Click here to visit the web site of the newly launched Centre for Public Christianity, a research and media organisation dedicated to promoting a public understanding of the Christian faith.It contains an extensive library on a range of subjects and also a blog. Worth checking out.
Click here to visit an interesting web site called The Story of Stuff.
Click play, then sit back and watch a 20-minute engaging, fast-paced, fact-filled look at the underside of our world's production and consumption patterns. The Story of Stuff with Annie Leonard exposes the connections between a huge number of environmental and social issues, and calls us together to create a more sustainable and just world.
Watching this is definitely worth your time. It will teach you something, it will make you laugh, and it just may change the way you look at all the stuff in your life forever.
This last weekend we began our annual World Impact week where we take time as a church community to focus on our calling and mission to impact nations.
Have you taken time recently to think about how things are going in our global village?
If we could shrink the earth’s population to a village of exactly 100 people it would look like this:
[Source: Modified from Go Fourth Quarter 2000, Published by Interserve Australia]
As you can clearly see, most of are part of the privileged few and the wealthy minority in our global village. Most of us have a computer, many of us have post-secondary school education, and most of us would earn more than $12,000 AUD a year. Very few of us have been victims of institutional, legitimised governmental violence. Almost all of us have had the chance to hear the Christian message and respond to it.
The challenge to reach the unreached, the poor, and the persecuted can be overwhelming. However, we must not be lulled into sleep or paralysis. Jesus has given us the power of his Spirit to make a difference in our world. As we demonstrate the values of the kingdom, proclaim the message of the kingdom, and trust in God's power, we will see God's work continue to be an unstoppable force of love, mercy and justice in our generation.
For an excellent web site with up-to-date information on a variety of global issues, click here.
Craig Groeschel is the senior pastor of lifechurch.tv in the USA. I had the privilege of speaking at a conference with him in Chicago a few years ago. I love his heart and spirit. His church is setting an example in the free sharing of resources for the wider church.
Craig's recent article entitled 'Cool is No Longer Cool' posted on his blog is very good. It highlights the need for us to always avoid allowing style to replace substance or hype to replace the Holy Spirit.
Here is a scary article about the use of Biblical texts to justify a recent war. It clearly illustrates the thinking of extreme right-wing fundamentalism at its worst. It sure doesn't represent the heart of Christ or the message of God's kingdom.
Click here to read.
Here are three more principles …
4. Say “No” to Debt.
Proverbs has much to say about avoiding debt. Debt puts a person in bondage and enslaves a person to their creditor (Prov.22:7). Advertising endeavours to make people unhappy with what they have now so that they buy something new or better. This often leads to impulse buying or the purchase of things that are not really needed. Society encourages people to go into debt and tries to make it as easy as possible. Debt can put a person under great pressure as a person which can destroys their peace and their joy. All debt is to be frowned upon except debt for an appreciating asset (such as a mortgage for a home or a start up loan for a good business opportunity). A person is in trouble when they’re spending more money than they are earning. Getting out of debt may require obtaining financial advice, forming a budget, and making some lifestyle changes.
5. Say “Yes” to Savings.
Wisdom says to prepare for the future by establishing a savings and investment plan (Prov.21:10). Only a fool spends all that they have earned. Saving is making provision for tomorrow and is a mark of wisdom. Savings can create freedom, reduce pressure, increase joy, be a powerful witness and enable giving. Becoming a saver requires making a decision to do so, creating a savings plan and then having the discipline to save consistently. Wisdom advises being a steady plodder when it comes to investing (Prov.21:5). If a person spends less than they earn, then saves and invests the difference over a long period of time then their wealth will grow. Consistency over the long haul is they key not just quick bursts of enthusiasm. Financial growth takes time and continued effort. If a person is faithful with what they have now, God promises to give them more.
6. Be a Generous Giver.
Wisdom teaches the importance of being a generous giver both to God’s work and to people in need (Prov.3:9-10). Generous giving is the key to further financial blessing not the result of it (Prov.11:24-25; 22:9). Wisdom teaches a person not to wait until they have a lot of money to start giving, but to give now of what they already have. Wisdom also teaches that it is right and proper to give to the poor and the needy (Prov.14:21; 19:17; 21:13; 28:27; 29:7; 31:20).
These financial principles are very much interrelated. When a person is in debt and has no savings, they miss giving opportunities. When they are moved with compassion to help needy people, they are not able to do it. The Good Samaritan had resources to help a needy person (Lk.10:25-37). Applause should be given not just to his compassion but also to his financial management, which caused him to have discretionary funds to meet the need at hand and more.
God wants his people to have money, but he doesn’t want money to have them. Riches can be a threat to a person’s relationship with God. Money is not the problem. It is the attitude towards it. Money is essential for survival and the expansion of God’s kingdom. God is very interested in money matters. It’s important to Him. He wants to bless individuals and his church too. It depends on a person’s motives, priorities and values.
Reflection Questions
The book of Proverbs contains some excellent wisdom for managing your finances.
Proverbs are not absolute rules for life but rather they are general principles that usually lead to a blessed and happy life. Here are six principles that I gleaned from my reading …
1. Live a Righteous Life.
Wisdom teaches that God watches over those who are righteous and who walk before him in integrity (Prov.13:25; 22:4; 10:22). This does not mean that the righteous will never experience poverty, adversity or suffering (e.g. Job). Life may appear to be unfair at times, especially when righteous people are poor and suffering while ungodly people are rich and blessed. However, in the long run, the righteous will be blessed and the ungodly will be punished. Character lasts forever while wealth is transient and there is coming a day of judgment where all wrongs will be righted (Prov.11:4; 13:22; 23:4-5). There are many more important things than wealth, such as wisdom, knowledge, honour, a good name, and the fear of the Lord (Prov.3:13-16; 8:10-11, 18-21; 16:16-17; 22:1-2). Even a little with these things is better than wealth without them (Prov.15:16-17; 16:8; 17:1; 19:1, 22; 28:6). Unfortunately, our contemporary culture often sees being well off financially as more important than living a godly life. Success is determined more by what a person has than who they are. Many people assess their self-worth by their net-worth. Today’s heroes are often the rich and famous. However, as Jesus once said, “… one’s life does not consist in the abundance of possessions” (Lk.12:15). Wealth and possessions are only temporal (Prov.11:28).
2. Work Diligently.
Proverbs praises diligent hard. Hard work leads to God’s blessing. Diligence brings wealth and profit, as well as personal satisfaction and promotion (Prov.10:4; 13:4; 14:23). Proverbs also condemns and ridicules laziness. Slothfulness frequently results in poverty and scarcity, slavery and bondage, and it never satisfies. Proverbs rebukes the lazy person, often referred to as the “lazybones” (Prov.6:6-11; 20:4; 21:25-26; 24:30-34; 26:14). From the beginning, human work is the God-ordained means by which a person can generate the income necessary to live their life (see Gen. 2:5, 15; Ex.20:9-11). God has given each individual person skills and abilities so that they can use them to serve others in exchange for income (Deut.8:17-18). Christians today should work diligently as unto the Lord, doing their very best to the glory of God (Col.3:23-24). They should develop their skills and abilities, taking responsibility for their own growth and development so that they maximise their God-given potential. Work done well and with a good attitude is rewarded and often leads to promotion (Prov.22:19). When a believer excels in their work, God is honoured. However, work holism and striving to be rich should be avoided (see Prov.23:4-5).
3. Avoid Trying to Get Rich Quickly.
Wisdom teaches avoidance of the pursuit of any activity that promises quick riches (Prov.12:11; 28:20-22; 20:21; 13:11). Wisdom seeks to help a person grow in maturity as their income increases. People who want something for nothing don’t always develop the character necessary to handle it wisely. This can be observed by considering what happens to a person after they win a lot of money through gambling. Usually within a few years, they are back to where they were before. Getting rich quickly seems to be diametrically opposed to God’s financial plan as he connects the acquisition of money to hard work. As they work diligently, their income grows and they can handle it because they’re growing in character and maturity. There are a plethora of schemes today that promise a quick dollar, yet often result in disappointment and financial loss. Believers would do well to exercise wisdom and caution in all their financial dealings and seek to generate income through hard work and wise investments not through get rich quick pursuits.
More tomorrow …
Rick Warren, pastor of Saddleback Church in California, was recently named by TIME magazine as one of the Top 100 influential people in the world today. Rick is the author of the best-selling book 'The Purpose Driven Life' and was also asked to pray at President Obama's recent inauguration.
Below is a transcript of a recent interview by Paul Bradshaw with Rick Warren. He has some insightful things to say.
In the interview, Rick said:
"People ask me, What is the purpose of life? And I respond: In a nutshell, life is preparation for eternity. We were made to last forever, and God wants us to be with Him in Heaven.
One day my heart is going to stop, and that will be the end of my body– but not the end of me. I may live 60 to 100 years on earth, but I am going to spend trillions of years in eternity. This is the warm-up act – the dress rehearsal.
God wants us to practice on earth what we will do forever in eternity. We were made by God and for God, and until you figure that out, life isn't going to make sense.
Life is a series of problems: Either you are in one now, you're just coming out of one, or you're getting ready to go into another one. The reason for this is that God is more interested in your character than your comfort. God is more interested in making your life holy than He is in making your life happy. We can be reasonably happy here on earth, but that's not the goal of life. The goal is to grow in character, in Christ likeness.
This past year has been the greatest year of my life but also the toughest, with my wife getting cancer.
The Commonwealth Government is examining the proposed introduction of a Federal “Charter Of Human Rights” and has appointed Fr. Frank Brennan as Chairperson along with Mary Kostakidis, Mick Palmer and Tammy Williams. They have been tasked with asking the following questions and reporting to the Government.
Many Christians are concerned that such a Charter could limit Christian freedom. As a service to the Christian community, a special event has been organised for those who live in Melbourne by The Australian Christian Lobby, The Melbourne Archdiocese of the Catholic Church and the Church & Nation Committee, Presbyterian Church of Victoria. This event will include a panel based Q &A session with questions submitted in writing on the night.
Date: Wednesday 27th May 2009
Venue: The Chapel, Crossway Baptist Church, Vision Drive, Burwood East
Time: 7.30 pm – 9.30 pm
Enquires: (03) 9018 1782
For full details click here.
Looking for a great gift for a book-loving friend? Looking for some short interesting books for your own reading?
A while back I was given a few cool little books called 'Coffee with …' (there are 14 books in the series so far). Each book is a fictional dramatic dialogue with a well-known person based on biographical facts. They are written by experts on that particular person. It's a fun way to have a relaxed chat with some amazing people and get inside their world a little.
This week I read 'Coffee with Plato', 'Coffee with Michelangelo', and 'Coffee with Einstein'. Hey, I even understand the theory of relativity a little bit better! 🙂
For a literary review, click here.
Maybe one day someone will do something similar with significant Bible characters or influential Christians throughout history. That would be great!
Okay, so I have to have 31 favourite Proverbs.
What are yours?
Here are my final eleven:
Wise people apply knowledge. They bridge the 'knowing – doing' gap. Knowledge doesn't change the world – action does. Most Christians are educated beyond the level of their obedience. Let's be doers of God's word, not hearers only 🙂
How are you enjoying the book of Proverbs?
I have more favourite Proverbs …
Here are another ten:
More wise advice!
Our church family is reading through the book of Proverbs this month – a proverb a day.
For some thoughts on Bible reading, click here and here. Click here for some links to some terrific resources for your Bible reading from our church's web site. Want to know more about Bible translations? Click here. Bible software? Click here.
As we're reading through the book of Proverbs this month, I thought I'd share a few of my favourites (all from the New Living Translation):
Wise advice!
As a teenager growing up I read the book of Proverbs through about 20 times in a period of a few years. The way I did this was to read a Proverb a day according to the date of the month. I sure gained a lot of wisdom for life through my reading and reflection. I learned about important things such as the importance of words, diligent work, handling temptation, anger, financial management, successful relationships and lots more.
During the month of May, which starts today, our church family will be doing the same – reading through the book of Proverbs. Why don’t you join us? We’ll also be sharing a new series of messages on ‘Wisdom for Life’ beginning this coming weekend.
Click here for Bible reading resources, including devotional notes.