The King's Church International Audio Podcast

This past Friday marked a special date that changed the future of Britain, Europe and countless other nations. On June 6, 1944, the D-Day landings of Allied troops on Normandy's beaches turned the tide of World War 2. Both the Germans and the British and Americans and other allies had known this day was coming. But when it came, it came suddenly and dramatically. At the start of what Field Marshall Rommel called the Longest Day, the Nazi Third Reich looked invincible. By the end of the day, although much fighting lay ahead, its destruction was assured.   D-Day for the launch of the Christian church happened 2000 years ago on the Day of Pentecost which we celebrate this Pentecost Sunday. It took place in Jerusalem which was packed with visitors from all over the world to celebrate the Jewish festival known as the Feast of Harvest or the Feast of Weeks. Within a few moments a small group of followers of Jesus were born into a new dimension of supernatural power and authority. The disciples who had previously been full of fear became fearless ambassadors of Christ.    In one day, a small group of 120 disciples grew to a church of thousands. On this day and after this day they became an unstoppable force. Within weeks the whole of Jerusalem knew all about Jesus and within one generation, despite much hostility and persecution Christianity had spread throughout the Roman Empire.   Today there are more than two billion Christians in the world and well over half a billion of them would describe themselves as Charismatic or Pentecostal. Pentecostalism has been labelled the third great force in Christianity alongside Protestantism and Roman Catholicism. But now all branches of the Christian church are experiencing a new work of the Holy Spirit. Pentecostals/Charismatics are found in 9,000 ethnolinguistic cultures, speaking 8,000 languages covering 95 per cent of the world's total population.   Although the coming of the Holy Spirit had been promised centuries before by the prophet Joel, the events of the day of Pentecost, ten days after the return of Jesus to heaven, were sudden and dramatic.   Acts 2:1-4 says: ‘When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. 2Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. 4All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.' We see some simple lessons about the Day of Pentecost: 1. The day of Pentecost was a day of great Power (Acts 2:4; 10:45-46; 4:31-33; 5:12) 2. The day of Pentecost was a day of great purpose (2 Peter 1:3; Acts 1:8; 2 Corinthians 3:17) 3. The day of Pentecost was a day of blessing for all people (Acts 2:17-18,38-39; Luke 11:11-13) Apply  1. The day of Pentecost was a day of great Power. D Day was an awesome display of military power. D Day for the church, however, was an awesome display of the power of God. It was supernatural power: When the Holy Spirit came there was a sound which came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. Everybody was aware of an awesome power they had never known before. It was not of earthly origin. It was undeniable power. There were signs that God was at work, including the blowing of a violent wind, tongues of fire resting on the disciples which were visible to all and speaking in languages that they had never learnt (Acts 2:4). The gift of speaking in tongues was also present when Peter went to the Gentiles (Acts 10:45-46). The Holy Spirit literally loosened people tongues, to talk in languages they had never spoken before. It was revolutionary power. From the moment the disciples were filled with the Holy Spirit, they shared the good news of Jesus with great boldness. They no longer were intimidated by anything or anyone even the authorities who tried to stop them (Acts 4:31-33). What's more the disciples worked supernatural healings and miracles in Jesus' name (Acts 5:12). Even the building that they were meeting in was shaken after they prayed (Acts 4:31). What the day of Pentecost clearly shows us is that the greatest power in all the world is not political power or military power or financial power; it is the power of God. Today, it is only this supernatural demonstration of God's power that is going to bring about fundamental change in the church and to our society. It is only when we realise that God alone is our greatest need and we seriously seek to be filled with the Holy Spirit, that this change begins. It doesn't take many people for a new movement of the Holy Spirit to gather momentum. The world transformative movement of Methodism began when the Holy Spirit came on John Wesley and 60 others on Jan 1, 1739. One participant said ‘About three in the morning, as we were continuing instant in prayer, the power of God came mightily upon us, insomuch that many cried out for exceeding joy, and many fell to the ground.' The fires of the Holy Spirit spread rapidly. In February 1739, George Whitefield started preaching to the Kingswood coal miners in the open fields near Bristol. He preached outside because many churches opposed him, accusing him and other evangelicals of “enthusiasm.” When he started the meetings in February, about 200 attended. By March, 20,000 attended. Christians through the ages have recognised the need for the power of the Holy Spirit in their lives and ministries (see C.H. Spurgeon and Dr D. Martyn Lloyd- Jones). We must be confident that God has this power today and we must begin to plead and yearn for it.  2. The day of Pentecost was a day of great purpose. D Day had a supreme goal; the liberation of Europe from the evil rule of the Nazis. France would be liberated; the occupied countries of Europe would be liberated. The survivors of the Holocaust in Belsen and other concentration camps would be liberated. So too the coming of the Holy Spirit liberates us from the captivity of the kingdom of darkness and enables us to live as free born sons and daughters in the kingdom of God. The Holy Spirit can free you from sin, self-centredness and evil powers. You can live free from fears and addictions, freed up to live the way God wants us to live (2 Peter 1:3). You can be freed up to extend the Kingdom of God everywhere (Acts 1:8). When you know the power and presence of the Holy Spirit you will be freed up to worship the Lord without religious inhibitions or personal hangups (2 Corinthians 3:17). So Pentecost means you will receive power and you will live in great freedom. 3. The day of Pentecost was a day of blessing for all people. Huge numbers of people were involved in the events of D Day and even more were affected by them. In time hundreds of millions of people felt the impact of D Day. So too the Holy Spirit wants to affect people everywhere (Acts 2:17-18). The prophecy of Joel includes young people: sons and daughters. Your children too also need to experience God in a supernatural way. Old people: you're not too old to have a new encounter from God and to receive new dreams Men: the Holy Spirit wants to help and equip you. Women: you can be greatly used by God. All ethnic groups; Jews and non-Jews. And this promise of the Holy Spirit is still open for every generation and for you also (Acts 2:38-39). Others have been blessed. Now you can you be too. God is interested in you. God wants to help you. God is for you. You may not have a church background. You may be new to all this but if you are hungry for God He will meet you. The Holy Spirit will change you. The Holy Spirit will comfort you. The Holy Spirit will guide you. The Holy Spirit will give you all the authority you need to conquer in every situation. You can be filled with the Holy Spirit just as happened to ALL the disciples on the Day of Pentecost. Today you can pray this ancient and simple prayer of the Christian church: ‘Come Holy Spirit.'  If you want to be filled with the Spirit then repent of sin and wrong doing. Have you grieved the Holy Spirit by your words, attitudes, actions and relationships? Have you quenched the Spirit by not obeying Him when you should and despising His gifts and His people? Repent and be baptised. Then you need to hunger and ask for the Holy Spirit and you will receive Him (Luke 11:11-13). 

We continue our series on ‘Bringing your friends and family to Jesus' by looking at how God moved in an unexpected way in one man's home. When God works, he works fast (Isaiah 60:22).    Acts 10 is where the life changing and world changing good news of Jesus moves from the world of Jewish believers to Gentile or non-Jewish believers, when Christianity broke out from being a sub-culture of Judaism to becoming a world faith. Acts 10 is the tipping point where everything changed in the growth and momentum of the church. And it all starts because of one man and takes place in his home.    This chapter begins by detailing the spiritual hunger of a wealthy military man called Cornelius. He was a Roman centurion, whose responsibilities were more like those of a modern army captain. It ends with him and all his network of family and friends transformed totally by the Holy Spirit and the disciples somewhat shell-shocked by all that had taken place so quickly.    The apostle Peter, who was used so decisively in all that transpired, was at first in ignorance of the spiritual search of Cornelius, in much the same way many Christians today fail to realise what spiritual hunger exists in millions of people outside of church contact, including those closest to us – our neighbours, family and friends. We see from this story how we too can see an outpouring of the Holy Spirit with your family and friends.1. Live right (Acts 10:1-2; Job 1:8; Genesis 6:9). 2. Listen to God (Acts 10:2,4-6,9,19-20; James 5:16 AMP; 1 Thessalonians 5:17; Ephesians 6:18; Colossians 4:2)3. Follow the Leading of the Holy Spirit (Acts 10:1-23,34-35; Mark 7:19; Acts 16:9) 4. Let the Holy Spirit work (Acts 10:19-23,27,44-48; 2 Corinthians 6:2) Apply  1. Live right (Acts 10:1-2). It says that Cornelius was a God-fearing man who gave generously to the poor and was doing his best to raise his family in the same righteous ways. Instead of making excuses or hiding behind Roman culture or his military career, Cornelius chose to live right and to live a God-centred lifestyle. God always sees and honours when you live right (Job 1:8; Genesis 6:9). Your faithfulness, your devotion to Him, your generous giving all please Him and are seen by Him and prepare an atmosphere where the Holy Spirit can work. However, living right alone is not enough.   2. Listen to God. Both the Roman centurion Cornelius and the apostle Peter were men of prayer. They did not just pray occasionally. They lived a prayer lifestyle (Acts 10:2,9). And that is significant. For when righteous - or right-living - people pray, then great things happen (James 5:16 AMP). It is no use just praying if you are not living right. But when righteous people get serious about prayer, great things happen. The teaching on prayer in the Bible is not on haphazard prayer but continual prayer (1 Thessalonians 5:17; Ephesians 6:18; Colossians 4:2). To Cornelius, God not only told him his prayers had been answered and his faithful lifestyle noted. He also told him specifically that Peter was the man he needed to meet, who he was staying with, and how to find the house (Acts 10:4-6)! He told Peter three men were looking for him and he had better go and meet them (Acts 10:19-20). Both men had a vision from God, and both had to listen to it. If you are serious about seeing an outpouring of the Holy Spirit with your family and friends, will you give yourself to prayer and to praying specifically for each of them? Make no mistake. God always listens when righteous people pray. But God also speaks, and we must listen to Him. Prayer is a two-way conversation, and we can miss so much if we simply download what we want to say and then go off in a rush. If you will take time to pray and really listen to God, in one way or another through a vision, the Holy Spirit within you, and of course always the Scriptures, He will stir you to move out of your comfort zone into new territory.    3. Follow the Leading of the Holy Spirit. At every age and stage of life and ministry we each must decide whether or not to take a step of faith to see what lies on the other side of a door that God may be opening up to you. In this story, God was up to something, and both Peter and Cornelius had to pay attention and respond. God was working supernaturally: He spoke to both Cornelius and Peter through visions (Acts 10:1-16). The visions were specific and detailed. God was at work. God was working simultaneously (Acts 10:17-23). Without either of them knowing it, God was putting people together from very different backgrounds who had never even heard of each other. And you may not see what God is doing and all the ways He is at work in your life and in the lives of your friends and family, but you can be sure that God is working in them for your good. Just go where the Holy Spirit is leading you. It was the apostle Peter, the committed disciple, who needed to change rather than Cornelius. Peter was locked into his own tradition and upbringing more than he realised. And he needed unlocking pretty quickly. When Peter was told to kill and eat the animals he saw in the vision, he resisted (Acts 10:14-15). As a good Jewish boy Peter would have been steeped in Old Testament teaching that certain foods were unfit for eating and prohibited. But Jesus had declared all foods clean (Mark 7:19). Jesus abolished distinction between clean and unclean food and clean and unclean people. Peter knew in his head that the kingdom of God was not about special rules and religious practices, yet he instinctively responded in a traditional way. To follow the leading of the Holy Spirit, he had to quickly lose his old ideas and prejudices, which thankfully he did (Acts 10:34-35). When Peter changed, everything changed and it opened a way for many to come to know Jesus personally. Change starts in the church, not in the world. In each one of us. Like Peter you must really follow the leading of the Holy Spirit, which means you may need to think and act differently towards others if you're going to reach people you haven't reached before and see things you haven't seen before. The big question that we all face, and which Peter faced, is whether we are going to be fixed and stuck in our old ways or flexible and obedient in following the leading of the Holy Spirit. We must be sensitive to listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit so that you know His leading and direction. Maybe He's been leading you to share encouragement with someone or to invite them into your home or life group - don't miss the opportunity. God is setting us up more than we know, but we must be spiritually awake to step in and share our faith with them. God wants us to be quick to respond to what He is saying and doing. The responsiveness of Paul was key to the gospel coming to mainland Europe (Acts 16:9). We too must go where God is leading us, whether it is down the street, across the corridor in the office, 30 miles like Peter to Cornelius, or across the world. God has gone ahead of you.    4. Let the Holy Spirit work. Cornelius decided to send a group to meet a man that he had never met before who was staying at an address he had only just learned of. And Peter decided to welcome this group and go with them to the home of Cornelius (Acts 10:19-23). Neither Cornelius nor Peter knew all that was about to unfold but from the moment that they decided to act in faith and obedience and to let the Holy Spirit work, they opened a greater door for change than they could have ever imagined. And the same thing will happen for you when you decide to let the Holy Spirit work. Stop playing safe. Launch out into the new. When Cornelius took the risk of contacting Peter and Peter stepped out to go where he had never gone before, everything moved to another level. There was a new group of people to minister to, family and friends of Cornelius, who were hungry for God (Acts 10:27). Today so many people groups, so many families, so many in your neighbourhood and circle of influence are far more open to the good news of the gospel than you may know. And they will be more willing to listen to you than you may imagine. And in our story there was also a new outpouring of the Holy Spirit. Peter's sermon on the good news of Jesus was cut short for the Holy Spirit moved (Acts 10:44-48). It says that all of Cornelius's family and friends gathered at his house experienced an outpouring of God's Holy Spirit. From this moment the Christian church accelerated in new ways. Today great things can happen in your personal life, in your family life and ministry when you live right and listen to God, following the leading of the Holy Spirit and let Him work. As you get out of your comfort zone to obey His call, you can be confident you will see an outpouring of the Holy Spirit with your family and friends (2 Corinthians 6:2). 

Do you like going to parties? Did you know that Jesus loved a party? Parties are a big theme in the Gospels, and the Bible tells us of many events and celebrations that Jesus attended and spoke about with His disciples (Luke 15:22-24; John 2:1-11; Luke 7:37; Luke 14:15-24).  Being a Christian is so much fun: hopefully this is not a fresh revelation to you but to some it may be (John 10:10). One of Jesus' 12 disciples, Matthew, threw a party to connect all his friends to Jesus (Matthew 9:10-12; Mark 2:14-17; Luke 5:27-32). Matthew had been a tax collector, and tax collectors were hated and vilified by Jewish society, often more disliked than the Roman occupiers. In essence, Publicans were men who had bought tax franchises from the Roman Emperor and then extorted money from the people of Israel. They often used force by hiring thugs to physically take money and were considered vile and unprincipled. This is the kind of man Matthew would have been, but then his life changed. 1. Matthew was connected with Jesus (Luke 5:28) 2. Matthew was connected to people (Matthew 9:37-38) 3. Matthew connected people to Jesus (Matthew 9:10-13; Luke 5:32) Apply  1. Matthew was connected with Jesus. Firstly, he encountered Jesus himself. When Jesus said to Matthew ‘follow me', he got up, left everything and followed Jesus (Luke 5:28). Matthew was clearly a smart guy who would have been well organised, hard-working and focussed on making money. However, something was clearly missing from his life. All his power, position, wealth and possessions were obviously not filling the void. Although a man of the world, Matthew was also a Jew and would have been raised and educated knowing something of the Messiah and His promised coming to save Israel. So when Jesus, believed to be the Messiah, said ‘come', Matthew dropped everything, got up and followed Jesus. As with so many people in the world today, there is an emptiness and longing for something more. Something to make us feel fulfilled, to give purpose, ease the pressure, guilt, anxiety or shame. This something of course is someone: Jesus! When Matthew encountered Jesus, the promised one, his life was so impacted he was never the same again. He discovered what he was looking and longing for, and wanted to share it with his friends.  2. Matthew was connected to people. Matthew then held a dinner party and invited “a large crowd of tax collectors”. Not just one or two friends, but everyone he knew. Matthew, so despised by the Jews, would have been connected with people like him, ‘sinners' and other colourful characters not held in high regard. These were very much people of the world, and he was connected with them, so he made sure to invite everyone to the party. Everyone was welcome. He invited them and they came. So, who are you connected to? Family, friends, colleagues, the person at the checkout or someone at your local store. We all have a sphere of influence. You can write the names of all the people you have contact with (Matthew 9:37-38). Think about people in your workplace, school, gym, your or your kids sports club, and other places you visit: people are everywhere. As Christians we need to be friendly. Now this may sound obvious but it's true! We need to like people, to interact with them, smile, and talk etc. It is so important we connect with people and demonstrate the love of God (i.e. do you know your neighbours?). People are ripe for harvest.   3. Matthew connected people to Jesus. Mathew didn't just have another dinner party; he invited people to come and meet with Jesus. He was intentional. This wasn't just another social gathering, it had purpose. Matthew created a safe environment to invite people into; he wanted people to meet Jesus and not religion, to feel welcomed and accepted, not judged or condemned. As Christians we may feel confident enough to invite non-Christian friends for a social with us, but we must do more than that: we must put Jesus at the centre and create opportunities to share our faith (e.g. alpha suppers where a brief talk would be given and then two testimonies, whilst sharing food). Many churches around the world now host “Matthew parties” to reach out to the community. These informal gatherings with friends are intentional to focus on Jesus (Matthew 9:10-13). Jesus' disciples attended Matthew's party, and we need to introduce our Christian friends to our non-Christian friends as there is real strength in community. When people see the unity and love we have for one another, it is incredibly powerful. This isn't often seen in secular society. You can have different ideas for your party, such as a BBQ or anything else that you feel will connect people. It's not about the food; it's about the time together the building of relationship and introducing Jesus to our friends. Jesus was criticised for spending time with the tax collectors and sinners, but He was quick to correct this wrong thinking of the Pharisees (Luke 5:32). Jesus was all about the relationship with people, not religion. He desired people's hearts, for them to know Him, His grace and mercy. Matthew knew that if Jesus could be friends with him, He could be the friend of all these other people as well. Mathew the tax collector is a great example to us in so many ways. We need to encounter Jesus for ourselves, to spend time in His presence every day. We need to surrender every area of our lives to Him and ask Him to help us to live right. Let's bring Jesus into our world at every opportunity, being the salt and light in our circle of influence and sharing the good news of what Jesus has done for us and how He can and wants to help everyone. And choose to put Jesus at the centre of all that we do. 

Sharing the good news of Jesus is the privilege and responsibility of every Christian. And that should start with connecting your friends and family to Jesus. But that's only the beginning. For God loves the whole world, so whole towns, cities and nations need to see what real Christianity is all about. And you don't have to be perfect to play your part in this.  An entire community turned to God because of the connections of just one woman who had a very colourful background. She was a very new believer in Jesus but straight away her words and story had a big impact. In John's gospel she is known as the Samaritan woman and her story shows how the most unlikely people can experience grace and spread the good news of Jesus.  In John chapter 4, Jesus was heading back from Judea to the beautiful shores of Galilee when He took a shortcut through a place Jews often avoided: Samaria. Historically Jews despised Samaritans. The division between them was like the generational conflicts between Israelis and Palestinians. The Jews who regarded themselves as a pure race didn't want anything to do with a people they despised and who represented betrayal for their nation. They would do anything to avoid travelling through Samaria and having any social contact with the Samaritans.   And then Jesus did something even more surprising; He got into conversation with a lady with a sinful lifestyle. It began with Jesus sitting by a well and asking her for a drink from some of the water she was drawing from it. This was a radical act, for Jesus was a Jew and she was a Samaritan, and it greatly surprised the Samaritan woman. 1. She had an unexpected connection with Jesus (John 4:6,13-14,25-26) 2. She connected everyone she knew with Jesus (John 4:28-30; Matthew 20:19-20)  3. Jesus touched a whole community through this woman (John 4:39-42; Acts 8:4-8) Apply  1. She had an unexpected connection with Jesus (John 4:6). It was about noon, not the normal morning or evening time women used to go to the well. Because of the midday heat, this woman was probably there by herself. The story tells us she had had 5 husbands and the one she was with now was not her husband. So, she was rejected in her society and didn't want to be surrounded by the other women of the town, so she went to the well at the time nobody else would go. It wasn't the expected time to meet someone but that day she met Jesus and He started a conversation with her. Jesus knew everything about this woman. He knew she wasn't being real with Him. He knew that she had big issues with sexual relationships. He knew what was going on in her life at that moment and told her ‘and the man you now have is not your husband'. Yet Jesus unconditionally accepted this woman, despite her race and national history, and He accepted her despite the cultural prejudices against women, and despite her sinful lifestyle. More than that Jesus gave new life to this woman, offering her living water (John 4:13-14). He revealed Himself to her that He was the promised Messiah (John 4:25-26). Jesus taught that the only way to truly know satisfaction is to know God and that He Himself is God. Everything changes when we discover that Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life, and the only way to God. Everything changed for this woman as she slowly began to realise who she was talking to. It wasn't what she was expecting but this was her moment to know Jesus. You don't have to wait for the “ideal” time to meet Jesus. Some people receive the teaching in their home and from young age they have a personal experience with Him. Others hear about Him later in life and, after trying many ways and failing to find the love and satisfaction they were looking for, they come to Jesus and find their lives changed for ever. You could be young or old, going through difficulties or just living a normal life. But whatever your situation this is your moment to have an appointment with Jesus that could change everything in you and around you. Just as this Samaritan woman discovered that Jesus was ready to meet her and help her, so He wants to sit with you and offer you new life. Jesus knows what you have been going through, and He is here with you. He wants to give you all the love, care, joy and peace that you have lost, and He wants to meet all your needs. He is everything that we need, no matter our background. We have all failed, we are all lost sheep the Bible says, like the black sheep of the family, but He is a good shepherd and is here to meet you. And when we have that kind of encounter with Jesus, we want to tell others what happened. 2. She connected everyone she knew with Jesus (John 4:28-30). When we know the Lord, we should do all we can to tell as many people as we can what the Lord has done for us and who He is. When we start sharing the gospel, God starts to work in the lives of others. God wants to use you to bring the good news to multitudes. Even before the disciples were commanded to ‘go and make disciples' (Matthew 20:19-20) this woman became the first evangelist, based on a real encounter and revelation of Jesus. Without formal preparation or education, just with an experience of a real encounter with Jesus, she decided to share her story. We must be prepared to share the gospel at any time and in any place, when we encounter The One this world needs. The call to become witnesses is not only for a select group in the church, for the pastors, preachers, or professional communicators, it is for everyone. You might have been Christian for long time and think you haven't discovered your call, but we are all called to be witnesses, even if you are a new Christian. When you have had a real encounter with Jesus you will want to share it. We don't need to be professionals because this flows from a personal connection, not from our knowledge. Jesus crossed every social, cultural and political barrier to share the gospel and change the life of this woman, and so we are called to do the same. We need to become like the Samaritan woman to our relatives, and those we have contact with in our daily lives. You might think you are very new in your walk with the Lord but that must not stop you just like it didn't stop this woman. Start where you are, with the people around you. You can be the connection point between your family, your colleagues, your friends at school, college or university. Just be a witness and tell what you have experienced: it will have a big impact.  3. Jesus touched a whole community through this woman. She led many people to Jesus (John 4:39-42). Many people in the town received what she received at first because she didn't stay quiet. A great revival can come to whole estates, villages, towns and cities because of the words and witness of what God does in just one person. There is power in our words. Our words can bring great change: she just opened her mouth, and the town was changed from idolatry to a real worship. And this was just the start of a great work of God in Samaria (Acts 8:4-8). We never know what the Lord can do with one seed, with one word, with one person. Today the Lord wants to use you just as He used this Samaritan woman. Now is the moment for all of us to open our mouths to tell of Jesus and see great joy in our cities.

The good news of Christianity is that we can all have hope no matter how bad or sad life and the world may be. ‘Hope is being able to see that there is light despite all the darkness,' said Desmond Tutu, one of the leading opponents of Apartheid in South Africa.    Pastor Wes Richards' first book called ‘Hope and a Future: a story of love, loss and living again' tells how his family was restored after grieving the loss of a much-loved wife and mother. It's been translated into Spanish and Portuguese and the feedback received shows that hope is a universal need. Everybody needs hope, from the least to the greatest.    This week in the VE Day 80th anniversary celebrations, Winston Churchill's inspiring words of hope have once more been broadcast to millions. Yet as he grew older and again became Prime Minister, the great man was himself in need of great hope as he faced the post-war years of new domestic and global social, economic and political challenges. In 1954 he invited Billy Graham to Downing Street for a 20-minute meeting after hearing of the great crowds that had gathered to listen to the evangelist in Wembley and other stadiums. Although they overran their allotted time, Churchill told Graham to keep speaking, and the evangelist affirmed that God was the only hope for the world and for us individually.   You don't have to be a Billy Graham, however, to spread the good news as a remarkable Bible story in 2 Kings 6:24-7:6 shows us. In 2 Kings 7:9, four outcast lepers: ‘said to each other, “We're not doing right. This is a day of good news and we are keeping it to ourselves.”' This is a story that has many applications for us today:  1. People desperately need hope (2 Kings 6:28-30) 2. Today is a day of hope (2 Kings 7:1-9; Luke 2:10-11; John 6:35; 2 Corinthians 5:17; Psalm 103:3; 1 John 1:9; John 14:6; John 8:12,36; Luke 4:18-19; John 11:25) 3. We have a responsibility to share the good news of hope (2 Kings 7:9-16; 2 Corinthians 5:20 & 6:2) Apply  1. People desperately need hope. They were people who had been through extremely tough circumstances. This story is set in the 9th century before Christ and, not for the first time, Israel was a nation under attack. An entire city, Samaria, was under siege. Ben-Hadad king of Aram to the north of Israel wanted to starve them into submission. The siege lasted so long that ‘there was a great famine in the city.' The economy was shattered, and inflation rocketed, like it has done in many failed states. As food was so scarce they were people who had lost their way morally and spiritually. They were desperate and moral values were thrown out. Anything went and the people resorted to cannibalism (2 Kings 6:28), just like in World War 2, particularly during the long siege of Leningrad. All kinds of things happen when moral values collapse. They were people who saw no way out of their pain, where death and despair stalked the city and those in authority had no answer (2 Kings 6:30). The King tore his clothes, his close advisors were depressed and cynical, declaring not even God could help them. Today there is a great famine in many developed nations as well as literal famines in other nations. People are starved of Love: family break up is at record levels. So many suffer abuse, cruelty, pain and heartache in their homes. People are starved of Direction: they don't know where their lives are headed. They too lack a moral or spiritual compass. People are starved of Meaning: suicides are up, particularly amongst the young, because of a sense that life has no meaning or purpose. People are starved of Hope: they are worried and depressed about the future. Many people indeed lead lives of quiet desperation. However, there is hope!  2. Today is a day of hope. The answer to the hopeless situation did not come from a political ruler but from a prophet of God. Elisha was a man who knew the character of God and the reality of the power of God. And he had a word from God that there was about to come a big turnaround in the economy because there would very quickly be a big change in their circumstances (2 Kings 7:1). Sky high prices would drop because there would be more than enough supplies for everyone, the famine would end, and people would suddenly have real reason to hope. So these four desperate lepers wandered into enemy lines only to find the enemy forces had fled leaving food and provision everywhere (2 Kings 7:3-9). They couldn't believe it, but it was true. Their famine was over! Today also is ‘a day of good news.' And that good news is not coming from the politicians or the press but from those who understand what Christianity is all about. For good news is at the heart of Christianity. When Jesus came into the world it was a cause for celebration (Luke 2:10-11). The good news of Christianity is that when everything seems lost and hopeless we can be rescued. You don't have to just exist. You don't have to be so empty. You don't have to be trapped by your circumstances. You don't have to stay depressed. Your famine can end (John 6:35). Instead of emptiness and sadness, you can be filled with love, joy, peace when you have an encounter with the Holy Spirit who makes Jesus real to us. You can have a new start (2 Corinthians 5:17). God can make all things new by changing you from the inside out. You can be forgiven for your wrongdoing, even if you have some big regrets in your life (Psalm 103:3; 1 John 1:9). You can find meaning and direction (John 14:6; John 8:12). You can discover a whole new life of freedom (John 8:36). No habit, addiction, problem or sin needs to hold you captive. You can be free from fear and guilt and shame, freed to be all that God meant you to be. You can experience great favour (Luke 4:18-19). God wants to bless you with His goodness and mercy all the days of your life. You can be blessed in your emotions, your body, your spirit, your finances, your family and in every area of life. You can be confident of a secure future (John 11:25), with hope for this life and the next. So how are people going to get to know that they have hope and a future? That's up to you and me.  3. We have a responsibility to share the good news of hope. The four lepers in the story had their own needs met and were really enjoying themselves. But then they thought of all the starving people back in the city (2 Kings 7:9-16). They told them an amazing message of hope. At first people were skeptical, as many are today. But then they decided to investigate for themselves, and they found out it was all true. There was good news after all. The whole city was saved because a few people were bold enough to share the good news. In the New Testament Jesus commanded his disciples to spread the good news to everyone everywhere. Every Christian has a responsibility to communicate this message of hope (2 Corinthians 5:20). We need to do this personally, spreading the word to your friends, family and contacts. We need to do this urgently like the lepers who knew how desperate people were for hope, so they reported the news 'at once'. There is no time to lose in giving people hope (2 Corinthians 6:2). Today you can discover the good news of the hope that Jesus offers and then you need to become an ambassador of hope.  

God wants the whole world to know His love. First, He sent His only Son Jesus to live and die and rise again to bring us new life. Next, He sent His disciples to spread the good news everywhere. And today that remains the challenge and calling for every Christian. But first we need to start much closer to home by doing all we can to connect the people we know the best with Jesus. So we start a new series called: Bringing your friends and families to Jesus. Whatever the size or the state of your family, as Christians we must love our families. God has great plans for families. God wants to work miracles in our families, to reunite families, to bless families, to prosper families.   All of us need friends, not just so-called Facebook friends or Instagram friends but true friends that really care for us and want the best for us. So many people today are lonely and need real friends to help them. As Christians we can be great friends to people and the best thing we can do is to introduce our friends to Jesus.   We read in Luke 5:17-20 about four outstanding friends who did everything they could to help a friend in great need. Jesus was likely staying at Peter's house in Capernaum during this time. Capernaum was an ancient city on the northwestern shore of the Sea of Galilee, Israel which you can still visit. It was the operational centre for Jesus' ministry, and where great crowds gathered from near and far to listen to the teaching of Jesus and seek miracles of healing. So many people packed into the house that the four friends who desperately wanted to help a sick friend could not get in. In those days, people relied on charity for their needs. Moreover, illness was often associated with sin, leading to social stigma. In this case, the paralysed man's condition not only caused physical pain but also added to his sense of isolation and helplessness. He definitely needed friends around. In this story we see: 1. Friends will carry you when you cannot carry yourself (Luke 5:18; Galatians 6:2) 2. Friends with real faith who believe in Jesus (Luke 5:18-20) 3. Friends who are determined to find a way to connect with Jesus (Luke 5:19; Mark 2:4) 4. Friends who will bring you great blessings (Luke 5:20; Luke 5:25-26; Hebrews 13:8) Apply  1. Friends will carry you when you cannot carry yourself (Luke 5:18). This paralysed man could not walk on his own. Often there are moments in life where is difficult to stand, to move and we need friends around us, people who will lift us up (Galatians 6:2). Carrying means much more than saying kind words or “I am praying for you.” It means going to them, lifting them up with encouragement, carrying the weight with them, pitching up to their house in a time of need, being available, helping them to stand strong. Maybe you feel like you are paralysed in some areas in your life. Well, today you can count on your church family. You are not alone, you are not friendless. Today we can lift each other up.  2. Friends with real faith who believe in Jesus (Luke 5:18). There are different kinds of friends: friends who can lead you in wrong ways and friends who can help you in the best ways, so we must choose friends with real faith who believe in Jesus. Real friends will not carry you just anywhere, say to the pub or sports ground. Real friends will carry you to the presence of Jesus. Real friends will take you to the right place, a place of hope, miracles and where you can encounter the one answer to your real need. Real friends can have faith for you even if you struggle to have faith for yourself. Real faith means real action. These friends were putting their faith into action. These 4 friends were determined to help their friend (e.g. when you invite someone to Life Class, you are being that good friend trying to carry your friends to the right place to encounter Jesus). Each one of us should take care to surround ourselves with people filled with faith, not people of doubts and negativity. Jesus was impressed by the faith of these four friends (Luke 5:20). Jesus immediately reacted to not only the faith of the paralysed man but especially to the faith of his four friends. This is the power of teamwork, the power of friends working together.  3. Friends who are determined to find a way to connect with Jesus (Luke 5:19). When these friends saw that there was no way in, they must have considered their options. The doors are blocked. People are spilling out everywhere. So, what now? Then one of them probably suggested ‘ok let's make a hole in the roof. We'll get him in some way, even if it means smashing in someone's roof and getting into trouble'. How happy would you be if someone suddenly knocked a hole in your ceiling? Well, the four friends managed to get their paralysed friend to the roof. Then they started pulling or digging or banging. The NIV study notes on Mark 2:4 say: “The roof was often made of a thick layer of clay (packed with a stone roller), supported by mats of branches across wood beams.” The friends even had to remove tiles (Luke 5:19). Whatever mess they were creating with falling debris, they somehow managed to create a big enough hole to lower their friend down so that he ended up right in front of Jesus. These four friends exhibited extraordinary compassion and sensitivity towards their paralysed companion. But they were also so determined to overcome every obstacle stopping their friend getting to Jesus. We too must not be easily put off by difficulties in seeing a friend come to hear the gospel and see Jesus work in their lives. Maybe your friends are paralysed with work or social commitments. Maybe other friends want to keep them from Jesus. Maybe your friend has lost hope. Well, make a plan to help get your friends close to Jesus. Just do what it takes.   4. Friends who will bring you great blessings (Luke 5:20). The first reply of Jesus was not to heal, it was to forgive his sins. Jesus was interested in something much deeper than the physical aspect. A healing is for a limited amount of time. Forgiveness of sins is forever. So, what does it mean to be forgiven? Well maybe you live all the time with a guilty conscience, you may have done wrong, made many mistakes in your life and feel like you are spiritually paralysed. Forgiveness means that your relationship with God is restored and that you can be washed clean through the blood that Jesus shed at the cross. It means you can live a life of friendship with God. This man received the great gift of forgiveness. He was no longer paralysed by sin. But he also received physical healing (Luke 5:25-26). He came in paralysed through the roof but was able to walk out through the door. No wonder everyone was amazed. The same Jesus who healed this man is still the healer and saviour today (Hebrews 13:8). You can be healed in your body. You can be healed from whatever paralyses you. You can be healed in your mental health, your emotions and from traumatic past experiences. Wouldn't you like to be forgiven and healed also? Wouldn't you like to have friends like this? And wouldn't you like to be friends like this and bring your friends to Jesus?  

There have been many notable conquests in history, and outstanding conquests in the worlds of science, medicine, business and sport where life changing discoveries have been made and records broken. But by far the greatest conquest of all time, as related in the Bible and confirmed in the lives of billions of Christians through the ages, is the conquest of the Easter story. This conquest changed everything.    For the very good news of the Easter message is that Jesus certainly was dead but that He didn't stay dead. In other words, the Easter story is fact not fiction (see Lee Strobel's best-selling book ‘The Case for Christ' and theologian N.T. Wright). The conquest of Easter, so long ago, could not be more needed or more relevant today for every one of us. 1. The conquest of Easter is the triumph of love over hate (1 John 3:16; 1 John 4:10; Romans 5:7-8; John 3:16) 2. The conquest of Easter is the triumph over light over darkness (Luke 24:44) 3. The conquest of Easter is the triumph of life over death (Acts: 2:24; Colossians 2:15; Revelation 1:17-18; Hebrews 2:14-15; John 11:25-26; John 14:19; Ephesians 1:18-20) Apply  1. The conquest of Easter is the triumph of love over hate. We live in a world full of hate. Hatred in Russia and Ukraine. Hatred in the Middle East. Hatred against the Jews. Hatred against Christians. Hatred against Muslims. Hatred in our politics. Hatred paraded on our streets and in our schools and colleges. Hatred on social media. Hatred in countless broken relationships. Where can you find any love when you are surrounded by hate? Well, the best answer is the crucifixion of Jesus. For just outside of Jerusalem, human hatred and the anger of the mob manifested in all its ugliness. Corrupt politics condemned an innocent man to die. Religious intolerance was revealed with awful viciousness and violence. Jesus was beaten, bullied and brutalised. He was stripped and lashed with a whip designed to tear His flesh open down to the bone. A crowd of thorns was hammered on his head. His hands and feet were nailed to a wooden cross. He was spat on, repeatedly punched and relentlessly mocked. And yet for all this Jesus, who had spent his life doing nothing but good, did not let the hate get to Him. He did not become embittered and vengeful. Rather, as He had taught, He prayed for His enemies in his final moments ‘Father forgive them for they do not know what they are doing.' And when He died, He showed the full extent of His love for the world giving His pure blood so that everyone could be cleansed from sin (1 John 3:16; 1 John 4:10). The story of Calvary is the greatest love story ever told. It shows the lengths God was prepared to go to, to rescue people lost in their guilt and sin and rebellion. Jesus went through hell that we could make it to heaven (Romans 5:7-8). One of the most famous verses in the Bible shows us why we can be confident that God does not hate us but wants to show us His love (John 3:16). God's amazing, unconditional love is for people of every class, colour, culture, country and continent. And it is this love of Jesus and this love alone that can drive out hatred in our hearts and in others.   2. The conquest of Easter is the triumph over light over darkness. Easter tells us the awful darkness of Good Friday was followed by the bright new dawn of Easter Sunday. On Friday everything was as dark as could be. On Friday things got so bad that from the sixth hour to the ninth hour, ‘darkness came over the whole land' (Luke 24:44). All light was extinguished. All dreams were shattered. All hope was dashed. Evil seemed to have triumphed. It was as dark a day as you could imagine. Maybe you too have known very dark days, days of pain, suffering, bereavement, break-up, betrayal, abandonment, rejection, regret and remorse. You have searched for light, some rays of hope, but couldn't find any. Maybe even today you can't see a way forward in your life. You think it's all over for you. But it isn't when you let Jesus into your life. God can turn your dark Friday into a bright new Sunday. On Easter Sunday the disciples found that a new and unexpected day of discovery had dawned for them. There would come great light after great darkness. There would come great comfort after great sadness. There would come great joy after great depression. They were not alone: the Lord Himself was with them. So too you can also have new hope beyond your hopelessness and despair. That's the hope that comes from knowing that Jesus is alive.  3. The conquest of Easter is the triumph of life over death. Death, the final enemy was put to death, through Christ's death and resurrection. Death, the ultimate weapon of Satan's dark kingdom, could not keep Jesus in the tomb (Acts: 2:24; Colossians 2:15; Revelation 1:17-18). Through the death and resurrection of Christ, the curse and power of death has been broken. You don't have to fear death anymore (Hebrews 2:14-15). For sure death is painful but the sting has been taken out. When you die and are buried or cremated it's not the end. For the Christian death it's the beginning of a wonderful new life in Christ's presence (John 11:25-26; John 14:19). The incredible power of God that raised Christ from the dead can also work great change in your life (Ephesians 1:18-20). God's power can raise us from spiritual death and bring us into fellowship with the living Christ. God's power can free you from fear, guilt, worry, or the power of sinful behaviour, habits and addictions. God's power can help you overcome any trial or temptation. To know that truth brings great joy and confidence through the passing years. So, you have every reason to celebrate the truth of the Easter message. Whatever your situation or the state of your life today, there is a great future for your tomorrow. This is the great hope of the Easter message. You can know love instead of hate, light instead of darkness and life instead of death, both now and forever. This Easter Sunday, you too can meet the risen Christ for yourself. He is real. He is alive. He loves you and He offers you a new beginning. Just believe in Him and ask Him to come into your life.  

Palm Sunday is one of the major events of Easter week which is celebrated by many millions of Christians all over the world. The moment, nearly 2000 years ago, when huge crowds lined the streets of Jerusalem to welcome Jesus continues to mark history.   All four gospels tell how the ancient city of David was packed for the great Jewish celebration of Passover. As Jesus came into Jerusalem riding on a donkey, no one could fail to know something very big was happening. It was a major public event (John 12:19). Matthew 21:10-11 says: ‘When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred' and asked, “Who is this?”  Who indeed? This is the question everyone needs to answer. Who was and who is Jesus? That there was an historical Jesus is clear. But who He was a cause of great dispute then, just as it is today. Some of the crowds who followed him were quick with their reply: ‘The crowds answered, “This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee”' (Matthew 21:11).  Others, including many of the cheering crowds, regarded him as not just a prophet but as someone far more; the very Son of God who He had so boldly claimed to be. The gospel writers give us a very clear picture of who Jesus is.  1. Jesus is the promised Messiah (Matthew 21:1-5; Mark 11:10; Luke 19:38; John 12:13; Zechariah 9:9) 2. Jesus is the humble King (Matthew 21:5; Matthew 11:28-30) 3. Jesus is the great divider (Luke 19:36-39; Psalm 96:2; Psalm 103:1-5; Luke 11:23,39-43; John 1:11-12). Apply  1. Jesus is the promised Messiah. The symbolism of the occasion and actions of the people shows He was the Messiah. Palm branches, for example, had a specific symbolic meaning. It was used to celebrate the Maccabean victory less than two centuries before, when the Jewish Maccabees militarily conquered and retook Jerusalem from pagans. Now Palm branches were waved to honour Jesus. All four gospel writers make clear this aspect of Jesus as King (Matthew 21:1-5; Mark 11:10; Luke 19:38; John 12:13). Matthew records specific quotations from Zechariah 9:9 from hundreds of years before shows that the gospel writers identified Jesus as the prophesied Messiah. What the gospel writers are united in saying is very significant, namely that the events they are describing of the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem were a fulfilment of what had long been promised in the Bible. God's word had come to pass right before their eyes. For centuries it was only God's Word that sustained the people of God as they looked forward to a day when God would personally intervene in their history. All through the Bible, we see that as God's people we must keep our focus on what God has promised in His word not on the circumstances all around you (Psalm 145:13). Today you are one day nearer than you were yesterday to seeing God's promises being fulfilled. And today may be the day, when what you have believed for and prayed for, for so long will come to pass. 2. Jesus is the humble King. Jesus did not enter Jerusalem with violence and great shows of power, as so many conquerors of the city have done over the centuries (Matthew 21:5). Jesus entered humbly on a baby donkey. The Jesus of the Gospels shows us that the Great God and creator of the heavens and earth sent His son to this world to be born to a very ordinary young lady in the poorest surroundings. Jesus lived most of His life in obscurity working as a carpenter. And in His ministry, He didn't try to shock and awe, to intimidate people and to force them to submit. Of course, Islamists demand submission by the power of the sword and urges a holy war against infidels. This, however, is not the way of Jesus, even though some like the Crusaders have tragically and blasphemously done this to Muslims and others in His name. Jesus Himself was very compassionate and gentle with people (Matthew 11:28-30). Some in Jerusalem had hoped that Jesus would come as King to overthrow the Roman oppressors. But Jesus renounced violence telling His disciples to love their enemies and when one disciple tried to defend Him in the Garden of Gethsemane, He told him to put away the sword. Yes, Jesus is King but He is the servant King who stoops to conquer, the Master who knelt down to wash His disciples' feet and told them to follow His example of service. And all through the ages He has won countless followers who once were proud and aggressive, because they have discovered that Jesus is both meek and majestic, humble and gentle. 3. Jesus is the great divider. The Gospel accounts of the Easter story show that many welcomed Jesus. People praised Jesus great energy and enthusiasm for they believed God Himself was among them (Luke 19:36-38). Praise is the natural overflow of appreciation of who God is and all He has done. That's why the Psalms are full of praises to God (Psalm 96:2; Psalm 103:1-5). Many of the crowd had come from Galilee and they were praising God for the many miracles they had witnessed: the blind receiving their sight, lepers being healed, demonised people delivered, and even the dead, like Lazarus, being raised to life. You might imagine that such wonderful developments would have resulted in an overwhelmingly grateful response. But it was just the opposite, for others wanted to kill Jesus. Religious people who are more focussed on themselves and their traditions don't like praise being given to God. And they get particularly upset when people praise God with great joy and shouting. At root we see in the gospels that both political and religious leaders regarded Jesus as a huge threat to their power and position. At the time of His birth, Herod tried to kill Him all the while pretending he wanted to worship Him. The more the ministry of Jesus progressed, the more the religious leaders were critical of Him (Luke 19:39). The religious leaders were jealous of His success. They were incensed by His claim to be God. They hated the way He exposed their double standards and unreality. And for sure Jesus didn't hold back on calling them hypocrites (Luke 11:39-43). After lots of private plotting against Jesus, His enemies finally made their move and carried out their plans to falsely accuse Jesus and have Him executed. And so, in such a short time after so many crowds had joyfully celebrated Him, another huge crowd gathered and this time it was a blood thirsty mob shouting and demanding that He must be crucified. Then and now, Jesus polarises people. Today Jesus Christ is honoured by Christians, yet these two words are commonly used as swear words in anger or frustration. When it comes down to it, each person is either for Jesus or against Jesus (Luke 11:23). So where do you stand in relation to Jesus? Do you reject Him, or will you welcome Him into your life as God who came to earth in human form, to live the perfect life, to die for your sins and to rise again to give new life? This is the challenge to us on this Palm Sunday. We have to make up our minds about Jesus and how we react to Him. Will we turn our backs on Him and reject Him? Or will we celebrate Him as the Promised King who can bring peace and power to our lives and who is worthy of our praise? ‭‭Today you can choose to joyfully welcome Jesus and become a child of God (John 1:11-12). 

It has been said that ‘all you need is love'. But what if you can't find love in life and, even worse, what if people who are supposed to love you don't love you? Well you can still succeed in life when you don't feel love. This is relevant to women and men, old and young and for people of every culture and nation.    There was a lady who has been called the most unloved person in the Bible. She experienced many sad moments in life but in the end, she left an amazing legacy of hope. Her name is Leah which is a name of Hebrew origin meaning ‘tired' or ‘fatigued' which is not the most exciting name. And she was married to a man who didn't have a great name either. He was Jacob which means ‘deceiver'.    But Jacob only married Leah because he himself was deceived by his father-in-law, a scheming guy called Laban. Jacob worked 7 long years for the love of his life which was not Leah but her younger sister Rachel. Jacob was very happy to marry Rachel and to spend his honeymoon night with her. Only that didn't happen. For the next morning Jacob discovered that the woman he had married was not Rachel but her older sister Leah (Genesis 29:25-30).  1. She knew she wasn't loved (Genesis 29:28-31) 2. She tried so hard to earn love (Genesis 29:17; Genesis 29:31-34) 3. She found that she was greatly loved by God (Genesis 29:35; Ruth 4:11; Isaiah 53:5) Apply  1. She knew she wasn't loved. Leah had a dad who didn't love her. He was very focused on just getting her married off even if it meant tricking her and Jacob into a marriage neither of them wanted. It was just a business deal to Laban. He was not thinking how Jacob would feel and more than that, how his oldest daughter Leah would feel. And then as soon as they married, her husband Jacob quickly made clear who he really loved and quickly married Rachel straight after (Genesis 29:28-30). How devastating for Leah that the Bible says ‘his love for Rachel was greater than his love for Leah'. What did she feel like when she learned that Jacob was willing to work another seven years, 14 years in total, just to marry Rachel? The Bible tells us simply that the Lord saw Leah was not loved (Genesis 29:31). How terrible. Many people feel like that. Many experiences in life can cause us to feel unloved. Maybe you have experienced this in your own life: Rejection: a baby her parents thought to abort, or a husband who left home; Lack of recognition or affirmation when you did something good; Disapproval; Betrayal by friends, colleagues or others; Verbal or physical Abuse, maybe from parents or from a person in a relationship in the past; Difficult experiences such as sickness; Family breakdown is one of the worst experiences when children don't grow up with that unconditional love. Maybe also they have a sense of Abandonment, because of a father or mother or the person that represented that in your life left you. All this can lead to lead many problems. Perhaps making bad choices in your relationships, wanting to attach to someone because you feel the need of someone next to you. Maybe you try to find love in sex. Or in rebellion, being contrary and always against something or someone. We find it in the form of liberalism, feminism, and people being exhibitionist, or where they are shy and insecure, sadness, no purpose, or suffering depression. Well life can become difficult in so many ways when you are like Leah who wasn't loved. And that can lead to other problems.  2. She tried so hard to earn love. Leah always knew that she had imperfections and that she was always second best compared to her beautiful sister (Genesis 29:17). Maybe you can also identify with Leah here. We are often very aware of our imperfections and compare ourselves with others. And then your negative feelings can get even worse if you have a sibling or friend who always is better than you, more beautiful or more successful. And it certainly doesn't help if parents often compare you to your brother or sister in a negative way. Well Leah had to live with all this, plus understanding as life went on that she really was not loved. So, she tried to earn love in the only way she knew how: by staying at home and having babies. It pulls at the heart to read how desperately Leah hoped her husband would love her by not only having babies, but much valued sons (Genesis 29:31-34). Maybe you too have tried so hard to earn someone's love but like Leah you still don't feel loved. On the face of it, Leah's life was just so sad, but her story didn't end badly. 3. She found that she was greatly loved by God. Leah's moment of breakthrough came not at the first birth or second, or third but the 4th time (Genesis 29:35). Leah decided to give a new name to her generations. Judah means literally “thanksgiving" or "praise." The moment she looked up and put her focus on God and not her problems she was full of thanks to God. She became joyful. She didn't have to keep having babies to be of value. For it was because the Lord had loved her that He helped her to conceive, and He had greater plans for her than she had imagined. Though she didn't realise it at the time she was helping lay the foundations of the 12 tribes of Israel (Ruth 4:11). And of course it was from the clan of Judah that came David, Israel's greatest King, who wrote most of the Psalms, which are full of praises to the Lord in all circumstances. And from that same clan of Judah, Jesus Christ, the Messiah, came to this earth. Though Jesus all our sins and all our wounds can be healed (Isaiah 53:5). Today is a day for you to know how great the love of God for you is. Let Jesus engrave His love in your heart today. Let His love heal every wound. Look to Him. Thank Him for His kindness and compassion and the plan He has for your life and for your descendants after you. Your decision today will change the course of negativity, or depression, dysfunction and division in your family. Put your sadness behind you. Start to praise Him that you will now have a new legacy of hope and love. You also can receive a great healing, and you could have a better future than you imagine. You can come today into a new line of blessing and receive a great legacy of God's love and mercy.  

Everyone in life comes to defining moments when they can't go back, and they don't know how to go forward. How do you react in such moments? How can you overcome panic and pressure? How can you move into a better future, the best future, when a bad past threatens to undermine you?    These were issues faced by one of the most famous characters in the Bible. There was a moment in Jacob's life where he came to a great crisis and feared for his life and for his family. But this moment became the turning point where he moved with freedom and restoration into his God-given destiny (Read Genesis 32:22-32). We see some powerful lessons from this story.  1. You need to overcome your past (Genesis 25; Genesis 27:36-41; Genesis 32:22; Luke 5:5) 2. You need to learn how to call out to God in your time of great need (Genesis 32:7; Genesis 32:9-12,24-26; Luke 18) 3. You need to change (Genesis 32:25,31; Genesis 32:28; Genesis 33:4) Apply  1. You need to overcome your past. Every one of us has a past. And at some point, unless we have overcome all the things in our past, these will catch up with us and hinder us from stepping into all God has for our future. Jacob was a deceiver by nature, who twice deceived his older brother Esau. He took advantage of his brother when he was very vulnerable, and took his birthright as the firstborn (Genesis 25). And again, with the help of his mother, Jacob deceived his father Isaac into giving him the blessing due to Esau before their father died (Genesis 27:36,41). As a result, Jacob lived 20 years on the run. He knew that Esau was coming for him. Over time, Jacob acquired wives, many children and possessions, and although he had managed to overcome many challenges in his own life, the one thing he couldn't run away from was his broken relationship with his brother. To go forward he had to overcome the past. And there came a moment when he was confronted with his past (Genesis 32:22), hearing that his brother and 400 men are coming to meet him. Jacob was petrified. Have you been fully set free from your past? What words or experiences have shaped you and made you see yourself as you do? So many people have suffered many things in their lives, including abuse, dysfunctional families and broken families, or bullying. People can be successful, but they can carry the sense of being a victim because they have been marked in their spirit by being bullied/ They can feel, however successful they are or how other people see them, that they are a fraud. So many live with imposter syndrome, just waiting to be found out that you aren't as good as people think you are. Maybe you can relate to this. What is your fear? Do you live with the fear of failure, of not making it? There may be something in your past that today you have to overcome. Because you have to overcome your past to move forward in life. Just as when Jesus told his first disciples to launch out and prepare for a big catch of fish, Peter had to overcome his mindset of past failure before he could move into his future (Luke 5:5). Many of the world's greatest inventors didn't see their failures as failures. They saw them as stepping stones for how to succeed. You can't run away from your past, and you can't let the past keep hanging around in your present. If you don't overcome your past, it will overcome and rule you. Maybe you need to be healed from the pain of grief. Unless you're healed then you will be set back. Time is not a healer, you just get better at dealing with things. But the Lord can heal your past. No matter the past financial position of your family, or past addictions or unfaithfulness in your family, you can overcome it. You can overcome the mindset of it being inevitable that certain things will just keep repeating in your family line forever. So, no matter your past, just like Jacob, you need to overcome to have a new future. 2. You need to learn how to call out to God in your time of great need. Jacob was in a time of great need, and he knew that the only God's miraculous intervention in this situation could rescue him, nothing and no one else would do (Genesis 32:7). So, Jacob prayed (Genesis 32:9-12, 24-26). Jacob called out to the God of his fathers, and reminded God of all the promises he'd received despite his unworthiness. But more than that, Jacob called on God to come and save him. Jacob wrestled with the man and refused to let him go. As far as Jacob was concerned, he was wrestling with God Himself. Jacob knew the promises of God over his life, but he was worried. And that night, he had his encounter alone. You cannot rely on your husband or wife, your parents or anyone else for the encounter that only you can receive. You have to cry out to God, and keep on until you know you have broken through. Like Jacob, it might mean a whole night in prayer, wrestling with the Lord to overcome. It may mean that you take some time off or clear your diary so that you can just pray and call out to God so that you can receive a life changing breakthrough (see story of Billy Graham and Stephen Olford). The call of God is one thing. The anointing of God is quite another. And the anointing of God comes when you say to God, ‘I will not let you go unless you bless me'. Jesus taught a parable in Luke 18 about a persistent widow who would not stop bothering the unjust judge until she received her breakthrough. We too need to have that kind of persistent faith. Decide that whatever your situation, you will call out to God with absolute determination.  3. You need to change. To overcome and walk in the way God wants us to, we have to change. Jacob had a call on his life but wasn't ready for what was to come. He needed to change. Something had to give. Something had to change. And that was Jacob himself. There were changes in 2 main areas of change. Firstly, Jacob had to be weakened to depend on God (Genesis 32:25,31). God was opening up new opportunities. But he no longer walked so self-confidently or with his previous swagger. His encounter with God had changed him. Secondly, Jacob was given a new name. Names in the Bible signify identity. So by being given a new name, God was giving him a new identity. Before he was called Jacob which meant ‘deceiver' Now he was to be known as Israel, an overcomer (Genesis 32:28). He'd broken through to another level with God and with people. And God blessed him. And God wants to do the same for you. But first God wants to change you and remove things in your nature, your past, your reactions of anger, harshness, bitterness, negative speaking or living by your emotions. When you encounter God, you will be changed, and it will be evident to others. It was a new day of change for Jacob. And it was evident to everyone afterward that Jacob had encountered the Lord and been changed because he walked with a limp afterwards, and he had a new name and new nature. He'd broken through. God had made the way for him not only to be saved, but for him to see reconciliation in his family and a new future (Genesis 33:4). Today, you can overcome your past. You can call out to God in your time of great need, and you can be changed, ready for the great future the Lord has ahead of you. 

Everyone in life comes to defining moments when they can't go back, and they don't know how to go forward. How do you react in such moments? How can you overcome panic and pressure? How can you move into a better future, the best future, when a bad past threatens to undermine you?    These were issues faced by one of the most famous characters in the Bible. There was a moment in Jacob's life where he came to a great crisis and feared for his life and for his family. But this moment became the turning point where he moved with freedom and restoration into his God-given destiny (Read Genesis 32:22-32). We see some powerful lessons from this story.  1. You need to overcome your past (Genesis 25; Genesis 27:36-41; Genesis 32:22; Luke 5:5) 2. You need to learn how to call out to God in your time of great need (Genesis 32:7; Genesis 32:9-12,24-26; Luke 18) 3. You need to change (Genesis 32:25,31; Genesis 32:28; Genesis 33:4) Apply  1. You need to overcome your past. Every one of us has a past. And at some point, unless we have overcome all the things in our past, these will catch up with us and hinder us from stepping into all God has for our future. Jacob was a deceiver by nature, who twice deceived his older brother Esau. He took advantage of his brother when he was very vulnerable, and took his birthright as the firstborn (Genesis 25). And again, with the help of his mother, Jacob deceived his father Isaac into giving him the blessing due to Esau before their father died (Genesis 27:36,41). As a result, Jacob lived 20 years on the run. He knew that Esau was coming for him. Over time, Jacob acquired wives, many children and possessions, and although he had managed to overcome many challenges in his own life, the one thing he couldn't run away from was his broken relationship with his brother. To go forward he had to overcome the past. And there came a moment when he was confronted with his past (Genesis 32:22), hearing that his brother and 400 men are coming to meet him. Jacob was petrified. Have you been fully set free from your past? What words or experiences have shaped you and made you see yourself as you do? So many people have suffered many things in their lives, including abuse, dysfunctional families and broken families, or bullying. People can be successful, but they can carry the sense of being a victim because they have been marked in their spirit by being bullied/ They can feel, however successful they are or how other people see them, that they are a fraud. So many live with imposter syndrome, just waiting to be found out that you aren't as good as people think you are. Maybe you can relate to this. What is your fear? Do you live with the fear of failure, of not making it? There may be something in your past that today you have to overcome. Because you have to overcome your past to move forward in life. Just as when Jesus told his first disciples to launch out and prepare for a big catch of fish, Peter had to overcome his mindset of past failure before he could move into his future (Luke 5:5). Many of the world's greatest inventors didn't see their failures as failures. They saw them as stepping stones for how to succeed. You can't run away from your past, and you can't let the past keep hanging around in your present. If you don't overcome your past, it will overcome and rule you. Maybe you need to be healed from the pain of grief. Unless you're healed then you will be set back. Time is not a healer, you just get better at dealing with things. But the Lord can heal your past. No matter the past financial position of your family, or past addictions or unfaithfulness in your family, you can overcome it. You can overcome the mindset of it being inevitable that certain things will just keep repeating in your family line forever. So, no matter your past, just like Jacob, you need to overcome to have a new future. 2. You need to learn how to call out to God in your time of great need. Jacob was in a time of great need, and he knew that the only God's miraculous intervention in this situation could rescue him, nothing and no one else would do (Genesis 32:7). So, Jacob prayed (Genesis 32:9-12, 24-26). Jacob called out to the God of his fathers, and reminded God of all the promises he'd received despite his unworthiness. But more than that, Jacob called on God to come and save him. Jacob wrestled with the man and refused to let him go. As far as Jacob was concerned, he was wrestling with God Himself. Jacob knew the promises of God over his life, but he was worried. And that night, he had his encounter alone. You cannot rely on your husband or wife, your parents or anyone else for the encounter that only you can receive. You have to cry out to God, and keep on until you know you have broken through. Like Jacob, it might mean a whole night in prayer, wrestling with the Lord to overcome. It may mean that you take some time off or clear your diary so that you can just pray and call out to God so that you can receive a life changing breakthrough (see story of Billy Graham and Stephen Olford). The call of God is one thing. The anointing of God is quite another. And the anointing of God comes when you say to God, ‘I will not let you go unless you bless me'. Jesus taught a parable in Luke 18 about a persistent widow who would not stop bothering the unjust judge until she received her breakthrough. We too need to have that kind of persistent faith. Decide that whatever your situation, you will call out to God with absolute determination.  3. You need to change. To overcome and walk in the way God wants us to, we have to change. Jacob had a call on his life but wasn't ready for what was to come. He needed to change. Something had to give. Something had to change. And that was Jacob himself. There were changes in 2 main areas of change. Firstly, Jacob had to be weakened to depend on God (Genesis 32:25,31). God was opening up new opportunities. But he no longer walked so self-confidently or with his previous swagger. His encounter with God had changed him. Secondly, Jacob was given a new name. Names in the Bible signify identity. So by being given a new name, God was giving him a new identity. Before he was called Jacob which meant ‘deceiver' Now he was to be known as Israel, an overcomer (Genesis 32:28). He'd broken through to another level with God and with people. And God blessed him. And God wants to do the same for you. But first God wants to change you and remove things in your nature, your past, your reactions of anger, harshness, bitterness, negative speaking or living by your emotions. When you encounter God, you will be changed, and it will be evident to others. It was a new day of change for Jacob. And it was evident to everyone afterward that Jacob had encountered the Lord and been changed because he walked with a limp afterwards, and he had a new name and new nature. He'd broken through. God had made the way for him not only to be saved, but for him to see reconciliation in his family and a new future (Genesis 33:4). Today, you can overcome your past. You can call out to God in your time of great need, and you can be changed, ready for the great future the Lord has ahead of you. 

A real Christian is not someone who simply says they know about Jesus but is someone who has a personal experience of Jesus. There is a very big difference to being a Christian in name and being a Christian in reality. And that is the big theme that the apostle John focusses on in the five chapters of 1 John.    John writes about many ‘anti-Christs who have come' (1 John 2:18) so he wants people to know how to recognise and know the real Jesus, outlining several key truths about Jesus. 1. Jesus is God who came to Earth (John 1:1-2,14; 1 John 1:1-3; 1 John 4:2-3). 2. Jesus is the Son of God (John 20:31; 1 John 3:23; 1 John 4:15; 1 John 5:5) 3. Jesus is the saviour of the world (1 John 2:1-2; 1 John 3:16; John 3:16) 4. Jesus is coming again (1 John 2:28; Acts 1:9-11; Revelation 22:12) Apply   1. Jesus is God who came to Earth. Christianity is rooted in real history in real time. Jesus is a real person who was born in Israel 2000 years ago in the time of Roman rule. He was an observant Jew who became a well-known rabbi for His healing and teaching ministry in the region of Galilee. He suffered and was crucified under Pontius Pilate and His resurrection caused an explosion of Christian belief throughout the Roman empire. These are the facts of history, but who was Jesus? That's the question that caused great debate in the first century and continues to do so today. So, the apostle John wanted everybody to be clear who Jesus was (John 1:1-2,14; 1 John 1:1-3). The Greek word for Word refers to Jesus Christ, the eternally existing second person of the Trinity. In other words, John was not only saying that Jesus was God in human form walking on this earth, but also that he and the other disciples had firsthand experience of the eternal God being with them at a particular moment in time. They had seen Him and touched Him. To know Jesus is first to understand that God is great and Almighty way up in the heavens, and also that He came down to earth. He is called Emmanuel which means ‘God with us'. Knowing that Jesus came in the flesh is a sign of a real Christian (1 John 4:2-3). 2. Jesus is the Son of God. John explained that he wrote his gospel so people would believe in Jesus and have life through Him. (John 20:31). In his first epistle John states that it is a God given command to believe that Jesus is the Son of God and that this is a sure sign that someone is truly connected to God (1 John 3:23; 1 John 4:15; 1 John 5:5). Of course, other religions may believe and proclaim that Jesus was a prophet but as Christians we believe and proclaim what the first apostles proclaimed, and that Jesus was more than a prophet: He was and is the Son of the God (see: CS Lewis ‘Mere Christianity' and Bono from U2 references on Jesus being the Son of God). 3. Jesus is the saviour of the world (1 John 2:1-2; 1 John 3:16; John 3:16). What John is saying is that God loves all people, of all colours, from all cultures, all nations and all religious backgrounds. He loves Muslims, Jews, Hindus, Sikhs, atheists and Christians. He loves you and He loves me. Jesus died on the cross to pay the sins of the whole world. John here is giving us reassurance that Jesus is in our corner petitioning for us to the Father. He is our advocate. So don't allow yourself to feel guilty for your sins but come and confess your sins and receive the forgiveness that Christ offers to us when we trust and believe in Him.  4. Jesus is coming again (1 John 2:28). There are many references in the New Testament to the Second Coming of Jesus Christ, all promising that He will return to earth with great power and glory. John was with the disciples when Jesus ascended to Heaven and was promised to return (Acts 1:9-11). Today the return of Jesus is much closer than we know so we need to get ready (Revelation 22:12). So how confident are you that you will be ready to meet Jesus on that day? How confident are you that your sins are washed away? Today we must ask ourselves, do we really know Jesus? Well, if you are not sure, this your moment to get to know Him personally. Right now, you can have an encounter with Jesus.

A real Christian is not someone who simply says they know about Jesus but is someone who has a personal experience of Jesus. There is a very big difference to being a Christian in name and being a Christian in reality. And that is the big theme that the apostle John focusses on in the five chapters of 1 John.    John writes about many ‘anti-Christs who have come' (1 John 2:18) so he wants people to know how to recognise and know the real Jesus, outlining several key truths about Jesus. 1. Jesus is God who came to Earth (John 1:1-2,14; 1 John 1:1-3; 1 John 4:2-3). 2. Jesus is the Son of God (John 20:31; 1 John 3:23; 1 John 4:15; 1 John 5:5) 3. Jesus is the saviour of the world (1 John 2:1-2; 1 John 3:16; John 3:16) 4. Jesus is coming again (1 John 2:28; Acts 1:9-11; Revelation 22:12) Apply   1. Jesus is God who came to Earth. Christianity is rooted in real history in real time. Jesus is a real person who was born in Israel 2000 years ago in the time of Roman rule. He was an observant Jew who became a well-known rabbi for His healing and teaching ministry in the region of Galilee. He suffered and was crucified under Pontius Pilate and His resurrection caused an explosion of Christian belief throughout the Roman empire. These are the facts of history, but who was Jesus? That's the question that caused great debate in the first century and continues to do so today. So, the apostle John wanted everybody to be clear who Jesus was (John 1:1-2,14; 1 John 1:1-3). The Greek word for Word refers to Jesus Christ, the eternally existing second person of the Trinity. In other words, John was not only saying that Jesus was God in human form walking on this earth, but also that he and the other disciples had firsthand experience of the eternal God being with them at a particular moment in time. They had seen Him and touched Him. To know Jesus is first to understand that God is great and Almighty way up in the heavens, and also that He came down to earth. He is called Emmanuel which means ‘God with us'. Knowing that Jesus came in the flesh is a sign of a real Christian (1 John 4:2-3). 2. Jesus is the Son of God. John explained that he wrote his gospel so people would believe in Jesus and have life through Him. (John 20:31). In his first epistle John states that it is a God given command to believe that Jesus is the Son of God and that this is a sure sign that someone is truly connected to God (1 John 3:23; 1 John 4:15; 1 John 5:5). Of course, other religions may believe and proclaim that Jesus was a prophet but as Christians we believe and proclaim what the first apostles proclaimed, and that Jesus was more than a prophet: He was and is the Son of the God (see: CS Lewis ‘Mere Christianity' and Bono from U2 references on Jesus being the Son of God). 3. Jesus is the saviour of the world (1 John 2:1-2; 1 John 3:16; John 3:16). What John is saying is that God loves all people, of all colours, from all cultures, all nations and all religious backgrounds. He loves Muslims, Jews, Hindus, Sikhs, atheists and Christians. He loves you and He loves me. Jesus died on the cross to pay the sins of the whole world. John here is giving us reassurance that Jesus is in our corner petitioning for us to the Father. He is our advocate. So don't allow yourself to feel guilty for your sins but come and confess your sins and receive the forgiveness that Christ offers to us when we trust and believe in Him.  4. Jesus is coming again (1 John 2:28). There are many references in the New Testament to the Second Coming of Jesus Christ, all promising that He will return to earth with great power and glory. John was with the disciples when Jesus ascended to Heaven and was promised to return (Acts 1:9-11). Today the return of Jesus is much closer than we know so we need to get ready (Revelation 22:12). So how confident are you that you will be ready to meet Jesus on that day? How confident are you that your sins are washed away? Today we must ask ourselves, do we really know Jesus? Well, if you are not sure, this your moment to get to know Him personally. Right now, you can have an encounter with Jesus.

Confidence is one of the greatest keys to success in life. A top goal scorer in football will be confident that they should take the penalties because for sure they will beat the goalkeeper. A business person must be confident that they will make money no matter what the state of the economy. An architect must be confident that they can build the best buildings. At any level of life, confidence is something that inspires and encourages people. We all need confidence.     In our world today where we have so many challenges, we should know that we can live confident lives as a Christian. John, the last surviving disciple of Jesus who had lived through persecutions and problems, gives some very important keys to being confident. And this applies to everyone at every stage. We see from the word of God that it is God's plan and purpose for each one of us to live confidently and overcome challenges through Him (1 John 2:13-14). So, what has John got to teach us about confidence? 1. A real Christian has confidence from knowing God's love (1 John 3:1; 1 John 4:16-18; Romans 5:8; Acts 4:13; Daniel 11:32; John 10:14) 2. A real Christian has confidence from knowing God's word (Hebrews 4:12; Romans 10:17; Romans 12:2; Matthew 4:4; Ephesians 6:17; Psalm 23:4; John 15:7) 3. A real Christian has confidence by living free of condemnation (1 John 3:19-22) 4. A real Christian has confidence to overcome the world (1 John 4:4; 1 John 4:17-18; Matthew 16:25; 1 John 4:4; 1 John 5:4-5) 5. A real Christian has confidence that their prayers will be answered (1 John 5:14-15; Romans 12:1-2) Apply  1. A real Christian has confidence from knowing God's love. To know God is to know His love. His love is unconditional, overwhelming and overflowing (1 John 3:1; 1 John 4:16-18). God is your friend, there is no fear in love. There's confidence when we are not hiding anything from God, when we are forgiven, and He has taken away our shame. You can know you are in a safe place with people who love the Lord and are not out to make judgements about you. Where love is unconditional. It gives you confidence to speak openly without fear. That is how it is when we come into a relationship with God, but immeasurably more so than any human ever could give. God hasn't called us just to know about Him, to become outwardly religious, to just have good morals in life (which we must have), but to know Him up close and personally. He wants us to know we can be open and honest with Him about everything - the good, the bad and the ugly. He sees it all and still He loves us (Romans 5:8). The apostle John knew Jesus as His friend - he is called ‘the disciple Jesus loved'. Of all the apostles, John is considered the closest in relationship to Jesus. John was one of the first 2 disciples to follow Jesus of the 12. He was the only one at the foot of the cross when Jesus said His last words as He was being crucified. Knowing the love of Jesus changed the apostles dramatically, especially after His resurrection from the dead (Acts 4:13). It's been said that ‘it's not WHAT you know, but WHO you know that matters'. A real Christian has direct access to God who controls everything, but not all Christians realise this (Daniel 11:32). The more we know Jesus, the greater our confidence will be. You can come to know Jesus better by keeping lines of communication open all through your daily life, and by quickly obeying His commands. Invite God the Holy Spirit into every part of your life 24/7. You'll become the best employee, parent, leader, and the best version of you (John 10:14). 2. A real Christian has confidence from knowing God's word. John says ‘I write to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God lives in you, and you have overcome the evil one.' This means you have taken God's word to your heart and not just to your head (Hebrews 4:12). It gives you faith for miracles in your life (Romans 10:17). It is transformative for your thinking (Romans 12:2). It enables you to do life (Matthew 4:4). It makes you strong to overcome evil (Ephesians 6:17). It comforts you when you are in danger or loss (Psalm 23:4). Jesus gave us a promise that John wrote down wrote down and from His confident writing He clearly believed and practiced (John 15:7). Confidence from the word of God changes how we speak. To be confident, we must leave the language of failure behind us completely. There is no place for it in God's Kingdom. Declare to God ‘I am who You say I am', ‘I will do what You say I can do', ‘I will be what You say I can be'. Knowing the truth about who God says you really are and what it means to have Christ living in you makes you confident. Christians must speak up with confidence about the God they know personally and through the word of God, and call people everywhere into a relationship with Him through Jesus.  3. A real Christian has confidence by living free of condemnation. As Christians we are far from perfect, but God is changing us. We are not to judge ourselves harshly as we can do at times as that can lead to loss of confidence (1 John 3:19-22). This tells us that we are not the final judge of our own hearts, it says ‘God is greater than our hearts'. He convicts us of sin and leads sinners to repentance. When we have fully repented of sin, turned our back on it and left that lifestyle behind by the strength of God, we must not allow our hearts to condemn us. He is greater than our hearts. We are not to struggle and strive to prove anything about ourselves: He has paid the price for us to make us His own.  4. A real Christian has confidence to overcome the world (1 John 4:4; 1 John 4:17-18). Part of our growing up in Jesus is the realisation that ‘the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world'. When you embrace this truth, you will begin to face and overcome challenges with God's strength, not your own. Jesus living in us is greater than any weakness we have. He is greater than any fear because He overcame fear at the cross. He did all that as a man, without sinning. Jesus wants us to go further than just giving our lives to Him and then trying to work the rest out ourselves by being religious and failing. He wants to transform us from the inside out into overcomers like Jesus. By letting God love us we will live the way Jesus did in the world, and because of that, have confidence on the day of final judgement. But before we can overcome the world, we must first overcome ourselves! We must stop trusting in ourselves and start trusting God in everything. We cannot be like Jesus in this world and like our old self at the same time. We must repent of our own willfulness to go our own way, surrender our pride, our ego. This is not reformation, it is transformation. Jesus taught that the way to find your real life begins with surrendering the one you have right now (Matthew 16:25). A real Christian had their old life buried with Christ at His death. The new life God wants you to live every day looks nothing like the old, it looks like Jesus. Water baptism is just the start of your transformation journey. God wants to show you that your new self that is capable of thinking and acting like Jesus. He wants to grow Jesus in you from the inside out of your life. Let him do it! He doesn't need your help, He needs your cooperation. You will have confidence in this life and on the day of judgement when you acknowledge that ‘...the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world' (1 John 4:4). Then let God love you and love through you. It is Christ in us, not our willpower, that overcomes the world. It is our faith in Him. He is the overcomer. He is the one who fights our battles. Some of us have been to the bottom in life. Through sadness, through the loss of someone close to you, or disappointment, or betrayal by close friends. When you can ignore what your flesh wants to do and believe that Christ in you is stronger, and trust Him to strengthen you, you will find Jesus in your lowest valley and be strengthened by Him (1 John 5:4-5) 5. A real Christian has confidence that their prayers will be answered (1 John 5:14-15). God wants us to be confident that we can know His will; we can know that He hears us; and we can know we have what we asked for. A true Christian knows that following Jesus is a 2-way relationship: us to God and God to us, as well as horizontally to others. God wants us to know His will so that we can be confident in prayer. But doing so means change so we know what His will is and then pray that will (Romans 12:1-2). He will answer every prayer if we will live in union with Him. When we know Him, we will know His will for us because He'll make it known. When we are seeking Him for who He really is, we will find ourselves praying ‘Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven' all the time. That is a prayer God will answer.  

Confidence is one of the greatest keys to success in life. A top goal scorer in football will be confident that they should take the penalties because for sure they will beat the goalkeeper. A business person must be confident that they will make money no matter what the state of the economy. An architect must be confident that they can build the best buildings. At any level of life, confidence is something that inspires and encourages people. We all need confidence.     In our world today where we have so many challenges, we should know that we can live confident lives as a Christian. John, the last surviving disciple of Jesus who had lived through persecutions and problems, gives some very important keys to being confident. And this applies to everyone at every stage. We see from the word of God that it is God's plan and purpose for each one of us to live confidently and overcome challenges through Him (1 John 2:13-14). So, what has John got to teach us about confidence? 1. A real Christian has confidence from knowing God's love (1 John 3:1; 1 John 4:16-18; Romans 5:8; Acts 4:13; Daniel 11:32; John 10:14) 2. A real Christian has confidence from knowing God's word (Hebrews 4:12; Romans 10:17; Romans 12:2; Matthew 4:4; Ephesians 6:17; Psalm 23:4; John 15:7) 3. A real Christian has confidence by living free of condemnation (1 John 3:19-22) 4. A real Christian has confidence to overcome the world (1 John 4:4; 1 John 4:17-18; Matthew 16:25; 1 John 4:4; 1 John 5:4-5) 5. A real Christian has confidence that their prayers will be answered (1 John 5:14-15; Romans 12:1-2) Apply  1. A real Christian has confidence from knowing God's love. To know God is to know His love. His love is unconditional, overwhelming and overflowing (1 John 3:1; 1 John 4:16-18). God is your friend, there is no fear in love. There's confidence when we are not hiding anything from God, when we are forgiven, and He has taken away our shame. You can know you are in a safe place with people who love the Lord and are not out to make judgements about you. Where love is unconditional. It gives you confidence to speak openly without fear. That is how it is when we come into a relationship with God, but immeasurably more so than any human ever could give. God hasn't called us just to know about Him, to become outwardly religious, to just have good morals in life (which we must have), but to know Him up close and personally. He wants us to know we can be open and honest with Him about everything - the good, the bad and the ugly. He sees it all and still He loves us (Romans 5:8). The apostle John knew Jesus as His friend - he is called ‘the disciple Jesus loved'. Of all the apostles, John is considered the closest in relationship to Jesus. John was one of the first 2 disciples to follow Jesus of the 12. He was the only one at the foot of the cross when Jesus said His last words as He was being crucified. Knowing the love of Jesus changed the apostles dramatically, especially after His resurrection from the dead (Acts 4:13). It's been said that ‘it's not WHAT you know, but WHO you know that matters'. A real Christian has direct access to God who controls everything, but not all Christians realise this (Daniel 11:32). The more we know Jesus, the greater our confidence will be. You can come to know Jesus better by keeping lines of communication open all through your daily life, and by quickly obeying His commands. Invite God the Holy Spirit into every part of your life 24/7. You'll become the best employee, parent, leader, and the best version of you (John 10:14). 2. A real Christian has confidence from knowing God's word. John says ‘I write to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God lives in you, and you have overcome the evil one.' This means you have taken God's word to your heart and not just to your head (Hebrews 4:12). It gives you faith for miracles in your life (Romans 10:17). It is transformative for your thinking (Romans 12:2). It enables you to do life (Matthew 4:4). It makes you strong to overcome evil (Ephesians 6:17). It comforts you when you are in danger or loss (Psalm 23:4). Jesus gave us a promise that John wrote down wrote down and from His confident writing He clearly believed and practiced (John 15:7). Confidence from the word of God changes how we speak. To be confident, we must leave the language of failure behind us completely. There is no place for it in God's Kingdom. Declare to God ‘I am who You say I am', ‘I will do what You say I can do', ‘I will be what You say I can be'. Knowing the truth about who God says you really are and what it means to have Christ living in you makes you confident. Christians must speak up with confidence about the God they know personally and through the word of God, and call people everywhere into a relationship with Him through Jesus.  3. A real Christian has confidence by living free of condemnation. As Christians we are far from perfect, but God is changing us. We are not to judge ourselves harshly as we can do at times as that can lead to loss of confidence (1 John 3:19-22). This tells us that we are not the final judge of our own hearts, it says ‘God is greater than our hearts'. He convicts us of sin and leads sinners to repentance. When we have fully repented of sin, turned our back on it and left that lifestyle behind by the strength of God, we must not allow our hearts to condemn us. He is greater than our hearts. We are not to struggle and strive to prove anything about ourselves: He has paid the price for us to make us His own.  4. A real Christian has confidence to overcome the world (1 John 4:4; 1 John 4:17-18). Part of our growing up in Jesus is the realisation that ‘the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world'. When you embrace this truth, you will begin to face and overcome challenges with God's strength, not your own. Jesus living in us is greater than any weakness we have. He is greater than any fear because He overcame fear at the cross. He did all that as a man, without sinning. Jesus wants us to go further than just giving our lives to Him and then trying to work the rest out ourselves by being religious and failing. He wants to transform us from the inside out into overcomers like Jesus. By letting God love us we will live the way Jesus did in the world, and because of that, have confidence on the day of final judgement. But before we can overcome the world, we must first overcome ourselves! We must stop trusting in ourselves and start trusting God in everything. We cannot be like Jesus in this world and like our old self at the same time. We must repent of our own willfulness to go our own way, surrender our pride, our ego. This is not reformation, it is transformation. Jesus taught that the way to find your real life begins with surrendering the one you have right now (Matthew 16:25). A real Christian had their old life buried with Christ at His death. The new life God wants you to live every day looks nothing like the old, it looks like Jesus. Water baptism is just the start of your transformation journey. God wants to show you that your new self that is capable of thinking and acting like Jesus. He wants to grow Jesus in you from the inside out of your life. Let him do it! He doesn't need your help, He needs your cooperation. You will have confidence in this life and on the day of judgement when you acknowledge that ‘...the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world' (1 John 4:4). Then let God love you and love through you. It is Christ in us, not our willpower, that overcomes the world. It is our faith in Him. He is the overcomer. He is the one who fights our battles. Some of us have been to the bottom in life. Through sadness, through the loss of someone close to you, or disappointment, or betrayal by close friends. When you can ignore what your flesh wants to do and believe that Christ in you is stronger, and trust Him to strengthen you, you will find Jesus in your lowest valley and be strengthened by Him (1 John 5:4-5) 5. A real Christian has confidence that their prayers will be answered (1 John 5:14-15). God wants us to be confident that we can know His will; we can know that He hears us; and we can know we have what we asked for. A true Christian knows that following Jesus is a 2-way relationship: us to God and God to us, as well as horizontally to others. God wants us to know His will so that we can be confident in prayer. But doing so means change so we know what His will is and then pray that will (Romans 12:1-2). He will answer every prayer if we will live in union with Him. When we know Him, we will know His will for us because He'll make it known. When we are seeking Him for who He really is, we will find ourselves praying ‘Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven' all the time. That is a prayer God will answer.  

In today's world where there is so much fake news and so many false narratives, we are discovering in just five chapters, some of the clearest proofs of whether someone is or is not a genuine disciple of Jesus. For someone known as the apostle of love, John is very direct. And today we look at some other hard-hitting teachings of John that will leave us in no doubt as to whether someone is a real Christian. John writes that a real Christian won't keep sinning (1 John 3:6,9-10).   Now many people are confused about this word sin, but the Bible teaches that everyone has sinned in some way. We have all done wrong and become separated from God. And because of our sins Jesus needed to die on the Cross so that we can be forgiven for our sins and live a new life of purity after we have turned from our sins.   Of course, a Christian may fail and sin, but a real Christian cannot continue to deliberately pursue a life of sin. Once we are forgiven, we are to live differently to the sinful life we lived before (John 8:10-11). Jesus, like his disciple John, was very clear: a real Christian leaves the old life of sin to live a new life.   A real Christian cannot follow God and the devil. There is no middle way (1 John 3:7-8). In other words, it is not possible to live with one foot in the kingdom of God and one in the devil's kingdom. You can't play with sin and expect God's blessing.   In the Old Testament we read about one great man who had the anointing of God. He was blessed by God. He had great strength. In fact, he was the leader of his country for a while. His name was Samson. But he had a fatal weakness for women. He had sexual relationships with different women, who were certainly were not followers of God. Although they tempted him and betrayed him to his enemies, Samson kept on sinning. He thought God's anointing would always get him out of trouble. But one day he discovered that his enemies conquered him because ‘he did not know that the Lord had left him' (Judges 16:20). This has been described as one of the scariest verses in the bible. “He did not know that the Lord had left him.'   Whether younger or older you cannot presume on the mercy of God if you keep on sinning. Or as John says here: you can't keep sinning. A real Christian not only has faith in Jesus but turns from their sin to pursue a life of purity. We see some core reasons from John's epistle explaining why we can't continue to sin.  1. We must not continue to sin because of the price Jesus paid to cleanse us from our sins (1 John 1:7; 1 John 2:1-2; Isaiah 53:5; Romans 5:8; Hebrews 10:26-27; Romans 6:1-2) 2. We must not continue to sin because God calls us to confess our sins (1 John‬ ‭1‬:‭9).‬‬‬ 3. We must not continue to sin because God wants to set us free from the power of sin (1 John 3:8) 4. We must not continue to sin because it is contrary to the new life that God has given us (1 John 3:9; Psalm 51:1-2,10-12; 1 John 5:18; 2 Peter 1:3). Apply   1. We must not continue to sin because of the price Jesus paid to cleanse us from our sins (1 John 1:7; 1 John 2:1-2). Never take for granted the sacrifice Jesus made because of His love for you. We should turn from sin because our salvation came at a price. That price was the blood of Jesus (Isaiah 53:5). Through His sacrifice on the cross, He paid the penalty for our sin. Our sinful behaviour that separated us from the holy, almighty God was paid in full by the blood of Jesus (Romans 5:8). To keep deliberately sinning is to devalue and disrespect what Jesus did on the cross and comes with a warning (Hebrews 10:26-27). Our appreciation of Christ's death on the cross should mean that we die to sin (Romans 6:1-2).   2. We must not continue to sin because God calls us to confess our sins. Light and darkness cannot coexist. We must come out of the darkness and into God's light and we do that when we bring our sins out into the light (1 John‬ ‭1‬:‭9).‬‬‬‬ Confession means that we get real with God and come into fellowship with God. So always confess any sin, that way you will stay in the light and live free from sin.   3. We must not continue to sin because God wants to set us free from the power of sin (1 John 3:8). Jesus doesn't want His children to be held prisoner in any way. He doesn't want you to live a life of guilt and condemnation. You don't have to be a slave to anything: sexual sins, addictions, depression. It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. And He wants you to keep living in freedom. He doesn't want you to go back into the slave-world of sin.   4. We must not continue to sin because it is contrary to the new life that God has given us (1 John 3:9). What does this mean in real life? Well, if you are someone who says you have given their life to the Lord, you can't continue to sleep with your boyfriend or girlfriend outside of marriage. Or if you've been stealing; you can't do that anymore. If you have been negative or bitter, spoken badly about others, you must change. You can't hang out any longer with so called friends who have no time or respect for God. A true Christian knows that God has put a new nature within us. He has planted a seed of holiness. He has changed our DNA. When a sinner sins it is because that it the natural outcome of a sinful nature. When a Christian, sins it is against the new nature of a child of God. A Christian feels bad. A Christian knows this is against how they want to live. A Christian says like King David, ‘I have sinned, but I want to get back to living right' (Psalm 51:1-2,10-12). That is the prayer of someone who has the heart of God. You don't want to sin but if you do you want to put things right. Why? because you have the seed of God's life in you. And you can be sure that God wants to help you and protect you in an unclean and dark world (1 John 5:18). In other words, the Devil is out to get you, but you CAN resist and overcome the Devil. He has given the Holy Spirit to strengthen you (2 Peter 1:3). Every day, instead of sinning more and more, you can conquer more and more. You can become more and more like Jesus. Like Moses who spent so much time in God's presence, even your face can shine with the glory of God.   This then is one very clear way to spot a real Christian. If you are a real Christian, you will change from living a life of sin. You will confess your sins and be cleansed from your sins. You will decide to leave your old sinful way of life. You will learn to conquer sin. You will continue to grow in purity and have a longing to live a holy life. And you can be sure that the Holy Spirit will help you. What is the true state of your life and relationship with God? The religious like to appear that they're living right but they're not. So, what is the condition of your life? Have you been living in guilt? Have you been living a double life? Is there hidden sin? Today cry out for the spirit of God to help us and to give us the will to live a holy life. 

In today's world where there is so much fake news and so many false narratives, we are discovering in just five chapters, some of the clearest proofs of whether someone is or is not a genuine disciple of Jesus. For someone known as the apostle of love, John is very direct. And today we look at some other hard-hitting teachings of John that will leave us in no doubt as to whether someone is a real Christian. John writes that a real Christian won't keep sinning (1 John 3:6,9-10).   Now many people are confused about this word sin, but the Bible teaches that everyone has sinned in some way. We have all done wrong and become separated from God. And because of our sins Jesus needed to die on the Cross so that we can be forgiven for our sins and live a new life of purity after we have turned from our sins.   Of course, a Christian may fail and sin, but a real Christian cannot continue to deliberately pursue a life of sin. Once we are forgiven, we are to live differently to the sinful life we lived before (John 8:10-11). Jesus, like his disciple John, was very clear: a real Christian leaves the old life of sin to live a new life.   A real Christian cannot follow God and the devil. There is no middle way (1 John 3:7-8). In other words, it is not possible to live with one foot in the kingdom of God and one in the devil's kingdom. You can't play with sin and expect God's blessing.   In the Old Testament we read about one great man who had the anointing of God. He was blessed by God. He had great strength. In fact, he was the leader of his country for a while. His name was Samson. But he had a fatal weakness for women. He had sexual relationships with different women, who were certainly were not followers of God. Although they tempted him and betrayed him to his enemies, Samson kept on sinning. He thought God's anointing would always get him out of trouble. But one day he discovered that his enemies conquered him because ‘he did not know that the Lord had left him' (Judges 16:20). This has been described as one of the scariest verses in the bible. “He did not know that the Lord had left him.'   Whether younger or older you cannot presume on the mercy of God if you keep on sinning. Or as John says here: you can't keep sinning. A real Christian not only has faith in Jesus but turns from their sin to pursue a life of purity. We see some core reasons from John's epistle explaining why we can't continue to sin.  1. We must not continue to sin because of the price Jesus paid to cleanse us from our sins (1 John 1:7; 1 John 2:1-2; Isaiah 53:5; Romans 5:8; Hebrews 10:26-27; Romans 6:1-2) 2. We must not continue to sin because God calls us to confess our sins (1 John‬ ‭1‬:‭9).‬‬‬ 3. We must not continue to sin because God wants to set us free from the power of sin (1 John 3:8) 4. We must not continue to sin because it is contrary to the new life that God has given us (1 John 3:9; Psalm 51:1-2,10-12; 1 John 5:18; 2 Peter 1:3). Apply   1. We must not continue to sin because of the price Jesus paid to cleanse us from our sins (1 John 1:7; 1 John 2:1-2). Never take for granted the sacrifice Jesus made because of His love for you. We should turn from sin because our salvation came at a price. That price was the blood of Jesus (Isaiah 53:5). Through His sacrifice on the cross, He paid the penalty for our sin. Our sinful behaviour that separated us from the holy, almighty God was paid in full by the blood of Jesus (Romans 5:8). To keep deliberately sinning is to devalue and disrespect what Jesus did on the cross and comes with a warning (Hebrews 10:26-27). Our appreciation of Christ's death on the cross should mean that we die to sin (Romans 6:1-2).   2. We must not continue to sin because God calls us to confess our sins. Light and darkness cannot coexist. We must come out of the darkness and into God's light and we do that when we bring our sins out into the light (1 John‬ ‭1‬:‭9).‬‬‬‬ Confession means that we get real with God and come into fellowship with God. So always confess any sin, that way you will stay in the light and live free from sin.   3. We must not continue to sin because God wants to set us free from the power of sin (1 John 3:8). Jesus doesn't want His children to be held prisoner in any way. He doesn't want you to live a life of guilt and condemnation. You don't have to be a slave to anything: sexual sins, addictions, depression. It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. And He wants you to keep living in freedom. He doesn't want you to go back into the slave-world of sin.   4. We must not continue to sin because it is contrary to the new life that God has given us (1 John 3:9). What does this mean in real life? Well, if you are someone who says you have given their life to the Lord, you can't continue to sleep with your boyfriend or girlfriend outside of marriage. Or if you've been stealing; you can't do that anymore. If you have been negative or bitter, spoken badly about others, you must change. You can't hang out any longer with so called friends who have no time or respect for God. A true Christian knows that God has put a new nature within us. He has planted a seed of holiness. He has changed our DNA. When a sinner sins it is because that it the natural outcome of a sinful nature. When a Christian, sins it is against the new nature of a child of God. A Christian feels bad. A Christian knows this is against how they want to live. A Christian says like King David, ‘I have sinned, but I want to get back to living right' (Psalm 51:1-2,10-12). That is the prayer of someone who has the heart of God. You don't want to sin but if you do you want to put things right. Why? because you have the seed of God's life in you. And you can be sure that God wants to help you and protect you in an unclean and dark world (1 John 5:18). In other words, the Devil is out to get you, but you CAN resist and overcome the Devil. He has given the Holy Spirit to strengthen you (2 Peter 1:3). Every day, instead of sinning more and more, you can conquer more and more. You can become more and more like Jesus. Like Moses who spent so much time in God's presence, even your face can shine with the glory of God.   This then is one very clear way to spot a real Christian. If you are a real Christian, you will change from living a life of sin. You will confess your sins and be cleansed from your sins. You will decide to leave your old sinful way of life. You will learn to conquer sin. You will continue to grow in purity and have a longing to live a holy life. And you can be sure that the Holy Spirit will help you. What is the true state of your life and relationship with God? The religious like to appear that they're living right but they're not. So, what is the condition of your life? Have you been living in guilt? Have you been living a double life? Is there hidden sin? Today cry out for the spirit of God to help us and to give us the will to live a holy life. 

If you want to know how to spot a real Christian, it's actually very simple. A real Christian will truly love and care for their fellow Christians no matter how imperfect they may be. A real Christian must love other Christians.    Unity is a sign of the real love for fellow Christians that Jesus declared was a mark of true discipleship, saying ‘By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another' (John 13:35). In other words, you can't call yourself a Christian if you hate or hurt a fellow Christian. You can't speak in tongues on Sunday and oppress people on every other day. It's just not possible if you are a true follower of Jesus (see story of South Arican pastor Frank Chikane).   One of the greatest pieces of evidence that you are a Christian is that you will love your fellow Christians whoever they are…black, white, brown, older or younger, male or female. The love mentioned here is not romantic love but love at its highest and most caring that reveals and reflects God's heart of love.   In the first epistle of John, which we are studying, the last surviving disciple of Jesus repeatedly emphasised that that love for fellow Christians was one of the clearest ways to spot a real Christian. And he is very direct as he explains what this means.  1. Love for your fellow Christians is a commandment (1 John 3:23-24; 1 John 4:20-21; 1 John 5:1-2; John 13:34; John 15:12; John 15:17) 2. Love for your fellow Christians is a sign that you have left the kingdom of darkness for the kingdom of light (1 John 2:9-11; 1 John 3:10-15) 3. Love for your fellow Christians means practically caring for one another (1 John 3:17-18; Matthew 15:32; Matthew 25:35-36; Galatians 6:10) 4. Love for your fellow Christians means being friends with one another (John 15:14-15; 1 John 3:21; 1 John 4:1; 1 John 4:7) 5. Love for your fellow Christians means being open and transparent with one another (1 John 1:7) 6. Love for your fellow Christians means being sacrificial for one another (1 John 3:16; John 15:13; Acts 2:44-47; Ephesians 4:2,32) 7. Love for fellow Christians means first experiencing God's love (1 John 3:1; 1 John 4:19; 1 John 4:16; John 15:10) Apply   1. Love for your fellow Christians is a commandment. Love for fellow Christians is essential, not optional, for a real disciple of Jesus. It's a clear command (1 John 3:23-24; 1 John 4:20-21; 1 John 5:1-2). You thought there were just 10 commandments? Well, Jesus says: ‘A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another' (John 13:34; John 15:12; John 15:17).   2. Love for your fellow Christians is a sign that you have left the kingdom of darkness for the kingdom of light. The opposite to love is hate and if you have hate in your heart towards a brother or sister, it is proof that you are still living in darkness. If you have hatred and anger in your heart, you may not be the Christian that you think you are or appear to be (1 John 2:9-11; 1 John 3:10-15). So passing from death to life means that you have passed out of living with hate to living with love. Real Christians can't be hate-filled, cruel, critical, bitter, hard-hearted, judgemental and unforgiving towards one another. None of us can afford to have a wrong attitude toward anyone else or badmouth anyone. You must love the person next to you (and if that's a family member, that's even more the case) and you must love the person you may not want to sit next to. It doesn't matter whether you are young or old, man or woman or from different social, economic and racial backgrounds we are called to love one another.    3. Love for your fellow Christians means practically caring for one another (1 John 3:17-18). Jesus loved people and looked out to meet their needs, spiritually and practically. He fed the multitudes with the word of God and with actual bread and fish. Jesus cared for people's souls, and He cared for their physical well-being (Matthew 15:32). Jesus taught His followers to care for the poor, oppressed and marginalised (Matthew 25:35-36). A real Christians must: Feed the hungry; Give water to the thirsty; Welcome the stranger or the foreigner; Clothe the naked and poor; Look after the sick; and Visit the prisoner. So, loving one another means we have a tender heart towards others that moves us to do something to help people in any way we can locally and globally, on a big scale and in our personal interactions. The apostle Paul shows us that practical care starts at home and in the church family (Galatians 6:10). To help the world, first model it in the Christian community.   4. Love for your fellow Christians means being friends with one another (John 15:14-15; 1 John 3:21; 1 John 4:1; 1 John 4:7). Now this is, in fact, a very necessary teaching because people have often been Christians for many years but have no real friends. Many leaders are lonely because they have been taught not to get too close to people. But God does not want a church composed of people who are lonely, formal and insecure but people who are at ease with one another, who can laugh and cry and pray and play together. The disciples were once a bunch of individuals and rivals who had their own agendas and ambitions. But Jesus formed them into a team of friends. The Bible says that to have friends you must be friendly. We have to reach out to another and be faithful to one another. Each one of us should aim not just to have good friends but to be good friends with our fellow Christians, especially in core group of committed disciples.   5. Love for your fellow Christians means being open and transparent with one another (1 John 1:7). Fellowship comes when we walk in the light. So many people are bound because of hidden sins, festering resentments, petty jealousies, judgemental attitudes and so on. All these things must go to move forward in loving one another. Jesus modelled that relationships must be transparent (John 15:15). So too we should be open and not to put up barriers and defences of unreality. Friendship means that we don't just share meetings, but that we meet in sharing heart and life.    6. Love for your fellow Christians means being sacrificial for one another (1 John 3:16). Here John is emphasising what he learned from Jesus directly (John 15:13). True love is not about you and me and what we can receive. But it's about what we will give to others. All genuine love costs something. It may cost us money to help others. The first century church was a very large congregation of thousands of people but it was also a caring sharing community (Acts 2:44-45). It may cost us time to be with others (Acts 2:46-47. It may cost us position to love another. King Saul's son Jonathan was faithful to David when he was wrongly accused, even though it cost his crown. He was prepared to risk opposition and misunderstanding rather than betray David and see a good man destroyed. It may cost us our pride to love one another. You must be prepared to take the initiative to say sorry and be vulnerable (Ephesians 4:2,32). It may cost us our lives. Jesus was prepared to give everything to show His love for His disciples. How far would we go to save our brothers and sisters from harm and danger?   7. Love for fellow Christians means first experiencing God's love. John described himself as the disciple Jesus loved and was totally confident in the love of God (1 John 3:1; 1 John 4:19; 1 John 4:16). The reason John and the other disciples could love their fellow disciples and believers was because they each knew how much Jesus loved them. They had seen how Jesus prayed for them. They had discovered just how much Jesus believed in them despite their faults and failures and arguments among themselves. They had seen how Jesus loved them enough to challenge and correct them but had always stuck with them. They had seen how Jesus restored them after they had quit on Him. They had seen and felt how Jesus never stopped loving them. Today maybe your greatest need is to truly experience the love of God for yourself. Maybe you find it hard to show much grace and mercy because you haven't experienced much grace and mercy. Maybe you struggle to forgive because you don't know what it is to be fully forgiven. You still carry guilt and condemnation. Maybe you are too hard on others because your own heart needs to be softened by the love of God. Well the good news is that Jesus loves you totally and unconditionally. You may have a hard heart, but He still loves you. You may have lost your way and your passion for God, but He still loves you. You may have a lot of bitterness and anger deep inside you, but He still loves you. And today if you will open your heart to the Holy Spirit, you can receive this love. Today decide to obey Jesus and live a life of love. Ask Him to forgive you, to cleanse you and heal your heart so that you can forgive others and bring healing and restoration of damaged relationships (John 15:10). 

If you want to know how to spot a real Christian, it's actually very simple. A real Christian will truly love and care for their fellow Christians no matter how imperfect they may be. A real Christian must love other Christians.    Unity is a sign of the real love for fellow Christians that Jesus declared was a mark of true discipleship, saying ‘By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another' (John 13:35). In other words, you can't call yourself a Christian if you hate or hurt a fellow Christian. You can't speak in tongues on Sunday and oppress people on every other day. It's just not possible if you are a true follower of Jesus (see story of South Arican pastor Frank Chikane).   One of the greatest pieces of evidence that you are a Christian is that you will love your fellow Christians whoever they are…black, white, brown, older or younger, male or female. The love mentioned here is not romantic love but love at its highest and most caring that reveals and reflects God's heart of love.   In the first epistle of John, which we are studying, the last surviving disciple of Jesus repeatedly emphasised that that love for fellow Christians was one of the clearest ways to spot a real Christian. And he is very direct as he explains what this means.  1. Love for your fellow Christians is a commandment (1 John 3:23-24; 1 John 4:20-21; 1 John 5:1-2; John 13:34; John 15:12; John 15:17) 2. Love for your fellow Christians is a sign that you have left the kingdom of darkness for the kingdom of light (1 John 2:9-11; 1 John 3:10-15) 3. Love for your fellow Christians means practically caring for one another (1 John 3:17-18; Matthew 15:32; Matthew 25:35-36; Galatians 6:10) 4. Love for your fellow Christians means being friends with one another (John 15:14-15; 1 John 3:21; 1 John 4:1; 1 John 4:7) 5. Love for your fellow Christians means being open and transparent with one another (1 John 1:7) 6. Love for your fellow Christians means being sacrificial for one another (1 John 3:16; John 15:13; Acts 2:44-47; Ephesians 4:2,32) 7. Love for fellow Christians means first experiencing God's love (1 John 3:1; 1 John 4:19; 1 John 4:16; John 15:10) Apply   1. Love for your fellow Christians is a commandment. Love for fellow Christians is essential, not optional, for a real disciple of Jesus. It's a clear command (1 John 3:23-24; 1 John 4:20-21; 1 John 5:1-2). You thought there were just 10 commandments? Well, Jesus says: ‘A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another' (John 13:34; John 15:12; John 15:17).   2. Love for your fellow Christians is a sign that you have left the kingdom of darkness for the kingdom of light. The opposite to love is hate and if you have hate in your heart towards a brother or sister, it is proof that you are still living in darkness. If you have hatred and anger in your heart, you may not be the Christian that you think you are or appear to be (1 John 2:9-11; 1 John 3:10-15). So passing from death to life means that you have passed out of living with hate to living with love. Real Christians can't be hate-filled, cruel, critical, bitter, hard-hearted, judgemental and unforgiving towards one another. None of us can afford to have a wrong attitude toward anyone else or badmouth anyone. You must love the person next to you (and if that's a family member, that's even more the case) and you must love the person you may not want to sit next to. It doesn't matter whether you are young or old, man or woman or from different social, economic and racial backgrounds we are called to love one another.    3. Love for your fellow Christians means practically caring for one another (1 John 3:17-18). Jesus loved people and looked out to meet their needs, spiritually and practically. He fed the multitudes with the word of God and with actual bread and fish. Jesus cared for people's souls, and He cared for their physical well-being (Matthew 15:32). Jesus taught His followers to care for the poor, oppressed and marginalised (Matthew 25:35-36). A real Christians must: Feed the hungry; Give water to the thirsty; Welcome the stranger or the foreigner; Clothe the naked and poor; Look after the sick; and Visit the prisoner. So, loving one another means we have a tender heart towards others that moves us to do something to help people in any way we can locally and globally, on a big scale and in our personal interactions. The apostle Paul shows us that practical care starts at home and in the church family (Galatians 6:10). To help the world, first model it in the Christian community.   4. Love for your fellow Christians means being friends with one another (John 15:14-15; 1 John 3:21; 1 John 4:1; 1 John 4:7). Now this is, in fact, a very necessary teaching because people have often been Christians for many years but have no real friends. Many leaders are lonely because they have been taught not to get too close to people. But God does not want a church composed of people who are lonely, formal and insecure but people who are at ease with one another, who can laugh and cry and pray and play together. The disciples were once a bunch of individuals and rivals who had their own agendas and ambitions. But Jesus formed them into a team of friends. The Bible says that to have friends you must be friendly. We have to reach out to another and be faithful to one another. Each one of us should aim not just to have good friends but to be good friends with our fellow Christians, especially in core group of committed disciples.   5. Love for your fellow Christians means being open and transparent with one another (1 John 1:7). Fellowship comes when we walk in the light. So many people are bound because of hidden sins, festering resentments, petty jealousies, judgemental attitudes and so on. All these things must go to move forward in loving one another. Jesus modelled that relationships must be transparent (John 15:15). So too we should be open and not to put up barriers and defences of unreality. Friendship means that we don't just share meetings, but that we meet in sharing heart and life.    6. Love for your fellow Christians means being sacrificial for one another (1 John 3:16). Here John is emphasising what he learned from Jesus directly (John 15:13). True love is not about you and me and what we can receive. But it's about what we will give to others. All genuine love costs something. It may cost us money to help others. The first century church was a very large congregation of thousands of people but it was also a caring sharing community (Acts 2:44-45). It may cost us time to be with others (Acts 2:46-47. It may cost us position to love another. King Saul's son Jonathan was faithful to David when he was wrongly accused, even though it cost his crown. He was prepared to risk opposition and misunderstanding rather than betray David and see a good man destroyed. It may cost us our pride to love one another. You must be prepared to take the initiative to say sorry and be vulnerable (Ephesians 4:2,32). It may cost us our lives. Jesus was prepared to give everything to show His love for His disciples. How far would we go to save our brothers and sisters from harm and danger?   7. Love for fellow Christians means first experiencing God's love. John described himself as the disciple Jesus loved and was totally confident in the love of God (1 John 3:1; 1 John 4:19; 1 John 4:16). The reason John and the other disciples could love their fellow disciples and believers was because they each knew how much Jesus loved them. They had seen how Jesus prayed for them. They had discovered just how much Jesus believed in them despite their faults and failures and arguments among themselves. They had seen how Jesus loved them enough to challenge and correct them but had always stuck with them. They had seen how Jesus restored them after they had quit on Him. They had seen and felt how Jesus never stopped loving them. Today maybe your greatest need is to truly experience the love of God for yourself. Maybe you find it hard to show much grace and mercy because you haven't experienced much grace and mercy. Maybe you struggle to forgive because you don't know what it is to be fully forgiven. You still carry guilt and condemnation. Maybe you are too hard on others because your own heart needs to be softened by the love of God. Well the good news is that Jesus loves you totally and unconditionally. You may have a hard heart, but He still loves you. You may have lost your way and your passion for God, but He still loves you. You may have a lot of bitterness and anger deep inside you, but He still loves you. And today if you will open your heart to the Holy Spirit, you can receive this love. Today decide to obey Jesus and live a life of love. Ask Him to forgive you, to cleanse you and heal your heart so that you can forgive others and bring healing and restoration of damaged relationships (John 15:10). 

What matters most to us in life? What do we really value and love the most? Jesus told a story about a rich man who planned to be even more successful (Luke 12:18-20). Now John is known as the disciple of love, and he focused much of his writings on the love of God and Jesus's teachings about real love. In 1 John 2, he says that one of the distinctive signs of a real Christian is that they are not living for this world, nor loving the things of this world more than anything else. A real Christian loves God.  1 John 2:15-17 says: ‘Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.' (See also The Message translation).   As ever, the heart of the matter is the matter of the heart. This passage is clearly not against us loving people in the world, but it's a direct warning against us loving the world more than God. It all starts with the state of our hearts and being real about what we love most. This is so important, as these verses teach how it affects everything in our lives, both in this world and for eternity. We see some simple lessons we can apply to our lives from these verses.  1. A real Christian has love for the Father in them (1 John 2:15; Joshua 24:15; Matthew 22:37-38; 2 Timothy 4:10; John 14:15-16) 2. A real Christian does not love what the world offers (1 John 2:16; Luke 8:4) 2.a. The lusts of the flesh (Romans 13:13-14; Galatians 5:16-17; Mark 1:35) 2.b. The lusts of the eyes (Matthew 5:27-28; Matthew 6:20-24; 1 Timothy 6:12) 2.c. The pride of life (Matthew 23:5-7; 3 John 9; Matthew 20:26-28; Matthew 6:1) 3. A real Christian is focussed on doing the will of God (1 John 2:17; Matthew 26:39; John 6:40; John 14:2-3; 1 Corinthians 7:29-31; 1 John 5:2)  Apply  1. A real Christian has love for the Father in them (1 John 2:15). The Apostle John, writing to the church, sets out a warning about loving the world and goes so far as to say that if anyone loves the world, then love for the Father is not in them. Put simply, you cannot love God and love the world. Just as Joshua explained to the Israelites who had entered the promised land, there is a choice we each have to make about who or what we will love and live for (Joshua 24:15). And here, John gives the believers a clear distinction between God and “the world”. You cannot love both (Matthew 22:37-38). A real Christian is wholeheartedly in love with God, and gives the best of every part of their lives for Him. Of course you can enjoy things in this world. But at the end of the day, do you live for sport, for pleasure, for advancement: what are you living for? Love for God is everything, and it directly impacts how we live. Love for anything and everything else is a lesser love which will never satisfy. Love for the Father will be shown in our enduring faithfulness to God and to His people (2 Timothy 4:10). Jesus prayed for His disciples to be in the world but not of the world (John 14:15-16). Are you distinctive as in the world but not of the world? Are you recognisable as a real Christian because of your love for God instead of the world, or are you quick to trade time with God for what the world is offering you? We are recognisable as a real Christian when, whilst we live in the world, we really have love for the Father in our hearts which is seen in how we live.    2. A real Christian does not love what the world offers (1 John 2:16). John details three areas which can overtake our love for God. Jesus also warned us of these in the parable of the sower (Luke 8:4), teaching that even people who hear or know God's word can be ‘choked by life's worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature'.  2.a. The lusts of the flesh: This is all about satisfying our physical wants such as food, drink, and sexual desires (Romans 13:13-14; Galatians 5:16-17). What things does your flesh want you to do that you know are contrary to God's spirit? Do you desire to eat or drink too much, to take drugs, or watch pornography or violent films? Maybe it's the desire to stay in bed rather than to do as Jesus modelled and get up early to pray (Mark 1:35). We must change living by ‘I want, I feel...' to living according to the power of God's Holy Spirit who helps us resist doing just what our flesh wants us to.    2.b. The lusts of the eyes: In the Bible, the lust of the eyes is the sinful desire to possess things that are visually appealing. It's a temptation that can lead people to stray from God's Word in pursuit of material possessions and wrong relationships. Just as King David saw Bathsheba bathing on the rooftop and then took action to sleep with this married woman, so too our desire, our will, thoughts. time and plans can all chase after what our eyes have even just briefly glimpsed, and can lead to terrible, heartbreaking consequences. Jesus also taught His disciples this (Matthew 5:27-28). It comes back to the state of our hearts. What are you looking at? Why are you looking at it? Scrolling on social media and websites, especially late at night, can be very dangerous, for what you see can impact the desires of your heart. Jesus also taught that you must choose in your heart between loving God or loving money (Matthew 6:20-24). There is no ban on possessions or making money, but we can't love these things more than God (1 Timothy 6:12). The lust of the eyes can pull strongly on our heart if we have not decided that our treasure is first and foremost our relationship with God, and can lead to much suffering for ourselves and those around us too. So we must be careful to fix our eyes on what comes from God and not of the world.   2.c. The pride of life: This is where we focus on our social status and achievements, positions, titles, and qualifications. John saw Jesus directly challenge the Pharisees, the religious leaders of the day, on their prideful, hypocritical behaviour that went against everything they were teaching from the word of God (Matthew 23:5-7). The Bible says the Pharisees loved these things, and John wrote to his friend Gaius of his own experience of such people (3 John 9). Do you love to be first? To be recognised with titles, rewards and praise? Does it matter what position you hold or what people think of you? Even when serving the Lord, is it truly out of love for Him, or to be seen and approved by others? For all those of us who are parents, or even grandparents, how much pride do we take in our children and grandchildren? It's good to want them to do well but are we actually proud of their achievements as some reflected glory on us? The ‘pride of life' is something that we all must be alert to. For Jesus taught His disciples that they weren't to live this way (Matthew 20:26-28; Matthew 6:1). Everything the religious people did was a show. A real Christian loves their real relationship with God far more than the fleeting praise the world offers.    3. A real Christian is focussed on doing the will of God (1 John 2:17). This will affect us in this life and for all eternity. We show our love for the Father by doing the will of God. To do the Father's will is a choice, and it can cost us, but we have the promise of eternity with God as we do His will here on earth. The choice Jesus made in the Garden of Gethsemane to do God's will has assured our eternity (Matthew 26:39). One day this world and everything in it will end, and then there will be a new heaven and a new earth, where we will live forever with Jesus (John 6:40; John 14:2-3). The apostle Paul wrote ‘...the time is short...For this world in its present form is passing away' (1 Corinthians 7:29-31). So we must make use of the time we have here ‘by loving God and carrying out his commands' (1 John 5:2). Doing the will of God means sacrificially giving the time, money, and all that we are to build the kingdom of God and meet others' needs. Doing the Father's will shows us to be real Christians. We all have big choices to make. A real Christian has love for the Father in them. A real Christian does not love what the world offers, and a real Christian is focussed on doing the will of God. Today decide that you will love God and not the world. 

What matters most to us in life? What do we really value and love the most? Jesus told a story about a rich man who planned to be even more successful (Luke 12:18-20). Now John is known as the disciple of love, and he focused much of his writings on the love of God and Jesus's teachings about real love. In 1 John 2, he says that one of the distinctive signs of a real Christian is that they are not living for this world, nor loving the things of this world more than anything else. A real Christian loves God.  1 John 2:15-17 says: ‘Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.' (See also The Message translation).   As ever, the heart of the matter is the matter of the heart. This passage is clearly not against us loving people in the world, but it's a direct warning against us loving the world more than God. It all starts with the state of our hearts and being real about what we love most. This is so important, as these verses teach how it affects everything in our lives, both in this world and for eternity. We see some simple lessons we can apply to our lives from these verses.  1. A real Christian has love for the Father in them (1 John 2:15; Joshua 24:15; Matthew 22:37-38; 2 Timothy 4:10; John 14:15-16) 2. A real Christian does not love what the world offers (1 John 2:16; Luke 8:4) 2.a. The lusts of the flesh (Romans 13:13-14; Galatians 5:16-17; Mark 1:35) 2.b. The lusts of the eyes (Matthew 5:27-28; Matthew 6:20-24; 1 Timothy 6:12) 2.c. The pride of life (Matthew 23:5-7; 3 John 9; Matthew 20:26-28; Matthew 6:1) 3. A real Christian is focussed on doing the will of God (1 John 2:17; Matthew 26:39; John 6:40; John 14:2-3; 1 Corinthians 7:29-31; 1 John 5:2)  Apply  1. A real Christian has love for the Father in them (1 John 2:15). The Apostle John, writing to the church, sets out a warning about loving the world and goes so far as to say that if anyone loves the world, then love for the Father is not in them. Put simply, you cannot love God and love the world. Just as Joshua explained to the Israelites who had entered the promised land, there is a choice we each have to make about who or what we will love and live for (Joshua 24:15). And here, John gives the believers a clear distinction between God and “the world”. You cannot love both (Matthew 22:37-38). A real Christian is wholeheartedly in love with God, and gives the best of every part of their lives for Him. Of course you can enjoy things in this world. But at the end of the day, do you live for sport, for pleasure, for advancement: what are you living for? Love for God is everything, and it directly impacts how we live. Love for anything and everything else is a lesser love which will never satisfy. Love for the Father will be shown in our enduring faithfulness to God and to His people (2 Timothy 4:10). Jesus prayed for His disciples to be in the world but not of the world (John 14:15-16). Are you distinctive as in the world but not of the world? Are you recognisable as a real Christian because of your love for God instead of the world, or are you quick to trade time with God for what the world is offering you? We are recognisable as a real Christian when, whilst we live in the world, we really have love for the Father in our hearts which is seen in how we live.    2. A real Christian does not love what the world offers (1 John 2:16). John details three areas which can overtake our love for God. Jesus also warned us of these in the parable of the sower (Luke 8:4), teaching that even people who hear or know God's word can be ‘choked by life's worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature'.  2.a. The lusts of the flesh: This is all about satisfying our physical wants such as food, drink, and sexual desires (Romans 13:13-14; Galatians 5:16-17). What things does your flesh want you to do that you know are contrary to God's spirit? Do you desire to eat or drink too much, to take drugs, or watch pornography or violent films? Maybe it's the desire to stay in bed rather than to do as Jesus modelled and get up early to pray (Mark 1:35). We must change living by ‘I want, I feel...' to living according to the power of God's Holy Spirit who helps us resist doing just what our flesh wants us to.    2.b. The lusts of the eyes: In the Bible, the lust of the eyes is the sinful desire to possess things that are visually appealing. It's a temptation that can lead people to stray from God's Word in pursuit of material possessions and wrong relationships. Just as King David saw Bathsheba bathing on the rooftop and then took action to sleep with this married woman, so too our desire, our will, thoughts. time and plans can all chase after what our eyes have even just briefly glimpsed, and can lead to terrible, heartbreaking consequences. Jesus also taught His disciples this (Matthew 5:27-28). It comes back to the state of our hearts. What are you looking at? Why are you looking at it? Scrolling on social media and websites, especially late at night, can be very dangerous, for what you see can impact the desires of your heart. Jesus also taught that you must choose in your heart between loving God or loving money (Matthew 6:20-24). There is no ban on possessions or making money, but we can't love these things more than God (1 Timothy 6:12). The lust of the eyes can pull strongly on our heart if we have not decided that our treasure is first and foremost our relationship with God, and can lead to much suffering for ourselves and those around us too. So we must be careful to fix our eyes on what comes from God and not of the world.   2.c. The pride of life: This is where we focus on our social status and achievements, positions, titles, and qualifications. John saw Jesus directly challenge the Pharisees, the religious leaders of the day, on their prideful, hypocritical behaviour that went against everything they were teaching from the word of God (Matthew 23:5-7). The Bible says the Pharisees loved these things, and John wrote to his friend Gaius of his own experience of such people (3 John 9). Do you love to be first? To be recognised with titles, rewards and praise? Does it matter what position you hold or what people think of you? Even when serving the Lord, is it truly out of love for Him, or to be seen and approved by others? For all those of us who are parents, or even grandparents, how much pride do we take in our children and grandchildren? It's good to want them to do well but are we actually proud of their achievements as some reflected glory on us? The ‘pride of life' is something that we all must be alert to. For Jesus taught His disciples that they weren't to live this way (Matthew 20:26-28; Matthew 6:1). Everything the religious people did was a show. A real Christian loves their real relationship with God far more than the fleeting praise the world offers.    3. A real Christian is focussed on doing the will of God (1 John 2:17). This will affect us in this life and for all eternity. We show our love for the Father by doing the will of God. To do the Father's will is a choice, and it can cost us, but we have the promise of eternity with God as we do His will here on earth. The choice Jesus made in the Garden of Gethsemane to do God's will has assured our eternity (Matthew 26:39). One day this world and everything in it will end, and then there will be a new heaven and a new earth, where we will live forever with Jesus (John 6:40; John 14:2-3). The apostle Paul wrote ‘...the time is short...For this world in its present form is passing away' (1 Corinthians 7:29-31). So we must make use of the time we have here ‘by loving God and carrying out his commands' (1 John 5:2). Doing the will of God means sacrificially giving the time, money, and all that we are to build the kingdom of God and meet others' needs. Doing the Father's will shows us to be real Christians. We all have big choices to make. A real Christian has love for the Father in them. A real Christian does not love what the world offers, and a real Christian is focussed on doing the will of God. Today decide that you will love God and not the world. 

As we continue with our series from the book of 1 John on “How to spot a real Christian,” we see one of the greatest secrets to knowing the blessing of God. It's also one of the clearest signs that someone is a son or daughter of God. Very simply, it is obedience.   Obedience brings blessings. Disobedience brings pain, separation from God, and curses, just as Adam and Eve experienced. Living a life of disobedience to God is very clear evidence that you are not a Christian. Living a life of obedience to God is one of the surest proofs that you are a Christian (1 John 2:3-6; 1 John 5:3).   John learnt all about the importance of obedience from his first-hand experience of Jesus. Jesus taught that obedience was necessary to be a disciple (John 14:15). Jesus modelled a life of obedience to His Heavenly Father. Even though it is not always easy, obedience brings blessings to our lives. In the book of 1 John, this disciple of Jesus explains what obedience means in practice.  1. Obedience means doing what Jesus says (1 John 5:3; John 14:23; John 15:14; Matthew 22:37-40; Matthew 6:9-15; Matthew 25:35-36,40) 2. Obedience means living like Jesus lived (1 John 2:6; Romans 12:2; Mark 16:15; Matthew 9:36; Mark 10:45; John 13:14) 3. Obedience means conquering like Jesus conquered (1 John 5:3-4) Apply  1. Obedience means doing what Jesus says (1 John 5:3; John 14:23; John 15:14). So, what are these teachings of Jesus that we are to be obey? Briefly, let's look at a few:  - Love God and love people (Matthew 22:37-40)  - Forgive others (Matthew 6:9-15) - Care for the needy (Matthew 25:35-36,40)  How much are we obeying these particular commands?    2. Obedience means living like Jesus lived (1 John 2:6). Jesus showed real obedience to doing the will of God. You can spot a real Christian when you see them living in obedience to God, which is totally contrary to the culture of today. We live in a culture of disobedience but we as Christians must not conform to today's culture, rather to what the Word of God teaches (Romans 12:2). Jesus lived His life focussed on spreading the good news of the kingdom of heaven, not focussed on the things of this world. And He tells us to do the same (Mark 16:15). Jesus lived a life of compassion (Matthew 9:36) and a life of service (Mark 10:45; John 13:14). Is this the way we are living? If we are obedient to Jesus, we too will be focussed on the mission of winning people to Christ, showing compassion to the multitudes and having humble, serving heart.   3. Obedience means conquering like Jesus conquered. It's not all hard work being obedient. In fact, it's the way to succeed in life and ministry (1 John 5:3-4). One of the true signs that someone is a Christian is that they will turn from disobedience to obedience, from living their own way to living God's way. Are you a rebel at heart? Or have you decided not to be self-willed any longer and submitted your will and all your life to truly becoming a follower of Jesus. This is the moment you can do so. 

As we continue with our series from the book of 1 John on “How to spot a real Christian,” we see one of the greatest secrets to knowing the blessing of God. It's also one of the clearest signs that someone is a son or daughter of God. Very simply, it is obedience.   Obedience brings blessings. Disobedience brings pain, separation from God, and curses, just as Adam and Eve experienced. Living a life of disobedience to God is very clear evidence that you are not a Christian. Living a life of obedience to God is one of the surest proofs that you are a Christian (1 John 2:3-6; 1 John 5:3).   John learnt all about the importance of obedience from his first-hand experience of Jesus. Jesus taught that obedience was necessary to be a disciple (John 14:15). Jesus modelled a life of obedience to His Heavenly Father. Even though it is not always easy, obedience brings blessings to our lives. In the book of 1 John, this disciple of Jesus explains what obedience means in practice.  1. Obedience means doing what Jesus says (1 John 5:3; John 14:23; John 15:14; Matthew 22:37-40; Matthew 6:9-15; Matthew 25:35-36,40) 2. Obedience means living like Jesus lived (1 John 2:6; Romans 12:2; Mark 16:15; Matthew 9:36; Mark 10:45; John 13:14) 3. Obedience means conquering like Jesus conquered (1 John 5:3-4) Apply  1. Obedience means doing what Jesus says (1 John 5:3; John 14:23; John 15:14). So, what are these teachings of Jesus that we are to be obey? Briefly, let's look at a few:  - Love God and love people (Matthew 22:37-40)  - Forgive others (Matthew 6:9-15) - Care for the needy (Matthew 25:35-36,40)  How much are we obeying these particular commands?    2. Obedience means living like Jesus lived (1 John 2:6). Jesus showed real obedience to doing the will of God. You can spot a real Christian when you see them living in obedience to God, which is totally contrary to the culture of today. We live in a culture of disobedience but we as Christians must not conform to today's culture, rather to what the Word of God teaches (Romans 12:2). Jesus lived His life focussed on spreading the good news of the kingdom of heaven, not focussed on the things of this world. And He tells us to do the same (Mark 16:15). Jesus lived a life of compassion (Matthew 9:36) and a life of service (Mark 10:45; John 13:14). Is this the way we are living? If we are obedient to Jesus, we too will be focussed on the mission of winning people to Christ, showing compassion to the multitudes and having humble, serving heart.   3. Obedience means conquering like Jesus conquered. It's not all hard work being obedient. In fact, it's the way to succeed in life and ministry (1 John 5:3-4). One of the true signs that someone is a Christian is that they will turn from disobedience to obedience, from living their own way to living God's way. Are you a rebel at heart? Or have you decided not to be self-willed any longer and submitted your will and all your life to truly becoming a follower of Jesus. This is the moment you can do so. 

Today we begin our new series called “How to spot a real Christian” looking at the book of 1 John. We live in a world where there is so much fake news, false stories, political ‘spin doctors' and Artificial Intelligence. In the Bible we are warned against false prophets and those who distort the gospel, and Jesus Himself warned about the increase of false prophets in the end times (Matthew 24:10-13; Matthew 7:15; Titus 1:10; 2 Peter 2:1). So today when many want to change what the gospel is all about and to pretend to be a Christian, we need to be sure what a real Christian is.  The disciple John, the longest serving disciple of Jesus, gave some major characteristics of real Christianity in this book of five chapters. Many believe that John, the son of Zebedee, wrote his three New Testament letters no later than the 90s A.D. He wrote from Ephesus against of heresies that were threatening the purity, peace, and mission of the church. There were many false doctrines going around, not dissimilar to our day and the culture infiltrating in the church. We must stand against the abundance of deception and defend biblically the deity of Christ. We stand for the truth of the gospel, not relativism which affirms ‘your truth' verses ‘my truth'. We don't accept the concept of cheap Grace, with the idea that we can go on intentionally sinning because God will give His grace no matter what. We cannot redefine who Christ is, only partially believe the Bible, or believe all will go to heaven when the Bible clearly tell us who will go to heaven.  So, the letter of 1 John is a great reminder that calls readers back to the three basics of Christian life: true doctrine, obedient living, and faithful devotion. It challenges followers of Jesus to stay true to what they already believe. Here in chapter 1, John starts with some important statements of what a real Christian is. 1. A real Christian is one who believes that Jesus really existed (1 John 1:1-4)  2. A real Christian knows that God is light and walks in His light (1 John 1:5-6)  3. A real Christian can only have real fellowship with other Christians by walking in the light (1 John 1:7) 4. A real Christian will be purified from their sins through the blood of Jesus (1 John 1:7)  5. A real Christian will recognise and confess their sins (1 John 1:8-10; Hebrew 12:16-17; Exodus 9:27-35; Luke 13:1-3)  Apply    1. A real Christian is one who believes that Jesus really existed (1 John 1:1-4). The coming of Jesus to this earth is fact not fiction. John said he personally experienced the eternal God of creation, The Word who became flesh. That they saw Him, heard Him, touched Him. This is real stuff (see atheist scholar Bart Ehrman affirmation of the Gospels validity). We can't believe in Jesus if we are not sure He is real.  2. A real Christian knows that God is light and walks in His light (1 John 1:5-6). Everything about God is light. Jesus claimed: ‘I am the light of the world'. When we experience Jesus, all darkness in our life must go. We can't sin in secret. We can't pretend to be a Christian when we are not living right, e.g. with anger, hate, sexual sin, pride and ego. A Christian is someone who has left the kingdom of darkness to live in the light of God's truth. If you feel there is darkness in any area of your life, today you can step into the light of God.   3. A real Christian can only have real fellowship with other Christians by walking in the light (1 John 1:7). True Christians can only have real friendship and fellowship with each other if there is a common experience of living with Jesus' light. The beauty of the church is that we become like a family, we break the bread and have communion together, we are bound by the greatest gifts of all, Jesus Christ. We should find our best friends in the church, people that help us grow in the Faith, in the Word, people that will encourage and many times correct us, with the goal of walking in the light of Jesus. If you could choose where to be and who to be with, what would you choose? Where does your heart desire to be?  3. A real Christian will be purified from their sins through the blood of Jesus (1 John 1:7). To be a Christian you cannot ignore the blood of Jesus. You must understand that you can't be a Christian just by good works but by personally encountering the power of the blood of Jesus. Only the blood of Jesus can make someone clean. Only the blood of Jesus can pay the price of our sins. Only the blood of Jesus can open the door of heaven to us (See Pastor César Castellanos books “The Revelation of the Cross” and “Just One Drop Of The Blood Of Jesus”). The price Jesus paid when He shed His blood was an undeserved gift so we could be free. The power of a real Christian begins when we accept that only the blood of Jesus can give us a new beginning Have you experienced the cleansing power of the blood of Jesus?  4. A real Christian will recognise and confess their sins (1 John 1:8-10) A true Christian can never be religious and self righteous. We tend to justify our sins and compare them with the wrong standards, to look around and say “well, I'm not that bad… at least I am not doing X, Y or Z.' That's what the Pharisees were like. They always wanted to look good and to appear holy. Our standard should always be the Word of God. You will be surprised how much we need to run the Cross and confess to be cleanse. A real Christian is someone who doesn't pretend to be better than anyone else. A real Christian can't look down on others. A real Christian says: ‘yes, me too. I have sinned. I am a sinner just like anyone else and I too need forgiveness.' A real Christian will be absolutely real and confess their sins, and if you do that then you will discover that you can be forgiven. There are few things that seem like repentance but actually are not. - Esau (Hebrew 12:16-17): Esau cried, but his tears were not enough. Repentance is more than just crying. - Pharoah (Exodus 9:27-35): Pharaoh confessed his sin, but didn't change. Repentance is not only confessing your sin, but also changing your ways. - The Galileans (Luke 13:1-3): Jesus said that salvation is not through suffering nor religious ritual, but rather through repentance.  Today are you a real Christian? Do you believe in the reality of Jesus? Are you walking in the light or living in the darkness of sin? Do you have fellowship with real Christians? Have you been made clean through the blood of Jesus? Have you actually honestly and truly recognised your sinful state and confessed your sins to God? Well if you do, you will know for sure that God is faithful and just to forgive you and cleanse you. 

Today we begin our new series called “How to spot a real Christian” looking at the book of 1 John. We live in a world where there is so much fake news, false stories, political ‘spin doctors' and Artificial Intelligence. In the Bible we are warned against false prophets and those who distort the gospel, and Jesus Himself warned about the increase of false prophets in the end times (Matthew 24:10-13; Matthew 7:15; Titus 1:10; 2 Peter 2:1). So today when many want to change what the gospel is all about and to pretend to be a Christian, we need to be sure what a real Christian is.  The disciple John, the longest serving disciple of Jesus, gave some major characteristics of real Christianity in this book of five chapters. Many believe that John, the son of Zebedee, wrote his three New Testament letters no later than the 90s A.D. He wrote from Ephesus against of heresies that were threatening the purity, peace, and mission of the church. There were many false doctrines going around, not dissimilar to our day and the culture infiltrating in the church. We must stand against the abundance of deception and defend biblically the deity of Christ. We stand for the truth of the gospel, not relativism which affirms ‘your truth' verses ‘my truth'. We don't accept the concept of cheap Grace, with the idea that we can go on intentionally sinning because God will give His grace no matter what. We cannot redefine who Christ is, only partially believe the Bible, or believe all will go to heaven when the Bible clearly tell us who will go to heaven.  So, the letter of 1 John is a great reminder that calls readers back to the three basics of Christian life: true doctrine, obedient living, and faithful devotion. It challenges followers of Jesus to stay true to what they already believe. Here in chapter 1, John starts with some important statements of what a real Christian is. 1. A real Christian is one who believes that Jesus really existed (1 John 1:1-4)  2. A real Christian knows that God is light and walks in His light (1 John 1:5-6)  3. A real Christian can only have real fellowship with other Christians by walking in the light (1 John 1:7) 4. A real Christian will be purified from their sins through the blood of Jesus (1 John 1:7)  5. A real Christian will recognise and confess their sins (1 John 1:8-10; Hebrew 12:16-17; Exodus 9:27-35; Luke 13:1-3)  Apply    1. A real Christian is one who believes that Jesus really existed (1 John 1:1-4). The coming of Jesus to this earth is fact not fiction. John said he personally experienced the eternal God of creation, The Word who became flesh. That they saw Him, heard Him, touched Him. This is real stuff (see atheist scholar Bart Ehrman affirmation of the Gospels validity). We can't believe in Jesus if we are not sure He is real.  2. A real Christian knows that God is light and walks in His light (1 John 1:5-6). Everything about God is light. Jesus claimed: ‘I am the light of the world'. When we experience Jesus, all darkness in our life must go. We can't sin in secret. We can't pretend to be a Christian when we are not living right, e.g. with anger, hate, sexual sin, pride and ego. A Christian is someone who has left the kingdom of darkness to live in the light of God's truth. If you feel there is darkness in any area of your life, today you can step into the light of God.   3. A real Christian can only have real fellowship with other Christians by walking in the light (1 John 1:7). True Christians can only have real friendship and fellowship with each other if there is a common experience of living with Jesus' light. The beauty of the church is that we become like a family, we break the bread and have communion together, we are bound by the greatest gifts of all, Jesus Christ. We should find our best friends in the church, people that help us grow in the Faith, in the Word, people that will encourage and many times correct us, with the goal of walking in the light of Jesus. If you could choose where to be and who to be with, what would you choose? Where does your heart desire to be?  3. A real Christian will be purified from their sins through the blood of Jesus (1 John 1:7). To be a Christian you cannot ignore the blood of Jesus. You must understand that you can't be a Christian just by good works but by personally encountering the power of the blood of Jesus. Only the blood of Jesus can make someone clean. Only the blood of Jesus can pay the price of our sins. Only the blood of Jesus can open the door of heaven to us (See Pastor César Castellanos books “The Revelation of the Cross” and “Just One Drop Of The Blood Of Jesus”). The price Jesus paid when He shed His blood was an undeserved gift so we could be free. The power of a real Christian begins when we accept that only the blood of Jesus can give us a new beginning Have you experienced the cleansing power of the blood of Jesus?  4. A real Christian will recognise and confess their sins (1 John 1:8-10) A true Christian can never be religious and self righteous. We tend to justify our sins and compare them with the wrong standards, to look around and say “well, I'm not that bad… at least I am not doing X, Y or Z.' That's what the Pharisees were like. They always wanted to look good and to appear holy. Our standard should always be the Word of God. You will be surprised how much we need to run the Cross and confess to be cleanse. A real Christian is someone who doesn't pretend to be better than anyone else. A real Christian can't look down on others. A real Christian says: ‘yes, me too. I have sinned. I am a sinner just like anyone else and I too need forgiveness.' A real Christian will be absolutely real and confess their sins, and if you do that then you will discover that you can be forgiven. There are few things that seem like repentance but actually are not. - Esau (Hebrew 12:16-17): Esau cried, but his tears were not enough. Repentance is more than just crying. - Pharoah (Exodus 9:27-35): Pharaoh confessed his sin, but didn't change. Repentance is not only confessing your sin, but also changing your ways. - The Galileans (Luke 13:1-3): Jesus said that salvation is not through suffering nor religious ritual, but rather through repentance.  Today are you a real Christian? Do you believe in the reality of Jesus? Are you walking in the light or living in the darkness of sin? Do you have fellowship with real Christians? Have you been made clean through the blood of Jesus? Have you actually honestly and truly recognised your sinful state and confessed your sins to God? Well if you do, you will know for sure that God is faithful and just to forgive you and cleanse you. 

We have before us a fresh opportunity to play our part in the re-evangelism of our own nation and other nations. Each one of us, each individual, couple, family, and church, can make a big difference for God in this generation and for the good of generations to come. This is a time for us to unblock the wells and discover once more the life-giving waters of the Holy Spirit, which have so often flowed in revival power in this country. Wherever you are in the world, you have an important role to play in re-evangelising your nation.   We read in Matthew 9:35-38 and Matthew 10:1 how Jesus did this, and the example we are to follow: “Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. 36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. 37 Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. 38 Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field. 1 Jesus called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out impure spirits and to heal every disease and sickness.”   1. Focus on the mission of Jesus (Matthew 9:35; Acts 1:8) 2. Receive the vision of Jesus for the multitudes (Matthew 9:36; John 4:35) 3. Have the love of Jesus for lost and hurting people (Matthew 9:36) 4. Pray for more workers as Jesus instructed (Matthew 9:38) 5. Build a team of 12 as Jesus modelled (Matthew 10:1)  Apply    1. Focus on the mission of Jesus. The mission that Jesus has called us to is simply massive. Jesus has commanded us to make disciples of all nations. God sent His only Son Jesus on a mission to save the whole world from Satan, sin and all the destructive powers of darkness. The sheer scope of our mission requires us to think bigger and beyond what our minds usually process. Our mission in life is to win the world for Jesus. And to conquer globally we must follow the example of Jesus being focussed locally. Jesus went about His mission in a very strategic way by starting in His home region of Galilee (Matthew 9:35). He was very specific and very diligent in going from town to town and even from village to village. Later Jesus gave specific directions on focussing on different locations for the spread of the gospel throughout the world (Acts 1:8). The mission then requires that the Christian gospel is spread systematically from area to area. We must be sure that we are focussed not simply on running our churches but on reaching our communities with a very clear strategy. Like Jesus, we must have a big mission to reach ‘all the towns and villages' in the areas that God has called us to. We have to all play our part in spreading the gospel of the kingdom to all peoples in all nations starting in all the towns and villages where we are.    2. Receive the vision of Jesus for the multitudes (Matthew 9:36). Jesus didn't just see individuals; He saw vast numbers of people in great need, and He wanted His disciples also to have their eyes open to seeing the multitudes (John 4:35). How much do we really notice people? God wants to open our eyes to see the multitudes all around us and to believe as Abraham believed that we can have limitless spiritual offspring. Ministry begins with vision. We need a vision of what is possible for large numbers of people to be brought to Christ in our churches and our nations. We must perceive it and believe it before we can receive it.    3. Have the love of Jesus for lost and hurting people (Matthew 9:36 MSG). Love is what Christianity is all about. Jesus came because God so loved the world. Love is what drew the multitudes to Jesus. They knew that, unlike the hard-hearted, self-seeking religious leaders, Jesus truly cared for them. They could see His compassion, especially for the outcasts and despised. And it was because of Jesus' love for lost sinners that He suffered and bled and died. It is this sacrificial, unconditional, patient, kind and enduring love that we must have in our hearts if we are going to keep our children and grandchildren in the church. So many children and young people have wandered away, often with great bitterness in their hearts, because they have experienced the law but never the love of God. It's this love and compassion in our hearts, our actions and in our eyes that will draw people to Christ and establish them in their faith. So how do we get this love? Only by asking for the Holy Spirit to come and change us. For us to see people turn to God, we must have this love.    4. Pray for more workers as Jesus instructed (Matthew 9:38). The mission is so big and the challenge so great that many more people must be involved in sharing the good news of Christ and His kingdom. If we are serious about re-evangelising our nations, we must seek to mobilise ALL the people of God to share their faith. The so-called professionals or paid ministers cannot do it on their own. We must really pray that great numbers of Christians who are busy doing their jobs and caring for their families, will share their faith wherever they are and integrate disciple-making into their lives. It is a matter of great urgency to pray for more workers if we want to see our nations turn around.    5. Build a team of 12 as Jesus modelled. After calling for prayer for more workers, Jesus formed a team of disciples (Matthew 10:1). These 12 were ordinary people and far from perfect. One on the list of the chosen 12 betrayed Jesus and had to be replaced, and the other 11 all ran away at one point. But they were to become the foundation of the church, because Jesus never gave up on His simple plan to focus on gathering, training and releasing the few to reach the many. Today the G12 vision is a re-emergence of a biblical vision for making and multiplying disciples by taking them through every stage from new birth to maturity, to become leaders and multipliers themselves. The 12 can develop 12 who can have 12 who can have 12, and so on. We just need to do this right and continually. And as we follow the example of Jesus in doing these 5 steps, we will see another grassroots transformational Christian movement in our nations and in our day and generation. 

We have before us a fresh opportunity to play our part in the re-evangelism of our own nation and other nations. Each one of us, each individual, couple, family, and church, can make a big difference for God in this generation and for the good of generations to come. This is a time for us to unblock the wells and discover once more the life-giving waters of the Holy Spirit, which have so often flowed in revival power in this country. Wherever you are in the world, you have an important role to play in re-evangelising your nation.   We read in Matthew 9:35-38 and Matthew 10:1 how Jesus did this, and the example we are to follow: “Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. 36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. 37 Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. 38 Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field. 1 Jesus called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out impure spirits and to heal every disease and sickness.”   1. Focus on the mission of Jesus (Matthew 9:35; Acts 1:8) 2. Receive the vision of Jesus for the multitudes (Matthew 9:36; John 4:35) 3. Have the love of Jesus for lost and hurting people (Matthew 9:36) 4. Pray for more workers as Jesus instructed (Matthew 9:38) 5. Build a team of 12 as Jesus modelled (Matthew 10:1)  Apply    1. Focus on the mission of Jesus. The mission that Jesus has called us to is simply massive. Jesus has commanded us to make disciples of all nations. God sent His only Son Jesus on a mission to save the whole world from Satan, sin and all the destructive powers of darkness. The sheer scope of our mission requires us to think bigger and beyond what our minds usually process. Our mission in life is to win the world for Jesus. And to conquer globally we must follow the example of Jesus being focussed locally. Jesus went about His mission in a very strategic way by starting in His home region of Galilee (Matthew 9:35). He was very specific and very diligent in going from town to town and even from village to village. Later Jesus gave specific directions on focussing on different locations for the spread of the gospel throughout the world (Acts 1:8). The mission then requires that the Christian gospel is spread systematically from area to area. We must be sure that we are focussed not simply on running our churches but on reaching our communities with a very clear strategy. Like Jesus, we must have a big mission to reach ‘all the towns and villages' in the areas that God has called us to. We have to all play our part in spreading the gospel of the kingdom to all peoples in all nations starting in all the towns and villages where we are.    2. Receive the vision of Jesus for the multitudes (Matthew 9:36). Jesus didn't just see individuals; He saw vast numbers of people in great need, and He wanted His disciples also to have their eyes open to seeing the multitudes (John 4:35). How much do we really notice people? God wants to open our eyes to see the multitudes all around us and to believe as Abraham believed that we can have limitless spiritual offspring. Ministry begins with vision. We need a vision of what is possible for large numbers of people to be brought to Christ in our churches and our nations. We must perceive it and believe it before we can receive it.    3. Have the love of Jesus for lost and hurting people (Matthew 9:36 MSG). Love is what Christianity is all about. Jesus came because God so loved the world. Love is what drew the multitudes to Jesus. They knew that, unlike the hard-hearted, self-seeking religious leaders, Jesus truly cared for them. They could see His compassion, especially for the outcasts and despised. And it was because of Jesus' love for lost sinners that He suffered and bled and died. It is this sacrificial, unconditional, patient, kind and enduring love that we must have in our hearts if we are going to keep our children and grandchildren in the church. So many children and young people have wandered away, often with great bitterness in their hearts, because they have experienced the law but never the love of God. It's this love and compassion in our hearts, our actions and in our eyes that will draw people to Christ and establish them in their faith. So how do we get this love? Only by asking for the Holy Spirit to come and change us. For us to see people turn to God, we must have this love.    4. Pray for more workers as Jesus instructed (Matthew 9:38). The mission is so big and the challenge so great that many more people must be involved in sharing the good news of Christ and His kingdom. If we are serious about re-evangelising our nations, we must seek to mobilise ALL the people of God to share their faith. The so-called professionals or paid ministers cannot do it on their own. We must really pray that great numbers of Christians who are busy doing their jobs and caring for their families, will share their faith wherever they are and integrate disciple-making into their lives. It is a matter of great urgency to pray for more workers if we want to see our nations turn around.    5. Build a team of 12 as Jesus modelled. After calling for prayer for more workers, Jesus formed a team of disciples (Matthew 10:1). These 12 were ordinary people and far from perfect. One on the list of the chosen 12 betrayed Jesus and had to be replaced, and the other 11 all ran away at one point. But they were to become the foundation of the church, because Jesus never gave up on His simple plan to focus on gathering, training and releasing the few to reach the many. Today the G12 vision is a re-emergence of a biblical vision for making and multiplying disciples by taking them through every stage from new birth to maturity, to become leaders and multipliers themselves. The 12 can develop 12 who can have 12 who can have 12, and so on. We just need to do this right and continually. And as we follow the example of Jesus in doing these 5 steps, we will see another grassroots transformational Christian movement in our nations and in our day and generation. 

The Bible is often called The Book of Books because no other book can compare with it. It is the Word of God (Matthew 4:4). Over 100million copies are sold annually, with parts of the Bible having been translated into nearly 3600 languages, and the full Bible to over 724 languages. The YouVersion Bible app has been downloaded over 500million times globally.     It should be our goal and priority this year to make the word of God the foundation in our lives, in our marriages, in our families and in our church. It shouldn't be a part of our lives, but rather central to our lives.    In Nehemiah 8 we see that, after experiencing many challenges, there was a turning back of the people to the Word and instructions of God (Nehemiah 8:8-9,18). In 445BC-432BC was when Nehemiah was appointed Governor of Jerusalem by King Artaxerxes, and oversaw the re-building of the city's the walls in just 52 days. He held joint assemblies with Ezra, who was the priest and scribe at that time (a scribe's role being to study, interpret and teach scriptures), for public scripture reading. People confessed their sins and renewed their covenant with God, and they implemented social reforms.   Ezra and Nehemiah thought having the temple and the security of the rebuilt walls weren't good enough. They wanted to re-build the people. It was important that God's people were where God wanted them to be, both physically and spiritually. So, what did they do? They wanted the people to put the word of God in the centre of their lives. They built a wooden stage in the centre of the public square, so that everyone could gather and see Ezra and the Levites with him. Everyone in the community who could understand gathered in the square to hear the public reading of the Word of God (Nehemiah 8:3). There were 14 Levites on either side of Ezra explaining and unpacking the word of God to the people. And the people wept, not with tears of joy, but because they were convicted of their sin. They wept repentant tears of sorrow. And to build back, they had to start somewhere. We see:  1. They opened the book (Nehemiah 8:5) 2. They read the book (Nehemiah 8:8; 1 Timothy 4:13,16; Psalm 1:2-3; Nehemiah 8:5; Deuteronomy 6:6-7; Philippians 4:6; Psalm 119:11) 3. They explained the book (Nehemiah 8:8; Hebrews 4:12) 4. They were moved by the book (Nehemiah 8:9b) 5. They obeyed the book (Nehemiah 10:29)  Apply     1. They opened the book (Nehemiah 8:5). Do we actually open the Bible? Do we read it? That's where it begins. Or is it gathering dust in a shelf somewhere? The Bible app makes it convenient to read on your phone. But having a physical Bible is very helpful as there are no distractions, no messages or social media notifications popping up and dividing our attention.    2. They read the book (Nehemiah 8:8). It is important that we read the Bible in public and in private. As we see in Nehemiah 8, there was public reading of the scripture. The apostle Paul encouraged his disciple Timothy in this too (1 Timothy 4:13,16). They read the book every day (Nehemiah 8:18). It is important we read the Bible daily, delighting in and meditating on God's word. Then we will flourish, being fruitful, being youthful, and whatever we do: your work, family, marriage, business, studies, sports etc will prosper (Psalm 1:2-3). And they read the book from a central place (Nehemiah 8:5). The word of God was central to re-build the people, and it should be central to us to re-build ourselves, our marriages, families and church. We need to use the word in challenging situations, overcoming obstacles, for wisdom, daily decision making, encouraging and correcting, resisting temptations, and for seeing breakthroughs including in our finances (Deuteronomy 6:6-7; Philippians 4:6; Psalm 119:11). The word of God should always be central in our lives.   3. They explained the book (Nehemiah 8:8). We need to unpack the word of God and break it down to understand deep truths in the Bible. God's Holy Spirit helps us in this. It's good to read different versions like the KJV, NKJV, MSG, Amplified version. The Bible says that the word of God is alive and active (Hebrews 4:12). It's not dead, rather it's so sharp that it can cut through like a surgeon's scalpel to reach between soul and the spirit. It can help us to discern between what is worldly and what is spiritual. You will be able to discern a situation, a decision you need to make, or the advice you need to give to your children. The word of God has the power to go deep within us, to heal and restore us.    4. They were moved by the book (Nehemiah 8:9b). People were moved because they were convicted of their sin and their disobedience, and their previous lack of attention to the word of God. They were crying repentant tears. We need to be convicted for looking for instruction elsewhere, when God had made a life manual, a living and powerful life-transforming book for us. We had a great role model in the late Queen Elizabeth of devotion to Jesus and the Word of God.    5. They obeyed the book (Nehemiah 10:29). We need to make a conscious decision and a real commitment to obey the word of God. We read from the book of Nehemiah, how the leaders at that time thought that having the temple worship and the physical security of the rebuilt walls weren't good enough. They wanted to re-build the people, and the word of God was central to it all. Today let us all make the Bible central to our lives. For as we do, we will live lives of conquest and see great blessing in our marriages, in our families, in the church and in our nation.

The Bible is often called The Book of Books because no other book can compare with it. It is the Word of God (Matthew 4:4). Over 100million copies are sold annually, with parts of the Bible having been translated into nearly 3600 languages, and the full Bible to over 724 languages. The YouVersion Bible app has been downloaded over 500million times globally.     It should be our goal and priority this year to make the word of God the foundation in our lives, in our marriages, in our families and in our church. It shouldn't be a part of our lives, but rather central to our lives.    In Nehemiah 8 we see that, after experiencing many challenges, there was a turning back of the people to the Word and instructions of God (Nehemiah 8:8-9,18). In 445BC-432BC was when Nehemiah was appointed Governor of Jerusalem by King Artaxerxes, and oversaw the re-building of the city's the walls in just 52 days. He held joint assemblies with Ezra, who was the priest and scribe at that time (a scribe's role being to study, interpret and teach scriptures), for public scripture reading. People confessed their sins and renewed their covenant with God, and they implemented social reforms.   Ezra and Nehemiah thought having the temple and the security of the rebuilt walls weren't good enough. They wanted to re-build the people. It was important that God's people were where God wanted them to be, both physically and spiritually. So, what did they do? They wanted the people to put the word of God in the centre of their lives. They built a wooden stage in the centre of the public square, so that everyone could gather and see Ezra and the Levites with him. Everyone in the community who could understand gathered in the square to hear the public reading of the Word of God (Nehemiah 8:3). There were 14 Levites on either side of Ezra explaining and unpacking the word of God to the people. And the people wept, not with tears of joy, but because they were convicted of their sin. They wept repentant tears of sorrow. And to build back, they had to start somewhere. We see:  1. They opened the book (Nehemiah 8:5) 2. They read the book (Nehemiah 8:8; 1 Timothy 4:13,16; Psalm 1:2-3; Nehemiah 8:5; Deuteronomy 6:6-7; Philippians 4:6; Psalm 119:11) 3. They explained the book (Nehemiah 8:8; Hebrews 4:12) 4. They were moved by the book (Nehemiah 8:9b) 5. They obeyed the book (Nehemiah 10:29)  Apply     1. They opened the book (Nehemiah 8:5). Do we actually open the Bible? Do we read it? That's where it begins. Or is it gathering dust in a shelf somewhere? The Bible app makes it convenient to read on your phone. But having a physical Bible is very helpful as there are no distractions, no messages or social media notifications popping up and dividing our attention.    2. They read the book (Nehemiah 8:8). It is important that we read the Bible in public and in private. As we see in Nehemiah 8, there was public reading of the scripture. The apostle Paul encouraged his disciple Timothy in this too (1 Timothy 4:13,16). They read the book every day (Nehemiah 8:18). It is important we read the Bible daily, delighting in and meditating on God's word. Then we will flourish, being fruitful, being youthful, and whatever we do: your work, family, marriage, business, studies, sports etc will prosper (Psalm 1:2-3). And they read the book from a central place (Nehemiah 8:5). The word of God was central to re-build the people, and it should be central to us to re-build ourselves, our marriages, families and church. We need to use the word in challenging situations, overcoming obstacles, for wisdom, daily decision making, encouraging and correcting, resisting temptations, and for seeing breakthroughs including in our finances (Deuteronomy 6:6-7; Philippians 4:6; Psalm 119:11). The word of God should always be central in our lives.   3. They explained the book (Nehemiah 8:8). We need to unpack the word of God and break it down to understand deep truths in the Bible. God's Holy Spirit helps us in this. It's good to read different versions like the KJV, NKJV, MSG, Amplified version. The Bible says that the word of God is alive and active (Hebrews 4:12). It's not dead, rather it's so sharp that it can cut through like a surgeon's scalpel to reach between soul and the spirit. It can help us to discern between what is worldly and what is spiritual. You will be able to discern a situation, a decision you need to make, or the advice you need to give to your children. The word of God has the power to go deep within us, to heal and restore us.    4. They were moved by the book (Nehemiah 8:9b). People were moved because they were convicted of their sin and their disobedience, and their previous lack of attention to the word of God. They were crying repentant tears. We need to be convicted for looking for instruction elsewhere, when God had made a life manual, a living and powerful life-transforming book for us. We had a great role model in the late Queen Elizabeth of devotion to Jesus and the Word of God.    5. They obeyed the book (Nehemiah 10:29). We need to make a conscious decision and a real commitment to obey the word of God. We read from the book of Nehemiah, how the leaders at that time thought that having the temple worship and the physical security of the rebuilt walls weren't good enough. They wanted to re-build the people, and the word of God was central to it all. Today let us all make the Bible central to our lives. For as we do, we will live lives of conquest and see great blessing in our marriages, in our families, in the church and in our nation.

God has great plans for you and your family. God can do more IN your family, FOR your family and THROUGH your family than you can imagine. A family that knows God and chooses to serve Him wholeheartedly has exponential potential to influence not only churches and communities but also nations and generations for good and for God.   We live in a world today that is so self-centred, and even Christians and churches can become very me-centred. The idea that families matter is constantly ridiculed as old fashioned, yet it is the very break up of families that is at the root of so many problems in society, whether in the form of depression, crime, or social and economic disadvantages.    Of course, God loves each individual and has personal blessings and plans for each one of us. But we must understand how much the Bible focuses on a much bigger picture of building the best families and family lines in every generation, even in the face of so much previous family dysfunction and trouble.   The God of the Bible is often known as the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob because He is a God who made great family promises to them and to their descendants: promises that also apply to us when we follow Jesus. Galatians 3:29 says: ‘If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.' So, what does this mean for your family, whether you are a two parent or one parent or even a no parent family?  1. Your family can be blessed in every generation (Genesis 12:1-2; Genesis 17:6-8; Genesis 26:24; Genesis 28:12-14; Genesis 20; Genesis 26:7; Matthew 1) 2. Your family must choose to serve God in in every generation (Genesis 15:5-6; Genesis 17:1,9; Hebrews 11:21; Genesis 26:4-5; Deuteronomy 6:4-7; Joshua 24:15) 3. Your family can be a great blessing in every generation (Genesis 12:2; Genesis 28:14; Nehemiah 3:12; Ezra 1:5)  Apply     1. Your family can be blessed in every generation. The first and foundational book of the Bible is Genesis where we read of God making and repeating His promises of continued family blessing to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (Genesis 12:1-2; Genesis 17:6-8; Genesis 26:24; Genesis 28:12-14). In short God wants to bless your family no matter how much trouble or dysfunction there has been in your family. If you doubt this, consider some of the problems encountered in Abraham's family and line. Abraham was willing to risk other men sleeping with his wife to save his own life (Genesis 20:2) and his son Isaac did the same (Genesis 26:7). Also, Abraham's wife Sarah told her husband he should sleep with the family maid to have a surrogate child for her, then Isaac's wife deceived him so that her favourite son would get his blessing, and the deceived son Esau was so made he vowed to kill his brother Jacob. Jacob fled for his life and proceeded to deceive pretty much everyone he came in contact with. Two of his sons killed the man who had raped their sister and then wiped out all the men of his town. Ten of Jacob's 12 sons were so jealous of their brother Joseph that they beat him up and sold as a slave. Violence, sexual sin, lying and cheating - this was what this family was like. Yet God had mercy on this family. God helped and blessed this family. From this family Joseph grew up to save his family and nation and many other nations from a great famine. From this family came Israel's greatest King, David, who himself was an adulterer and murderer, and if you read Matthew 1 you will see that it was from this family that One came who would bless all families on earth: the Messiah Jesus Christ. This tells us that God can rescue and restore any family. God can raise up great and godly leaders even if the rest of the family is far from God. There is hope for you. There is hope for your family. It's not too late. It's not too far gone. Even in families which have been dysfunctional for generations, God can suddenly raise up great leaders like Joseph and Josiah in Abraham's family line. Also the Bible shows that although you may have come from a far from Christian family, and you may have messed up yourself, God can get you married into a line of blessing. This is what happened with Rahab the former prostitute and Ruth from a family of idol worshippers.    2. Your family must choose to serve God in in every generation. God wants to bless families but each family needs to be shaped by those who choose to follow the Lord (Genesis 15:5-6; Genesis 17:1,9). This means that we must believe God's word. You need to believe as Abram believed that your family has a destiny. You must live in faith, not fear, for your family, your children and grandchildren, or great grandchildren (Hebrews 11:21). Today there are so many forces at work to pervert, undermine and destroy people, particularly vulnerable children and young people, yet despite all this we must not give way to worry and doubt. For God has another way for us to live, and that is the way of faith. By faith in God's word, we will see a new generation raised up for God: a generation that will experience great deliverance. Also, you need to live in obedience to God's word (Genesis 26:4-5). We need to choose to obey God by training our children in the ways of the Lord (Deuteronomy 6:4-7). Basically, parents, or a parent, have to train and shape children and decide what goes and what doesn't go in your family even if it is acceptable with other families. When the Israelites were faced with idol worship in Canaan, Joshua made his own position very clear (Joshua 24:15). This was a decision and a determination. If you want your children to be given fully to God, make sure that you lead the way. It is important that children are dedicated to the Lord at an early age. This marks them for God from the beginning of their lives. If you have not done this, you need to do it. As the children grow older renew your vows of dedication as a whole family. Great things can flow from this decision.    3. Your family can be a great blessing in every generation (Genesis 12:2; Genesis 28:14). All through the history of the Israelites, we see that it was through dedicated families that the blessings flowed. Families helped to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem (Nehemiah 3:12). Families helped rebuild the Temple (Ezra 1:5). Families were at the core of the small group that Christianity was founded on - there were three sets of brothers in the 12 of Jesus: Peter and Andrew, James and John, Matthew and James. Matthew and James may also have been cousins of Jesus. Families have shaped the church and history: the Wesley family in the 18th century; William and Catherine Booth in the 19th century. And families are at the forefront of Christian advance today. God is touching nations through families such as the Castellanos family, the Joel Osteen family, and many others here today. And who knows what God will do when you and your family are fully committed to Him? Today we need more distinctively Christian families. Today choose to believe that God wants to make your family and every family great. For this is how we can strengthen the church and shape the world. 

God has great plans for you and your family. God can do more IN your family, FOR your family and THROUGH your family than you can imagine. A family that knows God and chooses to serve Him wholeheartedly has exponential potential to influence not only churches and communities but also nations and generations for good and for God.   We live in a world today that is so self-centred, and even Christians and churches can become very me-centred. The idea that families matter is constantly ridiculed as old fashioned, yet it is the very break up of families that is at the root of so many problems in society, whether in the form of depression, crime, or social and economic disadvantages.    Of course, God loves each individual and has personal blessings and plans for each one of us. But we must understand how much the Bible focuses on a much bigger picture of building the best families and family lines in every generation, even in the face of so much previous family dysfunction and trouble.   The God of the Bible is often known as the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob because He is a God who made great family promises to them and to their descendants: promises that also apply to us when we follow Jesus. Galatians 3:29 says: ‘If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.' So, what does this mean for your family, whether you are a two parent or one parent or even a no parent family?  1. Your family can be blessed in every generation (Genesis 12:1-2; Genesis 17:6-8; Genesis 26:24; Genesis 28:12-14; Genesis 20; Genesis 26:7; Matthew 1) 2. Your family must choose to serve God in in every generation (Genesis 15:5-6; Genesis 17:1,9; Hebrews 11:21; Genesis 26:4-5; Deuteronomy 6:4-7; Joshua 24:15) 3. Your family can be a great blessing in every generation (Genesis 12:2; Genesis 28:14; Nehemiah 3:12; Ezra 1:5)  Apply     1. Your family can be blessed in every generation. The first and foundational book of the Bible is Genesis where we read of God making and repeating His promises of continued family blessing to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (Genesis 12:1-2; Genesis 17:6-8; Genesis 26:24; Genesis 28:12-14). In short God wants to bless your family no matter how much trouble or dysfunction there has been in your family. If you doubt this, consider some of the problems encountered in Abraham's family and line. Abraham was willing to risk other men sleeping with his wife to save his own life (Genesis 20:2) and his son Isaac did the same (Genesis 26:7). Also, Abraham's wife Sarah told her husband he should sleep with the family maid to have a surrogate child for her, then Isaac's wife deceived him so that her favourite son would get his blessing, and the deceived son Esau was so made he vowed to kill his brother Jacob. Jacob fled for his life and proceeded to deceive pretty much everyone he came in contact with. Two of his sons killed the man who had raped their sister and then wiped out all the men of his town. Ten of Jacob's 12 sons were so jealous of their brother Joseph that they beat him up and sold as a slave. Violence, sexual sin, lying and cheating - this was what this family was like. Yet God had mercy on this family. God helped and blessed this family. From this family Joseph grew up to save his family and nation and many other nations from a great famine. From this family came Israel's greatest King, David, who himself was an adulterer and murderer, and if you read Matthew 1 you will see that it was from this family that One came who would bless all families on earth: the Messiah Jesus Christ. This tells us that God can rescue and restore any family. God can raise up great and godly leaders even if the rest of the family is far from God. There is hope for you. There is hope for your family. It's not too late. It's not too far gone. Even in families which have been dysfunctional for generations, God can suddenly raise up great leaders like Joseph and Josiah in Abraham's family line. Also the Bible shows that although you may have come from a far from Christian family, and you may have messed up yourself, God can get you married into a line of blessing. This is what happened with Rahab the former prostitute and Ruth from a family of idol worshippers.    2. Your family must choose to serve God in in every generation. God wants to bless families but each family needs to be shaped by those who choose to follow the Lord (Genesis 15:5-6; Genesis 17:1,9). This means that we must believe God's word. You need to believe as Abram believed that your family has a destiny. You must live in faith, not fear, for your family, your children and grandchildren, or great grandchildren (Hebrews 11:21). Today there are so many forces at work to pervert, undermine and destroy people, particularly vulnerable children and young people, yet despite all this we must not give way to worry and doubt. For God has another way for us to live, and that is the way of faith. By faith in God's word, we will see a new generation raised up for God: a generation that will experience great deliverance. Also, you need to live in obedience to God's word (Genesis 26:4-5). We need to choose to obey God by training our children in the ways of the Lord (Deuteronomy 6:4-7). Basically, parents, or a parent, have to train and shape children and decide what goes and what doesn't go in your family even if it is acceptable with other families. When the Israelites were faced with idol worship in Canaan, Joshua made his own position very clear (Joshua 24:15). This was a decision and a determination. If you want your children to be given fully to God, make sure that you lead the way. It is important that children are dedicated to the Lord at an early age. This marks them for God from the beginning of their lives. If you have not done this, you need to do it. As the children grow older renew your vows of dedication as a whole family. Great things can flow from this decision.    3. Your family can be a great blessing in every generation (Genesis 12:2; Genesis 28:14). All through the history of the Israelites, we see that it was through dedicated families that the blessings flowed. Families helped to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem (Nehemiah 3:12). Families helped rebuild the Temple (Ezra 1:5). Families were at the core of the small group that Christianity was founded on - there were three sets of brothers in the 12 of Jesus: Peter and Andrew, James and John, Matthew and James. Matthew and James may also have been cousins of Jesus. Families have shaped the church and history: the Wesley family in the 18th century; William and Catherine Booth in the 19th century. And families are at the forefront of Christian advance today. God is touching nations through families such as the Castellanos family, the Joel Osteen family, and many others here today. And who knows what God will do when you and your family are fully committed to Him? Today we need more distinctively Christian families. Today choose to believe that God wants to make your family and every family great. For this is how we can strengthen the church and shape the world. 

Today is a new day and a new year to receive new dreams for your life. This is a year for dreaming the dreams of God and for seeing the dreams of God fulfilled. Dreams are amazingly powerful. Martin Luther King's dream of racial de-segregation helped change America and many other nations, like South Africa. The Jewish dream of becoming a nation again after 2000 years became a reality in 1948. Shimon Peres, a famous former Prime Minister and President of Israel in his book called ‘No room for small dreams' quoted his mentor David Ben Gurion, who often said: ‘in Israel in order to be a realist, you must believe in miracles.' At the end of his long life, just before he died, Shimon Peres wrote these words: ‘I don't regret any of my dreams. My only regret is not having dreamed more.'   Dreams help us see how impossibilities can become realities. Dreams and visions are very biblical. God showed Abraham a vast vision of the future (Genesis 15:5-6). God showed a teenager called Joseph that he would one day become a very powerful ruler. His brothers called him ‘that dreamer' and one day they all saw the amazing fulfilment of Joseph's dreams (Genesis 37-50). The Hebrew prophets had dreams of a godly world, the kingdom of God, where justice would ‘roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream' (Amos 5:24).    ‘Dreams and visions are the language of the Holy Spirit,' wrote David Yonggi Cho who visualised that one day he would become the pastor of the world's biggest church. Cesar Castellanos, the senior pastor of MCI Bogota, wrote a book called ‘Dream and you will win the world.'    The founder of this church, Billy Richards, an ex-Welsh coalminer who had no money and no human support, came to Slough with a dream to establish a strong gospel church to touch the world. Pastor Wes has for decades has continued with a dream to develop a strong multi-ethnic church of great disciples and leaders that will be a light to nations and generations. Today, dream for yourself, your family, your church and for God's plans for nations and generations.  1. Receive God's dreams (Genesis 12:2-3; 2 Peter 1:4; Jeremiah 29:11) 2. Write down God's dreams (Habakkuk 2:2; Jeremiah 30:2-3; Revelation 1:19) 3. Persevere to receive God's dreams (Hebrews 10:36; Genesis 12:4-5; James 2:17; Romans 4:18-21; Hebrews 6:15)  Apply  1. Receive God's dreams. Not all dreams are from God. Dreams can be very selfish or even demonic. For example, Hitler had terrible dreams to destroy the Jewish people. In the musical ‘Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat' there is a song that says, ‘any dream will do.' Well, that's not true and may even be dangerous. For the best dreams you must have the dreams of God based on His Word, the Bible. Abraham first received a word from God (Genesis 12:2-3). There is always a word from God for you (2 Peter 1:4). God has dreams for you personally. Just as God had great plans for the young Joseph and the older Abraham so God has plans for you. You matter to God. You are not a nothing or a nobody. God rates you. God knows about you (Jeremiah 29:11). God loves each one of us more than we realise and wants to bless us and make us a blessing to others. You can succeed in your life, in your studies, in your career and ministry. You can be more than you think you can be. God has dreams for your family. God is well able to create and re-create families. He can bring families together who have drifted apart. He can bring peace where there were only rows. He can change your hearts so that you all get on together and your home becomes like heaven instead of hell. God has dreams for your leadership. You can be a great leader in the community, in business, in politics, in your chosen career and in the church. The church is one of the greatest training grounds for leadership in any walk of life. If you can lead in the church, you can lead anyone anywhere. When Jesus trained 12 young disciples it was because He had a dream that their lives would one day impact billions of people with the message of His love and righteousness. So, at the start of this year and every day, you must receive God's dreams by reading and studying on His Word. And from the Bible, the Holy Spirit will show you special verses for every part of your life.   2. Write down God's dreams (Habakkuk 2:2). When you write out the dreams and visions God gives, you will be able to remember the vision and keep running with these goals in mind. How often do we forget things simply because we don't write them down? In different places in the Bible, we read of the importance of writing down what God has said (Jeremiah 30:2-3; Revelation 1:19). Keeping a journal of what God speaks to you from the Bible in your devotionals is very important, and so is writing down dreams and goals for a year. Write down your dreams, make your poster or your dream book and paste photos or images. You also could do this on your laptop. Write out your dreams under five main headings: my dreams with God, my personal dreams, my dreams for my family, my dreams in ministry (for example starting or growing a group) and my dreams for my world (education, career, finances).   3. Persevere to receive God's dreams. You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what was promised (Hebrews 10:36). This means that you must take action to move towards your dream. You can't just wait for God to do everything; there are some things we must do. Abram did something in response to God's word (Genesis 12:4-5). Abraham had to leave his country and people and father's household to receive God's promises of blessings that had no limit. Faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead (James 2:17). Hold on to your dream (Romans 4:18-21). Naturally there was no hope for Abraham to receive his dream, but he refused to stop believing God's promise to him. He didn't waver in his faith. So too you must never give up on your dream. Be determined not to lose your dream because things are taking longer than you wanted. Sometimes you must be very patient for some dreams to happen. But God has His perfect time to fulfil His promise. Never stop believing and working towards your dream. You must stick with your dreams. You must hold your ground when you feel like giving up. You must pray on for your kids, your parents, your partner. And in this way, you will receive the promised dream. This finally happened to Abraham in old age (Hebrews 6:15). Joseph saw how much God blessed him personally. God brought him to a great position of leadership. God gave him great provision. Joseph saw how God blessed his family. He was reconciled with his brothers who had betrayed him. He saw his dad again after many years and wept all over him. Joseph saw how God used him to be a blessing to multitudes who faced starvation. Today be sure that God intends for His every dream for your life to come to pass. Never dream too little and never give up on your dreams.  

Today is a new day and a new year to receive new dreams for your life. This is a year for dreaming the dreams of God and for seeing the dreams of God fulfilled. Dreams are amazingly powerful. Martin Luther King's dream of racial de-segregation helped change America and many other nations, like South Africa. The Jewish dream of becoming a nation again after 2000 years became a reality in 1948. Shimon Peres, a famous former Prime Minister and President of Israel in his book called ‘No room for small dreams' quoted his mentor David Ben Gurion, who often said: ‘in Israel in order to be a realist, you must believe in miracles.' At the end of his long life, just before he died, Shimon Peres wrote these words: ‘I don't regret any of my dreams. My only regret is not having dreamed more.'   Dreams help us see how impossibilities can become realities. Dreams and visions are very biblical. God showed Abraham a vast vision of the future (Genesis 15:5-6). God showed a teenager called Joseph that he would one day become a very powerful ruler. His brothers called him ‘that dreamer' and one day they all saw the amazing fulfilment of Joseph's dreams (Genesis 37-50). The Hebrew prophets had dreams of a godly world, the kingdom of God, where justice would ‘roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream' (Amos 5:24).    ‘Dreams and visions are the language of the Holy Spirit,' wrote David Yonggi Cho who visualised that one day he would become the pastor of the world's biggest church. Cesar Castellanos, the senior pastor of MCI Bogota, wrote a book called ‘Dream and you will win the world.'    The founder of this church, Billy Richards, an ex-Welsh coalminer who had no money and no human support, came to Slough with a dream to establish a strong gospel church to touch the world. Pastor Wes has for decades has continued with a dream to develop a strong multi-ethnic church of great disciples and leaders that will be a light to nations and generations. Today, dream for yourself, your family, your church and for God's plans for nations and generations.  1. Receive God's dreams (Genesis 12:2-3; 2 Peter 1:4; Jeremiah 29:11) 2. Write down God's dreams (Habakkuk 2:2; Jeremiah 30:2-3; Revelation 1:19) 3. Persevere to receive God's dreams (Hebrews 10:36; Genesis 12:4-5; James 2:17; Romans 4:18-21; Hebrews 6:15)  Apply  1. Receive God's dreams. Not all dreams are from God. Dreams can be very selfish or even demonic. For example, Hitler had terrible dreams to destroy the Jewish people. In the musical ‘Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat' there is a song that says, ‘any dream will do.' Well, that's not true and may even be dangerous. For the best dreams you must have the dreams of God based on His Word, the Bible. Abraham first received a word from God (Genesis 12:2-3). There is always a word from God for you (2 Peter 1:4). God has dreams for you personally. Just as God had great plans for the young Joseph and the older Abraham so God has plans for you. You matter to God. You are not a nothing or a nobody. God rates you. God knows about you (Jeremiah 29:11). God loves each one of us more than we realise and wants to bless us and make us a blessing to others. You can succeed in your life, in your studies, in your career and ministry. You can be more than you think you can be. God has dreams for your family. God is well able to create and re-create families. He can bring families together who have drifted apart. He can bring peace where there were only rows. He can change your hearts so that you all get on together and your home becomes like heaven instead of hell. God has dreams for your leadership. You can be a great leader in the community, in business, in politics, in your chosen career and in the church. The church is one of the greatest training grounds for leadership in any walk of life. If you can lead in the church, you can lead anyone anywhere. When Jesus trained 12 young disciples it was because He had a dream that their lives would one day impact billions of people with the message of His love and righteousness. So, at the start of this year and every day, you must receive God's dreams by reading and studying on His Word. And from the Bible, the Holy Spirit will show you special verses for every part of your life.   2. Write down God's dreams (Habakkuk 2:2). When you write out the dreams and visions God gives, you will be able to remember the vision and keep running with these goals in mind. How often do we forget things simply because we don't write them down? In different places in the Bible, we read of the importance of writing down what God has said (Jeremiah 30:2-3; Revelation 1:19). Keeping a journal of what God speaks to you from the Bible in your devotionals is very important, and so is writing down dreams and goals for a year. Write down your dreams, make your poster or your dream book and paste photos or images. You also could do this on your laptop. Write out your dreams under five main headings: my dreams with God, my personal dreams, my dreams for my family, my dreams in ministry (for example starting or growing a group) and my dreams for my world (education, career, finances).   3. Persevere to receive God's dreams. You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what was promised (Hebrews 10:36). This means that you must take action to move towards your dream. You can't just wait for God to do everything; there are some things we must do. Abram did something in response to God's word (Genesis 12:4-5). Abraham had to leave his country and people and father's household to receive God's promises of blessings that had no limit. Faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead (James 2:17). Hold on to your dream (Romans 4:18-21). Naturally there was no hope for Abraham to receive his dream, but he refused to stop believing God's promise to him. He didn't waver in his faith. So too you must never give up on your dream. Be determined not to lose your dream because things are taking longer than you wanted. Sometimes you must be very patient for some dreams to happen. But God has His perfect time to fulfil His promise. Never stop believing and working towards your dream. You must stick with your dreams. You must hold your ground when you feel like giving up. You must pray on for your kids, your parents, your partner. And in this way, you will receive the promised dream. This finally happened to Abraham in old age (Hebrews 6:15). Joseph saw how much God blessed him personally. God brought him to a great position of leadership. God gave him great provision. Joseph saw how God blessed his family. He was reconciled with his brothers who had betrayed him. He saw his dad again after many years and wept all over him. Joseph saw how God used him to be a blessing to multitudes who faced starvation. Today be sure that God intends for His every dream for your life to come to pass. Never dream too little and never give up on your dreams.  

What is the best way to enter this year? Well Psalm 100:4 shows us how. It says: “Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.”  No matter how many fireworks parties we may have attended in the countdown to another year, and no matter how many good resolutions we may make, by far the best way to start this year, is to be full of thanks to God and to praise His name. - Praising God is one of the greatest secrets of success in any year - Praising God will raise your spirits - Praising God will release hope - Praising God will build your faith - Praising God will change the atmosphere - Praising God will open prison doors (just as happened for Paul and Silas when they sang hymns at midnight after they were beaten in Philippi) - Praising and thanking God will bring you into a lifestyle of freedom and joy.  The Bible teaches us that thankfulness is more than just good manners: it's a very big part of our relationship with God. When we are really grateful to God, we align our hearts with God's will, and we open ourselves up to His many blessings. Gratitude helps us shift our focus from what we don't have to all the amazing things God has already given us.  Today so many people are down and depressed because they fail to recognise the many blessings that they should be thankful for. Others spend their time praising the gods of this world: entertainment, sport, fashion, financial success, fame…. only to find that they do not bring lasting satisfaction.  When you praise God, however you are recognising who and what is most important in life no matter what circumstances may look like in a particular moment (2 Chronicles 20-22). The Bible teaches us, in both Old and New Testaments and particularly in the book of Psalms, that we should always be full of thanks to God. We should praise the Lord at all times (Psalm 34:1 (NLT); Acts 2:46-47; Ephesians 5:20). We should praise the Lord in all circumstances (Philippians 4:6-7).We should praise the Lord in all places (Psalm 150:1). We should praise the Lord for all reasons (Psalm 150:2). We should praise the Lord by all means (Psalm 150:3-5).  So, who should praise the Lord? All people (Psalm 150:6; Psalm 100:1). And if you still want to know why we should praise the Lord and give thanks to Him, Psalm 100 is very clear. We should praise the Lord because:  1. The Lord is God (Psalm 100:3; Hebrews 11:6; 1 Samuel 2:2) 2. The Lord is our creator (Psalm 100:3) 3. The Lord is our shepherd (Psalm 100:3) 4. The Lord has made the way for us to come into His presence (Psalm 100:4; Hebrews 10:22) 5. The Lord is good (Psalm 100:5) 6. The Lord's love endures forever (Psalm 100:5; Psalm 136) 7. The Lord's faithfulness continues through all generations (Psalm 100:5; Deuteronomy 7:9-16; Acts 2:38-39)  Apply  1. The Lord is God (Psalm 100:3). The God of the Bible is the God of gods, King of kings and Lord of lords (Hebrews 11:6; 1 Samuel 2:2).  2. The Lord is our creator (Psalm 100:3). We didn't get here by accident or some unproved evolutionary process. We are the products of a great Creator who can recreate our lives when we have messed up and come to God in repentance.  3. The Lord is our shepherd (Psalm 100:3). Jesus is the great shepherd who comes looking for us and looks after us forever when we receive Him. He leads us gently to places of rest and refreshment. He walks with us in times of darkness. He provides for us even when enemies attack. He causes His anointing to overflow on us. He always shows us His goodness and mercy.  4. The Lord has made the way for us to come into His presence (Psalm 100:4). He invites us to enter His gates and His courts. We cannot enter God's courts by our own righteousness, but through Jesus' shed blood for unclean sinners we can draw near to God (Hebrews 10:22).  5. The Lord is good (Psalm 100:5). The Lord is good. His character is totally good, there is nothing bad about Him. He is king and generous and willing to bless you with his goodness.  6. The Lord's love endures forever (Psalm 100:5). His unconditional mercy never fails. Psalm 136 repeats that His steadfast love endures forever. His love never runs out.   7. The Lord's faithfulness continues through all generations (Psalm 100:5). The God who made covenant promises to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and their natural and spiritual descendants, keeps His word to all who follow Him (Deuteronomy 7:9-16; Acts 2:38-39). Many have seen God's blessing in past generations in their families, but even if we have not, you can receive Him and His blessings in your life and generation, and so also can your children and grandchildren and every generation to come.  Here are so many great reasons to enter this year with thanksgiving. Decide that from this day forward, every day you will be thankful to God and will always praise His name. At the start of this year, make these declarations today and anticipate what God will do in your life this year: - In 2025 I will be thankful and praise God every day because this is the day that the Lord has made, and His mercies are new every morning - In 2025 I will be thankful and praise God every day because I can trust him to guard my heart and mind in every situation. - In 2025 I will be thankful and praise God every day because the Lord is my Saviour, shepherd, my strength and my shield - In 2025 I will be thankful and praise God every day because my Heavenly Father knows my needs and is able to bless me abundantly.  - In 2025 I will be thankful and praise God every day because I will see miracles in my life because nothing is impossible to God  - In 2025 I will be thankful and praise God for in every circumstance because I will be more than a conqueror through Jesus Christ who gives me strength - In 2025 I will be thankful and praise God for every blessing to me and to my family because I believe that the Lord is good and his love endures forever; and that his faithfulness continues through all generations.  

What is the best way to enter this year? Well Psalm 100:4 shows us how. It says: “Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.”  No matter how many fireworks parties we may have attended in the countdown to another year, and no matter how many good resolutions we may make, by far the best way to start this year, is to be full of thanks to God and to praise His name. - Praising God is one of the greatest secrets of success in any year - Praising God will raise your spirits - Praising God will release hope - Praising God will build your faith - Praising God will change the atmosphere - Praising God will open prison doors (just as happened for Paul and Silas when they sang hymns at midnight after they were beaten in Philippi) - Praising and thanking God will bring you into a lifestyle of freedom and joy.  The Bible teaches us that thankfulness is more than just good manners: it's a very big part of our relationship with God. When we are really grateful to God, we align our hearts with God's will, and we open ourselves up to His many blessings. Gratitude helps us shift our focus from what we don't have to all the amazing things God has already given us.  Today so many people are down and depressed because they fail to recognise the many blessings that they should be thankful for. Others spend their time praising the gods of this world: entertainment, sport, fashion, financial success, fame…. only to find that they do not bring lasting satisfaction.  When you praise God, however you are recognising who and what is most important in life no matter what circumstances may look like in a particular moment (2 Chronicles 20-22). The Bible teaches us, in both Old and New Testaments and particularly in the book of Psalms, that we should always be full of thanks to God. We should praise the Lord at all times (Psalm 34:1 (NLT); Acts 2:46-47; Ephesians 5:20). We should praise the Lord in all circumstances (Philippians 4:6-7).We should praise the Lord in all places (Psalm 150:1). We should praise the Lord for all reasons (Psalm 150:2). We should praise the Lord by all means (Psalm 150:3-5).  So, who should praise the Lord? All people (Psalm 150:6; Psalm 100:1). And if you still want to know why we should praise the Lord and give thanks to Him, Psalm 100 is very clear. We should praise the Lord because:  1. The Lord is God (Psalm 100:3; Hebrews 11:6; 1 Samuel 2:2) 2. The Lord is our creator (Psalm 100:3) 3. The Lord is our shepherd (Psalm 100:3) 4. The Lord has made the way for us to come into His presence (Psalm 100:4; Hebrews 10:22) 5. The Lord is good (Psalm 100:5) 6. The Lord's love endures forever (Psalm 100:5; Psalm 136) 7. The Lord's faithfulness continues through all generations (Psalm 100:5; Deuteronomy 7:9-16; Acts 2:38-39)  Apply  1. The Lord is God (Psalm 100:3). The God of the Bible is the God of gods, King of kings and Lord of lords (Hebrews 11:6; 1 Samuel 2:2).  2. The Lord is our creator (Psalm 100:3). We didn't get here by accident or some unproved evolutionary process. We are the products of a great Creator who can recreate our lives when we have messed up and come to God in repentance.  3. The Lord is our shepherd (Psalm 100:3). Jesus is the great shepherd who comes looking for us and looks after us forever when we receive Him. He leads us gently to places of rest and refreshment. He walks with us in times of darkness. He provides for us even when enemies attack. He causes His anointing to overflow on us. He always shows us His goodness and mercy.  4. The Lord has made the way for us to come into His presence (Psalm 100:4). He invites us to enter His gates and His courts. We cannot enter God's courts by our own righteousness, but through Jesus' shed blood for unclean sinners we can draw near to God (Hebrews 10:22).  5. The Lord is good (Psalm 100:5). The Lord is good. His character is totally good, there is nothing bad about Him. He is king and generous and willing to bless you with his goodness.  6. The Lord's love endures forever (Psalm 100:5). His unconditional mercy never fails. Psalm 136 repeats that His steadfast love endures forever. His love never runs out.   7. The Lord's faithfulness continues through all generations (Psalm 100:5). The God who made covenant promises to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and their natural and spiritual descendants, keeps His word to all who follow Him (Deuteronomy 7:9-16; Acts 2:38-39). Many have seen God's blessing in past generations in their families, but even if we have not, you can receive Him and His blessings in your life and generation, and so also can your children and grandchildren and every generation to come.  Here are so many great reasons to enter this year with thanksgiving. Decide that from this day forward, every day you will be thankful to God and will always praise His name. At the start of this year, make these declarations today and anticipate what God will do in your life this year: - In 2025 I will be thankful and praise God every day because this is the day that the Lord has made, and His mercies are new every morning - In 2025 I will be thankful and praise God every day because I can trust him to guard my heart and mind in every situation. - In 2025 I will be thankful and praise God every day because the Lord is my Saviour, shepherd, my strength and my shield - In 2025 I will be thankful and praise God every day because my Heavenly Father knows my needs and is able to bless me abundantly.  - In 2025 I will be thankful and praise God every day because I will see miracles in my life because nothing is impossible to God  - In 2025 I will be thankful and praise God for in every circumstance because I will be more than a conqueror through Jesus Christ who gives me strength - In 2025 I will be thankful and praise God for every blessing to me and to my family because I believe that the Lord is good and his love endures forever; and that his faithfulness continues through all generations.  

This week we took a look back at God's faithfulness this past year to King's Church International in Windsor and Westminster, UK, and in Robertson, South Africa.There's so much to be thankful for! Watch the online service to receive personal encouragement, and a blessing from Senior Pastors Wes and Adriana Richards for the new year.

This week we took a look back at God's faithfulness this past year to King's Church International in Windsor and Westminster, UK, and in Robertson, South Africa.There's so much to be thankful for! Watch the online service to receive personal encouragement, and a blessing from Senior Pastors Wes and Adriana Richards for the new year.

London's Christmas lights are world famous. In 1935 Harry Selfridge, owner of the Oxford Street department store, first put on an illuminated Christmas display that attracted great crowds. In 1954, to show that post War London did not have to look drab and boring, Christmas lights went up along the length of Regent Street for the first time, and a tradition was born. Spectacular festive displays can be seen all over London but the greatest and best light of all in London, and indeed in every city and nation, is the one that we celebrate today: Jesus, the light of the world, who came to banish all darkness.    Jesus came to light up the world. Jesus proclaimed in John 8:12: “I am the light of the world.” No matter how much moral and spiritual darkness there is in the world or how much depression you may experience in life, there is light and hope for everyone and for you personally. And it is all because of Jesus Christ.   Jesus brings light through the example of his life. Jesus lived a morally perfect life. Jesus was good and He went about doing good, ministering to the poor, healing the sick and bringing hope to the hopeless. Jesus brings light by the authority of his teachings. Jesus focussed on what is really going on in our hearts and lives, not about what we look like on the outside. He taught us to love God, love our neighbours and even to love our enemies.    Jesus brings us light through His sacrificial death, the awesome power of resurrection from the dead and the promise of His second coming. And Jesus brings us light through the experience of his presence through the help of the Holy Spirit. Whenever people have an encounter with Jesus, everything changes: it's like a massive light is switched on. His light affects us in so many ways.   1. The light of Jesus is a light of life (John 8:12; John 1:14; Isaiah 9:6; John 10:10; John 14:6; John 11:25-26)  2. The light of Jesus is the light of liberty (2 Corinthians 3:17) 3. The light of Jesus is the light of love (1 John 4:16; 1 John 3:1; Romans 5:8)  Apply  1. The light of Jesus is a light of life. Jesus said: “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life' (John 8:12). You never need to walk in darkness in any day of your life if you follow Jesus. He will always light up your life (John 1:14). The Christmas story tells us of the gift of the life of the Son of God (Isaiah 9:6). All who have children or grandchildren, or even great grandchildren, will know that the gift of a baby is one of the greatest and most amazing gifts anyone can receive. A life that wasn't there, is suddenly here. The Bible teaches that God is the great life-giver. He is the source of life and the sustainer of life. God is totally and eternally pro-life. He wants people to live and not to die. The Bible says that God is not willing that any should perish. In the Christmas story we see both the wonder of the life of the newborn Christ, and the wickedness of evil that wanted to destroy that life. King Herod who slaughtered Bethlehem's children represents all those who would take away innocent life, whether it is life in the womb, or victims of gang culture, warfare, or the genocide facing Christians and many others in the Middle East. Jesus made very clear that a major reason for his coming to the world was that he was for life and against death (John 10:10). So many people think that if you really want to enjoy life, you need to keep God out of your life. But Jesus said the complete opposite. If you really want to feel alive, then God needs to be at the centre of your life. If you truly want to live life of deep satisfaction and meaning the full, then you need to have a personal experience of God through an encounter with Jesus (John 14:6). Jesus is the most alive person you can ever know. He promises us fullness of life in this life AND the hope of eternal life. Death, the final enemy was put to death, through Christ's death and resurrection (John 11:25-26). As Christians we should love life, celebrate life, defend life, and live life to the full and make the most of every day and every opportunity.    2. The light of Jesus is the light of liberty. When Jesus was on earth He proclaimed ‘freedom for the prisoners' and stated ‘So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed' (John 8:36). Jesus came to liberate humanity from the power of sin and hell and darkness and free us from everything that has held us captive. The apostle Paul declared the great Magna Carta of the Christian gospel, that: ‘It is for freedom that Christ has set us free' (Galatians 5:1). Freedom is central to Christianity (2 Corinthians 3:17). Wherever the light of true Christianity shines, as opposed to the darkness of dead religion, there is always great liberation, for individuals and for communities and nations. It was the great evangelical movement that played such a decisive role in the ending of slavery. It was a great spiritual revival that led to America becoming a free nation under God. Dr Martin Luther King Jnr and many pastors and black churches led the fight for desegregation in the United States. It was the churches that were such a major force in bringing down the wicked Apartheid regime in South Africa. Today, in the UK and Europe and America as well as SA, there are many in the media, politics and universities who wish to deny and marginalise Christianity, but in reality, it is Christianity which is foundational to political, religious and personal freedoms. All true freedom is rooted in God. Without God as the final authority, men and women make their own self-serving rules and set themselves up as gods with disastrous results. That's how we end up with tyrants like Stalin, Hitler, Pol Pot and countless criminal warlords, drug barons and people traffickers who hold people captive. And that's how we end up with political elites that want to deny votes on key issues and accrue ever greater power to themselves (see Charles Colson, ‘Against the Night: Living in the New Dark Ages'). The greatest guarantor of freedom is Jesus Christ, whose light liberates from darkness in all its forms, not least the darkness of sin in every heart which is at the root of all captivity. True freedom always begins in our hearts. Today Jesus can set you free from anger, bitterness, pride, fear, sexual sin, addictions and the pain of your past.   3. The light of Jesus is the light of love. Love is one of the greatest human needs and it is a defining characteristic of God (1 John 4:16). Love was the reason Jesus was sent to us (John 3:16-17). The Bible shows us that God's love is personal: God knows us by name and loves every individual. It's lavish and extravagant (1 John 3:1). When the Prodigal Son returned home, the father gave him gifts and threw a party for him. The love of God is also unconditional (Romans 5:8). Even though we have messed up and gone our own way, God loves us anyway. God does not approve of our sins, but He wants to save us from the destructiveness of our own wrong decisions and self-centred behaviour. Jesus came to save us from our sins and bring us into close relationship with God and people. God is not out to put us down but to lift us up. No-one is beyond the love of God. God loves you despite your past. God loves you with all that you face in the present. God loves you with an everlasting love that will never fail you in the future. Others may have despised or rejected you, but God does not. You are significant. You are uniquely loved and valued by God. You matter to God far more than you may know. He wants to help you and heal you, to cleanse you and forgive you. He wants to lift you up out of guilt and shame and fear and pain. He can banish all the darkness and depression in your life and flood you with His light. He can bless you greatly and make you a force for good to the whole world. In the words of the great carol Hark! The Herald Angels Sing, today you too can have a second birth, a total new beginning through Jesus Christ who offers you the light of life, liberty and love. 

London's Christmas lights are world famous. In 1935 Harry Selfridge, owner of the Oxford Street department store, first put on an illuminated Christmas display that attracted great crowds. In 1954, to show that post War London did not have to look drab and boring, Christmas lights went up along the length of Regent Street for the first time, and a tradition was born. Spectacular festive displays can be seen all over London but the greatest and best light of all in London, and indeed in every city and nation, is the one that we celebrate today: Jesus, the light of the world, who came to banish all darkness.    Jesus came to light up the world. Jesus proclaimed in John 8:12: “I am the light of the world.” No matter how much moral and spiritual darkness there is in the world or how much depression you may experience in life, there is light and hope for everyone and for you personally. And it is all because of Jesus Christ.   Jesus brings light through the example of his life. Jesus lived a morally perfect life. Jesus was good and He went about doing good, ministering to the poor, healing the sick and bringing hope to the hopeless. Jesus brings light by the authority of his teachings. Jesus focussed on what is really going on in our hearts and lives, not about what we look like on the outside. He taught us to love God, love our neighbours and even to love our enemies.    Jesus brings us light through His sacrificial death, the awesome power of resurrection from the dead and the promise of His second coming. And Jesus brings us light through the experience of his presence through the help of the Holy Spirit. Whenever people have an encounter with Jesus, everything changes: it's like a massive light is switched on. His light affects us in so many ways.   1. The light of Jesus is a light of life (John 8:12; John 1:14; Isaiah 9:6; John 10:10; John 14:6; John 11:25-26)  2. The light of Jesus is the light of liberty (2 Corinthians 3:17) 3. The light of Jesus is the light of love (1 John 4:16; 1 John 3:1; Romans 5:8)  Apply  1. The light of Jesus is a light of life. Jesus said: “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life' (John 8:12). You never need to walk in darkness in any day of your life if you follow Jesus. He will always light up your life (John 1:14). The Christmas story tells us of the gift of the life of the Son of God (Isaiah 9:6). All who have children or grandchildren, or even great grandchildren, will know that the gift of a baby is one of the greatest and most amazing gifts anyone can receive. A life that wasn't there, is suddenly here. The Bible teaches that God is the great life-giver. He is the source of life and the sustainer of life. God is totally and eternally pro-life. He wants people to live and not to die. The Bible says that God is not willing that any should perish. In the Christmas story we see both the wonder of the life of the newborn Christ, and the wickedness of evil that wanted to destroy that life. King Herod who slaughtered Bethlehem's children represents all those who would take away innocent life, whether it is life in the womb, or victims of gang culture, warfare, or the genocide facing Christians and many others in the Middle East. Jesus made very clear that a major reason for his coming to the world was that he was for life and against death (John 10:10). So many people think that if you really want to enjoy life, you need to keep God out of your life. But Jesus said the complete opposite. If you really want to feel alive, then God needs to be at the centre of your life. If you truly want to live life of deep satisfaction and meaning the full, then you need to have a personal experience of God through an encounter with Jesus (John 14:6). Jesus is the most alive person you can ever know. He promises us fullness of life in this life AND the hope of eternal life. Death, the final enemy was put to death, through Christ's death and resurrection (John 11:25-26). As Christians we should love life, celebrate life, defend life, and live life to the full and make the most of every day and every opportunity.    2. The light of Jesus is the light of liberty. When Jesus was on earth He proclaimed ‘freedom for the prisoners' and stated ‘So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed' (John 8:36). Jesus came to liberate humanity from the power of sin and hell and darkness and free us from everything that has held us captive. The apostle Paul declared the great Magna Carta of the Christian gospel, that: ‘It is for freedom that Christ has set us free' (Galatians 5:1). Freedom is central to Christianity (2 Corinthians 3:17). Wherever the light of true Christianity shines, as opposed to the darkness of dead religion, there is always great liberation, for individuals and for communities and nations. It was the great evangelical movement that played such a decisive role in the ending of slavery. It was a great spiritual revival that led to America becoming a free nation under God. Dr Martin Luther King Jnr and many pastors and black churches led the fight for desegregation in the United States. It was the churches that were such a major force in bringing down the wicked Apartheid regime in South Africa. Today, in the UK and Europe and America as well as SA, there are many in the media, politics and universities who wish to deny and marginalise Christianity, but in reality, it is Christianity which is foundational to political, religious and personal freedoms. All true freedom is rooted in God. Without God as the final authority, men and women make their own self-serving rules and set themselves up as gods with disastrous results. That's how we end up with tyrants like Stalin, Hitler, Pol Pot and countless criminal warlords, drug barons and people traffickers who hold people captive. And that's how we end up with political elites that want to deny votes on key issues and accrue ever greater power to themselves (see Charles Colson, ‘Against the Night: Living in the New Dark Ages'). The greatest guarantor of freedom is Jesus Christ, whose light liberates from darkness in all its forms, not least the darkness of sin in every heart which is at the root of all captivity. True freedom always begins in our hearts. Today Jesus can set you free from anger, bitterness, pride, fear, sexual sin, addictions and the pain of your past.   3. The light of Jesus is the light of love. Love is one of the greatest human needs and it is a defining characteristic of God (1 John 4:16). Love was the reason Jesus was sent to us (John 3:16-17). The Bible shows us that God's love is personal: God knows us by name and loves every individual. It's lavish and extravagant (1 John 3:1). When the Prodigal Son returned home, the father gave him gifts and threw a party for him. The love of God is also unconditional (Romans 5:8). Even though we have messed up and gone our own way, God loves us anyway. God does not approve of our sins, but He wants to save us from the destructiveness of our own wrong decisions and self-centred behaviour. Jesus came to save us from our sins and bring us into close relationship with God and people. God is not out to put us down but to lift us up. No-one is beyond the love of God. God loves you despite your past. God loves you with all that you face in the present. God loves you with an everlasting love that will never fail you in the future. Others may have despised or rejected you, but God does not. You are significant. You are uniquely loved and valued by God. You matter to God far more than you may know. He wants to help you and heal you, to cleanse you and forgive you. He wants to lift you up out of guilt and shame and fear and pain. He can banish all the darkness and depression in your life and flood you with His light. He can bless you greatly and make you a force for good to the whole world. In the words of the great carol Hark! The Herald Angels Sing, today you too can have a second birth, a total new beginning through Jesus Christ who offers you the light of life, liberty and love. 

We can all know great hope and light in our lives. In so many ways and for so many people this has been a particularly dark year. More than ever we all need the light of the Christmas message. Thankfully the coming of Jesus into the world means that we can experience His bright guiding light even in the darkest of times.    Even when there is so much gloom all around, you can discover the glory of the Lord in your own life. When everyone is feeling down, you can get up and experience great blessings. This is what the prophet Isaiah makes clear in Isaiah 60:1-2 which says: “Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD rises upon you. See, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples, but the LORD rises upon you and his glory appears over you.”   These words were originally addressed to the Jewish people who were sad and depressed after seeing their nation and Temple destroyed by the Babylonians. But in their encircling gloom, the words of the prophet Isaiah assured them that God had a bright future after their time of Babylonian captivity. And that is in fact what happened when they were able to return to their homeland and see their temple rebuilt. What the prophet is saying in these verses is very applicable to us today. This is a time for us to:   1. Cheer up (Isaiah 60:1; John 8:12; 1 Peter 2:9) 2. Light up (Isaiah 60:1-2; John 8:12; Matthew 5:14-15; Romans 13:12-13; Ephesians 5:8; Psalm 119:105; 1 John 1:7; 1 John 2:9; Matthew 5:16) 3. Get up (Isaiah 60:1)  Apply  1. Cheer up. In so many ways, the words of Isaiah resonate with our current uncertain world as we witness so much darkness in the form of despair, division, and depression. Today it can seem as if the world is becoming increasingly dark. As we look out at a world full of problems and many forms of moral and spiritual darkness, you could be depressed. But you must not be depressed, and you will not be if you understand the power of the light of God to pierce the darkness. For this is the very clear promise that the prophet speaks of: “Your light has come.” Even though it is dark outside, you can personally experience great light. Isaiah was very clear that even though ‘darkness covers the earth and that thick darkness is over the people'… ‘the LORD rises upon you and his glory appears over you'. The light that has come into our world is Jesus Christ, the Saviour of the world who was born in Bethlehem's stable 2000 years ago. All the light and hope the world would ever need was wrapped up in this baby. Light comes into our lives when we decide to follow Jesus (John 8:12; 1 Peter 2:9). When we truly know Christ has come to us, we no longer have to walk in darkness. We don't have to stumble about in our decisions and relationships. We don't have to be fearful and insecure. We don't have to be trapped in dark circumstances. There is a way out and that way is through Jesus who came to rescue us from sin and all forms of evil. The closer we draw near to Christ, the clearer we can see where we are going. His light shows us how to act and react in life and how experience more of His glory and presence. So cheer up; your light has come, the glory of the Lord will rise upon you.  2. Light up (Isaiah 60:1). Christians are to be people who not only have light; we are also to be people who transmit light (John 8:12; Matthew 5:14-15). Christians are the answer the world is waiting for. The real hope of the world does not lie with the leaders and wisdom of this world but with followers of Christ, according to what Jesus is saying in Matthew 5:14. It is real Christian people who uniquely have the light that can penetrate personal, religious and cultural darkness. This is of course a radical and controversial statement. This means that an ordinary person who knows Christ has more light than the most brilliant person who does not. Christians individually and corporately as the church have responsibility to bring light into the world because of our relationship with Christ. So how do we do this? We shine the light of Jesus by living holy lives (Romans 13:12-13; Ephesians 5:8). We shine the light of Jesus by being illuminated by the Word of God (Psalm 119:105). We must daily read and meditate on God's word to see where we are going. We shine the light of Jesus by being in right relationship with your Christian brothers and sisters (1 John 1:7; 1 John 2:9). We shine the light of Jesus by living under the direction of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit will guide you into all truth. We must have the insights and direction of the Holy Spirit. We shine the light of Jesus by speaking positively and sharing the good news about Jesus. Jesus is the hope that people need. He's the one who can bring them out of the dark and the gloom of depression. We shine the light of Jesus by your good deeds (Matthew 5:16). We are to care for one another, especially the poor, the weak, the vulnerable, the neglected and despised. Our sincere hearts of compassion and simple acts of kindness can reveal the light of Christ to those who most need it. In all the ways we can, help all the people we can.  3. Get up. If you are going to shine the light of Jesus, then you have to arise. When it is dark and cold outside, it's tempting to retreat into your own little cosy world and tuck up asleep and not get up. But if you, and also every Christian church family, are going to help people then you have to get up, even if you don't feel like it. This is the moment for you to get up: from the pain of your past; from the pressures of the present; get up and face into the destiny God has for you. With the light of Jesus in your life can decide to: Arise from your failure; Arise from your grief; Arise from your low self-esteem; Arise from your doubt; Arise from your fear; Arise in faith; Arise with the revelation that your light has come; Arise because you have a role to play in this world; Arise because He is going to position you and use you; Arise because God is with you and is glory is upon you. Here's how to celebrate Christmas and to live every day with hope. Because Jesus has come into our world, we no longer need to live in darkness. His light can shine bright in our hearts and homes and in the nations of the world. We are not alone. Jesus, Emmanuel, is with us, in whatever circumstances we face. He will never leave us or forsake us. His light will always guide us. Let's arise and shine because our light has come. Let's cheer up, light up and get up and receive and share every blessing God has for you.  

We can all know great hope and light in our lives. In so many ways and for so many people this has been a particularly dark year. More than ever we all need the light of the Christmas message. Thankfully the coming of Jesus into the world means that we can experience His bright guiding light even in the darkest of times.    Even when there is so much gloom all around, you can discover the glory of the Lord in your own life. When everyone is feeling down, you can get up and experience great blessings. This is what the prophet Isaiah makes clear in Isaiah 60:1-2 which says: “Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD rises upon you. See, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples, but the LORD rises upon you and his glory appears over you.”   These words were originally addressed to the Jewish people who were sad and depressed after seeing their nation and Temple destroyed by the Babylonians. But in their encircling gloom, the words of the prophet Isaiah assured them that God had a bright future after their time of Babylonian captivity. And that is in fact what happened when they were able to return to their homeland and see their temple rebuilt. What the prophet is saying in these verses is very applicable to us today. This is a time for us to:   1. Cheer up (Isaiah 60:1; John 8:12; 1 Peter 2:9) 2. Light up (Isaiah 60:1-2; John 8:12; Matthew 5:14-15; Romans 13:12-13; Ephesians 5:8; Psalm 119:105; 1 John 1:7; 1 John 2:9; Matthew 5:16) 3. Get up (Isaiah 60:1)  Apply  1. Cheer up. In so many ways, the words of Isaiah resonate with our current uncertain world as we witness so much darkness in the form of despair, division, and depression. Today it can seem as if the world is becoming increasingly dark. As we look out at a world full of problems and many forms of moral and spiritual darkness, you could be depressed. But you must not be depressed, and you will not be if you understand the power of the light of God to pierce the darkness. For this is the very clear promise that the prophet speaks of: “Your light has come.” Even though it is dark outside, you can personally experience great light. Isaiah was very clear that even though ‘darkness covers the earth and that thick darkness is over the people'… ‘the LORD rises upon you and his glory appears over you'. The light that has come into our world is Jesus Christ, the Saviour of the world who was born in Bethlehem's stable 2000 years ago. All the light and hope the world would ever need was wrapped up in this baby. Light comes into our lives when we decide to follow Jesus (John 8:12; 1 Peter 2:9). When we truly know Christ has come to us, we no longer have to walk in darkness. We don't have to stumble about in our decisions and relationships. We don't have to be fearful and insecure. We don't have to be trapped in dark circumstances. There is a way out and that way is through Jesus who came to rescue us from sin and all forms of evil. The closer we draw near to Christ, the clearer we can see where we are going. His light shows us how to act and react in life and how experience more of His glory and presence. So cheer up; your light has come, the glory of the Lord will rise upon you.  2. Light up (Isaiah 60:1). Christians are to be people who not only have light; we are also to be people who transmit light (John 8:12; Matthew 5:14-15). Christians are the answer the world is waiting for. The real hope of the world does not lie with the leaders and wisdom of this world but with followers of Christ, according to what Jesus is saying in Matthew 5:14. It is real Christian people who uniquely have the light that can penetrate personal, religious and cultural darkness. This is of course a radical and controversial statement. This means that an ordinary person who knows Christ has more light than the most brilliant person who does not. Christians individually and corporately as the church have responsibility to bring light into the world because of our relationship with Christ. So how do we do this? We shine the light of Jesus by living holy lives (Romans 13:12-13; Ephesians 5:8). We shine the light of Jesus by being illuminated by the Word of God (Psalm 119:105). We must daily read and meditate on God's word to see where we are going. We shine the light of Jesus by being in right relationship with your Christian brothers and sisters (1 John 1:7; 1 John 2:9). We shine the light of Jesus by living under the direction of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit will guide you into all truth. We must have the insights and direction of the Holy Spirit. We shine the light of Jesus by speaking positively and sharing the good news about Jesus. Jesus is the hope that people need. He's the one who can bring them out of the dark and the gloom of depression. We shine the light of Jesus by your good deeds (Matthew 5:16). We are to care for one another, especially the poor, the weak, the vulnerable, the neglected and despised. Our sincere hearts of compassion and simple acts of kindness can reveal the light of Christ to those who most need it. In all the ways we can, help all the people we can.  3. Get up. If you are going to shine the light of Jesus, then you have to arise. When it is dark and cold outside, it's tempting to retreat into your own little cosy world and tuck up asleep and not get up. But if you, and also every Christian church family, are going to help people then you have to get up, even if you don't feel like it. This is the moment for you to get up: from the pain of your past; from the pressures of the present; get up and face into the destiny God has for you. With the light of Jesus in your life can decide to: Arise from your failure; Arise from your grief; Arise from your low self-esteem; Arise from your doubt; Arise from your fear; Arise in faith; Arise with the revelation that your light has come; Arise because you have a role to play in this world; Arise because He is going to position you and use you; Arise because God is with you and is glory is upon you. Here's how to celebrate Christmas and to live every day with hope. Because Jesus has come into our world, we no longer need to live in darkness. His light can shine bright in our hearts and homes and in the nations of the world. We are not alone. Jesus, Emmanuel, is with us, in whatever circumstances we face. He will never leave us or forsake us. His light will always guide us. Let's arise and shine because our light has come. Let's cheer up, light up and get up and receive and share every blessing God has for you.  

Christmas is a very special time when our church family in the UK and in SA joins with millions who are celebrating the light of Jesus. But have you seen the light of Christmas?    Bright lights are associated with Christmas because it was a radiant bright light that startled the shepherds when the angel announced the birth of Jesus to them. And it was also a bright star that rose to lead the wise men to the stable where Jesus was born in Bethlehem so they could worship Him. And today it is the great hope of the Christmas message that can light up our world that is dark in so many ways.    This Christmas is an opportunity for us to understand how Jesus can light up our world which is so often dark and gloomy. The prophet Isaiah put it like this in Isaiah 9:2: “The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned.” We can see why this verse is so relevant to us all today:  1. People need the light of the Lord (Isaiah 9:2; John 3:19; Ephesians 4:18) 2. People can have the light of hope (Isaiah 9:2; Isaiah 61:1; John 8:12) 3. People can experience the light of Jesus (Isaiah 9:2; Ephesians 5:8; Acts 9:3-4)  Apply  1. People need the light of the Lord. It says here that people are walking in darkness, “living in the land of deep darkness” (Isaiah 9:2). The Jewish people had known many dark times in their history, especially when their nation was destroyed by the Babylonians. They were scared alone and without hope for the future. We can see many similarities in our world today. This Christmas is the time to see the light because our world is not only economically and politically gloomy but there is also widespread moral and spiritual darkness. We see this around the world with the war in Ukraine, with the rise of anti-semitism against the Jewish people, the persecution of Christians, and so much instability focused on the Middle East. But there can be darkness at a more personal level. It can be in us, in our minds and hearts. Many people are depressed. Life and circumstances seem dark because what they have experienced has been dark. Depression is growing rapidly in the UK. Reports last year show that 1 in 6 adults feel chronic loneliness, anxiety, stress and even suicidal thoughts. These statistics rank highest in young people. In the workplace health report, 61% of 16–24-year-olds in employment admit to feeling depressed. Darkness can also come in the form of sin with so many people bound by habits, addictions, and powers beyond their control (John 3:19). The Apostle Paul explains how people are living when they are separate from God (Ephesians 4:18). For darkness to be removed in the world it must be removed in our heart, so we do not walk in darkness but walk in the light.    2. People can have the light of hope. Isaiah 9:2 says “a light has dawned.” 2000 years ago a light came into the world. That light was Jesus! This is the good news, that God didn't leave us in darkness but sent His son Jesus to break the power of darkness and to destroy the works of the enemy (Isaiah 61:1). Nobody has the power to bring the light into our homes, our lives, and our thinking like Jesus (John 8:12). He came into this world to show the heart of God, to take away sin, and He shared how if anyone turns to Him and repents, they can be set free from all the works of the enemy. Whether people want to recognise it or not, the only hope to remove darkness in the world is Jesus. When people turn away from God all darkness descends into the world. Whatever darkness the world may be in, no matter how many dark and gloomy circumstances you may be facing, Jesus can light up your life. For He is the saviour of all. This is why the angels announced to the shepherds the good news that “A saviour has been born to you”.    3. People can experience the light of Jesus. Isaiah 9:2 says “The people walking in darkness have seen a great light”. When people experience Christ personally it's like a bright light has come on (Ephesians 5:8). Devout Jewish religious leader Saul was not expecting what happened to him when he was involved in violently persecuting Christians. He was on his way to Damascus when his whole life changed (Acts 9:3-4). At that moment he realised that Jesus was real and alive. From then on instead of being the greatest opponent of Christianity, he became the apostle Paul, one of its greatest promoters. His life completely turned around for good. And today you too can experience the light of God.   This Christmas is a new day to sing ‘Joy to the world' because the Lord has come. Jesus is Emmanuel, God with us. You can be delivered from every dark and evil power holding you captive. You can be set free from depression. You can be rescued out of the land of deep darkness. At the cross, Jesus came to rescue you from everything that can ruin our lives. He came to forgive and to set you free. Have you been walking in deep darkness: negative thoughts, worry, loneliness, addiction, grief? Have you been searching for life in the wrong and dark places? This Christmas is your opportunity to step out of the darkness into the wonderful light of Jesus. 

Christmas is a very special time when our church family in the UK and in SA joins with millions who are celebrating the light of Jesus. But have you seen the light of Christmas?    Bright lights are associated with Christmas because it was a radiant bright light that startled the shepherds when the angel announced the birth of Jesus to them. And it was also a bright star that rose to lead the wise men to the stable where Jesus was born in Bethlehem so they could worship Him. And today it is the great hope of the Christmas message that can light up our world that is dark in so many ways.    This Christmas is an opportunity for us to understand how Jesus can light up our world which is so often dark and gloomy. The prophet Isaiah put it like this in Isaiah 9:2: “The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned.” We can see why this verse is so relevant to us all today:  1. People need the light of the Lord (Isaiah 9:2; John 3:19; Ephesians 4:18) 2. People can have the light of hope (Isaiah 9:2; Isaiah 61:1; John 8:12) 3. People can experience the light of Jesus (Isaiah 9:2; Ephesians 5:8; Acts 9:3-4)  Apply  1. People need the light of the Lord. It says here that people are walking in darkness, “living in the land of deep darkness” (Isaiah 9:2). The Jewish people had known many dark times in their history, especially when their nation was destroyed by the Babylonians. They were scared alone and without hope for the future. We can see many similarities in our world today. This Christmas is the time to see the light because our world is not only economically and politically gloomy but there is also widespread moral and spiritual darkness. We see this around the world with the war in Ukraine, with the rise of anti-semitism against the Jewish people, the persecution of Christians, and so much instability focused on the Middle East. But there can be darkness at a more personal level. It can be in us, in our minds and hearts. Many people are depressed. Life and circumstances seem dark because what they have experienced has been dark. Depression is growing rapidly in the UK. Reports last year show that 1 in 6 adults feel chronic loneliness, anxiety, stress and even suicidal thoughts. These statistics rank highest in young people. In the workplace health report, 61% of 16–24-year-olds in employment admit to feeling depressed. Darkness can also come in the form of sin with so many people bound by habits, addictions, and powers beyond their control (John 3:19). The Apostle Paul explains how people are living when they are separate from God (Ephesians 4:18). For darkness to be removed in the world it must be removed in our heart, so we do not walk in darkness but walk in the light.    2. People can have the light of hope. Isaiah 9:2 says “a light has dawned.” 2000 years ago a light came into the world. That light was Jesus! This is the good news, that God didn't leave us in darkness but sent His son Jesus to break the power of darkness and to destroy the works of the enemy (Isaiah 61:1). Nobody has the power to bring the light into our homes, our lives, and our thinking like Jesus (John 8:12). He came into this world to show the heart of God, to take away sin, and He shared how if anyone turns to Him and repents, they can be set free from all the works of the enemy. Whether people want to recognise it or not, the only hope to remove darkness in the world is Jesus. When people turn away from God all darkness descends into the world. Whatever darkness the world may be in, no matter how many dark and gloomy circumstances you may be facing, Jesus can light up your life. For He is the saviour of all. This is why the angels announced to the shepherds the good news that “A saviour has been born to you”.    3. People can experience the light of Jesus. Isaiah 9:2 says “The people walking in darkness have seen a great light”. When people experience Christ personally it's like a bright light has come on (Ephesians 5:8). Devout Jewish religious leader Saul was not expecting what happened to him when he was involved in violently persecuting Christians. He was on his way to Damascus when his whole life changed (Acts 9:3-4). At that moment he realised that Jesus was real and alive. From then on instead of being the greatest opponent of Christianity, he became the apostle Paul, one of its greatest promoters. His life completely turned around for good. And today you too can experience the light of God.   This Christmas is a new day to sing ‘Joy to the world' because the Lord has come. Jesus is Emmanuel, God with us. You can be delivered from every dark and evil power holding you captive. You can be set free from depression. You can be rescued out of the land of deep darkness. At the cross, Jesus came to rescue you from everything that can ruin our lives. He came to forgive and to set you free. Have you been walking in deep darkness: negative thoughts, worry, loneliness, addiction, grief? Have you been searching for life in the wrong and dark places? This Christmas is your opportunity to step out of the darkness into the wonderful light of Jesus. 

The apostle Paul proclaims that all true freedom is rooted in Jesus Christ, through following His teachings and by knowing Him. That freedom, which begins with us experiencing personal spiritual freedom, leads to many other freedoms in life and in society.    The apostle Paul outlines the big differences between religion, which is based in rules and practices, and true Christianity, which is based in relationship with God, and we understand that we are not slaves, but sons and daughters of God through faith alone in Jesus Christ. Real Christianity is about having a changed heart, and love for God and people. We see in Galatians 6 what every true Christian should always do.    1. Always care for people (James 2:15-17; Galatians 6:1-6,10) 2. Always be confident to reap the best harvest (Galatians 6:7-9)  3. Always keep Jesus at the centre of your faith (Galatians 6:15-18)  Apply  1. Always care for people. Care is love, and love is at the heart of real Christianity. God is love, God loves the whole world, and this love was showed through Jesus caring for people. Jesus taught that His true followers must care for people, not only believe in Him. In the New Testament, James teaches that faith without action is dead, and this includes caring for people and their practical needs (James 2:15-17). If we are merely religious, we will always have a hard heart towards people. The apostle Paul outlines very practical ways to care for people (Galatians 6:1-6,10). We must look to restore people. People sin and people mess up. When that happens, you must not look to condemn nor criticise them, but rather see how we can get them back to the best place. Do it gently because people are hurting. Nobody is perfect, and we can fail too. But our job is to help people go to a new level in life. Look to help lighten the burdens of people. Whether you are young or old, a new Christian or experienced leader, we all need to support one another. The question we must ask is ‘How can I help others?'. We should look after our Christian brothers and sisters. It's great to reach people who don't know Christ yet, but we must first look after our brothers and sisters locally and globally. In many nations our Christian brothers need practical support (i.e. consider giving into the KCI Care Fund to support people struggling this Christmas).  2. Always be confident to reap the best harvest (Galatians 6:7-9). Be sure of the law of sowing and reaping. There is no escaping this principle: if you live in sin, living for yourself, you will reap the bad consequences that brings (e.g. someone who neglects or mistreats their family will not reap the blessing of God-centred family life). But if you live for God, you will reap the best rewards. What you put in, you will get out of life, so therefore be sure to sow the seeds of the Holy Spirit. Last week we heard about the fruit of the Spirit, such as being kind to people, being patient, treating others well, being gentle, prayerful, studying the word of God and serving Him. God will honour you for how you speak, act and all your faithful service. Be sure that you will reap a great harvest if you don't give up. Too many people give up and lose the great reward that God has, but if you keep on faithfully, God will bless you more than you can imagine. Every Christian should be confident that we will reap a great harvest if we stay close to the Lord.  3. Always keep Jesus at the centre of your faith. There can't be true Christianity without Christ. As Paul has been saying through this book of Galatians, religious activities and religious practices like circumcision are all irrelevant. The only thing that matters is that you fully identify with Jesus, even if that means persecution. It means that we are not ashamed of the Cross of Jesus. He was crucified and because of that we also need to be crucified to the world, dead to the world, so that we can pass from death to life (Galatians 6:15). What counts is the new creation, the new life Jesus gives us and the person He makes us. The challenge is: are you a religious person? Are you a legalist who follows the rules but doesn't have the relationship? Has your heart been changed? Are your life and lifestyle different because you have encountered Jesus Christ? Are you living the old way and following what this world says and does, or have you been changed and become a son/daughter of God? Paul was changed by the Lord and was prepared to suffer for Christ (Galatians 6:17-18). This is what it takes to live as a real Christian. Every true Christian should always care for people, be confident to reap the best harvest, and keep Jesus at the centre of your faith. 

The apostle Paul proclaims that all true freedom is rooted in Jesus Christ, through following His teachings and by knowing Him. That freedom, which begins with us experiencing personal spiritual freedom, leads to many other freedoms in life and in society.    The apostle Paul outlines the big differences between religion, which is based in rules and practices, and true Christianity, which is based in relationship with God, and we understand that we are not slaves, but sons and daughters of God through faith alone in Jesus Christ. Real Christianity is about having a changed heart, and love for God and people. We see in Galatians 6 what every true Christian should always do.    1. Always care for people (James 2:15-17; Galatians 6:1-6,10) 2. Always be confident to reap the best harvest (Galatians 6:7-9)  3. Always keep Jesus at the centre of your faith (Galatians 6:15-18)  Apply  1. Always care for people. Care is love, and love is at the heart of real Christianity. God is love, God loves the whole world, and this love was showed through Jesus caring for people. Jesus taught that His true followers must care for people, not only believe in Him. In the New Testament, James teaches that faith without action is dead, and this includes caring for people and their practical needs (James 2:15-17). If we are merely religious, we will always have a hard heart towards people. The apostle Paul outlines very practical ways to care for people (Galatians 6:1-6,10). We must look to restore people. People sin and people mess up. When that happens, you must not look to condemn nor criticise them, but rather see how we can get them back to the best place. Do it gently because people are hurting. Nobody is perfect, and we can fail too. But our job is to help people go to a new level in life. Look to help lighten the burdens of people. Whether you are young or old, a new Christian or experienced leader, we all need to support one another. The question we must ask is ‘How can I help others?'. We should look after our Christian brothers and sisters. It's great to reach people who don't know Christ yet, but we must first look after our brothers and sisters locally and globally. In many nations our Christian brothers need practical support (i.e. consider giving into the KCI Care Fund to support people struggling this Christmas).  2. Always be confident to reap the best harvest (Galatians 6:7-9). Be sure of the law of sowing and reaping. There is no escaping this principle: if you live in sin, living for yourself, you will reap the bad consequences that brings (e.g. someone who neglects or mistreats their family will not reap the blessing of God-centred family life). But if you live for God, you will reap the best rewards. What you put in, you will get out of life, so therefore be sure to sow the seeds of the Holy Spirit. Last week we heard about the fruit of the Spirit, such as being kind to people, being patient, treating others well, being gentle, prayerful, studying the word of God and serving Him. God will honour you for how you speak, act and all your faithful service. Be sure that you will reap a great harvest if you don't give up. Too many people give up and lose the great reward that God has, but if you keep on faithfully, God will bless you more than you can imagine. Every Christian should be confident that we will reap a great harvest if we stay close to the Lord.  3. Always keep Jesus at the centre of your faith. There can't be true Christianity without Christ. As Paul has been saying through this book of Galatians, religious activities and religious practices like circumcision are all irrelevant. The only thing that matters is that you fully identify with Jesus, even if that means persecution. It means that we are not ashamed of the Cross of Jesus. He was crucified and because of that we also need to be crucified to the world, dead to the world, so that we can pass from death to life (Galatians 6:15). What counts is the new creation, the new life Jesus gives us and the person He makes us. The challenge is: are you a religious person? Are you a legalist who follows the rules but doesn't have the relationship? Has your heart been changed? Are your life and lifestyle different because you have encountered Jesus Christ? Are you living the old way and following what this world says and does, or have you been changed and become a son/daughter of God? Paul was changed by the Lord and was prepared to suffer for Christ (Galatians 6:17-18). This is what it takes to live as a real Christian. Every true Christian should always care for people, be confident to reap the best harvest, and keep Jesus at the centre of your faith. 

God wants you to live in freedom in every area of your life. But you need help: the help of the Holy Spirit. The greatest declaration of freedom comes from the writings of the apostle Paul, in the book of Galatians 5:1 which states: ‘It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.'   The book of Galatians, which has often been described as the Magna Carta of Christianity, proclaims that all true freedom is rooted in Jesus Christ, through following His teachings and by knowing Him. That freedom, which begins with us experiencing personal spiritual freedom, leads to many other freedoms in life and in society. But it is within the church, the Christian family, that the battles of freedom must first be won. To set others free, we ourselves must first be free. We can only share what we have experienced.   In the first four chapters of this book the apostle Paul highlights a major killer of freedom, namely so-called religious Christianity or legalism. In the early church there were powerful religious groups who insisted on following Jewish traditions and practices like circumcision. Paul however even more strongly insisted that all true faith is based on Christ alone. Only though Christ's death and resurrection we can be forgiven for all our sins and freed to live a new life as sons and daughters of God, rather than as slaves. That's God's plan and vision for every Christian. But how do we live in the freedom that Christ has provided for us? How can we avoid the big trap of always trying to live right through our own actions and strength? The answer is that we need to recognise our need for the help of the Holy Spirit. Only the Holy Spirit can help you live in freedom.   Galatians 5 continually emphasises the importance of living in the Spirit, because no Christian and no church can live in freedom without the Holy Spirit. The church is a spiritual entity. The church is engaged in spiritual battle. Every Christian and every church must therefore be filled with the spirit. Everything that will be achieved will be achieved through the Spirit (Zechariah 4:6). Human gifting, logical thinking, natural resources and religious traditions will accomplish nothing without the Spirit. On the other hand, we may feel weak and lacking in many areas, but with the Spirit we can accomplish great things. That's why the apostle Paul says we must ‘live by the Spirit.” In this chapter we see some big lessons about the importance of the Holy Spirit.   1. Only by living by the Holy Spirit can you overcome sin (Galatians 5:16-21)  2. Only by living by the Holy Spirit can you become more Christlike (Galatians 5:22-24 NIV & AMP)  3. Only by living by the Holy Spirit can you keep in step with the direction of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:25-26).  Apply  1. Only by living by the Holy Spirit can you overcome sin (Galatians 5:16-21). We are called to live by the Spirit turning your back on a lifestyle that is contrary to a lifestyle of the Spirit. Martin Luther spoke of a three-fold battle in the Christian life. The Christian is locked in mortal combat with the world, the flesh and the devil. The Apostle Paul makes clear the total contrast between living life by the Spirit of God or one according to the sinful nature. He clearly outlines the ugly works of the flesh. Uncontrolled sexual and physical appetites: sexual immorality, impurity, debauchery, drunkenness, orgies and the like; Uncontrolled ambitions: selfish ambition, jealousy, envy, factions; Uncontrolled temper: hatred, discord, fits of rage, dissension; Uncontrolled spiritual rebellion: idolatry and witchcraft. Remember when Paul writes about these sins, he is writing to a Christian church and telling them that they can't have sexual sin in their lives, they can't have hate and anger in their lives, they can't be rebellious, and they can't be doing the work of the Devil. Someone may claim to be a Christian or a good religious individual. They may have been on the church board or sung in the church choir but in reality, the person who continually practices these sins will not inherit the kingdom of God. The Bible could not be clearer on this. You cannot and must not live in contradiction to the Word of God.  2. Only by living by the Holy Spirit can you become more Christlike (Galatians 5:22-24 NIV & AMP). When the Apostle Paul says, ‘live by the Spirit,' He is outlining an alternative way to live. The Christian disciple, and the Christian leader, is to live a life controlled by the Holy Spirit. If we want to live free as children of God, we need to have the evidence of the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives. It's not enough to say we are Christians; the fruit of the Spirit means that we must have Christlike characteristics in our lives. Every day people must see the fruit of the Spirit in our lives, especially our families, close friends and colleagues. We cannot just be religious by simply talking about Jesus, saying that we will pray for people or serving in the church. It must be increasingly obvious every day that we have the good fruit of the Spirit in our lives. Ask yourself, am I becoming more: Loving, Joyful, Peaceful, Patient, Kindness, Full of goodness, Faithful, Gentle, and Self-controlled. If you are struggling in any of these areas, then you cannot accept that this is normal behaviour for a Christian. It's a sign you haven't died to your flesh, so you need to come to the cross and crucify or put to death your passions and desires and your ego and image and live a new life with the help of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit wants to help us in our weaknesses and He is the only one who can help you change even in the areas that seem impossible for you to change. For when you live close to the Holy Spirit all this beautiful fruit will be seen in your life. 3. Only by living by the Holy Spirit can you keep in step with the direction of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:25-26). The Holy Spirit, like the wind, is always moving. He is always wanting to guide us and direct us just like He directed the apostle Paul to city after city. The Holy Spirit wants to continually lead us so that we never fall back into old ways of pride and provoking and being jealous of one another. Living in the Spirit means that you begin to know the Lord more and more as you read His word and listen and obey the voice of God. When you keep in step with the Holy Spirit you will no longer make decisions based on emotions or on what you think or what you feel or what the media or your friends say. Living in the Spirit means that you are no longer independent of God's will for your life, doing what you want. Rather you will be confident in your growing relationship with the Holy Spirit to walk close to Him in every situation and circumstance, especially when making significant decisions. Dr Yonggi Cho, founding pastor of the world's biggest church, described the Holy Spirit as his ‘senior partner', saying ‘without fellowship with the Holy Spirit there can be no spiritual life, no faith with power and victory.' We too need to constantly develop a relationship with the Holy Spirit, listening to His voice, being sensitive to His direction and moving in step with Him. The Holy Spirit wants to come and be a key friend and partner to you. As you learn to live by the Spirit you will become a great disciple and a great leader. Maybe you are still struggling with the desires of your flesh or struggling to leave old habits. Today repent of your sins, fully surrender your life to Jesus and ask the Holy Spirit to help you. 

God wants you to live in freedom in every area of your life. But you need help: the help of the Holy Spirit. The greatest declaration of freedom comes from the writings of the apostle Paul, in the book of Galatians 5:1 which states: ‘It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.'   The book of Galatians, which has often been described as the Magna Carta of Christianity, proclaims that all true freedom is rooted in Jesus Christ, through following His teachings and by knowing Him. That freedom, which begins with us experiencing personal spiritual freedom, leads to many other freedoms in life and in society. But it is within the church, the Christian family, that the battles of freedom must first be won. To set others free, we ourselves must first be free. We can only share what we have experienced.    In the first four chapters of this book the apostle Paul highlights a major killer of freedom, namely so-called religious Christianity or legalism. In the early church there were powerful religious groups who insisted on following Jewish traditions and practices like circumcision. Paul however even more strongly insisted that all true faith is based on Christ alone. Only though Christ's death and resurrection we can be forgiven for all our sins and freed to live a new life as sons and daughters of God, rather than as slaves. That's God's plan and vision for every Christian. But how do we live in the freedom that Christ has provided for us? How can we avoid the big trap of always trying to live right through our own actions and strength? The answer is that we need to recognise our need for the help of the Holy Spirit. Only the Holy Spirit can help you live in freedom.    Galatians 5 continually emphasises the importance of living in the Spirit, because no Christian and no church can live in freedom without the Holy Spirit. The church is a spiritual entity. The church is engaged in spiritual battle. Every Christian and every church must therefore be filled with the spirit. Everything that will be achieved will be achieved through the Spirit (Zechariah 4:6). Human gifting, logical thinking, natural resources and religious traditions will accomplish nothing without the Spirit. On the other hand, we may feel weak and lacking in many areas, but with the Spirit we can accomplish great things. That's why the apostle Paul says we must ‘live by the Spirit.” In this chapter we see some big lessons about the importance of the Holy Spirit.   1. Only by living by the Holy Spirit can you overcome sin (Galatians 5:16-21)  2. Only by living by the Holy Spirit can you become more Christlike (Galatians 5:22-24 NIV & AMP)  3. Only by living by the Holy Spirit can you keep in step with the direction of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:25-26).  Apply  1. Only by living by the Holy Spirit can you overcome sin (Galatians 5:16-21). We are called to live by the Spirit turning your back on a lifestyle that is contrary to a lifestyle of the Spirit. Martin Luther spoke of a three-fold battle in the Christian life. The Christian is locked in mortal combat with the world, the flesh and the devil. The Apostle Paul makes clear the total contrast between living life by the Spirit of God or one according to the sinful nature. He clearly outlines the ugly works of the flesh. Uncontrolled sexual and physical appetites: sexual immorality, purity, debauchery, drunkenness, orgies and the like; Uncontrolled ambitions: selfish ambition, jealousy, envy, factions; Uncontrolled temper: hatred, discord, fits of rage, dissension; Uncontrolled spiritual rebellion: idolatry and witchcraft. Remember when Paul writes about these sins, he is writing to a Christian church and telling them that they can't have sexual sin in their lives, they can't have hate and anger in their lives, they can't be rebellious, and they can't be doing the work of the Devil. Someone may claim to be a Christian or a good religious individual. They may have been on the church board or sung in the church choir but in reality, the person who continually practices these sins will not inherit the kingdom of God. The Bible could not be clearer on this. You cannot and must not live in contradiction to the Word of God.   2. Only by living by the Holy Spirit can you become more Christlike (Galatians 5:22-24 NIV & AMP). When the Apostle Paul says, ‘live by the Spirit,' He is outlining an alternative way to live. The Christian disciple, and the Christian leader, is to live a life controlled by the Holy Spirit. If we want to live free as children of God, we need to have the evidence of the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives. It's not enough to say we are Christians; the fruit of the Spirit means that we must have Christlike characteristics in our lives. Every day people must see the fruit of the Spirit in our lives, especially our families, close friends and colleagues. We cannot just be religious by simply talking about Jesus, saying that we will pray for people or serving in the church. It must be increasingly obvious every day that we have the good fruit of the Spirit in our lives. Ask yourself, am I becoming more: Loving, Joyful, Peaceful, Patient, Kindness, Full of goodness, Faithful, Gentle, and Self-controlled. If you are struggling in any of these areas, then you cannot accept that this is normal behaviour for a Christian. It's a sign you haven't died to your flesh, so you need to come to the cross and crucify or put to death your passions and desires and your ego and image and live a new life with the help of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit wants to help us in our weaknesses and He is the only one who can help you change even in the areas that seem impossible for you to change. For when you live close to the Holy Spirit all this beautiful fruit will be seen in your life.  3. Only by living by the Holy Spirit can you keep in step with the direction of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:25-26). The Holy Spirit, like the wind, is always moving. He is always wanting to guide us and direct us just like He directed the apostle Paul to city after city. The Holy Spirit wants to continually lead us so that we never fall back into old ways of pride and provoking and being jealous of one another. Living in the Spirit means that you begin to know the Lord more and more as you read His word and listen and obey the voice of God. When you keep in step with the Holy Spirit you will no longer make decisions based on emotions or on what you think or what you feel or what the media or your friends say. Living in the Spirit means that you are no longer independent of God's will for your life, doing what you want. Rather you will be confident in your growing relationship with the Holy Spirit to walk close to Him in every situation and circumstance, especially when making significant decisions. Dr Yonggi Cho, founding pastor of the world's biggest church, described the Holy Spirit as his ‘senior partner', saying ‘without fellowship with the Holy Spirit there can be no spiritual life, no faith with power and victory.' We too need to constantly develop a relationship with the Holy Spirit, listening to His voice, being sensitive to His direction and moving in step with Him. The Holy Spirit wants to come and be a key friend and partner to you. As you learn to live by the Spirit you will become a great disciple and a great leader. Maybe you are still struggling with the desires of your flesh or struggling to leave old habits. Today repent of your sins, fully surrender your life to Jesus and ask the Holy Spirit to help you.  

Have you messed up in your life? Do you know how much God wants you to experience His amazing grace? One of the most famous stories that Jesus told is the Prodigal Son. The Prodigal Son is a story of two sons who took very different paths in life. One was outwardly respectable; the other was a rebel. One looked good; the other acted badly. One seemed like the perfect churchgoer; the other a sinner you would never expect to see in church.   Last week we learned about the older brother who had been faithful and responsible but had also become very harsh, self-righteous and judgemental. He had a bad attitude towards his younger brother who had been so unfaithful and irresponsible. So, when he saw him being blessed by their father, he was angry. The older brother saw himself as a servant of his Dad, rather than a son. He needed to discover the love of the Father (representing God) just as much as his misbehaving brother did.    The younger, prodigal son was somebody who had really messed up, like so many people have in life. He made wrong decisions and got in with the wrong crowd, blew his money and ended up losing virtually everything. He was down but this story shows, he was not out. He was about to receive unexpected and undeserved mercy and a future of more blessings than he could have ever dreamed of. What happened to him can happen to you, especially if you are at a very low point in your life right now. Your paradise is not lost. God still has a paradise for you. This story shows how you can experience great turnaround in your life.   1. The Prodigal Son recognised how far he had gone from his father (Luke 15:11-17) 2. The Prodigal Son decided to return to his father (Luke 15:18-20; James 4:6-7)  3. The Prodigal Son experienced the amazing grace of his father  - Instead of rejection, he received the father's embrace (Luke 15:20) - Instead of condemnation, he received a big celebration (Luke 15:22-24,32)   Apply   1. The Prodigal Son recognised how far he had gone from his father (Luke 15:11-17). The prodigal son clearly recognised what mess he had made of his life. He'd had money and he'd done everything he wanted, but he got into big trouble because of his own ego, selfishness, and because of his false values. He had failed to recognise all the blessings he had received through being close with his father. Instead, he thought he would be happy if he could have money, sex, and the party life with many cool friends. But despite doing everything he wanted and spending his inheritance on ‘wild living', he was not happy. In fact, his friends were not his friends, abandoning him when the money ran out. He had been used. He came to an awful situation where he just begged for a job, and got the absolute lowest, most degrading job for a Jew, of looking after the despised, unclean pigs. He was desperately trying to survive, even if that meant eating the food the pigs were getting. But then he got real and recognised the true state of his life. He came to his senses. He recognised how low he had sunk and how far from the father he had gone. That's what we must do if we want to see restoration in our lives. But how low do we have to go in life before we come to our senses? How low does a family have to go? How low does a nation have to go before we recognise something is wrong? A road to recovery begins with this recognition of our need of help and of God the Father Himself.  2. The Prodigal Son decided to return to his father. Life is all about making decisions. Not to make decisions is a decision. The greatest decision is to return to God and turn away from living our lives our way. This is something which the Bible calls repentance. Repentance means to turn right around (Luke 15:18-20). After recognising how far he had gone from the father, the prodigal son decided to repent and return to him. He determined that he was going to go back to the father, and that he was going to go humbly. He felt he was no longer worthy to be called the father's son. He was ready to just plead to see if there was any chance that he would be allowed back as a lowly servant. And this is how we too should come to God, with honesty and humility when we recognise how much we need Him. So often in our culture today, we act as if we're God, and He's got to come on our terms. But if we're going to know God, we must come on His terms. We need to get real with God and acknowledge how we really need to turn around. We must repent of having gone our way and not God's way (James 4:6-7). Then you can receive the revelation of the Father's love mercy and grace for all who believe in Jesus Christ.  3. The Prodigal Son experienced the amazing grace of his father. Grace means undeserved favour. Grace cannot be earned; it is something that is freely given. Our world longs for grace. It's no coincidence that Amazing Grace' is the world's best-known and most popular hymn sung in churches and non-religious events all over the world. The hymn writer, John Newton, the former vicious slave trader who became a pastor and leading opponent of slavery, knew first-hand it was only God's grace that ‘saved a wretch like me.' We see what true grace looks like in the response of the father when his broken son returned home.  - Instead of rejection, he received the father's embrace (Luke 15:20). The Father had been looking for lost son all the time. He had never given up on him. While he was a great way off, the father saw this bedraggled, poor, hungry, skinny figure, coming towards him. And he was so excited that he ran towards him and warmly embraced him, hugging and kissing him. The Prodigal had made big mistakes, but the father was more concerned about him than the mistakes he had made. He just wanted to have his son close with him. This is what God our Heavenly Father is like. He's the best father. God is full of compassion for you and wants you to receive His embrace today.  - Instead of condemnation, he received a big celebration. Instead of telling him off, punishing him and accepting the son's offer to keep him as a servant, the father went over the top in his celebrations (Luke 15:22-24). The father gave him the best new clothes, new shoes and a ring of new authority. He threw a huge party for him. The Father was so happy because his missing son had come home. And when his older son complained, the dad explained why they could not contain their joy (Luke 15:32). Today, if you have got into trouble and gone far from God, it's time to recognise your mess and return to your heavenly father who wants to welcome you home. He wants to clean you up and give you new clothes of righteousness. He wants to bless you as a son or daughter. He wants to embrace you with his unconditional and never-failing love. This is why Jesus came into the world: to seek and to save those who are lost. God is not out to beat, humiliate you or turn you away. Right now, is your opportunity to come home to God and to receive his amazing grace and mercy. (See hymn: ‘Softly and tenderly Jesus is calling', that was sung at the funeral of Dr Martin Luther King Jnr.) 

Have you messed up in your life? Do you know how much God wants you to experience His amazing grace? One of the most famous stories that Jesus told is the Prodigal Son. The Prodigal Son is a story of two sons who took very different paths in life. One was outwardly respectable; the other was a rebel. One looked good; the other acted badly. One seemed like the perfect churchgoer; the other a sinner you would never expect to see in church.   Last week we learned about the older brother who had been faithful and responsible but had also become very harsh, self-righteous and judgemental. He had a bad attitude towards his younger brother who had been so unfaithful and irresponsible. So, when he saw him being blessed by their father, he was angry. The older brother saw himself as a servant of his Dad, rather than a son. He needed to discover the love of the Father (representing God) just as much as his misbehaving brother did.    The younger, prodigal son was somebody who had really messed up, like so many people have in life. He made wrong decisions and got in with the wrong crowd, blew his money and ended up losing virtually everything. He was down but this story shows, he was not out. He was about to receive unexpected and undeserved mercy and a future of more blessings than he could have ever dreamed of. What happened to him can happen to you, especially if you are at a very low point in your life right now. Your paradise is not lost. God still has a paradise for you. This story shows how you can experience great turnaround in your life.   1. The Prodigal Son recognised how far he had gone from his father (Luke 15:11-17) 2. The Prodigal Son decided to return to his father (Luke 15:18-20; James 4:6-7)  3. The Prodigal Son experienced the amazing grace of his father  - Instead of rejection, he received the father's embrace (Luke 15:20) - Instead of condemnation, he received a big celebration (Luke 15:22-24,32)   Apply   1. The Prodigal Son recognised how far he had gone from his father (Luke 15:11-17). The prodigal son clearly recognised what mess he had made of his life. He'd had money and he'd done everything he wanted, but he got into big trouble because of his own ego, selfishness, and because of his false values. He had failed to recognise all the blessings he had received through being close with his father. Instead, he thought he would be happy if he could have money, sex, and the party life with many cool friends. But despite doing everything he wanted and spending his inheritance on ‘wild living', he was not happy. In fact, his friends were not his friends, abandoning him when the money ran out. He had been used. He came to an awful situation where he just begged for a job, and got the absolute lowest, most degrading job for a Jew, of looking after the despised, unclean pigs. He was desperately trying to survive, even if that meant eating the food the pigs were getting. But then he got real and recognised the true state of his life. He came to his senses. He recognised how low he had sunk and how far from the father he had gone. That's what we must do if we want to see restoration in our lives. But how low do we have to go in life before we come to our senses? How low does a family have to go? How low does a nation have to go before we recognise something is wrong? A road to recovery begins with this recognition of our need of help and of God the Father Himself.  2. The Prodigal Son decided to return to his father. Life is all about making decisions. Not to make decisions is a decision. The greatest decision is to return to God and turn away from living our lives our way. This is something which the Bible calls repentance. Repentance means to turn right around (Luke 15:18-20). After recognising how far he had gone from the father, the prodigal son decided to repent and return to him. He determined that he was going to go back to the father, and that he was going to go humbly. He felt he was no longer worthy to be called the father's son. He was ready to just plead to see if there was any chance that he would be allowed back as a lowly servant. And this is how we too should come to God, with honesty and humility when we recognise how much we need Him. So often in our culture today, we act as if we're God, and He's got to come on our terms. But if we're going to know God, we must come on His terms. We need to get real with God and acknowledge how we really need to turn around. We must repent of having gone our way and not God's way (James 4:6-7). Then you can receive the revelation of the Father's love mercy and grace for all who believe in Jesus Christ.  3. The Prodigal Son experienced the amazing grace of his father. Grace means undeserved favour. Grace cannot be earned; it is something that is freely given. Our world longs for grace. It's no coincidence that Amazing Grace' is the world's best-known and most popular hymn sung in churches and non-religious events all over the world. The hymn writer, John Newton, the former vicious slave trader who became a pastor and leading opponent of slavery, knew first-hand it was only God's grace that ‘saved a wretch like me.' We see what true grace looks like in the response of the father when his broken son returned home.  - Instead of rejection, he received the father's embrace (Luke 15:20). The Father had been looking for lost son all the time. He had never given up on him. While he was a great way off, the father saw this bedraggled, poor, hungry, skinny figure, coming towards him. And he was so excited that he ran towards him and warmly embraced him, hugging and kissing him. The Prodigal had made big mistakes, but the father was more concerned about him than the mistakes he had made. He just wanted to have his son close with him. This is what God our Heavenly Father is like. He's the best father. God is full of compassion for you and wants you to receive His embrace today.  - Instead of condemnation, he received a big celebration. Instead of telling him off, punishing him and accepting the son's offer to keep him as a servant, the father went over the top in his celebrations (Luke 15:22-24). The father gave him the best new clothes, new shoes and a ring of new authority. He threw a huge party for him. The Father was so happy because his missing son had come home. And when his older son complained, the dad explained why they could not contain their joy (Luke 15:32). Today, if you have got into trouble and gone far from God, it's time to recognise your mess and return to your heavenly father who wants to welcome you home. He wants to clean you up and give you new clothes of righteousness. He wants to bless you as a son or daughter. He wants to embrace you with his unconditional and never-failing love. This is why Jesus came into the world: to seek and to save those who are lost. God is not out to beat, humiliate you or turn you away. Right now, is your opportunity to come home to God and to receive his amazing grace and mercy. (See hymn: ‘Softly and tenderly Jesus is calling', that was sung at the funeral of Dr Martin Luther King Jnr.) 

Are you a driven person? Do you know the unconditional love of God? English author Charles Dickens famously wrote ‘A tale of two cities,' a novel set in London and Paris before and during the French Revolution. But Jesus told an even more famous story about two brothers. One is very well known as the Prodigal son, who got into big trouble by living a wild and rebellious life but who then returned to his father and received an amazing and undeserved welcome home. The other son, the elder brother, however, was very upset about this. His reaction showed the true state of his own heart. For he also needed to be reconciled with his father and to discover his love.    There is much about this story of the elder brother that many churchgoers and good and faithful Christians may find that they can identify with. For it is more than possible to serve God without really experiencing the love of God and the many blessings that we can enjoy each day. As we read Luke 15:25-32 we can learn from the older brother's story after the return of his Prodigal brother because, although he seemed to be good and responsible, he had some big issues that needed changing in his life.   1. The older brother was angry and resentful at the blessing being given to his brother (Luke 15:25-28) 2. The older brother had the mentality of a slave not a son (Luke 15:28-29) 3. The older brother was judgmental (Luke 15:30; Matthew 9:10-13; John 8:3-7) - The father tried to make him see that he was a son not a servant (Luke 15:31; Galatians 4:7; 1 John 3:1) - The father tried to show him that he was missing out on the blessings he had already been given (Luke 15:31) - The father tried to get him to celebrate mercy over judgement (Luke 15:32)  Apply   1. The older brother was angry and resentful at the blessing being given to his brother (Luke 15:25-28). When the younger brother left home and wasted his life and family money, it was the dependable older brother who faithfully continued working to help keep everything going. So, when he heard that his younger brother who had caused so much disruption and trouble had come back home, he was not pleased. And when he heard that his dad had put on a special party for him, he was very angry. The older brother decided not to celebrate with his family and missed out on this amazing moment of restoration with his brother because he was carrying so many negative feelings in his heart. Perhaps you too have carried on faithfully serving in your family and in the church but in your heart a lot of anger has built up. Maybe you feel put upon and taken for granted. Inside there is a lot of resentment bubbling away. And maybe that's why churchgoers can sometimes seem so bitter and miserable to those outside of the church. They have unresolved bitterness of heart. Do you have some anger issues in your heart that needs dealing with?    2. The older brother had the mentality of a slave not a son (Luke 15:28-29). The brother's first response was very telling of their relationship. He saw himself more as a servant of the father than his son. He saw himself as a slave who never once disobeyed or did anything wrong. And he felt totally unappreciated. He had what we could call a victim mentality and had a lot of self-pity. He tried to earn is his father's love, blessings, rewards and acceptance by working hard. He did not realise that his father loved him unconditionally, regardless of the way he was “slaving” away. Maybe that is something you can relate to.    3. The older brother was judgmental (Luke 15:30). The bitterness that the older brother had in his heart resulted in a lot of judgement and criticism towards his younger brother. He could see his brother's sins, but he could not see how hard his own heart had become. He felt that he was justified in looking down on him. Jesus encountered this condemning attitude at different times in his ministry (Matthew 9:10-13; John 8:3-7). Religious people can be very critical and mean spirited. They are like the elder brother in this story who don't have an experience of God's grace. But the father wanted him to discover this just as much as he wanted the younger and seemingly worse son to receive his mercy and forgiveness.  Having seen these three bad attitudes of the elder brother let's see how the Father dealt with him: - The father tried to make him see that he was a son not a servant (Luke 15:31). There was a big difference in perceptions. The father perceived the elder brother as his son, but the eldest son perceived himself as a servant. The older dutiful brother constantly did his best to please his dad, but he didn't understand how much his dad loved him anyway. Because he saw himself as a servant, he perceived his dad as a boss. But his dad was not his demanding boss but his father who viewed his son with great pleasure and unconditional affection. In the same way we cannot earn God's love, and He doesn't expect if of us either. If we accept Jesus into our hearts, we are part of God's family. We are adopted as God's children (Galatians 4:7; 1 John 3:1).   - The father tried to show him that he was missing out on the blessings he had already been given (Luke 15:31). The older brother was so focused on what his brother received that he did not realise how much he already had. All the time the prodigal brother was away from the father and blowing his inheritance, the older brother already had constant access both to his father and to his inheritance. He was already blessed, but he couldn't enjoy it because of his servant mentality. Just like the older brother missed out on having a close relationship with his father, we need to be careful that we are not to be so busy serving God that we miss out on enjoying a daily relationship with the Lord Himself and what it means to truly be a son or a daughter of God our Father. We can enjoy daily blessings by walking close with the Lord as well as being confident of blessings to come on earth and in heaven.  - The father tried to get him to celebrate mercy over judgement (Luke 15:32). If the angels rejoice over one sinner who repents, how much more should we be happy when others are blessed, particularly those close to us? We should not compete, compare or criticise natural or spiritual brothers and sisters. Rather when we are secure in God's great love for us, we should celebrate when others can receive God's goodness and mercy and join the party. Are you like the elder brother who needed to come into close relationship with God the father? You may have been dutiful and faithful, but do you know you are loved? Do you know you don't have to perform to be accepted? Do you know that God wants you to daily enjoy every blessing He has provided for you? Pray today to have a softened heart and enjoy God's grace.