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Called to Forgive
Called to Forgive I’ve recently been thinking about forgiveness a lot. I think most Christians probably think about this a lot, because most Christians (just like all humans) are wronged by the people around them. Here are three reflections on forgiveness, I hope they will be helpful to you if you are in the process of thinking through forgiveness. Forgiveness is Urgent The Scriptures even indicate that if we are unwilling to forgive others, we may not be forgiven by our Maker. This highlights just how important it is to our Lord that we truly seek to be following his example in the area of forgiveness. It would take too much space to go through all the passages which talk about this, but I’ve linked some of them below.
God, The Father
God, the Father I love to read. It’s one of my most favourite ways to relax. And so it’s no surprise that I have a lot of books. Recently I was looking through my book shelf, searching for something to read when I stumbled across a parenting book I hadn’t looked at for a number of years. As I flicked through the pages, I remembered how helpful and encouraging the book had been for me when our children were small. I’d love to share some thoughts from the book with you. The book is called “Growing Kids with Character: Nurturing your Child’s Potential, Purpose and Passion” and it’s by Hettie Brittz. Very early in the book the author points out that while there is a vast amount of parenting
Feeling Anxious about Money?
Feeling Anxious about Money? I was sipping on a coffee with a friend recently. And while we were chatting, he mentioned the pressure he’s feeling around money at the moment. It wasn’t crushing him, but he said he was feeling the pinch. The truth is many Aussies are feeling anxious about money. I read an ABC article today which said, “The majority of workers are struggling with soaring costs, reduced purchasing power and rising interest and mortgage payments.” That’s the situation we’re dealing with right now, and it’s leaving some feeling anxious or worse. What can you do if you’re feeling anxious about money? The emotion of anxiety is like smoke that’s coming from a fire in the human heart. We’re meant to follow the smoke to its source
Releasing Children from Poverty
Releasing Children from Poverty I recently read about a young man who once was a child living in desperate poverty but today is supplying vegetables to his local community through a hydroponic garden he himself created. This story is one of God working through others to release people from poverty in Jesus’ name! The name of this young man is Frizky. Frizky was eight-years-old when he entered the Compassion program. He had no idea that one day he would be supporting his community through a project he had created himself. Frizky and his team diligently worked together to build a greenhouse and care for 300 vegetable seedlings. The project has only gotten larger, and Frizky is now training two Compassion assisted young people to replace him in managing the
Three Truths to Treasure When Suffering
Three Truths to Treasure When Suffering It’s often said there are only two certainties in life: death and taxes. I’d suggest we could add a third to the list: suffering. Suffering is an unavoidable fact of human existence. It doesn’t discriminate and it cannot be stopped. This fact has felt especially true these last few months. The suffering endured by so many recently, both near and far, is almost incomprehensible. A global food crisis. The ongoing war in Ukraine. A young Dad passing away suddenly and unexpectedly. An unforeseen cancer diagnosis. The ravages of dementia. And of course, more recently, the devastation of an earthquake in Turkey and Syria, which has, at time of writing, claimed upwards of 35,000 lives. It makes the mind boggle and the heart ache.
Creating a Culture of Desperation
Creating a Culture of Desperation “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.” Matthew 5:6 (NIV) There are times in life when most, if not all, of us experience a deep craving for something that we just cannot shake until it has been satisfied. Usually, this kind of language is associated with food. Maybe it is a craving for a particular flavour of ice-cream. Maybe it is a craving for a slice of your favourite pizza. Maybe it is a craving for an ice-cold drink on a really hot day. Maybe it is just a craving for food, full stop. For some, these cravings can be held in check until they go away or are otherwise satisfied, but for others, there is this
Which Translation Should I Choose?
Which Translation Should I Choose? NIV or ESV? Or perhaps NASB or KJV? Have you ever wondered why there are so many different translations of the Bible? Have you ever wondered if one translation is better than all the rest? Which translation should you read? Well, my hope is that in the next 3 minutes you’ll have a better grasp of this issue and feel more confident when you choose which translation to read and recommend. The Bible is powerful. As Christians, we believe that the Creator God himself has chosen to reveal himself through the Scriptures. We believe that he personally inspired them, and that he has continued to work through them since they were first written down. Furthermore, as spiritual descendants of the Reformation, we hold to
Enjoying the Beach for the Glory of God
Enjoying the Beach for the Glory of God You don’t have to ask me twice to go outside and enjoy the great outdoors. What about you? Are there any particular aspects of God’s creation that you particularly enjoy? Maybe it’s plants or the ocean or animals or wide, open spaces. What about food or drink? I love the coffee bean, especially once it’s ground and extracted into my coffee cup! What about the amazing creation that is the banana; God even made it pre-packaged, ready to pop into your lunch box. Amazing! I’ve been reading and listening to podcasts this last week about creation and have been reminded of how awe-inspiring and worship-inducing it is. God created the universe out of nothing. Think on that for a moment. The
