Imagine everlasting happiness
Has there been a moment in your life when you felt truly and deeply happy? What was it that brought you happiness in that moment? How did it end and why? Can you imagine it never ending? (more…)
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Witnesses of the resurrection
Each cricket series against England in Australia Glenn McGrath predicts Australia to win 5-0. And he is usually right! So, if you told me that in the Boxing Day test England has had its first win since 2011, I wouldn’t believe you. That’s 14 years (or 5,468 days) without a win! If you showed me a report, I would think it was fake news. And if you showed me a photo or video, I would think it was generated by AI. How can I check if the report and photo or video was true or not? I could ask someone who was an eyewitness yesterday at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. That’s the kind of evidence I need. (more…)
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The gift of peace with God
I remember Christmas eve as the peak of childhood excitement. I could say it was about family or feasts or celebrating Jesus’ birth, but the truth is it was all about the anticipation of presents. It was a magical feeling falling asleep on Christmas eve… the scent of Christmas pine, the glow of twinkling lights, the promise of presents. (more…)
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A great victory
The first cricket test against England finished recently after just two days of play! England batted first and scored 172 runs, which seemed too low. But then Australia only scored 132 runs, giving England a lead of 40 runs on the first innings. In the second innings, England was 1 for 65 (105 runs ahead, with 9 wickets in hand). They would have been feeling confident of winning the game. But then the Australian bowlers took 5 wickets for 23 runs and England scored only 164 in the second innings. This meant that Australia needed to score 205 runs to win, which was higher than all the previous innings. So the English would have still been confident of winning, especially after their fast bowlers had terrorised the Australian batters in the first innings and Khawaja (the Australian opening batter) was injured. So the barmy army of English supporters was in full swing while things were going England’s way. What happened next? Australia was rescued by Travis Head who hit 123 runs off 83 balls! It was an amazing effort. He was a hero and won the game for Australia. And the barmy army were silent. (more…)
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Imagine everlasting peace
Do you know that throughout recorded history there has never been a period of complete global peace? Though some consider we have been in a state of “long peace” since the end of WW2 that isn’t the reality for the millions who have lived in Myanmar, Rwanda, Nigeria, Congo, Somalia, Libya, Vietnam, Sudan, Syria, Iran, Iraq, Ukraine, Palestine and so many more countries. (more…)
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When you can’t take it any more
Have you ever felt you can’t take anymore? Difficulty after difficulty, hurdle after hurdle, loss after loss seems to have overcome your ability to cope. Overwhelmed you simply want to collapse in a heap and give up. It’s a hopeless feeling. And sadly a common one in this world of corruption, deception, disappointment and danger. (more…)
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Be ready for whatever the world throws at you
When do you feel at your weakest and most vulnerable? Perhaps it’s when you’re experiencing financial insecurity or if a relationship isn’t going the way you hoped. Perhaps you feel weakest when you’re faced with uncertainty whether it’s uncertainty about your children, about your health, or about your future. Perhaps the everyday demands of life simply leave you exhausted and unsure how you will muster the energy to face another day. (more…)
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When you’ve got nowhere to run
Australia is a very safe country to live in. According to the Institute for Economics and Peace 2024 report Australia ranks as the 19th safest country in the world. In such an economically, politically and environmentally stable country it’s normal to feel safe. (more…)
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Because you’re worth it
The L’Oreal slogan “Because you’re worth it” spearheaded a revolution in beauty product marketing. The original line “Because I’m worth it,” spoken by a woman directly to camera in the 1971 L’Oreal tv commercial, broke the mold of women’s beauty products being about women being attractive to men. Rather, the groundbreaking commercial celebrated the woman’s perspective and experience of her hair care and self-worth without mention of a man. (more…)
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Terms and conditions
The terms and conditions (T&Cs) of the multinational tech company, Apple, have been the subject of controversy. The T&Cs length, complexity, and potential to be used to entrench Apple’s market power have led to serious criticism. Can we compare Apple’s T&Cs to the T&Cs God put in around the “apple” of the Garden of Eden? (more…)
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Easter didn’t end at Easter
What do you like to do on the Easter long weekend? Most of us get two extra days off giving us the opportunity to go away, spend time with friends or family, relax at home or do something a little different to our normal weekends. Our family tradition is to spend the weekend in the beautiful autumnal Blue Mountains of New South Wales, staying with friends, eating, drinking and playing together. (more…)
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The paradox of the cross
What does the death penalty have to do with love? The crucifix was a brutal means of capital punishment in the ancient Roman empire. Death by crucifixion could take between 6 hours and 4 days resulting from excessive bleeding, dehydration or progressive suffocation. It was an extremely painful and shameful way to die, inflicted upon those considered repugnant. And yet today we hang pretty crosses from our ears and necks, tattoo them into our skin, hang them on our walls – bejeweled, ornamental, celebrated. (more…)
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God knows each star by name
Have you seen those images comparing the size of the earth to the sun and then comparing the sun to other supergiant stars? The size of our galaxy, the size of the universe is beyond human comprehension. In comparison, we, our lives, our whole world, are minuscule… tiny, microscopic specks floating in infinity. It’s the kind of stuff that may bring on an existential crisis. But the Bible makes a different point. (more…)
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Clean forever
Sometimes getting dirty can be fun. Painting, cooking, gardening, sport, can all be activities we do for fun that may get us a little messy. Sometimes getting clean can be fun. Having a shower and putting on fresh clean clothes after a sweaty, muddy, football [soccer] game feels great. (more…)
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False gospels
Recently I attended the funeral of a neighbour. The priest assured us that we will see him in heaven because he had been baptised as a child and he had confessed his mortal sins to the priest at the last rites. Holy water was sprinkled on the coffin as a reminder of his being cleansed of original sin and made a Christian through baptism. This is a different gospel (Gal. 1:6-9) because it contradicts John 14:6 where Jesus said, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me”. The true gospel is to trust in the death and resurrection of Jesus for the forgiveness of sin – no one comes to God except through Jesus. Baptism is not a part of salvation – it’s a consequence, not a cause (Acts 10:47-48; 16:14-15; 31-33; 18:8). (more…)
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Jesus can help you find the best version of yourself
If you were to imagine the best version of yourself, what, or who, would you imagine? (more…)
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The original Christmas gift
Can you remember what you got for Christmas last year? How about 5 years ago? How about 2000 years ago?
The magic and excitement of receiving gifts at Christmas has somewhat diminished for me as I’ve gotten older. Like most Australians I am blessed with having everything I need and a lot of what I want. Throughout the year I am my own expert self-gifter. I can search and click, and have exactly what I want delivered to my front door within days. It kind of takes the shine off receiving a gift from someone else who may not really know what I like. (more…)
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The cure for death
What would you be willing to do or sacrifice if it meant having the cure for death? The shadow of death looms over all our lives – rich or poor, young or old. It is the great inescapable equaliser that cuts across nationality, social status, physical ability, gender, sexuality, and belief. (more…)
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When Jesus returns
The sound of a father’s footsteps approaching the front door – the same thing can mean different things to different people. For the two year old that sound may be the most exciting noise she’s heard all day. For the teenager who has just crashed the car it may elicit dread. For a child feeling scared and alone it may be the sound of comfort and relief. How we feel and respond to someone’s return depends on our relationship with them. (more…)
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Jesus is the rock you can stand on
I’m in deep, deep trouble again. I’ve cried my eyes out; I feel hollow inside. My life leaks away, groan by groan; my years fade out in sighs. My troubles have worn me out, turned my bones to powder. To my enemies I’m a monster; I’m ridiculed by the neighbors. My friends are horrified; they cross the street to avoid me. (more…)
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Train for eternity
Exercise and sport provide a myriad of benefits to our wellbeing. There are physical health advantages such as better heart and lung health, higher bone density, lower blood pressure, better balance, flexibility and function. There’s also the psychological gains of physical activity changing brain chemistry to improve mood, reduce stress, promote sleep and boost memory function. Not to mention the social positives that come with many sports – being part of a team or group joined together with a common goal. Although exercise and sport often involve a level of discomfort and hard work it’s easy to understand why, with such an impressive list of benefits, we see crowded sports fields every weekend and can find a gym or two in almost every suburb. (more…)
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Eternal glory awaits those who …
Have you ever dreamed of excelling at something? Being the world’s best? Having crowds cheer for you? To have people say your name with awe and speak well of you. Respect. Kudos. Glory. Fame. (more…)
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God left no stone unturned for you
What would you do to get back someone precious that you’d lost? What lengths would you go to to find your missing child, friend, spouse or parent? How far would you travel? How long would you look? What price would you pay? (more…)
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Don’t be afraid
Australians spend $1.6 billion a year on hair care. We want to remove hair from some places and grow it in others, color and repair our hair, straighten and curl our hair, feed, wax, laser, nourish, and cut our hair. (more…)
George's Journal 
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