The Time Is Now - Developing A Lifestyle Of Prayer

conduct. It's amazing how the positive impact of a few basic disciplines spreads to eve1y area of your life.

I. Emphasize personal communication and other appropriate relation­ ship-building techniques. Deeper relationships and frequent communication are signs of an effective group. Group members need more contact that just submitting weekly reports, but little time need be invested in order to deepen relationships, especially with the advent of email. This way trust is accumulated and stored, eventually forming a safe, solid basis for intimate, life-changing impact between friends. J. Share prayer requests, and pray for each other faithfully. I pray as I readmy partners' reports. This is my most important ministty to them. I pray for strengthened discipline and increased passion. Prayer combined with accountability has proven to be a life-changing force. K. Get a grip on any tendency to excuse and "blow smoke." No matter what our personalities, our strengths or our weaknesses, each of us stands responsible before God to decide the paths we will follow-leading to life or leading to destruction (Deuteronomy 30:19), or worse, to lukewarm complacency. Each of us will discover, in Christ, all we need in order to obey God and find life. Temperament or gifting is never an excuse for lack of disci­ pline or poor time stewardship. God has proven to me that our weaknesses do not excuse disobedience. I'm not naturally a people person. Is that an excuse for me to go through life offending people? No. I've learned to compensate in order to be obedient and effective in my relationships. God has supernatu­ rally granted me all I've needed in order to be a faithful steward of people.

8. How does Moses' end-ofli:fe challenge to Israel (Deuteronomy30:15-20) speak to you in your life situation today?

9. What are the differences between the wise and the unwise, according to Ephesians 5:15-16?

L. Everything rises and falls on leadership. The most common reason account-