Category: That’s Faith

The wise men from the East were ‘wise’ because they asked questions – important questions that concerned life.

They went in search of the newly born King who would give meaning and purpose to their lives.

But the three wise men went beyond just asking questions, they committed themselves to looking for the answers.

The wise men were guided by a star, by a beacon, a sign of hope.  They looked for answers in the ancient Scriptures and the stars, and they found their King.

What about us? – Maybe we should question who we should choose as our guides and who, or what, are the stars that we follow today.

Do we think of searching for the answers to our vital questions in the Scriptures?

The Bible may have the answers to guide us along the right pathway in this life.  It may also help us become the stars that will lead others on their journey to find the King.

To ensure we keep on the right track, it might be prudent to let the actions of those from our past who are considered wise, guide us on our individual journeys today.

I’m Peter Mack and that’s faith.

More stories 

When you apply for a job your prospective employer seeks information about your qualifications and previous relevant experience!

You are often asked to submit a written application based on specific selection criteria, along with a list of referees who can vouch for your ability and personal qualities.

Then comes the interview process, the assessment and the eventual selection of the lucky applicant.

It is interesting that in setting up His Church, the approach Jesus took was to reach out in faith to some humble fishermen and ask them to follow Him.  The process may seem primitive, but it was obviously successful as the organisation still exists today.

Simply put, it would seem all we have to do is follow Him to obtain a permanent position in His organisation.

The salary is relatively low and the work is definitely not for slackers, but the long-term retirement benefits have a lot going for them.  Whatever way you look at it, obtaining this position has got to be a positive career move.

We should seriously consider putting in an application for a permanent position in The Company today.

I’m Peter Mack and that’s faith.

 More stories   

The pace of today’s living often prevents us from stopping long enough to recognise the beauty and peace that surrounds us.

It is not necessary for us to be in the middle of a rainforest or on a cliff overlooking the sea. Even in the midst of the noise and activity of the concrete jungle, there is evidence of the beauty of creation.

Sometimes we get so involved in our day to day activities and the problems of our work and family, we can tend to forget about our own needs.

It’s important for us to stop occasionally in a quiet spot, take a few deep breaths, close our eyes and remind ourselves we have been created by a God who loves us.

That same God wants us to rest in the knowledge He will constantly support us, even though we might distance ourselves from Him from time to time.

Irrespective of the problems that surround us in our day to day struggles, we can still enjoy that inner peace which comes from knowing there is nothing our God and ourselves, working together, cannot achieve.

Of course, God’s contribution needs to be quite sizeable at times.

I’m Peter Mack and that’s faith.

More stories

I wonder if it was a morning like this when Jesus chose to rise from the dead?

For the people of Jerusalem still wondering about the events of the previous Friday, it was perhaps just another day.

For the followers of Jesus, it was a day of confusion. Even the women who ventured out early in the morning with oils to anoint the body of Jesus hadn’t given a thought as to who would roll back the rock that sealed the entrance of the tomb.

The soldiers guarding the burial place of Jesus must have felt they had a cushy job – people in graves don’t tend to cause trouble.

Yet in Heaven, I bet there was considerable activity. The excitement in the air must have caused the choirs of angels to flutter a wing or two in anticipation of the moment of resurrection.

Easter Sunday is a day for Christians all over the world to share the joy of reliving a fundamental belief. That Jesus rose from the dead.

Maybe we could put our differences aside and see Easter as an opportunity to renew our common love for a God who died for us all. In so doing, we might just get to love one another as Jesus taught us.

I’m Peter Mack  and that’s faith

More stories  

If you happen to look up when walking between tall buildings in the city, the size of the buildings can often make you feel physically insignificant.

Our son was always small for his age compared to other kids. So much so, he earned the nickname ‘shorty’. We wondered if he would ever catch up to his mates, or whether he was just going to be a small person.

Nowadays, ‘shorty’ is an adult. He has developed considerably both in width and height and most of his age group have to look up to him when they talk to him.

In this world physical size is really not that important. – Big doesn’t necessarily mean better. After all, a little child is far more important than a tall building.

Jesus spoke of us as being able to move a mountain if we have faith the size of a mustard seed. With just a little bit of faith David did a pretty good job on Goliath.

If we can just find it in our heart to believe in a God who loves us, we can expect huge rewards both in this life and in the next. And when we start comparing the size of people with the things of this world, let’s remember that things have a price, whereas humans have a value.

I’m Peter Mack and that’s faith.

More stories   

Sometimes I think we can get a little frightened about the different forms of religion that exist in our society, because we think by showing an interest, we might be lead into a situation we are not quite sure about.

We can be overawed by the strength of faith some people display and feel it would be difficult to relate to them without feeling inferior and even unworthy. We can be scared of our vulnerability and feel threatened by our lack of knowledge and what we see as perhaps the serious indiscretions in our past.

Yet, behind all our worries and efforts to live out our life, we know instinctively there is someone or something overlooking what we are doing and is calling us to recognise the existence of a higher being.

Jesus, who proved he was God by dying on a cross and then rising from the dead, wants us all to accept Him into our everyday lives on a personal basis.

We don’t need to be a fervent religious person, or even a regular church goer. We just need to stop for a moment and with a quiet, yet simple request, invite Jesus to come into our heart and be part of our life.

Jesus told us we must all become as children if we are to enter heaven. A child just looks and calls Mum or Dad and instantly their needs are attended to.  So too, our Father in heaven will attend to any simple call for help we might make.

But first, we need to recognise our God exists. Let’s not be frightened.  All we need do is just come to Him as we are, for that is how He loves us and wants to be a part of our life.

Our acceptance is the basis for our faith. The religion or spiritual group we choose is merely to assist us maintain the gift of faith our God has given us.

I’m Peter Mack and that’s faith.

More stories 

Some people can’t handle being around noise and crowds, so they deliberately keep away from their local Agricultural Show.

For others, the Show offers the challenge of competition or the opportunity to meet friends and look at beautiful animals and excellent produce.  It also provides the chance to improve the sales of their products, or just a time to enjoy themselves.

For many kids, the Show is just one big fun park.  While for Mums and Dads with youngsters, it can be a time for headaches, sore feet and severe reductions in bank balances.

For those who visit the Show and take the time to look closely at the young calves, baby goats, puppies and newly hatched chicks, you can’t help but come away feeling you have witnessed at close quarters the miracle of creation.

Jesus came that we should have life.  So, whatever the Show means to us, we should enjoy it and know that our friend, the Spirit of the risen Jesus, is in there enjoying it with us.

I’m Peter Mack and that’s faith.

More stories 

One of the big attractions at the shows and exhibitions around the land is the excitement of discovering all the little goodies that are included in the numerous manufacturer’s sample bags.

I came across a Life-Saver bag recently.  It wasn’t the candy with the hole variety and had nothing to do with promoting the work of bronzed Aussies at the beach wearing coloured hats.

It was just a plain bag, but inside were the following items:-

A small bottle of the essence of human kindness, for me to give to others.

A gold ring of confidence, to remind me that God’s love for me has no beginning and no end – it surrounds me all the time.

A crust of bread, to feed me on my journey and remind me Jesus said that He is the bread of life.

There was a smiley badge, to help me infect the world with happiness and a book of instructions called the Bible, to show me how.

Included was a stone, to remind me the journey through life is often along a rocky road.

I also found in the bag a small container of water, to wash me clean of my wrongdoings and sustain me during the deserts in my life.

And finally, there was a free pass to Eternal Life with instructions on the back which simply read, ‘Love God and love your neighbour’.

It doesn’t matter how hard you search, you won’t find this sample bag at your local Show.  However, if you would like one, they’re free – just for the asking.

I’m Peter Mack and that’s faith.

More stories  

Jesus! as your cross was placed in position on the hill of Calvary, your feet were lifted up from the earth. No more would they walk among your people.

From that moment our feet were required to become your feet. We were to be your Church. We had to accept the responsibility of taking your Gospel to all Nations.

Your outstretched arms told us to embrace the world and to love one another as you had loved us.

Jesus, it’s not easy following you in your footsteps. Sometimes in satisfying our own personal needs we even forget what our responsibilities are to others.

We often walk through life with such a selfish attitude, we don’t even want you to intrude into our quest for money, power or greed.

Whenever we put on our shoes each morning, help us Lord to remember to try and walk through our day as you would, if you were in our shoes.

But then you are, aren’t you?… Isn’t it true that all shoes have souls?

I’m Peter Mack and that’s faith.

More stories 

Some of us will look all our lives and not find it.  Others set out by boat or climb high mountains in search of it.  While many have already given up looking for it.

If we are searching for the meaning of life, or some great guru in the sky,  we will soon become very disillusioned.  The Beatles didn’t gain anything by their magical mystery tour  and we probably wouldn’t either.

To find the meaning of life, we need to go no further than a journey within ourselves, for that is where the Spirit of Our God lives.

Our problem often seems to be that we are scared to undertake such a voyage of discovery and while our spirit might be willing, the adventure into the darkness of our inner self is perhaps a bit too daunting for many to undertake.

The answer is not to be frightened of the dark, for it is only through the darkness that surrounds us, we can see the light of our destination.

Of course, we could always ask God for some help to find the courage to make the journey.

I’m Peter Mack and that’s faith.

More stories