If you throw a stone into water, you see ripples starting at the centre of where the stone hits the water. That is how the Kingdom life works. Kingdom life starts with you and affects the way you think, talk, do, and live. Just imagine how this world would look if everywhere there is darkness, it is replaced with light, love, and righteousness. Don’t we all want to see that?

Generosity reveals God's character. He is a generous God, doing more than we could ask or imagine (Ephesians 2). For God so loved the world that He GAVE. When we choose to be generous, we cooperate with the work of the Holy Spirit as He transforms us from one degree of Glory into another. As believers, we know that the Holy Spirit is constantly at work within us, transforming us into the likeness of Christ. When we choose to be generous, we are keeping in step with the Holy Spirit in His work. We might say we want to be more like Jesus - being generous accelerates that process.

Understand some wonderful, foundational truths about what it means to be a Christian: In Christ, you are a new creation (our dirty clothes exchanged for his clean clothes), you are a child of God (you have a new birth certificate). You are no longer under law (like a spirit level), but grace, and that grace can help you live victoriously (trophy). Grasp these truths, get them deep into your thinking – it may take some effort – and they will totally transform your life.

Foundations are important. If we are going to build we need to pay a lot of attention to them. It is always tempting to rush on but you will regret it. This is the same with the Christian life. Some key principles are in place at the start. Been a Christian for a while? Sometimes a bit of underpinning is timely. In the Book of Acts, Peter’s answer is foundational for all of us. Just like a chair needs four legs, he identifies 4 things that need to be in place: 1. Repentance – I need saving. 2. Faith in Jesus – Jesus can save me. 3. Baptism in Water – Jesus is my Lord. 4. Receiving the Holy Spirit – I need his power.

Fasting on the day of atonement reminded the people of their dependence on God. We need to remind ourselves of that dependence. Our need for food means that when we fast, we do get hungry. That hunger reminds us of how dependent we are on God. When we are well fed, we can feel very powerful and independent. Hunger quickly reveals we are not as together as we think we are and we are quickly reminded of my desperate need of grace. Fasting deals a death blow to arrogance and pride and throws us back on God’s faithfulness.

Count down the days to Christmas with us and during this Advent take time to wait on God and make space for him to speak into our daily lives as image bearers and Kingdom bringers.

Count down the days to Christmas with us and during this Advent take time to wait on God and make space for him to speak into our daily lives as image bearers and Kingdom bringers.

Count down the days to Christmas with us and during this Advent take time to wait on God and make space for him to speak into our daily lives as image bearers and Kingdom bringers.

Count down the days to Christmas with us and during this Advent take time to wait on God and make space for him to speak into our daily lives as image bearers and Kingdom bringers.

Count down the days to Christmas with us and during this Advent take time to wait on God and make space for him to speak into our daily lives as image bearers and Kingdom bringers.

Count down the days to Christmas with us and during this Advent take time to wait on God and make space for him to speak into our daily lives as image bearers and Kingdom bringers.