2026 is the year of fresh grace, grace to grow and break out of limitations. Grace to become more of who God is calling us to be. Grace to be alive to him and dead to sin. Grace empowers us to break free from the bondage of sin and draw closer to Jesus.

Grace produces a holy discomfort in our lives which is the evidence of growth, we need to stop living in a way that is too small for us.

The title today, 'Have you tied your shoes' is a question asking us if we have our feet set properly. We all need to be well set, established in God's Word, living a faith filled life knowledgeable of God's Word and His saving Gospel message. Ps Ray wants us to live in a culture set by purpose, all growing in the same direction.

If we do not tie our shoes they will fall off as we journey along. If we are committed to our journey, growth is required. This means we need to commit to the appropriate life style and the correct areas in our lives. Faithfulness lasts longer than excitement - the latter wears off in time. Often only a minor percentage of people in church are involved in the life of the church. This is the norm across the nation. Currently, Waterlooville betters this average!

Ps Ray then shares about his prayers and thoughts for the next few months of the church. Discipleship, growth and leadership are key here. Much of this covers discerning and uncovering all our giftings and how and when they might be used for His glory. We all need to remain submitted in authority remaining accountable.

This is a key message summarising the path so far in recent weeks since Ps Ray & Sarah were appointed to leadership, looking forward to the new year for growth and spiritual maturity.

The message explores the question, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?”, using Mary’s story in Luke 1 as a powerful example of how God brings greatness out of places and people considered insignificant.

Nazareth was a small, overlooked village, yet God chose it as the setting for the greatest miracle—the incarnation of Christ. Likewise, Mary, a humble young woman of no social status, was called “highly favoured” and entrusted with a divine purpose.

Her faith, humility, and willingness to say “Let it be done to me according to your word” reveal how God works through ordinary people to accomplish extraordinary plans. The message invites listeners to reflect on their own lives, recognize God’s favour, and courageously say “yes” to His calling, even without knowing all the details.

Ps Ray asks the question, What do we believe about the Church? Is it a place we go to, are we part of it, do we take part or sit and listen?

Are we all going in the same direction? Do we have the same goal? The early Church was so powerful because they were in one mind with one heart focused on one outcome. Today we have the potential to be so distracted. But coming back to the same vision is key to being effective.

What do you believe? Your skills and your talents are meant to be a blessing to the house of God. What does it mean to be an ambassador of heaven? What do ambassadors do? What do they stand for? 

This is the conversation we had this past Sunday, we talked through what God expects of us, what we believe about that and how do we respond to it? 

Jesus is in the Bible from beginning and the end. The old testament is the new testament concealed. and the new testament is the old testament revealed. God used the types and shadows throughout Scripture to show off more and more of Jesus and how important He is.

This morning we don't just uncover more of Jesus, but we see how he called us out of the crowd and asks us bring our skills to him so we can help him build something amazing on the earth that glorifies him. 

Continuing from last week, in how do we respond to a holy God. When we became born again we enlisted into something bigger than ourselves. We gave up our preferences, our rights and handed them over to something greater. In doing this we see that God is leading us somewhere.... into the promises he has for us.

If he is leading us into the promises he has for us, maybe we should stop shouting at every demon and start taking responsibility for changing the way we think. 

Tithing needs to be done in the Biblical way. If Tithing is not practised then the seed is void of its fruit. If we belong to God, how much of us actually belongs to him. Is it the convenient bits, or is it everything. If God owns our time, do we give him our time, if God owns our money, do we give him our money? What does God really own, can this shape our relationship with him and the world we live in?

If we are meant to be like Christ, and if we are meant to be in Christ, then the first ingredient is for us to see ourselves as dead. So we can see ourselves as resurrected to newness of life. Are you dead yet? Or preserving an old image of an old man in a new box. 

We are not practicing manifestation manipulation but we are declaring the goodness of God by faith. We are confident not delusional in what God is doing in our lives and the harvest we will see based his promises.  

While there are other beliefs in the world that have a very clear expectation and expression of Devotion, we can be left asking the question why? Why are they so devoted to something that is not Biblically true? There can be many answers. But ultimately it is a belief system they have, that produces their devotion. What is it they believe that causes so much devotion?

Then if we are observing their belief system, in something that is false, but produces such devotion. We need to ask ourselves, what do we believe about our God and the Bible? And is what we believe in, producing fruit and devotion.