Audio by artist david_alley

It is tempting to look at some other church and notice what they are doing right - the big band, or the large crowds, or the many "things" they do and think that somehow they are a better church than we are. In fact sometimes we have a "poverty mentality" that somehow thinks we are not a real church and only when we are like "that other church" will we be a real church.

We'll I have news for you

Some things need to have the first priority in our lives. If we focus all our time and effort on things that seem like more fun, or more pressing, or more urgent, or more something else - we may miss what really should be first.
So yes God should be first in our lives, but what exactly does that mean?
Listen to this inspiring message and you will begin to learn what things deserve to be first and should be placed first in our lives.

Christ has called us all to follow Him - we all get that part and we all agree that we should follow Christ. But then what does he want - He wants us to follow so He can teach us something - teach us how to be fishers of men.

Being a fisher of men doesn't mean Bible bashing, knocking on doors or handing out tracts. It doesn't have to be hard or scary - in fact with Christ it can be natural and even easy.

So listen to part 2 of this message and continue to learn what Jesus is asking of you and how you might begin to become this fisher of men that He was talking about.

Christ has called us all to follow Him - we all get that part and we all agree that we should follow Christ. But then what does he want - He wants us to follow so He can teach us something - teach us how to be fishers of men.

Being a fisher of men doesn't mean Bible bashing, knocking on doors or handing out tracts. It doesn't have to be hard or scary - in fact with Christ it can be natural and even easy.

So listen to this message and begin to learn what Jesus is asking of you and how you might begin to become this fisher of men that He was talking about.

Jesus said that when we hold onto grudges and offences that it torments us. In this message David gives some amazing illustrations of what unforgiveness has done to a few people in this life.

Jesus said that with the same measure we use, it will be measured to us, so if we are merciful forgiving and kind towards others - that is how God is towards us. If we are harsh, unforgiving, and judging towards others - that's how God will treat us. It's our choice.

Repentance is a concept we hear all through the Bible, including with John the Baptist and also with Jesus. The word repent is a verb - that means it is an action or something you do.

Some people think that praying a general prayer which includes the words "I repent of my sins" or something like that constitutes repentance. Nothing could be more wrong. Repentance is not saying the right words - it is something that you change and do differently.

Most Australians believe in God - apparently about 70% of them. And most Aussies pray regularly - 48%. (not including everyone who just prays occasionally) But most Australians don't attend church services. (only about 2 or 3%)

This leads me to believe that Australians don't have a problem with God, or with praying, even if they do have a problem with what they perceive as "church."

The Bible tells of two brothers Cain and Abel. One was jealous of good things that happened to the other and killed him.

Then the Bible tells of two other brothers with the opposite problem. Obadiah the prophet tells about brothers Esau and Jacob (or Edom & Israel by their later names) where Esau gloated over bad things that happened to Jacob.

The original question remains - am I my brothers keeper? The answer from Heaven is a resounding yes.

There is one place in the Bible that talks about people getting their ears pierced, and that is what this thirty minute mp3 is all about.

It all started about 20 years ago when my Mother took me to the Port of Gladstone to visit the MV Doulos - a travelling ship that handed out literature and helped people. It was the first big ship I had visited. Now - years later I have learned what the word Doulos actually means - and it has inspired me to talk about ear piercings.

At a time of extreme devastation in Haiti we must consider our fellow human beings and ask ourselves what we can do for them. We can also learn a lesson from the American Government - and we can learn about incredible faith that changes things. All here, in this mp3.

We all believe many things about many things. Some of these true and some not true - but either way because we believe them, it's true to us.

What happens however when the things we think about God, or about others, or especially about ourselves are not right.. It has the potential to ruin everything.

Do you want to be able to pray powerful prayers - the kind that men like Elijah, Moses, Abraham and other Bible characters prayed. This sermon tells you how. Truth be known, its actually not possible for you to pray any kind of effective prayer at all - but this sermon will also navigate you past that to a place of faith where anything is possible because of Christ.

One dollar a day can feed a whole family for a day in Africa. In this sermon, David discusses "true religion" which is helping the poor, and also "true fasting" which according to the Prophet Isaiah is the same thing.

David also discusses the kind of prayer that should be prayed to change circumstances, and suggests that the whole church stop focusing on so many prayer goals, and just start with one. In addition, the prayer goal David suggests is not a thing - but a person. Listen for more.

Over the years since 1997 I've led hundreds of people in saying the "Sinner's Prayer" here in Mt Morgan. I have a folder in my filing cabinet with hundreds of their names on response slips from evangelistic meetings we have held in a variety of manners.

This town only has 3000 residents - and my response slips say that about 500 of them should be in church right now, but not a single name on any of my slips attends any of the church congregations in town. In fact only a handful of the names I have, has even attended a meeting.

If we are followers of Jesus we have no other option. Jesus said "follow me and I will make you fishers of men." Jesus also said "You will be witnesses." (Acts 1:8)

Finally in the Great Commission Jesus says to "Go into all the world." If you really study this you discover that it is literally a command to "GO." Each of us have an obligation to be involved in missions and evangelism. If we are serious about our faith we would seriously consider what Christ commands.

Your life does NOT belong to you. So who does it belong to? Christ of course. The Bible is very clear about that, and this message proves it from scripture.

However, despite the fact that we all know that - we still live and act like our own bosses. In fact we ARE our own bosses.

Imagine a stranger walking into your house and helping himself to the fridge without permission. One one hand he acknowledges that the home is yours, but on the other hand he acts like it is his. We would be indignant.

Peacemakers are people who make peace right? We all think Kofi Annan and the United Nations are peacemakers because this category... well yes. However when Jesus said "Blessed are the peacemakers, he was talking about people who are willing to face up to issues in their own lives and address them..."

Judas was that mean and nasty disciple who betrayed Jesus. Actually if we look into the gospel stories we find out that he was a "nice man." When he actually left to betray Jesus the other disciples thought he was going to give to the poor... that's how nice he was seen. Inside you and I is a "nice Judas." Listen to find out more.

Imagine waking up every day to see the Mona Lisa hanging on the wall of your bedroom and never knowing it was such a valuable painting. You'd be filthy rich and not even now it. We'll, that is how many Christians are with the things of God. Spiritually blessed and wouldn't have a clue.

Even the twelve disciples couldn't get along with each other. It was their common interest and love for Jesus that kept them together as a group. Finally that fateful day came when Jesus said He was leaving. He said however that this was a good thing, and that something better would happen to them.

He sent them the Holy Spirit - and the results speak for themselves. Not only could they now get along but in Acts 4 it says they "were of one heart and mind." In other words the Holy Spirit made some big changes in their minds and their feelings about each other. Incredible!!

The problem today is that most people just don't care. They are indifferent. So how can you get people motivated if they don't care. Yes there is a cure. In this message David explores, the concepts of commitment, indifference and the spirit of understanding that comes from God as a gift.

In 2008 a Californian jeweller went to jail for stealing diamonds. He would swap his clients real diamonds for fake ones and they would never know. He stole a diamond from Greg Norman worth over $100,000. These people should have tested to make sure their diamond was real.

The Bible says that God tests our hearts - Why? And What for? Listen to this mp3 and find out.