Family Church Waterside

Do you know the purpose God has for your life? Or do you know the pathway you are on? Is it Gods pathway for your life? Journey with us and learn the tools to review where you are and keep you on God's pathway.

Pastor Steu speaks this week for the second time in the series Pathways.  Last week he spoke about pathways in scripture often being physical journeys that people took and then went on to talk about journeys being the course of our lives and the wise choices we need to make. 

When we put our faith in Jesus for Salvation, we automatically are given access to the path of righteousness. We become children of God even though we still live in this world. Representing God’s kingdom, we need to know how to live in the ways of His kingdom. Matthew 6:31-33 (NLT) says “So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God[e] above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need”.  So, living God’s way brings incredible blessing to our lives. The enemy however, wants to take us off God’s path. In Psalm 23 we see that walking closely with Jesus is the key, we are led by still waters, our souls are restored, we are led in the path of righteousness and even when we are in the valley of the shadow of death we fear nothing!

However the right path is often the hard path! Taking God’s path for our lives is possible but may not be easy (1 Corinthians 10:13). 1 Peter 2:9-12 tells us we are a chosen people and can show others the goodness of God, because He called us out from darkness into His wonderful light.

We may stumble and fall, in the future or in the past, but today is a new day and God is calling us to take His path that will lead us into a blessed and abundant life.

Pastor Paul introduces the new series on 'Pathways', by exploring what it means to walk every day in God's ways and within His will that He has purposed for our lives.

Pastor Paul concludes the series on 'Kairos' by looking at Pentecost in Acts 2 and exploring how we need to be empowered and equipped by the Holy Spirit to be effective Christians and live out God's purposes.

Pastor Paul continues the series on 'Kairos', exploring two encounters with Jesus in the Gospels and how we can experience those same Kairos moments.

Pastor Paul continues the series on 'Kairos', exploring how by trusting God and stepping out in faith, we can experience victory in our lives for His glory.

Pastor Paul continues the series on 'Kairos', exploring how we should respond to God's purposes for our lives.

Pastor Paul continues the series on 'Kairos', exploring how God has a specific purpose and plan for our lives.

Pastor Paul teaches on how we need to be able to discern the times (Kairos) that we are living in, by keeping our spiritual eyes open and how it is time for us as believers to 'wake up and shine' for God.

Today is Vision Sunday across all congregations of Family Church.  Pastor Andy speaks about the vision for the church for the whole of this year 2023. Naturally the church’s mission is to reach, grow and empower people and reach those who do not yet know Jesus. However, Andy has specific words for our Vision during 2023. We are in a moment, perhaps unprecedented, where God is about to move by His Spirit, through His church, in a way people have never seen before. Pastor Andy perceives we are in a Kingdom moment; this is a moment where His Kingdom which cannot be shaken will be experienced by those who live in kingdoms that can be shaken - viewing the world. 

The Bible says in Hebrews 12 we are a part of a Kingdom which cannot be shaken. We are in a world where everything is currently shaking. There will be revealing of a Kingdom and a Kingdom people which cannot be shaken because their God is God. This is a Kingdom moment, a moment when God is about to move. We must be ready for what God is about to do – a continuation of the theme of encounter.  

Pastor Andy defines this as a Kairos moment – a God ordained moment in history, as opposed to Chronos (sequential and quantitative). Alternatively, view Kairos as the most opportune moment for action. Andy refers to many scriptures as examples of God ordained moments of time but perhaps the best example comes from the book of Esther. Esther was positioned to prevent destruction of the Jews, although she did have to use her influence with the king in order to do so.

As we walk through this year just maybe we also have been positioned for such a time as this. Where we have congregations in England and the Philippines with any favour that we are walking in just maybe we have been positioned in life for a time such as this for a moment that God did long before any of us were born. God says there is a year called 2023, that's the Kairos, there is a moment in that year where the world is falling and in that moment, the church is going to stand on our feet, and begin to be my body, my hands, my feet, my whole life.

Esther could have shrunk back, she could have said “I like my life, I am the Queen, I could lose everything….” She knew when she appeared before the king, he would either extend his sceptre or not. If he didn't extend his sceptre, she would have been put to death. If he extended his sceptre, she could ask for up to half of his kingdom – quite a lot of pressure! She prays and fasts and walks in before the king presenting her request. A God moment follows resulting in a complete change of the circumstances saving the Jews.  

This is a Kairos moment.  Esther 4:14 (NKJV) says “For if you remain completely silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” We need to awaken our hearts and say, God use me. If we are a prayer warrior, it's time to pray; if we are a giver, it’s time to give; if we are a server it’s time to serve and so on. The Kairos moment is upon us….for such a time as this.