Hi Church Family,
We have just recently returned from a visit to our son, Peter and his precious family in Townsville, QLD. Our 13-month-old granddaughter Esther has grown up from when we last held her and clearly, she is not a baby anymore. As we journey together in our faith, it’s clear that true growth in God goes far beyond simply growing older or turning up on Sundays. Maturity in Christ is a conscious step – it’s about taking responsibility for our lives, wholeheartedly submitting ourselves to Jesus, and developing a real hunger for His word and for time spent in prayer. When we do this, the Holy Spirit can guide and transform us from the inside out, shaping us to be more like Jesus.
Ps Debbie-Ann last Sunday shared from Malachi 4, reminding us how Israel, despite God’s mercy in bringing them home after exile, fell back into their old immature ways. They neglected true worship, mistreated the vulnerable, and lost sight of God’s standards. The Lord warned them – and warns us – that there’s a day coming, “the Day of the Lord”, when all will be brought to account. It’s a sobering truth: there will be a final reckoning, and our choices will matter.
Spiritual immaturity often whispers, “There’s loads of time, I’ll get serious later.” But maturity says, “I’ll live rightly today. I’ll align my life with Jesus now, and I’ll help others to do the same.” It starts at home – dads turning their hearts towards their children, demonstrating truth to them, and children looking up to their parents, realising that to know God they need to listen to wisdom. Together generationally, we grow as a community, seeking God’s ways and sharing His love.
We experienced something truly special at our final More evening service. As we worshipped and welcomed the Holy Spirit, the sense of God’s presence was so powerful that, for the last ten minutes, we were left in awe – still and silent, feeling the Lord’s closeness. Our prayer, as we step into a new year, is “More, Lord!” May the revival fires continue to burn bright amongst us.
This coming weekend, we’re looking forward to a fantastic celebration, honouring everyone who has served Grace Church so faithfully throughout 2025. Our dinner promises to be a joyful and uplifting event, as we celebrate the hundreds of hours people have poured into our ministries. If you haven’t had a chance to RSVP yet, please do – we would love to see you there!
We carry you all in our prayers and in our hearts. Let’s keep seeking God together and showing His glory in all that we do.
With love,
Ps Greg and Amanda
To listen to the sermon again, click here.