Dapto Anglican Church

It is reported that by age forty 90% of every thought, word & action is rooted in a habitual reflex. Before we envy the ‘freedom’ of youthfulness, it is also becoming clear that our habits and attitudes are becoming fixed from the age of 25.

Of course some habits are helpful and some of our relational tendencies are positive.  The challenge of spiritual maturity is to discern which habits we need to ‘break’ and which ones we should nurture.

This is something most people seem to explore each new year.  Many of us make ‘new year resolutions’ which generally do not survive as long as the January sales.  Such failures can often lead to guilt and feelings of hopelessness.

The test of true Christianity is that when we stumble and fall we grasp hold of God’s grace and get up, secure in the forgiveness available in Christ.  We then need to become aware of those times, people and places that take us out of the ‘light’ of Christ and into a murky twilight zone of worldly pursuits and desires.

Keeping a diary and recording the thoughts and feelings that accompany our slips into ‘sin’ are a useful first step.  We need to identify the areas of our personal temptations so that we can bring the light of God’s gospel and love to bear.

Stephen Semenchuk
Senior Pastor

To see this week’s bulletin Click on this link: 2012 JAN 08