Helensvale Baptist Church

"Anxiety"

Sun, 19 Feb 2012 00:00 +1000

This emotion is a companion to most of us. At times it can drag a person to the pits of despair and sometimes it can keep us there. I know that I have to deal with it regularly. While this issue can fill books there are probably two broad types of anxiety. Firstly, there is the anxiety of an unknown situation where you are stepping out into unfamiliar territory such as going onto a stage in front of many people or going on a journey into unknown territory. This anxiety is often linked to our flight or fight instincts. Secondly there is our anxiety about everything else. Our relationships, our job, our ability to survive in this world, our home and so on.

The Bible tells us that when Adam and Eve sinned a long time ago they broke the basic trust between God and Man. As a part of the consequence of not trusting God we have lived in a state of anxiety ever since. Basic Trust is the major element upon which our lives are built. When this gets damaged then anxiety sets up camp in our lives.

Jesus had a lot to say about this and if we want to tackle anxiety we can put His words from Matthew 6 in our heart.

²⁵ “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? ²⁶ Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? ²⁷ Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?

²⁸ “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labour or spin. ²⁹ Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendour was dressed like one of these. ³⁰ If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? ³¹ So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ ³² For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. ³³ But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. ³⁴ Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

If you are struggling or overcome with anxiety here is a simple prayer based upon one of David’s psalms that you might consider to help release this anxiety. “Lord lift my feet out of the miry pit and set my feet upon your rock. Increase in me my trust in you and help me to let go of this anxiety about (whatever your fear is). Please take this burden of (your fear of whatever) away from me and fill my heart with your peace.”

Of course any prayer will do because the Holy Spirit inside us hears our inner groans and conveys them to God on our behalf. The key is that you surrender your fear to God. One note of caution – in some cases this is a spiritual war and not one fight. This will depend upon many factors, one of which is how long you have been carrying this fear.

Ian

"Selfish Desire"

Sun, 12 Feb 2012 00:00 +1000

At the dinner table the other day I asked the boys "what is our strongest motivation? What is it that drives our behaviour more than anything else?" "That's easy Dad", said one of them, "selfish desire".

And he was right. And don't we know it. We do things for lots of reasons, but perhaps the strongest, most compelling reason for our actions is that we want to do them. The things we do the best, the actions that grab the most of us, the behaviour that last longest are ones we do because we want to.

Some things we want to do are good, some not so good. But that is not my point here. My point is that the "selfish desire" as one of our boys put it, is one of the strongest, perhaps THE strongest rationale for what we do with our lives.

What's the question we ask every young person as they prepare for the end of their school life? What do you want to do?

Imagine what would happen if God tapped into this 'selfish desire' within us as the motivation for our following him and loving of others? Look again at The Lord Jesus’ words from John 12:25,

Anyone who loves their life will lose it, while anyone who hates their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. (John 12:25 NIV)

Look at it carefully. To what is He appealing in me and you?

Matt

"I need... I want..."

Sun, 05 Feb 2012 00:00 +1000

“My God shall supply all your wants according to his riches in Christ Jesus!”

Oh Lord, won't you buy me a Mercedes Benz?
My friends all drive Porsches, I must make amends.
Worked hard all my lifetime, no help from my friends.
So Lord, won't you buy me a Mercedes Benz?

So, did you notice the misquote? Like many of us, Janis Joplin didn’t and she goes on in her song to ask the Lord for a color TV and a night on the town in addition to the Mercedes Benz.

In my lifetime I have come across a few folk who have thought God should give them exactly what they want. One was so obsessed with his own wants that he could not even bear to discuss the needs of his best friend without objecting by crying “What about ME!” And one girl even told me that she really, really hated God because he wouldn’t give her a boyfriend.

Now most of us aren’t all that extreme but if we look hard enough we might find just a little of Janis Joplin inside of us all.

So, what should we expect from God and the church? Well, here’s the correct quotation... “My God shall supply all your needs according to his riches in Christ Jesus!” Phil 4:19 Self explanatory I reckon.

So, what does God expect from us? To pattern ourselves on Jesus example and do the will of God seems to be the gist of the New Testament message. And as we do this, God promises to meet our needs. Anyway, this is what the Philippians were doing when Paul wrote this promise to them.

So, what is the call of God on your life? Is it to be an active part of the Body of Christ at HBC in building God’s kingdom? Or will you be content to just receive?

There is a huge challenge ahead of us to plant Highland Reserve and unify a new multi-site church; a challenge that we will only realize if we all individually commit to taking our place in the Body of Christ, following Jesus and seeking to deliberately do God’s will. And then, will God meet our needs? Well He’s promised to.

Glenn

Growth opportunities not to be missed!

Sun, 22 Jan 2012 00:00 +1000

The beginning of a year offers many occasions to start new opportunities or start afresh old commitments which will help our growth. Here at HBC there are a few options for you when considering the small group element of church life.

Most agree that when God is working in one’s life by his Spirit, attendance at the large group celebration on Sundays coupled with participating in a LIFE Group will help bring about effective growth as Christians.

In the large body worship celebration experience we can come together as one large group celebrating God’s goodness to the whole church body and worship him as a whole community. This is vital for our growth. These large celebrations are complemented by participation in a LIFE Group. It is here in this more intimate setting of between 6 and 12 people, that we have opportunity to build deeper relationships, serve one another, dig deeper into God’s word, worship Him, and reach out in love to our unchurched friends.

Here are some opportunities for you to grow in your relationship with God and others.

1.If you’re not in a group, join an existing LIFE Group.

2.If you’re in a group but want to see your group develop, sign up for the Small Group Development Course.

3.If you’ve done the course, become an apprentice to a current leader.

4.If you’re ready to lead others, start a new LIFE Group.

Growth occurs naturally when exposed to the right nutrients and elements. HBC LIFE Groups under the guidance of the Holy Spirit provide just that. If you’re interested in taking any of the opportunities above, contact me on stuart@hbchurch.org.au or through the church office on 5573 3644 or info@hbchurch.org.au.

Stuart

Love one another

Sun, 15 Jan 2012 00:00 +1000

John 13:34 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.

A friend sent us this story about the Seattle Special Olympics. It touched our hearts and we thought we’d share it with all of you.

Nine contestants, all physically or mentally disabled, assembled at the starting line for the 100-yard dash. At the gun, they all started out, not exactly in a dash, but with a relish to run the race to the finish and win. All, that is, except one little boy who stumbled on the asphalt, tumbled over a couple of times, and began to cry. The other eight heard the boy cry. They slowed down and looked back. Then they all turned around and went back — every one of them. One girl with Down's Syndrome bent down and kissed him and said," This will make it better." Then all nine linked arms and walked together to the finish line. Everyone in the stadium stood, the cheering went on for several minutes. People who were there are still telling the story.

Oh, that we believers would have this kind of love, compassion and concern for one another. In this day and age, it seems we only look out for ourselves! When we see a brother or sister in the Lord struggling, many times our first instinct is to compare and criticize. We’re quick to rebuke and run for the winning finish line alone! But I think we can take a lesson from these “disabled” kids - it makes me wonder who’s more disabled - them or us?

Let’s take a look at our actions. Perhaps we can show more love than we have. If we see someone falling, let’s turn around, pick him up and help him to the finish line. May God pour out His great love out upon us as we pour it upon others today.

Taken from Worthy Devotions - Bible Based Christian Daily Devotional

Being Still

Sun, 18 Dec 2011 00:00 +1000

Stillness is always a prerequisite for receptivity. Telephones and television sets cannot receive messages when they are too filled with static and noise. Stillness first, then listening. The order cannot be reversed. "Be still, and know that I am God," quotes the psalmist.

One of the most powerful expressions of this is found in Psalm 131:

O Lord, my heart is not lifted up,
my eyes are not raised too high ….
But I have calmed and quieted my soul,
like a weaned child with its mother;
my soul is like the weaned child that is with me.

An unweaned child is a noisy child. The unweaned child has learned that eventually noise leads to the satisfaction of its desires. Even if it doesn't, the noise itself appears to bring some relief. Or at least it makes others as miserable as the unweaned one.

The weaned child, however, has learned that the presence of the mother is about more than the immediate gratification of desire. The weaned child has become capable of stillness. The weaned child can have a whole new form of communication with the mother. The weaned child has entered into a whole new relationship with its mother. Now the mother is more than simply one who exists to satisfy need, to take away hunger. The mother can become a person, not just a need-meeter.

There is a catch, of course. Weaning is not a popular process. At least, not for the [one being weaned]. Children rarely volunteer for it because it is both costly and painful. Weaning means learning to live in stillness with unfulfilled desires. It is the mark of maturity.

The psalmist says this is a picture of my soul. I have learned to still my heart. There has been a spiritual weaning process so that I am no longer at the mercy of my desires and reflexes and demands. God is becoming more than just the Meeter of My Needs. I am entering into a new era listening. I have stilled my soul.

John Ortberg, Love Beyond Reason (Zondervan, 2001), pp. 41-42

Ho Ho Ho!!!

Sun, 04 Dec 2011 00:00 +1000

Remember sitting on Santa’s knee and pondering the question, “Have you been a good boy/girl?” Of course you do. And, you remember the scrap you had with your conscience over whether to tell a porky or not, oh yeah.

It was one thing to be economical with the truth with your parents but to offer a fib to Santa was almost unthinkable at that age. And the consequences... no presents for Christmas if you told the truth; no presents for Christmas if you got found out not telling the truth. Stuck on the horns of a dilemma you were.

Looking back now you know that Santa had a pretty good idea of the lay of the land by the look on your face and how long it took you to answer the question. Just as well that Santa was not the one really making the decisions about presents. Even now we instinctively know that if we got what we deserved, it wouldn’t be much.

The society we live in has standards of conscience by which it calls to account the likes of Tiger Woods and Kyle Sandilands and anyone else who violates humanity’s universal code of behavior. So what show have we who try to follow a Holy God...not much...apart from God’s Grace.

And even there in the middle of God’s Grace there is a dilemma [complete with horns]. Do I try to be good and risk offending God by trying to make myself acceptable to him when he says I can’t...do I just let it all slide and not care at all what I do cause God is going to forgive me anyway.

Well one way of looking at it is to pretend you’re drowning. You see, a drowning man cannot do a thing to save himself. Someone completely outside of himself must do whatever is necessary to save him if he is to be saved at all and that is the Grace of God. But once he is out of the water, he needs to learn to swim, to become more like Jesus, be holy, sanctified or whatever you want to call it.

Just as being rescued and learning to swim are two totally different things so forgiveness in God’s Grace and becoming like Jesus are two separate experiences and we shouldn’t confuse the two. If you get your feet in a tangle and go down in a heap you need to receive God’s Grace again in the form of forgiveness and then get up and go back to walking again in the footsteps of Jesus and you’ll be a little more like him each day. Hebrews 10:22.

Hope you get what you want for Christmas.

Glenn

It's about a relationship...

Sun, 27 Nov 2011 00:00 +1000

Matthew 10:38:39. NIV.

Anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it and

whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.

Each one of us has to be our own person. We need to have a strong sense of what we are about, set our own direction and live purposefully and boldly.

This boldness comes from knowing we are living according to God's intention. In living out God's will, we are not to be afraid. The basic motivation of life is that we please God more than people, but that we serve people through God's love. If we live to please others we will be despised, if we live for ourselves we will be lost, if we live for God, we will live for ourselves and for others.

Ideas in this article are taken from SEIZE THE DAY

with Dietrich Bonhoeffer by Charles Ringma

One Church. Multiple Locations.

Sun, 20 Nov 2011 00:00 +1000

"My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me.

I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one - I in them and you in me - so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.

Jesus (John 17:20-23 NIV)

I am always amazed that the Lord Jesus prayed for us. The Son of God prayed for us!! It would be an important prayer wouldn't it? I mean what the Lord Jesus prayed for us might be very significant because his prayer, as prayers always do, would reflect his heart for what's really important for us. Think about it, he was asking God to 'do something for us' - what was the top of his list?

It’s pretty clear isn't it: unity and evangelism. Praying that we would be one like he and the Father (and the Holy Spirit, although he doesn't mention it here) are one. And praying that the world would know and believe that the Father had sent the Lord Jesus to His earth to offer forgiveness and eternal peace to his rebellious creation.

This is one of the things that excites me about what we as two churches are doing, not only in planning over the last years or so, but even today in physical reality: here we are, two churches coming together as one. And secondly, we are doing it at Highland Reserve as a statement of intent and obedience to seeing the world here know and believe that the Father has sent the Lord Jesus into the world for us through seeing a new Christian community planted in this suburb.

Be encouraged, the Lord Jesus prayer, as always, is even being answered today. In us.

Yet we aren't there yet too. The Highland Reserve plant hasn't started yet. The new multi-site church has not come into being yet. There is more work to do, more preparations to put in place. Much that we do in life is like this - investing in things before they come to pass: parenting, education, investing our money. Indeed God works this way: from the inside out, so it can always seem like things are 'incomplete'. As bible scholars say, we are living in the time of "now and not yet ".

And then comes days like this, when we see the Lord Jesus prayers are being answered. Thank you Lord.

Let's keep working together in faith and obedience to the Lord Jesus and what He is calling us to: being one in love and care for one another, and sharing the wonderful message of the Lord Jesus and the gospel to those around us. Stay the course HBC and SBC, one day you will meet Him face to face, and blessing will come.

Thank you Lord

Pastor Matt

"Inside Out"

Sun, 06 Nov 2011 00:00 +1000

Every Wednesday at 11am Ben, one of our Malyon College students here at HBC, and I are going through a set of studies by John Piper called “Gravity and Gladness” on corporate worship. They have been exceptionally stimulating and we are looking forward to sharing them with the church in early 2012. One of the key thoughts Piper raises is that the NT radically reorientates worship from the OT, turning it around to become from the inside out (Ezekiel 36:24, John 4:23).

This thought struck me deeply this week as I responded to the news from Queensland Baptists after our presentation before their Board and Finance Team on Monday night regarding Highland Reserve Community Node project. I was hoping and praying that on that night they would decide to fund the project and our waiting, my waiting, would be over and we could proceed with getting the Community Node and second young Discoverers on the way.

But they didn’t. They didn’t say yes, or no, they wanted another month to consider the project.

My heart sunk. What’s going on Lord???!! More waiting??!! More yearning? More unsettledness and feeling in between? A straight no as much as a yes would at least have give me some certainty!! How I yearn for projects to be “over”!!

And yet I am reminded that although projects and external stuff like buildings and money are important, God’s work, as Piper suggests, begins, and is centred on the INSIDE. Forget Queensland Baptists, forget Highland Reserve, forget millions of dollars, even forget church planting. It’s also about God’s work in me. On the inside. And His “inside work” is invariably painful, slow going and not to my timetable. It involves waiting, patience and trust in God.

Pray for me as I walk with my Lord Jesus in this. This part of the HR church plant journey is not over. It’s just not over as fast as I would like. But then again it not about me. Or you. Or even Highland Reserve. It’s about the Lord Jesus. Lord help me, and us to walk patiently with you. From the inside out. “ 9 In their hearts humans plan their course, but the LORD establishes their steps.” Proverbs 16:9

Matt

Jesus & the early hours

Sun, 23 Oct 2011 00:00 +1000

In Mark’s gospel we read that Jesus had very full days while he was on earth. Healing, preaching, casting out of demons, more healings, teachings and perhaps much more which was not recorded and that is just the first chapter!

Irrespective of whether we know all that Jesus did or not, it is tiring just reading the first chapter of Mark let alone being as busy as Jesus was. I was left asking “where did he get his energy from because I really want some!” Sure he was fully God, but Scripture reveals that he was fully man too and therefore tires. So how did he maintain himself?

That’s where Mark 1:35 is striking: “And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went to a desolate place, and there he prayed.” Let that sit with you for a while. When I did I couldn’t help but ask, “how did Jesus pray?”

Recently I was at a youth conference and one of the speakers who himself attends a Baptist church in the States said this, “Baptists are terrible at praying”. He went on to explain that the strength of our denominational heritage, being our intellectually and rationally oriented thinking, is also our weakness when it comes to prayer because we have squeezed out the mystic edge in our prayer life. We find it very hard to be in fellowship with our God without going into shopping list mode or formulated prayer. Granted we don’t know what Jesus prayed in those early hours of the morning but we do know that it energized him for the day ahead – an energy that cannot come from petitioning God alone – it’s an energy that could have only come from deep fellowship with God.

That really challenged me and got me reflecting on my own prayer life. Requests are a necessary part of prayer life but never; never to the exclusion of deep fellowship with our God which spiritually energizes and prepares us for the rigors of the day ahead. Food for thought.

Stef

Highly revering our God…

Sun, 16 Oct 2011 00:00 +1000

Fearing God (as in highly revering Him) is not something we talk about much these days, yet the scriptures speak about it over and over. For example, God says: ‘Do not curse the deaf or put a stumbling block in front of the blind, but fear your God. I am the Lord’ (Lev 19:14); ‘Do not take advantage of each other, but fear your God. I am the Lord your God’ (Lev 25:17); ‘And now, O Israel, what does the Lord your God ask of you but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to observe the Lord’s commands and decrees that I am giving you today for your own good?’ (Deut 10:12-13)

There is this sense that in all our thoughts, words, actions and reactions, we are to think first about what will honour our God and to enquire of Him, for whatever honours Him will be best for us and others. ‘The fear of the Lord – that is wisdom, and to shun evil is understanding’ (Job 28:28); ‘…the Lord delights in those who fear him, who put their hope in his unfailing love’ (Psalm 147:11).

God promises wide reaching benefits to those who fear the Lord. For example: ‘The Lord confides in those who fear him; he makes his covenant known to them’ (Psalm 25:14); ‘…the eyes of the Lord are on those who fear him, on those whose hope is in his unfailing love, to deliver them from death and keep them alive in famine’ (Psalm 33:18-19); ‘The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and he delivers them’ (Psalm 34:7).

And it seems it even extends to our physical health: ‘Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and shun evil. This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones’ (Proverbs 3:7-8).

“Teach [us] your way, O Lord, and [we] will walk in your truth; give [us] an undivided heart, that [we] may fear your name.” (Psalm 86:11)

Zea

Quiet before God

Sun, 09 Oct 2011 00:00 +1000

Lord, my heart is not proud; my eyes are not haughty. I don’t concern myself with matters too great or too awesome for me to grasp. Instead, I have calmed and quieted myself; like a weaned child who no longer cries for its mother’s milk. Yes, like a weaned child is my soul within me. PSALM 131:1-2

We have all seen it. A small child climbs up in her mother’s arms. Full of trust and love, she is content to rest there—leaving behind her tears, worries and even her desires. She lies content in her mother’s embrace. In this prayer, David described himself as being like such a child—content to rest in God’s embrace. David quieted his soul before God enough to accept his circumstances, the difficulties that were beyond his control. He left those “matters too great or too awesome for him to God. He simply trusted that God—someone wiser and more powerful than he—was looking after his needs.

Quiet your soul before God in your prayer time as David did. Leave your life in his hands.

Please pray…. Dear God, I have calmed and quieted myself, just as a weaned child who no longer cries for its mother’s milk…

Taken from The One Year Daily Prayer

The "Hound of Heaven"

Sun, 02 Oct 2011 00:00 +1000

Ever tried to run away from God? It didn’t work, did it?

I am intrigued by Paul’s paradox... Philippians 3:12 I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Who’s holding who? Bit like the young man in the spring whose fancy turns to romance and he pursues his lady-love until she catches him. Or, is it more like the chicken or the egg paradox?

In Stavropol, Russia there was a warehouse crammed full of Bibles that Stalin had confiscated during the purge of believers in the 1930’s. Many years later, permission was granted for these Bibles to be redistributed and a team of workers came in to move them.

Among the workers was a young agnostic man who had come only for the day’s wages. As they were loading Bibles, someone noticed that the young man had disappeared. Eventually they found him in a corner of the warehouse, weeping.

He had slipped away in order to take a valuable Bible for himself. What he found shook him to the core!

On the inside page of the Bible he had picked up was the handwritten signature of his own grandmother. It had been her personal Bible. Out of the thousands of Bibles in the warehouse, he stole the very one belonging to his grandmother, a woman, who throughout her entire life, was persecuted for her faith.

The ‘Hound of Heaven’ had tracked him down.

I FLED Him, down the nights and down the days;

I fled Him, down the arches of the years;

I fled Him, down the labyrinthine ways

Of my own mind; and in the mist of tears

I hid from Him, and under running laughter.

Up imagined hopes I sped;

And shot, precipitated,

Adown Titanic glooms of chasmèd fears,

From those strong Feet that followed, followed after.

But with unhurrying chase,

And unperturbèd pace,

The Hound of Heaven – Francis Thompson 1859 – 1907

Glenn

Letting God Choose

Sun, 25 Sep 2011 00:00 +1000

We may have secret longings too deep to utter to others—perhaps a desire for marriage, or a work or ministry we’d like to perform, or a special place to serve. We must put each desire in God’s hands and pray, “Lord, You must choose for me. I will not choose for myself.”

Genesis 13:10-11 tells us that Lot made his own choice about a desire he had. He “lifted his eyes and saw all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered everywhere . . . like the garden of the Lord . . . . Then Lot chose for himself all the plain of Jordan.”

The plain of Jordan, with its rich soil and copious water supply, looked best to Lot. But the land was polluted with wickedness (v.13). Pastor Ray Stedman wrote that “Lot, presuming to run his own life, ‘chose for himself,’ and, deceived by what he saw, stumbled blindly into heartache and judgment. Abram, on the other hand, was content to let God choose for him. . . . Abram saw it in its true light.” Lot chose for himself and lost everything—his family, his fortune, his favor with man.

It is always the best course for us to let God choose and to follow His direction, knowing as we do that all our heavenly Father’s choices are prompted by infinite wisdom and love.

Long ago I made my life’s decision
To serve the Lord and have Him choose my way;
And when I’ve felt uncertain at a crossroad,
He’s never failed to lead me day by day. —Hess

Contentment comes when we want God’s will more than our own way.

Taken from “Our Daily Bread”

Pursue Jesus

Sun, 18 Sep 2011 00:00 +1000

Last week I preached on Philippians 3:12-4:1 and the main point was that, while God is doing a work in us (2:13) and He will carry it onto completion at the day of Christ (1:6) we too have to pursue with all our effort(3:12-14) Jesus; to know him, the power of his resurrection, sharing in his sufferings become like him in his death and therefore attain the resurrection from the dead (3:10-11). We do this because we are not yet perfect.

I also said there was a tension between being perfected in knowing Jesus by God’s work and being perfected in knowing Jesus by our own efforts. It was evident that we must be active participants in what God is doing in our lives. This perfecting process will not be completed until we go home to heaven or until Jesus returns from heaven, but our striving for this goal would help us to stand firm while we wait for this time.

This idea of striving and straining, pursuing or hunting the goal of knowing Jesus and the power of his resurrection was key. What in your life reflects this pursuit, this drive, this pressing on? Well? What is the evidence that you’re pursuing Jesus with the vigor of an athlete running for the finish line in an attempt to be called forward as champion?

In my running it is always easier if I have a friend to train with; someone to encourage me and help keep me accountable. Just the fact that they will be there in the morning helps me get out bed when I’m feeling slack. Mentors (peer or otherwise) are vital for us as we run the race and pursue Jesus because they keep us accountable and on track.

Write down all the evidence in your life of your pursuit of Jesus and open yourself up to an honest critique by a trusted friend as to whether they think it reflects the pressing on described by Paul in Philippians 3. Ask if they know of other ways you can “take hold of that for which you were taken hold of by Christ Jesus” (Phil 3:12).

Stu

Where was God on September 11th?

Sun, 11 Sep 2011 00:00 +1000

I remember where I was when those planes flew into the World Trade Centre: at the Arrow Leadership Programme in outer Melbourne, about to go to bed when the late news showed the breaking news. Four of us stayed up, and when the rest of the young Christian leaders woke up the next morning, we greeted them with the words “Good Morning, the world has changed. Christian leadership is all different now.”

After I had returned home we had a combined service for all the churches in the Castle Hill area. I spoke on Psalm 27 and finished with these words, mirroring the words of Ann Graham Lotz, Billy Graham’s daughter,

“Whatever “Why, God” we ask, we cannot forget one important truth. God too suffered. 2000 years ago he visited this globe in the person of Jesus Christ. He lived amongst the same confused humanity we do. He saw the wonder of the eyes of little children alive with joy, and yet also recognised the deep pain and grief in the eyes of his close friends at the death of their brother Lazarus. He himself wept with them. He delighted in the celebration of weddings and parties with His mates, yet was also angered by the abuse of power by religious charlatans and financial exploiters. His heart was warmed by a boy who gave up his lunch to feed thousands, but was torn apart by being betrayed and denied by some of his closest friends. And then, after all this, he was wretched away from His beloved Father, for the very first time, through a ghastly execution that belies any horror of tortures and deaths we may read of today. Make no mistake God is not unmoved by innocent suffering. Indeed he has been the subject of it himself. Yet was not defeated by it. Even death could not hold him down.

Where was God on September the Eleventh? He was begging in old clothes in the subway beneath the World Trade Centre. He was homeless in Gaza, imprisoned in Afghanistan, running the gauntlet to school in the Ardoyne, starving in Somalia, dying of Aids in an Angolan slum, suffering everywhere in this fast-shrinking world; and boarding a plane unwittingly in Boston, heading for an appointment on the 100^th floor. When the time came he stretched out his arms once more to take the dreadful impact that would pierce his side. His last message on his fading cell phone once more to ask forgiveness for them all, before his body fell under the weight of so much evil.

Remember the Cross in the midst of the Towers. Be thankful that God is not distant from our pain but has walked it himself – for us.

“The LORD is my light and my salvation-- whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life-- of whom shall I be afraid? When evil men advance against me to devour my flesh when my enemies and my foes attack me, they will stumble and fall. Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear; though war break out against me, even then will I be confident.” Psalm 27:1-3

Matt

Inviting LIFE groups to gather

Sun, 04 Sep 2011 00:00 +1000

There are few things in life that rival the joy and satisfaction experienced in seeing someone become a follower of Jesus. Perhaps that is why Paul writes to Philemon, “I pray you may be active in sharing your faith, so that you will have a full understanding of every good thing we have in Christ” (Phil v6). In response to that verse, I can’t help but think how many of us rip ourselves off by shying away from seeking to help others meet Jesus when it can actually be much easier than we think. This is particularly true when we share Jesus as a group rather than think we have to do it all on our own, and that’s the beauty of being in a LIFE group: Living In Fellowship to Evangelise – it’s about bringing people to Christ together.

In 2010, Gathering in the Park (GITP), was formed to assist LIFE groups to do this very thing. GITP is simply a free monthly BBQ in the park opposite the church (last Sunday of the month from 11:30). We supply everything you need for a free sausage sizzle lunch and the park to boot. Its intention is twofold:

a. To be an ‘outward’ social event for LIFE groups in which members can invite non-Christian friends to so they can meet and get to meet new people.

b. An ‘inward’ social event in which people at HBC can benefit from meeting and getting to know others from HBC which they would otherwise not.

Gathering in the Park has seen some amazing things happen through it: families have been connected to the church through someone inviting them along, through which some have followed Christ. People within the congregation have gotten to know others who otherwise they would have not and, yes, singles have become couples through GITP too.

So here is my challenge: if you’re a part of a LIFE group make GITP a regular event for your group and invite some non-Christians along for a free lunch in the park! You never know how God will use that time. Conversations had with other people at this event might just change the directions of their lives eternally – it certainly wouldn’t be the first. So book in the last Sunday of the month in your calendar, bring the LIFE group family and invite a friend. We look forward to seeing you there.

Stefan

What's stopping you?

Sun, 28 Aug 2011 00:00 +1000

I wonder if you, like me, sometimes feel overwhelmed by things that have happened in the past, the demands of the present and the uncertainty of the future? When I’m feeling this way, I have noticed that I bunker down, almost as one would for an approaching cyclone, probably in an effort to take control over that which I can. So I tend to focus on the basics, like doing some shopping, cooking a good meal or a pot of soup, cleaning the bathroom, or throwing out some clutter. Then I feel better, somehow. Nothing has changed, but I feel better… for a while. How does that work?

If we’re willing to take some time to observe how we choose to respond to our fears, anxiety and disappointment, we can learn a lot about what or whom we rely on and what or whom we place our hope in. Some have discovered that work, duty, alcohol, sport, exercise, drugs, sex, even obsessive bible reading, and lots more, can help to escape uncomfortable feelings. Those activities don’t change anything - though we may feel better for a short time - but rather lead to having to repeat the process again or make a new discovery. The problem is, when I follow the ‘feel-better-quick’ path, I miss the opportunity to reflect, which could lead to getting to know God and myself better.

What stops me from immediately turning to Him with whatever it is I am facing and feeling? Why is it so difficult to not do something, but to sit still in His presence and enquire of Him before I plan or act? Maybe because I don’t trust He’ll hear, speak or act in time, or I can’t slow down to wait for Him. (What do I want? Direction! When do I want it? Now!) So I’m really trusting myself more than Him because He doesn’t meet my time schedule and deadlines! Wow – seriously senseless!

Take notice, you senseless ones among the people; you fools, when will you become wise?
Does he who fashioned the ear not hear? Does he who formed the eye not see?
Does he who disciplines nations not punish? Does he who teaches mankind lack knowledge?
The LORD knows all human plans; he knows that they are futile. (Psalm 94:8-11)

Zea

Being heard in today's world

Mon, 22 Aug 2011 11:40 +1000

Have you ever followed a blog trail for an on-line newspaper article?

It is worth the trouble just to get a feel for how people respond to news and views these days. If you are like me you will be shocked and then disappointed by the vitriol that is present. We live in destructive times. This vitriol has been a feature of the London Riots in the Twitter discussions and the on-line media blogs that have been circulating. And this vitriol is right in your face in Australia.

It does not matter what the article is about. Once a person responds to an article then all manner of foul language, disjointed thoughts, cursing and rambling surfaces. The topic seems to be irrelevant. One of the difficulties in responding to a blog site is that you don’t know who your target audience is. If you put down an idea then you could get successive responses from atheists, Muslims, agnostics, witches, gender protagonists, environmentalists, ‘anonymous’, humanists or no-idea what I am saying and more. With all responses saying completely different things. But by far the most destructive thing in these blogs is the total disregard and contempt for other people’s views that come across. It is not possible to have a genuine or coherent discussion on these forums. But they exist and continue unabated.

Then I see the Christian response come in. A genuine attempt to put a Christian perspective into the discussion. Unfortunately most of these responses come across as critical, preachy and or pushy. And then the author really cops bucket loads of vitriol from many and varied sources.

“It reminds me of a Scripture from Galatians which is paraphrased as “Keep away from profane and foolish discussions which only drive people further from God.” This becomes the result of most of our Christian blogs. So if we want to respond in some way we need to think about exercising His Grace first and foremost.

Our response to these blogs could be quite different. “For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish people. Live as free people, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as God’s slaves.” 1 Peter 2:15-16. So rather than engaging with the written word we should look more to how we keep focus on the main game and win people to Christ. By our one-on-one witnessing. That is what is compelling to most people.

Don’t let these blogs or the message in them get to you because they are not the main game. But instead keep our heart and mind focussed upon Him who is sovereign in all things.

Ian