As you consider the beginning of a new year, I want to encourage you to pray about how you can make a positive impact for God's kingdom in 2013. Next year is not so much about your dreams but about God's dreams for your life. With Christ in you, you can do this!
Prepare
Experiencing God's life and love in you is the best way you can prepare to change your world. You don't have to live a perfect life to impact your world. God uses imperfect people to express Himself through us to other people. Yes, I know, we are perfect in our identity but you know what I mean. In a sense, we are all a mess. Here are some books to give you and those you care about, a deeper understanding of Christ in us. The Rest of the Gospel, The Naked Gospel, Classic Christianity, and The Ultimate Makeover.
Pray
Ask God who is currently in your concentric circles who He wants to love through you? What are concentric circles? They are areas of your life where you have or can have relationships. They may include family, friends, neighbors, work place, Christians and those not yet Christians. Write them down. Then ask God to show you how and when to express His love to them. God's love is radically transformative for everyone. That doesn't mean you will act weird and go up to them and say, "God loves you" out of the blue. You can tell them you are praying for them or ask how you can pray for them or anything God leads you to do.
Pause
You don't have to be in a hurry to express Christ's life and love to people. Wait and watch for where God is already working in people's lives. If you just watch for it, you will be amazed at what you see. People are empty and often hurting underneath the veneer of their smile. In the book of Acts, every time the Holy Spirit ministered through a Christian, it was because God was already working.
Praise
You might want to keep a journal of how God works through you in 2013. I think by the end of the year, you will be giving great praise to God at how He impacted people's lives through you.
Happy New Year in Christ!
Mark Maulding, President and Founder
www.GraceLifeInternational.com
All Content Copyright © 2012 Mark Maulding
Prepare
Experiencing God's life and love in you is the best way you can prepare to change your world. You don't have to live a perfect life to impact your world. God uses imperfect people to express Himself through us to other people. Yes, I know, we are perfect in our identity but you know what I mean. In a sense, we are all a mess. Here are some books to give you and those you care about, a deeper understanding of Christ in us. The Rest of the Gospel, The Naked Gospel, Classic Christianity, and The Ultimate Makeover.
Pray
Ask God who is currently in your concentric circles who He wants to love through you? What are concentric circles? They are areas of your life where you have or can have relationships. They may include family, friends, neighbors, work place, Christians and those not yet Christians. Write them down. Then ask God to show you how and when to express His love to them. God's love is radically transformative for everyone. That doesn't mean you will act weird and go up to them and say, "God loves you" out of the blue. You can tell them you are praying for them or ask how you can pray for them or anything God leads you to do.
Pause
You don't have to be in a hurry to express Christ's life and love to people. Wait and watch for where God is already working in people's lives. If you just watch for it, you will be amazed at what you see. People are empty and often hurting underneath the veneer of their smile. In the book of Acts, every time the Holy Spirit ministered through a Christian, it was because God was already working.
Praise
You might want to keep a journal of how God works through you in 2013. I think by the end of the year, you will be giving great praise to God at how He impacted people's lives through you.
Happy New Year in Christ!
Mark Maulding, President and Founder
www.GraceLifeInternational.com
All Content Copyright © 2012 Mark Maulding
