Celebrating Thanksgiving (Lev 23 & Psalm 118)
- We start with the origins of our Thanksgiving Day,
- work through the kind of things Jesus gave thanks for,
- and look briefly at modern discoveries of how thanksgiving changes your brain.
- Then we do it!
How the Church Grows Up
- I’m optimistic about the future of the church.
- That’s because in Eph 4, God says that we’re moving out of childhood and into maturity.
- But how do we reach “the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ”?
- It must be connected with the phrase ‘As each one does its part, the body grows in love’.
Experiencing Joy through Finding our Purpose
- If we are Christians, we have an incredible purpose:
- Our destiny is to rule future universe(s) in a way that displays us as reflecting the character, love and creativity of God himself.
- Our present struggles are part of this preparation as God shapes who we are.
- Understanding our future changes everything about how we see ourselves in this present world.
Looking for Pleasure in All the Right Places—Finding the Greatest Joy in God
- If you want to grow in your Christian life, the answer is not to try harder, but to be motivated in the best possible way—the joy of discovering the pearl and the treasure.
- There is nothing like the the joy of loving and being loved so intensely.
What Motivates us to Live as we Should? (Conscience pt.2)
- What is the secret to Christian motivation? Do we beat ourselves up about our failures, set regular challenges, or is there a better way?
- What does the book of Hebrews say?
Love, Truth & Power through the Holy Spirit
- Some churches focus on a firm foundation in the Word, some on the power of the Spirit, and some on love and community.
- But the early church excelled in all three—so why can’t we have them all today?
- The mission of Newlife Church is exactly that,
- plus it is the secret of growth and victory in our own lives.
A deeper look at the strange words: 'Eat my flesh and drink my blood' (John 6)
- Let’s grasp what Jesus really means when he says‘Eat my flesh and drink my blood’”These strange sounding words can be, for you, a deep source of life!
The Power of Grasping your Union with Christ (Col 1 & 2, Eph 2 & 3)
- The story of the man of God, Hudson Taylor is that although he was living an extraordinary life of service, he had a deep feeling of his own sin and failure.
- When the Spirit opened his eyes to the Scriptures about being united with Jesus, in an instant he received a joy which lasted the rest of his life.
- What was this truth?
Every Part Needed—Discovering and Using your Gifts in the Body of Christ (Eph 6 & Rom 12)
The church grows by every part doing their share. But how do I know what my part is? This talk works through 12 areas of gifting, explaining how they function within Newlife church, and how to identify where you fit in.
Compelling reasons why you should develop a habit of giving thanks (Col 3 & 4)
- Why does the Bible have such an emphasis on being thankful?
- Remarkable studies have shown that gratitude makes us happier, less likely to be depressed and even live longer.
- But much more than any of that, God loves us to be thankful and takes great pleasure in our expression of it.