Personal reflection and direction for 2010

So, yesterday I spent the day researching The Bronx's history and praying. In the evening, with the blizzard still going on (but much more tame), I ventured down to the UES Missional Community. What a challenging time and time of clear, personal direction! (I am applying all of this to what I am committing to live out in The Bronx on a daily basis.)

From my friend Suzy's testimony I was indirectly challenged to consider the following questions:

• How am I or am I structuring my life to bring the Kingdom?
• Am I loving others well (agape love) or not?
• How am I or am I making disciples actively? (Jesus was intentional with 12 people so that after his death his Kingdom was still brought.)
• Am I actively praying for the above people?

Then, my friend Steve shared a way to simply study The Bible with the following eight questions:

1. What is the passage saying? (Consider the cultural context and how the passage relates to the rest of the book and the rest of The Bible.)
2. What stood out to you in the passage?
3. What challenged you?
4. What was difficult to understand?
5. Where is Jesus?
6. What is the next step of obedience for you?
7. What does this passage reveal about the heart of God? (How does he love us in this passage?)
8. What is God saying to you?

Based on prayer earlier today and Steve's modeling, I have decided that for the rest of 2010 that I am going to just read and study the Gospels and maybe a little of Acts over and over and journal out the questions and my answers. I also want to try and memorize at least one verse a week for the rest of this year as well.

I am also going to be practicing what I call CPR (so I can remember it). I learned it last week at life group. It is my church's focus for the year. CPR brings us out of death to life! It stands for:

• Confess your sins to others.
• Pray for the lost and people's needs.
• Read and study The Bible.