Tag: Identity in Christ

Peace: part 1. How did Jesus bring and demonstrate the peace of God? Without Him we can be torn up by anxiety, fear and stress.

Judah behaves like a scoundrel toward is daughter in law and yet is shown incredible favour by his father and blessed by God. Why and on what basis?

Rachel was beautiful whereas Leah was overlooked, unloved and unwanted. But God saw Leah and gave her phenomenal blessing. The world praises the high-fliers and over-achievers, but God loves to use the weak for his Kingdom purposes.

Jacob may not have been as unrighteous a swindler as we’ve often thought. The birthright was his by the fact God chose him and yet his Dad favoured the stronger and more naturally impressive older brother. We, like Isaac, often judge according to the flesh and yet God’s choice is in fact his best ‘trick’. … Continue reading “The Choice and the Trick”

God is able to reconcile warring and hostile people in dramatic and unexpected ways. To the no hopers and the written offs, God speaks life and joy. Ultimately we are the irreconcilable ones who’ve been shown favour and found peace with God by his reconciling nature.

God isn’t content to leave us in our sin, he’s committed to our rescue and provides for us time and again. God is determined to see us grow, determined to see us blessed and freed from the power of death.

When the promises of God became seemingly impossible, Abram and Sarai tried to engineer a result themselves. But our freedom and fruitfulness relies entirely on faith in God’s grace and kindness.

Faith, favour, inclusion and blessing occurs not because of our best efforts but because of his kindness. Where the world would tell us to work hard and earn our rewards, grace doesn’t wait for us to get our life together.

Part 12 of our Essence teaching series.