Grace Church Cork

Mike looks at the Christmas story from Luke's gospel, chapter one, but from a different angle. The Christmas story of the Bible is not all tinsel and fluff; it contains a lot of serious things too, things we can learn from for our own lives. For more information check out our website on www.graceireland.ie    

Mike encourages those who've grown feint of heart waiting for the long awaited promises of God; based on the life of Zechariah and Elizabeth from Luke chapter one. For more information about Grace Church check out our website on www.graceireland.ie

Whatever about having new clothes for Christmas; Tom encourages us to be like King David and set aside our royal robes; and humble ourselves before the Lord. For more information about Grace Church visit www.graceireland.ie

Tom encourages us to be a friend to someone before Christmas, like Mary was to Elizabeth when she made the journey to her house. The baby in Elizabeth's womb, John the Baptist, leapt when Mary arrived. Tom suggests that becoming a friend amidst this busy season, will be life-giving and bring joy.

Mike asks, "Have you ever seen a solar eclipse?" as he takes us through Mark 9 in which Jesus brought Peter, James and John up a mountain, where Moses and Elijah appeared and Jesus was transfigured, his face and clothes becoming dazzlingly bright. 

Do you wear glasses or contact lenses? Mike asks "Were you born wearing them?" Looking at Mark's gospel where Jesus healed a blind man, Mike applies this to our lives today, praying "open the eyes of our hearts, Lord."      

Sometimes we're told to accept the unpleasant results of something we've done --"You've made your bed, now lie in it," but Dara reminds us to wake up to God's promises -- that he won't leave you until he has finished giving you everything he as promised.

Tom encourages us to stir our faith that God is God of miracles. That every now and again, God will interrupt our lives with something wonderful; something we weren't expecting.

Our good friend, Craig Cooney, shares ways we can know for sure that God is changing something in our lives; ushering in a new season.

Tom shares some biblical insights into how we can survive a spiritual attack when it comes.

Tom probes the question... What happens when rumours are true; and encourages us to consider this: when it comes to the one true God, not only are the rumours true, but we have only heard the faintest whispers of how great he is.   For more information, check out our website www.graceireland.ie

Have you ever asked God for a sign? Mike reminds us that Jesus IS the real sign from heaven and explores more of the biblical principle: that subtraction always comes before addition in the kingdom of God.

Whether it's Italian Focaccia or Waterford Blaa, we all like our bread! Mike shares on the real bread from Heaven. Using Jesus as our model from Mark 8 in the Bible, Mike encourages us with Kingdom calculations. We have to minus something first before God adds to our lives.

Dara reminds us that he whom the Son sets free is free indeed! She draws on her own story where she thought she was working for financial freedom but really, like many people, she was bound by fear.

I spy with my little eye... Tom looks at the spies in the Bible, those undercover special operatives who crossed enemy lines to look at the territory. He reminds us that the journey God's people took - when they left slavery in Egypt wandered through the wilderness and then came to the Promised Land - is just like our own faith journey.

Whatever you focus on will grow. Mike teaches from Jesus' parable about the shrewd steward and reminds us that when we focus first and foremost on the kingdom of God, when we go all in; we cannot lose!

Are YOU being CHEATED? Mike asks. We are very often cheated out of God's best.. His promises... cheated out of peace and prosperity, our rest and relationships, our time and our energy, our contentment and connections, our money and even our marriages, but mostly our rightful inheritance as children of God.

Have you ever made a mistake; a wrong call, like Naomi in the book of Ruth? Tom looks at how God turns even our mistakes into blessings, and our empty to full.

Dara looks at King David and he's big mistake and how he came to the point of sincerely saying sorry and how in God's grace and mercy, David is still called a man after God's own heart. There is hope for us too, even when sorry seems to be the hardest word.

Tom talks about being covered. We need shelter to survive physically and the same applies spiritually.

When communication breaks down, relationships break down. Tom looks at Abimelech, an almost unknown character in the bible, and how he communicated with Isaac in Genesis 26.

You may have heard the expression, "a leap of faith." It's like a jump, really. Tom shares that whenever we jump there's a preparation that happens first; and suggests that God prepares us ever before we get to the point where a leap of faith is needed.

Are there things in your life that are closed, contrary to God's will, that you know should be opened? Mike looks at the account of the man whom Jesus healed by touching his ears and tongue; restoring his hearing and speaking.

Dara gives us four keys to staying faithful and fruitful in our lives.

Mike shares an amusing childhood memory of his beloved family dog. And then teaches us some home truths as he references the Biblical account of the woman who impressed Jesus with her dogged, never-giving-up kind of faith.