Christianityworks Official Podcast

They say that following Jesus isn't easy. Because following Jesus means swimming against the tide of popular opinion. Following Jesus means, all too often … in fact most of the time … going in the opposite direction. That's why we need power … power unlimited … to follow Jesus.   WARNING: The Countercultural Christ Over the last couple of weeks on the program, we've been talking about the unlimite...

God is so profoundly different to anyone or anything that this world has to offer. His ways are so different to our ways, and unless and until we have a personal encounter with the risen Christ, unless and until we encounter Jesus in our own, personal experience, our lives simply cannot be transformed.   Who Exactly is God? Who or what is God? When you go out and ask different people and what you...

Too many Christians, in fact, way too many Christians, are living lives that fall so far short of the life that Jesus promised. When Jesus promised power, they instead end up living a powerless life. I wonder if you know anyone like that. Resurrection Power I wonder if this scenario sounds at all familiar to you. At some stage, way back when, you decided to believe in Jesus. Perhaps you, like me,...

Sometimes, when life looks dangerous and dark – we need a place of refuge. Fortunately, as things turn out, God's Word talks an awful lot about the refuge He has for us.   God's Refuge I want you to imagine that you are out one night, walking along a dark and lonely street and all of a sudden you see some drunk and unruly men coming towards you. They are swearing and they look to be wielding knive...

Sometimes – we're just living life the best way we know how, honouring God and Whammo, something so unfair hits us – right out of the blue.  You've been there too, right?   His Way, Not Ours There are times in life when bad things happen to good people. And perhaps you are someone who believes in Jesus and you have been living your life just the best way that you know how; just day after day walki...

When we're travelling through a dark and scary patch in our lives, there's a strong temptation to do the wrong thing, to save our skin. But there is another way….   What We do in the Dark Well, it's great to be with you again this week. I'm not sure if you were able to join us last week but we began a new series called "Dark Night, Bright Light". Darkness, well, we all travel through darkness in o...

It doesn't matter who you are, we all travel through dark and fearful places in life – and at those times, it can be so hard to remember that God is in the Light business.   The Darkest Nights I am always so excited to be starting a new series of messages and that's what we are doing this week on the programme – and it is a series that I have called "Dark Night, Bright Light." Dark and darkness –...

So often we try to make changes in our lives, you know, the difficult things, those entrenched behaviours that keep ruining things for us – but try as we might, somehow we always seem to fail. But worship, well, that's something that changes us – from the inside out.   Worship Sets us Free Well, welcome to this programme; it's the last programme in our four part series called, "Worship as a Way of...

It's easy to worship God in the good times. Sure. But what about the bad times, when life is really tough? What does it mean to worship God in the middle of suffering? Because, quite frankly, when we're suffering, the very last thing we feel like doing is worshipping God.   Job in the Face of Adversity Well, this is the third message in a series that I've called, "Worship as a Way of Life" . Over...

Sometimes we keep our faith and our day-to-day lives in separate boxes. But it turns out that "worship" is something that brings them back together again. Worship does just happen once a week when we sing a few songs. Worship as things turn out, was always meant to be, a way of life.   Connecting Inside and Out Well, this is the second message in a series that I've called, "Living a Life of Worshi...

Worship means different things to different people. It's a religious thing. It's singing songs.  It's a concert with a light show. It's well, who knows what.  But the question we need to ask ourselves, is what exactly does worship mean to God?   We All Worship Something Well it's great to be with you again this week and we are starting a new series on the programme that I've called, "Worship as a...

It's easy to drift along, day after day – not ever realising that we're on a gentle, downward slope, until it's too late. But the beauty of God's grace is that it's never, ever too late to change things. It's never, ever too late to turn your life around.   Same Old Same Old The thing about life is that it, well, it seems to just crank along, day after day – get up, have a shower, have breakfast,...

Sometimes, we spend so much of our energy believing that God will give us a breakthrough in our time of need, that we miss the fact that he's already provided us with everything we need to get through those tough times.   So Easy to Miss Sometimes we can be looking forward to something ... something that God will do; some defining moment in life, without realising what He has already done for us i...

If ever any one ever had an unfair life – it was Joseph back there in the old testament. One step forward, two steps back seems to be the story of so much of what he went through … sound familiar? Yet in the end, he came out in front. At the end of the day, what others meant for harm in his life, God meant for good in the lives of so many others. Hmm.   It's Not Fair One of my favourite sayings wh...

Have you ever made one too many mistakes? You know, you get to a point where you think, That's it! God must be done with me? Well, Abraham was a man of faith who made plenty of mistakes along the way. Yet God seemed to overlook, even o compensate for them. Why was that?   Life Changing Moments As we travel through life we all kind of experience these moments and often they are seemingly insignific...

When Christmas is done and dusted – what do you do with it? Put it back in the cupboard with the decorations for next year – or let the message of Christian burn on in your heart?   CHRISTMAS IN REVIEW So how have you gone, in those busy weeks leading up to Christmas? Did you enjoy yourself or was the stress just too much? Was it a kind of rich experience or did the cares of this world; all that s...

These days, having a child out of wedlock is pretty much a valid lifestyle choice in many cultures. I'm not saying that it's right, just that that's how it's perceived. But back in Jesus' day … man it was a huge scandal. Seriously.   A MISCONCEPTION Well, here we are hurtling towards Christmas. You know, it's interesting when you look at the candy cane – you know that simple little cane with the w...

Christmas – they talk about baby Jesus and Mary and Joseph – but this Jesus … is He who He says He is? Can Christmas really make a difference – I mean in your life and mine?   WILL THE REAL MESSIAH PLEASE STAND UP? Well, welcome to the second message in a series that I have called,  "Message in a Bottle"  – in these weeks leading up to Christmas. We are going to take a look at this most amazing ni...

My hunch is that the whole Christmas thing began well before that starry night in Bethlehem. A long time before. Question is – how come God came up with it? IT'S HARD TO BELIEVE I have to tell you it Is hard to believe that we are on the home straight again – just turned that corner into December again – the end of another year. The shops are full of Christmas decorations. You know, it seems like...

God is a supernatural God – God goes ahead of us – God knows all things – God is all powerful – God is all loving and God pours out gifts through His people into other people's lives. And that's the powerful truth we're going to share in today!   A Loving Dad Let's imagine just for a moment, that there is a father who has some children – he is their dad - in a very real sense, he created them. He...

God's heart is to make His home in us and to fill us with His joy and His peace and His grace and His power, and I believe that with every fibre of my being. In fact, I know it. And the other thing I know is that He wants to do that for you. Today. Right now.   We're All Different It is fantastic to be with you again this week on Christianityworks. You know the process of boy meets girl has always...

So often we look in the mirror and realise, that we're simply not worthy to come before the throne of grace. And yet, because of Jesus, nothing more needs to be done for you and me to walk boldly before God into His throne room and say 'Father, I love You; I want to be in Your presence.' Nothing more needs to be done!   Experiencing the Truth These days we don't just want to know God – we just don...

The plan of God is to pour His abundant love; everything He is and everything He has and all His peace and His joy; His plan is to pour that out upon your life. And that … that's why He's sent the Holy Spirit.   How Thirsty are You? We are starting a new series this week on Christianityworks called "The Holy Spirit and Me" . For most of my life I haven't been a Christian. My early memories of chur...

At some point, we all end up at the end of our rope. Sometimes it's our own fault. Sometimes it's not.  At those times – we feel that we need to do something – it's like the last roll of the dice …   Jesus Christ Superstar It is just fantastic to be with you again today and today we are going through the last message in a four week series called, "Taking God at His Word" . God makes a whole bunch...

Sometimes, we head off in our own direction - and then we discover, at some point, that we've strayed so far away from God's plans for our lives. We've all done it. You have, I have. And yet the amazing thing is that God always, always provides us with a way back home. Always.   Israel's Dilemma Over these last few weeks on Christianityworks, we've been looking at what it means to take God at His...