Daily Devotional - 10/5/15

Prayer Focus - Needs



Day 3
Pray for:
One thing that you need to be grateful for but find it difficult to be
One person that you need to apologize to, resolve a conflict with, or forgive
One dream that you need to surrender to God



Dear Lord - Please open my ears to hear Your voice today and grant me the strength to obey.



Psalms 95


"Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker; for He is our God and we are the people of His pasture, the flock under His care.

Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts as you did at Meribah, as you did that day at Massah in the desert, where your fathers tested and tried me, though they had seen what I did."  ( vs. 6 - 9  )


We are the flock under God's care.  Sheep need a shepherd. They are not the smartest animals in the world and they need to be led and cared for in an intensive manner if they are going to live and thrive.  Although it is not that flattering to be compared to sheep, it is fitting.  We do need a lot of help.  We do easily go astray and get lost.  It is good to know that we have a good shepherd that we can follow.  He cares for us in so many ways.  I love to read the 23 psalm which most people know and which once again refers to God as our shepherd.  It is as follows:

"The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.

He makes me lie down in green pastures,

He leads me beside quiet waters,

He restores my soul.

He guides me in paths of righteousness for His name's sake.

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,

I will fear no evil, for You are with me;

Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.

 

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.

You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.

Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life,

And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever." 

I love the beautiful portrayal of God's care for us expressed here.  I love the idea that I do not have to be in want and that as I go through my life here, I do not have to fear evil; not because it does not exist, but because God is with me.

I do have a responsibility in this scenario, however.  I have to listen to God's voice.  If I am a sheep and my shepherd is calling me, I need to go to my shepherd.  I need to let him take care of me.  If I continue to run away, I will only get myself into further trouble.  If I am sick and need medication, I will only become more sick.  I must heed to my master's voice.  So I need to see that God is my shepherd, and then I need to follow and obey.  I can't harden my heart.  I must soften it. I need to remember all that God has already done for me and trust that if anyone can help me, then it will be Him.  I must stop testing God and asking that He prove something to me.  God does not have to prove anything to me.  He already has.  I just need to accept what I am and where I am and be a sheep basking in the love of a good shepherd.





Prayer for the Day



Dear Lord,


You are the Good Shepherd.  You know how to take care of us.  Help us to run to You, not away from You.  Help us to do as You say and reap the benefits.  Help us to remember how far You have brought us so far.  You will not leave us wandering in the desert.  You will bring us to a good land if we follow.  Help us to follow, now and always.

In Jesus' Name,
Amen



QFT


1.  Am I worshipping God on a regular basis?  Do I feel He deserves my worship?  Do I know how to worship?   How can I learn to do this or to do this better?

2. What do I know about sheep?  What can I learn about sheep?  How am I like a sheep?  How is God like a shepherd?  What can I learn about God's nature by looking at this comparison? 

3. Do I listen to God's voice or do I ignore it?  Do I think the Bible or Scriptures are God's actual word, as though He were right here speaking to me?  Why or why not?  If I did see the Scriptures in this manner, how might that affect my reaction?  How can I learn to listen to God's voice better?

4. Do I heed God's voice?  Do I do what I think God is calling me to do or do I reason the feeling away?  Have I hardened my heart to God's calling and voice?  How?  How can I change?

5. Do I ever test or try God?  How do I do this?  Why do I do this?  Is this a trust issue?  What can I do to stop testing God and to start trusting Him more?

Daily Devotional - 10/4/15

Prayer Focus - Needs



Day 2
Pray for:
One thing that you need to be grateful for but find it difficult to be
One person that you need to apologize to, resolve a conflict with, or forgive



Dear Lord - Please open my ears to hear Your voice today and grant me the strength to obey.



Psalms 94


"Does He who implanted the ear not hear?  Does He who formed the eye not see?  Does He who disciplines the nations not punish?  Does He who teaches man lack knowledge?  The Lord knows the thoughts of man; He knows that they are futile. 

Blessed is the man You discipline, O Lord, the man You teach from Your law; You grant him relief from days of trouble, till a pit is dug for the wicked.  For the Lord will not reject His people; He will never forsake His inheritance.  Judgment will again be founded on righteousness, and all the upright in heart will follow it.

Who will rise up for me against the wicked? Who will take a stand for me against evildoers?  Unless the Lord had given me help, I would soon have dwelt in the silence of death.  When I said, 'My foot is slipping,' Your love, O Lord, supported me.  When anxiety was great within me, Your consolation brought joy to my soul."  ( vs. 9 -19 )


God knows.  God knows everything.  He knows every thought that comes into our mind.  He is completely beyond our comprehension.  We are finite and our thinking is finite.  God is infinite.  We are stuck to time and space.  We can only be in one place at a time, and we can only know what is in our minds and hearts; sometimes not even that.  So how is it that we think somehow that we are smarter than God or that we have something figured out that He hasn't yet?  God knows us.  God is not surprised by anything.

To me, this makes it all the more amazing that God pays attention to us at all.  God knows everything about each and every one of us. He knows who will listen to Him and who will not.  He knows all of the things we do in secret and all of the sinful leanings of our heart.  And yet, He still cares.  He still died.  He still forgives.  He invests His time to train us up; to discipline us.  And He has a plan and a dream for us to make a difference in the world.  He wants to see change.  He desires change in each of our hearts and He is calling us.  He asks, "Who will rise up for me against the wicked?  Who will stand? Who will make a difference?  Who will love as I have loved?"  It is an overwhelming task but we have been called.  If we look at the task, we will slip as the psalmist states.  But God will help us.  God will support us in the task if we go and try.  God will calm the anxiety that comes and God will bring us joy as we obey.  We just need to start and go and try.

Here are some of my favorite quotes on these thoughts:

"The journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step"
                                                                     Chinese Proverb


"If the Lord calls you, He will equip you for the task He wants you to fulfill."
                                                                     Warren Wierbe

"Have thy tools ready.  God will find the work."
                                                                     Charles Kingsley

"You will invest your life in something or you will throw it away on nothing."
                                                                      Haddin Rosisson

"Employ whatever God has entrusted you with in doing good, all possible good, in every kind and degree."
                                                                       John Wesley

"Start by doing what is necessary, then what's possible, and suddenly you're doing the impossible."
                                                                       St. Francis of Assissi

"Discipline yourself so no one else has to."
                                                                       John Wooden





Prayer for the Day



Dear Lord,


You are not deaf or blind or dumb.  You know exactly what is going on here.  You know exactly what is going on in my heart.  You know and still care.  That is amazing to me.  I am so grateful that You have called me and given me a part in Your amazing work.  Help me to rise to the occasion.  Help me to live a life worthy and to cling to You because You will make it all work out.

In Jesus' Name,
Amen



QFT


1.  How do I feel about the difference between God and me?  Do I ever find myself thinking that I know better than God?  How might my actions show this even if I don't think this outright?  What can I change to have a better view of God and myself?

2. Do I allow God to discipline me?  Do I listen to His word and to the people God has put in my life?  Do I take advice?  Why or why not?  Am I teachable?  Am I learning or have I become set in my ways?  What can I do to become a lifelong learner? 

3. Am I taking a stand for God?  Do I stand up for God's word?  If I am standing up for God and His ways, am I doing so in a loving and respectful way or do I just let people "have it"?   What can I do to be more effective in the way I talk to people about God and His ways?

4. Do I feel that God can use me?  Am I allowing myself to be a part of God's plan to change and transform the world? Why or why not?  Do I want to do this?  Do I see the importance of it?  What can I do to change and allow myself to answer God's call.

5. Do I feel anxious or hopeless?  Am I turning to God for help or am I trying to do everything on my own power?  How can I allow God to support and console me?  What role do my friends and fellow believers have in helping me?  Do I allow others into my life so that they can be there for me?  Why or why not?  What should I change so that I can strengthened and receive joy?

Daily Devotional - 10/3/15

Prayer Focus - Needs



Day 1
Pray for:
One thing that you need to be grateful for but find it difficult to be



Dear Lord - Please open my ears to hear Your ever present voice and grant me the strength to obey.



Psalms 93


"The Lord reigns, He is robed in majesty; the Lord is robed in majesty and is armed with strength.  The world is firmly established; it cannot be moved.  Your throne was established long ago; You are from all eternity

The seas have lifted up. O Lord, the seas have lifted up their voice; the seas have lifted up their pounding waves.  Mightier than the thunder of the great waters, mightier than the breakers of the sea - the Lord on high is mighty.

Your statutes stand firm; holiness adorns Your house for endless days, O Lord."  Psalm 93


God is in charge.  God is majestic, and God is strong.  The earth runs on fixed principles.  It is more ancient than we are.  It is established.  This psalm speaks to me of how life is so much more than we are.  We get caught up in our lives and our struggles and it is hard to have a true perspective of how small we really are.  If we can think about all the people that have come and gone through all generations, it helps a little.  If we stand by the ocean that helps as well.  When I am near the ocean, it calms me.  I look at the wide expanse in front of me and am amazed that this is only a small fraction of the water that covers this planet.  This planet is truly immense and we like tiny ants run around as if we control it.  How funny and sad we are at the same time.  We control nothing.

I love the comparison of God and the ocean.  The psalmist stresses the power of the ocean, its magnificent waves and the thunder they produce.  Waves can truly destroy as we saw with all the tsunamis in recent years.  It is amazing the power that is with in the ocean and yet the psalmist closes with God.  God is mighty.  God is mightier than the strongest things we see on our planet.  And God is consistent.  His statutes, His word doesn't change.  He does not change.  He is always holy and always good.  He is the only thing that we can trust in.  He is all we need.




Prayer for the Day



Dear Lord,


We are grateful that You are unchanging.  We are grateful that Your creation runs on fixed principles so that we can have consistency.  We are grateful for the cycles of life and we are grateful that You allow us to see the beauty of nature around us.  Nature speaks to Your power and glory.  It points out Your magnificence because it is powerful, and glorious, and magnificent.  You have created all of this. We can not fathom You and all that You are but we are grateful for You anyway, and we are grateful that You allow us to serve You.  We rest in You.

In Jesus' Name,
Amen



QFT


1.  How do I feel about God reigning?  Do I have issues with authority?  Why or why not?  How can I come to appreciate authority?

2. How do I view God?  Do I think He is majestic, holy, and strong or do I have conflicting views?  Why do I see God as I do?  Does it have anything to do with how I see my father? 

3. Do I see God in the world around me?  How do I feel about nature and science?  Do I see God's hand in the laws of nature?  Do I see God's hand in science?  How can nature increase my love for God? 

4. What helps me to put life in perspective?  Am I tempted to view life from a narrow viewpoint and think it is all about me?  Do I see how not in control we are?  Does this turn me to God or just stress me out?  How can I turn to God more and let go of my desire to control everything?  How can I have a whole world perspective?

5. How do I feel about God's statutes?  Do I see them as consistent?  Do I see them as valuable?  Am I following them and putting them into practice in my life?  Why or why not?  How can I do this and what do I think I will gain from it?

Daily Devotional - 10/2/15

Prayer Focus - Wants



Day 7
Pray for:
One thing that you want to understand about God
One characteristic you want to develop that will help you to be more loving towards others
One dream that you want to see happen in your life
One issue in your character that you want to see changed
One regret that you want to move past
One person that you want to get to know better
One health issue that you want to see improved in someone (can be yourself)


Dear Lord - Please open my ears to hear Your ever present voice and grant me the strength to obey.



Psalms 92


"It is good to praise the Lord...

For You make me glad by Your deeds, O Lord; I sing for joy at the works of Your hands. How great are Your works, O Lord, how profound Your thoughts! The senseless man does not know, fools do not understand, that though the wicked spring up like grass and all evildoers flourish, they will be forever destroyed.

But You, O Lord, are exalted forever.

The righteous will flourish like a palm tree, they will grow like a cedar of Lebanon; planted in the house of the Lord, they will flourish in the courts of our God. They will still bear fruit in old age, they will stay fresh and green, proclaiming, 'The Lord is upright; He is my Rock, and there is not wickedness in Him."  (vs. 1a, 4 - 8, 12 - 15)


It is good to praise the Lord.  I am grateful to know and understand this.  Some people will never understand and this is hard for us.  It is sad and oftentimes even heartbreaking, but we must remain faithful and remember that even Jesus was deserted by His closest friends in the end.  They did not fully understand what He was about and what He came for.  He knew that but He still did what He had to for those of us who would believe.  We can not be down heartened as if it was our fault when someone we love is not following God.  Everyone has free choice and some choose to sear their consciences and pursue other gods.  Some deny that there is anything beyond what they can see.  They live only for the here and now.  But God is real, whether we choose to believe in Him or not.  He will be exalted.  We just need to keep holding this out.

If we choose to follow God and be righteous, we will flourish.  It is an eternal principle.  We may not grow rich or live free from struggles, but we will grow and still bear fruit in our old age.  What a wonderful promise, that although our bodies are aging and dying, our souls and our spiritual lives become more and more beautiful if we devote ourselves to God.  I want to flourish.  I do not want to grow old and set in my ways.  I want to be new and fresh and beautiful inside.  I hope this for all of us.  So let us praise the Lord, for this is good.



Prayer for the Day



Dear Lord,


We praise You for this is good.  You have been very good to us.  Help us to always understand and seek You.  Help us to know gratitude and be able to see all the works of Your hand in our life and in the lives of others.  We want to grow strong and tall like the trees.  We want to flourish in Your house.  We want to still bear fruit in our old age.  We know that we will find this only in You.  We long to be close to You and be transformed.

In Jesus' Name,
Amen



QFT


1.  Do I praise God?  Why or why not?  What do I have to praise God for?  Can I make a list of 10, 20, or 30 plus things that God deserves praise for?

2. How do I feel when people do not understand my faith? Do I love the people anyway or do I get angry and dismissive?  Do I pray for those who reject my faith?

3. Do I feel like I am growing spiritually?  Why or why not?  How can I go after this?  What am I doing that helps?  What am I doing that hinders me? 

4. How long have I been following God?  Do I still have the love I originally did?  If it is not as strong, why do I feel like it has faded?  What can I do to get back my "first love"?

5. Am I bearing fruit?  What does that mean to me?  What evidence is there that my faith is growing and being more productive?

Daily Devotional - 10/1/15

Prayer Focus - Wants



Day 6
Pray for:
One thing that you want to understand about God
One characteristic you want to develop that will help you to be more loving towards others
One dream that you want to see happen in your life
One issue in your character that you want to see changed
One regret that you want to move past
One person that you want to get to know better


Dear Lord - Please open my ears to hear Your ever present voice and grant me the strength to obey.



Psalms 91


"He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.  I will say of the Lord, "He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust. 

Surely He will save you from the fowler's snare and from the deadly pestilence.  He will cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you will find refuge; His faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.  You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday.  A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you.  You will only observe with your eyes and see the punishment of the wicked.

If you make the Most High your dwelling - even the Lord, who is my refuge - then no harm will befall you, no disaster will come near your tent.  For He will command His angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.  You will tread upon the lion and the cobra; you will trample the great lion and the serpent.

'Because he loves me,' says the Lord, 'I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.  He will call upon me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble. I will deliver him and honor him.  With long life will I satisfy him and show him my salvation."  Psalm 91



It is hard to add to this.  I love the promises of God.  As I sit here tonight, trying to stay awake to write this, I am reminded that God will take care of me.  He has taken care of me so far and I know He will not stop now.  God will give us rest.  He grants sleep to those He loves.  We do not have to fear anything if we believe this passage.  God will take care of it all.  God has a plan.

God will even send His angels to protect and guard me.  God will do all this because I love Him.  I want to learn more and more how to love God.  It is that important.  I want to be with him and reap the blessings that only a relationship with Him can provide.  I am grateful that I have been given that chance.  I know I have to live worthy, but I think it is completely worth it.




Prayer for the Day



Dear Lord,


We are grateful that You even pay attention to us, how much more that You bless us.  You have been tremendously good and kind throughout our lives.  We praise you for everything.

In Jesus' Name,
Amen



QFT


1.Am I dwelling in the shelter of God?  What would that be like?  How can I do this?

2. Do I trust God?  How do I know?  How can I develop a deeper trust?

3. Do I think angels are protecting me?  Why or why not?  What have I seen that was miraculous or out of the ordinary in my life?

4. Do I love God?  How do I show it?  Do I make time for Him?  If God were a person, am I treating Him right?  Why or why not?  How can I change?

5. Do I acknowledge God?  Do I stand up for God and His ways in front of people?  Am I afraid to look religious in front of others?  How can I be more bold?

Daily Devotional - 9/30/15

Prayer Focus - Wants



Day 5
Pray for:
One thing you want to understand about God
One characteristic you want to develop that will help you to be more loving towards others
One dream you have for your life
One issue in your character that you would like to see changed
One regret that you would like to move past


Dear Lord - Please open my ears to hear Your ever present voice and grant me the strength to obey.



Psalms 90


"Lord, You have been our dwelling place throughout all generations.  Before the mountains were born or You brought forth the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting You are God.  You turn men back to dust, saying, 'Return to dust, O sons of men.'  For a thousand years in Your sight are like a day that has just gone by, or like a watch in the night.  You sweep men away in the sleep of death; they are like the new grass of the morning - though in the morning it springs up new, by evening it is dry and withered.

We finish our years with a moan.  The length of our days is seventy years - or eighty, if we have the strength; yet their span is but trouble and sorrow, for they quickly pass, and we fly away.

Teach us to number our days aright that we may gain a heart of wisdom.

Satisfy us in the morning with Your unfailing love, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days.

May the favor of the Lord our God rest upon us: establish the work of our hands for us - yes, establish the work of our hands."  ( vs. 1 - 6, 9b - 10, 12, 14, 17  )


We have come from God, and we will return to face Him.  The unseen is unfathomable, but sometimes I can slightly catch an understanding.  What if I had never been born, didn't exist at all.  What if I had never had the chance to experience life here on earth or anywhere for that matter.  That thought has always made me slightly nauseous because I love life.  I am so grateful that I exist, even on the worst days. 

Life is so strange.  We are here, and then we are gone.  Where do we go?  What is important?  So many unknowns.  But we can know a few things.  We are here now.  There is something beyond us, and we will die someday.  Seventy or eighty years if we have the strength.  Isn't that the truth?  Living can be hard.  Living can be confusing.  But we know, we can see, that there is something special in us that is keeping us alive and when someone dies, that spark that made them who they are is gone and now there is just an outer shell.  They are no longer here. 

So if we are here and then gone, and if God remains, what is really important?  If I am going to fly away back to God, I had better be ready for that.  We need to face this reality, that this time here is really just the pause before the real life begins.  If what comes after earth lasts for eternity, time without end, then that is so much more important than what I have on my to do list today.  I do need to number my days correctly.  I can not believe that I am almost 50 now.  It seems that I was just a child.  Time has gone by so fast and it will never come back to me.  Each moment is gone forever.  What will I make of my remaining days?  Realistically, my life is already half over, unless I can somehow manage to stay alive until I am 100.  I must remember this and focus.  I no longer have time to waste, if I ever did.

I want to be satisfied by God and God alone.  I want to awake and be content with His love.  I want to really live while I have the chance and no longer be afraid.  Fear is so binding; so limiting.  Only God can do this.  It is not within me.  I turn to God and pray that His favor will rest upon me.  I pray that His favor will rest upon you.  I want to make a difference in this world, that it mattered that I was here and that I left things better than I found them.  Yes Lord, establish the work of our hands and help us to walk with You and no longer be afraid.



Prayer for the Day



Dear Lord,


We are here.  We know that this is not all there is.  The unknown is frightening, but You say that perfect love drives out fear.  Your love is perfect.  Please drive out our fear.  Help us to see life as You see it and to have the proper priorities.  Help us to truly live.  The time is short.  We want to make it count.

In Jesus' Name,
Amen



QFT


1. Do I ever think about how short life is?  Do I think about eternity?  Why or why not?  How can thinking about these concepts help me?

2. Do I think about what I would like to accomplish with my life?  Are my goals in line with God's?  How do I know? 

3. Does my relationship with God motivate me?  Am I in love with God?  Does His love satisfy me or am I looking for something else to make me happy?

4. Am I joyful?  Why or why not?  How could I cultivate more joy?  How could changing my priorities affect my joy level?

5. Do I feel like God's favor is on me?  Why or why not?  What work do I see God blessing in my life?  Is it different from what I would like to see God blessing?  Is what I consider my work the same as what God would consider my work?  Why do I think this?

Daily Devotional - 9/29/15

Prayer Focus - Wants



Day 4
Pray for:
One thing you want to understand about God
One characteristic you want to develop that will help you to be more loving towards others
One dream you have for your life
One issue in your character that you would like to see changed


Dear Lord - Please open my ears to hear Your ever present voice and grant me the strength to obey.



Psalms 89


"Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne; love and faithfulness go before You.  Blessed are those who have learned to acclaim You, who walk in the light of Your presence, O Lord.  They rejoice in Your name all day long; they exult in Your righteousness. For You are their glory and strength, and by Your favor You exalt our horn.  Indeed, our shield belongs to the Lord, our king to the Holy One of Israel."  ( vs. 14 - 18 )


Righteousness and justice form the foundation of the throne of God.  He is righteous and just.  How good it is to know that there is a standard that never changes.  Although we do not necessarily like everything about it, it is steadfast and I think that we long for that type of consistency.  We hate it when things are not fair.  It is good to know that God is fair, and that justice will win out one day.  It is also good to know that God does not forget our hard work and all of the good things that we have done.  ("God is not unjust; He will not forget your work and the love you have shown Him as you have helped His people and continue to help them." Hebrews 6:10)  Someday we will reap what we have sown. ("Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked.  A man reaps what he sows.  The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.  Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up." Galatians 6: 7-9)

What is even better than God being righteous and justice, however, is that God is loving and faithful.  He is so much so, that it goes before Him.  These qualities trumpet His coming.  When I think about the world, I still see God; even with all the evil that is here.  Sometimes people will say, "How can there be a God when there is bad things happening?"  I think, "If there is no God, that is all that would be happening!"  God is in all the kindness and beauty that is still here on Earth.  When I see a beautiful sunset, I see God.  When I look at my children playing and laughing, I see God.  When I receive a kindness or am able to give to someone, I feel God's presence.  God is good, always good.

We will be blessed if we can believe and hold onto this; when we can acclaim God.  We will receive what we have faith in.  God does not change, but we can be blinded to Him.  Sometimes my students do not like me.  They think I am mean and hard.  They have not been able to see who I really am, because they do not cooperate with the rules of the class, or they perceive my pushing them to be excellent and to achieve as meanness.  No matter how kind and loving I may be, they will never see it.  They are blinded by their own perceptions and rebelliousness.  I have not changed.  This is how it is with God.  If we are rebellious and resentful about being transformed, we will see God as a harsh taskmaster.  If we follow God's laws and make Him our strength, and if we are willing to be changed, God will be our most treasured glory and strength.  The choice is ours.


Prayer for the Day



Dear Lord,


You are good.  You do bless us.  Help us to see You; to see the real You and for us to not be deceived by our rebelliousness.  You are righteous and just.  You are loving and faithful.  We are grateful that You are not like us. You are so praiseworthy.  Thank You for our lives and for Your promises.  Help us to live up to Your desires for us.

In Jesus' Name,
Amen



QFT


1. How do I see God as righteous?  Am I righteous?  What does this mean to me?  How can I be righteous in my day to day living?

2. Do I value justice?  How do I see God as just?  Am I just?  What does this mean to me?  How can I learn to be more just and to value justice more?

3. How do I see God as loving? What does that mean to me?  Am I loving?  What evidence is there to support my answer?  How can I be more loving?

4. How do I see God as faithful?  What does that mean to me?  Am I faithful to God?  Am I faithful to others?  Why or why not?  How can I become more faithful to God and to others?

5. How do I acclaim God?  What is my view of Him?  Do I have a true perspective or am I tainted by bitterness or bad experiences?  How can I work through any issues I have so that I can be able to see God as He truly is?  How will this change my life?