Ross Abraham

Day 20

2011-01-22T07:16:00.002+10:00

Rom 12
¹²Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.

This could almost become our code of life, that by what we live by. Rejoice, patience and constant prayer. Life isn't resolved by spasmodic prayer based on circumstantial faith but a relentless, persistent practise of seeking God regardless of the circumstance.
If we find ourselves in a constant prayer life we will also find ourselves in a joyful life, we will discover new patience in tough times. Our stamina in prayer increases as we pray more often. The reason why we are unable to sustain spiritual activity is that our stamina in that area is not high.

Day 19

2011-01-21T08:15:00.002+10:00

Rom 1
⁸First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is proclaimed in all the world. ⁹ For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I mention you

Paul had never been to Rome but when he did eventually arrive it became the place of some of the important NT writings. Even though he had never met the people he prayed for them. Sometimes we can feel that our praying for others, even those we don't even know that we pray for in a prayer request, can seem a waste. But Paul receives incredible revelation whilst praying for others. His prayers also opened doors to him. Our passion prayers today are an indicator of what awaits tomorrow. At Elevation we have prayed for 4 years to have a church in the Tweed district, we have prayed for a people that we didn't know but now they are our future congregation in our new facility.

Day 18

2011-01-20T07:20:00.002+10:00

Matt 6
7 And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words.

God isn’t moved by the number of our words

God is not moved by the choice of our words

God is not moved the length of our prayers

You don’t conduct relationship with formulas and memorized lines. You don’t move the heart of God with our rhetoric, you move the heart of God with your humility, you move the heart of God with your brokenness, you move the heart of God with the fact that you have turned up.

Day 17

2011-01-19T07:12:00.002+10:00

Ps 34
¹⁰ The young lions suffer want and hunger; but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing.

Resource comes to those who seek God.Even the king of the jungle will go hungry and go without. However no matter what the circumstances, those who seek God will never lack anything good. God makes sure that we dont lack just because we seek him. The desires and dreams of our hearts become a reality as we seek the Lord.

Day 16

2011-01-18T05:49:00.002+10:00

Acts 20
³⁶And when he had said these things, he knelt down and prayed with them all. ³⁷ there was much weeping on the part of all;And they embraced Paul and kissed him, ³⁸being sorrowful most of all because of the word he had spoken, that they would not see his face again.

Their "father" was leaving them and they may never hear from him again. His last act, his final words, the parting comment needed to to leave a mark on the leaders of the Ephesian church. What could Paul say or give that would cause them never to forget?
Money? Encouragement? How about prayer! He prays for them all! Was this each member individually? Sometimes our best gift isn't the wisdom of our words but its simply our faith.

Day 15

2011-01-17T16:23:00.001+10:00

Acts 16
²⁵ About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them, ²⁶and suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken. And immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone’s bonds were unfastened.

Oh to pray so fervently, so passionately that the very foundations of peoples problems shake. That the very core of demonic strongholds are unfastened. Where people with cancer are set free, where broken relationships are restored, God give us this kind of prayer! Immediately things happened, this is the kind of faith that I am after. Why don't you stop and ask God now, "Lord help me to prayer foundation shaking, door opening and bondage unfastening prayers.

Day 14

2011-01-16T05:27:00.002+10:00

Acts 16
²⁵ About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them, ²⁶and suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken. And immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone’s bonds were unfastened.

What are you normally doing at midnight? Paul and Silas beaten and bruised thrown into the belly of a prison are praying and singing. What's your first response when you are cast into the depths? Anger, questions of "Why me", or finger pointing. Singing today for what we desire tomorrow is a vital key in living a faith filled life. If we wait to see it before we can pray and sing then our faith is circumstantial but if we can nurture a song of praise daily and prayer in our hearts then regardless of whether we are in the prison or the palace we can overcome.

Day 13

2011-01-15T07:28:00.002+10:00

Acts 16
¹⁶As we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a slave girl who had a spirit of divination and brought her owners much gain by fortune-telling. ¹⁷She followed Paul and us, crying out, "These men are servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to you the way of salvation." ¹⁸And this she kept doing for many days. Paul, having become greatly annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, "I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her." And it came out that very hour.

It never ceases to amaze me how many times "on the way to prayer" distractions come my way. Did I remember to turn the oven off? Is there a email waiting for me? I will just fix this first! Not only are we distracted from prayer we are also attacked against finding the place of prayer. Like what confronted Paul in this scripture we to need to take authority over whatever it is that is trying to divert us away from the place of intimacy.

Day 12

2011-01-14T06:18:00.001+10:00

Acts 16
¹³And on the Sabbath day we went outside the gate to the riverside, where we supposed there was a place of prayer, and we sat down and spoke to the women who had come together.

Why is it that the women had come to pray? Why does it always seem a struggle to get more men at a prayer meeting? Women seem more easily given to prayer maybe because a man's ego doesn't give itself to the concept of depending on another. A man wont look at instructions, he wont ask for directions and avoids seeking help. That aside the women that gathered were used by God to lay a strong foundation for one of the great churches, the Philippian church.

Day 11

2011-01-13T04:46:00.001+10:00

Acts 13:2-3
² While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” ³ So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off.

Its better to be "sent" then to "went". Many people just leave a church because of offense or because their life is void of spiritual life so they just slip out the back door, others have a vision and because they cant get the pastor to support them they uproot and leave. But here during a season of prayer and fasting Barnabas and Saul (Paul) are sowed out. When you are sown you go with the strength of the sower. A farmer only sows seed that he expects a harvest from. Prayer and fasting humbles us so we can be sent not just went.

Day 10

2011-01-12T08:14:00.002+10:00

^{Acts 10
9}The next day, as they were on their journey and approaching the city, Peter went up on the housetop about the sixth hour to pray.

Your bedroom, kitchen, a study, office, in the park, on the beach the place doesn't matter because there is never a place that prayer cant go. As long as we have our rooftop somewhere! The person committed to prayer will always find a place to pray. Peter climbs to the rooftop to pray where God drops a vision in his heart about reaching the gentiles, this rooftop moment changed Peter and the spread of the gospel forever. What is God waiting to drop into our hearts that will change us forever? Find your rooftop.

Day 9

2011-01-11T18:48:00.002+10:00

Acts 10
1At Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion of what was known as the Italian Cohort, 2a devout man who feared God with all his household, gave alms generously to the people, and prayed continually to God. 3 About the ninth hour of the day he saw clearly in a vision an angel of God come in and say to him, "Cornelius." 4And he stared at him in terror and said, "What is it, Lord?" And he said to him, "Your prayers and your alms have ascended as a memorial before God.

A memorial is something that provokes the memory of a thing. Our prayers and our giving ascend to God and become a memorial or they provoke God to remember us. Think about that our prayers reside in a place in heaven. God has a heavenly warehouse full of the generosity of our prayers and of our sowing, they form a place in the mind of God.

Day 8

2011-01-10T05:00:00.002+10:00

^{Acts 12:5
5}So Peter was kept in prison, but earnest prayer for him was made to God by the church.

Thank God for the church! People may knock it, they may criticize it but when it works there is nothing more powerful. In this verse the church never petitioned to have Peter released, they didn't write to the government, they prayed. All of us need to find our knees for others. Prayer isn't something done by the person up the front but its lived out by all of us its lived out by the church. Whats sad is that it often takes a crisis like imprisonment to arouse people to pray and yet everyday there are people imprisoned spiritually all over the world.
You will never keep yourself happy by trying to keep your "self" happy. Live generously and find your knees for others.

Day 7

2011-01-09T07:21:00.002+10:00

^{Acts 9
40}But Peter put them all outside, and knelt down and prayed; and turning to the body he said, "Tabitha, arise." And she opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter she sat up.

We must fill the room with faith we must fill the place with prayer. In Mark 5:40 Peter had been in the room when Jesus raised the daughter of Jairus from the dead. The first thing Jesus did was to remove some of the negative people out of the room. So Peter now follows the great master. Then he drops to his knees and prays! No one knows how long Peter prayed for or what he said, we are just told that he prayed. Then he turns to Tabitha and her eyes, that were once pale open and her limp body springs to life. He doesnt pray whilst looking at the deathly circumstances he prays and then he turns to see the miracle that God had done.

Day 6

2011-01-08T04:58:00.003+10:00

Acts 9

^{¹⁰Now there was a disciple at Damascus named Ananias. The Lord said to him in a vision,"Ananias." And he said, "Here I am, Lord." 11}And the Lord said to him, "Rise and go to the street called Straight, and at the house of Judas look for a man of Tarsus named Saul, for behold, he is praying, ¹²and he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him so that he might regain his sight."

All of us are in search of vision. What we often need is someone to inspire, encourage, challenge and reveal to us just what that vision is. When God speaks a person of prayer will hear it first. While Paul was praying he saw Ananias coming and praying for him to receive his sight, this was a dangerous vision for Ananias due to Paul's hatred of the church. But a person of prayer has their fear dissolved and over ridden by obedience. Two men who prayed meet in a moment that changes the world forever.

Day 5

2011-01-08T04:51:00.003+10:00

^{Acts 6}

⁶These they set before the apostles, and they prayed and laid their hands on them.

They prayed and then chose. When we pray we arouse the gift with us so that others may receive. The question is not how did we choose but more importantly how did we pray.

Day 4

2011-01-06T05:15:00.002+10:00

^{Acts 6:4
4}But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word."

We all devote ourselves to something, we all give ourselves to what we choose. This verse is on the back of a administration tension that has arisen. The apostles were approached for help but they refused, instead they appointed men to cover this role. Possibly the greatest challenge we face is our preference for management over prayer. Our primary calling remains our highest calling.

Day 3

2011-01-05T06:13:00.002+10:00

Acts 4:31
³¹And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness.

The end of prayer should become the starting point of something else! As they prayed things began to happen, at the "amen" of their prayers the whole house was shaken, then they are filled with a new boldness which provoked them to speak the word.

Day 2

2011-01-04T05:27:00.002+10:00

Acts 2:42
They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.

It wasn't meant to be hard! Just commit ourselves to the same 4 things and we could shake the world. These need to be the foundation of every believer that desires their life to have a ripple effect long after they are gone.

"God shapes the world by prayer. Prayers are deathless. They outlive the lives of those who uttered them" E.M Bounds

Day 1

2011-01-03T07:17:00.001+10:00

Acts 3:1
¹Now Peter and John were going up to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour.

Prayer isn't reserved for only when we are feeling inspired. The early church had set times of prayer, so should we. Two men together at the set time going to pray. If you are struggling in prayer maybe you need to find someone that will go up with you at the set time!

Elevations 14 days of prayer and fasting

2011-01-02T07:25:00.002+10:00

Elevation starts its 14 days of prayer and fasting next Monday but there are some who want to get a kick start tomorrow. Below is a guideline on fasting. Remember the key isn't going without! The key is being filled with the right things.

1/ HOW TO BEGIN
Start with a clear goal. Be specific. Why are you fasting? Do you need direction, healing, restoration of marriage or family issues? Are you facing financial difficulties? Ask the Holy Spirit for guidance. Pray daily and read the Bible.
2/ PREPARING SPIRITUALLY
Confess your sins to God. Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal areas of weakness. Forgive all who have offended you and ask forgiveness from those you may have offended (Mark 11:25; Luke 11:4; 17:3-4). Surrender your life fully to Jesus Christ and reject the worldly desires that try to hinder you (Romans 12:1-2).
3/ DECIDING WHAT
The type of fast you go on is between you and God. You could go on a full fast in which you only drink liquids, or you may desire to fast like Daniel, who abstained from sweets and meats, and the only liquid he drank was water. Remember to replace that time with prayer and Bible study. Giving up T.V, Facebook, Alcohol, XBox are other things that can be incorporated into the fast.
4/ DECIDING HOW LONG
Most people can easily fast from one to three days, but you may feel the grace to go longer, even as much as 3-14 days. Use wisdom and pray for guidance. Beginners are advised to start slow.
5/ WHAT TO EXPECT
When you fast your body detoxifies, eliminating toxins from your system. This can cause mild discomfort such as headaches and irritability during withdrawal from caffeine and sugars. And naturally, you will have hunger pains. Limit your activity. Exercise moderately. Take time to rest. Fasting brings about miraculous results. You are following Jesus’ example when you fast. Spend time listening to praise and worship. Pray often throughout the day. Get away from the normal distractions as much as possible and keep your heart and mind set on seeking God’s face.
6/ HOW TO END
Don’t overeat when the time comes to end your fast. Begin eating solid food gradually; eat small portions or snacks.

2010-07-25T17:41:00.001+10:00

2010-07-25T16:04:00.003+10:00

On our way to speak at the pursuit conference in Brighton, England we made a mad 2 day dash to Paris, the city of love. I am not a great tourist so long lines and pushy tourists dont go down way. The same people that were lighting candles, crossing themselves and saying their prayers at the famous churches that you can tour are the same people that push you out of the way so that they can get a better view.
Climbed the Eiffel tower, what an amazing structure, and went up the Arc de Triomphe to view the tower at evening, now that was brilliant.
Napoleon said "Impossible is a word found only in the dictionary of fools" and when you look at the buildings and structures and consider the history of France you understand why.

Birthday wish

2010-06-28T16:53:00.003+10:00

I was born this day exactly 45 years ago. My mother called me Ross because she said that if she had another boy then she would throw him in Ross River. So I am named after a river that snakes its way through a city in Nth Queensland called Townsville.
I was recently back there and drove past my old primary school, I was sure that it used to be bigger. In fact the fig tree out the front that we used to climb (before extreme safety concerns) didn't seem that intimidating at all. But that's the way it should be. If we are still intimidated by the challenges that we faced when were are younger than chances are we haven't grown. Edmond Hilary after failing to scale Everest was doing a lecture one day when he turned to a picture of the great mountain and said, You defeated me! But you won't defeat me again! Because you have grown all you can grow ... but I am still growing!
This should be the attitude of every follower of Christ!

Leadership

2010-06-09T06:33:00.000+10:00

Of the leaders I've connected with that are on mission, and getting the job done, there seems to be a few characteristics that run similar. Let me share them with you.
1.The Energy to Drive Passion.
This one runs 100% true. I've seen no exceptions. I know of no leader in a local church who is successfully on mission who does not have the energy to drive his or her passion. Don't miss the connection between energy and passion. There are many leaders who have passion, but like those who dream big but do little, their passion is inconsequential. It takes energy to translate your passion to reality.
Energy isn't about personality - you can be a relatively quiet and even somewhat introverted leader, but if you have drive, if you have energy within your soul to accomplish the mission before you, no one can extinguish the passion.

2.The Humility That Recognizes an Utter Dependence Upon God.
Of all five characteristics, this one will receive the quickest acknowledgment and support. The reason I say humility in action is because it's when we take action that often our humility fades, and we actually believe that we are capable of doing things (that matter for eternity) ourselves.
The best test of your humility is how often you run to God and declare how desperately dependent you are upon His grace and guidance. Leaders on mission understand that it's impossible to do it themselves. The very nature of a partnership with God insists that you seek His help.

3.The Courage to Say No.
The key to this characteristic is focus. Leaders on mission recognize that they personally can't do everything, and neither can the church they serve, as an organization, accomplish everything. Since this is true, a few ministry options will receive a yes, but many will receive a no. Leaders who can't say no to the good options will forfeit the great options (dare I say - the God options).
You and I both know that there is a great deal of politics as well as a number of other complicated pressures contained within church leadership. Your ability to navigate those pressures - rather than giving in and becoming distracted - will help you stay on mission. How courageous are you feeling these days?

4.The Security to be Honest.
Boasting salvations for your church but then being unable to tell their spiritual status six months later lacks integrity. Whether it's the number of people in small groups or in new believer's class, be honest about what you really have. What is your mission? How do you measure it? How are you doing?

5.The Maturity to Stick With the Plan.
Immature leaders panic quicker than mature leaders. And when they panic they jump to the next sure bet to bring success. Immature leaders are driven for quick results to look good and will therefore abandon the long-term, more disciplined approach. Immature leaders don't understand that once they have identified a sound (not perfect) plan, their potential of success (achieving mission) is 80% dependent upon leadership and following God's prompting, not on the plan itself. Don't use this fact as an excuse to bag the plan or the discipline to design the plan in the first place. This formula is true only when a plan exists!!

Loss of a champion

2010-04-03T15:34:00.004+10:00

There are many challenges that face men and women who have committed their lives to building the church. These are the hidden curriculum that you never learn at bible college or at a ministry training college. This week @ Elevation we lost a great man that we had been praying for over an extended period of time. We had special prayer meetings, days of fasting, anointing with oil and yet our good friend still went home to be with Jesus. How do people reconcile this?
I am reminded in Jn 11:1-44 that when Jesus heard about his friend Lazarus being gravely ill the bible tells us that Jesus loved him so much that he waited an extra two days, by then Lazarus was dead, before he went to him.
“Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. 6 So, when he heard that Lazarus was ill, he stayed two days longer in the place where he was.” John says that Jesus delayed because he loved them. He loved them all: Martha, Mary, and Lazarus. “Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. So, when he heard that Lazarus was ill, he stayed.” It was his love that let Lazarus die. In these last 16 months, Jesus has not ceased to love this family.
Its easy to feel unloved at moments like these, where is God? But we cant bring God down to our level of experience. He is Lord, He is sovereign and He is in control.

Move toward your goliath

2010-03-09T07:30:00.001+10:00

1 Sam 17:32 And David said to Saul, "Let no mans heart fail because of him. Your servant will go and fight with this Philistine".

That thing you see as an obstacle God is seeing as an opportunity...bigger problems mean more glory for Him...face that giant today!

No Limits

2010-02-06T06:45:00.003+10:00

Matt 13:58
And He did not do many miracles there because of their unbelief.

I have heard it said that you can tell what you really believe by what you do when you aren't thinking. This will be our core belief. When we hear of a need do we automatically move towards God's unlimited power to meet that need or do we tend to give sympathy and understanding only?
Henry Ford said,

"I am looking for a lot of men who have an infinite capacity to not know what can't be done"

Isaiah 9:7 (MSG)
7 His ruling authority will grow, and there'll be no limits to the wholeness he brings.

Day 15

2010-01-28T15:16:00.002+10:00

^{Mal 1:8
8} When you bring blind animals for sacrifice, is that not wrong? When you sacrifice crippled or diseased animals, is that not wrong? Try offering them to your governor! Would he be pleased with you? Would he accept you?" says the LORD Almighty.

The priests in Malachi's day thought their sacrifices were sufficient. They had spotless animals but chose to keep those for themselves and give their lest desirable animals to God. They assumed that God was pleased because they had sacrificed something. God wasn't happy. Just as He isn't happy when we offer him our leftovers. Our leftover money, our leftover time and our leftover devotion. Why not make a decision as this fast enters its last day, Jesus I want to give you my best, not my leftovers but my best.

Day 14

2010-01-27T18:56:00.002+10:00

Its a little late in coming but here we are. I'm in the Qantas club again waiting for a plane to Cairns as I have a funeral tomorrow morning for one of our network pastors who died of a heart attack last week.

Matt13:44
⁴⁴"The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.

In this account the man gladly sold all he had in order to purchase something that really mattered, he knew that what he had stumbled upon, the Kingdom of Heaven, was more valuable than anything he had, so he went for it with everything in him.
A good friend of my wife gave her heart to Christ at Elevation on Sunday night and on Monday she received a TXT about her excitement of finding Christ. Certainly much better than some Christians response who cant even be motivated to worship! Are we still this passionate about obtaining the things of the Kingdom?

Day 13

2010-01-26T15:55:00.003+10:00

Australia Day! Another glorious day at the Gold Coast. Went to the early morning prayer meeting this morning for a time of passionate praying with others and then off to the beach to hang out with some friends for the morning.
I have been thrilled and inspired by the amount of people that have taken up the fasting challenge over these 14 days. In fact some are actually going to go longer. The testimonies that I am hearing of tension in marriages as people try and get their lives centered back around Christ, physical "kick back" as bodies are told that they are going without and spiritual darkness nervously trying to see this season out so hopefully we will return to "normal". One thing I am sure of and that's no one and I mean no one is worse of for doing this fast, we all benefit.
This what Isaiah 58 says about fasting.
¹¹ The LORD will guide you continually,
And satisfy your soul in drought,
And strengthen your bones;
You shall be like a watered garden,
And like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail.
¹² Those from among you
Shall build the old waste places;
You shall raise up the foundations of many generations;
And you shall be called the Repairer of the Breach,
The Restorer of Streets to Dwell In.

Raising up the foundation of many generations means that what dysfunction we have can be broken off our lives so that the future generations don't have to walk in it. Remember "What walks in the father runs in the family". This fast you are making decisions that will impact generations, Well Done!

Day 12

2010-01-25T11:21:00.001+10:00

Prov 29
Where there is no vision, the people are unrestrained,But happy is he who keeps the law.

There have been some great praise reports coming in about what has happened over these days of prayer and fasting. Healings, financial blessing, jobs, children coming to Christ even a wedding dress that had been lost for a year at a dry cleaners was found on the second day of the fast. We are so thankful to God for all that's happened but to be truthful I would still be thankful to God even if no prayers had been answered. Its good to remind ourselves that fasting doesn't bring about the answers it simply positions us in our relationship with Christ where He is central.
But its amazing what will happen when we do it.

Acts 10:30
30 So Cornelius said, “Four days ago I was fasting until this hour; and at the ninth hour I prayed in my house, and behold, a man stood before me in bright clothing, 31 and said, ‘Cornelius, your prayer has been heard, and your alms are remembered in the sight of God.

Vision gets birthed in the heart of people who will dedicate themselves to a lifestyle of prayer and fasting. So if you feel like your life is floundering then apply the discipline of fasting.

Day 11

2010-01-24T06:07:00.002+10:00

Ps 63:1 ¹ O God, you are my God, earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you, my body longs for you, in a dry and weary land where there is no water.

In talking about our daily relationship with Christ its important to remember that its not just about opening our bibles and reading a chapter or verse. Although this is a great starting place if we don't have a daily time. In the above psalm it talks much more about the yearning in our hearts. That's the approach we need to take toward meeting with Him. A longing to know God and to be with God more than water on a hot day. It was 36 degree here the other day and water was in huge demand, as our flesh longed for water so must our soul long to be with God.

Day 10

2010-01-23T07:22:00.002+10:00

Yesterday I blogged about Anna serving in the house of God. On the flip side the bible also talks about people that didn't go the distance, these were people who had the call and the potential but they drifted off course.

2 Tim 4

⁶For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come. ⁷ I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. ⁸Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that Day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing.⁹ Do your best to come to me soon. ¹⁰For Demas, in love with this present world, has deserted me and gone to Thessalonica.

Demas had deserted Paul because of a love for this present world. There were to many comforts and pleasures fighting for his attention. He couldn't say no anymore. Here Paul is wrapping up his life as this was to be his last piece of correspondence before he died. I have fought the good fight, finished the race and kept the faith but Demas. Its not easy going the journey for Christ but I know this, if we don't practice daily communion with God then we to will drift away. Demas didn't wake up one day and just leave he would have drifted away. That's why so many people here on the Gold Coast drown they don't deliberately get pulled out to sea they drift into a rip. All of us are in love with something we just got to make sure that the wrong things don't top our list.

Day 9

2010-01-22T07:13:00.002+10:00

Last day of church planting school today and then its back home to the great people @ Elevation Church on the Gold Coast. Even though its been a great week I am a little tired of sitting in meetings. I feel a little carnal when I read about Anna the prophet in the verses below.

Luke 2
³⁶ Anna, a prophet, was also there in the Temple. She was the daughter of Phanuel from the tribe of Asher, and she was very old. Her husband died when they had been married only seven years. ³⁷ Then she lived as a widow to the age of eighty-four. She never left the Temple but stayed there day and night, worshiping God with fasting and prayer. ³⁸ She came along just as Simeon was talking with Mary and Joseph, and she began praising God. She talked about the child to everyone who had been waiting expectantly for God to rescue Jerusalem.

Day and night praying, fasting and worshiping in the temple at the age of 84. Not a bad way to spend your senior years. Unfortunately most of us have such busy (cluttered) lives. But this verse does highlight how to make the most of our time in the temple (the house of God). If you struggle wanting to go to church or engaging God at church then do an "Anna" pray and fast and ask God to give you a love for the house.

Day 8

2010-01-21T07:37:00.002+10:00

Very hard to get out of bed this morning. I spoke at church planting school last night on Staying Resilient from the book of Nehemiah. He is one of my great bible heroes the way he led a nation that had become satisfied living with broken down walls. We see in chapter 1 when the news of the reproach that the Jews were in reached Nehemiah his first response was to pray and fast. The word reproach means disgrace. They were ashamed of what they had become because of their disobedience.

⁴ When I heard these things, I sat down and wept. For some days I mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven. ⁵ Then I said:

He then goes on to repent on behalf of his nation and challenge not to forget their God. Getting a clean heart is so important while we are fasting from our pleasures. Everyday come to God and ask him to purify your heart and hands so that we can stand free from disgrace and shame and be clothed in His righteousness.

Day 7

2010-01-20T08:16:00.002+10:00

Do you have to make some major decisions this year? Are you feeling like your life is a little in need of some adventure? All of us reach plateau's in our walk with God where we feel that there isnt a lot happening. Enter a time of prayer and fasting!
In Acts 13 we read the following, "And while they were ministering to the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, "Set apart for Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them." 3 Then, when they had fasted and prayed and laid their hands on them, they sent them away."

It is almost impossible to overstate the historical importance of this moment in Antioch in the history of the world. Before this word from the Holy Spirit there seems to have been no organized mission of the church beyond the eastern seacoast of the Mediterranean. Before this, Paul had made no missionary journeys westward to Asian Minor, Greece, or Rome, or Spain. Before this Paul had not written any of his letters which were all the result of his missionary travels beginning here.
This moment of prayer and fasting resulted in a missions movement that would make Christianity the dominant religion of the Roman Empire within two and a half centuries and would yield 1.3 billion converts of the Christian religion today with a Christian witness in virtually every country of the world. And 13 out of the 29 books of the New Testament were the result of the ministry that was launched in this moment of prayer and fasting.
So if you feel like your life needs some new direction then maybe its time to pray fast.

Day 6

2010-01-19T08:10:00.002+10:00

^{Why encourage people to corporately fast isn't fasting something that is meant to be private? Isn't telling people be hypocritical?

Matt 6
16} “And when you fast, don’t make it obvious, as the hypocrites do, for they try to look miserable and disheveled so people will admire them for their fasting. I tell you the truth, that is the only reward they will ever get. ¹⁷ But when you fast, comb your hair and wash your face. ¹⁸ Then no one will notice that you are fasting, except your Father, who knows what you do in private. And your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.

If you read this scripture at face value that may be what we see but I want to take this thought a little deeper. Jesus was talking about people who fast for the wrong reason not people who fast and public ally encourage others to fast with them for the right reason. The religious leaders that Jesus was talking about would fast for the admiration of the people and not of God. So the reward that they were seeking of public recognition is the reward that they received. That's why Jesus says to fast in private to make sure that our heart motive is right. They were hypocrites because they outwardly looked spiritual but inwardly their heart is twisted. So as we do a corporate fast get your heart right first we aren't comparing what we fast or how long we fast or how spiritual we look we are doing this to centre our lives around Christ.

Day 5

2010-01-18T06:02:00.002+10:00

I am sitting in the Qantas club in Brisbane airport waiting to catch a flight down to Sydney where I am teaching at Church Planters School. Not the best place to be when you are fasting as there is free food here everywhere!! Mmmm crumpets.
I just read in John 18:25-27 the account of Peter's denial of Jesus.

²⁵ Meanwhile, as Simon Peter was standing by the fire warming himself, they asked him again, “You’re not one of his disciples, are you?” He denied it, saying, “No, I am not.”²⁶ But one of the household slaves of the high priest, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, asked, “Didn’t I see you out there in the olive grove with Jesus?” ²⁷ Again Peter denied it. And immediately a rooster crowed.

After all Peter had previously promised to Jesus about how he would never turn away, that he would be with him till the end and here he is at his first test of this declaration and a little like us he fails miserably. This is where the fasting test enters.
When you fast you are denying yourself a pleasure that your flesh is craving. You are buffeting or disciplining your body. You are training your body and mind that your hunger for God is more than this momentary pleasure of eating, TV, coffee or whatever yours is. Now here is the deal. The temptation to yield to that pleasure is no different to Peters temptation to deny Jesus! If we cant say NO to the pleasure are we confident that we will stand strong in our faith and in our convictions when it really matters most? Prayer and fasting strengthens us today for what may come tomorrow.

Day 4

2010-01-17T06:27:00.003+10:00

Matt4:1 ¹ Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted there by the devil. ² For forty days and forty nights he fasted and became very hungry.

The following verses reveal 3 confrontations that Jesus has with Satan who is trying to coax him away from his trust in the Father. The first act of the Spirit in Jesus ministry was to lead Him into the wilderness and expose him to Satan's testings. Under the Spirits leading Jesus prepared for this test by fasting. At this point so much hangs in the balance, if Jesus yields to one of the enemies schemes than the whole plan of salvation for mankind is over, and to think that God led him there. I love what John Piper in his book A Hunger For God says,"Jesus began his ministry with fasting and triumphed over his enemy with fasting and our salvation was accomplished through perseverance and fasting".

Day 3

2010-01-16T07:06:00.002+10:00

1 Cor 9:23-27 And I do all things for the sake of the gospel, that I may become a fellow partaker of it. Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win. And everyone who competes in the games exercises self-control in all things. They then do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. Therefore I run in such a way, as not without aim; I box in such a way, as not beating the air; but I buffet my body and make it my slave, lest possibly, after I have preached to others, I myself should be disqualified.

Paul buffets or disciplines his body we tend to buffet ours at Sizzler. We overindulge, we struggle knowing when to stop, we give reasons why but in the end we lack discipline. Fasting reveals the measure of foods mastery over us, or television, or facebook or whatever we submit to again and again to conceal the weakness of our hunger for God. Before we get dominion over spiritual powers that rule over our lives we first need to get dominion over the Angus beef burger!

Proverbs 25:28 Like a city that is broken into and without walls Is a man who has no control over his spirit.

Day 2

2010-01-15T07:41:00.005+10:00

Job23:12
"I have not departed from the commandment of His lips; I have treasured the words of His mouth more than my necessary food".

As we embark on this fast there is a NSW farmer Peter Spencer who has just ended his 52 day hunger strike. Now that's a long time to go without food to get attention and prove a point.
The christian fast isn't a hunger strike, so just going without food is not the goal of these 14 days. As we dethrone whatever we believe God wants us to go without we must replace it with time reading the word of God and drawing closer to Christ, if we don't then we are no different to a farmer on a hunger strike.

Day 1

2010-01-14T12:03:00.002+10:00

I have committed to writing everyday that our 14 day fast is on at Elevation. It officially kicks off on Monday but I wanted to get a jump start so I started today.

Day 1

Ps 21:2
You have given him his heart’s desire and have not withheld the request of his lips. Selah

What a great scripture to kick off the first day of seeking God. The only question is What does my heart desire? Because if I am going to get it then I must make sure that its going to add to my life. We have created a Fasting Contract which we are handing out this Sunday to get people to commit to the fast but also to list why they are fasting. I want to make sure that my request is one that is pleasing to God. What's the why behind your fast?

Where is your sting?

2010-01-07T22:57:00.003+10:00

The world lost a great hero of the faith today with the passing of Ps Neils Brown. Sickness never took him but he decided the leave us and be with Jesus. As I have watched over recent months his health deteriorate I realized that its no wonder that Paul could say, "O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?". (1 Cor 15:55) In Christ the stinger of death is pulled from our lives and we need to no longer fear. Death is really birth pains of us as Christ followers entering into the adoption that Jesus has planned for us. Neils fought this battle with a deep love for God and a faith in Christ that God was in control Lord help us to do the same.

Plan and Pray

2009-09-07T17:21:00.003+10:00

We are into our last 16 days of our preparation for our new church facility and its looking great. Cafe is in, toilets are almost there, sound and lighting in place but the biggest challege is still yet to come. To fit out all of our stadium seating, stage, kids rooms, multi media rooms in 3 days with 25o volunteers. What gives me confidence is the preparation that has gone into this.
When God instructed Joshua to lead Israel across their Jordan he first told them to prepare themselves.
Prayer has been paramount even though at times it is really hard to pray. Prayer doesnt force Gods hand but it keeps us on the look out for His intervention. But just as important is the planning process. Planning and praying are the 2 key strategies in healthy preparation.
Pray for opportunities and plan as if you expect God to answer your prayers!

The old

2009-07-10T17:32:00.003+10:00

Read a fantastic statement today by RT Kendall, "The greatest opposition to what God is doing today comes from those who were on the cutting edge of what God was doing yesterday".

Luke 5:37
"And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; otherwise the new wine will burst the skins and it will be spilled out, and the skins will be ruined.

I pray we never stop allowing today people to challenge what we do and how we do it. The best ways to reach people , do church, worship God are still yet to be discovered.

I was wrong

2009-06-19T16:52:00.002+10:00

With the help of a few friends I have finally finished putting up my garden shed only to find a couple of pieces left over. Don't you hate that? Where do they go, what do they do? By not having them in the assembly does it compromise the structure? I know hide them and no one will ever know. I have just finished reading "I was wrong" by former PTL director Jim Bakker, what a sad but necessary read it was. Talk about people hiding and pretending that some things didn't matter.
There is an old Chinese proverb that says, "The beginning of wisdom is to call things by there right name". Facing current reality isn't something we like doing or spend much time doing. Reading the fine print and pondering the assembly instructions of life are vitals if we want to maintain strong character.

Circumsition

2009-06-03T12:29:00.004+10:00

One of the toughest jobs as a Pastor is to keep the church focused on people who don't know Christ rather than trying to keep the "saved" in church or to stop the "saved"from leaving church. So much of where our money, focus and energy is directed is at that second group.
The gravitational pull on every church is toward this.
James when faced with the dilemma of church goers wanting new believers to be circumcised, or well meaning people who had already been rescued trying to create a culture that seemed reasonable to them, responded in the following way.
Acts 15:19 (Msg)
"So here is my decision: We're not going to unnecessarily burden non-Jewish people who turn to the Master.
Lets make it easy for people to find their way to Christ. Lets not complicate it with religion and rules. Now there is a challenge. Are we a church (that's us as people) that makes it easy for people to come to the grace of God?

Values

2009-05-25T16:28:00.005+10:00

I recently read this statement, "Scarcity brings Clarity". When resources are super-abundant you can proceed with flawed assumptions for a long, long time. In more pinched circumstances, you have to examine your true values." That is so true and so good.

Few things are healthier for an organization than having to slice its budget. I know that is counter-intuitive. But it forces you to evaluate your priorities. You have to drill down to your core convictions.
I love the fact that our food ministry Storehouse 1 is presently moving into its own facility. Its not the building that excites me its the extra room that we now have to make an extra difference.
"It's not about the buildings. It's about what happens inside the building."

Insiders and outsiders

2009-05-11T16:55:00.004+10:00

With Twitter, Journaling and Skype its easy to forget about the blog. Just come back from speaking at a ladies conference for several hundred women, thats a lot of estrogen in one place. It was loads of fun being the odd one out. Off to another one this week in Victoria and In between pastoring a church. One of the pressures every church leader faces is the tension where Jesus says "Go" and yet we spend most of our time trying to get people to "stay". Stay happy in the church, stay committed to the cause, stay in love with God, stay involved, stay passionate. When you first plant a church you are focused on reaching people but as it gets older we focus on keeping people. We stop leading and we start managing.

Matthew 9:13 (Msg)
Go figure out what this Scripture means: 'I'm after mercy, not religion.' I'm here to invite outsiders, not coddle insiders."

Premier League

2009-04-28T08:10:00.003+10:00

Another great Sunday with Dave Gilpin from Hope City Church in the U.K. Not only a great preacher but an awesome guy off the platform as well. He shared a amazing message about doing our Christian life in the Premier League or the top grade team. Jesus whole life message wasn't about living a life of ease or a life of choices based on preferential living. But He spoke about forsaking all to follow Him, about leaving family to pursue the call, a life that is prepared to lay it all down for a greater cause. That's premiership living! Sadly many Christians settle for the 2nd grade or the 5th division has beens. They used to dream of being first grade, they use to pray that God would use them but now disappointment, bitterness and indifference has weighed them down and relegated them to the league of the average. God help us to stay in the premiership.

Its only a flesh wound!

2009-04-15T11:08:00.002+10:00

The other day I came home from work to find my wife nursing her swollen arm. Its only sprained she non confidently said. Now I am no doctor although I don't mind the occasional episode of House, but even I could tell it was worse. We had a dinner appointment that night and friends of ours convinced her to go to the hospital (Isn't it amazing that our wives will listen to friends more than husbands some times) so off we went. After a 90 minute wait the doctor looked at her arm. "Its only bruised", Kathy told him! But he didn't need episodes of House to let her know even before the x ray that it was broken. And in 2 places it was!
Some people do life with a "its only a sprain" mentality or in Monty Pythons words "Its only a flesh wound" when in fact there is actually a break. Slowing down enough, being surrounded by the right people who love and care for you is a good start to recognising the type of healing that is needed.

NO!

2009-04-14T13:27:00.000+10:00

2 Cor. 12:7 (NIV)
To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me.

The great thing about this verse is that no one knows what Paul's "thorn" was. Some say epilepsy, some say a speech impediment, some say an eye disease, I say his thorn was baldness that way I can relate with him. I think the bible doesn't tell us what it was because God knew that we would build a theology around it.

2 Cor. 12:8 (NIV)
Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me.

This doesn’t mean Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday
This is 3 seasons in his life he has spent extended time pleading with God, fasting, in extra prayer, crying out to God to get free from whatever was tormenting him.
There was a period of time when Paul seemingly wasn’t getting answers. Now this should encourage some of you because you are in a season where not a lot is happening in your life.
And you have been wondering if God even knows your name, and God’s silence has been mistaken for His absence.
After 3 times pleading with God with all that faith and confidence with God there is no answer.

2 Cor. 12:9 (NIV)
But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness."

You mean you aren't taking it away? And God gives the response that none of us like. NO!
Grace in this context is the strength and ability to endure.

Your greatest weakness is God’s greatest opportunity to show Himself strong in you.

I sat in hospital yesterday with a good friend who has some serious health challenges. We have prayed, anointed him with oil, read scripture and all else us good Pentecostals know to do. He is still in hospital. This is one of those moments that Paul is talking about.

God doesn't always deliver us from our circumstances however He will always deliver us through our circumstances.

A lot of people when God says no simply walk away or they shake their fist at God with anger and disappointment and they miss out on the grace of God to endure. They never see God's strength stepping into lifes struggles.

So how will you respond when God say's NO?

Faith

2009-04-04T08:03:00.000+10:00

We start a new series tomorrow about faith. I am using the first two weeks to disassemble the wrong thinking about faith. A lot of people live in presumption rather than faith. What we lean our faith against really determines how our believing will go when things arent turning out the way we wanted.

Hebrews 11:13 (NIV)
All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance.

I love this cause its about people who never got what they were expecting but they never stopped expecting because it was a promise!
The bridge between our hope and our faith is the promise that we have from God.

2009-03-23T13:49:00.000+10:00

Wow 4 weeks have come and gone since my last entry, time is screaming by. In the last 4 weeks we have preached in Noosa, attended the prayer and fasting summit in Port Stephens, bought a new home and moved in, done lots of renovations, yard clearing, we discovered a pond in the front yard and rockwalls in the back yard and best of all the views from Surfers through to Q1.

This house was so overgrown!

Proverbs 24:30-34 (NLT)
I walked by the field of a lazy person, the vineyard of one lacking sense. [31] I saw that it was overgrown with thorns. It was covered with weeds, and its walls were broken down.

Proverbs 24 tells us that the consequences of a “little sleep a little slumber” are not emptiness but the wrong kind of fullness.
Our abdication does not prevent growth it just allows the wrong kind of growth to develop.
The seeds that we sow whether good or bad will produce some form of growth in our lives.

You and I have fruit growing right now, good or bad we will produce something!

Not so smart

2009-02-19T15:43:00.000+10:00

Last week I shared on another of the names of God in our aka:God series. Jehovah Roeh which means “The Lord is our Shepherd”. It also means to be companions, to associate with, to be a special friend, to shepherd, ruler, teacher.
In the bible a shepherd was responsible for the welfare of his sheep. His role was one of bring guidance, safety and security to get his sheep from one place to another. But if God is our shepherd what does that make us?
Wouldn't it be nicer to be likened to a lion, or maybe anything else that even resembles strength? But the truth is we are like sheep, fearful, prone to disease, easily lead astray, follow the crowd and sometimes not real smart...have a look at the video.

Do we see what He see's

2009-02-13T11:53:00.000+10:00

I am presently sitting at Gold Coast airport waiting to catch a plane to Sydney so I can drive to Nowra for one of my friends opening of his new church facility. Its pelting down rain and all the arriving planes have been diverted. I hate waiting and even more tormenting not knowing, I really hate not knowing. Are we flying from here, will I make it in time, will I even get out?
Genesis 22 is one of the great bible stories of Abraham and Isaac. Abraham is about to sacrifice his son when at the 11.59 and 55 seconds God interrupts (I like those interruptions) and tells him to stop. As they lift there eyes there is a ram caught in a thicket which Abraham swaps out for his son. And Abraham's response! "You are Jehovah Jireh" which means the Lord see's and provides". What a great reminder when we are stuck at 11.59 with seemingly no way out, The Lord see's and provides. Thank God that His eyesight is better than ours.

Who moved the stone 2?

2009-02-12T14:39:00.000+10:00

We pick up this story in Matthew 15 and Jesus is again confronting some Pharisees about their perspective about the disciples not washing their hands. Bottom line is they were angry because the disciples seemed to be ignoring these customs.
These few verses I think capture our leadership success or failure better than any other verse.

Matthew 15:15-20 (NLT)
Then Peter asked Jesus, "Explain what you meant when you said people aren't defiled by what they eat."
[16] "Don't you understand?" Jesus asked him. [17] "Anything you eat passes through the stomach and then goes out of the body.

Even the Pharisees didn’t argue with that one!

[18] But evil words come from an evil heart and defile the person who says them. [19] For from the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, all other sexual immorality, theft, lying, and slander. [20] These are what defile you. Eating with unwashed hands could never defile you and make you unacceptable to God!"

If we have heart problems we will have leadership problems. Just as a healthy lung can’t cover for a bad heart good leadership, great with people doesn’t make up for a corrupt heart.

A. What’s inside ultimately gets reflected on the outside.
1. Our words reflect the condition of our hearts (v. 18).
When we say, “I didn’t mean that,” the truth is that we didn’t mean to say that, but . . . we meant it. It was in our hearts and slipped out. In those unguarded moments, our hearts are revealed.
2. Our actions reflect the condition of our hearts (v. 19).
In youth ministry, parents would say about their kids, “He’s got a good heart, he just got into a little trouble.”—WRONG. Your child’s heart is fouled up. It’s a heart problem, not just a behavioral problem.

More next time!

Moving Fast

2009-02-02T15:08:00.000+10:00

Here is a great video that reminds us just how important it is to stay relevant with what is taking place around us. Although often viewed as "unspiritual" technology is still the best way to reach as many people as we can.

Who moved the stone?

2009-01-25T06:17:00.000+10:00

Just got back from a week at church planting school in Sydney with about 120 keen emerging planters, what a great time. Nothing better than being in an atmosphere where people are hungry to give their lives to building the church. That thrills the hearts of us guys on the leadership team because we have given the rest of our lives to seeing the church become the relevant force that it was always destined to be. I see the biggest challenge to growing churches isn't the unchurched. They want God its the church, as they know it, that is their problem. Their lives are under incredible stress and pressure, they come looking for answers and the we fulfil their greatest suspicions....that the Church doesn't have any answers.
But this is what we have all given our lives to, to see changed.
On Monday night I shared from Luke 12 where Jesus was talking with the then leaders of the faith.

Luke 12:1 (NLT)
Meanwhile, the crowds grew until thousands were milling about and crushing each other. Jesus turned first to his disciples and warned them, "Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees—beware of their hypocrisy.

Hypocrisy: an expression of agreement that is not supported by real conviction
Its acting as if you are something that you are not
The church leaders of the day wanted to change the boundaries between:
· What is acceptable and what is not
· What is good and what is evil
· What is right and what is wrong.
What used to be called sexual perversion is now called ones “sexual preference”.
What once was living in sin is now an “alternate lifestyle”.

And this is the tension that as we spend longer in the leadership process the greater the temptation can be. That we start to blur the lines of our core convictions. None of us started of thinking about money, the fact that we even got paid to work at the church was overwhelming. To get asked to preach somewhere was huge in itself, but then to find out that they give you an offering as well!! Any home, hotel, caravan park was a joy to stay in you were just thrilled to be asked to preach somewhere. But now your decisions may be more about the size of the offering or the crowd or the rating of the hotel before you decide whether to go or not.

Proverbs 22:28 (NIV)
Do not move an ancient boundary stone set up by your forefathers.

Moral authority is when we lead from who we are and not what we say. Its when our character talks more to people than our words do. Its when we lead from the integrity of our lives. Not all that our fore fathers did or said needs to be embraced but not all of it needs to be brushed aside. There are some characteristics that they had that we need...more on that tomorrow.

Love hate

2009-01-13T07:16:00.000+10:00

I have a few love hate relationships. One is exercise, I love what it does in my body but I hate getting motivated to go. Another is hot chips, I love them early but I hate what they do to me and a third one is fasting. I love the spiritual impact that takes place in my life but I hate the process of giving up food. Our church has just begun its 12 day fast with a heart to say God let me place you first in all I do this year. Easier said than done!
I read this verse this morning and it is a beauty for someone who is fore going food to seek God.

Job 23:12 (NIV) I have not departed from the commands of his lips; I have treasured the words of his mouth more than my daily bread.

What a place to come to. When our desperation exceeds our comfort!

Secrets

2009-01-06T15:30:00.000+10:00

Lk 12 :2 – 3
2 The time is coming when everything that is covered up will be revealed, and all that is secret will be made known to all. 3 Whatever you have said in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have whispered behind closed doors will be shouted from the housetops for all to hear!

We started a series on Sunday called "Resolution - Living an intentional life" and we are taking this whole series from Luke 12. Sunday night we drilled down into the above verse and talked about how much better our life would be this year if we could live as if there were no such thing as a secret.

There are 5 miscalculations that we make when dealing with secret habits or desires;
1. I will only do it once
2. I have always been this way
3. Everybody else is doing it
4. No one will ever know
5. I can stop at any time

What a great prayer to pray for 2009, "Lord help me to live without secrets".

Resolution

2009-01-01T16:59:00.000+10:00

The 1st of the 1st 2009 can you believe it? This last year absolutely flew by and now we line up for another. Years are like a great set of waves, they just keep coming. So what changes are we all hoping for this year? What do we desire to do differently? For me I am determined to lose 5 kg and get back to my acceptable weight division. I was listening to an interviewer asking people what their resolutions were for 2009 and I couldn't help but think that its all good to have the goal but most dreams don't die because of the lack of goals, vision statements or positive thinking, most don't come to pass because of the lack of a well thought out plan.

“MOST PEOPLE SEEM TO PLAN THEIR VACATIONS WITH BETTER CARE THAN THEY PLAN THEIR LIVES, PERHAPS THAT IS BECAUSE ESCAPE IS EASIER THAN CHANGE”.

So how will I lose my 5 kg is the better question to ask! But don't ask me today cause I am away with a car load of teenagers on a surf trip so that can be something for next week.

2008-12-24T10:05:00.000+10:00

Matthew 13:53-58 (NLT)
When Jesus had finished telling these stories, he left that part of the country. [54] He returned to Nazareth, his hometown. When he taught there in the synagogue, everyone was astonished and said, "Where does he get his wisdom and his miracles? [55] He's just a carpenter's son, and we know Mary, his mother, and his brothers—James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas. [56] All his sisters live right here among us. What makes him so great?" [57] And they were deeply offended and refused to believe in him.
Then Jesus told them, "A prophet is honoured everywhere except in his own hometown and among his own family." [58] And so he did only a few miracles there because of their unbelief.

Jesus couldn't do miracles in his hometown simply because people didn’t perceive him as anyone different to the young man that they watched grow up.
Jesus is out on a preaching tour and the most unfruitful stop for him was his home town.
Nothing had changed about Jesus from the previous months where he healed lepers, fed thousands, healed blind people he was still the same Jesus. But compared to the young carpenter that was a familiar figure in his home town he was a different man.
Have you ever gone back to your home town and driven past the primary school that you attended? Doesn't it seem so small? Yet when you were there as a 7 year old everything was huge. Everything changes!

The only thing that hadn’t changed was their perception.

The question is not what you look at but what you see.

Growing familar with aspects of our relationships, our health, our family and especially our faith is walking on dangerous ground. This Christmas keep fresh eyes that continually look for the new thngs that God is wanting to do through and in you this 2009.

Why do you like me?

2008-12-23T07:59:00.000+10:00

Zech. 8:23 (NLT) "This is what the Lord Almighty says: In those days ten people from nations and languages around the world will clutch at the hem of one Jew's robe. And they will say, 'Please let us walk with you, for we have heard that God is with you.' "

I read this during my daily TXT reading today and I thought what a great prayer for us to pray. That people would want to be close to us because we are close to God! How long since someone has wanted to be close to me not for what I can do for them, not for what they can get from me in a physical way but simply because they know and they can see that God is with me?
I read this and it reinforces yet again that as Christians we must have a life that leans towards Christ because after its all said and done, that's what they want the most. To know and be known by a mighty God.

Life has left me thirsty

2008-12-21T06:50:00.000+10:00

Its 6.30am on my first Sunday back from a short holiday and I am sitting in my office going over and over my message for the first of our 2 morning services. We are doing a series called "defining moments" which is all about moments in the NT where Jesus crossed people's lives and they were never the same. Today's is found in John 4 and its the story about the woman at the well, who had been married 5 times and now living in a defacto relationship and Jesus positions himself so that she has an opportunity to hear the message of hope.
This was a woman who had a past not just a past but a public past. She lived in a small town where everyone new each others news.
This is uncommon even today unless you are Liz Taylor who has been married 8 times, but back in this time it was extremely unusual.
· We don’t know why she had 5 husbands maybe they had died
· Maybe they left her for other woman which would had left some scaring on her self esteem
· Maybe she couldn't have children which was an embarrassment in those days.
· We don’t know if she went through 5 husbands because of her decisions or other people’s decisions.
One thing we do know and that is that life has left her thirsty.
I am thirsty because of decisions that I have made
I am thirsty because of decisions others have made.
She was about to have a one on one encounter with the Saviour of the world.
I don’t know what you believe about God but if you will listen to this story you will get a clue on how God views thirsty people.
If we were real honest many of us would say this morning, “I am thirsty, life has left me thirsty and I have been unable to satisfy that thirst”. Christmas is all about understanding and embracing that Jesus came as a thirst crusher. So where are you thirsty?

Tis the season of vision

2008-12-17T07:33:00.000+10:00

"Don't be afraid of small beginnings, remember this whole thing started with a mouse."- Walt Disney

Jesus lived out of vision everyday. He spoke it, role modelled it and set a plan into action so that he could see it fulfilled. I was talking to one of the personal trainers at the gym today and he said at this time of year numbers attending the gym drop off but they will pick up again with lots of new people in late January because they all have a vision to get fit. But many will give up within the month.
I find that everything in life wants to work against your vision. There are a few things that will want to kill your dream.
Failure will knock a hole in your vision, if you let it.
When a plan or strategy fails, people are tempted to assume it was the wrong vision. Plans and strategies can always be changed and improved. But vision doesn't change.
Visions are simply refined with time.
We don't have to change the vision because a plan doesn't work out.
Another one I find is simply life, it works against the vision. Vision is about what could be and should be; life is about right-this-minute. Life is about the kids and the laundry and the doctor and the house payment.
The third is a “She’ll be right” attitude. But if that were the case we would all be skinny, rich and happy.
What would happen if pilots or doctors had that attitude?

“It is our attitude at the beginning of a difficult task which, more than anything else, will affect it’s successful outcome.”–William James

Lastly there is tiredness. I have found that when I get tired it’s much easier to lift up your feet and go with the flow then to stand against the current.

Matthew 26:41 (NLT)
Keep alert and pray. Otherwise temptation will overpower you. For though the spirit is willing enough, the body is weak!"

Jesus simply said when we are tired then find a place, get away from the distractions and pray. Doesn't have to be for long, doesn't have to have fancy words just stay connected to the source of our strength.

2008-12-07T09:17:00.000+10:00

We have just had a week of holidays with friends that we have known for many years. What a blast! There isn't much that can better sitting around and doing life with people who you have walked a long journey with. Every year seeing how much all of our kids have changed, some now married or on their way to being, others with their voices that have now suddenly become deeper and then there is those that are just starting the family pathway.

Proverbs 18:1 (NASB)

He who separates himself seeks his own desire, He quarrels against all sound wisdom.

There is a part of my nature that likes being alone. Although solitude is healthy to much and you can get a little weird.

I am not the best when left to my own musings, I need others who will keep me having fun and help me to keep a healthy perspective on life and ministry.

2008-11-29T10:32:00.000+10:00

This past week I spent two nights back in my old stomping ground Townsville. There is nothing that compares to the breath stealing, sweat provoking humidity of the far north. So being on a quest for better health I decided that I would run/walk up the goat track on Castle Hill from my hotel. On the second morning I was sweating just coming down the lift but an hour later I was literally dripping. After showering I realised that I now had a problem. My plane was leaving in 2 hours and I had dripping, smelly gym clothes. So I did what any sensible, not wanting to waste good clothes guy would do, I placed them in a bag and packed them in my luggage.

Not even thinking about it again by the time I actually was home to unpack it was 7pm that night and as I opened the bag there was an almighty release of enough gas to run a small city. I really hope that there were no sniffer dogs at the airport assigned to my bag cause their sense of smell would be ruined by this event.

Anyway all this to say that all of us have some amount of luggage that we bring with us through life and as we approach Christmas this year often times it seems that this season has the ability to stir our "bag of smelly clothes". Maybe its a broken marriage and this season makes it a hard time for you. Maybe it was the loss of a loved one and this is the first year without them. It could be that you are now an empty Nestor and this Christmas just wont be the same. Whatever don't forget to unpack your luggage and air out your life, keep it fresh and energised this Christmas season.

Its budget time

2008-11-24T17:18:00.000+10:00

November is always one interesting month in church life. Everyone is starting to think Christmas, holidays, school finishing, buying presents and for our management team here at Elevation we are thinking 2009 church budgets. Wow pastoring is so exciting!!

I actually do find doing budgets quick life giving. Now this is from a guy who didn't really excel at math. I think the part I love is looking at how each of our departments dreaming is going because that's what a budget is, its a dream document. The hard part is having the ability not to pop the dream bubble but where needed just let a little air out of it (because if you don't you will go broke). Budgets don't seem real spiritual but neither does being a poor steward by not allocating resources toward Kingdom progress. You will know where your heart or vision is because your budget will reflect it.

Fresh eyes

2008-11-13T11:33:00.000+10:00

Let me ask you a question. If someone brand new was to come and take over your church or business and you were out, what would they do differently? What changes would they automatically make to your current organization?
Now here's the question! Why don't we make those changes?
If we know what someone with fresh eyes would change to better organization why don't we go ahead and make those same changes?
Last weekend we had two couples who are pastors in other churches visit us to see how we do things here. At our Monday staff meeting I asked them to give a couple of things that were positive and negative. Now none of us like hearing the negatives but until we face the facts we can never change so here they were.

1. Nowhere for a new person to go to after or before the service to meet people.

Because our church facility is in transition we don't have a coffee shop, guest lounge etc so we function with marques outside (thank God for Gold Coast weather). So everyone piles out of one service outside and mingles with coffee etc. Our mistake was thinking that somewhere in that mass a new person is receiving the information and connection that they need to join our church.

So what are we doing about this?

As from this Sunday we have a forth marque called our Guest Lounge with great coffee and food where a new person can meet with other families and leaders here at Elevation.

2. To dark to read bibles

Simple we have adjusted lighting in the auditorium enough so that people can actually follow along in their bibles because isn't that what we want from our church members?

3. Hard to see stairs

To fix this we went to Bunnings and bought a bunch of battery operated cinema lights that are used to illuminate the stairs.

Okay the point of all of this? Simple! Fresh eyes see things that tired eyes don't. We don't change things because we stop thinking about if someone with fresh eyes came in what would they do differently. And when someone with fresh eyes does come in we don't as them the right questions.

Teams

2008-11-01T13:45:00.000+10:00

Today makes you realize that summer is own its way. That also means unlimited amounts of cricket on the T.V which is a personal dream of mine. Anyway the Aussie cricket team is going through a tough time and people are questioning its teamwork. I read this article the other day about ways to kill a team by Andy Stanley I hope you like it.

1. Meet only when there is a crisis.
2. Allow the strong personalities to dominate the discussion.
3. Allow team decisions to be undermined by private meetings after the team meeting. Don’t you dare agree on something with your team, and then reverse it later. Your best team members will leave. Only the dysfunctional ones will stay.
4. Have your mind made up before you get input from the team. This is hard, cause I never feel neutral about anything.
5. Remain inflexible in the face of new information.
6. Cut off debate.
7. Don’t hold team members accountable for their assignments.
8. Ignore the intangibles.
9. Expect more of the team than you expect of yourself.
10. Take individual credit for the accomplishments of the team.

The problem with this stuff–you don’t see it in the mirror. It’s very hard to see when you do this yourself.

Crazy ones

2008-10-29T12:08:00.000+10:00

I saw this great video the other day that really reminds me that leaders need to have a dislike for the status quo. Everything inside of a leader should want to push back against the apathy and the "she'll be right attitude". That's probably the hardest part of leadership because the current will want to take us into complacency through tiredness, discouragement or business. Anyway watch the clip and remember its the crazy ones who make some of the best leaders.

The home of ginger beer

2008-10-18T16:05:00.000+10:00

Kathy and I are up at Bundaberg this weekend speaking at an awesome church called Citicoast. We did a leaders meeting this morning with a whole group of hungry, expectant people. Even though we will miss Elevation Church tomorrow it's always good to get out and see how others do church. God is doing something amazing in my wife Kathy as wherever she goes she is connecting with people who don't know God or people that have been hurt in church and have lost a love for the house. People don't have a problem with God its just the church that they stumble over. Its stirs us even more in our responsibility to create churches where anyone can come and connect with God.

Get outside

2008-10-17T08:46:00.000+10:00

Genesis 15:4-5 (NLT) Then the Lord said to him, "No, your servant will not be your heir, for you will have a son of your own to inherit everything I am giving you." [5] Then the Lord brought Abram outside beneath the night sky and told him, "Look up into the heavens and count the stars if you can. Your descendants will be like that—too many to count!"

You got to get this! Then the Lord brought Abram "outside". When I read this my heart jumped. It wasn't until Abram got outside of his own world, his circumstances, his mindsets, his ceilings, his way of doing church, his assumptions about leadership, his assumptions about life that God could show him His vision for his life. Sometimes we need to stop working in it take a step back, go outside and then we can work on it. So what do you need to get outside of?

Book junkie

2008-10-14T15:04:00.000+10:00

I did it again! Am I compulsive? Do I have an addiction? Is this pathway I am on taking me somewhere? I tried so hard not to but I just wasnt strong enough. I am sure that people will understand. This is what I was navigating with this morning after I ordered yet another book on Amazon. I am halfway through the two that arrived on Saturday and this book I have read a few times but gave my copy to a friend years ago and I never got it back. The book is called The General next to God, the story of William Booth and the Salvation Army. Ever since I made a decision for Christ this man has inspired me. His love for the lost and broken coupled with his vision for people that seemingly had it all together is still at work many years later.

Here is a little extract from the book:

The evangelist halted outside The Blind Beggar Tavern up the Mile End Road, East London. He was a tall figure in a frock coat and wide-brimmed hat and his piercing grey eyes looked out from a pale face. Drawing a book from beneath his arm, he gave out the verse of a hymn and faces pressed against the pub's glass windows. 'There is a heaven in East London for everyone,' he cried, 'for everyone who will stop and think and look to Christ as a personal Saviour.'
From the pub came a volley of jeers and oaths, followed by a rotten egg. The preacher paused, egg running down his cheek, prayed, and turned west towards Hammersmith and his lodgings. He made his way through savage fighting men, ragged match-sellers, orange-women, and Irish flower girls clad only in soiled petticoats with their bare feet covered in dirt; children with wolfish faces gobbling up decaying food left by the street market, or swaying blind drunk in tap-room doorways. He strode past crowded tenements and stinking alleys where life was a just a struggle; and the dark alleys near the docks where the sick and dying lay side by side on bare boards of fireless rooms under tattered scraps of blanket.
'A large muckheap what the rich grows their mushrooms on,' was how one pauper described East London. After thirteen years as a Methodist Circuit Minister, the preacher was no stranger to it. But as he walked home a conviction grew within him. Towards midnight when he arrived at his lodgings, he found his six children in bed. His wife, Catherine Booth, who worried over their precarious financial position, waited in the living room. Excitedly he burst out: 'Darling, I've found my destiny!' Convinced that the churches had failed the people, William Booth would set out to save the world. The year was 1865.

Ladders

2008-10-11T10:30:00.000+10:00

I love getting my books in the mail from Amazon. This morning I went to the gym and then made my way over to the office to find a Amazon box on my desk and like a kid at Christmas I tore open the packaging to reveal a book that I had ordered a couple of weeks back. "What got you to here Wont get you to there".

I am 10 pages in and already it is identifying areas in my leadership that need an adjustment.

Isaac Newton said: "If I have seen farther than others, it is because I was standing on the shoulder of giants".

Thank God for people who are willing to take what they have learnt in order to allow others climb to greater heights.

I want to be a Studd!

2008-10-09T14:10:00.000+10:00

I just had a friend of mine stay with us for 4 nights. He is down to look at how to do church better. I love spending time with people that have a Godly discontent with the status quo in their life. I like the way that the 20th century missionary C. T. Studd said it. He said, “Some want to live within the sound of church or chapel bell, I want to run a rescue shop within a yard of hell.” The church needs more Studds, and you can quote me on that.
Every pastor has to come to terms with the wrestle of their focus. Do I focus on "keeping people" or "reaching people"? The answer to this question will be foundational in setting the culture of your church.

Out of the boat

2008-10-04T11:31:00.001+10:00

This Sunday we start our series called Surviving the storm of fear. We are going to cover 8 different fears that we all struggle with. A couple are The fear of the economy, the fear of failure, the fear of betrayal and the fear of insignificance. While preparing for this Sunday nights on the fear of failure I cam across a very challenging statement by Gary Haugen president of International Justice Mission, a ministry committed to the stopping of human trafficking. He said the following:

To sinful patterns of behaviour that never get confronted and changed,
Abilities and gifts that never get cultivated and deployed- Until weeks become months and months turn into years, and one day you’re looking back on a life of Deep intimate gut-wretchingly honest conversations you never had;
Great bold prayers you never prayed, Exhilarating risk you never took, Sacrificial gifts you never offered, Lives you never touched.
And you’re sitting in a recliner with a shriveled soul, And forgotten dreams, And you realize there was a world in desperate need, And a great God calling you to be part of something bigger than yourself- You see the person you could have become but did not; You never followed your calling.
You never got out of the boat.

Getting rid of fear shouldn't be our goal as Christians it will always be a constant companion to anyone that wants to make a difference.

We all have kings

2008-09-28T07:06:00.000+10:00

I was reading the first chapter of Joshua this morning, what a chapter of great promises.

Joshua 1:3 (NLT) I promise you what I promised Moses: 'Everywhere you go, you will be on land I have given you—

Joshua 1:7 (NLT) Be strong and very courageous. Obey all the laws Moses gave you. Do not turn away from them, and you will be successful in everything you do.

Joshua 1:9 (NLT) I command you—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go."

In everything I do and everywhere I go? That's a pretty big promise. Lets be honest if your life is like mine its littered with many unsuccessful attempts at many things. There are leases I should never had signed, relationships that I should never have developed, words that I wish I had never spoken.

But there are 2 parts to this promise that are easily overlooked

1. Don't turn away from God's word

Lets be honest most things that "grab our attention" are never good for us. That's why we need to keep our eyes fixed straight ahead. Its when we wander away in our "gazing" that we get ourselves in trouble.

2. Be strong and courageous

If He has given us the land and we are going to be successful in all we do why do we need to be strong? Its then in chapter 12 that we see listed the 31 kings that Joshua had to forcefully remove from the land.

Sure God wants us to be successful and prosperous but its conditional on us staying true to His word and using our gifts and abilities to remove the spiritual, physical and mental "kings" that want to contain the Kingdom of God progressing.

So what are your kings?

The smell of Christianity

2008-09-26T07:06:00.000+10:00

I came in early this morning and was greeted by the overwhelming smell of bananas. Now I love bananas but the smell of hundreds of them infiltrating our church auditorium is a bit much. But it is better than onions which was last weeks smell. I don't view it as fruit or vegetables that I can smell but it represents another life, another family that today will receive boxes of groceries for an extremely low cost. Today is Storehouse 1 day. There are about 300 different families that will come through over a month to fill their box, not bad seeing its only been operating for 4 months. There is nothing else that beats the local church!

The path

2008-09-16T18:17:00.000+10:00

At church we have been talking about the pathway principle which basically means that the pathway that we are on determines our destination in life. Not our intentions, not our dreams, not even our faith but the pathway. Your direction determines your destination!
It doesn't matter how much we jump shout and pray if we are walking on a certain path then we will end up at a certain destination. How many people do we know that come yo a place in their lives where they say, "I don't know how I got here?" Well I know, they jumped on a pathway and that's the direction it was going.

Proverbs 22:3 (NLT)
A prudent person foresees the danger ahead and takes precautions; the simpleton goes blindly on and suffers the consequences.

A wise person can see the danger ahead and they will make the adjustments that are needed in order to avoid tragedy but a fool they will just keep walking straight on into it. And when you say to them, "Didn't you see that coming?" "Didn't you know that she was no good for you?" "Couldn't you see this was going to happen?" They just answer, "Well yeah".
But they never changed. They never made the changes that were strategic to their future health and wholeness.
Lets be people that look ahead but don't stop there, also to make the necessary adjustments so that we can be fruitful in all we do.

2008-09-11T08:10:00.000+10:00

I have been meaning to update this blog since arriving back last week from Kokoda but I left Monday for Adelaide and today I'm sitting in the Qantas club waiting for a plane back home. Then tomorrow off to Armidale for a men's conference. Our adventure on the Kokoda trek feels like a life time ago. It was truly an amazing experience and one that I could easily do again. Putting aside the vomiting and gastro that I incurred (which has the ability to make a sook out of me) this trek is so full of history. One of our team Mark Langdon was very knowledgeable on what took place at each area we entered which made this time very rewarding. The stories that you hear and the people that you meet will never leave my heart, our nation of Australia has some of the most incredible heroes.
To stand on the hill that Bruce Kingsbury led a charge against all the odds to push back the swarming Japanese is sobering, to see the spot where he most likely met a snipers bullet even more so.

Psalm 37:23-24 (NLT)
The steps of the godly are directed by the Lord. He delights in every detail of their lives. [24] Though they stumble, they will not fall, for the Lord holds them by the hand.

The principle of one step after another is extremely valuable to anyone that is wanting to fulfil all God has for them. Its certainly what the Kokoda Trek taught me, sometimes in life we feel that we have nothing left to give or go on. Just keep stepping! You may not be as fast as some, you may not always feel like you are going at the pace you would like, but like Kokoda, it didn't matter if you were first on the track or last, we all came home on the same flight.

Lessons in the fire

2008-08-25T15:09:00.000+10:00

I feel like a bit of a kid at Christmas with only 1 sleep left until we leave for Kokoda. The last minute check of our packs, last minute run to the camping store and the chemist. We had the Sunshine singers from the Mudgeeraba special school at church Sunday morning where they did 3 songs and were they a real hit. This was great because it put a face on why we are doing the trek. On Saturday one of our young people called Josh Winnington raised over $6000 by swimming non stop for 8 kms..what a legend. Imagine if we all became so others orientated that we were busy using our gifts and talents to make a difference. So far we are up to about $20000 promised so its looking good.
On Sunday I shared a mesage called "Lessons in the fire" its about how we need to conduct ourselves when we are going through a trial and hasnt therebeen a bit of that lately.

Daniel 3
[16] Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego replied, "O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you. [17] If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God whom we serve is able to save us. He will rescue us from your power, Your Majesty. [18] But even if he doesn't, Your Majesty can be sure that we will never serve your gods or worship the gold statue you have set up."

I love the response of these 3 young Hebrew men as they were about to be cast into a fiery furnace. Basically it was, "We know that God can deliver us, but even if He doesnt, we dont base our faith on results, we are still going to follow him".

God help us to be a generation that doesnt need "everything to be going right" to keep us following you. It doesnt matter if people fail, fall or falter that wont change how I feel about You!

Anyway this will be my last entry until I get back in 13 days (hopefully thinner) so see you all then.

The place of obscurity

2008-08-23T07:32:00.000+10:00

This past week has seen two very called, gifted communicators come undone in an area of weakness in their lives that has sent shock waves through the church. Two totally different circumstances, two totally different people, two different countries but both with the same outcome....disappointed people. People ask me why things like this happen? I say no one knows how hard these men tried for this not to happen!

Billy Graham noted some years ago, in reference to the moral problems of certain American televangelists, thousands of aircraft land safely at the world's airports every day - but the only time the media will take an interest is when one crashes.

All I know is this.
There is a place of obscurity (Elijah by the brook Cherith, Moses in the backside of the desert) That God has for all of us. In this place where no one knows us and no one is looking, He gives us opportunities to "get things right". He allows His grace to support us while we work on our character, our integrity, our motives and then like a pot after its been through the furnace he can trust us with His message. Does that mean that we are then perfect or that we will never have any issues, no. But there is something about obscurity, its where God does some of His best work.

Eph 6
11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.

That word schemes means: a method of follow up an investigation
Our enemy has a follow up plan, method for you and I and I have come to understand that he will allow us to think we are getting away with an issue he will allow us to deceive ourselves into thinking that we are in control and that I can stop this at any time. And he will wait, and wait and wait. Until as Luke 4:13 says it, And when the devil had ended every temptation, he departed from him until an opportune time.

He will wait to we have greater influence, more wealth, more people to disappoint and then that weakness, that issue that God urged us to deal with in obscurity in private, will be revealed publicly.

5 Days to go

2008-08-21T14:57:00.000+10:00

5 days is all we have left until we head off on the Kokoda Trek. Its right about now that I am starting to feel a few "what ifs" congregating in my head. A couple of us powered a hike up a part of the Kokoda Challenge course yesterday and all went well although I feel a little flat today. The whole purpose is to raise money for a local special school and a rescue home for girls in Cambodia. So far we have about $15,000 raised which excites me more than anything else.

1 Tim. 6:18 (NLT) Tell them to use their money to do good. They should be rich in good works and should give generously to those in need, always being ready to share with others whatever God has given them.

I love this verse. In a day and age where most people are driven by discontent this verse gives us an inside of how to not get caught in the trap of more.
Generosity is whats bridles our discontentment.
Doing something that costs me physically, financially, emotionally is how we keep the drive to gather more at bay.
Remember there is no joy in consumption

Beyond the walls

2008-08-12T12:16:00.000+10:00

I have been reading through the book of Nehemiah in my morning devotional and again find so many relevant happenings in it that are for the church today. I think the biggest is this: It wasn't the condition of the walls that drove Nehemiah it was the condition of the people. How easy it is as pastors and leaders to confuse the two. We can become so obsessed with raising money for another program, or painting another wall in our building, all of which are important but we do it because of people.
I love Nehemiah's passion to see the walls built because of what it would do in the hearts of the people.

Tips

2008-08-06T10:35:00.000+10:00

Well its 20 days until 12 of us head off to walk the Kokoda Trek. This morning at 5.30am we were hiking up some reasonably vicious hills out the back of the Gold Coast. Everyone is very excited and a little apprehensive about what to expect. It amazes me how many "experts" come out with tips on how to do things better, what to and what not to buy etc.
I suppose I take pleasure in this because its not just in the church world where the "experts" want to lend their advice, its just people. But I am up for it if one persons advice can save a foot full of blisters or chaff then I will listen to anyone. Sometimes the answer to save our plans from failing is locked up in someone that is around us.

Proverbs 12:15 (NLT) Fools think they need no advice, but the wise listen to others.

2008-07-28T21:00:00.000+10:00

This last Sunday I was away speaking at another church but we all had a feeling during the week and especially after Tuesday that a storm was brewing at Elevation and how right we were. All 3 services just went off in a huge way. Each service ran over time the 10am and the 6pm by 90 minutes. Now to appreciate this you need to understand that we are very respectful and conscious of time so we very rarely are over but yesterday we had no choice. Actually we did have a choice and we decided to let worship loose and off it went. Words really cant express what happens to you when God's tangible presence rests upon people but nothing can replace it. It is the power that releases grown men and women to cry like little children as the fog of life is blown away and God's amazing grace breaks through. Now I know that not all that were there may have felt the same but for many it was a refreshing that I think was well overdue.

Acts 3:19-20 (NLT) Now turn from your sins and turn to God, so you can be cleansed of your sins. [20] Then wonderful times of refreshment will come from the presence of the Lord, and he will send Jesus your Messiah to you again.

A word of caution though!! Refreshment is for a purpose. Halftime in any sport is a time where players regroup, refocus and are refreshed to play out the second half. As God refreshes and refocuses us its for a reason and that reason is the thousands of incredible people that live on the Gold Coast that tonight are lost. Elevation thanks for your hunger, thanks for your love for God and thanks for making room for God to refresh us all.

God wants to see His kids

2008-07-23T17:55:00.000+10:00

Every Tuesday night from 6.30pm to 7.30pm we have our cooperate prayer meeting at the church. In a time where a lot of "contemporary churches" like ours are closing their prayer meetings down here at Elevation we are just getting started. Last night we had one of those moments in God that seem to take place every now and but they change your life forever. There is no doubt that God loves it when His people come together to worship Him so after spending time loving on God we began to pray for people who are lost and it was like heaven opened and God backed up His tip truck and dumped a load of understanding on His people. For most of the night people layed on the floor weeping uncontrollably as we again felt God's heart toward His kids who are just lost. It so impacted me, that I met with my staff today to change some of the ways we do church. Many Christians today are so consumed with a consumer mentality that we have forgotten that we to were once lost. So hang onto your seat Elevation because I have a sneaking suspicion that God is about to shake our worlds.

Big Week

2008-07-18T09:00:00.000+10:00

Its been almost two weeks since I last made a post...so busy...to busy. Last week we moved into stage two of Elevation Church's march toward having our own building. Stage one was using Varity College for the last several months where set up and pack up was just what we did. Sunday was our first day in our building (even though its the future kids church) at least its ours and its one step closer to where we want to be. Its the steps of a good person that God orders, not the leaps, we just have to keep stepping!

Give me my?

2008-07-05T10:11:00.000+10:00

Don't let aging get you down. It's too hard to get back up!

12 So now give me this hill country of which the LORD spoke on that day, for you heard on that day how the Anakim were there, with great fortified cities. It may be that the LORD will be with me, and I shall drive them out just as the LORD said."

Inspiring hey! At 85yrs of age Caleb is asking for his next challenge. Most people at 55yrs let alone 85 are asking for things also.

Give me my country club membership

Give me my beach house

Give me my recognition

Give me my superannuation

Give me my church where I can put my feet up and complain about loud music

Give me my plastic surgery

You can tell a lot about a person by what they are asking for. Give me my mountain! He knew that he had enough strength, enough wisdom and enough skill to take the next land so that the next generation didn't have to.

What was his secret?

3 times in chapter 14 it says, "Because Caleb wholly followed the Lord". When we commit to "wholly follow God", it doesn't make us worse off, we shouldn't become bitter and hurt, but we need to be energized. Maybe that's the difference between people that serve a church or a man and people who serve God!

WHOSE SMART

2008-07-02T15:39:00.000+10:00

If only we could dial back into our lives and undo some of the bad choices that we have made over the years. What would our lives look like today relationally, financially, spiritually if that could have been done? Maybe we cant do that but we can start from today making decisions that are based on not just what we think is right, or what we think culture says or what my friends say, but we can base them on one question. "Whats wise?"

This month in our P.M series we are talking all about our pursuit of wisdom.

THE OLD DAYS

2008-06-28T17:18:00.000+10:00

I was thinking the other day just how doing church has changed. When we started our first church over 10 years ago overhead projectors were a necessity for any cutting edge church. We were so cutting edge we had 2 of them and both sat on top of a wrought iron and glass table. Now that's living. The fact that most of the overhead transparencies were stained with "old marks" didn't worry us. The microphone was a huge lapel that clipped onto your huge tie and to top it off we had the typical 3 fold church newsletter with our "Donny and Marie" photo on the back, those were the days. As we are presently getting quotes for our new church fitout I recently read through all the new sound and multi media gear that we need to create the environments that we desire at church. A new overhead would be much easier...not that I am even considering it!!

WHAT"S REALLY THE ISSUE?

2008-06-20T08:46:00.000+10:00

Pastoring is an interesting calling. Like anything there are highs points and low points but what makes it different is the fact that you are a communicator of the truth to a culture that doesn't want to hear truth. Some people when confronted with truth will allow it to penetrate their lives enough to bring about change, others will stare at it wanting to embrace this truth where others will see it and spiritualize their way around it thus avoiding it all together.

Let me explain. Occasionally we will get a person in church life who will tell us that God is moving them on because our church isn't spiritual enough. Now we see dozens born again every month, people healed (one couple who couldn't have children about to go to IVF were prayed for and she fell pregnant that week), marriages encouraged, over 100 families fed every month, money given to support a local special school just to name a snippet of what happens every month. Can I ask a question? What is spiritual? Is it about you going to more meetings so that you can get a greater touch which then sets you on fire so that you can go to more meetings and get another touch? Is it about you and your gift and the only spiritual place is the one that recognizes how amazing you are? Is it when truth confronts you and the only option you have is to move on and hide it behind "God said" so that way you can avoid your shaky marriage or your inability to connect. Is it having Christian symbols evident? Is it gathering with a group of like minded hurt people who will encourage me in my pursuit of avoidance?

Now I am all for getting more of God's presence around our lives as anyone that knows me would witness to, but I do it with the end in mind. Life transformation! My marriage must change, my words must be cleansed, my heart must ache for the lost, my mind must get renewed and I must be able to connect with others..now that's spiritual.

M Scott Peck said the following:

"Problems do not go away. They must be worked through or else they remain, forever a barrier to the growth and development of the spirit".

CROSSED OVER

2008-06-18T18:58:00.000+10:00

The gym is a funny place where a lot of funny people gather. I think some days I am the only normal person there (compared to ??). Every morning at 5.15am dozens of people line up outside waiting for the doors to open, waiting with anticipation to hurt their bodies, to sweat and to nearly hurl. They get out of bed early to do this. This morning like other enthusiasts I crossed over. I lined up at 5.15am to make sure that I got a bike in the cycle class. Is there anything sicker then on a winters morning, while its dark lining up outside of a gym to torture yourself?
Actually I have done this a few times now but for some reason it annoyed me today. Why do we do it? For me its the knowledge that in 8 weeks I along with several others from Elevation are walking the Kokoda trail to raise money for a community special school. I suppose when I look at it from that angle its a vision that motivates me. Isn't that the way it works in our lives? When we have a vision, goal, some kind of picture of a preferred future shouldn't that stir us to get out of bed and fulfil that desire?

NEW THINGS

2008-06-12T17:39:00.000+10:00

Gotta love a new bible. I ordered a new ESV wide margin from Amazon on Saturday and it arrived today, I was like a kid in a lollie store. I like getting new things. Today I went out and bought my 30 ltr backpack for our Kokoda for Kids trek coming up in August and this weekend I will try it our hiking up Mt Warning. New things are exciting! I love new seasons (natural and spiritual) new days, new friends, new coffee shops and new food. Follow that up by a boat load of new mercies. Get a hold of that, everyday there is a load of freshly cut and compiled mercy for our lives. All it needs is a dock to pull up to. That's us!
So don't forget even if you didn't buy anything new today your ship is always coming in.

Lam 3
22 The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end;23 they are new every morning;great is your faithfulness.

OWNERSHIP VS STEWARDSHIP

2008-06-08T16:43:00.000+10:00

Ever gone to the movies with your kids, paid their way in, bought them a drink and some popcorn only to have them slap your hand away as you reach for some of the very popcorn that you had bought?And you hear those words, "Its mine".

I was sharing in church today in the first of our MYOB series how we need to view our stuff.

1 Chron 29:14

[14] "But who am I, and who are my people, that we should be able to give as generously as this? Everything comes from you, and we have given you only what comes from your hand.

This verse comes after one incredible capital campaign by King David to raise finance for the house of God to be built. 17 Billion or around about in today's currency not a bad effort. But what makes this even more remarkable is the attitude of the people. There was literally a feeding frenzy of generosity and the heart of it is found in the verse above.

Everyone realized that we don't own what we have we are simply a steward of what God has given us.

A steward is someone that manages other peoples stuff with the goal of the owner in mind.

There is something powerful when a person realizes the following:

· Everything belongs to God
· Everything comes from God
· Everything is dispersed from God

Its not ours we are only giving back to God what was His anyway!

SAY NO TO THE FRO

2008-06-07T07:35:00.000+10:00

Ephes. 4:14 (KJV) That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;

When a church is operating according to an Eph 4 mentality they will go on a "Say No to the Fro" campaign. When Eph 4 leaders lead they will create an environment where people are no longer "tossed to and fro". I get so frustrated by the to and fro people. One minute they are committed world changers, then they are sensing Gods call onto something else and then God changes His mind again to move them elsewhere. As leaders we must embrace the challenge of equipping people to stand strong against the "Fro". This means being willing to speak the truth in love regardless of the response and reaction of the fro people. I think that we will always have them around, Jesus did, but for some reason they never liked being around Him for long. Even at the expense of not being liked He challenged the Fro!

God help us to be more like that!

LET IT OUT

2008-06-06T07:11:00.000+10:00

Ephes. 3:20-21 (NLT) Now glory be to God! By his mighty power at work within us, he is able to accomplish infinitely more than we would ever dare to ask or hope.

By His mighty power within us! The bible is talking about you and me here. If there is so much of God's mighty power available why don't we always see it?
As I look around the world and especially around Australia I see incredible outpourings of God's Spirit that just were not happening 10 years ago. The amount of people coming to Christ, the amount of volunteers giving their time and energy to make a difference in the kingdom (which is a sign that its the day of His power Psalm 110:3)
We need to remind ourselves that its not about trying to get His power in us but we have to let it work through us. That's only if I believe the bible!! If I'm not sure than I will spend my time looking for ways to get it "into" me instead of looking for ways for it to work through me. This is where most people stumble. Their intentions are good, they love God but the world goes without because we don't activate what is already within.

Psalm 68:1 (NKJV)
To the chief Musician, A Psalm or Song of David.
Let God arise, let His enemies be scattered: let those who also Him flee before Him.

Its our role to let God arise. If we have to let him arise it means that we probably have the ability to keep Him from arising!!
Anyway that's Sunday nights message!