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.

Day 14: When God Seems Distant

Had a wonderful Sabbath. My Sunday School class discussed authentic worship. Our lesson plan coincided with one of the chapters of the book. The sermon at worship service was very moving and meaningful. And the singing was moving. All aspects of the day was an element of worship. Even seeing off my brother in law was an act of worship because I thanked God for the wonderful fellowship we had for three days. Praise Him as we mature in our walk with Him.

Point to Ponder: God is real, no matter how I feel.

QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER

How can I stay focused on God's presence, especially when He seems distant?

Verse to remember: "For God has said, 'I will never leave you; I will never abandon you.'" Psalm 149:4

My response:

This chapter states that it's easy to have a close and intimate relationship with God when things are smooth, but when about when the waters become choppy? What about when we have a hard time feeling His presence?

This has happened to me in the past in my relationship with God. I've coined it a spiritual funk. I can't really describe it, but I go through bouts of just feeling distant from God. It's not necessarily that I backslide or stray from Him. I just get kind of weary. I go through the motions. I can totally relate to the chapter when it states we try to do everything: we pray, we fast, we read the Bible. But the funk is still there. And I eventually "snap" out of it. I usually don't realize when this happens. But one day I'm in a funk, and the next thing I remember I am in tuned with God.

But the chapter also points out that sometimes God tests us by hiding Himself from us. Like Job, he couldn't find God in his times of need. How can we praise God when all around us is falling apart like Job? How can we praise or worship God when our lives a falling into pieces?

When we go through these experiences, God is testing us. He is testing to see if we can put our faith completely in God. That is one of the surest signs of spiritual maturity is to trust God when things are coming apart at the seams. There's a tendency to want to jump in and take control. But God is saying that we must have faith that He will never leave nor forsake us. In the end, I am reminded of the poem "Footprints" while reading this chapter. The episodes when we couldn't feel His presence, He was actually carrying us through the abyss. Be blessed.

Day 13: Worship That Pleases God

One of the things I love about this online series is that it's opened up our Bible Study not only to members that live away from Texas, but also to people of different denominations. I've learned a lot from people of different faith traditions that I wouldn't otherwise learn without this experience. I thank the Lord for affording us the opportunity to come and fellowship in His Word from our own backgrounds.

Point to Ponder: God wants all of me.

QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER

Which is more pleasing to God right now, my public worship or my private worship? What will I do about this?

Verse to remember: "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength." Mark 12:30

My response:

Day 13 talks about authentic worship. Sometimes our worship becomes stale. I'm sorry to say it, but it happens to all of us. There are times when it seems like we're just going through the motions. Just reciting prayers and singing songs and we act like robots. Some times we get so distracted with worldly concerns that we forget that authenticity is the biggest part of worship. We worry about being in tune as a choir. We worry about the words of our prayers. We worry about what we're going to wear to church. God doesn't care about any of those things when it comes to worship. All He cares about is what is in our hearts.

How arrogant of us to think that we can impress God with our music or our words. Our minister preached about this a few weeks back. He preached on Psalms 24 where the Psalmist asks who shall ascend the hill of the Lord and stand in His holy place? The answer was he who has a pure heart and clean hands. I was reminded of this sermon while reading this chapter. The sermon said that serving God involves your heart and your hands. Your heart comes first, accepting Christ as your Savior and then your hands follow by doing good works because of the salvation God has done for you. You don't do good works to GAIN salvation, but in gratitude FOR salvation. The point was if our hearts aren't convicted first, then it's useless what our hands do because its not from a genuine heart.

All of us worship in different ways. Like Folole said a couple of chapters back, many of us were raised in the LMS faith tradition. The style of worship is traditional with structure. Others were raised in the Catholic traditions which involve a lot of rituals and liturgies. Some were raised in the charismatic traditions in a more enthusiastic style of worship. What I've learned, as Folole has stated, is that all these styles are authentic. Depending on our personality and disposition, we are attracted to one form or another.

The interesting thing I've found is how fluid people today are as far as their worship is concerned. Our Youth group is a great example. We have a member who was raised in the LMS tradition, converted to Catholicism, and now is part of our Youth group. He attends Mass but comes to our Youth services, Bible Studies and all of our youth activities. We have another member who was raised in the Pentecostal tradition, yet has become a member of our Youth and church. And there are members who are belong to both Pentecostal churches and our church. They go back and forth, being comfortable in both traditions. I think this is a wonderful thing. For so long we've gotten hung up in denominational rivalries that sometimes we forget that we're all part of the same team. I've always encouraged our Youth to seek out a church that fits their needs and feeds their soul. All God cares about is that our worship be authentic. It doesn't matter where we worship Him from. Be blessed.

Day 12: Developing Your Friendship With God

I know I'm behind on the postings. I think I may have had a little too much turkey. LOL I am really enjoying the fellowship with my family during this holiday season. I hope you're having a good Thanksgiving weekend and didn't get run over during Black Friday. I spent it in bed getting some much needed rest. Let's move on with our series, shall we.

Point to Ponder: I'm as close to God as I choose to be.

QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER

What practical choices will I make today to draw closer to God?

Verse to remember: "Draw close to God, and God will draw close to you." James 4:8

My response:

In day 11 we talked about developing a relationship with God. About constant communication throughout the day. We should talk to God constantly about all aspects of our lives, or our days. In Day 12, we are encouraged to develop a deeper relationship with Him. And in all relationships, honesty is the key. If we're not honest with God, the relationship will not develop any depth, but be very superficial.

I have a tendency to hide things from God. I think that I shouldn't reveal things to Him that I am ashamed of. I guess it's because I think of Him as my Father and I don't want to tell my parents all the bad things I've done. It's a sense of shame that makes me shield things from Him. But little do I know that He sees everything.

The chapter reminds us that God doesn't expect us to be perfect, but He does expect us to be honest. What a refreshing feeling that is to know that He loves us even when we sin. He doesn't forsake us when we stumble and fall. He loves us still. He loved Moses though Moses was a sinner. He loved David even though David did a horrible deed. And he loves me too through all of my shortcomings.

Our relationship with God must be the most important relationship we have in this lifetime. That's a hard thing for people to accept, including myself. It is more important than my relationship with my wife, my child and my parents because the relationship with God will dictate where we get to spend eternity. And the more time we spend with God, the more we value what He values. He desires to have an intimate relationship with us. It's so humbling to think that the creator of heaven and earth would desire to get to know me. Praise Him!

Day 11: Becoming Best Friends With God

What a great day of Thanksgiving of food and fellowship with friends and family. I have been fed physically throughout the day, now I am being nourished spiritually with His Word.

Point to Ponder: God wants to be my best friend.

QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER

What can I do to remind myself to think about God and talk to Him more often throughout the day?

Verse to remember: "Friendship with God is reserved for those who reverence Him." Psalm 25:14

My response:

This chapter says that God desires to be friends with us. It says that there are many aspects of our relationship with God: He is our creator, our redeemer, our Father, but also our friend. He wants us to come to Him with thanksgiving and praise but also with our desires and wants. I can totally relate to this because this is the same relationship I have with my parents. They brought me into this world. They provided for all my needs when I was a child. They instructed me in the ways of the world and especially, in the ways of God. But now that I'm an adult, they have become my friends. Not equals. But friends. The same with God.

I like the part where we are encouraged to carry on a conversation with God. It said not to have long, drawn out prayers through the day, but short "breath prayers." I immediately thought of Twitter when I read this. For those of you that don't know, Twitter is a resource where you are able to update your friends on what is happening in your daily life with short little messages that are sent to them through text message or email. It lets all of your friends know what you're doing. So when I read this, I thought, "this means we should be tweeting God all day long." Now, I hear some of you laughing, but it kinda makes sense. How many of us update our status constantly on Facebook or tweet friends throughout the day? These little breath prayers are the same, except they are only meant for God. You carry on a conversation throughout the day with God, letting Him know how your day is going.

We all know that the key to any relationship is communication. And we also know that it's important to get quality time alone in a relationship. But just as important is keeping that line of communication open throughout your day. My wife and I text message each other throughout the day. Just to tell each other what's going on. We should do the same with God.

Day 10: The Heart Of Worship

As we celebrate another Thanksgiving, let us give thanks for all the blessings that God has bestowed us with. Let us thank Him for the joy in our lives and the love that surrounds us. But as we thank Him for all the good in our lives, let us also thank Him for the valleys in our lives because the valleys help us put life into proper perspective. It is the valleys that gives us perseverance which allows us to mature spiritually. So today, be thankful for both the mountain tops and the valleys. May you enjoy Gods' peace and grace and His blessings this Thanksgiving. Be blessed.

Point to Ponder: The heart of worship is to surrender.

QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER

What area of my life am I holding back from God?

Verse to remember: "Surrender your whole being to Him to be used for righteous purposes." Romans 6:13

My response:

This chapter starts with a blunt statement: the heart of worship is surrender. There are many bad connotations to the word surrender. In today's world, it is synonymous with the words defeat, loss or giving up. There are three barriers to surrender: fear, pride or confusion.

It is a must for us to surrender to God. It's us dying to our old selves and letting God make us a new person. We can't do that unless we surrender our hearts and our lives to Christ. When we ask Him to come into our hearts and be Lord of our lives, we can't do that without surrendering ourselves to Him. I've often had a hard time coming to grips with this truth because surrendering is releasing control. And control is something I covet and need. Being out of control is a great fear I have, which is another stumbling block to surrendering our lives to Christ. When I don't surrender, I'm saying to God that I don't trust Him completely, that I still need some element of control. Only when I truly surrender can His peace come into my heart and rule my life.

Day 9: What Makes God Smile?

Had a wonderful fellowship last night at Bible Study. This virtual series is awesome, but it's always nice to get together on our weekly meetings and discuss this book face to face.

Point to Ponder: God smiles when I trust Him.

QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER

Since God knows what is best, in what areas of my life do I need to trust Him more?

Verse to remember: "The Lord is pleased with those who worship Him and trust His love." Psalm 147:11

My response:

I have always compartmentalized my life. I have a professional life at work. These are my professional friends and associations. Then I have a personal life. These are my friends and associations and activities that have to do with my personal life. Then I have my spiritual life. Same thing. I always thought of them in those compartments. When I'm at work, I'm in my professional mode. When I'm at my daughter's taekwondo lessons, I'm in my personal life mode. When I'm teaching Sunday School, I'm in my spiritual life mode. What I've learned from this chapter is that the spiritual mode should be embedded in ALL aspects of my life.

There's a line in here that has rolled around my head all day: "you may feel that the only time God is pleased with you is when you're "spiritual" activities...actually God enjoys watching every aspect of your life." What an eye opener. Later on it says that God wants us to enjoy ALL His creation. He gave us a sense of touch, smell, feel, taste. I never thought of eating at a restaurant as a spiritual activity. But if we praise God for it, it's an act of worship. I never thought sitting down to enjoy a football game as a spiritual activity, but if it brings us pleasure and we glorify God, then it is an act of worship. As long as the activity is not a sin, every human activity can be done for God's pleasure if we do it with an attitude of praise.

What that means for me is no more compartments. EVERY activity I do, outside of sin, has a spiritual component if we do it with an attitude of praise. Going to the beach is a spiritual activity, an act of worship, if we praise God for the wonderful environment we enjoy. Eating a meal with loved ones is a spiritual activity, an act of worship, if we do it with an attitude of praise and we thank God for the fellowship we're enjoying with loved ones. I don't have to confine my spiritual activities and my acts of worship to only certain things. All of my life is a spiritual activity, an act of worship, when I do it with a mindset of praise and appreciation for God's gifts to us. He wants us to enjoy our lives. What a wonderful gift. Be blessed.

Day 8: Planned For God's Pleasure

A great start to the week. Two day work weeks are always good for the body and the soul. Praying for everyone travelling this week to be with family and loved ones during the holidays. Also praying for those that aren't able to be with family this time of year, especially our men and women in uniform serving our country. Special shout out to those serving in the war zone, and there are several of you that have emailed and are keeping up with our series.

Point to Ponder: I was planned for God's pleasure.

QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER

What common task could I be doing as if I were doing it directly for Jesus?

Verse to remember: "The Lord takes pleasure in His people." Psalm 149:4

My response:

This chapter begins laying out the five purposes that God has for us. The first purpose is that we were planned for God's pleasure. How do we bring pleasure to God? By fulfilling what our purpose is meant to be? It says that anything that brings pleasure to God is called worship.

I've gained a deeper understanding of worship from reading this chapter. I've always had these ideas floating in my head, but they were all encapsulated in this chapter. We often think of worship as the Sunday service. Or a part of the service. And we usually associate it with music. But actually, worship takes on many forms. The readings could be worship. The sermon could be worship.

In essence, this chapter says that our lives should be instruments of worship. In everything we do, let it be a worship to the Lord. What that means is that I have to be accountable in all my dealings. From spending time with my daughter. To doing my finances. All those things are a form of worship. I try to stress to the young people at our church that we each have a role to play in the ministry. Some of us have beautiful voices. Some of us can dance. Some of us can cook. Some of us are good with electronics. God needs all of us to spread His Word. Some of us are introverts. Others are extroverts. The point is, we should look at whatever role we play in the ministry as an act of worship. From the person running the cooking, to the person cleaning up to the people that decorate the church. All of those are acts of worship, when we do it to bring glory to God.

That's the key. When we do things to bring glory to ourselves, then it ceases being an act of worship. That's why I love athletes who always praise God after their games. It gives the glory to He who deserves it. Imagine if after each successful project at work, we say "praise God." After our kids bring home all A's, we say thank the Lord. When we live our lives as a true form of worship, we learn to deflect all the praise to He who deserves it.

Day 7: The Reason For Everything

I had a wonderful Sabbath. Really enjoyed my Sunday School class as we continued to talk about living a life of worship to God. Great service with a powerful message about a God that will never leave us all the days of our lives. And a great time of fellowship with my family at to'ana'i. God is good.

Point to Ponder: Who are you going to live for - yourself or God?

QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER
Did you pray the prayer above?

If you haven’t yet opened your life to Christ, what are you waiting on?

Who could you tell about your decision to follow Christ and begin living a purpose-driven life? Write down some names and tell someone today.

My response:

This chapter begins by telling us that God is the reason for everything. That we should always strive to bring God glory. God is glorified when all things in creation are acting out their purpose. So when birds are chirping, they're bringing God glory. When ants are...well, whatever ants do, they're bringing God glory. And when we humans fulfill God's purpose for us, we also glorify God.

The chapter then lays out the five purposes that God has for our lives. The first purpose is that we are to get to know and to love God. And we do this by worshipping Him. How do we worship Him? By the actions of our lives. We talked about this in our Sunday School class today. How worship is not just a onetime thing. Not just in church one hour every Sunday, or one hour every Wednesday. Worship should become a way of life. The prophet Micah said to worship God is to act justly, to be merciful and to walk humbly. If we lived out Micah's words, what an awesome form of worship to God. To do what is right. To be merciful and humble is indeed a lifestyle that we should all strive to emulate.

The second purpose is to love other people in God's family, or to fellowship. We too often fail to do this, or do it in the improper way. We must love each other and bear each other's burdens. We must life each other up, instead of tearing each other down. So often, we elevate ourselves by tearing other people down. Our worship is worthless and meaningless if it's only verbal and not by action. In the words of the Apostle James, what good is it to pray for a cold man to by warm or a hungry man to be fed, yet doing nothing about it. That's what true fellowship is about. Loving our fellow Christians and our fellow man.

The final three purposes are to tell others about Christ, by serving others and by becoming like Christ. Jesus challenges us to not only read the Word, but to also live it. If we only read and then don't act on it, it's like looking at yourself in the mirror and then forgetting what you look like. I look forward to the rest of this journey as we continue to learn from each other. Many people attempt this book and then fail to finish it. Some haven't even gotten to chapter 10. And I believe the reason for that is they did it alone or with an insufficient support group. It is my prayer that we take this journey together and we can all learn and expand our relationship with God together. It will be tough with the holidays coming up, but I encourage you to keep the fire burning and meditating on God's Word and what it means for you and your life. Be blessed.

Day 6: Life Is A Temporary Assignment

I knew weekends would be tough for our study. People are so busy, but I want to thank you for your faithfulness in reading your chapters and commenting and sharing. If you're a little behind, it's OK. Go to the chapter you're at and continue where you left off. Keep up the good work.

Point to Ponder: Life is a temporary assignment.

QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER
If the only thing that is going to last for eternity is your relationship to God, what are the implications for your values, your priorities, your possessions, and your schedule?

Since God is more interested in your character than your comfort, how does that truth change the way you should view and respond to your problems?

Do you know anyone who has already gone on to heaven? Based on what you have just read, what do you imagine they would like to say to you if they could?

My response:

This chapter tells us that we are here on earth temporarily. This is not our permanent home. It says that we shouldn't be too attached to it because the time we spend here is nothing compared to the time we spend in eternity with God. It says we should see ourselves as foreigners visiting a foreign country. Our real citizenship is in heaven.

As I pondered this chapter, it has had a profound impact on me. So many of our problems in this world come because of differences that we aren't able to resolve. Differences in skin color, in nationality, in ethnicity. Wouldn't we solve a lot of our problems if we looked at ourselves as Christians, as children of God, instead of as black, white, Samoan or Mexican? Wouldn't we get rid of so much of the hate in the world if we saw each other as brothers and sisters in Christ, awaiting our final destination, instead of fighting for things in this temporary way station?

Truly seeing this life as temporary is life altering. I cannot emphasize how profoundly that has changed my life. The knowledge that all we do and accrue in this world is temporary gives me the proper perspective to go after only things that are eternal, and that is a relationship with Christ. I can't take the money with me. I can't take the pain with me. I can't take the hurt with me. So why carry it around? Why make money or power or prestige your number one priority? There's nothing wrong with any of those things, until you let it be your driving force in your life, like how we discussed in an earlier chapter.

I loved this paragraph in the chapter: "The fact that earth is not our ultimate home explains why we experience difficulty, sorrow, and rejection in this world. It also explains why some of God’s promises seem unfulfilled, some prayers seem unanswered, and some circumstances seem unfair. This is not the end of the story." So often, we think of our lives as unfulfilled if we don't meet certain goals. But God has a larger perspective, an eternal perspective. Things seem unfair to us because we're looking at it from a "this world" perspective, and not an eternal perspective. Life on earth is temporary. The sooner we accept and come to grips with that reality, the more prepared we will be for eternity. Be blessed.

Day 5: Seeing Life From God's View

I just keep learning and growing through this magnificent journey. More and more people are joining every day. The number of hits keep adding each day and the every day someone says that they've started. I thank those that have shared and thank those that have encouraged others to take this journey together with us. If you're new to the study, you can go back and start on Day one and get yourself caught up. It's going to be a long journey, which is my life metaphor for chapter 5. Again, we end on Christmas. What a wonderful present to give ourselves, a renewed relationship with God and a better understanding of our purpose. Be blessed.

Point to Ponder: Life is a test and a trust.

QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER
What has been your life metaphor up to this point? How have you described life?

Can you think of a past experience where you can now see that God was testing you?

If you were to start living the truth that everything you “own” is really on loan from God, how would that change the way you feel about your possessions?

My response:

The fifth chapter really forced me to evaluate my outlook on life. It challenges us to see what kind of perspective we view life through. How do we see our lives? Do we see it as a race, going from place to place? Do we see it as a game, with winners and losers? I've viewed my life through all of these lenses at one point or another. There was a time when I viewed it as a game, where there were rules about winning and losing. From my education, to my career, even to the ministry. I was concerned about the bottom line. Were we growing the church? Was I moving up the career ladder fast enough? All those things used to be important to me.

Then there was a time when I looked at life as a race. I wanted to accomplish things as fast as I could. I had my whole life planned out. I was going to graduate college at 21, get married at 23, have my first child at 25 and be well established in my career when I hit 30. Funny how life works. I missed all of my goals. And that caused me to have some serious self doubts about myself.
I now view life as a journey, perhaps a marathon. I have only one goal, which is to finish the race. I pace myself because I know it's a long journey. I know there will be rough spots when I feel like giving up. I have people in my life that will cheer me on and give me water. I have the Lord that will give me my second wind whenever I need it. And in the end, I hope to stand before my maker and give an honest accounting of my journey.

The chapter by giving us three metaphors that the Bible compares life to. The first is test. I like the passage in there that says: You will be tested by major changes, by delayed promises, by impossible problems, by unanswered prayers, by undeserved criticism, and even by senseless tragedies. That is so true. So many things along the journey will test us. Today, when I am put through a trial I view it as a test by God for something He wants me to do for Him in the future. I look at it as preparation for another assignment He has for me. Remember, nothing is an accident. Everything happens for a reason. Once I changed my mind set, my whole perspective has changed. I view things so differently than I did before and I thank God for my new set of eyes.

Day 4: Made To Last Forever

We had a wonderful time of sharing at Bible Study tonight. There were a lot of us that went through the Bible Study last time as well as a few that were going through it the first time. Such an intimate time of sharing what God had done in our lives and how this book has helped us through some tough times and opened our eyes to God's Word in new ways. I encourage you guys to keep the fire burning. It's a long journey, these next 37 days. Each of us will drop out from time to time, with the holidays coming up and other obligations. But even if you're not able to post every day I just encourage you to keep up and keep the sharing coming. There's been a lot of deep insight into God's Word from people all over the place. So many people have emailed me about how this study is helping them cope with a rough patch in their lives, so be encouraged that your sharing of your walk and journey is helping out fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. Be blessed.

Point to Ponder: This life is not all there is.

QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER

Why do you think God made us to last forever?

Why do we spend more time worrying about what won’t last and so little time preparing for eternity, which will last forever?

What are you doing right now to prepare for eternity?

My response:

The fourth chapter is simple, yet profound. In last night's Bible Study I shared with the group that I have simplified my life. As I continue to walk with the Lord, and as I continue to live against the backdrop of eternity, I realize more and more how much wasted energy my early years were. But perhaps that was all part of God's purpose for me. Winding me through that journey to make me the person I am today.

I told the group that I've condensed my life into things that matter: my relationship with God, my family, my work and the Longhorns...LOL I used to chase fame, money, notoriety. Now I just want to go home and spend time with my family. I want to prepare my daily text messages and Sunday School lessons. I want to create a lesson that's meaningful to my students and look forwarding to helping them in their lives. I've found contentment. I've found my purpose. In the words of Paul, "I once thought all these things were so very important, but now I consider them worthless because of what Christ has done.” Couldn't have said it better myself.

Day 3: What Drives Your Life?

A wonderful Day 2 to our study as we continue to add people from all over. Again, over 200 hits yesterday meaning that a lot of people are participating, even though not everyone is sharing. I totally understand that apprehension to share with a group that you're not familiar with. If it's better for you to remain annonymous when you share, go ahead and do that. Again, this study works best when we all share what each chapter means to us and our interpretation of it.

Point to Ponder: What drives your life?

QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER

If you asked your family and friends to describe what drives your life, what driving force or motivations would they mention?

Why do you think most people are not driven and guided by the purpose of their lives?

What habits, or hurts, or hang-ups, or fears might keep you from beginning to live out and enjoy God’s purpose for your life?

My response:

The third chapter is so rich that I could spend term paper analyzing it and still can't get everything in it. I hope people got different things from it because there's just so much. It crystallized a lot of things for me.

It starts out talking about what drives us, what motivates our lives. I had always been driven by approval from others. Particularly from parents and figures of authority. I wasn't so much influenced by peer pressure, but the drive to gain the approval of elders in my world. When the book says that one sure way to failure is trying to please everyone, it hit home. I can't be all things to all people. I was a people pleaser. And to a certain extent, I still am. But I know that my happiness isn't dependent on it anymore. I do what I feel is right, and if people disagree, I am able to live with their disapproval.

That has enabled me to narrow my focus. Knowing that I was made for a purpose, which is to be used for God's purpose, has given my life meaning. It means that everything that happens to me is not an accident. It has really simplified my life. I used to have a plan for my life. And now I have a plan for eternity. What I mean by that was my goals had always ended at death. Now, they go beyond it.
Things that used to bother me a lot, failure, loss or pain, now are looked upon as growing opportunities to fulfill my purpose. It's made me not sweat the small stuff, if I keep the big stuff in perspective. Instead of running around trying to check off everything on my to do list, now I just focusing on the things that really last, my relationship with God and ensuring that the ones I love also gain that love for God.

Materialism was also a driving force in my life. I thought if I bought a house, had a nice fancy car and a good career that it would bring me contentment and happiness. But they haven't. What's brought me happiness and joy is knowing my purpose. Don't get me wrong, I like driving my big truck. But if it was stolen tomorrow, I wouldn't lose any sleep over it. It's fully covered and can be replaced. What can't be replaced is the security of knowing my purpose and that my life matters and has meaning. What an awesome feeling to have that security.