Even though I have alluded to it before, its purpose remains relevant to us for our time and so I allude to it again: In Chosen to be a Soldier, it is said that William Booth encouraged Soldiers to examine their heart once a week by asking themselves a series of questions. One of them was this:
“Am I fulfilling the vows that I have made to God in my acts of consecration, or at the penitent form?” (page 18)
God spoke to us powerfully this weekend. I believe he revealed Himself and showed us things we need to change or grow in. Think back through this weekend. What did the Holy Spirit reveal to you? This could be anything from God’s love for you to your need to love others, or that one specific person in your life.
Assuming that you listened when God spoke this weekend, it will be helpful for you to create a sort of action plan to carry out what you consecrated yourself to do. For instance, if God spoke to you that you need a more consistent relationship with Him, start doing things that foster a love relationship. 1) Spend time with Jesus – set time aside to be alone with Him. 2) Talk to Jesus – Pray! A great way to start praying is praying the words of the Psalms, which are basically prayers (you may find your requests to be very similar to the writer’s). 3) Spend time in worship – reflect on who God is (love, 1 John 4; merciful, faithful, holy, beautiful, compassionate) Also, read the Bible more. There are tons of Bible reading plans online (google it!). And when you read don’t just read it like you read your Biology book. Pray before you start, ask God to help you understand it, and ask Him to show you something specific that you can apply to your life right then and there.
Or let’s say that God revealed to you that need to evangelize more. First of all, try raising your eyebrows when you talk- I actually started doing this, and it works! Follow the Spirit’s leading in your every day life. If God leads you to pray with someone, do it. If God leads you to talk to someone about Jesus, do it. Also, study up on the basics of the Gospel. I’ve found it to be very easy to forget some things on the spot. If you have a Handbook of Doctrine, study chapter 8 which is on doctrine 7 – “We believe that repentance toward God, faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, and regeneration by the Holy Spirit are necessary to salvation.” It gives the specifics and backs it up with Scripture for you to memorize.
Encourage each other today. If a friend shared with you something that God has been doing in their life, they trust you. Give them a call, email them, or facebook them an encouraging word. Encourage each other to be faithful!
If your struggling to remember what God spoke to you, this is what he talked about:
Friday night – Understanding God and his love for me – Read Luke 15:11-32
Saturday morning – Understanding how I give and receive love
Saturday night – Overcoming barriers to receiving God’s love
Sunday morning – We need to love others because God has loved us – Read 1 John 3-4