December 2014 - Mark Conner

December 30, 2014 Mark Conner Bible

Proverbs 30

The final week of the year is under way and today we glean some more wisdom from the book of Proverbs. Here are a few thoughts from Proverbs 30 in the Message Bible.

Vs.8-9. Give me enough food to live on, neither too much nor too little. If I'm too full, I might get independent, saying, 'God? Who needs him?' If I'm poor, I might steal and dishonor the name of my God.

The value of moderation and contentment are reinforced. When is enough enough? There is much more to life than riches. Jesus echoed this warning when he said, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions (Luke 12:15)."

Vs.13. Don't be stuck–up and think you're better than everyone else.

Pride repels people, as does arrogance. In contrast, humility is attractive. Humility is not thinking less of ourselves but thinking less of ourselves less. It acknowledges that God and others play a huge part in anything we achieve or become.

Vs.24-28. There are four small creatures, wisest of the wise they are: ants – frail as they are, get plenty of food in for the winter; marmots (a coney or rock badger) – vulnerable as they are, manage to arrange for rock–solid homes; locusts – leaderless insects, yet they strip the field like an army regiment; lizards – easy enough to catch, but they sneak past vigilant palace guards.

All of God's creation speaks – stars, burning bushes and animals. Which animal speaks to you today – the ant, rock badger, locust or lizard? God's wisdom is all around us.

We are told of Solomon that he was the wiser than anyone else who lived at his time. The writer of the historical book of 1 Kings tells us, "Solomon composed some 3,000 proverbs and wrote 1,005 songs. He could speak with authority about all kinds of plants, from the great cedar of Lebanon to the tiny hyssop that grows from cracks in a wall. He could also speak about animals, birds, small creatures, and fish. And kings from every nation sent their ambassadors to listen." Notice that wisdom was not just a gift of God that he received without effort but also something he acquired through observation and reflection on God's world.

Slow down a little today. Look around you. Observe God's world. What is he telling you today?

December 29, 2014 Mark Conner Personal Development

Getting Ready for a New Year

Another year is about to finish and a new one is about to begin. At these transitions between the seasons it's a good time to stop and reflect on the past, review the present, and plan for the future. Unfortuantely, in our fast-paced world those are important activities than we can easily neglect, to our own detriment.

I have written a series of BLOG posts that may be of assistance to you in going through this process. They are called Planning for the New Year. Why not set aside some time to read and then apply what you learn.

I pray that next year will be your next year yet, as you learn the lessons of this last year and discern God's will for you at this stage of your life journey!

Psalm 90:12. Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom. NIV

December 25, 2014 Mark Conner Special Events

Christ’s Christmas Gift – Peace

Today is Christmas and people all around the world will be giving and receiving gifts of all kinds.

Jesus offers us a gift today – something incredibly valuable that he alone can give.

John 14:27. I am leaving you with a gift — peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid. NLT

I pray that you will experience that deep and genuine peace in your heart and life today, no matter what circumstance you might find yourself in.

December 23, 2014 Mark Conner Special Events

Essence: What is Most Important?

It is important in every aspect of life to understand what is essential/central and what is peripheral/unessential. Only by knowing what is essential can you truly make sense of life and live it to the full. As we begin a New Year, we step into the future. As we do so, we want to ask an ancient and foundational question: "What is most important?"

As Christians following Jesus, we need to get back to the essence of our faith. In doing so, we can surround these essential parts of our faith with all other aspects of life. While we are making New Year’s resolutions we want to make an internal revolution. We make resolutions according to what we value and consider important.

During January at CityLife Church, we will be looking at the essence of our faith and asking how we can get back to the basics better in 2015. Often we don’t need a new idea or plan; we just need to stay faithful at the original idea and plan found in Jesus. Journey with us as we discover the essence of life, faith and community.

Essence (definition): the basic, real, and invariable nature of a thing or its significant individual feature or features.

1 Corinthians 13:13. Three things will last forever — faith, hope, and love — and the greatest of these is love. NLT

1 John 5:11. This is the testimony in essence: God gave us eternal life; the life is in his Son. So, whoever has the Son, has life; whoever rejects the Son, rejects life. MB

Matthew 22:37-40. You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment.A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbour as yourself.’ The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments. NLT

December 23, 2014 Mark Conner Bible

Proverbs 23

This week's wisdom for life comes to us from Proverbs 23 in the Message Bible.

Vs.4-5. Don't wear yourself out trying to get rich; restrain yourself! Riches disappear in the blink of an eye; wealth sprouts wings and flies off into the wild blue yonder.

There is far more to life than money! When is enough enough? I'll never forget going to Africa for the first time with our family back in 2007. We did some ministry there and also visited some orphanages. I'll never forget what one of my children said to me afterwards: "Dad, these people have so little but they are so happy. Back home we have so much stuff but we don't have the same joy." How true. Learn the art of contentment. Be grateful for the breath you are breathing now, for life, for God, for friends, and for meaning and purpose.

Vs.20-21. Don't drink too much wine and get drunk; don't eat too much food and get fat. Drunks and gluttons will end up on skid row, in a stupor and dressed in rags.

Too much of anything, even good things, starts to control us and we become dependent, or even addicted, to it. There is wisdom in moderation. What has taken a hold of you lately that you need to break free from?

Vs.22. Listen with respect to the father who raised you, and when your mother grows old, don't neglect her.

Mark Twain once said, "When I was young I didn't think my old man knew very much but by the time I'd turned 21 years of age I was surprised how much he'd learned in a few years!" How true. The older we become the more we should appreciate our parents. They weren't perfect but they did the best job they could. Each one of them have a story and the more we understand that story the more we will understand our own story and how they have helped to shape it. Continue to honour and respect your parents through each season of life. Remember, they gave you life.

Vs.23. Buy truth – don't sell it for love or money; buy wisdom, buy education, buy insight.

Once again, the worth of wisdom is extolled. What are you pursuing? Wisdom is found in a person, Jesus Christ – the personification of wisdom. The apostle Paul declared, "In Christ are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge (Colossians 2:3)." May you find hope, meaning, love, and wisdom in Christ for your life today.

December 22, 2014 Mark Conner Poetry, Spirituality

The Joy of HOME

"Christ is in me, and I in Christ.

In Christ, my home, I belong – I see and am seen, I hear and am heard, I love and am loved – I belong.

In Christ, my home, I am safe – there is nothing that separates me from Him.

In Christ, my home, I have purpose – my purpose is to share the joy of home.

I am in Christ and Christ is in me – in Christ I have the joy of home – for He is the home of joy."

By Nicole Conner

December 21, 2014 Mark Conner Humour

Was Jesus a Swede?

Did you hear the funny story about a 5 year old girl who thought Jesus was a Swede?

This cute little girl was helping set the family table one Sunday near Christmas. She stopped for a moment and announced, “Jesus was a Swede.” More than a little surprised, her mum corrected her, “Oh, no, dear, Jesus was Jewish. I'll read it to you from the Bible after lunch.” Pensively, she laid out the silverware. Then her face brightened. “Mummy, I can prove it to you! We sang about it in children’s church this morning.” Triumphantly she sang, "Away in a manger, no crib for a bed, the little Lord Jesus lay down his Swede head."

Ah, the joys of Christmas carol lyrics. They can be confusing some times 🙂

December 18, 2014 Mark Conner Relationships, Special Events

Dealing with Grief at Christmas Time

Christmas is a joyful time for most people. But for some it can be a difficult time, especially for those who have lost a loved one. Christmas reminds them of what or who is gone. The pain of that grief can be quite unbearable.

I had my first major encounter with grief when I lost my mother suddenly back in 1990. I had to navigate through all the ordinary stages of grief and it wasn't easy. The first Christmas after this was a painful time. Mum wasn't there any more and she wasn't coming back.

Let's be sensitive this year to those around us who may be in pain or grief. They may not be experiencing the joy and sense of celebration that we are. Reach out to them in love and compassion.

Prominent American church pastor, Rick Warren, and his wife Kay, experienced the unexpected death of their son Matthew not long ago. Kay recently wrote as article "Stop Sending Cheery Christmas Cards". Well worth reading and well worth heeding.

December 16, 2014 Mark Conner Bible

Proverbs 16

It's time to pause and reflect on more wisdom from the book of Proverbs. Today we dive into Proverbs 16 in the Message Bible.

Vs.3. Put God in charge of your work, then what you've planned will take place.

It's so easy do life by ourselves and only refer to God when things are going wrong. Instead, choose to start the day with God and include Him is all you are doing. Ask Him for wisdom and guidance. Make Him your Senior Partner.

Vs.10. A good leader motivates, doesn't mislead, doesn't exploit.

Christian leadership expert John Maxwell once said, "Manipulation is when a leader moves people for personal advantage while motivation is when a leader moves people for mutual advantage." That's a good insight for clarifying our motives.

Vs.11. God cares about honesty in the workplace; your business is his business.

Everything is spiritual and everything is sacred to God. Don't buy into the dualism that talks about the 'secular' and the 'sacred'. Include God in your work and make your environment a place where kingdom values shine through.

Vs.13. Good leaders cultivate honest speech; they love advisors who tell them the truth.

Honesty is always the best policy. Practice truth-telling. Good leaders always start by defining reality. That takes some robust conversations!

Vs.16. Get wisdom – it's worth more than money; choose insight over income every time.

Once again, the viture of Wisdom is extolled. What did you learn from your experience of life yesterday? What are you doing to gain more wisdom today?

Vs.18. First pride, then the crash – the bigger the ego, the harder the fall.

Humble people don't think less of themsleves, they just think of themselves less. Be on the guard for pride. Always recognise that God and others are contributors to any success we achieve in life.

Vs.25. There's a way that looks harmless enough; look again––it leads straight to hell.

Wisdom involves looking ahead to see long-term consequences of choices and actions. It includes the discipline of delayed gratification. Sometimes that means choosing pain now for pelasure later.

Vs.32. Moderation is better than muscle, self–control better than political power.

How is your level of self-control? Are you able to say 'no' when you need to? If not, what could strengthen that muscle. Try some self-denial, including periods of fasting, which help to train and strengthen our will.

December 14, 2014 Mark Conner Special Events

Christmas JOY

Luke was a doctor who lived in the first century. Like most doctors, Luke valued facts and obtaining accurate information. That's why he spent so much time interviewing people and talking to eye-witnesses when he prepared to write his Gospel record of the life of Jesus Christ. Let's read some of the Christmas story as he recalls it for us …

That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep. Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terrified, but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David! And you will recognize him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger.” Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others—the armies of heaven—praising God and saying, “Glory to God in highest heaven and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased." Luke 2:8-14. NLT

Here are these shepherds out in the fields minding their own business when suddenly an unidentified dazzling object appears in front of them. It's an angel and the shepherds are terrified! The angel's opening words are, "Don't be afraid". I'm sure the shepherds were thinking, "You've just scared the living daylights out of us and you'll telling us not to be afraid!"

Anyway, once everything had calmed down, the angel delivered his message: "I bring you good news of great joy for all people …" The Christmas message is just that – good news of great joy for all people.

JOY is a major theme of the Christmas story and that's something we all need. I've never met a person whose aim in life was to be sad, depressed and grumpy. Ask the average person on the street what they want out of life and most of them will say something like, "I want to be happy!" We all long for joy.

Interestingly, we look for JOY in many different places:

Some of us look for joy in stuff – in things. There is an entire advertising industry designed to make us dissatisfied with what we have now and to make us believe that if we buy what they are selling we will know true joy. Kids are getting pretty exicted about opening those Christmas presents next week. That will bring great joy! But most parents know that in a week or so, many of those same toys will be lying around and the joy will have diminished, at least a little.
Some of us look for joy in pleasure – fun. Maybe it's going to a movie, visiting a sports game, or that big Christmas meal. Oh, the great joy of that delicious roast turkey and pavlova. But in an hour or so, for many that great joy will have turned into great pain as we suffer the consequences of eating just a little to much!
Some of us look for joy in achievement – acquiring that job, getting that promotion, or winning that game. But within a year or so, the joy of those achievements often fade.

Joy is quite elusive. It's hard to find and even when we do, it's hard to hold on to.

Interestingly, all of these sources of joy are external. They require some coniditon or circumstance outside of us in order for us to be happy. But Christmas brings us a JOY that is not based on certain circumstances. It is found in a person – Jesus, the Saviour and Lord of the world. Paradoxically, when we receive Him we can know joy even in the midst of challenge, adversity or pain.

So this Christmas, I pray that you will make room in your life to receive joy – the joy that is in Jesus.

I also pray that you will choose joy and then keeping choosing joy every day of your life. Joy can so easily be stolen away – by irritations, worries, anger, or the offences of other people. Always ask, "Is this worth losing my joy over?" More often than not, it isn't.

Be grateful, be hopeful, be worshipful and be joyful. Then spread that joy to others … this Christmas.

Quotes about JOY

"Joy is the infallible sign of the presence of God." Teilhard de Chardin

"Joy is a byproduct of life with God. Joy is not found by seeking it as an end in itself. It must be given by God. Joy comes with God's presence.” Tremper Longman III

"Joy does not simply happen to us. We have to choose joy and keep choosing it every day." Henri Nouwen

"Most folks are about as happy as they make up their minds to be." Abraham Lincoln

December 14, 2014 Mark Conner Church

LEGO – the Exponential Impact of Connection

Yesterday we talked about some lessons from LEGOLAND.

LEGO is so simple yet when individual bricks are joined together with others, they can contribute to the creation of something quite amazing and complex.

Think about this:

Two 8 stud LEGO blocks can be combined in 24 different ways (remember that LEGO bricks can connect at the top and the bottom).
Three 8 stud LEGO blocks can be combined in 1,060 different ways.
Six 8 stud LEGO blocks can be combined in over 102 million different ways!

Like LEGO, we have different capacities but yet with endless possibilities. Connect with God each day and connect with others around you. Be a part of the church that God is building. Everything really is awesome when you are part of a team.

December 13, 2014 Mark Conner Church

Lessons from LEGOLAND

LEGO was invented in 1947 by a carpenter from Denmark by the name of Ole Kirk Christiansen. Before this breakthrough idea for a plastic toy, he suffered many challenges and setbacks, including his wife dying, a factory fire, and navigating the depth of the Great Depression. Today, LEGO is one of the top 50 brands in the world, it's a word in our dictionary, it's now a major movie, and most homes would have a few LEGO blocks laying around somewhere. LEGO has become a timeless toy for kids of all ages. Interestingly, Ole Kirk was a Christian and said that his faith in God and the support of his local church helped him through his darkest hours.

What lessons can we learn from LEGO for our lives today?

Let's read some words from the apostle Paul first:

Ephesians 2:19-22 That’s plain enough, isn’t it? You’re no longer wandering exiles. This kingdom of faith is now your home country. You’re no longer strangers or outsiders. You belong here, with as much right to the name Christian as anyone. God is building a home. He’s using us all—irrespective of how we got here—in what he is building. He used the apostles and prophets for the foundation. Now he’s using you, fitting you in brick by brick (a prophetic reference to LEGO?), stone by stone, with Christ Jesus as the cornerstone that holds all the parts together. We see it taking shape day after day—a holy temple built by God, all of us built into it, a temple in which God is quite at home. MB

Paul refers to followers of Christ as (1) citizens of a new kingdom (no longer foreigners), (2) members of God's family (no longer orphans), and (3) bricks in the building God is constructing (no longer aimless) – his church. As a result of this amazing change, gratitude is the most appropriate response, along with taking serious our new responsibilities.

Like LEGO we were designed to CONNECT – upwards to God and downwards to people. Everything really is awesome when you're part of a team.

Here are a few lessons from LEGOLAND that I shared with our church a few weeks back as we honoured the 2,615 volunteers who have served faithfully in our various ministries this year.

1. You are a part of the church Jesus is building. If you are a Christian, the question is not IF you are a part of the church but whether you have responded to God's call? Ministry is not optional for disciples of Jesus. We all have such great potential in God.

2. You have a unique contribution to make. Each of us has a unique SHAPE – Spiritual gifts, Heart (or area of passion), Abilities, Personality and Experience. Pray about your contribution, explore the possibilities, experiment with as many areas as you can, examine your feelings, evaluate your effectiveness, and expect confirmation from others.

3. The church is incomplete without your involvement. Like a puzzle with a missing piece or a LEGO construction with one missing part, you are needed! Everyone may not be prominent but everyone is significant in God's work.

4. You will be rewarded for the work that you do. We don't give in order to get but in giving we do receive. As we serve, we grow personally, we often make great friends, we have the privilege of contributing to others, and God is pleased. There is an immediate and an eternal reward for using our gifts to benefit others.

So, what's your next step? As we each do our part, the church of Jesus Christ will be filled with his presence and be a light to our needy world.

December 11, 2014 Mark Conner Books, Personal Development

Book Review: The Essentialist – The Disciplined Pursuit of Less

One of the best books I have read over the last few months is The Essentialist – The Disciplined Pursuit of Less by Greg McKeown. It is a very challenging book that forces you to think through what is most important in life (the essentials) and focus on that, often requiring the elimination of the less important (the trivial).

Here are a few excerpts:

The Problem

We stretched too thin, overworked, busy but not productive, constantly in motion, never getting anywhere and trying to please everyone. The way out is becoming an Essentialist. It’s not a time-management strategy, but rather a systematic discipline to apply every time you are faced with a decision. By applying a more selective criteria for what is essential, the pursuit of less allows you to regain control of our choices so you can make the highest possible contribution towards the things that really matter.

The wisdom of life consists in the elimination of non-essentials – Lin Yutang

The Way of the Essentialist

The difference between the way of the Essentialist and the way of the non-Essentialist can be seen through the image above on the left – a circle with short arrows going out from it in multiple directions compared with the same circle to the right – with a single long arrow focused in one direction. In both images the same amount of effort is exerted.

In the first image, the energy is divided into many different activities. The result is we have the unfulfilling experience of making a millimetre of progress in a million directions. In the second image, the energy is given to fewer activities. The result is that by investing in fewer things we have the satisfying experience of making significant progress in the things that matter most. The way of the Essentialist rejects the idea that we can fit it all in. Instead it requires us to grapple with real trade-offs and make tough decisions. In many cases we can learn to make one-time decisions that make a thousand future decisions so we don’t exhaust ourselves asking the same questions again and again.

The way of the Essentialist means living by design, not by default. The Essentialist distinguishes the vital few from the trivial many, eliminates the non-essentials, and then removes obstacles so the essential things have clear, smooth passage. In other words, Essentialism is a disciplined, systematic approach for determining where our highest point of contribution lies, then making execution of those things almost effortless.

If you don’t prioritise your life, someone else will. There are too many forces conspiring to keep us from applying the discipline pursuit of less but better. No wonder so many bright, smart, capable individuals remain snared in the death grip of the non-essential.

– – – – -

This is a book about priorities – what is truly important. But more than that, it does an insightful job at helping unpack the mentality of those who truly do what is important and those who don't. This can lead to some powerful mind renewal and eventual life transformation. This is vital for us who are Christ followers, as Jesus himself told us, "Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness (Matthew 6:33)." When Jesus hung on the cross he cried out, "It is finished!" No, he didn't do everything that could be done but he did do excatly what the Father has sent him to do. That was enough. Jesus was the ultimate Essentialist!

December 9, 2014 Mark Conner Bible

Proverbs 9

We continue to today with insights from our Proverb of the week, Proverbs 9, from the Message Bible.

Vs.4-6. Are you confused about life, don't know what's going on? Come with me, oh come, have dinner with me! I've prepared a wonderful spread – fresh–baked bread, roast lamb, carefully selected wines. Leave your impoverished confusion and live! Walk up the street to a life with meaning.

Once again, Wisdom calls out to us. Will we turn aside? Will we listen and learn? A multitude of voices clamour for our attention. So much noise and so many distractions. How easy to walk on by, to get caught up in the busyness and miss the simplicity of Wisdom. It's our choice.

Vs.10. Skilled living gets its start in the Fear–of–God, insight into life from knowing a Holy God.

The fear of the Lord is the awareness that God is always with us. If we could live with this awareness on a constant basis, imagine how much smarter we would be. Think about how infinitely better our choices would be.

Vs.11-12. It's through me, Lady Wisdom, that your life deepens, and the years of your life ripen. Live wisely and wisdom will permeate your life; mock life and life will mock you.

True Wisdom is seeing life from God's perspective. Knowledge is possession of the facts. Understanding of comprehension of the facts. Wisdom is knowing what to do with what we know. That alone comes from God. Ask for wisdom today.

Vs.13-18. Then there's this other woman, Madame Whore – brazen, empty–headed, frivolous. She sits on the front porch of her house on Main Street, And as people walk by minding their own business, calls out, "Are you confused about life, don't know what's going on? Steal off with me, I'll show you a good time! No one will ever know – I'll give you the time of your life." But they don't know about all the skeletons in her closet, that all her guests end up in hell.

The Temptress is always at work, seeking to allure us into the dangers of lust. She's so attractive but in the end sin stings and leads to death. Don't take the bait. There's always a hook. Be smart. Walk on by …

December 8, 2014 Mark Conner Books, Spirituality

God is with you NOW

Here is a quote from Gregory Boyd's helpful book Present Perfect: Finding God in the Now.

When many Christians first hear about the practice of the presence of God, it strikes them as an impossible discipline. Perhaps supersaints locked up in monasteries can attain this level of awareness, but not us average folk who work nine-to-five jobs and raise families! It’s hard enough to pray ten minutes a day and make it to church once a week! For us ordinary Christians, trying to remain aware of God’s presence moment-by-moment seems like a hyperspiritual pipe dream. Are you awake? If you’re inclined to feel this way, it might be because, like everyone else in modern Western culture, you’ve been brainwashed by what is called “the secular worldview.” In this view of the world, what’s real, or at least what’s important, is the physical here-and-now. When we’re brainwashed by this worldview, we experience the world as though God did not exist, for we habitually exclude him from our awareness. We may still believe in God, of course, but he’s not real to us most of the time. Because of this we go about our day-to-day lives as functional atheists. We may pray and worship God on occasion, but these are “special times,” isolated from our “normal,” secular day-to-day life. So thoroughly are we brainwashed by the secular mind-set that the very suggestion that we could routinely experience the world in a way that includes God strikes us as impossible.

May you live with a greater awareness of God truly being "with you" today and all through the coming week!