Stewarding God’s anointing even through times of waiting
David was anointed to be king long before he actually became king of Israel. What can we learn from David about stewarding God's anointing upon our own lives?
Progress: becoming the mature body of Christ
Like watching a major road project (e.g. the Hexham bridge M1 bypass), change and growth in our lives can be hard to observe. But we can see over time that God is committed to our growth and maturity we will work with him. Pete Scazzero in his book “Emotionally Healthy Discipleship says this “Emotional Health and Spiritual maturity are inseparable. It is impossible to be spiritually mature while remaining emotionally immature.” I feel that this is what Paul is saying in Ephesians. The Gentiles don’t know any different – they walk Indulgence, impurity, greed, sensuality. But he is speaking to Christ-followers telling them that they don’t have any excuses. He’s calling it out. Put off your old self with it’s deceitful desires Allow your minds to have Christ-like attitudes Put on the new self, created to be like God in righteousness and holiness. Ephesians 4:11-24
Sonship, Spirit, and Suffering
What does it mean for us who are in Christ to grow into the sonship in God’s family which is given to us in Christ? The gift of the Holy Spirit brings us into sonship in God, but he is also our mentor and the power by which we overcome sin, endure suffering, and learn to live in the power of God, the power that enables us to know his indescribable love. Romans 8:12-23 Ephesians 3:10-19
The incredible greatness of God’s power for us
The incredible greatness of God's power is available for those who believe in Christ, but we still wait for resurrection life in the age to come.
Be a branch! (of Jesus the true vine)
Jesus is the True Vine, and our job is to be branches that stay connected to Him, the true source of life and nourishment. From him our fruitfulness flows.
Pentecost – celebrating God’s power at work within us
Today we celebrate God's power at work within us as well as resting upon us, for both our inner life and our outward witness to be empowered by God's living presence.
Jesus’ living presence
All christians want to experience the personal presence of Jesus. The real question though is not whether he is here with me, but whether I know I am with him.
Just As He Said
“He is Not here. He has risen. Just as He said.” (Matthew 28:6) These are the words of the angel in the tomb when women came looking for Jesus' body on the morning when he was resurrected.
The High Call for Unity – what it actually looks like
On this Resurrection Sunday, we celebrate the bodily resurrection of Jesus and are reminded of Jesus’ call to unity in the Body of Christ.
Palm Sunday: Receiving from our Father
All the messianic prophesies pointed to Jesus. But the Chief Priests did not receive him. Why? Like the First Century people, our difficult circumstances and evil in our world are scratches on our spiritual lenses. Jesus came to help us see clearly who God really is in all his goodness. Matthew 11:25-29 helps unpack a bit about what could make our ability to receive Jesus as the our Saviour different than the Chief Priests.