Good morning gang!

We talk a lot about God’s Word and what it says about how we should live.  If you go back to the beginning of the story, God had a plan that shows up the first time in Genesis 3.  It weaves it’s way throughout the story of scripture, and it culminates with the birth, life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, His Son.  God knew mankind would be sinful.  He knew we would be hopelessly lost without His redemption of us through the blood of His Son.  He knew the offer of salvation through Jesus would be received with joy and passion by some and rejected with hate and disdain by others.  He knew the love, grace, and mercy He showed us would need to be reflected to a hurting, hopeless, and helpless world.
The plan never said that our actions brought us salvation, or changed our RELATIONSHIP with the Father…BUT, it does clearly say over and over again in scripture that our lives will change based on the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives.  God loves (loved) us just like we were, but according to what we read in the Bible, He wants us to follow Him and that WILL make us look more like Him.

This blog isn’t about the battle in current church culture between your lifestyle reflecting Jesus and the concept of grace being enough so your “works” don’t really matter.  This blog IS about us being more involved in each other’s lives on a daily basis.  I know the majority of you don’t work together or go to school together, but as a group, I think we struggle to be as involved with one another as we could be.  Especially guys with guys and girls with girls.  None of us are capable of living a godly life on our own.  We were not created to be on an island with no contact with others.  God created us in His image we are told in scripture.  One of those ways we “look” like Him is our ability to build meaningful, lasting relationships with other people.  I want to see us do a better job of that inside our group, and I want to see us put that into practice on the outside of our group.  I truly believe we have only scratched the surface of the people God has for us to reach, but we will not see the increase until we are willing to build relationships with people.

The relationships we build on the inside of our group have to be an encouragement to us, and they have to help us stay the course for who God wants us to be.  Here is a list of 10 questions you should be asking your close friends several times per week. And they should be asking you these questions as well.

1. Have you spent daily time in God’s Word and in prayer?
2. Have you flirted, or had lustful attitudes, tempting thoughts, or exposed yourself to any explicit materials which would not glorify God?
3. Have you been completely above reproach in your financial dealings?
4. Have you pursued the hearts of the people you are in godly relationships with?
5. Have you done your 100% best in your job, school, etc.?
6. Have you told any half truths or outright lies, putting yourself in a better light to those around you?
7. Have you shared the Gospel with an unbeliever this week?
8. Have you taken care of your body through daily physical exercise and proper eating/sleeping habits?
9. Have you allowed any person or circumstance to rob you of your joy?
10. Have you lied on any of your answers?

Remember, the goal is to hit 10 out of 10 every time you answer these questions.  Please let me caution you about something… if you read the questions and you immediately feel like your failing at some (or all) of them, our human nature is to stop asking yourself and others the questions so you don’t have to feel bad about it.  That is not the proper response.  The RIGHT thing to do is to begin working on them each day so you don’t have to feel bad when you’re asked.

Let’s hold each other to a standard worthy of the price that was paid for us.  Love you all!

WG