Your Christian Life Review - Part 2 - People & Primary Relationships Series

d) Have you been serving God this year? The last question is about our motive for service. Effective service puts God first and seeks to glorify him not ourselves.

So How effective has your service been for God this year?

Another question we asked was How reliable has your giving been to God this year? Giving is a form of service and just as if we are not serving, we are letting down the side, if we are not giving, we are also letting down the side. God expects a tithe from us for his work, whether it is in this church or outside of this church ¡V If we are not giving that which is God¡¦s to God ¡V how can we expect him to bless us.

So the challenge last week was to examine our service and giving in 2000 and see whether it was sufficient for 2001.

So that was last week¡¦s message in a nut shell, before we move on to today¡¦s topics of People and our Primary Relationship, there are 2 ground rules here this morning.

1) I don¡¦t want you to carry out a CLR on the person sitting next to you. This is a confidential review between You and God and you have no right to expect to be involved in someone else¡¦s CLR - it is confidential.

A counselor from a seventh grade camp was discussing with twelve-year-old Scott about Scott¡¦s expereience with trying out ¡§snuff¡¨ on the school camp with two other boys the night before. ¡§I got really sick on the stuff,¡¨ said Scott.

The Counselor asked, ¡§What did you think of the whole experience?¡¨

Scott replied, ¡§I won¡¦t ever try it again and I¡¦ve already told God I¡¦m sorry, but please don¡¦t tell my teacher Mr. Johnston.¡¨

The counselor questioned Scott: ¡§But God knows what you did. What¡¦s the difference between god¡¦s knowing and Mr Johnston knowing?¡¨

Scott explained, ¡§God won¡¦t tell my parents.¡¨

That is right, God won¡¦t tell your parents or those sitting beside you. It is confidential between you and Him. So keep focussed this morning on your own Christian life. Use the time to review your life with your creator not that of the person beside you. But remember - God does know so you¡¦d better act on it.

2) I also am not preaching this as one who has got everything together. I¡¦m not perfect and while it may seem like the pot calling the kettle black - that is alright because I need to hear this as much as you do.

I want to apologise up front again this morning because some of the things I say might hurt some people today. I am not going to pull any punches this morning either. All I want to say is - if the cap fits, wear it and do something about it.

Let¡¦s pray before we begin - Lord, well a new year has come and we look forward to all that you have for us this year. We want to start this year off on the right foot Lord and so we¡¦d ask you to be with us as we examine our performance in the areas of relationships with other people and our relationship with you. Lord, help us to be honest as we come before you now and give us the courage to change ¡V to be revolutionary for you. For your glory we ask this, Amen.

2) PEOPLE - How have your relationships with other People been this year?