Wednesday, December 31, 2008

NEW YEARS BLOG - 2009: The Year to Care

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! Original I know ... but sometimes the classics are too good to pass up! Hope you had a memorable time of celebration in this last week ... I still am ... have had almost a week's break & on Tuesday am looking forward to another 2 & a half weeks!!! WOOOOO!!!

So on January 1st, for the last 15 years now I've taken some time out to get some perspective for 2009 & hear what God is saying ... or attempt to ... attempt to as in up till last year I would be hearing more based out of what I wanted to have happen in the coming year as opposed to just listening if God had anything to say about the coming year - so I've just concluded this time & thought it would be good to use as my blog for January 1st 2009 - at 11am I went to find my daily devotional, that I've used for the past 16 years & discovered it was missing - can't find it anywhere - & so i thought ... well maybe instead of using the same pattern that I've used for a decade a half it's probably time to try something new .. & this is what came out from.

I believe 2009 is ... THE YEAR TO CARE - Caring for others, caring for ourselves & receiving God's care to live in & out of both!

Sounds silly I know cos every year is a year to care & a year to live ... it's not rocket science or incredibly exciting ... not like breakthrough, miracles (although I'm sure all those will be our portion this year) ... but i feel like it's a real time to focus on Caring ... in the normality of our everyday lives ... at home, work, church & personally for ourselves - loving people, loving ourselves & loving God ALL FROM RECEIVING & KNOWING HIS LOVE FOR US!!!

I feel like the word VICTORY is a key word this year - Going beyond in care for others & ourselves, overcoming in ourselves to care for others through the LOVE of Jesus. It's a year to LIVE!

"When I live to love, I live to God, with God, for God & through God"

My Key Verse for 2009 - 1 John 4:11 "Dear ... (put your name here), since God loved (& loves) you (& sent Jesus, His Son, to be the sacrifice for ALL our sins), you surely ought (must) LOVE PEOPLE!"

In 09, as we come to our Father, not firstly for strategic purpose but for intimate relationship our trust in Him will automatically mature. As we live intimately in His love the best we know how today, our love for people matures - 2008 for me was a manifestation of maturity & I feel like 2009 is going to be the next step in this - step by step, line by line - normal by normal. Our love-life & care-life, our steadiness & depth in God will be seen & measured by our love & care for people. Watch for certain things that have taken time to take up far less of your time so you can be with people!

I'll close with this thought ... In the Greek 1 John 4:11 is pretty much translated as one word -AGAPAO - many of you would know the word AGAPE - which has exactly the same meaning as AGAPAO except for one difference = Both Words mean "the active love of God for His Son & His people & the active love His people are to have for Him, each other & even their enemies." The only difference is that AGAPE'S literal mean is 'THE LOVE FEAST' (extraordinary, unconditional, unfailing love) - whereas AGAPAO doesn't have that ... it's like "The common Love, the Normal Love" It's the Love that says

"YOU DON'T HAVE TO DO ANYTHING TOO DIFFERENT ... JUST LOVE AS YOU LIVE!" or maybe JUST LIVE & LOVE AS YOU GO ... help us Lord to know you love & care for us because it all comes out of this

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!!! Much Love!!!

Might be a few weeks with no blogs as I go on holiday ... spread the love to some of your friends & family if these have helped you ... or maybe get your own thoughts out there!!!

TILL AFTER HOLIDAYS!!!

Tuesday, December 23, 2008

CHRISTMAS BLOG ... He Lives among us!!!

hey Everyone ... I love Christmas ... so much ... our Church celebrates Christmas so wonderfully ... hope yours does too ... if u don't go to Church maybe this is a good time 2 check one out or maybe go back to one .. don't worry you won't stand out .. it's the time of the year where heaps of the 'extended community'come ...

In whatever Church u enter or thing u do I pray this Christmas that everyone one of u reading this blog will find JESUS! I hear it often said that Jesus was born to die ... & that's definitely true ... but Jesus was firstly born to live ... to live with humanity, be with humanity & to make known who The Father really is & what he is really like - so this Christmas - JESUS LIVING AMONG US: Some thoughts to think about:

* Jesus was brought to us by the Grace of God - AMAZING, AMAZING, AMAZING GRACE - I gotta feeling I'm gonna find this out a whole lot more in the next 12 months. Every single thing of value & worth in our lives has only been brought to us by the scandalous Grace of our Father God!

* Jesus was tempted in every point we are (not specifics we are - Jesus wasn't tempted to smoke Crack I don't think ... Peter might've been :) Jesus was tempted to perceive for self, protect self & position & promote self ... or the lust of the eyes, flesh & pride of life .... he's knows us & our depravity, our weakness ... it doesn't surprise him in the least & at the same time he doesn't remember or view us in any of it if we have ACCEPTED that GOD LOVES US & HAS FORGIVEN US OF ALL SIN - past, present & future - Father: I believe - help my unbelief (My Friend Jamie asked me today "ARAN: Does God love you", my reply - "I believe he does" - Jamie's reply in essence was "Do u talk to everyone that clinically?" - big thought hey!!!)

* Jesus had no permanent living place on earth because He came to make His living place with us

*Jesus was relationally let down & still brought these people back to the place of heart-to-heart relationship with Him ... I'm believing for reconciliation in all our lives this Christmas ... think of that one person right now & pray & believe for reconciliation in Jesus name ... we come into agreement with u on it

* Jesus was tired & weary ... so we can't feel guilty for feeling weary or tired because Jesus was .. it's just life

* finally (just for a bit of controversy) had Jesus been on earth before? Some way or another ... not as Jesus but as the 2nd member of the Godhead in another form? Won't even go into it ... just asking :) Naughty I know

Wherever ur this Christmas, whether this time means joy, sorrow or both be at peace & rest, knowing that the God who became human & made his dwelling among us STILL is WITH US & lives right in the middle of us ... if it looks like a mess it's most likely where Jesus will be

Merry Christmas - TILL NEXT MONDAY??? (We will see, I'll be on holidays :)

Monday, December 15, 2008

BLOG #7 - NO ONE OWES ME ANYTHING

So I had an interesting week .. u know those weeks that start well, good feelings, u do something right, encouragement comes your way ... that was Tuesday ... & then by Thursday you figure out why u received that encouragement ... to draw on in the middle of discouragement!

The last 5 years for me have brought some big inward change ... & feel like it's just beginning. The purpose I know for all this stuff is Christ-Likeness ... that suffering responded to in faith produces endurance, character, HOPE!

Well ... by Thursday I wasn't thinking about that stuff ... I was feeling ... something I'm not really sure as a result of some loving correction I received ... not confused about the correction for that was 100% right but confused when it came to my dreams ... or lack of them now ... I have lived up until the last 12 months so much in dreams for the future that now when I live in the present I don't know quite what to do with dreams, desires etc ... do I have them, don't I, just continue to live believing & trusting God & it will all come together ... all this stuff at once.

So as I'm attempting to find some sense of what God is doing in me my mother-in-law, Karen, comes around today & tells me she's had a revelation - that God doesn't owe us anything .. Think about that ... God doesn't owe us anything ... when it comes to the life i live & the joys, tests & sorrows - in all these God, the Lord, the Master as well as Father ... doesn't owe me anything ... Mum/Karen talked about the sacrifices they've made over the years ... & how those sacrifices are not a points tally that if we get 10 sacrifices or obedience ticks or 10 acts of living kindness we reap a blessing ... we reap a blessing because God the Father chooses to bless us out of His Father Heart .. but as Lord & Master he is under no obligation to fulfill any dream, bring any healing, establish any plan ... He does these things because He Has chosen to out of love

And that makes me think about Thanksgiving ... My Vitamin supplier Dr Yvonne ends her emails with the old Hymn "Count your blessings, name them one by one & it will surprise you what The Lord has done!"

So some "Thoughts to think about" are Thanksgiving Thoughts to help remind me when I want to tell god what i think I'm entitled to ... that really He owes me nothing :)

1. I Thank My Father & Master that he has made me righteous! Most people live under so much guilt ... particularly when it comes to things like family, parenting, husband/wife, battles with addictions that are results of far more deeper situations than just the ending action ... i thank God that through Jesus He has made me right especially when i don't feel right ... In Him I'm still right even when I don't believe I am right ... we gotta be wrong & right at the same time ... I am wrong & need help to change ... & that change is believing that Jesus has made me right!!! Father - I believe; help my unbelief!

2. I Thank My Father & Master for My Family & Friends - Oh Lord ... "Jesus with skin on" as I've heard it described ... we went to the beach today as a staff with so many wonderful people whom have become so important to Kelista & I this year in particular - over the weeks I'm gonna start doing an honour board ... where I just give what's due 2 some phenomenal people - It's starts off with ... my wife ... Kelista Puddle ... she knows more about me than anyone ... like THE STUFF about me ... & she still loves me, still believes in me & that i can be who I am in Jesus but don't yet see in the natural ... Kelista - Love, kisses, flowers, round-the-world trips, the dream house, the most amazing cameras or classic b&w movies will NEVER be able to give enough back to what you give me out of who Ur!

What have u got 2b thankful 4 today? Not in a nebulous way but a really practical way - maybe it's your liver? That it works - you'd sure be thankful if it worked once it wasn't working! What is it ... who is it? Let it out!

TILL NEXT MONDAY (even tho this was Tuesday :)

Sunday, December 7, 2008

BLOG #6 - I CAN'T CHANGE

Do you ever feel like this? "I can't Change!" - I sure have ... & to be honest over the last little bit this thought has been coming at me more than normal ... "I can't change!"

Now some people I'm sure immediately think "Aran, that's negative, u can change u can do all things through Christ who strengthens you" - & that's true; I can do all things THAT ENTAIL TO GOD'S PLANS & PURPOSES 4 ME through Christ who gives me strength! I know I can change in Jesus - that's the truth - & then there's the specifics of change :)

On the weekend I began to write down things that I felt really needed to change in & around me - things i'd started to feel a little powerless in - not huge things, & u might read them & go "Gees you can change that if you'd just changed!"

Things like: Looking after my garden consistently, eating right, exercise regularly, what can i contribute in Church on the weekends as besides special events I'm not serving like I have for most of my life - do i pick up my drumming, bass playing, singing again, further education, learning how to make more money for the right reasons, areas of long-term struggle when it comes to thinking patterns, particularly what my everyday looks like compared to what I thought it would look like - JESUS I KNOW YOU'VE CHANGED ME & AT THE SAME TIME HOW DO I CHANGE?

ONE THOUGHT TO THINK ABOUT (& we'll stay on this blog for a few weeks)

1. Admit "I am Wrong"

This is a crazy place. To look at yourself & go "In this area of my life I've been living wrong or "The way I live in this area simply doesn't work, it's broken!" ... and if u don't have at least one of these - I reckon there could be some denial going on!

Normally we don't want to go there & so we find all sorts of things to try & prove to ourselves & others that we are OK, that we're NOT wrong. I had some massive areas here that I discovered between August & March of 07/08... but I am learning what happens when u admit you are wrong - some really good stuff comes out of it:

* We see the unholy goals we live with & get to take on New Christ-like goals - u know the ones that we plan out in our subconscious that we believe if we live a certain way, speak a certain way, be with the right kinds of people, get them to live our way of living, coming alongside our dreams, that we will live the lives we've always wanted & we will be able to push past the stuff from our pasts we haven't dealt to & the thrill of success will superseede the feelings of guilt, failure & insecurity - & it's just not true! Well it is True but not entirely true.

THE GREATEST JOYS SEEM 2B FOUND IN THE MOST NORMAL THINGS! Like waking up when you set your alarm, helping your kids get ready for school, letting your wife have a few minutes to get ready for the day, going out into the garden, making your home look as good as you can because it's just as important as that big job at work or role at Church (this was my morning)- because it's all worship! It's all about worship - Romans 12:1-2 in the Message "So here's what I want u2 do God helping you: Take your everyday life, your sleeping, eating, walking-around life & place it before God as an offering (your first & your best)

Matthew 7 says the house (the life) that stands through all of life's storms is the one that is built on The Rock (no not the wrestler) - Jesus! & it is the kindness & goodness of Jesus that leads us to repentance - admitting I am wrong & i need help to change (that will be next week's ... I need help to change!)

What do u feel like you can't change right now ... it might be deep or simple but maybe we can help each other with a few thoughts to know Christ's transforming power in our normal everyday living!

I know this is all over the place .. but anyone who knows me ... my thoughts kind of r :)

TILL NEXT MONDAY!