Hello Loved Ones of God
How are my fellow brothers and sisters this week? I hope you are staying strong and focused on Jesus each day. Depending on where you live in this wonderful country, the temperature sure is starting to really heat up! I hope your spiritual temperature is heating up as well. Hopefully you are already steaming hot, and on fire for God through His Son Jesus Christ! If you are already steaming hot, you have already experienced your own personal revival as you grow and mature in your relationship with God. God desires for us to step out of our comfortable Christian lives. He equips us to respond when He calls us, from being cold or lukewarm in our spiritual lives, to hot and on fire for Him! Will we respond faithfully, or stay comfortable?
In 2Chronicles 30, After purifying the Lord’s Temple, King Hezekiah, called all Israel to come and return to God; to celebrate the Passover of the Lord, the God of Israel. When the couriers went out to all Israel, some responded by laughing and mocking at the King. But some humbled themselves and came to Israel to celebrate the Passover with their brothers. Those who joined in the celebration experienced great rejoicing and reconciliation with God.
Even today, God calls each of us to turn away from the sinful influences of this world, and turn to Him for all we need. This includes Christians who may be comfortable but are not serving God’s purposes and will for their lives. The people who respond to God’s call and step out in faith, even when it is uncomfortable, are truly blessed. They are the ones who will trust God in what ever He asks of them. Each time they trust God and walk in faith before Him, they grow stronger spiritually. The stronger they get, the more they desire to serve God in all His ways, and they become so on fire for God, that there is nothing that can put out that fire! When God’s children respond to His call, they are set apart for Him. Just as the potter works and squeezes and presses on the pot or jar, we too need God’s hand on us to shape us up. As we allow our lives to be submitted to God, He can then continually shape each person into His beautiful creation He originally intended for them. Remember even the pot, once it is done being shaped, then goes through the furnace. This is where God slowly clears out all the sin and hurt in our lives, making us even purer and stronger for Him, just like the clay jar. If we don’t respond to God’s call for our lives, we will miss out on these many wonderful opportunities to grow spiritually.
Once we respond to God’s call, He will work out in our lives the right people who love God, to come into our lives to help us serve God better. These strong relationships with other Christians who are called to work with us are priceless. As we grow together to serve God’s purposes we grow even stronger as servants of God.
I am so grateful for God’s great love for me and for the beautiful way He wooed me and loved me to Himself; which caused me to accept His call for my life, and enter into this wonderful relationship with Him. But it didn’t stop there. As I grew, God was working behind the scenes, in the lives of other people whom He would call to work with me in our service for Him. In God’s perfect timing, He brought us together. Then with God’s help, we began to grow even more. Over several years we have become a strong fellowship who loves each other. With each of our individual gifts, we are able to help each other as we do the work of God for His Kingdom. I don’t know about you, but a year or so before this happed, when I read about others who served God as a fellowship, I deeply desired that for myself. I praise God for working so powerfully in my life in this way.
How about you? Is God calling you to step out of your comfort zone and step into His individually designed purposes for your life? If so, the first step you can do is follow as He guides you. Then keep following His guidance and you will see your faith grow and your spiritual growth increase until you look back and see that you are no longer that comfortable Christian. You are on fire for God because you love Him deeply; even more than your life. Remember, there is no one, not even God, who can take this step for you. You must make that decision for yourself and then faithfully follow the One who gave up everything to save you. Then as you grow, when you know what God desires of you, even if it is difficult, you desire nothing else but to receive His help to accomplish the task He has asked of you. This life brings great joy in just knowing that you are serving your Savior and Lord.
“Whoever serves Me must follow Me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves Me.” John12:26
“If anyone would come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for Me will find it.” Matthew 16:24-25
“Put your trust in the Light while you still have it, so that you may become sons of Light. John 12:36
Ask God to help you sense His leading in your life. Then, when you sense His leading, follow it whole heartedly. Remember, stay true to God by testing everything by His Word the Holy Bible, then you will keep from following anything false. Rest in His perfect will for your life as He leads you where you could have never imagined; fulfilling your deepest desires, that God created in you.
Let’s read 2Chronicles 25-36 for one more week.
Love Tricia
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