Set Apart: Discovering Personal Victory Through Holiness

It's time for another entry into the Book Club. I thought I'd close out 2008 with a book that can really help get some things on the right track for 2009.

This book is written by Bruce Wilkinson, author of The Prayer of Jabez. While I never jumped on the 'Jabez bandwagon' (I still feel it was more of a fad than anything), this book truly outlines steps to take in order to become a holy man/woman of God.

The book focuses on three areas: The desire to become holy, overcoming temptation, and habits of holiness. What struck me most was the third section.

Bruce sets forth very practical ways to deepen our relationship with God. If we were completely honest with ourselves we would agree that we cannot grow apart from spiritual habits (reading the Bible, praying, fasting, journaling, etc...). Yet, how often do we expect Sunday morning to provide the nourishment we need for the entire week? If you want to get serious about growing closer to God on a consistent basis, this book is a great place to start, for old and young Christians alike.

Only in Indiana

Only in Indiana can you have school cancelled due to ice on Wednesday and have it be 60 degrees outside by 9am the following Friday.

Although, it would be fun to ice skate and golf all in the same week...

Student Speaker

A while back a student came up to me and wanted to know if he would be able to give the lesson on a Wednesday night. I was thrilled to see him take that initiative and of course said yes.

This past Wednesday night he spoke for the evening. He challenged adults and students alike to take stock of how we are living our lives. Are we living in such a way that will have an impact on eternity or are we living them as we see best in the here and now?

He made an analogy that will probably stick with me until I die. (I'm pumped that what sticks out most from this semester wasn't spoken by me, but a student.) He told us to imagine that he was giving us a brand new truck. This gift was totally free but he was going to wait a few years to give it to us. During those years he was going to use it for himself, work it hard, and maybe even put a few dents and dings in it. Would we really want that 'new' truck after it's been through all that?

Amazing. We wouldn't think of buying a new vehicle at the dealership and then waiting 15 years to take delivery. And yet, how many times do we do that with God? God has purchased us (1 Corinthians 6:19-20) but yet we decide that we'll live our life as we want to before finally surrendering it fully to him. Are we giving God a brand new truck or a truck that we've had our fun with first and are finally tired of destroying?

Focus

Not sure what I would do if I got this much undivided attention when I taught a lesson at youth group.

Squares

Just something I noticed the other day.

Candy is always wrapped in a square or rectangular wrapper. It doesn't matter if it's big, small, round, tall or otherwise.

Am I wrong in this statement? Is there any candy out there that is not wrapped in a 4-sided wrapper?

The True Church (Part 3)

For the past few weeks we've looked at why the church exists and what the church should look like. This Wednesday we got personal. What is our role in the church as specific individuals?

Well, to sum it up in one word, we are to be a giver.

As I study the Bible I see four main things God calls us to give. Below are those four along with main passages of Scripture where they can be found.

1. Giver of TIME
This principle is found in the 4th commandment. Out of our seven days during the week, one is to be a Sabbath day devoted to God. This day serves two purposes: rest and worship. Both should be done throughout the week, but the Sabbath day is devoted to those two. A primary way to worship God is to offer our time to the church. (Hint: don't read 'building' but 'church family'). This could be helping at a church workday, comforting a fellow Christian in distress, organizing an FCA event, or even visiting someone in the hospital.
See Exodus 20:8-11 & Ecclesiastes 2:1-16

2. Giver of MONEY
This is most people's least favorite area in which to give. We often view our money as ours because of the time and energy it took to earn it. Let the words of David penetrate that attitude: 'The earth is the Lord's and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it.' (Psalm 24:1) It also helps to remember this: we may have earned money by working, but who gave us the ability and talents to perform that job? Who gave us the opportunity to perform that job? Our money truly is God's.
See Matthew 25:14-30 & Luke 16:11

3. Giver of TALENTS/ABILITIES
Out of the estimated 100 billion people who ever walked on earth, you are completely unique. And you weren't created by accident. God has a specific purpose for how he's designed you. Never should we strive to be like someone else who has different talents and abilities than we do. Also, never should we seek to keep those gifts to ourselves. They were given to us by God to refine and return to him through using them to bless others.
See 1 Corinthians 12:12-30

4. Giver of LOVE
You might have seen a pattern by now. Just as God has given us the three areas above, true love comes from him as well. God is pure love and in order to truly love anyone else we must know Him. As Christians God fills us with His love. Now, that love is not to keep. No, we are to take the love and give it to the billions of people who are searching for it.
See 1 John 4:7-21