Paint Your Dreams Alive!

I have been prepping the office for painting today... tomorrow it all happens. For quite some time now I've wanted to paint my office a nice LOUD orange...
I want to feel a shower of energy when I walk into the office.
But alas, too many times in the past I was told that orange is a bad idea... go for more conservative colours...
I've never been happy!

This week I decided... blow it, I'm going orange! And once again... many people have expressed their doubts over my colour choice. But its really only fueled me! I can't wait to see the final result tomorrow!

I wonder how many times we let people talk us out of our dreams / goals. Have you let some dreams die... or at least packed them away in storage?
Pull out some of your dreams / goals... and shoot for it!
As the saying goes... when we get to the end of our lives our greatest regrets will lie in the areas of what we did not do rather than what we did do! So GO FOR IT!!!

Godspeed & Kaizan
Clive

PS: I will post pictures soon!

What Kind Of Dreamer Are You?

Well conference last week was the bomb! Ps Chris Hill was a real treat! In fact Ps Nick got so excited during one of Ps Chris Hill's messages that he went and pounded on the stage!

What a great time of refreshment, but I must admit though... I do love being back at home.
Espesially cool was the launch of our new series this last week in the 6pm called Hanging Out. (Big ups to Rebekah Powell for the amazing stage design!)

In this series we are looking at what community is all about, how to survive and thrive as we do life together.
If you missed the first instalment you can grab that from the podcasting section of the Eastside website.
(Let me just reinforce here that you don't need an ipod to download the podcasts... they are simply in an MP3 format and can be played on your PC, MP3 players, iphones, etc.)
Let me give you a great quote from Ps Simons message this last week:
"The setting aside of time and setting aside of personal wants and desires and bearing with each other means that community is hard work.
As a result many people love the idea of community more than the experience of community."
Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Like I said, if you missed the message by Ps Simon you will want to click HERE and get a copy of that message.


Getting back to the National conference that I started this whole conversation with... one of the speakers Ps Kumar had a few great points on 5 different types of dreamers:

1. No Dreams
2. Low Dreams
3. Wrong Dreams
4. Fake Dreams
5. God's Dreams

What really stuck out to me is this whole idea of Fake Dreams...
Haven't we all met people who:

• Want to feed entire villages of poor people in Africa someday... and yet this day they don't even feed one.
• Want to preach to thousands someday... but this day will not even run a life group.
• Want to see their community won for Christ... but won't even speakabout Christto their neighbour this day.

The list could go on... and on... and on and on!

What practical steps have you taken towards fulfiling the dreams and desires that God has placed on your heart?
Whats stopping you from taking some action?
Are your dreams simply fake dreams... or are they God's dreams?

Let me end with this last thought... could a God dream become a Fake dream... simply because we fear / refuse to act?


Let me know your thoughts...
Godspeed & Kaizan
Clive

Attitude

A survey was done trying to figure out what are the keys of successful people, here are the results: 1. Luck. 2. Talent 3. Intelligence 4. Education & 5. Attitude. The interesting thing is that the first 4 added up to 15% of what made someone successful. Number 5, attitude came in at 85%. 85% is huge!!

I've discovered that the world we live in does not devote itself to make us happy! I am responsible for my attitude, & no one can do it for me! I’ve also found a few other things: Did you know that no-one is born with a certain attitude, it develops over time. I need to choose my attitude. I have also discovered my attitude attracts or is repelling certain people.

Most days I write in my journal "How is my attitude? What attitude I am choosing today for I’m responsible for my attitude". I do this simply to remind me, for I realise that no matter what happens or what situation I find myself in my attitude is my responsibility.

Here's a few more things about attitude: Attitudes are like magnets, they are pulling you in a direction...For positive or in the negative! Attitudes on the outside reflects the attitudes on the inside! What about this one...You can direct your thoughts to work for you or againest you! Don't make your thought life your worst enemy. Be careful where you go in your imagination, the Bible says, take EVERY thought captive!!! 2 Cor. 10:5.

It's a known fact that employers want to employ people with a positive attitude. Skill can be trained, but attitude if one won't take responsibility for a good one, it's never going to happen. It's a true statement - our attitude does determine our altitude! Phil. 2:5 owards... speaks about Jesus attitude...have a read it's powerful!

Well that's enough to think about - till next time! Nick.

Don't You Just Love Your Church!

Aren't you so blessed to be apart of a vibrant and exciting church!
Everytime I travel I always come back with a fresh appreciation for Eastside!

I thought this video would help you count your blessings : )



I'd love to hear your thoughts...

Godspeed & Kaizan
Clive

How Rich Are You?

Kia Ora one and all. How fabulous is it to have days full of sunshine? Its simply delicious!!!

Well this week saw the start of our new series in the 6pm called, 'How To Be Rich.' Ps Simon shared some absolutly amazing facts using a great sight called Global Rich List.
Every year we gaze enviously at the lists of the richest people in world.
Wondering what it would be like to have that sort of cash. But where
would you sit on one of those lists? Here's your chance to find out. Click HERE to see where you stand.

I couldn't resist... and found that I personally am in the top 10.48% earners in the world. Mmmm... that is pretty rich!
It is so easy to get caught up in the financial 'squeeze' that we find ourselves going through with increased fuel and grocery costs... we can focus so easily on what we don't have... even while we choke on our affluenza.

Where do you stand on the Global Rich List? Do you still feel like you aren't rich? The hope that I have during this series is that we will be able to take our eyes off what we don't have... that we won't wait for that hopeful day when we win the lotto, etc. and finally have money to live generously.

My hope is that today, you could have a full and thankful heart that throws off the dirty clutches of Affluenza... that is thankful, and humbled by how much God has blessed you... that you will live a life of generosity to all peoples in your world... and the world.

Let me know your experience of going on the Global Rich List... I'd love to hear your comments!
If you did miss out on the message, remember that you can go on the church website HERE and click on Resources, Podcasts, and then on the 6pm Service.


If you feel like you may need some counseling (or even just a great laugh) then click HERE (trust me... you want to do this!)

Just before I sign off... I have great news. This sunday night we are getting Ps Sam Monk of Equippers Church in Auckland. You won't want to miss the 6pm... I gaurantee it!

Till next time...

Godspeed & Kaizan
Clive

PS: If you are a regular reader of this blog, why not take advantage of the bar on the left hand side that allows you to follow this blog... or you can even suscribe to it via e-mail.

What A Weekend!!

What a great night we had this past Sunday at the 6pm service. The new Parachute Band was fantastic - not a show, but a really worshipful experience. Its amazing how God's presence fills a space that is created with expectation and hearts lifted to Jesus.
Even better than that though was seeing people respond to the Gospel message. It always stirs me with such excitement!

By the way, don't forget to vote for Parachute on the New Zealand music awards by sending a free text saying, 'Vote Parachute Band' to 787. You can also check the website out HERE.

This weekend in the 6pm service we are starting a new series called 'How To Be Rich'... now with a title like that this series will either entice you or leave you wondering weather this series in for you. Let me encourage you that this series is not what you think...

In fact, if you click HERE you will find a great read about a speech that Bill Gates made to Harvard Uni students.
What a fantasic spirit... one that the church should always display!

As we enter into September and our month of CIA (church in action), I encourage you to look around and see how you can be a blessing to your world. I can't wait to hear what Eastsiders are getting up to as wee seek to bless those around us.

I leave you with one of my life Scriptures:
Gen 12:2-3

2 "I will make you into a great nation
and I will bless you;
I will make your name great,
and you will be a blessing.

3 I will bless those who bless you,
and whoever curses you I will curse;
and all peoples on earth
will be blessed through you."

Godspeed & Kaizan
Clive

Are You Happy?

In September we are starting a new series in the 6pm service called "How To Be Rich". I really believe that this series is going to cause some really significant shifts in our thinking and at the same time cause a whole lot of thanksgiving!

Anyway I found a great post by Seth Godin called Destroying Happiness. Here is a taster:
A journalist asked me, Most people have a better standard of living today than Louis XIV did in his day. So why are so many people unhappy?
What you have doesn't make you unhappy. What you want does.
To read the rest of the post click HERE.

So here is the question that I'd like to pose to all our readers: How has your view on $ changed as you have journeyed with Jesus? (Lets get some discussion going shall we).
I look forward to your comments : )

Godspeed & Kaizan
Clive