When you wish upon a star

Disney's all time No 1 Favourite song ever is - "When You Wish Upon a Star" - WOW - magical lyrics and that tune!!!  Man it's no wonder everyone loves it.

So here we go:-

"When you wish upon a star
Makes no difference who you are
Anything your heart desires
Will come to you

If your heart is in your dream
No request is too extreme
When you wish upon a star
As dreamers do....."

Lovely!!

You know - we all wish!! - we wish for this we wish for that  - and I guess there is absolutely nothing wrong in wishing!

Poor old Geppetto  the puppeteer longed so much for a little boy of his own - so he made Pinocchio. Then he wished Pinocchio would come to life - just like a 'real' boy - so he "Wished upon a star."

The rest is history - the "Blue Fairy" the "Song" the little wooden boy coming to life. How marvellous!

But it was brought home to me just recently that sometimes wishing can be dangerous.

Some people seemingly live their lives in a fantasy world - wishing and dreaming and hoping (just like another song I've heard)- happy to float along - never really committing to anything - always dreaming of a 'better' life with more money or better looks or a bigger car or winning lotto etc etc.

Wishing can lead to regrets as well - "I wish I hadn't done that" or "I wish I had said this."

Like Geppetto we look dreamily out of windows and wish upon stars in our lives not really understanding life and missing out on the biggest opportunity of all time.

There is no room for wishing, regrets and guilty consciences after we have come to Jesus  - How amazing is that?

Jesus promises us a guilt-free life, full of His awesome promises, and it's all free - price paid by Him.

But instead of accepting His awesome gift, we prefer something more ostentatious, more flimsy, more flamboyant - we prefer to put our faith and hope in temporal things - things that won't last but will give us a buzz anyway.

A new home, a new car, clothes, jewellery, furniture - all give us temporary happiness and we think - Yes! now I will be happy - My stars have come in for me.

When we do have problems or trials we prefer to consult our friends, employees, financial advisers and yes, even the stars. Anything that will make us comfortable and feeling good - even temporarily!

As long as our positive self-image is well fed and our self confidence and self assurance is at an all time high, for outward appearances anyway, we can manage.

And so we dream/stumble/claw/fantasise our way through life - making do with second best - jumping from one "high" to another - trying not to think too hard about the real issues in life.

Jesus came to do away with all that - this world is only a stop on our way to Heaven.

Peter, that disciple who denied Jesus said in his first epistle 2: 11-12 "Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which wars against your soul"

Then Paul writes in Philippians 3:20 "But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Saviour from there, the Lord Jesus Christ."

So how about our life here on earth? Well.... God made it for us to enjoy and we definitely live here - there is no denying that!

But it was through our sinful lives that has spoilt God's amazing creation. That is why Jesus had to come to earth, and die to atone, compensate or make amends, if you like, for our rebellion against God.

When we repent, turn away from, be truly sorry for our sins and accept His forgiveness as being the only way to a complete and full acceptance of Jesus being our Lord and Saviour, then we become new People.

Paul says in 2 Corinthians 5: 17 "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!"

After we have accepted this awesome gift, then we become citizens of Heaven and our new home is there rather than here on earth.

So let's get our mind off earthly things which will give us 'temporary' happiness at best. We can only find true happiness in God - we don't have to go wishing on a star - we don't have to depend on anything this world offers - we can have treasures abounding and unlimited in Heaven.

Changing in a changing world - round and round we go

Faithfulness - an amazing word!

How many times have we been faithful to someone, a project or a pledge?

How many times have we been unfaithful at the same things?

This got me thinking this week as I struggled in my faithfulness to God! - Many times we come back to Him again and again, pledging to be faithful - pledging our allegiance our undying love yet...

It only takes us a second or two to let our eyes wander from our Lord and next thing we know we are trusting on self or others to accomplish what we desire and/or to give us a hand over some trial or tribulation.

It only takes us a second for us to change -  we change our minds - we change our direction in life - we change our jobs - our Churches - and so the list goes on.

People all over the world suffer significant losses in their life and sometimes the world seems to be spinning out of control - so we change.

Sometimes we change our beliefs - things don't go our way - we find it hard to believe that if there is a God why didn't this happen the way I wanted etc. - we are always on the change!

Your know - Our Lord is always faithful - He is changeless - he never turns away from the path of truth and justice - His love and mercy never fail us no matter what we do, think or say.

Even though we don't ever really understand everything that happens in the world or in our immediate circumstances - God is still LOVE- His great love reaches us no matter where we are or what we have done.

Romans 8 tells us this amazing truth:-

"Who then shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness or danger, or sword?"

Now that's a RIPPER of a verse - how plain is that - NOTHING can separate us from His Love - because???

GOD IS CHANGELESS!

His mercies and faithfulness are eternal along with His love which makes our Heavenly father so so special - His forgiveness to our seemingly never-ending sins sometimes overwhelms me.

As God is now - that is how He was in the beginning and as He is now is how He will be for eternity.

Generation after generation - constantly the same - yesterday, today and forever.

Where we fail Him constantly - he never fails us - He loves us so much He made a plan to bring us to Him so that our sins would be forgiven - that plan 2000 years ago sent Jesus to Calvary to die as our punishment - so Jesus took our punishment so that we can live forever with Him.

When I dare think of what Jesus went through for me - when I think of those nails in His hands - it makes me weep - My sin virtually held Him there - My sins hammered in those nails - My voice can be heard among that crowd  to "crucify Him."

And yet, I can so easily turn away - turn away from the one who saved me - turn away, knowing what He did for me that day - I can be so sinful and yet...

He calls me back - which is so awesome.

Stuart Townend wrote a ripper of a song called "How Deep the Fathers Love for us" - It expresses my own question so well - How come I got to gain from Jesus' horrendous death? - to be honest I don't know but Praise God I do get to share Jesus' reward! - How awesome is that!

The song in part says this:-

"Why should I gain from His reward?
I cannot give an answer
But this I know with all my heart
His wounds have paid my ransom"

Sin died that day along with Jesus - Satan was defeated - death is dead - the clincher of course was Jesus' resurrection - when He rose again, He vanquished death, never to reign again.

Oh yes! I know - we still sin! - Of course we do - whether unwittingly or deliberately, we sin! - The thing is that we know when we do - Jesus' Holy Spirit is there prompting us and bringing us back to true repentance.

We need to claim the forgiveness that Jesus is offering and also be prepared to give everything to God.

Way back in the late 19th and early 20th century there was a young man called Judson W. VanDeVenter. He had given his life to Christ when he was 17 years old and he was a pretty solid musician and became quite famous.

Life for him was looking on the up and up but inside he knew things weren't quite right - He knew he hadn't handed everything over to God - his music came first.

That knowledge hit him one night when he was conducting a choir - That night he surrendered his life entirely to God and wrote the hymn "I Surrender All" - the words say it all - "All to Jesus I surrender - All to Him I freely give."

He went on to become an amazing full time evangelist and continued to hand over all of his desires to God.

God is ever Faithful - his mercies are new every morning - His love is eternal - His compassion's never fail.

He has promised that He will never leave us - (Hebrews 13.)

God is eternally, just, wise, gracious, faithful and tender.

So don't go banging your head up against a brick wall - repent of your sins - surrender all to Jesus - Yes! Satan will still come knocking sometimes with a gentle little whisper showing you all his bag of sweet temptations then sometimes he comes with a battering ram slamming into your door, regardless....

Keep your eyes on the goal, don't dwell on the past, keep looking to Jesus - and He in His grace and glory will take care of all the rest!

Unhappy Campers!! Not happy Jan!

Life is just not fair - why do the 'nice' people nearly always finish last?

Life can be a lot like that - the wicked prosper while the 'nice' people always seem to be dragging around the bottom of the list when it comes to being blessed. Or so it seems.

Jeremiah complained to God about the same things in his book chapter 12: 1-4. It is good old Jerry's plain talk to God in his prayer time.

He starts off with praise to God - admitting that God is righteous and always is so when he brings a case to Him.

God is righteous! - He is fair and just - His ways are not always our ways.  But we have to have reliance in Him and on Him if we are to trust him in the way that he commands us to.

Poor old Jeremiah starts complaining to God about the injustices of the world - -He asks the same old question that we have asked ourselves - if not to God directly - "Why do the wicked prosper?"

I guess if we are brutally honest we have all asked a similar question.

The unscrupulous always seem to prosper in the world - the drug lords, the crime bosses - the fraudsters - the corrupt politicians - the liars - the violent offenders, the welfare and compensation cheats and so the list goes on. They always seems to be able to hold the 'get-out-of-jail-free' card. They seemingly go from strength to strength.

It just doesn't seem to be fair!  Whereas the so called 'nice' people of the world pay their taxes and try to always do the right thing and what happens? They get slandered, unfairly accused, evicted from their homes, suffer illnesses, lose their jobs, have marriage break ups etc - It's just NOT FAIR!

Even Godly people seem to be downtrodden - unable to speak their minds.  If they dare try to - they are  shouted down as being bigoted, unreasonable, homophobic, racist, sexist and other horrible, untrue and hurtful names - anything to silence them in the world.

Why is it so?

Well, looking through the Bible heaps of others felt the same - way way back though the Old testament. Habakkuk was one along with Jeremiah and Daniel.  The Psalms are full of  "Why Lords?" There just doesn't seem to be answer.

I guess we can't really give an honest answer - Although God assures us, through the life of Jesus, that He does care and He keeps reminding us so.

Jesus told Pilate at his "trial" that it was no good looking for His kingdom here on earth - if they did think that and if his kingdom was here - then His servants would have fought for Him and he would not have been given over to the hostile Jews and he would not be standing before Pilate.

No! He said His Kingdom is from another place - and we know where that Kingdom is - Heaven.

So Jesus Himself didn't think of His home here on earth at all and he implores us that we should do the same.

Jesus didn't care about what other people had - He didn't hanker for their riches and homes - He said himself that he had nowhere even to lie down - amazing!

Satan is always on the lookout for others to join his band of merry men - he strolls around the earth looking to see who he can recruit.

He has his bag of temptations with him - and loves to show us how badly off we are and how good our neighbours are faring!

So it is for Satan's own benefit to encourage his followers prosper? - after all they can recruit even more people for him!

Romans chapter one has heaps to say about what will happen to the Godless - and it aint pretty - read it for yourself.

What a dark place to be YUK!

God on the other hand - keeps saying to us that there are better times ahead - and for eternity!

Our home here on earth is only temporary - Jesus himself confirms that - No He didn't want to go to Calvary - the very thought of it chills you to the bone.

Jesus died on the cruelest and evilest creation of mankind - spawned from the depths of hell itself.

Through all of His suffering He knew that His home was with God for eternity - He had an awesome Job to do and he was the only one that was able to do it.

He didn't look back and ask 'why?' - he didn't want what others had - he gladly did what He had to do and kept His eyes firmly fixed on the goal.

Let's not waste time looking and envying, asking questions and getting depressed over foolish and Godless even wicked people so-called "prospering" in this world - they are actually doomed.

We certainly have an obligation to pray for these sad lost folk - that God will give us a heart of mercy and grace - that we will be able to see that God's way even if it is hard here on earth, is actually the only way.

Satan, and I'm afraid many other prosperous people will all suffer the same fate - eternal separation from God -  ETERNAL separation - sounds pretty final to me.

Let's be content with what we have - what we have been blessed with - Look to the Saviour - Keep Him close because if we don't Satan will only be too happy to snuggle up to  us if we let him.

1 Samuel 17:47 says "For the battle is the Lord's".  God, He himself will claim the victory over everything and everyone.

 So let's not get all hot under the collar about what and who is prospering and how 'unfair' it all is.

Our God is ever faithful - He is still on His throne - we don't have to look to the world for our satisfaction.

Our God knows our needs and wants - he understands what we are going through - our trials, our troubles, our illnesses, our griefs - in fact everything.

Our job is to remain faithful to Christ who remains ever faithful to us - He is the one we must keep our eyes on - His home is going to be our home - we are only passing through here - visitors in time.

Let's keep our eyes on the goal and not on our 'prosperous' neighbours.

Time for a wardrobe renovation!!

So important these days to look the part, act the part and BE the part - looking good at all times is a MUST - we are judged by our employers, our colleagues and even our family on how we look.

Wardrobe design is so so important and is a critical part of your wardrobe solutions!

Some people even have specialists wardrobe designers to make your wardrobe something very special to keep those very special clothes looking just like they should be to keep you (the most important person in the world) looking your very very best at all times!.

You can even get tips to generally take care of your precious garments

From dabbing the centre of each button with clear nail polish to seal the threads to..

Rubbing the zipper teeth with wax to keep it working properly to..

keeping clothes wrinkle free by hanging beautiful clothes in the bathroom to get a free steam and dry!

Even your tootsies can get a make-over - you can...

Spray your shiny shoes with hair spray after each use to maintaining their lustre. or..

You can get scuff marks of your favourites by rubbing on eucalyptus oil or baking soda!

So whether it's your favourite tee shirt or an expensive ball gown, tuxedo or suede shoes and bags - there is answer to your problems.

You can keep them and you looking the part - so important in today's world

And so the list goes on ad nauseam!!

We can become obsessed with looking good and that our wardrobe MUST reflect the latest fashion and accessories.

So the world will tell us - but why stop at your clothes - turn on the television and you can be offered the latest in everything from whitegoods to IPads in 30seconds flat!

Somehow it is vitally important that the world will see us as successful - with all the latest gadget and gizmos around.

God on the other hand has a better solution:-

Colossians 3: 12-14 smacks us pretty hard and so straighfroward:

We as God's chosen people need to clothe ourselves with lasting things - not worry so much with the world and what it can offer.

Paul tells us that God calls for us to "clothe ourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience."

Now we don't have to worry about trying to change ourselves! No success there I'm afraid!

This will only happen after we have surrendered to our Saviour - It is His and the Holy Spirit's work to bring about those changes.

It is something that happens to us as we learn to grow in Him. Then His personality, principles and character takes over our lives and we begin to take shape in Him.

Now there is absolutely nothing wrong with trying to look your best and buying the latest fashion - the problem lies when those things take over as No 1 in our lives.

Paul says it is so much better to put those things in their proper place - way way behind what really matters.

People should see in us, as those belonging to God, a better way to that which the world is offering.

The world says "buy and live" God says "take and be free".

What God is offering is far better than anything money can buy.

All the luxuries - money, clothes, property and cars won't buy us true happiness and freedom. The clothes go out of fashion - the cars wear out - the houses aren't quite big enough and money can be gone in an instant!

The freedom that God gives is eternal - we can be free from the excesses of the world, from the necessity of 'keeping-up' with the latest.

Paul goes on with God's awesome message - "Forgive as the Lord Forgives you" - God has forgiven us a multitude of wrongs!

We should be so aware in our lives of being forgiven and as such so so willing to forgive others.

Forgiveness! An amazing word - it makes it necessary for us to forgo the need to 'get even' to be prepared to live our lives accepting the wrongs that others have done to us.

Jesus' sacrifice covers all of our sins but each of us need to personally come to Christ to experience His forgiveness.

Once we have been forgiven - it is pretty much unthinkable for us to refuse to forgive someone else.

But Paul continues "And over all these virtues put on Love".

Sort of like a big woolly coat over all those others things LOVE...

Love is the overriding virtue as Paul says "Love:- which binds them all together in perfect unity."

So we are commanded to live as Jesus lived here on earth - putting on qualities which the world at large doesn't see as very important -  These qualities come from a life committed to God and a life led by the Holy Spirit.

It is so easy to let the world dictate to us what we should be doing - what we wear, where we go, who we should be seen with and even what we eat!

God's way is perfect - He loves us - so if we are committed to Him we must clothe ourselves in His love and principles.

We have to realize that we, as well as others in our lives, have faults and we must show them the grace and forgiveness that Jesus gave to us.

So the whole thing to learn here is what to put off and what to put on. We are to put off the things of the world that drag us into separation from God and put on the fruit of His love shown to us through His Holy Spirit.

Everything we need is to be found in Jesus Christ who is God Himself.

Big mouth, Big trouble, Big Consequences

Ever regretted something that you have said?

I have heaps of times - it is a regrettable thing that the tongue can run away with us at times - maybe two people suddenly find themselves talking about a third - pretty common scenario? BUT...

One where we have been warned that we should be so careful - talking about another person no matter how, where or for whatever reason is gossip and...

Gossipping is a sin and a most insidious sin at that!

Anything that puts people down is a sin and should be rooted out of our lives and quickly before it can take a real firm foothold.

Philippians 2:3 says "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit but in humility consider others better than yourselves"

That verse alone smacks gossipping clean on the head - whack! - no room for it - no place for it and God plainly says it is wrong with a capital "W".

Talking about others happens so regularly by Christians it has just about become an art form - pre-empted  by "I'm worried about" or disguised as a "Prayer request" - we need so desperately to control what we say, when we say it and learn desperately to "shut up" and say  nothing.

James 2:2 says that we should speak and act as those who are going to be judged - they are pretty Strong words and we should all pay pretty strict attention to them.

We will be judged how we judge others - if we have a judgemental attitude to anyone God will hold us accountable for every so-called 'slip of the tongue' we make that puts others down.

Even Paul, warned Titus about 'malicious gossips' in the church! It is vitally important that we get a handle on this gossip thing - it destroys, spoils and undermines everything holy in our lives and we are all guilty of it!

In Chapter 3, James says a whole swag of things about 'taming the tongue".

He compares the tongue to a bit in a horses mouth, or a rudder on a ship even a spark that sets a huge forest on fire. He says it is so with the tongue - it is such a small part of our body but makes huge boasts and can cause even huger problems!!

James reckons also that the tongue is a fire, a world of evil that can corrupt a person and can change peoples lives - he even goes so far as to say that the tongue is set on fire by hell itself.

Pretty strong words but sadly how true.

James goes on in chapter three and explains that we can't be both praising God and cursing or gossipping about our neighbours etc - we can't have our feet in both camps - we can't worship God and claim to be His but have no control over our tongue in what we say or how we say it.

Ephesian 4:29 screams out to us also about using unseemly words - not just swearing - but words that may have double meanings, even when we are trying to be funny!

If these words, phrases and innuendos in our conversation are not edifying to God then Paul says we must not use our mouths in this way - Only words that give glory to God should be used by His people. In that way Paul says we show God's grace to other people.

In Chapter 5 James goes on to say we mustn't use our tongues to grumble to each - or complain about things to each other - He goes one step further and says we will be judged by that standard of complaint - he says "The Judge is standing at the door"

Pretty chilling when you actually read about the consequences of a run-away tongue.

We will never control our tongues on our own - we will fail miserably.

The only way is by the big pointer that Paul gives us in 2 Corinthians 10:5 that we should take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ

So how are you in controlling your tongue? - I know I have had a huge wake up call!

The tongue should be used to bring Glory to God.  James says we can't be cursing and praising at the same time - a spring of water doesn't flow fresh and salt water.

We are wonderfully and mysteriously made - God has made us all unique and  each one of us needs to come to Him for forgiveness and cleansing.

It is only through Him that we can claim victory over our mouth.

Don't let our BIG mouths cause BIG troubles because there will be BIG consequences!

I have graven you on my hands

Jesus adores you - more than just love - He adores you!

How amazing is that? - Jesus was 'in the beginning' before time began - He was there with the Father at creation and He adores you!

When you think of how vast is the universe - It is immeasurable, huge, colossal, Gigantic, limitless and we are still finding out more and more about this amazing creation - and Jesus adores you!

The universe is only a drop in the bucket when compared to the Father - so our little minds can see the immensity of the universe and it's jaw-dropping size so...

When we compare that to God the Father, Jesus the Son and God the Holy Spirit - well honestly it seems it is far beyond my feeble mind to take his vastness in - and Jesus adores you!

And yet even when we look at this vast array - the diamond studded heavens - The huge whales cavorting and playing in the endless oceans - a new born miracle - the "WOW" factor kicks in - and yet we still disbelieve - and Jesus adores you!

UNBELIEF - what a strange thing it is! Sometimes I don't know what to wonder at - the faithfulness of God or the unbelief of His people!

He keeps His promises time and time again and yet at the very first time of trial we doubt Him. And Jesus still adores you!

In revelation 7:11-12 it says that ten thousand times ten thousand angels stand around His throne and fall on their faces toward Him in worship.

If angels do that can you imagine what we will do??

The sheer fact we will come face to face with the Almighty God - Creator of this amazing universe is a total mind blowing fact - I know everyone will be so awestruck that we will all fall flat on the ground before Him!

He is not like the sun - he doesn't 'set' and go away for the night - He is not a passing meteor shooting past us - here one minute and gone the next or some elusive vapour-like ghost passing through walls and never seen again.

And yet we are often perplexed with anxieties, suspicions, fears, doubts, unbelief, anger and of the course the 'why me' question as if He were some mirage in the desert. - And yet Jesus still adores you!

God says to us - that "we are graven on the palms of His hands" (Isaiah 49:16)  - it doesn't say our name is graven on His hands but that 'WE',  us personally are graven on His hands - NOW that is amazing!!

Yep - you and I are there but it is more than that...

He has graven us, our image, our wants, our needs, our innermost thoughts, our weaknesses, our circumstances even our sins, doubts and unbelief on His palms.

He has written everything about us - everything that concerns us - all our worries and trials - all our joys and happiness.

How can we ever say that He would forsake us and forget us - he loves us - and adores us - we are written on His palms.

Jesus adores us so much that he gave His life for us - how much more love can one person have - Jesus all God yet all man - incredible!

He took our sins that awful/ beautiful day and nailed them to the cross - killed 'em stone dead - forever!

Jesus paid that horrible cost and we get to be forgiven. On that terrible day He did what only He could do and we get to reap that reward.

All we have to do is accept His perfect gift offered by the perfect son of God.

Jesus, the only sinless one that could take that sin-burden away from us and throw them into the deepest abyss never to be head of again.

Psalm 103;12 says - "As far as the east is from the west - so far has He removed our transgressions from us"

We will never see them again - gone and as far as God is concerned never to be remembered again.

That is so mind-blowing - Come to Christ today - don't delay - He adores you!

It is Remembrance Day in Australia

What is Remembrance Day? - It is celebrated (If I can use that word) by Commonwealth Countries to remember our armed forces who have died in the line of duty.

It is a special day first observed on 11th November to recall the end of the World War 1 when hostilities formally ended on that day at the 11th hour.

So it is a special day for all of us - not only for the Aussie Diggers of the two great wars but for all wars and all soldiers in all countries who have paid the highest price.

War is an abhorrent evil - and one where we all stand united in hope and prayer that all wars will cease.

We have other memorial days here as well and another special day observed in Australia and New Zealand is our ANZAC Day - we observe this day like Remembrance day.

What is ANZAC Day – well for those outside of Australia ANZAC stands for “Australia, New Zealand Army Corps” and ANZAC Day is a special Day commemorating the landing in Gallipoli of Australian, New Zealand and Allied forces in World War 1.

Hundreds and hundreds of Allied soldiers died on the rocky shores fighting against the Turkish army of which they really were outnumbered and fighting an impossible to win battle.

They were ordered by British Generals to the Gallipoli shoreline which was so steep as to be almost impossible to climb – but climb it they did – that is those who were left and not killed as they left their boarding crafts and became ‘sitting ducks’ for the Turkish forces on the headland.

There they stayed for weeks on end holding onto just metres of gained territory and there are many many stories from Simpson and his donkey to friendships forged in ‘no-mans land’ with the Turkish army.

Gallipoli has gone down in Australian History as one of the most significant battles in our history and every year of the 25^th April, hundreds of people turn out to dawn services, which was the exact time the troops landed on those fateful shores almost 100 years ago.

Most Australian cities have parades and marches to commemorate all those who did their part in protecting our fair country

Again hundreds of our people make the pilgrimage to those same steep rocky shores in Turkey to honour our brave soldiers.
Most Australians have stories to tell about ANZAC day – not only about World War 1 but about all the following wars and battles since – all these wonderful people have given or been prepared to give their lives for Australia.

Personally I remember two special men who survived the war only to succumb to their wounds upon arriving back home.

They were brothers by the names of Arthur and Ernie Bailey.  I was taught piano by one of their widows – the two elderly ladies had never remarried and both were childless .

As children we referred to them as ‘Mrs Arthur and Mrs Ernie.”  Mrs Ernie taught me music and she used to talk about her husband and his brother and say how that when she passed away there would be no-one to remember them.

Well, that was a long time ago and we as a family still remember Arthur and Ernie especially on ANZAC Day.

It was a great privilege for me to see my 11 year old grandson at the freezing dawn service last April 25th laying a wreath on the cenotaph and with head bowed remembering the sacrifice of brave men and women who paid with their lives for our freedom.

You can't be in two camps or play for two teams!

You just can't!! - That would be totally wrong - you can't give full allegiance to two teams and be totally committed to them both.

But more of that later...

Thought I would let you guys know a little about myself first and see how playing in two teams or staying in two camps cost me...

I am the product of fully Christian home - I am 5th generation Christian - YEP that's right 5 generations of guys and girls worshipping our God and King.

Now that's really something! - not too many of us around! - God's amazing Word passed on from one  generation to another and all going to church and being good!

But again more of that later..

I grew up in a pretty conventional home - Mum who stayed at home and looked after us four kids and Dad who worked full time and made sure we all had plenty to eat and clothes to wear - pretty blessed really.

It was in the fifties and things were pretty tight money wise and we had to make do with whatever we could lay our hands on - But we never went hungry and cold.

We all attended Sunday School and wouldn't have missed Church .....ever!

My Dad had a voice that Pavarotti would have been jealous of and was never home - always out singing and performing for the masses.

Mum kept the home going and to make ends meet took in heaps of boarders into our sprawling five bedroom bungalow in downtown Newcastle Australia.

We had fun as younguns playing cricket in the streets and heaps of fun times exploring parks and playgrounds - things we thought were pretty settled and life was pretty good.

Every Sunday out came to the Sunday clothes and we were off for the usual round of church meetings - Kids  at Sunday School and youth group - grown ups doing whatever grown ups did - singing, praying and being very devout.

This was my life and I accepted it all without question.

When I was around sixteen, our youth group (which was made up of mostly boys) didn't seem to have the attraction it once held - the absence of the young ladies I feel had a huge impact on the way I felt.  So my mate Al and I decided we should do something about it.

We decided in our 'man about town' wisdom that "Missionary Dating" was the way to go - Let's check out the field in other churches and see if there were any girls in other youth groups and so we ventured far and wide.

Things were looking up and we found out that indeed most other youth groups had a good mix of young people and there were indeed girls!!

I couldn't wait till I was 17 and got my licence and my first car.  Our plan was simple - whoever took their car was under no allusions - if the driver happened to get lucky and take a girl home then the passenger wasn't invited - no questions asked and had to get his own way home.

It was on one of these 'missionary dating ' escapes that I as the driver met a very cute little red head named Sue. Little did I know at that time that she was to be my soul mate - I guess I should have known because by the very next day we were 'going steady"

Well that was then and we certainly have had a few bridges to cross.

We never stopped going to church - we were married and ended up with two wonderful children -a boy and a girl- we were happy - we were in love and I had a fairly good job with heaps of opportunities for advancement and I took full advantage of them!

My life seemed to revolve around work and family and going to church was just one part of the routine that made up our life.

During that time I guess I made heaps of 'decisions' concerning God and made numerous attempts to 'live the life' of a Christian BUT...

At work you couldn't possibly have told that I was anything but an ambitious and steadfast employee. I seemed to go from strength to strength in my job and worked my way up the corporate ladder. Gaining position, prestige and influence.

Work came first, then Sue and the family and vaguely somewhere trailing along came church and God.

At work I could match it with the best of them - setting key performance indicators and business goals for the troops - making sure the business opportunities were met and all goals and mileposts were passed always looking for better solutions and outcomes - I could also swear and mix it with the herd - just like one of the boys.

It wasn't until the kids got older and we decided that we should move churches so that they could join a youth group that God started working in my life - change came suddenly and unexpectedly for me.

God smacked me with the fact that He wanted much more than lip service from me - a half hearted Christian wasn't a Christian at all - I was totally gobsmacked!

I WAS the church in Rev 3:16-17   - "So because you are lukewarm - neither hot nor cold - I am about to spit you out of my mouth. You say 'I am rich, I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.' But you do not realise that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked"

I was shocked - I had done this for God and that for God - I had gone to church all my life - I had brought my kids up to know God.

I feel to my knees - I asked God to take full control of my life - I handed over everything to Him - I made Him No.1

Not only that but I asked the Holy Spirit to come into my life and control what I said, did and thought - and with tears of repentance I asked for forgiveness for those years and years I had strayed from Him doing my own thing and getting into the world and what it had to offer

The freedom that came over me was overwhelming - I handed the controls over to God and was spellbound by the transformation in my life - No longer was I held as a salve to sin - I suddenly despised the way of life I once had.

I had thought I was so free - doing what I wanted when I wanted! I could sin knowingly but reasoning to myself that God would forgive me - after all wasn't He a loving God always there and willing to forgive and forget?

What I didn't take into account was that God is also just and so Holy - His holiness is so awesome even the angels fall on their faces in front of Him. Thousands upon thousands of Heavenly beings hiding their faces awestruck by His holiness.

What finally came home to me was the fact that I will have to give an account of every word, thought and deed I have ever committed.

God's ledger (if you like) will have those thoughts, words and deeds on one side and not my so-called 'good' deeds on the other but whether or not I am a changed person in Christ - accepting and trusting Jesus' sacrifice on Calvary.

During this life-changing time for my family and me I had the privilege of seeing Sue make a commitment to the Lord  and also both the kids come to know Him as their Lord and Saviour.

The guys at work could immediately see the difference and even my management style changed so dramatically - no longer was it my aim to gain more influence but suddenly I was interested in my colleagues personally. God gave me compassion and empathy for them and much more understanding.

I was still working hard and doing my very best to be the very best manager I could be - but this time I was doing it for God and for his Glory - man! what a difference it made!

You know you can't live in two worlds - you can't please God and dance with the Devil - You can't really be God's if you still hanker and cling to the world and what it has to offer.

You can't be a carnal Christian and give God what He yearns for - YOU!

Our awesome God cries when you do - He laughs when you do - He yearns for you to find true happiness and freedom in Him

His great heart breaks when we walk away - when we put other people and things in front of Him.

You know, being a 5th generation Christian didn't make me one!

Sometimes I look back on my life and think that it is hard for kids growing up with that influence - you can take it all so much for granted - so much so that when it finally does hit you that God means YOU then it comes as a complete surprise!

When we finally get to Heaven - we are going to be so awestruck that we like the Heavenly beings will fall flat on our faces before His utter holiness.

God will Judge us not on whether we went to church and were good - not on whether we met our financial arrangements with each other and were honest - not on whether our families were good 'church goers' and were kind to their neighbours but whether we were actually changed when we met our Saviour.

Jesus died so that we might live - He didn't do that so that we could give lip service to God and pretend sin doesn't matter.

He didn't die so that we could live lives that had nothing to do with Him or his standards through the week and just go through the motions of being goody goody Christians on Sundays.

Get into God's Word - Get into His commands - get into God's Love and more importantly get into His forgiveness.

Accept His great offer of forgiveness BUT don't be lukewarm like I was - Lukewarm is YUK! -Lukewarm will spell your doom - like it nearly did to me!

Get real with Jesus- Give Him your life - He gave His for you!

Life with God at the helm is Freedom Plus - His Word is true and final - There is no such thing as a wishy-washy Christian - you are or you aren't His.

As it says in Hebrews 3:12-13 Don't let sin's deceitfulness harden our hearts so that we turn away from God.

Satan is crafty - he will even use God's word to lie to you as he did to Eve way back at creation. He will tell you like he told me that God will forgive your sin - so go ahead and do it!!

Sin has no part in the life of the Believer - sure Satan can come knocking BUT God is stronger and has already defeated him - claim that promise and really live for God.

God is our Father - our loyalties have to shift from us and the world to Him - He is our primary family now.
We have to live like we own nothing - all is His - everything - Give Him the Lot!

Bad news - Good news

Last time we looked at two of the minor Prophets and at the messages they brought to the people of long ago and how that message is still relevant today.

Today we tackle two more Zephaniah and Haggai.

Ever felt like things are way out of control?? The world and those in it are spiralling, so it seems, head first downwards - and sadly it seems are we!

The lines between right and wrong are pretty blurred - leaders can be corrupted - we become discouraged.

It seems we so easily fall into sin and our faith at times not only seems small but minuscule!!

This was the very type of situation that Zephaniah the prophet found himself - stuck in the reign of two evil kings Manasseh and Amon, He found himself at last with a King that feared the Lord.

King Josiah was a well intentioned and godly guy - but with all his reforms most of the leaders in the city were corrupt and idolatry was widespread.

Zephaniah wrote to the people warning them of the impending judgement of their sins - sound familiar?

He had bad news and good news.

Bad news:- If we don't turn away from our sins we can expect nothing from God - We can be justly terrified to meet Him.

Good news:- Turn from our sins - confess them to God - accept Jesus' sacrifice for us on Calvary. God is Just and Holy - No sin will go unpunished - either at the cross or at the throne of God!

Yep, that age-old message to repent and turn from our sins is still so so relevant today.

We have to come to the cross of Jesus - There is room there for everyone - not matter what you have done, where you have been or who you have been with!

We need to ask forgiveness and claim the promise of God that who ever comes to Him he will not throw away.

The spectre of sin remains but it it has absolutely no dominion over us it is like a broken-backed snake - still dangerous but a fallen foe unable to defeat us.

How precious is the blood of Jesus to us - He rose again to ensure our salvation - he stands between us and the Father's wrath.

Pretty awesome even stunning. It blows me away when I think of the cross and what Jesus did for me.

It astounds me and bewilders me sometimes that He gave everything - and for me! -Me who was so far buried in a pile of garbage when He found me and yet He loves me anyway.

So Zephaniah's message - bad news then good news is still around today - when you think of the evil in the world today, it's so easy to become discouraged.

But the good news is that God knows our troubles - He died for you, His love is never ending - His grace is staggering and His mercies never fail.

Come back to Him today.

Haggai with his message of counting the cost is amazing.

Haggai was sent by the Persian King to rebuild the temple - and he did what the Lord commanded.

Interestingly though -opposition to the rebuilding stopped the work BUT it certainly didn't detract from the important work that Haggai was sent to do.

He was willing to go!!

How are you at doing what God commands? Haggai's willingness to go is a challenging reminder to us that we must take inventory of our lives and order our priorities to reflect what Gods want us to do.

What does the way you spend your time reveal about your priorities?

Remember God is not some co-pilot - or backup in case we can't handle things on our own.

God is the pilot - the one in the drivers seat.

We don't have to stress and strive to do things - God is there to protect, shelter and ward off anything this old world throws at us.

Don't ever feel discouraged and complacent in your spiritual life - Don't get into the spiritual doldrums.

Meet the problems head on - Give God the Glory in everything. When things seemingly get out of control - we can say with those who have gone  before - Our God is able - He will meet our needs - He will never let us go - Keep our eyes focused on Him.

What goes around comes around!

Phew!! - just been reading all the books of the minor prophets in the Old Testament - some of it is pretty hard going I'm telling you!

I guess you could sum them up with a 'one-liner' for each of them - they all had a message to tell and guess what!! that message is still relevant today.

They all neatly appear - all six of them - just before the New Testament starts and there they cling onto history and still boldly proclaim God's message to all and sundry - yelling out to the world what will happen, what has already happened and to make sure we are ready for the finale!

First comes Nahum with his message of "WHAT GOES AROUND COMES AROUND".

Reading Nahum you can take heart! - all injustice, unfairness, cruelty, rebellion against God, disobedience, bullying in fact anything that breaks the heart of God and His people will NOT go unpunished.

We can be confident by reading Nahum, that God will make all things right one day.

Every sin will and must be accounted for either at the foot of the cross when the person who has wronged you will accept the gift of forgiveness from Jesus and have their sins pardoned or....

A the judgement throne of Almighty God where they will have to give account of every thing done and said.

God is the only JUST JUDGE - His ways are perfect and although sometimes we can't really understand what is going on, take courage, be brave take one huge breath and be assured that our Father knows the end from the beginning - the BIG picture!!

We have all been hurt at one stage or another - we have had our hearts broken, been bullied, had heaps of unfairness dished out to us and generally felt depressed and alone.

Imagine how God feels! For as long as people have been on earth, He has been rejected, scorned, made a joke of, disobeyed, laughed at, insulted, ridiculed, ignored, misunderstood, forgotten and belittled!!

The list goes on and on and on - Yet he remains patient.

He shows us love, understanding and mercy - giving us opportunity after opportunity to repent and come back to Him.

So when God does get ANGRY it's probably not a bad idea to listen up - Old Nahum brought this message to Nineveh or Assyria - "Get Ready What goes round comes around!"

Next comes Habakkuk with His message of  "VIOLENCE: IT ISN'T FAIR"

Habakkuk wondered and questioned God as to why evil is allowed to win so often!

Of course we have never done that!! Yeah right!! - That is what we do best!

But after questioning God , Habakkuk concluded that God is in control, that there is a judgement coming and we had better praise God.

Habakkuk was in a horrible situation - he knew that Babylon was about to destroy Judah - he pleaded with God not to let it happen and the people to change - to get ready.

Babylon was probably one the most horrendous countries of their day - torturous, barbaric and showing no mercies to anyone - and here they were - about to carry off the people as slaves, killing and brutalising as they went.

Through all of this Habakkuk could still say "Though the fig tree shall not blossom and there is no fruit on the vine, the olives fail, the flocks die, no meat and no shelter I will still praise the Lord"

Now we may not tend sheep, own a vineyard or not even realise that figs grow on trees BUT we can still relate to what Habakkuk was saying here.

When we get downsized, when we get stressful and anxious, when we have been diagnosed with some terrible, horrible disease, when our budget zooms out of control, when the kids get sick and when we are laying awake at night desperately searching for solutions to what seem like endless problems - what then?

We certainly don't feel blessed BUT you know it is then at those very moments more than any others that God is the only stability you will find in life.

He can give us - you and me - the spiritual strength and emotional courage to keep going.

When you think of it - Jesus suffered terribly for us - He didn't die peacefully in His sleep not was He given a lethal injection and fell asleep before He died - and yet through all of His unbearable pain He never stopped praising is Father and handing it all over to Him.

Although we rarely admit to needing it - God's mercy, strength and stick ability is available to us on a daily basis - God virtually explodes with mercy - He loves mercy - He loves courage - he loves to share His strength with us.

God longs for us to bring all of our wounds and innermost thoughts to Him - He will extend His mercy, grace and strength to get us through the most horrendous events in our lives - even when things look their blackest.

So there we go - the first two "Minor prophets" in a nutshell - I have no idea why they are called 'MINOR' because their message is pretty 'MAJOR' if you ask me!

Nahum with his "What goes around comes around" and then Habakkuk's amazing "VIOLENCE: it is isn't fair"gives us two very awesome messages from these ancient and prophetic pages.

Nahum's message that all sin will be accounted for either at the foot of the cross or at the throne of God blows me away with it's simplicity yet is startling in it's truthfulness and still relates so much to today.

Habakkuk's determination to praise God even though things look their blackest also made me aware again of  God's mercy and of course on-going grace.

God is so Holy and Just and sees the 'big picture'.

Our Small world is shaped by what is happening to us today - whether good or bad - big or little. God's world is beyond our understanding - so we have to trust Him that He knows what he is doing and hand our entire lives over to Him.

So reading the 'minor' prophets has been an eye-opener for me - the messages contained there were so vital to that world at that time yet so relevant to today's world as well.

Take time to re-read them and I guarantee that you will be blessed as I was to realise that God has indeed got everything under control even though sometimes it doesn't feel like it.

God has our best interests at heart and even though sometimes our world may fall apart and praising Him seems like the last thing we feel like doing - we should try to keep in mind all the truths of the Bible and the blessings He has given us and praise (Just like Habakkuk) will be inevitable.

Next time two more of our MINOR prophets get on the starting block when we will look at Zephaniah and Haggai.

Catch up then.

Continuing temptation - Continuing sin!!

Temptation - Can we avoid it? - Is it just a common part of our humanity?

Well - looking at it from a purely human aspect 'temptation'  has been around for years and years from creation really and it will continue to plague us until Jesus comes again - pretty sad turn of events I'd say but one which we as Christians have to come to terms.

What is so good and comforting to realise again is that Jesus Himself was tempted as we are - WOW that is a comforting thought  that the very Son of God - Jesus - Pure Man and Pure God was not immune from Satan's efforts to have Him sin.

Another comforting thought that springs to mind is that being tempted is not the sin - we are all tempted - every one of us and probably every day - the SIN part comes when we actually yield or give in to the temptations.

Experts tell us that we have approximately 5 seconds from the first inclination of sinning - or when temptation strikes to turn away from temptation - FIVE SECONDS - not a lot of time - but time enough to decide "will I or won't I" - the decision is up to you and me to make.

Jesus although tempted as we are did not sin - pretty amazing when you consider. We have a problem in that we think of Jesus as holy and able to avoid temptation - that's true BUT He was also a man and suffered from  all temptations  known to common man - pretty gobsmacking thought that!!

Here was Jesus - the God/man - sent from the Father but also coming under the very temptation known to common man- you and me.

I must admit that the thought of that is somehow comforting to know that our own dear Saviour that died to take away my sins - suffered the very same temptations that I do - How miraculous is that!!

Temptation can be very nasty indeed -  it is a cruel and devious foe we are facing when we are faced with temptation - Jesus stood foot to foot - toe to toe with the same enemy we face - yet did not sin!

Okay then let's look to to Jesus - He has taken the load for us.

We can travel along or follow along the very steps that He took - If we look hard we may even see his blood stained steps that he took to win our freedom and the power to overcome temptation.

Man, what a saviour!! And He did it all for us - If He hadn't then we would be like the un-saved - unable to overcome temptation.

Oh Yes they can try with all the 'self-help' seminars - the psych sessions the one-on-one counselling but nothing will really help without the the blood stained cross, the pierced side, the agony and death of our Lord Jesus Christ on that terrible but beautiful cross.

Of course the amazing and awesome resurrection of the Lord was the clincher - the very fact that he overcame death and is right now seated on the right hand side of the Father interceding for us is, well to truthful, utterly incredible!

Jesus was a man! and as a man endured  heaps of temptations yet did not sin.

Then it only stands to reason that in HIS POWER and His power alone, the members of his family - you and me - may cease to sin and have power over temptation - awesome isn't it.

Remember there is no sin in 'being tempted' - the sin is 'yielding' to that temptation'.

Jesus as the Head triumphed over temptation - we as members of His body share in that awesome victory!

Our place of sure safety is only found wrapped in the arms of our Saviour - Christ is with us armed for our defence.

We are the tempted ones now - all we can do is throw ourselves into the arms of the tempted Jesus our Saviour and our Lord.

The chain has broken - the shackles are gone - we are free - claim the victory through the one who broke them!

God does not promise the same help for those who don't know Him however.

Until we repent of our sin and accept Jesus as Lord of our life and hand over to Him 100% we have no capacity to please God or to overcome addiction to temptation.

But those who are saved may claim the power and wisdom of Jesus relying on God's Grace to have the victory even over Satan's most dastardly, subtle and compelling temptations.