COV LIFE BLOG

Benefits of Remembering

I trust the past few weeks have afforded you opportunities to reflect & consider the evidences of God’s grace throughout 2012. If you’ve yet to make this a priority, let me encourage you to carve out the time & make this happen. As we discussed Sunday, not only does recounting God’s hand at work bring immense encouragement to your soul about how He has worked, but remembering how God has been faithful only encourages us to trust Him to continue to do so in the days ahead. Its here that a fascinating transformation happens, the resolve we celebrate most is not ours for the new year, but God’s for eternity–Him remaining faithful to His purposes & promises. As we find our hope & joy here, a response begins to surge from within whereby our hearts cry out w/ Paul I count all things loss in surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. Remembering God’s grace in the past is a great means of boldly trusting & rightly worshipping Him for the days ahead. Among CLC, we’ve seen God do a humbling & amazing work in 2012, yet we see much room to be made strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus (2 Tim 2.1). Here are a few of the ways we are trusting God to grow us in the days ahead…consider how you will be apart of God’s answer to these prayers.
1. Growth in personal holiness & a love for the things of God. Diagnostic question–are your affections for Jesus growing? Not asking about your disciplines or lessons learned, but is there a growing love for Christ, His gospel, & His mission today than ever before?
2. Growth in intentionality in sharing the gospel & building relationships that are heading to that end. Diagnostic question–are you building/maintaining friendships w/ unbelievers? Are you joyfully obedient in sharing the gospel w/ others, which is a vital part of the great commission…are you making disciples for the glory of God?
3. Growth in starting more missional communities. Diagnostic question–has God given you a desire to lead/serve in our MC ministry? Do you feel a sense of ownership in your MC? How can you grow in investing into MCs?
4. Growth in our gospel work among the nations. Diagnostic question–do you regularly pray for God’s glory among the nations? Do you pray for our international & stateside missionary partners outside of corporate gatherings? Are you willing to go in 2013 to make the gospel known?
5. Growth in equipping men & their families for the works of ministry. Diagnostic question–do you have a desire to one day be an elder of a local church? Are you willing to commit to be equipped & trained for a season to prepare you for service in the church?

There are a host of other ways we are trusting God to grow us in 2013: continued exemplary service to our children in CLKids; formation of a counseling program for our church family (w/ hopes of opening it up to the community); building new & strengthening existing relationships w/ organizations in our community through MCs; every member meaningfully serving & discipling someone else; growth in humility; families strengthened; & God to add to our number both those being saved & those in need of a church home!

The way that we will get there as a church is when each of us, our members, are made strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. Look back and rejoice! Look ahead and anticipate…God is faithful to His bride! Our great joy is to be invited in to His work for His namesake among the peoples of the earth–praying I, we, would be awakened to find fullness of life here!

-Justin