Gracecity

How many times have you asked yourself this question?  The question maybe the same, but where we look for our answers will lead us to very different conclusions. Your identity doesn’t come from people or society around you; their expectations. Nor does your identity come from looking deep inside yourself,  your longings, dreams and feelings. What if your identity comes from the God who created you, who loves you. How would that change your answer?

Do you ever watch the end of the movie first, or read the last chapter of the book? We all love to know the ending, when we do, it changes the way we read the rest of the story. Life is like that - while we don’t know the details, we can know how it ends. Discover how you can have hope in Jesus.  Be certain that no matter how hard it is right now, you win in the end,  realise this life is not the main event, there is more to come. If you knew what was in your future, would that change the way you lived today?

We often judge others by their actions, yet ourselves by our intentions. It’s understandable to feel disappointment when our dreams have come crashing down. We all get angry with God at different moments in our lives. The reality is we do not see the master plan that God is enacting, and we do not know everything. None of us deserve God’s grace, all of us need it.

Ever felt you'd blown it? You've messed uo and there's no going back? No matter what has happened in your past, how many times you messed up, Jesus is willing to forgive you. You are accepted, God is not done with you, He hasn’t set you aside. Discover how God gave Jonah a second chance and he will do that for you too.

When you’re facing a crisis, plunging to rock-bottom with no other place else to go, help is just a prayer away. God chooses to say, "Come to me. We can never run so far, we can never fall so deeply, we can never fail so often, that we are beyond crying out to God. Discover this week how Jonah responded to an answered prayer.

Have you ever been ignored, “unfriended” or have someone you know refuse to speak to you. It’s painful and often leads to resenment and unforginevess. Not so with God, when we choose to walk way, He moves toward us,  he pursues us out of love for us.
Seems hard to understand or believe.  When you’ve run too far, been away too long, or done things you shouldnt have done,  God still welcomes you.  
Not convinced?
Discover what happened to Jonah, then realise how much you are loved.

If God really loved me ….. You’re in a job you love, then made redundant, in a romantic relationship you thought was going somewhere, then it’s all over. When it’s not our plan, we believe it can’t be God’s plan either. All of us at different times and in different circumstances, aren’t fully convinced that God deeply loves us and has plans that are the best for us. But what if we’re wrong, we run away from God when we need to run to him. What do you do when all you want to do is run?

Jesus disciples thought his death was the end, but three days later Jesus overcame the power of death and rose again. Many people saw him and recognised Him. This is the power of the resurrection that changes everything. It changes the way we see life. It changes the way we see death. Discover the hope that you can have when you realise the risen Jesus is with you.
 

Every sports coach has a different game plan, so players need to adapt and change. The one thing that never changes is the purpose of the game — play to win! In our changing world, our experience of the church must adapt and change. Let’s not put our practices ahead of God’s purpose. Jesus’ life demonstrated love, acceptance and forgiveness for everyone. This purpose is still central, no one is excluded or disqualified, and there’s a place for everyone.

When we’re anxious, afraid or need something, praying seems like a good option. What if prayer was more than telling God what we want? This week, we explore 5 ways prayer can change your life.