"Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’” Now this he said about the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were to receive, for as yet the Spirit had not been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified." John 7:38-39
"Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb" Revelation 22:1
     Life is like swimming in a river, when the current grabs you, either you travel with it calmly until it slows or you constantly try to escape it tiring out and eventually losing. There are many boats on the river to make you safe, but some of them sink while others drop you off in places where you do not need to be. These boats make you struggle to climb on board. Some see a golden ship and jump in only to sink with it. Some see a small yacht, get on board and eventually get run aground and become lost. Some see the canoe and drift easy without a care letting the current take them and eventually stop, sink, or go over the edge. These boats get you nowhere, the sustainment is temporary and the end abrupt. When traveling down the river and you see hands reaching out to you and a net that lifts you from the water; that is the boat of life. When you walk on the boat, if you slip, the captain will pick you up; if you stray too close to the edge, the first mate will pull you in. When you rest, the boat will not rock.  This River has no end but flows through the Kingdom where the banquet is waiting. When the time is right you will be led off the boat and into the Courts of Praise. Be careful not to jump from this boat too early, the water is not kind.
     It is our faith, trust, and belief in Jesus that keeps us safely on the boat. Sometimes when we question our faith, we may slip but He is there to renew it.  Temptations keep us on the edge and when we get to close the Holy Spirit reminds us of His Word which saves us.  He is our comfort, our strength.
     Be wary of the boats which promise worldly things for they are only temporary and pass away. Stay focused on God and keep a watch for the boat of Everlasting Life leading to the light.

​       One of the concerns that a young person between 18-24 years old is one of belonging. Brothers and Sisters, this is a volatile time for a young Christian who is thrust into the world after High School and is seeing the world without the full cushion of home. Some young adults have the opportunity to stay at home while starting college or working for a bit before continuing education, the rest have spread their wings by pursuing higher education a good distance from family or serving their country in military service. Either way they all desire to belong to something.
       The ones that stay home have a safety cushion if things get too rough and they need comfort (but still are not satisfied), the ones that go into the world can possibly fall into the wrong crowd when enticed into a false sense of comfort and safety (unless they are in a school where Jesus takes the wheel).  How can we combat this when the young adult is not near a good group of Christ loving people? How do we let them know that they have a place they belong? How do we get those who fall away back into the loving arms of Christ?
Psalm 100:3 - Know that the Lord is God. It is He who made us, and we are His; we are His people, the sheep of His pasture.
      We are made in the Image of God. This “Image” is (as most reading this should know) is not the physical form but imaged in values, characteristics, morals and ethics. We were made to be caretakers of God’s Creation but there was an issue with a creature with a conniving tongue who coerced Eve into going against God’s Will. This was not Satan as many people are led to believe. It was an agent of the Adversary. We still have God’s Image ingrained in us, but we have an imperfection as we cannot fully balance the knowledge from the tree. We recognize right from wrong and the pull to the darkness is sometimes too great. This causes loneliness, worthlessness, a desire to belong to whatever gives us temporary joy and leads to deeper darkness.   
1 John 3:1-2-See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Beloved, we are God's children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is.
       This brings to mind the song, Hello My Name Is. In the song we are called Child of the One True King, saved, changed, and set free. The song begins with us after the fall, the regret of sin and the fear of exclusion. Then there is the defeat where sin has won us over and there is no relief. Through all this time God has known us, each of us personally, and has watched over us ready to enter in so that we can return to the family. All this time we have belonged to God but because we lost sight of His Glory, we lost sight of His Grace which has been gifted freely. We have received His mercy through the sacrifice of His Son who broke the veil and opened the locks of our hearts.
      The Adversary, loosed and in control of the world temporarily, sees that he is losing his grip and is still trying to hold on to us by pulling out all the stops. Greed, violence, disrespect, self-love, selfishness, anxiety, depression, lustful desires and breaking all Ten Commandments to keep us in the darkness has created the means for the false happiness and temporary joy which further distances us from God.
       Now there are those who have been called to a path that takes them into missions, youth ministry, and other inner workings of the church. For some they do not hear that call and cannot understand what is going on. Guess what, not everybody is meant for specific “church work” but everybody is commissioned to spread the Word. Being part of a Bible Study that includes work and study outside the four walls is a good thing. It is through our actions and the witness of the Word that those who are not called to service in the church are called for Spiritual service in the communities in which God places them. It may seem very odd but showing that we are Christian, part of something bigger than ourselves, is sometimes the catalyst for others to begin to follow Christ. Not everyone needs to be in a leadership position to lead others to learn of their salvation. As I said in the beginning, we are all part of the Body of Christ through our being made in the Image of God.  
      Where do you belong? You already are in a community called the Body of Christ, Body of Believers, but if you are still asking that question then it is time to be in prayer and listening to God so that you can receive guidance and direction.