40. Claim Your Treasure
Summary
» Don’t just look at where you are right now; look to where you going.
» We can learn from the past.
» Be thankful for the work of those in the past that have brought us to this point.
» Making disciples is an on-going process that doesn’t end when someone joins the church.
» We, as a church, are to be united in our purpose.
» Remember that we can do all things in Christ.
Dive in questions
- What commitment am I ready to make to prayer?
- What commitment am I ready to make to presence?
- What commitment am I ready to make to gifts?
- What commitment am I ready to make to service?
- What commitment am I ready to make to witness?
39. A Standard of Excellence
Summary
» We should aim for perfection, using Jesus as our role model.
» We need to make a regular evaluation of our progress in advancing on our faith journey.
» We need to adjust our thinking to allow Jesus to guide our heart, mind, and attitude.
» To grow, we need to pray, go to church, give, and serve with the goal of excellence in all things.
Dive in questions
- Where am I in my life on the way to becoming like Christ on a scale of one to ten?
- What is it about Jesus that makes him perfect?
- What kind of changes might God bring about in my life to make me more like Christ?
38. Sharing Your Faith
Summary
» The main job of the church is to reach out to others with the Gospel message in word and service.
» Be confident in sharing your faith.
» As we share our faith, remember that Christ is always by our side.
» To be an effective witness, you need to show others – in words and actions - that your faith is real.
» We need to have the conviction that we are doing God’s will.
» We need to be able to communicate – in words and actions – effectively.
Dive in questions
- What holds me back from throwing out my net?
- How can God help me be more confident about sharing my faith?
- With whom in my life do I need to share my faith?
37. Spiritual Maturity
Summary
» Growth is a good thing, but we need to remember it takes time.
» Spiritual maturity takes time and discipline.
» We need to be faithful in studying the Bible, prayer, serving, and giving.
» God should be the number one priority in our lives.
» As we grow in faith, we produce fruits such as love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
Dive in questions
- On a scale of one to ten, how disciplined am I in my relationship with God?
- Do I do things for God out of love or obedience?
- What kind of shells has God helped me shed as I’ve learned to walk with him?
36. Where You’re Headed
Summary
» We need to be willing to admit that God knows best.
» We need to stay in prayer to keep connected with God.
» Our Christian journey is easier when we have fellow Christians around us.
» We need to be intentional about taking the right path.
Dive in questions
- How sturdy is my board?
- How secure is my leash?
- How can I get better at recognizing the right waves to catch?
33. A Servant’s Heart
Summary
» Every member is a minister.
» Church leadership shouldn’t have to resort to “arm-twisting” to get people to volunteer to help.
» Love for others – not fear or intimidation - should be our motivation for serving.
» God can help us do things where training or education would not suffice.
» Don’t complain about what you don’t have; use what you do have.
» True happiness comes from living unselfishly for others.
Dive in questions
- In what areas do I feel called to serve?
- How do I do a task that I’ve been recruited for differently from one I’ve volunteered to do?
- What changes might I need to make in my life to be more available to serve?
32. Team Spirit
Summary
» The Christian “uniform” we put on is the way we act and serve that others can see.
» To be successful as a church, we must work with, support, and serve each other.
» Holding each other accountable is a helpful exercise in helping us to stay on the right path.
» Be careful not to undermine authority.
» Everyone needs to do their part and work together towards a common goal.
» A successful team depends upon each part doing its job.
Dive in questions
- What’s my attitude toward serving?
- Am I more likely to spread a positive or negative attitude among my team?
- In what ways could I be a better team player?
31. Opportunities Abound
Summary
» Everyone is called to serve in areas in which they have gifts.
» Take the time to discover in what areas you are gifted.
» One indication of your gifts isthe areas in which you excel or enjoy the most.
» Listen to what others say about your gifts.
» If you find yourself in an area that doesn’t work out for you, make a graceful, well-timed exit so that you don’t damage the ministry.
» If you volunteer and aren’t called, keep trying; if it’s meant to be it will happen eventually.
Dive in questions
- What stands between me and the ability to give 100 percent in service to God?
- How have I been blessed by someone else’s service to me?
- Are there any places that I’ve let pain get the best of me that could still be turned around to help someone else?
30. A Life Worthwhile
Summary
» By giving to and serving others, we are blessed.
» God calls each of us to serve in our own special ways.
» We owe it to God to always make our best effort.
» Besides the benefits of being Christ-like here on earth, there are also heavenly rewards.
» Acquiring earthly possessions mean nothing compared with those heavenly rewards in the next life.
Dive in questions
- What might prevent me from spending more time serving others?
- How could my life be enriched through service?
- In what areas has God given me talents and abilities that I could use for his kingdom?
29. Imitate Christ
Summary
» Serving others is Christ-like.
» Christ showed us how to serve - find a need and help meet it.
» Our service is a form of evangelism.
» We should serve to help others, not for any personal gain or pride. Still, we do benefit from serving others.
» Serving others should be a continuous effort.
» We need to be willing to put the needs of others before our own.
Dive in questions
- What does the life of Jesus teach me about serving?
- When was the last time I reached out to someone with no thought of what I could get I return?
- What’s my motivation for serving others?