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The old adage says laughter is the best medicine, but how much does laughter actually affect one’s wellbeing?

I read with interest recently when the Herald Sun reported the visit of “humour therapists” to nursing home residents with dementia.

“Four hundred residents from 36 nursing homes took part in the SMILE study led by University of NSW researchers who wanted to see if humour had an effect on people with dementia in terms of their mood, agitation levels, behaviour and social engagement.The researchers worked with ‘humour therapist’ Jean-Paul Bell, who co-founded the Humour Foundation and works as a ‘clown doctor’ cheering up patients in children’s hospitals.”

Lead researcher Dr Lee-Fay Low said residents who received humour therapy showed a 20 per cent reduction in agitated behaviour such as aggression, wandering, screaming and repetitive behaviour. Other patients who had not spoken for some time started to utter a few words and eventually exchanged conversation.

The results of the humour therapy show that laughter really could be the best medicine when it comes to treating older people with dementia.

It doesn’t stop there. If you google “Laughter is the best medicine”, you’ll come up with over 5 million results many of which (and no I haven’t read them all) show the positive impact of real laughter on our health and well being. We all know from firsthand experience how much better we feel after a good belly laugh.

What we know to be scientifically true today the Bible spoke of 3,000 years ago when King Solomon wrote, “A cheerful heart is good medicine” (Proverbs 17:22).

This principle was recorded powerfully in the 1984 book and movie, “Anatomy of an illness” – the famous story recounting Norman Cousins’ partnership with his doctors in overcoming a crippling and supposedly irreversible degenerative spinal disease. When he was in pain he would watch Marx Brothers comedy movies. He says, “I made the joyous discovery that ten minutes of genuine belly laughter had an anaesthetic effect and would give me at least two hours of pain-free sleep. When the pain-killing effect of the laughter wore off, we would switch on the motion picture projector again and not infrequently, it would lead to another pain-free interval.”

Medical science has proven that those with a happy attitude to life:

  • Think more clearly
  • Work more effectively
  • Enjoy their leisure time
  • Get on better with others
  • Are generally healthier
  • Have an enhanced memory, and
  • Their sense organs perform to their maximum efficiency.

Joy releases endorphins into the blood stream. These “natural drugs” are more powerful than morphine. They give a natural high, reduce pain, relieve tension and aid in the healing process.

It’s been estimated that at least two-thirds of those who visit doctors do so because of stress-related symptoms. In fact stress and other psychosomatic problems (worry, fear, depression etc) are at the root of about 90% of all sickness.

With this in mind it is a timely reminder that laughter truly is the best medicine.

Why not plan a good belly-laugh session today.

I don’t have room in this blog to go into the theology of children and their eternal salvation.  In this message I answer the question, “What happens to babies and young children who die? – Do they all go to heaven?”

Now, back to my original statement – children are born believers!  According to Dr Olivera Petrovich, an expert in psychology of religion, “Infants are hardwired to believe in God, and atheism has to be learned.”  In other words, belief in God is not taught but develops naturally.  Her findings were based on several studies particularly one of Japanese children aged four to six, and another of 400 British children aged five to seven from seven different faiths.  The conclusion: “Atheism is definitely an acquired position.”

This has certainly been born out in my own experience over many years of teaching Religious Education to children in primary schools.  There were always one or two kids who would be atheists, but it was always as a result of what they had heard their parents articulate about there being “no God”.  All the other kids – including those from homes where no particular faith was adhered to – believed in the existence of God and were particularly fascinated by discussions on the spirit world and life after death.

What a huge responsibility there is in parenting a child – to protect this inherent belief in God and to nurture it into a vibrant faith that remains a strong foundation throughout the child’s life.  Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.”  And he took the children in his arms, put his hands on them and blessed them” (Mark 10:14-16).

Atheists are created, not born.  Let’s create fewer of them!

One of the things that I’ve done to help in the recovery process is to list all the things I am grateful for – to find the good rather than focus on the trauma; to live in victory rather than live as a victim.  Here’s the list I wrote:

I am grateful that this happened to me, rather than to Christie – or one of our children.

I am grateful that it happened at home – rather than in another country.

I am grateful for Christie’s quick thinking in getting me into a cold shower – this stopped the burns from being even worse!

I am grateful for our eldest daughter, Gigi, for staying with me straight after the accident, and being so strong and caring.

I am grateful for being able to get straight into The Alfred hospital where treatment for burns is second to none.

I am grateful that the emergency department at The Alfred was unusually quiet that night so I could get the treatment and attention I needed.

I am grateful for the advances in medicine made possible by the dedication and sacrifice of researchers and doctors exemplified in the medical staff at The Alfred.  And for the care and compassion of those nurses that see their role as a vocation and truly do an amazing job!

I am grateful for all the cards, SMSs, emails and Facebook messages from God’s people around the world.

I am particularly grateful for all the prayer, especially the prayer meeting at Bayside Church when about 200 people gathered together.

I am grateful for the prayers of God’s people around Australia and around the world – people from the USA, UK and Ireland, Germany, South Africa, Zambia, Mozambique, Italy, Malaysia, Uganda, Japan … and many other nations told me they were praying for me.

I am grateful for God’s presence even in the midst of pain, anxiety and trauma.  To know the peace of God that passes our understanding.

I am grateful that I didn’t need any skin grafts (this is extremely unusual for burns sustained from a hot water bottle).

I am grateful that my heavenly Father – who knitted me together in my mother’s womb – didn’t throw away his knitting needles!  He’s doing a wonderful job of healing and restoration.

I am grateful for the amazing meals ministry at Bayside Church.  A big thanks to everyone who has blessed us with delicious food – and also for all the chocolate, much of which has been eaten!

I am grateful for all the other very practical help that we have received from so many people.

I am grateful to my amazing wife Christie for her loving care to me, our children and to the people of Bayside Church.

I am grateful for the incredible board, pastoral team, staff, leaders and congregation of Bayside Church.  Your love and care have been overwhelming.  The way this church has risen up in unity is inspirational.  Nothing can stop the growth of God’s kingdom!

I am grateful for the conversations I’ve been able to have with others about having faith in God.

I am grateful to be able to warn others about the dangers of hot water bottles.  I pray that my warning will prevent others from being burned – or worse!

I am grateful to Ps Phil Pringle, for his prayers, friendship, care and ministry.  For Ps Gordon Moore who flew down from Brisbane to see me – and for the whole C3 Church movement.  It’s so good to belong to a supportive and caring worldwide family of believers.

I am grateful for other ministry friends and colleagues – too numerous to mention – for their support, prayers, love and encouragement through this time.
I am grateful “that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”  That “the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.”

Developing an attitude of gratitude has been a therapeutic exercise for me and has brought great encouragement to others.  The Bible instructs us to “give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”  You don’t need to wait for an accident to learn thankfulness.  Why not plan to take some time out this week, find a quiet place and write down all the things you’re grateful for?  It’ll bless you – and those around you.

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The first boat arrived in Darwin in April 1976.  Over the next five years there were 2059 Vietnamese boat arrivals with the last arriving in August 1981.  The arrival of 27 Indochinese asylum seekers in November 1989 heralded the beginning of the second wave.  Over the following nine years, boats arrived at the rate of about 300 people per annum—mostly from Cambodia, Vietnam and southern China.  In 1999, a third wave of asylum seekers, predominantly from Iraq, Afghanistan and Sri Lanka, began to arrive—often in larger numbers than previous arrivals and usually with the assistance of ‘people smugglers’.

It is my opinion that the Australian public – largely due to media bias – are largely uninformed about this issue and are unnecessarily reactive as a result.

Firstly, it’s important to understand that, compared to the rest of the world, Australia’s boat people “problem” is relatively small.  In the US, for example, it is estimated that more than 500,000 illegal aliens arrive each year.  Similarly, parts of Europe struggle to monitor and control the large annual influx from Africa and the Middle East.  In comparison in 2010, 134 boats arrived unauthorised in Australia with a total of 6,879 people on board (including crew).  Though considerably more than the seven boat arrivals in 2008 with 179 people on board, in comparison with Europe and the US this is still a small number.  In the year 2000, when approximately 3,000 boat people arrived in Australia, Iran and Pakistan each accepted over one million Afghan refugees.  In fact, the burden of assisting the world’s asylum seekers mostly falls to some of the poorest countries.  In 2009, for example, Pakistan was host to the largest number of refugees worldwide (1.75 million), followed by Iran (1.07 million) and Syria (1.05 million).  These figures should help us gain a healthy perspective of the small nature of Australia’s asylum seeker “problem”.  The truth is that there are far more important issues that our politicians and media should be responding too and spending money on – such as health care, infrastructure, taxation reform and care of our aging population.

Secondly, the majority of asylum seekers actually arrive in Australia by air with a valid visa and then apply for protection sometime after their arrival.  In the last year illegal boat arrivals made up 47% of asylum seekers – an increase of 16% on the previous year, but still less than half.  In spite of this, political and media attention only focuses on those arriving by boat.

A Christian response to refugees and asylum seekers should be twofold.  Our first response should be inline with the Golden Rule: “So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you” (Matthew 7:12).  In this statement Jesus is teaching His people to put themselves in the shoes of others – to be compassionate and proactive.  Have you ever tried to put yourself in the place of a refugee?  What must it be like to feel that you cannot stay in your own home, in your city, in your country because staying will mean violence, starvation, persecution, or death?  What level of desperation drives a person or a family to leave the home they love and pay big money to get on a dodgy boat in order to get to Australia?  How would you like to be treated by others if you found yourself in this situation?  Australia demonstrates its compassion by allocating 13,000 places annually to asylum seekers.

But compassion doesn’t mean we have to be a soft option.  Jesus also taught people to “be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves” (Matthew 10:16).  We do have a duty of care to refugees – but we have an even greater duty of care to those who already call Australia home.  I have no doubt that the majority of those seeking asylum in Australia are genuine refugees, but I also don’t doubt that there are some who will not be a blessing to this nation.  Asylum seekers need to be carefully processed as to their health, safety and identity (not an easy job when many deliberately destroy their passports).  Only after careful processing has taken place should genuine refugees be granted asylum in Australia.  Those who riot, burn detention facilities, and demonstrate other anti-social behaviour should be deported without question.  We do not want to import people who behave in this manner when they don’t get their own way.  Asylum seekers also need to be educated on our culture and values so they can easily assimilate here.

The other area that requires shrewdness is in our dealings with the people smugglers themselves.  These people are greedy at the expense of the most vulnerable.  They care little for refugees; they care greatly for getting rich.  The penalties for people smuggling were increased last year but these increases don’t seem to be a deterrent so far.  People smugglers are bringing refugees to Australia at an increasing rate and somewhere between 200-300 of these refugees have lost their lives at sea.  More needs to be done – in cooperation with nations like Malaysia and Indonesia – to cut this crime off at the source.

This is a complex issue and one that is not going to be solved quickly or easily.  In fact with an increase in global conflict even more people will be forced to seek asylum in safer places like Australia.  We have a responsibility to help these troubled people; we also have a responsibility to make sure Australia continues to be a safe place for its citizens!

A few Saturdays ago, Christie and I had an almost perfect day.  Our three daughters spent the day with friends, giving us a rare day on our own.  We made the most of it – grabbed a latte, walked along the beach, chatted about life & faith & the future, and then had a relaxing lunch together before heading home.

In the afternoon, I spent a couple of hours reading the Bible and getting ready to teach at the Saturday evening service.  My topic was “Free to be patient.”  Little did I know that my own patience was about to be tested to the limit!

The service went very well.  The congregation enthusiastically embraced the message; people committed their lives to Jesus.  I went home feeling very encouraged.  At about 11pm we headed for bed.  I have a few ways that I like to demonstrate my love for Christie.  One way is to take her a cup of tea in bed most mornings.  Another way is to make her a hot water bottle on cold Melbourne winter nights.

That Saturday night was particularly cold, so I boiled the kettle, filled the water bottle and popped it into Christie’s side of the bed.  I got into bed first while Christie was hanging some clothes.  We were talking about the kids, and I was feeling the cold more than usual, so I reached out for the hot water bottle, thinking I’d warm myself up before Christie got into bed.
The next thing I remember is the most excruciating pain on my side, back and left arm.  I went from drowsy to wide awake in less than a second.  I don’t remember getting out of bed.  I was told later that I’d probably had some assistance from residual electricity because Christie’s electric blanket was also on.  I hit the floor and tried to get my pyjamas off as quickly as possible.
By this time Christie had realised what was happening and Gigi, our eldest daughter who had heard my screams, had come into our room as well.  They got me to the shower and stood me under the cold water to try and stop the burning.  Meanwhile Christie phoned for an ambulance.  I stayed in the shower the whole time – freezing and in so much pain – but I was still able to give instructions for what needed to happen at our two church services the next morning!
Thirty minutes later the ambulance arrived and took me to the Alfred Hospital.  I passed out along the way so I don’t remember the journey at all.  That began a nine-day stay in hospital followed by recovery at home.
I’m glad to say that I am now recovering well and feeling stronger by the day.  I’ve seen a few miracles along the way – not least the fact that I don’t need to have any skin grafts.  The Alfred staff told me I was the first burns case from a hot water bottle that they knew of that didn’t need grafts.  I am so thankful for that.  I’m thankful for the amazing support I’ve had from Christie and my girls, from the amazing community of God’s people at Bayside Church, for the prayers of thousands of people around the world, and for the medical expertise of the staff at the Alfred Hospital as well as Antoinette the nurse who visited our home each day after I was discharged from hospital.
This has been a horribly traumatic experience to go through and one in which I’ve had to draw on my patience message on more than one occasion.  I never want to go through anything like this ever again.  And I’d love to prevent others from going through this as well – that’s why I’m writing this blog.
One of the staff at the hospital told me about 200 people a year are admitted to hospital because of burns received from a hot water bottle.  That’s 200 people too many – plus hundreds of people who receive burns that don’t need hospital care.  Why do we think that pouring very hot water into a perishable substance is ever a good idea?  Hot water bottles are evil.  If you have one please throw it away.  There are better options for getting warm.
One thing I am grateful for is that this happened to me and not to Christie.  If I hadn’t reached across the bed that night for the hot water bottle Christie would have been burned by it instead of me.  We have now thrown away all our hot water bottles.  I encourage you to do the same.

The Victorian State Government is considering a “presumed consent” system for organ donation to replace the current system.  At present, people who want to donate their organs at death need to register their intentions.  In the new system, it would be presumed that everyone consents to donate their organs unless they specify otherwise.  Western Australia is currently introducing presumed consent.  This has been standard practice in Spain, France, Belgium and Sweden for some time.

I think this is an excellent idea because right now, only one in 10 Victorian adults are registered organ donors – and many of those never have their final wishes fulfilled because grieving families often block the wishes of the deceased.  Currently, about 1,700 Australians are waiting for organ donations.  Last year only 309 donors gave organs that saved 931 recipients.  So, what is a Christian view of organ donation?

Many Christians may fail to donate organs because of the idea that a total body will be necessary at the resurrection.  Carroll Simcox in “The Case of the Missing Liver” addresses this concern (to view this article, click on the link at the end of this blog).  The view is that, at the resurrection the risk exists of someone’s body missing vital organs or, worse still, organs flying out of the recipients and finding their home once again in the donor!  This concern can be quickly squashed by a proper understanding of 1 Corinthians 15:35-49 which teaches that there is a tremendous difference between the physical body at death, which may be buried, cremated and return to dust (Genesis 3:19), and the spiritual body of the resurrection.

Others may be concerned that organ donation and transplantation is interfering with the natural order.  Some people feel that organ transplantation is contrary to natural law, supporting the concept on the basis of the inevitable rejection by one’s body of a newly transplanted organ or tissue. Developing technology, however, has decreased the risks of rejection. In the early 17th century the practice of blood transfusions resulted in many deaths because incompatible blood was given. Then in 1900 Karl Landsteiner discovered blood types and thus eliminated the extreme risks involved in transfusions. Technological advances continue to eliminate the rejection of organs through closely screening donors and recipients, and then developing medications that will combat specific rejection of the transplanted organs.

It is my belief that the Bible supports medical, technological and scientific breakthroughs.  In Genesis 1:28 God commands humanity to kabash, or take charge of earth.  The Bible also gives many accounts of intervention to extend life or improve its quality.  One example is Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead (John 11:1-44). This event extended Lazarus’s life and gave him and his family new opportunities. The Gospel accounts record 23  times that Jesus healed or raised someone from the dead (see John 4:46-53; Matthew 8:2-4; Mark 2:3-12; Luke 18:35-43 and John 5:1-9). Old Testament passages also offer support for prolongation of life. Elijah prayed to God, and the life of the dead child for whom he prayed was restored (1 Kings 17:19-22). Elisha performed a similar act, as life miraculously returned to a dead child (2 Kings 4:32-35).

The other reason why I believe the Bible sanctions organ donation is the repeated command to “Love your neighbour as yourself.” One way to express this love is through modern technology that makes organ donation and transplantation possible. The parable of the good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37) demonstrated the standard that everyone is a neighbour and that people should be willing to love in a way that meets the needs of their neighbour. This includes giving first aid and the best health care possible. The good Samaritan bandaged wounds, poured on oil and transported the injured man for help. Archibald Robertson says that anointing with oil was the best medical care available in Jesus’ day and that this formula testifies to the importance of medical care along with prayer. Today prolonging life through the best medical technology available and with the power of prayer should be the focus of every person in a similar situation.

Organ donation gives another chance at life to those people who would otherwise die.  Jesus taught the Golden Rule, “in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you” (Matthew 7:12).  If I – or my wife or children – was dying and an organ transplant could save a life then I would be so grateful if a donor was available.  If I would want others to do that for me why wouldn’t I reciprocate? Organ donation is one of the few acts for which people will remember you even after you are dead.  Any person can give a new life to at least five individuals.  I’m registering as an organ donor as one of my goals for 2011.  Will you join me?

http://www.medicareaustralia.gov.au/public/services/aodr/index.jsp

http://www.donatelife.gov.au/Discover.html

http://www.religiononline.org/showarticle.asp?title=1000

I just wanted to write… about why I came back to your church this time.  What was my motivation?  It was the search for pleasure.  That sounds like a funny reason to come back to church.  People come to church because they are looking for God, or out of a sense of duty or something like that. Not because they are looking for pleasure.  That is not supposed to be the reason why anyone comes to church.  But it was the reason why I came.

I was lying in bed one Sunday morning early three weeks ago and I was reflecting on my life and it came to me that there was no pleasure or enjoyment in my life.  I mean my life is very rich and full, but it seemed to me at that time that everything I did was just drudgery.  There was no joy in it.
 
And the question that arose in me demanding an answer was where was I to find joy and the answer that came to me was that I was to find it in your church.  I will not say this message came to me from God, because that sounds a bit pretentious, but I will say that it seemed to arise from the innermost depths of my being. It sort of floated up from the depths of my soul.
 
Anyway, that instinct, that uprising, that revelation, call it what you will, has proven to be a correct receiving because coming to your church has enlivened me.

I believe that this is the answer for attracting people to church.  People will come to church when they actually feel that this is the most enjoyable and valuable thing that they can be doing.  They will come to church when they feel that church is more entertaining than going to the pictures or watching TV.
 
Sometimes when I am in your church I feel that there is nothing more entertaining that I could be doing in all the world.  Entertaining may seem like a trivial word, but actually in its deepest sense I think it is quite meaningful.  I mean it in a meaningful way, not a trivial way.  I feel it is really entertaining to be in church. My feelings are stirred and uplifted and enlivened. I am constantly entertained by the worship and the music.  I feel profoundly entertained by events such as that children's day.  There is nothing more enjoyable or valuable that I could be doing.  It is more entertaining than being down at Southland (shopping centre) watching some trashy and ultimately unsatisfying and unnutritious movie. The food at this church is not only wholesome and nutritious but also colourful and tasty and that is what people want.

I couldn’t agree more.  The God of Scripture, of creation, of redemption is colourful, joyful and satisfying.  His church – His people – should be the same.

“You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand” (Psalm 16:11)

Church has changed – Check it out!

This question is usually asked because of the exclusive nature of the Christian faith. That is, Christians believe it is only through the completed work of Jesus on the cross and His subsequent resurrection, that a person can have a relationship with God. I believe that! Bible verses such as these are used to substantiate this:

In John 14:6, Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

Acts 4:12 states “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved."

The problem arises when the exclusiveness of the Christian faith leads to a lack of tolerance and respect towards those of other faiths. Some Christians have been guilty of this for centuries – and those of other faiths have been equally guilty.

I believe that Jesus calls all people to live lives of love, tolerance and respect towards others. This is particularly born out in Jesus’ story of the Good Samaritan, in which he illustrates what it means to love our neighbour.  A Jewish man is robbed. Two people of like faith show no compassion towards him. Then along comes a man of another faith – a Samaritan – and it is he who shows the qualities of compassion, love and respect. Jesus teaches that loving our neighbour means showing these qualities even towards those with whom we disagree. People of all religions would do well to heed Jesus’ teaching on this.

Even a casual look on the internet reveals the amount of persecution that is still going on in the world today – Christians being persecuted by Muslims; Muslims being persecuted by Christians; Buddhists being persecuted by Christians and Muslims; Christians being persecuted by Buddhists; Christians persecuting Hindus and vice versa – you get the picture?  No wonder many people sit back and want nothing to do with religion.

As Christians we need to learn to move beyond the stereotypes. Yes, there are people with evil plans in every religion, but there are far more people of each religion who are good.

While we were on holiday last year in Malaysia I met two such people – two Muslim guys from Saudi Arabia. They were in their mid-twenties and we met over a game of water volleyball. Later that afternoon we sat together drinking tea and chatting about the differences and similarities in each other’s culture and faith.  It was one of the most enjoyable conversations I’d had in ages and, dare I say, the presence of God was very evident while we chatted. This encounter reminded me of how similar human beings are. We might have differences in skin colour, eye shape, language, religion and culture; but we are all made in the image of God and we all came from the same parents – originally. 

So, while we continue to hold to the exclusivity of our faith, let us also reach out in love, compassion, respect and tolerance to those who are different – and discover the similarities.  One thing I know – this pleases the heart of God.

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Why are some people preoccupied with the end of the world?  Of course, it’s not a new phenomenon.  For centuries people have been prophesying the end of the world.  Many of them have given exact dates.  All of them have been wrong!

The latest false prophecy about the end of the world was made by American radio evangelist Harold Camping who said that judgment day “… will be on May 21st[2011] that God will raise up all the dead that have ever died from their graves. Earthquakes will ravage the whole world as the earth will no longer conceal its dead.”

The prophecy was based on two numerological proofs. The first proof was based on Genesis 7:4, when God said to Noah: “Seven days from now I will send rain on the earth for forty days and forty nights, and I will wipe from the face of the earth every living creature I have made.”  According to Camping, when God referred to seven days, he meant both seven days and seven thousand years, because “one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.” The flood occurred in 4990 BC. Seven thousand years later is 2011.

The second proof looks at the significance of the number of days between the crucifixion and 21 May, 2011. There are 722,500 days between these dates. 722,500 is a significant number because it is composed of the significant numbers 5x10x17x5x10x17. Five signifies redemption; ten signifies completion; and 17 signifies heaven. The numbers represent the day of redemption (5) and the end of the Christian era (10) and the ascent to heaven (17) – and these factors are doubled for added significance!

For all of his profound mathematical insight Camping was profoundly wrong – 21st May came and went. Instead of admitting his mistake, Camping released a special statement on his radio program Open Forum stating that his predicted 21 May 2011 Rapture was “an invisible judgment day” and that he has come to understand it as a “spiritual”, rather than a physical event. “We had all of our dates correct,” Camping insisted, clarifying that he now understands that Christ’s May 21 arrival was “a spiritual coming” ushering in the last five months before the final judgment and destruction. But of course, and the Emperor has no clothes on either!

In an hour and a half broadcast, Camping walked listeners through his numerological timeline, insisting that his teaching has not changed and that the world will now end on 21 October 2011. Camping also speculated that perhaps a merciful God decided to spare humanity five months of “hell on earth.” Some followers said the delay was a further test from God to persevere in their faith.

The tragedy is that many people quit their jobs, sold their homes and spent their entire life savings to warn people about the impending judgment. Robert Fitzpatrick, a 60-year-old, retired transit worker from Staten Island, invested his entire life savings of $140,000 into a New York advertising campaign.  I wonder if Harold Camping will refund their money? After all, the evangelist is a multi-millionaire.

In Old Testament times a false prophet was to be stoned to death.  Although I don’t advocate for the return of stoning one can imagine that it certainly would be a deterrent to the wild imaginings of some people.

It’s interesting to note that the vast majority of Bible prophecies concerning the end of the world are actually aimed at how we should live now.  The world will end one day, therefore it’s important how we conduct our life.

The Bible does speak about the future, but it is much more interested in how we live in the present. Jesus even told His followers “… do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”

When Jesus’ followers asked him about the timing of future events he replied, “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses …” (Acts 1:7). That’s a very polite way of saying “mind your business and get on with the job!”  That would be very good advice for all us – including the Harold Camping’s of this world!

There seems to be a regular attack on government funding of private schools.  Recently I read these letters to the editor in the Herald Sun:

“I resent paying for private schools through my taxes.  We need to better fund public schools first.”

“Get rid of the funding for private schools, build the new hospital (or two) and put the rest into public schools.  Simple.”

Simple?  Is it really?  The ongoing political and media debate about government funding of private schools is full of misconceptions and distortion of facts.   In 2007, comedienne and well-known atheist Catherine Deveny stated it bluntly when she wrote, “private schools should not receive funding.”
What is often not mentioned – or understood – is that the existence of private schools actually saves the taxpayer money.  For example, one local private school receives almost $3,000 of government funding annually per primary student and about $3,800 per secondary student.  The average cost of educating a student in a government school in Australia is over $7,000 (primary) and over $9,000 (secondary).

In other words, every primary student at this private school saves the taxpayer over $4,000 a year and every secondary student saves the taxpayer over $5,000. The combined 2008 savings to taxpayers from families attending this particular school were over $13 million.  Undoubtedly this saving has increased over the past three years.

What needs to be made clear is that scrapping – or reducing – government funding to private schools will increase fees, thus forcing some families to send their children to public schools instead.  This will inevitably put extra stress on the public school system, which in turn will cost the taxpayer more.  It would also reduce the education options for families and penalise people of many faiths who desire their children to have an education that is consistent with their religious beliefs.

I believe it is the right of every parent to send their children to a school of their choice – be it public or private, but please let’s not buy in to some of the tripe that is regularly served up by some politicians, media commentators and members of the general public.

Social media has been buzzing over the past week with the story of Casey Heynes, the 15-year-old student who finally snapped after being bullied for most of his school life.  The video of him slamming Ritchard Gale (12) into a concrete path has had thousands of hits on YouTube and has been widely reported by the world’s media.  Click on this link to see the event that has been so talked about.

Casey has become an overnight hero with a Facebook page dedicated to him with over 170,000 fans. Why all of this attention?

Firstly I believe it’s because most of us have a sense of fairness and justice for those who have suffered from bullying – me included.  Casey was taunted for being overweight.  I suffered the same taunts at school for being skinny.  The old saying:”Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me” is so untrue.  Young people are affected by unkind words that are spoken over them and this – in extreme cases – can lead to depression and even suicide.  Casey Heynes said in an interview that he had contemplated suicide on several occasions.

Secondly, this event has received a lot of attention because it highlights a major problem.  Bullying most often occurs in our schools between children, but it also happens between adults in workplaces and at home.   Cyber bullying is also on the increase with children and adults being bullied via SMS, Facebook and email.

If you – or someone you know – are being bullied, the Internet has some very useful resources that can help you.  Try these three principles:

Ignore and avoid: Bullies usually harass their victims in order to get a reaction. If a bully is making fun of you, simply walk right by without responding to let him or her know that you don’t care what they say about you. Try and avoid them by engaging in an after-school activity, by using an alternative route home or by walking with friends.  If you’re the victim of cyber bullying change your email address or mobile number or block the person from Facebook.

Be confident: Bullies usually pick on people who they perceive to be weaker than them. Therefore, if you can demonstrate to the bully that you are strong and confident, they may stop picking on you.

Ask for help: Tell a teacher, your parents, or another trusted adult that you are being bullied.

Bullying is abuse. No one deserves to be bullied and the problem usually won’t go away without direct action.  Although I don’t agree with the action Casey Heynes took in slamming Ritchard Gale into a concrete path, I can understand it.  This young man had had enough.  If you’ve had enough of being bullied take action today!

At the time of writing this blog, there is an inland sea of water sweeping its way across North West Victoria.  This wall of water is causing significant damage, devastating property and ruining lives.

As I mentioned in last week’s blog, it is easy in times of disaster and tragedy to ask the question, “why?”  Over the years, I’ve discovered that the answers that people offer to the “why” question usually amount to empty, shallow clichés.  I believe there’s a better question to ask at times like these: “what?”  What can I do to help make a difference?  What is life really all about?  What can I learn from times of tragedy?

There is a great resilience in the human spirit – I believe it is God-given.  When faced by adversity there is something within us that rises to the challenge and steps out to help others.  We have seen people risk their lives in order to save others.  We’ve seen thousands of volunteers rise up to help those whose property has been flood-affected.  In the midst of loss and sadness, there are always stories of miracles and rejoicing.  Such is the human experience on planet earth!

Loss of life reminds us how brief and fragile life is. I’m not suggesting that we should be living our lives always thinking of death, but it is important that we are realistic.  It’s too easy to be caught up in the busyness and routine of life and forget that one day, sooner or later, we too will pass away.  In a world of uncertainty we can be certain of this fact, as King Solomon wrote three thousand years ago, “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven: a time to be born and a time to die …” Are you ready when your time comes?

Have you noticed that when the media report on someone having died they always refer to the “body” being found rather than the “person”?  It’s interesting that our language reflects the inward knowledge that there is a spiritual dimension to us that is missing once the person dies.  We talk about someone’s “remains” – that is, what is left after the person’s spirit has departed.  The Bible says that our body is like a tent.  It is a temporary dwelling place until we depart for our eternal home.  God has promised that everyone who places his or her faith in Jesus will have an eternal home with Him.  Have you accepted Jesus as your Saviour?

Life on earth is short.  The Bible describes it as “a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.”  It’s sad that many people waste their short life living so far below their potential, wasting opportunities, misusing talents, abusing relationships.  We only get one shot at living life on earth – how are you spending it?

Thinking through the answers to the “what” questions is so much more productive than constantly asking “why?”  Someday we might know why, but I have a feeling that when we get the chance to ask why various things happened – or didn’t happen – that we won’t be so fussed with finding out!

If you would like to make a donation to the Bayside Church Flood Relief Appeal please click on the following link.  All donations over $5 are Tax Deductible.  Click here.