Sometimes we can feel like the Christian life is all about trying to stop doing things we shouldn’t be doing. After all, we’re all sinners. God, in his great mercy, often points out our sin to us as we read his Word and hear it explained. We can always do a better job of being …
There is a common saying in English: ‘stop and smell the roses’. It is an encouragement to slow down and enjoy life a little. It remains good advice. All of us have a tendency to get too busy and stressed, and it is good for us to slow down and enjoy the good things in …
People vote for all kinds of reasons, according to what is important to them. Sometimes there is one issue that is close to someone’s heart (like the environment or asylum seekers), and they will vote for the party that has the best policy on that issue. Many simply vote for the party that they think …
There is an old chorus called “Tell me the old, old story” which revels in the wonder of being told about the gospel once more. From the perspective of someone who has been a believer for many years, the song expresses that we love to hear it again and again. I love this song, but …
After hearing a sermon, a common response is to mark it in our heads. We might think that it was enjoyable, or interesting, or faithful to the passage (or not), or useful, or well presented. The temptation is to compare it to the one last week or others we have heard. In a sense, this …
When your world falls apart, where do you look for comfort and advice? The answer will differ depending on who you are. Some just cannot cope and don’t look anywhere. Some will seek the advice of friends, look to experts in the field, read self-help books, or even watch daytime television or listen to talk-back …
Most Christians are convinced that we live in a world that needs to hear about Jesus. Specifically, most are convinced that those who don’t trust in Jesus at the moment need someone to tell them about Jesus. After all, the Biblical logic is pretty clear: 12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; …
We are encouraged to reach our potential, to be what we want to be, to make it in life. Our picture of the perfect life before us often includes comfort, a family situation we’re happy with, a nice place to live and enough money to do what we want to do. Ideally, we want to …
When was the last time you read a book? Yes, a book. Not a magazine or newspaper, not a social media post, not the latest news headlines, but a book. I fear that for many, especially in Perth, the answer tends to be “I can’t remember.” Social media has become where many spend the time …
Every now and again, a newspaper will remind us that Australians are very poor at saving. Compared to the rest of the world, Australians tend to spend what they earn, with very little set apart for later. Younger people, in particular, don’t want to invest money for the future but would prefer to make the …