City Church Sheffield Podcast: Recent Episodes
Dan Maton, Richard Owen & others
Download messages given at City Church Sheffield Sunday meetings and celebrations. City Church are a group of ordinary people whose lives have been changed by an extraordinary God! We meet on Sundays at the Jubilee Centre, Wilson Road, Sheffield 10.30am and at Shirecliffe Community Centre at 3:30pm. We love to meet with God, encounter the power of the Holy Spirit and hear his Word preached from the Bible. Everyone is welcome to come and be part of what God is doing in us and through us in Sheffield.
You can download an audio version of this sermon and previous sermons from our website: https://www.citychurchsheffield.org.uk/talks/You can also subscribe to our sermon podcast to get audio versions direct to your phone, tablet or computer. Just search for "City Church Sheffield Podcast" on your app of choice.Unless otherwise stated, scripture quotations taken from The Holy Bible, New International Version® NIV® Copyright © 1973 1978 1984 2011 by Biblica, Inc. TM. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
You can download an audio version of this sermon and previous sermons from our website: https://www.citychurchsheffield.org.uk/talks/You can also subscribe to our sermon podcast to get audio versions direct to your phone, tablet or computer. Just search for "City Church Sheffield Podcast" on your app of choice.Unless otherwise stated, scripture quotations taken from The Holy Bible, New International Version® NIV® Copyright © 1973 1978 1984 2011 by Biblica, Inc. TM. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Showing how those who believe in Jesus can find real hope when the worst things happen.
Looking at the Christmas story from a different perspective. Jesus' arrival brought about the complete defeat of Satan, and helps Christians overcome his accusations.
We are taking the autumn term to consider what we believe. We are using the Apostles' Creed to look at what Christians all over the world and through out time have believed. Please do join us on a Sunday to consider what you believe.
You can download an audio version of this sermon and previous sermons from our website: https://www.citychurchsheffield.org.uk/talks/You can also subscribe to our sermon podcast to get audio versions direct to your phone, tablet or computer. Just search for "City Church Sheffield Podcast" on your app of choice.Unless otherwise stated, scripture quotations taken from The Holy Bible, New International Version® NIV® Copyright © 1973 1978 1984 2011 by Biblica, Inc. TM. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
We are taking the autumn term to consider what we believe. We are using the Apostles' Creed to look at what Christians all over the world and through out time have believed. Please do join us on a Sunday to consider what you believe.
We are taking the autumn term to consider what we believe. We are using the Apostles' Creed to look at what Christians all over the world and through out time have believed. Please do join us on a Sunday to consider what you believe.
We are taking the autumn term to consider what we believe. We are using the Apostles' Creed to look at what Christians all over the world and through out time have believed. Please do join us on a Sunday to consider what you believe.
We are taking the autumn term to consider what we believe. We are using the Apostles' Creed to look at what Christians all over the world and through out time have believed. Please do join us on a Sunday to consider what you believe.
We are taking the autumn term to consider what we believe. We are using the Apostles' Creed to look at what Christians all over the world and through out time have believed. Please do join us on a Sunday to consider what you believe.
We are taking the autumn term to consider what we believe. We are using the Apostles' Creed to look at what Christians all over the world and through out time have believed. Please do join us on a Sunday to consider what you believe.
We are taking the autumn term to consider what we believe. We are using the Apostles' Creed to look at what Christians all over the world and through out time have believed. Please do join us on a Sunday to consider what you believe.
We are taking the autumn term to consider what we believe. We are using the Apostles' Creed to look at what Christians all over the world and through out time have believed. Please do join us on a Sunday to consider what you believe.
We are taking the autumn term to consider what we believe. We are using the Apostles' Creed to look at what Christians all over the world and through out time have believed. Please do join us on a Sunday to consider what you believe.
Jesus healed physically, and he still does it today. He focuses on the work of God. Even after being healed, the man would have remained spiritually blind if he hadn't believed in Jesus.
Jesus is the light of the world. Just as God sent a pillar of fire to lead the Israelites, so now he has sent Jesus into the world. The light exposes darkness and sin, leads us to the Father, and gives life.
If we are thirsty, the first thing to do is to come to Jesus, and the second thing to do is to drink. We should be doing this on a daily basis. Jesus is the only source of life and vitality.
The world hates Jesus, and in the same way it hates us, his followers. We can't wait for the world to start loving Jesus before we step out in faith.
Spiritual food is more important than physical food, but the crowds sought Jesus because he fed them physically.
A loving God might want to send us into rough waters, but we can find hope. We should take note of what God has already provided, remember that he is with us in our circumstances so that we can trust in his presence, and remember that change is possible and that God can intervene in our circumstances.
What do we see about Jesus in this passage? We see his compassionate care, even when it's not convenient. How do we respond? We shouldn't close our eyes and ignore the facts. We might be tempted to think we have nothing to offer, but Andrew speaks up. Jesus is not an answer, but the answer, and so we should trust our provider with everything.
Those who saw Jesus' signs went and told others about him and who he might be. Jesus is full of compassion and utterly courageous. When it comes to following Jesus we should not be cautious but utterly courageous.
Will we respond to Jesus with worship as Elizabeth and John did? Will we be like the shepherds, realising that we are welcomed in and sharing the good news with others? Will we constantly seek God as Anna did? Or will we be proud and want to keep our positions like Herod did?
We can trust that God can heal supernaturally, but we shouldn't rest our hope on this as he doesn't always heal. Jesus doesn't want to satisfy our desire to see miracles for their own sake. But we can always take Jesus at his word.
Jesus is the Saviour of the world because the world needs a saviour. We need food for energy, but Jesus is fueled and energised by doing the will of his Father. In initiating a conversation with a Samaritan woman, Jesus breaks down barriers. If we try to pretend to be better than we really are then we don't appreciate how good Jesus is.
Jesus is not on a par with John the Baptist, but he is the Word made flesh. John is not jealous of Jesus but is pleased that his own disciples are leaving him to follow Jesus. John has an important role as the Best Man at the wedding, but it is not the Best Man's role to end up with the bride at the end of the day.
Jesus won't fit into Nicodemus' existing system as a Pharisee - instead, he tells Nicodemus that he needs a new start. Nicodemus may have had just one conversation with Jesus yet he became a disciple. What can God do with just one conversation?
Jesus demonstrates his divinity by clearing the courts, by architectural arguments and by obvious omniscience. The animals in the temple courts were being sold at inflated prices and were taking up the only space where gentiles were allowed to worship God. The real temple is Jesus' body, the place where God dwells, and this is why he has authority.
Jesus attended social events. He wants to be involved in the whole of our lives, whether good or bad. He knew that his first miracle would start the ball rolling and that it would lead inevitably to Calvary, and perhaps this is why he doesn't want to be pressurised by his mother. Running out of wine would have been a social embarrassment, but Jesus takes away the shame of the host, just as he takes away the shame of us all.
John the Baptist is like a sign-post. He has great humility and points away from himself to Jesus. Jesus is the one who takes away the sin of the world. It doesn't bother John that his disciples leave him to follow Jesus. Jesus doesn't point to anyone - he is the one to be followed, and the invitation today is to come and know him.
John's prologue is like a movie trailer. John is setting the scene, beginning with the fact that Jesus is God. He introduces characters, starting with John the Baptist, whose aim was to glorify Jesus.
Our call is to build the Church. God is calling for fresh passion for the local church. He wants things to get messy.
Proverbs is a leadership book, a probability book and a thinking book. The wise person will listen to advice. We should use our understanding but not lean on it. To acknowledge God is to submit to his ways.
God initiated and accomplished salvation all by himself. How persuaded are we that the gospel is true? Can people encounter God through City Church Sheffield?
Like the two disciples on the Emmaus Road, we need clarity on who Jesus was and what he has done. Jesus proves who he is from the Old Testament - he's not just a prophet but the Mighty God, God With Us, whose suffering was prophesied. Nothing went wrong with God's plan - the cross was part of the plan.
Rejoicing doesn't mean always feeling joyful, but tuning in to what is really there. Paul rejoices even though he's in prison, because Christ is being preached, because the Philippians are like-minded and because they're in Christ.
It is good to praise the Lord - it benefits us and causes us to flourish, as it is what we are designed for. Praising God gladdens the heart and stretches the mind. It is good to consider what God has done.
We live between pre-covid times and post-covid times, and in-between times can be difficult. But we can draw near to God because God is with us and he is faithful.
God was faithful to Abraham throughout Abraham's life and, like Jesus, he lived a life of service. In being buried in the Promised Land Abraham trusted God's promise to give the land to his descendents, and we can look back and see how God was faithful after Abraham's death.
Abraham makes plans for Isaac in line with the promises he received from God and has been living with. The first thing his servant does on arriving at his destination is to pray. Isaac's love for Rebecca reflects Christ's love for the church.
Abraham mourned the death of Sarah. It is appropriate to grieve. Like Abraham and Sarah, we are aliens in the world who do not really belong anywhere. We are citizens of heaven - it is important to remember where we're from and where we're headed.
Unbelievers may think this passage shows a cruel God, but they are missing the bigger picture. Abraham may not have been angry with God, but he would have experienced emotional turmoil, and yet he obeyed God. It was God who miraculously gave Isaac to Abraham in the first place. God did not withhold his only Son. Isaac lived because a ram died in his place; we live because the Lamb of God died in our place.
Abimelech saw that God was with Abraham. God is with us too, so let's let our light shine, showing love and kindness to those around us, being open with one another and dealing with conflict well.
God makes specific promises to individuals. God provides for us whether we are like Hagar and Ishmael who have reached the end of their resources or whether we are like Abraham who is distressed for others. Abraham entrusts Ishmael's life to God, just as he later entrusts Isaac's life to God.
Jesus is transfigured as he prays. Moses and Elijah, both men of prayer, represent the Law and the Prophets, the whole of the Old Testament, and they discuss Jesus' departure, the cross, the fulfilment of all God's promises. Peter had an old way of thinking, but the Father tells him and us to listen to Jesus. We are also being transfigured into his likeness.
God speaks because he wants to relate to us, not because we've earned this but because of his grace. He fulfils what he says, even with flawed human beings. And God makes us laugh - we can revel in our weakness because it shows God's strength and power.
Abraham has huge promises from God, but his driving force is fear. Fear can make us do things that we shouldn't do, and not do the thing that we should do.
We can look at Lot's life and think "Why did God save him?" But if we do that then we also need to ask "Why did God save me?" It was because of his grace and love. We need to live by faith rather than fear, and live God's way rather than the ways of the world.
We might be shocked at what the men of Sodom wanted to do and what Lot suggested doing and even what God is prepared to do. But we should take this passage as a warning and example of what God will do when he ultimately destroys the wicked. There are different ways of responding - like Lot's sons-in-law, who saw judgement as a joke, or like Lot, who hesitated when urged to escape, or like Lot's wife, who looks back. We have a chance to repent and escape judgment, but that this opportunity will end.
Like Abraham, as chosen people we can have a relationship with God. We can see Abraham's heart for the strangers, the alien, the lost and the outsider, and we can see the mighty sovereignty and graciousness of God, and so we can trust him as Lord of all.
Abraham's seed is the one through whom the nations will be blessed. This is not Isaac or the people of Israel but Christ. God's promises will be fulfilled at the appointed time.
God's covenant is a binding and contractual promise between God and Abraham. There are many blessings promised to Abraham, and all Abrham has to do is to walk with God faithfully and blamelessly and to circumcise all males. Abraham's ultimate response is obedience. Physical circumcision is no longer required but circumcision of our hearts is required.
Abraham and Sarah got tired of waiting for God's promise to be fulfilled and tried to take control. They began to focus on themselves, they stopped caring for others, such as Hagar. But God cared for her, and unlike Abraham and Sarah, calls her by her name.
Abraham believed God, not just as a cold hard fact but in a personal relational sense. Like Abraham, we can trust God when we can't see the way out of our situation and are tempted to try to find our own way out. We are considered righteous by God's grace through faith, not through our works or our efforts.
It can sometimes look as if worldly powers are king, but the Bible says that we reign in life. Abraham recognised Melchizedek as greater than he himself was, and Melchizedek points to Jesus. Jesus is king. We say that with our mouths, but is he really king over our lives? Do we really submit our entire lives to him?
The women physically looked up and saw the stone was rolled away. We can figuratively look up and see Jesus. We are all searching for different things, but the women were searching for Jesus. What are we chasing after?
How do we get back on track with God? By repenting and putting God first, by being willing to make hard decisions rather than drifting when we meet with challenges and by walking by faith like Abraham, rather than walking by sight like Lot.
Jesus is the good shepherd. Biblical shepherds led their sheep from the front, and knew each one by name, and the sheep knew his voice. We are invited to come and feed. Good shepherds lead by example, protect the flock, encourage the whole church to be a shepherding community, anoint with oil, and lay down their lives for the sheep.
Abraham and Sarah saw famine and there were hard decisions to be made, but they also saw the grace and sovereignty of God. Living in God's promises doesn't make us immune to hardship, and the grace and sovereignty of God doesn't mean we are free from sin and bad choices. God's grace can come through very strange means - it sees the vulnerable and covers over all sins.
We are encouraged to exalt and elevate God, to humble ourselves by seeking his will not our own, and to pray for a renewed spirit within us.
We are called to be fishers of men, ambassadors of Christ who attract people to him by letting his light shine through us in their midst.
We need to learn how to lament. We can do this by using our own words or by using some of the lament psalms that have been given us to help us pray. We need to make a deliberate decision to turn to the Lord, bring our complaint to him, make definite clear requests, and choose to trust him.
Like Abraham, we must face the facts - the facts make us more aware of our need for God. Yet we should continue to believe God, so let's look up and be strengthened in our faith.
God delights in restoring those who have wandered away. We should be a people of real concern, who care for those wandering from the truth; a people of real discretion in confronting them; and a people of real zeal for bringing them back.
James encourages us to pray. He tells us to pray for ourselves and for one another, and the sick are to call for the elders to pray for them. We are to come to God in faith, in repentance, in honesty and in humility.
We should be trustworthy at all times, and therefore have no need to take oaths. If we feel the need to take oaths then it suggests that our word cannot be trusted otherwise.
Some of us may have been excluded for being Christians, whilst others may have experienced more intense suffering. James calls us to be patient, but he is not insensitive to suffering, nor is he telling us to be inactive. To cope with suffering, we need to learn how to lament. Our ultimate hope is the return of Jesus.
We should not put our trust or find our security in possessions. We should be rich towards God, and generous with our wealth. We should not be complicit in oppressing the poor by our shopping habits. God is not against us having money, but wants us to use wealth for his glory and his kingdom.
We are told to love one another, bear with one another and accept one another because God has first loved, accepted and forgiven us. Do we know that we are loved, accepted and forgiven by God every moment?
Because God came as both Jesus (Saviour) and Immanuel (God with us) we can know him and be saved from our sins.
Join us as we look at why, despite all the restrictions and changes, Christmas can never really be cancelled.
To see the full Carol Service please go to: https://youtu.be/OwoV8BnRLRg.
God is in control, and Jesus relied totally on God. James isn't telling us not to plan ahead, but warning us against the arrogance of thinking we are lord of our own lives. If we don't know God then we can know him today. If we do know God then we can trust him today.
If we focus on other people's faults, we don't keep our eyes on what we should be doing. We shouldn't judge others because when we do, we are looking in the wrong place with a wrong attitude, we are putting ourselves above the law, and we damage church unity. We should deal with our own faults, loving others instead of judging, and remembering that it's up to God to judge.
Jeremy Simpkins and Dan Maton give us a brief introduction to what our new Hubs are all about.
We mustn't have a domesticated view of Jesus. He is exalted in heaven, and our appropriate response is one of worship and repentance. He is also enthroned, and so we should live as a community of kingdom people. And he is also active, pouring out his Spirit. We may be in Lockdown, but Heaven is still open.
Many of our desires are good, but we are looking in the wrong place to satisfy them. We need to remember to ask God. God gives us his Spirit, and we are invited to humble ourselves and draw near to God.
James is addressing people who may be experience many big changes in their lives and are not copying or responding well, so he points them to the wisdom of God - its source, which is Jesus who is the wisdom of God; its character; and its outcome. We can bless the world around us by making peace because we have listened to Jesus.
We need to change not just our actions but also our hearts, which we do by humbly accepting the word planted in us. We accept this by obeying it. True religion involves a change in the way we speak, a concern for the most vulnerable and keeping ourselves from being corrupted by the world.
There are four steps to dealing with our inner desires and temptations. We should keep our eye on the end goal; realise where the temptation comes from and where it leads; deal with our desire, not just our actions; and remember God's goodness and good gifts to us.
What do we rejoice in? Jesus talks about the deceitfulness of wealth. We shouldn't rejoice in our wealth or our lack of it, but in Christ and our position in him. Our hope is in Jesus, and we are living for him not for better jobs or better houses.
We are to respond to the trials of life by pursuing wisdom. This comes from God, who is wise beyond measure. We should be eager to pray to God, asking him for wisdom, knowing that he is eager to give it.
How do we respond to the trials of life? We are to respond with joy, not because the trials are enjoyable in themselves but because we recognise what God is doing through them. Let's allow perseverance to finish its work.
We are reminded of the importance of being spiritually awake and alert. There has been a long wait for Jesus to return, and we need to be careful how we handle this wait - the reason for the delay is so that everybody can hear the gospel. We need to be prepared - we can't rely on the spirituality or prayerfulness of others.
Perhaps, like Nicodemus, some are watching the church service from afar. Christianity is about being born again, and Jesus reveals himself in ways we can understand. Nicodemus went on to follow Jesus, so will you?
The year 2020 is a year of drought, but the righteous are not anxious in the year of drought because their delight in the Lord in whom they trust.
Jesus was the heavenly Son of Man of Daniel 7 and yet he came to serve. not to be served. He was glorified as he was lifted upon the cross, with a thief on either side of him. James and John didn't know what they were asking for when they asked to sit on either side of him.
Salt is a preservative, and it brings out the flavour. We are meant to be different from the world, but our danger is compromise . We should be more defiant than we are. We should challenge things in the world that need challenging, even though we will experience kickback for this.
Perhaps we are meant to be experiencing the things we are experiencing. We might ask of this is the right time, but Joseph was faithful in the here and now - as a slave, as a prisoner and as a leader in Egypt. God is with us in all our circumstances.
God can use us whoever we are. Whatever the problems around us, the real problem is our sin, and God wants us to deal with this and to walk faithfully with him.
Perhaps we need a wake-up call. A church can fall asleep by lying down (assuming a low profile), getting comfy (living for pleasure), and staying still (not acting on what we hear). A church can make sure it's woken up by standing up (making it clear we're with Jesus), getting dressed (getting rid of sin) and having breakfast (being sustained by God's Word, not our own will-power). It is worth waking up because we get the opportunity to walk with Jesus and will be honoured by Jesus before the Father.
Jesus doesn't ensure that bad things don't happen but that they don't separate us from the love of God. God's plan for us is not that we don't face danger but that we depend on his grace.
We should consider supernatural generosity, and not believe the myths that having more money makes it easier to give, that I don't have the gift of generosity, that giving should always be spontaneous and that we should give without expecting something in return.
There are some things we have to wait for, but there are other we don't have to wait for. We can celebrate what God has already done. We already have total forgiveness, ongoing transformation and a new identity and relationship with God.
Being a shepherd is not glamorous or prestigious, but it's what God calls leaders to be. Jesus left his disciples an example, by washing their feet. We should submit to right authority - not unquestionable obedience to dictatorial decrees.
We are called to love one another, by which everyone will know we are Jesus' disciples. God has given gifts to each one of us, and we should use these gifts to serve one another, to the glory of God.
God's grace is secure, but we need to make sure we respond well. We must make sure we've truly received his grace, that we practice it by living it out, and that we look forward and anticipate its harvest.
We can have confidence in approaching God because he is on the throne, because Christ has opened the way, and because knows what it is like to be human. We approach God by praying, whether we feel like it or not, focusing on him, remembering that he knows best, and not worrying about the length of our prayers.
Grace teaches us to say "no" to ungodliness, but it does more than this, it works in us to help us to be more like Jesus.
Like Joseph, the church is called to be a fruitful vine, bearing fruit within our culture and amongst the nations. We may feel forgotten in Lockdown, but God has no more forgotten us than he forgot Joseph in prison. Whilst in prison, Joseph showed God's love when he noticed the sadness of his fellow prisoners, he continued to believe in the supernatural, and he continued to believe in the sovereignty of God.
We have been justified by faith. This is a done deal, and three facts follow from this: We have peace with God (not just a feeling, but reconciliation); we stand in grace (we are not just saved by grace but we live by grace); and we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.
On Easter Sunday, Mary, Peter and John found the stone rolled from Jesus' tomb, not so that he could get out but so that they could see he was no longer there. We should stop, look and listen, to enable us to believe. If we have lost our focus, it's time to focus again on Jesus.
The problem is that we are not basically good people who sometimes do wrong things but that we are utterly rebellious against God and deserve to die. The price paid was Jesus, who took upon himself all our sin and died on the cross. Our response is to praise God.
Peter wants to remind us of our secure position in Christ, from which we need never fall so long as we continue to trust in him. He also urges us to grow in grace, which we can do by focusing on Jesus and fixing our thoughts on him, by making a list of everything he has done in our lives and thanking him for it, by seeing suffering and hardship as an opportunity to depend on God, and by talking to God about everything on good days and bad days.
We are inseparable from Jesus, and we devote ourselves to him by devoting ourselves to the Scriptures, sharing with one another, breaking bread to remember the death of Jesus, and prayer.
The church is urged to have a unity that derives first of all from a right understanding of the cross. The cross shows us that Spiritual leadership doesn't involve being at the top of a pyramid but at the bottom. Leaders are the servants of Christ, the stewards of the mysteries of God, the scum of the earth, and father-like.
The temple, or sanctuary, is where God's presence is. Jesus is the ultimate temple of God. The church corporately is also God's temple, as are our individual bodies. Ananias and Sapphira (in Acts 5) and Simon the sorcerer (in Acts 8) are examples where people had to be dealt with harshly by God because they were in effect destroying God's temple.
Jesus is our foundation. We can build on this foundation using either stones or straw, and what we build will be tested on quality not quantity.
There was a real and serious problem in the church where vulnerable people were going hungry. The leaders recognise the problem, but they also recognise their own limitations, so they delegate responsibly to others.
Faith is not just believing that God will do things, but acting on that belief. In order to remain strong and courageous, we must immerse ourselves in the Word and stay together.
Faith is not just believing that God will do things, but acting on that belief. In order to remain strong and courageous, we must immerse ourselves in the Word and stay together.
Leaders are not VIPs or celebrities, but servants. We are God's field, and it is God who works in us.
The truth of Paul's message was revealed to the Corinthians by the Holy Spirit. Salvation is revealed by the Word and the Spirit. The Holy Spirit knows, reveals, inspires and illuminates.
The church is a community of worship and a people of praise. When we gather together as a church, praise bubbles up in us because of what God has done for us.
God's power works through weakness - he work in weak people with a weak message preached by weak messengers. Hence we should boast in God, not in ourselves. We should think of our time of worship as a time of boasting in God.
Paul desired to see the church holy and united, but there was a problem of division in the church at Corinth. Paul's response is to appeal to them in the name of Christ, to encourage them to fix their eyes on Jesus, and to draw their attention to the Cross and to the one who died for us.
God calls people. He calls us to a purpose. We are also called to belong, we are called to be saints, and we are called to fellowship.
Great darkness covered the land when Jesus was born. Herod was an example of this. The religious people, who knew the Bible, made no effort to search for the Messiah. We must not fix our eyes on the evil that surrounds us, but on Jesus.
Joseph was a righteous man. He knows what Leviticus and Deuteronomy say about adultery and divorce, but he decides not to humiliate Mary. He was not asking for God to speak to him in a dream, but God gives him a dream anyway.
Mary receives promises relating to God's favour, God's presence, God's mission and God's empowering. She is greatly troubled, she is puzzled, but she submits to God's will.
Matthew begins with Jesus' genealogy to show that Jesus is the promised king for whom the generations were waiting. Matthew shows God's grace by including evil men in the ancestry, and he shows that God welcomes everybody by including Gentile women.
God was Jacob's shepherd all his life. He is a shepherd deliverer, a shepherd warrior and a kingly shepherd. The shepherd sought and found us, and collectively we are his flock. Our mission is to take the gospel to the people of the nation and our communities, who are like sheep without a shepherd.
Just as a power tool can do nothing without electricity but a lot with it, so we can do nothing without Jesus but so long as we remain in him we can bear much fruit. He chose us, and all we have to do is to remain in him and allow him to prune us.
Jesus can calm our troubles. He tells us that we can trust in him, that he is preparing a room for us in Heaven, that he is coming back to take us to be with him, and that he is the underlying reality behind the appearance.
Jesus doesn't say "I will resurrect you and I will give you life" but "I am the resurrection and the life". He wants to invade our lives now, not just in the future, so that we experience the resurrection and the life today.
Jesus is the Good Shepherd, and he is the Gate through which his sheep must come. David fought for his sheep because they were his, but Jesus lays down his life for his sheep.
Jesus rescued us not just from the darkness in the world around us, but also from the darkness in our own hearts. We can walk in darkness or we can have the light of life by following Jesus and obeying his teaching.
Jesus doesn't come to us to help us fight our battles for so that we can join him in his battle. When we encounter Jesus, we should respond with new worship, a new submission, a new devotion, a new vision a new unity and a new exercise of faith.
God loves the hungry, he tests those who have all they want, and even when we go through difficulties in this life he satisfies those who believe in him. So let's not just seek good things, or good works, or miracles, but instead, seek God himself.
Jesus sacrificially loves the Samaritan woman where she is, knowing her history and lifestyle.
We are encouraged to focus on Jesus, not just in his incarnation but as the eternal word. He didn't come to fill a "God-shaped hole" in our lives, but to make us children of God.
Following Jacob's death, the brothers wonder if Joseph has really forgiven them. He has: and followers of Jesus need not ask the same question of God - they have been totally forgiven by him. Christians don't need to live with a nagging sense of guilt but can know the fullness of God's grace and peace.
Through Jacob's final words we see that the plans of God work out despite the sins and actions of humans. Through Judah's offspring, Christ, we see the original curse enacted due to Adam's sin and impacting all of us, is overcome through Christ's sacrifice. This reconciles us with God and allows us to love a holy life for him.
Jacob believes God and his promise, he relies on the faithfulness of God, and trusts in God's sovereign choice. We are called to walk in his footsteps believing God for tomorrow as well as for the rest of our lives.
We can find our identity in our name, or profession, or the football team we support, but our identity is as a son of God.
God takes our brokeness and mistakes and can rebuild our lives, as we look to him and walk his way.
God has called us to be a church for the nations: to be sent out to bless the nations; and to reach the nations and tribes at the end of our street, and the end of our comfort zone.
Joseph forgave his brothers with weeping and embraces, but years later they weren't totally sure he'd truly forgiven them. We can find it hard to accept God's forgiveness but he has truly forgiven us.
Joseph tests his brothers to see whether they have changed or whether they will allow Benjamin to become a slave. Judah shows that he has changed, and is willing to bear Benjamin's punishment himself - just as Jesus bore our punishment.
Jacob is paralysed with fear, which prevents him from walking in faith and leads to him blaming others. If we don't recognise Jesus then we too will be trapped in fear - it is Jesus who drives out fear.
The foxes represent small things that might be overlooked, but in fact are destructive, distracting or discouraging. We should catch them by staying close to the King (Jesus) and his bride (the Church).
Joseph's brothers have been living with the guilt and shame of what they did to him, and God uses him to bring them to repentance. Jacob thinks everything is against him because he is walking by sight not by faith.
God is sovereign and works in the things that grieve him and the things that please him. He is merciful, kind and our judge. Our response to to believe him and point others to him.
Joseph didn't do anything to get to the palace except serve God. God had been working on his character, overseeing people and events throughout Joseph's life. Like Joseph, we were slaves, but have been rescued by Jesus.
God speaks through dreams. Joseph had two dreams at the age of 17 and waited over 11 years for them to be fulfilled. In his difficulties he trusted God, who was working things out according to his own timing.
When we are struggling and our dreams are dying, God is still blessing us and he is still with us. So when we are tempted to self-pity we should recall all the blessing we've had and every answered prayer.
Judah was self-righteous, and tried to blame everybody else. But God dealt with his self-righteousness and he had to acknowledge that Tamar was more righteous than he himself was.
We must deal with our anger, pain and jealousy, repenting if necessary. We must bring our guilt and regret to Jesus. And we must trust in God's sovereign plan to work out everything for good.
This is a true story about the family of God, a big story about the sovereignty of God and a love story about the Son of God.
Jesus calls us to be friends and family, and people of faith. We are called for fruitfulness by the filling of the Spirit, and to proclaim freedom.
The resurrection of Jesus was the greatest demonstration of power ever. This power is still at work in us. God's makes his power known in us when we reach the point where we don't know what to do.
As Jesus entered the Jerusalem, the crowds were looking for a king and the Pharisees were looking for a way to get rid of him, but Jesus entered on a donkey, a king who had to die.
God works through the frustrations of Paul and his companions to bring them to Philippi, and he then works in different situations to touch the lives of Lydia, the slave girl and the jailer.
The truth of the gospel is that Christ died for everyone. He created a diverse world and wants a diverse church, and we need God's grace to welcome everybody, even those who are different from us.
Jesus is the cornerstone and we are the living stones that make up the building, and members of his body. We should therefore be a holy family, a people of light, a people who look like Jesus.
God calls us to be a united family. Unity is achieved by God, who is united in the Trinity. We are to make every effort to maintain unity, by being gentle and humble, patient, and in love
Worship is based on a foundation of grace, and is fuelled by the Word and the Spirit. It includes praising God with our lips but is much more than this.
Jesus invites those who are thirsty to come to him and drink, and promises that streams of living water would flow through those who believe in him.
We are to be a people of faith in the gospel, a people of faith by learning from Abraham, and a people of faith in the future.
Click here to hear the linked Vision Night session on this subject.
Christians are people of the Word. We are to value the Word, meditate on it and live it out.
Click here to hear the linked Vision Night session on this subject.
Jesus sends us to make disciples - we are to go, we are to baptise, we are to speak about Jesus and we are to teach others. He commissions us even when we doubt, and he promises to be with us.
Click here to hear the linked Vision Night session on this subject.
Even though the disciples have gone back to their old way of life, Jesus meets them where they are and blesses them. He knows we're human, and he reinstates us when we fail.
Jesus doesn't call us to follow him to safe places but to follow him wherever he leads. He calls us to reach people, and we can do that by showing them love. [Audio to follow]
When taking the gospel to people from different cultures, we need to understand whether they come from an "innocence/guilt" culture, an "honour/shame" culture or a "fear/power" culture. We need to be careful of reading "honour/shame" passages in the Bible as "innocence/guilt" passages.
God tells Joshua to be strong and courageous, because he is with him. We need to hear God's exhortation to be strong and courageous because God is with us in all circumstances.
How do we live by faith in dark times? We should keep on praying. Like Habakkuk, we should recount what God had done in the past, not become detached from the troubles around us, and commit ourselves to rejoicing whatever happens.
Habakkuk doesn't just rush to God with a complaint; he determines to wait on God and listen to this answer.
The writer finishes the letter by requesting that his readers pray for him and bear with his word of exhortation. He also prays to the God of peace and of power, that God will equip his readers through his Word, his Church and his Spirit, to the glory of God.
Habakkuk confronts God when it looks as if God has forsaken the covenant. Like him, our faith should enable us to wrestle with God when we are perplexed. This involves taking the problem to God, being honest with God about our questions, not prescribing the answers, and learning to wait when God does not respond straight away.
We must guard the treasure we have received by remembering its value and putting it to work.
NB - The sound quality improves after a minute or so
We are called to live a certain way because we have come to the holy one who makes us holy. The exhortations in this passage are not just a list of rules but are part of our DNA.
Paul's plea is for contentment, not to think too much of money or whether we have to much or too little, but instead to worship God, who is our treasure.
Like Timothy, we are men and women of God, holy people and children of God, and so we are encouraged to live accordingly.
Jesus has inaugurated a new exodus. God's calling us to to enlarge the borders of our tent, and our children will go to the nations.
The gospel leads to godliness, being content with the essentials. If we drift from the the gospel we will be led in a totally different direction, where we are greedy for money.
We stand not at Mount Sinai, which was a place of fear, but at Mount Zion, a place of joy, because of Jesus who is a mediator of a new covenant.
Paul wants both slaves and masters to be transformed by the Holy Spirit. and to recognise that they are united together in Christ.
God commands us to rest, and Jesus frees us from four burdens - the pressure to prove ourselves, the pressure to meet other people's expectations, the pressure to try and stay in control and the pressure to live life to the max.
We are meant to run the race together as a body, encouraging, challenging and sharpening one another. All are encouraged to run the race.
It is right that we should honour the Church elders, whilst avoiding a misplaced loyalty.
The life Jesus calls us to is a life where we can expect hardship. There's nothing wrong with lamenting or wrestling with God in difficulties, but we must also remember that God is treating us as sons.
God cares for the destitute and the church must too. Our life should be shaped by compassion, wisdom, responsibility and dignity.
The gifts of the Spirit are given to us to glorify Jesus. They show God's generosity, and they are for the good of the whole body.
[The first few minutes of this message were not recorded - apologies.]
Walking by the Spirit is not for the select few, but is for all of us. It involves conflict within us, cultivating fruit and crucifying the flesh, and involves us as a community not just as individuals.
Leaning on somebody is a sign of weakness, but when we lean on Jesus God's power is seen in our weakness. People should be able to ask "Who is that, and who is it they're leaning on?"
Just as David defeated Goliath by holding on to the word of God, we too can exercise reckless faith in the face of giants as we remember the promises that he has made to us.
God's great plan was to bring people together. We ought to relate to one another as family; with respect, love and purity.
We can react badly when hardship and trials come, but we should not look to our circumstances for ultimate truth. We mustn't forget that God is treating us as sons.
Fasting can help us to draw close to God. God's people fasted in the Bible when they were in trouble, when they needed a breakthrough, when they were on the brink of something new or when seeking direction from God.
In order to train ourselves to be Godly, we need to eat healthy spiritual food and be disciplined in our everyday routine.
Discipline from God is seen in the context of family relationships. It is fundamental in the relationship between father and child. It is painful but fruitful. Parental discipline is just a poor imitation of God's discipline.
God directs his people for a purpose, but we can easily become discouraged when things go wrong. Are we willing to step back and pray; obey him; step into the impossible; and worship even before we reach our destination?
We belong to God because he made us, bought us and won us. In what is an amazing exchange, God also gives himself to us.
Jesus is the pioneer of our faith. He didn't just lead the way but he made the way. He is also the perfecter of our faith who finished the work of redemption on the cross.
The church is called to match the gospel. The church is God's household, the dwelling place of the living God, and the pillar and foundation of the truth.
We need to get rid of sin, but also of anything else that hinders us running the race. We are not to focus on the cloud of witness, or their faith, but on the object of their faith.
Jesus came to serve, not to be served, and God's people are called to be a community of servants, but some people have a specific calling as servants / deacons.
Jesus equipped his disciples by giving them peace, opening their minds to understand the Scriptures and promising them power. He equips us in the same way.
Phinehas was jealous for God's honour. We should have the same attitude towards God's honour. Sin does not honour God and so it needs to be killed.
Living by faith takes us out of our comfort zones, but the people of God in the Old Testament had their weaknesses turned to strength. We can trust God in all circumstances.
It was worth Satan's while to discourage Elijah, and it is worth his while to discourage us as individuals and as a church. God overcomes Elijah's discouragement by refreshing him, by restoring him with a still small voice, and by reinstating him.
God is a generous God who loves to give, and loves it when we give generously and cheerfully.
[A small section of the message at around 38 mins was not recorded due to technical difficulties]
Jesus teaches us to approach God with personal reverence, addressing him as our father, and also with shameless persistence and childlike confidence.
It's time to seek the Lord because God wants to bless his people and make us more fruitful and so we need to break up our unploughed ground. It's good to sing his praises, confess our sin, ask things of him, fast and meditate on him.
It is easy to focus on ourselves rather than on Jesus, and make excuses why we can't trust him. But it's not about us, it's about him, and we are called to trust and obey him.
There is still room for more people in the Jubilee Centre and in God's Kingdom. God has blessed us all with wonderful gifts, so let's cast out the nets for a fresh catch.
We need to recognise the danger of becoming conceited, and be careful to avoid sin by fleeing to God, so that we don't fall into disgrace.
Moses' parents were helpless to protect Moses against Pharaoh, but they trusted God. Moses could have remained a prince of Egypt but he trusted God and chose Christ over comfort.
Paul urges us all, no matter who we are, to keep on being filled with the Holy Spirit. It is our calling to be people of the Spirit.
An elder should be an ordinary guy, devoted to his wife if he has one, and of excellent character. He must be an example of what the gospel does in the life of a believer.
Isaac, Jacob and Joseph all looked ahead to the future. Isaac knew that God had chosen to bless Jacob and Jacob knew that God had chosen to give Ephraim a greater blessing the Manasseh.
Elders have the noble task of shepherding the flock, which includes guiding the sheep, governing them and guarding them against danger.
We don't know what 2018 has in store for us, but as followers of Jesus, we follow Jesus wherever he leads. We may pay a cost, but we also get to be with Jesus.
There are four ways we can celebrate Christmas: We can walk in the darkness, or we can cope with it by partying once a year, or we can forget it, or we can acknowledge it but recognise that a great light has dawned.
Abraham believed God when tested, when it didn't make sense and with everything. Like him, we too are encouraged to trust God in all circumstances.
We need to see why Paul says different things to men and women. We need to make and celebrate three affirmations - the equality of men and women, their differences, and their unity.
God wants to stir in us a passion for Jesus. Our passion for him is a response to his love for us and will stir us to action.
David wanted the presence of God in Jerusalem, but he needed to take both the holiness and the word of God more seriously. Similarly, we need to take the teaching of Jesus seriously.
Abraham had faith to go where God told him to go even though he wasn't told initially all that God would do for him. We like to see what God's plans are for our future, but God wants us to take a small step of faith even when we don't know what will happen.
God's kingdom extended beyond Israel and it extends beyond our church. The kingdom extends when we have faith and are forgiving, like Naaman's servant girl, when we are unimpressed with the things of this world and seek to heal the sick, like Elisha, and when we are obedient to God's word, like Naaman.
We idolise ourselves by making ourselves the centre of our lives, and there are two symptoms of self-worship - worry and guilt. God wants his people to worship only him.
There are positive accounts in the New Testament of women teaching, but what Paul has in mind is women teaching when the whole church gathers together. This is what is prohibited. This message looks at three ways in which this text is sometimes unhelpfully softened. It then looks at three key words that help us understand what Paul was specifically prohibiting, before considering three possible reactions.
When the church misses the grace of God there can be quarrels and disputing, and also an unhelpful focus on outward appearances. There are four steps to real beauty: receive acceptance from God, believe in Biblical beauty, serve God gladly and choose clothes wisely.
Like Jonah, some of us need a change in direction, a change in action and a change of heart.
We can often rely on other things. God calls us to primarily rely on Him, and when we do, he strengthen us.
Moses faced a big decision: should he merely accept God's promises for Israel, or should he ask for something more, relationship with God himself?
Noah's faith is described as a holy fear. He is commended, not because he built the ark, but because of his faith.
We don't see great exploits with Abel and Enoch, but we see two men walking with God day by day which are examples for us.
We are called to pray for kings and rulers, including our own MPs, for peace and health, rather than getting involved in political arguments with people who disagree with us. Like the Roman emperor, our leaders can unwittingly enable the spread of the gospel.
Faith helps us not only to look forward to our hope, but also to look back at what God has done. We can be creative with what we already have but only God creates the world out of nothing. Faith is not blind but is based on God's revelation through his Word and through his Son.
In order to increase our faith to pray, Paul reminds us that there is only one God, who is the God of everything and is our only Saviour who cares for everyone. There is also one mediator, who takes us by the hand to take us to the Father, and there is only one ransom which was paid to set us free.
Faith is described: it is believing God. Faith is commended. In Hebrews 11 we see faith in action.
The call to prayer is urgent, the way to pray is varied and the focus of our prayers is everyone. Talking to God is important, and it is also our greatest privilege.
Daniel faced a whole range of challenges in Babylon, how did he remain in the culture and honour God? How do we make Godly decisions in a society which does not honour God.
It doesn't matter how weak I am, what matters is that I am called. I don't need a perfect life and unquestioning faith, just a humble heart and a commitment to be obedient to God.
Ruth, a widow from the despised people of Moab, is embraced by the covenant love of God. She finds hope and a future through Boaz her kinsman-redeemer. Jesus is the ultimate redeemer: let us enjoy his wonderful love and faithfulness and extend his heart to the vulnerable.
We must be careful not to drift. Paul does two things to help the church in Ephesus: firstly he tells Timothy to stop people teaching false doctrine, and secondly he tells Timothy to teach sound doctrine.
Without Jesus, there is only judgement. We are called to persevere by remembering God's faithfulness in the past, by looking forward to what is coming, and by holding on to what is true.
When we follow Jesus, we get a new identity. We get caught up into God's plans rather than catching him up into our plans. Without always knowing precisely where God is leading us, God transforms our character in community and through trials.
Paul knows Timothy is facing significant challenges but encourages him, and us, to remind ourselves of the glorious gospel of Christ and allow worship and gratitude to flow.
The Law is good at warning us, convicting us, pointing us to Jesus and teaching us what holiness looks like. But unlike the glorious Gospel, it can never change our hearts, never save us, nor make us more like Jesus.
Dan talks us through the importance of water baptism for believers and follows of Jesus.
This is spring, a time for new life. It is also a time for those who have been pressed down to spring up, and for springs of living water to flow through us. We are to live as Spirit-filled Christians not just on Sundays but wherever we are and however dry we feel.
We have confidence to enter the most holy place, but are we confident when we come before God? Let's draw near to him, hold unswervingly to the faith we profess, and spur each other on.
Prophets engage with God face to face, but Jonah fled from God's face, and fell asleep instead of calling on God. But the turning point comes when he acknowledges his identity as a Hebrew who worships the Lord. God is calling us back to face to face fellowship with him.
The Law is good, but it is a shadow pointing to Christ. It cannot make us perfect but Jesus does; it reminds us of sins, but now God remembers our sins no longer; sacrifices don't please God, but Christ does, and they have to be repeated but the work of Christ is finished.
The Law is good, but it is a shadow pointing to Christ. It cannot make us perfect but Jesus does; it reminds us of sins, but now God remembers our sins no longer; sacrifices don't please God, but Christ does, and they have to be repeated but the work of Christ is finished.
Our goal is love, and we can grow in love by cultivating a pure heart, a good conscience and a sincere faith.
Paul is passionate both about the glorious gospel of grace, which is received by faith, and also about the church, and so he urges Timothy to remain where he is to ensure that the church doesn't move on from the gospel.
Jesus commissions his followers to take the message of hope to the world, but he doesn't just leave us to get on with it. He gives us his Holy Spirit and so we can expect him to work through us.
Mary didn't believe initially, and neither did the two on the Emmaus Road or the eleven apostles. But Jesus doesn't start again with a new group of disciples, he gently rebukes them. When God rebukes us for our disbelief, this should lead to repentance not discouragement.
Without Easter Sunday, Good Friday would have been a disaster, but we see the power of God over sin and death. The resurrection of Jesus changes everything, and the power of God that raised Jesus from the dead is at work in us
We are encouraged to be convinced that Jesus really did die on the cross, to be faithful like the women who stood by Jesus at the cross and to be bold like Joseph of Arimathea.
We see the most awful and also the most awesome moment in history, as our sin is transferred to Jesus and he is forsaken by God. But when he dies the darkness disappears and the centurion recognises who Jesus really is.
We are all partners together. It's God's heart to bring revival to Sheffield. Our task is praying, prophesying, receiving, giving, travelling and sending.
When we think about Jesus on the cross, we can ask ourselves who he is. He is the suffering servant, the glorious king and our wonderful saviour.
The religious leaders wanted Jesus killed out of self-interest, the crowds just followed the leaders without examining the facts, and Pilate chose to serve the crowd rather than his conscience or justice. They all deserved to die, and we can often be like them. But even those who deserve to die can be forgiven.
Peter had given up everything to follow Jesus. He had witnessed his miracles and confessed Jesus to be Son of God. Yet he disowns Jesus after boldly declaring that he would never do this. This helps us to recognise our own weaknesses and it reminds us of the power of prayer and it helps us to be amazed by the grace of God.
We can learn what it means to live by faith from Elijah. It means learning to rely on God, to obey him and to work with him. God frequently provides for us in mundane ways at the last minute so that we can learn to trust him.
Jesus was not the freedom fighter that the Jewish leaders feared he was, though he does fight and he wins the victory over death. He was not a blasphemer, but really is the Son of God. He is not a helpless victim, but courageously submits to God's will.
The disciples want Jesus to stay where he is, where he is popular, but he knows it's time to move on to the next town. Is it time for us to move on?
We can never know what Jesus suffered in his darkest hour as he looked into the cup of our iniquities, but we can only marvel, and find forgiveness for our greatest sins, comfort in our deepest sorrows and grace to fight our strongest temptations.
The last meal Jesus had with his disciples is no longer about freedom from slavery in Egypt but freedom from slavery to sin. The Lord's Supper brings us back to Jesus when we've drifted, it reminds us of all Jesus bought for us and that we are part of God's people, and it helps us to look forward to the celebration meal in God's Kingdom.
We see in this passage a God who is control, a king who is worth worshipping and a challenge to guard our hearts. So let's worship him freely without worrying about what others might think.
There will be difficult times until Christ returns, but through it all God is in still in control. We must be alert, neither trying to predict when he will return or being unprepared for it, and should continue to love God and one another.
The Teachers of the Law pressurised the poor into giving what they couldn't afford, but Jesus wants us to take care of the poor and vulnerable, not insist that they give to the Church.
Strongholds hinder us in our walk with God. What are strongholds, what power do they have and how can we demolish them so we can walk in freedom?
The appearance of the angels to the Shepherds in the fields surrounding Bethlehem has the impact of completely transforming their lives.We too have heard the good news of Jesus' birth and are invited to draw near to him. What will our response be?
Jesus was the son of David, but he was much more than this. He is also David's Lord. The religious leaders responded to Jesus with silence, the crowds responded with delight, but we can respond by bowing down and worshipping him.
Jesus refuses to get drawn into pointless debates trying to rank the commandments in order of importance, and neither does he write off the entire law. Instead, he gets to the very heart of the Law
The Sadducees did not believe there was life after death, but thought that if there was then it would have to be a continuation of this life. They didn't know the power of God. We shouldn't think of heaven in earthly terms.
We are like rooms in God's house which Jesus comes and fills with his presence. When we are filled with the Spirit, we can face disputes and opposition but we need to deal with these and move on.
Jesus' opponents try to trap him into saying that the Jews should not pay taxes to Caesar, so that they can report him to the Roman authorities; but Jesus refuses to walk into their trap. In doing so, He challenges us to give our all to God, and give what is due to the authorities too.
Jesus tells a parable holding up a mirror of truth to the religious leaders of the time. When Jesus challenges us with the truth, will we respond, unlike them, by humbling ourselves before him and receive His mercy and freedom.
God has wiped out a huge debt for us. We also are called to forgive others even when it hurts.
What Jesus sees in the temple does not please Him. His actions there as well as the fate of the fig tree tells us of the judgement that was coming for the temple and the old covenant system, now that the King has come.
Those who believe in Jesus will do greater works than he did. We are commissioned to proclaim the finished work of Christ and his glory by word and also by works.
Jesus is the exact living image of the unseen God. By him and for his glory the universe in all its vastness was created, and by his grace we are invited into relationship with him.
Each disciple of Jesus is called to follow him and walk the way of the cross. This will involve hardship and will sometimes require the letting go of things to which we want to hold on.
It is a privilege to praise God, we praise him because he has opened our eyes, not because of our upbringing.
Paul uses three pictures: the church as a field, the church as a building, and the people as God's temple; in order to encourage a healthy view of leadership.
As high priest, Jesus had a sacrifice to offer; himself. His sacrifice was essential for our salvation, and it was exquisite, enduring and effective. How can we respond but to love and serve the Lord?
It is good for God's people to be united, but unity is something we should not just celebrate but also cultivate.
Like David, we are able to walk with God and keep our spiritual fervour by putting God first in all things, being captivated by a bigger vision, being prepared to correct our mistakes, and being willing to adjust our expectations.
We are in a battle for contentment which can only be found in God's glory. In order to be content we need to set aside pride and deal with our reactions to things.
God is holy and so it is inappropriate for sinful people to see his glory. Under the old covenant, even though God was dwelling with his people, they could not come into his presence, but now because of Christ's sacrifice his Spirit dwells within us.
This psalm helps us to walk with God through pain and to encourage others to do the same. There are four stages: weeping, worshipping, waiting and witnessing, and we mustn't move too quickly to the next stage.
Suffering comes in a variety of forms, but we can still praise God because it does not overwhelm us, and God is at work in the midst of difficulties.
We are a people who are blessed because we are those who fear the Lord and walk in obedience to him.
What are the dry bone areas in our individual lives, our church and our community? God brought the dry bones together and then breathed life into them.
We bear fruit by concentrating not on the fruit itself but on putting our roots down in God. We are created finite and need to focus on what God wants us to do rather than trying to pour our lives into everything. Then we can avoid our work being in vain.
Whatever circumstances we find ourselves in, we can always find joy in what God has done, and wait patiently for what he is yet to do. The Psalmist gives us a lesson from farming.
There was a big problem with the old covenant - it couldn't deal with sin or make us perfect. But there were better promises of a new covenant which deals with our hearts. Because of this it is blatantly pointless to fall back on our own efforts or put our trust in things that can be shaken. Only Jesus is secure and that's where our hope must be.
We can be secure in the face of uncertainties because the Lord surrounds his people, because he sets a limit on the wicked and because he answers our prayers.
We are unable to save ourselves; God needs to intervene. We can praise the Lord because he has intervened and saved us, and we can never undo what he has done.
We are called to wait on God as a servant waits on his master, watching for an instruction before doing as he says. In the ordinariness of life we can get impatient, but we shouldn't be giving instructions to God.
In teaching us how he personally dealt with worry, Jesus tells us three things to not do, three thing to do, and three thing God does.
The main point of what is being said in Hebrews is that we do have a high priest who meets our needs. Jesus is the one who is pointed to throughout Scripture. He has come to earth, lived a perfect life, offered the sacrifice of himself once and for all, and meets all our needs, so that we can now come to God.
David was excited to go to the house of God, not because he had to or because he was looking for a good time, but because he was passionate about the purposes and presence of God, and wanted God's name to be glorified.
When Jesus and the early church needed help, they prayed to God, they relied on Scripture and they sought fellowship with one another.
As God's people we are on pilgrimage, walking with God and with one another. Being God's people means that we are a singing people, a devoted people and a repentant people.
Jesus is a priest like Melchizedek, one who is not only a priest but also a king, one who is greater even than Abraham. His priesthood does not depend on the Law of Moses, but he comes as a new type of priest to introduce a new hope by which we draw close to God.
The disciples had gone back to work, but the risen Jesus meets us in the mundane. He restores and reinstates us when we fail him, as he did for Peter.
Living in the light of the resurrection does not mean that we won't experience loss or setbacks, but the resurrection is central. Like Mary, we could be living with grief, but Jesus speaks our name; like the disciples, we could be living with fear, but Jesus pronounces peace not condemnation; or like Thomas we could be living with doubt, but Jesus pronounces blessings on those who believe without having seen him.
In difficult and challenging times we can know that God is still at work and that he still loves us.
Every member of the church is given a spiritual gift. All are included and all are needed. We can show our love for one another by using our gifts to encourage, bless and build up others.
The resurrection of Jesus is rooted in history, grounded in Scripture and confirmed in experience.
Bartimaeus lived in darkness, but when he heard that Jesus was in the crowd, he ignored the discouraging voices around him and seized the moment making a specific request. He then responded by following Jesus. We too can come to Jesus for physical and spiritual healing. Nothing is impossible for God.
God's grace has brought salvation. If we accept it, we are saved, and we will be saved when he comes again; and while we wait, his grace teaches us to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives.
We are not following after the supernatural, but following Jesus. However, when we follow Jesus we can expect the supernatural.
We can learn from a person (Abraham) who patiently persevered and believed the promise from a powerful promise maker. This promise is an anchor for our soul, and we can press on because we have a picture of Jesus our perfect priest.
The disciples cannot understand how Jesus' death could be good news and so they find it difficult to believe and think he's going to become king at once. But the cross is good news because it is life changing. Jesus' death is not primarily an example, but a ransom to set us free.
Materialism and legalism about money are two dangers to avoid. Rather than either putting too high a value on wealth or considering wealth a bad thing, the real issue is regarding whom we worship. A life worshipping money leads to greed and dissatisfaction, whereas a life worshipping Jesus leads to generosity and contentment.
Jesus says that God's kingdom is like buried treasure or a pearl of great price. What God offers us is of great value, and we need to let go of the things we value in order to obtain it. But it is only when we see how much God values us and what he paid for us that we are able to do this.
Even though Mark is in a hurry to tell about Jesus' arrival in Jerusalem, he considers it important to include Jesus' teaching about God's attitude towards children. Jesus teaches that God cares about children, and also that God cares about childlikeness. Children are not innocent, but they are better than adults at being humble, being trusting and being grateful, and God wants us all to imitate this.
The writer to the Hebrews challenges our attitudes. Becoming a Christian is not simply something we sign up for so that we can have a ticket to heaven, but it is about being brought into something completely new.
God is concerned about protecting the vulnerable, and this is why Moses instructed men not to remarry wives that they had previously divorced. Jesus looks not just at the law but at the way God intended marriage to be at the beginning. Marriage means that two are joined together and become one flesh. At the heart of marriage is unfailing steadfast love.
The Bible encourages us to encourage one another. It is a key tool in defeating the enemy and his plans and a key weapon for God's people.
God challenged Peter's prejudices by showing him a sheet full of ritually unclean animals. We all have prejudices. So if God were to show us a sheet, what would it contain?
Paul encourages the Philippians to be joyful, just as he himself is. His joy is undergirded by three anchor points; he is secure in the grace of God, he is confident in the power of God and he knows the affection of Christ. So let's be joyful whatever this new year has in store.
We need to guard our heart, especially when terror strikes, when trials come and when temptations lurk. We guard our hearts by letting the Word of Christ dwell in us richly, and we don't do it just on our own but in fellowship with the Church.
Christ is our example in his humility, service and love. He calls us to imitate him, particularly in how we relate to others.
Jesus teaches his disciples about the seriousness of sin, the reality of hell and the offer of life. So how do we live in the light of this?
Having heard the basics of the gospel, we need to move on to maturity, not relying on milk but on solid food. It is a sign a spiritual maturity that we know the truth, that we are convinced of it, and are able to teach others.
God has put us in our various communities in order to bless the nations, whether they come to us or whether we go to them. God is calling us to be a church which is ethnically and culturally diverse, which is led by the Holy Spirit and which goes on global mission - both where we are and overseas.
Like Daniel, we live in turbulent times, so how do we respond? The world empires signified by the beasts in Daniel's dream are given authority for a time, but their authority will eventually be taken from them. God does not just pronounce judgement and deal with tyrants, but he is also setting up his own kingdom. So let's not give in to a climate of fear in turbulent times.
Jesus reformulates the people of God into a group centred on himself, yet models humility for us and introduces a topsy-turvy value system in his kingdom, where gentleness is celebrated. We welcome God by welcoming Jesus, and we welcome Jesus by welcoming those that society considers the lowest.
Learning from the story of Gideon how believing God's word takes us from weak, fearful people to those who can do all things through Christ.
The apostle Peter encourages Christians facing trials that they are chosen and have a living hope through Christ's resurrection. They should set their hope on the salvation God has laid up for them in heaven, being aware of the attacks that will come and not conforming but being set apart as obedient children.
What we believe about Jesus puts us in one of two groups - those who are redeemed and those who are going to spend eternity without God. Jesus gathers his sheep by laying down his life and taking it up again, and we can respond either like the Pharisees who criticised him or the blind man whom Jesus healed in the previous chapter, who worshipped him.
The disciples had successes but, like us, they had failures too, and Jesus helps them to handle this. The boy's father recognised that he had a mixture of belief and unbelief, and asked Jesus to take him as he was, and Jesus helps him to battle his unbelief. He also helps the disciples to learn to pray.
The disciples saw Jesus in his glory on a mountain top, and wanted to preserve the moment. But our "mountain top" experiences where we have a special glimpse of God's glory are not meant to be preserved, but are meant to encourage us in our everyday life experiences.
The Jewish High Priest was appointed by God to be a representative of men to God. Similarly, Jesus was appointed by God to be High Priest for ever, to represent us to God. Jesus knows what real life is like - he is one of us.
Learning from Paul, the great apostle, about how to boast and delight in our weaknesses in order that Christ's strength may rest on us.
Blessan looks at the role Barnabas played in Paul's acceptance by the apostles, and the developing and discipling of this dangerous new believer.
There is an invitation to the lost to come back to the Father; there is an instruction to believers to develop a relationship with the Father, to not become resentful when our service doesn't attract attention, and to rejoice when others turn to God; and there is an indication as to what God is like, not just saving us but bringing us into his household.
Peter confesses that Jesus is the Christ, who has come to save us. But he comes to save us not from what is on the outside (e.g. the Romans) but from what is on the inside (our aim to get the best out of life). Jesus will be rejected and killed, and if this is what happens to the leader, this is what will happen to the followers. But Jesus leads his followers to heaven too.
Isn’t the Bible just a book of myths from thousands of years ago with very little relevance to modern day UK? Guest speaker Adrian Holloway helps us to look at whether or not the Bible is accurate and trustworthy.
Jesus opens the eyes of the physically blind but he also opens the eyes of the spiritually blind. Because the Kingdom of God has come, we can expect God to heal today, but because it has not yet come in its entirety we should not be troubled that he doesn't heal everybody.
We can enter God's rest today - we don't have to wait till we get to heaven. We can choose, in every situation we face to avoid unbelief and dwell in his rest.
Paul and Silas could have become cynical when they ended up in prison, and concluded either that God had not been leading them or that he had deceived them. But they knew that God had a plan, and even though they may not have felt like praising him, they do so. God always fulfils his plans, but he fulfils them his way, not ours.
Jesus shows us what he is like by his response to three groups of people. He responds with compassion to the eagerness of the crowd in bringing the deaf man to him; he responds to the aggression of the Pharisees by leaving them; and he responds to the confusion of his disciples with commitment to them.
Knowing how good God really is encourages us to pursue him as those in whom Christ dwells, and in whom his Spirit he has generously poured out.
Letting the Word of Christ dwell in us richly enables us to teach and admonish with wisdom as the Word of Christ bubbles up in us, and we will sing psalms about the Father, hymns about Jesus and songs of the Spirit.
The Bible is not so much an "instruction manual for life", but it is a rich treasure which we can store up in order to encounter Jesus and know him better. Dan unpacks the benefits of letting the word dwell in us richly and provides some practical suggestions for how to go about doing so.
Don’t be dissuaded by fear or sin and turn back to your old way of living. Remember & encourage each other what an amazing secure hope we have been brought into that is greater by far.
The gospel has amazing implications for all people. We are light, designed to make known the good news. The Holy Spirit equips us to speak it to those around us in the places we meet them.
Like the early church, we are called to take the gospel to people, for example by talking with friends and neighbours. But being filled with the Holy Spirit is crucial - we need to ask God for his Spirit.
The Pharisees would not have wanted anything to do with the Syrophoenician woman, but Jesus goes into her territory, and in delivering her daughter he prepares his disciples for the time when the gospel will go to the whole world.
Jesus was fully human, and we have the same power to overcome temptation that he had. He didn't argue or negotiate with temptation but fought it with God's Word.
Moses interceded for the people and represented them to God, and because God was pleased with Moses he promised to be with the people of Israel. Jesus is greater than Moses. God is pleased with Jesus and so God is with us. Let's fix our eyes on Jesus.
Jesus represents a new way which is in contrast with the old way of handed-down traditions and rules, which is represented by the Pharisees. Jesus shows that the Pharisees' worship of God is just play-acting. God is looking for worship from the heart, and so we must guard our hearts.
As those who call on the name of the Lord, we are made holy in Christ so that we can live accordingly, enriched in our speaking and knowledge, and secure for eternity - Jesus will keep us strong until he returns.
Like the disciples in the boat, we are called to be courageous disciples when we face adversity and difficulties by remembering what the Lord has already done for us, because Jesus doesn't leave us but comes to us.
Jesus is training his disciples. As disciples of Jesus, we should neither be passive observers nor arrogantly do things on our own initiative. We need to spend time with Jesus, learn how to cope with interruptions beyond our control, and take risks and steps of faith.
Herod had persuaded Herodias to leave Herod's brother Philip so that Herod may marry her, and John's message of repentance troubled his conscience. John shows us what it's like to live for God. Being different is costly. There is a clash of kingdoms. Do we live for the kingdom of God or the kingdom of "me"?
Jesus sends his disciples to take the good news to the people. But he isn't looking for people who are well-prepared, but people who are willing. He is looking for people whose only support and safety net is God. And he gives them what they really need - his authority.
We can learn from the exploits of David's Mighty Men. Although we are under a different covenant, we have the same God. We no longer fight against human beings as they did, but we should have the same conviction and mindset that they had. Just as they were willing to lay down their lives for David, we should be committed to following Christ no matter what.
Learning from Moses how to handle hardships and learning from the Israelites how not to.
When we break bread together as a church we remember and proclaim Jesus' death and also look forward to his coming. His death and his return are two vantage points that we can focus on in times of hardship. We also need to discern his body as we celebrate the Lord's Supper.
We can take offence at Jesus by stumbling over the messenger, over the message or over our own disappointments and failed expectations. We can promote an atmosphere of faith by enjoying God's word, being honest with God when things are difficult and giving thanks for what we've already received.
Jesus is our brother who saves us, he is our brother who understands and helps us in our temptations and he is our brother who is an example for us and whom we can follow.
The testimony of the Galatians' early experience, the testimony of Abraham, and the work of Jesus all show that the only way to be saved is through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. God looks for faith, not works.
It was important for the Apostles to devote themselves to the ministry of the Word and prayer, and the Church grew as a result. We too should study God's word and spend time with God in prayer.
Although Jesus was always the perfect Son of God, God saw fit to make him a perfect sacrifice through suffering, so that could pay the wages of sin. God saw fit to show grace to us, and it's fitting for us to show grace to one another.
A synagogue ruler humbles himself before Jesus in desperation, and a sick woman is healed by touching his cloak. But Jesus is not satisfied with just healing physically - he stops to ask who touched him so that he can give the woman peace.
We should pray on our own when we're suffering, praise God when we're cheerful, call in the elders (our spiritual fathers) to pray for us when we're sick, and confess our sins and be transparent with our brothers and sisters. God hears our prayers just as he heard Elijah's.
Jesus commissions his worshippers to go and share his love without fear because He is always with us.
The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name. God is good and his grace is enough to sustain us when we suffer, in order that He would be glorified.
Jesus reaches the other side of the lake and encounters a troubled man. We see Jesus' supreme authority, but also a sad ending to the episode as the people of the region beg Jesus to leave their area rather than experience his freedom.
We live between the Passion and the Parousia of Jesus, and Jesus mentions four good things and four bad things that will happen during this period. He encourages us to live in expectation of his return, but not to speculate.
In spite of what we see around us, Jesus our brother is risen and reigning, has restored and redeemed us, and is our rock-solid hope.
Jesus demonstrates his power and authority in the presence of his disciples. What should our response be when we face storms in our lives?
Jesus wants us to show him to others, even when others don't seem interested. God can be working in people's lives without us being aware of it.
We are lost without Jesus but with him are life, hope, and a future. So let's pay attention and get rid of anything that might cause us to drift away.
How do we listen and respond to God's word? Do we have hard hearts, shallow hearts, over-cluttered hearts, or soft hearts that accept God's word?
The family of Jesus thought he was mad, his critics thought he was bad. But his disciples sat at his feet and learnt from him what the will of God is.
Following Jesus means putting our resources at his disposal, and nailing our colours to the mast and being known for identifying ourselves with him.
God uses us to heal the sick. We are Christ's ambassadors. It is not about how much faith we have but whom we have faith in.
Barnabas fell in love with people and out of love with possessions. Ananias and Sapphira loved money but also loved the praise of men.
God has spoken through Jesus - something new has happened, a new covenant and a new kingdom, but also a continuation of the past.
Jesus brings joy. Trying to live up to expectations can crush our joy, but when we are with Jesus we needn't be glum.
God chose us before we were born to be his arrows taking his gospel to the nations. We face difficulties because God is preparing his arrows for use.
The grace of God as revealed by Jesus saves sinners, brings people together and turns religious expectations inside out.
The teaching of Jesus is backed up with authority to heal and forgive. We just have to come to Jesus for forgiveness.
The cornerstone is a stone without which the building could not exist. God has placed the cornerstone and the whole of history lines up with Jesus.
Jesus cleanses a man with leprosy, not to get a following or to prove that he is Son of God, but out of compassion. He also cleanses us of our sin.
The Kingdom of God is near - our God reigns, and everywhere we go, we carry the Kingdom of God.
Jesus showed what God's kingdom is like by teaching, driving out demons, healing the sick and spending time with his Father in prayer.
After all Josiah has done, he now fails to hear what God says through Neco. Fear, discouragement or self-sufficiency can cause us to fail to hear God.
As the Church grows, persecution increases. Let us pray for courage through persecution, for many to see the truth and for God to be glorified.
Jesus is proactive. He doesn't wait for people to come to him but goes to where the people are and calls them to follow him. He takes the initiative.
We can love one another increasingly because God first loved us, and if we love, God will live in us. It is not a feeling but a serving love.
There is great news - we can join Jesus' life. John the Baptist prepares the way for God himself. Whereas Israel failed in the desert, Jesus overcame.
Although Josiah turned wholeheartedly to God, when we look under the surface we see that the people were just going through the motions.
We are all called to serve like Jesus did, but deacons support the elders by being responsible for looking after specific aspects of the church.
Because we are connected to Jesus we can heal in his name and also open people's spiritual eyes in his name.
A good overseer will lay his life down for the church. Character is important rather than IQ, and elders must avoid conceit and disgrace.
Daniel's 3 friends had learnt from him to have faith and be courageous. They were courageous because they sought God.
Marking the start of our second chapter' as a church, Gary encourages us to know that God is with us and to step into all that he has for us.
We can be like the Israelites who rebelled against God out of fear, or we can be like Joshua and Caleb who trusted God and didn't fear the details.
Moses never loses sight of the most important thing, and neither should we. God gives many things but nothing compares with the presence of God.
No one is beyond God's grace, which is abundant, powerful, available for all, and given for a purpose.
After all Nehemiah's effort, he finds the people backslidden and God apparently absent. Like him we should be faithful, passionate and proactive.
Just as the bronze snake was lifted up to deal with the poison of the snakes, so Jesus was lifted up to deal with the poison of sin.
When the sheep and the goats are separated there will be no one left in the gap, no decision left to be made. The sheep are blessed.
It always good to give thanks and have the Eeyore-like spirit of gloom lifted from us. God is ALWAYS good, loving, and faithful for all eternity.
Jesus explains how through the power of the holy spirit we can be born again and know new life in him.
God wants courageous leaders and willing volunteers. We should listen to the Bible, the Spirit, the Church and circumstances to determine God's will.
We know that we have eternal life because God lives in us through his Spirit helping us love one another and to live in love.
Whilst we were condemned sinners we could not receive the Holy Spirit, but now that we've received salvation God pours out the Holy Spirit on us.
Nehemiah leads the nation in radical repentance, which is fruitful, faith-filled and focused
We need to learn to wait for God. The Holy Spirit is a person who takes lordship of our lives. We can live a powerful life knowing God is in charge.
The focus of Nehemiah changes. What if God is calling us to change our focus? Let us be prepared by making sure our characters are right with God.
As we stand firm in Him, shine like stars, and see a heavenly perspective, we will live a life worthy of Jesus
The gap between us and God is huge, but God loves us. This is love - not primarily what God has done, but what God essentially is.
Though the enemy lies and schemes as a prowling roaring lion, we know Jesus complete defeated him on the Cross
Sin cannot come into contact with a Holy God, but our sin has been dealt with. We need to keep our eye on God's mission or we will fall into sin.
Beware of deception: we have an enemy that lies, but we have a God who is totally sufficient for our needs.
When we go through hardships we can complain and argue, or we can get God's perspective.
The enemies of God are persistent and subtle and can get personal. We are about a great work and need to resist distraction and accusation.
The Samaritan risked his own life to sacrificially meet the needs of his neighbour whom he saw as an enemy.
When God starts something new, it can expose sin. But don't run away from this, run to God instead, remembering even our leaders are under authority
The women were not expecting Jesus to be alive. The Holy Spirit enables us to understand that OT pointed towards Jesus
Expect opposition in the forms of taunts and threats but be prepared and pray at all times.
Do you know and live in gospel of Jesus Christ? Do you know what it means to be a witness of Jesus?
Through scandal and difficulties, Joseph proves to be a man of faith and teaches us how to glorify God at Christmas.
God has created a united Church from many people and many nations. United in a common faith, clear leadership, vision and values.
People respond to Nehemiah's vision and show amazing commitment, flexibility and unity in restoring the city of God
We must offer our whole lives to God, learn to see one another as family, and have love, which is the glue that holds all the other virtues together.
God is Good, he never makes a mistake or gets anything wrong, his love endures for ever, and we can absolutely rely on his eternal faithfulness
Work is a God given gift to which we should give ourselves wholeheartedly, whether in the office, at home, or wherever we are
Having been adopted into the family of God, God is at work in us by his Holy Spirit to help us to become Christ-like children of God.
God has given everything we need, but we need to make every effort to use these gifts and develop spiritual our muscles.
At a time of new beginnings, its key for us to push through painful setbacks, grow in a real personal relationship with God, and allow our prayers to
When disappointments come we can either give up our dreams, or refuse to face reality. Nehemiah turns to God.
God has given us forgiveness, reconciliation, a new nature, the Holy Spirit, the scriptures, and the Church
We have been given the same Precious gift of faith Peter had, because of Jesus righteousness we have full access to God
With God's help, we need to build well in all areas of life, particularly when it comes to family.
God will create a new Jerusalem for us that is big enough for all who want to come, and strong enough to keep us safe for all eternity.
Knowing who we are helps us not to be defined by others, to resist compromise and helps us in our present troubles. The best is yet to come.
Be the image of God wherever we are whatever we are doing, YOU, with God's help, can make a difference because you are part of a strong local Church
Everyone will face Judgement, God is Holy and Just and cannot tolerate sin. But Just paid our price and we rejoice that our name is written in Jesus's
Satan has been bound and held so that he can't deceive the nations, and when he is released, it is only for his own demise. GOD WINS!
If we try to gain acceptance by our own effort then we are children of Hagar. The children of Sarah are those born as a result of God's promise.
Only God can set us free, he is my refuge, my portion and my strength in this life. Jesus is our way out
Jesus invites oppressed church to lift it's eyes to see the final battle. He needs no armour, he not anxious, he defeat the devil with the word of God
Abraham is stuck in a pattern of fear, a stronghold! But when Abraham comes to a sort of repentance God blesses him lavishly. Accept God's good gifts.
As the Bride of Christ we need to prepare for the wedding feast, but we also need to recognise what we have been given
Jesus is our Risen Redeemer, though faith comes through hearing, Jesus is Gracious and meets us where we are. Stop Doubting and Believe.
Biblical hospitality involves often costly, practical love to strangers. It's a response to God's costly, practical love for us.
God is just and punishes evil appropriatley, so don put of till tomorrow following Jesus. Today is the day.
Hell is real, and the consequence of sin. But God's heart is that EVERYONE is saved, and filedl with eternal joy.
God's gifts say everything about God, nothing about us. Don't receive gifts from God with a spirit of timidity, Instead use them to build the Church
The two beasts are counterfeit. We detect counterfeits not by studying them but by knowing the real deal.
We have a unique race to run, it matters how we live our lives for the eternal rewards.
Abraham had questions about God's promises. But he went to God with those questions and ultimately believed.
"Love one another" is a cutting edge command to us. It is an action from which emotion may flow.
Jesus is the bridge the enables us, the lost, to return to God. God will run to us, hug us and kiss us if we turn to him.
A Characteristic of Christians, as God has shown mercy on us show mercy to others. Mercy is Also a Gift from The Holy Spirit, to show mercy joyfully.
Sin only leads to pain , sorrow or death. Following God we won't miss out, it is the best place to be.
Though Satan might still accuse us, he no longer has access to the presence of God and his accusations don't bring condemnation.
Leadership is a gift, not something that can be taught. Leaders should lead with zeal and grace, so that the church will want to be lead.
Abram walks away from God and almost throws away everything. But God, in his mercy, rescues him.
God LOVES to give, without charge. When we are born again, we will have the seed of God in us and love to give generously too.
We can be perplexed but never in despair because Jesus's Resurrection is our guarantee. Our goal is to please Jesus.
Heaven a multinational culture with all people focused on Jesus OUR salvation, a vibrant, colorful place, where we can serve God.
We are God's people, through Journey may be filled with trials and tribulations, God Guarantees his people will reach Him.
True encouragement equips us with truth that strengthens us. If we need a tough time, God will guide us through it; to put us back on the road.
Is there no one to open God's plan for the universe? Yes, the Lamb that looks slain, has triumphe. Holy, holy is the Lord God ALMIGHTY.
In times of trouble, hardship etc, God reveals himself to us on his splendid throne, and we respond with praise.
If Jonah the reluctant prophet who brought the worst prophecy ever, which caused a whole city to repent. How much more can God achieve with us?
Hold on to Jesus, He will hold the door open and no one can shut it. Jesus is our strength and encouragement, do not look to yourself or others.
God will rescue us at the last minute when we call out to Him. But it doesn't always look like salvation!
Jesus's primary focus was on teaching. He was the perfect example of what he taught, but are we teachable, is there anything we keep to ourselves?
Jesus, the one with a higher status than anyone came to serve us. His spirit in us guides us to love and SERVE one another.
Are you on a sleepy and perilous slide into sin the world sees as acceptable? WAKE UP! have the Gospel of Jesus FIRST in your heart.
Why does God give us prophecy? He is our father and Loves us and wants communicate with us, encourage us and keep us from being distracted.
The difference between the wise and foolish builder is what they do with Jesus word. Jesus is asking us to respond to him, but do we want to?
Jesus loves us so much and does not want us polluted by sin and compromise. Jesus come to lift burdens off us, for those that overcome.
The Church is made up of one body of many members, with different gifts, but no status. Each member belongs to the other. As God always intended.
Why settle for the things of the world, though everything permissible, not everything beneficial. God has SO much better rewards for us.
False prophets will try and lead us from the narrow road that leads us to salvation. They will look and sound like us, beware, and check their fruits.
Don't be afraid, Jesus knows what is ahead and will strengthen us. Our sufferings are for a limited time, we will receive Crown of Life if we persever
Hold God in high regard, and do not think of ourselves more highly than we ought, and recognise our need for others on a DAILY basis.
There are only two choices, God's way or the way of the rest of the world.. Which one do you choose?
Paul has outlined God's mercies and now encourages us to respond by applying all our energy to pleasing him.
If anyone says, I love God, yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom h
Do unto others as you would have them do to you, the spirit of law, the more we know love God has for us then we can go and show this to the world.
God is so wonderful, incomprehensible, he does not need us, yet he chooses to include us in his works, what can we do but praise him.
Who are you bowing down to? The things of the world or the victorious good warrior who will come again to complete the story?
The Israelites have only sidelined so that Gentiles can be grafted to the Olive Tree. When full number of Gentiles added, Israelites added back.
Unlike Nebuchadnezzar's wise men, Daniel listened to God. Do we listen to those who know God's word? Do we give advice based on the Bible?
God enables us to walk the path he has set for us, because of his power, through the Holy Spirit
God starts a string of events for those who see their need of salvation to call on God, by hearing the word of Christ in a way to affect our lives.
Do not judge, we must take the planks from our own eyes so that we can help to remove the specks from other peoples eyes.
It is God's power for salvation, as a FREE gift, for everyone who believes. Christ is the end of the "Law".
The risen Jesus convinces disciples he is alive, promises to clothe them in power from high, and fill them with Joy. He can do all this for us too.
God has acted, Jesus took the form of man and suffered more than we possibhly can. He died so God no longer sees the sin of those who believe.
Jesus chose us because of what HE can offer us, The word of God says He had to suffer for our destination NOT to be suffering.
Even though God has chosen who will be saved. Do we care enough about those around to us to ask God to save them from eternal damnation?
Put God first, he knows what we need and HE will add all these things. We may not be called to, but, in our hearts, be prepared to die for Jesus.
If we KNOW God has totally forgiven us by punishing His Son, and that we are TOTALLY Justified as a free gift. Then the outcome is Zeal.
It is not that Christians won't suffer. God is sovereign and in control, and we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him.
God wants us to see the world through good eyes, to be generous and see the world as Jesus does, with Love.
We are called to be a people who are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy in a Saviour who is alive and very much active.
God is God and man is made from clay, who are we to question our Creator! He is merciful on those who have faith & believe He will do what he promises
Encouragement to the church to speak, with faith, to "dead" situations in our lives and society; and to expect to see Jesus move in power.
As the family of God we are filled with joy and grace. Joined in prophetic relationship with all Christians throughout the worrld.
If nothing can separate us from the love of God, what about the Jews? Surely they had promises from God. So has God broken his promise?
We have been adopted into a new family, the most important family, with God as the Father. We still love our natural family, but in a new perspective.
God not only wants us to Praise him, but God also wants us to talk to him about our personal needs.
Who is Jesus? A troublemaker, an unimportant joke, a nuisance, or the Son of Man and wholly God?
Being convince of Jesus love will change us. So do not waver , study the Bible to learn the truth.
Christian life with out the Holy Spirit is pointless, we can't make ourselves good. Just ask, Jesus gives the Holy Spirit freely and generously.
Jesus has demostrated his Love for us in the mostb amazing way, he took all our sins, past and future, and took God's wroth for us.
God is an awesome God, it is amazing that he loves US, a love from before time, that will never be withdrawn, especially in times of hardship.
When we give, pray and fast God sees into our hearts to our motives. Give, pray and fast for an audience of One, even when in public..
Jesus died as a substitute for me. I now have a clear concious before God, and want to take sin seriously.
God sees our Motives, don't do things that people will notice and think well of us. Do things for God to notice.
Jesus has completed his task, beating Satan, setting us free from sin. Job Done, he sat down at the right-hand of God, guaranteeing our salvation.
For those who believe and God has chosen Jesus intercedes, guaranteeing our salvation. God Raised Jesus BACK to life, accepting HIS sacrifice for us.
Jesus, Son of God, handed himself over for me, as a plan gloriously working it self out. Therefore how will he deny me anything I need.
Jesus is the perfect example for us to follow, we can try and be like him, but that is not enough we NEED the Holy Spirit.
Love your enemies, as God loved us, even when we where his enemies he sent his son to die for us. Love others as God loved us.
Moses nearly missed out on the massive plans that God had for him. Let's make sure we go after all that God has for us.
We are not perfect, how can we do difficult things like love our enemies? By understanding the Righteousness of Jesus, and the power of Holy Spirit.
It was by his death that Jesus wanted to be remembered, as fulfilment of God's plan and purpose, bringing rescue for ALL people.
Who can be against us? Everyone, but against who God is the world's hate pales into insignificance. God is for us!
If God Knows us we will be Glorified, not because of us, there is nothing good in us, But because God has decreed it for the glory of his Son.
God has purpose over us from conception to death, he is always right and loves us. Do we trust him, in the good and bad times?
God is changing us so that we are less concerned about 'self' - not by a new set of laws but by the Spirit's power
God knows that the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak, and though we do not know what to pray for. Jesus left us his Spirit to groan for us.
Having tasted the first fruits of the Spirit, that God has poured out, we are eager for more and groan for things to come.
Living a life through the Spirit and loving God goes hand in hand with earthly persecution. Our inheritance is in the future.
Encouragement to perservere: we need to ask God for wisdom, which he is in the habit of giving generously.
Religion says God's love is dependant on what we do. We need to deal with sin, but know that God loves us unconditionally.
The Spirit helps us cry "Abba Father", leads us to Jesus, relates with us, and through him we can deal with the misdeeds of the flesh.
Jesus died for our sins, in doing so He has moved us from the realm of the flesh, to the realm of the Spirit. We can't live in both realms.
For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin
What characteristics, values and activities should be present among the authentic people of God?
Nebuchadnezzar was humbled to learn that God has all wisdom, deserving all glory and is sovereign over all our lives.
All condemnation has been removed for those who are in Christ Jesus. We approach him with freedom & confidence because Christ has dealt with our sin.
By No Means, God is perfect and holy, and His law is perfect and holy, but it incites rebellion in us, and is not enough to deal with sin. However....
God knows the perfect answer to all situations, much more than our imperfect suggestions to him.
Jesus has given us his spirit. and with this has come newness, freshness and power. Gone is the oldness of Just words.
Look at the great rewards in heaven since we have been judged worthy to suffer persecution for Jesus.
Jesus died, rose again and we with him so that we can be Married to a Saviour that loves us. Now we are no longer bound to the Law and condemnation.
If we slip, God brings forgiveness, but we don't rely on that; we draw near to Him and rely on the power the Holy Spirit within us.
True freedom is the freedom to enjoy God and become a slave to righteousness and obedience.
It is fundamental to understand what Jesus did for us at the Cross, so that we are then ready for the consequences of His actions.
For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin.
You are either in sin under Adam OR you are justified and made righteous by Jesus, there is no middle ground.
God reaches out to us regardless of who we are or whatever we have done - Victim or Villan
It is NOT about what WE can do! It is who we are and our heart attitude towards God, and who God is making us into.
The blind man's absolute faith that Jesus could do anything, even the impossible. Don't put limits on God.
We have been justified, we have been saved, there is no gap between God and us, there is no guilt.
Being meek means we do not need to assert ourselves, but, instead, having faith that God will do it for us.
We only have a little power, but we know where we got if from and Jesus is inviting us to ask for more.
Let's sharpen each other by meeting together, encouraging one another and speaking the truth in love.
Coming humbly to God knowing he will give us everything we need to go into the world with a message of hope.
The Beatitudes are not a set of entrance requirements to God's Kingdom but a description of who He is making us to be.
Despite our rebellion against God, He was always in control and had a plan to bring us back to Him
God has called ME to make a difference. So he HAS equipped me with His spirit to do what he's calling me to do
God is faithful, he can do what he promises. ALL that is required from us is to believe.
Jesus leads his disciples through times of testing in order to train them for what lies ahead.
Learning from Genesis that death is separation from God and it has massive consequences for us.
Get as close to unbelievers as we can so they can cross over, whilst we stay away from sin.
God changed the situation. Publically God presents Jesus as means of propitiation for our sin, through faith.
ALL have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified FREELY by His grace through the redemption that came by Jesus Christ.
It is nothing to do with our efforts, God has given us his Righteousness as a FREE GIFT.
Why is Jacob - a man who doesn't seem to be very nice - included in the list of the heroes of faith?
Looking at how we need to transform our mind so that we don't use 'human' reasoning or arguments
Drawing lessons from Mary and Martha on how to spend time with God, know what he thinks about us and serve him effectively.
Looking at judgement for the believer, the unbeliever, the enlightened and the unenlightened.
Continuing to look at what Colossians has to say about what it means to be a healthy church
Looking at the wonder of God's creation and how it reveals the majesty and glory of God
Looking at how the gospel requires revelation and provides righteousness from God by faith.
Looking at God's dangerous and awesome nature and how that should affect the way we approach him and live our lives
Looking at revivals in the bible, in history and looking to what God has planned for us
How to handle disappointment and confusion when, despite following God wholeheartedly, things go wrong
Looking at how our faith can be like that of the Roman church which was known all over the world
Looking at what the bible has to say about work for those in paid work, vountary work, studying or homemaking
Looking at how we not only begin our relationship with God through faith in Christ, but continue to walk in Christ