Life (9): Mountains, mirrors and glory

You are what you eat! So, let me get this straight, what goes into your stomach will influence who you are? What do you think about this comment – ‘we are all influenced by what we watch, read and listen to’. Do you agree or disagree? I put this question to few people a couple of weeks ago. It troubled some those whom I asked, but seemed to resonate with the others. What do you think?

In my opinion, we are simply more than what we eat. In actual fact, I believe we are all greatly influenced by what we watch, read or listen to. We tend to emulate our heroes, people who we hold in a place of great respect, envy or admiration. We might want to have our hero’s style, fashion, look, physique, language and so on.

Reflecting back a few years, the person I held as a hero was Australian cricketer, Brett Lee. I wanted to play cricket like him, speak like him, look like him and have all the girls like him. Sadly, I even tried to style my hair like him to which I sadly failed. At this point you are either thinking “What a loser”, or you are in some way resonating with me. I guarantee that if you thought hard enough, I’m sure you would be able to identify a time in your life when you tried to be like your hero.

We all like to be made small!

Why do we try to emulate our hero’s? Have you ever asked yourself that question? I will come back to this question in a moment, but for now, I would like to slightly change topics and gears and move to something else.

I live in Sydney, Australia and I frequent the Blue Mountains quite often. They are a magnificent sight of grandeur and beauty. They dwarf and embarrass us in size, yet millions of tourists flock from around the world to see this spectacle. This is not limited to the Blue Mountains, but also other spectacles like the Alps, the Grand Canyon, the African Savannah, the galaxy and the list goes on. Why is this the case? Why spend loads of money to see some big rock?

Let me answer to the above question by posing this notion – ‘We find joy in witnessing great and glorious things’. We all enjoy witnessing the beauty and the grandeur of the amazing sights of this world. It is hardwired into us. This relates closely to the initial section of this article, in that we want to observe great people, sights and events. These could be sporting moments, movies, performances, monuments, landmarks and so on. Witnessing these events or sights brings us joy.

Alright, you may be asking ‘so what’? By now, you may have realised (from reading other sections of this blog) that I am a follower of Jesus – a Christian. I believe that God created the universe, which includes all of us. With this in mind, God must have created us for a purpose with a set of skills and instincts to fulfil his purpose. So how does the pursuit of great events and things tie into God our creator’s purpose?

The bible, which I believe was written by God through people, claims that we were created to live in relationship with God. The bible describes God as being a magnificent and grand being (Deuteronomy 5:24; Psalm 3:3; Psalm 8:1-3; Isaiah 6:2-4; Revelation 4:7-9 – the bible is full of these quotes!), to which we were designed to find joy and pleasure in witnessing his fulfilling and satisfying glory and give him praise (Psalm 19:1; Psalm 27:3-4; Psalm 71:8 – again the bible is full of these quotes!).

We are creatures who find joy in witnessing and observing glorious things, because our creator God designed us to seek his glory and magnificence. When we observe greatness on this earth, we should want to turn and praise God because His hand is/was at work in it (Psalm 29:2).

In summary, God is glorious and he created us to witness his glory and find joy and meaning in this. This is evident in humanities thirst to experience grand events and sites. So let’s turn our attention back to the question posed at the beginning of this paragraph, why do we emulate our hero’s?

We reflect what we worship!

If we were created to live off the metaphorical ‘fuel’ of God’s glory, then the praising God would be on our lips right? Correct! Humanity, according to the bible, was created in the image of God (to reflect him like a mirror):

Then God said, "Let us [God] make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth” (Genesis 1:26).

According to the bible, we were created to reflect God’s character on the earth. Humans are therefore, reflectors or mirrors of God on this earth.

Sadly, as the bible moves on, humans reject God and seek to live without him (this is called sin) (Romans 1:22-24). Rather than reflecting the glory of God, we reflect the glory of our selected gods. And I believe this is evident in the way that we emulate our hero’s. In my case, this was Brett Lee. I witnessed his glorious bowling speed and ability to attract the opposite sex, which lead me to reflect and worship my god – Brett Lee.

What we worship will inform how we live

The word worship is quite misunderstood in the culture I live in. Essentially, the word means, according to the Macquarie Dictionary – to attribute worth to something or someone. Continuing on with my example, I worshipped Brett Lee. I attributed worth to him. To change gears again, what is it that engaged me in the pursuit of worshipping my god/s.

My goal in this article is to examine the nature of media and how it influences who we are and how we live. From what I have expressed thus far, humans are created to seek out and find joy in glorious things (God’s glory more explicitly). We are created to reflect that which we glory in (God’s image). Due to sin, we seek to glory in things other than God. So how does this all link in with the media?

The media influences society in what is normal, acceptable and fashionable (interesting article on Media Influence). We receive a constant barrage of stimuli from the media each day. This includes, but not limited to, what we should eat, wear, dress like, think about, invest time in, spend our money on, who we are as citizens, what to believe etc.

Our lives are informed by the media, whether it be print, audio or visual, it impacts and influences who we are and what we believe. Generally, we don’t worship the media, but the media displays for us a plethora of things that are glorious and attractive, to which we respond in worship (remember the meaning of this word). This worship then informs who you are and how you will live – it is your god.

I want you to think about who you are as a person, or were, and consider your beliefs and lifestyle at that time and then compare it to the people you find intriguing each day. Do you see a correlation? If you do, this or these things are your gods.

Glory, joy and rescue

God created us to worship and glory in him. God hates when his creation finds glory in things other than him (Isaiah 42:8). Worshipping these things will be our undoing and practically, destroy us as we are not created to find joy and pleasure in glorious things that are not God (Romans 1:22-24). These things cannot sustain our joy and pleasure and were not designed to do so. Jeremiah, an Old Testament (section of the bible) prophet puts it this way – rather than seeking the fulfilling pure waters of the glorious God, we find unfulfilling joy in drinking from the toilet (Jeremiah 2:11-13). Rather than worship God, we worship his creation.

The bible urgently expresses our destruction if we hold this lifestyle. To live in opposition to the creator and owner of the universe is a cosmic crime. God has set in time a day where we will all be judged according to the way we have lived. If we have gloried in God, we will have eternal life, if we have worshipped things other than God, we will suffer eternal hell.

Take a look at this world. Do you think any of us have worshipped God? I am guilty as charged. My god was Brett Lee, a mere man. For this reason, God put off his glory and became a man (Philippians 2:5-8) to rescue us from our plight. Even this act demonstrates the glorious nature of God (Psalm 21:5). Jesus (God) lived in perfect obedience to his Father, bringing glory to him and experiencing the joy that came with this, even at the point of his death (Hebrew 12:2). Jesus died the sinner’s death, the most inglorious death on a cross to pay the penalty for our rejection of God.

The bible calls us to turn from our God rejecting lives, accept Jesus death for our sins and live for God (Ephesians 2:8-10). There is nothing we can do to be forgiven except to accept Jesus death on our behalf. Jesus was than resurrected from the grave, defeating our greatest enemy, death, and he now reigns in heaven, in glory and power.

We all find glory in great things. We all reflect what we find glory in. We all seek joy. Jesus offers us all these things! I plead for you to turn to him. He is speaking to us all. He has given us a great library of scriptures called the bible to let us see him and his world rightly. We can either listen to the preaching of the anti-God media, or we can listen to the voice of God through his scriptures.

I will close with these questions. Take a look at your life. What does it reflect? What do you worship in your life? Who or what is your god? Is it Jesus?  

Life (8): Anxiety, separation and the merry-go-round

Parking in the city (Sydney) can be rough. I can clearly remember the time when I parked my car on a busy and notoriously rough  street in the city, thinking that it would be safe. I was very naive and stupid, as I had left a bag sitting on the back seat and a boot full of cricket gear and fishing tackle. The day was a Friday, the day before the big cricket match on Saturday and fishing trip on Sunday.

Saturday morning arrived. I left the place where I was staying, and as I walked to my car, which I could see in the distance, I noticed that the boot was wide open! I freaked out!! All my cricket gear and fishing tackle had been stolen. I was dead – anxiety filled me! All kinds of thoughts raced through my mind, “I have no gear for cricket – all my fishing gear is gone – what do I do”.

Life and anxiety

Life is full of these unexpected twists and turns. One minute we seem on top of the world and then the next, we hit rock bottom. We live in such a fast paced kind of world. We move from dead line to dead line, to event to event. It can all seem like a great big blur really.

Today, I want to tackle the issue of anxiety. According to Wikipedia, about 5 to 7% of the adult population in the Western World suffer from clinical anxiety. This statistic does not include the general worry and anxiety of everyday life (non-clinical). According to one site I visited, at some point in our lives, we are all bound to have a some form of a panic attack. So, why are we so worried and is this natural?

Are you in this category? Let’s do a little exercise. Write down the five things that cause you to worry. Now, think about how many of the things you listed are necessities? Now on a score from 1 to 5, 1 being not at all and 5 extreme, rate the listed items in how much worry or anxiety they cause you? It is interesting to see how the findings vary between ages but most people generally identify the gaining of possessions or work as the greatest cause of anxiety. Does this apply to you?

I want to state that there are clinically diagnosed anxiety disorders caused by chemical imbalances in the brain. However, for the bulk of the general public to be constantly struggling with anxiety, then you have to ask the question “What’s going on”? Let’s delve deeper then shall we?

What is the point?

Let’s change angles to a philosophical discussion. Firstly, what do you consider to be the purpose of your life? Do you consider it merely the pursuit of capital (buying more stuff and making more money) and the conquest of relationships? Are you a materialist – this life is it and therefore, eat, drink and be merry (1 Corinthians 15:32). Or do you sense that there something more to life? Do you sense that there is a purpose and meaning to your life?

At this point, you need to ask yourself the question ‘do you believe that there is a God who transcends our existence?’ The evidence for God scientifically, philosophically and historically is overwhelming. For more on this topic, check out the series on Science and Jesus (Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6 and Part 7). At this point, you might be wondering, what does God have to do with anxiety? Let us proceed.

Okay, if there is a God, who created everything and who is involved in the world, we then have to ask, ‘how can all powerful God understand how I feel?’ See, the bible teaches that Jesus is God, who became a man (John 1:1-3; 14; Philippians 2:5-6; Colossians 1:15-16; Hebrews 1:1-3). He experienced everything that we experience and he knows exactly how you feel. Jesus is upmost sympathetic to our needs and he calls on us to lay our burdens and anxieties at his feet for he loves us and cares for us.

The core of our anxieties

Anxiety stems from the disconnectedness and brokenness in our world. We were created by God to be in a relationship with him. We were created to know him, and for him to know us, but sadly we reject him and are separated from him by this rebellion. If you don’t live your life knowing Jesus, then you have been separated from your creator. It’s like trying to operate a computer that’s not plugged in. That is us, unplugged from God and living an unguided purposeless life. This leads to anxiety and ultimately, death. You will live for what ever you set your heart to rather then living for the one who made you, and truly loves you.

Jesus, who is God, came to earth and lived the life we were supposed to live (trusting in and in perfect relationship with God) and died on the cross to pay the penalty for our rejection, so that we can be brought back into relationship with him! See, God loves you so much that he would die for you! Wow!

Okay, so if I turn and live for Jesus, will all my anxieties vanish? Yes and no. We still live in a broken world. Life is hard, and it will be hard until Jesus comes back to completely fix up the mess. However, you can know your creator. You can understand the purpose of life, relationships, work, sex, marriage, money and so on. God created these for us and only through Jesus can we experience the fullness of these things.

Get to know him

God is working to get to know you. See, Jesus is speaking to us today through his bible so we can know him. I want to share a verse with you from this library of books called the bible:

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:6-7).

Let’s conclude that only through Jesus can we know God our creator, which is the purpose of our lives! Our anxieties are the result of living in a world that is separated from God. In Philippians passage, it explains that we can talk to Jesus (prayer) and lay all requests and burdens at his feet. Are you anxious? Then why not give it a crack and talk to Jesus about it. Why not ask him for help?

Resource Review: The Case for the Resurrection of Jesus

To order this product:

Click Here (Koorong) (Amazon)

I have just finished reading this book and must confess, it was very hard to put down. The resurrection of Jesus is the very hinge that Christianity lies on (1 Corinthians 15:13-14). Did it really happen or are trillions of people following a well disguised myth?

Gary Habermas and Michael Licona have produced a thorough examination of what they define as the “minimal facts approach”. I strongly recommend this book to believers and strong skeptics.

According to Lee Strobel, "This compelling book is the most comprehensive defence of Jesus' resurrection anywhere. If you're interested in knowing the evidence for the resurrection and sharing it with others, then you must read this book!"

Paperback Book, 384 pages

Price: Approx. $20.95 (Koorong)

Price: Approx. $17 (Amazon)

Life (7): Oprah, being all you can be and the plan of God

Are you a spiritual person? Have you been seeking something more out of your spiritual life? This is a question the majority of people in the western world seem to be asking. Generally speaking, most of us aren’t questioning whether there is a spiritual world but rather, we are asking how can I access the power that seems to be on offer through spirituality? The popular spiritual practices may include astrology, clairvoyants, tarot cards and so on.

This spiritual quest has been led by so called spiritual gurus like Oprah Winfrey and Deepak Chopra. They offer a message that is up lifting and a hyper spiritual. Their message generally promotes self actualization (you can be all you can, you are who you are and you need to look in to self for answers) and self edifying (you are a good person, a demy god). Oprah particularly promotes the teaching that you can create your own destiny. She is rather fuzzy on what she believes about God, but most ‘spiritual gurus’ claim that there is some sort of God, which may be within us or in nature, but the key is to actualize it for this will empower you.

I was inspired to write this article after watching Matt Damon’s new movie “Adjustment Bureau”. It was an entertaining movie and very thought provoking. The basic premise of the movie is that there is a grand ‘Chairman’, symbolic of God, who writes the plans of the world. There are officers, who are symbolic of angels, who make sure the Chairman’s plan finds its fruition. The officers work for the Adjustment Bureau. Throughout the movie, Matt Damon’s character contests this plan as he seeks to find the love of his life while covertly changing his destiny, which causes great friction between him and the Adjustment Bureau.

For most part, the movie steps into biblical territory with the dominate themes of the movie being the will of God, angels and the will of humans. The director himself when asked about whether he intended the movie to step into this territory commented: “I wanted to raise questions”. The movie definitely raises spiritual questions, which in a way, is a good thing. The movie basically suggests that you can write your own destiny if you try hard enough. This led me to ask, can we, mere mortals who can’t even know whether we’ll make it out the front door of our houses safely, write our own destiny?

This is a deep and spiritual question, which people like Oprah are asking. The New Age movement and the occult direct us to look within, to look to self to find peace and answers to life. The movie “The Adjustment Bureau” is in line with this teaching. However, will looking to self or within really be our answer? This notion presumes that we humans have a ‘good’ spiritual core, which we have simply restrained. But as Jesus said, it is from the heart, the centre of our being where evil stems from (Matthew 15:19; Mark 7:21). Jesus, who is in my opinion the most spiritual person of all time as he is God, the king of all that is spiritual, claims that looking to self or within will do us no good for we are rotten to the core. But why would Jesus say this? It's so negative and I thought spirituality was positive, right?

The answer to the above question will also answer the question of true spirituality. See, the bible teaches that God, who is eternal, created the universe and everything that exists within the universe. He made us, humans, to live in relationship with him. It also claims that we are created in his image, which basically means to reflect God by the way we live and serve. God is our dad, our protector, provider and companion. True spirituality finds its fulfilment in God. However, we all have rejected God and decided to live separate from him. We all have decided to write our own ‘plan’. However, without God, we die both spiritually and physically. It’s kind of like using a TV, which needs to be plugged into a power socket, then ripping it out of the power socket; will it still work? No way! We are the same – we need to be plugged into God or we will die.

God in his loving kindness stepped into our world as the man Jesus to rescue us from our rejection and seperation. See, we need God. You can’t be spiritual without him. So, you must be plugged into him! But how do I get plugged into God when there are so many religions? The bible explains that Jesus is God, the one and only God and the only way to true spiritual fulfilment. Ok, I get that, but Jesus lived 2 000 years ago. The bible makes this amazing claim. It claims that it is the very words of God, revealing perfectly to us the person of Jesus.

Jesus is our answer. Our rejection of God was no mere innocent rejection, but rather we declared God as our enemy. This is a crime. We are criminals before God. That’s where Jesus steps in. Jesus, being completely God, became a human to pay our penalty. Rather then you paying your fine, Jesus paid it for you (John 3:16-17; Ephesians 2:8-10). The bible says that we can be plugged back into God by trusting that Jesus has died to pay our penalty. The answer to the spiritual question is to trust Jesus and to desire to know Jesus, through his bible.

Before we finish up, let me say that trust, which the bible describes as ‘faith’, is a life transforming thing. See, if you trust someone or something, you will be moved into action. For example, if you trust a chair, you will sit on it. Likewise, if you trust Jesus then your life will reflect what you believe.

To wrap up, Oprah and the spiritual guru’s have got it all wrong. True spirituality is a life that is plugged into Jesus. Anything else is faulty and false. We cannot write our own destinies for God, who is all powerful has written the ending to the greatest story ever told and that is the victory of Jesus over sin, death and suffering. Why not plug into Jesus today.

Life (6): Who wants their tab paid?

You’re out with your best mate – you both order a beer and something to eat. The night draws to a close and your mate realises that he or she doesn’t have any money left – what do you do? Do you (A) tell him to get in the kitchen and start cleaning, (B) Run, or (C) Pay the bill for him?

Without a doubt, one of the most Aussie things to do is pick up someone else’s bill at the pub or restaurant. I have 9 years of pub attendance experience, 4 months in England and absolutely picking up the bill sets us apart as a bill paying nation. Think about, you’re out with your mates and family at a nice restaurant and everyone is having a great time reminiscing about the third test. Each person orders a delicious meal, a few drinks and a dessert. The night draws to an end, and rather than splitting the bill, your buddy stands up and says, “This ones on me, I’ve got this one”. It’s awesome when someone does that hey? Real Aussie blokes aren’t about hugs and kisses, pinches on the butt, or even back waxes and hair styles, but rather, us Aussie men are about picking up someone else’s bill!

Christians believe that the bible is about God who created the universe to be in relationship with him. It explains that we have all rebelled against him and do our own thing rather then what he wants. When we do things like lie, cheat, steal, not do something we should do or do the right thing out of the wrong motive we work up a bill, which we owe to God. The bible says that the payment for our bill is death and eternal separation from God.

What we need is someone to come and pay our bill for us. That’s right, we need a real Aussie bloke. So, God came to earth 2000 years ago – you might know him – his name was Jesus. His mission was to pay our bill. That’s right; Jesus was a good Aussie bill paying bloke! He didn’t have long flowing hair and a nice waxed back; he was a bloke! The bible says that Jesus lived a perfect life – he never rebelled against his Father. He was arrested, tortured and eventually, crucified – basically they executed him. Three days later Jesus was resurrected and he is now reigning in heaven as the king. The bible says that whoever believes in Jesus death and resurrection will have eternal life – because Jesus has paid the bill for those who trust him. When you let him into your life, he starts working things out and fixing you up so you can live for the King. Christians aren’t claiming to be really good people who get to go to heaven because we are good, but we are people who have had our bills paid for by Jesus.

For our sake God made Jesus to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become part of God’s family (2 Corinthians 5:21)

So, if you sit there now with your bill starring you in the face, why not give it to Jesus to pay.

Resource Review: Death by Love

To order this product:
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Most men don’t like to talk about, but really need it. Women watch TV series and movies about it, but can’t define it. What is love? The bible tells us that God demonstrated his love for us by dying on the cross to rescue you and I from our rebellion and death (see Life Part 5).

This gospel (good news) has implications for our lives today and in this book, Mark Driscoll expertly discusses how Jesus death in our place transforms lives. Death by Love is a great read, which I thoroughly enjoyed and recommend – plus it is a real eye opener! The book is a bunch of letters Driscoll sent to members of his congregation, who were struggling with:
* Porn additions,
* Adultery,
* Self righteousness,
* The memory of terrible actions of the past (rape etc),
* Death and cancer,
* Hate,
* How to know God,
* Hell,
* Demonic attack.

Real people. Real sin. Transformed lives. A compilation of heartfelt letters written from a pastor to his people that explains Jesus' work on the cross.

Death by Love is a unique book on the cross of Jesus Christ. While many books debate the finer points of the doctrine of the atonement, what is often lost are the real-life implications of Jesus' death on the cross for those who have sinned and have been sinned against. Written in the form of pastoral letters, Death by Love outlines the twelve primary effects of Jesus' death on the cross and connects each to the life of a different individual.

Driscoll, one of America's most influential pastors, and Breshears, a respected theologian, help readers understand, appreciate, and trust in Jesus' work on the cross in a way that will transform their lives. Both deeply theological and intensely practical, this book shows how everyone can find hope through the death of Jesus Christ.

Hardback, 256 pages
Price: Approx. $22.95

Life (5): You Deserve to be Loved!

Can you guess where these love quotes come from:
* "It doesn't matter if the guy is perfect or the girl is perfect, as long as they are perfect for each other".
- Good Will Hunting
* Love actually is all around us.
- Hugh Grant, Love Actually
* "Promise me you'll survive. That you won't give up, no matter what happens, no matter how hopeless". 
- Titanic
* "Death can not stop true love, it can only delay it for a little while."
- The Princess Bride
*"I loved her so much I had to kill her"
- Guns and Roses

Love is all around

Love is one of those things, from a young age we think we have it for someone and the oldies around us tell us that we don’t know what we are talking about. But, what is love? We all agree that it is a feeling, a strong emotion that drives us. Some of us even go as far as to say that love is an action, which speaks louder than any word could describe! We all agree that love is so important. It is an essential ingredient in our society.

I think a good expression of this is found in our families. Parents, on the whole, demonstrate love for their children. Feeding, washing, clothing, making our beds, putting up with our rubbish, reading us stories and the list goes on. The events that stick out in our mind as an act of true selfless love is when a parent puts themselves in harm’s way to rescue their child:

September 2010 – Brian Wood was forced to brake when an out-of-control SUV came hurtling towards him in an inevitable head-on collision in Whidbey Island, Washington State. He swerved his car so that he would take the brunt of the collision, sparing his wife, who was pregnant with their first baby. Brian sadly died, while his wife and unborn child lived.

The father-to-be gave his own life to save his wife and unborn child when he swerved his car to take the impact of a fatal head-on collision.

His shattered wife stated 'I am not going to waste the gift he gave us'.

This, without a shadow of doubt sticks out in my mind as a pure act of love, don’t you think? With selfless acts like this, you have to say that love is all around us, isn’t it?

What is love?

We are a loving society aren’t we? How about these love quotes from the ultimate lovers of this generation who influence the our families:
* He who loves 50 people will have 50 woes; he who loves no one has no woes! Budda
* My goal was to show true love between a man and a woman. Hugh Hefner
* I will always love Simone, I will make her my other priority (and I guess Liz Hurley would have to be the other half!). Shane Warne

I picked these blokes because Budda has been considered one of the world’s most influential teachers, Hugh Hefner’s porn industry is statistically the Western world’s favourite past time and Warnie is considered one of Australia’s favourite sons. Add to that statistics which demonstrate an alarming increase in relationship breakdowns, domestic violence and child abuse.

We all hold families and love as an important facet of our society but let’s be honest with each other, do we really understand what love is? Looking at the voices of our culture, my answer is no, because our society today looks for answers in the wrong place.

Jesus, our solution

I know this will hit some people really hard, as the majority of my own extended family has experienced the pain of relationship breakdown. Though, more and more, I am convinced that the answer to this problem is not better counselling or therapy, but we need what the bible calls a new heart.

The bible is essentially about Jesus, and it explains that Jesus is God, who created the universe to be in a loving relationship with him (I’ll point out there is more to this but God didn’t create us because he was lonely but because he is a loving God). But our relationship with God has been broken because of our rebellion. This separation from God is corroding all of our society because we live opposed to God and will one day face judgement.

So what is love? Jesus said “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends”(John 15:13). Love is an emotion that causes and drives us to act. Love is selfless and Jesus, who is God says that he loves us and he proves this by dying on the cross for our rebellion! Jesus does for us what Brian Wood did for his wife, and what did his wife say in response? We can’t and we won’t experience true love until we meet the inventor of love, Jesus Christ. Our lives, families and society are dying and Jesus, out of love died to rescue us from this corrosion.

You don’t have to do anything but trust Jesus, as it is written in the bible:

For our sake God made Jesus to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become part of God’s family (2 Corinthians 5:21)

Resource Review: Game Day for the Glory of God: A Guide for Athletes, Fans, & Wannabes

To order this product:
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Did you know that Jesus created sport for our enjoyment? For more information on this, check out Life (4): World Cup Tears.

It just landed on my desk, so I haven’t read it yet, but it looked good as I read the back and flipped through. Here’s why I’m planning to read it: Because I’m a Christian and a sports fan, and I want to think better through how my time playing and watching sports should be lived to God’s glory. Additionally, I know that Jesus created sport for our enjoyment so I want to learn how I can glorify him through my enjoyment of sport. This book is barely a hundred pages—short enough for the stereotypical sports fan to read (like me).


Paperback, 130 pages
Price Approx: $9.95

Life (4): World Cup Tears

Sport has the habit of bringing out our best and our worst. The raw emotion and sheer dedication by any serious fan can be, quick frankly, rather intense! The greatest sporting moment in my mind was in the cricket, Steve Waugh’s hundred against England at the Sydney Cricket Ground. Against all the odds, Steve smashed the Poms all around the ground and he had everyone going crazy in process. Add to that the FIFA Soccer World Cup. The skill, determination and passion of the players who contest the cup. The fans come by the million – soccer is the world’s most popular sport!

Sport has this way of driving people mad! A great example of this is Australia’s campaign to host the 2022 Soccer World Cup. The Australian Government dedicated over 20 million dollars to the campaign, which sadly will be coming out of our (Aussie tax payers) pockets. Thousands of people hit the streets awaiting the announcement of the result. Australia was competing against Qatar who mounted a good campaign but in the eyes of the Aussies, it was no match for them. FIFA guaranteed Aussie votes and as a result, most Aussies thought we had this in the bag. Until, the result came and Qatar had done the impossible by winning the bid.

The Aussie fans were destroyed, as if the world was coming to an end. Let’s face it, when it all boils down, sport is basically a bunch of men or women running around on a patch of grass chasing a piece of leather around. How can sport demand so much power and influence then? In a lot of ways, sport is a kind of modern day god or religion. It weaves itself through the fabric of our lives, demanding our money, time and devotion. Sports stars are modern day prophets calling us to give more time and money. We send our kids to sporting clinics to hone their skills and we watch copious amounts of sport on television. We have pictures of our gods (sports stars) around our house and we even want to mimic our gods.

Please don’t get me wrong, I love sport, play sport and watch sport. Sport is a great way to meet people and have a great time in the process. What I want you to do while you read this is examine your devotion to sport. I want you to understand that sport is not life. They are two separate entities that seem to have meshed. Then I want you to think, is sport my god? Does it rule my life? Can I live without sport? Is it worth it in the end?

Did you know that Jesus created sport for your enjoyment and pleasure? He even wants you to enjoy and engage in sport. What he wants through this is your love and admiration. He created sport for enjoyment and not for you to worship. Jesus wants us to worship him as God.

They exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! (Romans 1:25)

Let me now return to the opening remarks of this article by saying that my favourite sporting moment , which out does any cricket or soccer moment, happened two thousand years ago in Jerusalem. It was a well fought battle between two foes, Jesus vs Satan. Satan nailed Jesus to the cross, believing that this would defeat him, but Jesus divine knowledge out witted Satan and the cross simply took away the sins of those who trust Jesus. Satan was easily defeated, Jesus painfully victories. Jesus then rose from the grave three days later and he now reigns as king of the world! I love sport and I encourage you to get involved, but I also encourage you to worship the creator of sport, Jesus Christ, the king of the universe!

I leave you with this verse form the creator of the universe:

For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God (2 Corinthians 5:21)

If you enjoyed reading this post, check out:
Life (1): This is my show
Life (2): Where in the world can I find joy?
Life (3): You are worth more than a trillion dollars!

Check out this years Christmas special:What the (2): Santa, Dutch Sailors and Coca Cola

Life (3): You are worth more than a Trillion Dollars!

The previous articles on ‘Life’ (Part 1 and Part 2), alongside the ‘Owned’ series (Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3) have been very popular! I want to continue delving into the human psyche by examining - how having a relationship with God can be fulfilling, even in times of challenge and hard ship. However, before we engage with this topic, I would like to talk about the notion of ‘significance’. As an adult living in a major city, it can be hard to see yourself as a significant human, don’t you think? I am one of millions of people roaming around the busy streets of Sydney. It sometimes feels like I am a little insignificant ant serving the queen. Can you identify with me?

There is a growing epidemic of depression, suicide and self medication (alcohol, drugs etc). As I stated in my previous post (Part 2), the emotional wellbeing of Australians and Americans is under the hammer. I stated that we need to make Jesus the ultimate person in our lives and not other things. Today, I would like to explore a second facet to why we are so down in the dumps - why do we feel like little fish in a great big pond full of whales (significant people).

The source of significance

Let me begin by posing you a question – what makes you a significant human being? In the Western world, capitalism reigns (which I am not against). Our worth is measured by our bank accounts, where we live, what kind of job we have, who our friends are and so on. We conform to these measures by setting up frameworks for building significance in our lives. This is then fed by the media, who preaches to us daily on how we can attain significance and be like the stars. It is one gigantic system that either feeds our pride or leads us into depression.

So what if you fail to meet up to the criteria of significance? This may lead to us questioning our identity and our worth. We are led into a spiral of depression and ultimately, if fully generated, a destructive lifestyle. Not everyone meets this down fall but, according to the statistics (see McGraw-Hill, 2004) we all face emotional turmoil at some point in our lives. Please note, there are obviously more causes of depression then the two that I have covered in my last two posts, but these two causes (possessions and significance) are very significant in most people’s lives.

How can anyone love me, including God?

I want to delve a little deeper now into this notion of significance. Life can feel like a roller coaster ride at times as we work to build significance. According the bible, God created the entire human race in his image (Genesis 1:26-27). Additionally, scripture claims that God has carefully and lovingly knitted you together while you were in your mother’s womb (Psalm 139:13-17; Job 10:11). He loves us above all things that he created. We have all been created to reflect God in his world, which he did because he loves us. God looks down from heaven and counts us all as significant and important. In God’s eyes you are worth more than you can imagine!

Alright, then what has gone wrong? Why are we all looking for significance elsewhere? We all, according to the bible, have chosen to worship other things rather worshipping God (Genesis 3:5-7), which was our initial design. As a result, we forget God and live for ourselves, which leads to us to be driven to find significance in things that aren’t designed to give us this need. We build frameworks to give us security, which feeds our significance:

They exchanged the glory of God for the image of an ox that eats grass (Psalm 106:20)

I’m not saying that you have built an ox, but instead we build careers or relationships, which drive our life and give us significance rather than God. Our problem is not that we need more acknowledgements, but rather we need God.

The solution

Let me say, no matter how hard you work, you will never be satisfied with the things that you build, which are there to give you significance. Why? We aren’t programmed to find significance in these areas. Do you feel this in your life, like something is missing? We are all missing a full relationship with God, which can be mended. God who loves you demonstrates his love for you by providing a cure to this problem: God, who is perfect and all powerful, stepped off his throne in heaven and came down as the man Jesus and died on a cross to take away all of your brokenness and rebellion. Jesus came to earth to give us back our significance in this life. You and I are made significant in God, which can be found only in his Son Jesus, who is our Lord and Saviour.

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him (John 3:16-17)

If this has impacted you, why not turn to Jesus right now. Acknowledge that you have found significance in things other than Jesus. Ask him to teach you how to live for him. Lay down your life in the hands of Jesus. Only there will you find significance. Life will still have troubles and hard times, but you will now the one true living God, who made you in his image.

Resource Review: For the Love of God Volume 2

"For the Love of God" Volume 2 is a fantastic read. I found this book easy to read and it accompanied my bible reading well. I strongly recommend this book to those who would like to enrich their reading with some short but easily accessible devolution's by Don Carson. Below is a short blurb about the book:

As with Volume 1, Volume 2 of Don Carson's reworking of McCheyne's Bible reading system includes reflections on each day's scripture passages. Read through the New Testament and Psalms twice and Old Testament once in a year.

Here is a brief summary about the author:

• D. A. Carson (Ph.D., Cambridge University) is research professor of New Testament at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Deerfield, Illinois, and he has also served as a pastor. His areas of expertise include biblical theology, the historical Jesus, postmodernism, pluralism, Greek grammar, Johannine theology, Pauline theology, and questions of suffering and evil.
• Dr. Carson has written or edited more than 45 books, including The Sermon on the Mount; Exegetical Fallacies; Matthew (Revised Expistor's Bible Commentary), New Testament Commentary Survey, 6th ed.
• His book, The Gagging of God: Christianity Confronts Pluralism won the 1997 Evangelical Christian Publishers Association Gold Medallion Award. Recent works include Christ and Culture Revisited; The Intolerance of Tolerance; Galatians and Revelation (Pillar New Testament Commentary); Hebrews (Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament) and 1-3 John (New International Greek Testament Commentary)

416 pages
Price: Approx. $19.95

Resource Review: For the Love of God Volume 1

Don Carson has reworked the classic Robert Murray McCheyne Bible reading system (schedule for reading the bible in one year) for easier use, guiding you through the New Testament and Psalms twice, and the Old Testament once in the course of 365 days. This is an invaluable resource, which includes a one-page explanation of the text and devotional comments for each day.

Here is a brief summary about the author:

• D. A. Carson (Ph.D., Cambridge University) is research professor of New Testament at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Deerfield, Illinois, and he has also served as a pastor. His areas of expertise include biblical theology, the historical Jesus, postmodernism, pluralism, Greek grammar, Johannine theology, Pauline theology, and questions of suffering and evil.
• Dr. Carson has written or edited more than 45 books, including The Sermon on the Mount; Exegetical Fallacies; Matthew (Revised Expistor's Bible Commentary), New Testament Commentary Survey, 6th ed.
• His book, The Gagging of God: Christianity Confronts Pluralism won the 1997 Evangelical Christian Publishers Association Gold Medallion Award. Recent works include Christ and Culture Revisited; The Intolerance of Tolerance; Galatians and Revelation (Pillar New Testament Commentary); Hebrews (Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament) and 1-3 John (New International Greek Testament Commentary)

400 pages
Price: Approx. $19.95

Life (2): Where in the world can I find joy?

I have been blessed growing up in Australia. We (those who live in Australia) enjoy freedom of choice in many areas of life; these include choosing where we will work and live, we enjoy plenty of food and drink, we are able to practice public worship without severe persecution and we enjoy plenty of support from the government. We have everything at our fingertips – clothing, restaurants and recreational activities.

With all these luxuries at our doorstep, you would think that the general emotional landscape of the population would be pretty good. However, according to the statistics, depression in adults is doubling, and even more alarming is the rate of childhood depression, which has risen by 23% (statistcs provided by McGraw-Hill, 2004). We have everything, then why are we so depressed?


A culture left wanting

Built into our culture is this inherent desire to acquire more possessions. The common wisdom in our society is the belief that if we only had more stuff, then we would be happier. But is this true? Currently, the Australian economy is stronger ever, on average people are wealthier, own more property and have a greater access to the basic needs like health care, food and water, clothing and education. You must conclude that Australians are well off, yet are unhappier than ever. Statistics express that every Australian will, at some point in their life, experience depression. So, is more stuff and the pursuit of happiness the answer to our well being? I really don’t think so if you consider the statistics!

Our ultimate need

Jesus, the creator, saviour and king of the universe makes this huge call (Note: if you read this bible passage out of context, you will be really confused). Jesus in Luke’s Gospel (Luke 14:26-27) explains:

"If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.

Previous to this passage in Luke 14, Jesus, after jarring the Jewish religious elite, had taught the lawyers, Pharisees and his disciples that God desires for us to show mercy, compassion and love to our fellow man. He then injects verses 26 and 27 into the equation (above passage). What is he saying? Has Jesus gone mad? One minute he says love and then the next he says hate- what’s going on? Jesus is addressing a huge issue within the human condition – the heart! Our problem is our heart – the soul.

We all have this yearning inside of us to make something ultimate in our life, or as some would say, to worship something. Some of us make sport ultimate; others make their kids or family, while others make their jobs ultimate or central to their well being. Jesus teaches that we must make him ultimate in our life. In the Luke passage (Luke 14:26-27), he is not promoting that we hate other people, but rather that we will worship him as the one true God. Doing this may be embarrassing as those around you may not agree with you belief in Jesus (Luke14:27). But, Jesus goal in life is to bring us real and fulfilling joy, which comes through a relationship with him.

Consider this

I guess what we need to ask ourselves is, firstly, do you have a relationship with Jesus? Secondly, have you laid you whole life down before him? Are there things holding you back from Jesus? The pursuit of possessions will only bring us momentary happiness, but a life fixed on and centred around Jesus, as our saviour and king, will bring us full and complete joy. Family, leisure, sport, steak and wine are all amazing gifts from God for us to enjoy. A fulfilling life and the experience of true joy will only be had if we bring our sin and rebellion before Jesus and let him take control of our lives (Luke 14:33).

And we are writing these things so that our joy may be complete (1 John 1:4)

Resource Review: A Fresh Start

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Don't you think it's time for a fresh start? Are you searching for answers to what God whats from your life?

Probably the best-selling Australian Christian book of our generation John Chapman's clear, persuasive and engaging presentation of the news of Jesus is as fresh, and readable as ever. The book gives a straightforward explanation of our problem before God, his solution how we can know it is all true, and what we should do about it. This rightly remains at the top of the list of books to give to non-Christian friends and colleagues.

224 pages
Price: Approx. $9.95

Life (1): This is my Show!

Bon Jovi once said “It’s my life, and it’s now or never, I ante gonna live forever... I just want live my life”. The Black Eyed Peas added to the conversation with their song “Do what you want”. Pink even had a crack by stating “I don’t give a damn I don’t play your rules I make my own.... I’ll do what I want cause I can”. I want to pause for a moment and ask you, what do you consider to be the purpose and drive of your life? Generally most people of this era would answer – You are an individual; own your life; take what you want; live as much as you can because you’ll only live for 100 yrs max; if you burn some bridges, well, who cares, they had it coming to them anyway; just make the most it! Have something to show for it at the end!

We are encouraged and enticed daily by the media to spend it up, live it up and play it up. To be honest, don't we all just want to have some fun? Why not, we earned it didn’t we? We work hard during the week and deserve our just desserts. There is nothing better than an awesome holiday at the end of a hard slog at work; kicking back in the sun on a beautiful beach in the tropics. I remember just last year in the October holidays travelling with my stunning wife to Fiji. What a trip it was! We enjoyed the sun, surf, delicious food and drinks and the company of some extremely friendly hosts. I was able to watch the GF between the Eels and the Storm with over 100 crazy Fijian Jarrod Hayne fans. What a great time. Life is good that is for sure and we really need to make the most of it don’t we?

Let me point out that I am not against enjoying life, taking holidays or having fun. However, in this article, I want to share with you a passage of scripture about the Apostle Paul who views his life in a different light. Keep in mind that Paul was a former murderer of Christians and staunch hater of Jesus. He was a very intelligent man and well trained in the Jewish scriptures. One day, however, Jesus came and turned his life upside down. The following passage is taken from Acts 20:18-24 (link for the whole chapter of Acts 20), a speech by Paul:

When they arrived, he said to them, "You know how I spent the whole time I was with you, from the first day I arrived in the province of Asia. With all humility and many tears I did my work as the Lord's servant during the hard times that came to me because of the plots of some Jews. You know that I did not hold back anything that would be of help to you as I preached and taught in public and in your homes. To Jews and Gentiles alike I gave solemn warning that they should turn from their sins to God and believe in our Lord Jesus. And now, in obedience to the Holy Spirit I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there. I only know that in every city the Holy Spirit has warned me that prison and troubles wait for me. But I reckon my own life to be worth nothing to me; I only want to complete my mission and finish the work that the Lord Jesus gave me to do, which is to declare the Good News about the grace of God.

Paul was radically transformed by Jesus. Previously to this, he was a sinner above all sinners who was surely condemned to hell. But by the awesome power of Jesus death on the cross, he had been forgiven of all his stuff ups and mistakes and was offered a new and fulfilling life. Paul had come to the knowledge that he owed his entire life to the man who had rescued him from sin and death. Paul now states “I reckon my own life to be worth nothing to me; I want to (paraphrasing here) do what my rescuer and master has called on me to do”.

Jesus death on the cross changes everything! Let me tell you a story that may try and relate this with you. Put yourself in this man’s shoes:

I was mowing the front lawn on a beautiful summer’s day. I was keen to get my jobs around the house done so I could take my three year old son out to the beach. He played with his ball nearby me as I mowed. Suddenly, he kicked his ball and before I could notice, he was out on the road collecting it. A car swerved to miss him and slammed into a telegraph pole. The driver sustained serious head injuries – he would never function the same again.

How would you feel if you were this father? The driver of the car had sacrificed his wellbeing for the little boy. Paul, likewise feels this burden. He had been rescued from certain peril by one loving act by Jesus death on the cross. This offer is also available to you. Have you ever considered a relationship with Jesus? He wants to rescue you for your sin. Check out this video below:

I guess we need to close with either one of two responses:

Firstly, what direction is your life taking? Is it directed towards the constant pursuit of stuff or is it aimed at living for your creator, Jesus? The bible states that our purpose in life is to live in relationship with him (for more see Christians Believe (1), but because of sin, this relationship has become fractured (for more see Christians Believe (2)  This very relationship between you and God can be mended by you turning to God, acknowledging that you have fallen away and want to be forgiven through his Son Jesus. As I said- the cross changes everything.

Or secondly, as a Christian, it is hard for you to keep in mind the words of Paul- Count you life not as your own but as Christs? But how does this play out in everyday life? I guess we need to examine our hearts. Are there idols in your life that you need to repent of- greed, work, pride? Are there things taking you away from Jesus and loving and caring for his people? Is your life everything or is Christ, yor rescuer?

I will finish with this question – What will you have to show for at the end of your life- lots of your stuff and experiences or a fulfilling and complete life with your creator? Let Jesus own your life now.

Maybe you are asking the question, ‘Does Jesus really make a difference?’ Well, below are three links to proof that Jesus transforms lives- enjoy:
Owned (1): A Rocker’s Faith
Owned (2): A Thirsty Faith
Owned (3): An Addictive Faith

Resource Review: A Spectators Guide to World Views

Simon Smart has put together a great book that addresses the differing views influencing our culture today. I strongly recommend this book to those who have questions about what influences our views on the way the world works. Great for those who are Christian and those who are not.

Why do I think the way I think? How do I make sense of a world that would have me believe that all truth is relative; or that people are basically good, or that as humans we can work it out on our own? Can I really just look within myself to find the strength to carry on? Where do I find hope, meaning and purpose?

This lively, accessible 'spectator's guide' highlights society's most influential voices - including New Age, Secular Humanism, Relativism and Postmodernism. Readers will be rewarded with a way to process the complex messages of our 21st century world, and how these relate to a Christian worldview.

254 pages
Price: Approx. $24.95

Resource Review: A Spectators Guide to World Religions

The world is a very religious place. Wherever you look, people are worshiping, praying, believing, following, even dying for their faith. But are all faiths the same? Do they all call on the same God using different names? Are their beliefs and practices simply cultural expressions of the same spiritual truth?

In this timely book, John Dickson presents each of the world's major religions in its best light. He carefully outlines the history, belief systems and spiritual practices of Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, Christianity and Islam so that the interested 'spectator' can explore their similarities and differences.

For believers, sceptics and students of religion alike, the Spectator's Guide provides a fair and friendly introduction to this ultimate subject.

Author Information:
John Dickson is Australia's best selling Christian author, with sales in excess of 150,000 copies. One alone, A Sneaking Suspicion, has sold more than 50,000 copies in Australia, New Zealand, and the UK. John's books focus on the relevance of faith in the modern world. Born in Sydney, John Dickson has a PhD in Ancient History from Macquarie University and holds a position of Honorary Associate in Ancient History, Macquarie University. He also has an Honours degree in Theology. John started his career as a singer/songwriter and recorded with rock band In the Silence for 7 years. He also hosted the nationally broadcast Christian music TV program Swordfish on Network 10 for 2 years, interviewing guests and reviewing music.

264 pages
Price: Approx. $24.95

Resource Review: Bright Lights Dark Nights

There are many Christians who are in the public eye. Simon Smart has put together a great book that details the impact Jesus has had on the lives of the famous.

Stories have a way of getting under our skin; they are especially powerful in illuminating life's deepest questions and struggles. This is particularly true in the area of faith. Where a carefully constructed theological explanation of God's existence may leave us cold, one person's account of extraordinary endurance challenges our convictions and stirs our imagination.

In the exciting new book, Bright Lights, Dark Nights, we talk with 13 remarkable Australians and share in their personal stories of faith. Two renowned doctors, a judge, two professional sportsmen, a television newsreader, a policeman, a former prisoner and his wife, a court chaplain, a soldier, the head of an aid organisation, and a mum to many. Some are well known and highly respected; others just 'ordinary' people whose stories you'll never forget.

This book will encourage you to persevere and inspire others to believe.

Contributors:
Tim Costello
Assoc. Professor John Yeo
Carolyn Stedman
Justin Langer
Justice John Gilmour
Major Joyce Harmer
Cameron and Rachel Watt
Andrew Scipione
Leigh Hatcher
Aaron Baddeley
Brigadier (ret.) Jim Wallace
Professor Bruce Robinson

165 pages, Paperback
Price: Approx. $19.96

Resource Review: Vintage Jesus

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This is a brilliant book for those investigating Jesus and Christianity. Easy to read and funny throughout, Vintage Jesus tackles the myths and false views created through two thousand years of religion. I strongly recommend this book as we head into the ‘Who was Jesus’ series.

Some two thousand years after he walked the earth, Jesus Christ is still a hot topic. And for all the ridiculous, twisted, Da Vinci Code-esque- conspiracy theories and lies about Jesus that have permeated popular culture and even the academy over the years, the truth about his character, nature, and work has not changed. So what exactly is the truth about Jesus Christ?

That's the question the authors of Vintage Jesus seek to answer by breaking it down into a number of sub-questions about Jesus, including
• Is Jesus the only God?
• Why did Jesus come to earth?
• Did Jesus rise from death?
• Why should we worship Jesus?

Nonbelievers and new Christians looking to sit down and delve into the topic of Jesus, asking the toughest, most confounding questions they can think of, will find solid, biblical answers presented in a relevant, accessible way.

176 pages from Re: Lit
Price: Approx. $21.95

Resource Review: God’s Big Picture

If you have been stirred by Christians Believe (6), why not have a read of God’s Big Picture. Very easy to read outlining the basic points of Christianity.

Sixty-six books written by forty people over nearly 2,000 years, in two languages and several different genres. A worldwide bestseller published in countless sizes and bindings, translations and languages. It has been sworn by in court, fought over by religious people, quoted in arguments. The Bible is clearly no ordinary book. How can we begin to read and understand it as a whole?

In his excellent overview, Vaughan Roberts gives the big picture - showing how the different parts of the Bible fit together under the theme of the kingdom of God. He gives us both the encouragement and the tools to read it with confidence and understanding. He points us to the Bible's supreme subject, Jesus Christ, and the salvation God offers through him.

160 pages
Price: Approx. $16.95