Putting the 'Christ' Back in Christ-mas

Hello everyone, it's been a while since I posted.

It has been hectic the past couple of weeks. It was a very momentous end of the year for me and my family. This was because it was the first time our grandparents had come down to Sydney for Christmas, the previous times it was always us going up to Canberra since the early 1990's. I guess the reason was due to our grandparents become older, and being comfortable and sedentary, so them coming to Sydney was kind of a big deal. So my brother and I took out our fake Christmas tree (I know, I'm a bit slack!) and decorated it with the usual tinsel, lights, Christmas balls. Below is a picture.

Our grandparents and aunty and her fiance arrived in Sydney on the 23rd, and the 24th and 25th December was quite rushy. Full of buying presents and wrapping them, opening them and the Christmas lunch on Christmas Day. And to top it all off, I was tweeting to numerous artists and my friends wishing them Merry Christmas also. And let's not forget the Boxing Day test match (cricket) between Australia and India starting the 26th Dec. So with all of that stuff occurring during the past few days, it is easy to become distracted and believe in the mentality that Christmas is all about busyness and presents. But now I can step back and authoritatively say that it isn't.

Christmas is simply this. God sent Jesus down to earth to be born in a manger so that we could have new life. Powerful isn't it? Giving humanity, with all of our screw-ups a second chance... The meaning of Christmas, however is null if Jesus did not die and rise again during Easter time. However Jesus did die, and did rise, so now humanity has a chance to have a relationship with Jesus Christ! Now there's a reason to celebrate! There's a reason to exchange gifts!

Now I don't know about all of you, but our grandparents aren't Christians. Of late, it's been remarkable, as God has given us as a family quite a few times to witness to them, with more positive results. I can only hope and pray that God does His work in their hearts. 

How about you? Are there any family members in your family that are not Christians? Have you tried to witness to them? Many times in the past we have, yet our grandparents wouldn't budge. There has been times, I admit, that I can succumb to the pressure and actually try to water down the gospel so that our grandparents can understand. But I have to check myself. The gospel isn't something that should be watered down at all. Because the gospel is a life and death matter. One day, Jesus will come and separate the sheep from the goats. And if we have not accepted Jesus before the second coming of Christ, that's it. Game over, and there won't be extra time. No golden goal. And that day will be sad for some people. So as Christians it is our calling to evangelise to as many people as possible. And what better way to do it than in the festive season! It's time to but the 'Christ' back in Christmas!

Now before I leave you all for the year, let me ask you this question? Whose life do you want to impact this year? Your relatives, close friends, work mates, superiors? The only way that can happen, is not through presents, but only by God's presence. I reckon Mike Donehey says it quite nicely in the below video. That we already have been accepted by God so we do not have to do more and try harder. So this new year, think about one person. Then ask God to touch their lives and soften their heart. Then go out. Spread the gospel. As said in Matthew 28: 19-20 "... Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Until next year

Jon

Freedom to be Part of the Neverending Story of God

It has only been in the latter part of the 2000s where I’ve comprehended what it means to leave my ‘story’ and to be placed in a far bigger story. I’ve learnt that many times, we are afraid to be in God’s Story because we have a wrong idea of the Father himself. You see when someone mentions ‘Jesus’, society immediately thinks of the World Youth Day’s staged by the Pope every 3 years, with the 2008 WYD being in Sydney, the 2005 WYD in Germany and the 2011 in Spain. Society would also think of St. Mary’s cathedral, not to mention ‘radical’ Hillsong who are always controversial in how they conduct their services. Nevertheless, the public’s perception of Christianity is one of disdain. Because they don’t understand what is going on, they believe that if you’re a Christian, you don’t have a normal life like the rest of the world. You don’t ‘have a good time’; you’re always following rules and regulations.

And it’s true, some Christians, just like everybody else, are bound by law. Bound by fear, bound by the sense of control, wanting to control the unforeseeable future...but what I can tell is that Christians do live great lives. They do have normal lives; I know I have had a lucky escape from the clutches of death, so if you would call it a second chance, then my life has been a miracle. But that’s not to say that there have been times during my life where I have been just utterly confused about whether I stay in God’s Story, or I jump back on the paddy-wagon and ride into the self fulfilling glory of the sun-set...my own story, that is OK for a while, but when the knots are untied, uncoiled, when everything in hanging bare, I realise that my glory is temporary. If I want to sing a song about my greatness and how my story is the one that matters and will continue to matter, the only person that will be fulfilled is me, for a while, because everyone else, if they just follow my example, would be focused on their own ‘me’ stories. The story’s main goal is to make me famous, and to make me count, but when all is said and done; what would I have to show for it? A clap; an applause? Those things are temporary, and will not go with me when I die. If I just live for me, I may end up with 3 ex-wives, 5 children who don’t talk to me, and a fractured family. Our lives were made so much more than to be worshipping and living a story about nothing greater than what I’m going to eat for breakfast, and what I’m going to do tonight, and how I’m going to manoeuvre the next guy out of the way so that I can get the glory.

I guess everyone has heard of the phrase that we should all look out for other people, but if there was no over-arching story that engulfs all of mankind, if there was no truth in our lives that didn’t change even if the polls did, if there was no God, if there was no purpose, if there was hatred, malice, sin, and destruction, then why do we look out for our fellow mankind? If there was no meaning in our stories that we live, why worry about the next guy, whether he can pay the mortgage or not? It’s his problem, and if everyone else gets hurt while I get the fame, then so be it...Everyone knows that we should not and will not live this way, that our lives were meant for the extra-ordinary. I guess that is why everyone wants a ‘Superman’, everyone wants a ‘Batman’, because everyone fantasises about their lives counting for that cause, the cause that when you look back at your life and you count your blessings and your failures, you can look back and think, ‘Gee, life was worth it!’ But I have learnt that you don’t need a Batman or a Superman for your story to be great. Batman isn’t God, nor is Superman. In my life, when I acknowledged that when Jesus came and died for every soul of humanity; that is what he did, died for every soul of humanity.

Hard to imagine, Jesus dying for Adolph Hitler, Jack the Ripper, Joseph Stalin, even all the great people like Alfred Nobel, Benjamin Franklin, William Shakespeare, Walt Disney...but it’s true, when Jesus hung on that cross, he died- so that everyone might live. But I thought that all the great people, the ones who are famous, do they need saving? Yeah, they do. I mean, I bet you that there are things that they have done, that were behind closed doors, that they may be ashamed about; that they may be hurting...no one is perfect. And because of that, because of us longing for the perfect life in the imperfect world, our stories fail. Our stories, the ones we carve, the ones we try to make great, will eventually crumble because of the sinful nature of us humans. Because we sinful men cannot be and shouldn’t be trying to mould the ‘perfect life’ because we will never get there. 

God's story is the only one where we need to latch ourselves onto, and following from a post not too long ago, we need to be free from being pressured by ourselves, or maybe even by our friends and family, to make our story great. And God settled that. It tells us in Philippians 2: 5-8 that “...the attitude you should have is the one that Christ Jesus had; He always had the nature of God, but he did not think that by force he should try to remain equal with God. Instead of this, of his own free will he gave up all he had and took the nature of a servant. He became like a human being and appeared in human likeness. He was humble and walked the path of obedience all the way to death- his death on the cross...” Wow. Just read that verse before and close your eyes. Think a little bit. That is what true love is. That is what true forgiveness really means. Forgiving someone, for all the wrong doings, lets them ‘off’ the hook so to speak, but not without a cost. The cost may be for you to not trust your wife to the extent that you did, maybe because of an affair. A cost may be a fractured relationship with your brother, because you agree to forgive the debt owing to you. But God’s forgiveness is far beyond what you can imagine.

God forgave our debt, all our wrong doing. But not without a cost. Not without a price that was to be paid, Jesus Christ. Jesus faced death itself so that you and I might live. So that you and I may be free. Now I don’t know what your definition of freedom is. But the Macquarie Dictionary says this: “civil liberty, as opposed to subjection to an arbitrary or despotic government...political or national independence...a particular immunity or other privilege enjoyed, as by a city or corporation...” But this definition is in terms of physical freedom. But what about spiritual freedom? What does that look like? I’ll tell you. Not having to be bound by the fact that one needs to impress to be loved. That you are loved, no matter what you have done, by a God who spoke the cosmos into being, so big to do that, yet so concerned and so intricately involved in your life. The freedom to live life with no regrets, to live life in the never-ending story of Christ, to live life, as if the Son has set us free, then we are free indeed. I mean really, think about this phrase. If the Son has set us Free, if it is not any old god, not any old Lord, not any old Saviour, but the Son of the true Living God, if he paid the ultimate price, we are not bound by anything, not even death. We are truly free, in this life and the next.

The Story of God, Bigger than We Can Ever Know

I guess it all comes down to what you’re passionate about. It may be music, it may be writing, just like me. Or it may be drawing, learning about science, accountancy, taxation, not to mention being a culinary chef, an actor or a sportsman. Whatever you do, I believe that you should do it all, with all your might, and do it knowing that it will fade away in the end. Do it knowing what comes first. Do it knowing that, if you had to make a choice to either take a job promotion that would probably require you to work longer hours, or to have a family holiday, that will set you on the back foot at work for a little bit, but would give you quality time with your family; you’ll know what to do. Many people do make the wrong choices in life. And this can lead to a lot of things, misunderstandings between families and friends, family breakdown, divorce, extra-marital affairs, not to mention fractured parent-son/daughter relationships, as well as unrealistic demands from bosses. Sometimes we need to know that we are not Superman and we cannot be a dad/mum, raise the kids, pay the mortgage, catch up with friends, not to mention maintain such a good career and meet deadlines for that to all at once. Some things we need to say ‘no’ too.


I know it’s hard to, but people judge you about how you spend your time, simple as that. If you’re working back late a lot, it is safely said that you worship your job. But this is where the never-ending story of God comes into the equation. Sometimes stories can be ‘fiction’ and we’re not hungry for that as a nation. We can tell truth from what isn’t. We watch Hollywood long enough for us to decipher, there are certain things that can that happen in real life, and there are things that are just ‘Hollywoodized’. In my life, I have realised that in every single movie, every single book, every single story ever written, there is some kind of moral at the end of it. That is why we’re so fanatical about the stories. Because we know that stories are a window into a person’s soul.


We know that stories reveal to us aspects of ourselves that we need to change. As much as we’re humans that love to stick to the ‘devil you know than the devil you don’t’ we want a life that counts. We want a life that is more than ‘get a good education, get a good career, raise the family, retire and die’. We know that stories are a way of revaluating our lives, even if it is for a split second before we go back into this mundane existence again. And why do we go back, eventually to our mundane existence after we chew on the stick of a story? We want something that lasts for more than a story has to offer. Always, after the movie, after the song, after the book, as much as it presents ideals that should be, it’s ‘back to reality’, as we cannot possibly make stuff happen in society that is apparent in such novels, films and songs, either because they are too far-fetched, or 'I’m just not ready'. We judge ourselves, all the time, and no better place to do it than to do it whilst reading a story.


But as I have learnt from Restoring Broken Things, written by one of my favourite Christian music artists, Steven Curtis Chapman and his pastor Scotty Smith, God’s Story is unlike any other story we have ever encountered or ever will. God’s story is bizarre, everyone knows this. And sometimes fact can be like that, strange, and this is why Hollywood was created. Why do we believe Hollywood, which we know is fiction, but yet not facts, because they are bizarre? Jesus turned this world upside down. He started to proclaim ‘Blessed are the poor, blessed are the meek, blessed are the unrighteous...’ Bizarre? Sometimes we were meant for the wacky, the weird, in order for us to sit down and think, ‘Gee, if this was true, no matter how far-fetched or just plain mind-boggling it is, just imagine the complexity of everything that I’ve come across. Surely then how much more power, authority and love that God has for his creation, for me...’ According to Chapman and Smith, we are not spectators in the story of God. If you see a movie or read a book, you can only go so far into immersing yourselves with the characters, because you know that they are make-believe. 


Instead, as Chapman says in his book; “...God’s Story is ‘taking us with it’ into Jesus’ commitment to demolish all systemic evil, injustice, and oppression. God’s Story condemns all forms of corruption and abuse, and zealously advocates for the marginalized and neglected members of society, such as the poor, widows, and orphans...indeed, story must not become for us just another metaphor for personal fulfilment. Anne Lamott writes, ‘A human life is like a single letter of the alphabet. It can be meaningless. Or it can be a part of a great meaning.’  God delights to make words, sentences, and paragraphs of grace through the broken and rebellious letters written into a ‘grander narrative’. As followers of Jesus, we’ve been placed not just in a big story, but also in a much better story than our lives demonstrate. We’ve got a long history of hypocrisy and inconsistency, which the Bible itself chronicles. God is telling an authentic, non-spin story of selfish, broken people; who are in the process of being made new by Jesus. That’s why Jesus has the lead role in God’s Story. But He’s not the only character. He’s making us characters too. We are carriers of God’s Story- targets for hope who’ll serve as agents of hope, and candidates of mercy who’ll live as conduits of mercy. Jesus is bringing restoration to broken individuals as a means of bringing healing to other individuals, families, communities, and, ultimately, to the whole universe. The Bible tells a story of personal, not privatized blessing. God’s Story is not a metaphor for self-actualisation or a vehicle of personal validation. It’s to be the means by which narcissists become servant neighbours, materialists become material witnesses to the outrageous generosity of Jesus, and the conceited develop an astonishing concern for the least and lost in society...we are made to live in God’s Story, for God’s glory, with God’s joy. It’s only within God’s Story that our stories find their true meaning and destiny. This is the story that we have in common with God’s people of every generation. Think about it: though we spend much of our life relegating God to bit parts in our little autobiographies of self-fulfilment, God generously ‘enfolds’ us into His cosmic Story of transforming love! Could any of us possibly want or hope for more out of life? We are called into a story that enfolds our own stories in a grander narrative- a story that is going somewhere, a story that is taking us with it. There really is a Great Story that goes on forever, in which each chapter gets better than the one before. We dwindle or we grow. Which will you choose?...”

The Never Ending Story of God

Stories are powerful mechanisms and ways of how to live, in fact it was Jesus who probably invented the notion of ‘story’ through his famous parables. A few of them stick out in my mind- The Good Samaritan, the lost son, the lost sheep, the mustard seed, the rich fool, the unforgiving servant, the wedding feast, the sower...there are hundreds of parables Jesus told. Each one of them, the earliest form of a story, also maybe have crept their way into the folklore of today’s society. May be a different name, different characters, and a different time period or person who officially ‘wrote’ and ‘thought of the idea’, but essentially it’s the same concept and notion of what these type of stories do to people and their psyche. The difference about Jesus’ stories and those of today’s society, is that He spoke about what the Kingdom of Heaven was going to be about, in the basic language where his disciples would understand. That is what I believe is the beauty of stories, is that they can speak to the very heart of what is human, no matter what you’ve done or where you’ve been, when you hear a good story, whether it is in English, Spanish, French, Italian, German, Chinese or just plain Aussie, you will be touched to the bone and afterwards things will never be the same again for a very long time. In whatever language they are written, stories potential have the power to change lives- and none does it better than such stories, true ones in fact, from the Word of God.

In what way would you learn the most? Listen to a boring lecture in university on atoms and neutron scattering, or to watch a riveting movie with a good and meaningful plot (Movies are just stories on screen, stories made for the eyes, those who cannot sit and concentrate on a good read)? Or how about a dive into a suspenseful mystery with ethical morals, with characters posing questions of the beginning of the universe? Would that win in amount learnt over a stressful job as a financial analyst? Would you rather spend another mundane day at the office, or wishing for a break to come in the passion that you really love? Now I’m not knocking what people do, as some people may get a kick and sense of satisfaction out of these things, but the majority of the people in this world prefer listening, watching, and dreaming of stories, rather than doing the real jobs...I mean let’s face it, would you rather change the world as a fireman, or a journalist? A doctor or an actor? An international speaker or a stockbroker? There are the jobs that everyone loves, and the jobs that only the minority loves. But underneath all of the denial, the stress, the working long hours, doing it all for the family thing, under all of that insecurity that many of you may be feeling, all you need and want is a story for you to unfold in your life that make you feel that for once in your life you are alive for a reason that goes beyond the normal and the ordinary.

And let me tell you, God has a purpose for you. Yes, you, who may feel insecure, unsure of yourself, and have low self-esteem, but that, will not matter to God. God can use even the littlest of people to make a real difference in this world. Look at all of these factual stories in the Bible and the people that God used to further His kingdom- Moses, Jonah, Daniel, Samuel, Noah, Abraham, David, Ezekiel, Hezekiah, Solomon, Ester, Job, Gideon, Ruth, Samson, Peter, even Paul had a grand role to play in the ‘story’ of God that never began and will never end. I nearly fell off my chair when international speaker and pastor Louie Giglio spoke that definition of 'story', in a DVD that I recently bought. A story with no beginning or no end? That’s the kind of story that I’m talking about. One to reflect God’s glory, his majesty, and ultimate purpose in everyone’s life. The big story that is filled up with all of the little stories of Christians playing a part, (not the main, because that belongs to God and Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit, the Holy Trinity), but Christians all play minor roles in fulfilling God’s major plan for everyone here on this planet. But isn’t a story something that is completely fiction, I mean it could never happen in reality, right? I used to think for myself that that was true. But then I found out the various meanings of ‘story’. According to Encarta, one of the meanings of the word ‘story’ is a factual or fictional account of an event or series of events.

That means the story of God, unfolding around all of us, can happen to everyone, in fact anyone can join it at anytime, and God doesn’t place any restrictions on the number of characters in the story, nor the number of chapters. No matter what you’ve been through or where you’re at in your life emotionally, mentally, physically and spiritually, God can rescue you, your leading role in your me-story that ends (yes, everyone does die); and you can join the never ending story. Just like how one can become lost in the stories made by this world, by many successful and prolific authors, and not realise that the story only lasts until one finishes the book and read the words ‘The End’, or until you get sick of reading the book and come back to it in a couple of years; as humans we can also become lost in a belief that the story we’re starring in (the me-centred story) is the major story and that there is not other and that if there is, it absolutely cannot compare to the one we’re involved in. But there is in fact a story that is the greatest above all stories, the story of Jesus Christ, dying on a tree, so that he can give us all new life and the opportunity for us to join the grand story that never ends. And the good thing is that you can come and enter God’s story no matter where you’re at, no matter if you think you’re not good enough, God will meet you where you’re at.

Stories are desired for more than ever in this society, we yearn to know what the future holds, and not from the droning voice of someone called ‘mum’, or ‘dad’, or ‘grandma’ or ‘grandpa’. But when it’s from friends, we’re all ears, even if it is total useless advice. When we hear an affirmation of our characteristics and qualities from our favourite story and novel or movie, and then we often wonder if it is by chance or coincidence, or is there someone orchestrating it all behind the scenes? People yearn for their stories to be unique and not like something out of the ‘Hansel and Gretel’ book, not something cliché. Let me tell you though- not having a cliché life and being part of God’s story is not something out of a fairytale, that once you’re in, you’re bullet-proof kind of thing...rather the opposite. I have often found that since after being a Christian, the bombs and missiles come at you harder, and the wolves target each sheep at his or her own weaknesses- their own temptations, struggles and issues at life, and there are times as a Christian where it has been harder to go the opposite way, to see potential friends laughing at your expense because you are a Christian. Times in your life where you’ve felt as if giving up was the right option, as if God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit deserted, abandoned and forsook you. Believe me, the Christian life wasn’t supposed to be easy. Sometimes we do not know what to do, and we need revelations of direction of what to do in our lives, to try to make our story as best possible so that God can use us, shape us and mould us into the people he wants us to be.

Look at Moses, a murderer at age 40, only at 80 he was called by God, in the form of a burning bush, to go back to Pharaoh and demand him to let God’s people go. I’ll bet he was shaking all over, trying to talk his way out of it, or if it was in today’s time, he’d be going to his therapist or doctor just in case he ate some magic mushrooms or something like that. Or how about Job; his life was not smooth at all and in complete and utter disarray. His livestock and family left him for dead, literally, and Satan gave him boils on his body, yet he still praised God. Jonah was swallowed by a whale after he took his ‘story’ and wanted to trade his small role for a starring lead; and Abraham, slept with his mistress, trying to control his sperm and have a kid at age 100 as he didn’t want to face up to the fact that his wife was barren. How about Peter, faithful disciple to Jesus who denied him 3 times just before Jesus’ death, or Samson, who wanted to please God as well as his mistress Delilah? Paul, former Christian hater prior to his conversion, when he became blind through God showing his presence in the form of the brightest light in history, didn’t also receive a smooth transition into Christian life either. See, he was prone to fights, as he and Barnabas agreed to disagree, and they parted ways soon after Paul started his ministry- he joined Silas soon afterwards and I guess everyone may know the story of Paul and Silas in jail. David wrote most of the Psalms when he was in the pits of despair and he succumbed and submitted to his temptation of adultery when he slept with Bathsheba, a married woman, and gave the orders, for her husband, who died in battle shortly after, to be placed in the front line of attack. Solomon, while very wise, still doubted God’s promises, so much so he wrote a whole book about it called Ecclesiastes, and later on in his life he was heavily involved in idol worship, as he married 700 women and slept with 300 more on the side (No, I’m not kidding!). Now, when I tell you about all of these bible characters, these men and women who lived and breathed in history, having all of these fears, doubts and temptations long after they chose to follow God, what hope does that leave us all? None at all, I tell you. Just because we are part of the flock doesn’t mean that we have a bubble around us that the wolves cannot get to. Quite the opposite, as being part of the flock is vulnerable, is scary, but we know we are in safe hands and we have a Shepherd who will go to the ends of the earth if one of us is lost, and will never leave us or abandon us. 

However, sometimes in this grandiose story of God, we do feel terrible and some days are worse than others. Just part of the Christian walk, what I have learnt to do is to call upon God, as His ways are all more powerful and make more sense than our ways. Just because we may not understand what He is doing in our lives at a particular time doesn’t mean our ‘story’ in God’s never ending one is in jeopardy, nor does it mean that we should give up and accept that God wants no part of our lives in His. Instead of this negative attitude, that I reckon is given to us by the deceivers of our society, what I reckon is what we ought to do is to question Him in a way that says, “OK God, I do not know all the answers, I do not know how I got into this mess, and I do not know how You’re going to pull me out of this, but I’m going to trust You from here until eternity, and let You do Your thing, and show me what to do.” After all, what do you think an epiphany is? Yes, that’s right, God giving us clarity and direction, guidance, and a heads-up on how our ‘story’ would be turning out if we head down a particular road. We all need a revelation once in a while. We all need a heads-up. There will be times during everybody’s lives where we feel as if we cannot go on, and it is during those times when our faith gets tested. There will be trials, but God has promised to be there all the way. We just have to trust that God knows what he is doing (and he does!), and that is all we can do. Sometimes our lives can lead us down uncertain roads, roads that do not seem to end, but we should know that there is hope for everyone, that everyone can play a role in the ‘story’ of all stories- God’s never-ending story that goes on forever, but the twist is that every upcoming chapter is so much better than the one before.

As I finish, let me say this: we arrive at this conclusion of surrender into God's never ending story through many different ways, one of which is through listening to music- the Lord does speak through whatever He wants, and recently for me, it has been though music. And now to share my no. 2 song after 'History Maker', 'I Am Free', by Newsboys:

Some songs speak to the heart, and this is one of them. Mull over the song a bit, hope this song touches you like it has done for me.

Who the Son Sets free, is free indeed (lyrics from I am Free).

Until next post,

Jon.

Everyone Worship's Something!

Everyone on this earth that ever lived, that are living now and are destined and ordained by God to be born and live in the future, has a purpose in their lives. The one thing that we all know that we were made to do is to worship something. No, it isn’t to make it big and famous and earn heaps of cash, live in a 5-storey mansion with a flashy Lamborghini and a sanitised pool; nor is it to be the most popular kid in school and make sure you have the most autographs on your shirt at the end of high school- because these things are superficial. They all bring meaning to your life but it is in fact momentary. Worship, however, leaves a meaning upon your life that is long lasting, that will never fade away; even when the strength of your finances falls, or the housing market. 


See, no matter what your circumstance, I personally believe that life should be lived out according to the way Jesus wanted it to be lived out, and that means, to the full, and when that happens, I reckon it is only human to grade and prioritise preferences according to various factors. You spend more time studying rather than hanging out with friends because there’s a big assessment coming up worth 20% due in a week and you haven’t started. You choose to spend quality time with your wife and children instead of working overtime at work, because you know that the time well spent is more valuable than any promotion, pay rise or new office than your boss could ever give you. Or you spend time at the beach rather than indoors on an overcast day because you enjoy the rush and the edge, making your adrenaline increase. In all of those scenarios, it is indeed clear that people value something over another, it is prioritised, and I guess it can correspond to what you treasure the most.


What is on your mind, what do you value, what can’t you live without? It might seems like I’m describing an unhealthy addiction, but in fact worshipping something is putting it at the centre of our being, at the core of our lives, the first and foremost thing that we feel as if we ought to do. Now right here right now, let me ask you a question. Think about how you spend your time, and evaluate how much is spent on the things you love. Probably more than 50%? I reckon so. Simply put, what you worship is what you value, what you constantly think about, what you want to strive for, what is of highest value on your throne of importance.


As Christians who we ought to strive to worship is Jesus Christ, as even He has said, in Matthew 6: 24, 32-34 “…you cannot be a slave of two masters; you will hate one and love the other; you will be loyal to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money. This is why I tell you: do not be worried about the food and drink you need in order to stay alive, or about clothes for your body. After all, isn’t life worth more than food? And isn’t the body worth more than clothes? ...these are the things pagans are always concerned about…instead be concerned above everything else with the kingdom of God and with what he requires of you, and he will provide you with all these things…”


Going back to the crux and what I believe is the most important aspect of Christianity, there is no better feeling in the world that I can honestly put my finger on that correlates with the feeling of placing your life in the hands of the One who made the cosmos and moulded the very fibres of our being. Jesus Christ, the Son of God came down to earth to die on a cross for mankind so that we can believe and know Him in a personal way and become saved from eternal separation from God, is worthy of being worshipped, is worthy of all of our praise and adoration, because he chose to become the sacrifice for mankind and offer up His life. I guess many Christians do not dwell upon this fact as much as each one of them should, but let me tell you this. Jesus was selfless, thinking of others and the chance they’d get of receiving salvation, but that could only happen if someone stepped in and took everyone’s place. Think about it...would you die for someone close? Probably your parents or your spouse or children, but anyone outside of immediate family may be a dead set no-no. And why? Because they haven’t done anything for you in return, anything worthy of dying for. In this society of me-centred stories and egotistical plots concerning no one but yourself, we all fall into the trap of ‘why should I give up my time and money and my effort, when he (or she) has stabbed me in the back, or hasn’t appreciated it in the past and won’t in the future, or we don’t even know each other’ because we will not give way and compromise for any random stranger.


But God gave his life for humanity, for everyone...regardless if they join ‘the Story of God’ or not (but God’s heart beats for a grandiose story where everyone does join...) and that’s what makes the never-ending story unique and like no other (besides the fact that it has no beginning and no end). It doesn’t matter where you’ve gone, what’ve you done and what state you’re in when you come to God, He will still accept you as His child, stretching out His arms and offering the blood of Jesus Christ to wipe your slate clean and give you a second chance. Not that we are deserving of this chance, far from it, but Jesus has bridged the gap. And that’s why we can worship Him and He should be the ultimate desire on our hearts and lips to be worshipped. 


But even after the first time you've accepted Christ and started to worship Him, temptations do arise and before you know it, God’s story is now MY STORY and ‘story’ resonates no meaning inside you anymore. But God can change it all. Thought about the footprints in sand story? That’s exactly what Jesus Christ does for us, when Satan tries to destroy us in any way possible and tries to redirect our centre of worship and the main character of The Story, God is there, carrying us through it all. The storms as well as the triumphs. Because that is what life is- a package of good and bad. While at times you may think God is great, at times you may think you are the main act. Because that is what we call human nature. But that’s ok, because God has paid the price. He has redeemed us and no matter what we do in this life, if you accept Jesus Christ and accept His invitation to join the bigger and better Story, unlike the somewhat twisted Aesop’s Fables that have theoretical applications but hardly any practical implications, you will feel freer than almost anyone else who’s devoted to any other form of worship. There is a sense of satisfaction when God is worshipped than any other person or object. This is because when you are trying to make yourself great, you will never live up to your expectations. You will always fail. But there is good news. The revelation God has placed on each man’s heart, regardless if they are a Christian or not, regardless if they intentionally turn away or not, never goes away. We are all searching for something and believe me, we can find it not in making ourselves ‘great’ through what we wear or listen to that is fashionable, but in the God-centred story and the worship found in Him, the freedom of living life with no regrets and knowing that God will carry us no matter where we go, even if we’re on lofty peaks, or to hell and back- God will always remind us that it is his name that is ought to be made great.

I hope you can find out what it is you worship. Maybe have a heart-to-heart with God. Sit on this, pray a bit. But let us be reminded this Christmas season that God has invited us into a never ending story, and it is our choice to consciously everyday step into it and live it out. God has never said that this life will be comfortable, easy and breezing. Jesus came to Earth to comfort the afflicted, however He also came to afflict the comfortable.

And to leave us on this note, let me quote Louie Giglio, from his book, 'The Air I Breathe'- Worship is simply about value. The simplest definition I can give is this: Worship is our response to what we value most. That’s why worship is the thing we all do. It’s what we’re all about on any given day. Because worship is about saying, ‘This person, this thing, this experience (this whatever) is what matters most to me, it’s the thing I put first in my life.’ That ‘thing’ might be a relationship, a dream, friends, status, stuff, a name, some kind of pleasure, whatever name you put on it, this thing or person is what you’ve concluded in your heart is worth most to you. And whatever is worth most to you is-you guessed it-what you worship.

Your Last Day on Earth...

Think about your last day of your life. Or last week, year, whatever you want in order for you to think about the real and big issues of life. If you knew, like those two characters in The Bucket List, played by Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman; when you were going to die, if you knew the exact time and date of your death, if you knew when God was going to take your life, if you knew when your time was up; would you live life differently, from when you knew, til when it actually happened?


I know it’s a convoluted question, but let me put it this way. People often like to put off their own death, not to think about it until it is in fact too late. When they’re in perfect health (or so they seem!), they run and continue to do so, paying the bills, running the household, living the only way they know how, which is to avoid, avoid the fact that they are in fact going to die someday, and that when that day comes, it will hit them with vengeance. I guess always we as a human race are susceptible into not worrying about ‘eternity’; the stuff that really matter, filling our life with the most meaningful stuff when it is indeed too late. Like the bloke in his thirties who suddenly realises he has terminal prostate cancer, given 3 months to live, suddenly realising that he needs to rekindle his relationship with his dad that he’s never spoken to in more than ten years. Or how about a guy who’s just been placed on Death Row in prison, with his execution to be within a month, suddenly asking the deep and meaningful questions of why he’s here and where he’s going. I guess in my life, I’ve discovered that I don’t want to be like those people who live life, but when they are brought down to earth, they are suddenly filled with regret and anger, worried that they haven’t filled life with the most important things…they salvage what they can, but it will never be what they hope it to be. I have been encouraged, mostly by my parents, as they’ve always told me that I should live with the knowledge that yes, I’m going to die someday, and yes, I don’t know when that will be, and that only God knows. I should then live life with the mentality- how would I live my last day?


Wouldn’t I tell my parents and relatives that I love them? Wouldn’t I hang out with my friends, impart wisdom and knowledge onto them, impart lessons that I’ve learnt in my life so that they can make their lives better? Whatever you conjure up about what you know you should do on your last day; my parents have said that that mentality should be for every day; that you should live every day as if it is a gift from God. Since we don’t know the future, we don’t know when we’re going to die, it may be today, tomorrow, next week, next year, we don’t know. But I’m not saying that you should be running around worrying about death. If you do that, you won’t be living life to the fullest, as it said in John 10:10b; that Jesus came “…in order that you might have life- life in all its fullness…” This means freedom, freedom from worrying about what might or might not happen. Freedom from fear, freedom to live like the Lord intended for us to. Everyday is a day where we should wake up knowing that God has intended something new for us to learn that day.


However, I know that I am susceptible to this as well, that sometimes when we wake up from a good nights sleep, we start to worry about work, about what this person might say or what he may not say; and then we start to make sure if there is anything we can do in order for ourselves to be presented in a good way to all our superiors and bosses…when all Jesus is asking for us to do when we wake up every morning is to cast all our troubles and cares at his feet, telling us that life was not meant to be lived with us carrying those problems alone. Jesus is there to help us every day, but in the midst of this technological age, it’s hard to see the Author and Perfector of Life at work.


Sometimes we can’t enjoy the view that God has given every person, because there is a big house on the other side of the street that is blocking the view. Or you just have this pressing document that you need to get off your chest because you promised your boss that you’d have it in for him by the weekend, where you would be doing a presentation, but it’s the same weekend that your kids want to go down the coast for a camping trip, they’ve been talking about it for months. Now if I were in that same situation, I’d ask myself, ‘Now what would Jesus do?’ I know you’d laugh at my suggestion, but truly, I know in my heart that they’ll always be more work opportunities but I’ll only have my kids once. I have to go back to that mentality that how I live on my last day of life should be how I live every day.


I guess this was also evident in Dad’s life as well, and how he told me that there was a point in his life where he just couldn’t wait for the weekend, and how he wished his week of 5 days away so that he can get to the ‘Saturday’ and the ‘Sunday’ in order for him to start living. But then it dawned on him during 2008 that God didn’t wire him to only ‘live’ on the weekend, but to live every day. In theory, Dad was in fact wishing his life away. So now, his ordeal and how he’s seeing things now has rubbed off on me. And what I say is this. We don’t need to wait until we’re 50 or 60 to start doing those courses about life re-evaluation. You can start at any age, even when you’re a teenager. I know it sounds scary, and you probably think that this kinda stuff brings with it thoughts of ‘death is coming’, but sometimes we need to be reminded that God is in control of our life, and our death too. You never know when you’re going to ‘kick the bucket’, just look at those people who had come and gone that no one expected: Peter Brock, car driving legend who ‘owned’ Mount Panorama, Heath Ledger, budding actor only 28 and just finished portraying the Joker in the Batman film The Dark Knight, Steve Irwin, famous crocodile hunter and the one who pioneered Australia Zoo, and not to mention Jane McGrath, wife of Glenn, one of the worlds famous and all-time highly ranked wicket takers of the game of cricket. Slot in Michael Jackson, the King of Pop, who left this world through ‘cardiac arrest’, and then you start to think.


These people, if they had their say, would’ve wanted to die because of natural causes…but sometimes life can be unscripted. How we deal with these issues needs to be right; we need to focus on God, on the maker and star-breather of the universe, but also the one who came to Earth in order save ourselves from judgement and ultimately death itself. And so each day God is telling us ‘My child, you have so much more to unravel, so much more to fully know and understand about this planet, so much more about the depths and crevasses of my unending love that you have not even fully understood or grasped to entirety’ and every day should be the day when we make this a priority in our lives. You sit down and ask God, ‘where do you want me to head?’ And sometimes you will get an answer, but think twice before you proclaim that it was God trying to speak to you. Because God has spoken and told us that in this life, many of our decisions, though we may think that we’re basing our choices on ‘the voice of God’, we may in fact be listening to our own conscience, or sometimes even the Devil himself. Satan loves it when we are led astray, he is like the wolf in sheep’s clothing, and sometimes in this world, we as a human race cannot tell the difference between truth, and lies. It is so nice and neatly packaged that we settle for the background, we settle with the potential that we’ve been tricked into believing is right for us. We don’t recognise that God’s potential for us is far beyond our wildest dreams.


So, you think; if God is saying that we should live life to the fullest, unleashing all our God-given potential instead of settling into the seat of conformity and acceptance; how are we supposed to do what God has placed on our hearts? I guess the answer to this is to understand that we all have talents, gifts, and aspirations, goals, dreams and the like. All we need to do is to pray, read His Word and God will give us pictures, signs, conformations that the road you’re going to travel on is the right one. We don’t need to give up any hope, because God is there every step of the way, probing, asking the tough questions, so that we can make the tough calls in life. I guess for me a tough call was what major I studied at university. Another would’ve been how to maintain the friendship with a friend, yet also care about the friend as well in regards to the choices they’re making and how to approach that with the sensitivity needed in order for the friendship to still be intact after such an encounter. But I guess in whatever you do, we should do it all, live life like there is no tomorrow, as if this was our last day on Earth. God will direct you, if you’re willing to open your eyes and look at the signs. 

twitter...

I've recently joined twitter. Just today. It is so addictive.

These three short sentences are those that define the modern generation. Facebook and twitter have revolutionalised how we communicate, who we communicate to, and what we communicate about. As I've recently joined twitter, I can see how even I can get lulled into the mentality of 'following people' (having friends on facebook), or keeping track of how many people are 'following' you (who likes your page on facebook). If you eventually get all worked up about who responds to your twitter message, and worry about how many followers that you have on twitter, then you might as well deactivate your account. Twitter can be fun, but it can also show us things that we're not willing to admit about ourselves. We desperately want people to 'follow' us, like we've got something to share that should be heard...

But we do have something to share, God did place in our hearts things that only we can accomplish. But facebook and twitter have led us to indulge in the competition of who can get more 'followers' and 'followings', a competition that, if not realised, controlled and managed, can spiral out of control, and we can become someone who is self absorbed, worried about every tweet that comes through the pipeline. Twitter is just a vessel for our thoughts to get out there, not the end result.

We all know why we're here, to shine a light for Jesus. And, dare I say it, facebook and twitter can be used to do so. Not in an outright way, but subtly. We need to embrace the technological change, not too quickly, but not too slowly either, but knowing that the changes that are coming can be used, even by God, to His glory.

Going to finish soon- I've got twitter on the other tab.

Just something to think about- have you ever shared the gospel via twitter or facebook? What were the results?

Until the next blog, Jon.

Christmas...a time for celebration

I like Christmas. It is a fun time, exchanging gifts, remembering the time when God gave Jesus to us...

But don't you ever stop to think, has Christmas been commercialized? If you're in America or anywhere around the world, go to your local Wal-Mart, or Target, K-Mart or any other Westfield shop and you'd see what I'd mean. Christmas carols are starting to play when you enter November, and even when you always say every year 'I don't want to get caught up in the Christmas rush', you do. You shop and shop and shop for Christmas, when you know in your heart that shopping wasn't the heart of it. Ultimately, what was supposed to be a relaxing and reflective time, has now turned into one of the busiest times of the year, whether it's shopping for Christmas, or watching the latest blockbuster film that you think will get nominated for the Oscars, or watching the football season on TV. Whatever, you do around Christmas, afterwards, you think, 'That was so hectic, I just need a holiday from the holidays'.

So here is the challenge for this year. Like the title of my post says, Christmas is meant to be a time for celebration, relaxation and reflection. Don't try to be the one who buys everyone the most expensive or humongous gifts, just because you're known for that. Try something different. Don't get the standard DVD, CD, gaming console game or things like that. Get something unique (or you can make something too!). Whatever the case, may it be a memorable time for everyone. It is a time for celebrating. Jesus coming to earth, living, dying and ultimately, resurrecting. Christmas, is the beginning, the start of something new. Something where you look back and say 'That was the Christmas when I changed my style, from consumerist to being caught up in the moment.' Hope has come, we need to keep remembering that death as died, and that Jesus is alive.

Noel, Noel, Jesus is alive.
Emanuel, hope is here tonight.
So go, and tell, the world that death has died.
'Cause Jesus is alive. Yea Jesus is alive. 

(extract from Josh Wilson's Christmas song 'Jesus is Alive')

Hope everyone has a very enjoyable Christmas.

See you all soon.

Jon.

Are You a Comfortable Christian?

I can see that I am often close to the things of this world, more than I think and I should ought to be. Not that we shouldn’t enjoy the things we have in this world, but we should know that if something doesn’t work out, if the TV blows, or if our dishwasher leaks and is past the ‘returnable and refundable’ period, we shouldn’t get upset, and blame this person, the next guy, or in some rare cases, God. Why did you let this happen? We think. We fail to realise the basic fact that we didn’t get all of these things by ourselves anyway, and it was God who inherently gave us the abilities and skills that we have, in order for us to do work, collect our income, and therefore attain the items and material possessions that our heart desires at a particular point in time. We couldn’t have done all of this, survive, in the place called ‘Earth’ all on our own.

Whether we acknowledge that God is in control or not, we also know that we haven’t made it in this world alone, and that our friends and family have helped us along the way. But I have stopped and paused, wondered about whether our quest for materialistic gain, our quest for the perfect life in terms of comfortableness, has led us into a false sense of security, into us believing that when we see the injustice and inequality in this world, the solution would just be to ‘roll down the window and throw some cash outside’. I’ll admit it, I’m a comfortable Christian. I’ve noticed, and seen the injustice in this world...but I still like my TV, my computer, not to mention all my CD’s and DVD’s. Delirious?’s latest studio album, Kingdom of Comfort, speaks very clearly into the heart of every Christian- a comfortable Christian at that. Check out the title track- ‘...save me, from the kingdom of comfort where I am king, from my unhealthy lust of material things. I rob myself of innocence with the poison of my indifference. I buy my stuff at any cost, a couple of clicks and I pay the price coz what I gain is someone else’s loss...’ Revealing, huh? How as human beings we long for the new car, the new house, maybe even the new ‘wife’, but then we laugh and scorn when someone poses the question like- surely we should be thankful that we are even ALIVE to begin with, before we can even think about possessions.

But in this society, we never wake up with the mentality that we are alive, usually it is ‘Oh, what do I have to do at work today?’ or ‘Is that dog barking again?’ In my life, and it has been difficult, I have been trying, and it’s been working to say the least. Every day I’ve tried to get into this mentality that this story that I’m living in is not about me. It’s not about how much money I make in 10 years time, nor is it about how many possessions I own. If I behave and act like that man in Jesus’ parable that went and built a barn to hoard all his possessions, then I’ve missed the plot. My story is to be in God’s story. That’s it. Wherever he leads, I will go. That does sound like a bold statement, and you readers probably will scratch your heads and wonder whether I’ve woken up on the right side of the bed or not. But be it crazy as it sounds, I know my place in the never ending story of God. I know that my purpose goes beyond writing good blogs, it goes beyond doing well at uni; it goes beyond having a good career, a good house, a good life. Because sooner or later, if those ‘passions’ start to define us, it’ll all be for the wrong reasons, and we will, sooner or later become disappointed with it all. Sooner or later, there will be a better house on the street. There will be a better video game console. Buildings fall at the end of the day. Even books get old, and probably in a few years time, Don Bradman will be forgotten forever.

My point? If our goal is to be remembered at the end of the day, to have a legacy based on what we do- we cannot do it. Sure we will leave a legacy, based on what we do, but it won’t last to the effect that we want it to. When the last clap fades, we will be forgotten. We are born, we live, and we die, and sure we can do great things in this world, but it could be for all the wrong reasons. If our heart isn’t in the right spot, if our passion becomes our purpose, then we need a reality check. And this is what reality is- our purpose is to glorify God as much as possible considering each circumstance of the day, and to leave our story of me-centred society, our story of indifference, our story of collecting and storing, and abandoning it at the feet of Jesus, going to him and saying that we want to make a positive difference in this world, a difference that will last, that won’t stop when history fades into nothingness, a purpose that will last for eternity. 

I’ve realised that sometimes a riveting song with catchy lyrics and good music can evoke in someone something so much more powerful than listening to a boring sermon made by the most boring pastor ever alive. Music, sometimes even film, crosses national boundaries. I guess you can say that music and film are the indirect language that everyone speaks. And I guess that when you look at all the songs and music that have been created over the history of mankind, it’s no wonder it’s another language. Everything, ranging from struggles, questions, worship, praise, humanity, everything is talked about in songs, and I guess it’s almost expected that when you’re recording, to stretch musical boundaries- to pose to the listener, is this normal? Is this the way we should live our lives, and if not, how do we live it? Sure this world is in pain, and we may never understand how everything works, but we do know the One who does. And in some ways, we often are caught up in all the busyness that we miss the beauty of stories- like the Aesop fable, the ant and the grasshopper.  The ant and the grasshopper fable was one that “...[concerns] a grasshopper who has spent the warm months singing away while the ant worked to store up food for winter. After the winter has come, the grasshopper finds itself dying of hunger and upon asking the ant for food is only rebuked for its idleness...” I believe that this tale about the ant and grasshopper poses a lot of questions, for me at least. At first glance, the ant represents all the hard workers in society, and the grasshopper represents those who don't work so hard, those who sing away, even when everyone else is working. Therefore, when it is looked at in that way, I guess it is right, for the ant not to help the grasshopper, as to some extent, he brought it on himself. 

However, in James 2: 14-17, it claims that “…what good is it for one of you to say that you have faith if your actions do not prove it? Can that faith save you? Suppose there are brothers or sisters who need clothes and don’t have enough to eat. What good is there in your saying to them, ‘God bless you! Keep warm and eat well!’- If you don’t give them the necessities of life? So it is with faith: if it is alone and includes no actions, then it is dead...” Sure the ant has a right to refuse the grasshopper when he comes scabbing for food, but is it right? The western world can feel very reluctant to help those in Africa. We see ourselves almost like the ant and them the grasshopper. We say we want to help them, and according to James, we have the faith. But do we have the deeds to back it up? All we ever do is throw money at the problem, and then we just think that if we close our eyes and carry on with everyday life, things are going to get better.

I’ve seen it with my own eyes millions of companies and financial organisations give money to the South-East Asian countries when the 2004 Boxing Day tsunami hit- they also even staged a cricket match to raise funds for the cause...but that is all they do. Have you ever heard if the CEO of McDonalds flew to Sri Lanka or India, to assess the damage the tsunami gave, and then offered to help out in any way possible? It’s always been money. It’s a story that has been told from generation to generation, a story that money will and can solve everything. But everyone knows this isn't true. Money can't buy a lot of things, to name a few...a good wife/husband who loves you for the way you are as a person, not by what you do; good friends who respect you, even if they have different points of view; a great family, great children...

In this day and age, we think that the more you have, the more you will be happy. But when one looks at it, a lot of stories have been told throughout society that when you analyse it all, the more you’ll question whether anything is valid at all. I guess that is why in today’s culture, the young are noticing the trend that material things aren’t fulfilling them. Cricket matches don’t fulfil me, as I know now that money is more of an incentive for players’ right now than playing for their country. Every sports team will lose sooner or later, and that would mean that if we seriously lived our lives according to our culture today, we’d be depressed every single day because our ‘team’ lost. 

But to tell you the truth, there is something that fills us, like a cup overflowing- the story of Jesus. But you may think; this story of Jesus is cliché. Yes, it is; someone who came to save mankind from eternal destruction. Sort of like a Superman figure. But let’s get this straight- God yearns for us to understand that he is more than enough for us to live, and that if it is not the King of Kings, if it is not the Lord of Lords that we're worshipping, then it is something else. The lie and story that has been told that if we’re not religious, we’re not a worshipping kind, is totally wrong. For if we do not put our trust in a superior being, we will put our trust in something, something that we think will fulfil us. Everyone denies being a worshipper, but it is what we do all so well.

 

Labeling...we all do it.

I’m sure we all label other people. Not intentionally, but it’s in our subconscious. We look at the people that come from Manly or the Northern Suburbs of Sydney, and we immediately assume that they have a lot of money to burn, that they are the ones who ‘look down on everyone else’. We assume that it’s the Aboriginal people who are ‘below the rest’, or that if there are twins in a family, that one has to be good and the other ‘evil’. Always when my twin brother and I catch up with our friends and when we are in a bigger group with their friends too, people ask us, ‘Who’s the evil one?’ And I always answer ‘Does it matter? No one has to be evil!’ And that’s true, we don’t. Because no matter where you are, you get labeled, whether you liked it or not- how you walk, how you talk, how you present yourself; people see that, and no matter how perfect they can be, they label. And sometimes its hard to resist, you see someone with spiked hair, nose-rings, a dozen ear-rings on one ear, maybe even tattoos like no tomorrow, and so you label that they must belong to a gang, and then you also infer that they must be into drugs. But really, you don’t really know that. They could be the next Mozart, maybe even the next James Cameron or Peter Jackson, you just don’t know, but because you’ve gone ahead and boxed them in, it’s gonna be harder for you to ‘believe it’ when they do actually do something big.

You can’t judge people for being people by how they look. You look at the whole package, the picture; rather than deduce what the picture is about from just the eyes, the nose or the mouth. Because if you do focus on that, you won’t see the true representation of what Jesus wants that person to be. In fact, I’m bold enough to come out and say that yes, I in fact do label people. I’m not perfect, if I was, then I wouldn’t need Jesus, which I know I need more now than ever before. I can remember a couple of instances during 2008 and 2009 when Dad came back from picking up the pizzas at our local Dominoes Pizza joint at Mascot. He shook his head, saying something like ‘Those Indians don’t know how to cook pizza’. I know that sometimes Dad can be a little bit harsh in what he says, but aren’t we all too to some extent? 

Most people without hesitation would say people who live in the western world will have a better life than those anywhere else. But as I think about it more and more, I may beg to differ. Sure they would then have a safe and secure place to live in, compared to those in Africa, but would they have the better life if they are surrounded by a computer, a mobile phone, numerous shopping complexes, not to mention multiple cinemas, TV and electrical goods, air-conditioning at home, and a comfortable car? How-about those who are ‘struggling’ in Africa, with no running water, unsanitary hygiene and no food? Sure those who really live in Africa in poor conditions should get the water, food and medical supplies that are needed to live an adequate live, but should they then get the ‘western’ treatment?

Should we in the west think, ‘They’re not living the good life unless they are subjected to the way that we live?’ Sometimes it’s hard to believe that some people do believe that. In Australia, it happened towards the Stolen Generation, when Aboriginal Australian children were taken from their family and taught the ‘Australian’ way of life and culture. Is that right? When is enough enough? Did we label, and not even know it? Sometimes labelling is as big as what I’ve described, discrimination and just pure arrogance, that you and your way of life are more important than those around. But sometimes it can be just as small as believing that the latest i-Phone, Blu-Ray DVD player, TiVo, or maybe even Twitter or Facebook, will fill you up when it doesn’t. Just because everyone else has a Blu-Ray DVD player doesn’t mean you need it too. You can still get the player, but only that if you don’t get it, technology will rapidly expand and you will be left behind and never catch up...and also you’d like to start buying Blu-Ray DVD’s after all. Your motivation behind what you do, and how you act shouldn’t be dependent on anyone else. 

Do you do these things to get noticed? For people to accept you, to be loved? I’m telling you, sometimes you will get noticed; sometimes you will be loved, but sometimes is all the love can be for. When the next best thing comes along, people will latch onto that like a leech, and then you’d have to decide, am I getting this stuff because of the craze, the popularity, knowing that if I don’t keep it up, I may lose some friends, and maybe even lose my ‘life’ as I know it! But sometimes that’s what we need to do, lose our life. In Matthew 11:39, it says that ‘...whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it...’ You scratch your head and you think, why do I want to lose my life? I’ve got everything I need’. Everything you think you need. Let me illustrate. When Dad was in primary school he brought Nesquick to school, and during that time, a lot of people started to befriend Dad. But when the nesquick ran out, so did the friends. Ever wonder how long things last? Not that long. In fact, the average time a person can stay in the limelight is probably 2-3 years. People in the acting circle, sporting arena, even talented music stars and celebrities only have the spotlight on them for so long. Because in the end, people get older, their abilities wane, someone or something better comes along. Because of all this stuff that happens, people have been rocked from side to side. They’re yearning for someone that doesn’t change, yesterday, today and tomorrow. 

Jesus doesn't change! God “...is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine...” (Ephesians 3:20). Far beyond our comprehension of what we can even conceive of who God is, he is much more than that. Peter walked on the water when Jesus called him to. And He’s wanting everyone to walk on the water too. To step out of the boat, just like Peter did. Afraid? You bet. Scared? Immensely! Going to get out of the boat? It’s up to us. God is calling...will we answer?

A line in the popular Psalm 23 goes like this- Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil for you are with me!. God is with us during the bad times, the good times, and the times in-between. 

Are you going to step out of the boat. He is waiting.

Music is the Universal Language

Music is the universal language of the soul. Everyone enjoys it. Everyone searches for a song that they can say 'This is my song, this song is speaking just to me!'. A song can be as powerful as a sermon on a Sunday morning, and can strike the very being of the soul, even when the listener has the hardest of hearts.

There are billions of songs out there in the vast space of Internet. From mainstream, to Christian, to country, to metal and folk, music appeals to various different people. A song can stir up emotions in someone that have stayed dormant for years, it can spur someone on to make a decision, good or bad, that will affect them and those around them.

For me, there are a number of songs that I've listened to in my life, where I've thought, 'This is my song.' One of these songs is by a British Christian band, Delirious?. You can read about them on Wikipedia, but the song History Maker, has struck to the core of my being, and has challenged me to take new risks, and to change the world.

What is your favourite song? Is it your favourite because it's your friend's favourite? Or has it spoken to you in ways unimaginable. Sometimes all it is is a song that can help you get through the toughest of situations. Some people may not know it, but a song carries with it a part of the person who wrote it. These artists pour their hearts and souls, and devote their time to producing an album, and their songs are what they are feeling at that particular point in time. And, to stir the pot, God can speak through anyone that He wants, even if the song is by a non-Christian. If God decides to do that, then He can.

A song is determined by its melody, lyrics, and how well the person sings. But what always sticks out to me are the lyrics- and particularly the lyrics to the chorus of History Maker:

I'm gonna be a history maker in this land
I'm gonna be a speaker of truth to all mankind
I'm gonna stand, I'm gonna run
Into your arms, into your arms again

Am I ready to be a history maker? Possibly, maybe, I'm not entirely sure. Starting this blog was very daunting, but here I am, I've done it.

So now, here is the video for History Maker by Delirious?. Listen to it, and see if it affects you like how it has done for me.

Music is indeed the universal language- over these next few blogs, I'm going to impart to you readers, my top 10 songs that mean to me the most- starting with No. 1: History Maker (normally with lists from 1-10, they start with no. 10 first, I'm doing it the other way around).

Watch the clip and enjoy, comments are encouraged.

See you all soon.

Jon.