Category: Sue’s Views

Sue’s Views

We enjoyed a lovely family day out yesterday at Butterfly Creek. It reminded me of the old hymn ‘All things bright and beautiful, all creatures great and small. All things wise and wonderful, the Lord God made them all!’ From butterflies and lizards ….. to farm animals ….. to alligators … to dinosaurs! Each creature is so different and intricately designed. We certainly do have a creative and amazing God!

Sue’s Views

Much of life is an uphill climb. It takes more energy ….. and motivation ….. and it’s easy to settle for the ‘low road’. But the ‘high road’ has a better view. You can look back on where you’ve come from with perspective ….. instead of always wondering, “What’s up there?”

Sue’s Views

When Jesus disciples asked Him to teach them how to pray ….. He gave them a model prayer which has come to be known as ‘The Lords Prayer’. It wasn’t meant to be quoted parrot fashion but to be followed thoughtfully. It contains all the elements required to live each day in Gods blessing. It starts by putting God in His rightful place ‘Our Father in Heaven’. It acknowledges who He is ‘Hallowed be your name’ ….. determines our desire to see Him reign as King on earth ‘Your Kingdom come’ ….. and our willingness to put His will above ours ‘Your will be done on earth as in Heaven’. Then we can bring our physical needs ‘Give us this day our daily bread’ ….. our spiritual needs, ‘Forgive us our debts as we forgive those indebted to us’ ….. our mental and emotional needs, ‘And lead us not into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one.’ Finally ….. it reaffirms who God is, ‘For thine is the kingdom, The power, and the glory, For ever and ever. Amen.’

If you use this pattern every day you will never run out of things to pray for your family and loved ones!

Sue’s Views

Finding it hard to make a decision? Ask God for wisdom. He has all the facts ….. and He wants you to do well. But you must act on what He shows you to do. Faith pleases Him ….. even more than whether or not you make the right decision. He can steer you in the right direction ….. but you must make the first move.

Sue’s Views

What is faith? It’s not wishful thinking ….. or a way to get something you really want. It’s seeing something that God has promised ….. but that doesn’t yet exist. If I can see something ….. I don’t need faith to believe in it! Faith is something that grows ….. like a tree. It starts off as a tiny seed that looks nothing like a tree. But ….. given time ….. it grows into something that brings forth fruit ….. shelter ….. and beauty. Faith is like a muscle that must be exercised in order to strengthen. It also pleases God!

Sue’s Views

God has new territory for us to possess. It may be spiritual territory ….. emotional ….. mental ….. or material ….. but it is most likely occupied at the moment. Opposing forces don’t want you to have it. In order to possess something ….. we first have to dispossess it! Israel didn’t just wander into the Promised Land and take over. They discovered it was occupied by enemies of God and they weren’t going to hand it over easily. God had promised them that they would win the battle ….. but they still had to fight! When we fight in God’s army ….. we are assured of victory. So ….. ‘Be strong and of good courage ….. for the battle belongs to the Lord!’

Sue’s Views

Board games really bring out the true character of a person! There’s the competitive ….. ‘must win at all costs’ type! Then there’s the strategic ….. ‘takes their time before making a move’ type. The aim of the game is to get home! The Israelites journey was something like a board game. They started out well ….. but then they would find themselves back where they started! They won some battles ….. but lost some as well. They had to learn to trust God and not rely on their own strategies. Their goal was to get to the Promised Land which was to be their new Home!

Sue’s Views

Off on a cruise with some girl friends yesterday! Unfortunately our mode of transport was the Waiheke ferry ….. but one can only dream! Half the passengers on the ferry were probably off the cruise liner. Our one day trip was most enjoyable and the best part was that it cost us nothing but a coffee and lunch! Oh the joys of growing old!

Sue’s Views

 I’d like to introduce you to my brother, Chris. He is a great example of what Christianity is all about! As an ex cop he is now helping to get ex prisoners jobs and intergrated back into society in Perth. Most of these guys are changed men and women who now have dignity ….. a sense of purpose ….. and something to contribute to society. It’s not all about judging others ….. it’s about seeing a need and meeting that need! That’s what Gods love is all about! Apart from saving lives and families ….. imagine how much money is being saved! It costs millions of dollars to keep people in prison. This was initiated by God and He brought the right team together to be able to make it work. I wonder what other great things He wants to do! All He requires is a life surrendered to doing His will. Watch the video! You’ll be inspired!

Sue’s Views

This waterwheel relies on the pressure of water to be of any use. Without that ….. it would remain stagnant. Pressure is not always a bad thing! As much as we might like a life free from stress ….. deadlines ….. or expectations of others ….. without those we too would stagnate and become useless. Just as stress training is vital to strengthen muscles ….. so the stresses of life can strengthen our innermost being. They can bring out the fight in us and motivate us to get up and do something. No race was won ….. and no victory gained without pressure. Of course ….. too much pressure can squash us. That’s when we need to adjust the flow by saying ‘no’ ….. or by seeking help.