​The word of God is seed. Many people wish to be large, prosperous trees. In Mark 4 the bible talks about the parable of the sowing and uses this analogy to suggest that the word of God is a seed. And that seed if it is valued and mixed with faith will grow up in your life and bless you. Many people wish for crops of 30, 60, 100 fold, but they have not valued the seed. What ideas has God placed inside of you. When You water it with confession, water it with mediation, water it with faith, water it by acting it out in your lifestyle the seed will become a tree. It will bless you and many others. What is the seed God has given you for 2018?

​Last week as we began our new series on New Beginnings we recognise that 2017 is complete because a 7 at the end mean the season of completion, and the 8 means new beginnings. Therefore, we are encouraged in Christ to see new things in this season, for our lives and for our Church. We thank the Lord our last year, but we boldly step into our new beginnings.
The question is what would you like to see this time next year for your life? Remember, God came to give you life and life in abundance John 10:10. Where is the new life for you? 

​Merry Christmas Church. As we stand together again and we think about new birth, Emmanuel God is with us, we can be greatly encouraged as we reflect on the birth of Faith Centre, the growth and shape that is taking place. 
Sometimes when you look at a baby, they are so cute, you cannot fully see what they are going to be. To some degree this is true to us. We can see what God has birth in us and yet I have a deep sense that God has created us to be nation changers. Enjoy this great season

​ I am excited about the thought that is created by this time of year. That Jesus had arrived on the earth. He was still concealed within Mary and yet revelation had come to Mary, revelation had come to Joseph, and revelation had come to Elizabeth. God continuously now, is arriving into our lives. Whilst we have Christ in our lives and we have him in us, revelation follows. Often the bigness of that revelation is concealed to others, but revealed to us. The challenge is always to receive it with the mind set of faith and to allow it to grow to the point where other will also partner with it.

​This time of the year you cannot help but think of Mary and Joseph getting ready to head for the censors, thinking about what it is going to be like. We often prayer for a move of God LOL, they are literally moving God from one place to another. This is what we call an actual move of God LOL.
All jokes aside there was significant partnering from Mary walking in agreement with the Holy Spirit and Joseph agreeing with the Holy Spirit as he revealed truth to Joseph in the dream. So to create a move of God there was faith at the beginning and then a practical out working. Have you thought about how you are receiving God into your life and how you are partnering with him to work this out?

Philippians 3:13 13 Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead (NIV)
 
At some point you have to make a choice between other people’s voice that have spoken badly of you and what the bible says that you are, a new creation, the old has gone the new has come. Paul the writer of Philippians, pressed forward, choosing to forget what was behind him. I want to highlight the word choosing. I encourage you to choose to stop talking about past pain and focus on who you are and who’s you are, and future that God is giving you. 

​Colossian 3:13-14 13 Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14 And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. (NIV)
 
​If you decide to hang onto hurt, it marks your soul with pain. Then one day in your present, someone behaves in a similar way, you find yourself reacting far greater than the current circumstances warrants. The person, the people around you all look confused. If you do not forgive there will be pain that will multiply in your life. Set yourself free today, give it to the Lord and ask him for something in exchange

​Matthew 22:37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ (NIV)
 
People ask me the key to happiness, true contentment, peace. It is found not in a new car, new house or a new job. True happiness is found in relationships. If you are at peace with God, at peace with yourself and at peace with your neighbour and there is love and compassion in these relationships you will find your soul will prosper and you will be content.

​Friends
Acts 2: 42-47 Koinonia is a Greek word that occurs 20 times in the Bible. Koinonia’s primary meaning is “fellowship, sharing in common, communion.” The first occurrence of koinonia is Acts 2:42, “They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.” Christian fellowship is a key aspect of the Christian life. Believers in Christ are to come together in love, faith, and encouragement. That is the essence of koinonia.
As Christian believer we need to get away from churchianity, where we just meet on a Sunday and move into Christianity where enjoying each other in our day to day lives. Can it be done?