What does Jesus want you to do?

January 19, 2010

In church the other day, Pastor Phil asked the question, “What does Jesus want you to do?”

Then he went on to tell us that Jesus wants us to do Matthew 28:18-20. He preached a fine sermon on this passage. I, on the other was still back on the question “What does Jesus want you to do?” I am still there today. For the first time in many years I am at a cross roads in ministry. I could go left or I could go right. However, neither door seems to be opening at the moment. I am straining real hard to hear his quiet and gentle whisper for direction. I don't hear it yet. I am waiting….otherwise I would run into a closed door…..T

Goodbye to 2009, and hello to 2010!

January 1, 2010

Another year has come and gone—another year older and hopefully wiser. Every year at this time I take a few days and reflect on the past year, both good and bad, and make resolutions for the New Year. I am sure you have done the same thing and have probably set some goals to help you accomplish these resolutions or habits that you hope to develop...or break.

One of the tools I use is a list of questions by Donald Whitney, author of "Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life. " It is a simple and easy way to evaluate the year and think about the direction of my life. This list came from Donald Whitney’s website www.spiritualdisciplines.org/ He also has many other helpful tools you can use in.

1. What’s one thing you could do this year to increase your enjoyment of God?

2. What's the most humanly impossible thing you will ask God to do this year?

3. What's the single most important thing you could do to improve the quality of your family life this year?

4. In which spiritual discipline do you most want to make progress this year, and what will you do about it?

5. What is the single biggest time-waster in your life, and what will you do about it this year?

6. What is the most helpful new way you could strengthen your church?

7. For whose salvation will you pray most fervently this year?

8. What's the most important way you will, by God's grace, try to make this year different from last year?

9. What one thing could you do to improve your prayer life this year?

10. What single thing that you plan to do this year will matter most in 10 years? In eternity?

The value of these questions is not in their depth or completeness but in their ability to help you pin point an area of growth in you. So as the New Year starts, let’s evaluate our lives, make plans and goals and run the race to win the prize...T