Monthly Archives: September 2010
I Love My Church Pt 2
Acts 9:1-5, “But Saul, still breathing threats of slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, that if he found any men or women belonging to this Way, he might bring them in bonds to Jerusalem. And as he went on his journey, it came to pass that he drew near to Damascus, when suddenly a light from heaven shone round about him; and falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, ”Saul, Saul, do you persecute me?”And he said, “Who art thou Lord?” And He said, ”I am Jesus whom you are persecuting.”
Christ said: ”Why do you persecute me?”. Why didn’t he say ‘Why do you persecute My Church’? It is because His Church is his body and He is the head according to Ephesians 5:23.
The point here is this: Whatever happens to the body is registered in the head. Isn’t that true? Whatever you do to your body is registered in your head.
Church is the Body – Christ is the head. Whatever you do to the Body of Christ – the Church will be registered in the Head.
- When you backstab the body it is registered in the head
- When you are angry at the body it is registered in the head
- When you are not committed to the body it is registered in the head
- When you dishonor the body it is registered in the head
- When you neglect the body it is registered in the head.
- When you don’t give to the body it is registered in the cash register of the head
Whatever you do to the Church you do it Christ
- When you serve the Church you are serving the Head – Christ
- When you speak well of the Church you are speaking well of the Head
- When you represent the Church well in the World, You are representing the Head well
- When mistreat the Church you mistreat the Head.
- When you abuse the Church, you abuse the Head.
Love Christ by loving the Church
Pastors Jim & Anneke
These guys are doing an awesome work in Manurewa, pastoring a great church in our town.
Spring Time
I love Spring Time. There is a sense of freshness that comes with it. For some reason I always feel positive and excited from September onward. It starts with Fathers day on the first Sunday and then my birthday the following week. A good start to Summer.
By the way if you live in New Zealand don’t forget to put your clock forward on Saturday Night before you go to bed!
How to maintain vision during challenging times
I was at a leaders gathering recently and someone asked me a question on ‘maintaining your vision’ during difficult times, meaning when people criticize the vision and no resources to fulfill your dreams and so on. My immediate answer was: ‘Its HARD’, I gave him a few tips, hope they were ok, but here are some lessons I have learnt along the way that have helped me to sustain my faith in God and the vision that God has placed in my heart.
- Don’t listen to critics. The negative people, especially the ones who never took any risk in their lives for God. Just because they have been Christians for a long time, it does not give them the right to criticize the risk you are taking to extend the Kingdom of God. Most people are critical because they are scared of the risk or the costs involved. By the way if you are a pastor, those are the types of people that should not be on your leadership team. They will kill the dream, suck the life out of you, come up with all sorts of excuses, even quote Bible verses to satisfy their lack of faith. These are the people who will try to make church ‘a nice little kumbayah fellowship’.
- Prayer. Your prayer life is so important during challenging times. Maintain an open line with God. I have a spot on Mangere Mountain where I go to when I need to pray those prayers that I don’t want anyone to hear. There is a tree there that knows all my prayer requests, my complaints to God and even the names of the people that I mention in my prayers. One of the best advice I received as a young pastor was ‘Find yourself some intercessors”. Let them know of what is going on and any opposition you are facing.
- Let the problems become your teacher. Look at the situation you are facing, let it teach you something new. Open your eyes, ears and heart and learn, even if you have faced that problem before. Its never too late to learn. Find the lessons in every trial, and in every problem. Journal those lessons, write them down so that when the storm is over you can say, ‘thank God for those times, I am now a better person, a better leader because of those problems’.
- Maintain a sweet spirit. Criticisms can quickly give you a long face, a hardened heart and an angry spirit. Listen to worship songs. Always operate in the opposite spirit. When they criticize you, speak well of them. When they talk of you, you pray for them.
- Surround yourself with the right people: Listen to people who are encouraging and positive. People who have your heart and your back not just your face. Hang out with them. You may have to pay for the meals but it’s worth it.
- If you have to confront the culprit, go for it. God will give you the wisdom and words to say. Let love be in abundance!
- Never listen to the ‘Lack of Resource’ lie. There is no such thing. Resources follow ministry. If ministry follows resources you will end up in a mess. Some people will only start a ministry if there is money available. My advice is, start a ministry if God has called you and if there is a need. Money or no money! Negative people find it hard to believe and understand that principle.
- Focus on the Big Picture and the end result. Most critics only see the tip of the ice berg. You the visionary know more and have seen more in your spirit. Stay Focused.
Like this:
Burning the Quran
Rev Terry Jones has decided that his ‘Burning the Quran’ event will not go ahead. http://preview.tinyurl.com/2v2pfbo
That’s great but the damage has been done. Violence has erupted as a result of this unnecessary stunt. A Church in India has been set on fire by Muslims http://t.co/zSiaVBx.
There is no greater time to show love and peace for the Muslims than now. They are real people with real needs just like everyone else. Christ said: Love the Lord your God with all your heart and all your mind and all your soul and all your strength. Then Love your neighbour as yourself. There are no distinctions, exceptions, discriminations in that command of our Lord.
We need to love everyone. whether Hindus, atheists, agnostics, Buddhist, Tongans, Africans, Indians, prostitutes, gangsters, business people, politicians, streets kids……………..
The greatest witness is Love in action. That’s what John 3:16 is all about. Love in Action. Lets show the love of God through simple acts of kindness and a word of encouragement. Love the Muslims into the kingdom of God not hate them to hell. Burning the Quran is not going to do any good whatsoever.
If there’s anything we need to burn now is calories!
Enough said!
Level 42
- Level 42 was one the greatest bands back in the 80s and 90s. I think Mark King is still the meanest bass player of all time!! Bring back the Funk!
- On Sunday I turned 42 and yesterday I was thinking about the fact that I am now on a new level, age wise. I also think that I am coming to a new season and a new level of what God has called me to do.
- Every time there is a new season there is also a new sense expectation. On Sunday Pastor David Katina made all of us at church touch our stomachs and say these words ‘I am expecting’!
- I know that’s a bad picture for us men but prophetically I believe ‘I am expecting’.
- Before something new is birthed, labour pains will kick in first.
- I am ready!
- I am ready for the pain because I want to see the new life come forth. I want to see the new thing God is doing. I want to see New Life in the people and in our community.
- Someone once said, New Levels – New Devils.
- I say ‘Bring it on’.
- Bring on the devils
- My greater days are ahead of me!
- My past will not hinder me.
- I know who I am in God so I want to take it to a ‘WHOLE-NUTHA- LEVEL’
Weekend Reflections
- Its such a joy to see people give their lives to Christ for the first time. At the end of the day that is what church is all about. It is about people making a spiritual connection with their Father in heaven. It is about souls saved. The rest is daily obedience to Christ and applying the truths of His Word.
- It was my birthday on Sunday and they had this humongous chocolate cake outside the courtyard during morning tea. Thanks church, I appreciate you aroha. I felt like a five year old blowing his 42 candles. I enjoyed watching so many kids standing in the line to get a piece of my birthday cake. One of them said to me, ‘I want to have my birthday on the same day as you so I can get a chocolate cake! I felt like giving her the whole cake to take home.
- Some great connections with new people on Sunday. One of them said to me ‘Man your church is so different, how often do you have these special services?. I said, ‘Every Sunday is special’.
- Saw some people that we have praying for specifically, coming to church. God is still in the business of answering prayers. To the all the people in LifeChurch who are still yet to see their loved ones in church and in Christ, keep praying. Seeing them surrender to Christ is like spending a few seconds in heaven. Its worth it. Kia Kaha!
- They made me dance on Sunday morning in front of the whole church. Its not a good idea to have your birthday fall on a Sunday at LifeChurch. I have been doing it to the church over the last few years and on Sunday I had to swallow my own medicine. Michael Jackson was one of my best moonwalk students!!
- Our friends David & Debbie Katina pastors of Great LifeChurch in Hawaii spoke powerfully on Sunday Morning. Debbie a teacher of the Word and David an evangelistic preacher with unusual word combos!!
- Had a great time hanging our with the Katinas and our leaders for lunch after church. Formosa is a great place!
- Who said you can’t play ‘Eye of the Tiger’, & ’Whats the time Mr. Wolf’ at church? We have a cool band. These young people are so talented.
- Over the last 2 weeks we have our pastor friends from California and Hawaii minister at LifeChurch. We have been so blessed with the ministry of the Word by Pastors Solomona and Kuka Mageo & Pastor David & Debbie Katina and their daughter Sia. Its a hard act to follow this Sunday, but according to Pastor Davids sermon on Sunday ‘I know who I am’.
- I am taking the platform this Sunday and I believe I have a Word from God for the next few Sundays.
