Wednesday, September 23, 2009

Reflect > Refocus > Realign > Release

"Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation.” -- Mark 16:15

Reflect> (What person(s) in my world are near the flames?)

· This urgency is meant to convince us of the need to Go…!

· Read Jude 21-23 and see if the underlined section is anything less than urgent!

21) Keep yourselves in God's love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life. 22) Be merciful to those who doubt; 23) snatch others from the fire and save them; to others show mercy, mixed with fear--hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh.

Refocus> (Where do I need to tighten up my center-of-attention?)

· Is my love for those “other” people more of a noun or a verb?

· Does God’s mercy and love drive me or does my indifference bind me?

Realign> (Why did I choose Christ to begin with? Love or truth or both?)

· When I walk across the room, I need to seek hearts, not arguments.

· Does sharing God’s truth make me uncomfortable?

· Does sharing God’s love make me uncomfortable?

· Have I been alien to a healthy balance of both?

Release> (How will today’s message change me?)

Mark 12:28-31 One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, "Of all the commandments, which is the most important?" (29) "The most important one," answered Jesus, "is this: 'Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. (30) Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.' (31) The second is this: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no commandment greater than these."

1. Will I take an “intersecting faith” into this world this week?

2. Do I have this relationship with God? (v. 30)

3. Do I consistently practice this relationship with my Neighbor? (v.31)

Remember to… Pray! Practice! Prepare!