Formed into Love

Fire and Formation are two ideas we see in Scripture that are both an important part of becoming more like Jesus for the good of others. Fire is often associated with the presence of God and formation relates to spiritual practices. Both are available, as means of grace, for our spiritual growth. But, many of us find ourselves only accessing one or the other. But, when we create space for both Fire and Formation in our lives, we find the practices are activities that place us in the Presence of God.

It’s been said that prayer is the soul’s native language. Most of us are drawn to the idea of prayer, but we often struggle to do it. Let’s dive into the ‘what’, ‘why,’ and ‘how’ of prayer, so we can begin developing a prayer life that matters.

In this message, we discover how the Bible is God’s primary tool for transformation - not just giving us information about God, but forming us into people who become more like Jesus.

The “one thing” followers of Jesus are called to pursue is becoming like Him for the good of others. True transformation comes through both fire (God’s presence) and formation (spiritual practices), with Scripture serving as the primary way our minds are transformed. Using the S.O.A.P. framework—Scripture, Observe, Application, Prayer—we are invited to move beyond merely hearing the Word to engaging it daily so that it forms Christlike thoughts, desires, and actions in us.

The Word of God is called the living word. It has power, purpose and promise. As we commit ourselves to read, study and memorize scripture The living word will bring transformation in our lives to become more like Jesus for the benefit of others.

The importance of rest is making a comeback in our culture. Companies are offering more time off and even occasional sabbaticals. Athletes are tracking their sleep in order to increase performance. But long before vacation days and sleep athletes were a thing, rest was an ancient promise that God offered to all who know Him and follow Him.