As 2018 draws near to an end with a few sleeps till Christmas and the New Year, Ps Jess prepares a special message capturing the Spirit of the year’s theme Heart and Soul. Reminding us that money isn’t everything, but Jesus is when received in full.

What good is a gift if it remains unused or unopened? Is it enough to simply receive and accept it? John 3:16 spells out God’s gift to humanity with the birth of The Messiah, Jesus. The very expression of His love, for the salvation of the world.

As the cliche goes, life is a rollercoaster of ups and downs. The Christian life is not exempted and will inevitably encounter struggles in this broken world. But all life’s worries are overcome by the intangible hope that is only found in Jesus.

When asked to give willingly we often contemplate first our current circumstances, prior to committing to give. Whether it’s our time, talent or money on offer, Jesus encourages us to seek Him first. Shifting the motive of our hearts to freely give.

Many would believe that church attendance every Sunday or the works as a Christian is ‘enough’ to belong to Christ. Whilst these simple things are important in growth, hearts that belong to Jesus manifest into life from the fruit of His Holy Spirit.

According to man’s standards the ‘last pick’ or the ‘odd one out’ are often tagged with negative connotations. But in Matthew 5 Jesus teaches that whoever believes in Him has been chosen and set apart, representing Him as salt and light in the world.

In a society today consumed by instant coffee to instant gratification, impatience seems to be on the rise in our daily lives. Why then should we learn to wait, moreover, on God? For it imparts His godly character in us, as we exercise faith in Him.

As Christians living in an industrial and labour-driven society, it is easy to be caught up in the labour and not the favour from God. He reminds us that our service to Him should be done with gladness, finding true peace and purpose in our service.

They say ‘Home is where the heart is’ which begs the question, who’s home? Perhaps our first thoughts are loved ones, family and friends. It would not feel like home without them. God designed churches this way, to find their way home through Jesus.

At what cost does it take to follow Jesus? We often approach our commitment to Christ with conditions due to life’s many obligations. In Luke 9, we are reminded we have been called to follow Him. Showing the way to Eternity in response to His love.