This is a year for both dreaming the dreams of God and for seeing the dreams of God fulfilled. Even in this time of pandemic, God has great dreams for you. 2021 can be the best year for you, for your family, for your ministry, for your business and for this church. It doesn’t matter your background or how you started out in life. It doesn’t matter what difficulties you may face right now; God has amazing dreams for your life that He wants to make real to you this year.

The God of the Bible is a good and creative God who gives great dreams for the future. One of the greatest examples of the power of dreams and visions is seen in the life of Abraham who is called our father of faith. His whole future was changed when he started to live a life of vision and faith. Your life can be changed also. As the Bible says in 1 Corinthians 2:9, God can do more for you than you may imagine. So are you ready to dream of new possibilities?

1. Receive the Word of God for your dream (Genesis 12:2-3; 2 Peter 1:4; Isaiah 55:11)
2. Visualise the dream clearly (Genesis 13:14-16; Genesis 15:5; Galatians 3:29)
3. Take action to move towards your dream (Genesis 12:4-5; James 2:17; Hebrews 11:8-10)
4. Always keep your dream (Romans 4:18-21; Hebrews 6:15; Hebrews 10:36)
5. See God work miracles to achieve the dream (Genesis 21:2; Isaiah 51:2)

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Have you received your dream from God yet for 2021? Do you read the Word of God every morning to receive God’s Word for your life each day? Not all dreams are from God. Dreams can be very selfish or even demonic (e.g. Hitler’s terrible dreams to destroy the Jewish people). For the best dreams you have to have the dreams of God based on His Word, the Bible. Abraham first received a word from God (Genesis 12:2-3) and there is always a word from God for you. When you read and study the Bible, you will always find God’s purpose for your life (2 Peter 1:4). When God gives us promises, He is always faithful to fulfil them (Isaiah 55:11). The word of God, not human ideas, is always the foundation of visions and dreams from God. So, at the start of this year and every day, you must focus on His word. From the Bible, the Holy Spirit will show you special verses for your life.

To help everyone focus more on the Bible we have started a new Bible reading plan on our KCI App (free to download). If you follow this every day, you will be able to read the Bible through twice this year. As you read the Bible carefully, ask the Holy Spirit to apply the Scriptures to your own life and situation.

Have you got a clear vision of your dream? When God speaks to us, He also clearly shows us what is to come. God wanted Abram to see what he had not seen before. Through various images that the Lord showed him, Abraham was able to visualise the promises of God (Genesis 13:14-16; Genesis 15:5). And that can happen to us as Christian believers who are spiritual descendants of Abraham (Galatians 3:29). The Lord is very creative, and He wants us to have big dreams like Abraham because all things are possible with God. So, it is necessary to become spiritually pregnant with the dreams of God and have a clear picture in our minds about what is to come. That’s why it’s so important to write your dreams, to make your poster or your dream book and paste photos or images (or do this on your laptop). At this season when we can’t travel far, we should go more to God and receive and visualise the many new dreams He has for us.

What action do you need to take to move towards your dream? You can’t just wait for God to do everything; there are some things we have to do. Abram did something in response to God’s word (Genesis 12:4-5). Abraham had to leave his country and people and father’s household to receive God’s promises of blessings that had no limit. You need to have faith with action (James 2:17). Abraham and his descendants learned how to take action to obey God to receive the dreams of God (Hebrews 11:8-10).

Are there dreams you have given up on which you need to believe for again in 2021? To receive your dream, you must never give up on your dream. Abraham is a great example of always keeping hold of your promises and dreams from God (Romans 4:18-21; Hebrews 6:15; Hebrews 10:36). Sometimes you have to be very patient for some dreams to happen. But God has His perfect time to fulfil His promise. So never stop believing and working towards your dream until you see your promise come true.

Do you believe you will see miracles and your dream come to pass? What seemed impossible for Abraham and Sarah really happened (Genesis 21:2; Isaiah 51:2). You too can see great dreams fulfilled. This is a year to dream new dreams from God. This is a year of multiplication in your life, family, ministry and finances, you just need to play your part. When God opens a new door of opportunity you have to take the responsibility to walk through it. When He works in new ways you have to be quick to respond. So receive the promises of God from His Word. Visualise the dream. Take action to move towards your dream, never give up on your dream and see God work miracles to fulfil the dream.

All of us can start this year with great hope. No matter what we went through last year, we can have a much better year this year. This can be a year of unprecedented blessings and miracles. Troubles may come and storms may rage but you can know a help from God and a hope in God that will give you confidence in every situation. It is so important in these difficult times to keep this Biblical perspective of hope (Psalm 46:1; John 16:33).

Psalm 146 is very clear about who we should not put our hope in and who we should put our hope in. If you want to see lasting blessing in your life, don’t put your hope in people (e.g. your boss or influential business contacts or a wealthy family member or friend). Put all your trust in God who alone can be relied on to give you hope (Psalm 146:5 'Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the LORD his God'). This hope-filled Psalm is very specific about who God really is:

1. He is the God of Jacob (Psalm 146:5)
2. He is the great creator God (Psalm 146:6)
3. He is the ever-faithful God (Psalm 146:6)
4. He is the God of justice (Psalm 146:7)
5. He is the God who provides for our needs (Psalm 146:7)
6. He is the God who brings freedom (Psalm 146:7)
7. He is the God who gives sight to the blind (Psalm 146:8)
8. He is the God who lifts you up when you are down (Psalm 146:8)
9. He is the God who loves those who live right (Psalm 146:10; Matthew 5:10)
10. He is the God who cares for the outsiders (Psalm 146:9)
11. He is the God who is concerned for the vulnerable (Psalm 146:9; James 1:27)
12. He is the eternal God who reigns throughout all generations (Psalm 146:10)

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Do you feel ready to face 2021? Have you decided to personally put your trust and hope in God for this year? Here are 12 reasons why you can confidently put your hope in God in 2021. If you are to experience these blessings, the Lord must be your God. You must decide to praise Him every day. You must personally put your trust and your hope in Him.

1. He is the God of Jacob (Psalm 146:5): Jacob is an example of the hope we can have even when everything seems to have gone wrong or even when we have done wrong. Jacob was: a cheat who tricked his brother out of his blessing; fearful that his past would catch up with him; and a grieving father who thought he had lost his favourite son. Yet God allowed Jacob to move into the line of covenant blessing after Abraham and Isaac. Jacob became reconciled with his brother and was stunned to discover that his supposedly dead son was now a powerful ruler in Egypt. God helped him to overcome all his fears and failures and today the God of Jacob can help you.

2. He is the great creator God (Psalm 146:6): The heavens, the earth, the sea and everything in them didn’t just evolve. God is the most awesome creator ever. He is the God who brought life out of nothingness, light out of darkness, order out of chaos and beauty out of ugliness. What He has done for the world, He can also do for you. Nothing and no one is too hard for Him.

3. He is the ever-faithful God (Psalm 146:6): There is not a trace of unfaithfulness in God’s character. He is totally dependable. He always keeps His word. He shows Himself faithful to those who are faithful. People may let you down, but God will never let you down. Even when you may not understand, the Lord will never abandon you. He will remember your tears. He will answer your prayers.

4. He is the God of justice (Psalm 146:7): The New King James version says that the Lord ‘executes justice for the oppressed'. In His own time and His own way God will bring judgement on evildoers who imagine that they have escaped justice. As the Book of Revelation shows, although judgment may be delayed, it will not be denied.

5. He is the God who provides for our needs (Psalm 146:7): Just as the Israelites were fed in the desert and the multitudes saw loaves and fishes multiplied, so God has provided all the earth’s resources to feed people physically and through Jesus to feed people spiritually. And he can provide for you too.

6. He is the God who brings freedom (Psalm 146:7): The Lord watches out for those who are physically in prison. He has not forgotten those locked away either because of their own crimes or because they have been imprisoned unjustly like many faithful followers of Christ in the Middle East and Far East. Jesus told his followers to visit those who are in prison and He came to set captives free from sin, guilt, addictions and fears. If anything holds you captive let this be the year the Lord sets you completely free.

7. He is the God who gives sight to the blind (Psalm 146:8): As we enter 2021, we all need to be more open to the miraculous and more willing to step out in faith to see people healed. At the same time, we should pray that the spiritual eyes of so many people in the nations will also be opened to see who Jesus really is and why they need him to be their saviour and Lord. And also we should pray for more for clearer revelation of God’s plan for our lives.

8. He is the God who lifts you up when you are down (Psalm 146:8): Whatever may be getting you down in this moment, you don’t have to stay down. The Lord wants to lift you up from worry and sin and every form of depression, despair, defeat and darkness. The Lord loves you and wants to lift you up out of everything that would overwhelm you.

9. He is the God who loves those who live right (Psalm 146:10; Matthew 5:10): The Lord hates wrongdoing but He loves those who live in right relationship with Him and their fellow humans. That’s why he requires of us as we start this year that we all ‘act justly, love mercy and walk humbly with the Lord our God’ (Micah 6:8).

10. He is the God who cares for the outsiders (Psalm 146:9): Often, immigrants from other countries and cultures are shunned or ridiculed or discriminated against. They feel lonely and may imagine that no one cares for them. But the Lord cares for them and watches out for them. And he wants us to do the same.

11. He is the God who is concerned for the vulnerable (Psalm 146:9; James 1:27): Our Heavenly Father cares for those who have never had a good father or who have lost their father through death or desertion. He cares for the widow who feels unprotected. He cares for those that no one else cares for and wants them looked after.

12. He is the eternal God who reigns throughout all generations (Psalm 146:10): God is always God. He is always in charge. He is always working out His purposes in and through and for every generation.

2020 has been a year of great challenge and unexpected change. The global Covid-19 pandemic has changed the world and the way we live. For nine months we have lived with lockdowns, social distancing and ever-present sanitisers. We have got used to wearing masks and hearing daily statistics of infections and deaths.

Yet somehow, as nations we have coped. As a church we have done much more than just survive. We have been blessed in many ways and learnt lessons that will help us stay strong in the future. In this time of trial and tribulation, we have learnt that:

1. Life is fragile so every day should be valued (Psalm 90:12)
2. We have been given an opportunity to refocus our lives and priorities (Philippians 4:11; Psalm 46:10)
3. Make the most of the extra time with your family (2 Samuel 6:11)
4. New pressures have given birth to new creativity (Exodus 35:30-35)
5. The Word of God is a rock like foundation to live by faith not fear (Psalm 119:81, 89, 105)
6. We can be more than conquerors in all situations (Romans 8:37-39)
7. The church of Jesus Christ is growing and shining more brightly in the darkness (Matthew 16:18)
8. The goodness of God never fails (Palm 23:6)
9. Our lives and times are in God’s hands so we should always depend on him (Psalm 97:1; Psalm 146:3-6)
10. We are not alone: God is with us (Matthew 1:23; Matthew 28:20)

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Can you say like the apostle Paul in Philippians 4:11: 'I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances'? Have you discovered, like the Psalmist in Psalm 46:10, what it is to, ‘Be still, and know that I am God'? Have you learnt and applied the following lessons from 2020 in your own life?

1. Life is fragile so every day should be valued: In the busyness of normal times, Christians as well as non-Christians often act as if life as we know it will automatically go on as usual. But the pandemic has shown us that suddenly everything that we take for granted can no longer be guaranteed. Everything that can be shaken, governments, banks, businesses, health services, education, travel, has been shaken. And as individuals also we can seem very vulnerable to the plague of sickness stalking the nations. Suddenly people are more aware of their own mortality. We should learn to see every day as a special gift from God and to make the most of each day (Psalm 90:12).

2. We have been given an opportunity to refocus our lives and priorities: It is as if God has paused everything and touched the reset button. We have been forced to re-evaluate our priorities. Things that previously seemed so pressing and important now seem unnecessary. Many people have socialised less, travelled less, spent less and yet have found more pleasure in a simpler life. Have you found that fulfilment does not come through things and constant activity but by having an inner peace and by prioritising and developing your relationship with God?

3. Make the most of the extra time with your family: Family life is meant to be a great blessing to everyone in the home and much of that depends on you. Being close together with family members will increasingly become a pleasure not a pressure when you are more loving, more kind, more sensitive, more gentle, more patient, more forgiving and more constructive with your words. For when you are, your home will be a place of peace, of joy and laughter, a refuge from the storms outside, a life support system and a dwelling place for the Holy Spirit. Like Obed-Edom in 2 Samuel 6:11 who had the ark of God in his home for three months, you also and your ‘entire household’ can be blessed by the Lord.

4. New pressures have given birth to new creativity: God is the God of creativity who can provide answers when there seems no way forward. He can feed a whole nation in the wilderness and satisfy hungry multitudes with a few loaves and fish. In 2020, churches have gone online, new businesses have been started. The more you have the anointing of the Holy Spirit, the more creative you will be (Exodus 35:30-35).

5. The Word of God is a rock like foundation to live by faith not fear: In difficult seasons when we don’t know where to turn, we should turn more than ever to the Word of God (Psalm 119: 81, 89, 105). You can receive new strength, hope and perspective as you read and meditate on the unchanging Word of God and its thousands of rock certain promises. Choose to come through and out of this pandemic more grounded in the Bible.

6. We can be more than conquerors in all situations: We have had a big focus on this theme over recent months through our series on 'How to Win in Life'. So many in the church have grown in their confidence in God. These tough times have served to strengthen us in our faith. When we read the Bible we learn that we should never feel victims or trapped by circumstances (Romans 8:37-39).

7. The church of Jesus Christ is growing and shining more brightly in the darkness (Matthew 16:18): All through history the church of Christ has kept advancing despite persecution and countless pressures. Earthly empires have come and gone but today the church of Christ is growing all over the world. Although some would like to close the churches through this pandemic, God is working out His purposes in His people whether in public or private. God will always make a way where there seems no way.

8. The goodness of God never fails: When things are bad, God is always good (Psalm 23:6).

9. Our lives and times are in God’s hands so we should always depend on Him: God rules over the nations. When humans lose control, God remains in control (Psalm 97:1). So as Psalm 146:3-6 puts it is let’s not put our ‘ trust in princes, in mortal men, who cannot save’ but in ‘the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth, who remains faithful forever.’

10. We are not alone: God is with us: At His birth, Jesus was called 'Immanuel' which means 'God with us' (Matthew 1:23). Just before Jesus ascended to heaven He promised in Matthew 28:20: 'And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.' God has truly been with us in 2020. He is with us now. He will be with us always.

Everyone needs to love and be loved. It doesn’t matter whether you are young or old, rich or poor, or the colour of your skin: you need to know that you are truly valued and cared for. Love is ultimately all that really matters in life. And real love can only be found in God and through God.

The Bible states that God is love and that it was because of His love that He sent his only son in the form of a baby 2000 years ago to save and heal our world. Even if we are not interested in God, God is interested in us. 1 John 4:10 says: ‘this is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.’

Our lives can be changed when we understand the power of God’s love, and the love that Jesus has for each one of us.

1. The love of Jesus is unique
a. Jesus came into this world because of love (John 3:16)
b. Jesus lived a life of perfect love (Matthew 9:36)
c. Jesus taught us to love (Luke 10:27)
2. The love of Jesus is undeserved (Matthew 1:21; 1 John 3:16b)
3. The love of Jesus is unfailing (Psalm 118:1; John 1:12)
a. His love will never leave you (Hebrews 13:5)
b. His love will drive away your fear (1 John 4:18)
c. His love is for everyone (Luke 2:10)

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Have you experienced the unique love of Jesus which is unlike any other love you will ever know? The love of God is a totally pure love without corruption or mixed motives. Everything about Jesus was marked by love. Jesus came into this world because of love (John 3:16). Jesus lived a life of perfect love: He cared for lepers, social outcasts, prostitutes, the poor and needy. Whether it was large crowds, or a single individual, Jesus always had time for people (Matthew 9:36). Jesus came to guide people as the good shepherd, to rescue them when they were lost, to feed them when they were spiritually and physically hungry and to quench their thirst for hope and meaning. And when they beat him and crucified him, he prayed with a heart free of bitterness and hatred ‘father forgive them for they know not what they are doing. Jesus taught us to love God and people (Luke 10-27). God loves and respects every person, all made in His image, and so must we.

Are you waiting to feel 'worthy' of the undeserved love of God? The Bible says that everyone is a sinner who needs saving, and this is why Jesus came to earth (Matthew 1:21). Jesus came to earth on a life and death rescue mission which was completed when Jesus died in our place on the cross to pay the price of our sins and open the way for us to go to heaven (1 John 3:16). Like the Prodigal Son, we have often been rebellious and messed up. But God the father still loves us and wants to give us a new start in life. God loves you despite your past. God can cleanse you of all your sins through the blood of Jesus. You may feel you don’t deserve God’s love but for sure you can receive it.

Do you trust in the unfailing love of Jesus for you in every circumstance? God loves you with an everlasting love that will never fail you (Psalm 118:1). This means that His love will never leave you (Hebrews 13:5): God will be with you in every season of life. His love will also drive away your fear (1 John 4:18). Fear can paralyse, depress and destroy. But there is no need to fear when Jesus is with you. His love will fill you with comfort and confidence. And His love is for everyone (Luke 2:10). The love of Jesus is for the poor shepherds and the rich and educated wise men. It is for people of every class, colour, culture, country and continent. Everyone matters to God. God knows your name. God loves you. God wants to save you, to forgive you and to heal your heart. He wants to free you from all forms of darkness and to bring you into His wonderful kingdom of light. He wants to change you for the better and give you great hope for the future. This is what Christmas and Christianity is all about.

You can’t buy this love, but you can receive this gift of love (John 1:12). Today you can become a newborn child of God if you receive Jesus in your life and decide to follow Him.

Joy is a gift that so many people need this Christmas. Right now, after a year where the pandemic has brought great sadness, worry and depression, it may seem hard to celebrate Christmas. But despite all this, we really can be very happy this Christmas when we focus on the good news of the story of Christ’s birth, for joy is one of the main themes of the Christmas story. It’s all about ‘Joy to the world’ as the carol puts it, because ‘the Lord has come.’

There was a great outbreak of joy when Jesus was born. The shepherds experienced this, as Luke 2:10-11 tells us: 'But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Saviour has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord."'

There are some great truths about joy contained in these verses:

1. Joy is central to the Christmas message and Christianity (Luke 2:10-11; Luke 1:44; Matthew 2:10; Luke 2:20; Hebrews 1:9; Romans 14:17; Psalm 30:5; Psalm 126:5)
2. Joy finds its greatest expression in discovering who Jesus is (Luke 2:10-11)
i. Jesus is God in human form (John1:14)
ii. Jesus is the promised Messiah (Luke 2:11)
iii. Jesus is the Saviour of the World (Isaiah 53:4-6)
3. Joy is for all people at all times (Luke 2:10-11)
i. The Christian message is a universal message
ii. The Christian message is a personal message
iii. The Christian message is an ever-relevant message

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Are you living a joy-filled faith? Are you joyful this Christmas? Joy is a word that stands out as we read the Christmas story and it is a constant theme throughout the Bible. We see this amongst Mary and Elizabeth (Luke 1:44), the wise men (Matthew 2:10) and the shepherds (Luke 2:20). The life and ministry of Jesus was marked by joy, especially from the crowds who witnessed his teaching, his miracles and his compassion. In Hebrews.1:9, Jesus was described as being anointed with the oil of joy. His disciples became known for their joy, even when they were persecuted and imprisoned. And this joy of the presence and Kingdom of God overflowed for all to see (Acts 8:8; Romans 14:17). As C.S. Lewis said, ‘joy is the serious business of heaven.’ Real Christianity is a joyful faith. In the story of the Prodigal son, the Father (representing God) throws a big party when his son turns back to him, and Luke 15:7 says that there is ‘rejoicing in heaven over one sinner that repents.’ The prophet Isaiah said in Isaiah 61:3 that when the Spirit of the Lord is on us we will ‘receive the oil of gladness instead of mourning and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair’ (see also Psalm 30:5 & Psalm 126:5). So if you are sad, you need to know that you can experience the joy of the Lord.

Have you discovered for yourself who Jesus really is and the joy that knowing Him brings? The announcement of the good news of great joy is directly linked to who Jesus is (Luke 2:10-11). So who is Jesus? The Bible says that Jesus is God in human form, that he was both fully man and fully God. He came to be alongside us in every experience of life, however dark or difficult. He is 'Emmanuel' meaning God with us (John 1:14). Jesus came to face and conquer the temptations that we face, to feel the pain that we feel, and He wept as we weep. Jesus is also the promised Messiah, the fulfilment of hundreds of Old Testament prophesies. And Jesus is the Saviour of the world. Jesus came to deliver us from the greatest problem we face: the problem of the sinful condition of our own hearts. Jesus came to save us from all the sins that separated us from God: He shed His blood to bring cleansing and forgiveness. He came to free us from every fear and to deliver us from every evil power that holds us captive. Jesus came so that we can live every day as free men and women who can be everything we were born to be as sons and daughters of God. Jesus came to rescue us from everything that can ruin our lives. At the Cross he lay down His life, the pure for the impure, the innocent to for the guilty, so we can have new life on earth and in heaven (Isaiah 53: 4-6). The good news is that Jesus came to save us from everything destructive, both internally and externally, to make a way for us to spend eternity with God.

Do you believe the joy of the Lord is personal and available to you right now? No one is excluded from the universal message of Jesus Christ and Christianity. It is for the poor shepherds and the rich and educated wise men. It is for men and women. It is for single and married. It is for young and old. It is for all ethnicities and nationalities. It is for people of every class, colour, culture, country and continent. Today across the globe there are over two billion Christians, two thirds of them outside of Europe. The love of God never discriminates. It has no boundaries. It is for ‘all the people’. The Christmas message is a personal message: a Savior has been 'born to you' (Luke 2:10-11). God loves the world but He also loves you personally. You matter to him. He knows you by name. He lived for you, died for you, rose from the dead for you. And the Christmas message is an ever relevant message: the Bible teaches that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. While He is not physically here on earth, we can still know His love, His joy, His peace, His comfort and His power by the presence of the Holy Spirit. When we pray to Him and seek Him, like the shepherds and the wise men did, we will find Him, and we will have great joy when we do. Whatever your need may be, know this. God loves you. God is for you. God wants to help you. He can turn your sadness into happiness. He can fill you with inexpressible joy. And that’s very good news for all of us. Today enjoy the greatest gift of joy.

Peace at all levels remains one of the greatest needs of the world today. Peace is a gift that we all need to receive every day of our lives. Maybe more than ever you need a lot of peace in your heart and mind this Christmas after what has been a very difficult and stressful year for so many. The good news of the Christian and Christmas message is that the coming of Jesus into our world means that we can experience a peace that passes all human understanding.

Jesus is called ‘the Prince of Peace’ by the prophet Isaiah in Isaiah 9:6. When He was born Luke 2:13 says that: ‘Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying “Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace to men on whom His favour rests."' You too can come to a new experience of peace this Christmas.

1. You can know the peace of God
i. You can know peace in your heart (John 14:27; Mark 4:39; Philippians 4:7)
ii. You can know peace in your home
2. You can make your peace with God (Colossians 1:20)
3. You can be an agent of peace for God (2 Corinthians 5:19; Matthew 5:9; Galatians 3:26,28)

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Do you have the peace of God in your heart and in your home? So many people are stressed and agitated today. Stress causes great emotional, relational and physical damage. However Jesus said that we can know inner calm at all times (John 14:27). Jesus brought peace to a man tormented by demons, He spoke words of peace and healing to the sick and suffering, and Jesus brought calm and comfort to the disciples when they thought they were going to drown in a huge storm (Mark 4:39). In just one moment they went from total panic to total peace. Because Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever, we know that what Jesus did for his disciples, He can also do for us. Whatever storm and stress you are experiencing, you can know the peace and presence of God in your own heart and mind (Philippians 4:7). This peace can also bring peace to our homes. Family breakup is at epidemic levels in today’s society and even when families are together there can often be visible or hidden conflict between children, parents and partners. But it doesn’t have to be this way. When the Prince of Peace comes into your home then anger, bitterness and hatred all have to go. You can all learn to appreciate each other. You can know love and joy and peace in your family. If your family is in a great place, then thank God and keep developing your relationships. But if your family is struggling, don’t give up. God’s peace can come to any home and it takes just one member of the home to have the peace for that peace to spread.

Do you live at peace with God? Lasting inner peace does not come through pleasure, power, possessions or drink or drugs. You may have a God-sized gap in your life. Maybe you never realised it or maybe you did and ran away from it. But either way making your peace with God is the biggest and best decision you will ever make in your life. The Bible teaches not only that is there is a God but also that Jesus alone can bring us into fellowship with God. Jesus came to give his life to pay the price of our sins that separate us from God, and to reconcile us to God (Colossians 1:20). Whatever wrong you have been guilty of in word or thought or deed or relationship, you can be sorted out when you seek God for His mercy and forgiveness. When you get your relationship with God in order, all other relationships fall into place.

Are you willing to be an agent of peace for God? God wants to use you to bring His peace to others (2 Corinthians 5:19 and Matthew 5:9). Real peace can’t be achieved just through politics and laws. True and lasting peace can only be achieved when there is peace in the hearts of people. Jesus came to bring us that peace by bringing back together relationships that have been pulled apart. As followers of Christ we must be clear that there should be no divisions and discrimination because of race, ethnic background, gender, age or social and economic status (Galatians 3:26,28). As Christians, in a world of anger, agitation and anti-Semitism, we should be agents of reconciliation and promoters of peace. We must be part of the answer not part of the problem. Nelson Mandela said 'the first thing is to be honest with yourself. You can never have an impact on society if you have not changed yourself... Great peacemakers are all people of integrity, of honesty, but humility.' Never was that humility more evident than when God’s own son came to earth as a baby. The Prince of Peace came to establish a reign of peace and you can be part of this. Today you can know the peace of God. You can make your peace with God and you can become a world-changing agent of peace for God.