In the beginning, when God made all things, i believe He created a thing called “stories”, and then put the need in man’s heart to need parables, romances, records, and chronicles.  God saw the need in man’s heart for the ability to recite that which had already occurred, a description of past events, and to this idea of stories, He also added a heaping double tablespoon of remembrance. Stories are a way of recording life, communicating with others, and even creating inspirational images for the listeners or readers to play as often as they want, like a video reel in each person as they imagine what they heard or read.

What are stories then and why are they important? From my perspective, stories are narratives, something told, retold or recounted, which convey our experiences, ideas, and even emotions through some type of plot, complete with characters and props which aid in the telling of the story. They can be fictional or true, oral or written, and often aim to entertain, educate, or inspire. They are powerful to shape cultures, preserve histories, and connect people across time, helping us to envision empathy and imagination. Stories are a fundamental part of our human experience, and are a bridge between individuals, cultures, and generations. So, so much of the Bible is story after story, parable after parable, metaphor and idiom buried in narratives, themes, and stories, over and over and over. Why would God do that? Stories are a brilliant idea invented by God and built of words or pictures. They captivate our imagination, recall and arouse emotions, and many times cultivate empathy by allowing us to step into someone else’s shoes for a moment.

Through narratives and stories, we explore complex themes, confront moral dilemmas, and find meaning in chaos, making sense of the world around us, and we also use stories in an effort to understand and reckon with the intersection of The Divine and ourselves. The stories, metaphors, and idioms are inventions God gave man so that man, the finite, would have a way of relating to God, the infinite.

Like the Old Testament stories start with the birth of the universe, the fall of man kind, and include the multi-faceted stories of the faithfulness of God, friends and those who oppose God, slaves to freedom, rebellion and redemption. The story of Abraham and his three “Hear i am’s”, his leaving here and going there recounting the adventure and drama of all the life and times which he lived between his leaving and arriving. Imagine the stories in the metaphor heavy Psalms read in parallel with the story of David all the way to David’s last breath.

This was all God’s idea to put it in the heart of man to need stories. Think, stories preserve history and cultural identity, the pass down values, traditions, and lessons through generations. From ancient cultures to modern novels, they shape our understanding of the past and allow us a glimpse into the Heart of God to inspire future possibilities. The ancient Jews used something called oral Torah, passed from one generation to another, father to son, father to son and so on until today. Their oral tradition served to unite communities, creating shared experiences that strengthen moral, ethical, and social bonds.

As example there is Passover which is celebrated every year. The idea of celebrating Passover is to “tell the story” of God’s great deliverance for Israel. In re-telling the story we recall the trials, hardship, and deliverance of Israel from slavery to the blood of the lamb, complete with God bringing plagues upon Egypt, Moses calling to “Let my people go!”, to the spectacular parting of the Red Sea. The retelling of the Passover story inspires us to imagine, from Egypt to the promised land, of God’s ability to deliver His people. The Lord is faithful!

Biblical stories are timeless links to ancient traditions, legends, archetypes, myths, symbols and the poetry of metaphor and idiom. In our effort as finite beings, we struggle, in our limited vocabulary to describe the infinity of God in an attempt and intention to relate to the one called “the Beginning and End”, “the first and last”, “Lion of Judah and Lamb of God”. As a result we tell God-stories and write God-thoughts which connect us to God.

We tell stories which might start out saying, “one time we were praying” and then there follows a series of supernatural happenings. Or we open with, “He is like” followed by a series of comparisons describing His glorious character and personality traits, His qualities, behaviors, attitudes, and values. We tell the story of Jesus for others that they would know our God and King, that they too could be set free from sin, death, hell, and the grave. God is NOT that hard to know, we’ve just got to find our “want to”.

Stories challenge our assumptions, spark curiosity, and encourage critical thinking. Yea, critical thinking. Now there’s something we all desperately need. Whether through books, films, or oral traditions, stories provide a safe space to explore honesty, humility, compassion, understanding and their practical applications. Like in Mark 12:30-31 Jesus says to “love your neighbor as you love yourself“. In our story telling we can explore how we are going to love ourselves so we have an idea of how to love our neighbor. Stories make, what appears as abstract concepts relatable. One man said, “they make life touchable and influence us to repent, believe, and follow”.

Friends go with me on this. From cover to cover the Bible is personal and relational. From cover to cover it is the story of God and His ultimate goal, His mission, otherwise known as the “missiology of God”, to be known and for Him to know us. It’s the story of God’s house and the Kingdom of God.

Tell your story of redemption. Tell it. Ultimately, our stories are vital because they connect us, teach us, and inspire us to dream and believe, reflect and speculate, to cultivate and grow. Everyone has a story or two. Tell the story of your path to Jesus, oh, and please spend more time on the goodness of God than the badness of yourself. Remember, ultimately, stories are vital because they connect us to God, to each other, and as a testimony to the dying world around us. Tell your story and watch God move.

       There are no extra words in the Bible. No irrelevant words or characters in the Bible at all. No fluff. All of the words, from cover to cover relate to other words, and all the words form the story of the love of the Father, the blood of the Son, and the power of the Holy Spirit. Cover to cover it is personal and relational because God is always personal and relational. God never even calls the devil and all the denizens of hell “it”, He calls them “they”.

The concept of God, Yahweh, the King of the Universe as personal and relational is, not only central to the word of God, but also unique among the religions of the world. Unlike an impersonal force or abstract principle, our personal God possesses attributes such as, hope, love, peace, consciousness, will, and emotion which enables a dynamic relationship with humanity, with “dynamic” being defined as “everything that happens between ourselves and God because we are in a relationship Him”. The Lord has a desire to engage with mankind in a purposeful, personal way, which facilitates a connection that shapes human purpose and identity. That’s a big deal. Did you catch that?

And how are we, who are so finite, going to know God who is so infinite? Probably the biggest way is His personal nature being revealed throughout the Bible, not only in words and paragraphs, but in themes, narratives, testimonies, and even poetry. His very heart is revealed in page after page of the stories of God’s people, of battles, exiles, of kings good and bad, of prophets and preachers, and the coming Messiah. The Bible portrays God as the one who speaks, loves, and acts with intention. In fact, the Bible opens with God being the first one to speak in the universe, with it being recorded by Moses as “God said” 29 times in Genesis alone. God created humanity in His image AND reflection meaning how He looks as well as how He is. This points to a shared capacity for relationship and creativity. The narrative of God walking with Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden illustrates and illuminates a relational God who pursues companionship with His creation. And it doesn’t stop there, this theme continues throughout scripture, as seen in God’s covenants with Abraham, Moses, and David, each reflecting a personal commitment to guide and sustain His people, not to mention the creme de la creme of Jesus getting eyelevel with mankind for the first time in history. If that’s not personal and relational then i don’t know what is.

Not what but Who is God’s mission most revealed in? His very nature is relational and is most profoundly expressed in the person of Jesus. In theology, or the “study of God”, Jesus is God incarnate, exemplifying His everlasting love and bridging the gap between humanity and God. It’s personal and relational. Through His life, teachings, and sacrifice, Jesus demonstrates God’s desire for reconciliation and intimacy with anyone who is willing to come to Him. John 3:16, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” The entire New Testament emphasizes this through passages like John 15:15, where Jesus calls His disciples friends, not servants, highlighting His relationship built on, not doing the rules, but being and living differently, in communion and community with God.

Additionally, the Holy Spirit plays a crucial role in sustaining this personal connection. Described as a comforter in John 14:16, a guide in John 16:13, the Spirit dwells within believers, 1 Timothy 1:14, and offers ongoing communication with God, Romans 8:26. This indwelling presence cultivates and inspires prayer, worship, and continually creates a sense of God being ever present, reinforcing the relational dynamic, and i hesitate using the word “dynamic” because most of us probably don’t use that word much, but in this case it’s a good fit.

Do we realize the implications that a personal and relational God are profound? It suggests that humans are not alone in an indifferent universe but are known and valued by a God who seeks their being whole, redeemed, healed, and healthy, by His standards, not according to our own low hanging fruit standards. This relationship invites individuals into a dialogue of faith, where they can experience love, forgiveness, and purpose. Ultimately, the belief in a personal God transforms abstract theology into a living daily experience, where divine love becomes the foundation for hope and connection. The Lord our God is always personal and relational.

40 years ago my son was seeing a girl and i asked him if it was serious. He replied, “oh no dad, it’s just a hook up, nothing personal, nothing serious.” i didn’t get it at the moment, but my heart was terribly disturbed, yet, no matter how much i thought about what he had said, i couldn’t identify why i had such turbulence in my heart about it. At least not until recently, 40 years later. While at a meeting of sorts, in front of me was a young man with a book and a Bible. The book said something in the title about principles, so being inquisitive, i asked him what the principles were. He said, “The first one is don’t take things personally.” Hmmm … i asked what he meant. He said, “Like the crucifixion of Jesus, don’t let it upset you, don’t take it personally.” Immediately i was appalled within myself and all at once i realized why my son’s words and this young mans bid to not take some things personally bothered me so much. Sex is very personal and to call it “merely” a meeting for sex not personal is absurd. In today’s casual “hookup culture”, one of the most personal things two humans do is reduced to making each of them into a mere tool, something disposable. The crucifixion of Christ is the most personal and relational thing to ever happen in the universe. i said to the young man, “A slap to the face of Jesus was personal. Matthew 26:67. A spear in His side was very personal. With every hammer blow driving nails in the Saviors hands and feet was very, very personal, unavoidably personal. See Philippians 2:8. The Bible, cover to cover is God’s story and how we fit in His paradigm called the “Kingdom of God” and it’s completely personal and relational.”

Always. Matthew 22:37-39 is personal and relational. 1 Thessalonians 4-5, encouraging one another is personal and relational. And that’s just a very few.

God is always personal and relational and we should be also. Even when we say, “nothing personal, it’s just business”, it is personal and it’s not merely just business. Let us read our Bible like lovers looking for their beloved, God was personal and relational before the beginning and He will be personal and relational after the end. Think about it.

Genesis 1:26, “Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness”.

Hmmm … in His image AND His likeness. In His image, image being a word, basically, referring to a representation. What kind of representation though? Five times it is used of man as created in the image of God. You know, some translations seem to over simplify the length and width of the word of God until we begin to lose the context, but let me add, i am, by no means a pro or a highly educated anybody. Regardless though, it isn’t difficult to understand that we are more than just arms, legs, and eyes similar to the Lord. Some people seem to want to relate to God so bad they are willing to redefine the High King of the Universe as someone similar to themselves. Uhh, yea, don’t do that. It’s like they want God to be like them, instead of them finding identity in being like Him. We are supposed to become like Him, not refabricate God in our own image, yet i fear for many, that’s exactly what we’ve done.

We may say He is too high above us that we could relate to Him, but that’s not true. Jesus Christ came to us that we would relate to God almighty, He leveled the playing field, so to speak. He came and got next to people right where His eyes and their eyes were on the same level, physically, metaphorically, and spiritually. He got eye level with us, right down where we live. He came not only to relate to us in the way we look, but also searching for those who reflected His heart. Not only an image, but His reflection also.

Ok, so i’ll just say it straight out, not everyone is a child of God. We may have an image of His person, but we have to do more than simply appear similar in form. We may look similar to our neighbor, but we are not of their family and they are not of ours. They don’t act like us, they don’t have similar ideas or values and we don’t have theirs, and God is the same. Unless we reflect His preferences and standards, and possess His faith and values, washed in the blood of the Son, we simply are not in the House of God. i did not make that judgment, it’s the standard of the Lord Himself.

Up until the advent of Jesus Christ, the Lord was not “eye level” with us, but when Jesus came to town, God got right where He could look straight in the eyes of mankind. God gave us His face.

Some would simplify the whole concept down to saying it is “meeting people where they are”, which truly is a good idea, but i believe the Lord has something more in-depth in mind. The idea of “eye level” has everything to do with where your horizons are and what exactly is your focal point. Being able to see our horizons helps us put objects, both near and far, in proper scale and perspective in relation to where we are.

It’s nice that some just want everyone to be ok, everyone to just get along, sit around the campfire singing Kumbaya and Michael Row the Boat Ashore, but that’s a dream. If everyone was in the family of God, and anyone was considered a child of God, murderers, rapists, crooked politicians, first responders, even the down and out total desponders, no matter what they believed, if anything at all, then Christ didn’t have to be crucified nor be resurrected from the dead to bring us home. We would already be home and His suffering and death would have just, what? Been for funnzies? Not hardly, not ever. Consider that in Christ, who is the truth, are the gates of the glorious city revealed, He is the prince of the Kingdom who reigns supreme in the city of God’s presence, and in His righteous person is all wisdom which we can lean on. In the external and internal appearance of God is our standard of how to look and how to have our being.

To reiterate then, when God said He made man in His image and likeness, He was referring to His external and internal appearance.

In the word for “image”, His external appearance, we see that through the cross is revealed the gates of the city of God from which rivers of living water flow. All of that points to the idea that the character of the cross was worked in the heart of God from before the foundations of the universe were laid.

And in the word for His “likeness”, or His internal appearance, it means He is someone mankind can lean upon, THE one in whom we can find safety, right standards, and salvation. In His internal appearance is the ultimate voice of authority as a strong leader. He knows the truth and He is the truth, for there is no such thing as a “little falsehood”, or “little lie”, and there is neither in Him.

Romans 10:9-10, “because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.” More than saying some magic words and boom, everything is fine, just fine. No. It is more.

From the beginning, God set in motion that through the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ is the door of salvation for all who would come to Him.

Galatians 2:20, “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” Once we have asked Jesus to live in us, we take His person, His reflection upon ourselves as a new creation. We who are in Christ are more than just an outward appearance but also the reflection of His person. Without God’s reflection, we are only half of who the Lord has called us to be. We are not ALL the children of God, and only get to be in His family by the blood of Christ who gave Himself a ransom for us.

What do you think?

i’m Social Porter with Living In His Name ministries.

How many times have i wished and prayed for a more quiet life, but yet i seemed to always need something exciting to happen, running here and running there. All that breathless running, and to what end?

A quiet life has a reflection or a face and, as inspired by biblical principles, reflects a heart anchored in faith, humility, and contentment. The concept is rooted in scripture, particularly in 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12, where Paul urges believers to “aspire to live quietly, and to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands… so that you may walk properly before outsiders and be dependent on no one.” This vision of a quiet life is not about isolation or passivity but about cultivating a purposeful, peaceful existence that glorifies God and blesses others. Did you get that? Purposeful and peaceful.

So, how are we going to actually “do” 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12? i found five cornerstones of living a quiet life 1. intentionality, 2. work — as in work with your hands with all your heart as unto the Lord, whatsoever you do. 3. humility and service, learning to be active in your 4. community of believers, and embracing 5. simplicity, and that is simplicity as in not complicating your life with floods of unanswerable questions, endless strivings, and religious ladder climbing.

Living a quiet life from God’s perspective has a theme from cover to cover of the Bible of inner peace, the kind which keeps us grounded in trust in God’s sovereignty, with “grounded” meaning “having a foundation” or “being rooted”.

Philippians 4:6-7, “Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” The verb “be careful” in vs 6 means to not “be anxious about, or have a distracting care”. Notice not just any old care, but what kind of care, a “distracting care”. When i was first a believer i thought it meant it was ok to be reckless, but the true meaning is far from anything like that. Paul is encouraging all believers not to be anxious, don’t handle the things which distract us from the love of God, but to present our requests to God who promises “the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding.” This peace is not contingent on external circumstances but flows from a relationship with Jesus, and if it is beyond our understanding it means we know nothing about it. His peace is beyond us, supernatural in nature and is the very standard of God’s heart.

In a world that often equates success with noise, busyness, and self-promotion, choosing quietness requires intentionality, it must be purposely pursued. Be intentional. It means resisting the urge to chase fleeting recognition, book deals, titles, or using the name of Jesus to advance ourselves. Instead, let us pursue the eternal reward of faithfulness by being intentional. A quiet life prioritizes prayer, reflection, and gratitude, fostering a heart that rests in God’s provision, and being a noticer of God’s details.

Sound like something you’d be interested in? Yea, me too, but we can’t hold the world in one hand and Jesus in the other (double-mindedness) and expect peace much less a quiet life. Not only will it eventually tear us in half and fill us with broken expectations, but we’ll never fully step into living a quiet life.

Humility is another cornerstone. Jesus exemplified this in His earthly ministry, often withdrawing to solitary places to pray. Luke 5:16, “Yet He frequently withdrew to the wilderness to pray“. Jesus did not look for worldly acclaim but lived to fulfill God’s purposes. You know, a quiet life avoids the clamor of self-assertion. It involves minding our own affairs, as Paul advises, which means refraining from gossip, envy, or meddling. Turn the slander machine off! “Minding our own business” doesn’t mean we are ignorant of the world around us, but i’m quite sure the days of living in a cave and praying are pretty much over. Proverbs 17:1 reinforces this, stating, “Better is a dry morsel with quiet than a house full of feasting with strife.” Humility in a quiet life reveals itself in contentment with what God provides, whether modest or abundant, and in serving others without “look-at-me” fanfare.

Work is integral to this lifestyle, there is something oddly stabilizing about consistently having a job. Scripture emphasizes diligence and stewardship, as seen in the Thessalonian call to “work with your hands.” This reflects a life of responsibility, where honest labor provides for personal needs and enables generosity. The quiet life is not idle; it is productive but not frantic. Colossians 3:23 instructs believers to work “heartily, as for the Lord and not for men.” Whether in a trade, profession, or home, work done unto God brings dignity and purpose, aligning with the quiet life’s aim to live simply and honorably.

Community also plays a role, though in a understated way. A quiet life does not mean withdrawing from relationships but engaging in them with love and integrity. 1 Peter 3:4 speaks of the “imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God’s sight is very precious.” Gentleness is not weakness but is in the sense of a parent working with trying children. It is mildness and is as much about who we are as well as how we are. A gentle spirit living in community builds harmony in families, churches, and neighborhoods. It listens more than it speaks, offers kindness without expecting reward, and builds others up without drawing attention to itself. Such a life reflects Christ’s love in everyday interactions, creating a ripple effect of grace and an echo of kindness.

The quiet life also embraces simplicity, resisting the cultural pull toward materialism. Jesus warned against storing up treasures on earth (Matthew 6:19-21), but instead urged us to focus on eternal values. This might mean living with less in order to give more. It will likely mean choosing contentment over comparison, or prioritizing time with God and loved ones over endless striving. i believe Ecclesiastes 4:6 captures this balance: “Better is a handful of quietness than two hands full of toil and a striving after wind.” Friends, simplicity frees our heart to worship and serving without distraction.

And finally, a quiet life lived and breathed as unto the Lord is a testimony to faith. It demonstrates trust in God’s timing and provision, even when the world demands urgency and excess. It is a life of purpose, not passivity, where small, faithful acts—prayer, work, kindness — become offerings to God. In a noisy, chaotic world, this lifestyle stands out, not for its volume, but for its depth. It invites others to consider the beauty of a life surrendered to God’s will, echoing Psalm 46:10: “Be still, and know that I am God.” Through quietness, believers find strength, purpose, and a profound connection to the One who calms every storm.

What does a quiet life look like to you and do you have it? Be honest. And if you don’t presently have it, what can you do to change that?

Imagine yourself standing on the side of a road. A car goes slowly past. After the car has gone by, there is the soft reflection of sound in it’s passing. It’s very soft and growing softer as the vehicle passes on. Do we notice? In Exodus 33:21-23 Moses stood in the cleft of the rock and the glory of God passed by and i’m fairly certain there was the soft echo in the wake of God’s passing by.

Sound. There is a wide variation of sound, some heard in our ears, some felt in our body, some heard only in our spirit for those who have ears to hear. In Christ, by the power of the Holy Spirit, over time, we learn to discern if we hear and what we hear. We pray, “Lord, give us “ears to hear””, with “ears to hear” used approximately 8 times in 3 gospel narratives by Jesus. So, it’s not just if we hear, but what we hear, and learning to recognize what we hear is a continual learning process starting at birth.

The word of God is like that. Many times we see or hear the Word of the Lord and the area around us stays resonant after the moment of encounter has passed. Like in 1 Corinthians 2:9, “no eye has seen nor ear heard“. The Greek verbs “seen” and “heard” are very special and have no sense of tense of past, present or future, meaning once seen and once heard, the voice of the Lord does not cease being seen or heard, and having heard and seen the echoes of His purposes they stick to us. There is the sound we make and then the sound after the sound called an echo.

In our hearing we need to catch all of what God is saying, not just hearing the immediate words in the moment but also the sound made after the sound as the moment or vision moves away from us. Be a noticer. Did you know our actions also have sound in the Spirit, leaving behind traces of God’s goodness in places others don’t necessarily see, but we can rest assured the oil of anointing is left in our wake?

As example, being merciful to someone who is lost without Jesus. On that day in that moment, we may practice mercy by sitting and listening and then go our way thinking the moment is past, but no, there is an echo like a sticky reverberance which stays with the person and next week, or next month. They’ll remember the mercy which visited them that day, or should i better say that God brings the moment back to them by giving it to them to remember. It is like a soft echo which God keeps bringing back to them.

Friends, subtle echoes, like soft light, weave through our lives, faint reverberations of moments, emotions, or ideas that linger just beyond conscious grasp. We may not notice, but they are there. i heard a man say once, “The echo of small kindnesses is real. People may not remember, but when we are kind it sticks to people around us and leaves an echo in their head and heart.” Those echoes are like soft whispers, a fleeting fragrance that recalls a forgotten place, or the quiet resonance of a conversation long past. These echoes are not loud or demanding; they exist in the margins, shaping our perceptions with delicate persistence.

Remember autumn days as a child. We are not physically there any longer but those memories are like the rustle of leaves, the soft tumble of a stream or the way a bird’s call bounces around in the woods. The moments echo in us. Ephesians 4:32, ““And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.””

Goodness, kindness, mercy, hospitality, forbearance, and long suffering, to name a few, generate echoes in ourselves and the lives around us. We are not alone.

Colossians 3:12, ““Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering.”

The Lord is God and is called the “all in all” in Ephesians 1:23, making it so nothing exists in isolation — every sound, every action, ripples outward, influencing the world in ways we may never fully trace. A single word spoken in kindness can echo through someone’s life, altering their choices years later, while a moment of cruelty might reverberate in unseen wounds. In art, subtle echoes are deliberate. A painter might repeat a shade of blue across a canvas, tying varying elements into a cohesive whole. Mark 4:32 mentions birds which rest and make their nests in the “shade of a tree” with the shade indirectly calling us to take note of the profound rest found in Christ alone. In literature, echoes are like a recurring theme — a clock ticking in a quiet room —  the sound subtly underscores keynotes of time or mortality without stating them outright. Music, too, thrives on echoes like soft light: a faint reprise of a melody inspires nostalgia or longing, stirring emotions that words alone cannot capture. Yet, there are other echoes, like a faint pang of regret, the shadow of a lost opportunity, or the quiet ache of unexpressed love — these are echoes of “what might have been”. They linger, not as bold declarations but as soft reminders of life and God life in our lives. To notice the Holy Spirit’s subtle echoes is to align ourselves with Kingdom life in quiet places, as in 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12. Noticing the gentle footsteps of God is like an echo that the King has passed and nothing will be the same, they teach us to listen, to pause, to recognize the interconnectedness of all things. In their gentleness, they carry profound truths, waiting for those who are quiet in heart and mind enough to hear and see.

Echoes of our daily life in Christ are also like soft light, a gentle and diffused illumination, they softly transform spaces and moods making our works of mercy to become an even glow.

One time i was at the Post Office and there was a long line. It was a cold wet day and everyone looked disgruntled and openly complained as to how long it was taking. All groaning and complaining. When i got to the front of the line i looked behind me and there, about 10 people back, was a very old little man who appeared barely able to walk much less stand. Suddenly, an idea floated across my mind, “Why don’t you trade places with him?” So i invited him to take my place and i took his, which we did while everyone in the room noticed. Yes, i noticed the entire room was watching almost in a breathless pause. You know, i felt pleasure at extending kindness to the fellow. As i stood in the now back of the line, it bears repeating that i saw that the entire room had been silently watching. The Holy Spirit then pointed out to me that the mood of the room had entirely changed, all from a single act of kindness. The room of 20+ uncomfortable, disgruntled, complaining people changed at the spark of the kindness of God being acted out in front of them. They, as a whole, suddenly become smiling, conversational, and engaging, in a good way. It was true, i saw it with my own eyes, the echo of small kindnesses was real. People may not remember, but when we are kind it sticks to people around us, it leaves a Holy Spirit echo in their head and heart, and a soft illumination that the Kingdom of God has come near that day.

1 John 3:18, “Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.” Living out our Kingdom life in Christ is as much about feet as it is about eyes and ears. Think about it.

Luke 5:4 “When He had stopped speaking, He said to Simon (Peter), “Put out into the deep [water] and lower your nets for a haul.” And Simon answered, “Master, we have toiled all night (exhaustingly) and caught nothing. But on the ground of Your word, I will lower the nets [again].” And when they had done this, they caught a great number of fish;” (Amplified Bible)

The only way we ever fulfill our destinies and succeed at being who God has called us to be is to take many, many steps of faith. Stepping out into the unknown and launching out into the deep water with God can be frightening. Friends, if you will be brave and spread your wings, it is highly likely you will fly.

Because of many things, although i believe fear is the foundational reason, a lot of people never step out with God; therefore, they never find out what they are capable of. When i first entered the Navy and went to boot camp, i had no idea of all the possibilities i was capable of. By the time i left boot camp, i marveled, and was proud of how many pushups i could do and how far i could run and not be winded. i learned that if i simply persevered and was persistent, with persistence meaniong keep on keeping on regardless of difficulties, i could even, i could EVEN make myself stand still for long periods of time, which had been a great difficulty all my life. Yes, just simply standing still, and for a guy who is always, day and night, spiritually, mentally, and physically in motion, that was a big deal. If i really tried, i could make myself squeeze out one more push up. i was capable of so much more than what i exhibited in the slack teenager life style i lived before boot camp. Before boot camp, i rarely tried or put much effort into anything because, at my core, i was always afraid, figuring if i never tried, then i never failed, and that’s such a lie. i was sure nobody wanted me, not even God wanted me around because i figured if i was God i wouldn’t want me either. Fear drives us far more than we think, but God is calling us to risk with Him. Even if we’ve performed actions before with no positive results, God bids us to take Him at His word and risk with Him, again, as often as He calls to us to risk.

Each of us needs to obey God when He wants us to risk with Him and step out into something new or challenging. When we live in daily fellowship with Christ and allow Him to remove fear from our lives, we will naturally live in faith and will honor God in our intentions and actions. Let us make a conscious decision, now, today, that we will give it our all to not miss God’s opportunities which He gives us. Do what God asks you to do, respond, even if you are afraid, do it afraid. Feel the fear and do it anyway. Risk with God. If i tried to be safe all the time, i would not have the relationship i have with God that i have today. “Better safe than sorry” does not always work in God’s economy. Nothing else feels better than knowing you are in the middle of God’s best and highest for you, and nothing feels worse than knowing you are not.

i’m not suggesting we all start doing foolish things that are unwise or take action on some wild thought we have, but i know for a fact that not everything God wants us to do makes sense to our natural mind. We must learn to be led by discernment in our spirit and not by our own carnal minds, or what we wish would happen, or what other people suggest to us. Oh, don’t you know, everybody has an idea of what THEY think YOU should do. Popular public opinion can be very powerful and many of us fear being ostracized or minimized by our peers if we are, or even appear to be contrary, thus many are often hard pressed to risk with God. Unbelievably, the “online community” is taken seriously by so, so many people yet it’s completely imaginary. Search far enough and i guarantee you’ll find someone who agrees with you. Sometimes i still here my mother asking me, “What will they think of you?” A better question is “What does God think of you?” Read His word, and find out the facts and the truth. When discovering our identity, it’s no time to ride on a wave of hear-say. And while we’re there, remember Romans 8:1 and stand on it.

When we step out, we should do all we can to be sure we respond in faith and obedience to God’s bidding. Let us be encouraged to be willing to go into deep waters with Jesus. Ask Him to make clear what He wants us to do and then let us run with God!

“Put out into the deep [water] and lower your nets for a haul.” i say it’s time to walk on water friends.

          Christ is copious and plentiful, He is continuously glorious. Jesus is sufficient.

The “Roman Prison Epistles”, which are comprised of Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon, were written while Paul was awaiting trial in Rome around A.D. 61 or so. Though Paul had never visited the Colossian church, the troubling news he received about them caused him to write and remind them of the truth about Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.

Paul received word of “heresy” threatening the church at Colosse. It was a mix of Christianity with “legalism”, that is, rigid rules to make people more spiritual (Colossians 2:16-17), Greek philosophy (Colossians 2:8), and mysticism (Colossians 2:18). At the core, this heresy denied that Jesus was fully God and implied He was not sufficient to meet needs.

In Colossians, Paul declares, first thing, straight away, that Christ is Lord over and Sustainer of ALL creation, and He alone deserves to be worshipped. Colossians 1:16 “For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him.”

Second, there is no reason to fear the demonic realm or become superstitious, because the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus neutralized hell’s power. Colossians 2:15 “Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.”

Third, Jesus Christ alone is the Savior, Life, and Leader of the church, and to Him alone should the preeminence be given. Colossians 1:17-18 “And He is before all things, and in Him, all things consist. And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence.” We love to say there is only one Name under Heaven, but if we really believed that we’d stop tagging our name on everything, and we would only celebrate one name.

And ultimately, the salvation and provision bought by Jesus Christ is absolutely sufficient and complete. Jesus alone is sufficient for our forgiveness and adoption. We don’t have to “do more” for it to be good between ourselves and God. God wasn’t kidding around when He said that His grace is sufficient for us. His provision is sufficient for us. His sovereignty is sufficient. Jesus gave Himself once for all and paid our debt, it was sufficient and there is no other work necessary for us to do so that we would be right with God. God only asks of us to believe Him and be obedient, not only do what God says but to yield and let His words change our heart. Not rules to keep but someone to be. Severe self-discipline is worthless in terms of spiritual benefit, other than submitting your body in obedience to God. All is in Him, complete transformation, complete forgiveness, complete victory and you can’t do anything to add to Christ. He is sufficient.

Jesus reigns supreme over all believers, over the church, over the world (Gr. “kosmos”), and over all creation (Gr. “ktisis”).

In a day when one religion is considered as good as another and people promise self-fulfillment and freedom without surrender to Christ, remember the truth found in Colossians, Jesus Christ is THE Way, THE Truth, THE Life, THE All-sufficient One, THE All-Powerful Lord and Savior. Christ’s Lordship is the foundation of true Christianity, and He was, is, and ever will be Lord of everything. Not “A” way, but THE way; not “A” truth, but the personification and embodiment of THE truth; not “A” life, but THE life. Philippians 2:11 “That at the name of Jesus, every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”