A Different Perspective Official Podcast

Sometimes we can look at God's Word – the Bible and think of it as a book of rules.  But it turns out that this notion that God is all about the letter of the law is way off the mark.

Sometimes we can look at God's word, the Bible and think of it as a book of rules. But it turns out that this notion of God is all about the letter of the law is way off the mark.

The law's a funny thing … some people say the law's an ass, it's someth...

We chug, chug, chug through life – and pretty soon, we're running on empty.  And then we try filling up with all sorts of different things.  But running on the wrong fuel can have disastrous consequences.

In a world that's hungry for some sort of authentic spiritual reality. It just blows me away that God has a plan. He's always had a plan, that plan is to pour His Spirit out on us, His Holy Spirit, a flood tide of His life, His lo...

The biggest thing that keeps us from drawing close to God is the fear of condemnation.  He's perfect and I'm not - so I'm in trouble.  Makes sense.  But fortunately, God's grace isn't logical.

The only way we really get to know someone is to live with them. Problem is that today, that can just mean shacking up. But God has a plan to make His home in us – and it's so much more than what the world has to offer.

Jesus said some strange things.  Just before He was crucified He said to His disciples – 'You know something it's good for you that I'm going away.'  Really? What was that all about?

So many people live out a spiritually parched existence and all along God has a plan – a plan of power, a plan of peace, a plan of intimacy, a plan……of abundant life. His name is the Holy Spirit.

We live in a crazy, chaotic and confusing world. I mean, if you were God, how would you keep a track of it all? Would you even bother? And when it comes to the little problems, even the big problems, in the lives of people like you and me, well, where would you find the time and the energy to deal with those?

It's easy to look at some people and even at ourselves quite frankly and think, if God were going to use anyone for good it wouldn't be that one. It could never be me! Funny how quickly we are to underestimate what God can do, through bog ordinary people like you and me.

Being a mother would have to be one of the toughest jobs going around. And mums often feel that they go unnoticed, that nobody values their enormous sacrifice. Today we're going to meet a faithful mother, who, as it turned out, ended up having a huge impact in this world.

You and I are, well, we're us. But in 100 years' time, if we're lucky we'll be an unknown name on a family tree somewhere.  Nothing to make us stand out from the crowd. Probably, in a hundred years' time, we'll be completely forgotten. Or will we?

So let me ask you a question. If God is God, does He speak? I mean, does He speak here and now to people like you and me? Interesting thought. Does He?

It's a harsh, cruel world out there, isn't it? And sometimes it seems that we live in a world devoid of encouragement. Some days, it feels as though all the encouragers that God ever created, have been wiped off the face of the earth. Completely extinct. And then you meet one. Wow! Thank God for the encouragers in this world. Amen?

Every now and then you meet someone who just has this knack of serving you in the most incredible way. They're not some great superstar but this wonderful, silent, servant. We all, absolutely love that quiet achiever.

We're all different, aren't we? Each of us with different strengths and weaknesses. The problem is though, that we can spend so much of our time comparing ourselves with the next guy that we lose perspective on our own gifts and abilities.

Now just imagine that you're a refugee from a war-ravaged African nation, your country is a mess, people are dying and you're on the run in a jungle from rebel fighters and from forced conscription as a teenager. What could you ever make out of your life under those circumstances?

The world is full of superstars - sports stars, soapy stars, rock stars, influencers. Have you noticed? Now, there's nothing wrong with that, but what happens when this whole superstar syndrome starts messing with our own self-esteem?

When it comes to sharing Jesus with others, we can sometimes think – one day, one day God'll use me in a big way … one day – and yet all the time, right at this moment, the people around us are headed for a Christless eternity. Right at this moment, there are people aching out there, people who desperately need to encounter Jesus.

We all hate people ramming their opinions, their beliefs down our throats, don't we?  So, how can we share our faith in Jesus with others, without giving them that same experience? Good question.

Sometimes, we can be a bit shy about sharing our faith in Jesus with others, because, well frankly, our own lives aren't looking so flash right now.  So, when life isn't going along just the way you'd hoped, when perhaps you yourself are wondering what He's up to, how do you share Jesus with others?