"Simply live your life so others can simply live"

This morning, my church family had the sweet privilege of receiving a message on the importance of giving. Shaun Groves, a recording artist and champion for Compassion International Ministries, was our guest leader. The Spirit revealed to Brooke and me some very powerful truths that has drawn us to simplify. I'm grateful for how God's Holy Spirit continues daily to speak to us (as His adopted children), the importance of being faithful, here on this side of glory, to bring glory to His Son.

2 passages of Scripture are on my mind right now. I believe these passages can be in conjunction with the message I heard today. Matthew 18:5, Jesus said, "Whoever receives one such child in my name, receives me." WOW. How can I avoid these verse by trying to hide under the blanket of my selfish theology? It's not a 5 point theology process. It's not taking apart the different Greek verbs to translate to us "the original meaning." I believe it is simple. We are called to receive others, to not avoid the fact that children go to bed hungry and without the love of the church, and to be faithful with allowing His Spirit, in us, to bring His Kingdom to all nations. Read Matthew 18:1-6. That is powerful. That rocked me today.

John 3:30, (I quote this often), John the Baptist says, "He must increase, but I must decrease." I believe to sacrifice, to give, to meet needs, to bring the Gospel with our words and actions, is to decrease ourselves and to watch His glory increase. What am I giving? What am I doing? Am I wasting away the resources God has given me? May He forgive me a thousandfold and allow His great light to shine through me and others that like to call oureslves, "the church;" for His glory sake!

I like what Shaun Groves said today, "Simply live your life so others can simply live." Please join Brooke and me in prayer over this. What am I doing? What are you doing? What are we doing?

May His Glorious Gospel be reached in all nations,

Dave