True Life "Then Jesus said to His followers; 'If people want to follow me, they must give up the things they want. They must be willing even to give up their lives to follow me. Those who want to save their lives will give up true life, and those who give up their lives for me will have true life.' " Matthew 16:24-25 Do you ever feel like your life is up and down, sort of like being on a roller coaster? One day everything is great and going your way. Then you turn around, something doesn't work out, and you find yourself at the bottom thinking that nothing ever goes the way you want it to. You can get off of that roller coaster and have a life that is joyful whether things are going your way or not. How do you do that? Determine in your life that you are going to follow God's will for you. Not everything that you want is what you need. God knows your life. He knows your tomorrow. It could be that if you get what you want today, it would hinder you from following God's will for you tomorrow. Don't let the disappoinments of life determine your state of mind. Jesus said that those who "give up their life for Him" will have true life. True life is one that is built on faith and trust in God. True life is one that is filled with inner peace and joy no matter the state of the outside world. Determine today that you are going to give your life to Christ and put aside your will for His. Then you will have true life.
	Walk in the Spirit "But I say, walk by the Spirit, and do not gratify the desires of the flesh." Galatians 5:16 As Christians we are to walk in the Spirit. What kind of life will this be? It will be a life that makes decisions asking what is the right thing to do. It will be a life that is surrendered to God's will and not our own. It will be a life that does not seek for pleasures of this world, but seeks to live a life that allows Jesus to be shown to others by our actions and words. What kind of life is that, you say? It is a life of victory. It is a life of peace. Don't you long for a life of peace? You can have it if you are walking by the Spirit. Don't continue down a road that leads to stress and strife. Choose today to follow God's way of living allowing the Holy Spirit to guide you as you study His Word, pray, make decisions and learn to love.
	What is Required for a Godly Influence? “Then the king interviewed them, and among them all none was found like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah; therefore they served before the king.” Daniel 1:19 Yesterday we said that we should pray for opportunities to share our influence. We also said that we should use our talents and serve in order to influence people. There two attitudes that we must have in order for us to take advantage of the opportunities. First, we must be convicted in our belief that God is our Father, Jesus is our Savior and God’s Word is true and where we find our basis for living. This conviction leads to the second attitude. That is one of commitment. Daniel and his friends believed that God was true and right. They were committed to the point of death. That is why they refused the food offered them in Daniel chapter one. Instead, they followed God’s plan and look what that did for their influence. When the king came looking for servants the Bible says, “none was found like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah”. There may be times that our lives are the only example someone has of Godly principles. We must decide to follow God, no matter the circumstances. When we are convicted and committed, we will have a Godly influence.
	Your Influence “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:19-20 How can you be an influence on others? Do you wonder how to go about it? Here are a couple of practical things to do. First, you need to pray. Pray for God to open doors and give you opportunities to share your life with those around you. Prayer is always a good place to start. Second, use the gifts God has given you to serve. When people see you serving, they will be influenced. You can’t reach someone when you are sitting at home. They are so many things that can be done. If you don’t know what to do, ask. Ask some of your elders or deacons. Ask your minister. Go out into your community and look for ways to serve. Serving will put you in contact with people so that your influence can be seen. Are you living today in a way that gives you opportunities to influence someone else for God?