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Category: <span>for thought</span>

Category: for thought

Spiritual and Emotional food for thought. Encouragements and insights to help you live!

The New Nature

Talking with someone today, I was reminded of just how powerful God is…  I recounted how, despite being very head-strong & capable, I was unable to quit certain substances (or activities), even for one night: I was thoroughly addicted despite my best attempts. Even my hatred of being addicted was not enough to ‘empower’ me to change.  But something far, far deeper than my many addictions was my love of things that were bad. Whether it was fuelled by rage or gratification, the very core of who I was (and what made me tick) was dark, evil and selfish. Despite …

for thought  

How to win tomorrows war…NOW!

We all face many battles, some on a daily basis.  Whether it is battling to stay clean / sober, trying to avoid porn / infidelity, struggling to say no to things / working too much, suffering from over / comfort eating or finding yourself hooked on social media / seeking others approval…the same techniques and principles can help. But be of good cheer!…  “There are simple things you can do today, that help you win the war tomorrow!”  How good would it be to *know* that tomorrow’s (or next week’s) battle can be won today?!  It’s true, something that any war …

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Out in the cold – A cold call.

This morning a parcel arrived for a neighbour. Normally, one or more of us would run it over to them right away. But this wasn’t a normal day.  A number of urgent jobs took far longer than planned, and soon it was getting dark. As I walked into the house, I saw the parcel and didn’t realise the next thought I had could have led to someone dying.  “We will sort it tomorow”  It was cold & drizzling with rain – the neighbour may not even be there. I was sore, we were all tired & cold.  But thankfully, I …

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Parables & Discipleship

Thinking today about what an absolute Master Jesus was at sharing Truth and discipling people.  “In fact, in his public ministry He never taught without using parables; but afterward, when he was alone with his disciples, he explained everything to them.”  [Mark 4:34 (NLT)] I am convinced I get this backwards more often than not, so good to be reminded again the correct Way! “Lord help us bring your Word of Life to those who are deceived, dead and dying. Convict them so they would see the Light, turn to Him and experience Resurrection. Help us to Shepherd those who …

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Two bullets collide Gallipoli Hoax

The below photo has been doing the roads again, supposedly two bulltes that collided in mid air. A quick glance at the left bullet indicates this is another example of people being gullible (no rifling marks are all). If these were actually from Gallipoli, it is nearly certain the left hand bullet was stationary, likely still in a soldier’s belt or magazine.  Regardless, the supposed statistics for such an event piqued my interest…  One edited meme showed that it was a “1 in a billion” chance! While I doubt it was anywhere near that remote (tens of thousands of guns …

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I love you, son. How connection with the Father changes *everything*

“I love you son”  A short sentence that you can say in less than a second, but it can change a persons day, life and destiny. Have you received these words? Or do you need to say them?  I personally never heard them from my biological father: in fact, the last time I spoke to him he said:  “I never wanted a son and I still don’t. Please don’t contact me again Adam”  That was the last time I talked to my ‘dad’ – I honoured his wish: As far as I know he is now dead…  I had met …

for thought | Relationships   | | |

You lie for the Lord – how others explain transformation

Tonight, I had a very bizarre experience…  I was talking to an aunty about Jesus and all He had done for me when she blurted out: “But you lie for the Lord”  I was intrigued. “What do you mean?”.  She went on to explain that I have presented myself as a drug addict that lies in the street with a needle hanging out of their arm, while she thought that I was just a ‘normal teenager who experimented with drugs'(!).  I was completely taken back… I remember this aunty pleading with me not to leave family Christmas parties as I …

for thought

Do not drift!

“Drifting results in either being stranded at sea or crushed by the waves”  As with nearly everything in this life, drifting along, coasting, does *not* result in anything worthwhile. Humans gravitate towards ‘bad’, just as the rest of the natural world does. Just as well known scientists defined laws of thermodynamics of the natural world, Carson defined it for the spiritual: “People do not drift toward holiness. Apart from grace-driven effort, ­people do not gravitate toward godliness, prayer, obedience to Scripture, faith, and delight in the Lord. We drift toward compromise and call it tolerance; we drift toward disobedience and …

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What was Jesus crucifixion really like?

At the age of 33, Jesus was condemned to death. At the time, crucifixion was the most painful and humiliating method of killing available. It was designed for the worst criminals and those the Romans wanted to make an example of. As it so happened, there were 3 people they wanted to make an example of on this day: (not theives as traditionally mentioned) they were revolutionaries, insurrectionists . They wanted to bring down Rome’s domination & occupation of Jerusalem and used violence to achieve it. They were rebels and Rome was about to show what happens when you dare …

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Meaty hands

Not sure if this is an example of good or irresponsible parenting…  So we talk about what we need to do today. Options include:  Paying billsConcreting Planning drainage & concrete for the driveway Jesus Time (our morning devotions) Finishing sermon prep Planting out some fruit trees Prep work for stepsPostage  Picking up items Prep for BSF Yet I find myself, at nearly 11am, eyes stinging from onion & hands covered in meat juice. Somehow, I am in a cook-off with one of my sons trying to make the best beef burger for Sharmini & the others to try(!).   They were (are) delicious but seriously, how does …

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Rick and the Jesus shirt swap…

I kid you not – this not made up… not sure if it is an evangelism win or fail (you decide)!  Today, after church I agreed to meet someone who wanted to pick up some fencing supplies. I rarely do this on a Sunday, but a number of ‘coincidences’ and it was arranged.  Rick (not the mans real name), rang a little before the scheduled time to say he was 30 minutes away, though this time it was abundantly clear, he was drunk.  Myself and 5 of the boys took the supplies to the gate & waited to meet him. …

Fishing | for thought

the ‘new’ Benefits of Gratefulness

Would you listen to a Professor of Clinical Medicine, Director of Behavioural & Social Sciences and Behavioural Medicine who is also a Cognitive Behavioural Therapist Holding Bachelor (BS) in Brain Sciences and a Phd in Clinical Psychology? Recently a great deal of research shows that ‘an attitude of gratitude’ leads to: Better Health Sounder Sleep Less Anxiety & Depression Higher long term satisfaction with life Kinder behaviour towards others (including partners)Less likely to turn aggressive when provoked Robert Eamons’ study[1] showed that in only *two months* people: Were more Optimistic Were happier Worked out more Had fewer physical complaints That, …

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A couple of days in my life…which would you prefer?

A Day in my life #1 I wake after a night getting little sleep due to pain. I have a head ache and my back is painful. It is early and I know it will be pointless trying to sleep so I get up. It is freezing and cold. My feet are wet as I get to the house. I try to do wiring, but everything is going wrong. The babies have moved my tools. A switch I take an hour putting in is not working so I have to pull it out again. Before I finish, I have to …

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Prostitutes

Today, two things seperate things struck me about ‘prostitutes’: 1) I met a man who (after I started to tell him about Jesus), shared how he was struggling with resentment towards the ‘church’ for what he had seen: A couple of prostitutes started attending the church he was at while young. These girls were never really accepted by the regular church goers. They were excluded while the ‘good’ kids & ‘proper’ people kept to themselves – hung out in their own clicks. Eventually after a few weeks, these two women left the church. He shared that a while later one …

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It’s easy to get bogged down in a day…

It’s funny how quickly a day can change around here: A late start after a few big days, and I *really* wanted to have a lazy day. That sounded a lot better than doing my BAS / tax, but I had every intention of being diligent – until the phone rang…  A stranger on the other end was asking if we did towing as they were bogged. An error with a particular search engine means we get calls for a range of things from the listing they refuse to change or cancel. This same search company map had led these …

Fishing | for thought  

Goodbye 2023

Throughout the year of twenty twenty three, It has hurt terribly, like being hit by a tree. Areas of sin, physical pain and at times lonely,Finding out the ‘care’ of others is just baloney. As bad as it’s been, I know it is not just me…  Daily fighting to stay afloat but only just survivingMentally, physically, emotionally it seems like we’re diving. Nothing seems to help despite all the constant striving Hoping & Praying for more, but a long way from thriving. Things shouldn’t look like this – in need of total reviving. This next year may be better or worse – I am not …

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BC/AD Before and After Jesus

Reflecting on this year (and especially the Christmas season) I was plagued by  negative thoughts… There is so much I wanted to do, to get done, to achieve, to be, and *so much* of it has not eventuated.  Financially, health & pain wise, machinery & appliance breakdowns, materials hold ups,  it really has been a long hard year. Physical pain is a daily grind just to survive – and the coping mechanisms further add to my dismayXXXX. I can’t even maintain a level of healthy fitness. Relationally with people outside my immediate family I have been hopeless – a far …

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8 Keys to effective evangelism…

Someone reached out and asked today, in case my response is helpful to others:  “Do you have any good teaching being a evangelist- it’s not my strong point and I feel an urgency with my neighbour but don’t know how to start. I’ve invited her to church, shared love with her through meals and baking. I say God bless and have a good afternoon, she comments on how well [behaved] my kids are behaved?! She is a sweet old lady who is super kind and 92 years but doesn’t know Jesus. I am working with Holy Spirit just to deal with …

Fishing | for thought  

Carols are boring…

I would HATE carols without Jesus…  Seriously: slow, screechy or high pitched – what is there to like?  But the reality is that now I find it hard to hear a Carol without joining in heartily (even if out of tune). Many carols make me emotional – I will literally have tears as I try to sing along. As someone who used to like heavy metal bands like Suicidal Tendencies, Pantera and AC/DC, this amazes me. But once you meet the One who was in that manger, who the shepherds visited, who the angels sang to, who came to earth …

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Nativity #25 Presenting my BEST self

This self contained nativity is quite strange… First off, the figure of Joseph seems to be admiring Himself in the mirror. Despite the fact that the very Son of God, Creator in a human body is before Him, he is looking at himself!  This reminds me of just how vain, fake and hypocritical we are at times. Compare this to any, hubby bowing to her Son, and it becomes quite stark.  Unfortunately, I see this in myself and many men in our culture: while the woman seeks God, studies, surrounds herself with Godly accountability, the man may present well, but …

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The SIGN for Jesus

One of my children has been learning Auslan (Australian sign language) on the side. Today, she was explaining how sign language from country to country is different. So much so that even different states in Australia have different signs for the same word!!  As we discussed how absurd this is we learned that there is One that shares the same symbol across all states (and most countries). Can you guess?  A clue: He is the reason our date is 2023, the reason we have humanitarian aid, healthcare, welfare, freedom of religion and the reason why we have the Christmas season. …

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So close to getting scammed!

I was *so* close to getting scammed…they nearly got me!! To save money while building, we often fill up a large diesel tank at a discount fuel station. I had filled the maximum once, and so hung up the fuel hose and swiped my card again… A loud beep indicated that this second transaction did not go through. This is a fairly common occurrence – we regularly run out of money so need to be careful in how much we spend… As I removed my card, my phone started ringing… “We are are ringing to see if you authorised a …

Culture | for thought  

Jesus is my crutch

Tonight, I was reflecting on what some (condescending) people say:  “If you need religion, it’s ok for you” or:  “Religion is good for those who need it”  Seriously? If you’re an ex-addict who has met Jesus, you know how ludicrous these sorts of statements are. Religion? Easier? Really?  First off: religion can’t help *anyone*. Religion is a man-based system of rules to help people think better of themselves. From Atheism to Islam, religions simply deceive People into believing their perception of morality is correct and that they are *good*.  Second: if you’ve met Jesus & know what He He wants …

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Jesus fed how many??

I remember telling someone about Jesus one time and his condescending reply was something like:  “Yer right as if someone could feed all those people – it was a trick or made up” I remember being very direct with him, challenging him that if that was the only argument he had to face God with on Judgment Day, he should be very afraid. Imagine, facing God, stained with sin, having rejected the Son He sent to suffer & die to pay for those sins and *that* was your defence?!  But it goes much further than that. The more you look …

Fishing | for thought   |

Close Calls Second Chances & the ultimate backup plan

Driving a machine today, if I had done what was normal, what I normally do, one of my younger children would likely be in the morgue tonight. For some reason, in that split second, I didn’t do what was ’normal’ and ½ a second later I saw them.  It is truly humbling, scary and makes me feel physically sick to think about how close it was. Something in me would not allow me to control the machine as per normal.  It is a sober reminder that we never know when life will change *drastically* forever. Sometimes, for whatever reason, we get …

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Has He met you?

Reading a famous section of the Bible today, where Jesus ‘had’ to go through a ‘bad part of town’.  If you know Jesus (or the area), you know He didn’t ‘have’ to at all – but He had decided to meet a specific person at a specific time for a specific person.  This person had no idea that He was coming to meet her – nor did she know who He was.  She was a despicable person, shunned by her whole town (likely slut shamed) – a dirty sinner. Yet this is the very type of person Jesus came to …

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Face to face with evil…

Recently. I watched a documentary about ‘encounters with evil’. Police investigative and psychological interviews (+ descriptions) of people who they considered evil.  Some of the acts were gruesome, the detective work to find and convict them riveting. But one particular phrase really grabbed me:  What is it like to come face to face with evil? While these heinous crimes were disgusting, there is a difference between those who do evil things and evil itself…  I remember clearly the day I came face to face with actual evil. A spiritual entity that had so much power it captivated me. A master …

for thought | Newman Trip | Suffering   | |

When they don’t want you in church…Fathers Day 2023

It was 23 years ago today I discovered I had a Father. A real, tangible Father that had never left me, always protected me and gently guided me, despite my determined rebellion. It made an instant, lasting difference. – My biological father left before I was born – leaving me insecure and chasing identity. I met him when I was in my 20s for the first time. After seeing him a few times I asked if he would want to come to my wedding. His reply is the last thing I heard him say:  “Adam I never wanted children and …

for thought | Parenting   |

ChatGPT: when AI wants to send you to hell.

It matters what you have as your source for Truth. Unfortunately many will have a terrible awakening as they have been gullible to believe government, Hollywood, the media, religion… “Be not afraid, for in the kingdom of God, there is no man nor woman, as all are one in spirit. The gates of my Father’s kingdom will open for those who love and are loved, for God looks not upon the body, but the heart.”  – ChatGPT [not what the Bible states!] Here is what God *actually* says: – We all only live once, then will face Judgement. ¹   – …

Culture | False Religion / Cults | for thought   |

Murder of Melko

My wife recently read out a news report about a murder…  the unique name sounded familiar and sure enough, the victim was someone I knew briefly in my previous ‘life’.  As I looked at the news photo of his house, I could remember vaguely doing drugs with this guy. Carefree, fun loving and generous, this person now bludgeoned to death, would never interact with anyone again…   How many people did I meet in these dark years, that are no longer alive? It is impossible to know. Even of the people who came to my house – there are many I …

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Anzac Day 2023

Over the last few months, we have been learning about different periods of history, specifically about war between different nations.  One of the things that has been amazing to me, is just how many wars there have been throughout history. So many, that times without war really stand out – periods of peace are actually *very* rare.  So much death, so much horror it just beggars belief.  But here, in the West, living in this time, it is easy to naively start to take our freedoms for granted. I know I did… As a raging alcoholic all I cared about was …

for thought | Jesus Time | Parenting  

Do you need forgiveness?

The amazing thing is, it comes with an optional offer of *guaranteed* forgiveness (for everything you have ever done!)! For many, the question “Do you need forgiveness?” results in 3 answers – which reflects you? : “I don’t need forgiveness” “I have to earn forgiveness” “I deserve to be forgiven” The truth is though, we have all violated the rules of the Creator. Some of us know His rules and break them deliberately, others do it without realising, others can’t resist. Either way, the fine *must* be paid. The God who created the universe says that lying, stealing, lust and …

False Religion / Cults | Fishing | for thought   |

Neighbour collapses and unresponsive

One of our neighbours had a medical episode last night, and their spouse phoned me in a bit of a state. We rushed over there and helped, until they were stable. At the end I asked if I could pray for them both, which they gratefully received. They messaged this morning to say how thankful they were and that everything was now ok. It only occurred to me a few hours later, just how amazing this actually was… People who used to live near me feared and avoided me. Burnouts, parties, 4+ loud & vicious attack dogs, drugs, car wrecks …

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Jesus is always at work! 202303

Some of you may know I have had some additional health battles since Christmas. A rapidly deteriorating hernia has made a significant hat on recovery from the lumbar fusion.  Today, it was a fairly bad morning – the pain to get up or walk was pretty intense. Someone was coming to pick up a parcel so I planned to ask one of the kids to walk up to gate and meet them.  As I went to ask them I had a feint thought: “maybe God wants me to talk to Shane (not his real name)”.  I wanted to swat that …

Fishing | for thought

Forgiveness for ‘sale’ – 100% Guaranteed for Catholics

You might be surprised by the claim that you can be forgiven for *everything* you have ever done. That’s right, 100%, guaranteed, no matter what you have done! You may have been told there is a long list of things you must do (and and even longer list of things you must not do) to be forgiven, but this is not true… These rules and regulations are man-made and form the basis of almost all religions, spread by well meaning, but deceived people.   Religious Rules: Keep the 10 Commandments  Get Baptised  Confess your sins to a priest  Do Penance …

False Religion / Cults | Fishing | for thought   | | |

A Satanist and a Heroin Addict at a ‘Revival’

The term revival is being thrown around a bit due to what is happening at Asbury (and now Lee, Belmont, Samford and Cedarville Universities). It brings to mind some amazing times when I took a satanist and a heroin addict (amount others) to a ‘revival’ meeting…  I hadn’t been saved long and I was incredibly excited that God had taken my physical pain, crushed my addictions, changed my heart and given me Eternal life! I was accustomed to God prompting me to say specific things to strangers. If I actually said these things (I often didn’t), amazing things happened…  Take one time. …

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The unknown puzzle

Many years ago (on this day) an engineer, (trying to solve a completely unrelated problem), unwittingly stumbled upon what would become the best selling puzzle of all time (~400 million). Ernő Rubik found out what most of us have:  It’s crazy hard to solve!  Some can (my boys can solve it very quickly, one of them can solve all the way up to an 11 x 11 cube!), but it starts with a steep learning curve. And first, it requires an acknowledgement that there is a puzzle to solve.   Believe it or not, we are all trying to solve …

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How a 1500 year old prophecy nailed me…

If you have ever read history history, you’ll know that it is so far removed from us it is often hard to even understand.  Obscure references, outdated language, unclear meaning, vague projections – even if we go back a hundred or so years.  Compare all that to what I read this morning in a book written a whopping 4500 years ago: IT NAILS IT…well it nailed me!  Despite the fact that we are oblivious to our own actions – that we all think that we are good, this old book has something far more ugly to state:  “All their activity …

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The most valuable disciples in the world…

Since Christmas, we have set up and rammed a new front fence: it’s not finished, but feels great to have *finally* made some progress on it! I have to say, that despite the pain and severe physical limitation, I *love* working with this amazing family.  We had some friends come to help – and watching our kids continually take the time to stop, include and teach others is so rewarding. To me, it is part of what discipleship looks like, a command from our Master, so desperately needed and severely lacking.  It is one of the aspects of my Christian …

for thought | Marriage / Sig Other | Parenting   |

In 2023: more of Him and less of me!

  Amazing. I had totally forgotten about this from last year… I can honestly say that I failed dismally in ‘letting the message about Christ fill my life’. Instead I filled my life with many other things, distractions and more. Listening to the Bible this New Years Eve, *the same* verse jumped out at me: “Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives.” (Colossians 3:16 NLT) New Years morning, we had a great discussion about what that looked like: “How could we let the message of Christ fill our lives? “ Some foundational answers and onto …

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Food giveaway Christmas 2022

The other day I had the privilege of serving with my family at a food give away and sausage sizzle trying to brighten some peoples Christmas.  We met a barrage of people from all walks of life and for the most part it was a heart warming and rewarding experience.  But a couple of things were definitely *not* enjoyable…  One, seeing a woman use her young child as a ‘mule’ to try to get twice the amount of food. I felt helpless to change this boys reality – obviously embarrassed and equally powerless in his role.  Two, seeing people who …

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Homeschool Play: His story

Yesterday I watched an incredibly powerful play put on by a group of homeschoolers. It traced just a few events in history that had a dramatic effect on the world I grew up in and still live in today.  They are events that still clearly reveal that our current world would be in a *much* worse place if our current cultural attitudes were allowed to flourish.  It showed how certain practises (like torture killing of criminals, forced sale of young girls for sex), perceived as fine by the culture, were ended due to the influence on One person. The ramifications …

Culture | for thought | Homeschool   | |

This Yellow Sticker Saved My Life…

First off, for those who don’t know, a yellow sticker is a defect notice given out if an authorised person (like a police officer) determines your car is unsafe for the road. To say I have quite a history with them over the years would be a gross understatement. I have been given many, many yellow stickers on different vehicles over the years.  At a guess, I would have received around 50 and likely 10 or more on some of my Holdens / Toranas. As a marked man, the police often wanted to give me a fine or catch me …

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If you have never known your dad…

If, for whatever reason, you don’t have a good relationship with your dad, I understand.  Not in a cliche, pseudo-psychological way, but in a real, understanding and experiential way.  I know how much of the below is totally hidden, almost all of the time; but inwardly these thoughts lurk and at times, they rear their head. Through even the most epic lifestyle, most hardcore addiction or best suppression techniques some of these things break into our reality. Sometimes repeatedly.   I know how you: – tell yourself it doesn’t matter, – yearn for it to not be your fault,  – put your …

for thought | Ministry / TPM | Parenting | Relationships   |

Fathers Day 2022

It was 22 years ago today that I was suddenly confronted with the fact that I had a Father who cared about me.  Maybe this seemed so powerful because my biological father was quite different. When he learned of my existence, he left: no words, no care, no contact, no protection, no provision and no explanation. I wasn’t sad about it – it was all I knew – no dad? No worries!  I had no idea of the damage to my soul, no idea of the difference a role model could make, no idea how a father could teach, model, …

Culture | for thought   |

Decisions Decisions

Decisions DecisionsEvery day, decisions bombard us: Read this post? Glance over it? Keep Scrolling? What do I want to eat? What to watch? How will I answer that question from my spouse / boss / teacher? Our very lives could be summed up as a “display to the world of my daily choices”. Some are big, others we think at the time are insignificant and make no difference to the trajectory of our lives. But this is far, far from the truth. Each and every disaster can be traced back to a seemingly harmless, mundane decision. Take for example the …

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Just a thread in the Tapestry of Grace 9/10/22

Today I had the privilege of talking to someone who has been in Alcoholics Anonymous  (and been dry) for 30 years. As I asked him questions, it was clear he was at a cross roads and a new chapter of his life was imminent.  I talked about Jesus, shared part of my story and asked if he would be ok if I prayed for him. I was surprised at how enthusiastic he was. As I prayed, He was moved emotionally and it became clear that his journey has been long and difficult, yet God had brought him through.  It was …

Fishing | for thought   | |

When reporters show their true colours.

I am not sure why so many Christians are up in arms about a woman saying Mary should have aborted Jesus. What do we expect from people who love sin and are spiritually blind / dead? Did we not love sin & hate what was good before Jesus opened our eyes / changed our hearts? I know for one I did. The Bible is so clear on how confused and blind people are: He literally abandons them to their own foolishness. (Scripture below). When I think back at how ridiculous my own beliefs were before Jesus changed me I am …

Culture | for thought   |

Fear of God is not Reverence

That stance / doctrine of ‘fear means reverence’ is at least partly to blame in my opinion. At times the word translated fear means terror, not ‘just’ fear, let alone reverence. No fear of God = no wisdom, no restraint, no repentance It has long been a grievance to me that people would focus on one element continually (love / grace / forgiveness) and quote things like ‘it’s God’s love that controls us (2 Corinthians 5:14), forgetting (or deliberately suppressing) the rest of the verse: “Since we believe that Christ died for all, we also believe that we have all …

for thought | Preaching   | |

Hey Christian: Position Yourself!

A news reader happy to segregate society and declare that the Saviour of the world should have been killed in the womb. A successful Christian filmmaker whose whole catalogue of film was deliberately erased by Google. The Breastfeeding Association investigating the use of the supposedly offensive term of ‘mother’. A veteran police officer under the same for stating biological facts on his personal Facebook page. Christian bakers, conservative judges, teachers, professors and sports people: all fair game.  The laws of the land are quickly sliding down a slippery slope they said did not exist. It is now virtually impossible to …

Culture | Finances | Fishing | for thought   |