know Jesus late in their lives. I also had a few people ask me whether prayer ‘works’. Some conversations are along the lines of, “If God is sovereign and in control, is it worth praying?” Others are heartbroken that some prayers weren’t answered in a way that seemed good and right. I think it’s great to ask these honest questions! I too have wrestled with them. Through
Let’s Go “Old Testament” on Fatherhood!
Let’s Go “Old Testament” on Fatherhood! Have you ever heard someone say, “They went Old Testament on (fill in the blank)!”? Usually, what they mean is that the person was a bit angry, judgemental and intense about something. Well, seeing as it’s almost Father’s Day, I thought I’d go Old Testament on fatherhood! But don’t be so quick to assume that means fatherhood is going to get a Bible bashing. That would be to misunderstand the character of the Old Testament. Below I offer some reflections on God as a Father in the Old Testament in the hope that all dads can become more godly fathers. A Godly Father Creates Belonging There are eight references to God as Father in the Old Testament (using the normal Hebrew word for
Sing, and Keep on Singing
Sing, and keep on singing There is a little bird that often visits my garden. His favourite place is the highest point on the tallest palm tree. And when he's up there; as high as he can be, way up in the clear, blue sky, he likes to sing. I have lots of fun imagining what he might be singing. Perhaps it's "Look at me! Look at me!", a kind of bird version of "I'm the king of the castle." While I may not know exactly what he's singing, he seems to delight in being up there and his song is a happy one. It sounds like he's rejoicing. The thing is, the weather's not always great. Sometimes it can get pretty windy up there. I think he's going
Predicting the Future
Predicting the Future “Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.” Galatians 6:7-10 Surprise! Life has seemingly thrown you another curve ball. “How on earth did I end up here?” you might ask, or you might say, “I never could have seen that coming.” Sure enough, sometimes life does throw some unexpected
When God Doesn’t Answer Our Earnest Prayer
When God Doesn’t Answer Our Earnest Prayer I was having a heart-to-heart with a good friend recently. We were talking about a deep and raw struggle she was having with unanswered prayer. You might already be thinking what I began to think…that maybe God was saying ‘no’ or not answering yet because He had a different plan, a better plan. But this wasn’t one of those prayer requests where I could encourage her to ‘pray a different prayer’. Her prayer was for a loved one to find life in Jesus. She had gently and genuinely shared the gospel with him on many occasions. Yet he continued to reject it. Despite her faithful sharing of the gospel and earnest prayers… in the end, it seems he rejected Jesus when he
Jesus’ Method for Success
Jesus’ Method for Success Most of us are drawn to success. We want to have a successful career, a successful marriage, a successful life. Even if you’re less ‘driven’, you probably have some kind of definition of ‘success’ you’re pursuing. As a pastor, I’m often thinking about how we can be a successful church. But how we define ‘success’ and how we set out to achieve success are vital for us to consider as followers of Jesus. Both the path and the destination of Christian ‘success’ are radically different to the way most Australians pursue success today. Let me tell you a story to illustrate this. I heard a man tell a story recently about his father, a well-known pastor. He recalled how his dad spoke to him about an invitation to
