Here are some Bible verses to reflect on during times in the day when you just want to ... breathe ... Take a breath. Be refreshed. Genesis 2:1-3. So the creation of the heavens and the earth and everything in them was completed. On the seventh day God had finished his work of creation, … Continue reading Breathe …
A good friend of mine baked some bread a few weekends ago and forgot to put the yeast in on the first attempt. It didn't rise, even though all the other ingredients were there. One missing ingredient can prevent everything from working well together. In life and ministry, that ingredient is faith - full trust and confidence … Continue reading The Missing Ingredient
Life seems to be getting busier, faster, and more complex. Before you know it, you can feel tired, stressed, exhausted, and just plain out of breath. That’s why it’s so important to pause frequently - just to breathe. Maybe you feel “out of breath” (exhausted or gasping for breath) or even winded. Take some time to … Continue reading Breathe
Story is an excellent metaphor for understanding your life. A story has a beginning, a middle, and an end. It has a theme, characters, subplots, trajectory, tone and genre. It helps to see your story as a subplot in the bigger story that we call “history”, which is really about God’s story in the world. … Continue reading Storyline: Understand Your Story
Near the end of his first letter to the church at Corinth, the apostle Paul wrote this: 1 Corinthains 15:58. With all this going for us, my dear, dear friends, stand your ground. And don't hold back. Throw yourselves into the work of the Master, confident that nothing you do for him is a waste … Continue reading A Word of Encouragement this Week
A few days ago one of our family members was very sick. In fact, so sick we had to take them to hospital. It turned out they had caught a strong infection and simply needed a good dose of antibiotics to kill it off. Thankfully, they are better now. After this, I was thinking how susceptible … Continue reading Fighting Spiritual Infection
This coming Sunday is Mother's Day. I realise that this can be a difficult day for some people. Maybe your mother passed away recently, or you don’t have a good relationship with your mum, or maybe you always wanted to become a mum and it hasn’t happened. Our thoughts and prayers go out to you. … Continue reading Mother’s Day
Mission is the activity of God himself. It has its source not in the church but in the very nature of God. Mission is not just an activity or a department of the church. It is an attribute or a character quality of God. God is a missionary God. [The word “mission” is not used … Continue reading Mission: The Work of God
William Carey was one of the main instruments in God’s hand for the restoration of mission into the mainstream of Protestant Christianity through his writing, emphasis on prayer for world evangelisation and promotion of practical structures for mission. He was not the first to preach on missions, but he was the one used by God … Continue reading William Carey, the Father of Modern Missions
What Happened to Missions? D espite the clarity of Jesus' commission to his followers, we have seen a “marginalisation of mission” over the last 2,000 years. 1. Mission has been belittled in the church. Many Christians have inherited mindset in church that has almost excluded mission altogether or has pushed it to the sideline of what church is … Continue reading Whatever Happened to Mission?
The dominant theme of Jesus' last 40 days on earth was world evangelisation and included a Great Commission: Matthew 24:14. And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come. NIV Acts 1:8. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on … Continue reading The Biblical Basis of World Impact
No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him. But it was to us that God revealed these things by his Spirit. 1 Corinthians 2:9-10. “For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good … Continue reading God’s Purposes
An open doorOpportunity knocksSomeone callingA mountain to climb Divine opportunity?Or nice distraction?Hard to tellDifficult to know Did it choose me?Or did I choose it?Is my heart leading? Or simply following the lead? Am I writing the script?Or just reading what’s already there?Am I in control?Or just fulfilling my role? Creator or creature?Director or actor?Leader or follower?Yes … Continue reading Opportunity
Easter is here again and with it a holiday weekend, chocolate eggs and enough shopping sales to tempt any credit-card carrying buyer. What’s it really all about? All around the world, around two billion Christians will take time this weekend to reflect on and give thanks for the work that Jesus Christ accomplished through his … Continue reading Jesus is ALIVE! (Easter 2014)
A few encouraging thoughts from Psalm 37: Trust in the Lord and do good. Then you will live safely in the land and prosper (vs.3). Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you your heart’s desires (vs.4). Commit everything you do to the Lord. Trust him, and he will help you (vs.5) Be … Continue reading Psalm 37
