Ephesians 5:15-20 (ESV)
“Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,”

Most of us don’t wake up in the morning and carefully decide how we’re going to live that day. We have just started. Check our phone, think about work or uni, rush through breakfast, and before we know it, the day is gone. But in Ephesians 5, Paul challenges us to live differently. He says, “Look carefully then how you walk.” Paul is challenging us to pay attention, be intentional, and question ourselves.

There are so many things vying for our attention. Work, family, study, social media, Netflix, sport, parties, problems, sickness. None of those things is necessarily bad or avoidable, but they can easily become distractions. Satan doesn’t need to convince us to abandon God completely; all he needs to do is distract us to reduce our impact.

Paul doesn’t leave us here, he challenges us instead to be  “be filled with the Spirit.” A Spirit-led life isn’t necessarily dramatic or erratic. Rather, Paul describes it very practically: worship God, encourage one another, and give thanks.

Imagine if, as men, our conversations naturally brought people back to God. If people walked away from spending time with us feeling encouraged, reminded of God’s goodness and wanting to worship Him more.

Imagine if worship wasn’t something we barely did for twenty minutes at church, but something that followed us throughout the week. A song in our head while driving to work. A quick prayer before a meeting. Thanking God while eating dinner. Choosing praise even when the day hasn’t gone the way we wanted.

That last one can be especially difficult for us men, because we like to think we’re pretty self-sufficient and got it together. But Paul is clear, “give thanks always and for everything.” This includes times when things are going well, and we defer praise and thanks to God, even when things aren’t.

A Spirit-led life doesn’t mean having a perfect life. It means continually turning our attention back to God in the middle of an imperfect one. So today, be active, attempt to include God in your conversations. Put on worship music instead of automatically filling every quiet moment with entertainment. Thank Him when you wake up, when you eat, and when something goes wrong.

Don’t just drift through today.

Walk carefully. Make the most of it. Worship God through it.

And allow the Holy Spirit to lead.

Key Scripture: 
Psalm 27:1
"The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?" Psalm 27:1

In 2005 as a 22-year-old I went to Vanuatu for my church denomination’s Discipleship Development Program. About a dozen Australian young adults were sent out in ones and twos to a variety of Vanuatu’s many islands. I was sent alone to the island of Pentecost. To immerse ourselves, we were instructed not to speak English, but to rely entirely on the basic Bislama we’d learned beforehand. Our role wasn’t to go and ‘do’ mission; instead, our task was to be formed as followers of Jesus by learning from Vanuatu’s Christianity, assess its alignment to the New Testament church, and contrast that to Australian Christianity. I was incredibly challenged by their vibrant, community-centric expression of faith where food and possessions were held in common. They were never hurried and always had time for one another—a sharp contrast to the highly individualised Australian faith, which is often stifled by a hustle culture of financial anxiety, busyness, and restless discontent.

During my stay, my host village invited me to a join them at a wedding a few hours' walk away. We left around midday, climbing steeply through the jungle-covered mountains. Once there, we witnessed the ceremonial exchange of pigs and joined in a joyous afternoon feasting on local food and drinks. When it was time to return home it was completely dark and I was seriously unprepared. I had no idea how to find my way back through the dense jungle. The paths were dark, narrow, muddy and sloped steeply downwards, and I was constantly slipping in the thongs I’d chosen to wear.

Thankfully a village friend had a torch and shone it in front of me to light my steps. I reached out my hand behind me, and he held it to keep me from slipping over. He gently yet firmly spoke direction and encouragement not in his first language, but mine, saying “step strong” and “go slow”. Amidst my fear and dependency on my friend I suddenly felt deep within me that through this man’s care it was the Lord himself lighting my path, holding my hand, and directing my way with His strong and loving words.  

It’s been over 2 decades and almost half my lifetime since that night and yet it’s become foundational to how I experience and understand my relationship with God. On my own, I am unprepared for life (now and eternally) and seriously dependent on Him. I cannot light the steps ahead, only He can. I need to reach out my hand and be steadied and led by Him. I need to faithfully seek His loving, guiding and directing voice.

Scriptures are rich with examples of God’s promises to light the path before us (Psalm 119:105, Proverbs 6:23, Isaiah 4:16), guide the way (Proverbs 3:5-6, Psalm 32:8, Isaiah 58:11), and lead with His voice (Isaiah 30:21, John 10:27, Psalm 23:2-3). Our role is simply to faithfully trust and surrender to Him. If we are willing, He can transform us and use us for His purposes.

How might God be calling you to be a vessel of His light, guidance, voice and love for others, and with whom? Through study, prayer and His church may we seek His Word in our lives; may we faithfully follow Him.

Reflection Question
Where in your life right now do you feel unprepared or "in the dark," and how can you reach out your hand to trust God's guidance today?

Action Question
Who is someone around you navigating a difficult path, and what is one practical way you can "shine a light" or offer encouragement to them this week?

Key Scripture: 
Proverbs 17:22 (NIV)
“A cheerful heart is good medicine,
but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.”

I’ve been spending some time in Proverbs recently, and as I was reading chapter 17, this verse really stood out to me! It was like it hit me in the face harder than what Jared Howlett hits on the octopong table… and that’s pretty aggressive if I say so myself! ?

There are so many ways I have reflected upon this verse. But the more I reflected, I found myself thinking about it holistically. Who we are and what we’re made up of: body, soul, and spirit.

Body: Our physical being, including our senses.
Soul: Our mind, will, emotions, and personality. The parts of us you can’t see but definitely experience.
Spirit: The deepest part of who we are. Where we connect with God through the Holy Spirit.

There’s no doubt that a cheerful heart is good medicine. God designed us to experience joy (John 15:11). Joy can reduce stress, strengthen relationships, lift our emotions, and even have a positive impact on our physical health. But what the Lord really convicted me of wasn’t whether I had joy, it was where I was looking for it.

What was fuelling my cheerful heart? What was I relying on to lift my mood or make me feel satisfied?

For me, it can be watching the Geelong Cats win on the weekend, playing a game of basketball, catching up with mates, scrolling social media, ticking things off my to-do list, or simply keeping myself busy.

None of those things are wrong. In fact, one of my favourite memories is still blocking Az’s shot at Men’s Camp 2025 on the basketball court! #notinmyhouse

The problem isn’t enjoying those things.
The problem is when they become the place I look to for joy instead of God. And recently, I’ve realised it’s possible to have plenty of banter, plenty of fun, yet still have a dry spirit. That’s what challenged me about the second half of this proverb: “A crushed spirit dries up the bones.”

Sometimes we read that and immediately think about suffering, disappointment, or grief. Those things certainly can crush our spirit and have for me recently too. I’m not sweeping those under the rug at all. But I also know, at times, my spirit was becoming dry simply because I had neglected it.

I’d spent hours on Kayo but only minutes in God’s Word.
I’d refreshed my social media feeds more than what I had refreshed my heart in prayer.
I was feeding my body and entertaining my soul while quietly starving my spirit.

But the scariest part was, that I didn’t notice it straight away.

As men, we can keep functioning. We can keep working, serving, providing, and even smiling. But underneath it all, our spirit can slowly begin to dry up because we’ve drifted from the very One who gives us life. The place where we find true joy!

As we spend time in prayer and fasting this month, perhaps God isn’t only asking us to give something up. Maybe He’s asking us to make space. To lay down the things we’ve unintentionally been relying on for joy so we can rediscover that our greatest satisfaction is found in Him.

Maybe it’s fasting social media or the constant noise of podcasts or music.
Or like me, maybe it’s sport for a season or the endless scrolling before bed!

Whatever it is, don’t just remove it… replace it.
Replace it with time in God’s Word.
Replace it with prayer.
Replace it with sitting quietly in His presence.
Because nothing can and ever will satisfy our spirit like Jesus can.

Reflect
- What has been taking the place that only Jesus should occupy?
- If someone looked at my week, would they say I’ve been feeding my spirit or starving it?
- During this season of prayer and fasting, what is one thing I could lay down so I can make more room for God?

Prayer
Father, thank You that You are the source of true joy. Forgive me for the times I’ve looked to other things to satisfy what only You can. Reveal anything that has been quietly taking Your place in my heart. As I pray and fast, help me to make room for more of You. Refresh my spirit through Your Word, deepen my relationship with You, and remind me that lasting joy is found in Your presence alone. May my body, soul, and spirit be shaped by You each day. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

I’ll leave you with Paul’s encouragement in Philippians 4:8:

“Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”

Maybe that’s the best test of all. If what fuels our joy fits through that filter, we’ll find ourselves with a body, soul and spirit that is alive, healthy, and deeply rooted in Christ.

1. Stephen served in his area of gifting and made room for the Holy Spirit to move through him.
- Are we allowing the Holy Spirit to move through us as we serve in our own area of gifting?
 
2. Stephen faced opposition from the religious people.  He told them they were 'resisting the Holy Spirit' and challenging their mindset and restriction of how and where they thought God could move.
- Do you have areas in your life where you are 'resisting' the voice and work of the Holy Spirit in your life? What would it look like to surrender to Him today?
- Are there ways in your life that you may have restricted God?
 
3. Stephen was prepared to defend his Faith.
- Are you prepared to defend your faith?
- Are you taking opportunities to share the gospel with those around you?
- Are you able to discern when the truth is being twisted?

4. Stephen was motivated by love and the work of the Holy Spirit in His life - with a desire to reach those who were persecuting him.
- Have we allowed the Holy Spirit to give us an attitude of love and grace towards those who might want to oppose us?
- How can we adjust our attitude towards those people? 

Key Scripture: 
He has shown you, O mortal, what is good.
    And what does the Lord require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy
    and to walk humbly with your God.
Micah 6:8

Micah 6 involves an imaginary conservation between God and Israel. Earlier the question is posed: With what shall I come before the Lord? (verse 6).
While Israel may have already known the answer to question of what God requires of His people – verse 8 spells it out for us.

• Act justly – living with a sense of right and wrong, protecting the innocent and not allowing injustice.

• Love mercy – showing loving-kindness. As well as justice, we are to show mercy; both are part of God’s character.

• Walk humbly - our heart attitude toward God. Continual reliance on God. The opposite of pride.

The active response of a godly heart is outward (do justice), inward (love mercy), and upward (walk humbly).

In fulfilling all the Law and Prophets, Jesus lived these out in full. As Jesus followers, we’re called to do the same…

Take a moment to consider how you go living these out day-to-day?

• How can you/we look out for others, especially the marginalised and oppressed?

• How can you/we show compassion and mercy, remembering all people are made in the image of God?

• Where has pride taken root?  Where do we depend solely on our own abilities or in what we have?  The Earth is the Lord’s and everything in it. We only have what we have because the Lord provides and sustains.

As we embark upon a time of prayer and fasting, let’s consider how we love God and act in response to His courageously loving character.

The Lord is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love. The Lord is good to all; he has compassion on all he has made. (Psalm 145:8-9)

Lord God, thank you for who you are. Through your Holy Spirit, please help us to be faithful and act boldy in our love for you, and in actively demonstrating your abounding love for others. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Key Scripture: 

Be still, and know that I am God.
Psalm 46:10 (NIV)

As a dad of four boys, life in our home is full. Between work, family, church, and everything else, I found myself carrying more than I could manage.

At work, I became the counsellor for colleagues facing change and uncertainty.

In my extended family, I was the organiser and problem solver.

At home, I wanted to be the best husband and father I could be.

I even tried to add study to an already crowded schedule.

I kept giving to everyone else until I had nothing left. Eventually, my body forced me to rest. My mind told me to slow down. Most importantly, God was calling me to be still. I could not hear His voice because life had become too loud.

It all came to a head when I became physically and mentally exhausted. After talking with my wife and a close mate, I realised I had not lost God. I had simply become too busy to listen. Looking back, I can see He had been speaking all along, calling me to slow down, listen, and simplify my life.

Jesus modelled this perfectly. Despite the demands on Him, He regularly withdrew to spend time alone with His Father. “Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.” (Mark 1:35 NIV)

As men, we often fill our calendars with good things, but not all good things are God things.

I am slowly getting back on track, not by doing more, but by carrying only what God has called me to carry and listening to Him along the way.

Sometimes the greatest step forward is slowing down long enough to hear the One who has been speaking all along.

Reflection 
- What am I carrying that God never asked me to carry?
- What can I remove from my life to make more room for God?
- Am I making time to be still and hear His voice?

Key Scripture: 
Ephesians 6:10-11
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armour of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.

God has already given us everything we need to stand.

The armour isn’t something we build. It’s something we put on.
 
Notice where the strength comes from. Paul doesn’t tell us to be strong in ourselves. He tells us to be strong in the Lord.

Our grit and our mental strength are beside the point. It is the Lord’s strength we stand in, and the armour he provides that we stand behind.

Then Paul says something we tend to skim straight past: put on the whole armour.

We’ve all got our favourites.

Be honest for a minute — most of us reach for the same two or three pieces every day, the ones we’re comfortable with.

Some men live in the sword. Others have a well-worn shield.

Now look at what’s still hanging on the hook.

Because the enemy isn’t coming at the part of you that’s covered. He’s coming at the gap. T

The piece a lot of us leave off is the helmet of salvation. Someone asks if we’re saved and we say yes. We mean it. But a voice starts up in the back of the head straight after — why do I keep doing the things I don’t want to do? (Romans 7:15)

That’s Paul. The apostle. He knew that exact fight.

So when the enemy uses your own struggle to convince you that you were never really saved, understand what he’s doing. He isn’t showing you evidence. He’s planting a seed. Questions are fine. We all have them. But they get answered in God’s word — the solid ground we stand on — not in our own heads at two in the morning.

And here is the ground. We are saved by grace. Not by performance. By grace, purchased by Jesus at the cross, at a price we could never have covered.

When that settles in your heart — not just your head — everything changes. You know you are loved. You know you can come to him boldly. A man sure of that has a faith with real strength in it. If it isn’t settled, that’s the gap. And the enemy knows exactly where it is.

Hebrews 12:1–2 says, "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

It’s the same with our righteousness. The pieces we leave on the table, we leave because we’re weak in ourselves. That’s honest. But it’s the wrong place to be looking. Hebrews tells us where to look. Not at ourselves. At Jesus, the one who started our faith and the one who will finish it. Our righteousness was never ours to manufacture. It is his, credited to us. Get wobbly on that and the enemy has an opening, and the thought he plants is always the same — you’re not good enough, why bother.

1 Peter 5:8 - Peter tells us our enemy prowls about like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. A lion doesn’t charge the strongest part of the herd. He watches for the weak link. So don’t give him a foothold. Don’t leave the helmet on the hook because you’ve got a good grip on the sword. Work on wearing the whole armour.

The fight is so much easier when you face it with the lot on. You already have everything you need. Be ready, and be confident — not in what you can do, but in what the Lord has equipped you to do.

Which piece do you reach for without thinking?

Which one is still hanging on the hook?

Key Scripture: 
James 4: 13-16
Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.” As it is, you boast in your arrogant schemes. All such boasting is evil.

As a guy, I love a good plan. That moment in the movie where they pull out the blueprints and plot their way to save their comrades is almost as good as watching the plan unfold in action.

I'm pretty good at making plans too. So good that I made a career out of drawing masterplans for cities and developments. I also make plans in other areas: personal and professional goals, quarterly targets, annual reviews. You should see the wall in my office.

But here's what I'm learning. This year hasn't gone the way I planned. My expectations haven't been met, and my goals seem to be slipping further away.

And it's revealing something uncomfortable in me.

The book of James has never felt more relevant, because it names what I've been doing: confidently announcing my plans as if I control their outcome. Not just thinking them. Announcing them. Publicly. With certainty. As if my effort guarantees my success.

In chapter 4:13, James cautions against this kind of confidence. Notice he doesn't say, "Don't make plans." The Bible actually encourages planning (Proverbs 16:9: "The heart of man plans his way, but the LORD establishes his steps"). The sin isn't planning. It's the arrogance of assuming we determine what comes next.

There's a gap between planning and control, and I live in that gap professionally every day. I can draw the masterplan beautifully. I can present it with conviction. But I cannot make a client choose it. I cannot control the market. I cannot guarantee the outcome.

This is where humility enters. Not the humility of not having ambition or vision. But the humility of recognising that we propose, God disposes. Our role is to plan wisely, work diligently, and then crucially, hand it over.

This matters especially for those of us in leadership. The people around us, our teams at work, our families, they're watching how we handle uncertainty. When we announce our plans as certainties, we model false confidence. When we announce them as hopes submitted to God's will, we model faith. We give them permission to release their grip too.

This is countercultural.

Our economy runs on the promise that enough planning, enough data, enough hustle will guarantee results. Our culture celebrates the bold vision stated with absolute certainty.

But Jesus didn't teach that.

James doesn't teach that.

What he teaches is this: make your plans. Make them well. But hold them lightly. Caveat them with "God willing." Pray over them. And be genuinely open to God saying no, or saying something better than what you imagined.

So ask yourself:
- What plans have I announced with too much certainty this year?
- Where am I  gripping control instead of entrusting it to God?
- As a leader at work, at home, in your community, how could I model humble submission to God's will instead of false confidence in my own?

Key Scripture: 
Ephesians 4:29
Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.

The most powerful tool we possess isn't in our garage, our gym, or in anything we own. It’s right under our noses - our words carry immense weight. But knowing how and when to speak is rarely black and white.

This particularly became a point of focus when I found myself being challenged. It became known to me that someone I knew and cared about was pursuing a lifestyle that was incompatible with wholeheartedly following God.

I wrestled deeply with how to respond. Blank acceptance didn't feel right, nor did being harsh or hardened. I had also realised that I didn’t have the kind of relationship to have a natural platform to speak directly into their life.

How do you approach a situation like that?

I figured if I was going to get into trouble for either going too hard or being too kind, erring on the side of kindness was the better option: to value the life God made and wants to save.

There are other situations where we do have the standing, the history, and the relational credit to guide, challenge, or even confront someone. It requires discernment as to what is appropriate.

If we want to lead well with our speech, we have to recognise what the situation demands, moving between two vital modes:

1. Championing What is Good
Paul wrote: "Therefore encourage one another and build one another up" (1 Thess 5:11).
It helps to encourage those things that are good, the things you’d like to see more of. Noticing when someone makes a wise decision, shows integrity under pressure, or does the hard yards behind the scenes—and letting them know.

2. The Art of Courteous Challenge
When we do have the relationship to offer correction, how we do it matters. Proverbs 15:1 reminds us that "a soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger."

We can think that being blunt, sharp, or brutal is okay. However, scripture shows that being restrained is better.

Colossians 4:6 says, "Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt."

When you have the standing to provide a challenge, do it privately, calmly, and with the clear intent to really help. A wise reproof, delivered with genuine respect and courtesy, is something the wise will welcome.

Ephesians 4:29:
"Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear."

Let’s be men whose speech can act as a healing medicine. Let us look out for people doing something well & find ways to encourage them.

Key Scriptures: 
Genesis 1:1-3
In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.

Genesis 1:26-27
Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.

Have you ever been caught in a rip?

When I was a kid I remember swimming in the ocean. The beach was too crowded from all the tourists so my friend and I went further down the beach than we usually went. After swimming for a while I realized that I had made my way into a rip. Being a decent swimmer, I tried to swim out. It didn’t take me long to realise that, despite my best efforts, I wasn’t getting any closer to the shore. My energy was running low and panic was setting in. I remember looking over at my laughing friend and calling out. My mate swam over into the rip and guided me out, laughing at me all the way.

I remember being so relieved as he swam over but also full of rage at the same time.

The picture the Bible starts with is one of the Deep. Black waters of nothingness. (The Hebrew word used here is tehom: meaning deep, abyss, depths). This is a place of chaos, a place that nobody could survive in, a churning rip of dark water ready to take you out.

But over the Deep hovers God. No longer is this place called the Deep. It’s now referred to as “waters” (Hebrew: mayim). No longer are these waters a place of chaos, no longer is it a place of fear and darkness. Now it’s just regular water.

God being there transformed the Deep.

The very first image you see in the Bible is one of God bringing peace.

Wherever God is; there is peace.

We are made in God’s image, made to imitate Him, to emulate Him and to do the things He does throughout the earth.

One of the coolest things about being a man, I think, is the way we can shape atmospheres and groups of people by bringing peace. God created us to rule and to reign, to carry authority wherever we go. If we use this authority correctly it will bring peace.

When you’re disagreeing with your spouse, or under a deadline at work, or raising kiddos, or just dead tired, you have the ability to bring peace. Your presence in a situation can be enough to change atmospheres, break down walls and bring calm to the people in your life.

This doesn’t just take self-control. It relies on us working on our stuff and being fuelled by the presence of God. If we allow God to bring peace to our inner world we’re going to see his peace flow through us into places and people that need it.

Peace out!

Key Scripture: 
Luke 15:25-28
Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on. ‘Your brother has come,’ he replied, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’ “The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him.

Motives are important.

Why we do something is just as important as what we do.

As men seeking after God, Jesus in the gospels set a very high bar for us to follow:
Anger = murder.
Lust = adultery.

The journey towards adultery begins in our heart, in our thought life. And we might think getting angry at someone is justifiable but ultimately that angry thought has the same DNA as murder.

This is why Proverbs tells us to “Guard our heart” with the admonition “for everything you do flows from it”. This is good counsel for us but would also have been for The Older Son.

The grace and favour shown to his brother triggered an angry response. Through all the years of faithful service, his actions were contrary to a heart that was likely frustrated and aggrieved by a brother who neglected his responsibilities.

On one level, it is easy to be doing the right thing in church life while under the surface in our heart be carrying sinful thought life DNA. It is only spending time in God’s presence through having a daily prayer life, that the Holy Spirit can work in our hearts to repair our brokenness and allow us to pursue whole heartedly the things of God.

Key Scripture: 
1 Corinthians 3:6-7
I planted the seed and Apollos watered it, but God made it grow. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow.

Planting is a common metaphor in scripture, and images of planting are often used to implore faithfulness, trust, patience and perseverance. Galatians 6:9 urges us, “Let us not grow weary in doing good, for in due time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up." James 5:7 declares, "Be patient brothers, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient until it receives the early and late rains." This patience is rooted in faith that God will fulfill His promises.

My grandfather was a faithful planter. First a wheat planter, and then a tree planter. I grew up on the farm my grandfather grew up on. He grew up on the farm his grandfather grew up on. When my ancestors arrived in the 1850s the land was covered in pre-colonial trees. Faithful as they were to Genesis 1:28, they subdued and cleared the land to grow wheat. For a few generations they were successful, until by the time my father was born high salt levels in the soil meant rapidly declining wheat yields. So, my grandfather stopped planting wheat and began planting trees, River Red Gums. By the time I was a boy these Gums were fully grown and propagating (self-seeding) a forest of saplings along the creek. Bird life was diverse and abundant; salt levels had plummeted, soil quality had improved dramatically and wheat production in adjacent paddocks was booming again. I had the privilege of returning as a 40-year-old in 2022 to see that the saplings of my childhood were now mature trees propagating their own 3rd generation saplings! My grandfather’s faithful planting, and the natural ways of God’s creation - soil and growth supported by seasonal rains and sunshine - had dramatically transformed the environment. What was on its way to resembling Ezekiel's valley of dry bones (ch. 37) was now resmebling something more like Eden! Grandpa died over 30 years ago, and yet the legacy of his faithful planting lives on.

The same can be true of us regarding faith. What seeds are you planting? Dads will naturally think of faithfully discipling and investing in our children, and this is significant, but I believe God wants us to consider even more than this. What about when we pray for people of peace, and the ways we disciple them and others? Are they colleagues and/or clients in our workplaces? Our neighbours? Are we volunteering and disciplining not only in the church but also outside of it? Just as Jesus sent the 72 in pairs (Luke 10:1), and just as we are unique parts working together as the same body (1 Cor 12, Rom 12), who else has Jesus called us to go with on mission?

Sometimes we get to experience and bear witness to the faithful planting of others. My foster sons’ birth mum was also a foster child. She and her siblings were fostered by a faithful Christian couple and yet they haven’t seen their now-adult foster children’s lives transformed by Jesus yet. They have told me about a faithful old woman who prayed for my foster sons’ birth mum and her siblings before they went into foster care. They told me about how they prayed that their foster daughter’s children would be placed with Christian foster carers (us!). And they have seen fruitfulness of that now long deceased lady’s prayers for this family displayed in the faith of our foster sons, including one’s baptism and public declaration of faith in Jesus. Just like my grandfather’s faithful tree planting, the legacy of this lady’s faithful decades-ago prayers continues to be fruitful.

Remember, the goal is not to see fruit or the harvest, encouraging as that is. No, all we need to be is prayerfully, then actively, faithful. May we be faithful planters, and bear witness to the faithful planting of others. As Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 3:6-7, "I planted the seed and Apollos watered it, but God made it grow. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow."

Psalm 139:14

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;

 your works are wonderful, I know that full well. (NIV)

I am amazed at the intricacies of the human body.

There are 100,000km of blood vessels in the body that contain 4.5-5.5 litres of blood. We have between 206 and 213 bones and 3300 types of brain cells.

No wonder David, in contemplating on God and His creation was able to declare that we are wonderfully made.

Psalm 139:14 is focused on affirming that individuals are intentionally designed by God, encouraging self-worth, and overcoming insecurity.

As men of Grace, this verse encourages us to embrace our uniqueness, therefore we can take a few moments each day:

a. To appreciate the uniqueness of our body and mind, and thank God for His wonderful creation.

b. Accept and celebrate our uniqueness instead of comparing our self with others
                 
c. Recognise the inherent value in others, appreciating them for their uniqueness as God’s creations.

d. Affirm the verse, “I am fearfully and wonderfully made,” each day to instil self-value and improve self-esteem.

Remember, never underestimate your worth, for you are fearfully and wonderfully made!

With this truth, face each new day with the confidence that comes from knowing you are dearly loved by God.

Let the beauty of Psalm 139:14 inspire you to see yourself and others through God’s eyes.

Here are some questions to think about:

·         How can I start appreciating my uniqueness more?

·         What qualities of mine do I believe God particularly cherishes?

·         How does understanding God’s creative power affect my self-esteem?

·         How can I help others to recognise their unique value?

Men of grace: you are wonderfully made!

- We can't do this without the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives. 
- God is faithful and WILL fulfil his promise to us, regardless of our behaviour HOWEVER, our actions have consequences that can impact our life and the life of those around us.
- We are not alone in our faith journey. The Bible is a witness to God's faithfulness throughout history, and we are surrounded by others who can testify of God's goodness and faithfulness. So let us run with perseverance the race set out for us, in the power of the Holy Spirit. 

Key Scripture: 
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.
Psalm 23:5

Who doesn’t love a good feast? Whether it be a buffet breakfast, a 3-Piece Feed from the old reliable dirty bird; or one of Kenny’s delicious Thai recipes that gets you salivating more than a dog with a bone! I know I do!

But if we’re honest, most of us blokes are just as happy with a cheap parmi (yes, I said that correctly!) from the pub. Nothing too fancy.

But Psalm 23 paints a different picture.

David describes God as a host, preparing a table, setting a feast, inviting him to sit. Not reheatable meals or leftovers. A full table. Abundant. Intentional. Personal.

And here’s the kicker - it’s in the presence of his enemies!

This isn’t a peaceful, quiet dinner. It’s a table set right in the middle of tension, pressure and opposition.

And yet… David sits.

When we are invited to someone’s house for dinner, we cannot open the host’s refrigerator and grab whatever we want to eat. We depend on the host to place dinner on the table for us. We wait to be offered food and drink.

And it got me thinking, the statement, “You prepare a table before me,” highlights David’s dependence on God! But sometimes we feed ourselves with things that aren’t from the table that was prepared for us because we get distracted by snacking on work, anxieties, stress, our own egos, or habits we know aren’t good for us. Or sometimes, we simply don’t sit at the table with Him in the first place because we don’t give Him the time.

Meanwhile, the table is still set.
The seat is still there.
The one who booked the table.
Prepared the meal.
Sat down to dine with you.
And the reservation cost Him everything.

David said to the Lord, “You anoint my head with oil” because he regarded himself as the Lord’s special guest. We too need to come back to the table that we’ve been invited to, and sit. We’ve been invited to dine now and forever at the Lord’s table and to receive His favourable anointing.

“You anoint my head with oil” speaks of the Lord’s ministry to refresh David’s heart, particularly in light of the immediate threat of enemies. David imagines himself sitting at the Lord’s banquet table while his rivals gather all around.

But he’s not focused on them: he is locked in, gazing into the eyes of the King. Being in God’s presence rejuvenated David, giving him the strength to face all the challenges and pressures of life. His enemies could snarl and roar all they wanted, but in the shelter of God’s presence, David would feast and be refreshed.

So I ask you these questions:
- What is the enemy doing to pull you away from the table right now?
- What needs to shift so you can sit with God again?
- Who can you talk to that will pray with you about silencing your enemies?

I’ll leave you with this quote. Louie Giglio has an incredible book that shares the same title as this that I read last year, and I want to encourage you with this today. Are you ready?

"Don’t give the enemy a seat at your table!"

Key Scripture: 
After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi [or wise men] from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, ‘Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.’
Matt 2:1-2

We often visit this part of Scripture at Christmas but perhaps there’s merit in revisiting it afresh outside of the seasonal noise. Curious and enthralled after analysing Jewish prophecy, navigating by the star(s), the wise men had likely travelled for several months to visit the true king. The gifts these foreign men brought young Yeshua would prove to be deeply prophetic.
 
This is in stark contrast with the Jewish leaders at the time who had access to all the prophecies about the Messiah but didn’t seem to want to follow through in pursuit of a true life in Jesus.
 
This can be me sometimes. With all the bible information the Maji could have only dreamed of at our fingertips, and easy access to community around us, it’s easy to rely on our own wisdom and knowledge.
 
One of the greatest Old Testament prophets issued the warning: ‘Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes and clever in their own sight.’ Isaiah 5:21. The Bible’s wisdom literature tells us to ‘Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.’ (Proverbs 3:5-6)
 
Jesus calls us to himself, the source of all life and wisdom.
 
The Grace Kids looked at this scripture last Sunday: ‘If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.’ (James 1:5).
 
Please Lord Jesus, help me live wisely, for you.
 
Will you continue to pursue a life in Jesus, the maker of the stars?