Tag: Jesus Christ

Journey Into God’s Kingdom by Joe Gelak

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Journey into God’s Kingdom

Take a look around your home. What do you see? Electricity, heating and air conditioning, lights, running water, flat screens, laptops, cable, and internet?

Now take a moment to visualize the very same land your home sits on a few millennia ago. No homes, no streets, no power lines, no running water or sewer. Just trees or grasslands or desert or tundra.

Picture yourself being among the first people to step foot on your land. You are faced with finding springs of water to drink from and game and plants to eat, pitching a teepee or tent, and making clothes to wear appropriate for the climate.

Imagine what a struggle it was, requiring every ounce of effort and capability and smarts.

This is not unlike our current state. We are called even now to migrate to a whole new place. And like it did with those before us, the task will require every ounce of our effort and capability.

God Calls Us Into His Kingdom

God calls us to depart from our old life and enter His Kingdom. “Seek first the kingdom of God,” Jesus says (Matt. 6:33 ESV). He also instructs us to pray, “Your [God’s] kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven” (v. 10).

To enter God’s Kingdom, though, we first need a passport. Where do we get it? From Jesus Christ, the Son of God. He stands ready to issue a passport to anyone who asks. We must simply confess our sins, admit we need help, ask God for forgiveness through the sacrifice of Jesus’ death on the cross, and believe and receive this forgiveness. This is the passport. It is free to us because He paid dearly for it with His blood.

But this is just the beginning. What good will it do us if we just sit at home and never use the passport?

Where Do We Find His Kingdom?

There is no point in searching for God’s Kingdom in this world, because it is not here. It is not a physical place or a set of circumstances.

On the contrary, we enter into it, or maybe we should say it enters into us, through our inner being – our hearts and souls. It exists in the deepest part of us.

Jesus announced, “Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the Kingdom of God is within you” (Luke 17:21 KJV). God’s Kingdom brings about a totally different life in all the ways that really matter. Over time it changes how we experience life, how we perceive things, and how we think and feel.

How Do We Enter And Live In His Kingdom?

You have probably heard of the legend of the great ancient city of Atlantis and how it sank slowly into the sea. Some variations of the story describe how the people of Atlantis followed their city as it sank over many generations. By swimming and diving constantly, the people were somehow gradually endowed with the ability to live under the sea. To do so, they had to make every effort, and they had to be eager to learn.

Whatever you think of the legend, the truth is that God will likewise endow us with a supernatural ability to live and even flourish in His Kingdom. He does this by helping our efforts. He tells us that He will “equip you with everything good that you may do his will” (Heb. 13:21 ESV), and He promises “His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness” (2 Pet. 1:3 ESV).

Learning How To Operate In God’s Kingdom

God is ready and waiting for us. He wants to help us. He wants to bring us into His glorious Kingdom—a Kingdom better than we can ask or imagine.

But we must do our part. Recall the story of the Exodus. God did His part to deliver the Israelites out of bondage in Egypt and bring them into the Promised Land, but Moses and Aaron and all of the Israelites had to first do their part.

We have to learn and understand the process God has designed. Just as Moses did when God taught him what would happen and what he would be required to do when He spoke out of the bush that was ablaze with fire and yet not consumed (Exod. 3).

Here is what we need to know. It works like this: out with the old, in with the new. Displacement. It sounds simple, but it is where we so easily get tripped up.

Take a look at the diagram below. Picture one of your science labs from high school. At the start of class your teacher shows you a closed container, a tank. It is made of glass, so you can see inside of it. It is filled with a toxic fluid. This toxic fluid represents our “old self.” It represents us, our inner being, before we become a part of God’s Kingdom. It is us living and existing separate from God. Struggling and striving to make ourselves feel important and successful and popular and secure and satisfied. And feeling frustrated when we fail, as we inevitably do.

The Goal

God instructs us, “put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires” (Eph. 4:22 ESV). He also tells us to lay aside the old self with its evil practices and put on the new self (Col. 3:9).

The goal is to drain out the old self. We want to replace it with God’s Kingdom, represented by the life-giving, beautifully pure air above the tank. In His Kingdom we connect and become united with Christ, which fills us with His perfect love, peace, joy, Spirit, goodness, hope, beauty, and so much more.

How It Doesn’t Work

Let’s get back to our science experiment.

Your teacher unscrews the tube at the top of the tank. He then attaches a pump to the tube and attempts to force air into the tank. Very little air makes it into the tank because liquids are not easily compressed. It only ends up building pressure in the tank, causing it to nearly shatter.

This illustrates what it is like when we attempt to bring God into our heart and soul while the old self is still alive and well.

We can spend time praying, reading Scripture, and worshipping, hoping that God will fill us, but as long as we remain attached to the world that feeds the old self, it will not happen. It cannot, because we are still harboring and nurturing elements of our self—things such as our craving for wealth and success, our need to be right, our demand for attention and recognition, our obsession with what others think about us, our refusal to forgive, and our impulse to manipulate circumstances to our advantage. This is true even if we change on the outside.

Your teacher reseals the tube at the top. Next, he opens the seal in the drainpipe at the bottom of the tank. You wait for the swishing sound of fluid draining out, but nothing happens. Why? Because air is not free to enter the tank from the top and displace the fluid.

This depicts when we work to remove the old self without opening ourselves to allow God to fill us in our inner being. This was the condition of the Pharisees, whom we read about in the Gospels. They changed superficially on the outside; they rid themselves of obvious and visible sin and busied themselves with good activities like praying and reading Scripture. The problem, though, was with their hearts. They were not welcoming God into the deeper part of themselves.

How It Does Work

Finally, your teacher opens up both the drainpipe at the bottom and the cap at the top at the same time. You hear the satisfying sound of the toxic fluid draining rapidly out at the very moment the class bell rings, and you rush toward the cafeteria for lunch so you can get a place near the beginning of the line.

Just as in the physical world, we must expel the old self and open ourselves to God’s Kingdom simultaneously. We do this by journeying deep into God’s Kingdom.

I hope you will join me as we explore how we can do this as we continue our series.

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What Is Most Important To Me?

What's Most Important?
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What’s Most Important?

If you could have or accomplish one thing in your life, what would it be?

We need some purpose in our lives beyond just breathing and eating and sleeping.  What are your dreams and goals?  Maybe it has to do with your career, or starting a business or ministry, or buying a beautiful home. Or as life moves on, perhaps working on your bucket list of things you want to do before it is too late.

Now, what if we ask the question – how does our relationship with God fit in?  Is it competing with these other things?

Or should God be so much more? Something that is above all other purposes and goals and missions?

To truly connect with Christ as he intends, our connection with him must be number one: Our prime directive, our supreme mission, our ultimate purpose. 

This sounds awfully demanding, doesn’t it?  How do we know God asks so much from us?

The Psalmist tells us “Whom have I in heaven but you?  And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you” (Psalm 73:25 ESV).  In another instance in scripture, Jesus makes it so clear in his parable of the valuable pearl.  His kingdom, by which we connect with him, is “like a merchant in search of fine pearls, who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it”  (Matthew 13:45-46).  Note how the merchant had to sell and lose everything else to gain the magnificent pearl. 

Why does he ask for so much?  Because he wants us to be “conformed to the image of his Son” (Romans 8:29).  By being conformed, we are empowered to understand him deeply, share his thoughts and feelings, and connect intimately in divine love.  Though we may not be aware of it, we are designed for this purpose. 

What Is The Nature Of This Divine Connection? 

It is something that goes above and beyond all else:

  • The forgiveness for sins.
  • The theological beliefs.
  • The knowledge. 
  • The human capability and activities.

It is instead about transformation – deep and profound change. 

These days there is a lot of talk about transformation. But the question to ask is – what is being transformed? And how?

God’s transformation plan is not primarily about the way we feel and perform and act on the outside.  Or even attitudes and sentiments and possessing a positive outlook.  He is more concerned about what lies even deeper inside of us.  At the very center of our heart and soul and spirit.

How are we transformed?  By connecting with God at a very deep level, and there, surrendering our self to him. 

Where does this take us?  By becoming like him even while we continuously seek and pursue him, we are united with him. In sweet intimacy.  God’s Word talks about us being united with Christ (Philippians 2:1, Romans 6:5, 1 Corinthians 6:17).  God’s Word similarly talks about us being in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:1, Acts 17:28, John 15:5, 1 Corinthians 1:30, John 14:20).

Just to show how powerful this connection and relationship is designed to be, God’s glorious plan is that we first spiritually enter and dwell in heaven in Christ, even before our physical death!  God tells us in Ephesians 2:6, “God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus.” This is what we are designed for!  It brings perfect completion and satisfaction and contentment.  It is beyond what we can ask for or imagine.  Hearts joined in beautiful unison.

How Do We Build This Connection To Our Spiritual Journey? 

God informs us that it is not by doing a bunch of good things in our own strength while we live as free and independent agents.  Nor is it by passively sitting back and waiting for God to do everything while we busy ourselves with the affairs of this world.

Rather, it is an active receiving from God. 

Jesus tells us of the vine and the branches in the book of John chapter 15.  The job of the vine is to feed the branches, and the job of the branches is to open and receive the life-giving flow from the vine.  Jesus tells us “I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing” (John 15:5).

It all happens through a connection and intimacy with our Lord Jesus Christ.  Our souls grow as we are fed through the opening of a channel between God and our inner being.

What Is Our Part To Make This Happen?

First:

  • We need to resolve in our hearts and minds to pursue our relationship with Christ, this inner connection, far above all else.  And remember that he told us “apart from me you can do nothing”.  We must resolve to do this whatever the cost, whatever the sacrifice, whatever it takes.  It is like in the Mission Impossible movies, God is presenting a mission, should we choose to accept it.  And like in the movies, the hero drops everything else in his life to pursue the mission.

Second:

  • We must constantly and continuously invest in connecting with God.  While countless messages have been preached and books written for this very purpose, we will simply mention three things briefly. 

The first is what we call connecting moments.  This can happen during our normal prayer and scripture reading and worship time.  But just as importantly, it can happen during moments throughout our day.

Connecting moments can take many forms.  One way is like this. Stop, shut your eyes, and set aside all your normal thoughts. Breath slowly and deeply, and “be still, and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10).  Adopt a mental and heart position of openness and receptivity.  Picture yourself as dry ground receiving living rain waters; or a flower blossom opening to the sunlight.  In your heart and mind, surrender all of yourself to the Lord.  Offer yourself up to Him as a living sacrifice (Romans 12:1).  Wait upon Him in silence and expectation. 

While connecting, speak words of love and devotion.  Feel him touch you.  Ask Him to come and fill you.  Then gently proclaim and tell God, “I am yours and you are mine” (Song of Solomon 2:16), “I am your property and possession” (Numbers 18:20), and “You bought me for a price” (1 Corinthians 6:20).  All this while simply maintaining a position and condition of openness and surrender and receiving.

These practices fit perfectly with God’s Word. 

  • He tells us that we should be “fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith” (Hebrews 12:2 NIV)
  • “focusing on the things that are above, where the Messiah is seated at the right hand of God.” (Colossians 3:1)
  • “focus on Jesus, the apostle and high priest of our confession” (Hebrews 3:1). 
  • We are setting our minds on “things above, not on earthly things” as God has instructed (Colossians 3:2). 

Perhaps the most perfect example of connecting was when Jesus visited his friends in Bethany.  His dear friend, Mary, “sat at the Lord’s feet” as she listened with rapt attention, absorbed in Jesus  (Luke 10:39).  When Mary’s sister Martha complained that she wasn’t busy helping prepare the meal, Jesus said of Mary, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary.  Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her” (Luke 10:41-42).

As you practice these connecting moments, God’s presence may seem somewhat vague at first.  But just like our physical senses become keener and sharper with use, we will perceive the Lord and his love more and more, and become ever more like Him.  God tells us that “we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another” (2 Corinthians 3:18).

Connecting moments can happen just about anywhere and anytime.  For example, when you are driving or pumping gas or riding the bus, drop your phone and look up and connect.  Connecting can be done in so many moments throughout your day.  Even when you are super busy you can steal moments to get away with Jesus.

Third:

We can let God know how much we want to connect and unite with him.  Make it our central request to Him, far more important than asking him for help with any of our problems, or to make us successful or wealthy.  Ask him this each day.  Plead with him, beg him. 

Fourth:

  • We can picture and envision and imagine what it would be like to be perfectly connected, perfectly intimate with Jesus.  Liberated and set free from the bondage of our attachments to all the passing, silly concerns of this life.  Permeated and saturated and infused fully in His love, His greatness, His glory.  Purified and cleansed in Him.  Knowing His thoughts, His feelings, His power, His nature.  Tearing down every wall and obstruction that cuts us off from him and keeps us distant.  Ask God to make this vision and picture more real each day. 

Fifth:

View everything, absolutely everything, from the prism of how your connection with Christ will be impacted.  When you read scripture, make it about how God is wanting to connect.  When you think about sin, view it not so much as something to make us feel ashamed and guilty, but rather as anything that blocks and obstructs our connection with Him.  Dedicate yourself to removing every obstacle.

I hope and pray that these thoughts will help you progress on your spiritual journey.

Prayer: Dear Lord, thank you that you have lovingly designed such an amazing and glorious destiny for me.  How incredible to think and know by faith that you desire us to be together.  Connected in intimacy and love and affection.  I know that in this oneness and unity with you is found perfect fulfillment, perfect completion, perfect wholeness.  In you all of my brokenness and frustration and lostness and darkness is washed away.  In you all things are made good and right and lovely.  In you I am finally at true peace and rest.  In you all my fears and dread and doubt evaporate. 

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Michael And The Devil (Part 3- The Bible The Devil Reads)

The Bible The Devil Reads
~ Michael Furlonger ~ Leave a comment

Michael And The Devil (Part 3- The Bible The Devil Reads)

0:00-2:00- Discusses the first two videos and their relevance
2:01-7:20- The Bible The Devil Reads

Author Michael Furlonger shares the importance of how we read the Bible. The Devil has no issue with you reading the Bible as long as your heart and mind remain ungodly.

Reading Matthew 4:1-11, Jesus is being tempted by the Devil. Every time the Devil says to do something, Jesus replies with Law (Deut. 8:3, 6:16; 6:13). More specifically, Michael points out that in Matthew 4:6, the Devil quotes scripture to Jesus Christ to get him to sin against God. This is why it’s so important to read scripture accurately.

5 Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. 6 “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written:
“‘He will command his angels concerning you,
    and they will lift you up in their hands,
    so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’”
7 Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’”

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Michael And The Devil (Part 1)

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Michael And The Devil warns of the days in which we live

Author Michael Furlonger shares the importance of knowing who the real enemy is. After observing friends on social media argue over political ideology, Michael points out that the Devil comes to destroy the church, the marriage and the family. Evidence found in the warning in Revelation 2 & 3 as well as elsewhere.

Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. (1 Peter 5:8)

In this series of videos, Michael will be discussing many hard issues. He will be addressing homosexuality and abortion from a strictly Biblical point of view. Like he shared, it’s easy to get filled with self-righteousness that there is no reasoning. But Michael’s hope is in the sovereign promises of God.

Michael will also be calling on the Church to stand and be recognizes.

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The Gospel Through The Law

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Michael Furlonger Shares The Gospel Through The Old Testament Law

The biggest questions that I come across is, “What do I do after I accept faith in Jesus Christ?” It’s a good question. After all, if we are “saved by grace through faith,” what do I do with everyday problems?

Is my porn addiction under the guise of grace? No, it’s not. Is my swearing covered under the guise of grace? No, it’s not. Is my disrespect for my parents, my spouse and my boss covered by the guise of grace? No. It. Is. Not.

You never recognize how bad something is until you are free of it. I never knew how crippling pornography was until I tasted the freedom that godly living provided. How isolating this sin was to me.

I never knew how disrespect hindered me from making genuine connections until I was free of it. 

 Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him. (Psalm 34:8)
First we taste, and then we see.

Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? (Romans 7:24)

Did I just strike a nerve? You may be freed from an addiction of pornography or disrespect or swearing, but find yourself still drawn to sexual thoughts, anger, bad language. After Apostle Paul asks, “Who will save me from this body that is subject to death,” that is ‘subject to sin’, he says,

Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord! (Romans 7:25)

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The Bible The Devil Reads

The Bible The Devil Reads
~ Michael Furlonger ~ Leave a comment

Did you know that the Devil “reads” the Bible? OK. Maybe he doesn’t “read” the Bible, but he does know it. And he knows it better than you or I. And he’s not afraid of using it to make you sin and do things that are against the Will of God.

Allow me to share of when the devil tempted Jesus.

Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.” Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”

Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written:
“‘He will command his angels concerning you,     
and they will lift you up in their hands,     
so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’”
Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’” (Matt. 4:1-7)

Do you see where even the devil said, “For it is written”? He goes on to quote Psalm 91:11-12.

It’s interesting how Jesus responds, isn’t it? Jesus responds with the Law of Moses (Deuteronomy 6:16).

Straight Out Of Context

Have you ever lived in sin? Commit the same sin over and over again. Remember, as Apostle Paul says, “by grace you have been saved, through faith” (Ephesians 2:8).

Or when a church member confront you of a sin? You have Matthew 7:1 ready in your back pocket. “Do not judge, or you too will be judged.”

For some reason, we actually have King James waiting, “Judge not, lest ye be judged.” So people use this as an excuse to ignore people who call out their sins.

Context

Reading Ephesians 2 in context, Apostle Paul is calling on us to live a life away from sin: As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world… (Eohesians 2:1-2a). And our faith should be followed with good works: For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works… (Ephesians 2:10a).

If we are to read Ephesians 2:1-10 in context, it would say, “We are saved by God’s grace, not good works. Because of God’s grace, we are called to put away our sins and live the life God calls us to live. The outpouring of knowing God is, indeed, good works.”

Same thing with Matthew 7:1. Fortunately, Jesus straightforwardly explains in verse 3-5.

“Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.”

This is simple to read in context. “Don’t judge. First, deal with the issue in your life and then help your brothers and sisters deal with the identical issues that they are dealing with.”

The Devil Is In The Details

What other verses are twisted? Jeremiah 29:11: “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future”? What about Philippians 4:13: I can do all this through him (Jesus Christ) who gives me strength.

It is dangerous to read these verse out of context.

Jeremiah 29 is a letter to Jewish captives who will spend 70 years in captivity before the Lord will liberate them. Yet, we use it to draw people into the church. But when a woman miscarries, or you lose the job, or your loved one dies, what then?

One verse prior to the coffee mug imprinted verse of Philippians 4:13 is 4:12. It reads, I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.

If you don’t get the job, if you don’t pass the test, if you don’t get the girl, should we exclude the verse altogether? No! God is still sovereign. Be content in much and in little, “For I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.” Your strength is not in your circumstance, it’s in Christ.

The Baby And The Bath Water

Back in the day, before modern luxuries of running water, a family would all bathe in the same water. Not all at once, mind you. First the father would bathe, when he got out, then the mother, then the oldest to the youngest child. So when it was time to throw out the water, it was so filthy that you could hardly see through it. And the sayin came, “Don’t throw out the baby with the bath water.”

Now, I just jumped through a few verses that are often read out of context. Should we “Throw out the baby (the verses) with the bathwater (the things that don’t apply to us)”? Of course not. The Bible is a historical account of the God of Israel moving and doing things. And as Hebrews 4:12 says that “the Word of God is alive and active…”

I mention in my book, “God: The Master of Sin and Satan The Beautiful”, Satan doesn’t mind if you believe in God. He doesn’t mind if you read the Bible just as long as you don’t repent of sin and live for God.

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Michael Furlonger Vs. Francis Chan (Emotional Spirituality)

~ Michael Furlonger ~ Leave a comment

In the video below, Michael shares his concern for people who are left with doubts due to emotional spirituality.

Michael Furlonger shares his thoughts after watching a video by Francis Chan on the topic of genuinely loving Jesus Christ. His great concern is this new emotional spirituality or sentimentalism that has flooded many churches. So Michael took time to discuss what Francis Chan lacked in his teaching.

Make it clear that Michael also didn’t go on a personal attack of Francis Chan. Michael’s main concern was for those who are left with fear and doubt of their faith.

Verses:

  • John 1:1-5, 14
  • Romans 1:20
  • 2 Peter 1:3-11
Selections from the Conversations and Unpublished Writings of Rev. Edward Payson, D.D., Late of Portland

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Living in the Light

~ Joanne Guarnieri Hagemeyer ~ Leave a comment

Like you, I have been experiencing the whole spectrum of grief, horror, shock, and even shame as I read the news. I read what my friends have shared, watch the news clips, and pray.  

I have kept asking God what one person can do?

How can one person, how can I bring God’s grace? Jesus’ healing love and transforming power into such a broken and hurting nation?

Will my vote help? Does my heart aching help?

Will my wishing things could be better help?

Will my prayer help?

And the Lord has been giving answers—giving wisdom through unexpected conversations. God’s giving practical advice through a midweek sermon, and giving God’s own word in scripture.

Today’s short talk—originally given at New Hope Chapel—is a lot of scripture, a little Tony Evans, and some thoughts on Jesus.

It is from my heart to yours.

Grace and Peace, Joanne

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Love by Ron Clark

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Let’s look at the “agape” or brotherly love of the Bible.  Love for fellow Christians and our brothers.  No matter the degree of relationship, Christ calls us to have “agape” love for the other person.  This means consideration for their best interest, especially their salvation.

Let’s define “brother” as Jesus defined him: our “brother” is the whole world and remember Matt. 22:37 calls for us to, “Love your neighbor as yourself.” 

Paul tells us, “This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of God’s people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God.” (2 Corinthians 9:12)

I believe that implies we are to yield ourselves to God and bring the “Good News” to others.  The “Good News” is salvation through Jesus Christ and for floundering Christians, it is the “recovery” of their personal relationship with Jesus Christ.   Every step we take is about growing our faith in God and we want our faith to live within us.

James 2:17 warns us, “Faith by itself if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.” 

Carrying the message, the “Good News” is the action or works. 

Action feeds our faith; it is evidence of our living faith in God.  We have faith in God, so even if witnessing frightens us, we carry the Word in obedience to our Savior.  As you carry the message you will grow to care about the salvation of “total strangers” and their spiritual welfare.  As you’re caring grows, so grows the character of Christ within you and then other changes begin to take place.

First of all, fear begins to fade.  Thankfully, love drives out fear.  Fear is the source of anxiety, anger, resentment, fatigue, and often ill health.  Fear raises your blood pressure, your hunger response, and blood sugar.  As your fear fades, these problems will begin to fade as well.

As your desire to carry the “Good News” grows, your dependence upon God the Holy Spirit grows as well.   You depend on God to keep you in His will and you depend on the Holy Spirit for daily guidance.  It follows that you will go back to God’s word, the Bible, to learn more about Him. 

This is the goal of any service we perform in the name of Jesus. 

Not only do we carry the “Good News” on our tongues, but we also carry it within the very example of how we live and serve.  In 1 Corinthians 16:14, it says, “Do everything in love.”  If your actions are motivated by and performed in love, your brothers will see that very love which is modeled after Jesus.  

L—love God first

O—open up to healthy relationships

V—verify your love through works

E—embrace service for others

Luke 8:16-19 tells us, “No one lights a lamp and hides it in a jar or puts it under a bed.  Instead, he puts it on a stand, so that those who come in can see the light.  For there is nothing hidden that will not be disclosed and nothing concealed that will not be known or brought out into the open.  Therefore, consider carefully how you listen.”

How you live shows what you believe, you can’t hide it.  Let your life show your love and your faith.  

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