Did you know there are an estimated 4200 religions in the world? That's 4200 spiritual paths or beliefs systems that co-exist in our pluralist society. 4200 options in a world that loves freedom and choice. 4200 alternatives that some believe, all hold part of the truth and whose paths all lead to the same destination. It’s not new. That's the public square in which followers of the Holy God,who has revealed himself in Jesus Christ, have always found themselves in! Moses found himself in a pluralistic culture of Egyptian gods. Joshua spoke out amid the pluralism in Canaan. Elijah had to challenge the Baal worshippers on Mt. Carmel and Paul was confronted by the idolatry in Athens. So how do we as followers of Jesus live, move and engage in the public square of our culture and proclaim Jesus in a world of pluralism.
#8 and final in series: Spiritual Intelligence
True or False. It used to be the easy part of any exam. No working out. No equations Even a wild guess had an equal chance of success. There was right and there was wrong. 1+1=2. But in this postmodern and relativist world, truth has become a matter of preference, and “tolerance” is promoted as an ultimate value. If I believe 1 + 1 = a window, then it is true for me! As Andrew Thorburn, the shortest serving CEO in history recently discovered, the more “tolerant” a culture becomes, the more intolerant it is of anyone it perceives as intolerant! Individuals are cancelled and ostracised, reputations smeared and careers are ruined as people are pronounced guilty by association! But Jesus' claim to be the way, the truth and the life is a word of comfort, hope and strength for all those struggling to find where they belong in a troubled and increasing hypercritical world. They are truth in a world of relativism that transforms lives and are truly inclusive. We'll explore that today.
#7 in series: Spiritual Intelligence
The mask - nothing symbolizes the last 2 years more than the mask. A symbol of isolation that interfered with our ability to communicate with each other, hindered our capacity to relate to one another, served as an object that divided communities and became a barrier that reminded us of an abnormal life. Hospitality, as the Bible describes it is a gift that transforms relationships in an isolated world; it strips off the masks, demolishes the barriers, builds deep connection and creates authentic community. It's a hospitality we have received in Christ and one we are called to emulate. So today we explore and experience, 'Hospitality in a world of isolation.'
#6 in series: Spiritual Intelligence
Stuff. Our lives are filled with stuff. Our homes can be mistaken for storage units. Our cupboards and drawers overflow with clutter. Our wardrobes are filled with things we no longer wear or use. Our inboxes contain far too many unactioned emails that should have been dealt with or deleted. 1 in 4 who have a double garage can't fit their cars in the garage, and 1 in 3 can only fit one car in! The more you get, the more you want. The more you want, the more you think you need. We are plagued by the passion to possess and this consumerism forms us and shapes our behaviour. So how do we make room for what really matters? How do we breakfree of accumulation and simplify our life? How do we move beyond the stuff that leaves us unfulfilled and unsatisfied and discover contentment in all things. That's what we will explore today: “Simplicity in a world of Accumulation."
#5 in series: Spiritual Intelligence
We like to be entertained. Amazed. Blown away. We hope the season finale shocks us. We celebrate the game that goes down to the last minute or last kick. We seek out that we can tweet or talk about at work the next morning. We desire the experience we have never had before. It's nothing new. The people in Jesus' day looked at him and said over and over again, 'We're here, entertain us!' "Display your greatness." "Show us a sign." Perform a miracle. "Prove you are the King". "Wow us!" "Blow us away. Yet while the Gospels tell us that many were amazed at his teaching, his miracles, his life, that amazement did not lead to transformed lives as disciples of Jesus. Entertainment is a spiritual powerless act offered to people to amuse and distract people from the reality of their lives. Worship is a spiritual powerful act that is God-centred and God-directed that draws us into the presence of the all-powerful God who transforms every part of our lives by his grace. So today we explore the gift of ‘Worship in a world of entertainment.’
#4 in series: "Spiritual Intelligence.'
Have you ever moved from one checkout line to another because it is shorter? Have you ever, on approaching a stoplight, counted the cars in front of you and then changed lanes? Have you ever multitasked to a point where you forget one of the tasks? If so, you may suffer from 'Hurry Sickness" - yes it is a thing! Corrie ten Boom once said that if the devil can’t make you sin, he’ll make you busy. Hurry cuts our connection to God to other people, and stops us from living emotionally healthy and spiritually vibrant lives. Hurry is the enemy of love; it is incompatible with life in the Kingdom of God. for it stops us from receiving love and from giving love. That's why people's first interaction with God in creation was the Sabbath - unhurried time to be fully present with God, to receive love from God and space to love him back. So today we explore and experience 'Sabbath in a world of Hurry."
#2 in series: 'Spiritual Intelligence'
Our world is full of distraction. Every moment our days are interrupted by texts, tweets, push notifications, ads, instagram posts, emails, phonecalls. Research has shown that phone users unlock their phones on average 80 times a day. The average user checks their phone 6-7 times an hour or once about every 10 minutes. Is that you? Or is it something else that distracts you? What do you give your attention to, for what fills our minds, ultimately fills our hearts. Distractions are anything that turns your attention away from something that you want to concentrate on. Distractions are what Satan uses to make you ineffective in the mission to which God has called you. Prayer is God's gift in a world of distraction. Prayer lifts our eyes and our hearts to focus on ultimate things that lead to effective, meaningful and purposeful lives that bring glory to God. So today we will explore and experience 'Prayer in a world of distraction'.
#2 in series: "Spiritual Intelligence"
Happy Father's Day
"Everyone is entitled to their own opinion." It's a saying that we hear a lot and everywhere we go, somebody’s got an opinion about something – the world, politics, media, sports, fashion, children, education, entertainment and especially religion! But just because someone holds an opinion, doesn't make it fact. It's simply a personal expression of a person’s feelings or thoughts that may or may not be verifiable or true. For many of our opinions are based on emotions, personal history, and values—all of which can be completely unsupported by meaningful evidence. Perhaps the Bible says it best! "Fools have no interest in understanding; they only want to air their own opinions. (Proverbs 18:2 [NLT]). So who or what is discipling you, shaping your opinions? Who or what do you turn to in order to discern what you believe about the things that impact us in the world or culture? Social media? Your dad, because he said so! Your favourite influencer? The person whose opinion matters most to you? Or the Word of God? Today in the first part of this series we explore the reality that while everyone is entitled to an opinion, not all opinions are equally valuable. But there is a foundation for our lives that is not mere opinion but is true and verifiable. It's a word that is filled with purpose and will enable us to thrive. Today we look at and experience 'Scripture in a world of opinion'.
#1 in series: Spiritual Intelligence
Every sporting team knows…a victory in the Grand Final is not just one victory. It is the culmination of a series of victories. It’s the end result of discipline, hard work & even disappointment along the way. That’s why victory celebrations are so awesome and unrestrained.
In our lives as God's people, we know we’ve been given the ultimate victory. Christ is risen…He is risen indeed. We live with certainty about the end of our story. But there are still challenges to face, obstacles to overcome & trials that will test us in the every day journey we travel. There are victories still to be won.
Until the end, God calls us to remember what is already ours, to live faithfully with discipline and hard work; to celebrate the little victories, and to share the good news of God, who often works silently in the ordinary moments of our lives. Against the backdrop of God’s redeeming saving love, Esther reminds us that victory takes work. The work isn’t finished until everybody is included. Remembering God’s saving purpose & life-giving plan is marked by joy & celebration at every step, until the end is reached in a celebration that never ends. We’ll explore & experience that as we celebrate when God saves his people.
#4 and final in series: God's Silent Sovereignty