Nehemiah's Nemesis - Here We Go Again...

6 months... It has been SIX MONTHS since the last post to Nehemiah's Nemesis!!! No excuses gang, although I have a boatload of 'em. Here's how it is: I haven't been faithful, I didn't set reasonable priorities, I_simply_didn't - period. You know what? It feels good to be tapping at the keyboard again... with purpose (and not the "purpose" of planting and harvesting in Farmville). So, here we go again...

Maybe, just maybe, I am getting back into a routine... I'm back at CCNO, back at The Disciple House, back to my Saturday morning accountability group, and I even gave a Gideon message at St. John Lutheran in Montpelier last Sunday. And (can you believe it?) I actually prepared and led the Sunday School lesson today (it was even today's lesson in our Life Matters quarterly).

For those of you who were physically present, let's review, and for those who were AWOL (as I was last week) here's an overview of our current lesson titled Fueled For Action.

Working from 2 Corinthians 5:67-21 (you'll have to look it up and read it yourself or find it here: http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2%20Cor%205:6-21&version=NIV ), we looked at serving in the church for three reasons: We're expected to... We're compelled to... It's who we are!

First, we're expected to. When a member of The Team ( the Body of Christ is our team) isn't prepared, doesn't pay attention, or fails to take responsibility, someone else has to pick up the slack and the team suffers! We're expected to work cooperatively within a strategic plan allowing each one to use our unique, God-given gifts as He intended. At times we'll take the lead and at other times we'll depend upon others to exhibit their best efforts while we assume a supporting role. God expects us to serve and each will have to answer to Him for what we did with what He gave us. Admittedly, we don't like being held accountable, but each of us has a responsibility to the Body of Christ that must be fulfilled.

Let's pause here for a couple of question (hit the "comment" button to respond):
How well are YOU using  the gift(s) God has given you? What happens when you don't serve as God intends?

Next, we're compelled to. Let's note that "compelled" does not mean "forced". Barb put this so well this morning saying "Christ's love for me moves me to want to serve him!" Christ's love, demonstrated by his willingness to die on the cross for us, should be sufficiently compelling that we want to serve Him in whatever ways we can, as often as we can! We can't earn God's grace and love, but, once we've experienced it, how could we not share the hope we have in Him with the world around us?

It's time to pose another question for you to consider:
How can YOU show your appreciation for what Christ has done for you?

I'll be back in a few days with a preview of next Sunday's continuation of this lesson. We'll explore this reality: It's who we are! We'll be asked that personal question again... What are YOU going to do with what God has given to you??? For now, read the passage from 2 Corinthians, ponder the questions posed in this entry, and, please... add your comments (and react to the comments posted by others)...