But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea.
Acts 1:8 (KNJV)

This week we’ll be discussing what it means to be a witness regardless of what is happening around us.
We are all chosen for salvation, but sometimes God chooses specific people for a specific job at a specific time and place. Sometimes we won’t be chosen and we need to learn to be a good witness even in these times.
A great example of being a ‘good witness regardless’ is Barsabas. He had been with Jesus and the disciples for a long time but was still not chosen to replace Judas (you can read this story in Acts 1:20- 26). Regardless of the fact that he was not given the position, he continued to serve God faithfully.

We need to be able to replicate this, but we cannot do it out of pure willpower. We need to carry a revelation of who God is in our hearts so we can accurately reflect Jesus regardless of the position we do or do not have.
Just like Peter who did not have any money to give to the lame man outside the gate Beautiful (Acts 3:2-6), we do have something to give people. We have Jesus. Our testimony of what he has done in our lives is the power of our revelation, and it is worth more than any amount of silver or gold.

Reflection:
- How do you normally react to not being chosen?
- How can you better serve God even when you don’t have the position you were hoping for?
- What testimony do you have that you could share with others at any given time?

Do not call anyone on earth your father; for One is your Father, He who is in heaven.
Matthew 23:9 (NKJV)

This week we’ll be looking at a few important points on how to be a good witness to as a father:
Firstly, it is important for us to know that we do not need to rely on any man to receive the full love and revelation of Father God. Regardless of our relationship with our fathers, Jesus models the full love of Father God and as such we only need him in order to receive everything we need from Father.

Secondly, we need to take note of the importance of Godly, Kingdom families. When Fathers are absent from the home, children suffer greatly. However, we don’t need to try to be perfect. There are no examples of perfect families in the bible, just principles that help us to have healthy families.
We need to have strong relationships with God, our wives and our children, so that we can have the biggest possible Kingdom impact in their lives. It is also vital that we engage with our children not just in things like sports, but also in their spiritual and emotional journeys.

Finally, we need to stay humble and be less focused on ourselves. It is so easy to live a selfish, self-focused life, but as Kingdom Men we need to live in yieldedness and submission to God, and speak his words, not just our own.

Reflection:
- How can you rely more fully on Jesus to reveal the Father heart of God?
- In which areas in your life can you be more yielded to God?
- How can you practically go about speaking God’s words more often than your own?

But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon
you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea

and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.

Acts 1:8 (NKJV)

This week we’ll be looking at a few important points on how to be a
good witness to Jesus:
Firstly, we need to know how important it is to be a good witness.
When unbelievers encounter us, it shapes the way they view Jesus,
and it is important that they are left seeing Christ and his church as
desirable and beautiful.
We do this by loving one another, being kind, walking in humility,
looking after the vulnerable, serving each other, giving to the needy
and living as brothers and sisters in Christ. We can’t, however, do this
in our own strength. We should rely on Holy Spirit to empower us to
witness effectively.
It is important to remember that when we witness we don’t need to
show people that we have it all together, but we must show them
how Christ has changed our lives. The world isn’t looking for perfect
Christians, but for Jesus’ grace. We simply need to show them what
a life impacted by Jesus looks like.

Reflection:
- What is keeping you from witnessing about what Jesus has
done in your life?
- How can you practice relying on Holy Spirit in your everyday
life?
- Where do you have the opportunity to witness about Jesus
with unbelievers?

The Enemy’s Tactics and our Triumphs.

This week we will be revisiting the sermon preached over the weekend by George Gourlay on “The Enemy’s Tactics and our triumphs”, as we feel it is important to be reminded of what God is saying to us as a family.

Nehemiah 6:2, 9 (NIV) – “But they were scheming to harm me; … But I prayed, “Now strengthen my hands.”

What am I trying to build?
- If we are building to advance the Kingdom of God in our marriage, family, workplace, in every area of life, there will be opposition. 1 Corinthians 16:9
- Put on the armour of God to take a stand against his onslaught – Ephesians 6:11

The enemy took notice of Nehemiah!
- The Enemy will cross your borders.
- John 10:10 – The enemy wants to steal what Jesus came to give us.
- He has no authority, but beware – he will visit every area of your life

The enemy will always look for a door.
Neh. 6:1 – Beware! The enemy looks for a door, 1 Peter 5:8

The enemy is continually sending messages
- Neh. 6:3-5 The enemy wants to distract our focus on the Kingdom of God
- The enemy sends thoughts of blame, shame, doubt, comparison, ect
- Be sensitive to discern whose voice you are listening to

The enemy is persistent
- Neh. 6:6:3-6 – Be alert and aware every day - he enemy comes over and over
- Be empowered in God’s grace to rise up in faith, stay focused and say ‘no!’

The enemy is a deceiver
- Deceive = to accept as true that which is false.
- John 8:44; 2 Corinthians 11:14

The enemy’s primary weapon is fear
- Neh. 6:9 - “If I feel fear, the enemy has my ear”. Fear drives us to consult with the enemy. Genesis 3:9
- Fear makes us stop the work of advancing the Kingdom of God

The enemy has no reply to the truth
- Neh. 6:8 – Nehemiah called the lie a lie. He stayed focus, unmoved!
- 2 Corinthians 10:4 – We have the authority to demolish very stronghold

Reflection
Declare over yourself: In Christ, “I am strong enough to rise up, to build and to establish the Kingdom of God in every area of my life!
I am strong enough to stand up against any tactics of the enemy and triumph!”

Growing up in the Household of Faith

This week we will be revisiting the sermon preached over the weekend by Alistair, “Growing up in the Household of Faith”, as we feel it is important to be reminded of what God is saying to us as a family.

John 3:16 – (NKJV) “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”

God loves us!
- Jesus came to love the world. John 3:16
- Jesus loves us every day, all day, in everything.
- Love becomes real as we go out and love one another John 13:35
- Love aligns us with the purposes of God, for He is love. 1 John 4:7-8

What has God brought us into?
- Into the Kingdom of light and love: Colossians 1:13 (NKJV) “He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love.”
- Into acceptance, as I am through the finished work of Jesus Christ. Ephesians 1:6
- Set into the Body where it pleases Him. 1 Corinthians 12.

What has Jesus done for us?
- He has brought us into life – “…it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me …” Galatians 2:20
- He came to serve - John 20:20-28
- He is the Head of the Body, and ‘causes the growth of the body’ Ephesians 4:16

Reflection
- Do you desire a fresh encounter with Him every day?
- He wants to show you daily how much He loves you
- Through His word, He wants us to discover what He has brought us into and what He has done so that we can grow into the image of Christ.

John 20:21 (NIV) - “Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has send me, I am sending you.”

• We need to behold Him:

• The Kingdom of Heaven is within my reach through the Holy Spirit.
• Romans 14:17 – Righteous, peace and joy – in the Holy Spirit!

• I am a carrier of His presence:

• Omnipresence of God.
• Manifest presence of God.
• Cultivated presence of God.

• Psalm 24:7-9 (NIV) “Lift up your heads, you gates; be lifted up, you ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in.”
• As I lift up my head, I become a gate that the King of glory can come in through me.

• Receiving power from Holy Spirit:

• We need to be empowered by the Holy Spirit so that we can become an agent of change.

Additional Point:

• Maturity isn’t measured by the manifestation but in the level of surrender to the Holy Spirit.

And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever - John 14:16 [ESV].

This week we will be focusing on two specific reasons that the Holy Spirit has been given to us:

Firstly, the Holy Spirit has been given to us as the Helper. The evidence of the Holy Spirit in our lives is seen through the fruit of the Spirit. When we allow ourselves to be open to the Holy Spirit’s leading, the fruit of the Spirit will naturally be shown in our lives, without us needing to step into performance. As the fruit of the Spirit is demonstrated in our lives, the Holy Spirit then draws people unto Jesus.

Secondly, we have been given the enabling power of God so that we can be witnesses to those around us (Acts 1:8), and in doing so, the miracles, signs, and wonders will follow us (Mark 16:17).

Reflection:
- Is speaking in tongues the only evidence of the Holy Spirit?
- What does a spirit-filled Christian life look like?
- What is the role of the Holy Spirit?

• At heart, God is a Father. He loves it when we take time to sit at His feet and thank Him for who He is as our Father.
• As Christians, if we want to be a leader of God’s people, we need to start with our family and learn how to lead them well. We can’t export what we haven’t grown at home.
• As a parent, it is your responsibility to instil beliefs, values, and culture that you carry into your children.
• As a parent, it is our responsibility to build the Word of God into our children, to teach them the things and ways of God so that they know how to apply and speak the Word into their situations, workspaces, etc. so that when they grow up they will not depart from it (Proverbs 22:6).
• You can’t be anything you want to be. However, you can be everything God has called you to be!

This week we will be revisiting the sermon preached over the weekend, “The Right Combination of Success”. In every situation, we need the right combination of people, gifts, and skills for success.

Matthew 28:17 [NKJV] – “When they (the eleven disciples) saw Him, they worshipped Him; but some doubted.”

1. Importance of the Word!
- We need to have God’s perspective and understanding for all areas of life. Hosea 4:6 [NKJV] – “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge”
- Reading the Word is not only about gathering information but about receiving revelation.
Luke 24:45-49 – “He opened their understanding that they might comprehend the scriptures.”

2. Jesus the Living Word
- Jesus wasn’t only a teacher of the Word, but He practically demonstrated the Word.
- John 15:4 [NKJV] – “Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.”

3. Holy Spirit Demonstration of Word
- Acts 1:4-8 [NKJV] “ And being assembled together with them, He commanded
them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father.
- The power of the Holy Spirit was demonstrated through the disciples.
- Acts 4:13 [NKJV] - And they realized that they had been with Jesus.
- The disciples waited, were filled with the Holy Spirit, and then through the
enabling power of the Holy Spirit, went and made a difference.
- Acts 4:8 [NKJV] – “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come
upon you.”

This week we will be revisiting the sermon preached over the weekend, “The Power of the Word”, as we feel it is important to be reminded of what God is saying to us as a family.

Mark 4:13-20 (NKJV) - "When they hear, Satan comes immediately and takes away the word that was sown in their hearts.”

1. Jesus: The Word is important.
- John 1:1-4 (NKJV) - “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God.”
- Hebrews 11:3 (NKJV) - “The worlds were framed by the word of God.”
- Satan wants to steal the Word from you, bring confusion, and cause you to
doubt the Word!

2. We need to apply the Word of God in our lives!
- When we apply the Word by seeking His Kingdom first, speaking, and declaring the Word into situations, the seed then germinates, grows, and produces fruit.
- Satan wants to keep you from getting into the Word and applying it.
- John 10:10 (NKJV) – “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and
to destroy.”

3. There is a Kingdom Word that God has for you that you need to declare over:
- Yourself, your family, and your future.
- Your neighbourhood, your community, and your city.
- Your nation.
Our Responsibility:
- Reflect on 1 John 2:12-14 (NKJV)
- Our responsibility is to desire the milk of the Word and to use the Word to
overcome the enemy.

Reflection:
- We need to receive the Word, believe it, become it, and then behave (apply) the Word accordingly.
- Everything in the Kingdom is Word activated.