There is an interesting story in the Gospel of Luke about Jesus and his home town crowd – Nazareth. Jesus grew up here. Everyone knew him as ‘Joseph’s son’. After reading the Scripture in the synagogue one Sabbath, people were surprised by how well Jesus spoke.… Read the rest
The Blessing of Giving
Jesus said and did many things, a lot of which is recorded in the four Gospels of the New Testament. But not everything Jesus said and did was written down (see John 21:25). The apostle Paul rarely quoted Jesus, but one statement that must have been passed on to him through ‘oral tradition’ (it’s not recorded in the Gospels) is Jesus saying this:
… Read the rest“It is more blessed to give than receive.”
Life Change
Life change and character development take place best in the context of relationships.
For example, when our three children were growing up, I noticed that when they are 'alone', such as on a date with me, each of them had the ability to be extremely angelic.… Read the rest
Love Pays Attention
Love pays attention.
Unfortunately, I often get distracted when people are talking to me (including my wife, Nicole), which usually evokes the comment, “You’re not listening to me!” Love means being 'fully present' with a person, paying focused attention to them by looking them in the eye and concentrating not just on their words but also on the meaning and feelings behind the words.… Read the rest
The Art of Coaching (Part 3)
Graham Alexander developed a simple but effective model (or mental map) for sequencing good questions. It is called The GROW model and it was first published by John Whitmore.
The Grow Model
- GOAL – “What do you want? What are you trying to achieve?”
The Art of Coaching (Part 2)
The coaching process involves two aspects: (1) raising awareness and (2) building responsibility.
Creating awareness is all about helping the individual see themselves ("self-awareness") and their situation (what is happening around them) accurately. People can only deal with what they are aware of.… Read the rest
The Art of Coaching (Part 1)
In many ways, all of us are leaders. We influence others – family, friends, neighbours and school or work associates. It may be formally or informally, but it happens. We get to choose whether that influence is positive or negative, helpful or unhelpful. … Read the rest
The Priority of LOVE (Part 4) – Awkward Love
The Christian God exists eternally in a Trinity of loving relationships – Father, Son, and Spirit. God created us as the object of his love and invites us to participate in a community of loving friendships. As we fully understand how much God loves us, we are able to love others from a strong foundation of acceptance, significance, security, and purpose.… Read the rest
The Priority of LOVE (Part 3) – I Am Loved
The foundation of our love for others is a revelation of God’s love for us. The most important question in your life is not how much you love others or even how much you love God. It is how much do you think God loves you.… Read the rest
The Priority of LOVE (Part 2) – Original Love
Relationships in Turmoil
Despite the fact that there are many good things happening in our world today, it doesn’t take a lot of insight to realize that we are a time of turmoil – especially in our relationships. At our very core, human beings are relational creatures.… Read the rest
The Priority of LOVE (Part 1)
The fairly new church in the bustling seaport city of Corinth back in AD 65 was booming. It was a dynamic charismatic and Pentecostal community attracting pagans and religious people alike. The meetings were pumping – inspiring worship times, sensational preaching, insightful teaching, as well as regular healings and miracles.… Read the rest
Finding Happiness (Part 2): Strong Personal Relationships
The second factor that contributes to our happiness (read Part 1) is Strong Personal Relationships.
Each of us is born into a family and a desire for a sense of belonging is a part of what it means to be human.… Read the rest
The Greatest Love Song of All Time (Pt.2)
Hopefully, you’ve had a chance to read through the Song of Songs – an extraordinary love poem.
How can we apply the insights from this love poem to our own lives today?
- What efforts are you making to keep the romance of your love relationship alive?
The Greatest Love Song of All Time (Pt.1)
Everyone likes love songs. They fill the radio waves throughout the day. I can still remember enjoying the crooning voice of Lionel Richie singing "Hello, is it me you're looking for?" in my late teens. There is something deeply profound about the desire and yearning of one person for another.
… Read the rest Who have you been eating with?
One day Jesus was having dinner at the home of one of the top Pharisees (the religious leaders of his day). As always, there was some lively and interesting conversation around the dinner table. Near the end of this meal, this happened …
Luke 14:12-14.… Read the rest