Joy Exercise 10: Know where you are going

Happy people tend to decide to be happy and are proactive about the things that make them happy rather than passively expecting happiness to descend in the midst of a unfocused life.
I know that getting focused and being goal orientated can go too far, but I suspect for most people it hasn't even started. Amazingly only 3% of the population will have any written goals and this correlates with the 3% of people who seem to achieve much more than the rest of the population.
A helpful book to start to reflect on this idea is 'Seven Habits of Highly Effective People' by Stephen Covey. You will find it in virtually any library or bookshop. There's a summary of the book at the link I've provided.
Or you might simply begin by reflecting on this question: What am I wanting to achieve (be specific) and what could I do today to move me one step closer?

Joy Exercise 9: Connect, Active , Notice, Learn, Give

I like this, thanks Jennifer for letting me know about it.

Research by The Foresight Project outlines five ways you can support your own wellbeing and that of the world around you, including your family, friends, colleagues and the wider community.

• CONNECT Develop your relationships with friends, family, colleagues, and neighbours as these connections support you and enrich your life.
• BE ACTIVE Physical activity helps you to feel good so find something that you enjoy and suits your ability.
• TAKE NOTICE Be aware of the world around you and see the beauty in everyday and unusual things - reflecting on them helps you appreciate what matters to you.
• LEARN Try something new or rediscover an old interest, or take on a new responsibility or challenge - learning makes you more confident and can be fun.
• GIVE Do something for a friend or stranger and see yourself and your happiness as linked to the wider community.

Joy Exercise 8: Think 5

My goal is to come up with 365 simple practical exercises anybody can do to increase the level of joy in their life.

Happy people are thoughtful and other focused people. Now the reality is most of the time we are focused on ourselves, our feelings, our needs, our wants. If you don't believe me take notice of your thoughts throughout the day, how often is it self-focused?

Make a habit of once a day, maybe as part of your daily walk/exercise/work commute, to bring to mind 5 different people and think a positive thought about them and/or pray for them.

It might go like this: 'Thank you for Sally because ...' or 'Dear God, I pray for Bob, I ask that you help him with ...'

Joy Exercise 7: The $5 exercise

My goal is to come up with 365 simple practical exercises anybody can do to increase the level of joy in their life.

Decide that you're going to give away x dollars per week. Then as part of that make it a habit to collect some $5 notes in your wallet, then whenever anyone asks you for some change give then the $5. It's easy to give away what you've already decided to give away, and you'll feel better for having done it.

Even better, if a street person asks you for change for food, take them into the nearest fast-food place and buy them a generous meal, the time it takes is as important as the money it costs because you're valuing them as a person and you're be more confident the money has been used well.

Joy Exercise 6: Community

My goal is to come up with 365 simple practical exercises anybody can do to increase the level of joy in their life.

Whether you are an introvert or an extrovert, I am contrary to most peoples opinion actually on the introvert side, we all need to feel like we are part of a community.
Evidence suggests that in Australia most people are happiest in groupings of up to around 7 people, that is in a group of around 7 we get the right mixture of attention and privacy.

So join a club, church, community group of some kind where on a weekly basis you get to hang out in a groups of about 3-9 people. To be honest, a church with good small group opportunites is one of the best places to find the kind of people who will accept, love and encourage you for who you are.

Joy Exercise 5: Know thyself

My goal is to come up with 365 simple practical exercises anybody can do to increase the level of joy in their life.

Self understanding can be a great way of increasing the joy in your life by discovering who you were made to be. The reality is that there are some things we can change about ourselves, and there are some things we need to accept and work with.

I've found the following useful to discovering more about who I am and how I operate, and am learning to design my life in such a way as to maximise the time I'm able to be who I've been made to be versus having to operate in ways that are contrary to my 'natural' way of working.

• Myers-Brigg: Some people love this, not really my thing, but if you get the opportunity to do a Myers-Briggs assessment it should give you some self-understanding and help you understand why other people operate the way they do.
• Strenths Finder (strengthsfinder.com): I reckon this is one of the best self understanding concepts out there, well worth buying the book and doing the assessement.
• Kolbe A (kolbe.com): This is my absolute favourite, I reckon its simple but very powerful, has really changed the way I understand myself and how I do things.
• DISC: Not really my thing but some people find it helpful

Joy Exercise 4: Music

My goal is to come up with 365 simple practical exercises anybody can do to increase the level of joy in their life.

This one is really simple. Have you ever noticed that some music can have an effect on your emotions. There are certain songs that make me a bit reflective and some that get me going.
Think about songs that have good memories for you, or a beat that revs you up, and when feeling a bit down put that good feeling music on.
Make a list of some musicians or songs that lift you up. Let me know some of your picks and we can make a list of recommended songs.

Joy Exercise 3: Control

My goal is to come up with 365 simple practical exercises anybody can do to increase the level of joy in their life.

We're told that a sense of control is correlated with joy in life. Now the reality is that we can't control all of our life, and in reality much of what happens is uncontrollable and we have to learn to roll with the punches, BUT, why not find some aspect you can get a sense of control over.
My life has been very stressful and challenging over the last few years with a feeling that have I had no control over many of the outcomes in my life, and so I took up exercise.
Exercise gave me one area of my life where I have a degree of control. It's up to me if I exercise, and the results that follow are pretty predictable.
Over the last 2 years I've gone from about 95kg and barely being able to run around the block to 80kg and running marathons.
What is one area of your life that you could take control of?
Write down a one month, three month, and 12 month goal.
Begin today by taking one simple step toward your goal.
Here's how I did it, it might inspire you.
Overall goal: Run a marathon before I turned 40 in memory of my brother who was a big runner and who died at 40.
Mini Goal 1: Put the running gear on.
Mini Goal 2: Get out the front door and around the block. (In the dark so nobody could see me.)
Mini Goal 3: Get around the block faster than a walk.
Mini Goal 4: Increase my distance by 5-10% per week until I got to 5km.
You get the idea.
I did my first marathon in Canberra in March, I'm ready for my second this weekend in Sydney. I can now swim over 2kms and recently did a 185k bike ride in 8.5 hours.
I've got a 500k bike ride planned for October over the Southern Alps in New Zealand and am booked into my first half-ironman in December.

Joy Exercise 2: Joy v Happiness

My goal is to come up with 365 simple practical exercises anybody can do to increase the level of joy in their life.

Exercise 2: Joy v Happiness
Before reading the rest of this blog take a minute to write down your definition of 'Joy' and your definition of 'Happiness'.

Someone has defined the difference between the two as this:

• Happiness comes outside of us, that is we feel good because of the circumstances around us make us feel good.
• Joy comes from inside of us, that is we feel good because we have an internal sense of well being irrespective of what is happening outside and around us.

Now take some time to think about or write down a time when you felt joyful, calm and peaceful despite the fact that things were going badly around you.

Try and identify what you were thinking, believing, feeling, experiencing that enabled you to feel joy when the circumstances were seeking to make you unhappy.

Ask yourself these questions: Am I seeking joy or happiness? Is what I am doing with my life focused around getting externals (eg happiness factors) or the internals (joy factors) in place?

Joy Exercise 1: Reflecting on Happiness

My goal is to come up with 365 simple practical exercises anybody can do to increase the level of joy in their life.

Exercise 1: Reflecting on happiness.
Set aside 5-10 minutes where you will be uninterrupted and in relative quiet - sit on the loo if you need to. Close your eyes and bring to mind a recent time when you were really happy. Get right into the details of what that moment was like. Where was it, what was happening, who were you with, what were you feeling?
I believe happy people bring back to memory and re-live those happy moments bringing the past happiness into the present reality and then use that happy memory to spur them back into life.

I like what Nancy Etcoff says at http://www.ted.com/talks/nancy_etcoff_on_happiness_and_why_we_want_it.html "Because when you think about it, people are happiest when in flow, when they're absorbed in something out in the world, when they're with other people, when they're active, engaged in sports, focusing on a loved one, learning, having sex, whatever. They're not sitting in front of the mirror trying to figure themselves out, or thinking about themselves. These are not the periods when you feel happiest."

Motivation

I love this talk on ted.com at http://www.ted.com/talks/dan_pink_on_motivation.html which talks about what actually motivates people. These quotes are a taster:
"In eight of the nine tasks we examined across three experiments, higher incentives led to worse performance."
"And the good news about all of this is that the scientists who've been studying motivation have given us this new approach. It's an approach built much more around intrinsic motivation. Around the desire to do things because they matter, because we like it, because they're interesting, because they are part of something important. And to my mind, that new operating system for our businesses revolves around three elements: autonomy, mastery and purpose. Autonomy, the urge to direct our own lives. Mastery, the desire to get better and better at something that matters. Purpose, the yearning to do what we do in the service of something larger than ourselves. These are the building blocks of an entirely new operating system for our businesses."

Things are finishing up.

10 August 2009: Here's what is happening up to the end of August.

• Evening Service: The Sunday evening experimental service called 'The Gathering' has its last event this Sunday the 16th, it'll be a shared meal and some worship. This 12 week experiment has been great fun and brought out some amazing gifts.
• Sunday Morning Services: Normal services at 9am & 10.30am until the 30th when there with be a combined service celebration to conclude the ministry of Pastor Peter Watson. (There will be no 9am service on the 30th but a lunch will follow the 10.30 service.)

What's happening at CMP

22 July 2009: We are back to normal services of 9am, 10.30am and 6pm. The 6pm Sunday night event called ‘The Gathering’ is a twelve week experimental worship space which is due to conclude on the 16th August. Come and check it out. It is a free flowing, highly participative, charismatic form of worship and teaching based around the verses Ephesians 5:19-20 which say, “Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.”You can come as you are or with something to share such as a song, a poem, a dance, a word of prophecy, a testimony, or anything else that helps us give thanks and worship to our awesome God.

19 July 2009: Pastor Pete announced that he will be concluding his ministry at CMP later this year and will be returning to his roots in Church Planting by starting a new congregation in 2010. Pastor Pete has been with CMP since 2000 and has held various positions. He has been the Senior Pastor since 2005.

What's happening at CMP

Special Note about Worship Services over the next few weeks.

Sunday 5th & 12th July: 9am, 1030am and 6pm Services

Sunday 19th July: Combined Services and AGM

• 9am Combined Breakfast. Come and catch up over a relaxed breakfast.
• 9.45 Annual AGM with the presentation of the budget.
• 10.30am Combined Worship Service

Sunday 26th July and following we return to normal 9am, 1030am and 6pm Services

Note: The Sunday 6pm service is call The Gathering: it is a 12 week experimental worship space at CMPA group of us would like to experiment with a free flowing, highly participative, charismatic form of worship and teaching based around the verses Ephesians 5:19-20 which say, “Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.”We invite you to come and join with us at any time during this 12 week experiment to see what the Lord does in us and through us.You can come as you are or with something to share such as a song, a poem, a dance, a word of prophecy, a testimony, or anything else that helps us give thanks and worship to our awesome God.We will be meeting every Sunday evening until the 16th August in the Chapel from 6pm to 7.15pm.

The Gathering

The Gathering: a 12 week experimental worship space at CMP
A group of us would like to experiment with a free flowing, highly participative, charismatic form of worship and teaching based around the verses Ephesians 5:19-20 which say, “Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
We invite you to come and join with us at any time during this 12 week experiment to see what the Lord does in us and through us.
You can come as you are or with something to share such as a song, a poem, a dance, a word of prophecy, a testimony, or anything else that helps us give thanks and worship to our awesome God.
We will be meeting every Sunday evening from 31 May to 16 August in the Chapel from 6pm to 7.15pm.

Little things

Have you ever noticed that its the little things in life that end up making a big difference. I recently ran my first marathon with the goal of trying to run it in under 4 hours. My end time was 4.00.03. It was great to achieve the goal of finishing but it's hard not to think that having to go to the loo because I drank too much or the few seconds I lost when I dropped my ipod as the reason why I just missed out. Oh well, in this case it doesn't really matter, but I wonder how often we miss out on the important things of life, like great relationships with God, Self and Others, because we've neglected the little things like helping, caring, speaking kindly, remembering birthdays, saying thanks, doing the dishes, etc.
An old saying says, 'Look after the pennies and the pounds will look after themselves.' So I encourage you today to think about the little things that end up making a big difference.

In My View by Pastor Pete (9 April 09)

In My View by Pastor Pete (9 April 09)
One of the things I love about the message of Jesus is that it is a practical, it works, it makes sense, it transforms.
Frankly, I find it surprising that (a) so many people want solutions to the problems and struggles in their life, and (b) they also acknowledge that Jesus is either the wisest or one of the wisest men who has ever lived, BUT THEN they ignore what he has to say about the way to live life.
I challenge you this Easter to check out what Jesus actually taught about how to live life. You may not yet agree that his claim to being the God is true, you may not yet agree that he rose physically from death and is alive today, but before you worry about those things check out what he taught because confident that that once you experience the reality of his advice that you will find it easier to believe that this incredibly wise and practical man must really have been a gift of God.
My advice is check out his life story in the gospel of Mark (the shortest of the gospel stories). If you don’t have a modern bible please let a leader know as we have free bibles that we’d be more than pleased to give you.
May you have an awesome and life transforming Easter.

Financial Test

Here are 23 questions to assess how you are going financially. Give yourself 1 point for every YES answer.

1) Do you give away at less than 10% of what you earn?
2) Are your debts bigger than your assets?
3) Do you owe more than seven creditors?
4) Are you an impulsive or compulsive shopper?
5) Are you and your spouse dishonest about what you spend?
6) Are you unaware of exactly what you owe?
7) Have you already spent income you are expecting like bonuses, government payments, etc.?
8) Do you depend on extra income such as a second job to survive?
9) Do you have less than 3 months income where you can get it easily and quickly in an emergency?
10) Do you pay more than 15% of your income to pay off debt other than your mortgage?
11) Do you get behind in paying utilities such as power, phone, etc?
12) Do you need to consolidate loans so you can make payments?
13) Do you get creditors sending you overdue notices?
14) Are your debts rising?
15) Do you need to borrow money to pay for things you used to pay cash for?
16) Are you normally late paying bills?
17) Do you have to borrow money to pay other debt?
18) Do you need to borrow money to pay normal bills such as food, clothing, rent, etc.?
19) Are you unable to pay off your entire credit card limit each month?
20) You do not know how much you spend on non-essential items each month?
21) You don’t contribute to savings any more, or have no savings at all?
22) You use cash advances from one credit card to pay the balance on another?
23) You’ve applied for another credit card because you reached the credit limit on another card?

0-1 then you are doing well with your finances.
2-3 then you need to think about your finances.
4-5 then strife is just around the corner, be wish and get help before it gets worse.
6+ then you have some serious financial issues that need dealing with immediately.

Statistics made REALLY interesting

If you have any concern about the poor of the world, this presentation by Hans Rosling is astounding, its one of the best and I mean best TED talks ever. Check it our at http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/hans_rosling_shows_the_best_stats_you_ve_ever_seen.html

money

In our church we seldom talk about money, but that's probably a mistake as so much of Jesus teaching refers to money and/or our other resources as reflectors of the state of our heart.
It seems that Jesus is not so much interested in what we give, or keep for that matter, but that state of our heart in terms of giving Him the highest place.
Over the next month we're going to be looking at a topic called stewardship which looks at how we can use our resources in ways that love God, love self and love others.
I'm sure this series will be challenging, but also I hope it will be encouraging and practical, and help you experience a freedom and joy in your life that is only possible for those that hold lightly to the things of this world.

freedom from addiction

If I had to give a descriptor to our society I reckon near the top of my list would be 'the addictive society'. It seems like addiction is everywhere. If you have addiction issues then I suggest you check out the resources at http://www.settingcaptivesfree.com/home/ for help from sexual, food, gambling or substance abuse addictions.

lives not bums

One of the great challenges of pastoring a church is not getting more bums on seats, that's relatively simple, but changing lives.
More people sitting in rows of seats and then going home unchanged doesn't make the world a better place. What makes a difference is transformed lives, transformed because someone has discovered the awesome love that God has for them and how when we begin to live our lives as learners (disciples) of Jesus that our lives change and begin to impact those around us.
Are you warming a seat, or is your life being transformed? Here's a few questions to check how you are going.

• Are you more loving towards people than you used to be? How?
• Are you contributing resources to help the poor and less fortunate? How?
• Are you growing in your joy of spending time with God? How?
• Are you more honest and transparent with those around you? How?
• Are you using your skills and gifts to serve the needs of others? How?

Zeitgeist: The Movie

Have you watched Zeitgeist: The Movie? Part 1, the first 45 minutes, is a diatribe against the Christian faith. It's powerfully put together piece of propoganda, the only problem is its full of easily discovered historical inaccuracies. I encourage you to check out http://www.alwaysbeready.com and see their response to the Movie which gives a very good response.

A simple experiment

Hi, I wonder if you would take the next 2-3 minutes to do a little experiment that just might change someone’s eternal destination. (I promise it won’t hurt.)

• Step 1: Pretend, just for a minute, that you were willing to invite an unchurched friend, work colleague or family member to church.
• Step 2: Now pretending that you were prepared to do this, list three people that you would like to discover a real relationship with God.
• Step 3: Think or list 2-3 benefits they would get by accepting your invitation. (Writing it down is more powerful, but thinking the ideas is okay as well.)
• Step 4: Take a few seconds now to pray for each of those people. Something like … “Dear God, I lift up XXX to you and ask that you would touch their life in some way this week, and if you want you can use me to do that. Thank you God.”
• Step 5: Consider committing to taking 2-3 minutes each day for the next week to doing this little experiment and see how God can use you. (If you do why not email or text me to let me know you are doing this. My contact details are Pastorpete@cmponline.net or 0407-278-175.
• Step 6: You might like to challenge someone else to trying this experiment by passing on this experiment with a note to say you’re doing it and you’d like them to join you.

gratefulness

If you had to pick an attitude that distinguished happy people from unhappy people, what would it be? For me, gratefulness would be pretty high on the list. Grateful people are generally happy, its one of those attitudes of choice that can may a significant different in ones disposition. So I wonder what you are grateful for from the last year? Why not make a gratitude list list and check it twice and see how your disposition ends up being happier.

wise cop

Met with the Commissioner of NSW Police Andrew Scipione on Monday. With just three of us in the room we got to spend 25 minutes talking about how the church I pastor can make an impact in the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney.
I've got to say I was really impressed with Commissioner Scipione. He seems to be a man of great intellect, integrity and deep faith.
I encourage us all to think about and pray for all of our leaders, but in particular those leaders who live out their faith in the public arena. Pray that they may be excellent at their job and because of their excellence they will get opportunities to communicate how their faith helps them in the way they think about and serve the greater good of the community.

Men only

Men, if you really want to grow in holiness then here is a site that you will find most helpful. It has resources to deal with FREEDOM FROM ... Alcohol & drugs, Gambling, Overeating, Overspending, Sexual Addiction, Stealing and Workaholism.
http://battlezone.echurchnetwork.net/Support/AddictiveZones/default.aspx

Porn-Again Christian

It was in the late ‘80s, Christians were delighted to hear that rocker Billy Idol had become a believer after a near-fatal motorcycle accident. When asked was he “born again”, Idol replied, “No, I’m into porn again.”
Segue, segue, segue…into uber-cyber-Christian-wunderkind Mark Driscoll’s latest (e-)book “Porn-Again Christian”. Driscoll is releasing this challenging new publication in a most appropriate way for a web-based problem - serialised on the Internet. Week by week he reveals a chapter, a bit like a striptease I suppose… And the content even has a warning label on it:
“Because I am speaking to fellow men, my tone may not be well suited for some women and, therefore, I would request that they not read this booklet, unless they are a wife whose husband has read it first and he can discuss its contents with her in love.” (1st chapter, 2nd par.)
The result?
Well, let’s just say, your ears will burn and your eyes will water at the frank and direct language that Driscoll is famous for, and you’d better have an icepack or a cold shower running nearby, and at least for one chapter, a sick bucket…
He starts off promisingly enough, with the introduction and Chapter 1 addressing the need for his e-book:
“The church…largely fails to teach men masculinity in any area, particularly regarding sexuality.”
A bold claim, and one with teeth, at least in my previous church experience.
Chapters 2-4 feature as warnings on how to live wisely as Christian men in a sensual world and outline his “theology of pornographic lust”. Along the way, Driscoll makes some astute observations on the difficulty of defining pornography and the increasing sexualisation of our culture:
“It has taken forty years to go from one dirty magazine under the counter at the local convenience store to today where it is expected that junior high boys have at least one nude shot of their junior high girlfriend on their cell phone.”
See, told you it was frank… His central argument is that “pornographic lust exists to elicit coveting and dissatisfaction that no woman can satisfy”.
Chapters 5-7 feature a helpful discussion on a fairly taboo subject in Christian circles (with the exception of perhaps Phillip Jensen’s “Love, Sex, & Marriage” CDs) – masturbation. He advances both practical and theological reasons for and against masturbation. A confronting Q&A follows with real “live” questions from Christian men on the issue.
Chapter 8 is a highlight / lowlight with its chilling interview of convicted US serial killer Ted Bundy by well-known Christian counsellor and author James Dobson. Bundy is frighteningly honest about the effects of pornography on his life, and how it contributed to his horrific beating, raping, and murdering of at least 30 girls and women between the ages of twelve and twenty-six. Grief gripped my heart.
An extended address to military men on prostitution and a painful analysis of the worldwide sex trade concludes the book. These chapters are graphic in their details and sickening in their brutal depiction of the treatment of many women.
“Porn-Again Christian” is more like a tour through the roughly ordered thoughts of Driscoll on the topics of sex, marriage, pornography, masturbation, prostitution, and the sex trade, than a publishable book in itself. Therefore, as an e-book, it works quite well, but do brace yourself before picking up your hard copy from the printer.
Helpful to young men at your church?
I’d recommend a PG rating (only with parental or big-brotherly guidance), some sections MA (mature adults), and a hardcore R (risky) for the remainder.
Now that you’ve read the warning, you will find that Mark Driscoll’s “Porn-Again Christian” is, like the problems it seeks to combat, freely available at this web site.
Andrew is Sydneyanglicans.net’s resident digital scholar and the pastor of the Asian Bible Church (ABC), a congregation of St Andrew’s Cathedral, Sydney, and the organiser of the Australia Day Convention.

love

A helpful concept that is floating around in my head and heart at present is that all of lifes moments are a test. Not a test designed to try and trip me up, but a test lovingly given to me by God to help me see if I believe that he truly loves me. Each opportunity that comes is an opportunity for me to believe or disbelieve God's way which is essentially an opportunity to believe that God truly only has love for me in mind. When a choice presents itself before me, I can believe God loves me and do that which he calls me to do, or I can believe that God doesn't really love me and make the choice that satisfies my short-term desire.
All of life it seems to me is an opportunity to love God, love self and to love others because Jesus said the greatest command is to love God and the second is to love your neighbour as yourself.
My prayer is this: Lord, help me today to believe you love me so much that I choose to live life your way because that ultimately is the best way to live.

Global Warming

For a contrarian view on the 'overwhelming evidence for gloabl warming' check out this from the Sydney Morning Herald. http://www.smh.com.au/news/opinion/michael-duffy/truly-inconvenient-truths-being-ignored/2008/11/07/1225561134617.html

thinking

I think occassionally ... think of lots of things, strange things, normal things, weird things. Sometimes people think that cause I'm a Pastor I must think holy things all the time. But I reckon we're much the same, all of us seeking to make sense of the world, to love our families, to care for our friends, to leave the world a better place.
Here are some things that have flitted across my mind in the last few hours.
How awesome is my God. How much work there is to do. Concern for a friend. Laughter with a work mate. How good the chocolate was. I could kill a beer. The joy of going for a bike ride. Surprise at finding an old friend on facebook. Looking forward to a day off. How we organise our leadership better. Catching up on emails. Sex.
Yeah, just a pretty normal day of thinking ... and now my thoughts turn to lunch.

What I supposed to be

I love the Youtube video clip called 'What I supposed by be' by Ray Bolt. A moving message about the potential of what could have been done by those lives who never made it out of the womb.

The best website

I reckon the best website on the web is http://www.ted.com/, what do you reckon?

Live without it

A spiritual seeker interrupted a busy life to spend a few days in a monastery. 'I hope your stay is a blessed one,' said the monk who showed the visitor to his cell. 'If you need anything, let us know and we'll teach you how to live with it.'
P.45, Philip Yancey, 'Prayer: Does it make any difference?'

Forgiveness

“A human being is not someone who once in a while makes a mistake, and God is not someone who now and then forgives. No, human beings are sinners and God is love.”
Phillip Yancey, Prayer, P.27

Einstein's Relativity

Been listening and watching some really fascinating stuff about the theory of relativity. If you're interested in exploring it more I recommend ...
Einstein's Relativity and the Quantum Revolution from 'The Teaching Company' which is 23 x 30 minute lessons.
Or check out from your local DVD store the DVD 'What the Bleep!? - Down the Rabbit Hole" for a fascinating exploration of the world we live in. (Note: Be a bit careful with this, some pseudo science from a particular religous veiwpoint, but there are some really interesting bits of science explained.)

Obscure Passion

Isn't it amazing the variety of things that people get passionate about. Check out Arthur Ganson at www.ted.com/talks/view/id/267 and see his passion about moving sculture. I think my favourite is the exploding chair.

Check out the universe

Check out the download available at http://www.worldwidetelescope.org/ which allows you to tour the universe from your desktop. Amazing images of the universe. What an awesome place God has made.

Great talks

Check out www.ted.com for a variety of excellent talks on a variety of subjects. An excellent source of learning. I loved the one by Alisa Miller about how the news influences our view of the world. (4.29 minutes long.)

Sobering video of war

Went to my first Anzac dawn service this year, it was a sobering event, the early 5.10am start ended up being a very small price to pay to remember those who've gone before us to fight for our freedom.
For those who ever consider glorifying war, here's a great little video clip that brings some reality. 'I was only 19' found at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Urtiyp-G6jY

worship inputs

Some sites worth checking out for creative video clips and other creative worship inputs are ...
http://www.worshiphousemedia.com/
http://www.sermonspice.com/

A site that deals with lots of worship stuff is ...
http://www.worshipideas.com/

also I've been recommended to but haven't checked out yet ...
www.worshipmax.com

important questions

If you had to list the most important questions you ask yourself as a way of making decisions, what would they be?
Here are my top two: Who is God, really? Who am I, really?
I believe that what we do is a consequence of the answers to these two questions. And so if we want to change a behaviour we need to consider our beliefs before changing our actions.
Romans 12:2 say 'Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.'
The transformation of our mind happens as we change what we 'really' believe. If I 'really' believe God exists that will impact my behaviour. If I 'really' believe God loves me or that he is Holy then this will impact my behaviour.
If I 'really' believe I am created by God, that I am a part of his family, that I'm loved by him, that I was made with a purpose, then this will impact on my behaviour.
We make a mistake when we focus on our behaviour, we need to focus on what we 'really' believe. Our behaviour is simply a good indicator of our 'real' beliefs.

Funny videos

Did you ever want to remember the elements. This is a funny song to do just that.
Not everyone's cup of tea, but I think its amusing.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WNfx0FO4hzs

But this is even funnier. A video about fainting goats. Shown to me by my daughter and is hilarious.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f_3Utmj4RPU

Discipleship Direction (02) - see last post for 11 Discipleship Directions

This is a challenging quote that relates to Discipleship Area (02): Dr. Blackaby has said "People who struggle to spend time with God don't have a scheduling problem; they have a love problem."
Now, that's something to think about.

Discipleship Covenant

Over the years I developed these 11 directions that I call the Discipleship Covenant. I think they are useful questions to consider as a Discipleship review.

Discipleship Covenant (Matt 28:19-20; 2 Cor 13:5)

On a five-point scale, where ‘5’ is extremely satisfied and ‘1’ is extremely dissatisfied, how satisfied are you with each area in your Discipleship Journey? (Circle one for each question.)

(01) 1 2 3 4 5 Publically declaring my faith in the truths of the gospel (1 Corinthians 15:1-4; 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12) in the way that Jesus asks me to. (Acts 2:38; Matt 28:19)

(02) 1 2 3 4 5 Regularly setting time aside to be alone and commune with God to build up my personal relationship with God. (Matthew 6:6-18; Hebrews 11:6)

(03) 1 2 3 4 5 Seeking to make the world a better place for the poor & oppressed. (Luke 4:18-19; James 1:27)

(04) 1 2 3 4 5 Regularly meeting with others for mutual accountability where there is confession of sin. (James 5:16)

(05) 1 2 3 4 5 Regularly meeting with a small group of fellow believers where there is a focus on loving, learning, doing and deciding in the context of connecting with God. (Acts 2:43-47; Hebrews 10:23-25)

(06) 1 2 3 4 5 Making and following through on a regular generous giving decision. (Luke 12:13-34; 2 Corinthians 9:6-7)

(07) 1 2 3 4 5 Living a life that shows evidence of obedience to God’s personal direction as to how to use my gifts and skills to serve others and so fulfil God’s purposes in my life. (Matthew 6:10; Romans 12:1-8; 1 Corinthians 12; 2 Timothy 1:6-7)

(08) 1 2 3 4 5 Being equipped by the Word through personal study and via God’s gift of the five-fold ministry. (Ephesians 4:11-16; 2 Timothy 3:14-17)

(09) 1 2 3 4 5 Regularly gathering corporately to worship God. (Hebrews 10:25; Acts 20:7)

(10) 1 2 3 4 5 Regularly praying for unbelievers and responding to opportunities God gives to share the good news of Jesus with unbelievers. (Philemon 6; Matthew 28:18-20; John 14:12-14; 1 Peter 3:15; Col 4:5-6)

(11) 1 2 3 4 5 Living a holy & peaceable life that is attractive to others. (Matthew 11:28-30; 1 Timothy 2:1-4: Galatians 6:7-10; James 1:21-25)

Reflection Questions:
In what areas are you most pleased? Why?
In what areas would you most like to grow in the next three months?
What are some things you could do to grow in at least one of these areas?
What are you going to commit to do?

I'm back

Decided to do this blogging thing again. Will post sermons, thoughts, ideas, reflections and stuff about vision. If you have any questions don't hesitate to contact me.
Will primary focus around resourcing or reflecting on the the areas of 'More & Better Disciples, Groups & Congregations'

the end

Done this blog thing for a couple of years. Run out of steam so this is the end for at least a while unless there is a massive outcry from my 3.25 readers.
My final blog comment is this. Spend your life really connecting with God, it's the best thing you can do.
Bless ya.
Signing off for the last time.
Pastor Pete

rules for living

Timothy Satryan of Wilmington First Assembly of God offers ten rules to make 2007 truly a happy new year!
1. Today I will not strike back. If someone is rude; if someone is impatient; if someone is unkind . . . I will not respond in like manner.
2. Today I will ask God to bless my "enemy". If I come across someone who treats me harshly or unfairly, I will quietly ask God to bless that individual. I understand the "enemy" could be a family member, neighbor, co-worker or stranger.
3. Today I will be careful about what I say. I will carefully choose and guard my words, being certain that I do not spread gossip, slander or malign anyone in any way.
4. Today I will go the extra mileI will find ways to help share the burden of another person. I will find ways to make life more pleasant.
5. Today I will forgive. I will forgive any hurts or injuries that come my way. (I will also work to forgive injuries that have been inflicted upon me in the past)
6. Today I will do something nice for someone, but I will do it secretly. I will reach out anonymously and bless the life of another person.
7. Today I will treat others as I wish to be treated. I will practice the golden rule -- do unto others as you would have them do unto you -- with everyone I encounter.
8. Today I will raise the spirits of someone who is discouraged. My smile, my words, my expression of support, can make the difference to someone who is wrestling with life.
9. Today I will nurture my body. I will eat less; I will eat only healthy foods; I will thank God for my body.
10. Today I will grow spiritually. I will spend a little more time in prayer today; I will begin reading something spiritual or inspirational today; I will find a quiet place (at some point during this day) and listen to God's voice!

death, what a wonderful way to explain it

A sick man turned to his doctor, as he was preparing to leave the examination room and said, "Doctor, I am afraid to die. Tell me what lies on the other side."
Very quietly, the doctor said, "I don't know."
"You don't know? You, a Christian man, do not know what is on the other side?"
The doctor was holding the handle of the door; on the other side came a sound of scratching and whining, and as he opened the door, a dog sprang into the room and leaped on him with an eager show of gladness. Turning to the patient, the doctor said, "Did you notice my dog? He's never been in this room before. He didn't know what was inside. He knew nothing except that his master was here, and when the door opened, he sprang in without fear. I know little of what is on the other side of death, but I do know one thing... I know my Master is there and that is enough."

the valley of vision

Lord, High and Holy, meek and lowly,
Thou hast brought me to the valley of vision,
where I live in the depths but see thee in the heights;
hemmed in by mountains of sin I behold thy glory.

Let me learn by paradox,
that the way down is the way up,
that to be low is to be high,
that the broken heart is the healed heart,
that the contrite spirit is the rejoicing spirit,
that the repenting soul is the victorious soul,
that to have nothing is to possess all,
that to bear the cross is to wear the crown,
that to give is to recieve,
that the valley is the place of vision,
Lord, in the daytime stars can be seen from the deepest wells,
and the deeper the wells the brighter thy stars shine;
Let me find thy light in my darkness,
thy life in my death,
thy joy in my sorrow,
thy grace in my sin,
thy riches in my poverty,
thy glory in my valley.

- from The Valley of Vision: A Collection of Puritan Prayers and Devotions

what did jesus look like

Is this what Jesus might have looked like?
Check out the link to see various interpretations of what Jesus might have looked like.

scripture

"We must not take the words of Scripture and run them through the filter of our own beliefs and feelings in order to decide what the Bible verse means to us. Such an approach mistakenly elevates experience over the Word of God." (P.9, Hearing God's Voice, Blackaby)
This raises for me the issue of how do we know when a part of scripture is cultural or relevant to all people at all times?
My approach is this:
If the bible from beginning to end only speaks of one view on a topic, then the bible is teaching a truth that is relevant for all people in all places at all times.
If the bible gives various different opinions then the truth needs to be understood culturally.
Let me give you an example. In 1 Timothy 2:12 it says "I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man; she must be silent." However, in the Old Testament we have Deborah who in Judges 4-5 is said to led Israel. Also in Romans 16 we have a list that suggests that there were women among the apostles. (See Rom 16:7) These varying examples show that the roles of women are sometimes culturally tied. In 1 Timothy the particular problems faced by that church required that women be silent.
An example of the other kind is that of sexual relations outside of marriage. The bible from beginning to end is clear that any sexual activity outside of the marriage relationship is wrong and thus this is a truth that applies to all people at all times.

the importance of hearing from God

Key Quotes from 'Hearing God's Voice' by Henry & Richard Blackaby

QUOTES THE IMPORTANCE OF HEARING FROM GOD:

• 'Effective spiritual leaders must know when God is speaking to them.' (P.x)
• 'So why does God speak to us? He takes the revelation found in his Word and applies it to our lives. When he does, we not only KNOW ABOUT him from his revelation in Scripture, but we also KNOW HIM by experience.' (P.xi)
• 'With remarkable consistency, those God has used in mighty ways have been people who heard from God and obediently responded to what he said.

COMMENTS

Unless we know the voice of God we will not be able to distinguish between our hopes, the world's wisdom and the purposes and ways of God. Learning to hear God's voice, for most this will not be an audible voice, is critical to KNOWING God versus KNOWING ABOUT God.

choices

Poet Edwin Markham has said, "Choices are the hinges of destiny."
POWERFUL THOUGHT!

job dissatisfaction

Neil Anderson writes ...
A man in my church often expressed his frustration with his job. For 20 years he'd been working as a construction worker and he hated it! Frustrated with his career, he wondered why God wouldn't call him out of it.
I asked him if he had ever expressed dissatisfaction about his job with his fellow employees who weren't Christians. He said, "Oh, sure. I complain right along with the rest of them."
I continued, "What do you suppose that does to your witness?" He was a little startled by my question. I added, "Do you realize that God has you exactly where He wants you? When you assume your responsibility to be the person God wants you to be as a construction worker, He may open a new door for you."
The Holy Spirit must have brought conviction because this man became a missionary at work. He displayed concern for the needs of his coworkers and their families and soon had a series of witnessing experiences to share. Within six months an opportunity arose and he left construction work. And all because he started to bloom where he was planted.

in my view, CMP Newsletter (Sunday 12 November)

IN MY VIEW by Pastor Pete
In my view the most significant things happen when someone seeks to serve God and won't be put off. When D.L. Moody found his life in Christ, he looked for some opportunities to teach at a church, but no one wanted to use the uneducated man. He started his own Bible study in a shoe store, and it wasn't long before kids were coming out of the woodwork. People couldn't help but notice him because he was bearing fruit, and few have left such an imprint as his upon the world.
Is there something that God is calling you to do for him? Don't be afraid of starting small. Don't be put off by the seeming lack of opportunities. Start with what you can and be willing to pay the cost of time and effort, and mostly don't forget to bathe it in prayer.
In the end, even if things don't work out as planned, God will smile upon your efforts and you one day hear those most wonderful words, "Well done good and faithful servant."

hearing God's voice

If you're interested in knowing how God speaks, how to be equipped to hear God speaking directly to you, and how to respond in obedience to what He says, then I recommend the book "Hearing God's Voice" by Henry and Richard Blackaby.
I have found the book encouraging, inspiring, challenging and certainly worth the read. The book has already made a definite impact on how I live my life.

suicide

If you have an interest in the issue of suicide then check out http://www.suicidereferencelibrary.com/index.php.
(Note: It's American based so the stats and facts might not be reflective of the Aussie situation, but the articles will still be a valuable resource.)

resources for the new Christian

Here are some good resources for the person who is considering or has begun the journey of walking with Jesus. http://www.theinvitation.tv/
More links and resources can be found by clicking on the "Exploring Christianity" link at http://www.cmponline.net/

getting people to do things

Recently I was Staff Development seminar. The leader shared what I think is a helpful progression of steps when communicating with someone about a task that needs to be done.
He suggest four steps, they start from less direct and end up very direct. He suggested that the partnership between a manager and a sub-ordinate needs to be 51/49, that is we are in a partnership and need to work together, but in the end the manager is the senior partner and in the end is responsible for the final decision.
Stage 1: Self Awareness - Have a discussion that is based around helping the person be aware of their responsibilities. At this stage most of the ideas should come from the sub-ordinate person.
Stage 2: We - A more direct conversation style is needed when the person does not display Self Awareness of the task(s) that need to be completed and the quality at which they need to be completed. A WE conversation is something like, "We need to ..." The WE communicates that you are having a bigger input but that you are still wanting their input.
Stage 3: I - If WE didn't get satisfactory results then you need to move to "I would like you ...". The emphasis is now on what you expect but is still encouraging their input.
Stage 4: You - This is the most direct stage where you say, "You must ...". This stage is only used once the earlier stages have not worked or when the time frame does not allow the other stages to take place.

freedom

I was listening to a very interesting lecture the other day on "Jewish Intellectual History" and the lecturer mentioned a concept called 'two types of freedom' which I found fascinating.
The basic idea is that there are two forms of freedom we can ascribe to.
1) The Freedom from Restraint. This is basically the idea that freedom is the freedom to do what I want, when I want and how I want.
2) The Freedom of Contraint. This is the idea that I use my freedom to place myself under that guidance of a higher power. I exercise my freedom to contrain myself because I acknowledge that God has greater wisdom than I in regard to how I should live.

I found it a really interesting concept that 'freedom' is found and experienced when I come under the umbrella of a greater wisdom. That instead of constraining me, this voluntary constraint actually liberates me to achieve a higher good and greater freedom than acting as an autonomous being can do. Thus 'constraint' brings true freedom, and 'autonomy' ends up in constraint as everyone seeks to exercise their individual autonomy to the detriment of others around them.

Source: Lecture from a series called "Jewish Intellectual History: 16th to 20th Century" which is available from the Teaching Company (www.teach12.com). Quoting from an article by Isaiah Berlin called 'Two Concepts of Freedom'. (See http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/liberty-positive-negative/)

feeback example

Here's a good example of feedback. (Thanks Ryan for the link.)

Weitzel's feedback technique is called SBI (shorthand for Situation-Behavior-Impact). Following these steps can help the receiver more easily see what actions he or she can take to continue or improve performance or to change behavior that is ineffective or even an obstacle to performance. An effective feedback message tells the receiver the impact of a specific behavior on the sender. Here is an example of how to use the three-step model:
Step 1: Capture the Situation ("Yesterday morning in staff meeting,...")
Step 2: Describe the Behavior ("you had a number of side conversations and at times were joking during my presentation.")
Step 3: Deliver the Impact ("When you were talking to others while I was speaking, it was very disruptive to what I was trying to accomplish. I felt frustrated and annoyed by it.")

From http://www.workdyn.com/TOOLS-FeedbackModel.html

grandma

Whether this is true or not, I'm not sure, but still it's an interesting tale.

feedback

I have a love/hate relationship with feedback. I really love to encourage honest feedback, but on the other hand hate how emotionally hard it can be to accept critique sometimes.
We just completed a survey of our church and some of the feedback is positive and some negative.
The thing I often think about is how do we create a community where feedback is encouraged and where we are willing to accept the pain because we know in the longterm an honest community is really the only one being part of.
Your thoughts about what helps create such a community would be appreciated.
Some of my initial thoughts follow, let me know what you think!
- Leaders have to model receiving negative feedback without getting defensive.
- Honest and useful feedback requires a community of trust and care. This can only happen if we take the time to build relationships where there is mutual respect and love.
- Doing something in response to feedback is vital to show that we don't just fob off criticism.
- For there to be good critique, there also needs to be a lot of honest positive feedback.
- Never give positive feedback that is not honest. (I personally have a rule that I will never fudge feedback. If I can't be honest I won't say anything. This way people know that any feedback I do give is what I really believe.)
- As a leader what I do and say sets the standards which others follow. So if the culture is not healthy it could be because I am an unhealthy example.

i wonder

I wonder what are the questions that really haunt your nights, the thoughts and questions that creep into your mind when you're feeling a bit low?
I think one of the mandates of the follower of Jesus is to honestly confront those questions and to acknowledge that we don't always have conclusive answers.
One of the big questions for me, which might seem strange for a Minister, is the reality of God.
I have to acknowledge that sometimes my belief is virtually absolute and yet at other times I really wonder.
I personally follow Jesus not because of an absolute proven belief, but because of a faith that his way is the best way and that he's changed me for the better. I know him as a friend, not a fact of science, and walking his path is better by far than any other alternative I've found.
In a sense I'm a reluctant and unsure follower, but perhaps that's not a bad thing in the end.

free hugs

So much on the net I don't know about. Here's a really cute short video clip about hugs from www.youtube.com, check it out at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vr3x_RRJdd4, its fun.

religion v Christianity

Excert from a conversation between Ken Blanchard & Bob Buford.
Do you know the difference between Christianity and religion? He said it's how they are spelled. Religion is spelled Do, D-O. Most people quit because they never know when enough is enough. Following Jesus is spelt Done, D-O-N-E. There's only one rule: Do you believe? Who am I? How many times does Jesus ask that?
(NetResults, July/August 2006)

retirement question

Here's a short except of an interview of Ken Blanchard by Norman Jameson.
Jameson: You're sixty-six. Thinking about retiring?
Blanchard: I asked Zig Ziglar, seventy-nine at the time, if he was going to retire. He said, "There's no mention of it in the Bible and except for Jesus, Mary, David and a few people, nobody under eighty made an impact." He said he was going to "refire" rather than retire.
(From NetResults, July/August 2006)

in my view (for Sunday 8th October, CMP Newsletter)

IN MY VIEW by Pastor Pete
In my view one of the great dangers to true community in the church is the lack of face-to-face time. Let me encourage you to think about developing relationships using a very simple idea called 'my place, your place, our place'.
It is my belief that a healthy deepening friendship requires three 'spaces' in which it develops. It requires inviting others to come into 'my place' so that they feel valued. It requires me going into 'your place' so that I get a better sense of who you are, and you know that I value you enough to go to you. It also requires that we develop 'our place', those places which is neither yours or mine, but is created as 'our place' because we do stuff together there.
Try this exercise.
(1) Write down the names of people from church who in the last six months have been entered your three spaces, 'my place, your place, our place'.
(2) Write down 3 names that you would like to invite to 'your place' in the next 3 months.
Note: Because 'our place' is the least intimate, it is also the easiest to invite people to and so for many people is the first place to start. Ideas of 'our place' might be a coffee shop, the beach, the movies, etc.

interview with an ex Ku Klux Klan member

Here's an interesting interview by Andrew Denton with Johnny Lee Clary.
Life is full of journeys but rarely do any of us travel as far as Johnny Lee Clary. A former leader of the Ku Klux Klan, now a Christian preacher, his journey from a world of hate to one of tolerance has been remarkable indeed. (Continued at ... http://www.abc.net.au/tv/enoughrope/transcripts/s1453904.htm)

mistake made

In a previous blog I made a mistake and attributed a list of wisdom to Bill Gates but apparently its from http://www.snopes2.com/language/document/liferule.htm.
I was reminded by a friend to always check stuff out - a very good policy when it comes to internet information.
The blog is corrected and now titled below as 'things school will not teach you'.

advantages of sex before marriage

From http://www.stanford.edu/group/tlw/dormtalks/socialemotional.html
Those who live together before marriage have a 50% higher rate of divorce than even the national average! (Bumpass, Sweet, and Cherlin: The Role of Cohabitation in Declining Rates of Marriage, Journal of Marriage and the Family, Vol. 53, 1991, pp.913-927) So sleeping together first to ensure compatibility does not necessarily make a marriage stronger. Another study says that Couples not sexually involved before marriage and faithful during marriage are more satisfied with their current sex life and also with their marriage compared to those who were involved sexually before their marriage. (Mayo, Larsen, Meier, and Mayo: Behind Closed Doors, unpublished manuscript, Feb, 1994. p. 84-85) Ensuring before marriage that you are sexually compatible does not guarantee that you will enjoy sex more in marriage. The opposite seems to be true.

From http://marriage.rutgers.edu/Publications/pubtenthingsyoungadults.htm
Contrary to the popular belief that married sex is boring and infrequent, married people report higher levels of sexual satisfaction than both sexually active singles and cohabiting couples, according to the most comprehensive and recent survey of sexuality. Forty-two percent of wives said that they found sex extremely emotionally and physically satisfying, compared to just 31 percent of single women who had a sex partner. And 48 percent of husbands said sex was extremely satisfying emotionally, compared to just 37 percent of cohabiting men. The higher level of commitment in marriage is probably the reason for the high level of reported sexual satisfaction; marital commitment contributes to a greater sense of trust and security, less drug and alcohol-infused sex, and more mutual communication between the couple.

missed the point

Steve Irwin, what an incredible life, and we should thank God for his dedication to preserving God's creation. But the saddest observation for me about the great life he lived is this, he missed the fundamental point of life, to know and bring glory to God.
Upon his death he received the accolades of the world, the profound love of those who knew him, but it appears to me that he has missed the greatest accolade of them all, to meet face to face with God and hear the words "Well done good and faithful servant."
Let's never devalue his contribution, indeed let's continue his legacy of valuing and preserving the environment, but let us always remember the real point of life, to know and love God as revealed through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Mother Theresa wrote this poem which is something that I hope can be said about me at the end of my life.
Ever sustained by profound faith.
Nourished by unceasing prayer.
Fearless in unshakeable hope.
Deeply in love with God.

great speeches

Are you interested in hearing or reading some the great speeches of history. Martin Luther King's "I have a dream" and many others are available from http://www.americanrhetoric.com/

things school will not teach you

I made a mistake with this one. Previously attributed it to Bill Gates but apparently its from http://www.snopes2.com/language/document/liferule.htm.
Have added the last three which were previously missed out.

Things school will not teach you.
Rule 1: Life is not fair - get used to it!
Rule 2: The world won't care about your self-esteem. The world will expect you to accomplish something BEFORE you feel good about yourself.
Rule 3: You will NOT make $60,000 a year right out of high school. You won't be a vice-president with a car phone until you earn both.
Rule 4: If you think your teacher is tough, wait till you get a boss.
Rule 5: Flipping burgers is not beneath your dignity. Your Grandparents had a different word for burger flipping: they called it opportunity.
Rule 6: If you mess up, it's not your parents' fault, so don't whine about your mistakes, learn from them.
Rule 7: Before you were born, your parents weren't as boring as they are now. They got that way from paying your bills, cleaning your clothes and listening to you talk about how cool you thought you were. So before you save the rain forest from the parasites of your parent's generation, try delousing the closet in your own room.
Rule 8: Your school may have done away with winners and losers, but life HAS NOT. In some schools, they have abolished failing grades and they'll give you as MANY TIMES as you want to get the right answer. This doesn't bear the slightest resemblance to ANYTHING in real life.
Rule 9: Life is not divided into semesters. You don't get summers off and very few employers are interested in helping you FIND YOURSELF. Do that on your own time.
Rule 10: Television is NOT real life. In real life people actually have to leave the coffee shop and go to jobs.
Rule 11: Be nice to nerds. Chances are you'll end up working for one.
Rule No. 12: Smoking does not make you look cool. It makes you look moronic. Next time you're out cruising, watch an 11-year-old with a butt in his mouth. That's what you look like to anyone over 20. Ditto for "expressing yourself" with purple hair and/or pierced body parts.
Rule No. 13: You are not immortal. (See Rule No. 12.) If you are under the impression that living fast, dying young and leaving a beautiful corpse is romantic, you obviously haven't seen one of your peers at room temperature lately.
Rule No. 14: Enjoy this while you can. Sure parents are a pain, school's a bother, and life is depressing. But someday you'll realize how wonderful it was to be a kid. Maybe you should start now. You're welcome.

happiness

Every once in a while I write a list of things I'd like to have that I think would make me happy. What most amazes me the most about this exercise is upon reflection I realise there really is a limit to the happiness level one can experience in this world.
I'm reminded of the astounding book "Inside Out" where Larry Crabb makes the observation that humans can never find ultimate happiness in this life precisely because we are not made for a flawed world. The fact is God made us for a perfect world, and therefore though we can have moments of real bliss and joy, that we cannot continue at the level all the time.
This thought has been really helpful to me. It's made me realise that in the times I experience real despair and sadness, that there might actually be no concrete thing I can point my finger at as to why I'm feeling that way. And so I'm come to recognise that pain and sadness and part of the human condition, not something I like, but something I cannot avoid if I am to be honest about life.
The real point is this. When I realise that pain and sadness are not always the result of something lacking, then I stop trying to gain the toys I think will make me happy, and I concentrate more on deepening my relationship with Jesus who after all is the only true source of absolute and unconditional love.

great preaching (updated Sept 2006)

I've decided that I need to put more time into developing my communication skills. One way I want to do that is to listen to great preaching. Below are some links of sites where you can download sermons. I'll keep updating this as I come across good preaching.
http://www.goodnewsline.com/sermon/
http://www.crossroadschurch.com/media/ - Sermons by Barry McMurtrie, Crossroads Church
http://www.mhbcmi.org/listen/index.php - Rob Bell, Mars Hill
http://www.rzim.org/publications/realaudio_index.php - Ravi Zacharias, RZIM
http://www.preachingtodaysermons.com/ - This lot you have to pay for. Sometimes you get what you pay for, so worth checking out the variety of great preachers at this site.
http://www.sermonaudio.com/main.asp - Not yet checked out.
http://www.sermonindex.net/ - Not yet checked out.
http://www.biblicalpreaching.info/ - Not yet checked out.
http://www.spiritualdisciplines.org/audio.html

heaven

What will heaven be like? Randy Acorn explores this topic in his book 'Heaven'. A book summary can be found at http://www.christianbooksummaries.com/library/v3/cbs0313.pdf

who is a christian?

Who is a Christian? If you're interested in understanding some biblical teaching on this subject then I encourage you to get out your bible and follow through this diagram.

(1) Points out the centrality of Jesus Christ.

(2) Looks at the role of believing.

(3) Considers the obedience step the bible teaches we should take in response to our belief decision.

(4) Considers the beliefs we need to accept to be a follower of Christ. If we reject any of these core beliefs then we are rejecting Christ.

(5) Considers the idea that belief is not a static thing. We need to be walking toward Christ and growing.

(6) Looks at the teaching that we can walk away from our salvation.

(7) (8) (9) (10) Look at four positions we can be in. (7) Is a person who is headed in the opposite direction and who does not believe the central beliefs ie they are outside the boundary (blue line). (8) Is a person thinking about and considering Christ. They are walking toward him but have not yet committed themselves to the core beliefs of Christianity. (9) Is a person who is committed to Christ and walking toward him. This person is where each of us should be. (10) Is a person who is committed to the beliefs but is now walking away from Christ. They have decided to reject the implications of what it means to follow Christ. This person is in danger of completely rejecting Jesus Christ.

The implication of the biblical teaching is that a Christian is a person who both BELIEVES and who ACTS in accordance with those beliefs.

Hope this is helpful.

quizzes

Need quiz questions for a games night or the like. Check out the "Monthly Trivia Quiz" link at this site for 12 quizzes of 50 questions. http://www.travelmate.com.au/FunTrip/FunTrip.asp

'the experiment'

IN MY VIEW by Pastor Pete (Newsletter of CMP for 20 August 2006)
In my view we tend to over estimate what can be done in the short-term and under estimate what can be done in the long-term. Let me explain.
I'm not sure how many times I heard someone say some variation of the following: "If everyone was to just invite 2 other people and they invited 2 others then ..."
It's true, that if this were to happen then big things would happen, the problem is that its trying to do quickly that which can only be done over the long-term.
So I want to encourage you to do try this experiment and I think you'll be amazed at just how much God can do through your life, it's not a short-term fix, but in the long-term your life will have an impact that will astound you.
THE EXPERIMENT:
Step 1: Spend some time with God and ask him this question. "What is the one habit, behaviour or attitude you most want me to change in my life?
Step 2: Make a decision that for the next 30-60 days changing this one habit, behaviour or attidude will be your major priority in your spiritual journey.
Step 3: Share your decision with one other person and ask them to pray for you and ask you regularly how you are going.
Step 4: FOCUS on making this ONE change. When the new habit, behaviour or attitude has become part of you THEN go back to Step 1.
FINAL NOTE: People who try to change too many things at once mostly change nothing. People who focus on ONE thing at a time and keep on repeating that process achieve tremendous change over time.

have your say

The Australian Democrats have an online survey at http://www.democrats.org.au/survey2/survey/GodGovt_v2 seeking people's view about the relationship between Government and Religion. Have your say be completing the survey.

classic books

If you're interested in reading some of the great book from history check out the link for a great selection. You can download them for free. Many can be read on a PDA or what I do is print them in a booklet form which is easier to read.
I'm personally currently plowing my way through "The Divine Comedy" by Dante.

engaging the world

Following are some excellent excerts from the linked article.

The mission of the church is paramount, and what propels the mission forward is an awakened mind; a mind ablaze with God and the things of God. This is the heart of the cultural commission within the Great Commission. The Great Commission calls us to reach out to every person with the gospel of Jesus Christ; the cultural commission calls us to lay hold of every nook and cranny of our world for the kingdom of God. They are not separate endeavors-they are the two edges of the single sword we are called to wield. Though frighteningly few Christians embrace the true dynamic and practice of the Great Commission, even fewer take hold of the cultural commission. Too often we retreat into our Christian sub-culture, with its books and magazines, radio stations and bumper stickers.

This brings us to the heart of the mind applied. It is not simply thinking Christianly, for to know is to do. Our goal is to think in such a way as to know how to live. So what does it mean for Christ to lay claim to medicine? To law? To politics? To the economy? To a child in the womb? To sexuality? Consider the words of the prophet Micah: "And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God." It is not enough to simply understand the nature of justice and love from within a Christian perspective. Then "we must go on," writes Dennis Hollinger, "to think about the strategies of justice and love in issues like poverty, race relations, abortion and political life."
This is the vanguard of Christian thinking-knowing how to live, and then working to make the kingdom of God a reality for others to be able to live as well.

losing the need to pretend by John Burke

If we say we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves.- 1 John 1:8 NLT
When my wife, Kathy, was in preschool she fell in love with a comic strip character, Zelda. Kathy wanted to be like Zelda. She wanted to do everything Zelda did. Then Kathy decided she was Zelda. Her teachers came to her mom concerned because Kathy would no longer answer to the name Kathy, she wanted to be called Zelda. We've all pretended to be someone we're not. It's fairly common for kids to pretend they are someone else. And it's acceptable if kids pretend because they are still forming their identities. But the goal is to learn to be yourself by the time you are an adult. Unfortunately, few adults seem to be comfortable enough with themselves not to pretend.
Our generation longs for something authentic. They are searching for "the real thing," though they don't really know what "the real thing" is. Because this generation has endured so much "me-ism" and letdown from those they were supposed to follow and trust, they want to see a genuine faith that works for less-than-perfect people before they are willing to trust. They want to know this God-thing is more than talk, talk, talk. They desperately want permission to be who they are with the hope of becoming more. They aren't willing to pretend, because hypocrisy repulses them. Most have yet to realize that every person is a hypocrite to some degree-the only question is whether we realize it and are honest about it.
It Starts with AuthenticityWhen we launched Gateway Community Church in 1998, the first service was entitled "Losing My Need to Pretend." Everything we did that morning contrasted the inauthentic ways of the religious leaders whom Jesus deemed hypocrites with an authentic spirituality of the heart. The religious leaders of Jesus' day were focused on religious rule-keeping. Jesus reserved his harshest words for these pretenders: "Woe to you Pharisees, because you give God a tenth of your mint, rue and all other kinds of garden herbs, but you neglect justice and the love of God. You should have practiced the latter without leaving the former undone."(Luke 11:42 NIV) The religious leaders of Jesus' day were so focused on the traditions they had formed around the heart of God's message that they were neglecting the things most on God's heart.
That September morning in the delivery room of our new church, I told our newborn congregation that these stories are a warning against inauthentic, incongruent living. Jesus is basically saying, Lose the religious pretense; it's destructive to authentic faith. Shed the mask of hypocrisy you hide behind. I want honest, authentic people-not hypocrites who pretend to be something they're not. I asked the congregation a question at the end of the message: "Can we be this kind of a church? The kind where people don't have to pretend? Where we can be ourselves and stop pretending we're more or less than what we are right now? That's the only way we can help each other grow to be all God intended us to be. If we can't do this, we're just playing church!"
Authenticity is hard work. It always works from the inside out. It begins with the inner life of the leader, being authentic with God. It manifests itself in personal vulnerability before others as an intimate connection with God displaces the fear of transparency. This opens for others a view into an authentic spiritual life of a real human-not a religious salesperson. Finally, it becomes embedded in a culture so that authentic, growing communities of people can be formed and transformed.
Hear John discuss strategies for creating a "Come-As-You-Are Culture" at the A2 Conference: Innovating with Acts 2 Thinking on October 25-27 at Willow Creek Community Church in Chicago. (www.willowcreek.com/A2)

leadership

"Institutionalizing a leadership-centred culture is the ultimate act of leadership."
This is a fantastic quote about the role of leadership. Thanks Ryan for passing it on to me.
I'm reminded of a quote I have on my wall that talks about the activity of a leader.
"Give yourself plenty of time to think ... and to reflect on just what it is that really needs to be accomplished. Delegate everything possible, and reserve for yourself only those things where your personal attention is needed to move the work ahead." - Ed Hanlon

stem cell research link

This link will give you useful information if you're interested in Stem Cell research. http://www.stemcellresearch.org/

The Final Analysis by Mother Theresa

This is similar to previous blog entry, but has a different ending. (Thanks Ryan for sending it.)
People are often unreasonable, illogical, and self-centred;...Forgive them anyway.
If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives;...Be kind anyway.
If you are successful, you will win some false friends and some true enemies;...Succeed anyway.
If you are honest and frank, people may cheat you;...
Be honest and frank anyway.What you spend years building, someone could destroy overnight;...Build anyway.
If you find serenity and happiness, they may be jealous;...Be happy anyway.
The good you do today, people will often forget tomorrow;...
Do good anyway.Give the world the best you have, and it may never be enough;...Give the world the best you've got anyway.
You see, in the final analysis, it is between you and God;It was never between you and them anyway.

Stem cells: A view from a wheelchairby Joni Eareckson Tada

Every night around 8 p.m., my paralysis forces me out of my wheelchair and into my bed. My body is wearing out after almost 40 years of living as a spinal cord-injured quadriplegic. It’s a good time to reflect on the day as well as watch some TV. Not long ago, I flicked on a PBS special called “Innovation: Miracle Cell.” When I learned it was about new therapies using stem cells, I asked my husband to turn up the volume.
Paralyzed after a car accident, pretty 19-year-old Laura Dominguez looked up from her wheelchair and into my room through the camera and smiled. She had reason to. Recently she traveled to Portugal for an extraordinary operation that changed her life. First, Dr. Carlos Lima drew stem cells – her body’s own “repair cells” – from the lining in her nose, and then gingerly separated them. Those cells are like blank slates, able to turn into tissue that would “fit” into Laura’s spinal cord. Dr. Lima gently packed the cells into the damaged portion of her spine, and after three months of therapy, Laura was able to move her foot and regain a significant amount of feeling in her back and legs. Said Dr. Lima, “I will be able to say to somebody with a spinal cord injury, ‘Yes, you will walk again,’ as opposed to telling them life is good from a wheelchair.”
How ironic; me rejoicing in the success of another’s healing. Other success stories followed: a teenager with a punctured heart that was healed through a stem cell transplant from his blood; a little boy who no longer has cancer because of a transplant using stem cells from the umbilical cord of his little brother.
The same week Dr. Lima published his research in the Journal of Spinal Cord Medicine I picked up the July 24 issue of TIME and read “What a Bush Veto Would Mean for Stem Cells.” Rather than read the same line about embryonic stem cells being the Holy Grail of miracle cures, I read how “science has outrun politics. Adult cells, such as those found in bone marrow, were thought to be less valuable than embryonic cells … But adult cells may be more elastic than scientists thought and could offer shortcuts to treatment that embryonic cells can’t match.”
I and others with disabilities have been closely monitoring the debate between adult and embryonic cells, and we know there isn’t an embryonic cell treatment that heals even a rat – there are tumors, tissue rejection, genetic abnormalities and death; there are no miracle cures. Yet right now more than 70 medical conditions are being successfully addressed by adult stem cell therapies either in human clinical trials or human treatments. Laura Dominguez knows firsthand; she can now even walk a bit with crutches!
No wonder people like me are excited. True, many adult stem cell therapies are not yet bona fide cures, but so far, they have proven substantially more successful than embryonic stem cell approaches. That is why I am grateful that President Bush continues to uphold the ban on federal funding for embryonic stem cell research. Those restrictions are perhaps the only means of encouraging funding in the overlooked and less commercially viable field of research using adult stem cells.
Still, some people say we should wait and see what happens with stem cells gleaned from human embryos. Pardon me, I’d rather not wait. Besides, there’s something deeply unsettling about tearing into a human embryo for its spare parts. Is it really nothing more than a mindless clump of cells? Of no more worth than a potato to be used then discarded? I shiver when I hear politicians and so-called experts talk that way.
People like me are vulnerable in a society that disregards the rights of the weak, the infirmed, the unseen, and the very, very small. I don’t want to live in a world where the bio-tech industry sets the moral agenda. When we tamper with the essence of our human genesis – certain only of the uncertainty of our outcomes – we mock the God whose imprint we each bear, and we provide false hope to those whose hope sustains them.
I stand with countless Americans with disabilities who believe our cause is not advanced when human life is sacrificed in hopes of finding a cure. Our cause is uplifted when we take the common sense and ethical course to hope and healing. And if you don’t believe me, ask Laura Dominguez.
For more information about Joni’s thoughts on stem cell research, check out the new book co-authored by her and Nigel M. De S. Cameron, How to be a Christian in a Brave New World.

cool motivational verse

People are unreasonable, illogical, and self-centered –love them anyway!
If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish ulterior motives –do good anyway!
If you are successful you will win false friends and true enemies –succeed anyway!
The good you do today will be forgotten tomorrow –do good anyway!
Honesty and frankness make you vulnerable –be honest and frank anyway!
The biggest people with the biggest ideas can be shot downby the smallest people with the smallest minds –think big anyway!
People favor underdogs but follow only top dogs –fight for some underdog anyway!
What you spend years building may be destroyed overnight –build anyway!
People really need help but may attack you if you help them –help people anyway!
Give the world the best you’ve got and you’ll get kicked in the teeth –give the world the best you’ve got anyway!

two keys to changing habits

One reason why so many of us fail with habit change is that we try to do too much at once and don't do what we are trying to do for long enough.
I heard today something that I thought was helpful. The person was saying that it takes doing something 18 times over a minumum of 18 days to create a new habit.
Others I've read have suggested that for most of us we can only create one new habit every month. (It's too mentally exhausting to try and change too much at once and we end up failing in all our new efforts.)
Key 1: Concentrate on no more than one new habit per month.
So try this experiment. Pick a new habit, just one, and then repeat that one habit 18 times over at least the next 18 days. For example, if the habit is going for a walk and you do it every 2 days, it will take 18 times over the next 36 days to create that new habit. If the habit is something you only do once a week then it will take 18 weeks to create the new habit, and in this case you can add a second habit at the end of the first month.
Key 2: Add new habits rather than stopping old habits.
And here's another suggestion I've found helpful. I've found it easier to add new habits rather than stop old habits. (Though some things still need to be stopped immediately.) So for example I'm wanting to cut down on the caffiene I drink, so instead of stopping drinking coffee I've added a regime of drinking a glass of water every time I have a coffee. The new good habit has the tendency of pushing out the old bad habit without all the pain normally associated with trying to give up something.
All the best on your habit changes.

marriage

Good marriages are the result of continual effort and learning. The benefits of a good marriage are of greater worth than almost any other human endeavour. If you are serious about having a great marriage then check out some of these resources.

• Marriage Test to check out how solid the foundations of your marriage are based on research for the book "Why Marriages Fail". http://www.probe.org/content/view/746/72/
• Relationship Satisfaction Test. An online 30-35 minute test. http://psychologytoday.psychtests.com/tests/relationship_satisfaction_r_access.html
• A simple self scoring Relationship Satisfaction Test. http://psychologytoday.psychtests.com/tests/relationship_satisfaction_r_access.html
• An excellent Love Languages Test. Do the test and then pick up a copy of Love Languages by Gary Chapman which is on my highly recommended list.

value of time

One day a boy asked his busy father, "Dad, how much money do you earn in an hour?" The impatient dad answered, "I don't know, I guess I make about $50 an hour when I'm at work. Now don't bother me, I'm busy." After a couple of weeks of doing odd jobs around his neighborhood, the little boy approached his dad one evening and said, "Dad, here's $25. Can I buy 30 minutes of your time so we can play together?"

leaders are learners

"Never stop learning. All leaders are learners. The moment you stop learning you stop leading. Growing churches require growing pastors. The moment you stop growing, your church stops growing. I don't worry about the growth of the church. I never have. In fact, it will probably surprise most people that in 21 years we have only set two growth goals -- and they were both the first year of the church! What I focus on is keeping myself growing and motivated, and if I am on fire, other people will catch it."
- Rick Warren

choices

Who do you believe?
"The universe was not pregnant with life nor the biosphere with man. Our number came up in a Monte Carlo game." (Jacques Monod)
"So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them." (Genesis 1:27)
My choice is contained in the words of Joshua who said, "But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord." (Joshua 25:15)