Helensvale Baptist Church - Thought for the Week

Why you should be a member

Sun, 13 May 2012 00:00 +1000

Some people are happy to just be Christians and not be linked with any church. While this idea is appealing, it is not the teaching of the New Testament. Joining the church wasn't optional in the book of Acts. The new converts were "added to the church" (Acts 2:41-42, 46-47), that is added to the local group of Christians.

The Scriptures also command us to worship regularly together (Hebrews 10:25), and all the teaching about spiritual gifts and ministry to each other (eg. Romans 12:3-21; 1 Corinthians 12) implies that we are committed to each other in a permanent relationship. You just can't get around the fact that God wants us in a church family!

However does this commitment to a church family have to be recognised by formal membership? Some people feel that by attending our church they are making a commitment, but there are good reasons for a formal commitment:

1. In New Testament times attendance meant commitment - Christians suffered greatly for their faith, so you didn't get involved unless you were serious. But these days it is socially acceptable to go to church and so attendance doesn't necessarily imply commitment to Christ or the church.

2. Our most important church decisions are made by the church members, not the Pastoral Team or Church Board. We need a formal membership to guide us in finding God's will on crucial issues. These must be people with a heart for God and his body at CrossLife.

3. Public commitment involves taking on the responsibilities of membership and submitting to the authority of the church family.

We see the commitment of formal membership as being similar to the commitment of marriage. While "living together" may be similar to marriage, the formal commitment does make a difference.

4. You commit yourself to the family through thick and thin until God calls you to serve somewhere else. The church family will be able to count on you to support them, serve them, and encourage them in the great times and in the tough times. We will also commit ourselves to hang in there with you no matter what you are going through.

So why not ask today at the office for a membership pack. We will be happy to consider your application for membership soon.

Ken O’Rourke

Is God stressful or restful?

Sun, 06 May 2012 00:00 +1000

I had an interesting conversation in our car the other day. We discussed whether following the Lord Jesus made life more stressful or less stressful. One thought was having Jesus in your life means there is one more person’s priorities to consider in my behaviour - the classic, “what would Jesus do?” question. This sounds more stressful. More people adds more stress: getting married means there is someone, as does having a child … and another one … and another one … and … !!!

Yet, the Lord Jesus is the one who promises to give rest (Matthew 11:30), and peace (John 14:27). In this sense we discussed how following the Lord Jesus might not make life more stressful, but less so. More restful you could say!! I don’t know if my life really reflects this restfulness sometimes!! Sometimes the idea of running from God seems a great escape from extra stress!!

How do I find a way ahead? The wonder of God’s grace and mercy in the gospel gives me great encouragement that God’s heart is to help me be restful, not stressful! But how do I “get it”. My life journey of faith in 2012 keeps telling me it’s all about my heart. I’ve just got to take my heart to the Lord Jesus every day and never stop. Instead of the life of escaping by running from Him, I’ve got to run to Him, the One who says “Come to me …” (Matthew 11:28).

I love this photo. It communicates so much joy, rest, freedom and peace. It is no coincidence that it is a photo of a little girl (could be a boy!). Kids rest in the confidence that their life is in good hands (friends, parents, teachers). We should too – in God’s good hands. Is it little wonder the Lord Jesus says, “… anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” (Mark 10:15). Trust your heart to Him.

Matt Hunt

Jesus, friend of sinners...

Sun, 29 Apr 2012 00:00 +1000

Welcome to CrossLife!

In this current series we are studying the gospel of John to consider Jesus. It is amazing how many different names Jesus is given. Here are some of names of Jesus from the book of John:The Word, the Light of men, Jesus Christ, Messiah, Lamb of God, Rabbi (means teacher), Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph, Son of God, King of Israel, Son of Man.

What was even more amazing was that all of these appear in the first chapter of John! Wow talk about an introduction!

It got me thinking about names and how well we know someone if we know their name. Actually we don’t know people very well if all we know is their name. To know my name is Stu but nothing more makes me not even an acquaintance! “An acquaintance is someone whose name you know, who you see every now and then, who you probably have something in common with and who you feel comfortable around.”

Sometimes it’s hard to get to know people, but it sure is worth the effort. Sometimes the problem is that there are too many people to get to know. In a setting where there are fewer people, friendships can be made with one another. This is just one of the great things about CrossLife LIFE-Groups. Even more important though is that here at CrossLife in the large group celebration and in the LIFE Groups we can get to know Jesus better. We can move from just knowing his name to knowing him.

The Bible is vital to knowing who Jesus is because the names above are not just names but when we investigate their meaning in the context with which they were written, they tell us who he is. It’s great that at CrossLife we can do that together.

Stu

"Kingly Advice"

Sun, 22 Apr 2012 00:00 +1000

I am reading through Deuteronomy devotionally right now. Now, just because I mentioned Deuteronomy don’t avoid this article and skip to the next page as there is actually a great deal of gold to be found in that book.

One such piece of gold is the instruction of Moses to the future kings of Israel. Deut 17 reads, ¹⁸ “When he takes the throne of his kingdom, he is to write for himself on a scroll a copy of this law, taken from that of the priests, who are Levites. ¹⁹ It is to be with him, and he is to read it all the days of his life so that he may learn to revere the LORD his God and follow carefully all the words of this law and these decrees ²⁰ and not consider himself better than his brothers and turn from the law to the right or to the left. Then he and his descendants will reign a long time over his kingdom in Israel.”

The passage Stu is preaching from today (John 1:1) has been incorrectly interpreted by some to bolster the beliefs of a sect we are often confronted with at our doorsteps. Their incorrect interpretation has lessened Jesus to a created god which is in complete contrast to whom we understand Jesus to be: completely God and equal to the Father but with a different role. The ripple effect of this small difference is that millions have been led astray and now trust and follow something that will lead them to hell. Frightening isn’t it?

The advice given to future kings is absolutely relevant to us today, otherwise we may be open to being led astray by other sects, religions or ‘isms’ which linger in our world. There is no substitution for carefully following or studying the words of the Bible. We must be wise in the word of God and humble and loving in the application and communication of this to all mankind.

If you currently don’t read and meditate on a small amount of Scripture daily, I plead with you start for long term, it will make a huge difference.

Stefan

Unity

Sun, 15 Apr 2012 00:00 +1000

John Stott, the wise scholar and theologian, writes that self-love impairs or spoils all relationships ... He says, “Personal vanity lies at the root of most dissensions in every local church today.” And James writes in Chapter 4:1, “What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you?”

There’s nothing wrong with having desires, even strong godly ones, but the trouble seems to start once we go about trying to fulfil them, and how we may choose to respond when they are not being fulfilled. Sometimes, despite our asking, persuading or begging (in subtle and not so subtle ways), others don’t play along or do what we hope for. This often leads to us making demands (whether we articulate them or not!), and then to manipulating (in the nicest possible way, of course), coercing, or even threatening - “For their own good!”, we may say. We can be very creative at getting our message across one way or another.

And if our plans still don’t work, we may make judgments about the character of those who are blocking our desires, and eventually ‘punish’ them for not delivering by withdrawing from the relationship or withholding ourselves, our gifts (including service) and our love. This is not the way of unity. Jesus prayed that we would be one, so that the world may know that He came.

Jesus calls us to lay down our lives for one another as He did for us. For me that means choosing to love Him more than I love me, and to love you as I love myself. That means laying down my hopes dreams and preferences, and intentionally working for unity. As I do this, and bully my heart into submission, the Holy Spirit, the Helper, shows me lots of opportunities to humbly cooperate with His desire to create in me His love, joy, peace, patience, faithfulness, goodness, kindness, gentleness and self control. May it be so!!

Lord Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me, a sinner!

Zea

He is Risen

Sun, 08 Apr 2012 00:00 +1000

He is Risen!

For me, one of the messages that Matt has brought to us over the last sermon series has been about how this world offers nothing compared to what we get in accepting Jesus as Lord. This world offers so much stuff which when we are presented with it can be luring. Things like chocolate, sex, power, wealth and fame. Each of these things and others are tempting and in our instant, must-have society we can succumb to taking the immediate pleasure for a temporary rush.

The resurrection of Jesus, which we celebrate today, means that this life and all it offers is temporary. It means that the things of this world will end and a new life will come; one that is far greater than anything we have experienced. This new resurrected life, is the one we all need to be ready for. We get ready for it by following Jesus, accepting him as the Son of God and worshipping and serving him with our lives. Chocolate, sex, power, wealth and fame are not bad things unless they become the thing we worship; the thing we pursue more than Jesus. In the end if we pursue them instead of pursuing Jesus we will end up with nothing because they will all pass away.

Jesus said, “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

Stu

Location... Location... Location...

Wed, 04 Apr 2012 14:27 +1000

“Waikowhai Gospel Hall” the sign said, and although it was just a little better than a corrugated tin shed, it was the place where I first heard of God, Jesus and salvation.

I guess we all have a place like that. Many places in fact. I reckon we would be hard pressed to remember a spiritual experience that didn’t take place in some sort of building.

Churches, camps, tents, town halls, warehouses, and so on. The only exception I can remember was the Billy Graham campaign at Carlaw Park in Auckland. Oh and there might have been a beach mission or two somewhere along the way.

Now days, we don’t have a lot of appreciation for church buildings. They just aren’t very spiritual, just bricks and mortar, something to keep off the rain.

But they were the location, the place and the focus point that drew us to where the spiritual action was. Without the location, we would not have been there to have the experience.

That tin shed I mentioned; somebody built it. Built it to be a focal point, a place, a scene where God could be found if you wanted him. The finding did not depend on the building, but without it the opportunity could not be there, for there was nothing otherwise to underwrite it.

I guess our disenchantment with church buildings goes back to the times of Christopher Wren and the magnificent edifices he designed to the glory of God. If we think about it, it’s probably not so much the buildings, like St. Pauls themselves we object to but the sterile ceremony of outward religion that is often rightly or wrongly associated with them.

We have just celebrated again the construction of our own Helensvale Campus building in which many of us have experienced God’s blessing. What a wonderful thing that all those folk we saw on the video came together back then to give us a location wherein we can experience today the blessing of God.

And the cycle continues as we start construction of the Community Hub Highland Reserve; another location where we trust many will also have the opportunity to hear about God, Jesus and salvation.

Glenn

CrossLife can be confident

Sun, 25 Mar 2012 00:00 +1000

Someone once told me, and I can’t for the life of me remember who, arrogance is an opinion built on self, confidence is built on Christ. That is powerful. Now consider this passage from Matthew 16…

13 When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?” 14 They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” 15 “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?”

16 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

17 Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven. 18 And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it .

There has been much debate within protestant and catholic churches over this passage throughout the centuries concerning an understanding of what “this rock” refers to – either Peter or the revelation of who Christ is. One thing remains crystal clear: Jesus declares that the gates of hell will not prevail against his church! What a powerful promise. This is utterly devastating to our enemy and profoundly empowering and releasing to the body of Christ.

Nothing or no one – be it human or spiritual – can overcome the church of Christ. It will prevail. Why? Jesus had defeated death and provided eternal life to those who believe in him. He is the sovereign ruler over all creation and if he says it will happen, make no mistake, it will happen.

If we are confident in our Lord Jesus Christ – who he is, what he achieved on the cross, his sovereign rule and that God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose – we can be extraordinarily confident that profound times await. Look out Southport, look out Helensvale, look out Highland Reserve, look out enemy – the church, united in Christ and under his headship promises you will never be the same. The Gospel will be proclaimed, lives will be transformed, the church will grow because Jesus ‘is the Christ, the Son of the living God’.

Where does your confidence lie and how does this impact your missionary life?

Stefan Maslen

Decision Day

Sun, 18 Mar 2012 00:00 +1000

Well today’s the big day. Today’s the day we find out what God thinks. Whenever I think about that I am amazed. God’s will is made known to us today through his people (you). This means the business meeting of the church is so much more than that. It is a remarkable revelation that is taking place. These meetings should not be missed! God’s will is made known!

We work on the principle that if his people earnestly seek him in prayer and they believe they are led to decide a certain way on an issue, that he will guide all his followers in the same way. In theory this means that the majority decision is God’s will. But is this always the case?

There have been times when the majority have actually been against God. One great example is when the people of Israel were saying they wanted to go back to Egypt after God had miraculously saved them from the Egyptians. Should Moses have listened to the majority? Clearly, no. So is there any way to tell if the majority is following God?

Ultimately I think it comes down to looking carefully at the individuals that make up the majority. Selflessness and faith are two key things to look for. It becomes clear very quickly if someone is making a decision for themselves. It is also usually clear if someone is not trusting God at his promises. So I would ask you today to look at yourself and consider if you are being selfless and showing faith in God, in the way you vote today.

Our first value statement is worth being reminded of before today’s big decisions:

Seeking Divine Direction

As we believe Helensvale is the Lord’s church, we desire to be a community who is in the first place seeking divine direction in every step we take as a church. We want to see the church and the world both now and in the future through the Lord’s eyes. We yearn to be a people who are known to seek the Lord in all things and expect His direction to come.

Therefore we will be dedicated to prayer, be constantly under the authority of the Bible, and be sensitive to the leading of the Holy Spirit in all our doings and relationships.

May the Lord’s will be done.

Stu

Current Trends in the Western Church

Sun, 11 Mar 2012 00:00 +1000

Last Monday Bill Hybels from Willow Creek church in Chicago, US met with about 70 Australian church leaders in Sydney. Unfortunately I couldn’t make it, but John Sweetman, the Principal of Malyon College, and speaker at our HR combined service on 25^th March, sent a summary to me which I thought might provoke some reflection and discussion amongst us, particularly with what we are considering before the Lord regarding CrossLife – a baptist church.

Hybels shared eight ‘trends’ he saw in the western church over the last 10 years. Briefly they were,

1. There is a huge move in the church to support compassion and justice issues.

2. The church is taking spiritual formation more seriously, that is a growing interest in spiritual disciplines like Scripture reading, prayer and fasting.

3. Congregations are cooling towards small groups. Hybels identified a number of factors that may have contributed.

a. People are increasingly more busy and pressured.

b. The leadership of small groups has not always been effective.

c. Mature Christians tend to find their own community and don't always get involved in church-sponsored groups.

4. Churches generally are doing less direct evangelism and that many churches have given up completely.

5. There are challenges to the future direction of worship. He said that our complete dependence on singing was strangling our creativity and starting to bore people.

6. When asked a question about church budgets in tough economic times, Hybels said that no churches were anywhere near receiving the financial resources that are available in their congregations. Because of high debt, people are just not able to be generous. So people need personal help with organising their finances if they are to be released to give. He mentioned one large church that has four staff members working in financial training. His argument was that because parents are not teaching financial responsibility, the church has to do it.

7. Multisite church planting has taken off all over the world. That is, churches clone a new church like a franchise with the vision and values shared with the “mother” church. Many of these campus churches use video for the preaching with the main pastor’s sermon being beamed in from the mother church.

John Sweetman’s summary is,

“There is plenty to be both excited and concerned about in this list. I appreciate Hybels’ desire to be intentional and to constantly evaluate what the church is doing with a view to greater kingdom effectiveness and responsible use of God’s resources. But we do need to balance this with an ear to what God is saying and where God is leading. If we only listen to people and their desires, we will inevitably breed consumerism in the church and end up chasing our tails.”

How do you respond?

Matt Hunt

"A Freeing thought"

Sun, 04 Mar 2012 00:00 +1000

Reading through 1 Corinthians recently I came across this liberating passage:

1 Cor 1:26 Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. 27But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. 28 He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, 29 so that no one may boast before him. 30 It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. 31 Therefore, as it is written: “Let him who boasts boast in the Lord.”[d]

How humbling this is! Humbling to realise that God did not call me to himself based on anything I have done or could ever do. In fact through this passage I come to realise, particularly when I sit down and give some thoughts to the implications, I am not a great person by worldly standards: I am weak, foolish and unimpressive. However… how freeing this is.

This passage also declares that God did not choose me for any human brilliance or accolades, he chose me in spite of my failings. Furthermore, Christ has made a way to be with God that bypasses my flaws and failings so that the hope I have in him will never depend on me or what the world thinks of me! I can be flawed yet freed in the forgiveness of my saviour! Free to enjoy him, free to fall, free to stumble – yet always forgiven so that I can have a relationship with God despite not having it all together. Truly all I can do is boast in Jesus.

Stefan

Pray for one another

Sun, 26 Feb 2012 00:00 +1000

On Monday morning this week I received an email out of the blue from the vice principal of one of the colleges I attended. He wrote saying that he has been struck by and challenged by Paul’s words in 2 Corinthians 1:11 where Paul expresses his appreciation for those who helped him in his ministry by praying for him. He went on to write that as part of his response to the challenge in this verse, he has begun an intentional plan of praying for colleagues in ministry and this week he would be praying for me by name each morning. Well, I can’t tell you how blessed I was and am! It put a spring in my step on Monday morning. I have never before known that a colleague, a brother in Christ with whom I have not had contact for about 4 years, is praying for me by name for a whole week! I am so encouraged, uplifted and grateful. It reminds me that the Lord Jesus himself prays for us (John 17), and that the Spirit of God intercedes for us according to God’s will for us (Romans 8:26-27).

Wow! How encouraging is that? We are not alone!

This has in turn challenged me to be more intentional about praying for others.

“And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.”

Ephesians 6:18

Zea

"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