Get Financially Fit

I have really enjoyed our current Sunday AM teaching series - Get Fit.

Tomorrow is our final part and Tracy will be doing Get Financially Fit... or a slightly rebadged "Bii Fit Financially" - clever!!!

I have included a collection of useful downloads and financial tools in recent blog posts to help you.


Here they are:


1. Stewardship Resources - click here.

2. Managing Debt - click here.

Managing Debt - Solutions

I did a message in July 2008 as part of the Solutions series called Managing Debt. It was very popular.

Click here for a copy of the basic Resource Book that I handed out.

Click here for copy of Common Errors and Expenses That Lead to Debt.

Click here for copy of Personal Financial Profile (Microsoft Excel spreadsheet)

Click here for useful article Living Without Plastic (Credit Cards).

Here are some of the main points of the message.

Debt is a real issue.
Debt is borrowing from future income to buy now what we cannot afford with current income.

Proverbs 22:7. - “The borrower is a servant to the lender.”

Danger Signs, the Bondage of Debt:

1. Living on credit instead of paying cash.
2. You’re delaying payment or paying the minimum due.
3. Unable to tithe or save.
4. Unable to pay taxes.
5. Extravagant spending.
6. Constantly looking for get rich quick ideas.

Proverbs 21:5. It says, “Hasty speculation brings about poverty, among other things.”

9 steps out of debt bondage.

You didn’t get into debt quickly. You can’t get out of debt quickly.
So as God lowers your debt, He has to raise your character.

1. Commit to becoming debt free now.
Psalm 37:21. “The wicked borrow and never repay.”
“God, I want to do Your will and I need Your power.”
The key is two words - delayed gratification.

2. Start paying God and yourself first.
Deuteronomy 14:23. “The purpose of tithing is to teach you always to put God first in your lives.”

One of the ways to make this happen is to “control your spending”

3. List all that I own and all that I owe.

Proverbs 24:3. It says, “A house is built by wisdom and becomes strong through good sense.”

4. Have a sale.

Ezekiel 20 “Get rid of all of your idols.”

5. Set up a repayment plan.

Pay Off Your Smallest Debt First Plan
Pay Off the Debt that Makes You the Maddest Plan
The Envelope Plan.

6. Decide to do it in half the time.

Luke 18:27 “What is impossible from a human perspective is possible with God.”

7. Add no new debt.
“Don't be obsessed with getting more material things. Be satisfied with what you have. ..” Hebrews 13:5 (MSG)

8. Share my plan with my creditors.

Proverbs 16:7.
“When your ways please the Lord, He will make your enemies into friends.”

9. Stick to it and trust God.

Galatians 6:9 “So don’t get tired of doing what is good. Don’t get discouraged and give up. We will reap a harvest of blessings at the appropriate time.”
For as he thinks in his heart, so is he. Proverbs 23:7 (NKJV)

The two common errors that lead to unmanageable debt are allowing a get-rich-quick mentality to govern decisions and ignoring the advisor that God has given.

The three common expenses that lead to debt are: home purchases, car purchases, and scheduled disasters.

Stewardship Resources

I really enjoyed doing this series last June 2008 titled Stewardship... and we received a tonne of positive feedback.

Here are some of the ideas in the 5 part series.

I am a steward with some time.
I am a steward with some talent.
I am a steward with some treasure.

We made a few tools available for downloading - to help with assessing where you are at, budgetting, managing debt etc.

For a downloadable Excel spreadsheet Personal Financial Profile, click here.

For a downloadable resource booklet about Managing Debt, click here.

For teaching about Managing Debt click my blog post here.

The 4 Wise Men

I really enjoyed listening to these 4 guys during today's Build our House session.

They are Cameron, Nick, Wayne and Alan. Each spoke about a perspective on our upcoming Just Walk Across the Room campaign. I was inspired by all of them.

I particularly liked Wayne's "outcomes" approach:

Things We Want our People to Be Able to Say Within 3 months of the Campaign

1. Reaching and connecting with people is easier than I thought
2. God is using me to make a difference
3. I am reaching to others in ways that suit who I am as a person
4. God had been preparing that person even before I spoke to them!
5. I have worked with God to get __________ (person) closer to a Fresh Start with God.
6. I feel alive working with Holy Spirit
7. I have changed __________ (area of my life) so that I hear God’s Spirit clearer.
8. I want you to meet _____________ . I invited them here today – this is their first time!
9. I am amazed at how I can see God at work more in my world – I am more aware now!
10. I have been preparing and have begun to plant a seed in ___________ (person) life. I can’t wait to see it come to pass.

If you were there, what part of what these guys said got your attention?

When God Calls - Paul Grant

Ps Paul Grant wrote this great poem and inspired us with it at today's Build our House session. It is titled, "When God Calls."

God’s call will mean the death of you
All that you have been or known,
Brought under his scrutiny and review
To be exclusively his own

Peter, in his pre-Jesus time
Did whatever he wanted[1],
When confronted by this call sublime
He renounced self-rule and yielded

Culture says, ‘Fulfil your full potential’,
But to die to one’s ambition
Is the very heart of Jesus’ Gospel
And participation in his mission

The indwelling fulness of Christ in you
Means a rendezvous with dying;
Death to who you are or want to do
God’s road to biblical living

Jesus’ demand comes with the cost
Of self-abandonment,
Therefore, drop dead, get lost!
He brings his very own management

God’s call means life through death
The Calvary code is the key,
To follow, serve and receive the breath
Of the Holy Spirit’s energy

Not my will; into your hands,
Was the life Jesus lived with the Father,
And that is the way that Jesus plans
For those who would go with him further

When God calls a man he bids him come and die[2]
Is the essence of Jesus’ demands,
Submitting to this we identify
And from there we fulfil his commands

Paul E. Grant
October 2006

[1] John 21:18
[2] Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Build Our House Reflections

We had another great Build our House session this morning. This is one of my favourite quarterly times in our church. Meeting with our faithful and dedicated "builders" is awesome.

Here is Tracy "unpacking" UNLEASHED! for us in part of session 1.

I really enjoyed the ministry of Ps Paul Grant. Powerful stuff.


Here is what one of the attendees emailed tonight:


BOH = WOW

What a fantastic day of connection & learning & leadership & pastoring today at the first "Build Our House" session for 2009.

Excellent too to see such a great role up of people willing to commit some additional time to the house & get ready for what God has in store for us in this year of "Unleashed".

We were particularly blessed to be mentored & equipped by a seasoned pastor in Ps Paul Grant & his wife Dulcie. What excellent role models of living the life you were meant to live. Ps Paul was seeping wisdom, understanding & Holy Spirit. I am sure that each person present was ministered to in some special way & especially after his address when we had a very real sense of God's presence as many were individually prayed for & blessed.

I figure that we have now caught a greater part of God's Vision for us at Westlife for 2009. However, the last word should be given by Ps Paul from his leadership notes (thanks Ps Paul):

"Once Caught, No Escape" The call and will of God insist upon unconditional surrender of the heart, will, mind and body of each believer. For those called to lead it is a sacred entrustment for which we will be accountable (1Cor 3:10-23).


As he closed he read out this poem that he had written called "When God Calls."


You can find the poem here. Inspiring stuff!

And you can download Ps Paul's leadership notes here.

Also enjoyed The 4 Wise Men - you can check them out here.

Build Our House - Leadership Notes for Download

Ps Paul Grant did us a big favour at Build our House today by giving us a set of notes about leadership, God's call etc.

If you missed the printed copy you can download a set here.

Thanks Paul!!

PS - you can email "thanks" to Paul here - pauldulcieg@powerup.com.au

3 Toadfish!

3 Toadfish! That's all we caught!


But the memories are priceless.


I think I need some help with my fishing.

I look a bit like a fisherman.... but that's about it.


And Katie likes it when we "help God feed the animals."

Fishing Tip - Defrosting Bait

Not much of a fisherman - but here is a tip that worked for me.

The tide was right, we were in the right location, had the gear... but the pilchards were frozen!


Then the trusty Rodeo engine had the goods!

4 minutes later and we were "good to go"!

I Love Neon Colours!

I love neon colours!


So when we were on holidays we started having some fun with some coloured fluro sticks.


I used a setting on the camera under "special effects" - works great in low light and has no flash.

I really enjoyed mucking around with the settings..... here are some of the best of them.

Holiday Thongs

Got myself into my "holiday thongs" in the last week.


They get me right in the mood!!

"Expect a Miracle" - Part 7

Oral Roberts valued the anointing. Here is what he said.

“I tried each time to be absolutely certain I was anointed by the Holy Spirit.

We must give the message and stay anointed while we give it. I discovered that secret the hard way. There were times when I felt my message so strongly in me that I got cocky and didn't spend enough time seeking God to anoint me as the messenger to help deliver those who were suffering.

God's Word is already anointed. Preachers or teachers must also he anointed. We are handling divine material, not just a secular message or some argumentative theory. We are to deliver the Word as an oracle of God, knowing God personally and intimately, feeling the needs of the people to the extent we feel what they feel, and knowing that as mortal beings, we cannot of our own knowledge and ability do anything in the spiritual realm by ourselves. 'And the Lord went with them, confirming his word with signs following' (see Mark 16.20).

I soon knew when I was anointed and when I was not. It is awesome to face a group of people, few or many, knowing that they have mortal bodies but immortal souls, that some are terminally ill, that all are sick in some way, and understanding they came not only to hear me but also to hear God's voice speaking inside them through the Word preached. Not feeling that awesomeness leads to tickling their fancy with a message that has no heart or soul in it, or lulling the people to believe God is not all-powerful and able to do 'exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think' (Eph. 3:20).

That is the reason many who are called do not enter the ministry; the awesomeness of it intimidates them. That is also why some feel they must preach the gospel, but they seek an easy way out by preaching surface-type talks, without the Holy Spirit's powerful anointing to prick the hearts of their hearers.

One day as I was studying Jesus' words in Luke 4: 18 on the anointing, the Lord spoke these words to me:

"'The anointing is that divine energy that separates you from yourself and fills you with the glory of God so that when you act, it is like God acting, and when you speak, it is like God speaking.

I knew it was God speaking because it lined up with His Word and with what happened in Jesus Himself when He had preached and taught and healed-the three things He did during His earthly ministry. Those three things He did have burned in my spirit, and I have risked everything to understand how to apply them to myself and to my preaching, teaching, and healing in Jesus' name.

The anointing separates you from yourself so that God is in charge of you. The anointing fills you with divine energy so that you are not limited to preaching or doing God's work solely in your own strength or reason.

That is one reason the prophet said, 'The anointing breaks the yoke." (See Isa. 10..27.) There is a yoke on people, and it's not Jesus' yoke, which is "easy," as He says in Matthew 11.30. It is the yoke of bondage to sin, fear, hate, vengeance, jealousy, ego, lying, stealing, murder, sickness, disease, lack, and demon possession - in fact, to everything that destroys human beings and their dreams and hopes.

The anointed preacher, who has spent hours preparing himself and his message, sends the hot fires of the Holy Spirit to bum the yoke off people who believe, and supernaturally brings them into totally new attitudes, new purposes, new commitments, and new expectations. There is simply no other way to do this through ministry for people.

Jesus explains it in Luke 4:18:

The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because he bath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor;
he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted,
to preach deliverance to the captives,
and recovering of sight to the blind,
to set at liberty them that are bruised.

The mortal person doing the preaching can prepare until he or she memorizes every word of
the message and delivers it flawlessly, but unless he or she is anointed, the message will not cut through Satan's wall of bondage, it *W not open the eyes of the understanding of people to their possibilities in God, it will not activate the listener's faith, and it will not heal, deliver, recover, set free, or bind up the wounded!

I discovered that the difference in being anointed and not being anointed is monumental. Without it, you're on your own. With it, all your senses come alive, your mind blossoms, your body feels light and graceful in its moves, your spirit is in control, and you realize what you're doing is God inspired beyond any measure you know. People hearing or dealing with you know all this, too. That is, they feel something powerful and wonderful that they can't always understand or explain. But it reaches inside them for a decision to be made one way or the other toward the Lord.”


(Roberts, Oral. 1995. Expect a Miracle: My Life and Ministry. Nashville Tennessee: Thomas Nelson Publishers. p 352)

Pancakes by the Pacific!

The buttermilk pancakes are my favourite!!!

The only thing that can beat them is the view of the beach!

Check out the view from where I was cooking this week while camping!

Schweet as!!!

"Expect a Miracle" - Part 6

Davies (1992, p 217) states that there are a number of revival principles that constantly recur including persistent prayer; powerful preaching and testimony; and a deep awareness of the presence and holiness of God leading to a strong sense of conviction of sin and repentance. Among the more variable factors include miracles of healing and the exercise of spiritual gifts. The revival ministry of Oral Roberts includes these, especially in the areas of powerful preaching and testimony, and miracles of healing. Davies (p 235) also notes that when miracles appear to be taking place in connection with a work of God in revival it is worth asking a number of questions:
1. Do they contribute to the work of the Gospel?
2. Do they distract from the spiritual work?
3. Is Christ glorified as a result?
4. What is the spiritual character of those manifesting these gifts and powers?
The overwhelming evidence would suggest a confident “yes” to all four questions.

Dr L.D. Thomas Jnr (in Roberts, 1975, p 12) believes that “Oral Roberts is the one man most responsible for a genuine spiritual revival in our time. During the terrible 60's - one of the most tragic declines ever in both the church and the moral fibre of America- here was a man who refused to join the pessimists. Wherever he could he stood up and shouted as loud as he could, 'God is alive!' ... When I entered the ministry in 1959 there were barely a half dozen good books on the Holy Spirit. Now throughout the church, the work of the Holy Spirit is the most talked about and the most exciting thing that has happening in the church and in people's lives today. And the man most responsible for this, in my opinion, is Oral Roberts.... I thank God that Oral has allowed God to use him as an instrument for a spiritual revival in our time that is giving new life to the church and new life to our nation." The comments of Dr Thomas are indicative of the powerful effect that Oral Roberts and his ministry have had. A fuller transcript has been included in Appendix A because of its illustrative comprehensiveness.

Not all people consider the healing and evangelistic ministry of Oral Roberts favourably. Roberts (1985, p 386) states that he has never claimed to be perfect. Criticism is a fact of life and leaders must face it according to the Word of God: “I live with both failure and successes. That is one way that I believe God builds character in me...I must not only look on my failures but I must look to the successes of what God did in healing so many people through me as His instrument.” He was always concerned to do the right thing and to live a life of integrity. His wife, Evelyn notes that Oral once said after failing in an area; “I can’t afford to make mistakes like other people do. I am God’s instrument to deliver the people. This will hinder my work for God. I’ve got to make it right” (Roberts, 1956, p 41). She also notes that “I have seen Oral tested and tried by almost every circumstance of life that could possibly come to him. In such times he goes to the Bible for strength (p 43).

For fifty years the ministry has continued through success and scepticism, and without scandal. Lee Braxton (in Roberts, 1952, p 10) summarises the ministry succinctly : “I am unshaken in my faith in God and that He has raised up Oral Roberts to reach our generation with the message of Bible Deliverance.”

BIG Wednesday - Steve Dixon - 25 March 09

It is confirmed!

We have power-hitter Ps Steve Dixon from Garden City Christian Church ministering at our 3rd BIG wednesday.

I am really excited by this news!! Steve is always such a powerful blessing and brings an impact.

Hope to see you there!

"Expect a Miracle" - Part 5

The ministry of Oral Roberts is very personal.

His experience of laying hands on almost 1.5 million people and praying for them has given him a sense of person-centeredness. He has found no two sick people alike, but faith is always the same and so is hope. The principles of his ministry were to do everything possible to help a sick person get into faith and hope.

In regard to the completion of the writing of his book "A Daily Guide To Miracles and Successful Living Through Seed Faith" he notes "here it is, my seeds of faith for your life. As I've worked and planted them I've tried to visualise you picking up this book, holding it in your hands, reading, stopping...reading. smiling, crying. meditating, believing, receiving and finally knowing that you know that you know that you know...God is the greatest power you have and He is in the middle of the n-o-w of your needs" (Roberts, 1975, p 17).

Dedicated to the Lord before he was born, Oral Roberts grew up in a Christian family where he learned that Jesus is a person and that He is real to people in this life. From his parents’ reality of Jesus to them and their being on intimate terms with Him made it seem to Oral that Jesus was there in person. He notes in Roberts (1995, p 8) : “An indelible impression was made upon my mind as a child that you could be so close to Jesus that you could talk to Him. I shudder to think what might have happened to me if I had not been birthed and raised by the parents God gave me.” This relationship with God and prayer allowed God to speak to Oral Roberts personally and powerfully some twenty-three times to date in his life and ministry (ibid, p 385).

He has a very strict daily timetable of prayer, work and rest, of which his wife notes, “It is a great sacrifice for him to follow this pattern so consistently. It is a price few preachers are willing to pay. Perhaps that’s one reason Oral has God’s power” (Roberts, 1956, p 39).

She also powerfully reflects on Oral’s time in prayer: “I’ve slipped in while Oral was talking with the Lord. Many times he doesn’t know I’m there. I’ve heard him plead with God to be with him, to open his mind, to help him understand the deep truths of deliverance and give them to the people in a simple manner. He seems to know the Lord better than he knows me...This may seem strange but I’ve known for sometime now that he has a love for Jesus that he has never had for me or the children....The Lord has a magnetic power over him and Oral gives back a love that seems to come from the depths of his soul” (ibid). Oral said regarding losing relationship with Jesus, “If I thought I would ever lose Him, I’d rather die right now” (Ibid, p 43).

On Holidays

I am going on holidays for the week - so I am checking out of blogland for a bit.

We'll see how WiFi goes at the camping spot!!!

I have done some posts in advance that will roll-out on a daily basis. I wanted to keep the "expect a miracle" book review content going so you don't lose momentum.

Have a great week - I know that I will!!!

"Expect a Miracle" - Part 4

I am inspired by this book by Oral Roberts. Here is part 4 of my reflections.

Dr Oral Roberts is a pioneer in the fields of television and radio ministries and is one of the best-known Christian ministers of the twentieth century. He has held more that three hundred evangelistic and healing crusades on five continents, has authored more that fifty books, and is the visionary who founded Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He has been a true leader of revival across the world.

Oral Roberts has poured out his life with an unquenchable thirst to obey God and not man in every area: “My life and my ministry are not over yet...I am healthy, enthusiastic, energetic, still believing, still working, and I won’t give up - never, never, never with everything that’s in me. I believe the best is yet to come!” (Roberts, 1995, p 387).

After a study of the book of Acts, he "saw that the only thing that would bring a revival to our church today was a repetition of Pentecost, a revival of signs and wonders, a visitation of God's power upon us through the outpouring of the Holy Ghost" (Roberts, 1952, p 68). He gave himself to the task and to obey God in every area of his life: "I could have the anointing of Jesus of Nazareth if I wanted it badly enough. I wanted it. I sought it. It was not easy. I had to give up many things and many friends...I live for one thing: for the deliverance of the lost and suffering humanity. Everything is subordinated to that cause...I cannot help it. I have seen the world's hurt. I have felt the heartbeat of lost and suffering humanity....I have to go. I have no choice. I am on fire and I can't stand still. The call of God to deliver mankind rings in my ears day and night. I must go" (Roberts, 1952, p 158). His wife, Evelyn reflects powerfully on this time: “What people don’t understand and I guess will never understand is that Oral was never a great person until he made the supreme consecration of his life in 1947 in Enid” (Roberts, 1956, p 30).

Oral Roberts became the nation's greatest soul winner, winning over 50 000 souls a year in his meetings. His ministry was powerful and the 12 500 seat “canvas cathedral” paved the way for the big tent revivals. It many instances the tent was not big enough to contain the masses who came to hear the gospel and be healed.

Eyewitness accounts of these meetings (Roberts, 1997) include: “Inside the tent you could definitely feel the presence of God...there was an expectancy in the crowd...Oral expected God to do something...and He did! We always saw hundreds of people’s lives changed and people’s bodies healed.” He gained a reputation as an eloquent and passionate speaker. His wife reflects that “he is more at home in the pulpit than he is in his own backyard. The words flow out of him until I don’t know him as my own husband. He is another man...when he is in the pulpit something comes over him and he becomes another man. His voice becomes vibrant; every word has great power” (Roberts, 1956, p 39).

Stories of Life Change - Westlife Youth

We watched this clip in church this morning - we were so inspired!!!

Well done, Andrew and Crystal!!

For you have been my hope, O Sovereign LORD, my confidence since my youth.

Psalms 71:5 (NIV)

Remember your Creator in the days of your youth....

Ecclesiastes 12:1 (NIV)

"Expect a Miracle" - Part 3

It's time for part 3 of some of my book review notes on "Expect a Miracle - My LIfe and Story."


If you have missed the start of this blog series please click here.


You can check back later on previous issues by searching my blog for the label "Oral Roberts" or by ptting the word "Miracle" in my blog "search" box.


Enjoy - and see you tomorrow for part 4.

Oral Roberts experiences with the spirit realm provide some interesting insights.

He states (1975, p 112) that the greatest source of supply a believer can have and the greatest security a believer can feel is when they don't have anything. It is then that the believer has to learn to be lean and hungry and to trust God. When Roberts was aged 17, God said to him, "Some day you are to build me a university. You are to build it on My authority and on the Holy Spirit" (p 262). God had never permitted him to have any money when he started a project and when it came time to build the university, God said, "I'm going to let you start with the same ingredient I used when I made the earth - nothing" (p 113). He relays a potent experience which demonstrates spiritually magnified sight in the spirit realm and seeing what God sees:

"One day I was walking across a piece of pasture land at the edge of Tulsa which hopefully would some day be the campus of Oral Roberts University. I was praying with my understanding - that is, in my own language, and getting nowhere. My mind was saying:
"NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO!...YOU CAN'T DO THIS!!!!"
Then I shifted - by my will - and began to pray in tongues and my heart began saying:
"YES! YES! YES! YES! YES! YES!"
"You can!"
"You will!"
"You can!"
"You will!"
Then this knowing was transferred to my understanding. It came out of my belly - my inner man - it came up like a river. It came up into my mind AND I SAW IT. My mind began to blossom, to sharpen, to come alive to what God was saying to me.
All at once - believe me, friend, when I say this - I understand enough to build a university. I didn't understand all the details but i understood the basics...I saw that we would create a higher education for your sons and daughters and mine...they would get a total education - for the whole man.
I SAW IT!
I KNEW IT!
Today Oral Roberts University is a reality and growing all the time, including it's graduate schools, and fully accredited" (ibid, p 263).

His ministry also depended heavily on the understanding and guidance of the Holy Spirit, especially the gift of speaking in tongues. He believed and taught that the ultimate purpose of the prayer language of the Spirit is that it goes to God. Then God has the prayer that originates in our spirit and that is carried to him by the power of the Holy Spirit.
It is a prayer that was prayed in the will of God.
It is a prayer that was prayed without the inhibitions of the intellect.
It is a prayer that originates in our spirit by the Holy Spirit.

This is why God responds....always!
How does God respond? How does this take place?
Paul makes it clear: "For this reason anyone who speaks in a tongue should pray that he may interpret what he says" (1 Cor 14:13). He encouraged believers: “After you pray in tongues ... or in the spirit...just stop a moment and ask God to give you the interpretation...to speak back in your own understanding. Then begin praying again in English or your own language. For in the process of praying in the spirit the Holy Spirit has enriched your mind and you will find God's response comes back in the mind.

I have discovered that what I have said with my spirit now becomes what I say with my intellect - and so I am able to pray with the understanding. When I pray I start in the spirit or in tongues (the prayer language of the Spirit), then I immediately go to my own tongue, my own language. I pray back and forth in tongues and then with my understanding until it is like they are one. I feel the nearness of being a whole man - to the extent that I can think more properly, I can make decisions more decisively and wisely, I can reach the highest degree of what I am to be on this earth - when I pray with the spirit and with the understanding also... I have a much deeper assurance of life.

I seem to develop a 'knowing' of what I am to do.
When I pray in the spirit or praise God with the spirit I always pause and ask God for the interpretation. I feel I receive the interpretation almost every time... What usually happens is I receive an almost uncanny awareness in my mind, an opening up of my understanding... I find I'm saying words in my own tongue that feel exactly like what I felt when I was praying in the spirit... the results prove it to me...and in time I get more knowledge, more wisdom. It is like my brain works better or like I am being handed inside information” (Roberts, 1975, p 257, 261).

What's Coming - Westlife Youth 2009

The Youth are showing this clip in church later on this morning.

What a great year it is going to be!

New Aussie Tourist Map

I love this country - and this weekend is a special one.
It is the Australia Day long weekend.

In honour of our great country and our sense of humour here is a new Aussie tourist map.

Having a Bad Day?

“Expect a Miracle" - Part 2

I started a series of posts yesterday based on the book “Expect a Miracle – My Life and Ministry” by Oral Roberts. You can read part 1 here.

It is a very good book.

Here is a cut n paste from a book report I did while at bible college - be inspired!

He gained a reputation as an eloquent and passionate speaker. His wife reflects that “he is more at home in the pulpit than he is in his own backyard. The words flow out of him until I don’t know him as my own husband. He is another man...when he is in the pulpit something comes over him and he becomes another man. His voice becomes vibrant; every word has great power” (Roberts, 1956, p 39). Lee Braxton, a businessman and key associate of the ministry powerfully notes of Oral Roberts preaching:

"He was a human dynamo charged with God's power. His voice took on a vibrant tone as if it were charged with magnetism. He preached like a man possessed with God. In a few seconds he brought Jesus to that crowd and I am sure every person present saw Jesus so real and close that he could reach out and touch him....he then announced he always put first things first in his meetings. 'I never pray for the sick,' he said, 'until I have led people to Christ to be saved. The saving of a lost soul is God's greatest miracle.' Then the healing line was called and he began praying for the healing of the sick...as he prayed for the people he seemed lost in his prayer, completely oblivious of the crowd. His soul was in his voice and the words of his prayer rang with sincerity." (Branxton in Roberts, 1952, p 6),

Powerful preaching was a hallmark of the ministry of Oral Roberts. His wife, Evelyn, states (Roberts, 1956, p 31) that he feels that the preaching of the gospel is the most important thing in the world. He says that he has no faith apart from God’s Holy Word and the only way he can get people delivered is to build up their faith by the preaching of the Word. I know that his faith reaches its strongest point just after he has finished preaching. He does his most successful praying for the sick following his sermon. He feels that if he can bring their faith to a climax through his preaching, then his prayers for their healing will be answered. For that reason he intensely dislikes praying for the sick privately. A lot of people can’t understand why. He always quotes that verse: ‘Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God’ (Romans 10: 17).

The anointing of the Holy Spirit was another feature of the ministry. Roberts discovered that the difference in being anointed and not being anointed is monumental: “Without it, you're on your own. With it, all your senses come alive, your mind blossoms, your body feels light and graceful in its moves, your spirit is in control, and you realize what you're doing is God inspired beyond any measure you know. People hearing or dealing with you know all this, too. That is, they feel something powerful and wonderful that they can't always understand or explain. But it reaches inside them for a decision to be made one way or the other toward the Lord” (Roberts, 1995, p 352). He relays a powerful illustration of the anointing working through his in a meeting:

"I began to preach , and I had not preached more than ten minutes until the anointing of God struck my mortal flesh. I began to tingle from the crown of my head to the soles of my feet with the presence of God. My brain became clear and sharp, the words started rolling out of my mouth like volumes of water. I heard myself saying things I had never dreamed were possible for any man to say. The spirit of prophecy came on me and I began prophesying...I told the people that this last worldwide revival would be a revival of signs and wonders and that it would be characterised by a great wave of healing power coming from heaven upon the sick bodies of mankind....I was just a little over halfway through in this sermon when the anointing of God became so great that I could not stand still. Suddenly I leaped off the high platform down to the lower floor. When I did it, it seemed the audience was swept off its feet...I saw at a glance that I would not get to finish my sermon, that the power of the Lord was present to heal and I must act immediately...a lot of people were healed that day...both the people and I knew I was called of God for we had seen His outstretched hand that day and many, many people had felt His healing power upon their souls and bodies...I felt I could go out with God's anointing and set the world on fire" (Roberts, 1952, p 93).

The anointing would move powerfully through Oral Robert’s right hand and was a sign to him of God’s presence. As he felt the warmth running through his hand, faith for healing seemed to leap out of his heart and up to God. It helped him understand the absolute necessity for him to release his faith and to inspire the people to release their faith in God also. The rallying cry since this revelation in his ministry has been : “Turn your faith loose! Release your faith to God! Let it go up and out of you to God!” Roberts notes that his ministry was being a faith releaser.

In his preaching and praying for the sick he could encourage people to become God-conscious, then faith-conscious, then learn to turn their faith loose to the Lord and see what the Lord would do. His touching the people with the presence of the Lord pulsating through his right hand became a point of contact for their faith and his faith to be loosed to God for their healing. Before a meeting, Oral Roberts discovered that if he hung on expectantly the presence of God would start coming into his right hand for a few minutes before he went to minister and would cause his faith to become active inside him (Roberts, 1995, p 104).

See you for part 3 tomorrow!

Obama Inauguration - From Space

I did a post recently about the gathering crowds at the Obama Inauguration.

Amazing stuff! You can check out my post here.

Check out this photo of the inauguration from space!

Well worth double-clicking to see the detail.

"Scrambled, Please!"

I was moving pretty fast in the kitchen this AM.. and my finger clipped the corner of the tray of eggs on the bench.

I asked Jill how she wanted her eggs... "fried or scrambled?"

She replied, "Scrambled, Please!"

Now that was fun to clean up - NOT!!!

“If… Put a Full Stop Over Your Ministry Right Now “

Pastor Peter Earle is a passionate man.
And he was my bible college principal.

It was during chapel one morning in 1998 that he boldly declared…

“If you have not yet read this book (“Expect a Miracle” by Oral Roberts) you can put a full stop over your ministry right now!“

Wow!!

I did not have a copy of the book and I had not read the book!!

So off I went later that day – and I got me a copy of “that” book… and boy, and I glad that I did.

I read the book, I summarised the book, I tried to devour the principles of the book, I prayed the concepts of the book.

And in our year of UNLEASHED! I challenged our leadership team last Friday to consider reading such a book. So I have dug my copy off the bookshelf and am reacquainting myself with an old friend.

Today I am starting a series of posts reflecting on the book, “Expect a Miracle – My Life and Ministry” by Oral Roberts.

I hope you can stick with me.

I am sure you will be inspired!

Build Our House - with Paul Grant

I am really looking forward to the next Build our House.
One of the things that is happening is Ps Paul Grant will be coming for half an hour.

Paul has a real special place in my heart.
I first met him in 1988 I think. He was the new Principal at Garden City School of Ministries.

We have journeyed together since then in various capacities and relationship facets. One really special season was when I had Paul for a theology lecturer for 2 years (4 semesters, 4 subjects).

Here are some excerpts from a recent email from Paul. He did this poem called "OUR 2008 REAR-VISION MIRROR - Pondering and Wondering - Reflecting and Revising" about him and Dulcie.

.............................

Our ages at eighty two and seventy eight
Were stepping stones taking us forward,
Ageing is not a problem we choose to debate
But rather a process taking us onward

..............................

Ageing has released for me
New ways of knowing and thinking,
Two thousand and eight was a treasury
Of prayer, reading, and poetry

Perhaps our most significant item
Under God’s unfailing care,
Has been a particular gem
Joint Bible reading and prayer

Nearing fifty nine years of marriage
Each day’s devotions are a lubricant,
Sustained by hope and courage,
An ornament and testament
.......................

Wow!!

See you at 8.55am on Saturday 31 January 2009.

Choose your View

You may need to sit down for a bit to read this post.

Seriously.

It will be powerful.

Sitting down yet?

This is God's word:
Be careful how you think; your life is shaped by your thoughts.
Proverbs 4:23 (TEV)

Can I suggest you read it again?
Be careful how you think; your life is shaped by your thoughts.
Proverbs 4:23 (TEV)

Some of you may know this truth said slightly differently....
Keep vigilant watch over your heart; that's where life starts.
Proverbs 4:23 (MSG)

Keep your heart with all diligence, For out of it spring the issues of life.
Proverbs 4:23 (NKJV)

Above all else, guard your heart, for it affects everything you do.
Proverbs 4:23 (NLT)

I got this email letter from Lee Colan recently. I like Lee's work. I have used his stuff before here.

Before we go to Lee, Tracy did another quality post recently called "Find the Best, Not the Worst." You can read it all here. In it she makes a very honest statement, that links with what we are saying here about our thinking.

Last night God challenged me.

Everytime I catch myself with a negative thought about someone or something, I am to respond by finding 2 positive things. For every thought that focusses on the 'Worst', I am now challenged to find 2 thoughts that focus on the 'Best'.

This is my way of "doing my best" to fill my mind on the best, not the worst.

Wow!!

Here is what Lee writes - great perspective Lee!

Our experiences are much less important than how we choose to think about them.
The way we interpret our experiences shapes our beliefs about the past.
Furthermore, our interpretations either limit or enable our future success.

For example, a mission-critical project you are leading has "promotion" written all over it, but it bombs – it's over budget, past its deadline... the works. How you choose to interpret those facts is where you can shape your future. Are you a failure, a poor leader who is maxed out and on her way out? Or, are you a great leader in the making who is learning some tough lessons that will help ensure success on the next project when your true colors will show? Facts are facts, but the view you take is your choice.

Think the best ALL the time.
What's the harm?
If you choose to protect yourself from disappointment by always thinking the worst, you have also chosen disappointment as the filter through which you view all things and people... and that's just what you will get. On the other hand, you can choose to think the best all the time. Sure, you might be disappointed occasionally but, most of the time, you will be programming your mind and others to achieve their best.

If you find yourself having a negative thought, say "STOP!" out loud, and replace it with a positive thought. Saying "STOP!" out loud is important so that you can actually hear yourself controlling your own thinking. Let's see how it works.

A friend told me about a situation that used to drive him crazy. He would drive home after a hard day through rush hour traffic and find the driveway to his garage impassable, blocked by his children's bicycles and toys. He reacted something like this: "These kids have no sense of responsibility. They never pick up after themselves and it's a hassle for me to move their junk just to get in the driveway."

Then he said, "STOP!" out loud. He decided to choose a more positive view and he responded with, "My kids are still kids. It looks like they had a great time today. Boy, how time flies... I had better seize the moment with my kids."

Sure, the driveway still looked like a yard sale after a wind storm and his children did not put their toys away. Nothing changed except his interpretation of the facts. He substituted gratitude for anger and changed his mind for good.

Remember, when you change the way you look at things, things change the way they look.

I'll let you think about this for a bit!

PS - the power of our thinking is VITAL.

So in honour of that I am going to "label" or "blog tag" this post with the label "thinking." That way you be able to search in the future all posts about "thinking."

What do you "think" about that?! Ha ha!

And remember - let God's Word be the final word....

Be careful how you think; your life is shaped by your thoughts.
Proverbs 4:23 (TEV)

The Black Hole

This is awesome! Check it out!

McDonalds Hits Africa

Prepare to be UNLEASHED!

Really enjoyed another great post yesterday from Tracy reflecting on our annual theme for this year.

The post is called "Prepare to be UNLEASHED!"

Here is the start:

.......Preparation is important!

The session for today from WordLive is about a man who was unleashed AND was prepared for the moment it happened.
Of course, I'm talking about Nehemiah (Nehemiah 2). Nehemiah was a cupbearer for the king, but had a deep sadness that the wall of Jerusalem lay in ruins.
At the right time (the God prompted moment) Nehemiah shared his heart with the King, and the King unleashed Nehemiah to rebuild the wall.
However, this unleashing happened AFTER the King first asked a range of questions including how long, what's involved and why. Nehemiah was able to answer all the King's questions.
When Nehemiah's time came to be unleashed into the next big thing of his life, he had already thought .....

You have to do the rest yourself.... you can check out the rest of it here.

PS - I am collecting these posts - they are God-gold

Close to God in 2009 - Mike Baker

Mike Baker is a great member of our team.

He did this inspirational chat last Sunday AM during the prayer time - we were all inspired - I hope that you are too.

Over to you, Mike


Today I’d like to share with you a bit of what God has been speaking into my life the last few weeks. So we’ll start with some song lyrics and go from there.

In 2003 the Band Linkin Park had a top 10 hit with these words

I'm tired of being what you want me to be,
Feeling so faithless lost under the surface
Don't know what you’re expecting of me
Put under the pressure of walking in your shoes
Every step that I take is another mistake to you

I've become so numb I can't feel you there
Become so tired so much more aware,
I'm becoming this all I want to do
Is be more like me and be less like you

(Linin Park – Numb lyrics are property and copyright of their respective authors, artists and labels)

We’ll stop there because it gets really depressing after that.

This sounds to me like the cry of a heart that’s had enough and ready to give up. Now imagine that one day you stopped to take a look at your relationship with God and found that those were the words that accurately described where you are. Then consider - How could you have gotten there, what could, what would you do about it?

I personally don’t have to look hard to know there have been times my life where this has been the case – and looking back at those times I can see exactly how I got there. The reason is always the same - I was too busy, too tired, too preoccupied with doing other things – even church things - and in turn my personal relationship with God got ignored.

In “Too Busy Not To Pray” Bill Hybels makes this statement

Our spirits like our bodies, have requirements for health and growth. Some people don’t want to pay the price of developing good spiritual habits. Sadly, they end up paying the much higher price of spiritual disease, even death.

So why have I chosen to share these things today?

Well, over the last few weeks I started looking to God for his word for me for the year – sort of a “Ok Lord, you want to give me a heads up on what you want to mess with in my life this year?” There’s probably a more spiritual way of putting that, but you get the idea. As I spent time seeking God what I kept coming back to is that underpinning everything I do this year needs to be a new level of personal closeness to and listening to the voice of God.

Now, as a church we have a big theme for this year UNLEASHED.
At a personal level it is going to mean different things to each of us as God reveals the areas he wishes to Unleash in our lives. But if we don’t have that closeness with God happening we can totally miss the call. Then what happens is God wants to unleash us in one direction, but we miss the message, or we don’t act on it. We end up over somewhere else feeling a bit Linkin Park’ish and wondering what happened.

Later in “Too Busy Not To Pray” Bill Hybels goes on to say

The heart and soul of the Christian life is learning to hear God’s voice and then developing the courage to do what he asks us to do

“The heart and soul of the Christian life” - sounds fairly important doesn’t it?

I’d now like to share another set of song lyrics. These were written by an early pioneer of church music whose songs have inspired millions. To me these describe the extreme opposite relationship from that shown by Linkin Park. So imagine that one day you stopped to take a look at your relationship with God and found that those are the words that accurately described where you are – how would you feel then?

Psalm 23
1 The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.
2 He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters,
3 he restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,] I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.
6 Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.

So we have two songs, two extremes of relationship with God.

Now I’d like each of us too take a couple of minutes privately to consider 3 questions
1. Where between these two extremes is my personal relationship with God today?
2. Where do I want my personal relationship with God to go this year?
3. What am I going to do, even starting today to move that relationship along?

How about you do the 3 questions.

Which question was most difficult for you to answer?

Obama Inauguration - Crowds Gathering

It is late tonight and the pictures of the Obama Inauguration are being beamed in from Washington.

It is dawn there and I can't believe the number of people who are already in place!

Millions of people have descended on the nation's capital to view the event.

Here is what ninmsn writes.... click here.

And a sample is below....

Washington pulsed on the eve of Barack Obama's inauguration with a building sense of joy, racial healing and a lightness of mood rarely witnessed during grim months of economic decline.
Thousands of people, young and old, black and white, Asian and Latino from many different states — almost all smiling — flocked to the National Mall where millions will gather Tuesday to soak up a moment of change and history.....

Did I tell you that I can't believe the number of people out so early to grab a memory of history?!

"My UNLEASHED!" - Video Stories

Ray has done it!

Here are some perspectives from Westlifers about what UNLEASHED! could look like for them.

I have watched this several times - and I always end up getting teary!

Enjoy!!!



What do you think UNLEASHED! will look like for you?

Good Leader .. Sound Leadership

I have been really thinking about this verse this AM from my daily reading....... even kept on meditating on it while cooking pancakes for the kids.

Love and truth form a good leader; sound leadership is founded on loving integrity.
Proverbs 20:28 (MSG)

Another version says it like this:

Rulers are protected by God's mercy and loyalty, but they must be merciful for their kingdoms to last.
Proverbs 20:28 (CEV)

And then earlier in the passage:

Leaders who know their business and care keep a sharp eye out for the shoddy and cheap, Proverbs 20:8 (MSG)

When rulers decide cases, they weigh the evidence.
Proverbs 20:8 (CEV)

Hmmmm!!!!

5 Reasons Why Consensus Sucks - Tony Morgan

Nick and I we reflecting on this recent post from Tony Morgan.

Here is what he said:

I’m growing more and more convinced that the worst thing an organization can do is try to reach a consenus about something.
Think government.
Think church committee meetings.
Think declining big business.

On the surface, reaching a consensus seems like a positive thing because it means people have agreed to move in the same direction. That’s a good thing isn’t it?

Actually, I’m not convinced that’s the case. For example, here are:
5 Reasons Why Consensus Sucks

1. It embraces the status quo. Change, whether positive or not, is not human nature. We would prefer for things to remain the way they are today. So, when people get together to discuss the possibility of doing something a little different in the future, it’s normal for the majority to avoid making changes.

2. It gives the malcontents an equal voice in your decision. Reaching consensus gives everyone a voice at the table. When that happens, even the negative, bitter folks that don’t really embrace the vision have the opportunity to pull the rest of the group away from what could really be the most desirable outcome.

3. It short circuits the radical ideas that lead to the biggest breakthroughs. The big, bold ideas won’t see the light of day. Yet those are the ideas that could potentially lead to the best innovations. Consensus brings people back to the middle where the majority approves but mediocrity reigns.

4. It leaves unresolved conflict on the table. At the opposite ends of a decision are distinct opinions which, if left unresolved, could potentially lead to division. Consensus prevents tough conversations from happening. It gives people the freedom to jump to compromise without engaging a healthy debate.

5. It discourages people from dreaming big dreams. Want to neuter the creative-thinkers and entrepreneurs and visionaries in your organization? Force them to reach consensus with the rest of the crowd. These are the people that make you uncomfortable. They can drive you crazy. That’s OK. They’ll just go work someplace else if you keep forcing them to compromise their dreams.

There he did this cracker of a close -

Let’s try to reach a consensus on whether or not consensus sucks.

Good one, Tony!

Don't Step Up Unless You're Ready and Willing to Step Down

This is a thought that has been moving deeply within me for several months.
I need to get it out there to keep the process rolling on.

Dr. Dan Reiland did an article last year in his Pastor's Coach email that contained a thought that is a sleeper.

Here it is:

Don't Step Up Unless You're Ready and Willing to Step Down
When my pastor, Kevin Myers, first talked to me about the possibility of serving as a member of our church's board, he explained something that I will never forget. It has since become a foundational principle for me in any kind of leadership. He said, "As long as your leadership is good enough to help the church, you belong on the board. But if the church ever outgrows your ability to lead, you will have to step down."

My purpose on the board is to serve the church and my pastor; not for it or him to serve me. For that reason, I've always held on loosely to my position on our board of elders. I'm acutely aware that it is a privilege to serve in a church where God is working, and I feel lucky to be where I am. God could have chosen anyone to serve Him at 12Stone, yet He picked me. I strive to live a life worthy of the calling I have received (Eph 4:1). And I am determined never to stand in the way of what God is doing at the church.

This is a very powerful leadership thought!

Imagine if everyone in your team had this humble attitude.

What do you think?

The Pastor's Coach is written by Dr. Dan Reiland and is available via e-mail on a free subscription basis. You can subscribe by clicking here.
Used with Permission. The Pastor's Coach, September 2008.

Just a Walk Across the Room

Seriously, something very powerful is brewing in our lives
- and it is about to be unleashed!

We are raising the risk in the ministry at Westlife in quarter 1.

Better keep watching this space!

Only Grace - Matthew West

I was driving around today - reflecting, and day dreaming. I love days like today. After a really big week it is good to have down time.
I randomly sing, and pray, and laugh - and my heart is open to God.

And then this Matthew West song comes to my awareness. It is on CD number 1 in the stacker in the car.

Check out these lyrics..........

There is no guilt here
There is no shame
No pointing fingers
There is no blame
What happened yesterday…has disappeared
The dirt has washed away
And now it's clear

There's only grace
There's only love
There's only mercy and believe me it's enough
Your sins are gone
Without a trace
And there's nothing left now
There's only grace

and then I get the catalyst for a new 5 or 6 part preaching series...
"Tough Stuff - How to Deal With..."

Here is Matthew West "unglugged" at a radio station - schweet as!



I also hear this song "As I" from Garden City Christian Church. There is another preaching series in that - but that is a post for another time!!

Check out the rest of the lyrics for the "Only Grace" song:

You're starting over now
Under the sun
You're stepping forward now
A new life has begun
Your new life has begun

An’ there's only grace
There's only love
There's only mercy and believe me…it's enough
Your sins are gone
Without a trace
And there's nothing left now
There's only grace…

And if you should fall again
Get back up, get back up
Reach out and take my hand
Get back up, get back up
Get back up again

Ohh…get…back…up…again…

Universal Truths

We watched a segment of Rick Warren's "Preaching for Life Change" DVD set again today. Some of the team had seen it in Jan 2007 when I did a Kommunikation Klinik with them.

I was inspired by this reflection.
Rick said he knew these 6 things about every audience ... universal truths:

1. Everybody wants to be loved
2. Everyone wants their life to count
3. No matter how wealthy or successful, life is empty without Christ
4. Many of these people are carrying a load of guilt
5. Many are consumed with bitterness over a past hurt (resentment)
6. There is a universal fear of death

I reckon there is a Sunday preaching series in there somewhere......

Laser Force Training - Friday Edition

We met with our ministry-level people today. Laser Force leadership training - MkII.

It was again a real privilege today... wow!!!

One of my favourite bits was the discussion and reflection on "missional, attractional and organic" - and on a more tender note, watching Glenys miss Merv as we yahooed over lunch about cricket and the like.

And, oh - there was the Just a Walk Across the Room segment with week 1 small group video - there is just something about stories of life change/transformation/fresh start that just moves me to tears.

Laser Force Training

Nick and I pioneered a new training format today - and broadened our leadership development pathway.

Today we did Laser Force - "together & focussed … like a laser!"


a laser ...produces a nearly parallel, and coherent beam of light
….emits a thin, intense beam of light that can travel long distances without diffusing
…...produces waves that are all precisely in step, or in phase, with each other
origin: 1955–60; L (ightwave) A (mplification by) S (timulated) E (mission of) R (adiation

Here is what one of the participants wrote tonight.........

Just want to say thanks & to honour you both for what was a great day of leadership training.

Although I had been to others and also completed some of the exercises/material, God never fails to speak through you guys & I personally still came away with many gems, thought provoking ideas & challenges.

I would rate the day as an outstanding success. The way you skilfully resource the church is fantastic.

Nice One!