Windows On The Soul

In 2 Corinthians , Paul explains that “ In Christ, old things are passed away and all things are made new” ( 5:17 ). On becoming a Christian, we must understand that our commitment to the gospel affects every aspect of our lives. Becoming a Christian means that things change. In Christian terms, renewal is never a ‘state’ at which we have arrived. In New Testament times, ‘Christians’ were known as ‘ Followers of The Way ’. The use of ‘Christian’ and ‘non-Christian’ labels are too often used to feed our natural desire for status. The number one thing in our lives that must change, are the values that drive us and that we use to judge, assess and measure our own and others success or failure. We are called to live by different standards: " Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. " ( Col.3:2 ), to put to death all those natural desires, to be the servant of all. Every day we must refocus our eyes on ‘things above’, and at the end of every day, if review...

Was forgiveness of your sins something that happened at your conversion, or something you seek and thank God for day by day? Did you realise that your view of God's forgiveness colours your attitude to forgiving others? Jesus puts it even more strongly - God forgives us in the same way we forgive others. A right view of forgiveness begins with a correct understanding of our sinful state - nothing we can do can add one speck to God's gift of forgiveness - we stand convicted on "death row". God's forgiveness is not a reward for our attempts to make "good", but a gift from the depths of His boundless love. In the same way then, our forgiveness of others must be unconditional. Yes, it isn't easy, it requires sacrifice of pride, but then didn't God's forgiveness only come about through sacrifice? (Some précised thoughts from " Practicing Peace " by W.Glyn Evans) Mt.6:15 "If you do not forgive men their sins, your Father w...

" Don't you know that the Philistines are rulers over us? " ( Judges15:11 ) . What defeatism. Is this God's people collaborating with the enemy? So God brings a Nazarite onto the scene, Samson, meaning "Little Sun" or "Sunshine". Samson's feats of strength in battle are legend, as time and time again "the spirit of the Lord came upon him". O how this world needs leaders like Samson to resist the devil, to stand against the powers of greed, selfishness, idolatry and unrighteousness that "occupy" us. But Samson succumbed to temptation himself. In touching the lion, he broke his Nazarite vow of purity, in taking a Philistine wife, he broke his vow of sanctification, and finally in cutting his hair he broke his vow of dedication to God. But after all that, blinded and enslaved, in the end he turns back to God, calling out "Lord God remember me I pray", and God did remember him. What a man, what a God. ----xxxXxxx--...

In our years of “coffee shop” youth out-reach work, we put up with being sworn at, occasionally spat upon, and personal property damage. But I can’t think of any time when we felt in bodily danger. However, a week ago, such an incident did arise. In our 26 years of fund-raising for the Royal Children’s Hospital, we have volunteered our services to sell the Herald-Sun ‘WEG’ Premiership posters. Unfortunately, this year, the ‘out-of-towners’, Adelaide, won, and we were faced with trying to sell Adelaide premiership posters in the face of a rather angry, parochial crowd. Football crowds have always been a noisy fickle lot, but this was the worst I have ever endured. A boozed load-mouth slew our stock off the table, and as I turned, a swinging fist caught my cheek. I must confess, that my immediate thoughts did not include offering him my other one. Fortunately, his cohorts dragged him away and the incident was over as quickly as at started, but leaving my onlooking...

“ I ask... that they may all be one. As you, Father, are in me and I am in you, may they also be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. ” ( John 17:20,21 ). The squabbles in the church must sadden our Lord who prayed that his followers may be one. If the church worldwide were united (in spirit, not necessarily in one organisation), the world would take notice. As it is, critics of the church are constantly mocking us for our sectarian divisiveness. The church is both human and divine. It comprises fallible humans, and has yet to be perfectly redeemed. It is divine - the Body of Christ. So we need to be patient with an imperfect church. Henry Scott Holland put it this way in 1914 when the Bishop of Zanzibar wrote a pamphlet asking where the church stood. Scott Holland said that it did not stand at all, but 'moves and pushes and slides and staggers and falls and gets up again, and stumbles on and presses forward and falls into the right positi...

“Reconciliation” is very much in the news at the moment, particularly with regard to Australia’s ‘Anglo’ and aboriginal peoples. This is a subject that Christians should be seriously thinking and speaking about. Firstly, because it was often through “Christian missions” that past government policies of removing aboriginal children from their parents, was implemented. Though done with the ‘best intentions’ of wanting to provide a ‘better environment’ for the children, emotional needs of the children and parents, and differing cultural understanding of what a ‘better  environment’ is, were ignored. The wisdom required of missionaries in cross-cultural work is indeed that of Solomon. Secondly, Christians have something to say about “Reconciliation” because this is the very basis of our standing with God. Reconciliation with Him is necessary because of our sinful nature. We have said “Sorry!” (repented), but that is not enough. For some sin (like theft), restitution can ...

A major recurrent theme in my work is reconciliation , balancing what was thought should be with what was actually received. Computer systems should always be designed to allow for the imperfect environment in which they will have to work. Whether it be checking that all records sent from one place to another arrived intact, or checking the sales records with the cash banked. In the later cases, often thousands of dollars can be spent tracking down discrepancies of a few dollars. Then in the end, if a shortage or surplus remains, it might be “written off” or “recovered” from an employee's pay. Christians individually and corporately should be accountable to each other as well as to God. We have been reconciled with God, in that our lives have come up short of the mark, and having repented, God has “written off” (forgiven) our sin. But the other component of repentance, is promising, with God’s help, to ‘ sin no more ’. An important part of this sanctification process is r...

Whilst the choice of sinning or not is the basic question of human free will, the divine answer is "I will forgive you when you do sin, if you repent". This is the very core of Christianity; an absolutely holy righteous God, who is also absolutely lovingly merciful. In prayer, I sometimes find it better to ask God " What's the question? ". Then I am in a better position to hear the answer that I need, rather than restricting God to answering my very human, sometimes selfish, sometimes silly (in hind-sight) questions. If we ask, we get what we need; if we don't ask, then we simply get what we deserve. ----xxxXxxx---- Mt.6:8 "Your father already knows what you need before you ask Him.  This then is how you should pray..." Jas.4:2 "You have not because you ask not" Lk.11:9 "Ask and it will be given you; seek and you will find" Ac.8:22 "Repent of this evil plan...pray to God to forgive you" 1 Jn.1:9 ...

In reading last week, I was reminded of the difference between " accepting " Christ, and making a " decision " for Christ. " Acceptance " does not have the sense of completeness as does " decision ", which implies a cut-off point, a turn around, of burning one's bridges.  A favourite hymn states " I have decided to follow Jesus, No turning back ". A man recently came to the Lord later in life. He felt convicted about a criminal act in his past and sought to confess and make amends. Though he has forgiveness from the Lord, the law of the land did not, and he is now serving a prison sentence. For him, taking up his cross to follow Jesus has had an enormous price. Please pray for him, his family and church, and remember the prison ministries and other prisoners who have come to the Lord through them and are still serving their time. ----xxxXxxx---- Lk.9:23 "If any man would come after me, let him deny himself and take up ...

Last Sunday night, I was taken in a dream on a "tour of inspection". We visited many structures built on stilts over the sea. The inspection was specifically examining the condition of the piles. The weather and time had taken their toll. Some were still serviceable, whilst others had eroded to almost match-sticks. Then my own foundations were examined, and found in need of attention. I was then shown the type of foundations required - concrete as hard as the sea bed on which they stood. I noticed a door-way or hatch in the side and asked the reason - the answer - it was an inspection hatch, and regular inspections were essential. The interpretation is clear. The Christian life stands in the middle of the pounding seas of life; a beacon, a solid anchorage in the storm. But the strength of that life depends on the sureness of its foundations, and over time, laziness, compromises, indiscretions and lack of maintenance allow them to be eroded. Part of our preventative maintenanc...

I've been reminded of that corny old song a few times recently. The year 7 science class is studying methods of classification. Now classification would have to be one of the most basic human traits. Our brains are highly specialised in pattern matching. Whilst useful in understanding the world around us and our place in it, it can also mislead to the point of finding patterns that are not there such as in deja vu . The Christian is not immune either. Recently, a well meaning person (not from this church) sent me some tracts espousing anti-catholic, pre-millenial, King James only dogma. Whilst I have various views on each subject, to categorise people as either a "a carnal Christian", non-Christian, anti-Christ or simply persona non-gratis based on their belief or other-wise of any of these dogma, is I believe against both the teaching and spirit of Christ. I would rather be known as a Christian that "receives sinners and eats with them". Trusting you are the sa...

Praise the Lord for the wonderful testimonies of those being baptised last week and this. Among the diversity of their stories, did you notice a common thread? In each case, a major influence, was the accepting, open, loving friendship of Christian friends. Unfortunately, the converse is also true: the most common reason for people giving up on Christianity, is being let-down by a Christian friend or minister, not living up to their professed standards. As the bumper sticker says, " Christians aren't perfect, just forgiven ". We must "lift Jesus higher", not put people on pedestals. We are called to " be holy, even as God is holy ", yet it is not to be a legalistic "holiness", but born of our free-will love of the Father. Salvation through the death of Jesus sets us free from the enslavement of sin and legalism - but with freedom comes responsibility. We become as Christ to the world, to be seen, heard, observed, and judged. ---xxxXxxx--...