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When we try to teach, preach or evangelize through our own strength and capability, we will not be successful in delivering the true message of redemption.  The work of revealing Jesus is the responsibility of the Holy Spirit within us.  If we let the Holy Spirit lead us, the outpouring of the Holy Spirit will be our product.

Fundamentally, it is not our job to convert people.  It is our job to have people drawn to us through our living testimony.  Once drawn to us, then Jesus is revealed to them as the way, the truth and the life.  The conversion of souls is the work of Jesus Christ.  To Him goes all the glory.

We are the vessels of the living water that dwells within us.  We are the lanterns for the light that shines from us.  We are the place that others can go to share in the fruits of the Holy Spirit – love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.  We are temples of the Holy Spirit of Jesus Christ.

Nothing that flows through us to others is of ourselves.  It all originates from the perfection of the Holy Spirit within us.  Our responsibility is to keep the temple undefiled so that the Holy Spirit can operate freely in our lives.

New government leader, new boss, new co-worker, new neighbor, new acquaintance, new friend – not a single one of them are new in our lives by chance.  God has placed them all in our lives to teach us new things about ourselves. 

It seems impossible that all the people placed around us are there for our good.  But our God is the God of the impossible and He loves us so much that He goes to all lengths to meet our needs.  He places people all around us to mold us into who He created us to be.  Some of the people will challenge us, some will aid us or support us and some will need our aid or support.  All of the people around us can benefit us if we take the time to realize that they are not there by chance.  They are there as part of God’s plan for our lives.

Have you ever heard someone say, “I am not worried, things always work out for the best”?  Whether that person has looked at that statement from a spiritual perspective is unknown.  What is known is that if that person is a Christian, a look back from a spiritual standpoint will reveal the hand of God in each circumstance that “worked out”.

God is faithful to His Word.  In accordance with Romans 8:28,  “And we know that in all things God works for the good<span class="crossreference" style="background-color: white; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;" value="(A)”> of those who love him, who have been called<span class="crossreference" style="background-color: white; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;" value="(B)”> according to his purpose.”  No matter what today looks like, we can trust in The Lord to work out all the details for our eternal good.

When we were without Christ, we were not capable of standing against the powers that sought to destroy us.  In the darkness, we could not see that we were being led into a life that would never be totally satisfying.  We could not understand that by settling for what the world had to offer, we fell short of receiving all the riches of Our Heavenly Father.

But now that we have allowed the light of Jesus to come into our lives, we can see the new man for the first time and see all the potential that he has.  We can understand that our renewal was made available to us through Our Savior.  As we draw near to Him, we realize that He will help us to receive all that Our Heavenly Father has prepared for us here on earth and in heaven.

In the days of slavery, the slave was keenly aware of who his owner was and what his owner expected of him.  When the slave had a good master, he could see the value in the provision he was given in exchange for his service.  The well treated slave often delighted in pleasing the good master.

As Christians, we not only have a good master, but a perfect Master in Jesus.  We should delight in meeting every calling that He places on our lives.

Most diets are built on “dos” and “don’ts”.  Don’t eat this type of food.  Do eat another type.  Don’t eat at certain times.  Do eat at other specified times.  Don’t eat too much of this.  Do eat more of that.  For many this regimen is only sustainable for a short period of time.  Ultimately the diet fails.  The flesh is not capable of overcoming the desire to satisfy self.  The people who win at dieting are generally the ones who diet for a higher purpose than losing weight, e. g., “I want to be healthy so I can enjoy my family more.”  

Similarly, obedience to God for obedience sake is doomed for failure.  Obedience to God based on our love for The Lord and our desire to please Him is the way.  We must learn to lean on His Spirit and not our own.

Once we accept Christ as Our Savior, the Holy Spirit comes to dwell within us.  The Lord then begins to use us as vessels to carry and share His perfect love and forgiveness.  But first, we must be broken of those things in our lives that would hinder the flow of God’s love through us.

As we submit to the reign of Christ in our lives, we will experience trials and heartbreak.  These trials are allowed by God to create brokenness in our lives.  These same trials will be used by God to create the cracks in us as living vessels of the Lord’s love.  These cracks will then become the portals from which His love will flow through us unhindered by our frailties.

“Because of our faith, Christ has brought us to this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory.” Romans 5:2

Consequently we can approach every moment of our life, whether it be fraught with good or bad news, with unabated joy and peace.  We can experience this level of supernatural joy by building up our faith in Almighty God through our reading of His Holy Word and through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit within us.

Our faith comes into play when we encounter pain, conflict and/or disorder in our lives.  Our natural human reaction is to try to fix everything ourselves.  All too often, we do not turn to God until we have exhausted our own failed initiatives.

God wants us to turn to Him first in all matters of our lives.  He wants us to grow into a place where we trust Him for everything we need.  We will only reach this place of trust by seeking an intimate relationship with Jesus Christ.