I am challenging my church to read through the New Testament with me three times in 2015.  Centered in the gospel message, the New Testament is filled with incredible messages that the Spirit wants us to have.  As any reading plan can do, this can produce a task to complete or a hurdle to jump over to get on with the day at hand.

Hebrews 7:18–19 (NIV84) — 18 The former regulation is set aside because it was weak and useless 19 (for the law made nothing perfect), and a better hope is introduced, by which we draw near to God.

The Word of God must be used to draw us near to God.  As the law can make nothing perfect, so reading through the New Testament can't make you _____________ (fill in the blank), if you do it only to "get it done".  However, if you look at each day's reading as communication from the Spirit that will draw us closer to God, then life will flow like a well supplied river.  What do you say?  Let's draw closer to God this year, reading together, discussing what God is saying to each of us, posting comments and allowing ourselves to be struck by the richness of His Word.   

I was reading Philemon this morning and saw something I hadn't seen before.  Isn't it funny how that happens!  I just love it when I get something I hadn't "got" before,  Especially when it applies to something I am going through presently.  The Word of God is truly alive and active!

Paul basically writes, I could tell you to do this, but I am going to appeal to you instead, because I know you will do it, but I want you to make the decision.  This is so beautiful!  I think that we could meditate on that for a while, in fact, I appeal to you to think about it over and over.  What does that mean?  What is His point?  How can you apply it?  How will it change the way you approach people?

It has long been my practice to allow people to come to their own revelation.  To lead them to the water instead of opening the hose on them.  It isn't easy to hold back sometimes because some people, well..., I just want to drench them.  However that may obfuscate the point and have them thinking about what I did, or in most cases, what I said and how I said it. We are people of message.  How can I best get my message through to them is my question to myself.  I want to help them gain more of God, more life, more of who they truly are, so I must use the best approach, not the most comfortable one.  Engaging someone's volition will help their decision stick.