From Fear To Love

In April, there is a shift happening, moving us from fear of those who are different than we are into the loving embrace of unity. From the firm foundation of God's radical love, you will meet Him and others in a profound way. Authenticity and surrender to the One who created you will open your heart to feel fully known, and taking action to co-labor with Him may be the step of faith you've needed to experience breakthrough. Trust-filled generosity is again highlighted, & God has promised to reward your choice to give to those who need it.

“It takes a grinding wheel to sharpen a blade,
and so one person sharpens the character of another.”
Proverbs 27.17 (The Passion Translation)

There is a shift within the body of Christ right now that is moving us from fear into unity. We are moving from surrounding ourselves with only those that are like us into a season of valuing diversity. God created each one of us unique, perfectly designed to fulfill our very own life purpose on the earth. The wide range of individuals that God artfully put together highlights how He prizes diverseness. The spirit of religion may tell us that we should only gather with those that think, act, and believe like we do, but there are certain things that we can only learn by being around those who are different than we are, by experiencing other cultures and by broadening our world view.

Growth comes when we are challenged by differing beliefs, thoughts, experiences, and backgrounds. We are forced to examine our own core beliefs when we come against a contrasting one. We may discover that beliefs we have held our entire lives are not really true, but were ultimately rooted in fear. When we come face to face with someone who is different from us, we are forced to examine our hearts. Will we choose to hang on to the way things have always been? Will we choose our beliefs over relationship or connection? Will we reject the one who is different from us? This month, as you open your heart to those that are not like you, watch as God gives you opportunities to grow like never before. Your world will become bigger and your heart will become softer as you shift your perspective to allow others in.

ROOTED IN THE LOVE OF CHRIST

“...that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height— to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.”

Ephesians 3.17-19 NKJV

Picture a gigantic oak tree with a massively deep root system. When you are anchored in the love of Christ and the fullness of God, you have a firm foundation, just like the oak tree. From this firm foundation, rooted and grounded in love, you are then able to love others deeply, experiencing God within them. In the month of April, expect God to encounter you with His love. Ask Him to show you what it means to be rooted and grounded in love, and watch what He does.

RUN WITH GOD

“God, I invite your searching gaze into my heart.
Examine me through and through;
find out everything that may be hidden within me.
Put me to the test and sift through all my anxious cares.
See if there is any path of pain I’m walking on,
and lead me back to your glorious, everlasting ways—
the path that brings me back to you.”
Psalm 139.23-24 (The Passion Translation)

God is calling His people to purity, but achieving it is not as hard as you might have thought. David modeled it well as He cried out for God to search his heart and make him pure. David’s words are evidence of his authenticity and surrender. He longed to be known by God completely and fully, and in that process, he surrendered his way to the Lord. David gave God his anxiety, his brokenness, and his pain, and God blessed his decision to be known by Him. This authenticity and surrender is necessary for where we are going as a body. When we are able to surrender to God in this way and invite Him into our hearts, revelation becomes available to us that will allow us to see what God is doing in our own lives as well as corporately (Matthew 5.8).

This month, take some time to be still before the Lord, allowing Him to search your heart. Your reward will be greater intimacy with the One who created you, fresh guidance, and peace that comes from being truly known.

TRUE STEWARDSHIP

“Jesus gave them this answer: ‘Very truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does. For the Father loves the Son and shows him all he does. Yes, and he will show him even greater works than these, so that you will be amazed.’” John 5.19-20 (NIV)

There is an invitation this month to really partner with God, co-laboring together towards a common goal. Try taking a more assertive role in partnering with Him when it comes to your dreams, prophetic words you’ve been given, and in the building of your legacy. The saying goes that “it’s hard to steer a parked car.” One of the ways to steward a prophetic word or to achieve a goal is to prayerfully take a step of faith. In so doing, you give God an opportunity to meet you.

Proverbs 13.22 is a practical example of co-laboring with God in finances. It tells us that “a good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children.” A step of faith in this area could look like putting a certain amount of money in a bank account for each of your grandchildren every month. This would be a very approachable way to take a step towards building your legacy for your family. Perhaps in time, as you are able, the monthly amount will grow. This month, ask God how He wants to partner with you, and take a step of faith to meet Him with action.

TANGIBLE FAITH

“Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” Luke 6.38 (NIV)

Radical generosity creates a momentum in the kingdom that adds God’s favor and blessing to your willingness. It puts something in motion that doesn’t make sense, doesn’t add up, and it quickly looks like multiplication instead of addition. Money is a tool we can use to build the kingdom, and as we use money for that purpose, that’s when we will see our money multiply. Proverbs 19.17 tells us, “Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will repay him for his deed (ESV).” Sometimes the poor are simply those in need around you. It could be money that they need, but it could also be compassion, friendship, and love. God may be waiting for you to make a move so that He can multiply it. You stand in faith when you give by believing His promises throughout Scripture. God’s repayment is often greater than what you could give in the first place!

Choosing to give your firstfruits to God is another way that you can stand in faith. It’s a powerful prophetic act that says you believe that God will take care of you, so you choose to give into His kingdom before you look to your own needs. Will you stand in faith this month, sowing into His kingdom by loving those around you in a tangible way?

DECLARATIONS

We at The Crowning Jewels believe in the absolute, transformational power of declarations. We know that truth comes by hearing (Romans 10.17), and speaking truth is an active way for us to renew our minds (Romans 12.2). We also believe that in speaking forth these declarations, you will change your life. We invite you to partner with what God is doing and say these declarations for the remainder of the month. We would love to hear what God does! Please email us your testimony at tellyourstory@thecrowningjewels.com.

I am moving from fear into unity.
I am rooted and grounded in love.
I am authentically surrendered to you, God.
I am actively partnering with God.
I am demonstrating my faith through my generosity.

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