God Loves Like a Mother

 A young Christian woman was going for a walk when she felt a strong prompting from God. She must walk over to a crazy looking, possibly dangerous young man. She must tell him that Jesus loves him.

 She ignored the prompting and walked on, but she could not shake off the conviction that God wanted her to speak to this wild looking man. 

She finally obeyed. When she told him that Jesus loves him, he was overwhelmed with emotion and hugged her warmly. She was more than uncomfortable, but she didn't resist. Then he told her he had come to this place to kill himself, but now he had changed his mind. She had saved his life.

She then sat down with him and explained the Gospel of Jesus. Jesus is the Son of God and he died on the cross to pay the penalty for his sins. If he put his faith in Jesus, and put his whole life in God’s hands, he would be forgiven and have eternal life with God.

He believed and he had a whole new life.

Years later the young woman died of COVID. When she was in heaven, Jesus showed her a crowd of people who had believed and gone to heaven because of the ministry of the young man she had talked to. He had become an evangelist and many people were in heaven because of his preaching. 

Although the woman was happily married, she did not want to leave heaven and go back to her life on earth. But then Jesus reminded her of her 15 year old daughter. Jesus sent her back to earth and healed her. 

She was willing to leave heaven because her daughter needed a mother’s love.

Jesus was in Heaven with the Father, but he was willing to leave the happiness of heaven because you and I needed to know the love of God.

There is no greater earthly love than the love of a mother for her child. This is a picture of how God loves you and me.

God tells us about this in the Bible.

But Zion said, “The LORD has forsaken me; my Lord has forgotten me.” 
Can a woman forget her nursing child or show no compassion for the child of her womb? Even these might forget, yet I will not forget you. 
See, I have inscribed you on the palms of my hands; your walls are continually before me. Is 49:14–16 NRSVue

In the Old Testament, God told the Jews he loved them with the love of a mother. In the New Testament, we see that God loves the world with the same intense love. That includes you and me.

“For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life. Jn 3:16 NRSVue

Recently I read news report of a mother whose house was on fire. She rushed into the blazing inferno and rescued her six children. She was terribly burned on most of her body. She was in a coma for two weeks but she survived.

This is how God loves you and me. Jesus not only left heaven to suffer on earth, but he suffered the most painful possible execution to pay the penalty for our sins.
Jesus is reaching out to you and me now. He wants to give you a new life.

“Come to me, all you who are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Mt 11:28 NRSVue

You can talk to Jesus now. He is waiting for your call for help.

Small Steps Great Blessings

 In the past, God raised up outstanding preachers, missionaries and heroes of faith in this world. I think of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Reinhard Bonnke and Billy Graham. 

Evangelists and Bible teachers are still important, but God's purpose is to equip completely unknown and seemingly ordinary people to establish His kingdom in the end times. God wants to work miracles through you and me. 

History books tell us about great generals who won important battles, but who actually fought? The foot soldiers. Without foot soldiers, pilots, technicians or sailors, famous leaders are powerless.

A young Christian began to pray every morning at 6 o'clock in church. Gradually, other Christians came to pray with him. The Holy Spirit began to bless the entire congregation in a wonderful way.
 
A pastor had a desire to evangelise in his town. He wanted to preach on the radio, but he had little money. Someone in his congregation realised that the pastor needed a computer, and he gave the pastor his first computer. Now this preacher has a weekly radio program. 

I was working in the garden recently. I hurt my back. In the middle of the night, I lay awake in bed. I prayed that Jesus would heal my back. I received an impulse from the Holy Spirit. I had to get up and anoint my own back with olive oil in the kitchen. I lay in bed for a few minutes and then obeyed. When I got up in the morning, my back was much better.

An Indian Christian woman had a friend who was Hindu. She invited her friend to attend her church service. The pastor gave the Hindu woman a New Testament and she read a little every evening. One evening, Jesus himself came into her bedroom and spoke to her. Then she was no longer Hindu.

A friendly invitation. A small gift. A wonderful visit from Jesus.

Jesus wants to use your small acts of obedience to save people.

What can you do today or this week? Move forward step by step.

Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Gal 6:9 NIV

How does God see you?

 I just read about Kathryn Kuhlman, a famous American preacher. She had amazing spiritual gifts, preaching, word of knowledge and healings.

She said the secret of her ministry was complete surrender to God. Not my will, but your will be done.
I feel I should be inspired by this, but I feel overwhelmed and intimidated.

As a new convert, I was in a church that preached complete surrender and absolute obedience, week after week, sermon after sermon. The pressure was unbearable and I had a complete nervous breakdown.

So what do you do if you know your trust in God is not at this level? The preacher tells you that if you don’t put your whole life on the altar without reservations, God will not bless you or use you.
So you feel guilty, unloved, a spiritual failure, or even condemned and afraid of God’s judgement.

So if you read testimonies of great faith heroes, and you feel discouraged rather than inspired, what do you do?

Firstly, don't compare yourself with other believers.

What if Luke compared himself with Paul? There is no record in the bible of Luke healing the sick, preaching to crowds or raising the dead.

Luke knew he did not have the same gifts as Paul. He knew he could not do everything Paul did, but he did not let that stop him doing the things that he could do. 

He researched and recorded the history of the earthly life of Jesus in the Gospel of Luke.

Secondly, ask God how He sees you right now?

Does he want you to give up something? Or maybe not. Does he want you do do something new? Or maybe not.

Does he want you to keep doing what you are doing? Or maybe not.

Does he want you to dedicate your life in a new way? Or maybe rather rest in his love and mercy just as you are.

Ask God how he sees you right now. You can be sure he will show you his love.

Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, Rom 8:1 NIV

So now, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith in his promises, we can have real peace with him because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us.

For because of our faith, he has brought us into this place of highest privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to actually becoming all that God has had in mind for us to be. Rom 5:1–2 The Living Bible, Paraphrased

Don't let what you can’t do stop you from doing what you can do.

Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many.
Now if the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body.

And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body.

If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? 1 Cor 12:14–17 NIV

Disciples of Jesus not People Pleasers

 In the ancient world of the Bible, prosperity was an experience for the few. Many were poor day labourers and many were simply slaves. When we read the teachings of Jesus, he often speaks of poor day labourers, servants and slaves.

He sat down, called the twelve, and said to them, “Whoever wants to be first must be last of all and servant of all.” Mk 9:35 NRSV

When the Jewish disciples were doing missionary work among the non-Jews, a whole new movement of God came into being. The time came when the majority of the disciples were no longer Jewish.

In the Roman Empire, the economic system was based on slavery. Many of the first Christians were slaves. They had virtually no rights. They had to obey every command and fulfil every wish of their masters.

St Paul wrote that Christian slaves should obey their masters. Otherwise the master was allowed to whip or kill his slave.

Slaves, obey your earthly masters with fear and trembling, in singleness of heart, as you obey Christ;
How are we to understand this teaching from Jesus today? Eph 6:5 NRSV

…  whoever wishes to be first among you must be slave of all.
For the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many.” Mk 10:44–45 NRSV

There are Christians who feel obliged to fulfil every wish of their family, every request of their boss, every instruction of their pastor, as if they were slaves and everyone around them their master.

This is exactly how they understand Jesus' teaching that they should be the slave of all. But is that actually true?

Jesus was obedient as a child, but as a preacher he was different. He was always willing to help. He wanted to do good to everyone, but he was not there to do the bidding of the religious leaders.

If everyone is your master, you cannot follow Jesus.

“No one can serve two masters; for a slave will either hate the one and love the other, or be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth. Mt 6:24 NRSV

God promises to provide for our natural needs. I do not find any glorification of poverty in the Bible. But there are Christians who spread an extreme doctrine of prosperity. That's where I sometimes see greed showing up.

Greed can be your master, but it is not only greed that can distract us from true discipleship.

“Whoever comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and even life itself, cannot be my disciple. Lk 14:26 NRSV

So should you hate your family? God forbid! The Bible teaches us to honour our parents.

Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, Eph 5:25 NRSV

So what did Jesus mean?

If you are a follower of Jesus, your love and loyalty to Jesus must be greater than your obligation to please your family, your friends, your church, or your church leaders.

Christians who always feel obliged to fulfil the expectations of others may be in heaven after they die, but they cannot follow Jesus here on earth.

Those who say yes to Jesus must often be able to say no to others.

Your Life is a Work in Progress

 God is our creator. If you have achieved some things, who gave you your talents?

For who makes you different from anyone else? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not? 1 Cor 4:7 NIV

Do you have a very good knowledge of the Bible? There is always someone who understands better. Who gave you a mind to understand?

We cannot understand anything of God's truth without the grace and revelation that comes only from the Holy Spirit.

Unless the LORD builds the house, the builders labour in vain. Unless the LORD watches over the city, the guards stand watch in vain. Ps 127:1 NIV

Imagine you're working on a building site. The architect is a genius. His plans are available, but you want to design everything yourself. A bit silly, isn't it?

Your life is a building site. We are all a work in progress.

Paul, the great apostle, knew that he had not reached God's holy perfection.

Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Php 3:12 NIV

God has given you his plans. You have the Bible, the Word of God. But how can we understand God's deep wisdom in the Bible? God has given us his Spirit.

If you have given your life into Jesus' hands, He has given you His Spirit. Do you know the Holy Spirit personally? Or is the Spirit of God just a theological concept for you?

“If you love me, keep my commands.
And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— Jn 14:15–16 NIV

Without Jesus we are lost and without God. If you trust Jesus and want to follow him, he will forgive your sins. Firstly, Jesus says that he wants our love. If we love him, we will obey his commandments.

But what Jesus is asking is impossible. It's like telling your five-year-old son to build his own house, get married, find a job and have children.

That is why Jesus promises in the next verse that He will give us His Holy Spirit as our counsellor, who alone can enable us to live a life with God. The Holy Spirit can do this because He Himself is God.

The first disciples could only follow Jesus because Jesus was with them.

That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched—this we proclaim concerning the Word of life. 1 Jn 1:1 NIV

Jesus wants to give us an experience of God's presence that is just as tangible as the fellowship of the first apostles with Jesus before the cross and then after his resurrection.

Have I come that far? Not yet, although I have wonderful experiences with God.

Like Paul, I can say.

Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Php 3:12 NIV

Just do it!

 A life without a clear goal is like a ship without a rudder. No matter how virtuous you are, your life goes in circles, leading to no fulfilment. You will be frustrated and stuck.

David prayed in a psalm:

“LORD, let me know my end, and what is the measure of my days; let me know how fleeting my life is. Ps 39:4 NRSV

What are the secret dreams in your heart of hearts?

Your dream could be the key that opens the door to your destiny.
But your dreams will lead to nothing without God.

On the other hand, we all need order in our lives. We all have duties that we have to fulfil. Without discipline, without routine, life becomes chaotic. Without order, your dreams permanently remain just dreams.

If you have a goal, you have to act, you have to do something.
If there is no order, can a family or a business function?

A football team needs a strict training routine. Everyone has to be on top form. Daily discipline is absolutely essential.  

But what is the goal?
Fitness? Punctuality at training sessions? Always obeying the trainer?
No.
    - Your goal is to win football matches.

And what is your goal as a team member? To be a good footballer? Partly for sure.

A champion team never consists of eleven good footballers.
You need first-class midfielders, defenders, strikers and goalkeepers.

But even that is not enough. You need fitness coaches, physiotherapists, sports psychologists and, in today's world, computer technicians.

Are you a Christian?
Do you want to be a good Christian? What does your routine look like?
Are you faithful and reliable in prayer and Bible study? Are you punctual and regular in meetings?

There's nothing wrong with that.
But what is the goal in your Christian life?

Are you a midfielder or a goalkeeper? Are you a fitness trainer or a sports psychologist?

We need to win people for Jesus, but what is your role and where is your mission field?
Are you gifted to evangelise on the street or blog on the internet?
Are you called to serve as a nurse in a mission in Africa or as a social worker in California?
Are you called to work in an office and pray for your colleagues with genuine love?

What is your thing?

• Some fast a lot and pray for hours in intercessory service.

• Others help the homeless, asylum seekers or prostitutes.

• Are you a housewife or a retired widow?

• Maybe you have a mission as a friendly neighbour and intercessor.

• Our cities need friendly neighbours.

What's your thing?
If you're not sure, you can still start doing something.

• You can ask God to give you direction.

• You can pray every morning, ‘’Dear God, what is on your heart?

• You can pray, ‘’Who should I contact today?

• Or ‘’How should I pray for my family or friends today?

• Or ‘’What is your priority for my life right now?

When you get a clear impression, don't push the thought aside.

Don't let yourself be distracted. Do something.

If you have a goal, you have to act, you have to do something. But if you act without a goal, you will remain stuck despite all your efforts.

If you don't have a goal, you probably won't achieve one.

For surely I know the plans I have for you, says the LORD, plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope. Jer 29:11 NRSV

Don’t be distracted.
Ask God for wisdom and then ... Do something.

Healings and Miracles Today

There are Christians who are enthusiastic about signs and wonders. Some of these Christians love Jesus with all their heart and have an intimate relationship with God.

Others seem to be enthusiastic about miracles, but their lives show no deep love for God and little love for their neighbour.

Jesus is our role model. His love for God and for us human beings moved him to sacrifice his life on the cross.

Through his death on the cross, his love was most clearly seen, but not only that. Everything Jesus did was motivated by his love.

We find the human life of God's Son in four books of the New Testament, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.

At the age of 30, he began his ministry as an itinerant preacher. Three years later he was arrested and executed on the cross.

A central aspect of his ministry was the signs and wonders, especially the very frequent miraculous healings.

We read again and again how his miracles were motivated by great compassion and mercy.

When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them and healed their sick. Mt 14:14 NIV

His teaching and preaching were motivated by the same compassion and love.

His healing ministry was inseparable from his ministry as a teacher and preacher.

Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people. Mt 4:23 NIV

There was no sickness before the first man and woman disobeyed God. In a sermon by Peter in the book of Acts, we see that sickness is the work of the devil.

And you know that God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. Then Jesus went around doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. Acts 10:38 NLT

After his resurrection, before he returned to the Father in heaven, Jesus declared that his disciples should continue the same supernatural ministry.

And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues;  

they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well.” Mk 16:17–18 NIV

This is supposed to be the normal behaviour of Christians.

‘’These signs will follow those who believe...‘’ so not only apostles.

We find a similar statement in the Gospel of John.

Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. Jn 14:12 NIV

But didn't Jesus warn that we can work miracles and still be condemned as sinners?

Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’

Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’ Mt 7:22–23 NIV

That is the tragic reality.

But some want to claim that all preachers in our time who really or supposedly work miracles are hypocrites.

Is it possible that a preacher blessed by God can work real miracles but end up being condemned as a sinner?

Judas Iscariot healed the sick, just as Peter and John did, but he betrayed Jesus and was condemned.

But if Jesus taught signs and wonders were important, we should also value miracles. He is our role model. We should believe for miracles and make sure we are motivated by love, as Jesus was and is.

 

You Can Know God as your Friend

 Jesus told his disciples that they were his friends. Why? Because he had told them everything he had heard from the Father in heaven.

I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. Jn 15:15 NIV

Jesus shared many heavenly truths with the Jews of his day, but far from everything.
If you share everything in your heart at the office or via Facebook, you are really foolish.

“Do not give what is holy to dogs, and do not throw your pearls before swine, or they will trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces. Mt 7:6 NASB95

Jesus is the best of all friends for you and me. You can trust Jesus with all your longings, all your problems and all your secrets.

But if you also want to be a close friend to Jesus, you have to be trustworthy.

The secret of the LORD is with those who fear Him, And He will show them His covenant. Ps 25:14 NKJV

You have secrets, and if you are a faithful friend, you will not betray the secrets of your friends.

Friendship with God is reserved for those who reverence him. With them alone he shares the secrets of his promises. Ps 25:14 The Living Bible, Paraphrased

There are Christians who are diligent in service, but they do not see their role as friends of God, but as servants or ministers.

The Prodigal Son returned to his father with this mindset.

I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you.

I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’
But when he arrived at his father's house, his father received him quite differently. Lk 15:18–19 NIV

But the father ordered his servants: ‘Quickly bring out the best robe and put it on him! Put a ring on his finger and bring him a pair of sandals!

“But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet.

Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate.

For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate. Lk 15:22–24 NIV

The prodigal son hoped to be with his father only as a servant. He was humble because he was ashamed. Those who genuinely humble themselves before God are honoured by God.

But there are also Christians who are proud in their service. This pride can exclude us from friendship with God.

God is not looking for Christians who serve because of shame or who are proud because of supposed achievements.

God is looking for Christians who are open to His love and who become faithful friends through their experiences of God's love.

Friendship with God

 The angels are perfect servants and we can never be perfect servants because we are not flawless here on earth. Nevertheless, God is looking for people like you and me. He wants to be your friend. You can become his friend too.

We all want to have good friends. Jesus is the best of all friends. He will always remain faithful to you. But God also wants to have good friends. .

I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. Jn 15:15 NIV

If you learn to trust Jesus deeply and intimately, he will share the secrets of his heart with you.

As faithful Jews, the disciples had learnt a lot about God. They knew Bible texts by heart. Some of them were already disciples of John the Baptist before they met Jesus.

Then they met Jesus. From that moment on, everything centred around Jesus.

I write blogs in German, even though my first language is English. God has commissioned me to do missionary work among German speakers. I am not flawless in German, but I have learnt German well.

How can you learn a foreign language really well? Through concentration! You have to focus intensively on the new language.

How can you know God well? Spend time paying close attention to His word and His presence.

The disciples became Jesus' companions. They followed him.

But you can also have companions without experiencing a great friendship. You can be travelling on a tourist bus or a cruise ship. Your companions are often just acquaintances.

For many Christians, the church is like a bus or a ship. Jesus may theoretically be the captain, but who has an intimate friendship with the captain?

Jesus invited the disciples to be his personal companions.

• Imagine the captain on a cruise ship invited you to eat at his table every day.

• Imagine that the Queen of England has invited you to live in her palace and eat at her table three times a day.

• Imagine you are a keen musician. Johann Sebastian Bach or Paul McCartney wants to invite you to live in his family home and be his student.

You are a friend of God if you know what God is doing.

How can you know what God is doing?

Only if God himself reveals or explains it to you.

How can you be sure that you are actually hearing God's voice? When you seek God's presence with all your heart, when you understand the Bible as a personal message from God.

You are my friends if you do what I command. Jn 15:14 NIV

God speaks to you because He loves you and He wants to have an intimate relationship with you.

But God also wants to help you and enable you to live a heavenly life.

“Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Mt 11:28 NASB95

If you really know Jesus personally, you will experience peace with God, not as a theological doctrine, but from your own experience.

Missionary Supernaturally Protected

 Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, Mt 28:19 NIV

Has this mission already been completed? Obviously not.

How are we, as disciples of the Lord Jesus, to carry out this task?

First baptise the newly converted. In countries where Hinduism, Buddhism or Islam prevail, the people do not take conversion seriously until someone is baptised. We need to understand this better and baptise the new Christians without delay.

But then we read an important command, which we also often neglect or brush aside.

Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Mt 28:20 NLT

Which of the Lord's commands must we pass on? All the commands. All of them.

What did Jesus command his first disciples to do?

Heal the sick, raise the dead, cure those with leprosy, and cast out demons. Give as freely as you have received! Mt 10:8 NLT

Until when are we to teach the Lord's commands? Until the end of the world.

We have not yet made disciples of all the nations of the world, and the end of the world has not yet come. Therefore, these commands of the Lord still remain relevant.

‘’Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons.

But that is not all that Jesus said in his last conversation before his ascension.

And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues;

they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well.” Mk 16:17–18 NIV

To whom do these promises apply? ‘’... those who believe ... This is not just for the apostles and not just for the first generation of Christians. In Matthew 28, we read, ‘’to the end of the world‘’.

Of course, we should not play with poison or snakes, but God promises us his protection in our time of need.

I have an Arab friend who converted from extreme fundamentalist Islam to Jesus but along the way he was led astray and became a Mormon.

When God delivered him from this false religion, he visited many Mormons and also helped them to escape.

Then all the Muslims in his neighbourhood heard about his new faith and some converted.

He was not ordained, but God used him with supernatural power.

An Arab once gave him something to eat. A week later, he was amazed that his Christian compatriot was still alive. He had put enough poison in the food to kill a camel.

The unsuccessful assassin converted to Jesus.

Find why God put you here and then DO IT!

"Too many Christians allow what they cannot do to get in the way of what they can do. Life in the Spirit is all about taking the next step, no matter how small it may seem at the time. God does not stipulate what size the step is going to be; He just encourages us to keep on walking towards Him."

THIS IS A GREAT THOUGHT FROM GRAHAM COOKE. 

In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well....Romans 12:6 (NLT)

If you are not a platform preacher, don't let that stop you teaching neighbours about Jesus in your home or their homes. 

Much of the preaching of Jesus Himself was not from a platform or a pulpit. The great sermons of Jesus in the Gospel of John are actually not formal sermons at all but extended spontaneous teaching arising out of interaction with His disciples, with His hearers and even with His persecutors and enemies. 

If you do not have the ability to administer, lead, manage and shepherd a congregation, you can still preach in many ways, including blogging and emailing, which is what I do. 

If you do not have the ability to sing on a stage in church, you can still sing to God in the shower or the car or in a park.

If you don’t have the confidence to minister to adults but you love children, you can be fruitful in a vitally important ministry to children. This is not second best as some people suppose but it is front line ministry of the most important kind. 

PLEASE never speak or even think of children as “the church of tomorrow.” The church of Jesus Christ is the community of all believers NOW, including believers of ALL ages. Children can often exercise active miracle working faith better than many adults who have been Christians for years.

I have a dear friend who does not seek a high position in a church but she takes humble jobs like looking after babies and young children. She once cast a demon out of a baby which was behaving violently. After that, the baby was quiet and normal and continued to be normally peaceful.

Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.  

For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago. Ephesians 2:9-10 (NLT)

Find what you can do very well and then DO IT!

God has given each of us the ability to do certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, then prophesy whenever you can—as often as your faith is strong enough to receive a message from God. Romans 12:6 (TLB) 

If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly. Romans 12:8 (NLT)

LIKE JESUS.

When you believe in Jesus as the Son of God who loves you, you can never be the same person again. 

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. 2 Corinthians 5:17

He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love...Colossians 1:13 

When you believe in Jesus and trust him to direct and transform your life, he makes you a son or daughter of the eternal God.

See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are... 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. 1 John 3:1-2 (ESV)

When you decide to believe in Jesus, God changes your whole nature, and begins to transform you into the wonderful person He designed you to be, full of love and goodness like Jesus himself.

KNOWING GOD.

But as it is written: "Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man The things which God has prepared for those who love Him."

But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. 1 Corinthians 2:9-10 (NKJV)
God is searching your heart. Does that mean He is looking for the dark secrets, the hidden weaknesses, the shameful thoughts that sometimes trouble you? No, He knows all about those things and He loves you anyway. God condemned His own Son to die on the cross. He died in your place to pay for all the shameful things in your life. Now He sees you as His dear child, as one who He gave His dear Son for.
If you invited Jesus to come into your life, He came. God is actively involved and lovingly at work in your thoughts, in your feelings and in every part of your being.
All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out. John 6:37 (NKJV)
But He will not interfere with your free will. He will not force you to think the way He wants you to. He longs for you to come into harmony with His love and truth. If you have opened your life to Jesus to become His follower, that means God has become your partner in life but not your equal partner, because God is God and He is your Lord and Master. God will direct your life but He is not interested in passive obedient slaves or puppets. What Jesus said to His chosen apostles is what He longs to be able to say to each one of us.
You are My friends if you do whatever I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you. John 15:14-15 (NKJV)
The obedience He is looking for is the active partnership of men and women who want to please God and be led and directed by Him. The Spirit of God is searching your heart in love. He has  also opened His heart to you. He is inviting you to search His heart and know His love and understand His ways for yourself.
God is sad when we passively depend on preachers to tell us what to think about Him. I love good preaching but that must never be my main connection to God. In the Old Testament, God gave prophets and priests to stand between God and the people. Now each one of us is invited to enter into deep personal communication with Him.
Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. Revelation 3:20 (NKJV)
If you have never placed your life in the hands of Jesus who loved you and died for you, now is the time. We don’t know what tomorrow will bring. Jesus died to forgive your sins but you must receive Him to benefit from His forgiveness.