Island ECC Podcast

We all face potential faith blockers in our life… justifiable excuses that can dampen our faith. Zaccheus demonstrates focused resolve to meet Jesus against all odds. Watch this and other messages in video at www.islandecc.hk/messages .

When facing pain, both anger and blame are typical responses. Jesus offers a better option. Watch this and other messages in video at www.islandecc.hk/messages .

It's commonly referred to as the "woman at the well" but the real story is about the Saviour at the well, who replaces shame with gracious acceptance for the most unlikely of characters. Watch this and other messages in video at www.islandecc.hk/messages .

When Jesus heals a paralysed man, He carefully instructs him to take his mat and go home. In a remarkable story of faith, healing, and the power of friends' faiths, we get great insight into what we need to always have with us on our journey of faith. Watch this and other messages in video at www.islandecc.hk/messages .

If you live in Hong Kong, you know something about crowds. Subway rides, Causeway Bay, and maybe even your own flat have a sense of being crowded. The "crowds" in the gospels play a unique role all their own. Matthew speaks of them as the bystanders, the fickle onlookers. Yet Jesus calls us out of the crowd to be a follower, something entirely different, and way better. Watch this and other messag...

How's your heart? The "Big Cleaning Day" before Chinese New Year is a time when we deep clean everything to prepare for a new year. As Christians, perhaps we should have a deep clean of our heart as well. Is your heart at peace with God? Or it it full of noise? What is God trying to tell you? Watch this and other messages in video at www.islandecc.hk/messages .

Living counter-culturally can be tough, and yet God invites us to have lifestyles that are distinctively different; but not freakishly weird. How do we find the balance of being "in the world" but not "of the world"? Watch this and other messages in video at www.islandecc.hk/messages .

In a world where we are bombarded with messages of self-indulgence, Jesus offers a time-tested escape and a soothing solution: deny yourself. In this message about generosity, we find that God welcomes us to test Him in giving with faith. Watch this and other messages in video at www.islandecc.hk/messages .

Pain is inevitable in life. We shouldn't be surprised by it but often we are. However, having a strategy to deal with pain will help ensure that it produces good results in us rather than bitterness, resentment, or numbness. Watch this and other messages in video at www.islandecc.hk/messages .

Power is intoxicating, and surprisingly, doesn't lead to the successful life that we would expect. Jesus repeatedly rejected the temptation of power in His own life as He points us to the path of real fulfilment. In an upside-down approach to life, Christianity says true power is found in realising the security of servanthood. Watch this and other messages in video at www.islandecc.hk/messages .

To go deeper in our spiritual life, we need to carve out a space to listen. Watch this and other messages in video at www.islandecc.hk/messages .

Most of us like to believe that the older we get and the more experiences we endure, then the wiser we become. The problem I face getting older is that I haven't gotten wiser. According to scripture wisdom isn't based on age nor experience but rather hinges on our relationship with God. What may seem unwise to man, may be deemed wise for God. Watch this and other messages in video at www.islandecc...

I know Hong Kong's manic pace isn't good for me, but why can't I slow down? In 2019, I need discipline to create more margin in my life so I can be still before God. Watch this and other messages in video at www.islandecc.hk/messages .

Patience is a symbol of love; Persistence is a sign of faith...how can these qualities of God be display in your life? Watch this and other messages in video at www.islandecc.hk/messages .

A closer look at the prodigal son's older brother will show us the more we understand our self, the more we are able to love others. Watch this and other messages in video at www.islandecc.hk/messages .

They came bearing gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. But the visit of the magi, reputed to be the wisest and most sophisticated of the day, shows us our need and our source of true wisdom for life. Watch this and other messages in video at www.islandecc.hk/messages .

The story of the shepherds and the nativity is a familiar one that is known well. However, the writer Luke packs into this brief account some amazing truths often overlooked. This message shares these to make Christmas even more meaningful. Watch this and other messages in video at www.islandecc.hk/messages .

Imagine this: You're a young teenager and one day an angel visits you and tells you that you are tasked with a duty that will change the world. How would you respond? We're going to look at a story about Mary, the mother of Jesus, and how she was able to accept her responsibility because of her great faith in God. Watch this and other messages in video at www.islandecc.hk/messages .

At the beginning of our December Christmas series, we turn our attention to the less-famous parent of Jesus, Joseph. Described as a righteous man, his life was inalterably changed when he learnt of a surprise and premature pregnancy. But God's plans for Joseph then are fundamentally the same as His plans for us all. Watch this and other messages in video at www.islandecc.hk/messages .

This part of The Lord's Prayer can be troubling if we don't know the heart of God. Yes, God does lead us into temptations and trials – not to see us fail, but to build us up. Temptations and trials are never easy but if we truly know and trust our Heavenly Father, we can go through them with the hope of grace and reward at the end of it. Watch this and other messages in video at www.islandecc.hk...

Living in a constant state of being forgiven brings freedom and power into our lives. But too often, we allow destructive narratives to drive our attitudes ("I don't deserve it", or "I don't need it"), and we miss the beauty of a grace-filled life. Watch this and other messages in video at www.islandecc.hk/messages .

God's will. Some see it as a tricky game of hide-and-seek where God demands we pursue Him relentlessly in order to discover His will. Others speak of God's will freely with "God told me" before many a phrase. This message explores how The Lord's Prayer provides guidance in knowing the will of God for your life. Watch this and other messages in video at www.islandecc.hk/messages .

Some of us have it memorised, most of us would recognise it if we heard it read, but few of us actually realise the power of The Lord's Prayer to guide us into a deeper, experiential relationship with God. Raise your prayer life by understanding afresh the heart of Jesus behind the words of this famous prayer. Watch this and other messages in video at www.islandecc.hk/messages .

Jesus had a lot to say about making sure we don't view something as permanent, when it is actually temporary. He instructed us to have an attitude of watchfulness and alertness, knowing that the end could come at any time. Though this sounds morbid and even fanatical, the message actually provides clarity and a proper perspective of our faith. Watch this and other messages in video at www.islandec...

Jesus spoke very little about heaven, but nonetheless told his followers that knowledge of heaven could comfort them in this life. So what do we know about heaven? And how should that shape our life here and now? Watch this and other messages in video at www.islandecc.hk/messages .