Day 33: How Real Servants Act

You can learn a lot from a child. The other night my daughter told my wife at practice for our Christmas program that mama, my mom, looks like God's wife. I chuckled when I heard this. When I asked her what she meant, she smiled and said mama is the perfect wife for God. My wish is to have someone tell me that I am the perfect companion for God.

Point to Ponder: I serve God by serving others.

Verse to Remember: "If you give even a cup of cold water to one of the least of my followers, you will surely be rewarded." Matthew 10:42

Question to Consider: Which of the six characteristics of real servants offers the greatest challenge to me?

One of the toughest aspects of being a servant is lowering yourself while elevating others. It's against human nature to lower yourself and to elevate the needs of others. It's against what the world puts out as the model for behavior. Our world teaches us it's all about me. But God teaches us that it's all about other people.

Real servants make themselves available. This is a tough one. It's easy to serve at our convenience. What about when it's inconvenient for us to serve? What about when meeting the needs of others throws off our plans? Being a servant means letting God control our schedules and allowing Him to interrupt it whenever he needs to. That's a hard thing for us to give up, control. We love to be in control. But being true servants means that God controls our lives.

Real servants are also faithful to our ministries. There were so many times when I felt discouraged and just wanted to quit. I cried many nights and asked God to show me what to do. But every time I've been tempted to quit, something always talks me out of it. I'm so glad I didn't give up during those times of discouragement. I believe there's a purpose for everything that has happened in my life, and even those times of discouragement had a purpose for me. Hang in there and continue fighting. Remember, don't let the perfect be the enemy of the good. Be blessed.

Day 32: Using What God Gave You

Had another bout of the chills last night. I have this nagging medical condition that makes me extremely sick in short bursts. I would be fine one minute, and then twenty minutes later I'm shaking with the chills. I've been to several doctors and they all tell me it's something different. I pray that the healing power of God will cure me and that this is an experience that I will use for His purposes in the future.

Points to Ponder: God deserves my best.

Verse to Remember: "DO your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth." 2 Timothy 2:15

Question to Consider: How can I make the best use of what God has given me?

This chapter is a continuation of the previous chapter. What struck me about this chapter was that we shouldn't force ourselves into ministries. We must serve and see where we best fit and then concentrate on those areas. The only thing that we are commanded to do is to serve. God's ministry needs us.

When I first got married, I encouraged my wife to join all the different ministries of the church. She became a Sunday School teacher, a member of the Youth group. She even joined the Women's fellowship. But she would not join the choir. And I could not convince her. Her answer was always, if we all go to the choir, who is going to sit on the other side of church? I'd always felt it was a cop out. But when I read this chapter, it finally dawned on me that I was trying to force her to do something she wasn't equipped to do. Her heart was for a different ministry and she was more cut out for working with kids. She started the Children's church ministry, which is one of the most important ministries of the church.

We should look at what our strengths are and find a way to contribute using those strengths. Don't force yourself into something you weren't cut out to do. Be blessed.

Day 31: Understanding Your Shape

It's been a hectic week getting ready for Christmas. We had our final practice tonight and the kids performed their best during tonight's run through. I think we've timed it perfectly again this year, having the kids peak right at the time of their performance. I just hope that their message comes through tomorrow night. I know that no matter what the message is, the innocence of the night and the wonder of the birth of Christ can be best brought out by the kids voices when they sing.

Points to Ponder: Nobody else can be me.

Verse to Remember: "God has given each of you some special abilities; be sure to use them to help each other, passing on to others God's many kinds of blessings." 1 Peter 4:10

Question to Consider: What God-given ability or personal experience can I offer to my church?

My response:

This was such a poignant chapter. It speaks of the last three letters of the acrostic SHAPE, which we use to remind us about service. The A stands for ability, the P for personality and the E for experience.

We should use whatever abilities we're given to serve God. No ability is unimportant. We should use whatever gifts we're given to glorify Him and to help in the different ministries. God can use ALL our talents. The same thing with your personality. We're all made and molded in different ways. Don't try and change yourself to try and fit into a personality type that isn't you just so that you could serve.

I remember growing up in Samoa and going to Sunday School and church. There was always an old lady assigned to watch us. When we talked in church or misbehaved. she'd hit us with a fan or a songbook. (This was obviously before Child Protective Services came to the island.) And in our church, there's a lady that all the kids think is mean. In fact, I know just how mean she is because I'm married to her. LOL I always laugh at my wife when she scolds the kids and then I have to come in and play good cop. I told her, man I reap all the love from the kids because I get to come in and play the good guy. She said, somebody has to play the bad guy. But for all her yelling and scolding of the kids, they still seem to gravitate to her. That's just her personality, to be the stern disciplinarian. My personality is to be the nice guy. If we switched, it wouldn't work. It would be funny to watch, but ineffective.

The last part of the acrostic is experiences. What struck me about this was using painful experiences to help others. We're going to go through painful experiences, so we might as well use them to benefit others. Who better to comfort grieving parents than someone who's lost a child themselves? Who better to help a drunk than a recovering alcoholic? In order to use those experiences, you must share them. Only shared experiences help others. Never waste a painful experience. Be blessed.

Day 30: Shaped For Serving God

Our lay minister had a great message yesterday. He said that as Christmas is getting closer, many people are looking forward to opening their gifts. But soon those gifts will get old once their shine wears off. But if we base our joy in what lasts, then our joy will never fade. Paul says to rejoice in the Lord always. He's promised to be with us until the end of time. So this Christmas, make sure your joy is based on the eternal, not the temporary. Be blessed.

Points to ponder: I was shaped for serving God.

Verse to remember: "God works through different men in different ways, but it is the same God who achieved His purposes through them all. " 1 Corinthians 12:6

Questions to consider: In what way can I see myself passionately serving others and loving it?

My response:

This chapter gives us an acrostic for servive: SHAPE. The S stands for spiritual gifts, H is for heart, A is for abilities, P is for personality and E is for enthusiasm. The first two are discussed in this chapter.

We're each blessed with different spiritual gifts. The key is for us to recognize them and to use them. Sometimes we can fall into the trap the devil sets for us in being envious of each others' spiritual gifts.

The h stands for heart or passion. I was told at a very young age by my father to not love what I do, but do what I love. There is a huge difference in meaning if you invert that last sentence. Being forced to love what you're doing can lead to a very dissatified and unfulfilled life. But doing what you love, what you're passionate about, can make a world of difference. I could make a lot more money in business, but my heart is teaching and working with young people.

For a few years out of college, I bounced from job to job, never really being satisfied. Not until I started teaching Sunday School, did I find my real passion: working with young people. I found myself sitting at work Mondays through Fridays thinking about what I'm going to be teaching on Sundays. The different ways I can bring the material alive for my kids, making it relevant in their lives. So I finally told myself, why are you doing this part time, why not do it every day. And that's how I found my calling in life, to teach. I still teach Sunday School and youth group, but I've also found that I'm just as passionate teaching kids in my high school classes.

That's the key about service, find your gifts and use them to serve God. Only when we use our gifts can we get the passion to serve Him. If I was forced to play piano and teach the choir, I suppose I could do it if I took lessons. But my heart wouldn't be in it because that's not my passion. Use your gifts and passion to serve the Lord. Be blessed.

Day 29: Accepting Your Assignment

Had an awesome weekend. Spent some quality time with the Youth and Sunday School as they had their caroling outings this weekend. Every Christmas our Youth group goes around to the different communities in our church and sing Christmas carols. It's a tradition from Samoa that we've continued here in Texas. And then today our Sunday School went caroling to old folks homes here in town. This is our 15th year doing this. It's wonderful to see the children interact with the elderly in our community. We want to teach them the concept of service early on so that they can put into practice what they've learned in Sunday School. Praise God.

Points to ponder: Service is not optional.

QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER: What is holding me back from accepting God's gift to serve Him?

Verse to remember: "For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." Ephesians 2:10

My response:

This was perhaps the chapter that spoke to me the most. This chapter says that the manifestation of our faith is service. There is no use in knowing about God if we don't put that knowledge into practical acts of service. At some point, we have to put our knowledge of God into use.

I look at it as knowing God is going to school. Service is getting a job. No sense in acquiring all that knowledge if we're not going to put it into any good use. We all know about God, but until we serve others, we don't really know who God is. I believe that we were put on this Earth to serve. Jesus came to serve. He was born in a manger and walked amongst the poor, the sick and the sinners. He didn't hang out with the elites. He healed the sick, feed the hungry and forgave the sinners. He washed peoples feet, which is one of the most degrading things in middle eastern cultures. He ended His service on the cross.

If we are to truly have Christ in our hearts. then our lives must be spend in service to God and others. Find a way to serve others. It begins in our families, then our churches, our community and our world. Be blessed.

Day 28: It Takes Time

Getting closer and closer to Christmas. The anticipation is always the best part about this season of advent. All the possibilities that the baby of Christmas brings with Him. At the same time, I can't help but to see the cross in the distance. What began in an inn in Bethlehem, ended on a cross on Calvary. But what a journey it was. And continues to be.

Points to ponder: There are no shortcuts to maturity.

QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER: In what areas of my spiritual growth do I need to be more patient and persistent?

Verse to remember: "God began doing a good work in you, and I am sure He will continue it until it is finished when Jesus Christ comes again." Philippians 1:6

My response:

We live in such an instant gratification world. We want things done fast and we want them done now. I can't remember the last time I can't remember the last time I was inside a bank. I've used the drive through lane for as long as I've banked. And now I don't even use that anymore. I bank online and do everything from home. The only "face to face" transaction I have with my bank is when I go to the ATM to withdraw money. I even apply for loans from home.

What this has done has made me less patient. I have been conditioned to get things instantly. I need to know some information? I google it. I want to talk to someone? I call them, or text them, or facebook them, or twitter them. The world we live in isn't conducive to patience.

But spiritual maturity demands it. Just because we've turned our life over to Christ doesn't mean we're all good for the rest of our lives. It doesn't mean we won't be tempted or slip or fall. In fact, it takes a long time for us to mature as Christians. The chapter says it took us years to form our bad habits, and it will take years to unlearn them and learn new habits, new Christ-like habits. They say that character is the sum of you habits. Well, they only way we can get good character is by having good habits. And the only way to have good habits is by practicing them.

Our physical bodies didn't get into the shape their in today because of something that happened overnight. If you're in great shape, it took years of exercise and hard work to gain that shape. If you're in bad shape, it took years of bad habits for your body to get where it is today. The same thing is true of our spiritual bodies. Whatever shape it's in today, good, bad or in the middle, it's the result of years of habits. If you've accepted Christ as you Savior, you're on the right road. Be patient and keep forming those habits.

Tama says every time you practice good habits, your making a deposit into your character account. Every time you practice integrity, your making a deposit. Every time you practice kindness, you're making a deposit. And then one day when you need it, you can make that withdrawal. I believe that's spiritual maturity. So keep making those character deposits. It will come in handy on our spiritual journey. Be blessed.

Day 27: Defeating Temptation

Had a blessed day today. My daughter received her second promotion in her taekwondo class. She's up to orange belt, on her way to black. At least that's her goal. This experience is really teaching her to set goals and to work hard towards it. I pray she sticks it through. Also had dinner with Tama. He got home from the hospital today. He went through his first bout of chemo and said the doctors were optimistic. He goes in again next month to xray to determine if the tumor has shrunk or not and then determine their next move. He was in high spirits, but understandably, low on energy. But it was so good to see him. Please continue to keep him in your prayers.

Point to Ponder: There is always a way out.

QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER: Who could I ask to be a spiritual partner to help me defeat a persistent temptation by praying for me?

Verse to remember: "God is faithful. He will keep the temptation from becoming so strong that you can't stand up against it. When you are tempted, He will show you a way out so that you will not give into it." 1 Corinthians 10:13

My response:

This chapter gives great advice on how to fight temptation. It is a fact of life that we will be tempted. That's because the devil's in the world. It began with Adam and Eve and the devil has tempted everyone since then, including Jesus. The key for us is to resist the devil and his tempting ways.

Some people feel defeated just to be tempted. They feel as if because their love for God is so strong that they should be immune from temptation. That's a trap the devil sets up for us. Again, even Jesus was tempted. We lust after things, its natural. Whether it's food, clothes, money, people, the world will tempt us over and over. The best thing to do is to ignore it. The more you think about something and try to block it out, the more you think about it. When temptation enters your mind, change your mindset.

And another thing I've found so useful is honesty with yourself. You know your weaknesses. We all have them. For some it's alcohol. For others it's gambling. Others might be tempted by sex. Pride is also a big one for many people. The key is to recognize the areas of your life that the devil can use to tempt you, and avoid them. We have to be smart. If we are tempted by alcohol, stay away from the clubs and bars. If gambling tempts us, stay away from gambling places. It's hard enough to resist the devil, let's not give him half the battle by putting ourselves in positions to fall.

Also have a good support group. Surround yourself with spiritual buddies that can see when you're tempted to stray. Again, if your aim is salvation, don't hang out with people that don't make that a priority. If you're going to Dallas, don't jump in a car with people going to Houston. Be smart and lean on God. Be blessed.

Day 26: Growing Through Temptation

This chapter continues the series of chapters about experiences that define us. I call them the don't run away chapters. These things used to make me run away: troubles, temptation, truth. But spiritual maturity ensures that we face them head on and to look for the purpose they serve in our lives.

Point to Ponder: Every temptation is an opportunity to do good.

QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER

What Christ like character quality can I develop by defeating the most common temptation I face?

Verse to remember: "God blesses the people who patiently endure testing. Afterward, they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love Him." James 1:12

My response:

The chapter says that you should view every temptation as an opportunity to defeat the devil. Every time we overcome it, we deal another blow to the enemy. So when we're faced with an offer to fall, relish turning it down.

We develop Christ-like character when we endure hardships and temptation. How we answer those challenges builds our character. They can be positive, but they can also be negative. Spiritual maturity pushes us into the positive category. God never forces us to do anything. He always gives us a choice. And temptation gives us that choice.

For example, God teaches us love by putting UNlovely people in our lives. It's not hard to love people that are lovable. But loving those that aren't builds character. God teaches us about joy by allowing sorrow to enter our lives.

Temptation is something that begins within us. It starts with a desire we have, sometimes legitimate, and sometimes evil. But Satan begins to legitimize that desire into evil ways. The key for us is to recognize in our lives the areas that we're vulnerable to temptation and to guard against them. Be blessed.

Day 25: Transformed By Trouble

I apologize for being off line for a week. I came down with a bad case of the flu and some other things got in the way. This is a perfect illustration of how the clutter of life can get in the way of our spiritual journey. But on to the end.

Point to Ponder: There is a purpose behind every problem.

QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER

What problem in my life has caused the greatest growth in me?

Verse to remember: "And we know that in all things, God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose."

My response:

For a long time, I've considered problems as something to be avoided. I looked at trials as some form of punishment from God for a wrongdoing I'd committed. But with spiritual maturity, I've come to realize that problems are a natural part of life. In fact, it's a part of our spiritual journey.

Over and over in the Bible, we are told that trials serve a purpose: to make us stronger. Jesus said that in this world, we will face trouble. Paul said that troubles will make us stronger, build endurance and produce character. That's how I've come to view troubles: character building. They mold me and make me stronger. And God has promised never to give us more than what we can endure.

When I face trouble now, I don't ask "why me" but "what can I learn from this?" I can't believe to tell you how transformative that change has been in my life. My father was recently diagnosed with a major disease. Instead of saying "woe is me", I said, "God I know you have a purpose for this. Please show us." And I truly believe that we are transformed by trials. My dad preached on Sunday saying that a lot of us know ABOUT Jesus, but many don't know who He is. I would venture to say that troubles brings us a lot closer to Jesus than good times. Be blessed.

Day 24: Transformed By Truth

Had a real good fellowship at the Bible Study last night. We had two new members join us on our journey through this book. God is moving in so many ways and I just can't thank Him enough for this opportunity to share this journey with as many people as possible. Even though we're all busy getting ready for Christmas, I thank God that He is still leading people to this study.

Point to Ponder: The truth transforms me.

QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER

What has God told me in His Word that I haven't started doing yet?

Verse to remember: "If you continue in my Word, then are you my disciple indeed; and you shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free." John 8:31-32

My response:

I was teaching a unit on northern Europe the other day in class and we came upon Shakespeare. I told them that Shakespeare was the second most talked about person in history. They didn't understand. I said, there are more books written about the words Shakespeare wrote than any other human being, except for one. After multiple guesses, one of the students would always come up with the correct answer: Jesus.

And it's not even close. And the reason being is simple. The Bible is the most important book ever written. It is the Word of Life. It has literally saved millions of people. There are several ways the chapter lays out for us to become more familiar with it; read it, remember it, meditate on it and researching it. We must know it intimately because it holds the answers to all of life's questions.

I can't imagine not having a teacher's guide walking into the classroom. I would have no idea what the curriculum is, what the expectation is, what we're supposed to be teaching the kids. The same thing in going through life without a Bible getting to know the Bible. We're blindly walking through life without ever knowing the truth. And yes, the truth does set you free. Be blessed.

Day 23:How We Grow

These chapters are such affirming chapters because they teach us how to grow as Christians. Just as we grow physically, we must also continually grow spiritually. We cannot remain spiritually immature. Let's grow together.

Point to Ponder: It is never too late to start growing.

QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER

What is one area where I need to stop thinking my way and start thinking God's way?

Verse to remember: "Let God transform you inwardly by a complete change of your mind. Then you will be able to know the will of God - what is good and is pleasing to Him and is perfect." Romans 12:2

My response:

This chapter tells me that I am still a child. Well, it doesn't actually tell me that. But it does tell me that God wants me to grow up. In a sense, it says that I'm still spiritually immature. And I can agree with that. Spritual growth is not automatic. We must want to grow, decide to grow, make an effort to grow and then persist in growing. We must first WANT to grow. We must commit to this just like committing to a job or a relationship. We become whatever we are committed to.

Becoming like Christ means we have to shed our old selves. We must develop new habits and change the way we think. This is hard. After years of acting, thinking and believing one way, we must change to a totally new mindset. It's radical when you think about it. We must change our hearts. Giving our hearts to Christ is the biggest committment you will ever make. But once we commit our hearts to Christ, our thoughts and actions must also be committed.

I thought about that popular saying...WWJD...what would Jesus do. This is one of the ways we must start to think. In every and all situations, ask yourself, what would Jesus do? Once we put ourselves in that frame of mind, things will become clearer. Would Jesus swear at this man that just cut me off the road? Would he cheat on this test? Would he lie to his boss? Once you start thinking like how Jesus would think, it changes your mindset drastically. Practice that. In making all your decisions, ask what Jesus would do. You'd be surprised how much that changes things.

Day 22: Created To Become Like Christ

We start our third purpose in this chapter and that is to develop Christ-like character. I've grown so much spiritually in reading about the third purpose. Again, we are reminded that it's not about us. We were put on this earth to serve God's purposes for us. I heard a young man give a testimony where he said in the new year, he hopes that we use God's talent to where WE are satisfied with it. It broke my heart. It really did because I realized that he was looking at it from the wrong perspective and had it upside down. It's not about us. It's all about Him.

Point to Ponder: I was created to become like Christ.

QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER

In what area of my life must I ask for the Spirit's power to be like Christ today?

Verse to remember: "As the Spirit of the Lord works within us, we become more and more like Him and reflect His glory even more." 2 Corinthians 3:18

My response:

This chapter begins our examination about developing Christ-like character. It says that our character is just the sum of our habits. I couldn't agree more. I had an old football coach who said we should practice like we play. He said all the bad habits we pick up during practice will manifest itself during games. And sure enough, the penalties, missed assignments and mental errors that occurred during practice all surfaced during games. So we had to practice just like it was a real game.

And that's what character development is. Practicing good character starts with the seemingly small stuff. If you take care of the small stuff, the big stuff will come naturally. If you're honest about the smallest details, you'll be honest in the biggest things. Practicing good habits begins early.

Another important lesson is God is more interested i what you are and not in what you do. When we meet people, we always ask what they do and then we make a preliminary judgment about them based on what they did. A doctor? Wow, they must be smart. A garbage man? If he only studied harder in school. But God doesn't care what we do, He only cares about how we act. Doesn't matter if you're the most successful person in the world, but if you have no integrity, it doesn't matter. If you have no love, mercy, if you aren't humble, it won't matter what you do. Godly character comes with practice. Start now.

Day 21: Protecting Your Church

The more mature I get, the more I realize how simple life really is. For a large part of my life, I've spent chasing the wind of money, success and acceptance from people. But I've realized that the only things that really matter are things that are eternal: your relationship with God, your family and your fellow believers.

Point to Ponder: It is my responsibility to protect the unity of my church.

QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER

What am I personally doing to protect the unity in my church family right now?

Verse to remember: "Let us concentrate on the things that make for harmony and the growth of our fellowship together." Romans 14:19

My response:

This chapter should be required reading for every member of every church in the world. We all suffer through the same problems. Basically, what it comes down to for me is that our church community must be considered our family. And everything that we do for our blood family, we should do for our church. It's vital that we pick a church that we're comfortable with and believe fits us the best and is spiritually fulfilling for you. Once you make that decision, you must treat the church as family.

Our families aren't perfect, and neither is our church. We protect our families. Yes, we have squabbles, but in the end we stick together. Don't let anyone denigrate your family. So don't let anyone denigrate your church.

And be realistic. Don't let the ideal rob your of the real in your church. If you're going to pick on every imperfection in your fellowship, you will never be satisfied. It's what I call the missing tile syndrome. If you see a missing tile on your floor, that's all your going to focus on, that missing tile. You are ignoring the 499 other tiles that surround it and say your floor is ruined because it's missing a tile. If we pick at that one flaw in your church, you tend to forget all the wonderful characteristics about it.

In the end, our church is our family. Through thick and thin, we stick together. We rely on God to get us through the rough spots. We go through phases and we grow and make mistakes and experience life and our journey with God together. We were made to fellowship. There is no greater fellowship than that where you get at your local church. Be blessed.

Day 20: Restoring Broken Fellowship

The more mature I get, the more I realize how simple life really is. For a large part of my life, I've spent chasing the wind of money, success and acceptance from people. But I've realized that the only things that really matter are things that are eternal: your relationship with God, your family and your fellow believers.

Point to Ponder: Relationships are always worth restoring.

QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER

Who do I need to restore a broken relationship today?

Verse to remember: "Do everything that is possible on your part to live in peace with everyone." Romans 12:18

My response:

A good friend of mine text messaged me last week and said that he lost a close friend. He was at his death bed and was able to pray with him and his family because he was only given 48 hours to live. When I think of my families own troubles with illness, I've thought a lot about mortality lately. And this chapter just kind of drove home the importance of relationships and how we shouldn't let them just hang in the balance.

Time is of the essence for us to restore broken relationships. We don't know when God will call us. Our time is limited, so please make every attempt to mend broken relationships. I understand there are some that are irreconcilable. But the ones you can restore, do it. Why wait? If you love someone, tell them you love them. Why wait? Relationships are all that in this life. A few chapters ago, we read that when people are on their death beds, they don't ask for anything but the people they've had relationships with. And my friend last week confirmed that for me. He asked for his family and friends to come so that he can say good bye.

To some extent, he was lucky because he knew his time was winding down. But there are people that are taken from us unexpectedly. Don't regret leaving things undone. Be blessed.

Day 19: Cultivating Community

Had another awesome Sabbath. It wasn't planned, but the themes in our Sunday School class, the message from Tama at service and the from the speaker at the Youth service were all the same: our calling and purpose in life. God is moving in our community. Had a wonderful fellowship with some friends we haven't spent nearly enough time with today at to'ana'i. I praise God for all His blessings in my life.

Point to Ponder: Community requires commitment.

QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER

How can I help today to cultivate the characteristics of real community in my small group and in my church?

Verse to remember: "We understand what love is when we realize that Christ gave His life for us. That means we must give our lives for other believers." 1 John 3:16

My response:

This was a difficult chapter to digest because I've been guilty of many things that this chapter discusses. The first requirement of community is complete honesty. How many times in my life have I
'gone along to get along.' I didn't want to 'rock the boat' so I just let slip what shouldn't have been allowed. Whether in my personal life, my professional life, and in my spiritual life. For the sake of 'harmony', I've kept quiet when I should have spoken up. I think we can all relate to this. The chapter says don't be rude or judgmental, but we must speak truthfully to our fellow believers.

There's a fine line between speaking truth and being judgmental. That's why we should speak with love and compassion. Sometimes we find joy in finding fault in others and can't wait to tell them. That's not what Christ intends for us to do. Instead, we must have real love and compassion and practice a kind of tough love with fellow believers when we see them stumbling spiritually, instead of turning a blind eye so you don't disrupt the harmony in your group.

The other concept I take to heart in this is that we must always be guided with humility. One of the deep principles of our faith is that we are all sinners and unworthy of the love of God. But by His grace, through the blood of Christ, I have been made whole. So why should I boast, as Paul says, because my salvation comes from nothing that I did, but from everything Christ did. With that knowledge, always walk with humility because if the Son of God didn't lay His life down for us, we wouldn't have been reconciled with the Father and get a chance at eternal life. Be blessed.

Day 18: Experiencing Life Together

It's getting really cold outside. They say it might snow in central Texas tonight. That's not a usual occurrence. I hope everyone's bundled up here in Texas. This series continues to open up hearts to God's Word. Every day I get notes from people who testify what God is doing for them through this fellowship. I praise God for all of you and continuing our journey through His Word.

Point to Ponder: I need others in my life.

QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER

What one step can I take in my life to connect with another believer at a more genuine, more heart to heart level?

Verse to remember: "Share each other's troubles and problems, and in this way obey the law of Christ." Galatians 6:2

My response:

We continue our discussion of fellowship. This chapter has allowed me to reevaluate my concept of fellowship. It talks about fellowship having a deeper meaning than just socializing and getting together as a church. We can do that, but sometimes at a very superficial way.

The deep fellowship that the Bible instructs, like in Galatians, tells us that we must bear each other's burdens and problems. The issue to me comes down to trust. Do we really trust each other to open up our hearts with all its imperfections to our brothers and sisters in Christ? Opening up makes you vulnerable and no one wants to be vulnerable. But if we have an abiding love and trust in each other, then we know that we have each other's best interest at heart.

There's a concept that we've started in our youth group about getting spiritual battle buddies. We encourage each other to find two or three close brothers and sisters in Christ to be your spiritual battle buddies. These are the people that we are accountable for in our walk with the Lord. We need support and encouragement, but we also need accountability. What I like about this chapter is the emphasis on small groups. Sometimes people can fall through the cracks of the bigger groups. That's why it's vital to have a small group of buddies that surround you and encourage you. We walk a spiritual minefield everyday and we need all the support and backup we can get. Be blessed.

Day 17: A Place To Belong

Had a great fellowship tonight at Bible Study. We had a couple of new members that were there for the first time and I praise God for that. This series is opening up our fellowship to new people. Just this morning a niece of mine posted from Turkey. What a wonderful testament to the technology that God has created that's enabled His children to fellowship, not just with those across the street or across town, but across the world. Vi'ia le Ali'i.

Point to Ponder: I am called to belong, not just to believe.

QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER

Does my level of involvement in my local church demonstrate that I love and am committed to God's family?

Verse to remember: "In Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others." Romans 12:5

My response:

We were made to fellowship . That is our second purpose. This is a lesson that has to be taught to the Christian family. We were made to fellowship with other Christians, particularly at a local church. So often we feel that we can go it alone. That we don't need to belong to a church. That churches hinder our spiritual growth. That churches are a haven for non-Christians who parade around as Christians. That may all be true. But it doesn't mean we can do it alone.

If there's one thing I've learned in my walk with Christ is that there are no perfect people. We are all imperfect and fall short of the glory of God. All of us. And that means that the churches we belong to are also imperfect and fall short of the glory of God. There is no such thing as a perfect church. Trust me. I've looked. And that begins with MY local church. There are so many things that are wrong with my church because there are so many things wrong with me. Yet, this is the church that I find comfort in. This is the church that has allowed me to grow spiritually. This is the church that God has called me to be a member of.

One of the great things about this chapter is that it cuts to the chase. You are either a committed member, or you're a bystander. Get in the game. The Body of Christ needs you. Don't be a bunny hopper, going from church to church when you don't get your wishes fulfilled at one. And that means commitment and involvement. Whenever I've backslid in my walk with the Lord, it's the times I start missing church services or church activities. You have to be actively involved.

Look around and find a church that you are comfortable with, that meets your spiritual needs. I encourage people all the time to go where you are spiritually fed. Nothing makes me happier than knowing a believer is at a place of worship that will lead them closer to God. But find a church. Commit to it and do God's work. Don't run at the first sign of trouble. Stick with it. Being a Christian is hard. Belonging to the Body of Christ is hard. But just like how we don't flee our family at the first sign of trouble, let us not also flee our churches. God made us to fellowship with each other. There's no better place to do than at your local church. Be blessed.

Day 16: What Matters Most

Had a much better night tonight. My daughter baked me cupcakes as a peace offering. LOL They were the best cupcakes I have ever eaten because I know they were baked with love. And when I read today's reading, it spoke to my little episode last night and I could totally relate. Relationships are our most important calling in life. Nothing else really matters.

Point to Ponder: Life is all about love.

QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER

Honestly, are relationships my first priority? How can I ensure that they are?

Verse to remember: "The entire law is summed up in a single command: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'" Galatians 5:14

My response:

This chapter just reinforces a lot of what I've been taught and what I believe. And that is relationships are the most important things in your life because they're the only things that last. I love the anecdote about being on your death bed, no one asks to see their diplomas or bank accounts. All people want to see are their loved ones, the people that mattered most in their lives. What a sad statement for you not to have anyone at your deathbed.

Our first purpose is to love God and to worship Him continually. Our second purpose is to love each other. That's a tough task sometimes, but we are commanded to do it. Some of our fellow believers are hard to love, but we must be around them to learn to love them.

Relationships should be our most important priorities, not possessions or accomplishments. And the only way we can show their importance is by spending time cultivating those relationships. Whatever you spend time on, that's where your heart belongs. Our most important relationship is with God. My second most important relationship is with my family: my wife, daughter, parents, siblings. Then comes my church family.

I look forward to the holidays so much because that's a time when our family gets together and we can spend some quality time together. Even at work, I've learned that developing relationships with my students and co-workers are the most enjoyable and important part of my job. They may not remember what I taught them, but I hope they remember my kindness, my love for them, my honesty in dealing with them. Those things leave lasting impressions.

I can't over emphasize the importance of time. Our time is more valuable than anything else because it's something we can't get more of. We can always get more money, more possessions, more friends, more family, but we can't get more time. So the time you devote to people and relationships tells you where your heart is. Devote more of your time to the relationships that matter in eternity. Be blessed.

Day 15: Formed For God's Family

Had a rough night. My princess decided she would throw a fit at her grandpa's house when it was time to go. It was overly dramatic tonight so I had to punish her. She came out three times from her room with tears in her eyes asking if I was still mad at her. I said no. Then she said, "then I can go to taekwondo tomorrow?" I said no baby, it just means I'm not mad at you but you still have to suffer the consequence for your actions. Then the bawling would return in earnest. I'm terrible father. I pray that she sees the "purpose" of why she is being punished.

Point to Ponder: I was formed for God's family.

QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER

How can I start treating other believers like members of my own family?

Verse to remember: "His unchanging plans has always been to adopt us into His own family by bringing us to Himself through Jesus Christ." Ephesians 1:5

My response:

This chapter introduces us to our second purpose, which is we were made to part of God's family. Our first family is the one we're born into physically. Our second family is when we accept the invitation to ask Christ into our hearts and accept Him as our Lord and Savior. It entitles us to a great heritage and most importantly, to a great inheritance.

We become a part of God's family. And this is more important than our earthly families because God's family lives on in eternity. Our goal as Christians is to get our earthly families to gain entrance into eternity so that we can all be part of God's family.

Being a part of God's family is bigger than anything else I belong to. It's bigger than my earthly family. It's bigger than my American family. It's even bigger than the human race today because God's family includes all of those that have gone on into eternity. We are part of a long heritage that binds all of God's children together. What an awesome thing to know that we're a part of something much bigger than ourselves. So many kids turn to gangs because they don't get a sense of belonging from any group. It becomes a pseudo family for most of them. Well, God's gang is the best because it guarantees life after death. Be blessed.