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
If you have not yet sponsored but you want to we will have more sponsorship opportunities soon! Stay tuned.
Hope Church & Compassion Partnership
Last week we launched our partnership with Compassion in Northern Thailand. Already every child that we were given at the launch has been sponsored - thats 48 children! Thank you Hope for your generous hearts!
God Wants Us To Chew On His Word - Rick Warren
“Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.” (Joshua 1:8 NIV)
I can remember hearing great sermons or in-depth Bible teaching and wondering how the teacher found all those great nuggets of truth in God’s Word. That’s why I wrote my first book 35 years ago: to...
“But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you...”
– James 1:22 NLT
Hope Community Launch - Week One
Yesterday we launched the first phase of Hope Community which is our overseas partnership with Compassion.
We had such a great morning with the auditorium packed to the rear doors! It was so exciting to see Hope Church come out and be a part of where we are heading as a church. Right from the start there was just a sense of togetherness and anticipation. Our time of worship was significant and...
God Gave Us the Bible to Transform Us
“All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realise what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.” 2 Timothy 3:16-17 (NIV)
I was once asked what the best translation of the Bible was. My answer: When you translate it into your life....
Use Your Memory Muscle
“Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts.” (Colossians 3:16 NLT)
The fourth way to abide in God’s Word is by remembering it. Your capacity to remember is a God-given gift. You may think you have a poor memory, but the truth is, you have...
January 2012
16 posts
Keep God's Word Close at Hand
“He should keep it with him all the time and read from it every day of his life.” (Deuteronomy 17:19a NCV)
For most of the 2,000-year history of the Church, only priests got to personally read the Bible, but now billions of us have access to it. In spite of this, many believers are more faithful to reading their daily newspaper than their Bibles.
It’s no wonder why we don’t grow. We can’t watch...