It All Hangs On This

CONTENTMENT?

Mon, 05 Mar 2012 02:03:00 GMT

How do you maintain contentment? Here is an attempt to answer…

Our contentment has to be in Christ the person of God. It is relational not results based and because Jesus is perfect love if we fix our eyes and our hearts desires on him we will never be let down.

This is not done perfectly in our life because our earthly eyes are drawn easily away from Jesus being our goal and desire.

Sin.

Faith is a trust that is not based on results or growth but on the character and person of God.

For example in earthly relationships we have faith or trust in each other based on their character or who that person seems to be in our eyes. Sometimes they aren't what we think they are its just the perception we have of them.

But with Christ He is exactly who He says He is and He can be trusted fully.

Its our perception of Him that is the problem – we look at Jesus through the filters of our own character and circumstance and as a result are not always content with just Him.

Faith in Christ covers our short-fallings and pulls down all our misperceptions of Christ and sees Jesus Christ for who He really is.

Not who we think He should be or what we want Him to be.

Faith is the substance of things hoped for the evidence of things not seen.

Meaning everything we have ever hoped for and desired is found in Christ but faith - the ability to believe despite not seeing Him tells us this is our reality, not what we see with our physical sight.

Contentment is found in Christ and we attain it by believing He is who He says He is and what He has done for us on the cross has made it possible to find true peace and contentment in Him alone.

There is no substitute.

He never disappoints.

It all hangs on this.

+jk

Say Yes to Grace

Mon, 10 Oct 2011 03:39:00 GMT

There is no substitute for grace.

Even if our minds had the capacity to think up a concept greater than grace we could not for there is not. If God's greatest gift is Himself than grace was the only option and what a brilliant non-option it is. It is this greatest gift of relationship with our creator that is most wanted by our heart. Our heart however was so cloudy and stormy it could not see the sun rising and therefore needed a supernatural clearing to see what is now available, a brand new start, a brand new day. Once your eyes have seen this 'son' there is nothing your eyes want more, once your skin has felt the warmth of His presence, your emotions the healing of His wings, your heart the moulding of His hands there really is nothing this world can do to compete. Yet it somehow is not the dismissal of all that is in this world, for much of it is made that much brighter by this grace. For this world was made by this graceful Creator and before this brand new day our eyes were hindered from truly seeing its original beauty. Despite the short fallings all around us our eyes now see with what it is intended to be with the eyes of grace. What was lost is found. What was corrupted is pure. What was oppressed is uplifted. What was dull is shining brightly. What was hopeless is full of potential. What was impossible is now inevitable. Creation always responds best to its Creator not a cheap substitute.

Let grace have its way. For the way of grace has no end.

I say yes.

DANCE FLOOR JUDGEMENT

Thu, 23 Jun 2011 02:33:00 GMT

ROMANS 2:1 Therefore, anyone of you who judges is without excuse. For when you judge another, you condemn yourself, since you, the judge, do the same things.

Not sure when the thought popped into my head but it must have been at a wedding or some other rocking occasion where dance floors exist.

Watching people dance has to be one of the most entertaining events, don't lie you love it. I personally like to think of myself as an occasional dancer, but sometimes I just don't feel like it, I'd rather just sit and chill. Other times something rushes over me and I can't wait to cut a mean rug.

One of the weirdest things when it comes to dancing is the judgment that can occur between dancers and non-dancers.

It always surprises me how much division can exist between these two groups.

One group loves to chill and just observe, another loves to get amongst it and let their hair down.

The group that would rather just chat or make comments about those that whip their hair around or wiggle their hips have the right to just sit there and enjoy their surrounds.

The group that overcome their fears and cut sick on the dance floor they have every right to enjoy the freedom of dancing.

Neither group are necessarily wrong they just express themselves in a different way.

Sure the dancers could cross some lines with some risky moves...

But the non-dancers observing become no better as they judge the dancers.

Lets be honest behind closed doors you know the non-dancers are doing things that are way more risky than the public display of the dancers. Like dancing in front of their mirrors naked...I've never done this but I have heard of people doing it.

Neither group is more right or more wrong.

Both dancers and non-dancers alike need Jesus. Haha that makes me laugh...but seriously church life and christians around the world can be so like this.

If our position is one of judgment first always, we might just miss out on the strengths that the dancers bring and the strengths that non-dancers bring.

In the church in Rome the Jews became just as 'bad' as the gentiles as soon as they judged. Paul took it one step further and said actually not only do you judge but when no one is watching you do the same things as those you judge.

Is either party more right?

I believe Jesus said something like...Love one another...Not Judge one another.

Even Jesus said I came not to judge the world but save the world! If Jesus came to earth to do this, how much more should his followers be known for their love not their judgment?

If we need to judge, judge your own heart so that you might be strengthened in your own faith and become a brighter example for how others might live for Christ.

Dance Floor Judgment doesn't help build the church, doesn't allow believers to express themselves the way God re-created them, ultimately doesn't glorify God, boxes people in and limits the gifts God has given His people.

If you want to dance, dance.

If you want to sit and chill, sit and chill.

But don't look from the dance floor and think those guys sitting don't get it. Maybe those chilling need to get up and dance but judgment won't inspire them to do it.

Don't look to the dance floor and think those guys are weird and they should just settle down. Maybe some of the dancers do need to settle down, but judgment isn't going to inspire them to come and talk and chill with you.

Jesus is the only one who gets the balance of dancing and non-dancing right.

Don't want to push this analogy too far but I think you get the point.

Jesus is the only one who is truly right.

My take is this...lets look and see what He is doing and follow His lead.

First take the log out of your own eye in your walk with God before you speak about the speck in someone else's.

This kind of christianity could really rid the church of a whole lot of waste of time. Pastors, members, peers, leaders running around trying to manage judgments rather than focussing on the lost and those that don't know Christ.

Because behind it all, is that the world would see that Jesus is real and they would come running to a community that loves each other, where grace abides, where encouragement lives and hope is poured out without measure.

I pray we would be the kind of people that love first based on Christ's love for us. I pray we would be different to the world, that we would trust each other and the church community before we mistrust. I pray we would speak well of each other, not look on with criticism based on differences that in the end don't matter. I pray we would build on those that have gone before us and not cut down what has gone before us.

I pray in all that we do we would glorify God, whether we dance or whether we sit and chill...

Don't forget we all see the flaws, I'm not blind to them, I just try to choose to be part of the solution rather than the voice of judgment. Criticism and judgment without solution holds no weight, no matter how correct it is. Jesus always brings a solution and personally gets involved in solving the problem. He lives in us and we should now do the same. Love one another.

See you on the dance floor.

+jk

1 Corinthians 10:31- revised version JKV ;)
Therefore, whether you dance or don't dance, or whatever you do, do everything for God's glory.

Galations 3:28 There is no Jew or Greek, slave or free, male or female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

YOUR MOUTH IS MOVING BUT I CAN'T HEAR YOU

Thu, 23 Jun 2011 02:29:00 GMT

Proverbs 17:24
Wisdom is the focus of the perceptive, but a fool's eyes roam to the ends of the earth.

My dearest grandpa, affectionately known as Pa has just recently needed to wear hearing-aids. Was chatting to him yesterday about them (they were obviously working) and he was saying that it has really taken some getting used to. They apparently adjust them digitally every couple weeks when he visits the doctor through a computer program to set the right levels and frequencies so he can hear the right noises and sounds.

There is a setting though if he double touches a button on the back of the hearing-aid that allows him to isolate all outside noises in order to help him focus just on the person that is speaking in front of him. If he didn't have this feature all sorts of sounds, depending on the frequency of the sound, is picked up and can be quite grating and obviously distracting.

Got me thinking firstly about how much I should value my ear drums and the ability to hear and listen. Its amazing the simple blessings in life we take for granted.

Was thinking though that we all need this feature in our life.

Giving full focus to the person in front of us at that point of time can be difficult in a world full of many noises vying for our attention.

It seems the invisible people on our phone are more important than the people sitting across from us at the dinner table, in our office, at church, etc.

The person across the room that we could be talking to who holds more status, all of the sudden becomes way more important than the person in front of us.

The outside noise will always be there but we have the ability to put down our phone, shut off from the other potential people we could talk to, the other opportunities and just simply enjoy the conversation of the individual right in front of us.

I'm no better than you on this but what a great church community we could be if we just gave everyone we met our full attention in that moment.

I have found though true focus comes from spending time with Jesus. It clears out the insecurities, distractions and helps me to be about others. Its like the doctor tweaking my Grandpa's hear-aids, fine tuning them to do what they are designed to do.

How much more should we spend time with the Holy Spirit to fine tune our ears to listen to the needs of others and be a blessing wherever we go?

& I pray the thought would not run through our mind..."Your mouth is moving but I can't hear you..."

Let people leave our presence feeling they have been heard, encouraged & helped.

FOCUS.

+jk

CHANGE IS COMING...13/7/11

A Sign

Tue, 21 Dec 2010 03:53:00 GMT

Isaiah 7:14

¹⁴ Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virginwill conceive and give birth to a son, andwill call him Immanuel.

Spoke to a lovely lady yesterday about Christ on my prayer walk. She said she is an ex-anglican, ex-catholic now Budhist among other things.

I asked her how she got to that view.

She said it was just too hard for her to believe in a virgin Mary giving birth to Jesus.

I asked her why she could not believe that.

She said she is very pragmatic and it was too much of a fable like story with no hard evidence.

She said you probably won't like my view on Jesus but I think he was just a good man and prophet.

I said you can't offend me, I have heard many views on Jesus but I do find it difficult to understand why people would find it difficult to believe that God could cause Mary to be pregnant.

I said if you look at all of creation around us, you see a beautiful sunrise in the morning, it becomes very easy for me to believe that the God that created all of this and all of humanity can cause a young woman to be pregnant in Bethlehem.

Many people have forgotten or don't realise why God caused Mary to be pregnant as a virgin. Jesus Christ was fully divine and fully human in order that His sacrifice and death on the cross would be sufficient for our sins so that we could all receive forgiveness. People have missed the message in amongst the religious views and confusion that all we need to do is receive what He did on the cross, receive His grace freely.

We continued to talk about Jesus and who He is and who He was while on earth.

We talked about how she didn't believe in miracles. We talked about extremists. We talked about Church. We talked about family. We talked about community.

By the end she started saying things like I guess life itself, and the kids and grandkids that I have are a miracle and we should be thankful and grateful for that.

That was the end of the conversation. But we did share a great moment talking about Jesus.

It did get me thinking about the virgin birth.

If Mary or Joseph had anything to do with the pregnancy humanity could take credit for the supernatural entry of Christ into the earth.

As Isaiah prophesied the virgin birth was a sign.

A sign that from the start this was all about grace. Not about human effort.

Although Mary carried Jesus inside her, it was the spirit of God inside her that formed Jesus.

It was God coming to us.

It was God wanting to be with us.

It was God giving us Himself.

The great Creator of all things put Himself inside His creation.

The Lord Himself gave us the sign...

Oh! the humility Oh! the wonder

God with us.

When all of us did not deserve any of Him He gave all of Himself to all of us.

The verse before Isaiah 7:14 the prophet says is it not enough to try the patience of man. Will you also try the patience of my God also?

This Christmas I pray we would not try His patience but embrace His free gift of grace.

Unto us a child is born.

Unto us a King is given.

What a gift!

What a King!

What a God!

Let us receive Him freely, for He has freely given Himself.

Bring Glory to Him by enjoying Him this Christmas.

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year.

+jk

A LIGHT

Wed, 17 Nov 2010 01:34:00 GMT

^{Psalm 119:105}
Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.

What will or can show us the way in such a dark place in which we live?

Can our mind lead us?

Can our heart lead us?

Surely that which has no light of its own cannot show us the way.

But there is a lamp which when filled with the Oil of the Spirit will never die out.

There is a lamp that never grows dim even in the darkest of nights.

For this light was before darkness was.

This light was before our hearts and minds knew the dark.

This Word will light the way and guide our steps.

This Word will illuminate the treacherous cliffs that lurk around every corner.

This Word will bring hope in the middle of the storm.

This Word is a lamp for your feet, a light on your path.

Pick up this Lamp today and let light up your heart, your mind and order your steps.

+jk

Nice legs

Tue, 13 Jul 2010 12:43:00 GMT

Psalm 147

¹⁰ His pleasure is not in the strength of the horse,
nor his delight in the legs of a man;

¹¹ the LORD delights in those who fear him,
who put their hope in his unfailing love.

Its not in what you can do that He delights

Its not in what you achieve

Its not even in what you are

What does He desire?

What does He want?

Not what do I or you want?

What does He want?

For in knowing the answer to this you find the answer to what you want.

If He delights in Himself and He is still totally humble and holy

How amazing must He be?

Father, Son, Spirit

Delighting in each other

For each give to each other with no hesitation

Each love without merit

Each glorify without end

If Jesus can delight in doing only what the Father wants how much more should I delight in putting all my hope in His unfailing love.

Un...........failing.........

The psalms loves putting things in couplets - ie. saying the same thing twice in two different ways

So He is not into the strength of the things we own - horses

He is not into your legs....or where you can go or what you can do - your ability

So what he wants is for you to Fear Him

Which is to put your Hope in Him which is all of your wanting being placed in His unfailing Love

So what he wants is for you to Hope in Him

Which is to fear Him which is realizing He is what this 'whole thing' is about and loving that

Don't love that?

Simply turn back to Him and behold His glory

Repent.

The gift of repentance is the gift to know Him.

Right now that gift is before you to be opened.

Something like this "Jesus you are God....and I am sorry.....forgive me Lord....thankyou....you know my heart...I place my faith, hope and love in you today....help me to follow you with all that I am...with all of my life....so that I might know you and others might see you"

Your turn.

It all hangs on this...

+jk

Glory, Courage, Heart

Mon, 12 Jul 2010 12:49:00 GMT

Where can we go? Our brothers have made us lose heart. They say, 'The people are stronger and taller than we are;the cities are large, with walls up to the sky...Deuteronomy 1:28

Where and what has God called you to? Is it bigger than you? Is it impossible?
Good.
It might just be about His glory and not yours.
Good.

Possessing the promise land for the Israelites was God's design, it wasn't their idea.
Their question therefore 'Where can we go?' or 'What way can we go up into the land?' was not based on what God desired but rather what man feared.

If the fear of what others think is louder in our hearts than what God desires we will lose heart.

What is it to lose heart?
To lose heart is to lose courage.
Courage is always coupled with the purpose of God.
Courage is always coupled with His glory.
Discouragement is always coupled with self, seasoned with victim mentality, blaming others for our lack of heart.

Courage.

Two spies came back with a positive report, ten negative...difference...faith.
Believing what God says is true.
Faith always results in courage.
Its a gift because you know it is possible even though you have done nothing and logically it is totally impossible.

The cities we are called to reach are intense.
Its real.
It will eat you up and spit you out.
Its imposible.
Its too difficult.
Its too dark.
Its too large.
Its too...
Its too...
Its too...

It was His design not your idea.
He commanded you, you didn't ask.

It is not your fear driving you to reach a city it is His heart for humanity to know His glory.

You lose sight of His Glory you lose courage, you lose courage, you lose heart, you lose heart, you lose purpose, you lose purpose, you lose.

Our Heart His Courage.

Our Heart His Love.

Our broken hearts His unending Grace.

As we live for His glory courage comes like a flood.

Do not lose heart friend, lose your heart in His glory.

It all hangs on this...

+jk

REFUGEE FINDS REFUGE

Wed, 12 May 2010 02:10:00 GMT

PSALM 46:1 God is our refuge and strength,

an ever-present help in trouble.

I am a refugee in this world

Searching for a place of peace in amidst the war that rages on the inside and outside

Everyone needs a refuge

Everyone needs strength

Everyone is in need

Everyone is in trouble

All have fallen short and need catching

We need catching today

We need arms that can catch us

We need help now

The present is always now

Our need is ever+present

Where do we go for our refuge?

Where do we go for a little bit more strength?

What thoughts invade our minds to help us survive another war torn day?

Our refuge

Our strength

Our trouble

Our present

It is all connected…

Can you see it?

Humanity is hurting

Our hearts need changing

Our hearts are fallen

Our hearts are holding on by a thread of pride

It won't hold.

Wait.

For.

He.

Who.

Is.

Ever+present.

In the beginning He was present

In the end He is present

Now He is present

JESUS.

THE PERFECT MAN.

EMMANUEL.

GOD WITH US.

CHRIST.

SAVIOR OF HUMANITY.

OUR REFUGE.

OUR STRENGTH.

EVER+PRESENT.

THE CROSS CROSSES ETERNITY TO REACH INTO MY HEART NOW.

LORD YOU ARE MY REFUGE + STRENGTH

WHERE THE EVER MEETS MY PRESENT

IT ALL HANGS ON THIS.

+jk

Dead god Dead life Alive God Alive Life

Thu, 04 Mar 2010 23:53:00 GMT

Luke 20:38
He is not the God of the dead, but of the living, for to him all are alive."

If you read this scripture in context it is truly fascinating.

The Sadducees try to stump Jesus with a question about the resurrection because they did not believe in the resurrection...their belief reflected that their hearts were dead.

For hearts that are alive bear witness by the Holy Spirit that the resurrection is true

Jesus said that even Moses gave witness to the resurrection for Moses engaged with God as the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob...

These were physically dead guys...but in Christ they were not

Even though Abraham was dead he was alive for the faith that God gave him to believe made him alive in Christ even before Christ died on the cross and rose again for God saw the beginning and the end because He is alpha and omega...

We are children of the resurrection, children of the alpha and omega, confident that we will live forever with our creator, for Christ was the first to rise from the grave...

He is the God of the resurrection

He is the God of life

He is not the God of the dead for there cannot be a dead God

Many believe in dead gods and therefore are dead

Our God took on the sin of the world, the punishment for our sin, died on a cross and still death could not hold him down

Live today with the boldness that comes from believing in a God who makes all things alive

Saddducees had no more questions, they were stumped...

Man made religion and idols lead to death

God made believers, live forever

Believe.

it all hangs on this
+jk

Have I not commanded you?

Thu, 04 Mar 2010 06:56:00 GMT

“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.”- Joshua 1:9

I love that God asks questions...that makes me smile.

It is interesting what God commands of us
Sometimes in religious piety we are tricked into thinking God has commanded us to be weak and afraid...
But perhaps what we miss is that we are weak without being commanded to be weak - that's why we need grace

God's saving work through the CROSS+ is so confronting to me
I realised last sunday that I murdered God

Seriously...

Yet the Father allowed His son to take all our murderous sin upon himself
Jesus did it willingly out of love for His Father and for a fallen humanity

Who do I think I am to be afraid or insecure when a Most Holy & Perfect God died for me?

So today I receive the command of God...

BE STRONG & COURAGEOUS
DO NOT BE TERRIFIED
DO NOT BE DISCOURAGED

Why and How?

Because the CROSS+ has shown me that the Lord God will always be with me wherever I go.

He meets me at my point of weakness everyday through the cross, looks into my eyes and commands me to:

BE STRONG & COURAGEOUS
DO NOT BE TERRIFIED
DO NOT BE DISCOURAGED

it all hangs on this
+jk

IN Christ Jesus in 2010

Mon, 28 Dec 2009 07:37:00 GMT

Romans 8:¹Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus...

New Years eve is usually for many a big let down. Plans of fun and excitement can end in apathy and frustration as another year ticks over and the realisation that there is nothing different between this year and last's.

This is just a micro picture of a truly macro problem. For true fun and excitement can only come from a change within and not from coming up with a greater scheme and plan to gain some pleasure in life.

Although planning and pleasure are not bad in themselves they tend to poor cousins of a greater plan and pleasure that is available through no work of our own.

For the greater plan to be experienced we must acknowledge the greater problem.

This problem is not limited to a new years party or relationship problem we are facing or financial issues in our world, it is far deeper and wider than we know.

The reality is we are condemned. The human condition is one of separation from God, or sin. We could have all the gadgets, money, know the right people, live in a mansion and still feel condemned or wrong.

So when Paul the Apostle writes 'Therefore there is now no condemnation...' this is no light statement. He is talking about the end of the human condition that plagues every heart and mind on the planet.

Paul describes in the previous chapters the terrible state of man apart from God. That although there is reflections of God's goodness in us and around us ultimately we have no glory and no light of our own.

But he can't just leave us hanging there with such a terrible gloomy view of the human mind in the previous paragraphs, there has to be a solution.

And he doesn't just make a positive statement of motivation, saying that even though we are in a bad state as humans it is okay because there is no condemnation!

No he goes beyond this revealing and showing us that the only reason we are no longer condemned is because of Jesus Christ.

His atonement and sacrifice on the cross has paid the penalty for our sins! Because we were condemned we were meant to pay a price but we didn't have to because of our God, Jesus Christ.

Paul makes it very specific though, he says we are no longer condemned if we are IN Christ Jesus.

Once we see the state of our mess, the state of separation from our beautiful Father and creator maybe this will humble us to see the amazing love and grace that Jesus has poured out for us, that even though we are just like dust in comparison to Him, He would humble Himself to the point of death for us, why? So we would no longer be condemned, but have freedom IN Him.

I don't know about you but this humbles me, this excites me, this softens me, this changes me, this changes everything! Humanity is healed, the world is set free because of this ultimate truth!

It is not bad news at all, it is only bad news if we are too blind or too proud too admit that by ourselves we have made a real mess of things down here on earth and we need someone who knows what to do and how to live and how to love to show us the way up and through and out of this mess.

And although we will have to walk through some more mess we know that we are heading the right direction, and as surely as the sun rises in the morning and sets in the night we can be sure Jesus Christ is leading us home.

This is now a great opportunity for us to recommit or reconnect with Christ, don't let another year pass by without knowing Jesus more and letting Him heal your heart so it is regenerated by His Holy Spirit to live a pure, right and blameless life so that all will know this love that has saved us.

Why don't you stop and pray for His grace to fill you as you repent and turn back to Him today...

May it be a truly Happy New Year for you in 2010 because you are IN Christ Jesus.

You must be loved...

Tue, 01 Dec 2009 08:40:00 GMT

Hebrews 12 ⁷Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father? ⁸If you are not disciplined (and everyone undergoes discipline), then you are illegitimate children and not true sons. ⁹Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of our spirits and live! ¹⁰Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness. ¹¹No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.

When things get tough, whether it be physically, in our emotions, relationships, mistakes, finances, or other areas we must have a greater understanding of God then the western world around us.

When we as believers face trouble, whatever it may be, we must look to the scriptures to see that trouble does not mean God has left us or God is against us but rather He is loving us through this hardship.

The writer of Hebrews shows us that we should endure hardship as discipline, that it is a sign that you are part of the family of God and what kind of Father would God be if he did not discipline His sons and daughters.

God is the perfect Father so we believe what we are going through is perfect for us.

That is why we should as David did, compare our lives only to the Love of God not the life of someone else.

We now have an even greater comparison then David for although the spirit of God spoke the coming of Christ through him he never saw the fulfillment of that word as we have now seen it and know it to be true through scripture and our hearts.

Let us compare our current troubles to that of which Jesus Christ humbled himself...to very death itself, even when he lived the only flawless life that has ever been lived.

Perfect love drives out all fear.

When we see that God is Love and that He has shown us this and truly lived it out to the point of death we can be set free of the fear of failure and of suffering and of every other kind of fear this life brings. God does not drive away suffering he drives out the fear of it.

Compare your life to His love and great joy will fill your heart by grace through faith.

Not only will we see that the hardship (if you can call it hardship living on the northern beaches) is God's way of disciplining us but we will see that without pain it is impossible to truly become the chosen people of God's Kingdom, for it is pain and suffering and our response to it in this life that reveals whether the grace of Jesus Christ is truly in us and completing its work in our hearts and lives.

Now don't be discouraged if you haven't responded well to trouble lately or in the past, but just as I have to consistently, let's as followers of Christ fix our eyes again not on the things of this world but on Christ who is seated far above this world and that we also by His grace through the work of the cross and the power of the resurrection have been seated in heavenly realms with Him.

Our joy is not reliant on us but on the completed work of Jesus Christ.

This I pray will set us free to be the hands and feet of a lost generation that need this good news preached through action, word and lifestyle.

As we see the perfect love of Christ I believe we can stop worrying about the little hardships we are facing in this life, that Paul describes as light and momentary and begin to reveal the joy that is beyond all joys in Jesus Christ.

This is your salt, this is your light.

With no suffering there is no discipline, with no discipline there is no growth, with no growth there is no righteousness and peace.

Righteousness and Peace is what Jesus came to bring, right relationships with God, people and within ourselves and peace between God, people and within ourselves.

Be encouraged today the Father must love you. Don't skip out of the race there are many who have gone before you and they are cheering you on from the stands of heaven.

+jk

I in them and you in me

Fri, 23 Oct 2009 22:46:00 GMT

John 17:23
I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.

It is very easy to complicate simple things.

It is understandable because the simple things of faith are unseen therefore in our striving to see them and understand them through our flesh we complicate it.

Jesus here reveals to us his will for us.

I in them and you in me...

Jesus in us and the Father in Jesus...

Speaks of ultimate relationship, connection, love, family, belonging, oneness.

When we have relationship with Jesus we have relationship with the Father.

This is the solution to all our aching and broken hearts, to be accepted, to be valued, to be loved by the one who created us.

We were designed for community.

Let the cross of Jesus Christ be our common unity for it is the only thing that can abolish the dividing wall of flesh & hostility between each other and God.

I in them and you in me. Complete unity. Jesus be glorified.

+jk

An Angry God

Tue, 11 Aug 2009 08:45:00 GMT

^{Numbers 25:3} So Israel joined in worshiping the Baal of Peor. And the LORD's anger burned against them.

I am glad God burns with anger when I turn from Him and worship a cheap imitation.

I used to kind of freak out when I saw the words anger and God in the same sentence but it now brings a holy fear that then leads to a holy comfort.

In one corner (its a big corner) you have the creator of all the Universe, all the earth and every human being that has ever existed...

In the other corner you have the idol Pe‘or who was used as a latrine and the worship of the idol consisted of excrementing before it. Wow.

But really isn't all worship before any other god pretty smelly.

Theologically and from a Hebrew definition point of view the anger that the bible announces is not the anger we probaby know too well...a sinful, emotional anger.

It is righteous indignation that allows God to be "angry" about sin but to love us anyway.

His love for us depends on His character, not on ours.

The beauty and mind blowing truth is His anger fell upon His son Jesus Christ.

We now have peace with God by faith in Jesus

He has given us a new heart that desires Him

Where once we were enemies with God we are now on His side

We don't just have a treaty, we now fight together as friends, brothers, soldiers

He is our commander in Chief leading us into a righteous battle against injustice

Our weapons are worship

Our weapons are love

Our weapons are serving

Our weapons are talking & listening to Him - prayer

Our weapons are agreeance

Our weapons are thankfulness

Thank you Lord we now have peace with you

Thank you Lord you were angry that we did not worship you

Thank you Lord you took our punishment

I refresh my commitment to turn from cheap imitations today

It all hangs on this

+jk

A total life change

Fri, 31 Jul 2009 03:14:00 GMT

Luke 24:45
He said, "You can see now how it is written that the Messiah suffers, rises from the dead on the third day, and then a total life-change through the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed in his name to all nations—starting from here, from Jerusalem! You're the first to hear and see it. You're the witnesses. What comes next is very important: I am sending what my Father promised to you, so stay here in the city until he arrives, until you're equipped with power from on high."

Jesus died for a total life-change
Partial life change is not what he desired
He did not die so that half of our life would change
He did not rise again so we would sometimes be bold
He did not give us the Holy Spirit so we would sometimes rely on Him.

Jesus thank you for total forgiveness
Jesus change us today
We will stay in the city until you arrive and fill us with power

A power from on high
A power that is perfected in weakness
A power that serves
A power that loves
A power that breaks chains
A power like no other

A total change in our city starts with a total life change in us.

Believe, wait, move, love.

+jk

Is it not you?

Wed, 22 Jul 2009 02:43:00 GMT

1 Thessalonians 2:19
For what is our hope, our joy, or the crown in which we will glory in the presence of our Lord Jesus when he comes? Is it not you?

The thought of Jesus coming back is incredibly exciting but also totally freaky
What will I be doing when he returns, if I am still alive?
When I do meet Him face to face what will my hope be in?
Where will my joy be placed?

Paul asks the Thessalonians a strong rhetorical question
What is our Hope?
What is our Joy?
What is the crown we will be wearing and glorying in when Jesus rocks up?
Is it not you?

I think my religious side would say, oh you Lord are my joy! You oh Lord are my hope!!?

Which scriptually is totally true and is the foundation and cornerstone of our faith, hope and love in this world and the life to come. JESUS.

However it is easy to get stuck in lip service to God, saying He is our hope and our joy but at the same time missing the point.

Is not Paul saying that the people that are all around us and the people we are yet to meet are our joy and hope?

People are the crown we will wear

People that we lead to Jesus are our hope

People that we serve are our joy

Jesus who is God (Colossians 1:15) showed us as he walked the planet that we were His joy

For the joy set before Him he endured the cross

What suffering are we willing to walk through for other people so they would experience the radical grace of Jesus?

Do we consider this a joy?

I know I don't always do this and people sometimes are the biggest burden not joy

So perhaps my heart needs to be regenerated and refreshed and refilled with the spirit of Christ that empowered Him even as God humbled himself to die the death of a criminal for us and count it Joy!

What??

How great is this love???

Fill me Lord with this heart for others!

The Holy Spirit has been given to us for others...

If God can hope in us surely we can hope in each other?

If God can die for us surely we can smile and open the door for someone?

If God can reach out to the blind man, the beggar, the broken, the helpless, the rich, the religious, the bleeding, the possessed, the hungry, the prodigal, the old, the young, the sinner then we can reach out to one another and count it as a joy.

When Jesus looks me in the eyes what will he find?

When Jesus raises His eyes to see the top of my head what crown will he find?

I pray I am wearing those that God has called me to reach, serve and encourage as my hope, as my joy and my glory.

Look to Jesus, then follow His heartbeat and it will lead you to the person next to you today, it will lead you to those your heart burns for, trust His spirit, He is leading you...

Thanks for reading, be blessed for you are blessed.

It all hangs on this

+jk

One person arose

Tue, 21 Jul 2009 03:03:00 GMT

Judges 5:6-8 (message)

Public roads were abandoned, travelers went by backroads. Warriors became fat and sloppy,no fight left in them. Then you, Deborah, rose up; you got up, a mother in Israel. God chose new leaders, who then fought at the gates. And not a shield or spear to be seen among the forty companies of Israel.

(NIV)

⁷ Village life in Israel ceased, ceased until I, Deborah, arose, arose a mother in Israel.⁸ When they chose new gods, war came to the city gates, and not a shield or spear was seen among forty thousand in Israel.

One person stood up.
One person arose.
One life can make a difference.
One heart fully committed can change a nation.
You and God are the majority.

Village life, community ceases to exist, but Deborah arose as a leader

The whole nation was choosing to serve other gods yet she chose to serve God

The tide was against her

The warriors that once fought had become lazy and apathetic

The people had lost their will to fight

Popular opinion was against her

But she arose

As she arose God chose new leaders to arise with her

As you arise others will follow...who is waiting today for you to make a stand?

The world may say to abandon church and community of faith, but we arise

David made a decision that he and his house will serve the Lord

Abraham against all hope in hope believed

Joshua and Caleb brought back a positive report of the promise land despite the Giants and opposition

Daniel would not bow down to the king of this world, but continued to pray

Joseph arose in every situation through continuing to trust God and his dream came to past

Today fight the good fight of faith

Arise and shine for your glory has come

God is for you

He is with you

As surely as the sun rises God is alive and faithful

Jesus arose for us

Death could not keep Him down

That same power now lives in you, this very day

So be like Deborah, Arise and believe

You and God are the majority

+jk

Get a Grip

Mon, 06 Jul 2009 10:01:00 GMT

Things I have come to grips with:

My height
My sharkfin nose
My second toe bending over my big toe
My hairless chest
My sometimes beedy eyes
My skinny legs
My baby like skin
My wondering mind
My breaking of bones

There are many others but this is becoming to demoralising.

:)
God is good but I am weird
Sometimes it is just good to laugh at yourself
We are fearfully and wonderfully made
Have a laugh and enjoy being who you are today

Why do I sing?

Thu, 18 Jun 2009 07:49:00 GMT

“Sing to God, sing praise to his name, extol him who rides on the clouds — his name is the LORD— and rejoice before him. A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling.”- Psalm 68:4-5

Why do we sing?

"One of the reasons we sing is to remind ourselves that it’s not about us – and we get to be part of it (God’s story)…" Rob Bell

I have grown up singing every day and every week...music seems to run through my veins(not that I am good at it, just that I really like it), it inspires me, challenges me, changes me, reminds me and is beyond me.

Words leave my mouth and go beyond my mind when I sing...singing is acknowledging that life is bigger than you

Singing to God is faith...because we sing in the good, the bad and the ugly because of who He is.

Singing is a physical statement of the joy that exists inside your heart for you are redeemed and saved by the name of Jesus.

He rides on the clouds and His name is the Lord...lets rejoice before Him!

He is high above yet he is a father to the fatherless, he is a defender of the helpless and He is Holy.

Why do I sing?

He is my everything. I am designed to worship. All of humanity was designed to worship.

Lets join together and sing!

The Night Sky

Sat, 06 Jun 2009 08:28:00 GMT

Night sky of Timelapse from 46°Project on Vimeo.

Choices

Sat, 06 Jun 2009 08:22:00 GMT

CHOICES from :weareom: on Vimeo.

My Prayer

Mon, 25 May 2009 12:52:00 GMT

John 1:12: Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—

Restore to me my innocence oh Lord

Give me a heart that believes again

Help me to see the best in people and to trust

Lord recover this mind that doubts and rebels

Let me run again with no fear

I am yours

Your child Lord

Receive me

I believe.

+jk

What are you going to wear today?

Mon, 25 May 2009 12:50:00 GMT

Col 3:12: Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.

I bought a pair of jeans 12 months ago called Nudies

I have worn them pretty much everyday since I bought them

The cool thing about these jeans is the more you wear them the more comfortable they are and the better they look – well that’s my opinion…

However these jeans are now wearing out, lots of holes are showing up in all the wrong places

Following Christ and being chosen by God comes with an even greater clothing line

This line of clothing is changing the world and will continue to change the world

Putting this clothing on sends a clear message of what you are about and what the designer is all about

The alternative is that we will end up being clothed with the clothing of this world...its not a good look

When we choose to put on compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience we show the world the genius of the one who chose us and designed us

What are you going to wear today? Its up to us to put it on…

Lets change the world by changing our clothing and promoting our designer

+jk

Meeting together

Tue, 26 May 2009 07:56:00 GMT

Heb 10:25: Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

The God we serve is in a constant state of meeting

The trinity exists through their commitment to celebrate the relationship that is between them

So much so they are one

Giving up on meeting together is giving up on the reason God created us

Giving up on being together in one place at one time is giving up
on an essential defining factor of what the church is all about

Let this time of meeting be a time of encouragement

Let us not give up...for that Day is approaching

+jk

He did not give that...

Mon, 25 May 2009 07:34:00 GMT

2 Tim 1:7: For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.

It is important to know what God hasn’t given us

It is easy to focus on what He has given us and forget that he also hasn’t given us certain things

Confusion and doubt live in the abundance of fear

He is the Way out of fear

This Way is only journeyed as we realize what he hasn’t given us and what he has given us

Are you filled with doubt and fear?

God did not give you that

Are filled with faith?

God gave you that

This following Christ is done by what His spirit gives us, power, love and self-discipline

+jk

Why are we free?

Mon, 25 May 2009 05:48:00 GMT

“You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love.”- Galatians 5:13

Why are we free?

What makes us different to those that are not yet free that they would so desire our freedom?

Our use of God’s freedom manifests itself ironically in becoming a slave to the love that set us free

True freedom is slavery

True freedom is self-giving to others

Jesus exampled this great pattern of exchange

Not using his freedom for his own gain but for the gain of others

Now we have the chance to imitate Him

Why are you free?

+jk

Simplehearted people

Tue, 12 May 2009 06:51:00 GMT

Psalm 116:6
The LORD protects the simplehearted; when I was in great need, he saved me.

It is the proud who God resists.

If our hearts are complicated we may find that we are trying to figure life out without God.

When we rely on God life becomes simple...not easy...simple.

True salvation occurs at the point of humility.

Then we continue to be saved as we stay simplehearted.

Is your heart feeling complicated today?

Check out the surrounding passages to verse 6...

⁵ The LORD is gracious and righteous;
our God is full of compassion.

⁷ Be at rest once more, O my soul,
for the LORD has been good to you.

Because God is gracious and righteous and full of compassion,
we don't have to save ourselves and he will fulfill our great need!

Now we can rest for He protects us and He has been so so good to us.

David loved the Lord for he knew God heard his cry and his need.

I love the Lord...He is so good to me.

Prayer:
Simplify my heart today Lord, for I need you more than anything in this world.

amen.

+jk

No Time to waste

Mon, 11 May 2009 06:07:00 GMT

Many times he delivered them, but they were bent on rebellion and they wasted away in their sin.
Psalm 106:43

We have been given a set amount of time on earth.

God has delivered us from evil for a purpose.

Each day we must be focused on Jesus as our flesh is bent on rebellion towards God.

We will find ourselves wasting valuable time and wasting God's purpose for our lives if we are not in a constant position of submission to His will.

I watched today the Boston Celtics win a 1 point victory over the Orlando Magic, with under a second to go the Celtics focused and made the winning shot. They took full advantage of that 1 second.

Time is not wasted when we focus.

Take full advantage of the deliverance that God has given you.

Let us not waste away in our mistakes or rebellion but let us be those who cry out to God and act on the sound of His voice.

To see a city won for Him.

+jk

What is God's will for my life!?

Fri, 08 May 2009 06:50:00 GMT

“Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.”- 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

It is God's will that we would be joyful always!!!!

Crazy I know that God would want us to be happy all the time...but it is true.

It doesn't depend on our circumstances.

If we pray continually and give thanks in the good and the bad we will be joyful always in Christ Jesus!

What a promise, what a will.

What's the will of God for your life?

Joyful always in Christ Jesus.

+jk