August 28, 2011 Chap.6 FIVE THINGS FOR LIFE by Susan Emery

"Moreover He said to me, "Son of man, eat what you find; eat this scroll, and go, speak to the house of Israel."  so I opened my mouth, and He caused me to eat that scroll.  And He said to me, "Son of man, feed your belly, and fill your stomach with this scroll that I give you."  So I ate, and it was in my mouth like honey in sweetness." (Ez.3:1-3)
     Life is a journey; our ultimate destination is our heavenly home.  You wouldn't go on a journey without a map(or GPS), provisions and a camera to record your memories of where you have been, would you?  In Chap.6 of THE DIVINE MENTOR, Wayne Cordeiro introduces us to the map, provisions and camera needed for our life journey.  Need a map?  The Bible is the only map you need to get to your destination.  Need provisions?  Bring a pen, journal, Bible-reading plan and daily planner.  Need a camera?  The things written in your journal will provide a vivid picture of what you are experiencing & what God is speaking to you on a given day.
      Since I became a Christian at the ripe old age of 39, I have made a practice of reading the Bible every day, and reading through the whole Bible every year.  So I have read the Bible many times through.  I never get bored, because each year I am experienceing different circumstances & the Lord is refining me in different ways.  I love the Word; I consume it like honey.  Where I have not been so disciplined, however, is in journaling.  I would start journaling; get bored with it & justify NOT doing it by saying that I have no one to leave the journals to; no one to read them but me & I already know what I've gone through! 
     But, good student that I am, I peeked ahead & started using the SOAP method described in the book.  My opinions about journaling have changed!  As I look back on what I have written, even in a short time, I see how the Lord is working on me; I hear more clearly what He is speaking to me.  I have added this into my devotional time; and use the Scriptures I am reading for that day to journal.  Sometimes I don't write, but more often than not the Lord shows me "wonderful things in His law."
Here's an example:
Scripture:"He shall come down like rain upon the grass before mowing.  Like showers that water the earth." (Ps.72:6)
Observation:  I long for the cool refreshing of Christ's presence, coming down like showers that water the earth.  This reminds me of Hos.10:12:  "Sow for yourselves righteousness; reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground, for it is time to seek the Lord, till He comes & rains righteousness on you."
Application:  Seek the Lord-in worship, prayer & the Word.  In prayer, ask the Lord to break up the hardness in my own heart as well as in those who don't know Him.  Pray for the harvest; plant the seeds of love all around.
Prayer:  Come, Holy Spirit, fall afresh on me!
     My prayer for each one of you is that He speak into you a passion for His Word; a passion for prayer; and a passion to record His workings in your life so that you can remember His footsteps on your hearts.  Then go, and tell others all about His wonderful love for them.
"Moreover He said to me:  "Son of man, receive into your heart all My words that I speak to you, and hear with your ears.  And go, get to the captives, to the children of your people, and speak to them and tell them, 'Thus says the Lord God,' whether they hear, or whether they refuse." (Ez.3:10-11)
    

Mark and Mary Desmond, August 26th

Chapter 3: The Self Feeding Program
Just as a human needs food, so do us Christians need to be fed.

In chapter 3 it is very interesting what Wayne is talking about. He says how he would go to Church come home and just feel empty only getting spiritually fed by others at Church or wherever. To be honest, I feel like that too sometimes. If you are only getting fed and getting God's word once a week at Church its difficult to feel fed. When i was reading this chapter God put it on my heart that I need to read the Bible more and really get into His word. I can't only depend on others to feed me. I need to read my Bible and talk to God so I can feed myself! I know that it is easy to put God aside because we have so many things to do, but we need to remember to feed ourselves. If we think about how in everyday life we have our breakfast, lunch, and dinner, it is weird to think about some Christians only getting fed every so often. Humans need food to survive and Christians need to be fed with God's word so they won't spiritually die.

Vanessa Scherbarth, August 21

(Chapter 5: One Thing for Martha)
I Wanna be just like Mary when I grow up... Too bad I have Martha tendencies.

As some of you may know, I gave my testimony today at church about my families recent trip to Rainier Oregon and how the Lord did a work in me. A work that I'm sure He has been continually doing in me since my birth. But hey, what can I say? I'm a slow learner. The thing that I can't get over is how right on par this book was to my season in life right now. How amazing is it that God knew EXACTLY what I needed to hear and when I needed to hear it. Seriously! He seems to know me or something ;)

As I confessed in my title... I tend to be a Martha. But not just any Martha. I'm the mother of all Marthas. Somehow I manage to justify in my internal monolog that I'll get to my devotionals AFTER I get everything else done. After I do the laundry. After I run my errands. After I clean the kitchen and after I tend to the kids. I mean who's gonna know? Right? I'm not held accountable to anyone? WRONG! As if I could hide from God or try to convince Him that I'm just too busy to crack open my bible and learn from the creator of all.  Like Jesus and Paul said, there is only ONE thing that is a priority and somehow I've managed to make everything else in my life a priority.

I need to practice my "scales" daily. I find that the longer I go without time with the Master and soaking in the living water that is God's word, the easier it is for me to get discouraged and the easier it is for the "Father of lies" to get into my head. I also have a tendency to shut down when I haven't taken the time to hear from God. Like Wayne Cordeiro says, if you're not feeding your body or depending on someone to feed you once a week on Sunday mornings, you're bound to shut down and not think strait. God's word is food for your soul! And not just chicken soup... it's like an all you can eat buffet! And not like those cheesy one's at Hometown Buffet where the foods all gross and dried up 'cause it's been there all day. It's like the buffets in Vegas with the crab legs and prime rib... Wait, I'm hungry!....... But I digress. OK, back to God's buffet. It's what gives you the energy and power to keep going even when you don't feel like it.

I want to be like Mary and listen to God's word FIRST. To delve into God's word BEFORE I do the laundry. To be able to arm myself with the spiritual armor that is spoken about in Ephesians six. I want to be so submerged in the Word that the "sword of truth" (God's word) is on my tongue any time and every time I need it. To get lost in the "not so safe" books that are the Bible. To glean different things from the same passage that I've read 100 times. To be able to quote scripture to my children when they have questions about issues they have.

When I grow up, I want to be spiritualy mature. Just like Mary.    

Chapter 3: The Self Feeding Program

After reading this chapter, I know this is one very important chapter for our team. Not to diminish the importance of the rest of the book in any way. The problems this chapter deals with are very important to me personally as I'm sure they are for many others.

Wayne starts out the chapter by telling the story of a staff member who came into his office to throw in the towel. They were done. They explained by saying, "I'm not being fed here." Over the last few weeks, I could sense this same sentiment brewing inside my heart. Taking on a leadership role, being a part of a new ministry, and all this on top of a busy work schedule and barely enough time left for relaxation has left me feeling like I'm not getting the recharge I need to keep this up.

The breaking point is fast approaching and I don't do something soon, I'll be learning through consequences, rather than through wisdom (As Wayne talks about A Choice of Instructors in Chapter 2).

Even dedicating time and reading this book has been a struggle for me. I only started reading the book last night. I've put this off for a long time. It felt like homework. I graduated from college in 2009 and never looked back. I'm done with homework. So when I come across something that feels like homework, I'm obviously not a big fan of it. With hindsight, I look back at that feeling and know the devil has been attacking me with these thoughts from the beginning. When I read the first email about this, the devil knew that he couldn't let me read this book. He knew that things would not be the same after I read even the first few chapters. Well he was right. And he lost.

This last Saturday night (August 20th), on a whim, I asked Adam for a copy of the book. I had a short chat with him about the feelings I've been having towards the book and the internal struggle I've had to bring myself to the point of asking him about the book. He encouraged me through the talk we had and I came out with a different outlook. I already felt the influence the devil had over me beginning to fade away.

That night, I read the first two chapters. If I hadn't needed to get up early, I would've kept reading. The wisdom contained in these pages is far beyond what I expected. It's been a great blessing to me already. I can't wait to read more. I want to be fed.

Wayne asked his malnourished staff member if he has been doing his daily devotion. As the book said, "My words were met with an empty stare." The staff member had been neglecting something very important in anyone's walk with Christ. The same regenerating, refreshing, recharging spring that I've been lacking. The same divine power that I will need very soon if I continue on the frenzied pace I'm on. Wayne explained it best with the analogy he gave of the image of himself, malnourished, in front of this wife. She asks, "What's wrong with you?" To which he replies, "I'm not getting fed around here... No one is feeding me." What an insight into my own heart! Wayne's obvious end to the image is a simple statement: Feed Yourself!

So why haven't I been feeding myself? It's something I've rarely done. The thought of devotions has always been equated with homework. That thing I separated myself in 2009. I left it in the dust, never to be seen again. No more projects, reports, tests, exams, grades, anything! All my life, I've equated devotions with homework. Today has been the only day that I haven't seen devotions as something that takes away from me. Yes, it takes time and discipline, but the rewards are so much greater! Invest a little time and effort and look at what God can do. I invested a little time in reading this book and He's completely transformed the way I look at an important part of my life. Today is the first day I've seen devotions as an investment in myself and in my relationship with Christ.

And what a book the Bible is to get the return on the investment from. Throughout the rest of the chapter, Wayne details out how we have so many mentors ready to commune with us in the pages of the Bible. Their best and worse days, unedited, raw, and ready for us to soak up the wisdom.

Not only has God provided a living Word for us to learn from and live by, but He has also provided a different set of mentors to all of us. These too are living and alive for Him. They are your fellow worship team member. A great way to illustrate this is through the example Wayne gives in the book. He talks about athletes and how they have a coach with them every practice and every game. Why would they need a coach, they're the best in the world! Well, Wayne writes, "That's why they're the best in the world." God has surrounded us with coaches, mentors that are there for us. Becoming coachable is crucial to an athlete, as it is for us. We must learn to accept the coaching and mentoring of our peers. When you do this as God at the center of it all, nothing can stop us. Not even gates of hell.

I hope everyone stays encouraged throughout the coarse of reading this book. I have faith that if you give God that little, He'll bless you in ways you never thought possible.

August 11, 2011 Marcel Seva

EMPTY AND STUPID.
Poor, hungry and Desperate as well. I was a bit confused as I read this chapter (chapter 4).Wayne talks about wisdom, right or wrong, drawing from God's well, spiritually starving? Where is Wayne headed with all this? That is until I read the last or at least next to last paragraph of the chapter. "The secret of growing in divine wisdom is to come to God stupid." Basically come to God empty so I can draw from his well, his word. We are constantly filled with elements from this world that we end up having no more room for what God has for us. I believe that we need to come to him in prayer and daily devotion empty and willing. Open to his wisdom and not ours.

Sean Hendrickson

How much easier would life be if we all followed life through wisdom, rather then choosing the door of consequences? I always find myself at the end of a discovery, whether good or bad, wishing I would have listened and followed the advice of others. Instead, I choose to follow my ways and find out for myself: the consequences. In most cases I am left beaten, bruised, and hurt. 

The choice to be wise, "requires discipline, obedience, consistency, and above all else time." (page 30) It is very true, but difficult to do these four things on a regular basis. As many say, it is easier said then done.  It seems to easy to follow my own lead and trust myself, rather than humble myself to the wisdom of those before me. 

My prayer is to not only see that I need the wisdom of others, but being open to it. Have the courage and desire to listen and learn from others so that I don't have to make the same mistakes and make a better future for myself, my family, friends, work, the church, and most of all fulfilling the plans God has in store for me.