Chatswood Baptist Church

The Rhythm of our lives should show our Complete Joy in God     There is a secular yearly rhythm to our lives here in Australia isn’t there. It is set largely I would suggest by the way in which …

Tight-fisted or openhanded? Are we tight-fisted or openhanded? A tight-fisted person is one who isn’t generous. They don’t want to let go of what they have and are not willing to share what they have with others. In Deuteronomy chapter …

1. Different How different are we to the people that we live among? What is it about us as God’s people that makes us different to the people around us? If you were lined up alongside eleven others, would someone …

Sometimes to ensure that we do a good job we need some clear instructions. And we don’t just need the instructions we also need to listen to them. Out the front of our house (and I’m sorry for the picture …

Parental wisdom What wisdom did you learn from your parents? What did they teach you that has stayed with you? Some things you learn from them by what they say and other things you learn through what you saw them …

If I were a rich man “If I were a rich man” was a song that came from the Broadway musical called Fiddler on the Roof. It was also turned into a move in the 1970s. I remember the song …

Wisdom We live at a time where although we seem to know more about our world, we seem to understand less about ourselves and how we ought to live in it. 1.1 More knowledge It has been said that in …

You know that I take delight in many things. I love my wife and children and some days I can find myself just being so thankful for the family that God has given me. The answered prayer that comes to …

Introduction When astronauts on the international space station take a walk in space they can’t just leave the airlock and head outside as they are. For if they did they would be dead very quickly. Human bodies are not able …

Essential things There are always some things that are essential and necessary. These are things that you can’t do without or that you  can’t leave out without it changing the nature of what you have. Leave it out and you …

Intro In January this year Larissa, Ruby and I spent a whole day having the question of how to do first aid answered for us. And how was this question answered, we were taught the first aid course. For you …

Things in a nutshell How are you at putting things in a nutshell? How are you at getting to the point and putting things succinctly? Are you good at boiling things down until all you have left is what you …

I’m a conversative type of guy. I like it when things feel safe and familiar. One of the ways this shows itself is when it comes to how I watch movies. I’m the sort of person that likes watching familiar …

1. Falling asleep Have you ever found yourself falling asleep when you ought to be staying awake? New year’s eve Maybe you’ve waited up to watch the New Year’s Eve fireworks on TV only to find yourself struggling to stay …

Introduction Like many sitting here today I have attended quite a few funerals in my life. I dare say that none of us ever look forward to going to a funeral, for funerals mean that someone has died. And further, …

Pleasing people At times we all find ourselves trying to please someone whether we do it consciously or unconsciously. Many of us are influenced by our parents and the expectations that they have had for us. Sometimes we do what …

Visiting loved ones Who would you visit if you could and why would you visit them? For us with our eldest son now living just outside of Cairns for the last decade whenever we get an opportunity, we like to …

Make the days count Muhammad Ali was quoted as once saying, “Don’t count the days, make the days count”. It’s not bad advice but of course it all hangs on what it means to make your days count. For some …

As we start a new series this morning in Paul’s first letter to the Thessalonians I pray that this morning you would be encouraged by these verses as Paul was 2000 years ago. We are not just casual observers of …

Imitation Who are you like and who are you seeking to be like? The people around us inevitably have an influence on us. The family we grew up in definitely shapes for good or for bad and whether we are …

Consequences Consequences – there are always consequences to any decision we make or action we take. Sometimes we put off making decisions or doing something because we are not sure what will come of it. But even putting off a …

1. Hide and seek As a child one of those games that I would often play with other children was ‘hide and seek’. We would often visit our cousins on a Sunday afternoon and four of us would play hide …

Unexpected.  Being caught off guard can be embarrassing, it can be frustrating, and is seldom without consequences. Whereas when you are ready for something. When you are expecting it, things generally go ok. I wonder if today with all of …

Introduction Having information ahead of time enables us to be prepared for what will happen. On New Year’s Eve we went to watch the fireworks from my parents’ apartment in Kirribilli as it has a very good view. However, it …

Introduction Have you ever asked what you thought was a pretty straightforward question only to find that the answer you are given was much more detailed than you bargained for? In the 1992 Movie a Few Good Men starring Tom …