Tag Archives: Personally
A New Adventure
Almost two years ago my wife had my Bible engraved with the words “Treasure Map for a New Adventure” I don’t think that either of us we’re prepared for what that would really mean. We had just accepted a new position as the youth pastor a church in Central Arkansas, and that had meant saying goodbye to our home and our friends from the previous five and a half years. So our “New Adventure”, we thought, was this next phase in our youth ministry journey, after all it’s what we do, who we are. Well over the past two years God has for a lack of a better term screwed me up. Starting last March Jesus began to seize my life in a complete new way, a way that at first made me uncomfortable. I began to look at the things I had been doing, how I had been approaching ministry and in light of what I had thought was important began to shift what we were doing (See getting rid of Elmo). There were a lot of things that God changed and birthed in me during this phase, but perhaps the most dominate thing has been a fervent passion for the Word (Thank you David Platt. punk.). I suppose that alone will destroy things you believe, assuming they weren’t actually in the Bible, and cause you to move beyond casual church Christianity. Shortly after the initial dynamic switch in my world God began having people tell me they thought I was going to be called to pastor. Well if you’ve ever talked to me about youth ministry you know that is about the last thing I could see myself doing. I’m a “lifer!” (A phrase my best friend and mentor coined referencing guys that are in youth ministry for their whole lives). It was really easy to dismiss those comments, I’m a career youth pastor with no pastoral experience, I have never been to seminary, and I’m anti-establishment. No way any southern baptist Bible belt church is hiring me. Besides, I told myself, I certainly would not make a good pastor. Well there were too many things happening, people telling me, and desires welling up inside me so I reluctantly asked God what was His desire for me. I reminded Him that I love my students, they are growing, they are the future, I’m not sure I’m qualified to be a grown up pastor. I sought Him constantly for about two months and His response came to me over two days in early November.
Day One:
“You are in Potiphar’s house. Preparing for something larger. You are going to be a pastor.” I was actually relieved to finally have some clarity, as unbelievable as that seemed. I was still very uncertain that I could do all that pastoring requires but knew that if God was telling me to go do that, and I didn’t want to end up in fish I should probably move that direction. Besides Joseph was in Potiphar’s house for a long while learning to speak Egyptian, run a household, and unbeknownst to him getting ready to run a nation. Then Day Two took being unprepared to a whole new level.
Day Two:
“The church you’re going to pastor is to be one you start.” A CHURCH PLANTER?!!! You don’t have any money when you’re a church planter! I have a wife and three children and a good paying job and an Awesome house, and… I DON’T KNOW THE FIRST THING ABOUT PLANTING A CHURCH!
So that is pretty much exactly where I find myself. Following God in obedience, stepping out of my comfort zone and past experience to chase His will for me. To allow Him to do whatever He desires, clinging to Him for dear life as I step out into this new adventure.
The Seek God Challenge (Day 31)
HOLD ON TO GOD
READ
“22 The same night he arose and took his two wives, his two female servants, and his eleven children, and crossed the ford of the Jabbok.23 He took them and sent them across the stream, and everything else that he had.24 And Jacob was left alone. And a man wrestled with him until the breaking of the day.25 When the man saw that he did not prevail against Jacob, he touched his hip socket, and Jacob’s hip was put out of joint as he wrestled with him.26 Then he said, “Let me go, for the day has broken.” But Jacob said, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.”27 And he said to him, “What is your name?” And he said, “Jacob.”28 Then he said, “Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel, for you have striven with God and with men, and have prevailed.”29 Then Jacob asked him, “Please tell me your name.” But he said, “Why is it that you ask my name?” And there he blessed him.30 So Jacob called the name of the place Peniel, saying, “For I have seen God face to face, and yet my life has been delivered.”31 The sun rose upon him as he passed Penuel, limping because of his hip.32 Therefore to this day the people of Israel do not eat the sinew of the thigh that is on the hip socket, because he touched the socket of Jacob’s hip on the sinew of the thigh.”
– Genesis 32:22-32
THINK
While there is lots to be learned through this passage the concept we want to look at is in verse 26. Jacob despite being in pain and clearly going from a position of strength to brokenness refuses to let go. What is Jacob’s reason for refusing to let go? Why do you think the blessing was so important to Jacob?
Look again at verses 25-28. In what ways was Jacob changed in these verses? Which one made the greatest impact on his future? Why?
What are you holding onto God for? Who are you holding onto God for?
PRAY
These thoughts and prayers are just a guide to get you started in your conversation with God. Think of them as conversation starters rather than a check list to quickly pray.
Cry out to God for the things/people that you are refusing to give up on.
Thank the Lord that He changes you from death to life and from darkness into light. Ask Him to help you be a light in the darkness to your generation
DO
We are seeking the Lord through prayer and fasting starting tonight at dinner (skip dinner), and finishing tomorrow at dinner (skip breakfast & lunch, then eat dinner).
The Seek God Challenge (Day 30)
MINISTERING TO THE LORD
READ
“25 And Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem when they had completed their service, bringing with them John, whose other name was Mark.
“1 Now there were in the church at Antioch prophets and teachers, Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen a member of the court of Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.2 While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.”3 Then after fasting and praying they laid their hands on them and sent them off.”
-Acts 12:25 -13:3
THINK
The church at Antioch understood the importance of passionately seeking God and His direction. Keep in mind that there are things in our life that we don’t need to seek God on, such as sharing the Gospel, because we have been clearly commanded through scripture to do them. What would be an example of things you should seek God’s direction for?
Some translations use the phrase “ministering to the Lord” in verse two which is a great picture of what it means to worship. He is our audience and we are giving honor and attributing praise to God. The picture here is that they were giving up food to worship God. They refused to just sit casually and attend church as normal. How might fasting change your relationship with God?
Knowing the end result of this meeting, (1.3 billion people coming to Christ, 13 books of the NT, etc.) what then can we conclude might be accomplished by diligently seeking God through prayer and fasting?
PRAY
These thoughts and prayers are just a guide to get you started in your conversation with God. Think of them as conversation starters rather than a check list to quickly pray.
Pray that you will begin to desire God even more than lunch or dinner.
Thank the Lord that He hears our prayers and draws close to us when we draw close to Him.
DO
Make a plan to set aside tomorrow night and the following breakfast and lunch to seek the Lord through prayer and fasting.
The Seek God Challenge (Day 29)
GOSPEL IS OUR ONLY HOPE
(ETERNITY IS FOREVER)
READ
But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.
-Philippians 3:20-21
“Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done. And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done. Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.”
-Revelation 20:11-15
THINK
The reason that the Gospel is the only hope for those that surround us is concluded in the fact that what we do with this truth effects peoples eternity. What should the knowledge of the Gospel lead us to concerning those around us?
How does the reality of heaven and hell effect you? Your family? Your friends?
PRAY
These thoughts and prayers are just a guide to get you started in your conversation with God. Think of them as conversation starters rather than a check list to quickly pray.
Pray that you will be unashamed of the Gospel for the sake of those people in your life who don’t know Christ.
Pray that although the destination of eternity is pressing that your faith will be built on more than just going to heaven.
DO
Time again to jump out there, share the truth of the Gospel with one of the three friends you have been praying for.
The Seek God Challenge (Day 28)
THE GOSPEL IS OUR ONLY HOPE
(THE IMPORTANCE OF FAITH)
READ
4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us,5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,7 so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.
-Ephesians 2:4-7
We ourselves are Jews by birth and not Gentile sinners; yet we know that a person
is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified.
-Galatians 2:15-16
Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.
-Romans 5:1
Whoever says “I know him” but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him, but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him: whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.
-1 John 2:4-6
THINK
So we’ve seen our condition before God (dead in our sin), and then we’ve seen God’s saving plan (Jesus death & resurrection), now we want to see how we move from death in sin to life in Christ. According to both Galatians 15-16, and Romans 5:1 how do we stand right before God?
As we mentioned early on in our study, too often we stop at what we believe is the point of salvation then we may miss Jesus altogether. 1 John 2:4-6 tells us that what must be present to say that we “know” God?
Why is doing what Jesus tells us to do an important part of faith?
Jesus’s actions on the cross and through the resurrection opens the door to us to move from death to life and if we will place our faith in Christ, repent from our sins, and walk in His ways we will be transformed, both in our eternal destination and on this earth.
So then the whole answer of how we enter from death to life is?
PRAY
These thoughts and prayers are just a guide to get you started in your conversation with God. Think of them as conversation starters rather than a check list to quickly pray.
Pray that your faith will grow in such a way that you will walk in the ways of Jesus.
Pray that as we desire God we come to better understanding of the gospel and its role in your life.
DO
Take a minute and write out the gospel in a way that helps you clearly understand it.
