Then came the Sunday meetings. On Sunday morning this growing church meets in the Lido Theatre and it was packed. Great response to the word with dozens of people saying Yes! to Jesus. Then they pack it all up and take everything across town to a high school theatre and do it twice more at night.

The night services really pump and are full of young people switched on to Jesus. They were great to preach to and many more received Christ into their lives during our night rallies.

I was very impressed with the enthusiasm and level of commitment felt amongst all those I connected with. This is a happening church and will continue to make news for all the right reasons. I’m looking forward to a return visit both to the Newport Beach area and to the exciting Newport Church.

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The view certainly gives you a different perspective on the place when you see it from above.

A few things I notice about looking at things from above.

1. You can see so much more of life from a higher place.

2. Everything looks smaller and easier to get to.

3. You feel like you could conquer anything from a higher perspective.

The way we look at life determines everything we do in life.

Where you look from changes everything you see. If you look from a lowly and downcast position everything looks huge and hard to overcome. Even avergae challenges appear like giants when you look from a grasshopper perspective.

How you see yourself determines how you will look at other people. If you see yourself as a grasshopper or perhaps a better word is – as a victim in life, you will always see other people in three ways.

a. As the opposition – therefore everyone is out to get you and must be overcome. You end up being a fighter taking everyone on.

b. As bigger than you – therefore you are always having to find ways to outsmart, outperform or outwit the others. You end up being sneaky and cunning trying to outdo everyone else.

c. As having what you want – therefore your happiness in life is in someone else’s hands rather than coming from within you. You end up being an opportunistic grabber – wanting whatever someone else has.

You must practise seeing yourself in the right way if ever you are to live the overcoming – high places – life.

a. See yourself as complete in Christ. Everything you need for a successful & Godly life is found in Jesus Christ. He must be in you as Saviour and then you must be in Him as Lord. Get satisfied serving Jesus and life will start to make a whole lot more sense. Everything you will ever need is in Him – in you.

b. See yourself in heavenly places with Christ. Get a new perspective of life. Jesus came to earth to lift us up into heavenly places with Him. Practise lifting your values and sights in life and reach for the next level and you will soon be looking down at your former level.

c. See yourself helping others to lift their game. When you commit to helping others rise up in life, you will be surprised how motivated you become to keep reaching higher so others can follow you to new heights.

The way you look at life determines how life looks at you. Do others see you as a fighter, or a sneaky operator or maybe as a grabber, if so you will find life a tough gig.

Get onto the Jesus life journey and you will be amazed at how fulfilling life becomes.

Steve Penny.

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I cant help but be challenged by the Hillsong miracle, which keeps happening year after year, and I have many times tried to see what makes this great church continue to go forward in the grace of God.

Let me suggest a few things that I think are in the mix of the Hillsong “IT”.

1. A WILLINGNESS TO LEAD WITH HUMILITY

Starting with Brian & Bobbie Houston and flowing through all the key leaders of the church is an obvious spirit of humility in the way they lead.

2. A WILLINGNESS TO SERVE

Somehow the people of Hillsong have heard the call to build God’s kingdom and are willing to give of their all to make this happen.

3. A WILLINGNESS TO RISK

Brian & Bobbie’s willingness to follow God and not settle down is frightening. They continue to press forward despite the challenges and the costs.

4. A WILLINGNESS TO SHARE WITH OTHERS

The generosity of the Hillsong church is now legendary and continues to impact lives and nations. Their hands are always full to bless others.

5. THE WILLINGNESS TO USE WHAT THEY HAVE

Hillsong church is renowned for taking the ordinary and making it outstanding. They know how to turn a worthless stick into a miracle rod.

I continue to be blessed every time I attend the Hillsong conference, and this year has the feel about it of being something very special.

Looking forward to day two.

Steve Penny

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Life is all about empowerment. God has empowered everybody to succeed in life.

John 10:10, ” I am come that you might have life,

and to possess it to it’s fullest here on earth.”

God has made it easy for people to be successful.

KEYS TO BUSINESS SUCCESS IN LIFE FROM PSALM 107: 36

1. HE MAKES THE HUNGRY DWELL PASSION & PERMANENCE

Passion is the starting point for any successful life. However, many a people who are passionate to succeed, can end up running from one good idea to the next, harming not only their business future, but often their marriage, family and relationships.

Passion is wonderful, and should be seen as a hunger to do well, but it must be harnessed so that a dwelling mentality is established.

COMMITMENT ONE. I AM STAYING UNTIL IT WORKS

2. THEY MAY ESTABLISH A CITY COMMITTED TO BUILDING

Once you have made up your mind that you will stick around until it works, you must then start to strategize and form plans to build something worthwhile. A city is made up of infrastructure, other people, wise management etc. To build a city is different to making money. It means you are prepared to succeed for the good of a greater number of people than yourself. God empowers people to be successful so that they can be involved together in financing things that will build their city and make it a place where people can dwell in peace.

Your life is meant to be lived for more than plowing a field and reaping a harvest. There is more to life than making money.

COMMITMENT TWO. I AM BUILDING FOR OTHERS.

3. SOW FIELDS SHORT TERM SOWERS

People who sow fields know that they only have to wait a number of months and they will reap a harvest. They learn to quickly get a cash flow going to sustain them as they plan and develop the bigger city picture. Many people never get past living off the short term harvests.

To sow a field means that you must first plow the field and prepare it for sowing and reaping. This means hard work.

COMMITMENT THREE PREPARE YOUR FIELD FOR A RETURN

4. PLANT VINEYARDS LONG TERM INVESTORS

The wise business person is now looking at ways to plant his short term gains into longer term harvests. True wealth comes from the long term crops. They produce a much higher value yield.

Whilst working hard to reap the short term crops, a wise steward is also looking at ways to build long term plants into his economy.

An amount must be taken from every crop harvest and invested into longer term projects that are not dependent upon the same seasonal issues.

COMMITMENT FOUR STRUCTURE FOR LONG TERM GAINS.

5. YIELD A FRUITFUL HARVEST COMMITTED TO PROFIT

Many people look forward to their harvests so that they can use it all on lifestyle. They live from one year to the next. They have good harvests etc. but do not have a mindset or dream to continue investing to build a city through which many people get blessed. You must have a “yield” mindset. Every year should produce a fruitful yield that then increases your ability to “sow, plant and birth.”

COMMITMENT FIVE CONTINUED PROFITABILITY.

6. HE ALSO BLESSES THEM GRACE & FAVOUR

Now we look for the factors that cannot be factored in.

The grace and favour of God is available to everyone who lives by faith.

Romans 5:2 says that we access the grace of God through faith.

Faith in God, pleases God. God blesses the righteous who live by faith.

Smart people seek the blessing of God upon their lives.

God will bless people with the following characteristics.

A/ Righteousness through Jesus Christ

B/ Character through communion with God.

C/ Wisdom through Word meditation

D/ Humility through heart control

E/ Empowerment through Holy Spirit gifts.

F/ Fruitfulness through wise stewardship

COMMITMENT SIX SEEK GOD’S BLESSING

7. THEY MULTIPLY GREATLY THE GOD FACTOR

There is a God Factor in life that people just cannot understand.

The multiplication factor can only take place on THINGS DEDICATED TO GOD. God will bless everyone who lives by faith and obeys His commands. However there is a level of success that is supernatural and cannot be enjoyed except through a life of generous giving.

God will multiply any fruitful thing that you give into His economy.

GOD MULTIPLIES FRUITFUL THINGS GIVEN TO HIS CAUSE.

The key to multiplication is to give God the opportunity of increasing as

large a part of your harvest as possible.

People who live in God’s multiplication zone are ultimately the people

who build cities.

They leave behind a testament to the power of God.

ULTIMATE COMMITMENT TO MULTIPLY GREATLY

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Hey please join me in prayer for a few things.

A. Steve Kennedy as he ministers across the United Kingdom.

B. Pastor Alun Davies daughter Karen, who is still very ill with a mystery brain illness.

C. For Japan as we watch and wait to see what God is doing in this great nation. I think I will have to go there soon to connect and see what God is doing.

D. For the Hillsong Conference coming up in just over seven weeks time. An awesome God occasion.

E. For all the valiant people who have embarked on our 70 days to excel. Keep stretching for the prize.

F. For our friends James and Sam MacPherson who are now Senior Pastors of the Calvary Church in Townsville. They are seeing amazing things happen so pray the momentum will continue to increase.

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I have a few observations from my short visit with them.

1. There is a definite sense of passion and expectation for the future.

2. There is a willingness to go forward and change to keep growing in God.

3. There is a culture of honour among them that causes all to rise to greater levels of effectiveness and influence.

4. There is a willingness to follow and support Godly leadership – and to stand as one man together.

Something awesome is happening at Hillsong and just I think this years Hillsong Conference will be the best we have ever experienced.

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We initially identified four areas to set goals in, as follows:

1. Personal responsibility

2. Family relationships

3. Spiritual disciplines

4. Social & community

I want to add a fifth area of focus which has been presented to me from many responses received. It is the area of our VOCATION or workplace responsibility. I agree wholeheartedly that this needs to be identified as an area in which we need to excel.

The Apostle Paul continually encouraged the early church to be faithful and diligent when serving masters, and to give maximum effort to all business initiatives.

Lets add this fifth area of excellence to our 70 days to excel and see what God can do in our lives.

Hey! Today is day seven of our 70 days and by now we should have identified the key areas of improvement and set in place the daily plan to achieve our new levels in life.

Keep focussed on the prize and press toward it with strong purpose. SJP

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