But as I kept walking, God reminded me that he wants something more of me: I am not supposed to judge nor just simply walk by. Instead of just walking by, maybe I should have smiled at the kids, said hello, or tried to show them that I cared. I want to live out my beliefs—I want to glorify God. I want to truly show love. If we are to glorify God, we must truly love the people around us—all of them.
We must love the rich and the impoverished, the mean and the nice, the whole and the broken. Whether we like it or not, this is what we are called to do. The needy are not just the people who live on the streets. The needy are the ones who are alone. And we can be here for them. We can ask them what they need, and we can do our best to empower them—thus shining the light of God. I am here to glorify God. I am here to love the whole world. I am here to love all of the people in the world.
How can I show them love best? I can show them I love them by empowering them. I can be here for them. Becoming like Christ is called discipleship. The fourth purpose God created you for is this: you were shaped for service. God made you to serve Him. In Christ Jesus, God made us to do good works, which God planned in advance for us to live our lives doing. Every Christian is created to serve — called to ministry, created for ministry, saved for ministry, gifted for ministry.
The Bible makes it very clear that every Christian is a minister. Not every Christian is a pastor, but every Christian is a minister because to be Christ-like is to be a minister.
What is ministry? The Bible teaches that God uniquely wired you in a certain way for a purpose. We are stewards of everything God gave us, and you were shaped for service. God gave you your abilities for service. God gave you your abilities — not for your benefit — but to bless other people. So why did God make you? The Bible says that you were shaped for service — God wired you in a unique way to make a contribution. You were put on this earth to make a contribution.
You need both. You need a ministry to believers, and you need a mission to unbelievers. And that is bringing lost children back to Jesus. That is what God cares about more than anything else. Paul was extremely passionate about this particular purpose. My dad was a man on a mission. He was a pastor for 50 years, but died a few years ago of cancer.
The last week of his life he was delusional, and my wife and I were sitting beside him. One night he became agitated and tried to get out of bed. Please lay back down in the bed. Gotta save one more for Jesus. As I sat there by his bedside, I put my head down — praying — tears were coming down my cheeks.
Save one more for Jesus. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Beloved, we are God's children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man.
God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.
No one comes to the Father except through me. And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit.
For the body does not consist of one member but of many. I give thanks to you, O Lord my God, with my whole heart, and I will glorify your name forever. In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. And God saw that the light was good. And God separated the light from the darkness.
God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day. There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love.
By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. But in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect,.
Not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near. And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.
For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. He predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will,.
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth. To one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability.
Then he went away.
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