What Motivates You?

2 Corinthians 5:14-15
[14] For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead: [15] And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.

ANZAC Day in Australia is a day for Australians to reflect on the soldiers of Australia and New Zealand who gave their lives on the battlefield for our freedom. Living in Canberra I have visited the Australian War Memorial numerous times and can say that there is no place in Australia that fires up my patriotism than the Australian War Memorial. Before I die, I would love to visit Gallipoli in Turkey and be able participate in the ANZAC day dawn service at that location.

I am greatly moved when we think about John Simpson Kirkpatrick and the donkey. An unlikely national hero, Simpson enlisted in the army, expecting this would give him the chance to get back to England; instead, Private Simpson found himself at ANZAC Cove on 25 April 1915, and was killed less than four weeks later. Simpson was instructed to recover and help the wounded and he undertook this work enthusiastically. Famously, he used a small donkey to carry men down from the front line, often exposing himself to fire. The bravery of this "man with the donkey" soon became the most prominent symbol of Australian courage and tenacity.

The blood of Australians was spilled on countless battlefronts around the world. The memory constrains me to be a better Australian and a more loyal Australian.

In the spiritual realm there is a parallel. In the text above, the apostle Paul said that he was constrained, he was compelled to do what he did because of the love of Christ. Love that caused Jesus to give his very life for me! Paul said, "how can I live for my own pleasures when Christ lived His life to bring about my redemption”. The price that Jesus paid requires more than an ordinary response! The price that Jesus paid requires more than a simple hallelujah, amen or thankyou Jesus.

Does the reminder of Calvary constrain you? The cross should remind us that we were purchased by the blood of Jesus Christ!

Our passion should not be based on what we can get from him, but for what he has done for us. Our love should not be based on healings or monetary blessing, He should not have to give us anything else. He doesn’t have to do anything else to prove to me that He loves me.
That's my five minutes!

Get Off the Treadmill

1 Corinthians 9:24-27
[24] Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. [25] And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible. [26] I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air:

Treadmills are popular these days. I recently walked past a gym with a fine array of treadmills lined up in the window and each of them was occupied by a person either walking or jogging. One thought came to mind, “if jogging is so good, why aren’t they smiling”, and secondly “all that energy, all that exertion…and getting no where”.

A treadmill is an exercise device consisting of an endless belt on which a person can walk or jog without changing place. Just like the classic Disney movie theme song, The Lion King, many are on the “circle of life”. We tend to get on the treadmill of this earthly “life”, and can never seem to get off it. If we aren’t careful we find ourselves driven by the treadmill of this earthly life….and will never experience the pleasures of eternal life.

One writer described our modern life styles as “compulsive” - there is too much to do, all the time. Once on the treadmill, we can’t seem to get off. Or, put another way, the rats are winning the rat race. Anyone ever felt like that?
In the Spiritual, it is a trick of the devil to get us on a spiritual treadmill, walking the Christian walk but never getting anywhere. Just like the literal treadmill, the Spiritual treadmill is gaining popularity these days as Christians attend churches week after week while never developing a relationship with Jesus Christ.

One such “Spiritual Treadmill” is “works righteousness”. You can almost see the spiritual exhaustion in some people’s faces. They constantly worry about going to hell. "Have I done enough?" "Will I have time for one last prayer before I die?" "Where do I stand on the curve?" And even at the height of physical exhaustion, they dare not slow down or get off. So instead they seek to pay God off-through church attendance, through good deeds, and through non-stop working. Every sermon they hear on commitment only turns up the speed of the machine, makes the course steeper, and makes them think they’ll collapse any second. They never feel restful in their relationship with God.

Our pursuit needs to focus on developing a relationship with Jesus Christ and knowing Him more! His mercies are new every morning and in knowing Jesus you'll know the peace that passes all understanding. You can run with a smile on your face. That’s my five minutes!

Self Assessment

Recently Pastor Downs preached about “self assessment” and the importance of assessing our walk with God against the Word of God, and no others. I was challenged to assess in my life and asked my self the following question. What do I do that makes me a Christian? Very often we tend to define our Christian walk by what we don't do. This involves no progress whatsoever. If fact we will find ourselves getting into "maintenance mode", just waiting for Jesus Christ to come back. I am not happy being AVERAGE!

There are associated dangers for Christians who stand for righteousness and want to be different from the world. There is an inherent danger when a Christian decides that they want to make a difference. When you have given up on being just a “run of the mill person” and you are not like everybody else around you, you become a target for the enemy.

I was reading a book review on an Apostolic Youth Site and they were reviewing a book called “An Enemy Called Average”. In this book the author John Mason says that the greatest enemy that people fight today is the enemy called average He was talking from a secular perspective. Although not a Christian author, this point can be applied to all Christians today. One of the greatest enemies facing the church is this age is the idea of mediocrity or being average. The idea that we are doing good enough just getting by. Just doing enough to make it to heaven, living as close to the world as possible.

Those that are satisfied with being average will very often examine themselves via a comparison with others. Very often, they will pick the weakest person in the church, the person who randomly comes to church, and we say “yeah, I’m doing OK compared to so and so”. To often we eagerly view our own accomplishments in the mirrors of our own design and ideas instead of the mirror of God’s word and His perfect plan for our life.

I believe God has a plan and a purpose for every single life. God has a desire to move us from ordinary to extraordinary. He wants to take our “natural” and make it “supernatural”. We need to make ourselves available to God, humbling ourselves and saying, “God, do your perfect work in my life”.

When God saves you, He doesn’t save you to be a “pew warmer”. God saved you for a reason and He has a plan and purpose for your life. Many people these days are sitting in churches waiting for God to come and knock them off their pew and give them something to do. Dare I say it….God isn’t going to do that. But every now and then, when the word of God comes forth and you feel the Holy Spirit tugging at your heart, when you feel challenged to do something for the Kingdom, this is God saying “Come on, do something for me. Stop being complacent”.

God has things in store for you because you have the ability to do what nobody else can do. God design a plan and that plan is specifically for you. God has given you special gifts.
That’s my five minutes!

Praise fixes up the dry times!

Dry times come to all believers. God knew that even spirit filled Christian would have to endure dry times. If fact we are told to “think it not strange the fiery trials” (1 Peter 4:12), furthermore we are told to “count it all joy when we fall into divers temptations because the trying of our faith worketh patience and in turn serves in perfecting” (James 1:2-4).

Numbers 21:16-17
[16] And from thence they went to Beer: that is the well whereof the LORD spake unto Moses, Gather the people together, and I will give them water.[17] Then Israel sang this song, Spring up, O well; sing ye unto it:

As the children of Israel wandered in the wilderness, they came to a time and place where, in the dry desert land, they were thirsty. They were experiencing a “dry spell”.

The first thing we notice when reading this portion in Numbers is that the children of Israel journeyed to a well as God had directed them. As established Christians it is more than likely that we all know where the well of the Lord is in our lives, after all we’ve been to that place before, that place of refreshing. Secondly, this well had been dug out by their leaders sometime before. Something important to note is that the well had been bug with the scepter and with their staffs. We see from Genesis 49:10 that the scepter is a symbol of praise. The scepter and the ruler's staff are established in Judah which means praise.

When the children of Israel arrived at this well it would have been evident to them that it hadn’t been used in some time. For it seems from reading the scripture that the water was not readily seen or evident.

Does it seem as though your well has dried up from neglect or lack of use? Then sing to it! Call it forth, as the children of Israel did to this ancient well. They sang this song: "Spring up, O well!
God inhabits the praises of His people (Psalm 22:3), and as their song went forth it brought forth His sweet presence to water their thirsty souls.

We need to dig the soil of our hearts and bring forth the well spring of the sweet and refreshing presence of the most high God to water the ground of our soul! If your dry and parched then begin to offer up a praise.

There is an old chorus that most of us know. “Spring up O well, within my soul. Spring up O well, and make me whole. Spring up O well, and give to me, that life abundantly!”If you are experiencing a dry place, bring forth your scepter of praise today and dig a well in the soil of your life! Sing to your well to “spring up”. You will be refreshed!
That's my five minutes!