Hunter Christian Church

Holiness begins here: in the renewal of the heart.To be holy isn’t to be perfect; it’s to be set apart. It looks a lot like repentance. Turning away from our behaviour into our true identity - a child of God. We are called to be holy. It’s living with a heart that values what God values—a heart that fears breaking His. Holiness looks like integrity, truth, and a radical love that overflows toward others. Holiness costs us selfishness but gives us freedom.

Have you been feeling challenged by recent world events? Are you like me, and feeling the squeeze of the slipping moral/ethical values in our world and wonder, what's going to be next?It also seems that revival is stirring around the world, with university campuses having open worship before starting the academic year. Salvations and baptisms around Australia and other places are increasing....If we read the unfolding events of Gideon in Judges 7... and then look back at the lead-up to these events in Judges 6, we see that God had a plan to rescue His people. He needed people to hear and respond to the plan. This plan was impossible for man to do, and totally reliant on God to move. An amazing victory occurred at the end. I'm prompted to believe that while things may be growing dark in the world around us, God has a plan for our ultimate well-being. It might get uncomfortable in the meantime.... but God's goodness and His plan will have an amazing ending. Let's lean in to listen, do what He asks, pray for our families, communities, and the world, encourage each other... and trust the promises in His word - that His plan ends better than we could imagine. 

God’s desire has always been for His children to grow into maturity — to become true sons and daughters who reflect His heart and carry His authority. When Jesus began His ministry, His message was simple: “Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand” (Matthew 4:17). He was calling people to change their thinking — to see life from God’s perspective and live under His loving rule.In the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5–7), Jesus described what life in this Kingdom looks like: loving your enemies, blessing those who persecute you, forgiving instead of judging, and showing mercy rather than retaliation (Matthew 5:43–48; Luke 6:37–38). This is what maturity in the Kingdom looks like — reflecting the Father’s heart.We grow into mature sons and daughters not by striving, but by surrendering to the Holy Spirit. As we allow Him to transform us, we begin to live and love as our Father in heaven does.

Paul’s message hits hard: faith isn’t passive — it’s active. He calls us to be living sacrifices, not just living for ourselves, but surrendered to God in everything.It starts with renewing your mind, so you can discern truth in a world full of noise, fear, and contradiction. (Sound familiar?) When you’re rooted in Christ, you see clearly.Then Paul reminds us: we’re not solo Christians. We each bring something — gifts that build up the Church. Don’t sit on them. Use them. Your design is on purpose.And the real marker? ❤️ LOVE. Not fake love, but the kind that refuses to repay evil with evil. We overcome darkness with good.Paul then talks about submitting to authority — not to blindly obey, but to live respectfully and courageously for God.And in chapters 14–15: stop dividing over minor stuff. Love each other. Carry each other. Stay on mission, “by the power of signs and wonders, through the power of the Spirit of God.” 🙌There’s a lot in here friends!

Romans 9 kicks off with Paul asking the question of God's faithfulness to Israel, highlighting that not all descendants of Abraham are “true” members of God's people. Which brings up the hardening of hearts question, which then leads to the theories about divine justice and free will. The beauty of His word is that the whole bible tells us His nature, so when we reference scriptures like 1 Timothy 2:4-5 and John 3:17 we know that God’s desire is that ALL will be saved.  Romans 10 highlights the importance of proclaiming the gospel, “ faith comes from hearing the message of Christ”. Paul insists that anyone who believes in Jesus will be saved, and as believers, our goal is to get that message out! Lastly Romans 11, he clarifies that God has not rejected Israel; their unbelief opens the door for ALL. The covenant with Abraham was for all nations, and God's plan always included reaching Gentiles while ultimately restoring Israel. Paul emphasises that salvation is by grace, not works. He reminds us never to become self righteous or prideful, but to remain thankful to be grafted into God's family. He concludes with a promise that Israel will eventually be brought back, fulfilling God’s covenant of forgiveness.

Paul connects the story of Jesus back to Adam, the first man, who fell into sin and caused humanity to struggle with sin. In Romans 5, he explains that Adam's disobedience resulted in everyone becoming sinners, while Jesus, referred to as the "New Adam," through His obedience provides a way for people to be made righteous. This is significant because it illustrates a change from being “sinners" to being seen as “righteous/Sons/saints" through Christ.  Paul emphasizes that through Jesus, believers have been released from the old laws and live according to the Spirit, which leads to life. This new identity means there is no condemnation for those in Christ, who are now seen as children of God rather than slaves to sin. 

Romans begins with a powerful reminder, our righteousness has been given to us through faith in Jesus, not by our works. Navigating that freedom in Him can sometimes be challenging, like it was for the Jews and Gentiles, who struggled to put their “old ways” behind them and embrace a new day in Christ. Let me encourage you again with this powerful verse, Romans 2:16 This will take place on the day when God judges people’s secrets through Jesus Christ, as my gospel declaresIt’s all about the secret place of our hearts. Jesus’ judgment or discernment is given to us with compassion and grace, our goal is to act out our walk in faith, letting our works become a sign of our love and surrender to Him, preparing us THE CHURCH, as His beautiful bride

There is a divine invitation that requires our personal response. There is a closeness between Heaven and earth at the moment, let’s lean into that! Psalm 27:8 the psalmist responds in his heart, as we often do, but having the right heart posture - while a good start - is not the same as actually spending the time in communion with Him. He wants to fill us with His spirit, but we settle for less than that. The Holy Spirit is a gift that has been given, regardless of how you believe that happens or when, He is not for the shelf or our pocket but for our empowering and constant companionship. We do not want to be those who have a form of godliness but deny its power as 2 Timothy 3:1-5 says. But rather in constant relationship with Him as described in John 17:20-23, listening and responding to His whispers throughout our day - what a glorious privilege. Take the time this week to “Come Away” with Him, to open the door as He knocks, to dine with Him. Just you and Him. Jesus paid the price for us, and if we acknowledge and receive that then He deserves all of us, not just the parts we’re willing to give to Him - ALL. 

Have you ever looked at the world and thought, something’s not right? Leaders abuse power, systems crush the vulnerable, and injustice runs rampant. These cracks in society aren’t new. In Ezekiel’s day, the leaders were corrupt, the priests ignored truth, the prophets lied, and the people were selfish. God surveyed the scene and said: “I looked for someone… to stand in the gap… but I found no one.” (Ezekiel 22:30) What a chilling statement. God longed for someone to pray, to act, to hold the line—but found no one willing. History shows us people who did stand in the gap: William Wilberforce fought slavery for decades. Dietrich Bonhoeffer resisted Nazi evil at great cost. Martin Luther King Jr. spoke for justice when silence was safer. Each looked at broken walls and said, not on my watch. But ultimately, there was a gap no human could fill—the one between a holy God and sinful humanity. Into that gap stepped Jesus. On the cross, He became our Mediator, reconciling us to God once and for all (1 Timothy 2:5–6). Now the invitation comes to us. The gaps in our world are real—spiritual, relational, cultural. And God is still looking. To pray for those who can’t pray for themselves. To stand beside the broken and the lonely. To point people to Jesus, the only true bridge. You don’t need to be perfect or have all the answers. You just need to be willing. The question is: when God looks at you, will He find someone ready to stand in the gap?

Psalm 23 isn’t just a nice verse on a tea towel—it’s an invitation to do life with the Good Shepherd. Calling- God Calls You By Name Capacity- Out of Your Comfort ZoneComfort- And empowers you with His Holy Spirit! As you listen take a moment to think about where are you today—embracing your calling, stretching your capacity, or receiving His comfort?

In a time of political upheaval and spiritual opportunity, can we see what God is doing and have the conviction to respond accordingly?Our challenge is to remain spiritually sensitive—to hear God’s voice above the noise, to understand the uncertain times we live in, and to faithfully respond to His call.

Kicking off the year and series on what it is to be a "follower" of Jesus.