1. Worship Him
- This is our number one responsibility as believers. "God wants us to be motivated by love, thanksgiving, and delight, not duty." Rick Warren. As a kid I was not motivated by love, thanksgiving, or delight to go to church. I went because my mom made me. Yes I accepted God as my Lord and Savior at a young age but I didn't worship God the way I should. I grew up in a very traditional small Lutheran church. When I went to college I wanted to get more involved in a more contemporary church. I tried one my freshman year but did not really get into going back to church and fully diving in until my senior year. Then, when I moved down to Newberry, SC I got baptized and have not looked back sense. At times though my faith is stronger than at other times. We need to learn to enjoy God, love him, and put ourself to use for HIS purpose. Everything we do can become and act of worship. I know for me I listen to worship music while I workout and while I am driving. It puts me in a good mood and sets my mind right plus I am worshipping God. Maybe one day once I get settled I will sing and help others worship...maybe.
2. Love Other Believers
- When you accept God as your Lord and Savior you become a part of God's family. We need to learn to love like God does. Dr. A.T Stewart was a guest speaker at Cascade Hills Church one Sunday and he talked about how we need to love our wife/husband/significant other how God loves the church. This sermon was very good to hear at the time and reading today about loving other believers reminded me of this. You can listen to it by downloading the Cascade Hills app on your phone and it is under messages titled, "Your wife's greatest need." We need to love others like God loves the church. So often we get caught up in ourselves that we forget to love on others and show them God's love. We need to love how God does, unconditionally. This could be a message to you for your spouse/significant other, your friend, or an other believers.
3. Becoming Like Christ
- We need to grow our spiritual maturity. We need to become more like Jesus, in the way we think, feel, and act. Lately, I find myself asking would God approve of this show I am watching? Would he approve of the way I am feeling or acting? You have to ask yourself these questions and have quiet time with God to become more like him.
4. Serving Others with Our Gifts
- We are all uniquely designed by God. God "wired" us in a certain way on purpose. We all have attributes given to us to benefit others. We need to use those to help other people and serve other people. We need to use the talents God has given us to serve others. I am very good with taking care of people and just serving God's people. I work well in the healthcare setting because I get fulfillment in helping other people. Here is a picture of a guy I was taking care of in AZ on the weekends.My heart feels full when I serve others. I think thats why I enjoy having a significant other so much. I like to help people and be with someone that appreciates it. I like cooking dinner and doing laundry to help someone else out. I like making someone feel good by sending them decorated care packages, letters, text, etc. I like having that void in my life filled. But, I need to learn to love myself more and love and serve God more because once I get into a relationship that loving and serving of God should not change.
5. Tell Others About Him
- Once we know God, it is our responsibility as Christians to share the word with others. Bill Purvis always talks about when he goes on a plane that he likes to keep to himself, read, listen to music, etc ., but he always ends up sitting by someone that wants to talk. He mentioned that now when he gets on a plane he prays to God to place him by someone that needs to here about God. Last Friday I was flying into Ohio and I prayed that prayer. I ended up sitting next to two ladies and we didn't really talk until the last hour of the flight but they talked to me and they shared things with me that I needed to hear. We got to talking about the books I was reading and I told them about my recent break up. The one lady was a newly wed that was traveling to Ohio on business, she shared with me that she had a similar situation happen to her, she moved out to AZ because thats where his family was and she got a job out there and her boyfriend at the time was to follow shortly after. She ended up being with him for 5 years and he basically told her I don't want to be with you anymore. Now she is a newly wed that married her best friend from college and is loving her life. I needed to hear that story. The other lady was a retired marine wife and she told me how she prayed and prayed for a baby and at the age of 40 she got one, she adopted. She told me never stop praying. It's amazing the plans God has for us every day. He placed me in that seat for a reason.
What Will You Live For?
- Living to glorify God will cause us to change our priorities, schedule, relationship, etc. It may be a difficult path versus the easy path but God will give us the strength to live for him if we just choose to do it. For me it starts with my prayer journal and quiet time with God. We need to believe that God loves us, God has a plan, and everything happens for a reason.Point to Ponder: It's all for him.
Verse to Remember: "For everything comes from God alone. Everything lives by his power, and everything if for his glory." Romans 11:36
Question to Consider: Where in my daily routine can I become more aware of God's glory?
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