Club Rules

Ever thought of your relationship life like a club? That's the idea suggested in Mckenna & Willbourn's book "How to Mend Your Broken Heart."

Imagine this...that any relationship (lover, friend, family, acquaintance) you 'allow' into your life...is like 'membership' in YOUR club. You decide who gets in and who has to leave.

AND you decide the rules of the club.

What kind of people do you want in your life? What kind of people do you NOT want in your life?

What rules need to followed in how they treat you and others? What kind of behavior is expected in YOUR club? [and your rules apply to you too! :)]

Respect, kindness, attentiveness, honesty, christ-likeness, etc.

In your "ME Club" what are the rules?



[adapted from How to Mend Your Broken Heart: Overcome Emotional Pain at the End of a Relationship (Paperback)by Paul Mckenna, Hugh Willbourn]

Seven Key Questions to Discerning God's Voice

A suggestion for this article is to put a copy in your Bible, or in your car....or where you usually spend time in prayer.

To discern if what you are "hearing" is from God -- ask:

1) Does it sound like God? Does it sound like Jesus?

Hebrews 13:8 "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday today, and forever."

2) Does it help you to conform to the image of Christ?

II Corinthians 3:18 "And all of us, with unveiled face...are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another."

3) Is it consistent with previous experiences that you know were from God?

I Corinthians 14:33 "for God is not a God of disorder but a God of peace."

4) Is it consistent with the fruit of the Spirit?

Galatians 5:22 "the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, and self-control."

5) Is it consistent with the witness of the saints?

Philippians 3:17 "brothers and sisters, join in imitating me, and observe those who live according to the example you have found in us."

6) Do trusted friends and mentors agree this is from God?

Proverbs 15:22 "Without counsel plans go wrong, but with many advisors they succeed."

7) Is it consistent with the overarching themes of scripture?

(adapted from "Falling for God: Saying Yes to His Extravagant Proposal", by Gary Moon)

Humility, patience & investment of time are vital in discerning what God is speaking to you. Getting to know God is the best way to know God's voice.

The Kingdom of God is Like...

Jesus frequently started his teachings with "the kingdom of God is like..." What frequently followed was something his audience didn't expect.

Sowing seeds, hidden treasure, a mustard seed, and a net catching fish, are just some of Jesus'illustrations of the Kingdom. How can such simple, everyday items convey something as glorious as the Kingdom of the Most Holy Creator of all things?

The other night Jesus' Kingdom idea became a little clearer to me. A friend & I were seeking out food at Carl's Jr. As we walked toward the door a stained-shirt, slurry-speached, limpity-legged man approached us...and asked for 50 cents, saying "I'm hungry."

He then went on to tell us a long story about the surgeries he needed and didn't have money for and the problems with his checks and medications and a great variety of other issues. We told him "well, we can't give you money, but we can buy you a hamburger." He said that would be great...but as it turned out the Carl's Jr. was closed as it was quite late and nothing else was open either.

So, as we pondered how we might help him, we knew our only solution was to give him a few dollars and trust God might guide him to use it wisely. But as we did that and said "God bless," to turn and leave. He started asking us about church. And then after a long conversation about where a church was for him. He asked another question...

It became clear that his hunger was not for food...but for companionship.

In that midnight hour, the kingdom of God was like a homeless man...hungry for connection.

My friend and I realized maybe he was on to something...maybe we were hungry for connection too?!

The kingdom of God is like....

What is it like for you?