WISDOM is a Pathway, a Laneway, and a GATEWAY to an easier and more efficient way to building a life that bears good fruit (Greatness).

In Proverbs 4:5-7 it says:

“Get wisdom! Get understanding! Do not forget, nor turn away from the words of my mouth. Do not forsake her, and she will preserve you; Love her, and she will keep you. Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom. And in all your getting, get understanding."

Knowledge alone is impotent to change a life.

We learn and know, but if we do not act and make a habit of such inaction, we are doomed to discontentment and frustration.

We know, but others succeed.

The opening scene of Forrest Gump was lauded for its special effects wizardry.

A computer-generated feather was superimposed on the scene in such a way that the audience believed the camera had caught its long, haphazard and spasmodic movement as it journeyed on the wind to finally come to rest on Forest’s shoes.

The feather, of course, was a metaphor.

The winds of coincidence and the gusts of chance play a key role on who we are and what we do or don’t do in life.

However, unlike the feather we can choose how we react to the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune.

We can use them to our advantage. In other words, we either use or are used.

The out of control life is the life that is responding rather that initiating.

It is a life that simply happens rather than is caused.

A life which gives in to the lie of fatalism and settles unquietly into the blame mentality.

The truth about Forest Gump was that he was in control.

Other characters in the film with so much more to live for were often not!

Get Wisdom!

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Every person must answer this question. The crowd cannot answer it for you. You cannot abstain or opt out from answering ... you can delay, but eventually every person on planet earth will have to answer this question.  

There’s really only 4 answers that you can give:

Answer 1: “Jesus was a legend. It’s all made up. He never really was.”  

A very small minority today believe this one. Intellectually you cannot hold this position. Why? Because there’s more historical proof of the existence of Jesus Christ than of any other person in human history.

Answer 2: “Jesus was a liar. He deceived people into thinking He was someone He was not. He was a good teacher, a good person who did good things, but He was not God in the flesh.”

This position is not even an option. Why? Because He claimed to be God, and if He wasn’t then He was a liar, and good people don’t go around living a lie. It wasn’t a little white lie if He was lying, He would have had to be a pathological, habitual deceiver. And people can see right through that kind of liar.

Answer 3: “Jesus was a lunatic. He was off in the head. Maybe sincere, but crazy...mentally deranged.”

But again, read the words of Jesus, and see how the people marvelled. They said, where does He get His wisdom. The most brilliant minds have studied His words for centuries and have only scratched the surface at the depth of His wisdom!

And so, if he was not a legend, liar, or lunatic, then there’s only 1 other conclusion you can make ...

Answer 4: “Jesus is LORD.”

Peter got it right! Jesus was the long awaited, predicted Messiah.

In Matthew chapter 16 versus 13 to 18 it says, when Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, "Who do people say the Son of Man is?" They replied, "Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets." "But what about you?" he asked. "Who do you say I am?"  Simon Peter answered, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."  Jesus replied, "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven. And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.

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Relationships in the church should be House to House.

Friendships within the church should not be “Sunday only.” We should interact with one another throughout the week.

Acts 2:42, 46 says, they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. . . every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts.

The New Testament church was connected to each other. The fellowship of the early church was more than joining together for a worship service. Their partnership brought them together in one another’s homes.

Through successfully forming friendships with peers we as a church learn and develop key social skills of cooperation, sharing and confrontation management.

A person’s successful interaction with peers influences both immediate and long-term social and spiritual growth.

The church should run counter to our culture. Australians are increasingly more and more isolated from each other – circles of friendship grow smaller and smaller.

But within the church our friendships should be increasing.

Hebrews 10:25 tells the lone ranger to get reconnected with other believers; we are to join together regularly to encourage each other from House to House.

Matthew 9:10 says, Jesus had dinner at Matthew’s house.

Luke 19:5-6 says, Jesus stayed at Zacchaeus’ house.

Luke 24:36-46 says, Jesus spent time with the disciples after His resurrection.

Hebrews 10:25 says, let us not neglect our meeting together, but encourage one another.

In reality - love is spelled T-I-M-E in today's world. This can hold its challenges in today’s busy society.

We are not to live in our own little world ignoring those around us; because we are of one body – united in Christ – we are to identify with and respond to the needs of others.

1 Corinthians 12:26 says, If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honoured, every part rejoices with it.

Galatians 6:2 says, carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.

But compassionate relationships are not just about feeling one another’s pain or sorrow.

Compassion moves us to action.

Be blessed!

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LOVE ONE ANOTHER ...

“Jesus said, ’You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: ’You shall love your neighbour as yourself.” (Matthew 22:37-39).

“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 13:34-35).

In the Churh, because we are individually connected to Christ, our relationships with one another should be LOVING.

1 John 1:6-7 says, if we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.

How important are our relationships to the body of Christ? If we disconnect ourselves from one another, then we deform the body of Christ. A deformed body is unattractive and even repulsive, but a body that is whole is attractive – when the church is united as one, it will draw others to Christ.

The relationships believers share within the church is one of the ways God uses to draw the lost to Christ. The unity of believers one with another is a magnet pulling people to Jesus.

John 13:35 By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."

CREATED for COMMUNITY …

 
The huge redwood trees in California are amazing. They are the largest living things on earth and the tallest trees in the world. Some of them are 300 feet high and more than 2,500 years old.



You would think that trees that large would have a tremendous root system, reaching down hundreds of feet into the earth. But that is not the case. Redwoods have a very shallow root system.

The roots of these trees are, however, are intertwined. They are tied in with each other; interlocked. Thus, when the storms come and the winds blow the redwoods still stand.

With an interlocking root system they support and sustain each other. They need one another to survive. So do we!

Where there is UNITY there is FAVOUR!!!

Hence, God has given us His Church which is the body of Christ on earth. When one is baptized into Christ, one is baptized into the body of Christ.

Through Christ we are bound together in a community of faith. Belonging to Christ we belong to each other. Fellowship with Christ means fellowship with each other.

Through Christ God has made us a family, a community of faith. This is our God-given support system. As such, it is intended to meet some crucial needs in our lives.

Be blessed!

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We live in a society that has mixed views on work. Australia is a nation with many workaholics. People working 60, 70, 80 hours a week out of a driving compulsion to “get ahead.”  Being over worked can be unhealthy. 

On the other hand, we also live in a nation where people sometimes get obsessed with distracting pleasures and entertainment. Some people work their jobs only to get a paycheck. They completely distract themselves from the time they punch out till the time they punch back in again. There is no real plan behind their work – no plan for progress.

Let’s have a look at what God’s word has to say about work and the importance of dealing with wrong attitudes towards work.

1. LAZINESS

This is one of the most prevalent attitudes in our society. Laziness brings poverty & scarcity. Proverbs 6: 6-11 says Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise! It has no commander, no overseer or ruler, yet it stores its provisions in summer and gathers its food at harvest. How long will you lie there, you sluggard? When will you get up from your sleep?

Laziness brings disgrace. Proverbs 10: 4-5 says Lazy hands make a man poor, but diligent hands bring wealth. He who gathers crops in summer is a wise son, but he who sleeps during harvest is a disgraceful son.

Lazy men irritate those whom they work for. Proverbs 10: 26 says: As vinegar to the teeth and smoke to the eyes, so is a sluggard to those who send him.

Laziness builds poor habits. Proverbs 12: 27 says the lazy man does not roast his game, but the diligent man prizes his possessions.

Laziness ends up in unfulfilled desires. Proverbs 13: 4 says the sluggard craves and gets nothing, but the desires of the diligent are fully satisfied. Those who are lazy normally get nothing they really want. They tell themselves they are happy, but they will not work, so they do not get what they really want.

Laziness leads to ruin. Proverbs 24: 30-34 says I went past the field of the sluggard, past the vineyard of the man who lacks judgment; thorns had come up everywhere, the ground was covered with weeds, and the stone wall was in ruins. I applied my heart to what I observed and learned a lesson from what I saw: A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest and poverty will come on you like a bandit and scarcity like an armed man.

2. DESIRE TO GET RICH QUICK

Another wrong attitude towards work is that you can strike it rich, win big, you don’t need to work, you just need a little luck.

Proverbs 12: 11 says He who works his land will have abundant food, but he who chases fantasies lacks judgment.

Proverbs 13: 11 says Dishonest money dwindles away, but he who gathers money little by little makes it grow.

Remember the prodigal son - he didn’t want to wait until his father died for his inheritance, he wanted it then and there. And what happened? He wasted it all in escape filled living.

3. BIG TALK

Do you know anybody who is a self-proclaimed expert? Whatever needs to be done, they always know the best way. No matter what profession you do, they used to do that to. It seems they have worked just about every type of job imaginable. They talk a lot about work, but they never seem to get a lot of it done.

Proverbs 14: 23 says all hard work brings a profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty.

God's Plan for our Attitudes about Work 

When we work with a Godly attitude, God can use that work to be the channel of His blessing to us.

1. PROVISION

When we work as we ought, God supplies our needs.

2. PROSPERITY

Those willing to work God’s way will increase their holdings. God’s plan is not necessarily for us all to amass great fortunes, but God desires to meet our needs, and he desires for us to have something to give to those who have need.

3. HONOR

Those who work diligently bring honour to themselves

Proverbs 22:29 says do you see a man skilled in his work? He will serve before kings; he will not serve before obscure men.

4. SATISFACTION

When we work God’s way, we are content with what we have.

Proverbs 11:18 says the wicked man earns deceptive wages, but he who sows righteousness reaps a sure reward.

A strong yet balanced WORK ETHIC is essential to building a Generational Blessing in our lives.

Be blessed!

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We recently finished a teaching series titled - GENERATIONAL BLESSING: How to Establish the Touch of God on Your Life!

As a church we discovered that a little over a fourth of Genesis is dedicated to telling Abraham’s story. And much of the rest of the Old Testament testifies to his importance (it’s always Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob because God was the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob – a God focused on Generations). And the reason Abraham is so important to the people of God is because God began His covenant with Israel through him.

God wanted to bless him and his Generational seed and made special promises to him in Genesis 12.

And what were those promises?

1. I will make you into a great nation.
2. I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing.
3. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse.
4. All peoples on earth will be blessed through you.
5. And - to your offspring I will give this land.

The challenge is for all of us to think Generationally … realizing that the revelation that we carry that God wants to bless us, realizing that our actions, our faith, our efforts – they all don't just go to work in our own lives, but get passed down to the next generation.

One key to successfully establishing a Generational Blessing on your life is making sure you are POSITIONED in the House of God. Where are you located?  

In Psalm 92 it encourages us that:

The righteous will flourish like a palm tree, they will grow like a cedar of Lebanon; planted in the house of the LORD, they will flourish in the courts of our God. They will still bear fruit in old age, they will stay fresh and green.

Be deliberate in knowing where God wants you – because he wants to bless you!

There is a place God has designed where opportunities find you, a place where His blessings overtake you. God has a particular place for each one of us, a place where each one of us will find our highest purpose, where we will thrive and reflect God’s blessing and greatness. He has a specific job for you, in a specific community, where you are surrounded by specific people positioned to help you find fulfilment.

 


Fellowship comes from the Greek word Koinonia, which means “something in common”.   

 
There are four lessons learned from Geese about the power of being connected to a Church family.  
 
When Geese head south for the winter, flying along in V formation, you might be interested to know what science has discovered about why they fly that way. It has been learned that as each bird flaps its wings, it creates uplift for the bird immediately following. By flying in a V formation, the whole flock adds at least 71% greater flying range than if each bird flew on its own. (Christians who share a common direction and a sense of community can get where they are going quicker and easier, because they are travelling on the thrust of one another.)
 
LESSON ONE: Whenever a goose falls out of formation, it suddenly feels the drag and resistance of trying to go it alone, and quickly gets back into formation to take advantage of the lifting power of the bird immediately in front. (If we have as much sense as a goose, we will stay in formation with those who are headed the same way we are going.)
 
LESSON TWO: When the lead goose gets tired, he rotates back in the wing and another goose flies at the point to share the workload. (It pays to receive  assistance and mentoring when building your life.)  
 
LESSON THREE: The geese honk from behind to encourage those up front to keep up their speed. (What do we say when we honk from behind?)

  
LESSON FOUR: Finally, when a goose gets sick, or is wounded by a shot and falls out, two geese fall out of formation and follows him down to help and protect him. They stay with him until he is either able to fly, or until he is dead, and then they catch up with their original group. (If people know we would stand by them like that in church, they would push down the walls to get in.) 

When you are in the right place, connected to the right people, that’s when God will release great things into your life. Look for the signs in your own life. Be determined to reach the highest place of blessings. Search your heart. Stay faithful. Be positioned to establish a Generational Blessing in your life.

Be blessed!

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Is patience difficult for you?

A man in Los Angeles, California, was arrested for negligent discharge of a weapon after shooting his toilet bowl five times with a 38 caliber handgun. He claims that he just got upset. He couldn’t take it any longer. His daughter had flushed a hairbrush earlier in the day and clogged the pipes. So he shot the offending toilet. I have no word on the toilet’s condition, but the man’s patience was long gone.

How are you with patience? It seems that there is always something to try our patience. Having to wait is one of those things

• We wait on traffic and we wait in lines
• We wait to hear about a new job
• We wait to complete school or to retire
• We wait to grow up or for maturity in a child
• We wait for a decision to be made
• We wait for someone to change his or her mind

Every day presents plenty of occasions for training in patience. We can resent waiting, accept it or even get good at it! But one thing is certain - we cannot avoid it.

I call FAITH & PATIENCE the Power Twins. Like baby human twins - which have very similar DNA, work closely together, but have their own unique identity - so too FAITH & PATIENCE are individual forces. But when they are both established in a person's life these two forces have an inseparable connection and help people to walk out their destiny!  

 
In Hebrews 10: 35 - 36 it encourages us to “Cast not away therefore your confidence, which has great recompense of reward. For you have need of patience, that, after you have done the will of God, you might receive the promise.”

Almost everywhere you find faith mentioned in the Bible, you also find patience. Faith and Patience are the Power Twins.



Patience without faith has no power to call into reality the thing desired. On the other hand, faith without patience many times will fail to stand firm on the evidence of the Word that gives deed to things not seen.

One of the most common traditions and mistakes in this area of believing is many people are convinced that trials and tribulations develop faith. Trials and tribulations do not develop faith … faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God. Trials and Tribulations (the testing of that faith that has already been deposited into your heart) develop patience.

The story is told that the great New England preacher Phillips Brooks was known for his calmness and poise. His intimate friends, however, knew that he suffered moments of frustration and irritability. One day a friend saw him pacing the floor like a caged lion. ‘What is the trouble, Dr. Brooks?’ asked his friend. ‘The trouble is,’ replied Brooks, ‘that I’m in a hurry, but God isn’t.’”

Haven’t we felt the same way many times?

Mix patience with your faith to generate the power to persevere.  

 
Be blessed!  

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Our Seasons can be represented by colours, our emotions can be represented by colours, and our personalities can be represented by colours … so too the story of EASTER can be represented by colours. Let’s look at the story of EASTER in a fresh way and discover the amazing truth behind those colours.

GOLD – the colour of Royalty

Gold represents where Jesus came from and who Jesus is. Gold metal is chemically very stable. It does not readily combine with other substances and, therefore, does not corrode or tarnish. Because of this property, it is found in nature almost always as pure gold. This is referred to as "native gold".

In the Christmas story the very first gift the three Wisemen brought to the Baby Jesus was Gold – because Gold was a sign of royalty & of deity - it represented the very best.

The Bible encourages us to never forget that Jesus Christ was a man born into King David's family and that he was raised from the dead. Jesus was God who became man. People have argued for years over the deity of Jesus Christ. Yet it’s hard to get around the facts: his miracles, his message and ultimately his resurrection all point to the truth that Jesus is God.

The Gospel of John (Chapter 3: 16-16) again tells us … “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. God did not send his Son into the world to condemn it, but to save it”.

RED – the colour of Sacrifice

In the French Revolution the red flag became the symbol of a revolution. Red – also symbolizes passion and sacrifice.

In the Bible it describes Jesus as "The Lion & the Lamb". Jesus is symbolized as two different kinds of creatures. The LION speaks of Jesus as the KING. The lion is called the king of the jungle. Jesus is King of Kings. On the other hand, Jesus is also pictured as a lamb. In ancient times lambs were used as sacrifices. A young, innocent lamb was brought before God and killed. It was not a pretty picture but it was realistic.

Jesus is the ultimate sacrifice for the debt our sin required. Jesus said it this way in Matthew 26:28 – “this is my blood … poured out to forgive the sins of the world”.

Two thousand years ago Jesus Christ hung on a cross, bled and died for a purpose: that purpose was to bring us forgiveness of sins and the destruction of curses so we could enjoy a blessed life on earth today and tomorrow & also an eternal life with Him after death.

BROWN - the colour of the Tomb

It is important to talk about Jesus being buried - because it proves Jesus died! It was a real death and it was final. When we think of something dying we thing of it being finished, over & done. It isn’t coming back.

A small group of followers took Jesus’ body from the cross, quickly wrapped it in a burial cloth and then laid the body in a borrowed tomb close to the site of the crucifixion. They closed the tomb and walked away. Later Roman guards were posted in front of the tomb to make sure nothing would happen to the body.

The grave proves Jesus died. The grave proves it was finished. He had truly died for the sin and wrong of the entire world. Remember, those were his last words on the cross - it is finished!

WHITE - the colour of Resurrection

White projects purity, cleanliness and wholeness. Doctors don white coats, brides traditionally were white gowns and a white picket fence surrounds a safe and happy home.

White is a great colour to represent Resurrection. The greatest truth of Easter is that Jesus rose from the dead. Just before the sun rose that first Easter morning the earth shook, the stone covering the entrance to the tomb rolled away and Jesus walked out of the grave ALIVE! He had risen from the dead - resurrected. He came back to life proving that He was God; Proving that death had no power over Him. And when He walked out of that tomb, it changed everything!

GREEN – the colour of Decision

In auto racing, a green flag signals the start or resumption of a race.

You can believe all the facts of Easter - you can believe that Jesus lived, died, was buried and rose again. But until you make it personal - until you accept it - do something with it - it will do you little good.

When we think of green we thing of new life; until you accept the truth of Easter and the resurrection and then do something with that truth - Easter will be nothing more than a candy-filled, egg-hunting Sunday.

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The Bible talks to us about the reality of seasons.

In Ecclesiastes 3:1 it says, “to everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven”.  

Understanding the categories of seasons and time helps to provide a better understanding of what season we are in.

There are two basic types of TIME in the Bible. The first is called CHRONOS time and the second type of time is called KAIROS time.

CHRONOS: this is time as we know it, the ticking clock that cannot be moved backward.

It is now time, ever-moving forward time.

Chronos time is also defined as a space or succession of time, a continuing of time, a forward process.

KAIROS: this is a specific moment of God's divine intervention in our everyday lives. 

God enters into Chronos time with a door of opportunity known as a Kairos moment.

Kairos time is also defined as the due season, a short while, God opportunities, the right time, and the chosen time.

Be inspired to study the Sons of Issachar in the Old Testament in 1 Chronicles.

The Sons of Issachar understood the times and seasons and knew what Israel should do...all their brothers were at their command.

They were commanders in King David's army and understood battle conditions.

They were mighty men of valour.

The Sons of Issachar had a unique distinction apart from the other tribes (clans) of Israel because they understood the times which gave them great wisdom and knowledge to position themselves for divine opportunities – for Kairos moments!

Get ready and be expectant and walk in a Sons of Issachar anointing!

Are you positioning yourself for a Kairos moment?

Spending time with God is essential because the distractions of this life can cause us to sleep and miss that Kairos moment!

We cannot risk missing those God opportunities of provision, protection, blessing and destiny that will come our way in this season.

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