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

“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

 Ecc 7:¹³ Take a good look at God's work.
   Who could simplify and reduce Creation's curves and angles
   To a plain straight line?

 ¹⁴ On a good day, enjoy yourself;
   On a bad day, examine your conscience.
   God arranges for both kinds of days
   So that we won't take anything for granted.

God to us is complicated.

But to Him everything is simple.

All of the commandments are fulfilled by one.

Love God and Love people as you love yourself.

Regardless of whether you have a good day or a bad day God is involved in all of it.

The bad could seem complicated but it really isn't, just examine yourself. It will become clear.

Really, I know exactly where I am at if I acknowledge it.

He is using it all to point us to Himself, our true destination, Christ.

The good could seem like a good time to take our eyes off God.

Yet let us enjoy life and simplify life by trusting God in the good and the bad.

Simplify life by not taking it for granted.

God arranged it, now lets make the most of what He has arranged.


+jk

Genesis 8:18 So Noah came out, together with his sons and his wife and his sons' wives.

Just flew back from a great week off with Georgie in the sunny Byron Bay.

On the flight back the ticket lady for the airline for some reason separated Georgie and I into different rows on the plane. 

To add to this I was in the middle of a three seat row between two elderly ladies, around 45 years of age...just jokes they were a lot older.

My initial thought was put on the ipod and go into shutdown to cope with the short 1 hour flight without my wife, I know pathetic but I love her, but sure enough the ladies wanted to have a nice old yarn!

It ended up being a great chat, no one got saved or healed but I think they taught me something and I perhaps gave them something to think about beyond worrying about flying 25,000 feet in the air.

This is obviously not what you could call a real trial but I think the principle that God shows us through Genesis 8 is similar but a lot more powerful.

We can have 2 thoughts about the people that are around us right now.

One being an attitude of being stuck, trapped or pinned down by both those around us.

Or we can see those around us as a gift from God...even with all the stuff you don't like about them.

Noah and his family members I am sure had many thoughts during the 150 days of waiting for the flood to subside of jumping ship and would of been frustrated incredibly with the feeling of being trapped in that trial.  Can you imagine the family fights on that boat:)!?

Verse 18 reveals a beautiful moment in this story.

Even after this incredible trial, they all came out of the boat together!

Whatever you feel stuck in the middle of right now don't jump ship.

Don't leave town.

The grass isn't greener on the other side.

Let us change our mindset today through the power of the Holy Spirit and the word of God and see those around us as a gift from God.

We are in this together, lets finish this race together.

+jk
I'm back at CHANGE this week, c u there!

WE NEED A NEW HEART...

If you have a chance read first 2 chapters of Romans.

But how do you know where your heart is at?  Here are some indicators...

Matthew 12:34 - SPEECH
You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks.

Matthew 15:19 - THOUGHT LIFE
For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander.

Proverbs 12:23 – LEVEL OF PRIDE
A prudent man keeps his knowledge to himself, but the heart of fools blurts out folly.

Psalm 84 – YOUR DESIRE FOR GOD

2 My soul yearns, even faints,
       for the courts of the LORD;
       my heart and my flesh cry out
       for the living God.


Mark 7:18-20 – YOUR ACTIONS
18"Are you so dull?" he asked. "Don't you see that nothing that enters a man from the outside can make him 'unclean'? 19For it doesn't go into his heart but into his stomach, and then out of his body." (In saying this, Jesus declared all foods "clean.")
 20He went on: "What comes out of a man is what makes him 'unclean.'

From here we can now understand the state of our heart and turn back to God through repentance.

Where is your heart at?

+jk