Grabbing Hold of the Heart of God

Services

Sunday - 10AM Worship Service | Youth service - SUNDAY 5:30pm | Wednesday - 6:30pm Family night (SEPT thru MAY) | Thursday - 7:00PM Young Adults | connect Groups meet daily

by: Ryan McDowell

06/25/2024

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This weekend has been filled with joy and blessings, from celebrating our granddaughter Maisie's second birthday to witnessing my father's water baptism. Reflecting on my father's journey, I am reminded of the power of faith and God's miraculous interventions. My father, who grew up in a Catholic household and faced many challenges, including battling cancer, has now come to a profound faith in Christ. His journey has been marked by moments of divine intervention, such as miraculous healings and encounters with what we believe to be angels. These experiences have not only strengthened his faith but also mine.

Today, I want to focus on the importance of having the heart of God. In our prayer lives, we often ask for God's will to be done and for His heart to be formed in us. This is a significant prayer because it requires us to align our actions and desires with God's values. The heart of God is reflected in our love for Him and our love for others. Jesus summarized the commandments into two: loving God with all our heart, soul, and mind, and loving our neighbor as ourselves. These two commandments are inseparable and equally important.

Loving God means our actions and deeds reflect Him, and our lives become a testimony to His presence. It means putting others before ourselves and serving them. Jesus taught that true greatness in the Kingdom of God is found in serving others, not in seeking titles or recognition. He modeled this through His life, culminating in washing His disciples' feet, including Judas's, who would betray Him.

As we prepare for our upcoming Serve Day, where we will join several other area churches to serve our community, let us remember that our love for God is demonstrated through our love and service to others. This event is an opportunity to put our faith into action and to show the love of Christ in tangible ways. Let us embrace this chance to serve and make a difference for the Kingdom of God.

### Key Takeaways

1. **The Heart of God in Our Lives**: Praying for God's heart to be formed in us is a profound request. It means aligning our actions and desires with God's values, which often requires us to put others before ourselves and serve them selflessly. This alignment is crucial for living a life that truly reflects God's love and presence. [54:29]

2. **Loving God and Loving Others**: Jesus summarized the commandments into two inseparable and equally important directives: loving God with all our heart, soul, and mind, and loving our neighbor as ourselves. Our relationship with God is measured by how we treat others, making it impossible to claim love for God while neglecting or mistreating our fellow man. [01:01:47]

3. **True Greatness Through Service**: In the Kingdom of God, greatness is not about titles or recognition but about serving others. Jesus modeled this by washing His disciples' feet and teaching that the greatest among us must be a servant. This principle challenges us to humble ourselves and prioritize the needs of others. [01:11:48]

4. **Faith in Action**: Our love for God must be actionable. It's not enough to profess love for God; we must demonstrate it through our actions, especially in how we serve and care for others. This is a tangible expression of our faith and a reflection of God's love in our lives. [01:15:16]

5. **Serve Day as an Opportunity**: The upcoming Serve Day is a practical application of these principles. By joining with other churches to serve our community, we have the chance to put our faith into action and show the love of Christ in tangible ways. This event is a reminder that our faith is not just about personal devotion but also about communal service and impact. [01:25:14]

### YouTube Chapters


[0:00] - Welcome
[40:53] - Celebrating Family and Faith
[42:08] - My Father's Journey of Faith
[45:53] - Divine Interventions and Miracles
[53:15] - The Heart of God in Our Lives
[57:39] - Loving God and Loving Others
[01:01:47] - True Greatness Through Service
[01:11:48] - Faith in Action
[01:15:16] - Serve Day as an Opportunity
[01:25:14] - Preparing for Serve Day
[01:27:51] - Invitation to Accept Christ

Blog comments will be sent to the moderator

This weekend has been filled with joy and blessings, from celebrating our granddaughter Maisie's second birthday to witnessing my father's water baptism. Reflecting on my father's journey, I am reminded of the power of faith and God's miraculous interventions. My father, who grew up in a Catholic household and faced many challenges, including battling cancer, has now come to a profound faith in Christ. His journey has been marked by moments of divine intervention, such as miraculous healings and encounters with what we believe to be angels. These experiences have not only strengthened his faith but also mine.

Today, I want to focus on the importance of having the heart of God. In our prayer lives, we often ask for God's will to be done and for His heart to be formed in us. This is a significant prayer because it requires us to align our actions and desires with God's values. The heart of God is reflected in our love for Him and our love for others. Jesus summarized the commandments into two: loving God with all our heart, soul, and mind, and loving our neighbor as ourselves. These two commandments are inseparable and equally important.

Loving God means our actions and deeds reflect Him, and our lives become a testimony to His presence. It means putting others before ourselves and serving them. Jesus taught that true greatness in the Kingdom of God is found in serving others, not in seeking titles or recognition. He modeled this through His life, culminating in washing His disciples' feet, including Judas's, who would betray Him.

As we prepare for our upcoming Serve Day, where we will join several other area churches to serve our community, let us remember that our love for God is demonstrated through our love and service to others. This event is an opportunity to put our faith into action and to show the love of Christ in tangible ways. Let us embrace this chance to serve and make a difference for the Kingdom of God.

### Key Takeaways

1. **The Heart of God in Our Lives**: Praying for God's heart to be formed in us is a profound request. It means aligning our actions and desires with God's values, which often requires us to put others before ourselves and serve them selflessly. This alignment is crucial for living a life that truly reflects God's love and presence. [54:29]

2. **Loving God and Loving Others**: Jesus summarized the commandments into two inseparable and equally important directives: loving God with all our heart, soul, and mind, and loving our neighbor as ourselves. Our relationship with God is measured by how we treat others, making it impossible to claim love for God while neglecting or mistreating our fellow man. [01:01:47]

3. **True Greatness Through Service**: In the Kingdom of God, greatness is not about titles or recognition but about serving others. Jesus modeled this by washing His disciples' feet and teaching that the greatest among us must be a servant. This principle challenges us to humble ourselves and prioritize the needs of others. [01:11:48]

4. **Faith in Action**: Our love for God must be actionable. It's not enough to profess love for God; we must demonstrate it through our actions, especially in how we serve and care for others. This is a tangible expression of our faith and a reflection of God's love in our lives. [01:15:16]

5. **Serve Day as an Opportunity**: The upcoming Serve Day is a practical application of these principles. By joining with other churches to serve our community, we have the chance to put our faith into action and show the love of Christ in tangible ways. This event is a reminder that our faith is not just about personal devotion but also about communal service and impact. [01:25:14]

### YouTube Chapters


[0:00] - Welcome
[40:53] - Celebrating Family and Faith
[42:08] - My Father's Journey of Faith
[45:53] - Divine Interventions and Miracles
[53:15] - The Heart of God in Our Lives
[57:39] - Loving God and Loving Others
[01:01:47] - True Greatness Through Service
[01:11:48] - Faith in Action
[01:15:16] - Serve Day as an Opportunity
[01:25:14] - Preparing for Serve Day
[01:27:51] - Invitation to Accept Christ

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