Don’t Sit Still for to Long

I have great respect for the Pastors, their wives and kids serving churches in remote country towns. At times it can be a lonely and thankless calling. These people dedicate their lives to serving in dry communities where at times pride, politics and traditional religion can be soul destroying.

On this tour I have met quite a few families in ministry that are fatigued and weary, some burned out and desperate for relief. I know what it feels like to burn out… I’ve been there a few times over 25 years of faith ministry. Running on empty, making mistakes, having another go at it. I’ve learned that giving up and calling it quits is never the answer. If you give up and sit still for too long you’ll become a shell of what you could have been.

The best advice when you’re burned out: Take a break, allow the Lord to rebuild you and then get back out into what you were born for! Never ever give up!

“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.”
-Teddy Roosevelt.

If Jesus had been intimidated by the critical condemnation of religious leaders, if He had given up because the law was against Him, He would never have achieved the victory of the Cross – the glory of the resurrection! He knew that his battle was not against proud people or fear filled religious systems.. it was a war between heaven and hell… between eternal life and death.

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Ephesians 6:10-13

I constantly pray that our ministry in remote towns is bringing hope and healing to Pastor and their families. Thanks for supporting with us as we travel to towns with a heart to bring Jesus to the lost and revival to the weary!! For eternity’s sake.

Godspeed,

Pictured: An old abandoned truck dragged from the paddock with trees growing through the engine bay and cab. Near Kyabram, Victoria.

The  Curse of Unfulfilled Expectations.

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith.. and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God.. not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. Ephesians 2: 8-10

You and I have been created for good works. Every person born on earth has God’s fingerprint of eternal destiny in their DNA. Created for a purpose. We all have dreams in our hearts and hopes for the future. Sometimes in life our expectations get dashed against the rocks like a ship in a storm. We have our plans and yet through circumstances beyond our control… they fail.

I believe this is where real faith and determination kick in. Don’t ever give up just because your initial expectations are unfulfilled. Try a different course. Prove the legalistic critics wrong and achieve what God intended you to do. Religion will destroy you but faith in Jesus will liberate you.

The apostle Paul was doomed. He was in chains on a prison ship lost at sea in violent storms for 14 days. He knew the message he had within his heart was for the entire world to hear and he was determined to get to Caesar. He never expected it would be as a Roman prisoner. But in the end he didn’t care. He was fully convinced God was with him and the word would get out.

After they had gone a long time without food, Paul stood up before them and said: “Men, you should have taken my advice not to sail from Crete; then you would have spared yourselves this damage and loss.  But now I urge you to keep up your courage, because not one of you will be lost; only the ship will be destroyed. Last night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve stood beside me and said, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul. You must stand trial before Caesar; and God has graciously given you the lives of all who sail with you.’  So keep up your courage, men, for I have faith in God that it will happen just as he told me. Nevertheless, we must run aground on some island.” Acts 27:21-26

Don’t ever let the curse of unfulfilled expectations dictate the terms of your life to you. Take hold of tomorrow and live it like its your last. One small broken mechanical part in a perfectly useful farm tractor can render it useless forever if the farmer gives up on the vision he had for it. Eventually it lies dormant in a field of weeds.

By God’s grace we are called to do His good works. So keep up your courage and have faith in God that it will happen!!!

Godspeed,

Pictured: A rusting Massey Ferguson tractor in a lonely field near the town of Anakie, Victoria.

The Wonder of Creation and worrying about Life.

With every outgoing tide along the northern beaches of Tasmania’s coastline tens of thousands of sand worms carry out their daily procedure of digging deeper into the sand, leaving a myriad of artistic tubular mounds. Every one is unique and captivating…. and destined to be washed away with the returning tide, only to be repeated in the hours of the coming day. Their multi dimensional patterns had me captivated knowing they were the remnants of a worm at work.

“No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money. “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life? Matthew 6:24-27

God knows the great challenges each of us face at different seasons of our lives. The financial struggles, the physical limitations, the family issues.. the list goes on. We all have battles and baggage to contend with. But above all that we have the choice to either be ‘better or bitter’. We choose to get up in the morning and do what we do.. to get on with it. Like a sand worm!!! If he does not dig his way into the sand on low tide he becomes lunch for the local seagull’s!! It’s worth digging deeper and getting on with life. It’s worth putting the most important things first and not being distracted what the system says you need. Just be you. You and Jesus is all you really need. The rest sorts itself out.

But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. Matthew 6:33-34

As you read this we will be travelling across the Bass Strait on the Spirit of Tasmania after two weeks of concerts and ministry throughout Tasmania. Thanks for your interest in our work in serving churches across Australia. We are grateful for some amazing events and the opportunity to sing and preach to many people.

The Heritage Acoustic Tour continues later this week into country Victoria and then on to New South Wales. Thanks for your support and prayers.

Godspeed,

Pictured: The artistic trail left behind the Tasmanian sand worm. Boat Harbour Beach, North Western Tasmania.