Weekly Notices

Sunday 29th January 2017

Words are cheap but never free. They all come with an effect. This can be good or bad but never completely neutral. Are you speaking words that encourage, instill life, joy, positivity and love.  Those are the type of words God wants us to speak.

Everything we write, say and think needs to be filtered through His word and the Holy Spirit. Ask yourself is this going to  help and build up or is it going to tear down and destroy? Let's make an effort this year to change what we say starting with family.

Sunday 22nd January 2017

Food and drink are essential to life. Go without for one day and you soon realize that your energy  and strength are fading.  In the same way, it’s absolutely vital to eat and drink for our spiritual  wellbeing. Go without reading the Word and praying and soon you will realize your ability to make righteous decisions becomes hazy and impaired. Temptation seems overwhelming and the joy of the Lord is gone. But don't be discouraged. He will accept you the minute you  turn back to Him. He is such a wonderful Father.. “You, God, are my God, earnestly I seek you; I thirst for you, my whole being longs for you, in a dry and parched land where there is no water.” Psalm 63:1

Sunday 8th January 2017

Years, months and days come and go without a chance to do any of them again. Life is always changing, but God’s word does not change. It still says the same things it did when Abraham, Isaiah and Jesus quoted it. It still has the SAME power to part waters, multiply bread and drive out demons. His word will change your life when you yield to it. His word will transform you when you believe in it and act on it. This is the year to look like He intended us to look and act like He intended us to act. Let’s honour our phenomenal King in 2017 and shine for Him!

Sunday 11th December

God’s handiwork is seen in everything He created. We, however, are created in His image. Everyone of us, from the Down Syndrome fun-loving child to astronauts, vets, artists, authors, explorers, engineers, architects, carpenters, nurses, sailors, inventors, electricians, musicians, pilots, racing car drivers, those who created Facebook, Twitter and Instagram and everyone else in between! Past, present and future, every human is signed as “Designed and deeply loved by God!” He is so incredible and amazing, yet also personal and approachable. He cannot be fully understood yet we are privileged to journey with Him for eternity and discover more about Him every day! Glory to God and Him alone!

Sunday 20th November 2016

There are so many thoughts, ideas and opinions about what is right, acceptable and true. How do we negotiate our way through all this and come out the other side with lives and attitudes that are pleasing to our God?

The simple way is to allow His beautiful Word to take root and produce a harvest of righteousness in us. There is no need for rules and do’s and don’ts, but rather we should delight in the perfect laws of God that bring freedom.

I pray you will have a fresh vibrant relationship with God through His Word this week.

Sunday 9th October

1 Corinthians 14:19 in the Amplified Bible says, “I would rather say five understandable words in order to instruct others, than ten thousand words in a tongue [which others cannot understand].”

We speak a tremendous amount during the day but often, very little thought or consideration is given to what we say. I implore you to set a guard over your mouth and consider what you say this week. Pass your words through this filter before you blurt them out:

Is it true?

Is it Helpful?

Is it kind?

Sunday 2nd October

It was such a privilege to be at the One Conference this last week. Fantastic teaching, great music, good fellowship and tasty food. Bayless Conley was the keynote speaker and shared some amazing truths with us.

There is no greater joy than sharing the love and power God has placed in us—taking it to the world so that He can touch, restore and heal lives. They aren’t going to come and ask us, much as we would like them to, but as we go out in search of the lost and broken, He will be with us. Let’s go out in His name this week and expect mighty things to happen.

Sunday 28th August

If you are a parent, you will know you have no favourites when it comes to your children. We are made in God’s likeness and He definitely has no favourites. He will use anyone who dares to believe that He will act on His Word. There are no examinations or degrees needed, no rules to keep, and nothing that we can do in our own strength to impress Him.

Make a point of relaxing into His power and realise that if He could use a donkey like He did in Numbers 22, He can certainly use you. Look into the future with anticipation of God using you to do amazing things that you never thought would be possible.

Sunday 21st August

God is calling you first and foremost to relationship. Your gift and your call come from that. He never asks us to do anything for Him—but rather with Him. He commands us in Matthew 6:33 “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”

The first commandment is to love the Lord with ALL your heart, soul, mind and strength. Come and spend time with Him and in His Word and discover how much He loves you.

Sunday 14th August

Jeremiah 15:9 says, “If you utter worthy, not worthless, words, you will be my spokesman.”

Words are coming at us all day—from a morning family greeting to a good night honey. How much of what is heard and received produces life or death? The radio, TV, conversations, preaching, school, and uni all bombard us with words. How are you allowing these to influence your future? Jesus speaks to us in John 6:63. “The words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.” Allow His words to enter, take root and produce a harvest. Don’t allow critical, negative or inappropriate words to come from your mouth but rather be someone God can use to touch the world.  

Sunday 7th August

All of us live in the same world although God has given us diverse talents and abilities. Why then do we seldom achieve all we should? If we would not “limit” God to our experiences, instead trusting Him regardless of our feelings or fears, I know He would use us more.

It is only in dying that we can truly live,  in giving that we receive, in sowing that we reap, and in forgiving that we are forgiven.

Lord will You reach out Your hand when we’re sinking and release us from our fleshly limitations. We want to see Your Kingdom come in our times and lives. 

Sunday 31st July

Jesus wasn’t a motivational speaker who stirred emotions, told convincing stories and promised financial or other forms of success if you followed 5 steps or a set of rules. Rather, He said, “Follow me and I will make you fishers of men.” That invitation still stands today.  In John 14:12 Jesus made us a promise. “Whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.” In Matthew 10:7-8 He sent his disciples out saying, “As you go, proclaim this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’ Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give.” Allow His word and promises to ACTIVATE your faith rather than stir your emotions!

Sunday 24th July

Do you realise that God has entrusted us with the most responsible job ever? We are the ones who will communicate His gift of salvation to the world. We can run the most successful business, live in the best neighbourhood, or be the Prime Minister of New Zealand, but still fail to find true satisfaction. God’s ultimate calling in our life is to communicate Him to the world. God has given us all we need to  communicate His salvation to the world. I firmly believe this is God’s next move and He’s wanting us to be a part of it. It’s time for us to get out of our comfort zones and believe Him for great things.

Sunday 10th July

The scriptures say that without a vision the people perish. I’ve been doing a lot of contemplating and considering our future as a body. In Luke 14:23 it says, “Then the master told the servant, ‘Go out into the highways and along the hedges, and compel them to come in, so that my house may be filled with guests.” So our job is to go and find the needy and bring them the gospel in the same way the disciples did in the book of Acts. Jesus gave the following instructions to his disciples in Matthew 10:8.  “Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give.”

Sunday 3rd July 2016

What do you need from God right now? A job, wisdom with a family member, courage, finances, peace in a difficult situation, or you just need a new awareness of God’s presence. He is speaking to you today, “Come to me, all who are heavy laden and I will give you rest.”

Don’t try and sort it out on your own. You will only get yourself in a state. Trust in the Lord and lean not on your own understanding. He can do more than you can possibly dream or imagine.

Sunday 5th June 2016

I am comforted by the fact that God is a personal God. He deals with us all on an individual basis. He knows everything about you and is not surprised by the way you do things. He knows your taste in music, food, sport, colours, weather, the list is endless. All of this makes you unique and absolutely adorable to the Father. Know this—GOD LOVES YOU–and He loves you very much. Hold your head up—there is only one of you and you are designer-made.

Sunday 29th May

Words are spoken, written, heard. They form poetry, fiction, movies, books, adverts, theatre, social media … they are everywhere you go. Encouraging those who’re down, making you laugh or cry, triggering war, offering peace,  bringing healing and deliverance. Be careful with your mouth. Like the psalmist said, “Lord, put a guard before my mouth, keep watch over the door of my lips.” Choose today to speak life into every area of your life. God used words to create everything we see—and don’t see. Words are powerful. Use them wisely!

Sunday 15th May

Righteousness, purity, love, peace, kindness, forbearance, wisdom, understanding, grace, authority—we would love to have these and other fruits in increasing measure but so often  they seem apparent in others and not ourselves.

Be encouraged! If there was any way to change ourselves, there would be no need for the cross. We expend so much effort and fall into condemnation when we fail. But there is another way. When we truly give up the struggle and allow the powerful work of God’s grace to unfold in our lives, the fruits of the Spirit are free to grow and blossom—the natural outcome of being in relationship with our Lord.

Sunday 8th May

You may be a gran, an aunt, a sister, a niece, a cousin, a daughter - or even several of those at the same time. Today, however, we recognise the high calling of being a mother. God has placed a responsibility  on you to care for and nurture your children. Even if they’re grown and out of your home, your influence will remain with them for life.

So if you still have the privilege of inputting your life into young children, rely on God’s wisdom, patience and love, and allow His peace and joy to shine through you and impact their lives for eternity. If your children are adults, continue to pray for them and bring them before God on a regular basis.

Congratulations mothers! You’re the best and as a church, we honour and respect you. Not just today, but always!

Sunday 17th April

Are we “doing church” or are we “being” who God wants us to be? God inspired us to name this church Emmanuel which means God with us.

Our lives will change when we realise that God never asked us to do things for Him, but with Him. What a relief because we aren’t capable of doing anything in our own strength. Let’s focus in the days and weeks ahead on doing things with Him and then we’ll see His power start to work through us in a new way!

Sunday 3rd April 2016

Have you ever transplanted a plant from a pot to the garden? At first, you’re not sure what is going to happen. Is it going to die, survive or thrive? You leave it for a couple of weeks and when you go back, it’s flourishing. You realise that it must have been root-bound in the pot, although it had produced flowers and seemed comfortable and well. The initial shock has worn off and it’s now free to grow, planted in rich soil with plenty of water and sunlight. It has unlimited opportunity to reach the fullness God intended for it.

Is this where you are at the moment? Unsure of where you should be planted? God always wants bigger and better things for us. Maybe it’s time to break out of the pot and allow God to do even greater things through you! Maybe this could be in missions, music, evangelism or prayer. Whatever it is, don’t be afraid of the process and invite the Lord to do what He wills.

Sunday 27th March 2016

Happy Easter! What does the word Easter mean to you? Does it produce a question? What is the origin of the word? How do fluffy chicks and chocolate bunnies fit into the picture? If we get caught up in the side issues, we may miss the blessing that God gave us at Easter by offering Jesus to be crucified in our place. The sin of the world was laid upon Him so that we may walk in freedom and relationship with Him today.

May this Easter have a significant impact on your life and may you take hold of everything Jesus has done for you. It is because of the cross that we are truly alive and in relationship with our Lord.

God bless you as we celebrate His victory together this morning!

Sunday 20th March 2016

In different times and stages of our lives, God gives us people who are instrumental in changing us for the better. Jesus ministered for three years and turned fishermen, tax collectors, prostitutes and many others into people who would never be the same again. The Bible tells us how the disciples healed the sick, cast out demons and brought thousands to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.

We are privileged to have Len and Linda with us today—and also to have an ongoing relationship with them. During our time together this weekend, they have encouraged, blessed and spurred us on to greater things for the Kingdom. Thanks guys for being available to the Lord and us. We are changed because you have given of yourselves!

Sunday 13th March 2016 - A Word from Kevin

Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit. Ephesians 5:18

Our Father desires for us to be filled with the Spirit and to keep on being filled. This is not a one-off experience but a regular day by day, moment by moment encouragement to stay in touch with God through the Holy Spirit. What an exciting aspect of our Christianity and how amazing to know He longs for us to grow closer to Him.

God’s character and nature are far beyond our comprehension—like a kaleidoscope that has many colours and patterns that draw us in and keep us looking for more.

Let’s determine this week to listen to the whisper of the Holy Spirit and look for the presence of our amazing God in everything that we do.

Sunday 5th March 2016 - A Word from Kevin

There is a time and place for all things and today is a day to rejoice. The Israelites celebrated many feasts after victories and at various times of the year. Today, we celebrate two years of gathering together as Emmanuel Community Church. As I look back, I’m amazed at how God has knit our hearts together and at the ways lives have been impacted and changed by His power.

I believe He wants to unfold even greater things in our future and encourage you to see this as a starting point. Let’s stand together and believe that 2016 will be a year of growth—both personally and in numbers—and that lives will be touched and restored.

Please stay on afterwards for a barbeque and some fellowship as we continue our celebration!