By AIC Brian Jeremiah
Recently, I shared a couple entries from my God Talking Journal and the feedback was that they were helpful; I am glad for that. Isn’t this why he calls us a body… because each person has a role and a contribution. What would we be missing if not everyone contributed what they were called to contribute? What ARE we missing right now because many are asleep? That being said, I picked-out a couple more entries to share; I hope they lift you up like they have me from the time I received them.
3-21-2020; God Talking Journal: “Ministry Springs from Love.”
The Origin of Ministry. This entry comes from only 4 words that God told me and then expounded upon in my understanding. If I had 10,000 entries to share and had to pick my favorite 5, this would have to be in that short list.
True ministry comes because love boils over into action. Some approach ministry as a duty. There may be days when duty helps get you out of bed or away from a warm heater to hit the street and clothe the homeless, but the origin must be love — love boiling over. True love looks diligently and excitedly for ways to love because it is ultimately fulfilling to do so. Love is like a steel spring that’s been compressed, when it finds a place to release, it bursts forth into action. This is love.
What if you want to minister and don’t have that kind of love? Don’t fret, pray. God tells us repeatedly to pray; it is a commandment. Along with a command comes a promise: If you will pursue that thing commanded (in this case praying and loving), He will bring it to pass in your life; He doesn’t command us to do things and leave us on our own to do them. I had a very hard heart toward people and God changed it. Why? Because I asked (and kept asking) Him to do it.
Now I see God’s love working in my life and it is cool. I don’t deserve anything… but he did it for me anyhow. He certainly will do it for you! All power is in love; did you know that?
4-10-2020 God Talking Journal: Watching Dad Work.
Kids learn how to act and interact in the world by spending time with their parents. A child who gets little parent time will be little like the parent. Below is how God explained it to me:
“I want people who will reveal My character. A father only transfers his character
through repeatedly and consistently displaying the kind of person he is over many
different situations and over a substantial period of time. If that’s the case for human
parents, why do people think it is not the case for Me? Because most people want
My salvation, not My character. My character means sacrifice; sacrifice of doing
one thing and instead coming to spend time with Me.”
How true is that? As we see who God is and how God is over a period of time, we start to take on His characteristics. Time in and of itself does not do it; we must SEE Him and be with Him. In order to see, one must be in the vicinity, looking the right way and paying attention (Focusing). In our relationship with God, this is done through quiet contemplation and prayer. This should be our most vital part of the day, meditating in the presence of God.
Prison has given me this honor and privilege; Time to spend with God.
NOTE: If you would like to respond to Brian’s message, please do so here, or send to me; dale@visionsofhope.og