Truly, God has done incredible things among us till date. God indeed has blessed us more than what we asked or even imagined.

Truly, glory goes to god for the successes that the church has experienced. But the question is how our life is? In II Corinthians 3:17-18 we see as disciples God wants our life to reflect His glory. Definitely when good things happen in our ministries it does make us happy but it is even greater when we are spiritually doing well and are close to God because when we are that way we reflect the Lords glory through our life.

How are we doing? Do we feel we are glorifying God through our personal life? What would Jesus say about our life?

To reflect Gods glory through our lives it is important for us to ask some questions to ourselves. Let us consider asking these three questions to ourselves.

1.Who am I?

As disciples, some times we forget who we really are. Everyday we must always make enough efforts to know ourselves better and not to forget who we really are. In Revelations 2:4-5 God always wants us not to forget the height from which we have fallen down. Every time we have to think about our past and be increasingly grateful to god for the way, he has saved us from the darkness.

In Ephesians 5:8-14 Bible says in the past we were in darkness itself. Now we have become God’s righteousness so let us no more live like how we lived before. Let us be open and live in the light.

In Romans 12:3 we see some times as disciples/leaders we tend to think high about ourselves but do not assume that if we are a disciple/leader we are somebody great but rather have a sober judgment about ourself.

In Romans 7:15-20,24-25 some times we wonder about ourselves why are we not changing, as Paul says that problem was there for him also because we all are sinful by nature. So understand that, be open about our life and praise god for forgiving us, and change. So its important for us to humble ourself and take help. Make a strong decision that we are going to be totally open about our life.

2. Who is God?

Who is God for us? How do we look at God? Is he our Father, mother, friend, companion, and guide? How do we look at God?
a. Every day we need to seek God and have a great relationship with God – Isaiah 55:6.
b. Everyday its important for us to be filled with God – Ps 27:10 & Ps 28:7-8.
c. Everyday we need to start our day with God. He will help us and heal us from all our difficulties – Ps30:1-3.
d.God always loves us and wants to make us happy – Ps 30:5.

So earn, seek, know and love God more and more day by day.

Therefore, as disciples it is very important for us to be close to God. Everyday when we get up in the morning so many temptations, bad news, problems, financial struggles, relationship struggles awaits us and without God we can never overcome these obstacles.

So many of us we live our life with our own strength and in the end we are left out with a big vacuum in our heart. We try to fill those vacuums sometimes by falling into sins and becoming a victim of the situations around us. It is important that everyday we fill that vacuum by God. Let us read Ps. 62 and 63 to get more inspired.

3. Who is my neighbor?

“And who is my neighbor”? A Pharisee asked this famous question. But the truth is sometimes even as disciples we are really not clear about who is that neighbor that Jesus is asking us to love as ourselves in Luke 10:30-37. We all know this parable very well.

It is so interesting to see how the Samaritan man had a genuine love towards the wounded person. The Samaritan did not have any discipler to tell him what to do, he did not have any accountability or any appreciation or even encouragement for his noble deed but he genuinely loved and cared for his neighbor.

How are we today? Are we genuinely loving and caring towards our disciples or are we legalistically coming to ministry to get a good name, some claps and glory. Some of us we discharge the duties of our ministries just to escape from some challenges and rebukes from the leaders. We need to really love our disciples as well as the guests who come to church genuinely.

So, let us ask ourselves a question, whom are we like? Are we like the Good Samaritan, or like the Levi or the Priest who were too busy to take care of them? Our work of evangelizing has just begun so let us love, teach, train, encourage our disciples so that we can help all of them to be strong and happy.

Mind Massage -  Christians Should Help Shape The Popular Culture

The popular culture – movies, television shows, rock concerts and other forms of entertainment for mass audiences – is vitally important, because culture reflects what society values. Rather than avoiding popular culture because some of its content is offensive, Christians should participate in the culture, analyzing it, critiquing it and shaping it.

Here are some ways you can become more engaged with the popular culture:

1. Experience secular presentations within the popular culture. For instance, don’t just watch Christian television programs; watch a broad range of television shows to understand the content that is being broadcast. Let the popular culture give you insight into what a broad range of people in society are thinking and feeling.

2. Pay attention to more than just the moral values that popular culture presents. Also consider the artistic quality of the presentations you experience, and ask yourself why the shows or concerts do or don’t move you. Realize that the most popular presentations reach people at a very visceral level, and that God’s redemption story should also be presented in artistically powerful ways to reach people.

3. Think critically about the entertainment you experience. Don’t view entertainment as merely a mindless way to relax; instead, analyze what you experience in light of scriptural truth and talk with others about it.

4. Consider the perspectives on life issues that artists portray through their work. Then imagine how a Christian worldview could be illustrated within the same presentations.

5. Realize that God doesn’t make distinctions between sacred and secular culture, but yearns for all culture to be redeemed. In the mishmash of good and bad that pervades popular culture in this fallen world, realize that there is much potential.

6. Work to produce contributions to the popular culture that shine Christ’s light into the world, showing the destructiveness of sin and the living hope of redemption.

7. Always strive for artistic excellence in the entertainment you produce.

8. Realize that you don’t have to make popular art into a worship experience in order to enjoy it.

9. Create popular art not just for evangelism, but to show how Christ can shed light on every aspect of life. Produce shows that cover all the topics secular shows do, illustrating how Christ works in people’s lives.

10. Work to reinvent popular culture in ways that represent and affirm Biblical wisdom. Meet pervasive themes of sex, violence and materialism in secular presentations head-on, working to transform them rather than avoiding them.

11. Don’t shy away from presenting the harsh realities of life in a fallen world. Rather than presenting unrealistically sappy art, strive instead to produce realistic material that shows Christ’s power to redeem any situation.

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