I'm sure you've all been to a wedding at least once in your lifetime. You would have probably heard a bible reading during the ceremony and its very often 1 Corinthians 13 - the passage about true love. And while you see these two beautiful people stand there with stars in their eyes for each other - it all fits the bill and makes sense. Love... ain't love grand hey :) But love isn't just picnics and sunrises. Love isn't just cute puppies and sentimental words. Love is a weapon. See the thing is that life isn't all that great or a lot of people. A lot of people suffer in silence with sickness, pain, fear, depression, loneliness, injustice, abuse as well as many, many other things. So what is love then? Rather than give you some boring dictionary definition instead I'll describe love to you. Love discards public opinion. Love gets its hands dirty to help. Love is messy and complicated. Love doesn't ignore reality. Love is fearless. Love is risky. Love goes into battle for others without all the formal training and qualifications. Love doesn't count the cost, it counts the pain of others. Love is scary and unpredictable. Love exposes pain. Love gives. Love is sacrifice.

In the Bible in Luke Chapter 10 Jesus taught a story of love about a traveller who was attacked by thieves and almost beaten to death. Three men saw him lying there on the road robbed and bleeding and they all had very different reactions. The first was a religious leader that worked in the church. He had position, good pay and a good name. People knew him well and he probably had on his best church clothes. He decided that his position and what he did was far more important than involving himself with some lowlife dirty bleeding man on the side of the road. After all, he already did so much for God and if he got blood and dirt on him he'd have to get changed and was already on his way to a church function. This first man quickly crossed to the other side of the road doing his best to pretend he couldn't hear the moans of pain coming from the dying man. A little while later another man came by, this one was also very religious but the difference here is that he had pedigree. He came from a long line of church goers who held very high up positions. Their family name was extremely well known for all the things they did in church for generations. Their family taught the bible, led worship, ran prayer groups as well as so many other things that everyone knew about.

They were known by all as a family that "the presence of God rested upon". But when it came time to put all that bible knowledge into action, this guy decided to also cross to the other side. You see, he was on his way to lead a corporate prayer meeting and if he was late, the people would think badly of him. He was so bound up by what others thought of him, he didn't stop to think what God thought of him. Sadly this man crossed to the other side of the road leaving the poor bleeding man to die alone. Lastly a foreigner came down this same road on business. He was travelling along and saw the man there on deaths doorstep. By now the man that had been attacked had lost a lot of blood and was suffering from heatstroke, dehydration and sever exhaustion from being left unattended in the hot sun. The foreigner raced to help him, he quickly gave him water and asked where he was from. Then after finding out the dying man was from the complete opposite direction the foreigner was headed he picked him up and put him on his own donkey and began the long trip back to the city where he could get him some help. He paid for his medical care and booked him into a hotel room and tended to his wounds and then notified the hotel that if the man needed any additional care to put on his account.

So... out of the three men that passed by who do you think showed us what love looks like? Pretty easy to spot love hey. Love is extravagant. Love doesn't care for the rules or what others think. Love isn't scared to get its hands dirty or risk getting its reputation marred. Love breaks appointments and gives time to others. God also showed me that love is one of the weapons of our warfare as believers in Jesus but love is an interesting one to say the least. Love is a blade so vast, so massive and so encompassing that it cannot be simply held, grasped or directed. So how to you fight using love then? You must die to self and let love wield you. It is love that directs you, holds you and moves you. You see God is love and no one can ever hope to control God. You just simply submit and instead let God's love control you just like Jesus did when He prayed in the garden before His death "Not my will but yours Father..." There is no greater example of love than to give up your life, your time, your ambitions, your dreams, your money, your well being and your reputation - all to help others in need. That is Love.

[ John 15:13 - Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. ] 

The truth is no one really likes tough times. As humans we like to avoid the rough seas and would much prefer to sail in pleasant tropical paradise harbours any day of the week. But no one learns anything from only comfort and ease. It's in the trials of adversity that our strength, character, faith and beliefs are tested to their limits and refined. King David knew this very well. When He was a shepherd boy in the wilderness he was often alone looking after his father's sheep. David was a good shepherd who loved his sheep and would fight and work hard to protect them. Imagine one day that David noticed one of his favourite lambs was missing, the little speckled one that always seemed to push the limits but had such a lovable heart. But today was different. David looked in all the usual hiding places and buster wasn't there. Then his heart sank. He noticed the little lambs footprints ended right where a lions paw prints began. He quickly checked on the other sheep and locked them in their pen, grabbed his staff and then set off to track the lion and his lost lamb...

The lions prints led across a snowy peak then down a steep slope into a dark shaded valley. David had been warned by many of this place... it was called 'The Valley of the Shadow of Death'. Even just looking at the valley gave David a cold chill over his all of his skin. The valley was dark and towering sharp cliff walls lined either side, so dark in fact you couldn't see any end to the valley at all. But something inside David pushed him on - His mind had thoughts of "just let it go, its just one lamb... and its probably dead anyway..." but he just couldn't leave buster there at the lions mercy. David was a shepherd and shepherds find their sheep. So He clenched his staff in his right hand and forged on into the darkness of the valley. At first he could see nothing at all, the blackness surrounded him and the stench of death and rotting flesh filled his lungs. But then he remembered the old prophet Samuel's words to him as a small boy...'Be still and know I AM God'. As he waited, his eyes slowly adjusted to the darkness. His other senses heightened also. Touch, smell, instinct, perception, insight. He now knew he was being watched from the caverns above. Rows of eyes glimmered in the darkness as they took spectacle to what they thought was the next victim of the valley...

He could smell his lamb now - a very faint smell of lambs blood. Following the smell, he rounded the corner and to his surprise perched atop a thorn bush he saw buster his lamb quietly bleating as he saw his master. He was still alive but badly wounded and barely breathing. It all seemed too easy. Something wasn't right... His skin tingled again as he smelt his attacker and sensed behind him an ambush. The whole thing was a trap! The lion had dragged the lamb to this place all along wanting David to be his prey. He ducked as the lion lunged over his head with claws just skimming his hair and clothes. A fire ignited in David's eyes. The same thing had happened before with the bear. He remembered again Samuel's words to him... "Listen to the Spirit's voice inside. It is quiet, but has absolute confidence and authority. Move when it says move, stop when it says stop" He gripped his staff and knew he only had one chance. Fail and you die. The lion gained it's footing and came for a second attack this time directly at David's face. David waited... his feet locked in position, His staff wedged under the rock face above him. With just milliseconds to spare David heard God's voice and shifted his footing as the lion made its deadly lunge only inches from his face. Large rocks from above showered down and collapsed on the lion pinning him to the ground. David knew his opponent was defeated and so did the lion. He walked over to the lion and grabbed its beard and stared into its large majestic eyes. Even though the lion was his enemy, he sensed respect from the great beast. He knew that this lion would never come near his sheep again. He had faced his enemy and with the help of God, He had won. He then gently rescued buster from the thorns and put him on his shoulders and headed back home to the other sheep. But now David was different. Very, very different. You don't fight a lion head on, stare into it's defeated eyes and come back the same. Twice now this fire had sprung up in him and he had a feeling that it wasn't the last time...

So when trials come, remember God won't allow anything to happen to you that He doesn't believe you can handle with His grace and strength. Alone you will fail, but with Him you will overcome and come out the other side a very different person. Stronger, wiser, lighter. A sword smith makes the finest and strongest swords by first choosing a precious metal, then once the blade is formed it must be hardened in the fires to produce the type of strength He desires that can withstand the fiercest heat of battle. No one gets any stronger in the gym by lifting boxes of tissues, you must lift weights heavier than you normally would in order to gain and produce muscle strength. God wants you to be strong in Him. Don't rely on your own experience, knowledge or strength - rely on Him for His strength, wisdom and patience in your trial. He is faithful and He loves you and promises to never leave you. Do not fear the fire, because just like the three men in the furnace in Daniel chapter 3  - in the fire you will find God. God loves you.

[ 1 Peter 4:12 - Dear friends, don't be surprised at the fiery trials you are going through, as if something strange were happening to you. ] 

I personally know what it's like to grow up in a broken home and to carry the unexplainable pain that it puts on a person as a result. I also know what it's like to feel rejection, abandomnent, shame, hatred, rage, fear, lust, greed, pride, addictions and all those nasty other things that attach themselves to unresolved pain. The simple truth is this - there is only freedom in and through Jesus Christ. I tried things my way for many, many years and I can tell you if you plan to go down that road, you're wasting your time. Sooner or later you will end up back at square one. My freedom came swiftly when I gave up my ways and said "I'm done... I need you Jesus... I'm doing things your way now". He took my pain and exchanged it for purpose, love and peace. The thing is this though, Jesus told us to "bear one anothers burdens and you will fulfill the law of the Christ" in Galatians 6:2. We can't take others burdens away - only Jesus can do that as it says in 1 Peter 5:7 - but we can lighten the load and make someones day a little easier by carrying it with them. Just like Simon the Cyrene carried Jesus cross up the hill so that Jesus could get to where He needed to be, we can help others by listening, showing we care, taking the time to help, maybe giving something that God prompts us to give and praying for each other.

If you're someone who's not felt that kind of immense internal pain that comes from deep rejection then consider yourself very blessed by God - but also consider yourself someone able to help - someone able to shoulder the load with someone in need. For me back then when I was at my worst, I would have given anything just to have someone listen and try to understand my pain. Even if you don't fully understand, it helps far beyond your realisation just to listen. Even better to gently listen and pray with and for someone. Look around you, this world needs God so badly. There is rejection on every single corner and behind nearly every set of eyes that God created. By being obedient to God you could be the catalyst of healing to a person that's been trapped in a personal and invisible prison of pain all their life. If we all did this - what would happen? We aren't the answer to peoples problems, the truth is we can't even help ourselves let alone stand for long on our own. But what we can do is point people to The One who is the answer to all of this world's problems. His name is JESUS, the perfect Saviour. And He saves ALL who call on His Name. God loves you - stay gold :) I personally know what it's like to grow up in a broken home and to carry the unexplainable pain that it puts on a person as a result. I also know what it's like to feel rejection, abandomnent, shame, hatred, rage, fear, lust, greed, pride, addictions and all those nasty other things that attach themselves to unresolved pain. The simple truth is this - there is only freedom in and through Jesus Christ. I tried things my way for many, many years and I can tell you if you plan to go down that road, you're wasting your time. Sooner or later you will end up back at square one. My freedom came swiftly when I gave up my ways and said "I'm done... I need you Jesus... I'm doing things your way now". He took my pain and exchanged it for purpose, love and peace. The thing is this though, Jesus told us to "bear one anothers burdens and you will fulfill the law of the Christ" in Galatians 6:2. We can't take others burdens away - only Jesus can do that as it says in 1 Peter 5:7 - but we can lighten the load and make someones day a little easier by carrying it with them. Just like Simon the Cyrene carried Jesus cross up the hill so that Jesus could get to where He needed to be, we can help others by listening, showing we care, taking the time to help, maybe giving something that God prompts us to give and praying for each other. carry the unexplainable pain that it puts on a person as a result. I also know what it's like to feel rejection, abandomnent, shame, hatred, rage, fear, lust, greed, pride, addictions and all those nasty other things that attach themselves to unresolved pain. The simple truth is this - there is only freedom in and through Jesus Christ. I tried things my way for many, many years and I can tell you if you plan to go down that road, you're wasting your time. Sooner or later you will end up back at square one. My freedom came swiftly when I gave up my ways and said "I'm done... I need you Jesus... I'm doing things your way now". He took my pain and exchanged it for purpose, love and peace. The thing is this though, Jesus told us to "bear one anothers burdens and you will fulfill the law of the Christ" in Galatians 6:2. We can't take others burdens away - only Jesus can do that as it says in 1 Peter 5:7 - but we can lighten the load and make someones day a little easier by carrying it with them. Just like Simon the Cyrene carried Jesus cross up the hill so that Jesus could get to where He needed to be, we can help others by listening, showing we care, taking the time to help, maybe giving something that God prompts us to give and praying for each other.


If you're someone who's not felt that kind of immense internal pain that comes from deep rejection then consider yourself very blessed by God - but also consider yourself someone able to help - someone able to shoulder the load with someone in need. For me back then when I was at my worst, I would have given anything just to have someone listen and try to understand my pain. Even if you don't fully understand, it helps far beyond your realisation just to listen. Even better to gently listen and pray with and for someone. Look around you, this world needs God so badly. There is rejection on every single corner and behind nearly every set of eyes that God created. By being obedient to God you could be the catalyst of healing to a person that's been trapped in a personal and invisible prison of pain all their life. If we all did this - what would happen? We aren't the answer to peoples problems, the truth is we can't even help ourselves let alone stand for long on our own. But what we can do is point people to The One who is the answer to all of this world's problems. His name is JESUS, the perfect Saviour. And He saves ALL who call on His Name. God loves you - stay gold :) 

I was walking through the shopping centre a few days ago and saw people from a charity asking for money to help an overseas aid effort and those in need. God brought to mind the verse "He who gives to the poor, lends to the Lord and He will repay". The truth is, no matter where you live in this world there will always be the poor. Poor doesn't always mean you don't have a lot of money. People can be rich in possessions yet desperately poor in value for themselves. People can also be very destitute of earthly goods, yet be rich in blessing and life from God their Father. Jesus told us in Matthew 25:37-40 that whenever you give and help those in need, you do it to Jesus himself. The whole purpose of us as humans on this earth is to coexist - to help one another - to live in peace. Eve was created for Adam for this very reason, to help him and to be a companion. It was always originally intended that they would help one another and tend to the garden of Eden together in unity. And we are created for the same purpose - to be a single body that cares, protects and helps one another honouring and bringing glory to God. No one is an island and were not meant to fight through life alone. God wants us to live in peace and harmony showing love and compassion to one another and not just in word - but also in action. Giving to others doesn't always have to be money either. Sometimes people need someone just to listen, maybe someone to physically help or just be there. And praying for one another is one of the best ways you can ever help anyone in need. So today can I encourage you, if you ever do give to the poor and those in need - know that it goes far further than just the individual that receives it. Jesus said that when you show love and sacrificial compassion to others, you're also doing it to Him. And He promises that the things you do in secret, Your Father in heaven sees openly and will reward you. God loves you.  

[ Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. - James 1:17 ]

God is good - all the time. This isn't just a hopeful phrase that people who live in a pretty, perfect little sheltered world without trouble say, it's a fact about God's nature. God is good and only good. He has no darkness in Him at all. He is a good loving Father. Sometimes we do not fully understand His love, but He always loves us. He doesn't do evil, and He doesn't bring evil. He is Holy, True and Just. I've had a few discussions with atheists that often bring up things like why is there rape in the world, why all the disease, why the poverty etc? My answer is always the same, we as humans are the cause of those things. We live in a fallen world and it's corruption is because we corrupt ourselves and need a Saviour. God is always good, faithful and true but people are most certainly not.

Sadly many churches and Christians aren't good either and have hurt many, many people in the name of God. We as humans often like to blame someone else for our own bad choices instead of taking ownership for them because if we did take ownership then we are one step closer to repentance and change for the better. And there is someone who very much doesn't want that to happen. We as humans have an enemy and have had from the very beginning. His name is Satan, the Devil. He is the opposite of God. He is evil and only evil. He has been out to undermine the relationship we have with God our Father since the start and he's still very much at ittoday. He whispers "God isn't good, if He was good He wouldn't have allowed this..." Yet it is the Devil that steals, kills and destroys and brings only sorrow and destruction then does his best to make us think it's God to blame. He desperately wants you to believe the lie that God isn't good. Just like He said to Adam and Eve, just like he said to Job, and just like He said to Jesus in the wilderness.

The thing is, God doesn't want robots - He wants us to choose. He wants us to know the Truth about Him. Unlike the Devil, God is love and doesn't manipulate our hearts or force us to do anything. God also has nothing to prove to us, He more than showers us with His grace and love every single day we breathe and live on this planet and made a way for us to be in close relationship with Him through Jesus Christ God's Son. So why is knowing that 'God is good' so important? Because once your eyes are opened to the powerful truth that God is good and only good despite what comes along in our lives - we can weather any storm. The devil needs you to believe the lie that God isn't good, because once you know the truth - He can't touch you anymore.

Just like Jesus, we can stand against our enemy the Devil defiantly in God's love knowing that we do not need to bow to fear because God is with us and for us. We have a Heavenly Father that loves us and there is nothing at all in Heaven or Hell that can can touch, grasp, damage or even compete with the sheer vastness of His unfathomable love. We are forever safe in in His love. Romans 8:38-39 tells us that nothing at all can separate us from God's love. Even in death, His love still triumphs. God's love was demonstrated when Jesus rose from the dead - The Father calling His one and only Son He loves back to Him. God's love is really that powerful. It can raise the dead, heal the sick and save anyone who receives His love. So today, I pray that God opens your eyes to the truth that 'God is good'. You have nothing to fear. He loves you and is for you. Stand as a child of the King. Walk strong in the love of the Father. 

So what is Hope anyway? Is it just a girls name? Is it something you say to a sick person? Is it a positive emotional response to a problem? What is hope really? I was someone who never had any hope. I was always negative and always expected and believed the worst would happen to me. I wasn't really thankful for much in my life despite having so much. I was nasty, mean and bitter about a lot of things. I believed the lie that I was a product of a broken home, a failure. Second class rubbish that had no use apart from being used and abused. I didn't value myself at all and allowed people to harm me very badly. All because I had no hope. Several years ago my life really started to fall apart and I was diagnosed with depression and put on medication for it. The cracks could no longer be hidden and they had become deep chasms of darkness that were leaking out pain for all to see. My loved ones and my family felt that pain explode in their direction every time they came close.

Then that day - when my pride had finally died - Jesus met me right when I needed Him. He came and literally ripped out of me what didn't belong. With His strong arm He tore from me the unwanted guest that lived in me - death itself. That day I was set free. Everything changed and I mean EVERYTHING. The pain died that day in a tremendous way. My eyes were opened. I now knew the truth. I now knew His power and His authority. I now knew what He could really do. I knew what I was and know what I am now - a free man. All because of Him. Now - I have hope. So what is hope? Hope is expectancy placed on One who is faithful and mighty to save. Hope is believing in the One who loves us, hears us and fights for us. I now have hope because of what Jesus did for me. He changed me forever and set me free from all the pain and death that tormented me and that made my life a living hell. I have hope because of my King and what He can do. I also learnt that hope is as weapon. A truly powerful weapon that is transferable to others. If you give yourself to hope you are given the power to lift and help others fight in their battles.

Hope is so much more than just a sentiment, so much more than just a feeling, so much more than just a wish. It's the expectant trust placed in our Saviour who hears, loves and saves us. I saw the power of hope when I sat in a doctors office and the doctor asked me how I was going on my antidepressants. I told her that I wasn't taking them any more and hadn't been for over a year. She sounded very concerned and asked what I was taking instead and I told her I'm not taking anything anymore. I don't have depression anymore. She looked extremely puzzled as the medical world has no cure for depression and asked how this could be. I told her I was simply prayed for and God set me free in a single day. She asked if I was OK and I told her "no, I'm not OK, I'm far better than OK - my life has never ever been this good". Silence fell on the room and after a minute or so she looked at me again and said "I used to go to church when I was a little girl..." That day, that doctor called Sarah saw hope. It was something far more powerful than what she had in her life and the whole of her medical training had given her. It challenged her to question what she believed. Hope is the horn of war. It is the voice that yells into the darkness "Wake Up!!!" Can you hear it? Hope is here. His Name is Jesus. He's the answer to it all. He is called the Hope of Nations.

[ In His name the nations will put their hope. - Matthew 12:21 ]

Without love, this world crumbles. Without love there would be no schools, no hospitals, no law, no armed forces, no music, no art and no peace at all. Without love, things become lifeless. Love cannot be seen, but when its gone the absence of it certainly can. We are called by God to love one another, to forgive, to be patient, to care and to help each other. We need to be interested in each other rather than just being focussed on ourselves. Love is outward, love seeks the good of others, love fights and protects, love stands up for whats right, love is bold, Love cares. Love doesn't sit silently, it moves and acts for others. The greatest example of love was for the King of all Kings to leave His throne and be born a man and die for us to make the one and only way back to God. To love is a choice, a choice we all have. So today, put on love like a jacket. There's a cold world out there so wear love and be love to that world. God knows they need it.  

Jesus said to us in John 8:12 "I am the light of the world" but He also said in Matthew 5:14-16 "You are the light of the world"... Jesus alone is the answer to all the darkness, pain and brokenness of this world yet in His amazing grace He allows us to play a part in the astounding story of redemption. Depression, Anxiety, Suicide, Hatred, Lust and Death are rampant and ravaging this sad broken world yet there is hope. Jesus wants us to share the amazing and true freedom He has given us with others that so badly need it. In the story of the demoniac of the Gadarenes (Legion) in Luke chapter 8 the story ends with the demon possessed man set free of all his pain and suffering now sitting as a completely different man clothed and at peace at Jesus feet. The part that struck me the most was that the man asked and begged Jesus to take him with Him and allow Him to be another one of His disciples. Jesus surprisingly told the man "no" because Jesus had much, much greater plans for him. Jesus told the man to go to the country that he came from and show and tell them what and who he is now and the amazing things God did for him in setting him free from all his demons. Jesus told this man to go and be the "light of the world" to the people of his country that previously only knew him as darkness fearing and rejecting him. So if Jesus has ever set you free from anything - He also wants you to do the same. He wants you to be a shining light of His love and truth to a world that so badly needs it and to give them hope by showing them what He did for you. He set you free to be free - and to let others see what freedom looks like. He doesn't ask you to be perfect or represent yourself - instead He takes the pressure off you and simply tells you just to point them to Him. He is the King of Freedom and He loves you.

[ Hebrews 10:39 - But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and preserve their souls. ] 

All I want is you God. All this stuff is just... stuff. No matter how much I collect, I can't take it with me. Everything I build will eventually end but your Kingdom lasts forever and ever. So instead of building my tower, I'll build your Kingdom in the hearts of people in love and truth. All I want, need and desire is you God. 

Father, help me with everything I do, say and think to be love. For without love all is meaningless, but with love the world can be rescued †  

God tells us to love one another, and not just those that are nice to you. He tells us to love unconditionally, not to return evil for evil but to pray for those that hurt you and use you. God never expects us to become the doormat of the world and there will always be times you need to stand up for whats right or walk away from things that just aren't good, but we are always told to do even this in love. Love is the thing that signifies that we belong to God. It's His stamp or branding on his children. Jesus said this is the way people will know you belong to me if you have love for one another. So why is love so important? Why can't we just do what we do without love? Because God is love. If we don't have love, we don't have God. It's as simple as that. If we do have God though, it's only logical that love will be what flows out of us - like lava erupting from a volcano or the rays of sunlight that cut through the darkness of a deep valley in the early morning. So when we give and show love to others, we give and show God to them. So today don't think it's a small thing to show unconditional love to someone that needs it, after all you're giving them the greatest gift anyone can give. You're giving them God.  

Jesus taught us that we can come boldly before God and pray and ask for what we need from Him. And because we are in a relationship with God, He loves to hear from us and loves to speak to us. Jesus also taught us to love one another and pray for one another. Every person we come across has their battles, every one has the things they struggle with at some time in life. Whether its sickness, loneliness, fear, pain or loss - we all need help. So when you pray today, step in for someone that God puts on your heart. Plunge into the unseen battle for them and pray that God would help them and give them what they need. You'll be involving yourself in their fight so expect repercussions from your unseen enemy. There is a war that rages day and night but our God is for us so who can stand against us? Stand up and fight for those you love! It's what good soldiers do. So today, pray dangerously.  

No matter how successful, popular, good looking, rich or famous you are - those days will come where you feel empty, lonely, lost and aimless. You can try to find peace and truth in friends, substances, intimacy, possessions or accomplishments but the real truth is it's just not there. Why would Kurt Cobain at the pinacle of his art being a true pioneer and an amazingly gifted artist in his field commit suicide leaving behind a wife and child? Why would Health Ledger - an extremely likeable and highly talented actor - decide that ending his life was better than going on living with all he had? Please understand, I hold absolutely no judgement towards those that suffer at the cruel hands of suicide. I have only extreme pity and sorrow for them and those they leave behind. As someone who also faced suicide, the one truth I found that changed me and brought me back from the dark abyss of death was this. I am loved. Whether I feel it or not, it doesnt change the fact that I am loved by God. Forever loved. Nothing - I mean nothing - in hell or heaven or on this earth can ever take away the love that God my Father has for me. It was love that saved me. It was love that reached down in pity with hands imprinted with mercy, truth and grace that snacthed me from the darkness and brought me into the light. So please, if you ever go to that place like I did... I beg of you with everything that is in me, call out His name. Whisper, speak or sceam if you have to. Call out to Him. His name is JESUS. He loves you enough to die for you and wants to save you too. Without Him, I would be just another tear soaked tombstone, but with Him... I am alive! 

You were never meant to just exist, cope, survive or get by in life. You were made with a deliberate purpose. You were given life as a gift. The single most precious gift ever given by God himself - life. You can't trade it, you can't buy it, you can't even prolong it. When it's done, it's done and theres no coming back for take two. So today make life an explosion in front of everyone that you come into contact with. Turn up the volume knob of life to eleven then snap the knob right off! Life was always meant to be bold, loud, moving, inspiring, including, multiplying, passionate, deliberate and attracting. Don't let fear, misery, depression, lonliness, sadness and despair rob you another day. Life was given to you to live, not for something else to take it from you. So if life for you isn't all you think it should be, the best place to go is to the one who gave and authored all life - Jesus, the Creator of all things. Whatever is going on in your life, whatever sickness, hardship, trouble or triumph - He wants to be there in it with you to help, guide and empower you to have the fullest life possible. He has all the answers because He is the source of all things and He loves you far more than you'll ever know. Live life Loud! 

The things you collect, your job, your money - they don't define you. Your pain, your mistakes, your failures - they don't define you. Your family, your race, your social standing - they don't define you. Your religion doesn't even define you. The thing is, under all that stuff is the real you. Some people live their entire life and never find the real person inside. I used to be someone who couldn't look in the mirror for longer than 3 seconds due to the immense pain, rejection and complete lack of self worth I had for myself. The hatred I had for myself was so, so deep and beyond compare. Constantly I would hear voices that echoed "you're a failure, a mistake, you're useless, you'll never ever amount to anything..." But one day my world collided with the Creator of the Universe and He silenced every single voice and brought peace to my broken world. Now there's only one voice. Often He's quiet but when He speaks He's always reassuring, guiding and strong. He has the strength of ten thousand whirlwinds yet He whispers to me just what I need to hear. He is my strength, my peace, my serenity. No matter what happens around me, I can never ever lose Him and I'm never alone. He helped me to see who I really was. He found me in there under layers of lies and pain. So no matter who you think you are or what you've done - you're worth more than you know. Jesus eyes see far beyond all those things and see only the real you. He wants to help unlock the real you, the best part of you, and it can only be truly found through Him. Jesus did this for a man that was a container for thousands of demons in Mark chapter 5. He saw the real man beyond the screaming rabble of evil and set him free. He also helped a woman in John chapter 4 that was seeking love but hadn't find it in the 5 previous relationships she had. Jesus has never stopped doing that for people. Finding them. You see, that's what a good shepherd does. 

If you've never heard of God - He loves you. If you were brought up in a religious home - He loves you. If you feel that you hate God - He definitely loves you. If you feel far from God - He loves you. If you feel like you let God down - He loves you. If you're in prison - He loves you. If you're super successful - He loves you. If you're loved by many and famous worldwide - He loves you. If you're a hated outlaw - He loves you. If you feel that you have a really good grasp of how much God loves you - He still loves you far more than youll ever know. The thing is, the most classic verse from the Bible that you'll see painted across at least 1 big guys chest at the Superbowl every year says this "For God so loved the world..." It doesn't say God loves the perfect, the rich, the good looking, the quiet, the loud, the religious, this race or that race. It puts it really plain and clear - He loves The World. So that means ALL of us whatever stage of life we're at - God loves you. And it only makes logical sense because He made all of us. It's indisputable and written forever in the Bible. God loves you! 

Everyone has value. If you can't see it, pray and ask God to show you. Even that nasty person in your life that grates you and rubs you up the wrong way has value. Let's be honest, we all know one or two people that just push our buttons and get us to boiling point. Whether its betrayal, theft or lies - we've all felt its sting at some stage. Maybe God has put them there to teach us patience, grace, mercy and love? In the bible a group of self righteous religious leaders dragged a woman into the street that they had caught in the act of adultery. As disgusting and ridiculous as it sounds they claimed to have had visual proof of her crimes which only showed the perversion of their hearts to be spying a woman to catch her in the act. Jesus not only showed mercy and value to the woman and forgave her, but He also showed mercy and value to the arrogant and self-righteous crowd that knew no love. He taught them a valuable lesson that day. Love trumps Religion every time. It was religion that killed Jesus and hung Him on the cross, yet Jesus said one of the most profound things to the hate filled crowd right before He died "Father forgive them, they have no idea what they're doing". In the middle of a scene that only spelled hated and death - He spoke love. And that profound love sent shock waves through the entire earth that day resetting time itself and painting forever the image of grace, truth and freedom - The Cross. That love still exists today. God loves you. 

Everyone has a great purpose in life. Everyone has deep worth. Everyone is made fearfully unique. Everyone has hidden skills and talents. Everyone can make a big difference. Everyone is known and loved by God.  

Sadly we live in a very corrupted world and we all suffer with pain at different stages of life. Whether it be the pain of a broken heart, rejection, betrayal, abuse, theft or loss - no one is exempt. We will all fall victim to sickness at some stage in this life and suffer pain in our bodies. Some pain can be managed, some we try to ignore, some can be medicated. As humans we will all taste the cold sting of grief, sadness and death whether it be the loss of a loved one or even the impending end of our own life. The sad truth is this world is a world that is in decay and no one can escape the reality of pain. So where do we go when the pain gets too much? Do we run the to the arms of another hoping that intimacy will be the cure? Do we find a drug to numb our senses and let us continue on with parts of us missing and switched off? Do we find comfort in the bottle and the temporary insensitivity it brings? Or do we punish our bodies with more pain to hide the real one that aches deep inside? The truth is that none of the above are the answer to our pain.


The answer to our pain is in One that went before us and bore the pain of the world that dark day He hung on the cross for you and me. That day that the sky went black for hours, the earth shook and Jesus cried "My God why have you forsaken me?" wasn't just because Jesus had taken on the sin of the whole world on Himself - but also the pain of the whole world. The prophet Isaiah said of Jesus "Surely He has carried our grief and sorrows..." and "by His wounds we are healed...". Jesus doesn't just care about your eternal destiny but also about the affairs of this life including your pain. He cares about ALL of you and everything that happens in your life! 1 Peter 5:7 says "throw all your cares and concerns on Jesus, because He cares for you!". That day when Jesus hung on that cross, He not only did all that so we could be saved but also so that we could rely on Him in our times of pain. In the final hours before Jesus death even the hardened roman soldiers that were ordered with His cruel execution had pity on Him seeing how much pain He was in and allowed Him to be given drugged wine to numb the pain.


Jesus refused this "easy road" and instead chose to bear the full weight of our pain that day. Because of that He is our Strong Saviour. He felt pain, bore it, stared it in the eyes and still finished what He came here to do. Jesus didn't die that day because of the pain inflicted upon Him, or the wounds, or the blood loss or any physical condition. Jesus died that day because when He had completed what He came here to do He chose to die saying "It is finished!". Pain didn't kill Him - He chose to die when He was ready as the Hero and Saviour He truly is. So know this, when those days of pain come that it just seems too much, too hard and you just want to end it all and run to the easy way out - there is One that went before you and carried your pain all the way up that dusty hill, all the way through the whippings, the mocking, the rejection and the abandonment, the loneliness and the darkness - All for You. When I picture Jesus on the cross that day I don't see a Jewish man in His 30's beaten, bleeding and hanging on a cross dying a miserable  death - instead I see the King of all Kings, the Lord of Glory, The Creator of All things with His arms stretched out wide saying "Come! Bring all your pain, all your sorrow, all that hurts you and give it to me!". Your pain died that day on the cross with Jesus. Let Jesus bear your pain today, He can take it. I pray for you that if you are in pain that God will show you the way to give it to the nail scarred hands of the One that loves you more than time itself.

[ Then Jesus said, "Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. - Matthew 11:28 ]  

I became a Christian when I was eight years old. My parents divorced when I was four and my Dad left home leaving my Mum to raise me and my two brothers. We grew up with not a lot but we never went without food and clothing. My Mum thought it would be a good idea to give us the chance to know God because she was taught about God by her mother when she was a little girl. Sadly my grandmother died when my Mum was only 10 and she was left to fend for herself in a family of 10 siblings and an alcoholic father. My Mum saw a small advert in the newsletter of the public school I attended about some Bible stories so she sent us along. I still remember hearing for the first time about David and Goliath, Noah, Moses and Jesus. I was told this 'Jesus' guy - the Son of God - came to die for me to take away my sins and to make a way for me to go to heaven. Apparently there was a guy there called God who was my Father too - weird. The lady told us we were all sinners and that we all needed a Saviour.

I had no problem accepting that, I was a sinner through and through and was actually pretty good at it too. She told the story how Jesus went through all He did and then died on the cross in my place. She said that if I pray and accept Jesus as the payment for my sins that He would be my Saviour and I'd have a home in heaven forever. I remember thinking "wow, that's a pretty rough deal for Jesus but a pretty good deal for me. Hey, if He wanted to do that for me... I'll take it!" So that day I prayed and became a child of God and was saved by grace. Best thing I ever did! The thing is this. I accepted Jesus as my Saviour but I never gave Him my life. God was my Father but I never really knew Him as that. And the Holy Spirit... well, He pretty much didn't even exist as far as I was concerned. So I spent nearly the next two decades doing my thing, living life for myself, making money, seeking pleasure, buying cars and motorbikes, keeping up with mates and all they had... but inside was a deep, deep ache. I hit a point in my life where nothing I did would ease the pain anymore. I had so much stuff, so much money, cars and things yet I felt so horribly empty.

I had terrible shameful addictions and was diagnosed with depression. My life went very quickly from bad to worse. I was put on medication for it but all it did was flat line who I was. The pain was still there, it was now just smothered under blankets of numbness. Even suicide crossed my mind quite a few times but thanks to the love and grace of God He kept me alive. I'll share another time how God radically healed me completely of depression in a single day and all my addictions in the following month but for now I want to share something very powerful that God did for me before He did that. When I was in the very worst point of my life when I couldn't sleep for days, the sun would hurt my eyes, every noise was like a jackhammer to my brain - God did something extraordinary. Something very unexpected. I drove home one day with the stereo blasting thrash metal as I normally did to try and drown out the pain in my head and pulled into my driveway. I turned off the car and through the windshield I saw a moving slide show of my life being played.

I saw the day I got my first job, the time I fell of my first motorbike, I saw my first car, my first fight at high school. It kept flashing faster now and further back. I saw myself in primary school drinking from the taps, then myself riding my BMX for the first time to school. As I was watching this a strange unfamiliar intensity was growing inside me, something I'd never felt before... Further back now. My Dad leaving home, me at kindergarten hanging from the monkey bars, my third birthday party, my first pet guinea pig. The intensity inside me now was almost unbearable. Then the last image came up... It was a hospital corridor and inside was a woman on the bed that had just given birth to a boy. To her right in a plastic crib was a small newborn only minutes old. I looked and saw on his wrist a name on the band... "Mark". It was me! Then I heard God speak to me "Mark, This is how I've always seen you. I loved you deeply before you were even born. I was there that day you entered this world. I will always love you. I am your Father".

 That day I understood what that verse meant when it says we are adopted into the Kingdom of God and cry out "Abba Father". That day I finally met my Father. Tears streamed down my face as the pressure I described earlier now completely took over me. Like a dam wall that had been broken and the raging torrents flooding down - this 'feeling' now completely and totally consumed me. The truth is, it wasn't a feeling at all and it hasn't ever gone away. It was love. The love of the Father. That day His love completed me. It found me, filled me and its in His love I am safe. It's His love that protects me, guides me and feeds me. I will forever be a tiny hatchling under the massive and unchallenged wings of love that belong to my Father. I pray todaythat God blesses you with His love and opens your heart to how much you really are loved. Stay Gold. 

[ For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, "Abba! Father!" - Romans 8:15 ] 

Real men aren't born. They're reborn. 

John 3:3 - Jesus replied, "I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God."

The greatest and most powerful weapon given by God... Love. It speaks in any language. It heals, gives, protects, stands, speaks and even dies in the place of others. This weapon cannot be wielded, instead you must allow it to wield you. You must give yourself over to love. Your selfishness has to die for it to truly activate. Then, as you are held in God's hand and by the power of His love - anything is possible.