Chapter Four Week Five in the Guidebook pages 80-94
Today we will be on page 80 (Guidebook)
question 1. (read Truefaced, pages 83-84)
What are your early memories of receiving human love?
When I was taught how to read.
Of receiving God's love?
When He showed me an answer to a very troubling problem, in His word.
In our book it talks about Don's family. I thought Don was blessed to have a way to articulate how he saw the love of his family. I am sure so many of us can identify," Arrogance packaged as teaching, control disguised as protection; manipulation wrapped as concern; exploitation marketed as opportunities." Maybe not only in our natural family but how many times the people who become like brothers and sisters to me, have had these same characteristics.
Are your memories of receiving love from others (either in early life or more recently) more like Don's version? No. Explain. I think I shut down to receiving love some where , way back when ? I just didn't want to be loved , but of course what I really wanted was to be loved right. I just had given up. Then I opened up to God's love. If anyone can love right, it would have to be Him. It has changed my life. You now find me on a journey of hope that will give me a new nature that will be able to let others love me again. (As you will notice in my earlier writings, I have a big problem with saints that sin. Their sinning does affect their ability to love right. I will have to get over it. Just give me time. )

week 4 Accepting Others Questions
3. What might it cost you if you did what you think you need to do?
What will it cost me to change my motives ? Allowing the Holy Spirit to keep that object in the forefront , realizing that this need exists and still not pull back from God, this is a price. Truth costs something.

Now I will watch the closing video for week 4. The opening one was very inspirational. The book has just seemed to bring me deeper understanding as well. All the while these days that I am doing this, I am not being a grace giver. There is something about truth though, you see it for yourself, you see it for others. Rather than judge yourself or others you have to accept that God is the judge.

week 4 After watching the video : Accepting Others Questions
1. What is your greatest concern in accepting people in The Room of Grace who you know still sin? (You will think of specific people but please don't mention names.)

This really is a tough question to answer here. Behind my mask , the truth is I fear that if people are not warned, "don't sin, God doesn't like it," they will go to hell.
So it makes it very hard for me to welcome others into grace. It makes it impossible in fact.
There are times when I seem to be able to do a little bit better job. Times when I am confronted with a person whose sin is much like mine, that I have received grace for. I can give grace more easily and freely here.
But those myriad of sins that I have committed and still commit. Those sins that I imagine God is just putting up with. People who commit those sins I do not welcome into The Room of Grace. Those people only get reminded that they have sinned, and I am putting up with them.

question 2. What do you think you need to do differently in these relationships?
How can you change your actions to imitate God's actions in your relationships with Christians who sin? (Remember, motives lead to values, and values lead to actions.)

Now the first question, I would answer, that the answer seems simple enough.
For every person whom you are around who sins, imagine that you to do this sin and receive God's grace for it. (Not so easy, and not a plan that seems to be working by the way. This has been the plan for quite a while now.)
The second question intrigues me.
Actions, I thought it was putting confidence in actions that got me into the room of Good Intentions in the first place. But it says motives lead to values and values lead to actions. So what they are saying is that your motive behind the values will lead to a different kind of action than the kind I use to do.
I guess the right answer here is, change my motive. Maybe ask God to help me see just really what is my motive. My motives must be what has been tripping me up. I thought they were good but I can tell you just as near as Sunday afternoon they were not producing the actions of someone who ushers someone into the Room of Grace.

Week 4 PAGE 67 Question 10 (read in book pages 74-75)

Why do you think maturity is critically important for having influence in God's kingdom ?
My definition of maturity is being well on your way to understanding the "Goal" as laid out in our book. So you may need to read your book before you read this post if you haven't already.
The influence I want to have in God's kingdom is to bring others into His kingdom and help those who are wanting to walk in the fullness of His kingdom .
Having laid that foundation for you , maturity is critically important because if you are not maturing, you just are not in the game.
You can say, "I am reading my Bible everyday, I am being a doer of the word the best I can, I am praying everyday for God to help me." You can be going around and around in a circle that never ends.
I know in California there are steep mountains. As a child it would intrigue me that instead of just going straight up a mountain, up one side and down the other like a roller coaster, the highways would wind around. Sometimes it would seem that we were winding around to the other side of the mountain, then we would go back the other direction, climbing up higher and higher. Then at some point our winding road would start winding downward.
You can try to get over the mountain however you like, but at some point you have to say, "I am going to go on."
What I do not know is if it can be pushed on you , to do so.
A child, actually a baby, you carry that baby around, you give it milk, you take care of it's needs, if all things are working for that baby as God intended sooner or later it will get where it can take the sippy cup and give itself it's milk. Sooner or later it will learn how to walk. It will learn how to go to the bathroom, it will start taking care of it's needs.
Usually someone takes the time to help them hold the sippy cup. Someone helps them strengthen their legs by holding their hands and practice walking. Someone gives the needed instruction for using the bathroom.
To many times I think well meaning Christians act as if you should "get it" just by how long you have been a Christian. On the other hand just how do you instruct them to grow up ?
To me that is the call that Bill Thrall, Bruce McNicol, and John Lynch answered when they created Truefaced Experience. It is the manual for growing up in Christ Jesus. You might have found another way over the mountain, but this is mine.
Basically it is learning who you are . What is your identity in the Lord Jesus Christ and your destiny, the Kingdom of God.
Why is immaturity critically dangerous ?
I would say that the most dangerous part of being immature is the damage the devil might get to do. Jesus is our Shepherd and He takes care of His sheep, but if you do not understand that you are His sheep, under all circumstances, you may not know to call upon Him when you need help. That could put you in a very dangerous position.