Accountability

The New Year is rolling right along and hopefully our resolutions are keeping up with our busy schedules. I love challenges and big goals, but when your computer is slowly dieing and your internet gets all messed up..... challenge is too nice of a word! Hence - the lack of posting lately. But back to the subject of resolutions.....

It is my heart's prayer that you are into the Word of God more than ever before. If you have never read the Bible through, I beg you, at least start. I can't remember if I have mentioned it in an earlier blog or not, but we, as a family, are reading straight through the Bible together this year. We started in Genesis and will be finished with Exodus tonight.

Let me tell you - there is nothing like sex education from the Bible! We have been reading from the NIV and the questions I have gotten from my eight and eleven year olds have been rather interesting! But what a way to open up communication in our family.

To stick with our commitment of reading together as a family has not been easy, and we are still in the first month! The tv has been turned off a lot more (ptl!). We have had more dinners around the family table, and my children are really asking great questions.

How are you doing on your Bible reading? If this Bible study was in person, I would go around the room and ask each of you to share, as an accountability factor. So, instead, why don't you each pick an email buddy? Go back over the list of ladies who have joined this Bible study and email them to see if they want to hold you accountable.

Men who have been to a Promise Keepers convention are instructed to find an accountability partner and meet weekly to ask each other, openly and honestly five questions. I think we women need some of that same wisdom.

What does the Bible say about accountability? I did a search in the NIV for the word accountable. In line with the definition I am referring to, I found the verses Ezekiel 3:18, 20.
Except, what do you see as the difference between the accountability I talking about and when the verse is used in these verses?
Now read the whole chapter of Ezekiel 33. This is a summary of the Watchmen's duties. How can we relate that responsibility to our accountability to each other.
What was the watchman supposed to look for?
Who is our enemy?
According to John 8:44 and John 10:10, what does our enemy do and what is his purpose?
Again, how does our word "accountability" come into focus with these scriptures?

Ultimately we are accountable to God for all things, but what about holding our sister accountable to living a holy life. I think sometimes, we are afraid of offending someone or being judgemental to approach a friend concerning choices they are making. Yes, we must be careful, but I think Ezekiel 3 is pretty plain.

So, if we were to each have an accountability partner, what would we ask each other? I went to the Promise Keepers website (http://www.promisekeepers.org/) and found the sample of their accountability questions - questions that men ask each other. I will copy and paste this below:

(This list is excerpted from the book Seven Promises of a Promise Keeper, "The Call to Sexual Purity" by John Maxwell (p. 81):)
Are you spending time alone with God?Is your thought life pure?Are you misusing your power?Are you walking in total obedience to God?Have you lied about any of the previous questions?

This list is excerpted from the books Focusing Your Men’s Ministry by Pete Richardson (pgs. 50-51) and Brothers! by Geoff Gorsuch with Dan Schaffer (pgs. 95-96):
How much time did you spend in prayer this week?
Did you pray for others in this group?
Did you put yourself in an awkward situation with a woman?
At any time did you compromise your integrity?
What one sin plagued your walk with God this week?
Did you accomplish your spiritual goals this week?
Are you giving to the Lord’s work financially?
How have you demonstrated a servant’s heart?
Do you treat your peers and coworkers as people loved by God?
What significant thing did you do for your wife and/or family?
What was your biggest disappointment? How did you decide to handle it?
What was your biggest joy? Did you thank God?
What do you see as your number one need for next week?
Are you satisfied with the time you spent with the Lord this week?
Did you take time to show compassion for others in need?
Did you control your tongue?
What did you do this week to enhance your relationship with your spouse?
Did you pray and read God’s Word this week? What did you derive from this time?
In what ways have you launched out in faith since we last met?
In what ways has God blessed you this week? And what disappointments consumed your thoughts this week?
Did you look at a woman in the wrong way?
How have you been tempted this week? How did you respond?
How has your relationship with Christ been changing?
Did you worship in church this week?
Have you shared your faith this week? How?
What are you wrestling with in your thought life?
What have you done for someone else this week?
Are the “visible“ you and the “real“ you consistent in this relationship?

I guess now my question is, would this type of accountability benefit us as Christian women to have a more Christlike life? I think so. I would like to think that I am doing everything perfectly and not struggling at all in my faith.... yeah, right! I am not the 4th person of the Trinity and neither are any of you. (sorry, but it's the truth!)

If you would like to see this more structured and user friendly, email me. I would love to hear your thoughts on the subject. Remember, we are an interactive Bible study! :)

With a heart of worship,
Dorinda