DID YOU KNOW?

... that today is the birthday of the White House? The cornerstone of the White House, the symbol of the American presidency, was laid in 1792. There are 132 rooms, 35 bathrooms, and 6 levels in the Residence. There are also 412 doors, 147 windows, 28 fireplaces, 8 staircases, and 3 elevators. Kind of makes cleaning your house not sound so bad now does it? ;-)

QUOTE FOR THE DAY

"If I were asked to give what I consider the single most useful bit of advice for all humanity, it would be this: Expect trouble as an inevitable part of life, and when it comes, hold your head high. Look it squarely in the eye, and say, I will be bigger than you. You cannot defeat me."

-- Ann Landers

Bring it on trouble... I am most certainly always bigger than you with all thanks to Jesus!!!

DID YOU KNOW...

...... that today is Home Run Record Day?

In 1927, Babe Ruth hit his fabled record-setting 60th home run.

The record stood for 34 years until it was broken by Roger Maris.

Here's to Babe...and to the House that Ruth Built -- Yankee Stadium!~~~


"Don't let the fear of striking out hold you back."-- Babe Ruth

PRAISE GOD FOR HILLSONG

I saw this on James Macpherson's blog and I just had to take a moment after watching it and praise the Lord for the contemporary praise and worship we enjoy in our church...

This one is a worry lol.

Enjoy...

QUOTE FOR THE DAY

"Don't cry because it's over. Smile because it happened."

A good life lesson for all of us... we often rob ourselves by dwelling on what is over rather than remembering what was experienced...

Have an excellent week and LETS GO BRONCOS!

I will be at Suncorp Stadium Saturday night with 50,000 plus screaming fans.

Lets hope that I don't have to 'dwell on what is over' (ie the broncos season) but rather lets hope I get to be excited about next weeks round of rugby league finals of which the Broncos will be a part.

ITS A SAD DAY

Its been one of those weekends you know... my AFL team the Collingwood Magpies will rest in peace for the remainder of the 2008 Finals series having been knocked out by A St Kilda outfit that really showed up my team over the weekend.

Then the Aussies lost to the Kiwis in the Union... another shambles that should of been won having such a good lead at one point in the 2nd half..

So then I think... no worries my NRL team the Brisbane Broncos will keep my hopes of Grand Final glory alive... only to discover that due to the McIntyre system (one of the most controversial finals systems in existence) my team the Broncos must now beat premiership favourites, the Melbourne Storm, to advance in this years finals series...

The only plus here is that it is a home game for the Broncos but the Storm will be so fired up from their loss to the 8th placed New Zealand Warriors that the Broncos would surely have to be the underdogs...

For those of you in my world... I am grieving on the inside...

Go the BRONCOS!!!

ON DRIVING

The one thing that unites all human beings, regardless of age, gender, religion, economic status or ethnic background, is that, deep down inside, we ALL believe that we are above average drivers.

Here is a perfect example of someone who believes they are an above average driver...

DID YOU KNOW...

Did you know...... that today is the birthday of the La-Z-Boy Oasis?

In 1999, La-Z-Boy introduced the Oasis, the first reclining chair with a built-in electric cooler that could hold up to six 12-ounce cans.

The chair also featured a built-in telephone for calling out for pizza.

Alas, the chair has since been discontinued...but you can celebrate by kicking back and taking it easy today!

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

"When written in Chinese, the word 'crisis' is composed of two characters. One represents danger and the other represents opportunity."

HANG AROUND CHAMPIONS

Successful people are confident -- in themselves, their abilities, their value to others. In fact, self-confidence is a large part of their success.

They know they can get just about anything they want just by believing in themselves. And that confidence has a powerful influence on the people they meet.

We hear it all too many times from our favourite Australian Idol judges (yes Idol is back on and I am loving it)... Dicko, Marcia and Kyle forever saying... 'you just have to believe in yourself'

You, too, can develop the kind of confidence that commands respect, makes people listen and demands admiration.

Just start to hang around those you aspire to be like. Eventually somethings gotta rub off... its biblical after all...

Proverbs 27:17
'As iron sharpens iron, So a man sharpens the countenance of his friend'

RUN THE RACE TO WIN

"You can neither win nor lose if you don't run the race."

-- David Bowie

To use old Aussie slang - have a go ya mug!

Today Anita and I are celebrating three years of marriage. So many people (as they do) offered us their thoughts on marriage leading up to and even on our wedding day and also during the days we have shared since.

This is where you choose to take control of what you actually believe... the statements were thrown out there... 'the first years the honey moon but then after that...' and 'you think she is beautiful now but give it time and...'

It gives me great pleasure to put on record that our marriage is stronger and more enjoyable than ever before and the prospect of future married life only looks up and up.

Its true that you have power over what you really need to believe... we could of taken those flippant generalised comments on board but we have chosen to believe our own thoughts on marriage and that is... it never needs to stop getting better!

As David Bowie says above... we are choosing to run the race in our marriage and giving ourselves every opportunity to win!

QUOTE FOR THE DAY

'Don't tell people how to do things, tell them what to do and let them surprise you with their results.'
George S. Patton

As leaders we should always look for opportunity to allow people to shine, allow the best to come out in people and allow people to rise to any given occasion.

I believe in life, people are simply looking for a way to use the gifts and abilities that they have been blessed with and developed.

It is the leaders responsibility to harness the gifts of those around them and this can only be performed through the intentional use of empowerment.

THE SEARCH FOR SIGNIFICANCE #5

Jesus didn’t just breathe on the disciples 2,000 years ago. Every time we are baptized in the Holy Spirit, it is God’s breath on us. Just imagine that. It is not a one-time thing.

I think Christians today have gotten into the baptism of the Holy Spirit as some kind of one off event. We have got that in Acts chapter 2, but we fail to look forward to Acts chapter 4 where they get baptized in the Holy Spirit again. It says very clearly in Acts chapter 4 they were all filled with the Holy Spirit as they were in a prayer meeting: "After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the Word of God boldly." So it is not just in Acts chapter 2; it is also in Acts chapter 4. This means we can be filled with the Spirit continually.

We don’t have to walk around as if there are some moments when we’re filled with the Spirit and other moments when we’re not. We can be continually filled with His Presence. It all has to do with how we think about it. If we actually think that in Him we live and move and have our being, that our very breath as we breathe in, we can be filled with God Almighty, just imagine how that will transform your life! The baptism in the Holy Spirit is not a one-time event. It can be a continuous thing for all who believe.

I want you to take that thought with you through the day, through the rest of this week, through the month, through the year. I think Christians now more than ever need to be filled with the Holy Spirit, need to be filled with His authority, really need to have the power of God working in their lives. We live in perilous times. It is not a time for us to take off the Armor of God and go relax. We need to be fully armed, fully prepared with the Holy Spirit.

Let me conclude with this. It’s the conclusion that is found in the 150th Psalm. It’s the very last word in Psalms. It’s the very last Psalm. There are a 150 of them, and here’s the very end of it. It says, "Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord!"

Significance can be found in a simple breath and God is the air we breathe.

Amen.

THE SEARCH FOR SIGNIFICANCE #4

Who is the Holy Spirit?

How should we approach Him? What are His attributes? What does the Bible say about Him?

Let’s start off with the introduction of the Holy Spirit. It’s found right in the first chapter of Genesis in the second verse: "The earth was without form and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. Then God said, 'Let there be light;' and there was light." At the very beginning of Genesis, you have God’s Word, Jesus; you have God the Father; and you have the Holy Spirit: the Trinity all represented in creation.

The interesting part of this is the Hebrew word for spirit. We almost get a little spooky talking about the Holy Ghost, but the Hebrew word for spirit is ruach, and it means "air in motion." It is the same word for "breath." It also means "life." By resemblance to breath and air in motion, it means "spirit."
That’s where we get the translation, and the Hebrew word contains all those different meanings. If we just look at it with our English meaning "spirit," we’re not getting the full attributes of what the Bible is trying to describe. It’s trying to describe that there’s a breath involved.

Going back to that first chapter in Genesis, if the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the deep, and then God said, "Let there be light," when you speak, it’s through your breath that the words take form.

Just imagine that: God speaking, His breath comes out, and there you have the Word of God, "Let there be light." That is where the Gospel of John says, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." They are all separate, but at the same time, they are all one, just as when you breathe and you speak, your words can be one with you.

Let’s take this into the New Testament because we have almost the same thing where Jesus is talking about the Holy Spirit. He says in John chapter 3, "That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, 'You must be born again.' The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit".

Jesus is talking about the Holy Spirit, and He’s saying it is like wind. When you get into the Greek behind that, the Greek word is pneuma, which again means "a current of air," "breath," or a "breeze, " and again by analogy, "a spirit." So both the Hebrew and the Greek word are talking about breath. It’s talking about wind.

Back in Creation, back in Genesis, you’ve got how we were made. "And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being" (Genesis 2:6-7, NKJV). Some translations call that "a living soul." It’s from the breath of God that we actually get our life. And so now you get the linkage of how we were created. How we were created in the image of God is because of our breath, and it is because of the breath of God coming into us.

The same thing happens when we are born of the Spirit. When we are re-born, it is from the breath of God. In the Gospel of John, where He is giving to His disciples the Holy Spirit, just as God breathed on Adam and gave him the breath of life, Jesus breathed on His disciples in John chapter 20: "'Peace to you! As the Father sent me, I also send you.' And when He had said this, He breathed on them and said, 'Receive the Holy Spirit'".

The Holy Spirit, the breath of God. When you get into that kind of analogy, you now understand better what the attributes are. It’s no longer something spooky, but it’s something very close to you. It’s as close to you as your very breath. The Bible says, "In Him we live and move and have our being." I love the praise song that says "You are the air I breathe, Your holy Presence in me." We can literally breathe in the Presence of God and be filled with the Holy Spirit with each and every breath we take.

THE SEARCH FOR SIGNIFICANCE #3

CONNECTED TO THE EARTH
In Genesis 1:24 we are told that God said, "Let the land produce living creatures...." and it was so.

The earth brought forth life when God commanded that it should. As it produced the animals, the earth has produced us too. We were made from the dust of the earth, and the same chemicals that make up other living things make up our bodies. We are connected to the earth. Our physical bodies are important. There was no curse on the dust of the earth at this point. It's not sinful to have been made from the earth, it's a good thing. We didn't arrive on a spaceship from some other dimension to be given dominion over the earth. We were given dominion over an earth from which we originated.

BORN OF GOD'S BREATH
We didn’t just come from the earth. God gathered together the dust of the earth, formed it into a human body, and then breathed on it. "Spirit" and "breath" are the same word in a number of languages, including Greek and Hebrew. God's breath is his Spirit.

Could it be that God’s spirit that makes us significant, that brings us love, can be found in the very air that we breathe?

God exhaled his breath, and the figure that he had formed inhaled it and became a living being. Human beings have not only an earthly origin but a divine origin. His image and his likeness, something that corresponds to God, has been given to us from the very beginning with thanks from the breath of God.

How did God form us? God rolled his big sleeves up, and he took the clay, formed it as he wanted, and then breathed on it. And the first thing that the man saw when he awakened was the face of God, near enough to be breathing on him.

Have you ever kissed a baby awake? (I mean a three- or four-month-old baby who is old enough to recognize your face.) Sometimes you spend forever trying to get them to sleep, rocking them until they fall asleep in your arms. Then you don't want to wake them up, so you sit together until nap time is over. Finally when the little one starts to move around, you bend down with a kiss. That little face looks up at yours and breaks into a smile. I think that's the best way to demonstrate what I am talking about here. God kissed Adam awake, and Adam's first vision was filled with God.

Yahweh made a garden for the ones he loved, a perfect place, Our race began in the most intimate of settings with God. And if we long to be ‘the intimate’ of someone, to be connected someplace, if our hearts cry out for a life to be shared with someone, or if we are even fools for love, it is because we were made to be loved. The first experience that a human had was to see the face of God when he awoke.

Romans 8 also tells us this: "For you did not receive a spirit [breath] that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, "Abba, Father."

So what has God done for us so we can feel significance in his sight, so we can feel love in his presence? I believe the God sized void for us to feel significant, for us to feel loved, is filled by the Holy Spirit received by the very breath of God.

THE SEARCH FOR SIGNIFICANCE #2

A second gospel story, found in John 8, is that of a woman caught in adultery, dragged before Jesus, exposed, and encircled by a condemning mob who wanted to frame Jesus with her sin.

She was someone who wished to be, and longed to be, loved. She longed for significance through love.

Most people who make fools of themselves sexually or who destroy themselves with bad choices in relationships do so because they want love and desire to be loved.

How many of us haven't been fools for love at some point? How many of us haven't done something embarrassing, longing to be connected to another, in the circle, appreciated, touched, known?

Jesus was able to disburse the condemning crowd that had brought the adulterous woman with this penetrating response: "The one who is without sin may throw the first stone."

Do you know why we long to be loved? Because God created us to be loved from the very beginning.

THE SEARCH FOR SIGNIFICANCE

Over the next few days I will share a number of points from a message I shared at our recent 'Kings in Christ' Men's Camp.

Consider the story of Zacchaeus in Luke 19

You may remember that Zacchaeus was a short man. Zacchaeus was also a traitor to his people, a tax-collector who served Rome. He was a heartless thief. But we can imagine Zacchaeus' life before he grew into this kind of man.

It's true of many people who are belittled, rejected, or laughed at (not just for being of small stature) that they fight back to win respect even if for negative reasons. I think that was Zacchaeus' longing in life. He didn't want to be put down, to be a nobody. He was going to make all the people who belittled him sorry.

And so when Zacchaeus became an adult, he was smart, ruthless, rich, and lost. He climbed a tree to see Jesus because the crowd who hated him would never let him near the inner ring around Jesus.

But everything changed when Jesus stopped and addressed the tax collector: "Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today." Then he finally turned to the crowd when they objected and said, "...This man, too, is a son of Abraham."

Jesus gave Zacchaeus the significance and standing that he longed for.

Genesis 1 tells us that God - who made the vast universe, the stars of the heavens, life, and light, who separated land from water, who brought about everything - found human beings his fascination.

We are the ones in whom the image of God resides, who are given dominion over the earth.

The reason we have longed for significance since the fall is that God intended us to have it from the beginning. Nothing that he ever made is more important than human life. When your soul cries out for significance, you're longing for something God intended for you to always have.

THE WONDER OF FACEBOOK

I have managed to get the Internet going in our new home so regular updates should become increasingly regular again here at jeremygreening.com

What a creation Facebook is... so much so that myspace is quickly starting to mimic a number of the features that this website offers...

I think its simply incredible that all your friend circles can come back into connection through this web interface and you can rekindle old friendships and catch up with more recent acquaintances.

I love this quote from author Edith Wharton: 'There are two ways of spreading light: to be the candle or the mirror that reflects it'.

It is a privilege to live my life for the great cause that is Jesus Christ and my prayer is that through mediums like Facebook I can not only be a candle that spreads light from a single source being the wick... but I can actually use mediums like Facebook that enable me to be a mirror to many that reflects the love of Christ far beyond the normal boundaries of my physical existence.

To quote an old Sunday school song...
This little light of mine... I'm gonna let it shine

Until next time... all our love

Jeremy and Anita

WE MOVE IN TODAY

The undertaking of a new action brings new strength.
-- Evenius

We move into our new home today.

Anita and I are so excited at this new chapter in our lives and look forward to having a home to call our own.

I trust as each of us take on board a new thing, that we will find strength beyond measure as we trust God and press forward into all He has for us.

Stay tuned for house pics soon...

LONG TIME BETWEN POSTS

We are so close to moving into our new home and what better way to keep the sanity than to have a jolly good laugh.

This one goes out to all the chronologically blessed men out there...

Love to you all...

BEAUTY PRODUCT FOR MEN OF ALL AGES:

Do people call you Fatty?

Do people call you Baldy?

Do people call you Ugly?

Do people call you Shorty?

Do people call you Stupid?

Do people call you Loser?

Are you over 40, 50, or even 60?

Worst of all, have the women lost interest in you?

Do not despair. Now there is a new "Beauty Product" on the market that will change all of that. ...........................

I LOVE BEING AN AUSSIE

You know you're Australian if.....

1. You know the meaning of the word 'girt'.
2. You believe that stubbies can be either drunk or worn.
3. You think it's normal to have a leader called Kevin.
4. You waddle when you walk due to the 53 expired petrol discount vouchers stuffed in your wallet or purse.
5. You pronounce Melbourne as 'Mel-bn'.
6. You pronounce Penrith as 'Pen-riff'.
7. You believe the 'l' in the word 'Australia' is optional.
8. You can translate: 'Dazza and Shazza played Acca Dacca on the way to Maccas.'
9. You believe it makes perfect sense for a nation to decorate its highways with large fibreglass bananas, prawns and sheep.
10. You think 'Woolloomooloo' is a perfectly reasonable name for a place.
11. You're secretly proud of our killer wildlife.
12. You believe it makes sense for a country to have a $1 coin that's twice as big as its $2 coin.
13. You understand that 'Wagga Wagga' can be abbreviated to 'Wagga' but 'WoyWoy' can't be called 'Woy'.
14. You believe that cooked-down axle grease makes a good breakfast spread.
15. You believe all famous Kiwis are actually Australian, until they stuff up, at which point they again become Kiwis.
16. Hamburger. Beetroot. Of course.
17. You believe, as an article of faith, that the confectionery known as the Wagon Wheel has become smaller with every passing year.
18. You still don't get why the 'Labor' in 'Australian Labor Party' is not spelt with a 'u'.
19. You wear ugh boots outside the house.
20. You believe, as an article of faith, that every important discovery in the world was made by an Australian but then sold off to the Yanks for a pittance.
21. You believe that the more you shorten someone's name the more you like them.
22. Whatever your linguistic skills, you find yourself able to order takeaway fluently in every Asian language.
23. You understand that 'excuse me' can sound rude, while 'scuse me' is always polite.
24. You know what it's like to swallow a fly, on occasion via your nose.
25. You understand that 'you' has a plural and that it's 'youse'.
26. You know it's not summer until the steering wheel is too hot to handle.
27. Your biggest family argument over the summer concerned the rules for beach cricket.
28. You shake your head in horror when companies try to market what they call 'Anzac cookies'.
29. You still think of Kylie as 'that girl off Neighbours'.
30. When returning home from overseas, you expect to be brutally strip-searched by Customs - just in case you're trying to sneak in fruit.
31. You believe the phrase 'smart casual' refers to a pair of black tracky-daks, suitably laundered.
32. You understand that all train timetables are works of fiction.
33. You get choked up with emotion by the first verse of the national anthem and then have trouble remembering the second.
34. You find yourself ignorant of nearly all the facts deemed essential in the government's new test for migrants.
35. You know, whatever the tourist books say, that no one says 'cobber'.

GOING TO A DEEPER LEVEL #7

GOD’S CONSTANT PRESENCE

Open your mouth and taste, open your, eyes and see – how good God is. Blessed are you who run to Him. Worship God if you want the best; worship opens doors to all His goodness. Young lions on the prowl get hungry, but God-seekers are full of God.

Is anyone crying for help? God is listening, ready to rescue you.If your heart is broken; you’ll find God right there; if you’re kicked in the gut, He’ll help you catch your breath.
Psalm 34:8-10, 17-18 (Message)

INTRODUCTION
When you meet a really good friend... the more you hang around them the more you actually want to be with them, hang out, and get to know them even more. This statement captures the essence of the latest chapter of Israel’s book. God’s constant presence is something we CAN actually live in.

THE WAY OF INTIMACY
Our view of God can be affected by the way we were brought up, things we encountered as children, lessons we have been taught but the truth is that God’s intimate with us our entire life.

The issue is whether we choose to acknowledge Him or not.

God brings things into order in your world and has intimate plans for you and ways that he will reveal himself to you during your life journey. There is a constant intimacy when we walk in His presence.

HOW DO YOU SEE GOD?
Do we look at God through a stain glassed window and only get a distorted view of who He really is or do we delve much deeper and discover the sweet mysteries of God, that he created us before we were born...

For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother's womb. I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvellous are Your works, And that my soul knows very well. My frame was not hidden from You, When I was made in secret, And skilfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And in Your book they all were written, The days fashioned for me, When as yet there were none of them.
Psalms 139:13-16

DO YOU HAVE SUPERNATURAL POWER?
I love the illustration in the book by Don Wilkinson when his wife asks him if he believes he has power? If we believe it, we can receive it and achieve it! We need to understand the power that is within each and every one of us but not only believe we have power but also believe that the power is there to change lives, impact nations and affect future generations!

GOING TO A DEEPER LEVEL #6

I have failed to put the last four commentaries on the Israel Houghton book 'Going to a Deeper Level' that I took our worship team through... so I will do this over the next 3 days or so.

A DEEPER WORSHIP
Let the Heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad; let the sea resound, and all that is in it; let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them. Then all the trees of the forest will sing for joy; they will sing before the Lord
- Psalm 96:11-13

INTRODUCTION
The whole purpose of our consecration time is to journey to a deeper level not only in corporate worship but in our own personal worship journeys. The challenge is... have we caught something during this time or have we just gone through the motions. Are we at a deeper level in our own personal walk with Christ or are we just living from day to day and not encouraging change in our lives. A deeper worship is all about going to a new level in our relationship with Christ.

WE ARE MADE TO WORSHIP
Whether we recognise it or not we are designed to worship. Whether we worship Christ or something else is a decision we all must make but no matter what we do, we are worshipping.

The dictionary meaning of worship includes: extravagant respect or admiration for or devotion to an object... sometimes we need to check and ask ourselves... am I worshipping God today, or is it the TV, or the playstation, or the footy game or even our relationships or our jobs.

There is certainly nothing wrong with partaking in any of these things, the question is... does our worship of God always get the priority first or is it often an afterthought? Seek ye FIRST the Kingdom of God...

WE SHOULD ALL BECOME COURT JESTERS
I love the picture given by Israel in this chapter that we should not see ourselves as a King or Queen when it comes to worshipping Jesus.

We should be like the court jester who existed to serve the King through entertainment. If the King was pleased they got to live but if they were unimpressed they would lose their life.

Praise God He is full of grace and worship isn’t a life or death matter in the physical but the principal certainly does apply in the spiritual. If we please God with our worship we are spiritually alive... but if we offer up empty sacrifices of worship then we can become spiritually dead.

It’s all about worshipping Him in spirit and in truth!

WORSHIP IS HOT
Yes indeed! But a short note to remind us that worship should be HOT for the right reasons. It’s not about limelight or fame or glory but everything to do with humility and servant hood and doing what we do not to please man or look good in mans eyes but to again offer a sacrifice of worship and praise with the intention being to please our King.

CHAT WITH GOD REGULARLY
Worship is a time where we chat with an old friend who is very interested in us and all we do. Worship is just like a conversation where we open our hearts to our best friend and bare all in openness only to have God come, wipe the slate clean and love us all the more.

I love worshipping a King who sets you free each and every time you have a conversation!

AND THREE LAST WORDS...
Worship is lifestyle...

I LOVE LAMININ

Louie Giglio is a Christian pastor/evangelist and founder of Choice Ministries and Passion Conferences. He has put together two incredible DVD presentations on the awesomeness of God with the first one entitled 'Indescribable'.

The heavens are telling the glory of God, and their expanse declares the work of His hands. Night after night they remind us of just how small we are, and how huge God is. Looking out into the far reaches of the Universe, we find a seemingly infinite expanse of mystery and wonder, intricately fashioned by a God of unfathomable size and power.

Just a glimpse of one of the billions of visible galaxies He has formed, resizes us, shrinking us, and the world we call home, to seeming insignificance in an instant.

But as tiny as we may seem, the God who knows every star by name also knows yours and mine. And in the most stunning rescue imaginable, God sent His Son to this spinning planet we call home--the Creator reconnecting us to Himself with life that never ends.

The second part of the series is called How Great Is Our God and our church enjoyed watching this at our Sunday night meeting. I am not one to usually spoil endings but you seriously need to take a look at the clip below as it demonstrates how great our God truly is!

ITS BEEN WAY TOO LONG

Life has been quite full lately and its been over a week since a post... not good!

We are a mere 28 days from moving into our first 'palace ala Greening' and we are so excited to be going into our first home! It has certainly been a journey of patience on our behalf.

Everything moves along so quickly, the cement slab, the frame, the roof and then wullah... lock up stage and the snail crawl begins...

I love this quote from Bertha Calloway 'We cannot direct the wind, but we can adjust the sails'.

The house building experience has certainly taught us that although we may not be in control we can certainly adjust our direction and focus so we can move with the wind of change.

This is certainly a principle we can grab hold of and learn that even though things may not always go our way, we have a choice to adjust, adapt and move on.

I will keep you posted on our move into our new home amongst other ramblings as I continue the journey at jeremygreening.com

QUOTE FOR THE DAY

Throw out an alarming alarm clock. If the ring is loud and strident, you're waking up to instant stress. You shouldn't be bullied out of bed, just reminded that it's time to start your day.
-- Sharon Gold

...Jeremy says amen to that!

JESUS, MORE THAN A SAVIOUR

Psalm 23
1 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. 2 He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. 3 He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness For His name's sake. 4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. 5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; My cup runs over. 6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me All the days of my life; And I will dwell in the house of the Lord Forever.


JESUS IS OUR SHEPHERD
A Psalm of David. The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

God wants us to know that He loves us, not just to know it but to believe it. He wants us to know that Jesus is our shepherd.

The Most frequently used picture of God is that he is our shepherd and his people are the flock.

When you see sheep you often know that the shepherd is not very far away.

Goats are independent and proud, they often go their own way, near the edges of cliffs and they have a tendency to fall off. Sheep are often seen as dumb and needing direction from the shepherd and not being capable of making up their own minds... I would rather be referred to as dumb and have the Lord as my shepherd and never be living in lack all the days of my life than to be proud and smart and fall off a cliff and die smart.

You don’t need to be smart to follow Jesus, you just need to have a desire to serve him, allow him into your life and live life for him and God has all the smartness, all the wisdom, all the intelligence, everything you will ever need to live an abundant life.

The Lord is my shepherd I shall not want or in other words... the Lord is my shepherd I shall not lack.

There is no quantification in this scripture. It does not say lack in finance, lack in relationships, lack in wisdom... therefore it covers everything.

When you realise the Lord is your shepherd and you are His sheep faith springs forth, you feel a sense of love, being cared for and protected.

JESUS IS OUR COMFORTER
He makes me to lie down in green pastures;

1) first thing - God wants you to rest.

2) second thing- God makes you lay down in green pastures

Green pastures to a sheep is top class food. God makes us lie down (rest) but we rest in the abundance and goodness that God has for us

Salvation begins when we rest in the finished work of Jesus

Healing comes when we stop and rest

Blessings begin when we rest

JESUS IS OUR PRINCE OF PEACE
He leads me beside the still waters.


Sometimes the word ‘still’ can come across as meaning stagnant. When water is stagnant it creates a home for mosquitoes or bad musty smells. God certainly doesn’t lead us beside a cess pool of brooding mosquitoes.

The Hebrew word for ‘still’ is Manuka and this word means quietness. The Lord Jesus leads us to a quiet place, a resting place. The Lord leads us beside waters of rest.

If you are ever making a major decision concerning your employment, investing money, direction for your future, remember the Lord leads you beside waters of quietness, waters of peace, waters of rest. If there is any unrest or noticeable noise in your spirit, if there is no peace, then I would seriously question whether the decision you are about to make is inspired by God or not.
If there is waters of quietness... go for it!

JESUS IS OUR LIFE
He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness For His name's sake.


He restores my soul is the idea of healing or bringing life... the Hebrew word for soul is nafesh and nafesh means life so the scripture is saying the Lord restores our life back to us.

After he restores our life he leads us in the paths of righteousness... its important to realise that righteousness is not something you do, righteousness is a gift, Jesus is the gift giver. You cannot work to achieve righteousness.

Some of us think if we can struggle and strive for perfection and earn God’s favour and earn righteousness but its a free gift for all of us, earned by the nine inch nails through the hands and feet at the cross.

There is nothing we can do to obtain righteousness other than to follow the one who bore the weight of the sin of the world on his shoulders at the cross.

It is through this righteousness that we can obtain the life that Jesus promises us... He restores our soul, nafesh, he restores our life and then he leads us in the pathways of righteousness.


JESUS IS OUR FORGIVENESS
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil

Notice it says the Lord doesn’t lead you. ‘Yea, though I walk’ means we choose to go down pathways in life where the Lord doesn’t lead us. We cannot blame God for the tough times we traverse through because Yea though I walk...yea though I choose to walk away from you Lord... yea though I choose to dabble in drugs or alcohol... yea though I choose to mess around in sexual relationships... yea though I choose to flirt with the receptionist at work... the Lord does not lead us to these places... we choose to walk there.

But the good news... even though we walk through those valleys the Lord never leaves us. Even if we were the only one out of a thousand sheep to go astray, he would leave the nine hundred and ninety nine to come and find us.

God loves us so much that he forgives us no matter what and in those valley times when we walk through challenges... the Lord finds us again when we open our hearts and our minds to him.

We may lose God in our lives but God never loses us

JESUS IS OUR PROTECTION
For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.

When we go through times of trial we need to talk to the Lord and not about Him. This verse has a change in phrasing. During or after the walk through the valley it’s time to talk directly to the Lord.

One of Jesus favourite expressions is to not be afraid. When he meets the disciples out on the water during the storm and they are thinking he is a ghost, the first thing Jesus says is don’t be afraid.

Jairus daughter had died and the moment Jesus heard the child was dead he turned to Jairus and said do not be afraid. Even in the midst of a storm do not be afraid.

JESUS IS OUR PROVISION
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; My cup runs over.

God wants us to eat even when our enemies are still present. Build our relationship with God even when you are still stressed, even when you are still not well, even when things don’t look right.

We have a big God who answers us in big ways exceedingly abundantly over and above all we could think or imagine... so think big believe big, hunger for big and when we think big then God will always exceed even that which we think is big.


JESUS IS OUR EVERYTHING
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me All the days of my life; And I will dwell in the house of the Lord Forever.

Not perhaps and not maybe but surely!

The Hebrew meaning for follow is pursue and hunt you down.

Some of us spend the day wondering what the devil is planning to throw at us but how much better would it be to believe that goodness and mercy are devising ways to hunt us down today.

When the shepherd takes his sheep out, the shepherd always goes before his sheep.

Jesus goes before us and then goodness and mercy follows us.

We don’t need to chase down goodness and mercy... we just need to chase down Jesus and surely goodness and mercy will chase us and hunt us down.

ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE

Who would of expected the almighty Collingwood Magpies to put in a performance against reigning premiers and the undefeated Geelong Cats that would rate as the best win for any side in the 2008 AFL season thus far.

An 86 point drubbing that would put any team to shame let alone the almighty Cats who have dominated all in their path since last season.

A similar proposition faced the NSW Blues as they took out the first match of the State of Origin series against a red hot QLD Maroons side that has won the last two series.

It just shows that adversity should never intimidate anyone. When things look less likely to be achieved... that is when one digs their heels in and creates a memorable moment of success that can act as inspiration for many...

AN ODE TO OUR GOLDEN EAGLES

We have an excellent over 50's ministry in our church at Hinterland Christian Centre who have a significant impact on our Seniors in the local community. The Golden Eagles meet fortnightly and I have the privellege of sharing with them in the next couple of weeks.

The following video is a tribute to those seniors whom we wonder what they get upto when they are bored...

QUOTE FOR THE DAY

'I have failed many times, and that's why I am a success'
-- Michael Jordan

This Year's Darwin Awards

Yes, it's again that magical time of the year when the Darwin Awards are bestowed, honouring the least evolved among us, including those who removed themselves from the gene pool for the sake of all humanity.

Here is the glorious winner:

When his 38-calibre revolver failed to fire at his intended victim during a hold-up in Long Beach, California, would-be robber James Elliot did something that can only inspire wonder. He peered down the barrel and tried the trigger again. This time it worked.

And now, the Honourable Mentions:

1. The chef at a hotel in Switzerland lost a finger in a meat-cutting machine and submitted a claim to his insurance company. The company, expecting negligence, sent out one of its men to have a look for himself. He tried the machine and he also lost a finger. The chef's claim was approved.

2. A man who shovelled snow for an hour to clear a space for his car during a blizzard in Chicago returned with his vehicle to find a woman had taken the space. Understandably, he shot her.

3. After stopping for drinks at an illegal bar, a Zimbabwean bus driver found that the 20 mental patients he was supposed to be transporting from Harare to Bulawayo had escaped. Not wanting to admit his incompetence, the driver went to a nearby bus stop and offered everyone waiting there a free ride. He then delivered the passengers to the mental hospital, telling the staff that the patients were very excitable and prone to bizarre fantasies. The deception wasn't discovered for 3 days.

4. An American teenager was in the hospital recovering from serious head wounds received from an oncoming train. When asked how he received the injuries, the lad told police that he was simply trying to see how close he could get his head to a moving train before he was hit.

5. A man walked into a Louisiana Circle-K, put a $20 bill on the counter, and asked for change. When the clerk opened the cash drawer, the man pulled a gun and asked for all the cash in the register, which the clerk promptly provided. The man took the cash from the clerk and fled, leaving the $20 bill on the counter. The total amount of cash he got from the drawer: $15. (If someone points a gun at you and gives you money, is a crime committed?)

6. Seems an Arkansas guy wanted some beer pretty badly. He decided that he'd just throw a brick through a liquor store window, grab some booze, and run. So he lifted the brick and heaved it over his head at the window. The brick bounced back and hit the would-be thief on the head, knocking him unconscious. The liquor store window was made of plexiglass. The whole event was caught on videotape.

7. As a female shopper exited a New York convenience store, a man grabbed her purse and ran. The clerk called 911 immediately, and the woman was able to give them a detailed description of the snatcher. Within minutes, the police apprehended the snatcher. They put him in the car and drove back to the store. The thief was then taken out of the car and told to stand there for a positive ID. To which he replied, "Yes, officer, that's the lady I stole the purse from."

8. The Ann Arbour News crime column reported that a man walked into a Burger King in Ypsilanti, Michigan, at 5 am, flashed a gun, and demanded cash. The clerk turned him down because he said he couldn't open the cash register without a food order. When the man ordered onion rings, the clerk said they weren't available for breakfast. The man, frustrated, walked away.

9. When a man attempted to syphon gasoline from a motor home parked on a Seattle street, he got much more than he bargained for. Police arrived at the scene to find a very sick man curled up next to a motor home near spilled sewage. The police spokesman said the man admitted to trying to steal gasoline and plugged his syphon hose into the motor home's sewage tank by mistake. The owner of the vehicle declined to press charges, saying that it was the best laugh he'd ever had.

MOTHERS DAY THOUGHTS

We had an excellent Mother's day at our church with Devonshire Tea, (love those scones with jam & cream) massage pampering for all mums, and a gift for all mums in attendance.

The main highlight for me was presenting three mothers from the community with three hour pamper packages at a local day spa.

Two of the three mums had never stepped foot in our church and all three were extremely overwhelmed and touched by the generosity of our people. It really was one of those memorable days in the life of our church!

I shared the following quotes and thoughts with our church across both our services for Mother's Day.

"My mother was the most beautiful woman I ever saw. All I am I owe to my mother. I attribute all my success in life to the moral, intellectual and physical education I received from her."
-- George Washington (1732-1799)

"God could not be everywhere and therefore he made mothers."
-- Jewish proverb

"I remember my mother's prayers and they have always followed me. They have clung to me all my life."
-- Abraham Lincoln

A very happy Mother's Day to all mums, especially my own mum, Lorraine Greening who I owe everything too and who has played a major role in making me who I am today, and my Step mum Judy who is also an amazing lady and has been obviously fundamental in the upbringing of her own children!

Praise God for our Mums!

QUOTE FOR THE DAY

Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm.
-- Ralph Waldo Emerson (essayist, philosopher, and poet)

LAUGHTER - THE BEST MEDICINE

A friend of mine got stopped for speeding yesterday.

They thought they could talk their way out of it...

Until the officer looked at their dog in the back seat.

GOING TO A DEEPER LEVEL #5

Listen, O coastlands, to me and take heed, you peoples from afar! The Lord has called me from the womb;From the matrix of My mother He has made mention of My name.And He has made My mouth like a sharp sword;In the shadow of His hand He has hidden Me, And made Me a polished shaft; In His quiver He has hidden Me. Isaiah 49:1-2 (NKJV)


CHARACTER VERSUS ANOINTING
Character versus anointing is about avoiding the comfortability factor and continuously stretching yourself and sharpening your character so you can be a complete product of God’s grace.

Resting and relying on anointing from God without sharpening your character can lead to a very mundane existence that becomes samey and repetitive.

But when we mix Gods anointing in with our constant sharpening and building of our character we will be in for a very exciting journey indeed!!!

DON’T BECOME THE FROG IN THE POT
When a frog is thrown into a boiling pot they will jump straight out but if you place the frog in cool water and gradually turn up the heat then the frog generally will not move until it’s too late and dies.

We can relate this picture to our own lives as we rediscover the urgency we must demonstrate in being in tune with the things of God in our world. Otherwise, just like the frog, we become complacent in our own boiling pots.

The challenge during this time of consecration is to reignite our passion to want to embrace the things of God and become more in tune with the environment in which we live in so when the pressure cooker is turned up and the pot begins to boil, we can sense what is happening in our world and take fast evasive action and be rulers in our environment rather than be dictated to by the boiling pot.

BECOME A COMPLETE ARROW
Israel challenges us not just to focus on the arrowhead which he equates to the more material things like looks, ability, talent and results, but to continuously work on straightening our shafts, the part that is connected to the arrowhead, and represents our character.

We need to be a people, constantly sharpening our characters, and forever asking God for His grace to be very real in our lives. We do things wrong, we make mistakes, BUT GOD... His grace comes and we maintain solid character by constantly seeking more of Him.

THE KEY TO DEVELOPING STRONG CHARACTER IS TO CONFESS...
The thing of which I am part... Is greater than the part I play...

QUOTE FOR THE DAY

Doubt whom you will, but never yourself.
-- Christine Bovee

GOING TO A DEEPER LEVEL #4

THE DARK PLACES
Fear not for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you,I will uphold you with My righteous right hand
Isaiah 41:10 (NKJV)

We can all experience dark places in a world where we are trying our best to live in the light.

The fact is we are all flesh and it is our spirit man that dwells in all of us that yearns to connect with God. Without the spirit man we would simply be flesh and have no desire to seek the things of God in our lives.

BRING FEAR INTO THE LIGHT AND MAKE IT YOUR FRIEND
The concept of fear is interesting in that it shows us how we can rob ourselves when fear controls us. I love the picture Israel paints when he talks about throwing all your junk and stuff lying around your home into the closet when people come to visit. When they arrive in your home they ask you what’s in that room over there and we let out an almighty NO!!!!

It is easy to live our lives like that sometimes and we try and hide our fears and concerns in amongst the busyness of life but sometimes we need to let God be God and give those fears up to him.

Living in fear is like a merry-go-round that never stops. You will always stay on the same track your entire life if you allow fear to dictate your steps.

EGO
Some people totally miss it when it comes to this topic. There is a healthy way to accept praise into your world. If someone comes up to us and says good job and we simply point heavenward and declare it’s simply the Lord then we have missed it.

God is using YOU so let his people give you praise. The danger only comes when we take that praise and form an attitude that we are the be all and end all and things only happen in church when we are involved. This is what we call EGO.

WORKING IT OUT IN THE KITCHEN
We all need a secret place where we develop in our relationship and in our worship to our King. Your bedroom, your closet, your study, your little place hidden away at the local park... form a well worn path to your secret place, visit it regularly, and work out your worship heart there.

YOUR FIRST LOVE
Never forget the simplicity of your first love. It’s like when we first meet a romantic partner... things were so simple and you would make every effort to see them and hang out but after a few years the desperation to be together has fallen away and you are now in a routine of normality.

The same can happen with our relationship with God... it’s time to return to your first love again...

MORE THAN WE DESERVE...
The picture we are given of Israel as a 16 year old sneaking out of the house must remind alot of us what we got up to as kids. Israel went to his dad totally expecting to be grounded but his dad told him he could have a later curfew now and entrusted him with more.

This is a great example of the picture we have of how God deals with us. We know we are flesh we do bad stuff and we deserve hell, but the grace of our Lord is more than enough... so much more that he simply says... come home again.

A PASTORS BUSINESS CARD

A new pastor was visiting in the homes of his parishioners. At one house it seemed obvious that someone was at home, but no answer came to his repeated knocks at the door. Therefore, he took out a business card and wrote "Revelation 3:20" on the back of it and stuck it in the door.

When the offering was processed the following Sunday, he found that his card had been returned. Added to it was this cryptic message, "Genesis 3:10."

Reaching for his Bible to check out the citation, he broke up in gales of laughter. Revelation 3:20 begins "Behold, I stand at the door and knock." Genesis 3:10 reads, "I heard your voice in the garden and I was afraid for I was naked."

GOING TO A DEEPER LEVEL #3

OBSTACLES TO GOING DEEPER

Let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us - Hebrews 12:1

It is natural to encounter obstacles when you are on a journey that is leading you to a deeper relationship with God. Our commitment as a worship team at Hinterland Christian Centre is to conquer the obstacles and demonstrate control and confidence when overcoming the obstacles that come our way.

KEEP GOING SO YOU REACH THE END OF THE ROAD
One of the greatest challenges in life is making it to the end of something you start. It may be a new diet, a fitness regime, a sporting commitment or any number of new things you may commence in life. God calls us to be finishers in life.

A person of good character will always finish something they start as it really is part of demonstrating faithfulness. In the case of our 40 day consecration, we are demonstrating our faithfulness to God.

OBSTACLES OF THE HEART
It’s so easy to rely on ability and talents to get us through a worship experience with God but the biggest lid we place on ourselves in times of worship is our attitude which derives from the condition of our hearts.

With a poor attitude we are limiting how much God will be able to move in and through us. If we keep our hearts in the right place we are giving God every opportunity to do what he wants to do as we become outwardly focused on him rather than inwardly focused on our own attitudes and heart condition.

OBSTACLES OF BUSYNESS
Life is BUSY. There is always something to do at any particular time and often how we choose to spend our time will dictate the kind of fruit we are producing in our lives.

In order to reap a deeper level in our times of worship both personally and in church we must commit to sowing time into our relationship with God.

Imagine what could happen in our times of worship together when a team of committed worshippers join as one in a time of consecration together.

OBSTACLES OF CHANGE
Psalm 16 is comment enough on the challenge of facing change in our lives. I have decided to print the Message Bible version for us to read together:

1 Keep me safe, O God, I've run for dear life to you. 2 I say to God, "Be my Lord!" Without you, nothing makes sense. 3 And these God-chosen lives all around - what splendid friends they make! 4 Don't just go shopping for a god. Gods are not for sale. I swear I'll never treat god-names like brand-names. 5 My choice is you, God, first and only. And now I find I'm your choice! 6 You set me up with a house and yard. And then you made me your heir! 7 The wise counsel God gives when I'm awake is confirmed by my sleeping heart. 8 Day and night I'll stick with God; I've got a good thing going and I'm not letting go. 9 I'm happy from the inside out, and from the outside in, I'm firmly formed. 10 You cancelled my ticket to hell - that's not my destination! 11 Now you've got my feet on the life path, all radiant from the shining of your face. Ever since you took my hand, I'm on the right way.

--The Message Bible - Psalm 16

QUOTE FOR THE DAY

Failures are finger posts on the road to achievement.
-- C. S. Lewis

Achieving things in life rarely comes without first experiencing some form of failure from which we learn and gain valued wisdom.

Failure therefore becomes a stepping stone towards our next achievement.

Next time you encounter failure simply ask this question. What can I learn from this experience that will draw me ever so closer towards my next achievement in life.

QUOTE FOR THE DAY

'If my hands are fully occupied in holding on to something, I can neither give nor receive'
-- Dorothee Solle --

The thing I like about a statement like this is that we have a choice.

When we hold onto what appears to be dear and important to us, we are not ready to receive the next thing that God has for us.

Its only when we freely let go that we can then freely receive the next thing that is coming our way.

Conversely we can never truly give without first letting go of that which we currently have.

The key -- we must let go to enter the next season --

ANZAC DAY AFL

My beloved (and not too successful [yet] 2 wins from 5 games) Collingwood Magpies are in traditional action today as they take on the Essendon Bombers for public holiday glory.

All I can say is, if the Pies are ahead in the final quarter, as I believe they have been in the majority of their losses this season, I will be screaming at the top of my lungs for them to play the FULL GAME!!!

It isn't over until that final siren sounds and victory then becomes assured...

Its a good life lesson that we can take from that picture. When you are engaged in something... give it your full attention until its completed. When our vision wavers and we look to other things we can lose focus on what really matters and get pipped at the post before the final siren.

Keep your eyes on the prize, give it your full attention until the final siren, and bask in the victory that comes when you complete the full four quarters!

CARNA PIES

QUOTE FOR THE DAY

-- We act as though comfort and luxury were the chief requirements of life, when all that we need to make us happy is something to be enthusiastic about. --

Charles Kingsley
(June 12, 1819 – January 23, 1875 - an English novelist)

Find that which makes you enthusiastic and pursue it to the full!

Enjoy your Anzac Day long weekend!

GOING TO A DEEPER LEVEL #2

A NEW REALITY
Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart - Psalm 37:4

Our worship team at Hinterland Christian Centre are committed to establishing new habits and a new reality when it comes to our relationship with God. Our desire is to go through a self-imposed upgrade to our spirits as part of our journey to a deeper level.

ITS THE OPPOSITE OF WHAT WE NATURALLY THINK
We often believe that Psalm 37:4 is talking about the list of things we want and if we delight in the Lord then He will give us our wishes. God is more than a magic Jeanie.

Do we ever stop and think that God actually wants complete control of our lives and therefore would want complete control of what we desire as well. In a nutshell... our desires should be the desires that God would want us to have.

We need to pause... Selah... and actually catch that before we can ever truly know what the REAL desires of our heart are.

We will begin desiring things at a whole new level when we truly go to a deeper level in God together.

CHANGE CAN BE PAINFUL
Particularly when we feel that everything is cruising along OK. Why change what isn’t a problem right now? The end goal of change in how we live our life should always be to ultimately draw us closer to the heart beat of God.

We all need an upgrade to our spirits from time to time... as the book says... there are times in our life when the plans, desires, hopes and dreams of our hearts begin to run counter to the plans and desires that God has for us.

LET YOUR HEART DOMINATE YOUR HEAD
Our journey must go beyond the messages we hear, the bible studies we do and the knowledge we acquire. All of these things are important BUT our hearts must be engaged with the things of God to go to a deeper level.

BEGIN A NEW HABIT
Use this time of consecration to form good habits in your life that will last beyond just this season of time... use this as an opportunity to permanently draw nearer to God.

GOING TO A DEEPER LEVEL

I have been taking our worship team at Hinterland Christian Centre through a book written by legendary worship leader, Israel Houghton, called 'A Deeper Level'.

I have written some thoughts on each chapter and will post some of these thoughts over the coming days...

CHAPTER 1: A SEASON OF CONSECRATION

[Jesus] said to Simon, “Now go out where it is deeper and let down your nets and you will catch a lot of fish!” - Luke 5:4 (TLB, emphasis added)


A CONSECRATION
Consecration is defined as “to make or declare sacred; to devote irrevocably to the worship of God... to devote to a purpose with deep solemnity or dedication.”

The scripture says “You shall consecrate yourselves therefore and be holy, for I am the Lord your God” (Leviticus 20:7)


For this season we were setting ourselves apart, unto God, not to glorify ourselves but to show God we meant business. That we were desperate for a move of the Holy Spirit and that we were prepared to do whatever it took to seek God in and through our lives.

THE JOURNEY
As a team we embarked on a journey that definitely saw us draw closer to the very heartbeat of God.

Hear my heart, it wasn't about rules and regulations, checking up on each other and ruling with an iron fist. It was about setting ourselves apart, consecrated to the things of God and seeking spiritual breakthrough not only in our own personal lives but in the life of our church.

Those who couldn't do this with us, we stood in the gap for. We are a people, passionate to see God move and perform the miraculous in our lives TODAY.

In this season of consecration I asked our entire worship team to believe for three key things:

1) That we would draw closer to God’s heartbeat in our times of worship

2) That we would see the greatest of financial miracles in all aspects of our church

- Our general tithes and offerings for the ministry to function
- Our missions giving so we can bring God and people together both locally and internationally
- Our building giving so we can claim this year as our time to rise and build

3) That we would see a harvest of souls in the life of our church

THE BASELINE COMMITMENT

MEDIA – Our commitment was to limit our TV viewing to 6 hours a week. What would happen if we spent the time we would normally use on watching TV actually spending time with God...

DIET – Our commitment was to minimise our intake of sugars and fried foods as well as to select a favourite food and a favourite drink and go without these for the duration of our consecration. The goal was to commit to a healthier lifestyle. What would happen if by living a healthier lifestyle, we were better able to get into the presence of God and experience devotion times focused on things of the spirit rather than the appetites of the flesh?


TIME – Our commitment was to spend at least 10 minutes in the morning and 10 minutes in the evening with God. How we did this was up to us but the suggestion was to sing a worship song with a CD going or play your instrument, pray, and read the Bible. Spending time with God is not lying on your bed and claiming you are praying as you drift off to sleep hehehe. What would happen if we built up our relationship with God by devoting more personal time with Him.

The team could by all means, go beyond the above guidelines but I encouraged them to do their best to commit to the above as a team and believe that as we set ourselves apart God would honour us in our consecration to Him.

Remember, it wasn’t about rules and regulations, but it had everything to do with setting ourselves apart unto God, for Him to break through in our life and the life of our church.

We are already seeing the fruit from having gone through this book together as a team. I would encourage any worshipper to read this book. It will change the way you view worship.

GENEROSITY - THE PATHWAY TO MORE

I shared a simple thought with our church around the offering on Sunday morning.

James Bryant Conant who was a chemist, educational administrator, and government official said this... Behold the turtle. He makes progress only when he sticks his neck out.

Often to achieve anything in life we must stick our neck out and get out of our comfort zone. When we place ourselves in a situation where God MUST do something... often this is when we see the miraculous.

Generosity is the pathway for more!

Proverbs 11:24-25 says this:

24 There is one who scatters, yet increases more; And there is one who withholds more than is right, But it leads to poverty. 25 The generous soul will be made rich, And he who waters will also be watered himself.

As we stick our necks out, get out of our comfort zone and maintain a generous soul... our generosity will always lead us on a pathway to MORE!

ON THE FOOTY THIS WEEKEND

Well the Broncos almost performed one of their last minute wins again last night but the Titans were too strong for them at their new home ground.

I seriously think its the Broncos year again though...provided injury doesn't hold them back. Such tenacity is found in their team culture and the never say die attitude will hold them in good stead for the rest of the season.

They got off to a very slow start behind 16 nil after the first 18 minutes but still managed to put some fear and worry in the Gold Coast camp even at the 78th minute of the game when they scored the last try of the match.

As for Collingwood... well they are pitted against a strong North Melbourne outfit and I am heavily relying on the PIES to stage a major turnaround after handing Carlton their first win in 14 games last week.

Every Collingwood fan knows that every AFL team lifts when they play the PIES. Its such a prestigious thing to be able to say you beat the PIES...

Plus its very important for me to obtain bragging rights over James Macpherson who is a staunch KANGAROOS fan...

CARNA PIES...
or I'll never hear the end of it from a one James Macpherson...

ON CHURCH AND COMMUNITY

Carl Gustav Jung formerly a Swiss psychiatrist, an influential thinker and founder of analytical psychology said this:

The meeting of two personalities is like the contact of two chemical substances: if there is any reaction, both are transformed.

The purpose of church (personality one) within society is to engage its community (personality two) and provide a positive alternative to the way we live life. The church offers purpose through Jesus, a sense of belonging through relationship and a clear direction for your future through teaching from God's word... all things that I believe the majority of the community are constantly longing and looking for.

The challenge is to bring these two personalities to a point where, as Carl Gustav Jung suggests, there is a reaction that causes transformation.

I believe our great church at Hinterland Christian Centre has caught the importance of engaging with our community and taking church to them instead of expecting the community at large to just come to our church building. Something is noticeably different this year in the way we are planning and running our different events that engage our community...

Our youth group of around 50 young people is overseen by Michelle Hulcombe and her husband Luke and together they stormed the local Cooroy skate park with our youth last Friday night.

A free BBQ was on, crazy games, loud music, a game of touch footy (that suspiciously looked like tackle) and other fun and games were all put on by our youth and we had well over 150 come. What a brilliant result for our first attempt!

To follow up this night we heavily promoted Chris Wayne, illusionist extraordinaire, who was at Flame Youth last night and as a result our youth had over 70 in attendance! Simply because the church literally engaged with its community the week before...

In a similar fashion, our Savvy women's ministry is putting on a High Tea today with a two fold purpose.

1) To raise money so our church can contribute to building a house in Uganda for children who are AIDS orphans or affected by war.

2) To engage with our community in a unique way and to share the love of Jesus through the demonstration of our support towards the Ugandan children.

We have over 140 women coming today and I will be the one in black slacks, white shirt and bow tie serving the woman and dabbling in a bit of crooning while I am at it...

The cool thing is that 40% of these women are not church folk and will be experiencing church for the first time. Sure its not a church service nor will there be an alter call for salvation, but seeds will be sown and another opportunity will have been taken to fulfil the God given vision our church has embraced which is:

'to bring God and people together...'