The Living God - From His Heart - December 8

THE LIVING GOD

I write so that you may know how one ought to conduct himself in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and support of the truth.
1 Timothy 3:15

When I was a kid growing up, my parents had my siblings and me in church every Sunday. To be totally honest, the church I attended was BOOORRRIING (with a capital B - bold, italics, and underlined). Minutes seemed like hours as we slugged through another service steeped with ritual, routine, and lifelessness.

Does that sound familiar to anyone? Can anyone relate to a boring church experience? Can anyone relate to church being like bad tasting medicine you have to take in order to get well? Is that what church is to be... an hour or so of bad medicine, boredom, and irrelevance. Did Jesus give His life for that? ABSOLUTELY NOT!

THE CHURCH OF THE LIVING GOD

Paul told Pastor Timothy that church was a meeting with the living God. Meeting with the living God is exciting... and exuberant... and powerful... and joyful... and life-changing. We worship and serve a RISEN SAVIOR who was dead and is alive forevermore (Rev. 1:18). And this living God, the Lord Jesus, is in the life transformation business.

How are you doing with life transformation? Are you moving on with the Lord... or have you gotten stuck in a rut? Remember, the Bible was not given to us for information, but for transformation. The Lord wants us to grow each and everyday in our relationship with Him so that we can be more like Jesus in the way we act and react.

NEVER STOP GROWING

How has your life changed in the past week? Are you seeing the Lord work in and through you on a consistent basis? If not, why not? The Bible says, "For it is God who is at work in you, but to will and to work for His good pleasure" (Phil. 2:13).

So many people grow to a point and then stop. They may continue to learn more biblical information, but their lives quit changing... and the kindness, love, joy and power of the Holy Spirit is no longer evident in them. How sad.

Maybe that very thing has happened to you. How can you jump start your Christian life?

1. Get honest with God about the stagnation in your life (Ps. 62:8).
2. Confess your pride and complacency to Him (1 John 1:9).
3. Spend time with the Lord everyday (Matt. 6:33).
4. Fill your life with praise music and lots of thanksgiving (Ps. 22:3, 1 Thes. 5:18).
5. Begin memorizing Scripture... a verse every week or two (Ps. 119:11).
6. Start telling people about Jesus who died and rose again (2 Cor. 5:20).
7. Start inviting people to church with you (Jn. 1:46).

May the Lord begin a fresh new work in you this day as you get yourself back on track with the living God!

Love,

Pastor Jeff Schreve,
From His Heart Ministries

Dr. Jeff Schreve believes that no matter how badly you may have messed up in life, God still loves you and has a wonderful plan just for you. From His Heart provides real truth, love and hope on over 700 radio stations each day, in 182 countries each week on TV, and is always available online. Pastor Jeff takes no income from this ministry. All donations go to furthering the broadcast outreach. As a listener/viewer supported ministry, we thank you for joining with us to help speak the truth in love to a lost and hurting world. Go to www.fromhisheart.org for more information.

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