Have you ever been swept away by the love of God? A love so amazing,so beautiful and so pure. As I listen to Saviour King by Hillsong, I am so moved. I just want to go out and act upon everything the lord has told me to do and I am just so eternally greatful for these moments, for this life and for the amazing people God has put in my life. A few years ago, I had no idea who Jesus was and what he was on about but someone took me to chuch. The worship team was singing Hosanna in the Highestand there I was in tears because of all the pain, all the hurt, all sadness in my life. I wanted a fresh start, a new start...
A year later, things are better, things have changed and I have changed. I accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and Saviour and I was baptised in October 2008. People think God is oppressive, but I don't think God is oppressive. I have more freedom than ever before and I feel so much more at peace with everything. But still this is not just who Jesus is, Jesus is not someone who blesses the do-godders.
Jesus came so the blind recieved sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor. Ps Rob Bell wrote, "Power is flowing through Jesus to the broken, blind and lame-those who need it the most, who have no power in the service of compassion and
love-that's what a servant does."
This is what drew me to the heart of Jesus and this why I accepted Jesus Christ as my lord and saviour.
Saturday, April 25, 2009
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
To the Woman
These words I am about to read are dedicated to all women who are working to create a better world.
The Persian Poet Rumi once said that life is like being sent by a King to another country in order to carry out a particular task. The person sent may do a hundred other things in that country, but if he or she fails to fulfil the particular task he or she was charged with, it is as if nothing had been done.
To the woman who understood her task.
To the woman who looked at the road ahead of her,
and knew that hers would be a difficult journey.
To the woman who did not attempt to make light of those difficulties, but, on the contrary, spoke out against them and made them clearly visible.
To the woman who made the lonely feel less alone, who fed those who hungered and thirsted for justice, who made the oppressor feel as bad as those he oppressed.
To the woman who always keeps her door open, her hands working, her feet moving.
The woman who personifies the verses of that other Persian Poet, Hafez, when he says:
Not even seven thousand years of joy can justify seven days of repression.
To the woman who is here tonight, may she be each and everyone of us, may he example spread, may she still have many difficult days ahead, so that she can complete her work, so that, for the generations to come, the meaning of 'injustice; will be found only in dictionary definitions and never in the lives of human beings.
And may she travel slowly, because her pace is the pace of change, and change, real change, always takes a very long time.
Written by Paul Cohelo
The Persian Poet Rumi once said that life is like being sent by a King to another country in order to carry out a particular task. The person sent may do a hundred other things in that country, but if he or she fails to fulfil the particular task he or she was charged with, it is as if nothing had been done.
To the woman who understood her task.
To the woman who looked at the road ahead of her,
and knew that hers would be a difficult journey.
To the woman who did not attempt to make light of those difficulties, but, on the contrary, spoke out against them and made them clearly visible.
To the woman who made the lonely feel less alone, who fed those who hungered and thirsted for justice, who made the oppressor feel as bad as those he oppressed.
To the woman who always keeps her door open, her hands working, her feet moving.
The woman who personifies the verses of that other Persian Poet, Hafez, when he says:
Not even seven thousand years of joy can justify seven days of repression.
To the woman who is here tonight, may she be each and everyone of us, may he example spread, may she still have many difficult days ahead, so that she can complete her work, so that, for the generations to come, the meaning of 'injustice; will be found only in dictionary definitions and never in the lives of human beings.
And may she travel slowly, because her pace is the pace of change, and change, real change, always takes a very long time.
Written by Paul Cohelo
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Broken for the Broken
This message may be long but please read this message because it is intended for you. Some of you may know the message I am writing about and for some of you it may be the first time you hear it. I am in Rome at the moment and it is my second time here and I have had the privilege to do a lot of sightseeing. I have seen the Ruins of the ancient Roman Empire, the holy sites and amazing artwork just to name a few. But over the past two days, God has shown me so much about the heart of Jesus and what God wants to do with OUR LIVES. Pastors Rob Bell and Dan Colden wrote in their book ‘Jesus wants to save Christians’, “The Roman Empire that ruled the world in the times of Jesus was masterful in its repeated telling of one version of its story. A phrase the Caesars often used was ‘peace through victory’. They would come to a region they had not yet conquered, announced they were going to make a particular region a part of their empire, and then proceed to occupy it with their army. People protesting this arrangement could quickly find them on a cross. For those in the lands being conquered by the massive Roman military muscle, it was not peace, it was destruction. Death. The end of life as they knew it…If you have the power, it can be hard to understand the voice of those who have no power…If you have choice, options and luxuries, it can be hard to fathom the anger of those who don’t.”If you do not spend nights and days living in fear because you may be shot dead for being a particular race, class or believing in a particular religion. Then it is hard to imagine living in this fear. If you do not spend all night and day in tears because your loved ones have been sold into slavery, it can be hard to understand the tears of that person. Jesus came to this Earth to take us out of sin, out of slavery, out of the empire of entitlement, “when the fundamental awareness is lost that this is all a gift. Luxuries can begin to seem like necessities.” (I honestly use to think this way…that I could have everything and spend my money on anything I desired and other people did not matter but over the past year, the Holy Spirit has convicted me that this is not the way). Do not get me wrong; there is nothing wrong with being wealthy. The question I am asking you is how will you use your wealth? Will you use it to fight for the cause of others or will you live an indulgent lifestyle and forget those who have nothing. This kind of thinking is s radically different to the worldly ideas that pervade music, books, movies, films and our lives- A worldly view that we as individuals should satisfy their every desire, without ever questioning whether it is wrong or right or whether it hurts or disadvantages another person. Then again Jesus was and is radically different. When we forget that our abundance in indeed a gift from God, we turn to our neighbours when we see poverty stricken children on the television and say, “Someone else will fix their problem” or when we see a homeless person on the street, “it’s their own fault that he or she is homeless”. When we have so much it easy to forget the others who live on less than $2 a day. When we live in so much comfort the cries of the oppressed can become stifled. Let our hearts be broken for those who are broken. I remember walking to work one Saturday morning in May, 2008 and I saw a group of homeless people and tears just started to flow from my eyes. I thought to myself, if this hurts me, just imagine how heavy the heart of God is...So in 2009 and beyond, I challenge you dear friends to do something amazing with the amazing life that God had given you. Sponsor a child, donate money to a foundation, volunteer with an NGO or a local church, PRAY, LOBBY GOVERNMEMT to do something about the current conflict in Darfur, Zimbabwe, China Israel, Palestine, Middle East, Democratic Republic Of Congo, Somalia and other parts of our vast globe. Lobby the government to act drastically upon the homeless crisis in Australia-20, 000 people are homeless in a developed nation! Tell your friends, family and workmates about the injustice in our world and our Nation—Raise Awareness. Start your own organisation or event bringing to light the plight of the oppressed. Lets make our lives; a life lived to help others in need and serve others with everything we have. In our nation, Australia, there are desperate and broken people in our neighbourhoods, our circle of friends and our own families. Open up your heart, your ears, your eyes and arms. Reach out and love them and care for them. Extend the same GRACE to others that God extended to you. I know each and every one of you has such an awesome purpose and I just cannot wait to see all of you shining BRIGHTLY!!! You are made for so much more than working a 9 to 5 job that pays the bills! To walk into the love of God and understand the amazing, deep and life giving love that Jesus has for you. If you are yet to experience the love of God… Ask God yourself… listen to the answer and see for the signs. I really believe that God is going to do something amazing with our generation…something the world has never seen before…A compassionate, fierce, loving, humble God-fearing generation…Right now God is breathing life into us like he did at Creation’s first dawn. Calling us into being and etching the path we will take and sketching Godly purposes within our hearts. God will make a masterpiece out of our lives.
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