Author: Dave

PASSIONAustralia.blog and PASSIONAustralia.org are my personal ministry websites. I am also web servant for merredincatholicparish.org

The Resurrection

October 31, 2025

What historical event fascinates you the most?

The Resurrection of Jesus is the event that most fascinates me. It fascinated me so much that it changed my life back in 1989.

Up until that point I had a basic understanding that Jesus died on the cross on Good Friday and then He rose to life on Easter Sunday.

But in all honesty I did not know why He died? When a friend gave me a tract that explained Jesus died on the cross for my sin, it started to make sense.

I realised I was a sinner and I needed God’s forgiveness and Jesus’ death on the cross made that possible. I could be forgiven because He paid the price for my sin.

The resurrection showed that Jesus had the power over death and that God was satisfied with His sacrifice for us. It also showed that we will be resurrected one day too.

This truth changed my life and gave me a new purpose – to live for Him. In a sense I was dead in my sins and then I was raised to a new life with Jesus.

I believe the birth, life, death and resurrection of Jesus are the most significant events in human history. I believe that if you want true life now it all begins with Jesus.

Today I would encourage you to visit my peace with God page so you can begin afresh with Jesus. You can find it here.

God Bless,

Dave

Meditating on Psalm 119

October 31, 2025

Psalm 119 is both the longest psalm and the longest chapter in the Bible. Some Bible scholars believe it may have been written by Ezra after the Temple was rebuilt (Ezra 6:14-15).

Psalm 119 is a repetitive meditation on the beauty of God’s Word and how it helps us stay pure and grow in our faith and trust in God.

It has 22 sections, each corresponding to a different letter in the Hebrew alphabet and each verse beginning with the letter of its section.

Almost every verse mentions God’s Word in some way. This type of repetition was common in Hebrew culture. It helped them to both memorise God’s Word and remember His goodness.

When you read through the 176 verses you see it has 22 sections of 8 verses. I have found this to be a perfect amount of verses to meditate on for your devotions. If you did a section each day it lasts for three weeks.

Psychologists tell us it takes three weeks to adopt a new habit. Perhaps if you find it hard to read the Bible daily, Psalm 119 would be a great place to start. Why not start with verses 1-8 today?

Link to Psalm 119:1-8

The bread that satisfies

October 28, 2025

“Jesus replied, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry again. Whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.” ‭‭John‬ ‭6:35‬ ‭NLT‬‬

For many years of my life I wondered if there was more to this life. In my quiet moments I felt like something was missing and I had a hole inside me. In time I worked out this spiritual emptiness that was me searching for more.

In the verse above Jesus describes Himself as the bread of life and talks about not being hungry or thirsty if we come to Him. Our spiritual hunger and thirst is satisfied when we come to Jesus.

Jesus is the author of life and when we come to know Him and trust Him as our Lord and Saviour, it fills a hole inside us like food fills an empty stomach and water quenches thirst. I no longer walk around with a spiritual vacuum inside me.

I know Jesus is the way, the truth and the life (John 14:6). I know I am His child (John 1:12) and He has a place prepared for me in heaven (John 14:2).

If you would like to end your spiritual hunger and thirst, I would encourage you to visit my “peace with God” page today.

A Jesus Prayer option

October 24, 2025

Here is another version of the Jesus prayer I pray sometimes when I am praying with others or I am praying for my family. This one uses the word “us” instead of “me”.

On the Cross

In the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen

O God, Make speed to save us,
O Lord, Make haste to help us.

The Invitatory

Matthew 6:9-13 KJV
[9] Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. [10] Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. [11] Give us this day our daily bread. [12] And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. [13] And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.

The Cruciforms

Holy God, Holy Mighty One, Holy Immortal One, have mercy on us.

The Weeks

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God. Have mercy on us, sinners.

End cruciform

O my Jesus, forgive us our sins,
Save us from the fires of hell.
Lead all souls to heaven,
Especially those in most need of Your mercy.

End Invitatory

Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
a world without end. Amen.

The Cross

In the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen

Jesus is my Lord

October 23, 2025

Here is a simple explanation of what it means to have Jesus as our Lord. It is taken from the book, “To be a Christian” (Catechism #52)

What do you mean when you call Jesus Christ “Lord”?

I acknowledge Jesus’ divine authority over the Church and all creation, over all societies and their leaders, and over every aspect of my life, both public and private. I surrender my entire life to him and seek to live in a way that pleases him. (Daniel 7:13–14; Mat­ thew 7:21–23; Luke 9:23–26; Ephesians 1:15–23; Colossians 1:16–18)