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.

Day 2: You are not an accident

A great start to our study. I've noticed that we've had a lot of people visit the blog yesterday, over 200 hits. But only seven people shared. I encourage you to share your reactions and thoughts to the days reading. It's the best way for us to gain depth and understanding of the material. Even if it's just a reaction to other peoples' posts, I encourage you to share. You never know whether your thoughts would spark something in other people. On to day 2.

Point to Ponder: You are not an accident!

QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER

What events or experiences in your life have “hinted” or suggested that maybe you were created for a specific
purpose?

Have you ever really felt God’s deep love for you personally?

How would your life change if you began to live each day confident that God loves you deeply and has a purpose for your life?

My response:

The second chapter starts with words that startled me: You are not an accident. The chapter goes on to say that some children may have been unplanned by their parents, but they aren't unplanned by God. That's my life story. My mother had me when she was 16. Her father was a pastor of large village church in Samoa. My father was also a pastors son in Samoa. To say that my birth was frowned upon by the village people would be an understatement.

But God had a plan for me. He didn't want me to be born when my parents were in their 20s or 30s, he wanted me to be born at that exact moment. For a time in my life I wondered if my parent resented me because it probably threw their life plans and goals out the window. My mom had to drop out of high school and didn't go to college much later. My dad had to work three jobs to support me and my mom. But the unconditional love they have showed me throughout my life has told me that they don't resent having me.

Much later in my life another "unplanned" pregnancy has had a huge impact on my life. My daughter was not a planned pregnancy, but God used that situation for a better good. Regardless of the circumstances of her birth, she was not illegitimate. She was planned by God.

I've always struggled with the sometimes seeming 'arbitrariness' of life. Why was I born here and not in India? Why did my parents make the choices they made? Why am I a Samoan and not Brazilian? This chapter taught me that the answer to all those questions was because God willed it to be. And what He wills, will be.

He has a master plan and I am but a small part of it. But He thought enough of me to plan out my entire existence. I keep thinking of the song we sang for White Sunday..."Who am I that you are mindful of me, that you hear me when I call. Who am I that you are thinking of me, it's amazing, so amazing." Yes it is.

Day 1: It All Starts With God

Point to Ponder: If there were no God, and everything was a result of random chance, there
would be no purpose to your life. It all starts with God.

QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER
Have you ever wondered about, or felt confused about, the purpose of your life?

What ways have you tried to discover your life’s purpose that haven’t worked?

Why do you think people try to discover their life’s purpose without turning to God, their creator?

My response:

There's so much to digest in this first chapter, but what grabbed me were the first words: It's not about you. Wow. It seems as if those words were written specifically about me. So much of my life has been spend searching for MY contentment, MY purpose, MY happiness, never knowing that I was going about it the wrong way.

I had began to mature in my walk with the Lord, but the words in this chapter really helped solidify my path. It was perfectly crystallized when I read: "life is about letting God use you for His purposes, not your using Him for your own purposes." For much of my life I had been using God for MY purposes. God heal me. God bless me. God forgive me. It was never, what is your will for my life? What is your purpose for my life? Not until I came to the realization that I was put on this earth to do His will and serve His purposes did my relationship with God begin to have more depth and meaning.

Now my life is all about Him. When I garner success, it's thank you God for your blessing, not look at what I did. When I go through adversity, it's what is the purpose of this trial Lord? It's a watershed moment in my relationship with God when I realized what our roles are: He created me, I am here for His purpose, which is much larger than me.

All right, that's what I got out of this chapter. What about you?

Welcome to Purpose Driven Life study group

This is the beginning of our online Bible Study series on the book Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren. Let me repeat the instructions briefly. We are to read one chapter a day. Please stay to one chapter per day. It's tempting to not want to put the book down, or click to the next page online, but the book is meant to be read slowly so that you have time to digest the content for at least twenty four hours. It also allows you to share your thoughts with others in the group and perhaps gain some insight.

That's why it's vital that you participate in these discussions. Please respond to the topics daily about your thoughts on that days reading. I am going to ask that on your first post, that you put your name, first name is sufficient, and your location so we can get to kind of know each other. Many of you know each other, but some may not. If you wish to give out any other information to the group, that is up to you. The reason I ask that you put your name on your posts is so we can identify your posts when referencing them.

If you have any questions, feel free to post them on one of the discussion topics. Each day will have its own page, so if you're late to the study, you can catch up and respond to each chapter accordingly. Again, I pray that you find spiritual growth in this study and that the Spirit of the Lord guides us. Feel free to invite friends to the group. The more the better.

Down but not out

I have been down and out with the flu for the last couple of days.  It started right after our Bible Study.  I have an ailment that has been bothering me for a while.  The doctors don't know what to do with it.  And from time to time, it will cause me to have a bad case of the chills and the flu.  I have a new doctor and so hopefully they'll be able to give me other options.  I am able to control it for the most part, but prevention can only work so far.

Whenever I get sick, it makes me feel extremely vulnerable.  I have never been as sick as I have been for the last couple of years.  For a while I thought we'd found a cure for it, but the doctors came back and told me that the cure might be worse than the disease.  So we were given the choice of going with the surgery or seeing if it will heal on its own.  Every time I get sick, I think surgery is a much better option.  But I pray to God to heal me.  I will get a second opinion soon and will go from there.

Our lives are but a mist that appears for a while and then vanishes.  My condition is not terminal or life threatening.  But it is very uncomfortable and has caused me to make some adjustments in my life.  I ask that you keep me in your prayers and all those that suffer ailments of the body.

Peace, be still

My life has been hit by big storms lately. It seems as if it's one wave crashing in after another. First was the tsunami that devastated my homeland. This was beyond any natural disaster that has ever hit Samoa in my lifetime. So many lives lost, and property destroyed. It galvanized us into action to help those devastated.

Then the shooting that has shaken my hometown. Just when we were getting over the shock of the tsunami, the shooting comes out of nowhere. It turned many lives upside down in the Ft. Hood community.

In talking to people affected by these events, some have questioned the presence of God. Where was He? Our preacher's message on Sunday was why. Why would a loving God allow these things to happen? Why would He let us suffer? He concluded that God works through all these things and is there for us through the storms.

I am reminded of the time Jesus and His disciples were caught in a storm on a boat. Jesus was sleeping peacefully after a long day of teaching and preaching. Then out of nowhere, a storm rose up and was battering the ship. As the storm was raging, the disciples panicked and thought they were surely going to drown and die. In their terror, they woke Him and said, 'don't you care if we drown?' Jesus said to the storm, 'Be still.' Then He turned around and scolded His disciples. 'Don't you have faith that I am here with you and I would not let anything happen?'

The storms in our lives will not last forever. When we're in the middle of those storms it seems like we will never stop the winds from howling around us. Waves of trouble and grief may sweep over us, but we must have faith that He can calm any storm. It's difficult to hold tight when the winds are so fierce. But never forget that Jesus said He would never forsake us and that He can calm any storm. Call out to Him in the middle of the storm and rely on Him to still the storms of our lives.

Petition without instructing

Prayer is a vital part of our Christian walk. Its the vehicle we use to talk to God. How we view prayer says a lot about our relationship with God. It's like any relationship. If we only pray in times of crisis, we show a lack of love. True love is reflected in the time and manner we spend with the one we love.If we only talk to them when we want or need something, then we don't really love them.

We've all been in relationships where we've been used by other people. They only come to us when they need something. When all is right in their world, they forget about us and spend time with everyone else BUT us. We feel neglected and taken for granted. They think we'll always be here for them so they don't nurture us and give us the recognition that we deserve. We're only good when they need something. Sometimes that's how we treat God. We know He'll always be there and take us back. But when times are good, you find us going to Him much.

And dont include the solutions with your petitions. Sometimes when we do pray it's like a Christmas list. We go to Him with our problems, our needs and wants. But we also provide the answer. We don't trust God to come up with the best possible answer. Remember, God's answers are wiser than our prayers. We must always end our petitions with the acknowledgement that His will be done, and not ours.

In the end, we must present ourselves as empty vessels and let Him work through us. His will and plan is always perfect. We may not always know why He does certain things, but His ways are not our ways and in His time, He will let us know.

Tragedy strikes home

As most of you have heard by now, there was a great tragedy that gripped our city yesterday with the shooting on Ft. Hood. It was horrific to know tha terror could strike so close to home. Our soldiers are familiar with violence overseas, but many were shaken because it had been at home where some of their comrades were killed.

Our school was locked down for a few hours. The majority of our students live on Ft. Hood so they were locked out from going on base. They were brought back to the school so we stayed with them until the post opened up. We were in our auditorium for over 5 hours.

While sitting there, I was going through the Bible on line to see what words of comfort I could draw from. I googled scripture and it led me to Isaiah. He wrote these words thousands of years ago, but it seemed to be talking to me about the events of the day. 'Who walks in darkness and has no light? Let him trust in the name of the Lord and rely upon his God.'

The community was walking through darkness. The family of the dead soldiers saw no light. But we must continue to rely upon Him and trust in His name. I read about a pastor who had lost his wife. This is how he looked at life. He said we play on God's team. He is the quarterback and He calls the plays. We don't know why a particular play was called. All we can do is run the play that He has called.

Yesterday's events bring home the lessons from the book of James. He said don't make plans as if you're sure that tomorrow will come. Nothing is promised to us, except this moment that you are in. So hug your kids a little longer today. Hold your loved one a little closer. Treasure every moment you have with them.

Not enough hours

I was sitting on a bench outside my room waiting for a student yesterday. He was supposed to come and take a make-up test. As I was waiting for him, I realized that I was sitting under the bluest sky I had seen in a while. The air was crisp. There was a little breeze. This was perfect weather. It almost made up for all the rainy weather we got last month. I closed my eyes and just relaxed. It was such a calming feeling. I was reminded of the words of the Psalmist who said, 'Be still and know that I am God.'

I wondered if the Psalmist had a similar experience to mine and that was what inspired him to pen those words. So often in our daily grind we jump from one activity to the next without taking time to be in tuned with God. If I had a dollar for every time someone said, 'there just aren't enough hours in the day,' I'd be a rich man. And that's just money from my wife alone. LOL

We must force ourselves, EVERYDAY, to stop, be still and know that He is God. We must align our thoughts with His. At some point in your day, take some time to meditate on God or His word. You would be amazed at how much better your day goes.

Heart and hands

Our pastor's message on Sunday was on the importance of purifying our heart. His text was Psalm 24 where the Psalmist said that he who has 'clean hands and a pure heart' will receive the blessing from the Lord. He said our hands and heart work in tandem.

He said hands symbolized the actions that we take. But the actions are hands do is dictated by our hearts. Our hearts act first, then the hands follow through. We lust first, then our hands follow through. The thought begins in the heart and is followed through by the hands.

Our hands, or our actions, are a manifestation of what's already in our hearts. If your heart has vengeance, your hands will carry it out. Conversely, if your heart has forgiveness, the hands will manifest that also.

The key to Christian living is purifying your heart. We must clean our hearts. That's why Jesus told us that we should go and be right with our brothers, to cleanse our hearts, before we can come and worship Him.

Another way to look at this is our hands symbolize the works that we do. James emphasizes the importance of works. He says that faith without works is dead. Though it seems to contradict Paul's justification by faith, I think it confirms it. The important thing to remember is that the sequence must be correct. We must have a pure heart first, a heart in love with Jesus, before our hands can get to work. If we rely only on our works, then eventually our hands will become tired. But if our hands are working in response to the love in our hearts, they will never become tired.
Our hands show the world what's already in our hearts. Be blessed.

Plans and more plans

I had a really blessed Sabbath this week. I had a great lesson with my Sunday School class. We ended up taking a lot of time talking about life plans. There are three of them and they're in high school. One is a senior, another a junior and a third a sophomore. We also have a couple of freshmen that also attend, but not regularly.

We were talking about plans because it's getting close to the time that the senior has to make a decision about which colleges to apply for. We discussed career choices and that they needed to have a plan for when they graduate. Either a college to attend, plans to go to work, or even entering the military. The key I continued to stress to them is to make a plan. And start to execute it now.

I realized that in our Bible Study last week James said that we shouldn't plan too far ahead because we're not guaranteed tomorrow. That we should end all of our plans with the phrase, 'if it is the will of God.' And that's what I told the girls. Write your plan, but be ready for God to make some alterations to it. I shared that I had a totally different plan for my life when I was younger. I wanted this career and I wanted to live here and there. But God has a funny way of showing us what His will is.

Our lesson yesterday was on Esther. Not that it was planned, no pun intended, but our discussion was the perfect prelude to the story of Esther. Never in her wildest dreams did Esther imagine that she would be the central figure in a drama that had the lives of thousands of people hanging in the balance. Her life being one of them. But as her uncle Mordecai told her in his famous words, 'perhaps it is for a times such as this that God put you where you are.'

By all means make plans. Make lots of plans. But always realize that the final arbiter of our plans is our Maker. Don't be upset if he rearranges them from time to time. Remember, His plan is perfect, even if we don't see it right away. Again, write your plans in pencil, then give God the eraser.