The Power of HIS Word
Message Moments & Highlights
What does true peace really mean?
God's Promise of Renewal & Growth
New Things in 2025: What is God Saying to YOU?
The Power of HIS Word
God's Word acts as the foundation for living a truly fruitful life, bringing hope, grace, and transformation to those who embrace it. When His Word takes root, it produces a profound joy that overflows beyond temporary happiness - a joy that remains steadfast regardless of circumstances. This joy naturally extends to impact others, while God's peace (shalom) provides a sense of wholeness and completeness that brings harmony with both God and others.When God's Word takes control, it initiates a beautiful transformation where old things are replaced with new growth. Fear and anxiety give way to fruitfulness, and barrenness transforms into abundance. Just as cypress trees flourish regardless of conditions, God's Word can transform the desert places of our lives into spaces of beauty and growth. This transformation requires letting go of control, focusing on truth rather than being right, and maintaining unity with God and others.
Key Insights From The Message
Related Bible Verses
Isaiah 55:10-13 “The rain and snow come down from the heavens and stay on the ground to water the earth. They cause the grain to grow, producing seed for the farmer and bread for the hungry. It is the same with my word. I send it out, and it always produces fruit. It will accomplish all I want it to, and it will prosper everywhere I send it. You will live in joy and peace. The mountains and hills will burst into song, and the trees of the field will clap their hands. Where once there were thorns, cypress trees will grow. Where nettles grew, myrtles will sprout up. These events will bring great honor to the Lord’s name. They will be an everlasting sign of his power and love.”
John 15:11 "I’ve told you these things so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow!"
John 14:27 "I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid."
2 Corinthians 5:17 "This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!"
John 15:5 “Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing."
Acts 16:25-26, "Around midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening. Suddenly, there was a massive earthquake, and the prison was shaken to its foundations. All the doors immediately flew open, and the chains of every prisoner fell off!"
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Now I'm going to get into the Word. I want to encourage you. Church 2025. Let the word of God be centered in your life. Let it be first.
Let it ground you.
I'm going to read from chapter 55 of Isaiah.
Now, chapter 55, Isaiah is initially about God's mercy and forgiveness, his greatness in God's ways and invitation to those who are thirsty for spiritual fulfillment. But I'm going to share with you verses 10 to 13. The focus shifts to the power and effectiveness of God's word. Amen. You with me?
Here we go. The rain and snow come down from the heavens and stay on the ground to water the earth. They cause the grain to grow, producing seed for the farmer and bread for the hungry. It is the same way. It is the same with my word.
I send it out and it always produces fruit. It will accomplish all I want it to. It will prosper everywhere I send it. You will live in joy and peace. The mountains and hills will burst into song and the trees of the field will clap their hands where once there were thorns, cypress trees will grow.
Where nettles grew, myrtles will sprout up. These Events will bring great honor to the Lord's name. They will bring an everlasting sign of his power and love. Amen. What a passage.
The power of God's word. God's word is the foundation of living a fruitful life. It brings hope, brings grace, humility. Love transforms you, changes you. Just as seeds planted in the fertile soil yield a harvest, God's word, when received and embraced, produces fruit, spiritual fruit that brings lasting joy, peace and fulfillment.
God's word is the ultimate source of true peace and joy, which promises to accomplish everything God desires, whether in moments of personal struggle or in times of abundance. God's word is the foundation of lasting joy and peace. Amen. Church I've titled my message today the Power of His Word, how to Live with Joy and Peace. Who wants joy and peace?
Only some of you. Who here likes putting together IKEA packages?
Nah, I'm seeing no, all the way up those flat packs that comes with manuals. Bless you guys. You guys are built different. Anything to do with a manual, right?
You need a different type of spirit, right? Amen. Yeah, see, you need that patience spirit. You need that, you know, spirit to stay on the path, right? Even though you.
You got leftover screws and nuts and bolts after, right? And here's the thing about manuals. No matter what it is, it all happens in stages. Here are your nuts and bolts. Here are your tools.
Here is step one, step two, step three. And this is the goal is to make the end product look like the picture on the box, right? That's the idea of a manual. If you're anything like me, you read half of the manual, you throw it away, and you go in with confidence. I got it.
Can't be hard. It's just a table. Just a table. And as you're going through it, right, you. Oh, yep, yep, yep, yep.
Look at it. Yeah, that looks about right. Yep, go again. Oh, hold up, hold up. How did I end up with extra parts, right?
And you go into so much confidence thinking, I've got this. I don't need the manual. I'm in control. I'll make decision on what this table looks like, not what the picture on the box.
We can sometimes treat the Bible that way through church. Grab what we need, put it on the shelf. But the rest, I've got control.
Grab it when we feel like we need it. But then the important parts, we put on the shelf and go, no, I don't need a manual. I don't need a Bible in my life. I'm going to do it Myself in my own strengths, in my own confidence.
The truth is, Church, when God is in control and his Word is centered in your life, it brings hope, freedom, direction, clarity, and the Word of God. There's steps, there's steps. You all got to start from somewhere. Step one, open it.
Step two, try and get through the first page without falling asleep.
But just like seasons, he gives you something different every time. Just like seasons he gives you, equips you with something different to tackle that season, no matter how hard it is. That is the power of the Word of God, and he wants that for you. This year, he wants it more than ever before. This year, in 2025, may the word of God be planted centered deep in your heart.
Church, do you believe that? In verses 10 and 11, he opens up, Isaiah opens up like this. The rain and snow come down from the heavens and stay on the ground to water the earth. They cause the grain to grow, producing seed for the farmer. There is fruit and bread for the hungry wise who impact lives.
It is the same with my Word. I send it out and it always produces fruit. It would accomplish all I want it to, and it will prosper. Everywhere I send it, it always produces fruit. God's Word always accomplishes its purpose.
You are the purpose.
They're not just words on a book in a page. It's real, tangible change in our lives. It's not just about reading the Word. It's about letting God's voice become central in our lives. Do you want that for yourself, Church?
Do you want that this year? If anything, more than anything in the world, do you want God's Word to be centered?
Here's what happens when I ask you, Church, what happens when God's Word is present in our life? I'll share with you a few things. Here's the first thing that happens when we look in this passage of Isaiah. You live with joy. All right?
See how I just said that? And some of you are like, let me say it again. Say with me, you live with joy. Amen. Pastor Trevor.
Joy. Look at that Steve Funke. You guys can probably hear him at the back there. But he was fired up this morning. Hallelujah.
That is his joy, right? When God's Word takes root in our lives, it brings joy. Not just any joy, a joy that overflows. This isn't just a happiness joy, right? It's not like, oh, yeah, I watched the tennis last night and the cricket.
That's so much joy. It's not that joy or I don't think anyone cares about Those two things.
It's a joy that doesn't depend on what's happening around us, but on the fact that God promises are true. And when he does a work in our lives, there is a great joy.
Raise your hands if you're wanting joy. Beginning of this year, I'll see you, brother. I see you're the first one to raise your hand. No hesitation. Whatever it is you're going through, my friend, by the end of this, you will know what the joy is like.
Verse 12, verse 12. Simple. You will live in joy. That's what the Word says. Not just any joy, a joy where the mountains and the hills will burst into song and trees of the field will clap their hands.
Even creation will rejoice.
When the Lord's word is present in our lives, you feel this profound joy. And why it's like it has to be celebrated in every situation is because we don't let our situations take that joy away from us. He promises joy for you. It's yours for the taking. You receive that Jesus.
In John, John 15, verse 11, he says this. I've told you these things so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow. Right, his joy, your joy, you and I, our joy overflows. Hills, mountains bursting in song, trees clap their hands.
An overflowing joy.
He's referring to everything he has taught the disciples about abiding in him, loving one another, and the profound connection they have with him through sacrifice. Connected to God. Centered Word of God, Centered, central in your heart. His joy fills you. Your joy overflows.
Why? To see life's change bursting out with praise and worship. Why? As the people look at you, they know that one's fired up for Jesus. People look down, there goes, I want that spirit.
Give me that spirit. Give me that joy. That is the joy I'm talking about. That's the joy of the word, of the God. New King James says it this way in verse 12 Isaiah.
New King James. For you shall go out with joy. Your joy is not just for yourself. To sit at home and watch the cricket and go, I got joy. And then that's.
There's no drawing cricket, just rugby. Ah, calm down. Amen. Amen. Amen.
I'm not going to go there. Not going to go there. I'm outnumbered. Outnumbered. But your joy should go out.
It needs to go out. There's no point going, lord, fill me with your joy, but don't let it overflow. Fill me with your joy. But I'm not going to go out with anything other than my circumstance. Filled with this joy.
Your joy overflows. You go out of joy to see lives change. Amen. We see this picture forming, filled with his joy. So your joy overflows.
The mountains and hills will burst into sorrow. Trees of the field will clap their hands, impacting lives with praise and worship. It's important to know your joy will impact lives. We see example of this in Paul and Silas. Who here knows the story?
Thank you. One of you. We're getting there. We're getting there. Word of God, Paul and Silas.
Mighty, mighty men of God. Persecuted, chained, spat on, yelled at, beat, thrown into the prison cell. And what did they do? What did they do? Praise.
Praise and worship. That's what they did. They didn't go in the prison cell and go, oh, I had joy. But when those guys turned up and throw me in here, I don't know where it is. It's not that joy, right?
The joy that it says here, that pour on silence is the joy that. That. It's more than your situation. A lot more than your situation. It's filled with his joy.
Paul and Silas knew that. Filled with the Lord's joy overflow. Paul and Silas, they worshiped and praised. And what happened next? Earthquake.
Prison cell doors wide open. Even the jailer's family were saved. Saw the Lord.
Your joy is found in the Lord. In turn, your joy overflows when you step out and joy, your joy impacts others. Do you believe that, church? Is that the joy you have when you walked in here this morning? Is that the joy that you have?
With an extraordinary picture of what happens when God's word is alive and active. Our joy inspires praise. Is your life marked by joy, Church?
When people look at you, do they see the Lord's joy over your life?
The brother, where is he? Mitchell? Poor guy. Walked in here in crutches.
There he is. Yeah, man, watch this. Poor guy. One leg, crutches. Tell you what, he's here.
The joy of the Lord is my strength. Nothing's going to stop me. Amen. Not my situation, not my problems, not my issues, not what the world throws at me. The joy of my salvation shall be first through the word of God.
Take that, church. Believe in that.
That's the first thing, right? What happens? The word of God is you live with joy. Second thing, say with me or after me, you live with peace.
We're not quite there. You live with peace. There we go. Hallelujah. You got to keep that joy.
Remember, joy centered out. Peace. Peace. Peace is an essential byproduct of God's word. It's not just a feeling of calmness, but a deep, lasting peace that comes from knowing God is in control.
When God's word takes root in our lives, it brings peace. That transformation circumstances a deep peace. Who here has been praying for peace?
I see. We can start off the year coming through Christmas and New Year's and be fired up. Then life hits, reality hits, and you go, lord, just give me a break. Just give me a break.
But in Isaiah it says this. You will live in joy, number one, and peace. And peace. But I can't just stop there. If I just read that and did Amen, it would be like, what kind of peace?
We're talking about peace from the Lord. New King James Version says it like this.
For you shall go out with joy, number one, and be led out with peace. So this peace from the Lord that covers us is the peace that we should be led out with. And it's interesting to me is why didn't it say, why not let out with power? Why not let out with humility? Why not let out with love?
Why peace?
The word peace in Hebrew means shalom, which means wholeness, completeness and harmony. To be wholly unified with the Lord and others. Right back in the days among the rabbis, it was more important for you to be unified with God and others than to be right. See what I'm getting at, church?
This peace requires you to let go of control. This peace is not about right or wrong, but truth. Being led out with peace.
Peace from the Lord. Led out with peace. Unified with the Father, unified with others. Remember the joy filled of his joy. Out with joy.
Peace. Led out with peace. The first believers in God taught that those who follow God should love peace and pursue it, love their neighbours and attract others to the scriptures. This is the peace Jesus offers. Peace with God, Peace of God and peace with each other.
The sword of peace attracts people to the truth, not what's right or wrong. We live in a world right now or right now. We've always lived in a world where everything is right or wrong. I'm right, Steve, you're wrong. You're right, Jenny, I'm wrong.
First to say I'm right. Who's wrong? But where is the truth? Where is the truth? Truth is Jesus Christ.
Unified of God, unified of others. Shalom. You with me, church. No matter what life throws at you, knowing that you are unified with Christ, it brings you this peace. Here's an example of this peace right now.
Alex, me and Alex and the girls, many of you guys know, we've been away for a week, and we went on a boat cruise. Anyone here been on a cruise? Raise your hands. Anyone here like it? Put your hands down.
It kind of went like this. And then it went like this. That we're on a boat cruise. Can't say I'll ever go back.
There's one thing that I loved on it, though. It's the buffet. I know what you're thinking. No surprise there. No surprise there.
I'll tell you what, it wasn't the salads. There's buffet section, right? Or you can eat. And they call it the pantry, and they have different sections. The curry section, seafood section, and dessert section, all that.
And then they had another section no one went to, which was the salad stuff, right back here. Now, I was excited. I heard stories about it, right? And I was going, yes, all you can eat and all that. And I was thinking, well, how much do we pay for this boat cruise?
And how much can I eat worth what I paid, right? So I did calculations, and they go, because there's nothing else on the boat. Boat, right? So here I go. I'm going to smash everything they have.
We get to the front door, and my daughters are with me. Straight away, I'm frustrated. Too many people, small space. I'm like, I already know what I'm going to be like. Grab a tray.
Yep. Bumping into me left, right, and center. Or me bumping into them, trays hitting me, elbows, right? Everyone's, like, in a panic to get something. And I'm whole time, I'm getting frustrated.
I'm literally getting frustrated. I'm getting angry. I say, the next person that bumps into me is going for a swim, right? So I'm trying to gather my food and all of that. And I look, trying to look for my girls, my two daughters, they're gone.
I don't know where. They're gone, right? And I said I had. That's it. Had enough, Found the table, sat down.
My girls were there while I'm still frustrated. And I look at my girls, and they're eating jelly. And they are at peace, smiling away, no care in the world. Don't have to pay rent or bills. Bills.
What bills? Food just magically appears at my house, right? They're living that life, right? No care. Like, got the Lord's peace.
And they turn around to me, the dad, frustrated and venting to Alex, and they go, maybe you need some jelly.
My first thought was kind of like, well, it doesn't look like I need jelly. For the record.
But here's the thing. My daughters weren't fazed by the chaos. I was. My daughters weren't trying to control nothing. I was.
My daughters didn't care who they were bumping into, whatever they knew what they want, they sat down. They were in their peace where they weren't troubled by their situation or what's around them.
Just like the word of God, when we let go of the control and the chaos and let his word flow in our lives, we too receive that same peace. It's not to say your troubles are never going to come your way. They do. From my experience, they do. The enemy tries and tries and tries and fails and fails and fails.
Amen. Every single time. Hardships, brokenness, whatever it may be in your marriage, whatever it is, what this peace does, the Lord's peace, it doesn't ignore that it's there. It just prioritizes what's first, not what's right. It's there.
Your troubles are there. You need those small things here, those hardships and brokenness. You want to know why? Because they refine you. Refined in fire, resiliency, perseverance, courage.
You need those things. But they all stem from the word of God, the presence of the Father, right? That's the peace church. That's the peace. And this is the peace he wants to give you.
Jesus final teachings to his disciples in the book of John during the Last Supper. He knows that crucifixion is near. He's trying to prepare them for the challenges that they will face after his departure. Jesus gives a promise of peace, his peace. Something that is different from what the world offers.
Remember, led out with peace. It's a peace that brings security in knowing that Jesus is in control, not you, and he's leaving them with peace, no matter what's ahead. John 14:27. Peace I leave with you, my peace I give to you.
See how important peace is? Church to be unified with the Father, unified with others. I know for many times in my life, trying to control everything around me and I get to a point where nothing's working. I'm just getting frustrated. I'm just getting angry at myself.
I'm getting angry at everyone else because they did wrong to me, because they said this to me. But hold on.
Let go of the control, give it to God. Be filled with his peace.
Are you allowing God's peace to lead you church in your journey, right now, in your life, Are you allowing God's peace to lead you? Not just to sit with you and create a moment of happiness. That is not the peace. Our moments of happiness are just moments. But an everlasting peace is found in the Father Church.
Is there something in your life that's disturbing your peace that God wants to bring under his control? What things in your life are hindering your journey? Are hindering your peace with the Father? The Word of God is powerful. It would bring you joy.
A joy that's filled, a joy that overflows, a peace. A peace that's unified of the Father, unified of others. And the first thing the Word of God brings is this. Say this after me. New things grow.
There we go again. New things grow. If we're fired up for Jesus in 2025 and there is joy and peace, new things grow.
Lucky we got all year to work on that.
When the Lord's Word is in control, our joy and peace are rooted in our hearts. God places replaces the old with the new and beautiful things. No longer will you live in fear, anxiety, hopelessness, but living a fruitful life. Seeing God birth new things in you. Are you believing for new things this year, Church?
I see you, Vic. There's new things for you, my bro. New things. Are we believing for what God's going to do in your life this year? What is something different that he's speaking to you about?
About when you spend time in the Lord and you spend time in the Word. And then what's he saying to you for 2025? What is something different? I'm going to shift. What is something different?
I'm going to change? What are some of the things I got to move out of my life so I can make room for joy, so I can make room for peace? What is something new birthing inside you? What's he telling you for 2025? Church?
Verse 13? Where once there were thorns, cypress trees will grow. Where nettles grew, myrtles will sprout up. Now here's the thing. Thorns and nettles in scripture often symbolize the effects of sin and brokenness.
These were the markers of humanity's fall, barrenness, pain, hardships and brokenness. And we can have these things in our lives.
To be honest, in my experience, these things grow a lot when you're not in the Word of God.
These things bloom when you're not in the Word of God, when you're not sitting in the presence of God. Watch your thorns surround you. Watch your nettles all grow up and overwhelm you. Where you cannot see the Father at all.
But Isaiah promises, and Isaiah is a promise. Cypress trees will grow Myrtles will sprout up.
The cypress and myrtle are symbols of renewal, life and beauty.
The cypress is a strong evergreen tree often used in construction and worship, while the myrtle is a fragrant and a sign of God's favour. God is telling his people where there was barrenness, he will be the lasting growth in their lives.
Interesting about the Cyprus and myrtle is that they are well suited for conditions where there's dry land, where there's water, regardless of what it looks like, they grow, they flourish. That is the word of God in our lives, Church. That is the new things that regardless of what season we're going through, regardless of the heartache, the hardships, the brokenness, it still blooms and flourishes. You believe that, Church, no matter how dry and barren your life is, the promise is true. You will see good fruit, new fruit, no matter how hard it is.
God takes the deserts of our lives in places of pain, loss or failure and grows something new and beautiful. That is the something new for you. You don't you want that? I want something new this year. I want something new for my kids, for my wife, Alex.
I'm believing for something new, fresh, big dreams, new dreams, visions, whatever it may be. And when we head out with joy and when we're grounded with this peace, so nothing else phases us. There's new things that grow in your life, Church. And I'm looking around, I'm seeing some of you here and that's what you're hungering for this year. Give me something new.
The joy of the Lord is my strength. Declare it in your lives and say, give me something new.
The old's not working. Try the that.
Try to control everything.
Paul echoes this in 2 Corinthians 5, 17. He says, Anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone. The new life has begun. Great thing about God's word, even if you fail once or twice in the I know I failed many times in my life.
You can always come back. You can always come back. You can always start again, come back.
What are the thorns in your life that God wants to replace of new growth? Growth.
What nettles in your life are stopping you from God doing a new thing in your life?
What are you willing to let go of in order to see God's word have power over your life?
So I was putting this message together.
I was reminded many years ago, Pastor Fu, living a life without the word of God, looking for joy in all the wrong places, trying to find peace in a borrowing something new. What was that? Never Heard of it. All I've got, well, I'm carrying around all these thorns. But it was everyone else's fault.
My life's not working out for me. So it's your fault.
I'm right, you're wrong.
And for years of living that life, man, you don't. You don't really truly see God for who he is.
And I was in control of everything. I was in control of my addictions. I was in control of the environment I was in, the screams, the violence.
And the more and more I was in control, the more that my joy left. What peace? There's no peace. What new thing? It's the same old things.
We know. They're saying, same old. Hey, how are you? What do you have to. Ah, same old.
Okay. What are you doing? Yeah. Nothing. Same old.
That's what it was. The life without the word. What are you up to? Same old. Where's your life going?
I don't know. We'll see what happens.
In my early years of grabbing hold of Christ, I learned real quick. I learned real quick that the word of God is not a manual you get from ikea. Word of God is truth. Solid, sharp. And the more I delved into it, it, right?
And there were moments, church, there were moments. Pastor Fu was like, yes, Lord, I'm here. And then every now and then, he'll be here and there and back and forth, trying to control which one did that for a long time. Early years. And then watching Alex.
Watching Alex live her life in joy and peace, I start to go, where did you get that from? What shop did you get that joy and peace from? And watching her flourish in her worship, leading and everything, how she lives her life in there. I'm like, dude, what am I doing? Stepping back and forth, what am I doing?
I need to grab the word of God and let it be centered in my life so I can be filled with that joy. The joy that overflows, so I can be filled with that peace. The peace he leaves you. The peace he gives you. You.
So I can step out in that peace. To see what? To see fruits?
To see fruit in your lives? To see lives change. Didn't do all that just so I can stand here and dress up like this. I don't mean like dressing up like this. Alex picks up the outfit based on the live stream, right?
I'm just how it is.
The more and more I spend time in the Word, listening to what God is saying to me, the more I gave up and gave to him, the more his word was Central in my life. The more I received through that. I let God take full control of my life and fill my life with joy and peace. And watching him do new things in my life. And if he can do that in my life, he will do it in yours.
Church Are you believing that for 2025? Hey, Connect Christian Church, Frankston. We're not here just to play. Church. I don't believe that for a second.
I look out here now. I see people with joys overflowing. I see the peace over your life and your family's life. Give him glory. Give him glory.
Come on.
Verse 13 it says this. These events will bring great honor to the Lord's name. They will be an everlasting sign of his power and love.
If God is truly. If God's word is truly this powerful, if it can change the landscape of our lives, turning the thorns into cypress trees, then why are so many of us still living in thorns?
Why do we allow the weeds of anxiety, bitterness and fear choke out the peace and the joy that God has promised for us?
What are we doing with the powerful life giving word that God has given us?
If I can get the team up, they're usually in that storeroom, right? Are they faithful? Team Love them to bits. Love them to bits.
There is a connection. There is a connection. Church. When you stay faithful in the word of God and you sit in his presence, you are connected to the Lord. You are connected.
And John 15:5 says this. I am the vine, you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit. Fruit apart from me, you can do nothing.
Will you remain in him this year and beyond.
When you remain connected to him, you will live in joy that overflows. You will live in peace that leads you. Your thorns will be replaced with new thorns. Things, beautiful things. Your life will bear fruit through the power of His Word.
Let this be your heart for this year to see God do new things. Amen. Church so what we're going to do, we're going to. We're going to worship. We're going to stand.
Church. We're going to stand.
We're going to have a moment to declare this, that he is a good, good father.
Know that there is something new for each and every one of you. Lean me on. Please lean me on. It's not me I'm leaning on. Leave me on.
Oh Jesus, keep leading me. Come on, let's sing this out. Lead me on. Lead me on. Lead me on.
Please leave me on. It's not me. I'm leaning on Leave me on oh Jesus, keep me why don't we declare this church? Lead me on Lead me on Lead me on Please leave me on it's not beyond leaning on Leave me on oh, Jesus, keep me why don't we close our eyes? Stay in this moment Stay in this moment Often Jesus would leave the gatherings, leave the people to find a quiet place to sit in the presence of the Father for just a few minutes.
I want you just to sit in this and reflect.
Is my joy found in the Father?
Is the peace that I've been praying for? Is that the same peace he's left me?
And there are great things and new things in my life.
I will listen you.
You are my God.
I will exalt you. Sing it out, Church.
Lay on you declare this.
I will let on you.
You are my God. I will. I will lay.
I will angel you.
You are my God.
What are we declaring? What do we sing this out?
My Savior. Refuge. My treasure. Lord, you are my friends and King. Anointed one.
Most Holy Father, I pray that you would continue your work and your purpose on the lives of everyone here this morning. That your word will be central in their lives, where your presence will flow in and out through their lives, overflowing into the lives of others, impacting others. Father, I pray that their joy, your people's joy, is your joy, your joy that you have given us, Father. That they may be. They may go out with that joy, a joy that overflows.
Father, I pray that whatever comes their way, that they would have a peace, a deep peace. Lord. Not a moment of happiness, but a life lived in peace. To know that they are strong. And your word and in your presence, Father, praying for new things, new things for connect.
Church. Father, New things, New visions, Lord. New dreams. What is something new you're giving us, Father? What is the next step for us?
Heavenly Father, give us the courage to step into that door that's about to open. Give us courage to walk through that path that you're about to unveil before us. Heavenly Father, give us new things. Lord. We thank you, Father, that your word is power and love.
We pray that we stay connected no matter how rough it gets. Lord, your name is glorified. We praise your name. We worship your name in Jesus name. In Jesus name we pray.
Church. Amen. Amen. Amen. Give him praise, Church.
Give him praise.
Thank you, Church. Thank you for coming out this morning. Thank you for your love, your support, your faithfulness. Thank you for getting up early and bringing your kids, why don't you hang around and join us for a cuppa? Cup of tea?
Morning tea. All in the house. Pastor Adrian's back next week, so will see you then. Church. Amen.
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The Power of God's Word: Living with Joy and Peace in 2025
God's Word is the foundation for living a fruitful life, bringing hope, grace, humility and transformation. Just as seeds planted in fertile soil yield a harvest, God's Word produces spiritual fruit that brings lasting joy, peace and fulfillment when received and embraced.
What Happens When God's Word is Present in Our Lives?
Living with Overflowing Joy
When God's Word takes root in our lives, it brings a deep joy that overflows - not just temporary happiness, but a joy that doesn't depend on circumstances. This joy comes from knowing God's promises are true. It's a joy that needs to go out and impact others, just like Paul and Silas who praised God even while imprisoned.
Finding True Peace
God's peace (shalom) means wholeness, completeness and harmony - being fully unified with the Lord and others. This peace:
- Requires letting go of control
- Focuses on truth rather than being right
- Brings unity with God and others
- Provides stability regardless of circumstances
Growing New Things
When God's Word is in control and our joy and peace are rooted in Him:
- Old things are replaced with new and beautiful things
- Fear and anxiety give way to fruitfulness
- Barrenness is transformed into growth
- God births new dreams and visions
How Does God's Word Transform Our Lives?
The Bible promises that where there were once thorns, cypress trees will grow. Cypress and myrtle trees represent renewal and God's favor - they flourish regardless of conditions. This symbolizes how God's Word can transform the desert places of our lives into something new and beautiful.
Life Application
As we begin 2025, consider these questions:
Is your joy truly found in the Father or in temporary circumstances?
What areas of your life need to experience God's peace rather than your own control?
What "thorns" in your life does God want to replace with new growth?
Challenge: Make God's Word central in your life this year by:
Spending consistent time reading and meditating on Scripture
Letting go of trying to control everything yourself
Allowing God's joy and peace to overflow to others
Looking expectantly for the new things God wants to do in your life
Remember: When you remain connected to God through His Word, you will live in joy that overflows, experience peace that leads you, and see new beautiful things grow in your life.
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A discussion guide for the sermon can be found here.