On Thursday 25th February I had the opportunity to join my national Australian Prayer Network Coordinator Brian Pickering and 47 other church and community leaders from across Australia, representing a Marriage Delegation in Canberra. We met with federal parliamentarians from both sides of the House, to present policies to strengthen marriage and congratulate them on their stand for the definition of marriage as in the Australian Marriage Act; "That marriage means the union of a man and a woman to the exclusion of all others, voluntarily entered into for life." The Marriage Delegation represented many Australians, indigenous and non-indigenous, who are passionate for the renewal of marriage and the restoration of family in Australia. 

‘... seek the peace and prosperity of the city ... pray to the Lord for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper.' (Jer. 29: 7 NIV)

Final plans are now in place for this years Lord Mayor's Citywide Prayer Breakfast. Some 400 plus Christian pastor's and leaders, business, civic and community leaders will gather for our annual prayer event on the 18^th March. I'm blessed to be one of the Lord Mayor's leaders on the team that coordinates this event each year. This year we have as our theme; ‘Courage and Change' - what part does courage play in changing societies. Our guest speaker on this occasion is well known national leader, Brigadier Jim Wallace AM, Managing Director, Australian Christian Lobby.

These events are key times in the spiritual life of our city, as we gather from across the broad spectrum of the Christian Church, to prayer for various sections of our society, within our city, state and nation.

In Brisbane, a city of over 2 million, we are blessed to have a Lord Mayor who sees the Christian church as having a valuable and vital role within the wider community. The Lord Mayor is always willing to cooperate with and support various sections of the church in their endeavor to make our city a more human, compassionate and livable community.

New industry? New subdivisions? A new Lord Mayor?  Federal government funding for roads, water, education or hospitals? A new hotel or shopping mall complex? Such things are certainly material blessings that we as Christians, know ultimately come from God because all good things come from above. 

God's greatest gift to our communities and nation however is the church, the Body of His Son. We may not look like it or act like it but the church His people, are God's gift to our city.  God wants our cities to be places where the ways of a society and the systems that support it, are developed to benefit its people. In other words, cities were created initially for the wellbeing of people in that society. (Israel set up special cities of refuge in the OT).  God loves cities because people inhabit cities in large numbers. When our heart cry is for a move of God in our cities, He will hear and act.

The book reviewer of Australia's premier Christian magazine - Alive Magazine, has given an excellent review in their most recent issue of, Heaven's Answer To Earth's Dilemma and Obtainable Wisdom - Discovering Heaven's Answer.

As they say: "If you are seeking to find your place in the body of Christ, identify your gifts and ministry, and understand what your vocation really is, then look no further than Heaven's Answer to Earth's Dilemma." They go on to say, "together, they are a must-read."

Why not check them out for yourself at: Koorong Book stores across Australia, in our online store on this site, or through our international outlets in USA and online at Amazon.com.