May 2012
14 posts
GOD WILL NEVER GIVE UP ON YOU
“How tremendous is the power available to us who believe in God. That power is the same divine power which was demonstrated in Christ when he raised him from the dead.” (Ephesians 1:19b-20 Phillips)
Confidence isn’t easy to keep. Yesterday, I shared about finding the confidence to start over after failure. But how do you find the power to keep going once you start over? Everyone...
GODS REMEDY FOR THE EXHAUSTED
“God wants His loved ones to get their proper rest.” (Psalm 127:2 TLB)
I’ve always been fascinated with the sudden change in the disciples before and after the Resurrection. One minute they’re defeated, and the next minute they’re dynamic. One minute they’re crushed, and the next minute they’re confident. One minute they’re having a pity party, and...
LET GO OF DOUBT SO GOD CAN USE YOU
“Anyone who doubts is like a wave on the sea, blown up and down by the wind. That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord.” (James 1:6-7 NCV/NIV)
There are two things that cause self-doubt in your life:
1. Comparing your abilities causes you to doubt your abilities. Instead of looking to God, you start looking around at everybody else. They have more talent, more...
COMING UP AT HOPE:
Sunday 27th May NEW SERIES COMMENCES - ‘JESUS PLUS’ Speaker: Josh Brett Sunday 3rd June SUNDAY LUNCH Following our morning gathering we have authentic Italian pasta available in the Cafe. Stay back & chat with a few people while the kids watch a movie in the Kids Auditorium. Tuesday 5th June WELCOME TO HOPE COFFEE CHAT For those who have recently connected at Hope or are looking to...
A FEW THOUGHTS - 24/5/12
Hi all
This past week I have had the privilege of officiating at a friends wedding. The wedding was in the Hunter Valley of NSW which allowed Sharon and I a few days up in the Hunter Valley. Then I came up to the Gold Coast to meet with a good friend and have a couple of days down time. Every 3 months I get away for 2 days for a study and prayer break. Usually I do this locally in Adelaide so it...
A POWERFUL KEY TO PRAYER
“And I tell you more: whenever two of you on earth agree about anything you pray for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. For where two or three come together in my name, I am there with them.” (Matthew 18:19-20 TEV)
If you look at the Lord’s Prayer, you’ll see that it reflects praying together: “Our Father … give us … our daily bread … forgive us our debts, as we also...
LIVING A LIFE OF SERVICE
“God has made us what we are. In Christ Jesus, God made us to do good works, which God planned in advance for us to live our lives doing.” (Ephesians 2:10 (NCV)
There are three things you can do with your life: You can waste it, you can spend it, or you can invest it. The best use of your life is to invest your life in something that will outlast it.
The worst thing you can do is to...
SORRY
We apologise that this BLOG has not been updated too much lately. We are onto it and you can expect more activity from today.
Mothers Day 2012
Yesterday at Hope we had a great time celebrating not just Mums but we celebrated all the Women in Hope Church. Every Women received a red velvet cupcake made to look like an apple with the theme being that every women is the apple of Gods eye.
What is HOPE'd?
What is HOPE’d?
Inspiring people to practice kindness and pass it on to others!
It’s about Helping Other People Everywhere
It’s about taking time out of your day to do something for someone else expecting nothing in return. It’s about doing “Random Kindness” to others.
It’s about showing others, that there are people around that care.
It’s about Listening, Seeing and Doing.
“Do...
Everyone needs HOPE!
Yesterday as part of Hope Community Sunday we launched HOPED which is an initiative that encourages kindness. Through our eveyday activites opportunities exist to do something kind for someone else. Check the previous BLOG for ideas on what you could do to practice kindness!
RANDOM ACTS OF KINDNESS LIST
1. Deliver fresh-baked cookies to city workers. 2. Collect goods for a food bank. 3. Bring flowers to work and share them with co-workers. 4. Garden clubs can make floral arrangements for senior centres, nursing homes, hospitals, police stations, or shut-ins. 5. Adopt a student who needs a friend, checking in periodically to see how things are going. 6. Volunteer to be a tutor in a school. 7. ...
Four Questions
People in ministry roles have a tendency to run until they collapse. So – four questions I have for those who minister and serve in the life of Hope Church:
1. HOW ARE YOU DOING SPIRITUALLY?
As a young leader, I don’t remember many people taking an interest in my personal spiritual life. My youth pastor was phenomenal at teaching us the Bible (and for that I’m forever grateful). But most of...
1 tag
Ready or not...here I come!
“Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.” - Mark 1:3
I remember playing hide and seek as a kid. As I ran off to hide the seeker would count to 20 giving me just enough time to find a secure hiding spot. Then the seeker would yell out these words, “Ready or not…here I come.” Even if I had not found a good spot to hide the seeker was on their way.
...
April 2012
7 posts
HOPE CHURCH – CORE VALUES
A core value for us is what Hope Church considers the important and fundamental beliefs and interests that define who we are and what we do.
THE TABLE – why a table?
The last thing Jesus did before leaving this earth was eat a meal around a table with his friends (Matthew 26:17, Mark 14:12 and Luke 22:7). In Acts 2, with the tremendous growth of the early church, the first Christ-followers...
FAITH THAT DEMANDS ACTION - 22 April 2012
On This Day...
Apr 18 1955
Nobel Prize recipient Albert Einstein dies in his hospital bed from a ruptured aortic aneurysm. Seven hours later, his brain is plunked into a jar of formalin and taken away by the pathologist. It will remain missing for 23 years.
Dead Ends Are a Part of Gods Plan
“At that time we were completely overwhelmed, the burden was more than we could bear, in fact we told ourselves that this was the end. Yet we believe now that we had this experience of coming to the end of our tether that we might learn to trust, not in ourselves, but in God who can raise the dead.” (2 Corinthians 1:8b-9 PH)
When the pursuit of your dream deteriorates from difficult...
The Difficulties While God Delays
“This means tremendous joy to you, I know, even though you are temporarily harassed by all kinds of trials and temptations. This is no accident — it happens to prove your faith, which is infinitely more valuable than gold …” (1 Peter 1:6-7 PH)
In order to build your faith, God will give you a dream. Then, he’ll urge you to make a decision. But then he’ll allow a...
At a Dead End? Expect a Rescue!
“‘What do you mean, “If I can”?’ Jesus asked. ‘Anything is possible if a person believes.’” (Mark 9:23 NLT)
God will build your faith by planting a dream within you. But that dream will require a decision of faith, and then God will stretch your faith as you face delays, difficulties, and dead ends.
It is then that God comes in and delivers. God...
Confident in God's Promises
“Then Caleb silenced the people before Moses and said, ‘We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it.’” (Numbers 13:30 NIV)
God wants you confident in the truth that, through him, all things are possible.
Every day of your life, you have a choice:
You can focus on the bigness of the giants that stand before you, or …
You can...
March 2012
13 posts
Let God Open Your Eyes to a Solution to Your...
“Then God opened her eyes and she saw a well of water. So she went and filled the skin with water and gave the boy a drink.” (Genesis 21:19 NIV)
I don’t know what problem you’re staring at right now, but I’m sure you have at least one for which you don’t have an answer — a problem for which you just keep running into dead ends.
You need the Holy Spirit to enlighten your mind so you can find...
A FEW THOUGHTS - 28/3/12
Woke up early this morning and sat out on our deck with a coffee, bible and my thoughts. Here’s a few thoughts:
The seed may be small but what we believe about that seed matters more than the size of it.
Matthew 17:19-21 talks about a time when the disciples were chatting to Jesus after he had healed a young man who was being tormented by a demon. Here is the conversation:
Then the...
Eyes Don't Grow
Our eyes are always the same size from birth, but our nose and ears never stop growing.
The Invisible Army on Your Side
“Then Elisha prayed, ‘O LORD, open his eyes and let him see!’ The LORD opened the young man’s eyes, and when he looked up, he saw that the hillside around Elisha was filled with horses and chariots of fire.” (2 Kings 6:17 NLT)
We all feel under attack from time to time. In fact, you may feel under attack right now. Maybe it’s the economy. Maybe you’ve lost your job, your income, or your...
Toilet Paper debate...are you in the majority?
“If facebook was a country it would be the 3rd largest country in the world, with...”
– The Interweb
You Need the Bible in Your Heart, Not Just in Your...
“Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly.” (Colossians 3:16a NIV)
Just like you need physical food for physical strength, you need spiritual food for spiritual strength. The Bible describes itself as spiritual food — the water, milk, bread, and meat of our spiritual lives. It’s everything you need for sustenance.
If you were a construction contractor, you wouldn’t consider...
MYTHBUSTERS: Giving
The tithe does not apply to Christians today, only to Old Testament Israel.
Jesus called His followers to give with great generosity, which makes the tithe a good starting point. The tradition of the Old Testament tithe was a mandatory gift equalling a tenth of one’s income, but had a number of caveats. For example, Old Testament tithing applied to crops and animals from the Promised Land,...
Twitter
Hope Church and Josh Brett are on Twitter - if you wish to follow here are the links:
https://twitter.com/#!/HopeChurchADL
https://twitter.com/#!/joshualbrett
A FEW THOUGHTS - 5/3/12
Hey there…a few thoughts from my devotions today:
Matthew 7:28-29 - “The crowds were amazed at his teaching, because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law.”
Context: The teachers of the law claimed to have as much authority as any other teachers - yet they spoke as those who themselves had not learned what they preached. The word did not come from them with any...
“The authority to overcome is not a result of information..it is a result of...”
– Josh Brett - from my devotional time in Matthew 7:28-29
Hope Community
This past weekend Hope Community was involved with a backyard cleanup and a house move, both of these were for single mums.
The backyard clean up was a huge effort by the Blitz Team with a total transformation completed in 3 hours. The recipient of the clean up was amazed at what the team were able to achieve and ultimately that this was done with no agenda or a motive to get something back in...
PODCAST UPDATE
Just letting you know we have more Podcasts up on our website: http://www.hopechurch.net.au/podcast.html
Jan 22 - Marie Brett
Jan 29 - Nick Resce
Feb 19 - Ross Abraham (Elevation Church - Gold Coast)
**Feb 5th and 12th was our Hope Community launch and these will not be podcast.
February 2012
23 posts
A FEW THOUGHTS - 29/2/12
Hey there…a few thoughts from my devotions today:
Matthew 5:18 - “Until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished.”
Context:
Verses 17-20n explain how Jesus and the kingdom fulfill the law of Moses; this is the key to interpreting the whole of Jesus’ ministry. Jesus then goes on to give 6 propositions that contrast proper and...
A FEW THOUGHTS - 28/2/12
Hey there…a few thoughts from my devotions today:
Matthew 3:11-12 - “I baptise you with water for repentance. But after me will come one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not fit to carry. He will baptise you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor, gathering his wheat into the barn and burning up the chaff with...
A Few Thoughts - 27/4/12
Hey there…a few thoughts from my devotions today:
Matthew 1:19 - “Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man and did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.”
Context:
Joseph is engaged to be married to Mary but before they marry Mary falls pregnant by the Spirit of God. The baby is to be Jesus.
Thoughts:
Joseph did not want to...
Why Applying Scripture Is So Tough
“I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit.” (Ephesians 3:16 NLT)
Applying Scripture to our lives isn’t easy. If it were easy, more people would be doing it. Most people who read the Bible don’t really apply what they read to their lives. Why?
It’s hard work! But what makes applying God’s Word so hard? Here are three reasons...
Three Questions to Ask of Any Bible Passage
“Does the LORD really want sacrifices and offerings? No! He doesn’t want your sacrifices. He wants you to obey him.” (1 Samuel 15:22b CEV)
If you aren’t experienced in applying God’s Word to your life, you might be frustrated. How do you do it? Today I want to give you three questions you can ask of any passage that will help you apply the Bible to your life. Here are the three...
Bible Study Is Dangerous Work
“Everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.” (Matthew 7:24 NIV)
Did you know studying the Bible can be dangerous? In fact, the results of Bible study could be disastrous.
Sounds strange, I know. But God intended for us to apply the Bible to our lives, not just read it.
The Bible is about transformation, not just...
The Picture-It Method of Bible Meditation
“The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us …” (John 1:14a NIV)
A few days ago I shared a method of Bible meditation that requires very few tools, the pronounce-it method of Bible meditation. You can do it with just a pencil or pen and a Bible.
Today’s method is equally simple. You only need a Bible, pencil, and some creativity.
The picture-it method of Bible meditation is...
You Need a Plan
“The plans of the diligent lead surely to abundance, but everyone who is hasty comes only to poverty.” (Proverbs 21:5 ESV)
Having a quiet time is like many other activities you might do in life — in at least one respect. To be successful, it helps to have a plan. The Bible says, “The plans of the diligent lead surely to abundance, but everyone who is hasty comes only to poverty” (Proverbs 21:5,...
The Right Attitude for Your Quiet Time
“The LORD does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.” (1 Samuel 16:7b NIV)
You can have a quiet time anywhere, but it all starts with a great attitude. God wants to know that your heart is in the right place. The Bible says in 1 Samuel 16:7, “The LORD does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward...
Finding the Right Time and Place for a Quiet Time
“Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.” (Mark 1:35 NIV)
Over the past few days we’ve been talking about your quiet times. The time you spend with God is the most important part of your day. That’s why when and where you meet him is so crucial. Consistency matters in both cases.
Meet God at the same...
The Privilege of Your Quiet Time - Rick Warren
“You will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.” (Psalm 16:11 NLT)
I mentioned yesterday that it’s quite a privilege to have a quiet time. We get to have an audience with the king of the universe, the creator of everything.
What makes our quiet times such a privilege that we wouldn’t want to consider missing it? Here are four miraculous things that happen...
A Simple Way To Unlock The Bible - Rick Warren
“Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you.” (Colossians 3:16a NLT)
Studying the Bible in a way that changes your life doesn’t take a bunch of expensive tools. You don’t need commentaries or Bible study software. In fact, if you were stuck on a desert island with just a Bible, you could simply use the method you’ll learn about in this devotional.
Yesterday, I told you how important it was...
National Day of Prayer and Fasting
National Day of Prayer this Sunday 19th….check this link for more info…get involved if you can.
http://www.nationaldayofprayer.com.au/
Take a Chill Pill!
It can be so easy to get wound up over things and let them consume our thinking. The bible has a bit to say about this. In Matthew 6:34 we read:
“Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of it’s own”.
So much of what we allow to consume our thoughts is out of our control and is often exaggerated beyond reality....
Hope Community
check out the new community page on our website -www.hopechurch.net.au
Hope Church & Compassion Partnership News
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