Who will you serve?

On Thursday, I spent three hours sorting through the junk in my life and getting right before the Lord. I don’t even know exactly what getting right before the Lord means, but I simply rolled with it and asked myself a ton of tough questions backed with Scripture and deeply examined my life. The truth of the matter is that the Institute staff can ask me to focus, to learn and to check my heart as I am beginning this journey, but it means nothing unless I choose to focus, choose to learn and choose to examine my heart before the Lord. So, I chose to take our assignment seriously and really let it change my heart rather than simply going through the motions, and my prayer is that I will choose to learn, seek and change daily from here on out. The way we live our lives is a choice: a daily one. Who will we serve? “…Choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve…as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord” Joshua 24:15. I pray that I will choose to serve the Lord daily, and I hope that you will as well.

We were given a packet that went through a series of topics and within each topic was a group of questions. It would have been easy to half-heartedly answer the questions, but I truly tried to answer honestly. I’d like to pose a few of the questions to you. Taking them seriously or not is up to you, but do with these what you will:

-How does grace affect the way you live? Ephesians 2:8-9 (What is the actual definition of grace?) I love how verse 10 goes on to talk about the good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. We are not saved by works at all, but works accompany our salvation because of our heart change. If I’m honest, often times, grace doesn’t affect my life. I take it for granted all the time when in reality it is the greatest gift of all.

-What are your top 10 priorities? WOW…convicting. Where do you spend your time because I know I waste a ton of mine? Go back through and write what you want your priorities to look like and actively pursue changing them. Matthew 6:33.

-Are you struggling with anything that no one can see but you?

-Are you treating your body as God’s temple? Do you eat right? Get enough sleep and exercise? Are you being self-disciplined? Do you need to be dressed up to feel good about yourself? 1 Corinthians 6:19-20

-Do you love the present world more than you love the eternal things that belong to God? Colossians 3:2, 2 Corinthians 4:18

-Do you find yourself so busy that you don’t have adequate time to meet with the Lord daily? How do you need to adjust your priorities in order to accommodate God? I need to wake up earlier, but in order to do that I need to start by going to bed earlier.

-Are you careful with the things you say with your mouth? Are you sarcastic? Ephesians 4:29 I think I possess the spiritual gift of sarcasm, so this is definitely one I need to keep an eye on!

-How do you respond to correction or criticism? Romans 13:1-5

-Have you committed each member of your family in prayer to the Lord daily?

-Is there anything that you need to confess before the Lord? Proverbs 28:13

I was challenged. I hope that you are as well. But remember: it’s a choice as to whom we will serve each day.

On a lighter note, I’ve LOVED my first week here. We’ve played softball and flag football, had a costume skating party, learned to Salsa dance and then had a huge dance party, seen the Chinese Acrobats and gone on a scavenger hunt through Branson. We’re in the process of hearing one another’s stories about how we came to know the Lord and how in the world we ended up in Shady B. We are building community and unity daily. I’ve met some solid people and look forward to becoming friends rather than acquaintances. Most importantly and the most exciting, the Lord is already teaching and challenging me, and I’ve only been here for a week. Tomorrow begins the search of finding a new church home. Here’s to week one of the Institute!