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This message emphasises the vital role of Holy Spirit, as one of God’s greatest gifts to believers. Holy Spirit should not be ignored and without exception is vitally necessary for every believer.

Key Text: Mark 3:22-35 The passage explores how Gospel of Mark (alongside other Gospels) presents Jesus redefining the meaning of law, identity, and obedience under the new covenant. 1. From Law to New Covenant ·      Jesus challenges rigid religious practices (fasting, Sabbath), teaching that rules were made to serve people—not control them (Mark 2:27–28). ·      The illustration of new wine in old wineskins shows that the new covenant cannot fit into old legalistic frameworks. ·      Religious hypocrisy (e.g., Pharisees in Matthew 23:15) distorts God’s intent and leads others astray. ·      The tearing of the temple curtain symbolises a new covenant established through Jesus—one that cannot be mixed with old legalism. 2. True Purpose of Church ·      Church is not about routine or obligation. ·      It is a community journey where people learn to live the life of Jesus together. 3. The Will of God ·      ‘Will’ (Greek: thelema) refers specifically to God’s purpose: to bless humanity through Christ Jesus. ·      Doing God’s will is essential (Matthew 7:21, Luke 11:28, John 15:14). ·      Following Jesus requires a decision—neutrality is not possible. 4. Redefinition of Family & Identity ·      In Mark 3:22–35, Jesus redefines family: ·      Those who do God’s will are His true family. ·      This expands—not rejects—biological family. ·      Spiritual identity now outweighs earthly identity: ·      Not based on background or heritage. But on obedience and relationship with God. Believers become part of a new family through Christ. 5. Surrender Before Action ·      God’s will begins with yielding, not striving. ·      True obedience requires daily surrender: ·      Letting go of personal plans, desires, and control ·      Holy Spirit fills those who are yielded, not self-driven. 6. Empowerment by Holy Spirit ·      Obedience is not achieved by human effort but through the enabling of Holy Spirit. It is He who: Convicts, Guides, Transforms desire (“have to” → “want to”) Through the Spirit, believers reflect God’s character and authority. 7. Obedience as Evidence of Relationship** ·      Relationship with God is shown through action, not just knowledge. ·      Being near Jesus is not enough—alignment with Him is required. Obedience connects believers to God like a true relationship, not just proximity. Conclusion ·      The central question is: Are you actively doing God’s will—living in obedience to be a blessing through Christ? ·      True discipleship is not just hearing or agreeing, but acting. ·      Through obedience, believers become part of God’s family and live out the Jesus-centred life.

The “mystery of godliness” is not just a truth to understand but a life to live. The gospel is more than information about Jesus—it is a transformative reality that should be expressed through believers daily. Key Truths of the Gospel Life 1. Make Jesus Visible Just as Christ came in the flesh, believers must demonstrate the gospel through real, practical love, action and compassion—not just words. 2. Live by the Spirit’s Power The Christian life cannot be lived by human effort alone. It requires daily dependence on the Holy Spirit for strength, guidance, and transformation. 3. Live with Heavenly Awareness Our lives have spiritual and eternal significance. Heaven is watching, and our actions reflect God’s glory in both seen and unseen realms. 4. Proclaim the Gospel Boldly The gospel is meant to be shared. Every believer is called to speak, witness, and testify about Jesus with boldness and without fear. 5. Walk in Active Faith The gospel requires ongoing faith, trusting God in uncertainty, stepping out courageously, and believing even when circumstances are unclear. 6. Live with Eternity in View This world is temporary. Believers are called to focus on eternal realities, avoiding compromise and living in light of Christ’s return. Conclusion: The mystery of godliness is now revealed through Christ and should be reflected in us. We are called to: Show Jesus through our lives Depend on the Spirit Live with purpose and awareness Share the gospel Walk in faith Keep eternity in focus Final challenge: Don’t just hear the gospel—live it.

Sarah Lucas brings the gallery of grace, seven women who demonstrated spiritual characteristics that each one of us should aspire to. Eve - Mother of Resilience Sarah - Mother of the Impossible Dream Naomi - Mother of the Chosen Family Hannah - Mother of Persistence Jochebed - Mother of Radical Trust Hagar - Mother Who Is Seen Mary - Mother of 'Yes'

Gospel Character 1 Timothy 3:1–16 Paul explains the character and competence required for church leaders, overseers (elders) and deacons but the principles apply to all believers. The passage helps the church discern who should lead, directs believers toward spiritual maturity and calls everyone to pursue gospel-shaped character so the church can fulfil Christ’s mission. 1. Leadership Begins With Character In 1 Timothy 3:1, Paul says aspiring to leadership is a noble task. However, leadership qualifications reflect the character every Christian should pursue. Healthy churches are shaped not primarily by structure but by the godly character of their people. 2. Godly Leaders Develop Wise Judgment According to 1 Timothy 3:2–3, leaders must be above reproach, self-controlled, respectable, and not given to drunkenness. Their lives should demonstrate spiritual steadiness and self-discipline under the work of the Holy Spirit. 3. Godly Leaders Build Healthy Relationships 1 Timothy 3:3 teaches that leaders must be gentle and not quarrelsome. Rather than being argumentative or divisive, they should reflect Christlike gentleness that restores and unites the church. 4. Godly Leaders Walk in Moral Integrity In 1 Timothy 3:2–3, Paul highlights sexual faithfulness (husband of one wife) and financial integrity (not a lover of money). Godly leadership requires consistent character both privately and publicly. 5. Godly Leaders Cultivate Doctrinal Competence Leaders must be able to teach and hold firmly to the faith 1 Timothy 3:2, 1 Timothy 3:9. The church must guard the truth of the gospel, and believers should grow in understanding Scripture so they can guide others faithfully. 6. Godly Leaders Exercise Personal Responsibility Leadership begins in the home. 1 Timothy 3:4–5 teaches that someone who manages their household well is better prepared to care for God’s church. Faithfulness in small responsibilities prepares believers for greater service. 7. Godly Leaders Stand Strong in Spiritual Warfare Paul warns that leaders should not be recent converts 1 Timothy 3:6–7, because pride can lead to downfall. Proverbs 11:2 reminds us that pride leads to disgrace while humility brings wisdom. Leaders must remain humble and supported by the church’s prayers because they face spiritual opposition. 8. Our Sufficiency Comes From God When faced with these high standards, believers may feel inadequate. Yet 2 Corinthians 3:5 reminds us that our sufficiency comes from God. The character described in 1Timothy 3 is ultimately produced by the Holy Spirit. Jesus Is the Perfect Leader The qualities described are perfectly fulfilled in Christ. He is the Shepherd and Overseer of our souls 1 Peter 2:25, the faithful servant, and the true model of leadership. Through the Holy Spirit, He forms this character in His people. Conclusion: A Call to Godly Character This passage calls believers to discernment, direction, and development recognising faithful leaders, pursuing godliness, and praying for those who lead. Believers are urged to train for godliness 1 Timothy 4:7, trusting that the gospel redeems the past and shapes the future. God uses people whose lives reflect Christ’s character, entrusting them with service in His kingdom.

Gospel Salvation Key Text: 1 Timothy 1:12 -20 We are sinners saved by God’s grace through faith in Jesus Christ. In 1 Timothy 1:15 Paul introduces one of the N.T’s great summaries of the gospel with strong emphasis, calling it both  ‘trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance’ v.15 Something that is clear, reliable and to be embraced without reservation by every believer. The statement is this: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. v.15 That statement alone is the very heart of the gospel and has to remain central in the life of the church.Every student of Jesus should grasp this truth to the point that you allow it to define who you are. This statement contains the incarnation: God entering the world in Jesus Christ and the atonement, His coming to give His life on the cross to redeem sinners.  Jesus did not come merely to give advice, moral instruction or bring social reform but to save. The gospel is therefore good news, not good advice. Paul surrounds this gospel declaration with his own testimony. He speaks honestly about his sin, recounts his experience of God’s grace and responds with an outburst of praise to God, overwhelmed by the salvation he has received. Paul is showing the path to God-exalting joy and invites believers to follow it. He reminds us that every Christian has a unique story of God’s grace. Even if someone’s life seems ordinary, being saved from judgment, adopted into God’s family and filled by Holy Spirit is extraordinary and eternally significant. Every believer, therefore, has a powerful story that glorifies God, encourages others, and deepens personal joy. He encourages believers to learn how to share their testimony in a way that honours God and strengthens others. Following Paul’s example, he suggests writing a brief testimony—about 150 words—focusing clearly on what God has done in Christ.  Paul’s pattern begins with remembering your sins redemptively. Since Jesus came to save sinners, recognising one’s own sin is essential to feeling the personal significance of His saving work.  Without acknowledging our sinfulness, Christ’s coming will feel distant and irrelevant. A lack of joy or excitement in faith may stem from failing to grasp the reality of our sin and the greatness of Christ’s saving grace. Luke 7:47 ‘Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little.’ Let’s understand there are no big or little sins in God’s understanding. To Him sin is sin. When people honestly admit that their faith feels flat, dull, or lifeless, the underlying issue is often a lack of awareness of personal sin.  Without a real sense of our own sinfulness, we won’t feel deep love for Christ, nor will we feel our need for the cross. As a result, faith can seem distant and uninspiring. Remembering our sins is essential because it connects us personally to Christ’s saving work. If we do not see ourselves as sinners, Jesus’ work will feel remote, and we will not experience the joy that flows from grace. Paul’s sins, however, were public and well known, and he used them to glorify God. He identifies specific sins, beginning with blasphemy—actively opposing Jesus, resisting Him, speaking against Him, and even encouraging others to do the same.  Many can relate to this in having resisted Christ for years before coming to faith. Paul also confesses that he was a persecutor of the church, a memory that would always have caused him deep pain. Paul in Miletus Therefore I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of allActs 20:26 It was understanding and grasping this great work of salvation in him, that made him confident to declare: But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain. 1 Corinthians 15:10 The gospel of salvation enables this kind of honesty, it brings people out of denial, frees them from excuses, and allows them to face the truth about their sin. Paul continues confessing his past, saying he persecuted the church and considered himself unworthy to be called an apostle because of it. He not only resisted Christ but resented and harmed Christ’s people.  The church, though imperfect, is the bride of Christ; therefore, claiming to love Jesus while holding bitterness toward His church is a contradiction. To love Christ is to love His bride, to love Christ is to love yourself because He has not only declared but he has made you good enough and acceptable. However, we are not only to remember our sins; we must remember them redemptively. Without recognising our sin, we will not experience joy in Christ.  But when we do remember our sins, the danger is falling into defeat or self-condemnation. Satan may use those memories to discourage us. We must remember therefore, that Christ died to remove our condemnation. Believers are not meant to live under renewed self-condemnation. There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. Romans 8:1-2 This is how we are to remember our sin… in the light of our redemption. The recovery of something lost (Innocence & relationship with Father God), the payment of an obligation (Debt of sin).  Remembering his sin also deepens his appreciation of God’s patience. Paul says that as the “worst of sinners,” he was shown mercy so that Christ’s unlimited patience might be displayed as an encouragement to others.  Paul's testimony becomes a source of hope: if God was patient with him, He can be patient with anyone. The clearer we see our own sin, the more we magnify God’s mercy, appreciate His patience, and trust His power to transform others. This leads not to dull faith, but to joy. Paul emphasises that he speaks in the present tense when he says, ‘Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the worst.’ v.15 This shows that grace is not merely something received in the past but a present reality.  His standing with God is not based on personal righteousness developed over time but on the righteousness of Christ that covers him now. Understanding grace in the present tense reshapes the church’s message. It is not ‘Christ came to save sinners like you,’ in a condemning tone, but ‘Christ came to save sinners like me—like us.’ A gospel-centred church is marked by humility, recognising that everyone stands only by grace.  Believers have peace with God right now because grace is continually poured out on them in Christ. And grace does not come alone—it brings faith and love with it. Even faith itself is a gift of grace.  Salvation, from beginning to end, is the gracious gift of God. Paul explains that faith and love did not arise from within his sinful heart; they were gifts poured out by God’s grace.  An angry, violent person will not find love by searching inside themselves—love is given through Christ. That is why the gospel is good news, not just advice. When believers recognise that our trust in Christ and our love for Him are gifts of grace, they lead us into joy and thanksgiving.  Like King David and Paul himself, we can say that everything wey are is by God’s grace, which is not just a past event but a present, transforming reality. Having received mercy and grace, Paul sees serving Christ as the great privilege of his life.  The passage v.16 closes with a challenge. Is this your testimony? Do you trust Christ, love Christ, and find joy in serving Him?  If not, there is hope Christ came to save sinners, even those without faith, love, or joy. He came to save you, to transform your life.  And if this grace is real among believers, it will shape an entire church: a community marked by humility, gratitude, joyful service, confidence in Christ’s transforming power and heartfelt praise to the ‘…King of the ages, immortal invisible, the only God, be honour and glory forever and ever, Amen

Luke 2:8-21 & Hebrews 10:5-7 Joseph Damien was a Belgian priest who went in 1873 to minister to leopards on the land of Molokai, Hawaii. As soon as he arrived, he began trying to build friendships with the residence of the leprechaun colony but they rejected him. He poured himself into this ministry, building a small chapel and holding worship services. But hardly anyone came.  After 12 long hard years he was about to give up. While standing on the pier about to border ship that would take him back to Belgium, he looked down at his hands. The white spots he saw could me and only one thing. He had contracted leprosy.  So instead of going home, he returned to his work in the leper colony. The news of his disease spread throughout the community within hours.  The following Sunday when he arrived at the chapel, the small building was filled to overflowing. He had always started his sermon with the words my fellow believers. But this morning he began my fellow lepers. Those three words express the ultimate sacrifice and love of a man not only willing to live among the outcast but also to become like them.  The wonder of Jesus is coming into our world is that He knew all it would mean and yet He still chose to come. His birth meant becoming a man not only for 33 years but forever. We are told in the book of Hebrews 10:5-7 that a body was prepared for Him. ‘Consequently, when Christ came into the world, he said, “Sacrifices and offerings you have not desired, but a body have you prepared for me; in burnt offerings and sin offerings you have taken no pleasure. Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come to do your will, O God, as it is written of me in the scroll of the book.’  Here we come face-to-face with a mystery so deep that wonder and worship can be our only response. Imagine the moment in heaven and the son of God depart. God becoming a foetus. God has a new born baby. God as a child.  When Kings and world leaders travel to engage in greater affairs of state, they dress themselves in their finest apparel and surround themselves with all the trapping of their wealth and status.  When the Queen visited America a number of years ago her £4000 of luggage included two outfits for every occasion. A mourning outfit in case someone died, 40 pints of plasma and white kid leather toilet seat covers. She took her own hairdresser, two valets and a host of other attendance.  When Jesus, the king of Kings came to this earth, He clothed Himself with dust.  John Henry Jowett, tried to capture the moment and meaning when he said ‘Who would have had sufficient daring of imagination to conceive that God Almighty would have appeared among men as a little child? We should have conceived something sensational, phenomenal, catastrophic but, He became as a little child. God emptied Himself, He let in the light as our eyes were able to bear it’.  The Christian writer and theologian JB Phillips once wrote a story of an angel describing the splendours of the universe to a junior.   The whirling galaxies in blazing Suns, they crossed the infinite distances of space to a galaxy of 500 billion stars. The senior angel pointed to a small sphere turning slow slowly on its axis.  It looked as dull as a dirty tennis ball to the little angel, whose mind had been filled with the immensity and glory of what he had just seen. ‘Watch that one particularly’, said the higher ranking angel pointing with his finger. ‘It looks very small to me said the little angel. What so special about that one?’   He listened in stunned disbelief as the senior angel told him that this planet, small and insignificant was the renowned visited planet.  ‘Do you mean that our glorious prince stooped down so low as to become one of those creeping, crawling creatures of that floating ball?’ ‘I do and I don’t think he would like you to call them creeping, crawling creatures. For strange as it may seem to us, He loves them. He went down to visit them to lift them up to become like Him.’ The little angel looked blank. Such a thought was almost beyond his comprehension.  We live in a universe of parallel world. One consists of lakes, mountains and temples and ends with shepherds watching their flocks by night. The other of Angels and supernatural forces and places called heaven and hell.  One night in the cold, dark and starlit sky those two worlds came together. Little wonder a choir of Angels broke out in spontaneous song, disturbing not only a few shepherds but the entire universe. The world would never be the same again.   Let the Wonder of His coming capture You Again  As we consider the wonder of Jesus coming…  Let your heart bow in worship.  Let your soul rise in gratitude.  Let your life be filled with praise.   He came for you. He came to save you. He came to lift you. He came to make you His own.  What a Saviour. What a King. What a wonder.

five simple ways to help us host the presence of God to greater measure in our lives.

Honouring God’s Presence  2 Samuel 6:5-11  From the beginning of time, our God has always wanted to be with His people. In the Garden of Eden, He walked with Adam in the cool of the day. In the wilderness, He dwelled among Israel in the pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night. In the temple, His glory filled the Holy of Holies.  What the Ark represented in the Old Testament, Christ Jesus is to us in the New He is Emmanuel — God with us! And through the power of the Holy Spirit, He is God in us!  When we learn to honour His presence, to host His glory we will see His blessing, His power and His transformation in every part of our lives.  1.The Presence of God Is Holy   In 2 Samuel 6, David was bringing the Ark back to Jerusalem. The Ark represented the throne, the covenant and the glory of God. But along the way, Uzzah reached out and touched the Ark and he died. Why? Because God’s presence is holy.  We live in a time where people have become too casual with the presence of God. But let me remind you He is still the same holy God. Hebrews 12:28–29 says: ‘Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire.’  When we consciously become aware of His presence, it’s not time to scroll, chat or spectate it’s time to bow. To listen, To yield. Because the King of Glory is in the room!  Isaiah saw the Lord high and lifted up and cried, ‘Woe is me!’ John saw Him in Revelation and fell at His feet as though dead. When God shows up, everything unclean has to bow down.  Holiness attracts His presence but pride repels it.  The presence of God is not a stage performance, it’s sacred ground. That’s why Moses took off his shoes in front of the burning bush because God said, “The place where you stand is holy ground.”  If we want His presence to dwell with us, we must honour His holiness. Purity prepares the way for His glory!  2. The Presence of God Brings Blessing   Look again at v.11: And the ark of the Lord remained in the house of Obed-edom the Gittite three months, and the Lord blessed Obed-edom and all his household.  When the presence of God came in, everything changed!  Peace replaced confusion. Prosperity replaced lack. Healing came to the sick. Joy came to the sorrowful.  That’s what happens when you make room for the presence of God He blesses everything connected to you!  Psalm 16:11 says: You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.  The blessings aren’t in the music or the preacher they’re in His presence. Too many people chase blessings but forget the Blesser. If you chase His presence, blessings will chase you!  Jesus said in John 14:23 “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.  When you honour Jesus, He makes your heart His home. He doesn’t just visit on Sunday He dwells with you daily!  When you host His presence, He will do in moments what your efforts couldn’t do in years!  3. Jesus, the Living Ark of God’s Presence   In the Old Testament, the presence of God was carried in the Ark a box of acacia wood overlaid with gold, with cherubim on top and the mercy seat in between.  But in the New Testament, the presence of God took on flesh and walked among us. John 1:14 says: ‘And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.’   Jesus is the living Ark of God’s presence. In Him dwelt all the fullness of the Godhead in bodily form Colossians 2:9. He carried the glory. He revealed the Father. And now, through the Holy Spirit, He lives in us!**  John 14:16–17 says: And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.  Conclusion  That means the same presence that blessed Obed-Edom now lives inside you! You don’t have to wait for the Ark to come down the street you carry the presence of Jesus everywhere you go!  Paul says in 1 Corinthians 6:19: Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own,  When you lift your hands in worship, Heaven meets earth because His glory flows through you.  That’s why the enemy fights to distract you, to discourage you, to defile you — because if he can silence a carrier of the presence, he can stop revival!  You are not empty vessels, you are carriers of the presence of God.  When you honour His presence, when you keep your heart pure and your spirit open, God can move through you to heal, to deliver and to set captives free!

Jesus — The Cornerstone of Our Strength  Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a cornerstone chosen and precious and whoever believes in Him will not be put to shame.”.- 1 Peter 2:6  We all know what it’s like to be shaken, to have the proverbial rug pulled out from under our feet. The fear that comes with instability and in those moments we wonder where our help will come from? The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. Psalm 18:2  Every one of us will face storms and times of trial, testing, and tribulation. But I want to remind you that our strength does not come from what we have, who we know, or what we can do. Our strength comes from Christ Jesus.   The solid rock on which we stand when everything else is shaking!  When the winds of life howl, when the storms rage, when your faith is tested in the fire — Jesus is still the foundation that holds you steady.  1. Strength in the Midst of Fear      God says in Isaiah 41:10 fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.  The presence of trouble does not mean the absence of God. He says, ‘I am with you.’ That means when we walk through the valley, He’s walking beside us. When we feel weak, He’s the One sustaining and holding us.  You may feel surrounded by trouble but you are more surrounded by God! He is the unshakable Cornerstone holding you together when everything else falls apart.  He is our Rock when the ground beneath us gives way. He is our Light when the darkness presses in. He is our Fortress when the battle rages.  Jesus, the Cornerstone is not shaken when the world shakes. Build your life on Him, and you’ll stand when others fall.  2. Strength in Contentment Philippians 4:11–13  The Apostle Paul says,… for I have learned, in whatever situation I am, to be content. I know how to be brought low and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.  This isn’t the boast of human power — this is the cry of Christ-dependence! When Paul was shipwrecked, beaten, imprisoned and hungry he didn’t crumble because his strength was not his own.  When Christ is your cornerstone, your strength does not rise and fall with your situation. You can face plenty or poverty, sickness or health, because His strength is constant even when your circumstances change!  3. Strength from the Inner Man Ephesians 3:16  Paul prays : ‘…according to the riches of His glory He may grant you to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in your inner being’ ,Hallelujah! The Spirit of God strengthens us from the inside out. When the world says, ‘You look tired’, God says, ‘You’re being renewed’.  2 Corinthians 4:16 says: So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day.   You may be worn in the flesh but Holy Spirit is pouring power into your spirit! That’s why Pentecostal believers shout in the fire because the fire doesn’t consume our faith, it consolidates it. it doesn’t smother it , it solidifies faith and shapes our character.  4. Strength in Surrender  • Paul declared Galatians 2:20, ‘I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.’  Listen church, the secret to strength is not trying harder, it’s surrendering deeper.   When we stop fighting in our own strength and let Christ live through us, we tap in and find a supernatural endurance that the world can’t understand.  That’s why 2 Corinthians 12:10 says: ‘For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.’   • Our weakness becomes the doorway for the strength of Christ to walk in.  5. Strength Anchored in Hope      Trials may shake you but hope anchors you.  We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain Hebrews 6:19  When life feels uncertain, when your prayers seem unanswered, hope keeps you grounded. Jesus is the anchor that grips the Rock of Ages.   The waves may roar but the anchor holds! – A modern hymn (We have Hope)  We have prayed, When faced with fear  When heavy days, Have turned to years  We still believe, Your kingdom come  God with us, Your will be done  Your will be done.  We have hope there is life beyond the grave  Heaven waits, Our Saviour made a way  Raised with Him, we will live forevermore  We have hope in Jesus Christ, our Lord  6. Strength Through Victory    Paul declares: ‘For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.” No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.’ Romans 8:37  God has equipped us to not just survive but thrive, not to be overwhelmed but be an overcomer. Not to concede but to conquer.   Trials don’t define you; they refine you. Testing doesn’t destroy you; it displays the glory of God through you.  Through the blood of Jesus, you don’t fight for victory, you fight from victory. The Cornerstone already conquered death, hell and the grave. – Glory to God.  7. Strength in Tribulation (Distress, Suffering, Trials)  John 16:33 I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.  Jesus didn’t promise a storm-free life, He promised victory in the storm! The same Jesus who slept in the boat during the storm, is the same One who rebuked the wind.   • He is both peace in the storm and power over the storm!  8. Strength in Perseverance      Child of God, don’t be surprised when the fire comes. It’s the mark of faithful people.   …all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, 2 Timothy 3:12  • But every flame only forges stronger faith. The enemy’s attacks are proof that you are a threat to his kingdom!  • Keep standing on the Cornerstone — He won’t let you fall.  9. Strength from Trust      “You who fear the Lord, trust in the Lord! He is their help and their shield. Psalm 115:11  Blessed is the man who makes the Lord his trust, who does not turn to the proud, to those who go astray after a lie! Psalm 40:4  Trust turns trials into triumph. When our heart is fixed on God, no weapon formed against us can prosper.  • When we trust Him, we stop worrying about how the story ends because you know who holds the pen and is writing our story.  Conclusion:   Trials may test you, but they cannot topple you when your foundation is Jesus Christ.  When you feel weak, remember, He is your strength.  When you feel lost, remember, He is your light.  When you feel broken — remember, He is your Rock.  Lift up your hands and declare: ‘On Christ the solid Rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand!’

Key Text:   2 Corinthians 5:14 -21  We’re living in a time where particularly Gen Z and Alpha are interested in identity.  Gender identity, Sexual orientation Identity, Racial Identity, Political identity, Social identity. People now often identify themselves by these groups, characteristics or preferences.  Question: Let me ask you about your identity, how do you feel are you comfortable with it? Do you know who you are and how you identify yourself? This is a great question to answer because until you know who you are, you will be plagued by fears, insecurities, anxiety, lack of direction and you can inadvertently find yourself on a road to nowhere. But the good news is there a sovereign, almighty God who anticipated the questions of the heart and so provided answers to these significant questions of life.   One of the greatest lies told to those who have been redeemed by the blood of Jesus relates to our old and new natures.  So many believers live under the oppression of the lie that God in His grace may see us as clean, but at our core we’re really not.   We live as if redemption in Jesus is like clean clothes covering up the dirt and filth that will always remain, and as if redemption is our get-to-heaven-free card. We hold fast to a belief that salvation was more of an illusion of redemption, than an actual transformation. And those lies act like weights dragging us back to the ways and sins of our former selves.  Scripture however, could not speak more clearly of the opposite reality. Read: 2 Corinthians 5:17-21   If you are in Christ today—if you are saved—then you are a new creation. The old hasn’t stuck around until you die; ‘The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.’   You see, the fact that you have been transformed into a new creation doesn’t have anything to do with your sins, failures and beliefs. Transformation in Jesus is based on His power, not ours. Truth is based on His sacrifice, not our actions.   You are a new creation totally and completely by the grace of God, apart from any of your works—as righteous or sinful as they may be. ‘For our sake He made Him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.’ Our history does not define us and our sins are not final.  Don’t live today with our experience as our truth. Don’t see yourself based on your works but rather on the truth of what Scripture says about you. If you will begin to believe that God truly has already transformed you into a new creation and reconciled you to Himself simply by grace, then you will live and act on a foundation that births freedom and righteousness.   If However, you set your mind on the things of the flesh, which is in opposition to the reality of transformation already worked in you at the cross, then you will live chained to the ways of your former self Romans 8:6 For to set your mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.  Take time today to refect on the new nature in Jesus. Allow Scripture and the Holy Spirit to help you see yourself as one transformed and set free by grace. Commit yourself to live with grace as your source rather than your own strength. And experience freedom today that comes from living with a renewed mind.  Where does your life not line up with the truth that you are a new creation? What is entangling you to the things of the world? Where are you not experiencing the life of the Spirit?  For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin,[a] he condemned sin in the flesh, 4 in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. Romans 8:3-4  Confess any sin to Go and ask for His help in living by the Spirit. Ask Holy Spirit for a revelation of what it looks like to live with him as your source rather than your own strength. Ask Him for a heart-level revelation of your new nature. Foundational to living a life that lines up with the truth of who God says you are, is living by grace. In our own strength we can accomplish nothing. We have no power over sin in and of ourselves. We have no power to live free from the ways of the world when we try to live based on our works.   That’s why Romans 8:3 says, “For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do.”  He fulfilled the requirement of the law that we might live by grace. He set us free from living in our own strength by filling us with Holy Spirit, our great Helper.   Stop living in your own strength and learn to live by grace. Learn to feel, think, and act on the foundation of grace.   Our heavenly Father who loves us has given us allow need to live as a new creation. 2 Peter 1:3 ‘His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us to His own glory and excellence.’   He has done it all. So take hold of who you are in Jesus and experience a life transformed by the reality of God’s power and love.  It’s not enough just to know what Scripture says. It’s not enough to be able to recite verses like 1 John 3:1 ‘See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are’   Until in our heart of hearts we believe the truth of Scripture, we will base our entire life on whatever it is we value most. If we value the opinion of man over God’s word, our identity will be founded on the fleeting ad fickle opinions of others.  If we look to our circumstances to define us, then our identity will change with the passing of seasons.  But if the identity we believe in our heart is founded on God’s truth, then our self-worth, perspectives, decisions and beliefs will be unshakable and yield an abundant life.  Take time today to assess your own heart.   Look honestly at what you believe about self. Where are you looking for your identity?   Place your trust in the truth of God’s word that the identity held in your heart would come from your loving Creator.

To show that Jesus is the cornerstone and the firm foundation, the unshakeable rock of our faith

David Lucas delivers a clear message about how salvation is received through Christ Jesus alone.

A Dedicated Life  Romans 6:1-14 • The word ‘present’ or ‘yield’ is mentioned two times by Paul in Romans 6:13, which are commands concerning dedication.   • The first one is a prohibition command: ‘Do not present your members to sin as instruments of unrighteousness.’ The second ‘present’ is a positive command: ‘but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life…’   • The Apostle Paul also makes mention here of to whom we offer our lives because there are two different objects. The first is to sin and the other is to God.   • Jesus in John 8:34 is recorded as saying, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin.’   • We should no longer be slaves to sin, don’t let sin take possession of us but let God own us, influence us, let God use us and show His glory through us.  • It’s a choice we make in every every moment, whether to give ourselves to sin or to God. We cannot be neutral.   • In fact the Bible tells us that our natural state is that of sin Romans 3:23 ‘…all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.’ so because we all start from a place of sin, we all need rescuing and saving from the power and effects of sin.  • Again the writer of Ecclesiastes 7:20 says: ‘Surely there is not a righteous man on earth who does good and never sins.’  • We each have one life, two choices (live to the flesh or live for Jesus) and one chance. Hebrews 9:27-28 And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment, so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for Him.   • Jesus Christ rescued us from the master of sin. However, we must continue to dedicate ourselves and our bodies to God to serve God. This is a deliberate and determined commitment, to serve God and it is also a choice of our will.  • So Let’s Talk About the Dedicated Life.  • Firstly, when we dedicate our lives to God we count ourselves dead to sin. Because a person who dedicates themselves to God is a person who has died to sin. Romans 6:10-11 gives us the context For the death He died He died to sin (Jesus), once for all, but the life He lives He lives to God. So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.  • That is, sin has no power in our bodies, no work, no right and is no longer the primary driver/motivator in our daily living.  • Sin still wants to work in us and have dominion over us but through the life of Christ Jesus working in us through Holy Spirit, that is no longer possible.  • We die to sin because we, who belong to Jesus Christ, know the value of our own lives, so we don't allow sin to defile our new lives, neither do we need to seek spiritual satisfaction from sin.   • No longer interested in worldly sins because of the glorious joyful life that comes from God and through Jesus.  • What does it mean to count ourselves dead to sin? In fact, we are already dead to sin. The words ‘consider yourselves’ v.11 is actually a kind of reminder.   • We should always remind ourselves that we are people who have died to sin and should no longer be controlled by sin.  • We need to actively see ourselves dead to sin. Otherwise, even when we are willing to do everything that pleases God, we are still plagued by sin.  • Romans 7:15 ‘For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want but do the very thing I hate.’ Romans 7:19 ‘For I do not do the good I want but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing.’  • The passage describes the deep internal struggle between Paul’s spiritual desire to obey God and his sinful nature still working out of law.  • Law is good but it cannot save us from sin  • God right at the beginning of His relationship with us told us the principle Genesis 4:7 speaking to Cain ‘…if you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is for you and you must rule over it.(Dominate it)”  • Secondly, when we dedicate our lives to God, we see ourselves live for God in Christ Jesus. In Christ Jesus means that we live a life that is in union, cooperation, harmony, concert with Christ, as v.8 says: ‘If we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with Him’   • It describes the fundamental reality of salvation, that we are united to Christ. Our union with the living Christ is the essential truth of our new and eternal existence.  • We see ourselves live for God because Christ lives in us. Just as Paul said in Galatians 2:20: ‘I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.’  • Our new life in Christ translates/moves us out of a self-centered world into a God-centered world. Our first thought is not what pleases us, but what would please God.   • The Method of Dedicating Our Lives.  • The way we dedicate our lives is to offer any part of ourselves to God. A person who does not consecrate their life to God by default, gives their body to sin as instruments of unrighteousness, and gives permission rights for sin to dominate their body. Romans 12:1-2 I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.  • The Christian who dedicates their body to God will no longer be ruled by sin, but led by Holy Spirit and covered by the grace of God.  • To dedicate ourselves to God is to say that every part of us is completely in God's hands, and we will with increased measure do those things that are pleasing to Him.   • Our tongue are a great example, as James 3:9-10 said: With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers these things ought not to be so.’ The tongue dedicated to God should only used to praise God and not to curse others.  • The Result of Our Dedication  • When our body is dedicated to God, it’s like matching up the outside with who we really are on the inside. Instead of focusing on pleasing ourselves with our bodies, we are focused on pleasing God.  • Conclusion  • If you want to experience the fullness of your new life offered in Christ, you need to offer to God your whole. Because offering ourselves & life to God is the evidence that we have really been transformed by Christ Jesus.

Paul Matthews brings the series 'Equipping The Saints' based on the gifts of Ephesians 4:11-12 to a conclusion. In this message he looks at the grace gift of the teacher.