Ebenezer Family Church

It would be poor form as Christians to enter 2024 without making spiritual growth a priority. Let's have a look at the type of Christians we can be when we go to church and discuss what we really want from church. My prayer is that we will grow in our faith in 2024!

Paul's work in Corinth demonstrates a man devoted to the Lord. In his work, he had his priorities right. When things didn't work out, he didn't just sit idly by and do nothing. He made changes: small changes. Let's learn from Paul!

God made us all unique. With that uniqueness comes a specific skill set. As we end off the year, let's reflect on where we've compared ourselves with others and stop trying to be the best at everything. God has given you YOUR thing. Do it!

After asking "how long, Lord", the Psalmist recognizes that without God's light in his eyes, he is nothing. He also ends by declaring his trust in God's unfailing love. What a wonderful thing to remember: we need His light and His salvation!

The December holidays (or "Christmas time") is more often than not a difficult period for many people. It might be a time of extreme financial stress, or the first year without a loved one. How do we cope through the heartache? Like the old man Simeon in the temple, we wait on God!

We have a tangible sign of our faith and eternal life: love! Christ demonstrated this love to us and now we can share it with one another. If there is love in the body, we can know there is eternal life in the body

There was a spectacle in Jerusalem when Jesus rode in on a donkey. They welcomed Him as a king. Yet, a few days later, the same people that cheered for Him chanted for His execution. This event reveals something deep about Jesus as well as the people's hearts towards Him

Those born of God do not sin and practise lawlessness. What does John mean by this? It means that believers do not rebel against God! So, do you reflect Christ's faithfulness in your life, or do you reflect that initial rebellion demonstrated by Satan? Let's not get caught up in being rebellious against God!

Obviously, Jesus's actions caught the attention of the Jews who wanted to know what sign He could show them as the authority He had. He literally just cleansed the Temple! But, He does give us a sign: Himself! Let us not get caught out with a superficial faith, always chasing miracles, when we have the ultimate sign in Jesus Himself

May this statement of David be true of us: "I will walk with integrity". Let us have nothing to do with evil in our lives. Let us sing of His steadfast love and justice always!

At the start of Jesus's public ministry, He cleanses the Temple from all those selling sacrificial animals and the money changers. Why was He the only devout Jew in Jerusalem during Passover who took offense at this corruption of worship? He was a stranger to His own people

Even as believers, do we have a lifestyle of repentance? In the words of the great hymn: "O perfect redemption, the purchase of blood; to every believer the promise of God; the vilest offender who truly believes; that moment from Jesus a pardon receives". Let's make repentance a regular in our lives!

Too often we quickly group these events into cutesy Bible stories about Jesus's power by turning water into wine. To Jesus, however, there is something bigger than the miracle. What does the miracle point to? This was sign of the coming messianic feast and the superiority of Christ over this world

If we have a look at baptism in the Bible, we see that there are seven specific categories in which it is done or used. Let's have a brief discussion on each of them!

He loves us with an unusual kind of love. That is what makes us His children. Let's aim to be pure in all things for He is pure!

We see a great kind of pure and unadulterated faith in these first few disciples that chose to follow Jesus. Did they find Him by chance? No! John the Baptizer's message led them to Him. Andrew and Philip went to tell and fetch another. And ultimately, Jesus found them.

In Sunday schools all over we sing the song of Zacchaeus who climbed the Sycamore tree, then Jesus told him to come down because He's coming to Zach's house for tea. Well, what we miss is the importance of repentance in Zach's life. Let's look again at the significance of what happened that day!

If we have the truth abiding in us, we have eternal life. If we have the truth abiding in us, we shall not be deceived by the antichrists. If we have the truth abiding in us, we are going to live righteously!

John the Baptizer's testimony about the Light ends with two important points: behold the Son of God & testify about the Son of God. His whole existence can be summed up in these two aspects. That's what he did! How many of us can say the same?

One of the most remarkable moments of Christ's ministry is His inclusion of children in the Kingdom of God. In fact, not just their inclusion, but declaring that the Kingdom belongs to such as them! Let's learn some lessons about childlike faith from this narrative now!

John gives us a simple yet profound description of the spirit of the antichrist: the denial of Jesus Christ the Son. Many will leave the Church because of their inability to confess the Son. At the same time, every true believer is anointed with the Holy Spirit. We have this wonderful assurance that He is always with us and guiding us in truth!

Do we love the Father, or do we love the world? It's that simple. If we love the Father, at what point do we draw the line between assurance and self-righteousness if we are doing the right things?

The Pharisees wanted to know why John was baptizing and on what authority he was doing so. Again, John characteristically diverts the attention away from himself and to the Messiah. Let's have a look at his response and the details underlining it!

Why was Mary doing the right thing when Martha was also trying to be good by her service? It's all about the Word. Let's learn some lessons about the Word from this interesting contrast between the sisters!

One more characteristic of being in the Light is loving one another with Christlike love. If we neglect to do this, John says we are scandalous!