Get Ready, Get Set, Get Real!!: Being Real with Yourself, Others, and God!! a Life Devotional

By B. Shane Anderson

WHY THIS BOOK? 

The purpose and desire I have in writing this is to help give us a place to begin developing our passion to dig in, to be changed, and be a changer of lives. In becoming authentic, fully dedicated followers of Christ we begin to understand our weakness and understand that God’s power is essential to our perspective and furtherance of His good news. 

Through the stories and readings, I pray and hope that God would allow you to begin seeing the need to dig in, to daily grow closer to abiding with Him, to grow into the godly person He has called you to be, and begin growing others in the discipline of faith.

...So Be Real!!

“God Lovers Hate what is Phony and FAKE…  
Prov. 13:5 MSG Version

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: Dec 29, 2021
• ISBN: 9781664251649

B. Shane Anderson

B. Shane Anderson is a servant of all, by God’s grace, expectant and vulnerable, he is the one true soul who’s heart is fully dedicated and devoted to the righteous pursuit of Our Heavenly Father, and Lord Jesus Christ!! Born with 24 hrs. to live, accepting Christ at the age of 7, California Kid and Surfer Cowboy, called to full-time ministry and preaching all over the nation and world since he was 15. He graduated from California Baptist University with a Business Admin. Marketing and Management Degree, and also CEMETERY! (SWBTS, Fort Worth, TX 2000, MDiv Student Leadership) He’s been in ministry, around students, a US Navy Chaplain, singer, songwriter, entrepreneur, and overall a REALLY COOL DUDE!

Book preview

Copyright © 2021 B. Shane Anderson.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

This book is a work of non-fiction. Unless otherwise noted, the author and the publisher make no explicit guarantees as to the accuracy of the information contained in this book and in some cases, names of people and places have been altered to protect their privacy.

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Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

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Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked TPT are from The Passion Translation®. Copyright © 2017, 2018 by Passion & Fire Ministries, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. ThePassionTranslation.com.

Scripture quotations marked MSG are taken from THE MESSAGE, copyright © 1993, 2002, 2018 by Eugene H. Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, represented by Tyndale House Publishers. All rights reserved.

Scripture marked VOICE taken from The Voice™. Copyright © 2012 by Ecclesia Bible Society. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

ISBN: 978-1-6642-5165-6 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-6642-5166-3 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-6642-5164-9 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2021924431

WestBow Press rev. date: 12/22/2021

CONTENTS

Why This Book?

Being Real With Self

Chapter 1 Desire the Truth – God’s Nugget

Chapter 2 Inspect Your Personal Life

Chapter 3 Value The Results

Chapter 4 Express My Needs

Being Real with Others

Chapter 5 Story

Chapter 6 Helps in understanding How

Chapter 7 Answers and Affirmation

Chapter 8 Responsibility to Others

Chapter 9 Expecting Results and Multiplication

Being Real with God

Chapter 10 Forsaking All I Trust HIM

Chapter 11 All That I Need to Be Authentic

Chapter 12 Inspecting Who God Is?

Chapter 13 Total Obedience!!! Nothing Less!!

Chapter 14 Hope – Heaven – Holiness

Survey

WHY THIS BOOK?

The purpose and desire I have in writing this is to help give us a place to begin developing our passion to dig in, to be changed, and be a changer of lives. In becoming authentic, fully dedicated followers of Christ we begin to understand our weakness and understand that God’s power is essential to our perspective and furtherance of His good news.

Some of you may have a hard time with the order: Being real with yourself, others, and God is not a chain or order of being real, it’s all-encompassing, becoming. Some of you may look at this and say that’s heretical or selfish, maybe even you’d say backward. The truth is even Jesus said, Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and mind, and love your neighbor as yourself! (Matthew 22:37) When you break this down Jesus was actually saying he loves me! He loves YOU! He is beginning with you where you are! And He loves you so much He cannot keep you the same. You can’t love others until you know how much he loves you, and how much you need to love yourself. Jesus bears all sins full punishment and is the true fulfillment of righteousness. Jesus’ pride was born in a barn, and hung on a cross!!

God created you to be who you are, where you are, born when you are so that he could display all his glory through and in you. Until you get real with yourself you won’t be able to admit there is a God, that you need Him, that he died for you, and that He rose to bring and give you the life you were supposed to live. At the same time, it is God’s power and spirit that reveals himself, died, and rose for you, and only in him can you understand what is truly real life. This is the mystery of his majesty!!

This book is a compilation for helping new and all believers get into the word, be in the word, and love the word!! Most of the premises and ideas are a vision of Sandals Church in Riverside, CA but it has become much more than that. While Sandals’ vision has become my passion, I know God has something bigger in mind. And in it, I know God has something for you here in this place to discover God completely.

Isn’t it interesting that nowhere in scripture does it say that we have to become one with God!! It’s already done!! We already are part of God’s plan, but to become all of God’s plan we have to lay down ourselves. Our purpose, our place, our plan, our perspective, our everything because he laid down his everything to be with you, in you, for you, and because of you!! It’s not about being a full-time minister or a pastor or even being in a specific place, or a position, or anything! It’s about all what God created you to be. So you see it’s awesome that God can take a Southern California Punk kid and grow him and show him and give him the ability to communicate a vision that’s given life to the lost, hope for the faithful, and an answer to all to see God in all his glory! So what great and impossible thing did God have for me? Writing and loving this vision out!!! It’s my joy, honor, and privilege to take the things I’ve learned and help others. It’s my hope this would be seen as an apply this vision to anyone who longs to understand how to live life to the fullest and use this guide alongside churches throughout the world!!

Why 14 weeks? Counselors, leadership gurus, doctors, and even biblical advice show that it takes 7 weeks for something to become a habit. It then takes an additional 7 weeks to make that habit a lifestyle. Many believers accept Christ, walk down an aisle, get baptized then sit on a pew every Sunday morning. 14 themes are also part of the original new membership course at Sandals. So it made sense that if I was going to use those resources I’d continue that layout! These 14 weeks are a lifestyle change, a dedication, a commitment, a covenant relationship that once you finish, you’ll continue to grow. You’ll learn how and why to memorize scripture, what your spiritual gifts are, how you fit into God’s plan, how to see him at work and join Him there. By the time you’re finished, you’ll be able to create your own journals and devotions, as well as share your faith BOLDLY!!

Give God your best! This guide should take 20-30 min. Do it every morning. Scripture promises when you bring your first, you will be fulfilled. Start where you are. His word does not return void. Take him at his promises!! Get alone... Even Jesus spent time alone. Get in His Word... Scripture is God Living, Breathing, it is God’s word to you!! Get REAL... Bring yourself to God. He can handle it!! He created you and longs for you to meet with Him! Get connected... Share with God and others. You belong in relationships with others. Getting alone breeds bad things. Find a church and even better a small group and get plugged in. Check out https://sandalschurch.com/anywhere/ or www.sandalschurch.tv. Make a dedication to going, and being involved for at least 6 months, NO MATTER WHAT!! Want more?? Use the Go Deeper Section. Remember "Seek the Lord, and HE WILL BE FOUND!! Is. 55:6

Through the stories and readings, I pray and hope that God would allow you to begin seeing the need to dig in, to daily grow closer to abiding with Him, to grow into the godly person He has called you to be, and begin growing others in the discipline of faith. For you are guests, and co-heirs with God… Now if we are children, then we are heirs- heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ if indeed we share in His sufferings so that we may also share in His Glory!! (Romans 8:17-ff)

...So Be Real!!

"God Lovers Hate what is Phony and FAKE…

Prov. 13:5 MSG Version

BEING REAL

WITH SELF

• Desire the truth

• Inspect your personal life

• Value the results

• Express My Needs

DIVE IN!! Standing on the shore of the pool looking at the 48-degree water at 5 a.m. The coach says, Let’s go people!! Either you get in on your own, or I’ll toss you in! We decided as a team, on the count of three, then jump. One, two, SPLASH! The coach had snuck up behind us and pushed us in. We were not ready, but by diving in we finally were able to realize that standing on the shore would never prepare us to win. Later my coach told us that if we would have gradually gone in it would have taken us an hour to try to tip-toe our way in. By diving in, your body temperature reacts more quickly, and your body adjusts better. Being real with yourself can also be as shocking as diving into a cold swimming pool. When you begin to dive in you have to be determined to be open and honest. The first place we begin is diving in, discovering who we are, and determining why we need God. Realizing this could be the hardest step of our lives, but it is also the most freeing. Like in diving into the pool our bodies respond, in the same way, God brings refreshment and refocus when we get real!

WEEK 1

Desire the Truth –

God’s Nugget

"And we pray this is in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please Him in every way: bearing fruit in good work, growing in the Knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully giving thanks to the father,