Key Scripture: 
1 Corinthians 3:6-7
I planted the seed and Apollos watered it, but God made it grow. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow.

Planting is a common metaphor in scripture, and images of planting are often used to implore faithfulness, trust, patience and perseverance. Galatians 6:9 urges us, “Let us not grow weary in doing good, for in due time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up." James 5:7 declares, "Be patient brothers, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient until it receives the early and late rains." This patience is rooted in faith that God will fulfill His promises.

My grandfather was a faithful planter. First a wheat planter, and then a tree planter. I grew up on the farm my grandfather grew up on. He grew up on the farm his grandfather grew up on. When my ancestors arrived in the 1850s the land was covered in pre-colonial trees. Faithful as they were to Genesis 1:28, they subdued and cleared the land to grow wheat. For a few generations they were successful, until by the time my father was born high salt levels in the soil meant rapidly declining wheat yields. So, my grandfather stopped planting wheat and began planting trees, River Red Gums. By the time I was a boy these Gums were fully grown and propagating (self-seeding) a forest of saplings along the creek. Bird life was diverse and abundant; salt levels had plummeted, soil quality had improved dramatically and wheat production in adjacent paddocks was booming again. I had the privilege of returning as a 40-year-old in 2022 to see that the saplings of my childhood were now mature trees propagating their own 3rd generation saplings! My grandfather’s faithful planting, and the natural ways of God’s creation - soil and growth supported by seasonal rains and sunshine - had dramatically transformed the environment. What was on its way to resembling Ezekiel's valley of dry bones (ch. 37) was now resmebling something more like Eden! Grandpa died over 30 years ago, and yet the legacy of his faithful planting lives on.

The same can be true of us regarding faith. What seeds are you planting? Dads will naturally think of faithfully discipling and investing in our children, and this is significant, but I believe God wants us to consider even more than this. What about when we pray for people of peace, and the ways we disciple them and others? Are they colleagues and/or clients in our workplaces? Our neighbours? Are we volunteering and disciplining not only in the church but also outside of it? Just as Jesus sent the 72 in pairs (Luke 10:1), and just as we are unique parts working together as the same body (1 Cor 12, Rom 12), who else has Jesus called us to go with on mission?

Sometimes we get to experience and bear witness to the faithful planting of others. My foster sons’ birth mum was also a foster child. She and her siblings were fostered by a faithful Christian couple and yet they haven’t seen their now-adult foster children’s lives transformed by Jesus yet. They have told me about a faithful old woman who prayed for my foster sons’ birth mum and her siblings before they went into foster care. They told me about how they prayed that their foster daughter’s children would be placed with Christian foster carers (us!). And they have seen fruitfulness of that now long deceased lady’s prayers for this family displayed in the faith of our foster sons, including one’s baptism and public declaration of faith in Jesus. Just like my grandfather’s faithful tree planting, the legacy of this lady’s faithful decades-ago prayers continues to be fruitful.

Remember, the goal is not to see fruit or the harvest, encouraging as that is. No, all we need to be is prayerfully, then actively, faithful. May we be faithful planters, and bear witness to the faithful planting of others. As Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 3:6-7, "I planted the seed and Apollos watered it, but God made it grow. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow."

Psalm 139:14

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;

 your works are wonderful, I know that full well. (NIV)

I am amazed at the intricacies of the human body.

There are 100,000km of blood vessels in the body that contain 4.5-5.5 litres of blood. We have between 206 and 213 bones and 3300 types of brain cells.

No wonder David, in contemplating on God and His creation was able to declare that we are wonderfully made.

Psalm 139:14 is focused on affirming that individuals are intentionally designed by God, encouraging self-worth, and overcoming insecurity.

As men of Grace, this verse encourages us to embrace our uniqueness, therefore we can take a few moments each day:

a. To appreciate the uniqueness of our body and mind, and thank God for His wonderful creation.

b. Accept and celebrate our uniqueness instead of comparing our self with others
                 
c. Recognise the inherent value in others, appreciating them for their uniqueness as God’s creations.

d. Affirm the verse, “I am fearfully and wonderfully made,” each day to instil self-value and improve self-esteem.

Remember, never underestimate your worth, for you are fearfully and wonderfully made!

With this truth, face each new day with the confidence that comes from knowing you are dearly loved by God.

Let the beauty of Psalm 139:14 inspire you to see yourself and others through God’s eyes.

Here are some questions to think about:

·         How can I start appreciating my uniqueness more?

·         What qualities of mine do I believe God particularly cherishes?

·         How does understanding God’s creative power affect my self-esteem?

·         How can I help others to recognise their unique value?

Men of grace: you are wonderfully made!

- We can't do this without the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives. 
- God is faithful and WILL fulfil his promise to us, regardless of our behaviour HOWEVER, our actions have consequences that can impact our life and the life of those around us.
- We are not alone in our faith journey. The Bible is a witness to God's faithfulness throughout history, and we are surrounded by others who can testify of God's goodness and faithfulness. So let us run with perseverance the race set out for us, in the power of the Holy Spirit. 

Key Scripture: 
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.
Psalm 23:5

Who doesn’t love a good feast? Whether it be a buffet breakfast, a 3-Piece Feed from the old reliable dirty bird; or one of Kenny’s delicious Thai recipes that gets you salivating more than a dog with a bone! I know I do!

But if we’re honest, most of us blokes are just as happy with a cheap parmi (yes, I said that correctly!) from the pub. Nothing too fancy.

But Psalm 23 paints a different picture.

David describes God as a host, preparing a table, setting a feast, inviting him to sit. Not reheatable meals or leftovers. A full table. Abundant. Intentional. Personal.

And here’s the kicker - it’s in the presence of his enemies!

This isn’t a peaceful, quiet dinner. It’s a table set right in the middle of tension, pressure and opposition.

And yet… David sits.

When we are invited to someone’s house for dinner, we cannot open the host’s refrigerator and grab whatever we want to eat. We depend on the host to place dinner on the table for us. We wait to be offered food and drink.

And it got me thinking, the statement, “You prepare a table before me,” highlights David’s dependence on God! But sometimes we feed ourselves with things that aren’t from the table that was prepared for us because we get distracted by snacking on work, anxieties, stress, our own egos, or habits we know aren’t good for us. Or sometimes, we simply don’t sit at the table with Him in the first place because we don’t give Him the time.

Meanwhile, the table is still set.
The seat is still there.
The one who booked the table.
Prepared the meal.
Sat down to dine with you.
And the reservation cost Him everything.

David said to the Lord, “You anoint my head with oil” because he regarded himself as the Lord’s special guest. We too need to come back to the table that we’ve been invited to, and sit. We’ve been invited to dine now and forever at the Lord’s table and to receive His favourable anointing.

“You anoint my head with oil” speaks of the Lord’s ministry to refresh David’s heart, particularly in light of the immediate threat of enemies. David imagines himself sitting at the Lord’s banquet table while his rivals gather all around.

But he’s not focused on them: he is locked in, gazing into the eyes of the King. Being in God’s presence rejuvenated David, giving him the strength to face all the challenges and pressures of life. His enemies could snarl and roar all they wanted, but in the shelter of God’s presence, David would feast and be refreshed.

So I ask you these questions:
- What is the enemy doing to pull you away from the table right now?
- What needs to shift so you can sit with God again?
- Who can you talk to that will pray with you about silencing your enemies?

I’ll leave you with this quote. Louie Giglio has an incredible book that shares the same title as this that I read last year, and I want to encourage you with this today. Are you ready?

"Don’t give the enemy a seat at your table!"

Key Scripture: 
After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi [or wise men] from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, ‘Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.’
Matt 2:1-2

We often visit this part of Scripture at Christmas but perhaps there’s merit in revisiting it afresh outside of the seasonal noise. Curious and enthralled after analysing Jewish prophecy, navigating by the star(s), the wise men had likely travelled for several months to visit the true king. The gifts these foreign men brought young Yeshua would prove to be deeply prophetic.
 
This is in stark contrast with the Jewish leaders at the time who had access to all the prophecies about the Messiah but didn’t seem to want to follow through in pursuit of a true life in Jesus.
 
This can be me sometimes. With all the bible information the Maji could have only dreamed of at our fingertips, and easy access to community around us, it’s easy to rely on our own wisdom and knowledge.
 
One of the greatest Old Testament prophets issued the warning: ‘Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes and clever in their own sight.’ Isaiah 5:21. The Bible’s wisdom literature tells us to ‘Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.’ (Proverbs 3:5-6)
 
Jesus calls us to himself, the source of all life and wisdom.
 
The Grace Kids looked at this scripture last Sunday: ‘If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.’ (James 1:5).
 
Please Lord Jesus, help me live wisely, for you.
 
Will you continue to pursue a life in Jesus, the maker of the stars?

The early church was in revival, new believers are coming to faith in Christ and the disciples are rapidly multiplying. These are the days we pray for! The rapid growth in believers begins to create pastoral challenges, in particular the care of the widows.  The Apostle’s meet to make a plan. The had a responsibility to care for the people under their leadership, but also to not neglect prayer and the teaching of the Word to continue reaching and discipling people for The Kingdom of God. They came to the conclusion that they needed to equip and release other believers to oversee the food program for the widows in the community. Acts 6:7 tells us the outcome of this was the church continuing to to grow and expand!

Jonny encouraged us that God has an expansive vision and mission for The Church. That all would hear The Gospel, all would respond and all would find a Church home. At Grace we should be expecting and anticipating this to happen and we would be ready together to welcome, care and disciple those who connect with our Church family.

Jonny encouraged us that just like in Acts Chapter 6, it is a team effort to see The Kingdom of God advance - everyone has a role to play. In his letter to the Corinthians, Paul described this as being part of a body. Every part of our human body has a function and plays a role, which is also true for the body of Christ. God has given us gifts to serve one another with and contribute to His Church. 

Jonny challenged us that their are barriers which can get in the way of us fulfilling our role within the body:

- Busyness - we can lead full lives, resulting in being overwhelmed and overcommitted. At times, our serving or leading in The Church is what is sacrificed.  
- Consumerism - the world around us has a consumeristic mindset which can lead us to come to church thinking about what we can receive rather than give.
- Clarity - we can be unsure where to start. The encouragement is just to start somewhere.

Key Scripture: 
Ecclesiastes 4:9–10
Two are better than one,
    because they have a good return for their labour:
If either of them falls down, one can help the other up.
But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up.

Growing up in Africa, community wasn’t something we talked about, it was something we lived. I remember watching my dad and his mates gather regularly, sitting under a tree, catching up on the week. They’d share stories, talk through challenges, and exchange ideas on how to navigate struggles of life. It wasn’t formal, but it was powerful. That was brotherhood. That was community.

There’s an African proverb that says, “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” That’s something I saw lived out from a young age. But somewhere along the way, many of us as men have drifted from that. We carry stress, pressure, and struggles on our own, thinking that’s strength. But the truth is, we were never designed to do life alone.

“Two are better than one and if either of them falls, one can help the other up.” (Ecclesiastes 4:9–10). Real community is built in the hard times.

“Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.” (Romans 12:15). Anyone can show up when life is good, but real brotherhood is revealed when life gets tough.

We also need accountability. “As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.” Our Theme for this year (Proverbs 27:17). The right men in your life won’t just support you, they’ll challenge you, sharpen you, and keep you grounded.

And it’s bigger than just us. The next generation is watching. “We will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord…” (Psalm 78:4). The way we live, lead, and show up in community is shaping what they believe is possible.

So, here’s the challenge:

Who are you showing up for?

Who’s walking alongside you?

Who’s sharpening you?

Key Scripture: 
Proverbs 27:17
Iron sharpens iron and one man sharpens another.
 John 13:5-15
Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples' feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around him. He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, do you wash my feet?” Jesus answered him, “What I am doing you do not understand now, but afterward you will understand.” Peter said to him, “You shall never wash my feet.” Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you have no share with me.” Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!”
Jesus said to him, “The one who has bathed does not need to wash, except for his feet, but is completely clean. And you are clean, but not every one of you.” For he knew who was to betray him; that was why he said, “Not all of you are clean.”
When he had washed their feet and put on his outer garments and resumed his place, he said to them, “Do you understand what I have done to you? You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you.

Have you ever wondered whether this verse is technically accurate? Iron doesn't actually sharpen iron - stone sharpens iron.

But a sharpening steel? That's different. A steel doesn't create a new edge. It straightens one that has been rolled over from use, returning the blade to its correct angle so it can cut again.

That distinction matters, because I believe it's exactly what this proverb is describing. The edge is made by Christ alone Jesus modelled it for us — He regularly withdrew to spend time with the Father. That intimacy was the source of everything He did. It is the same for us. Time in God's word and in prayer is what gives us our edge. It is not something another person can create in us.

But a sharp blade that goes to work will dull. Life in the world rolls the edge over. We don't lose our salvation - we lose our sharpness.

In John 13, Jesus washes the disciples' feet. When Peter objects - "Not just my feet, Lord, but my whole body!" — Jesus tells him something important: you are already clean. You do not need to be washed again.

But your feet still need washing from the dust of the road. When we gather together, we are not starting over, making a new edge. We are being restored — our edge straightened, our angle corrected, ready to cut again.

REFLECT THIS WEEK
• Where are you spending time with the Father to build your edge?
• Is there someone in your life who regularly straightens you - and do you let them?

Community won't give you an edge that only Christ can form.
But it will return you to it.
If you are feeling dull from the things of the world remember to sharpen.

Up to this point, the unfolding story of Acts has been one of God moving in power. The church has grown from 120 to 1000’s, as the preaching of The Gospel has been followed by signs, wonders and miracles. The disciples are boldly preaching The Gospel and advancing The Kingdom of God as ANOINTED followers of Jesus. At the end of Acts Chapter 4 and into Acts Chapter 5 we read this incredible account of the disciples displaying abundant generosity and charity to one another, some selflessly choosing to sell property so they can meet the needs of people within the early church community. This truely was an incredible move of Gods spirit within the early church! However, amidst all the incredible events taking place, Acts Chapter 5 tells us the story of how God took the lives of a married couple called Annanias and Sapphira (Read Acts 5:1-14 to recap the story). Whilst it is mentioned a lot, money is not the central theme of this story, instead it is centred around Annanias and Sapphira’s lack of integrity and Gods holiness. Annanias and Sapphira were more concerned about their public reputation as opposed to having a pure heart before God. On the surface what seems to be something which is excusable, God uses this as an act of purification to in still in to the church that He truely cares deeply about our holiness displayed through living lives of integrity. This account in scripture can be somewhat jolting, however it is a great reminder of the God we serve: 1) God is never changing, He is the same God across the Old and New Testament (Malachi 3:6) 2) God cares deeply about our integrity and holiness - we are called to be Holy as He is Holy (1 Peter 1:15-16 3) God wants His Church to support one another to grow in holiness through accountability and prayer together (James 5:16). This was a heavy but much needed message for The Church in 2026 - to not compromise but continue to confront sin and live lives of integrity and holiness.

Key Scripture: 
And work for the peace and prosperity of the city where I sent you into exile.
Pray to the Lord for it, for its welfare will determine your welfare.
Jeremiah 29:7 NLT

In Australia, the average full time working man spends around 44 hours a week on the job. That is 53% of all daylight hours. It is a significant share of our time, but more importantly it takes a significant share of our energy, both physical and mental.

For the last few decades, we have been taught to chase a work and life balance that subtly separates our jobs from our sense of purpose. Work is often framed as a necessary burden, something to manage carefully so it does not steal our life. This mindset can slowly lead to apathy, dissatisfaction, or even resentment toward the very workplace God has positioned us in.

Scripture presents a different picture.

Work is described in the Bible as a fundamental part of a man’s life, not something separate from it (Genesis 2:15). We are encouraged to work willingly and diligently as though working for God Himself (Colossians 3:23). Work is also meant to be balanced with rest and the enjoyment of God’s good creation in our daily and weekly rhythms (Isaiah 58:13 to 14). This includes enjoying time with our friends, families, and the natural world God has made.

Jeremiah wrote to God’s people while they were living in exile in Babylon. They were far from home, under ungodly authority and waiting decades for restoration. Yet God did not tell them to withdraw or simply survive. He told them to seek the peace, prosperity, and welfare of the city where He had placed them, and to pray for it (Jeremiah 29:7). God made it clear that the flourishing of that city was directly connected to their own wellbeing.

The truth is that we are all waiting, like the Israelites, for Jesus to return. In that waiting, Jesus calls us to be kingdom minded, focusing on sharing the life and ways of Christ through discipleship and love. Our workplaces are powerful places to meet and help people who are searching for God.

God wants our work to be fulfilling by bringing:
• Peace to those we work with and serve
• Prosperity to our businesses and the cities we live in
• Welfare through faithful prayer for the safety and health of our colleagues and communities.

God promises that these outcomes are directly tied to our own welfare. It is in our interest to pursue them, firstly to glorify God and secondly to strengthen the quality of our communities.

What is your current relationship with work?

What is God saying to you about the purpose of your work?

How does God want to use you in your workplace to bring peace and prosperity?

Key Scripture: 
Judges 6:24
 Gideon built an alter there to the LORD and called it "The LORD is Peace". 

Growing up I lived through seeing a bad side to debt. That it started out as manageable but changed to be restrictive and then oppressive. I ended up wanting a stable, peaceful life. I could see that lack has a burden, doing nothing gets nothing and that chasing wealth has its own risks and they could result in real damage. Now, in retrospect, I can better see God’s hand in my life. Back then - what I had was hope! As I became an adult, the things I wanted to get sorted out were marriage, money and a place to call home.

The Bible says, “Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much” (Luke 16:10). I wanted to be trustworthy. I had little! I came into the workforce in the depths of the 1990s recession. I had low income, a difficult employment market, no prospect of handouts, no inheritance to look forward to. What I did have was a strong drive to provide for my family. Progress came slowly, often through mistakes, but always through learning.

I found debt a necessity to get a home. Paying down debt brought increasing peace - not just financially, but emotionally. “The borrower is slave to the lender” (Proverbs 22:7). I did go through that cycle several times, but it was always with less risk overall.

My intent was good, but I was untrained and largely unguided. My learning came over time. Often, I worked at implementing just one learning really well. For a long time, it seemed I was not making any great progress. Small, consistent habits compounded over time. “The plans of the diligent lead surely to abundance” (Proverbs 21:5). The opportunities change with the times, but consistent good habits are always useful.

One of the greatest lessons I’ve learned is contentment. It provides freedom. Learning to live on less is not easy, but it brought me peace and clarity. “Godliness with contentment is great gain” (1 Timothy 6:6). I came to understand choosing a life simpler than I could afford was empowering. That helped me make better decisions for the longer‑term.

How to transfer on those things that made the difference was the challenge. I’d seen that wealth could spoil people. That people with little could have great joy and be generous with little. I arrived at the conclusion that the best thing I could do was hand on the tools and knowledge I’d learnt, so they could have it to draw upon as appropriate… and that everyone needs to find their own peace - the true peace - the peace for all circumstances and all times.

“And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:7

Acts Chapter 3 opens up with the first detailed recording of a supernatural healing through The Apostles by the power of The Holy Spirit. What an incredible event! Jonny preached a message helping us understand if God still heals today like He did in The Bible.

Key Scripture: 
Genesis 12:10
Now there was a famine in the land. So Abram went down to Egypt to live there for a while because the famine was severe.

Hi Gents,

Let me take you back in time.

Abram has been called by God to leave his father's house, leave his nation and go to the land God had for him. Like a boss, Abram gets up, gathers his family and follows God’s voice. He’s the prototypical man of faith.

On the way, he meets with God and things are going great. After some time, at end of his journey, Abram arrives in the promised land. He looks around and it’s not a land of plenty. Due to factors outside of Abrams control the outlook is really grim.

Abram drives past his local petrol station and things have gone crazy. Abram checks the news and things are seemingly out of control.

So what Abram does next is he takes his family down to Egypt. He moves away from the good place, the good things that God has for him and seeks to find provision and safety and sustenance in the wrong place – Egypt.

Nothing good comes from Egypt.

For us, when we look around at the moment things look like famine.
It’s genuinely stressful.

Because of this, there’s a temptation for us to head to Egypt.

Binging TV.
Shutting off from our families.
Scrolling our phones.
Extra beers.
Porn.

There’s heaps of seemingly good ways to escape the famine that don't work.

What’s the temptation for you when you’re under stress?

I think God has a running invitation for us to sit with him through this season.
To stay where he wants us, doing the things that grow us.
To stay in the word.
To stay worshipping.
To stay doing the things that bring life to our families.
Holding onto the things that bring life to our souls.
We’re in it together.

Key Scripture: 
Luke 6:12-19
12 In these days he went out to the mountain to pray, and all night he continued in prayer to God. 13 And when day came, he called his disciples and chose from them twelve, whom he named apostles: 14 Simon, whom he named Peter, and Andrew his brother, and James and John, and Philip, and Bartholomew, 15 and Matthew, and Thomas, and James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon who was called the Zealot, 16 and Judas the son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor.

17 And he came down with them and stood on a level place, with a great crowd of his disciples and a great multitude of people from all Judea and Jerusalem and the seacoast of Tyre and Sidon, 18 who came to hear him and to be healed of their diseases. And those who were troubled with unclean spirits were cured. 19 And all the crowd sought to touch him, for power came out from him and healed them all.

The ‘Lone Ranger’ is as model of manhood that a lot of guys aspire to. He is a rugged individual who embodies fierce independence and resolute self-reliance.

Sometimes, being a lone ranger appeals to me. But Jesus is no lone ranger. Jesus is a rugged leader and community-member who embodies fierce dependence on his heavenly Father. Also, Jesus demonstrates resolute reliance on the work of the Holy Spirit in his life.

An example of this is Luke 6:12-19, where Jesus prays with his Heavenly Father, calls together a community of disciples and takes them to join with God’s mission. Who should we follow? The lone ranger or Jesus?

Practically, what could it look like for you to cultivate a life where the first thing you do is seek God’s voice of love, forgiveness, correction and guidance?

Before all else, may we be men who pray. Who are the fellow disciples God has called you to walk with, be sharpened by and sharpen in this season?

If you haven’t already, join a small group. What is the mission that, anointed by the Holy Spirit and together with other believers, God is calling you to participate in? Who are the people of peace (Luke 10:6) God has placed in your life?

Let’s not be lone rangers. Their foolish self-reliance means that God’s guidance is not sought. Their arrogant individualism causes them to believe that they’re better off alone. Their selfish independence leads to self-appointed mission.

“Follow me!” is Jesus’ invitation to us all. May we be men who follow Jesus’ example of prayer, being in community, and going on mission together.

We have been created for relationship with God and with people. Our relationships can be broad and wide: family, marriage, parenting, friends, work colleagues, church community. The reality is that relationships can be both beautiful and painful. Ps Nick and Meredith shared with us that we each carry insecurity, immaturity and brokenness whether we realise it or not and we each bring these into our relationships with one another.

Becoming aware of our insecurity, immaturity and brokenness is the first step. Working through them is a life time journey of discipleship which we are all on. The good news is that Jesus desires for us to be whole and healthy. This happens through the work of the Holy Spirit, healthy Church community and taking some intentional and practical steps.  

Key Scripture: 
Proverbs 27:6 - 'Wounds from a friend can be trusted, but an enemy multiplies kisses'

"I will make this confession, although is hurts me to do so; I am a very skilled self-swindler...All too often, I argue for righteousness that simply is not there" - Paul David Tripp

We all have skills. Some can juggle. Some can touch their toes. Some can cook a steak or a mean spag bog. Some can hit a 5 iron 150 metres. One skill that we all possess in our fallen state is the skill of self swindling.

Essentially it means we are fraudulent to ourselves. The word says in Jeremiah that “the heart is deceitful above all things”. In the spiritual life our inner man, our inner drive is actively impairing and deceiving us. The “self-swindler” is imbedded if you like into our internal organisation. A “spy” among our internal, personal workings. To achieve the life God has for us, facing this type of inner betrayal we need a tag team of help - the Holy Spirit and faithful friends.

Through the Anointed series currently as a church we are pressing into the active presence of the Holy Spirit in our Christian walk and His work is crucial to convict us in the areas where we fall short. Practically though, surrounding ourselves with the right relationships is also huge.

Proverbs 27 verse 6 says that “Faithful are the wounds of a friend”. The wounds that are faithful are the ones that shine a light on our blindspots that could stop us fulfilling the promises of God in our life.

If we are serious about living the calling God has for each of us as men, husbands, fathers and mates we need to ask the Holy Spirit and ourselves these two questions:
1. What blind spots do I have in my life?
2. Who am I being accountable to and giving permission to speak into my life hard truths?

After The Holy Spirit came, holy chaos breaks out as The Disciples began to speak in tongues of other languages, declaring the wonders of God. People from other nations are now hearing about Jesus and what He has done for them.

The crowd ask a key question ‘What does this mean?’.

Peter, anointed by The Holy Spirit stands up and addresses the crowd. He delivers His address in 3 parts:

1. Explanation
- Peter explains to the crowd that what they are witnessing is a promise which was prophesied 800 years earlier by Joel found in Joel Chapter 2:28-32. God in this moment had poured out His Spirit upon all flesh!
- The world we live in today is changing at a rapid rate and people today are asking a similar question - ‘what does this mean?’. Jonny encouraged us that whilst the world around us is changing, we need to be ready to meet people where they are at and provide explanation to our hope and security found in Jesus who is never changing.

2. Gospel
- Peter then shares The Gospel explaining that Jesus who they crucified was God, He was put to death on the cross for our sins but this all happened according to Gods plan to save and rescue the world from sin!
- Peter then explains that Jesus wasn’t just resurrected but He was also exalted. To be exalted means to be put in a position of high power or authority.
- Jonny encouraged us that Jesus has been given all authority in heaven and on earth and as His sons and daughters we live under that authority. Therefore be bold and confident when you are faced with spiritual challenges as they all come under the dominion of Jesus. 

Jesus has ascended back to the right hand of The Father and His last words to The Disciples were to wait for the promised Holy Spirit to come. The Disciples response was to gather and pray. Jonny encouraged us around the importance of prayer individually and corporately, that prayer is the engine room of our faith and there is power when we gather to pray.

10 days after Jesus ascended, The Disciples were gathered once again when suddenly The Holy Spirit comes, appearing as tongues of fire on their heads. God has often shown up as fire throughout the scriptures. Each time He has appeared as fire it was to confirm His presence and affirm His ministry. Appearing again as fire was confirming His presence and affirming the ministry of the Holy Spirit.

Baptised in The Holy Spirit, The Disciples were given the ability to speak in tongues. The scriptures tell us that their are two expressions of speaking in tongues:

1. Unknown human language - the Holy Spirit gives us the ability to speak in other human languages for the purpose of preaching The Gospel as seen in Acts Chapter 2. In this way we are speaking tongues to communicate with other people.

2. Heavenly language - the Holy Spirit gives us the ability to pray and sing in a Heavenly Language, for the purpose of communicating with God.

Scriptures teaches us that speaking in tongues can be done both in private and public. However, Paul encourages us that if we are to speak in tongues in public, it should be done with an interpretation.

Jonny encouraged us that the gift of speaking in tongues is for everyone and available today to empower The Church for ministry and an intimate relationship with God.

Do you have a heavenly language? If yes, don’t neglect this and take time everyday to pray and sing in your heavenly language. If no, continue to pray and ask God to give you this. 

Key Scripture: 
Proverbs 27:17 - 'As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another'

Are you a fixer? I'm not just talking about your car, or a renovation, but problems in general. God has wired men to be fixers. We love to find a problem, and fix it. A broken car, an old bathroom, a broken process, coding an application or even a business. Most business ideas are born out of "there must be a better way".

I'm a chronic renovator. I'm always doing something and think "this will take a couple of weeks" only to fall in a heap years later when it is finally complete.

Because we fix the car, or the thing, this often leads to any issues we have in our lives, we will try to just fix it. We fixed the car, so we can fix our dysfunction marriage (or insert problem here). Do we allow space to get around others? Or let them be in our lives, and build with us?

As iron sharpens iron, it isn't about us trying to fix others, but about allowing space for you to do life on life. For some of us, that means we need to be the first to open up. We need to allow others to ask the questions in our life, pray with us, and continue to strengthen each other as we grow in our journey of being a disciple of Jesus.

Ask yourself today, who is allowed to speak into my life?

Jonny started our journey through the book of Acts focussing on Acts 1:1-8. Jesus appeared after His resurrection for 40 days to remind The Disciples what lay ahead for them - to go and preach The Gospel, Make Disciples and advance The Kingdom of God.  

Each year at Grace we have a focus which unites us as a church community. This year our word and focus is ‘Anointed’. Our focus for 2026 is to step into the authority we have as followers of Jesus to push darkness in our world back and see The Kingdom of God advance through the power of The Holy Spirit. 

The anointing is the power of God upon display - in us, through us, around us and upon us through the person and presence of The Holy Spirit. This has been displayed all the way through the scriptures. The first account of this is found in Exodus 31:1-5 when The Holy Spirit came upon Bezalel to create and craft The Tabernacle.

Matthew Chapter 3 records Jesus baptism, during which it says The Holy Spirit descended upon Him. From this moment forward, Jesus operated in the anointing of The Holy Spirit to preach about The Kingdom of God, perform signs, wonders and miracles for The Kingdom of God.

By putting our trust and faith in Him as saviour and lord of our lives, we are now anointed by the same Holy Spirit to do what Jesus did.

Jonny encouraged us to live by the following principles in order to see the anointing activated in our lives:

- Believe and trust the word of God
- Live in intimacy with Jesus 
- Pursue holiness

At Grace we have a simple and clear vision and mission:

Our Vision is ‘a Church devoted to Jesus and Making Disciples’

Our Mission is to ‘Reach, Grow and Multiply Disciples of Jesus’.

Our vision and mission are a response to what Jesus taught and the framework He established for making disciples. Our vision and mission is for everyone to be part of and contribute too.

Jonny shared some questions to reflect upon relating to our vision and mission at Grace:

- Are you living a devoted life to Jesus?
-Who are you reaching to disciple?
-How are you growing as a disciple?
-How are you multiplying disciples of Jesus?

God is the God of the Sufferer: The world at the time of Christ was a brutal place where suffering was seen as necessary and expected for the weak and powerless. Yahweh in the Hebrew scriptures is described to be very different from this. He is described as Compassionate in Exodus 34 and prioritises the wellbeing of the Orphan, the Widow and the Alien.

God meets us in our suffering: Jesus demonstrated this compassion by connecting directly with those who suffer. Healing the sick, releasing the demonized, spending time with the oppressed, the disliked and those living in shame.
He connected with the suffering people emotionally like at Lazarus’ tomb and even joined in the suffering of Humanity on the Cross.

Holy Spirit Works through suffering: When Christians suffer God ‘s glory is revealed. As Christians suffer the kingdom of God often advances by the Holy Spirit’s power.

We are invited to pray 2 things when we suffer, 1. God please save us from our suffering. 2. God please reveal your glory through this suffering.

In Matthew 9, Jesus tells his disciples that the harvest is plentiful and to pray that the Lord would send out labourers. Right now, we see a plentiful harvest in our World too - people ready to hear and receive the gospel message. We are now the labourers - given the task of sharing the gospel with those who don't yet know Christ.
Key points:
1. Jesus SAW the people. Who do you SEE in your world?
2. Jesus had compassion for them. Is your heart soft towards the lost in our world?
3. They were like sheep without a shepherd. Jesus is the Good Shepherd (John 10). We are called to go out and point people towards the Good Shepherd.

To find true joy, we need a foundation that’s secure; and the only sure place to put our faith is in the finished work of Jesus on the cross. Anything else slides into a works-based salvation that breeds uncertainty and instability. Every day, we’re called to surrender to Jesus and let Him transform us from the inside out.