Purpose Driven Life Day 31

Day 31, May 31st, "Understanding Your Shape"
    - Psalm 139:13 says, "You shaped me first inside, then out; you formed me in my mother's womb." God designed each one of us unique, there will never be a duplicate. When God created us He broke the mold. "...no one else on earth will ever be able to play the role God planned for you." (Rick Warren). We each have a unique contribution of natural abilities and spiritual gifts. Yesterday we went over the first two letters of SHAPE, today we will go over the last three.

SHAPE: APPLYING YOUR ABILITIES
    We are all born with natural talents. We all have a different combination of natural talents. Our natural talents are just as important as our spiritual gifts because they both come from God.
    *All of our abilities come from God*
          - "Even abilities used to sin are God given; they are just being misused or abused." (Rick Warren). It is important that we identify and release our abilities for serving God. We need to make sure we use our abilities for good and not for bad.
    *Every ability can be used for God's glory*

         - 1 Corinthians 10:31 says, "So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God." Anything we do we can do it to bring glory to God. There is a place in your local church where your abilities can shine and make a difference. It is important for us to find where we can have our abilities shine. It may be working in the children's ministry, greeting first time guests, or being a prayer partner. 1 Corinthians 12:6 says, "Each person is given something to do that shows who God is: Everyone gets in on it, everyone benefits." Find a place in your church where you can let your natural abilities shine.
     *What I'm able to do, God wants me to do*
         - We are the only person on earth that can use your abilities. No one else can play your role, its unique. This is why it is so important to discover what you are good at and what you are not good at and do it. "God will never ask you to dedicate your life to a task you have no talent in." (Rick Warren). What you are good at is an indication of what God's will for you is. "God doesn't waste abilities; he matches our calling and our capabilities." (Rick Warren). The abilities that God gives us are not just given to you to make a living but also to work in ministry. 1 Peter 4:10 says, "God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another." If we do not use our gifts and abilities that God has given to serve one another we are being selfish.

SHAPE: USING YOUR PERSONALITY

    - Each of of us are unique. God breaks the mold after he creates us. There is no one exactly like you. The church needs all kinds of people to balance the church. Some of us may have the same spiritual gifts but we use them differently. "You can learn from examples of others, but you must filter what you learn through your shape." (Rick Warren). Our different personalities reflect God's light in different colors and patterns. Some one may have the spiritual gift of giving and give financially and another person may have the same spiritual gift of giving and give their time. "When you minister in a manner consistent with the personality God gave you, you experience fulfillment, satisfaction, and fruitfulness." (Rick Warren). Use your personality, natural abilities, and spiritual gifts and you will be satisfied.

SHAPE: EMPLOYING YOUR EXPERIENCES
    - We are all shaped by our experiences. Most of our
experiences are beyond our control. There are six kinds of experiences we go through:
    1. Family experiences - What did you learn growing up? How were you raised?
    2. Educational experiences - How much education do you have? What did you study? What was your favorite subject? How much have you grown educational through personal growth?
    3. Vocational experiences - What jobs have you had? What jobs were you good at and enjoyed?
    4. Spiritual experiences - When were the most meaningful times you had with God?
    5. Ministry experiences - In what ways have you served God in the past?
    6. Painful experiences - What did you learn from your problems, hurts, and trials?
   - God uses our painful experiences to prepare us most for ministry (God's work). "God never waste a hurt. Your greatest ministry will most likely come out of your greatest hurt." (Rick Warren). My greatest hurts thus far in life have led me to be a better christian. Each one has helped me grow to be a better person as painful as they have been. 2 Corinthians 1:4 says, "He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us." "The very experiences that you have resented or regretted most in life - the ones you've wanted to hide and forget - are the experiences God wants to use to help others." (Rick Warren). Each experience we go through we can use to help someone else. People are more encouraged when we share how God's grace helped us in weakness than when we brag about our strengths. Its more beneficial to show others what we have gone through and overcome rather than to

only show people are strengths. This is why social media is so bad. People only post themselves at their best so we get a false image in our head and think we are less of a person because all we see is everyone else's life going perfect. "Experience is not what happens to you. It is what you do with what happens to you." (Alders Huxley). We need to use our pain to help others. Turn our negatives into positives by helping others grow from our mistakes and painful experiences.

Point to Ponder: Nobody else can be me.
Verse to Remember: "God has given each of you some special abilities; be sure to use them to help each other, passing on to others God's many kinds of blessing." 1 Peter 4:10
Question to Consider: What God-given ability or personal experience can I offer to my church?

Purpose Driven Life Day 30

Day 30, May 30th, "Shaped for Serving God"

    - God formed everyone and everything with a special area of expertise. Before each of us was created, God decided what role He wanted us to play on earth. Each one of us was made for a specific ministry. "You are not an assembly-line product, mass produced without thought. You are a custom-designed, one-of-a-kind, original masterpiece." (Rick Warren). God planned every day of our lives to support His shaping process. Nothing that happens in our life is insignificant, nothing. "God never waste anything. He would not give you abilities, talents, gifts, personality, and life experiences unless He intended to use them for His glory." (Rick Warren). Even our hardest days are planned and for a reason. They help shape us to serve God better.

HOW GOD SHAPES YOU FOR MINISTRY
    - When God gives us an assignment He ALWAYS equips us with what we need to accomplish it. This is so very true. This is how I know physical therapy is my calling. He has equipped me with everything I need to accomplish and succeed in school. After my break-up I was a complete wreck but God equipped me with the knowledge to pass all my tests and succeed. Without him, I know I would not have passed my last semester of classes. The SHAPE principle is the combination of capabilities God shapes us with:

       S - Spiritual Gifts
       H - Heart
       A - Abilities
       P - Personality
       E - Experience
We will go over the first two today and the other three tomorrow.

SHAPE: UNWRAPPING YOUR SPIRITUAL GIFTS

    - God gives every believer spiritual gifts. God gives each believer "God-empowered" gifts for serving Him and only believers get them. 1 Corinthians 2:14 says, "But people who aren't spiritual can't receive these truths from God's Spirit. It all sounds foolish to them and they can't understand it, for only those who are spiritual can understand what the Spirit means." We don't earn our spiritual gifts or deserve them. God gives them to us as an expression of His grace to us. We don't get to pick our spiritual gifts. God determines which ones he gives us. He does not give any of us just one single gift and He does not give every spiritual gift to everyone. If we all had every spiritual gift, we wouldn't need anyone else. God wants us to depend on others. God gives us each a unique set of spiritual gifts to benefit others. 1 Corinthians 12:7 says, "A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other." If others don't use their gifts we are cheated, if we don't use our gifts we are cheating others. There are two problems that can arise:
    1. Gift-envy - This happens when we get jealous of the gifts others have. We are dissatisfied with what we have and want what others have.
    2. Gift projection - This happens when we expect everyone to have the same gifts as we have. We expect everyone to be as passionate as we are about things.

SHAPE: LISTENING TO YOUR HEART
    - We each have a unique bundle of desires, hopes, interests, ambitions, dreams, and affections that

God has given us. Our heart is the source of all our motivations. Your heart reveals the REAL you, not what others think of you or what circumstances force you to be. Each of us have a unique heartbeat just like each of us have a unique fingerprint. We also have a emotional heartbeat, this is why each of us are passionate about certain things. Our passions reveal the nature of our heart. They are also clues to what we should be doing. We need to not ignore our interests. We need to see how they can be used for God's glory. Their is a reason that we love doing these things. We need to use our natural interests and passions to serve God. This blog for example. I enjoy reading and writing. I am passionate about it. I am using my natural interests to serve God. Also physical therapy, I am good at helping others and rehabbing people to make them stronger and get back to living their lives. When I am in a bad mood and go to clinical, my mood changes, I become happy. How do we know when we are serving God from our heart?
   1. Enthusiasm - We don't need to be motivated to do it. We want to do it. We get enjoyment out of it . It brings us pleasure.
   2. Effectiveness - We are good at it. "Passion drives perfection." (Rick Warren).
"The highest achievers in any field are those who do it because of passion, not duty or profit." (Rick Warren). Look at those that are highest in the field you are working in, do they love what they are doing? I bet they do. "Don't waste your life in a job that doesn't express your heart. Meaning is far more important than money." (Rick Warren). This is very true. I did not have a heart for teaching, I was miserable but I was making the most money I ever made in my life. It doesn't matter, I didn't have the heart for it. I chose to quit and find something I enjoy. Yes, the last two years have been tight on money but God has always provided and I'm about to graduate in a field that I love and will make more money in then I did as a teacher. Follow your heart, not the money. When you serve and find your passion the money will follow. Proverbs 15:16 says, "Better to have little, with fear for the Lord, than to have great treasure and inner turmoil." We can have a lot to live on and still nothing to live for. Find what you are passionate about and go out and serve God with your abilities He has given you. If you are having trouble understanding where God wants you take the next step and fast about it.

Point to Ponder: I was shaped to serve God.
Verse to Remember: "God works through different men in different ways, but it is the same God who achieves his purposes through them all." 1 Corinthians 12:6
Question to Remember: In what way can I see myself passionately serving other and loving it?

Purpose Driven Life Day 29

Day 29, May 29th, "Accepting Your Assignment"

    - The fourth purpose in our life is serving God. Ephesians 2:10 says, "For we are God's masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago." Each of us was placed on earth to make a contribution. God designed each of us to make a difference with our lives. "You were created to add to life on earth, not just take from it." (Rick Warren).

YOU WERE CREATED TO SERVE GOD
    - Whenever we serve others in any way we are serving God. Each one of us was placed on earth for a special reason/assignment. Jeremiah 1:5 says, "Before I shaped you in the womb, I knew all about you. Before you saw the light of day, I had holy plans for you: A prophet to the nations - that's what I had in mind for you." God shaped us before we were even conceived. He planned who our parents were going to be and what our assignment was going to be.

YOU WERE SAVED TO SERVE GOD

    - 2 Timothy 1:9 says, "For God saved us and called us to live a holy life. He did this, not because we deserved it, but because that was his plan from before the beginning of time - to show us his grace through Christ Jesus." We were saved to serve God. "In God's kingdom, you have a place, a purpose, a role, and a function to fulfill." (Rick Warren). Jesus gave his life to purchase our salvation. We need to serve God out of joy and gratitude and not out of guilt or shame. We own him our lives. "Through salvation our past has been forgiven, our present is given meaning, and our future is secured." (Rick Warren). If you only have love for yourself, no desire to serve others, and are only concerned about your needs, you should question whether Christ is really in your life. "A saved heart is one that wants to serve. Every member of God's family is a minister" (Rick Warren). When we serve, we are ministering. We are saved to help others. We are saved to serve, not sit around and wait for heaven.

YOU ARE CALLED TO SERVE GOD
    - Every Christian is called to serve, not just preachers. "Anytime you use your God-given abilities to help other, you are fulfilling your calling." (Rick Warren). Each one of us have a role in our local church. There is no small service, any kind of service matters. There is no correlation between the size of service and the significance. Every role matters because we rely on each other to function. Just like the body if one part fails to function, you get sick. When my thyroid stopped functioning correctly I became sick. Cancer invaded my body and I had to have my thyroid taken out and radiation. My immune system was down and I got sick a lot. It's important that each of us play our role and serve in our local church, so that the church stays healthy and continues to grow.

YOU ARE COMMANDED TO SERVE GOD
    - Serving is the heart of Christian living. "Holy living consists in doing God's work with a smile." (Mother Teresa). If you are not doing God's work with a smile and a grateful, giving heart you might as well not do it. As christians we need to act on what we know and practice it. "Impression without expression causes depression." (Rick Warren). When we serve we are exercising our spiritual muscles. We need not to ask what someone can do for us but we need to ask whose needs can I meet.

PREPARING FOR ETERNITY
    - When we go to heaven God is going to evaluate us on how well we served others in our life. He will compare how much time and energy we spent on ourselves compared with what we invested in serving others. Romans 2:8 says, "But he will pour out his anger and wrath on those who live for themselves, who refuse to obey the truth and instead live lives of wickedness." If we live for ourselves and do not serve others, God will show anger towards us and we will lose eternal awards God has planned for us. "We are only fully alive when we're helping others." (Rick Warren). This is so true! When I am serving others in my work, I absolutely feel so alive. I feel so fulfilled, thats how I know serving others is my spiritual gift.

SERVICE AND SIGNIFICANCE

    - Service is the only pathway to real significance. We all will give our life to something. It's what we choose to give it to that matters. You could choose your job, a hobby, fame, wealth, etc. None of those will have lasting significance. Through ministry we discover the meaning of our lives. God wants to work through us. "What matters is not the duration of your life, but the donation of it." (Rick Warren). God uses even us misfits for his service. We need to stop making excuses and start serving.

Point to Ponder: Service is not optional.
Verse to Remember: "For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." Ephesians 2:10
Question to Remember: What is holding me back from accepting God's call to serve him?

Purpose Driven Life Day 28

Day 28, May 28th, "It Takes Time"

    -Philippians 1:6 says, "And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns." God will continue to do good work in us, it just takes time. There are no shortcuts! The development of Christlike behavior cannot be rushed. "Spiritual growth, like physical growth, takes time." (Rick Warren). We don't grow up to be adults overnight, it takes time. Just like growing up, it is going to take time for us to develop fully to be how God wants us to be. We need to not worry about how fast we grow. We need to be more concerned about how strong we grow because thats what God worries about. God views our lives for eternity. He is developing us to live in eternity. He has our whole lives to develop us. "Before Christ invades our lives at conversion, he sometimes has to 'soften us up' by allowing problems we can't handle." (Rick Warren). God knows exactly what he's doing. He sees our future. Sometimes he has to place things in our lives so that we turn to him. For some of us, it only takes one knock but for most of us, we resist and become defensive and God has to continue to knock on our door to awaken us. We may think we have surrendered our whole life to God but, there's a lot to our lives that we are not aware of. "You can only give God as much as you understand at the moment." (Rick Warren). God continues to take up more territory in our lives until our life is completely his. In today's society, we are obsessed with speed but for God he only cares about strength and stability. Spiritual growth is gradual. There is no quick fix or instant solution. 2 Corinthians 3:18b says, "...our lives gradually becoming brighter and more beautiful as God enters our lives and we become like him."

WHY DOES IT TAKE SO LONG!
     - God prefers to work in small steps in our lives, why?
     1. We are slow learners.
         - Time and again we have to relearn lessons over and over. We quickly go back to our old habits and need to be retaught things. I know this is true in my life. God places me in situations where I just need to surrender and trust him over and over again because I fail at it all the time. When will I learn to just trust him completely, he has never failed me before.
     2. We have a lot to unlearn.
          - Most of our habits did not develop over night so they are not going to be unlearned over night. It takes time to get rid of old habits and replace them with new. We have to be vigilant in replacing old habits with new habits.
     3. We are afraid to humbly face the truth about ourselves.
         - "The truth will set us free but often makes us miserable first." (Rick Warren). How many times have you held something in and been miserable and then when you finally told someone you felt better? It helps to at least tell one person so they can help you and pray with you. "We cannot grow without a humble, teachable attitude." (Rick Warren). We have to be teachable and humble and admit our mistakes. We can only work on our faults when God shows us the truth.
     4. Growth is often painful and scary. 

         - None of us like to go out of our comfort zone. It's safe. When we stay in our comfort zone the "storm" is smaller then us but, when we go out of our comfort zone the "storm" is greater than us but Jesus is always greater than the "storm". When we reach out of our comfort zone we get into a better life. You can't have growth without change. You can't have growth without fear or loss and no loss is without pain. We must let go of our old ways to experience new and better things. We can't let our hang ups define us.
     5. Habits take time to develop.

  - "Character is the sum total of our habits." (Rick Warren). This is why it is important to practice Christlike behavior. 1 Timothy 4:15 says, "Give your complete attention to these matters. Throw yourself into your tasks so that everyone will see your progress." When we start living with Christlike behavior people are going to notice and see you in a new perspective. It takes repetition. Like any sport, in order to get good at something you have to put in the repetitions. In gymnastics I would repeat skills on the uneven bars until both hands were bloody and my arms were shaking. It takes dedication but once you master the skill its all worth it.

DON'T GET IN A HURRY
     1. Believe God is working in your life even when you don't feel it.
         - God is always working in our lives even when we don't feel it. He is doing small tedious work. Ecclesiastes 3:1 says, "For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven." We go through seasons of spiritual growth. Sometimes we see quick changes but most of the time they are slow gradual changes. "Over time, a slow, steady stream of water will erode the hardest rock and turn giant boulders into pebbles." (Rick Warren).
    2. Keep a notebook or journal of lessons learned.
        - We need to keep a record of what we are learning. Keep a record about life, yourself, relationships, etc. Then, we need to review it regularly. Reviewing it regularly will help us to understand and remember the lessons that we have learned. It can help spare us heartache and pain. Hebrews 2:1 says, "It's crucial that we keep a firm grip on what we've heard so that we don't drift off."
    3. Be patient with God and with yourself.
        - One of my favorite quotes from Rick Warren is, "One of life's frustrations is that God's timetable is rarely the same as ours." We are often in a hurry and God is not. God is never in a hurry but he is ALWAYS on time. God uses our whole life to prepare us for eternity. I know for me I am inpatient! I want things NOW but I have to learn patience and TRUST in God's timing. "Great souls are grown through struggles and storms and seasons of suffering." (Rick Warren). The more we go through the storms and struggles, the greater are souls become. James 1:4 says, "So don't try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way."
     4. Don't be discouraged. 

         - "A delay is not a denial from God." (Rick Warren). If God places a desire on our hearts that doesn't mean its going to happen instantaneously, but it will happen in due time. If you are anything like me you hate due time. Due time is God's time, theres no timeframe for it which is frustrating. In the meantime, we have to remember how far we've come, not how far we have to go. We may not be where we want to be in life, but neither are we where we used to be. God isn't finished with us, we have to keep moving forward and stay positive, not discouraged.

Point to Ponder: There are no shortcuts to maturity.
Verse to Remember: "God began doing a good work in you, and I am sure he will continue it until its finished when Jesus Christ comes again." Philippians 1:6
Question to Consider: In what area of my spiritual growth do I need to be more patient and persistent?

Purpose Driven Life Day 27

Day 27, May 27th, "Defeating Temptation"

    - 1 Corinthians 10:13 says, "The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure." There is always a way out when we are tempted. God never gives us more than what we can handle. At times, we may think he does but he promises he won't. Each temptation is a struggle, it will make us stronger once we conquer and defeat it. There are four biblical keys to defeating temptation.

BIBLICAL KEYS TO DEFEATING TEMPTATION 
     1. Refocus your attention on something else
         - No where in the bible does it say resist temptations but, it does say resist the devil because temptations come from the devil. When temptations arise in our mind and we try and block the thoughts we only reinforce them in our memory. "The more you fight a feeling, the more it consumes and controls you. You strengthen it every time you think." (Rick Warren). If we continue to say "I will not do (fill in the blank).", we are only keeping it in our mind regardless if we are saying we will not do something. We need to turn our attention to something else, channel our energy else where. Find something to get your mind off your temptations. That may be working out, reading, journalling, working; find what works for you. "The battle for sin is won or lost in your mind. Whatever gets your attention will get you." (Rick Warren). The more we think about something the stronger it takes hold of us. Once we place our mind on something else, the temptation loses its power. "Spiritually, your mind is the most vulnerable organ." (Rick Warren). We need to occupy our mind with God's word

and good thoughts, positive energy. I have been know to be a negative Nancy and I am working on becoming more positive and developing my mind to think positive always because, what you think is so important. Also, its more attractive to be a positive versus a negative person. Philippians 4:8 says, "And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise." The more we manage our mind the better off we will be. We need to monitor our intake from the media. Social media is a great thing and also a bad thing. Everyone puts on there very best on social media, we don't see the other side of peoples lives and we think we are less because of it. I encourage anyone to take a fast from social media. Once I finish my 100 happy days challenge, I will be doing a 40 day fast from social media. In this day and age, a lot of us are addicted to social media and our phone. I will blog about that experience once I get to it.
     2. Reveal your struggle to a godly friend or support group
         - It is important that when we have a stronghold or temptation that we tell at least one person. The first step is admitting it to a friend so they can help you and pray for you. Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 says, "Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed. If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But someone who falls alone is in real trouble." It's hard to fight battles alone. "Some temptations are only overcome with the help of a partner who prays for you, encourages you, and holds you accountable." (Rick Warren). This is why it is important to have fellowship with other Christians. James 5:16 says, "Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has power and produces wonderful results." Find someone that can pray with you. Prayer is powerful and wherever two are gathered God promises to be there. When you are in a relationship or married pray together every night. "Problems grow in the dark and become bigger and bigger, but when exposed to the light of truth, they shrink." (Rick Warren). Always confess your sins and temptations. Tell your partner your problems and pray about them together, don't keep secrets.
      3. Resist the Devil
          - James 4:7 says, "So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you." We have to fight back and resist the devil. We are like soldiers on the battlefield. Ephesians
6:17 says, "Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God." By getting saved we put on our helmet to protect us. The weapon that we have is the word of God, scripture. Having memorized scripture is like having bullets in our gun. When the devil comes with us with temptations, we use our weapon of scripture and shoot out our memorized scripture at the devil and he flees. I challenge you to memorize as much scripture as you can so you can have enough ammo when the devil comes at you.
      4. Realize your vulnerability
          - We can never let our guard down. The moment we do the devil will be there to take over. We can't put ourselves in tempting situations where we know we will give in to our strongholds. 1 Corinthians 10:12 says, "If you think you are standing strong, be careful not to fall." We are all vulnerable, we must always keep our guard up.

Point to Ponder: There is always a way out.
Verse to Remember: "God is faithful. He will keep the temptation from becoming so strong that you can't stand up against it. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you will not give in to it." 1 Corinthians 10:13b
Question to Consider: Who could I ask to be a spiritual partner to help me defeat a persistent temptation by praying for me?

Purpose Driven Life Day 26

Day 26, May 26th, "Growing Through Temptation" 

    James 1:12 says, "Anyone who meets a testing challenge head-on and manages to stick it out it is mighty fortunate. For such persons loyally in love with God, the reward is life and and more life." Every believer is faced with temptations, every temptation is an opportunity to do good. Temptation is simple a choice. We can choice to do whats wrong or what is right. "Every time you choose to do good instead of sin, you are growing in the character of God." (Rick Warren). Temptation is Satan's primary method to destroy us. The closer we get to God the more temptations he will place in front of us. Galatians 5:22-23 says, "But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!" As believers we have the Holy Spirit in us to help protect us from temptations. "Fruit always matures and ripens slowly. 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" (Rick Warren). Temptation helps teach us things. It teaches us to love by putting unlovely people around us to love. It teaches us joy in the midst of sorrow, when we turn to him. "Happiness depends on external circumstances but joy is based on your relationship to God." (Rick Warren). Temptation teaches us peace by us trusting God in circumstance we are tempted to worry or be afraid. This one is my biggest temptation and I fail over and over again. Worry is a problem for me. Temptation develops patience by putting circumstances where we are forced to wait. Again, another huge temptation for me. I am very patient with other people but when it comes to myself, I am not patient at all. Integrity is built by defeating the temptation to be dishonest. What ever you are struggling with know that it is normal. "You can't claim to be God if you've never been tempted to be bad." (Rick Warren). As believers we are all tempted, its how you respond to temptation that matters most.

HOW TEMPTATION WORKS

   - Satan is predictable when it comes to temptation, its a four step process.
        1. Identifies a desire inside of us
            - This could be a normal desire or a sinful desire. He plants temptation in our minds. Mark 7:21-23 says, "For from within, out of a person's heart, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, wickedness, deceit, lustful desires, envy, slander, pride, and foolishness. All these vile things come from within; they are what defile us."
       2. Doubt...is it really wrong?
           - Satan starts to plant a seed telling you its really not wrong, its not that bad, everyone is doing it, etc.
       3. Deception
           - Satan can not tell the truth. He makes you think it is okay to do it. Anything he tells us is either untrue or half-true.
       4. Disobedience
           - We act on the temptation and do what is wrong.

OVERCOMING TEMPTATION
       1. Refuse to be intimidated

          - We will never outgrow temptation. As believers we will always be tempted in one way or another. We need to think of temptation as a compliment. Satan doesn't tempt those that are already doing evil. Even Jesus was tempted but, he never sinned. "You can't keep the Devil from suggesting thoughts, but you can choose not to dwell or act on them." (Rick Warren). The closer we become to God the more Satan will try and tempt us.
       2. Recognize your pattern of temptation and be prepared for it
          - Each of us have certain situations that make us more vulnerable than others. Some of us may be tempted by worry, lust, trust, etc. We have to recognize our patterns that we fall into and avoid them and pray over them. Who are you with when you are tempted? Where are you at when you are tempted? What time of day? Proverbs 4:26-27 says, "Keep vigilant watch over your heart; that's where life starts. Don't talk out of both sides of your mouth; avoid careless banter, white lies, and gossip. Keep your eyes straight ahead; ignore all sideshow distractions. Watch your step and the road will stretch out smooth before you. Look neither right nor left; leave evil in the dust."
       3. Request God's help
           - Heaven/God have a 24 hour emergency hotline. Send up a prayer flare when you feel tempted. Psalm 50:15 says, "And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me." We need to cry out to God! Shout to the heavens. "The Bible guarantees that our cry will be heard because Jesus is sympathetic to our struggle." (Rick Warren). Jesus was tempted throughout his whole life, he understand the struggle we face. Hebrews 4:15 says, "For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are - yet he did not sin."

"Temptations keep us dependent on God." (Rick Warren). Without God, we would give in to all our temptations. Next time you are tempted send up a prayer flare.

Point to Ponder: Every temptation is an opportunity to do good.
Verse to Remember: "God blesses the people who patiently endure testing. Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him." James 1:12
Question to Consider: What Christlike character quality can I develop by defeating the most common temptation I face?

Purpose Driven Life Day 25

Day 25, May 25th, "Transformed by Trouble" 

   - First off, I just want to say that this chapter has been my favorite chapter of the book thus far. It has spoke to me the most and has shown me a different perspective of my troubles. Through all the trials I have been through, this chapter is helping me understand them the most.
    - God has a purpose for every problem that we have in our lives. He uses circumstances to make us more like Jesus. Life is a series of problems. We all go through problems. Not all of them are big but, all are significant in God's growth process for us. 1 Peter 4:12 says, "Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you." God uses the problems in our lives to draw us closer to him. Every problem we have is for a reason. Psalm 34:18 says, "The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit." Often times in our darkest day are when we have the most intimate experiences of worship and feel closest to God. For me this is definitely true. When I am going through a rough time I draw near to God and feel a close intimate relationship with him. "It is during suffering that we learn to pray our most authentic, heartfelt, honest-to-God prayers." (Rick Warren). We learn things about God and ourselves through our suffering, we draw closer to God. Through my broken heart and suffering I have drawn closer to God then I have ever been before. I feel God's present more and I here his voice clearer. "Problems force us to look to God and depend on him instead of ourselves." (Rick Warren). Living in Arizona after my break-up, I felt very isolated and alone. I prayed more than I have ever prayed before. I read the bible daily and meditated daily. Sometimes God has to get our attention and problems are the only way that he can

get our attention. "You'll never know that God is all you need until God is all you've got." (Rick Warren). For me I think I like being away from family and friends because it makes me draw closer to God, it takes me out of my comfort zone and makes me rely on God more. Now, I am not saying I enjoy being alone and not having friends and family around but, I need my own space and the times when I have moved away and did not know anyone, I felt the closest to God. Everything that happens to a child of God is filtered through God and he intends to use it for good even when Satan and others mean it for bad. Everything has spiritual significance in our lives. Romans 8:28-29 says, "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters." This does not mean that God causes everything to work out the way we want it to or that everything always has a happy ending. Only in heaven is everything perfect.  God can bring good out of the worst evil. Life events work together in God's plan. Everything that happens in our life happens for a reason and for a purpose. "God's purpose is greater than our problems, our pain, and even our sin." (Rick Warren). We have to go through battles to appreciate the great things in life.

BUILDING CHRISTLIKE CHARACTER

    - "Every problem is a character-building opportunity, and the more difficult it is, the greater the potential for building spiritual muscle and moral fiber." (Rick Warren). I have been through a lot in my 27 years of life and every event has made me a stronger person, spiritual, mentally, emotionally, and physically. Troubles produce patience - patience produces character. God wants us to be like Jesus so he will take us through the same experiences he went through. We will go through
temptation, loneliness, stress, criticism, rejection, etc. Romans 8:17 says, "We go through exactly what Christ goes through. If we go through the hard times then we're certainly going to go through the good times with him!" We go through both good and bad times but they are both to build christlike character.

RESPONDING TO PROBLEMS AS JESUS WOULD
    - We have to remember that God's plan is good, he knows what is best for us, he has our best interest at heart. Jeremiah 29:11 says, "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." When we go through times of trouble this makes it hard for us to trust in God's plan but we need to remember Jeremiah 29:11 and continue to meditate on it to get through the troubles. We need to focus on God's plan and not on our pain and suffering. It is all for God's good.
    - We need to rejoice and give thanks in his love, care, wisdom, power, and faithfulness. God goes through the pain with us and he will never leave us or forsake us.
    - We have to refuse to never give up. It is a slow process. We need to pray conforming prayers. Prayers like "Use this to make me more like you, Jesus" and not prayers of comfort such as "Help me feel good." "You know you are maturing when you begin to see the hand of God in the random, baffling, and seemingly pointless circumstance of life." (Rick Warren). Last Sunday, I went to church and I sat behind the young adult leaders at the church. I was nervous about going to the bible study because I didn't want to be the "old" adult. They talked to me about coming and told me I would not be the old adult and that they would love for me to come. That was all God, God placed me in that seat for a reason! We have to ask God what he wants us to do in every situation. When things go bad or we get in trouble we need to not give up we need to grow up!

Point to Ponder: There is a purpose behind every problem.
Verse to Remember: "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." Romans 8:28
Question to Remember: What problem in my life has caused the greatest growth in me?

Purpose Driven Life Day 24

Day 24, May 24th, "Transformed by Truth"

   - Acts 20:32 says, "Now I'm turning you over to God, our marvelous God whose gracious Word can make you into what he wants you to be and give you everything you could possibly need in this community of holy friends." God gives us everything we could possible need. He shows us and tells us in His word. "Spiritual growth is the process of replacing lies with truth." (Rick Warren). In order for us to grow spiritually we must fill our lives with the word of God. God speaks things change, everything around us was created by God. "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). God's word is as essential as food to us. We need spiritual nourishment to fulfill our purpose. More often than not believers have "spiritual anorexia". We need to make make abiding in God's word 1st priority:

ABIDING IN GOD'S WORD
    1. I must accept its authenticity
        - God's word is the authoritative standard of life, compass for direction, counsel to listen to make a wise decision, and a benchmark to evaluate everything. Troubles come because we base our choices on, culture (everything everyone is doing), tradition, reason (logical), and emotion. Proverbs 30:5 says, "Every word of God is flawless." We need to see what the Bible says first before we make any decision in our life. There are times in my life where I wish I would have followed exactly what the Bible says, I would be better off. We are not going to get God's blessings if we are not obedient with what His word says.
     2. I must assimilate its truth
         - We must receive the Word of God. We must listen/accept with a open attitude. If we are not learning something from reading the bible or from a sermon we need to check our attitude. God can speak even through the most boring teacher when were are humble and receptive.
        - We must read God's word. If we read the Bible 15 minutes a day for a year, we can read the entire Bible in a year. If we read for 30 minutes a day we could read the Bible twice a year. All of us can make time for this. "Daily bible reading keeps you in range of God's voice." (Rick Warren). If you are having a hard time hearing God's voice, dig into his Word.
        - We need to research and study the bible. Ask questions and write down our thoughts. Keep a journal. Write down your prayers, your notes from sermons, your answered prayers, everything!
        - Remember it. You remember what is important to you. Reading and reflecting on God's word helps us resist temptation, make wise decisions, reduce stress, build confidence, offer good advice, and helps us share our faith with others.
         - We need to reflect on it - meditation. Meditation is focused thinking. We select a verse and
reflect on it over and over and over in our head. "If you know how to worry, you know how to meditate." (Rick Warren). Like I've said before I should be a expert meditator because I know how to worry. I need to take that energy of worrying and turn it into mediation on God's word.
      3. I must apply its principles
          - We must put all that we learn into practice. Satan fights us on this. He doesn't care if we go to bible study and read the bible, he cares when we start applying it. Blessings come from obeying  the truth in God's word. John 13:17 says, "If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them." We have to obey God in order to get his blessings no matter if its difficult or painful. "The truth will set you free, but first it may make you miserable." (Rick Warren). We have all been through things that have made us miserable but in the end we are better off. It is important to discuss personal
applications in our lives with others that we trust so that they can help us make wise decisions. This is why is it important to have a small group and a church family. "We always learn from others truths we would never learn on our own. Other people will help you see insights you would miss and help you apply God's truth in a practical way." (Rick Warren). Be careful who you take advice from though.

Point to Ponder: The truth transforms me.
Verse to Remember: "If you continue in my word, then are you my disciples indeed; and you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." John 8:31-32
Question to Remember: What has God already told me in his Word that I haven't started doing yet?

Purpose Driven Life Day 23

Day 23, May 23rd, "How We Grow"

   - God wants us to grow up, he doesn't want us to stay immature. "Spiritual growth is not automatic. It takes intentional commitment." (Rick Warren). Our commitments can develop us or destroy us. We become whatever we are committed to.

GOD'S PART AND YOUR PART
    - "Christlikeness is the result of making Christlike choices and depending on His Spirit to help you fulfill these choices." We have to let go of our old routines and habits in order to grow. God took TJ out of my life for a reason. For me, it is routine and habit for me to text/talk to him. I need to change my habits or I'm not going to grow.  Spiritual growth is a collaborative effort between us and the Holy Spirit. Philippians 2:12-13 says, "Therefore, my friends, as you have always obeyed - not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence - continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose." God has a purpose for us, it may not be what we have planned but it is always for good and his purpose. You can't add to your salvation once you are saved because you can't add anything to what Jesus already did. We have to work to develop what we already have.

CHANGING YOUR AUTOPILOT

    - We have to change the way we think. Behind EVERYTHING we do there is a thought, negative or positive. Romans 12:2 says, "Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is - his good, pleasing, and perfect will." We have to deal with the root cause of our problems. "Change always starts with the mind." (Rick Warren). We have to change our thinking in order to get off of autopilot. "The way we think determines the way we feel, the way you feel influences the way you act." (Rick Warren). We need to not think immature thoughts or self-centered thoughts. "Selfish thinking is the source of sinful behavior." (Rick Warren). We need to think maturely and thinking of others is a mark of maturity. "Our deeds must be consistent with our creeds and our beliefs must be packed with Christlike behavior." (Rick Warren). We need to make thinking of others before ourselves as a lifestyle because thinking of others is the heart of Christianity.

Point to Ponder: It's never to late to start growing.
Verse to Remember: "Let God transform you inwardly by a complete change of your mind. Then you will be able to know the will of God - what is good and is pleasing to him and is perfect." Romans 12:2b
Question to Remember: What is one area I need to stop thinking my way and start thinking God's way?

Purpose Driven Life Day 22

Day 22, May 22nd, "Created to Become like Christ"

- God's plan has always been to make us more like his son Jesus. We humans are the only things made in God's image. All people possess a part of the image of God - but the image is incomplete and has been damaged and distorted by our sins. God sent Jesus to restore the full image. "This desire to be a God shows up every time we try to control our circumstances, our future, and people around us." (Rick Warren). How many of us try to control our future? I know I do. I constantly think of my future. Who will I marry? When will I have kids? When will my debt be paid off? Why can't I live in the present? If I'm not living in the future I'm living in the past. Why did my past relationships not work out? Why did I end up getting 2 degrees and am going back for a third to figure out what I wanted to do? Why, why, why? We, including myself, need to live in the present! God's ultimate goal for us is character development. His goal is to change our character not our personality. Life is suppose to be difficult, it enables us to grow. We go through each of the difficult times in our lives to help us grow. We exist for God's purpose, not vice versa.

GOD'S SPIRIT WORKING IN YOU

   - "It is the Holy Spirit's job to produce Christlike character in you." (Rick Warren). Sanctification is the process of changing us to be more like Jesus. Only the Holy Spirit has the power to make changes God wants us to make in our lives. Sometimes he nudges us with a gentle whisper or a huge tug. 1 Kings 19:12 says, "After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper." Often times the Holy Spirit just talks to us in a gently whisper or through someone else.

WE MUST COOPERATE WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT'S WORK
    - Obedience unlocks God's power. We have to be obedient in order to have the blessings God has in store for us. God often times waits for us to act first, its how our character develops. In order to grow spiritually we have to actively participate. We have to make an effort to become like Jesus. Surround ourselves with people who are on the same spiritual path as you. Listen to music that will help you growth. Get connected with your church family. We have to let go of our old ways. Change the way we think and develop Godly habits. Post break-up I am struggling with this. I have such habits of texting my ex and its not because I'm holding out for him, its my crutch. It gives me comfort. I know I need to stop messaging him but I continue to do it, its my crutch. I will get there but why can't I cooperate with the Holy Spirit?

GOD USES HIS WORD, PEOPLE, AND CIRCUMSTANCES TO MOLD US

   - "God's word produces the truth we need to grow, God's people provide the support we need to grow, and circumstances provide the environment we need to practice Christlikeness." (Rich Warren).  In order for us to become more Christlike we need to read God's word regularly, connect regularly with other believers, and trust God in difficult situations. Trust is hard for me. God ALWAYS comes through for me and I have no reason not to trust him yet, still when I am put in a difficult situation I question God and its is wrong and sinful. Often times God uses people rather than miracles. He wants us to connect with others not just be in isolation of prayer and bible study. We need to have fellowship.

BECOMING LIKE CHRIST IS A LONG, SLOW PROCESS OF GROWTH
   - Spiritual maturity is not instant or automatic, it takes an entire lifetime to reach full maturity. We
are only finished growing spiritually when we get to heaven or when Jesus returns. God is more interested in what we are more than what we do. He looks at our character not our job description. We have to make an effort to become like Christ or the world will bring us down.

Point to Ponder: I was created to become like Christ.
Verse to Remember: "As the Spirit of the Lord works within us, we become more and more like him and reflect his glory even more." 2 Corinthians 3:18b
Question to Consider: In what area of my life do I need to ask for the Spirit's power to be like Christ today?

Purpose Driven Life Day 21

Day 21, May 21st, "Protecting Our Church"

   - It is our job of members of a church to protect the unity of the church. If we destroy unity in the church it rips God's heart out. We as members need to model the trinity, father, son, and holy spirit. "Nothing on earth is more valuable to God than his church." (Rick Warren). Yesterday I was talking to a friend and I told him I didn't understand this second purpose as much. I understand that God wants us to have real fellowship but, how is this purpose teaching me or someone else reading it their purpose. He told me the church is God's most valuable possession so one of our purposes is to treasure and honor the church. It opened my eyes up and made me realize why this purpose is in here. Ephesians 4:13 says, "This work must continue until we are all joined together in the same faith and in the same knowledge of the Son of God. We must become like a mature person, growing until we become like Christ and have his perfection." There are 6 things we can do to help protect our church:
   1. Focus on what we have in common, not our differences
       - We need to focus on harmony, not differences. We should value each others differences because God gave each of us our unique personalities. We need to not let differences in each other divide us. We should stay focused on what matters most. Love like God does. "Conflict is usually a sign that the focus has shifted to less important issues." (Rick Warren). Shift your focus on loving each other and filling God's purposes in your life. 1 Corinthians 1:10 says, "I beg you, brothers and sister, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ that all of you agree with each other and not be split into groups. I beg that you be completely joined together by having the same kind of thinking and the same purpose."
   2. Be realistic in your expectations 
       - We MUST passionately love the church with its 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 tension." (Rick Warren). Other believers will let us down but that doesn't mean we stop fellowship with them. We are all family. Ephesians 4:2 says, "Always be humble, gentle, and patient, accepting each other in love." We have to understand that we are all sinners and the church is made up of sinners as well. Sometimes we hurt each other intentionally sometimes unintentionally. It is important that we reconcile rather then run away. "Divorcing" your church or a friend is a sign of immaturity. Every church and every person has its strength and weaknesses.
   3. Choose to encourage rather than criticize

       - "It is always easier to stand on the sidelines and take shots at those who are serving than it is to get involved and make a commitment." (Rick Warren). So many people complain about things but do not do anything to get involved to change them. If you are not going to help and get involved you should only encourage those who are doing something. Whenever we judge another believer 4 things happen: 1. Lose fellowship with God
              2. Expose your own pride and insecurities
              3. Set yourself up to be judged by God
              4. Harm the fellowship of the church
It is not our job to judge, blame, or critic someone. Romans 14:19 says, "So let us try to do what makes peace and helps one another."
    4. Refuse to listen to gossip 
       - Whether you are the one gossiping or the one listen it is wrong. It is our responsibility to tell others to stop talking about others."People who gossip to you will also gossip about you." (Rick Warren). I am sure we have all been apart of gossip and the repercussions of gossiping are never good. Avoid it at all cost.
    5. Practice God's method for conflict resolution
        - Matthew 18:15-17 says, "If your fellow believer sins against you, go and tell him in private what he did wrong. If he listens to you, you have helped that person to be your brother or sister again. But if he refuses to listen, go to him again and take one or two other people with you. 'Every case may be proved by two or three witnesses.' If he refuses to listen to them, tell the church. If he refuses to listen to the church, then treat him like a person who does not believe in God." The bible tells us exactly what we need to do.
    6. Support your pastor and leaders

        - Cascade Hills Church in Columbus, GA has pastors prayer partners who pray over the pastor, leaders of the church and their families. People meet together before each service and pray and then go on the stage and kneel down with the pastor and pray over him before he gives the message. There are not perfect leaders in any church but God gives them the authority to maintain unity. We need to honor the leaders and pastors. Sometimes we have to do whats best for the "body" and not yourself. 1 Thessalonians 5:12-13 says, "Now, brothers and sisters, we ask you to appreciate those who work hard among you, who lead you in the Lord and teach you. Respect them with a very special love because of the work they do." "We protect the fellowship when we honor those who serve us by leading." (Rick Warren). Pray for your pastor, honor him, and do not put him down.

Point to Ponder: It is my responsibility to protect the unity of my church.
Verse to Remember: "Let us concentrate on the things which make for harmony and the growth of our fellowship together." Romans 14:19
Question to Remember: What am I personally doing to protect unity in my church family right now?

Purpose Driven Life Day 20

Day 20, May 20th, "Restoring Broken Fellowship" 

  - Relationships are worth restoring. Life is about learning how to love and value relationships, don't disregard them. "...our ability to get along with others is a mark of spiritual maturity." (Rick Warren). If we want to get God's blessings in life, we have to learn to be peacemakers." (Rick Warren) Peacemaking is one of the most important things to learn in life. Peacemaking is not to avoid conflict its to talk it out and work it out. We need to pray for the holy spirits guidance. Peacemaking is not appeasement. Just because we are christians, doesn't mean we should allow others to run over us.

There are 7 Biblical Steps On HOW TO RESTORE A RELATIONSHIP:

   1. Talk to God before talking to the person.
      - If we have a problem with a person we should discuss it with God before we confront the person. "If you will pray about the conflict first instead of gossiping to a friend, you will often discover that either God changes your heart or he changes the other person's without your help." (Rick Warren). Instead of gossiping to anyone that will listen we should talk to God about the conflict. Tell Him your frustrations, cry out to him! He doesn't get upset by any of our emotions. Some of our needs can only be met by God. No one can meet all our needs but God. James 4:1-2 says, "What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don't they come from your desires that battle within you? You desire but do not have, so you kill. You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God." Often times we look to others to make us happy and get angry when they fail us. We need to place God first. This one I really struggle with. I do not enjoy being single I like having a boyfriend and I can not wait to get married but I can't let someone else dictate my happiness. I need to embrace my singleness as hard as it is. Not one person on this earth can give me everything. Not one person can make me 100% truly happy.
  2. Always take initiative.
      - Whether you are the offender or the offended, God expects us as christians to make the first move to repair the relationship. We should not procrastinate or make excuses. "Delay only deepens resentment and makes matters worse. In conflict, time heals nothing, it causes hurts to fester." (Rick Warren). If we act quickly after a argument it reduces the spiritual damage to us. Unresolved conflict blocks fellowship with God and keeps are prayers from being answered, not to mention it makes us miserable. I know for me I can't eat or sleep if I know someone is mad at me. It eats away at my heart. When you are going to meet with the person you are on in conflict with, don't meet when either of you are tired, rushed, hungry, or you will be interrupted. You need to wait until both of you are at your best.
  3. Sympathize with their feelings.
      - Rick Warren says, "Use your ears more than your mouth." It is more important for us to listen to peoples feelings and let them unload emotionally. We need to make sure we are tuned in and are not defensive. Resentment towards people makes us act and think in foolish ways. We need to keep our hearts open and sympathize with their feelings.
  4. Confess your part of the conflict.
      - It is important that we admit our mistakes. We may need to ask a 3rd party to evaluate our actions before meeting with the person we are in conflict with. I would advice that if you are dating someone or married to someone that it is not one of your family members. This can cause conflict in the relationship as they are always going to take your side and if you are constantly nagging about your significant other to family that is how they are going to see them and then you are going to wonder why they don't like your significant other. Always say positive things about the person you are dating/married to to your family. We need to also talk to God and ask God if we are the problem. "Often the way we handle a conflict creates a bigger hurt than the original problem itself." (Rick Warren). If we humbly admit our mistakes it defuses the other persons anger and disarms their attack.
   5. Attack the problem, not the person
      - Often times when we get into conflict we are pointing the finger at who did what and who said what. "You cannot fix the problem if you're consumed with fixing the blame." (Rick Warren). Proverbs 15:1 says, "A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger." We need to by wise in choosing our words. We can get the same point across and in a more affective way without raising our voices or cussing. How you say something is just as important of what you say. If you go in with attitude and talk to the person its not going to end well. We need to have an open heart and sympathy for that person whether you are the offender or offended. Ephesians 4:29 says, "Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen." We need to not bring up old hurts and pains as well. We only need to try and resolve the conflict we are currently in.
   6. Cooperate as much as possible.
       - Romans 12:18 says, "If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone." Peace always has a price tag but we should work on having as much peace with everyone as possible. We will need to compromise on things.
   7. Emphasize reconciliation, not resolution.

      - It's unrealistic to think that everyone is going to agree with everything you say. We are all raised differently and have different backgrounds so inevitable there are going to be some conflicts. "Reconciliation focuses on the relationship, while resolution focuses on the problem." (Rick Warren). We as christians need to focus on reconciliation. We can disagree without being disagreeable. "God expects unit, not uniformity." (Rick Warren). We don't have to agree on everything but we should work together for God's good.

Point to Ponder: Relationships are always worth restoring.
Verse to Remember: "Do everything possible on your part to live in peace with everybody." Romans 12:18
Question to Consider: Who do I need to restore a broken relationship with today?

Purpose Driven Life Day 19

Day 19, May 19th, "Cultivating Community"

   - Community requires commitment. Only the Holy Spirit can create real fellowship between believers. Ephesians 4:3 says, "You are joined together with peace through the Spirit, so make every effort to continue together in this way." It takes our effort and the power of God to produce a loving Christian community. Some people grow up in a unhealthy relationship and they lack relational skills.  It is important for us to be patient with others and understand where they are coming from and where they have been.

CULTIVATING COMMUNITY TAKES HONESTY

 - It is important in real fellowship that we always speak the truth. Often times it is easier to stay quiet when someone else is doing something wrong to avoid confrontation but its not loving. Most people do not have anyone in there lives to tell them the truth, so they continue on doing sinful behavior. It is important to have people around us that will be honest with us and keep us accountable. Often times we usually know what needs to be said but our fears keep us from saying them. We don't want confrontation. Galatians 6:1-2 says, "Brothers and sisters, if someone in your group does something wrong, you who are spiritual should go to that person and gently help make him right again. But be careful, because you might be tempted to sin, too. By helping each other with troubles, you truly obey the law of Christ." Often times church fellowship remains superficial because they are afraid of conflict. Rick Warren says, "The tunnel of conflict is the passageway to intimacy in any relationship." When we go through conflict with someone and resolve it, we grow closer to them. Honesty is always the best.

CULTIVATING COMMUNITY TAKE HUMILITY

- The 3 things that destroy fellowship are self-importance, smugness, and stubborn pride. These things build walls between people, humility soothes. It is important to have a humble attitude. "Pride blocks God's grace in our lives which we must have in order to grow, change, heal, and help others." Rick Warren. We receive grace from God by saying we need it. "You can develop humility in very practical ways: by admitting your weaknesses, by being patient with others, by being open to correction, and by pointing the spotlight on others." To have humility we have to not think less of ourselves but think of ourselves less. We need to put other peoples need above are own sometimes.

CULTIVATING COMMUNITY TAKES COURTESY

 - As christians we need to respect each others differences, be considerate of others feelings, and be patient with people who irritate us. Some people need extra grace. God places these people in our lives for their benefit and ours. It teaches us patients and helps us grow as christians and love on one another. It gives us an opportunity to grow. We may not understand what they have been through but we can have empathy for them. We should never downplay peoples doubts just because we don't fear the same thing that doesn't make what they are feeling invalid. This is so true. I have battled with anxiety my entire life. I have been on medication for and gotten off of and and back on it. People that do not experience anxiety do not know what its like. I have had people tell me its all in my head and I don't need medication. I understand that and yes I agree it is all in my head but, when it becomes a problem where I can't eat and sleep,  I need to do something about it. Yes, prayer helps but there are times when my anxiety over powers everything. I hate when people put me down for things they don't understand. We have to be courtesy to others and pray with them no matter what they are going through even if we don't understand it, no matter how big or small.

CULTIVATING COMMUNITY TAKES CONFIDENTIALITY 

   - What is shared in small group needs to stay in the the small group. It's important that we not gossip about others. Proverbs 16:28 says, "A useless person causes trouble, and gossip ruins friendships." This is so true and happens so often. If someone comes to you sharing something you should not go to someone else and gossip about it, it needs to remain confidential.

CULTIVATING COMMUNITY TAKES FREQUENCY
   - We need to have regular contact with our small groups to build genuine friendship. "Community is built not on convenience but on the conviction that I need it for my spiritual health." Rick Warren. To grow to spiritual maturity we need to be apart of a small group and meet regularly to help us grow.

9 CHARACTERISTICS OF BIBLICAL FELLOWSHIP
  1. Authenticity
  2. Mutuality
  3. Sympathy
  4. Mercy
  5. Honesty
  6. Humility
  7. Courtesy
  8. Confidentiality
  9. Frequency

Real fellowship prepares us from heaven. 

Point to Ponder: Community requires commitment.
Verse to Remember: "We understand what love is when we realize that Christ gave his life for us. That means we must give our lives for other believers." 1 John 3:16
Question to Consider: How can I help cultivate today the characteristics of real community in my small group and my church.