Hi Friends,
Many years ago, the Lord showed me there are seven different areas in our lives that He wants to influence for good. My Logo itself, a rock dropping into water and causing ripples outward is symbolic for these changes God wants to bring. The name of my ministry “Spread the News” also refers to this spreading change that begins the moment we surrender our lives to The Rock, Jesus. If we are IN Christ but not transforming into His loving and graceful image, then we are missing a HUGE blessing of being called a child of God. So this year, I’m going to spend some time discussing these “Seven Ripples of Life,” and hopefully, give us real life applications to bring God deeper into our own life, then spread His goodness out from us to those He places around us. Listen to God’s Word:
“And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” Heb 10:24-25 (NIV)
It is my hope to help fulfill the commandment above in you, so that you all can “spur one another towards love and good deeds” as well. This, again, is part of the idea behind “spreading the news.” God changes me, then I share these changes with others and they share it with others and so on and so on. Here is a brief description of the Seven Ripples we will be talking about all year.
New You. The first “ripple” has to do with our inner man. This is the secret place, called our spirit, where we become one with God as we unite with the Holy Spirit and allow Him to begin the transformation that will last until we leave this world…and possibly even beyond that. We surrender our lives to Jesus as Lord and Savior, receive the Holy Spirit and immediately the change has begun. Our identity is immediately changed from “sinner” to “saint.” Because we are given a “new name,” we CAN live a new life in Christ. Apart from this first reconciliation, nothing else can be altered.
Health Seekers. The second “ripple” has to do with our outer man. The truth is, if we are not physically, mentally and emotionally healthy, we will struggle with any further transformation. We must learn as much as we can about the many factors that affect our physical bodies and influence our mind and emotions so we can honor God with our bodies too. Our outer man, the way we look, the things we say, how we act, are all windows into what is going on within our hearts. If we truly want to glorify God, then this second part of our lives has to become a priority too.
Affectionately Yours. The third “ripple” has to do with the second most intimate relationship we humans can have. The first, of course, is with God Who knows us better than we know ourselves. The second, then, would be our marriage. I think the majority of people do get married, but even if you are single, there must be someone you know who is married and may need the wisdom God has to offer about how to have peace and joy in this beautiful, symbolic relationship. And so it is important for those in the Church to be informed as to what God says about this sacred and holy union.
Balanced Parenting. The fourth “ripple” usually follows, and is how to be as godly a parent as humanly possible. This may mean owning up to some mistakes we have made in the past, but we can hold firmly to God’s promise that He works all things together for our good if we love Him and are called to His purpose. What greater purpose is there than to teach a young, impressionable child how to love. Once again, even if you have not been blessed with children of your own, you can still be a parent to other children in need. A Mom or Dad does not need to physically create a child in order to parent another. And once again, it is important for those in the Church, whether you have a child or not, to be informed as to what God says about how to raise holy children for the next generation.
Effective Finances. The fifth “ripple,” sometimes seems more straight forward than the others, but let me caution you here. We are not to manage and use our finances the way the world does. Any treasures we are given are from God above and are to be used for His glory. Yes, that may include providing a nice and safe home, a vacation with good memories or an education so our children may be prepared to go out into the world and do good…but not always and certainly not only. Often, God entrusts us with treasures so that we may be able to provide for others who do not have the same opportunities. For this reason, it is vital that the Church follow God’s instructions about our finances. As Dave Ramsey says, “Broke people can’t feed hungry children.”
Growing Relationships. One of the most challenging part of life is also one of the most fulfilling parts: relationships. This is the focus of the sixth “ripple.” As we grow in Christ, we become a member of our Forever Family, as well as our biological family. As the verse above says, we must not neglect meeting together. We need one another. And we were created for relationships by a God who is all about relationships. This is where the Fruit of the Spirit, that has been growing within us, becomes real. After all, who needs to really be patient unless they find themselves in a relationship that can be rather challenging? We will talk about all sorts of relationships we are privileged to have in this section, everything from honoring our mother and father to witnessing to our coworkers. The point is to display the growing relationship with God we have within, to those God places in our lives.
Joyous Service. We are saved to do good works. This is how we show others who God is. This seventh and last ripple is about directly serving in God’s Name. The sad reality is that, in most churches, only 10% do 100% of the work. This should not be, my Friends! We are ALL children of God, and in any family, every member has his part to play. And the beautiful thing is that we are all unique. What you can do, I cannot. What the next person does with ease, may take me a lot of time and effort. While only Jesus is vital, every child born again from Him is equally required and equally important. There is deep fulfilling joy in serving God!
These are the seven areas God wants to transform in our lives. It is our responsibility and privilege to work with Him so that we may find our place in His Kingdom and “spread the news” about His Love and Grace. Won’t you join me?
Until we meet again, keep lifting your eyes to God, He’s closer than you think.
<>< Peace, Diane
