Galatians 6:10 tells us that when the opportunity comes around, we should do good things for others, including those in our churches.

However, in recent years, several churches seem to have become more focused on staying within the confines of the church and only helping those in their congregation, sometimes even being picky on who they will help among their fellow believers.

Although this might be easier, that is not what the Great Commission from Christ is about. Jesus shared in the book of Matthew that we are to go and make disciples of others around the world, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit (Matt. 28:16-20). But we don’t have to hop on a plane to fulfill this command; there are plenty of opportunities to reach the lost in our own neighborhoods – often right next-door to your church building.

For those who have the desire to reach their communities with the words of God, here are six ways to create those moments of interaction. You never know how God will bless all when you reach out to help others.

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Matthew 7:13-14 paints a clear picture of what it means to live a godly life, one that is not always easy and not always a favorite among those around you. Matthew 7:13-14 depicts two separate gates, one narrow and one wide, that have different outcomes for those who venture through them.

Although some may feel that God owes them more respect than others (think the Sanhedrin and those who based their faith on their works), God sees everyone equally and doesn’t hold the lives of anyone over another. We are all sinners who have fallen short of God’s glory (Rom. 3:23) and are need of a savior, Jesus Christ, to be freed from sin and one with God.

The book of Acts, foretold through Luke’s eyewitness accounts, shares with readers what it truly means when you accept Jesus into your heart and how your life completely changes from what you knew before. Once you accept Jesus and His sacrifice for you, you can’t help but want to live out your life in honor of Him.

As we go through death on earth as Jesus did, we will be resurrected in the same way to join Him in heaven when God calls us there. We won’t have to go to the pits of hell if we have accepted Jesus as our Savior but will join Him as we enter the gates of heaven to live eternally with God.

God uses stories of prostitutes to not only show that no one is too far gone to be saved and loved by God, but that even professed Christians can fall into the traps of prostitution for the idols or prosperities of this world, needing God to save them.

As we witness the man known as Saul be spiritually transformed into Paul, we will see him come to realize more than anyone the miraculous blessings that happen to a person when they surrender their life to Jesus and allow God to lead their life.

The short answer is yes, God does get angry, and Scripture gives countless examples of God’s anger. This differs from human anger in that ours can be for selfish reasons, while His is always righteous and to further truth.

Some might see this verse and think that it should disappoint us in acknowledging that our bodies will fail, and we will eventually die. But the opposite is true; we should be encouraged to know that while our bodies – our flesh – will fail us eventually, our spirits will flourish each day because of who we believe and trust in.

When we read these stories of amazing women that are at the same level of faith and resilience as men, we can see that the Bible is the opposite of sexist, but celebrates the capabilities that God has given women to be the strong leaders they can be.

“Well, He knows I love Him. I don’t have to show it.” 

“Okay, but how would I show Him?”

“Would He even know it was me showing my love for Him?”

All these statements have one thing in common: they are all statements regarding the love we would show to a God who loves us without limits.

We can be tricked, especially in this world, to believe that God is either too busy to consider anything we have to offer Him, or that He is already the epitome of love and so there is nothing we could offer Him in return for what He has done for us.

But there are ways we can show our love for our heavenly Father, and they don’t require you to have millions of dollars or to be the “perfect” Christian. These seven things are simple but meaningful ways we can demonstrate our love and appreciation for God that will speak volumes to Him personally: giving Him praise, praying to Him, reading the Bible, loving those around us, tithing, fasting, and being hopeful.

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Instead of believing your salvation came through your own works or because you are “better” than someone else, an attitude of humility reminds you that you were once a lost sinner like people around you and that God could have rejected you, but didn’t.