Adrift, abandoned, untethered. Excluded. On the fringe. Not heard. Alone. Left to find your own way. Do any of those words resonate with your spirit today? It's the sign of an orphan spirit. "I have no-one". "I wish I could just talk to mum right now" "What I would do to have Dad's wisdom for this decision." "I still have my parents, but why do I feel I'm on my own?" There are seasons in life when changes, tragedies, or circumstances leave us asking orphan questions. There are moments when the struggles of simply living in this life are so overwhelming and we feel so alone. But that is not the truth or the reality of life in Jesus. When we confess, "I believe in the Holy Spirit", we are speaking the promise of God into being, that we have a God who is here now…with us…for us…always. We'll experience how the Holy Spirit protects and keeps us in the presence of Christ every day as we explore "I believe in God who is here now.'
#5 in series: Ancient Creed| Living Faith
The last two years have been a challenging time for many Australians. The constantly changing restrictions to lockdowns, home learning and extended times of isolation have made life difficult. Yet lockdown hasn't been all bad. Retailers like Bunnings, paint stores and garden centres have done exceedingly well. The forced slowdown has made people stop and look at their own environment and see what work is needed to be done. From maintenance to painting houses, from landscaping to restoration projects, long neglected or forgotten DIY projects have been started.
But when it comes to our hearts, no amount of DIY will fix lives destined for the scrap heap; lives which are disconnected from God, alienated from his presence, battered, broken and in disarray because of sin. We can't fix ourselves. We can't fix our circumstances. But God can. God does not look at the world with the eyes of a critic, but with the eyes of a restorer. It’s this reality that we confess in the second article of the Apostles' Creed as we see God’s restoration project at work, in action. So today we explore and experience what it means to believe in God who is Saviour.
#4 in series: Ancient Creed | Living Faith
"I'm only human." It's a phrase that we have heard often and maybe even uttered ourselves. A phrase that slips off the lips when we want to excuse an outburst, justify a failure, give a reason as to why we acted in a certain way. "I'm only human". But we are not who we are and the world is not the way it is because "we are only human" but because we are not human enough. As humans we are created in the image of God, a little lower than the angels, called to reflect the glory of God in this world. But we are not living into that calling, that reality. So God had to become one of us, to show us what it means to be truly human. When we confess that we believe in God who is human, we are confessing that Jesus is one of us…with a human body, with human emotions and a human will. Our God gets involved in our lives, in the frailties of human flesh, in the full scope of human emotions, in the struggles of our will to show us what it means to be created truly human. God is not afraid to get close to us. It's his deepest desire. He comes to redeem our humanness, to save our frail bodies, to heal our broken wills and to rescue our hearts so we can truly experience a life that is filled with love, truth and grace! We'll explore that today.
#3 in series: Ancient Creed...Living Faith
Designer originals. One of a kind. It's every designer's desire and dream to create something new. But the truth is, everything has a traceable past. Everything we look at in this world points back to an original purpose, design and direction. Genesis 1:1 tells us exactly who that designer is. The Apostles' Creed confirms it. The Church confesses a God who is Creator - who created with purpose, design and direction. The earth, for example…any closer to the sun and it would burn up. Any farther away, and it would freeze. Perfect positioning with a 23.5 degree tilt which gives us our four seasons. Wow! Have you ever looked at a sunset and had to stop and stare for a minute? That’s creation trying to get our attention to point us toward God. Creation wants for us to see and proclaim God as he is. Creator. But even more than that, the designer created limited editions of one in you; creative master pieces uniquely crafted by his own hand, according to his perfect design with a clear purpose to bring delight, joy and beauty to this world. Our God not only creates, but sustains and cares for all he has made and enables us to creatively contribute and add to the beauty of life every day. All of that is contained in the phrase I believe in a God who is Creator. We'll explore and experience that again today.
#2 in series: Ancient Creed - Living Faith
Unboxing! It's all the rage. Unbox your new computer. Unbox the parcel that has turned up on your door step and video the unboxing. It's the new entertainment as people record their first interaction with and experience of every new product they unbox. There's an excitement and a thrill about unboxing something that is new. And "new" is what we value today - new ways of thinking, new ways of being, new technologies and new innovations. But sometimes in our quest for the new, we are oblivious to the treasure that is right in front of us. It's been there for centuries, gives wisdom in every era and shapes our everyday lives today. It's an Ancient Creed that has united people across generations and ethnicities. It's an Ancient truth that continues to be a rock of certainty on which we can stand in a shifting society. It's an Ancient framework that gives us a secure refuge in a stormy world. It's an Ancient witness that propels us into a modern world with a Living Faith that can transform people, one life at a time. And it begins with the boldest of declarations. I believe in God who is Father….we'll explore that today.
#1 in series: Ancient Creed Living Faith
Are you the total package? Do you have all the necessary components for success in life? IQ, EQ, PQ, SQ. CQ? IQ - the intelligence to comprehend ideas and process information. EQ - high self-awareness and ability to control your emotions in difficult situations. PQ - your ability to provide value in your position and be reliable. SQ - the social intelligence to read the emotions of others and interact accordingly and fit into the culture and environment around you. CQ - the cultural quotient - aware of and able to embrace differences in others. A good measure of these quotients in your life will provide a solid foundation for your future and lead to satisfaction in life…so they say.
The problem is as we measure those things, we always view them in comparison to others. Either we are superior than others, or lacking in comparison to others. Both responses are incorrect! Paul tells us that the only measure that leads to real contentment, transformation and fulfilment in life is the WQ and GQ. An awareness of these two quotients at work in your life and through your life becomes the very point at which you will discover the deepest satisfaction of generosity. We'll explore and unpack those quotients today.
#5 and final in series: Authentic Generosity
The 4WD “all-terrain” vehicle…It has become the car of the pandemic. Four of the top five “searched for” vehicles are in that category. If you have a good one for sale, second hand prices are up 30%. Designed to be taken off road, over obstacles & through terrain conventional vehicles can’t manage, 4WD’s give traction when other transport falters. They move when everything else stops.
Generosity is just like that. It creates momentum, traction, forward progress when everything else wants to slow you down, drag you back, put you back where it seems safe, secure, stable… and stuck.
Paul gives the Corinthian church the keys to the 4WD of discipleship: generosity. It’s not an owner’s manual of guidelines, rules & tips, but the power of God who enlists us in his work of transforming hearts and lives by the abundant gift of Jesus Christ working through us. Paul knows God’s abundance to us is only limited by his abundance through us and as we open our hands and hearts more widely, more freely and more generously, we find the Father refilling our lives and taking us on off-road adventures where there is an oversupply of joy, praise, thanksgiving & glory. It’s a life where we see the multiplication of generosity bringing exponential blessing to others.
#4 in series: Authentic Generosity
In our world of conflicting arguments and competing narratives, of fake news & conspiracy theories…Whom do you trust?
I’ll trust a pilot to get me from A to B on time & in 1 piece. I’ll trust a Doctor, dentist, hair stylist once…sometimes I have no choice. But if I really have skin in the game…I want to know who I am dealing with. Trust is personal. Trust is hard to earn and easy to lose.
So when Paul encourages the disciples of Jesus in Corinth to give generously toward helping people they’ve never met and from whom they are unlikely to receive a return, he wants to make sure they trust his motives and his mission. Trust is personal.
Paul assures the Corinthians they can rely on his integrity and those chosen to assist in his ministry. They can count on the gifts they give reaching the destination he has promised. They can trust Paul, because they’ve been entrusted by God with rich blessings, and an eternal promise.
Living generously is not a spur of the moment, spontaneous, off the cuff reactive impulse to a pressure situation. It’s a well-planned, wisely administered proactive lifestyle that arises out of the deep convictions you have about God’s love for you and his commission to demonstrate that love to others. The careful, transparent, spiritual administration of the grace of generosity is critical to seeing generosity flow where God wants it to have the most transforming influence. So join us for this deep lesson of discipleship as we explore the administration of generosity.
#3 in series: Authentic Generosity
When the going gets tough, Australians step up! That's the finding of a survey conducted to ascertain the impact of crisis on the public's propensity to give. What it discovered was Australians are inspired to go above and beyond their normal giving in times of drought, bushfire and flood. But what about when crisis hits the whole community, like we are experiencing in these sustained pandemic times? When things get tight, giving seems unwise or even impossible.
That's what makes the giving of the Macedonian church even more inspiring. They were going through some tough times and Paul notes their “severe trial” and “extreme poverty.” They had almost nothing to spare. And yet, they begged Paul for the privilege of giving and gave generously, “even beyond their ability." What inspired their generosity even when they had nothing and were under pressure themselves? That's what we will explore today as we focus on 'The Inspiration of Generosity'. It's an attitude and posture that can help you "excel" in your giving too.
#2 in series: "Authentic Generosity"