When we embrace Life with the Father, we leave a legacy for the generations that follow us, along with countless others who are watching us to see if what we believe actually makes a difference.
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When we walk in love, as God’s Children, we know that we will come under attack from the Devil, as well as the world around us. Although we know it’s coming, sometimes it can still catch us by surprise…and even cause us to stumble and fall. We must, therefore, pay close attention to Jesus and remain devoted to His Word, so that we might know the truth and remain close to the Father.
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To live as God’s Children is to have faith in Jesus and to do the things Jesus does. When we do, we have confidence and power and eternal life.
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Sometimes it’s hard to tell what is true and what is not, what is right and what is wrong, because evil loves to disguise itself as something good. To help us know and do what is right, God the Father gives us His Son, Jesus, who lives within us by the Holy Spirit.
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Just like with our human parents, God’s children grow up to look like Him. And just like human children often struggle to obey their parents, we can struggle to obey our Heavenly Father … but that doesn’t stop Him from loving us and calling us back to Him and to who we truly are.
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As God’s Children, we are filled with His love, which covers over all of our sin and fills us with His light. It only makes sense, then, for us to love one another, just like Jesus has loved us.
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Life. True Life. Eternal Life. John, the Disciple whom Jesus loved, invites us to explore the beauty and power of Life with the Father, as he learned it firsthand from Jesus, God’s Son, and now shares it with all of God’s children.
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Do you ever wonder if what you are doing really makes a difference? In such a big world with so may people around us and so much going on, it’s easy to feel insignificant. Foolish as it may sound, Jesus promises us that every one of us is stunningly unique and has a part to play in God’s work in the world. When we embrace that promise, we have confidence that we really can make a lasting difference by what we do.
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You may have heard it said, “You can’t teach an old dog new tricks.” Maybe you believe it’s true…especially when it comes to you. Foolish as it may sound, Jesus says that we CAN actually change, no matter how old we are or how set we are in our ways.
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We all tend to avoid suffering at all costs. And that makes sense. Yet some people seem to thrive despite amazingly difficult circumstances. Some even claim they would not change a thing after a time of suffering because of the change that suffering brought into their life. As foolish as it sounds, we believe that God can actually transform our suffering into blessing both for us and for those around us.
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Everyone has made mistakes and carries around the scars to prove it. Most of us, however, are pretty good at hiding them, even from ourselves. Eventually, feelings of regret, shame, and guilt will catch up with us, causing us to wonder if we will ever find healing. Foolish as it may sound, Jesus promises that we can find freedom and healing through His free gift of forgiveness...no matter what we've done in the past.
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Central to the Christian faith is the belief that Jesus proved that He was who He claimed to be by rising from the dead. Without this miracle Jesus is just another false messiah -- deluded into believing He was the son of God and foolishly giving His life to save the world. But the resurrection proves that Jesus' death rescued us all and that His mission to restore God's creation is accomplished. Best of all, Jesus taught that, because He lives, we shall live also! He is the first fruits of all who believe. We too will one day rise again!
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The scene was strangely familiar, at least to those with good memories. A beloved son, destined to die, was on his way up the mountain. The donkey. The wood for the sacrifice. It was all there! Why would God demand such a sacrifice? Why would the young man go along with it? What good could possibly come from this?
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On at least two occasions, Jesus miraculously fed thousands of people, multiplying just a few loaves of bread and fish to supply all that was needed. That same multiplying power is present in us, as we accept His invitation to extend our ministry to make even more disciples.
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It's time to get started connecting people to Jesus. We all know that this is the mission that we, the Church, have been tasked with. Making it happen, though, is another story. This week you'll be challenged to make this mission a reality in your life through the story of how Prince of Peace in Palatine started a brand new church just a few short years ago.
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The disciples or followers of Jesus were taken to many places because they followed Jesus and some of those places were not comfortable for them. So where are those uncomfortable places for me, today? They are crossing cultural barriers, going deeper in relationships, and having a solid understanding of who I am and who God is.
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Question: Where do we most often find the largest number of new believers in Jesus? Answer: Where churches do something new to share the love of Jesus with the people in their community.
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Way back at the beginning, God planted the seeds for multiplication deep into the DNA of His people, starting with Adam and Abraham, catching fresh wind with Jesus' disciples, and continuing to this day. In fact, the Gospel compels God's people towards a multiplication mentality in a way that can't be ignored.
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Discipling others is not optional for those who wish to follow Jesus. It's what we were put on Earth to do! None of us drift towards discipleship, so we need to build some intentionality into it to get started and stay on track.
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When we watch Jesus making disciples in the Gospels, we observe a pattern that we can replicate. While it seems presumptuous to invite others to follow us, we can find relief when we remember that they are not so much imitating us as imitating Jesus.
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