Church Extensions Opening!

Sunday 13th of July was a great day of celebration for our church family. We thanked God for the completion of our extensions to the church that have been completed without a cent owing on the $416,000 project.

Special guests, Bill Tilley, Member for Benambra and Rev. Grant Stewart, Regional Minister for the Baptist Union of Victoria, attended the opening with Grant sharing some reflections before Bill opened the extensions by cutting the ribbon.

This project has been the fifth in a series of building projects on the Melrose Drive site since 1987, the first of which was a manse which is now being used as the administration office. The core of the existing church building was erected in 1990, followed by the south hall, the north extension and some side rooms.

In 2006 our congregation agreed to extend again, mainly to accommodate the growing children's ministry and to more broadly meet the need of church growth. The cost were estimated to be $498,000. Yet with the use of many people from within the congregation, largely volunteers the project came in well under budget.

Special thanks was expressed during the morning service to the Building Committee, the workers and volunteers, to Allen Cummins and Graham Brewer who gave of themselves so generously throughout the project, and to all who contributed financially.

We can only say that through these last four years God has supplied all our needs. We have continued to generously give to mission throughout this time in Malawi and Uganda and God has seen our faithfulness.

To God be the glory, great things He has done!

Daily Journal for Wednesday 30th of June 2010

Hallelujah!

S - The twenty-four elders and four living creatures fell down and worshipped God, who was seated on the throne. And they cried: "Amen, Hallelujah!" Revelation 19:4 (TNIV)

O - The heavenly beings and angels, fell down and worshipped God. The vision that John sees points to the absolute majesty of God. If we could just glimpse this, just see this for a moment, we too would uncontrollably fall and worship. Hallelujah is derived from two words and means "Praise the Lord." Amen means firm, surely, trustworthy. The cries are saying, "This is definitely and surely true - praise be to the Lord!"

A - God is to be praised. If were just to get a glimpse I would fall down and worship. But I have read and understood that Jesus has come to earth, God in the flesh. As I have trusted and believed, the Spirit of God, the Holy Spirit has filled me. I know for certain that God is my Lord and is to be praised. Therefore, today, though I have not seen God on his throne in all his majesty, I will worship him with all that I am knowing that he has saved me, lives in me by his Spirit and that one day I will fall before him in eternity.

I also am reminded that I am made in his image. God has made me a little lower than the angels, and crowned me with glory and honour. I too will one day be given a new heavenly body.  Today I will treat people with honour and value knowing that each is made in God's image and one day, through faith in Christ, they might be a being that in their eternal heavenly form I would be tempted to worship, such will be their splendour.

P - Father, Hallelujah! Praise be to you the Alpha, the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last. Amen and Amen!

Daily Reading - Revelation 19-20  

The Vertical Self by Mark Sayers

In a world where so many are no longer looking upward to God for their identity, so many are looking horizontally for their image. To be "cool", "sexy" and "glamorous" in other people’s eyes has become the answer for so many who are trying to understand who they really are. How can we help those who are not interested in looking up to even begin to desire to find their true identity in Christ?

Mark Sayers argues that the answer is for those who follow Christ to actually live vertically, finding our identity in who we are in Christ. Sayers urges us to pursue radical holiness not by retreating from the world but by pursuing your true self and show those who we engage with what it means to be truly human.

I found this book really engaging. There’s so much timely wisdom here! I felt challenged and inspired to actually live a life of radical holiness. He has inspired a new resolve in my life to do this intentionally. The way Mark writes is warm and engaging. He includes great content about the culture and the way the world is shaped by it.

I would recommend this book to you to read. It’s a biblical message told to a contemporary culture that is desperately needed to be heard by Christians today. 

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com <http://BookSneeze.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Daily Journal Tuesday 1st of June 2010

Unbusy and Greatly Encouraged

S - May our Lord Jesus Christ and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word. 2 Thessalonians 2-3

O - God's desire is that I should be changed because of saving faith. The changes he wants to make should result in good deeds and words (sharing the gospel and speaking kindly). Paul's prayer here is that they would be encouraged and strengthened by Jesus himself and by God's loves and grace and that this would be seen in their good works and speech.

A - So often we are so busy in "good deeds and words" that we leave so little time in our lives for prayer and for reading God's Word so that his love and grace encourage and strengthen us. We can become hollow people, madly rushing and running to do good and yet with little time to ponder why. I need to be a man of prayer, a pastor who prays, one who really knows God and is encouraged and strengthened by Him. Then I will encourage and strengthen others as I work and speak. I need to actually schedule time to read, pray and study so that I am strengthened for deeds and word. Simply making it a priority and putting it in my diary is what is needed. This is a wiser approach than madly trying to meet every need and fix every problem and then see if there is time left over for God to encourage and strengthen me.

P - Father, thank-you for all that you have done for me and our church. Thank-you that you are a God who wants to encourage and strengthen me. I will make time to receive this from you. Amen.

Daily Reading 2 Thessalonians 2-3

A Couple of Days with Dr. Grant and Kathy Mullen

A Transforming Conference!

On Sunday Dr. Grant and Kathy Mullen arrived from ministering in the Blue Mountains. They spoke at our Sunday evening service and then five times on Monday and gave a final talk before heading off to Bendigo on Tuesday.

The message that Grant brought us was that God want to transform us. We are either in recovery or denial! Why would we need to be in recovery if we are Christians already? Though we are saved through faith in Christ and our spirit is completely transformed, and our bodies though unchanged are going to one day be renewed, our personality is still the same as it was before only we are now saved. In our personality we have all the past experiences and hurts and unforgiveness that remains. The attacks of Satan, our past wounds and chemical imbalances are all major factors that keep us from living in the reality of what Christ has done.

When we take these issues seriously instead of denying them or pretending that they are not there we resign ourselves to living a life that is now victorious.

We had a great turn out of people and many people bought resources.

We pray that this will continue to help us all growing in our love and knowledge of Jesus!

Go to  www.drgrantmullen.com for more information.

Daily Journal for Friday 28th of May 2010

Thriving Each Day in Christ

S - So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. Colossians 2:6

O - Paul would have nothing to do with a kind of "Bar Code" faith (as Dallas Willard has described) where at the check-out we receive the "beep" of salvation and are placed in a bag to sit and wait until Christ returns. Salvation is not the end, it's just the beginning of a journey of transformation. Just as we received Christ, CONTINUE to live your lives in him, rooted and built up, strengthened in the faith. Growing is a crucial part of what it means to follow Christ.

A - How am I growing today? How deep and firm are my roots? Is my faith being strengthened? I want to be the best example possible of a growing christian for all who might see. Yesterday was a day for rest. I rested from morning till night after two very busy weeks. For me growing stronger in Christ meant yesterday, slowing down, resting, reading, and taking it easy. It was just what I needed. I was refreshed by watching a Harry Connick Jr DVD and trying to play Jazz songs on the piano. I finished reading "The Vertical Self" (Mark Sayer) and went for a jog. This was very satisfying and extremely good for me in my growth towards maturity!

P - Father, thank-you that even resting is part of your plan for me to live a life of thanksgiving. Help me continue to grow each and every day in my life with you. Amen.

Daily Reading Colossians 2-3    

Daily Journal Tuesday 18th of May 2010

Seeking Restoration

S - Finally, brothers and sisters, rejoice! Strive for full restoration, encourage one another, be of one mind, live in peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you. 2 Corinthians 13:11

O - Paul encourages the believers in Corinth to strive for "full restoration". In other translations it says "aim for perfection" (NRSV) or "put things in order" (NIV) or "be made complete." He is encouraging them to be more that saved. He's calling them to be restored. Paul desire is that they be made perfect in Christ. That they become in fact what they are declared in Christ by faith. He wants them to not believe one thing and act a different way.

This is surely a struggle. David courageously slew Goliath yet was tripped up by woman in a bath on a roof-top. This is hard work but everyday, God want us to strive, to work hard, to wrestle at being holy!

The interesting thing is that we are not trying to become something that we are not. We are seeking to become who we truly are. We were made in the image of God. Through Christ we have been declared forgiven and righteous. The call now is to become who we really are.

A - Today, I should not be surprised at how every little decision is a choice to be restored or be further and further away from who God made me to be. Though I fail time and time again, I must never give up! Today my choices, my actions, my struggles, are worth facing! If I am able to with the Spirit's help strive to be fully restored the God of love and peace will dwell with me.

P - Father, thank-you for saving me, through faith in Jesus. Help me to live today toward becoming the person you made me to be, fully restored through the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen。

Daily Reading - 2 Corinthians 13 - Galatians 1