‘… grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.’ 2 Peter 3:18

That’s our longing for us and for you in 2020! We’re just beginning a new series in church on 2 Peter and we’re praying for this kind of growth in ourselves and in others. One of Peter’s big concerns, in this letter, is for Christians to have certainty in their faith and especially in light of ‘the day’ that is coming. If we’re really honest, I think most of us will admit to struggling with assurance. Sometimes we can even be paralysed with uncertainty and a lack of assurance. And yet, Peter doesn’t send us off in pursuit of assurance. Instead he exhorts us to ‘grow in the grace and the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ’. In other words, to pursue Jesus and a knowing, growing relationship with him. And as we know him and grow more like him, by God’s grace, the certainty of belonging will grow also.  Please pray that this would be a reality for us and in our church family at Gothenburg International Baptist Church.   Praise God for many encouragements over the Christmas period. We enjoyed an Irish Christmas dinner together with our easy Swedish bible study group. Please pray for S from Turkey who came along and also for her mother who is very ill just now. S shared with us about a vision her mum had seen of Jesus and how she had encouraged her to pray to Jesus. Please pray that this family, both in Sweden and in Turkey would come to know Jesus as Lord and Saviour.   The bible study group has grown both in numbers and also in fellowship. Please pray that this would continue and especially that we would strengthen in praying together and really experience the presence of the living God.    Give thanks for the opportunity to sing carols at Kviberg market and also in the city centre. As the adults sang, the children gave out ‘pepparkakor’ and many copies of ‘Jesus: Vem, varför och vad då?’ (who, why and so what?). Please pray for A from Syria who was very open to talk about the Bible and expressed an interest in meeting up to talk more.    The next day was our Christmas outreach service followed by an international bring and share meal. A large number of people came along with many visitors. Trevor preached on Ruth and God’s grace that brings refugees to our true home with God and his people. This was part of our Advent series where we’ve been considering the scandal of God’s grace in Jesus’ unlikely family tree in Matthew 1. We focussed on the great grandmothers of Jesus: Tamar, Rahab, Ruth and Bathsheba.  Please pray for ‘outsiders’ and internationals in Gothenburg to be brought into Jesus’ family by grace through faith.