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| A Challenge...to Grow | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: Jul 2 2004, 06:33 AM (433 Views) | |
| Buddee | Jul 14 2004, 07:01 AM Post #16 |
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Day 16 What matters most Life is all about love. Because God is love, the most important lesson he wants you to learn on earth is how to love. It is in loving that we are most like him, so love is the foundation of every command he has given us: The whole Law can be summed up in this one command: Love others as you love yourself. Learning to love unselfishly is not an easy task. That's why we are given a lifetime to learn it. Of course, God wants us to love everyone, but he is particularly concerned that we learn to love others in his family. Why does God insist that we give special love and attention to other believers? Because God wants his family to be known for its love more than anything else. Jesus said our love for each other not our doctrinal beliefs is our greatest witness to the world. He said, Your strong love for each other will prove to the world that you are my disciples. In heaven we will enjoy God's family forever, but first we have some tough work to do here on earth to prepare ourselves for an eternity of loving. God trains us by giving us family responsibilities, and the foremost of these is to practice loving each other. The best use of life is love. The best expression of love is time. The best time to love is now. -from Crossings 40 Day Challenge Newsletter |
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| Buddee | Jul 15 2004, 06:52 AM Post #17 |
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Day 17 A place to belong You are called to belong, not just believe. We are created for community, fashioned for fellowship, and formed for a family, and none of us can fulfill God's purposes by ourselves. The Bible says we are put together, joined together, built together, members together, heirs together, fitted together, and held together and will be caught up together. You are not on your own anymore. While your relationship to Christ is personal, God never intends it to be private. In God's family you are connected to every other believer, and we will belong to each other for eternity. The Bible says, In Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. It also says a Christian without a church home is like an organ without a body, a sheep without a flock, or a child without a family. It is an unnatural state. The Christian life is more than just commitment to Christ; it includes a commitment to other Christians. The Christians in Macedonia understood this. Paul said, First they gave themselves to the Lord; and then, by God's will, they gave themselves to us as well. Joining the membership of a local church is the natural next step once you've become a child of God. You become a Christian by committing yourself to Christ, but you become a church member by committing yourself to a specific group of believers. The first decision brings salvation; the second brings fellowship. -from Crossings 40 Day Challenge Newsletter |
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| Buddee | Jul 16 2004, 02:00 PM Post #18 |
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Day 18 Experiencing Life Together God intends for us to experience life together. The Bible calls this shared experience fellowship. Fellowship now usually refers to casual conversation, socializing, food, and fun. The question, Where do you fellowship? means Where do you attend church? Stay after for fellowship usually means Wait for refreshments. Real fellowship is so much more than just showing up at services. It is experiencing life together. It includes unselfish loving, honest sharing, practical serving, sacrificial giving, sympathetic comforting, and all the other one another commands found in the New Testament. The Body of Christ, like your own body, is really a collection of many small cells. The life of the Body of Christ, like your body, is contained in the cells. For this reason, every Christian needs to be involved in a small group within their church, whether is it a home fellowship group, a Sunday school class, or a Bible study. If you think of your church as a ship, the small groups are the lifeboats attached to it. It is only as we become open about our lives that we experience real fellowship. The Bible says, If we live in the light, as God is in the light, we can share fellowship with each other If we say we have no sin, we are fooling ourselves. The world thinks intimacy occurs in the dark, but God says it happens in the light. Darkness is used to hide our hurts, faults, fears, failures, and flaws. But in the light, we bring them all out into the open and admit who we really are. You were created for community. -from Crossings 40 Day Challenge Newsletter |
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| Buddee | Jul 17 2004, 06:51 AM Post #19 |
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Day 19 Cultivating Community Community requires commitment. If you are tired of fake fellowship and you would like to cultivate real fellowship and a loving community in your small group, Sunday school class, and church, you will need to make some tough choices and take some risks. Cultivating community takes honesty. Real fellowship depends on frankness. In fact, the tunnel of conflict is the passageway to intimacy in any relationship. Until you care enough to confront and resolve the underlying barriers, you will never grow close to each other. Cultivating community takes humility. Humility is not thinking less of yourself; it is thinking of yourself less. Humility is thinking more of others. Humble people are so focused on serving others, they don't think of themselves. Cultivating community takes courtesy. 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 are family. Cultivating community takes confidentiality. Only in the safe environment of warm acceptance and trusted confidentiality will people open up and share their deepest hurts, needs, and mistakes. Confidentiality does not mean keeping silent while your brother or sister sins. It means that what is shared in your group needs to stay in your group, and the group needs to deal with it, not gossip to others about it. Cultivating community takes frequency. You must have frequent, regular contact with your group in order to build genuine fellowship. Relationships take time. When you look at the list of characteristics, it is obvious why genuine fellowship is so rare. But the benefits of sharing life together far outweigh the costs, and it prepares us for heaven. -from Crossings 40 Day Challenge Newsletter |
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| Buddee | Jul 18 2004, 06:23 AM Post #20 |
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Day 20 Restoring Broken Fellowship Relationships are always worth restoring. Because life is all about learning how to love, God wants us to value relationships and make the effort to maintain them instead of discarding them whenever there is a rift, a hurt, or a conflict. In fact, the Bible tells us that God has given us the ministry of restoring relationships. For this reason a significant amount of the New Testament is devoted to teaching us how to get along with one another. Paul wrote, "If you've gotten anything at all out of following Christ, if his love has made any difference in your life, if being in a community of the Spirit means anything to you, . . . Agree with each other, love each other, be deep-spirited friends." Paul taught that our ability to get along with others is a mark of spiritual maturity. If you want God's blessing on your life and you want to be known as a child of God, you must learn to be a peacemaker. Who do you need to contact as a result of today's broadcast? With whom do you need to restore fellowship? Don't delay another second. Pause right now and talk to God about that person. Then pick up the phone and begin the process. It takes a lot of effort to restore a relationship. That's why Peter urged, "Work hard at living in peace with others." But when you work for peace, you are doing what God would do. That's why God calls peacemakers his children. -from Crossings 40 Day Challenge Newsletter |
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| Buddee | Jul 19 2004, 07:35 PM Post #21 |
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Day 21 Protecting Your Church Unity is the soul of fellowship. Destroy it, and you rip the heart out of Christ's Body. It is the essence, the core, of how God intends for us to experience life together in his church. In his final moments before being arrested, Jesus prayed passionately for our unity. It was our unity that was uppermost in his mind during those agonizing hours. That shows how significant this subject is. Nothing on earth is more valuable to God than his church. He paid the highest price for it, and he wants it protected, especially from the devastating damage that is caused by division, conflict, and disharmony. You 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. The Bible says, "Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace." How are we to do this? The Bible gives us practical advice. Focus on what we have in common, not our differences. Be realistic in your expectations. Choose to encourage rather than criticize. Refuse to listen to gossip. Practice God's method for conflict resolution. And most importantly, support your pastor and leaders. What are you doing personally to make your church family more warm and loving? There are many people in your community who are looking for love and a place to belong. The truth is, everyone needs and wants to be loved, and when people find a church where members genuinely love and care for each other, you would have to lock the doors to keep them away. -from Crossings 40 Day Challenge Newsletter |
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| Buddee | Jul 20 2004, 07:58 PM Post #22 |
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Day 22 You Were Created to Become Like Christ From the very beginning, God's plan has been to make you like his Son, Jesus. God announced this intention at Creation: "Then God said, 'Let us make human beings in our image and likeness.'" What does the full "image and likeness" of God look like? It looks like Jesus Christ! The Bible says Jesus is "the exact likeness of God," "the visible image of the invisible God," and "the exact representation of his being." God's ultimate goal for your life on earth is not comfort, but character development. He wants you to grow up spiritually and become like Christ. Becoming like Christ does not mean losing your personality or becoming a mindless clone. God created your uniqueness, so he certainly doesn't want to destroy it. Christlikeness is all about transforming your character, not your personality. Christlikeness is not produced by imitation, but by inhabitation. We allow Christ to live through us. "For this is the secret: Christ lives in you." How does this happen in real life? Through the choices we make. We choose to do the right thing in situations and then trust God's Spirit to give us his power, love, faith, and wisdom to do it. Since God's Spirit lives inside of us, these things are always available for the asking. Sadly, a quick review of many popular Christian books reveals that many believers have abandoned living for God's great purposes and settled for personal fulfillment and emotional stability. That is narcissism, not discipleship. Jesus did not die on the cross just so we could live comfortable, well-adjusted lives. His purpose is far deeper: He wants to make us like himself before he takes us to heaven. This is our greatest privilege, our immediate responsibility, and our ultimate destiny. -from Crossings 40 Day Challenge Newsletter |
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| Buddee | Jul 21 2004, 06:22 AM Post #23 |
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Day 23 How We Grow God wants you to grow up. Your heavenly Father's goal is for you is to mature and develop the characteristics of Jesus Christ. Sadly, millions of Christians grow older but never grow up. They are stuck in perpetual spiritual infancy, remaining in diapers and booties. The reason is that they never intended to grow. When the first disciples chose to follow Jesus, they didn't understand all the implications of their decision. They simply responded to Jesus' invitation. That's all you need to get started: Decide to become a disciple. Christlikeness is the result of making Christlike choices and depending on his Spirit to help you fulfill those choices. Once you decide to get serious about becoming like Christ, you must begin to act in new ways. You will need to let go of some old routines, develop some new habits, and intentionally change the way you think. You can be certain that the Holy Spirit will help you with these changes. The Bible says, "Continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose." Today many assume that spiritual maturity is measured by the amount of biblical information and doctrine you know. While knowledge is one measurement of maturity, it isn't the whole story. The Christian life is far more than creeds and convictions; it includes conduct and character. Our deeds must be consistent with our creeds, and our beliefs must be backed up with Christlike behavior. -from Crossings 40 Day Challenge Newsletter |
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| Buddee | Jul 22 2004, 03:22 PM Post #24 |
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Day 24 Transformed by Truth The truth transforms us. Spiritual growth is the process of replacing lies with truth. Jesus prayed, "Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth." Sanctification requires revelation. The Spirit of God uses the Word of God to make us like the Son of God. To become like Jesus, we must fill our lives with his Word. The Bible says, "Through the Word we are put together and shaped up for the tasks God has for us." To be a healthy disciple of Jesus, feeding on God's Word must be your first priority. Jesus called it "abiding." He said, "If you abide in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine." In day-to-day living, abiding in God's Word includes three activities. You must accept its authority. You must assimilate its truth. And you must apply its principles. The best way to become a "doer of the Word" is to always write out an action step as a result of your reading or studying or reflecting on God's Word. Develop the habit of writing down exactly what you intend to do. This action step should be personal (involving you), practical (something you can do), and provable (with a deadline to do it). What has God already told you to do in his Word that you haven't started doing yet? As D. L. Moody said, "The Bible was not given to increase our knowledge but to change our lives." -from Crossings 40 Day Challenge Newsletter |
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| Buddee | Jul 23 2004, 06:00 AM Post #25 |
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Day 25 Transformed by Trouble God has a purpose behind every problem. He uses circumstances to develop our character. In fact, he depends more on circumstances to make us like Jesus than he depends on our reading the Bible. The reason is obvious: You face circumstances twenty-four hours a day. Jesus warned us that we would have problems in the world. No one is immune to pain or insulated from suffering, and no one gets to skate through life problem-free. Life is a series of problems. Every time you solve one, another is waiting to take its place. Not all of them are big, but all are significant in God's growth process for you. God uses problems to draw you closer to himself. The Bible says, "The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those who are crushed in spirit." Your most profound and intimate experiences of worship will likely be in your darkest days--when your heart is broken, when you feel abandoned, when you're out of options, when the pain is great--and you turn to God alone. It is during suffering that we learn to pray our most authentic, heartfelt, honest-to-God prayers. You see, every problem is a character-building opportunity, and the more difficult it is, the greater the potential for building spiritual muscle and moral fiber. Paul said, "We know that these troubles produce patience. And patience produces character." What happens outwardly in your life is not as important as what happens inside you. Your circumstances are temporary, but your character will last forever. -from Crossings 40 Day Challenge Newsletter |
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| Buddee | Jul 24 2004, 07:12 AM Post #26 |
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Day 26 Growing Through Temptation On the path to spiritual maturity, even temptation becomes a stepping-stone rather than a stumbling block when you realize that it is just as much an occasion to do the right thing, as it is to do the wrong thing. While temptation is Satan's primary weapon to destroy you, God wants to use it to develop you. Every time you choose to do good instead of sin, you are growing in the character of Christ. To understand this, you must first identify the character qualities of Jesus. One of the most concise descriptions of his character is the fruit of the Spirit: "When the Holy Spirit controls our lives, he will produce this kind of fruit in us: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control." God develops the fruit of the Spirit in your life by allowing you to experience circumstances in which you're tempted to express the exact opposite quality! Character development always involves a choice, and temptation provides that opportunity. Temptations keep us dependent upon God. Just as the roots grow stronger when wind blows against a tree, so every time you stand up to a temptation you become more like Jesus. Instead of giving in or giving up, look up to God, expect him to help you, and remember the reward that is waiting for you: "When people are tempted and still continue strong, they should be happy. After they have proved their faith, God will reward them with life forever." -from Crossings 40 Day Challenge Newsletter |
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| Buddee | Jul 25 2004, 06:46 AM Post #27 |
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Day 27 Defeating Temptation You may sometimes feel that a temptation is too overpowering for you to bear, but that's a lie from Satan. God has promised never to allow more on you than he puts within you to handle it. He will not permit any temptation that you could not overcome. However, you must do your part too by practicing four biblical keys to defeating temptation. Refocus your attention on something else. Ignoring a temptation is far more effective than fighting it. Once your mind is on something else, the temptation loses its power. So when temptation calls you on the phone, don't argue with it, just hang up! Reveal your struggle to a godly friend or support group. Authentic, honest fellowship is the antidote to your lonely struggle against those sins that won't budge. God says it is the only way you're going to break free. Resist the Devil. Without Christ we are defenseless against the Devil, but with "the helmet of salvation" our minds are protected by God. Remember this: If you are a believer, Satan cannot force you to do anything. He can only suggest. Realize your vulnerability. Given the right circumstances, any of us are capable of any sin. We must never let down our guard and think we're beyond temptation. Don't carelessly place yourself in tempting situations. Remember that it is easier to stay out of temptation than to get out of it. The Bible says, "Don't be so naive and self-confident. You're not exempt. You could fall flat on your face as easily as anyone else. Forget about self-confidence; it's useless. Cultivate God-confidence." -from Crossings 40 Day Challenge Newsletter |
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| Buddee | Jul 26 2004, 07:54 AM Post #28 |
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Day 28 It Takes Time There are no shortcuts to maturity. It takes years for us to grow to adulthood, and it takes a full season for fruit to mature and ripen. The same is true for the fruit of the Spirit. Spiritual growth, like physical growth, takes time. While we worry about how fast we grow, God is concerned about how strong we grow. Today we're obsessed with speed, but God is more interested in strength and stability than swiftness. We want the quick fix, the shortcut, and the on-the-spot solution. We want a sermon, a seminar, or an experience that will instantly resolve all problems, remove all temptation, and release us from all growing pains. But real maturity is never the result of a single experience, no matter how powerful or moving. Growth is gradual. The Bible says, "Our lives gradually becoming brighter and more beautiful as God enters our lives and we become like him." When Habakkuk became depressed because he didn't think God was acting quickly enough, God had this to say: "These things I plan won't happen right away. Slowly, steadily, surely, the time approaches when the vision will be fulfilled. If it seems slow, do not despair, for these things will surely come to pass. Just be patient! They will not be overdue a single day!" A delay is not a denial from God. Remember how far you've come, not just how far you have to go. You are not where you want to be, but neither are you where you used to be. God isn't finished with you, so keep on moving forward. Even the snail reached the ark by persevering! -from Crossings 40 Day Challenge Newsletter |
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| Buddee | Jul 27 2004, 06:40 AM Post #29 |
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Day 29 Accepting Your Assignment God designed you to make a difference with your life. While many best-selling books offer advice on how to "get" the most out of life, that's not the reason God made you. You were created to add to life on earth, not just take from it. God wants you to give something back. You were created to serve God. The Bible says, "God has created us for a life of good deeds, which he has already prepared for us to do." These "good deeds" are your service to the world. Whenever you serve others in any way, you are actually serving God and fulfilling one of your purposes. You were saved to serve God. Have you ever wondered why God doesn't just immediately take us to heaven the moment we accept his grace? Once you are saved, God intends to use you for his goals. God has a ministry for you in his church and a mission for you in the world. You are called to serve God. The Bible says, "All of you together are Christ's body, and each one of you is a separate and necessary part of it." Each of us has a role to play, and every role is important. You are commanded to serve God. The mature follower of Jesus stops asking, "Who's going to meet my needs?" and starts asking, "Whose needs can I meet?" Do you ever ask that question? At the end of your life on earth you will stand before God, and he is going to evaluate how well you served others with your life. Think about the implications of that. One day God will compare how much time and energy we spent on ourselves compared with what we invested in serving others. -from Crossings 40 Day Challenge Newsletter |
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| Buddee | Jul 28 2004, 08:11 AM Post #30 |
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Day 30 Shaped for Serving God God formed every creature on this planet with a special area of expertise. Some animals run, some hop, some swim, some burrow, and some fly. Each has a particular role to play, based on the way they were shaped by God. The same is true with humans. Each of us was uniquely designed, or "shaped," to do certain things. Before architects design any new building they first ask, "What will be its purpose? How will it be used?" The intended function always determines the form of the building. Before God created you, he decided what role he wanted you to play on earth. He planned exactly how he wanted you to serve him, and then he shaped you for those tasks. Not only did God shape you before your birth, he planned every day of your life to support his shaping process. David praised God for this incredible personal attention to detail, "Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed." This means that nothing that happens in your life is insignificant. God uses all of it to mold you for your ministry to others and shape you for your service to him. God never wastes anything. He would not give you abilities, interests, talents, gifts, personality, and life experiences unless he intended to use them for his glory. By identifying and understanding these factors, you can discover God's will for your life. -from Crossings 40 Day Challenge Newsletter |
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7:24 PM Jul 10