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johnny2k
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Location: Cedar Rapids, Iowa, USA
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 Posted: Tue Aug 16, 2005 12:42 am Post subject: Day 14 - When God Seems Distant |
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Day 14 - When God Seems Distant
| Quote: | | "Friendships are often tested by separation and silence; you are divided by physical distance or you are unable to talk. In your friendship with God, you won't always feel close to him." [Rick Warren, "The Purpose Driven Life", page 107] |
I started this post with the above quote from the first page of this chapter. We all have chapters in our lives that it seems like we are going through more than we can bear. I am at that point now.
Rick Warren says that as new Christians, God will be apparent in our lives constantly, and I felt that in the last year. And then, when things seemed to be going so good, my life got harsh, and when I felt I really needed to feel His Love, I did not feel Him there with me, not at all, like He just left me.
My prayer:
God, you feel very distant from me at the moment. My heart is hurting, I have felt the blunt force of life right in the face. My God, my Lord of my Life, I need you here with me. I seek Salvation, and know by your Grace, it has been Given to me through the Sacrifice of your Son, Jesus Christ. Yet, when I need justice, when I need hope and caring, I do not see you. I find you absent, not seeming to be in my Life as you were.
Lord, My God, you don't feel close. Is it my fault? Did I sin in a way that had offended you? Are you grieving in my sorrow? I feel you are angry with me, my Lord. Yet, I never gave up, I never lost faith. I am not lost. Yet, I can not find you right now. How could you abandon me?
Please forgive me, God, for whatever it was that I cried out for, that when I needed you to defend me, to save me from my trials and troubles.
I need you Lord, in my life, close to me. I lost my job. I lost a person I felt was close to me, that I would have died for. I would die for you, my Lord Jesus, and my Father in Heaven, yet, I have the feeling of being abandoned. I feel in all my heart that whatever I did, I must not have been worthy. Yet, it had to have been for you to Love me as you did, to give your Son, Jesus Christ, to sacrifice for our souls.
Please Lord, come back to where I can see you, feel you, and have your guidance. I want to be able to lead others to you, yet I feel like I am blinded. How can those I touch in my life see you if I can't?
I love you God, you must know how much that love for you has been, and how grateful I have been in my life, to know how much you have blessed me in my life. And yet, I see how quickly those blessings can disappear. Is it a test, Lord? Is this the ultimate story of having great faith even though all seems lost right now?
I am not lost for you, though, God. I cherish you, I cherish the Love that you have given me, and all the blessings you desire for us. I want to be with you Lord, not just in Heaven, but here on Earth so that I can maybe tell others about you. They will not see what I am not able to see. But I do have the Lord Jesus to lead me, and I pray that light will again shine in me that all those others that feel bliind will see and feel you in their lives.
I praise you Lord, please don't seem so distant to me now. Though I am no longer a baby Christian, I still need you, I still want you as much as anything there is. Don't leave me to fend for myself, I am not worthy of that, I'm not able to do that alone, though I am no longer a baby in Christ. I need your strength. I know I'm being weaned, but I still need you and cry out for you, I still can not walk alone. But if what it takes is for me to crawl to you, to grab ahold of you, and ask to be cared for, to cry out in total fear of ever being without you Lord, I will do what it takes.
I trust you God, to keep your promises. I know that I am NOT alone. I know that you Love me, and care about me and for me, and know all that I am going through. I praise you God, for I know who you sent to us to take away all of our sins.
Have mercy on my soul, and while you are gone, I will continue to praise you for all you do. You have a plan for me, a purpose, greater than anything I can imagine.
I remember what you have already done for us. Now, Lord, I need your Peace, and need to know you, and need to love you. You, who created me, to do Your Will.
Won by One!
John
Digg this for the Lord!
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johnny2k
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Joined: 30 Sep 2003
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Location: Cedar Rapids, Iowa, USA
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| Posted: Wed Aug 17, 2005 1:13 am Post subject: Day 15 - Formed for God's Family |
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Purpose #2 - You Were Formed For God's Family
Day 15 - Formed for God's Family
| Quote: | | How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. Everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself, just as he is pure. [1 John 3:1-3 (NIV)] |
Chapter 15 initiates the seven chapter section, Purpose #2 - You Were Formed for God's Family. In this chapter, Rick Warren discusses being part of God's family; it's benefits, baptism, and Life's greatest privilege - being part of God's family, here on Earth as well as in Heaven.
First, we learn why God wanted a family. He didn't need one, He already had a relational family of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. However, God created us, as His children, so that he could share all that He has. In this spiritual family, which is the church, God is our Father, and other believers, from the past, present and future, are our brothers and sisters, for eternity!
When you were were first born, you became part of your human family. That was your first birth. When you accept the invitation to become part of the spiritual family, one of God's children, that is your second birth - you are reborn. Your human family, which itself is a great gift from God, is temporary and fragile. Fragile in the way that our families sometimes break up, and temporary in the way that we lose our families through death, or just living too far apart when the kids grow up. Your spiritual family goes on forever, it is a "permanent bond", and a "stronger union" than your human family.
What are the benefits of being in God's family? All that God has, you will inherit upon your rebirth. In Eternity, you will receive much more than what God has blessed you with here on Earth. Rick Warren tells us that our eternal inheritance includes five great blessings we don't have here on earth:
"We will get to be with God forever
We will be completely changed to be like Christ
We will be freed from all pain, death, and suffering
We will be rewarded and reassigned positions of service
We will get to share in Christ's glory"
As he states, "What an inheritance! You are far richer than you realize."
The next subject that Rick Warren covers in this chapter is Baptism. Have you ever wanted to know what it means to be baptized? He does a great job to explain it. In Matthew 28:19, Jesus commands His followers, "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit". When you are baptised, you are identifying yourself as being part of God's family, and you are not ashamed of being recognized as part of the family. It is a celebration of being part of God's family, and announces your new life in Christ. An important point to note, though, is that baptism doesn't MAKE you a part of God's family, only Faith in Jesus Christ can do that!
About a year ago, on August 29, 2004, I was water baptized at the 1st Assembly of God of Cedar Rapids. I will never forget that moment. (If I ever do, which I doubt, I have a video tape of the event!) When I gave my personal testimony during that event, my brothers and sisters clearly saw the reborn Christian man that understood the great meaning of this very sacred event!
In the final segment of the chapter, Rick Warren discusses Life's Greatest Privilege. He closes the chapter with this:
| Quote: | | "Being included in God's family is the highest honor and the greatest privilege you will ever receive. Nothing else comes close. Whenever you feel unimportant, unloved, or insecure, remember to whom you belong."[Rick Warren, "The Purpose Driven Life", page 121] |
I know that is the truth from my own personal experiences. I will close this post with that quote, to give you time to let it sink in. Then go, discover that truth for yourself. It won't be anything you would ever regret!
Won by One!
John
Are you part of God's Family? DIGG this for the Lord Jesus!
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johnny2k
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Location: Cedar Rapids, Iowa, USA
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| Posted: Wed Aug 17, 2005 7:46 pm Post subject: Day 16 - What Matters Most |
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Day 16 - What Matters Most
| Quote: | | A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another. [John 13:34-35 (NIV)] |
Rick Warren starts out this chapter talking about the importance of Love. Learning to love is our most important lesson. He says, "It is in loving that we are most like Him, so love is the foundation of every command He has given us".
The emphasis of this chapter is in loving our brothers and sisters in Christ, our spiritual family. It is not an easy task to learn to love unselfishly just because of our self-centered nature. God wants us to be known for our love for each other, because that is our best witness to the world. It is more important than our doctrinal beliefs!
There are three segments to this chapter following Pastor Warren's introduction. He tells us more about 1) the best use of life is Love, 2) the best use of Love is time, and 3) the best time to Love is now.
In the first segment, "The Best Use of Life is Love", Rick Warren tells us that relationships are what matter in life, not our achievements or material things we obtain in life. Our lives are important, but we get so involved in trying to accomplish goals and make everybody happy (like our bosses), we tend to forget what is really important in our life. We tend to lose sight of what really matters, those we love, while we plug along, trying to get ahead. Pastor Warren says, "Life minus Love equals zero."
Another reason to make Love our top priority is because it will last forever. All that you accomplish in life will not last, but Love will. What we do in life to reach the pinnacles of success will not leave a legacy like Love does. Who will be remembered a couple hundred years from now? Bill Gates or our apostles and heroes from the New Testament?
You'll leave everything else behind when you pass into Eternity, except for your Love. God isn't going to ask for your academic transcripts and awards. He isn't going worry about whether you were a CEO or a ditch digger. He will be looking at what you did with your life in regard to whether or not you Loved people and Him.
In the next segment, Rick Warren tells about how "The Best Expression of Life is Time". We all want to provide for our loved ones that will be remaining here after we depart. But if we spend ALL of our time in order to do that, what good is it if they don't even know us? I know from my experience in life, it is a double-edged sword.
We put in time to our jobs to provide for our families, because we love them. However, we find ourselves consumed in trying to provide, and they never really get to exerience our love. We come home from a long day at work to find the kids are already in bed, and we are too exhausted to spend quality time with our spouse. Though it would be wonderful to provide everything they want in life; comfort, shelter, all the great blessings there are to offer, they don't see us much, and they won't know us, either. It is a delicate balance between the two needs.
In the third and last segment of this great chapter, "The Best Time to Love is Now", Pastor Warren discusses the fact that we shouldn't procrastinate on Love, because it matters too much. We don't ever know how long we'll be here, or how long our loved ones will be here. So, the best time is NOW to express your love. Your career and your projects and your material objects you possess are not as important as the Love you can express. In order to express the Love that is needed, because of TIME, you may have to make sacrifices.
At this point, I want to make my own personal comments on this chapter, "What Matters Most". We've learned how much love matters, and what it does to witness to the world. Love will always shine in us if that is what matters to us most. Unfortunately for many of us, we find ourselves caring so much for what we can do for people we love, but then find out that there are always going to be limitations to our time. A great point to ponder from what we learn in this chapter is, what can we sacrifice in order to express our love? My only conclusion is to sacrifice that time we use to satisfy ourselves. And that is always going to be the most difficult part of ourselves to sacrifice. That is why when we sacrifice that part of our lives, it is the biggest and most important thing there is to do to express our love.
Won by ONE!
John
DIGG for the Lord Jesus!
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johnny2k
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Location: Cedar Rapids, Iowa, USA
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| Posted: Fri Aug 19, 2005 5:16 am Post subject: Day 17 - A Place to Belong |
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Day 17 - A Place to Belong
In this edition of the topic, Our Forty Days of Purpose, I am not going to do my usual thing; there isn't going to be an outline, or summary, of this chapter. However, what I will tell you now will be directly related to what Rick Warren is telling us in this chapter. Anyone that is reading or has read the book will understand exactly what I will tell you. For those of you that haven't read the book or this chapter, it would be a good time to do so, just so that you will understand what I am going to say to you now.
The reason why I am not going to detail everything that Rick Warren said in this chapter is because if I did, I would be a hypocrit. For a year, I went to church, and for many of those weeks, I attended a wonderful Sunday school class, where we learned about what Paul told us in the book of Acts. However, over the last few months, I didn't even make it to that class, and out of the last month or two, didn't even make it to church but for several infrequent visits. Why? That's the part I have had to deal with, and why I'm not following my usual format.
Several months ago, I came upon a time of my life where my self-esteem went below zero. I was doing all I could to salvage my job, but was failing at that. I had a chance to do service for my church, in the audio-visual area, and probably could have excelled in that area, but I could not do it, and still be able to maintain my job.... which I ended up losing anyway. I worked third shift, from midnight until 8:30 a.m., so I slept from late in the afternoon until at least 10:00 p.m. The training for the audio-visual job at the church was in the early evenings. I just couldn't do it all.
For a long time, since my wife Connie had passed away, I basically gave up on having a social life. It seemed to be unthinkable to me. Going out on a Saturday night was not anything that really felt comfortable. This led to a self-induced isolation. My weekends for the year and a few months following her passing consisted of sleeping on Saturdays (most of the day), then going to church with my friends on Sunday, then going back to bed Sunday afternoon, so I wouldn't mess up my sleep schedule for the work week.
I could go on and on about that, but I'll save you from that agony of reading my whole life history. What I am trying to say is, this summer, I began needing something different in my life. I no longer wanted to be so isolated. I needed to be around people, or do something with my time off. However, it seemed that fellowship with my brothers and sisters of the Lord didn't seem to follow my sleep schedule and still keep it in line with the work schedule.
It all went down hill from there, and I found myself missing church, for almost the whole month of July 2005. And even before that time, I rarely was able to get myself out of bed early enough on Sundays to attend that great Sunday school class. When I did make it there several times earlier this summer, in June, I felt like a stranger, a visitor, and not a regular. Several days ago, I was thinking about that, and the people that were regulars, and was having a hard time remembering some of their names!
While Rick Warren talked about us moving out of self-centered isolation in this chapter, I found myself doing the exact opposite. He said that our church family can help keep us from backslidiing, but I did that, and I now understand it much better after reading this chapter. I found that I wasn't sharing with my brothers and sisters, and I was unable to take on responsibilities inside my local church. This led to other feelings, and tended to make me feel shunned. I am sure that isn't the case, but this is the reason I am telling you about this now.
I am hoping that with the change in my employment situation, I can now begin to do the things I committed myself to by joining my church on October 31, 2004. I do not want to feel isolated. I want to do what I can to serve my brothers and sisters. I was called not to just believe, but to belong.
Won by One!
John
DIGG this for the Lord Jesus!
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johnny2k
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Joined: 30 Sep 2003
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Location: Cedar Rapids, Iowa, USA
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| Posted: Mon Aug 22, 2005 12:57 am Post subject: Day 18 - Experiencing Life Together |
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Day 18 - Experiencing Life Together
| Quote: | This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all.
If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth.
But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.
[1 John 1:5-7 (NIV)] |
In this chapter, Rick Warren shows us the need for fellowship among the Body of the Church. He explains that many church members confuse true fellowship with socializing, such as staying after the church service for coffee and cookies. He says here, that "Real fellowship is so much more than just showing up at services. It is experiencing life together."
In addition to defining fellowship, we learn here that the size of a fellowship group should remain smaller, usually 10 people or less. This is because that when it is a larger group, sometimes the quietest people will stop participating, and some people will dominate the conversations of the group. I have experienced that happening in fellowship groups I've been in, but I believe that may be more than the fact that some people are quieter and some people tend to say more. However, I don't believe it is always the size of the group that matters so much. Rick Warren goes on to say that even in a small group, genuine fellowship isn't always experienced.
So, what are some of the ways we really can have true fellowship? Regardless of the size of the group, people need to experience authenticity, mutuality, sympathy, and mercy in a fellowship group.
Of course, Rick Warren goes into detail on each of those experiences, but I think I can generally speak of each of those needed attributes based on what he wrote. We have to be open and honest with each other. We have to share responsibilites and help each other out. We have to be understandiing with each other. We need to share each other's pains or grief. Last, but not least, we have to be forgiving when others make mistakes.
I feel that when any of those needs for good fellowship are not followed, there will be people that will drop out. When those needs are missing, it isn't just the quietest person that would not feel part of the fellowship group, and that is regardless of the size of the group.
Some of the best fellowship I have experienced was in a fairly large Sunday School class, and I felt I was allowed the chance to participate if I wanted to. Some of the worst experiences I've had with "fellowship" was in group events. I sometimes felt left out when I wasn't part of the core group of people that attended the events.
I am just being honest. I'm just saying how easy it was to feel that way when certain events didn't seem to be planned with everybody feeling included in those plans. It was those times I felt I wasn't part of the "group". In many cases, I was unable to participate because of my work schedule. I even felt alienated for the reason I never received personal invitations to those events.
It was difficult for me to write about this chapter, for some of the above reasons. There were experiences I had that didn't help me build relationships that allowed me to feel included in our fellowship. I am hoping that what I have written today will reach people within fellowship groups. It isn't that I am bitter or that I am holding any kind of grudge. I am praying that it will help us all realize there are those "quiet people" (like me) out there, and how easy it is for people in that situation to feel a lack of the fellowship that Rick Warren says we all need.
Won by One!
John
~ DIGG this for the Lord! ~
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johnny2k
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Location: Cedar Rapids, Iowa, USA
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| Posted: Tue Aug 23, 2005 12:31 pm Post subject: Day 19 - Cultivating Community |
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Day 19 - Cultivating Community
| Quote: | The Fellowship of the Believers
They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved. [Acts 2:42-47 (NIV)] |
As you may have noticed in my previous post for Day 18, there will be people like me in your church that have issues. Not sinful issues, but things that may have prevented me from being very easy to establish a relationship with. This not only applies to my attempts to become part of a fellowship group, but also in my normal, every day life.
Yes, I'm putting it all in front of you here, because there is a point to this that relates to this chapter for Day 19. I do care enough to speak the truth lovingly, and it is my way of confronting those issues I have, like being overly sensitive, but not hostile; very shy, but not unfriendly; and feeling like I have been forgotten by my fellowship brothers and sisters, but not bitter about it.
In the chapter, Rick Warren talks about the fact that cultivating the community takes honesty, humility, courtesy, confidentiality, and frequency of contact. My issues have tended to lower my frequency of contact with my group. That is mostly because I began to lose commitment because of my feeling of not belonging like I wanted to feel.
Rick Warren talks about the community being built on the conviction that we need that fellowship for spiritual health, and not for "convenience". In my case, I believe the "convenience factor" began to set in on my spiritual life, and my lack of fellowship. And, maybe there was somewhat of a "convenience factor" that prevented other members of my group from trying to contact me, to see if I was okay.
Yes, some of us are what Rick Warren calls EGR people - "Extra Grace Required". That came from my favorite section of the chapter, "Cultivating community takes courtesy". He tells us that some of us may require more understanding than others, but that these people are among us for their benefit and ours. Rick Warren wrote,
| Quote: | | "The truth is, we all have quirks and annoying traits. But community has nothing to do with compatibility. The basis for our fellowship is our relationship to God: We're family."[page 149, "The Purpose Driven Life"] |
He goes on to say that understanding where people are coming from is the key to courtesy. We can be more understanding when we understand more about the "EGR" person, when we know what they have been through in their lives. We should look at it as how far they have come in spite of their past pain, rather than how far they need to go.
As I had written in my post for Day 18, I am praying that what I have written in my latest two posts will help us all with our fellowship communities. I have written about my own situations that are relevant to Days 18 and 19, in the hope of expressing how important it is to develop loving fellowship in the ways that Rick Warren wrote about.
Won by One!
John
~ DIGG this for the Lord! ~
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johnny2k
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| Posted: Tue Aug 23, 2005 4:09 pm Post subject: Day 20 - Restoring Broken Fellowship |
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Day 20 - Restoring Broken Fellowship
| Quote: | | If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. [Philippians 2:1-4 (NIV)] |
Praise God that Rick Warren included this beautifully written chapter in this book, "The Purpose Driven Life". Of course, in fellowship, just as in everyday life, we find ourselves in conflict with other people. However, you'll find important information contained in this chapter that can be applied to your every day life.
In relationships, there are those times when things can go horribly wrong. The wisdom that Rick Warren includes in ths chapter is profound! We are shown the loving way that the Bible teaches us how to resolve our conflicts. Broken relationships can be mended with God's help. The wisdom He gives us in so many places of the Bible can be utilized, and by allowing the Holy Spirit to guide us through these times of troubled relationships.
Rick Warren gives us seven biblical steps in restoring fellowship or mending a broken relationship. You can use these steps in your everyday life, whether it is a problem in your family, at work, or with a friend. Here are the seven steps that are given in this chapter:
Talk to God before talking to the person - Pray about the problem instead of gossiping to a friend. God will allow you to vent with Him. Allow God to meet your needs, especially those that your spouse, friend or co-worker can not do themselves.
Always take the initiative - You need to make the first move to resolve a conflict, whether you are the offender or the one who was offended. Don't procrastinate! Restoring a relationship is so extremely important, that Jesus commands us to make that our number one priority! (Read Matthew 5:21-26)
Sympathize with their feelings - You have two ears, but just one mouth: Listen to the other person's feelings, and focus on those feelings more than the facts of the issue! Don't be defensive, just let the person vent their feelings first, even if they are illogical or not true to the facts.
Confess your part of the conflict - Understand the fact that you may be the one at fault, and be willing to confess for your own mistakes. Admitting to being the blame, or part of the problem, will help defuse the other person's anger, especially when they are expecting you to be defensive.
Attack the problem, not the person - You won't be resolving a conflict by trying to pin the blame for the problem on the other person. Rick Warren says, "You are never persuasive when you're abrasive." Disarm yourselve of those weapons of mass destruction; don't be sarcastic, condemning, belittling, comparing, insulting, or condescending.
Cooperate as much as possible - Sometimes peace comes with a pricetag. It can cost us our pride. It may help us eliminate our own self-centeredness. Romans 12:9-21 tells us how to love one another; and part of that is about cooperation, as you will see in Romans 12:16: Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited. (NIV)
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Emphasize reconciliation, not resolution - We aren't always going to find absolute resolution to a conflict. Though we shouldn't be a doormat, it is okay to agree to disagree. Some differences may not be able to be resolved. However, it's important to still look for a solution, we shouldn't give up on that. I like what Rick Warren says, that "we can walk arm-in-arm without seeing eye-to-eye on every issue."
This chapter, for your best interest, is one to study. Part of life is consumed in conflict with your loved ones, your relationships, and now, you can see there are ways to resolve things, and live in peace. But like Rick Warren says, Peace is something to work for. Peacemakers are God's children!
Won by ONE!
John
DIGG this for the LORD!
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johnny2k
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Location: Cedar Rapids, Iowa, USA
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| Posted: Fri Aug 26, 2005 7:25 pm Post subject: Day 21 - Protecting Your Church |
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Day 21 - Protecting Your Church
| Quote: | | Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. [Colossians 3:12-14 (NIV)] |
Rick Warren's purpose of Chapter 21 is to show us what we need to do to protect the unity of your church. It is strongly emphasized in the New Testament that God very much desires unity and harmony among the Christian believers in His church. We learn that perfect model for unity and harmony is the Holy Trinity: The Father, The Son, and the Holy Spirit. "Unity is the soul of Fellowship", Rick Warren says.
Because God values His church so much, He wants it protected, and desires to preserve and protect our fellowship. It is our responsibility to avoid division, conflict and disharmony. We are "commissioned by Jesus Christ to do everything possible to preserve the unity, protect the fellowship, and promote harmony in your church family and among all believers", writes Rick Warren on page 161. The Bible tells us how to do this:
Focus on what we have in common, not our differences - We should not focus on the differences, but the fact that "we share one Lord, one body, one purpose, one Father, one Holy Spirit, one hope, one faith, one baptism, and one love", along with the same salvation and the same future in eternity. (See page 161, "The Purpose Driven Life"). God expects unity, not uniformity, because we are all different. Concentrating on those differences is what causes conflict, division and disharmony. Instead, we need to be concentrating on loving each other.
Be realistic in your expectations - It isn't possible to belong to the ideal, perfect church. We are all sinners, and therefor, no church will be without some imperfections. "Longing for the ideal while criticizing the real is evidence of immaturity. On the other hand, settling for the real without striving for the ideal is complacency. Maturity is living with the tension." (page 162, "The Purpose Driven Life").
Choose to encourage rather than criticize - We should never criticize, compare or judge what another believer is doing in full faith and sincere devotion in service to the Lord. Any time we do that, we are doing Satan's work for him. It is his job to be "the accuser of our brothers", not ours. (See Revelation 12:9-10). We should be building unity in our fellowship, rather than using that time to compare or criticize other believers. "Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification." [Romans 14:19 (NIV)]
Refuse to listen to gossip - Just as gossiping is a sin, and a destroyer of unity in a church, listening to it is just as bad. And don't forget that a person that is gossiping to you about someone else is just as likely to gossip about you, too! Do not accept gossip, or you are just encouraging it. And also, you should tell the gossiping person to stop it, in a loving way. Gossiping can cause great wounds, and it is a terrible shame when the sheep of our own flock are as dangerous as wolves. The Bible says to avoid gossipers. Proverbs 20:19 (NIV) says, "A gossip betrays a confidence; so avoid a man who talks too much."
Practice God's method for conflict resolution - In my post for Day 20, I had written about what Rick Warren explained, all the wonderful ways of resolving problems and conflicts, not just within the church, but in our lives. In addition to that profound knowledge you can utilize in your everyday life, there is more information in this section that applies to conflicts within the church. While the first step of resolution is a private confrontation, it may be necessary to go further by taking the next step, which is to have two witnesses to accompany you to confirm the problem and reconcile the relationship. This is the Biblical method, and this information could be enormously valuable in resolving conflicts.
Support your pastor and leaders - There are many times when our pastors and church leaders have impossible jobs of trying to please everyone. Don't make their job any more difficult than it already is! Listen to their counsel. We should honor those who serve us. We should pray for our pastors and elders, encourage them, appreciate them, and love them. As our church leaders are accountable to God, so are we, in regard to how we treat them.
Rick Warren ends this chapter with telling us how God blesses those churches that remain unified. He reminds us how everyone wants to feel loved, and wants to feel like they have a place where they belong. In our church and fellowship communities, it is very urgently important for us all to learn to be unselfish, and to do all we can to remember: we are formed for God's family!
Won by ONE!
John
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johnny2k
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| Posted: Fri Aug 26, 2005 9:00 pm Post subject: Day 22 - Created to Become Like Christ |
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Purpose #3 - You Were Created to Become Like Christ
Day 22 - Created to Become Like Christ
I took a night off from my recent personal life, things I like to do, people I wanted to be with, in order to get caught up with this project, my 40 Days of Purpose. Yes, I'm admitting this to you now, that I'm not perfect, and I fell behind in this project. And, when I read the chapter, Day 22, I found myself falling so short of where I want to go in my life.
It is not a bad thing, as Rick Warren talks about in this chapter, life is a growth process. For those of us who want to live like our saviour, Jesus Christ, we find ourselves falling far short. The most profound things I have ever read were found in this chapter. There is no way I can ever come close to expressing all the things that Rick Warren was able to write.
I am sure that over this next week, while trying to catch up in my reading and writing based on this book, maybe some of the things that I learned tonight while reading this beautiful chapter will come out. However, I found so many things in my reading tonight, that I am overwhelmed. I don't really know where to start!
Rick Warren says on page 173, "Never forget that life is not about you!." I exist for God's purposes, not mine. And he tells us on that same page, life is supposed to be difficult, because it gives us a chance to grow!
Because of this chapter on Day 22, I've learned that I should not expect to be having everything I wanted in life. There will be things that will happen to me (as I know all too well), that these are things that just help the growth process. I have learned not to compare myself to the people I look up to. I have learned that being away from people, in experiencing solitude, that without the interaction with my fellow Christians, I can not expect to find ways to grow in my spirituality.
God expects me to work at becoming like Christ, but that is a lifetime process. I'll get briefed on the areas I messed up on when I am with Him. I'll be told what I did right, and where I went wrong. It will be the performance review of my life when my time comes, whether that is when Jesus comes to get us before, or after, I pass on from this time on Earth.
No, I learned way too much from this chapter to be able to come close to expressing in this one post. This topic, writing about the 40 Days of Purpose, is a project that is ongoing. What I learn, I want to pass on to you, my readers. Yet, I think the best thing for YOU to do at this point, is to pick up the book, and learn from it, like I am doing.
Becoming like Christ will not happen the day you accept Jesus as your saviour. It is a process. It is learning, and applying all you learn, to your life. It is devotion, and, it is a devotion to learning, not being everything you think you should be. I have found from this chapter that you will only get back what you put into this drive to become like Christ.
Maybe it is my time, but not your time. I accept that, because you are here reading this. Because you want to know, possibly, if what you read is going to get your career in gear, or find the one secret to making your life blessed with God's awesome miracles. No, that isn't what is happening here. It won't happen just by reading the book, "The Purpose Driven Life". It is ONLY going to happen by deciding and realizing your purpose is that God wants us to not put all our stock in what we can do, but in what God's purpose is for our lives!
Won by ONE!
John
DIGG it for the Lord!
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johnny2k
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| Posted: Mon Aug 29, 2005 6:26 pm Post subject: Day 23 - How We Grow |
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Day 23 - How We Grow
| Quote: | | "Spiritual growth is not automatic. It takes an intentional commitment. You must want to grow, decide to grow, make an effort to grow, and persist in growing. Descipleship - the process of becoming like Christ - always begins with a decision." [Rick Warren, "The Purpose Driven Life", page 179] |
Life is full of having to make decisions. Those decisions can make you, or they can break you. However, your decisions may be shaped by your commitments! And at the same time, your commitments will also shape your decisions. What you want to do, what you are commited to, will shape your decisions based on the strength of your commitments.
In this chapter, Rick Warren talks about making Christlike choices in your life. To do this, we have to be serious about our commitment to become like Christ. A half-heart commitment will not get us there. Sometimes, it is difficult to follow through with what we need to do to devote ourselves, because we find ourselves also trying to also commit ourselves to worldly goals - success, wealth, or even trying to pay our bills. We find that the competing commitments make it hard to make choices that will lead us to becoming Christlike.
Once we have made a decision, a choice, to know Jesus as our saviour, that will always be with us. However, becoming like Christ is a growing process. Rick Warren says we have to stop thinking immature thoughts in the way we act, it tends to make us self-centered. Becoming mature in our thinking means that we need to change our thoughts. To do that, we have to intentionally change our direction.
Is that easy? No, it isn't. That is what I have found, all through my life. I find myself falling short in that area. However, a while ago, when I found myself wanting people to know I was willing to care about them, not myself, I found that my thoughts really are changing direction.
It is all just a choice what we do with our lives. You can commit yourself all the way, or not, but you will only gain by making decisions based on commiting yourself to Christ, not yourself. It truly is your decision, your choice, even to start changing directions.
Won by ONE!
DIGG it for the Lord!
John
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johnny2k
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| Posted: Tue Aug 30, 2005 9:04 am Post subject: Day 24 - Transformed by Truth |
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Day 24 - Transformed by Truth
| Quote: | | All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. [2 Timothy 3:16-17 (NIV)] |
In the last two chapters, we found that to become like Jesus, we must grow. Growth is a process, a transformation over time. What makes that happen? Making the correct choices. What helps us make the right choices? Knowing the Truth.
In this chapter, Rick Warren tells us that the Bible is His Word. However, for the many centuries prior to the 20th century, only Christian scholars had access to The Word. Now, the Bible is printed in many languages, and millions of copies have been sold. Despite the many versions, for the most part, the Bible still always tells us the same thing. Though there are the debates about the various translations from the ancient Hebrew and Greek, it still has the same meaning, whatever version you read, in whatever language works for you.
Over the last year, while at my previous job, I read the entire New Testament and parts of the Old Testament. And because I did that, it did transform my life at least to my present level of growth. I have more reading to do, and much more growing to do. But Rick Warren hit the nail on the head in this chapter. Without the Truth, you will not be set free.
We are told in this chapter that even Billy Graham had his doubts (see page 187), he had confusion about the accuracy and authority of the Bible. However, Billy Graham finally made the choice, falling on his knees and telling God that inspite of his confusion, he vowed to accept the authority of the Bible, and would trust it (His Word) completely. We all know where Billy's life went from there. He touched millions of lives.
While reading the Bible, I found that advice Rick Warren had given in this chapter to be completely true. Though I know I have much more studying to do, and that I am continuing in that process, I find my life gradually transforming. While reading, I also read most of the notes in the Zondervan New International Version, so I did have more idea about what it was about. However, it was in the Word, in itself, that the steady process of reading has done so much for transforming my life.
Like it was said in this chapter, we have to assimilate its truth. What Rick Warren tells us in this section is that we must "fill our minds with the Bible" so that the Holy Spirit can continually transform us. To do this, we must be receptive. Jesus told us in the Parable of the Sower that our receptiveness will make a difference of whether or not the Word will take root. Unreceptive attitudes, as shown in that parable, can prevent the Word from taking root in our lives. A closed mind from the hard soil; a superficial mind from the shallow soil; and a distracted mind from the soil with weeds.
So, to sum up this chapter, read the Bible. Read it with an open mind, and study it with an open heart. Don't worry about the issues brought up by the non-believers, such as its accuracy and authority. Accept the Word as it is, and then apply its principles.
| Quote: | | The Bible is far more than a doctrinal guidebook. God's Word generates life, creates faith, produces change, frightens the Devil, causes miracles, heals hurts, builds character, transforms circumstances, imparts joy, overcomes adversity, defeats temptation, infuses hope, releases power, cleanses our minds, brings things into being, and guarantees our future forever! [Rick Warren, page 186, "The Purpose Driven Life"] |
As always, the chapter that this post refers to wll cover what I have written today in much more detail. In all my posts, though, I try to cover the parts that apply to my life, and hopefully yours at some point. What is so difficult though, about writing these posts, is that I am not sure if what I find to be areas to highlight will be what hits your buttons. The only thing I can say now is, read the book, The Purpose Driven Life, and followup on the Bible verses it refers you to. But most of all, read the Bible!
Won by ONE!
John
DIGG it for the Lord!
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johnny2k
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| Posted: Tue Aug 30, 2005 6:06 pm Post subject: Day 25 - Transformed by Trouble |
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Day 25 - Transformed by Trouble
As Hurricane Katrina bared down on our nation, the United States of America, maybe everything came into perspective for all of us, especially those that have been reading, or read, Chapter 25 of The Purpose Driven Life.
Rather than calling it a hurricane, maybe we should rename that to HurriChange Katrina. I wll never forget the moments I had just a few minutes ago, myself, as I had to get down on my knees, cry out to the Lord, and ask for something....
I myself am going through hardship. And yet, I am also growing through hardship. Continuing growth, transformation, understanding more and more through the Word. We could be going through this chapter, about being transformed by trouble, but it would be a difficult task to be able to relate all that it meant to me.
Our lives can be turned upsidedown in a heartbeat, thus the name "HurriChange" Katrina. Life can go from being awesome to becoming our worst nightmare in moments or hours. The whole purpose of chapter 25 was to explain how we can still praise the Lord for our worst troubles. In fact, the worse things get, the more we need to praise our Lord God.
God has a purpose behind every problem. That was the theme of this chapter. God develops our character with problems. Like Rick Warren mentions in this chapter, all of our problems are significant to God. As an example, while watching the pre-"HurriChange" coverage on FoxNews, I was fascinated to see that this wonderful believer was giving such beautiful witnessing while waiting to get into the Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana. That was an extreme example of how God took a horrible situation, and turned it for the good.
And these examples of people learning, or knowing, God's purpose always has a good side. Whatever seems to happen for the worst we can imagine, we seem to see how people come together, love each other, and get through whatever is coming at them, with a dramatic vengeance. From 9/11, or HurriChange Katrina, victims of the most horrible disasters come out and tell the public, (at on least FoxNews), that the loving support of their neighbors - and most of all, Our Lord God - help them get through it.
Much of what I read in Chapter 25, Transformed by Trouble, seemed to keep showing up in all of the things going on today, even in my own personal life. I read one line, that I have highlighted, where Rick Warren says, "Problems force us to look to God and depend on him instead of ourselves" (page 194). For the believers out there that have gone through such tragic circumstances, they will understand that quote. For those of you that are reading along with this forum topic, I hope you see how profoundly true that will be in your life!
Today, while watching "Praise the Lord" on TBN (see note below), it seemed like everything that was said was supernaturally meant for me to hear. When Jesus was in the garden, knowing he was about to give His life for our salvation, and suffer all that He would, He cried out to the Lord. I was consumed by that same scenario today, knowing I needed to write what I had to write today, because I also had my mission. What I saw on TBN touched my buttons. Despite my difficulties, I was told that I needed to just keep on doing what I am doing. Writing, trying to share my thoughts, that maybe just ONE person out there would do what I did today.
I was led by the Holy Spirit to get down on my knees, and praise the Lord for all of my problems. Yes, despite my worst nightmares of financial difficulties, self-doubt, and multiple problems with relationships with people I love, I found myself wondering how God would take my situation and make it all good. (That was actually the name of one of the sermons I heard on TBN today, "It's ALL good!") I wanted to give up today, to be honest, but God, through the Holy Spirit, by the awesome power of our Lord Jesus, got me back on my feet. Well, actually, I was GIVEN the power to get back ON my feet, and just start writing.
You see, what kind of example, I was told, would I be if I just gave up? If I am to be an example of what Living by His Word will do in our lives, I was no good just being another victim. Instead, I was told, BE A VICTOR! When the HurriChange hits us, it's time to show our perserverence. It's time to be like the lady on FoxNews that gives her testimony to the world of news junkies. How could I even match the awesome impact that she had on people around the globe?
I am no match for the Awesome Power of the Lord, the One that needs to be in our lives, daily, hourly, 24/7. I can't do it all by myself. I am sure of that. I am getting this chance now, just to let you know, it's all good. As my life went out of control, I was given what I needed to get up and do, what I am telling you today in this post. The Lord Jesus gave me the control to take the wheel for these few short minutes, and write, and to witness, to tell you that we are transformed by the wonderful troubles we face in life.
[Note: The "Praise the Lord" show on Monday, August 29, 2005 can no longer be found on the TBN website in the Archives]
Won by ONE!
John
DIGG it for the Lord!
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johnny2k
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| Posted: Thu Sep 01, 2005 10:09 pm Post subject: Day 26 - Growing Through Temptation |
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Day 26 - Growing Through Temptation
| Quote: | Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.
When tempted, no one should say, "God is tempting me." For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death. [James 1:12-15 (NIV)] |
In chapter 26, Rick Warren teaches us that we can grow, and become Christlike, from tempation. Temptation is Satan's weapon of mass destruction, he uses it to destroy lives. But that is only when temptation wins over righteousness. For when our temptations are overcome by doing the right thing, and not the wrong thing, we defeat Satan.
In today's reading, I found great lessons about my growth in becoming like Christ that need to be shared in the way it was shown by Rick Warren. I'll avoid going off in tangents as much as possible in order to get his points across. However, it sure is "tempting" to tell you how I was seeing this wonderful chapter applying to my life as I read it!
Everytime we choose to overcome our temptations by doing good, we find ourselves becoming like Christ, in His character. In Galatians 5:22-23, we read "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.". These are the nine qualities that describe the character of Jesus. This is the fruit produced in us by the Holy Spirit. It doesn't happen overnight.
Our sinful nature desires what is opposite of these fruit of the Holy Spirit. In each of us, we have desires that are contrary to what it is to become Christlike. We have had the natural desires in us since the Fall of Man that tempt us to stray away from our growth to become Christlike. That is Satan's plan.
What most of us may not yet understand, is that God allows us to have the temptations, because that is what is required for our character development. Our Fruit takes time to mature and ripen, that is what builds our character. "Every time you defeat a temptation, you become more like Jesus!" [Rick Warren, "The Purpose Driven Life", page 203]
Rick Warren then teaches Satan's strategy, and how his methods are totally predictable. These old tricks are the same as Satan has used since Creation. Once we understand the pattern that Satan uses, it will be easier for us to defeat it once we recognize it.
Step 1: Desire - Satan identifies a desire inside of you, and tells us that we deserve it, it is owed to us, it will make you feel better. If the temptation didn't start with our own natural desires, it wouldn't be anything that would attract us. (See Mark 7:18-23)
Step 2: Doubt - Satan tries to get you to doubt what God has said about the sin and ask if it is really wrong. "Did God really say not to do it? Didn't God mean this prohibition for someone else or some other time?" [Rick Warren, "The Purpose Driven Life", page 204] Satan will do his best to make us doubt God's word. You can see that when you look at how many of the wordly "values" contradict what we are told in the Bible, His Word.
Step 3: Deception - Satan tells us not to worry, it's just a little sin, you won't get caught, nobody will know, it will solve your problem. Satan lies to replace what God says in His Word. By the way, those "little" sins will eventually show themselves!
Step 4: Disobedience - You will finally act on the thoughts, and what begins as a thought eventually turns into a behavior. This is the trap that Satan wants you to fall into. In the Bible, we read, "Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death." [James 1:15 (NIV)]
Before I go on to the synopsis of the next section of this chapter, Overcoming Temptation, I would like to insert a short sidebar. As Rick Warren tells us toward the end of the chapter, standing up to a temptation will make us more like Jesus. Here is another way to look at it, from my viewpoint. When Satan wins by us giving into a temptation, he may not just be taking us away from becoming Christlike, he can also prevent somebody else from giving their life to Christ. If Christians do not set an example, the non-believers find that as just another excuse to continue sinning, and not becoming Christian. That is just one more motivation for us to resist temptation with all our strength that we can get from God! It is essential for us to set a GOOD example to those around us, whether they are unbelievers or baby Christians.
Now, for the next segment, how to overcome tempation.
Refuse to be intimidated - We shouldn't feel guilty about being tempted. It isn't a sin to be tempted. It is only a sin when we give into it. We are going to have our temptations, as we do live in a fallen world, and we are human. Also, the stronger we become, the more like Jesus we become, the more Satan will try to tempt you. He doesn't want you to grow as a Christian, so take it as a compliment that you face so many temptations!
Recognize your pattern of temptation and be prepared for it - You know there are situations in your life when you are the most tempted. Once you realize what circumstances offer the most temptation, especially when they seem to offer a big opportunity where you do not feel you'll "be caugtht", or especially if it seems to be something that "isn't a big deal", avoid those situations! Those are the traps, and you know what they are.
Request God's help - God wants to help us defeat our temptations. Be willing to cry out for help when those times come. We may not have time to pray for a long time prior to the temptating opportunity that comes along. God will provide you with the power to overcome the temptation, even if you have to ask for his help many times a day (sounds like a good plan to quit smoking!).
You will become more like Christ every time you resist a temptation. We're all going to stumble, but God is providing you with Grace that gives you the chance to find it in Him for that strength to stop giving into your temptations. It isn't easy, which is why this purpose for your life is about being FORMED to be like Christ. Being formed is a process. I am hoping this chapter helps me, as well as you, learn how to be formed to be like Jesus by temptation.
Won by ONE!
John
DIGG it for the Lord!
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johnny2k
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| Posted: Fri Sep 02, 2005 2:25 am Post subject: Day 27 - Defeating Temptation |
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Day 27 - Defeating Temptation
| Quote: | | No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it. [1 Corinthians 10:13 (NIV)] |
In the last chapter, we discussed Growing By Temptation. Obviously, temptation can be a great threat to our growth in becoming Christlike, if we are not able to resist those temptations. So, in this chapter, Rick Warren adds more to the information about defeating temptation. Though God promises that He won't allow more temptation than we can handle, we must still do our part to resist temptation. In this chapter, Rick Warren gives us four more keys to defeating temptation based on biblical principals.
Refocus your attention on something else - The difficulty in resisting a temptation is that we tend to focus our attention on that desire, just by trying NOT to do it. Though Rick Warren explains it well in this part of the chapter, it may still be a difficult concept for people to grasp.
In the arena of addictions, I can tell you from my personal experience, he is probably right on the money. I realized that after reading what he had to say, that when I try to not smoke another cigarette, my mind begins to dwell on that next cigarette, and I grab another one from my pack. Focusing my mind on other things sometimes helps, but I find the temptation to smoke another cigarette seems to help me focus on what I am trying to focus on as the alternative area of interest!
Rick Warren says to focus on something else, we take our minds off of the temptation. However, the ultimate conundrum for addicts of any substance would have to be that concentrating on something else is difficult to do.
Reveal your struggle to a godly friend or support group - Taking away the lonely struggle of trying to resist temptatins on our own is the antidote to resisting temptations is another great idea. But again, people with the feeling that there is an embarrassing situation, or an attack on our self-pride, end up resisting this measure.
However, for those of us that make a pledge to resist a certain temptation with a person or group we are accountable to, that would probably be of great help. The problem is that we have to make a certainly difficult choice to get to that point in the first place.
Resist the Devil - In this area, we are told how to arm ourselves against the Devil by memorizing Bible verses. It is a weapon that makes Satan tremble. We won't be able to argue with the Devil with our opinions and logic, but the Word of God is the truth, and only that can help us through a battle with the master of lies.
Realize your vulnerability - "Remember that it is easier to stay out of temptation than to get out of it" [Rick Warren, "The Purpose Driven Life", page 215]. How true that is, as a smoker, I realize now that would have been good advice to have followed, to have never tried a cigarette to begin with. I should have listened to my parents.
There is nothing in this chapter that was incorrect. The problem is, how do we handle dealing with the habitual problems we may have after we have gotten to that point? For the Christians and even the non-believers that never started with a situation that is difficult to get out of, this is all great advice: Don't start. However, once we have become Christian, and have a difficulty to end a habit that is not reflective of our desire to become Christlike, there are challenges that face us.
For those of us that have already been defeated, that have fallen prey to Satan's lies, getting out of bad habits that came out of our original temptations, there is help. There is God's help. There are the Christians that are willing to help us. The problem, and the challenge, is that we have to make the choice. That is the hope I will have after reading this chapter, and writing what I have today.
Won by ONE!
John
DIGG it for the Lord!
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johnny2k
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| Posted: Sat Sep 03, 2005 5:36 pm Post subject: Day 28 - It Takes Time |
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Day 28 - It Takes Time
Or, PBPGINFWMY = "Please be patient, God is not finished with me yet"! (See page 223, "The Purpose Driven Life")
| Quote: | | I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. [Philippians 1:3-6 (NIV)] |
As always, each day I read another chapter in "The Purpose Driven Life", there is something new that I learn, and chapter 28 was no different. In fact, it was an awesome revelation! This chapter reminded me that I am still a work in process. In this world of instant potatoes, fast food, and microwave ovens, it is so easy to forget all about the words "patience" and "growth". Growing to become Christlike is a lifelong process. We dont't instantly change our lives the very moment we accept the Lord into our hearts!
Once we accept Jesus Christ into our lives, God has a foothold into our lives. He then begins the process of cultivating our character to make us more Christlike. As the passage from Philippians quoted above says, He begins to work IN us and carries it on throughout our lives.
In this long lasting growth process, it is like a war. God's ultimate conquest in bringing us in to serve His purpose begins with the conquest of a small chunk of land, and that is our acceptance of Christ our Savior. Once that initial chunk of land is conquered and under His control, He then fights to take little bits of territory at a time, the highest priorities to be strategic positions of the enemy. That would probably equate to our vices and negative habits.
In the war the U.S. fought in Viet Nam, I remember the times when our U.S. military would take a hill, and the enemy would try to take it back, and sometimes reconquer it. Battles for that strategic position would sometimes go back and forth for control of that territory over and over again. That is how God works in our lives. We sometimes have difficulties learning a certain characteristic of Christ that we need in our growth, and until that "hill" is finally under God's control, the rest of our lives can't continue to grow in Christ's likeness.
Rick Warren says in the section, "Why Does It Take So Long":
We are slow learners - We sometimes need repeated exposure to a problem before we learn how to overcome that obstacle.
We have a lot to unlearn - There is no quick solution to problems we have that are deep-rooted, that may have taken years to develop.
We are afraid to humbly face the truth about ourselves - We have to honestly accept our own defects in our character, and we have to allow God to shed His light on all of our hang-ups. We have to become teachable by our own choice.
Growth is often painful and scary - We may have become comfortable and familiar with our own ways, and it is sometimes VERY difficult to let go of our old ways to continue our growth process. Our growth process is slowed down because of our fear to change from the old, familiar and comfortable habits.
Habits take time to deveolp - We have to continually practice the good habits to make them part of our character. Practice takes time to develop, they won't happen instantly!
The next section Rick Warren includes in this chapter is called, "Don't Get In a Hurry". Hmmm.... That, I believe, has always been one of my most testing inabilities, to be patient. I'm a guy that likes to keep my hair short. Should I cut my hair short as I did yesterday, will I be able to see how much it has grown back this morning? No. I could go look in the mirror every hour on the hour, and I won't see a noticible difference in my hair length. It's still looking pretty bald today! However, a week or two later, I will suddenly notice, my hair has really grown! It's time for another buzz of the electric razor. What I am trying to tell you, in different words than what Rick Warren wrote, is that our growth is such a gradual process that we sometimes just can't notice it day by day. Yet, one day, we really wake up and see the enormous difference in our lives from what seems like not that long ago.
Another part of this section was that we should keep a journal of our lessons learned. We can then read it later, and see our personal progress. Well, here you are - my journal - you are reading it, as I also do quite often. I'm amazed with the progress I (we) have made in the last month!
Last but not least, we need to be patient with God and ourselves. God doesn't always have the same timetable that we have. We all can see examples of how success takes time to develop. I can remember when Coach Ferentz took over the reigns as head football coach of the Iowa Hawkeyes. That first season with him as the new coach was miserable, but the fans were patient. Over the years, though, this phenomenal coach built a winning football program. This is the Hawkeye fan's dream come true. Yet, it was the patience we all had while the program was being rebuilt. As that lesson teaches us, don't be discouraged with our initial 1-10 seasons. Dont be discouraged at all just because it may take many "seasons" of our life to grow. We are being "rebuilt". And we have the best coach of ALL - Coach Jesus Christ, our true Saviour!
Just remember, have patience with God and yourself. God believes in you, too. You are a work in progress!
PBPGINFWMY
Won by ONE!
John
DIGG it for the Lord!
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Last edited by johnny2k on Mon Jun 30, 2008 2:20 pm; edited 3 times in total |
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