Did you recieve a card, bracelet, or something else with the word S.O.A.R.I.N.G. on it and our web address? That is because you are loved so much by God that He had us give you a gift from us with His Love! We are sure you are wondering what this word (phrase) could mean so we want to tell you a little more.
What is S.O.A.R.I.N.G.?
Sought Out and Refined In Neverending Grace
Sought Out
We are loved and known by the Creator of the Universe! He longs to have a relationship with each and every one of us. God loved us so much that He sent his Son to open the door for communication between Him and His creation.
Once we were separated from God by a door that we shut and locked with our own failings, pride, rebellion, and sin; but Jesus took all of our failings upon the cross with Him. He opened that locked door so now we can come freely to God in prayer. We are no longer separated from His love because of things we may have or may not have done all because of the amazing love of Jesus!
Who is Sought out?
Everyone! We are all sought out and loved by God so much that He gave His son so that we could have a relationship with the one who created us!
"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” John 3:16 NKJV
How are we Sought out?
God has always wanted a relationship with each and every person! He created us with great love and wants good things for us! He is just waiting for us to call out to Him!
“For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother’s womb.I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, And that my soul knows very well.:” Psalm 139:13-14 NKJV
"For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.” Jeremiah 29:11 NKJV
Why are we Sought out?
God wants to have a real relationship with each and every one of us. He wants to be a part of our lives and wants to celebrate with us when we celebrate and mourn with us when we mourn. He is not one that wants to control our every move though. He wants us to seek Him as much as He is seeking us! He has given us free will so that we can choose to be a part of His amazing plan for our lives or not. He loves us so much! Jesus told a parable of the Shepherd that goes and seeks out his sheep that has run away… that is like us. He wants us to be with Him eterally! He even sought out Adam and Eve when they were hiding from Him in the garden of Eden!
"For the Son of Man has come to save that which was lost. What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them goes astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine and go to the mountains to seek the one that is straying? And if he should find it, assuredly, I say to you, he rejoices more over that sheep than over the ninety-nine that did not go astray. Even so it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.” Mathew 18:11-14 NKJV
"For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.” Galatians 5:13 NKJV
"And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden. But the Lord God called to the man and said to him, “Where are you?” Genesis 3:8-9 NKJV
Neverending Grace
What is this Neverending Grace?
The Grace of God is the love and forgiveness that he shows us despite our failings. He loves us at all times. He loves us so much that He gave us the ultimate gift of forgiveness and eternal life through the sacrifice of Jesus. He did not let His son go to the cross in vain. No, instead Jesus took the keys of sin and death from the enemy so that we could be set free from our sins, from our pains, from our fears, and from all that holds us back from living a life of victory.
"For the Lord God is a sun and shield;The Lord will give grace and glory; No good thing will He withhold From those who walk uprightly." Psalm 84:11 NKJV
"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time." 1Peter 1:3-5 NKJV
"And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma.” Ephesians 5:2 NKJV
"In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace which He made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence, having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself, that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth—in Him.” Ephesians 1:7-10 NKJV
How doe we receive this Neverending Grace?
All we have to do to recieve this amazing, neverending grace that God has for us is to turn from our old sinful ways (repent), believe in our hearts, minds, and spirit that Jesus is Lord, and confess that we believe He is Lord! This is the starting place where we accept the invitation of Jesus open door to have a relationship with God!
Not sure how to start? Pray this prayer with me:
Lord Jesus, thank you for taking my sins on the cross with you and for opening the door for me to have a relationship with your Father the Creator of the Universe. I confess that I have not been perfect for even your word says that all have sinned. I believe that you died and rose again so that I could be free. Please Lord Jesus come into my life. Send your Holy Spirit to guide my steps. Teach me your ways so that I may follow the good path that you have set before me. Lord God thank you for the gift of Jesus and for your neverending grace and love. Teach me your ways so that I may glorify you in my life and shine your light. Father God your word says that to those who confess Jesus as their Lord you have given them the right to be your children. I thank you God that today and evermore I am your child and that one day I will be with you in eternity. Amen!
"Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” John 14:6 NKJV
"Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”They answered Him, “We are Abraham’s descendants, and have never been in bondage to anyone. How can You say, ‘You will be made free’?”Jesus answered them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin. And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever. Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed." John 8:31-36 NKJV
"Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call.” Acts 2:38-39 NKJV
"But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference; for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. Romans 3:21-26 NKJV
"Now after John was put in prison, Jesus came to Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.” Mark 1:14-15 NKJV
"that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.” For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him. For “whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”' Romans 10:19-13 NKJV
How doe we stay Neverending Grace?
How we stay in His grace is continueing to believe in Jesus, and turning away from sins that hold us back from fullness of joy in the Lord. We can not do this on our own though. It is only through God’s grace that we can live this out! Continue to call upon the Lord and ask guidance of the Holy Spirit daily! Like Jesus in His grace told the woman at the well, “Go and Sin no more”
"And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others."But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” Ephesians 2:1-10 NKJV
Refined
Being refined in God’s grace is an unending process through our lives. We are constantly growing in our faith, learning to live in His righteousness, and learning about God’s love. If we stop growing in our faith, or stop reading His word we begin to slip back into our old ways. That is not what God wants for us! He wants us to walk in victory over the things that once held us back and He wants us to put away the worldly things for His eternal things.
How are we Refined?
We are refined in our everyday life throughout our walk with Jesus. There are seasons and timings for all things in our life. We will have times of great celebration and rejoicing and there will be hard times full of sorrow. We have a choice on how we live out those times. We can live them with thanksgiving and joy that can only come from God or we can fall away. When we choose to follow the narrow path that God has chosen for us there may be some things that try to get in our way… but don’t be afraid. Jesus has promised us that He is with us always! Through good times and bad times. He will not abandon us and He has already overcome anything we might face in this world.
"For You, O God, have tested us;You have refined us as silver is refined." Psalm 66:10 NKJV
"Many shall be purified, made white, and refined, but the wicked shall do wickedly; and none of the wicked shall understand, but the wise shall understand." Daniel 12:10 NKJV
"These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” John 16:33 NKJV
"And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 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.” Amen. Matthew 28:18-20 NKJV
How can we live our lives in purity and grace as we are Refined?
The keys to living our lives for Jesus are really simple! He taught us to love others, follow the commandments, pray without ceasing, be thankful, pray as He prayed, forgive, and to live in the world without living in the worlds ways. We may stumble and fall along the way because we are not perfect. We are human… but we are also the living temples of the Lord when we ask him to be a part of our lives. He sends down his Holy Spirit to counsel and guide us along our path.
“As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love. If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love. “These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full. This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends. You are My friends if you do whatever I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you. You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you. These things I command you, that you love one another.” John 15:9-17
"Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise prophecies. Test all things; hold fast what is good. Abstain from every form of evil.” 1 Thessalonians 5:16-21 NKJV
“And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly. And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words. “Therefore do not be like them. For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him. In this manner, therefore, pray:
Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come.Your will be done. On earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, As we forgive our debtors. And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.
“For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” Matthew 6:5-14
"Blessed are the pure in heart, For they shall see God." Matthew 5:8 NKJV
“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so? Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect." Matthew 5:42-48
"I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” Romans 12:1-2 NKJV
Remember above all that you are a Treasure to God! He loves you! You are chosen by Him! We will be adding more resources about walking on the path that God has laid before you and living a victorious life in the Lord as well as information on worship and praise. We hope you will be encouraged by this to live an extrodinary life.
Are you a new believer? If so here are some places to start!
1. Get baptised by a Bible believing Christian church or ministry and pray to recieve the Holy Spirit. If you are in our area we would love to talk to you more about baptism. You can contact us through the contact information on the page. We love to baptize and affirm people in their new walk with the Lord!
2. Get a Bible and read it! Though it is great to go to Bible studies and get plugged into churches having the word and reading it for yourself is so important. It will help you grow your relationship with the Lord! Have questions? We are here for you! You can contact us through our contact page or join our Facebook page or group and ask there!
3. Fellowship with other believers. There is power in praying together in agreement and power in coorporate worship. Coming together as believers doesn’t have to be in a “church” building. As members of the body of Christ we can gather in homes, in parks, in offices, in the streets, and anywhere really that is not defiled. Gather with us online, join us in one of our worship in the parks meet ups, or meet up with us when we travel to other areas!
4. Let us know how we can pray for you! We would love to pray with you and send you a prayer back for your prayer needs! Please use the prayer request link above!