A few reflections on Proverbs 1 1. Two things that we need are ‘wisdom’ and ‘discipline’. ‘Wisdom’ is living from God’s perspective on life and ‘discipline’ is having the character to consistently do what you know is right. 2. We must have a hunger for wisdom and pursue it. Fearing God is the first step … Continue reading Reflection on Proverbs 1
I think it is quite significant that two big-time movies helped to kick off 2013: Les Miserables (based on the classic novel by Victor Hugo), which is about living life as forgiven people who forgive others, letting go of revenge and embracing redemption, and The Hobbit (based on the book by J.R.R. Tolkein), which is … Continue reading Your Life is an Adventure
In Matthew 11:28-30, Jesus is quoted as saying, "Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke fits perfectly, … Continue reading An Invitation from Jesus (Reflections on Matthew 11:28-30)
It’s that time again — the beginning of a new year when people resolve to make some changes in their lives. New Year’s resolutions are certainly nothing new. In fact, for many people, they are the same year after year. Making and breaking resolutions is something of a tradition. A new study from the Barna … Continue reading The Changing Shape of Temptation (Barna Report)
I really enjoyed the insights from this BLOG post on leadership by David M.Dye ... A mature bonsai tree commands attention. With just one tree a master evokes an entire landscape and tells a story of power, perseverance, struggle, or abundance. As I’ve studied bonsai, I realized that the art of growing these trees has … Continue reading Leadership Lessons from the Bonsai (Guest Post)
The pool of those living beyond 100 – the centenarians of society - is increasing in leaps and bounds (70,000 in USA in 2007 increasing to 834,000 in 2050; over 4,252 in Australia as of June, 2011, up from 203 just 40 years ago). Demographers are now starting to the number of ‘super-centenarians’ – people over the age of … Continue reading Stages of Life (Late Adulthood)
The Gospel of Matthew records five main teaching discourses from Jesus. Matthew 5-7 is Jesus' call to righteousness, which is about doing the will of God. Jesus is teaching his disciples and the multitudes from the mountain. Jesus begins with what is commonly called The Beatitudes which are the blessings of God (Matt.5:1-12). The Latin word for "blessed" isbeati. … Continue reading You’re Blessed!
In medieval times the Catholic worldview of the human life span was often depicted as a circle. In the centre was the image of Christ. Around this divine hub, were illustrations of the different ages of life from infancy to the grave. Each age, like a spoke, was equidistant from the hub. This suggested that every point in … Continue reading Stages of Life (Mature Adulthood)
Like the sun sweeping through the sky, midlife (ages 35-50) is like noon-time, dividing the first and second halves of life. At the stroke of noon, the descent begins. Note that what we consider midlife, was for most of history in fact the end of life for most people. As recently as 1900, the life span of the average adult in … Continue reading Stages of Life (Midlife)
Early Adulthood (20-35 years of age) is a time of leaving the familiar world of family, parents, community, school and entering the big unknown world. It is a break with the past and a move into future. Of course, the very term "adult" is very hard to define. When do you become an adult? When … Continue reading Stages of Life (Early Adulthood)
Adolescence (13-19 years of age) refers to the teenage years - the hazardous passage from childhood to adulthood. One way to describe this journey is like ‘rapids’ along a river. Things may get rough for a while but if you hang on and don't panic, everything will eventually smooth out again. Physically, this is a … Continue reading Stages of Life (Adolescence)
As we begin the new year, it is a good thing to "number our days" (Psalm 90:12) - to reflect on and give consideration to our life. Life is short and wise people live from God's perspective, understanding that what we do in time echoes into eternity. Students of human development would be aware of … Continue reading Stages of Life (Childhood)
Reading your Bible each day is a terrific way to experience God as well as to learn his ways and wisdom for life. This year our church is reading through the New Testament and the books of Psalms and Proverbs. As we read the written word (the Greek word logos), we position ourselves for the … Continue reading Bible Reading Tools
Happy New Year! Aren't you glad that life isn't just one long unchanging time-period. God has divided time into days so that every 24 hours we have a fresh start. Then there is the new week, the new month and the new year. Each new year is a new beginning, the start of a new … Continue reading Happy New Year – 2013
As we prepare to finish another year and start a new one, it’s always good to pause and reflect. There are so many things to think about – our relationship with God, our relationship with people, our sense of contribution and life purpose, as well the seasons and stages of our life. In many ways, … Continue reading New Habits for a New Year
