Still God's Week 2

We’re always more likely to assume life is better and easier for those in the situation we desire. Reality is quick to remind us that the previous statement isn't true. Most of us have two major problems when it comes to finances. We are impulsive with our day to day spending, and we make possible what we feel is necessary. Every Christian knows that God has given him or her everything he or she has. However, we tend to operate as though we are our own provider. When we are able to properly evaluate all the God has entrusted to us, we’re able to give, save, and live in a way that glorifies God.

The third and final target we find is to live in peaceful community. The apostle Paul offers a four part plan for believers to live in peaceful community with others. However, it's not as easy as it might sound. We all have both personal and relational responsibilities when it comes to living in community. Ultimately, living this way will lead others to glorify God and seek to please Him with their own lives.

What does it mean to be honorable? The Apostle Paul encouraged believers to live in a manner that was honorable before God and man. But why so much concern for man if God is ultimately who will judge us? That question reveals a misunderstanding of our life in Christ. We are here for God's glory, yes. However, we are also called to be a light to the world. This is far more than simply having a good reputation. This is about living a life of integrity.

There is a tension that every person experiences in this life. The hope for a meaningful and fulfilled life. For the Christian, this tension has an added potential frustration. Not many people are aimlessly wandering through life. Even the undeclared college student, or newly empty-nested parent have a mental picture of his or her preferred life circumstances.What those preferences usually reveal is that we are aiming at the targets of acceptance, security, safety, and comfort. We may not realize that we have aimed at those targets. In truth, most of the time we're aimed at pleasing ourselves.

God is calling each of us to His mission.

If you're a believer in Jesus, you have a God given mandate to be a part of His church. Most people can provide a list of how the church has let us down. However, few are honest enough to admit there is a similar list as to how we've let the church down. Part of the reason for this mutual disappointment is that we either don't know what is expected of us as members of the church, or the church has failed to rightly teach how the body is meant to operate.

Everyone goes through seasons in life. Church is no different. We need to recognize what season our church is currently experiencing in order to effectively move forward with our mission. Aside from sin, the biggest potential downfall for any church is a lack of unity. Only when we are unified and working together will we have the opportunity to see God move.

Andy Stanley once said that when your memories exceed your dreams, the end is near. That's as true for a five year old church as it is for a 150 year old church. As we celebrate what God has done in our lives, let's not forget that in order to accomplish what God has called us to, we must work together. Grace Collective Church's vision statement is that we exist to guide people in relationship with Jesus and each other. The question we need to answer is, are you a part of we?

Part six in our series in Proverbs.