Psalm 133:1 When I work together with others am I displaying the fruits of the Spirit? Unity is shown by these fruits.
An Everlasting Gospel in an Ever-Changing World
Malachi 3:6 There was difficulty in perceiving God when surrounded. The best defense, hope, and future is in God because He never changes.
Acts 1:8 The gospel is eternal and does not change. It is true in any circumstance and in any time. It is not like a temporal world.
If the human species doesn’t change, it can’t survive. It has to adapt to its environment. This isn’t the nature of God.
Communication is not just delivering facts. We are called to be witness and communicate. It’s more than a passion to share what is on my ”list” of doctrines.
1 Corinthians 13:13 In witnessing, consider the other’s present situation with wisdom.
Faith is everlasting because of charity; God is love. This is not romantic love or brotherly love. This love filters every action and thought. Faith in God cannot exist without love.
Without love, faith is only personal conviction or fate (this was destined to happen to me).
The idea God presents is: love Me because I love you. This service is not out of obligation.
Acts 15:28 I am also accountable to my brother and sister.
Romans 3:4 I don’t need to defeat someone else to make God true. Let the Holy Spirit do the work!
Is my motive love?
Matthew 5:1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10 Matthew 7:25,26,27 The sermon on the mount is in chapters 5, 6, and 7. The focus is on affirming what is true in the Gospel. These are affirmations, not arguments. There is love in these verses.
John 8:4,5,6,7 In the Old Testament, there were laws but God showed love even when the people strayed. In the New Testament, Jesus showed that no one was without sin and His love was shown through the resurrection.
John 1:1,2,3,4 Eternal things don’t change because of the love of God.
Am I connected vertically with the love of God? Am I connected horizontally to my brothers and sisters? Am I connected in love even to my neighbor that doesn’t like me? I can only do these things if I am filled with the love of God.
1 John 2:5 We may not be perfected (complete) in hope or faith, but we can be complete in charity. This is why charity is the greatest.
Acts 1:8 Jesus was not interested in making the world static. He understood the nature of the world is that it will always change. His purpose was for them to receive power (dynamic, changing, fluid, has the ability to pivot) to respond to changing circumstances with something to make it better. This is what allowed them to turn the world upside down.
The way God loves the world is being out in it.
Am I just delivering teachings and doctrines or am I aware of my audience? In John 4, Jesus didn’t reveal the Gospel to the Samaritan woman until far into the conversation.
Am I motivated by love?
