"Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves..."
-2 Corinthians 13:5 (NIV)
When I was a junior, I was forced by my guidance counselor to take ACT. She said it was important that I got as many tries as possible before I graduated. It is like she assumed I would fail the first time. I got my study booklet and tried to prepare for this test that would affect my future so much. I put my favorite cds in my stereo, turned it up loud, got a soda, and was ready to crack down on some information. As I studied, I felt like I was absorbing all this knowledge. After a couple of days of this habit, I felt prepared with the test a couple days away. My mom asked me if I was ready, and of course I said in the cockiest way, "Duh." She knew me a little two well. She then had me take the pre-test in the back to see how I did. Let us just say that I could have done better.
How are we suppose to know where we stand in our walk with God if we just "let it happen." We need to constantly asking ourselves where we are. We are never suppose to become "comfortable" in our faith. We know that are called to perfection, but we are human, so are we just suppose to accept that and let it be? No. We need to strive to be what calls us to be and to do that is to examine ourselves. By doing that, we will know what we need to work on and see where we are. You can not go ahead without know where you are currently. Test yourself daily and strive to be what God has called you to be.
It is not easy to accept the results sometimes. You may, like me at times, find out that you are in the same place with your faith that you were months, or even years, ago. But nothing is more satisfying than know pushing forward in you faith instead of staying still.
-Trey Cotton
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Things to think about…
How do I test myself to know where I am in my faith?
What things do I need to work on?
What things am I doing well?
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Read the Bible in a Year…
2 Kings 14
Ezekiel 4
2 Corinthians 12-13
09.07.10
“...If anyone is confident that he belongs to Christ, he should consider again that we belong to Christ just as much as he."
-2 Corinthians 10:7 (NIV)
I grew up without any siblings, so it always amused me to watch my cousins who were brother and sister fight for who was their parent's favorite. Now, of course we know that parents to do not have favorite children, but for them, they thought for sure that they were the only loved ones. I remember one time in particular that my cousin, Jordan, got in trouble for something and got grounded. It was something juvenile, but nothing to serious. At dinner the same day, my aunt was talking to him like nothing had happened and it was killing my cousin Maddie. In the middle of the conversation, she stood up and reminded the whole table about what he had done and how he was in trouble. She was upset because she was not getting the attention from her mother like she felt she deserved for not getting in trouble.
We are not alone as Christians. Sometimes I feel like a lot of people view Christians as this club or group that is invite only. We are belong to Christ as much as the next person. We can not pass off judgment thinking we are any better than the next person. We sometimes get this jealousy when looking at other Christians, like Jesus might take them in more than ourselves, but we need to remember that we belong to Christ as much as they do. We are all in this together and we can not forget that.
-Trey Cotton
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Things to think about…
Do I feel like I belong to Christ as much as others?
Do I feel like others belong to Christ as much as me?
---
Read the Bible in a Year…
2 Kings 13
Ezekiel 3
2 Corinthians 10-11
-2 Corinthians 10:7 (NIV)
I grew up without any siblings, so it always amused me to watch my cousins who were brother and sister fight for who was their parent's favorite. Now, of course we know that parents to do not have favorite children, but for them, they thought for sure that they were the only loved ones. I remember one time in particular that my cousin, Jordan, got in trouble for something and got grounded. It was something juvenile, but nothing to serious. At dinner the same day, my aunt was talking to him like nothing had happened and it was killing my cousin Maddie. In the middle of the conversation, she stood up and reminded the whole table about what he had done and how he was in trouble. She was upset because she was not getting the attention from her mother like she felt she deserved for not getting in trouble.
We are not alone as Christians. Sometimes I feel like a lot of people view Christians as this club or group that is invite only. We are belong to Christ as much as the next person. We can not pass off judgment thinking we are any better than the next person. We sometimes get this jealousy when looking at other Christians, like Jesus might take them in more than ourselves, but we need to remember that we belong to Christ as much as they do. We are all in this together and we can not forget that.
-Trey Cotton
---
Things to think about…
Do I feel like I belong to Christ as much as others?
Do I feel like others belong to Christ as much as me?
---
Read the Bible in a Year…
2 Kings 13
Ezekiel 3
2 Corinthians 10-11
09.06.10
“Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver."
-2 Corinthians 9:6-7 (NIV)
My very first job was working the stock room at JC Penney. It was just me and another guy and we split the hours. He ALWAYS got more hours than me and I never understood why. I finally asked my manager why he got more hours than I did. Her answer was simple; he is a better employee.
Although I can laugh about it now, at the time I was so confused. I did my job and felt I did it well, or so I thought. It was not until one Saturday when we were setting up for a promotion that I realized what she meant when she said he was a better employee. When he was doing his job, he was also doing things that were not necessarily on our job description. He would clean the floor when they got dirty. He would carry out items that needed on the floor to help other co-workers. He was not letting the bare minimum stop him from doing what he felt needed to be done to get the job done. You can assume how I did my job.
God wants us to give. He never says specifically what he wants, or specific numbers, but just wants us to give what he feel in our hearts is the right thing to give. So many times I hear people giving during church and complaining that they are going to be tight the rest of the month, but Paul says to not give "reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver." Instead of trying to figure out what the bare minimum is, we need to look in our hearts and give cheerfully to God.
-Trey Cotton
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Things to think about…
What all can I give to God?
Do I give the bare minimum, or do I give cheerfully from my heart?
---
Read the Bible in a Year…
2 Kings 11-12
Ezekiel 2
2 Corinthians 8-9
-2 Corinthians 9:6-7 (NIV)
My very first job was working the stock room at JC Penney. It was just me and another guy and we split the hours. He ALWAYS got more hours than me and I never understood why. I finally asked my manager why he got more hours than I did. Her answer was simple; he is a better employee.
Although I can laugh about it now, at the time I was so confused. I did my job and felt I did it well, or so I thought. It was not until one Saturday when we were setting up for a promotion that I realized what she meant when she said he was a better employee. When he was doing his job, he was also doing things that were not necessarily on our job description. He would clean the floor when they got dirty. He would carry out items that needed on the floor to help other co-workers. He was not letting the bare minimum stop him from doing what he felt needed to be done to get the job done. You can assume how I did my job.
God wants us to give. He never says specifically what he wants, or specific numbers, but just wants us to give what he feel in our hearts is the right thing to give. So many times I hear people giving during church and complaining that they are going to be tight the rest of the month, but Paul says to not give "reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver." Instead of trying to figure out what the bare minimum is, we need to look in our hearts and give cheerfully to God.
-Trey Cotton
---
Things to think about…
What all can I give to God?
Do I give the bare minimum, or do I give cheerfully from my heart?
---
Read the Bible in a Year…
2 Kings 11-12
Ezekiel 2
2 Corinthians 8-9
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