Completely. Committed. Follower.

Today's message at Suncrest was entitled "Completely. Committed. Follower." and addressed what it means to live as a follower of Jesus Christ. It provided an outline designed to help guide us in our journey toward serving God in every aspect of our lives. The message clearly spoke of the importance to take steps to grow spiritually in faith and become active in seeking opportunities to move beyond the status of believer.

In order to live a committed lifestyle, we must surround ourselves with others that value a similar relationship with God. Participating in fellowship will provide the support our faith will need to continue to grow stronger over time. We will encounter times in our lives that will require encouragement and direction that will come directly from established friendships blessed with God's grace.

We must also place an unrelenting desire toward cultivating a personal relationship with Jesus. The holy spirit resides inside each of us and will direct our thoughts, attitudes and actions toward receiving God's glory. We must learn to accept and listen to its guidance in everything we do. Through the power of prayer, we can invite Jesus to join us in our daily adventures and allow God to provide the strength needed to live a fulfilled life.

It is also imperative to dedicate ourselves to serving God by placing our interests below the interests of others. By living an unselfish lifestyle, we allow God to use our gifts and talents to carry out his will. We should look forward to every opportunity to sacrifice the desires of our own flesh and trust that God is always leading us toward fulfilling a plan that is so much greater than ourselves.

As we continue on our journey, we need to also take time to bring others closer to God. We must take advantage of every chance to show compassion toward people who may be struggling and show God's grace through our own actions. We have been given the gift of the holy spirit and can show how grateful we are by sharing it with people who are less fortunate.

I realize that I will need to periodically re-center myself around the fundamental aspects of being a Christ follower. I will spend time identifying areas in my life that I should concentrate on to better serve God and new ways in which I can continue to grow spiritually. I trust the holy spirit living inside of me and will never question its guidance... I am a follower.