Where is God Amidst All This Chaos?
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THE ‘MORE’ OF THE GOSPEL

Steve Stewart's picture

Jesus has invited us to a life of ‘more’. It is what we were created for­––to move in the eternal and all-embracing purposes of the Creator. Jesus called it abundant life. But what does ‘more’ look like and how must we pursue it?

At its core, ‘more’ is a life of following Jesus on His mission of rescue, reconciliation and restoration. When we are really following Jesus (which is an active choice, not merely a theology), we quickly find ourselves engaged in what He did. One of the great joys of my life is taking men and women to the front lines of Kingdom engagement and watching skepticism turn to amazement and delight as they experience Jesus moving through the vehicle of their obedience.

Literally thousands of times I have stood back and watched as people stepped across the threshold of theory and entered into the reality of Kingdom activity. Through their obedience to Jesus blind eyes and deaf ears opened, the lame walked, tumors disappeared and sickness vanished––and men, women and children encountered the power and reality of Christ. When a child born deaf or blind is instantly restored, this is rescue, for the entire direction and potential of their lives has been changed in a moment.

Jesus said, “Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called the sons of God”. When we bring peace to a life in turmoil, or a family in conflict, or a community dispute, we are moving in the rhythm of our reconciling God. It is reconciliation that identifies us as His sons and daughters; to be peacemakers is both our inheritance and our responsibility, that when exercised, brings life to us and to those around us.

Following Jesus is an invitation to bring his Kingdom to earth. This is the restoration of life as God always intended it to be. For years, we have watched the broken lives of women at risk restored, children going to school for the first time, the sick receiving medicine and the hungry being fed. Churches have been planted (once, we saw an entire village come to Christ in a day!). It is thrilling to watch whole communities being transformed simply because we listened to Jesus as He led us to specific places. If this is not abundant life, right here and now, then I don’t know what is.

So, how do we pursue this greater story?

Everyone’s journey is different, but here a few keys to moving forward.

  • The man who found the treasure in the field (Mt 13:44) had to choose to sell what he had in order to obtain what he had discovered. Jesus said that this is how the Kingdom works. We live in a time where the implied message is that we can have everything we want. That is just not true. Jesus invites us to follow Him so that we can have what He wants for us. So we must begin by making a choice: either keep the life I have, or lay it down and follow Jesus.
  • If we are going to respond to Jesus when He says “Follow Me”, it means going somewhere. And you can’t go somewhere until you leave somewhere. This simple truth so often trips us up. Following Jesus means leaving something behind.
  • Often I am asked to pray for someone that they will know God’s will for them. But I think it is more obvious than that. Pay attention to what you think and dream about. God is for you. He wants to give you the desires of your heart (Ps 37:4). So pay attention. Your desire reveals your destiny.
  • Find out what God is doing and join in. Many times I have had people come share with me that they wish they could see healing or salvation happening. I always invite them to come on a Journey of Compassion with me to a developing nation. Why? Because I know that God will be at work and that Kingdom activity is contagious. The answers to most of our deepest spiritual desires are more caught than taught.
  • Finally, embrace a paradigm shift. Begin to assume that God wants you to be involved in the Kingdom activities of healing, evangelism, justice and mercy. This means that our first response to an opportunity is ‘yes’ unless God tells us otherwise. I think we put our own reluctance onto God. This doesn’t make a lot of sense, since we are following the One who ‘came to seek and to save all who are lost’. Making this fundamental shift may be the biggest single key to life of truly following Jesus into His great purpose.

If your heart is telling you that there has to be more to being a follower of Jesus, then there is nothing stopping you from letting that hunger propel you forward to walk with the One who is always saying, “Follow Me.” There is nothing to stop any of us and, conversely, nothing and no one to blame. Each of us must decide for ourselves.

The Kingdom of Heaven is like a treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid; and for the joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. (Mt 13:44 NKJV)

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4 Keys to Hearing God's Voice

4 Keys to Hearing God's Voice

by Mark and Patti Virkler | 305 Pages | Retail: $16.99

Have you ever wished you could just sit down and have a long talk with the Lord? Wouldn't it be wonderful to move beyond having a theology that states that God loves you to actually hearing Him whisper words of love into your heart? When you're worried or confused, wouldn't you love to see the situation from His perspective and hear how He wants you to respond?


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This top seller for 30 years from Bridge Logos provides a narrative, right-brain presentation of the principles of how to hear God's voice. Especially enjoyable for personal use, it makes a great gift for introducing a loved one to the voice of God. This book teaches the four keys to hearing God's voice in readable style, and also devotes two entire chapters to moving samples of people's journaling (i.e. their two-way dialogue with God).

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Hear God's Voice Guaranteed Package

Hear God's Voice Guaranteed Package

9 Books | 10 CDs | 10 DVDs | Save Over 20%

Have you ever wished you could just sit down and have a long talk with the Lord? Wouldn't it be wonderful to move beyond having a theology that states that God loves you to actually hearing Him whisper words of love into your heart? When you're worried or confused, wouldn't you love to see the situation from His perspective and hear how He wants you to respond? When things don't seem to be going your way and your prayers aren't answered the way you had hoped, wouldn't it be great to hear Him tell you where He is in the midst of it, and what He is working out in your life? Are you ever just a little bit jealous of others who say with such confidence, "The Lord said...."?

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How to Hear God's Voice

by Mark and Patti Virkler | 317 Pages

We recommend that you order the newest revision of this book titled 4 Keys to Hearing God's Voice. It includes 95% of the content of How to Hear God's Voice but is reorganized so it fits perfectly with the 10 DVDs on this subject by Mark Virkler. In addition, it gets you started using the four keys earlier in the book and gives you more journaling samples and exercises. Since we have removed the large margins, it is a smaller and less expensive book.

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Prayers That Heal the Heart - Revised & Expanded 20th Anniversary Edition

by Mark and Patti Virkler | 320 Pages

Prayer counseling that breaks every yoke! Everything you need to experience deep healing of your soul and spirit.

Did you know that you don’t need to be continually plagued by negative thoughts, feelings, pictures or memories?

It is not part of the "human condition" to feel the constant nagging of doubt, insecurity, or anger. No matter what sin you are trying to overcome, what lie you think you’ll always believe, or what traumas your heart has suffered in the past, you will receive total freedom and restoration by praying these prayers in faith. 

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Twelve Weeks to Spiritual Mastery - Group Coaching

A group coaching experience with Mark Virkler

Because I could not find a Spirit-anointed teacher/coach, I spent ten extremely frustrating years seeking to hear God’s voice!!! Suggestions offered did not help me, things like: “You just know that you know. It is a still small voice. He speaks from your heart.” No one could give me the answer I needed which was: Hearing God’s voice is as simple as quieting yourself down, fixing your eyes on Jesus, recognizing His voice as spontaneous, flowing thoughts and writing down His flow as it is coming. Test what you have written after the flow is done, NOT while it is occurring.

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Hear God Through Your Dreams Workbook Cover

Hear God Through Your Dreams Workbook

by Mark and Patti Virkler | 92 Pages

A newer book has been released that accompanies this workbook: Click here for Hearing God Through Your Dreams by Charity Kayembe and Mark Virkler (featured on Sid Roth's "It's Supernatural", with almost a million views just on YouTube).


Do you often wake up feeling there was a significant message in your dream, but you’re just not sure what it is? Like Daniel and Joseph, do you long to be able to help others understand their own dreams and win them to Christ as you explain His night messages to them? Wouldn't it be nice if you could receive mid-course corrections from the Lord while you sleep? Do you wish you could be receiving divine inspiration, creative solutions to problems, and direction from the Lord during that third of your life that you’re “just” sleeping?

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Learn How to Hear God’s Voice, Even When You Are Sleeping

It is always fun to be on the winning team. Well look what God has done with Charity's new dreams teaching. It has taken off like a rocket with a live TV interview on Cornerstone Network and her Sid Roth interview which has almost a million views on YouTube!

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Everyday Angels

by Charity Virkler Kayembe and Joe Brock 289 Pages

You can partner with Heaven’s angelic hosts!

Do you have guardian angels? Does God want you to know them? Find out what Scripture reveals and how YOU can interact with the company of Heaven!

The supernatural realm permeates our natural world! Therefore, experiencing angels should be an everyday occurrence–we simply need to open our spiritual eyes to their reality and role in our lives.

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