RENEW

Get used to finding the presence of Jesus in all circumstances, and then you will be able to find what is in him for all circumstances. Looking to yourself to find the strength you need is always going to be limiting.  Instead, step back and call on Jesus, in this way you will be calling on the one from whom all the resources of heaven flow.

We must learn that it is not all up to us, and our worth is not found in our productivity, or our busy-ness, or our usefulness. When life becomes driven by usefulness, we neglect and ignore the things that have the most value, and are all too easily deemed useless.

How we approach money really is a mark of the depth of our relationship with God. It is one of the best indicators, according to scripture, of the depth of our relationship with God.

It takes trust to stop working for a while. It takes trust to stop studying for a while, to close the office, to switch off the phone, to disconnect from the internet to take time for worship, prayer, scripture and just be with God.

How much sin do you think would be wise for God to let into heaven? What would be the acceptable level of sin for God to allow into the realm of eternal life? The answer to that question has to be zero. God’s standard for heaven must be sinless perfection. God bans sin from heaven. He quarantines the infection and the infected to a different realm.

Satan promises Adam and Eve the very thing they had been created for, but which is only achievable through a relationship with God, friendship with God. Walking with God.

Our world is beginning to feel increasingly chaotic. It’s like we’ve turned a corner and we’re going in a certain direction. It may reverse itself and we could go on for thousands of more years but it’s also the case that Jesus could return in our lifetime. It’s increasingly easy to imagine.

Why should we have a heart for people who are far from God.

What do we believe about Jesus to be so important that it would motivate us to tell others about him.

Was Jesus just another man? Is this the stuff of myth or legend or is there something more?

The season metaphor is a good way to look at life.

What’s happening in the world around us, what’s God doing in this church, what’s God doing in my life. It gives us perspective and it speaks to the reality that we are on this journey that never ends, it’s a rich journey, it’s a journey that doesn’t deny the joys, or the losses or the darkness the light the struggles – it’s all there.

Servanthood is an attitude exemplified by Jesus. The five words in the New Testament translated “ministry” generally refer to servanthood or service given in love. Serving others is the very essence of ministry. All believers are called to ministry and, therefore, we are all called to be servants for the glory of God.