• Am I fitting into God’s Plan? His plan is to save his children, and we are to tell others about the God who loves them.
• What are my longings? Our assignment is found at the intersection of God’s plan and our pleasures. You are created to serve God in a unique way.
• What are my abilities? Identify your strengths and major in them.
• Am I serving God now? As a young boy, Jesus sensed the call of God, but he went home and learned the family business. Do the same. Go home, love your family, be a good employee, and get your life on course.

Paul told the Corinthian church to worship in such a way that if an unbeliever entered, “he would find…the secrets of his heart revealed; and…would fall down on his face and worship God…” (1 Corinthians 14:25 NKJV)

Seekers may not understand all that happens in a house of worship. They may not understand the meaning of a song or the significance of communion. But they know joy when they see it.  And when they see your face changed, they may want to see God’s face. People, including your family, are watching. Believe me. They are watching.

Come to worship prepared to worship.  Pray and read the Word of God before you come, and come expecting God to speak. Then you’ll discover the purpose of worship—to change the face of the worshiper.

Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 3:18, “Our faces, then, are not covered.  We all show The Lord’s glory, and we are being changed to be like Him” (EXB).  God wipes away our tears, softens our furrowed brows and touches our cheeks. He changes our faces as we worship.

Give God your waking thoughts. Before you face the day, face the Father. Psalm 5:3 (NCV) says, “Every morning, I tell you what I need, and I wait for your answer.”

Give God your waiting thoughts. Spend time with him in silence.

Give God your whispering thoughts. During your lifetime, you will spend six months at stoplights, eight months opening junk mail. Give these moments to God. Simple phrases, such as “Thank you, Father,” can turn a commute into a pilgrimage.

Give God your waning thoughts. Conclude the day as you began it: talking to God. If you fall asleep as you pray, don’t worry. What better place to doze off than in the arms of your Father.

Is it possible to live—minute by minute—in the presence of God? Jesus enjoyed unbroken communion with God, and God wants that same abiding intimacy with you and me.  He wants to be as close to us as a branch is to a vine.  You know it’s impossible to tell where one starts and the other ends. What good news!  We are NEVER away from God!  And He is NEVER away from us!

As we search the Bible, we realize that unbroken communion with God is the intent and not the exception.  Within the reach of every Christian is the unending presence of God.

The second tool is an open Bible. Pray first, asking God to help you understand it. Study the Bible a little at a time. Read until a verse “hits” you. Then meditate on it and write it down.

The third tool is a listening heart. We know we’re listening when what we read in the Bible is what others see in our lives. If you want to be just like Jesus, spend time listening for him until you receive your lesson for the day, and then apply it.

When God asks for your attention, he doesn’t want you to send a substitute. He invites you to vacation in his splendor. He invites you to feel the touch of his hand. He invites you to feast at his table.  He wants to spend time with you. And with a little training, your time with God can be the highlight of your day.

Jesus spent regular time with God, praying and listening. Luke 5:16 (NIV) tells us, “Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.” If Jesus, the Son of God, the sinless Savior of humankind, thought it worthwhile to clear his calendar to pray, wouldn’t we be wise to do the same? Jesus also spent regular time in God’s Word. Three times in the wilderness temptation he used the Word of God to repel the attack of Satan.

If we are to be just like Jesus, then we need to imitate his habits of prayer and Bible reading.

In New Testament times, leprosy was the most dreaded disease. In Scripture, the leper is symbolic of the ultimate outcast. A person doesn’t have to have leprosy to feel quarantined. The divorced, handicapped, unemployed, depressed, and terminally ill know this feeling. Jesus touched the untouchables of the world. Will you do the same?

Because Jesus has forgiven us, we can forgive others. Because he lives in us, you and I can do the same. Oh, I could never do that, you object. The hurt is so deep. Just seeing the person makes me cringe. Perhaps that’s the problem: you’re seeing too much of the wrong person. Try shifting your glance away from the one who hurt you and setting your eyes on the One who has saved you.

Please understand. Relationships don’t thrive because the guilty are punished but because the innocent are merciful. Are there any relationships in your world thirsty for mercy? Is there anyone who needs to be assured of your grace? Jesus made sure his disciples had no reason to doubt his love. Why don’t you do the same?