The last in our series of talks on 'Kingdom Living: How to.....' considers something that affects every single one of us, whether we like it or not (hopefully not!). Temptation is a normal part of living, as indeed can be giving in to it. But if we can resist temptation, it enables us to have a much stronger relationship with God, because when we give in to it, we're effectively 'turning our back' on Him. Using as his starting point Hebrews 12, Andy Sparkes reminds us of God's standard of holiness and that Christ Himself faced major temptation before describing ways in which we can walk closer with Jesus every day. We can all benefit greatly from listening to this one! 

We should all aspire to be more like Jesus, every day. Now that's what most of us would call a huge challenge....but it's possible! How? Well, we have God on our side, plus (it goes without saying) Jesus provided us with a clear and perfect example to follow. Martin Powell uses examples of his life experiences - and like all of us, he hasn't always got it right - to illustrate some of the well-known incidents encountered by Jesus during His ministry which will help us to become more like Him.

We may sometimes feel we're too important or too busy to help others, or to serve, but Jesus taught and actively demonstrated that serving others must come before status.  When we truly rely on God, He is able to use us - regardless of where we are in life. He can change us to the extent that not only do we do the right thing, but do it with the right attitude - with joy. In this talk, Ted Winter uses various passages from Paul's letters to outline how we might attain a true 'servant heart'.

Jesus tells us that we should love our enemies and those who persecute us, something that is very counter-cultural and not at all easy to do. So what if you're sitting their thinking to yourself, 'but I get on well with everyone, people like me and I'm certain I've never made anyone an enemy'? Then this talk by Pete Bond is most definitely for you! Pete explains that Jesus also says that following Him isn't the easy option, and that we must expect persecution and trouble. And no, we shouldn't go out of our way to deliberately upset people....best you listen on...

Most of us at some time have felt under an enhanced level of scrutiny because we're known to be followers of Jesus. So it stands to reason - in the eyes of the world - that if we want to be respected as Christians, that if we want to 'earn the right' to profess our faith to others, then we have to be 'real'. We have to be seen to be consistent; how we act and react on a Sunday, for example, should be the way we act and react on every other day of the week too. Steve Gibbons refers to several New Testament bible passages and uses various scenarios from his own experience to explain what it is to 'be real' and how we can achieve it.

We've all experienced worries and difficulties at some time in our lives. Sometimes, our problems seem to be insurmountable and we just can't see a way forward. But why should this be? We needn't try and sort ourselves out, because Romans 6:11 tells us that we can count 'yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ'. In other words, we can walk victoriously knowing that Jesus has already overcome and what's more, he's ready to help and support us when we call upon him! Trevor Bond guides us through Colossians 2 & 3, offering advice on how we can 'tap into' the power of Jesus to help throw off our past and move forward in His power to resolve life's problematic issues.

Ephesians 2 vs 8-9 informs us that, 'it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast'. But do we actually know what 'grace' is? The Oxford Dictionary defines it from the Christian viewpoint as being 'the free and unmerited favour of God, as manifested in the salvation of sinners and the bestowal of blessings.' A very good definition, but when we read about 'grace' in other parts of the Bible, it's clear there's more to it than just that. Steve Gibbons tackles the subject from the standpoint of grace being 'God's power to do His will'.

All of us have at some point in our lives experienced fear. Whether it's of the unknown, what others think, or about things that creep or crawl, it can often be a debilitating episode. But we needn't be fearful when we know that Jesus is on our side, fighting our cause. How often have we been afraid or worried about something, only to find later that the something was not as difficult to face or cope with as we anticipated? That's Jesus. He doesn't promise to make things easier for us but he does equip us for any eventuality, sometimes in an unexpected way. Using examples from Jesus' ministry, and a well-known Old Testament account, Andy Sparkes tells us how we can, with God's help, overcome our 'bad' fears. Listen on to learn what makes Andy's knees go wobbly!

We all know what we must do to have faith but what's the point if we don't actually live (walk) our lives in accordance with it? Not only must we regularly read the Bible and pray but also we must look out for one another, to support each other in every circumstance, whether good or bad. Martin Powell here tells us what the Bible says we must do to walk in faith, reinforcing his message through the helpful, personal testimony of Graham and Katrina. A bit of a plug for Small Groups here - having chosen to trust God in their difficulties, Graham and Katrina fully recognised the importance of being active members of a supportive Small (House) Group - so, are you involved with one? If you'd like to join one, do speak with one of the GCC Leaders soonest!

Paul asks in Romans 8: 35 'Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?' then a little later goes on to reassure us in the strongest of terms, 'No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.' What does it mean to be 'more than a conqueror'? Listen to how Pete Bond interprets what Paul is saying about how we can achieve victory through faith in Jesus. And it has absolutely nothing to do with what the fortune cookies might tell you.

Why is such a fundamental part of our Christian walk also one of the most difficult? Or, perhaps more to the point, why do we make it difficult? Because the Bible is clear on how and in what circumstances we should pray. Yet all of us at some time have experienced that 'glass ceiling' when we feel our prayers go unheard, or maybe have felt guilty about not praying enough, or in a suitably holy way. In his talk on the subject, Roger Snowdon uses examples of prayer from both testaments and seeks to reassure us that God just wants us to pray from the heart, regardless of how we might feel our prayers are perceived. 

Having learnt earlier in the year about the Topsy Turvy Kingdom of God, it's time now to consider how we actually 'live out the Kingdom'. Paul had a lot to say about the subject, reminding us that it takes many different parts to make the body (the church), with each part being vital for the whole to work effectively. We're certainly all different, each of us bringing to GCC a different skill or passion. In 1 Corinthians 12, Paul contextualises spiritual gifts (or matters), pointing out they are for the benefit of all and not to be exercised in isolation. Steve Gibbons gives an overview in this talk of how the Holy Spirit can work through each of us, to build up the church and to glorify God.  

A vital trait of the spirit-filled Christian is the ability to forgive. So vital in fact, that Jesus told Peter he must be prepared to forgive someone seventy times seven - in other words, without measure. Through the death and resurrection of our wonderful saviour, we have been fully forgiven, redeemed and restored.  In that case, why do so many Christians find it hard to say 'sorry', preferring instead to carry a most unnecessary burden of unforgiveness? Shouldn't we be ready and willing to forgive not just those who may have wronged us, but also ourselves? Not easy, is it?  But Jesus clearly taught the benefits of forgiving and being forgiven. Steve Gibbons explains how we can feel spiritually and physically better when we act upon Jesus' teaching.

Jesus sums up his 'sermon on the mount' in Matthew 6 & 7 by warning that we can take His words or leave them - or more exactly, to either be like someone who wisely builds their house (life) on a solid foundation or someone who instead foolishly chooses a sandy one. So what's it to be? Solid or sandy, wise or foolish? In this talk, the last in our series on the Sermon on the Mount, Pete Bond strongly advises us to stick with the rock.....

Pre-occupied with the day to day stuff, not many of us take the time to think about what heaven is actually like, let alone what the Bible says about getting there. Jesus warns us in Matthew 7 that not everyone who calls him 'Lord' will enter the Kingdom - and the gate by which we enter is but a narrow one. So how exactly do we get there, because from what Jesus says, it sounds difficult and is definitely not guaranteed? Martin Powell explains what Jesus meant by defining the access criteria and reveals why we must never stop seeking the Kingdom of God.

Many of us like to think we're pretty good judges of character, especially when we reckon on being right most of the time! But after telling us not to judge others - or risk being hypocritical - Jesus followed up his teaching with an exhortation to be persistent in our prayers. I've been derogatorily referred to in the past as a 'God botherer' but actually, isn't that what Jesus meant when he tells us to be persistent in prayer? Ted Winter speaks informatively on Jesus' teaching in Matthew 7 vs 1-12, giving us some practical tips on avoiding the former whilst improving on the latter.

We all know that whatever wealth you might accumulate, you won't be taking it with you when called home to Heaven. After all, Jesus tells us in Matthew 6 'not to accumulate for ourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal'. But what about His advice to the rich young ruler? Is it possible to store our treasure in Heaven, and how? Continuing our series looking at the Sermon on the Mount, Steve Gibbons ponders these questions and explains why he believes that, wisely and properly invested, we can store treasure in Heaven. 

Prayer is an area of Christian life with which many believers struggle. We may be concerned that our prayers are not in the right format, or not long enough, or even that they appear to bounce off a glass ceiling. All of us have at times experienced distraction as we earnestly seek to communicate with God. But we needn't be concerned with saying lengthy or complicated prayers, because Jesus has provided us with a template in Matthew 6 - the Lord's Prayer! Everyone of us has said the Lord's prayer by rote at sometime - maybe at school or in church - but actually, it covers every area of our Christian walk. Pete Bond unravels the deeper purpose of the Lord's Prayer, covering amongst other aspects the exultation, forgiveness and physical needs Jesus said we should ask of our Heavenly Father.

Jesus tells us to 'love your enemies'. Now, what could be more topsy-turvy than that? It's an area of life that we've all struggled with at some time because not only is it completely at odds with our culture, but it's something that is extremely difficult to do. How are we to love those who have wronged us, harmed us, told lies about us, or whatever?? That's where Jesus steps in to help. Continuing our series of talks looking at the Sermon on the Mount, Roger Snowdon explains why this is a non-negotiable aspect of being a Christian - but that our strength is in Jesus to love others we feel have wronged us in some way.