Lost or forgotten?

I don’t know where it is! 

Have you looked everywhere? Yes!

Have you looked in the car?  Yes!

Have you looked on the desk? Yes!

Have you checked your pockets from yesterday? Yes!   

This is a conversation that, I am sorry to admit, has happened more than once in my home.  Usually it takes place early in the morning or just before I am rushing out to an important meeting – the item that is lost might change but the rest of the pattern remains the same.  I rush from room to room looking for what has been eluding me and eventually I find it by either retracing my steps or finally opening my eyes.  

It is not so much that it is lost – I just have forgotten where I left it!   

I still have in my possession a number of items from when I was a small child – other things I had have been lost forever.  Some I will never see again, others may still turn up (especially if I ever get around to cleaning out my garage!).

When it comes to you… what do you still have, what have you misplaced and what have you lost?

 I’m not only talking about possessions…what about things like hope, faith, joy and love?  

I have found that my wife is really helpful when it comes to finding my keys and mobile phone but on the bigger issues I am glad that the Lord Jesus weighs in!  

Whatever you may have lost, He is able to renew.  All we have to do is ask for His help!

The first time you try!

“Clutch in… change into 1^st… hold the hand-brake…let the clutch out slowly… give her a few revs…OK… try again…”

I had the awesome opportunity today of giving my son his first driving lesson.  Even though it is much easier to learn on an automatic he is determined to master the challenges of a manual!

So today was the day and we laughed (and lurched) our way through our first lesson.   

After an hour it felt like I had been the recipient of a vigorous back massage and I had developed a severe case of whiplash!    

It was a really great experience…a little bit of stress but mostly enjoyment: However, it did make me think about all that is involved in an action that I now do almost without thinking. You are probably like me; you don’t think about how to drive, you just drive.    There are so many things that we do now, that were once new and uncomfortable actions for us. But after a little practice they become second nature and we just do them without much thought.     

So with the start of the New Year comes an opportunity for you to decide to try something that you might not be all that comfortable with.   

When was the last time you prayed?  When was the last time you really spoke to God?   Let me break it down for you…just like I did for my son this morning.   

·   Believe that He is there & listening

·   Believe that He is able to make a difference in your life

·   Speak out what you need to say

·   Expect a response!        

(Hebrews 11:6)  Not everything feels natural the first time you try…but keep going, I guarantee that it is worth it!

Peanut butter and….???

For many years it was peanut butter on Monday, peanut butter on Tuesday, and peanut butter on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.

I was happy, I was content and I didn’t even know that I was in a rut. Almost every day of my primary school years I had a staple diet of peanut butter sandwiches waiting for me in my lunch box which I happily devoured.

 Long after primary school I was still eating peanut butter sandwiches but something profound happened.  I found that you could add other ingredients to add variety and, in fact, totally transform what can be a very boring existence.   In my quest for the ultimate sandwich I started with the American ‘peanut butter and jelly (jam)…unsatisfactory.  I then experimented: peanut butter and tomato;  peanut butter and sultanas; peanut butter and cheese; and peanut butter and apple… all adding little twists but none really requiring a second helping! 

But it was not until I stumbled upon ‘peanut butter and banana’ that I realised what I had been missing all my life!

 In many ways it is the ‘perfect sandwich’, offering 4 out of the 5 food groups with ingredients which synergise perfectly, totally revolutionising the choices at lunchtime.  I don’t recommend that you deep fry them (like Elvis did) but I do recommend that you try it.  It is often the case, you need someone to point out the benefits of something before you realise that you need it – That is how I see my major purpose in life – to point out that a life with Jesus is so much better than one without.  

Don’t remain in the peanut butter rut, give Jesus a go – He tastes great!

Pass the salt please!

Wrinkles, sunken eyes, flatulence, diarrhoea, nausea, vomiting, confusion, low blood pressure, irritability, and a difficulty in breathing… No, I am not describing personal problems nor am I cataloguing a list of fears I possess… this list are these symptoms you would suffer if you had a salt deficiency.  It is actually hard to develop a salt deficiency because most of us get way more salt than we need in our normal diet.  But it is important to remember that salt is an absolute necessity for our health.  

Jesus said something very interesting to those who would follow Him… “have salt in yourselves…” Mark 9:50   

Jesus wasn’t advocating a high salt diet and He wasn’t particularly concerned about your bodily functions.  What He was referring to was the fact that we need a little ‘something’ added to our life to make it function properly.  In the same way that you add salt to enhance the flavour of your food, you need a little of what Christ offers to really make your life taste great.  Many people get all the way to the ending of their lives without ever knowing the wonderful ‘taste’ that comes from a relationship with Christ, some even go out their way to avoid it. The sad thing is that just like your body craves natural salt so too your spirit craves what Christ is more than willing to offer.  So my question for you is this…how is your salt intake?   Maybe its time to… “taste and see that the Lord is good!”

OPEC – You have an invitation as well!

21 nations spanning four continents, representing the most economically dynamic and diverse regions of the world, accounting for approximately 40 per cent of the world’s population, 56 per cent of world ‘Gross Domestic Product’ and 48 per cent of world trade. It is known as ‘Asia Pacific Economic Co-Operation’ (APEC) and it is meeting in Sydney this weekend.  I heard someone describe this event as “all the inconvenience of the Olympics with none of the fun!” I also heard of hundreds of demonstrations being planned to coincide with the conference, member delegations requesting permission to carry guns and an unhealthy level of excitement being generated regarding the shirt that all the world leaders will be given to commemorate the summit!   

Hosting this event is quite a big deal: it draws attention to the fact that Australia is part of a larger world; that we have the right to host the most influential and powerful leaders; and it enables us to set much of the agenda of what will be discussed.  But to many people, this is just an opportunity for a bonus long weekend and they will give no more thought to it than that.  But that doesn’t change its importance.  

The Lord has called a summit of His own.  All nations, tribes and people are invited.  Many fail to respond but that doesn’t change the importance or significance of the opportunity.

 “All nations whom You have made Shall come and worship before You, O Lord, And shall glorify Your name.” Psalms 86:9   You have your invitation…you have the weekend off…what are you waiting for?

Everest at a bargain price!

Have you got all your holidays planned for next year?  I found a great deal that you might be interested in.  

Authorities in Nepal are planning to slash the permit price for climbing Mount Everest by up to 75 per cent!

Normally it costs $87,600 for a permit for 10 people, but soon it could be as low as just $21,900. 

The only catch is that you have to climb in winter to get the discount!  

Sir Edmund Hilary and Tenzing Norgay were the first to reach the summit of Everest on 29 May 1953. 

Last year saw over 500 people make the climb, bringing the total to 3017 individuals who have made it to the top of the 8,848 metre peak. 

The interesting thing is that 13 people died prior to the mountain being conquered and 241 have died since.  You have about a 1 in 10 chance of not making it down alive!   A blind man has climbed Everest; a double amputee has climbed Everest; a 70 year old has climbed Everest!  Why?  Because it is there, because it is difficult, because it takes them to the edge – a dangerous place to live! Your interests might not lead you to strap on crampons and grab an ice-axe but everything in life has an element of risk attached.  If we live our lives trying to avoid all risk, we will be compressed and limited in all that we do.  

I am attempting a great ascent – to live my life according to Christ’s example – the risks?  Criticism, ridicule and misunderstanding… but what a view!   

What are you climbing towards?

The first step is a doozy!

On the way up things were fine but the trip down was a whole lot quicker!  

My excuse (and I am sticking to it!) is that I usually work on a two sided ladder and I had borrowed one with rungs on one side and nothing on the other.  This was fine whilst I was on the way up but when I stepped over the ladder and started my journey down there was nothing left to do but head towards the floor quicker than I had planned! 

 Don’t worry, the ground broke my fall! 

It is amazing the things that rush through your head in a moment like that…first you think ‘Why am I falling?’ then… ‘This will probably hurt!’ finally… ‘I hope no-one is watching!’ 

The problem with a ladder is of course that if you miss one rung you are probably going to miss them all.  One stumble is enough to cause you a huge problem.   

The Bible says that the same is true when it comes to God’s Laws, “For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all.”   James 2:10   

If we have broken even one of God’s laws, even in the smallest way then it is like we are trying to climb down the wrong side of a ladder… but the good news is that hitting the floor is not the only option!   The Lord Jesus offers forgiveness and help when we find ourselves on the floor. 

All you have to do is allow Him to help you up!

10 Things you should do before you die!

Bungy jumping, swimming with dolphins, a front row seat at the World Cup Soccer Final or a candlelit dinner for two at the base of the Eiffel Tower. 

What would you include on a list of “The 10 things you should do before you die”?   

A list like this conjures up moments of adventure, exciting cities or once in a lifetime opportunities…everyone’s list is different and we remain constantly hopeful that we will be able to tick off at least one or two off our list before our lives are over.  

But I want to remind you of a couple of things that many people would never consider adding to their list. 

At first glance, they may not seem to bring the rush of jumping off a bridge with a rubber band attached to your ankles and yet they bring about benefits that I believe no life should be without.  

The first is being a part of a church…I am not talking about going to Church – I am talking about being part of a family of people who really share their lives and their faith with you.   

The second is knowing the joy of forgiveness – when our faults and failings are wiped clean by the One who is without sin.

The last one is finding that God has a purpose for your life – finally realising that there is more to life than possessions and power.  

I don’t know what is on your list of things you are yet to do…but I hope that you will at least consider mine. 

You never know, you might be missing out on some of the greatest moments of your life!

Part way through!

Have you ever got part-way into a job and thought that it would never end? 

No matter what task you take on, it seems that there will be moments that really test your patience and your resolve to see things through to the end.

Whether you are building a wall or writing a book, at some point you are going to struggle for motivation and/or doubt that you will ever be able to complete the task you started.  

Some people are great at starting things… around their house they have started painting a bedroom; making a pathway and building a carport…the only problem is that they are not so good at finishing. 

Either they got bored with the task, didn’t have skills for the task or really just didn’t think it through when they started!  When was the last time you started something really important?  When was the last time you finished something really important? How much time do you spend on the important stuff anyway?  As I have got older I have begun to realise that every day I have counts and even though I may only lay a few important bricks today, eventually I will finish my wall!  I have decided to concentrate on those things which are really important – my life, my family and my ability to positively impact those around me.

I hope that you are joining me in these great tasks as we follow the leading of the Master Builder… “looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith” Heb 12:2 

Ran Aground!

100’s of people everyday and 1000’s on the weekends have made special trips to Newcastle to see an amazing sight. 

It caught everyone’s attention because it was so out of place.  

The bulk carrier Pasha Bulker was driven ashore by rough seas on 8^th June and for almost 3 weeks it became the centre of attention on the coast of Newcastle.   This vessel was built to handle the high seas; it was built to be surrounded by deep water. Beached on the coast, it was in danger of being slowly broken into pieces; it could not fulfil its purpose; it was in danger of becoming a permanent wreck.  None of us would probably have known the name of this ship except for the fact that it was so out of place. 

Rough weather in our own lives can cause us to get off course and in extreme cases it can cause us to ‘run aground’.  We can find ourselves in situations where we feel trapped and in danger of breaking up or of never breaking free.  

The only solution to the big ship stuck on the beach is a huge tide and some very powerful tug boats to help. 

The only solution when you ‘run aground’ is for effective help to come your way.  

I am thankful for family and good friends who can help us change desperate situations but I am even more thankful for the one who controls the tides.  

“Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.” John 8:36   If you are off course or ‘beached’ why don’t you look to Him for the help you need?