Back in 2019, I started some thoughts for the day for some friends; now they are here on this blog, either the shorter ‘Thoughts for the Day’ or, occasionally, an essay under ‘Jim’s Reflections’! Sometimes they are linked with my YouTube channel or with The Daily Declaration. Feedback most welcome, wherever you can leave a comment or a question.
5 February 2026 – While We Were Sleeping – Book Launch – Tuesday 24 February 2026
You are invited,
While We Were Sleeping is available on Amazon. It was published November 2025 as I will have a limited stock available for signed copies at the end of proceedings, at a discount price!
- Chapter 1 – Marriage
- Chapter 2 – Family
- Chapter 3 – Education
- Chapter 4 – Screen Addiction
- Chapter 5 – Artificial Intelligence
- Chapter 6 – Homosexuality
- Chapter 7 – Transgenderism
- Chapter 8 – Abortion
- Chapter 9 – Euthanasia
- Chapter 10 – Politics
- Chapter 11 – Health
- Chapter 12 – Climate Change
- Chapter 13 – Spiritual Warfare
- Chapter 14 – Islam
- Chapter 15 – Israel
While We Were Sleeping: A Wake-up Call for All Christians has been designed for Christians, church leaders and congregations alike, looking for Christian answers to a range of challenging issues. While directed to a Christian audience, it is also accessible to anyone anxious about the state of the world and concerned for the future of their children and grandchildren. While each chapter quotes the Holy Bible, it does so to establish common ground, it does not claim to be a theological study.
While We Were Sleeping had a digital launch on the Daily Declaration last November. This five-minute read will give you a heads up about the book.
If you would like to come to my book launch in Alphacrucis University College, Parramatta, Sydney on 24 February at 6.00 pm, please RSVP by email to jim.twelves1975@gmail.com
Also, please forward this post to pastors, friends, and family in your network and so help me to get the wake-up call out!
15 November 2025 – While We Were Sleeping – The story of the book.
Today, I am thrilled to announce that While We Were Sleeping: A Wake-up call for all Christians has gone live on Amazon globally, for paperback and eBook.
Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. (Romans 12:2, NKJV). This is the Scriptural foundation for WWWS. Now let me unpack for you the story of how the book came about.
I retired from Alphacrucis College in 2021 after nearly 11 years teaching teachers. It was perhaps the most rewarding role I had had in my teaching career, but leaving full-time work in the midst of a lock-down was a most surreal feeling that I will never forget.
It was a winter’s Friday evening, 16th July; there were no students and no staff in the college at the time 5.30 pm (there had only been a couple all day) when I metaphorically pulled the door shut behind me and put the key through the letter box! I became a retiree!
However, my research experience didn’t retire! I began to explore many of the social challenges facing Christians, particularly in the West; and began to contribute to The Daily Declaration, Australia’s largest online Christian news outlet.
Fast forward to spring 2024. I believe that God planted aseed in me. I could see the huge wealth of information and wisdom pouring out daily from the declaration. Wouldn’t it be cool to pull some of this gold into a book!
Then, one weekend my wife and I were visiting one of our grandchildren, where I got looking though my daughter-in-law’s DVD collection in her garage. I pulled out While You Were Sleeping (1995) with Sandra Bullock. This was one of her favorite movies; we got to borrow it and I took it home.
So, what if we flipped the title While You Were Sleeping, and made it While We Were Sleeping? After all, I am not pointing the finger at you, I had been asleep as much as anyone, so it was important to flip the book’s title to, we.
The next bit was genius, God actually! I was talking with Warwick Marsh and Kurt Mahlburg of the Daily Declaration. They said, why not interview an expert to kick-off each chapter, it would give the book grounding in the real life of real people. Brilliant! So, each chapter starts with my write up of our interview.
Extensive commentary follows, with relevant references and copious links to jump start further exploration. While we might be in despair about the state of our world, here is an opportunity to gain confidence ahead of the inevitable challenges. Our response to the invitations in my book will equip us to believe for breakthrough. Each chapter can be read in isolation, like dipping into a manual, or you can start at the beginning and see how the story unfolds.
While We Were Sleeping has been designed for Christians, church leaders and congregations alike, looking for Christian answers to a wide range of challenging issues. However, while directed to a Christian audience, it is also accessible to anyone anxious about the state of the world and concerned for the future of their children and grandchildren. While each chapter quotes the Holy Bible, it does so to establish common ground, it does not claim to be a theological study.
26 May 2022 – Wake up! We’re sons and daughters of daylight
The other day, I was reading in 1 Thessalonians 5 about the Lord’s second coming, a most familiar scripture:
You know as well as I that the day of the Master’s coming can’t be posted on our calendars. He won’t call ahead and make an appointment any more than a burglar would (1 Thessalonians 5:2, MSG).
Then Paul goes on to say:
About the time everybody’s walking around complacently, congratulating each other—“We’ve sure got it made! Now we can take it easy!”—suddenly everything will fall apart. It’s going to come as suddenly and inescapably as birth pangs to a pregnant woman.
But friends, you’re not in the dark, so how could you be taken off guard by any of this? You’re sons of Light, daughters of Day. We live under wide open skies and know where we stand. So let’s not sleepwalk through life like those others. Let’s keep our eyes open and be smart. People sleep at night and get drunk at night. But not us! Since we’re creatures of Day, let’s act like it. Walk out into the daylight sober, dressed up in faith, love, and the hope of salvation (1 Thessalonians 5:3-8, MSG).
Yes, these scriptures hit home, it’s as if Paul was writing directly to me in May 2022 AD. He is right, we are sons and daughters of daylight, we have been given the Holy Spirit to lead us into all truth (John 16:13). There need never be any reason for us to stumble, fumble and grope around in the darkness, unless we refuse God’s light of day.
Certainly, Paul is talking to the Thessalonians about Christ’s second coming, no question. He was urging those believers to be alert then, and now two thousand years later. So, perhaps, given the laws of probability, in our day, we are certainly much closer to Christ’s cataclysmic second coming, than they were. Therefore, shouldn’t these scriptures hit home for us all the harder!
Yes, we must be men and women, with our eyes wide open. I have heard several suggest that the days we are living through are latterly the last days and the Lord is really coming very soon. I am not going there; I am not putting any date in my calendar; Paul explains that’s not for us to do. But it is for us to be constantly alert for the possibility, most exciting as that is.
Paul was urging his readers to be alert and that includes us today just as much as his first century audience. But what does staying alert mean? Paul described sleep and drunkenness as the opposites of watchfulness and attentiveness. In both those scenarios our senses are switched off, we can’t see or hear anything, and we can’t remember anything afterwards (am not advocating drunkenness, but it paints a brilliant picture of the dangers of not being alert).
How do we know if we are asleep or drunk? I propose three self-tests, that we can run:
- The conscience test: I believe that God has deposited eternity in our hearts (Ecclesiastes 3:11). I believe that this is, if you will, the divine DNA in every one of us. When we hear or see something that is opposed to God’s order, this genetic material within us is hurt, reacts and responds to the violation. We literally feel it.
I am not only talking about our conscience’ reaction to our own flaws and mistakes but rather our coincidence’ response to external tragedies and mistakes that violet the heart of God. For example, how do we react to our governments enacting abortion rights up to full term. Are we so asleep or anesthetized that this no longer causes a reaction in our conscience?
- The peace test: The Lord calls on us to test the spirits to see if they are of God (1 John 4:1-6). I think this test is a proactive one, different from the conscience one which is passive. We are called to actively test what we see around us to see if it lines up with God’s will. If it does, we will know his peace, if not we will sense God’s disappointment, grief, sorrow, and pain.
I use the analogy of holding up a lens to the question under review. This lens is primary the scriptures, but I also believe it should include the confirmation of spiritual leaders around us that we trust and also the Holy Spirit within us that also needs to align with the first two. If we get confirmation from all three, then the issue can pass the peace test.
- The responsibility test: Am I taking responsibility for this issue or this situation? If we say, ‘that’s not my responsibility’, that may well be the case, but should we be taking responsibility? Let me use the example of bullying or harassment. If we see or hear of some bullying or harassment in our workplace, school or college and we don’t speak up. The situation may not involve us directly at all, it may involve none that we know directly or work with directly, but we have still become aware of it, and if we don’t so peak up; then we are not taking responsibility. Just imagine if everyone in sight and sound of the situation spoke up and took responsibility, the perpetrator(s) would soon be outnumbered and brought to justice.
In our society today, it is so easy, so natural and so accepted that others should take responsibly. We have come to expect others to take responsibility. Think back to earlier times in history when there were no big state corporations and big governmental institutions. The family literally took responsibility for the family, the individual took responsibility for the individual. I propose the responsibility test, is a great way to judge if we are awake and alert or whether we are asleep or inebriated.
My concluding reflection is going to be a very hard saying (John 6:60). I believe, sadly, that there are many Christians today who are asleep. They don’t know they are asleep, naturally, especially as they can hear and see the world around them quite clearly. They are fully engaged with and conscious of many aspects of daily life, but they are blinded and unconscious towards many things that are coming on the earth (Luke 21:26).
My encouragement to us all is to pray that we stay awake (Matthew 26:40). Connect with anyone who we perceive as having greater discernment of the things coming on the earth, and ask them to watch out for us, lest we drift into asleep again.
It grieves me greatly that so much of the Church of Jesus Christ, while under a wide-open sky are still sleepwalking through life (1 Thessalonians 5:5). Let’s not grow weary in seeking to wake them up!
First Published in Daily Declaration – 27 May 2022
18 May 2022 – Spiritual Warfare: 2022 Federal Election
This is a sequel to my piece on 11 May 2022, Our Kingdom is Not of This World, But We Still Live in It: 2022 Federal Election.
I guess no one who is sane and rational, naturally enjoys warfare. But I guess those spiritually aware might concede they can enjoy spiritual warfare, especially when they get to experience a spiritual breakthrough.
For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. (Ephesians 6:12)
Wow, this is heavy stuff. Ephesians 6 has been a most significant chapter throughout my life’s journey, but I sense that for the church at large, it has not received much attention.
The first battle
I think the first battle in this warfare is to recognise the enemy. It is not Scott Morrison, Anthony Albanese or any of the other political leader. No, the enemy is rather the spiritual unseen authorities, the cosmic powers over this present darkness. The Bible makes clear to me that, in Christ, we have authority over these powers, we simply have to take up this authority in Jesus’ name.
For me it helps me to imagine a series of ‘strings’ attached to the cosmic powers, that pull the players down on earth, first this way and then that way, causing them to dance according to the enemy’s tune. For example, consider any political party you might be familiar with. Have you noticed how they seem to have shifted their focus in recent years from the party you once knew? Well, for me, that’s a tell-tail sign they have been ‘played’ by these cosmic powers and they can’t even see it.
So, my encouragement in this first battle is to pray for the values you hold dear, that they would be demonstrated in your leaders. Pray that your political leaders will be true to their values and not drift off course to another agenda they never actually signed up for. What we are praying for here is praying for integrity in leadership.
Integrity is the practice of being honest and showing a consistent and uncompromising adherence to strong moral and ethical principles and values (Wikipedia).
The second battle
I think the second battle is to recognise the enemy’s objectives.
The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy… John 10:10a (NIV)
Here I am praying that the Lord would show me, in the spiritual realm, what has been happening on the local, national, and international scale. In recent years, has there been greater freedom for the gospel, for the church, for justice and for mercy? I don’t think so; rather the contrary. It seems to me that Australia has been suffering an onslaught from the evil one on so many different levels; sadly, culminating in the untimely death of thousands, the enemy’s prime objective.
So, my prayer is to ‘first bind the strong man’ (Matthew 12:29) and then claim liberty for his captives. So, I quote this scripture in my prayers and believe that the Lord hears my prayer. This makes the power of the enemy over our leaders impotent, powerless.
Or again, how can anyone enter a strong man’s house and carry off his possessions unless he first ties up the strong man? Then he can plunder his house (Matthew 12:29).
For many years now, I have respected the ministry of Derek Prince. Here, in this video clip he unpacks the principle of ‘first binding the strong man’ very well. Derek emphasises the need for us to start at home, before going out and taking on cities and nations in our spiritual warfare, although I am sure that the Lord will run to answer any fervent prayers from his children at any time.
Discover The Satanic Strong Man Over Your Situation! | Derek Prince
It seems to me that there are many objectives of the evil one. I find it best to focus my prayers on one objective at a time as the Lord directs me. For example, right now ‘division’ and ‘disunity’ concern me. At a time when, as a global community, we need to be united in the service of others, we are perhaps more fractured than ever before. So, my prayer is to bring peace and unity where there has been discord, harmony where there has been resentment. In praying for my local community along these lines, I can then reach out and pray these things for our leaders as we head toward the 2022 federal election.
The third battle
It seems to me that the enemy is targeting democratic elections everywhere. It seems to me that one of his tactics is to take away ‘personal responsibility’ (democracy) and to bring in stronger and stronger centralised governments where the enemy’s objectives can be more swiftly enacted (dictatorships). I am getting quite political here! So, my prayers are for personal responsibility to be championed and the effects of the over-reach of controlling big governments, without the sanction of the people, would be stifled and curtailed.
So, my prayers in this third battle are for ‘free and fair elections’, without the hint of scandal, irregularity, or external interference. I am praying for the highest level of integrity in all aspects of the elections, including the unbiased dissemination of information prior to polling, the operations of the polling itself and the tallying of the votes.
I am sure that the enemy would love nothing better than to ‘engineer’ an election that ensured the return of politicians that are most easily persuaded to adopt his policies. So, my prayer is for absolute integrity in the conduct of the election, that the enemy’s hands will not be seen anywhere.
I am praying for the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC), for all their officers, for communication and transparency in all their operations. I am praying for all the voting places and the supervision of their operations. Finally, I am praying for the collection, tallying of the votes and the work of returning officers and their teams.
Ensure your armour is intact
Spiritual warfare is dangerous. Ephesians 6 tells us about all the relevant pieces of armour we should have on when we engage in battle. Yes, spiritual warfare is dangerous, but I believe its more dangerous if we don’t engage the enemy. Let’s all understand the tactics of the enemy and make our stand against him, in Jesus’ name! Amen.
(First published Daily Declaration – 13 May 2022)
13 May 2022 – Our kingdom is not of this world: 2022 Federal Election
Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders. But now my kingdom is from another place.” John 18:36 (NIV)
Let me tell you a little of my story. I grew up in a Christian tradition and in a country where I was not expected or obliged to vote in elections and where this verse from John’s gospel was often used to justify this position. I grew up thinking, that if all Christians thought like this, our government would never represent Christian values and there would never be any Christians in parliament.
So, what’s the answer? Jesus said his kingdom was not of this world, but his disciples have always lived here. So, despite my upbringing, my desire has always been to see a society permeated, as much as possible, with traditional Christian values.
Second Edition Christian Values Checklist
This week in the Canberra Declaration I was delighted to read:
We are excited to announce a miraculous shift in the Christian Values Checklist, towards righteousness. In our 23 years of our existence the Australian Christian Values Institute has never seen anything like it. Totally extraordinary. Second Edition Christian Values Checklist, Warwick Marsh, Kurt Mahlburg & Cody Mitchell.
So, what’s brought this about, the power of prayer? I believe most definitely, yes. Yes, Christians have fallen on their knees in prayer for this election perhaps more than ever in recent history. This is truly wonderful. But, in addition, I suspect many Christians have been writing to their senators and to their federal members over the last two years, raising their concerns. I believe, this has borne fruit and our representatives have heard their people.
There used to be a saying that one letter to parliament represents at least ten others who have not written. I suspect member’s office staff have been doing the statistics over the last two years and many have seen the writing on their wall.
So, if prayer and letter writing has created the most tangible shift in Australian political values in 23 years and we have not even voted yet; what effect could prayed up Christians have on polling day?
What I am doing to prepare for election day
We have to vote in Australia. So my encouragement, along with Molly Joshi post, Preparing your heart to pray for the federal election, is to be fervent in pray. I have written out a list off all the candidates in my electorate and I am systematically praying for each one. They are all men and women who have put their lives on the line for our nation, and just like our service men and women, I believe they should have our fervent prayer support.
Then, I believe all Christians should rise up in God’s strength, use our minds, that he has given us and, study all we can about our candidates, perhaps phone them up and interview them. What I am trying to say here is that for me, as a Christian, I can’t go into this election and simply vote just the same way as I did last time without a thorough re-evaluation. For me, I believe I must be prayed up and informed and trust the Lord to guide me to number the candidates as he directs me. I don’t want to vote out of habit but out of passionate conviction that this is the order of candidates he wants me to vote for.
My motive for this post is perhaps to encourage someone to pray up and study up more before polling day, Saturday 21st May. So that, you can go to sleep that night with a clear conscience that you have done the right thing. My kingdom is not of this world, but I do live here, and I am passionate about freedom, free speech and justice for all, particularly the voiceless. For me the Christian faith is the foundation for all these principles.
(First published in the Daily Declaration – 11 May 2022)
3 March 2022 – Don’t shut me down!
Autumn in Surry Wood by William Russell Flint (1880 – 1969)
Today, I am picking up on one of my themes from last time, the ‘scene is misty’. But no, it’s not this time, instead there are so many trees, even though the mist has cleared, so much so we still can’t see clearly where to go.
Lately I have been reflecting on our response to ‘shut down discussion’ – ‘we can’t talk about that’, ‘let’s move on then’, ‘I have had so much of that I don’t want to go there anymore’. Perhaps you have heard the one about ‘consensus’ and ‘you’re in a minority’.
Consensus has become the acceptable, the only truth as if any contrary views are wrong. We have become uncomfortable to even entertain a contrary view, so much so we seek to shut them down or better still, simply ignore them.
What does this say then about our character?
Does it mean that we have exalted our feelings to front of stage and we have become so sensitive that we can’t stand to have our feelings hurt by a contrary perspective? I have heard the phrase ‘snowflakes’. Are we afraid that if we entertain opposing views to our own, we will melt like a snowflake in the sun? Is this what has driven ‘cancel’ culture and the ‘woke’ mentality? Are we cancelling people in our world and don’t know it?
Great inventors, innovators and creatives have always pushed the boundaries. Now that we have elevated the veracity of the consensus, we have increasingly marginalised opposing views that in the past would have inspired the inventors, innovators and creatives. So much so, that if we take the consensus highway, the only voices we will ever hear are those with the official, sanctioned narrative. We will no long question, analyse or proffer an alternative.
My encouragement today; put our feelings aside, refuse the cancel culture and enjoy again the debate and the battle for ideas.
In these days of growing external threats, be they to our health or to our life and liberty; let’s put a stake in the ground and be responsible and accountable for ourselves and our loved ones. We don’t need so called ‘experts’ to ‘tell us what to do’, we are all intelligent people with minds of our own. We are all uniquely created and crafted by God for his purpose and pleasure, lets endeavour to trust ‘him’ for our health, life and liberty.
24 December 2021 – Finally, it’s Christmas!
Akvarellmaler Hanna Jakobsen – a Norwegian watercolourist.
Yes, it’s Christmas and I suspect that means a time for all of us to take a deep breath, to reflect on where we have come from and where we are going to in the new year. This painting rings all the right bells for me. Let me explain.
The scene is misty. We have all been left with an overwhelming sense of uncertainty. Will we be able to go there? What if we do, will we get back? Will we be able to see our family? It’s been two years since we have seen them? What will the premier say tomorrow? How long will this last?
I confess the uncertainty has been the hardest thing. When will it ever end? But despite the misty landscape, let me celebrate some certainties!
“Let’s get over to Bethlehem as fast as we can and see for ourselves what God has revealed to us.” They left, running, and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in the manger. Seeing was believing. They told everyone they met what the angels had said about this child. Luke 2:16-17 (The Message)
Our freedoms may have been taken away. Our liberties curtailed. Our lives shrouded in uncertainty; but one thing no one can take away from us. Our faith in the saviour of the world, our Lord Jesus Christ, born to us on Christmas Day. On this solid rock I stand even if all around is sinking sand.
I also want to celebrate family and friends. Yes, our ability and freedom to gather together has been under severe attack. I won’t take family and friendship for granted again. They are such a precious gift us and I am determined to make a bigger investment in family and friends as long as I have breath. The embrace, the hug, the holding of hands, is everything.
One other thing this season has taught me is that materialism, things, and status symbols, are so hollow. When we have not been able to simply go out, earn and spend without thinking. It forces us to evaluate what are the important things in life. I have realised how much of my self-worth has been tied up with things.
My prayer is for the thousands out of work, the thousands with health challenges, the thousands with mental health crises all brought on by our leaders who have lost their own heart and capacity for empathy for the suffering. I pray that 2022 can be a year of dialogue, of understanding and of the power of the collective heart, as we rebuild.
(I have written a few essays in the last few months. Some have been published under the Canberra Declaration and you can find them all here on my website under Jim’s Reflections, do have a look! Your feedback would be most welcome).
5 October 2021 – Discussion vs Recitation
Grand Canal, Venice, Italy, watercolour by Joseph Zbukvic.
Joseph was born in 1952, same year as me! He was born in Zagreb, in what is now Croatia. He moved to Australia when he was 18 years old and in now counted in ranks the of Australia’s famous living artists.
I chose this painting because I think ‘everyone’, or at least ‘most people’ could have picked it as a painting from Venice, Italy. Just think about it, why do we know its Venice? The shape of the domes, the gondolas, the water? Perhaps we have seen movies shot here or perhaps we have been there. Anyway, ‘most people’ just know its Venice.
My thought for today is about, ‘most people’ and what most people ‘know to be true’ or ‘believe to be true’.
[First of all, a personal update, last time I wrote here I said I was aligning with the Liberal Democratic Party. I had even got to the point of volunteering for them and I was about to start a research project for them, but then my ‘research and prayer’ led me to the conclusion that I could not put my whole support behind them. So, in a bit of rush, I had to let them know, I could not conduct the research project after all. Suffice it to say, it was not an easy decision, it was a very fine line of interpretation of their policy documentation. Henceforth I am not going to share my political leanings, quite a lesson for me; everyone must make their own call and I don’t want to inadvertently persuade by my example!]
So back to ‘most people’. Today, I want to explore the notion of ‘mass formation’ or sometimes called ‘mass psychology’. I don’t think we talk about this very much but let me take you to a school classroom near you. Perhaps you can go back to your own experience of high school classrooms. Taking up the theme of David Backer (2017) who wrote a paper on the distinction between ‘classroom discussion and classroom recitation’. As a teacher, I found this fascinating! Often what teachers call ‘discussion’ is in fact ‘recitation’, the teacher leading a line of ideas that they have predetermined, designed to hammer home their main goals for the lesson. You say what is wrong with that? Nothing at all. But is that ‘discussion’ per se? I say no. for me a discussion has an undefined conclusion, you have no idea where the discussion might go. As the teacher, are you comfortable with that? The class may take a different slant on a topic than the one you anticipated, but there will have been a genuine discussion along the way.
Let me take you back to your own classroom experience again. Remember the day when ‘Sally’ was away, the whole classroom dynamics was so different! You remember that, ‘John’ and ‘Sarah’ actually joined in the discussion, they never would have done that had Sally been there!
What is going on here? The power of the one can sometimes be so palpable. Do you remember the bullying scenarios in those days, did you find it so hard to turn against the flow and to stand with the bullied in their defense? It is so easy to be led and not to lead.
Let me now tread on very thin ice again. With regards to the actions of ‘most politicians’ regarding the corona virus story. Most have been silent, that’s my overarching impression of the last 18 months, they have left the speaking to the premiers and the experts. The mainstream media have sung from the same song sheet most of the time, so we all hear the same message, and as a result ‘mass formation’ has occurred, or if you will ‘mass psychology’ has been accepted by ‘most people’. Its much easier to be led than to lead.
What am I saying, simply lets be astute and awake to the potential for ‘mass formation’ or ‘mass psychology’. Let’s be sure in our own minds that we are not simply being led as its so much easier when we only have a diet of ‘recitation’. Let’s seek out any opportunity we can to strike up a ‘discussion’. Discussion sharpens the mind, we have to come back with counter arguments, we have to be open to the possibility of being persuaded to change our mind!
Backer, D. (2017). The Politics of Recitation: Ideology, Interpellation, and Hegemony, Harvard Educational Review, 87(3), 357-379.
9 September 2021
Andrew Wyeth (1917-2009) – Farm Pond 1957
Andrew was born in Pennsylvania, USA, one of America’s most famous visual artists. I have a selected this painting to illustrate the role of the observer. What do you see? It’s really what we don’t see that’s most important, the vast area of white, but not quite white don’t you agree? The colour of the white is most suggestive of the colour of the sky reflected in the snow blanketed on the landscape, except for the pond. The property, away in the distance, similarly does not give much away. All we can see seems to be a row of very small windows atop a very large almost featureless wall.
Today, I awoke with the blindingly obvious thought – ‘we really must make very careful judgments about what we see and hear’. Why do I say that? I am more convinced than ever that we have been conditioned to ‘simply accept what we see and hear’ as ‘representations of reality’, a high-definition photo in contrast to a watercolour by Andrew Wyeth. But should we?
Discerning of spirits
I for one, believe passionately in the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Let me reference a couple in particular, my italics, in these passages:
“Beloved, do not believe every spirit but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world (1 John 4:1, ESV)”.
“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect (Romans 12:2, ESV)”.
For most of my life I have applied this gift of discernment to making a judgement call on the preacher in church, the couple who have expressed an interest in joining our connect group or the applicant I was interviewing for a position at work. In each of these examples, I was able to ‘see’ the people concerned in the flesh. The judgement process was as simple as a prayer to the Lord; ‘does this person come with your peace, your shalom; please show me Lord, is this one of you Lord?’.
But how about applying the same principle of discernment to the ideas and actions of our leaders in the wider context of our state or nation? I have lived long enough to reflect on the ideas and actions of my leaders all my life. Until now, I have felt my leadership has been benign, wanting the bests for the people. If a particular group went too far in one direction, we had elections and the response of the people brought the leaders back in line by electing an alternate group for the next few years. I am happy to say, I have been fortunate to live through relative peace and shalom all my life. I can truly say I have had a very ‘fortunate life’.
However, have we applied the discerning of spirits process to our leaders in the present context of their response to COVID-19? For most of 2020, I certainly didn’t at all. The virus was so unknown, everyone was scrambling to get a handle on things and, I am sure, doing our rulers were doing their best for the people in their eyes. In fact, I was totally absorbed in my ‘responding to the COVID-19 measures’, lectures at college had to go online, students could no longer come in for classes or tutorials. A number of students had major family crises that diverted them from their studies, and I was one of the staff, at the time, seeking to support them. It was all hands-on deck to ‘manage the COVID-19 responses’, so much so, I confess I failed to apply the discerning of spirits principle effectively, though I had many spiritual questions along the way that were not being addressed.
There were windows of normality for me over the new year and I believe I was lulled into complacency; but 2021 arrived and the narrative from our leaders changed quite markedly (I am not going to examine the details here, perhaps another time, but for now I will stay on the big picture).
Our citizenship is in heaven
I am sure we all know the stories of Daniel in Babylon in the Old Testament of the Bible. He was taken captive into a foreign land along with thousands of his countrymen. The exile lasted 70 years, but Daniel and his friends never forgot where their true citizenship lay, he did not let the latest edict from the Babylonian king distract him from his true focus and commitment:
“10 Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went home. And in his upper room, with his windows open toward Jerusalem, he knelt down on his knees three times that day, and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as was his custom since early days. Then these men assembled and found Daniel praying and making supplication before his God. 12 And they went before the king, and spoke concerning the king’s decree: “Have you not signed a decree that every man who petitions any god or man within thirty days, except you, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions?”” (Daniel 6:10-11 NKJC)
For me, Daniel was showing, by his actions, that he was being ‘true to himself’, he was ‘making no compromise’, he was showing that he was a man of ‘integrity’, even though the consequence for his stand was potentially devastating. I don’t think he was ‘testing’ God; he had simply settled in his heart, that he was going to be ‘true to himself’. Daniel was showing that his citizenship was in heaven (Philippians 3:20).
Crossing the line
So now I am applying the discerning of spirits process to our rulers, a simple prayer to the Lord; ‘does this person, this government, come with your peace, your shalom; please show me Lord, is this one or this measure of you Lord?’ If I comply, will I be ‘true to myself, will I be compromising my values, will I be a man of integrity’?
I am making no judgement call at all on my family and friends, my community or nation. Each one must make their own mind up what they will do, and I am totally fine with that, I am no man’s judge. But what I am responsible for is my own intents and actions, no one else can do that for me. I am seeking the Lord for discernment regarding our rulers’ intents and actions. Can I accept them and retain my integrity?
My stand
In recent weeks my prayer has reached two positions, I know they are simply signposts on the journey and there will no doubt be more to come, but these are where I am at right now. Firstly, the Ezekiel Declaration – watchmen it’s time to speak, a letter to the Honourable Scott Morrison. This is a long letter, but I concur with it, and I encourage you to read it.
The second thing is that I have changed my political allegiance from the Liberal Nationals to the Liberal Democratic Party. My reason for this is that both the Liberal Nationals and Labour have been operating under the National Emergency Declaration Act 2020 No. 128, 2020, effectively eliminating any democratic debate, the LDP have stood up and offered an alternative approach. I commend them to you.
My thought for the day is firstly to encourage you to be discerning of spirits with regard to our rulers. Are you able to be true to yourself if you concur with their intents and actions? Ask God to give you the peace test of shalom. Then secondly, lets respect one another for the conclusions each of us will reach. Yes, we may end up with starkly opposing views but that doesn’t mean we lose respect for one another in the process. From my educational experience, I relish robust debate; there is a saying that iron sharpens iron (Proverbs 27:17). Let’s encourage the exchange of views whenever we get the opportunity, I am convinced that both sides grow in the soil of healthy debate.
Finally, lets continually pray for our rulers; I believe only God can give authority to anyone, and he puts these rulers in their places of power (Romans 13:1).
6 September 2021
Winter Road by Ian Ramsey
Ian is a British artist living in the USA. This painting was composed in South Wyoming. Why do I like it, why am inspired by it? So many paintings look forward along a road, up or down a stream, through a gate. It’s as if they are inviting the observer to, ‘come with me, through this opening, along this path or down this stream’.
I think we are all programmed, in our genes, for journey. We are always, quite naturally, future focused. I am still reading Jordan B Peterson’s Beyond Order, 12 More Rules for Life, Allan Lane, 2021. In Rule IX he invites his readers to reflect on their waking moment, what do we ‘see’ when we first wake up? A really great question, the person next to us in bed, the light filtering through the window? These may be correct answers, but perhaps more than these tangible things, we all see ‘our future’. I do hope we don’t wake up and see our past; our mistakes; our regrets. That would be so sad. Waking up is surely a time to draw the curtain on the past, to leave our mistakes behind and to press forward into our next opportunity.
Now let me apply this to our corona virus world. I must confess, I have found waking up in a lock-down has been hard, it has been very hard, and I guess for all of us in many diverse ways, it’s been and is extremely hard. We are created to be members of tribes, teams, and communities. We are created for partnership, not to be alone; so, one vital source of power has been largely turned off by lock-downs.
However, my encouragement to you and me today, is to look up and look forward. Let’s take our eyes off the past, off the present and onto the future. If we have been metaphorically hypnotised, or programmed, to be in the present. To live, and be, merely in the present, we are denying the potential that lies within our created being, within our genes, the product of our parent’s accumulated talent and wisdom. If we simply live in the present, being obedient to the rules and regulations handed out like our daily diet of pills, we have effectively turned off any thoughts or dreams for the future.
Don’t get me wrong; I am not advocating that we should break rules or regulations, but rather I am encouraging us to be future focused, and not to let our dreams and desires for the future atrophy. Our communities, our teams and our tribes will be diminished if we allow our potential to be stilted and diminished. I firmly believe that we all have a part to play in pulling our communities, teams and tribes out of this current gridlock. Yes, our leaders have particular responsibilities, but I believe all of us have our apart to play as well.
How can we serve our generation, by being compliant? No, I think these days are calling each of us to dream big, to desire what might, at face value, seem impossible. Not for self-gratification, but for the greater good of our communities, teams and tribes.
Let’s think about the increasing divisions in world. Families are divided, communities are divided, and nations are divided, like never before, in my lifetime. My prayer is that we will find creative, God inspired ways to rebuild unity without anyone having to compromise their integrity.
19 August 2021
Blossom Time at Vannavey’s, nr Crest, Drome, France by Sir William Russell Flint, 1880-1969
I admire Flint’s work. This one particularly struck my eye this week as the other afternoon, on one of my walks, I happened up on a street, lined with fruit tree, all the same trees, all bursting forth with white spring blossom. The landscape was not as spectacular as this one in the painting but the impact just as stunning, with the sunlight magnifying the whiteness.
Another thing about this painting that inspires me is that the distant mountains are a stronger pigment then the foreground. I normally paint the foreground stronger and the distance weaker to indicate distance and depth, but the opposite seems to have work wonderfully here. The central mountain with the rusty trees, is also a wonderful contrast with the light picking out the buildings up on the left. Magnificent!
Well, this week I have been reflecting on my need for a narrative, a paradigm or a firm foundation. These days, so many, seem to have their being described or defined by the 11.00 am press-briefing from our state directors. I have never listened to one of them, let me try to describe why.
I am reading a great book, Jordan B Peterson’s Beyond Order, 12 More Rules for Life, Allan Lane, 2021. Peterson says in Rule II. “Aim at something. Pick the best target you can currently conceptualise. Stumble towards it”. I like this! He also writes about the importance of “taking responsibility” for something. He talks about the difference in our psychological wellbeing between situations out of our control versus those we take responsibility for. Just because we take responsibility does not mean we necessarily succeed but the pressing forward, the taking the strain, seems to do us good on the inside. The converse is debilitating and can lead to depression, what will be will be, and, let others take responsibility.
So, my encouragement today for you, is to find your story, find your feet, and to take a firm stance in this virus story. I don’t believe we are called to be puppets or merely victims, lets each rise above the dictates of the state or national directors, we are personally responsible for our health, lets do the right thing, so that we can be physically and psychologically well and able to serve others. Everyday, we take risks with our health, in terms of our diet, our sleep patterns and the company we keep. We know how to manage these risks, another virus is simply one more risk, we need to manage. I believe that we don’t need others to direct our risk management. In fact, letting others have the responsibility abdicates ours.
It seems to me that this virus season has knocked the stuffing out of some of us. In fact, its not the virus at all, but others’ fear of the virus that has knocked the stuffing out of us. The result, our psyche has taken a battering. Let’s ignite our own narrative, our paradigm and take responsibility for our own calling, and our own health!
10 August 2021
This watercolour by John Joy (1925-2012), a Canadian artist, Farmhouse (1998) inspires me and lifts me. I have been wrestling for days now, trying to find an appropriate picture for the moment. Well, I am encouraged by this one! Why you ask? Look at the light on the main building wall facing us, yes, it’s simply grey but there is a lightness to the grey and see the light reflecting in the windows. Then the driveway to the property is more or less clear but, bear with me, while I unpack the metaphor.
Here in Sydney, we are under lockdown again, I think we are in our seventh week of being housebound, and it’s now more than 18 months since COVID-19 took over our lives. What is this doing to us? I challenge anyone to claim they are fine with it. For me, I have many new avenues to explore in my newfound freedom of retirement since mid-July, but each road leads simply to home. I am so fortunate to be content with my ‘farmhouse’ and the fulfilment I find here. I am so wonderfully blessed to have a wonderful home with so few pressures and challenges. I feel for those who’s home is far from their ‘castle’ in these housebound days.
As a youth back in England, I remember the days when we were housebound by a snowstorm. The roads and railways were blocked, and schools closed. I remember one day, I may have been six or seven, when we opened the back door and we had to dig ourselves out of the snow drift piled up against us! Yes, we were housebound then but without the fear of an external invisible enemy. The isolation simply drove us to greater heights of creativity and adventure.
So, my thoughts for today; let’s do an audit of our emotions. What are the overriding emotions, what is the narrative playing in our minds and hearts? My faith is in God. That doesn’t mean I act as a fool and behave irresponsibly, no, it simply means that ‘my faith is in God’, he has all this in his control, he knows the end from the beginning, and he knows what all this lockup can achieve in the lives of so many if we respond well.
So, I stay in my ‘farmhouse’, thinking, as best I can, on whatsoever things are pure and of good report (Philippians 4:8). I take the opportunity for research, reading and reflection. And above all, I am in prayer for our leaders while seeking to take every opportunity to be an influence for good in the world.
I feel that one of the dangers of these times is becoming polarized communities, only able to tolerate those of like mind. To me one of my aspirations is to be a catalyst for open minded robust debate. I can’t think of anything more depressing than to simply dismissing contrary perspectives, this is such an antithesis of the scientific method!
So, while we are at home, in our ‘farmhouses’, lets take every opportunity to do some good. I am preaching to myself, find any opportunity we can to do something good for someone.
26 July 2021
The Magpie – Claude Monet (1869) – subtitle ‘Gateway of Hope’.
This view was apparently painted near the family home, in the vicinity of Étretat, Normandy, France. I have loved this painting for years; the light on the snow is the main attraction for me, followed by the composure of the magpie and the solidity of the home in the background. I am also enticed by the light getting through the wattle fence made from woven sticks between vertical stakes. But look at the gate, so flimsy, I am surprised it still stands more or less upright, perhaps the magpie will knock it down, or inadvertently allow it to swing open under its weight!
Today’s thought has been rumbling for over a week, so I can hardly claim its today’s thought for the day! My subtitle ‘Gateway of Hope’ comes from a section in the book I am reading right now, The Education of an Idealist – Samantha Power (2019). I got to the section, around page 450, were Sam writes about her role in the US’ part in fighting the Ebola virus in 2014. Let me pick a few passages then I will reflect on them.
At the time Sam was the US Ambassador to the UN, basically President Obama’s voice to the UN in New York. News was coming in of the Ebola outbreak in West Africa (a link below to the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention is at the end of this thought, if you want to read more). In September the US sent troops, medical personnel and equipment and logistics operations to West Africa to coordinate the attack on the disease.
Neighbouring nations were considering closing boarders to the most effected nations, but Sam argued with their ambassadors in the UN not to do this as it would hinder the freedom of medical staff to go to the Ebola epicentre for fear of not being allowed home.
Then the US had their first Ebola appearance in Dallas, Texas, the person was called ‘patient zero’. Thomas Eric Duncan had been working for a shipping company in Monrovia, Liberia. This single case set off a massive scare campaign in the media amid political calls for the US to close it’s boarders to anyone from the infected regions. One of the side effects of this panic was that a teacher in the US state of Maine was placed on a three week leave of absence because he had visited Dallas for a conference.
Obama and Sam found themselves fighting a political battle at home against growing hysteria and stronger and stronger calls for boarder closures. Eventually the federal authorities won, they strengthened screening requirements at airports but did not close borders, if they had they would effectively have cut off their own humanitarian efforts in West Africa.
Ebola is a really terrible disease, transmitted by bodily fluids. Back in 2014 the elbow bump was used as an alternative to handshakes. Of those who caught Ebola the deathrate was nearly 50%, whereas today, depending on how you measure it, for COVID, the world death rate is 0.02%.
Can we learn from Ebola? Sam quotes Albert Camus who wrote ‘The Plague’, “It could be said that once the faintest stirring of hope became possible, the dominion of plague was ended”. I think this is so true, while we as individuals, nations and humanity stay in the grip of fear of COVID, the disease has won!
It stuck me that the key battle for Ebola raged in the hearts and minds of Americans, not in impoverished West Africa. It was the generosity of the American’s that sent out their first responders, taking thought for their own safety as a secondary consideration. Then it was the leadership of America who defeated the doomsday sayers and the calls for boarder closures which was actually an understandable ‘defence mechanism’ against a perceived external threat but with little regard for the suffering of others.
A few weeks ago, I was so encouraged by a passage in Proverbs 3: 21-26 (MSG):
Dear friend, guard Clear Thinking and Common Sense with your life;
don’t for a minute lose sight of them.
They’ll keep your soul alive and well,
they’ll keep you fit and attractive.
You’ll travel safely,
you’ll neither tire nor trip.
You’ll take afternoon naps without a worry,
you’ll enjoy a good night’s sleep.
No need to panic over alarms or surprises,
or predictions that doomsday’s just around the corner,
Because God will be right there with you;
he’ll keep you safe and sound.
8 April 2021
Peak District, Derbyshire, UK – Christopher P Jones (2019)
Today’s encouragement begins in the north of England, not far from where I was raised. Some of my earliest memories are wondering across such moorland with my big brothers. So why am I drawn back to this setting today? Well here goes.
Last year knocked the stuffing out of many of us and I think its all too likely that many of us don’t know how much stuffing has been knocked out! For me, so many of life’s norms have been turned on their heads and my normal sources of truth and common sense have often been seriously sabotaged. So, looking back, it’s as if I went into ‘lockdown’ since last May when I last wrote to you and I am only now beginning to venture out into the big-wide-world again. So, as I step out on the path set before me, I am reminded of two things that I hope might encourage you:
I don’t think we are created to just live. By that, I mean, I don’t think we are here simply to live and breathe, we were created to be creative, to dream, to plan and to build. I think my capacity for these things was subconsciously shut down; but now I believe is the time to dream, plan and build again!
How much of how I feel reflects external pressures and demands? What if we make a conscious decision to not allow external pressures and demands to dictate our mood, capacity and energy. I am not advocating that we should become cold, heartless, uncaring egocentrics only interested in number one. No, simply that we should recognize when external pressures and demands diminish and derail our direction and drive. When this happens, lets cast aside all that hinders and run the race set before us with our eyes in sharp focus on the prize set before us.
Breath deeply the fresh air of the moors.
Jim Twelves 
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