As a follower of Christ, everything I do sends a message to those who are not followers of Christ! Do my actions, words, and deeds proclaim love and point people to Jesus? Or do my actions, words, and deeds point to myself? The world is watching 24/7! I pray that I make a conscious choice at the start of every day to realize there will be many opportunities to allow God to use my story, to use my trials, and to journey with others, if I will allow Him to set the pace and direct my agenda.

When we make a commitment to follow Jesus, He transforms us from the inside out and desires for us to invite Him into every facet of our being. Jesus desires our perspective to be more like His and He yearns for our relationships, our spending, our attitudes, our actions, and everything else, to be reflective of what is truly most important in our lives - Him!

The transformation of Saul reminds us that God is the only One who can change a heart! God not only shows us His grace and mercy, but gives us work to do in spite of our flaws, shortcomings, and sinful pasts. If you are currently in a season of darkness or held captive by things from your past, know that God has an amazing plan! It is also safe to say, God is calling you to be like Ananias...to go and see the potential that God has for others and to do the hard work of helping others fulfill their calling!

Jesus prayed for His disciples to be one. United in the cause of Christ as His church. There are so many things that divide our world today - race, gender, socio-economic status, but in God’s Church, we are called to be one. We are imperfect people. As we focus on Christ and love one another, then God is glorified and His Church grows. As we see needs and meet them, then lives are changed. Let’s work together to make a lasting impact for Jesus Christ in our families, church, and community. May we be one in His Church.

Times of unrest and hardship can cause us fear, but what we do with that fear makes all the difference. When we “fear” the Lord by revering His sovereignty, power, and holiness, our anxious fear of the unknown shrinks into its proper place. When our fear leads us to being a follower of Christ we enter the community of the church and find ourselves part of an eternal family that is dear to the heart of God. Today I thank God that we have a Savior, Jesus; We have a home, His Church.

In this time of uncertainty, we need God and the church more than ever. This is our time to be God’s Church and to be the “hands and feet of Jesus.” We join our hearts and lives together to lead others to the hope of Christ. As God’s church, we have the responsibility to put Him first and to speak boldly about our faith. People are looking for help and hope today. Our God is at work, and He is inviting us to be His Church in our world. Let’s live boldly in Him.

Not only at the end of the day, but at the end of all time, the very best thing we can give someone is Jesus. Regardless of our material wealth, or lack thereof, we have something far better to contribute to society. At any time, particularly this strange time, people are looking for hope, and faith in Jesus Christ is the best and only guarantor of that hope. Take an inventory this week of all you have “in Christ” and examine the ways you can give Jesus to those around you.

God invites you to be a part of something so much bigger than yourself! God set the Church in motion and sent the Holy Spirit to comfort, guide, and lead you to point other people to Him. The Church is God’s plan A for the world and you have the unique responsibility and privilege to be on the front lines of ministry. Which means being involved with the lives of other people. Who is God calling you to love today? Who is He bringing to your mind to reach out and connect with? God is the one equipping you–seek to draw your strength from Him today.

After Jesus conquered death on Easter, He stayed on the earth 40 days until He ascended into heaven. During this time, Jesus prepared His disciples to be the Early Church. The book of Acts is the story of the Church. The Church is how God accomplishes His work in the world. The Church is made up of ordinary Christ-followers united in the confession of faith, “Jesus is Lord” and is fueled by the Holy Spirit. The Church is alive today. And, we are the Church.

If God can raise a dead Jesus, then He can raise a dead you. God can raise a dead heart, a dead marriage, a dead dream. Jesus is alive! This changes everything. Jesus being alive means God loves you more than you can even imagine. You are worth God’s Son to Him. Jesus being alive means God does not want to spend eternity apart from you. You are loved and redeemed. Will you commit your life to Jesus today? Will you come alive in Jesus this Easter? Let’s make this the best Easter ever as we come alive through Jesus today!