1 John -The challenge of Love Part 1

Background
1 John 1 was written by John the Apostle, one of the twelve and is thought to be the disciple that was closest to Jesus. It is likely that he was one of the two disciples of John the Baptist who followed Jesus when he was pointed out to them at the Jordan River where John the Baptist was baptising.

John 1:35-40 speaks of two disciples, Andrew the brother of Simon Peter is one of them, the other is un-named but is likely to be John. He was certainly present at the wedding of Cana a few days later because he wrote about it. John had a brother James and their Father was Zebedee. He worked in Partnership with Andrew and Simon (Peter)

John is first named as a follower of Jesus in Matthew 4:18-22, and Luke 5:1-11 where Jesus calls them as they are repairing their nets beside the Sea of Galilee. John with his brother James, had a reputation as a Son of Thunder, and they were more than happy to call down lightning on people as punishment. However he was very loyal to Jesus and was his closest friend. Whenever Jesus just wanted a few people with him, it was always Peter, James and John.

It was John who followed Jesus to the high priests house with Peter and who was acquainted with the High Priest and so was allowed to go further into the courtyard. John 18:15 (Peter had to stay outside.) And John was at the cross. John 19:25-27

After Pentecost it was Peter and John who went to pray and who, in the name of Jesus, raised the lame man to walk (Acts 3:1-6) and afterwards appeared before the Jewish Council and spoke boldly of Jesus.

His writings
He is responsible for the Gospel of John; 1 John; 2 John; 3 John and the book of Revelation. Much of what he writes is about God’s love. He was transformed from a man of reactive inclinations – Son of Thunder- to a man who totally understood the amazing love and grace of God and its importance to living as followers of Christ. These books were written later in his life from Ephesus and from Patmos.

John spent most of his ministry life in Ephesus. It is believed that of all the apostles, he is the only one who actually died a natural death. He was exiled to the island of Patmos for preaching the word of God and for his testimony about Jesus. Revelation 2:9 (Patmos is a small island in the Aegean Sea).

Chapter 1
1 John 1
“We proclaim to you the one who existed from the beginning whom we have heard and seen. We saw him with our own eyes and touched him with our own hands. He is the Word of life.”

John is an eyewitness to the life of Jesus. The first chapter of 1 John spells out clearly who Jesus is. John wants to make sure that those who read or hear his words understand exactly who Jesus is, what he has done and how we are to live in response. There are many truths in this small chapter.

Truth 1
Jesus existed in the flesh and is the one revealed by the Father - 1 John 1:2. This is very clearly designated in this Scripture and elsewhere in his writings. The Gospel of John Chapter 1 is a prime example.

John 1:1-5
New Living Translation (NLT)
Prologue: Christ, the Eternal Word
1 In the beginning the Word already existed.
    The Word was with God,
    and the Word was God.
2 He existed in the beginning with God.
3 God created everything through him,
    and nothing was created except through him.
4 The Word gave life to everything that was created,[a]
    and his life brought light to everyone.
5 The light shines in the darkness,
    and the darkness can never extinguish it.[b]
John the Apostle makes it very clear that Jesus is the one expected – he is the Messiah - he is God in the flesh.

John 1:10-14
New Living Translation (NLT)
10 He came into the very world he created, but the world didn’t recognize him. 11 He came to his own people, and even they rejected him. 12 But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. 13 They are reborn—not with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan, but a birth that comes from God.
14 So the Word became human[a] and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness.[b] And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son.

To all who believed – to those who accepted who he was/is – they have the right to be become children of God. Our new life in Christ is based squarely on who Jesus is. And the Apostle John, writing the Gospel and writing his letters, late in his life – puts it clearly. Jesus is the one that was expected.

Challenge 1
Do we believe Jesus is the Son of God?

This is a truth that must be answered by each one of us. Our salvation relies on it.

Truth 2
God is light – there is no darkness in him.

"If we say we have fellowship with God but go on living in darkness we are lying;" –1 John 1:5-6.

This is a tough statement. Our lives are to reflect the light of God. We cannot continue to live the old way, once we have experienced God's life in our life. Jesus himself said that He is the light of the world, and in him we too are the light of the world.

John 8:12
New Living Translation (NLT)
Jesus, the Light of the World
12 Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.”

Matthew 5:14
New Living Translation (NLT)
14 “You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden.

WE are to be a beacon of light in a lost community. The way we live will be a reflection of how well we understand this. We are not perfect, but we can choose to live in a way that reflects the grace of God, the love of God and the Holiness of God.

Challenge 2
Does my life – the way I live- show that I have chosen to live in the light of God’s grace?

Truth 3
God’s forgiveness is available when we ask for it. We all Stuff up and need forgiveness. John says that we are all sinners, 1 John 1:8. We are saved by grace and our lives are to reflect the light of God. But we will make mistakes – not if – but when - and when we do, God forgives when we ask.

John says that none of us can say we are without sin. To do so is not living in the truth. In fact it says that we deceive ourselves if we think we have no sin. The great news in this chapter is that God forgives us and we can live in the light of God because of his forgiveness.

He cleanses us from all unrighteousness.
He makes us right and holy.
He gives us a robe of righteousness that is in Christ.

There is therefore an expectation that we will choose to live in forgiveness; that we will choose to confess our sin and not to hide our sin. There is an assurance that if we will have the courage to confess to God, we will be forgiven.

Challenge 3
Will I take responsibility for my mistakes and my stuff and seek God’s grace and forgiveness?

I’ve heard so many people say – "I’m not good enough to go to church, I’m not good enough to come to God." That is the whole point. None of us are good enough. But the grace of God is more than able to make us right with God if we accept it.

People tend to pull away from God when they stuff up; instead, we are supposed to seek him out when we stuff up. God's promise to us is acceptance, love and forgiveness.

So: Be the person who is confident in God, in his love, grace and forgiveness, and live as a light of that grace in our community.

Interesting article on syria

The Syria many wouldnt know once existed 1:02pm, 9 Mar FOR the past three years, Syria has been making headlines the world over for all the wrong reasons. Now marking its third anniversary, the war in Syria began when its people expressed frustration with the ruling autocratic government, headed for decades by the al-Assad family. But life was not always so grim for Syria’s people. Once regarded as a political and military heavyweight in the region, Syria’s rich history and cultural significance is both complex and diverse. Before the war, Syria had vibrant, bustling marketplaces in the old cities of Damascus and Aleppo, and its own innovative IT industry despite economic sanctions imposed by the west. Syrian refugee Tara, 20, and her family have remained resilient and optimistic for the past three years. Though forced two years ago to completely stop their lives as they knew it and flee to neighbouring Lebanon to survive, they still believe in peace and justice for their country. Here are five things Tara shares about the Syria many wouldn’t know once existed. World famous literature and cinema exports Syria boasts one of the oldest and sophisticated literary traditions in the world, with a rich tradition of storytelling that dates back thousands of years. Poetry and the short story are widely read and recited, and world-renowned writers such as Nizar Qabbani, Ghada al-Samman, who wrote prolifically on cultural identity and the clash between tradition and progress. Films have been produced in Syria since the 1920s. Musicals and light comedies were popular through the late 1940s. Syria has spawned several internationally regarded filmmakers, including Omar Amirallay and Usama Muhammed, but their films, which deal with social issues, have been banned in the country. Oscar-nominated International actor Omar Sharif — of Lawrence of Arabia fame, is of Syrian descent. The ‘souk’ was the centre of the city Spices, jewellery, cloth, traditional handicrafts, and a variety of foods compete for space in the crowded alleyways of the old souks in Damascus and Aleppo — despite the existence of modern new shopping centres and supermarkets which have not replaced this folkish Arab institution. Souks are not just commercial centres but gathering places as well, and bargaining is always a part of the adventure. Syria was also a major centre for weaving and textiles — ancient weaving techniques like grading are still practised today and found at the heart of these souks. Sweet, sweet Syria Houses would once wake up to the sweet baking smells of bakeries and patisseries parked on every corner. Food is an important part of many celebrations, central at weddings, parties, and other festivities, and when it comes to their rich tapestry of desserts — the rule is, the more syrupy — the better. People love to gather around the table full of delicious desserts … It’s rare to find people visiting family or friends empty-handed — they always take something, especially a platter of sweets. “Syrias are old-fashioned, they welcome anyone who knocks on their doors ... and they are very generous — and you definitely see that when you visit them,” says Tara. “And this while listening to our elders tell us love stories from the past.” The diversity of the Syrian people For centuries, Syria has been a melting pot of religion and ethnicities. According to Tara, who is Orthodox Christian, and her fiance, a Sunni Muslim, mixed marriages are common than people think — though since the start of the war, it has been increasingly difficult. Syria’s majority are Sunni Muslim, while 12 more than cent are Alawite Muslims and four per cent are Druze. The remainder of the population is 10 per cent Christian with small Jewish enclaves in Syrian cities, while northeast of Syria has a Kurdish majority, nine per cent of the population. “I’ve lived in Syria my whole life, and I never had a problem as a Christian. Muslims were always helpful, including when it came to things like finding a job,” Tara says. It’s a cradle of civilisation in the Middle East Tara grew up seeing Syria a hotspot destination in the region, and wanted to help show it off to the world. Before the war — She only had two subjects left until she completed her undergraduate degree in tourism at the university in Hama, Syria’s fourth largest city. Full of ancient Mosques, Roman ruins, castles built during the Crusades and souks, Syria has been a cradle of civilisation for at least 10,000 years. It has been part of the major empires of history, including Egyptian, Persian and Roman. “Syria is one of the most beautiful countries ... everyone used to come here to see our monuments and old cities, from Palmyra, Sidnaya to the old castle in Aleppo and Kasab, where the ancient Folklore Forest stands,” Tara says. The Ummayyad mosque, one of the most sacred places in the Islamic world, is regarded as the architectural ‘jewel of Damascus’, with its gold and coloured mosaic and opulent interior. “I often think of Syria as a magic book full of adventures and stories about history and love and war — and I wait for the day this war will end and become a story.” * As told to Amnesty International’s Sara Saleh by 20 year old Tara*, one of the 2.5 million refugees who have fled the war in Syria.

Such a Time - Part 3

Introduction
Over the last couple of weeks we have looked at stepping into “Such a time as This”. We don’t always know when that time will be. But God has a good plan and purpose for each one of us. So far we've looked at the stages of the journey –prepare-serve-know the season, take the risk. We've talked about how It doesn’t always work out how we expect, make each day count and focussing on what we have rather than focussing on our perceived lack. These are all important.

This week we look at some things we need to do to make the most of our journey towards destiny. We will look today at our need to develop who we are personally as we move into destiny and purpose, our "Such a Time".

1. Listen
This means we really listen – to God and to wise counsel. There are many things clamouring for our attention. What we listen to will affect our ability to step into our destiny. To Listen, according to the dictionary, means - to pay heed to. What we listen to (heed or pay attention to) either helps us or hinders us. Who we listen to will either encourage us forward or drag us backwards.

Proverbs 1:1-5
1 These are the proverbs of Solomon, David’s son, king of Israel.
2 Their purpose is to teach people wisdom and discipline,
    to help them understand the insights of the wise.
3 Their purpose is to teach people to live disciplined and successful lives,
    to help them do what is right, just, and fair.
4 These proverbs will give insight to the simple,
    knowledge and discernment to the young.
5 Let the wise listen to these proverbs and become even wiser.
    Let those with understanding receive guidance

When we listen to the right thing we are wise. It is wise to listen to what God has to say to us. When God says listen carefully – we should listen carefully!

Prov 4:20
My Child pay attention to what I have to say

Isaiah 55:3
3 “Come to me with your ears wide open.
    Listen, and you will find life.
I will make an everlasting covenant with you.
    I will give you all the unfailing love I promised to David.

God says – listen – take note. Prov 8;9 is all about listening to wisdom. It is worth our while to listen and to listen well to what God is saying. After listening to God, we also listen to wise counsel – not just the counsel of our friends but wise counsel, from people who have your best interest at heart.

Not everything you hear that sounds wonderful is good for you and not everything that you hear that you don’t like is bad for you. Many of us don’t like it when we are corrected – but it is good for us. People may flatter us with nice words, but flattery is actually death to us. People often flatter so they can manipulate.

Listen to what is good for you even when it is hard to hear. When we truly listen we grow in the grace and knowledge of God and when we do that we will step closer to our destiny. When we listen to God, he guides us and directs us so that we can walk according to his purpose and not be driven by the voices of others, the needs of others, or the manipulation of others. Instead, we will live according to God and seek his purpose. This leads us closer to our purpose and our destiny.

What are you choosing to listen to?
Who are you choosing to listen to? Is it helpful for you?
Are we listening to God and to wise counsel? (Not people who are living in failure, but those who have not failed or failed and overcome?)

2. Learn
When we listen, we learn about ourselves; we learn about God; we learn about life and about God's purpose.
The dictionary defines learn as:
learn  - verb
1. to acquire knowledge of or skill in by study, instruction, or experience: to learn French; to learn to ski.
2. to become informed of or acquainted with; ascertain: to learn the truth.
3. to memorize: He learned the poem so he could recite it at the dinner.
4. to gain (a habit, mannerism, etc.) by experience, exposure to example, or the like; acquire: She learned patience from her father.
5. (of a device or machine, especially a computer) to perform an analogue of human learning with artificial intelligence.

His purpose does not just fall from the sky. It is there to be walked in, but it is placed before us and we can choose to engage it or not. Esther could have chosen not to engage her “such a time” and it would have ended in her death. She listened to God and to wise counsel. She learnt from that, and grew in her understanding of what she must do to engage he destiny.

There is wisdom in learning. Unfortunately, some of us are spiritually slow learners, either because we choose not to learn, or because we don’t want to do the hard yards. God gives us lessons but we forget to learn from them. Jesus often said to his disciples – learn this lesson. When we are dealing with things, when God is giving us a lesson we can choose to engage in learning or be stupid.
We can ask ourselves:
What is God saying to us?
What does that mean for me?
What lesson is God teaching me, that he wants me to understand?

When God says to seek his purpose, are we learning what that purpose is? Proverbs tells us that the fear of God is the beginning of wisdom and knowledge.

Proverbs 1:7
7 Fear of the Lord is the foundation of true knowledge,
    but fools despise wisdom and discipline.

It might be blunt, but are we choosing the knowledge of God, or are we acting like a fool?

Matthew 13:12
To those who listen to my teaching, more understanding will be given, and they will have an abundance of knowledge. But for those who are not listening, even what little understanding they have will be taken away from them.

Knowledge is about learning and gaining understanding about God and his Kingdom. But it is more than that.
Knowledge of God is not just “head” learning – it is knowledge of God that comes from a relationship with him. It means learning about him, but more importantly learning from him.

When we choose to listen and learn, we will be given a greater understanding of God, his Kingdom and our part in his Kingdom purpose. Learn from God; he is the best teacher. We can also learn from others, from their wise counsel and from their experiences. Lessons and stories about people in the Bible are not just there for the sake of history. They are placed there to teach us and so we can learn from them.

2 Timothy 3:16
All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right.

We are meant to engage in the learning process; to discover what is right; and to work on those things in us that are not right! Learning is about equipping; it is being equipped to undertake the next step. We talk about equipping people to do the job or the task at hand. It’s about learning and engaging, getting the right tools and knowing how to use them. We learn from God, from the lives of others and we learn from history. God expects us to learn. Here are some Scriptures that highlight this.

Proverbs 8:9,10
9 My words are plain to anyone with understanding,
    clear to those with knowledge.
10 Choose my instruction rather than silver,
    and knowledge rather than pure gold.

Proverbs 10:14
14 Wise people treasure knowledge,
    but the babbling of a fool invites disaster

Proverbs 23:12
12 Commit yourself to instruction;
    listen carefully to words of knowledge.

Proverbs 22:17
17 Listen to the words of the wise;
    apply your heart to my instruction.

Proverbs 24:5
5 The wise are mightier than the strong,
    and those with knowledge grow stronger and stronger.

Learning enables us to engage with destiny and purpose because it heads us in the right direction. Learning enables us to address character flaws and personality difficulties. You are who you are, but you can become who you are meant to be, by engaging with God and in the process of learning about him and from him. Ask yourself:

How well am I seeking to gain knowledge and understanding?
Am I placing myself in a position where I can engage in learning about God, and from God?
What will I do t start engaging with the learning process?

3. Apply
God not only asks us to learn, but to apply that learning to our life.
Apply means:To bring into action – to employ

Learning only becomes truly active in our lives when we apply it to our life. This is true for all learning. A person can spend years at Uni learning and understanding but it is applying that learning that has an effect in the real world. E.g a teacher, a scientist, a business man must all apply knowledge or else their learning is of little value.

Workshops and seminars are a great example. I wonder how many people go to these, learn a lot from them, say how great they are and then don’t apply what they learn from them. Coaching works on the same principle – it’s a great way to discover and learn things about yourself, but it is useless if you don’t apply it. We make lots of excuses for not applying things to our lives but basically we don’t do it either because we are stubborn and self-centred or, and this is most likely, we simply don’t plan to put it into practice. We are not deliberate about what we do.

Knowledge without application is useless. A sportsman may have all the knowledge about a sport, have mastered the tactics etc., but unless its applied through participation, it is useless. You don’t have to know everything. Just apply to your life what you do know, and you will begin to place yourself in the purpose of God, and find that more opportunity and more understanding will come your way.

Moses had his staff, he knew what to do with it, but none of the miracles in Egypt would have happened if he hadn’t applied what he knew. Joshua was given instructions on how to beat Jericho: he knew what they were, he learned the strategy, but he had to apply the strategy to gain victory over Jericho. He listened to God; he learnt the strategy; he applied the strategy. Esther listened to Godly advice. She sought God and listened and applied the strategy even though she knew she would risk her life in doing so.

The apostle Peter encourages us to take hold of what we know, God's precious promises, and to apply them to our lives. He tells us that by doing so, we will be more productive.

2 Peter 1:3-11
3 By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence. 4 And because of his glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share his divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires.
5 In view of all this, make every effort to respond to God’s promises. Supplement your faith with a generous provision of moral excellence, and moral excellence with knowledge, 6 and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with patient endurance, and patient endurance with godliness, 7 and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love for everyone.
8 The more you grow like this, the more productive and useful you will be in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 But those who fail to develop in this way are short-sighted or blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their old sins.
10 So, dear brothers and sisters,[a] work hard to prove that you really are among those God has called and chosen. Do these things, and you will never fall away. 11 Then God will give you a grand entrance into the eternal Kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

This is listening, learning and applying. Applying takes effort but it is worth it. When we apply what we know, when we are deliberate in applying our knowledge to life, we will be productive and we will open opportunities for our future.

What knowledge do you have that you know God is calling you to apply to your life or a situation right now?
What stops you from applying it?

Make the changes necessary to apply what you know.

Conclusion
Destiny and purpose await us. We can move towards our destiny or away from it. We have that choice. Lets embrace destiny, God's destiny for us by:
Listening to God – to his direction, to his counsel, and seeking and listening to good and Godly advice
Learning – from what you have heard, gaining insight and understanding, seeking to know God more, and to learn from him, not just about him, and equipping yourself to walk in destiny and purpose.
Applying – applying what you know – actually doing the hard yards that puts words, knowledge and learning into action

This leads to engaging God’s purpose, walking in his destiny and stepping into your “Such a time”

“For such a time as this” Stepping into your purpose and destiny

For Such a Time as This

We connect this phrase most strongly with Esther “Who knows that you have come to such a position for such a time as this”. The truth is that we each have a “such a time as this” that has been planned ahead of us. God has planned “good works” for us to do and they are our “Such a time as this”.

Ephesians 2:10
For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.

Biblical destiny is not a matter of our lot or our fate. It is God’s purpose for us

Psalm 73:24
24 You guide me with your counsel, leading me to a glorious destiny.

Stepping into this moment does not come out of the blue. It does not just appear.  It comes from seeking God and his counsel. People who are an “Overnight Success” have usually spent years of hard work and preparation to walk into that moment. Think of the musicians and the artists who came to fame after years of hard work. These moments in time, the thing we were born for, does not necessarily get dropped into our laps. It comes as the result of a journey. This journey has several parts and several phases. Even people who have a sense of destiny and purpose over their life do not just walk into it.

So what are some of the steps on this journey? Whichever person you look at there are some key points.

1. Preparation
This is something that takes many shapes and forms. Sometimes this phase is a difficult one and actually has many obstacles or hardships that need to be overcome. For Esther it was being raised by a cousin and then removed from family and taken into a Harem that was totally a culture shock and totally different to anything she had known or experienced, (Esther 2). For Moses it was being brought up in a royal family in luxury and then living in the wilderness tending sheep (something no Egyptian wanted to do) until he was 80, (Exodus 2,3).

For Joshua it was spending time with Moses, walking in the wilderness with faithless people when he was full of faith and experiencing the battles along the way. (Exodus and Numbers 13). For Paul it was being a Pharisee and learning the laws of God and then living in obscurity for some time with people being afraid of him and suspecting him. (Acts 9, 13 Gal 1). For Jesus it was spending the early part of his life in obscurity, probably as a carpenter. (Luke 2). Joseph was sold as a slave and then ended up in prison wrongfully accused by a sly woman. Genesis 37 onwards

God has a preparation time for each of us. In many ways, even when we are walking in destiny and purpose we find ourselves being prepared for the next step, the next phase of the journey. If you’re feeling like you’re not quite walking in your purpose – that’s ok. God has you in his preparation phase.

What to do in the preparation phase? Continue to seek God and his Kingdom purpose. When making decisions, be sure they are good ones, based on God’s Word, good advice etc. Do what is in your hand to do. It may not be your dream job, but it could well be the one that leads to your dream job.

Ecc 9:10
Whatever you do, do well. For when you go to the grave, there will be no work or planning or knowledge or wisdom.

If you are feeling stuck – think about what is causing that feeling. What is God trying to show you or teach you? Remember – we are told not to despise the day of small beginnings. Even the biggest dreams and projects start with small beginnings. This phase is a learning and growing phase – a phase where we discover our strengths and our challenges. It is a phase where God can use where you are for his purpose even when you can’t see it.

Romans 8:28
And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. 

You may not be there yet, but you will be. This stage of the journey prepares us and teaches us. It is a phase of personal growth and revelation of God.

2. Service - Often in relative obscurity
Learning to serve with the right heart and attitude is a crucial part of stepping into purpose and destiny. Serving where you are, in whatever situation you are in, develops skills and talents. Most of all it helps us develop the right heart and the right attitude. “Service with a smile” is a bit corny, but how we serve is actually more important than where we serve.

Colossians 3:23
Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people.

Joseph is one of the best examples of this in the Bible. He served with skill and with the right attitude even when he was sold into slavery. He served with everything he had. It was not his purpose and destiny to be a slave in Potiphar’s house far removed from his family, but he served well wherever he was.

Genesis 39:2-9
The Lord was with Joseph, so he succeeded in everything he did as he served in the home of his Egyptian master. 3 Potiphar noticed this and realized that the Lord was with Joseph, giving him success in everything he did. 4 This pleased Potiphar, so he soon made Joseph his personal attendant. He put him in charge of his entire household and everything he owned. 5 From the day Joseph was put in charge of his master’s household and property, the Lord began to bless Potiphar’s household for Joseph’s sake. All his household affairs ran smoothly, and his crops and livestock flourished. 6 So Potiphar gave Joseph complete administrative responsibility over everything he owned. With Joseph there, he didn’t worry about a thing—except what kind of food to eat!
Joseph was a very handsome and well-built young man, 7 and Potiphar’s wife soon began to look at him lustfully. “Come and sleep with me,” she demanded.
8 But Joseph refused. “Look,” he told her, “my master trusts me with everything in his entire household. 9 No one here has more authority than I do. He has held back nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. How could I do such a wicked thing? It would be a great sin against God.”

He went to prison because he was wrongly accused. Serving time in prison was not his destiny.

Genesis 39:19-23
Potiphar was furious when he heard his wife’s story about how Joseph had treated her. 20 So he took Joseph and threw him into the prison where the king’s prisoners were held, and there he remained. 21 But the Lord was with Joseph in the prison and showed him his faithful love. And theLord made Joseph a favorite with the prison warden. 22 Before long, the warden put Joseph in charge of all the other prisoners and over everything that happened in the prison. 23 The warden had no more worries, because Joseph took care of everything. The Lord was with him and caused everything he did to succeed.

Even in prison Joesph served faithfully and with integrity.

What does this mean for us? Service requires faithfulness, integrity and the right attitude. Bad attitudes do not help people move into their purpose and destiny. Bad attitudes are the things that will ruin purpose and destiny. In fact it could be said that serving with a bad or indifferent attitude is not actually serving with faithfulness and integrity. It’s just turning up and going through the motions.

If we are to step into destiny, then our attitude becomes a key indicator for us. I believe one reason Joseph finally came to the notice of Pharaoh was because of his attitude. Pharaoh was not aware of it, but the gaoler was!! If Joseph had complained all the time, I expect he would have stayed in prison for a long time.

Philippians 2:14,15
Do everything without complaining and arguing, 15 so that no one can criticize you. Live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people

We know Joseph had the right attitude because when he was released, he served Pharaoh with the same integrity he had served the gaoler and when his brothers came to him, He knew that God meant it for good. He could see how preparation and service were part of his destiny.

What’s your attitude like? Maybe we are not moving forward and stepping into our “such a time as this" because of our unwillingness to serve with the right attitude. Our attitude is how we think about life. An attitude is basically a way of thinking about things, about life and situations that we develop in our minds and in our thought life. Attitudes become patterns of behaviour that are expressed through the way we approach the things we do in life, our demeanour, the words we say and the way we behave.

What you think about a situation will become obvious. If we are to step into our “such a time as this” moment, then we must start working on our thought life and the area of attitudes.

Ephesians 4:23
Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes

Mordecai told Esther that just because she was in the royal house didn’t mean she would escape. In some ways he is addressing the “I’m ok” attitude – "this doesn’t concern me" and the “Do I really care” attitude.This means being thankful for what we have and where we are instead of complaining about what we don’t have or where we’re not. Our attitudes are crucial to our purpose and our destiny.

How are you serving? (Not where, or for whom, or which department!!)
How? What is your attitude? Are you serving faithfully and with integrity?

3. Recognising the time and taking the risk
Eventually there comes a time to step into the purpose. This involves recognising the time and taking a risk. This is our opportunity, our destiny.

Matthew 10:18
You will stand trial before governors and kings because you are my followers. But this will be your opportunity to tell the rulers and other unbelievers about me.

Mordecai was prepared to take a risk when he stood up to Haman. Esther was prepared to take a risk when she approached the king.

Esther 4:10-17
Then Esther told Hathach to go back and relay this message to Mordecai: 11 “All the king’s officials and even the people in the provinces know that anyone who appears before the king in his inner court without being invited is doomed to die unless the king holds out his gold sceptre. And the king has not called for me to come to him for thirty days.” 12 So Hathach[a] gave Esther’s message to Mordecai.
13 Mordecai sent this reply to Esther: “Don’t think for a moment that because you’re in the palace you will escape when all other Jews are killed. 14 If you keep quiet at a time like this, deliverance and relief for the Jews will arise from some other place, but you and your relatives will die. Who knows if perhaps you were made queen for just such a time as this?”
15 Then Esther sent this reply to Mordecai: 16 “Go and gather together all the Jews of Susa and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. My maids and I will do the same. And then, though it is against the law, I will go in to see the king. If I must die, I must die.” 17 So Mordecai went away and did everything as Esther had ordered him.

Paul was prepared to do so when he set out to preach the gospel – he was prepared to risk his life, to risk prison, no matter the cost, Acts 16:16-40. Paul tells us in his letters to make the most of every opportunity, and he knew how to embrace the opportunities God gave him, often at great personal cost.

Ephesians 5:16
Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days.

Colossians 4:5
Live wisely among those who are not believers, and make the most of every opportunity.

Joseph had to recognise the time even when it was later than he expected. He had to take the risk of telling Pharaoh what the dream meant. He was given the opportunity to do so because he was faithful in service to the kingdom.

Stepping into destiny always means taking a risk. This does not mean it is not God ordained or God given, but there is always risk involved. There is always the risk that it won’t turn out as we expect. Esther had to face risking her life to save her people. Paul risked his life time and time again. God has a plan and a purpose for us. He has a destiny for us and taking a risk to fulfil his purpose and destiny is part of the deal.

What risks are you prepared to take?

Will you allow God to take you on a journey through preparation and service to step into your destiny?

Stepping into your “Such a time” Part 2

Introduction
Last week we looked at some of the people in the Bible who made an impact by taking hold of their “Such a time”. We are all destined to have a “such a time as this” moment. Last week we looked at:
Preparation – sometimes this is longer than we might expect, but it will never be without purpose.
Serving – finding whatever is in your hand to do to serve somewhere in church or community
Risk – knowing the season and being prepared to take a risk to step out and into what God has for us.

Our destiny is not something that falls to our lot. It is not an act of fate. Our destiny is foreordained by God. We walk in our destiny when we choose to engage with what God has planned for us. The choice is ours. Will we engage with God’s plan and purpose for our lives or will we choose our own way and miss what God has planned?

1.God’s ways are not our ways
Our destiny is God ordained and God directed, and doesn’t necessarily go how we planned. God never said that stepping into our plan and purpose would be easy. He says we will have trouble. Stuff will happen. Just because stuff happens does not mean our destiny is lost or unattainable. The stuff that happens becomes part of your purpose.

One thing I’ve learnt over the years is that God does not always do things the way we expect or even want. But he does have our best interest and our purpose at his heart. We don’t always understand the way God works, but understanding this actually enables us to take hold of what God has planned.

When we can put our own plans aside and truly trust God for his purpose for our lives we embark on an amazing journey. We don’t know what Joseph and Esther thought about the things they didn’t understand. We see what they went through and we can learn from them.

What can we say? To walk into our “such a time” requires us to trust God, even when it seems all is falling apart.

Proverbs 3:5-6
5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart;
    do not depend on your own understanding.
6 Seek his will in all you do,
    and he will show you which path to take.

We want to trust our own understanding. We want answers, to understand, but God says: trust me in everything, don’t rely on what you understand.

Isaiah 55:8-9
8 “My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the Lord.
    “And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine.
9 For just as the heavens are higher than the earth,
    so my ways are higher than your ways
    and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.

We know this, and we quote it. But if we are to walk into our purpose, God’s plan for us, then we need to really live it. I love these verses because they remind me that God thinks differently to me. His thoughts – devices, plans and purposes are different to ours. God’s purpose for us is not always what we want or expect, but it is always better than anything we could think of.

Isaiah 26:4
4 Trust in the Lord always,
    for the Lord God is the eternal Rock.

Trust in God, in his solid character and his strength. He is totally trustworthy.

What areas of life do we struggle to trust God? Decide today that even when we don’t see it, we can trust God for his good plan and purpose.

2. Make each day count
This means placing value on each day, so that we live a life that is different to others. This does not mean cramming every day solid with stuff. It does mean being deliberate in choosing how we use each day and what we choose to do.

2 Thessalonians 3:11-13
Yet we hear that some of you are living idle lives, refusing to work and meddling in other people’s business. 12 We command such people and urge them in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ to settle down and work to earn their own living. 13 As for the rest of you, dear brothers and sisters, never get tired of doing good.

Romans 12:11
Never be lazy, but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically.

We are not meant to be idle, just waiting for stuff to happen. When we are active and involved, opportunities will come our way. These opportunities propel us into our “Such a time” if we make the most of them and make the most of every day. If we are to step into our “Such a time” then its important to create a lifestyle and habits that propel us forward and don’t hold us back.

Ephesians 5:15-17
So be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise. 16 Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days. 17 Don’t act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do.

We are to live wisely. Developing Godly habits is wise. Last year we talked about renewing the mind and right thinking. This was all about developing the right habits around the way we think. It is true with any habit. Paul exhorts the Ephesians to live wisely in this world, to be careful how we live and in what we do (develop good habits) and to make the most of every opportunity.

Making the most of every day that we are given is done by creating good habits and living by them. Our habits determine our future and will stop us from walking in destiny and purpose or will help us to take hold of it. I like the following thought. It is all about consistently using each day well.

Bob Gass Devotional – Tues 18 Feb
A dream becomes a reality as a result of your actions and your actions are controlled mostly by your habits. Life is nothing more than the sum total of many successful years; a successful year is nothing more than the sum total of many successful weeks; a successful week is nothing more than the sum total of many successful days. That’s why practising successful habits, day in and day out, is the most certain way to win over the long term.

Joseph developed habits of working that led to success in whatever he did; habits of trusting God; habits of ethical behaviour. Habits that developed character and built integrity.

Steve Covey in "The 7 habits of Highly Effective people" writes about several habits that help us to win in life. They are worth looking at and require us to take a good hard look at how we live; how our habits affect us and others; and what we can do to change. Good habits do not mean life has to be boring. In fact good habits means that life can be exciting and amazing, and we can actually maximise the opportunities.

What is important to you?

What habits do you have that hold you back? What habits would you like to have/will help you move forward into God’s good plan and purpose.

What will you do today to start working on and beginning to change habits that are detrimental to you, and replace them with habits that are helpful to you?

3. Focus on what you have
One of the main reasons we don’t take hold of and engage with our “Such a time” is because we focus on the wrong things. It’s easy to focus on what we don’t have, but this saps our energy and causes us to strive after the wrong things. It puts our energy into the negative basket and it just drains our strength.

Focussing on the right things enables us to use our energy to propel us forward, focussing on what we have and being thankful for what we have. Being thankful for what we have opens us up to the abundant life that we have in God and his abundant blessings for us. The Bible talks a lot about being thankful. This is because when we are thankful, we stop focussing on the negative and we get our thoughts into the right place. When our thoughts are in the right place we can maximise what we have to the glory of God. Jesus says don't worry about what you don't have. Focus on kingdom purpose and what you do have, because God knows and will give you all you need.

Matthew 6:25-33
“That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are? 27 Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?

28 “And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, 29 yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. 30 And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith?

31 “So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ 32 These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. 33 Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.

What is Jesus saying? People who don’t understand his purpose will always be seeking in the wrong direction and expending unnecessary energy. When our thoughts are dominated by lack; when our thinking is cluttered by wrong things, we are not free to pursue God’s purpose. Worry is expending energy on a perceived lack, rather than looking at what we actually have.

Our “Such a time” is not about having these things. God says he will provide them.  We can stop thinking about what we don’t have and place our focus in the right place – God’s Kingdom. “Seek first the Kingdom” is an attitude that expends energy in the right direction propelling us into our future and into our destiny.

When we focus on what we have, we are able to use what we have to maximise our potential. Sometimes we are so busy thinking about what we don’t have that we forget what we do have. When we focus on what we do have, we can become creative in the way we use it and maximise what God has given us.

Some quotes about thankfulness:
Be thankful for what you have; you’ll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don’t have you will never have enough - Oprah Winfrey

Ingratitude to God does not rely only on our refusal to give the verbal thanksgiving due to him, but also resides in our inability to appreciate his gifts and potentials in us by leaving them untapped - Israel Ayivor

Sometimes we focus so much on what we don’t have that we fail to see, appreciate and use what we do have - Jeff Dixon

When we focus on what we don’t have we miss what we do have and the potential that lies therein. When we focus on what we do have – we release that potential. This is what enables us to take hold of opportunities, to engage with what God is doing and to step into our “Such a time”.

What are we focussing on?

Conclusion
Engage with God’s purpose and destiny for your life by:
Trusting him completely – even when its seems different to our plan or difficult
Making every day count – by developing habits that release potential and maximise opportunity
Focussing on what we do have - expending energy in the right direction, releasing the potential therein.

“For such a time as this” Stepping into your purpose and destiny

We connect this phrase most strongly with Esther “Who knows that you have come to such a position for such a time as this” The truth is though that we each have a “such a time as this” that has been planned ahead of us. God has planned “good works” for us to do and they are our “Such a time as this”.

Ephesians 2:10
New Living Translation (NLT)
For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.

pur·pose
 
noun
1. The reason for which something exists or is done, made, used, etc.
2. An intended or desired result; end; aim; goal.
3. Determination; resoluteness.
4. The subject in hand; the point at issue.
5. Practical result, effect, or advantage: to act to good purpose.

des·ti·ny
  
noun
1. something that is to happen or has happened to a particular person or thing; lot or fortune.
2. the predetermined, usually inevitable or irresistible, course of events.
3. the power or agency that determines the course of events.
4. ( initial capital letter ) this power personified or represented as a goddess.
5. the Destinies, the Fates.

Biblical destiny is not a matter of our lot or our fate. It is God’s purpose for us

Psalm 73:24
New Living Translation (NLT)
You guide me with your counsel, leading me to a glorious destiny.

Stepping into this moment does not come out of the blue. It does not just appear. It comes from seeking God and his counsel
People who are an “Overnight Success” have usually spent years of hard work and preparation to walk into that moment. Think of the musicians and the artists who came to fame after years of hard work.

These moments in time, the thing we were born for, does not necessarily get dropped into our laps. It comes as the result of a journey. This journey has several parts and several phases. Even people who have a sense of destiny and purpose over their life do not just walk into it.

So what are some of the steps on this journey?

Whatever person you look at there are some key points.

1.Preparation
This is something that takes many shapes and forms. Sometimes this phase is a difficult one and actually has many obstacles or hardships that need to be overcome

For Esther it was being raised by a cousin and then removed from family and taken into a Harem that was totally a culture shock and totally different to anything she had known or experienced   - Esther 2

For Moses it was being brought up in a royal family in luxury and then living in the wilderness tending sheep (something no Egyptian wanted to do) until he was 80  - Exodus 2,3

For Joshua it was spending time with Moses, walking in the wilderness with faithless people when he was full of faith –Exodus and Numbers 13

For Paul it was being a Pharisee and learning the laws of God and then living in obscurity for some time with people being afraid of him and suspecting him. Acts 9, 13 Gal 1

For Jesus it was spending the early part of his life in obscurity, probably as a carpenter. Luke 2

Joseph was sold as a slave and then ended up in prison wrongfully accused by a sly woman. Genesis 37 onwards

God has a preparation time for each of us.

In many ways, even when we are walking in destiny and purpose we find ourselves being prepared for the next step, the next phase.

If you’re feeling like you’re not quite walking in your purpose – that’s ok. God has you in his preparation phase.

What to do in the preparation phase. We continue to seek God and his Kingdom purpose. When making decisions, be sure they are good ones, based on God’s Word, and good advice.

Do what is in your hand to do. It may not be your dream job, but it could well be the one that leads to your dream job.

Ecc 9:10
New living Translation (NLT)

Whatever you do, do well. For when you go to the grave, there will be no work or planning or knowledge or wisdom.

If you are feeling stuck, think about what is causing that feeling. Remember, we are told not to despise the day of small beginnings. Even the biggest dreams and projects start with small beginnings.

This phase is a learning and growing phase – a phase where we discover our strengths and our challenges. It is a phase where God can use where we are for his purpose even when we can’t see it. God is working in all things for the good of those that are called according to his purpose.

Romans 8:28
New Living Translation

And we know that God causes everything to work together[m] for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. 

You may not be there yet, but you will be

2. Service
Often in relative obscurity.

Learning to serve with the right heart and attitude is a crucial part of stepping into purpose and destiny. Serving where you are in whatever situation you are in, develops skills and talents. Most of all it helps us develop the right heart and the right attitude. “Service with a smile” is a bit corny but how we serve is actually more important than where we serve

Colossians 3:23
New Living Translation (NLT)
Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people.

Joseph is one of the best examples of this in the Bible. He served with skill and with the right attitude even when he was sold into slavery. He served with everything he had. It was not his purpose and destiny to be a slave in Potiphar’s house far removed from his family.

Genesis 39:2-9
The Lord was with Joseph, so he succeeded in everything he did as he served in the home of his Egyptian master. Potiphar noticed this and realized that the Lord was with Joseph, giving him success in everything he did. This pleased Potiphar, so he soon made Joseph his personal attendant. He put him in charge of his entire household and everything he owned. From the day Joseph was put in charge of his master’s household and property, the Lord began to bless Potiphar’s household for Joseph’s sake. All his household affairs ran smoothly, and his crops and livestock flourished. So Potiphar gave Joseph complete administrative responsibility over everything he owned. With Joseph there, he didn’t worry about a thing—except what kind of food to eat!
Joseph was a very handsome and well-built young man, and Potiphar’s wife soon began to look at him lustfully. “Come and sleep with me,” she demanded.
But Joseph refused. “Look,” he told her, “my master trusts me with everything in his entire household. No one here has more authority than I do. He has held back nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. How could I do such a wicked thing? It would be a great sin against God.”

He went to prison because he was wrongly accused. Serving time in prison was not his destiny.

Genesis 39:19-23
Joseph Put in Prison
Potiphar was furious when he heard his wife’s story about how Joseph had treated her. So he took Joseph and threw him into the prison where the king’s prisoners were held, and there he remained. But the Lord was with Joseph in the prison and showed him his faithful love. And theLord made Joseph a favorite with the prison warden. Before long, the warden put Joseph in charge of all the other prisoners and over everything that happened in the prison. The warden had no more worries, because Joseph took care of everything. The Lord was with him and caused everything he did to succeed.

Even in prison he served faithfully and with integrity. What does this mean for us? Service requires faithfulness, integrity and the right attitude. Bad attitudes do not help people move into their purpose and destiny. Bad attitudes will actually derail our purpose and destiny.

In fact it could be said that serving with a bad or indifferent attitude is not actually serving with faithfulness and integrity. It’s just turning up and going through the motions. If we are to step into destiny, then our attitude becomes a key indicator for us.

I believe one reason Joseph finally came to the notice of Pharaoh was because of his attitude. Pharaoh was not aware of it, but the gaoler was!! If Joseph had complained all the time, I expect he would have stayed in prison for a long time.

Philippians 2:14,15

Do everything without complaining and arguing, so that no one can criticize you. Live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people

We know Joseph had the right attitude because when he was released, he served Pharaoh with the same integrity he had served the gaoler and when his brothers came to him, he did not seek revenge. He knew that God meant it for good. He could see the preparation and the service being part of his destiny.

What’s your attitude like? Maybe we are not moving forward and stepping into our “such a time as this" because of our unwillingness to serve with the right attitude.

Our attitude is how we think about life. It is basically a way of thinking about things, about life and situations that we develop in our minds and in our thought life. Attitudes become patterns of behaviour that are expressed through the way we approach the things we do in life, our demeanour, the words we say and the way we behave.

What you think about a situation will become obvious. If we are to step into our “such a time as this” moment then we must start working on our thought life and the area of attitudes.

Ephesians 4:23
New Living Translation (NLT)
Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes

Mordecai told Esther that just because she was in the royal house didn’t mean she would escape. In some ways he is addressing the “I’m ok” attitude – this doesn’t concern me and the “Do I really care” attitude.This means being thankful for what we have and where we are instead of complaining about what we don’t have or where we’re not. Our attitudes are crucial to our purpose and our destiny.

How are you serving? (Not where, or for whom, or which department!!)

How? What is your attitude? Are you serving faithfully and with integrity?

3.Recognising the time and taking the risk

Eventually there comes a time to “Step into the purpose”. This involves recognising the time and taking a risk.

Matthew 10:18
New Living Translation (NLT)
You will stand trial before governors and kings because you are my followers. But this will be your opportunity to tell the rulers and other unbelievers about me.

Mordecai was prepared to take a risk when he stood up to Haman. Esther was prepared to take a risk when she approached the king.

Esther 4:10-17
Then Esther told Hathach to go back and relay this message to Mordecai: “All the king’s officials and even the people in the provinces know that anyone who appears before the king in his inner court without being invited is doomed to die unless the king holds out his gold sceptre. And the king has not called for me to come to him for thirty days.” So Hathach gave Esther’s message to Mordecai.
Mordecai sent this reply to Esther: “Don’t think for a moment that because you’re in the palace you will escape when all other Jews are killed. If you keep quiet at a time like this, deliverance and relief for the Jews will arise from some other place, but you and your relatives will die. Who knows if perhaps you were made queen for just such a time as this?”
Then Esther sent this reply to Mordecai: “Go and gather together all the Jews of Susa and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. My maids and I will do the same. And then, though it is against the law, I will go in to see the king. If I must die, I must die.” So Mordecai went away and did everything as Esther had ordered him.

Paul was prepared to do so when he set out to preach the gospel. He was prepared to risk his life, to risk prison etc. no matter the cost.  Acts 16:16-40 In fact Paul says, make the most of every opportunity.

Ephesians 5:16
Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days.

Colossians 4:5
Live wisely among those who are not believers, and make the most of every opportunity.

Joseph had to recognise the time even though it was later than he expected. He had to take the risk of telling Pharaoh what the dream meant. He was given the opportunity to do so because he was faithful in service to the gaoler and before  Pharaoh.

Stepping into destiny always means taking a risk. This does not mean it is not God ordained or God given, but there is always risk involved. There is always the risk that it won’t turn out as we expect. Esther had to face risking her life to save her people. Joshua crossed a swollen River. David faced Goliath. All opportunities that involved risk.

God has a plan and a purpose for us. He has a destiny for us and taking a risk to fulfil his purpose and destiny is part of the deal.

What risks are you prepared to take?

Vision Message WOW 2014

Introduction
There are great opportunities for us this year to build on the success of last year and to continue to grow in community and in faith. It requires all of us together to build something significant for the kingdom. God gives us the mandate to go and make disciples and it requires all of us together.

God wants to bless us, he wants to bless Citylife Women and he will build his church.

1 Timothy 2:4
God wants all to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth

1 Peter 3:18
But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

God's desire is twofold - that people would be saved and that they be discipled and disciple others.

WOW is totally about these two things.

Ensuring each woman is loved and discipled to fulfil God's plan for her life.

Citylife Women
A community of women who are:
Confident in God
Passionate about his Kingdom
Committed to his cause

We value:
Our cultural and generational diversity
We value our community
We value friendship with one another.

We endeavour to live out our values as part of a wider community by:
Caring for each other by
Intentionally building our relationships and friendships
Respecting and honouring others.

We place value on others by treating them with love and respect, helping them to come to a saving knowledge of Christ.

WOW - Women on Wednesday
Creating a place where women can:
Connect with God through worship
Learn to live the Christian life through lifestyle application of the word
Connect in a meaningful way with other women
Bring along their friends
Develop leadership potential

We do this by focussing on some key things.

1. Belonging
Create a place where people feel they can belong regardless of where they are on the journey towards faith. It is not about a doctrine, or practices. These have a place, but most importantly its about belonging.

What we believe is important and we will not dilute what we believe, but we will share it with love and grace. How we present the truth will vary over time and place, but it will still be truth.

We rely on the word of God as our source of truth and in the belief that:
God loves everyone
He sent Jesus as saviour
Jesus is the way to salvation
Heaven and hell both exist and the only way to salvation is through the atoning work of Christ.

But as people are on the journey towards this understanding and towards faith, we want women to know that there is a place that they belong.

We are a community of women, doing life together, growing, and becoming who God calls us to be.

What is a community?
Community is common ownership and participation.

In other words a sense of belonging, inclusion and involvement.
We want to create a place of love and acceptance of people regardless of where they are up to. This does not mean we won't be challenged to change and to grow, but it does mean we are creating a community of women who are willing to accept people wherever they are at and to walk the journey of life towards faith and Discipleship with them.

Jesus accepted people; he loved them and gave the call to follow him. He is our example.

John 8:1-11. The woman caught in adultery. Jesus did not condemn her, he accepted her as she was, and extended grace and cared about her enough to say - "Go and sin no more". No condemnation, just acceptance, love and a challenge.

How can we create a place where people feel they belong?

By loving them, and not judging them, welcoming them, by including them in our circle of friends, and by caring.

By keeping a positive attitude when we are here and by not criticising others!!

Making sure that whatever we do, we do it with excellence because we want them to experience something that tells them that no matter their background, no matter what has gone before, they are important and they are valued.

What is community?
It is ownership.
As we take a healthy ownership of what God is doing amongst us we will see amazing things.

A healthy community:
Cares about each other
Challenges ideas and challenges “the norms”.
A healthy community remains healthy by:
Accepting everyone, judging no-one and by an over-riding love.
By embracing the new, embracing people and by putting others first.

A community remains healthy by being intentional about what it does.
For us this means by being intentional in our relationships, by honouring one another and by loving one another. We want to develop a culture of honouring people.

We do this by:
Developing and maintaining a positive attitude towards others
Honouring others by contributing in a positive way to our community.

Q. What can I do to personally honour those around me?
Q. How can I contribute in a positive way to our community?

Because:
As we relate to one another, as we relate to our friends, our family our work colleagues; as we “Be a friend”, as we show God’s love to people by the way we love each other, people will come. As we tell friends about God, they will already see his love and they will come.

2. Focus on them
A mindset shift - that this is about others and not about us. This is about unsaved people. The focus of what we do is those who do not already know Christ. We exist to reach unsaved people and share God's love with them.

Of course the question that arises is "what about me and my needs?"

Two things here!
In Jesus, every real need we have has been met. We need to learn to live it out.

Col 3
In Him, all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hidden.

This also highlights the importance of friends and life group. The key thing is that in Christ we have everything and those without Christ have nothing.

Go Make Disciples
GO - this is going into the world and sharing the love of Jesus with the people in our circle of influence.

MAKE DISCIPLES - looking after people, helping them in their walk with God, getting involved in life group and reaching out to others.

Q. What are we personally doing to go - to embrace the opportunity we have all around us?

God wants all to be saved. God wants those who are saved to be discipled and to disciple others. This is not about personality, this is about loving others. The bible says that we are to be prepared to give a reason for the hope we have and to make the most of every opportunity, and to always act graciously.

Col 4:6
Your Speech should always be gracious…

Keeping our speech gracious may sometimes be hard. This is a challenge we can take on. Not just gracious when we want to be or when things are going our way, but always. Making an effort to keep our speech right.

In reaching out to others, we show the love of God as much through actions as words.

Be a friend
We all have people that we know through life - at work, our families etc.
We can care about people and be a friend.

Tell a friend
As we develop relationships with people, we will find opportunities to share the hope that we have.

We do not need to force it, we just get to know them and listen to the prompting of the Holy Spirit. It is his job to convict people, and draw them towards salvation.

We lift up the name of Jesus in our actions and in our words, by living in relationship with him, and in sharing God's love for others.

Bring a friend
We all have the opportunity to bring people with us.
We can invite others to come with us on the journey. (I'm talking the unsaved, unchurched here and not about pinching other Christians from elsewhere).

Praying
One of the most effective things as we launch into this year is to simply take time to pray for other people to come to know Jesus.
God wants all to be saved. Our main focus is them, and not us.

Q. Who will I pray for?
Q. How can I be a friend to someone?

3. Faith
Without faith it is impossible to please God. Heb 11:6

Let’s not be fatalistic about what happens. Let's believe that God wants to bless us, to build his church. Let’s transform our thinking. Maybe we need to lose the "I tried that and it didn't work" and replace it with an optimism that is grounded in faith in a mighty God who is "able to do exceedingly abundantly above all we ask or think, according to his power at work in us". Eph 3:20

Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. Heb 11:1

We can be certain that God wants people to come to salvation. We can be certain that God wants people in relationship with him, and in relationship with others.

Q. How can I begin to exercise my faith?

Conclusion
God wants us to be a community of believers who are part of a broader community of women seeking to grow in the journey of life and encouraging others to come on the journey with us.

Q. Will you be a part of it?