Reflection is the only way experience turns into wisdom. Without reflection we simply repeat the same patterns – just faster, and as my friend Michael Orokpo says, “If you are going the wrong way, increased speed is no advantage!’
As the year opens, John 15 reminds us that vines grow through seasons, not constant progress. Pruning can feel brutal, tough soil can feel like the wrong place, and winter can feel empty – but the Father is the vinedresser. Hard ground doesn’t mean you’re misplaced -it may be preparing you for fruit still to come.
Fear tells you tomorrow is something to panic about.
Fear whispers that God won’t come through.
But Jesus says: “Do not be afraid, little flock.”
“It is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.”
That means:
Nothing you face tomorrow surprises Him
Nothing comes without grace attached
No trial lacks the provision to overcome it
No need will find Him unprepared
When I first got started I learned a lot from reading other’s sermons, so now I’m going to start putting some notes from my own sermons on here. Subscribe is you don’t want to miss them. Go to ivychurch.org and look around a bit if you want to listen or watch on Youtube. This is from our recent INCREDIBLE Ivy weekend away, first night – so it won’t be on the site.
In Christianity spiritual growth is not meant to be a solo endeavour – though there have definitely been times I wish it was because people are hard to love and I can be heard to live with!
When we ‘give our lives to Christ’ we don’t just give him our past sins, we actually die to the old Βίος (Bios) life in order to receive the everlasting Ζωή (Zoe) life!