Family Church Waterlooville

We are called to be imitators of Jesus who displayed the perfect example of serving the disciples at the Last Supper. God has given us every gifting and talent required to fulfill His plans and purposes in this season. Having a servant-heart is about being fully committed to the cause of Christ.

As children of God, we love and value our Saviour Jesus Christ. He is the Chief Cornerstone and we, the church, are the living stones, connected to Him. Jesus being central to our lives, our very being, should impact us in every area of our lives, both personally and corporately. In Him we live and move and have our being...

We looked at understanding the value of our values and how they influence our direction and establish who we are.

As children of God we are called to be imitators of our generous Father God, and as such, we should be intentional and deliberate in our giving, always looking for opportunities to be a blessing to others, motivated by love. God's principle of seedtime and harvest is applicable not only to finances but can be applied in every area of our lives. 

At salvation God gives us a pure heart by replacing our heart of stone for a heart of flesh. Looking at the life of Jacob and the transformation he experienced, an encounter with God is what is required for us to maintain an undivided heart, and one that is loyal to Him.

There are a number of things we can do in order to guard our hearts, and to enjoy a peace-filled heart on a daily basis. We need to receive the peace which Jesus has made available to us, as we surrender our will to His.

In the Disney movie, Beauty and the Beast, we see the impact that Beast's bad heart had on himself and his household. How we live our lives and the choices we make this side of the last petal falling / the silver cord being severed, matters. God is looking for authenticity in our hearts and fruit in our lives.  

Final in the series of looking at the need to supplement our faith with the virtues that Peter shares with us in 2 Peter. The focus on today's message are the final two virtues, brotherly kindness and love and how we need these as the garment with which to clothe ourselves while we are ever increasing in the other virtues.

How we persevere through trials matters! Our faith is tested through trials, and reveals to us the authenticity of our faith. Looking at the life of Anna, the prophetess, we see her life of godliness and devotion as she served God faithfully for over 8 decades, living for a higher cause, before she met the Redeemer, Jesus.

In the fluidity and constant changes in life we need to exercise self control by making right choices and by being doers of the Word.

Head knowledge becomes heart knowledge as we we digest / partake of the truth of who God is and as we walk in the truth we know.

Faith is the starting block of our race as we journey through life but, in order to grow, we are to add certain components to our lives, commencing with virtue, which is moral excellence / integrity.

When Jesus returns for His Bride, the Church, it will not be to judge sin, but to redeem His people. As we eagerly await His return, we are encouraged to be like the wise virgins, getting ready, being prepared, and putting our talents to work.

Growing up, Jesus encountered obscurity and, during His ministry years, endured hostility from many different directions. When we become discouraged, we are to weigh up the trials we go through in comparison to what and how Jesus endured His.

During the Isthmian Games which were held near Corinth, Paul, the Apostle describes (in 1 Corinthians 9) two requirements to obtaining the victor's crown: Stick to the rules Win the victory As believers, God has empowered us to do all that He's called us to do. We just need to step out in faith and respond in obedience to what He's prompting us to do.

In this Easter message we unpack 3 specific reasons we have to celebrate and rejoice in the Resurrection of Jesus

Our faith, which is given to us by God, is our most valuable commodity, and is the essential ingredient for relationship with God. Looking at the account of the woman with the issue of blood who was healed, we learn about the power of the words that we speak from our hearts, and the importance of seeking victory and not sympathy when going through trials.

We can faith and confidence in God and His Word that when He has made a promise to us, He will fulfill it. Whilst we wait expectantly for the promised breakthrough, God is doing a work IN us as we co-operate with Him, so how we wait matters.

Jesus is the Head of the Church and we, the many individual members are the Body. We all have an individual and corporate race to run, and our diversity and unity are required within the body for it to function effectively.

This new life in the Spirit raises the bar - it's no longer about what we do (right or wrong) but about who we are and who we are becoming: living life in relationship with God and walking in integrity. 

In order to benefit from God's protection in our lives we need to habitually position ourselves under His care, in His Word and in His Presence.

We look at the first of the 3 instructions in Matthew 6 of "Do not Worry", which relates to provision of our most basic human needs, such as food and drink. 

In running our race we need to look at the Godly balance of walking on the right path of humility so we don't get tripped up by pride.

In order to run our race with endurance we need to be at rest in the Father's love and acceptance. Romans and 8 are our key texts as we look at the impact of self-effort in trying to earn God's acceptance, and the freedom and rest we find in walking free in His grace.

When running our individual and corporate race we need to make sure we are starting from the right position ie salvation, running in every condition, regardless of the circumstances, and always in the right direction - Jesus is our Due North!