THE ME I WANT TO BE------Tuesday, May 11, 2010 by Dave Sonnenberg

THE ME I WANT TO BE
Tuesday, May 11, 2010

by Dave Sonnenberg



"THE ME I WANT TO BE"---- That title grabbed me as I walked through the aisle of a book store recently. It grabbed me because it was written by one of my favorite authors, John Ortberg. And like any John Ortberg book, he draws you in with powerful stories and the razor sharp, yet profound simplicity.



Ortberg reminds us that we live in a very "me centered" world, yet when we become the "me" we are supposed to be, we are living as God intends- flourishing, growing, serving others, and actually living lives focused on others. When we are flourishing, we are not worried about self gain but rather caring for others and pointing others to the source of all goodness- Jesus himself.

As we are going through Acts, we are seeing Saul changing to the "me God wanted him to be". In the story today, he gets a lot of glory and recognition and praise from the crowds, yet Saul does not want it. He points to God. He wants to give God all the glory for what he has done. Can we give God the glory? Can we become the "me" God wants us to be? I believe with all my heart that is possible!



Note----I plan to lead an online study of John Ortberg's book, The Me I Want to Be: Becoming God's best version of you, this summer as it will be a great experience to do with others. Please let me know if you are interested. I will be getting out PR fairly soon. for those that are interested, you can get it for a great price at Family Christian Book store by Lake Forest Mall this week. I got it for $11.99 the other day ($8 savings).




Acts 14:8- 28
8 In Lystra there was a man sitting who could not use his feet and had never walked, for he had been crippled from birth. 9He listened to Paul as he was speaking. And Paul, looking at him intently and seeing that he had faith to be healed, 10said in a loud voice, ‘Stand upright on your feet.’ And the man* sprang up and began to walk. 11When the crowds saw what Paul had done, they shouted in the Lycaonian language, ‘The gods have come down to us in human form!’ 12Barnabas they called Zeus, and Paul they called Hermes, because he was the chief speaker. 13The priest of Zeus, whose temple was just outside the city,* brought oxen and garlands to the gates; he and the crowds wanted to offer sacrifice. 14When the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of it, they tore their clothes and rushed out into the crowd, shouting, 15‘Friends,* why are you doing this? We are mortals just like you, and we bring you good news, that you should turn from these worthless things to the living God, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and all that is in them. 16In past generations he allowed all the nations to follow their own ways; 17yet he has not left himself without a witness in doing good—giving you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons, and filling you with food and your hearts with joy.’ 18Even with these words, they scarcely restrained the crowds from offering sacrifice to them.


19 But Jews came there from Antioch and Iconium and won over the crowds. Then they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, supposing that he was dead. 20But when the disciples surrounded him, he got up and went into the city. The next day he went on with Barnabas to Derbe.

The Return to Antioch in Syria21 After they had proclaimed the good news to that city and had made many disciples, they returned to Lystra, then on to Iconium and Antioch. 22There they strengthened the souls of the disciples and encouraged them to continue in the faith, saying, ‘It is through many persecutions that we must enter the kingdom of God.’ 23And after they had appointed elders for them in each church, with prayer and fasting they entrusted them to the Lord in whom they had come to believe.

24 Then they passed through Pisidia and came to Pamphylia. 25When they had spoken the word in Perga, they went down to Attalia. 26From there they sailed back to Antioch, where they had been commended to the grace of God for the work* that they had completed. 27When they arrived, they called the church together and related all that God had done with them, and how he had opened a door of faith for the Gentiles. 28And they stayed there with the disciples for some time.